Document Document Title
US09497312B1 Dynamic unlock mechanisms for mobile devices
An access control application for mobile devices is provided. The access control application may be configured to generate a set of security tasks based at least in part on information corresponding to a user's interactions with the mobile device. An unlock screen of the mobile device may be triggered and a security tasks from the generated set of security tasks may be displayed through a user interface of the mobile device. The user's response to the security tasks may be obtained and a confidence score may be calculated, based at least in part on the response. The access control application may then determine, based at least in part on the score and one or more attributes of the environment, whether to unlock the mobile device or prompt the user to provide an additional response to another security task.
US09497311B2 System and method for multimodal short-cuts to digital services
A method and system for facilitating user access to services through a wireless device of a user, involves recommending to a user a subset of services from a plurality of services available to the user in which each recommended service of the subset has at least one voice short-cut associated therewith, and selecting a service to be accessed through the user's wireless device from the subset of services according to a voice command by the user corresponding to the voice short-cut of the service.
US09497306B2 Providing audio announcement to called parties
The present disclosure describes a system, method, and computer-readable medium for providing audio announcement of communications to a called party in a communication network. The method includes receiving communication from a calling party and performing a lookup of information relating to the calling party in a database via an Internet Protocol connection based on an identifier of at least one of the calling party and the called party. The information comprises one or more audio files. The method then provides the audio announcement to a called party based on the audio files.
US09497305B2 Mobile terminal and menu control method thereof
A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to provide wireless communication, a display, and a controller configured to, activate a mode for voice recognition in response to a touch input to a soft button displayed on the display or to a hard button on the mobile terminal, receive a first voice input associated with a phone call relating operation of the mobile terminal, display an indicator on the display indicating the voice input is being recognized by the mobile terminal, analyze the context of a voice command in the voice input, execute the call relating operation only if there is a single contact in a phonebook that matches the voice command in the first voice input, if there is no single contact that matches the voice command of the received voice input, display a plurality of candidates that is analyzed based on the voice command, receive a second input according to a plurality of candidates, and execute the call relating operation based on the second input.
US09497301B2 Alarm circuit and electronic device utilizing the same
An alarm circuit applied in an electronic device includes an audio interface, an audio processor, a speaker, and a control unit. A first terminal of the control unit is coupled to the audio interface, to receive a first control signal or a second control signal. A second terminal of the control unit receives an alarm on/off signal. A third terminal of the control unit is coupled to the audio processor. When the second terminal of the control unit receives the alarm on signal, and the first terminal of control unit receives the first control signal meanwhile, the alarm on signal is transmitted to the alarm processor through the third terminal of the control unit, and the audio processor outputs the alarm signal through the speaker unit, to warn the user the mobile phone is being stolen immediately.
US09497300B2 Input device attachment
Input device attachment techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an input device includes an input portion configured to generate signals to be processed by a computing device and a mid-spine that is physically attached to the input portion and configured to form a removable physical coupling to be secured to a first side of the computing device that includes a display device. The input device also includes a connection portion that is physically attached the mid-spine and is configured to form a removable physical coupling to be secured to a second side of the computing device that is different than the first side and form a communicative coupling to the computing device to communicate the generated signals from the input portion.
US09497299B2 Configuring a discard timer
A first wireless access network node receives, from a second wireless access network node, delay information relating to a delay in buffering data at a protocol layer in the second wireless access network node. The first wireless access network node configures a discard timer based on the received delay information for a packet to be sent to a user equipment.
US09497293B2 Mechanism for pairing user's secondary client device with a data center interacting with the users primary client device using QR codes
A method for authenticating a user's secondary client device with a data center interacting with the user's primary client device includes capturing a quick response (QR) code displayed at the primary client device using the secondary client device, wherein the QR code is generated by the data center for the primary client device, analyzing the QR code at the secondary client device to extract information for initializing communication with the data center, providing information contained in the QR code to the data center by the secondary client device, wherein the information contained in the QR code is utilized by the data center to authenticate the secondary client device, and initializing interaction between the secondary client device and the data center when the data center authenticates the secondary client device.
US09497286B2 Method and system for providing targeted information based on a user profile in a mobile environment
A method for providing targeted content-messages on a wireless access terminal (W-AT) includes receiving metadata concerning a pool of content-messages from a remote apparatus, filtering the metadata based on a user profile on the W-AT to select at least one specific content-message, and receiving the at least one specific content-message from the pool of content-messages.
US09497284B2 Apparatus and method for caching of compressed content in a content delivery network
A content delivery network (CDN) edge server is provisioned to provide last mile acceleration of content to requesting end users. The CDN edge server fetches, compresses and caches content obtained from a content provider origin server, and serves that content in compressed form in response to receipt of an end user request for that content. It also provides “on-the-fly” compression of otherwise uncompressed content as such content is retrieved from cache and is delivered in response to receipt of an end user request for such content. A preferred compression routine is gzip, as most end user browsers support the capability to decompress files that are received in this format. The compression functionality preferably is enabled on the edge server using customer-specific metadata tags.
US09497279B2 Access right control using access control alerts
Systems and methods are provided for providing access controlled event subscription and notification and event access change alerts. In some embodiments, the systems and methods of the present invention operate within a SIP infrastructure. As such, SIP SUBSCRIBE messages and SIP NOTIFY messages are used for subscribing to and receiving notifications related to access control. According to some embodiments, event access change alerts are used in conjunction with access controlled event subscription to provide an efficient method for providing access controlled event subscription using current access control information.
US09497278B2 System and method for generating personalized short links and monitoring activity
A computerized method and system to generate individualized shortened URLs and track user activity is disclosed. A method includes generating an individualized shortened URLs for each of a plurality of recipients, sending communications to each of the plurality of recipients, wherein each of the communications includes the individualized shortened URL, receiving a request from at least one of the plurality of recipients for the individualized shortened URL, and referring the request to a destination URL.
US09497277B2 Interest graph-powered search
A method, which identifies information of interest within an organization, determines use data that characterizes relationships among information items within the organization, where the information items include user data and collections of information items. The method generates interest data indicating affinities among the information items based on the determined use data. After receiving a query for data regarding the information items, the method responds to the query by providing one or more results based on the generated interest data. More details are provided herein.
US09497276B2 Trackable sharing of on-line video content
The sharing of video content published online is tracked enabling the generation of a share tracking report. A first client shares video content using a first identifier that associates the first client to the video content and sharing statistics are updated. A second client accesses the video content via the first identifier and is associated with a second identifier that can used to share the video content by the second client. The second identifier is also associated with the first identifier to create a chain of discovery. A subsequent client accesses the video content via the second identifier and the sharing statistics associated with the second identifier are updated, thus continuing to add to the chain of discovery. A report is generated comprising sharing information, which includes one or more of a chain of discovery and at least one sharing statistic.
US09497262B2 Systems and methods for sampling management across multiple cores for HTML injection
A method for sampling management includes establishing, for a multi-core intermediary comprising a plurality of packet evaluation components executing on a corresponding plurality of cores, a frequency at which the multi-core intermediary intercepts a response transmitted from a server to a client and injects data into the intercepted response. For each of the plurality of packet evaluation components, an offset and a frequency based on a number of packet evaluation components in the plurality of packet evaluation components is established, a combination of the established frequencies substantially similar to the frequency established for the multi-core intermediary. One of the plurality of cores intercepts a response from the server to the client, at a time specified by the frequency and the offset. The packet evaluation component executing on the one of the plurality of cores injects data into the intercepted response.
US09497258B2 Declarative and adaptive content management
A computer-implemented method for content management across multiple server computers includes receiving a request to transfer a file between a central server computer and a client device. A list of two or more local server computers is received, wherein the two or more local server computers transfer the file between the central server computer and the client device. Operational information is received that is associated with each of the two or more local server computers and a duration of connectivity between each of the two or more local server computers and the client device. A strategy is determined for the file across the two or more local server computers based, at least in part, on the operational information associated with each of the two or more local server computers.
US09497257B1 File level referrals
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for accessing data. In some embodiments, this includes sending an I/O request from a client to a first server, determining, by the first server, if an object requested is in the first server, and redirecting the client to a second server if the object is not in the first server.
US09497249B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and information processing system
An information processing apparatus that includes circuitry configured to search for related content from compared content, the related content being content related to reference content possessed by a user, the compared content being content other than the reference content, set, in response to a selection to perform meta tag assignment processing, meta tag information, which is a name of the reference content, according to the related content, and determine, in response to a selection to perform sharing processing, whether the related content is shareable between the user who is associated with the related content and another user, based on whether a relationship exists between the user and the another user.
US09497246B2 Bonding of multiple concurrent data streams among multiple devices
Examples are disclosed for hosting a communication session between a computer device and a destination communication device in an Internet Protocol (IP) based packet data network. A computer device receives multiple concurrent IP packet data streams each representative of the same content but received over corresponding multiple communication links. The original IP packet data stream comes from the communications server. At least one IP packet data stream representative of the original IP packet data stream traverses a communication link through a second communication device working in tandem with the communications server before arriving at the computer device. The computer device determines a highest quality packet for each corresponding packet in the multiple concurrent IP packet data streams. The computer device then creates a bonded IP packet data stream by selecting the highest quality packet for each time slot from among corresponding time slots of the multiple concurrent IP packet data streams.
US09497244B1 Mission tuples in a streaming application environment
Tuple communication and decision determination is provided in a streaming environment. A processor: generates mission tuples wrapped in a computing object or that wrap the computing object, places the mission tuples in a computing stream of a stream application, accesses computing time upon, communicates the computing time to the mission tuples one of incrementally or periodically, determines: a current position in the computing stream for the mission tuples and a class and one or more sub-classes that each of the mission tuples belongs to, and communicates information: between the mission tuples and between the mission tuples and one or more runtime processes associated with the computing stream or one or more external processes associated with the computing stream. The mission tuples are configured to modify operations of the computing operators in the computing stream.
US09497242B2 Adaptation, shunt transmission and stream switching method and system for coordinated service
The present disclosure provides an adaptation, shunt transmission and stream switching method and system for a coordinated service, and the method includes: a request message for service transmission is received from a terminal group; user context information, terminal context information and service context information are acquired according to the request message, and a service adaptation strategy and a service shunt strategy are established; the service adaptation strategy and the service shunt strategy are implemented, adaptation of the coordinated service is completed, and a shunt transmission of the coordinated service is performed; and during the shunt transmission, when a stream switching triggering condition is determined according to acquired network context information and terminal context information, the service shunt strategy and/or the service adaption strategy are updated according to a corresponding stream switching type, and a transmission path of a service stream is redirected. The present disclosure supports the implementation of stream switching, and provides a high-efficient service transmission and presentation service for individualized user service needs.
US09497239B2 Rapidly initializing and dynamically adjusting media streams
A device may generate a media stream to be shared with other users by building a media graph, comprising a series of interconnected processing units that perform various processing tasks. However, the time involved in generating the media graph may delay the initialization of the media stream, and adjusting properties of the media stream (such as resolution or codec) may result in an interruption of the media stream while a new media graph is built. Instead, a media graph cache may be provided to cache a set of media graphs, which may be interchangeably selected for rapid initialization and adjusting of media stream properties. The media component (e.g., a videocamera) may also be configured to promote rapid adjustments to some media stream properties, while maintaining other properties (e.g., field of view and white balance) for a smooth transition between media stream property sets.
US09497237B2 Digital signage playback system, monitoring system, and monitoring method thereof
A digital signage playback system, a monitoring system, and a monitoring method thereof are disclosed. The digital signage playback system is used for providing a digital signage to display at a user side, wherein the digital signage includes a dynamic video file and a static image file. The digital signage playback system includes an image converter, a transport, and a video streaming converter. The image converter is used for analyzing the digital signage to convert the static image file into a compressed image file and transmit to a monitoring side via the transport. The video streaming converter is used for converting the dynamic video file into a streaming video file to the monitoring side so as to displaying the compressed image file and the streaming video file at the monitoring side.
US09497235B2 Determining capacity of virtual devices in a voice over internet protocol system
A method for determining a capacity of a virtual machine configured as a telephony device in a VoIP system includes determining a resource configuration of the virtual machine including a number of CPU cores, a CPU clock rate, or a memory size. The virtual machine may be configured as a trunk, conference bridge, phone switch, session border controller, router, or another device in the VoIP system. The method also includes sending the resource configuration from the virtual machine to a VoIP system configuration application. The VoIP system configuration application may be an application running on the virtual machine or an application running on a server separate from the virtual machine. At the VoIP system configuration application, a capacity of the virtual machine is determined based on the resource configuration. The capacity determines a number and type of telephony features supported by the telephony device in the VoIP system.
US09497230B2 Apparatus and method for computer controlled call processing applications in packet switched telephone networks
A method is presented comprising transmitting, from an application computer communicably connected to a call controller which is connected to a data network, packetized messages indicative of telephone calls in progress at an endpoint of the data network, or indicative of such endpoint, and transmitting, from the call controller to the application computer, packetized messages indicative of a variety of information contained in, or relevant to, the telephone calls so as to process such information for a variety of applications. Apparatus to implement the method is also presented.
US09497228B2 Class 4 long distance softswitch network with integrated class 5 application services
A telecommunication system including a class 4 long distance softswitch network with one or more a core routing engines and one or more class 5 application servers. The class 4 long distance softswitch network further includes at least one edge device, which may be in the form of a session border controller or media gateway, with at least one connection, including PRI, SS7 and TDM connections, to at least one customer premise equipment of at least one retail customer, which may be an enterprise customer. The class 5 application server is configured to provide the customer with class 5 services within the class 4 network.
US09497225B2 Service based consolidation of applications across networks
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for consolidating applications or services across networks to allow the applications or services to be available on networks of different types. According to one embodiment, a method for consolidating applications across a plurality of networks of different types can comprise receiving at a service layer component a communication in a communication session from a first communication network of the plurality of networks. The communication can be in a first protocol. The communication can be translated from the first protocol to a second protocol with the service layer component of based on a state of the communication session. The first protocol can be different from the second protocol. The translated communication can be provided to a component of a second network of the plurality of networks.
US09497219B2 Enforcing control policies in an information management system with two or more interactive enforcement points
A method and apparatus for controlling document access and application usage using centrally managed rules. The rules are stored and manipulated in a central rule database via a rule server. Policy enforcers are installed on client systems and/or on servers and perform document access and application usage control for both direct user document accesses and application usage, and application program document accesses by evaluating the rules sent to the policy enforcer. The rule server decides which rules are required by each policy enforcer. A policy enforcer can also perform obligation and remediation operations as a part of rule evaluation. Policy enforcers on client systems and servers can operate autonomously, evaluating policies that have been received, when communications have been discontinued with the rule server.
US09497217B2 Endpoint traffic profiling for early detection of malware spread
According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for detecting malware in a network stream to at least one host computer is provided. The method may include initializing a browser profile corresponding with a first website having a first website source and a first plurality of content features. The method may include recording the first plurality of content features and a trusted source based on the first website source. The method may include scanning the network stream for a second content feature within a second plurality of content features associated with a second website. The method may include determining if the second content feature matches a first content feature. The method may include determining if the second plurality of content features is consistent with the first plurality of content features. The method may include determining if a second website source matches the trusted source. The method may include generating an alert.
US09497215B2 Stealth mitigation for simulating the success of an attack
In one embodiment, attack traffic corresponding to a detected DoS attack from one or more attacker nodes is received at a denial of service (DoS) attack management node in a network. The DoS attack management node determines attack information relating to the attack traffic, including a type of the DoS attack and an intended target of the DoS attack. Then, the DoS attack management node triggers an attack mimicking action based on the attack information, where the attack mimicking action mimics a behavior of the intended target of the DoS attack that would be expected by the one or more attacker nodes if the DoS attack were successful.
US09497214B1 System and method for uploading and verifying a document
A computer implemented method may allow for the upload and verification of a document. In one aspect, the method may receive a file associated with an insurance company event, determine if the file contains a computer security threat and transmit the file to a temporary data server. The method may also determine if the file is supported and convert the file wherein the converted file is supported. The method may further flag the converted file for association with an insurance company event and transmit the converted file to a permanent storage server.
US09497207B2 Securing of software defined network controllers
Methods and arrangements for securing a software defined network. One or more control messages are intercepted. Information is extracted from the one or more control messages to create a global network state model, and there is determined, from the extracted information, presence of at least one prospective modification to the global network state model. Thereupon, a determination is made as to whether the at least one prospective modification presents a threat to security of the software defined network. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.
US09497205B1 Global commonality and network logging
Data is divided into blocks, a signature is derived for a block, and the signature is stored in a storage device without retaining the block. The signature may be derived with a hash function. A second signature may be derived for a second block, and compared to the first signature. If there is a match, network data for the second block may be associated to the first signature. If there is not a match, the second signature may be stored, and the second block may be discarded. Policies may be applied, including flagging the data for review, preventing transmission of the data, and storing the data. Network data may be stored with the signatures. Data may be analyzed by dividing it into blocks, deriving a signature for a block, and comparing the signature to stored signatures. If there is a match, network data associated with the matched signature may be retrieved. A plurality of blocks may be compared to the stored signatures to determine degree of commonality.
US09497201B2 Applying security policy to an application session
Applying a security policy to an application session, includes: recognizing the application session between a network and an application via a security gateway; determining by the security gateway a user identity of the application session using information about the application session; obtaining by the security gateway the security policy comprising network parameters mapped to the user identity; and applying the security policy to the application session by the security gateway. The user identity may be a network user identity or an application user identity recognized from packets of the application session. The security policy may comprise a network traffic policy mapped and/or a document access policy mapped to the user identity, where the network traffic policy is applied to the application session. The security gateway may further generate a security report concerning the application of the security policy to the application session.
US09497185B2 Systems, methods, and computer program products for providing application validation
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for application validation. A first request is transmitted to a ticket generation application. A first ticket is received, including a first unencrypted portion and a first encrypted portion. A second request is transmitted to the ticket generation application. A second ticket is received, including a second unencrypted portion and a second encrypted portion. The first and second unencrypted portions are concatenated to form an unencrypted shared encryption key. The first and second encrypted portions are concatenated to form an encrypted shared encryption key. The unencrypted shared encryption key is stored in a memory, and the encrypted shared encryption key is transmitted to a server.
US09497181B2 System and method for concurrent sessions in a peer-to-peer hybrid communications network
An improved system and method are disclosed for peer-to-peer communications. In one example, the method provides for concurrent sessions to be maintained by multiple endpoints.
US09497179B2 Provisioning layer three access for agentless devices
A method may include obtaining a layer two identification of an endpoint that is seeking access to a network, the endpoint omitting an agent to communicate a layer three address of the endpoint to a policy node, applying one or more authentication rules based on the layer two identification of the endpoint, assigning the layer three address to the endpoint, learning, by the policy node, the layer three address of the endpoint, and provisioning layer three access for the endpoint to the network based on the learned layer three address.
US09497175B2 Iterative data secret-sharing transformation
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for iterative data secret-sharing transformation and reconversion. In one aspect, data secret-sharing transformation and reconversion is provided in which each bit of an input stream of bits of data is split, on a bit by bit basis, into a pair of secret-sharing bits, and the secret-sharing bits of each pair of secret-sharing bits are separated into separate streams of secret-sharing bits. In this manner, one secret-sharing bit of each pair of secret-sharing bits may be placed in one stream of secret-sharing bits and the other secret-sharing bit of each pair may be placed in another stream of secret-sharing bits different from the one stream of secret-sharing bits. Confidentiality of the original input stream may be protected in the event one but not both streams of secret-sharing bits is obtained by unauthorized personnel. In another aspect, for an input stream of N bits, each received bit of the N bits of the input stream of data, may be interatively split, on a bit by bit basis, into a pair of secret-sharing bits, to generate as few as N+1 secret-sharing bits from the input stream of bits N bits. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.
US09497168B2 Method and apparatus for supporting communications between a computing device within a network and an external computing device
A network communication bridge establishes communication between a computing system within a protected network and an external computing system. A registrar is positioned outside the protected network and registers authorized users. The registrar determines if the computing device associated with the user is publicly addressable, and for those computing devices that are not publicly addressable, the computing device maintains a persistent communication session with a bridge proxy server. The bridge proxy server employs a reversal or relaying technique to enable communication between two systems that cannot ordinarily establish communication with each other, based on characteristics of the two systems. If at least one party to a communication is publicly addressable, then a reversal technique is employed. If neither party to the communication is publicly addressable, then both parties have a persistent session with their respective bridge proxy server, and the bridge proxy server acts as a “relay service” for communications between the initiator and the recipient. The invention can be implemented as a separate application or as an enhancement to the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
US09497162B2 Interface groups for rule-based network security
Systems and methods for designating interfaces of a network security appliance as source/destination interfaces in connection with defining a security rule are provided. According to one embodiment, a security rule configuration interface is displayed through which a network administrator can specify parameters of security rules to be applied to traffic attempting to traverse the network security appliance. Information defining a traffic flow to be controlled by a security rule is received via the security rule configuration interface. The information defining the traffic flow includes: (i) a set of source interfaces; and (ii) a set of destination interfaces. At least one of which includes multiple interfaces such that the security rule permits the traffic flow to be defined in terms of multiple source interfaces and/or multiple destination interfaces.
US09497161B2 Bi-directional data security for supervisor control and data acquisition networks
A cyber-security device provides secure communications bi-directionally between an external network and an internal network including a supervisor control and data acquisition (SCADA) device. The device includes a processor in data communication with the external and internal networks, the processor being programmed with a rule-set establishing validation criteria configured to validate data received from the external and internal networks. The processor is operable in an operational mode to pass between the external and internal networks only data that are compliant with the validation criteria. The processor is re-programmable with a new rule-set only in a programming mode. The device includes a switch that is manually operable to switch the processor from the operational mode to the programming mode.
US09497160B1 Symmetric NAT traversal for direct communication in P2P networks when some of the routing NATs are symmetric
Systems, apparatuses and methods are described for facilitating connection between two or more clients across a network that includes network address translators (NATs). In a particular implementation, the techniques include peer-to-peer (P2P) traffic processing and network address translator (NAT) traversal. Low cost data traffic processing techniques with minimal server intervention are disclosed. The techniques can establish direct connections between clients located in private networks behind NATs. In the case where the clients are each behind a symmetric NAT, the connection can be established indirectly via a non-symmetric NAT (used as a relay) which establishes connection with both symmetric NATs using the disclosed direct connection techniques.
US09497141B2 Switch point having look-ahead bypass
A network having a plurality of switch points, each switch point having both a main multi-stage pipeline and a look-ahead pipeline between input ports and output ports of the plurality of switch points is described. The look-ahead pipeline has fewer pipeline stages than the main multi-stage pipeline. Look-ahead information and corresponding packet are received at an input port. A first stage look-ahead request is generated from the look-ahead information. A second stage look-ahead request is generated in response to the first stage look-ahead request being not granted. And in response to the second stage look-ahead request being granted, transmitting a packet through the switch point using the look-ahead pipeline.
US09497135B2 Method and system for reduction of time variance of packets received from bonded communication links
Method and system for reduction of time variance of packets received from bonded communication links. Embodiments of present inventions can be applied to bonded communication links, including wireless connection, Ethernet connection, Internet Protocol connection, asynchronous transfer mode, virtual private network, WiFi, high-speed downlink packet access, GPRS, LTE, X.25 and etc. The present invention presents methods comprising the steps of determining latency difference among bonded communication links, receiving one or more packets from the bonded communication links, and delivering the one or more packets according to the latency difference. The present invention also present systems comprising one or more network interfaces for receiving one or more packets from the bonded communication links communication network and one or more control modules configured for determining latency difference among a bonded communication links communication network, and for delivering the one or more packets according to the latency difference.
US09497134B1 Methods and apparatus for traffic management in multi-mode switching DWDM networks
A Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) multi-mode switching system and method and method provides concurrent switching in various switching modes including, but not limited to, an electronic packet switching (EPS) mode, optical circuit switching (OCS) mode, and optical burst switching (OBS) mode. Edge routers in the WDM multi-mode switching systems may provide a traffic management module that processes incoming data and routes the data for transmission in an electronic packet switching (EPS), optical burst switching (OBS), or optical circuit switching (OCS) modes via a WDM link.
US09497133B2 Virtual port mappings for non-blocking behavior among physical ports
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that operates a switch fabric. During operation, the system creates a set of virtual links for a first set of physical ports in the switch fabric. Next, the system uses a set of virtual port numbers to create a set of mappings between the set of virtual links and a second set of physical ports in the switch fabric, wherein the second set of physical ports is connected to the first set of physical ports using a single physical link. The system then uses the mappings to provide non-blocking behavior in traffic from the first set of physical ports to the second set of physical ports.
US09497129B2 Methods and devices for providing a self-stretching policer
An example method for providing a self-stretching policer in a Quality of Service (QoS) community including a root node and one or more agent nodes can include maintaining and enforcing a policer policy in the root node. The policer policy can include at least one packet classification rule and corresponding police action, and the policer policy can be enforced by taking the corresponding police action if a traffic flow violates the packet classification rule. The method can include collecting policer statistics and determining if the traffic flow violates the packet classification rule by greater than a predetermined threshold using the policer statistics. If the traffic flow violates the packet classification rule by greater than the predetermined threshold, the method can include transmitting the policer policy to one or more of the agent nodes.
US09497121B1 Reduction in network congestion
A system, method and non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when read by a processor perform receiving a telephony connection request, determining a purported sender telephony number from the telephony connection request, determining additional request information from the telephony connection request, accessing an information source using the purported sender telephony number to determine source information regarding the sender, comparing the source information with the additional request information, based on the comparison, and determining whether the purported sender telephony number is incorrect.
US09497116B2 Baseband unit (BBU) implementation for facilitating 6LoWPAN data access
A scheme for providing access to 6LoWPAN data in a wireless access network. In one embodiment, a Digital Unit (DU) of the wireless access network is provided with IP bridging functionality for packaging 6LO data as a control channel message. When the DU element receives 6LO data from an external router, the data is packaged in a format specified for a control channel associated with a CPRI link coupling to a Radio Unit (RU). The bridging functionality is operative to transmit the control channel message (including the packaged 6LO data packets) to the RU element based on an address mapping between the destination IP address of the 6LO data packets and an address of the 6LO endpoint coupled to the RU element.
US09497093B2 Reliable status delivery and request mechanism for static pseudowires
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method for determining peer status in a pseudowire (PW) node, the method including: sending a first PW status request message to a peer node including a PW node local message ID, PW node remote message ID, and request flag; starting a first retry timer; starting a second retry timer when the first retry timer expires and no response to the first PW status request message is received; starting a first request timer when the second retry timer expires and no response to the first PW status request message is received; and starting a third retry timer when the first request timer expires and no response to the first PW status request message is received.
US09497092B2 Remote device management interface
A network for remotely managing a plurality of remote devices that are each individually configurable to have selected operating characteristics includes a server connected to the network and to the plurality of remote devices, and a display coupled to a computer which is connected to the network. Also included are means for assigning a common icon to each remote device of the same type and displaying the icons on the server display, and means for coloring each icon to indicate a current configuration status of each remote device and for displaying the color on the icon on the display.
US09497084B2 Display filtering in device management system
Apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for monitoring a plurality of information technology devices. A filter control window displays user-selectable filter criteria items. The filter is applied to display a device list that includes only devices that match the selected ones of the filter criteria items.
US09497074B2 Packet data unit (PDU) structure for supporting distributed relay control protocol (DRCP)
A method supporting distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) in a link aggregation group at a network device is disclosed. The method starts with encapsulating a distributed relay control protocol data unit (DRCPDU) in a frame, wherein the DRCPDU includes a protocol data unit (PDU) structure. The PDU structure includes a type field indicating that the DRCPDU is for DRCP, a version field indicating a version number of the DRCP, and a set of type/length/values (TLVs) including: a terminator TLV indicating an end of the PDU structure, a portal information TLV indicating characteristics of the first portal, a portal configuration information TLV indicating configuration information of the first portal, a DRCP state TLV indicating variables associated with an intra-portal link (IPP), a home ports information TLV and a neighbor ports information TLV. The method continues with transmitting the frame encapsulating the DRCPDU from the network device to a neighbor network device.
US09497072B2 Identifying alarms for a root cause of a problem in a data processing system
Methods for monitoring a networked computing environment and for consolidating multiple alarms under a single root cause are described. In some embodiments, in response to detecting an alert corresponding with a performance issue in a networked computing environment, a root cause identification tool may aggregate a plurality of alarms from a plurality of performance management tools monitoring the networked computing environment. The root cause identification tool may then generate a failure graph associated with the performance issue based on the plurality of alarms, determine a first set of leaf nodes of the failure graph, determine a first chain of failures based on the first set of leaf nodes, suppress (or hide) alarms that are not associated with the first chain of failures, and output a consolidated alarm associated with the first chain of failures.
US09497070B2 Machine to machine architecture
A machine-to-machine communication platform provides a flexible system for device control and solution hosting. In particular, the communication platform hosts and manages third party vertical solutions that interact with external devices. A third party gateway provides the third parties with access to the communication platform so that the third parties may define, configure, and monitor custom vertical solutions that are locally hosted in the communication platform. The communication platform provides a communication manager that implements a device independent communication facility for communicating with the external devices. As a result, the communication platform connects to, communicates with, and controls virtually any external device.
US09497066B2 Information processing apparatus, method for controlling the same, and storage medium
A communication apparatus receives a network ID from an access point, connects to a network formed by the access point, establishes communication with an external device via the connected network, allows data communication, receives a device ID from the external device, compares the network ID of the connected network with the received device ID, and determines whether the external device is operating as the access point based on a result of the comparison.
US09497063B2 Maintaining IP tables
Data including a set of one or more resources and one or more associated IP addresses is updated based on data from a DNS server. A request is received from a client device for a resource identified by an IP address. The IP address is matched to one of the IP addresses in the set of one or more IP addresses. A particular resource associated with the matched IP address is identified. A particular network policy that applies is identified. The identified particular network policy is applied to the received request.
US09497061B2 Undersampled receiver characterization
Systems and methods for characterizing an undersampled receiver generally comprise, in one embodiment, providing one or more probe signals to an input of an undersampled receiver. Each of the one or more probe signals has selective frequency components that ensure that aliases in a corresponding output signal of the undersampled receiver are unique. The undersampled receiver is then characterized based on the output signal(s) of the undersampled receiver. The selective frequency components of the one or more probe signals enable un-aliasing of the one or more output signals of the undersampled receiver and, as such, the undersampled receiver can be characterized.
US09497044B2 System for and method of call transfer management
A system for and method of call transfer management may include receiving a phone call over a landline, receiving, using a device connected to the landline, a wireless signal from a mobile device indicating a call transfer request, wherein the call transfer request contains a mobile device indicator, determining, using the device connected to the landline, that the phone call over the landline will be transferred to the mobile device, wherein the determination is made at least in part on the receipt of the call transfer request, sending, from the device connected to the landline, a call transfer request over the landline, wherein the call transfer request contains a mobile device indicator of the mobile device, and transferring the phone call from the landline to the mobile device.
US09497038B2 Self-healing communications network
A self-healing communications network including a network bus that connects a plurality of field controllers. Each field controller is configured to operate an element of a system installed in a building or similarly large structure, and each is connected to the network bus. An end-of-line resistor can be automatically enabled in any field controller to designate that field controller as a terminal device on the network bus. In an embodiment, a parent controller detects each field controller on the network bus, and monitors and controls operation of the plurality of field controllers via commands transmitted over the network bus. The parent controller has first and second receiver/transmitter ports, both connected to the network bus. The parent controller is configured to automatically repair a break in the network bus by enabling at least one end-of-line resistor in one of the plurality of field controllers in order to properly terminate the network.
US09497032B2 Charging control in IP multimedia subsystem
For controlling charging in an Internet Protocol multimedia subsystem, it is detected whether a session initiated in the Internet Protocol multimedia subsystem is associated with a service requiring special charging control, and charging information is added to messages signalling establishment or modification of the session in the Internet Protocol multimedia subsystem in accordance with the detection result.
US09497027B2 Encryption engine with twin cell memory array
Described are a hardware encryption engine, and secret key registration and authentication system recoverable binary bit using knowing an initial secret key stored in the master system. The secret key is overwritten in each authentication, updating it to the master and encryption engine independently. The secret key over write command can be preferably given to the chip as a CHG, and the non recoverable binary bit from the sense amplifier is used for response.
US09497026B2 Authorizing removable medium access
For authorizing removable medium access, a reassembly module retrieves a medium portion of an encryption key from a removable medium. The encryption key encrypts encrypted data stored on the removable medium and includes a plurality of portions. The reassembly module further retrieves the user portion of the encryption key assigned to a user requesting the removable medium. The reassembly module reassembles the encryption key using at least the medium portion and the user portion of the plurality of portions. The decryption module decrypts the encrypted data with the reassembled encryption key.
US09497022B2 Method and system for improved fault tolerance in distributed customization controls using non-volatile memory
Certain aspects of a method and system for improved fault tolerance in distributed customization controls using non-volatile memory are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include mapping an input control signal to a plurality of input logic circuits within a security processor. A plurality of independent processing paths may be defined between each of the plurality of input logic circuits and an output logic circuit. Each of the plurality of independent processing paths may comprise one or more logic circuits. The input control signal may be routed via at least a portion of the plurality of independent processing paths. The portion of the plurality of independent processing paths may be combined in the output logic circuit to generate the input control signal.
US09497006B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting uplink signals in wireless communication system for supporting multiple antenna transmission
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for transmitting uplink signals in a wireless communication system for supporting multiple antenna transmissions. The method for transmitting the uplink signals in the wireless communication system for supporting the multiple antenna transmissions according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving a PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) including uplink grant information for indicating a first rank value; precoding uplink data on the basis of the first rank value; precoding uplink control information on the basis of a second rank value; multiplexing the precoded uplink data and the uplink control information on a PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) resource; and transmitting the multiplexed uplink data and the uplink control information. The uplink control information can include channel state information and the second rank value can be less than or equal to the first rank value.
US09497001B2 Method and apparatus for receiving data in wireless communication system supporting cooperative transmission
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. A method for receiving data by a user equipment (UE) in a cooperative multi-point (CoMP) wireless communication system includes receiving information indicating a transmission base station (BS) that actually transmits data among a plurality of BSs that participate in CoMP, receiving information about zero-power channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS) of each of the plural BSs, and assuming that data is not mapped to a resource element of zero-power CSI-RS corresponding to the transmission BS and receiving the data through a physical downlink control channel (PDSCH).
US09496992B2 Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving the hybrid-ARQ ACK/NACK signal in mobile communication system
An apparatus and method are provided for a mobile communication system. The method includes generating a symbol group to which an orthogonal sequence is applied; determining one of a first orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol and a second OFDM symbol for mapping the generated symbol group based on a symbol group index and a physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel (PHICH) group index; mapping the generated symbol group to the determined symbol; and transmitting the mapped symbol group.
US09496986B2 Layer mapping method and data transmission method for MIMO system
A method for indicating a combination between a codeword and a layer in a MIMO communication, system, a layer mapping method, and a data transmission method using the same are disclosed. A minimum number of codeword-layer mapping combinations from among all available combinations based on the’ numbers of all codewords and all layers are pre-defined in consideration of a ratio of a codeword to a layer, a reception performance of a receiver, and reduction of combinations, so that a data transmission method using the predefined combinations is implemented. If a.specific one codeword is mapped to at least two layers, a diversity gain can be acquired.
US09496985B2 Decoding system and decoding method
A decoding system includes: a modulator which modulates user data by using a modulation rule which converts the user data into a modulation pattern; a regenerator which generates a regenerative signal from a signal obtained by transmitting the user data after modulation through a transmission path; a transmission path decoder which generates signals as generation signals corresponding to the modulation pattern, and calculates k (k is a positive integer) distances between the regenerative signal and the k generation signals in an interval having a length fixedly or dynamically determined; and a demodulator which calculates reliability information for each bit of the user data, and estimates each bit of the user data based on the calculated reliability information. The demodulator calculates likelihood that each bit of the user data is 1 and each bit of the user data is 0 by Formula (A), and calculates the reliability information by Formula (B).
US09496982B2 System and method providing resilient data transmission via spectral fragments
Systems, methods and apparatus for improving resiliency to interference as well as improved bandwidth utilization in data transmission systems by using spectral fragments to convey respective portions of a data stream or file to be transmitted and independently adapting spectral fragment channel forward error correction (FEC) rate or other parameters in response to interference/impairment conditions.
US09496979B2 Space switch device
Disclosed is a spatial switching apparatus having a plurality of input terminals, an input optical signal of a single wavelength being input to each of the plurality of the input terminals, and a plurality of output terminals an output optical signal of a single wavelength being output from each of the plurality of the output terminals. The apparatus includes a signal wavelength converting portion having an electric signal converting element converting the input optical signal into an electric signal and a variable wavelength laser, the signal wavelength converting portion using the variable wavelength laser to convert an electric signal converted by the electric signal converting element into an optical signal of an arbitrary wavelength; and a spatial switching portion having a plurality of first cyclic AWGs performing output from a plurality of output ports corresponding to wavelengths of a plurality of input signals input from the variable wavelength laser.
US09496977B2 Method and apparatus for resource mapping and code division multiplexing
The present disclosure discloses a method and an apparatus for resource mapping and code division multiplexing. In the present disclosure, each cell selects a mapping scheme among at least two mapping schemes to implement resource mapping, which effectively reduces interference imposed on reference signal symbols of users at the edge of a cell; vector switching is performed for an orthogonal matrix to obtain multiple different codeword sequences and implement codeword design, so that a problem that the output power of reference signal symbols is unbalanced can be effectively alleviated.
US09496975B2 Dynamic directional synchronization signals in wireless communications
Methods, systems, and devices are described for dynamic directional synchronization signal signals in a millimeter wave communication system. A base station may determine a narrowband signal component and a wideband signal component of a synchronization signal for millimeter wave communications. The base station may identify network characteristic(s) of the millimeter wave communication network and adjust parameter(s) of the narrowband signal and/or the wideband signal components of the synchronization signal. The parameters may include a transmission power split or ratio, a bandwidth, a tone selection, or any combination of these parameters.
US09496973B2 User equipment and methods for handover enhancement using reference signal received quality (RSRQ)
Embodiments of user equipment (UE) and method for handover enhancement using reference signal received quality (RSRQ) in a wireless network are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a UE adaptively selects handover initiation parameters based, at least in part, on a velocity of the UE. The UE may determine an RSRQ of a serving cell and an RSRQ of a target cell and may transmit a measurement report to a serving eNB for handover from the serving cell to the target cell when the target cell RSRQ exceeds the serving cell RSRQ in accordance with the selected handover initiation parameters. In some of these embodiments, the handover initiation parameters may include an offset value, such as an A3offset value, and a time-to-trigger (TTT) that comprise an A3offset-TTT pair.
US09496968B2 Proximity detection by mobile devices
A processor of a mobile device initiates a listening session including listening for a message from a remote service and receiving the message from the remote service. The message indicates that a first device is within a predetermined range of the mobile device. In response to receiving the message from the remote service, a network session is automatically initiated. The network session includes obtaining a signature via the network, the signature being uniquely associated with the first device. In response to obtaining the signature via the network, the mobile device initiates an access session with the first device, including utilizing the signature to present a user interface on the mobile device that includes access to the first device. The access session is automatically terminated in response to detecting a change in the listening session.
US09496964B2 Optoelectronic equalizer circuit
We disclose an optoelectronic circuit that is configurable to operate as an FIR filter, in which the tapping and the weighting of the signal that is being equalized are performed in the optical domain, whereas the summation of the weighted signals is performed in the electrical domain after the corresponding optical signals are converted into electrical form using an array of photodetectors. Photodetectors in the array are arranged such that some of them contribute to the equalized electrical signal with a positive polarity and the others contribute to the equalized electrical signal with a negative polarity. As a result, at least some of the tap weights used in the FIR filter can be made variable between a positive value and a negative value.
US09496963B2 Current-mode driver with built-in continuous-time linear equalization
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a current-mode driver with built-in CTLE provides signal correction for a transmitter. The current-mode driver includes a digital current source operable to use a data signal to produce a main current signal. The current-mode driver also includes a filtering circuit comprising a resistor and a capacitor. The filtering circuit is operable to receive a negative data signal and produce a filtered data signal. The filtering circuit may be tuned to produce a zero at a pole frequency in the filtered data signal that compensates for signal degradation caused by the optical transmitter. The current-mode driver also includes an analog current source coupled in parallel to the digital current source, wherein the analog current source is operable to generate a subtraction current signal proportional to the filtered data signal. The subtraction current signal combined with the main current signal are operable to drive the transmitter.
US09496959B1 Photonic transceiving device package structure
The apparatus includes a case having a base member, two partial side members, and a lid member to provide a spatial volume with an opening at a back end of the base member. Additionally, the apparatus includes a PCB installed inside the spatial volume over the base member with a pluggable connector at the back end. The apparatus includes one or more optical transmitting devices in transmit-optical-sub-assembly package, each being mounted upside-down on the PCB and including a built-in TEC module in contact with the lid member and a laser output port aiming toward the back end. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a silicon photonics chip including a fiber-to-silicon attachment module, mounted on the PCB and coupled to a modulation driver module and a trans-impedance-amplifier module. Moreover, the apparatus includes an optical input port and output port being back connected to the fiber-to-silicon attachment module.
US09496951B2 Method and apparatus for performing path protection for rate-adaptive optics
A method and apparatus for performing path protection for rate-adaptive optics is provided. As part of the method, an aggregate input bit stream is received. The aggregate input bit stream is then transmitted using a rate-adaptive optical transceiver when transmitting on a first optical path. When the first optical path has a fault, the aggregate input bit stream is then transmitted on a second optical path using the rate-adaptive optical transceiver and a fixed-rate optical transceiver.
US09496945B2 Radio repeater controllability
A radio repeater includes a first analyzer (22B) adapted to determine a time slot schedule. It also includes means (A1) for receiving control messages including uplink/downlink amplification requests for time slots in the determined schedule. A second analyzer (22A) is adapted to extract the uplink/downlink amplification requests from the received control messages. A control unit (24) is adapted to turn the uplink and downlink amplification on/off during the time slots depending on the extracted amplification requests.
US09496943B2 Tamper-resistant relay modules for communication within a mesh network
The present disclosure relates to devices, systems, and methods for relaying data. An exemplary device includes a mast having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a cavity; an antenna disposed within the cavity; and a radio housing engageable with a utility structure by a mounting bracket fastened to the radio housing.
US09496941B2 Codebook feedback method and apparatus for multiple-antenna channel in MIMO system
A codebook feedback method and apparatus for a multiple-antenna channel in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system are provided. In an embodiment, a method (20) includes: detecting (21) a downlink multiple-antenna channel; determining (22) a first codeword in a first level codebook corresponding to the rank of R, where any codeword in the first level codebook is four diagonal matrices, two same 2×C block matrices exist on a diagonal line, and C column vectors of the 2×C block matrix are selected from Q1 discrete Fourier transform (DFT) beam vectors; feeding back (23) an index of the first codeword; determining (24) a second codeword in a second level codebook corresponding to the rank of R, where any codeword in the second level codebook is a 2C×R matrix, each column of the 2C×R matrix is formed of one C×1 beam selection vector and one C×1 beam selection vector including phase offset information; and feeding back (25) an index of the second codeword. The foregoing solution introduces an orthogonal DFT beam selection in two-level codebook index feedback, and therefore becomes more suitable for an MIMO application of a cross-polarized configuration of four downlink transmit antennas.
US09496940B2 Precoding matrix set quality measurement and reporting
The invention relates to methods for determining the interference variability of a precoding matrix set, and the use of same for purposes of scheduling and precoding matrix set selection. The precoding matrix set used by an interferer base station is evaluated by the mobile terminal which experiences the intercell interference from the interferer base station. The mobile terminal is informed about the precoding matrices of the precoding matrix set used by the base station. The mobile terminal measures the radio channel to the interferer cell, and then estimates based on the measured radio channel and with the knowledge on the particular precoding matrices of the precoding matrix set, the interference variability of the precoding matrix set. The interference variability may be reported to the serving base station of the mobile terminal, and thus considered for scheduling decisions by the serving base station referring the mobile terminal.
US09496934B2 Method and device for transmitting and receiving signals by using codebook in wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. A method by which a base station transmits a downlink signal in a wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: receiving first and second precoding matrix indicators (PMIs) from a terminal; determining a first matrix (W1) from a first codebook on the basis of the first PMI, determining a second matrix (W2) from a second codebook on the basis of the second PMI, and determining a precoding matrix (W) on the basis of the first matrix (W1) and the second matrix (W2); performing precoding by using the determined precoding matrix (W) at two or more layers to which a downlink signal is mapped; and transmitting a precoded signal to the terminal, wherein all precoding vectors included in the precoding matrix (W) have linear phase increment properties and can be orthonormal to one another.
US09496933B2 Base station simultaneously servicing legacy cellular and massive multiple-input, multiple-output
As wireless networks evolve, network providers may utilize legacy LTE devices as well as devices that support massive multi-input, multiple output (M-MIMO). Systems and methods for simultaneously servicing legacy LTE devices and M-MIMO devices are provided. In embodiments, a transmission zone for M-MIMO communications is defined within a legacy, non M-MIMO radio frame. The location of the M-MIMO transmission zone is transmitted to user devices. For example, an identification of the location of the M-MIMO transmission zone is transmitted in a system information message. In a further example, the location of the M-MIMO transmission zone is transmitted in the downlink control information. The location of the M-MIMO transmission zone may be defined dynamically based on a variety of criteria. In addition or alternatively, a set of pre-defined transmission zones may be utilized.
US09496931B2 Methods and apparatus for overlapping MIMO physical sectors
A method is provided comprising: providing access to a single wireless cell configured to operate in a packet-switched cellular network, the single wireless cell including: a first transmission point with a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) capability; and a second transmission point with a MIMO capability; cooperating with a MIMO-capable portable wireless device; receiving first information from the first MIMO-capable portable wireless device that is based on the measurement of the first interference; receiving second information from the first MIMO-capable portable wireless device that is based on the measurement of the second interference; altering at least one aspect of a first transmission; and transmitting data during the first transmission to the first MIMO-capable portable wireless device, utilizing at least one of: the multiple first directional antennas of the first transmission point with the MIMO capability, or the multiple second directional antennas of the second transmission point with the MIMO capability.
US09496927B1 Interrupt based near field communication (NFC) pairing
A method and system for interrupt based NFC pairing is provided. In a passive NFC tag comprising a primary coil and a secondary coil, an electrical signal may be generated in the secondary coil when an NFC reader energizes one or both of the primary and/or secondary coils. The generated electrical signal may be filtered to remove any undesirable signal components such as noise. An interrupt signal, which may initiate pairing, may be generated based on the generated electrical signal. An NFC tag identifier, which comprises an address of the remote control, may be communicated from the NFC tag to the NFC reader and this may initiate the pairing on the NFC reader. The communicated NFC tag identifier may be utilized by the NFC reader for the pairing. The NFC tag identifier may be over-written with a new NFC tag identifier and the new NFC tag identifier may be locked.
US09496924B2 Mobile wireless power system
A mobile wireless power system capable of transmitting power through the skin to energize an implanted medical device without percutaneous wires and without precise positioning includes an external mobile wireless power source and an implantable receiving assembly. The mobile wireless power source is wearable by the patient and includes an excitation coil and transmitting resonant coil which are inductively coupled to each other and are housed in a durable housing. The implantable receiving assembly includes a receiving resonant coil and a power pick-up coil which are also inductively coupled to each other. The transmitting and receiving resonant coils are constructed as to have closely matched or identical resonant frequencies so that the magnetic field produced by the transmitting resonant coil is able to cause the receiving resonant coil to resonate strongly.
US09496923B2 External device identification method and apparatus in a device including a touch spot, and computer-readable recording mediums having recorded thereon programs for executing the external device identification method in a device including a touch spot
An external device identification method in a device including a touch spot, an apparatus, and a recording medium are provided. The external device identification method includes generating a first micro-current signal that is induced when the touch spot is touched by a human being and includes device information about the device including the touch spot, propagating the first micro-current signal to an external device via a human being, receiving a second micro-current signal including device information about the external device from the external device via the human being, detecting the device information about the external device from the second micro-current signal, identifying the external device by using the device information about the external device, and connecting the device including the touch spot to the external device through a communication channel.
US09496922B2 Presentation of content on companion display device based on content presented on primary display device
In one aspect, a first device includes a display, at least one computer readable storage medium bearing instructions executable by a processor, and at least one processor configured for accessing the computer readable storage medium to execute the instructions. The instructions configure the processor to acquire data pertaining to first content presented on a second device, determine information pertaining to the first content based on the data, identify second content related to but different from the first content at least in part based on the information, and present a user interface (UI) on the display manipulable to issue a command to at least one of the first and second devices to present the second content responsive to the identification of the second content.
US09496911B2 Protective cover and retractable lanyard
A protective cover and retractable lanyard device comprises a retraction device, removably integratable within the protective cover for an electronic device. A pair of tethers retractably extend from an outlet of the retraction device forming a lanyard when joined together by a coupling. The protective cover may protect an electronic device, such as a cellular phone by fitting securely over the electronic device, during use of the electronic device, without interfering with use of the electronic device. A void in the cover provides a cut-out engaging the retraction device, such that the retraction device may be securely retained in the cut-out by a portion of the cover.
US09496906B2 Receiver with wide gain range
A receiver comprises a passive gain stage having an input to receive an in-going radio frequency (RF) signal and a gain control signal to produce an adjusted in-going RF signal, a sliced LNA stage comprising a plurality of LNAs coupled to receive the in-going RF signal. Each LNA includes an adjustable source degeneration circuit for receiving a plurality of gain selection and control signals and an output port to produce an amplified in-going RF signal. A mixer is coupled to receive at least one of the amplified in-going RF signals produced by the sliced LNA stage and is configured to produce a converted signal at another frequency. A PGA is coupled to receive the down-converted signal and produces an amplified in-going signal.
US09496904B2 Methods and systems for processing received signals for a wireless network receiver
There is provided systems and methods for mitigating foreign interference by complementing a receiver of a wireless network, comprising: using antennas for reception of desired signals and interference signals; determining the presence of an interference signal originating from at least one foreign transmitting source in the received signals, and for determining a termination of the interference signal; determining the presence of a desired signal originating from the wireless communication network in the received signals; calculating a suitable combination of the received signals, wherein the effect induced by the interference signal is reduced and the impact of an interference cancellation on the desired signals is reduced; and providing the suitable combination to a receiver of a wireless communication network; wherein the method is performed complementary to the receiver of the wireless network and the antennas.
US09496899B2 Bandpass sampling receiver, and method for designing and reconstructing a filter thereof
Provided are a bandpass sampling receiver and a filter design and reconfiguration method thereof. The bandpass sampling receiver includes: an analog-digital converter converting an analog wireless signal into a digital baseband signal; and a complex baseband signal extraction unit generating a first path signal and a second path signal from the digital baseband signal and extracting a complex baseband signal using a relative sample delay difference between the first and second path signals, wherein the first path signal is a down sampled signal after the digital baseband signal is sample-delayed and the second path signal is a down sampled signal without sample-delaying the digital baseband signal.
US09496886B2 System for processing data streams
A system for processing data streams or signals includes a wave-front multiplexer configured to process first and second input signals into first and second output signals each carrying information associated with the first and second input signals, a first processing unit configured to process a third input signal carrying information associated with the first output signal into a third output signal, a second processing unit configured to process a fourth input signal carrying information associated with the second output signal into a fourth output signal, and a wave-front demultiplexer configured to process fifth and sixth input signals into fifth and sixth output signals each carrying information associated with the fifth and sixth input signals. The fifth input signal carries information associated with the third output signal, and the sixth input signal carries information associated with the fourth output signal.
US09496872B1 Method for manufacturing a digital circuit and digital circuit
A method for manufacturing a digital circuit is described including forming a plurality of field effect transistor pairs, connecting the field effect transistors of the field effect transistor pairs such that in response to a first transition from a first state of two nodes of the digital circuit and in response to a second transition from a second state of the nodes of the digital circuit the nodes each have an undefined logic state when, for each field effect transistor pair, the threshold voltages of the field effect transistors of the field effect transistor pair are equal and setting the threshold voltages of the field effect transistors of the field effect transistor pairs such that the nodes each have a predetermined defined logic state in response to the first transition and in response to the second transition.
US09496871B1 Programmable power reduction technique using transistor threshold drops
An integrated circuit includes: a voltage rail; voltage control circuitry coupled to the voltage rail; and a circuit block coupled to the voltage control circuitry; wherein the voltage control circuitry is selectively configurable to operate the circuit block in at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation; wherein in the first mode of operation, the circuit block receives a voltage that is substantially the same as a voltage of the voltage rail; and wherein in the second mode of operation, the circuit block receives a voltage that is less than the voltage of the voltage rail by a threshold voltage.
US09496870B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device is disclosed, which relates to a technology for reducing current consumption of a semiconductor chip configured to operate a transmitter (Tx) at a high speed. The semiconductor device includes a data driving unit configured to output a pull-up drive signal and a pull-down drive signal by level-shifting an input signal according to a clock signal; and a data output unit configured to adjust slew rates of the pull-up drive signal and the pull-down drive signal according to a code signal, and output impedance-adjusted signals to an output terminal.
US09496865B1 Active isolation switch
An active isolation switch according to this invention includes a field effect transistor (FET), a first bi-polar transistor and a second bi-polar transistor, and an emitter bias resistor. The FET is formed with a source, a gate, and a drain. The first bi-polar transistor is formed with a first emitter, a first base, and a first collector; the first emitter is connected to the source and the first collector is connected to the gate. The second bi-polar transistor is formed with a second emitter, a second base, and a second collector, the second base is connected to the first base, and the second collector is connected to the drain. The emitter bias resistor is formed with a first terminal and a second terminal; the first terminal is connected to the emitter of the second bi-polar transistor and the second terminal is connected to the emitter of the first bi-polar transistor.The first resistor is connected between a bias voltage and the first collector; the second resistor is connected between the bias voltage and the base of the second bi-polar transistor.
US09496864B2 Gate drive circuit and method of operating same
A gate drive circuit for applying a voltage to a gate of a semiconductor switching device is disclosed. The gate drive circuit includes a gate drive controller that provides voltage commands for operating the semiconductor switching device, a plurality of primary gate resistors coupled between the gate drive controller and the semiconductor switching device, one or more secondary gate resistors connected in parallel with the primary gate resistors, a primary transistor connected in series with each of the primary gate resistors, and a secondary transistor connected in series with each of the secondary gate resistors. Further, one of the primary or secondary transistors receives the one or more voltage commands from the gate drive controller and provides one or more corresponding voltage levels to the semiconductor switching device via one of the primary or secondary gate resistors so as to control the on-off behavior of the semiconductor switching device.
US09496863B2 Power gating circuit and integrated circuit
A power gating circuit in an integrated circuit, including a circuit block coupled to a virtual power supply line, includes a first transistor and a buffer. The first transistor is coupled between a first power supply line and the virtual power supply line, and has a body coupled to the first power supply line. The buffer buffers a control signal to apply the buffered control signal to the first transistor, and includes a second transistor having a source coupled to a second power supply line and a body coupled to the first power supply line.
US09496856B2 Apparatus and method for generating ramp signal
Provided is a ramp signal generating apparatus. The ramp signal generating apparatus includes N (N is a natural number) ramp signal generating cells that are connected in series to each other. Each of the ramp signal generating cells includes a power voltage unit for supplying current source, a latch unit for latching an output voltage of the power voltage unit, and a switch unit for outputting the voltage latched by the latch unit as an output voltage in response to an input signal.
US09496855B2 Two terminal drive of bipolar junction transistor (BJT) of a light emitting diode (LED)-based bulb
A bipolar junction transistor (BJT) may be used in a power stage DC-to-DC converter, such as for LED-based light bulbs. The BJT may be switched on and off from a controller coupled to two terminals of the BJT. Through the two terminals, the control IC may dynamically adjust a reverse recovery time period of the BJT. The reverse recovery time period may be adjusted by changing an amount of base charge that accumulates on the BJT. Additional, the reverse recovery may be controlled through the use of a reverse base current source applied to the BJT after beginning switching off the BJT.
US09496852B2 Digital current sensing in power controller
Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having a node to provide a signal, and a control unit arranged to control a value of an output voltage at an output node on an output path based on a duty cycle of the signal and a value of an input voltage. The control unit can also be arranged to cause a change in a resistance on the output path in order to determine a value of a current on the output path based at least on the change in the resistance.
US09496851B2 Systems and methods for setting logic to a desired leakage state
Circuits and methods for reducing leakage are provided. In one example, a system includes circuitry to reset a particular logic circuit to a state of reduced leakage. The state of reduced leakage would be known beforehand for the logic circuit. In this example, the logic circuit includes the combinational logic as well as flip flops that output a state to the combinational logic. Some of the flip flops are “SET” flip flops (assuming a 1 output value when a reset input is asserted) and some of the flip flops are “RESET” flip flops (assuming a 0 value when a reset input is asserted). The flip flops are chosen as inputs to the combinational logic so that the particular combination of zeros and ones output to the combinational logic puts the logic circuit in a state that is correlated with a desired level of leakage.
US09496847B2 Electro-acoustic transducer with periodic ferroelectric polarization produced on a micromachined vertical structure
A piezoelectric and ferroelectric bulk wave transducer operating at a predetermined frequency includes a block of substrate, having a first thickness and in a first material, and a piezoelectric and ferroelectric transduction plate, having a length, a width and a second thickness, and in a second piezoelectric material, first and second metal electrodes covering the plate in the direction of the length thereof. The plate has first and second ferroelectric domains with alternating polarizations, distributed along the length of the plate according to a periodic pattern of pitch. The plate is attached perpendicularly to the block so that the width of the plate and the first thickness of the block are the same direction. The first and second material, the first thickness of the block, the length, the width, the second thickness, the pitch of the plate are configured for generating and trapping bulk waves at the operating frequency of the transducer, guided between both electrodes.
US09496846B2 Acoustic wave device and electronic apparatus including same
An acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate, an IDT electrode including plural electrode fingers disposed above an upper surface of the piezoelectric substrate, a first dielectric film made of oxide disposed above the upper surface of the substrate for covering the electrode fingers, and a second dielectric film made of non-oxide disposed on upper surfaces of the electrode fingers and between the first dielectric film and each of the electrode fingers. The first dielectric film contacts the upper surface of the piezoelectric substrate at a position between electrode fingers out of the plural electrode fingers adjacent to each other. The acoustic wave device prevents the electrode fingers of the IDT electrode from corrosion.
US09496844B1 Variable bandwidth filter for dimmer phase angle measurements
In accordance with systems and methods of the present disclosure, an apparatus may include a variable bandwidth filter having an input for receiving an input signal and an output for receiving an output signal, wherein the output signal is generated by filtering the input signal in conformity with a variable bandwidth of the variable bandwidth filter and the variable bandwidth is set based on an integrated error between the input signal and the output signal.
US09496843B1 Smart volume guard
Aspects of the present disclose involve a method, a device, and a system comprising a processor and a machine-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions for providing audio level safeguards for output audio signals. In example embodiments, the method includes accessing a most recent audio level of an audio output device and determining whether the most recent audio level transgresses a threshold value. Based on determining the most recent audio level transgresses the threshold value, a current audio level output by the audio output device is set to the threshold value. Thereafter, the current audio level is gradually increased, at repeated time intervals, until it reaches the most recent audio level.
US09496834B2 Operational amplifying circuit and liquid crystal panel drive device using the same
An operational amplifier circuit includes: a first differential amplifier section containing a P-type differential pair of P-type transistors; a second differential amplifier section containing an N-type differential pair of N-type transistors; an intermediate stage connected with outputs of the first and second differential amplifier sections and containing a first current mirror circuit of P-type transistors, and a second current mirror circuit of N-type transistors; and an output stage configured to amplify an output of the intermediate stage in power. The first differential amplifier section includes a first current source and a first capacitance between sources of the P-type transistors of the P-type differential pair and a positive side power supply voltage. The second differential amplifier section includes a second current source and a second capacitance between sources of the N-type transistors of the N-type differential pair and a negative side power supply voltage.
US09496816B2 Air conditioner controlling prheating power of compressor and mechanism providing preheating power for compressor
An air conditioner equipped with a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger includes: an inverter circuit that drives a motor of the compressor; an inverter-power detecting unit that detects power of the inverter circuit; a PWM-signal generating unit that inverter-current detecting unit generates PWM signals for controlling the inverter circuit; a voltage-command-value generating unit that outputs voltage command values to the PWM-signal generating unit; and an accumulation detecting unit that detects accumulation of a liquid refrigerant within the compressor and outputs a detection result to the voltage-command-value generating unit, wherein when accumulation of a liquid refrigerant within the compressor is detected, the voltage-command-value generating unit outputs the voltage command value so that power of the inverter circuit has a predetermined power value.
US09496814B2 Motor drive control device and operation method thereof
When a motor drive control device is integrated in a semiconductor integrated circuit having a small chip area, calibration for improving the accuracy of detection of a counter electromotive voltage, which is for detecting the speed of a motor, is enabled. A first multiplier performs multiplication between a drive current detection signal and first gain information in a first register. A subtractor performs subtraction between a drive voltage command signal and a first multiplication result in the first multiplier. A second multiplier performs multiplication between a subtraction result in the subtractor and second gain information in a second register to generate counter electromotive voltage information as information on a second multiplication result. The drive voltage command signal in a control unit is set to a predetermined value to generate a condition which maintains the speed of the motor and a counter electromotive voltage at substantially zero.
US09496810B2 Method and apparatus for controlling an electric machine
The invention relates to a method for controlling an electrical machine (10) by means of an inverter (12), in particular for use in a motor vehicle, wherein the inverter (12) has a plurality of controllable circuit breakers (14) which are designed to convert a DC voltage from a voltage source (22), which is coupled to the circuit breakers (14), into an AC voltage for supplying electrical energy to the electrical machine (10), wherein the electrical machine (10) is then switched to a freewheeling mode (32) by opening all the circuit breakers (14) of the inverter (12), wherein a phase current of the electrical machine (10) is detected, wherein the electrical machine (10) is switched from the freewheeling mode (32) to a short-circuit mode (36) as a function of a comparison (34) of the phase current, or of a first variable which is derived from the phrase current, with a first reference value, wherein the circuit breakers (14) which are associated with a first potential of the voltage source (22) are closed in the short-circuit mode (32) and wherein the circuit breakers (14) which are associated with a second potential of the voltage source (22) are opened, and wherein the electrical machine (10) is switched from the short-circuit mode (36) to the freewheeling mode (32) as a function of a comparison (38) of the phrase current, or of a second variable which is derived from the phrase current, with a second reference value.
US09496808B2 Method and apparatus for masking a portion of a component
A method and apparatus (2) for masking a portion (36) of a component (30), the apparatus (2) comprising: a sacrificial masking element (4) for masking the portion (36); and a locating jig (6) detachably connectable to the sacrificial masking element (4) and configured to position the sacrificial masking element (4) over the portion (36) of the component (30).
US09496806B2 MEMS device, electronic apparatus, and manufacturing method of MEMS device
A MEMS device is a MEMS device having a MEMS vibrator which includes a plurality of MEMS constituent elements laminated and formed above a first foundation portion which is laminated above a main surface of a wafer substrate, and the MEMS constituent elements are laminated above a first oxide film and a nitride film so as to cover an opening which is formed in the nitride film and exposes a second foundation portion above which the nitride film is laminated.
US09496803B2 Solar photovoltaic system with maximized ripple voltage on storage capacitor
We describe a photovoltaic (PV) power generation system comprising at least two PV panels and a power conditioning unit. The dc power outputs of the PV panels are connected in parallel to a dc power input of the power conditioning unit. The power conditioning unit comprises a dc-to-dc converter having an input coupled to the dc power input and an output coupled to a dc link of the unit, a dc-to-ac converter having an input coupled to the dc link and an ac mains power supply output, and an energy storage capacitor coupled to the dc link. The power conditioning unit is configured to perform maximum power point tracking (MPPT) responsive to a level of power flowing into the dc power input, and the level of power flowing into said dc power input is sensed at the dc link. In preferred implementations the energy storage capacitor is a non-electrolytic capacitor.
US09496779B2 Drive device for rotational and linear movements with decoupled inertias
A drive device includes a rotational drive device with a rotating stator and a rotating armature for displacing a shaft in a rotational movement and a linear drive device with a linear stator and a linear armature for displacing a shaft in a linear movement. The rotational drive device and the linear drive device are arranged axially one behind the other, with the rotating armature and the linear armature being connected to a respective shaft section. The shaft sections of the rotating armature and the linear armature are axially aligned and connected to each other in a rotationally fixed manner such that the shaft sections can move axially with respect to each other but they can only rotate together.
US09496773B2 Rotating electrical machine and method for manufacturing rotating electrical machine
A rotating electrical machine includes a stator and a rotor. The stator winding includes a plurality of conductor segments inserted through the slots from one end surface of the stator core with end portions of the conductor segments projecting out beyond another end surface of the stator core. The conductor segments include an undeformed portion, a plastically deformed portion formed at the end portions thereof and a tapered portion. The plastically deformed portion has a dimension of the plastically deformed portion along a circumferential direction that is greater than a dimension of the undeformed portion along the circumferential direction and so that a dimension of the plastically deformed portion along a radial direction is smaller than a dimension of the undeformed portion along the radial direction. The conductor segments are welded together at tops of the plastically deformed portions thereof.
US09496771B2 Electric motor
An electric motor includes a yoke having a plurality of magnetic poles, a rotary shaft, an armature core (8) attached to the rotary shaft, the armature core (8) having a plurality of teeth (12) and slots (13), an armature coil (9) wound on the teeth (12) through an intensive winding method, a commutator having a plurality of segments (15) installed at the rotary shaft and disposed in a circumferential direction, a low speed brush (21a) and a high speed brush (21b) configured to supply power to the armature coil (9) via the segments (15), and a common brush (21c) commonly used in these brushes, wherein, when n is a natural number of 3 or more, a ratio of the numbers of magnetic poles, slots (13), and segments (15) is set to 2:3:3n.
US09496768B2 Electrical machines
Embodiments provide an electrical machine, comprising: first and second moveable elements arranged to interact in a magnetically geared manner via a magnetic field created, at least in part, by a first electrical winding arrangement associated with the first moveable element; and a second electrical winding arrangement which is arranged to interact magnetically with a fundamental harmonic of a magnetic field created by the first electric winding arrangement associated with the first moveable element.
US09496767B2 Motor and motor vibration-proof mechanism thereof
A motor includes an outer frame, a vibration-proof base, and a motor body. The outer frame includes a supporting base. The vibration-proof base is disposed at the supporting base of the outer frame and includes a base body and a vibration-proof ring. The base body includes an upper surface and a side surface. The vibration-proof ring is sleeved around the side surface of the base body. The vibration-proof ring is in contact with the supporting base. The motor body is disposed on the base body. The disclosure can greatly reduce vibration generated in the operation of the motor and reduce noises.
US09496763B2 Stator-fixed structure and driving unit
A driving unit includes a stator, a housing including a tubular section to accommodate the stator, a cover coupled to the housing to block an upper opening of the tubular section, and a bent wire rod defined by a wire to press the stator against the tubular section, the bent wire rod being arranged between a top surface of the stator and a rear surface of the cover while being compressingly deformed along an axis of the stator. The bent wire rod has an annular or substantially annular shape with an opened portion when seen along the axis, and includes projections projecting upward along the axis and depressions projecting downward along the axis being arranged alternately and successively. An elastic force from the bent wire rod causes the stator to receive a downward force along the axis. The stator is pressed against the tubular section to hold the stator in the housing.
US09496758B2 Rotor for rotating electric machine
A rotor for a rotating electric machine includes a rotor core, a plurality of permanent magnets, and a rotating shaft. The rotor core includes a through-hole, an inner circumference-side rotor core, an outer circumference-side rotor core, and a plurality of ribs. Each of the plurality of ribs includes a first curved rib and a second curved rib. The first curved rib extends to one side in a circumferential direction from an inner circumference side toward an outer circumference side. The first curved rib has a curved shape that bulges toward the outer circumference side and toward another side in the circumferential direction beyond a straight line that connects a first connecting portion between the first curved rib and the inner circumference-side rotor core and a second connecting portion between the first curved rib and the outer circumference-side rotor core.
US09496755B2 Systems, methods, and apparatus for rectifier filtering for input waveform shaping
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for filtering of a rectifier in a wireless power receiver. In one aspect a wireless power receiver is provided. The wireless power receiver includes a rectifier circuit configured to provide direct-current (DC) based at least in part on a time-varying voltage generated via a wireless field provided from a wireless power transmitter. The wireless power receiver further includes a band-stop filter circuit configured to filter an output of the rectifier circuit and electrically isolate a capacitor from the rectifier circuit at an operating frequency.
US09496753B2 Control arrangement and method for supplying electrical power in an elevator system
A control arrangement and to a method for supplying electrical power in an elevator system are disclosed. The control arrangement includes a sensor detecting movement of an elevator car and also a control of the lighting of the elevator car. The control of the lighting of the elevator car is configured to control the emergency lighting of the elevator car on the basis of movement data of the elevator car expressed by the sensor detecting movement of the elevator car.
US09496752B2 Hybrid power source system
To provide a hybrid power source system in which either a solar cell or a fuel cell and a secondary cell are combined with each other, and the secondary cell is used as an electric power buffer and which can maintain a high energy efficiency even when there is a change in a charging state of the secondary cell, a change in an operating condition, or a secular change in a member, prevent overcharging of the secondary cell, and suppress thermal deterioration of the solar cell or the fuel cell due to generation of a surplus electric power unable to be taken out. A hybrid power source system is composed of a solar cell module 1 or a fuel cell module, a DC/DC converter (2) which supplies a suitable voltage to a load (3) and a secondary cell (4) after converting an electric power generated by the module into the suitable voltage, the secondary cell (4), and a shunt circuit (a constant voltage diode (6) or a shunt regulator IC) which is connected in parallel with the secondary cell (4), and which, when the secondary cell (4) is substantially in a full charging state, transforms substantially all of a surplus electric power which is not consumed in the load (3), of the generated electric power, into heat to abandon the resulting heat.
US09496750B2 Stored energy and charging appliance
A charging system detachably drawing from a power source comprising: (a) an electrical output configuration; (b) an electrical input configuration; and (c) an energy store configuration; and methods of provisioning the energy store, the charging system, and electric vehicle charger devices.
US09496748B2 Integrated power system control method and related apparatus with energy storage element
Systems and methods for controlling a hybrid power architecture to provide fuel or energy savings. Recharge time of an energy storage device (ESD) is reduced through the application of a controlled potential and ESD recharge time management over the life of the hybrid system through manipulation of the ESD charge state window of operation. Fuel or energy savings is achieved by controlling the partial-state-of-charge (PSOC) window of the ESD based on a recharge resistance profile of the ESD and by controlling a charging potential applied to the ESD based on a recharge current and/or the estimated recharge resistance profile of the ESD.
US09496741B2 Wireless power transmitter and method of controlling the same
A method and apparatus for controlling wireless transmission to a wireless power receiver in a wireless power transmitter is provided. The method includes transmitting charging power to the wireless power receiver; detecting whether a predetermined power tracking triggering event for adjusting an applied transmission power according to power information of the wireless power receiver occurs; and adjusting, upon determining that the predetermined triggering event has occurred, the applied transmission power.
US09496737B2 Charge devices and charge systems
A charge device is provided. The charge device includes a power storage, a transmission circuit, and a determination circuit. The power storage provides an output voltage signal. The transmission circuit is electrically connected to a first node and a detection node. The transmission circuit receives the output voltage signal. When a voltage of the detection node is at a predetermined level, the transmission circuit transmits the output voltage signal to the first node. The determination circuit is electrically connected to the first node. The determination circuit determines whether a voltage value of the output voltage signal is greater than a threshold. When the determination circuit determines that the voltage value of the output voltage signal is greater than the threshold, the charge device generates a charge voltage signal according to the output voltage signal.
US09496736B1 Portable device charging system
An accessory device or rechargeable energy pack includes a rechargeable battery or other energy storage that is rechargeable by way of an external source. Energy stored within the accessory device may be used recharge one or more other load devices, such as portable computers, smart phones, or other apparatus. The accessory device may be configured to estimate operating times for such various load devices based on their own respective, stored energy levels, and to communicate those estimates to the load devices or other entities. The accessory device may control an amount of energy delivered to a load device based on estimated energy consumption for a future period of time. Operating times for respective load devices may be increased or managed by way of operations and resources of the accessory device.
US09496732B2 Systems and methods for wireless power transfer
Systems and methods for enabling efficient wireless power transfer, and charging of devices and batteries, in a manner that allows freedom of placement of the devices or batteries in one or multiple (e.g., one, two or three) dimensions. In accordance with various embodiments, applications include inductive or magnetic charging and power, and wireless powering or charging of, e.g., mobile, electronic, electric, lighting, batteries, power tools, kitchen, military, medical or dental, industrial applications, vehicles, trains, or other devices or products. In accordance with various embodiments, the systems and methods can also be generally applied, e.g., to power supplies or other power sources or charging systems, such as systems for transfer of wireless power to a mobile, electronic or electric device, vehicle, or other product.
US09496721B2 Power storage apparatus
A storage apparatus comprises a plurality of storage cells connected in series. Each storage cell comprises a storage element that stores a charge, a container that houses the storage element, a reception antenna capable of receiving power transmitted from a transmission antenna of a feeding facility provided in a wireless power transfer system, and a charging control circuit that charges the storage element using the power received by the reception antenna. The plurality of storage cells are charged concurrently and wirelessly, and therefore charging can be performed on all of the storage cells without overcharging or undercharging.
US09496720B2 System for automatically gathering battery information
A method and apparatus is provided in which a radio frequency identification (RIFD) tag is associated with the storage battery and is used in conjunction with a battery test, battery charger, or other battery maintenance. A cable configured to be affixed to the storage battery. The cable is configured to store information and wirelessly communicate the information to a battery tester. A battery maintenance device configured to couple to the battery and to perform battery maintenance on the battery through the cable. The battery maintenance device includes wireless communication circuitry configured to communicate with a memory of the cable.
US09496715B2 Grid oscillation analysis method and apparatus therefor
A method for determining the contribution of a grid subsystem (12) to oscillations in grid frequency experienced by an external electrical grid (14) in an electrical power network (10). A measurement of grid frequency is taken in the grid sub-system (12) and/or the external electrical grid (14). The measurement(s) of grid frequency can be used to extract oscillations in grid frequency in the grid subsystem (12) and/or the external electrical grid (14). A measurement of active power is recorded on a transmission line (16c) between the grid subsystem (12) and the external electrical grid (14). The phase relationship between the oscillations in grid frequency and the oscillations in active power allows the contribution of the grid subsystem (2) to oscillations in grid frequency in the external electrical grid (14) to be determined.
US09496709B2 Protective circuit module for secondary battery and battery pack using the same
A protective circuit module for a secondary battery is provided including a circuit board. At least one protection control circuit element for preventing overcharge and over-discharge of the secondary battery is mounted on the circuit board. A first conductive pad is coupled to the circuit board. A positive temperature coefficient device is between the at least one protection control circuit and the first conductive pad such that when a secondary battery temperature reaches a threshold value, resistance of the positive temperature coefficient device is increased and battery current is reduced.
US09496705B2 Protection circuit of communication interface
A protection circuit of a communication interface includes: a first-level protection circuit, a second-level protection circuit and a third-level protection circuit that are sequentially connected, wherein the first-level protection circuit comprises a current discharge circuit comprising a first connection end, a second connection end and a third connection end, wherein the first connection end is connected with a first signal line of an RS-485 port, the second connection end is connected with a second signal line of the RS-485 port, and the third connection end is connected to the protection ground; the second-level protection circuit comprises a first current limiting resistor, a second current limiting resistor and a bidirectional transient suppression diode; and the third-level protection circuit comprises a voltage discharge circuit.
US09496704B2 Method and protective device for detecting a symmetrical short-circuit in a multiphase electrical power supply network
A first protective device monitors a first section of a power supply network for a symmetrical short-circuit and a second protective device monitors a second section for a symmetrical short-circuit. The second protective device is a reserve protective device, which emits a shut-off command to a power switch after a time lag when a symmetrical short-circuit in the first section is recognized. An oscillation recognition unit emits an oscillating signal which blocks the shutoff command if an oscillation in the power supply network has been recognized. External symmetrical short-circuits can be disconnected independently of an occurring oscillation, when the second protective device has recognized a symmetrical short-circuit in the first section, before the oscillation recognition unit recognizes an oscillation in the power supply network, the shut-off command is emitted independently of the presence of an oscillating signal if the lag time has elapsed.
US09496685B2 Laser emitting apparatus and master oscillator power amplifier system
There is provided a laser emitting apparatus including a semiconductor laser, a grating positioned relative to the semiconductor laser to form a resonator structure therebetween, and an optical system positioned between the semiconductor laser and the grating. The optical system is configured and arranged so that confocal points are formed on both a light emitting surface of the semiconductor laser and a reflection surface of the grating.
US09496682B2 Laser driver and method of operating a laser
According to the present invention there is provided a method of operating a laser comprising the steps of; defining an intensity value (KVIDEO red, KVIDEO green, KVIDEO blue) for a light beam which is to be output from the laser; determining if the defined intensity value is greater than, or less than, a threshold intensity (KTH red, KTH green, KTH blue) for the laser, wherein the threshold intensity is the intensity of the light which is output from the laser when the input current to the laser is equal to the threshold current (ITH red, ITH green, ITH blue) of the laser, wherein the threshold current (ITH red, ITH green, ITH blue) of the laser is an input current value below which the laser would operate in its light emitting region and equal to, or above which, the laser will operate in its laser region; operating the laser using current from at least a DAC current source if the defined intensity value (KVIDEO red, KVIDEO green, KVIDEO blue) is greater than the threshold intensity (KTH red, KTH green, KTH blue), wherein the DAC current source operates the laser by inputting to the laser a continuous current which has an amplitude which is greater than the threshold current (ITH red, ITH green, ITH blue) of the laser, and which has an amplitude such that the laser is operated to output a light beam which has an intensity equal to the defined intensity value (KVIDEO red, KVIDEO green, KVIDEO blue); and operating the laser using current from the PWM current source only, if the defined intensity value (KVIDEO red, KVIDEO green, KVIDEO blue) is less than the threshold intensity (KTH red, KTH green, KTH blue), wherein the PWM current source operates the laser by inputting to the laser a current which has an amplitude which is at least equal to the threshold current value (ITH red, ITH green, ITH blue) of the laser, and wherein the duration of time over which the PWM current source inputs its current to the laser is such that the laser is operated to output a light beam which has an intensity equal to the defined intensity value (KVIDEO red, KVIDEO green, KVIDEO blue). There is further provided a corresponding laser driver.
US09496676B2 Optical amplifier and control method thereof
[Problem] In an optical amplifier, the excitation light level of an excited laser diode decreases, or, when the output of an excitation light is stopped, a backup excited laser diode is operated, and therefore the current consumption increases. [Solution] This optical amplifier is provided with multiple excitation laser diodes, a first current control element, a second current control element, and control means. The excitation laser diodes oscillate excitation light, the excitation light being inputted to an optical fiber amplifier. The first current control element controls a current flowing in the excitation laser diodes. The second current control element controls a current flowing in at least one of the excitation laser diodes. The control means controls the first current control element and the second current control element.
US09496673B2 Enclosure and method for handling electron gun or ion gun
The present invention is a charged-particle gun (EG) in which a negative electrode (1) and a positive electrode (9) are integrated and assembled in advance, and which can be stored and transported in a state in which the negative electrode and the positive electrode are integrated, wherein the negative electrode and the positive electrode are connected by a conductor (11) during storage and transportation of the charged-particle gun. It is thereby possible to prevent an electrode tip of the charged-particle gun from being damaged by electrical discharge caused by static electricity during storage and transportation.
US09496669B2 Sliding contact arrangement for an erosion arrangement and method for producing a sliding contact arrangement
A sliding contact arrangement (13) is used in an erosion arrangement (10) or an erosion machine. The sliding contact arrangement (13) establishes an electrical connection with a slip ring (14), whereby said slip ring can be driven about a rotational axis (D), and with a current source or voltage source (11). The sliding contact arrangement (13) has an electrical connecting line (12) that can be electrically connected to the current source or voltage source (11). The connecting line (12) is mechanically and electrically connected to an electrically conductive body (20). On an underside (21) associated with the slip ring (14), the body (20) includes a plurality of projecting contact wires (35) bundled into several strands. In not loaded, not bent state, the strands (37) extend parallel to each other away from the underside (21) toward their free ends (39), which contact a common generated surface of a cylinder.
US09496666B2 Aircraft power and data distribution system and methods of performing the same
A electrical distribution unit comprising a housing, a securing unit connected to the housing and to a seat track in an aircraft, at least one outlet unit on the housing, an electronic connection unit in the housing that is connected to a power distribution system, and where the outlet unit is electronically connected to the electronic distribution unit to provide power to a device connected to the at least one outlet unit.
US09496661B2 Coaxial cable connector having electrical continuity member
A coaxial cable connector comprising a connector body; a post engageable with the connector body, wherein the post includes a flange; a nut, axially rotatable with respect to the post and the connector body, the nut having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the nut includes an internal lip, and wherein a second end portion of the nut corresponds to the portion of the nut extending from the second end of the nut to the side of the lip of the nut facing the first end of the nut at a point nearest the second end of the nut, and a first end portion of the nut corresponds to the portion of the nut extending from the first end of the nut to the same point nearest the second end of the nut of the same side of the lip facing the first end of the nut; and a continuity member disposed within the second end portion of the nut and contacting the post and the nut, so that the continuity member extends electrical grounding continuity through the post and the nut is provided.
US09496653B2 Flippable electrical connector
A receptacle connector includes an insulative housing with a mating tongue, a plurality of contacts having front contacting sections exposed upon two opposite surfaces of the mating tongue and rear tail sections extending downwardly outside of the housing for mounting to a printed circuit board. A metallic shield encloses said housing and forms a capsular mating cavity with said mating tongue extending forwardly therein. A metallic shielding plate includes a front horizontal section embedded with the mating tongue to isolate the contacting sections of the contacts which are located on two different opposite surfaces, and a rear vertical section extending downwardly from a rear edge of the front horizontal section to isolate the tail sections of the contacts which are arranged in two rows with said rear vertical section therebewteen.
US09496644B2 Communication outlet with shutter mechanism and wire manager
A communication outlet for use with a communication plug. The outlet includes a shutter door biased by at least one biasing member toward a closed position in which the shutter door substantially obstructs the opening. Insertion of the communication plug into the opening transitions the shutter door from the closed position to an open position. Optionally, the outlet includes a shutter lock member adjacent the shutter door. The shutter lock member prevents the shutter door from transitioning from the closed position to the open position when the shutter lock member is in a locked position. The shutter lock member is transitionable from the locked position to an unlocked position by the insertion of the communication plug into the opening. Optionally, the outlet includes a wire manager configured to position a plurality of wires to engage a plurality of wire contacts inside the outlet.
US09496641B2 Electrical wire protective cover
An electrical wire protective cover is assembled to a connector to cover an electrical wire pulled out of the connector. The electrical wire protective cover includes: a cover body configured to receive the electrical wire and having a wire receiving channel with an opening along a wire extending direction of the electrical wire; and a temporary wire retaining piece protruding from the cover body in a direction narrowing the opening of the wire receiving channel, and configured to allow the electrical wire to be inserted by a bending deformation of the temporary wire retaining piece into an inside of the wire receiving channel and prevent a movement of the electrical wire received in the wire receiving channel to an outside of the wire receiving channel.
US09496640B1 Socket protector
A socket protector includes a socket attachment portion and a fixture attachment portion disposed adjacent to the socket attachment portion. The socket attachment portion can include at least one pair of socket attachment features, where the at least one pair of socket attachment features is configured to detachably couple to a socket of a light fixture. The fixture attachment portion can include at least one fixture attachment feature, where the at least one fixture attachment feature detachably couples to at least one housing feature of a number of housing features of a housing of the light fixture.
US09496639B2 Electrical connectors for vehicles
An electrical connection adapted for providing an electro-mechanical connection through a hole in a wall of a wheeled vehicle is disclosed. It includes an interior cable that meets SAE standard J560 and which includes an interior plug portion that has a 6-around-1 female electrical connector array. The electrical connection also includes a socket that meets SAE standard J560 and is adapted via a male interior 6-around-1 electrical connector array to provide an electrical connection to the interior cable. A gasket member is separately formed from the interior plug portion and includes a central opening sized and shaped to receive through it a connection of the interior cable plug and the socket. The gasket forms an uninterrupted water seal with the exterior side of the wall of the wheeled vehicle. One or more guide members are disclosed.
US09496633B1 Memory module adaptor card
Apparatuses and processes associated with a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) adaptor card. Specifically, the DIMM adaptor card may be configured to removeably couple with a slot of a printed circuit board (PCB). The DIMM adaptor card may further be configured to removeably couple with a first DIMM and a second DIMM. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09496630B2 Integrated package insertion and loading mechanism (iPILM)
A holding member and system including a first and a second holding member, wherein each of the first holding member and the second holding member are coupled to opposite sides of a load plate of a socket. A holding member includes a body including a pair of arms extending from a first side of the body and spaced to accommodate a portion of an integrated circuit chip package therebetween and at least one clip extending from a second side opposite the first side. Also, a method including coupling an integrated circuit chip package to a first holding member and a second holding member, wherein the first holding member is coupled to a first side of a load plate of a socket and the second holding member is coupled to a second side of the load plate; and inserting the package into a socket of a printed circuit board.
US09496628B2 Bundled wire separator having separating fins
A separating and contact assembly into which a sheathed or bundled wire cable may be inserted having separating fins to separate the component wires of the bundle guided through separate channels to terminal contact areas conductively coupled to relay contact areas.
US09496623B2 Dual band multi-layer dipole antennas for wireless electronic devices
A wireless electronic device includes a printed circuit board (PCB) with first, second, and third conductive layers separated from one another by dielectric layers. A stripline is included in the first conductive layer. Two highband dipole antenna strips are included in the second conductive layer and/or two lowband dipole antenna strips are included in the third conductive layer. The wireless electronic device may be configured to resonate at a lowband resonant frequency corresponding to the two lowband dipole antenna strips and resonate at a highband resonant frequency corresponding to the two highband dipole antenna strips when excited by a signal transmitted and/or received though the stripline.
US09496620B2 Radio system for long-range high-speed wireless communication
Devices and systems, and methods of using them, for point-to-point transmission/communication of high bandwidth signals. Radio devices and systems may include a pair of reflectors (e.g., parabolic reflectors) that are adjacent to each other and configured so that one of the reflectors is dedicated for sending/transmitting information, and the adjacent reflector is dedicated for receiving information. Both reflectors may be in a fixed configuration relative to each other so that they are aligned to send/receive in parallel. In many variations the two reflectors are formed of a single housing, so that the parallel alignment is fixed, and reflectors cannot lose alignment. The device/systems may be configured to allow switching between duplexing modes. These devices/systems may be configured as wide bandwidth zero intermediate frequency radios including alignment modules for automatic alignment of in-phase and quadrature components of transmitted signals.
US09496612B2 System and method for enhanced transmission in mobile communication networks using an active antenna arrangement
A transmission system and method for use in a mobile communication network comprising an active antenna arrangement of multiple antennas. The active antenna arrangement comprising several pairs of radiofrequency sub-modules each radiofrequency sub-module including a first phase shifter module, a TRX module and a radiating antenna element and where an dynamic phase offset is applied to one of the sub-modules of each pair, and where the phase offset vector is selected according to the signal quality received by users of the mobile communication network using an algorithm which minimizes the duration of the selection process.
US09496606B2 Transmission line and antenna device
A transmission line has a triplate line including a first outer conductor and a second outer conductor disposed in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval, and a central conductor disposed in a space between the first outer conductor and the second outer conductor; and a dielectric spacer interposed between the first and second outer conductors and the central conductor and configured to support the central conductor. The central conductor has a supported portion supported by the dielectric spacer, and first and second high-impedance portions having characteristic impedances higher than a characteristic impedance in the supported portion. The first and second high-impedance portions are disposed on input and output sides, respectively, of the supported portion.
US09496598B2 Wireless communication system, antenna module and electronic device
Provided is a wireless communication system which has excellent communication characteristics even between antenna modules having antenna coils between which there is a large difference in outside diameter. The wireless communication system includes: a first antenna module including a first antenna coil; and a second antenna module including a second antenna coil and capable of communication by receiving a magnetic field transmitted from the first antenna module, in which the first antenna coil and the second antenna coil have mutually different outside diameters, and, out of the first antenna coil and the second antenna coil, the antenna coil having a larger outside diameter is formed in such a way that the area of an opening portion inside the innermost perimeter of an antenna pattern is not more than 120% of the outside diameter area of the other antenna coil having a smaller outside diameter.
US09496593B2 Enhancing operation of laminate waveguide structures using an electrically conductive fence
Various embodiments of a millimeter-wave system operative to enhance propagation of millimeter-waves inside a laminate waveguide structure, in which electrical energy has leaked outside the laminated waveguide structure. The system comprises a laminate waveguide structure inside a printed circuit board, and an electrically conductive fence also inside the printed circuit board but outside the laminate waveguide structure. In various embodiments, the electrical energy of millimeter-waves leaks outside the laminate waveguide structure and is reflected by the electrically conducive fence back into the laminate waveguide structure.
US09496590B2 Lithium-air batteries, method for making lithium-air batteries
The invention provides a method for generating Li2O2 or composites of it, the method uses mixing lithium ions with oxygen ions in the presence of a catalyst. The catalyst comprises a plurality of metal clusters, their alloys and mixtures, each cluster consisting of between 3 and 18 metal atoms. The invention also describes a lithium-air battery which uses a lithium metal anode, and a cathode opposing the anode. The cathode supports metal clusters, each cluster consisting of size selected clusters, taken from a range of between approximately 3 and approximately 18 metal atoms, and an electrolyte positioned between the anode and the cathode.
US09496589B2 System for packaging and thermal management of battery cells
A system for packaging and thermal management of battery cells in a battery module is provided. The battery module comprises at last one extruded aluminum or aluminum alloy profile (40) provided with a plurality of thermal transfer fins (42) arranged at a space from each other. A plurality of battery cells (1) is mounted in the at least one profile (40) in thermal contact with the thermal transfer fins (42). Thermal transfer medium is arranged in thermal contact with the at least one profile (40) so that thermal energy is conducted through the aluminum or aluminum alloy profile (40) so that thermal energy is conducted through the aluminum or aluminum alloy profile (40) from/to the battery cells (1) to/from the thermal transfer medium.
US09496586B1 Apparatus and method for controlling power for secondary battery
A power control apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a sensing unit configured to measure a temperature of a battery cell, an outside air temperature around the battery cell and a load current, an adjusting unit configured to adjust power supplied from the battery cell to a load, and a control unit configured to estimate a future temperature change of the battery cell based on the temperature of the battery cell, the outside air temperature around the cell and the load current measured by the sensing unit, analyze the estimated future temperature change of the cell, and control the adjusting unit to reduce the power supplied from the battery cell to the load when the temperature of the battery cell is estimated to increase above a limit temperature for a preset reference time.
US09496582B1 Flexible battery
Various embodiments are directed to a flexible battery structure comprising patterned active layers. An example battery structure comprises a sheet of current collector material, first and second active layers, and a first electrolyte layer. The first active layer may be disposed on the sheet and may comprise a plurality of active material portions and a plurality of slots, where each of the plurality of slots separates a set of at least to adjacent active material portions.
US09496578B2 Gas diffusion layer with integrated seal for use in a fuel cell
A membrane electrode assembly is provided for use in a fuel cell and utilizes an external manifold and seal structure which are molded directly to the gas diffusion layers. The integrated manifold and gas diffusion layers are formed as duplicate components which can be oriented 180 degrees offset to one another to create the MEA assembly with a catalyst coated membrane disposed therebetween. The integrated manifold and seal structures can be held together by heat pressing or other known connection techniques.
US09496566B2 Stack for simulating cell voltage reversal behavior in fuel cell
Disclosed is a stack for simulating a cell voltage reversal behavior in a fuel cell. The stack is configured to have a structure in which a separator of a portion of a plurality of cells in the stack have an inlet of a hydrogen flow field partially blocked to induce hydrogen starvation only in the portion of the plurality of cells.
US09496557B2 Current collector for an electrochemical cell
A current collector for an electrochemical cell includes a member having an outer member and an inner member coupled to the outer member by a plurality of flexible arms configured to allow the inner member to move relative to the outer member.
US09496552B2 Nitrogen-containing hydride anodes, and galvanic elements containing nitrogen-containing hydride anodes
The subject matter of the invention are transition-metal-free nitrogen-containing hydride anodes of the general formula LioNH3-o, where o=1, 2 or 3, and wherein said transition-metal-free nitrogen-containing hydride anodes, in the charged state, are mixed with lithium hydride, and electrochemical elements, for example lithium batteries, which contain said transition-metal-free nitrogen-containing hydride anodes as the anode. The invention also describes methods for producing transition-metal-free nitrogen-containing hydride anode materials and electrochemical elements comprising transition-metal-free nitrogen-containing hydride anodes.
US09496550B2 Hydrogen storage alloy, hydrogen storage alloy electrode, secondary battery, and method for producing hydrogen storage alloy
Provided is a hydrogen storage alloy which is characterized in that two or more crystal phases having different crystal structures are layered in a c-axis direction of the crystal structures. The hydrogen storage alloy is further characterized in that a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of a lattice constant a in the crystal structures of the laminated two or more crystal phases is 0.03 Å or less.
US09496547B2 Composite electrode material of lithium secondary battery and lithium secondary battery
A composite electrode material of a lithium secondary battery and a lithium secondary battery are provided. The composite electrode material of the lithium secondary battery at least includes an electrode active powder and a nanoscale coating layer coated on the surface of the electrode active powder, wherein the nanoscale coating layer is composed of a metastable state polymer, a compound A, a compound B, or a combination thereof. The compound A is a monomer having a reactive terminal functional group, and the compound B is a heterocyclic amino aromatic derivative used as an initiator. The weight ratio of the nanoscale coating layer to the composite electrode material of the lithium secondary battery is 0.005% to 10%.
US09496540B2 Secondary battery having electrode with self cutting part to be destructed on application of over-current
Disclosed herein is a plate-shaped secondary battery used as a unit cell for middle- or large-sized battery pack, the secondary battery having an electrode assembly, which can be charged and discharged, mounted in a sheet-shaped battery case including a metal layer and a resin layer in a sealed state, the electrode assembly having electrode terminals protruding outside a sealing part of the battery case, wherein at least one of the electrode terminals is provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the sealing part with a self cutting part having a vertical sectional area less than that of the remaining part of the at least one electrode terminal such that the self cutting part can break first when overcurrent flows in the secondary battery.
US09496536B2 Backpack-type power supply
A backpack-type power supply includes: a plurality of cell units (52) each configured of a plurality of secondary battery cell (51); a case (12) configured to accommodate the cell units and having first and second contacts; and a harness (13) attached to the case, characterized by including; first connecting means (581, 571) for electrically connecting the first contact and a positive terminal of each cell unit to form a first electrical path therebetween; and second connecting means (572, 582) for electrically connecting the second contact and a negative terminal of each cell unit to form a second electrical path therebetween, each first electrical path and each second electrical path forming a total electrical path having a total resistance for each cell unit, the total resistance of each total electrical path being adjusted such that heat distribution is substantially uniform over the plurality of cell units in the case.
US09496530B2 Electrical power storage unit for motor vehicles
An electrical power storage unit for motor vehicles, having a housing comprising an electrical battery cell pack in a first housing section and an electrical circuit therefor in a second housing section separated from the first housing section and separately openable, wherein the second housing section has at least one separated and independently openable maintenance region, which—with the exception of an optional contact-protected high-voltage fuse—does not comprise any electrical circuit components operating above a predetermined low-voltage limit, preferably 60 V DC.
US09496523B1 Devices and methods to improve light outcoupling from an OLED array
A device, includes a substrate, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) disposed over the substrate, a first layer optically coupled to the OLED and having a first surface including a first plurality of topographical surface features and an index of refraction n1, and an enhancement layer optically coupled to the OLED and vertically stacked with the first layer, having a thickness of not more than 100 nm, a second surface including a second plurality of topographical surface features, and an index of refraction n2, wherein n2 has at least a 0.1 difference from an index of refraction of at a top layer and a bottom layer adjacent to the enhancement layer.
US09496522B2 OLED optically coupled to curved substrate
Devices and components are provided that include a curved outcoupling component and an OLED, where the outcoupling component provides up to 100% outcoupling of light emitted by the OLED into air. The outcoupling component has an outer radius R and includes a material with a refractive index n. The OLED is in optical communication with the outcoupling component and disposed such that each emissive element of the OLED is within a distance r measured from the center of curvature of the surface at the outer radius R, such that R−r>(n−1)r.
US09496503B2 Organic compound, light-emitting element, light-emitting device, electronic device, and lighting device
An organic compound having a low HOMO level and a high hole-transport property is provided. The organic compound is represented by Formula (G1), where Ar1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted fluorenyl group, Ar2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 13 carbon atoms, and A1 represents any one of a substituted or unsubstituted dibenzofuranyl group and a substituted or unsubstituted dibenzothiophenyl group. The low HOMO level and the high hole-transport property of the organic compound allow the formation of an exciplex with another organic compound, which leads to a highly efficient light-emitting element in the presence of a phosphorescent compound due to the effective overlapping between the emission of the exciplex and the longest absorption band of the phosphorescent compound.
US09496492B2 Resistance switching device and process for producing thereof
A resistance switching device having a high resistance variation ratio, an excellent response characteristic, an excellent resistance memory characteristic (retention characteristics) and an excellent repeat resistance. The resistance switching device comprises an n-type oxide semiconductor and first and second electrodes which are disposed so as to interpose at least a part of the n-type oxide semiconductor therebetween wherein a Schottky junction which provides resistance variation/memory characteristics by the application of voltage having different polarities between the first and second electrodes is formed at an interface between the n-type oxide semiconductor and the first electrode; and the first electrode is positioned such that it is in contact with the n-type oxide semiconductor, and has a lower layer which is formed from Au oxide or a Pt oxide or Au or Pt containing oxygen having the thickness of 1-50 nm.
US09496485B2 Piezoelectric material, piezoelectric element, liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting apparatus, and ultrasonic measuring apparatus
A piezoelectric material is expressed as a mixed crystal including a complex oxide having a perovskite structure and a rhombohedral structure and a complex oxide having a perovskite structure and a tetragonal structure, and the molar ratio of the complex oxide having a rhombohedral structure to the complex oxide having a tetragonal structure (rhombohedral crystal/tetragonal crystal) is 0.54 to less than 1.20.
US09496476B2 Thermoelectric conversion module
A thermoelectric conversion module includes p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion elements arranged between two stacked substrates. The p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion elements include columnar p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions, insulators provided in side surfaces of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions, and diffusion preventing films provided on top surface, the top surface different from the side surface of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions. Each stacked substrate includes an interconnecting layer that electrically connects the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions through the diffusion preventing films, and a jointing material that joins the diffusion preventing films and the interconnecting layer. Top surfaces of the diffusion preventing films are projected from upper and lower top surfaces of each insulator in a direction connecting the upper and lower top surfaces of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions, and gap is provided on each insulator in the direction.
US09496466B2 Light emitter devices and methods, utilizing light emitting diodes (LEDs), for improved light extraction
Light emitter devices with improved light extraction and related methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, the light emitter device can include a submount, at least one light emitting chip disposed over the submount, and a lens disposed over the light emitting chip. The lens can include a lens base that can have substantially the same geometry as a geometry of the submount.
US09496463B2 Phosphor, light emitting apparatus, and liquid crystal display apparatus using the same
A phosphor as a divalent europium-activated oxynitride green light emitting phosphor which is a β-type SiAlON substantially represented by a general formula (A): EuaSibAlcOdNe (where a, b, c, d, and e are numbers satisfying 0.005≦a≦0.4, b+c=12, and d+e=16), and having an average particle size (d1) (determined by an air permeability method) of 9 to 16 μm, a median diameter (50% D) in particle size distribution of 12.5 to 35 μm, 50% D/d1 of 1.4 to 2.2, and an absorptance at 600 nm of not more than 8.0%, and a light emitting apparatus, a BL light source apparatus, and a liquid crystal display device using the same are provided, to provide a light emitting apparatus with a high efficiency and a stable characteristic and a liquid crystal display apparatus using the same by using the β-type SiAlON having controlled dispersibility and improved transparency.
US09496461B2 Light emitting diode package structure
A LED package structure including a carrier substrate, a flip-chip LED and a molding compound is provided. The carrier substrate includes a main body and a patterned conductive layer embedded in the main body. The main body is composed of polymer material. The main body has a cavity, and a bottom surface of the cavity is aligned with an upper surface of the patterned conductive layer. A difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the main body in a rubbery state and the patterned conductive layer is smaller than 30 ppm/° C. The flip-chip LED is disposed inside the cavity and electrically connected to the patterned conductive layer. The molding compound is disposed inside the cavity and encapsulates the flip-chip LED. A vertical distance between a top surface of the molding compound and the bottom surface of the cavity is smaller than or equal to a depth of the cavity.
US09496458B2 Semiconductor light emitting diodes with crack-tolerant barrier structures and methods of fabricating the same
A light emitting device includes an epitaxial region, an insulating layer on the epitaxial region, a bond pad on the insulating layer, and a crack reducing feature in the insulating layer. The crack reducing feature is configured to reduce the propagation of cracks in the insulating layer to an outside surface of the insulating layer. Related methods are also disclosed.
US09496453B2 Method for producing group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device
There is provided a method for producing a Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device having a low driving voltage, which is realized by steeply increasing the concentration of Mg within a p-type semiconductor layer. This production method includes the steps of forming an n-type contact layer, forming an n-side high electrostatic breakdown voltage layer, forming an n-side superlattice layer, forming a light-emitting layer, forming a p-type cladding layer, forming a p-type intermediate layer, and forming a p-type contact layer. The step of forming the p-type cladding layer includes supplying a dopant gas without supplying a first raw material gas (TMG) containing a Group III element during a first period TA1 and supplying the first raw material gas (TMG) and the dopant gas during a second period TA2 after the first period TA1 so as to grow a semiconductor layer.
US09496452B2 Method of absorber surface repairing by solution process
Methods and systems for repairing oxidation of CIGS surfaces during manufacture of a CIGS solar cell are generally disclosed. Oxidation of an absorber reduces the photoluminescence intensity of the CIGS surface. The absorber is immersed in a reduction tank having a reducing reagent therein. The reducing reagent reverses the oxidation of the CIGS absorber, increasing the interface quality and corresponding photoluminescence intensity. After reversing the oxidation, a buffer layer is deposited on the CIGS absorber to prevent further surface oxidation.
US09496444B2 Method for forming dendritic silver with periodic structure as light-trapping layer
The invention is related to a method for forming dendritic silver with periodic structure as light-trapping layer, includes these steps: form a photoresist layer on a conductive substrate, and at least two coherent light beams is provided in using a laser interference lithography apparatus, to form a plurality of particular patterns respectively on the setting-exposure positions of the conductive substrate in sequence till the particular periods pattern formed. Thereafter, form the dendritic silver nanostructure with period pattern on the conductive substrate via electrochemical process, wherein operating voltage is 2V or higher, and electrochemical reaction time is 10 sec or higher.
US09496443B2 Solar cell module and solar power generation apparatus
A solar cell module includes a light guide body that guides incident light to propagate therein, and a solar cell element that receives the light propagating within the light guide body, wherein the light guide body is made of a light-transmissive base material and has a curved surface in at least a part thereof.
US09496430B2 Method for forming patterns of differently doped regions
The disclosed technology generally relates to forming patterns of doped semiconductor regions, and more particularly to methods of forming such patterns in fabricating photovoltaic devices. In one aspect, a method of forming a pattern of different doped regions at the same side of a semiconductor substrate comprises providing a patterned doped layer on a surface of the semiconductor substrate at predetermined locations where at least one first doped region is to be formed. The method additionally includes selectively growing at least one second doped region epitaxially at the same side of the semiconductor substrate using the patterned doped layer as an epitaxial growth mask. Furthermore, selectively growing comprises driving dopants from the patterned doped layer into the semiconductor substrate to form the first doped region at the predetermined locations.
US09496426B2 Thin film photovoltaic devices with a minimally conductive buffer layer
A thin film photovoltaic device (100) with a tunable, minimally conductive buffer (128) layer is provided. The photovoltaic device (100) may include a back contact (150), a transparent front contact stack (120), and an absorber (140) positioned between the front contact stack (120) and the back contact (150). The front contact stack (120) may include a low resistivity transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer (124) and a buffer layer (128) that is proximate to the absorber layer (140). The photovoltaic device (100) may also include a window layer (130) between the buffer layer (128) and the absorber (140). In some cases, the buffer layer (128) is minimally conductive, with its resistivity being tunable, and the buffer layer (128) may be formed as an alloy from a host oxide and a high-permittivity oxide. The high-permittivity oxide may further be chosen to have a bandgap greater than the host oxide.
US09496419B2 Ruthenium nucleation layer for control gate electrodes in a memory structure
A memory film and a semiconductor channel can be formed within each memory opening that extends through a stack including an alternating plurality of insulator layers and sacrificial material layers. After formation of backside recesses through removal of the sacrificial material layers selective to the insulator layers, a ruthenium portion can be formed in each backside recess, and a polycrystalline conductive material portion can be formed on each ruthenium portion. Each ruthenium portion can be employed in lieu of a tungsten seed layer to function as a lower resistivity seed layer that enables subsequent deposition of a polycrystalline conductive material. The resulting electrically conductive lines can have a lower resistivity than conductive lines of comparable dimensions that employ tungsten seed layers.
US09496416B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
An object is to manufacture a semiconductor device with high reliability by providing the semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor with stable electric characteristics. In a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer, a gallium oxide film is used for a gate insulating layer and made in contact with an oxide semiconductor layer. Further, gallium oxide films are provided so as to sandwich the oxide semiconductor layer, whereby reliability is increased. Furthermore, the gate insulating layer may have a stacked structure of a gallium oxide film and a hafnium oxide film.
US09496411B2 Manufacturing method of semiconductor device
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a first insulating film over a first gate electrode over a substrate while heated at a temperature higher than or equal to 450° C. and lower than the strain point of the substrate, forming a first oxide semiconductor film over the first insulating film, adding oxygen to the first oxide semiconductor film and then forming a second oxide semiconductor film over the first oxide semiconductor film, and performing heat treatment so that part of oxygen contained in the first oxide semiconductor film is transferred to the second oxide semiconductor film.
US09496408B2 Semiconductor device including oxide semiconductor stack with different ratio of indium and gallium
A highly reliable semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor is provided by preventing a change in its electrical characteristics. A semiconductor device which includes a first oxide semiconductor layer which is in contact with a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer which serves as a main current path (channel) of a transistor is provided. The first oxide semiconductor layer serves as a buffer layer for preventing a constituent element of the source and drain electrode layers from diffusing into the channel. By providing the first oxide semiconductor layer, it is possible to prevent diffusion of the constituent element into an interface between the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer and into the second oxide semiconductor layer.
US09496403B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A circuit including an inverter is provided for a wiring layer. A semiconductor device is provided with a wiring layer circuit which is formed over an insulating film and includes at least one inverter element. The inverter is provided with a first transistor element and a resistance element which is connected to the first transistor via a connection node. The first transistor element is provided with a gate electrode which is embedded in an interlayer insulating film including the insulating film, a gate insulating film which is formed over the interlayer insulating film and the gate electrode, and a first semiconductor layer which is formed over the gate insulating film between a source electrode and a drain electrode. The resistance element is provided with a second semiconductor layer which functions as a resistance. The first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer are formed in the same layer.
US09496398B2 Epitaxial source/drain regions in FinFETs and methods for forming the same
An embodiment is a structure including a substrate having a fin and an isolation region adjoining the fin, and a raised epitaxial source/drain region on the fin. A first lateral distance is between opposing exterior surfaces of the raised epitaxial source/drain region at an upper portion of the raised epitaxial source/drain region. A second lateral distance is between opposing exterior surfaces of the raised epitaxial source/drain region at a mid portion of the raised epitaxial source/drain region. A third lateral distance is between opposing exterior surfaces of the raised epitaxial source/drain region at a lower portion of the raised epitaxial source/drain region. The first lateral distance is greater than the second lateral distance, and the second lateral distance is less than the third lateral distance.
US09496393B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer made of first conductivity type semiconductor layer; a second conductivity type well region formed on the semiconductor layer and having a channel region; a first conductivity type source region formed on the well region and including a first region adjacent to the well region and a second region adjacent to the first region; a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer and having a first portion that contacts the first region; a second portion that contacts the well region and that has a thickness that is the same as that of the first portion; and a third portion that contacts the second region and that has a thickness that is greater than that of the first portion; and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film and opposed to the channel region where a channel is formed through the gate insulating film.
US09496381B2 Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
A semiconductor device may include a substrate including an active pattern delimited by a device isolation pattern, a gate electrode crossing the active pattern, a first impurity region and a second impurity region in the active pattern on both sides of the gate electrode, a bit line crossing the gate electrode, a first contact electrically connecting the first impurity region with the bit line, and a first nitride pattern on a lower side surface of the first contact. A width of the first contact measured perpendicular to an extending direction of the bit line may be substantially equal to that of the bit line.
US09496376B2 Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
To provide a semiconductor device with improved reliability. To provide a semiconductor device with stable characteristics. To provide a transistor having a low off-state current. To provide a transistor having a high on-state current. To provide a novel semiconductor device, a novel electronic device, or the like. A method for manufacturing the semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a first semiconductor over a substrate; forming a second semiconductor over and in contact with the first semiconductor; forming a first layer over the second semiconductor; performing oxygen plasma treatment and then removing the first layer to expose at least part of a surface of the second semiconductor; forming a third semiconductor over and in contact with the second semiconductor; forming a first insulator over and in contact with the third semiconductor; and forming a first conductor over the first insulator.
US09496374B2 Method for manufacturing thin-film transistor substrate
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a thin-film transistor substrate, which has a simple process and achieves an excellent contact interface between an oxide semiconductor layer and source/drain terminals through successive film forming so as to prevent crowding effect resulting from excessive contact resistance. Further, by using a metallic material containing tantalum to make the source/drain terminals and applying an etchant solution containing hydrogen peroxide to carry out etching in an etching process of the source/drain terminals, damages of the oxide semiconductor layer caused by traditional etchant solution can be prevented and quality of the thin-film transistor substrate can be enhanced. Further, it is not necessary to additionally form an etch stopper layer to protect the oxide semiconductor layer in the back channel so as to achieve relatively high channel width/length ratio (W/L), and also simplify the structure of the thin-film transistor substrate, simplify the manufacturing process, reduce the manufacturing cost, and enhance yield rate.
US09496372B2 Method of making a FinFET device
A method of fabricating a fin-like field-effect transistor (FinFET) device is disclosed. The method includes forming first and second gate stacks over first and second portions of a fin feature respectively; filling a space between the first and second gate stacks with a dielectric layer; removing the first and second gate stacks to form first and second trenches respectively; and removing the first portion of the fin feature through the first trench while keeping the second portion of the fin feature in the second trench. The method further includes, after the removing of the first portion, depositing a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode layer in the first and second trenches.
US09496367B2 Mechanism for forming metal gate structure
A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate, a metal gate stack, and an insulating layer formed over the semiconductor substrate. A source region and a drain region are formed in the semiconductor substrate. The metal gate stack is between the source region and the drain region. The insulating layer surrounds the metal gate stack. The method includes forming contact openings passing through the insulating layer to expose the source region and the drain region, respectively. The method includes performing a first pre-amorphized implantation process to form amorphous regions in the source region and the drain region exposed by the contact openings. The method includes after the first pre-amorphized implantation process, forming a dielectric spacer liner layer over sidewalls of the contact openings. The dielectric spacer liner layer has holes exposing portions of the amorphous regions, respectively.
US09496365B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method for the same
A semiconductor device of an embodiment includes: an SiC layer; a gate insulating film provided on a surface of the SiC layer, the gate insulating film including an oxide film or an oxynitride film in contact with the surface of the SiC layer, the oxide film or the oxynitride film containing at least one element selected from B, Al, Ga (gallium), In, Sc, Y, La, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba, a concentration peak of the element in the gate insulating film being on the SiC side of the gate insulating film, the concentration peak of the element being in the oxide film or the oxynitride film, the gate insulating film having a region with a concentration of the element being not higher than 1×1016 cm−3 on the opposite side to the SiC layer with the concentration peak; and a gate electrode on the gate insulating film.
US09496363B1 FinFET isolation structure and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor device and a semiconductor fin on the semiconductor substrate, in which the semiconductor fin has a fin isolation structure at a common boundary that is shared by the two cells. The fin isolation structure has an air gap extending from a top of the semiconductor fin to a portion of the semiconductor substrate. The air gap divides the semiconductor fin into two portions of the semiconductor fin. The fin isolation structure includes a dielectric cap layer capping a top of the air gap.
US09496361B1 Selectively deposited metal gates and method of manufacturing thereof
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor structure includes the following steps. Gate trenches are formed in a first dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate. A sidewall spacer layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate and on at least two sides of each gate trench. A plurality of first metal gates is formed on the semiconductor substrate. Each of the first metal gates includes an upper part and a lower part connected to the upper part, the lower part is formed in one of the gate trenches, and the upper part covers at least a part of the sidewall spacer layer in a vertical direction. The upper part and the lower part of the first metal gate are formed by an identical process together.
US09496360B2 Vertical transistor with source/drain regions induced by work-function differences between a semiconductor pillar body and surrounding metal electrodes
A semiconductor device includes a pillar-shaped semiconductor having an impurity concentration of 1017 cm−3 or less. A first insulator surrounds the pillar-shaped semiconductor and a first metal surrounds a portion of the first insulator at a first end of the pillar-shaped semiconductor. A second metal surrounds a portion of the first insulator at a second end of the pillar-shaped semiconductor, and a third metal surrounds a portion of the first insulator in a region between the first and second metals. A second insulator resides between the first metal and the third metal, and a third insulator resides between the second metal and the third metal. The first metal is electrically connected to the first end of the pillar-shaped semiconductor, and the second metal is electrically connected to the second end of the pillar-shaped semiconductor. The third metal has a work function of about 4.2 eV to about 5.0 eV.
US09496342B2 MOSFET structure and manufacturing method thereof
A MOSFET and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The method comprises: a. providing a substrate (100), a dummy gate structure (200), a epitaxial protection layer (101) and a sacrificial spacer (205); b. covering the dummy gate structure (200) and the substrate (100) on one side thereof by a mask layer, and forming a vacancy (102) in the substrate; c. growing a semiconductor layer (300) on the semiconductor structure to fill in the vacancy (102); d. removing the epitaxial protection layer (101) and the sacrificial spacer (205), and sequentially forming source/drain extension regions, a spacer (201), source/drain regions, and an interlayer dielectric layer (500); and e. removing the dummy gate structure (200) to form a dummy gate vacancy, and forming a gate stack in the dummy gate vacancy. In the MOSFET structure of the present disclosure, negative effects of DIBL on device performance can be effectively reduced.
US09496337B2 Method for producing a semiconductor device having a beveled edge termination
A method for producing a semiconductor device includes forming a trench that defines a closed loop in a semiconductor body and extends from a first surface into the semiconductor body. The trench has at least one sidewall that is beveled relative to a vertical direction of the semiconductor body. The method further includes removing material of the semiconductor body at least between a bottom of the trench a second surface opposite the first surface of the semiconductor body.
US09496332B1 Semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, a fourth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, and an insulating unit. The fourth semiconductor region is separated from the third semiconductor region. A carrier concentration of the second conductivity type of the fourth semiconductor region is higher than a carrier concentration of the second conductivity type of the second semiconductor region. The fourth semiconductor region protrudes below more than the third semiconductor region. The insulating unit is provided on a portion of the second semiconductor region positioned between the third semiconductor region and the fourth semiconductor region and on the fourth semiconductor region.
US09496329B2 DT capacitor with silicide outer electrode and/or compressive stress layer, and related methods
A deep trench capacitor is provided. The deep trench capacitor may include: a deep trench in a substrate, the deep trench including an lower portion having a width that is wider than a width of the rest of the deep trench; a compressive stress layer against the substrate in the lower portion; a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) stack over the compressive stress layer, the MIM stack including a node dielectric between an inner electrode and an outer electrode; and a semiconductor core within the MIM stack.
US09496325B2 Substrate resistor and method of making same
A semiconductor structure includes a resistor on a substrate formed substantially simultaneously with other device elements, such as one or more transistors. A diffusion barrier layer deposited on a substrate is patterned to form a resistor and barrier layers under a transistor gate. A filler material, a first connector, and a second connector are formed on the resistor in a substantially similar manner as that used to form the gate of the transistor. The filler material is removed.
US09496322B1 COA WOLED structure and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a COA WOLED structure and a manufacturing method thereof. The structure includes red/green/blue sub pixel zones and each sub pixel zone includes a substrate (1), a gate terminal (2), a gate insulation layer (3), an oxide semiconductor layer (4), an etch stop layer (5), source/drain terminals (6), a passivation protection layer (7), a red/green/blue photoresist layer (71/72/73), a planarization layer (8), a semi-reflection layer (9), an anode layer (10), a pixel definition layer (11), a photo spacer (12), a white light emission layer (13), a cathode layer (14), and a packaging lid (15). The present invention arranges a semi-transparent metal layer formed on a planarization layer to serve as a semi-reflection layer to use micro cavity resonance between an anode and a cathode and controls the thicknesses of the anode layers corresponding to the red/green/blue photoresist layers so as to obtain optimum micro cavity lengths for different colors of light thereby enhancing the light emission efficiency of the three primary colors of red/green/blue transmitting through a color filter and thus effectively improving the brightness of a COA WOLED device.
US09496319B2 Pixel circuit and display apparatus including the same
A display apparatus including: a display unit including a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels including: a light-emitting circuit including a light-emitting device; and a heating circuit adjacent to the light-emitting circuit, the heating circuit including: a heating device; and a controller configured to generate and output an emission signal for controlling an operation of the light-emitting circuit; and generating and output a heating signal for controlling an operation of the heating circuit, wherein: a first end of the light-emitting circuit is connected to a first power supply voltage; a second end of the light-emitting circuit is connected to a second power supply voltage; a first end of the heating circuit is connected to a first heating power supply voltage; and a second end of the heating circuit is connected to a second heating power supply voltage.
US09496303B2 Solid state imaging device, method of manufacturing solid-state imaging device, and electronic apparatus
The present technique aims to provide a solid-state imaging device that reduces shading and color mixing between pixels. The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing the solid-state imaging device. The present technique further relates to a solid-state imaging device that enables provision of an electronic apparatus that uses the solid-state imaging device, a method of manufacturing the solid-state imaging device, and an electronic apparatus.The solid-state imaging device includes a substrate, pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit formed in the substrate, and a color filter layer formed on the light incidence surface side of the substrate. The solid-state imaging device also includes a device isolating portion that is formed to divide the color filter layer and the substrate for the respective pixels, and has a lower refractive index than the refractive indexes of the color filter layer and the substrate.
US09496301B2 Imaging apparatus and electronic system
An imaging apparatus includes: a lens group formed of one or more lens elements; and an imaging device having a light receiving surface on which the lens group forms an image of an object, wherein the light receiving surface of the imaging device is a curved surface that is concave toward the lens group, and the light receiving surface of the imaging device has an aspheric shape so shaped that a tangential angle that is an angle between a tangential line circumscribing an edge of the light receiving surface and a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens group is smaller than the tangential angle provided when the light receiving surface has a spherical shape.
US09496286B2 Display substrate with a common electrode and liquid crystal display panel having the same
A display substrate includes a display area corresponding to a plurality of pixels, a peripheral area surrounding the display area, a thin film transistor for driving a corresponding one of the pixels, a gate line electrically coupled to the thin film transistor, a data line crossing the gate line and electrically coupled to the thin film transistor, a pixel electrode electrically coupled to the thin film transistor, and a common electrode overlapping the pixel electrode and having a first opening overlapping a first pixel of the pixels, and a second opening overlapping a second pixel of the pixels adjacent the first pixel, wherein the first opening and the second opening extend in different directions, and wherein the common electrode is continuous and overlaps the first and second pixels.
US09496282B2 Structure and method to reduce crystal defects in epitaxial fin merge using nitride deposition
FinFET devices and methods of making the same. A structure includes: a substrate with a buried insulator, a plurality of fins over a recessed buried insulator, and a nitride material filing recessed spaces between the plurality of fins, wherein the plurality of fins remain uncovered by the nitride, and wherein the nitride material does not contact the bottom of the plurality of fins.
US09496279B2 Composite substrate
Provided is a composite substrate having a semiconductor layer wherein diffusion of a metal is suppressed. This composite substrate has: a single crystal supporting substrate composed of an insulating oxide; a semiconductor layer, which has one main surface overlapping the supporting substrate, and which is composed of a single crystal; and a polycrystalline or amorphous intermediate layer, which is positioned between the supporting substrate and the semiconductor layer, and which has, as a main component, an element constituting the supporting substrate or an element constituting the semiconductor layer, and in which the ratio of accessory components other than the main component is less than 1 mass %.
US09496275B2 Semiconductor memory device having lowered bit line resistance
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an ONO (oxide/nitride/oxide) film provided on the semiconductor substrate, a control gate provided on the ONO film, a first low-resistance layer, and a second low-resistance layer in contact with the first low-resistance layer, the second low-resistance layer having a sheet resistance lower than the first low-resistance layer. With this configuration, it is possible to downsize the memory cell and provide a fabrication method of the semiconductor device in which the peripheral circuit can be fabricated with simple fabrication processes.
US09496267B2 Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
In one device, a first space partitioned by first and second line patters is filled with a multilayer film that is composed of a first silicon film having a high impurity concentration relative to a standard plug impurity concentration and a second silicon film having a low impurity concentration relative to the standard plug impurity concentration, and is divided by forming a groove using a mask film on the side wall of the second line pattern. As a result, expansion of a seam, which is formed only on the second silicon film having a low impurity concentration, is suppressed. After that, an isolation insulating film is embedded in the groove and impurity diffusion is carried out by a heat treatment, so that divided plugs as a whole are made to have the standard plug impurity concentration.
US09496265B2 Circuit and system of a high density anti-fuse
A high density anti-fuse cell can be built at the cross points of two perpendicular interconnect lines, such as active region lines, active and polysilicon lines, active and metal lines, or polysilicon and metal lines. The cell size can be very small. At least one of the anti-fuse cells have a thin oxide fabricated before, after, or between a diode in at least one contact holes at the cross points of the interconnect lines. The thin oxide of the anti-fuse cells at the cross points can be selected for rupture by applying supply voltages in the two perpendicular lines. In some embodiments, a diode can be created after thin oxide is ruptured so that explicitly fabricating a diode or opening a contact hole at the cross-point may not be necessary.
US09496263B1 Stacked strained and strain-relaxed hexagonal nanowires
A method for forming nanowires includes forming a plurality of epitaxial layers on a substrate, the layers including alternating material layers with high and low Ge concentration and patterning the plurality of layers to form fins. The fins are etched to form recesses in low Ge concentration layers to form pillars between high Ge concentration layers. The pillars are converted to dielectric pillars. A conformal material is formed in the recesses and on the dielectric pillars. The high Ge concentration layers are condensed to form hexagonal Ge wires with (111) facets. The (111) facets are exposed to form nanowires.
US09496260B1 Tall strained high percentage silicon germanium fins for CMOS
A silicon germanium alloy (SiGe) fin having a first germanium content is provided within first and second device regions. Each SiGe fin is located on a sacrificial material stack and an oxide material surrounds each SiGe fin. A germanium layer is formed atop each SiGe fin within one of the device regions, while a SiGe layer having a second germanium content less than the first germanium content is formed atop each SiGe fin within the other device region. An exposed surface of each of the germanium layer and the SiGe layer is then bonded to a base substrate. The sacrificial material stack is removed and thereafter the oxide material is recessed to expose a portion of each SiGe fin in the first and second device regions. Each SiGe fin contacting the germanium layer compressively strained, and each SiGe fin contacting the SiGe layer is tensely strained.
US09496256B2 Semiconductor device including a vertical gate-all-around transistor and a planar transistor
A semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. Each of the first and second transistors includes a channel. The channel of the first transistor extends in a substantially vertical direction. The channel of the second transistor extends in a substantially horizontal direction. A method for fabricating the semiconductor device is also disclosed.
US09496252B2 ESD protection device with improved bipolar gain using cutout in the body well
An integrated circuit includes an NMOS SCR in which a p-type body well of the NMOS transistor provides a base layer for a vertical NPN layer stack. The base layer is formed by implanting p-type dopants using an implant mask which has a cutout mask element over the base area, so as to block the p-type dopants from the base area. The base layer is implanted concurrently with p-type body wells under NMOS transistors in logic components in the integrated circuit. Subsequent anneals cause the p-type dopants to diffuse into the base area, forming a base with a lower doping density that adjacent regions of the body well of the NMOS transistor in the NMOS SCR. The NMOS SCR may have a symmetric transistor, a drain extended transistor, or may be a bidirectional NMOS SCR with a symmetric transistor integrated with a drain extended transistor.
US09496249B2 3DIC package and methods of forming the same
A package includes a first molding material, a first device die molded in the molding material, a Through Via (TV) penetrating through the first molding material, and a redistribution line over the first molding material. The redistribution line is electrically connected to the TV. A second device die is over and bonded to the first device die through flip-chip bonding. A second molding material molds the second device die therein.
US09496248B2 Interposer for integrated circuit chip package
An interposer for an electronic circuit chip package may include a substrate, a recess, first conductive vias, and second conductive vias. The substrate may have a first surface, a second surface substantially parallel to and opposite the first surface, a third surface substantially parallel to the first surface and the second surface, and an orthogonal surface that is substantially orthogonal to and intersects the first surface and the third surface. The recess may be formed in the substrate and defined by the third surface and the orthogonal surface. The first conductive vias may pass from the second surface to the first surface. The second conductive vias may pass from the second surface to the third surface.
US09496240B2 Systems and methods for optimizing looping parameters and looping trajectories in the formation of wire loops
A method of forming a wire loop in connection with a semiconductor package is provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) providing package data related to the semiconductor package to a wire bonding machine; (2) providing at least one looping control value related to a desired wire loop to the wire bonding machine, the at least one looping control value including at least a loop height value related to the desired wire loop; (3) deriving looping parameters, using an algorithm, for forming the desired wire loop; (4) forming a first wire loop on the wire bonding machine using the looping parameters derived in step (3); (5) measuring actual looping control values of the first wire loop formed in step (4) corresponding to the at least one looping control value; and (6) comparing the actual looping control values measured in step (5) to the at least one looping control value provided in step (2).
US09496238B2 Sloped bonding structure for semiconductor package
A bonding structure includes a substrate having a top surface and including at least one bonding pad. Each bonding pad is disposed adjacent to the top surface of the substrate and has a sloped surface. A semiconductor element includes at least one pillar. Each pillar is bonded to a portion of the sloped surface of a corresponding bonding pad, and a gap is formed between a sidewall of the pillar and the sloped surface of the corresponding bonding pad.
US09496226B2 Semiconductor device, semiconductor package, and electronic device
A semiconductor device, a semiconductor package, and an electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a first semiconductor package disposed on a circuit substrate. A second semiconductor package is provided on the circuit substrate and spaced apart from the first semiconductor package. An insulating electromagnetic shielding structure is provided on the top and the lateral surfaces of the first semiconductor package. A conductive electromagnetic shielding structure is provided on the circuit substrate to cover the first and second semiconductor packages and the insulating electromagnetic shielding structure.
US09496217B2 Method and apparatus of forming a via
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device that includes, a substrate; a first conductive line located over the substrate and extending along a first axis, the first conductive line having a first length and a first width, the first length being measured along the first axis; a second conductive line located over the first conductive line and extending along a second axis different from the first axis, the second conductive line having a second length and a second width, the second length being measured along the second axis; and a via coupling the first and second conductive lines, the via having an upper surface that contacts the second conductive line and a lower surface that contacts the first conductive line. The via has an approximately straight edge at the upper surface, the straight edge extending along the second axis and being substantially aligned with the second conductive line.
US09496210B1 Stackable package and method
A stackable package is placed within a mold during an encapsulation operation. A compliant surface, e.g., of a compliant film, of the mold is pressed down on upper interconnection balls of the stackable package to force upper portions of the upper interconnection balls into the mold. However, lower portions of the upper interconnection balls are exposed within a space between the compliant surface and a substrate of the stackable package. The space is filled with a dielectric material to form a package body. The package body is formed while at the same time exposing the upper portions of upper interconnection balls from the package body in a single encapsulation operation. By avoiding selective removal of the package body to expose the upper interconnection balls, the number of operations as well as cost to manufacture the stackable package is minimized.
US09496205B2 Power semiconductor package
A semiconductor package that includes a substrate having a metallic back plate, an insulation body and a plurality of conductive pads on the insulation body, and a semiconductor die coupled to said conductive pads, the conductive pads including regions readied for direct connection to pads external to the package using a conductive adhesive.
US09496204B2 Semiconductor device
In a non-leaded type semiconductor device, a tab, tab suspension leads, and other leads are exposed to one surface of a seal member. A semiconductor element is positioned within the seal member and fixed to a surface of the tab with an adhesive. The tab is formed larger than the semiconductor element so that outer peripheral edges of the tab are positioned outside outer peripheral edges of the semiconductor element. A groove is formed in the tab surface portion positioned between the area to which the semiconductor element is fixed and wire connection areas to which the wires are connected, the groove being formed so as to surround the semiconductor element fixing area, thereby preventing peeling-off between the tab to which the semiconductor element is fixed and the resin which constitutes the package.
US09496183B1 Selective thickening of pFET dielectric
A complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device and a method of fabricating a CMOS device are described. The method includes forming an interfacial layer in a trench on a substrate in both a p-channel field effect transistor (pFET) area of the CMOS device and an n-channel FET (nFET) area of the CMOS device, depositing a high-k dielectric on the interfacial layer in both the pFET area and the nFET area, selectively forming a first metal layer on the high-k dielectric in only the pFET area, and depositing a second metal layer on the first metal layer in the pFET area and on the high-k dielectric in the nFET area. The method also includes performing an anneal that increases a thickness of the interfacial layer in only the pFET area.
US09496180B2 Method of semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication
A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) and the corresponding device are disclosed. A high-k/metal gate (HK/MG) and a conductive feature are disposed over a substrate, separated by a first dielectric layer. A global hard mask (GHM) layer is formed over the HK/MG, the conductive feature and the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is then formed over the GHM layer. The second dielectric layer is etched to form a first opening to expose a portion of the HK/MG and a second opening to expose a portion of the conductive feature, by using the GHM layer as an etch stop layer. The GHM layer in the first opening and the second opening is then removed.
US09496178B2 Semiconductor device having fins of different heights and method for manufacturing the same
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device comprises: a semiconductor layer; a first fin being formed by patterning the semiconductor layer; and a second fin being formed by patterning the semiconductor layer, wherein: top sides of the first and second fins have the same height; bottom sides of the first and second fins adjoin the semiconductor layer; and the second fin is higher than the first fin. According to the present disclosure, a plurality of semiconductor devices with different dimensions can be integrated on the same wafer. As a result, manufacturing process can be shortened and manufacturing cost can be reduced. Furthermore, devices with different driving capabilities can be provided.
US09496171B2 Printed interconnects for semiconductor packages
A method forming a packaged semiconductor device includes providing a first semiconductor die (first die) having bond pads thereon mounted face-up on a package substrate or on a die pad of a lead frame (substrate), wherein the substrate includes terminals or contact pads (substrate pads). A first dielectric layer is formed including printing a first dielectric precursor layer including a first ink having a first liquid carrier solvent extending from the substrate pads to the bond pads. A first interconnect precursor layer is printed including a second ink having a second liquid carrier over the first dielectric layer extending from the substrate pads to the bond pads. Sintering or curing the first interconnect precursor layer removes at least the second liquid carrier to form an electrically conductive interconnect including an ink residue which connects respective substrate pads to respective bond pads.
US09496168B2 Semiconductor package with via-coupled power transistors
In one implementation, a semiconductor package includes a carrier including first and second conductive segments, and first and second transistors attached respectively to the first and second conductive segments. The semiconductor package also includes a dielectric material formed in exposed portions of the first and second conductive segments, a first via extending through the dielectric material to the first conductive segment, and a second via extending through the dielectric material to the second conductive segment. A solder material fills each of the vias, the solder material protruding beyond the dielectric material and configured to electrically, thermally, and mechanically connect the carrier to a mounting surface for the semiconductor package.
US09496160B2 Workpiece orienting and centering with a factory interface
A workpiece orientation is determined by camera during transfer to a load lock, and the orientation is corrected during load lock pump down.
US09496156B2 Semiconductor crystal body processing method and semiconductor crystal body processing device
A semiconductor crystal body processing method includes providing a semiconductor crystal body, sandwiching the semiconductor crystal body between a pair of conductive pressurizing tools, applying a pulse-like current between the pair of pressurizing tools to heat the semiconductor crystal body to a target temperature equal to or higher than a temperature at which the semiconductor crystal body is plastically deformed by pressurization and lower than its melting point, and applying pressure and a pulse-like current between the pair of pressurizing tools to thereby maintain the temperature of the semiconductor crystal body at the target temperature and mold the semiconductor crystal body into a target shape by plastic deformation.
US09496153B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
Even when a stiffener is omitted, the semiconductor device which can prevent the generation of twist and distortion of a wiring substrate is obtained.As for a semiconductor device which has a wiring substrate, a semiconductor chip by which the flip chip bond was made to the wiring substrate, and a heat spreader adhered to the back surface of the semiconductor chip, and which omitted the stiffener for reinforcing a wiring substrate and maintaining the surface smoothness of a heat spreader, a wiring substrate has a plurality of insulating substrates in which a through hole whose diameter differs, respectively was formed, and each insulating substrate contains a glass cloth.
US09496152B2 Carrier system with multi-tier conductive posts and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of a carrier system includes: providing a carrier base; forming a recess in the carrier base with the recess around a planar surface; forming a first barrier on the planar surface; forming a second barrier on the carrier base in the recess; forming a first post on the first barrier; and forming a second post on the second barrier.
US09496150B2 Etching processing method
An etching processing method for etching a substrate formed with a target film and a mask film is performed in a substrate processing apparatus including a first and a second power supply for respectively supplying a higher and a lower high frequency power to a processing space and a mounting table, and a DC power supply for supplying a DC power to an electrode. The method includes a modification step for modifying a shape of a pattern formed on the mask film; and an etching step for etching the target film by using the mask film. The mask film is etched by the plasma in the modification step. Further, in the etching step, the DC power is applied to the electrode and the lower high frequency power is applied to the mounting table in a pulse wave form in which a higher and a lower power level are repeated.
US09496147B2 Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method
In a plasma processing apparatus comprising a processing chamber arranged in a vacuum chamber, a sample stage arranged under the processing chamber and having its top surface on which a wafer to be processed is mounted, a vacuum decompression unit for evacuating the interior of the processing chamber to reduce the pressure therein, and introduction holes arranged above said sample stage to admit process gas into the processing chamber, the wafer having its top surface mounted with a film structure and the film structure being etched by using plasma formed by using the process gas, the film structure is constituted by having a resist film or a mask film, a poly-silicon film and an insulation film laminated in this order from top to bottom on a substrate and before the wafer is mounted on the sample stage and the poly-silicon film underlying the mask film is etched, plasma is formed inside the processing chamber to cover the surface of members inside the processing chamber with a coating film containing a component of Si.
US09496144B2 Method of fabricating a charge-trapping gate stack using a CMOS process flow
A method of fabricating a memory device is described. Generally, the method includes: forming on a surface of a substrate a dielectric stack including a tunneling dielectric and a charge-trapping layer overlying the tunneling dielectric; depositing a first cap layer comprising an oxide over the dielectric stack; forming a second cap layer comprising a nitride over the first cap layer; patterning the first and second cap layers and the dielectric stack to form a gate stack of a memory device; removing the second cap layer; and performing an oxidation process to form a blocking oxide over the charge-trapping layer, wherein the oxidation process consumes the first cap layer. Other embodiments are also described.
US09496142B2 Dummy gate placement methodology to enhance integrated circuit performance
A method for increasing the performance of an integrated circuit by reducing the number of dummy gate geometries next to transistors in the speed path of an integrated circuit.
US09496139B2 Method of producing semiconductor epitaxial wafer, semiconductor epitaxial wafer, and method of producing solid-state image sensing device
The present invention provides a method of more efficiently producing a semiconductor epitaxial wafer, which can suppress metal contamination by achieving higher gettering capability.A method of producing a semiconductor epitaxial wafer 100 according to the present invention includes a first step of irradiating a semiconductor wafer 10 with cluster ions 16 to form a modifying layer 18 formed from a constituent element of the cluster ions 16 in a surface portion 10A of the semiconductor wafer; and a second step of forming an epitaxial layer 20 on the modifying layer 18 of the semiconductor wafer 10.
US09496138B2 Method for manufacturing oxide semiconductor film, method for manufacturing semiconductor device, and semiconductor device
In an oxide semiconductor film formed over an insulating surface, an amorphous region remains in the vicinity of the interface with the base, which is thought to cause a variation in the characteristics of a transistor and the like. A base surface or film touching the oxide semiconductor film is formed of a material having a melting point higher than that of a material used for the oxide semiconductor film. Accordingly, a crystalline region is allowed to exist in the vicinity of the interface with the base surface or film touching the oxide semiconductor film. An insulating metal oxide is used for the base surface or film touching the oxide semiconductor film. The metal oxide used here is an aluminum oxide, gallium oxide, or the like that is a material belonging to the same group as the material of the oxide semiconductor film.
US09496127B2 Differentially pumped dual linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer
The present disclosure provides a new tandem mass spectrometer and methods of using the same for analyzing charged particles. The differentially pumped dual linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer of the present disclose includes a combination of two linear quadrupole (LQIT) mass spectrometers with differentially pumped vacuum chambers.
US09496122B1 Electronically variable capacitor and RF matching network incorporating same
An RF impedance matching network includes an RF input coupled to an RF source having a fixed impedance and an RF output coupled to a plasma chamber having a variable impedance. A series electronically variable capacitor (EVC) is coupled in series between the RF input and the RF output. A shunt EVC is coupled in parallel between a ground and one of the RF input and the RF output. A control circuit is operatively coupled to the series and shunt EVCs to control first and second variable capacitances, wherein the control circuit is configured to: determine the variable impedance; determine first and second capacitance values for the first and second variable capacitances; and alter at least one of the first and second variable capacitances, wherein an elapsed time between determining the variable impedance and when RF power reflected back to the RF source decreases is less than about 150 μsec.
US09496114B2 Microwave generator with virtual cathode oscillator and open reflectors
A device for generating microwaves with an oscillating virtual cathode includes a cathode, and a thin anode positioned at an inlet of a cylindrical waveguide (5). The waveguide includes at least one first open reflector and one last open reflector that are transparent to electrons and capable of reflecting a microwave created by at least one virtual cathode generated in the waveguide. A plurality of open reflectors are between the first and last open reflector, such that a designated reflector of the plurality of open reflectors has a radius R(i−1) less than or equal to a radius Ri of an immediately preceding reflector and the last open reflector has a radius RN less than a radius R1 of the first open reflector.
US09496109B2 Electromagnetic relay
An electromagnetic relay includes a housing; a fixed contact provided within the housing; a movable contact disposed within the housing so as to be contactable to and separable from the fixed contact; a driving unit configured to drive the movable contact, and including a shaft having one end connected to the movable contact and a compression spring for applying an elastic force to the movable contact so as to be in contact with the fixed contact; and an arc protector including an arc shielding portion for shielding an arc, and a compression spring support portion formed to protrude from the arc shielding portion to support the compression spring, the compression spring support portion comprising a shaft accommodating portion for accommodating the shaft therein. Under such configuration, the number of required components can be reduced and generation of a gap can be prevented.
US09496108B2 Electronic component, connection structure of electronic component and terminal fitting, and electrical junction box having electronic component
Provided is an electronic component that can reduce housing space in the fitting direction of terminals and terminal fittings. A relay has a relay main body of which the outer shape is a rectangular solid, and a plurality of plate-shaped terminals that protrudes from the relay main body and that is fitted in the terminal fittings. The relay main body has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, opposite lateral surfaces, and opposite lateral surfaces. The terminals of the relay are four terminals, with two protruding from the lateral surface and two protruding from the opposite lateral surface. Specifically, the terminals protrude from the lateral surfaces parallel to the fitting direction of the terminal fittings and the terminals in the relay main body. These terminals protrude from the lateral surfaces and bend perpendicularly toward the bottom surface.
US09496106B2 Electrode assembly and vacuum interrupter including the same
Disclosed are an electrode assembly and a vacuum interrupter including the same. The electrode assembly is provided in an insulating vessel which is in a vacuum state, and switches a main circuit. The electrode assembly includes a first electrode plate, a second electrode, a coil conductor, a first conductor, and a second conductor. The coil conductor induces a flow of a current in a first direction and a second direction between the other side of the first conductor connecting pin and the one side of the second conductor connecting pin, and the first direction and the second direction are mutually opposite circumference directions. Accordingly, an arc gas is effectively spread by using mutually opposite flows of currents in a circumference direction, thereby enhancing break performance.
US09496095B2 Compound and carrier system having the compound
A novel compound represented by general formula (1), a carrier system including a carrier having the novel compound fixed thereon, and a photoelectric conversion device having the carrier system. In formula (1), Z is a C1-C50 conjugated group; R1 is a C6-C20 aromatic hydrocarbon group, a C7-C20 aromatic hydrocarbon group substituted by an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, or a C1-C20 aliphatic hydrocarbon group, each substituted by carboxyl, cyano, amino, amide, or nitro, the aliphatic hydrocarbon group being optionally interrupted by —O—, etc.; R2 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted C1-C20 hydrocarbon group; R30, R31, R32, R33, R40, R41, R42, R43, and R44 are each hydrogen or optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, and adjacent two of them may be connected to form a ring; R5 is hydrogen or cyano; and R11 is represented by formula (11-1) or (11-2), wherein n, ring A, and the like are as defined in the description.
US09496094B2 Nanostructured electrodes, methods of making electrodes, and methods of using electrodes
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for electrodes, devices including electrodes, methods of making electrodes, and the like. In an embodiment, the electrode includes MoS2, in particular, MoS2 nanostructures (e.g., MoS2 nano-petals). Embodiments of the present disclosure can be used in lithium ion batteries, quantum dot sensitized solar cells, dye sensitized solar cells, thin film photovoltaics, and the like.
US09496083B2 Wireless power transmitter, wireless power receiver, and methods of controlling the same
A wireless power transmitter, a wireless power receiver, and methods of controlling the same are provided. A method of detecting a rogue device other than a wireless power receiver in the wireless power transmitter includes receiving power consumption information about the wireless power receiver from the wireless power receiver, calculating a power loss based on the received power consumption information about the wireless power receiver, determining whether the power loss exceeds a threshold, and controlling transmission power of the wireless power transmitter, determining that a rogue device exists on the wireless power transmitter, if the power loss exceeds the threshold.
US09496074B2 Laser etching method for transparent conductive plate and transparent conductive plate prepared thereby
A laser etching method for a transparent conductive plate includes the steps as follows: providing a transparent conductive plate having a transparent conductive layer; continuingly emitting a plurality of laser beams to the transparent conductive layer, and controlling the center points of the laser beams to move in a front path and a rear path partially overlapping a beginning portion of the front path for forming an end connection groove connecting the beginning and the end thereof, or controlling the center points of the laser beams to move in a transverse path and a longitudinal path without overlapping the transverse path for forming a T-shaped groove, or controlling the center points of the laser beams to sequentially move in a first path, a curve path, and a second path substantially perpendicular to the first path for forming a curve groove.
US09496072B2 Arrangement having a superconducting cable
An arrangement is specified having a superconducting cable (SK) which comprises a superconducting conductor (1) and a superconducting screen (3) which concentrically surrounds the same with the interposition of a dielectric (2). The cable (SK) is surrounded by a cryostat (KR) enclosing a free space (FR) for a coolant to be passed through, which cryostat (KR) which cryostat comprises two metallic tubes (4, 5) which are arranged concentrically with respect to one another and between which vacuum insulation is arranged. The screen (3) is composed of a superconducting material whose electrical resistance value in the normally conductive state is greater by a factor of at least 50 than the electrical resistance value of the material used for the conductor (1) in the normally conductive state.
US09496069B2 Silver nanoparticles, method for producing same, silver nanoparticle dispersion liquid, and base provided with silver material
Provided are silver nanoparticles having excellent dispersion stability and capable of forming on a substrate a silver element, such as a silver film or line, having excellent electrical conductivity and adhesivity through heating. A method for producing the silver nanoparticles, its dispersion liquid, and a substrate having a silver element formed thereon using the dispersion liquid are disclosed. The silver nanoparticles contain silver compound (A) of formula (1): amine compound (B) having a primary amino group; and polymer (C) obtained by polymerization of a monomer composition containing diol (meth)acrylate compound (c1) having a urethane bond of formula (2): (R1: hydrogen atom or methyl group; R2: —(CH2)n-; n: 1 to 4), and at least one monomer (c2) selected from (meth)acrylate monomers, acrylamide monomers, vinyl monomers, vinyl ether monomers, or monomers having an epoxy group.
US09496064B2 Copper alloy for electric and electronic device, copper alloy sheet for electric and electronic device, conductive component for electric and electronic device, and terminal
A copper alloy for electric and electronic devices comprises 23 mass % to 36.5 mass % of Zn; 0.1 mass % to 0.9 mass % of Sn; 0.15 mass % to less than 1.0 mass % of Ni; 0.001 mass % to less than 0.10 mass % of Fe; 0.005 mass % to 0.1 mass % of P; and a balance including Cu and unavoidable impurities, in which 0.002≦Fe/Ni<0.7, 3<(Ni+Fe)/P<15, and 0.3
US09496062B2 Method of making merged junction in metal nanowires
The present invention discloses transparent conductive electrodes comprising merged metal nanowires and the method of making the same. The merged nanowire junctions are formed not by pressing the metal nanowires using pressure.
US09496060B2 Graphene-based nanodevices for terahertz electronics
The invention refers to a nanodevice for generating electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz frequency range, the nanodevice comprising a substrate (3) made of a dielectric material, a first graphene layer (1) arranged on the substrate (3), having a first longitudinal end being electrically connected with a source contact (source 1) and having a second longitudinal end being connected with a drain contact (drain 1), an electrically conducting layer (2) having a periodic grating structure with grating stripes (6) extending substantially in transversal direction (y), and a dielectric layer (4) arranged between the first graphene layer (1) and the conducting layer (2).
US09496058B2 Devices and methods for managing noncondensable gasses in nuclear power plants
Systems passively eliminate noncondensable gasses from facilities susceptible to damage from combustion of built-up noncondensable gasses, such as H2 and O2 in nuclear power plants, without the need for external power and/or moving parts. Systems include catalyst plates installed in a lower header of the Passive Containment Cooling System (PCCS) condenser, a catalyst packing member, and/or a catalyst coating on an interior surface of a condensation tube of the PCCS condenser or an annular outlet of the PCCS condenser. Structures may have surfaces or hydrophobic elements that inhibit water formation and promote contact with the noncondensable gas. Noncondensable gasses in a nuclear power plant are eliminated by installing and using the systems individually or in combination. An operating pressure of the PCCS condenser may be increased to facilitate recombination of noncondensable gasses therein.
US09496056B2 Combination of top nozzle and guide thimble for nuclear fuel assembly
A joint structure between a top nozzle and a guide thimble of a nuclear fuel assembly and, more particularly, a structure for joining an inner-extension tube, the top nozzle and the guide thimble. When an inner-extension tube head, which is provided as a means for facilitating removal of the top nozzle of the nuclear fuel assembly from the guide thimble, is removed from an inner-extension tube body to separate the top nozzle from the nuclear fuel assembly, the inner-extension tube body is prevented from undesirably rotating, so that the guide thimble and the inner-extension tube body can maintain the joined state.
US09496046B1 High speed sequential read method for flash memory
A flash memory device implements a sequential read method using overlapping read cycles to initiate the bit-line precharge and equalization operation for a next memory cell address prior to the completion of the read cycle of the current memory cell address. More specifically, the sequential read method implements overlapping read cycle where the bit-line precharge and equalization operation is started for a memory cell of the next address while the memory cell of the current address is being read out. In this manner, the read speed for the sequential read operation of the flash memory device is improved. In some embodiments, the memory cell array for each input-output (I/O) of the flash memory device is partitioned into two sub-banks to further reduce the read cycle time by enabling early activation of the word-line for the next sub-bank.
US09496039B2 Storage device and method for performing interruption control thereof
A storage device includes a flash memory and a buffer memory. A method of controlling interrupts includes: receiving data to be written to the storage device from an information processing device; writing the received data to be written to the storage device to the buffer memory; fetching the data in the buffer memory and writing the data to the flash memory; in which, after writing the received data to be written to the storage device to the buffer memory, if the amount of data in the buffer memory is less than the predetermined threshold, then sending a message indicating the completion of the write operation to the information processing device.
US09496037B2 Memory circuit
A memory circuit includes: a bistable circuit (30) that writes data; nonvolatile elements (MTJ1, MTJ2) that store the data written in the bistable circuit into the nonvolataole element in a nonvolatile manner, and restore the data stored in a nonvolatile manner into the bistable circuit; and a determining unit (50) that does not store the data written in the bistable circuit into the nonvolatile elements when the data in the bistable circuit is the same as the data in the nonvolatile elements, but stores the data in the bistable circuit into the nonvolatile elements when the data in the bistable circuit is not the same as the data in the nonvolatile elements.
US09496033B2 Method and system of programmable resistive devices with read capability using a low supply voltage
A Programmable Resistive Device (PRD) memory that can be read under low voltage is disclosed. The PRD includes at least one Programmable Resistive Element (PRE) having one end coupled to a first supply voltage line and the other end coupled to at least one selector and at least one read selector. The read selector includes at least one read source line (SLR) and/or one read enable (ENR) coupled to a second and/or a third supply voltage lines, respectively. The read selector includes at least one MOS device built by core logic device. The PRE in the at least one PRD cells can be configured to be readable by applying voltages to the first, second, and/or the third voltage supply lines to thereby sense the PRE resistance to a logic state. The programmable resistive element can have at least one element in an OTP, MTP, floating gate device, anti-fuse, or emerging memory such as PCRAM, RRAM, or MRAM, etc.
US09496031B2 Method and apparatus for faster determination of a cell state of a resistive memory cell using a parallel resistor
A device for determining an actual cell state of a resistive memory cell having a plurality M of programmable cell states comprising a sensing circuit, a settling circuit, a prebiasing circuit, and a resistor coupled in parallel to the resistive memory cell, wherein the resistor is configured to reduce an effective resistance seen by the prebiasing circuit. The sensing circuit is configured to sense a sensing voltage of the resistive memory cell and output a resultant value in response to the sensing voltage which is indicative for the actual cell state. The settling circuit is configured to settle the sensing voltage to a certain target voltage representing one of the M programmable cell states. The prebiasing circuit is configured to prebiase a bitline capacitance of the resistive memory cell such the sensing voltage is close to the certain target voltage.
US09496024B1 Automatic latch-up prevention in SRAM
A system on a chip (SOC) includes a processor and a memory system coupled to the processor. The memory system includes a static random access memory (SRAM) bank and a memory controller. The SRAM bank includes a first switch coupled to a SRAM array power supply and a source of a transistor of an SRAM storage cell in an SRAM array. The SRAM bank also includes a second switch coupled to a NWELL power supply and a bulk of the transistor of the SRAM storage cell. The second switch is configured to close prior to the first switch closing during power up of the SRAM array.
US09496022B2 Semiconductor device including power management unit for refresh operation
To provide a novel semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a circuit including a memory cell including a transistor using an oxide semiconductor; and a refresh timing determination unit including a capacitor, a transistor using an oxide semiconductor, and a comparator circuit. The potential of a floating node in the refresh timing determination unit is directly or indirectly input to the comparator circuit and compared with a reference potential. When the potential of the floating node becomes a certain value, a power switch operating in accordance with an output of the comparator circuit is turned on, power is supplied to the circuit including the memory cell, and then the reference potential is also changed. After that, refresh operation of the memory cell is performed. When the refresh operation is finished, the power switch is turned off.
US09496015B1 Array structure having local decoders in an electronic device
An array structure includes: a plurality of first signal lines and a plurality of sub-arrays. Each of the sub-array includes: a second signal line, a plurality of third signal lines, a plurality of fourth signal lines, a plurality of local decoders at each intersection of the first signal lines, the second signal line and the third signal lines; and a plurality of array cells at each intersection of the first signal lines, the third signal lines and the fourth signal lines. Respective control terminals of the local decoders are implemented by the first signal lines. In response to a selection status of the first signal lines and the second signal line, one of the local decoders selects one of the third signal lines.
US09496006B2 Memory module and memory controller for controlling a memory module
The memory module having a plurality of memory chips and a plurality of connections for connecting the memory module to a processor. At least part of the connections is configurable to be grouped into N sets of address and control connections for N separatively controllable groups of memory chips of the plurality of memory chips (N≧2).
US09496003B2 System and method for playlist generation based on similarity data
Methods and arrangements for facilitating media playlist generation for a program participant based at least in part on media library inventory information provided by a number of program participants. The system or program in which the individuals are participating is an on-line media store. Those individuals that decide to be program participants are interested in organizing, maintaining and playing their music, based at least in part, on data derived from a population of other participants in the program that have similar or the same music in their libraries. To be a program participant, the individual music holder must send, and the on-line music store receive, data representative of that program participant's media inventory. This data typically contains identification data of the individual media items presently contained in that participant's media library regardless of the individual media item's source. The system or program determines an incidence of co-occurrence of pairs of individual media items in different program participants' media libraries. Based on this determination, a similarity rating is assigned between the pairs of individual media items based on the determined incidence of co-occurrence in the different program participants' media libraries.
US09496000B2 Audio modification for adjustable playback rate
Features described herein relate to providing the capability to playback audiovisual content in a comprehensible manner at a rate adjustable by the viewer. For example, if a viewer wishes to watch a one hour news program, but the viewer only has thirty minutes to view the program, playback of the program at twice the rate, but in a comprehensible manner is provided. To provide the playback of the video at the adjustable rate, substitute audio is generated by adding or removing audio content without changing the playback rate of the audio. The video at the adjusted playback rate and the substitute audio at the normal playback rate may have the same duration and in some embodiments, may be presented synchronously.
US09495995B1 Adjusting laser power to achieve equivalent track spacing for paired heads that simultaneously write to a heat-assisted recording medium
A relatively larger nominal track spacing associated with a first write head is determined and a relatively smaller nominal track spacing associated with a second write head is determined. The first and second write heads simultaneously write to respective different first and second surfaces of a heat-assisted recording medium. A laser write power for a selected one of the first write head and the second write head is changed to enable the first write head and the second write head to operate at an equivalent nominal track spacing.
US09495987B1 Noise mitigation for write precompensation tuning
The disclosed technology provides techniques for mitigating write-to-write bit error rate fluctuations that decrease accuracy of write precompensation (WPC) tuning. According to one implementation, such write-to-write bit error rate fluctuations are mitigated if a predetermined pattern is written at a particular radial offset from a target data track prior to testing a WPC register in association with the target data track. Selection of the particular radial offset can be performed according to an iterative offset track clean-up disclosed herein.
US09495980B1 Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording with a coil including two coil portions
A magnetic head includes a coil, a main pole and a return path section. The return path section includes a yoke section, and a coupling section coupling the yoke section to the main pole. The coil includes a first coil portion surrounding at least part of an outer peripheral surface of the coupling section, and a second coil portion surrounding at least part of the entire perimeter of the main pole as viewed from the medium facing surface. The winding of the coil includes a common portion used in common to form part of the first coil portion and part of the second coil portion.
US09495977B2 System and method for targeted advertising
Disclosed is a method of receiving an audio stream containing user speech from a first device, generating text based on the user speech, identifying a key phrase in the text, receiving from an advertiser an advertisement related to the identified key phrase, and displaying the advertisement. The method can include receiving from an advertiser a set of rules associated with the advertisement and displaying the advertisement in accordance with the associated set of rules. The method can display the advertisement on one or both of a first device and a second device. A central server can generate text based on the speech. A key phrase in the text can be identified based on a confidence score threshold. The advertisement can be displayed after the audio stream terminates.
US09495975B2 Systems and methods for source signal separation
A method includes receiving an input signal comprising an original domain signal and creating a first window data set and a second window data set from the signal, wherein an initiation of the second window data set is offset from an initiation of the first window data set, converting the first window data set and the second window data set to a frequency domain and storing the resulting data as data in a second domain different from the original domain, performing complex spectral phase evolution (CSPE) on the second domain data to estimate component frequencies of the first and second window data sets, using the component frequencies estimated in the CSPE, sampling a set of second-domain high resolution windows to select a mathematical representation comprising a second-domain high resolution window that fits at least one of the amplitude, phase, amplitude modulation and frequency modulation of a component of an underlying signal wherein the component comprises at least one oscillator peak, generating an output signal from the mathematical representation of the original signal as at least one of: an audio file; one or more audio signal components; and one or more speech vectors and outputting the output signal to an external system.
US09495969B2 Simplified decoding of voice commands using control planes
A received transport stream may be demultiplexed into a compressed audio stream and a control stream. The compressed audio stream may be decoded. Audio corresponding to a tuned program may be stored. The stored audio may be separated from the compressed audio stream by subtracting the stored audio from the decoded audio stream, until a no-active-speech command is found in the control stream. Responsive to the no-active-speech command, the subtracting may be omitted for a period corresponding to a duration of the no-active-speech command.
US09495968B2 Identifying sources from which higher order ambisonic audio data is generated
In general, techniques are described for obtaining an indication of whether spherical harmonic coefficients are representative of a synthetic audio object. In accordance with the techniques, a device comprising one or more processors may be configured to obtain an indication of whether spherical harmonic coefficients representative of a sound field are generated from a synthetic audio object.
US09495967B2 Collaborative audio conversation attestation
Disclosed in some examples are systems, methods, devices, and machine readable mediums which may produce an audio recording with included verification from the individuals in the recording that the recording is accurate. In some examples, the system may also provide rights management control to those individuals. This may ensure that individuals participating in audio events that are to be recorded are assured that their words are not changed, taken out of context, or otherwise altered and that they retain control over the use of their words even after the physical file has left their control.
US09495950B2 Audio signal processing device, imaging device, audio signal processing method, program, and recording medium
There is provided an audio signal processing device including a feature amount extraction unit configured to extract, from an audio signal obtained by a sound collection unit, a feature amount that indicates a pulsed operation sound generated from a sound generation unit provided in a same housing as the sound collection unit, and a noise determination unit configured to determine whether or not the operation sound is included in the audio signal based on the feature amount.
US09495944B1 Drum frame fixer
A drum frame fixer provided for fastening at least one drum rim to a drum body includes: a main body, for being arranged on a circumferential face of the drum body, formed with at least one assembling hole, an inner wall of each assembling hole being formed with a first internal threaded portion; at least one screwed portion, each screwed portion having a first external threaded portion screwed in each first internal threaded portion and a second internal threaded portion; at least one fixing portion, each fixing portion having an abutting head and a second external threaded portion, each fixing portion provided for being disposed through the drum rim, the abutting head abutting against a side of the drum rim, the second external threaded portion being screwed to a second internal threaded portion of the screwed portion located by the other side of the drum rim.
US09495943B2 Musical instrument
A musical instrument is disclosed which comprises a tubular member having an inlet end, an outlet end having a circumferential lip, an exterior surface; and an interior surface having a rib, a movable stopper member having an indentation and a rod connected to the movable stopper member, the movable stopper member and the rod for insertion within the tubular member and the movable stopper member movable between the inlet end and the circumferential lip of the tubular member along the rib.
US09495939B2 Information processing apparatus, method and computer program product, with user-related action detection
An information processing apparatus, method and computer program product determine an object range to be displayed on a display based on a detected user-related action. For the apparatus, a control unit determines content to be displayed within an object range on a map. An action recognition processing unit that detects a user-related action. The control unit determines the content to be displayed within the object range. The object range includes a current position of the information processing apparatus, and a coverage area of the object range is based on the user-related action detected by the action recognition processing unit.
US09495936B1 Image correction based on projection surface color
Images to be projected onto a projection surface are modified prior to projection based on color values sampled from the projection surface. A camera samples color values from the projection surface and a processor generates a modified source image based at least in part on pixel color values in an original source image and the color values sampled from the projection surface. A projector then projects the modified source image onto the projection surface.
US09495935B2 Capacitive in-cell touch screen panel having a common electrode layer provided with sensing and driving electrodes
The present invention discloses a capacitive touch module, a capacitive in-cell touch screen panel and a display device, in which an integrally connected common electrode layer in an array substrate is split to form touch sensing electrodes and touch driving electrodes which are insulated from each other; and the touch driving electrodes and the touch sensing electrodes are subjected to time-sharing drive to achieve the touch function and the display function. Moreover, each touch sensing electrode includes a plurality of touch sensing sub-electrodes; each touch driving electrode includes a plurality of touch driving sub-electrodes; and opposing sides of adjacent touch sensing sub-electrodes and touch driving sub-electrodes are broken lines. Therefore, the opposing area between the adjacent touch driving electrodes and the adjacent touch sensing electrodes can be increased, and hence the mutual capacitance between the touch driving electrodes and the touch sensing electrodes within the unit area can be increased, and consequently the sensing sensitivity of the touch screen in the touch-control process can be improved.
US09495934B2 Liquid crystal display device and method for driving the same
A liquid crystal display device and a method for driving the same are disclosed. The device includes a gamma voltage generation circuit for generating first to ith positive gamma reference voltages having different levels, and first to ith negative gamma reference voltages having different levels, and a plurality of data drive chips, each of the data drive chips converting digital data input thereto into a positive data voltage and a negative data voltage and supplying the positive data voltage and negative data voltage to a liquid crystal display panel, and adjusting a level of the positive data voltage based on a positive gamma reference voltage supplied thereto, among the first to ith positive gamma reference voltages, and adjusting a level of the negative data voltage based on a negative gamma reference voltage supplied thereto, among the first to ith negative gamma reference voltages.
US09495933B2 Analog data transmitter applied in LCD apparatus and operating method thereof
An analog data transmitter applied in a LCD apparatus includes an output pad, a channel operational amplifier, an initial switch, an auxiliary switch module, and a detection unit. The detection unit selectively starts a first switch unit or a second switch unit of the auxiliary switch module according to a pulse width modulation corresponding to a data conversion amplitude of an output data signal outputted from the output pad. During a period of the first switch unit or the second switch unit operating from a first time to a second time, transistors in an output stage of the channel operational amplifier operate in a linear region of smaller resistance instead of a saturation region of larger resistance, and the initial switch is turned-off during the period and not started until the second time. The length of the period corresponds to the pulse width modulation.
US09495931B2 Shift register, display device and method for driving display device
The present disclosure provides a shift register, a display device, and a method for driving the display device. A pull-down module and a stop module are added in the shift register. When a full screen picture is displayed, the signal output port outputs a high-level signal to the gate line connected with the signal output port, such that the gate line scans the display panel of the display device normally. The pull-down module may maintain the pull-up node and the signal output port at a low-level during the non-working time of the shift register, so as to prevent the shift register from outputting noise. When a local picture is displayed, under the control of the stop signal input port Stop, the stop module outputs the low-level signal to the gate line connected with the signal output port, such that the gate line stops scanning the display panel.
US09495925B2 Display device and source driver
A display device includes display panel includes a first source driver including a first input terminal and a first output terminal connected to the display panel; a first gate driver including a first input-output terminal, a second input-output terminal connected to the first input-output terminal, and a second output terminal connected to the display panel; a timing controller including a first terminal for outputting or inputting a first signal to or from the first input-output terminal and a second terminal; a first signal line connected to the first terminal; a second signal line connected to the second terminal; and a third signal line connected to the first source driver and the timing controller for transmitting a second signal indicating a display direction of the image data. The first source driver operates according to the first signal from the first terminal or the second terminal selected.
US09495922B2 Display device, display method, and electronic device
Disclosed herein is a display device including: a display section configured to have a plurality of scanning signal lines to which respective scanning signals are applied, the display section performing line-sequential scanning by repeating interruption and resumption of the line-sequential scanning on a basis of the plurality of scanning signals, and displaying an image; and a scanning section configured to generate the plurality of scanning signals such that transition times on a pulse termination side of the respective scanning signals are equal to each other.
US09495918B2 Methods for driving electro-optic displays
A method is provided for driving electro-optic displays, especially bistable displays, to avoid edge effects when driving a limited area of the display. Pixels in an edge elimination region, at least one pixel wide and substantially surrounding the limited area, are driven from their original gray level to an intermediate gray level, and then back to their original gray level.
US09495910B2 Pixel circuit, driving method, display device, and inspection method
A circuit is provided to drive a controlled current from a drive transistor into one electroluminescent element of a pixel array. The circuit is operable to compensate for threshold voltage variation of the drive transistor, thereby providing improved image quality. The circuit is suitable for implementation with p-channel MOSFETs and a conventional geometry having in order: substrate, TFT layer(s), anode, electroluminescent layer(s), cathode. A driving method for this circuit is provided. A display incorporating this circuit is provided. The circuit is operable to provide an inspection function prior to fabrication of the electroluminescent layer(s). An inspection method is provided.
US09495908B2 Pixel circuit, organic electroluminescent display panel and display device
A pixel circuit, an organic electroluminescent display panel and a display device are provided. The pixel circuit includes a drive sub-module (1), a data write sub-module (2), a touch detection sub-module (3) having a photosensitive device and a light-emitting control sub-module (4) having a luminous device. Under the control of the reset signal terminal (Reset), the scan signal terminal (Scan) and the data signal terminal (Data), a data signal is transmitted to the first terminal (1a) of the drive sub-module (1) by the data write sub-module (2). Under the control of the touch control signal terminal (Select), the touch detection sub-module (3) controls output of a touch detection signal from the drive sub-module (1) to the touch signal read terminal, the touch detection signal being decreased as the light intensity irradiated onto the photosensitive device is increased, so as to realize a touch function. Under the control of the light-emitting control signal terminal (EM), the light-emitting control sub-module (4) controls the drive sub-module to drive the luminous device (1) to give off light, so as to realize a display function. Touch and display functions are integrated in the pixel circuit, so that the production cost involved in arranging a display driving circuit and a touch circuit separately can be saved.
US09495907B2 Pixel driving circuit and pixel driving method of organic light-emitting diode
The present invention provides a pixel driving circuit and a pixel driving method of an organic light emitting diode, the pixel driving circuit comprises: a first transistor (T1), a second transistor (T2), a third transistor (T3), a fourth transistor (T4), a fifth transistor (T5), a sixth transistor (T6), a storage capacitor (C1) and an organic light-emitting diode (OLED); which also comprises a scanning control terminal (Scan), a data signal terminal (Data), a constant current source (Iref), a control light emitting signal terminal (Em), a power supply voltage (VDD) and a power supply negative electrode (VSS); the first transistor (T1) is a driving transistor. The present invention uses 6T1C compensation circuit to compensate the threshold voltage of the driving transistor of each pixel, grabbing the threshold voltage through the constant current source, and the data writing and the threshold voltage (Vth) grabbing are simultaneous, which effectively compensate the threshold voltage (Vth) variation of the driving transistor, improving the display quality.
US09495903B2 Display device
A display device including a display area and a non-display area surrounding the display area. The non-display area includes a test data line (TDL) which receives a test data signal from an external source, a plurality of connection line units (CLUs) which connect the data lines and the TDL, and a dummy line unit which is formed in the non-display area. Each of the CLUs includes a test switch having an input terminal connected to the TDL, an output terminal connected to one of a plurality of data lines disposed in the display area, and a control terminal connected to a test switch control line which receives a test switch control signal from an external source. At least one of the CLUs includes a disconnection portion which interrupts the TDL, wherein both ends of the disconnection portion are connected to the dummy line unit by bypass connection lines, respectively.
US09495902B2 Electro-optical device having a plurality of subpixel electrodes within a single display element
An electro-optical device including: first display elements divided into at least a first region and a second region, for displaying a first image, and second display elements each divided into at least a third region and a fourth region, for displaying a second image, the first and second display elements being arranged such that each third region is disposed between the first region and the second region of the adjacent first display element and each second region is disposed between the third region and the fourth region of the adjacent second display element; a parallax barrier layer provided on a side of the display elements adjacent to a viewer, the parallax barrier having light transmitting regions at positions thereof corresponding to boundaries between adjoining first and third regions as well as between adjoining second and fourth regions; and a spacer layer separating the display elements from the parallax barrier layer.
US09495898B2 Self-compensating gate driving circuit
The present invention provides a self-compensating gate driving circuit, comprising: a plurality of GOA units which are cascade connected, and a Nth GOA unit controls charge to a Nth horizontal scanning line G(n) in a display area, and the Nth GOA unit controls charge to a Nth horizontal scanning line G(n) in a display area, and the Nth GOA unit comprises a pull-up controlling part, a pull-up part, a transmission part, a first pull-down part, a bootstrap capacitor part and a pull-down holding part; the pull-up part, the first pull-down part, the bootstrap capacitor part and the pull-down holding circuit are respectively coupled to a Nth gate signal point Q(N) and the Nth horizontal scanning line G(n), and the pull-up controlling part and the transmission part are respectively coupled to the Nth gate signal point Q(N), and the pull-down holding part is inputted with a DC low voltage VSS. The present invention is designed to have the pull-down holding part with self-compensating function to promote the reliability of the long term operation for the gate driving circuit. The influence of the threshold voltage drift to the operation of the gate driving circuit is diminished; the pull-down holding part can be designed to be controlled by a set of DC signal source. The design space of the circuit patterns can be saved and the overall power consumption of the circuit can be decreased.
US09495892B2 Light-emitting diode edge lighted airfield guidance sign
A light-emitting diode (LED) airfield guidance sign is disclosed herein. The sign can include a waveguide having a first face and a first fastening mechanism disposed on a first outer perimeter of the waveguide adjacent to the first face. The sign can also include a front panel coupled to the first outer perimeter adjacent to the first face of the waveguide. The sign can further include at least one first LED array disposed adjacent to an edge of a plurality of edges of the waveguide, where the edge of the waveguide is substantially orthogonal to the first face of the waveguide. The sign can also include a pair of side frame supports that secures two opposing edges of the plurality of edges of the waveguide and the front panel. The sign can further include a power source that provides power to the at least one first LED array.
US09495889B2 Tamper evident seal
A tamper evident seal includes a wire hasp, an insert and a body for receiving the insert and the wire hasp. One leg of the wire hasp is received in a channel in the insert through an opening having a length slightly greater than the thickness of the wire hasp. The one leg of the wire hasp must be located in the channel in the insert prior to the insert being located in the body. A coupling structure for coupling the insert in the body includes extension tabs extending from the sides of the insert and located proximal a bottom of the insert and engagement members supported on angularly extending supports located proximal a top end of the insert and extending angularly outwardly upwardly from the sides of the insert and including teeth extending outwardly and for engaging reversely formed teeth (indentations) in the sides of the body for preventing removal of the insert and the wire hasp once they are fully inserted in the body and in the insert, respectively.
US09495887B2 Targets and methods of manufacturing same
A target of unitary construction comprises a self-supporting sign having a middle portion that has a first side, a second side, an upper side, and a lower side. A first foldable flap extends from the first side and is configured to be folded along the first side in a use configuration. A second foldable flap extends from the second side and is configured to be folded along the second side in the use configuration. A front foldable portion of the sign extends from the lower side and is configured to be folded along the lower side in the use configuration. The front foldable portion is configured to be secured to a surface when the self-supporting sign is being used as a target. In the use configuration, each of the first foldable flap directly and the second foldable flap directly touch only the middle portion and the surface.
US09495885B2 Method and apparatus for illumination and recording of internal cavity of medical simulator and integrating simulation data
A method and apparatus for illuminating and recording an internal cavity of a medical simulator and integrating simulator data is disclosed. An apparatus for illuminating and recording an internal cavity of a medical simulator and integrating simulator data comprising: at least one light source configured for illuminating the internal cavity with light outside of the visible spectrum during an operator session, at least one video camera having a field of vision including at least part of the internal cavity for video recording an operator session; and a synchronizing system receiving and storing the at least one video recording of the at least one video camera and the at least one data output of the medical simulator.
US09495884B2 Assignment sharing device, assignment sharing method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
An assignment sharing device includes an assignment-related information storage unit configured to store assignment-related information including assignment information, challenger identification information, assignment approval information, and assignment achievement status information; an assignment information receiving unit configured to receive the assignment information and so forth; an assignment-related information accumulating unit configured to accumulate the assignment information and so forth as a single piece of assignment-related information; an assignment information transmitting unit configured to transmit corresponding assignment information to a challenger; an assignment approval receiving unit configured to receive assignment identification information identifying an assignment approved by the challenger; an assignment approving unit configured to set assignment approval information; and an assignment result information receiving unit configured to receive assignment result information, which is information regarding an execution result of an assignment represented by the assignment information corresponding to the set assignment approval information.
US09495882B2 Systems and methods for computerized interactive skill training
The present invention is directed to interactive training, and in particular, to methods and systems for computerized interactive skill training. An example embodiment provides a method and system for providing skill training using a computerized system. The computerized system receives a selection of a first training subject. Several related training components can be invoked, such as reading, watching, performing, and/or reviewing components. In addition, a scored challenge session is provided, wherein a training challenge is provided to a user via a terminal, optionally in video form.
US09495864B1 Alarm signaling technology
Techniques are described for handling an event where a control panel or an alarm signaling device is tampered with or destroyed by a disablement tactic, e.g., a “crash and smash intrusion.”
US09495856B2 Protection device
The invention relates to a device for securing objects against unauthorized removal. To this aim, the device (26) comprises an alarm electronics unit (1) having a motion sensor (3), an environmental brightness sensor (4), and an alarm signal transmitter (5). The alarm electronics unit (1) is designed so that the ambient brightness sensor (4) is activated by the detection of a movement. However, alarm release occurs only if the ambient brightness measured at the ambient brightness sensor (4) exceeds a predetermined brightness threshold, and the movement last continuously for a predetermined time span. The alarm activation occurs only if the ambient brightness falls below a predetermined darkness threshold and the movement continues to persist.
US09495849B2 Security monitoring system
In one embodiment, a monitoring system is provided. The system includes one or more monitoring devices configured to generate respective video signals, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to allow a user remote access to the video signals in response to a request for remote access by the user via the WAN interface and the control circuit operating in an alarm state. The control circuit is configured to deny the user access to the video signals in response to a request for remote access by the user via the WAN interface and the control circuit operating in a non-alarm state.
US09495847B2 Method, system and wireless device for monitoring protective headgear based on power data
A wireless device includes a sensor module that generates sensor data in response to motion of protective headgear, wherein the sensor data includes acceleration data. A device processing module includes an event processing module that analyzes the sensor data to generate power data that represents power of impact imparted to the protective headgear and that generates event data that includes the power data. A short-range wireless transmitter transmits a wireless signal that includes the event data.
US09495846B2 Tactile feedback apparatus
A tactile feedback apparatus is provided, which includes a signal generator and a tactile feedback structure. The signal generator provides a driving signal. The tactile feedback structure is connected to the signal generator and provides a tactile feedback signal in response to the driving signal when an object surface is touched or a housing of the tactile feedback apparatus is touched. The tactile feedback signal is related to a tactile sensation. The tactile feedback signal is related to an electrical property of the driving signal.
US09495844B2 Money handling machine, money handling system and money handling method
The money handling machine (banknote depositing and dispensing machine 1) includes a unique-code generating unit 80 configured to generate a unique code that is used for a receiver of a journal in judging whether the journal is authentic or counterfeit based on at least a part or all of the deposit information printed on the journal by a printing unit (printer 6). The printing unit is configured to print on the journal the unique code generated by the unique-code generating unit 80 as well as the deposit information that is information regarding money deposited into the money handling machine.
US09495842B2 Gaming system, gaming device and method for providing an outcome enhancing feature
An embodiment of a gaming device includes a game having at least three choices, wherein each of the choices either trumps or is trumped by one of the other choices, and a processor programmed to determine if an outcome enhancing condition is satisfied, enable a player to elect to enhance an outcome if an outcome enhancing condition is satisfied, enable the player to select one of said choices, select one of said choices, determine an outcome based on a comparison of the player's choice with the processor's choice, provide a win outcome if the player elected to enhance an outcome and the comparison of the player's choice with the processor's choice results in a draw determination, provide a draw outcome if the player elected to enhance an outcome and the comparison of the player's choice with the processor's choice results in a lose determination.
US09495827B2 Reel basket assembly
A reel assembly for a gaming machine includes an inner drive ring defining an annular inner rim, an outer ring, and a support substrate. The outer ring is spaced from and coaxially positioned relative to the inner drive ring, and the outer ring defines an annular outer rim. The support substrate has opposing side edges each coupled to a different one of the annular inner rim and the annular outer rim. The support substrate extends substantially unsupported between the annular inner rim and the annular outer rim in a substantially continuous manner maintaining the annular inner rim spaced from the annular out rim.
US09495820B1 Electronic combination lock
Disclosed herein is an electronic combination lock mainly characterized by miniature size and easy-to-use electronic identification access-gaining method that enables a vast variety and type of access codes for user setting and choice. Another battery operated electronic key unit, incorporated with programmed access code to provide as an alternative choice for locking, unlocking and backup power, can be used in conjunction with the electronic combination lock.
US09495816B2 Mobile device
A mobile device includes a first communication device that transmits a first transmission signal to a vehicle side, a second communication device that transmits a second transmission signal in response to an electromagnetic field received from the vehicle side, a control unit that controls the first communication device and second communication device, and a circuit board. The first communication device includes a loop antenna that is formed by a conductive wire formed on the circuit board. The second communication device includes a transponder coil, which is substantially rectangular, on the circuit board. One shorter edge of the transponder coil is placed near an edge, of the circuit board, that faces the vehicle. The conductive wire is configured so as to enter a projected area, on the circuit board, of the transponder coil from one longer edge of the projected area and exit the projected area from the other longer edge.
US09495811B2 Method and system for recording the use of waste disposal containers
A method of and apparatus for creating record data for an authorizing body of, for example, skips and other waste containers is disclosed. Such a system includes receiving data from a telemetry system attached to a skip lorry. This data includes, vehicle identification data, location data identifying a location of the vehicle and loading/unloading data identifying when an object is loaded onto and/or unloaded from the vehicle. This data is then processed to determine locations where waste containers have been loaded and unloaded from vehicles and compare this to a permit booking system to ensure compliance with the booking system.
US09495800B2 Storage medium having stored thereon image processing program, image processing apparatus, image processing system, and image processing method
Using as a texture of an image to be placed in a virtual world an image included in a predetermined area in a captured image captured by a real camera, a virtual world image is generated, in which the object placed in the virtual world is viewed from a virtual camera. Then, the captured image captured by the real camera is combined with the virtual world image, and the combined image is displayed on a display device.
US09495777B2 Visual data analysis for large data sets
A system and method for illustrating enterprise data. An example method includes accessing data from an enterprise application, wherein the data is organized into one or more objects; categorizing the one or more objects based on a grouping criterion, resulting in one or more groups of one or more categorized objects in response thereto; displaying representations of the one or more categorized objects as nodes of a visualization such that each node is positioned in a section of the visualization according to a group associated with the node, resulting in one or more sections of nodes corresponding to the one or more groups; and adjusting a luminance of each node based on a node-appearance criterion. The visualization may be automatically sectioned based on a select combination of user-specified data attributes or criteria, where the selected combination yields a visualization with the most dark nodes in a given section.
US09495775B2 System and method for visualization of categories
Distribution displays for categories are provided which illuminate the distribution of continuous attributes over all cases in a category, and which provide a histogram of the population of the different states of categorical attributes. An array of such displays by attribute (in one dimension) and category (in another dimension) may be provided. Category diagram displays are also provided for visualizing the different categories, and their distributions, populations, and similarities. These are displayed through different shading of nodes and edges representing categories and the relationship between two categories, and through proximity of nodes.
US09495769B2 CT image reconstruction in the extended field of view
A method is disclosed for the reconstruction of image data of an object under examination from measured data, wherein the measured data has been acquired during a relative rotational movement between a radiation source of a computed tomography system and the object under examination. A delimited area between the radiation source and a detector represents a field of view, in respect of which measured data can be acquired. During the measured data acquisition, parts of the object under examination were located at least partly outside of the field of view. A reconstruction is carried out of first image data from the measured data. The first image data is modified via a threshold value comparison, and the modified data is processed with a morphological filter, and projection data is calculated. The measured data is modified using the projection data, and, second image data is reconstructed.
US09495760B2 Adaptable framework for cloud assisted augmented reality
A mobile platform efficiently processes sensor data, including image data, using distributed processing in which latency sensitive operations are performed on the mobile platform, while latency insensitive, but computationally intensive operations are performed on a remote server. The mobile platform acquires sensor data, such as image data, and determines whether there is a trigger event to transmit the sensor data to the server. The trigger event may be a change in the sensor data relative to previously acquired sensor data, e.g., a scene change in an image. When a change is present, the sensor data may be transmitted to the server for processing. The server processes the sensor data and returns information related to the sensor data, such as identification of an object in an image or a reference image or model. The mobile platform may then perform reference based tracking using the identified object or reference image or model.
US09495759B2 Mobile, wearable, automated target tracking system
The mobile, wearable, automated target tracking system is designed to enable an image and/or sound recording device, such as a video camera or directional microphone, to automatically follow a subject (or target) in order to keep that subject within the image frame or sound range that is being recorded. The automated target tracking system makes it possible to capture both the action and subject simultaneously without requiring a cameraman to manually operate the equipment. The indoor/outdoor, automated tracking system is designed to be independent of the video/sound recording device and may utilize a smartphone for location sensing and control. Both the target (or subject) and the tracking device may be moving, so the tracking device is designed to adjust position on 3 axes, azimuth (pan), elevation (tilt) and horizon (roll). Since the compact, battery-operated tracking device is mobile and wearable, it enables the user to capture the subject and all the action while also participating in the activity at the same time.
US09495756B2 Multi-scale active contour segmentation
A system and method for active contour segmentation where an image for a structure and an initial position on the image are received, a multi-scale image representation comprising successive image levels each having associated therewith a representation of the image is computed, a representation of the image at a given level having a different image resolution than that of a representation of the image at a subsequent level, a given one of the levels at which noise in the image is removed is identified, the initial position is set as a current contour and the given level as a current level, the current contour is deformed at the current level to expand into an expanded contour matching a shape of the structure, the expanded contour is set as the current contour and the subsequent level as the current level, and the steps are repeated until the last level is reached.
US09495749B2 Method and system for detecting pose of marker
A pose detecting system includes: a marker using a microlens array; a camera; and a computer receiving a marker image. The marker includes: a lens area constituted of the microlens array and a mark array having a plurality of marks arrayed with a pitch similar to that between a plurality of lenses constituting the microlens array so as to produce a moiré pattern; and four reference points. The computer performs: determining the pose of the marker based on the four reference points; analyzing the moiré pattern so as to calculate an angle formed by the marker and a straight line connecting the center of an integrated mark that emerges at the lens area as the moiré pattern and is similar in shape to each of the plurality of marks to a viewpoint at the marker; and correcting the pose of the marker by using the angle.
US09495748B2 Segmentation of content delivery
A system and method for segmentation of content delivery is described. A virtual object model is divided into a plurality of segments. An order of the plurality of segments is arranged in a delivery queue. Each segment of the virtual object model is delivered in the order of the delivery queue to a device that is configured to recognize a physical object that is associated with the virtual object model.
US09495743B2 Method and apparatus for automated placement of scanned laser capsulorhexis incisions
Systems and methods are described for cataract intervention. In one embodiment a system comprises a laser source configured to produce a treatment beam comprising a plurality of laser pulses; an integrated optical system comprising an imaging assembly operatively coupled to a treatment laser delivery assembly such that they share at least one common optical element, the integrated optical system being configured to acquire image information pertinent to one or more targeted tissue structures and direct the treatment beam in a 3-dimensional pattern to cause breakdown in at least one of the targeted tissue structures; and a controller operatively coupled to the laser source and integrated optical system, and configured to adjust the laser beam and treatment pattern based upon the image information, and distinguish two or more anatomical structures of the eye based at least in part upon a robust least squares fit analysis of the image information.
US09495734B2 Information processing apparatus, system, method, and medium storing program
An information processing apparatus may include a memory storing instructions and at least one processor configured to process the instructions to receive an input image. The input image includes either a first image or a provisional image created by iteratively image processing the first image. The instructions further provide for the processor to calculate a local variation of a focused pixel in the input image based on a difference in pixel value between the focused pixel and a surrounding pixel of the focused pixel, to calculate a filter coefficient for suppressing a variation between neighboring pixels in the input image based on the local variation, to create a degraded image by degrading the input image, to calculate a reconfiguration error between the input image and the degraded image, and to create the provisional image based on the filter coefficient and the reconfiguration error.
US09495728B2 Method for edge detection, method for motion detection, method for pixel interpolation utilizing up-sampling, and apparatuses thereof
A pixel interpolation method for interpolating a pixel value of a target pixel in a target picture is disclosed. The pixel interpolation method includes performing up-sampling upon the target picture for generating an up-sampled picture corresponding to the target picture, and interpolating the target pixel according to the up-sampled picture. The step of performing up-sampling upon the target picture includes interpolating and generating a third pixel in between a first pixel and a second pixel that are a pair of two adjacent pixels of each pixel line of the target picture, whereof a pixel value of the third pixel is an average of pixel values of the first pixel and the second pixel.
US09495720B2 Method and apparatus for compiling and executing an application using virtualization in a heterogeneous system
A method and apparatus for compiling and executing an application including Central Processing Unit (CPU) source code and Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) source code. The apparatus includes a hardware device including a CPU and a GPU; a compiler that compiles the GPU source code into a GPU virtual instruction; and a hybrid virtualization block that executes an execution file by translating the GPU virtual instruction into GPU machine code.
US09495719B2 Multi-source, multi-destination data transfers
A method and system for transferring an image. A user-selected image is received. Displayed are: (a) a graphic object representing a web page, (b) a first destination point within the graphic object and first text which is adjacent to the first destination point and describes the first destination point, and (c) a second, different destination point within the graphic object and second, different text which is adjacent to the second destination point and describes the second destination point. A user mouse selection of one of the destination points within the graphic object is received, and in response, the image is copied into the web page at the selected destination point. The first destination point, the first text, the second destination point, and the second text are stored in the transfer map. The selected image is mapped to the one of the destination points in the transfer map.
US09495718B2 System and method for providing low latency to applications using heterogeneous processors
Methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media are disclosed for responding to requests. A method of responding to requests may include receiving requests comprising callback functions. The one or more requests may be received in a first memory associated with processors of a first type, which may be CPUs. The requests may be moved to a second memory. The second memory may be associated with processors of a second type, which may be GPUs. GPU threads may process the requests to determine a result for the requests, when a number of the requests is at least a threshold number. The method may include moving the results to the first memory. The method may include the CPUs executing the one or more callback functions with the corresponding result. A GPU persistent thread may check the number of requests to determine when a threshold number of requests is reached.
US09495717B2 Plant safety design assistance device and plant monitoring and maintenance assistance device
A Plant safety design assistance device (100) is configured by a communication device (140), a diagnostics and monitoring device (110), a fault inspection management device (120), and a design and manufacturing device (130) being interconnected via network (150). The diagnostics and monitoring device (110) receives plant status information (dc) from a plant control system (1) and carries out monitoring and diagnostics an the plant. The fault inspection management device (120) maintains fault inspection information (D2) of an apparatus which is used in the plant. The design and manufacturing device (130) maintains design and manufacturing information of the apparatus which is used in the plant. The design and manufacturing devise (130) receives the fault inspection information (D2) from the fault inspection management device (120), and carries out a plant safety design which takes the fault inspection information into account. The plant safety design is thus assisted, with the plant monitoring and maintenance activities being linked therewith.
US09495716B2 Expanding a social network by the action of a single user
Techniques for creating a social network are provided. Private relationships that are established (e.g., in the context of instant messaging) may become public by the action of a single user. Each user determines whether they want to be “social” to (or discoverable by) friends of the user's friends. For example, user A is a friend of (i.e., has established a relationship with) user B and user B is a friend of user C, but user A and user C are not friends of each other (i.e., user A and user C have not established a relationship with each other). If user C unilaterally takes an action, then user A is able to see that user C is a friend of user B. User A may then take further actions to attempt to establish a relationship with user C or otherwise contact user C.
US09495715B2 System, method, and medium for social network information feed in-line purchasing by text recognition
Embodiments described herein disclose a system and method for providing an improved user experience for purchasing a product within an information feed. An information feed is displayed which includes an information post having a product link or otherwise referencing a product. A selection of the product link or the referenced product is received, and product information for a product associated with the product link or referenced product is retrieved. The product information and a purchase selector are displayed within the information feed, in association with the information post. A selection of the purchase selector is received. User payment information is retrieved and displayed in association with the information post in the information feed. User payment information is transmitted, based on a received confirmation from a user. The purchase is then executed, and a confirmation message may be displayed.
US09495710B2 Social networking management server
A social media management server (MS) provides a single authentication point for a client device to log in to multiple social networking accounts. Through the MS, the client device can pull social networking updates to it or have them pushed to the client device. Also, the MS provides a set of APIs for all enabled client devices to interact with social networking sites/services. The MS updates APIs between itself and the social networking sites/services without changing the APIs between itself and client devices in that only mandatory changes in the MS-to-social networking servers APIs are propagated to the APIs between the MS and client devices to reduce the API update requirements on the client side.
US09495703B1 Automatic budgeting system
Provided is a software application containing instructions to receive an identifier associated with an item to be purchased by a user. The software application provides the identifier associated with the item to an associated database. The item is then assigned a classification which, along with the price of the item, is provided to an authorization entity associated with at least one account of the user. A notice is then received as to whether a purchase of the item using the account will be authorized at the time of purchase. The authorization is determined as a function of the price of the item and the classification of the item.
US09495701B2 Retail venue ordering system and method
A system for decentralized ordering of goods and/or services such as food and/or drinks at a venue such as a hotel or restaurant is disclosed. The venue uploads a venue menu to an internet site via the venue's data device or computer. An order application is downloaded by prospective customers from the internet site to the mobile data device of each customer. In addition, the venue allocates a customer identification code to each customer which is stored in the customer's mobile data device. Therefore the customer can use his mobile data device to access the venue's menu and order items from the menu. Preferably the customer notifies his location within the venue and the order is delivered to the customer's location.
US09495700B2 Portfolio-level decision support
The present invention employs branded virtual characters to engage and educate users regarding an array of health-related insurance, financial, and other benefits, enabling informed decision-making during this complex process. Information is collected gradually on an “as-needed” basis to avoid overwhelming users with lengthy and redundant requests for information, while still providing a safe environment for users to freely discuss personal, health, financial and related sensitive issues. Throughout the process, the system employs a portfolio-driven approach to identify inter-dependencies among different benefit products and plans, and prioritize and recommend “portfolio-level” benefit solutions. Back-end components enable users to complete transactions (e.g., via third-party quoting and enrollment systems and employer HRIS systems, as well as via access to external medical and claims data), and provide third parties with access to the educational, decision-making and transactional aspects of this process, including various authoring and other tools to generate and modify system content over time.
US09495699B2 Method and system for purchasing of goods and services via image recognition
A method for facilitating an image-based transaction includes: capturing, by a first input device, an image of a product to be sold; receiving, by a second input device, product data corresponding to the product to be sold; identifying, by a processing device, a transaction identifier; encoding, by the processing device, the captured image with at least the identified transaction identifier; adding, to the encoded image, an indication of availability of the product to be sold such that user interaction with the encoded image will initiate a payment transaction for the product to be sold based on at least the encoded transaction identifier; and transmitting, by a transmitting device, at least the received product data, the identified transaction identifier, and the encoded image including the indication of availability.
US09495692B2 Conversion and display of a user input
Described herein are methods and systems allowing a company to market and advertise its brands, products and/or services in a mobile platform by use of an application converting a user input into a corresponding branded icon, logo or image and displaying the same. The user input is in the form of a text entry from the device keyboard, e.g., a brand name or a generic search word, or a voice or sound input or audio demand from the device speaker. By providing various menu functions associated with the displayed icons, logos or images, the application combines mobile texting with online search or browsing to provide for a much simpler and more convenient mobile experience.
US09495690B2 Systems and methods to process transactions and offers via a gateway
A system, configured to integrate the processing of transactions and offers applicable to the transactions, includes: a data warehouse storing an offer in association with a financial payment account; a gateway configured to receive an authorization request that is transmitted from a transaction terminal without going through an acquirer processor, the gateway coupled with the data warehouse to determine whether the offer is applicable to the authorization request and if so, apply a benefit of the offer to the authorization request; and a transaction handler coupled with the gateway to process the authorization request submitted from the gateway, provide an authorization response corresponding to the authorization request, and communicate with the acquirer processor to credit funds according to the authorization request to a merchant account associated with the transaction terminal.
US09495688B2 System and method for preference generation
The system provides a method and apparatus for preference generation that allows, for example, geographic boundaries to be easily implemented by a user. The system permits a user and other participants to manually and/or automatically constrain options to specific user and participant defined criteria, including geographic, categorical, economical, temporal, and other preference metrics.
US09495681B2 Systems and methods for web page optimization
Systems and methods are provided for web page optimization. In accordance with one implementation, a system for web page optimization is provided, wherein the system comprises a computing device configured to provide at least one of user data, content categories, and page performance metrics, and receive, from the module server, a bid to include at least one proposed module on a page, the bid including an impact score of the at least one proposed module based on the page performance metrics. The system also includes a feedback component configured to provide performance feedback indicative of how the page performed based in part on the page performance metrics, and a page assembler coupled configured to select for display on the page a module combination comprising the at least one proposed module, wherein the module combination is selected based in part on the impact score and the performance feedback.
US09495679B2 Automated application programming interface (API) system and method
A method for leveraging email to complete an online transaction from a third party vendor, the method comprising: storing customer information, the customer information including a customer name, customer email address, customer shipping address, and customer billing information. The method further comprises receiving an authorization request from an application programming interface associated with a third party vendor requesting access to a portion of the customer information and receiving confirmation from a customer to allow the third party vendor to access the portion of the customer information. The method further comprising transmitting an access code to the third party vendor and receiving a request message from the third party vendor, wherein the request message comprises the access code, and wherein the request message requests an authorization token. The method may further comprise confirming the received access code and transmitting an authorization token to the third party vendor.
US09495677B2 Decoding systems with a decoding engine running on a mobile device and coupled to a payment system that includes identifying information of second parties qualified to conduct business with the payment system
A decoding system with a decoding engine running on a mobile device. The decoding engine decodes signals produced from a read of a buyer's financial transaction card, accepts and initializes incoming signals from a read of a buyer's financial transaction card until the signals reach a steady state, detects the read of the buyer's financial transaction card once the incoming signals are in a steady state, identifies peaks in the incoming signals and digitizes the identified peaks in the incoming signals into bits. A transaction engine runs on the mobile device and is coupled to the decoding engine. A payment system is in communication with the transaction engine.
US09495676B2 Method of transmitting information from a power efficient card to a mobile device
A method of transmitting information to a mobile device includes providing a read head with a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a card, a power supply coupled to wake-up electronics and a microcontroller. The wake-up electronics are powered by a microphone bias of a mobile device.
US09495673B2 Method and system for a wireless universal mobile product interface
The present invention provides a solution to the needs described above through a system and method for a wireless universal mobile product interface (WUMPI). Generally, products/objects have their own interface, or man-machine-interface (MMI). Technically, the wireless universal mobile product interface of the present invention (WUMPI) innovates this space by replacing the product's MMI by implementing reverse software control via wireless transmission channel and or Bluetooth wireless technologies to control the mobile device's screen—replacing the local software component on the mobile device which controls what is shown on the screen in terms of a man-machine interface (MMI). This enables a product/object within the area of the mobile device to take over control via the wireless transmission channel or other wireless capability of the mobile device and to “extend” the product interface to the mobile device that came within its control range, or the product/object's personal area network (PAN).
US09495670B2 Quick legend receipt system
Techniques are disclosed for enabling more efficient tipping by providing a merchant the ability to reduce the time used on manually entering tip amounts. In one embodiment, a method includes automatically generating, by a point-of-sale (POS) system, a transaction receipt that indicates a plurality of selectable tip options, wherein said automatically generating the transaction receipt is based on one or more rules specified by a user of the POS system. The method further includes causing the transaction receipt to be printed as a printed receipt. The method further includes identifying, by the POS system, a one of the plurality of selectable tip options specified by a customer on the printed receipt. Among other benefits, the disclosed techniques reduce the time and effort the merchant needs to spend on collating the tipping at end of the business day.
US09495660B2 Inferring social groups through patterns of communication
Software authenticates the user of a social networking service which maintains one or more lists of contacts associated with the user that can be used by the user to selectively share content. The software ascertains a proposed group of contacts from at least one of the lists. The user and members of the proposed group are related by a plurality of communications and the communications are associated with one or more attributes including at least one of geographic locations associated with the communication, time of communication, or medium of communication. The software presents the proposed group of contacts to the user, with a recommendation that the user create a new list of contacts associated with the user from the proposed group of contacts. The software creates the new list of contacts from the proposed group, if the user indicates acceptance of the recommendation.
US09495657B1 Systems and methods involving features of terminal operation including TOS-agnostic and/or other features
Systems and methods are disclosed associated with processing information involving terminal operating systems. According to one illustrative implementation, an exemplary method for processing information involving terminal operating system herein may include processing data in a TOS format associated with a TOS type, converting the data into a TOS agnostic format, and performing processing using the TOS agnostic data.
US09495640B1 Inferring application type based on input-output characteristics of application storage resources
Operational characteristic I/O patterns of each storage volume of a storage volume group, and at least one operational characteristic of each storage volume associated with an application, are determined. Unsupervised learning is used to form clusters of storage volumes of similar characteristics. Labels are generated, assigned, and aggregated for each characteristic of each storage volume. Templates are received that includes labels of storage volume characteristics of known application types. An application type associated with the storage volume group is inferred, based on a best-fit match of the aggregate labels of the storage volumes of the storage volume group to the labels included in the templates of storage volume characteristics of known application types.
US09495626B2 Identity card with physical unclonable function
An identity card, comprising a card body and a physical unclonable function are arranged within the card body, wherein the physical unclonable function comprises a first light influencing layer and a second light influencing layer.
US09495624B2 Estimation apparatus
Provided is an estimation apparatus including a storage unit that stores an estimation model for estimating transport failure information pertaining to a transport failure based on information pertaining to a transit time in which each of plural papers with different characteristics passes through a certain transport section in a transport path and information pertaining to a utilization of each of the plural papers for each of plural image processing apparatuses, an acquisition unit that acquires the characteristics of the paper, information pertaining to the transit time of the paper, and information pertaining to the utilization of the paper for the image processing apparatus that is the estimation target, and an estimation unit that estimates the transport failure information using the estimation model based on the acquisition results of the acquisition unit.
US09495623B1 Adaptive optimization of super resolution encoding (SRE) patterns by hierarchical self-organized pattern map (HSOPM) and synthesis of traversal (SOT)
Methods, systems, and computer-program products for optimizing SRE (Super Resolution Encoding) patterns. A hierarchical self-organizing pattern map (HSOPM) of SRE patterns can be derived, which illustrates interrelationships between consecutive SRE patterns. Such a hierarchical self-organizing map provides a first level of hierarchy, a second level of hierarchy, etc. Different weights can be assigned to different synthesis of traversal (SoT) according to the second level of hierarchy. The likelihood of the SRE patterns can then be calculated based on a fitness of continuity and the different weights, so as to subsequently select and encode an allowed number of the SRE patterns while replacing other patterns with a lower likelihood value with an immediate root and thereby adaptively optimize any number of the SRE patterns with respect to any number of values.
US09495620B2 Multi-script handwriting recognition using a universal recognizer
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media related to a technique for providing handwriting input functionality on a user device. A handwriting recognition module is trained to have a repertoire comprising multiple non-overlapping scripts and capable of recognizing tens of thousands of characters using a single handwriting recognition model. The handwriting input module provides real-time, stroke-order and stroke-direction independent handwriting recognition. User interfaces for providing the handwriting input functionality are also disclosed.
US09495618B1 Object detection with textural to spectral domain adaptation
Techniques for object detection include training a first classifier to detect an object based on textural features and a second classifier to detect the object based on textural features and spectral features. A classifier relationship between the two classifiers is learned and used with the first classifier to detect other objects. If desired, the performance of the object detector can be improved by comparing the results of detecting objects with the first classifier and the classifier relationship versus detecting objects with the first and second classifier together, and modifying the classifier relationship based upon the comparison.
US09495612B2 Accelerated object recognition in an image
A method for recognizing an object (120) in an image (100), in which the recognition of the object (120) comprises a first scaling stage of a scaling region of the image (100), and at least a further scaling stage of the scaling region of the image (100); and in which the image (100) is subdivided into at least one image segment (110); a first decision being taken for the at least one image segment (110) on the first scaling stage of the scaling region as to whether the at least one image segment (110) is considered on the at least one further scaling stage of the scaling region for the recognition of the object (120).
US09495609B2 System and method for evaluating data
A method for identifying a best item among a plurality of respective different items includes selecting a current best score, identifying a set of attributes associated with each of the items, and for each of the sets of attributes: determining a best possible score for a subset of the set of attributes, if the best possible score is greater than the current best score, determining an actual score for the set of attributes, and if the actual score for the set of attributes is greater than the current best score, setting the current best score as the actual score for the set of attributes. After both of the determining steps and the setting step for each of the sets of attributes, the item associated with the current best score is identified.
US09495608B2 Smart feeling sensing tag for pictures
The invention is directed to systems, methods and computer program products for determining a mood and a strength of an image. An exemplary method comprises: determining a mood of an image based on a color tone and a color saturation of the image; determining a strength of an image based on a brightness of the image; determining a mood-strength distribution of the image based on the mood of the image and the strength of the image; and selecting a music piece based on the mood-strength distribution of the image.
US09495604B1 Intelligent management of computerized advanced processing
Systems and methods are disclosed for automatically managing how and when computerized advanced processing techniques (for example, CAD and/or other image processing) are used. In some embodiments, the systems and methods discussed herein allow users, such as radiologists, to efficiently interact with a wide variety of computerized advanced processing (“CAP”) techniques using computing devices ranging from picture archiving and communication system (“PACS”) workstations to handheld devices such as smartphone and tablets. Furthermore, the systems and methods may, in various embodiments, automatically manage how data associated with these CAP techniques (for example, results of application of one or more computerized advanced processing techniques) are used, such as how data associated with the computerized analyzes is reported, whether comparisons to prior abnormalities should be automatically initiated, whether the radiologist should be alerted of important findings, and the like.
US09495602B2 Image and map-based detection of vehicles at intersections
A system, device, and methods for image and map-based detection of vehicles at intersections. Once example computer-implemented method for detecting objects includes receiving, from the one or more sensors disposed on a vehicle, image data representative of an image and detecting an object on the image. The method further includes identifying a path extending from the vehicle to the detected object on the image and retrieving map data including lane information. The method further includes comparing the path to a representation of the lane information and determining the position of the detected object based on a comparison of the path, representation of the lane information, and the image.
US09495598B2 Advertisement detection system and method based on fingerprints
An advertisement detection system based on fingerprints, including a content stream storage unit storing broadcast content in real time, a section selection unit selecting a reference section and a test section from broadcast content stored by the storage unit, a fingerprint extraction unit extracting fingerprints from the reference section and test section selected by the selection unit, a fingerprint matching unit comparing fingerprints from the test section and reference section, extracted by the extraction unit, with each other and then performing matching between the fingerprints, an advertisement section determination unit determining advertisement segments from the test section based on results of the matching performed by the matching unit, an advertisement DB management unit storing segment information about the advertisement segments determined by the determination unit in an advertisement DB and managing the DB, and a section update unit changing the reference section and test section selected by the selection unit.
US09495593B2 Method and apparatus for controlling content capture of prohibited content
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and storage mediums associated with controlling content capture of prohibited content on remote devices, are disclosed. In embodiments, components of a remote device may receive image data of an image captured by the remote device and analyze the image data to determine whether the image includes prohibited content. In embodiments, the remote device may conditionally display or persistently store the image data, based at least in part on a result of the analysis.
US09495592B2 Image-based information providing device and method using object recognition
An information providing device according to the exemplary embodiment includes an object recognizing unit, a retrieving unit, an obtaining unit, and a transmitting unit. The object recognizing unit extracts an image of a specific object which appears in an image of a moving image content to be distributed to a terminal device. The retrieving unit requests a retrieval device to retrieve a similar image with the image of the specific object as a retrieval key and obtains a retrieval result from the retrieval device. The obtaining unit obtains recommend information related with an image of the specific object which appears in an image of a moving image content based on the retrieval result. The transmitting unit transmits the recommend information to the terminal device.
US09495589B2 Detection of gaze point assisted by optical reference signal
A gaze-point detection system includes at least one infrared (IR) signal source to be placed in a test scene as a reference point, a pair of eye glasses to be worn by a person, and a data processing and storage unit for calculating a gaze point of the person wearing the pair of eye glasses. The pair of eye glasses includes an image sensor, an eye-tracking unit and a camera. The image sensor detects IR signals from the at least one IR signal source and generates an IR signal source tracking signal. The eye-tracking unit determines adapted to determine the gaze direction of the person and generates an eye-tracking signal, and the camera acquires a test scene picture. The data processing and storage unit communicates with the pair of eye glasses and calculates the gaze point relative to the test scene picture.
US09495588B2 Biometric template security and key generation
Methods and systems for securing biometric templates and generating secret keys are provided. One or more images are received. Interest points are identified based on the received images, and a plurality of obfuscating data points are generated based on the interest points. An obfuscated template based on the interest points and the obfuscating data points is created and stored. A secret key can be encoded using a subset of at least one of the obfuscating data points and the interest points in the template.
US09495586B1 Identity verification using biometric data
A method for identity verification using biometric data is disclosed herein. The method comprises receiving, by a processor, an image of an identification document and receiving a video associated with a face of a user. A predefined number of frames are selected in the video. Based on the selection, it is determined whether the video depicts a live person. Additionally, the face of the user in the video is compared with the image of the identification document and, based on the comparing, results of the identity verification are provided.
US09495585B2 Pose determination from a pattern of four LEDs
The present invention relates to the field of computation and covers methods to find one to one mapping between fiducial markers on a tracked object and fiducial marker projections on the image plane captured by a camera in optical object tracking systems. A method for solving correspondence problem is realized to find correspondences between 3D points of an object and 2D projection of that object onto the image plane so that this can be used to find the object's 3D location and orientation. It is designed to work without current pose of the tracked object thus it is equally efficient on initial correspondence problem as correspondence problem. Furthermore, a method for selecting LED groups to be used for solving correspondence problem is also presented, which uses pose data representing possible poses of tracked object under working conditions thus LEDS groups are selected to satisfy use case requirements.
US09495583B2 Organizing images by correlating faces
A computer-implemented method for organizing images including receiving an image that includes a representation of a human face; generating a correlation value indicating a likelihood that the human face corresponds to a stored facial profile associated with one or more profile images including a human face; evaluating the received image and the generated correlation value to determine, depending on a result of the evaluating, whether the image corresponds to the stored facial profile; associating the received image with the stored facial profile; and storing an indication of the associating.
US09495582B2 Digital makeup
A system for processing an image of a human face, the system including a data processing and analyzing utility including a high-pass filtering module outputting a high-pass signal indicative of edges or contours of the face in the input image data; at least one band-pass filtering module outputting a bandpass signal indicative of low-contrast slowly-varying qualitative features of the face; a low-pass filtering module outputting a low-pass signal in which low-contrast regions are smoothed and high-contrast regions are preserved; a feature computation module calculating a localized feature of the image for a plurality of pixels of the image; a strength computation module determining a localized operand using the localized feature to determine a strength of filters to be used in the high-pass, band-pass, and low-pass filtering modules at the pixels, and transmitting the localized operand to the filtering modules; at least one transformation module altering a portion of the high-pass, the bandpass, or the low-pass signals; and an addition module adding the various signals together, thus yielding an output signal indicative of a characteristic of an altered image.
US09495577B2 Network-based pathology system with desktop slide scanner
A method for processing, saving and viewing a digital image of a microscope slide includes inserting a microscope slide into a digital slide scanner connected to an acquisition computer. A pre-scan formed from a plurality of image tiles uploaded to a network server while the pre-scan is being generated. The network server analyzes the image tiles in realtime to identify an area of interest. The acquisition computer generates a high magnification local scan of the area of interest. The local scan is formed from a plurality of local image tiles that are uploaded to the network server while the local scan is being generated. Each local image tile is viewable by a client computer in communication with the computer network while the plurality of local image tiles is being uploaded. A raw final image is then saved on the network server independent of the acquisition computer.
US09495575B2 Ring-type mobile terminal
A ring-type terminal including a main body configured to be placed on and surround a user's finger and including an insertion region in which the finger is inserted; a fingerprint sensor provided on at least one region of an inner circumferential surface of the main body and configured to recognize a fingerprint of the finger; a guide module provided on the inner circumferential surface such that the finger comes in contact with the fingerprint sensing module while the finger is inserted in the insertion region; and a controller configured to execute a function based on the fingerprint sensed by the fingerprint sensing module.
US09495563B2 Analog integrator system and method
Systems and methods are disclosed to integrate signals. Some embodiments include an integrator comprising an active input; a passive input; a first integrator having a first integrator input and a first integrator output; a second integrator having a second integrator input and a second integrator output; a first plurality of switches coupled with the first integrator input, the second integrator input, the active input, and the passive input; a second plurality of switches coupled with the first integrator output and the second integrator output; and a controller. The controller may be configured to control the operation of the first plurality of switches to switch the active input between the first integrator input and the second integrator input, and control the operation of the first plurality of switches to switch the passive input between the first integrator input and the second integrator input.
US09495554B2 Role based notifications in a modular learning system
A system and method is disclosed for providing role based notifications to users of the modular learning system (MLS). The modular learning system includes a variety of types of users interacting with the modular learning system and with one another. The MLS enables users to create learning applications, purchase learning application, perform learning applications, and interact with one another to accomplish these tasks. The MLS maintains activity items related to these actions on the MLS. These activity items include a description of the activities performed as well as user roles entitled to view information about the activity item. When a user requests a notification from the MLS, the MLS identifies the user's role in the MLS and activity items that may be viewed by that user role.
US09495552B2 Integrated data deduplication and encryption
The subject disclosure is directed towards encryption and deduplication integration between computing devices and a network resource. Files are partitioned into data blocks and deduplicated via removal of duplicate data blocks. Using multiple cryptographic keys, each data block is encrypted and stored at the network resource but can only be decrypted by an authorized user, such as domain entity having an appropriate deduplication domain-based cryptographic key. Another cryptographic key referred to as a content-derived cryptographic key ensures that duplicate data blocks encrypt to substantially equivalent encrypted data.
US09495546B2 Electronic signing methods, systems, and apparatus
Methods, apparatus, and systems for generating digital signatures are disclosed. An apparatus may present itself to a host computer as a mass storage device to provide cryptographic processing results through a standard mass storage access mechanism for exchanging files.
US09495541B2 Detecting return-oriented programming payloads by evaluating data for a gadget address space address and determining whether operations associated with instructions beginning at the address indicate a return-oriented programming payload
Systems, methods, and media for detecting the presence of return-oriented programming (ROP) payloads are provided, comprising; identifying a potential gadget address space; determining if a piece of the data corresponds to an address of the potential gadget address space; and in response to determining that the piece of the data corresponds to an address of the potential gadget address space: determining whether a plurality of operations, each associated one of a plurality instructions beginning at the address, indicates that an ROP payload is present in the data, and indicating that an ROP payload is present in the data in response to making a determination that a plurality of operations indicates that an ROP payload is present in the data a given number of times.
US09495539B2 Method and system for protection against information stealing software
A system and method for identifying infection of unwanted software on an electronic device is disclosed. A software agent configured to generate a bait and is installed on the electronic device. The bait can simulate a situation in which the user performs a login session and submits personal information or it may just contain artificial sensitive information. Parameters may be inserted into the bait such as the identity of the electronic device that the bait is installed upon. The output of the electronic device is monitored and analyzed for attempts of transmitting the bait. The output is analyzed by correlating the output with the bait and can be done by comparing information about the bait with the traffic over a computer network in order to decide about the existence and the location of unwanted software. Furthermore, it is possible to store information about the bait in a database and then compare information about a user with the information in the database in order to determine if the electronic device that transmitted the bait contains unwanted software.
US09495528B2 Method and apparatus for measuring body balance of wearable device
A wearable device includes a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a first external device; a motion sensor that senses the user's motion; and a control unit. The wearable device collects a first motion data generated by the user's motion and transmits the first motion data to the first external device, receives a first security level data and a second security level data from the first external device, and receives only the first security level data from the first external device when the wearable device is converted into a non-wearing state from a wearing state.
US09495521B2 System self integrity and health validation for policy enforcement
Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for enforcing system self integrity validation policies. The method includes accessing, by a policy enforcer, a plurality of policies configured to enforce system integrity, monitoring system performance to determine actions executed by the system, and based on at least one of the plurality of policies, comparing the system performance with system performance required by the at least one or the plurality of policies. The method further includes, based on the comparison, determining that the system has performed in a manner contrary to the requirements of the at least one policy, and in response, prohibiting access of the system to services provided by a service provider.
US09495514B2 Predicting neonatal hyperbilirubinemia
A multi-variable statistical predictive leading-indicator approach is employed for identifying newborns at risk of clinically significant hyperbilirubinemia and for determining to administer interventions to at-risk newborns. In embodiments, a multi-variable logistic regression statistical model capable of calculating a probability of clinically significant hyperbilirubinemia is generated. Using an input data set for a newborn and the multi-variable logistic regression statistical model, a probability of clinically significant hyperbilirubinemia is determined for the newborn and presented to a clinician.
US09495511B2 Remote monitoring systems and methods for medical devices
A remote monitoring system for monitoring a plurality of medical devices at a patient care or home care facility. The system includes a device integration server in communication with wireless relay modules for receiving data packets from the medical devices including an identifier and data for each medical device. The system also includes an outbound web server. The web server is configured to provide webpages including the data of the medical devices for display on first and second remote monitoring devices, subject to authentication of an associated data request from the monitoring device.
US09495506B2 Methods for layout verification for polysilicon cell edge structures in FinFET standard cells using filters
Methods for verifying the layout for standard cells using finFET standard cell structures with polysilicon on cell edges. Standard cells are defined using finFET transistors. Polysilicon dummy structures are formed on the edges of the active areas of the standard cells. Where two standard cells abut a single polysilicon dummy structure is formed. In a design flow, a pre-layout netlist schematic for the standard cells is formed that does not include devices corresponding to the polysilicon dummy structures. After an automated place and route process forms a device layout using the standard cells, a post layout netlist schematic is extracted including MOS devices corresponding to the polysilicon dummy structures. A layout versus schematic comparison is then performed, but during the comparison MOS devices corresponding to the polysilicon dummy structures are filtered from the post-layout netlist and are not compared. Additional methods are disclosed.
US09495505B2 Adjusting fabrication of integrated computational elements
Techniques include receiving a design of an integrated computational element (ICE) including (1) specification of a substrate and multiple layers, their respective target thicknesses and refractive indices, adjacent layer refractive indices being different from each other, and a notional ICE fabricated based on the ICE design being related to a characteristic of a sample, and (2) indication of target ICE performance; forming one or more of the layers of an ICE based on the ICE design; in response to determining that an ICE performance would not meet the target performance if the ICE having the formed layers were completed based on the received ICE design, updating the ICE design to a new total number of layers and new target layer thicknesses, such that performance of the ICE completed based on the updated ICE design meets the target performance; and forming some of subsequent layers based on the updated ICE design.
US09495498B2 Universal inter-layer interconnect for multi-layer semiconductor stacks
An apparatus, program product and method facilitate the design of a multi-layer circuit arrangement incorporating a universal, standardized inter-layer interconnect in a multi-layer semiconductor stack to facilitate interconnection and communication between functional units disposed on a stack of semiconductor dies. Each circuit layer in the multi-layer semiconductor stack is required to include an inter-layer interface region that is disposed at substantially the same topographic location such that when the semiconductor dies upon which such circuit layers are disposed are arranged together in a stack, electrical conductors disposed within each semiconductor die are aligned with one another to provide an inter-layer bus that is oriented vertically, or transversely, with respect to the individual circuit layers.
US09495494B2 Circuit simulating method, circuit simulating apparatus, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
The circuit simulating method according to an embodiment includes obtaining a first electrical characteristic value of a circuit element that operates under a predetermined operational condition. The circuit simulating method includes correcting the first electrical characteristic value based on a period in which application of an electrical stress equal to or higher than a reference value is stopped during operation of the circuit element.
US09495485B2 Information processing device, information processing method, computer readable storage medium storing information processing program, thickness area setting device, thickness area setting method, and computer readable storage medium storing thickness area setting program
An information processing device includes target object information obtaining unit configured to obtain target object information indicating a position and an area of a target object in a virtual space, surface information obtaining unit configured to obtain surface information indicating a position and an area of a thickness area that is defined by a surface in the virtual space and a predetermined thickness imparted to the surface, and collision determining unit configured to carry out collision determination, based on the target object information and the surface information, so as to determine whether the target object has collided against the surface.
US09495477B1 Data storage in a graph processing system
Data are maintained in a distributed computing system that describe a directed graph representing relationships among a set of items. The directed graph models a condition having an associated problem. The directed graph has graph components having associated data fields. The relationships are analyzed to identify a solution to the problem. As part of the analysis, a new value for the data field associated with a graph component is identified responsive to an operation performed during the analysis. The new value is compared with an existing value of the data field, and the data field is modified. The modification may include inserting the new value into an overflow vector of data, and replacing the existing value in the data field with exception information identifying the location of the new value. An exception flag associated with the data field is set to indicate that the exception information is being used.
US09495474B2 Method and system for multi-tiered search over a high latency network
A computer implemented method and system include executing a search against both a client cache associated with a client and data sources remotely coupled to the client over a network connection. Results from the search against the client cache are rendered on a client UI. The client cache and the client UI are updated with the results from the search against the data sources.
US09495465B2 System and method for providing the identification of geographically closest article dispensing machines
A system and method of searching for physical media articles available from article dispensing machines within a geographic proximity is provided. Searching may include matching keywords in search criteria or using predefined search criteria for browsing of static or dynamic listings of media content. The method includes receiving a search request including search criteria, and searching the metadata database for a physical media article matching the search criteria. The method also includes determining the availability of the matching media article at an article dispensing machine. The geographic location of article dispensing machines with available matching media articles is determined, based on personally identifying information such as an IP or MAC address. The geographic location may be limited by a proximity from an audio/visual display interface. A search result set with the matching media articles is provided, based on their availabilities.
US09495463B2 Managing documents in question answering systems
A first candidate answer to a time-sensitive question received by a question answering (QA) system is identified using a first document. A first temporal confidence subscore of the first candidate answer is then calculated using a first temporal confidence rule. A first general confidence score is then generated based on at least the first temporal confidence subscore. A second candidate answer to the question is identified using a second document. A second temporal confidence subscore of the second candidate answer is then calculated using a second temporal confidence rule. A second general confidence score is then generated based on at least the second temporal confidence subscore. The first general confidence score and the second general confidence score are then compared. Based on this comparison, a final answer is selected from the first candidate answer and the second candidate answer.
US09495462B2 Re-ranking search results
Search results obtained from a ranking model are re-ranked based on user-configured ranking rules. For example, a user may desire to: place certain search results at a top/bottom of a ranking of search results; remove some search results; and/or adjust a ranking of some of the search results. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) allows a user to configure the ranking rules (e.g. enter key/value restrictions and to set a boost value) and to preview an application of one or more of the ranking rules. Query language operators that follow a standard operator syntax are created based on the inputs (e.g. a ranking query operator is created that may include multiple user supplied parameters). The user may also specify a portion of the results from which statistics (e.g. standard deviation, average score) are calculated. For example, a user may specify to calculate statistics for the top N number results.
US09495450B2 Audio animation methods and apparatus utilizing a probability criterion for frame transitions
According to some aspects, a method of providing an interactive audio presentation, at least in part, by traversing a plurality of audio animations, each audio animation comprising a plurality of frames, each of the plurality of frames comprising a duration, at least one audio element, and at least one gate indicating criteria for transitioning to and identification of a subsequent frame according to one or more probabilities, and/or a subsequent animation is provided. The method comprises rendering a first audio animation, receiving input from the user associated with the presentation, selecting a second audio animation based, at least in part, on the input, and rendering the second audio animation. Some aspects include a system for performing the above method and some aspects include a computer readable medium storing instructions that perform the above method when executed by at least one processor.
US09495448B2 Apparatus and method of generating combined profile
A method of generating a combined profile of a terminal, and an apparatus to perform the method, the method including collecting a profile of one or more content playback devices connected to the terminal, and generating a combined profile of the terminal according to a profile of the terminal and the collected profile of the one or more content playback devices.
US09495430B2 Systems and methods for batch processing of data records in an on-demand system
Systems and methods are provided for batch processing of data records in an on-demand system. A marker is stored that identifies a node in an on-demand system and identifies a most recent data record processed in a relational database management system by the node. The marker is used to query the database management system to identify a batch of records for the node to process. The batch of records is processed by the node to update a client of data changes reflected by the batch of records.
US09495418B2 Scalable acceleration of database query operations
Embodiments include methods, systems and computer program products for offloading multiple processing operations to an accelerator. Aspects include receiving a database query from an application, performing an analysis on the query, and identifying a plurality of available accelerators. Aspects further include retrieving cost information for one or more templates available on each of the plurality of available accelerators, determining a query execution plan based on the cost information and the analysis on the query, and offloading one or more query operations to at least one of the plurality of accelerators based on the query execution plan.
US09495417B2 Dynamic rules to optimize common information model queries
One or more processors apply rules to a first query to generate a modified query such that processing of the modified query is optimized for a first set of processing conditions. One or more processors measure a degree of latency experienced during processing of the modified query under a second set of processing conditions. One or more processors generate other rules to be applied to queries based, at least in part, on the measured degree of latency.
US09495416B2 Method, apparatus, and system to recommend multimedia contents using metadata
A method, apparatus, and system are configured to recommend content using metadata including an event metadata unit, a searching unit, and a control unit. The event metadata generating unit is configured to generate event metadata regarding content selected by a user. The searching unit which, on the basis of the generated event metadata and social metadata regarding content uploaded to an SNS server associated with the user, is configured to search the content uploaded to the SNS server to recommend content to be provided to the user. The control unit is configured to provide the recommended content to the user using the social metadata regarding the searched recommended content.
US09495402B2 Managing a table of a database
A method, a system, and a computer program product for managing a database are disclosed. Managing the database includes managing a table of the database, the table having a set of fields including a first field in a first row of the table. Managing the table includes selecting, in the first field, a first input value configured to identify a first dynamic data function utilized to determine a first output value for the first field. Managing the table includes determining the first output value for the first field using the first dynamic data function. Managing the table includes returning (for a read request) the first output value for the first field.
US09495399B1 Augmented reality model comparison and deviation detection
An aspect of providing augmented reality model comparison and deviation detection includes receiving a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object that is associated with a domain, determining a set of characteristics of the object from the 3D model, and searching a domain-specific database for data matching the set of characteristics. The domain-specific database corresponds to the domain associated with the object. An aspect also includes determining an identification of the object from data in the domain-specific database that matches the set of characteristics. For each characteristic in the set of characteristics, and aspect further includes comparing each value of the characteristic to a corresponding value in the matching data of the domain-specific database, and calculating any variation between the corresponding value of the characteristic and the value of the matching data. Another aspect includes creating a searchable index of the matching data and corresponding variations.
US09495398B2 Index for hybrid database
Providing an index for a database table that includes a first portion of rows stored in a memory device and a second portion of rows stored in a disk device. A request is received relating to a specific row of the database table. An index that includes entries for each row of the database table stored in the memory device and entries for a subset of the rows of the database table stored in the disk device is accessed. A connection is made to the memory device if the specific row is stored in the memory device, and a connection is made to the disk device if the specific row is stored in the disk device. An action related to the specific row is performed based on the received request.
US09495395B2 Predictive diagnosis of SLA violations in cloud services by seasonal trending and forecasting with thread intensity analytics
Data can be categorized into facts, information, hypothesis, and directives. Activities that generate certain categories of data based on other categories of data through the application of knowledge which can be categorized into classifications, assessments, resolutions, and enactments. Activities can be driven by a Classification-Assessment-Resolution-Enactment (CARE) control engine. The CARE control and these categorizations can be used to enhance a multitude of systems, for example diagnostic system, such as through historical record keeping, machine learning, and automation. Such a diagnostic system can include a system that forecasts computing system failures based on the application of knowledge to system vital signs such as thread or stack segment intensity and memory heap usage. These vital signs are facts that can be classified to produce information such as memory leaks, convoy effects, or other problems. Classification can involve the automatic generation of classes, states, observations, predictions, norms, objectives, and the processing of sample intervals having irregular durations.
US09495393B2 System and method for reviewing role definitions
A system for reviewing role definitions includes a database that stores a plurality of roles. Each of the plurality of roles associates an identifier with at least one entitlement. The system also includes a second database that stores role review definitions. The review definitions define role review processes for the plurality of roles. The system further includes a processor that is in communication with the role database and the review definition database. The processor executes the role review processes defined by the review definitions at the appropriate times.
US09495391B1 System and method for initiating social interactions between users in a network environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a request from a first user to browse a pool of date requests, where each of the date requests is associated with a potential match in a computer-implemented matching system and includes at least one of a calendar date and a location. The method further includes presenting to the first user information regarding the potential match associated with one of the date requests, and sending a date invitation to the potential match associated with the particular one of the date requests.
US09495384B2 Making address book a source of latitude and longitude coordinates
A method for determining latitude and longitude coordinates for geographic addresses input into an address book on a mobile device is provided. For each geographic address received for storing in a contact record, latitude and longitude coordinates are automatically determined and associated with the geographic address in a database of contact records. In some embodiments, for each geographic address to be input, the method first searches existing contact records for the geographic address and if the latitude and longitude coordinates for the geographic address are in an existing contact record, the contact record for the contact is cross-referenced to the existing record for accessing the latitude and longitude coordinates.
US09495382B2 Systems and methods for performing discrete data replication
Systems and methods for performing intelligent replication of production data on a source storage device. In certain examples, a full backup of the production data is first performed and stored on a destination system. A journal module on the storage device (e.g., a shared storage device), or on at least one source system, tracks files on the storage device that change during a particular period of time. Following this period, a snapshot is taken of the production data. Upon mounting the snapshot, the replication system uses the journal information to identify modified files, conduct a block-level comparison of only the modified files with corresponding files on the destination system, and identify the particular data blocks that changed. The replication system then replicates only the changed blocks to the destination system. Certain systems further store information indicating a source system time of a known good state of the production data.
US09495373B2 File versions within content addressable storage
A request to access to a logical location in a file stored in a content addressable storage (CAS) system can be processed by retrieving first tree data from a first node in a first hash tree that represents a first version of the file. Based on the first tree data, a second node is selected from which a CAS signature is compared to a reserved CAS signature to determine the proper file version. In response to a match, a third node is accessed in a second hash tree that represents a second version of the file. Tree data is retrieved from a third node.
US09495372B2 Multi-tenant agile database connector
A module provides an interface between a multi-tenant database and a non-tenant-specific application instance such that the application instance sends data access commands to the module as if it is communicating with a single-tenant database. The module translates the non-tenant-specific data access command from the non-tenant-aware application into a multi-tenant data access command, as needed, without needing to alter the non-tenant specific application instance in any way. In this manner, a single-tenant application could be used by multiple tenants in a multi-tenant environment.
US09495371B2 Unified access to resources
Architecture that provides a unified interface to access resources in different formats and in disparate resource locations for a process (e.g., consuming application). The unified interface is extensible such that users can add additional components to the unified interface to provide access to new resources and new resource references. The interface provides the capability to create a single comprehensive index of all available resources regardless of the resource format. Format-specific indexers are provided for the resources to find, enumerate, and process the resources into a structure suitable for processing by an indexing component into the index. A user can introduce new format-specific indexers for new resources and new resource references for processing by the indexing component into the index. The unified interface now provides access to the new resources and new resources references as well.
US09495370B1 Data recovery point review in a continuous data protection system
Technologies for providing recovery point review within a continuous data protection system can support a data storage operator in a data recovery procedure. A snapshot image can be chosen that was made prior to a data loss event. A new writable snapshot can be created from this logged snapshot. The new writeable snapshot can become the target for recovering the data volume. Review can be performed in a forward direction by reading a journal of I/O operations that have occurred since the prior snapshot was made. Review can be performed in a backward direction by deriving a dirty data list of changes made to the data volume and then removing the changes as requested. The operator can continue forward and backward review operations to refine the selected recovery point. Upon establishing the desired recovery point, the new writable snapshot can be committed, or rolled back, onto the data storage volume.
US09495367B2 System and method for performing a software comparison
A system and method for performing software verification for one or more electronic devices. A memory of an electronic device is scanned for electronic references. The electronic references of the electronic device are determined in response to the scanning. The electronic references of the electronic device are compared against standard electronic references to determine results. The electronic device is processed in response to the results.
US09495362B2 Fragmented video systems
According to embodiments of the invention, systems, methods and devices are provided for a plurality of participants speaking different languages to participate in a singing event by using pre-determined song samples of different languages. In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a storage that identifies songs by using samples from the song. The storage contains a song including both text and melody, wherein the song contains a plurality of versions of different languages. The system also includes devices allowing superiors and subordinates speaking different languages to sing at the same time. The collaboration may then be recorded and stored remotely via a cloud-based server.
US09495343B2 Horizontal and vertical line detection and removal for document images
A vertical and horizontal line detection method for document images includes generating multiple binary images from the input grayscale document image based on multiple binarization thresholds, detecting horizontal and vertical lines in each of the multiple binary images independently, and merging the detection results from the multiple binary images. The line detection process for each binary image include applying an opening operation using a vertical or horizontal line as the structuring element, and removing connected components that are not vertical or horizontal lines based on a stroke width analysis. The boundaries of the detected lines are obtained using horizontal and vertical projections.
US09495342B2 System and method for automatically inserting correct escaping functions for field references in a multi-tenant computing environment
Methods and systems are provided for automatically correcting escaping functions in a module of page rendering code. The method includes: providing an HTML escaping schema and a script escaping schema; identifying a first character sequence having a first escaping function; determining whether the first character sequence is coded in HTML or coded as a scripted element; correcting the first escaping function using the HTML escaping schema if the first character sequence is coded in HTML; and correcting the first escaping function using the script escaping schema if the first character sequence is coded as a scripted element.
US09495332B2 Detection and repositioning of pop-up dialogs
An embodiment of the invention provides a method where a file is displayed on a display screen of a mobile device; and, a pop-up is identified outside of the visible area on the display screen of the mobile device. The identification of the pop-up includes detecting a document object model change in the file, the presence of one or more non-active elements in the file, and/or a change in luminance in an area outside of the visible area on the display screen. A controller moves the pop-up to the visible area on the display screen, or the visible area on the display screen is moved to the pop-up.
US09495330B2 Anomaly detection method, program, and system
A method providing an analytical technique introducing label information into an anomaly detection model. Effective utilization of label information is based on introducing the degree of similarity between samples. Assuming, for example, there is a degree of similarity between normally labeled samples and no similarity between normally labeled and abnormally labeled samples. Also each sensor value is generated by the linear sum of a latent variable and a coefficient vector specific to each sensor. However, the magnitude of observation noise is formulated to vary according to the label information for the sensor values, and set so that normal label≦unlabeled≦anomalously labeled. A graph Laplacian is created based on the degree of similarity between samples, and determines the optimal linear transformation matrix according to a gradient method. A optimal linear transformation matrix is used to calculate an anomaly score for each sensor in the test samples.
US09495326B2 Providing communication path information in a hybrid communication network
Providing communication path information in a mixed communication network. A first message may be provided from a first device to a second device. The first message may request notification of characteristics of at least one communication path between the second device and a third device. The first device, the second device, and the third device may be coupled together in a mixed communication network. Accordingly, the first device may receive at least one message from the second device regarding the characteristics of the at least one communication path between the second device and the third device.
US09495325B2 Remote direct memory access (RDMA) high performance producer-consumer message processing
A method, system and computer program product for remote direct memory access (RDMA) optimized producer-consumer message processing in a messaging hub is provided. The method includes initializing a shared memory region in memory of a host server hosting operation of a messaging hub. The initialization provides for a control portion and one or more data portions, the control portion storing an index to an available one of the data portions. The method also includes transmitting to a message producer an address of the shared memory region and receiving a message in one of the data portions of the shared memory region from the message producer by way of an RDMA write operation on a network interface of the host server. Finally, the method includes retrieving the message from the one of the data portions and processing the message in the messaging hub in response to the receipt of the message.
US09495323B2 Copying data onto an expandable memory
This document describes a method for synchronizing files on an expandable memory card coupled to a first computing device with an application running on a second computing device, where downloading of files is performed wirelessly without user involvement.
US09495314B2 Determining command rate based on dropped commands
In one or more embodiments, one or more systems, devices, methods, and/or processes described can send, via an interconnect, a rate master command to at least one of multiple processing nodes; determine that a message indicating a dropped command, associated with the rate master command, is received; determine that a count, associated with dropped commands, satisfies a threshold; and provide, to the processing nodes via the interconnect, a signal indicating a command rate, in response to determining that the count satisfies the threshold. Moreover, the count can be incremented in response to determining that the message is received. The at least one of multiple processing nodes can receive, via the interconnect, the signal indicating the command rate and can utilize the command rate in issuing speculative commands, via the interconnect.
US09495312B2 Determining command rate based on dropped commands
In one or more embodiments, one or more systems, devices, methods, and/or processes described can send, via an interconnect, a rate master command to at least one of multiple processing nodes; determine that a message indicating a dropped command, associated with the rate master command, is received; determine that a count, associated with dropped commands, satisfies a threshold; and provide, to the processing nodes via the interconnect, a signal indicating a command rate, in response to determining that the count satisfies the threshold. Moreover, the count can be incremented in response to determining that the message is received. The at least one of multiple processing nodes can receive, via the interconnect, the signal indicating the command rate and can utilize the command rate in issuing speculative commands, via the interconnect.
US09495305B1 Detecting pointer errors for memory protection
A method, a processing system, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured with instructions to carry out a method of determining access permission for or during dereferencing a memory address in an allocated portion of memory of a processing system. The method comprises: providing a pointer that has a tag field and a control-structure-pointer field; and entering content in the control-structure-pointer field to point to a control structure for the allocated portion of memory. The control structure's location or content indicates the portion of memory. The method assigning a tag value for the portion in the tag fields of the pointer and of the control structure. Determining access permission including ascertaining whether the contents of the tag fields of the pointer and of the control structure match.
US09495299B2 Data processing device utilizing way selection of set associative cache memory based on select data such as parity data
Part of a plurality of ways are selected from among the ways according to a value of select data created based on tag address information which is part of address information, and cache tags are read. Further, when performing cache fill, the cache memory performs the cache fill on a cache entry selected from part of the ways according to the value of the select data. For select data used for selecting a way, e.g. parity data in connection with tag address information is used. A way to read a cache tag from is selected based on a value of parity data and further, the way of a cache entry to perform cache fill on is selected.
US09495290B2 Various methods and apparatus to support outstanding requests to multiple targets while maintaining transaction ordering
A method, apparatus, and system are described, which generally relate to an integrated circuit having an interconnect that implements internal controls. The interconnect in an integrated circuit communicates transactions between initiator Intellectual Property (IP) cores and target IP cores coupled to the interconnect. The interconnect implements logic configured to support multiple transactions issued from a first initiator IP core to the multiple target IP cores while maintaining an expected execution order within the transactions. The logic supports a second transaction to be issued from the first initiator IP core to a second target IP core before a first transaction issued from the same first initiator IP core to a first target IP core has completed while ensuring that the first transaction completes before the second transaction and while ensuring an expected execution order within the first transaction and second transaction are maintained. The logic does not include any reorder buffering.
US09495286B2 Method and arrangement for completion or recovery of data transactions in a flash type memory device using a commit process
The invention relates to a method and arrangement for processing transactions in a flash type memory device, wherein the transaction is a data update and/or changing operation consisting of one or more suboperations, all of which must be successfully executed in order to regard the discussed transaction as having been successfully completed in its entirety. In the solution according to the invention, memory-block specific status information (131) of a memory block present in a flash type memory device is utilized not only for managing payload data (141) present in the memory block but also for the management of an entire transaction. Consequently, there is no need for a separate status bookkeeping of transactions, thus reducing the number of reading and writing operations required in transactions.
US09495276B1 Indicating metrics associated with a model on a human machine interface (HMI)
In an embodiment, a model is analyzed and a metric is generated based on the analysis. An indication of the metric is displayed on a Human Machine Interface (HMI) associated with a model. The analysis may involve executing one or more tests of one or more functions in the model. The metric may be generated based on the executing. The one or more functions may be associated with a widget implemented by the HMI and the indication of the metric may be displayed on the widget. The widget may be coded to indicate the metric.
US09495273B2 Systems and methods for displaying blade chassis data
Systems and methods for displaying blade chassis data are provided. One system includes a memory for storing computer code comprising a blade chassis information module and a processor capable of being in communication with a blade chassis. The processor, when executing the computer code comprising the blade chassis information module, is configured to receive the blade chassis data, create a user interface for the blade chassis data, and display the blade chassis data on the user interface. One method includes receiving blade chassis data, creating a user interface for the blade chassis data, and displaying the blade chassis data on the user interface. Also provided are physical computer storage mediums including a computer program product for performing the above method.
US09495272B2 Method and system for generating a power consumption model of at least one server
A system for generating a power consumption model of at least one server includes one or more computers configured to obtain n time series telemetry signals indicative of operating parameters of the at least one server, obtain a time series power signal indicative of power consumed by the at least one server, and correlate each of the n time series telemetry signals with the time series power signal. The one or more computers are further configured to select a set of the n time series telemetry signals having an overall correlation with the time series power signal greater than a predetermined threshold, and generate a power consumption model of the at least one server based on at least the set of the n time series telemetry signals.
US09495261B2 Systems and methods for reducing memory failures
Methods and systems for an in-system repair process that repairs or attempts to repair random bit failures in a memory device are provided. In some examples, an in-system repair process may select alternative steps depending on whether the failure is correctable or uncorrectable. In these examples, the process uses communications between a system on chip and the memory to fix the failures during normal operation.
US09495251B2 Snapshot readiness checking and reporting
An information management system according to certain aspects may determine whether snapshot operations will work prior to executing them. The system may check various factors or parameters relating to a snapshot storage policy to verify whether the storage policy will work at runtime without actually executing the policy. Some examples of factors can include: availability of primary storage devices for which a snapshot should be obtained, availability of secondary storage devices, license availability for snapshot software, user credentials for connecting to primary and/or second storage devices, available storage capacity, connectivity to storage devices, etc. The system may also check whether a particular system configuration is supported in connection with snapshot operations. The result of the determination can be provided in the form of a report summarizing any problems found with the snapshot storage policy. The report can include recommended courses of action or solutions for resolving any identified issues.
US09495246B2 Raid erasure code applied to partitioned stripe
The disclosure presents examples of a RAID storage system, method and computer program product where a stripe is logically partitioned into two or more sub-stripes and at least one RAID erasure code is applied to each sub-stripe independently of any other of the sub-stripe(s). Consequently, in some of these examples, a larger packet size may be used than if the stripe had not been partitioned. A larger packet size may in some cases allow for accelerated encoding and/or decoding.
US09495238B2 Fractional reserve high availability using cloud command interception
An approach is provided to provide a high availability (HA) cloud environment. In the approach, an active cloud environment is established in one cloud computing environment using a primary set of resources and a passive cloud environment is established in another cloud computing environment, with the passive cloud environment using fewer resources than are used by the active cloud environment. A workload is serviced by the active cloud environment. While servicing the workload, cloud commands are processed that alter the primary set of resources and the commands are stored in a queue. When a failure of the active cloud environment occurs, the workload is serviced by the passive cloud environment in the second cloud computing environment and the cloud commands stored in the queue are used to alter the resources used by the passive cloud environment.
US09495233B2 Error framework for a microprocesor and system
In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there are provided methods, systems, mechanisms, techniques, and apparatuses for implementing an error framework for a microprocessor and for a system having such a microprocessor. The error framework may alternatively be implemented by a hardware component, such as a peripheral device for integration into a system. In one embodiment, an error framework of a microprocessor or a hardware component includes an error detection unit to capture an error within the hardware component; a state detection unit to capture error context information when the error is detected within the hardware component; an error event definition unit to define a unique error event representing a combination of the error and the error context information; and a configuration unit to define an error event response based on the unique error event. The error context information may include, for example, a known state of a system at the time the error occurs or a known state of the hardware component or microprocessor within which the error is detected at the time the error occurs.
US09495229B2 Methods, apparatus and computer programs for managing persistence
Described are methods, apparatus and computer programs for managing persistence within a data processing system such as a messaging system, database system or file system. The method for managing persistence includes a deferred evaluation (230,330,430) of at least one criterion associated with costs and/or benefits of saving to persistent storage, instead of persistence behavior being fully predefined. The evaluation may be performed when a disk write is about to be performed (240,340,440), or at various times during processing of a data update and at various points within a data processing network. In a messaging solution, the method for managing persistence includes a dynamic evaluation (230,330,430) of costs and/or benefits of saving to persistent storage, with the evaluation being performed at various points in the messaging network after the message has been created and sent by the originating entity. The method includes determining whether message data and/or log records relating to the message require saving to persistent storage, in accordance with the costs and/or the benefits of saving to persistent storage. The benefits of persisting may be determined with reference to a message value (400).
US09495224B2 Switching a locking mode of an object in a multi-thread program
A mechanism is provided for switching a locking mode of an object in a multi-thread program. The mechanism acquires, during execution of the program, access information related to accesses to the object by a plurality of threads. The object supports a single-level locking mode and a multi-level locking mode. The single-level locking mode is a mode capable of locking the object. The multi-level locking mode is a mode capable of locking the object and fields in the object respectively. The mechanism switches the locking mode of the object between the single-level locking mode and the multi-level locking mode based on the access information.
US09495216B2 Optimization of job scheduling in a computing environment
Optimizing job scheduling in a data processing system includes determining a time factor associated with a report, determining one or more jobs that contribute to the report, and narrowing execution frequency of the one or more jobs based on the time factor of the report. The time factor provides information about timing details for data included in the report. The jobs are executed in a computing environment according to a time schedule.
US09495208B2 Proactive presentation of multitask workflow components to increase user efficiency and interaction performance
A multitask workflow is proactively identified based upon user context information. For discrete tasks of the multitask workflow, modules directed to such tasks are identified from among other modules also directed to the same task, and are proactively presented to the user. Modules are selected based upon predetermined values associated with such modules, which can be indicative of capabilities, relationships, incentives associated with presentation of the modules to the user, and other like valuations. The modules offer visually enticing experiences to aid the user in performing a task, of the multitask workflow, and thereby increasing the user's interaction performance. Additionally, the modules exchange information to increase user efficiency in performing the multitask workflow. Multiple computing devices associated with a user can execute different modules of the multitask workflow, enabling two or more users to collaborate on the multitask workflow or otherwise research and perform tasks associated with the multitask workflow.
US09495206B2 Scheduling and execution of tasks based on resource availability
An apparatus for scheduling includes a receiving unit, configured to receive a task of a job; a configuration unit, configured to configure resource amounts for the task in at least two resource dimensions respectively, wherein each of the resource dimensions represents a resource available for configuring; and an interface unit, configured to distribute the task along with information about the resource amounts configured for the task in the resource dimensions.
US09495204B2 Constructing a logical tree topology in a parallel computer
Constructing a logical tree topology in a parallel computer that includes compute nodes, where each compute node includes a hardware acceleration unit and executes an identical number of tasks and the tasks of each node have a rank, includes: creating hardware acceleration groups, with each hardware acceleration group including one task from each node, where the one task from each node has the same rank; assigning one task of a root compute node as a global root of the logical tree topology; assigning tasks of the root compute node other than the global root as local children of the global root; and assigning each of the global root and local children of the root compute node as a root of a subtree of tasks, wherein each subtree comprises the tasks of a hardware acceleration group.
US09495199B2 Management of bottlenecks in database systems
Management is provided for threads of a database system that is subject to a plurality of disparate bottleneck conditions for resources. A monitor thread retrieves, from a first thread, first monitor data for first bottleneck condition of a first type. The monitor thread compares the first monitor data to a trigger level for the first bottleneck condition and then determines, in response to the comparison of the first monitor data to the trigger level, a potential source of the first bottleneck condition. A potential blocker thread is identified based upon the potential source of the first bottleneck condition. The monitor thread retrieves, from the potential blocker thread, second monitor data for a second type of bottleneck condition that is different from the first type of bottleneck condition. Based upon monitor data, a blocking thread is identified, and a particular blocking solution is applied to the blocking thread.
US09495195B2 Resource migration between virtual containers based on utilization rate and performance degradation
The integrated resource management unit 202 manages some of the resources 311a, 311b, 311c and prepares a plurality of containers 310 provided as virtual resources, with respect to the application programs. In response to a predetermined request that is issued with respect to a tenant 300a or 300b that is configured to divide a resource to be used, the integrated resource management unit provides a request-source tenant with a container selected from among the plurality of containers. In the container that is provided to the request-source tenant by the integrated resource management unit, a resource, which is allocated beforehand to an application program designated by the predetermined request, is occasionally configured to have usage lower than a designated usage.
US09495194B1 Dispersive storage area networks
A method for storing data from an electronic device at a plurality of storage devices of a dispersive storage area network includes communicating, from the electronic device via a virtual network connection, one or more packets to a splitting server. The method further includes splitting, at the splitting server, the data for storage on the dispersive storage area network, and communicating, from the splitting server to each of a plurality of storage servers over each of a plurality of virtual network connections, portions of the split data. The method further includes storing, at each of the storage servers, the received portions of the split data for later retrieval.
US09495191B2 Using virtual disk in virtual machine live migration
Systems and methods for implementing lazy disk I/O in virtual machine live migration. An example method may comprise: determining, by a first computer system, that contents of a memory page mapped into an address space of a virtual machine undergoing live migration from a second computer system to the first computer system is stored on a network-accessible virtual disk; storing, in a memory data structure, a mapping of an address of the memory page to an identifier of a location of the memory page on the virtual disk; and responsive to detecting an access to the memory page by the virtual machine, storing in a memory mapped into the address space of the virtual machine the memory page retrieved from the location of the memory page on the virtual disk.
US09495188B1 Synchronizing a honey network configuration to reflect a target network environment
Techniques for synchronizing a honey network configuration to reflect a target network environment are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system for synchronizing a honey network configuration to reflect a target network environment includes a device profile data store that includes a plurality of attributes of each of a plurality of devices in the target network environment; a virtual machine (VM) image library that includes one or more VM images; and a virtual clone manager executed on a processor that instantiates a virtual clone of one or more devices in the target enterprise network using a VM image selected from the VM image library that is customized based on one or more attributes for a target device in the device profile data store.
US09495182B2 Apparatus of reconfigurable software mode management using runtime execution engine
A method and architecture of reconfiguring software mode management for a system. A prior status mode of a subsystem is identified. The primary controller includes a primary software algorithm for maintaining operations of the subsystem. A mode determination logic function is retrieved in a table for determining whether a mode change occurred. The mode determination logic function associated with the prior mode is executed. A current mode is determined from the table based on results from the execution of the mode determination logic function. An action list associated with the identified current mode in the table is identified. The action list identifies functions for transitioning the nodes from the prior mode to the current node. An action list associated with the current mode including a list of action functions for transitioning the previous mode to the current mode is executed. The table is independently modifiable from the primary software mode management algorithm.
US09495164B2 Branch prediction using multiple versions of history data
Branch prediction is provided by generating a first index from a previous instruction address and from a first branch history vector having a first length. A second index is generated from the previous instruction address and from a second branch history vector that is longer than the first vector. Using the first index, a first branch prediction is retrieved from a first branch prediction table. Using the second index, a second branch prediction is retrieved from a second branch prediction table. Based upon additional branch history data, the first branch history vector and the second branch history vector are updated. A first hash value is generated from a current instruction address and the updated first branch history vector. A second hash value is generated from the current instruction address and the updated second branch history vector. One of the branch predictions are selected based upon the hash values.
US09495157B1 Fingerprint-based branch prediction
Embodiments relate to fingerprint-based branch prediction. An aspect includes based on encountering a branch instruction during execution of software on a processor of a computer system, determining a fingerprint of the software, the fingerprint comprising a representation of a sequence of behavior that occurs in the processor while the software is executing. Another aspect includes based on determining that a match for the fingerprint and the branch instruction is located in an entry in the prediction table: predicting the branch instruction according to the associated prediction field. Another aspect includes based on determining that no match for the fingerprint and the branch instruction are located in an entry in the prediction table: creating a new entry in the prediction table for the fingerprint and the branch instruction.
US09495147B2 Method and apparatus for obtaining context information for a software development task
Aspects are directed to obtaining context information for a software development task. A method includes finding, in response to designating any one tool component associated with the software development task as a root component, at least one other tool component having an at least one-level link with the root component. Context information is extracted n from the root component and the at least one other tool component. A context set is generated based on the extracted context information.
US09495139B2 Elastic computing
Elastic computing is an optimization framework that combines standard application code with specialized elastic functions and corresponding optimization tools. The elastic functions provide a knowledge-base of implementation alternatives and parallelization strategies for a given function. When an application calls an elastic function, the elastic computing tools analyze available devices and resources (e.g., cores, GPUs, FPGAs, etc.) and current run-time parameters, and then transparently select from numerous pre-analyzed implementation possibilities to optimize for performance, power, energy, size, or any combination of these goals.
US09495125B2 Electronic device and display method
An electronic device and a display method includes a main body apparatus with a processing unit which generates a first image and performs display control; a first fixing apparatus connected with the main body apparatus, which maintains a relative location relationship between the electronic device and at least a part of body of a user when the user wears the electronic device; and a first display unit arranged on the main body apparatus and/or the first fixing apparatus, which outputs the first image; wherein the first display unit comprises a first display component which displays the first image, and a first optical component which receives light corresponding to the first image emitted from the first display component, and changes the light path of the light corresponding to the first image to form a magnified virtual image corresponding to the first image.
US09495121B2 Client device using a markup language to control a periphery device via a point-of-sale printer
A device control system has a terminal 3 with an application 31, and a printer 5 that controls a device. The terminal 3 sends a request written in XML generated by the application 31. The printer 5 receives the XML request, the terminal 3 sends an XML response, and if the terminal 3 requested control of the device in the XML request, controls the device.
US09495115B2 Automatic analysis of issues concerning automatic memory management
Systems and methods are provided to automatically analyze performance of an automatic memory management system. One example embodiment involves automatically gathering, using at least one processor of the server, garbage collection information associated with the garbage collection process and storing the garbage collection information in a garbage collection output file of a file system. The garbage collection output file may be analyzed to identify a plurality of flags associated with a performance of the server system that does not meet one or more performance thresholds. In certain embodiments, a first flag of the plurality of flags is associated with a first portion of the garbage collection information, and a second flag of the plurality of flags is associated with a second portion of the garbage collection information that is different from the first portion of the garbage collection information.
US09495111B2 System and method for reducing information leakage from memory
A system and method includes a processing unit connected with a memory, the processing unit configured to access data from the memory. A memory transaction unit is added between the processing unit and the memory. The memory transaction unit is configured to perform dummy read- and write-operations at random memory locations at random times and/or insert random delays before real accesses by the processing unit from the memory.
US09495103B2 Read training a memory controller
Provided are a device and computer readable storage medium for programming a memory module to initiate a training mode in which the memory module transmits continuous bit patterns on a side band lane of the bus interface; receiving the bit patterns over the bus interface; determining from the received bit patterns a transition of values in the bit pattern to determine a data eye between the determined transitions of the values; and determining a setting to control a phase interpolator to generate interpolated signals used to sample data within the determined data eye.
US09495101B2 Methods for balancing write operations of SLC blocks in different memory areas and apparatus implementing the same
Data is received at a computer memory to be programmed in single-level-cell mode. A stress level of a first section of the computer memory is determined. A stress level of a second section of the computer memory is determined. The stress levels of the first and second sections of the computer memory are compared to determine which one of the first and second sections is a less stressed single-level-cell mode section of the computer memory. The data received at the computer memory is programmed in the less stressed single-level-cell mode section of the computer memory.
US09495098B2 Detecting input based on multiple gestures
Detecting user input based on multiple gestures is provided. One or more interactions are received from a user via a user interface. An inferred interaction is determined based, at least in part, on a geometric operation, wherein the geometric operation is based on the one or more interactions. The inferred interaction is presented via the user interface. Whether a confirmation has been received for the inferred interaction is determined.
US09495093B2 Mobile terminal and control method based on body parts signals
A mobile terminal includes a communication unit, a sensor to sense a first body signal from a first body part and a controller. The controller determines a first target device corresponding to the first body signal and generates a signal for output to the first target device through the communication unit. The first body signal includes information indicative of a characteristic of the first body part. Alternatively, the first target device may be determined by a server coupled to the mobile terminal.
US09495092B2 Method and apparatus for controlling detailed information display for selected area using dynamic touch interaction
A method and apparatus configured to control the level of detailed information displayed for a selected area using a dynamic touch interaction in a mobile terminal including a touch screen, are provided. The apparatus include a memory that stores contents to be output through the touch screen as data, a touch interaction module that analyzes a user's touch input through the touch screen and recognizes a stipulated touch interaction, and a control unit that controls an overall operation of the apparatus according to the user's input through the touch screen. The control unit also controls the level of subordinate detailed information displayed in an area, which is designated by the user through a stipulated touch input, to be displayed when the stipulated touch input is recognized through the touch interaction module, based on the data stored in the memory.
US09495090B2 Input control device, electronic instrument, input control method, program, and recording medium
A touch control section (5) includes: an operation accepting section (51) which accepts a touch operation conducted with respect to an icon or the like; and an accepting operation control section (52) which controls the operation accepting section (51) to forbid an accepting operation in a case where screen scroll is started. In a case where screen scroll is started, the accepting operation control section (52) controls the accepting operation control section (52) to lift the forbiddance of an accepting operation before the screen scroll automatically stops.
US09495085B2 Device connectivity
A method of operating a device comprising connecting to an external data source via a network, determining that the network connection has been broken, determining that the network connection has been restored, detecting that a user is accessing an application that requires access to the network connection, and prioritizing the accessed application with respect to the required access to the network connection.
US09495082B2 Service in support of browser for multi-media content
Methods, apparatuses and storage medium associated with a multi-media service configured to support a browser for rendering multi-media content are disclosed. In various embodiments, a method may include receiving, by the multi-media service of a device, from a render engine of a browser operating on the device, through a browser engine of the browser, multi-media rendering commands associated with rendering the multi-media content on a display unit of the device. The multi-media service may be operating outside the browser. Further, the method may include processing, by the multi-media service in conjunction with a graphics processing unit and/or a media processor of the device, the multi-media rendering commands to render the multi-media content on the display unit, and emitting and returning signals to the render engine, through the browser engine. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.
US09495080B2 Method for configuring a graphical user interface
In order to configure a graphical user interface (6′) for displays of various terminals, a graphical configuration interface (81′) is presented, which comprises a miniaturized presentation of a desktop for the graphical user interface (6′). Configuration instructions are received in order to select widgets (W′) and in order to arrange the widgets (W′) on the desktop by positioning miniaturized presentations of the widgets on the desktop presented in miniature. Further configuration instructions selectively associate one or more defined parts of the desktop with the terminals, and the graphical user interface (6′) is defined for a particular terminal on the basis of the associated parts of the desktop and the widgets (W′) arranged thereon.
US09495072B2 System and method for sharing content with a remote device
A system and method for sharing content is provided. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a housing and a wide area network (WAN) connector extending from the housing. The system may also include a graphical user interface (GUI) engine located within the housing. In practice, the GUI engine may be operable to initiate an outputting of a first list navigable with a remote control and a second list navigable with the remote control. The remote control may be a Set Top Box (STB) remote control and the first list may be configured to facilitate remote control-based navigation. The first list may contain an identifier for at least one piece of selectable content, which may be, for example, photographs, videos, songs, etc. The second list may include an alias for at least one available share partner. In practice, a user of the system may want to give a share partner revocable access to some portion of selectable content.
US09495064B2 Information processing method and electronic device
An information processing method is performed using an electronic device, which includes a touch-sensitive display unit and is capable of executing at least one application. The touch-sensitive display unit is capable of displaying at least one window, which includes a full-screen window and/or a non-full-screen window smaller than the full-screen window. In the method, a first window is displayed on the touch-sensitive display unit according to a first operation, and a first application is started and executed in the first window; a second window is displayed on the touch-sensitive display unit according to a second operation, and a second application is started and executed in the second window; in response to detecting that the first window and the second window are in a predetermined relationship and/or that the first application and the second application are in a predetermined relationship, interaction between the first window and the second window is enabled.
US09495060B2 Creating and maintaining a singular uninterrupted focus while transitioning through a graduated user interface
A mechanism for displaying a single focus on a device is provided. A piece of content is displayed in a first application on a display of the device. The piece of content is enlarged to create a single focus on the piece of content on the display. Parameters of the piece of content are passed to a second application. The piece of content is duplicated as an identical piece of content in the second application, and the identical piece of content is visually exactly positioned behind the piece of content on the display. The piece of content is seamlessly swapped with the identical piece of content of the second application, so that the identical piece of content is visually positioned to be viewable by the user. Tools of the second application are visually presented in an incremental transition until the tools are viewable and available to the user.
US09495057B1 Systems and methods for accessing multiple data-protection applications from a single interface
A computer-implemented method for accessing multiple data-protection applications from a single interface. The method may include providing, in a portion of a web browser, a graphical toolbar interface for interfacing with a plurality of data-protection applications. The graphical toolbar interface may comprise at least one user input region for receiving input from a user and at least one data-display region for displaying representations of data received from the plurality of data-protection applications. The method may also include receiving, at the user input region, a request directed to at least one data-protection application of the plurality of data-protection applications and sending the request to the at least one data-protection application.
US09495054B2 Touch control system and coordinate correction method thereof
A touch control system includes first and second sensing regions. At least one sensor monitors the first sensing region to generate a first sensing amount. At least one second sensor monitors the second sensing region to generate a second sensing amount. An initial coordinate generating module generates an initial coordinate according to the first and second sensing amounts, and determines whether a touch point is in an intersection region. When the determination result of the initial coordinate generating module is affirmative, a correction value generating module generates a correction value according to the first and second sensing amounts. A corrected coordinate generating module multiplies the initial coordinate by a first weight to generate a first weighted result, multiplies the correction value by a second weight to generate a second weighted result, and adds the first and the second weighted results to generate a corrected coordinate.
US09495051B2 Capacitive touch panel
An embodiment of the present invention discloses a capacitive touch panel, which is provided with an electrostatic protection touching layer, the electrostatic protection touching layer comprises a touching array pattern and an electrostatic protection discharging pattern, and the electrostatic protection discharging pattern is disposed in a space of the touching array pattern, complementing with the touching array pattern. The capacitive touch panel of the embodiment of the present invention, reduces the thickness of touch panel, and saves the material by forming the electrostatic protection layer and the touch sensing layer on one layer, which realizes the touching sense as well as the electrostatic protection, eliminates the capacitance between the electrostatic protection layer and the touch sensing layer, and improves the sensitivity of touching sense.
US09495039B2 Coordinate input device and display device including the same
A coordinate input device includes: a coordinate input unit having a plurality of first detection electrodes and a plurality of second detection electrodes; an electrode drive circuit that applies a drive signal to one or more of the detection electrodes; a detection circuit that detects a signal of the first and/or second detection electrode; a selection circuit for selecting one or more of the detection electrodes to which the drive signal is not applied from among the detection electrodes which are disposed in parallel to the detection electrodes to which the drive signal is applied, as a reference electrode; a detection circuit for detecting a signal of the selected reference electrode; an input coordinate computing circuit for correcting a detection result of the detection circuit on the basis of the detected capacitance of the reference electrode and for calculating an input coordinate from the corrected detection result.
US09495036B2 Input system utilizing stylus pen which receives electrical signals via connection link
An input system includes a touch panel, a control circuit, a stylus pen, and a connection link. The control circuit generates an electrical signal. The stylus pen is external to the control circuit. The connection link is coupled between the control circuit and the stylus pen, and transmits the electrical signal to the stylus pen, wherein the electrical signal is coupled to the touch panel via the stylus pen. The connection link may be a wired link or a wireless link.
US09495035B2 Apparatus and method for user input
A user input apparatus and method may measure, using a first sensor, surface input information that is applied to a surface of a user input apparatus, may measure, using a second sensor, orientation information that is input based on a physical quantity associated with a pose or a rotary motion of the user input apparatus, and may generate a content control signal, by combining the surface input information and the orientation information.
US09495021B2 Computer input device
The use of a uni-pressure and dual-pressure augmented mouse permits users to simultaneously control cursor positions as well as multiple levels of discrete action modes for common desktop application tasks. One, two or more independent pressure sensors can be mounted onto several locations on the body of the mouse. Various selection techniques are described to control many discrete levels and to simultaneously control different variable functions with pressure sensors on an input device for an electronic device.
US09495019B2 Display method of mobile device selection and terminal device
The present invention provides a display method of a mobile device selection and a terminal device. The method includes: receiving a location movement signal sent by a mobile device; determining a location, of a cursor focus of the mobile device, on a screen according to the location movement signal; and determining that the cursor focus moves toward a target icon, and if a distance between the cursor focus and the target icon is greater than zero and is less than or equal to a first threshold, determining that the cursor focus selects the target icon, thereby improving user operation efficiency, reducing operation complexity, and ensuring desirable interaction experience of a user.
US09495005B2 Systems and methods for processing motion sensor generated data
Systems and methods for processing data from a motion sensor to detect intentional movements of a device are provided. An electronic device having a motion sensor may process motion sensor data along one or more dimensions to generate an acceleration value representative of the movement of the electronic device. The electronic device may then determine whether the acceleration value changes from less than a low threshold, to more than a high threshold, and again to less than the low threshold within a particular amount of time, reflecting an intentional movement of the electronic device by the user. In response to determining that the acceleration value is associated with an intentional movement of the electronic device, the electronic device may perform a particular event or operation. For example, in response to detecting that an electronic device has been shaken, the electronic device may shuffle a media playlist.
US09494997B2 Hierarchical clock control using hysterisis and threshold management
In some embodiments, a system may include a sub-hierarchy clock control. In some embodiments, the system may include a master unit. The master unit may include an interface unit electrically coupled to a slave unit. The interface unit may monitor, during use, usage requests of the slave unit by the master unit. In some embodiments, the interface unit may turn off clocks to the slave unit during periods of nonuse. In some embodiments, the interface unit may determine if a predetermined period of time elapses before turning on clocks to the slave unit such that turning off the slave unit resulted in the system achieving greater efficiency. In some embodiments, the interface unit may maintain, during use, power to the slave unit during periods of nonuse. The interface unit may maintain power to the slave unit during periods of nonuse such that data stored in the slave unit is preserved.
US09494987B2 Processing system with low power wake-up pad
An integrated circuit includes an input/output pad, an input circuit, and an output circuit. The input circuit is coupled to the input/output pad that receives input signals including a wake-up signal that indicates when the integrated circuit is to switch from a power-down mode to an active mode. The output circuit is coupled to the input/output pad that provides output signals to the input/output pad. The output circuit includes a first P channel transistor in a well having a drain coupled to the input/output pad, and a source coupled to a power supply terminal. The power supply terminal receives a first power supply voltage during the active mode and is decoupled from any power supply during the power-down mode. The well is coupled to the wake-up signal in response to the wake-up signal indicating a change from the power-down mode to the active mode.
US09494984B1 Fixing structure of removable electronic device
A fixing structure of a removable electronic device adapted for fixing an electronic device to a bay includes a handle body, a backplane, a screw member, and an elastic member. The handle body has front and rear faces, the front face is formed with an opening, and the opening is formed with a stopping mechanism. The backplane is disposed at the rear face of the handle body, the backplane is formed with a perforation, and the perforation corresponds to the opening. The screw member is disposed inside of the handle body, the screw member is stopped by the stopping mechanism, and the screw member extends passing through the backplane via the perforation. The elastic member is disposed between the screw member and the backplane. The backplane is fixed at the electronic device, the screw member is connected to the bay, and the electronic device is fixed to the bay.
US09494964B2 Gate drive circuit
A gate drive circuit includes: a modulation circuit that generates a first modulated signal and a second modulated signal; an isolator including a first electromagnetic resonance coupler that isolatedly transmits the first modulated signal, and a second electromagnetic resonance coupler that isolatedly transmits the second modulated signal; a first rectifier circuit that generates a first signal by rectifying the first modulated signal; a second rectifier circuit that generates a second signal by rectifying at least a part of the second modulated signal; a third rectifier circuit that generates charging voltage by rectifying a second radio-frequency wave; a capacitor that charges a charge in accordance with the charging voltage; and an output circuit which selects whether or not to supply the charge charged in the capacitor to a gate terminal of the semiconductor switch, in accordance with at least one of the first signal and the second signal.
US09494961B2 Feedback device and method for constant current driver
A feedback device for a constant current driver controls a power supply module in the constant current driver to generate an output voltage. The constant current driver drives an electrical load with an output current. The feedback device includes a feedback control module and a feedback output unit. The feedback control module is utilized for receiving a load driven voltage related to the electrical load and generating a control voltage accordingly. The feedback output unit is utilized for generating a feedback current via an equivalent resistor of the feedback output unit according to a voltage difference between the control voltage and a feedback voltage of the power supply module. The power supply module controls the magnitude of the output voltage according to the feedback current, allowing the constant current driver to drive the electrical load with the output current.
US09494960B2 Voltage regulator programmable as a function of load current
A programmable linear voltage regulator and system for programming the regulator that improves the speed, power usage, and stability over conventional linear voltage regulators is disclosed. A controller that has knowledge of the current or expected activation of various loads sends bias control signals to a programmable biasing circuit of an error amplifier in the voltage regulator to adjust the bias current in accordance with the load current the regulator produces or is expected to produce. A look up table associated with the controller can be used to correlate the bias control signals with current or expected load conditions. Programming of the programmable biasing circuit may precede the enablement of a new load condition to ready the voltage regulator to handle the upcoming change in load current.
US09494947B2 Pressure type flow control system with flow monitoring
A pressure type flow control system with flow monitoring includes an inlet side passage, a control valve comprising a pressure-type flow control unit connected downstream of the inlet side passage, a thermal-type flow sensor connected downstream of the control valve, an orifice installed on a fluid passage connected downstream of the thermal-type flow sensor, a temperature sensor provided near the fluid passage between the control valve and orifice, a pressure sensor provided for the fluid passage between the control valve and orifice, an outlet side passage connected to the orifice, and a control unit comprising a pressure-type flow rate arithmetic and control unit to which a pressure signal from the pressure sensor and a temperature signal from the temperature sensor are input, and which computes a flow rate value of fluid flowing through the orifice, and outputs a control signal to a valve drive unit of the control valve.
US09494945B2 Flight management device for an aircraft adapted to the handling of multiple time constraints and corresponding method
A device and method for flight management of an aircraft along a flight plan comprises a plurality of waypoints comprising a computation of the temporal predictions determining the temporal situation of the aircraft for each waypoint of the flight plan, a temporal situation of the aircraft being defined by at least one set of information from among the group comprising the target time of transit at each waypoint the estimated minimum and maximum times of arrival at each waypoint, the estimated time of transit at the waypoint, and a formatting and display simultaneously presenting the temporal situations of the said plurality of waypoints.
US09494938B1 Unique signaling for autonomous vehicles to preserve user privacy
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to protecting the privacy of a user of a dispatching service for driverless vehicles. For example, a request for a vehicle identifying user information is received. A client computing device may be identified based on the user information. In response to the request, a driverless vehicle may be dispatched to the location of the client device. Signaling information may be generated based on a set of rules including a first rule that the signaling information does not identify, indirectly or directly, the user as well as a second rule that the signaling information does not identify, indirectly or directly, the user information. The location of the client computing device and the signaling information may be sent to the driverless vehicle for display. In addition, the signaling information may also be sent to the client computing device for display.
US09494933B1 Processing packets in an aircraft network data processing system
A method, data processing system, and computer program product for processing packets in an aircraft network data processing system. A number of first packets of data are received from each redundant network in a plurality of redundant networks in the aircraft network data processing system. A number of second packets of data generated by a redundancy manager are received in communication with the plurality of redundant networks. Then, a configuration of the plurality of redundant networks is identified using the number of first packets and the number of second packets.
US09494927B2 Motor control device and game machine
A motor control device has a communication unit that receives a control command comprising a motor type identification signal and a rotation signal, wherein the motor type identification signal indicates whether a control object motor is a stepping motor or a DC motor, and wherein the rotation signal designates a target rotation amount and a target rotation speed of the motor, a sensor interface that receives a detection signal from a rotation angle sensor when the control object motor is the DC motor, wherein the rotation angle sensor outputs the detection signal every time the motor rotates by a first rotation angle, a DC motor drive signal generator that generates and outputs a first drive signal rotating the DC motor at the target rotation speed, and a stepping motor drive signal generator that generates and outputs a second drive signal rotating the stepping motor at the target rotation speed.
US09494924B2 Social infrastructure control system, control method, control apparatus, and server
According to one embodiment, a system includes control apparatus and server. Control apparatus includes collector, transmitter, receiver and main controller. Collector collects sensing data concerning control targets in social infrastructure. Transmitter transmits collected sensing data to server. Receiver receives control instruction from server. Main controller controls control targets based on control instruction. Server includes acquisition unit, database, generator and instructor. Acquisition unit acquires sensing data from control apparatus. Database stores sensing data. Generator generates control instruction by processing sensing data. Instructor transmits generated control instruction to control apparatus.
US09494921B2 Magnetic shielding for timepiece balance spring
Device for protecting a timepiece balance spring (1) against interfering magnetic fields comprising a balance (2) made of amorphous ferromagnetic material.
US09494920B2 Fluid indicator
An indicator including a housing, a movement lodged in the housing, a watch glass above the housing, a fluid pump driven by the movement for pumping a fluid, and a channel. The channel is arranged so that the fluid circulated by the pump reaches the channel in order to fill the channel for displaying indications.
US09494906B2 Driving force transmission device and image forming apparatus using the same
A driving force transmission device that transmits a driving force to a rotation body includes a flange member provided in the rotation body, a through shaft that is connected to the flange member to transmit the driving force to the rotation body via the flange member, and an intermediate transmission member that is provided in the through shaft to transmit the driving force to the flange member from the through shaft.
US09494902B2 Fixing belt, fixing device, and image forming apparatus
A fixing belt for a fixing device of an image forming apparatus includes a base layer including a heat-resistant resin and a mesh member embedded in the heat-resistant resin and including a metal member, in which the mesh member includes an opening. The heat-resistant resin fills in the opening. A thickness of the thinnest portion of the mesh member is 40% or more of the thickness of the base layer. A fixing device includes a heating member; a pressure member; and the fixing belt as described above. Further, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming section and the fixing device including the above described fixing belt.
US09494901B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus with a rotatable light shield
A fixing device includes a nip formation pad pressing against a pressure rotator via a fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. The nip formation pad includes a base and a first thermal conductor sandwiched between the base and the fixing rotator at the fixing nip and having a first thermal conductivity greater than a basic thermal conductivity of the base. A first heater and a second heater are disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator. A rotatable light shield moves to a shield position where the light shield is interposed between the second heater and the fixing rotator to shield the fixing rotator from the second heater. The second heater is disposed at a location where the light shield screens the second heater more readily than the first heater.
US09494885B2 Developing agent and method for producing the same
A method for producing a developing agent including preparing a dispersion liquid containing first fine particles containing a binder resin and second fine particles containing a color developable compound, a color coupler, and a color eraser, and aggregating the first and second fine particles in the dispersion liquid to form aggregated particles.
US09494878B2 Actuation mechanism, optical apparatus, lithography apparatus and method of manufacturing devices
An EUV optical apparatus includes a number of adjustable mirrors (22x) on mirror bodies (120). Each mirror body is supported on an actuator (100x) comprising a moving part (132, 134, 136) and a fixed casing part (128, 130). The actuator provides a resilient support (140, 142) for the mirror body so that it is tiltable with two degrees relative to the casing. An electromagnetic motor (166, 170-178) applies first part, under the influence of an applied motive force, the resilient mounting being arranged to provide a biasing force that resists said motive force. A magnetic coupling (102, 104a, 104b) is arranged between the moving and fixed parts so as to provide a counter-biasing force. The counter-biasing force partly opposes said biasing force and thereby reduces the motive force required to effect a given displacement. The actuator can thus be made with reduced size, weight and heat dissipation.
US09494875B2 Chuck, a chuck control system, a lithography apparatus and a method of using a chuck
A chuck, chuck control system, lithographic apparatus and method of using a chuck are disclosed. In an embodiment, there is provided a chuck (43) for use in holding a patterning device (MA) or a substrate (W) onto a supporting table (MT, WT) of a lithography apparatus (100) by electrostatic force, in which the patterning device is for imparting a radiation beam (B) with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, and the substrate is for receiving the patterned radiation beam; said chuck comprising: a dielectric member (45); a temperature conditioning fluid channel (48) formed within the chuck; a drive electrode (40, 42) for applying a potential difference between the drive electrode and the patterning device or substrate across the dielectric member in order to electrostatically attract the patterning device or substrate towards the drive electrode; and a first shield electrode (60) for reducing or preventing the development of an electric field across temperature conditioning fluid in the temperature conditioning fluid channel due to a voltage applied to the drive electrode, in order to reduce or prevent electrolysis in the fluid.
US09494872B2 Inspection method for lithography
The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus and method which include projecting a measurement radiation beam onto a target on a substrate in order to measure the radiation reflected from the target and obtain information related to properties of the substrate. In the present embodiments, the measurement spot, which is the focused beam on the substrate, is larger than the target. Information regarding the radiation reflected from the target is kept and information regarding the radiation reflected from the surface around the target is eliminated. This is done either by having no reflecting (or no specularly reflecting) surfaces around the target or by having known structures around the target, the information from which may be recognized and removed from the total reflected beam. The reflected beam is measured in the pupil plane of the projector such that the information obtained is related to diffraction orders of the reflected beam and profile, critical dimension or overlay of structures on the substrate may be determined.
US09494867B2 Rinsing liquid for lithography and pattern forming method using same
Disclosed are a rinse solution for lithography comprising water and a nonionic surfactant represented by the formula (I) (R1 and R2 may be the same as or different from each other and represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R3 and R4 may be the same as or different from each other and represent a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or an ethyl group, R5 represents a hydrocarbon group having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, in which one or more of a double bond or triple bond are contained, or a phenylene group, and R6 and R7 may be the same as or different from each other and represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group) and a method for forming a resist pattern by rinsing the resist pattern obtained by exposing and developing a photosensitive resist with the rinse solution for lithography described above.
US09494863B2 Chemically amplified negative resist composition, photo-curable dry film, making method, patterning process, and electric/electronic part-protecting film
A chemically amplified negative resist composition comprising a silicone structure-bearing polymer forms a film which can be readily patterned. The patterned film is tightly adherent to various substrates and suited as protective film on electric/electronic parts because of improved alkali resistance and reliability.
US09494854B2 Technique for repairing an EUV photo-mask
During a calculation technique, a modification to a reflective photo-mask is calculated. In particular, using information specifying a defect associated with a recessed area on a top surface of the reflective photo-mask, the modification to the reflective photo-mask is calculated. For example, the calculation may involve an inverse optical calculation in which a difference between a pattern associated with the reflective photo-mask at an image plane in a photo-lithographic process and a reference pattern at the image plane in the photo-lithographic process is used to calculate the modification at an object plane in the photo-lithographic process. Note that the modification includes a negative feature in which one or more pairs of layers in a multilayer stack in the reflective photo-mask are removed using a subtractive fabrication process. Moreover, the modification is proximate to the recessed area.