Document Document Title
US09484893B1 Clock generation circuit with fast-startup standby mode
A clock generation circuit operates in a STANDBY mode as well as conventional OFF and ON modes. In STANDBY mode, a small pre-bias current is applied to amplifiers in the clock generation circuit, which bias voltages on internal nodes to very near their operating voltage values. This reduces transient perturbations on signals as the clock generation circuit is returned to ON mode. The smaller transients settle faster, and allow the clock generation circuit to achieve very fast startup times from STANDBY to ON. The very fast startup times allow the clock generation circuit to be placed in STANDBY mode more often, such as when a system must monitor and rapidly respond to activity on an external bus or interface (such as an RF modem).
US09484890B1 Systems and methods to reduce quadrature error in sensors
Various embodiments of the invention provide for improved performance by reducing a quadrature error signal. In certain embodiments, this is accomplished by using a mixed-signal architecture comprising analog and digital circuit components in a closed-loop configuration that generates from a detected quadrature error signal a calibration quadrature signal that is then compensated at a virtual ground of an analog front end circuit. Some embodiments allow for pre-calibration for quadrature error and/or adaptive compensation of unwanted drift effects of the quadrature error, including temperature drifts.
US09484888B2 Linear resistor with high resolution and bandwidth
Described is an apparatus which comprises: a first voltage follower; a second voltage follower; and a pass-gate including a p-type transistor in parallel to an n-type transistor, wherein gate terminal of the p-type transistor is controlled by an output of the first voltage follower, and wherein gate terminal of the n-type transistor is controlled by an output of the second voltage follower.
US09484881B2 Impedance matching device and control method
In an impedance matching device between a power transmission circuit and a power transmission antenna, a storage unit stores tables associated with a load value, each storing control values of a coupling coefficient between the power transmission and reception antennae. A selection unit selects a table corresponding to the load value estimated by the load value estimation unit. An adjustment direction determination unit determines the direction of a position for reading out one of the control values from the selected table. A readout position determination unit determines the position for reading out the control value from the selected table based on the direction and a predetermined step width for shifting the position for reading out the control value. A circuit selection unit electrically connects a matching circuit or the through circuit. A control value output unit outputs the control value at the determined position to the selected circuit.
US09484878B2 Equalization of frequency-dependent gain
Systems, devices, and methods for determining and establishing frequency-dependent gain compensation in wide bandwidth communication systems are disclosed. Variable frequency-dependent gain compensation circuits, or variable equalizers, have settings that configure them to establish discrete frequency-dependent gain compensation. The frequency-dependent gain compensation can include various types and levels of gain slope and/or ripple. The settings of the variable equalizers can be set by control signals established a control circuit in response to signals from an external computer. The variable equalizers are coupled to other circuits or devices and the frequency-dependent gain of the combined circuit are measured. The settings of the variable equalizer are then changed to establish an optimal frequency-dependent gain profile or frequency-dependent gain that is closest to a predetermined frequency-dependent target gain profile. The settings can then be saved in a memory or register.
US09484876B2 Control of a switched mode power supply and linear power supply for an audio device
An audio device and an output method thereof are provided. The audio device includes: an envelope detector configured to detect an envelope of an input audio signal; a power supply which includes a linear power supply (LPS) and a switching-mode power supply (SMPS); an amplifier configured to amplify the input audio signal; an output unit configured to output the audio signal amplified by the amplifier; and a controller configured to compare a voltage level of the detected envelope with a preset level, select one of the LPS and the SMPS based on a result of the comparison, and control the power supply to supply power from the selected one of the LPS and the SMPS to the amplifier.
US09484874B2 Input amplitude modulated outphasing with an unmatched combiner
An amplifier system is disclosed, configured to apply a signal component separator algorithm such that the first phase modulated signal and the second phase modulated signal are allowed to take on several continuous amplitude levels in order to achieve a maximum efficiency at each desired output signal power level, without restricting the input signal power fed to the power amplifiers to a constant level, wherein for each desired output signal power level, the digital signal component separator assigns an amplitude and phases of input signals that result in a maximum instantaneous power efficiency at the amplified output signal combined with an unmatched/non-isolating combiner (e.g. Chireix combiner).
US09484869B2 Tube amplifier systems and related methods
An amplifier stage module circuit has a tube connected with an anode section, a grid section, a cathode section, and an attenuator section. The amplifier stage module circuit is configurable to provide any one of a plurality of selectable voices, each voice provided by a corresponding combination of selectively combinable voice components of the sections.
US09484863B2 Amplifier circuit and method
First and second amplifiers are respectively coupled to first and second lines, each having first and second portions. An auxiliary amplifier has an output coupled to an auxiliary line network which comprises: a first auxiliary line coupled between an auxiliary junction and a first intersection between the first and second portions of the first line; a second auxiliary line coupled between the auxiliary junction and a second intersection between the first and second portions of the second line; and a third auxiliary line for coupling the output of the auxiliary amplifier to the auxiliary junction. Each of the first and second lines have a higher-impedance portion and a lower-impedance portion whose lengths are substantially equal. Lengths of the respective first portions of the first and second lines sum to half a wavelength, and lengths of the respective second portions of the first and second lines sum to half a wavelength.
US09484862B2 Device and method for bias control of class A power RF amplifier
A circuit and technique are provided to control bias setting to an FET based common source RF amplifier that can operate with large signals present. The circuit and technique described herein use a second FET in an identical circuit having the gate circuits connected in parallel and being sourced by the same drain voltage that serves as a reference to a first circuit bias setting. The drain current in a first FET will include both the bias and RF amplification current, whereas the second FET only carries the bias current. Because the devices and circuits are matched, the gate voltage variations will appear in both FETs thereby providing regulation of the drain current.
US09484861B1 Method for system level oriented load-pull-based envelope tracking power amplifiers
The method for system level oriented load-pull-based envelope tracking power amplifiers includes steps of performing a multi-dimensional load-pull and selecting the reflection coefficients to be presented to the transistor while taking into account the system level architecture of the power amplifier. It is shown that adopting the proposed load reflection coefficient selection algorithm leads to an additional efficiency enhancement. This extra performance is achieved without additional circuitry or cost.
US09484859B2 Modulation circuit and operating method thereof
A modulation circuit includes a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit, a scalar circuit and a sigma-delta modulator. The PLL circuit is for generating an output oscillating signal in response to a reference signal, a first control signal and a second control signal. The scalar circuit is for generating the first control signal in response to modulating data to control frequency deviation of the output oscillating signal, wherein the first control signal is in a digital form. The sigma-delta modulator is for generating the second control signal according to the modulating data to modulate a divider value of a frequency divider of the PLL circuit.
US09484857B2 Semiconductor circuit device, electronic device, electronic apparatus, and moving object
A semiconductor circuit device includes: a semiconductor substrate; and a first circuit block including an analog circuit as a component, a second circuit block including a digital circuit as a component, a connection pad, and a connection wire electrically connecting the connection pad with the first circuit block, all of which are arranged on the semiconductor substrate. The connection wire is provided so as not to overlap the second circuit block in a plan view.
US09484847B2 Method of controlling a permanent magnet motor and corresponding system
A method for controlling a motor propulsion unit including a motor including a permanent magnet rotor and a stator, the method including regulating currents of the stator so that they attain their setpoints by virtue of control signals, the currents to be regulated and the control signals being expressed in a rotating reference frame including a plurality of axes. The regulating includes for each of the axes of the plurality of axes applying, to the current to be regulated on the respective axis, a linear operator differing as a function of a value of the current to be regulated with respect to its setpoint, the result of the application of the linear operator being a control signal on the respective axis.
US09484844B1 Circuit and method for reducing inrush current of phase converter motor
A method and circuit for starting a three-phase motor in a manner that reduces inrush current normally associated with starting an AC motor. The method uses the circuit to start the three phase motor gradually with three phase alternating current having relatively low frequency and gradually increasing the frequency up to or above the motor operating frequency over a period of time and then switching in a single phase alternating current supply to power the three phase motor.
US09484828B2 Power frequency converter and associated method
A power frequency converter and an associated method are provided to convert an AC input signal at a first frequency, such as a first frequency that is permitted to vary within a range, to an AC output signal at a second frequency that is different than the first frequency and that may be fixed. The power frequency converter includes a plurality of power rectification modules. Each power rectification module includes a plurality of power rectification components for receiving different phases of an input signal at a first frequency. Each power rectification module is configured to provide an output signal to a load, such as an induction motor, at a second frequency. The power frequency converter also includes a controller configured to provide control signals to selectively enable the power rectification modules. The controller is configured to provide the control signals without synchronization to the first frequency.
US09484826B2 Multiport DC-DC autotransformer and methods for controlling and using the same
A multiport DC-DC autotransformer for interconnecting three or more DC systems. The autotransformer includes 2N−1 converters sequentially connected in series at a DC side, and connected to an AC transmission line via an AC link at an AC side, and a positive terminal of the ith converter of the 2N−1 sequentially connected converters and a negative terminal of the (2N−i)th converter are respectively connected to a positive terminal of the ith DC system and a negative terminal thereof, where N represents the number of DC systems, and i represents the serial number of converters. Also disclosed are a method for determining power rating of each converter of the multiport DC-DC autotransformer, and a method for controlling the autotransformer. Most power can be transferred between different DC systems via a direct electrical connection without DC-AC-DC conversion.
US09484818B2 DC-DC converter
A DC-DC converter includes first and second switching devices electrically connected in series between an input terminal and a ground terminal, third and fourth switching devices electrically connected in series between an output terminal and the ground terminal, an inductor, a drive circuit that drives the first switching device to turn on and off, a bootstrap capacitor circuit connected electrically to the drive circuit, and a control circuit. The control circuit is operable to turn on and off the switching devices serially connected with each other after a simultaneous-off duration for which both of the switching devices are continuously turned off. The control circuit is operable to charge the bootstrap capacitor by continuously turning on keeping the second switching device for a charging duration while continuously turning off the first switching device for a sustaining duration determined by the simultaneous-off duration and the charging duration. This DC-DC converter can reduce a current ripple even when the bootstrap capacitor is charged.
US09484817B2 DC/DC converter
In a DC/DC converter, each channel operates under digital control using nonlinear control. The time interval between the time of turning ON of the switching element 1 and the time of turning ON of each of other switching elements j (j=2, 3, . . . , N) is measured. If the measured interval is within a specified range, operation is continued without changing the ON time of the switching element j used last time. Meanwhile, if the measured interval is out of the range, the ON time of the switching element j is increased or decreased within a predetermined range to be shifted from a basic frequency. Thus, the interval between the time of turning ON of the switching element 1 and the time of turning ON of the switching element j is brought back to the specified range.
US09484815B2 Energy-based control of a switching regulator
A system and method are provided for controlling a switching voltage regulator circuit. An energy difference between a stored energy of a switching voltage regulator and a target energy is determined. A control variable of the switching voltage regulator is computed based on the energy difference and the control variable is applied to a current control mechanism of the switching voltage regulator. In one embodiment, the control variable is pulse width of a control signal.
US09484814B2 Power converter controller with analog controlled variable current circuit
A bleeder controller for controlling a magnitude of a variable current conducted by bleeder circuitry between input terminals of a device is disclosed. The magnitude of the variable current is controllable in response to a control signal. The bleeder controller includes a dimming detector to classify a half line cycle as leading-edge-dimmed or a trailing-edge-dimmed in response to at least one of an input current sense signal and an input voltage sense signal.
US09484805B2 Dual mode power supply controller with current regulation
A power conversion circuit includes a voltage boost circuit including a boost inductor configured to generate an output voltage in response to an input voltage, and a boost controller configured to control operation of the voltage boost circuit. The boost controller is configured to control operation of the voltage boost circuit in response to a level of current in the boost inductor.
US09484803B2 Method for regulating an output voltage
A method for regulating an output voltage of a converter is provided in which a switching frequency of a switching device is limited in response to a signal that is representative of a magnitude of a current from an input of the converter and to a sense signal generated in response to an input voltage signal.
US09484796B2 Induction generator and method for producing an induction generator
An induction generator (100) for a remote switch which comprises a U-shaped magnetic diverter (102) with first and second limbs as well as a coil core (104) with an induction coil (106) arranged between the limbs. A movable magnetic element (110) is provided for switching the induction generator (100). When the magnetic element (110) is in its first position, the magnetic element (110) is connected with the first limb and the coil core (104) and, when the magnetic element (110) is in its second position, the magnetic element (110) is connected with the coil core (104) and the second limb.
US09484793B2 Electrical rotating machine system or wind turbine system
An electrical rotating machine system that can be easily maintained and can provide improved power generation efficiency. The electrical rotating machine system includes: a first electrical rotating machine having a first stator that has first stator windings, and a first rotor that has first rotor windings and is disposed on the internal diameter side of the first stator so as to have a gap between the internal diameter side of the first stator and the first rotor itself; a second electrical rotating machine having a second stator that has second stator windings, and a second rotor that has second rotor windings and is disposed on the internal diameter side of the second stator so as to have a gap between the internal diameter side of the second stator and the second rotor itself; and at least one power converter that is electrically connected to the first rotor windings and the second rotor windings, and configured to rotate when the first rotor rotates.
US09484792B2 Rotor and method for manufacturing the rotor
A rotor has a rotor core arranged to radially face a stator. The rotor core has an accommodation hole extending axially from an axial end face of the rotor core. A magnet is received in the accommodation hole. A recess, which is dented in a direction separating from the magnet, is formed in an end surface of the accommodation hole. The recess has an opening facing the magnet. A pair of open distal portions are arranged at opposite sides of the opening and pressed against the magnet.
US09484790B2 Rotor for electric rotating machine and method of manufacturing the same
A rotor for an electric rotating machine includes a hollow cylindrical rotor core and a plurality of magnets. The rotor core has a plurality of magnet-receiving holes formed therein. Each of the magnet-receiving holes has a plurality of wall surfaces including a radially innermost wall surface which is positioned radially innermost among the plurality of wall surfaces. Each of the magnets is received in a corresponding one of the magnet-receiving holes of the rotor core. Further, each of the magnets is arranged in the corresponding magnet-receiving hole so that among the thermal resistances between the magnet and the plurality of wall surfaces of the corresponding magnet-receiving hole, the thermal resistance between the magnet and the radially innermost wall surface of the corresponding magnet-receiving hole is lowest.
US09484777B2 Rotor core of motor
Provided is a rotor core of a motor, the rotor core, the rotor core including: a thin disk-shaped rotor core member; a shaft hole penetratively formed at a center of the rotor core member; a shaft press-fitted into the shaft hole; a plurality of magnet insertion holes penetratively formed at a position near to a periphery of the rotor core member for inserted coupling by a magnet; and a magnet support rotor core member in which a magnet support member tightly contacting a magnet inserted into the magnet insertion hole to a radial direction of the rotor core member is protrusively formed at the magnet insertion hole, wherein the rotor core members are stacked each at a predetermined height, and the magnet support rotor core members are arranged at an upper surface and a bottom surface of the plurality of stacked rotor core members, and the shaft is press-fitted into the shaft hole.
US09484765B2 Charging device and operating method thereof
An electronic device having a charging function is provided. The electronic device includes a conversion unit for converting an Alternating Current (AC) voltage to a Direct Current (DC), a first charging unit for generating a first charging voltage or current using the DC voltage, and an output unit for providing the DC voltage and the first charging voltage or current to an external device. Various other implementations are possible.
US09484763B2 Battery pack and method of controlling the same
A battery pack and a method of controlling the same. The battery pack includes: a first battery module that includes at least one battery cell; a second battery module that includes at least one battery cell electrically connected to the first battery module; a charge/discharge control unit that breaks or connects a charge/discharge path of each of the first battery module and the second battery module; a first battery management unit that controls the first battery module; and a second battery management unit that generates a signal for controlling switches included in the charge/discharge control unit by referring to a state of the second battery module, wherein the first battery management unit and the second battery management unit are connected in parallel to the charge/discharge control unit.
US09484739B2 Overvoltage protection device and method
A protection device is provided that exhibits a turn on time of order of one nanosecond or less. Such a device provides enhanced protection for integrated circuits against electrostatic discharge events. This in turn reduces the risk of device failure in use. The protection device can include a bipolar transistor structure connected between a node to be protected and a discharge path.
US09484735B2 Protective device having a thin construction
The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a circuit interrupter assembly coupled to a solenoid actuator and configured to move along an assembly axis in a direction normal to a major surface of the electrical isolation member to provide electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals, the plurality of load terminals and the plurality of receptacle contact structures in a reset state and to interrupt the electrical continuity to effect a tripped state. The circuit interrupter assembly including at least one portion configured to pivot relative to the assembly axis to effect the reset state or the tripped state.
US09484725B2 Access plate adapter for electrical fixture
An electrical assembly, such as a lighting assembly, includes a housing adapted for mounting to a wall or ceiling. The housing has an outer wall for attaching to the wall or ceiling and an opening for wire connections between the housing and the power source. An access plate adapter is removably coupled to the opening in the housing to define a channel between the housing and the wall or ceiling. The adapter has a bottom wall and a side wall forming a well and an outwardly extending top wall at a top end of the side wall. The bottom wall has as plurality of tabs forming hooks for coupling with the opening in the housing wall. The top wall of the adapter has a dimension to contact the surface of the wall or ceiling and form a seal to define a closed channel between the housing and the wall or ceiling.
US09484718B2 Spark plug
A spark plug includes an insulator having an axial hole, a center electrode inserted into a forward portion of the axial hole, a terminal electrode inserted into a rear portion of the axial hole, and an interelectrode insert which contains glass and electrically conductive carbon and is disposed in the axial hole between the center electrode and the terminal electrode. The interelectrode insert has a resistance of 1.0 kΩ to 3.0 kΩ, and the interelectrode insert has a carbon content of 1.5% by mass to 4.0% by mass at a forward portion located forward of a center point between the rear end of the center electrode and the forward end of the terminal electrode. Furthermore, the forward portion is lower in resistance than a rear portion of the interelectrode insert located rearward of the center point.
US09484716B2 Surface emitting laser, atomic oscillator, and manufacturing method of surface emitting laser
A surface emitting laser includes: a substrate; and a laminated body disposed over the substrate, wherein the laminated body includes a first mirror layer disposed over the substrate, an active layer disposed over the first mirror layer, and a second mirror layer disposed over the active layer, and surface roughness Ra of an uppermost layer of the first mirror layer is greater than or equal to 0.45 nm and less than or equal to 1.0 nm.
US09484712B2 Combined Gain-SOA chip
A combined Gain-SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifier) Chip is provided for forming a hybrid laser by a combination with an external reflector, the Gain-SOA Chip comprising a gain section and an SOA section, wherein an optical grating is arranged between the gain section and the SOA section.
US09484705B2 Optically end-pumped slab amplifier comprising pump modules arranged in a distributed manner
An optically end-pumped amplifier with a plate-shaped optical gain medium has a plurality of pump laser units for optically pumping the gain medium through at least one of the narrow side surfaces thereof. The pump laser units are designed such that the pump laser radiation, upon passing through the gain medium, has an elongated beam cross section having a short axis and a long axis running parallel to the main surfaces of the gain medium and propagates freely through the gain medium with respect to the short axis. They are arranged such that in each case the principal axes of the beam bundles of the pump laser units impinge on one of the pumped side surfaces in a plane perpendicular to the short axis at an angle to one another, wherein the beam cross sections of the beam bundles are superimposed on one another.
US09484695B2 Smart plug system and method
A smart plug system includes, in an embodiment, a smart plug that may be securable to an electrical outlet by way of an anti-theft device. The anti-theft device may include in an embodiment: a body securable to the electrical outlet; and a protrusion that extends from the body and which may extend into an aperture of the smart plug to secure the smart plug to the electrical outlet when the smart plug is plugged into an electrical outlet. In an embodiment, the smart plug may be configured to be customizable in appearance by including a plurality of different covers that may be secured to a face of the smart plug.
US09484692B2 High outlet density power distribution
Systems and apparatuses are provided in which outlets are coupled to a power distribution unit (PDU) or PDU module in various configurations. The outlets may be coupled to a recessed surface within a PDU housing. The outlets may be coupled to a printed circuit board that is at least partially disposed within the PDU housing. The outlets may extend away from the recessed surface or printed circuit board towards or beyond a front face of the PDU housing.
US09484683B1 Conductive terminal
The present invention discloses a conductive terminal including two conductive members or further comprising a hot melt fixing member. Each conductive member is provided with a groove which is concaved in from an edge of the host conductive member. The grooves on the two conductive members are opposite to each other and a gap is maintained between the two conductive members by an elastic force between the conductive members. The hot melt fixing member is put into the grooves of the two conductive members and is combined on the conductive members to overcome the elastic force, enabling the two conductive member to form contact limit, the hot melt fixing member to be damaged when overheat, and the two conductive members to be opened by the elastic force to form open circuit. The conductive member can be applied to overheat protection of a plug and a socket.
US09484681B2 Flippable electrical connector
A plug connector for use with a complementary receptacle connector, includes an insulative housing defining a receiving cavity therein and a plurality of passageways on opposite of the mating cavity, a pair of terminal modules stacked on each other and a metallic shell. Each terminal module includes an insulator and a plurality of contacts loaded on insulator, the contacts includes contacting sections extending out of the insulator and tail extending out of the insulator. The insulators of the stacked terminal modules are located behind the insulative housing and the contacting sections of the contacts are disposed in the corresponding passageways. The terminal modules and the insulative housing are commonly enclosed in the metallic shell.
US09484677B2 Electrical connector having improved grounding member
An electrical receptacle connector includes a terminal module assembly and a grounding collar thereon. The terminal module assembly includes the front mating tongue, the rear body, and the step structure therebetween, and the corresponding contacts. The contacts are secured to the body with contacting sections exposed upon the mating tongue. The grounding collar includes the grounding regions located on two opposite upper and lower surfaces of the step structure. The front edge area of the grounding region adjacent to the front edge area, forms a notch so as to leave a space to allow the spring finger of the corresponding interior grounding plate of the plug connector to first slide upon the step structure and successively contact the grounding region of the grounding collar of the receptacle connector.
US09484675B2 Terminal structure of electrical connector
A connector includes a shielding case, an insulating main body and a terminal group. The shielding case has an opening for allowing a docking plug to insert therein. The insulating main body is covered by the shielding case. The terminal group is accommodated in the insulating main body. The terminal group has terminals. Each of the terminals has a contact portion and a connecting portion. The contact portion is arranged in two rows in the opening of the shielding case. The connecting portions are fixed to the insulating main body. The connecting portions of a portion of the terminals extend outwards from the insulating main body to form welding legs arranged in the same row.
US09484674B2 Differential electrical connector with improved skew control
An improved electrical connector is provided by compensating for skew in signal conductors of a differential pair while ensuring a uniform impedance along the differential pair. Skew is equalized by regions of lower dielectric constant preferentially positioned adjacent the longer conductor of each pair. Impedance along the length of the signal conductor is equalized by a compensation portion in the first conductor that offsets for a change in impedance associated with the change in dielectric constant adjacent the longer conductor. The compensation portion may be a widening in the first conductive element relative to a nominal width of the conductive element. The skew compensation portion may be along a longer edge of the longer conductor and the impedance compensation portion may be along the shorter edge of the longer conductor.
US09484660B2 Electrical connector
An electrical connector includes a housing including a front housing and a rear housing matable to define the housing. The front housing and the rear housing are molded as a single piece with a hinge member connecting the front housing and the rear housing. The rear housing is rotatable about the hinge member from an open position to a closed position. The front housing has front terminal channels configured to receive terminals and the rear housing has rear terminal channels aligned with the front terminal channels when the rear housing is rotated to the closed position but not aligned with the front terminal channels when the rear housing is in the open position. The rear terminal channels are configured to allow the terminals to at least partially pass therethrough into the front terminal channels during loading of the terminals into the housing.
US09484654B2 Electrical connector with improved contacts
An electrical connector comprises an insulative housing with a plurality of ports, a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing, a rear seat assembled to a rear side of the insulative housing and a metal shell covering the insulative housing. The insulative housing has a plurality of slots recessed from a rear surface thereof for retaining the contacts. The contact has a linking portion positioned in the rear sear and a mating portion bent from the linking portion and exposed in the port. The mating portions of the contacts in a same port are located in different heights, and at least one of the mating potions is inclined, so as to provide an inclined force to an inserted mating connector thereby reducing a pressing force to the inserted plug during engaging.
US09484651B2 Pane having an electrical connection element
A pane having a connection element, having; a substrate having an electrically conductive structure on at least a subregion of the substrate, the electrical connection element on at least a subregion of the electrically conductive structure, and a lead-free soldering compound which connects the electrical connection element to the electrically conductive structure in at least a subregion, wherein the lead-free soldering compound contains 58 to 62% by weight indium, 35 to 38% by weight tin, 1 to 3.5% by weight silver and 0.5 to 2% by weight copper.
US09484637B2 Horn antenna with corrugated grating
A horn that radiates a radioelectric wave coming from an input waveguide, comprises a grating placed over the aperture of the horn. The waveguide comprises a horn-shaped segment, an entrance, an aperture, and a grating placed next to the aperture. It makes it possible for at least one linearly polarised electromagnetic wave to propagate between the entrance and the aperture along a first axis. The grating comprises a frame and a set of plates extending longitudinally and continuously from a first short side of the frame to a second short side of the frame, so as to form a linear polarising filter for any electromagnetic wave the electric field of which is not polarised along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. The grating of the waveguide comprises corrugations to reinforce the filtering of the electromagnetic wave the electric field of which is not polarised along the second axis.
US09484617B2 Antenna device and method for attaching the same
An antenna device includes: a radio device for radio wave transmission; a primary radiator that has a function to radiates radio waves generated by the radio device; a parabolic reflector that reflects the radio waves radiated from the primary radiator; a shroud that shields against unnecessary radiation radio waves among the radio waves radiated from the primary radiator and reflected by the parabolic reflector; and an antenna mounting mechanism that fits the parabolic reflector to an antenna attachment pole. The shroud is arranged so as to cover at least a right and left of the parabolic reflector, the radio device and the primary radiator are arranged inside the shroud, and the antenna mounting mechanism fits the parabolic reflector to the antenna attachment pole so that the antenna attachment pole is located at a lateral center position of the parabolic reflector.
US09484610B2 Processes for forming waveguides using LTCC substrates
Processes for forming waveguides (200) using multiple co-planar layers of LTCC substrates (212, 212a, 212b) are described. Registration holes (222) on the substrates help align layering of the substrates. Arrays of circuit patterns are printed on each substrate, with each circuit being made up of conductor pattern (213) and/or via holes (224). Cavity alignment holes (226) formed around a periphery of each circuit allow alignment marks to be printed on the substrates for vision inspection. Similarly, circuit orientation holes (227) associated with each circuit allow orientation marks to be printed on the substrates to identify orientation of circuits in each finally formed waveguide. Substrate orientation holes (225) allow marks to be printed on one side of each substrate for alignment during screen printing. These in-process vision inspections and quality assurance tests allow product quality and process yields to improve.
US09484608B2 Switch module
A switch module includes a plurality of mounting electrodes for external connection provided on a peripheral portion of one main surface of a wiring substrate. The plurality of mounting electrodes includes a common electrode, a plurality of RF signal electrodes, a control electrode, and a power supply electrode. At least one of the power supply electrode and the control electrode is arranged between the RF signal electrodes.
US09484607B2 Battery module
A battery module includes a first battery cell, a first barrier, and a second barrier, the first battery cell being between the first barrier and the second barrier, wherein a first opening is in flow communication with a first space defined between a first side of the first battery cell and a first side portion formed by at least one of the first and second barriers, the first space being in flow communication with a second space defined between a second side of the first battery cell and a second side portion formed by at least one of the first and second barriers.
US09484604B2 Battery module system
A battery module system includes at least one cell and a battery module processor. The battery module processor may be configured to receive at least one cell signal associated with the at least one cell, wherein the at least one cell signal includes at least one of a temperature signal, a voltage signal, or a current signal. The battery module processor may be also configured to determine a status of the at least one cell based on the at least one cell signal. The battery module system may be configured to removably connect to a master/module interface, and to deliver power from the at least one cell to the master/module interface. The battery module system may be also configured to communicate, from the battery module processor, the status of the at least one cell to the master/module interface.
US09484598B2 Electrolyte for secondary battery and lithium secondary battery including the same
Disclosed are an electrolyte for a lithium secondary battery which includes a non-aqueous solvent and a lithium salt, wherein the non-aqueous solvent includes a cyclic carbonate and a linear solvent, wherein an amount of the cyclic carbonate in the non-aqueous solvent is in the range of 1 wt % to 30 wt % based on a total weight of the non-aqueous solvent and a lithium secondary battery including the same.
US09484591B2 Voltage sensing member and battery module employed with the same
Disclosed herein is a voltage sensing member for sensing the voltage of battery cells constituting a battery module, the voltage sensing member comprising: (a) a pair of supporting parts mounted to the bottom of the battery module at regions (the front and rear parts of the battery module) corresponding to electrode terminal connections of the battery cells; (b) connection parts for electrically connecting the supporting parts to a connector; (c) a plurality of conductive sensing parts protruding upward while one end of each is connected to the corresponding support part and the other end of each is elastically connected to electrode terminals of the battery cells; and (d) the connector mounted on the front part or the rear part of the battery module for transmitting the sensed voltage of the battery cells to a battery management system (BMS).
US09484588B2 Compound, composition including compound, composite formed therefrom, electrode using composition or composite, composite membrane using composite, and fuel cell including at least one selected from electrode and composite membrane
A compound including a cage-type structure of silsesquioxane wherein a group represented by Formula 1 or a salt thereof is directly linked to at least one silicon atom of the silsesquioxane, a composition including the compound, a composite formed therefrom, electrodes and an electrolyte membrane that include the composite, a method of preparing the compound, and a fuel cell including the electrodes and the electrolyte membrane. wherein in Formula 1, n is 1 or 2.
US09484582B2 Fuel cell catalyst treatment
According to an embodiment, a method of preparing a catalyst for a fuel cell component includes soaking catalyst particles in citric acid. The catalyst particles are then rinsed after having been soaked in the citric acid. Catalyst particles are dried after they have been rinsed. When desired, the pre-treated catalyst particles may be incorporated into a catalyst ink used for making a fuel cell component.
US09484580B2 Platinum monolayer for fuel cell
An example fuel cell electrode forming method includes covering at least a portion of a copper monolayer with a liquid platinum and replacing the copper monolayer to form a platinum monolayer from the liquid platinum.
US09484573B2 Composite anode of lithium-ion batteries
The present invention provides a composite anode for a battery comprising a copper current collector working electrode, at least one anode material comprising at least one of a carbon, a silicon, a conductive agent, and combinations thereof, wherein at least one anode material is deposited on a surface of the copper current collector working electrode to form the composite anode for a battery. An electrophoretic method for making this anode is provided. A lithium-ion battery having the composite anode is disclosed.
US09484571B2 Cathode for a cell of a lithium-ion battery, its manufacturing process and the battery incorporating it
The invention relates to a cathode that is usable in a cell of a lithium-ion battery comprising an electrolyte based on a lithium salt and on a non-aqueous solvent, to a process for manufacturing this cathode and to a lithium-ion battery having one or more cells incorporating this cathode. This cathode is based on a polymer composition, obtained by melt processing and without solvent evaporation, that is the product of a hot compounding reaction between an active material and additives including a polymer binder and an electrically conductive filler. According to the invention, the binder is based on at least one crosslinked elastomer and the additives furthermore comprise at least one non-volatile organic compound usable in the electrolyte solvent, the composition advantageously includes the active material in a mass fraction greater than or equal to 90%.
US09484568B2 Method of manufacturing layered structure constituting all-solid-state battery, apparatus for manufacturing the same, and all-solid-state battery provided with layered structure
The present invention provides a method of manufacturing and an apparatus for manufacturing a layered structure comprising a solid electrolyte layer, a positive electrode active material layer, and a negative electrode active material layer, which together constitute an all-solid-state battery. The layered structure has concavities and convexities formed on the surface and is manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming a green sheet S111, where the green sheet for a solid electrolyte layer 11 is formed; forming concavities and convexities S112, where the green sheet for a solid electrolyte layer 11 and the sheet member 50 that is made from material that is caused to disappear when heated, and that has concavities and convexities, are formed in one piece, and the concavities and convexities are formed on the surface of the green sheet for a solid electrolyte layer 11; heating S113, where the sheet member 50 is caused to disappear by heating the green sheet for a solid electrolyte layer 11 and the sheet member 50 that are formed in one piece, and where the green sheet for a solid electrolyte layer 11 is sintered.
US09484556B2 Method of repairing organic light-emitting display apparatus
A method of repairing an organic light-emitting display apparatus, the organic light-emitting display apparatus including a substrate, an organic light-emitting device formed on the substrate, a thin film transistor (TFT) formed on the substrate, an organic insulating layer formed on the TFT, and a conductive pattern formed on the organic insulating layer, the conductive pattern including a shorted part between two conductive elements in the conductive pattern, the method including: removing the short by using a focused ion beam (FIB).
US09484553B2 Organic light-emitting diode device and manufacturing method thereof
The embodiment of the present invention relates to an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device, which comprises a pixel define layer (PDL) and a light-emitting structure. Metal nanoparticles are doped in the PDL. The OLED device improves the luminous efficiency. The embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for manufacturing the OLED device.
US09484542B2 Thin film transistor panel and method of manufacturing the same, and electronic device including the thin film transistor panel
A thin film transistor panel includes a gate electrode on a substrate, a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode, an organic semiconductor overlapping with the gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to the organic semiconductor, a fluorine-containing organic insulation layer covering the organic semiconductor, and a photosensitive organic insulation layer covering the fluorine-containing organic insulation layer.
US09484538B2 Manufacturing method of organic semiconductor film, organic semiconductor film, thin film transistor, active matrix device, electro-optical device, and electronic device
A manufacturing method of an organic semiconductor film according to the invention includes applying a liquid composition in which an organic semiconductor material is dissolved or dispersed in a first solvent onto a base material in a predetermined pattern, applying a second solvent in which solubility of the organic semiconductor material is lower than that in the first solvent onto a region of the base material having the liquid composition applied thereto, and removing the second solvent.
US09484526B2 Magnetic memory device and method for forming the same
Provided are a magnetic memory device and a method of forming the same. The magnetic memory device includes a magnetic tunnel junction pattern located on a substrate and including magnetic patterns and a tunnel barrier pattern located between the magnetic patterns, and a first crystallinity conserving pattern located on the magnetic tunnel junction pattern and having a higher crystallization temperature than the magnetic patterns. The first crystallinity conserving pattern is amorphous.
US09484516B2 Method for preparing electroconductive polymer and thermoelectric device comprising electroconductive polymer film prepared using the same
There are provided a method for producing an electroconductive polymer which can be operated at a low temperature such as the human body temperature, is safe to the human body, and is flexible and useful as a thermoelectric material, and a thermoelectric element including a thin film of an electroconductive polymer produced by the production method.
US09484514B2 Light-emitting device
A light-emitting device including: a base; light-emitting elements arranged on the base at intervals in an array along a predetermined direction of the base; and conductive-wiring parts formed on first and second sides of the array of the light-emitting elements on the base. The conductive-wiring parts are discretely formed along the predetermined direction of the base, each of the conductive-wiring parts relaying electrical connection between the light-emitting elements, and the number of the conductive-wiring parts arranged per light-emitting element on each of the first and second sides of the array of the light-emitting elements is two or more.
US09484510B2 Lens and light emitting module for surface illumination
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention discloses a light-emitting module including a circuit board, a light-emitting device disposed on the circuit board, and a lens disposed on the circuit board and configured to distribute light emitted from the light emitting device. The lens includes a concave portion having an incidence surface configured to receive incident light emitted from the light-emitting device, and the light emitting device is disposed within the concave portion of the lens.
US09484500B2 Semiconductor light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor light emitting device and method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting device are provided. The semiconductor light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer. The device may also includes a first electrode connected to the first conductivity type semiconductor layer, and a second electrode connected to the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and having a pad region and a finger region extended from the pad region in one direction. The second electrode may include a transparent electrode part positioned on the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and including at least one opening therein, at least one reflective part spaced apart from the transparent electrode part within the opening and disposed in the pad region and the finger region, and a bonding part positioned on at least one portion of the reflective part and including a plurality of bonding finger parts spaced apart from each other in the finger region and a bonding pad part disposed in the pad region.
US09484495B2 Semiconductor light-emitting element and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor light-emitting element includes: a double-mesa structure of semiconductor formed to have a cylindrical cross section; an insulating member formed to fill a space surrounding the double-mesa structure, with the insulating member comprising a lower insulating member and an upper insulting member covering the lower insulating member; and a first electrode formed on the upper insulating member to come into contact with part of a top surface of the double-mesa structure. The lower insulating member has multiple lower air pillars that are formed in an area aligning with the first electrode, and the upper insulating member has multiple upper air pillars that are formed around the first electrode. It has low dielectric constant and reduced electrical parasitics especially parasitic capacitances, thereby improving high frequency performance and improving modulation speed of light-emitting device finally.
US09484494B2 Semiconductor light emitting device having a plurality of semiconductor layers having P-type dopant
Provided are a semiconductor light emitting device. The semiconductor light emitting device comprises a first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer; an active layer disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; a third semiconductor layer disposed on the second semiconductor layer; and a fourth semiconductor layer disposed on the third semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layer is formed of an InAlGaN semiconductor layer, the third semiconductor layer is formed of an AlGaN semiconductor layer, and the fourth semiconductor layer is formed of a GaN semiconductor layer.
US09484492B2 LED structures for reduced non-radiative sidewall recombination
LED structures are disclosed to reduce non-radiative sidewall recombination along sidewalls of vertical LEDs including p-n diode sidewalls that span a top current spreading layer, bottom current spreading layer, and active layer between the top current spreading layer and bottom current spreading layer.
US09484489B2 Engineered band gaps
An optoelectronic device as well as its methods of use and manufacture are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optoelectronic device includes first and second semiconducting atomically thin layers with corresponding first and second lattice directions. The first and second semiconducting atomically thin layers are located proximate to each other, and an angular difference between the first lattice direction and the second lattice direction is between about 0.000001° and 0.5°, or about 0.000001° and 0.5° deviant from of a Vicnal angle of the first and second semiconducting atomically thin layers. Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the first and second semiconducting atomically thin layers may form a Moiré superlattice of exciton funnels with a period between about 50 nm to 3 cm. The optoelectronic device may also include charge carrier conductors in electrical communication with the semiconducting atomically thin layers to either inject or extract charge carriers.
US09484488B1 CIGSSe thin film for solar cell, preparation method thereof and its application to thin film solar cell
Provided is a CIGSSe thin film for a solar cell, a method for preparing the same, and a solar cell using the same. More particularly, the CIGSSe thin film for a solar cell shows a decrease in peak intensity of sulfur from the surface of the thin film to the local minimum value point of sulfur content in the depth direction, after the analysis based on the Auger electron spectroscopy, and thus controls the band-gap in the thin film. Therefore, the solar cell including the CIGSSe thin film shows an excellent effect in improving photoelectric conversion efficiency.
US09484487B2 Method for fabricating thin photovoltaic cells
A method for fabricating thin crystalline photovoltaic cells is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes: forming a weakening layer in a surface portion of a semiconductor substrate; epitaxially growing a stack of semiconductor layers on the substrate for forming an active layer of the photovoltaic cell, the stack having a first thermal coefficient of expansion; providing on the stack patterned contact layer for forming electrical contacts of the photovoltaic cell, the patterned contact layer having a second thermal coefficient of expansion different from the first thermal coefficient of expansion. The process of providing a patterned contact layer simultaneously induces a tensile stress in the weakening layer, resulting in a lift-off from the substrate of a structure including the stack of semiconductor layers and the patterned contact layer.
US09484484B2 Shingled solar cell module
A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.
US09484480B2 High performance, high bandgap, lattice-mismatched, GaInP solar cells
High performance, high bandgap, lattice-mismatched, photovoltaic cells (10), both transparent and non-transparent to sub-bandgap light, are provided as devices for use alone or in combination with other cells in split spectrum apparatus or other applications.
US09484475B2 Semiconductor ferroelectric compositions and their use in photovoltaic devices
Disclosed herein are ferroelectric perovskites characterized as having a band gap, Egap, of less than 2.5 eV. Also disclosed are compounds comprising a solid solution of KNbO3 and BaNi1/2Nb1/2O3-delta, wherein delta is in the range of from 0 to about 1. The specification also discloses photovoltaic devices comprising one or more solar absorbing layers, wherein at least one of the solar absorbing layers comprises a semiconducting ferroelectric layer. Finally, this patent application provides solar cell, comprising: a heterojunction of n- and p-type semiconductors characterized as comprising an interface layer disposed between the n- and p-type semiconductors, the interface layer comprising a semiconducting ferroelectric absorber layer capable of enhancing light absorption and carrier separation.
US09484473B2 Anti-reflection glass substrate
A glass substrate of which at least one surface multiple concave and convex portions. Rp representing the size of the convex portion is 37 nm to 200 nm; a tilt angle θp indicating a maximum frequency in the frequency distribution of a tilt angle θ of the convex portion is 20° to 75°; and an absolute value of a difference between θp and θ50 (θp−θ50) is 30° or less, where θ50 indicates a value showing 50% of a cumulative frequency distribution of the tilt angle θ. The concave and convex portion is such that the surface roughness (Ra) is 2 nm to 100 nm, the maximum height difference (P−V) is 35 nm to 400 nm, and the area ratio (S-ratio) is 1.1 to 3.0.
US09484468B2 Thin film transistor and manufacturing method thereof, array substrate, and display apparatus
The present invention provides a thin film transistor and a manufacturing method thereof, an array substrate, and a display apparatus. The thin film transistor of the present invention comprises a gate, a gate insulation layer, a semiconductor active region, and a source and a drain connected with the semiconductor active region, and further comprises a surface charge transfer layer in contact with the semiconductor active region, the surface charge transfer layer is located above or below the semiconductor active region, and is used for causing the semiconductor active region to generate a large number of holes or electrons therein without changing the lattice structure of the semiconductor active region. In the thin film transistor, charge transfer occurs between the semiconductor active region and the surface charge transfer layer so that the doped semiconductor active region is formed, thus the performance of the thin film transistor is significantly improved.
US09484466B2 Thin film transistor
A thin film transistor includes: a gate electrode; a source electrode; a drain electrode facing the source electrode; an oxide semiconductor layer disposed between the gate electrode and the source electrode or between the gate electrode and the drain electrode; and a gate insulating layer disposed between the gate electrode and the source electrode or between the gate electrode and the drain electrode, wherein when a signal applied to the gate electrode is a turnoff signal, a voltage applied to the gate electrode has a negative value.
US09484465B2 Array substrate, manufacturing method thereof and display device
A array substrate is disclosed. The array substrate includes: a substrate (10); and a first gate metal layer (111), a first gate insulating layer (121), a semiconductor layer (13) and a source-drain electrode layer (14) disposed in this order on the substrate from bottom to top. The array substrate (10) further includes a second gate insulating layer (122) disposed on the source-drain electrode layer (14); and a second gate metal layer (112) disposed on the second gate insulating layer (122). A method of manufacturing an array substrate is also disclosed.
US09484463B2 Fabrication process for mitigating external resistance of a multigate device
A method for fabricating a multigate device includes forming a fin on a substrate of the multigate device, the fin being formed of a semiconductor material, growing a first conformal epitaxial layer directly on the fin and substrate, wherein the first conformal epitaxial layer is highly doped, growing a second conformal epitaxial layer directly on the first conformal epitaxial layer, wherein the second conformal epitaxial layer is highly doped, selectively removing a portion of second epitaxial layer to expose a portion of the first conformal epitaxial layer, selectively removing a portion of the first conformal epitaxial layer to expose a portion of the fin and thereby form a trench, and forming a gate within the trench.
US09484461B2 Integrated circuit structure with substrate isolation and un-doped channel
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a fin structure formed on a substrate; a gate stack formed over the fin structure; source/drain regions over the substrate and disposed on opposing sides of the gate stack; a channel region defined in the fin structure and underlying the gate stack, wherein the channel region is un-doped; and a buried isolation layer disposed vertically between the channel region and the substrate, wherein the buried isolation layer includes a compound semiconductor oxide.
US09484459B2 Performance enhancement in transistors by providing an embedded strain-inducing semiconductor material on the basis of a seed layer
A semiconductor device includes drain and source regions positioned in an active region of a transistor and a channel region positioned laterally between the drain and source regions that includes a semiconductor base material and a threshold voltage adjusting semiconductor material positioned on the semiconductor base material. A gate electrode structure is positioned on the threshold voltage adjusting semiconductor material, and a strain-inducing semiconductor alloy including a first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material positioned above the first semiconductor material is embedded in the semiconductor base material of the active region. A crystalline buffer layer of a third semiconductor material surrounds the embedded strain-inducing semiconductor alloy, wherein an upper portion of the crystalline buffer layer laterally confines the channel region including the sidewalls of the threshold voltage adjusting semiconductor material and is positioned between the second semiconductor material and the threshold voltage adjusting semiconductor material.
US09484456B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
A semiconductor device is manufactured by using an SOI substrate having an insulating layer on a substrate and a semiconductor layer on the insulating layer. The semiconductor device is provided with a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor layer via a gate insulating film, a sidewall spacer formed on a sidewall of the gate electrode, a semiconductor layer for source/drain that is epitaxially grown on the semiconductor layer, and a sidewall spacer formed on a sidewall of the semiconductor layer.
US09484453B2 Device structure and methods of making high density MOSFETs for load switch and DC-DC applications
Aspects of the present disclosure describe a high density trench-based power. The active devices may have a two-step gate oxide. A lower portion may have a thickness that is larger than the thickness of an upper portion of the gate oxide. A lightly doped sub-body layer may be formed below a body region between two or more adjacent active device structures of the plurality. The sub-body layer extends from a depth of the upper portion of the gate oxide to a depth of the lower portion of the gate oxide It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09484450B2 Integrated channel diode
A semiconductor device includes a vertical drift region over a drain contact region, abutted on opposite sides by RESURF trenches. A split gate is disposed over the vertical drift region. A first portion of the split gate is a gate of an MOS transistor and is located over a body of the MOS transistor over a first side of the vertical drift region. A second portion of the split gate is a gate of a channel diode and is located over a body of the channel diode over a second, opposite, side of the vertical drift region. A source electrode is electrically coupled to a source region of the channel diode and a source region of the MOS transistor.
US09484444B2 Semiconductor device with a resistance element in a trench
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, an insulating film, a semiconductor element and a resistance element. The semiconductor substrate has a first trench. The insulating film covers an inner surface of the first trench. The semiconductor element has an electrode. The resistance element is electrically connected to the electrode to form a resistance to a current flowing through the electrode, and is arranged in the first trench with the insulating film therebetween. Thereby, the semiconductor device can have a resistance element that has a small footprint and can pass a large current with high reliability.
US09484426B2 Metal contacts to group IV semiconductors by inserting interfacial atomic monolayers
Techniques for reducing the specific contact resistance of metal-semiconductor (group IV) junctions by interposing a monolayer of group V or group III atoms at the interface between the metal and the semiconductor, or interposing a bi-layer made of one monolayer of each, or interposing multiple such bi-layers. The resulting low specific resistance metal—group IV semiconductor junctions find application as a low resistance electrode in semiconductor devices including electronic devices (e.g., transistors, diodes, etc.) and optoelectronic devices (e.g., lasers, solar cells, photodetectors, etc.) and/or as a metal source and/or drain region (or a portion thereof) in a field effect transistor (FET). The monolayers of group III and group V atoms are predominantly ordered layers of atoms formed on the surface of the group IV semiconductor and chemically bonded to the surface atoms of the group IV semiconductor.
US09484420B2 Thin film transistor substrate, liquid crystal display having same, and method of manufacturing the same
A display apparatus includes a thin film transistor substrate, a substrate facing the thin film transistor substrate, and a liquid crystal layer. The thin film transistor substrate includes an insulating substrate, a gate electrode disposed on a surface of the insulating substrate, a gate insulating layer covering the gate electrode, a semiconductor layer disposed on the gate insulating layer, a source electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer, and a drain electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer and spaced apart from the source electrode. One of the source electrode and the drain electrode is spaced apart from the gate electrode in a plan view. The gate electrode includes a side surface inclined with respect to the surface of the insulating substrate and is partially overlapped with a portion of the source electrode or the drain electrode in a direction perpendicular to the side surface of the gate electrode.
US09484417B1 Methods of forming doped transition regions of transistor structures
Methods of forming doped transition regions of transistor structures are provided herein. The methods include, for instance: providing a first semiconductor material including a dopant over a source/drain region of the transistor structure; providing a second semiconductor material including the dopant over the first semiconductor material, where the second semiconductor material is different from the first semiconductor material; and, where providing the second semiconductor material is performed at a temperature sufficient to diffuse the dopant from the first semiconductor material through the source/drain region into a portion of a channel region of the transistor structure. The portion of the channel region into which the dopant from the first semiconductor material diffuses forms the doped transition region.
US09484407B2 Methods of forming a nanowire transistor device
A semiconductor device is provided including a semiconductor substrate and a nanowire formed over the semiconductor substrate and wherein the nanowire includes a first layer exhibiting tensile stress and a second layer exhibiting compressive stress.
US09484399B2 Charge compensation device and manufacturing therefor
A charge-compensation semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having a first surface, a lateral edge delimiting the semiconductor body in a horizontal direction substantially parallel to the first surface, an active area, and a peripheral area arranged between the active area and the lateral edge. A source metallization is arranged on the first surface. A drain metallization is arranged opposite to the source metallization. The semiconductor body further includes a drift region in Ohmic contact with the drain metallization, and a plurality of compensation regions forming respective pn-junctions with the drift region, which are arranged in the active area and in the peripheral area, and are in Ohmic contact with the source metallization via respective body regions arranged in the active area and having a higher doping concentration than the compensation regions. In a horizontal cross-section substantially parallel to the first surface the compensation regions are at least in a respective portion shaped as a strip oriented in a direction which is tilted with respect to the lateral edge by a tilt angle.
US09484397B2 Component-embedded substrate
A component-embedded substrate having a multilayer substrate formed by laminating a plurality of thermoplastic sheets in a predetermined direction, an internal component provided in the multilayer substrate, and a surface-mount component mounted on a surface of the multilayer substrate using bumps. The surface-mount component, when viewed in a plan view in the predetermined direction, is positioned so as to cross an outline of the internal component, with the bumps on the surface-mount component located 50 μm or more from the outline of the internal component.
US09484392B2 Flat panel display having low reflective black matrix and method for manufacturing the same
A flat panel display having a low reflective black matrix and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The flat panel display includes a substrate having an open area and a non-open area; a hazy layer disposed in the non-open area on the inner surface of the substrate; a black matrix stacked on the hazy layer; a driving element disposed in the non-opening area; and a display element disposed in the open area and driven by the driving element.
US09484385B2 Method for fabricating an image sensor package
An image sensor package and method for fabricating the same is provided. The image sensor package includes a first substrate comprising a via hole therein, a driving circuit and a first conductive pad thereon. A second substrate comprising a photosensitive device and a second conductive pad thereon is bonded to the first substrate, so that the driving circuit, formed on the first substrate, can electrically connect to and further control the photosensitive device, formed on the second substrate. A solder ball is formed on a backside of the first substrate and electrically connects to the via hole for transmitting a signal from the driving circuit. Because the photosensitive device and the driving circuit are fabricated individually on the different substrates, fabrication and design thereof is more flexible. Moreover, the image sensor package is relatively less thick, thus, the dimensions thereof are reduced.
US09484380B1 Backside illumination (BSI) image sensor and manufacturing method thereof
A back side illumination image sensor includes a substrate including a front side and a back side opposite to the front side, a plurality of sensing elements formed in the substrate, a plurality of isolation structures isolating each element, and a plurality of cambered surfaces formed on the back side of the substrate. The cambered surfaces are formed correspondingly to the sensing elements, respectively.
US09484378B2 Semiconductor devices including back-side integrated circuitry
Semiconductor devices may include a semiconductor substrate comprising at least one of transistors and capacitors may be located at an active surface of the semiconductor substrate. An imperforate dielectric material may be located on the active surface, the imperforate dielectric material covering the at least one of transistors and the capacitors. Electrically conductive material in contact openings may be electrically connected to the at least one of transistors and capacitors and extend to a back side surface of the semiconductor substrate. Laterally extending conductive elements may extend over the back side surface of the semiconductor substrate and may be electrically connected to the conductive material in the contact openings. At least one laterally extending conductive element may be electrically connected to a first transistor or capacitor and may extend laterally underneath a second, different transistor or capacitor to which the laterally extending conductive element is not electrically connected.
US09484369B2 Solid-state imaging device, method of manufacturing the same, and imaging apparatus
A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion section which is disposed on a semiconductor substrate and which photoelectrically converts incident light into signal charges, a pixel transistor section which is disposed on the semiconductor substrate and which converts signal charges read out from the photoelectric conversion section into a voltage, and an element isolation region which is disposed on the semiconductor substrate and which isolates the photoelectric conversion section from an active region in which the pixel transistor section is disposed. The pixel transistor section includes a plurality of transistors. Among the plurality of transistors, in at least one transistor in which the gate width direction of its gate electrode is oriented toward the photoelectric conversion section, at least a photoelectric conversion section side portion of the gate electrode is disposed within and on the active region with a gate insulating film therebetween.
US09484360B2 Method for manufacturing oxide thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate
The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing an oxide thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate. Specifically the step of forming the thin film transistors may include: forming a pattern of an oxide semiconductor layer on the substrate with photoresist is reserved on the channel regions in the pattern of the oxide semiconductor layer; and forming a source-drain metal layer on the pattern of the oxide semiconductor layer, forming patterns that include source electrodes and drain electrodes by an etching process, and removing the photoresist reserved on the channel regions in the pattern of the oxide semiconductor layer.
US09484358B2 Ultrahigh density vertical NAND memory device and method of making thereof
Monolithic, three dimensional NAND strings include a semiconductor channel, at least one end portion of the semiconductor channel extending substantially perpendicular to a major surface of a substrate, a plurality of control gate electrodes having a strip shape extending substantially parallel to the major surface of the substrate, the blocking dielectric comprising a plurality of blocking dielectric segments, a plurality of discrete charge storage segments, and a tunnel dielectric located between each one of the plurality of the discrete charge storage segments and the semiconductor channel.
US09484351B2 Split gate memory device and method of fabricating the same
The present disclosure relates to a split gate memory device which requires less number of processing steps than traditional baseline processes and methods of making the same. Word gate/select gate (SG) pairs are formed around a sacrificial spacer. The resulting SG structure has a distinguishable non-planar top surface. The spacer layer that covers the select gate also follows the shape of the SG top surface. A dielectric disposed above the inter-gate dielectric layer and arranged between the neighboring sidewalls of the each memory gate and select gate provides isolation between them.
US09484350B2 Semiconductor device having an inter-layer via (ILV), and method of making same
A three dimensional semiconductor device includes a first memory device, a second memory device and a via. The via connects the first memory device to the second memory device.
US09484342B2 Semiconductor apparatus
A semiconductor apparatus includes a substrate; a nitride semiconductor layer formed on the substrate; a transistor formed on the nitride semiconductor layer, and including a source electrode, a gate electrode, and a drain electrode disposed in this order; and a diode formed on the nitride semiconductor layer, and including an anode electrode and a cathode electrode disposed in this order. The semiconductor apparatus has a transistor/diode pair in which the source electrode, the gate electrode, the drain electrode, the anode electrode, and the cathode electrode are sequentially disposed in this order, and the drain electrode of the transistor and the anode electrode of the diode are connected by a drain/anode common electrode wiring and serve as a common electrode.
US09484324B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip including a first surface, a second surface and a first terminal arranged on the first surface, a second semiconductor chip including a first surface, a second surface and a second terminal arranged on the first surface of the second semiconductor chip, a support substrate including a first surface bonded to the second surfaces of the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip, and an isolation groove formed on the first surface of the support substrate. The isolation includes a pair of side surfaces continuously extending from opposing side surfaces of the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip, respectively, and the isolation groove is formed into the support substrate to extend from the first surface of the support substrate. The isolation groove has a depth less than a thickness of the support substrate.
US09484319B2 Semiconductor device and method of forming extended semiconductor device with fan-out interconnect structure to reduce complexity of substrate
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor wafer with a plurality of semiconductor die. Contact pads are formed on a surface of the semiconductor die. The semiconductor die are separated to form a peripheral region around the semiconductor die. An encapsulant or insulating material is deposited in the peripheral region around the semiconductor die. An interconnect structure is formed over the semiconductor die and insulating material. The interconnect structure has an I/O density less than an I/O density of the contact pads on the semiconductor die. A substrate has an I/O density consistent with the I/O density of the interconnect structure. The semiconductor die is mounted to the substrate with the interconnect structure electrically connecting the contact pads of the semiconductor die to the first conductive layer of the substrate. A plurality of semiconductor die each with the interconnect structure can be mounted over the substrate.
US09484314B2 Word line hook up with protected air gap
A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of word lines separated by air gaps with contact pad structures connected to the word lines, and forming a dummy structure directly opposite an air gap between neighboring word lines. Subsequently, the contact pad structures are cut into individual contact pads by a contact pad cut that intersects the dummy structure.
US09484311B2 Chip package and packaging method
A chip package and a packaging method are provided, which relates to the field of communications technologies, and is invented to implement high-frequency electromagnetic interference shielding and effectively improve chip performance. The package includes a package substrate and a metal cap covering the package substrate, where a silicon chip placement area is arranged on an upper surface of the package substrate, multiple first conductive parts are arranged in a peripheral area of the silicon chip placement area, and an edge of the metal cap is in contact with the package substrate and electrically connected to the multiple first conductive parts, where at least a portion of first conductive parts in the multiple first conductive parts are electrically connected to a grounding part by using the metal cap, and the grounding part is arranged on the package substrate, and configured to ground the package substrate.
US09484310B2 Invisible dummy features and method for forming the same
A plurality of first miniature elements of an overlay mark is formed in a first layer. A plurality of second miniature elements of the overlay mark is formed in a second layer different from the first layer. A plurality of dummy features is formed around the overlay mark. The dummy features are formed such that they each have a dimension below a resolution of an alignment detection tool configured to optically scan the overlay mark in an alignment process.
US09484296B2 Self-aligned integrated line and via structure for a three-dimensional semiconductor device
At least one via level dielectric layer and at least one line level dielectric layer are sequentially formed over an array of device structures. Conductive line structures are formed within the at least one line level dielectric layer. A mask layer is applied over the conductive line structures, and is lithographically patterned to form opening therein. Portions of the conductive line structures are removed from underneath the openings in the patterned mask layer to form via cavities. The via cavities are vertically extended through the at least one via level dielectric layer employing a combination of the mask layer and the at least one line level dielectric layer as an etch mask. At least one conductive material can be deposited in the via cavities to form conductive via structures, which, in conjunction with the conductive line structures, constitute integrated line and via structures.
US09484291B1 Robust pillar structure for semicondcutor device contacts
Methods and systems for a robust pillar structure for a semiconductor device contacts are disclosed, and may include processing a semiconductor wafer comprising one or more metal pads, wherein the processing may comprise: forming a second metal contact on the one or more metal pads; forming a pillar on the second metal contact, and forming a solder bump on the second metal contact and the pillar, wherein the pillar extends into the solder bump. The second metal contact may comprise a stepped mushroom shaped bump, a sloped mushroom shaped bump, a cylindrical post, and/or a redistribution layer. The semiconductor wafer may comprise silicon. A solder brace layer may be formed around the second metal contact. The second metal contact may be tapered down to a smaller area at the one or more metal pads on the semiconductor wafer. A seed layer may be formed between the second metal contact and the one or more metal pads on the semiconductor wafer. The pillar may comprise copper.
US09484288B2 Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same and a mounting structure of a semiconductor device
The semiconductor device includes a tab including a chip supporting surface, and a back surface opposite to the chip supporting surface; a plurality of suspension leads supporting the tab; a plurality of leads arranged between the suspension leads; a semiconductor chip mounted on the chip supporting surface of the tab, the semiconductor chip including a main surface, a plurality of pads formed on the main surface, and a rear surface opposite to the main surface; a seal portion sealing the semiconductor chip such that a part of each of the leads is exposed from the seal portion; and a Pb-free solder formed on the part of each of the leads. A part of the rear surface of the semiconductor chip is contacted with the seal portion.
US09484284B1 Microfluidic impingement jet cooled embedded diamond GaN HEMT
A MMIC power amplifier circuit assembly comprised of a SiC substrate having a plurality of microchannels formed therein, where a diamond layer is provided within each of the microchannels. A plurality of GaN HEMT devices are provided on the substrate where each HEMT device is positioned directly opposite to a microchannel. A silicon manifold is coupled to the substrate and includes a plurality of micro-machined channels formed therein that include a jet impingement channel positioned directly adjacent each microchannel, a return channel directly positioned adjacent to each microchannel, a supply channel supplying a cooling fluid to the impingement channels and a return channel collecting heated cooling fluid from the supply channels so that an impingement jet is directed on to the diamond layer for removing heat generated by the HEMT devices.
US09484275B2 Semiconductor module for high pressure applications
A semiconductor module comprising a plurality of electrically conductive top plates, an electrically conductive base plate, a plurality of semiconductor chips installed on the base plate, a first power supply connected to the plates, a second power supply connected to the plates and an electrically insulating outer casing component. The semiconductor chips are individually in contact with the top plates. Each semiconductor chip comprises a first electrode electrically coupled with the base plate, and a second electrical pole electrically coupled with the corresponding top plate. The first power supply connecting plate is equipped with protruding parts that are individually in electrical contact with the top plates. The second power supply connecting plate is electrically connected to the base plate. The outer casing component is used to integrate the first power supply connecting plate and the second power supply connecting plate. The outer casing component comprises at least one opening.
US09484263B1 Method of removing a hard mask on a gate
A method of removing a hard mask on a gate includes forming a first gate structure and a second gate structure. The first gate structure includes a first gate, a first hard mask disposed on the first gate and a first spacer surrounding the first gate and the first hard mask, wherein the second gate structure includes a second gate, a second hard mask disposed on the second gate and a second spacer surrounding the second gate and the second hard mask. Later, the first spacer surrounding the first hard mask and the second spacer surrounding the second hard mask are removed. After that, a dielectric layer is formed to cover the first hard mask and the second hard mask. Finally, the second dielectric layer, the first mask layer and the second mask layer are removed.
US09484257B2 Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an insulating material layer over a workpiece, patterning an upper portion of the insulating material layer with a conductive line pattern, and forming a stop layer comprising a metal oxide or a metal nitride over the patterned insulating material layer. A masking material is formed over the stop layer, and the masking material is patterned with a via pattern. The via pattern of the masking material is transferred to a lower portion of the insulating material layer.
US09484256B1 Pure boron for silicide contact
A semiconductor device includes a gate disposed over a substrate; a source region and a drain region on opposing sides of the gate; and a pair of trench contacts over and abutting an interfacial layer portion of at least one of the source region and the drain region; wherein the interfacial layer includes boron in an amount in a range from about 5×1021 to about 5×1022 atoms/cm2.
US09484248B2 Patternable dielectric film structure with improved lithography and method of fabricating same
A method of fabricating an interconnect structure in which a patternable low-k material replaces the need for utilizing a separate photoresist and a dielectric material. Specifically, a method is provided that includes providing at least one patternable low-k material on a surface of an inorganic antireflective coating. The inorganic antireflective coating is vapor deposited and contains atoms of M, C and H wherein M is at least one of Si, Ge, B, Sn, Fe, Ta, Ti, Ni, Hf and La. At least one interconnect pattern is then formed within the at least one patternable low-k material. Next, the at least one patternable low-k material containing the at least one interconnect pattern is cured.
US09484237B2 Mass transfer system
Micro pick up arrays for transferring micro devices from a carrier substrate are disclosed. In an embodiment, a micro pick up array includes a compliant contact for delivering an operating voltage from a voltage source to an array of electrostatic transfer heads. In an embodiment, the compliant contact is moveable relative to a base substrate of the micro pick up array.
US09484233B2 Carousel reactor for multi-station, sequential processing systems
A reactor for processing a plurality of substrates includes P processing station assemblies arranged symmetrically around an axis, where P is an integer greater than one. A pedestal carousel assembly includes P pedestal assemblies arranged symmetrically around the axis, each of the P pedestal assemblies including a pedestal. A rotational actuator rotates the pedestal carousel assembly relative to the axis to selectively index the P pedestal assemblies with the P processing station assemblies. Each of the P processing station assemblies processes substrates arranged on corresponding ones of the P pedestal assemblies at the same time.
US09484230B2 Substrate liquid processing apparatus
A substrate liquid processing apparatus of the present invention includes a process-liquid supply unit selectively supplying a plurality of types of process-liquids to the substrate held by a substrate holding table, first and second guide cups which are disposed in this order from the top and are configured to respectively guide downward the process-liquid scattering from the rotating substrate while being held by the substrate holding table; and a position adjustment mechanism adjusting a positional relationship between the first and second guide cups and the substrate holding table. A first process-liquid recovery tank is provided at a lower area of the first and second guide cups and recovers the process-liquid guided by the first guide cup. A second process-liquid recovery tank is provided at the inner peripheral side of the first process-liquid recovery tank and recovers the process-liquid guided by the second guide cup.
US09484223B2 Coreless packaging substrate and method of fabricating the same
A coreless packaging substrate includes: a circuit buildup structure having at least a dielectric layer, a wiring layer and a plurality of conductive elements, a plurality of electrical pads embedded in the dielectric layer of the circuit buildup structure, a plurality of metal bumps formed on the wiring layer of the circuit buildup structure, and a dielectric passivation layer formed on the surface of the circuit buildup structure and the metal bumps with the metal bumps exposed from the dielectric passivation layer. The metal bumps each have a metal column portion and a wing portion integrally connected to the metal column portion, such that the bonding force between the metal bumps and a semiconductor chip can be enhanced by the entire top surface of the wing portions of the metal bumps being completely exposed.
US09484217B2 Method of forming contact openings for a transistor
A method for making contact openings for connecting a transistor from a stack of layers comprising an active layer made of a semi-conductor material, a silicide layer on the top of the active layer, a nitride-based layer on the top of the silicide layer, and an electrically insulating layer on the top of the nitride-based layer, includes opening for forming, in the insulating layer, an exposing opening on the nitride-based layer and delimited by flanks of the insulating layer, and removing the nitride-based layer by modifying the nitride-based layer at the opening using plasma wherein CxHy is introduced where x is the proportion of carbon and y is the proportion of hydrogen ions and comprising ions heavier than hydrogen. The conditions of plasma being so chosen as to modify a portion of the nitride-based layer and to form a protective carbon film on the flanks of the insulating layer.
US09484208B2 Preparation method of a germanium-based schottky junction
The present invention discloses a preparation method of a germanium-based Schottky junction, comprising, cleaning a surface of N-type germanium-based substrate, then depositing a layer of CeO2 on the surface, and further depositing a layer of metal. The stability Ce—O—Ge bonds can be formed at the interface after rare earth oxides CeO2 are in contact with the germanium substrate, and this is beneficial to reduce the interface state density, improve the quality of the interface, and reduce the MIGS and suppress Fermi-level pinning. Meanwhile, the tunneling resistance introduced by CeO2 between the metal and the germanium substrate is smaller relative to the case of Si3N4, Al2O3, Ge3N4 or the like. In view of the excellent surface characteristics and small conduction band offset relative to the germanium substrate, interposing of the CeO2 dielectric layer is applicable to the preparation the germanium-based Schottky junction having a low resistivity.
US09484206B2 Semiconductor device including catalyst layer and graphene layer thereon and method for manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device is disclosed. The device includes a foundation layer including first and second layers being different from each other in material, and the foundation layer including a surface on which a boundary of the first and second layers is presented, a catalyst layer on the surface of the foundation layer, and the catalyst layer including a protruding area. The device further includes a graphene layer being in contact with the protruding area.
US09484203B2 Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices
In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a gate structure is formed on a substrate. An ion implantation process is performed at an upper portion of the substrate exposed by the gate structure, so that an ion implantation region is formed to have an expanded volume. The ion implantation process uses ions that are identical to a material of the substrate.
US09484201B2 Epitaxial silicon germanium fin formation using sacrificial silicon fin templates
A method of forming semiconductor fins includes forming a plurality of sacrificial template fins from a first semiconductor material; epitaxially growing fins of a second semiconductor material on exposed sidewall surfaces of the sacrificial template fins; and removing the plurality of sacrificial template fins.
US09484195B2 Systems and methods for transfer of ions for analysis
The invention generally relates to systems and methods for transferring ions for analysis. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a system for analyzing a sample including an ionizing source for converting molecules of a sample into gas phase ions in a region at about atmospheric pressure, an ion analysis device, and an ion transfer member operably coupled to a gas flow generating device, in which the gas flow generating device produces a laminar gas flow that transfers the gas phase ions through the ion transfer member to an inlet of the ion analysis device.
US09484194B2 Controlling hydrogen-deuterium exchange on a spectrum by spectrum basis
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a liquid chromatography device for separating ions. A gas phase ion-neutral reaction device is arranged downstream to perform a gas phase ion-neutral reaction such as Hydrogen-Deuterium exchange. A control system is arranged to automatically and repeatedly switch the reaction device back and forth between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein in the first mode of operation at least some parent or precursor ions are caused to react within the reaction device and wherein in the second mode of operation substantially fewer or no parent or precursor ions are caused to react.
US09484192B2 Data directed storage of imaging mass spectra
A method of ion imaging is disclosed comprising scanning a sample and acquiring first mass spectral data related to a first pixel location at a first spatial resolution and determining whether or not the first mass spectral data satisfies a condition. If it is determined that the first mass spectral data does satisfy the condition then the first mass spectral data is stored, recorded or prioritized. If it is determined that the first mass spectral data does not satisfy the condition then the first mass spectral data is discarded or downgraded. Scanning of the sample then continues at the first spatial resolution and further mass spectral data related to further pixel locations is acquired.
US09484186B2 Modeling and correcting short-range and long-range effects in E-beam lithography
Processes and apparatuses are described for modeling and correcting electron-beam (e-beam) proximity effects during e-beam lithography. An uncalibrated e-beam model, which includes a long-range component and a short-range component, can be calibrated based on one or more test layouts. During correction, a first resist intensity map can be computed based on the long-range component of the calibrated e-beam model and a mask layout. Next, a target pattern in the mask layout can be corrected by, iteratively: (1) computing a second resist intensity map based on the short-range component of the calibrated e-beam model and the target pattern; (2) obtaining a combined resist intensity map by combining the first resist intensity map and the second resist intensity map; and (3) adjusting the target pattern based on the combined resist intensity map and the design intent.
US09484177B2 Longitudinal high dose output, through transmission target X-ray system and methods of use
An X-ray tube for accelerating electrons under a high voltage potential, said X-ray tube includes an evacuated elongated housing that is sealed, a through transmission target anode deposited on an inner surface of said elongated housing, said through transmission target anode configured having a cross-sectional center, a cathode structure disposed in said elongated housing, said cathode structure configured to emit the electrons toward said through transmission target anode, two or more filaments disposed linearly in said elongated housing, said two or more filaments linearly positioned end-to-end proximate said cross-sectional center, said evacuated housing configured to vacuum seal therein said two or more filaments, and, thus, such X-ray tube functions to provide a lengthened, elongated, symmetrical radiation field.
US09484176B2 Advanced penning ion source
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for ion generation. In one aspect, an apparatus includes an anode, a first cathode, a second cathode, and a plurality of cusp magnets. The anode has a first open end and a second open end. The first cathode is associated with the first open end of the anode. The second cathode is associated with the second open end of the anode. The anode, the first cathode, and the second cathode define a chamber. The second cathode has an open region configured for the passage of ions from the chamber. Each cusp magnet of the plurality of cusp magnets is disposed along a length of the anode.
US09484172B2 Electrical contact sets
An electrical contactor has a first terminal having a first fixed contact; a second terminal having a second fixed contact; a first electrically-conductive movable arm in electrical communication with the first terminal and having a first movable contact thereon; a second electrically-conductive movable arm in electrical communication with the second terminal and having a second movable contact thereon, counter-opposed to the first moveable arm; and an actuator for moving the first and second moveable arms in opposing directions. The first moveable contact and the second fixed contact form a primary contact set, and the second moveable contact and the first fixed contact form a secondary contact set, first and second moveable arms thereby forming a current-sharing arm pair between first and second terminals.
US09484170B2 Fuse securing structure for power source circuit cutoff device
Provided are: a plug body including a main body housing, a fuse having a pair of terminals protruding outside the main body housing with the fuse being accommodated in the main body housing, and a cover attached to the main body housing; a circuit accommodating body configured to accommodate a pair of terminals on a mating side connected to the pair of terminals of the fuse; a rotatable lever connected to the plug body and the circuit accommodating body and configured to connect and disconnect between the pair of terminals of the fuse and the pair of terminals on the mating side; and a fuse biasing portion configured to bias the fuse accommodated in the main body housing toward the cover.
US09484167B2 Coupling device for circuit breaker
Disclosed is a coupling device for a circuit breaker. A third coupler formed as a curved surface is provided between a first coupler coupled to an outer handle assembly, and a second coupler coupled to an inner handle. Under such configuration, even if the inner handle and the outer handle assembly are not concentric with each other, the third coupler may transmit a rotational force applied to the first coupler to the second coupler in a direction perpendicular to a shaft direction of the second coupler, in a state where the third coupler is inclined from an upper surface of the circuit breaker body. As a result, a user's force to rotate the outer handle can be transmitted to the inner handle. This can prevent a malfunction of the circuit breaker, and thus can enhance reliability of the circuit breaker.
US09484165B2 Illumination display switching device
An illumination display switching device includes a board, a push button-type switch mounted on the board, a light source mounted on the board, and a switch knob that is supported to a frame member to be slidable in an operation direction of the push button-type switch. The switch knob includes a display design part that is molded with a light-transmitting resin, a non-display design part except for the display design part that is molded with an opaque resin and a light guide member that is integrally molded with the light-transmitting resin of the display design part. The light guide member includes a base part and an arm part, and the base part is integrally molded with the display design part and the arm part extends from the base part and is connected to a switch part of the push button-type switch.
US09484162B2 Power source switch
A switchable socket assembly (36) permits a power source to be changed. The switchable socket assembly (36) includes a switch guide (38) that communicates with a linear array of terminal fittings that include an output terminal fitting (12) and first and second input terminal fittings (14, 16) on opposite respective sides of the output terminal fitting (12). A switch (40) is slidable in the switch guide (38) and can be moved between first and second positions. In the first position, the switch (40) permits a fuse (30) to connect to the output terminal fitting (12) and the first input terminal fitting (14). In the second position, the switch (40) permits the fuse (30) to connect to the output terminal fitting (12) and the second input terminal fitting (16).
US09484156B2 Stack capacitor having high volumetric efficiency
An improved capacitor and method of making an improved capacitor is set forth. The capacitor has planer anodes with each anode comprising a fusion end and a separated end and the anodes are in parallel arrangement with each anode in direct electrical contact with all adjacent anodes at the fusion end. A dielectric is on the said separated end of each anode wherein the dielectric covers at least an active area of the capacitor. Spacers separate adjacent dielectrics and the interstitial space between the adjacent dielectrics and spacers has a conductive material in therein.
US09484152B2 Electronic component, substrate-type terminal included therein, and electronic component mounted structure
A substrate-type terminal includes a first major surface with a first mounting electrode and a second mounting electrode. The substrate-type terminal includes a second major surface with a first connecting electrode and a second connecting electrode. The substrate-type terminal includes a first slit located between the first mounting electrode and the first connecting electrode, as seen in a plane, and penetrating the terminal from the first major surface to the second major surface, and a second slit located between the second mounting electrode and the second connecting electrode, as seen in a plane, and penetrating the terminal from the first major surface to the second major surface.
US09484151B2 Method of producing R-T-B sintered magnet
A method for producing a sintered R-T-B based magnet includes providing at least one sintered R-T-B based magnet material (where R is a rare-earth element and T is Fe or Fe and Co); providing RH diffusion sources that include a heavy rare-earth element RH (which is Dy and/or Tb) and 30 to 80 mass % of Fe and that have a particle size between 53 μm and 5600 μm; arranging the magnet material and the RH diffusion sources in a process vessel so that some of the RH diffusion sources are in contact with the magnet material; performing an RH diffusion process by heat treating in an inert ambient at a pressure of 5000 Pa or less and at a temperature of 800° C. to 1000° C.; and separating the RH diffusion sources from the magnet material.
US09484146B2 High voltage transformer having a sensor system, method for monitoring physical characteristic variables of a high voltage transformer and sensor system for monitoring physical characteristic variables
The invention relates to a high voltage transformer (6) having a sensor system (30) for monitoring physical characteristic variables. In particular, said sensor system has at least one sensor (1) that comprises a glass fiber (3) with a sensor head (2). Said sensor head supports a plurality of Bragg gratings (7, 8, 9). An evaluation unit (10) is associated with the sensor system and is connected to the at least one sensor head via said glass fiber. The invention is based on the general inventive concept of arranging the sensors of the sensor system between successive windings (4, 5) of the high voltage transformer using spacers. In addition, the use of a plurality of Bragg gratings in the sensor head ensures that at least one of the Bragg gratings determines the actual physical characteristic variables such as temperature or contact force (A).
US09484145B2 Converter
A converter includes a transformer module, a primary side circuit module, and a secondary side circuit module. The transformer module includes a magnetic core group and a winding. The winding includes a primary winding and a secondary winding, and is further installed on the magnetic core group. The primary side circuit module is coupled to the primary winding. The secondary side circuit module is coupled to the secondary winding. The primary side circuit modules or the secondary side circuit module has overlapping vertical projection area on a first plane with the winding, and the first plane is a plane in a horizontal direction of the winding.
US09484141B2 Compact triangular core transformer
A three-phase stacked triangular transformer core is provided. The transformer has three legs and six yoke parts therebetween, wherein the legs include stacked laminations. In a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to a central transformer core axis, the stacked laminations are oriented in substantially radial direction, and each leg has two leg halves, wherein each leg half has a plurality of outer corners facing a corresponding leg half of a neighboring leg. For each of the leg halves the plurality of outer corners lie on a respective straight line within a lateral tolerance, and for each leg half the straight line defined by this leg half and the straight line defined by the corresponding leg half of the neighboring leg are parallel.
US09484124B2 Insulated electric wire and coil using same
An insulated electric wire includes a conductor and an insulating coating provided around a perimeter of the conductor. The insulating coating includes a first insulating coating film around the perimeter of the conductor, the first insulating coating film being formed of a resin containing an imide structure in its molecule, and a second insulating coating film around a perimeter of the first insulating coating film, the second insulating coating film being formed of a polyimide resin comprising a repeat unit represented by Formula 1, and having an imide concentration of not less than 15% and not more than 36%, wherein R1 is a tetravalent group derived from decarboxylation of an aromatic tetracarboxylic acid, and R2 is a divalent group derived from deamination of an aromatic diamine.
US09484117B2 Semiconductor memory device having compression test mode
A semiconductor memory device having a compression test mode is provided. The semiconductor memory device comprises a memory unit, i test pads, a timing circuit, a compression circuit, and a signal distribution circuit. The memory unit comprises m memory banks divided into n activating groups, wherein each bank comprises a plurality of sensing amplifiers for sensing and amplifying data in bit lines. The timing circuit sequentially generates n control signals each for activating a plurality of sensing amplifiers in one of the n activating groups. The compression circuit compresses data sensed and amplified by the plurality of sensing amplifiers in each bank in a compression test mode. The signal distribution circuit distributes signals output from the compression circuit among the i data pads in rotation. The integer n and the integer i are adjustable.
US09484113B2 Error-correction coding for hot-swapping semiconductor devices
A memory read operation is directed at a group of semiconductor devices from which a first semiconductor device has been removed. An error in data for the memory read operation is detected based on error-correction coding (ECC). The error is caused at least in part by the first semiconductor device having been removed. ECC is used to determine corrected data for the memory read operation.
US09484112B2 Liquid crystal display and shift register thereof
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display and a shift register thereof. Each shift register unit of the shift register comprises a storage circuit, receiving and temporarily storing a former stage signal, a voltage level control circuit and an inverter circuit, charging and discharging scan lines of a liquid crystal display panel, and a first node exists between the voltage level control circuit and the inverter circuit, and a second node exists between the storage circuit and the voltage level control circuit, and the storage circuit is employed to selectively invert and output received level signals to the second node under control of a first sequence signal, and the voltage level control circuit is employed to provide a low level signal to the first node, and the inverter circuit is employed to selectively invert and output the low level signal provided by the voltage level control circuit under control of a second sequence signal. With the aforementioned arrangement, the present is beneficial to the narrow frame or non frame design of the liquid crystal display panel and promote the process yield.
US09484111B2 Bidirectional scanning GOA circuit
A GOA circuit for use in LCD applications is disclosed, and the GOA circuit includes multiple cascaded GOA units, each of which includes a pull-up control circuit, a pull-up circuit, a pull down circuit, a pull-down holding circuit, a reset circuit, and a bootstrap capacitor. By using the GOA circuit, scanning directions of the LCD display panel are controlled by introducing scanning control signals to the pull-up control circuit for determining to output gate signals of the GOA circuit in sequence of up-to-down stages or in sequence of down-to-up stages. Furthermore, a novel scheme of three-segment voltage division achieves the optimization and the stability of the GOA circuit.
US09484110B2 Mask-programmed read only memory with enhanced security
A mask-programmed read-only memory (MROM) has a plurality of column line pairs, each having a bit line and a complement bit line. The MROM includes a plurality of memory cells corresponding to a plurality of intersections between the column line pairs and a plurality of word lines. Each memory cell includes a high Vt transistor and a low Vt transistor.
US09484106B2 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory can reduce variations in an amount of current during data writing operation. This allows for the writing of data to memory cells with high precision. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a plurality of memory cells, word lines connected to the memory cells, and bit lines connected to each of the memory cells. At least two of the bit lines are selected, and a current is simultaneously supplied from a power supply line to those memory cells which are connected to the selected bit lines in order to write data thereto. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory also includes charge amount measurement units for measuring respective amounts of charge stored in the memory cells. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory also includes current path switching circuits connected to the respective bit lines. Those current path switching circuits which are connected to the selected bit lines supply a current from the power supply line to the memory cells or a predetermined terminal depending on a measured value of the amount of charge measured by the charge amount measurement section.
US09484102B2 Semiconductor device and method of operating the same
A method of operating the semiconductor device includes performing an erase operation on a plurality of memory cells, performing a back-tunneling operation by injecting electrons into a storage node from a gate electrode of a memory cell, selected among the plurality of memory cells, and performing a program operation by injecting electrons into the storage node from a channel layer of the selected memory cell.
US09484095B2 TCAM providing efficient move contents operation
An embodiment of the invention includes a Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM) that includes a group of TCAM block. Each TCAM block stores a number of match entries. Each TCAM block is ranked in priority order. The TCAM also includes a group of TCAM headpointers. There is a TCAM headpointer coupled to each TCAM block. The TCAM headpointer indicates the highest priority match in the group of match entries in a TCAM block. The match entries within a TCAM block are prioritized in circular priority order starting from the highest priority match.
US09484091B2 Resistance change memory
According to one embodiment, a resistance change memory includes a memory cell, a sense amplifier and a global bit line. The memory cell is disposed at a location where a local bit line and a word line intersect each other. The memory cell is connected to both the local bit line and the word line. The sense amplifier reads data stored on the memory cell by supplying a read current to the memory cell. The global bit line is connected between the local bit line and the sense amplifier. The global bit line feeds the read current supplied by the sense amplifier to the local bit line. The sense amplifier charges the global bit line, before the local bit line and the global bit line are connected to each other.
US09484087B2 Multi-bit memory elements, memory devices including the same, and methods of manufacturing the same
In one embodiment, the memory element may include a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, a memory layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an auxiliary layer between the memory layer and the second electrode. The auxiliary layer provides a multi-bit memory characteristic to the memory layer.
US09484079B2 Memory device and memory system including the same
A memory device may include a temperature sensor suitable for generating temperature information and a smart refresh circuit suitable for activating a smart refresh signal when an internal refresh signal is activated a set number of times, and controlling the set number based on the temperature information.
US09484076B1 Systems and methods of double/quad data rate memory involving input latching, self-timing and/or other features
Systems and methods relating to memory and/or memory latching are disclosed. In one exemplary implementation, an illustrative memory device may include self-timed pulse generator circuitry, first input latch circuitry, read/write control circuitry, and second input latch circuitry. According to further implementations herein, fast address access for read and write may be provided in the same cycle via a self-timed pulse in the input latch circuit and/or via associated control/scheme from the control circuit.
US09484073B1 Current-mode sense amplifier
The invention relates to a current sense amplifier. The current sense amplifier comprises: a first NAND gate comprising an output terminal being connected to a first output terminal, a second NAND gate comprising an output terminal being connected to a second output terminal, a first cross coupled inverter, and a second cross coupled inverter, the first inverter comprising a first n-FET and the second inverter comprising a second n-FET, a transmission gate comprising a first and a second transmission terminal and a transmission control terminal, the transmission control terminal being connected to a sense control line input terminal, a third n-FET having a source connected to a sense current input terminal and a drain connected to a source of the first n-FET, a fourth n-FET having a source connected to a reference current input terminal and a drain connected to a source of the second n-FET.
US09484066B2 Image display device and control method thereof
The present disclosure relates to an image display device including a display unit for playing video and a control method thereof, and the method may include selecting at least one of characters contained in video, searching at least one region containing the selected character within the entire region of a frame using at least one frame provided in the video, extracting a major playback section containing the selected character based on at least one of the size and location of the retrieved at least one region, and playing the extracted major playback section.
US09484063B2 Shared scene mosaic generation
A method of joint generation of a mosaic of scenes. The method comprises selecting by each of a plurality of users one of a plurality of characters which are imaged in a plurality of media content items, alternately selecting by the plurality of users a plurality of expression indications, each the expression indication is selected during another of a plurality of user interactions which are held alternately with the plurality of users using a plurality of client terminals, sequentially selecting a plurality of scenes which are extracted from the plurality of media content items, each the scene is selected in another of the plurality of user interactions according to a respective the expression indication and images a respective character from the plurality of characters, and automatically generating a scene mosaic which comprises the plurality of scenes.
US09484062B1 Media cleaning with self-assembled monolayer material
A method of cleaning a recording medium, such as a disc. The method includes contacting a surface of the recording medium with a cleaning tape comprising a flexible backing and a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) coating. The cleaning tape may include an abrasive coating, with the SAM on the abrasive coating.
US09484061B2 Automatically correcting audio data
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for editing digital audio data. In some implementations a method is provided that includes receiving digital audio data, identifying a modification to a portion of the digital audio data, and automatically correcting audio data surrounding one or more edit boundaries resulting from the identified modification including interpolating audio data from a region associated with the one or more edit boundaries.
US09484041B1 Backward-compatible communication system components
A communication system with a base station configured to determine a codec to use with end units, such that, in response to a determination that a first end unit uses a first set of access information, the base station registers the first end unit to the base station, setting the first codec to be used for communications with the first end unit, and, in response to a determination that a second unit uses a second set of access information, the base station registers the second end unit to the base station, setting the second codec to be used for communications with the second end unit. The communication system also comprises an end unit configured to determine the codec used by the base station and set the determined codec as the codec to use for communications with the base station.
US09484032B2 Methods and systems for navigating through multimedia content
The disclosed embodiments illustrate methods and systems for processing multimedia content. The method includes extracting one or more words from an audio stream associated with multimedia content. Each word has associated one or more timestamps indicative of temporal occurrences of said word in said multimedia content. The method further includes creating a word cloud of said one or more words in said multimedia content based on a measure of emphasis laid on each word in said multimedia content and said one or more timestamps associated with said one or more words. The method further includes presenting one or more multimedia snippets, of said multimedia content, associated with a word selected by a user from said word cloud. Each of said one or more multimedia snippets corresponds to said one or more timestamps associated with occurrences of said word in said multimedia content.
US09484031B2 Correcting text with voice processing
The present invention relates to voice processing and provides a method and system for correcting a text. The method comprising: determining a target text unit to be corrected in a text; receiving a reference voice segment input by the user for the target text unit; determining a reference text unit whose pronunciation is similar to a word in the target text unit based on the reference voice segment; and correcting the word in the target text unit in the text by the reference text unit. The present invention enables the user to easily correct errors in the text vocally.
US09484030B1 Audio triggered commands
A system is configured to execute audio-initiated commands. The system detects audio and determines if a first sound is included in the audio. The system then processes further incoming audio to detect a second sound. If the second sound is not detected within a time threshold, the system executes a command. The command may include delivering a message, outputting audio corresponding to synthesized speech, or some other executable command.
US09484026B2 System and method for analyzing and classifying calls without transcription via keyword spotting
A facility and method for analyzing and classifying calls without transcription via keyword spotting is disclosed. The facility uses a group of calls having known outcomes to generate one or more domain- or entity-specific grammars containing keywords and related information that are indicative of particular outcome. The facility monitors telephone calls by determining the domain or entity associated with the call, loading the appropriate grammar or grammars associated with the determined domain or entity, and tracking keywords contained in the loaded grammar or grammars that are spoken during the monitored call, along with additional information. The facility performs a statistical analysis on the tracked keywords and additional information to determine a classification for the monitored telephone call.
US09484021B1 Disambiguation in speech recognition
Automatic speech recognition (ASR) processing including a two-stage configuration. After ASR processing of an incoming utterance where the ASR outputs an N-best list including multiple hypotheses, a first stage determines whether to execute a command associated with one of the hypotheses or whether to output some of the hypotheses of the N-best list for disambiguation. A second stage determines what hypotheses should be included in the disambiguation choices. A first machine learning model is used at the first stage and a second machine learning model is used at the second stage. The multi-stage configuration allows for reduced speech processing errors as well as a reduced number of utterances sent for disambiguation, which thus improves the user experience.
US09484005B2 Trimming content for projection onto a target
Systems and methods are provided for trimming content for projection within the bounds of a projection target. The systems and methods trim the content for projection based on one or more characteristics of the projection target, including a shape, outline, and distance to the projection target. Moreover, the systems and methods designate void areas where no content will be projected based on the one or more characteristics, and the void areas will be generated or otherwise projected along with the content so that the content is projected onto the projection target and the void areas are projected outside of the projection target such that the projected content does not significantly spill onto surfaces or objects outside of the projection target.
US09484001B2 Portable electronic device controlling diffuse light source to emit light approximating color of object of user interest
A trigger event causes a portable electronic device to capture an image of an object in which a user has expressed interest. The trigger event can be an express command or an implied, or inferred, indication of the user's interest in the object. With an image of the object captured, the portable electronic device determines a predominant color, and controls one or more diffuse light sources associated with the portable electronic device to emit light that approximates the determined color. The one or more diffused light sources controlled in this manner can include multi-color light emitting elements located at a housing of the portable electronic device, multi-color light emitting elements located at a case accessory of the portable electronic device (e.g., a case cover, holster, etc.), or a combination thereof.
US09483997B2 Proximity detection of candidate companion display device in same room as primary display using infrared signaling
A candidate companion screen device is located by a primary display device as being in the same room as the primary device using IRDA, and in response ancillary content related to content being shown on the primary display device is provided to the companion screen device. The ancillary content may be provided from the Internet based on information in the content being presented on the primary display device by, e.g., providing a link to a website to the companion device.
US09483991B2 Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof
Disclosed is an organic light emitting display device which includes: a liquid crystal display panel configured to include at least one common electrode bar and a plurality of divisional areas defined along a length direction of the at least one common electrode bar; a common voltage controller configured to divide a single frame into a plurality of intervals corresponding to the plurality of divisional areas and generate a common voltage control signal in each interval; and a common voltage compensator configured to generate a compensated common voltage on the basis of the common voltage control signal in each interval and apply the compensated common voltage to the at least one common electrode bar of the liquid crystal display panel.
US09483988B2 Driving method and driving device for liquid crystal panel, and display device
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display and more particularly to a driving method and driving device for a liquid crystal panel, and to a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal panel. The driving method comprises: receiving an original input signal; judging whether or not a current time is within a signal conversion phase; and when the judgment result indicates that the current time is within the signal conversion phase, generating a target driving signal based on the original input signal, and outputting the target driving signal to a data line of a liquid crystal panel or generating an original driving signal based on the original input signal and outputting the original driving signal to the data line. The polarity of the target driving signal is opposite to that of the original driving signal. An amplitude of the target driving signal corresponding to a first frame within the signal conversion phase is less than an amplitude of the original driving signal.
US09483987B2 Embedded touch screen
Provided is an embedded touch screen, including: a first substrate; a second substrate including: scanning signal lines extending in a first direction; video signal lines extending in a second direction; a plurality of pixels each including a pixel electrode connected to corresponding one of the video signal lines via a switching element connected to corresponding one of the scanning signal lines; and a common electrode; a liquid crystal layer; an application circuit for applying an alternating signal to a plurality of excitation electrodes; a detection circuit for detecting a signal excited on a plurality of detection electrodes each arranged adjacent to each of the plurality of excitation electrodes; and a scanning circuit for scanning at least one of each of the plurality of excitation electrodes and each of the plurality of detection electrodes at least in the second direction.
US09483980B2 Pixel circuit and display device
A pixel circuit includes a switching transistor whose conduction is controlled by a drive signal supplied to the control terminal, a drive wiring adapted to propagate the drive signal, and a data wiring adapted to propagate a data signal. A multi-layered wiring structure is used so that a second wiring layer is formed on a layer different from that on which a first wiring layer is formed.
US09483978B2 Display device and method of driving the same
A display device includes a display unit having display elements arrayed in rows and columns. The display elements each include a current-driven light emitting unit and a drive circuit for driving the light emitting unit. A power supply unit supplies a drive voltage for driving the display elements to power supply lines corresponding to the rows of display elements. A signal output unit supplies video signal voltages to data lines corresponding to the columns of the display elements. A control unit detects maximum grayscale values of input signals corresponding to the display elements arranged in the rows, and accordingly controls duty ratios of the drive voltage supplied to the power supply lines corresponding to the rows of the display elements. The control unit also controls values of video signals corresponding to the display elements in each row.
US09483977B2 Light emitting display device and driving method thereof
A method of driving an organic light emitting display device includes: receiving an image signal by sub-field with respect to a single frame comprising the N number of sub-fields (N is a natural number greater than 2) from the exterior; dividing a single sub-field into an address period and a display period and selectively calling a data signal of a single sub-field from the M number of sub-field memories (M is a natural number greater than 2); and applying the called data signal of the single sub-field to a sub-pixel.
US09483967B2 Advertisement element, a method of creating an advertisement element and a method of capturing advertisement images on an advertisement element
An advertisement element (2) having an underside adapted for positioning on a flat surface and an upper side comprising an advertisement surface with advertisement information, wherein the advertisement surface comprises a plurality of protrusions (12), wherein each protrusion (12) comprises a first display surface (14) with graphics (18′) applied to the surface, said surface (14) and graphics (18′) being oriented towards a first predefined viewpoint (4) and a second display surface (16) with graphics (18″) applied to the surface, said surface (16) and graphics (18″) being oriented towards a second predefined viewpoint (6), and wherein the advertisement information comprises a first image (8) composed of the combined graphics (18′) on the first display surfaces (14) and a second image (10) composed of the combined graphics (18″) on the second display surfaces (16). A method of creating said advertisement element (2) and a method of capturing advertisement images.
US09483957B1 Methods, systems, and computer readable media for promoting behavioral intervention via evidence-based recommendations and game mechanics
The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for promoting behavioral intervention via evidence-based recommendations and game mechanics. According to one aspect, a method for promoting behavioral intervention via evidence-based recommendations is provided. The method occurs at a computing platform including a processor and memory. The method includes receiving information regarding characteristics and/or activities of a user, wherein the user is associated with a medical condition or an age group. The method further includes determining, using the received information and predetermined health information associated with the medical condition or the age group, an action for promoting behavioral intervention. The method also includes providing the action or information associated with the action to the user.
US09483947B2 Passing assistance system and method
A passing assistance system and method is provided for one's vehicle having an electronic control device for at least receiving messages from car-to-car communication systems of other vehicles. The messages include information about the presence or absence of a vehicle that trails the vehicle transmitting the message. The control device evaluates these messages as follows: the control device has a filter for identifying the first oncoming vehicle and its message and activates a warning system in the ego-vehicle to prevent a passing process if this message includes the information about the presence of a trailing vehicle.
US09483937B2 Wireless beacon devices providing crosswalk management through communication device connections
There are provided systems and methods for wireless beacon devices providing crosswalk management through communication device connections. A user may travel with a device, such as a communication device, that includes a communication module that may utilize specialized hardware features to establish short range wireless communications with nearby wireless beacons. The wireless beacons may be established at or nearby crosswalk locations. The beacon may provide the aforementioned communication services with the communication device and be utilized to triangulate a position, path of travel, and speed of travel of the user. Calendar, travel route, and other information for the user may also be determined using the beacons. Thus, a crosswalk signal may be changed in anticipation of the user crossing. Further, if the user requires additional time to cross based on triangulating the user's location in the crosswalk, the signal may be further changed based on the user's location.
US09483930B1 System, device, and method for measurement of hand hygiene technique
A device, system, and method for evaluating compliance with a hand hygiene standard using acceleration measurements of the hand or wrist. The method is based on the scalar quantities vigor and/or rocking angle.
US09483928B2 Input/output circuits and devices having physically corresponding status indicators
Systems and methods are provided for aligning status indicators on a terminal block of an I/O device by locating the status indicators directly adjacent to or integrated directly within their respective terminals on the terminal block. The status indicators are illuminated by LEDs or other light emitters disposed within a housing of the I/O device. Light from the LEDs are directed to the status indicators by light pipes disposed within the housing of the I/O device. LED activation circuitry disposed within the housing determines a manner in which to activate the LEDs to illuminate the status indicators based on inputs and outputs between the I/O device and a controlled process. In certain embodiments, the status indicators are disposed on a raised section of the I/O device, which may be part of a removable LED indication assembly including the LEDs, light pipes, and LED activation circuitry.
US09483913B2 Apparatus and methods for playing electronic table card games
Electronic card game devices and methods incorporate progressive jackpot operations controlled by a central server computer. If a system game device is selected by the central server computer to win a progressive jackpot award, the system game device is programmed to display secondary game outcome symbols on playing cards being displayed during game play to indicate winning of the award.
US09483893B2 Securable banknote carrier, and a banknote handling apparatus and banknote cassette for use with the securable banknote carrier
A securable banknote carrier comprising an enclosure of flexible material attached to an articulated bi-fold frame delimiting a banknote aperture, wherein the frame comprises a pair of hingedly coupled opposing jaw members, and wherein the frame is configured such that when moving from a banknote aperture open position to a banknote aperture closed position the opposing jaw members rotate inwardly towards one another from a position in which the jaw members are substantially coplanar to a position m which the members are substantial adjacent and parallel to each other.
US09483892B2 Smart key apparatus and method for processing signal of smart key apparatus
A smart key apparatus and a method of processing a signal from the smart key apparatus is provided and the smart key apparatus includes a plurality of antennas that receive a Low Frequency (LF) signal from a vehicle via a plurality of reception axes. In addition, an LF reception controller receives the LF signal via a reception antenna which is determined by sequentially verifying a reception level according to a set order of the plurality of antennas when receiving the LF signal and determines an antenna having a highest reception level as a reception antenna by comparing a reception level that corresponds to a plurality of antennas respectively. A signal processing unit processes the LF signal received via the reception antenna.
US09483889B2 Method for controlling an electronically secured device and transponder for it
A method for controlling an electronically secured device by means of a transponder has the following procedural steps: a) Access authorization information is sent from an electrical access management system to the transponder via a mobile communications link, b) The access authorization information is received by the transponder, c) The access authorization information is transmitted from the transponder to the device, and d) A function of the device is activated if the received access authorization information matches reference information belonging to the device.
US09483883B2 Vehicle installed mobile device and server for GPS services based adhoc task assignments
Mobile device for communicating a current location and a current destination, to a coordination server, receiving a set of tasks (statically assigned or dynamically assigned) for the user (for example, from the server or from another user or adhoc tasks specified by a customer), displaying the set of tasks to the user, receiving a completion response (successful or unsuccessful) from the user, and proceeding to the next waypoint along a route/trip plan. A coordination server facilitates communication of a list of tasks dynamically and opportunistically assigned to a user to be performed at a specified location.
US09483878B2 Contextual editing using variable offset surfaces
A method for editing content including at least one three-dimensional object. The method includes determining by a processing element one or more constraints, rendering by the processing element a shell defining an offset distance to the three-dimensional object corresponding to the one or more constraints, receiving a user input to a point related or connected to the three-dimensional object, and moving the point in a direction corresponding to the user input. In the method, the movement of the point is limited in at least one direction by the shell.
US09483875B2 Augmented reality system with encoding beacons
An augmented reality system with encoding light emitting beacons placed in a scene. Beacons placed at desired locations in a scene emit light modulated with multiple access encoding that conveys an identifier for its emitting beacon. The emitted light signals are also blanked for longer than a time between image capturing by an image augmenting device. Beacons viewed in captured images are identified by correlating an absence of a beacon in an image with an absence of a received identifier in received light signals. In a view of the scene presented to a user, augmenting images are obtained based upon the determined beacon identifier and are displayed at locations in the scene based upon the determined location of that beacon. Beacons that emit pulsed light signals encoded with the multiple access coding are also provided.
US09483874B2 Displaying panoramic images in relation to maps
An example non-limiting game apparatus as an information processing apparatus includes a CPU which causes the game apparatus to function as a guide apparatus. A map image of a place or area to be guided is displayed on a lower LCD. When a predetermined position on the map image is designated, a photograph image of a part of a panoramic image produced from a panoramic photograph taken at a real position in a real space that corresponds to the predetermined position is displayed on a stereoscopic LCD. Therefore, not only a planar map image but also an actual photograph at the predetermined position are presented. Furthermore, if the map image is turned, the photograph image of a part of the panoramic image is changed such that the photograph image corresponds to a turned direction.
US09483867B2 Orientation invariant object identification using model-based image processing
A system for performing object identification combines pose determination, EO/IR sensor data, and novel computer graphics rendering techniques. A first module extracts the orientation and distance of a target in a truth chip given that the target type is known. A second is a module identifies the vehicle within a truth chip given the known distance and elevation angle from camera to target. Image matching is based on synthetic image and truth chip image comparison, where the synthetic image is rotated and moved through a 3-Dimensional space. To limit the search space, it is assumed that the object is positioned on relatively flat ground and that the camera roll angle stays near zero. This leaves three dimensions of motion (distance, heading, and pitch angle) to define the space in which the synthetic target is moved. A graphical user interface (GUI) front end allows the user to manually adjust the orientation of the target within the synthetic images. The system also includes the generation of shadows and allows the user to manipulate the sun angle to approximate the lighting conditions of the test range in the provided video.
US09483866B2 User interface for efficiently displaying relevant OCT imaging data
The present invention is an OCT imaging system user interface for efficiently providing relevant image displays to the user. These displays are used during image acquisition to align patients and verify acquisition image quality. During image analysis, these displays indicate positional relationships between displayed data images, automatically display suspicious analysis, automatically display diagnostic data, simultaneously display similar data from multiple visits, improve access to archived data, and provide other improvements for efficient data presentation of relevant information.
US09483851B2 Systems and methods for filtering for image generation
A method is provided including acquiring imaging data of an object to be imaged from a computed tomography (CT) detector. The method also includes reconstructing the acquired imaging data into an initial reconstruction image, and performing material characterization of an image volume of the initial reconstruction image to provide a re-mapped image volume. Further, the method includes performing forward projection on the re-mapped image volume to provide forward projection data, and providing an error projection based on the forward projection data. Also, the method includes filtering at least one of the initial reconstruction image, the re-mapped image volume, the forward projection data, or the error projection. The method also includes using the error projection to update the initial reconstruction image to provide an updated reconstruction image.
US09483845B2 Extending prediction modes and performance of video codecs
A video frame compression system includes a rendering engine that provides a current video frame and current additional rendering information. Additionally, the video frame compression system includes a warping engine that generates a warped video frame, wherein the warped video frame is a transformation of a previous video frame that is based on the current additional rendering information. Further, the video frame compression system includes a video encoder that compresses the current video frame by using the warped video frame as a reference frame and separately compresses the current additional rendering information. Still further, the video frame compression system includes a packetizer that provides main and auxiliary data streams corresponding to the compressed current video frame and the compressed current additional rendering information, respectively. A video frame decompression system and methods of video frame compression and decompression are also provided.
US09483844B2 Interactive image analysis
An interactive image analysis system includes an image visualization subsystem (1) for visualizing an image (8). An indicated position determiner (2) is arranged for determining an indicated position of a pointing device with respect to the image(8). A result determiner (3) is arranged for determining a result of a local image processing of the image (8) at the indicated position. A display subsystem (4) displays either at least part of the result of the local image processing (406) or a visible mark (407), based on the image processing result. The result of the local image processing is indicative of the presence or absence of an object (403) at or near the indicated position (404, 405), and the display subsystem (4) is arranged for displaying the visible mark (407) in the absence of such an object (403) at or near the indicated position (405).
US09483843B2 Method and system for expediting bilinear filtering
The present document describes a method and system for expediting bilinear filtering of textures, by reducing the number of data load operations. The method expands the original data layout with additional borders containing replicated texels. The replicated texels correspond either to wrapped-around texels for two-dimensional textures or neighboring faces in cube textures. Therefore, a 2×2 filter kernel for bilinear filtering is built which requires only one texel address to be computed, with all texel data readable with two load operations which are a predetermined stride apart. Different addressing modes are implemented by adjusting the sampling locus.
US09483840B1 Low power patch matching in self-similarity based single frame super-resolution
A method of generating a super-resolution image from a single frame of image data includes using a processor to retrieve query patches of image data from a memory, determining a search range for each patch, and generating super-resolution image data corresponding to each patch based upon the search range.
US09483836B2 Method and apparatus for real-time conversion of 2-dimensional content to 3-dimensional content
Various aspects of a method and apparatus for video processing may include a computing device communicably coupled to an external device. The computing device may be operable to determine an average vertical velocity and an average horizontal velocity of a subset of pixels in an image frame and determine a depth value for each pixel of the subset of pixels based on calculated motion vectors of the pixel of the subset of pixels, the average vertical velocity of the subset of pixels and the average horizontal velocity of the subset of pixels.
US09483832B2 Surgery assistance apparatus and method, and non-transitory recording medium having stored therein surgery assistance program
A surgery assistance apparatus includes an organ region extraction unit that extracts a tubular organ region from a three-dimensional image obtained by imaging a tubular organ and a blood vessel dominating the tubular organ, a region-of-interest setting unit that sets a region of interest in the tubular organ region, a blood vessel region extraction unit that extracts a blood vessel region dominating the tubular organ from the three-dimensional image, a branching structure extraction unit that extracts a branching structure of the blood vessel from the blood vessel region, and a dominating blood vessel identification unit that identifies a dominating blood vessel region in the blood vessel region that dominates the region of interest by using a positional relationship between a terminal end point of the extracted branching structure and the set region of interest.
US09483821B2 Method and ultrasound apparatus for displaying ultrasound image corresponding to region of interest
Provided is an ultrasound image display method. The ultrasound image display method includes displaying an ultrasound image of an object, selecting at least one region of interest (ROI) in the ultrasound image based on a user input, converting image pixel information corresponding to the at least one ROI into height values, and three-dimensionally displaying a partial ultrasound image corresponding to the at least one ROI by using the height values.
US09483816B2 Method and system for high accuracy and reliability registration of multi modal imagery
A method for mapping a target image to a reference image includes receiving a target image; receiving a reference image that overlaps the target image; preprocessing the target image, wherein the preprocessing includes: rejecting a target image with a shadow region above a shadow threshold while keeping a target image with a shadow region below a shadow threshold; providing an uncertainty in a location of the kept target image relative to the reference image; transforming the kept target image to an atlas projection to match the reference image; partitioning the transformed kept target image into a sub-region; and determining a matching statistic for each sub-region to determine a location for each sub-region relative to the reference image.
US09483815B2 Systems and methods for computational lighting
A device for creating a digital image is described. The device that may receive two or more input images. The input images may have a common viewpoint with unique lighting configurations. The device may utilize basis light functions and modifiers to create a final composite image. The device may include a computing device configured to provide user a graphical user interface enabling a user to create a final composite image. Devices described herein may be useful for computational light workflows in photography.
US09483814B1 Methods and apparatus for the filtering of spatial frequencies
A single still input image is converted into a decomposition video that, when played, appears to be a close facsimile of the input image. Each frame of the decomposition video has a subset of the pixels of the input image that is disjoint from the subset of pixels selected for any other frame. A union of the subsets, represented by each decomposition video frame, contains all the pixels of the input image. To preserve sufficient brightness, a decomposition video generally needs to contain a relatively small number of frames. To achieve effective and efficient blocking, of the content of the input image as it appears in each frame of a decomposition video, the present invention focuses upon a spatial filtering strategy and, preferably, a two-tiered strategy. A first tier focuses upon the obscuring of relatively high frequency spatial frequencies, while a second tier focuses upon the obscuring of relatively low frequency spatial frequencies.
US09483811B2 Division of processing between systems based on external factors
A method includes acts for rendering, on a data processing system, a result derived from a set of data by performing data processing across a first data processing system and a second data processing system. The amount of processing performed by the second data processing system can be dynamically adjusted depending on factors affecting the second data processing system. The first data processing system receives information defining how the result will be rendered at the second data processing system. The first data processing system receives information indicating factors affecting the second data processing system. The first data processing system dynamically allocates the needed data processing between the first data processing system and the second data processing system, based on factors affecting the second data processing system.
US09483810B2 Reducing the number of IO requests to memory when executing a program that iteratively processes contiguous data
Methods and apparatuses to reduce the number of IO requests to memory when executing a program that iteratively processes contiguous data are provided. A first set of data elements may be loaded in a first register and a second set of data elements may be loaded in a second register. The first set of data elements and the second set of data elements can be used during the execution of a program to iteratively process the data elements. For each of a plurality of iterations, a corresponding set of data elements to be used during the execution of an operation for the iteration may be selected from the first set of data elements stored in the first register and the second set of data elements stored in the second register. In this way, the same data elements are not re-loaded from memory during each iteration.
US09483805B1 Limited tokens in online education
A method of limiting tokens for use by a student within an education application displays numerous membership options. For a price, a certain number of tokens are allowed per month. At the end of each month, tokens do not roll over; the account is reset with the monthly allotment of tokens. If the number of tokens in the account reaches zero, access is blocked. A method limits account sharing by using a limited time viewing window for videos and documents. A stated time limit displayed to the student is greater than the length of the video. An actual time limit not displayed to the student is greater than the stated time limit. Requests to restart the video within the actual time limit are granted. A request to restart the video after the actual time limit is denied unless the student again pays the number of tokens equal to the value of the video.
US09483801B1 Automatic fading of online user content
Automatically fading online user content may include receiving digital content from a first user, the digital content associated with a first user-defined fading time indication; posting the digital content at a first time; associating, using the one or more computing devices, the first user-defined fading time indication with the digital content; receiving, at a second time, from a second user, a request to view the digital content, the second time being after the first time and the second user being distinct from the first user; determining the availability of the digital content based at least in part on the difference between the second time and the first time and the first user-defined fading time indication; and when the determined availability includes availability of one or more aspects of the digital content to the second user, providing for display to the second user the available one or more aspects.
US09483799B2 Methods and apparatus for the aggregation of data
Embodiments include a method of aggregating data from a plurality of QuickBooks (QB) files that may be in physically separate locations, and having at least one account name in common. In one embodiment, the method includes, assigning a different parent account identification (ID) number to each differently named parent account. The method includes creating an entry in a hash table for each parent account ID, the contents of the entry being a collection of rows including a row for each different sub account of the parent account, wherein data for multiple instances of like named parent accounts are aggregated, the key of the entry in the hash table being the parent account ID.
US09483791B2 Network software and hardware monitoring and marketplace
A method, system, and network for interfacing the work-flow monitoring and reporting of a host computer, a local network of information technology devices, a community of network users, and third party vendors is provided. This includes processes and systems for initiating an inventory, including software, of a plurality of information technology devices associated with a local network of information technology devices from a host computer and determining the operational status of the information technology devices associated with the local network. The operational status of the information technology devices associated with the local network is monitored and presented to a host computer. Needs relating to the local network are identified and determined and a purchasing platform for purchasing product solutions from third party vendors is provided.
US09483788B2 System and method for graphically building weighted search queries
A system and method allows a user to define a search request by selecting and weighting graphical icons provided on a search creation interface. The graphical icons may be selected by using an icon selection feature provided on the search creation interface. The graphical icons may further be assigned relative search weights using an icon weighting feature provided on the search creation interface. The system and method generates search results based on metadata associated with the selected ones of the graphical icons and the search weights assigned to each of the selected ones of the graphical icons. The search results may comprise a ranked list of items, such as products listed for sale on an e-commerce server.
US09483786B2 Gift card ordering system and method
A personalized gift card creation system and method includes providing an application to be executed on a computing device in which the application includes a peripheral application program interface (API) for interfacing with one or more peripheral devices of the computing device. A server in communication with the application generates a graphical user interface (GUI) on the computing device using the application, receives at least one of user-supplied textual, audio, or video content from the one or more peripheral devices using the application, and generates a gift card holder from the received user-supplied content. The server also receives information associated with a merchant of a gift card and a monetary amount to be associated with the gift card, and transmits the gift card holder and the gift card to a recipient.
US09483778B2 Generating a user profile
An example method for generating a user profile for a user based on a static profile and a dynamic profile of the user includes compressing dynamic rules into aggregated rules for validation. The dynamic rules associated with a particular user are matched to one or more validated aggregated rules to generate the dynamic profile for that user. The static profile for the user is generated for the user based on factual user information and historical transactional data for the user. The static and dynamic profile are then combined to form the user profile.
US09483775B1 Customer-generated deals
A deal manager executing on computer hardware receives a discount offer proposal from a first consumer. The deal manager forwards the discount offer proposal to one or more retail suppliers. The discount offer can include proposed terms such as a conditional modification to an original retail price of a respective retail item offered for sale by the supplier. In response to receiving, from the supplier, acceptance of terms as specified by the discount offer proposal, the deal manager or other suitable resource initiates distribution of terms associated with the approved discount offer to the first consumer and/or a second consumer. The second consumer can be one of multiple consumers to which the approved discount offer is distributed. Accordingly, consumers can propose deals that are, in turn, used by other consumers.
US09483772B2 Method and apparatus for providing content to users
Embodiments of the instant invention are directed to a method and apparatus for presenting unsolicited data to users without interrupting the user's activities, wherein the presentation of the unsolicited data is monitored and is available for review by the user at the user's convenience. Embodiments of the invention comprise a content and display manager, wherein the content and display manager include a display monitor, a content delivery system and a content controller. The display monitor selects the display of content to the users, in part, by reviewing a marker which defines the last time that content was displayed to the user and the type of content displayed. The content delivery system transmits a content window to a user computer via the controller.
US09483758B2 Mobile device and control method thereof
A mobile device is provided. The mobile device includes a display unit, a sensor configured to sense user's touch done on a surface of the display unit in a disabled state of the display unit, a storage unit configured to store preset gesture information, a controller configured to enable the display unit when a user's touch operation matched with the gesture information is sensed, execute a wallet application, and display an execution screen, and a communication unit configured to transmit information for a selected payment option to an external apparatus when the payment option is selected on the execution screen and perform a payment. The payment is simply done.
US09483754B2 Interactive building stacking plans
A method for generating an interactive stacking plan of a building is disclosed. A building data file with one or more external tenant records in a first format is received on a server computer system. Data values of one or more of the external tenant record fields are imported into master tenant records, each of which is defined by a plurality of master tenant record attributes. Stacking plan graphical elements are generated for each of the master tenant records with a size proportional to a leased space. A user-activatable link that generates an independent display of at least one of the master tenant record attributes is included in the stacking plan graphical element. The stacking plan graphical elements are arranged in the interactive stacking plan according to the floor identifier attributes of the corresponding master tenant records. The interactive stacking plan is then transmitted to the client computer system.
US09483750B2 Location independent communication in a virtual world
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to virtual worlds and provide a method, system and computer program product for deploying and managing an avatar silhouette in a location in a virtual world. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for deploying and managing an avatar silhouette in a location in a virtual world can include creating and inserting a silhouette avatar into one location of a virtual world in correspondence with a primary avatar in a different location in the virtual world, rendering the silhouette avatar recognizable by an avatar in the one location and prohibiting independent movements by the silhouette avatar, and passing a communication directed from the avatar in the one location to the silhouette avatar in the one location along to the primary avatar in the different location.
US09483749B2 Method and system for reconciling transportation records
Aspects of the present invention are directed to a system for next day reconciliation of transportation records. The system having a transportation record storage provider (TRSP) that receives and stores storage medium transportation requests; an outside service provider (OSP) inventory manager that receives and maintains records of transported storage mediums scanned at the OSP; and a reconciliation provider that receives a first list from the TRSP and a second list from the OSP inventory manger, for reconciliation. The reconciliation provider includes receivers for receiving the first and second list; a processing engine that reconciles the first list and the second list; and a reporting unit that reports the results of the reconciliation. The processing engine matches inbound and outbound records of the first list and second list, and processes invalid records; and analyzes and accounts for un-matched records.
US09483738B2 Topic model based media program genome generation
In one embodiment, a method defines information for a set of genomes where the set of genomes describe characteristics of media programs. The method also defines which genomes in the set of genomes correspond to which topics in a set of topics. Textual information for a plurality of media programs and the information are input into a model and the model is trained to determine a probability distribution of terms for the set of topics based on analyzing the textual information and the genome information. The method then outputs the trained model. The probability distribution of terms is usable to determine genomes for each of the plurality of media programs where a genome corresponds to a topic and is associated with a media program based on terms found in the textual information for the media program and the probability distribution of terms for the topic correspond to the genome.
US09483719B2 Security substrate comprising a magnetic layer and opaque and non-opaque regions
The invention relates to improvements in substrates and in particular to new substrates having magnetic and visual security features, which provide security against imitation. A security substrate comprising a transparent polymer carrier layer bearing indicia formed from a plurality of opaque and non-opaque regions and a transparent magnetic layer supported by the carrier layer containing a distribution of particles of a hard magnetic material of a size and distributed in a concentration at which the magnetic layer remains transparent.
US09483717B2 Method and apparatus for stocking and/or restocking an item
A method and apparatus are provided for stocking and/or restocking an item. During operation, an RFID reader will determine items to be stocked/restocked. This determination may be made by performing a first scan and determining all items within range. Once determined, the RFID reader will continuously scan items that are within range. When the RIFD reader encounters an additional item that is similar to an item to be stocked/restocked, a notification is provided to a user.
US09483714B2 Image processing apparatus and image processing method
In a case where generating a training image of an object to be used to generate a dictionary to be referred to in image recognition processing of detecting the object from an input image, model information of an object to be detected is set, and a luminance image of the object and a range image are input. The luminance distribution of the surface of the object is estimated based on the luminance image and the range image, and the training image of the object is generated based on the model information and the luminance distribution.
US09483708B2 Method and apparatus for recognizing object reflections
A method for recognizing an object reflection in at least one image generated by a camera of a motor vehicle includes: recognizing at least one first object candidate in the image; identifying at least one first reflection indicator as a function of the first object candidate; evaluating the first reflection indicator to analyze whether the first object candidate is an object reflection; and outputting an evaluation signal as a function of the evaluation, the evaluation signal characterizing the first object candidate as at least one of an object reflection and an object.
US09483706B2 Hardware accelerator for histogram of gradients
One of the challenges in bringing computational imaging to a mass market is that computational imaging is inherently computationally expensive. The computational challenges associated with computational imaging are apparent with the computation of a histogram of gradient descriptors. Oftentimes, generating a histogram of gradient descriptors involves computing gradients of an image, binning the gradients according to their orientation, and, optionally, normalizing the bins using a non-linear function. Because each of these operations is expensive, the histogram of gradient descriptor computations is generally computationally expensive and is difficult to implement in a power efficient manner for mobile applications. The present application discloses a computing device that can provide a low-power, highly capable computing platform for computing a histogram of gradient descriptors.
US09483705B2 Image processing device, image processing method, and image processing program
Based on a long diameter of a set specific region, a first region estimated as the specific region and a second region estimated as a background region are set within an input image. Based on a density histogram of each pixel in the first region and a density histogram of each pixel in the second region, a first evaluation value which indicates a likelihood that a density value represents the specific region is calculated for each density value. For each pair of two adjacent pixels within the input image, based on the first evaluation values, a second evaluation value which indicates a likelihood that the two adjacent pixels represent a contour is calculated. Based on the second evaluation value, connection costs between a plurality of nodes respectively representing each pair of the two adjacent pixels are set. The plurality of nodes are connected based on the connection costs.
US09483696B2 System and method for generating and employing short length iris codes
A system and method for generating compact iris representations based on a database of iris images includes providing full-length iris codes for iris images in a database, where the full-length iris code includes a plurality of portions corresponding to circumferential rings in an associated iris image. Genuine and imposter score distributions are computed for the full-length iris codes, and code portions are identified that have a contribution that provides separation between imposter and genuine distributions relative to a threshold. A correlation between remaining code portions is measured. A subset of code portions having low correlations within the subset is generated to produce a compact iris representation.
US09483691B2 System and method for computer vision based tracking of an object
A system and method for computer vision based tracking of a human form may include detecting a shape of an object in an image of a space and determining the probability of object having a human form shape based on movement of the object. If the probability of the object of being of a human form is above a predetermined threshold the object is tracked and if the probability is below the threshold then the tracking is terminated. Occupancy in the space may be determined based on the tracking of the object.
US09483688B2 System and method for evaluating face recognition performance of service robot using ultra high definition facial video database
Provided are a system and method for evaluating the face recognition performance of a service robot using an ultra high definition (UHD) facial video database. The system includes a video output unit configured to output a registration-purpose or test-purpose UHD facial video, a robot test controller configured to control transmitting identification (ID) information on a video currently being output to a service robot having a face recognition function when the video currently being output is a registration-purpose video, and control performing evaluation of the face recognition function of the service robot using a recognition result received from the service robot when the video currently being output is a test-purpose video, and a wired/wireless communication unit configured to transmit the ID information and usage information indicating whether the video currently being output is a registration-purpose video or a test-purpose video to the service robot.
US09483678B2 Listing instances of a body-insertable device being proximate to target regions of interest
A described system includes a feature matching circuit that determines a correspondence between a present-location landmark subsurface feature of a body part of an individual patient and a candidate reference landmark subsurface feature of the individual patient body part. The present-location landmark subsurface feature has a first spatial relationship to a distal end portion of a body-insertable device deployed in the individual patient. The candidate reference landmark subsurface feature has a second spatial relationship to a particular selected target region of interest of at least two selected target regions of interest. An event data circuit generates data indicative of a proximity event that includes the distal end portion of a body-insertable device being proximate to the particular target region of interest. A list management circuit adds the proximity event to a proximity event list. A computer-readable media maintains informational data corresponding to the proximity event list.
US09483677B2 Machine-readable symbols
A variety of forms of machine-readable symbols are disclosed, as well as methods and systems of constructing machine-readable symbols, methods and systems of acquiring machine-readable symbols, and methods and systems of decoding machine-readable symbols.
US09483674B1 RFID torque sensing tag system for fasteners
The present invention provides an RFID-based torque sensor that can be used to quickly monitor off the shelf fasteners including fasteners that are used in expensive satellites or other uses where fastener failure can be very costly. In one embodiment, an antenna, RFID ring and spring comprise a sensor tag that can be interrogated with an interrogation signal produced by an interrogator device. When sufficient torque is applied to the fastener, an RFID circuit is connected, and produces a radio frequency (RF) signal that can be read by the interrogator. In one embodiment, the RFID circuit does not transmit when the spring member is not compressed, thereby indicating insufficient tensioning of the fastener. The present invention offers the ability to remotely, quickly, and inexpensively verify that any number of fasteners are torqued properly upon initial installation. Where applicable, the present invention allows low cost monitoring over the life of the fastener.
US09483672B2 Conveyor system for identifying RFID tags on parcels
A conveyor system for identifying an object (16) on which an identification tag (26) is affixed, comprising a conveyor frame (12) for supporting between its two opposite sides (12A, 12B) a plurality of transverse conveyor rollers (14) each having a roller shaft (14A) and an RFID interrogator exciting a radiant antenna for reading information from the identification tag, the radiant antenna being a first magnetic loop (22) formed by the conveyor frame and two adjacent roller shafts and excited by an excitation circuit (18) connected to, but distinct from, said RFID interrogator.
US09483666B1 Logarithmic and exponential function generator for analog signal processing
The logarithmic and exponential function generator for analog signal processing is implemented with CMOS circuits operating in current mode and includes current mirrors connected to a square root function circuit and two current amplifiers. A third current amplifier utilizes a constant current input. The outputs of the current amplifiers are combined to provide the logarithmic and exponential functions.
US09483663B2 Countermeasure method for protecting stored data
A method of read or write access by an electronic component of data, including generating a first secret key for a first data of an ordered list of data to access, and for each data of the list, following the first data, generating a distinct secret key by means of a deterministic function applied to a secret key generated for a previous data of the list, and the application of a cryptographic operation to each data to be read or to be written of the list, carried out by using the secret key generated for the data.
US09483662B2 Method and apparatus for remotely provisioning software-based security coprocessors
A virtual security coprocessor is created in a first processing system. The virtual security coprocessor is then transferred to a second processing system, for use by the second processing system. For instance, the second processing system may use the virtual security coprocessor to provide attestation for the second processing system. In an alternative embodiment, a virtual security coprocessor from a first processing system is received at a second processing system. After receiving the virtual security coprocessor from the first processing system, the second processing system uses the virtual security coprocessor. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09483658B2 Display device
A method of operating a display device, such as a tablet device, comprises displaying a plurality of covers corresponding to respective different data items, such as financial information, and selecting at least one cover and displaying the corresponding data item or data items.
US09483657B2 Secure online distributed data storage services
The data vaporizer provides secure online distributed data storage services that securely store and retrieve data in a public distributed storage substrate such as public cloud. The data vaporizer vaporizes (e.g., fragmented into tiny chunks of configurable sizes) data and distributes the fragments to multiple storage nodes so that the data is not vulnerable to local disk failures, secures data so that even if some of the storage nodes are compromised, the data is undecipherable to the attacker, stores data across multiple cloud storage providers and/or parties using keys (e.g., tokens) provided by multiple parties (including the owners of the data) and maintains data confidentiality and integrity even where one or more data storage provider is compromised. The data vaporizer is configurable for different domain requirements including data privacy and anonymization requirements, encryption mechanisms, regulatory compliance of storage locations, and backup and recovery constraints.
US09483649B2 Image processing device, image processing system, image processing method, and program
There is provided an image processing device including a photographic subject position acquisition unit that acquires position information of a photographic subject corresponding to a person image included in a photographic image, a transmission unit that transmits the position information of the photographic subject to an information processing device that compares the position information of the photographic subject with position information of a communication terminal transmitted from the communication terminal, and a determination unit that determines whether a process of protecting the person image is performed based on information according to a result of the comparison received from the information processing device.
US09483646B2 Data exfiltration prevention from mobile platforms
Technology is disclosed for preventing an exfiltration of a data associated with an application executing on a mobile device. The technology can migrate the application from a computing platform of the mobile device to a secure computing platform, where the secure computing platform is independent of the computing platform of the mobile device. The technology can further receive a request to access the application through the mobile device, execute the requested application on the secure computing platform, and provide an access to the requested application executing on the secure computing platform through the mobile device. The access provided through the mobile device includes displaying information on the mobile device, where the displayed information includes data generated by the execution of requested application on the secure platform.
US09483641B2 Method and device for the performance of a function by a microcircuit
A method for the performance of a function by a microcircuit, includes:at least one step of determining (205) whether an anomaly is detected or whether the operation of the microcircuit is normal;when it is determined that an anomaly is detected, a step of performing (210) a protection function;when it is determined that the operation of the microcircuit is normal, a step of performing (215) a decoy function simulating the protection function by being perceptible, from the outside of the microcircuit, in a manner more or less identical to the protection function;the method being characterized in that it includes an interruption (250) of the performance of the decoy function by a timer.
US09483640B2 System and method for deterring malicious network attacks
A system and method for deterring malicious network attacks. The system and method is configured to execute instructions on at least one of the processors to generate a plurality of random blocks of data; generate a first XOR result by using the XOR function with the plurality of random blocks of data as the XOR function inputs; generate a tail value by using the XOR function with the first XOR result and a random encryption key as the XOR function inputs; encrypt a designated file using the random encryption key; write the plurality of random blocks and tail value to at least one storage medium; and write the encrypted designated file to at least one storage medium.
US09483636B2 Runtime application integrity protection
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are described for checking the integrity of applications installed on a computing device and preventing the launch of applications that appear to have been tampered with or modified. In accordance with embodiments, the content of an application is validated at the time the application is to be launched, but before the launch has actually occurred. In accordance with additional embodiments, integrity protection can also be extended to content that is generated by an application (e.g., documents or other files generated by the application), thereby enabling applications to write their own files and data with the same degree of integrity protection.
US09483630B2 Information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same and storage medium
An information processing apparatus, a method of controlling the same, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The information processing apparatus comprises management unit configured to manage a login application at least having both a login screen display function and a user authentication function. The apparatus, in a case where a plug-in module, having one function out of the login screen display function and the user authentication function, is added to the information processing apparatus, enables the function of the plug-in module, and enables the function of the login application other than the function of the plug-in module.
US09483621B2 Ambulatory medication on demand dispenser
A medication dispenser. The dispenser comprises a sensor for receiving biometric information from a user, a memory for storing a minimum dosing interval, a controller for determining whether the user is an authorized user, a belt having medication-carrying slots, a dose opening defined in an exterior surface of the dispenser, and a signaling device. The controller activates the signaling device and the sensor only when the minimum dosing interval has elapsed as measured from a last successful user authentication. The sensor is responsive to user biometric information provided any time after activation of the signaling device and the sensor, but not before activation of the signaling device and the sensor. After determining the use is an authorized user, a medication-carrying slot is aligned with the dose opening.
US09483617B2 System and method for evaluating laser treatment
Provided is a system and method for evaluating laser treatment, for converting the attribute of a laser beam and numerically evaluating proficiency of a laser treatment operator by processing data obtained by photographing the converted laser beam so as to use the evaluated data as training data. The laser treatment evaluating system includes an attenuation unit for attenuating intensity of a laser beam transmitted through a transmissive plate, a camera for photographing the laser beam transmitted through the attenuation unit, and an image data processing apparatus connected to the camera, for processing an image captured by the camera, tracking a trajectory of a laser beam on the transmissive plate, and calculating a distribution state of spots on which the laser beam on the transmissive plate is emitted.
US09483613B2 Determination of neuropsychiatric therapy mechanisms of action
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product of determining mechanisms of action for therapies. A first set of brain scans for each subject in a plurality of subjects generated at a first time period and a second set of brain scans for each subject generated at a second time period are received. Each subject is diagnosed with a given condition and received a given therapy. A set of changes in the set of brain scans is identified for the each subject based on a comparison of a first set of regions of interest in the first set of scans for each subject with a second set of regions of interest in the second set of scans for each subject. A set of typical changes attributable to the given therapy is identified. A mechanism of action for the given therapy is generated based on the set of typical changes.
US09483612B2 CHD risk stratification evaluations for subjects with high levels of large HDL-P
Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods, systems and computer programs that provide improved risk stratification for people having elevated large HDL-P using at least one defined HDL risk interaction parameter.
US09483602B2 Method and system for identifying rare-event failure rates
A method and system to estimate failure rates in designs. N Monte Carlo samples are drawn from the random distribution that describes process variation in the design. A subset of these samples is selected, and that subset of Ninit samples are simulated (with a circuit simulator) to measure a performance value for each sample. A model is constructed, using the values of the Ninit process points as training inputs, and the corresponding Ninit performance values as training outputs. The candidate Monte Carlo samples are from the N Monte Carlo samples that have not yet been simulated. Each candidate is simulated on the model to get predicted performance values, and the samples are ordered in ascending (or descending) order of the predicted performance values. Simulation of candidates samples is then begun, in that order. The sampling and simulation will stops once there is sufficient confidence that all failures are found.
US09483601B2 Circuit routing based on total negative slack
A method, executed by a computer, for routing a circuit includes partitioning a netlist for a circuit into a plurality of nets, determining, for each net of the plurality of nets, a corresponding net cone to provide a corresponding plurality of net cones, computing a total negative timing slack for each net cone of the corresponding plurality of net cones, assigning routing constraints for the plurality of nets according to the total negative timing slack for the corresponding plurality of net cones, and routing the netlist according to the routing constraints. Examples of routing constraints include a routing priority, a routing weight, a scenic ratio, a wire code assignment, and a layer assignment. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed herein.
US09483600B2 Multi supply cell arrays for low power designs
A MOS device includes a number of standard cells configured to reduce routing congestions while providing area savings on the MOS device. The standard cells may be single height standard cells that share an n-type well isolated from other nearby n-type wells. The input and output signal pins of the single height standard cells may be configured in a lowest possible metal layer (e.g., M1), while the secondary power pins of the single height standard cells may be configured in a higher metal layer (e.g., M2). Interconnects supplying power to secondary power pins may be configured along vertical tracks and shared among different sets of standard cells, which may reduce the number of vertical tracks used in the MOS device. The number of available horizontal routing tracks in the MOS device may remain unaffected, since the horizontal tracks already used by the primary power/ground mesh are used for power connection.
US09483595B2 Method for scalable liveness verification via abstraction refinement
Liveness verification of a logic design is performed using various shadow abstraction refinement techniques. An initial subset of state elements are included in the shadow abstraction, and verification is performed (liveness-to-safety conversion) using this initial subset. If a liveness counterexample is detected, the shadow abstraction is refined by designating a second subset of the state elements different from the initial subset for inclusion in a refined abstraction. The initial subset can be designated by choosing all registers in a combinational fan-in of a liveness property of the design. High-performance algorithms for abstract liveness-to-safety conversion can be based upon simulation and counterexample refinement, bounded model checking and counterexample refinement, bounded model checking and proof-based refinement, proofs obtained during bounded model checking of a precise liveness checking problem, a hybrid of counterexample-based refinement and proof analysis, and proofs obtained.
US09483591B1 Assuring chip reliability with automatic generation of drivers and assertions
A computer-implemented method may include retrieving a design netlist with a processor, identifying, via the processor, a logic structure in the design netlist, generating, via the processor, a driver based on the logic structure, applying, via the processor, a simulation and a formal model based on the driver, and testing, via the processor, an output of the simulation and the formal model.
US09483587B2 Master bill of materials creation
Master BOM creation may include extracting BOM data from first and second BOMs, and determining which BOM extracted data is greater. If the first or second BOM is a CAD BOM and the other BOM is a non-CAD BOM, the CAD BOM and non-CAD BOMs may be respectively used as a first and a second source BOM data for a master BOM table. If the first and second BOMs are non-CAD BOMs, or both of the first and second BOMs are CAD BOMs, the greater and lesser of the first and second BOM extracted data may be respectively used as the first and as the second source BOM data. A master BOM may be created based on mapping of the master BOM table to the second source BOM data.
US09483586B2 Modeling and designing of well drilling system that accounts for vibrations
A method and apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons is disclosed. The method, which relates to modeling of drilling equipment, includes constructing one or more design configurations for at least a portion of a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and calculating results from each of the one or more design configurations. The calculated results of the modeling may include one or more performance indices that characterize the BHA vibration performance of the design configurations for operating parameters and boundary conditions that are substantially the same or may be different. These results are then simultaneously displayed for a user to facilitate design selection. The selected BHA design configuration may then be utilized in a well construction operation and thus associated with the production of hydrocarbons.
US09483585B2 Designing a staggered pattern of objects in a computer-aided design system
It is proposed a computer-implemented method for designing a staggered pattern of objects in a computer-aided design system, the method comprising the steps of: providing a reference object to be multi-instantiated; instantiating objects from the reference object for forming a grid with a number of rows and a number of columns, the grid being formed so that the rows are spaced from each other with a first distance in a first direction and each column being spaced from each other with a second distance in a second direction; shifting, in one of every two rows of the grid, the instantiated objects of all the columns of said one of every two rows of the grid with a third distance in the second direction.
US09483584B2 Collaboration within a visualization application
In a method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable device having instructions for collaboration within a visualization application, a visualization application is used to display a visualization for at least a portion of an object, wherein the object comprises a plurality of parts, a request is received to display collaboration data for a part of the object using the input device, information is received about a part, wherein the information comprises details about the part, an association between collaboration data and visualization data for a part of an object is retrieved and the collaboration data comprises data input by one or more to be associated with the part of the object, and information is displayed about a part and collaboration data associated with the visualization for the part of the object.
US09483583B2 Syslog parser
A computerized method performed in a computer operatively connected to storage. Parsing rules are determined for parsing logs output as text and/or symbols from multiple devices in a computer network. The logs are stored in the storage. Multiple log samples are sampled from the logs. The log samples are input into an application running on the computer. The log samples are each sectioned into multiple sections which include variable information separated by static structural text. Each of the log samples is processed by: comparing the sections to a list of regular expressions. The list is maintained in the storage, and upon matching a matched section of the sections to a matched regular expression from the list of the regular expressions, the matched section is tagged with a tag associated with the matched regular expression. The tag associated to the matched regular expression is stored and combined with any unmatched sections and with the static structural text to create a log pattern. The log pattern is stored in a table only if the log pattern is distinct from all log patterns previously stored in the table.
US09483580B2 Estimation of closeness of topics based on graph analytics
Embodiments relate to estimating closeness of topics based on graph analytics. A graph that includes a plurality of nodes and edges is accessed. Each node in the graph represents a topic and each edge represents a known association between two topics. A statistical traversal experiment is performed on the graph. A strength of relations between any two topics represented by nodes in the graph is inferred based on statistics extracted from the statistical traversal experiment.
US09483579B2 Method, system and computer program for adding content to a data container
There is described a system for adding content to a data container, the data container comprising one or more segments arranged in a sequence, each segment containing payload data and wherein at least one of the one or more segments is compressed. The system comprises parsing through at least a portion of the data container so as to determine at least one of a beginning and an end of the sequence of segments; and adding content to the data container at the at least one of the beginning and the end of the sequence of segments, while the at least one of the segments remains compressed.
US09483547B1 Clustering and display of recipes
Recipes are hierarchically clustered into groups based on features of the recipes. Candidate clusters with a threshold number of clustered recipes having at least one feature in common are found by traversing the hierarchy. A plurality of clusters is selected for display to a user from among the candidates based on an objective function that considers the relevancy of the cluster as well as diversity of the clusters. A plurality of recipes within each selected cluster is selected for display to a user from among the recipes within the cluster based on an objective function that considers the quality of the recipe as well as the diversity of the recipes within the cluster. At least one feature that all of the recipes in a respective cluster have in common is used to generate a name for the cluster.
US09483546B2 System and method for associating related records to common entities across multiple lists
Computer implemented systems and methods are disclosed for associating records across lists, wherein the lists include a plurality of records and the plurality of records is associated with a respective entity. In accordance with some embodiments, the systems and methods further comprise grouping one or more records from a first list into a first group based on fields of the records in the first list, grouping one or more records from a second list into a second group based on fields of the records in the second list, pairing a record from the first group with a record from the second group, assessing each pair of records based on an evaluation of the respective pair according to fields of the pair, and associating records from the first group and records of the second group with an entity based on the assessment.
US09483545B2 Grouping data in a database
According to embodiments of the present invention, two or more attributes that are included in a plurality of attributes are aggregated into a group defined by a first data definition language syntax. The first data definition language syntax defines the group as having a groupID and one or more of an attribute definition defined in a comma-separated list and a group definition. The attribute definition is defined by a second data definition syntax. The first data definition language syntax includes the second data definition language syntax. The first data definition language syntax is structured in a manner to allow a database operation associated with the group to be applied to all attributes and/or groups included therein.
US09483544B2 Systems and methods for calculating category proportions
Systems and methods are provided for classifying text based on language using one or more computer servers and storage devices. A computer-implemented method includes receiving a training set of elements, each element in the training set being assigned to one of a plurality of categories and having one of a plurality of content profiles associated therewith; receiving a population set of elements, each element in the population set having one of the plurality of content profiles associated therewith; and calculating using at least one of a stacked regression algorithm, a bias formula algorithm, a noise elimination algorithm, and an ensemble method consisting of a plurality of algorithmic methods the results of which are averaged, based on the content profiles associated with and the categories assigned to elements in the training set and the content profiles associated with the elements of the population set, a distribution of elements of the population set over the categories.
US09483541B2 Initialization protocol for a peer-to-peer replication environment
Techniques for initializing a connection in a peer-to-peer database replication environment. A message is received from an initiator node, indicating that the initiator node will begin replicating changes made to a particular data entity. One or more replicated changes relating to the database entity are received from the initiator node. If an updated instance of the data entity does not currently exist on a target node then one or more load operations are performed to create the updated instance. The stored replicated changes may then be processed against the updated instance of the database entity.
US09483527B2 System and method for decision reasoning
A method for decision reasoning, the method comprising using at least one hardware processor to: provide a database comprising decisions, questions and reasons; receive, from a user, a selection of a decision being part of said decisions; retrieve, from said database, relevant questions out of said questions, wherein said relevant questions are associated, within said database, with said decision received from the user; receive, from the user, answers to at least some of said relevant questions; process said answers so as to retrieve, from said database, one or more relevant reasons out of said reasons; and display said one or more relevant reasons to the user.
US09483523B2 Information processing apparatus, distributed processing system, and distributed processing method
An information processing apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives an access request for data from one of a plurality of information processing apparatuses in a distributed processing system in which the information processing apparatuses execute a process in a distributed manner, a query issuing unit that issues, when the access request for the data is received by the receiving unit, a query to each of the information processing apparatuses as to whether the data is stored in a page cache managed by an operating system on each of the information processing apparatuses, and a responding unit that makes a response to the access request, the response specifying, as an access destination, an information processing apparatus that has responded to the query issued by the query issuing unit.
US09483513B2 Storing large objects on disk and not in main memory of an in-memory database system
A method, computer program product and system are provided. The method, computer program product and system execute a process for determining a size of an object, the object having raw data that is operable upon by one or more physical operators. If the object is smaller than a threshold size, the object is stored in main memory of an in-memory database system. If the object is equal to or larger than the threshold size, the object is stored in a persistency of a disk storage, where storing the object in a disk storage further includes generating a global container identifier (ID) for the object, the global container ID referencing raw data of the object stored in the persistency of the disk storage.
US09483511B2 Stubbing systems and methods in a data replication environment
Stubbing systems and methods are provided for intelligent data management in a replication environment, such as by reducing the space occupied by replication data on a destination system. In certain examples, stub files or like objects replace migrated, de-duplicated or otherwise copied data that has been moved from the destination system to secondary storage. Access is further provided to the replication data in a manner that is transparent to the user and/or without substantially impacting the base replication process. In order to distinguish stub files representing migrated replication data from replicated stub files, priority tags or like identifiers can be used. Thus, when accessing a stub file on the destination system, such as to modify replication data or perform a restore process, the tagged stub files can be used to recall archived data prior to performing the requested operation so that an accurate copy of the source data is generated.
US09483505B2 Versioning for configurations of reusable artifacts
Arrangements described herein relate to versioning configurations of reusable artifacts. An artifact baseline corresponding to the present version of a first artifact can be created. Responsive to creating that artifact baseline, the present version of the first artifact, and present versions of children artifacts of the present version of the first artifact, are made immutable. Responsive to identifying a change to the present version of the first artifact, a new version of the first artifact can be automatically created, wherein the new version of the first artifact is mutable.
US09483504B2 System and method for application aware de-duplication of data blocks in a virtualized storage array
A system and method for application aware de-duplication of data blocks in a virtualized storage array is disclosed. In one embodiment, in a method of de-duplication of data, a master list of metadata is created based on a number of occurrences of data blocks within a storage array. A first sublist of metadata is created from the master list of metadata. The first sublist of metadata is provided to a first component of a networked storage system. It is determined whether the data block being written has a corresponding entry in the master list of metadata based on a determination that a data block being written does not have any corresponding entry in the first sublist of metadata. The data block being written is replaced with a pointer based on a determination that the data block being written has a corresponding entry in the master list of metadata.
US09483498B2 Apparatus and method for profiling users
Provided is a process of profiling a user of a mobile computing device, the process including: obtaining a location history of a user, the location history being based on signals from a mobile computing device of the user; obtaining a location-attribute score of a location identified in, or inferred from, the location history; determining, with a computer, a user-attribute score based on the location-attribute score; and storing the user-attribute score in a user-profile datastore.
US09483495B1 Selecting photographs for a destination or point of interest
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for computerized travel services. One of the methods includes identifying photographs using an index of photographs, the photographs being identified from the index as photographs geographically related to a point of interest or destination and having a creation timestamp corresponding to a time of the year; determining for each of the photographs, a relevancy score based at least in part on: selection success data of the photograph for image queries referring to the point of interest or destination, and references to the point of interest or destination in documents associated with the photograph; and selecting a selected photograph from the photographs based at least in part on a respective visual quality score and the respective relevancy scores, the visual quality score representing a degree of visual quality of the respective photographs.
US09483493B2 Method and system for accessing a distributed file system
A method and system for accessing an HDFS is disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of providing access to an HDFS includes: at an interface server having one or more processors and memory: maintaining a respective connection pool comprising a respective plurality of persistent connections to the HDFS; receiving respective access requests from a plurality of accessing devices to access the HDFS; creating a corresponding Hadoop operation for each of the respective access requests received from the plurality of accessing devices; and executing the corresponding Hadoop operation created for each of the respective access requests through a respective set of persistent connections selected from the respective connection pool maintained by the interface server.
US09483492B2 Terminal and method for providing application-related data
A method for providing application-related data includes connecting a mobile terminal and a device, determining an object displayed on the mobile terminal, determining a data file associated with the object, and controlling the data file associated with the object to be accessible by the connected device and controlling information of the data file to be displayed on a display of the connected device according to the determination of the object. A terminal that provides application-related data includes a connection unit connecting the terminal and another device to each other; and a synchronization unit, when the connection unit is connected to the another device, synchronizing related data of an application that is in the middle of execution in the terminal or an application selected by a user after the connection with the another device.
US09483486B1 Data encryption for a segment-based single instance file storage system
Various embodiments of a system and method for backing up a plurality of copies of a file are described. A first copy of the file may be owned by a first user, and a second copy of the file may be owned by a second user. The file is split into a plurality of segments, and each segment is encrypted with a respective segment key. Each encrypted segment is transmitted to and stored on a server computer system. De-duplication techniques are used to ensure that only a single instance of each encrypted segment is stored. The segment keys used to encrypt the file segments are also stored on the server computer system in an encrypted form. De-duplication techniques may be utilized so that only a single instance of the encrypted segment keys is stored.
US09483484B1 Techniques for deduplicated data access statistics management
Techniques for data access statistics management are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for data access statistics management comprising determining that a portion of data has been deduplicated, and modifying access statistics of the portion of data for each reference to the portion of data.
US09483479B2 Main-memory based conceptual framework for file storage and fast data retrieval
A conceptual framework is built including a conceptual hierarchy, a containment hierarchy, and concept relationships. The concepts created in the conceptual framework are associated with resources located on the local file system. The resources are stored in the conceptual framework that is stored in the main memory of the system. Thus, search capabilities based on complex multivariate queries involving relationships and multiple conditions between concepts are provided. The conceptual framework is based on an in-memory engine that enables superfast resource access, reduced file storage redundancy, reduced updating errors, increased consistency, greater data integrity and independence from application level programs, query based concept and file access.
US09483478B2 Lightweight mounting of a secondary copy of file system data
A data storage system allows a user to search a secondary copy such as a back up, archive, or snapshot and receive an abbreviated version of the secondary copy of the file system as a result of the search. The abbreviated version of the secondary copy of the file system may include metadata such as a listing of secondary copy data that correspond with a search term or other filtering criteria provided by the user. An operating system of the user's computing device may mount the abbreviated version so that it can be displayed within a view of the file system of the computing device. Once a user selects one or more desired data objects listed in the abbreviated version, the selected actual one or more data objects are retrieved from secondary storage.
US09483466B2 Translation system and method
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method comprising receiving an input as part of a translation request from a requestor, performing a first translation of the input; wherein the first translation is a machine translation, returning the first translation to the requestor; and based on feedback on the first translation from the requestor performing the following (a) fragmenting the input into multiple translation jobs, (b) distributing the multiple translation jobs to a plurality of human translators; (c) generating a second translation of the input based on translations of the multiple jobs by the human translators; and (d) returning the second translation to the requestor.
US09483462B2 Generating training data for disambiguation
A method for generating training data for disambiguation of an entity comprising a word or word string related to a topic to be analyzed includes acquiring sent messages by a user, each including at least one entity in a set of entities; organizing the messages and acquiring sets, each containing messages sent by each user; identifying a set of messages including different entities, greater than or equal to a first threshold value, and identifying a user corresponding to the identified set as a hot user; receiving an instruction indicating an object entity to be disambiguated; determining a likelihood of co-occurrence of each keyword and the object entity in sets of messages sent by hot users; and determining training data for the object entity on the basis of the likelihood of co-occurrence of each keyword and the object entity in the sets of messages sent by the hot users.
US09483460B2 Automated formation of specialized dictionaries
A document analysis system analyzes a corpus of documents and automatically generates a dictionary of specialized phrases not already in conventional dictionaries. The dictionary generation process involves a series of operations on the phrases to identify the phrases most suitable for inclusion in a dictionary, such as phrase scoring and phrase clustering. The dictionary generation process also comprises the identification of one or more corresponding definitions for the various phrases identified for inclusion in the specialized dictionary.
US09483457B2 Method for logical organization of worksheets
According to one embodiment of the present invention, methods, systems and computer-readable media of accessing data within a spreadsheet are provided. A set of attributes is assigned to each worksheet of a plurality of worksheets within the spreadsheet. One or more worksheets may be identified by comparing the set of attributes for each worksheet to one or more attributes specified within a request for data, and the identified worksheets may be displayed.
US09483456B2 Grid data management
Systems and methods are provided for managing data in a grid. In one example approach, a method comprises importing data from a data source to a range of cells in a grid, where the range of cells is specified by a notation input associated with the grid, and where the notation input includes a key specifying the data source and security information associated with the data source.
US09483442B2 Matrix operation apparatus
According to an embodiment, a matrix operation apparatus executing a matrix operation includes multiple nodes, the nodes including: a multiplier configured to perform a first operation for a first input, which is column data and a second input which is row data for the matrix operation and output element components of an operation result of the matrix operation; and an accumulator configured to perform cumulative addition of operation results of the multiplier.
US09483441B2 Quality control system
In a clinical laboratory, the degree of contamination of an automatic analyzer may constantly change due, for instance, to the operation of the automatic analyzer and newly added examinations, and there is a risk of failure to adequately maintain the performance of the automatic analyzer by performing calibration at conventional intervals. Meanwhile, the result of quality control varies depending on the performance of an unsealed reagent. Hence, performing calibration at predetermined intervals may fail to flexibly calibrate the reagent when the performance of the reagent is changed by reagent replenishment or by contamination. Provided is a quality control method for issuing a warning to indicate an optimum calibration method and calibration intervals in accordance with the contents of a quality control screen and with the pattern of variation in the result of calibration.
US09483440B2 Method and system for dispersion measurements
A method for determining a size or shape related parameter of an effective observation volume for an observation technique for particles undergoing at least partially stochastic motion in a dispersion is based on a time-series of observations. The method involves determining one or more time-dependent characteristics of the dispersion or its particles based on the time-series of observations, determining at least one stochastic motion-related parameter representative for the at least partially stochastic motion of at least one particle in the dispersion, and determining a size or shape related parameter of the effective observation volume by modeling of the at least partially stochastic motion of the particle movement in the dispersion, the modeling taking into account the at least one stochastic motion-related parameter and the determined one or more characteristics.
US09483439B2 Picoengine multi-processor with power control management
A general purpose PicoEngine Multi-Processor (PEMP) includes a hierarchically organized pool of small specialized picoengine processors and associated memories. A stream of data input values is received onto the PEMP. Each input data value is characterized, and from the characterization a task is determined. Picoengines are selected in a sequence. When the next picoengine in the sequence is available, it is then given the input data value along with an associated task assignment. The picoengine then performs the task. An output picoengine selector selects picoengines in the same sequence. If the next picoengine indicates that it has completed its assigned task, then the output value from the selected picoengine is output from the PEMP. By changing the sequence used, more or less of the processing power and memory resources of the pool is brought to bear on the incoming data stream. The PEMP automatically disables unused picoengines and memories.
US09483438B2 Apparatus and method for controlling the number of vector elements written to a data store while performing speculative vector write operations
A data processing apparatus and method for performing speculative vector access operations are provided. The data processing apparatus has a reconfigurable buffer accessible to vector data access circuitry and comprising a storage array for storing up to M vectors of N vectors elements. The vector data access circuitry performs speculative data write operations in order to cause vector elements from selected vector operands in a vector register bank to be stored into the reconfigurable buffer. On occurrence of a commit condition, the vector elements currently stored in the reconfigurable buffer are then written to a data store. Speculation control circuitry maintains a speculation width indication indicating the number of vector elements of each selected vector operand stored in the reconfigurable buffer. The speculation width indication is initialized to an initial value, but on detection of an overflow condition within the reconfigurable buffer the speculation width indication is modified to reduce the number of vector elements of each selected vector operand stored in the reconfigurable buffer. The reconfigurable buffer then responds to a change in the speculation width indication by reconfiguring the storage array to increase the number of vectors M and reduce the number of vector elements N per vector. This provides an efficient mechanism for supporting performance of speculative data write operations.
US09483425B2 Memory including a band width conversion unit, memory system and memory control method using the same
A memory includes a buffer which retains data, a band conversion unit converts a band of an internal data bus that is used for data transfer between the band conversion unit and the buffer which retains data into a band wider than that of an external data bus that is used for data transfer between the band conversion unit and a memory controller, and an access control unit controls access to a memory cell using the buffer, during a wait time occurring in the internal data bus due to a difference between the band of the internal data bus and the band of the external data bus.
US09483423B2 Techniques for assigning priorities to memory copies
One embodiment sets forth a method for guiding the order in which a parallel processing subsystem executes memory copies. A driver creates semaphores for all but the lowest priority included in a plurality of priorities and associates one priority with each copy hardware channel included in the parallel processing subsystem. The driver then aliases prioritized streams to the copy hardware channels based on the priorities. Upon receiving a request to execute a memory copy within one of the streams, the driver inserts commands into the aliased copy hardware channel. These commands use the semaphores to direct the parallel processing subsystem to execute the memory copy based on the priority of the copy hardware channel. Advantageously, by assigning priorities to streams and, subsequently, strategically requesting memory copies within the prioritized streams, an application developer may fine-tune their software application to increase the overall processing efficiency of the software application.
US09483414B2 Ordered memory pages transmission in virtual machine live migration
Systems and methods for virtual machine live migration. An example method may comprise: identifying, by a first computer system executing a virtual machine undergoing live migration to a second computer system, a plurality of stable memory pages comprised by an execution state of the virtual machine, wherein the plurality of stable memory pages comprises memory pages that have not been modified within a defined period of time; transmitting the plurality of stable memory pages to the second computer system; determining that an amount of memory comprised by a plurality of unstable memory pages is below a threshold value, wherein the plurality of unstable memory pages comprises memory pages that have been modified within the defined period of time; and transmitting the plurality of unstable memory pages to the second computer system.
US09483412B2 Method and apparatus for reformatting page table entries for cache storage
A device for and method of storing page table entries in a first cache. A first page table entry is received having a fragment field that contains address information for a requested first page and at least a second page logically adjacent to the first page. A second page table entry is generated from the first page table entry to be stored with the first page table entry. The second page table entry provides address information for the second page. The second page table entry has a configuration that is compatible with the first cache.
US09483410B1 Utilization based multi-buffer dynamic adjustment management
Provided are techniques for utilization based multi-buffer dynamic adjustment management. A sub-buffer is assigned to each entity of multiple entities. A percentage utilization is determined for each entity. Based on the percentage utilization, for each sub-buffer assigned to each entity, one of one of allocating at least one random data segment from a free list of data segments and removing at least one data segment to change a size of the sub-buffer is performed.
US09483393B1 Discovering optimized experience configurations for a software application
Technologies are described herein for performing experiments on a software application and identifying optimized experience configurations for the software application. An application experiment system receives an experiment configuration from a developer of the software application. Based on the experiment configuration, the application experiment system determines an experiment strategy and generates a set of experience configurations for testing. Users available to participate in the experiment are identified, and the set of experience configurations are allocated to user computing devices associated with the available users to configure instances of the software application executing on the user computing devices. Experiment data related to the execution of the instances of the software application are collected and analyzed by the application experiment system to identify the optimized experience configuration for the software application.
US09483388B2 Discovery of application states
Some aspects of the disclosure provide a method comprising obtaining machine executable code of an application, the application operable to achieve a set of application states, pre-processing the machine executable code to generate reviewable code, identifying, from the reviewable code, a set of state access instructions configured to invoke or assist in invoking one of the set of application states of the application, the set of state access instructions indicating a first state access instruction configured to invoke a first state of the set of application states and a second state access instruction configured to invoke a second state of the set of application states that is different from the first state, each of the set of state access instructions including an application resource identifier referencing an application and indicating an operation for the application to perform, and storing the set of state access instructions.
US09483385B2 Method, program, and system for generating test cases
To provide a technique for generating, at a high speed, a smaller-sized set that satisfies an intended property such as, for example, being pair-wise, and includes many test cases that match a set of existing test cases given as an input, candidates to be used from a set of existing input test cases are determined in the following manner: for some parameters, values to be held by test case candidates are determined; test cases having the determined values, among those included in the set of input test cases, are selected as the candidates. A test case having the highest score among one or more test case candidates generated with the method of the related art and one or more test case candidates selected from the set of input test cases is added to a set of output test cases.
US09483384B2 Generation of software test code
A method may include detecting a change in a user repository that includes product code and test code. The product code and the test code may correspond to a software program. The change in the user repository may include a change in the product code with a corresponding changed portion of the product code. The method may also include generating, by a test tool, a test code update for the test code. The test code update may be generated based on detecting the change in the user repository and based on the changed portion of the product code. The method may further include communicating a pull request that requests that the user repository add the test code update to the user-managed repository.
US09483383B2 Injecting faults at select execution points of distributed applications
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for injecting faults at select execution points of distributed applications are provided herein. A method includes monitoring a run-time state of each of multiple components of a distributed application to determine one or more sequence of events that triggers a fault injection point at one of the multiple components; defining a fault injection scenario in a specification based on said monitoring, wherein said fault injection scenario comprises a description of one or more sequence of events during which an intended fault is to be injected to a target component of the multiple components at one selected event; and executing the fault injection defined in the specification to perform injection of the intended fault during run-time of the distributed application.
US09483381B2 Obfuscating debugging filenames
An information handling system, method, and computer-readable media for obfuscating debugging filenames during a software build are described. The system comprises one or more processors, a memory, and one or more program modules stored on the memory and executable by the one or more processors. The one or more program modules compile a source code file of a plurality of source code files into a program, generate a debugging file including debugging information for the program, utilize a one-way deterministic function to generate an obfuscated filename for the debugging file, and include a link to the debugging file in the program, the link including the obfuscated filename.
US09483380B2 Parameterized states in symbolic execution for software testing
Methods and systems for symbolic execution of software under test include the use of parametric states to losslessly represent a group of concrete execution states. Mathematical abstractions may represent differences between execution states and may define a parametric constraint for a parametric state. The parametric states may be usable for symbolic execution to reduce an amount of memory resources consumed and/or reduce a computational load during symbolic execution. Using parametric states, a larger state space and more program behaviors may be testable using symbolic execution.
US09483367B1 Data recovery in distributed storage environments
Various systems and methods for determining whether a distributed storage cluster is operating with a last failure domain are disclosed. The last failure domain is the only node with access to a latest copy of configuration data and an up-to-date copy of application data. In response to a determination that the distributed storage cluster is operating with the last failure domain, the method causes the last failure domain to copy one or more changed blocks of the up-to-date copy of the application data from one or more mirrored volumes to a recovery server for storage.
US09483365B2 Methods and apparatus for multi-source restore
Methods and apparatus that restore a resource from a first source and a second source to a device are described. Availability of the resource from a second source may be dynamically determined after a portion of the resource has been restored to the device from the first source. If the second source is determined to be more efficiently connected with the device than the first source, a remaining portion of the resource may be restored from the second source to the device after the portion of the resource has been restored to the device.
US09483360B1 Guest-driven virtual machine backups
A system and methods are disclosed for performing virtual machine (VM) backups. In accordance with one embodiment, a hypervisor executed by a processing device suspends execution of a VM and initiates a backup procedure to save a current state of the VM. The hypervisor reads a value of a flag that is written to by the VM and is stored in a portion of memory accessible by the VM and the hypervisor. In response to determining that the value read by the hypervisor equals a first value, the hypervisor resumes execution of the VM prior to receiving a status message regarding the backup procedure. In response to determining that the value read by the hypervisor equals a second value, the hypervisor waits to resume execution of the VM until the hypervisor has received a status message indicating that the backup procedure was successful.
US09483359B2 Systems and methods for on-line backup and disaster recovery with local copy
Systems and methods are disclosed for rapidly restoring client data set for a computer by storing the client data and one or more pat sets required to revert to one or more version of the client data on a remote server; storing a local copy of the replicated client data on a local data storage device coupled to the computer; receiving a request to revert to a predetermined version of the client data; using the local copy as a seed, receiving a patch set corresponding to a predetermined version; and updating the local copy using the patch set to generated the predetermined version.
US09483356B2 Heuristic journal reservations
Example apparatus and methods reserve space in a journal using an observation based approach instead of a fixed sized approach or a worst case scenario approach. One example method receives a request to allocate space in a journal to support a file system transaction. The example method reserves an amount of space in the journal based on a pre-existing reservation size estimate. Unlike conventional systems, the estimate is not based on a worst-case scenario. The example method observes the actual amount of storage used in the journal by the file system transaction and then selectively automatically adjusts the pre-existing reservation size estimate. The estimate may slowly shrink if no overflows are encountered but may quickly grow if an overflow is detected.
US09483355B1 Tracking copy sessions
Maintaining a set of extents corresponding to a portion of an initial logical volume that is to be copied includes initializing a table having entries corresponding to different portions of the initial logical volume, where each of the entries is initialized with a first value, following initializing the table, providing a second value different from the first value to an entry in the table corresponding to a portion of the initial logical volume to which a write operation is performed and establishing the set of extents, where the first value is provided to entries in the table that correspond to portions of the initial logical device indicated by the extents. Data of the initial logical volume corresponding to the set of extents may be copied to at least one other logical volume.
US09483353B2 Terminal device for database operations
Provided in one embodiment of the present invention is a computer system including a database server and a terminal device for communicating with the database server; the said database server retaining a database; and the terminal device including: an interface for receiving data, which is stored in the database retained in the database server, via a communication network; a buffer for storing the data received by the interface in order to display the data in a window which is to be displayed on a display device; and a controller for starting saving the data, which is stored into the buffer, in a file at a time interval, with the window being displayed on the display device being as a trigger.
US09483352B2 Process control systems and methods
Process control system and methods are disclosed. An example method includes operating a first cluster including first virtual machines and first servers and operating a second cluster including second virtual machines and second servers. The example method also includes storing first data from the first virtual machines at a first data store of the first cluster and storing a replica of the first data at a second data store of the second cluster. The example method also includes storing second data from the second virtual machines at the second data store and storing a replica of the second data at the first data store and identifying a failure of the first cluster. The method also includes, in response to the failure, restarting the first virtual machines using the second servers and the replica of the first data at the second data store.
US09483344B2 System, method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing mobile device support services
A method is provided for providing mobile device support services. The method may include monitoring a mobile device status. The method may additionally include performing device diagnostics based at least in part on captured deice status data to identify potential faults that may affect mobile device functionality. A corresponding system, apparatus, and computer program product are also provided.
US09483337B2 Storing data in a dispersed storage network
A method begins by creating a vault as a virtual memory block within memory of a dispersed storage network (DSN). A segment of data is encoded into a set of encoded data slices and stored in the vault. The method continues by dividing the virtual memory block into a set of vault regions. The method continues by determining, for each vault region of the set of vault regions, vault parameters to produce a set of vault parameters. Vault parameters include a decode threshold number of encoded data slices and a total number of encoded data slices for encoding the segment of data. The method continues by facilitating data access to the vault in accordance with the set of vault parameters.
US09483336B2 Method for correcting memory error of application program
A method for correcting a memory error of an application program are provided, which includes: when an error occurs in a memory occupied by an application program, suspending a process of the application program; waking up an error correction program that corresponds to the application program, where the error correction program is created when the application program is started; performing, by the error correction program, correction processing on the memory in which the error occurs; if the correction processing performed on the memory in which the error occurs fails, closing, by the error correction program, the application program after saving key data of the application program; and if the correction processing performed on the memory in which the error occurs succeeds, restoring, by the error correction program, the process of the application program that is suspended. Thus reliability and security can be improved when the application program is applied.
US09483321B2 Method and apparatus for determining to-be-migrated task based on cache awareness
A method and an apparatus for determining a to-be-migrated task based on cache awareness in a computing system having multiple processor cores is disclosed. In the method, the computing system determines a source processor core and a destination processor core according to a load of each processor core. Through respectively monitoring the number of cache misses of each task and the number of executed instructions of each task in the source processor core and the destination processor core, the computing system obtain an average cache miss per kilo instructions of the source processor core and an average cache miss per kilo instructions of the destination processor core. Then, the computing system determines, according to the obtained average cache miss per kilo instructions of the source processor core and the destination processor core, a task to be migrated from the source processor core to the destination processor core.
US09483320B2 Computing apparatus, method of controlling computing apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium having program for controlling computing apparatus stored therein to move processes to a same processor core for execution
A computing apparatus for optimizing process wait time, including a plurality of computing units, is disclosed. When there is any process having a maximum wait time, among processes that have been queued, which has the wait time exceeding a predetermined value, and when processes in a particular process type among different process types, are being executed or have been queued in all of the computing units, all processes in that particular process type, are executed on at least one of the computing units, based on a list of all of processes. A method of controlling a computing apparatus and a computer-readable storage medium are also disclosed.
US09483319B2 Job scheduling apparatus and method therefor
A plurality of compute nodes are divided into a plurality of groups. A maximum available resource amount determining unit determines, for each of the plurality of groups, the available resource amount of the compute node having the greatest available resource amount among the compute nodes belonging to the group as the maximum available resource amount of the group. An excluding unit compares the resource consumption of a job with the maximum available resource amount of each of the plurality of groups, and excludes a group whose maximum available resource amount is less than the resource consumption from search objects. A searching unit searches for a compute node whose available resource amount is greater than or equal to the resource consumption, from the compute nodes belonging to a group that is not excluded from the search objects.
US09483313B2 Availability management for reference data services
Various aspects for scaling an availability of information are disclosed. In one aspect, a response performance associated with responding to data consumption requests is monitored. A characterization of the response performance is ascertained, and a scaling of resources is facilitated based on the characterization. In another aspect, a data consumption status indicative of data consumed is ascertained. Here, a scalability interface is provided, which displays aspects of the status, and receives an input from a content provider. An allocation of resources is then modified in response to the input. In yet another aspect, a response performance associated with responding to data consumption requests is monitored. An application programming interface (API) call is generated based on a characterization of the response performance, and transmitted to a content provider. An API response is then received from the content provider indicating whether a scaling of resources for hosting the data was performed.
US09483312B2 Locating service endpoints from a service registry
A system and computer program product, operable by a service registry in a service orientated architecture system, for providing a service within the system. A service request is received from a service requester in the system. The status of the service is checked as registered in the service registry. In response to the service not having a registered service endpoint or a property of the service falling below a defined threshold, a request is sent to service providers or subsequent service registries to provide a new service and according to the defined threshold. In response to a service provider providing the new service according to the defined standard, the service registry is updated with the new service and responding to the service requester that the service is available. The embodiments allow both direct interaction between the requester and provider or indirect interaction via a service management layer.
US09483308B2 Performance of predicted actions
Embodiments of techniques and systems for performance of predicted actions are described. In embodiments, a predicted action performance engine (“PAE”) may receive one or probabilities of potential actions that may be performed on a computing device. The PAE may also receive a system context for the computing device describing available resources on the computing device, workload, etc. Based on these probabilities and the system context, the PAE may determine one or more predicted actions and/or resource utilizations which are likely to occur and which may be performed ahead of time. The PAE may then facilitate performance of these actions and/or resource utilizations. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09483302B2 Providing virtual machine services via introspection
The present disclosure includes methods and systems for providing virtual machine services. A number of embodiments can include a user VM with a virtual workstation, a number of service modules that can provide a number of services without communicating with the user VM and/or the virtual workstation, a communication channel that allows the number of service modules to communicate with each other, a computing device, and a manager. A number of embodiments can also include a virtual machine monitor to enforce an isolation policy within the system.
US09483301B2 Dynamic virtual machine function enabling
A method performed by a physical computing system includes, with a guest, requesting execution of a virtual machine function instruction, determining that virtual machine function ability for the guest is in a disabled state, in response to the requesting execution of a virtual machine function instruction and determining that the virtual machine function ability for the guest is in a disabled state, exiting a context of the guest, after a page table that maps guest virtual addresses to guest physical addresses is validated, determining that the virtual machine function ability is enabled, and in response to determining that the virtual machine function ability for the guest is in an enabled state, executing the virtual machine function instruction.
US09483293B2 Technology abstraction layer
Embodiments of a system and method for triggering an event in a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the HAL can include unarchitected hardware or software that can be used to, for example, facilitate instruction emulation and debug; enable protection of model specific resources, instructions, and behaviors; redirect, resteer, or substitute instructions; and provide a framework for additional capabilities and features.
US09483285B2 Systems and methods of optimizing resources for emulation
Methods and systems for providing an emulation session to emulate a computer product for a host device. A method and system involve providing a communication link between the host device and an emulation bridge module provided on an emulation server separate from the host device; providing a host resource library file including a list of the plurality of resources available on the host device to the emulation bridge module; operating the emulation bridge module to determine emulation session resources required to provide the emulation session; selecting at least one of the host device and the emulation server for providing each required emulation session resource in the emulation session resources required to provide the emulation session; and providing the emulation session using the required emulation session resources provided by at least one of the host device and the emulation server.
US09483276B2 Management of shared transactional resources
Embodiments relate to management of shared transactional resources. A system includes a transactional facility configured to support transactions that effectively delay committing stores to memory or results to an architectural state until transaction completion. The system includes a processor configured to perform an allocation or arbitration of processing resources to instructions of a transaction within a thread. The processor detects that the transaction has exceeded a manageable capacity of a resource or a potential collision of a transactional instruction storage access has occurred, resulting in a transaction abort. A transaction abort reason and a current configuration are examined to determine whether the transaction abort was based on an initiating program exceeding a restricted limit on the manageable capacity of the resource or an allocation. A processor state is updated to increase a likelihood of success upon retrying the transaction.
US09483267B2 Exploiting an architected last-use operand indication in a system operand resource pool
A pool of available physical registers are provided for architected registers, wherein operations are performed that activate and deactivate selected architected registers, such that the deactivated selected architected registers need not retain values, and physical registers can be deallocated to the pool, wherein deallocation of physical registers is performed after a last-use by a designated last-use instruction, wherein the last-use information is provided either by the last-use instruction or a prefix instruction, wherein reads to deallocated architecture registers return an architected default value.
US09483266B2 Fusible instructions and logic to provide OR-test and AND-test functionality using multiple test sources
Fusible instructions and logic provide OR-test and AND-test functionality on multiple test sources. Some embodiments include a processor decode stage to decode a test instruction for execution, the instruction specifying first, second and third source data operands, and an operation type. Execution units, responsive to the decoded test instruction, perform one logical operation, according to the specified operation type, between data from the first and second source data operands, and perform a second logical operation between the data from the third source data operand and the result of the first logical operation to set a condition flag. Some embodiments generate the test instruction dynamically by fusing one logical instruction with a prior-art test instruction. Other embodiments generate the test instruction through a just-in-time compiler. Some embodiments also fuse the test instruction with a subsequent conditional branch instruction, and perform a branch according to how the condition flag is set.
US09483263B2 Uncore microcode ROM
A microprocessor includes a plurality of processing cores each comprises a corresponding memory physically located inside the core and readable by the core but not readable by the other cores (“core memory”). The microprocessor also includes a memory physically located outside all of the cores and readable by all of the cores (“uncore memory”). For each core, the uncore memory and corresponding core memory collectively provide M words of storage for microcode instructions fetchable by the core as follows: the uncore memory provides J of the M words of microcode instruction storage, and the corresponding core memory provides K of the M words of microcode instruction storage. J, K and M are counting numbers, and M=J+K. The memories are non-architecturally-visible and accessed using a fetch address provided by a non-architectural program counter, and the microcode instructions are non-architectural instructions that implement architectural instructions.
US09483261B2 Software documentation generation with automated sample inclusion
Automated creation of augmented documentation fragments that are augmented with usage examples. A plurality of documentation fragments is stored, where each documentation fragment documents a software element and has at least one associated property. A corresponding source code software fragment that corresponds to at least one associated property of at least one software element is identified based on an automated software analysis process of source code within a source code repository and further based on a list of properties comprising each associated property of each software element within the plurality of software elements. An augmented documentation fragment that includes a selected documentation fragment and the at least one corresponding source code software fragment corresponding to at least one associated property of the selected documentation fragment is created in response to the identifying.
US09483259B1 System and method for providing real-time execution of source code in a collaborative online software development environment
Access to a source code file stored at a server is provided to a plurality of user devices, via a network. The source code file may comprise software code. The source code file stored at the server is updated based on a plurality of changes received from respective user devices, substantially in real-time. A selection of an option to execute the source code file is received from one of the plurality of user devices. In response to the selection, the source code file is executed, substantially in real-time.
US09483246B2 Automated modular and secure boot firmware update
A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for an automated modular and secure boot firmware update. An updated boot firmware code module is received in a secure partition of a system, the updated boot firmware code module to replace one original boot firmware code module for the system. Only the one original boot firmware code module is automatically replaced with the updated boot firmware code module. The updated boot firmware code module is automatically executed with the plurality of boot firmware code modules for the system and without user intervention when the system is next booted. The updated boot firmware code module may be written to an update partition of a firmware volume, wherein the update partition of the firmware volume is read along with another partition of the firmware volume containing the plurality of boot firmware code modules when the system is booted.
US09483245B2 Matching database schema with application code using dependency management
A package manager receives a request to install a version of an application on a host server, the version of the application having an associated database script provided by database scripts package. The package manager determines a currently installed schema in a management database associated with the host server and compares the database script associated with the application to the currently installed schema in the management database. Prior to installing the version of the application, the package manager verifies that the database script is installed and updated to match the database schema and performs the database upgrade if required.
US09483243B2 Interleaving data accesses issued in response to vector access instructions
A vector data access unit includes data access ordering circuitry, for issuing data access requests indicated by elements of earlier and a later vector instructions, one being a write instruction. An element indicating the next data access for each of the instructions is determined. The next data accesses for the earlier and the later instructions may be reordered. The next data access of the earlier instruction is selected if the position of the earlier instruction's next data element is less than or equal to the position of the later instruction's next data element minus a predetermined value. The next data access of the later instruction may be selected if the position of the earlier instruction's next data element is higher than the position of the later instruction's next data element minus a predetermined value. Thus data accesses from earlier and later instructions are partially interleaved.
US09483236B2 Efficiently representing complex score models
Data is received that characterizes a score model. Thereafter, the score model is normalized by transforming it into a directed acyclic graph. The directed acyclic graph is then transformed into a structured rules language program. The structured rules language program is then transformed into a program using a concurrent, class-based, object-oriented computer programming language (e.g., JAVA, C, COBOL, etc.). Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
US09483231B2 Signal processing device and method
The present invention relates to a signal processing device and method. The device receives, from a sensor which measures a physical quantity applied thereto and outputs an accumulated or integrated value of the physical quantity as an M-bit digital value, the digital value, and, when a difference between the physical quantities at two successive data acquisition times lies within a predetermined range and an absolute value of a digital counter increment is greater than 2M-1, calculate the digital counter increment as the physical quantity measured by the sensor.
US09483227B2 Display panel attachment mechanism
A light-emitting display system has interlocking tiles. In an implementation, each tile has a portion of a clamp that joins with another portion of the clamp on another tile. A tile is removed from the display by unlocking the clamp portions. The tile is removed without affecting the position of the other tiles in the display.
US09483225B2 Method, apparatus and computer program product for joining the displays of multiple devices
A method is provided for enhancing a user interface with a mobile device by joining the displays of multiple devices together to function together with one another. In particular, example methods may provide for detecting a first touch or drag event, receiving a message indicating a second touch or drag event from a nearby device occurring during the first touch or drag event, creating a join event, and providing for transmission of the join event to the nearby device. The method may also include updating a registry of nearby devices in response to receiving a message regarding a touch or drag event from a nearby device. The method may further include providing for presentation of content on a display of a device and direction of content to be presented on a display of the nearby device, wherein the content to be presented on the display of the nearby device is related to the content on the display of the device.
US09483215B2 Printing system for enabling optimization of printer operation rate, printing control device, and recording medium for recording printing control program
To provide a printing system, printing control device, and printing control program that can optimize the operating rate of a printer. An operation optimization processing part includes a comparison part and an output destination determination part, and performs a process that in order to the optimize the operating status of a printer, before an RIP process is performed, in accordance with a condition determined by the relationship between an RIP processing speed and a printing speed, for each print data, preliminarily determines a raster data output destination for temporarily storing raster data generated by performing the RIP process of the print data.
US09483206B1 Implementing synchronization for remote disk mirroring
A method, and system for implementing enhanced fast full synchronization for remote disk mirroring in a computer system. A source backup copy is made locally available to a target for remote disk mirroring. Sectors are identified that are different between the source and target. A hash function is used over a block to be compared, with an adaptive number of tracking sectors per block, starting with a minimum block size.
US09483195B2 Response reading method and data transmission system
A response reading method and a data transmission system are provided. The method includes, transmitting a first operation command sequence corresponding to a first temporary file to a memory storage device by a system, where the first operation command sequence instructs a smart card to execute a first operation. The method also includes, executing a first writing operation of a first dummy file to update first data in a cache memory. The method further includes, executing a response reading operation corresponding to a second temporary file by the system to read a response of the smart card corresponding to the first operation command sequence.
US09483193B1 Data storage device
A data storage device includes a first memory device suitable for performing an internal operation in response to a first internal operation command; and a state checking block suitable for performing a state read operation by transmitting a state read command one or more times to the first memory device during one of an initial mode and a repeat mode which is set based on a type of the internal operation.
US09483192B2 Memory system and control method thereof
A memory system includes a nonvolatile memory including a plurality of blocks as data erase units, a measuring unit which measures an erase time at which data of each block is erased, and a block controller which writes data supplied from at least an exterior into a first block which is set in a free state and whose erase time is oldest.
US09483189B2 Systems and methods for scheduling write requests for a solid state storage device
An I/O scheduler can manage and schedule write requests that are sent to a storage device in order to prevent the write requests from dominating a storage buffer of the storage device. The I/O scheduler can monitor the number of I/O requests in the storage buffer and maintain a balance between write requests and read requests in the storage buffer. The I/O scheduler monitor the latency of the storage device in processing write requests and manage the write requests sent to the storage device based on the latency. The I/O scheduler can utilize one or more write thresholds. The write thresholds can define thresholds of the number of write requests in the storage buffer and thresholds for the latency of the storage device in processing write requests. The write threshold can represent acceptable levels of write request in the storage buffer and acceptable latency for write requests.
US09483187B2 Quality of service implementation in a networked storage system with hierarchical schedulers
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for allocating CPU cycles in a storage system. One method includes operations for receiving requests to be processed, and for associating each request to one task. A foreground task is for processing input/output requests, and the foreground task includes one or more flows. Each flow is associated with a queue and a flow counter value, where each queue is configured to hold requests. The method further includes an operation for selecting one task for processing by the CPU based on an examination of the number of cycles processed by the CPU for each task. When the selected task is the foreground task, the flow having the lowest flow counter is selected. The CPU processes a request from the queue of the selected flow, and the flow counter of the selected flow is increased based on the data consumption of the processed task.
US09483184B2 Method to improve page out mechanism with compressed memory pools
A system and method for setting a compression ratio for utilizing a compressed memory pool (which is backed by pinned memory) by a virtual memory manager (VMM). Compression of pages of corresponding segments can be tracked as part of a VMM paging algorithm that compresses pages to store in a compressed memory pool. A segment having pages with an average compression ratio below a threshold is identified. The identified segment pages are prevented from utilizing the compressed memory pool resulting in optimizing the use of the compressed memory pool.
US09483171B1 Low latency touch input rendering
Devices and techniques to decrease latency in rendering a line or other feature on a display device responsive to input on a touch sensor are described. A touch sensor may detect a touch input with the touch sensor. Touch coordinates indicative of the touch input on the touch sensor are determined. The touch coordinates are mapped to display coordinates associated with the display device. Based on the display coordinates, an operating system kernel may generate a feature, such as a line, for presentation on the display.
US09483167B2 User interface for a touch enabled device
A graphical user interface displays a first portion of a data file. Further, a switch indicator is displayed. In addition, a first input that has a first proximity within a range of predetermined first proximities with respect to the switch indicator is received at a processor operably connected to the graphical user interface. In addition, a second portion of the data file based on the first input is displayed at the graphical user interface. Further, a second input that has a second proximity within a range of predetermined second proximities with respect to the switch indicator is received at the processor. The range of predetermined second proximities is distinct from the range of first predetermined proximities. In addition, the graphical user interface displays a subset of the second portion of the data file based on the second input.
US09483161B2 Controllable display of a collaboration framework system
A structure of an interactive collaboration session is generated. The structure is typically based on an activity defined by a leader of the interactive collaboration session. The structure of the interactive collaboration session comprises different levels. For example, the structure of the interactive collaboration session may contain hierarchical levels that include top level items to discuss, a secondary level for responses to top level items, and a tertiary level for responses to the secondary level items. The structure of the interactive collaboration session is displayed to the leader. The leader controls the participants' display of the structure of the interactive collaboration as the interactive collaboration session progresses. For example, the leader may click on a button that disables the participants' ability to make comments during one part of the interactive collaboration session. Later, the leader can click on a button to enable the participants to make comments.
US09483159B2 Fact checking graphical user interface including fact checking icons
A fact checking system is able to verify the correctness of information and/or characterize information by comparing the information with one or more sources. The fact checking system automatically monitors, processes, fact checks information and indicates a status of the information. The fact checking system is able to incorporate a graphical user interface with fact checking icons to indicate fact checking results.
US09483156B2 Selectively broadcasting audio and video content
Disclosed herein is a technique for selectively broadcasting content to a destination device. An operating system (OS) executing on a source device is configured to generate an OS user interface (UI) and execute a plurality of applications, where each application of the plurality of applications is configured to generate a respective application UI. The source device receives a selection of a broadcast profile that identifies at least one application of the plurality of applications whose respective application UI should not be displayed at the destination device. In response to receiving the selection, a configuration of the source device is updated to cause: 1) the OS UI, but not the application UI associated with the at least one application, to be broadcasted to the destination device, and 2) the OS UI, as well as the application UI associated with the at least one application, to be displayed at the source device.
US09483146B2 Input classification for multi-touch systems
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for input classification for multi-touch systems. In one aspect, a method includes receiving data describing a first region of contact with a touch sensitive display and a second region of contact with the touch sensitive display. The method includes determining at least one characteristic of the first region of contact. The method includes based on the at least one characteristic of the first region of contact, determining that the first region of contact corresponds to intended touch input provided by a user's body part or stylus. The method includes determining at least one characteristic of the second region of contact. The method includes based on the at least one characteristic of the second region of contact, determining that the second region of contact corresponds to incidental touch input provided by a user's resting body part.
US09483142B2 Combination touch and transducer input system and method
A combination touch and transducer input system is provided, which facilitates user input into an electronic system with a finger and/or a transducer (e.g., a stylus). The system includes a transducer configured to generate an electric field, and a sensor including an array of electrodes and a controller. The transducer is configured to transmit digital data, such as pen pressure data and switch status data, to the sensor. For example, the transducer comprises electronic circuitry configured to encode the digital data in a signal for transmission to the sensor. The sensor controller is configured to operate both in a touch sensing mode and in a transducer sensing mode. During the touch sensing mode, the controller determines a position of a proximate object (e.g., a finger) by capacitively sensing the object with the array of electrodes. During the transducer sensing mode, the controller determines a position of the transducer based on a signal received by the array of electrodes from the transducer, and also receives and decodes the digital data encoded in the received signal. Digital data can be encoded in a signal using any suitable digital modulation techniques, such as a Frequency-Shift Keying (FSK) technique.
US09483141B2 Single-chip multi-stimulus sensor controller
A multi-stimulus controller for a multi-touch sensor is formed on a single integrated circuit (single-chip). The multi-stimulus controller includes a transmit oscillator, a transmit signal section that generates a plurality of drive signals based on a frequency of the transmit oscillator, a plurality of transmit channels that transmit the drive signals simultaneously to drive the multi-touch sensor, a receive channel that receives a sense signal resulting from the driving of the multi-touch sensor, a receive oscillator, and a demodulation section that demodulates the received sense signal based on a frequency of the receive oscillator to obtain sensing results, the demodulation section including a demodulator and a vector operator.
US09483129B1 Active stylus with fractional clock-cycle timing
In one embodiment, a method performed by an active stylus includes wirelessly receiving a synchronization signal from a touch controller. The method also includes determining a synchronization parameter of the synchronization signal, the synchronization parameter including an integer part and a fractional part, the integer part representing a positive integer multiple of an active-stylus clock period and the fractional part representing a fractional portion of the active-stylus clock period. The method further includes wirelessly transmitting information for reception by the touch controller, where the information includes a series of data portions, a successive data portion in the series being separated from a preceding data portion by a time interval. The time interval is based at least in part on the active-stylus clock period, the integer part of the synchronization parameter, and an updated fractional error value.
US09483127B2 Capacitor
A capacitor is provided, which allows a user to readily change or adjust its capacitance value. The capacitor includes a dielectric film, which includes first and second conductor layers disposed on opposite surfaces thereof, and which is wound into a rod shape. First and second electrodes are led out from the first and second conductor layers, respectively. At least one of the first and second conductor layers includes an area-changeable conductor pattern, which is disposed (e.g., exposed) on an outer circumference side of the capacitor wound into the rod shape to receive physical treatment (e.g., cutting, connecting) from outside to thereby change the size of a conductor area of the at least one of the first and second conductor layers. Thus, the physical treatment changes the conductor area of the conductor layers, to thereby selectively set or adjust the capacitance value of the capacitor.
US09483125B2 Position information obtaining device and method, and image display system
A position information obtaining device and a position information obtaining method are provided. Each of the position information obtaining device and the position information obtaining method captures images to which a light pointer is directed and on which a light spot is formed, in chronological order, and estimates position information of a specified position on the images specified by the light pointer using a plurality of pieces of image information obtained from the captured image.
US09483115B2 Triggering control of audio for walk-around characters
A control system for selectively operating a sound system provided in a walk-around character costume. e.g., to play audio files in an order defined by a dialog tree that can be navigated by a performer wearing the costume. The control system includes a trigger mechanism provided in the costume operable by a performer wearing the costume to generate and transmit at least one trigger signal to navigate through a dialog tree. A controller receives the trigger signal and transmits a control signal causing the sound system to playback pre-recorded dialog. The system includes a trigger processing module run by the controller for processing the trigger signal and, in response to such processing, for navigating pre-recorded audio for a show to select the set of pre-recorded dialog. The trigger mechanism includes a first and a second pressure sensor in a thumb and index finger of a glove of the costume.
US09483105B2 Communication system and electronic control unit
A communication system operating with a battery is provided. Each node of the system is operable in a sleep mode and a normal mode, outputs a transition availability notice frame indicating whether or not the node is permitted or prohibited to transition to the sleep mode. At least one node is a monitor node. Upon receipt of a transition availability notice frame indicating prohibition of transition to the sleep mode while the battery is in a low voltage state, the monitor node stores sender information in a non-volatile memory, the sender information identifying what node is a sender node sending this transition availability notice frame.
US09483084B2 Frictional hinge for electronic devices
A frictional hinge assembly for use with electronics devices such as computer notebooks having base and lid portions may present a higher level of frictional resistance to rotation in one direction than in the other. The hinge may comprise a base-mounted helical sleeve having loops that embrace a rotational shaft that is connected to a lid. As the lid is opened, the rotation of the shaft may cause the loops of the helical sleeve to tighten and thereby generate frictional forces, which requires a greater opening force to overcome than when the lid is being closed, in which case the loops loosen. The helical hinge may have applicability for notebook computers, electronic devices having clamshell form factors, all-in-one designs and tablets using kickstands and the like.
US09483080B2 Electronic device with convertible touchscreen
Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device, such as a notebook computer or laptop, that includes a circuit board coupled to a plurality of electronic components (which includes any type of components, elements, circuitry, etc.). One particular example implementation of the electronic device may include a first housing, a hinge, and a touchscreen, where the touchscreen is rotatably coupled to the first housing using the hinge. The first housing can include a display and the touchscreen can rotate from a front of the display when the electronic device is in a tablet configuration to a clamshell configuration. A template may visible on or through the touchscreen when the electronic device is in the clamshell configuration.
US09483078B2 Mobile terminal
There is disclosed a mobile terminal including a display unit, a first film having one surface coated with a first adhesive material, the surface coupled to a back surface of the display unit by the first adhesive material, and a front case having a second adhesive material disposed on one surface thereof, the surface coupled to the other surface of the first film by the second adhesive material, wherein an adhesive strength of the first adhesive material is smaller than an adhesive strength of the second adhesive material, such that the back surface of the mobile terminal may be attached to the case to prevent the bezel from increasing.
US09483065B2 Power regulation with load detection
One embodiment of the present invention includes a power regulator system. The system includes a power stage configured to provide an output voltage to a load in response to an input voltage and a control signal. The system also includes a feedback system that receives the input voltage and is configured to generate the control signal based on the output voltage. The system further includes a load detector configured to determine a state of the load and to set the power to the feedback system based on determining the state of the load.
US09483064B2 Remote controllable thermostat
A remote controllable thermostat has an on-board power supply with batteries, a microcontroller having a timer, a temperature sensor, a temperature set point control controller and an RF receiver. The thermostat also has HVAC state control means for generating HVAC control signals in response to sensed temperatures being outside of control set point range and for periodically connecting and disconnecting the RF receiver from the power source to conserve battery power. Where the thermostat has user mode selector switches, the microcontroller is further programmed to read their state only periodically for additional battery power conversation.
US09483063B2 Transmission-line coupled heat-dissipation device with an assembly of one or more controllable fins
Described embodiments include a device, a system, and a method. A described device includes a closed-cycle heat transfer device. The device includes a thermal management system adapted for dissipating heat generated by transmission lines of a power transmission system in use to transport electric power from one place to another. The system includes a heat-dissipation device and a transmission-line temperature manager. The heat-dissipation device includes a heat-acquisition element configured to absorb heat from a portion of a live transmission line of the power transmission system. The heat-dissipation device includes an assembly of one or more controllable fins thermally coupled to the heat-acquisition element and configured to dissipate at least a portion of the heat absorbed by the heat-acquisition. The transmission-line temperature manager is configured to control an aspect of the assembly of one or more controllable fins.
US09483061B2 Integral filter and regulator for valve
A bleed air control valve includes a pneumatic actuator operable to drive rotation of a closure disk, a connecting rod, a shaft, and an actuator fluid supply passage. The pneumatic actuator includes an integral filter and pressure regulator unit disposed in line with the actuator fluid supply passage. The actuator fluid supply passage provides communication between an inlet side of the flow control duct and at least one pressure chamber. The integral filter and pressure regulator unit has a cylindrical regulator cavity in selective communication with a cylindrical vent cavity. Filter media is secured to the pressure regulator unit and disposed across at least one of a regulator inlet orifice and a regulator outlet orifice. A regulator nozzle has at least one regulator port providing selective communication between a vent cavity and a regulator cavity.
US09483056B2 Vehicle control system
A vehicle control system is provided in which, if a position requiring caution for the contact with an oncoming vehicle on a track road is found also on an ex-post facto basis, the information thereof is easily fed back to the control of each vehicle. This vehicle control system has a GPS receiver 101 for detecting the position of each vehicle, an encoder 72 and an IMU 73 mounted on each vehicle, a specific spot setting unit 87 for setting a position requiring caution for the passing with an oncoming vehicle as a specific spot on the basis of a vehicle position, a slip ratio and a curvature that are computed from the values output therefrom, and a storage device for storing the positional information on a place set as a specific spot by a specific spot detecting unit.
US09483054B2 Systems and methods for using multiple hypotheses in a visual simultaneous localization and mapping system
The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems.
US09483052B2 Aircraft departure profile generation compliant with noise abatement limits
Systems and methods are described for dynamically generating flight departure profiles that are in compliance with aircraft emission limits. Emission limits may include noise abatement limits. Flight departure profiles may be generated on a flight by flight basis, and/or may be based on then-current conditions such as wind speed, wind direction, and ambient temperature.
US09483049B2 Anomaly detection and diagnosis/prognosis method, anomaly detection and diagnosis/prognosis system, and anomaly detection and diagnosis/prognosis program
Provided is an anomaly detection method and system capable of constructing determination condition rules of anomaly detection from case-based anomaly detection by way of multivariate analysis of a multi-dimensional sensor signal, applying the rules to design-based anomaly detection of individual sensor signals, and also appropriately executing setting and control of threshold values for highly sensitive, early, and clearly visible detection of anomalies. Anomaly detection on the basis of a case base by way of multivariate analysis controls design-based anomaly detection. That is to say, (1) anomaly detection on the basis of a case base performs selection of sensor signals and anomaly detection according to various types of anomalies. Specifically, anomaly detection (characteristic conversion), evaluation of level of effect of each signal, construction of determination conditions (rules), and display and selection of sensor signals corresponding to the anomaly are performed. (2) Design-based anomaly detection for individual sensor signals performs anomaly detection after the above have been performed. Specifically, setting and control of thresholds, display of thresholds, and anomaly detection and display are performed.
US09483048B2 Sample transport system and method for controlling the same
The sample transport system includes a management section which holds information on the status of a sample transport system as a whole as well as sample information in order to transport and control a plurality of carriers as a consecutive group and which generates group information on a group of carriers to be handled simultaneously based on sample attributes and request information; and units made up of a conveyer line, a connecting line, and a processing section to control received carriers at a converging point based on the group information, so as to permit group management control of the carriers. In this manner, the sample transport system processes as a single batch a plurality of samples collected for the same processing purpose.
US09483047B2 System and method for operating a machine and performing quality assurance
A method for operating a numerical control machine including generating monument point data having a plurality of reference points representing a plurality of monument points on a machine bed, generating part data having plurality of reference points representing a part with respect to the plurality of monument points, generating theoretical machined part data having a plurality of reference points representing a theoretical machined part, generating control data by integrating the part data and the theoretical machined part data, generating machine control data by integrating the control data and the monument point data, and executing the machine control data for controlling operation of a numerical control machine to form a machined part.
US09483043B2 Method and system for programmable numerical control
A method of controlling a machine tool and other controlled devices, as well as a programmable numerical control (PNC) system, are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method of controlling includes receiving a first part program at a programmable logic controller (PLC), and storing the first part program in a string array library of a memory portion of the PLC. The method further includes communicating information between the PLC and an operator interface regarding the first part program, and providing a first signal from the PLC to a first port so as to cause the first machine tool to be operated in accordance with the first part program. Also, in at least some embodiments, the PNC system allows for control of multiple machine tools and/or other controlled devices, by way of one or more part programs, and/or for editing of a part program while that program is being executed.
US09483039B2 Wireless field device having discrete input/output
A wireless field device for use in an industrial process includes input/output terminals configured to couple to a process interface element. A discrete input/output channel is configured to receive a discrete input from the process interface element through the input/output terminals when configured as a discrete input channel. The discrete input/output channel is further configured to provide a discrete output to the process interface element through the input/output terminals when the discrete input/output channel is configured as discrete output channel. Wireless communication circuitry is configured to transmit and receive information. A controller communicates information through the wireless communication circuitry and operates in accordance with configuration information to configure the input/output channel as an input channel when the input/output terminals are connected to a discrete process variable sensor, and further configure the discrete input/output channel as a discrete output channel when the input/output terminals are coupled to a discrete control element.
US09483031B2 Electronic timepiece with internal antenna
An electronic timepiece has a main plate 120 for a movement 110 that drives a time display unit inside an outside case 80; an annular antenna 40 housed inside the case 80 and positioned relative to the main plate 120; and aback cover 85 that engages the case 80. A circuit bridge 130 disposed below the main plate 120 has an upward pressure part 131 that pushes the main plate 120 to the time display unit side when the case 80 and back cover 85 are engaged. The main plate 120 has a movement top positioning part 122 that contacts the vertical positioning surface and positions the main plate 120 vertically to the case 80 when the main plate 120 is lifted toward the time display side by the upward pressure part 131.
US09483028B1 Hybrid analog-to-digital converter
An analog-to-digital converter (ATC) circuit includes a current source; a first amplifier coupled to the current source through a first discharging switch; and a second amplifier coupled to the first amplifier through a second discharging switch; wherein the first amplifier is configured to receive a residue signal of an analog input signal, upon the first discharging switch being turned on, the first amplifier amplifies the residue signal to generate an output signal and simultaneously the current source discharges the residue signal, upon the second discharging switch being turned on, the second amplifier detects when the output signal equals zero so as to determine a discharging time duration of the output signal.
US09483027B2 One-touch countdown timer
A plug-in wall timer has a prominent single “one touch” activator which causes a countdown period or varying length according to the number of times it is pressed, so that the timer's outlet may be energized only for that selected period. The device is simple to use, requires no programming, and operates independently of the current time of the day or day of the week.
US09483012B2 Electrical cable connecting apparatus, method for connecting electrical cable, and image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus main body (apparatus main body) and an automatic document feeder mounted on the apparatus main body are provided, and a cable-side connector provided at a front end of an electrical cable extending from the automatic document feeder is removably connected to a board-side connector provided on a circuit board of the apparatus main body. In this configuration, an opening portion is provided in a back face of a housing of the apparatus main body at a position opposing the board-side connector, a lid that covers this opening portion is attached to a front end portion of the electrical cable by an attachment member, and this lid is configured so as to be attachable to the opening portion by a hook and fixing by screwing by means of a screw insertion boss.
US09483011B2 Motor control device, image forming apparatus, motor control method, method for controlling image forming apparatus
A target cycle recording portion (821) records target cycle data (Tref) into a first ring buffer (824) each time a reference pulse signal (Ps) is generated, thereby recording the target cycle data (Tref) sequentially into the first ring buffer (824). A measured cycle recording portion (822) records measured cycle data (Tenc) into a second ring buffer (825) each time an encoder pulse signal (Pe) is generated, thereby recording the measured cycle data (Tenc) sequentially into the second ring buffer (825). A phase error calculating portion (823) calculates a phase error PHE by integrating a difference between the target cycle data (Tref) and the measured cycle data (Tenc) that are sequentially recorded in data buffers respectively in correspondence with each other in the two ring buffers.
US09483005B2 Medium carrying device and image forming apparatus
A medium carrying device includes an apparatus body, medium guide unit that is detachable with respect to the apparatus body, a carrying roller that is disposed in the apparatus body, and is configured to rotate to carry a print medium passing through the medium guide unit, and a driven roller that is disposed in the medium guide unit at a position corresponding to the carrying roller in a contacting manner so that the driven roller rotates in accordance with a rotation of the carrying roller.
US09482993B2 Image forming apparatus having containers for toners including wax
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming portion; a transfer member; a fixing portion; and a cleaning member. The image forming apparatus includes a first toner container containing a first formulation toner rich in hydrocarbon wax and a second toner container containing a second formulation toner rich in ester wax. The image forming apparatus is capable of executing an image forming operation and an operation in a toner supplying mode for supplying the toner or the toners to an intermediary transfer member when the image forming operation is not performed. The image forming apparatus is capable of executing the operation in the toner supplying mode in which only the first formulation toner is used or a mixture of the first formulation toner and the second formulation toner is used so that the first formulation toner is used in a larger amount than the second formulation toner.
US09482992B2 Toner conveyance member, developing device, and image forming apparatus
A toner conveyance member includes a shaft, a first blade member, at least one paddle member, and a pressure relief path. The shaft extends in a first direction and rotates in a second direction. The first blade member winds around the shaft and continues to extend helically in the first direction. The paddle member is in the form of a plate protruding from a surface of the shaft and having a first principal face and a second principal face positioned opposite to and forward from the first principal face in the second direction. The pressure relief path has an opening. The opening is provided within a predetermined distance range from an intersection point of the shaft, the first blade member, and the second principal face of the paddle member.
US09482981B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus has: an image supporting member; a charger in proximity to the image supporting member; a power source unit configured to apply charging voltages to the charger sequentially, the charging voltages including alternating voltages having different peak-to-peak voltages, respectively; an amperometric detector configured to detect values of alternating currents flowing in the charger during application of the charging voltages; and a processor configured to carry out a first charging voltage determination process or a second charging voltage determination process requiring a shorter time than the first charging voltage determination process selectively based on a detection result of the amperometric detector. The processor carries out the first charging voltage determination process or the second charging voltage determination process selectively in accordance with a difference between an ambient temperature at a previous time of carrying out the first charging voltage determination process and a current ambient temperature.
US09482980B1 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a forming unit and a transfer unit. The forming unit forms a first image using a first toner including a flat pigment containing a first metal or a first metal oxide, and forms a second image using a second toner that does not include any flat pigment containing a second metal or a second metal oxide, a maximum length of the second toner being smaller than that of the first toner. The transfer unit transfers the second image and the first image to a medium in order of the second image and the first image.
US09482972B2 Electrostatic charge image developing toner, electrostatic charge image developer, and toner cartridge
An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner particles including a binder resin that contains a copolymer formed by copolymerizing at least an aromatic vinyl monomer and an aliphatic unsaturated alkyl carboxylate ester, wherein a weight ratio of component M1 of the aromatic vinyl monomer and component M2 of the aliphatic unsaturated alkyl carboxylate ester in the copolymer satisfies the following expression (1), and a weight ratio of volatile component m1 of the aromatic vinyl monomer and volatile component m2 of the aliphatic unsaturated alkyl carboxylate ester, as measured by a headspace method, satisfies the following expression (2): 0.10≦MW2/(MW1+MW2)≦0.30  Expression (1) 0.70≦mw2/(mw1+mw2)≦0.98  Expression (2) wherein MW1 represents the weight of M1, MW2 represents the weight of M2, mw1 represents the weight of m1, and mw2 represents the weight of m2.
US09482966B2 Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a space between the projection system and the substrate is filled with a liquid. An edge seal member at least partly surrounds the substrate or other object on a substrate table to prevent liquid loss when edge portions of the substrate or other object are, for example, imaged or illuminated. A lithographic projection apparatus includes a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern; a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a liquid supply system configured to provide liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate; and a shutter configured to isolate the space from the substrate or a space to be occupied by a substrate.
US09482957B1 Solvent for reducing resist consumption and method using solvent for reducing resist consumption
The present disclosure provides a solvent for reducing resist consumption, which includes a first solvent selected from the group consisting of alkylene glycol alkyl ether acetate, alkylene glycol alkyl ether and a combination thereof, and a second solvent having a hydrogen bonding Hansen parameter lower than 5.34 and an evaporation rate (n-BuAc=1) lower than 0.6. A volume ratio of the first solvent to the second solvent is in a range of 0/100 to 90/10. A resist dispense volume for a 300 mm wafer is less than 0.6 cc, or a resist dispense volume for a 450 mm wafer is less than 1.1 cc.
US09482954B2 Lithographic printing plate precursor
A negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor includes a support and a coating containing a photopolymerisable layer; characterized in that the coating includes a compound including at least one moiety having a structure according to Formula (I) at a level above 10% wt and below 40% wt relative to the total dry weight of the ingredients of the coating: wherein n represents an integer equal to 0 or 1; L1 represents a divalent linking group; with the proviso that the carbonyl groups in Formula (I) are bonded to a carbon atom.
US09482952B2 Composition for forming topcoat layer and resist pattern formation method employing the same
To provide a composition for forming a topcoat layer enabling to produce a pattern excellent in roughness and in pattern shape, and also to provide a pattern formation method employing that.A composition for forming a topcoat layer, containing a solvent and a triphenylene derivative having a hydrophilic group; and also a method of forming a pattern by casting the above composition on a resist surface and then by subjecting it to exposure and development. The composition may further contain a polymer.
US09482950B2 Curable composition for imprints, pattern-forming method and pattern
Provide is a curable composition for imprints capable of keeping a good pattern and heat resistance. A curable composition for imprints comprising a polymerizable compound (Ax-1) having maleimide structure(s), or a compound (Ax-2) having a partial structure represented by formula (I) below. Formula (I)
US09482937B2 Illumination system and projection apparatus
An illumination system including a plurality of light source units, at least one light concentrating unit, at least one taper tunnel and a light consolidating unit is provided. The light concentrating unit corresponds to and is disposed beside one of the light source units. The light concentrating unit has a first illuminating surface, the light source unit corresponding to the light concentrating unit has a second illuminating surface, and the other light source units not corresponding to the concentrator have a third illuminating surface, respectively. The concentrator is disposed between the taper tunnel and the light source unit, and the taper tunnel has a fourth illuminating surface. The light consolidating unit has a fifth illuminating surface. The area of the fourth illuminating surface, and each of the third illuminating surfaces corresponds to each other. A projection apparatus is also provided.
US09482930B1 Glove mount for GoPro® camera during scuba diving
A GoPro® pivoting/swivel mount that is securely integrated with high quality Mechanix® type gloves that are used for diving.
US09482921B2 Electrochromic device
The invention relates to an electrochemical device (100) having electrically controllable optical and/or energy transmission properties comprising a substrate (40), a functional system (60) formed on the substrate and a cover film (56) formed on the functional system. The functional system comprises a bottom electrode coating (46), formed on the substrate, a top electrode coating (54) and at least one electrochemically active film (48, 52) located between the two electrode coatings, the electro-chemically active film being able to switch reversibly between a first state and a second state having optical and/or energy transmission properties different from the first state. The cover film defines at least one surface cavity (66) that passes through the cover film without penetrating the top electrode coating and the device comprises electrical connection means (70) arranged at least partially in at least one surface cavity for electrical contact with the top electrode coating.
US09482911B2 Display panel and display device
The embodiments of the present invention provides a display panel comprising a liquid crystal layer and a plurality of pixel units; the pixel units comprise at least two electrode units; the electrode units comprise an IPS mode electrode unit and an ADS mode electrode unit; the IPS mode electrode unit has an electrode angle different from an electrode angle of the ADS mode electrode unit. The present invention further provides a display device comprising the display panel.
US09482908B2 Liquid crystal display element
Provided is a liquid crystal display element including: a first substrate which includes a first electrode; a second substrate which is disposed to oppose the first substrate and includes a second electrode; and a liquid crystal layer which is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, in which at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a plurality of openings which are elongated in a first direction and are adjacent to each other along the first direction, and when two openings of the plurality of openings which are adjacent to each other along the first direction are viewed, one of opening widths of opposing portions is large and the other thereof is small.
US09482897B2 Planar lighting device
Disclosed is a planar lighting device and more particularly, a planar lighting device including a light emitting device. The planar lighting device includes a plurality of light sources arranged on a first surface of a circuit substrate, the light sources mounted thereon, a light regulator disposed in an edge of the first surface, the light regulator regulating luminance difference caused by difference in distance between a plurality of light sources close to the edge, and an optical sheet disposed on the light sources.
US09482894B2 Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates with liquid crystal sandwiched therebetween. A first blue, a red, a green, and a second blue color filters are disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and arranged in a first direction. First to third light blocking films are respectively disposed between the first blue and the red color filters, between the red and the green color filters, and between the green and the second blue color filters. A distance Lr between a first central line of a part of the first light blocking film and a second central line of a width the second light blocking film is larger than a distance Lg between the second central line and a third central line of a width of the third blocking film.
US09482890B2 Liquid crystal display device and electronic apparatus
A liquid crystal display device including a first substrate, a second substrate disposed so as to face the first substrate and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and the second substrates, the first substrate including: a display area portion in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a manner of a matrix; and a frame edge area lying outside the display area portion, the frame edge area including a peripheral circuit configured to drive the plurality of pixels of the display area portion, the peripheral circuit having at least one transistor, wherein a channel area of the transistor is covered with a conductive layer via an inorganic insulating layer, the inorganic insulating layer and the conductive layer being stacked in a direction orthogonal to a surface of the first substrate in the stated order, and a predetermined negative potential is applied to the conductive layer.
US09482874B2 Energy efficient directional flat illuminators
Disclosed is an optical valve or light valve for providing large area collimated illumination from localized light sources, and system and method thereof for 2D, 3D, and/or autostereoscopic displays. An optical valve may include a stepped structure, in which the steps include separated extraction features which may be optically hidden to light propagating in a first direction. Light propagating in a second direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the optical valve. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays as well as improved 2D display functionality.
US09482870B2 Light source apparatus
Provided is a light source apparatus including a plurality of semiconductor light sources that output beams of light having different wavelengths; a plurality of light collimating portions that convert the respective beams of light output from these light sources to collimated light beams; a combining portion that combines the plurality of collimated beams produced by these light collimating portions into a single light path; a light guide whose entrance end is disposed in the single light path; a focusing portion that focuses the collimated beams combined by the combining portion onto the entrance end; and a light-distribution-characteristics adjusting portion that adjusts beam diameters of the plurality of beams of light so that numerical apertures of the plurality of beams of light incident on the entrance end become substantially equal.
US09482865B2 Light scanning method and light scanning unit
In a light scanning method of scanning a light beam emitted from a light source on a plane to be scanned, a focal distance of an optical element that converges light emitted from the light source onto the plane to be scanned is sequentially varied to uniform a beam spot diameter at each position on the plane to be scanned where a distance from the light source varies.
US09482863B2 Production of micro-mechanical devices
A method for fabrication of a device (206) from a wafer (170) of semiconductor material includes locally thinning the wafer in an area of the device to a predefined thickness by removing the semiconductor material from at least a first side of the wafer using a wet etching process, and etching through the thinned wafer in the area of the device so as to release a moving part (202) of the device. Other methods and systems for fabrication are also described.
US09482851B2 Wide-angle lens
A wide-angle lens is disclosed. The wide-angle lens includes a first lens element L1, a second lens element L2, a third lens element L3, an aperture diaphragm S, a fourth lens element L4 and a fifth lens element L5 arranged from an object plane to an image plane. The first element L1 is a meniscus lens element having a negative focal power and protruding toward the object plane, the second element L2 is a meniscus lens element having a negative focal power and protruding toward the object plane, the third element L3 is a meniscus lens element having a positive focal power and protruding toward the image plane, the fourth element L4 is a meniscus lens element having a negative focal power and protruding toward the object plane, and the fifth element L5 is a lens element having a positive focal power.
US09482849B2 Optical photographing lens assembly, image capturing device and mobile terminal
An optical photographing lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element. The first lens element has refractive power. The second lens element has positive refractive power. The third lens element with positive refractive power has an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof. The fourth lens element has refractive power. The fifth lens element with refractive power has an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof, wherein an object-side surface and the image-side surface of the fifth lens element are aspheric, and at least one of the surfaces of the fifth lens element has at least one inflection point. The optical photographing lens assembly has a total of five lens elements with refractive power.
US09482848B2 Optical image capturing system
A five-piece optical lens for capturing image and a five-piece optical module for capturing image, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, including a first lens with positive refractive power having an object-side surface which can be convex; a second lens with refractive power; a third lens with refractive power; a fourth lens with refractive power; and a fifth lens which can have negative refractive power, wherein an image-side surface thereof can be concave, and at least one surface of the fifth lens has an inflection point; both surfaces of each of the five lenses are aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras.
US09482847B1 Optical image capturing system
A six-piece optical lens for capturing image and a six-piece optical module for capturing image are provided. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical lenses along the optical axis include a first lens with refractive power, a second lens with refractive power, a third lens with refractive power, a fourth lens with refractive power, a fifth lens with refractive power and a sixth lens with refractive power, and at least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the six lens elements is aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras.
US09482846B2 Imaging lens
An imaging lens, the imaging lens including in an ordered way from an object side, a first lens having positive (+) refractive power, a second lens having negative (−) refractive power, a third lens having negative (−) refractive power, a fourth lens having positive (+) refractive power, and a fifth lens having negative (−) refractive power, wherein meeting a conditional expression of 0.5
US09482843B2 Imaging lens
An imaging lens includes a first lens having positive refractive power; a second lens; a third lens; a fourth lens; a fifth lens having negative refractive power; and a sixth lens. The first lens is formed in a shape so that a surface thereof on the object side and a surface thereof on the image plane side have positive curvature radii. The fifth lens is formed in a shape so that a surface thereof on the image plane side has a negative curvature radius. The sixth lens is formed in a shape so that a surface thereof on the image plane side has a positive curvature radius.
US09482831B2 Silica-on-silicon-based hybrid integrated optoelectronic chip and manufacturing method therefor
Provided are a silica-on-silicon-based hybrid integrated optoelectronic chip and a manufacturing method therefor. The hybrid integrated optoelectronic chip comprises a silicon substrate (1), wherein the surface of the silicon substrate (1) is provided with a platform (8), lug bosses (6,7) and a groove (10); a silica waveguide element (2) is arranged in the groove (10), the lug bosses (6,7) are protruded from the surface of the platform (8), and the surface of the platform (8) is provided with a discontinuous metal electrode layer (3); and the surface of the metal electrode layer (3) is provided with solder bumps (4), and an active optoelectronic chip (5) is arranged above the solder bumps (4) and the lug bosses (6, 7). In the manufacturing method, multi-step processes including material growth, hot oxygen bonding, flip-chip bonding, lithography alignment and the like are adopted, thereby guaranteeing the high-efficiency light coupling among waveguide devices of different materials, and reducing the light reflection between waveguide end faces. A high-frequency electrode composed of alternating current electrode areas (26) is manufactured between the alignment lug bosses (6, 7). Due to the fact that flip-chip bonding technology is beneficial to the transmission of high-frequency signals, integration level between devices is improved. Meanwhile, the process design not only can achieve the chip-level probe test, but also can be used for the subsequent gold ball bonding or wedge bonding process, thereby facilitating the achievement of encapsulation and mass production of hybrid integrated chips.
US09482829B2 Hardened fiber optic connector compatible with hardened and non-hardened fiber optic adapters
A fiber optic connector and cable assembly includes a cable with one or more strength members secured to a connector that is connectable to both a hardened and a non-hardened fiber optic adapter. The cable can include multiple cable types with various shapes and strength member configurations. The connector includes a connector housing having a one-piece main body and a cover piece mounted thereon. The one-piece main body defines a plug portion compatible with the adapters. A ferrule assembly is mounted in the plug portion and biased outwardly by a spring. An insert within the connector housing includes a spring stop for holding the spring and a cable retention portion for securing the strength members of the cable. The spring stop and the cable retention portion can be included on a one-piece insert or they can separately be included on separate inserts. The cable retention portion of the insert and the cover piece can take various forms suited for a particular cable of a given fiber optic connector and cable assembly.
US09482822B2 Wavelength selector switch
A wavelength selective switch 1A includes a light input/output unit 10, a dispersive element 20, and a light deflection element 30 disposed side by side on a predetermined axis C. The light input/output unit 10 has a first portion 10a in which light enters and exits a light input/output port 11 by an optical axis inclined with respect to the predetermined axis C, and a second portion 10b in which light enters and exits a light input/output port 12 by an optical axis inclined with respect to the predetermined axis C. A light entry/exit angle of the light input/output port 11 with the predetermined axis C as a reference and a light entry/exit angle of the light input/output port 12 with the predetermined axis C as a reference differ from each other.
US09482814B2 Multicore optical fiber and optical module
The present invention relates to an MCF with a structure for enabling an alignment work with higher accuracy. The MCF has a plurality of cores and a cladding. An outer peripheral shape of the cladding in a cross section of the MCF is comprised of a circumferential portion forming a circumference coincident with an outer periphery of the MCF, and a cut portion. The cut portion has a bottom portion and two contact portions provided on both sides of the bottom portion and projecting more than the bottom portion. When a side face of the MCF is viewed, the two contact portions have flattened faces and the flattened faces of the two contact portions extend along a longitudinal direction of the MCF with the bottom portion in between.
US09482807B2 Optical constructions incorporating a light guide and low refractive index films
Optical constructions use a low index of refraction layer disposed between a low absorption layer and a high absorption layer to increase confinement of light to the low absorption region of the optical constructions. Low index layers can be used in optical constructions that have multi-tiered light confinement. In these constructions, a first tier of reflection is provided when light is reflected at the surface of a low index optical film which is disposed directly or indirectly on a light guide. A second tier of reflection occurs at the surface of a light redirecting film having appropriately oriented refractive structures.
US09482802B2 Method for producing long retardation film
A method for producing a long retardation film having an optical axis in an oblique direction relative to the length direction of the long retardation film is provided.
US09482800B2 Durable optical interference pigment with a bimetal core
In a plurality of asymmetric color-shifting flakes, each flake has an asymmetric magnetic core with a magnetic layer visible on the first side of the core and a non-magnetic reflector layer on the magnetic layer, visible on the second side of the core. The flake has a spacer layer and an absorber layer on the first side of the core, and also a spacer layer and an absorber layer on the second side of the core, for providing color shifting effects. The material of the magnetic layer is different from the material of the reflector layer, and may be more stable when exposed to a chemical. When a coating with the asymmetric color-shifting flakes is exposed to the chemical, it may have better optical performance than a coating with symmetric color-shifting flakes.
US09482796B2 Controllable planar optical focusing system
An optical device has a first metasurface disposed over a substrate. A high-contrast pattern of the first metasurface is operable for modifying, over a first phase profile, a phase front of an incident light beam. A second metasurface, is disposed over a plane parallel to the first metasurface with a second high-contrast pattern and operable for shaping, over a second phase profile, the modified phase front of the incident light beam into a converging spherical phase front. A spacer layer, in which the modified phase front of the incident light beam diffracts, is disposed in a controllably changeable separation between the first and second metasurfaces. Controllably changing the separation between the first and the second metasurfaces by a first distance correspondingly changes the position of the focus point of the converging spherical phase front by a second distance significantly greater than the first distance.
US09482788B2 UV-blocking silicone hydrogel composition and silicone hydrogel contact lens containing thereof
The present disclosure provides a UV-blocking silicone hydrogel composition including a hydrophilic silicone macromer, a UV-blocking monomer, a first hydrophilic monomer, a crosslinker and a polymerization initiator. The hydrophilic silicone macromer has a general formula: V-L-S-(L′-V′)x, wherein V and V′ are independently ethylenically-based polymerizable groups, L and L′ are independently a covalent bond or a linkage group, S is a siloxane group having a chemical structure such as and x is 0 or 1. A silicone contact lens containing the UV-blocking silicone hydrogel composition is also provided herein.
US09482784B2 Imaging metamaterial for projecting an object image with molecular and refractive index signal
The present invention is related to an imaging metamaterial, comprising at least one resonant unit with a controllable split structure that comprises at least one gap and at least one segment, wherein the segment is connected by a node or separated by the gap. The present invention also provides a method for preparing an imaging metamaterial. The present invention further provides an imaging apparatus.
US09482781B2 Systems, transmitter assemblies, and associated propulsion devices to explore and analyze subterranean geophysical formations
Systems and transmitter assemblies for exploring geophysical formations at great depths. In order to explore the formation, transmitter assemblies with a size less than 500 nanometers are inserted into the formation. The transmitter assemblies include propulsion devices to propel through the formation, analyzing fluids and conditions as each moves through the formation. The transmitter assemblies can communicate with a machine on the surface via a series of receivers and transmitters located in the wellbore. The machine on the surface is able to combine and analyze the data from the nanorobots to create a three dimensional map of the formation. The map shows the locations of pathways through the formation, pockets of hydrocarbons within the formation, and the boundaries of the formation.
US09482776B2 Interferometric processing to detect subterranean geological boundaries
A method of identifying a bed boundary in a subterranean formation by processing data measured by an induction logging tool. An interferometric method compares recorded voltages and/or phases recorded at axially spaced apart receivers on the logging tool. A transmitter is on the logging tool and set between the receivers, where the receivers are equally spaced apart from the transmitter. The transmitter emits a signal having frequencies up to around 50 kHz.
US09482774B2 Variable turn radius for marine vessels
Operation of a marine vessel is disclosed. A marine vessel may be operated so as to determine that an end of a first sail line is approaching. Once determined, a turn path from the end of the first sail line to the beginning of a second sail line may be determined. The turn path may be determined based on at least one of current direction and current magnitude.
US09482773B2 Wide azimuth seismic data acquisition method and system with at least three streamer sets
Wide azimuth data acquisition systems using at least three streamer sets achieve shorter survey time and enhanced angular coverage relative to conventional systems using two streamer sets. Various techniques such as high-density seismic source activation and alternating surveyed bands with skipped bands lead to data quality similar to the conventional system, while maintaining the increased productivity advantage.
US09482749B1 Signature detection in point images
A method and system is disclosed for tracking object clusters that reduces the complexity of isotropic scaling and conformal transformations that are used with current methods of tracking clusters. The method and system comprise obtaining a first sensor image and a second sensor image. Then, angular measurements between objects of the first sensor image are determined. Next, the second sensor image is rotated to align it with the first sensor image, and then angular measurements between objects of the second sensor image are determined. Then angular measurements from the first sensor image are compared to angular measurements of the second image, and correlated object clusters are identified.
US09482743B2 Enhancing geo-location precision in wireless systems
A system may be configured to compute an estimated location of a user device based on an estimation coefficient and a measured distance between the user device and a base station. The estimation coefficient may be based on: an actual distance between a reference device and the base station, and a measured distance between the reference device and the base station. The system may store or output the information regarding the estimated location of the device.
US09482739B2 Indoor/outdoor transition determination
An apparatus and method is provided for indoor/outdoor transition detection of devices to improve selection of the navigation algorithms. To determine whether an outdoor-to-indoor transition has occurred, a mobile device can determine whether a difference between an indoor position determined using indoor position information and outdoor position determined using outdoor position information is less than a threshold and can conclude that the mobile device transitioned from outdoor to indoor of the structure, if the difference is less than the threshold. Also, to determine whether an indoor-to-outdoor transition has occurred, the mobile device can determine whether an indoor position survey area exists, determine whether an outdoor position determined based on outdoor position information is outside of the survey area, and determine whether a signal strength associated with the outdoor position location information is greater than a threshold.
US09482738B2 Method, device and system for determining topology of a wireless communication network
A method for determining a topology of a wireless communication network (14), the method comprising: receiving a plurality of signal strength data respectively measured at a plurality of fixed stations (12) in the network each with respect to its neighbouring fixed stations; receiving a sensor data measured at a mobile station 16 operable to communicate with the network; and determining positions of the plurality of fixed stations based on the signal strength data measured at the plurality of fixed stations and the sensor data measured at the mobile station.
US09482736B1 Cascaded adaptive beamforming system
A system and device phase-aligns and sums signals from a very large array of sensors, such as microphones or ultrasonic transducers, without prior knowledge of time delays of signals reaching each sensor, so as to accommodate effects of reverberant fields or acoustic or ultrasonic media containing multiple reflectors or scatterers and/or having heterogeneous, unknown acoustic properties.
US09482723B2 Wireless power supply system, power transmission device, and power receiving device
A wireless power supply system includes a power transmission device capable of transmitting power to a plurality of power receiving devices by a magnetic field resonance method. The power transmission device includes a detection unit configured to detect an amount of charge of each of the plurality of power receiving devices, a determination unit configured to determine, if the amount of charge of a certain power receiving device is not increased even when a predetermined time has elapsed since start of power transmission to the certain power receiving device, whether a cause of failure to increase the amount of charge is the power transmission device or the certain power receiving device, based on the amount of charge of any other power receiving device detected by the detection unit, and a notification unit configured to transmit a notification about the determination result by the determination unit.
US09482721B2 Electric power source circuit and abnormality diagnosis system
A control unit for a rotary electric machine includes a first current command module, a second current command module, a change module, and a return module. The first module performs a first current command on a maximum efficiency characteristic line on a d-q plane thereby to drive the machine at a maximum efficiency. The second module performs a second current command on a switching line set at a retard angle side relative to the maximum efficiency characteristic line. The change module changes a control mode from a rectangular wave voltage phase control mode to an overmodulation current control mode when an operation point of the machine reaches the switching line. The return module returns the current command from the second command to the first command after performance of the second command for a predetermined period.
US09482719B2 On-the-fly test and debug logic for ATPG failures of designs using on-chip clocking
A semiconductor chip includes an OCC that receives an ATPG test pattern and generates clock pulses in response. An OCC test circuit detects clock pulses of the OCC circuit and provides debug data to test output configurable logic that also receives results from other circuits testing different DUT flip-flops. A clipping test circuit detects ATPG failures due to clipped clock pulses from the OCC by providing pulse-width sensitive flip-flop outputs to DUT I/Os. An IR drop test circuit detects if ATPG failures are due to IR-drop problems in certain flip-flops. A pulse bit manipulating circuit varies the test pattern provided to the OCC and OCC-generated clock pulses. A debug controller connected to test output configurable logic selects between results of the different tests for supply as an output test signal to be compared on-the-fly with expected pattern data on ATE and used to isolate errors on the chip.
US09482715B2 Method for determining an electrical property of cable insulation
A method for determining conductivity of cable insulation of a cable including at least one conductor that determines the central axis of the cable and insulation layer surrounding the conductor longitudinally and radially includes steps of retrieving a cable sample from a cable, which sample includes a length of at least one insulation layer and preparing an insulation sample from the cable sample. The insulation sample is prepared from cable sample by cutting a circular layer having a set thickness at desired radius from the central axis of the cable.
US09482714B2 Systems and methods for overheat detection system event location
Embodiments relate to systems for improved relative location identification for overheat, short circuit, and open circuit events. The systems accomplish the improvements by utilizing any, or a combination, of implementing a novel calculation formula, determining and implementing an external offset value, and determining and implementing an internal offset value.
US09482712B2 Method and apparatus for testing utility power devices
An apparatus for performing measurements on a utility power device that shares a common ground with the apparatus selectively sends a first high voltage signal via a first lead to a first terminal of the utility power device, measures a first corresponding signal returned via a second lead of the apparatus from a second terminal of the utility power device. While the corresponding first lead and the second lead of the apparatus remain electrically coupled to the corresponding first and the second terminal of the utility power device. The apparatus selectively sends a second high voltage signal via the second lead to the second terminal of the utility power device, and measures a second corresponding signal returned via the first lead of the apparatus from the first terminal of the utility power device.
US09482710B2 Inspection system for evaluating electrical parts for unwanted partial discharge
An electrical part testing system for evaluating quality of an insulated electrical part, including a computer-controlled switching apparatus for providing an original voltage to the electrical part automatically according to a pre-established testing scheme calling for provision of voltage to each phase of the part, in turn, while grounding the other phases of the part. A high-frequency filter for receiving receive the original voltage, receiving a load voltage emanating from the electrical part in response to the part receiving the original voltage, and filtering the original voltage from the load voltage to isolate any partial-discharge voltage added to the original voltage by the electrical part while the part is being electrified by the original voltage, yielding a filtered signal. A computing device determines, based on a comparison of a peak amplitude of the partial-discharge inception voltage to a voltage threshold, the quality of the electrical part being tested.
US09482708B2 Enhanced reverberation chamber
A method and apparatus for an enhanced reverberation chamber are disclosed. In one embodiment, one or more positioners are coupled to a tuner, such that when the tuner moves, the positioner moves. A device involved with a test may be mounted to the positioner so that when the positioner moves, the device moves.
US09482704B2 Detecting shorted diodes
A method, a controller unit for a bridge rectifier, and a bridge rectifier system are disclosed for detecting a shorted diode in a bridge rectifier. The method can include determining a phase-to-phase voltage between two phase inputs of the bridge rectifier, wherein a phase input is provided between the two series connected diodes of the respective phase, and indicating a shorted diode fault by determining whether the phase-to-phase voltage is zero for more than a commutation time of the bridge rectifier.
US09482700B2 Current detector to sense current without being in series with conductor
A current detector senses current flowing through a conductor, such as a conductive trace of a circuit board, without being placed in series with the conductor. A first magnetically conductive partial ring is located above the conductor, and a second magnetically conductive partial ring is located below the conductor. Ends of one of the partial rings may be inserted through holes of the circuit board to either side of the conductive trace. The partial rings, upon being contactively aligned with one another, form a magnetically conductive complete ring around the conductor. A Hall effect sensor disposed within one of the partial rings outputs a signal corresponding to the current flowing through the conductor.
US09482694B2 Device for measuring electronic components
A device for measuring electronic components having a plurality of conductors applied to a dielectric cable carrier, which conductors are each connected both to a contact finger and to a connection contact, such that a switch is integrated in at least one of the conductors, via which the conductor can be additionally connected to a ground connection.
US09482691B1 Atomic force microscopy active optical probe
A new active optical Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) probe integrating monolithically a semiconductor laser source, an AFM tip, and a photodetector into a robust, easy-to use single semiconductor chip to enable both conventional AFM measurements and optical imaging and spectroscopy at the nanoscale.
US09482684B2 Centrifuge system and workflow
Systems, methods and apparatus are described for a centrifuge module of a laboratory analysis system. Specimen containers may be weighed, loaded into a centrifuge adapter, and transported to a centrifuge module by an adapter shuttle. A centrifuge adapter gripper may transport the centrifuge adapter into a centrifuge for centrifugation. The centrifuge adapter may be transported by the centrifuge adapter gripper to an adapter shuttle for unloading of the specimen containers, which may be performed by a specimen container gripper. A centrifuge drawer that allows a centrifuge to be extended from its installed position is also described. Additional embodiments pertain to a sequence for replacing, in a centrifuge, a set of centrifuge adapters that have been centrifuged with a set of centrifuge adapters that have not been centrifuged. A sequence for loading specimen containers into centrifuge adapters is also described.
US09482683B2 System and method for sequential testing across multiple devices
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for sequential testing across multiple devices. In one implementation, the method includes analyzing test device requirements, received from a plurality of user devices, to generate automation scripts for test automation. Further, the method includes allocating testing devices, from among the plurality of user devices, for the sequential testing based on availability of the plurality of user devices and the test device requirements. Further, the method includes determining a sequential schedule based on at least one of a waiting time for the testing devices, a priority assigned to the testing devices and the automation scripts, intermediate data, an execution status, and a device status.
US09482676B2 Method for screening for a therapeutic agent for idiopathic interstitial pneumonia
The present invention provides a method for detecting idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, which comprises measuring the expression level of a periostin gene or the amount of a periostin protein in a biological sample. Thereby, a method for detecting idiopathic interstitial pneumonia using a marker is provided.
US09482668B2 Methods and systems for the detection of bacteria
Disclosed are methods and systems for the isolation and detection of microbes from a sample. The use of binding agents for isolation of a microbe of interest from a sample are described. In certain embodiments, the methods use ribosome-based and/or bacteriophage-based amplification of the signal in detection of bacteria and other microorganisms. For example, embodiments of the present invention can achieve total amplification of at least 10,000 from a single infected cell.
US09482658B2 Test system and method for determining thermal effects of tissue ablation on an ex vivo tissue
A test system and method for determining thermal effects of tissue ablation on an ex vivo tissue includes a power generator, a grounding patch, and a material block configured to emulate an electrical property of a patient. The power generator electrically connects to an electrode to generate an electrical current in the electrode. The grounding patch electrically connects to the power generator, and the material block electrically connects to the grounding patch. Furthermore, the material block includes an ex vivo tissue patch configured to emulate an in vivo tissue of the patient. As such, selectively engaging the electrode to the ex vivo tissue patch electrically connects the electrode to the grounding patch through the material block for electrocauterizing the ex vivo tissue patch.
US09482657B2 Formulation of complex coating mixtures with effect pigments
A computer implemented method. The method includes obtaining, using a processor, reflectance data from a target coating and calculating, using the processor, a reflectance from the data, wherein calculating comprises performing a calculation using a radiative transfer equation. The method also includes generating, using the processor and based on the reflectance, a coating formulation that is the same or substantially similar in appearance to the target coating.
US09482648B2 Method for detecting galacto-oligosaccharide
A method for detecting and quantifying galacto-oligosaccharide in a sample containing galacto-oligosaccharide and dextrin is characterized in that the sample is caused to react with a derivatizing reagent to derivatize the dextrin and galacto-oligosaccharide in the sample, after which the galacto-oligosaccharide component in the sample is separated by high-performance liquid chromatography using a C30 reverse-phase chromatography column, thereby accurately detecting and quantifying galacto-oligosaccharide with ease and at low cost.
US09482641B2 Device and method for detecting chemical and physical phenomena
Provided is a device adapted for detecting chemical and physical phenomena and suitable for high integration, and a method for controlling the detection device. When a plurality of pH-detecting devices are used, a variation in sensitivity occurs in each of the sensing units. The variation in sensitivity can be calibrated using a simple method. The amount of charge (output signal) delivered by each of the sensing units to a standard solution is determined, and the difference between the delivered charge amount and a standard charge amount (standard output signal) delivered by a standard sensing unit is determined. The capacity of the potential well of the sensing unit is changed, or the potential of a TG unit when a charge is delivered is changed, so as to cancel out the difference.
US09482640B2 Apparatus and method for improved measurements of a monitoring device
Methods and devices for improving measurements of test meter, and in particular for detecting a presence of an electrochemical sensor or strip in the test meter and a start time of an electrochemical reaction, are provided. In one exemplary embodiment of an electrochemical system includes an electrochemical sensor, a test meter, and a circuit. The circuit is configured to form an electrical connection with the electrochemical sensor such that the circuit can detect three distinct voltage ranges. The voltage ranges can be indicative of an absence of the electrochemical sensor, a presence of the sensor that is devoid of a sample, and a presence of the sensor with a sample. Test meters, methods for detecting when a sample starts to fill an electrochemical sensor for establishing when a reaction starts, and circuits for use with electrochemical strips, are also provided.
US09482635B2 Glucose-measurement systems and methods presenting icons
A glucose measurement system includes a display and a biosensor that provides a signal representative of a glucose level of a fluid sample. A processor determines glucose data values and a rate of change of blood glucose using the signal. The processor can determine a state band and a rate band using the values and rate, and display a state icon colored per the state band and a rate icon colored and shaped per the rate band. The processor does not display any other indication of the determined rate of change or of any of the stored glucose data values. The processor can also display a unified icon shaped per the rate of change, with a prevailing color determined using the values. The processor does not display any other indication of the determined rate of change or of any of the stored glucose data values. Corresponding methods are also described.
US09482626B2 Waveguide probe for nondestructive material characterization
An open-ended waveguide probe including a finite flange extending outwardly and functioning as an infinite flange. A signal source provides a microwave signal to the waveguide, which in turn transmits microwave electromagnetic energy incident upon an object to be tested. The finite flange at the waveguide's aperture is shaped to reduce scattering of the electromagnetic field reflected from the object and received by the aperture. The probe is adapted for coupling to a receiver for sampling the reflected electromagnetic field received by the aperture and the receiver is adapted for coupling to a processor for determining at least one material characteristic of the object based on sampled electromagnetic field reflected from the object.
US09482625B2 Method and system for testing indirect bandgap semiconductor devices using luminescence imaging
Embodiments of methods and systems for identifying or determining spatially resolved properties in indirect bandgap semiconductor devices such as solar cells are described. In one embodiment, spatially resolved properties of an indirect bandgap semiconductor device are determined by externally exciting the indirect bandgap semiconductor device to cause the indirect bandgap semiconductor device to emit luminescence (110), capturing images of luminescence emitted from the indirect bandgap semiconductor device in response to the external excitation (120), and determining spatially resolved properties of the indirect bandgap semiconductor device based on a comparison of relative intensities of regions in one or more of the luminescence images (130).
US09482624B2 Apparatus for inspecting
The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus, the inspection apparatus including a projection unit configured to project a plurality of lights, each having a different focal length relative to a surface of an inspection object, and an inspection unit configured to inspect a surface of an inspection object using the light reflected from the inspection object, wherein the projection unit is provided with a plurality of lenses configured to project the lights, and curvature of each lens is different, and the focal length is different due to the difference of the curvature, whereby the curve on a surface of the inspection object can be reliably measured.
US09482615B2 Single-molecule detection system and methods
Embodiments encompass a single-molecule detection system and methods of using the detection system to detect an object. Further, embodiments encompass a detection system comprising a movable light coupler, a waveguide, and a light detector. Embodiments further encompass methods of single-molecule detection, including methods of single-molecule nucleic acid sequencing.
US09482610B2 Techniques for matching spectra
A method of controlling processing of a substrate includes measuring a spectrum reflected from the substrate, for each partition of a plurality of partitions of the measured spectrum, computing a partition value based on the measured spectrum within the partition to generate a plurality of partition values, for each reference spectrum signature of a plurality of reference spectrum signatures, determining a membership function for each partition, for each partition, computing a membership value based on the membership function for the partition and the partition value for the partition to generate a plurality of groups of membership values with each group of the plurality of groups associated with a reference spectrum signature, selecting a best matching reference spectrum signature from the plurality of reference spectra signatures based on the plurality of groups of membership values, and determining a characterizing value associated with the best matching reference spectrum signature.
US09482606B2 Method for processing data and electronic device thereof
A method for operating an electronic device including a first sensor is provided, the method including: obtaining a first reading from the first sensor; detecting a state of the electronic device; and adjusting the first reading based on the state the electronic device to generate an adjusted reading; and performing, by the electronic device, an action based on the adjusted reading; wherein the first sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor.
US09482603B2 Solid phase extraction device for dried sample cards
Described is a device for solid phase extraction of a dried sample of a biological fluid. The device includes a support structure such as a plate or support block that has a first side to receive a dried sample card. The support structure also has a second side that is opposite the first side and a number of apertures that extend between the first and second sides. The device also includes a plurality of wells each containing a sample preparation material and having an inlet end that communicates with a respective aperture at the second side of the support structure. Each dried sample on the dried sample card is aligned with one of the apertures. Extraction samples in each well pass through the sample preparation material, such as a chromatographic sorbent, in the well to remove one or more constituents of the extraction sample.
US09482601B2 Portable device for transporting a histological sample
The invention relates, in accordance with one aspect, to a portable device for transporting at least one histological sample or at least one cassette containing a histological sample. The device is attachable to a processing station for processing 5 histological samples. In the attached state, energy for cooling the histological sample is transferred from the processing station to the device or vice versa. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a processing station for processing a histological sample is provided, which station is embodied for releasable attachment of a portable device. The processing station is further embodied to transfer energy 10 for cooling to, or receive it from, an attached device.
US09482591B2 Methods for gas leak detection and localization in populated areas using horizontal analysis
Improved gas leak detection from moving platforms is provided. Automatic horizontal spatial scale analysis can be performed in order to distinguish a leak from background levels of the measured gas. Source identification can be provided by using isotopic ratios and/or chemical tracers to distinguish gas leaks from other sources of the measured gas. Multi-point measurements combined with spatial analysis of the multi-point measurement results can provide leak source distance estimates. These methods can be practiced individually or in any combination.
US09482589B2 Leak detector for use with flanged waste water drain pipe
Provided herein is a leak detector comprising: a flat base sheet bound by an outer perimeter and an interior aperture; a wick material barrier coupled to the base between the aperture and the outer perimeter in a continuous or substantially continuous strip around the aperture, the wick material barrier interrupted by one or more gap regions, each gap region defined by a pair of wick material projections starting at either end of the gap region and extending radially outward; a liquid sensor in fluid communication with the pair of wick material projections; and a liquid-impermeable material coupled to the base sheet and surrounding the pair of wick material projections to form a liquid-impermeable enclosure defining an interior cavity comprising the pair of wick material projections and the liquid sensor.
US09482586B2 Heating control apparatus and control method thereof
A heating control apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. The heating control apparatus includes a heating module, a temperature sensing module, a pulse width modulation circuit, and a comparator. Input terminals of the comparator are respectively coupled to the temperature sensing module and the pulse width modulation circuit, and an output terminal of the comparator is coupled to the heating module. In the control method, a heating temperature of the heating module is sensed by the temperature sensing module, so as to provide a temperature sensing signal. The comparator receives the temperature sensing signal and a pulse width modulation signal generated by the pulse width modulation circuit and compares the temperature sensing signal and the pulse width modulation signal to generate a comparing pulse width modulation signal, so as to control the heating temperature of the heating module by using the comparing pulse width modulation signal.
US09482583B1 Automated heliostat reflectivity measurement system
Methods and systems for measuring heliostat reflectivity with a control processing unit configured to receive an image of a heliostat, receive an image of the Sun, process the received images, and determine a reflectivity estimate based on a comparison of the processed images.
US09482575B1 System and method for low signal knife edge wavefront sensing in an adaptive optical system
A System and Method for Low Signal Knife Edge Wavefront Sensing in an Adaptive Optical System to provide measurement and compensation of aberrations induced by propagation through an optical system and through a turbulent medium to a target. The wavefront sensing method requires a minimum signal level for effective operation by taking advantage of the implicit gain afforded by the knife edge principle and incorporating a means for on-line calibration of the knife edge gain. This particular advantage reduces requirements on the laser utilized to generate a beacon signal for wavefront sensing and reduces requirements on the detectors utilized for wavefront sensing, ultimately reducing cost of the method relative to alternative adaptive optical systems using conventional wavefront sensing methods. The method is suitable for use with a broad range of laser sources, including continuous wave and pulsed laser sources, cooperative and non-cooperative targets.
US09482574B2 Method for determining a quality characteristic and for vibration measurement
Method for determining a characteristic for the quality of alignment of a rotating machine, by obtaining vibration data with at least one vibration sensor, and using the vibration data obtained with the vibration sensor to determine a characteristic for the quality of alignment. Furthermore, alignment data obtained from first and second optoelectronic units is used in addition to the vibration data obtained with the at least one vibration sensor to produce a combination value from which both an instantaneous vibration state and success of the alignment can be determined.
US09482563B2 Real time measurements of fluid volume and flow rate using two pressure transducers
To provide accurate determinations of volumetric flow rate and thus of total liquid volume transported over a given time period, two pressure transducers are disposed a predetermined distance apart along a conduit. Precise pressure measurement readings are generated from which volumetric flow rate can be derived with accuracy. Integration of the volumetric flow rate over time yields an improved measure of the total liquid volume that has flowed through the conduit during the respective temporal interval. The two pressure transducers are disposed along the conduit a predetermined distance apart with no obstruction or restriction in the conduit between the transducers. A controller can be used to determine the volumetric flow rate using the Hagen-Poiseuille Equation.
US09482560B2 Optical position transmitter with analog memory unit
The invention relates to a position transmitter with a position code and an optical sensor element for detecting at least one part of the position code. The sensor element has a row of photosensitive detection regions, which convert incident photons into electric charges, and a readout structure for outputting an electric data signal corresponding to the stored electric charges. The sensor element has an analog memory unit structure with a number of N>1 rows of photo-insensitive analog memory cells in order to temporarily store the electric charges and an electric switching structure, by means of which a charge transfer can be carried out between the detection regions and the memory cells, between the memory cells amongst one another, and between the memory cells and the readout row.
US09482558B2 Device for detecting multi-turn absolute rotation angle and method for detecting the same
There is provided a method for calculating with high accuracy a multi-turn absolute rotation angle of a motor rotating shaft coupled to a motor output shaft. In a rotation angle detection device according to this invention, a rotation angle θn of an n-th rotating shaft satisfies the relationship with a rotation angle θ1 of the motor rotating shaft: θn=(−(m±1)/m)n−1×θ1. The rotation angle detection device as an embodiment of a mechanism satisfying the relationship includes a gear mechanism in which a gear having (m±1) teeth meshes with a gear having m teeth between each adjacent two of first to n-th rotating shafts. A multi-turn rotation angle of the first rotating shaft is expanded to a detected value p1 of the first rotating shaft which is a rotation angle of the first rotating shaft and R0×m0+R1×m1+ . . . Rn−2×mn−2 corresponding to the number of revolutions of the first rotating shaft, coefficients R0 to Rn−2 are obtained on the basis of detected values from angle detectors of the respective shafts, and the multi-turn rotation angle of the first rotating shaft is calculated. Detection errors generated in the angle detectors of the second and subsequent rotating shafts can be effectively reduced, and a high-accuracy multi-turn rotation angle can be calculated.
US09482554B2 Gyroscope stabilizer filter
A method, a filtering module, and a computer-readable medium are configured to filter measurements acquired in a sensor reference system. Filtered measurements of motion sensors and a magnetometer attached to the device may then be used to determine orientation of a device in a non-inertial reference system. The measurements are filtered in a reference system, whose position relative to the sensor system can be calculated, and in which gravity and Earth's magnetic field have substantially constant direction and magnitude during the filtering window.
US09482551B1 Airspace performance depictions using vertical and lateral guidance bars
A system for presenting performance attributes on a display unit on an aircraft is disclosed. The system may include a communication module for receiving the RNP for the aircraft, a navigation module for determining the position of the aircraft as well as its ANP, and a processing module for generating an integrated graphical representation of these performance attributes. The processing module may generate a cross-sectional depiction of a virtual tunnel based on the RNP and the position of the aircraft, wherein the cross-sectional depiction may include a first containment limit indicator and a second containment limit indicator. The processing module may also generate an aircraft position indicator, wherein the aircraft position indicator may indicate the position of the aircraft as well as the ANP of the aircraft. The cross-sectional depiction of the tunnel and the aircraft position indicator may be displayed on a display unit in a two-dimensional manner.
US09482549B2 Determining location information using a location data point provided by a computing device
A system and method for determining location information using a location data point provided by a computing device is described. A location data point is received by a system from a client computing device. The system determines whether the location data point is within a predefined region from a plurality of predefined regions configured by a user of the system. If the location data point is within a predefined region, location information corresponding to the predefined region is transmitted to the client device. If the location data point is not within a predefined region, one or more third-party reverse geocoding services can be used that translates the location data point to a street address.
US09482548B2 Route inspection portals
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for populating a map interface with a route inspection portal and/or for generating travel route video. In an example, a map interface is populated with a map canvas illustrating a travel route. The map canvas is populated with inspection markers corresponding to imagery depicting travel route portions of the travel route. Responsive to identifying a selection of an inspection marker at an inspection location, imagery depicting the inspection location may be identified. The map canvas is populated with a route inspection portal for the inspection marker. The route inspection portal is populated with the imagery (e.g., street-side imagery of an intersection along the travel route). In an example, a travel route video, comprising video frames corresponding to an ordering of the imagery (e.g., from a start location to an end location) along the travel route, may be generated and/or played.
US09482546B2 Method and system for providing route information to a destination location
A method for providing route information is to be implemented by a system coupled to an electronic device. In the method, the system is programmed to: provide an online video-playing interface including a first frame that displays primary video media, and a second frame that displays secondary information media, which is visually recognizable and associated with the primary video media; obtain, upon receipt of a trigger signal associated with selection of the secondary information media, a current location of the electronic device and a destination location associated with the secondary information media; and plan a route from the current location to the destination location, and transmit the route to the electronic device for display.
US09482545B2 Apparatus and method for providing user's route information in mobile communication system
An apparatus and a method search a route using a portable terminal. A controller establishes a call connection with another party and exchanges positional information with the other party. An analyzing unit analyzes the route information using a first positional information of the portable terminal and a second positional information of the other party. A displaying unit outputs the route information analyzed by the analyzing unit. The controller provides the route information analyzed by the analyzing unit.
US09482537B2 Displaying laylines
Various implementations described herein are directed to displaying laylines. In one implementation, a method may include receiving marine electronics data at a marine electronics device disposed on a vessel. The method may also include receiving a navigational location. The method may further include calculating one or more laylines based on the navigational location and the marine electronics data. The method may additionally include displaying a vessel marker representing the vessel, a compass scale, and the one or more laylines on a display screen of the marine electronics device, where the vessel marker, the compass scale, and the one or more laylines are integrated on the display screen.
US09482530B2 Nadir/zenith inertial pointing assistance for two-axis gimbals
Control systems and methods are provided for improved azimuthal pointing control near gimbal zenith/nadir in two-axis gimbal systems mounted to moveable platforms. The system includes a two-axis gimbal and a two-axis pointing device mounted to the two-axis gimbal. The two-axis pointing device directs a line of sight axis based upon a commanded steering direction and movement of the platform in the inertial frame of the line of sight. The two-axis gimbal follows the movement of the two-axis pointing device, keeping the two-axis pointing device from encountering its mechanical limits. In this manner, inertial pointing control is maintained in the near gimbal zenith/nadir regime.
US09482529B2 Three-dimensional coordinate scanner and method of operation
A noncontact optical three-dimensional measuring device that includes a first projector, a first camera, a second projector, and a second camera; a processor electrically coupled to the first projector, the first camera, the second projector, and the second camera; and computer readable media which, when executed by the processor, causes the first digital signal to be collected at a first time and the second digital signal to be collected at a second time different than the first time and determines three-dimensional coordinates of a first point on the surface based at least in part on the first digital signal and the first distance and determines three-dimensional coordinates of a second point on the surface based at least in part on the second digital signal and the second distance.
US09482523B2 Air micrometer
The present invention relates to an air micrometer. The air micrometer includes a target object accommodation slot having a bottom surface and a ceiling surface to accommodate at least one portion of the target object between the bottom surface and the ceiling surface, and an air spray unit including a nozzle opened in the bottom surface or the ceiling surface to spray the air onto the target object that is accommodated between the bottom surface and the ceiling surface.
US09482511B2 System and method for interlacing differing coherence length sweeps to improve OCT image quality
A system and method for sweeping electromagnetic radiation over a first coherence length and a second length over a range of wavelengths to generate an image. Electromagnetic radiation having a first coherence length is generated and swept over a range of wavelengths. Electromagnetic radiation having a second coherence length is generated and swept over a range of wavelengths. The electromagnetic radiation is splitting through a reference path and a sample path; Electromagnetic radiation returned from the reference path and the sample path is detected, wherein the detector generates output signals corresponding to the received electromagnetic radiation. In one embodiment, the output signals are processed to generate an image. The image may be interleaved with data corresponding to the electromagnetic radiation having the first coherence length and the second coherence length.
US09482507B2 Method of underground rock blasting
A method of blasting rock at an underground blast site in which boreholes (11a, b, c) are drilled in a rock mass 10 from a drive defining face 12, each borehole is loaded with at least one charge of explosive material (13a-c, 14a-c, 15a-c), at least one detonator is placed in operative association with each charge, and a sequence of at least two initiation events is conducted to blast the rock mass, in each of which only some of the charges are initiated, by sending firing signals to only the detonators associated with said charges and in which each initiation event is a discrete user-controlled initiation event. In one of the at least two initiation events a stranded portion of the rock mass such as a pillar is created that has already been drilled and charged, and the stranded portion of the rock mass is blasted in a subsequent one or more of the at least two initiation events without personnel accessing said stranded portion. First explosive charges (13a, b, c and 15a, b, c) may be blasted in the one initiation event, leaving a pillar of stranded ore with the preloaded borehole 11b extending through it. The detonators may be wireless.
US09482506B1 Methods and apparatus for non-contact inspection of containers using multiple sensors
Methods and apparatus for an acoustic source for directing acoustic energy to ensonify a container, a first sensor to detect acoustic energy from the acoustic source affected by an object in the container without contacting the container, a second sensor to confirm presence of the object, and a processing module to process the detected acoustic energy from the first and second sensors to identify the object in the container.
US09482499B1 Explosively formed projectile (EFP) with cavitation pin
The invention is an explosively formed projectile (EFP). On detonation of an explosive charge, an explosively formed projectile is formed from two separate metal elements, an open-poled dished liner and a cavitation pin. The open-poled dished liner is made of a metal more dense than a metal of the cavitation pin. The cavitation pin lies on the open-poled dished liner longitudinal axis and in contact therewith. The cavitation pin has a truncated right conical shape with a base diameter to length ratio of 0.7:1 to 1.5:1. The ratio of the open-poled dished liner diameter:cavitation pin fore portion major base diameter is 2:1 to 4:1. Upon detonation, the cavitation pin leads the explosively forged liner in the explosively formed projectile assembly. The leading pin causes cavitation in water resulting in an increase in the velocity of the explosively formed projectile.
US09482493B2 Turret structure, in particular for a fighting vehicle
A turret includes a hollow casing provided with a gun, such as a cannon. The casing includes an upper half-shell at least partially widening towards the bottom of the casing, and a lower half-shell at least partially widening towards the top of the casing; the upper half-shell and the lower half-shell meeting and widening, in at least one edge border of the casing.
US09482492B2 Ballistic material
A polyurea hybrid ballistic armor formed from novel cured reaction products of various diamines and polyester diols with isocyanate curing agents. The cured reaction product can absorb large amounts of energy from ballistic projectiles, and when various hard granular particles are embedded within the cured reaction product, a strike plate effect can be realized, allowing the polyurea hybrid ballistic armor to defeat ballistic projectiles. The polyurea hybrid ballistic armor can additionally be utilized to add additional layers of protection to existing armor systems.
US09482487B2 Paraclip adapter
An adapter for a QD socket is disclosed. The adapter has a connection post having a plurality of tabs movable relative to each other between a first configuration and a second configuration. The first configuration defines a maximum effective outer diameter of the connection post, and the second configuration defines a minimum effective outer diameter of the connection post. A method of modifying a quick disconnect attachment is also disclosed.
US09482486B2 Sock and sling system
A sock and sling system is presented for storing a gun within the sock in a storage state and for using as a sling connected to the gun when in a sling state. The system includes a sock extending a length from a first end to a second end and having an open interior. A pair of removable sling swivels connect the sock member to the gun. When used as a sling, the length of the sock member can be adjusted in a plurality of ways including twisting the sock member, selecting one of a number of loops to attach to or by adjusting the length of a length adjusting drawstring. In this way, a system is presented that serves the dual purpose of storing a gun in a storage state and as a sling in a sling state.
US09482485B2 Firearm having a removable hand guard
An upper receiver for a firearm is provided. The upper receiver having: a hand guard section integrally formed with the upper receiver; a rail section integrally formed with the hand guard section, wherein the rail section is formed of a first material and the hand guard section is formed of a second material, wherein the second material is molded about the first material.
US09482483B2 Firearm with integrated suppressor
Firearms with integrated suppressors have a receiver having a forward portion defining an internal bore, a tubular body having sides defining an interior, a selected portion of the interior receiving a barrel, the barrel having a rear end removably received in the internal bore, a selected portion of the interior receiving a plurality of baffles, and wherein at least one side of the body can be disassembled into a panel to enable access to the baffles. Each of the baffles may define an aperture. The barrel may have a central bore that defines a bore axis, and the baffle apertures may be axially registered with the bore axis. At least one side of the body may have an attachment facility that removably connects an accessory to the rifle. The barrel, baffles, and body may be of monolithic or modular construction.
US09482481B2 Push-lever magazine release for converting a carbine from clamshell magazines to removable magazines
A magazine release for installation on a carbine in place of an original sliding latch enables use of removable magazines in place of an original clamshell magazine. The magazine release features a support member having an upper portion coupled to a trigger assembly frame of the carbine in place of the original sliding latch. A lever is pivotally supported on the support member at a lower portion thereof carried beneath the trigger assembly frame. The lever is pivotal about an axis that lies transversely of a longitudinal barrel direction of the carbine, and is manually pivotable in a release direction moving a catch feature rearwardly in the longitudinal barrel direction out of a default positon into which said catch feature is biased forwardly so as to catch under a retention feature of the removable magazine. The catch feature normally retains the removable magazine in place until the lever is pivoted in the release direction.
US09482473B2 Gelatinous latent heat storage member with benard cell regions
An object of the present invention is to provide a readily produced and easily handled heat storage member. The heat storage member 1 has a rectangular plane surface of, for example, 15 (cm)×20 (cm), and has a thickness of, for example, 10 to 15 mm. The heat storage member 1 includes a gelatinous latent heat storage material 12, and a large number of highly heat conductive fillers 14 dispersed in the latent heat storage material 12. The highly heat conductive fillers 14 are mixed in the latent heat storage material 12 with a bias in dispersion density. In the rectangular plane surface of the heat storage member 1, a periodic pattern is formed in combination of cellular (cell-like) regions 10, which are demarcated by, for example, hexagonal contour lines 16 and which are periodically arrayed in the vertical and horizontal directions.
US09482472B2 Finned cooling heat exchanger module with concave circular vortex generating area
A liquid cooling heat exchanger module filled with a cooling liquid includes a casing (10) and a cooling structure (11), and the interior of the casing (10) is hollow, and the casing (10) has an inlet (100) and an outlet (101) interconnected to the interior, and the cooling structure (11) is installed in the casing (10), and the cooling structure (11) has a vortex generating area (110) concavely formed at a position opposite to the inlet (100), such that a cooling liquid is filled from the inlet (100) into the casing (10) and impacted in the vortex generating area (110) to form a vortex, so as to achieve the effects of extending the time for the cooling liquid to stay in the heat exchanger module (1), maximizing the cooling effect of the cooling liquid, and improving the heat dissipating efficiency.
US09482460B2 Truck having intermediate heat exchanging circuit between cabin and cargo container
A truck includes a refrigerated compartment that is equipped with a dedicated refrigerating system, and a driver cabin. The driver cabin is equipped with a least a first heat exchanger adapted to cool an air flow directed to the cabin. The truck further includes a compartment heat exchanger located in the refrigerated compartment and adapted to cool a heat transfer liquid sent to the first heat exchanger through a heat transfer liquid connecting the first heat exchanger to the compartment heat exchanger.
US09482445B2 Heat pump water heater with heat utilization balance processor and heat utilization balance processor thereof
A heat pump water heater with a heat utilization balance processor and a heat utilization balance processor thereof relate to a fluid heater using a heat pump and an accessory thereof, the heat pump water heater comprises the heat utilization balance processor; which comprises a housing, a heat exchange pipe, a main heat exchange cavity, a sub heat exchange cavity and a steam-liquid separator. The heat utilization balance exchange is carried out for a working substance through the sub heat exchange cavity of the heat utilization balance processor during a condensing process and an evaporation process, so as to carry out the heat comprehensive utilization, thus increasing condensing effect, decreasing high pressure and exhaust temperature, decreasing the power consumption of a compressor, and increasing the energy efficient of a unit.
US09482437B2 Front frame for a cooking device
A front frame for a cooking appliance having at least one first cooking chamber which has a loading opening and a cooking chamber door for closing the loading opening. The front frame includes at least one first front frame unit. The at least one first front frame unit substantially completely frames the loading opening of the first cooking chamber. At an outer edge region of the at least one first front frame unit, a coupling region having at least one coupling device is formed at which an additional front frame unit can be coupled.
US09482435B2 Method for light emitting device protection and performance in an appliance
An appliance and method for variably controlling a drive signal to a light emitting device of the appliance based on a temperature value indicative of a temperature within a chamber of the appliance is provided. The light emitting device can be included in a display or disposed within a chamber of the appliance to provide illumination. The light intensity level of the light emitting device can be controlled based on the temperature value indicative of a temperature within the chamber. The temperature value indicative of a temperature within the chamber can be a value detected within the chamber, a value detected on a surface of the chamber, or a value that anticipates the temperature within the chamber. The light intensity can be controlled with a driving signal to the light emitting device. For instance, the light intensity can be controlled using pulse width modulation of the driving signal.
US09482432B2 Gas turbine engine combustor with integrated combustor vane having swirler
A combustor section is provided for a gas turbine engine. The combustor section may include an outer liner panel, an inner liner panel and a bulkhead, which is arranged with the outer and the inner liner panels to form an annular combustion chamber. The combustor section may also include a swirler assembly and a combustor vane. The swirler assembly may be configured with the bulkhead. The combustor vane may extend at least partially into said combustion chamber, wherein the combustor vane is circumferentially aligned with the swirler assembly.
US09482420B2 LED explosion-proof lamp coupling structure
A LED explosion-proof lamp coupling structure to couple at least two LED explosion-proof lamps includes at least two holding sets, at least two LED lighting elements, and at least one connection unit. Each holding set includes a body, a protruding connection portion located on an upper end of the body, a chamber located in the body, and at least one first coupling portion located at one end of the body and communicating with the chamber. Each first coupling portion includes a hole communicating with the chamber and a positioning seat located on chamber and abutting the hole. Each LED lighting element is connected to the protruding connection portion. The connection unit includes a connection tube connected to each first coupling portion and at least one first fastening set to fasten the connection tube to the positioning seat. Thus the holding sets can be coupled with each other.
US09482414B2 Lighting device
The invention relates to a lighting device comprising a light source, a light source support, and a cover that extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end. Each of the first and second ends includes an opening and the light source support is adapted to be moved in part or in full through a said opening. The lighting device also has a closure member for closing at least one of the openings at the first and second ends, the closure member being movable between a closed position and an open position, and a connector (18) having a first connection member and a second connection member. In the closed position of the closure member the first and second connection members are connected together by an electrical contact, which is a butt contact inside the inside space of the cover. The invention also provides a method of taking action on such a device.
US09482410B2 Light emitting module and surface lighting device having the same
A light emitting module is configured to provide substantially uniform lighting using a plurality of lighting sources. The light emitting module includes a diffusion plate disposed at a set distance from the light emitting module. A light source substrate has a substantially quadrilateral outer perimeter with at least one gap formed therein, and a plurality of light sources are disposed on the light source substrate according to a repeated quadrilateral pattern. A distance between adjacent light sources in the repeated quadrilateral pattern is selected based on the set distance h from the diffusion plate to the light emitting module, and on a greater of two diagonal distances x, y of the quadrilateral pattern. The diffusion plate diffuses light emitted by the light sources to provide substantially uniform light. Various other aspects of the light emitting module are additionally described.
US09482405B2 Vehicle lighting device
A present invention includes a lamp housing, a lamp lens, a first lamp unit, and a second lamp unit. The first lamp unit includes a semiconductor-type light source, and a light guide member. The light guide member has an exit surface, and a reflection surface. A plane exit surface is provided in a part of the exit surface for blocking a part of a radiated light L4 from the second lamp unit, and a plane incident surface is provided in a part of the reflection surface for blocking a part of the radiated light L4 from the second lamp unit. As a result, the present invention is able to minimize an optical loss of the radiated light L4, even when the light guide member is located at a position for blocking a part of the radiated light L4 from the second lamp unit.
US09482404B2 LED reflector optic for an automotive headlight
The automotive headlight includes one or more first light emitting diodes (LEDs) and one or more second LEDs, wherein the one or more second LEDs are positioned at about 180 degrees with respect to the one or more first LEDs, wherein the headlight optical axis is about −90 degrees with respect to a LED optical axis of the one or more first LEDs, at least one first reflector, wherein the at least one first reflector redirects light from the one or more first LEDs to an angle of about −90 degrees with respect to a LED optical axis of the one or more first LEDs and at least one second reflector, wherein the at least one second reflector redirects light from the one or more second LEDs to an angle of about −90 degrees with respect to the LED optical axis of the one or more first LEDs.
US09482401B2 Vehicular illumination lamp
A vehicular illumination lamp includes a projection lens configured to output forward, as light that is parallel with an axial line extending in a lamp front-rear direction, light emitted from a prescribed point on the axial line, and a light source disposed in the rear of the projection lens. A front surface of the projection lens is a convex free surface and a perimeter of the front surface extends approximately along a plane that is perpendicular to the axial line. A rear surface of the projection lens is a curved surface which is formed so that light emitted from the prescribed point and incident on the projection lens is output from the projection lens as light that is parallel with the axial line.
US09482394B2 LED device for wide beam generation and method of making the same
A predetermined illuminated surface pattern is generated from a predetermined energy distribution pattern of an LED light source within an LED package having a light transmitting dome. An estimated optical transfer function of a lens shape of an optic is defined by the shape of an exterior and inner surface which envelopes at least in part the light transmitting dome of the LED package. An energy distribution pattern is obtained by combination of the estimated optical transfer function and the predetermined energy distribution pattern of the light source. A projection of the energy distribution pattern onto the illuminated surface is determined. The projection is compared to the predetermined illuminated surface pattern. The estimated optical transfer function is illuminated surface pattern.