| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09433133B2 |
Device and method for cooling an electric component for a vehicle
A cooling device for an arrangement with at least one electric component, particularly power electronics (1), for a vehicle, wherein the arrangement can be cooled by a fluid (2) using the method of evaporative cooling, includes a heat engine (4), in particular a steam turbine or a displacement machine for expanding fluid that is evaporated during evaporative cooling. |
| US09433128B2 |
System and method of operating an electrical energy storage device or an electrochemical energy generation device, during charge or discharge using microchannels and high thermal conductivity materials
A method is generally described which includes operating an electrical energy storage device or an electrochemical energy generation device includes placing an electrical load to draw current from the electrical energy storage device or the electrochemical energy generation device. The electrical energy storage device or the electrochemical energy generation device includes a housing having an external surface and an internal surface. The method also includes generating electricity by at least one component within the housing. At least one component is configured to generate electrical energy in combination with other components, chemicals, or materials residing within the housing. Further, the method includes thermal control of the electrical energy storage device or the electrochemical energy generation device by transferring heat to a plurality of microchannels coupled to at least one of the internal surface of the housing or the at least one internal components. The at least one microchannel is at least partially formed of or coated with a high thermal conductivity material. The high thermal conductivity material has a high k-value. The high k-value is greater than approximately 410 W/(m*K). Further still, the method includes transferring the collected heat through a thermal sink coupled to the microchannels. The thermal sink is configured to transfer heat energy to or from the microchannel and to receive a fluid flowing through the microchannels. |
| US09433119B2 |
Positive pressure-applying latch mechanism
A latch mechanism is provided for latching a field-replaceable unit within an enclosure. The latch mechanism includes a pivotable latch coupled to the field-replaceable unit via a pivot, at a first side of the unit, and a spring member associated with the enclosure. The spring member is engaged by the latch and deflects with rotating of the latch from an open position to a latched position. The pivotable latch includes the first end and a second end, with the pivot being disposed closer to the first end than the second. The deflecting spring member facilitates provision of positive pressure on the unit directed towards a second side of the unit opposite to the first side to facilitate, for example, fixedly coupling a first connector at the second side to a second connector associated with the enclosure when the unit is latched within the enclosure. |
| US09433117B1 |
Shield lid interconnect package and method
An electronic component package includes a substrate and an electronic component mounted to the substrate, the electronic component including a bond pad. A first antenna terminal is electrically connected to the bond pad, the first antenna terminal being electrically connected to a second antenna terminal of the substrate. A package body encloses the electronic component, the package body having a principal surface. An antenna is formed on the principal surface by applying an electrically conductive coating. An embedded interconnect extends through the package body between the substrate and the principal surface and electrically connects the second antenna terminal to the antenna. Applying an electrically conductive coating to form the antenna is relatively simple thus minimizing the overall package manufacturing cost. Further, the antenna is relatively thin thus minimizing the overall package size. |
| US09433101B2 |
Substrate via filling
A method for filling vias with metal includes receiving a substrate having vias, forming a metal plating layer over the vias on a first side of the substrate, fill-plating the vias with a first metal beginning with the metal plating layer on the first side of the substrate and advancing to a second side of the substrate to provide filled vias. The metal plating layer may be subsequently patterned to provide selected circuit connections or chemically-mechanically polished to completely remove the metal plating layer. Forming a metal plating layer over the vias may include filling the vias with a sacrificial filler to enable formation of the metal plating layer and subsequently removing the sacrificial filler via an etching operation or the like. In other embodiments, forming the metal plating layer over the vias is accomplished by bonding a metallic layer onto the first side of the substrate. |
| US09433096B2 |
Wiring board, semiconductor device and method for manufacturing wiring board
A wiring board includes a resin substrate in which reinforcement members are arranged horizontally, a through electrode filled in a through hole penetrating the substrate in a thickness direction, and wiring layers respectively formed on both surfaces of the substrate and electrically connected to each other via the through electrode. The reinforcement members are arranged such that reinforcement members arranged in a middle region of the substrate in the thickness direction has higher density than reinforcement members arranged in the regions other than the middle region of the substrate. |
| US09433092B2 |
Layout method for printed circuit board and printed circuit board thereof
A layout method for a printed circuit board, comprising: defining a layout area on the printed circuit board; disposing at least one padstack on the layout area; disposing a welding material area on the padstack to partially cover the padstack and be located at one end of the padstack; disposing a blocking area on the layout area, wherein the blocking area comprises an opening to expose the padstack; and forming a wiring, wherein the wiring is connected with the padstack and the welding material area through the opening without overlapping the blocking area. The layout method for a printed circuit board and the printed circuit board may avoid that the outlet of the wiring is formed through the side of the welding material area to leave a blank area on the padstack. |
| US09433090B2 |
Edge plated printed circuit board
An edge plated printed circuit board (PCB) improves radiated emission performance by enhancing ground shielding on the PCB and improving the physical and electrical connection between the PCB and external EMI suppression components including an EMI chassis and gaskets. Inner ground layers within a multi-layer PCB are configured to physically extend to an edge of the PCB, which is plated using copper electroplating, so that copper ground strips disposed at the top and bottom surfaces of the PCB and the inner ground layers are all electrically coupled to the plated edge. In some embodiments, the ground strips can be made thinner compared to conventional arrangements, or be eliminated altogether as a result of the direct connection between the edge plated PCB and external EMI shields. |
| US09433081B1 |
Differential signal crosstalk minimization for dual stripline
The subject technology provides configurations for a printed circuit board that includes a first reference plane, a first signal layer below the first reference plane, a second signal layer below the first signal layer, a second reference plane below the second signal layer, a first differential pair on the first signal layer, and a second differential pair on the second signal layer, each of the first and second differential pairs comprising, respectively, a first pair and a second pair of conductive traces formed on a dielectric material of the PCB, the first pair of conductive traces being arranged on the dielectric material to interleave with the second pair of conductive traces. |
| US09433076B2 |
Mounting structure of electronic components provided with heat sink
There is provided a mounting structure of electronic components wherein the heat sink is disposed so as to allow a high heat releasing property to be achieved and ensure that manufacturing is easy. The resin film is provided at the lower surface side of the whole circuit element to which the lead is connected; a molding resin is molded at the upper side from the lower surface of the lead including the side portions of the lead, the circuit element and the connecting portions of the lead and the circuit element; the lead is connected to the electrode of the circuit board so that flattened back surfaces of a plurality of one side resin-molded elements are on the same horizontal plane; and a single heat sink is mounted on the back surfaces of the plurality of one side resin-molded elements. |
| US09433066B2 |
Music synchronized light modulator
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system for controlling strings of lights. This system can include a host controller, one or more strings of lights, and an effects modulator. Each string of light can include at least one LED light. The effects modulator can be operatively connected to the host controller and to the strings of light. The effects modulator can include a microcontroller and an inverter. The inverter can include a high side driver circuit and one or more low side driver circuits operatively connected to the high side driver circuit. Each low side driver circuit can be operatively connected to one of the strings of light. The microcontroller can be configured to receive one or more control signals from the host controller and control the strings of light via the inverter in accordance with the control signals. Related apparatus, methods, and techniques are also described. |
| US09433064B2 |
Light source apparatus, image display apparatus, and control method for light source apparatus
A light source apparatus according to the present invention includes a circuit board; a light source mounted on the circuit board; a first temperature measurement element that measures an ambient temperature of the circuit board and outputs a first signal that represents the measured result; a second temperature measurement element that measures a temperature of the circuit board and outputs a second signal that represents the measured result; and a light source drive control section that controls driving of the light source. The light source drive control section does not drive the light source if the temperature represented by the second signal is lower than the temperature represented by the first signal. |
| US09433062B2 |
Luminaire with ambient sensing and autonomous control capabilities
A number of luminaires can be communicably coupled and networked. Some or all of the luminaires may be equipped with a number of sensors including motion sensors. Upon detecting motion of an object in the vicinity of a luminaire, the luminaire can increase the luminous output of the lighting subsystem in the luminaire and communicate a targeted or broadcast output signal to some or all of the remaining luminaires in the network. The output signal may variously contain data indicative of one or more parameters related to motion of the object (direction of travel, velocity, etc.) or one or more parameters related to the increased luminous output of the luminaire. Responsive to the receipt of an output signal generated by another luminaire, the luminaire may autonomously adjust the luminous output of the lighting subsystems responsive to an event detected by the other luminaire. |
| US09433047B2 |
Single inductor multiple LED string driver
A single inductor multiple LED string driver comprises a switch control circuit and a current-sensing control circuit. The switch control circuit generates a plurality of digital control signals that are used to control a plurality of switches coupled to a plurality of strings of LEDs. Each switch is selectively turned on and off by each corresponding digital control signal. The current-sensing control circuit determines an integrated charge amount provided by each current that flows from an input voltage through each LED string, through each switch, through a common inductor, and through a main switch to ground. In response to the determined integrated charge amount, the current-sensing control circuit generates an on-time control signal that controls the on-time of each switch such that the average current flowing across each LED string is equal to each other. Furthermore, the total current flowing across each LED string is regulated to a predefined value. |
| US09433044B2 |
LED backlight sources for liquid crystal devices and liquid crystal devices
The LED backlight source includes a boost circuit, a current control module, a voltage detection circuit. The boost circuit is configured for boosting an input voltage to an operation voltage needed by a LED string. The current control module connects to a negative end of the LED string to adjust an operation current of the LED string. The voltage detection circuit is configured for detecting whether the input voltage has been decreased, and for providing a control signals to a backlight driving control circuit upon determining the input voltage has been decreased. The backlight driving control circuit is configured for providing first square-wave signals to the boost circuit for boosting the voltage, for providing second square-wave signals to the current control module for adjusting a current, and for decreasing an input current upon receiving the control signals from the voltage detection circuit. |
| US09433033B2 |
Ad-hoc communication radio module, ad-hoc communication device and method for controlling an ad-hoc communication radio module
An ad-hoc communication radio module is provided, which may include at least one of an ad-hoc communication reception circuit; and an ad-hoc communication transmission circuit; and an ad-hoc communication-protocol-stack-external control interface for the ad-hoc communication-protocol-stack-external control of the ad-hoc communication reception circuit or of the ad-hoc communication transmission circuit. |
| US09433031B2 |
Communication apparatus, control method for the same and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
The present invention provides a technique that, in the case where a first radio communication unit has acquired device information, and the execution of a service has started, makes it possible to detect the stopping of execution of the service by a second radio communication unit. To achieve this, device information regarding another communication apparatus is acquired via the first radio communication unit, and if a predetermined service is being executed with the other communication apparatus based on the acquired device information, a predetermined signal indicating stopping of the predetermined service is detected via the second radio communication unit that is different from the first radio communication unit. If the predetermined signal is detected, processing for stopping the predetermined service is performed. |
| US09433030B2 |
Volte call setup
Methods, systems, and devices are described for call setup (e.g., VoLTE) for a wireless communication device. During a call setup procedure, the device may implement a “keep alive” mechanism to maintain an RRC connection established as part of the call setup procedure. The “keep alive” mechanism may be configured to insert some padding traffic (e.g., dummy packets) to maintain the RRC connection, for example, by restarting the network RRC connection release timer to prevent its expiration and release of the RRC connection during call setup. |
| US09433029B2 |
Network device in a communication network and method for providing communications traffic breakout
According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention a network device may be provided which may comprise a receiving unit, a sending unit and an evaluating unit. It may be foreseen that the receiving unit may be adapted to receive a trigger signal for preparing a breakout of a plurality of packets, wherein the plurality of packets may comprise at least one packet from a first source and at least one packet from a second source and wherein the evaluating unit may be adapted to evaluate the trigger signal. Moreover, the evaluation unit may be adapted to evaluate packets from a first source and packets from a second source and the evaluation unit may be adapted to distinguish packets from the first source from packets from the second source. |
| US09433025B2 |
D2D communication method according to D2D service type as well as D2D application type, and apparatus for same
A device-to-device (D2D) terminal for communicating in a wireless communication system supporting D2D communication includes: a receiver configured to receive information for setting the D2D searching interval corresponding to a D2D service type or D2D application type from a base station; and a processor configured to search an neighbor D2D terminal in a D2D searching interval corresponding to a D2D service type or a first D2D application type to be executed on the basis of the information for setting the D2D searching interval, to select any one D2D terminal from among the one or more searched neighbor D2D terminals in order to set a connection corresponding to the first D2D service type or the first D2D application type, and to control the D2D communication corresponding to the first D2D service type or the first D2D application type with the selected D2D terminal according to the connection. |
| US09433018B2 |
System and method for using SIC to solve WiFi collisions
An embodiment method of collision resolution includes receiving a frame A and a colliding frame B. The frame A and the colliding frame B are received over a channel and overlap in time. The method also includes decoding the frame A. The method also includes recovering and decoding the colliding frame B, at least partially, using successive interference cancellation (SIC). |
| US09433016B2 |
System and method for detecting and resolving conflicts
A method for operating a first device includes transmitting a conflict query frame including a first address field containing a first locally assigned identifier associated with the first device, wherein the conflict query frame further includes a second address field and has a structure of a first legacy frame, and determining if a conflict notification corresponding to the conflict query frame is received within a specified time interval after transmitting the conflict query frame. The method also includes discontinuing use of the first locally assigned identifier if the conflict notification is received within the specified time interval, and continuing use of the first locally assigned identifier if the conflict notification is not received within the specified time interval. |
| US09433015B2 |
Mitigating ghost signalling effects in radio systems
A method in a base station, the method comprising, for a transmission time interval on the control channel: if an absolute grant is scheduled, transmitting the absolute grant; if an absolute grant is not scheduled, investigating whether at least one UE in the cell is configured for receiving on the control channel, and if this is not the case, refraining from transmitting; and if an absolute grant is not scheduled and at least one UE in the cell is configured for receiving on the control channel, the method further comprising at least one of: (i) transmitting an absolute grant for a non-configured UE in the cell; and (ii) selecting an arbitrary configured UE in the cell and transmitting an absolute grant, which was previously transmitted at an earlier transmission time interval, to the selected UE. |
| US09433009B1 |
Channel selection based on correlation between air interface quality and level of port-to-port isolation
Disclosed is a method and system for channel selection. As disclosed, a wireless communication system includes a base station that is configured to operate on a plurality of channels, each having a respective level of port-to-port isolation. The system determines a measure of quality of an air interface between the base station and a user equipment device (UE) served by the base station. The system then selects, from the plurality of channels, a channel on which the base station should serve the UE, where the selecting is based at least in part on (i) the determined measure of quality of the air interface between the base station and the UE and (ii) a correlation between the determined measure of quality of the air interface and the respective level of port-to-port isolation of the channel. Upon the selection, the base station serves the UE on the selected channel. |
| US09433004B2 |
Methods and nodes for coordinating uplink transmissions in a wireless communication network
Methods and nodes for coordinating uplink transmissions in a victim cell and in an aggressor cell. The uplink transmissions in the aggressor cell potentially cause interference at a victim radio node receiving or measuring uplink signals transmitted in the victim cell. A coordinating node obtains (200) an indication of an uplink pattern of interference-protected resources in frequency and time where uplink transmissions are allowed to be scheduled in the victim cell but not in the aggressor cell. The coordinating node then signals (202) the indication to an aggressor radio node serving the aggressor cell and/or to the victim radio node. When a radio node receives (204) the signaled indication, it uses (206) the uplink pattern for scheduling uplink transmissions in one or both of the victim cell and the aggressor cell, or for configuring a measurement or signal reception. The coordinating node may be the victim radio node (302), or the aggressor radio node (300), or a network node (304) signalling the indication to one or both of the victim radio node and the aggressor radio node. |
| US09433002B2 |
Rank indicator transmission during discontinuous reception
A user equipment (UE) is disclosed. The UE includes a processor configured to transmit a rank indicator (RI) using one of an assigned periodic RI reporting resource that precisely aligns with the start on an on-duration of a discontinuous reception (DRX) operation mode of the UE and a first assigned periodic RI reporting resource after the start of the on-duration. |
| US09432990B2 |
Hybrid mesh network
An access point is configured to pair with other access points in a network. The access point includes at least two interfaces configured to interface to other access points over a link layer therein using heterogeneous backhaul access technologies; and a memory having machine executable code, therein that, when executed by a processor, cause the at least two interfaces to pair with one or more of the other access points using configuration information stored within the memory. |
| US09432985B2 |
Method for setting search region to detect downlink control channel in wireless communication system and apparatus for same
In the present application, disclosed a method for a terminal setting a search region for a downlink channel in a wireless communication system. More specifically, the method comprises the steps of receiving from a base station information related to a starting symbol of the search region by way of upper layer signaling; setting the search region by using the information related to the starting symbol; and receiving the downlink control channel by performing blind coding on the search region, wherein the starting symbol of the search region changes according to the characteristic of a subframe which receives the downlink control channel. |
| US09432984B2 |
Method of sending/receiving control information and device therefor
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and device for receiving control information regarding a coordinated multi-point (CoMP) set including a first cell and a second cell from a serving/transmitting point in a carrier aggregation (CA) based wireless communication system. The present invention includes: receiving information regarding the size of control information through higher-layer signaling; and monitoring a plurality of control channel candidates for each cell of the CoMP set through the first cell in the CoMP set and detecting the control information, wherein the size of information of the control information candidate for each cell is equally determined based on information regarding the size of control information. |
| US09432972B2 |
Radio transmission device and radio transmission method
Provided are a radio transmission device and a radio transmission method capable of improving downlink and uplink throughput even when performing dynamic symbol allocation. In the device and the method, BS and MS share a table correlating a basic TF as a combination of parameters such as TB size used for transmitting only user data, an allocation RB quantity, a modulation method, and an encoding ratio, with a derived TF having user data of different TB size by combining L1/L2 control information. Even when multiplexing L1/L2 control information, Index corresponding to the basic TF is reported from BS to MS. |
| US09432960B2 |
Method of handling proximity service in wireless communication system
A method of handling proximity service (ProSe) in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes transmitting, by a mobile device of the wireless communication system, a request message to one of the plurality Mobility Management Entities (MMEs) of the wireless communication system, for requesting a proximity service (ProSe) service; and indicating, by the one of the plurality of MMEs, to the mobile device a ProSe capability of a system network of the wireless communication system in an accept message. |
| US09432954B2 |
Determination of device body location
In some implementations, a mobile device can analyze motion sensor data during a voice call to determine whether the mobile device is on a stationary object or worn on a user's body (e.g., in the lap or pocket of a user of the mobile device). The mobile device can adjust the transmit power level of the telephony transceiver during the voice call based on the determination. |
| US09432952B2 |
Information processing apparatus and control method thereof
An information processing apparatus is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a communication interface configured to perform a wireless communication with an external apparatus and to transmit data to the external apparatus, and a controller configured to calculate a required bandwidth of a wireless communication as required by at least one application and to adjust a transmission power of the communication interface based on the calculated required bandwidth, when the at least one application is determined to be executed. |
| US09432949B2 |
Transmit power control method and apparatus
A method and apparatus for controlling transmit power of a User Equipment (UE) in a mobile communication system is provided. The transmit power control method of the present invention includes determining, when the terminal's required transmit power exceeds the terminal's maximum transmit power, whether a plurality of Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) processes are running and reducing, when the plurality of HARQ processes are running, a transmit power of at least one of the plurality of HARQ processes which has not experienced transmit power reduction previously. The UE transmit power control method and apparatus of the present invention is advantageous to control the transmit power in transmit power reduction mode. |
| US09432941B2 |
Method for performing wake-up control with aid of wake-up packet, and associated apparatus
A method and apparatus for performing wake-up control are provided, where the method is applied to an electronic device, and the method may include the steps of: detecting whether a predetermined wake-up action is input into the electronic device, wherein the predetermined wake-up action is a user action for wake-up control; and when it is detected that the predetermined wake-up action is input into the electronic device, sending a wake-up packet carrying predetermined wake-up information to allow an internal circuit of another electronic device to be woken up in response to detection of the predetermined wake-up information. |
| US09432932B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling signal transmission of wireless communication system
A base station broadcasts information of an entire discontinuous signal transmission duration and information of a discontinuous signal transmission interval to a plurality of terminals, and stops transmission of a downlink control signal and data for at least some interval of the discontinuous signal transmission interval. |
| US09432927B2 |
Method and apparatus for effectively controlling cell reselection priority of user equipment in CSG cell
A method by which a User Equipment (UE) controls a cell reselection priority in a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) cell and an apparatus thereof are provided. The method of reselecting a cell by a UE in a mobile communication system includes receiving priority information about a cell reselection priority by frequencies transmitted from the mobile communication system, performing a cell reselection process according to the received priority information, determining whether a CSG cell to which the UE is allowed to connect is reselected, and assigning a highest cell reselection priority to a frequency for the CSG cell in reselecting the CSG cell. |
| US09432925B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer program product for hop count usage in cluster selection
Embodiments enable access to a wireless communications medium. In example embodiments, a method comprises receiving first synchronization messages from a wireless device transmitting synchronization messages in a first neighbor awareness network cluster, the first synchronization messages including a first hop count value to a first anchor master in the first cluster and information describing a first master rank value of the first anchor master; receiving second synchronization messages from a wireless device transmitting synchronization messages in a second neighbor awareness network cluster, the second synchronization messages including a second hop count value to a second anchor master in the second cluster and information describing a second master rank value of the second anchor master; and selecting the first neighbor awareness network cluster or the second neighbor awareness network cluster, based on at least one of the first and second hop count values and the first and second master rank values. |
| US09432924B1 |
Preferred roaming list distribution over wireless local area networks
Systems, methods, and software for providing a preferred roaming list (PRL) to a wireless communication device are provided herein. In one example, a method of operating a wireless local area network (WLAN) device is presented. The method includes receiving a request for network access to the WLAN from a wireless communication device, identifying a PRL for the wireless communication device responsive to at least the request, where the wireless communication device can use the PRL to access a cellular communication service. The method also includes transferring the PRL to the wireless communication device. |
| US09432923B2 |
Authenticated registration of participants for web access at live events
A captive portal technology for registering and authenticating attendees, and for collecting the personal-preferences and social-profile details of individuals participating in a live-event in real-time, is disclosed. Wi-Fi connections within the live-event location are used to register and authenticate the individuals onto a proxy server. Once registered and authenticated, the proxy-server enables a monitoring main server to collect and store the preferences, activities and social profile of the individual in a dedicated database. The authentication provides the individual access to the web for social networking, blogging and other activities at the live-event site. Authorities of live-events are thereby able can identify the individual participants and their habits to provide real time information to improve ticket sales methods, provide incentives, on-site purchase capability and focused advertisements relating to the live-event to improve the live event experience of each individual. |
| US09432916B2 |
Situation aware sensor power management
Methods and systems may provide for determining a status of a mobile platform, wherein the status indicates whether the mobile platform is stationary, and adapting a detection schedule of one or more location sensors on the mobile platform based at least in part on whether the mobile platform is stationary. Additionally, one or more location updates may be generated based at least in part on information from the one or more location sensors. In one example, a location request is received, wherein the detection schedule is adapted further based on quality of service (QoS) information associated with the location request, and wherein the one or more location updates are generated in response to the location request. |
| US09432904B2 |
Mobility-based reselection scan scheduling
An architecture is described that can determine a scanning schedule for reselection scanning in connection with a wireless communication network or service. The architecture can monitor various indicia relating to recent movement of user equipment (UE) such as a wireless device, and, based upon such recent movement indicia, construct a mobility pattern for the UE. In addition, based upon the mobility pattern, the architecture can generate a reselection scanning schedule for the UE designed to optimize tradeoffs between battery life and network awareness. |
| US09432902B2 |
Cell selection in cellular communication systems
A method for cell selection comprises obtaining of user equipment specific information for a user equipment that is present in a first cell of a first base station. The user equipment specific information comprises information of a prevailing radio situation and information of a present decoding performance. A present capability of the user equipment for handling increased interference and a measure of a cell selection offset required to cover the user equipment by a second cell is estimated from the user equipment specific information. It is decided on modifying a cell selection offset for handover between the first cell and the second cell, in dependence on the estimated present capability of the user equipment for handling increased interference and the cell selection offset required to cover the user equipment by the second cell. |
| US09432897B2 |
Handling of access capability information in a mobile network
In a mobile network with a plurality of access networks, a control node which is controlling access of a user equipment to that one of the access networks which is currently used by the user equipment determines an access capability of the user equipment in said access network, e.g. support of voice communication over packet switched access. The control node provides an indication of the determined access capability to a subscriber database associated with the user equipment. The indication may then be retrieved from the subscriber database and be used to control termination of a connection to the user equipment. |
| US09432892B2 |
Method and apparatus for frequency access restriction in cellular communications
A Network node provides information to a base station indicating a list of forbidden frequency from which the base station may or may not offer services. The base station checks the received list of forbidden frequencies when considering whether to provide service to user equipments from a new tracking area or a certain access technology. The base may also transmit a list of allowed frequencies or the list of forbidden frequencies to user equipments to be used thereof. By introducing the possibility to set an amount of frequencies as forbidden in the area and access restriction information of user equipments, operators would be able to offer services like home base station in a simple way to customers. |
| US09432885B2 |
Method and apparatus for packet-switched service handover in wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system and, more specifically, to a method and an apparatus for packet-switched (PS) service handover. The method for performing packet-switched service handover in a terminal of a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving handover policy information from a network node; and determining whether or not to perform the PS service handover in accordance with the handover policy information. The handover policy information may include information indicating a PS service handover event. |
| US09432884B2 |
Method for processing in-device coexistence configuration information, apparatus and system
A method for processing in-device coexistence configuration information, apparatus and system. The method includes: notifying, by a source base station to a target base station, first in-device coexistence configuration information configured by the source base station for terminal equipment, when handover from the source base station to the target base station occurs in the terminal equipment. In this way, the source base station may notify the first in-device coexistence configuration information configured by it for the terminal equipment to the target base station; the target base station receives the first in-device coexistence configuration information, determines whether to configure the terminal equipment with in-device coexistence configuration information, and then notifies the source base station of related configuration information via a handover command. Wherein, when handover occurs in the terminal equipment, the in-device coexistence configuration information may be processed effectively. |
| US09432883B2 |
Method of controlling signaling in wireless communication system and device for supporting the method
A signaling controlling method that is performed by user equipment in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes: receiving an operation control message from a serving cell, wherein the operation control message includes control information for controlling a user equipment-originated indication; determining based on the control information whether to report the user equipment-originated indication; and generating and transmitting the user equipment-originated indication to the serving cell if it is determined that the user equipment-originated indication is to be reported. |
| US09432880B2 |
Intra-frequency load balancing method and apparatus thereof
The present disclosure provides an uplink intra-frequency load balancing method. The uplink intra-frequency load balancing can be performed by adjusting a beam direction of a User Equipment UE. For each of UEs, the method comprises steps of: determining a cell load level of each cell based on an uplink load measurement received from base stations of a plurality of cells; determining a beam-forming capability of the UE based on a beam-forming gain of the UE; and calculating a cell balancing parameter for each of the plurality of cells, according to a common pilot channel CPICH quality report measured by the UE, the cell load levels of the plurality of cells and the beam-forming capability of the UE, so as to determine a beam-forming control cell towards which the beam direction of the UE is directed, the beam-forming control cell being a cell which has an optimal cell balancing parameter among the plurality of cells. The present disclosure further provides, for a UE which supports a CLBF mode but is not in the CLBF mode, a method for selectively activating the CLBF mode so as to enhance the effect of load balancing. The present further provides an uplink intra-frequency load balancing apparatus. |
| US09432878B2 |
Method of generating data block in wireless communication system
A method of generating a data block in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes preparing a first upper data block, a second upper data block and a third upper data block and generating a lower data block comprising a header, the first upper data block, the second upper data block and the third upper data block. The header includes a first length indicator and a second length indicator. The first length indicator indicates the length of the first upper data block and the second length indicator indicates the length of the second upper data block. Data rate can be improved by reducing the size of a header of data blocks. |
| US09432866B2 |
Network diagnostic system for analyzing performance of a radio network during functional over-the-air operation
An apparatus determining network health in a network comprising base station transceivers in bidirectional communication with radios, each having an identifier and transmitting a signal including the identifier. First and second devices each receive the transmitted signal during normal over-the-air operation of the radio, measure signal parameters, and determine operating characteristics of the radio from the parameters. Each of the devices produce a responsive received signal when the first operating characteristics determined by the first device indicate a healthy first radio and the second device produces a responsive received signal when the second operating characteristics determined by the second device indicate a healthy first radio. The devices determine respective signal parameters of the respective received signals. The received signals are time aligned to insure that the devices have determined the respective signal parameters of the same transmitted signal. Network health is indicated by the first and second operating characteristics. |
| US09432863B2 |
Oscilloscope probemeasurement of radio frequency transmission using curved beamsplitter and detector having output clamping circuit
A system is provided for monitoring communication in a wireless network. The system comprises a sniffer device comprising a first antenna, and a beamsplitter having a curved shape and configured to reflect a portion of a beam transmitted by a second antenna toward the first antenna while transmitting a remaining portion of the beam toward a target. |
| US09432861B1 |
Method and system for determining whether to discontinue transmission of a reverse link signal
A mobile station involved in a call receives a forward link signal from a radio access network (RAN) and transmits a reverse link signal to the RAN. If the mobile station detects a reception failure of the forward link signal, such as the receipt of an errored frame, the mobile station determines the power level that the RAN used to transmit the forward link signal when the reception failure occurred. If the RAN was already transmitting at its maximum power level, the mobile station may discontinue transmission of the reverse link signal if the next frame from the RAN is also an errored frame. Otherwise, the mobile station defines a test period that is sufficient for the RAN to increase its transmit power to the maximum level. If the reception failure continues throughout the test period, the mobile station discontinues transmission of the reverse link signal. |
| US09432859B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for testing long term evolution (LTE) air interface device using per-user equipment (per-UE) channel noise
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for testing an air interface device using per user equipment (UE) channel noise are disclosed. One method includes, generating uplink signals at a network equipment test device to be transmitted from plural simulated UEs to an air interface device under test. The method further includes generating and applying per-UE channel noise to the signals, where applying per-UE channel noise includes applying different channel noise to at least some of the uplink signals. The method further includes transmitting the uplink signals with the per-UE channel noise to the air interface device under test. |
| US09432858B2 |
Procedures, apparatuses, systems, and computer program products for microwave throughput feedback and network action using software defined networking
A procedure for directing network traffic, and a system that operates in accordance with the procedure. One or more messages are received, notifying of a degradation or recovery of a network link and remaining available bandwidth. A policy decision is generated based on the degradation or recovery of the network link and remaining available bandwidth and capabilities of other equipment on the network. The policy decision is transmitted to a network element on the network. |
| US09432857B2 |
Wireless communication system and method for controlling wireless communication
A wireless communication system includes a wireless base station and an access control device. The wireless base station is configured to perform a wireless communication with a user terminal. The access control device is connected to a higher level network at an upstream side while being connected to the wireless base station at a downstream side and configured to control an access by the wireless base station to the higher level network. The access control device includes a reception unit and a processing unit. The reception unit is configured to receive a first signal transmitted from the wireless base station. The processing unit is configured to perform a processing depending on a type of abnormality which has occurred at the downstream side of the access control device. The type of abnormality is determined, from among plural types of abnormalities, based on the received first signal. |
| US09432854B2 |
Interference avoidance between overlapping wireless networks
This document discloses a solution for reducing interference between wireless networks. According to an aspect, a method comprises: acquiring, by an access node of a first wireless network from at least one node of the first wireless network, information on at least one interfering node of a second wireless network; generating, by the access node, mapping information between the node of the first wireless network and said at least one interfering node; and causing, by the access node, transmission of the mapping information to another access node of the second wireless network. |
| US09432851B2 |
Bearer signalling management
A method and system of bearer management signalling in a communication network comprising of transporting bearer resource request message of both the UE and RN via DeNB to managing entity of UE within EPC, as a signalling message over uplink channel referred to as ‘Union of Resource Request’ message. The bearer resource response message from one of the managing entity of UE or managing entities of UE and RN within EPC are transported as a signalling message to Evolved Packet Edge (EPE) via DeNB over the downlink channel referred to as ‘Union of Admission Response’. This manages bearer setup signalling as a single loop, by transportation of ‘UR Request’ signalling message and receiving one ‘UA Response’ signalling message over uplink and downlink channels respectively. |
| US09432837B2 |
Method of accessing contact features in smartcards
During a booting procedure when reading the contact features of a smartcard, the body part of a master elementary file is accessed. According to the validity and link of each data, the body part of a Type 1 elementary file, a Type 2 elementary file or a Type 3 elementary file is selectively accessed. The efficiency of the booting procedure can be improved by avoiding unnecessarily accessing the body part of unused data in other types of elementary files. |
| US09432835B2 |
Method and system for routing data to a mobile node in a foreign network
A method for delivering at least one data packet is disclosed originating from a corresponding node in a corresponding network to a mobile node having a home network and being connected to a foreign network different from said home network, the mobile node having a long term IP address belonging to said home network and a care-of-address being the address of an foreign network access router of said foreign network, said networks being connected to an IP network comprising at least one data storage, by respectively a home network access router, a corresponding network access router, and said foreign network access router, the method comprising: a. intercepting said at least one data packet and detecting the destination IP address thereof; b. consulting said at least one data storage, whereby said care-of-address of said mobile node is retrieved by using the destination IP address of said at least one packet; c. forwarding said at least one data packet directly to said care-of-address, and indicating said long term IP address to said foreign network access router. |
| US09432833B2 |
Scheme for discovery in a communication network
A method for performing discovery at a terminal in a communication system is provided. The method includes generating a discovery request message including discovery target information, transmitting the discovery request message to a Proximity Service (ProSe) server that is located in a core network of the communication system and that manages communication of the terminal, and receiving a result of a discovery operation from another entity that performs the discovery operation of the terminal using discovery identification information about the terminal. The other entity is selected based on the discovery target information by the ProSe server. |
| US09432830B2 |
Method of advertising using mobile communications
A system and method is constructed to provide financing of mobile communications by sponsors in return for permitting the dissemination of advertisements before, during, or after a particular call. The system includes a location server through which communication channels can be established, mobile communication terminals inter connected for communication over the communication channels established by the location server, a sponsor server having a memory in which is stored advertisements, and an application module resident on the sponsor server, mobile communication terminal, or location server to control a communication from one of the mobile communication terminals to another of the mobile communication terminals to, at the request of a user of the mobile communication terminal, place advertisements from the sponsor server into the communication and charge the cost of the communication to the sponsor server. |
| US09432816B2 |
Apparatus, system and method of estimating a location of a mobile device
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of estimating a location of a mobile device. For example, an apparatus may include a wireless communication unit to communicate a message between an access point and a mobile device, the message including a group identifier to indicate the access point belongs to a group of two or more access points having local coordinates measured with respect to a common origin point. |
| US09432809B2 |
Providing OTDOA PRS assistance data
Disclosed embodiments pertain to the obtaining and utilization of Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) assistance data. Cell timing information obtained based on measurements by a Mobile Station (MS) of neighbor cells may comprise cell timing offsets of the neighbor cells relative to a serving cell for the MS. OTDOA assistance data may be generated, where the OTDOA assistance data may comprise an OTDOA assistance data reference cell and a cell timing offset between the serving cell and an OTDOA assistance data reference cell, the reference cell being selected based on the received neighbor cell measurements. Embodiments disclosed also pertain to methods on an MS for performing measurements of neighbor cells comprising cell timing information for neighbor cells by requesting idle periods with a desired length from a base station to perform the measurements, and performing the requested measurements upon receiving confirmation that the idle periods have been configured. |
| US09432808B1 |
Education proximity services
Method, systems, and computer-readable media for receiving, from an application instance operating on a client device, education information that indicates a client device identifier, a wireless proximity beacon identifier, and a proximity of the identified client device to the identified wireless proximity beacon. From the received education information, a determination is made whether the proximity of the identified client device to the identified wireless proximity beacon satisfies a threshold proximity. Based at least on the determination, an action is determined that the application instance operating on the identified client device is permitted to perform while the proximity of the identified client device to the identified wireless proximity beacon satisfies the threshold proximity. Education information is transmitted to the identified client device that enables the application instance operating on the identified client device to perform the action. |
| US09432802B2 |
Communication device and communication system
A communication device communicating position information indicative of a position of the communication device with a wireless terminal, includes: a storage section configured to store the position information and a certificate to guarantee correctness of the position information, the certificate being issued upon the position information being authenticated; a sending section configured to send the position information; and a control section configured to control the sending section so that the position information stored in the storage section is sent to the wireless terminal along with the certificate. |
| US09432798B2 |
NFC communication with an information handling system supplemented by a management controller
Near Field Communication (NFC) supports server information handling system management through communication between a mobile information handling system and a baseboard management controller. Enhanced transfer by NFC of management information is provided by manipulating the NFC tag memory assigned for information transfer with the aid of a microcontroller coordinating NFC transfers at the baseboard management controller. The microcontroller manages tag memory and/or system memory so that the portable information handling system writes and reads information beyond the capabilities of unaided tag memory. In one embodiment, the baseboard management controller defines file locations in microcontroller memory so that an application associated with an external NFC device can obtain the files from an NFC transceiver managed by the microcontroller. |
| US09432792B2 |
System and methods for acoustic priming of recorded sounds
A priming signal processing technique modifies digital audio recordings to reduce the stress experienced by a listener's auditory system. A priming signal may reduce the instantaneous stress experienced by the auditory system during sudden changes in signal energy. The priming signal may leverage the temporal auditory masking, such that pre-signal priming additions may not result in obvious differences in perceived sounds. |
| US09432783B2 |
Method of fitting a hearing device
The invention relates to a method for determining an estimated transfer function of an acoustic feedback path during fitting of a hearing device, which receives acoustic signals from an individual's surroundings, modifies the acoustic signals electronically and transmits the modified acoustic signals into the individual's ear or ear canal. In order to save resources in the hearing device, the hearing device reuses a start-up jingle for determining an estimated transfer function during a fitting session upon reception of a predefined message from a fitting apparatus. |
| US09432782B2 |
Electromagnetic transducer with air gap substitute
A balanced electromagnetic transducer, including first and second components connected together by a flexible component, at least a part of which flexes upon exposure of the transducer to energy, wherein the transducer is configured to generate a static magnetic flux that passes from the first component to the second component via the flexible component and travels across no more than two air gaps. |
| US09432779B2 |
Hearing aid antenna
An antenna, in particular a dipole antenna, for radio communication in a hearing aid, is disclosed. The antenna includes a solid three-dimensional dielectric support body, an electrically conductive first plate on a first surface of the support body and an electrically conductive second plate on a second surface of the support body. The first surface and the second surface are arranged on opposing ends of the support body. An electrically conductive filament is arranged on and/or in the support body, electrically coupling the first plate with the second plate, and comprising first sections and second sections. The second sections extend perpendicular to the first sections. |
| US09432776B2 |
Condenser microphone
A condenser microphone includes a condenser microphone unit having a diaphragm and a fixed electrode disposed opposite to the diaphragm; a field effect transistor serving as an impedance converter; and a transistor to generate operational power for the field effect transistor; wherein the field effect transistor comprises a gate, a source and a drain, the gate is connected to the fixed electrode or the diaphragm, the diaphragm disposed opposite to the fixed electrode connected to the gate or the fixed electrode facing the diaphragm connected to the gate is grounded; the source is connected to a base of the transistor; the drain is connected to an emitter of the transistor; and a resistor establishing a base potential of the transistor is disposed between the base of the transistor and a ground. |
| US09432771B2 |
Systems and methods for protecting a speaker from overexcursion
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a system may include a controller configured to be coupled to an audio speaker. The controller may be configured to receive an audio input signal. The controller may also be configured to, based on a linear displacement transfer function associated with the audio speaker, process the audio input signal to generate a modeled linear displacement of the audio speaker, wherein the linear displacement transfer function has a response that models linear displacement of the audio speaker as a linear function of the audio input signal. The controller may further be configured to, based on an excursion linearity function associated with the audio speaker, process the modeled linear displacement to generate a predicted actual displacement of the audio speaker, wherein the excursion linearity function is a function of the modeled linear displacement and has a response modeling non-linearities of the displacement of the audio speaker as a function of the audio input signal. |
| US09432765B2 |
Condenser microphone
A condenser microphone outputs a signal resistive to distortion caused by an excess input without a variation in signal-to-noise ratio. The microphone includes a first condenser microphone unit and a second condenser microphone unit that generate output signals having phases opposite to each other; and a twin variable resistor connected to an output terminal of each of the first and second condenser microphone units. In the microphone, the output signal of the first unit is combined with the output signal of the second unit in a first variable resistor included in the twin variable resistor and the composite signal is applied to an input of the first unit, and the output signal of the first unit is combined with the output signal of the second unit in a second variable resistor included in the twin variable resistor and the composite signal is applied to an input of the second unit. |
| US09432764B2 |
Dynamic acoustic waveguide
A loudspeaker and a method of operation which allow for the production and emphasis of extremely low bass tones. The loudspeaker generally is formed from a loudspeaker driver cone of conventional type which is placed in a very small enclosure with two waveguides attached thereto. A smaller balance waveguide is positioned forward of the face of the cone and a larger tuning waveguide is positioned to the side of the cone. The cross-sectional area of the aperture connections of both waveguides to the enclosure are small compared to the cross-sectional area of the loudspeaker driver cone. |
| US09432753B2 |
Method and apparatus for link sharing among multiple EPONs
One embodiment of the present invention provides an optical line terminal (OLT) in an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON). The OLT includes a number of bi-directional optical transceivers. At least one bi-directional optical transceiver is coupled to an optical network unit (ONU) group that includes a number of ONUs. The OLT further includes a first downstream media access control (MAC) interface configured to provide a first downstream control signal and a splitter configured to split the first downstream control signal to a number of sub-signals. At least one sub-signal is configured to control downstream transmission of a corresponding bi-directional optical transceiver to a corresponding ONU-group. |
| US09432745B2 |
Playback of interactive programs
A method for playing back a program which includes one or more interactive applications. A program which is stored, either in the form of a data stream or as a set of files is played back from a storage device. When playback is started, applications which are detected are launched. Applications are detected in the playback of pushed content when they become available in the playback stream. Applications are detected in the playback of pulled content by comparing the validity ranges of the applications to a current playback index. When special playback modes are used, signals which affect the lifecycle of an application are detected and corresponding signals are generated to maintain the proper state of the application. During these special playback modes, these various notification signals may be conveyed to applications which are configured to operate during these modes. Applications which are not configured to operate during these special playback modes may be terminated when the special modes are initiated and restarted when the special modes end. |
| US09432743B2 |
Suggestive content based on habit
Suggestions for content are based on a habit of a user. Favored genres of content are determined at different times of day. Should content be requested at a particular time of day for which no favored genre of content is determined, then one of the known favored genres of content is suggested. |
| US09432742B2 |
Intelligent channel changing
An intelligent television and methods for interactive channel navigation and channel switching are disclosed. Specifically, an input may be received at the intelligent television that prompts the display of a list or other collection of channel tiles to a display area of an intelligent television. The list or other collection may include at least one channel tile that can visually represent broadcast content available on a channel via an image, without tuning to a channel to retrieve the image. Upon receiving a navigational input, a focus may move to an alternate channel tile. Upon receiving a selection input, the television may tune to the channel that is associated with a channel tile currently associated with a focus. The list or other collection of one or more channel tiles may contain one or more subsets of channel tiles, which may be associated with a collection of favorite or recommended channels. |
| US09432740B2 |
Enhanced information on mobile device for viewed program and control of internet TV device using mobile device
The user of an Internet TV device can control the Internet TV device using a mobile device such as a smart phone. The smart phone also obtains program information from the Internet TV device and sends the information to a server as a search term, presenting supplemental program information received from the server on the display of the mobile device so that a person can browse the supplemental information without disturbing viewers of the Internet TV device. The mobile device can also grab a link related to the program from the Internet TV device and use that link as a recommendation to friends on social networking sites. |
| US09432732B2 |
Imprint client statistical filtering
A method, system API and computer product for adapting reverse data channel (RDC) utilization by selectively restricting the reporting of statistics data from client devices using a client-side filter adapted in response to configuration data from a file or other source file. |
| US09432730B2 |
Multimedia file playback method and apparatus
A multimedia file playback method and apparatus where the multimedia file playback method includes: recognizing a face of a viewer to determine an age type of the viewer, where the age type includes an adult type and a juvenile type; obtaining information about a position and length of a sensitive clip in the multimedia file if the determined age type includes a juvenile type; and playing the multimedia file in which the sensitive clip is hidden to the viewer according to the information about the position and length of the sensitive clip in the multimedia file. The multimedia file playback method and apparatus can prevent inappropriate videos, images, and other information from adversely affecting juveniles. |
| US09432728B1 |
Peripheral transponder bonding module
A tuner receives an input signal in which a high bandwidth video data stream is multiplexed amongst multiple fixed-bandwidth channels. The tuner receives instructions to output the high bandwidth video data stream and tunes and demodulates the input signal for the multiple fixed-bandwidth carriers in parallel. The tuner can apply error correction to the demodulated signal and identify data packets associated with the high bandwidth video data stream. The tuner combines the identified data packets to recover the original high bandwidth video data stream and outputs the high bandwidth video data stream via a universal serial bus port. As such, the tuner can be connected to a legacy receiver unit as an external module that enables the legacy receiver unit to receive high bandwidth video data streams that are multiplexed amongst multiple fixed-bandwidth channels. |
| US09432720B2 |
Localized audio source extraction from video recordings
Technologies are generally described for a system to process a collection of video recordings of a scene to extract and localize audio sources for the audio data. According to some examples, video recordings captured by mobile devices from different perspectives may be uploaded to a central database. Video segments capturing an overlapping portion of the scene at an overlapping time may be identified, and a relative location of each of the video capturing devices may be determined. Audio data for the video segments may be indexed with a sub-frame time reference and relative locations as a function of overlapping time. Using the indices that include the sub-frame time references and relative locations, audio sources for the audio data may be extracted and localized. The extracted audio sources may be transcribed and indexed to enable searching, and may be added back to each video recording as a separate audio channel. |
| US09432719B2 |
A/V System and method supporting a pull data flow scheme
Systems and methods are disclosed for supporting a pull data flow scheme in an A/V decoder. One method relates to processing data using an A/V decoder comprising receiving the data from a data stream and recovering a system time reference from the received data. The received data is processed using a clock asynchronous to the system time reference and pulled into an output device using a system adapted to support a pull data flow. The processed data is output using a time reference locked to the system time reference. |
| US09432712B2 |
Updating channel appearance
For updating channel appearance, an appearance module stores an appearance modification to a channel appearance of a channel providing content from a content host. A modification module updates the channel appearance with the appearance modification if a modification policy is satisfied. |
| US09432705B2 |
Apparatus for transmitting video stream, apparatus for receiving video stream, method for transmitting video stream, and method for receiving video stream
The present invention provides an apparatus for transmitting a video stream, an apparatus for receiving a video stream, a method for transmitting a video stream, and a method for receiving a video stream. One embodiment of the present invention, discloses the method for transmitting the video stream, comprising the steps of: down-sampling a UHD (ultra high definition) video stream to divide the UHD video stream into a sub-stream of a viewable HD compatible video, a sub-stream of an HD-sized video, and a sub-stream of a residual signal as a difference between the HD compatible video and the HD-sized video, and encoding the divided sub-streams; multiplexing signaling information for describing the relationship between the UHD video stream and at least one sub-stream and including the sub-stream; and transmitting the multiplexed HD sub-stream and the signaling information. |
| US09432698B2 |
TS packet grooming
Received data packets are groomed to improve performance of MPEG-2 transport stream packet in a digital video broadcasting system. Multitude of crosschecking techniques are applied to ensure that crucial pieces of information such as the packet identifier (PID) field, the continuity counter (CC) field, table ID, section length, IP header checksum, table and frame boundaries, application data table size are corrected if necessary. |
| US09432690B2 |
Apparatus and method for video processing
Methods and apparatus for facilitating motion estimation in video processing are provided. In one embodiment, search block is defined within one frame. A relative location of a corresponding block in another frame with respect to the search block is determined based on comparative searching at a predetermined granularity to produce a motion vector for the search block with a first precision. Correlation values are determined with respect to the search block for the corresponding block and for one block or more blocks defined at relative locations of less than the predetermined granularity with respect to the corresponding block in different directions. A refined motion vector for the search block with a second higher precision is determined based on the relative location of the block having a selected correlation value that is selected from among the determined correlation values. |
| US09432681B2 |
Image decoding device and method thereof using inter-coded predictive encoding code
An image encoding device and corresponding decoding device are disclosed for achieving a high rate of compression. The encoding device includes an image conversion module that converts the direction of the images using right-left symmetry mode convention or up-down symmetry mode conversion. Encoding modules are used to encode both the unconverted and converted images. A mode selector module compares the quantity of codes in the encoded unconverted images and the quantity of codes in the encoded converted images, and selects codes that are smaller in the quantity of codes for output. |
| US09432679B2 |
Data processing system
A data processing system is provided for processing video data on a window basis. At least one memory unit (L1) is provided for fetching and storing video data from an image memory (IM) according to a first window (R) in a first scanning order. At least one second memory unit (L0) is provided for fetching and storing video data from the first memory unit (L1) according to a second window in a second scanning order (SO). Furthermore, at least one processing unit (PU) is provided for performing video processing on the video data of the second window as stored in the at least one second memory unit (L0) based on the second scanning order (SO). The second scanning order (SO) is a meandering scanning order being orthogonal to the first scanning order (SO1). |
| US09432672B2 |
Image compression method and system with image compression time information
The present disclosure provides an image compression method and system. The method includes: receiving, by an access server, an image compression request submitted by a terminal; selecting, by the access server according to the image compression request's time information, an image compression server whose load is lower than a preset threshold, and sending the image compression request to the selected image compression server; compressing, by the selected image compression server, the images according to the image compression request, saving the compressed images, and forwarding URL addresses of the compressed images to the access server; and forwarding, by the access server, the URL addresses to the terminal. In the present disclosure, an image compression system processes an image compression request of a terminal, and performs load balancing automatically according to the load of various image compression servers in the system, thereby implementing automatic processing of mass images of the terminal. |
| US09432671B2 |
Method and apparatus for classifying machine printed text and handwritten text
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for classifying machine printed text and handwritten text in an input are disclosed. For example, the method defines a perspective for an auto-encoder, receives the input for the auto-encoder, wherein the input comprises a document comprising the machine printed text and the handwritten text, performs an encoding on the input using an auto-encoder to generate a classifier, applies the classifier on the input and generates an output that separates the machine printed text and the handwritten text in the input based on the classifier in accordance with the perspective. |
| US09432667B2 |
Processing bitstream constraints relating to inter-layer prediction types in multi-layer video coding
An apparatus for coding video information may include computing hardware configured to: when a current picture is to be predicted using at least inter layer motion prediction (ILMP): process a collocated reference index value associated with the current picture, wherein the collocated reference index value indicates a first reference picture that is used in predicting the current picture using inter layer prediction (ILP); and determine whether the first reference picture indicated by the collocated reference index value is enabled for ILMP; when the current picture is to be predicted using at least inter layer sample prediction (ILSP): process a reference index value associated with a block in the current picture, wherein the reference index value indicates a second reference picture that is used in predicting the block in the current picture using ILP; and determine whether the second reference picture indicated by the reference index value is enabled for ILSP. |
| US09432665B2 |
Coding least significant bits of picture order count values identifying long-term reference pictures
In general, techniques are described for coding picture order count values identifying long-term reference pictures. A video decoding device comprising a processor may perform the techniques. The processor may be configured to determine a number of bits used to represent least significant bits of the picture order count value that identifies a long-term reference picture to be used when decoding at least a portion of a current picture and parse the determined number of bits from a bitstream representative of the encoded video data. The parsed bits represent the least significant bits of the picture order count value. The processor retrieves the long-term reference picture from a decoded picture buffer based on the least significant bits, and decodes at least the portion of the current picture using the retrieved long-term reference picture. |
| US09432662B2 |
Systems and methods for picture quality monitoring
A receiving device performs an action that results in a corrective measure being taken to address a picture quality issue detected in real time in the frames currently being displayed on a television or other device. The receiving device or a remote system compares indications of video frames currently being displayed to stored video frames for that program to detect macroblocking or a frozen video frame. The macroblocking or a frozen video frame may also or instead be detected by image analysis of the frames currently being displayed. If macroblocking or a frozen video frame is detected in the frames currently being displayed, the set-top box may switch to an alternative video source, change to a standard definition channel broadcasting the same video program or perform other corrective actions. |
| US09432661B2 |
Electronic device, image display method, and image display program
According to an aspect, an electronic device includes: an imaging unit for capturing a subject; and a storage unit for storing therein an image captured by the imaging unit. The image stored in the storage unit is an image that forms a three-dimensional image when displayed in combination with other image of the same subject stored in the storage unit. |
| US09432658B2 |
Image display device
An image display device displays a plurality of image elements of a left-view image and a plurality of image elements of a right-view image on a display in alternation in a horizontal direction, and displays an image element of a black image between each adjacent pairing of an image element of the left-view image and an image element of the right-view image. The image display device uses a parallax barrier to ensure that a left eye of a viewer only views the left-view image and that a right eye of the viewer only views the right-view image. Through the above configuration the image display device reduces occurrence of cross-talk regardless of position of the viewer or shape of the parallax barrier, and improves image quality of a stereoscopic image. |
| US09432657B2 |
Naked-eye stereoscopic display apparatus, viewpoint adjustment method, and naked-eye stereoscopic vision-ready video data generation method
On a display device, a lenticular lens is arranged in a state where a periodic direction thereof is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. Within a maximum predetermined viewing angle defined by two viewpoint images with the largest parallax, a viewpoint adjustment unit sets a first angular region where there is a high possibility that one or more eyes may be present when an observer observes the display device, and a second angular region where there is a low possibility that one or more eyes may be present. The viewpoint adjustment unit adjusts the viewpoints so that a parallax between adjacent viewpoint images in viewpoint images to be presented in the first angular region is reduced more than a parallax between adjacent viewpoint images in viewpoint images to be presented in the second angular region. |
| US09432650B2 |
Image display apparatus, image capturing apparatus, and method of controlling image display apparatus
An image display apparatus which displays an image, and selectively reads out one of a RAW image and a first developed image obtained by performing a developing process and a compression process for the RAW image, as a candidate image to be displayed following a currently displayed image, from a storage medium storing the RAW image and the first developed image, in accordance with the currently displayed image The apparatus also performs a developing process for the RAW image with higher image quality than the first developed image, performs a decompression process for the developed image, stores the candidate image which is processed by the development or the decompression so as to be displayed, and controls to display the stored candidate image on a display unit by switching from the currently displayed image to the candidate image, in response to an instruction to switch the displayed image. |
| US09432637B2 |
System and method for automated bottom feature navigator
System and method for generating vehicle position fixes for an underwater vehicle based on images of a target object on the seafloor. The position of the target object is estimated based on a selected pixel on the target. For each image of the target, there is a different selected pixel, and a different uncertainty associated with the target location based on the selected pixel. Vehicle position fixes for the underwater vehicle are computed based on an analysis of the selected pixels for each target, the uncertainties of the selected pixel positions, the location and uncertainty of location of the vehicle collecting the pixel positions, and other information collected about the target. |
| US09432628B2 |
Information processing device, information processing method, and computer program
There are provided a device and a method enabling execution of recording of content uploaded from a client with specific storage means of a server being specified. In a content upload process from the client to the server, the client obtains storage destination identifiers corresponding to respective storage means of the server from the server and transmits a content storage request including the storage destination identifier of the storage means desired by the client to the server. The server selects the storage means specified by the storage destination identifier received from the client and stores the uploaded content. With this configuration, the client can arbitrarily specify the specific storage means of the server and allows recording of the content to be executed. |
| US09432626B2 |
Using an avatar in a videoconferencing system
Systems and methods for videoconferencing using an avatar are described. The presence of a user may be detected by analyzing video captured by a digital camera. The avatar may be provided to a remote device to represent the detected user. |
| US09432620B2 |
Determining a synchronization relationship
An example partially transmissive display is provided to output data to a user. The partially transmissive display can include a capture device to receive captured data transmitted through the partially transmissive display, and data generated on and/or reflected from the partially transmissive display. A cross-talk reduction component may be included to receive the captured data and a remote signal comprising displayed content on the partially transmissive display. The cross-talk component may utilize the remote signal and the captured data to reduce cross-talk and output a corrected signal to one or more remote participants. |
| US09432618B2 |
Television receiver with a TV phone function
A videophone system includes a processor which selectively sets a television (TV) broadcast program viewing function mode and videophone function mode in response to manual operation of a remote control, a decoder which performs, in the TV program view mode, a TV program-use decode function for decoding a broadcast program signal received from a TV tuner to thereby display it on a display screen while producing audio sounds by loudspeakers and which performs, in the videophone function mode a videophone-use decode function for decoding a videophone signal received from a distant party to thereby display on the screen an image of the distant party using the screen and speakers, and an encoder which performs a videophone-use encode function for encoding a video signal from a camera and a voice signal from a microphone to generate a videophone signal, which is sent to the distant party via a network. |
| US09432616B1 |
Systems and methods for up-scaling video
Methods, systems, devices, and implementing technologies for up-scaling an original source video from a lower, first resolution to a desired output video having a higher, second resolution, using fractal zooming techniques to replace individual source pixels in each respective image frame of the original source video with a plurality of proposed replacement pixels in the vertical and horizontal dimensions having similar characteristics as the individual source pixel, reducing noise associated with each respective frame of the desired output video, re-sizing, as necessary, each respective replacement frame to the second resolution, and outputting each zoomed replacement frame to generate the desired output video, which is an up-scaled version of the original source video. The quality of the up-scaled output video is improved by using artifact filtering and linear smoothing techniques after the initial search and replace steps of the fractal zooming process. |
| US09432614B2 |
Integrated downscale in video core
Implementations include video image processing systems, methods, and apparatus for integrated video downscale in a video core. The downscaler computes and writes a display frame to an external memory. This frame may have the same resolution as a target display device (e.g., mobile device). The target display device then reads this display frame, rather than the original higher resolution frame. By enabling downscale during encoding/decoding, the device can conserve resources such as memory bandwidth, memory access, bus bandwidth, and power consumption associated with separately downscaling a frame of video data. |
| US09432613B2 |
Graphic user interface for playing video data
A graphic user interface is provided to facilitate a playback of a movie from any desired point. The graphic user interface includes a track bar to reflect how much time data pertaining to the movie title is available for playback. After it is determined that a current data point is being dragged along the track bar, a time corresponding to the current data point is tracked as such a subsequent playback of the movie starts right from the current data point. In one embodiment, dragging the current data point along the track bar is achieved by a scroll wheel. |
| US09432612B2 |
Environmental adjustments to perceive true content
Methods and systems to evaluate the ambient light in a local viewing environment where video content is being displayed, and to make adjustments to the ambient light, video display device, and/or video content to cause the perception of the color and brightness of the video content to the viewer to be true to what the video content producer intended the viewer to perceive. |
| US09432611B1 |
Voice radio tuning
A method includes receiving text data corresponding to user speech recognized by a voice recognition system. The method also includes determining a desired radio and a desired radio frequency based at least on the text data. Additionally, the method includes performing one or more radio tuning operations to tune the desired radio to the desired radio frequency. |
| US09432605B2 |
Image sensor, operating method thereof, and system including same
A method of operating an image processing system includes storing differences between first analog pixel signals and second analog pixel signals and converting the stored differences to one-bit digital signals, the first analog pixel signals being output from a plurality of pixels and corresponding to a previous frame, and the second analog pixel signals being output from the plurality of pixels and corresponding to a current frame. |
| US09432594B2 |
User recognition apparatus and method
A user recognition apparatus includes: a visible-light image processing unit configured to acquire a visible-light image using a visible-light camera; an infrared-light image processing unit configured to acquire an infrared-light image using an infrared-light camera; a threshold value processing unit configured to remove a background of the infrared-light image using a threshold value, and generate a clipped infrared-light image; an optical flow processing unit configured to calculate an optical flow based on the clipped infrared-light image and the visible-light image, and generate a clipped visible-light image based on the calculated optical flow; and a visible light processing unit configured to recognize a user based on the clipped visible-light image. |
| US09432592B2 |
Infrared imaging microscope using tunable laser radiation
An imaging microscope (12) for generating an image of a sample (10) comprises a beam source (14) that emits a temporally coherent illumination beam (20), the illumination beam (20) including a plurality of rays that are directed at the sample (10); an image sensor (18) that converts an optical image into an array of electronic signals; and an imaging lens assembly (16) that receives rays from the beam source (14) that are transmitted through the sample (10) and forms an image on the image sensor (18). The imaging lens assembly (16) can further receive rays from the beam source (14) that are reflected off of the sample (10) and form a second image on the image sensor (18). The imaging lens assembly (16) receives the rays from the sample (10) and forms the image on the image sensor (18) without splitting and recombining the rays. |
| US09432591B2 |
Multiscale optical system having dynamic camera settings
A multiscale imaging system including microcameras having controllable focus, dynamic range, exposure, and magnification is disclosed. The objective lens forms a three-dimensional image field of a scene. Image regions of the image field are relayed by the microcameras onto their respective focal-plane arrays, which collectively provide a plurality of digital sub-images of the scene. The digital sub-images can then be used to form a composite digital image of the scene that can have enhanced depth-of-field, enhanced dynamic range, parallax views of the scene, or three-dimensionality. |
| US09432587B1 |
Near-field enhanced photon conversion
A photon conversion assembly. The photon conversion assembly includes a first plurality of photon conversion particles configured to convert photons in a first received band to photons in a first converted band, and a second plurality of photon conversion particles configured to convert photons in a second received band to photons in a second converted band. A first plasmonic near-field enhancement material that enhances an attraction of photons in the first received band is positioned in proximity to at least some of the first plurality of photon conversion particles, and a second plasmonic near-field enhancement material that enhances an attraction of photons in the second received band is positioned in proximity to at least some of the second plurality of photon conversion particles. |
| US09432583B2 |
Method of providing an adjusted digital image representation of a view, and an apparatus
According to one aspect of the inventive concept there is provided a method of providing an adjusted digital image representation of a view, the method comprising providing a set of images, wherein the images of said set depict a same view and are captured with a digital camera using different configurations of the digital camera; determining an initial representation of the view by providing a primary image based on image data of at least a first image of said set; sending the primary image for presentation of the initial representation on a display; providing a secondary image based on image data of at least a second image of said set, wherein the first image and the second image are different images; and sending, in response to receiving a user command, the secondary image for presentation of an adjusted representation of the view on the display. |
| US09432570B2 |
Image processing device, imaging device, image processing method and computer readable medium
A sensitivity acquisition section that acquires sensitivity to light incident through the first region of pixels in a pupil division direction of the first pixel group, and acquires sensitivity to light incident through the second region of pixels in the pupil division direction of the second pixel group; a correction section that derives linearly approximated sensitivity correction coefficients for each of the first image and the second image based on the sensitivities, and corrects the brightness of the first and second images based on the derived sensitivity correction coefficients; and a generation section that generates a first display image based on an image signal output from the image pick-up device, and generates a second display image for use in focus verification based on the first and second images corrected by the correction section. |
| US09432565B2 |
Helmet camera system
A portable video capture device configured to be securely mounted within a conventional sports helmet. The camera is mounted within the front of the frame of the helmet, a id is designed to be flush with the front of the helmet. The components of the camera, including a power source, a lens, a wireless transmitter and an antenna, are configured to be safely housed within the frame of the helmet between the foam padding and the outer housing of the helmet. The transmitting antenna is designed to transmit a video feed via, the wireless transmitter from the camera to a receiver on a static, user-defined frequency, so that multiple iterations of the present invention may be utilized simultaneously on the same playing field. |
| US09432559B2 |
Front cover for a housing enclosing a camera
The invention provides for a front cover (10) adapted for a housing enclosing a camera. The front cover (10) comprises an aperture (12) covered by a window (14) made of a flexible material, the window (14) being fixed to the front cover (10) by a flexible adhesive (16). |
| US09432558B2 |
Image capturing module having a built-in dustproof structure
An image capturing module having a built-in dustproof structure includes an image sensing unit, a housing frame and an actuator structure. The image sensing unit includes a substrate and an image sensing chip disposed on the substrate. The housing frame is disposed on the substrate to surround the image sensing chip. The actuator structure includes a lens holder disposed on the housing frame and a movable lens assembly movably disposed inside the lens holder. More precisely, the lens holder has a first surrounding structure disposed on the inner surrounding surface thereof, and the movable lens assembly has a second surrounding structure disposed on the outer perimeter surface thereof and located above the first surrounding structure, and the first surrounding structure of the lens holder and the second surrounding structure of the movable lens assembly are mated with each other to form the built-in dustproof structure. |
| US09432554B2 |
Methods and systems for displays with chromatic correction having differing chromatic ranges
There are provided methods and systems for color correcting displays with different color gamuts. A method includes performing an initial color correction on source picture content using a reference type display having a reference color gamut to obtain mastered color corrected picture content for display on reference type displays having the reference color gamut. The method further includes determining a first set of metadata defining a color gamut mapping specification for a color gamut mapping from a non-reference type display having a non-reference color gamut to the reference type display. The method also includes performing a subsequent color correction using the non-reference type display and the mastered color corrected picture content to create a second set of metadata directed to non-reference type displays having the non-reference color gamut. The method additionally includes generating a final set of metadata from the first set of metadata and the second set of metadata, for a subsequent color transform that color transforms the mastered color corrected picture content for display on non-reference type displays for consumer consumption. The source picture content is mastered for consumer consumption only for the reference type displays having the reference color gamut. |
| US09432548B1 |
Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus using the same
An optical scanning device includes a light source unit, a deflector, and a scanning lens. The deflector reflects first and second light beams emitted from the light source such that the beams scan a scanned surface in main scanning direction. The scanning lens is disposed between the deflector and the scanned surface, includes incident and emission surfaces, and focuses the first and second light beams on the scanned surface. At least one of incident and emission surfaces is an optical refractive surface in which first and second refractive surfaces through which the first and second light beams pass respectively are arranged in alignment in the sub scanning direction. An interval between a first generatrix of the first refractive surface and a second generatrix of the second refractive surface in the sub scanning direction increases from a center portion toward end portions of the scanning lens in the main scanning direction. |
| US09432546B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method of starting up modules in the image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an electric power supply, a plurality of modules, a startup time calculator, and a fastest startup pattern determiner. The plurality of modules include a plurality of direct current (DC) modules and at least one alternating current (AC) module, and the modules are to be driven by an electric power supplied from the electric power supply. The startup time calculator calculates a startup time of each of the modules. The fastest startup pattern determiner determines a fastest startup pattern based on the startup time of each of the modules calculated by the startup time calculator, and starts up the modules in accordance with the determined fastest startup pattern. The fastest startup pattern is determined based on a longest startup time among the startup times of the DC and AC modules. |
| US09432543B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method of supplying power thereof
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a power supply configured to receive and convert an alternating current (AC) voltage into at least one direct current (DC) voltage, and output the same, a DC-DC converter configured to convert the at least one DC voltage into a driving voltage at a predetermined level, and a controller configured to be activated by the driving voltage, and control the power supply to turn on the image forming unit by supplying a first DC voltage to the image forming unit, and after the image forming unit has been turned on, supplying a second DC voltage at a higher level than a level of the first DC voltage to the image forming unit. |
| US09432542B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method of controlling power-saving mode of image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus and a method of controlling power-saving modes of the image forming apparatus are provided. The method of controlling power-saving modes of the image forming apparatus includes beginning a first power-saving mode after standing by in a normal mode for first time if no print operation is implemented, and beginning a second power-saving mode after standing by in the normal mode for second standby time if an error occurs under implementation of a print operation, wherein the second time is shorter than the first time, and the second power-saving mode includes a an error-checking mode. |
| US09432538B2 |
Image forming apparatus, document sheet size detection method
An image forming apparatus that includes: an image reading portion capable of reading image data of the document sheet; document sheet detection sensors; an ADF including a document holding surface on which first and second areas having different reflection characteristics and third and fourth areas having different reflection characteristics are formed; a first reading control portion that causes the image reading portion to read image data of both the first and second areas when the ADF is closed; a first document sheet width detection portion that detects a width of the document sheet based on the image data read from the first area or the image data read from the second area; and a first size detection portion capable of detecting the size of the document sheet based on detection results from the first document sheet width detection portion and the document sheet detection sensors. |
| US09432535B2 |
Image reading apparatus
An image reading apparatus includes a conveyor configured to convey a sheet in a conveying direction along a conveyance path; a first reading unit configured to read an image of a first surface of the sheet conveyed by the conveyor through a first reading surface; a second reading unit configured to read an image of a second surface opposite to the first surface of the sheet conveyed by the conveyor through a second reading surface; a first pressing member, which is made of a resin, is configured to face the first reading surface and is configured to urge the sheet passing through the conveyance path towards the first reading surface; and a second pressing member, which is made of metal, is configured to face the second reading surface and configured to urge the sheet passing through the conveyance path towards the second reading surface. |
| US09432532B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and medium using an action state of a user
There is provided an information processing apparatus including an action recognition unit configured to recognize an action state of a user based on a measurement result obtained by a sensor carried by the user, an image processing unit configured to perform a process regarding an amount of information on an image photographed by a photographing unit based on an action state of the user recognized by the action recognition unit during photographing by the photographing unit carried by the user, and a transmission control unit configured to cause the image processed by the image processing unit to be transmitted to an image processing device used to perform image recognition. |
| US09432527B2 |
Image forming system, method of controlling image forming apparatus by using messenger application of mobile device, and the mobile device for performing the method
An image forming system to control an image forming apparatus by using a messenger application, a mobile device, and a method are provided. The image forming system includes a mobile device to activate a chat user interface to interface with an account of the image forming apparatus on the messenger application, and sending user messages to control a printing function of the image forming apparatus, a cloud server to receive the user messages from a messenger server, providing response messages of the account of the image forming apparatus in response to the user messages, and communicating with the mobile device in a conversational manner, thus controlling the printing of the image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus whose printing is controlled by the cloud server based on the user messages or providing monitoring information of a current status. |
| US09432526B2 |
Image forming system, image forming apparatus, remote control apparatus, and recording medium for displaying an input screen
A remote control apparatus includes a display unit that displays an operation screen for remote control of an image forming apparatus, a communication unit that, when operation input is a display instruction to display a character input screen, receives character type information indicating a type of characters to be input in the character input screen from the image forming apparatus, and a display control unit that, when the character type information is received, activates a handwriting input application installed in the remote control apparatus and displays a handwriting input screen for the handwriting input application on the display unit, on condition that the character type information indicates a first character type. When the character type information indicates a second character type different from the first character type, the display control unit displays a character input screen for input of the second character type without activating the handwriting input application. |
| US09432525B2 |
Methods and systems for top-up
Methods and systems for top-up are provided. A representative top-up system includes an interface module that receives and transmits a phone number associated with a phone user's account; and a top-up gateway that receives and transmits the phone number from the interface module and requests for a telephone service company associated with the phone number to a home location register (HLR) look up service. The top-up gateway tops up phone minutes and/or balance of money of the phone user's account associated with the phone number based on the phone number, and requested telephone service company. |
| US09432523B1 |
System, method, and computer program for rerating customer events in parallel with executing one or more open sessions in a consumer telecommunication network
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for rerating customer events in parallel with executing one or more open sessions in a consumer telecommunications network. In use, accumulated events of a current billing cycle are rerated in accordance with a billing plan associated with a telecommunications subscriber. Additionally, one or more counters associated with one or more accumulators corresponding to the telecommunications subscriber are updated, in response to the rerating. In addition, one or more open sessions associated with the telecommunications subscriber are identified. Furthermore, at least one existing reservation associated with the one or more open sessions that requires modification as a result of updating the one or more counters associated with the one or more accumulators corresponding to the telecommunications subscriber is identified. Moreover, authorization for at least one updated reservation for the at least one existing reservation associated with the one or more open sessions that requires modification is automatically requested. |
| US09432519B1 |
Identifying and processing of unreturned calls in IPBX
Apparatuses and methods concerning routing of calls in an IPBX server are disclosed. As an example, one apparatus includes a first processing circuit communicatively coupled to an IPBX server. The IPBX server is configured to route VoIP calls for a plurality of end-users having respective VoIP-enabled devices and generate call event messages for the routed calls. The first processing circuit is configured to generate call summary metrics from the call event messages. The call summary metrics indicate respective sets of call data for participants of the calls routed by the IPBX server. A second processing circuit is configured to evaluate the call summary metrics to identify a set of incoming calls to the IPBX that were missed and have not been returned by the end-users. The second processing circuit is further configured to cross-correlate the identified set of incoming calls with a secondary data source to determine a respective priorities for the set of incoming calls. The respective priorities include a higher priority for at least one call and a lower priority for at least one call. The second processing circuit stores data indicating calls of the identified set determined to have the higher priority. |
| US09432513B2 |
Local voicemail for mobile devices
This document describes various techniques for implementing local voicemail on a mobile device. These techniques may include enabling the mobile device to answer a voice call, record audio of the voice call to provide a voicemail file, and store the voicemail file to local computer-readable media. A locally stored voicemail file may be associated with relevant data, exposed via the associated data for local processing, and/or manipulated through a user interface of the mobile device. |
| US09432504B2 |
Central call platform
A system and method for providing telephone services to a secure facility from an external, centralized call platform. An embodiment of the system includes a call processing center that is external to the facility and includes a plurality of computer clusters, and is configured to route communications to and from a router located at the secure facility. Having a majority of the system located outside the facility reduces equipment requirements at each individual facility, improves security and uptime, and provides more efficient management and expansion of the call platform. |
| US09432494B1 |
Methods and systems for creating a dynamic call log and contact records
The present invention is related to telecommunications, and in particular, to methods and systems for processing call signaling data. In an embodiment, a call processing system receives a first message from a switch while the switch is processing a call for a calling party, wherein the first message is initiated at least partly in response to a firing of a call event trigger configured within a switch. The first message includes call signaling information, including the calling party's phone number. The calling party's phone number is stored in the call processing system. A communication channel is established over a network between the call processing system and a computer associated with the called party. A message is transmitted to the networked computer, the message including the calling party's phone number, wherein the calling party's phone number is intended to be displayed on the networked computer associated with the called party. |
| US09432490B2 |
Portable sliding electronic device operable to disable a touchscreen display when opening and closing the device
A portable electronic device (200), including a first housing (204), a second housing (202) slidably coupled to the first housing, the first housing and the second housing movable between a closed position, an open position and a transition position between the open position and the closed position, at least one input device (212), and at least one position sensor (230, 232) operable to detect whether the portable electronic device is in the open position, the closed position or the transition position. When the at least one position sensor detects the transition position, the at least one input device is disabled. |
| US09432487B2 |
System and method for network protocol offloading in virtual networks
Disclosed herein are a system and method for network protocol offloading in virtual networks. An embodiment method of offloading a network protocol processing task for a message includes receiving, at a virtual switch, the message from a virtual source node destined for a virtual receiver node. The network protocol processing for the message is offloaded from the virtual source node and deferred when the virtual receiver node is safe for network protocol offloading. When the virtual receiver node is unsafe for network protocol offloading, the network protocol processing task is executed within the virtual switch. When the virtual receiver node is safe for network protocol offloading and a path between the virtual switch and the virtual receiver node includes a physical network interface, the network protocol processing task is executed using the physical network interface. |
| US09432484B1 |
CIM-based data storage management system having a restful front-end
Techniques are directed to a method performed by a computing device. The method includes (a) receiving, from a client via a network connection of the computing device, a first management request to manage a data storage system, the first management request being in a RESTful style, (b) generating, by the computing device, a second management request formatted in a non-RESTful style compliant with a back-end storage management protocol, (c) sending the second management request to a back-end storage management server, (d) receiving a first management response from the back-end storage management server in response to the second management request, the first management response being formatted in the non-RESTful style compliant with the back-end storage management protocol, (e) converting, by the computing device, the first management response into a second management response in the RESTful style, and (f) sending the second management response to the client via the network connection. |
| US09432480B2 |
Magnetic induction network device
A network device has a housing, a magnetic induction charger, a wireless data link and a processor. The housing has one or more sides. The induction charger is housed by the housing and is arranged to wirelessly charge a rechargeable battery of a portable electronic device. The electronic device is adjacent to or in contact with the housing. The wireless data link communicates with the portable electronic device. The processor communicates with the magnetic induction charger and the wireless data link. In addition, the processor recognizes the portable electronic device and associates a profile with the portable electronic device. The processor delivers content to an associated media device based on the profile. |
| US09432476B1 |
Proxy data storage system monitoring aggregator for a geographically-distributed environment
Techniques are described for utilizing proxy data storage system monitoring aggregators, which are able to keep in synchronization with a central data storage system monitoring aggregator to provide distributed access to the aggregated state and performance monitoring data of all of the data storage arrays. |
| US09432474B2 |
Control method, control device, and processor in software defined network
A control method, a control device, and a processor in a software defined network (SDN). In the control method, the control device, and the processor in the SDN provided by the embodiments of the present invention, location information of a network device registered in another control device in the SDN is obtained, so that a remote object proxy of the network device can be established according to the location information, and the network device is controlled using the remote object proxy. Therefore, it is unnecessary to send a control or operation request to device objects of all network devices in other control devices, thereby avoiding a step that the device objects of all the network devices in the other control devices receive a service control request and perform determining, and improving service processing performance. |
| US09432473B2 |
Online presence management for web sites
Systems and methods to provide online presence management are provided. A presence message is received from a browser associated with a user. One or more channels indicated by the presence message are determined, each channel being associated with an activity of the user. A presence state for each of the one or more channels are then determined, and a presence storage may be updated. Presence information comprising the presence state for the user may be provided to browsers of subscribers who subscribed to the same one or more channels. The presence information may be provided without an explicit request from the browsers. |
| US09432468B2 |
System and method for design and dynamic generation of a web page
A system and method for dynamically generating a web page is disclosed. The web page includes a frame having content cells. Content for the content cells is provided based in part on business rules. A business rules engine processes, in real-time, an online interaction and determines appropriate content for the content cells. The business rules engine outputs a pointer to the content which is used to populate the content cell. |
| US09432466B2 |
Member time zone inference
Techniques for inferring a time zone of a user (e.g., a member of an online social network service) are described. According to various embodiments, it is determined that a particular member of an online social networks service is currently located in a particular country. Responsive to determining that a single time zone is associated with the particular country, it is determined that the particular member is currently located in the single time zone. Responsive to determining that multiple time zones are associated with the particular country, an IP address associated with a user login request is accessed, a geographic location associated with the IP address is identified, and a specific one of the multiple time zones that corresponds to the geographic location is identified. It is determined that the particular member is currently located in the specific time zone. |
| US09432461B2 |
Methods, devices, systems, and computer program products for managing and delivering media content
An aspect of managing media content includes a memory device and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory device. The processor executes program instructions for causing the processor to perform operations. The operations include providing user-selectable options for managing storage space in the memory device that is allocated for an account. The options include an option for defining a condition for generating an alert when a threshold amount of the storage space is consumed. The operations also include receiving a data stream from a media device assigned to the account, determining an encoding rate corresponding to the data stream, monitoring consumption of the storage space, and upon determining the condition is met, transmitting the alert to the media device. The alert indicates an amount of storage space consumed and an approximated amount of recording time remaining for the data stream before a maximum capacity of the storage space is reached. |
| US09432459B2 |
System and method for implementing a scalable data storage service
A system that implements a scalable data storage service may maintain tables in a non-relational data store on behalf of clients. The system may provide a Web services interface through which service requests are received, and an API usable to request that a table be created, deleted, or described; that an item be stored, retrieved, deleted, or its attributes modified; or that a table be queried (or scanned) with filtered items and/or their attributes returned. An asynchronous workflow may be invoked to create or delete a table. Items stored in tables may be partitioned and indexed using a simple or composite primary key. The system may not impose pre-defined limits on table size, and may employ a flexible schema. The service may provide a best-effort or committed throughput model. The system may automatically scale and/or re-partition tables in response to detecting workload changes, node failures, or other conditions or anomalies. |
| US09432457B2 |
Redirecting local storage to cloud storage
One embodiment is directed to a method of providing access to cloud storage performed by a mobile computing device. The method includes (a) receiving a file-level access command to perform a file-level operation on a file of filesystem storage of the mobile computing device, the filesystem storage including remote storage provided by a remote storage platform and locally-cached storage provided by local storage, (b) evaluating whether the file-level access command is directed to a pre-determined portion of the filesystem provided by the remote storage platform, (c) in response to evaluating, if the file-level access command is directed to the pre-determined portion, then performing a synchronization operation to ensure that the file is stored on local storage in synchronization with the remote storage platform, and (d) fulfilling the file-level access command by accessing the local storage once the file is stored on local storage in synchronization with the remote storage platform. |
| US09432453B2 |
System and method for sharing geospatial assets between local devices
A system and method for sharing geospatial assets between local devices is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method may generally include storing a geospatial asset on a first local device. The first local device may include a processor and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configures the first local device to act as a local server. The method may also include transmitting with the local server data indicating the availability of the geospatial asset to be shared, receiving from a second local device a request to share the geospatial asset and sharing the geospatial asset with the second local device. |
| US09432452B2 |
Systems and methods for dynamic networked peer-to-peer content distribution
Peer-to-peer (P2P) dynamic networks and/or sub-networks for file distribution between peers receiving the same content, wherein nodes are outside controlled networks and/or content distribution networks (CDNs), and wherein large data files are distributed or shared across and among the peer nodes. |
| US09432443B1 |
Multi-variate computer resource allocation
The present invention provides a method for multi-variate allocation of hardware resources to workloads on a computer system as a function of load and at least one of performance and utilization. |
| US09432438B2 |
Data locker synchronization
Disclosed are various embodiments enabling a saved state of an application to be stored at a central location and to be retrieved by multiple computing devices executing the application. Accordingly, saved states of applications and interfaces are also enabled to follow a user from one personal computing device to the next. |
| US09432435B2 |
Fast-start streaming and buffering of streaming content for personal media player
Systems and methods allow playback of a media stream received via a network. The media stream is received and stored in a buffer prior to playback. Responsive to receiving the user command to change the content of the media stream, the buffer is flushed prior to receiving the changed content in the media stream. |
| US09432434B2 |
Method and apparatus for time stretching to hide data packet pre-buffering delays
A special rendering mode for the first few seconds of play out of multimedia data minimizes the delay caused by pre-buffering of data packets in multimedia streaming applications. Instead of pre-buffering all incoming data packets until a certain threshold is reached, the streaming application starts playing out some of the data packets immediately after the arrival of the first data packet. Immediate play out of the first data packet, for example, results in minimum delay between channel selection and perception, thereby allowing a user to quickly scan through all available channels to quickly get a notion of the content. The immediate play out is done at a reduced speed. |
| US09432426B2 |
Determining available media data for network streaming
A client device includes one or more processors configured to send a plurality of probe requests for segments of media data to a server device, wherein the server device provides the media data using a live streaming service, analyze responses to the plurality of probe requests to determine a left edge and a right edge of a segment availability window, and send a request for a segment within the segment availability window based on the determined left edge and the determined right edge of the segment availability window, in accordance with the live streaming service. |
| US09432425B2 |
Method and system for downloading content
The present document discloses a method and system for realizing content download, including: after a portal site receives a request for triggering download, generating a pseudo uniform resource locator (URL) for a content to be downloaded, establishing corresponding relationship information of the pseudo URL and a real URL of the content, and sending the pseudo URL of the content to a terminal which wants to download the content; the terminal which wants to download the content triggering the download to a download engine according to the pseudo URL; and the download engine inquiring the corresponding relationship information of the pseudo URL and the real URL of the content according to the pseudo URL, acquiring the real URL of the content, and downloading the content to the terminal which wants to download the content according to the acquired real URL. |
| US09432420B2 |
Communication system, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing communication program and communication device
A communication system includes a first communication device and a second communication device connecting to a LAN. Using a first proxy setting for a specific proxy server, the first communication device communicates with a conference server via a proxy server to establish a session. If the session has not been established, the first communication device determines whether LAN information identifying the LAN is included in history information stored in the first communication device. If the LAN information is includes in the history information, the first communication device transmits setting request data to the second communication device identified by device information associated with the LAN information. If the second processor receives the setting request data, the second processor transmits the second proxy setting to the first communication device. The first communication device communicates with the conference server to establish a session using the received second proxy setting. |
| US09432418B1 |
Presenting an event-related post in a stream
Systems and methods for presenting an event-related post in a stream are provided. In some aspects, a plurality of event-related posts are received. Each of the plurality of event-related posts is visible to a viewing user. That a subset of the plurality of event-related posts is of interest to the viewing user is determined based on a set of factors. The subset of the plurality of event-related posts are presented within a stream for the viewing user. |
| US09432416B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method of managing communication, and recording medium storing communication management program
A communication management system that manages a plurality of communication terminals transmits, to a request communication terminal, one of operation state information indicating that an operation state of a candidate counterpart communication terminal is unknown or information indicating that a communications protocol of the candidate counterpart communication terminal is different from a communications protocol of the request communication terminal, when the communications protocol is different between the candidate counterpart communication terminal and the request communication terminal. The request communication terminal displays information to a user, which is generated based on the information received from the communication management system. |
| US09432414B2 |
Control of codec negotiation for communication connection
The invention relates to a session control entity, method and a computer program product for receiving a request for a session, deciding on removal of a user plane gateway from a user plane of the session, extracting, when the user plane gateway is to be removed, a first codec list in the second encoding and removing the first codec list from the request for the session. Further, removing a second codec list in the first encoding from the request for the session, deriving a third codec list, when the user plane gateway is to be removed, from the first codec list, or, when the user plane gateway is not to be removed, from the second codec list, including in the request for the session, a third codec list in the first encoding, and transmitting the request for the session. |
| US09432410B2 |
System and method for extending SCIM / service broker processing IMS initial filter criteria (IFC) for pipeline processing
In accordance with various embodiments, systems and methods that integrate pipeline processing into a SCIM are provided. Such a system can include a plurality of applications, executing on one or more application servers. Each application server operates on one or more microprocessors. The system can further include a SCIM, which is operable to manage activation of the plurality of applications in one or more application chains. Each application chain can include pipeline blocks comprising two or more back-to-back applications and the two or more applications in each pipeline block can be activated in a same order in a forward and a backwards direction. |
| US09432407B1 |
Providing and accessing data in a standard-compliant manner
In certain embodiments, a computer-implemented method includes receiving intercepted data associated with a first entity. The intercepted data may be intercepted in response to a request for information from a second entity. The method may include converting the intercepted data from a first format to a second format, the second format compliant with a standard for providing intercepted data to the second entity. The method may include storing, in one or more memory units, the intercepted communication data in the second format. The one or more memory units may be part of a subset of a plurality of computing resources designated for use by the first entity. The method may include storing audit data providing a record of a chain of custody of the intercepted communication data. The method may include providing access to a portion of the stored intercepted communication data in the second format to the second entity. |
| US09432397B2 |
Preboot environment with system security check
Booting an operating system that includes a secure preboot environment that performs integrity checks against security threats. A computer system boots to a preboot environment, which performs integrity checks and other anti-malware operations. Once the preboot environment finishes, the system reboots into a regular environment. The preboot environment can reside on a secure portion of a flash memory, with a computer system booting therefrom; or the preboot environment can reside securely in the computer system. The preboot environment includes integrity checks for a regular environment, and anti-malware programming. Once the preboot environment is done, the computer system reboots into a regular environment, such as from the flash memory or on the computer system. The integrity checks confirm that files in the regular environment are unchanged or uninfected. The integrity checks include determining the accuracy of a trusted system configuration on the computer system, such as using a TPM. |
| US09432392B2 |
System and method for performing remote security assessment of firewalled computer
Methods and systems for scanning an endpoint terminal across an open computer network are disclosed. An exemplary method includes providing a scanner engine in a computer server in communication with an open computer network, and establishing a secure connection across the open computer network between the scanner engine and a scanner agent installed on the endpoint terminal in communication with the open computer network. Commands for collecting data regarding the endpoint terminal are sent from the scanner engine across the secure connection to the scanner agent. The scanner engine then receives the collected data from the scanner agent across the secure connection, analyzes the data to assess a current posture of the endpoint terminal, and determines any updates for the endpoint terminal from the analysis. Updates are sent across the secure connection to the scanner agent for installation on the endpoint terminal, and the secure connection may then be terminated. |
| US09432389B1 |
System, apparatus and method for detecting a malicious attack based on static analysis of a multi-flow object
In an embodiment, a threat detection and prevention system comprises a network-traffic static analysis logic and a classification engine. The network-traffic static analysis logic is configured to conduct an analysis of a multi-flow object by analyzing characteristics of the multi-flow object and determining if the characteristics of the multi-flow object is associated with a malicious attack such as being indicative of an exploit for example. The classification engine is configured to receive results of the analysis of the multi-flow object and, based on the results of the analysis of the multi-flow object, determine whether the multi-flow object is associated with a malicious attack. |
| US09432388B2 |
System and method for recording and monitoring communications using a media server
A communication system including a media server through which communication packets are exchanged for recording and monitoring purposes is disclosed. A tap is associated with each communication endpoint allowing for cradle to grave recording of communications despite their subsequent routing or branching. An incoming communication is routed to a first tap and upon selection of a receiving party; the first tap is routed to a second tap which forwards communication packets on to the receiving party. The taps may be used to forward communication packets to any number of other taps or destinations, such as a recording device, monitoring user, or other user in the form of a conference. |
| US09432386B2 |
Mobile point-of-presence for on demand network client services and security
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed which relate to implementing a point-of-presence system on a mobile service network. Such a point-of-presence system includes a mobile device communications network; a mobile device; a point-of-presence logic installed on a mobile device; and an application server in communication with the point-of-presence logic via the communications network. Communications between the point-of-presence logic and the network and application server include network data, configuration, and/or installation of connection and device management applications. This point-of-presence system constitutes a mechanism for the service provider to best optimize network resources, even at the device level, while providing optimum network service to mobile users—even for mobile devices that have not been pre-configured for the mobile service network. |
| US09432381B2 |
Managed dissemination of location data
A location provider manages dissemination of location data of a user to one or more third-party services, so that the user can take advantage of services offered by the third parties, without the associated burden of continuously granting or denying requests by the third party services to obtain location data of the user. A third-party service can obtain location information of a user from the location provider. Users may control circumstances in which the location provider is to share location data of the user with the one or more third-party services. |
| US09432379B1 |
Dynamic authorization in a multi-tenancy environment via tenant policy profiles
In one example, a method for managing user access includes creating a set of user characteristics for authorization of a user. The user characteristics are compared to application roles included in respective application authorization profiles, each of which corresponds to a different respective application. Matches are identified between the user characteristics and multiple application roles, and matching application roles and associated respective privilege masks are extracted from the application authorization profiles. The extracted information is used to create multiple tokens, each of which corresponds to a respective application. The tokens are returned to the applications and enable access control to be performed by the respective applications to which the tokens are returned. |
| US09432376B2 |
Method and system for determining and sharing a user's web presence
A method and system for determining and sharing a user's web presence have been disclosed. According to one embodiment, a computer implemented method comprises providing web presence information associated with a first user from a first computer having a first software module. The web presence in formation is received at a second computer. The web presence information is used to dynamically inform a second user communicating with the second computer of a website that the first user is viewing. |
| US09432372B2 |
Access policy based on collaboration participation
According to example configurations as described herein, an on-line conference management application receives an indication of multiple participants that attend an on-line collaboration meeting. The conference management system stores identities of content shared amongst the multiple participants during the on-line collaboration meeting. Based on identities of the multiple participants and shared content, the conference management system generates an access policy. Subsequent to termination of the on-line collaboration meeting, the conference management system utilizes the access policy to prevent unauthorized access to the shared content. For example, the conference management system can receive a request from a user to access the shared content. The management system checks to determine whether the user was a participant at the on-line collaboration meeting. Responsive to detecting that the user attended the on-line collaboration meeting as specified by the access policy, the management system can provide access to the particular document to the user. |
| US09432369B2 |
Secure data containers
Embodiments for providing secure data containers and allowing selective access to files stored in the containers include systems and methods that receive a request to create a container, wherein the container is a file system comprising access parameters that define one or more permitted actions and one or more permitted users for the container; determine duration parameters for the container, wherein the duration parameter comprise a time duration during which the container may be accessed; determine a fingerprint of the container, the fingerprint being a record of the container for comparison to the container at a later time; generate the container with the access parameters, duration parameters, and fingerprint; monitor the container for compliance with the access parameters, duration parameters, and fingerprint; and apply a consequence when the container is not in compliance with the access parameters, duration parameters, or fingerprint. |
| US09432345B2 |
Authentication engine and stream cipher engine sharing in digital content protection architectures
A system for receiving and decrypting media content encrypted according to the HDCP protocol is described herein. A receiving device coupled to a plurality of content channels includes an authentication engine to authenticate each content channel and to generate an initial session key associated with each authenticated content channel. The content channels can be, for example, an HDMI channel or an MHL3 channel. A session key indicator indicating a session key used to encrypt media content is received, and an updated session key is generated. The receiving device also includes a stream cipher engine configured to decrypt received encrypted media content using the updated session key. Decrypted media content can then be displayed, for instance on a display of the receiving device. |
| US09432342B1 |
System and method to anonymize data transmitted to a destination computing device
A method and system for anonymizing data is disclosed. Data to be anonymized is received by an anonymization system. A request for a data encryption key is generated. A masked data encryption key is received in response to the request. The data encryption key is retrieved from the masked data encryption key. The data is anonymized using an anonymization module to derive an anonymized data using the data encryption key. |
| US09432331B1 |
Mechanism for distributed rate limiting
A method for distributed rate limiting is provided. The method includes detecting, in a first communication received by an application, a suspicious behavior, the first communication having traveled through a network to the application, the detecting performed by a rate limiter coupled to the application. The method includes communicating, from a blocking analytics module associated with the application, to a blocker located in the network, information regarding an origin of the first communication. The method includes blocking, at the blocker located in the network, further communication having a same origin as the origin of the first communication. |
| US09432330B2 |
Data interaction method, apparatus, and system
A data interaction method is provided, which includes: sending simultaneously an address detection request for a UDP channel and an address detection request for a TCP channel; and when both address detection for the UDP channel and address detection for the TCP channel fail, sending an address detection request for an HTTP channel; when detection of at least one channel succeeds, collecting two types of addresses corresponding to each channel in the at least one channel; performing address exchange and address matching with a peer client host; and performing channel connectivity detection based on matched addresses, and selecting a channel with a highest priority from channels on which connectivity detection is successful for data interaction with the peer client host. Therefore, efficiency of traversing a NAT host during address detection is improved. |
| US09432323B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for providing notifications for different workspaces
A method, system and apparatus for providing notifications for different workspaces is provided. The device comprises a processor, a memory, and a notification device, the processor enabled to: manage a first workspace and a second workspace distinguished from each other by one or more of: data stored at the memory being associated with one or another of the first workspace and the second workspace; and accounts being associated with the one or the another of the first workspace and the second workspace; and, when a current workspace comprises the first workspace, control the notification device to present first notifications associated only with the first workspace, while second notifications associated with the second workspace are not presented. |
| US09432321B2 |
Method and apparatus for messaging in the cloud
The distributed message handling system is created by using session states to represent the plurality of session contexts in the message handling system. The session states are flat representations of the session context which completely describe the session. Utilizing the session states to handle system message requests allows the message handling system to distribute the handling of the message requests to a plurality of state machines. Advantageously, the distributed messaging system allows the message handling system to dynamically allocate message handling resources to application instances based on demand. Such dynamic allocation allows providers to efficiently allocate resources to meet demand while meeting application execution demands. |
| US09432316B2 |
Representation of online discussion in conjunction with primary visual content
A method of representing online discussions in conjunction with primary visual content is presented. In the method, the primary visual content is transmitted to a visual display for presentation to a user. A statement of an online discussion is received. In response to receiving the statement, a representation of the statement and an icon representing a source of the statement are transmitted in conjunction with the primary visual content for presentation on the visual display. The icon and the statement are coupled graphically on the visual display, and are placed near a periphery of the visual display. After a period of time while the icon and statement are presented on the display, presuming a second statement is not received from the source, the icon and the statement are removed from the display while the primary visual content is maintained on the display. |
| US09432314B2 |
Quick navigation of message conversation history
A messaging application running on a computing device utilizes a navigation model that exposes user interfaces (UIs) which implement a messaging conversation history in a minimized form so that a user can quickly jump to a desired conversation displayed on a chat card without having to toggle back and forth between a conventional messaging list view and chat card views. The minimized conversation history can be implemented using a scrollable carousel of images that is persistently displayed on the UI. The images represent messaging participants (i.e., contacts) that are arranged in an ordered display according to conversation history. The particular contact that is associated with the currently displayed chat card is highlighted in the carousel using color and/or other graphic treatments. As messaging activities occur and new messages come in and are sent out, the carousel is dynamically updated to show the contacts in the appropriate sorted historical order. |
| US09432312B2 |
Proactive and selective time-stamping of packet headers based on quality of service experience and node location
In one embodiment, a message is received at a node in a network indicating that the node is classified as a critical node, and requesting the node to proactively time-stamp data packets. Data packets are received from one or more child nodes of the node, and the node selects a data packet of the received data packets to time-stamp. Then, the node proactively inserts a time-stamp in the selected data packet. The time-stamped data packet is sent toward a central management node. |
| US09432311B2 |
Dynamic resource allocation for distributed cluster-storage network
An apparatus, method and computer program in a distributed cluster storage network comprises storage control nodes to write data to storage on request from a host; a forwarding layer at a first node to forward data to a second node; a buffer controller at each node to allocate buffers for data to be written; and a communication link between the buffer controller and the forwarding layer at each node to communicate a constrained or unconstrained status indicator of the buffer resource to the forwarding layer. A mode selector selects a constrained mode of operation requiring allocation of buffer resource at the second node and communication of the allocation before the first node can allocate buffers and forward data, or an unconstrained mode of operation granting use of a predetermined resource credit provided by the second to the first node and permitting forwarding of a write request with data. |
| US09432293B2 |
System and method for routing internet traffic over internet links
An apparatus and method for IP transit is described. Embodiments include a platform for routing IP traffic in real time from at least one network user to a plurality of internet links. Embodiments further include assigning different ranks to different internet links based on network monitoring. In one embodiment, a system for routing internet traffic includes an internet route optimizer to generate routing instructions for incoming data packets using financial costs of routing data packets on the internet links, the traffic condition information corresponding to the internet links, and the types of data of the incoming data packets. In another embodiment, a method to generate a routing instruction to route an internet data packet uses financial costs of routing data packets on the internet links serving the end destination, traffic condition information of the internet links serving the end destination, and the type of data of the incoming data packet. |
| US09432291B2 |
Method and a device for defining a look-up system for a network element of a software-defined network
A method for defining a look-up system having functionality suitable for a network element of a software-defined network “SDN” includes maintaining (401) data specifying a set of look-up tables so that the look-up system is capable of being constructed in alternative ways using one or more look-up tables of the set of look-up tables and each of the look-up tables has a look-up table specific resource consumption estimate indicating a load factor of at least one component of the network element when running operations related to the look-up table. The method includes selecting (402), on the basis of the look-up table specific resource consumption estimates, such one of the alternative ways of constructing the look-up system which provides a look-up system that is optimal, or at least suitable, for the network element. |
| US09432286B2 |
Method and system for hitless upgrade of chassis in virtualized environment
Exemplary methods for upgrading route processor virtual machines (RP VMs) and line card virtual machines (LC VMs) include upgrading a second RP VM serving as a standby RPVM with a new RP VM image. The methods further include spawning, using a new LC VM image, a second set of LC VMs to serve as standby LC VMs. The methods also include performing incubation of standby VMs, by configuring a switch to forward data traffic to both the first and second set of LC VMs, thereby allowing system states of the standby VMs to be auto-populated by the data traffic. The methods further include, after the incubation has completed, swapping roles of VMs at the virtual router, such that data traffic are exchanged only between the switch and the upgraded VMs. |
| US09432285B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for routing traffic between nodes in a network that are connected by redundant links
A communications network is operated by providing a plurality of redundant links between a first network node and a second network node. A first identifier is associated with a first one of the plurality of redundant links and a second identifier is associated with a second one of the plurality of redundant links. The first and second identifiers are associated with the regulatory constraint. Traffic that is marked with the first identifier is routed to the first one of the plurality of redundant links and traffic that is marked with the second identifier is routed to the second one of the plurality of redundant links so that operation of the communications network is in compliance with the regulatory constraint. |
| US09432281B2 |
Apparatus and method for a communication network
A node 800 of a multi-layer communication is capable of routing a message signal via one or more different layers (for example a PSC layer, TDM layer, LSC layer) in the multi-layer communication network. The node 800 comprises a first interface 801 for receiving a path message 803 containing routing information for routing an associated message signal through the multi-layer communication network. One or more second interfaces 805i to 805N are provided for transmitting a message signal to one or more respective layers in the multi-layer communication network. A processing unit 807 is adapted to determine if the path message 803 contains protection information 40 indicating that protection switching is to be performed in one or more different layers of the multi-layer communication network, and if so, establish a protection switching mechanism in the one or more different layers using the protection information 40 provided in the path message 803. |
| US09432280B2 |
Network device configured to generate empty route for limiting number of withdrawal messages
A first network device is configured to originate an actual route by sending a multicast join message to a particular next-hop network device, and in conjunction with originating the actual route, to generate an empty route associated with the next-hop network device for use in limiting a number of withdrawal messages that would otherwise result upon a failure in the actual route. The first network device may be further configured to generate an unreachability indicator message for the empty route indicating that the next-hop network device is unreachable responsive to the failure in the actual route, and to send the unreachability indicator message for the empty route to one or more additional network devices, with the unreachability indicator message causing each such additional network device to delete multiple actual routes to the next-hop network device that are represented by the empty route. |
| US09432279B2 |
Methods and apparatus for home agent discovery in mobile IP using link state advertisements
In one embodiment, an apparatus receives an advertisement from each of one or more Home Agents, the advertisement including a first set of information associated with a corresponding one of the Home Agents, each advertisement being in a first protocol. The apparatus obtains the first set of information associated with a corresponding one of the Home Agents from each advertisement. The apparatus composes a router advertisement including a second set of information associated with at least one of the Home Agents, the router advertisement being in a second protocol. The apparatus then sends the router advertisement. |
| US09432278B2 |
Simulation of interactions between network endpoints
Descriptions of communication interactions can be used to create a simulation of actual systems that send and receive communications including but not limited to messages complying with a protocol, events and so on. The communication interaction, event, state and state transitions of protocol or software components can be modeled to determine outcome and to validate the format and semantics of events, interaction values, etc. to identify variances against established policies or architectural guidelines. |
| US09432276B1 |
Systems and methods for compensating a channel estimate for phase and sampling phase jitter
A system including a circuit to compensate for sampling phase jitter. The system includes a channel estimator to determine, based on training symbols in a preamble of a data packet received via a communication channel, an estimate of the communication channel and a carrier frequency associated with the communication channel. The circuit compensates, based on the determined carrier frequency, a phase of the estimate of the communication channel to adjust for a carrier frequency offset associated with the communication channel, and, based on a data rate at which the data packet was received via the communication channel, selectively compensates the estimate of the communication channel for sampling phase jitter. |
| US09432270B2 |
Performance and security management of applications deployed in hosted computing environments
Systems and methods for performance and security management of the computing infrastructure that supports an application deployed in a hosted computing environment are described. In one embodiment, for example, a system comprises agents installed on hosts. The agents capture and record system events from operating systems on the hosts that result from application component processes executing on the hosts. The system further includes a collection and analysis engine that obtains captured and recorded system events from the agents, identifies captured and recorded system events that pertain to an application transaction, and produces, from the identified system events, metric data reflecting quantity of computing resources used by the application component processes to process the application transaction. The system also includes a web dashboard that presents the metric data to a user, for example, on a web page. |
| US09432265B2 |
Virtual machine sequence system and method
A remote computer monitors virtual machines in cloud servers of a data center. The remote computer obtains parameters of each virtual machine authorized to a user by a monitoring program when a user logs in a login interface in a client computer. The remote computer calculates a resource coefficient of each virtual machine according to the parameters of the virtual machine authorized to the user. The remote computer displays an icon corresponding to each virtual machine in the login interface according to the resource coefficient of each virtual machine. |
| US09432259B1 |
Mesh network resiliency
Mesh network resiliency technology, in which a first routing configuration for nodes of a mesh network is determined, the first routing configuration being appropriate when a first power source of the mesh network is available. Routing data that indicates routing responsibilities within the first routing configuration is provided to first nodes of the mesh network. An interruption of the first power source for the mesh network is detected by nodes of the mesh network. In response to detecting the interruption, a second routing configuration for nodes of the mesh network is determined, the second routing configuration being appropriate when the first power source of the mesh network is unavailable. Routing data that indicates routing responsibilities within the second configuration is provided to second nodes of the mesh network, each of the second nodes including a second power source that is different than the first power source. |
| US09432257B2 |
Traffic behavior driven dynamic zoning for distributed traffic engineering in SDN
System and method embodiments are provided for traffic behavior driven dynamic zoning for distributed traffic engineering (TE) in software defined networking (SDN). In an embodiment, a method in a network component for dynamic zoning for TE in SDN includes receiving at the network component network information from at least one SDN controller from a plurality of SDN controllers in a network; determining with the network component a plurality of TE zones for the network, selecting a local zone TE controller for each of the plurality of TE zones, and selecting a master TE controller according to the network information and a zoning scheme, wherein the local zone TE controller and the master TE controller are selected form one of the SDN controllers; and transmitting with the network component an indication of the local zone TE controllers, zone membership, and the master controllers to at least some of the SDN controllers. |
| US09432255B1 |
Systems and methods for controlling network device temporarily absent from control panel
Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure are directed to methods and systems for a network tolerant to a network device that is temporarily absent from the control plane. In one aspect, in general, the system includes an event manager configured to send, to a controller configured to exchange control messages with a network device, a first request to temporarily withdraw the network device from control plane interactions. The event manager then triggers an event at the network device during which the network device is non-responsive to control plane interactions. After determining that the event has completed, the event manager sends the controller a second request to restore the network device. The controller is configured to request, responsive to the first request, a network application to transition to a tolerant state; and to request, responsive to the second request, the network application to transition to a sensitive state. |
| US09432243B2 |
Re-using asynchronous server-side results generated for a request context of one client to satisfy a request context of a different client
The present invention provides a solution for sharing server generated output to satisfy requests for content originated by different clients. More specifically, a server side resource can analyze a content request and compare this request to a set of active request handling operations. When one of the active operations is capable of satisfying a discrete portion of the content request, an association can be established between the active operation and the content request. When the active operation produces results, these results are returned to satisfy a request of an original client as well as to satisfy a request of a client that issued the content request. The solution can be implemented in a variety of environments, including one where asynchronous server-side operations are conducted by different server-side resources for a single request context. |
| US09432240B2 |
Flexible failover configuration
A method is described that involves offering a user different persistent scope choices including: a) internal to a computing system that the deployment descriptor is to be sent to; and, b) external to the computing system that the deployment descriptor is to be sent to. The method also involves offering a user different persistence frequency choices including: a) persisting per request; and, b) persisting per session state information attribute change. The method also involves generating a deployment descriptor that reflects the user's choice of the persistence scope and persistence frequency. |
| US09432237B2 |
VOIP device, VOIP conferencing system, and related method
Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) devices and conferencing systems may include a spatial encoder associated with a first endpoint and a spatial renderer associated with a second endpoint. The spatial renderer may configured to receive audio data. The audio data may be rendered among a plurality of speakers based on a first set of spatial information for a plurality of microphones associated with the first endpoint, and a second set of spatial information for the plurality of speakers associated with the second endpoint. A method for generating a sound field may include determining spatial information for a plurality of microphones in a local room, determining spatial information for a plurality of speakers in a remote room, mapping the spatial information for the plurality of microphones and the spatial information for the plurality of speakers, and generating a sound field in the remote room based on the mapping. |
| US09432232B2 |
Pilot symbol patterns for transmit antennas
A method and apparatus for improving channel estimation within an OFDM communication system. Channel estimation in OFDM is usually performed with the aid of pilot symbols. The pilot symbols are typically spaced in time and frequency. The set of frequencies and times at which pilot symbols are inserted is referred to as a pilot pattern. In some cases, the pilot pattern is a diagonal-shaped lattice, either regular or irregular. The method first interpolates in the direction of larger coherence (time or frequency). Using these measurements, the density of pilot symbols in the direction of faster change will be increased thereby improving channel estimation without increasing overhead. As such, the results of the first interpolating step can then be used to assist the interpolation in the dimension of smaller coherence (time or frequency). |
| US09432214B2 |
Load panel including an aggregator component and a number of electrical switching apparatus assigning unique addresses thereto
A load panel includes an enclosure; an aggregator having a first processor and a number of communicating mechanisms; and a number of circuit breakers. The first processor includes a first routine communicating using the number of communicating mechanisms. Each of the number of circuit breakers includes a second processor, and first and second communicating mechanisms. The aggregator and the number of circuit breakers are arranged as a linear structure within the load panel. The second processor includes a second routine communicating using the first and second communicating mechanisms and assigning a unique address to a corresponding one of the number of circuit breakers with respect to the aggregator and any remaining number of the number of circuit breakers. The first communicating mechanism communicates with or toward the aggregator. The second communicating mechanism communicates with at most one of the any remaining number of the number of circuit breakers. |
| US09432208B2 |
Device abstraction system and method for a distributed architecture heating, ventilation and air conditioning system
The disclosure provides an HVAC data processing and communication network and a method of manufacturing the same. In an embodiment, the network includes configuring a first system device and a subnet controller. The first system device is configured to receive an initial value of a specified dependent parameter. The subnet controller is configured to determine that a value of said specified parameter has been changed to a modified value after said first system device receives said initial value. The subnet controller is further configured to send to said first system device, in response to said determining, a message updating said specified parameter with said modified value. |
| US09432204B2 |
Distributed multicast by endpoints
A novel method of conducting multicast traffic in a network is provided. The network includes multiple endpoints that receive messages from the network and generate messages for the network. The endpoints are located in different segments of the network, each segment including one or more of the endpoints. For a source endpoint to replicate a particular message (e.g., a data packet) for all endpoints belonging to a particular replication group (i.e., multicast group) within the network, the source endpoint replicates the particular message to each endpoint within the source endpoint's own segment and to a proxy endpoint in each of the other segments. Each proxy endpoint in turn replicates the particular message to all endpoints belonging to the particular replication group within the proxy endpoint's own segment. |
| US09432202B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and method of processing data in the digital broadcasting system
A broadcast transmitter and a method of processing broadcast data in the broadcast transmitter are disclosed. The method includes the steps of performing RS encoding and CRC encoding on mobile service data to build RS frames belonging to an ensemble, wherein each of the RS frames are mapped into data groups, wherein each of the data groups comprises known data sequences and a portion of FIC data including information for rapid mobile service acquisition, wherein the information for rapid mobile service acquisition includes transport stream identification information for identifying a mobile broadcast carrying a mobile service that includes the mobile service data and C/N indication information for indicating whether the FIC data are applicable to a current transmission frame or a next transmission frame, multiplexing data in the data groups and main service data, and transmitting a transmission frame including the multiplexed data. |
| US09432201B2 |
Providing multiple content items for display on multiple devices
Embodiments of methods, systems, and storage medium associated with providing, with a user device, multiple content items for display by multiple receiving devices via multicast transmissions are disclosed herein. In one instance, the method may include forming a multicast data unit with multiple portions of data. Each portion of data may correspond to one of multiple content items to be transmitted to multiple receiving devices by the computing device and each content item is to be displayed by one of the multiple receiving devices. The method may further include transmitting the formed multicast data unit to the multiple receiving devices; and initiating, at each receiving device of the multiple receiving devices, a retrieval from the multicast data unit a portion of data that corresponds to a content item to be displayed by the receiving device, and to display the content item. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. |
| US09432199B2 |
System access determination based on classification of stimuli
An authentication system is disclosed. Information associated with at least one of a user's use of a resource and demographic information associated with the user is collected. The collected information is processed to determine one or more stimuli to be presented to the user. The collected information is processed to determine one or more stimuli to be presented to the user. Classification data provided by the user is stored. Classification data associated with the user is received. The received classification data is compared to the stored classification data. A determination of whether to authorize an action based at least in part on the comparison is determined. |
| US09432198B2 |
Method for certificate-based authentication
A method is disclosed for certificate-based authentication, in which a first subscriber authenticates himself to a second subscriber using a digital certificate associated to the first subscriber. The certificate specifies requirement(s) and the fulfillment of a requirement is ensured by a third subscriber. Within the framework of the authentication by the second subscriber, a validity condition is checked, and the certificate is classified as valid if the validity condition is fulfilled, based on the issue and/or absence of issue of the requirement(s) specified in the certificate by the third subscriber. Requirements may be used to restrict the validity of the certificate. The validity of a certificate can thereby be controlled in a simple and flexible manner without explicitly defining the validity in the certificate. The method can be used for authentication in any technical field, e.g., to authentication subscribers in the form of components of an automation system. |
| US09432195B2 |
Method of operating data security and electronic device supporting the same
A method of operating data security and an electronic device supporting the same are provided. The method includes executing a general Application (App) based on a non-trusted execution module; executing a first trusted App related to the execution of the general App based on a trusted execution module; generating a message by encrypting data generated in the first trusted App; transmitting the encrypted message to the general App; and transmitting the encrypted message to a second trusted App related to the execution of the general App and executed based on the trusted execution module. |
| US09432189B1 |
Techniques for handshake-free encrypted communication using symmetric key caching during request-and-response
Techniques for handshake-free encrypted communication are described. An apparatus may comprise a key component, a message component, and a network component. The key component may be operative to retrieve a first symmetric encryption key from a key store and to store a second symmetric encryption key in the key store. The message component may be operative to construct a message comprising a data section, the data section encrypted using the first symmetric encryption key. The network component may be operative to transmit the message to a device and to receive a response to the message, the response comprising the second symmetric encryption key. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09432187B2 |
Data scrambling initialization
Systems and methods for improved synchronization between a transmit device and a receive device in a communication system. In one embodiment, an apparatus for transmitting bits of data over a link includes a scrambler to scramble data and circuitry configured to insert the scrambled data into frames and to transmit the frames in data blocks over the link. The apparatus also includes an initialization module configured to generate an unscrambled pseudo-random sequence. The circuitry is further configured to periodically insert the unscrambled pseudo-random sequence into a frame, to initialize the scrambler to a starting point based on the insertion of the unscrambled pseudo-random sequence into the frame, and to transmit the frame in a data block over the link. |
| US09432182B2 |
Techniques for sharing data
Techniques for sharing data between users in a manner that maintains anonymity of the users. Tokens are generated and provided to users for sharing data. A token comprises information encoding an identifier and an encryption key. A user may use a token to upload data that is to be shared. The data to be shared is encrypted using the encryption key associated with the token and the encrypted data is stored such that it can be accessed using the identifier associated with the token. A user may then use a token to access the shared data. The identifier associated with the token being used to access the shared data is used to access the data and the encryption key associated with the token is used to decrypt the data. Data is shared anonymously without revealing the identity of the users using the tokens. |
| US09432181B2 |
Device, method, and program for format-preserving encryption, and device, method, and program for decryption
[Subject] To provide a format-preserving encryption device and the like that enables efficient and secure encryption/decryption while maintaining the data format.[Solution] An encryption device 10 includes: an unit block tweakable encryption module 101 that encrypts a specific digit of a plain text by using numerical values of remaining respective digits excluding the specific digit of the plain text and an external tweak that is input concurrently with the plain text; a block permutation module 102 that permutates respective digits including the encrypted specific digit of the plain text per digit based on a predetermined rule; and a counter update module 103 that causes processing by the unit block tweakable encryption unit and the block permutation unit to repeat for a predetermined number of times. A decryption device 20 performs the reverse processing to the encryption device 10. |
| US09432177B2 |
Communication apparatus and reception method
In a communication apparatus for receiving signals of frequency channels, a synchronization determiner determines whether synchronization of a demodulated signal is established. A BER calculator calculates a pseudo BER of the demodulated signal with the synchronization established. A comparator detects a frequency channel having the lowest pseudo BER, that is, the best value of the evaluation scale defined for transmission quality. A correction value calculator calculates a correction value for a symbol clock frequency in each frequency channel, based on a symbol clock frequency deviation in the frequency channel having the best value of the evaluation scale. |
| US09432176B2 |
Circuit and method for clock and data recovery
A clock and data recovery circuit includes a sampling module, a phase detect module, a parallel-to-serial converter and a phase adjust module. The sampling module generates a data signal and an edge signal according to input data, a first clock signal and a second clock signal. The phase detect module detects a phase of the data signal and a phase of the edge signal to generate first output recovered data and a first phase adjust signal. The parallel-to-serial converter performs a parallel-to-serial conversion on the first recovered data and the first phase adjust signal, so as to generate second output recovered data and a second phase adjust signal. The phase adjust module generates the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and adjusts the first clock signal and the second clock signal according to the second output recovered data and the second phase adjust signal. |
| US09432166B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting hybrid automatic repeat request indicator information
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and an apparatus for transmitting hybrid automatic repeat request indicator information. The method for transmitting hybrid automatic repeat request indicator information according to the present invention includes: allocating enhanced physical downlink control channel EPDCCH resources to a UE; selecting partial resources from the EPDCCH resources; and sending HARQ indicator information to the UE through the partial resources. |
| US09432164B2 |
Method and apparatus for reference signal sequence mapping in wireless communication
A wireless communication method implemented in a multi-user, multi-input multi-output MU-MIMO system is disclosed which includes forming one or more antenna port sets, wherein an antenna port set comprises two or more antenna ports and allocating transmission resources to a user equipment reference signal UE-RS, the allocating being based at least in part on an antenna port set index. |
| US09432160B2 |
Allocating resources and transmitting data in mobile telecommunication systems comprising machine type communication applications
A method of communicating data in a wireless telecommunications system between plural base stations and plural terminal devices using plural Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM, sub-carriers spanning a first frequency bandwidth. The method includes: communicating data between a first base station and a first terminal device using a first group of the OFDM sub-carriers distributed across the first frequency bandwidth, communicating data between a second base station, geographically separated from the first base station, and a second terminal device using a second group of the OFDM sub-carriers distributed across a second frequency bandwidth, and communicating control-plane data between the first base station and the first terminal device using a combination of the first and second groups of the OFDM sub-carriers. Guard regions may be provided in the frequency domain between frequencies of transmissions associated with the first base station and frequencies of transmissions associated with the second base station. |
| US09432153B2 |
Mapping cells to symbols
A method for mapping cells onto symbols is provided. The cells include two or more cells processed by pre-coding in groups, the symbols include N symbols in a time-sequence, and each symbol includes M carriers in a frequency-order. The method comprises: mapping each cell to a carrier of a symbol; and frequency interleaving the carriers of each symbol. The mapping and the frequency interleaving are performed such that, following the frequency interleaving, the cells of a group of pre-coded cells are each mapped to carriers having the same carrier frequency or to carriers having carrier frequencies differing by no more than a threshold. |
| US09432139B2 |
Optical module having composite prism to multiplex optical beams
An optical module that installs a plurality of laser diodes (LDs) and a composite prism to condense optical beams emitted from the LDs is disclosed. The LDs are arranged on a line so as to level the optical beams within a plane. The composite prism includes input surfaces and output surfaces each corresponding to respective one of the input surfaces. The composite prism outputs optical beams whose intervals are narrowed compared with intervals of the optical beams entering therein. |
| US09432137B2 |
Dual mode radio for frequency division duplexing and time division duplexing communication modes
Dual mode radio for frequency division duplexing and time division duplexing communication modes. In some embodiments, dual mode radio for frequency division duplexing and time division duplexing communication modes includes a multi-mode communication unit for wireless communication, in which the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for a time based communication mode and a frequency based communication mode; and a processor configured to implement at least in part the multi-mode communication unit. In some embodiments, the time based communication mode includes a time division duplexing (TDD) communication mode, and the frequency based communication mode includes a frequency division duplexing (FDD) communication mode. |
| US09432133B2 |
Vector signal generator channel characterization employing orthogonal modulation
Multichannel signal generator performance characterization employs orthogonal modulation to characterize a relative performance of channels of a multichannel signal generator. The performance characterization includes generating a first signal in a first channel of the multichannel signal generator and generating a second signal in a second channel of the multichannel signal generator. The first and second signals include an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) digital modulation having a first set of subcarriers assigned to the first signal and a second set of subcarriers assigned to the second signal. Performance characterization further includes combining the first signal and the second signal to produce a combined signal along with receiving and demodulating the combined signal according to the OFDM digital modulation using a digital receiver and determining a performance parameter of the second channel relative to the first channel from the received and demodulated combined signal. |
| US09432130B2 |
Footwear seismic communication system
A footwear seismic communication unit is provided herein. The unit includes footwear attachable to a foot or feet of a user, including at least one sole portion for placing on a ground and at least one seismic transducer device located within said at least one sole. The unit further includes a processing module, a transmitting interface module, and a receiving interface module. |
| US09432129B2 |
Communication with an underwater vehicle
A method of communicating with an underwater vehicle comprising a propulsion system for propelling the vehicle through the water. A series of data sets are encoded and transmitted to the underwater vehicle in a series of signal bursts, and decoded at the underwater vehicle. The propulsion system is operated in a series of thrust pulses separated by drift periods such that the propulsion system operates at a relatively high rate during the thrust pulses and at a relatively low (or zero) rate during the drift periods. The drift periods are timed such that each signal burst arrives at the underwater vehicle during a drift period and not during a thrust pulse. The method may be performed with a single vehicle or a plurality of underwater vehicles. The encoded data signals are broadcast simultaneously to the underwater vehicles in the series of signal bursts. |
| US09432113B2 |
Optical transmission device
An optical transmission device including a wavelength selective switch including plural output ports, an optical intensity monitoring device that receives each optical signal output from the plural output ports of the wavelength selective switch and monitors the optical intensity of the optical signals, and a controller that controls optical intensity of the optical signals from the plural output ports of the wavelength selective switch based on the optical intensities monitored by the optical intensity monitoring device. |
| US09432104B2 |
Low-complexity diversity reception
A system may comprise a plurality of signal processing paths, a bin-wise combiner, an inverse transformation block, and a DAC. Each signal processing path may comprise a transformation block that is operable to transform a first time-domain digital signal to an associated frequency-domain signal having a plurality of subband signals. The bin-wise combiner may be operable to combine corresponding subband signals of the plurality of signal processing paths. The inverse transformation block may be operable to transform output of the bin-wise combiner to an second time-domain signal. The DAC may be operable to converts the second time-domain signal to a corresponding analog signal. |
| US09432100B2 |
Efficient search of precoders in precoded MIMO systems
A method includes calculating a set of first metrics using channel information and one or more precoders, where each of the first metrics corresponds to a respective set of a plurality of sets of codebook precoders, and selecting, based on the set of first metrics and a first selection criteria, a set of codebook precoders from the plurality of sets of codebook precoders. The method also includes, in response to selecting the set of codebook precoders, calculating a set of second metrics and selecting, based on (i) the set of second metrics and (ii) a second selection criteria, a codebook precoder from the selected set of codebook precoders. Each of the second metrics is calculated using a respective codebook precoder in the selected set of codebook precoders. The method also includes causing the selected codebook precoder to be applied to a signal to be transmitted to a communication device. |
| US09432091B2 |
Telemetry system with wireless power receiver and monitoring devices
A wireless power receiver includes a rectifier coupled to an antenna which is configured to receive a wireless power signal, and convert the wireless power signal to a direct current input signal. A direct current-to-direct current converter generates a direct current output signal based in part on the direct current input signal and a pulse-width modulation signal. A pulse modulator is configured to adjust an alternating current impedance of the wireless power receiver by modifying, based in part on the direct current input signal, a duty cycle of the pulse-width modulation signal to the direct current-to-direct current converter. A monitoring device is in communication with the rectifier and the pulse modulator. The monitoring device has one or more sensors and a unique user ID. The one or more sensors acquire user information selected from of at least one of, a user's activities, behaviors and habit information. |
| US09432088B2 |
Secure near field communication (NFC) handshake
Technologies are presented for securing NFC exchange through movement of at least one of the communicating devices. In some examples, a first device, utilizing a communication module and a processor, may transmit an initial NFC handshake signal as the first device is being moved relative to a second device. The second device, utilizing a communication module, two or more antennae, and a processor, may receive the initial NFC handshake signal from the first device. Each device may record a movement of the first device. The second device may transmit a message to the first device that includes a recording of the movement at the second device and a temporary secret. Once the first device determines that the movement recorded at the second device matches the movement recorded at the first device, the first device may use the temporary secret to encrypt further communication with the second device. |
| US09432086B2 |
Method and system for authorizing execution of an application in an NFC device
A method for executing an application in an NFC device, including steps during which: a contactless link is established between a first and a second NFC devices, the first NFC device transmits through the contactless link an identifier memorized by the first NFC device, the second NFC device transmits through the contactless link an application identifier, the second NFC device transmits to an application server the identifier of the first NFC device and the application identifier, the application server transmits to an authentication server the identifier of the first NFC device and the application identifier, the authentication server verifies the identification data, and if the first NFC device and the application are identified, the authentication server authorizes the two NFC devices to execute the application by transmitting to the application server an identifier of a user of the first NFC device, corresponding to the identifier of the first NFC device. |
| US09432076B2 |
Linearity enhancement for concurrent transmission systems and methods
A system using multiple communication technologies for concurrent transmission is disclosed. The system includes a first technology modem, a second technology modem, and a transmit chain. The first technology modem is configured to provide a first technology signal for transmission using a first communication technology. The second technology modem is configured to provide a second technology signal for transmission using a second communication technology. The second communication technology is varied from the first communication technology. The transmit chain is configured to develop a combined envelope and to generate a transmit signal from the first technology signal and the second technology signal using the combined envelope. |
| US09432070B2 |
Antenna placement
Antenna placement techniques are described. In one or more embodiments, a computing device includes an antenna suite having multiple different kinds of antennas. An antenna zone for the antenna suite may be established along a particular edge of the computing device. Non-interfering materials (e.g., RF transparent material) may be used within the antenna zone and other materials (e.g., metal) may be employed for other regions of the device. The multiple different kinds of antennas in the antenna suite may then be disposed within the established antenna zone. The antennas may be placed to minimize interference between antennas and/or achieve performance objective for the suite of antennas. In one approach, a suite of five antennas may be placed along a top edge of a computing device in a landscape orientation. |
| US09432069B2 |
Audio mixing console
An audio mixing console can process at least one audio signal. The audio mixing console includes a main housing with a plurality of outer surfaces. The audio mixing console also includes a wireless transceiver provided substantially outside the main housing and an interface connected to the wireless transceiver. The audio mixing console further includes a radio-frequency permeable housing detachably coupled to a second outer surface of the main housing, wherein the wireless transceiver is positioned within the radio-frequency permeable housing. |
| US09432065B2 |
Communication transceiver interface
A communication system includes a communication transceiver with analog interfaces to interface to baseband circuitry and PAs/LNAs. The communication transceiver can include digital tuning and an analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converter to allow the digital tuner to communicate with the baseband circuitry and PAs/LNAs A plurality of switches may be provided so that the analog-to-digital converter and digital-to-analog converter may be shared for both the interface to the baseband circuitry and the interface to the PAs/LNAs. |
| US09432064B2 |
System and method for automated loss testing
A method and device for analyzing time domain waveforms traveling in electronic interconnect for the purpose of measuring the attenuation. This includes the use of an automated processing system and method to transmit a TDR step pulse into one end of an interconnect and to record the time domain waveform response from the same end of the interconnect. The processing algorithms separate the portions of the collected time domain waveform which contain return loss and insertion loss information and process each portion of that waveform data through FFT techniques to extract the frequency dependent loss data. The method describes the calibration techniques required to achieve these measurements and the device utilized can be a manual or robotic probing system. |
| US09432063B2 |
Radio frequency signal transceiving and processing method, device, and base station system
A radio frequency signal transceiver includes: a transmission circuit configured to perform power amplification on an input first analog signal, wirelessly transmit the first analog signal after power amplification, and output the first analog signal after power amplification to a pre-distortion circuit; the pre-distortion circuit configured to convert the first analog signal after power amplification into a second analog signal and output the second analog signal, where the second analog signal is used to feedback distortion of the first analog signal to compensate the first analog signal in advance according to the distortion; and a receiving circuit configured to wirelessly receive a third analog signal, and process and output the third analog signal. The radio frequency signal transceiver can improve efficiency in receiving and transmitting a radio frequency signal, reduce a cost of a base station system, and reduce a difficulty in implementing the base station system. |
| US09432061B2 |
Serializing transmitter
In embodiments of a serializing transmitter, the serializing transmitter includes N multiplexing drive units, each configured to generate a series of output pulses derived from input data signals and multi-phase clock signals, and each multiplexing drive unit including a pulse-controlled push-pull output driver having first and second inputs and an output. Each multiplexing driver unit further includes a first M:1 pulse-generating multiplexer having an output coupled to the first input of the pulse-controlled push-pull output driver, and a second M:1 pulse-generating multiplexer having an output coupled to the second input of the pulse-controlled push-pull output driver, wherein each of the first and second M:1 pulse-generating multiplexers has four or fewer clock inputs. |
| US09432057B1 |
Forward error correcting code encoder and decoder method and apparatus
A method includes generating a first subset of codeword symbols by processing, during each of a plurality of iterations, a first input and a second input. The first input is a function of (i) an output, during a respective one of the plurality of iterations, of a last processing stage of a first plurality of processing stages and (ii) a symbol, of a first subset of original symbols, corresponding to the respective iteration. The second input is a function of (i) an output, during the respective iteration, of a last processing stage of the second plurality of processing stages and (ii) a symbol, of a second subset of original symbols, corresponding to the respective iteration. The method also includes generating a second subset of codeword symbols by processing, during each of the plurality of iterations, the first input and the second input. |
| US09432053B1 |
High speed LDPC decoder
A method and decoder are provided to decode a Low Density Parity Check codeword. An additional check processor performs hard-decision processing functions on the LDPC codeword in order to avoid running unnecessary decoder iterations. The method comprises: receiving the ECC codeword at a memory, the received ECC codeword comprising ECC data bits, ECC parity bits, and error detection code bits; soft-decision decoding the received ECC codeword at a soft-decision decoder, to update the ECC codeword according to ECC parity check equations; hard-decision processing the received ECC codeword at a check processor, while the soft-decision decoder performs the soft-decision decoding, to verify the ECC data bits using the error detection code bits; terminating the soft-decision decoding when the ECC data bits are verified, regardless of whether the updated ECC codeword satisfies all of the ECC parity check equations; and, outputting the decoded ECC codeword from the memory after termination of the decoding. |
| US09432041B2 |
Method of calibrating a thermometer-code SAR A/D converter and thermometer-code SAR-A/D converter implementing said method
A method of calibrating a thermometer-code SAR-A/D converter is provided. The thermometer-code SAR-A/D converter includes an Nbit-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for outputting an Nbit-bit output code. The DAC includes a first subconverter having a plurality of NTh thermometer elements Tj and a second subconverter having a plurality of NBin binary-weighted elements. The Nbit output code is equal to the sum of NBitTh and NBitBin where NTh=2NBitTh and NBitBin is equal to NBin=NBitBin. The calibration method includes determining an Integral Non-Linearity error value (εR) of an Rth thermometer-code level of the thermometer elements. The method further includes reducing the highest of the error value εR to obtain a reduced error value, and generating the output code according to said reduced error. |
| US09432038B1 |
Digital-to-analog converter using nonlinear capacitance compensation
A semiconductor device fabrication operation is commonly used to manufacture one or more integrated circuits onto a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device fabrication operation forms one or more transistors onto an arrangement of fabrication layers to form the one or more integrated circuits which introduces unwanted capacitances, often referred to as parasitic capacitances, into the one or more transistors. The one or more integrated circuits include one or more compensation modules that, when combined with the parasitic capacitances of the one or more transistors, ideally linearizes the non-linearity caused by the parasitic capacitances of the one or more transistors. For example, the one or more compensation modules incorporate a non-linear or a piecewise linear transfer function that is inversely related to the parasitic capacitances of the one or more transistors. |
| US09432032B2 |
Sample-rate conversion in a multi-clock system sharing a common reference
A method comprises determining a reference ratio based on a first division ratio of a first phase-locked loop (PLL) and a second division ratio of a second PLL, and converting a first discrete sequence to a second discrete sequence based on a sequence of multiples of the reference ratio. The first and second PLLs operate under a locked condition and share a common reference oscillator. An apparatus includes comprises a clock generator including first and second phase-locked loops (PLLs) and configured to generate first and second clock signals, respectively, and a sample-rate converter configured to convert a first discrete sequence to a second discrete sequence based on a sequence of multiples of a reference ratio. The reference ratio is determined based on a first division ratio of the first PPL and a second division ratio of the second PLL. |
| US09432025B1 |
Techniques for reducing skew between clock signals
A clock signal generation circuit generates a first clock signal based on second and third clock signals. The clock signal generation circuit generates an indication of a phase difference between the second and the third clock signals. A skew reduction circuit reduces skew between the second and the third clock signals in response to the indication of the phase difference between the second and the third clock signals indicating that the second and the third clock signals are aligned in phase within at least an error margin of the clock signal generation circuit. |
| US09432021B2 |
Reconfigurable magnetoelectronic processing system
Magnetoelectronic (ME) logic circuits and methods of operating the same are disclosed for use in energy constrained applications in which logic operations are carried out using a minimal number of physical operations. Microsystems of different circuits made from different types of ME devices can be constructed and employed in applications such as sensors, smart dust, etc. including in clockless applications. |
| US09432018B2 |
Storage controllers, methods of operating the same and solid state disks including the same
A storage controller includes a first on-die termination (ODT) circuit, a second ODT circuit and an ODT control circuit. The first ODT circuit provides a first termination resistance with a strobe signal line transferring a data strobe signal. The second ODT circuit provides a second termination resistance with at least one data line transferring data. The ODT control circuit individually controls activation and deactivation of the first ODT circuit and the second ODT circuit. |
| US09432015B2 |
Hysteresis comparator circuit having differential input transistors with switched bulk bias voltages
A first signal received at a first transistor is compared to a second signal received at a second transistor taking into account a hysteresis value to generate a comparison output. At least one of the first and second transistors has a floating bulk. A switching circuit selectively applies first and second bulk bias voltages to the floating bulk of the first or second transistor in dependence on the comparison output. A third and fourth input signals, setting the hysteresis value, are received at third and fourth transistors and compared to generate differential outputs. At least one of the third and fourth transistors has a floating bulk. A differential amplifier determines a difference between the differential outputs for application to the floating bulk of the at least one of the third and fourth transistor and further for use as one of the first and second bulk bias voltages. |
| US09432008B2 |
Variable delay element
A delay circuit includes first and second transistors and a biasing circuit. The first transistor has a control node coupled to an input node of the delay circuit, a first main current node coupled to a first supply voltage, and a second main current node coupled to an output node of the delay circuit. A second transistor has a control node coupled to the input node, a first main current node coupled to a second supply voltage, and a second main current node coupled to the output node. The biasing circuit is configured to generate first and second differential control voltages, to apply the first differential control voltage to a further control node of the first transistor and to apply the second differential control voltage to a further control node of the second transistor. |
| US09431998B2 |
Fast response high-order low-pass filter
A fast-response high-order low-pass filter circuit is provided. The circuit includes a plurality of low pass filter (LPF) poles that are connected in series, a forward bypass channel that includes a first delta voltage module that conducts at a first predetermined voltage and a first impedance module that provides a first impedance and is in series with the first delta voltage module, and a reverse bypass channel that includes a second delta voltage module that conducts at a second predetermined voltage and a second impedance module that provides a second impedance and is in series with the second delta voltage module. The forward and reverse bypass channels are arranged to bypass current around at least one of the plurality of LPF poles when a voltage difference across the at least one of the plurality of LPF poles exceeds one of the first predetermined voltage and the second predetermined voltage. |
| US09431996B2 |
Elastic wave device and method for manufacturing the same
An elastic wave device includes a supporting substrate, a high-acoustic-velocity film stacked on the supporting substrate and in which an acoustic velocity of a bulk wave propagating therein is higher than an acoustic velocity of an elastic wave propagating in a piezoelectric film, a low-acoustic-velocity film stacked on the high-acoustic-velocity film and in which an acoustic velocity of a bulk wave propagating therein is lower than an acoustic velocity of a bulk wave propagating in the piezoelectric film, the piezoelectric film is stacked on the low-acoustic-velocity film, and an IDT electrode stacked on a surface of the piezoelectric film. |
| US09431995B2 |
Resonator element, resonator, resonator device, oscillator, electronic device, and mobile object
A resonator element includes a quartz crystal substrate having a main surface along a plane including an X-axis and a Z′-axis, and a thickness in a Y′-axis direction. The quartz crystal substrate includes a vibrating portion including a side along the X-axis, a side along the Z′-axis, and a peripheral portion having a thickness smaller than that of the vibrating portion, which is provided along an outer edge of the vibrating portion. The vibrating portion includes a first portion and a second portion having a thickness smaller than that of the first portion, which is provided on at least an outer edge on a +X side of the X-axis and an outer edge on a −X side thereof, among outer edges of the first portion. When Z is a length of the quartz crystal substrate along the Z′-axis, and t is a thickness of the first portion, 11 |
| US09431994B2 |
Piezoelectric resonator including an adjusting magnet
A piezoelectric resonator including a base part, a first support part fixed to the base part, a beam part fixed to the first support part, a weight part fixed to the beam part, a drive unit provided on the beam part, and an adjusting magnet movable on a main surface of the base part. Furthermore, the weight part is formed of a magnet or a magnetic body, and the beam part extends in a direction along the main surface of the base part. With this configuration, displacement of the resonance frequency generated due to variation in a manufacturing process can be adjusted easily. Even when the resonance frequency is displaced from desired resonance frequency due to variation in the manufacturing process of a power generating element, the displacement can be easily adjusted and maximum efficiency can be obtained. |
| US09431984B2 |
Acoustic apparatus
An acoustic apparatus includes a signal processor configured to generate an analog audio signal based on a digital audio signal. The digital audio signal includes a first silent part and a sound part subsequent to the first silent part. The signal processor starts an operation in a period during which the first silent part is input. |
| US09431972B1 |
Apparatus and methods for digital predistortion
The present disclosure provides advantageously flexible and effective methods, circuits and systems for digital predistortion. In one embodiment, a predistortion component circuit includes multiple configurable delay line pairs and corresponding configurable look-up tables. Each configurable delay line pair includes a first delay line for delaying an input data signal to provide a delayed input and a second delay line for delaying an input magnitude signal to provide a delayed input magnitude. Each configurable look-up table receives the delayed input magnitude from, and outputs a look-up value for, an associated delay line pair of the plurality of configurable delay line pairs. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed herein. |
| US09431969B2 |
Doherty power amplifier with tunable impedance load
Radio frequency (RF) amplification devices are disclosed that include Doherty amplification circuits and control circuits along with methods of operating the same. In one embodiment, the Doherty amplification circuit includes a quadrature coupler having an isolation port and a tunable impedance load coupled to the isolation port and configured to provide a tunable impedance. The control circuit is configured to tune the tunable impedance of the tunable impedance load at the isolation port dynamically as a function of the RF power of the Doherty amplification circuit. In this manner, the control circuit can provide dynamic load modulation, thereby increasing the power efficiency of the Doherty amplification circuit, particularly at backed-off power levels. The load modulation provided by the control circuit also allows the Doherty amplification circuit to provide broadband amplification in various RF communication bands. |
| US09431968B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for slew rate enhancement of amplifiers
A circuit is disclosed to enhance slew rate of an amplifier. An amplifier includes an output, a first input, and a second input in a differential pair configuration. A slew rate enhancer includes a first slew rate enhancer and a second slew rate enhancer. The first slew direction enhancer is configured to detect a first slew rate condition in a first direction responsive to the first input and the second input and provide additional current for a first side of the differential pair of the amplifier during the first slew rate condition. The second slew direction enhancer is configured to detect a second slew rate condition in a second direction responsive to the first input and the second input and provide additional current for a second side of the differential pair of the amplifier during the second slew rate condition. |
| US09431964B2 |
Operational amplifier and method of operating the operational amplifier
An operational amplifier comprises a first input pair, a second input pair, a switch and a first current mirror. The first input pair comprises a different type of MOS transistor from the second input pair. The switch determines which one of the first or the second input pair is functioning and the operating input pair is configured to output voltage. The switch is further connected to the first input pair and the first current mirror. The first current mirror is further connected to the second input pair, and is configured to copy a current passing through the switch to the second input pair. Therefore an increase of transconductance of the first input pair is compensated by a decrease of transconductance of the second input pair, and the operational amplifier has a substantially constant transconductance no matter which of the first input pair and the second input pair is functioning. |
| US09431960B2 |
Solution testing equipment
There is provided solution testing equipment which can detect an output variation of a THz oscillation device using a THz wave (hν) by contacting a liquid or cells on an RTD oscillation device, and can reduce the size and weight thereof. The solution testing equipment includes: a THz oscillation device configured to radiate the THz wave Is; a THz detection device configured to receive the THz wave Is; and a solution as a test object disposed on the THz oscillation device, in which the solution is tested on the basis of output characteristics of the terahertz wave varying in response to a relative permittivity of the solution. |
| US09431956B1 |
Electro-mechanical oscillator and method for generating a signal
An oscillator and method for generating a signal are provided. The oscillator comprises an electro-mechanical resonator and a reconfigurable oscillator driver. The reconfigurable oscillator driver starts the oscillator in single-ended mode to avoid latching and transitions the oscillator to differential mode in such a manner as to sustain oscillations therein. The reconfigurable oscillator driver comprises two back-to-back banks of inverters and an adjustable feedback resistor. In single-ended mode, one bank is disabled and the other bank is enabled. To transition to differential mode and improve the quality of the signal, the number of enabled inverters is equalized in both banks. |
| US09431945B2 |
Normalization of motor phase measurements
A method of normalizing phase measurements for a motor using a normalizing phase measurements (NPM) algorithm that a processor implements to cause a motor controller coupled to stator terminals of the phases to execute forcing a set of input current or voltage vectors (set of input vectors) including repeating the forcing after rotating the rotor through a full mechanical cycle to generate resulting current or voltage samples (resulting samples) of non-normalized phase A and phase B waveforms. The magnitude of the input vectors are sufficiently small to not move the rotor. A maximum value (x_max) and a minimum value (x_min) are determined for each of the non-normalized phase A and phase B waveforms. An offset value and normalization scale factor (NSF) are determined from the max and min values. The offsets and NSFs are applied to the non-normalized phase waveforms to generate normalized phase A and phase B waveforms. |
| US09431943B2 |
Assembly operating in a variable regime
The invention relates to electromechanical assemblies comprising an alternator, especially of high power, typically greater than or equal to IMW, and a converter, the alternator comprising a rotor driven in rotation, by a wind turbine for example, and more particularly to wound rotor synchronous alternators. The drive can also take place by means of a tide-driven, hydraulic or marine-current-driven generator. An alternator comprises in a manner known per se a field winding, generally at the rotor, supplied with DC current either by split rings and brushes, or by an exciter, so as to generate in an armature winding, generally at the stator, an AC voltage. |
| US09431933B2 |
Inverter apparatus
Provided is an inverter apparatus capable of preventing occurrence of overcurrent in an AC motor and stably controlling driving of the AC motor. The inverter apparatus controlling the AC motor included in an electric compressor includes a shunt resistor for detecting current flowing in the AC motor, and a limit value control unit controlling a current limit value for a detected current detected at the shunt resistor. The limit value control unit determines whether the number of times the detected current becomes equal to or more than the first threshold within a first predetermined time is equal to or more than a first number of times. The limit value control unit decreases the current limit value when the number of times the detected current becomes equal to or more than the first threshold within the first predetermined time is equal to or more than the first number of times. |
| US09431930B2 |
Emergency stop method for hybrid construction equipment and brake control device
The present disclosure relates to an emergency stop method for hybrid construction equipment and a brake control device, and more particularly, to an emergency stop method for hybrid construction equipment and a brake control device, which may confirm a failure occurrence location of the hybrid construction equipment, absorb inertial energy of the swing body using several functions for each generated failure location so as to stably stop the swing body in an emergency manner, and when the failure occurs in the hybrid construction equipment, create the brake pattern by using the swing speed or the front information, control a brake of the swing body by controlling a voltage control valve or a hydraulic valve in accordance with the created brake pattern, such that a user may smoothly stop the swing body in accordance with a desired stop speed profile. |
| US09431928B2 |
Power production in a completed well using magnetostrictive materials
A device for generating electrical energy from mechanical motion includes a magnetostrictive generator configured to be mechanically coupled to a power conveyance path in a well bore. The power conveyance path is configured to experience an axial force change, and the magnetostrictive generator includes at least one magnetostrictive element that experiences a corresponding force change that results in a change in magnetic permeability in the at least one magnetostrictive element resulting, and is configured to experience a change in magnetic flux in a least one component that is electromagnetically coupled to at least one conductive coil, and the conductive coil is configured to generate electricity due to these magnetic flux changes. |
| US09431919B2 |
Biomedical implant with a monolithic timing control based rectifier for multivoltage for biomedical applications
A biomedical implant is provided for simultaneously generating multiple voltages for digital and analog circuits. Two AC voltages induced from an external single AC source located externally to the biomedical implant are used as input to a multi-voltage rectifier. The multi-voltage rectifier has a rectifier circuitry for simultaneously generating: (i) both low positive and negative voltages and (ii) both high positive and negative voltages. A startup circuitry is designed to stabilize both low positive and negative voltages prior to stabilizing both high positive and negative voltages. A timing control circuitry is used to prevent reverse leakage currents from loading capacitors to input for efficiency enhancement. The biomedical implant, by virtue of the multi-voltage timing control rectifier, achieves high power transfer efficiency greater than 85%. |
| US09431911B2 |
Switching mode power supply capable of providing a block time in response to an output current
A power controller provides a block time in response to an output current to an output load, and the block time determines a maximum switching frequency of a switching mode power supply. An exemplifying power controller has an output current estimator, a block time generator, and a pulse width modulator. The output current estimator provides a load representative signal in response to a discharge time of the inductive device and a current sense signal, wherein the current sense signal represents a current through an inductive device. The block time generator provides a block time based on the load representative signal. The pulse width modulator generates a pulse-width-modulation signal to control a power switch in response to a compensation signal, which is in response to the output voltage to the output load. The cycle time of the pulse-width-modulation signal is limited to be not less than the block time. |
| US09431905B2 |
Multiphase buck converter and multiphase buck conversion method
A multiphase buck converter (10) is disclosed, comprising: —a first buck converter branch (SD1, L1) comprising a first core section (COR1), a first power section (PWR1) having a first output node (LX1), a first coil (11) having a first end connected to the first output node (LX1), the first power section (PWR1) being adapted to be controlled by the first core section (COR1) for providing to the coil (L1) a coil current (I1), the first core section (COR1) and the first power section (PWR1) being integrated in a chip (IC); —a second buck converter branch (SD2, L2) comprising a second core section (COR2), a second power section (PWR2) having a second output node (LX2), a second coil (L2) having a first end connected to the second output node (LX2), the second power section (PWR2) being adapted to be controlled by the second core section (COR2) for providing to the second coil (L2) a second coil current (I2), the second core section (COR2) and the second power section (PWR2) being integrated in said chip (IC); —a feedback loop adapted to balance said coil currents (I1,I2). The feedback loop comprises a control block (C_B) that, in order to balance said coil currents, is adapted to compare a first average voltage at the first output node (LX1) with a second average voltage at the second output node (LX2) and control the first (SD1, L1) and second branch (SD2, L2) in order to make said first and second average voltages equal to each other. The control block (C_B) is integrated in said chip (IC) and has a first input directly connected to said first output node (LX1) and a second input directly connected to said second output node (LX2). The control block (C_B) is adapted to directly obtain said first and second average voltages from the instantaneous voltages of the first (LX1) and second (LX2) output nodes. |
| US09431904B2 |
DC/DC converter efficiency improvement for low current levels
The present document relates to efficient DC/DC converters with a modular structure for providing different levels of output currents. A controller for controlling a power converter which is configured to convert electrical power at an input voltage into electrical power at an output voltage is described. The power converter comprises first and second inverter stages comprising high side switches and low side switches which are arranged in series between the input voltage and a reference voltage. The midpoints between the high side switches and the low side switches are coupled. The electrical power at the output voltage is drawn from the midpoint. The controller is configured to determine an indication of a requested level of the electrical power at the output voltage, and to activate or deactivate the second inverter stage based on the indication of the requested level of the electrical power at the output voltage. |
| US09431893B1 |
Stability control of a power factor correction circuit using adaptive mulitplier voltage feedback
A power factor correction (PFC) circuit includes an adaptive multiplier feedback control circuit to enhance stability of the PFC circuit for high input voltage and low input power (i.e., low input current) conditions. The adaptive multiplier feedback control circuit controls a voltage provided to a multiplier voltage input of a controller of the PFC circuit. The controller determines control loop gain as a function of the voltage at the multiplier voltage input terminal of the controller. The adaptive multiplier feedback control circuit increases the voltage at the multiplier voltage input of the controller is the input current to the PFC circuit increases. The PFC circuit may be used in an AC to DC converter of the driver circuit of a light fixture operable to provide power to a light source of the light fixture. |
| US09431885B2 |
Voice coil motor
Disclosed is a voice coil motor, the motor including a mover having a bobbin equipped with a lens and a coil block secured to an outer circumference of the bobbin; a stator having a magnet that is disposed in such a way as to face the coil block; elastic members coupled to a lower end of the bobbin and connected to both ends of the coil block; a base supporting the elastic members and the stator; and a cover can covering the mover, the stator and the base, with an opening being formed in the cover can to expose the lens therethrough, wherein each of the elastic members includes a terminal portion that extends between the cover can and a side surface of the base, the terminal portion including a short-circuit prevention portion so as to inhibit a short-circuit between the terminal portion and the cover can. |
| US09431877B2 |
Concentric ring generators
A concentric generator usable with a gas turbine engine having a shaft. Disclosed embodiments include a generator with a rotor integral with the gas turbine shaft and a stator mounted concentrically with respect to the rotor. The stator may be mounted inside the turbine engine housing, or outside the turbine housing. In some embodiments, both the rotor and stator are mounted outside the turbine housing and rotation of the turbine shaft is translated to the rotor via a transmission. |
| US09431870B2 |
Motor having a braking function and used in linear actuator
A motor, which has a braking function and is used in a linear actuator includes a main body, a rotation shaft, a braking means and a stopping means. The rotation shaft penetrates the center of the main body. The braking means includes a braking ring and a helical ring. The braking ring includes a plurality of curved plates. The helical ring surrounds outer edges of the curved plates. Each curved plate is put on the outer periphery of the rotation shaft. The stopping means is disposed between the main body and the braking means for restricting the rotation of any of the curved plates. By this arrangement, a better braking and decelerating function can be achieved. |
| US09431869B2 |
Hydraulic energy conversion device
A hydraulic energy conversion device includes a main body being an annular member having a central hole, an output shaft mounted in the central hole of the main body with a centerline extended perpendicular to the central hole; a fixing plate located at an end of the main body and provided with a plurality of passage holes; an outer cover located at another end of the main body opposite to the fixing plate and having a central opening for the output shaft to outwardly extended through the outer cover; and a plurality of vanes circumferentially spaced on the output shaft to locate in a space defined between the main body, the fixing plate and the outer cover. The hydraulic energy conversion device is mounted in a hydraulic shock absorber to convert hydraulic energy into mechanical energy and output the same without hindering the hydraulic shock absorber from normal operation. |
| US09431862B2 |
Motor
A winding structure which is disposed over an armature and a commutator includes an equalizer. The equalizer includes a going portion and a return portion which are wound across one group of teeth through a slot and connected between two identical segments. In a case where an integer number is an expansion value among values which are integer multiples of a value which is acquired by dividing the total number of the slots by the total number of pole pairs, when one group of the teeth having the same total number as the expansion value is given as an element teeth group, the going portion and the return portion are wound across the element teeth group through the slots positioned at both sides of the element teeth group. |
| US09431861B2 |
Fixing permanent magnets to a rotor
A rotor for an electrical machine includes a base body, a plurality of permanent magnets which are arranged axially in rows on an outer surface of the base body. At least two of the permanent magnet rows are arranged so as to be mutually offset in an axial direction. First and second locking plates are respectively arranged at axial end faces of the base body to secure the rows of permanent magnets in the axial direction, with the first and second locking plates each having a surface which rests on respective axial ends of the permanent magnet rows. A bandage is wound around the base body to fix the permanent magnets to the outer surface of the base body. |
| US09431857B2 |
Permanent magnet rotor arrangement incorporating profiled tubes for permanent magnets
A permanent magnet rotor arrangement includes a rotor and a plurality of nonmagnetic, axially extending profiled tubes defining a closed channel and affixed circumferentially along the outer rim of the rotor. A plurality of permanent magnet pole pieces are arranged in the channels. A single pole piece is arranged in each channel. The cross-sectional profile of the pole piece does not correspond to the cross-sectional profile of the channel. |
| US09431844B2 |
System and method for wireless power control communication using bluetooth low energy
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for connecting with a charging device via a wireless communications network. In one aspect, a wireless charger comprises a transmitter configured to transmit a power signal. The wireless charger further comprises a device scanner configured to scan for one or more connection solicitations transmitted by devices. The wireless charger further comprises a receiver configured to receive a connection solicitation via the wireless communications network from the charging device in response to the transmitted power signal. The transmitter may be configured to transmit a connection request to establish a connection with the charging device in response to the received connection solicitation. |
| US09431836B2 |
Mobile power supply apparatus
A mobile power supply apparatus includes a base and a main body. The base has a first socket and a second socket disposed adjacent to the first socket, and both sockets, are exposed from a side of the base. The main body is extended from the base, and the main body, the first socket and the second socket are disposed on the same side of the base, and the main body has a slot, and the first socket and the second socket are accommodated at the bottom of the slot to constitute a storage structure. |
| US09431834B2 |
Wireless power transfer apparatus and method of manufacture
Systems, methods and apparatuses for wireless power transfer are disclosed. In one aspect, a wireless power transfer apparatus is provided comprising a casing with at least one projecting member projecting from an inner side of the surface of the casing that is subject to external compression forces. An induction coil and other components such as insulating layers and magnetically permeable members are positioned around at least one of the projecting members and maintained in position by the projecting members. The wireless power transfer apparatus is able to withstand large compressive forces, such as those imparted by heavy vehicles and the like passing over the apparatus when positioned on the ground in a wireless power transfer system. |
| US09431833B2 |
Battery systems and remaining capacity management systems for secondary battery
A battery system according to the present invention includes a secondary battery; a battery control unit that controls charging and discharging of said secondary battery; and a charging/discharging management unit that controls the charging and discharging of said secondary battery through said battery control unit, wherein said battery control unit, if an abnormality occurred during operation of said battery control unit, transmits remaining capacity data that represent a remaining capacity of said secondary battery that remained immediately before the abnormality occurred to said charging/discharging management unit. |
| US09431824B2 |
DC-DC converter comprising DC power sources to be connected in parallel or in series
The power supply system includes a first DC power source, a second DC power source, and a power converter having a plurality of switching elements and reactors. The power converter is configured to be switchable, by the control of the plurality of switching elements, between a parallel connection mode in which DC voltage conversion is executed with the DC power sources connected in parallel with a power line and a series connection mode in which DC voltage conversion is executed with the DC power sources connected in series with the power line. Each of the switching elements is arranged to be included both in a power conversion path between the first DC power source and the power line PL and a power conversion path between the second DC power source and the power line. |
| US09431822B1 |
Over-current protection device
An over-current protection device includes two metal foils and a PTC material layer laminated therebetween. The PTC material layer has a volumetric resistivity between about 0.07 Ω-cm and 0.45 Ω-cm. The PTC material layer comprises a crystalline polymer and first and second conductive fillers dispersed therein. The first conductive filler is carbon black powder. The second conductive filler is selected from the group consisting of metal powder and conductive ceramic powder and has a volumetric resistivity less than 0.1 Ω-cm. The weight ratio of the second conductive filler to the first conductive filler is less than 4. The resistance jump R300/Ri of the over-current protection device is in the range from 1.5 to 5, where Ri is an initial resistance and R300 is a resistance after tripping 300 times. |
| US09431815B1 |
Cable fitting with grip assembly
An adjustable cable fitting with a removable grip assembly secures and retains a cable passing therethrough. The grip assembly has a flexible tightening member and a resilient grommet inserted in the tightening member. The grip assembly is further disposed between a connector and a compression cap, such that the tightening member assists the grommet in creating and maintaining a watertight seal with the cable when tightening the compression cap to the connector. The tightening member also assists the grommet in securing and retaining the cable by preventing it from being pulled out of the fitting. The tightening member has a plurality of spaced apart retaining arms. Each arm has a retaining flange at one end that overhangs past an end of the grommet and which has gripper elements formed thereon for directly gripping the cable. |
| US09431809B2 |
Anchoring device
An anchoring device for fastening guide wires on a roof has a base. The base has a mounting surface, a support, and carriers to which the wire guides are attached. The carriers are rotatably connected to the support and can be fixed in any desired relative position to the support, so that the anchoring device has many possibilities for holding the guide wires. The support has a number of parts which are present between the carriers, whereby between two adjacent parts of one or more carriers can be clamped. The wire guides are at different distances d1 and d2 from the central axis of the support and are at distances D1, D2 and D3 from each other. |
| US09431807B2 |
Booster cable holding structure
In a booster cable holding structure, a resin terminal supporting portion includes a tooth-edge surrounding wall on a pressed surface thereof to be pressed by a plurality of teeth arranged in a width direction of a pressing surface of a clip in a state the clip clamps a clamping connection portion, a wall inner surface of the tooth-edge surrounding wall closely surrounds each edge of at least two of the teeth of the clip or closely surrounds the edges of the at least two teeth together. |
| US09431801B2 |
Method of coupling a feedthrough assembly for an implantable medical device
One aspect is a method of coupling a feedthrough assembly to a surrounding case of an implantable medical device. An insulator having a plurality of conducting elements extending therethrough is provided. The insulator is placed with conducting elements within an opening of a case, thereby defining a narrow space between the insulator and the case. A braze preform is placed adjacent the insulator and case in the narrow space. The insulator is heated with a laser until raising the temperature of the adjacent preform above its melting point such that it fills the space between the insulator and the case. |
| US09431800B2 |
Gas-insulated electric device
A gas-insulated electric device, by which a cross-sectional area of a central conductor can be reduced. The gas-insulated electric device includes an insulation tube that ranges to portions facing to ground potential portions for a central conductor and to upper-lower portions along the grounding potential portions, and is coaxially arranged along the central conductor in a state where a gap intervenes between the central conductor and the insulation tube; a conductive layer that is formed on an inner surface of an insulation tube and is electrically connected to the central conductor; and a ground layer that is formed on an inner surface or an outer surface of the insulation tube and is grounded; in which heat generated from the central conductor is radiated by convecting the insulation gas through the gap between the central conductor and insulation tube. |
| US09431792B2 |
Method and apparatus for active voltage regulation in optical modules
A method and apparatus for active voltage regulation in optical modules utilize a voltage regulator to change the supply voltage provided to laser diode driver and receiver electronics to optimize module performance over temperature. The ambient temperature of the module is monitored. The outputs of the voltage regulator are controlled to provide voltages that are optimized with respect to temperature for the integrated circuits in the optical module. This control is implemented via a temperature sensitive feedback or a control input from a microcontroller with a temperature monitor input. The supply voltage is optimized to minimize the voltage required to achieve acceptable performance at a given temperature. Minimizing the supply voltage lengthens the lifetime of the integrated circuit and the optical module. The voltage regulator provides higher than standard supply voltages to a laser diode driver to compensate for higher laser voltage at low temperatures. |
| US09431788B2 |
Mode converter for high power, higher-order mode optical fiber amplifiers
A mode converter for use with a higher-order mode (HOM)-based fiber amplifiers takes the form of axicon-based configuration that is able to convert high power (tens of mW and higher) optical signals propagating in higher-order mode form into a diffraction-limited beam without experiencing the nonlinear effects (such as self-phase modulation) that are found when using a long-period grating (LPG) to create a diffraction-limited beam by performing mode conversion. The axicon may comprise a bulk optic device, a fiber-based device, or a GRIN-based configuration (where the refractive index profile of the GRIN element is formed to create a diffraction-limited signal). |
| US09431787B2 |
Amplification optical fiber and fiber laser device using the same
The refractive index of the first core portion 11a is higher than that of a clad 12, and the refractive index of the second core portion 11b is higher than that of the first core portion 11a. When light of the LP01 mode and light of the LP11 mode are standardized by power, in the core 11, an active element that stimulates to emit light of the predetermined wavelength is doped at a higher concentration in at least a part of an area where power of light of the LP01 mode is larger than that of light of the LP11 mode than at least a part of an area where the power of light of the LP11 mode is larger than that of light of the LP01 mode. |
| US09431784B2 |
Method of fabricating a flat cable
A flat cable has a plurality of electric wires disposed in parallel, and a fiber member woven to thread through each of the electric wires along a juxtapositional direction of the electric wires. The fiber member is made of a fiber having an elastic recovery rate after elongation of 80% or more and 95% or less. The fiber has an initial modulus of 20 cN/dtex or more and 30 cN/dtex or less. |
| US09431783B1 |
Electronic system with power bus bar
A system includes a backplane and an auxiliary connector mounted to the backplane. The auxiliary connector is configured to mate with a corresponding mating auxiliary connector of an electrical power supply. A power connector is mounted directly to the backplane. The power connector is configured to mate with a corresponding mating power connector of the electrical power supply. A power bus bar is mounted to the backplane. The power bus bar is engaged in electrical contact with the power connector. |
| US09431769B2 |
Electrical connector having improved shielding
An electrical connector includes: a shielding shell; an insulative housing received in the shielding shell, the insulative housing having two rows of mating ports in a vertical direction and a receiving slot between the two rows of mating ports; a contact module mounted in the insulative housing, the contact modules comprising an inner circuit board and a plurality of mating contacts mounted on an upper surface and a lower surface of the inner circuit board, the inner circuit board comprising a conductive area at a front end thereof; and a conductive foam received in the receiving slot and compressed between the conductive area of the inner circuit board and the shielding shell. |
| US09431762B2 |
Connector
A connector includes a holder (10) having a peripheral wall (11) open on opposite first and second ends. A first housing (21) is assembled in the peripheral wall (11) from the first end of the holder (10), a second housing (40) is connected to the first housing (21) from the second end of the holder (10). Stoppers (20) are formed on the peripheral wall (11) and resilient contact pieces (28) are formed on the first housing (21). The resilient contact pieces (28) are deflected by interference with the stoppers (20) in the process of assembling the first housing (21) into the peripheral wall (11). The resilient contact pieces (28) are locked to the stoppers (20) to regulate detachment of the first housing (21) from the peripheral wall (11) toward the first end in the process of assembling the first and second housings (21, 40). |
| US09431759B2 |
Feedthrough connector for hermetically sealed electronic devices
Disclosed herein is one embodiment of an apparatus that includes a housing that defines an interior cavity. The housing also includes a spring aperture. The apparatus further includes a spring coupled to the housing over the spring aperture, with the spring having a deflection portion and a feedthrough aperture. The apparatus also has an electrical connector coupled to the spring and extending through the feedthrough aperture and the spring aperture. The electrical connector may have a plurality of electrical traces extending from a location external to the housing to a location within the interior cavity of the housing. |
| US09431754B2 |
Electrical connector structure capable of reducing relative movement between signal modules
An electrical connector structure includes a housing and signal modules mounted therein. Each signal module includes an insulating body, conductive terminals and a ground shield. The insulating body has a first side having a guide projection, and a second side opposite to the first side and having a guide groove. When a first signal module has been mounted in the housing, a second signal module is guided and moved to mount into the housing by the guide groove of the second signal module receiving the guide projection of the first signal module, or by the guide projection of the second signal module sliding into the guide groove of the first signal module, whereby reducing relative movement between signal modules in the housing. The signal modules may be mounted one by one in the housing, or may be stacked side by side and then mounted in the housing as a whole. |
| US09431748B2 |
Electrical plug-in connector with closure device
A plug-in device system has a closure unit blocking access to a first plug-in device element, for example a socket. The closure unit includes a rotary bezel which is coupled via a coupling to at least one shutter such that the rotation of the bezel effects a movement of the shutter from a closed position in an open position. Preferably, a locking assembly is additionally provided, which blocks movement of the rotary bezel and/or shutter in the closed position as long as no pressure is applied to the shutter. In addition, a safety device can be provided, which prevents the shutter from opening when a direct force is applied. |
| US09431745B2 |
Connector with terminal locking function
A connector includes a plurality of terminals, a housing, and a retainer. The housing includes terminal housing chambers and partition portions. Each of the terminal housing chambers accommodates therein each of the plurality of terminals. Each of the partition portions is provided between adjacent terminal housing chambers and partition the adjacent terminal housing chambers from each other. The retainer is attached to the housing. The retainer is configured to prevent each of the terminals from falling out and to move between a temporary locking position and a proper locking position. The retainer includes communication cut portions. While the retainer is moving between the proper locking position and the temporary locking position, each of the communication cut portions is kept in contact with its corresponding partition portion and cut off communication between the adjacent terminal housing chambers. |
| US09431739B2 |
Conductive terminal with insulating leading-end
A terminal includes an insulating leading-end insulation portion (8) that is fixed to a conductive terminal main body (7) and that protrudes in front of a leading end of a terminal contact portion (72). The terminal contact portion (72) is formed in a cylindrical shape including a rod through-hole (71) penetrating in an axial direction, and the leading-end insulation portion (8) is formed as a part of an insulation member (82) including a penetrating rod portion (81) penetrating through the rod through-hole (71) and protruding to a back end side of the rod through-hole (71); and the leading-end insulation portion (8) and the back end side of the penetrating rod portion (81) are respectively engaged with respect to the terminal main body (7) in a removal direction to thereby fix the insulation member (82) into the terminal main body (7). |
| US09431736B2 |
Card edge connector and card edge connector assembly
A card edge connector includes a first insulator, a second insulator, first terminals, second terminals, and a circuit transferring board. The first insulator has a plug space, first terminal holes, and second terminal holes. The second insulator abuts against the first insulator and has first slotted holes, second slotted holes, and a slot. The first terminals are disposed within the first terminal holes and the first slotted holes, and the second terminals are disposed within the second terminal holes and the second slotted holes. The circuit transferring board is inserted into the slot. The circuit transferring board has first conductive portions and second conductive portions, where back contact portions of the first and second terminals are electrically coupled to the first and second conductive portions, thereby solving a problem of a conventional welded connection. The present invent also provides a card edge connector assembly. |
| US09431730B2 |
Mounting structure for connection terminal, turbo compressor, and turbo refrigerator
A mounting structure for a main terminal for mounting the main terminal to a housing in the state of one end portion to which a lead wire can be affixed being inserted into the housing, and the other end portion being exposed to the outside of the housing, in which the housing has a mounting hole for inserting and extracting the one end portion together with the lead wire; and the main terminal has a flange portion that can mount the main terminal about the mounting hole from the outside of the housing without involving rotation of the main terminal. |
| US09431728B2 |
Coaxial connector splice
A coaxial cable connector splice including a central conductor extending between opposed ends and an insulating structure interposed between the central conductor and an outer body. |
| US09431726B2 |
Multi-core cable
A multi-core cable 1 includes plural shielded electric wires 10 for signal transmission. The plural shielded electric wires 10 are bundled so as to make contact with the adjacent shielded electric wires 10, and sheaths 14 of the plural shielded electric wires 10 are respectively removed at the same position in the length direction, and outer conductors 13 of the plural shielded electric wires 10 at the position at which the sheaths 14 are removed are bundled by a metal wire 30 and the bundled portion is soldered and fastened. |
| US09431724B2 |
Detachable connector
The present invention relates to a detachable connector (1) for a junction block comprising: an insulating body (2), a connection terminal (10) having a housing (8) for an electrically conductive wire (C) intended to be inserted through a first opening (3) of the insulating body (2) along an insertion direction (D) of the electrically conductive wire (C) in the insulating body (2), a connection plug (20) comprising a socket (21) from which extend two elastic connection branches (22a, 22b) intended to ensure an electrical contact with a complementary plug of the junction block intended to pass through a second opening (4) of the insulating body (2), the detachable connector (1) being characterized in that it comprises a passageway (6) for the electrically conductive wire (C) connecting the first housing (8) of the connection terminal (10) and a second housing (9) formed in the socket (21) of the connection plug (20). |
| US09431718B2 |
Antenna device including triplate line including central conductor and ground plates
An antenna device has a feed line including a triplate line. Each triplate line has a central conductor and two ground plates sandwiching the central conductor via an air layer. At least a part of the triplate line is configured such that the two ground plates sandwich a center substrate including a wiring pattern as the central conductor provided on a dielectric substrate via the air layer. |
| US09431709B2 |
Artificial magnetic conductor antennas with shielded feedlines
An antenna system is described which is comprised of an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC), an antenna element, and a feed network comprised of shielded feedlines whose outer conductor, or shield, is routed through the substrate of the AMC. The feedline outer conductor is connected to both the substantially continuous conductive surface and the array of capacitive patches forming the AMC. The shielded feedline suppresses the excitation of undesired TM modes within the AMC substrate, results in a stable return loss over a frequency range associated with the AMC's high surface impedance and surface wave bandgap. |
| US09431707B2 |
Apparatus and method for wireless power transmission including a source resonator having a substantially uniform megnetic field
A source resonator for wirelessly transmitting power to a target device may include a magnetic field distribution adjusting unit that is configured to adjust the magnetic field generated by the source resonator. In one or more embodiments, the magnetic field distribution adjusting unit may adjust the magnetic field to be substantially uniform in a predetermined vicinity of the source resonator. For example, the magnetic field distribution adjusting unit may adjust the intensity of the magnetic field near the center of the source resonator to be substantially the same as the intensity of the magnetic field near an edge area of the source resonator. |
| US09431704B2 |
Antenna apparatus and method for electronically pivoting a radar beam
An antenna apparatus for a radar sensor having a plurality of individual antenna devices that interact through interference to generate and/or receive a radar beam at a predetermined angle of transmission and/or reception. The individual antenna devices are provided with a radar signal and are arranged such that a first angle of transmission and/or reception of the radar beam is determined via an analog beam formation and a second angle of transmission and/or reception of the radar beam is determined via a digital beam formation. The antenna apparatus further includes a feed device configured to generate the radar signal. In addition, the radar beam can be electronically pivoted. Also, an aircraft can include the antenna apparatus. |
| US09431692B2 |
Tracking biological and other samples using RFID tags
A box mapper has (i) a frame configured to receive a sample box of RFID-tagged sample vials and (ii) a set of antennae configured to read the vial RFID tags of the sample vials to determine the identity and position of each sample vial in the sample box. In one embodiment, the set of antennae include two mutually orthogonal subsets of biphase digit antennae. |
| US09431681B2 |
High temperature sodium battery with high energy efficiency
A molten sodium secondary cell charges at a high temperature and discharges at a relatively lower temperature. The cell includes a sodium anode and a cathode. A sodium ion conductive solid membrane separates the cathode from the sodium anode and selectively transports sodium ions. A solar energy source includes a photovoltaic system to provide an electric charging potential to the sodium anode and the cathode and a solar thermal concentrator to provide heat to the cathode and catholyte composition to cause the molten sodium secondary cell to charge at a temperature in the range from about 300 to 800° C. The cell has a charge temperature and a charge voltage and a discharge temperature and a discharge voltage. The charge temperature is substantially higher than the discharge temperature, and the charge voltage is lower than the discharge voltage. |
| US09431680B2 |
Electric storage device, electric storage system, and manufacturing method thereof
An electric storage device includes: a rolled electrode assembly 10 formed by winding a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator so as to have curved portions and linear portions; current collectors 7; and an electrolyte solution 3. A positive electrode substrate has at one end 10A an unformed portion 11E formed without a positive electrode mixture layer, and a negative electrode substrate has at the other end 10B an unformed portion 13E formed without a negative electrode mixture layer. The current collectors 7 are connected respectively to at least part of the linear portions in the unformed portion of the positive electrode at the one end 10A and that of the negative electrode at the other end 10B. The one end 10A in the positive electrode has a length greater than the winding length, and/or the other end 10B in the negative electrode has such a length. |
| US09431679B2 |
Electrode assembly having stepped portion, as well as battery cell, battery pack, and device including the electrode assembly
There is provided an electrode assembly comprising at least one stacked and folded type electrode stack in which a plurality of electrode units having electrode tabs are stacked in a state that the electrode units are separated by a sheet of separating film. The stacked and folded type electrode stack includes at least one stepped portion formed of electrode units having different areas and stacked on one another. |
| US09431675B2 |
Material consisting of composite oxide particles, method for preparing same, and use thereof as electrode active material
A positive electrode material, having particles having a complex oxide OC1 core, an at least partial complex oxide OC2 coating, and an adhesive carbon surface deposit. The material is characterized in that the complex oxide OC1 is an oxide having a high energy density and in that the oxide OC2 is an oxide of a metal having a catalytic effect on the reaction of the carbon deposit, the oxide having good electronic conductivity. The presence of the OC2 layer facilitates the deposit of a carbon adhesive layer at the surface of the oxide particles, and improves the conductivity of the material when the latter is used as an electrode material. The electrode material can particularly be used in the manufacture of a lithium battery. |
| US09431674B2 |
Balanced stepped electrode assembly, and battery cell and device comprising the same
There are provided an electrode assembly, and a battery cell, a battery pack, and a device. The electrode assembly includes a combination of two or more types of electrode units having different areas, wherein the electrode units are stacked such that steps are formed, and electrode units are formed such that a positive electrode and a negative electrode face one another at an interface between the electrode units. |
| US09431670B2 |
High durability fuel cell components with cerium salt additives
A fuel cell membrane electrode assembly is provided comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane which comprises a polymer that comprises bound anionic functional groups, wherein the polymer electrolyte membrane additionally comprises cerium cations. In another aspect, a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly is provided comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane which comprises a polymer that comprises bound anionic functional groups, wherein at least a portion of the anionic functional groups are in acid form and at least a portion of the anionic functional groups are neutralized by cerium cations. In another aspect, a polymer electrolyte membrane is provided which comprises a polymer that comprises bound anionic functional groups, wherein the polymer electrolyte membrane additionally comprises cerium cations, and wherein the amount of cerium cations present is between 0.001 and 0.5 charge equivalents based on the molar amount of acid functional groups present in the polymer electrolyte, more typically between 0.005 and 0.2, more typically between 0.01 and 0.1, and more typically between 0.02 and 0.05. |
| US09431661B2 |
Cathode catalyst layer, membrane electrode assembly and polymer electrolyte fuel cell and manufacturing method thereof
A cathode catalyst layer used for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that includes an electrolyte membrane is provided. The cathode catalyst layer comprises a catalyst having weight of not greater than 0.3 mg/cm2 of a reaction surface of the cathode catalyst layer that is adjoining the electrolyte membrane; and an electrolyte resin having oxygen permeability of not less than 2.2*10−14 mol/m/s/Pa in an environment of temperature of 80 degrees Celsius and relative humidity of 50%. |
| US09431660B2 |
Lithium battery with charging redox couple
In accordance with one embodiment, an electrochemical cell includes a negative electrode including a form of lithium, a positive electrode spaced apart from the negative electrode and including an electron conducting matrix, a separator positioned between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, an electrolyte including a salt, and a charging redox couple located within the positive electrode, wherein the electrochemical cell is characterized by the transfer of electrons from a discharge product located in the positive electrode to the electron conducting matrix by the charging redox couple during a charge cycle. |
| US09431659B2 |
Electrode binder for secondary battery and electrode for secondary battery comprising the same
Provided are an electrode binder for a secondary battery including an amine-based compound expressed by Chemical Formula 1 below and water-based binder particles including at least one carboxyl group as an end group, a method of preparing the same, and an electrode for a secondary battery including the electrode binder for a secondary battery |
| US09431655B2 |
Antiomony and layered carbon network battery anode
A method is provided for fabricating an antimony anode. The method disperses antimony (Sb) particles in a layered carbon network using a process such as mechanical mixing, ball milling, stirring, or ultrasound sonication, forming a Sb/carbon composite. The Sb/carbon composite is mixed with a binder, forming a mixture, and the mixture is deposited on a current collector. Advantageously, the binder may be an aqueous (water soluble) binder. In one aspect, prior to dispersing the Sb particles in the layered carbon network, the Sb particles are coated with carbon. For example, the Sb particles may be dispersed in a solution including a polymer, where the solution may be an aqueous or organic. Alternatively, the Sb particles may be dispersed in a solution including a monomer. The monomer solution is polymerized to form polymer sheathed Sb core-shell structures, and then carbonized. Associated Sb anodes and Sb anode batteries are also provided. |
| US09431653B2 |
Structurally stable active material for battery electrodes
A process of producing active material for an electrode of an electrochemical cell includes providing lithium-intercalating carbon particles having an average particle size of 1 μm to 100 μm as component 1, providing silicon particles having an average particle size of 5 nm to 500 nm as component 2, providing a polymer or polymer precursor which can be pyrolyzed to form amorphous carbon and is selected from the group consisting of epoxy resin, polyurethane resin and polyester resin, as component 3, mixing components 1 to 3 in to a mixture and heat treating the mixture substantially in the absence of atmospheric oxygen at a temperature at which the pyrolyzable polymer or the pyrolyzable polymer precursor decomposes to form amorphous carbon. |
| US09431640B2 |
Mobile power supply
A mobile power supply includes a case, a control circuit board, a power storage module, a heating element and a thermal sheet. The case is with a hole formed thereon. The control circuit board is disposed in the case. A plurality of electrical connectors is welded on the control circuit board and is exposed by the case. The power storage module is disposed in the case and electrically connected to the control circuit board. The heating element is disposed on the case and exposed at the hole. The heating element is electrically connected to the control circuit board. The thermal sheet is attached to the case and in contact with the heating element. Thereby, the mobile power supply may provide heat and be used for heat preservation or for keeping warm. |
| US09431638B2 |
Non-aqueous secondary battery separator and non-aqueous secondary battery
The present invention provides a separator for a non-aqueous secondary battery including a porous substrate and an adhesive porous layer that is formed at at least one side of the porous substrate and contains the following polyvinylidene fluoride-based resin A and the following polyvinylidene fluoride-based resin B. (1) Polyvinylidene fluoride resin A selected from the group consisting of vinylidene fluoride homopolymers having a weight average molecular weight of from 600,000 to 2,500,000, and vinylidene fluoride copolymers having a weight average molecular weight of from 600,000 to 2,500,000 and containing a structural unit derived from vinylidene fluoride and a structural unit derived from hexafluoropropylene, the total content of structural units derived from hexafluoropropylene in each of the vinylidene fluoride copolymers being 1.5 mol % or less of the total content of structural units in each of the vinylidene fluoride copolymer. (2) Polyvinylidene fluoride resin B containing a structural unit derived from vinylidene fluoride and a structural unit derived from hexafluoropropylene, the total content of structural units derived from hexafluoropropylene in the polyvinylidene fluoride resin B being greater than 1.5 mol % of the total content of structural units in the polyvinylidene fluoride resin B. |
| US09431633B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display device
Disclosed is an organic light emitting diode display device having improved light extraction efficiency and display quality. The organic light emitting diode display device includes a plurality of sub-pixels including organic light emitting cells arranged in an inner side of a substrate, a groove formed between neighboring sub-pixels, and a light extraction pattern formed over an outer surface of the substrate. |
| US09431629B2 |
Organic light-emitting display apparatus
Provided is an organic light-emitting display apparatus including: a substrate having one or more side walls; a display unit positioned on the substrate; and an encapsulation layer deposited over the display unit and contacting each of the one or more side walls, wherein a height of an outer end portion of the encapsulation layer is less than that of each of the side walls. |
| US09431623B2 |
Flexible devices including semiconductor nanocrystals, arrays, and methods
The present invention relates to flexible devices including semiconductor nanocrystals, arrays including such devices, systems including the foregoing, and related methods. In one embodiment, a flexible light-emitting device includes a flexible substrate including a first electrode, an emissive layer comprising semiconductor nanocrystals disposed over the substrate, and second electrode disposed over the emissive layer comprising semiconductor nanocrystals, wherein, when the device is curved, the emissive layer comprising semiconductor nanocrystals lies substantially in the neutral plane of the device. In another embodiment, a light-emitting device includes an emissive layer comprising semiconductor nanocrystals disposed between two flexible substrates, a first electrode disposed over the emissive layer comprising semiconductor nanocrystals, and a second electrode disposed under the emissive layer comprising semiconductor nanocrystals. In certain preferred embodiments, at least one charge transport layer is disposed between one of the electrodes and the layer comprising semiconductor nanocrystals. |
| US09431616B2 |
Phosphaphenanthrene-carbazole-based organic light-emitting compound, and organic light-emitting device comprising same
Provided are a phosphaphenanthrene-carbazole-based organic light-emitting compound having superior light emitting properties, and an organic light-emitting device including the same. |
| US09431611B2 |
Production method for organic electroluminescent element
The present invention aims at providing a method for producing an organic electroluminescent element, by which a non-light-emitting region can be formed without any accompanying discoloration of a resin substrate. The method for producing an organic electroluminescent element includes a stacking step, in which a first electrode, an organic functional layer and a second electrode are formed by stacking on a resin substrate, and a light irradiation step, in which a prescribed region of the organic functional layer is irradiated with light being free from wavelength components at 340 nm or less. |
| US09431610B2 |
Methods of manufacturing a phase change memory device including a heat sink
A phase change memory device includes a phase change memory unit and a heat sink. The phase change memory unit includes a phase change material layer pattern, a lower electrode beneath the phase change material layer pattern configured to heat the phase change material layer pattern, and an upper electrode on the phase change material layer pattern. The heat sink configured to absorb heat from the phase change memory unit. The heat sink has a top surface lower than a top surface of the upper electrode and is spaced apart from the phase change memory unit. |
| US09431609B2 |
Oxide film scheme for RRAM structure
The present disclosure relates to a method of forming an RRAM cell having a dielectric data layer that provides good performance, device yield, and data retention, and an associated apparatus. In some embodiments, the method is performed by forming an RRAM film stack having a bottom electrode layer disposed over a semiconductor substrate, a top electrode layer, and a dielectric data storage layer disposed between the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The dielectric data storage layer has a performance enhancing layer with a hydrogen-doped oxide and a data retention layer having an aluminum oxide. The RRAM film stack is then patterned according to one or more masking layers to form a top electrode and a bottom electrode, and an upper metal interconnect layer is formed at a position electrically contacting the top electrode. |
| US09431608B2 |
Hybrid non-volatile memory device and method for manufacturing such a device
A method for manufacturing a hybrid non-volatile memory device includes forming first conductive pads; depositing a first conductive layer on a second area of the substrate; etching the first conductive layer to obtain second conductive pads, the second conductive pads having a section at their base smaller than at their top; protecting the upper face of the second conductive pads; oxidizing the substrate so that an insulating material layer covers the upper face of the first conductive pads and sides of the second conductive pads; depositing an oxide layer at the tops of the first conductive pads, resulting in memory elements of a first type supported by the first conductive pads; and forming memory elements of a second type at the tops of the second conductive pads. Each memory element of the second type is supported by one of the second conductive pads. |
| US09431600B2 |
Magnetic domain wall shift register memory devices with high magnetoresistance ratio structures
A device includes a seed layer, a magnetic track layer disposed on the seed layer, an alloy layer disposed on the magnetic track layer, a tunnel barrier layer disposed on the alloy layer, a pinning layer disposed on the tunnel barrier layer, a synthetic antiferromagnetic layer spacer disposed on the pinning layer, a pinned layer disposed on the synthetic antiferromagnetic spacer layer and an antiferromagnetic layer disposed on the pinned layer, and another device includes a seed layer, an antiferromagnetic layer disposed on the seed layer, a pinned layer disposed on the antiferromagnetic layer, a synthetic antiferromagnetic layer spacer disposed on the pinned layer, a pinning layer disposed on the synthetic antiferromagnetic layer spacer, a tunnel barrier layer disposed on the pinning layer, an alloy layer disposed on the tunnel barrier layer and a magnetic track layer disposed on alloy layer. |
| US09431596B2 |
Electronic device
Embodiments of the present disclosure refers to an electronic device, comprising a first bracket that is made of a first material having a thermal conductivity greater than a first threshold and has therein at least one passage including a chamber; wherein the first bracket and the chamber define a closed space in which a cooling medium having a thermal conductivity greater than a second threshold is able to circulate; and wherein the chamber is provided with a driving body at at least one side wall of the chamber and the driving body is deformable under a perdetermined condition to change a capacity of the chamber so as to drive the cooling medium to flow. |
| US09431586B2 |
Ceramic conversion element, optoelectronic semiconductor element, and method for producing a ceramic conversion element
A ceramic conversion element includes a first ceramic layer having a first luminescent material, which transforms electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength range into electromagnetic radiation of a second wavelength range. A second ceramic layer includes a second luminescent material, which transforms electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength range into electromagnetic radiation of a third wavelength range. The first luminescent material and the second luminescent material are based on at least one inorganic compound containing oxygen and are different from one another. An optoelectronic component with a ceramic conversion element and a method for producing a ceramic conversion element are also specified. |
| US09431580B2 |
Method for producing an optoelectronic component, and an optoelectronic component
A method for producing an optoelectronic component comprising the steps of providing a semiconductor layer sequence having at least one active region, wherein the active region is suitable for emitting electromagnetic radiation during operation, and applying at least one layer on a first surface of the semiconductor layer sequence by means of an ion assisted application method. |
| US09431579B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting structure and semiconductor package structure
A semiconductor light emitting structure includes an epitaxial structure, an N-type electrode pad, a P-type electrode pad and an insulation layer. The N-type electrode pad and the P-type electrode pad are disposed on the epitaxial structure apart, wherein the P-type electrode pad has a first upper surface. The insulation layer is disposed on the epitaxial structure and located between the N-type electrode pad and the P-type electrode pad, wherein the insulation layer has a second upper surface. The first upper surface of the P-type electrode pad and the second upper surface of the insulation layer are coplanar. |
| US09431574B2 |
Light-emitting device including color filter and black matrix
A light-emitting device includes a pixel having a transistor provided over a substrate, and a light-emitting element. The transistor includes a single-crystal semiconductor layer which forms a channel formation region, a silicon oxide layer is provided between the substrate and the single-crystal semiconductor layer, a source or a drain of the transistor is electrically connected to an electrode of the light-emitting element, and the transistor is operated in a saturation region when the light-emitting element emits light. Further, in the light-emitting device, a gray scale of the light-emitting element is displayed by changing a potential applied to the gate of the transistor. |
| US09431572B2 |
Dual mode tilted-charge devices and methods
A method for providing and operating a device in a first mode as a light-emitting transistor and in a second mode as a high speed electrical transistor, including the following steps: providing a semiconductor base region of a first conductivity type between semiconductor emitter and collector regions of a second semiconductor type; providing, in the base region, a quantum size region; providing, in the base region between the quantum size region and the collector region, a carrier transition region; applying a controllable bias voltage with respect to the base and collector regions to control depletion of carriers in at least the carrier transition region; and applying signals with respect to the emitter, base, and collector regions to operate the device as either a light-emitting transistor or a high speed electrical transistor, depending on the controlled bias signal. |
| US09431564B2 |
Photoconductive switch
A photoconductive switch comprising a photoconductive material and first and second contacts provided on said photoconductive material, wherein said first and second contacts comprise a plurality of interdigitated tracks, the tracks of each contact being separated from the tracks of the other contact by a photoconductive gap, the tracks being curved such that the minimum photoconductive gap measured in a first direction remains substantially similar regardless of the orientation of the first direction. |
| US09431560B2 |
Polyvinyl acetal resin film and multilayer structure articles using the same
An object of the present invention is to provide a film that is used as one layer of a multilayer structure articles such as a laminated glass, and a solar cell module, and prevents the intrusion of bubbles and the generation of unfilled portions at the edge portions of the film; and a multilayer structure articles obtained with the use of the film. A polyvinyl acetal resin film, having a thickness distribution in the width direction of 10% or less, and a volatile matter content of 1.0 mass % or less, in which as to a portion of 5% of the total width inside from each of both edges in the width direction, when each portion is heated at 150° C. for 30 minutes, the larger value of the heat shrinkage in the flow direction that is parallel to the film and perpendicular to the width direction is referred to as heat shrinkage MD1, and the other value is referred to as heat shrinkage MD2, and when central portion in the width direction of the film is heated at 150° C. for 30 minutes, the heat shrinkage in the flow direction that is parallel to the film and perpendicular to the width direction is referred to as heat shrinkage MD3, all the heat shrinkage MD1, heat shrinkage MD2, and heat shrinkage MD3 are 3 to 20%. |
| US09431559B2 |
Solar cell module structure
A solar cell module structure is disclosed, which at least comprises a frame and a solar cell. The frame is composed of four sidebars that are mounted respectively at four sides of the solar cell. Each of the two opposite ends of each sidebar is formed with a 45-degree angle cut while each sidebar is composed of a top tongue plate, a bottom tongue plate, and a junction plate in a manner that the top tongue plate is arranged parallel to or near parallel to the bottom tongue plate while allowing the junction plate to connected and disposed perpendicular to the top and bottom tongue plates in respective. In addition, the solar cell is arranged at a position enclosed between the junction plate and the top and bottom tongue plates while being disposed at a distance respectively from the three plates. |
| US09431554B2 |
Semiconductor light trap device
Buried structures for silicon devices which alter light paths and thereby form light traps. The lights traps couple more light to a photosensitive surface of the device, rather than reflecting the light or absorbing it more deeply within the device. |
| US09431553B2 |
Protective cover for a copper containing conductor
The method of manufacturing a solar cell comprises the steps of: (a) providing the semiconductor substrate in a deposition chamber of a vapour deposition apparatus, which semiconductor substrate comprises a passivation layer at a first side thereof which passivation layer is patterned to define contact areas at which the copper-containing conductor is present; (b) supplying a gaseous silicon species into the deposition chamber, resulting in the formation of a surface layer of a copper silicide on a surface of the copper-containing conductor and in the formation of amorphous silicon on top of the passivation layer, and (c) providing a protective layer of an insulating silicon compound on the surface layer, wherein the protective cover comprising both the surface layer and the protective layer. |
| US09431552B2 |
Metallization paste for solar cells
A metallization paste or ink for making electrical contacts on solar cells has reduced diffusion in a silicon wafer. The paste or ink is configured for printing on a crystalline silicon substrate of a solar cell, wherein the paste comprises silicon particles, aluminum particles, and a paste vehicle. Alternatively, the paste comprises aluminum-silicon alloy particles. |
| US09431549B2 |
Nonvolatile charge trap memory device having a high dielectric constant blocking region
An embodiment of a nonvolatile charge trap memory device is described. In one embodiment, the device comprises a channel comprising silicon overlying a surface on a substrate electrically connecting a first diffusion region and a second diffusion region of the memory device, and a gate stack intersecting and overlying at least a portion of the channel, the gate stack comprising a tunnel oxide abutting the channel, a split charge-trapping region abutting the tunnel oxide, and a multi-layer blocking dielectric abutting the split charge-trapping region. The split charge-trapping region includes a first charge-trapping layer comprising a nitride closer to the tunnel oxide, and a second charge-trapping layer comprising a nitride overlying the first charge-trapping layer. The multi-layer blocking dielectric comprises at least a high-K dielectric layer. |
| US09431547B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device having a structure which can prevent a decrease in electrical characteristics due to miniaturization is provided. The semiconductor device includes, over an insulating surface, a stack in which a first oxide semiconductor layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer are sequentially formed, and a third oxide semiconductor layer covering part of a surface of the stack. The third oxide semiconductor layer includes a first layer in contact with the stack and a second layer over the first layer. The first layer includes a microcrystalline layer, and the second layer includes a crystalline layer in which c-axes are aligned in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the first layer. |
| US09431543B2 |
Thin-film semiconductor device for display apparatus and method of manufacturing same
A thin-film semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a gate electrode above the substrate; a gate insulation film above the gate electrode; a channel layer above the gate insulation film, the channel layer having a raised part; a channel protection layer over the raised part of the channel layer, the channel protection layer comprising an organic material, and the organic material including silicon, oxygen, and carbon; an interface layer at an interface between a top surface of the raised part of the channel layer and the channel protection layer, and comprises at least carbon and silicon that derive from the organic material; and a source electrode and a drain electrode each provided over a top surface and a side surface the channel protection layer, a side surface of the interface layer, a side surface of the raised part of the channel layer, and a top surface of the channel layer. |
| US09431534B2 |
Asymmetric field effect transistor cap layer
A device includes a field effect transistor on an insulating film. A first fin extends vertically from a top side of a horizontal surface of a semiconductor substrate. An epitaxial cap rests on the first fin, with a left vertex on a left side of the epitaxial cap at a first horizontal distance from a reference line that vertically bisects the first fin, and a right vertex on the right side of the epitaxial cap at a second horizontal distance from the reference line, the first horizontal distance being at least twenty percent greater than the second horizontal distance; and a top vertex is at a third horizontal distance to the left of the reference line. |
| US09431532B1 |
System and method for fabricating high voltage power MOSFET
A high voltage power MOSFET includes a semiconductor substrate doped by a first conducting type, a source doped by a second conducting type and over the semiconductor substrate, and a drain region doped by the second conducting type and on the semiconductor substrate. One or more drain layers doped by the second conducting type and on the semiconductor substrate span between the body region and the drain region. An insulating layer is formed on at least a portion of the body region and over the one or more drain layers. A voltage regulating layer on the insulating layer can produce voltage distributions in the one or more drain layers to deplete charge carriers to increase blockage voltage in an off state, and to accumulate charge carriers in an on state to reduce on-state resistance. |
| US09431529B2 |
Confined semi-metal field effect transistor
Exemplary embodiments are disclosed for a semi-metal transistor, comprising: a semi-metal contact region adjacent to a metal contact; at least one semiconductor terminal; and a semi-metal transition region connected between the contact region and the semiconductor terminal that transitions from a substantially zero gap semi-metal beginning at an interface of the contact region into a semiconductor with an energy band gap towards the semiconductor terminal. |
| US09431519B2 |
Method of producing a III-V fin structure
A method of producing a III-V fin structure within a gap separating shallow trench isolation (STI) structures and exposing a semiconductor substrate is disclosed, the method comprising providing a semiconductor substrate, providing in the semiconductor substrate at least two identical STI structures separated by a gap exposing the semiconductor substrate, wherein said gap is bounded by said at least two identical STI structures, and, producing a III-V fin structure within said gap on the exposed semiconductor substrate, and providing a diffusion barrier at least in contact with each side wall of said at least two identical STI structures and with side walls of said III-V fin structure and wherein said semiconductor substrate is a Si substrate. |
| US09431515B2 |
Methods of forming semiconductor devices, including performing a heat treatment after forming a metal layer and a high-k layer
Methods of forming semiconductor devices are provided. A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming an insulating layer that includes a trench therein. The method includes forming a high-k layer in the trench. Moreover, the method includes forming a metal layer on the high-k layer, then performing a first heat treatment at a first temperature, and performing a second heat treatment at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature. |
| US09431510B2 |
Metal-semiconductor wafer bonding for high-Q devices
Methods and apparatus for metal semiconductor wafer bonding for high-Q devices are provided. An exemplary capacitor includes a first plate formed on a glass substrate, a second plate, and a dielectric layer. No organic bonding agent is used between the first plate and the glass substrate, and the dielectric layer can be an intrinsic semiconductor. A extrinsic semiconductor layer that is heavily doped contacts the dielectric layer. The dielectric and extrinsic semiconductor layers are sandwiched between the first and second plates. An intermetallic layer is formed between the first plate and the dielectric layer. The intermetallic layer is thermo compression bonded to the first plate and the dielectric layer. The capacitor can be coupled in a circuit as a high-Q capacitor and/or a varactor, and can be integrated with a mobile device. |
| US09431507B2 |
Replacement gate structure with low-K sidewall spacer for semiconductor devices
One method and device disclosed includes, among other things, forming a recessed sacrificial gate electrode having a recessed upper surface, performing at least one second etching process to define recessed sidewall spacers positioned adjacent the recessed sacrificial gate electrode, forming a plurality of sidewall spacers within a gate opening above the recessed sidewall spacers, wherein one of the spacers comprises a low-k insulating material that is positioned laterally between two other spacers and a gate cap layer, removing the recessed sacrificial gate electrode and forming a replacement gate structure in its place. |
| US09431495B2 |
Method of forming SGT MOSFETs with improved termination breakdown voltage
A method of manufacturing a trench power MOSFET device with improved UIS performance and a high avalanche breakdown voltage is disclosed. The method includes performing a first etching of the epitaxial layer to form an active trench with an initial depth in an active area of the semiconductor substrate and a termination trench with a desired depth in a termination area of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the initial depth of the active trench is smaller than the desired depth of the termination trench and performing a second etching to increase the depth of the active trench to a desired depth wherein a depth difference between the desired depth of the active trench and the desired depth of the termination trench is smaller than a depth difference between the initial depth of the active trench and the desired depth of the termination trench. |
| US09431491B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device including an active cell region formed over the surface of a silicon substrate and including a vertical MOSFET, a drain electrode formed over the surface of the silicon substrate and leading out the drain of the vertical MOSFET from the back surface of the silicon substrate, an external drain terminal formed over the drain electrode, and a source electrode formed over the active cell region so as to be opposed to the drain electrode at least along three sides at the periphery of the external drain terminal over the active cell region and connected to the source of the vertical MOSFET. |
| US09431487B2 |
Graphene layer transfer
A method to transfer a layer of graphene from one substrate to another substrate is provided. The method includes providing a first layered structure including, from bottom to top, a copper foil, a layer of graphene, an adhesive layer and a carrier substrate. The copper foil is removed exposing a surface of the layer of graphene. Next, an oxide bonding enhancement dielectric layer is formed on the exposed surface of the layer of graphene. A second layered structure including a receiver substrate and a dielectric oxide layer is provided. Next, an exposed surface of the dielectric oxide layer is bonded to an exposed surface of the oxide bonding enhancement dielectric layer. The carrier substrate and the adhesive layer are removed exposing the layer of graphene. |
| US09431478B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a first multi-channel active pattern defined by a field insulating layer and extending along a first direction, the first multi-channel active pattern including a first portion having a top surface protruding further in an upward direction than a top surface of the field insulating layer and a second portion on both sides of the first portion, the second portion having sidewalls with a continuous profile and a top surface protruding further in the upward direction than the top surface of the field insulating layer and protruding in the upward direction less than the top surface of the first portion, a gate electrode on the first portion of the first multi-channel active pattern and extending along a second direction different from the first direction, and a first source/drain region on the second portion of the first multi-channel active pattern and contacting the field insulating layer. |
| US09431475B2 |
High density three-dimensional integrated capacitors
A component includes a substrate and a capacitor formed in contact with the substrate. The substrate can consist essentially of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 10 ppm/° C. The substrate can have a surface and an opening extending downwardly therefrom. The capacitor can include at least first and second pairs of electrically conductive plates and first and second electrodes. The first and second pairs of plates can be connectable with respective first and second electric potentials. The first and second pairs of plates can extend along an inner surface of the opening, each of the plates being separated from at least one adjacent plate by a dielectric layer. The first and second electrodes can be exposed at the surface of the substrate and can be coupled to the respective first and second pairs of plates. |
| US09431472B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the OLED display includes a plurality of pixels, each of the pixels including at least one wiring configured to receive an electrical signal and a storage capacitor formed on the same layer as the wiring. The wiring includes a first conductive pattern layer, an intermediate insulation pattern layer, and a second conductive pattern layer that are sequentially stacked. The first and second conductive pattern layers are electrically connected to each other through a first via hole. |
| US09431466B2 |
Light emitting device and electronic appliance
The present invention is to provide a light emitting device capable of obtaining a certain luminance without influence by the temperature change, and a driving method thereof. A current mirror circuit formed by using a transistor is provided for each pixel. The first transistor and the second transistor of the current mirror circuit are connected such that the drain currents thereof are maintained at proportional values regardless of the load resistance value. Thereby, a light emitting device capable of controlling the OLED driving current and the luminance of the OLED by controlling the drain current of the first transistor at a value corresponding to a video signal in a driving circuit, and supplying the drain current of the second transistor to the OLED, is provided. |
| US09431465B2 |
Light-emitting device and method for manufacturing the same
An object is to improve reliability of a light-emitting device. A light-emitting device has a driver circuit portion including a transistor for a driver circuit and a pixel portion including a transistor for a pixel over one substrate. The transistor for the driver circuit and the transistor for the pixel are inverted staggered transistors each including an oxide semiconductor layer in contact with part of an oxide insulating layer. In the pixel portion, a color filter layer and a light-emitting element are provided over the oxide insulating layer. In the transistor for the driver circuit, a conductive layer overlapping with a gate electrode layer and the oxide semiconductor layer is provided over the oxide insulating layer. The gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using metal conductive films. |
| US09431457B1 |
Implementing deposition growth method for magnetic memory
A magnetic memory array and a method for implementing the magnetic memory array for use in Solid-State Drives (SSDs) are provided. A plurality of magnetic pillar memory cells is formed using a deposition and/or growth process to produce a magnetic memory array substantially avoiding milling of magnetic materials. |
| US09431442B2 |
Overmolded reconstructed camera module
A camera module including a die having a top side and a bottom side, an image sensor is positioned on the top side of the die and a conductive via is formed through the die to provide an electrical connection between the top side and the bottom side; an overmold casing formed around the die; and a lens holder assembly attached to the top side of the die and the overmold casing. A method of producing a camera module including providing an image sensor die that is overmolded within a casing, the image sensor die having a top side and a bottom side, wherein an image sensor is positioned on the top side and a conductive via is formed through the image sensor die from the top side to the bottom side; and attaching a lens holder to the top side of the image sensor die. |
| US09431436B2 |
Array substrate and manufacturing method thereof
A method of manufacturing an array substrate is disclosed. A first conductive pattern, a first insulating layer, a second conductive pattern, and a second insulating layer on a base substrate is successively formed. The second insulating layer and the first insulating layer are patterned with a double-tone mask. At least a half lap joint via hole in the second insulating layer, and at least a full lap joint via hole in both the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer is formed. The second conductive pattern corresponds to a part of the half lap joint via hole, and the first conductive pattern corresponds to the whole of the full lap joint via hole. A third conductivity pattern is formed on the surface of the second conductivity pattern and the first insulating layer and a fourth conductive pattern is formed on the surface of the first conductive pattern. |
| US09431434B2 |
Pixel unit and method of manufacturing the same, array substrate and display device
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of manufacturing a pixel unit, in which only a single patterning process and a single doping process are performed on a polysilicon layer so as to form heavily doped regions of a thin film transistor and a lower electrode of a storage capacitor respectively, thereby reducing numbers of photolithography and masking processes required to manufacture a LTPS-TFT, shortening time periods for development and mass production, and reducing complexity of processes as well as monitoring difficulty, and decreasing the production cost. The present invention further provides a pixel unit manufactured according to the method, an array substrate and a display device including the same. |
| US09431422B2 |
Semiconductor constructions and NAND unit cells
Some embodiments include methods of forming semiconductor constructions. Alternating layers of n-type doped material and p-type doped material may be formed. The alternating layers may be patterned into a plurality of vertical columns that are spaced from one another by openings. The openings may be lined with tunnel dielectric, charge-storage material and blocking dielectric. Alternating layers of insulative material and conductive control gate material may be formed within the lined openings. Some embodiments include methods of forming NAND unit cells. Columns of alternating n-type material and p-type material may be formed. The columns may be lined with a layer of tunnel dielectric, a layer of charge-storage material, and a layer of blocking dielectric. Alternating layers of insulative material and conductive control gate material may be formed between the lined columns. Some embodiments include semiconductor constructions, and some embodiments include NAND unit cells. |
| US09431418B2 |
Vertical memory devices and methods of manufacturing the same
A vertical memory device and a method of manufacturing a vertical memory device are disclosed. The vertical memory device includes a substrate, a plurality of channels, a charge storage structure, a plurality of gate electrodes, a first semiconductor structure, and a protection layer pattern. The substrate includes a first region and a second region. The plurality of channels is disposed in the first region. The plurality of channels extends in a first direction substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate. The charge storage structure is disposed on a sidewall of each channel. The plurality of gate electrodes is arranged on a sidewall of the charge storage structure and is spaced apart from each other in the first direction. The first semiconductor structure is disposed in the second region. The protection layer pattern covers the first semiconductor structure. The protection layer pattern has a thickness substantially similar to a thickness of a lowermost gate electrode. |
| US09431412B1 |
Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first array extending in a first direction, a second array extending in the first direction, and a second electrode film. The second array is arranged with the first array in a second direction crossing the first direction. The second electrode film provided between the first array and the second array. The second electrode film extends in the first direction. Each of the first array and the second array include a first structure, a second structure arranged in the first direction, a fourth insulating film provided between the first structure and the second structure, and a third insulating film provided between the first structure and the second electrode film, provided also between the first structure and the fourth insulating film. |
| US09431411B1 |
Efficient process for 3D NAND memory with socketed floating gate cells
A 3D NAND memory has vertical NAND strings across multiple memory layers above a substrate, with each memory cell of a NAND string residing in a different memory layer. Word lines in each memory layer each has a series of socket components aligned to embed respective floating gates of a group memory cells. This structure allows reduction in cell dimension as well as reducing floating-gate perturbations between neighboring cells. The memory is fabricated by using odd and even subarrays of vertical shafts on a multi-layer slab to create at different times odd and even socket components that overlap to form continuous word lines with socket components. In particular, with only three masks, the even memory cells are fabricated to have their word line socket component enlarged to overlap with those of the odd memory cells in order to form continuous word lines in the row direction. |
| US09431409B2 |
Method of making a three-dimensional memory array with etch stop
A three dimensional memory device including a substrate and a semiconductor channel. At least one end portion of the semiconductor channel extends substantially perpendicular to a major surface of the substrate. The device also includes at least one charge storage region located adjacent to semiconductor channel and a plurality of control gate electrodes having a strip shape extending substantially parallel to the major surface of the substrate. The plurality of control gate electrodes include at least a first control gate electrode located in a first device level and a second control gate electrode located in a second device level located over the major surface of the substrate and below the first device level. The device also includes an etch stop layer located between the substrate and the plurality of control gate electrodes. |
| US09431400B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing the same
A highly integrated DRAM is provided. A bit line is formed over a first insulator, a second insulator is formed over the bit line, third insulators which are in a stripe shape and the like are formed over the second insulator, and a semiconductor region and a gate insulator are formed to cover one of the third insulators. The bit line is connected to the semiconductor region through first contact plugs. Then, a conductive film is formed and subjected to anisotropic etching to form word lines at side surfaces of the third insulators, and a second contact plug is formed to be connected to a capacitor at a top of the one of the third insulators. By synchronizing the word lines, electric charge is accumulated or released through the capacitor. With such a structure, the area of a memory cell can be 4F2. |
| US09431399B1 |
Method for forming merged contact for semiconductor device
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprises forming a first fin and a second fin on a semiconductor substrate, forming a sacrificial gate stack over a channel region of the first fin and the second fin, depositing a layer of spacer material over the first fin and the second fin, depositing a layer of dielectric material over the layer of spacer material, removing a portion of the dielectric material to form a first cavity that exposes a portion of the first fin, epitaxially growing a first semiconductor material on the exposed portion of the first fin to form a source/drain region on the first fin, depositing a protective layer on the source/drain region on the first fin, removing a portion of the dielectric material to form a second cavity that exposes a portion of the second fin, and epitaxially growing a source/drain region on the second fin. |
| US09431398B2 |
Semiconductor chip having a circuit with cross-coupled transistors to thwart reverse engineering
According to one embodiment, a chip has a circuit with at least one p channel field effect transistor (FET); at least one n channel FET; a first and a second power supply terminal; wherein the n channel FET, if supplied with the upper supply potential at its gate, supplies the lower supply potential to the gate of the p channel FET; and the p channel FET, if supplied with the lower supply potential at its gate, supplies the upper supply potential to the gate of the n channel FET; wherein the logic state of the gate of the p channel FET and of the n channel FET can only be changed by at least one of the first and second supply voltage to the circuit; and a connection coupled to the gate of the p channel FET or the n channel FET and a further component of the semiconductor chip. |
| US09431397B2 |
Method for fabricating a multi-gate device
A device includes a wafer substrate including an isolation feature, at least two fin structures embedded in the isolation feature, and at least two gate stacks disposed around the two fin structures respectively. A first inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer is disposed between the two gate stacks, with a dish-shaped recess formed therebetween, such that a bottom surface of the recess is below the top surface of the adjacent two gate stacks. A second ILD layer is disposed over the first ILD layer, including in the dish-shaped recess. The second ILD includes nitride material; the first ILD includes oxide material. |
| US09431376B2 |
Substrate for mounting multiple power transistors thereon and power semiconductor module
Exemplary embodiments provide a substrate for mounting multiple power transistors. The substrate has a first metallization on which the power transistors are mountable with an associated collector or emitter, and which extends in at least one line on the substrate. A second metallization extends in an area next to the at least one line of the first metallization, for connection to the remaining ones of the emitters or collectors of the power transistors. A third metallization allows connection to gate contact pads of the power transistors. The third metallization includes a gate contact and at least two gate metallization areas, which are interconnectable. The gate metallization areas are arranged in parallel to the at least one line and spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the at least one line. At least one gate metallization area is provided as a gate island surrounded on the substrate by the second metallization. |
| US09431373B2 |
Method for estimating the diffusion length of metallic species within a three-dimensional integrated structure, and corresponding three-dimensional integrated structure
A three-dimensional integrated structure may include two assembled integrated circuits respectively including two metallic lines, and at least two cavities passing through one of the integrated circuits and opening onto two locations respectively in electrical contact with the two metallic lines. The cavities may be sized to place a measuring apparatus at the bottom of the cavities, and in electrical contact with the two locations. |
| US09431367B2 |
Method of forming a semiconductor package
A method of forming a semiconductor package includes forming an interconnecting structure on an adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer is on a carrier. The method further includes placing a semiconductor die on a surface of the interconnecting structure. The method further includes placing a package structure on the surface of the interconnecting structure, wherein the semiconductor die fits in a space between the interconnecting structure and the package structure. The method further includes performing a reflow to bond the package structure to the interconnecting structure. |
| US09431358B2 |
Amplifier
An amplifier includes: a first transistor that includes a first main electrode, a second main electrode, and a first control electrode, a first input signal being input to the first main electrode, a first output signal being output from the second main electrode; a reference potential line that is disposed on a signal line connected to the second main electrode with an insulator interposed therebetween; a first capacitor that is disposed between the first control electrode and the reference potential line; and a first phase shifter configured to shift a phase of a first return current such that the phase of the first return current which flows from the second main electrode to the first control electrode via the reference potential line and the first capacitor has a phase difference, which is greater than 90 degrees and less than 270 degrees, from the phase of the first input signal. |
| US09431354B2 |
Activating reactions in integrated circuits through electrical discharge
Embodiments of the present invention provide integrated circuits and methods for activating reactions in integrated circuits. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit is provided having reactive material capable of being activated by electrical discharge, without requiring a battery or similar external power source, to produce an exothermic reaction that erases and/or destroys one or more semiconductor devices on the integrated circuit. |
| US09431348B2 |
Semiconductor device manufacturing method and manufacturing device for marking a crystal defect
A marker which is a reference of a coordinate position defining a region of a chip that is manufactured in a semiconductor substrate is formed. A crystal defect on the semiconductor substrate is detected. The coordinate position of the detected crystal defect is detected on the basis of the marker. Therefore, it is possible to detect the position of a semiconductor chip including the crystal defect among the semiconductor chips manufactured on the semiconductor substrate. As a result, it is possible to easily detect the position of the semiconductor device including the position of the crystal defect on the semiconductor substrate. |
| US09431332B2 |
Semiconductor package
A semiconductor package comprising: a semiconductor chip comprising a first surface on a first side of the semiconductor chip and a second surface on a second side of the semiconductor chip, wherein the first side and the second side are opposite sides of the semiconductor chip; a through-electrode penetrating the semiconductor chip between the first surface and the second surface; a passivation layer formed on the second surface of the semiconductor chip; and an electrode pad formed on an upper surface of the passivation layer and electrically connected to the through-electrode, wherein the passivation layer comprises a first passivation layer formed on the second surface of the semiconductor chip and a second passivation layer formed on an upper surface of the first passivation layer, and the electrode pad penetrates the second passivation layer to contact the upper surface of the first passivation layer. |
| US09431321B2 |
Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device and semiconductor integrated circuit wafer
According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises forming through holes extending through a semiconductor substrate in a thickness direction to integrated circuits in chip areas, and forming a first mark opening and second mark openings in a dicing line. The method detects the first mark opening based on positions of the second mark openings. Then, the method performs alignment of exposure positions based on the position of the first mark opening to perform photolithography, thereby forming a resist pattern on the back side of the semiconductor substrate. |
| US09431319B2 |
Exposed, solderable heat spreader for integrated circuit packages
An integrated circuit package may include a semiconductor die, a heat spreader, and encapsulation material. The semiconductor die may contain an electronic circuit and exposed electrical connections to the electronic circuit. The heat spreader may be thermally-conductive and may have a first outer surface and a second outer surface substantially parallel to the first outer surface. The first outer surface may be affixed to all portions of a silicon side of the semiconductor die in a thermally-conductive manner. The encapsulation material may be non-electrically conductive and may completely encapsulate the semiconductor die and the heat spreader, except for the second surface of the heat spreader. The second surface of the heat spreader may be solderable and may form part of an exterior surface of the integrated circuit package. |
| US09431316B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming channels in back surface of FO-WLCSP for heat dissipation
A semiconductor device has semiconductor die mounted to a temporary carrier. An encapsulant is deposited over the die and carrier. A channel is formed in a back surface of the die, either while in wafer form or after mounting to the carrier. The channel corresponds to a specific heat generating area of the die. The channel can be straight or curved or crossing pattern. The carrier is removed. An interconnect structure is formed over the encapsulant and die. The semiconductor die are singulated through the encapsulant. A TIM and heat sink are formed over the channel and encapsulant. Alternatively, a conformal plating layer can be formed over the channel and encapsulant. A conductive via can be formed through the encapsulant, and TSV formed through the die. The die with channels can be mounted over a second semiconductor die which is mounted to the interconnect structure. |
| US09431306B2 |
Methods of forming fin isolation regions on FinFET semiconductor devices using an oxidation-blocking layer of material and by performing a fin-trimming process
A method includes forming a plurality of trenches to define a fin, forming a first layer of insulating material in the trenches, forming a sidewall spacer on opposite sides of the fin above an upper surface of the first layer, removing the first layer and performing a fin-trimming etching process to define a plurality of increased-size trenches. The method also includes forming a first oxidation-blocking layer of insulating material in the increased-size trenches, forming a second layer of insulating material above the oxidation-blocking layer, and performing a thermal anneal process to convert at least a part of the portion of the fin that is in contact with the second layer of insulating material into an oxide fin isolation region. |
| US09431297B2 |
Method of forming an interconnect structure for a semiconductor device
Methods of semiconductor device fabrication are provided including those that provide a substrate having a plurality of trenches disposed in a dielectric layer formed above the substrate. A via pattern including a plurality of openings may be defined above the substrate. A spacer material layer is formed on a sidewall at least one trench. Via holes can be etched in the dielectric layer using the via pattern and spacer material layer as a masking element. |
| US09431290B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method therefor
A semiconductor device manufacturing method is disclosed by which electron beam irradiation is accomplished at a low cost while exhibiting uniform characteristics. A wafer stack consisting of multiple stacked wafers is irradiated with an electron beam from both the front surface and reverse surface. As such, a semiconductor device manufacturing method is provided whereby the electrical characteristics are extremely uniform between wafers, and costs are reduced by reducing the number of electron beam irradiations. |
| US09431286B1 |
Deep trench with self-aligned sinker
A semiconductor device with a buried layer has a deep trench structure abutting the buried layer and a self-aligned sinker along sidewalls of the deep trench structure. The semiconductor device may be formed by forming a portion of a deep trench down to the buried layer, and implanting dopants into a substrate of the semiconductor device along sidewalls of the deep trench, and subsequently forming a remainder of the deep trench extending below the buried layer. Alternatively, the semiconductor device may be formed by forming the deep trench to extend below the buried layer, and subsequently implanting dopants into the substrate of the semiconductor device along sidewalls of the deep trench. |
| US09431285B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including performing a first thermal processing a silicon substrate in a first atmosphere and at a first temperature to remove an oxide film above a surface of the silicon substrate, and after the first thermal processing, performing a second thermal processing the silicon substrate in a second atmosphere containing hydrogen and at a second temperature lower than the first temperature to terminate the surface of the silicon substrate with hydrogen. |
| US09431276B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
A rinsing liquid (DIW) is discharged from a rinsing liquid discharge port formed in a blocking member to perform rinsing processing to a substrate surface while a nitrogen gas is supplied into a clearance space, and a liquid mixture (IPA+DIW) is discharged from a liquid mixture discharge port formed in the blocking member to replace the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture while the nitrogen gas is supplied into the clearance space. Thus, an increase of the dissolved oxygen concentration of the liquid mixture can be suppressed upon replacing the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture, which makes it possible to securely prevent from forming an oxide film or generating watermarks on the substrate surface. |
| US09431272B2 |
Printed circuit board including through region and semiconductor package formed by using the same
Provided is a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB includes a board body that includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a semiconductor chip mounting region that is disposed on the first surface of the board body, and includes a plurality of semiconductor chip mounting parts on which a semiconductor chip may be mounted, a through region that is disposed at a peripheral portion of the semiconductor chip mounting region, and includes a plurality of through holes passing through the board body, and an external terminal forming region that is disposed on the second surface of the board body, wherein a plurality of external terminal forming parts are disposed at the external terminal forming region in correspondence with the respective semiconductor chip mounting parts. |
| US09431265B2 |
Fin cut for tight fin pitch by two different sit hard mask materials on fin
Methods that enable fin cut at very tight pitch are provided. After forming a first set of paired sidewall image transfer (SIT) spacers and a second set of paired SIT spacers composed of different materials, portions of the first set of the paired SIT spacers can be selectively removed without adversely affecting the second set of the paired SIT spacers, even portions of both sets of the paired SIT spacers are exposed by the cut mask due to the different etching characteristics of the different materials. |
| US09431261B2 |
Removal of defects by in-situ etching during chemical-mechanical polishing processing
Technologies for a process used to reduce the height of a raised profile of a device. One or more raised profiles on one or more layers of a device are removed using a combined chemical-mechanical polishing/etching process. In some implementations, a protective layer is applied to a top layer of a device grown on a substrate. A combined chemical-mechanical polishing/etching process may commence whereby one or more raised profiles of the protective layer are removed through a planarization process, exposing at least a portion of a raised profile of a layer below the protective layer. Material may be removed using an etchant to reduce the height of the raised profile. |
| US09431246B2 |
Semiconductor device with low contact resistance SIC region
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor part and a conductive electrode. The first semiconductor part is made of SiC. The SiC contains a first element as an n-type or p-type impurity. The first semiconductor part has a first interface part. The first interface part is configured to have maximum area density of the first element. The c conductive electrode is electrically connected to the first interface part. |
| US09431243B2 |
Lattice-mismatched semiconductor structures with reduced dislocation defect densities and related methods for device fabrication
Fabrication of monolithic lattice-mismatched semiconductor heterostructures with limited area regions having upper portions substantially exhausted of threading dislocations, as well as fabrication of semiconductor devices based on such lattice-mismatched heterostructures. |
| US09431236B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and recording medium
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a thin film containing a specific element, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes supplying a specific element-containing gas, supplying a carbon-containing gas, supplying an oxidizing gas, and supplying a nitriding gas. The act of supplying the nitriding gas is performed before the act of supplying the specific element-containing gas, and the act of supplying the carbon-containing gas and the act of supplying the oxidizing gas are not performed until the act of supplying the specific element-containing gas is performed. |
| US09431234B1 |
Curable polymeric materials and their use for fabricating electronic devices
Disclosed are curable linear polymers that can be used as active and/or passive organic materials in various electronic, optical, and optoelectronic devices. In some embodiments, the device can include an organic semiconductor layer and a dielectric layer prepared from such curable linear polymers. In some embodiments, the device can include a passivation layer prepared from the linear polymers described herein. The present linear polymers can be solution-processed, then cured thermally (particularly, at relatively low temperatures) and/or photochemically into various thin film materials with desirable properties. |
| US09431230B2 |
Method of extracting ions with a low M/Z ratio from an ion trap
In a mass spectrometer, a method for trapping ions includes providing at least first and second multipole rod sets positioned in tandem, introducing a plurality of ions into the first rod set, applying an RF potential to at least one of said rod sets to generate a radial trapping potential within said rod sets, applying a radial DC potential to said first rod set so as to modulate said radial trapping potential set as a function of m/z of said ions, and applying a DC potential between said two rod sets to provide an axial bias potential between said two rod sets. The method can further comprise selecting an axial barrier potential to selectively extract ions having an m/z ratio less than a threshold from said first rod set into said second rod set. |
| US09431213B2 |
Scanning electron microscope, an interface and a method for observing an object within a non-vacuum environment
An interface, a scanning electron microscope and a method for observing an object that is positioned in a non-vacuum environment. The method includes: generating an electron beam in the vacuum environment; scanning a region of the object with the electron beam while the object is located below an object holder; wherein the scanning comprises allowing the electron beam to pass through an aperture of an aperture array, pass through an ultra thin membrane that seals the aperture, and pass through the object holder; wherein the ultra thin membrane withstands a pressure difference between the vacuum environment and the non-vacuum environment; and detecting particles generated in response to an interaction between the electron beam and the object. |
| US09431210B2 |
Charged particle beam device with dynamic focus and method of operating thereof
A retarding field scanning electron microscope for imaging a specimen is described. The microscope includes a scanning deflection assembly configured for scanning an electron beam over the specimen, one or more controllers in communication with the scanning deflection assembly for controlling a scanning pattern of the electron beam, and a combined magnetic-electrostatic objection lens configured for focusing the electron beam, wherein the objective lens includes a magnetic lens portion and an electrostatic lens portion. The electrostatic lens portion includes an first electrode configured to be biased to a high potential, and a second electrode disposed between the first electrode and the specimen plane, the second electrode being configured to be biased to a potential lower than the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is configured for providing a retarding field of the retarding field scanning electron microscope. The retarding field scanning electron microscope further includes a voltage supply being connected to the second electrode for biasing the second electrode to a potential and being in communication with the one or more controllers, wherein the one or more controllers synchronize a variation of the potential of the second electrode with the scanning pattern of the electron beam. |
| US09431205B1 |
Fold over emitter and collector field emission transistor
A field emission transistor includes a gate, a fold over emitter, and fold over collector. The emitter and the collector are separated from the gate by a void and are separated from a gate contact by gate contact dielectric. The void may be a vacuum, ambient air, or a gas. Respective ends of the emitter and the collector are separated by a gap. Electrons are drawn across gap from the emitter to the collector by an electrostatic field created when a voltage is applied to the gate. The emitter and collector include a first conductive portion substantially parallel with gate and a second conductive portion substantially perpendicular with gate. The second conductive portion may be formed by bending a segment of the first conductive portion. The second conductive portion is folded inward from the first conductive portion towards the gate. Respective second conductive portions are generally aligned. |
| US09431204B2 |
Light source with gas discharge lamp
A light source (7) with a gas-discharge lamp includes a control module (16) with a driver circuit, an ignition module (17) for producing a substantially high voltage, and a gas-filled burner (18) in which an electric arc is ignited and maintained between two electrodes (19, 20). The control module (16), ignition module (17), and burner (18) are attached to a mutual support system (21) and combined in a single unit. Lighting equipment (1) for a motor vehicle includes at least one light source (7). |
| US09431192B2 |
Actuator biased by a horizontal member
An exemplary embodiment of an electrical device is disclosed. The electrical wiring device preferably includes a frame, a rocker, and a resilient member. In use, the rocker pivotally rotates through a range of travel, for example, from a first position to a second position. As the rocker moves, the resilient member imparts a force on the rocker, biasing the rocker in the first position and the second position. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the resilient member extends horizontally across the electrical wiring device (e.g., along a minor axis of the rocker). |
| US09431190B2 |
Component assembly
A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take many forms such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and so on. The portable computing device can include at least a single piece housing. The single piece housing including a plurality of steps. The plurality of mounting steps are formed by at least removing a preselected amount of housing material at predetermined locations on the interior surface. At least some of the mounting steps are used to mount at least some of the plurality of internal operating components to the housing. |
| US09431189B2 |
Configurable buttons for electronic devices
Configurable buttons for electronic devices such as portable electronic devices are provided. A configurable button may have a button member that moves relative to a device housing when it is desired to activate a switch. The button may have an associated touch sensor. The touch sensor may detect when a user's finger touches a particular portion of the button member. Contact with only this portion of the button member is generally inadvertent, so an actuator may be used to prevent or otherwise restrict motion of the button relative to a device housing. This prevents inadvertent activation of the button when a user is manipulating portions of an electronic device such as clip or lid, but does not intend to depress the button. |
| US09431183B2 |
Plunger switch assembly and method of operation
A switch assembly and method of operation comprises a housing for supporting a plunger arrangement for moveable positioning of a plunger relative to the housing and plunger arrangement. The plunger arrangement comprises a retainer support for fixedly holding at least one terminal member within a retainer groove having a transverse channel passing from a first end to a second end of the retainer support. |
| US09431180B2 |
Energy storage arrangement
An energy storage arrangement includes at least two rechargeable energy storage devices connected in parallel. A first energy storage device has a plurality of lead-based storage elements, and a second energy storage device has a plurality of lithium-based storage elements. Between charge state limits of 0 to 100% a charge state interval is achieved in which the nominal voltage of the second energy storage device is in a range between the maximum charging voltage and the nominal voltage of the first energy storage device. |
| US09431178B2 |
Solid electrolytic capacitor and method of producing same
To provide a solid electrolytic capacitor capable of high performance, the capacitor including: an anode element made of tantalum or niobium; a dielectric film disposed on the anode element; and a solid electrolytic layer disposed on the dielectric film, the dielectric film including: a first dielectric film made of an oxide of the tantalum or niobium, formed on a surface of the anode element; and a second dielectric film made of a composite metal oxide having a perovskite structure, formed on the first dielectric film. |
| US09431176B2 |
Multilayer ceramic capacitor having multi-layered active layers and board having the same
A multilayer ceramic electronic component including: a ceramic body having a plurality of dielectric layers stacked therein; active layers including a plurality of first and second internal electrodes formed to be alternately exposed to both end surfaces of the ceramic body with the dielectric layers interposed therebetween; and first and second external electrodes formed on the both end surfaces of the ceramic body and electrically connected to the first and second internal electrodes, respectively. The active layers may include a first active layer including a ferroelectric layer and a second active layer including a paraelectric layer, the first and second active layers being alternately stacked. |
| US09431171B2 |
Method for molding powder mold product
The present invention relates to a method for molding a powder mold product according to which a powder mold product of uniform quality can be molded with excellent productivity. The present invention includes the steps of: preparing raw material powder 3 (a preparing step); interposing a mold assembly-use lubricant between an outer circumferential face 12s of a first punch (a lower punch 12) and an inner circumferential face 10s of a die 10, the lower punch 12 and the die 10 in this state being relatively shifted to apply the mold assembly-use lubricant to the inner circumferential face 10s of the die 10 (an applying step); and packing the raw material powder 3 into a cavity, a powder mold product 100 being molded by the raw material powder 3 being pressed (a molding step). In the applying step, while the mold assembly-use lubricant is discharged from a supply port 12i provided to the lower punch 12 and the discharged mold assembly-use lubricant is collected from a drain port 12o provided to the lower punch 12, the mold assembly-use lubricant is applied to the inner circumferential face 10s of the die 10. |
| US09431168B2 |
Contactless interconnect
A contactless connector requires no physical contact. A terminated transmitting transmission line on a first board is parallel to a dual-terminated receiving transmission line on a second board. The boards are placed face-to-face with a small air gap in-between. A driver drives a driven pulse onto a first end of the transmitting transmission line. The driven pulse capacitively induces a positive induced pulse on the first end of the receiving transmission line. As the driven pulse travels from the first end to the second end of the transmitting transmission line, energy is transferred to the induced pulse, which travels down the receiving transmission line. Inductive coupling becomes stronger than capacitive as the length increases, so that at the second end, the induced pulse is negative and then swings positive. A Schmitt trigger receiver on the second end of the receiving transmission line detects the signal. |
| US09431163B2 |
Transformer
A transformer includes a first coil spiraling inwardly in a second direction. A second coil spirals along the first coil on the outside relative to the first coil. First and second external electrodes are provided in third and fourth directions relative to a first line passing through a gravity center of the first coil and an outer end thereof, respectively, the third direction being perpendicular to the first line, and the fourth direction being opposite thereto. First and second lead-out conductors are connected to the outer end of the first and the second coil, respectively, and electrically connected to the first and the second external electrodes, respectively. Both coils spiral along each other throughout their lengths. By spiraling in the second direction, the first coil is, at the outer end, oriented in a fourth direction. |
| US09431158B2 |
Barrel-shaped fireproof and explosion-proof surge protection device with over-temperature protection function
The invention provides a barrel-shaped fireproof and explosion-proof surge protection device with the function of over-temperature protection, comprising a barrel-shaped housing, a barrel-shaped varistor and a cylindrical temperature protector, wherein the barrel-shaped housing houses the outer wall of the barrel-shaped varistor, the barrel-shaped varistor comprises a barrel-shaped varistor chip, an outer electrode, and an inner electrode, wherein the outer electrode is connected with an outer pin while the inner electrode is connected with an inner pin, the cylindrical temperature protector is arranged in the barrel space of the barrel-shaped varistor and is provided with two leading foots which are led out independently, or one of which is connected with the inner electrode of the barrel-shaped varistor and is led out, or one of which is connected with the inner electrode of the barrel-shaped varistor but is not led out. |
| US09431146B2 |
Battery electrodes and methods of manufacture
This disclosure relates to compositions and methods of manufacture of electrodes for batteries, including rechargeable lithium batteries, wherein at least one electrode comprises an electroactive material and a malleable metal. The electrode may be substantially free of other conductive additives and organic binders. Manufacture of the electrode may be performed without solvent or sintering. |
| US09431145B2 |
Transistors and methods for making them
A semiconductor composition which comprises a soluble polyacene semiconductor and a polymeric semiconducting binder the binder having a permittivity greater than 3.4 at 000 Hz. The charge mobility of the semiconducting binder when measured in a pure state is greater than 10−7 cm2/Vs and more preferably greater than 10−6 cm2/Vs. Organic thin film transistors in which the source and drain electrodes are bridged by the semiconductor composition have desirable properties of reproducibility and charge mobility. The organic semiconducting composition can be applied by solution coating. |
| US09431137B2 |
Systems and methods of monitoring control rods of a nuclear power plant
A diagnostic system to monitor digital rod position indication (DRPI) signals of a DRPI system of a nuclear power plant, including a digital diagnostic unit connected between a DRPI display cabinet and a DRPI data cabinet of the DRPI system to monitor digital rod position signals of the DRPI data cabinet. The digital rod position signals include digital rod address signals and digital rod position data signals such that the digital diagnostic unit detects signal level variation and signal timing variation of the digital rod address signals and the digital rod position data signals to determine rod position errors of the DRPI system. |
| US09431136B2 |
Stable startup system for nuclear reactor
A stable startup system includes a reactor vessel containing coolant, a reactor core submerged in the coolant, and a heat exchanger configured to remove heat from the coolant. The stable startup system further includes one or more heaters configured to add heat to the coolant during a startup operation and prior to the reactor core going critical. |
| US09431134B1 |
Structure of top nozzle for nuclear fuel assembly
Disclosed herein is a joint structure between a top nozzle and a guide thimble. The joint structure includes an outer guide post, an inner-extension tube head, an inner-extension tube body, a wedge and the guide thimble. The outer guide post is provided with an external thread formed on a lower end thereof. The inner-extension tube head includes an annular retaining part formed on an upper end thereof. An internal thread is formed on a medial portion of the inner-extension tube head. An external thread is formed on each of upper and lower ends of the inner-extension tube body. A stop protrusion is provided under a lower end of the wedge. The wedge is welded to the inner-extension tube body after the top nozzle has been joined with the guide thimble. A stop protrusion receiving depression is formed in the guide thimble. |
| US09431131B2 |
Timing-drift calibration
The disclosed embodiments relate to components of a memory system that support timing-drift calibration. In specific embodiments, this memory system contains a memory device (or multiple devices) which includes a clock distribution circuit and an oscillator circuit which can generate a frequency, wherein a change in the frequency is indicative of a timing drift of the clock distribution circuit. The memory device also includes a measurement circuit which is configured to measure the frequency of the oscillator circuit. Additionally, the memory system contains a memory controller which can transmit a request to the memory device to trigger the memory device to measure the frequency of the oscillator circuit. The memory controller is also configured to receive the measured frequency from the memory device and uses the measured frequency to determine the timing drift in the memory device. |
| US09431127B2 |
Circuit and system of using junction diode as program selector for metal fuses for one-time programmable devices
Junction diodes fabricated in standard CMOS logic processes can be used as program selectors for One-Time Programmable (OTP) devices. An OTP device can have at least one OTP element coupled to at least one diode in a memory cell. With a metal fuse is used by the OTP element, at least one contact and/or a plurality of vias can be built (possibly with use of one or more jumpers) in the program path to generate more Joule heat to assist with programming. The jumpers are conductive and can be formed of metal, metal gate, local interconnect, polymetal, etc. The metal fuse can also have an extended area that is longer than required by design rules for enhanced programmability. The OTP element can be polysilicon, silicided polysilicon, silicide, polymetal, metal, metal alloy, local interconnect, thermally isolated active region, CMOS gate, or combination thereof. |
| US09431113B2 |
Data storage system with dynamic erase block grouping mechanism and method of operation thereof
Systems, methods and/or devices are used to enable dynamic erase block grouping. In one aspect, the method includes (1) maintaining metadata for each erase block of a plurality of erase blocks in a data storage system, wherein a respective metadata for a respective erase block includes one or more characteristics of the respective erase block, (2) allocating a set of erase blocks, of the plurality of erase blocks, as unassociated erase blocks, (3) selecting two or more unassociated erase blocks in accordance with characteristics of the unassociated erase blocks so as to select unassociated erase blocks with similar characteristics, and (4) grouping the two or more unassociated erase blocks with similar characteristics to form a super block. |
| US09431112B2 |
Semiconductor memory device including strings including memory cell transistors
A controller controls a memory including first and second strings. The first and second strings configure first and second string groups, respectively. In each string group, a set of memory cell transistors each from each string configures a unit. The controller is configured to: sequentially write, in the first string group, data in first units to which serially-coupled memory cell transistors respectively belong; sequentially write, in the second string group, data in first units to which serially-coupled memory cell transistors respectively belong; and sequentially write, in the first string group, data in second units to which serially-coupled memory cell transistors respectively belong. |
| US09431108B2 |
Integrated structure comprising neighboring transistors
An integrated structure includes a first MOS transistor with a first controllable gate region overlying a first gate dielectric and a second MOS transistor neighboring the first MOS transistor and having a second controllable gate region overlying the first gate dielectric. A common conductive region overlies the first and second gate regions and is separated therefrom by a second gate dielectric. The common conductive region includes a continuous element located over a portion of the first and second gate regions and a branch extending downward from the continuous element toward the substrate as far as the first gate dielectric. The branch located between the first and second gate regions. |
| US09431097B2 |
Volatile/non-volatile SRAM device
A method of operation of a static random access memory (SRAM) storage element includes programming a value to the SRAM storage element prior to a power-down event. The method further includes, in response to a power-on event at the SRAM storage element after the power-down event, increasing a supply voltage of the SRAM storage element and sensing a state of the SRAM storage element to determine the value programmed to the SRAM storage element prior to the power-down event. In a particular example, an apparatus includes the SRAM storage element and control circuitry coupled to the SRAM storage element. The control circuitry may be configured to program the value to the SRAM storage element, to increase the supply voltage, and to sense the state of the SRAM storage element to determine the value programmed to the SRAM storage element prior to the power-down event. |
| US09431092B2 |
Memory device and memory system including the same
A memory device includes a plurality of memory blocks; an address counter suitable for generating a counted address which is used for a normal refresh operation and changed when all the memory blocks are refreshed; a target address generator suitable for generating a target address used for a target refresh operation, wherein the target address corresponds to an address of a word line to be additionally refreshed in the memory blocks; and a refresh controller suitable for controlling the memory blocks to be refreshed at different times during a first normal refresh operation, controlling a memory block among the memory blocks, which is first refreshed in the first normal refresh operation, to be refreshed through the target refresh operation, and controlling the memory block, which is first refreshed in the first normal refresh operation, to be refreshed last during a second normal refresh operation, based on the refresh command. |
| US09431085B2 |
Most activated memory portion handling
Activation of portions of a memory is tracked to allow an affected portion of the memory to be refreshed before it is corrupted by multiple activations. An address for the accessed portion of memory, called the aggressor row, is compared to addresses stored in a content addressable memory (CAM). If the address is not already stored in the CAM, it is stored, casting out another address if necessary, and a count based on an Others value is stored in the CAM with the address. If the address is already stored in the CAM, its associated count is incremented. If a count associated with an address exceeds a threshold based on a maximum activation count, another portion of memory, such as a victim row of memory adjacent to the aggressor row of memory, is refreshed, and the count reset. |
| US09431082B2 |
Magneto-electronic component, and method for the production thereof
A magneto-electronic component, having one or more elongate elements of a magnetic material, electrically conductive contacts, at least one insulating thin layer, on which the one or more elongate elements of the magnetic material and the electrically conductive contacts are arranged, and an additional insulating thin layer structured and arranged to cover at least the one or more elongate elements and partially cover the electrically conductive contacts to form an arrangement. At least the one or more elongate elements is connected to the contacts and the contacts are connectable to a current source in an electrically conducting manner. The arrangement is jointly rolled-up to form a rolled-up arrangement having a rolled-up region. At least the electrically conductive contacts are partially located outside the rolled-up region of the rolled-up arrangement. |
| US09431075B2 |
Memory macro configuration and method
A memory macro comprises a plurality of memory array segments, each having a predetermined number of data inputs and outputs. A segment decoder circuit is configured to: receive a first value indicating a number of memory partitions among which the memory array segments are to be divided, and output a plurality of signals for selectively activating one or more of the plurality of memory array segments to be accessed based on the first value. A plurality of output drivers are coupled to the segment decoder circuit and to respective ones of the outputs. The plurality of output drivers are configured to selectively output data from the respective outputs of each of the respective activated memory array segments. |
| US09431074B2 |
Shiftable memory supporting bimodal storage
A shiftable memory supporting bimodal data storage includes a memory having built-in shifting capability to shift a contiguous subset of data stored in the memory from a first location to a second location within the memory. The shiftable memory further includes a bimodal data storage operator to operate on a data structure comprising the contiguous subset of data words and to provide in-place insertion of a data value using the built-in shifting capability. |
| US09431062B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method of driving word line of the nonvolatile memory
A word line driving method is for a nonvolatile memory device including a plurality of memory blocks having a plurality of strings which is formed in a direction perpendicular to a substrate and connected between bit lines and a common source line. The method includes applying an offset pulse to a word line for a predetermined time to shorten a word line setting time, and applying a target pulse having a level which is higher or lower than a level of the offset pulse to the word line after the predetermined time. |
| US09431055B2 |
Localized dispersed storage memory system
A method includes a processing module receiving data to store and determining error coding dispersal storage function parameters based on an error profile of one or more hard drives. The method continues with the processing module encoding at least a portion of the data in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function parameters to produce a set of data slices. The method continues with the processing module defining addressable storage sectors within the one or more hard drives based on a number of data slices within the set of data slices to produce a set of addressable storage sectors. The method continues with the processing module storing data slices of the set of data slices in corresponding addressable storage sectors of the set of addressable storage sectors. |
| US09431046B2 |
Perpendicular magnetic recording disk with patterned template layer
A perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) disk has a patterned template layer for the growth of the magnetic grains and the nonmagnetic material surrounding the grains. The template layer is a substantially planar platinum (Pt) or palladium (Pd) layer that is patterned to have Pt or Pd regions arranged in a hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) pattern with the Pt or Pd regions surrounded by Pt-oxide or Pd-oxide regions. The two separate regions of the template layer have different surface chemistries and energies, which provide a “chemical contrast” to impinging atoms during deposition of the metallic magnetic material and nonmagnetic (typically oxide) material, effectively guiding the deposition. The metallic magnetic material is preferentially deposited on the pristine, epitaxial Pt or Pd regions to form the magnetic grains, while the oxide migrates to the oxidized Pt or Pd regions due to the matching of lower surface energy. |
| US09431036B2 |
Heat-sinks for optical near-field transducers
Thermal energy is generated within an optical NFT when in operation within a HAMR head. A heat-sink assembly within the HAMR head extracts thermal energy from the optical NFT and transmits the thermal energy via convection to air surrounding the HAMR head, radiation to surfaces adjacent to the HAMR head, and/or conduction to other parts of the HAMR head. The thermal energy generated within the optical NFT is conducted to the heat-sink. An air-bearing surface of the heat-sink convectively transfers at least some of the thermal energy to air passing between the air-bearing surface and a surface of an adjacent magnetic medium. Further, some of the thermal energy may also radiatively transfer from the air-bearing surface to the magnetic medium. |
| US09431032B1 |
Electrical connection arrangement for a multiple sensor array usable in two-dimensional magnetic recording
A method and system provide a magnetic transducer including first and second read sensors, a shield and a conductive via. The shield is between the first and second read sensors. The magnetic transducer also includes first and second read shields. The shield has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface. The bottom surface faces the first read sensor. The conductive via is isolated from the first read shield and the second read shield. The conductive via provides electrical contact to the shield and is electrically connected to the bottom surface of the shield. |
| US09431031B1 |
System and method for magnetic transducers having multiple sensors and AFC shields
A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The method includes providing a first shield, a first read sensor, an antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) shield that includes an antiferromagnet, a second read sensor and a second shield. The read sensors are between the first and second shields. The AFC shield is between the read sensors. An optional anneal for the first shield is in a magnetic field at a first angle from the ABS. Anneals for the first and second read sensors are in magnetic fields in desired first and second read sensor bias directions. The AFC shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a third angle from the ABS. The second shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a fifth angle from the ABS. The fifth angle is selected based on a thickness and a desired AFC shield bias direction for the antiferromagnet. |
| US09431019B2 |
Apparatus for decoding a signal comprising transients using a combining unit and a mixer
An apparatus for generating a decorrelated signal including a transient separator, a transient decorrelator, a second decorrelator, a combining unit and a mixer, wherein the transient separator is adapted to separate an input signal into a first signal component and into a second signal component such that the first signal component includes transient signal portions of the input signal and such that the second signal component includes non-transient signal portions of the input signal. The combining unit and the mixer are arranged so that a decorrelated signal from a combination unit is fed into the mixer as an input signal. |
| US09431011B2 |
System and method for pronunciation modeling
Systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable media for generating a pronunciation model. The method includes identifying a generic model of speech composed of phonemes, identifying a family of interchangeable phonemic alternatives for a phoneme in the generic model of speech, labeling the family of interchangeable phonemic alternatives as referring to the same phoneme, and generating a pronunciation model which substitutes each family for each respective phoneme. In one aspect, the generic model of speech is a vocal tract length normalized acoustic model. Interchangeable phonemic alternatives can represent a same phoneme for different dialectal classes. An interchangeable phonemic alternative can include a string of phonemes. |
| US09430999B2 |
Noise cancellation
A noise cancellation signal is generated by generating an ambient noise signal, representing ambient noise, and generating a noise cancellation signal, by applying the ambient noise signal to an feedforward filter, where the feedforward filter comprises a high-pass filter having an adjustable cut-off frequency, and by applying a controllable gain. The noise cancellation signal is then applied to a loudspeaker, to generate a sound to at least partially cancel the ambient noise. An error signal is generated, representing unwanted sound in the region of the loudspeaker. The phase of the ambient noise signal is compared to a phase of the error signal, and the gain is controlled on the basis of a result of the comparison, taking account of a phase shift introduced by the high-pass filter when performing the comparison. |
| US09430990B2 |
Presenting a data in a graphical overlay
A system and a computer program product for displaying data in a graphical overlay. The method includes overlaying a first lens, including a first dataset, on a first region of the graphical overlay while a second lens, including a second dataset, overlaps the first lens. The first and second datasets are simultaneously displayed, and a correlation between the datasets is determined. Separation of the first and second lenses preserves a circumscribed region within each lens. The first dataset corresponds to first orientation position of the first lens. Rotation of the first lens to a second orientation position reconfigures the first dataset to provide a modified first dataset which corresponds to the second position. A rotational position may also be associated with points in time, a first position corresponding to a first point in time and the first dataset representing the first dataset at the first point in time. |
| US09430983B2 |
Power reduction technique for digital display panel with point to point intra panel interface
A system and method are disclosed to control the power consumption of column drivers in a display system. A video input signal is received which has an active video period and a vertical blanking period between frames. A timing controller transmits a first video frame to a column driver. The timing controller transmits a column driver disable command during a vertical blanking period. Prior to the subsequent active video period, the timing controller transmits a column driver enable command. The timing controller proceeds to transmit a second video frame to the column driver. In one embodiment, the timing controller determines whether to disable and enable the column driver based on a refresh rate, the refresh rate calculated by the timing controller from the video input signal. |
| US09430982B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus is disclosed. In one aspect, the apparatus includes a display panel including pixels connected to gate lines and data lines, a gate driver driving the gate lines, a data driver driving the data lines, and a control circuit controlling the gate driver and the data driver to display an image on the display panel. The control circuit applies a common voltage to the display panel. The control circuit compares the common voltage applied to the display panel and a feedback common voltage fedback from the display panel and applies a gate-on voltage having a voltage level corresponding to the compared result to the gate driver. |
| US09430971B2 |
Electro-optical unit with pixel circuit of reduced area
An electro-optical unit includes pixels provided correspondingly to portions where a plurality of pairs of data lines and a plurality of gate lines intersect with each other. Each of the pixels has an electro-optical device and a pixel circuit. The pixel circuit has a holding circuit connected with one of the plurality of pairs of data lines and one of the plurality of gate lines, and a selection circuit connected with an output of the holding circuit and the electro-optical device. The holding circuit is capable of sampling and holding a first image signal to be applied to one of the pair of the data lines, while sampling and holding a second image signal to be applied to the other of the pair of the data lines. The selection circuit is capable of outputting the first image signal and the second image signal to the electro-optical device selectively. |
| US09430968B2 |
Display device and drive method for same
There is realized a display device capable of compensating for a deterioration of a circuit element while suppressing an increase of a circuit scale. One horizontal scanning period for a monitor row is composed of: a detection preparation period where preparation for detecting TFT characteristics and OLED characteristics is performed in the monitor row; a TFT characteristic detection period where current measurement for detecting the TFT characteristics is performed; an OLED characteristic detection period where current measurement for detecting the OLED characteristics is performed; and a light emission preparation period where preparation for allowing an organic EL element to emit light is performed in the monitor row. Data lines are used not only as signal lines that transfer a signal for allowing an organic EL element in each pixel circuit to emit light at desired brightness, but also as characteristic detecting signal lines. |
| US09430963B2 |
Display device integrated with touch screen panel and method of driving the same
A display device integrated with a touch screen panel, and a method of driving the same, can prevent parasitic capacitance that would otherwise increase the load during a touch operation, lower the accuracy of touch sensing, or make touch sensing impossible. The display device includes data lines, gate lines, and a plurality of electrodes spaced apart from each other. A common voltage is applied to the electrodes in a display driving mode and a touch drive signal is applied to one or more of the electrodes in a touch driving mode. A data voltage is applied to the data lines in the display driving mode. A scan signal is supplied sequentially to the gate lines in the display driving mode and the touch drive signal or a signal corresponding to the touch drive signal is applied to one or more of the gate lines in the touch driving mode. |
| US09430962B2 |
Method for setting parameters of a display panel and device therefor
A method and a device for setting parameters of a display panel are provided. The method includes: a first brightness value and a first parameter of a first color component, a second parameter corresponding a second color component, a third parameter corresponding a third color component, and a fourth parameter corresponding a white component are calculated according to a predetermined display information; and the first, second, third, and fourth parameters are inputted into the display panel. The difficulty of setting the parameters of the display panel can be decreased. |
| US09430956B2 |
Seam allowance guide aide label
A seam allowance guide aide label, Sewing with Color Label, to be applied to the surface of a sewing machine plate, as a stick-on label. The label has imprinted vertical and horizontal lines with colors; the first vertical line is the guideline to align the label to the default needle position for applying the label to the sewing machine's plate. The use of colors is a system to represent a standard measurement, known and accepted in today's sewing industry. The color system defines and establishes immediate differences between measurements, to achieve accuracy in positioning the edge of a textile to be sewn in a specific seam line without trouble of not recognizing numerical representations or seam grading lines in the actual plate of a sewing machine, either in imperial or metric system. |
| US09430955B2 |
Breastfeeding training system
This invention relates generally to breastfeeding training and more specifically to devices comprised of a doll and chest piece used for breastfeeding training. |
| US09430953B2 |
Simulation device with motion stabilization
A simulation device imparts a force corresponding to a simulated event on a user. The simulation device includes a motion base mounted to a moveable surface and a capsule mounted to the motion base. The user is positioned within the capsule during the simulated event, and the motion base is configured to move the capsule relative to the moveable surface. The simulation device further includes a sensor that senses movement of the moveable surface. A controller is operably coupled to both the sensor and the motion base. The controller receives a signal from the sensor and controls the motion base to move the capsule according to the simulated event and the signal received from the sensor. |
| US09430952B2 |
Determining comprehensiveness of question paper given syllabus
A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for determining comprehensiveness of a question paper given a syllabus of topics. An answer and evidence generator of a question answering system executing on the data processing system finds one or more answers based on the syllabus of topics for each question in the question paper. The answer and evidence generator identifies evidence for the one or more answers in the syllabus for each question in the question paper. A concept identifier of the question answering system identifies a set of concepts in the syllabus corresponding to the evidence for each question in the question paper to form a plurality of sets of concepts. The mechanism determines a value for a comprehensiveness metric for the question paper with respect to the syllabus of topics based on the plurality of sets of concepts. |
| US09430950B2 |
Transportation vehicle system and charging method for the transportation vehicle system
A plurality of transportation vehicles travel with power from an energy storage member along a predetermined travel route under control of a ground controller. A charging area having charging equipment for charging the energy storage member of the transportation vehicle is provided in the travel route, and the transportation vehicles report a position and remaining capacity of the energy storage member to the ground controller. The ground controller controls a transportation vehicle having remaining capacity of a threshold value or less to travel to the charging area for charging the energy storage member, and controls transportation vehicles in the charging area to travel to positions outside the charging area in accordance with transportation requests. |
| US09430947B2 |
Maritime autonomous station keeping (MASK)
Technology for determining a point-to-point separation between a first ship (e.g., guide ship) and a second ship (e.g., following ship) is disclosed. One approach can include maritime autonomous station keeping (MASK) interactive device comprising a communication module and a processor. The communication module can be configured to receive a following ship reference point (SRP) generated by at least one differential global positioning system (DGPS) receiver on a following ship relative to a guide SRP generated by at least one DGPS receiver on a guide ship. The processor can be configured to generate a plurality of fixed following reference edge points (REPs) relative to the following SRP representing a following ship hull, generate a plurality of fixed guide REPs relative to the guide SRP representing a guide ship hull, and monitor a plurality of distances between the plurality of following REPs and the plurality of guide REPs. |
| US09430945B2 |
System and method for providing route calculation and information to a vehicle
A system for mounting in a vehicle and for providing route information calculated by a remote source (116) to a display is provided. The system includes a display interface (124) for providing a signal to the display (108). The system further includes a communications device (120). The system yet further includes a processor (122) operatively coupled to the communications device (120) and the display interface (124), wherein the processor (122) is configured to cause vehicle position information to be sent to the remote source (116) via the communications device (120). The processor is further configured to receive route information from the remote source (116) via the communications device (120). The processor (122) is yet further configured to provide a representation of the route information to the display interface (124), the route information conveying directions from a position of the vehicle to a destination. |
| US09430944B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining traffic safety events using vehicular participative sensing systems
Methods and systems are disclosed for participative sensing of events and conditions by road vehicles, collection of this data from a large number of road vehicles by a central server, processing the data to identify events and conditions which may be of interest to other vehicles in a particular location, and sending notifications of the events and conditions to vehicles. A large number of vehicles use participative sensing systems to identify a safety-related event or condition which should be reported to the central server—such as a large pothole, an obstacle in the roadway, an icy road surface, a traffic accident, etc. The central server stores and aggregates the data, filters it and ages it. Vehicles requesting advisories from the central server will receive notices of safety-related events and conditions based on their location and heading. Driver warnings can be issued, and vehicle systems may respond to the notices. |
| US09430928B2 |
Power tool system
A power tool system includes a plurality of tool devices. Each of the tool devices includes a condition detection unit that detects condition information of the tool device and a communication unit capable of performing bidirectional wireless communication with a further one of the tool devices. The communication unit is configured to obtain the condition information of the tool device from the condition detection unit and transmit the obtained condition information of the tool device to the further one of the tool devices. |
| US09430927B2 |
Environmental detection sound system
An environmental detection sound system includes a wireless communications unit, a system chip wirelessly communicating to an external operation device; an audio compilation unit, an output unit, a detector module and a data processing unit; wherein the system chip receives a control signal and a sound source signal, converts the sound source signal to a programming audio signal and then outputs the programming audio signal; the audio compilation unit receives the programming audio signal, converts the programming audio signal to an audio signal, and then outputs the audio signal; the output unit receives and plays back the audio signal; the detector module detects an environment and outputs a detection value; the data processing unit receives the detection value and produces a warning audio and a warning message to remind listeners to timely improve environmental conditions when the detection value exceeds a standard value, so as to maintain safety and health. |
| US09430921B2 |
Systems and methods for generating damped electromagnetically actuated planar motion for audio-frequency vibrations
A vibration module for applying vibrational tractions to a wearer's skin is presented. Use of the vibration module in headphones is illustrated for providing tactile sensations of low frequency for music, for massage, and for electrical recording and stimulation of the wearer. Damped, planar, electromagnetically-actuated vibration modules of the moving magnet type are presented in theory and reduced to practice, and shown to provide a substantially uniform frequency response over the range 40-200 Hz with a minimum of unwanted audio. |
| US09430906B2 |
Wagering game having adjacent-reel functionality enhancements
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system includes receiving a wager in response to an input via at least one input device. The method also includes displaying, on at least one display device, a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game in a display area. The display area includes a plurality of reels with a plurality of symbols forming an array. The plurality of symbols includes at least one special symbol. In response to the randomly selected outcome including a special symbol on adjacent ones of the plurality of reels, the method includes changing the functionality of the special symbols on the adjacent ones of the plurality of reels to create a modified array. |
| US09430898B2 |
Gaming device with personality
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to gaming devices that provide audio-visual animated characters in response to game play. The character has a personality that may be encouraging, taunting or another quality. A plurality of expressions of the personality is presented, between one extreme and another, dependant upon the history of game outcomes. |
| US09430893B1 |
Systems, methods and devices for managing rejected coins during coin processing
Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, computer-readable storage media, and methods of managing processed coins are presented herein. A method is presented for managing coins processed by a currency processing system. The method includes: receiving a batch of coins by the currency processing system; feeding the coins into a coin processing unit which includes one or more coin discriminating sensors; sorting the batch of coins into genuine fit target coins and reject coins; sorting the reject coins into a plurality of reject groups, each of which corresponds to a respective category of rejected coins; analyzing at least one of the reject groups to determine if any genuine target coins were mischaracterized and erroneously sorted into that reject group; and, crediting a user of the currency processing system for any genuine target coins in the reject group determined to have been mischaracterized and erroneously sorted. |
| US09430889B2 |
Method for protecting a hands-free access and/or starting system of a vehicle by modifying the speed of signal reception
Method for improving the security of communication between the electronic key and vehicle to prevent interception by a third-party item of electronic equipment by highlighting in such event, a time delay in acknowledgement of this signal by the key. This method includes, before authorizing the access to and/or starting of the vehicle, additional steps of adapting the amplitude of a coded identification request signal received by the key to reach the detection threshold of the key as soon as possible; measuring the sum of the duration of the emission of the coded interrogation signal and of the duration of the response signal of the electronic key; comparing the sum of the measured durations to a reference duration, and triggering an alarm relating to the conditions of access to and/or starting of the vehicle when the separation between this sum of durations and the reference duration is above a preset threshold. |
| US09430883B2 |
Device with vehicle interface for sensor data storage and transfer
A device may store and transmit data collected from sensors within a vehicle. The device may include at least one communication interface; a memory configured to store instructions; and a processor, coupled to the at least one communication interface and the memory. The processor may be configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory. The instructions may cause the processor to receive an initiation signal from an on-board interface associated with a vehicle, establish communications with the on-board interface and at least one vehicle sensor in response to the initiation signal, receive a first data stream from the at least one vehicle sensor, generate a second data stream from the least one internal sensor, combine the first data stream and the second data stream into a combined stream, store the combined stream in the memory, and wirelessly transmit the combined stream to a remote storage and retrieval system. |
| US09430881B2 |
Measurement probe with heat cycle event counter
A system comprising a measurement device and a handheld device is disclosed, the system adapted to withstand, detect, record, and display heat cycle event counts. The measurement device comprises a sensor for measuring and a heat cycle detection unit. The heat cycle detection unit comprises a temperature or pressure responsive element, a detection module, data interface, and data memory. The handheld device comprises a screen, a button, a communication circuit, and a processing system. The communication circuit is configured to communicate with the measurement device and a computing device and the processing system is configured to receive non-measurement information from the measurement device, display the received information on the screen, and cycle the received information displayed on the screen based on an actuation of the button, wherein the handheld device is used to display a heat sterilization cycle count of the measurement device. |
| US09430874B2 |
Estimation of object properties in 3D world
Objects within two-dimensional video data are modeled by three-dimensional models as a function of object type and motion through manually calibrating a two-dimensional image to the three spatial dimensions of a three-dimensional modeling cube. Calibrated three-dimensional locations of an object in motion in the two-dimensional image field of view of a video data input are determined and used to determine a heading direction of the object as a function of the camera calibration and determined movement between the determined three-dimensional locations. The two-dimensional object image is replaced in the video data input with an object-type three-dimensional polygonal model having a projected bounding box that best matches a bounding box of an image blob, the model oriented in the determined heading direction. The bounding box of the replacing model is then scaled to fit the object image blob bounding box, and rendered with extracted image features. |
| US09430873B2 |
Slice data generation device, slice data generation method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program that causes computer to act as slice data generation device or to execute slice data generation method
A slice data generation device generates slice data representing a cross-section obtained as a result of cutting a three-dimensional model and includes a reading section that reads information on a polygon mesh, a change section that changes phase information on the read polygon mesh such that a contour polyline that represents a contour obtained as a result of slicing the polygon mesh read by the reading section into round slices is capable of being acquired, a correction section that acquires the contour polyline from the polygon mesh, the phase information on which has been changed by the change section, and corrects the acquired contour polyline such that an area inside the acquired contour polyline is capable of being painted out; and a paint-out data generation section that paints out the area inside the contour polyline corrected by the correction section. |
| US09430869B1 |
Reducing data stored in a deep-framebuffer
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes generating intermediate values from an evaluation of one or more static expressions within shader programming code that is configured to modify an appearance of an image, compressing the intermediate values based on a determination of which intermediate values are duplicative, and storing the compressed intermediate values in a buffer accessible to an image rendering application. |
| US09430857B2 |
Determining and displaying reserve estimates for a reservoir
Systems and methods for determining and displaying reserve estimates for a reservoir by generating a table and, optionally, a report and/or a graph for the reserve estimates and predefined identification properties that uniquely describe the reserve estimates. |
| US09430853B2 |
Methods for reifying images to convey non-textual information to viewers
An interactive computer program for augmenting an image to include reified emotion information. The program implements the steps of: displaying an unreified image; prompting a user to identify an emotion associated with the image; prompting the user to select a color corresponding to the identified emotion; prompting the user to select a location within the image for applying the selected color; applying the selected color to the selected location within the image; and displaying the reified image. |
| US09430852B2 |
Digital check image shifting in a carousel display
Apparatus and methods are provided for viewing a check image and selecting a check service to be applied to a check. Check services may include a pay/return decision. The check images may be presented in a carousel view without pop-up windows. The user may import pre-selected check services such as stop payments. Check images may be marked with a status indicator. The status indicator may correspond to a check service applied to the check or a reconciliation error associated with the check. A user may receive notifications of pending expiration of an applied check service. The user may select and apply a check service at any time during a clearing process of the check. User may search for checks and check images based on the check service applied to the check. Search results may include check images and may be transmitted to a requested location such as via e-mail. |
| US09430837B2 |
Position and orientation measurement apparatus, position and orientation measurement method, and program
A position and orientation measurement apparatus for measuring the position and orientation of a target object includes a first search unit which searches a geometric model for a lost model region corresponding to a lost image region in a range image, a determination unit which determines whether or not a point on a geometric model corresponding to a pixel on the range image of the target object falls within the lost model region, a correction unit which corrects combinations of pixels on the range image and corresponding points which are determined to fall within the lost model region, and a calculation unit which calculates the position and orientation of the target object based on the corrected combinations of the pixels on the range image and points on the geometric model. |
| US09430835B2 |
Information processing method and system
An identification code-based three-dimensional interactive technique includes acquiring an image including an identification-coded real object, the image being taken by video-capable equipment, identifying an identification code from the identification-coded real object, obtaining object information corresponding to the identification code, acquiring a reference image associated with the identification code and feature points of the reference image, obtaining a position, an orientation, or a combination thereof on the video-capable equipment relative to the identification-coded real object based on the reference image and the feature points of the reference image, and conducting a three-dimensional interaction based on the position, the orientation, or a combination thereof of the video-capable equipment relative to the identification-coded real object and the object information corresponding to the identification code. |
| US09430831B2 |
Correlated image mapping pointer
A system (106) visualizing an image registration mapping in an intuitive interactive manner. The system (106) includes a display (110) and one or more processors (116). The processors (116) are programmed to receive a first image and a second image and obtain an image registration mapping from the first image to the second image. Even more, the processors (116) are programmed to display the first image adjacent to the second image on the display (110) and obtain one or more reference image locations. Each of the reference image locations is defined in the coordinate frame of one of the first image and the second image. Moreover, the processors (116) are programmed to highlight each of the reference image locations on the one of the first image and the second image and highlight a correlated image location for each of the reference image locations in the other one of the first image and the second image. The correlated image locations are determined using the image registration mapping. |
| US09430830B2 |
Spatially aware cell cluster (SPACCL) graphs
Methods, apparatus, and other embodiments associated with objectively predicting disease aggressiveness using Spatially Aware Cell Cluster (SpACCl) graphs. One example apparatus includes a set of logics that acquires an image of a region of tissue, partitions the image into a stromal compartment and an epithelial compartment, identifies cluster nodes within the compartments, constructs a spatially aware stromal sub-graph and a spatially aware epithelial sub-graph based on the cluster nodes and a probabilistic decaying function of the distance between cluster nodes, extracts local features from the sub-graphs, and predicts the aggressiveness of a disease in the region of tissue based on the sub-graphs and the extracted features. Example methods and apparatus may employ a Support Vector Machine classifier to classify super-pixels within the image as stromal super-pixels or epithelial super-pixels. |
| US09430827B2 |
Segmentation of a calcified blood vessel
A method is disclosed for segmentation of a calcified blood vessel in image data. An embodiment of the method includes providing a vesseltree representation of the blood vessel; providing a number of preliminary boundary representations of a number of cross-sections of the blood vessel; providing a number of intensity profiles in the image data in the number of cross-sections; determining a calcification in the cross-section based on the intensity profile; and correcting each preliminary boundary representation into a corrected boundary representation which excludes the calcification from an inner part of the blood vessel. A segmentation system is also disclosed. |
| US09430816B2 |
Image processing method, image processing system, image processing device, and image processing program capable of removing noises over different frequency bands, respectively
Disclosed is an image processing method including: generating an initial denoised image with a reduced noise while preserving an edge in an input image; controlling an iterative operation performed based on energy defined in advance based on an initial residual component calculated from the input image and the initial denoised image; and separating the initial denoised image to a skeleton component and a residual component by the controlled iterative operation to generate the skeleton component as an output image. |
| US09430810B2 |
Drawing method, apparatus, and terminal
A drawing method, apparatus, and terminal, where: a drawing command set of a current frame is received; a CPU drawing time and a GPU drawing time of the current frame are determined according to the drawing command set of the current frame; and if the CPU drawing time is less than the GPU drawing time, the CPU is used to draw the current frame, and if the CPU drawing time is longer than the GPU drawing time, the GPU is used to draw the current frame. In this way, which drawing manner is adopted is dynamically determined according to the drawing time corresponding to the CPU/GPU, so as to shorten a drawing time of each frame to some extent, thereby increasing a display speed of a system and improving display performance. |
| US09430805B2 |
System and method for delivering medical examination, treatment and assistance over a network
A system for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment services includes a plurality of health care practitioner terminals, each having a display device, a plurality of patient terminals in audiovisual communication with any of the health care practitioner terminals, a call center, in communication with the patient terminals and the health care practitioner terminals, routing a call from a patient at one of the patient terminals to an available health care practitioner at one of the health care practitioner terminals, so that the available health care practitioner may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient and visually observe the patient, and a protocol database containing a plurality of protocol segments such that a relevant segment of the protocol may be displayed in real time on the display device of the health care practitioner terminal for use by the available health care practitioner in making an assessment of the patient. |
| US09430804B2 |
Power demand plan adjusting device, power demand plan adjusting method and program
The economical load distribution adjusting device 10 acquires an optimal hydroelectric output, optimal demand, and optimal power price from the supply-demand planning device 23, acquires the planned hydroelectric output planned by the water level planning devices 21, and acquires a planned demand planned by the charge control devices 22. The economical load distribution adjusting device 10 reduces the power price of the time at which the planned hydroelectric output exceeds the optimal output and makes the water level planning devices 21 replan the hydroelectric output, and raises the power price of the time at which the planned demand exceeds the optimal demand and makes the charge control devices 22 replan the amount of demand. |
| US09430801B2 |
Methods systems and computer program products for generating financial statement complying with accounting standard
Requirements, principles or guidelines of an accounting standard such as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are transformed or codified into rules that specify how form, content and/or style of a certain portion of a financial statement, such as a header, should be configured while complying with the accounting standard. A rule engine compares attributes related to a financial statement and rules to determine which rule applies, and a selected rule specifies a header configuration. Relevant data received or retrieved from a source is used to generate or populate the header such that the header is automatically generated while complying with the accounting standard. |
| US09430800B2 |
Method and apparatus for trade interaction chain reconstruction
The subject matter discloses a method for trade interaction chain reconstruction comprising: identifying a swap deal, the swap deal includes two or more of the received interactions and involves two or more participants; selecting a first interaction of the received interactions, said first interaction involves at least two participants of the two or more participants, said first interaction is stored on a computerized device; obtaining a first plurality of interactions of the received interactions that involve the at least two participants of the two or more participants; determining a first plurality of relevance scores between the first plurality of interactions and the first interaction; and associating interactions of the first plurality of interactions to be relevant to the swap deal according to the determined first plurality of relevance scores. |
| US09430795B2 |
Display control device, display control method, search device, search method, program and communication system
An information processing apparatus may include a control unit to control display of parts information of a plurality of items, to generate search information according to feedback from a user for the parts information, and to control display of a search result according to the search information. |
| US09430792B2 |
Using cross-domain communication to serve cloud-based product catalog pages from a seller's domain
Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses are presented for using cross-domain communication to allow manufacturers and other sellers to use cloud/Internet-based products catalog services without sacrificing the search-engine optimization benefit of catalog pages hosted within the manufacturer's domain. The Same Origin Policy used by many browsers may disallow direct communication to the manufacturer's domain for corporate web site and other functions, on the one hand, and an external domain for an efficiently hosted products catalog, on the other. Some embodiments present the use of the JSONP protocol for cross-domain retrieval of a Catalog Widget that is configured to retrieve product catalog information directly from the external domain. In these embodiments, search-engine optimization is furthered by the efficient production of numerous catalog pages that originate from the external domain yet appear to users and search engine crawlers to be within the manufacturer's domain. |
| US09430788B2 |
Retail location robotic wall system
A robotic retail wall is presented allowing for the dispensing of merchandise within a retail location. The robotic wall includes commodity products and robotics that pick and deliver products to consumers in response to input at a kiosk. The robotics and products are separated from a retail space by a transparent barrier, allowing consumers in the retail space to view the actions of the robotics in retrieving a product. Behind the robotic wall is a product stocking area, where commodity products can be added to the robotic wall with assistance from the robotics. |
| US09430785B2 |
Dynamic categorizations for electronic advertising
An advertiser submitting a sponsored ad to a provider can determine aspects of the ad, such as creative elements and bid price, based on a dynamic categorization of an item and/or landing page associated with the ad. An algorithm can be used that utilizes a browse tree for each item to be displayed to a user following a sponsored link, for example, and attempts to find a node in the browse tree that appears at the lowest level in the tree and with a sufficient appearance frequency. When consensus is reached for a node in the browse tree that meets these criteria, a corresponding categorization is determined, which can be used to determine appropriate aspects to be used for the sponsored ad, at least until enough information is obtained such that aspects can be determined independent of the categorization. |
| US09430784B1 |
System for E-commerce accessibility
Disclosed are a system and a method enabling E-Commerce transactions without redirecting a user's computer from one electronic publishing page to another electronic publishing page. |
| US09430781B1 |
Network based indoor positioning and geofencing system and method
A network based indoor positioning and geofencing system and method is described. Beacons are disposed within a physical premises and each beacon transmits a signal containing identifying information. A networked indoor positioning module receives measured reference points that include a measured beacon identifier and a measured signal strength. The networked indoor positioning module uses the measured reference points to generate calculated signal strength values for at least one detected beacon. At least one geofence is associated with the physical premises and the geofence includes some of the calculated signal strength values. A wireless device receives a beacon identifier and a beacon signal strength, when the wireless device is in or near a geofence associated the physical premises. The networked indoor positioning module determines that the wireless device is within at least one geofence by comparing the received beacon identifier and the received beacon signal strength with the calculated signal strength values corresponding to the detected beacon. |
| US09430771B2 |
System for verifying an item in a package
A system verifying an item in a package comprises a package producer and a verifier. The package producer produces a package with a label, wherein the package includes an item each with one or more selected tag identifiers that are placed in a location on the item. The verifier verifies the item using 1) the one or more selected tag identifiers as detected using a spectral measurement or 2) a location or a shape of the one or more selected tag identifiers on the item, and 3) the label as read using a label reader. |
| US09430770B2 |
Electronic transaction security system and method
A computerized method for generating a time-limited number for use in a payment card transaction involving a payment card issued by a financial institution. The payment card comprises an original payment card number. A first plurality of digits of the original payment card number is provided to a processor. The first plurality of digits are predetermined digits associated to the financial institution. A desired expiration date through which the time-limited number is valid for acceptance in the payment card transaction is provided to the processor. A program is executed by the processor to set a first plurality of digits in the time-limited number to the first plurality of digits in the original payment card number, generate a first number corresponding to the desired expiration date, set a second plurality of digits in the time-limited number to the first number, and output the time-limited number. |
| US09430765B2 |
Multi-functional credit card type portable electronic device
An embodiment includes a credit card device capable of generating a programmed magnetic field of alternating polarity based on a speed of a card swipe, and methods for constructing the device for the purpose of emulating a standard credit card. An apparatus is described to allow said device to emulate behavior of a credit card when used in electronic credit card readers. Additionally methods are described to allow user control of said device for the purpose of authorizing or controlling use of said device in the application of credit, debit and cash transactions, including cryptocurrency and card-to-card transactions. Methods are also described for generating a limited-duration credit card number when performing a transaction for the purpose of creating a limited-use credit card number, which is limited in scope of use to a predetermined number of authorized transactions. Furthermore said device may interact with other similar devices in proximity for the purpose of funds or credit/debit transfers. |
| US09430761B2 |
Electronic system for the protection and control of license transactions associated with the alteration of replicated read only media and its bound licensed content
Distribution of content stored on read only media, and a system and method by which a consumer who purchased content stored on read only media implements a process in the field by which they alter the storage media. A system and tools are used by the consumer to identify, authenticate, disable, and confirm alteration in exchange for compensation, the acquisition of new usage rights to content, or the ability to restore access to or copy content to new media. The process may be conducted by the consumer in the field without assistance and or visual inspection, or be partially conducted in conjunction with an authorized intermediary. Furthermore, the process may restore access to content stored on new media without the need to transfer copies of content. |
| US09430759B2 |
Fees and foreign currency exchange calculation
Various methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed for calculating a fee linked to an online financial transaction, with improved flexibility and availability through caching and refreshing of fee calculation data. In one embodiment, a method includes extracting fee calculation data into a data cache associated with control data that is updated in response to refreshing of the data cache; receiving a fee calculation request linked to an online transaction associated with a fee type, a country code, and a client identifier; and then selecting, by looking up the data cache, a base fee from either a default fee determined by the fee type and the country code or from an overriding fee associated with the client identifier. The method further includes calculating a transaction fee for the online transaction based at least in part on the base fee; and verifying the control data to transmit the calculated transaction fee. |
| US09430749B2 |
Architectural planning system and process therefor
An architectural planning system, that includes software and the process thereof, which actively tracks the relationship of organizational groups as well as the required connections therebetween, which information can be actively taken into account during an architectural planning phase. Generally, this provides an improved software tool and process for planning the physical locations of organizational groups within the building space. Further, changes in organizational needs can be readily modified and adapted through direct and dynamic collaboration between these parties. |
| US09430746B2 |
Combining measurements based on beacon data
Usage data representing the access of a set of resources on a network is accessed. The usage data is based at least in part on information received from client systems sent as a result of beacon instructions included with the set of resources. First and second sets of usage data representing access by client systems classified as a first type and a second type, respectively, are determined based on the accessed usage data. Counts of unique visitors accessing the network resources from each of the first and second types of client systems, based on the first and sets of usage data, respectively, are each determined. A total count of unique visitors accessing the network resources from the first and second types of client systems is determined based on data representing the usage overlap of devices of the first type with devices of the second type. |
| US09430732B2 |
Three-dimension RFID tag with opening through structure
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a three-dimensional Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag structure with an opening though the structure. |
| US09430730B2 |
Anti-skimming payment card
A payment card may include a read sensor configured to detect a reading of the payment card by a card reader. In particular, the payment card may include a controller or a processor configured to count a number of times the payment card is read by other card readers. The payment card may implement card security measures based on the number of reads detected by the read sensor. The payment card may further include a magnetic stripe emulator configured to emulate signal patterns of a magnetic stripe when the magnetic stripe is read by a card reader. The controller may disable the magnetic stripe emulator when the number of reads detected by the read sensor exceeds a predetermined number. |
| US09430729B2 |
Broadband progressive tag
In one embodiment, an RFID apparatus is provided, which includes an input circuit that has an input impedance used for receiving RF signals. An RF-signal converter provides an apparatus-operating power signal in response to receiving the RF signals. An impedance circuit provides and selects impedance values in response to at least one select signal provided by a state-machine logic circuit. The state-machine logic circuit provides the select signal(s) in response to the apparatus-operating power signal for selecting the impedance values and therein permit the input impedance to be changed for tuning the RFID apparatus. |
| US09430728B2 |
Electronic identification system with improved sensitivity
The electronic identification system provides two-way communications between reader and tags using alternating magnetic fields established by the reader and tag. Communication is accomplished by utilizing either a one-step or a two-step modulation process in which the information to be communicated either modulates an alternating magnetic field directly or modulates a periodic signal which modulates an alternating magnetic field. The coil in the reader that is used to establish an alternating magnetic field is transformer-coupled through capacitors to a push-pull driving circuit consisting of four field-effect transistors connected in a bridge arrangement. The coil, capacitors, and coupling circuitry are maintained in a tuned condition by continually adjusting either the driving frequency, the coil inductance, or the capacitor capacitance during communications. A tag utilizes a coil to couple with the reader's alternating magnetic field and a capacitor to resonate the coil, thereby extracting power from the field more efficiently. Transformer coupling of the coil and capacitor is utilized for improved impedance matching. The coil, capacitor, and coupling circuitry can be maintained in a tuned condition by continually adjusting either the coil inductance, or the capacitor capacitance during communications. Certain configurations of the system may require that tuning maintenance be discontinued during the transmission of data. |
| US09430726B2 |
High capacity 2D color barcode and method for decoding the same
A 2D color barcode layout is disclosed. The barcode includes a 2D array of data cells, four corner locators, and border reference cells forming four borders between the corner locators that substantially surround the array of data cells. Each data cell and border reference cell has one of four primary colors (e.g. CMYK). Most border reference cells have the same size as the data cells, except for yellow ones which are longer. The border reference cells form a repeating color sequence along the borders, and are used during decoding to calculate (1) the channel offset (a spatial offset) of each primary color at different locations along the borders and (2) the reference (average) color values of each primary color. During decoding, the color values of each data cell is measured while taking into account channel offset which is calculated by interpolating the channel offset of the border reference cells. |
| US09430723B1 |
Printing device software management and common interface
The present disclosure is directed to a method for managing printing device software. The method includes receiving, at a computing device, a request to print a document file. The method also includes receiving a selection of a particular printing device with which to print the document file. The method further includes performing a search operation to determine whether a printer driver for the particular printing device is stored on the first computing device. Additionally, the method includes causing a data transfer of the printer driver from a server onto the first computing device over a wide area network upon determining that the printer driver is not stored on the computing device. Further, the method includes converting, using the printer driver, the document file into a print job. The method also includes transmitting, to the particular printing device, instructions to execute the print job. |
| US09430721B2 |
System for displaying printer information
A system includes a printer including a plurality of functional modules and a controller configured to control the print process, a storage device configured to store information regarding supporting an operator to interact with a functional module of the plurality of functional modules other than the local user interface of the printer, a presence detection system configured to detect a presence of an operator near or at the functional module, and an information presentation device configured to present information within a perception reach of the operator. The system includes a computer device connected to the presence detection system, the storage device, the printer and the information presentation device. The computer device is configured to retrieve, upon detection of a presence of an operator near or at the functional module by the presence detection system, status information of the status of the functional module of the printer from the controller and support information regarding supporting an operator to interact with the functional module from the storage device, and to select part of the support information taking into account the status information, and to provide the selected information to the information presentation device in order to present the selected information to the operator within the perception reach of the operator. |
| US09430715B1 |
Identifying and modifying cast shadows in an image
Methods and systems for detection and removal of cast shadows from an image. In particular, one or more embodiments compute correspondences between image patches in the image using a grid-based patch-matching algorithm. One or more embodiments then train a regression model to detect shadows from the computed patch correspondences. One or more embodiments then segment the detected shadows into shadow regions and identify cast shadows from the shadow regions. Once the cast shadows are identified, one or more embodiments use patch-based synthesis of pixels guided by a direct inversion of the image. Optionally, one or more methods can use pixels from the synthesized image and the naïve inversion of the image, based on a synthesis confidence of each pixel, to produce a combined result. |
| US09430705B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing system, and program
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a face image acquisition section which acquires face images extracted from images which are classified into an identical time cluster by performing time clustering, and a person information generation section which classifies the face images for each time cluster, and generates person information in which persons regarded as an identical person are identified based on the face images which are classified. |
| US09430694B2 |
Face recognition system and method
A face recognition method is provided. The method includes dividing an input video into different sets of frames and detecting faces of each frame in the input video. The method also includes generating face tracks for the whole video. Further, the method includes applying a robust collaborative representation-based classifier to recover a clean image from complex occlusions and corruptions for a face test sample and perform classification. In addition, the method also includes outputting the video containing the recognized face images. |