Document	Document Title
US09357278B2	In-skin wavelength division multiplex (WDM) path computation A method of managing an optical communication network having a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes including at least one regeneration site. A respective Path Computation Element (PCE) function is instantiated and associated with each regeneration site in the network. Each PCE function maintains a reach table containing information of viable optical paths extending from transceivers of its regeneration site. The PCE function implements a Recursive Path Computation algorithm to compute end-to-end routes through a physical layer of the network.
US09357277B1	Dynamic URL personalization system for enhancing interactive television A URL personalization system allowing a television service provider to dynamically associate multiple URLs with the video content item being viewed by the customer is provided. The associated URLs point to additional content that may be of interest to different customer demographics. A generic URL linking to the associated URLs may be inserted into the video content item. The system may personalize the generic URL by replacing or modifying the generic URL with a personalized URL based on information specific to the customer viewing the content before streaming the content or when additional content is requested. The customer is redirected to the personalized URL to obtain the additional content. This allows the television service provider to send a single video content item to all customers or large groups of customers while providing individual customers with an enhanced interactive television viewing experience.
US09357276B2	Digital broadcast method A TTS preparation processing section attaches a time stamp to each of packets in an MPEG-2 TS (Transport Stream) to convert the MPEG-2 TS into an MPEG-2 TTS (Time-stamped Transport Stream). A grouping section collects a predetermined number of packets in the MPEG-2 TTS to form a group. A null packet removal section removes null packets from the group. A transmitting section shifts the MPEG-2 TTS packets in the group, from which the null packet has been removed, frontward to convert the MPEG-2 TTS packets into an RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) packet and transmits the RTP packet to a communication line.
US09357261B2	Methods and apparatus to measure exposure to streaming media Methods and apparatus to measure exposure to streaming media are disclosed herein. An example method includes demultiplexing a closed captioning transport stream from a media stream, the media stream intercepted intermediate a media device and a display. Metadata is extracted from the closed captioning transport stream. At least one of the metadata or data based on the metadata is exported to a media measurement server.
US09357257B2	Portable information processing device and media data replay system A portable information processing device (1) is provided with a communication portion (12) capable of communication according to a prescribed network standard allowing sharing of media data between corresponding apparatuses connected to a network, a built-in display portion (10) capable of replaying/displaying the media data, a control unit (18a) capable of controlling a display on the built-in display portion and acquiring the media data, and a first external display (15) noncorresponding to the prescribed network standard.
US09357254B2	Set-top box, system and method for providing awareness in a hospitality environment A system and method for providing awareness in a hospitality environment are presented. In one embodiment, a vertical and horizontal array of set-top boxes is provided and each set-top box includes an identification corresponding to the room in which the set-top box is placed. Each set-top box includes a wireless transceiver that periodically transmits an identification beacon that is received by a proximate wireless-enabled interactive device. The proximate wireless-enabled interactive device, in turn, broadcasts data packets including an indication of the strength of set-top box identification signals received. The broadcasts are received by a server via an array of wireless routers. The location of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive device is determined based on the signal strength information in the data packets.
US09357252B2	System and method for interactive appliance control A controlling device interacts dynamically with a plurality of appliances using state information known to a master appliance. The master appliance conveys to the controlling device the state information and the controlling device uses the state information to dynamically configure itself to command functional operations of one or more of the plurality of appliances. The master appliance also causes a graphical representation of the current configuration of the controlling device to be displayed on a display device that is associated with the master appliance.
US09357247B2	Apparatus and methods for content delivery and message exchange across multiple content delivery networks Methods and apparatus for providing protected content to subscribers of a managed (e.g., MSO) network via a content source accessible via an internetwork such as the Internet. In one embodiment, a user accesses a programmer website, and requests content. The programmer determines whether the requesting user is permitted to access the content, and what rights or restrictions are associated with the user. This includes authenticating the user as a subscriber of the MSO, and determining the subscriber's subscription level. In another embodiment, a user's account with the MSO and programmer may be federated, thus a given user will have MSO-specific information regarding its identity (such as login information, GUID, etc.) and/or information regarding subscription level and service details, stored at the programmer. Messages received from the MSO representing permission for the user to access content may also be stored at the programmer site for later reference.
US09357242B2	Method and system for automatic tagging in television using crowd sourcing technique A method and system for tracking of objects in a video is disclosed. The method of the present invention enables user to indicate a boundary-box to the identified object of interest in the broadcast video on television or any other communication media. The object indicted in the boundary-box is than tracked by the users connected in a social community network in the upcoming video frames of the broadcasted video. The tracked object is then tagged by the users in the social community network. Further, the present invention enables augmentation of the tracked object in the video by extracting additional information from the online service providers. The augmentation and tagging of the object generates metadata related to the object. The metadata generated is stored on a server to track the object in future based on the metadata related to the object.
US09357240B2	Methods and apparatus for providing alternate media for video decoders A system provides programming and advertising to a video decoder such as a digital video recorder, computer system, software or hardware player, etc. When a user makes a request to skip a commercial by issuing a command such as 30 second skip forward, alternate media is provided. In some examples, an image advertisement is provided for a predetermined period of time either during the commercial break or when regular programming resumes. In other examples, a substitute commercial is shown. The substitute commercial may be shortened or compressed. The alternate media may be perceptually encoded in a video stream, hidden in a video stream, or provided in a separate stream. In some examples, survey based and neuro-response based data is used to evaluate and select alternate media for particular programming.
US09357229B2	Coding motion vectors in video coding This disclosure relates to techniques for reducing a cost of coding prediction information in video coding. Video blocks in a generalized P/B (GPB) frame are encoded using up to two motion vectors calculated from reference pictures in two separate reference picture lists that are identical. Video blocks of a GPB frame may, therefore, be encoded using a bidirectional prediction mode with a first motion vector from a reference picture in a first reference picture list and a second motion vector from the same or substantially similar reference picture in a second reference picture list. The techniques include jointly coding the first and second motion vectors for a video block of a GPB frame. The techniques include coding the first motion vector relative to a first motion predictor generated from a motion vector of a neighboring block, and coding the second motion vector relative to the first motion vector.
US09357224B2	Method and apparatus for decoding intra prediction mode A method of decoding an intra prediction mode, can include reconstructing an intra prediction mode group indicator and a prediction mode index, constructing an MPM group including three intra prediction modes using valid intra prediction modes of left and top blocks of the current block, determining an intra prediction mode of the MPM group corresponding to the prediction mode index as the intra prediction mode of the current block when the intra prediction mode group indicator indicates that the intra prediction mode of the current block belongs to the MPM group and determining the intra prediction mode of the current block using the prediction mode index and the three intra prediction modes of the MPM group when the intra prediction mode group indicator indicates that the intra prediction mode of the current block does not belong to the MPM group.
US09357223B2	System and method for decoding using parallel processing Encoding a stream of video data including at least one frame having a plurality of rows of blocks video may include encoding the plurality of rows using a second encoding scheme, wherein the input to encoding each row includes information contained in an adjacent row, dividing the plurality of rows into a plurality of partitions, wherein at least two adjacent rows are placed into separate partitions, further encoding each of the plurality of the partitions using a first encoding scheme, recording a value indicative of the number or of partitions into which the plurality of rows have been divided, and recording a value indicative of the location of the partitions within the encoded video data.
US09357222B2	Video device finishing encoding within the desired length of time A system comprising a processor and a compression module coupled to the processor. The compression module is adapted to perform motion estimation on video data using an algorithm, the motion estimation performed at a rate. If the processor determines a difference between the rate and a target rate, the processor adjusts a precision level of the algorithm such that the difference is decreased.
US09357221B2	Methods and apparatus for adaptive transform selection for video encoding and decoding Methods and apparatus are provided for adaptive transform selection for video encoding and decoding. An apparatus includes a video encoder for encoding at least a block in a picture using a transform. The transform used to encode the block is selected from a plurality of transforms. The plurality of transforms is adaptively updated during the encoding of the picture.
US09357219B2	Video encoding apparatus and video decoding apparatus While maintaining a high degree of freedom in choosing partition sizes and transformation sizes adapted for local characteristics of videos, the amount of metadata is decreased. A video encoding apparatus (10) divides an input video into blocks of a prescribed size and encodes the video block by block. The video encoding apparatus is provided with: a prediction parameter determining portion (102) that decides the block partition structure; a predictive image producing portion (103) that generates predictive images, partition by partition, as prescribed by the partition structure; a transform coefficient producing portion (107) which applies one of the frequency transformations included in a prescribed transformation preset to prediction residuals, i.e. the differences between predictive images and the input video; a transform restriction deriving portion (104) which generates the list of transform candidate, i.e. lists of frequency transformations that can be applied to each partition, on the basis of partition format information; and a variable-length-encoding portion (108) which, on the basis of the list of transform candidate and the transformation preset, performs variable-length encoding on transformation selection flags.
US09357213B2	High-density quality-adaptive multi-rate transcoder systems and methods The present invention provides methods and systems that create numerous high-quality output streams at different spatial or temporal resolutions from a single input stream. An input stream is transcoded at a first transcoder module to provide N output streams, wherein each of the N output streams comprises different versions of the input stream. Parameters are obtained during transcoding of the input stream and provided to a second transcoder module together with the input stream. The input stream may be transcoded at the second transcoder module to produce M output streams based on the parameters received from the first transcoder module. The parameters received from the first transcoder module may be used to enhance the transcoding at the second transcoder module.
US09357207B2	Method and apparatus for compensating for temperature variations of a liquid crystal display panel for a 3-dimensional display Methods and apparatuses are provided for compensating for a temperature of a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel. The method includes selecting a lookup table corresponding to a detected temperature of the LCD panel from among lookup tables for a 3-dimensional (3D) display of the LCD panel; and adjusting luminance to be output to the LCD panel based on the selected lookup table.
US09357193B2	Method and apparatus for compensating for color imbalance in image data A method of correcting color imbalance in a captured image includes deriving gradient data from a group of pixels in the captured image, determining a compensation value based on the gradient data, and applying that value to at least one pixel. Apparatus for correcting color imbalance includes a digital image processor that corrects color imbalance, in an image that is output by an image detector, according to the method. Each pixel may represent a color from a set of colors, with one particular color being a selected color, and each pixel to which the compensation value is applied representing the selected color. Where the group of pixels forms a rectangular shape, the gradient data may include horizontal and vertical gradients. The classifying may be performed according to a visual characteristic of a portion of the image, where determining the compensation value is based also on the visual characteristic.
US09357192B2	Video sender and video receiver According to one embodiment, a video sender comprises: a video processor and a communication module. The video processor creates video. The communication module is configured to communicate with a video receiver. The communication module comprises: a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver receives, from the video receiver, specific information specifying which one of a color signal and a frame rate takes precedence over the other one in transmission. The transmitter converts the video created by the video processor into video in which one of the color signal and the frame rate takes precedence over the other one in accordance with the specific information, and transmit the video thus converted to the video receiver.
US09357178B1	Video-revenue prediction tool Described herein are techniques related to prediction of video revenue for non-monetized videos. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope and meaning of the claims. A video-revenue prediction tool predicts revenue for non-monetized videos using historical revenue data of monetized videos.
US09357176B2	Method and apparatus for displaying program guide information in available blank regions A program guide printing device receives program information and generates program guide print data from the received program information. The program guide printing device prints a program guide. In a program frame of a program guide, a blank region may occur. In the blank region, the program guide printing device can print program information of another program or additional information such as advertisement information, program topics, weather forecast, text and images.
US09357171B2	System and method of multi-end-point data-conferencing A multi end-point (EP) conferencing system, including a decentralized scalable network of End-Points that includes a source EP being configured to connect to a non-virtual target EP. The source EP being configured to transmit to the non-virtual target EP a conference list thereof, for distributing to non-virtual EPs and virtual EPs associated with the target EP. It is further configured to receive a conference list of the non-virtual target EP, integrate the received conference list with its conference list to obtain an integrated conference list and distribute the integrated conference list or parts thereof to virtual EPs and non-virtual EPs associated with the source EP. The source EP being further configured to receive a positive selection notification being indicative of a requesting EP from EPs associated with the source EP that would like to get data from the source EP. In response to receipt of the positive selection notification, the source EP being configured to transmit data for receiving by the requesting EP.
US09357166B2	Transmission terminal, transmission method, and recording medium storing transmission control program A transmission terminal that communicates contents data including sound data with a counterpart transmission terminal, detects a delay time indicating a delay in receiving the contents data from the counterpart transmission terminal, and interrupts transmission of the contents data other than the sound data to the counterpart transmission terminal when the delay time exceeds a predetermined value.
US09357155B2	Method and system for generating row advertising in a program guide A system includes a content processing system receiving row ad metadata for a row ad, communicating the row ad to a user device and communicating program guide information to a user device. The program guide information defines a plurality of rows. The user device populates a row from the plurality of rows in response to the metadata and displays the row ad and the program guide on a display associated with the user device.
US09357152B2	Dual-mode communication devices and methods for arena gaming Methods, systems, and techniques for dual-mode communication are provided. Example embodiments provide an enhanced mobile device that includes a CPU, a low latency transceiver, and a high latency transceiver. The enhanced mobile device is in communication with a console via both the low latency transceiver and the high latency transceiver. The console also includes a CPU, a low latency transceiver, and a high latency transceiver. In some embodiments, the low latency communication channel is used to transmit control messages to an entertainment console whereas the high latency communication channel is used to communicate data between the mobile device and the entertainment console. The dual-mode communication may be used in different scenarios, including with an entertainment console for arena gaming and other entertainment applications.
US09357147B2	Column A/D converter, column A/D conversion method, solid imaging device, and camera system The present invention relates to a column A/D converter, column A/D conversion method, imaging device, and camera system that can reduce the amount of IR drop by dispersing the current consumed during the count operation, mitigate the counter characteristic degradation, readily reduce the amount of fluctuation in the power source voltage, and achieve operation at a low power source voltage. The column A/D converter includes a plurality of column processing units including an A/D conversion function, a plurality of counters configured to generate digital codes in response to a reference clock and arranged corresponding to each or a set of the column processing units, and a count start offset unit configured to trigger a pseudo count operation in each of the counters and to offset a count start code for at least two or more counters among the plurality of counters before the reference clock is supplied to the counters.
US09357146B2	Solid-state imaging device and camera system A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array with unit pixels each having a photoelectric conversion device arranged in a matrix. Column signal lines are wired with respect to one column in the pixel arrangement and pixels are regularly connected to the column signal lines in accordance with rows in which pixels are positioned. A pixel signal reading unit has a column processing unit that reads pixel signals in units of plural pixels from the pixel array and performs column processing to read signals on a column basis, wherein the pixel signal reading unit includes a column input unit which can connect one or plural column signal lines arranged at a corresponding column to an input of one column processing unit through plural capacitors connected in parallel The column input unit has switches which can change a connection state between capacitors and column signal lines corresponding to the column.
US09357129B1	Methods and systems for removal of rolling shutter effects Methods and systems for rolling shutter removal are described. A computing device may be configured to determine, in a frame of a video, distinguishable features. The frame may include sets of pixels captured asynchronously. The computing device may be configured to determine for a pixel representing a feature in the frame, a corresponding pixel representing the feature in a consecutive frame; and determine, for a set of pixels including the pixel in the frame, a projective transform that may represent motion of the camera. The computing device may be configured to determine, for the set of pixels in the frame, a mixture transform based on a combination of the projective transform and respective projective transforms determined for other sets of pixels. Accordingly, the computing device may be configured to estimate a motion path of the camera to account for distortion associated with the asynchronous capturing of the sets of pixels.
US09357125B2	Method and apparatus of displaying portrait on display A method and an apparatus are provided for displaying a portrait on a display by a portable terminal. It is determined whether an image is a character-photographed image. If the image is the character-photographed image, face detection is executed from the image. A character area in the image is set based on a result of the face detection. The character area is enlarged and displayed in a form of a new window.
US09357124B2	Focusing control device and controlling method of the same A focusing control device that can keep a moving subject in focus and can prevent significant defocusing of a low contrast subject or under a low-light intensity condition during continuous shooting. The focusing control device determines whether an in-focus position of a focusing lens can be obtained, predicts an in-focus position for the current exposure operation based on an in-focus position for the previous exposure operation when continuous main exposure operation is performed for shooting, and determines whether prediction of an in-focus position is possible. When prediction of an in-focus position for the current exposure operation is determined to be not possible, the focusing control device performs a scan operation to obtain an in-focus position based on an in-focus position of the previous exposure operation where obtaining of an in-focus position of the focusing lens was determined to be possible.
US09357122B2	Photoelectric conversion apparatus, focus detecting apparatus, imaging system, and driving method of photoelectric conversion apparatus A photoelectric conversion apparatus is a photoelectric conversion apparatus formed in a semiconductor substrate, and includes: a first photoelectric conversion unit (31) formed as a first conductivity type; a second photoelectric conversion unit (32) formed as a second conductivity type at a position deeper, in a depth direction of the semiconductor substrate, rather than the first photoelectric conversion unit; and a monitor unit configured to monitor a signal of the second photoelectric conversion unit, during a charge accumulation period of the first photoelectric conversion unit.
US09357119B2	Imaging apparatus capable of wireless communication An imaging apparatus of the present invention, which is capable of wireless communication, images a peripheral imaging apparatus from among a plurality of peripheral imaging apparatuses around the imaging apparatus; detects predetermined information by which identification information identifying the peripheral imaging apparatus is identifiable from within the imaging frames; identifies the identification information by analyzing the detected predetermined information; selects a peripheral imaging apparatus to be a target for predetermined processing from among the plurality of peripheral imaging apparatus by using the identified identification information; and performs the predetermined processing with the selected peripheral imaging apparatus via the wireless communication.
US09357111B2	Casing Casings and housings for use in high speed airflow (for example for mounting on a high speed vehicle) are described. In one embodiment, a housing for imaging equipment is described. The housing has a tapering form with symmetrical angular truncations such that it tapers in the form of a wedge with two substantially planar regions. At least one substantially planar region includes an aperture formed of optically transparent material.
US09357109B2	Magnetic optical adapter for electronic devices The invention presented generally refers to an optical adapter device which magnetically attaches one or more optical elements or assemblies to a magnetic portion of an electronic device having a camera. In particular, the optical adapter is shaped to align a first opening in housing of the optical adapter with the camera of the electronic device. The novel device and method utilizes the inherently magnetic properties of the electronic device itself, instead of requiring a predetermined magnetic mate to be built into the electronic device.
US09357102B2	Systems and methods of securing operational information associated with an imaging device The invention is directed to a tamper-evident method of encrypting data relating to one or more print cartridges installed in an imaging device that includes triggering a gathering of data relating to the one or more print cartridges installed in the imaging device; recording a number of instances the triggering is performed; retrieving a previously encrypted data relating to the one or more print cartridges installed in the imaging device, the previously encrypted data gathered at a time prior to the triggering; and encrypting the gathered data using the previously encrypted data.
US09357093B2	Information processing apparatus, method for controlling information processing apparatus, and recording medium for controlling power supply to a device of the information processing apparatus An information processing apparatus on which a plurality of applications is installed and which includes a device includes a display unit configured to display a screen for selecting an application to execute from among the plurality of applications, an acquisition unit configured to obtain attribute information about the application selected on the screen displayed on the display unit, a determination unit configured to determine whether the selected application is a specific application based on application information obtained by the acquisition unit, and a control unit configured to, if the determination unit determines that the selected application is the specific application, control power supply to the device based on device information obtained by the acquisition unit, and if the determination unit determines that the selected application is not the specific application, perform control so that the power is supplied to the device.
US09357085B2	Methods, systems, and products for monitoring service usage Usage information is received that describes usage of communication services by a communications device. The usage information is compared to monitoring criteria. When the monitoring criteria are satisfied, an electronic notification message is sent to the communications device before an additional charge is incurred.
US09357084B2	Method and apparatus for monitoring service usage of a mobile terminal Method and device of monitoring service usage are disclosed. The method includes: acquiring respective service plan information of a first service plan and a second service plan for a service offered by one or more service providers, the respective service plan information for each of the first and second service plans including a respective set of service variables; acquiring respective values for the respective sets of service variables for the first and second service plans based on actual service usage associated with a user; in accordance with the acquired respective values, generating a first service score for the first service plan and a second service score for the second service plan; and in accordance with the first and second service scores, selecting a respective service plan for at least one of usage recommendation or fee calculation for subsequent use in a current service cycle.
US09357083B2	System and method for providing user lifecycle management and service orchestration of multiple media services across multiple display screens A system and method are provided for enabling personalization and service coordination of media services across multiple devices. The method comprises providing a first module to interface with information technology infrastructure and media services provided by an operator or third parties; and providing, using the first module, service orchestration and user lifecycle management components to enable authorized and personalized access to multiple network operator services across multiple devices and services.
US09357081B2	Method for choosing an alternate offline charging system during an overload and apparatus associated therewith A method for using a charging system to account for service provided by a network element in a service provider network is provided. The method may include storing load information records for multiple charging control function (CCF) servers at the CCF servers, receiving status messages from the multiple CCF servers at the CCF servers in conjunction with operation of the CCF servers in a charging system, and updating load status and timestamp fields in the load information records for the status messages received cyclically. The load information records being accessible to the select CCF server for selecting at least one alternate CCF server after the select CCF server determines it is too busy to process some accounting request (ACR) from some network element. The select CCF server may include a peer characteristics storage module, a charging system communication module, and a status message parsing module.
US09357073B2	Method and system for routing messages and connecting users associated with live-connected content A first request is received from a first user device, including a content item identifier identifying a first content item. In response, a list of media content documents is identified from a content database based on the content item ID. Document identifiers of the media content document are transmitted to a second server. A list of agent identifiers is received from the second server identifying agents who are currently available to establish a live communication session with the first user. A subset of the media content documents is determined based on the availability information of the agents and transmitted to the first user device. Each of the subset is presented with at least one agent identifier identifying an available agent, at least one geographic location of the available agent, and a live connect button to allow the first user to reach the corresponding available agent.
US09357069B2	System for indicating priority levels for transaction and task engagement in a call center A call center system has a computerized server executing software (SW) from a machine-readable medium, a data collection function of the SW enabled for collecting data regarding incoming transactions, a data processing function coupled to the data collection engine and enabled for processing the data collected against a set of business rules, the data processing function determining a priority level for individual ones of the incoming transactions, and a distribution function enabled for distributing a priority indication determined by the data processing function to one or more presentation interfaces accessible to agents, at or near the time the associated transaction is engaged by the agent.
US09357066B2	Increasing contact center efficiency via multi-cast and multi-item presentation A contact center includes a resource selection module operable to determine and select a plurality of agents based on a work request. The plurality of agents includes agents suitable for the work request. Further, the plurality of agents includes agents having previous work requests in a presenting state. Furthermore, the plurality of agents includes agents working below individual capacity of the agents for simultaneously handling work requests. Further, the plurality of agents is dynamic and may increase in size. The contact center further includes a resource connector module operable to present the work request simultaneously to the plurality of agents. The resource connector module further may subsequently present the work request to newly available suitable agents. The resource connector module further routes the work request to an agent based on actual agent responsiveness.
US09357064B1	Apparatuses and methods for routing digital voice data in a communication system for hearing-impaired users A communication system facilitating communication for assisting hearing-impaired users includes an analog telephone adaptor (ATA) device and a communication device. The communication device is configured to route digital voice data between the ATA device and a second communication device during a conversation involving the communication device and a second communication device through a wireless port of communication device, and communicate through the wireless port with a relay service configured to provide interpretive assistance for a hearing-impaired user of the communication device. A method includes routing digital voice data received wirelessly by a communication device to an ATA device, routing digital voice data received from the ATA device from the communication device wirelessly to a second communication device, and communicating wirelessly with a relay service configured to provide captioning services of the content of a portion of the voice data received by the communication device from the second communication device.
US09357054B1	Determining user's seating position in vehicle using barometer and motion sensors A handheld electronic device determines its position in a moving vehicle based on changes in air pressure that occur when the vehicle undergoes acceleration. Based on a direction of acceleration that correlates to a subsequent reduction in air pressure, a determination is made as to whether the device is in the front left, front right, back left, or back right quadrant of the vehicle. The device then alters its configuration based on the quadrant in which it is located.
US09357051B2	Telephone messaging privacy A user can select to automatically delete sent and received text messages from a phone, to avoid complications of another person having access to the phone reading stored messages.
US09357048B1	Wireless device gesture detection and operational control Wireless device gesture detection and operational control comprises identifying a first position of the device based on a sensor reading of at least one sensor operating as part of the device. The method may also include identifying a change in the device's position to a second position that is different from the first position, and receiving a specific pattern of touch input data on a touch pad of the device, the specific pattern of touch input data identified as a predefined object which corresponds to dimensions of a human ear being pressed against the touch pad and changing a current operating state of the device to a different operating state based on a comparison and detection operation.
US09357046B2	Detecting electromagnetic energy for alarm or log using mobile phone devices A mobile phone is configured to employ existing antennae or other exiting input electronics to receive electromagnetic waves, for detection of energy magnitudes. The mobile phone has wireless receiver electronics to receive, through the antennae, communication signals in a plurality of different communication bands that correspond to the plurality of different frequency ranges. Energy levels of electromagnetic waves received through the plurality of antennae are detected. A record is made of energy levels in the plurality of different frequency ranges. An alarm is provided upon a detected energy level crossing a predefined threshold value.
US09357039B2	Header elimination for real time internet applications The disclosed techniques provide for eliminating real-time transport protocol, RTP, extension bit X, marker bit M, time stamp and sequence number information and/or user data protocol, UDP, checksum information from the header of a packet for transmission.
US09357035B2	Optimizing network communications A mechanism is provided for optimizing network communications. A first data transfer request is received via a first application level socket connection in an originating computing device. Prior to opening a kernel level socket connection to a destination computing device, a determination is made as to whether a second data transfer request has been received via a second application level socket connection in the originating computing device, the second data transfer request identifying a destination computing device that is the same as the destination computing device as the first data transfer request. Responsive to identifying the second data transfer request, the first data transfer request and the second data transfer request are coalesced into a third data transfer request stored in a single kernel level socket buffer of the originating computing device. The third data transfer request is then sent to the destination computing device via a single TCP/IP stack.
US09357028B2	Method and system for processing request message, and load balancer device A method and a system for processing a request message, and a load balancer device are provided. The load balancer obtains a service name and an operation name through simple string matching, and a large amount of computing is performed at a server side, thereby solving a session hold problem of a composition engine cluster, reducing a computing task of a load balancer, maximizing a fan-out capability of the load balancer, and increasing a throughput of the composition engine cluster to a maximum extent, therefore satisfying a demand for a large capacity of a composition engine.
US09357027B2	Data processing method and system A data processing system relates to network communications technologies. A data buffering layer receives an operation request of a follower of a user having a long relation and of a client. The data buffer layer pushes the operation request to a service layer. The service layer receives the operation request pushed by the data buffering layer and caches the operation request according to a minimum storage unit. The minimum storage unit is determined by using the user having a long relation chain as a unit. The service layer determines a specified database that belongs to the user having a long relation chain and performs an operation on the specified database according to the operation request. The service layer determines the specified database according to a preset routing configuration when data cached in the minimum storage unit reaches a preset condition.
US09357026B2	Presentity authorization of buddy subscription in a communication system A server, computer readable medium and method for accessing buddy data related to a first user (presentity) that is connected to a communication network that includes a server, the data being accessed by a second user (watcher) connected to the communication network. The method including storing, at a server, information associated with a plurality of users associated with the presentity as the buddy data, receiving, at the server, a request from a watcher for buddy data of the presentity, authorizing, at least in part by the server, the request for buddy data, and transmitting, by the server, the buddy information to the watcher.
US09357020B2	Information source selection system, information source selection method, and program An information source selection system and an information source selection method for allowing a user to easily select an information source to which information is added at a frequency that matches the user's access frequency are provided. The method includes acquiring information on information addition frequency, which indicates frequency at which information is added per predetermined time period, for each of a plurality of recommendation candidate information sources contained in a plurality of information sources provided on a communication network, acquiring access frequency information that indicates frequency at which a user accesses one of the plurality of information sources provided on the communication network, and selecting, from the plurality of the recommendation candidate information sources, one or more recommendation candidate information sources that match the user based on the information on information addition frequency of each of the recommendation candidate information sources and the access frequency information of the user.
US09357009B2	Entity registration in multiple dispersed storage networks A method begins by receiving an access request for a user device. The method continues with the DS processing unit determining whether the user device has the DSN as a local DSN. When the user device does not have the DSN as the local DSN, the method continues with the DS processing unit determining whether the user device has a valid signed global certificate. When the user device does not have a valid signed global certificate, the method continues with the DS processing unit or by the user device sending a DSN registration request to the system authority unit. The method continues with the system authority unit generating the valid signed global certificate for the user device upon successful execution of processing the DSN registration request. The method continues with the DS processing unit executing the access request for the user device upon receipt of the valid signed global certificate.
US09357006B2	Methods and apparatus for managing mobile content A mobile application platform enables a user of a mobile device to manage Personalized Offline Web Applications (POW Apps) on a variety of devices. A Virtual Directory (VD) technology that is multi-source capable permits the POW code and content to be variably localized (Developer/User controls POW content/code stored on the user's device). The end user enters login information into a mobile application that is using the engine of the mobile application platform and receives POW code and content individually configured to the end user. A content manager or publisher controls what aspects of the POW application are stored locally and what aspects are kept on the server. When content is requested that is not stored locally, the content is either downloaded and opened locally or accessed on the web server like in the case of a streaming video or audio. After viewing any portion of the video or audio file, the user can decide to download the entire video or audio for offline use. The user is given this option or the content developer can predetermine how different types of POW code and content are handled through configuration settings. In addition to accessing or downloading online content, periodic communication back to the mobile application platform cloud can be implemented to get updates to the content and report back user activity, such as test scores and usage statistics.
US09357004B2	Reference count propagation Methods and systems are provided for tracking object instances stored on a plurality of network nodes, which tracking enables a global determination of when an object has no references across the networked nodes and can be safely de-allocated. According to one aspect of the invention, each node has a local object store for tracking and optionally storing objects on the node, and the local object stores collectively share the locally stored instances of the objects across the network. One or more applications, e.g., a file system and/or a storage system, use the local object stores for storing all persistent data of the application as objects.
US09357002B1	Mitigation of optimistic acknowledgement attacks in a computer protocol A method for verifying receipt of data packets, including generating a plurality of data packets, wherein each of the plurality of data packets comprises entropy information, transmitting one or more of the plurality of data packets to a receiver, receiving a first hash from the receiver, wherein the first hash is based on the entropy information of the one or more of the plurality of data packets and validating the first hash to determine if the receiver received the one or more of the plurality of data packets. Systems and computer-readable media are also provided.
US09356999B2	System and method for changing channels for guaranteed reliability communications A system and method for changing communication channels is provided. In the system, a transmitting peer divides transmission data into frames to generate an unfinished frame list and transmits a data frame to a receiving terminal according to the unfinished frame list and a receiving peer receives a data frame from the transmitting peer and transmits a response frame to the transmitting peer in response to the received data frame during direct channel communication. The transmitting peer transmits incompletely transmitted data frames (whose response frames have not been received) included in the unfinished frame list to the receiving peer through a relay server when a communication scheme has been changed from the direct channel communication scheme to a relay channel communication scheme. When the communication scheme is changed as circumstances require, specifically, from the direct scheme to the relay scheme, it is possible to rapidly change the communication channel without interruption of data communication.
US09356984B2	Capturing and sharing media content A media device allows users to watch and capture portions from a media stream. Users may then share the captured media content with other users. In one embodiment, the media device receives a media stream, plays the media stream, and caches a portion of the media stream as it is being played. A user can define a media clip by selecting its boundaries in the cached portion of the media stream. The media device creates the media clip based on the user's input and enables the user to transmit the media clip to another system, such as a community website for sharing it with other users.
US09356976B2	Real-time communications methods providing pause and resume and related devices Operating a receiver communication device during a real time communication session including a real time media content data stream provided by another communication device may include receiving the real time media content data stream of the communication session from the other communication device wherein packets of the real time media content data stream include an identification of the real time media content data stream. A pause request may be transmitted from the receiver communication device to the other communication device with the pause request including the identification of the real time media content data stream and a pause request sequence number. After transmitting the pause request, a pause acknowledge message may be received from the other communication device with the pause acknowledge message including the identification of the real time media content data stream and the pause request sequence number. Related devices and methods are also discussed.
US09356971B1	Broadcast-based trust establishment A method and apparatus for device authentication are provided. In the method and apparatus, authentication data for a first device is received. The first device is then authenticated based at least in part on demonstrated access to authentication data prior to broadcast of the authentication data. One or more actions may be taken in response to the authentication of the first device based at least in part on the demonstrated access to the authentication data.
US09356969B2	Technologies for multi-factor security analysis and runtime control Technologies for client-level web application runtime control and multi-factor security analysis by a computing device include receiving application code associated with a browser-based application from a web server. The computing device collects real-time data generated by at least one sensor of the computing device and performs a multi-factor security assessment of the browser-based application as a function of the collected real-time data and the application code. Further, the computing device establishes a client-level web application runtime security policy associated with the browser-based application in response to performing the multi-factor security assessment and enforces the client-level web application runtime security policy.
US09356964B2	Application based policy enforcement One embodiment is directed to a system that comprises a network device, including at least a first port, which is configured to analyze information within one or more messages received during a session initiated by another network device. The system is configured to perform operations including determining a total number of sessions for the first port of the network device and determining whether the total number of sessions for the first port exceeds a threshold value. If the total number of sessions for the first port exceeds the threshold value, an application associated with the first port is classified as a peer-to-peer application. Thereafter, a policy may be enforced based on this classification.
US09356960B2	Securing radio-frequency identification systems In one embodiment, a method includes, by a base station, communicating a challenge to a transponder through a first communication link; and establishing a second communication link with the transponder. The second communication link is a capacitive link. The method also includes receiving a first response to the challenge through the first communication link with the transponder; sampling the second communication link to detect a signal corresponding to a second response to the challenge from the transponder; receiving the second response through the second communication link; and authorizing the transponder based on the first and second responses.
US09356959B2	System and method for monitoring network traffic Described is a method of assigning a network address to a trap, the network address being a dark address of a virtual private network. The network traffic destined for the network address is monitored and a classification of the network traffic is determined. After the classification, a predetermined response is executed based on the classification of the traffic.
US09356947B2	Methods and systems for analyzing data related to possible online fraud Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems and software for analyzing data. In particular embodiments, for example, a set of data about a web site may be analyzed to determine whether the web site is likely to be illegitimate (e.g., to be involved in a fraudulent scheme, such as a phishing scheme, the sale of gray market goods, etc.). In an exemplary embodiment, a set of data may be divided into a plurality of components (each of which, in some cases, may be considered a separate data set). Merely by way of example, a set of data may comprise data gathered from a plurality of data sources, and/or each component may comprise data gathered from one of the plurality of data source. As another example, a set of data may comprise a document with a plurality of sections, and each component may comprise one of the plurality of sections. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the analysis of another component may comprise certain tests and/or evaluations, and that the analysis of another component may comprise different tests and/or evaluations. In other cases, the analysis of each component may comprise similar tests and/or evaluations. The variety of tests and/or evaluations generally will be implementation specific.
US09356946B1	Detecting malware in mobile sites Behavioral analysis of a mobile webpage is performed to determine whether the webpage is malicious. During analysis, the webpage is visited by an emulated mobile device to cause behaviors to occur which may be malicious. The behaviors occurring after accessing the webpage are stored. The behaviors are classified as hard or soft signals. A probability of the webpage being malicious is determined through combining soft signals, and the webpage is classified as malicious or non-malicious. Users of the webpage, the developer of the webpage, or a distributor of the webpage are notified of the webpage classification to enable responsive action.
US09356941B1	Systems and methods for detecting suspicious web pages A computer-implemented method for detecting suspicious web pages. The method may include 1) identifying a plurality of malicious web pages; 2) establishing a classification model for identifying suspicious web pages, the classification model being based at least in part on the plurality of malicious web pages; 3) identifying an additional web page; 4) classifying the additional web page as suspicious using the classification model; 5) analyzing the additional web page to determine whether the additional web page is malicious; 6) determining that the additional web page is malicious based on the analysis; and 7) updating the classification model based at least in part on the determination. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09356925B2	Apparatus and method for providing location based security for communication with a remote device A method for providing location based security for communication between a remote device and a mobile device having a global positioning system receiver for determining its current position. The method comprises receiving geographic data from the remote device, determining if the mobile device is within a predetermined geographic region based on the geographic data and the current position, and enabling subsequent communication with the remote device when the current position is within the predetermined geographic region.
US09356920B2	Differentiating between good and bad content in a user-provided content system A system differentiates good content from bad content in a user-provided content system. Messages are analyzed for features that characterize messages. A feature may occur in one or more messages. A feature that has more than a threshold number of occurrences in messages in a time interval is identified for further analysis. Enhanced authentication is requested from senders of the messages with occurrences of the identified feature. Based on the rate at which senders of the messages pass authentication, the content associated with the message is determined to be good content or bad content. Subsequent messages are blocked or successfully delivered based on whether features occurring in the messages are indicative of good content or bad content.
US09356919B1	Automated discovery of knowledge-based authentication components Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for automated discovery of knowledge-based authentication components are provided herein. A method includes analyzing entity-related information to identify one or more individuals within the entity for exclusion from one or more authentication requirements in connection with one or more operations associated with the entity, wherein said analyzing is based on one or more pre-defined parameters, and querying an agent of the entity to approve each of the one or more individuals identified within the entity for exclusion from the one or more authentication requirements.
US09356917B2	System and method for end-to-end encryption and security indication at an endpoint Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for implementing real-time transport control protocol to obtain an end-to-end encryption and security status of a communication session. The system collects real-time transport control protocol messages associated with a communication session, wherein the real-time transport control protocol messages are generated by devices in the communication session, and wherein the real-time transport control protocol messages include security information associated with the communication session. Then, based on the real-time transport control protocol messages, the system determines a security status associated with the communication session. The system can also generate an indication of the security status associated with the communication session. Further, the system can generate an indication of the security status of a communication session on a per participant basis.
US09356898B2	Transmission filtering processor architecture A processor for filtering message traffic between communication systems may include an input buffer and an output buffer. The processor may also include a memory interface communicatively coupled to a filter rule table that includes message filter rules for verifying input messages received by the input buffer and build output message rules for constructing output messages based on the input messages received by the input buffer. The processor may additionally include a message filter state-machine circuit communicatively coupled to the input buffer that applies the message filter rules to the input message from the input buffer and determines whether the input message conforms to each of the message filter rules. The processor may further include a build output message state-machine circuit that constructs an output message based on the input message and causes the output message to be stored in the output buffer.
US09356892B2	Management of access to entry points on a communication device A system and method for managing access to entry points in a graphical user interface on a communication device are provided. The entry points are associated with services such as message services and are actuatable to invoke a content listing display for viewing content associated with a given service. One entry point provides access to a unified inbox for display of messages received or sent via a plurality of message services. Other entry points provide access to other message services or filtered views of the unified inbox. Access to the various entry points is provided via a user interface displaying one or more user interface elements, such as icons, pointing to the various entry points. Display of the elements is managed so as to hide elements pointing to potentially duplicative views.
US09356887B2	Controlling shared memory In view of the characteristics of distributed applications, the present invention proposes a technical solution for applying a shared memory on an NIC comprising: a shared memory configured to provide shared storage space for a task of a distributed application, and a microcontroller. Furthermore, the present invention provides a computer device that includes the above-mentioned NIC, a method for controlling a read/write operation on a shared memory of a NIC, and a method for invoking the NIC. The use of the technical solution provided in the present invention bypasses the processing of network protocol stack, avoids the time delay introduced by the network protocol stack. The present invention does not need to perform TCP/IP encapsulation on the data packet, thus greatly saving additional packet header and packet tail overheads generated from the TCP/IP layer data encapsulation.
US09356877B1	Intelligent switching of client packets among a group of servers The content-aware application switch and methods thereof intelligently switch client packets to one server among a group of servers in a server farm. The switch uses Layer 7 or application content parsed from a packet to help select the server and to schedule the transmitting of the packet to the server. This enables refined load-balancing and Quality of-Service control tailored to the application being switched. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method includes maintaining a server load metric for each server in a group of servers; parsing application content from a packet; selecting a destination server from the group of servers, wherein selecting the destination server is dependent on the server load metric for each server, assigning a priority to the packet, the priority being dependent on the application content; and dropping the packet if the priority comprises at least one of a predetermined type.
US09356871B2	Programmable management engine for networks A network node may contain a virtual software-defined networking (SDN) switch and a local a management engine (e.g., a software application) for generating performance metrics based on received management plane traffic. Specifically, the virtual SDN switch may identify and forward received management plane traffic to the local management engine. In turn, the management engine evaluates the management plane traffic to generate performance metrics without forwarding the management plane packets to the remote SDN controller. The management engine may compare the metrics to one or more thresholds to determine the current state or health of the data paths in a network. If a threshold is exceeded, the management engine may transmit an alert to the virtual SDN switch to perform a corrective action—e.g., using a backup data path after the primary data path fails.
US09356866B1	Receive packet steering for virtual networks In general, techniques are described for enhancing operations of virtual networks. In some examples, a network system includes a network interface card of a server configured to receive a tunnel packet associated with a virtual network. The tunnel packet comprises an outer header associated with the physical network, the outer header encapsulating an inner packet comprising an inner header associated with the virtual network and a payload. A first processing core of the server is configured to perform, based at least on one of the outer header and inner header of the tunnel packet, a first packet steering operation to identify the second processing core. The second processing core is configured to forward the inner packet to a virtual machine of the virtual machines.
US09356865B2	Method for dynamically controlling data paths, MTC gateway and network device using the same Method for dynamically controlling data paths of Machine-type-communication (MTC) local access device(s) are proposed along with a MTC gateway and a network device using the same method. In one embodiment, the proposed method may include following: a network device, receiving and storing capillary network information and MTC gateway interconnection information from at least one MTC server; combining the access network information with the capillary network information and the MTC gateway interconnection information to build an aggregated topology map; generating enhanced policy rules according to the aggregated topology map related to at least one capillary network; and respectively transmitting the enhanced policy rules to the interconnected MTC gateways.
US09356861B2	Secondary lookup for scaling datapath architecture beyond integrated hardware capacity Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method for routing an incoming packet to a destination, the method including: receiving, at a network device, the incoming packet; determining a destination address of the packet; determining that the destination address is not included in a routing table on the network device; sending a message to a companion device, wherein the message includes the destination address; receiving from the companion device, at the network device, a routing indicator for the destination address; and sending the packet towards a destination consistent with the routing indicator.
US09356860B1	Managing external communications for provided computer networks Techniques are described for providing managed computer networks. In some situations, the techniques include managing communications for computing nodes of a managed computer network by using a pool of multiple alternative intermediate destinations to forward at least some communications to other final destinations. For example, a manager module associated with a source computing node may select a particular one of multiple alternative intermediate destinations to use for one or more particular communications from the source computing node to an indicated final destination, such as based on network addresses associated with the source computing node and/or the final destination. The multiple alternative intermediate destinations may have various forms, including multiple alternative edge devices at a first location at which various computing nodes are co-located that operate to manage communications between those co-located computing nodes at the first location and other external computer systems at one or more other locations.
US09356855B2	Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing for specification or autodiscovery of device under test (DUT) topology information The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing for specification or autodiscovery of DUT topology information and for using the DUT topology information to generate DUT-topology-specific test results. One exemplary method includes, providing for specification or autodiscovery of DUT topology information associated with or more devices under test (DUT). The method further includes transmitting test packets to the at least one DUT. The method further includes receiving packets transmitted from or through the at least one DUT. The method further includes using the DUT topology information and the received packets to generate DUT-topology-specific test results.
US09356852B2	Apparatus and method for capacity planning for data center server consolidation and workload reassignment A server migration tool used to construct data center migration scenarios allowing for a user to rapidly manipulate a large number of input parameters required to describe a transformation from one data center configuration to a new data center configuration. The tool then performs the transformation and allows the user to interact with new data center configuration to understand its performance. A novel parameterization, speed independent service demand (SISD), greatly facilitates scaling performance metrics between different hardware platforms.
US09356850B2	Method for monitoring a communication system The invention relates to a method for monitoring a communication system, comprising: acquiring and storing data about timeout events or faulty transfers in connection with at least one signaling process in at least one first communication terminal (1, 2, 3) of the communication system; and creating a collection of such data and transferring (7, 8, 10) said collection to a collection point (4) for said data in the communication system.
US09356841B1	Deferred account reconciliation during service enrollment A technique for enrolling an individual for a service is described. During this enrollment technique, a match between an identifier provided by and associated with the individual is determined with an existing identifier associated with another service. If there is a correspondence between the service and the other service, enrollment information from the other service is used in an enrollment process for the service, which allows a subset of the enrollment process to be performed. Otherwise, the full enrollment process for the service is performed. In this case, reconciliation of the identifier and the existing identifier (for example, asking the individual if they also use the other service) is delayed until after the enrollment process is completed.
US09356833B2	Media gateway device and method for forwarding data frames The present invention provides a media gateway device and a method for forwarding data frames. The media gateway device comprises: a master module, a switch module, a relay access module and a media resource module; the switch module comprises three independent Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), i.e., a first VLAN, a second VLAN and a third VLAN, respectively; the media resource module is connected to the switch module through the second VLAN, and the switch module is connected to an external Internet Protocol (IP) packet network through the third VLAN; the media gateway device further comprises a network layer static routing table. By using the media gateway device and the method for forwarding data frames according to the present invention, the number of the external interfaces of the media gateway device can be reduced, and the interface of the switch module can be managed by the VLAN.
US09356822B2	Automated interface apparatus and method for use in semiconductor wafer handling systems Aspects of the present disclosure describe a smart docking station. The smart docking station may contain a data transfer and an electrical connection which allow a sensor wafer to be charged and to upload and download data. The smart docking station may be located at an off-track storage position above a tool. This location enables an automated materials handling system (AMHS) to retrieve the sensor wafer and deliver it to a tool requiring analysis. The sensor wafer may be stored in a smart front opening unified pod (FOUP). It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09356820B2	Maximizing throughput of streaming media by simultaneously connecting to streaming media server over multiple independent network connections A method, system and computer program product for maximizing throughout of streaming media. The client device simultaneously establishes multiple independent network connections with a server (e.g., streaming video server) to access various segments of a file (e.g., video file). The client device requests a different segment of the file to be downloaded from the server across each of these network connections based on the throughput of each network connection. The received segments of the file are buffered and combined to provide continuous uninterrupted access to the received segments of the file. In this manner, the user will be able to view the contents of the file without any interruptions or pauses while at the same time without requiring any coordination between the client device and the server and without any degradation in the quality of the viewed content of the file.
US09356815B2	Transmitter, receiver and controlling method thereof A transmitter includes a frame generator which generates a plurality of frames each of which includes a preamble symbol and a data symbol, a pilot inserter which inserts a plurality of first pilots in the preamble symbol according to a predetermined first arrangement pattern and inserts a plurality of second pilots in a data symbol according to a second arrangement pattern, and a transmitting unit which transmits the plurality of frames in which the first and second pilots are inserted. Accordingly, a memory needed to store pilots may be reduced and precise synchronization may be performed based on an extended number of pilots.
US09356813B2	Capacity for narrow-band hybrid modulation Techniques and apparatus are disclosed for multiplexing multiple Narrowband Hybrid Modulation sub-channels in the same radio channel. This is accomplished by applying symbol phase rotation and/or phase rotation of the modulated I/Q samples to at least one of two or more simultaneously transmitted Narrowband Hybrid Modulation bursts in the same GSM/GPRS radio frequency channel, in the same cell. Other embodiments of the techniques disclosed herein exploit this symbol/sample rotation approach to create orthogonal channels of Narrowband Hybrid Modulation bursts, on the same radio frequency channel. These orthogonal channels can be transmitted in different cells, to allow the use of the same GSM/GPRS radio frequency channel in multiple adjacent cells while at the same time minimizing inter-cell interference.
US09356811B2	Receiver circuit for receiving an input signal A receiver circuit for receiving an input signal (IDD, UDD) comprises a detector circuit (111, 111a, 111b, 111c, 111d, 111e, 111f), which is in the form of a sample-and-hold circuit for determining a reference level of the input signal or in the form of a filter circuit for generating a mean value of levels of the input signal (IDD, UDD). The detector circuit generates, on the output side, a referential signal (RS), which is supplied to comparator circuits (113a, 113b, 113c, 113d, 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d). The comparator circuits (113a, 113b, 113c, 113d, 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d) compare an offset level of the input signal (IDD, UDD) with the referential signal (RS) and generate data signals (DATA, DH, DL). The offset input signals (IDD, UDD) are evaluated relatively in respect of the reference level or the mean value of the levels of the input signal.
US09356809B2	Method and apparatus for performing communication in multi-stage beam forming system A method for performing communication in a multi-stage beam forming system includes determining statistical channel information which indicates a priority of analog beams transmitted by a base station, configuring an adaptive code book for digital beam forming, based on the statistical channel information and analog beams which the base station uses in actual communication among the analog beams, and performing communication with the base station through the digital beam forming based on the adaptive code book. A terminal includes a channel estimator configured to perform channel estimation for analog beams transmitted from a base station, a controller configure to determine statistical channel information indicating a priority of the analog beams, and configure an adaptive code book for digital beam forming based on the statistical channel information and analog beams that the base station uses in actual communication among the analog beams, and a communication unit.
US09356807B2	Communication systems A transmission method for use in a two-hop wireless communication system is provided. The system includes a source apparatus, a destination apparatus and an intermediate apparatus. The source apparatus is operable to transmit information along two links forming a communication path extending from the source apparatus to the destination apparatus via the intermediate apparatus. The intermediate apparatus is operable to receive information from the source apparatus and to transmit the received information to the destination apparatus. The system has access to a time-frequency format for use in assigning available transmission frequency bandwidth during a discrete transmission interval, said format defining a plurality of transmission windows within such an interval. Each window occupies a different part of that interval and has a frequency bandwidth profile within said available transmission frequency bandwidth over its part of that interval. Furthermore, each said window is assignable for such a transmission interval to said source or intermediate apparatus for use in transmission. The transmission method for use in this system includes employing said format to transmit information along the path as two successive transmission signals, link by link, said signals being transmitted using different transmission windows of a particular such transmission interval.
US09356804B1	Policy-based network connection resource selection The present disclosure introduces a layer of abstraction in the form of connection policies for applications to specify their needs for connections without having to worry about the specific details and particulars of requesting and receiving the connections. The various embodiments disclosed attempt to provide a connection in response to a request from an application wherein the application's request comprises a specified connection policy. Depending on the current state of the system/device, it can be determined whether to provide a connection that satisfies the specified connection policy or another available connection compliant with the current state of the system/device. In this way, a global optimization of the system/device and network resources can be achieved.
US09356802B2	Method, apparatus, and system for selecting network device Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, an apparatus, and a system for selecting a network device. The method includes: receiving, by a second network device, a network device selection message sent by a first network device, where the network device selection message contains a VLAN mapping capability identifier of the first network device; and selecting, by the second network device, according to the VLAN mapping capability identifier and local VLAN mapping capability, a network device for executing VLAN mapping. By using the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention, execution of VLAN mapping for a bidirectional pseudo wire (PW) between two network devices on a same network device may be implemented, and there are only two VLAN identifiers on the bidirectional PW, thereby ensuring consistency of VLAN mapping and making it simpler and easier to maintain and detect the PW.
US09356801B2	Apparatus and method for establishing connections with a plurality of virtual networks A communication system provides one or more services using a plurality of virtual networks provisioned in a network. A communication device belonging to at least one of the plurality of virtual networks is provided with service-ID associating information in which a service-ID identifying a service is associated with at least one virtual network identifier each identifying a virtual network that is included in the plurality of virtual networks and is to be used for providing the service. A base station transmits a service-ID association request to the communication device which then returns the stored service-ID associating information to the base station. Thereafter, the base station selects, from among the plurality of virtual networks, at least one virtual network that is to be used for providing a service identified by the service-ID, based on the service-ID associating information, and establishes a connection with the selected at least one virtual network.
US09356793B1	System and method for managing load on a downstream server in a distributed storage system A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for managing load on a downstream server in a distributed storage system is presented. Messages received from the downstream server in response to transactions issued by the upstream server to the downstream server are monitored, where the transactions are issued to the downstream server at a rate no greater than a transaction rate limit, the transaction rate limit being based at least in part on a maximum transaction processing rate of the downstream server. The transaction rate limit is adjusted based at least in part on a number of messages that include a pushback signal received over at least one predetermined time interval, where the pushback signal indicates that a utilization rate of the downstream server has exceeded a predetermined utilization rate.
US09356790B2	Multi-user integrated task list Solutions for providing integrated task list functionality. Some such solutions use a user supersystem as a communications hub to generate, display, and/or handle user-based tasks for a family group. For example, tasks may be assigned to one or more members of the family and associated with various types of dates, rewards, audits, etc. Family members may then interact with the tasks through the communications hub and/or through other devices (e.g., cell phones, etc.).
US09356788B2	Method and apparatus for use in an IP multimedia subsystem A method is provided for use in an IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, in which a session control protocol (such as the Session Initiation Protocol, SIP) is used to establish and manage sessions within the IMS. The method comprises using session control protocol messages (such as Session Initiation Protocol messages) to carry node-specific charging information, where the charging information is required for charging purposes at a charging control system of the IMS. A private header part (such as a P-Charging-Vector header) of the session control messages may be used to carry the node-specific charging information. The node-specific charging information may comprise charging data and at least one of: an indication of the type of the charging data; a name or identifier of the node, allowing the node to update charging data which relates to the node and which is carried by a session control message received by the node; and an indication of the version of the charging data, a different version indication being used to indicate different charging data; node name; version number; data name; and value. At least one session control protocol message may be used to carry node-specific charging information relating to a plurality of different nodes.
US09356786B2	Method for encrypting a plurality of data in a secure set A server-implemented method encrypting at least two pieces of indexed data as lists of elements, each element belonging to a finite set of indexed symbols on an alphabet. The data is encrypted to form a protected set, including: the server randomly generates, for each datum, a corresponding encoding function; if at least one element that constitutes a datum is the symbol of the alphabet, the server determines the image of the symbol of the alphabet via the encoding function corresponding to the datum to obtain a codeword coordinate and adds the codeword coordinate to an indexed set corresponding to the element of the alphabet; then the server completes the indexed set with error-inducing points; the server randomly reindexes the elements of the indexed set corresponding to the symbol of the alphabet; and the server adds the indexed set to the protected set. The method can identify an individual.
US09356785B2	Method and system for security enhancement for mobile communications A method and system for enhanced security for A5/1 encoding, the method including choosing, at a transmitter, bits within a layer 1 header of a slow associated control channel (‘SACCH’) message for randomization; and setting, at the transmitter, the chosen bits randomly prior to channel coding and encryption of the slow associated control channel message. Further the method may include choosing, at a transmitter, a number of bits to toggle after convolution coding of a message containing a slow associated control channel message, the number of toggled bits being sufficiently low to allow correction at a receiver; and toggling, at the transmitter, said bits based on the channel conditions of the message.
US09356784B2	Cryptic notes and related apparatus and methods A computer-implemented method is described. A message is received from a user via a user interface of a computer device. The message includes at least first and second portions. A virtual cryptic note is generated that includes the first portion of the message arranged in a first orientation, and the second portion of the message arranged in a second orientation that is rotated relative to the first orientation, with the second portion of the message overlapping the first portion of the message. The virtual cryptic note is provided to the user. Cryptic notes can be useful and entertaining, particularly when used online, in email and/or in social media.
US09356780B2	Device, method, and system for encrypted communication by using encryption key A communication device assigns a key taking the degree of priority of applications into account in a case where a key generation/sharing system in which a plurality of applications are connected to a node is not able to realize key assignment that satisfies the key rates requested by the plurality of applications. For example, the device realizes a method of assigning an application key that takes the degree of priority into account according to which control is performed in such a way that the key rate requested by an important application is preferentially satisfied.
US09356779B2	Systems and methods for identity-based encryption and related cryptographic techniques A method and system for encrypting a first piece of information M to be sent by a sender [100] to a receiver [110] allows both sender and receiver to compute a secret message key using identity-based information and a bilinear map. The sender uses a bilinear map to encrypt a message M, producing ciphertext V to be sent from the sender [100] to the receiver [110]. The receiver [110] uses the bilinear map to decrypt V and recover the original message M. According to one embodiment, the bilinear map is based on a Weil pairing or a Tate pairing defined on a subgroup of an elliptic curve. Also described are several applications of the techniques, including key revocation, credential management, and return receipt notification.
US09356775B1	Clock data recovery (CDR) phase walk scheme in a phase-interpolater-based transceiver system Methods and apparatus are described for synchronously stepping at least one of a data phase interpolator (PI) code or a crossing PI code in a clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit until one or more preset criteria are satisfied. One example method generally includes determining that a condition has been met; based on the determination, stepping, in a CDR circuit, at least one of a data PI code or a crossing PI code for each cycle of a clock; stopping the stepping based on one or more criteria to generate a predetermined state of the data PI code and the crossing PI code, wherein the predetermined state comprises an offset between the data PI code and the crossing PI code; receiving a data stream; and performing clock and data recovery on the data stream based on the offset between the data PI code and the crossing PI code.
US09356771B2	Method of generating clock and semiconductor device A method of generating a clock includes the steps of calculating a first frequency division number through dividing a frequency of an input clock by a target frequency and a specific integer k (k≧2); calculating a second frequency division number according to the first frequency division number; dividing a period of time of one cycle of the target frequency by the specific integer k to obtain sections in a number of the specific integer k; dividing the frequency of the input clock with the second frequency division number within one of the sections; dividing the frequency of the input clock with the second frequency division number within each remaining one of the sections in a number of (k−1); and generating the clock having a frequency with one cycle equal to a period of time corresponding to each of the sections.
US09356769B2	Synchronous reset and phase detecting for interchain local oscillator (LO) divider phase alignment Certain aspects of the present invention provide methods and apparatus for synchronizing frequency-divided oscillating signals associated with multiple radio frequency (RF) paths to be in-phase. For certain aspects, a reset pulse is input to synchronization logic for a particular RF path, and this logic retimes the reset pulse to a local synthesizer clock in this RF path. The retimed reset pulse drives the reset input of a local frequency divider for this RF path and is also appropriately delayed, buffered, and then daisy-chained to the synchronization logic in the next RF path to be repeated therein. By appropriately resetting the local frequency dividers using the synchronization logic in this manner, the frequency-divided oscillating signals for the RF paths are synchronized to operate in-phase with one another.
US09356756B2	HARQ method and apparatus for communication system Methods and apparatus are provided to support HARQ in a communication system adopting cross-carrier scheduling. A second cell is scheduled at a first cell. Data, transmitted by a terminal, at a subframe of the second cell is received. A subframe, in the first cell, is determined for transmitting a HARQ acknowledgement corresponding to the data, and a subframe, in the first cell, is determined carrying scheduling information of the second cell. It is determined whether the subframe for transmitting the HARQ acknowledgement and the subframe carrying scheduling information of the second cell are the same. When the subframe for transmitting the HARQ acknowledgement and the subframe carrying the scheduling information are not the same, the subframe for transmitting the HARQ acknowledgement and the subframe carrying the scheduling information are matched to each other.
US09356754B2	Radio communication system, base station apparatus, mobile terminal apparatus, and interference measurement method The present invention is designed to increase the number of CSI-RSs for interference measurements and improve the accuracy of interference measurements. The first reference signal is allocated to a reference signal resource defined for transmission of the first reference signal, and also a second reference signal for interference measurement is allocated, the allocation patterns of the first reference signal and the second reference signal are implicitly reported to the first mobile terminal to apparatus that supports both the first reference signal and the second reference signal, and, in the first mobile terminal apparatus, interference is measured using both the first reference signal and the second reference signal or using the second reference signal alone, based on the implicitly-reported allocation patterns.
US09356750B2	Method and apparatus for fast assistive transmission operation A method for use in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for receiving data over physical downlink shared channels from different cells, monitoring physical downlink control channels of a first cell for downlink control information associated with the WTRU, and recovering data from the physical downlink control channel in response to the downlink control information.
US09356742B2	Method and system for transmitting data in a motor vehicle A method and a system are provided for transmitting data in a motor vehicle by wireless communication. The data from a first transmitting data node is divided, transmitted to a second receiving data node via at least two different communication routes, and reassembled upon being received. Redundant data is generated from the data to be transmitted, the redundant data allowing a reconstruction of the data to be transmitted in the event that a communication route fails. The redundant data and the data to be transmitted are transmitted via the different communication routes.
US09356737B2	Retry buffer and method of performing retry operation using retry buffer A method is provided for transmitting packets of a packet stream in real-time. The method includes sequentially writing packets in a retry buffer of a transmitting agent, the retry buffer including multiple contexts; sequentially transmitting the packets written in the retry buffer to a receiving agent, while continuing to sequentially write additional packets the retry buffer; receiving acknowledgements from the receiving agent when the receiving agent has successfully received the transmitted packets, while continuing to sequentially transmit the packets written in the retry buffer to the receive agent; receiving a retry request from the receiving agent when the receiving agent has not successfully received a transmitted packet; and retransmitting packets from the retry buffer to the receiving agent beginning with the transmitted packet not successfully received by the receiving agent, which resulted in the retry request, while continuing to sequentially write additional packets received from the transmitting agent in the retry buffer.
US09356724B2	Signaling for downlink coordinated multipoint in a wireless communication system Embodiments herein describe apparatuses, systems, and methods for signaling to support downlink coordinated multipoint (CoMP) communications with a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication network. In embodiments, the UE may be configured with a plurality of channel state information (CSI) processes (e.g., via radio resource control (RRC) signaling) to use for providing CSI feedback to an evolved Node B (eNB) to support downlink CoMP communications. The UE may be configured with a plurality of sets of CSI processes. The UE may further receive a downlink control information (DCI) message from the eNB that indicates one of the configured sets of CSI processes on which the UE is to provide CSI feedback to the UE. The UE may generate the CSI feedback for the indicated set of CSI processes, and transmit the CSI feedback to the eNB in a CSI report.
US09356722B2	Time sensitive transaction over an asynchronous serial link A method of controlling data transmission from a transmitting unit to a receiving unit through an asynchronous serial link is provided. The method is performed by a controlling unit and includes the steps of sequentially receiving data and synchronization messages are sequentially received from the transmitting unit; sequentially parsing the messages received; and when a message parsed is a synchronization message, blocking relaying to the receiving unit, of the data messages following said synchronization message, until an event associated with the synchronization message occurs.
US09356721B2	Methods and apparatus for precision time stamping In a network device, apparatus and methods perform precision time stamping. A time agent receives a master pace signal corresponding to a time representation based on a master real time clock in a master clock domain. A time accumulator accumulates time units one fill quantum at a time based on the master pace signal. The time accumulator decreases the accumulated time units by a leak quantum according to a local clock signal running at a higher frequency than the master pace signal. Correction logic periodically generates, at a granularity corresponding to the frequency of the local clock signal, an updated time representation in a target clock domain based on a residual number of time units in the time accumulator before depositing an additional fill quantum of time units in the time accumulator.
US09356718B2	Method and system for protecting broadcast service/content in a mobile broadcast system, and method for generating short term key message therefor A terminal and method for receiving a broadcast service by the terminal in a broadcast system are provided. The method includes performing a registration procedure for subscription and reception of the broadcast service through a Browser And Content Mobile Broadcast (BSCAST) Subscription Management (BSM) responsible for managing subscription information; receiving a Long Term Key Message (LTKM), including key information for encryption of the broadcast service, generated from the BSM; receiving a completed Short Term Key Message (STKM), the completed STKM being generated by performing Message Authentication Code (MAC) processing on a partially created STKM; receiving, from a Broadcast Service Distribution/Adaptation (BSD/A) which is responsible for transmitting the broadcast service, an encrypted broadcast service which is encrypted by a Traffic Encryption Key (TEK) for deciphering the broadcast service; and deciphering the encrypted broadcast service by the TEK obtained using the LTKM and the completed STKM.
US09356715B2	User notification of broadcast communication channel problems A method is presented for notifying a user of a broadcast communication channel problem. At a broadcast distribution facility, a problem involving a first broadcast communication channel from the broadcast distribution facility to a broadcast communication receiver associated with the user is detected. A cause of the problem is ascertained at the facility. The broadcast distribution facility then relays an indication of the cause of the problem to the receiver over a second broadcast communication channel from the facility to the receiver. The receiver informs the user of the cause of the problem.
US09356711B2	Self-calibration technique for carrier aggregation receivers A technique to provide calibration in a receiver that receives multiple carriers and uses multiple receive signal paths to down-convert and process the multiple carrier signals.
US09356708B2	Communications system using adaptive frequency notching A communications system includes a receiver unit connected with a transmission channel. The receiver unit determines a signal power of a first communications signal received over the transmission channel. A transmitter unit is connected with the transmission channel and transmits a second communications signal, wherein a gain of the communications signal being output by the transmitter unit is controllable. A control unit controls the gain of the transmitter unit in response to the determined signal power. At the receiver unit, detection of broadcast signal ingress during data communication is improved and methods for avoiding disturbances between coexisting communications systems may become more reliable. Different distances between successive training symbols suitable for channel estimation may be provided to enhance the noise measurement.
US09356701B2	Method and system for a photonic interposer Methods and systems for a photonic interposer are disclosed and may include receiving one or more continuous wave (CW) optical signals in a silicon photonic interposer from an optical source external to the silicon photonic interposer. The received CW optical signals may be processed based on electrical signals received from a CMOS electronics die bonded to the interposer, and modulated optical signals may be received in the interposer via optical couplers on the interposer. Electrical signals may be generated in the interposer based on the received modulated optical signals, and may be communicated to the CMOS electronics die. The generated electrical signals to may be communicated to the CMOS electronics die via copper pillars. The CW optical signals may be received in the interposer from an optical source assembly coupled to the interposer. The CW optical signals may be received from optical fibers coupled to the interposer.
US09356693B1	Optical isolator preventive measure indicator A system includes a light emitting device on a first side of electrically isolated circuitry for transmitting an optical signal to a second side of the electrically isolated circuitry. The system also includes an optical receiver on the second side of the electrically isolated circuitry for receiving the optical signal from the light emitting device. The system further includes a sensor coupled with the optical receiver for sampling the intensity of the optical signal received by the optical receiver.
US09356691B2	Sagnac interferometer event sensing and locating device A Sagnac interferometer event sensing device is disclosed. The device includes first and second light sources respectively emitting first and second light beams at first and second, different wavelengths. The device includes an optical fiber path, a first portion along which only the first light beam travels, a second portion along which only the second light beam travels, and a third portion along which both the first and second light beams travel. The device includes a first detector at an end of the first portion of the optical path to receive the first light beam, and a second detector at an end of the second portion of the optical path to receive the second light beam. The device includes a first plurality of depolarizers disposed along the first portion of the optical fiber path, and a second plurality of depolarizers disposed along the second portion of the optical fiber path.
US09356687B2	Information providing method and mobile terminal therefor An information providing method using a mobile terminal is provided. The information providing method includes placing the mobile terminal within a communication range of a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device previously registered in the mobile terminal, receiving identification information from the BLE device, extracting previously set notification information corresponding to the received identification information of the BLE device, and outputting a notification message to the mobile terminal based on the extracted previously set notification information.
US09356683B2	Apparatus and method for scheduling in a relay system An apparatus and a method for scheduling and a power control of a relay system that is capable of stable operation an environment where sufficient isolation between antennas is not ensured. The apparatus includes a scheduler for allocating resources to a zone not experiencing inter-antenna interference in an initial resource allocation, classifying users based on vulnerability to the interference, and allocating resources to a zone experiencing the interference, and a power controller for setting the resources of the zone experiencing the interference to a lower power than the resources of the zone not experiencing the interference to minimize the inter-antenna interference.
US09356673B2	Communication device incorporating beamforming handshaking A communication device includes a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, and a processing module. The wireless transmitter, the wireless receiver, and/or the processing module facilitate: a control-level communication with another communication device using initial transmit beamforming parameters and initial receive beamforming parameters; a handshake communication with the other communication device to determine adjustments of at least one of the initial transmit beamforming parameters and the initial receive beamforming parameters to produce at least one of adjusted transmit beamforming parameters and adjusted receive beamforming parameters; and a normal-level communication with the other communication device using the at least one of the adjusted transmit beamforming parameters and the adjusted receive beamforming parameters.
US09356665B2	Method and apparatus for data transmission based on multiple cell collaboration A method and mobile station are described for reporting channel quality information for multi-cell cooperation. The mobile station receives a channel quality request message for requesting channel quality information from a base station. The channel quality request message indicates that the mobile station is one of a plurality of candidate mobile stations to perform multi-cell cooperation. The mobile station reports the channel quality information to the base station. The channel quality information includes first channel quality information for the base station and second channel quality information for a neighboring base station.
US09356663B2	Apparatus and method for providing diversity service antenna in portable terminal An apparatus and method configure a diversity antenna in a portable terminal. The apparatus includes a first antenna, a second antenna, a first communication unit for processing a first communication scheme signal communicated through the first antenna, a second communication unit for processing a second communication scheme signal communicated through the second antenna, and a control unit for configuring the first antenna as a diversity antenna for the second communication unit when the first communication unit is not driven.
US09356657B2	Communication apparatus, communication method, and program for exchanging data with a target A communication device includes a first processing unit that detects a target and receives a first command for activating an interface upon a detection of the target. The communication device also includes a second processing unit that exchanges data with the target through the first processing unit. Further, the communication device includes an interface between the first processing unit and the second processing unit. The first processing unit selects a predetermined interface level from among a plurality of interface levels based on the first command and exchanges data with the second processing unit based on the predetermined interface level.
US09356656B2	Assistance for positioning a transponder A method for assisting with positioning of an electromagnetic transponder by a user with respect to a terminal, wherein: a first value of the current in an oscillating circuit of the terminal is periodically measured; a second value of a ratio between a no-load value of this current, stored when no transponder is in the field of the terminal, and the first value, is calculated; and pieces of information intended for the user are controlled according to said second value.
US09356650B2	Circuits, devices, and processes for improved positioning satellite reception and other spread spectrum reception An integrated circuit for facilitating spread spectrum reception of data having a data bit period includes an hypothesis search circuit (120, 210, 220) operable to correlate a pseudorandom code with a signal input based on a received signal to produce correlation results, and a processor circuit (320) operable to coherently integrate the correlation results over plural sample windows (PreD1, PreD2) staggered relative to each other in the coherent integration interval and to non-coherently combine the coherently integrated results corresponding to the plural sample windows (PreD1, PreD2) to produce a received signal output, whereby enhancing performance. Other circuits, receivers and processes are also disclosed.
US09356648B1	Frequency offset acquisition for wireless communications Systems and techniques relating to wireless communications are described. A described technique includes determining a first frequency offset based on a received preamble of a wireless communication signal and a known preamble, the received preamble having been generated based on a spreading sequence and the known preamble, determining a second frequency offset based on the received preamble and the known preamble, and processing at least a portion of the wireless communication signal based on the first frequency offset and the second frequency offset. Determining the first frequency offset can include performing a multi-chip-level differential frequency offset acquisition that uses two or more chips associated with the received preamble. Determining the second frequency offset can include performing a symbol-level differential frequency offset acquisition that uses two or more symbols associated with the received preamble, where each of the two or more symbols are encoded by two or more chips.
US09356643B2	RF duplexing device Radio frequency (RF) duplexing devices and methods of operating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, an RF duplexing device includes a transmission port, a receive port, a first duplexer, and a second duplexer. The first duplexer is coupled to the transmission port and the receive port, and is configured to provide a first phase shift from the transmission port to the receive port. The second duplexer is also coupled to the transmission port and the receive port. However, the second duplexer is configured to provide a second phase shift that is differential to the first phase shift from the transmission port to the receive port. By providing the second phase shift so that the second phase shift is differential to the first phase shift, the RF duplexing device can provide isolation through cancellation without needing to introduce significant insertion losses.
US09356642B1	Systems and methods for managing reconfigurable integrated circuit applications on a radiofrequency transceiver device A radiofrequency transceiver device includes at least one reconfigurable integrated circuit (RIC) and a system controller that is able to reconfigure the at least one RIC to perform specific processing tasks. The specific processing tasks may be related to processing at least one radiofrequency signal that is received by, stored on, retrieved from and/or transmitted by the radiofrequency transceiver device. Embodiments may also include one or more reconfigurable integrated circuit applications (RIC Apps) that may be executed, at least in part, on the at least one RIC.
US09356628B2	Dynamically reconfiguring rebuild agents for erasure code rebuild Example apparatus and methods support reconstructing an item from a set of erasure codes (e.g., fountain codes). Information about computer resources available to support reconstructing the item may be accessed and analyzed to control the spawning of multiple computer processes to support reconstructing the item. The information may include, for example, utilization and capacity data. The information may be provided by sensor agents that monitor the resources. The multiple computer processes may operate at least partially in parallel. Resources may be identified and computer processes may be spawned until all the resources that can contribute to the reconstruction are used. In one embodiment, computer processes may be spawned until the marginal utility of spawning another process falls below a threshold.
US09356627B2	Method and apparatus for improving transmission of data on a bandwidth mismatched channel A method and apparatus for providing transmission on a channel in a network are disclosed. For example, the method receives a plurality of source samples, divides the plurality of source samples into a plurality of subbands in accordance with a ratio of the plurality of source samples to a number of channel uses of the channel, wherein each subband comprises a first number of source samples, determines a channel input from the plurality of source samples in accordance with a hybrid coding scheme, and transmits the channel input over the network.
US09356620B2	Method for producing video coding and programme-product According to the invention, there are provided sets of contexts specifically adapted to encode special coefficients of a prediction error matrix, on the basis of previously encoded values of level k. Furthermore, the number of values of levels other than 0 is explicitly encoded and numbers of appropriate contexts are selected on the basis of the number of spectral coefficients other than 0.
US09356611B1	Systems and methods involving phase detection with adaptive locking/detection features Systems and methods associated with control of clock signals are disclosed. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a delay-lock-loop (DLL) and/or a delay/phase detection circuit. Moreover, such circuit may comprise digital phase detection circuitry, digital delay control circuitry, analog phase detection circuitry, and analog delay control circuitry. Implementations may include configurations that prevent transition back to the unlocked state due to jitter or noise.
US09356606B2	Clock generator using free-running oscillator and method therefor A clock generator comprises a free-running oscillator and a tunable frequency synthesizer. The free-running oscillator has an output for providing an oscillator clock signal. The tunable frequency synthesizer is coupled to the free-running oscillator and provides a clock output signal in response to the oscillator clock signal and a frequency control signal. The frequency control signal corresponds to a measured characteristic of the free-running oscillator.
US09356605B2	Period measuring circuit and semiconductor device including the same A semiconductor device includes: a counting detection block suitable for generating a counting value of a clock signal transmitted through a first transmission path and a counting value of a target signal transmitted through a second transmission path during a counter enable section, and blocking the first transmission path and the second transmission path based on a comparison result obtained by comparing a predetermined code value with the counting value of the clock signal; and an output block suitable for outputting the counting value of the target signal corresponding to when the first and second transmission paths to a predetermined pad are blocked, based on a test mode signal.
US09356603B2	Thermally tempered glass substrate using CTE mismatched layers and paste mixtures for transient electronic systems A thermally tempered glass substrate for transient electronic systems (i.e., including electronic devices that visually disappear when triggered to do so) including two or more fused-together glass structures having different coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) values disposed in an intermixed arrangement manner that generates and stores potential energy in the form of residual, self-equilibrating internal stresses. In alternative embodiments the substrate includes laminated glass sheets, or glass elements (e.g., beads or cylinders) disposed in a glass layer. A trigger device causes an initial fracture in the thermally tempered glass substrate, whereby the fracture energy nearly instantaneously travels throughout the thermally tempered glass substrate, causing the thermally tempered glass substrate to shatter into multiple small (e.g., micron-sized) pieces that are difficult to detect. Patterned fracture features are optionally provided to control the final fractured particle size. Electronic systems built on the substrate are entirely destroyed and dispersed during the transience event.
US09356602B1	Management of memory resources in a programmable integrated circuit An approach for management of memory in a programmable integrated circuit (IC) includes configuring a memory map of the programmable IC with an association of a first subset of addresses of memory address space of the programmable IC and physical memory of the programmable IC. The memory map is further configured with an association of a second subset of addresses of the memory address space and a virtual memory block. At least a portion of a cache memory of the programmable IC is locked to the second subset of addresses.
US09356599B1	Differential driver circuit having bias equalizing pre-drivers A differential driver circuit includes a differential driver configured to drive an output signal based upon a positive leg pull up signal, a positive leg pull down signal, a negative leg pull up signal, and a negative leg pull down signal. A first pre-driver includes a first driver configured to receive a positive leg signal and a first voltage divider coupled to an output of the first driver and configured to produce the first pull up signal and the first pull down signal. A second pre-driver includes a second driver configured to receive a negative leg signal and a second voltage divider coupled to an output of the second driver and configured to produce the second pull up signal and the second pull down signal. The differential driver may include a positive leg and a negative leg, each having a pull up transistor and a pull down transistor.
US09356598B2	Threshold logic gates with resistive networks This disclosure relates generally to threshold logic elements for integrated circuits (ICs). In one embodiment, a threshold logic element has a first input gate network, a second input gate network, a differential sense amplifier, and a resistive network. The first input gate network is configured to receive a first set of logical signals, while the second input gate network configured to receive a second set of logical signals. The differential sense amplifier is operably associated with the first input gate network and the second input gate network such that the differential sense amplifier is configured to generate a differential output in accordance with a threshold logic function. The resistive network is coupled between the differential sense amplifier and the first input gate network and between the differential sense amplifier and the second input gate network. The resistive network makes the threshold logic element less susceptible to process variations.
US09356596B2	Driving circuit and driving method The present technology relates to a driving circuit and a driving method, in which power loss at the time of switching an FET (Field Effect Transistor) can be reduced with a simple circuit configuration.A coil constitutes a resonance circuit together with an input capacitance at a gate of the FET. A switch (regeneration switch) turns on or off current flowing in the coil. A DC power source is a power source to replenish the resonance circuit with electric charge and is connected to the gate of the FET. A switch (replenish switch) turns on or off connection between the DC power source and the gate of the FET. The present technology is applicable to, for example, a power source that outputs AC voltage and current by switching operation.
US09356591B2	Crosspoint switch with separate voltage sources for input and output ports A crosspoint switch device has a plurality of input ports each connected to a respective voltage source and a plurality of output ports each connected to a respective voltage source. A switch array selectively provides signal paths between the input ports and the output ports. The voltage sources are separate from one another.
US09356577B2	Memory interface receivers having pulsed control of input signal attenuation networks Receivers for memory interfaces and related methods are disclosed having pulsed control of input signal attenuation networks. Embodiments include a DC common mode attenuation network, an AC coupling network, a pulse generator, and an amplifier. The pulse generator receives the output of the amplifier and generates a pulse signal that in part controls the operation of the attenuation network. The attenuation network generates an attenuated signal having reduced DC common mode levels. This attenuated signal is combined with an AC component passed by the AC coupling network. The resulting combined signal is detected and amplified by the amplifier. Different voltage domains are used for the attenuation network and the AC coupling network as compared to the amplifier and the pulse generator. By attenuating DC common mode levels while maintaining AC signal levels, the disclosed embodiments allow for proper signal detection over a wide range of DC common mode levels.
US09356575B2	Resonator element, resonator, oscillator, electronic device and mobile object A resonator element includes a quartz crystal resonator blank provided with a base portion, vibrating arms extending from one end side of the base portion, a connecting portion which is disposed on the other end side of the base portion, and a coupling portion, located between the base portion and the connecting portion, which couples the base portion to the connecting portion. When a thickness of the quartz crystal resonator blank is set to T, a width of the base portion is set to W1, and a width of the coupling portion is set to W2, a relation of 110 μm≦T≦210 μm is satisfied, and a relation of 0.469≦W2/W1≦0.871 is satisfied.
US09356572B2	Sound processing apparatus, sound system and sound processing method A sound processing apparatus processes a first sound signal and a second sound signal. The sound processing apparatus includes a first adjustor which adjusts a volume of the first sound signal, a second adjustor which adjusts a volume of the second sound signal, and a control unit which causes the first adjustor and the second adjustor to adjust the first sound signal gradually changed over a first gradually-change time and the second sound signal gradually changed over a second gradually-change time, wherein the second gradually-change time is shorter than and included in the first gradually-change time.
US09356567B2	Integrated audio amplification circuit with multi-functional external terminals An audio amplification circuit may include an input terminal for receipt of an input signal from a transducer. A signal processor may be coupled to the input terminal for receipt and processing of the input signal to generate a processed digital audio signal in accordance with a programmable configuration setting of the signal processor. A serial data transmission interface is configured for receipt of the processed digital audio signal and supply of a corresponding digital audio stream at an output terminal of the integrated audio amplification circuit. A serial data receipt interface may be coupled to an externally accessible configuration terminal of the integrated audio amplification circuit and a controller is configured to adjust one of the programmable configuration setting of the signal processor and a format of a digital audio stream in accordance with first configuration data received through the serial data receipt interface.
US09356560B2	Multi-mode integrated power amplifier A method and apparatus are disclosed for transmitting communication signals through a multi-mode power amplifier. For at least some embodiments, a communication signal may be amplified by an amplifier of the multi-mode power amplifier selected based on a desired transmit output power. The output of the selected amplifier may be coupled through a configurable inductive element to an antenna. The inductive element may be configured as a balun or as an inductive load element based on an operating mode of the multi-mode power amplifier.
US09356557B1	Capacitor arrangement for oscillator In an example embodiment, an apparatus includes an LC circuit having a capacitive circuit and an inductive circuit connected in a circuit loop. In a first mode, a switching circuit in the inductive circuit provides a charge voltage across the LC circuit and prevents oscillation of the LC circuit by opening a switch in the circuit loop. In a second mode, the switching circuit enables the oscillation of the LC circuit by closing the switch in the circuit loop. The adjustable capacitive circuit includes capacitive branch circuits configured to contribute a first amount of capacitance when enabled. For each capacitive branch circuit, an initialization circuit couples the set of capacitors to a respective reference voltage in response to the capacitive branch circuit being disabled and the switching circuit operating in the first mode.
US09356555B2	Fine tuning control for a digitally controlled oscillator Methods, apparatuses, and systems for providing a variable capacitance using an array of capacitor cells are discussed. In the fine tuning bank of an inductor/capacitor (LC)-tank of a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO), control is implemented by selecting a boundary cell from the array of capacitor cells and having every cell before the boundary cell in a circuit path be grounded and having the boundary cell and every cell after the boundary cell in the circuit path be connected to a voltage source. The circuit path may be the one formed by using thermometer coding in the fine tuning bank.
US09356551B2	Method and apparatus for controlling an electric motor employed to power a fluidic pump An electric motor powers a fluidic pump fluidly connected to a hydraulic circuit. Operating the electric motor includes determining a heat transfer coefficient for the electric motor based upon a temperature of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic circuit. A temperature of the electric motor is determined based upon the heat transfer coefficient. Operation of the electric motor is controlled based upon the temperature of the electric motor.
US09356549B2	Control device of AC motor A control device of a three-phase AC motor includes: an inverter for driving the motor; a current sensor for sensing a current; and a control means for controlling the motor by switching on/off each switching element in the inverter with feeding back dq axis current calculated values to dq axis current command values, or with feeding back a torque estimated value to a torque command value. The control means includes one first order current operation part that: expands a phase current sensed value of one phase in Fourier series as a function of an electric angle; extracts a first order component of the Fourier series; operates a first order current operated value; and integrates a calculated value based on the phase current sensed value at an integral angle for k periods of the electric angle so that Fourier coefficients are calculated.
US09356544B2	Control device for eliminating malfunctions in a network Electrical malfunctions in a network which are caused by torque fluctuations of an electric motor, in particular flicker, are reduced by using a control device. For simple and cost-effective minimizing or even correction of such malfunctions with the control device, the control device has at least one first input for supplying an input signal which contains information suitable for determining the loading of the network by torque fluctuations and at least one output for transmitting an output signal to at least one converter supplying the electric motor. This makes it possible to reduce or ideally to eliminate electrical malfunctions in a network which are caused by torque fluctuation of the electric motor.
US09356542B2	Method of operating a variable speed motor in a laundry treatment apparatus A method of operating a laundry treatment apparatus, in particular a washing machine, a laundry dryer, a heat pump laundry dryer or a washing machine having a drying function, is provided. The apparatus includes a control unit controlling the operation of the treatment apparatus, a laundry treatment chamber for treating laundry, a detector unit for detecting at least one operation parameter (T_inv) of the treatment apparatus, and a first variable speed motor unit adapted at least to drive the treatment chamber, and/or a compressor having a second variable speed motor unit for circulating a refrigerant fluid through a refrigerant loop of the laundry treatment apparatus. The method includes selecting a predetermined power supply modulation mode for operating at least one of the first and second motor unit in dependency of the at least one detected operation parameter (T_inv), and operating at least one of the first and second motor units in an operating cycle by applying or executing the selected predetermined power supply modulation mode.
US09356539B2	Rotary positioning device The present invention relates to a rotary positioning device (100, 100′, 100″) comprising a circular magnetic track (110) generating a magnetic field across a circular air gap (113), at least three forcers (120, 121, 122), each including a plurality of coils (1201, 202, 1203) at least partly disposed with the circular air gap (113) and each being operable for generating a levitation force in a levitation direction orthogonal to the circular magnetic track and a drive force in a drive direction along the circular magnetic track, said forcers being arranged at different angular positions along said circular magnetic track, and a controller (140) for providing currents to said forcers for individually controlling the generation of a levitation force and/or a drive force by said forcers for effecting a rotational movement, and/or a tilting movement and/or a translational movement of said circular magnetic track.
US09356535B2	Control method for rectifier of switching converters A control device for a transistor of a switching converter rectifier generates a control signal of the transistor and includes a circuit to measure the conduction time of the body diode of the transistor cycle by cycle. When the conduction time is greater than a first threshold, the off time instant of the transistor is delayed by a first quantity in the next cycles, until the conduction time is less than the first threshold and greater than a second threshold. When the conduction time is between the first and second thresholds, the off time instant is delayed by a fixed second quantity in the next cycles until the conduction time is lower than the second threshold, with the second quantity less than the first quantity. When the conduction time is lower than the second threshold, the off time instant is advanced by the second quantity in the next cycle.
US09356531B2	Load control device for high-efficiency loads A load control device for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load includes a thyristor, a first current path for conducting current through a gate terminal of the thyristor, and a control circuit for controlling the first current path to conduct a pulse of current through the gate terminal to render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle. The first current path is able to conduct at least one other pulse of current through the gate terminal again after the firing time until, a transition time before the end of the half-cycle, but prevented from conducting pulses of current after the transition time until the end of the half-cycle. The load control device may comprise a second current path for conducting current through the electrical load between the transition time and the end of the half-cycle.
US09356530B2	DC-DC converter and semiconductor integrated circuit In a mode comparator of the DC-DC converter, a threshold input to the mode comparator is switched to a first threshold, if a mode signal prescribes an active mode, on the other hand, the threshold input to the mode comparator is switched to a second threshold, which is higher than the first threshold, if the mode signal prescribes an inactive mode. A lower limit value to a lower limit value setting circuit of the DC-DC converter is switched to a first lower limit value, if the mode signal prescribes the active mode, on the other hand, the lower limit is switched to a second lower limit value, which is higher than the first lower limit value, if the mode signal prescribes an inactive mode.
US09356523B2	DC-to-DC converter A DC to DC converter includes: first and second switching elements connected at a first connection point between a first input/output terminal and a first ground terminal; third and fourth switching elements connected at a second connection point between the first input/output terminal and the first ground terminal; a resonant capacitor and a resonant inductor connected in series between the first and second connection points; fifth and sixth switching elements connected at a third connection point between a second input/output terminal and a second ground terminal; seventh and eighth switching elements connected at a fourth connection point between the second input/output terminal and the second ground terminal; a transformer; and a control circuit. The control circuit is operable to adjust the pulse waveforms for switching the fifth to eighth switching elements when voltage at the second input/output terminal is stepped down and output from the first input/output terminal.
US09356521B2	Switching power-supply device having wide input voltage range Provided is a highly-efficient switching power-supply device having a wide input voltage range. The switching power-supply device includes: a first series circuit including first and second switching elements and a second series circuit including third and fourth switching elements, which are connected in parallel with a power supply; a series resonance circuit including a primary coil and a capacitor connected in parallel with the second switching element; a reactor connected between a connection point of the third and fourth switching elements and the capacitor; a transformer having the primary coil and a secondary coil; and a control circuit that turns on-and-off the first and second switching elements, alternately, and turns on-and-off the third and fourth switching elements, alternately. The control circuit switches the first and second series circuits when an input voltage is low and switches only the first series circuit when the input voltage is high.
US09356514B2	Power supply conversion apparatus with bootstrap unit Embodiments of the present invention disclose a power supply conversion apparatus, where a control unit generates a corresponding control signal according to a received high level pulse width modulation signal, to control a first PMOS transistor Q3, a second PMOS transistor Q4, and a second NMOS transistor Q2 to be turned off successively, and then to make a first NMOS transistor Q1 conducted, which makes a voltage at a second end of a bootstrap capacitor to rise from ground potential to a PVDD, so that a voltage at a first end of the bootstrap capacitor rises to a PVDD+AVDD as the voltage at the second end rises, and a gate turn-on voltage of the first NMOS transistor Q1 reaches the PVDD+AVDD.
US09356508B2	Constant-voltage and constant-current buck converter and control circuit A control circuit is provided for a buck converter that includes at least an inductor coupled to an output of the buck converter. The control circuit includes a power switch configured for coupling to a line voltage and configured for charging the inductor, an input line voltage sampling circuit, and a constant-voltage (CV) and constant-current (CC) control module coupled to the power switch. During a charging period of the inductor, the CV and CC control module is configured to control the power switch to provide a constant output current by maintaining a constant peak inductor current, even when the input line voltage changes. During a discharging period of the inductor, the CV and CC control module is configured to monitor the sensed output voltage to control the power switch to provide a constant output voltage.
US09356502B2	Magnetic gear arrangement having a variable gear ratio A magnetic gear arrangement is provided having a magnetically active gear member that generates a first magnetic field, which is modulated by interpoles. The modulated magnetic field generates magnetic poles on a magnetically passive gear member, and these poles form a second magnetic field. The material of the passive gear member is sufficiently magnetically hard that the first and second magnetic fields interact to couple the motion of the active and passive gear members according to a given gear ratio.
US09356496B2	Method for producing a BLDC motor A method for producing a brushless DC (BLDC) motor includes: providing a stator, a rotor having a shaft and a carrier element having a cutout through which the shaft passes, on which surface a plurality of Hall sensors are arranged with respect to the center point of the shaft, the carrier element being arranged fixedly with respect to the stator; prefixing a permanent magnet wheel with transducer magnets, on the shaft on a side of the carrier element facing away from the rotor magnet; setting the shaft into rotary motion, and detecting measurement signal profiles of the Hall sensors and measurement signal profiles representative of voltages induced in the coils depending on the rotor magnets; determining an adjustment angle for the permanent magnet wheel; rotating the permanent magnet wheel with respect to the shaft corresponding to the determined adjustment angle; and fixing the permanent magnet wheel on the shaft.
US09356489B1	Device and method for generating power using buoyancy A power generator may generate power using buoyancy having a fluid column contained by a tank having a sealable drain and a piston having a substantially hollow interior capable of being filled with a fluid. The piston has a sealable outlet, a vent, an inlet, and a lateral cross-section that is smaller than a lateral cross-section of the tank. A rod is connected to the piston and a power generator is connected to the rod. The piston operates from a first position near the top of the fluid column to a second position near the bottom of the fluid column. The piston moves from the first position to the second position as fluid is added to the inlet. The piston moves from the second position to the first position as the fluid is drained from the outlet.
US09356482B2	Rotor fixing unit for drive motor A rotor fixing unit for a drive motor serves which fixes a rotor core to a shaft is provided. In particular, a plurality of keyway portions, which includes first keyways formed in an axial direction of the shaft, and second keyways connected to the first keyways in a rotation direction, are formed in an outer circumferential surface of the shaft. Additionally, a plurality of key protrusions, which are each coupled to each of the keyway portions, respectively, are formed on an inner circumferential surface of the rotor core, and fixing members for fixing the shaft and the rotor core are then inserted into the first keyways to fix the key protrusions in the second keyways.
US09356479B2	Hybrid excitation rotating electrical machine A hybrid excitation machine comprising a rotor having first and second rotor cores with a gap between in an axial direction, wherein first magnetic poles excited by a permanent magnet and second magnetic poles not excited by the permanent magnet are alternately arranged in a circumferential direction in each rotor core. The first magnetic poles of the first and second rotor cores have different polarities, and the first magnetic poles of one rotor, core face the second magnetic poles of the other rotor core in the axial direction. A stator generating a magnetic field rotating the motor is placed radially outward of the rotor and an exciting coil exciting the second magnetic poles is placed in the gap, wherein the stator has, in the axial direction, first stator cores on both sides and a second stator core having lower magnetic resistance than the first stator core, in a center.
US09356477B2	Rotation assistance mechanism and rotating power mechanism equipped with same A rotation assistance mechanism equipped with an attraction unit having a pair of magnetic bodies for which the opposite poles of the bodies are arranged facing one another. A magnetic body driving unit changes the distance between the pair of magnetic bodies with a prescribed period by means of the rotation of a rear wheel. A shielding unit has a pair of magnetic surfaces, the poles of which are the same as the respective opposing surfaces of the pair of magnetic bodies. A shield-driving unit that, in conjunction with the prescribed period, propels the shielding unit into the interval between the pair of magnetic bodies when the distance between the pair of magnetic bodies is reduced, and retracts the shielding unit from the interval between the pair of magnetic bodies when the distance between the pair of magnetic bodies is increased.
US09356474B2	Wireless power feeder and wireless power transmission system A feeding coil circuit 120 feeds power by wireless from a feeding coil L2 to a receiving coil L3 based on a magnetic field resonance phenomenon between the feeding coil L2 and receiving coil L3. A transmission power control circuit 200 supplies AC power at a drive frequency to the feeding coil L2 to make the feeding coil L2 feed the AC power to the receiving coil L3. A phase detection circuit 114 measures a phase difference between a current phase of the AC power and a voltage phase thereof. The power transmission control circuit 200 adjusts the drive frequency in accordance with the phase difference. A protection circuit 122 adjusts the phase difference in an increasing direction when the current flowing in the feeding coil L2 increases.
US09356470B2	Systems and methods for managing a fuel cell A method of operating a power adapter that includes an energy storage device and a fuel cell system including a fuel supply and a fuel cell stack, the method including determining a connectivity state of an auxiliary power source and a load with the power adapter, and selecting a power adapter operation mode based on the connection states of the auxiliary power source and the load. The operation modes of the power adapter include at least an auxiliary mode when the auxiliary power source and the load are connected to the power adapter, and a fuel cell mode when the auxiliary power source is disconnected from the power adapter and the load is connected to the power adapter. The auxiliary mode includes providing power from the auxiliary power source to the load, and the fuel cell mode includes providing fuel cell power to the load.
US09356465B2	Rinsing glass and charger combination for a power toothbrush The combination of a power toothbrush and a charging system includes a charging base unit (12) having a charging coil (22) wound around the interior surface (20) of a portion of the charging base unit, and connectable to a source of electric power and a rinsing vessel (26) adapted to hold a toothbrush, the rinsing glass having a lower surface (27) configured to fit onto the upper surface (14) of the charging unit. The vessel is configured to hold a toothbrush in such a manner to prevent the toothbrush from tipping over when placed in the vessel, and further configured relative to the base unit that charging of the power toothbrush can occur between a pickup coil (46) in the handle of the toothbrush and the charging coil in the base charging unit.
US09356459B2	Method for charging battery and electronic device thereof An apparatus and method for charging a battery of an electronic device are provided. In the method, when the battery is fully charged, charging of the battery is suspended. When a predetermined time elapses from a point at which the battery has been fully charged, the charging of the battery is resumed.
US09356456B2	Charging device Disclosed is a charging device capable of appropriately charging of a battery while preventing battery depletion. In a charging system including a charging device, when the output power from a solar battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, power is supplied to a charging control system which controls charging of batteries. Accordingly, when the output power from the solar battery is small, since the charging control system will not start, no power is consumed in the charging control system. As a result, battery depletion can be prevented. When the output power from the solar battery is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, charging of the battery is performed by the charging control system, thereby appropriately performing charging of the batteries.
US09356455B2	Dish having display device and apparatus for charging the same A dish having a display element installed therein includes a dish main body including a display element including a display portion and a circuit portion, a first side including a transparent material, and a second side, and a battery portion at the second side for supplying power to the display element.
US09356454B2	Apparatus for charging batteries of devices at a selected DC voltage A battery charging apparatus for charging batteries of fixed voltage charge receiving batteries and flexible voltage charge receiving batteries. A wall receptacle charger outlet, an “all-in-one” vehicle or home charger, a hands-free docking station charger, a wall mountable USB charging strip and a holder for multiple charger receiving devices that includes a charger are disclosed.
US09356449B2	Wireless power receiver, wireless power transmission system, and power controller A wireless power receiver receives, at a receiving coil, AC power fed from a feeding coil by wireless using a magnetic field resonance phenomenon between the feeding coil and receiving coil. The wireless power receiver includes a loading circuit and a power controller. The loading circuit includes a loading coil that is magnetically coupled to the receiving coil to receive the AC power from the receiving coil and a load that receives the AC power supplied from the loading coil. The power controller includes a measurement unit and an adjustment unit. The measurement unit measures the receiving power of the load. The adjustment unit brings the receiving power close to its maximum value by changing the impedance of the loading circuit.
US09356425B2	Semiconductor DBR laser A semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector laser configured for single longitudinal mode operation, having an optical waveguide comprising an optical gain section, a first reflector being a first distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) section comprising a grating configured to produce a reflection spectrum having one or more first reflective peaks, and a second reflector, wherein the first DBR section is configured to compensate for thermal chirp that is induced inhomogeneously along the length of the DBR section, in use.
US09356424B2	Semiconductor light emitting element and semiconductor light emitting device There is provided a semiconductor light emitting element that is excellent in reliability and is capable of being driven by a lower voltage and a semiconductor light emitting device that includes the semiconductor light emitting element. The semiconductor light emitting element includes: a semiconductor layer; an electrode layer; a metal layer that contains a hydrogen storage metal; and a plated layer in order.
US09356411B2	Slip ring assembly The invention concerns a method of reconditioning a slip ring transmitter of the gold wire type which has a slip ring, in particular a gold ring, for use with a gold wire board as the circuit board, including the steps: removing a gold wire board from the slip ring transmitter, and fitting a multi-brush board as a replacement for the gold wire board.
US09356409B2	Dual column gang outlets for minimizing installation space A power distribution unit disclosed herein includes a plurality of power outlets arranged in adjacent columns, the first and the second terminals of the power outlets in a first column formed along a first line, the first and the second terminals of the power outlets in a second column formed along a second line, ground terminals of the power outlets in the first column formed along a third line, and ground terminals of the power outlets of the second column formed along a fourth line, wherein the first line, the second line, the third line, and the fourth line are arranged in parallel, and wherein the plurality of power outlets are arranged in one of an arrangement in which the third and fourth lines are positioned between the first and second lines, and an arrangement in which the first and second lines are positioned between the third and fourth lines.
US09356407B2	Connector having a terminal with a coupling portion coupling a first portion having a contact point with a second portion Along an up-down direction, a connector is mateable with a mating connector which includes a plurality of mating terminals each having a mating contact point. The connector comprises a plurality of terminals which are, at least in part, accommodated by a housing. The terminals are arranged in a first direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. Each of the terminals has a first portion, a second portion and a coupling portion. The first portion includes a contact point and a guiding portion. The contact point is positioned apart from the second portion in a second direction perpendicular to both the up-down direction and the first direction. The contact point is in contact with the mating contact point while the mating contact point is positioned between the contact point and the second portion in the second direction in the mated state. The guiding portion is positioned above the contact point and guides the mating contact point towards the contact point upon the mating. The coupling portion couples the first portion with the second portion. The coupling portion is positioned at a position different from a position of the contact point in the first direction.
US09356394B2	Self-rejecting connector A plug-in connector for connecting to a receptacle includes a housing including tripping structures, electrically conductive terminals partly situated in the housing, latches arranged in the housing, and a slider slidingly coupled to the housing, and further includes blocking structures and trippable structures extending in a mating direction and that cooperate with the tripping structures, and a spring that urges the slider outward away from the housing in the mating direction. The tripping structures are situated to engage with the trippable structures during an initial stage of relative movement between the housing and slider against the spring bias while inward deflection of the latches is allowed. The blocking structures of the slider prevent inward deflection of the latches after a final stage of the relative movement between the housing and slider, and the connector has an electrically interconnected state only when in the final stage.
US09356388B2	Terminal-attached wire and terminal A terminal (15) of a terminal-attached wire (10), in which the terminal (15) is connected to an end portion of a wire (11) and the end portion is sealed by a heat shrinkable tube (33), includes a terminal connecting portion (16) to be connected to a mating terminal, a wire connecting portion (18) to be connected to the end portion of the wire (11) and a coupling portion (22) coupling the terminal connecting portion (16) and the wire connecting portion (18) An opening end (33A) of the heat shrinkable tube (33) is mounted on the coupling portion (22), and a draining portion (32) for preventing adhering water from running down to the opening end (33A) is provided on a side closer to the terminal connecting portion (16) than the opening end (33A).
US09356381B2	Protective cover configured to cover a mating interface of an electrical connector Protective cover including a mating cap having a cap body. The cap body includes a connector cavity that opens in a loading direction. The connector cavity is configured to receive an electrical connector of a communication system when the mating cap is moved in a loading direction onto the electrical connector. The cap body is configured to surround a mating interface of the electrical connector. The protective cover also includes a movable latch that is coupled to the mating cap and extends in a rearward direction that is generally opposite the loading direction. The movable latch has a side surface and a latch projection that extends laterally from the side surface. The movable latch is configured to flex relative to the mating cap to move the latch projection. The latch projection is configured to engage the communication system to block the protective cover from being inadvertently removed.
US09356375B2	Male terminal fitting A male terminal fitting includes a tubular main body (10) and a plate-like tab (40) projecting forward from the main body (10). A first support (51) and a second support (52) are provided respectively on a surface side facing in a direction of action of the external force (P1, P2) and a surface side opposite to the former surface side at a front end part of the main body (10) connected to the tab (40). The first and second supports (51, 52) serve as starting points of bending when an excessive external force (P1, P2) acts on the tab (40) in a direction intersecting with a projecting direction of the tab (40) and are displaced from each other in a front-back direction.
US09356374B2	Float adapter for electrical connector A float adapter for an electrical connector that includes a conductive shell and an insulator received in the conductive shell. The insulator includes an engagement end, an interface end that is opposite the engagement end, and a reduced diameter middle portion therebetween. The insulator includes an inner bore that extends through the engagement end, the interface end, and the reduced diameter middle portion. The interface end has a lead-in tip portion that extends outside of the first end of the conductive shell. The lead-in tip portion has a tapered outer surface that terminates in an end face surface and a shoulder remote from the end face surface that defines an outer diameter that is larger than the inner diameter of the conductive shell. An inner contact is received in the inner bore of the insulator. The inner contact has socket openings at either end.
US09356369B2	Intermediate electrical connector and electrical connector assembled component An intermediate electrical connector to be connected to a mating connecting member includes an intermediate connecting member; and a blade disposed in the intermediate connecting member. The blade includes a first ground plate, a second ground plate, a base member, a signal terminal, and a ground terminal. The signal terminal includes a first contact portion and a first connecting portion connected to the first contact portion. The ground terminal includes a second contact portion and a second connecting portion connected to the second contact portion. The first ground plate is situated on one side of the blade over the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion. The second ground plate is situated on an opposite side of the blade over the first connecting portion, the second connecting portion, the first contact portion, and the second contact portion.
US09356368B2	Low profile electrical connector An electrical connector for electrically connecting a package with a printed circuit board (PCB) with a plurality of pads and an alignment feature includes an insulating housing, a plurality of contacts received in the insulating housing and a stiffener insert molding with the insulating housing. When the stiffener is assembled upon the alignment feature correspondingly, the contacts align with the pads of the PCB correspondingly.
US09356359B2	Active antenna system (AAS) radio frequency (RF) module with heat sink integrated antenna reflector On-board heat dissipation can be achieved in radio frequency (RF) modules by integrating a heat sink into the RF module's antenna reflector. Said integration achieves a compact and aesthetically pleasing RF module design that reduces the overall footprint of modular active antenna systems (AASs). Embodiment antenna reflectors include portions that are perforated and/or exposed to free flowing air to provide enhanced heat dissipation capability.
US09356357B2	Methods and compositions for destructive interference A composition for destructive interference in at least a portion of the frequency range from about 1 GHz to about 20 GHz can comprise a dielectric and a conductive filler mixed with at least a portion of the dielectric, wherein the percentage volume of the conductive filler relative to the total volume of the composition is configured such that the wavelength of sensitivity for the composition is on the order of a wavelength of an incident electromagnetic radiation in at least a portion of the frequency range from about 1 GHz to about 20 GHz.
US09356356B2	Tunable slot antenna An open slot antenna is formed in a planar conductor on a dielectric substrate. A tuning circuit is disposed toward an open end of the slot antenna and is used to select a resonant frequency of the antenna by electrically connecting one of multiple tuning elements across opposing sides of the slot. The tunable antenna so constructed may be incorporated into a handheld mobile communication device that can be operated in different geographic regions, each having different regional communication standards under which mobile communications are conducted.
US09356355B2	Antennas for handheld electronic devices A handheld electronic device may be provided that contains wireless communications circuitry. The handheld electronic device may have a housing and a display. The display may be attached to the housing a conductive bezel. The handheld electronic device may have one or more antennas for supporting wireless communications. A ground plane in the handheld electronic device may serve as ground for one or more of the antennas. The ground plane and bezel may define an opening. A rectangular slot antenna or other suitable slot antenna may be formed from or within the opening. One or more antenna resonating elements may be formed above the slot. An electrical switch that bridges the slot may be used to modify the perimeter of the slot so as to tune the communications bands of the handheld electronic device.
US09356354B2	Compact, broadband, omni antenna for indoor/outdoor applications An antenna, including a broadband bi-conical antenna including a lower antenna element and an upper conical antenna element, the lower antenna element including a lower conical antenna element and a meandered counterpoise element, which meandered counterpoise element is disposed at a base end of the lower conical antenna element and is integrally formed therewith, a reflector having a projection in a plane generally perpendicular to a vertical axis of the bi-conical radiating element, and a feed arrangement for feeding the bi-conical radiating element.
US09356344B2	Antenna apparatus and feeding structure thereof Embodiments provide connecting various circuits to which capacitive elements are connected to obtain an optimal capacitive reactance value needed in a resonance. Embodiments provide a capacitance value of an optimal capacitive reactance needed in a resonance by connecting a plurality of capacitive elements to a conductive line connecting an emitter and a ground in series or connecting one or more capacitive elements in parallel/series.
US09356341B1	Aerogel-based antennas for aerospace and terrestrial applications Systems and methods for lightweight, customizable antenna with improved performance and mechanical properties are disclosed. In some aspects, aerogels can be used, for example, as a substrate for antenna fabrication. The reduced weight and expense, as well as the increased ability to adapt antenna designs, permits a systems to mitigate a variety of burdens associated with antennas while providing added benefits.
US09356337B2	Portable terminal A portable terminal which can be made light, slim, short, and small is provided. The portable terminal includes an antenna mounted to an inner side surface of a body of the portable terminal, and a rear case covering at least a portion of an inner side of the body and having a battery mounting space. The antenna and the rear case are separably coupled to a rear surface of the body to be exposed to outside the rear surface of the body. The portable terminal may include a speaker module provided at an upper end of a body of the portable terminal within the body, a mounting plate mounted to one side of the speaker module within the body, and a microphone holder fixed to one surface of the mounting plate. The portable terminal can be miniaturized by reducing installation widths of parts disposed parallel to a speaker module.
US09356323B2	Temperature controlling system and method for battery The present invention provides a temperature controlling system for a battery in an energy storage system, the temperature controlling system including: a converter comprising a plurality of switches and a converter inductor, the converter being configured to increase or decrease a voltage of the battery; a DC linker comprising first and second capacitors that are coupled in series and configured to stabilize an output voltage of the converter; and an inverter comprising a plurality of switches and an inductor, the inverter being configured to invert an input voltage, wherein the inverter further comprises a switch coupled between a terminal of the inductor and a first node between the first and second capacitors of the DC linker to provide a current from the inductor to the battery.
US09356317B2	Amorphous ionically conductive metal oxides and sol gel method of preparation Amorphous lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide (LLZO) is formed as an ionically-conductive electrolyte medium. The LLZO comprises by percentage of total number of atoms from about 0.1% to about 50% lithium, from about 0.1% to about 25% lanthanum, from about 0.1% to about 25% zirconium, from about 30% to about 70% oxygen and from 0.0% to about 25% carbon. At least one layer of amorphous LLZO may be formed through a sol-gel process wherein quantities of lanthanum methoxyethoxide, lithium butoxide and zirconium butoxide are dissolved in an alcohol-based solvent to form a mixture which is dispensed into a substantially planar configuration, transitioned through a gel phase, dried and cured to a substantially dry phase.
US09356295B2	Cathode for lithium-air battery, method of manufacturing the same, and lithium-air battery comprising the same This invention relates to a cathode for a lithium-air battery, a method of manufacturing the same and a lithium-air battery including the same. The method of manufacturing the cathode for a lithium-air battery includes 1) stirring a cobalt salt, triethanolamine and distilled water, thus preparing a cobalt solution, 2) electroplating the cobalt solution on a porous support, thus preparing a cobalt plated porous support, 3) reacting the cobalt plated porous support with a mixture solution including oxalic acid, water and ethanol, thus forming cobalt oxalate on the porous support, and 4) thermally treating the cobalt oxalate.
US09356282B2	Method of manufacture of homodispersed silicon carbide-derived carbon composites The present invention concerns a method of manufacture of the homodispersed composite of the synthetic carbon material derived from carbide and silicon where the powder of the carbon material is first dispersed mechanically with the powder of silicon to homodispersed mixture, then the homodispersed mixture of the carbon material and silicon is sintered in an inert environment at a temperature between 1200 to 1500° C. to synthetic homodispersed composite of the silicon carbide and silicon. The homodispersed composite of the silicon carbide and silicon is heated in an inert environment at a temperature between 800 to 1100° C. and then the homodispersed composite of the silicon carbide and silicon is chlorinated at a temperature from 800 to 100° C.
US09356278B2	Battery pack In order to provide a battery pack that can be produced highly efficiently and contribute to an improvement in productivity, a battery pack of the present invention includes: a plurality of unit batteries 100 that include a positive-electrode pulled-out tab 120 and a negative-electrode pulled-out tab 130; and a board 300 on which pulled-out tab connection sections are formed to connect the pulled-out tabs of different polarities of adjacent unit batteries 100.
US09356270B2	Multi-tier traction battery assembly with alignment feature A battery assembly includes a lower array including opposing endplates having upwardly protruding pins, and an upper array including opposing endplates having pin bores. The upper array includes a mid-tray defining holes positioned such that the pins are receivable in the holes and the bores when the arrays are properly oriented and such that the mid-tray blocks the pins from being received within the bores when the arrays are positioned in a reverse orientation.
US09356269B2	Battery pack A battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells arranged along one direction, a top cover covering the plurality of battery cells and the top cover includes an opening in at least one portion thereof, and a temperature measuring member including a main body portion mounted in the opening and a wire portion accommodating a wire connected to a sensor. The sensor is built into the main body portion and measures a temperature of at least one of the battery cells.
US09356268B2	Battery module Disclosed is a battery module including a plurality of battery cells arranged in one direction, a barrier disposed between the plurality of battery cells; and a housing accommodating the battery cells and the barrier, wherein the barrier includes at least one linear member having a plurality of protrusions, and first and second lateral members respectively connected to one end portion and another end portion of the linear member, and the first and second lateral members include at least one opening.
US09356267B1	Protective battery case to partially enclose a mobile electronic device A protective battery case for use with a mobile electronic device can include a back wall, a right side wall, a left side wall, a bottom wall, and a top wall. The protective battery case can include a battery, which can be disposed in the back wall. A device interface can be configured to engage a corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device to deliver electrical power from the battery to the mobile electronic device. A charging interface can be configured to receive electrical power for charging the battery. The protective battery case can include one or more bumpers disposed on the inside of the protective battery case such that the one or more bumpers abut against sides of the mobile electronic device to provide cushioning and/or shock absorption to protect the mobile electronic device.
US09356266B2	Battery pack A battery pack includes a battery cell; a case comprising a first case and a second case coupled together and accommodating the battery cell, wherein the first case includes a first rib extending circumferentially around the first case and generally defining a battery cell accommodation space for the battery cell around an interior of the first rib, the first rib having a ridged section comprising alternating thick portions and thin portions.
US09356259B2	Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same Provided is an organic light-emitting display apparatus. The organic light-emitting display apparatus includes: a substrate; an organic light-emitting device provided on the substrate and comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and an intermediate layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; an encapsulation layer covering the organic light-emitting device; a base layer disposed under the substrate and having a pin hole formed therein; and a thermal conductive layer filling the pin hole.
US09356254B2	Organic EL display device and method for producing the same A method includes: forming, in a first substrate, a display area in which a plurality of pixels including an organic EL light-emitting layer are arrayed; forming, in a second substrate, a plurality of opening areas respectively located in correspondence with the plurality of pixels and a light-blocking area that demarcates the plurality of opening areas; providing a dam material such that the dam material encloses the display area; dripping a filler material to an area enclosed by the dam material; and attaching the first substrate and the second substrate to each other, and fusing together dripped portions of the filler material, thereby bonding the both substrates to each other. The both substrates are attached to each other while being positionally aligned such that borders between the dripped portions of the filler material that is generated by the fusion are located in an area corresponding to the light-blocking area.
US09356252B2	Electronic device and manufacturing method therefor An electronic device includes a substrate, a first conductive layer disposed over the substrate, an organic insulating layer, including an organic material, disposed over the first conductive layer and having an aperture exposing a portion of the first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, which is metallic, covering a top face of the organic insulating layer, an inner circumferential face that faces the aperture in the organic insulating layer, and the exposed portion of the first conductive layer, and an intermediate layer that includes an oxide or a nitride, disposed only between the second conductive layer and the inner circumferential face that faces the aperture in the organic insulating layer. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are in contact at the bottom face of the aperture in the organic insulating layer.
US09356251B2	Light-emitting device including a first resistance layer with a creeping-up portion Light-emitting device including a supporting substrate, a partition wall dividing a plurality of EL elements on the supporting substrate, and the EL elements provided in a concave portion that is a space between the partition walls. Each EL element is constituted by a first electrode, a first resistance layer formed by an applying method, a second resistance layer having an electric resistance higher than that of the first resistance layer, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode in this order so that the first electrode is located near the supporting substrate. The first resistance layer includes a creeping-up portion creeping up to a direction that is away from the supporting substrate and along the surface of the corresponding partition wall; and the second resistance layer is provided by ranging continuously over one EL element to another EL element that are adjacent to each other with the partition wall interposed therebetween.
US09356250B2	Light-emitting element, comprising an organometallic complex light-emitting material, a light-emitting device and an electronic device comprising the light-emitting element To provide a light-emitting element with high light emission efficiency, a long lifetime, and reduced driving voltage. To provide a light-emitting element including an anode, a cathode, and a plurality of light-emitting layers which are in contact with each other so that a stacked structure is formed, between the anode and the cathode, in which the plurality of light-emitting layers are formed with a first light-emitting layer which is close to the anode and a second light-emitting layer which is close to the cathode, the first light-emitting layer and the second light-emitting layer each include a host material, a hole-transporting material, and a light-emitting material, and the concentration of the hole-transporting material in the first light-emitting layer is higher than the concentration of the hole-transporting material in the second light-emitting layer.
US09356248B2	Organic thin-film transistor An n-type organic thin-film transistor including a substrate, a gate, and a dielectric layer covering the substrate and the gate. A semiconductor-insulator polymer blend layer is disposed on the dielectric layer; A source and a drain are disposed on top of the semiconductor-insulator polymer blend layer.
US09356246B2	Display device and electronic device A bendable display device, lighting device, or electronic device which is unlikely to be broken when handled. The display device, lighting device, or electronic device includes two flexible substrates, and at least one of the two flexible substrates contains a plurality of glass fibers extending in one direction. Accordingly, the display device, lighting device, or electronic device has low flexibility in the one direction and is unlikely to be broken when handled.
US09356242B2	Organic electroluminescent device An organic electroluminescent device that includes at least two phosphorescent emitting layers, where phosphorescent emitter layer 1 comprises a hole-conducting matrix material and two different phosphorescent emitters, and phosphorescent emitter layer 2 comprises an electron-conducting matrix material and a phosphorescent emitter.
US09356241B2	End-group-directed self-assembly of organic compounds useful for photovoltaic applications The present invention provides for an organic compound comprising electron deficient unit covalently linked to two or more electron rich units. The present invention also provides for a device comprising the organic compound, such as a light-emitting diode, thin-film transistor, chemical biosensor, non-emissive electrochromic, memory device, photovoltaic cells, or the like.
US09356234B2	Electronic device and method for fabricating the same An electronic device including a semiconductor memory unit that includes a cell structure having two memory cells, which share one selector, wherein the cell structure includes first electrodes, variable resistance patterns and second electrodes which are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the selector.
US09356232B2	Method of making memory element with ion source layer comprised of two or more unit IO source layers A method of making memory element, including: a first electrode, a memory layer, and a second electrode in this order. The memory layer includes a resistance change layer containing an oxide, and the resistance change layer being provided on the first electrode side, and an ion source layer in a stacking structure of two or more of a unit ion source layer, the unit ion source layer including a first layer and a second layer, the first layer containing one or more of chalcogen elements of tellurium (Te), sulfur (S), and selenium (Se) and an easy-to-move element that is easy to move in the memory layer, and having a density distribution of the easy-to-move element from the first electrode to the second electrode, and the second layer containing a difficult-to-move element that is difficult to move in the memory layer.
US09356226B2	Self-powered irrigation apparatus An irrigation apparatus is provided, comprising: a pressure vessel configured to hold water under pressure, and configured to expand and contract based on the pressure of the held water; a selectable throttle configured to receive water at a first pressure, configured to provide the water to the pressure vessel at the first pressure when the selectable throttle is at a first setting, and configured to provide the water to the pressure vessel at a second pressure that is smaller than the first pressure when the selectable throttle is at a second setting; a control circuit configured to control whether the selectable throttle is at the first setting or at the second setting; and a piezoelectric element attached to the pressure vessel and configured to generate electricity when the pressure vessel expands or contracts.
US09356222B2	Liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting apparatus, and piezoelectric element A piezoelectric element which includes an adhesion layer made of composite oxide having perovskite structure including at least one of bismuth, manganese, iron, and titanium; a first electrode provided on the adhesion layer and made of metal preferentially oriented in a (100) face; a piezoelectric body layer provided on the first electrode and made of composite oxide having perovskite structure preferentially oriented in the (100) face; and a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric body layer.
US09356213B2	Manufacturing method of a light-emitting device having a patterned substrate A manufacturing method of a light-emitting diode device. The light-emitting diode device comprises: a substrate (1); an epitaxial layer at one side of the substrate (1) and comprising an N-type layer (2), a P-type layer (4), and an active layer (3) between the N-type layer (2) and the P-type layer (4); an N-type electrode (5); a P-type electrode (7); an adhesive layer (8); and a patterned substrate (9). The light-emitting diode device further comprises an insulating layer (6) between the N-type electrode (5) and the P-type electrode (7), the insulating layer (6) electrically insulating the N-type electrode (5) and the P-type electrode (7). In the manufacturing method thereof, light-emitting efficiency and luminous efficiency of the light-emitting diode device can be improved, wiring is easier as compared with conventional chips, and the manufacturing process can be optimized.
US09356210B2	Optoelectronic module comprising an optical waveguide and method for producing same An optoelectronic module (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 234) comprises a carrier (102), at which and/or in which are arranged at least two semiconductor chips (104, 104a1, 104a2, 104b; 106, 106a1, 106a2, 106b, 106c) for emitting electromagnetic radiation (108a, 108b). An emission unit (110) for emitting electromagnetic radiation (109) from the optoelectronic module (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 234) is arranged on or in the carrier (102). At least one of the semiconductor chips (106, 106a1, 106a2, 106b, 106c) is spaced apart from the emission unit (110). A waveguide (112) guides the electromagnetic radiation (108a) of the at least one spaced-apart semiconductor chip (106, 106a1, 106a2, 106b, 106c) to the emission unit (110). The emission unit (110) has a coupling-out structure (114, 114a, 114b, 114c) for coupling out the electromagnetic radiation (108a) from the waveguide (112).
US09356194B2	LEDs with efficient electrode structures Aspects include Light Emitting Diodes that have a GaN-based light emitting region and a metallic electrode. The metallic electrode can be physically separated from the GaN-based light emitted region by a layer of porous dielectric, which provides a reflecting region between at least a portion of the metallic electrode and the GaN-based light emitting region.
US09356193B2	Light emitting device A first light emitting structure includes a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer. A second light emitting structure includes a third semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a fourth semiconductor layer. A first electrode and a second electrode connect to the first semiconductor layer, and the second semiconductor layer, respectively. A third electrode and a fourth electrode connect to the third semiconductor layer, and the fourth semiconductor layer, respectively. A first contact portion includes a first region connected to the first electrode and a second region making contact with a top surface of the first semiconductor layer, and a second contact portion connects to the second and third electrodes. A third contact portion includes a first region connected to the third electrode and a second region making contact with a top surface of the third semiconductor layer.
US09356191B2	Epitaxial layer wafer having void for separating growth substrate therefrom and semiconductor device fabricated using the same An epitaxial wafer includes a growth substrate, a mask pattern disposed on the growth substrate and comprising a masking region and an opening region, and an epitaxial layer covering the mask pattern and including a first void disposed on the masking region. The first void includes a lower void disposed between a lower surface of the epitaxial layer and the masking region, and an upper void extending from the lower void into the epitaxial layer, the lower void having a greater width than the upper void.
US09356184B2	Shingled solar cell module A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.
US09356170B2	THz distributed detectors and arrays Terahertz (THz) distributed detectors, and arrays of detectors that utilize structured surface plasmonic effects for more efficient coupling to free space are discussed. One example distributed detector includes a detector junction comprising a Schottky or tunneling interface between a semiconductor and a detector metal, an ohmic junction comprising an ohmic interface between the semiconductor and an ohmic metal, and a gap that separates the detector junction from the ohmic junction. Structured surface plasmons concentrate an electric field in the gap when the distributed detector is exposed to THz radiation polarized perpendicular to the gap.
US09356160B2	Flat panel sensor and flat panel detector A flat panel sensor and a flat panel detector are provided on the basis of a top-gate TFT structure. The flat panel sensor comprises a base substrate, and a top-gate TFT and a storage capacitor that are formed on the base substrate; the storage capacitor includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer disposed in opposition to the first conductive layer, a third conductive layer for output of an electric signal, and a ground line; the first conductive layer is directly connected to a drain electrode and an active layer of the top-gate TFT, the second conductive layer is directly connected to the ground line, and the third conductive layer is connected to the first conductive layer through a via hole.
US09356157B2	Semiconductor devices comprising floating gate transistors and methods of forming such semiconductor devices Semiconductor devices include one or more transistors having a floating gate and a control gate. In at least one embodiment, the floating gate comprises an intermediate portion extending between two end portions. The intermediate portion has an average cross-sectional area less than one or both of the end portions. In some embodiments, the intermediate portion may comprise a single nanowire. In additional embodiments, semiconductor devices have one or more transistors having a control gate and a floating gate in which a surface of the control gate opposes a lateral side surface of a floating gate that defines a recess in the floating gate. Electronic systems include such semiconductor devices. Methods of forming semiconductor devices include, for example, forming a floating gate having an intermediate portion extending between two end portions, and configuring the intermediate portion to have an average cross-sectional area less than one or both of the end portions.
US09356156B2	Stable high mobility MOTFT and fabrication at low temperature A method of fabricating a stable high mobility amorphous MOTFT includes a step of providing a substrate with a gate formed thereon and a gate dielectric layer positioned over the gate. A carrier transport structure is deposited by sputtering on the gate dielectric layer. The carrier transport structure includes a layer of amorphous high mobility metal oxide adjacent the gate dielectric and a relatively inert protective layer of material deposited on the layer of amorphous high mobility metal oxide both deposited without oxygen and in situ. The layer of amorphous metal oxide has a mobility above 40 cm2/Vs and a carrier concentration in a range of approximately 1018 cm−3 to approximately 5×1019 cm−3. Source/drain contacts are positioned on the protective layer and in electrical contact therewith.
US09356155B2	Semiconductor device structures and arrays of vertical transistor devices A semiconductor device structure is disclosed. The semiconductor device structure includes a mesa extending above a substrate. The mesa has a channel region between a first side and second side of the mesa. A first gate is on a first side of the mesa, the first gate comprising a first gate insulator and a first gate conductor comprising graphene overlying the first gate insulator. The gate conductor may comprise graphene in one or more monolayers. Also disclosed are a method for fabricating the semiconductor device structure; an array of vertical transistor devices, including semiconductor devices having the structure disclosed; and a method for fabricating the array of vertical transistor devices.
US09356153B2	Thin film transistor, display panel having the same and method of manufacturing the same A thin film transistor includes a bottom gate electrode, a top gate electrode and an active pattern. The top gate electrode includes a transparent conductive material and overlaps with the bottom gate electrode. A boundary of the bottom gate electrode and a boundary of the top gate electrode are coincident with each other in a cross-sectional view. The active pattern includes a source portion, a drain portion and a channel portion disposed between the source portion and the drain portion. The channel portion overlaps with the bottom gate electrode and the top gate electrode.
US09356133B2	Medium voltage MOSFET device A semiconductor device includes a medium voltage MOSFET having a vertical drain drift region between RESURF trenches containing field plates which are electrically coupled to a source electrode of the MOSFET. A split gate with a central opening is disposed above the drain drift region between the RESURF trenches. A two-level LDD region is disposed below the central opening in the split gate. A contact metal stack makes contact with a source region at lateral sides of the triple contact structure, and with a body contact region and the field plates in the RESURF trenches at a bottom surface of the triple contact structure. A perimeter RESURF trench surrounds the MOSFET. A field plate in the perimeter RESURF trench is electrically coupled to the source electrode of the MOSFET. An integrated snubber may be formed in trenches formed concurrently with the RESURF trenches.
US09356125B1	Manufacturing method of semiconductor structure A manufacturing method of a semiconductor structure includes the following steps. A high-k dielectric layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate, and a barrier layer is formed on the high-k dielectric layer. An oxygen annealing treatment is performed after the step of forming the barrier layer; and a capping layer is formed on the barrier layer after the oxygen annealing treatment.
US09356124B2	Method for fabricating multi-gate structure device with source and drain having quasi-SOI structure A method for fabricating a multi-gate structure device with a source and a drain having a quasi-SOI structure, comprising forming an active region in a shape of a fin bar, forming an oxide isolation layer for shallow trench isolation (STI), forming a polysilicon dummy gate, forming source and drain extension regions, forming the source and the drain with the quasi-SOI structure, and forming a high-K metal gate. Solution(s) consistent with the present innovations may be achieved by using a process method compatible with the conventional bulk silicon CMOS processes and can be easily integrated into the process flow. Moreover, innovations here may provide a small leakage current even in a case of having a short channel length, thereby reducing the power consumption of the device.
US09356122B2	Through silicon via processing method for lateral double-diffused MOSFETs The present invention features methods for forming a field effect transistor on a semiconductor substrate having gate, source and drain regions, with the gate region having a lateral gate channel. A plurality of spaced-apart trenches or through semiconductor vias (TSV) each having an electrically conductive plug formed therein in electrical communication with the gate, source and drain regions are configured to lower the resistance of the bottom source. A contact trench is formed adjacent to the source region and shorts the source region and a body region. A source contact is in electrical communication with the source region; and a drain contact in electrical communication with the drain region, with the source and drain contacts being disposed on opposite sides of the lateral gate channel.
US09356117B2	Method for forming avalanche energy handling capable III-nitride transistors A method for forming a semiconductor device including a GaN FET, an overvoltage clamping component, and a voltage dropping component. The GaN FET is formed by forming a low-defect layer comprising gallium nitride, a barrier layer comprising AlxGa1−xN, a gate, and source and drain contacts. The overvoltage clamping component is coupled to a drain node of the GaN FET. The overvoltage clamping component conducts insignificant current when a voltage at the drain node is less than a safe voltage limit and conducts significant current when the voltage rises above the safe voltage limit. The voltage dropping component is coupled to the overvoltage clamping component and to a terminal for a bias potential. The voltage dropping component provides a voltage drop which increases as current from the overvoltage clamping component increases. The GaN FET turns on when the voltage drop reaches a threshold value.
US09356115B2	Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device A method of manufacturing an RC-IGBT provided with an IGBT and an FWD on the same substrate is provided. First, top surface device structures of an IGBT and an FWD are formed on the top surface of a semiconductor substrate. Then, with the side of an IGBT region on the top surface of the semiconductor substrate shielded by a first shielding mask, only an FWD region is irradiated with light ions. Next, with the side of the FWD region on the bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate shielded by a second shielding mask, only the IGBT region is irradiated with light ions. With this, a first lifetime control region 10-1 is formed on the collector side A2 in the IGBT region A1-A2 and a second lifetime control region 10-2 is formed on the anode side B1 of the FWD region B1-B2.
US09356113B2	Method of producing a junction field-effect transistor (JFET) The invention concerns a method for producing a field effect transistor having a trench gate comprising: —the forming (110) of at least one trench (11, 12, 13) in a semi-conductive substrate (1) having a first type of conductivity, said substrate comprising two opposing faces called front face and rear face, —the primary implantation (120) of ions having a second type of conductivity so as to implant each trench of the substrate to form an active gate area, —the depositing (160) of a layer of polycrystalline silicon having the second type of conductivity on the implanted active gate area, —the oxidation (160) of the layer of polycrystalline silicon, and —the metallization (180) of the substrate on the front and rear faces of same in order to form active source and drain areas.
US09356107B2	Semiconductor device and production device therefor A semiconductor device includes a plurality of trench gates extending in a first direction and arranged with a space between one another in a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction. Each of the plurality of trench gates includes: a first portion opened on a front surface of the semiconductor substrate; a second portion extending from the first portion in a direction inclined relative to a depth direction of the semiconductor substrate toward a positive direction of the second direction; and a third portion extending from the first portion in a direction inclined relative to the depth direction of the semiconductor substrate toward a negative direction of the second direction.
US09356102B2	Double stepped semiconductor substrate A method for forming a double step surface on a semiconductor substrate includes, with an etching process used in a Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) process, forming a rough surface on a region of a semiconductor substrate. The method further includes, with an annealing process used in the MOCVD process, forming double stepped surface on the region of the semiconductor substrate.
US09356099B2	Techniques for forming contacts to quantum well transistors Techniques are disclosed for providing a low resistance self-aligned contacts to devices formed in a semiconductor heterostructure. The techniques can be used, for example, for forming contacts to the gate, source and drain regions of a quantum well transistor fabricated in III-V and SiGe/Ge material systems. Unlike conventional contact process flows which result in a relatively large space between the source/drain contacts to gate, the resulting source and drain contacts provided by the techniques described herein are self-aligned, in that each contact is aligned to the gate electrode and isolated therefrom via spacer material.
US09356082B2	Display device To improve image quality of a full-color organic EL display panel. A partition has a stacked structure formed using different materials. A lower partition has a curved shape, and an upper partition has a flat top surface. An angle formed between a plane surface connecting a lower end of a side surface with an upper end of the side surface of the upper partition and the top surface of the upper partition is less than or equal to 90°. The height of the partition is controlled to be greater than or equal to 0.5 μm and less than or equal to 1.3 μm. With such a structure, a large color organic EL display panel achieves high-definition display.
US09356080B2	Organic EL display device and electronic apparatus An organic EL display device includes a display region where a plurality of pixels having a light-emitting device stacked in order of an organic layer including a first electrode and a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode from a substrate, are arranged, a peripheral region having a peripheral circuit that is arranged on an outer edge side of the display region, a lower layer-sided first insulating layer and an upper layer-sided second insulating layer that are arranged to be extended to the peripheral region from the display region, a first separation groove that is arranged in the first insulating layer between the display region and the peripheral region, a first conductive layer that is arranged on the first insulating layer of the peripheral region, a first covering portion, a sealing portion that is arranged on an outer edge side of the first covering portion, and a second covering portion.
US09356079B2	Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a substrate, an optical layer formed over the substrate and a light emitting pixel formed over the optical layer. The optical layer includes a first refractive index layer portion having a first refractive index, a second refractive index layer portion having a second refractive index greater than the first refractive index. The second portion is disposed next to the first portion and contacts the first portion. The light emitting pixel includes a pixel electrode overlapping the first portion and comprising a first reflective layer, a pixel-defining film overlapping the second portion, an intermediate layer formed over the pixel electrode and comprising an organic light emission layer, and an opposite electrode formed over and overlapping the intermediate layer and the pixel-defining film and comprising a second reflective layer.
US09356077B2	Light-emitting element display device A light-emitting element display device includes a substrate including a display area having plural pixels arranged in matrix form, a lower electrode provided in each of the plural pixels on the substrate and made of a conductor, an organic layer provided on the lower electrode and including a light-emitting layer, an upper electrode provided on the organic layer and made of a conductor, a polymer dispersed liquid crystal layer disposed at an opposite side to a substrate side of the upper electrode and covering the display area, and an electrode layer provided at the opposite side to the substrate side of the upper electrode and made of a conductor. The electrode layer is disposed to extend over the plural pixels.
US09356075B2	Organic EL display device An organic EL display device includes a thin film transistor substrate in which a light-emitting element is provided for each of plural sub-pixels constituting each pixel, a counter substrate provided with a coupled color filter which is a color filter arranged to be extended over plural adjacent sub-pixels and allowing light in one wavelength region to pass through and a light-shielding film which is arranged on a boundary between adjacent color filters to allow lights in different wavelength regions to pass through and shields light, a filler arranged between the thin film transistor substrate and the counter substrate and made of a transparent organic material, and a filler thickness adjustment part which adjusts to cause a thickness of the filler in a region where the light-shielding film is provided to be thinner than a thickness of the filler in a region where the light-emitting element is provided.
US09356074B1	Memory array having divided apart bit lines and partially divided bit line selector switches A non-volatile data storage device comprises pairs of immediately adjacent and isolated-from-one-another local bit lines that are independently driven by respective and vertically oriented bit line selector devices. The isolation between the immediately adjacent and isolated-from-one-another local bit lines also isolates from one another respective memory cells of the non-volatile data storage device such that leakage currents cannot flow from memory cells connected to a first of the immediately adjacent and isolated-from-one-another local bit lines to memory cells connected to the second of the pair of immediately adjacent and isolated-from-one-another local bit lines. A method programming a desire one of the memory cells includes applying boosting voltages to word lines adjacent to the bit line of the desired memory cell while not applying boosting voltages to word lines adjacent to the other bit line of the pair.
US09356066B2	Interconnect structure for stacked device and method A stacked integrated circuit (IC) device and a method are disclosed. The stacked IC device includes a first semiconductor element and a second semiconductor element bonded on the first semiconductor element. The first semiconductor element includes a first substrate, a common conductive feature in the first substrate, a first inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer, a first interconnection feature and a conductive plug connecting the first interconnection feature to the common conductive feature. The second semiconductor element includes a second substrate, a second ILD layers over the second substrate and a second interconnection feature in second ILD layers. The device also includes a conductive deep plug connecting to the common conductive feature in the first semiconductor element and the second interconnection feature. The conductive deep plug is separated with the conductive plug by the first ILD layer.
US09356062B2	Optoelectronic photodetector (variants) A optoelectronic photo sensor to obtain single mosaic digital photographic images. Photo sensor is designed as a plurality of identical lenses having rows of staggered identical matrices arranged on a common focal surface with the gaps between adjacent matrices not exceeding the length of the effective number of pixels oriented along the row. Said arrangement provides a single large survey field from a plurality of individual matrices. Said design contemplates the use of several small individual lenses instead of one large and expensive lens, as well as many small matrices instead of one large and expensive matrix. The lenses are arranged at an angle to each other with a strictly defined dependence on the focal distance and the length of the gap between matrices in the row, which ensures continuous imaging by individual matrices over the surface surveyed with preset overlapping for subsequent cross-linking of images into one single film.
US09356061B2	Image sensor with buried light shield and vertical gate A pixel in an image sensor can include a photodetector and a storage region disposed in one substrate, or a photodetector disposed in one substrate and a storage region in another substrate. A buried light shield is disposed between the photodetector and the storage region. A sense region, such as a floating diffusion, can be adjacent to the storage region, with the buried light shield disposed between the photodetector and the storage and sense regions. When the photodetector and the storage region are disposed in separate substrates, a vertical gate can be formed through the buried light shield and used to initiate the transfer of charge from the photodetector and the storage region. A transfer channel formed adjacent to, or around the vertical gate provides a channel for the charge to transfer from the photodetector to the storage region.
US09356051B2	Pixel array A pixel array includes a plurality of first and second signal lines, a plurality of active devices, a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of selection lines, and a plurality of protrusions. The second signal lines are electrically insulated to and intersected with the first signal lines. Each active device is electrically connected to one of the first signal lines and one of the second signal lines, respectively. The pixel electrodes are electrically connected to the active devices. The selection lines are electrically insulated to the second signal lines and intersected with the first signal lines so as to form a plurality of intersections including a plurality of first and second intersections. The selection lines are electrically connected to the first signal lines at the first intersections. The protrusions are disposed between the selection lines and the first signal lines, and located at the second intersections.
US09356048B2	Light emitting device It is an object of the present invention to prevent an insulating film from peeling in a section where the insulating film is adjacent to a sealing region. Over a first substrate 104, a pixel portion 100 provided with a light emitting element, a source driver 101, a gate driver 102, and a sealing region 103 are provided. A light emitting element is sealed between the first substrate 104 and a second substrate 110 by a sealant 108. An insulating film 107 serves as a partition wall of the light emitting element. An end portion of the insulating film 107 which is adjacent to the sealing region 103 does not overlap with a step formed by a side surface and an upper surface of a conductive film 106 which serves as a wiring.
US09356045B2	Semiconductor structure having column III-V isolation regions A semiconductor structure provided having: a dielectric; a non-column III-V doped semiconductor layer disposed over the dielectric; and an isolation barrier comprising column III-V material disposed vertically through the semiconductor layer to the dielectric. In one embodiment, the semiconductor layer is silicon and has CMOS transistors disposed in the semiconductor layer above a first region of the dielectric and a III-V transistor disposed above a different region of the dielectric. The barrier electrically isolates the column III-V transistor from the CMOS transistors. In one embodiment, the structure includes a passive device disposed over the semiconductor layer and a plurality of laterally spaced III-V structures, the III-V structures being disposed under the passive device, the III-V structures passing vertically through the semiconductor layer to the insulating layer.
US09356043B1	Three-dimensional memory devices containing memory stack structures with position-independent threshold voltage The threshold voltage for vertical transistors in three-dimensional memory stack structures can be made independent of a lateral distance from a source region by forming a doped pocket region. The doped pocket region has the same conductivity type as a doped well that constitutes horizontal portions of the semiconductor channels that extend into the memory stack structures, and has a higher dopant concentration level than the doped well. The doped pocket region and a source region can be simultaneously formed by implanting p-type dopants and n-type dopants into a surface portion of the substrate underlying a backside contact trench. By selecting dopant species having different diffusion rates, the doped pocket region can surround the source region. The process parameters of the anneal process can be selected such that the interface between the dopant pocket region and the doped well underlies outermost memory stack structures.
US09356040B2	Junction formation for vertical gate 3D NAND memory A method is provided for manufacturing a memory device. A plurality of layers of a first semiconductor material is formed, and a plurality of holes is formed through the layers. An etch process is applied to the layers through the holes, to form pull-back regions in the layers adjacent and surrounding the holes. A film of second semiconductor material is deposited over the holes and into the pull-back regions. Portions of the film are removed from the holes while leaving elements of the second semiconductor material in the pull-back regions in contact with the first semiconductor material. The holes are filled with insulating material. Layers in the plurality of layers have respective first doping concentration profiles, and the elements of the second semiconductor material in the pull-back regions have second doping concentration profiles. The second doping concentration profiles establish a higher conductivity in the elements of second semiconductor material.
US09356035B2	Embedded SONOS based memory cells A memory device that includes a non-volatile memory (NVM) transistor which has an indium doped channel and a gate stack overlying the channel formed in a first region of a substrate and a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor formed in a second region of the substrate in which the gate oxide of the MOS and the oxide layer of the NVM transistor are formed concurrently.
US09356032B2	Semiconductor device with improved electrode isolation A floating gate insulating film is formed in a first element formation region of a substrate. A first insulating film and a control gate electrode are continuously formed from the first element formation region to a first element isolation film. A selection gate insulating film and a selection gate electrode are formed in the substrate located in the first element formation region. The selection gate electrode is continuously formed over the first element isolation film. A side surface of the selection gate electrode is in contact with a first side surface of a floating gate electrode through a second insulating film. An upper surface of a region overlapping with the selection gate electrode in the first element isolation film is located lower than an upper surface of the substrate.
US09356031B2	Three dimensional NAND string memory devices with voids enclosed between control gate electrodes A method of making a monolithic three dimensional NAND string includes forming a stack of alternating first and second material layers over a substrate, etching the stack to form a front side opening, partially removing the second material layers through the front side opening to form front side recesses, forming a first blocking dielectric in the front side recesses, forming charge storage regions over the first blocking dielectric in the front side recesses, forming a tunnel dielectric layer and a semiconductor channel over the charge storage regions in the front side opening, etching the stack to form a back side opening, removing the second material layers through the back side opening to form back side recesses using the first blocking dielectric as an etch stop, forming a second blocking dielectric in the back side recesses, and forming control gates over the second blocking dielectric in the back side recesses.
US09356030B2	Method for manufacturing semiconductor device having antifuse with semiconductor and insulating films as intermediate layer An object is to provide an antifuse with little power consumption at the time of writing. The antifuse is used for a memory element in a read-only memory device. The antifuse includes a first conductive layer, a multilayer film of two or more layers in which an amorphous silicon film and an insulating film are alternately stacked over the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer over the multilayer film. Voltage is applied between the first and second conductive layers and resistance of the multilayer film is decreased, whereby data is written to the memory element. When an insulating film having higher resistance than amorphous silicon is formed between the first and second conductive layers, current flowing through the antifuse at the time of writing is reduced.
US09356027B1	Dual work function integration for stacked FinFET A three-dimensional stacked fin complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device having dual work function metal gate structures is provided. The stacked fin CMOS device includes a fin stack having a first semiconductor fin over a substrate, a dielectric fin atop the first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin atop the dielectric fin, and a gate sack straddling the fin stack. The gate stack includes a first metal gate portion surrounding a channel portion of the first semiconductor fin and a second metal gate portion surrounding a channel portion of the second semiconductor fin. The first metal gate portion has a first work function suitable to reduce a threshold voltage of a field effect transistor (FET) of a first conductivity type, while the second gate portion has a second work function suitable to reduce a threshold voltage of a FET of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type.
US09356020B2	Semiconductor arrangement A semiconductor arrangement includes a first semiconductor device including a first type region having a first conductivity type and a second type region having a second conductivity type. The semiconductor arrangement includes a second semiconductor device adjacent the first semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device includes a third type region having a third conductivity type and a fourth type region having a fourth conductivity type. The semiconductor arrangement includes a first insulator layer including a first insulator portion around at least some of the first semiconductor device and a second insulator portion around at least some of the second semiconductor device. The first insulator portion has a first insulator height, and the second insulator portion has a second insulator height. The first insulator height is different than the second insulator height. A method of forming a semiconductor arrangement is provided.
US09356018B2	Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating the same Provided is a semiconductor device including a substrate, first and second gate structures provided on the substrate, a source/drain region provided adjacent to the first gate structure, an interlayered insulating layer provided on the substrate to cover the source/drain region and the first and second gate structures, a source/drain contact hole penetrating the interlayered insulating layer and exposing the source/drain region, a trench formed in the interlayered insulating layer to expose a top surface of the second gate structure, a source/drain contact plug provided in the source/drain contact hole to be in contact with the source/drain region, and a resistor pattern provided in the trench to be in contact with a top surface of the second gate structure.
US09356012B2	High voltage ESD protection apparatus An ESD protection apparatus comprises a metal contact formed on the emitter of a transistor. The metal contact has a different conductivity type from the emitter. In addition, the metal contact and the emitter of the transistor form a diode connected in series with the transistor. The diode connected in series with the transistor provides extra headroom for the breakdown voltage of the ESD protection apparatus.
US09356009B2	Interconnect structure with redundant electrical connectors and associated systems and methods Semiconductor die assemblies having interconnect structures with redundant electrical connectors are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a semiconductor die assembly includes a first semiconductor die, a second semiconductor die, and an interconnect structure between the first and the second semiconductor dies. The interconnect structure includes a first conductive film coupled to the first semiconductor die and a second conductive film coupled to the second semiconductor die. The interconnect structure further includes a plurality of redundant electrical connectors extending between the first and second conductive films and electrically coupled to one another via the first conductive film.
US09356007B2	Light emitting device and lighting apparatus including the same A light emitting device is disclosed. The disclosed light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second-conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a second electrode layer disposed beneath the light emitting structure and electrically connected to the second-conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a first electrode layer including a main electrode disposed beneath the second electrode layer, and at least one contact electrode branching from the main electrode and extending through the second electrode layer, the second-conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the active layer, to contact the first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer, and an insulating layer interposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and between the first electrode layer and the light emitting structure. The first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer includes a first region and a second region having a smaller height than the first region, and the first region overlaps with the contact electrode.
US09356005B2	Package of light emitting diode with heat sink Disclosed herein is a light emitting diode (LED) package. The present invention is directed to a light emitting diode (LED) package capable of efficiently dissipating heat generated from LEDs. The present invention is also directed to a LED package in which a plurality of LEDs are disposed and heat generated from the plurality of LEDs is efficiently dissipated.
US09356001B2	Semiconductor device with at least one voltage-guided conductive filament A semiconductor device includes at least a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die. The first semiconductor dies comprises a first and second side, and includes at least a first contact pad located on the first side of the first semiconductor die. The second semiconductor die comprises a first and second side, and includes at least a second contact pad located on the first side of the second semiconductor die, wherein the first semiconductor die is stacked on the second semiconductor die and wherein the first side of the first semiconductor die faces the first side of the second semiconductor die. At least one voltage-guided conductive filament is created between the first contact pad and the second contact pad.
US09355997B2	Integrated circuit assemblies with reinforcement frames, and methods of manufacture An assembly with modules (110, 1310) containing integrated circuits and attached to a wiring substrate (120) is reinforced by one or more reinforcement frames (410) attached to the wiring substrate. The modules are located in openings (e.g. cavities and/or through-holes 414) in the reinforcement frame. Other features are also provided.
US09355996B2	Microelectronic package with consolidated chip structures A chip package has multiple chips that may be arranged side-by-side or in a staggered, stair step arrangement. The contacts of the chips are connected to interconnect pads carried on the chips themselves or on a redistribution substrate. The interconnect pads desirably are arranged in a relatively narrow interconnect zone, such that the interconnect pads can be readily wire-bonded or otherwise connected to a package substrate.
US09355993B2	Integrated circuit system with debonding adhesive and method of manufacture thereof A system and method of manufacture of an integrated circuit system includes: a die having a via, the die having a top side and a bottom side; a top interconnect mounted to the via at the top side; an interconnect pillar mounted to the via at the bottom side; a device interconnect mounted to the interconnect pillar; and a base adhesive covering the interconnect pillar and the device interconnect.
US09355989B2	Wire bonding device and method of eliminating defective bonding wire A method of eliminating a defective bonding wire is provided, including moving a bonding member from a first region of a carrier to a second region of the carrier if the bonding wire of the bonding member is defective, and cooperatively operating a movement member and the bonding member so as to cause the defective bonding wire to be removed from the bonding member and bonded to the second region of the carrier, thereby auto-debugging the bonding member and improving the production efficiency.
US09355982B2	Semiconductor structure and manufacturing method thereof A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a pad. The pad is on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor structure further includes a circuit board and a bump. The circuit board has a contact area corresponding to the pad on the top surface of the semiconductor substrate, and the bump is between the pad on the top surface of the semiconductor substrate and the contact area, wherein the contact area is a non-metallic surface.
US09355977B2	Bump structures for semiconductor package A package structure includes a first substrate bonded to a second substrate by connecting metal pillars on the first substrate to connectors on the second substrate. A first metal pillar is formed overlying and electrically connected to a metal pad on a first region of the first substrate, and a second metal pillar is formed overlying a passivation layer in a second region of the first substrate. A first solder joint region is formed between metal pillar and the first connector, and a second solder joint region is formed between the second metal pillar and the second connector. The thickness of the first metal pillar is greater than the thickness of the second metal pillar.
US09355974B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method therefor A semiconductor device includes a plurality of protrusions formed on a first face of the semiconductor device; first bonding portions formed on upper portions of the plurality of protrusions; second bonding portions formed on side faces of the plurality of protrusions; and third bonding portions formed on the first face between the plurality of protrusions, wherein the semiconductor device is configured to bond to an other semiconductor device through the third from the first bonding portions.
US09355971B1	EOS protection for integrated circuits In some embodiment, a fuse structure in a semiconductor device uses a metal fuse element connected to a stacked via fuse link connected to a thin film resistive element. The fuse structure can be incorporated in an integrated circuit for EOS protection. In other embodiments, an integrated EOS/ESD protection circuit includes a current limiting resistor integrated with an ESD protection circuit. In some embodiments, the current limiting resistor is formed in an N-well forming the collector of the ESD protection circuit.
US09355969B2	Semiconductor package A semiconductor package includes a package substrate including a ground pad; a a conductive spacer and a first semiconductor chip disposed on the package substrate; a second semiconductor chip on the conductive spacer and the first semiconductor chip; a molding unit that covers the package substrate, the first semiconductor chip, the second semiconductor chip, and a first portion of the conductive spacer, and exposes a second portion of the conductive spacer; and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield that covers the molding unit.
US09355967B2	Stress compensation patterning An apparatus includes a device that includes at least one layer. The at least one layer includes an inter-device stress compensation pattern configured to reduce an amount of inter-device warpage prior to the device being detached from another device.
US09355953B2	Vertical semiconductor MOSFET device with double substrate-side multiple electrode connections and encapsulation A semiconductor device with substrate-side exposed device-side electrode (SEDE) is disclosed. The semiconductor device has semiconductor substrate (SCS) with device-side, substrate-side and semiconductor device region (SDR) at device-side. Device-side electrodes (DSE) are formed for device operation. A through substrate trench (TST) is extended through SCS, reaching a DSE turning it into an SEDE. The SEDE can be interconnected via conductive interconnector through TST. A substrate-side electrode (SSE) and a windowed substrate-side passivation (SSPV) atop SSE can be included. The SSPV defines an area of SSE for spreading solder material during device packaging. A device-side passivation (DSPV) beneath thus covering the device-side of SEDE can be included. A DSE can also include an extended support ledge, stacked below an SEDE, for structurally supporting it during post-wafer processing packaging. The projected footprint of extended support ledge onto the major SCS plane can essentially enclose the correspondingly projected footprint of SEDE.
US09355944B1	Semiconductor device and lead frame having vertical connection bars A semiconductor device includes a lead frame having a die support area and a plurality of inner and outer row leads surrounding the die support area, and a semiconductor die mounted on the die support area and electrically connected to the leads with bond wires. A molding material encapsulates the semiconductor die, the bond wires, and the leads, and defines a package body. The semiconductor device further includes connection bars extending vertically from the leads to a top surface of the package body. The connection bars connect the inner row leads to respective ones of the outer row leads before the molding process is performed.
US09355938B2	Conductive compositions and methods of using them A conductive composition includes a mono-acid hybrid that includes an unprotected, single reactive group. The mono-acid hybrid may include substantially non-reactive groups elsewhere such that the mono-acid hybrid is functional as a chain terminator. Methods and devices using the compositions are also disclosed.
US09355936B2	Flattened substrate surface for substrate bonding Methods for bonding substrate surfaces, bonded substrate assemblies, and design structures for a bonded substrate assembly. Device structures of a product chip are formed using a first surface of a device substrate. A wiring layer of an interconnect structure for the device structures is formed on the product chip. The wiring layer is planarized. A temporary handle wafer is removably bonded to the planarized wiring layer. In response to removably bonding the temporary handle wafer to the planarized first wiring layer, a second surface of the device substrate, which is opposite to the first surface, is bonded to a final handle substrate. The temporary handle wafer is then removed from the assembly.
US09355929B2	Data storage based upon temperature considerations A method includes, in a nonvolatile memory device that includes a plurality of dies, detecting that a first temperature associated with a first die is equal to or exceeds a temperature threshold. A metablock is defined to include a first plurality of storage blocks that includes a first storage block of the first die. Each storage block of the metablock resides in a distinct die of the plurality of dies. The method also includes, in response to detecting that the first temperature is equal to or exceeds the temperature threshold, redefining the metablock to exclude from the redefined metablock any storage block associated with the first die.
US09355926B2	Curable composition Provided are a curable composition and its use. The curable composition can exhibit excellent processability and workability. The curable composition exhibits excellent light extraction efficiency, hardness, thermal and shock resistance, moisture resistance, gas permeability, and adhesiveness, after curing. In addition, the curable composition can provide a cured product that exhibits long-lasting durability and reliability even under harsh conditions and that does not cause whitening or surface stickiness.
US09355916B2	Semiconductor manufacturing method and semiconductor device A method manufactures a semiconductor device which allows nanocarbon materials, such as high-quality graphene and carbon nanotube to be used. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor device comprises forming on a substrate a wiring structure including wires of nanocarbon material; forming on the wiring structure an element structure including a semiconductor element; and interconnecting the wires of the wiring structure and the semiconductor element of the element structure.
US09355907B1	Hybrid wafer dicing approach using a line shaped laser beam profile laser scribing process and plasma etch process Methods of dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. In an example, a method of dicing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits involves forming a mask above the semiconductor wafer, the mask composed of a layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits. The mask is then patterned with a line shaped laser beam profile laser scribing process to provide a patterned mask with gaps, exposing regions of the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits. The semiconductor wafer is then plasma etched through the gaps in the patterned mask to singulate the integrated circuits.
US09355903B2	Semiconductor device with air gap and method for fabricating the same A semiconductor device includes a dielectric structure which has an opening exposing a surface of a substrate; and a conductive structure which is formed in the opening, wherein the conductive structure comprises: a first conductive pattern recessed in the opening; a second conductive pattern covering a top surface and sidewalls of the first conductive pattern; an air gap defined between sidewalls of the opening and the second conductive pattern; and a third conductive pattern capping the second conductive pattern and the air gap.
US09355902B2	Method of fabricating semiconductor apparatus with through-silicon via and method of fabricating stack package including the semiconductor chip In a semiconductor apparatus, a plurality of semiconductor chips including through-silicon vias are stacked in a vertical direction, wherein the through-silicon via formed in each semiconductor chip protrudes beyond heights of each semiconductor chip.
US09355899B2	Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a P-type region, on at least one main surface of which integrated circuits are formed; one or more via electrodes inserted into the P-type region of the semiconductor substrate; a dielectric layer formed between the semiconductor substrate and the via electrodes; an N-type region, which is formed in the semiconductor substrate to contact a portion of the dielectric layer and to expose other portion of the dielectric layer; and a power circuit, which is electrically connected to the N-type region and apply a bias voltage or a ground voltage thereto, such that electric signals flowing in the via electrodes form an inversion layer on a surface of the semiconductor substrate facing the exposed portion of the dielectric layer.
US09355898B2	Package on package (PoP) integrated device comprising a plurality of solder resist layers Some features pertain to an integrated device that includes a first substrate, a first solder resist layer coupled to the first substrate, a second solder resist layer coupled to the first solder resist layer, and an opening in the first and second solder resist layers, the opening comprising a sidewall completely covered with the second solder resist layer, where a sidewall of the second solder resist layer covers a sidewall of the first solder resist layer. In some implementations, the opening is at least partially filled with an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material includes one of solder and/or an interconnect. The integrated device includes a first interconnect coupled to the electrically conductive material. The first interconnect is one of at least a solder, and/or an interconnect ball. In some implementations, the integrated device includes a pad coupled to the substrate, and a first interconnect coupled to the pad.
US09355896B2	Package systems A package system includes a first substrate; and a second substrate electrically coupled with the first substrate. The package system further includes a semiconductor material between the first substrate and the second substrate. The semiconductor material includes a pad, and at least one guard ring surrounding the pad and spaced from the pad. The package system further includes a metallic material bonded to the semiconductor material, wherein the metallic material at least partially fills at least one opening in at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate.
US09355885B2	Wafer support device A wafer support device is provided. The wafer support device includes a plurality of support portions; and a bottom area located among the support portions, wherein the bottom area has a protective layer formed thereon. A method for processing a working surface of a wafer support device is also provided.
US09355881B2	Semiconductor device including a dielectric material A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a carrier and a semiconductor wafer having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The method includes applying a dielectric material to the carrier or the semiconductor wafer and bonding the semiconductor wafer to the carrier via the dielectric material. The method includes processing the semiconductor wafer and removing the carrier from the semiconductor wafer such that the dielectric material remains on the semiconductor wafer to provide a semiconductor device comprising the dielectric material.
US09355873B2	Apparatuses, systems and methods for cleaning photovoltaic devices Embodiments of solar panel cleaning apparatuses, solar panel cleaning systems, and solar panel cleaning methods are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the disclosed solar panel cleaning apparatuses, systems and methods do may not require any water or other cleaning liquids in the whole cleaning process, which makes them prominent well suited in for water-deficit environments such as deserts. In one embodiment, the solar panel cleaning apparatus comprises one or more rotatable brushes each having a rotational axis and a drive configured to move each of the one or more rotatable brushes in a direction that is not perpendicular to the rotational axis. The solar panel cleaning apparatus is may be configured such that the angle of the rotational axis of at least one of the one or more rotatable brushes is adjustable relative to the direction of travel.
US09355864B2	Method for increasing adhesion of copper to polymeric surfaces Techniques disclosed herein a method and system for conditioning a polymeric layer on a substrate to enable adhesion of a metal layer to the polymeric layer. Techniques may include conditioning the polymeric layer with nitrogen-containing plasma to generate a nitride layer on the surface of the polymeric layer. In another embodiment, the conditioning may include depositing a CuN layer using a lower power copper sputtering process in a nitrogen rich environment. Following the condition process, a higher power copper deposition or sputtering process may be used to deposit copper onto the polymeric layer with good adhesion properties.
US09355860B2	Method for achieving uniform etch depth using ion implantation and a timed etch A method of performing a timed etch of a material to a precise depth is provided. In this method, ion implantation of the material is performed before the timed etch. This ion implantation process substantially enhances the etch rate of the material within a precisely controlled depth range corresponding to the range of implantation-induced damage. By using the ion implantation, the variation in vertical etch depth can be reduced by a factor approximately equal to the etch rate of the damaged material divided by the etch rate of the undamaged material. The vertical etch depth can be used to provide a vertical dimension of a non-planar semiconductor device. Minimizing vertical device dimension variations on a wafer can reduce device and circuit performance variations, which is highly desirable.
US09355857B2	Substrate manufacturing method and substrate manufacturing apparatus Provided are a substrate manufacturing method and a substrate manufacturing apparatus used therefor. The substrate manufacturing method includes providing a substrate having a mask film into a chamber. A plasma reaction is induced in the chamber. A first gas and a second gas are alternately provided into the chamber to etch the substrate. Each of the first and second gases is provided into the chamber at a stabilized feed pressure including a pressure fluctuation profile comprising a square wave shape.
US09355856B2	V trench dry etch Methods of producing V-shaped trenches in crystalline substrates are described. The methods involve processing a patterned substrate with etch masking materials defining each side of exposed silicon (100). The exposed silicon (100) is exposed to remotely-excited halogen-containing precursor including chlorine or bromine. The plasma effluents formed from the halogen-containing precursor preferentially remove silicon from all exposed facets other than silicon (111). Etching the crystalline substrates with the plasma effluents produce at least two silicon (111) facets between two adjacent masking elements. Forming the silicon (111) facets may be accelerated by pretreating the crystalline substrates using a halogen-containing precursor locally excited in a biased plasma to initiate the generation of the trench.
US09355850B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, method of processing substrate, substrate processing apparatus and computer-readable recording medium A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: alternately performing (i) a first step of alternately supplying a first raw material containing a first metal element and a halogen element and a second raw material containing a second metal element and carbon to a substrate by a first predetermined number of times, and (ii) a second step of supplying a nitridation raw material to the substrate, by a second predetermined number of times, wherein alternating the first and second steps forms a metal carbonitride film containing the first metal element having a predetermined thickness on the substrate.
US09355848B2	Semiconductor structure and method for forming the same A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The method includes following steps. A gate electrode layer is formed on a substrate. A spacer structure is formed on a sidewall of the gate electrode layer. A dielectric cap film is formed to cover the gate electrode layer and the spacer structure. A source/drain implantation is performed to the substrate with the dielectric cap film exposed to a condition of the source/drain implantation.
US09355847B2	High-energy ion implanter A high-energy ion implanter includes: a beam generation unit that includes an ion source and a mass spectrometer; a radio frequency multi-stage linear acceleration unit; a deflection unit that includes a magnetic field type energy analysis device for filtering ions by a momentum; a beam transportation line unit; and a substrate processing/supplying unit. In this apparatus, an electric field type final energy filter that deflects a high-energy scan beam in the vertical direction by an electric field is inserted between the electric field type beam collimator and the wafer in addition to the magnetic field type mass spectrometer and the magnetic field type energy analysis device as momentum filters and the radio frequency multi-stage linear acceleration unit as a velocity filter.
US09355830B2	Introduction of ions into ion cyclotron resonance cells The invention relates to a method and a device for introducing ions into an ICR cell of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometers, in particular with a reduced the magnetron orbit. The invention is based on applying at least one gated DC voltage to a mantle electrode of the ICR cell prior to the excitation of the cyclotron motion such that injected ions are deflected inside the ICR cell in at least one radial direction.
US09355825B2	Ionization vacuum gauge An ionization vacuum gauge includes a cathode, an anode and an ion collector. The ion collector component is located at one side of the anode component and spaced from the anode component. The cathode component is located at another side of the anode component and includes an electron emitter, which extends toward the anode component from the cathode component. The electron emitter includes at least one carbon nanotube wire.
US09355824B2	Arc suppression and pulsing in high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) An apparatus for generating sputtering of a target to produce a coating on a substrate is provided. The apparatus comprises a magnetron including a cathode and an anode. A power supply is operably connected to the magnetron and at least one capacitor is operably connected to the power supply. The apparatus also includes an inductance operably connected to the at least one capacitor. A first switch and a second switch are also provided. The first switch operably connects the power supply to the magnetron to charge the magnetron and the first switch is configured to charge the magnetron according to a first pulse. The second switch is operably connected to discharge the magnetron. The second switch is configured to discharge the magnetron according to a second pulse.
US09355823B2	Methods for removing particles from etching chamber A method includes forming a coating layer in a dry etching chamber, placing a wafer into the dry etching chamber, etching a metal-containing layer of the wafer, and moving the wafer out of the dry etching chamber. After the wafer is moved out of the dry etching chamber, the coating layer is removed.
US09355820B2	Methods for removing carbon containing films Embodiments of methods for removing carbon-containing films are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for removing a carbon-containing layer includes providing an ammonia containing process gas to a process chamber having a substrate with a silicon oxide layer disposed atop the substrate and a carbon-containing layer disposed atop the silicon oxide layer disposed in the process chamber; providing RF power to the process chamber to ignite the ammonia containing process gas to form a plasma; and exposing the substrate to NH and/or NH2 radicals and hydrogen radicals formed in the plasma to remove the carbon-containing layer.
US09355809B2	Ion source According to one embodiments, an ion source connected with a vacuum-exhausted downstream apparatus is provided. The ion source includes a vacuum chamber which is vacuum-exhausted, a target which is set in the vacuum chamber and generates ions by irradiation of a laser beam, a transportation unit which transports the ions generated by the target to the downstream apparatus, and a vacuum sealing unit which seals the transportation unit so as to separate vacuum-conditions of the vacuum chamber side and the downstream apparatus side before exchanging the target set in the vacuum chamber.
US09355805B2	Input device An input device having a touch sensor installed on a push switch includes a first detection unit for detecting a first predetermined operation on the push switch, a second detection unit for detecting a second predetermined operation on the touch sensor, and a control unit for invalidating the second predetermined operation when the second predetermined operation is detected by the second detection unit within a predetermined time after detection of the first predetermined operation by the first detection unit. For example, the device is disposed on a spoke unit that is operable by a driver's thumb while the driver grips a steering wheel.
US09355798B2	System and method for quenching an arc An arc quenching system is presented. The arc quenching system includes a mounting structure, a plurality of movable arc chute plates mounted on the mounting structure, and a motion delivery unit mechanically coupled to the mounting structure. The motion delivery unit is configured to impart at least one of a rotation motion and a vibration motion to one or more movable arc chute plates of the plurality of movable arc chute plates.
US09355796B2	Switch A switch includes a fixed contact fixed in a container in which an insulating gas is filled and a movable contact provided to be reciprocatingly movable with respect to the fixed contact and configured to come into contact with and separate from the fixed contact. The switch further comprises a pin provided in the container and configured to move along an arcuate track. A groove in which the pin is fit and is movable is formed in the movable contact. The groove includes a linear groove linearly extending substantially perpendicularly to a moving direction of the movable contact and substantially in parallel to a plane including the moving track of the pin and an arcuate groove that communicates with the linear groove and overlaps the moving track of the pin. The pin moves in the linear groove, whereby the movable contact reciprocatingly moves.
US09355795B2	M-blade actuated switch assembly A switch assembly includes an M-blade snap spring, an actuation arm, and a switch. The M-blade snap spring exhibits snap-action movement between a first actuator position and a second actuator position. The switch is responsive to the snap-action movement of the M-blade to move between a first switch position and a second switch position. The actuation arm is configured to selectively cause the M-blade snap spring to move, via snap-action, between the first actuator position and the second actuator position, which in turn causes the switch to move between the first switch position and the second switch position, respectively.
US09355794B2	Push-type switch with display A push-type switch includes a cap lid made of a light permeable material, a shielding board, a holding board, a movable seat, a display module disposed between the cap lid and the movable seat, a lighting element disposed in the movable seat, a conducting unit having a conducting element being flexible and a plurality of conducting terminals, and a housing. When the cap lid is being pushed downward, the movable seat moves concurrently to depress the conducting element, whereby the conducting element being deformed to electrically contact the conducting terminals so as to switch on and off the push-type switch, and the lighting element and the display module being capable of emitting light and displaying images respectively according to the state of switch and electrical signals transmitted from a printed circuit board to the lighting element and the display module.
US09355789B2	Internal insulation design using porous material for an electrochemical cell The prevention of lithium clusters from bridging between the negative and positive portions of a cell during discharge is described. This is done by providing a glass wool material at an intermediate location between the casing and anode current collector of a negative polarity and the cathode current collector and the terminal pin being of a positive polarity. Typically, a lithium ion concentration gradient sufficient to cause lithium cluster formation is induced by the high rate, intermittent discharge of a lithium/silver vanadium oxide (Li/SVO) cell. However, sufficient free electrolyte necessary for normal cell function is held in the relatively large pore volume throughout the extent of the glass wool material. Moreover, permeability within the glass wool material is tortuous, which effectively increases the distance between the negative and positive surfaces of the anode and cathode. This tortuosity effectively stops “straight line” dendrite growth of lithium clusters between opposite polarity structures inside the casing.
US09355788B2	Dye-sensitized solar cell and method of manufacturing the same Disclosed is a dye-sensitized solar cell which includes a conductive substrate, a counter substrate facing the conductive substrate, an electrolyte disposed between the conductive substrate and the counter substrate, and an annular sealing portion surrounding the electrolyte together with the conductive substrate and the counter substrate and connecting the conductive substrate and the counter substrate. The sealing portion has an inorganic sealing portion fixed to the conductive substrate and a resin sealing portion fixed to the counter substrate. The inorganic sealing portion has a main body portion provided on the conductive substrate and a protruding portion extending from the main body portion toward a side opposite to the conductive substrate, and the resin sealing portion has an adhesive portion adhering the main body portion to the counter substrate and adhered to a side surface along an extending direction of the protruding portion.
US09355782B2	Vertically mounted capacitor assembly A capacitor assembly comprises a plurality of capacitor elements, a clamping assembly, and a conductive path. The clamping assembly retains the plurality of capacitor elements longitudinally perpendicular to an adjacent mounting surface. The conductive path electrically connects the plurality of capacitor elements to one or more circuit elements disposed proximate the adjacent mounting surface. The clamping assembly includes a base with a central strut and a plurality of peripheral struts projecting perpendicularly therefrom, and the clamping assembly also includes a central conductive path.
US09355779B2	Ceramic electronic component and electronic device In an electronic component, a first outer electrode is provided on a first side surface and a second outer electrode is provided on a second side surface. Each of the first and second outer electrodes includes first and second electrode portions that are arranged at positions other than end portions and a center of the first or second side surface in a first direction.
US09355770B2	Transformer with improved power handling capacity Disclosed is an electrical transformer for improved transformer power capacity and efficiency designed by the application of disclosed design considerations. One embodiment design consideration is a method to configure power transformer windings wherein the minimum distance of the primary windings from the winding axis/core center is greater (the primary windings are more distal) from the winding axis than the minimum distance of the secondary windings, which are wound around the minimum interior core diameter. This design consideration is extended from single bobbin transformer designs to split bobbin designs, with the requisite distal increase of the primary windings (from the core axis) geometrically provided by an enlarged core bobbin center leg (axial) dimension beneath the primary winding window. Another disclosed design consideration is to fix the primary winding length relationship to the core weight for given transformer specifications in accordance with the disclosed unexpected experimental results and formula.
US09355765B2	Nano particle/polyamide composite material, preparation method therefor, and use thereof A nano particle/polyamide composite material, a preparation method, and a use thereof are disclosed. The nano particle/polyamide composite material includes 0.01-99 parts by weight of inorganic nano particles and 1-99.99 parts by weight of a polyamide matrix. The preparation method for the nano particle/polyamide composite material includes hydrolysis polymerization or anionic polymerization. The inventive nano particle/polyamide composite material has the particular functions of nano materials, while having the advantages of the polymer matrix including good mechanical performance for easy processing and molding. The nano particle is well dispersed in the polyamide matrix, is physically stable, and has a strong interaction at an interface between the nano particles and the polymer matrix, thus being useful as a structural material, a functional material, and a polymer masterbatch. The low cost of raw materials used in the environment friendly synthesis method, and the simple production apparatus are well suited for large-scale industrial production.
US09355763B2	Electronic protection component An electronic protection component comprises an outer case bounding an outer cavity therein; a varistor with a first varistor lead connected to a first varistor electrode and a second varistor lead connected to a second varistor electrode, wherein the varistor is placed in the outer cavity; a low melting point alloy wire with a first thermal fuse lead in one end and a second thermal fuse lead in the other end; wherein either the first thermal fuse lead or the second fuse lead is connected to either the first varistor electrode or the second varistor electrode therefore forming a lead junction.
US09355761B2	Method for fabrication of crack-free ceramic dielectric films The invention provides a process for forming crack-free dielectric films on a substrate. The process comprises the application of a dielectric precursor layer of a thickness from about 0.3 μm to about 1.0 μm to a substrate. The deposition is followed by low temperature heat pretreatment, prepyrolysis, pyrolysis and crystallization step for each layer. The deposition, heat pretreatment, prepyrolysis, pyrolysis and crystallization are repeated until the dielectric film forms an overall thickness of from about 1.5 μm to about 20.0 μm and providing a final crystallization treatment to form a thick dielectric film. The process provides a thick crack-free dielectric film on a substrate, the dielectric forming a dense thick crack-free dielectric having an overall dielectric thickness of from about 1.5 μm to about 20.0 μm.
US09355760B2	Integrating optical fiber with coaxial cable Certain embodiments herein relate to a hybrid cable that includes a center conductor for distributing electrical signals and one or more optical fibers adjacent to the center conductor for distributing light signals in a service provider network. According to one configuration, materials found in a coaxial cable may be included in the hybrid cable, such as a dielectric material, one or more protective shields, and an outer protective core. Such a hybrid cable may be utilized to replace drop cables in a service provider network, which may connect an access point, such as a tap, to a customer location. Certain embodiments herein may also relate to making and installing the hybrid cable.
US09355753B2	Conductive liquid crystalline polymer composition A liquid crystalline polymer composition that is thermally and/or electrically conductive and has a reduced tendency to create a static electric charge during a molding operation is provided. More particularly, the composition contains carbon fibers distributed within a liquid crystalline polymer matrix. Through the use of carbon fibers having relatively high purity, high temperature sizing agent, and/or various process parameters, molded parts can be produced having excellent characteristics while minimizing the amount of carbon fibers contained within the polymer matrix.
US09355750B2	System and method for optical confinement of atomic particles A system and method for controlling atomic particles using projected light are provided. In some aspects, a method includes providing a plurality of atomic particles, and generating light fields using frequencies shifted from at least one atomic resonance. The method also includes forming a two-dimensional (“2D”) optical array using the generated light fields, wherein the 2D optical array comprises linear segments of light, and projecting the 2D optical array on the plurality of atomic particles to control their respective locations in space.
US09355742B2	Sampling device with time-interleaved optical clocking A sampling device comprising a first input port and a second input port, wherein an input-signal is fed to the first input port and wherein an optical clock signal is fed to the second input port. The sampling device comprises a plurality of track and hold units, wherein each of the plurality of track and hold units is connected to the first input port. The plurality of the track and hold units is further connected to the second input port through an optical waveguide in such a manner that the plurality of tack and hold units operate in a time-interleaved mode.
US09355737B2	Semiconductor memory device A semiconductor memory device includes a block including a plurality of string units, each including a plurality of memory cells electrically connected in series, a bad string register in which information indicating which of the string units is a bad string is stored, and a control circuit. The control circuit controls an erase operation on the memory cells, the erase operation including a first erase operation followed by a first verify operation and as needed a subsequent erase operation followed by a subsequent verify operation. During the erase operation, the control circuit skips a verify operation for a string unit if the information in the bad string register indicates the string unit is a bad string.
US09355736B1	Vertical memory cells and methods of operation A method of operating a memory device can include accessing at least one memory cell of a memory cell pair formed in opposing vertical sides of an opening by driving at least a first word line common to the memory cell pair to an access voltage to enable a channel conductance in both memory cells of the memory cell pair, driving a selector line, that is vertically aligned with the first word line within the opening, to a selection voltage to enable separate conductive source lines in the opposing vertical sides, and coupling one of the source lines to a source bias voltage and coupling the other of the source lines to a high impedance.
US09355724B2	Memory system comprising nonvolatile memory device and method of adjusting read voltage based on sub-block level program and erase status A method of operating a nonvolatile memory device configured to erase a memory block in sub-block units comprises detecting state information of unselected sub-blocks associated with a selected sub-block comprising selected memory cells, adjusting a read bias of the selected memory cells based on the state information, and reading data from the selected memory cells according to the adjusted read bias. The state information indicates a number of the unselected sub-blocks having a programmed state or an erased state.
US09355712B2	Electromechanical nonvolatile memory A semiconductor device includes an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate, a bit line including TiAl and disposed on the insulating layer, a sidewall layer disposed on opposite sides of the bit line, a word line including TiN and disposed on the sidewall layer intersecting the bit line, and an air gap in an intersection region of the bit line and the word line. The thickness of the sidewall layer is larger than the thickness of the bit line. By having the TiAl bit line and TiN word line, the uniformity of the bit line and word line can be easily controlled to improve the performance of the semiconductor device.
US09355703B2	Devices, systems and methods with improved refresh address generation A refresh address generator may include a lookup table including a first portion storing a first group of addresses associated with a first data retention time, and a second portion storing a second group of addresses associated with a second data retention time different from the first data retention time, wherein the addresses of the first portion are more frequently accessed than the addresses of the second portion to refresh the memory cells corresponding to the addresses. Systems and methods may also implement such refresh address generation.
US09355697B2	Wordline driver A circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor of a first type. The circuit further includes a first transistor of a second type. A first first-type drain is coupled to a second first-type source. A first first-type source is configured to have a first voltage value. A first first-type gate is configured to have a first control signal. A second first-type drain is configured to serve as a wordline. A second first-type gate is configured to have a second voltage value. A first second-type source is configured to have a third voltage value. A first second-type gate is configured to have a second control signal. The first transistor and the second transistor of the first type are configured to provide the first voltage value for the wordline. The first transistor of the second-type is configured to provide the third voltage value the wordline.
US09355682B2	Apparatus and method for separately viewing multimedia content desired by a user An apparatus and method for reproducing multimedia content are provided. Content selected through user input unit is reproduced, and if it is requested that part of the reproduced content be registered as content of interest, metadata about the part of the reproduced content is generated and stored using metadata about the reproduced content. The generated metadata is generated and stored as metadata of interest about the content of interest according to input of a user input unit.
US09355654B1	Spin torque oscillator for microwave assisted magnetic recording with increased damping A microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) write head includes a write pole tip, a trailing shield, and a spin torque oscillator between the write pole tip and the trailing shield. The spin torque oscillator may have a field generating layer and a damping layer which is exchanged coupled to the field generating layer.
US09355651B2	System and method for expressive language, developmental disorder, and emotion assessment In one embodiment, a method for detecting autism in a natural language environment using a microphone, sound recorder, and a computer programmed with software for the specialized purpose of processing recordings captured by the microphone and sound recorder combination, the computer programmed to execute the method, includes segmenting an audio signal captured by the microphone and sound recorder combination using the computer programmed for the specialized purpose into a plurality recording segments. The method further includes determining which of the plurality of recording segments correspond to a key child. The method further includes determining which of the plurality of recording segments that correspond to the key child are classified as key child recordings. Additionally, the method includes extracting phone-based features of the key child recordings; comparing the phone-based features of the key child recordings to known phone-based features for children; and determining a likelihood of autism based on the comparing.
US09355649B2	Sound alignment using timing information Sound alignment techniques that employ timing information are described. In one or more implementations, features and timing information of sound data generated from a first sound signal are identified and used to identify features of sound data generated from a second sound signal. The identified features may then be utilized to align portions of the sound data from the first and second sound signals to each other.
US09355644B2	Method and apparatus for searching in a layered hierarchical bit stream followed by replay, said bit stream including a base layer and at least one enhancement layer A two-layer hierarchical audio bit stream can have a frame-based structure for the base layer bit stream and can be decoded independently from a higher layer and the decoding can start following every sync header. In the extension layer bit stream the frame structure may not be reflected on bit stream level. To facilitate seek operations with such highly compressed extension-layer data, the header of the extension layer bit stream comprises an FAT table with seek target positions. Because there are fewer entry points in the enhancement layer than sync headers in the base layer, a re-synchronization and some base layer frames are required to start decoding of the enhancement layer and to generate the full audio quality. Three seeking ways of seeking are described, of which each one offers a different compromise between seeking accuracy, re-synchronization latency and audio quality.
US09355640B2	Invoking action responsive to co-presence determination Methods, apparatus and computer-readable media (transitory and non-transitory) are disclosed for receiving audio information based on sensing of one or more audible sounds; identifying one or more voice profiles, wherein each of the voice profiles is associated with an individual and indicates one or more voice characteristics of the associated individual; determining at least a given voice profile of the one or more voice profiles matches the audio information; determining co-presence of the user with at least the individual associated with the given voice profile based on determining the given voice profile matches the audio information; identifying an action that includes a trigger based on co-presence of the user and the individual associated with the given voice profile; and invoking the action based on the determined co-presence of the user with at least the individual associated with the given voice profile.
US09355635B2	Method and system for video summarization A video summary method comprises dividing a video into a plurality of video shots, analyzing each frame in a video shot from the plurality of video shots, determining a saliency of each frame of the video shot, determining a key frame of the video shot based on the saliency of each frame of the video shot, extracting visual features from the key frame and performing shot clustering of the plurality of video shots to determine concept patterns based on the visual features. The method further comprises fusing different concept patterns using a saliency tuning method and generating a summary of the video based upon a global optimization method.
US09355627B2	System and method for combining a song and non-song musical content A system with a decision engine having logic for using metadata for one or more song recordings and one or more non-song musical content items. The logic performs the steps of: interpreting the metadata for the first song recording; identifying a first non-song musical content item for playback at or near an end of the first song recording based on a similarity between the first song recording and the first non-song musical content item; and, in response to determining that the first song recording is at or near its end of playback, forming an altered playback of the first non-song musical content item by performing via real time digital audio signal processing an alteration of the first non-song musical content item to be rhythmically continuous in terms of tempo to the first song recording and/or harmonically continuous in terms of key and/or mode to the first song recording.
US09355624B2	Drum pedal with dynamic tension An improved drum pedal utilizes an advanced dampening system in combination with a base, pedal, beater assembly, and support structure. The pedal is mounted to the base while the support structure forms a first pillar and second pillar that allow rotation of an axle positioned between them. A cam on the axle is connected to the pedal by a first chain, allowing the beater assembly to be actuated by the pedal. The dampening system provides an opposed first dampening mechanism and second dampening mechanism, which are tethered to each other by a second chain. The second chain is engaged with a sprocket that is connected to the axle, such that rotation of the axle results in corresponding movement of the dampening mechanisms. Compression springs, combined with cylinders and flanges, respond to movement of the axle with dynamic tension. This is an improvement over the spring implementation of current drum pedals.
US09355621B2	Marked precoated strings and method of manufacturing same A coated string for a stringed device which includes a coating applied to the surface of the string. The coating includes a base layer bonded to the surface of the string and an at least partially transparent low-friction top coat applied to the base layer. The base layer includes heat activated pigments that change color when heated above a color shifting temperature. In one embodiment, the color of the pigment in one area contrasts with the color of the pigment in an adjacent area without otherwise affecting the low-friction surface of the coating. The areas of different color created in locations along the length of the low-friction coated string.
US09355620B2	Truss rods A truss rod for use with a neck body of a musical instrument. The truss rod includes a first rod connected to a second rod. An adjustment member is connected to the first rod and configured to exert a longitudinally directed force on the first rod that causes the first rod to move longitudinally with respect to the second rod. This movement exerts a laterally directed force on the second rod that causes the second rod to exert a laterally directed force on the neck body to thereby change the curvature of the neck body. The adjustment member may threadedly engage the first rod and exert the longitudinally directed force on the first rod by threading into or out of the first rod. The adjustment member may also threadedly engage the second rod. Different thread pitches may be used to threadedly engage the adjustment member with the first and second rods.
US09355619B2	Adjustable neck stiffener for stringed musical instruments An adjustable musical instrument neck stiffener includes a beam fabricated by embedding uni-directional material only at the upper portion of the beam, and constrained by braid or bias weave material. In a preferred embodiment, the uni-directional layers are preferably made from carbon fiber tow, cloth, or pultruded carbon fiber and the braid or bias weave material is made of carbon fibers. To reduce weight, the middle section of the beam is preferably hollow. A threaded rod and threaded sleeve provide a way to adjust the neck stiffener beam curvature so that it is straight while under string tension.
US09355618B2	Tuning peg covers The present disclosure details a tuning peg accessory. The tuning peg accessory may comprise a tuning peg cover. The tuning peg cover may be configured to cover a tuning peg of a stringed instrument. The tuning peg may serve multiple purposes, including, but not limited to, for instrument personalization and learning aid. Still consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, a tuning peg cover purchase and customization platform may be provided. The platform may enable a user to specify a shape and size of a desired tuning peg cover. Moreover, the platform may enable the user to provide a custom design to be adapted to an exterior surface of the tuning peg cover. Having received the user's specifications, the platform may enable the manufacture, package, and delivery of the customized tuning peg cover.
US09355590B2	Sparkle display A hybrid display system for a device includes a high resolution display and a low resolution display that are positioned relative to each other to display an image having mixed resolution. A single high resolution display having a size of 1.5 cm by 10 cm and a first cost may be replaced by a hybrid display having the same overall size but using a smaller size (e.g., 1.5 cm by 4 cm) and lower cost for the high resolution display. To achieve the remaining 6 cm in display size, the low resolution display may have a size of approximately 1.5 cm by 6 cm and a lower cost than either of the high resolution displays, such that a combined cost of the high and low resolution displays in the hybrid display makes the second cost lower than the first cost. The high and low resolution displays may use different display technologies to achieve cost and size tradeoffs.
US09355582B2	Solid-state image sensor and driving method There is provided a solid-state image sensor including a pixel circuit including a plurality of pixels and imaging a subject, a peripheral circuit provided in a vicinity of the pixel circuit and performing operation in regard to imaging, and a connection element electrically connecting, in initialization of the pixels, elements in the pixels to which a predetermined voltage is applied for initializing the pixels to the peripheral circuit with the predetermined voltage.
US09355580B2	Video and content controlled backlight A display device includes a display panel; and a backlight panel provided below the display panel and defining a plurality of regions. A first array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) is provided along a first direction, each LED of the first array being coupled to a first line. A driver is coupled to the first line to drive the LEDs coupled to the first line. A second array of LEDs is provided along a second direction, each LEDs of the second array being coupled to a second line. A lighting condition of the regions defined by the backlight panel is controlled by turning on or off the LEDs.
US09355579B2	Systems and methods for image based tamper detection Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for monitoring movement, and in particular to systems and methods for monitoring monitor targets, and more particularly, to systems and methods for using images in relation to tamper detection.
US09355575B2	Chest band assembly for crash test dummy A chest band assembly for a crash test dummy includes a chest band adapted to be disposed about a rib cage of the crash test dummy and a sensor cooperating with the chest band and the rib cage. The sensor is made of a carrier and a plurality of optical fibers bonded to the carrier, wherein each of the optical fibers has at least one sensor.
US09355570B2	Online test polling An aspect of the present invention relates to an online test platform adapted to facilitate the development, delivery, and management of educational tests with interactive participation by students, teachers, proctors, and administrators even when some or all of them are remotely located. The platform may include administrator interfaces, test proctor interfaces, and test taker (e.g. student) interfaces to allow each participant to view, navigate, and interact with aspects of the online test platform that are intended to meet their needs.
US09355567B2	System and method for highlighting an area encompassing an aircraft that is free of hazards A system and method display a hazard free area around an aircraft that is modified to alert a pilot if a threshold distance between a detected object and the aircraft is reached. The modification may include, for example, altering the size of the hazard free area and its color. Additional information that may be displayed includes distance to the object, width of the hazard free area, stopping distance of the aircraft, and a route to avoid the object.
US09355565B2	Crossing traffic depiction in an ITP display Provided are methods and systems for the disambiguation of an in trail procedure (ITP) vertical display by calculating and rendering symbology on a plan view traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) display. The symbology represents an intersection point between the ground track of an ITP aircraft and the ground track of a blocking aircraft and further represents an association between the intersection point and the respective ITP blocking aircraft.
US09355556B2	Configurable access control sensing device An access control device comprises at least one transit authorization request device, such as an ID sensor activated by access card or badge or a biometric sensor (fingerprint, retina), said transit authorization request device to be activated by a person requesting authorization to pass through said passageway or doorway and a presence detection and tracking device for detecting the presence of a person in the vicinity of said passageway or doorway and for tracking the movement of a person within or through said passageway or doorway. According to the invention, the access control device further comprises a control unit configured for assigning a virtual transit ticket to a person after authorization to pass through said passageway or doorway has been granted to said person, said virtual transit ticket being representative of the transit privileges granted to said person, i.e. the privileges regarding the transit direction through said passageway of doorway, and for controlling said presence detection and tracking device to track the movement of the person with the virtual transit ticket with respect to the granted transit privileges, said control unit comprising a processing module with a configurable decision table for generating an output control signal based on an output signal of said at least one transit authorization request device and an output signal of said presence detection and tracking device, said output control signal to be used for the controlling of the passage of persons through a passageway or a doorway.
US09355552B2	Electronic building information (EBIC) system The electronic Building Information Card (eBIC) system provides a systematic and comprehensive approach for building information maintenance to assist first responders and building owners in an emergency response. The eBIC solution is built to the essential elements for each building along with a cross vertical view of the building. This provides the first responder a quick size-up assessment, an easy to read graphic view format and further support emergency operations for each building.
US09355550B2	Operating state warning device An operating state warning device (1) for visually and/or audibly indicating at least one operating state or, respectively, a number of different operating states of a technical device such as a machine, an installation, a vehicle or the like having at least one visual and/or audible warning element (2), wherein at least one adjusting unit (4) for setting and/or adapting at least one operating parameter of the warning element (2) such as lighting color, color intensity, luminous image, volume, melody, tone sequence or the like is provided, wherein the adjusting unit (4) comprises at least one interface (6, 16) for receiving setting information of the operating parameter, is proposed for improving the configuration or the setting of such devices. According to the invention, this is achieved by the fact that the interface (16) of the adjusting unit (4) is designed as a wave receiver (6) for receiving waves as wireless setting information of the operating parameters.
US09355543B2	Apparatus and method for preventing accident in portable terminal An apparatus and a method for preventing an accident in a portable terminal are provided. The method includes obtaining environmental situation information from a sensor, detecting a dangerous object by analyzing the environmental situation information, extracting at least one of a notice service mapped to the dangerous object and a control service mapped to the dangerous object, and executing the at least one of the extracted notice service and the extracted control service.
US09355541B1	Dual-loop smoke and fire detector system and method A hazardous condition detection system for an enclosure includes at least three detectors and a controller. Each detector is mounted within the enclosure. Each detector is configured to output a signal representing a first lower level of severity (a pre-alarm threshold) and a signal representing a second higher level of severity (an alarm threshold). The controller monitors the operational status of each of the detectors. In a first mode when all the detectors are operational, the controller generates an alarm signal when at least two detectors output a signal at the alarm threshold level. In a second mode when at least one of the at least three detectors are inoperative and at least two of the at least three detectors are operational, the controller generates an alarm signal when one detector outputs a signal at the alarm threshold level and another detector outputs a signal at the pre-alarm threshold level.
US09355527B2	Amusement devices and chance devices based on financial market indicators A method for wagering comprises receiving a bet regarding a spin of the reels of a slot machine. An outcome may be determined based on one or more financial market indicators. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09355519B2	System and method for augmented reality gaming using a mobile device Disclosed is a method and system for preventing replay attacks for mobile promotions associated with gaming devices. Upon the occurrence of a promotion winning event such as a designated outcome of a game played on the gaming device the user, via a software application accessible to their mobile device, forwards images of the event to a server over a network. The server determines entitlement to the promotion and analyzes data associated with the images and mobile device location and time to confirm that the event is new promotion winning event. Upon such confirmation an entitlement to the promotion is awarded to the user. The foregoing prevents unscrupulous users from logging multiple claims for the same promotion winning event.
US09355515B2	Automatic mobile communicator depot system and methodology An automatic mobile communicator depot system including a mobile communicator acceptor for accepting mobile communicators and providing mobile communicator acceptance inputs, a mobile communicator dispenser for dispensing substitute mobile communicators in response to substitute mobile communicator dispensing instructions, a customer interface receiving customer inputs identifying a specific mobile communicator with a specific customer, and a depot controller responsive at least to the customer inputs and the acceptance inputs and including dispenser control functionality for providing dispensing instructions to the mobile communicator dispenser to dispense a specific substitute mobile communicator to a specific customer and automatic telephone number transfer functionality for transferring a telephone number from a mobile communicator received by the mobile communicator acceptor from a given customer to the substitute mobile communicator dispensed by the mobile communicator dispenser to the customer.
US09355506B2	Method for managing fault messages of a motor vehicle A method for managing fault messages (m) of a motor vehicle by a monitoring computer of a motor vehicle, the monitoring computer including a step (E1) of receiving a fault message (m), a filtering step (E3) in which the method executes a step (E4) of storing the fault message (m) in a temporary storage memory (TMP) in case of positive filtering and a step (E5) of storing the fault messages (m) in a dynamic storage memory (DYN).
US09355505B2	Vehicle diagnosis apparatus A vehicle diagnosis apparatus includes an accumulation unit and a storage control unit. The accumulation unit cumulatively adds a numerical value indicating a normal operation history of each normal operation made to a vehicle to an initialized cumulative total value having a predetermined number of digits, during a time period from an assembly of a vehicle component to an actual use of the vehicle, and stores the cumulative total value in a non-volatile storage unit. The storage control unit, in response to an abnormality occurrence in the vehicle, stores a corresponding diagnosis code in the non-volatile storage unit. The accumulation unit further cumulatively adds a numerical value indicating the abnormality occurrence to the cumulative total value. The storage control unit stores, in the non-volatile storage unit, the diagnosis code indicating the abnormality occurrence in association with the cumulative total value.
US09355502B2	Synthetic image generation by combining image of object under examination with image of target Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems for combining a three-dimensional image of a target with a three-dimensional image of an object that is under examination via radiation to generate a three-dimensional synthetic image are provided. Although the target is not actually comprised within the object under examination, the three-dimensional synthetic image is intended to cause the target to appear to be comprised within the object. In one embodiment, one or more artifacts may be intentionally introduced into the three-dimensional synthetic image that are not comprised within the three-dimensional image of the target and/or within the three-dimensional image of the object to generate a synthetic image that more closely approximates in appearance a three-dimensional image that would have been generated from an examination had the target been comprised within the object.
US09355496B2	Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and medium to display augmented reality objects An information processing system acquires an image captured by an image pickup unit and one or more templates where each template includes one or more fields. The acquired image is then compared to the templates and a result based on the comparison is generated such that the result indicates whether recognition of the fields of the templates was successful.
US09355489B2	Land grid array socket for electro-optical modules For a given texture address, a texture sampler fetches and reduces texture data with a filter accumulator suitable for providing a weighted average over a variety of filter footprints. A multi-mode texture sampler is configurable to provide both a wide variety of footprints in either a separable or non-separable filter modes and allow for a filter footprint significantly wider than the bi-linear (2×2 texel) footprint. In embodiments, sub-sample addresses are generated by the texture sampler logic to accommodate a desired footprint. The sub-sample addresses may be generated and sequenced by multi-texel units, such as 2×2 texel quads, for efficient filtering. In embodiments, filter coefficients are cached from coefficient tables stored in memory.
US09355473B2	Image forming apparatus having color conversion capability An image processing apparatus includes a processor and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the image processing apparatus to perform: receiving target image data representing a target image; determining, from a plurality of pixels in the target image, a plurality of first-type pixels having a color value within a specific range having a color value indicating a color of a conversion target; calculating, for each of the plurality of first-type pixels, non-uniformity of color values of a plurality of pixels in a specific surrounding area including the first-type pixels; determining, from the plurality of first-type pixels, a second-type pixel which non-uniformity is a reference value or less, and converting a color value of the second-type pixel into a specific color value.
US09355472B2	Device, method, and graphical user interface for adjusting the appearance of a control An electronic device with a display displays a user interface on the display. The device determines a first set of content-display values for one or more content-display properties of first content that corresponds to a respective region of the display. The device determines a first set of control-appearance values for one or more control-appearance parameters based on the first set of content-display values. The device displays a control in the respective region of the display, wherein an appearance of the control is determined based on the first content and the first set of control-appearance values.
US09355439B1	Joint contrast enhancement and turbulence mitigation method A method involves generating a denoised image by performing a denoising operation on an input image of an object, the input image having turbulence and a contrast reducing scattering medium therein, generating a contrast enhanced image from the denoised image using a contrast enhancement algorithm, estimating a global motion vector of the contrast enhanced image using an image alignment algorithm, generating a contrast enhanced aligned image by globally aligning the contrast enhanced image to the global motion vector and locally aligning the contrast enhanced image with an optical flow method, temporally averaging the contrast enhanced aligned image, and generating an output image of the object by performing a deblur operation on the temporally averaged contrast enhanced aligned image. The method may further include measuring turbulence using sequences of input images and output images.
US09355436B2	Method, system and computer program product for enhancing a depth map A first depth map is generated in response to a stereoscopic image from a camera. The first depth map includes first pixels having valid depths and second pixels having invalid depths. In response to the first depth map, a second depth map is generated for replacing at least some of the second pixels with respective third pixels having valid depths. For generating the second depth map, a particular one of the third pixels is generated for replacing a particular one of the second pixels. For generating the particular third pixel, respective weight(s) is/are assigned to a selected one or more of the first pixels in response to value similarity and spatial proximity between the selected first pixel(s) and the particular second pixel. The particular third pixel is computed in response to the selected first pixel(s) and the weight(s).
US09355433B1	Image stitching in a multi-camera array Images captured by multi-camera arrays with overlap regions can be stitched together using image stitching operations. An image stitching operation can be selected for use in stitching images based on a number of factors. An image stitching operation can be selected based on a view window location of a user viewing the images to be stitched together. An image stitching operation can also be selected based on a type, priority, or depth of image features located within an overlap region. Finally, an image stitching operation can be selected based on a likelihood that a particular image stitching operation will produce visible artifacts. Once a stitching operation is selected, the images corresponding to the overlap region can be stitched using the stitching operation, and the stitched image can be stored for subsequent access.
US09355428B2	Method and apparatus for data processing using graphic processing unit A method of processing data using a Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) is provided. The method includes obtaining operand data and operator information to be applied to the operand data, partitioning the operand data by a channel element size unit of a texel of the GPU, transmitting an instruction which controls the GPU to return an operation result by performing an operation for the partitioned data and transmitting the partitioned data, and obtaining an operation result value from the GPU.
US09355426B2	Hardware-enforced, always-on insertion of a watermark in a video processing path A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for inserting a watermark in a media program is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the method comprises the steps of receiving data comprising the media program in the receiver disposed at a subscriber station, generating a watermark, the watermark generated at least in part according to a secure data processor-unique identifier irreversibly stored in the secure data processor, processing the received data to reproduce the media program, and inserting portions of the generated watermark in the reproduced media program at locations determined at least in part according to the secure data processor-unique identifier to produce a watermarked media program provided for display.
US09355415B2	Providing content recommendation to users on a site The disclosure includes a system and method for providing content recommendation to users on a site. The system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to: receive data describing a page on a site visited by a first user; query one or more sources to retrieve one or more candidate items for the first user; determine one or more source types related to the one or more candidate items; determine one or more scores for the one or more candidate items based on an interest profile and the one or more source types; rank the one or more candidate items; determine that an invitation trigger event causing a presentation of an invitation state occurs; determine that a recommendation trigger event causing a presentation of a recommendation state occurs during the invitation state; and provide a recommendation state to the first user.
US09355410B2	Methods and apparatus for generating a message for a wireless device Methods and apparatus for generating a message (106) for a wireless device (102) are disclosed. In an embodiment, an application server (106), or any other suitable device or system, receives a wireless network identifier (e.g. an SSID) associated with an access point (202) communicatively coupled to the wireless device (102). The application server (106) determines a social networking account associated with the network identifier (e.g., company XYZ's Facebook account from a local database). The application server (106) then retrieves content from a network (110) based on the social networking account (e.g., company XYZ's ten most recent Facebook posts), and generates the message (106) for the wireless device (102) based on the content (e.g., “Welcome to XYZ! Today's special offer is . . . ”).
US09355402B2	System, method and computer program product for improving messages content using user'S tagging feedback The present invention is a system and method to improve the impact of marketing messages broadcasted to various web communities. Marketing communication keywords that are predefined are matched against tags set by private and public user's tagging communities. Semantic analysis is applied on the keywords and the tags and resulting associations allow determining relevance of marketing keywords. Matches indicate where marketing people have met their goals while matching gaps indicate marketing messages have not been perceived by the companies or the market. Valuable feedback is thus obtained to help re-enforce the initial messages that were not received or to replace the message wording by the one perceived from the identified market tags.
US09355392B2	Gift card association with account Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for associating gift cards with accounts. An exemplary apparatus is configured to: receive information associated with a gift card; associate the gift card with the account; receive information associated with a transaction; determine the transaction qualifies for the gift card; and apply funds associated with the gift card to the transaction.
US09355386B2	Computer-based methods for arranging meetings and systems for performing the same Methods and systems for assisting individuals arrange meetings such as networking meetings with other individuals at a specified time (or within a specified time range) and at a specified place (or within a specified geographic region). More specifically, methods and systems for allowing individuals to post an invitation to for a meeting on an on-line network.
US09355381B2	Asset tracking system with adjusted ping rate and ping period Asset tracking system that utilizes a time-based ping in which the ping rate and the ping period are based on a predetermined event. Over the period of use of the system and device, the ping rate and ping period are adjusted based on the expected occurrence of an event. The system has lower operational cost, particularly battery maintenance cost, than conventional active ping systems that have a set ping rate or a random ping rate.
US09355378B2	Systems and methods for identifying and delivering tailored content based upon a service dialog The present disclosure identifies and/or delivers tailored content based upon a service dialog. For example, the systems may receive a request for tailored content, facilitate a service dialog to obtain information related to the request, and communicate a plurality of tailored content based upon the information related to the request. Further, the systems may identify tailored content based upon a consumer profile, communicate the tailored content to a web client, and/or receive a selection of the tailored content. Further still, the systems may modify a magazine (e.g., content that is presented electronically) based upon tailored content.
US09355376B2	Rules library for sales playbooks Rules created in a computerized sales playbook system are stored in a rules library. Rules can be shared among playbooks, stages, plays, content and other playbook elements. Any playbook element can be associated with one or more rules. Such rules include one or more conditions that trigger the rule. If the conditions are met, then a playbook element is enabled for use by the user. Rules can be selected from the rules library as the playbook is being created. For example, when adding a play or a content item to a play, a user is prompted to add a rule to be associated with the playbook element. If the user adds a rule, an interface is presented allowing the user to select an existing rule from the rules library or create a new rule. If a new rule is created, it is added to the rules library.
US09355375B2	Launch of target user interface features based on specific business process instances A current use context can be extracted based on concrete data related to a currently displayed user interface feature in a business software architecture user interface environment. Relevant related business objects and transactional data for concrete instances of a process or scenario relevant to the current use context can be identified and a specific business object instance can be determined from a plurality of business object instances related to a specific current instance of the process or scenario relevant to the current use context. At least one target user interface feature associated with the process or scenario can be pre-populated with at least one parameter specific to a current data entry state of the specific current instance of the process or scenario and displayed via a user interface.
US09355350B2	Co-located antenna and electronic component An apparatus includes a non-conductive sheet, an electrically conductive coil disposed on the non-conductive sheet, and an electronic component. The non-conductive sheet has a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a third surface extending from the first surface to the second surface, the third surface defining an opening. The electrically conductive coil surrounds the third surface and the third surface surrounds the electronic component, the electronic component being disposed within the opening.
US09355340B2	Image capturing device, color measuring device, color measuring system, and image forming apparatus An image capturing device includes an image capturing unit, a moving unit, a detector, and a determiner. The image capturing unit includes an optical transmission member; and a sensor capturing an image of the subject via the optical transmission member. The moving unit moves the image capturing unit in an optical axis direction of the sensor. The detector detects a contamination from first and second images. The first and second images are captured by the sensor when the image capturing unit is located at first and second positions in the optical axis direction, respectively. The second position is spaced away from the subject than the first position in the optical axis direction. The determiner determines that a contamination is deposited on the optical transmission member when a difference in the number of pixels in which a contamination is detected between the first and second images is less than a threshold.
US09355336B1	Recognizing text from frames of image data using contextual information Disclosed are techniques for recognizing text from one or more frames of image data using contextual information. In some implementations, image data including a captured textual item is processed to identify an entity in the image data. A context can be selected using the entity, where the context corresponds to a dictionary. Text in the captured textual item can be identified using the dictionary. The identified text can be output to a display device.
US09355334B1	Efficient layer-based object recognition In an example embodiment, a computer-implemented method is disclosed that determines a depth image; detects an object blob in the depth image; segments the object blob into a set of layers; and compares the set of layers associated with the object blob with a set of object models to determine a match. Comparing the set of layers with the set of object models can include determining a likelihood of the object blob as belonging to each of the object models and determining the object blob to match a particular object model based on the likelihood. Further, determining the likelihood of the object blob as belonging to the one of the object models can include computing a recognition score for each layer of the set of layers; and aggregating the recognition score of each layer of the set of layers.
US09355333B2	Pattern recognition based on information integration A method for recognizing a primitive in an image includes recognizing at least one primitive in the image to obtain at least one candidate shape of the at least one primitive, which at least one candidate shape has a respective confidence; determining whether the recognizing of the at least one primitive has a potential error based on the confidence; obtaining auxiliary information about the at least one primitive from a user in response to determining that the recognizing has the potential error; and re-recognizing the at least one primitive at least in part based on the auxiliary information.
US09355327B2	Image processing apparatus and imaging apparatus with noise correction function and signal level correction function An image signal processing apparatus includes an image signal input unit, a local information acquisition unit for calculating a statistical quantity of pixel values in a local area including a noted pixel from an image signal as local information, a noise correction unit for conducting noise correction on the image signal by using the local information and outputting a noise-corrected image signal, an image signal correction unit for conducting signal level correction on the image signal from the noise correction unit and outputting a level-corrected image signal, an image signal correction intensity control unit for determining correction intensity in the level correction and changing input-output characteristics in the level correction, a signal correction characteristic estimation unit for estimating level correction characteristics based on the correction intensity, and a noise correction intensity control unit for controlling correction intensity in the noise correction in conjunction with the level correction characteristics.
US09355322B2	Road environment recognition device This road environment recognition device is equipped with: a connecting line determination unit, which determines primary connecting lines indicating lane marks by setting candidate points at a position near a vehicle as starting points, and sequentially connecting two or more candidate points along a first direction, which is a direction away from the vehicle; and branch point determination unit, which determines whether a branch point exists on the primary connecting lines on the basis of the positional relationships between the primary connecting lines and a residual candidate point that does not form part of the primary connecting lines.
US09355309B2	Generation of medical image series including a patient photograph Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media relate to generate an image series that includes a patient image and a medical image. The patient image and the medical image may be associated based on identification information.
US09355304B2	Apparatus and method of determining facial expression type A method of determining a facial expression type may include extracting feature points representing facial characteristics from a facial image of a user; grouping the extracted feature points into a plurality of regions; and determining a facial expression type for each of a plurality of groups using feature points and a facial expression type function corresponding to each of the groups.
US09355296B2	Authentication of articles Authentication apparatus (1, 100) and methods which authenticate an item (4, 110) responsive to the detection that a portion of the item has one or more predetermined characteristics, the said predetermined characteristics comprising either or both the thickness of the said portion of the item, and the thickness of one or more layers within the said portion of the item, determined by optically-based thickness measuring apparatus (6, 102-108). The item may be a product and the portion of the item may be a sheet of packaging material. The item may be a security document and the portion of the item may be a sheet of security document substrate.
US09355294B2	Method and apparatus for reading optical indicia using a plurality of data sources A system for decoding an encoded symbol character associated with a product is provided. The system includes a scanning apparatus comprising a first scan source disposed within a housing, and a second scan source disposed within the housing. The second scan source comprises an operating technology distinct from an operating technology of the first scan source. The first scan source is adapted to output a first scan data set, and the second scan source is adapted to output a second scan data set. At least one of the first scan data set and the second scan data set comprises product bar code scan data.
US09355289B2	Sterile implant tracking device and method An assembly and method for tracking implant devices within a sterile field, the assembly comprising a reader that includes a housing structure with a base and a cover, a scanner having a scanner housing, where the scanner housing is at least partially positioned in a cavity provided in the base; and an aperture provided in the cover, where the cover is configured to receive a transparent sterile sheath to at least partially encase the cover.
US09355288B2	Image capture and processing system supporting a multi-tier modular software architecture An image capture and processing system supports a multi-tier modular software, and plug-in extendable, architecture. The image capture and processing system can be realized as an image-capturing cell phone, a digital camera, a video camera, mobile computing terminal and portable data terminal (PDT), provided with suitable hardware platform, communication protocols and user interfaces. A third-party customer can write and install a software plug-in into the application layer so as to enhance or modify the behavior of the image capture and processing system without any required knowledge of the hardware platform, communication protocols and/or user interfaces.
US09355276B2	Processing system A processing system is disclosed. The system comprises: a processing unit; a memory adapted to store firmware code and application code for execution by the processor; and a memory access control unit adapted to control access of the processing unit to firmware code and application code stored in the memory. The memory access control unit is adapted to disable access to firmware code when access to application code is enabled, and to disable access to application code when access to firmware code is enabled.
US09355273B2	System and method for the protection and de-identification of health care data A system for protecting and de-identifying healthcare data includes a storage device for storing the healthcare data and personally identifiable information for a person and a processor in communication with the database. The processor generates an anonymous linking code using a keyed hash function and a second hash function. The anonymous linking code is based at least in part on a portion of the personally identifiable information. The processor further appends the anonymous linking code to the healthcare data for the person.
US09355271B2	System and method for dynamic, non-interactive, and parallelizable searchable symmetric encryption A method of searching encrypted data includes generating with a client computing device a search index identifier corresponding to a search term in an encrypted search table and transmitting the search index identifier, a first single use key and a second single use key to a server. The method includes generating a set of decrypted data with the server for a set of data in an encrypted search table corresponding to the search index identifier using the first single use key to decrypt a first portion of the data and the second single use key to decrypt a second portion of the data. The method further includes identifying one or more encrypted files stored on the server that include the encrypted search term based on the decrypted data from the search table, and transmitting the encrypted files or encrypted file identifiers to the client computing device.
US09355268B2	Managing access by applications to perceptual information Functionality is described herein by which plural environment-sensing applications capture information from an environment in a fine-grained and least-privileged manner. By doing so, the functionality reduces the risk that private information that appears within the environment will be released to unauthorized parties. Among other aspects, the functionality provides an error correction mechanism for reducing the incidence of false positives in the detection of objects, an offloading technique for delegating computationally intensive recognition tasks to a remote computing framework, and a visualization module by which a user may inspect the access rights to be granted (or already granted) to each application.
US09355258B2	System and method for database privacy protection The invention relates to a system and a method for privacy preservation of sensitive attributes stored in a database. The invention reduces the complexity and enhances privacy preservation of the database by determining the distribution of sensitive data based on Kurtosis measurement. The invention further determines and compares the optimal value of k-sensitive attributes in k-anonymity data sanitization model with the optimal value of l sensitive attributes in l diversity data sanitization model using adversary information gain. The invention reduces the complexity of the method for preserving privacy by applying k anonymity only, when the distribution of the sensitive data is leptokurtic and optimal value of k is greater than the optimal value of l.
US09355246B1	Tuning sandbox behavior based on static characteristics of malware An emulator on a host computer includes a static analysis module that analyzes executable code of a suspicious sample to determine whether the code identifies that a particular packing program (packer) has packed the sample. Once identified, a custom configuration file is generated that identifies particular API hooks or instructions that should be disabled (or enabled) so that the sample file cannot use these hooks or instructions to detect that it is executing within an emulator. The emulator (such as a virtual machine or sandbox) is configured using the configuration file. The suspicious sample is then executed and its behaviors are collected. The sample is prevented from detecting that it is operating within an emulator and thus prevented from terminating prematurely. Malicious behaviors are scored and a total score indicates whether or not the suspicious sample is malicious or not. Static analysis identifies signatures, instructions or strings.
US09355229B2	Method for protecting an application program and related computer program product A Method for protecting an application program executable on a computer against reverse engineering, said application is created to run with at least one selected dynamic link library (DLL) on said computer, comprises the steps of: adding a specific library loader to the executable application program, said loader either contains or has access to said dynamic link library; setting modified references to said dynamic link library such that upon loading said application program and said loader into the main memory of said computer, said dynamic link library is initialized by said library loader instead of the operating system; The library loader and the pseudo-statically linked library could be embedded into the application program, thereby using unused space within the application. The protected application presents itself as a monolithic application without the vulnerable interface to a DLL.
US09355210B2	Method for deriving equivalent circuit model of capacitor A method for deriving an equivalent circuit model of a capacitor which makes it possible to derive, with high accuracy and with ease, an equivalent circuit model having characteristics in accordance with a direct current voltage applied to a capacitor. Characteristic values of predetermined resistive elements and capacitive elements forming an equivalent circuit model of a capacitor change in response to a DC bias voltage being applied to the capacitor, and the change is attributable to the material of a dielectric forming the capacitor. However, by multiplying the characteristic values of the resistive elements and the capacitive elements held while the DC bias voltage is not applied by a dimensionless coefficient in accordance with an application rule, the characteristic values of the resistive elements and the capacitive elements are corrected to values in accordance with the voltage of the DC bias voltage applied to the capacitor.
US09355207B2	Performing static timing analysis in the presence of instance-based systematic variations A method may include obtaining gate-level circuit design data that describes a gate-level circuit design. The gate-level circuit design data may include one or more instances of each of multiple cells that each may be associated with a corresponding default cell static timing data and a corresponding default cell stress data. The method may include selecting one of the instances of one of the multiple cells, determining in-design stress data associated with the selected instance, and determining whether the in-design stress data is not within a tolerance of the default cell stress data. In response to the in-design stress data not being within the tolerance of the default cell stress data, the method may include generating in-design static timing data describing a timing performance for the selected instance and updating the gate-level circuit design data such that the selected instance is associated with the in-design static timing data.
US09355206B2	System and method for automated functional coverage generation and management for IC design protocols A new approach is proposed that contemplates a system and method to support automated functional coverage generation and management for an IC design protocol. The proposed approach takes advantage of table-based high-level (e.g., transaction-level) specifications of the IC design protocol, wherein the state tables are readable and easily manageable (e.g., in ASCII format) in order to automatically generate functional coverage for the IC design protocol, which include but are not limited to, coverage points, protocol transitions, and/or transaction coverage. The automatically generated functional coverage is then verified via formal verification and simulated at the register-transfer level (RTL) during the coverage generation and management process. The coverage data from the formal verification and the simulation runs are then analyzed and used to guide and revise the IC design protocol in a coverage-based closed-loop IC design process.
US09355203B2	Shared channel masks in on-product test compression system A semiconductor chip includes a first mask logic. The first mask logic includes a first mask and a second mask that mask a respective first scan channel output and a second scan channel output. The first mask logic includes at least three enable pins that receive respective enable signals. The three enable signals produce a channel mask enable encode. The first mask logic includes a first memory that stores a first channel mask enable decode for the first mask and a second memory that stores a second channel mask enable decode for the second mask. The first mask logic includes a first comparator and a second comparator. The first and second comparator compare the respective channel mask enable decodes to the channel mask enable encode. The comparators signal respective masks to mask the respective scan channel when the respective channel mask enable decode matches the channel mask enable encode.
US09355200B2	Method and apparatus for design of a metrology target A method of metrology target design is described. The method includes determining a sensitivity of a parameter for a metrology target design to an optical aberration, determining the parameter for a product design exposed using an optical system of a lithographic apparatus, and determining an impact on the parameter of the metrology target design based on the parameter for the product design and the product of the sensitivity and one or more of the respective aberrations of the optical system.
US09355199B2	Method and apparatus for camouflaging a standard cell based integrated circuit A method and apparatus for camouflaging an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), wherein the ASIC comprises a plurality of interconnected functional logic is disclosed. The method adds functionally inert elements to the logical description or provides alternative definitions of standard logic cells to make it difficult for reverse engineering programs to be used to discover the circuit's function.
US09355193B2	Object design data model Content management includes populating a library with modular objects and metadata associated with the modular objects. In response to a query, the library can be searched based in part on the metadata. The query can relate to implementation of an industrial process. One or more modular objects in the library can be identified as satisfying the query. A result of the query can be output and the output can include the identified modular objects and the respective metadata associated with the identified modular objects. The metadata can be anything known about the object that might not be accessible at runtime control.
US09355191B1	Identification of query completions which change users' original search intent Technology described herein identifies and demotes query completions which divert users from their original search intent. The identified query completions may represent informational requests that are amusing diversions for some users, but which are not relevant to the actual information of interest for many users. For example, the identified query completions may represent information requests that some users may find humorous or entertaining, but which are not relevant to actual information of interest for many other users. The identification of these query completions may allow alternative query completions to be provided that can more likely assist users in finding the information they actually seek.
US09355183B2	System and method for contact information integration with search results A system for contact information integration with search results, comprising a queue manager; an enterprise communications system; and a search engine. Upon receipt of search query from a user, the search engine submits a request to the queue manager. The queue manager: obtains from the enterprise communications system a communications status comprising an estimated wait time; sends a notification to the search engine advising the search engine of the estimated wait time for service; and upon receiving from the search engine a request to generate a callback to the user from the enterprise of a specific communications type, directing an enterprise communications system of the enterprise that is associated with the specific communications type to initiate a callback to the user from whom the search engine query was received in response to the callback request received from the search engine.
US09355181B2	Search result augmenting One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for augmenting search results with a user defined suggestion and/or for providing a user defined suggestion. For example, a venue entity may be associated with search results and/or user information (e.g., a set of search results may correspond to the Eiffel Tower). User defined data associated with the venue entity may be evaluated to generate a user defined suggestion associated with the venue entity. For example, user generated content about the Eiffel Tower, such as tips, advice, opinions, and/or other information specified by social network users, may be evaluated to determine a user defined suggestion “get tower tickets early, they sell out fast”. The user defined suggestion may be provided to a user (e.g., visiting the venue entity) and/or used to augment the set of search results. In this way, practical information, derived from opinions shared by other users, may be provided.
US09355175B2	Triggering answer boxes Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for enhancing search results. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a query. A plurality of search results responsive to the query are identified. The search results are analyzed to determine that at least a first search result is associated with a first answer box topic. The search results are provided along with an answer box precursor for the first answer box topic.
US09355166B2	Clustering signifiers in a semantics graph Clustering signifiers in a semantics graph can comprise coarsening a semantics graph associated with an enterprise communication network containing a plurality of nodes into a number of sub-graphs containing supernodes; partitioning each of the number of sub-graphs into a number of clusters; and iteratively refining the number of clusters to reduce an edge-cut of the semantics graph, based on the number of clusters.
US09355165B2	Method and system for performing data manipulations associated with business processes and operations A method and apparatus for accessing, processing and manipulating data in an OLAP database. According to one aspect, the present invention comprises a user interface configured for accessing, processing and manipulating data in an OLAP cube. According to another aspect, the present invention comprises a calculation engine for manipulating and managing data in the OLAP cube.
US09355154B2	Media sequencing method to provide location-relevant entertainment Systems, methods, and computer-program products are described for determining current location information which includes determining whether an object is moving by comparing the current location information with previous location information. Future location information is calculated and a point of interest is filtered using the future location information. A media asset is then matched to the filtered point of interest and a current score is determined for the matched media asset. Determining a current score includes determining a window in which the matched media asset is geographically relevant to the future location information, and updating the matched media asset score when the future location information changes. An ordered playlist is dynamically generated according to the future location information by repeatedly prioritizing and sequencing matched media assets according to the current score for each matched media asset, and matched media assets are played or displayed in the ordered playlist.
US09355153B2	Method and system for ranking search results based on category demand normalized using impressions Described herein are methods and systems for promoting item listings that satisfy a query based on the item listings being assigned to certain categories that have, based on historical click data, exhibited high demand characteristics for the query. Consistent with some embodiments, a certain number of leaf-level categories are identified based on demand data for those categories, and the item listings assigned to those categories are promoted through a normalized weighting factor derived in part based on the click probability score associated with the category, clicks per impression rate, and weighted clicks per impression by ranking rate.
US09355151B1	Systems and methods for assessing the similarity between two non-standardized data sets A computer-based system and method is described for converting non-standardized resumes and job listings into standardized profiles that can be easily searched, compared and referenced. Attributes are identified within the resumes and job listings, and are evaluated for various features. Each resume or job listing is broken down into its component parts and analyzed based on a logic-based routine to identify and package meaningful content.
US09355145B2	User defined function classification in analytical data processing systems Systems and apparatuses are provided for integrating user defined functions into an analytical data processing framework. The system includes a plurality of user defined functions (28), each having metadata defining an associated class type. A query compiler (22) identifies a call to a user defined function (28) within a query of an associated data table (26), retrieves the associated class type of the user defined function from the metadata, and provides a query plan according to a plurality of processing instructions derived from the retrieved class type.
US09355142B2	Content management Content management includes populating a library with modular objects and metadata associated with the modular objects. In response to a query, the library can be searched based in part on the metadata. The query can relate to implementation of an industrial process. One or more modular objects in the library can be identified as satisfying the query. A result of the query can be output and the output can include the identified modular objects and the respective metadata associated with the identified modular objects. The metadata can be anything known about the object that might not be accessible at runtime control.
US09355140B1	Associating an entity with a search query Methods and apparatus for associating an entity with at least one search query. Some implementations are directed to methods and apparatus for identifying multiple queries associated with an entity and identifying one or more of the queries as an entity search query that provides desired search results for the entity. Some implementations are directed to methods and apparatus for identifying a particular entity and, in response to identifying the particular entity, identifying an entity search query corresponding to the particular entity.
US09355130B1	Method and system for component parameter management Electronic Design Automation software displays parameters of a component in a graphical user interface. According to an embodiment, parameters of a component may be filtered through the use of a query. A Component Parameter Manager may search through parameter fields in a CDF file for components that match the query and emphasize the matching parameters in a graphical user interface. The parameter fields in a CDF file may also be augmented by a separate file to add search instructions or additional parameter fields. The augmentation helps facilitate a search by the Component Parameter Manager. The augmentations to a CDF file may be provided in a editable file separate from the CDF file.
US09355121B1	Segregating data and metadata in a file system A technique for managing a file system includes dividing the addressable space of a file system into multiple subspaces: a data subspace for user data; an inode subspace for inodes describing the user data; and an MDB (metadata block) subspace for indirect blocks and/or directory structures pertaining to the user data. In response to storage requests to write user files to the file system, the file system stores user data of the files in the data subspace, stores inodes pertaining to the user files in the inode subspace, and stores indirect blocks and/or directories in the MDB subspace.
US09355118B2	System and method for intelligently categorizing data to delete specified amounts of data based on selected data characteristics A data processing system (DPS) and a computer program product assigns stored documents within a distributed storage system (DSS) to various document categories to enable a target number of documents to be deleted. An intelligent storage management (ISM) utility identifies a data storage threshold value used to control data storage within the DSS. If a current storage usage exceeds the data storage threshold value, the ISM utility calculates, based on the current storage usage, a target number of documents that can be deleted from the DSS. The ISM utility utilizes a recursive process which includes assigning stored documents to groups including a set of document categories based on data characteristics of the stored documents. The ISM utility further utilizes the recursive process to delete, based on an established ordering of the groups, all of the stored documents assigned to a subset of the groups in order to remove the target number of stored documents.
US09355114B1	Graph-based compression of data records In general, embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods and computer readable media for data record compression using graph-based techniques.
US09355108B2	Storing data files in a file system A mechanism is provided for storing data files in a file system. The file system provides a plurality of reference data files, where each reference data file in the plurality of data files represents a group of similar data files. The mechanism creates a new data file and associated the new data file with one reference data file in the plurality of data files thus defining an associated reference data file of the plurality of reference data files. The mechanism informs the file system about the association of the new data file with the associated reference data file. The mechanism compresses the new data file using the associated reference data file thereby forming a compressed data file. The mechanism stores the compressed data file together with information about the association of the new data file with the associated reference data file.
US09355087B2	Identification of content in an electronic document In some embodiments, a method includes receiving an electronic document that comprises a plurality of sections. The method includes marking the plurality of sections as a content section or a non-content section using a visual attribute of the sections that includes at least one of a width of the section, a density of the plurality of hyperlinks in the section, a size of a font of text in the section and whether a title of the electronic document overlaps with text in the section. The method also includes storing the marking other plurality of sections of the electronic document in a machine-readable medium.
US09355081B2	Transforming HTML forms into mobile native forms Techniques disclosed herein transform HTML forms into forms with graphical user interfaces (UIs) native to mobile devices. A user interface virtualization (UIV) agent divides an HTML form into rows based on row breaks. The UIV agent then identifies name-input pairs in the HTML form by applying a trained naïve Bayes classifier to determine name fields, and mapping the name fields to corresponding input fields. In addition, the UIV agent generates metadata which includes both information describing the rows in the form and the name-input information. Based on the metadata, a native form renderer running in the client device draws the form with native UI elements. In addition, the native form renderer forwards native UI events as HTML events.
US09355080B2	Propagating user feedback on shared posts Propagating user feedback on shared posts is described, including receiving a user indication associated with repost content. The repost content is associated with post content. The post content includes at least one item provided on a website. The repost content includes at least one other item provided on another website or the website, and the at least one other item is associated with the at least one item. The repost content is determined to be associated with the post content. Post feedback data based on the user indication is identified. The post feedback data is associated with the post content, and the post feedback data represents previous user indication. The post feedback data is updated based on the user indication.
US09355078B2	Display time of a web page A method for determining a display time of a page is provided, including the following method operations: receiving a request for page data from a client; in response to the request, sending the page data to the client, the page data defining a page when rendered by the client, the rendered page including a page event module configured to detect and log events in a beacon for transmission, the events being selected from a group comprising a page unhide event, a page hide event, and a page unload event; receiving the beacon from the client; reading events logged in the beacon; and determining a display time of the page based on the events logged in the beacon.
US09355072B2	Recursive embedding by URL parameterization Methods, systems, and apparatus for performing recursive embedding by URL parameterization are provided. Recursive embedding by URL parameterization may be performed by receiving a display parameter for defining a window display area within a portion of a first document associated with a first application having a first format, and a URL-based identifier specifying a portion of a second document associated with a second application having a second format. The first and second formats are different from each other. A display of the portion of first including the window display area is generated. The specified portion of the second document is displayed within the window display area, and the first and second documents are independently executable with respect to each other.
US09355063B2	Parking lot detection using probe data Parking lot (18, 20) locations and geometries are discerned from probe data (22) and integrated with a digital map (12) for use in navigation and other map-related activities. The steps of this invention include: identifying the positions in the probe data (22) where cars are probably parked, detecting the positions of parking lots (18, 20), determining the extension and shape of the detected parking lots (18, 20), and adjusting the parking lots (18, 20) into the road network (14). Optionally, the parking lot (18, 20) can be classified and additional attributes computed. Finally, a topological connection of the parking lot (18, 20) is made to the road network (14) during which entrances (34) and exits (36) are identified.
US09355056B2	Communication apparatus with slew rate feedback In accordance with one or more example aspects of the disclosure, communications are effected on a bus using bit time and slew rate feedback. As consistent with one or more embodiments, communications are effected in a network including a master circuit and a plurality of slave circuits, on bus that is controlled by the master circuit corresponding to master and slave data communication. A feedback signal is provided, which is indicative of a slew rate and bit time of signals communicated between the master and slave circuits on the bus. Data is transmitted on the bus by generating output signals via a waveform corresponding to an input signal, and controlling the waveform based upon the slew rate and bit time indicated via the feedback signal.
US09355055B1	Network and power connection management The use of asset connectivity verification and switchable asset connectivity activation techniques may reduce or eliminate occurrences of human errors with respect to the improper connection and activation of infrastructure components in a data center. Assert connectivity verification involves the acquisition of identifiers corresponding to infrastructure component interfaces that are coupled to each other, and comparing the identifiers to pairing specifications to verify that the coupling of the infrastructure components comply with pairing specifications. Asset connectivity activation involves determining whether the coupling of a switchable coupler to one or more component interfaces complies with pairing specifications based on the corresponding identifiers of each component, and activating the switchable coupler to enable the flow of data signals and/or power when the coupling of the components meets the pairing specifications.
US09355054B2	Digital calibration-based skew cancellation for long-reach MIPI D-PHY serial links A Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) physical layer (D-PHY) serial communication link and a method of reducing clock-data skew in a MIPI D-PHY serial communication link include apparatus including a clock transmitting circuit for transmitting a clock signal on a first lane of the MIPI D-PHY serial link, a data transmitting circuit for transmitting a data signal on a second lane of the MIPI D-PHY serial link, a clock receiving circuit for receiving the clock signal on the first lane of the MIPI D-PHY serial link, and a data receiving circuit for receiving the data signal on the second lane of the MIPI D-PHY serial link. The clock transmitting circuit and the data transmitting circuit transmit the clock signal and the data signal in phase during a calibration mode and out of phase during a normal operation mode.
US09355050B2	Secure, fast and normal virtual interrupt direct assignment in a virtualized interrupt controller in a mobile system-on-chip Aspects include apparatuses and methods for secure, fast and normal virtual interrupt direct assignment managing secure and non-secure, virtual and physical interrupts by processor having a plurality of execution environments, including a trusted (secure) and a non-secure execution environment. An interrupt controller may identify a security group value for an interrupt and direct secure interrupts to the trusted execution environment. The interrupt controller may identify a direct assignment value for the non-secure interrupts indicating whether the non-secure interrupt is owned by a high level operating system (HLOS) Guest or a virtual machine manager (VMM), and whether it is a fast or a normal virtual interrupt. The interrupt controller may direct the HLOS Guest owned interrupt to the HLOS Guest while bypassing the VMM. When the HLOS Guest in unavailable, the interrupt may be directed to the VMM to attempt to pass the interrupt to the HLOS Guest until successful.
US09355040B2	Adjunct component to provide full virtualization using paravirtualized hypervisors A system configuration is provided with a paravirtualizing hypervisor that supports different types of guests, including those that use a single level of translation and those that use a nested level of translation. When an address translation fault occurs during a nested level of translation, an indication of the fault is received by an adjunct component. The adjunct component addresses the address translation fault, at least in part, on behalf of the guest.
US09355039B2	Application-directed memory de-duplication In a computing system including an application executing on top of a virtualization control layer, wherein the virtualization control layer maps portions of a virtual memory to portions of a physical memory, an apparatus for managing memory configured to: identify, by the application, a range of virtual memory whose probability of being replicated in the virtual memory exceeds a given threshold; obtain, by the application, at least one memory address corresponding to the range of virtual memory; and pass, from the application to the virtualization control layer, an identifier for the range of virtual memory and the memory address corresponding to the range of virtual memory, wherein the identifier is useable by the virtualization control layer to identify similar ranges within the virtual memory.
US09355036B2	System and method for operating a system to cache a networked file system utilizing tiered storage and customizable eviction policies based on priority and tiers A network attached storage (NAS) caching appliance, system, and associated method of operation for caching a networked file system. Still further, some embodiments provide for a cache system that implements a mufti-tiered, policy-influenced block replacement algorithm.
US09355027B2	Zone-based defragmentation methods and user devices using the same A defragmentation method of a user device which includes a host and a nonvolatile storage device includes: determining whether fragments of a first file stored at the nonvolatile storage device are in a same logical address zone; and executing defragmentation on the fragments of the first file if the fragments of the first file are in different logical address zones by moving the fragments of the first file to a logical address space corresponding to at least one of the different logical address zones.
US09355024B2	Systems and methods for nonvolatile memory performance throttling Systems and methods for nonvolatile memory (“NVM”) performance throttling are disclosed. Performance of an NVM system may be throttled to achieve particular data retention requirements. In particular, because higher storage temperatures tend to reduce the amount of time that data may be reliably stored in an NVM system, performance of the NVM system may be throttled to reduce system temperatures and increase data retention time.
US09355022B2	Systems and methods for intelligent flash management Systems and method for performing intelligent flash management are disclosed. A controller may determine if a write pattern exists between a set of writes associated with a first data chunk and a set of writes associated with a second data chunk based on whether a number of writes for first data chunk is equal to a number of writes for second data chunk; a degree to which a sequence of logical block address for the first data chunk matches the sequence of logical block addresses for the second data chunk; and a degree to which a size of each write for the first data chunk matches a size of each write for the second data chunk. The controller may then perform storage management operations based on whether or not a write pattern exists.
US09355019B2	Method for test case reduction based on program behavior slices The present invention provides a method of test cases reduction based on program behavior slices. In the present invention, during a static analysis stage, analyzing a control flow and an information flow of a program according to input program codes, extracting control dependence and data dependence of the program; calculating potential dependence of the program according to the control dependence and the data dependence of the program; on the basis of the control dependence, the data dependence and the potential dependence, constructing combination dependence of the program; during a dynamic execution stage, according to an execution path and the dependence relation, calculating program behavior slices covered by the path and program behavior slices uncovered by the path, and guiding symbolic execution to generate a path capable of covering new program slices according to the uncovered program behavior slices.
US09355012B2	Stepping and application state viewing between points Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing stepping and state viewing in a debugger application. A start and end breakpoint are assigned, Source code execution begins, and upon reaching the start breakpoint, a logging feature begins storing one or more values that may be impacted upon execution of code between the start breakpoint and an end breakpoint. More lines of source code are executed until the end breakpoint is reached. When the end breakpoint is reached, the debugger is put into break mode. While in break mode, a playback feature is provided to allow a user to play back a path of execution that occurred between the start breakpoint and the end breakpoint. The playback feature uses at least some of the values that were stored with the logging feature to show how each referenced variable changed in value.
US09355008B2	Performance analyzer for self-tuning system controller A performance analyzer for a self-tuning system controller, and a method for performance analysis. A range of values for a control parameter of a system controller for a system is split into a plurality of sub-ranges, need is determined to obtain a data point for a sub-range of the plurality of sub-ranges based on a criteria, wherein said sub-range is adjacent to a sub-range having a best performance value that identifies a best performance for the system, the control parameter is set to a value to generate the data point for the adjacent sub-range; and the control parameter set to a value for system performance, based on a search range determined from a window of data points that includes the generated data point.
US09355002B2	Capturing trace information using annotated trace output A computer receives a first trace output, generated during a first execution of a first program, that is annotated with an indication of a first pattern of logged events and one or more second programs that identify additional logged events. The computer identifies the first pattern of logged events in a second trace output, which is generated during a second execution of the first program. The computer executes the one or more second programs to identify one or more additional logged events that are discoverable during the second execution of the first program, wherein the one or more additional logged events are not included in the first trace output. The computer determines that the end first pattern of logged events in the second trace output has been reached. The computer ceases execution of the one or more second programs.
US09354998B2	Automated conformance and interoperability test lab A set of self-service testing tools and processes used to conduct gateway to gateway testing. The system includes a test harness comprising a collection of software and test data configured to test a program unit by running it under varying conditions and monitoring its behavior and outputs. The test harness allows for the automation of tests, and can call functions with supplied parameters and analyze results to a desired value.
US09354997B2	Automatic testing and remediation based on confidence indicators An asset health monitoring system (AHMS) can assign a confidence indicator to some or all the monitored computing asset in a data center, such as computing systems or networking devices. In response to drops in the confidence indicators, the AHMS can automatically initiate testing of computing assets in order to raise confidence that the asset will perform correctly. Further, the AHMS can automatically initiate remediation procedures for computing assets that fail the confidence testing. By automatically triggering testing of assets and/or remediation procedures, the AHMS can increase reliability for the data center by preemptively identifying problems.
US09354989B1	Region based admission/eviction control in hybrid aggregates Region based admission and eviction control can be used for managing resources (e.g., caching resources) shared by competing workloads with different SLOs in hybrid aggregates. A “region” or “phase” refers to different incoming loads of a workload (e.g., different working set sizes, different intensities of the workload, etc.). These regions can be identified and then utilized along with other factors (e.g., incoming loads of other workloads, maximum cache allocation size, service level objectives, and others factors/parameters) in managing cache storage resources.
US09354983B1	Integrated it service provisioning and management An integrated infrastructure technology (IT) service provisioning and management framework includes, as framework components, a cloud-based management portal, one or more primary cloud servers, an on-premise cached cloud server gateway appliance, and one or more agents installed on respective on-premise computing devices. Service applications are created by defining a set of interactions between the framework components, including defining a set of service policies and corresponding interactions from the cloud-based management portal wherein at least one of the service policies defines a real-time request for information from an agent. Based at least in part on the information received the agent, a service policy is defined to trigger a data transfer from the agent to the cached cloud server gateway. An off-premise backup policy is defined to enable the cached cloud server gateway to transfer data to a first primary cloud server of the one or more primary cloud servers.
US09354968B2	Systems and methods for data quality control and cleansing A method for detecting and cleansing suspect building automation system data is shown and described. The method includes using processing electronics to automatically determine which of a plurality of error detectors and which of a plurality of data cleansers to use with building automation system data. The method further includes using processing electronics to automatically detect errors in the data and cleanse the data using a subset of the error detectors and a subset of the cleansers.
US09354966B2	Creating environmental snapshots of storage device failure events A storage device failure in a computer storage system can be analyzed by the storage system by examining relevant information about the storage device and its environment. Information about the storage device is collected in real-time and stored; this is an on-going process such that some information is continuously available. The information can include information relating to the storage device, such as input/output related information, and information relating to a storage shelf where the storage device is located, such as a status of adjacent storage devices on the shelf. All of the relevant information is analyzed to determine a reason for the storage device failure. Optionally, additional information may be collected and analyzed by the storage system to help determine the reason for the storage device failure. The analysis and supporting information can be stored in a log and/or presented to a storage system administrator to view.
US09354965B2	Method and apparatus for isolating a fault in a controller area network A method for monitoring controller area network (CAN) on a mobile system includes identifying links and associated nodes between all the nodes of the CAN, and ranking all the links according to their order of connection to the monitoring controller, including assigning lower ranks to ones of the links proximal to the monitoring controller and assigning higher ranks to ones of the links distal to the monitoring controller. For each of said links, the associated node distal to the monitor is identified. The on-board monitoring controller determines a fault signature for each of the links starting with the link having the highest ranking, said fault signature comprising identified ones of the associated nodes distal to the monitor for each of the corresponding links.
US09354952B2	Application-driven shared device queue polling Methods and systems relate to receiving, at a system device, a first request from an operating system, the first request identifying shared queue and providing an instruction to the system device to enable polling of the identified shared queue, enabling, by a processing device, polling of the identified shared queue, wherein enabling polling comprises identifying a message in the identified shared queue and polling information related to the identified shared queue, and disabling, by the processing device, a device interrupt associated with the message in the identified shared queue.
US09354945B2	Managing a lock to a resource shared among a plurality of processors Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for managing a lock to a resource shared among a plurality of processors. Slots in a memory implement the lock on the shared resource. The slots correspond to counter values that are consecutively numbered and indicate one of busy and free. A requesting processor fetches a counter value comprising a fetched counter value. A determination is made as to whether the slot corresponding to the fetched counter value indicates free. A processor identifier of the requesting processor is inserted into the slot corresponding to the fetched counter value in response to determining that the slot corresponding to the fetched counter value indicates not free. The requesting processor accesses the shared resource in response to determining that the slot corresponding to the fetched counter value indicates free.
US09354944B2	Mapping processing logic having data-parallel threads across processors A method for executing a plurality of data-parallel threads of a processing logic on a processor core includes grouping the plurality of data-parallel threads into one or more workgroups, associating a first workgroup from the one or more workgroups with an operating system thread on the processor core, and configuring threads from the first workgroup as user-level threads within the operating system thread. In an example, a method enables the execution of GPU-kernels that has been previously configured for a GPU, to execute on a CPU such as a multi-core CPU. The mapping of the numerous data-parallel threads to the CPU is done in such a manner as to reduce the number of costly operating system threads instantiated on the CPU, and to enable efficient debugging.
US09354935B2	Work processing apparatus for scheduling work, control apparatus for scheduling activation, and work scheduling method in a symmetric multi-processing environment A work scheduling technology in a symmetric multi-processing (SMP) environment is provided. A work scheduling function for a SMP environment is implemented in a work processing apparatus, thereby reducing the scheduling overhead, and enhancing the efficiency in use of CPU resources and improving the CPU performance.
US09354929B2	Shut down real time domain when last real time process terminates on a core A host system includes a plurality of cores and is designed such that one real-time process and one core-local timer is run on each of the plurality of cores.
US09354916B2	Detection of guest disk cache A virtual machine disk page detector running on a computing device detects guest disk cache usage. The detector detects a request from a virtual operating system to read an object into a virtual memory page from a virtual disk, maintains a record of a page identifier and a corresponding virtual disk address in a guest cache data structure, and modifies a protection identifier of the virtual memory page to indicate that the virtual memory page is protected.
US09354914B2	Storage system The I/O performance measurement unit of Hypervisor measures latencies of I/O process requests to virtual disks, and reports the average value of the latencies to the I/O performance information collection unit of the management server. The provision destination determination unit sets, as a storage unit to which a virtual disk is to be allocated, that is a storage unit having the smallest average value of the latencies among storage units to which virtual disks have been provided.
US09354912B1	Method and system for implementing a maintenance service for managing I/O and storage for a virtualization environment Disclosed is an approach for overseeing the overall state of a virtual storage system, and for taking actions as necessary to manage the health and efficient performance of that system. A curator entity is provided on a distributed basis to manage and perform these functions. A master curator manages this workload that is performed by multiple slave curators. MapReduce operations are performed to implement the curator workload. Periodically, the master curator coordinates a full scan of all the metadata in the system using three MapReduce operations. Partial scans may also be run using a single MapReduce operation.
US09354910B2	Method for certification of reconfigurable radio equipment when reconfiguration software developed by third party A radio equipment comprises waveform generator to receive input data and to generate output baseband waves corresponding to the received input data, and a radio-frequency component to transform the baseband waves generated in radio waves. The waveform generator comprises a Radio Virtual Machine (RVM) that has been compiled to operate on hardware underlying the RVM. The RVM comprises an associated RVM class that establishes a level of reconfigurability of low-level parameters of the RVM. The RVM class comprises one of a plurality of RVM classes in which each RVM class comprises a corresponding level of reconfigurability of low-level RVM parameters and a corresponding level of certification testing for reconfigured RVMs of the class. In one exemplary embodiment, the plurality of RVM classes comprises at least one RVM class comprising full reconfigurability of low-level RVM parameters and at least one RVM class comprising limited reconfigurability of low-level RVM parameters.
US09354902B2	Comparing system engram with product engram to determine compatibility of product with system A system engram encoding an existing configuration of a target system is received. The existing configuration includes one or more of hardware and software of the target system. The system engram is originally acquired by a first processing device and is received by a second processing device. The second processing device compares the system engram with a product engram encoding a required configuration of the target system for a product to be compatibly installed in relation to the target system. The required configuration includes one or more of required hardware and required software within the target system for the product to be compatibly installed in relation to the target system. The second processing device can output, as compatibility information of the product with the target system, results of comparison of the system engram with the product engram.
US09354895B2	Method of updating boot image for fast booting and image forming apparatus for performing the same An image forming apparatus for updating a boot image for fast booting includes an interface unit to receive a new version of firmware to update a previous version of firmware installed in the image forming apparatus, a non-volatile memory to store a first boot image that is a previous version for the fast booting, and a processor updating a boot image by controlling the stored first boot image to be replaced with a second boot image that is a new version when the received new version of firmware includes the second boot image.
US09354888B2	Performing predecode-time optimized instructions in conjunction with predecode time optimized instruction sequence caching A method for performing predecode-time optimized instructions in conjunction with predecode time optimized instruction sequence caching. The method includes receiving a first instruction of an instruction sequence and a second instruction of the instruction sequence and determining if the first instruction and the second instruction can be optimized. In response to the determining that the first instruction and second instruction can be optimized, the method includes, preforming a pre-decode optimization on the instruction sequence and generating a new second instruction, wherein the new second instruction is not dependent on a target operand of the first instruction and storing a pre-decoded first instruction and a pre-decoded new second instruction in an instruction cache. In response to determining that the first instruction and second instruction can not be optimized, the method includes, storing the pre-decoded first instruction and a pre-decoded second instruction in the instruction cache.
US09354882B2	Methods and apparatus to manage partial-commit checkpoints with fixup support Example methods and apparatus to manage partial commit-checkpoints are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes identifying a commit instruction associated with a region of instructions executed by a processor, identifying candidate instructions from the region of instructions, and generating a processor partial commit-checkpoint to save a current state of the processor, the checkpoint based on calculated register values associated with live instructions, and including instruction reference addresses to link the candidate instructions.
US09354879B2	System and method for register renaming with register assignment based on an imbalance in free list banks A free list in processor includes multiple banks for indicating availability of register identifiers used for register renaming. A register rename unit receives one or more destination architectural registers to rename with physical register identifiers. Responsive to determining the multiple banks within the free list are unbalanced with available physical register identifiers, one or more returning physical register identifiers are assigned to the destination architectural registers before assigning any physical register identifiers from any bank of the multiple banks with a lowest number of available physical register identifiers. A returning physical register identifier is a physical register identifier that is available again for assignment to a destination architectural register but not yet indicated in the free list as available. Each of the banks includes a single bit width decoded vector for indicating availability of given physical register identifiers.
US09354855B2	Co-locating remotely-served application programming interface instances Technologies are provided for locally installing remotely-served API instances. In some examples, a scale-out service may receive a request to provide an installation of a remotely-served API at a particular datacenter. In response to a determination by the scale-out service that a local instance of the remotely-served API can be installed at that datacenter, the scale-out service may install the local instance and route requests to that API from the datacenter to the local instance instead of the remotely-served API.
US09354851B2	Deploying an application in a cloud computing environment A technique for deploying an application in a cloud computing environment includes: collecting, when a user is deploying an application, metadata and instructions on deploying the application, the metadata comprising service metadata, application metadata and topology metadata, wherein the service metadata comprise metadata on a service required for deploying the application, the application metadata comprise metadata on the application, and the topology metadata comprise metadata indicative of a relationship between the service and the application; and storing the collected metadata and instructions as a model for re-deploying the application.
US09354848B2	System for the discovery and provisioning of artifacts and composites The present invention relates to software development in a networked environment, and in particular to a method for automatically assisted generation of composite applications which are composed of instantiable components. The method includes a) dynamically accessing a data source comprising one or more components being potentially suitable for being used within said composite application, b) parsing said data source for a predetermined searched component according to a predetermined functionality specification standard, c) ranking found components according to predetermined ranking criteria, d) defining a list of selected usable components from said ranking, e) storing at least a subset of said selected components locally, f) automatically deploying said composite application from said selected components.
US09354839B2	Storage medium storing object movement controlling program and information processing apparatus An information processing apparatus includes a touch panel, for example, set on a display screen. For example, the display screen displays a three-dimensional game screen showing a relatively narrower range of a virtual three-dimensional game world and a two-dimensional map screen showing a relatively wider range of the virtual three-dimensional game world simultaneously or through change. When an object existing in the virtual three-dimensional game world is moved, an input trace is obtained from an input to the map screen by utilizing the touch panel. The object is moved along the obtained input trace, and a scene in which the object is moving is displayed on the three-dimensional game screen.
US09354838B2	Method, mobile device and infotainment system for projecting a user interface onto a screen A method for projecting a user interface of an application program provided for a screen of a mobile device is provided onto a screen of an infotainment system arranged in a vehicle. The user interface can be displayed in a manner suitable for the driver of the vehicle if the screen size of the infotainment system is determined in the infotainment system. The screen size is transferred to the mobile device via a data interface, the user interface size of the application program running in the mobile device in the unit of the comparable size is determined in the mobile device. The screen size of the infotainment system is compared with the user interface size of the application program and a decision is made on the basis of the comparison, which image data is transferred from the mobile device to the infotainment system via the data interface.
US09354837B2	Methods and apparatus for interfacing a host device to a peripheral device in order to increase consumption of consumable products by the peripheral device Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method comprising providing an apparatus, wherein the apparatus is configured to be coupled to (i) a peripheral device and (ii) a host device. The apparatus includes memory configured to store logic, wherein the logic is configured to (i) allow the host device and the peripheral device to communicate with each other and (ii) operate the peripheral device. The apparatus further includes a processor configured to execute the logic. The method further comprises bundling the apparatus with a consumable product for sale with the consumable product, wherein the consumable product is configured to be consumed by the peripheral device.
US09354834B2	Printing with virtual printer To make it possible to use a function depending on bidirectional communication, an information processing apparatus comprises: a printer driver configured to generate print data to be printed by a real printer, based on image data received from an application; and a virtual printer configured to receive the generated print data, and perform output control to the real printer. The virtual printer obtains information of the real printer by communicating with the real printer; and transmits the print data based on the information of the real printer, wherein the printer driver generates the print data by executing rendering processing on the image data based on the information of the real printer obtained via the virtual printer.
US09354831B2	Mediation server and image processing apparatus capable of mediating network communication for accessing a service provision server A mediation server for mediating target service provision from a service provision server to an image processing apparatus, including a processor causing the mediation server to supply specific information for displaying a condition setting screen to an external apparatus, receive a plurality of selected setting values from the external apparatus, supply, to the image processing apparatus, a determination execution instruction including the plurality of selected setting values and for executing a determination about validity of a combination of the plurality of selected setting values, receive a result of the determination from the image processing apparatus, and when the result indicates that the combination is valid, supply, to the image processing apparatus, a processing execution instruction including the plurality of selected setting values and being for executing the target image processing in accordance with the determined processing condition.
US09354821B2	Bridging storage controllers in clustered deployments A storage controller receives data from a host. The data is provided to a storage stack on the storage controller. The storage stack can perform deduplication, compression or file layout operations on the data, which is then written to a first storage unit coupled to a first port of the storage controller. The storage controller determines whether a second port of the first storage controller is configured as a remote port. In response to determining that the second port is configured as a remote port, the data is also provided to a pass-thru stack on the first storage controller. The pass-thru stack performs protocol conversion on the data and writes the data to the second port on the storage controller.
US09354820B2	VSAM data set tier management Embodiments of the disclosure are directed toward a method, a system, and a computer program product for managing virtual storage access method (VSAM) data sets on performance tiers. The method can be used with VSAM data sets. The method can include determining a usage metric for a particular control area from the plurality of control areas. The method can also include prioritizing the particular control areas based on a determined usage metric. The method can also include assigning a prioritized control area to a performance tier of the plurality of tiers as a function of a prioritization of the particular control area and a performance criteria for the performance tier by moving the prioritized control area to the performance tier and updating an index record that associates the prioritized control area to the performance tier.
US09354819B2	Storage system including multiple storage apparatuses and pool virtualization method A plurality of storage apparatuses including a first and second storage apparatus, wherein said first storage apparatus is configured to have a first virtual volume composed of a plurality of virtual segments, at least said second storage apparatus is configured to have a pool composed of a plurality of real pages, each storage apparatus is configured to manage a virtual pool comprising one or more pools including at least said pool, said virtual pool is composed of a plurality of virtual pages, each virtual page corresponding to any real page, and said first storage apparatus is configured to receive a write command that specifies an address belonging to an unallocated virtual segment, allocate a free virtual page to said unallocated virtual segment, and write data to the real page corresponding to the allocated virtual page, even when said first storage apparatus does not have a pool composed of real pages.
US09354818B2	Memory device and data storing method According to one embodiment, a data storing method includes saving data stored in a memory device to a host device and verifying validity or accuracy of the data saved in the host device.
US09354815B2	Computer realizing high-speed access and data protection of storage device, computer system, and I/O request processing method In a computer, a logical partition for calculation in which an OS and an application operate and a logical partition for storage for providing a storage function are constructed. In the logical partition for calculation, a device corresponding to a storage device is provided, while the logical partition for storage provides a volume. A memory space that can be shared by the both logical partitions is prepared, and management information describing a sorting destination or a sorting method of an I/O request issued by an application is provided in the memory. If the logical partition for calculation receives an I/O request from the application, the partition refers to the management information and sorts the I/O request to the storage device or the logical partition for storage. The logical partition for storage processes the received I/O request by the storage function and transmits the result to the storage device.
US09354813B1	Data storage system modeling Described are modeling techniques. In accordance with one or more criteria, a determination may be made as to whether to use a dynamic model or a static model to model performance of components, such as storage devices, of a data storage system. A system may include first and second data storage systems where the first data storage system includes a computer readable medium with first code that performs processing in connection with data storage movement optimizations using one or more models including a dynamic model, and second code that generates and maintains the dynamic model used to model performance of storage devices. The second code may include code for performing first processing to determine device sets each of which does not share back-end resources of the second data storage system with any other device sets, and performing second processing to determine sets of performance curves corresponding to the device sets.
US09354800B2	Rich drag drop user interface In an electronic file system, preview information is provided to the user during a drag operation of a selected object onto a target object. The information indicates what type(s) of action is to be taken should the selected object be dropped onto the target object. The action(s) to be taken may depend upon the type of the selected object and/or the type of the target object. For example, where the selected object is an item and the target object is a persisted auto-list, the action may include adding, removing, or modifying one or more properties of the selected object to conform to one or more criteria defined by the persisted auto-list. Also, numerical feedback may be provided to the user where multiple objects are selected. For example, where seven objects are selected, the textual number “7” may appear next to the cursor.
US09354795B2	Refining manual input interpretation on touch surfaces A computer system displays an object on a touch surface and detects multiple touch points on the touch surface in proximity to the displayed object. Next, the computer system detects one or more touch point movements originating from one or more of the plurality of touch points and determines a type of sector in which each of the touch point movements enters. In turn, when one of the touch point movements enters a rotate sector, the computer system performs a rotate command on the object.
US09354794B2	Method and system for performing client-side zooming of a remote video feed An electronic device with a display, processor(s), and memory detects a first user input to zoom in on a respective portion of a first video feed displayed on the display, and, in response, performs a software zoom function on the respective portion of the first video feed to display the respective portion at a first resolution. The electronic device determines a current zoom magnification and coordinates of the respective portion of the first video feed, and sends a command to the camera to perform a hardware zoom function on the coordinates of the respective portion according to the current zoom magnification. The electronic device receives a second video feed from the camera with a field of view corresponding to the respective portion, and displays, on the display, the second video feed in the video monitoring user interface with a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution.
US09354792B2	Method, system, apparatus and computer-readable medium for browsing spot information A method, a system, an apparatus, and a computer-readable medium for browsing spot information, adapted to an electronic device, are provided. In the present method, a plurality of spot information are retrieved, in which each of the spot information at least comprises a picture and a location of a spot. Next, an electronic map is displayed and a spot marker is marked at the spot location of each spot information on the electronic map. Meanwhile, a spot browsing bar is displayed on a side of the electronic map and the spot pictures of the spot information are sequentially displayed in the spot browsing bar. When a select operation of a certain spot marker on the electronic map is received, the spot browsing bar is scrolled to show the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker.
US09354783B2	Method for representing animated menu buttons Optical storage media often contain data structures for a menu suitable for selection of a title, a chapter, a parameter or others. Such menus usually comprise a number of buttons to be displayed, with each button having a state. Possible states of buttons are “unselected”, “selected” or “activated”. According to the invention, the representation of a menu button may vary, depending on its state. An image or an image sequence, e.g. cartoon, may be associated to a buttons state, providing user animation. Further, a sound or sound sequence, e.g. melody or click, may be associated to a buttons state, and may be played back when the button enters this state. A data structure is disclosed which allows storage of such menu data e.g. on a Blu-ray disc.
US09354779B2	Providing theme variations in a user interface A presentation program provides a graphical user interface that includes a theme gallery and a theme variation gallery. Users can apply a theme to a slide by selecting a theme thumbnail image. Once selected, a corresponding set of theme variations are indicated in the theme variation gallery using theme variation thumbnail images. Users can apply the desired theme variation by selecting the theme variation thumbnail image. Once selected, the theme variation is applied to the slide. A theme variation family identifier is stored in the slide file that allows subsequent identification of the theme, and allows a presentation program to subsequently identify theme variations for display on the theme variation gallery. A file structure is identified that allows backwards compatibility so that a presentation file of a slide with theme variations can be opened by an earlier version of a presentation program that does not implement theme variations.
US09354776B1	Applied client-side service integrations in distributed web systems In-context compatibility of one or more services or application instances running as services with currently active work is monitored. Respective context-sensitive icons indicate contextual compatibility and availability of corresponding services. The context-sensitive icon is displayed in a graphical user interface of a web application. Availability of one or more services or application instances running as services is indicated in the graphical user interface using different states of the context-sensitive icon. A user may select the icon corresponding to an available and compatible service to be applied to the currently active work in the web application. A single user gesture type command releases the corresponding service.
US09354774B2	Mobile device with graphical user interface for interacting with a building automation system A mobile device with a graphical user interface for remotely monitoring and/or remotely interacting with a configurable building automation systems (BAS). In particular, the mobile device's graphical user interface that has a portrait mode and a landscape mode, and the graphical user interface is displayed on the touchscreen in the portrait mode or the landscape mode based on the orientation of the mobile device.
US09354773B2	Color and symbol coded visual cues for relating screen items to each other A graphic symbol is created having a specified pattern and being associated with at least a first graphical object. Color attribute(s) is/are designated for the graphic symbol. While displaying related graphical object(s), the created graphic symbol and its specified pattern and color attribute(s) are retained within such displayed related graphical object(s), wherein the related graphical object(s) are recognizable as related to the first graphical object by the persistence of the specific graphic symbol pattern and designated colors.
US09354762B1	Simplifying rules generation for an event-based analysis engine by allowing a user to combine related objects in a rule In one aspect, a method includes rendering to a user an object and objects related to the object, receiving from a user a selection by a user of a one of the related objects to use in a rule for an event-based analysis engine and merging the object and the selected object to perform the rule.
US09354747B2	Optical navigation device with a backlight and associated methods An optical navigation device includes a navigation radiation source capable of producing a beam of radiation, and an optical element. The optical navigation device is for identifying movement of an object to thereby enable a control action to be carried out. A sensor is for receiving an image based upon reflected radiation from the navigation radiation source, and at least one illumination radiation source is for illuminating the optical navigation device. The device is operable, in recurrent cycles of at least reset, expose, and readout phases, to activate the at least one illumination radiation source during the reset phase. The reset phase may have the longest duration of the phases.
US09354746B2	Capacitive touch panel A plurality of detection electrodes S(n) are allocated to any one of two or more detection electrode groups SG(k) so that the detection electrodes S(n) to be allocated to each of the detection electrode groups SG(k) are disposed at equal intervals and spaced apart from each other by at least one detection electrode S(n) in the direction of detection. In each of the two or more detection electrode groups SG(k), the detection electrodes S(n) allocated to the detection electrode group SG(k) are sequentially selected in the direction of detection so as to compare the detection voltage levels R(n) that each appear on a set of detection electrodes S(n) and S(n+1) that are adjacent to each other in the direction of detection.
US09354745B2	Touch detection device, display device having touch detection function, electronic unit, and touch detection circuit A touch detection device includes: a plurality of drive electrodes; a plurality of detection electrodes intersecting the plurality of drive electrodes, and each outputting, in response to driving of each of the drive electrodes, a series of detection signals; a signal correction section determining a reference based on the detection signals, and subtracting the determined reference from each of the detection signals; and a detecting section detecting an external proximity object based on corrected detection signals provided from the signal correction section.
US09354743B2	Apparatus for improving signal-to-noise performance of projected capacitance touch screens and panels Improved signal-to-noise performance of projected capacitance touch screens and panels is provided by an integrated circuit regulated high voltage source and high voltage/current drivers coupled to a plurality of projected capacitive touch elements that are controlled by a microcontroller. The single integrated circuit high voltage generator/driver may comprise a voltage boost circuit, a voltage reference, power-on-reset (POR), soft start, a plurality of voltage level shifters and a serial interface for coupling to the microcontroller that may control all functions related to using the projected capacitance touch screens and panels.
US09354739B2	Self-capacitive touch control apparatus and control method thereof A self-capacitive touch control apparatus includes a plurality of electrodes, a plurality of sensors, and a number determining module. The sensors detect capacitance changes in the electrodes to generate a plurality of sensing results. The number determining module calculates a total sensing amount according to the sensing results, and determines the number of touch points according to the total sensing amount.
US09354737B2	Active stylus self-capacitance measurement In one embodiment, a method includes modifying an amount of charge of a capacitance of a touch sensor. The modified amount of charge results in a voltage at the capacitance being a first pre-determined voltage level. The method also includes applying a first pre-determined amount of charge to the capacitance. The application of the first pre-determined amount of charge to the capacitance modifies the voltage at the capacitance from the first pre-determined voltage level to a first charging voltage level. The method also includes determining a first voltage at a sampling capacitor. The first voltage is proportional to a difference between the first charging voltage level and a reference voltage level. The method also includes determining whether a touch and stylus input to the touch sensor has occurred based on the first voltage and a second voltage.
US09354735B2	Light sensitive display A light sensitive display.
US09354732B2	Touch screen display apparatus having improved support for both touch screen and display panels A display apparatus includes a receiving container, a backlight assembly, a display panel, a touch screen assembly, a first mold frame, and a second mold frame.The receiving container includes a bottom portion and side walls that extend from the bottom portion, and the backlight assembly is contained in the receiving container to generate light. The display panel is positioned to receive light from the backlight assembly to display an image, and the touch screen assembly is disposed on the display panel to detect a touch event occurring thereon. The first mold frame is coupled to the receiving container to support a first edge part of the display panel. In addition, the second mold frame is spaced apart from the display panel, and coupled to the first mold frame, so as to be configured to support a second edge part of the touch screen assembly.

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