Document Document Title
US09622387B1 Rack-mounted air directing device with scoop
An air directing device includes a rack-coupling portion that couples the air directing device with a rack, and one or more air directing portions. The air directing portions include one or more openings and one or more scoops that direct air from outside the rack into at least one of the openings when the air directing device is coupled to the rack.
US09622383B2 Heat radiation structure of electric device and method for manufacturing the same
A heat radiation structure for an electric device includes: at least one multi-layer substrate including a plurality of base parts made of insulation material and a conductor pattern, which are stacked in a multi-layer structure so that the conductor pattern is electrically coupled with an interlayer connection portion in the base parts; the electric device having at least one of a first electric element built in the at least one multi-layer substrate and a second electric element, which is not built in the multi-layer substrate; and a low heat resistance element opposed to the electric device. The low heat resistance element has a heat resistance lower than the insulation material.
US09622377B2 Cold plate having separable flow directing baffle
An assembly includes a cold plate enclosure and a flow directing baffle separable from the cold plate enclosure. The cold plate enclosure includes a cavity therein, an inlet for coolant ingress into the cavity, and an outlet for coolant egress out of the cavity. The baffle is attached to the enclosure within the cavity. The baffle includes flow directing features such that the baffle directs coolant flow through the cavity from the inlet to the outlet in a prescribed manner.
US09622372B2 Housing-side separating layer for the stress decoupling of potted electronics
The invention relates to a device, which includes a substrate for carrying an electrical circuit, a housing for enclosing the substrate, and a potting compound accommodated in the housing, which potting compound at least partially encloses the substrate. The potting compound can adhere to the housing. Furthermore, the device has a wall, from which the potting compound can detach.
US09622370B2 Modular arrangement with at least one base module
The invention relates to a modular arrangement with at least one base module that has a connection module on two different sides in each case and with at least one functional module with at least one connection module. The connection modules of the base module are designed to be rotationally invariant with regard to their mechanical and electrical connections, so a choice of the first or second connection module of the base module can be brought into contact with the connection module of the functional module by rotating the base module.
US09622369B2 Cabinet frame enclosures, frame members and corresponding methods
According to some aspects of the present disclosure, systems and methods are disclosed for cabinet frames, including frame members coupled together via corner copulas. Frame members may include external and internal channels and surfaces for mounting external and internal components. Systems and methods are also disclosed for coupling the frame members and corner copulas.
US09622365B2 Apparatus and methods for accommodating a display in an electronic device
An electronic device (100) includes a housing member (103) and a display layer (512). The display includes two substrate layers (404,405) sealed together at a seam (408) disposed along a periphery (602) of each substrate layer. A compression gasket (604) is disposed between the housing member and the display, the compression gasket being disposed against the display interior to the seam. A second compression gasket (995) can be disposed interior to the compression gasket to provide a dampening function.
US09622363B2 Structure for cabinet
A structure for a cabinet containing electrical materials is disclosed having posts, crossbeams and connecting means. The connecting means are adapted to join one to another at least two crossbeams and one post, and including a base element and a hollow element which is provided with a substantially axial opening. The base element is constrained to the crossbeams and has an inserting portion adapted to be inserted inside the hollow element. Conversely, the hollow element is adapted to be constrained to the post. In particular, the hollow element, the post and the inserting portion are each provided with a bore, the bores being alignable one to another in operative conditions. A joining element provided with a truncated—cone shaped portion is adapted to pass in each of the bores when they are aligned, so that to constrain one to another the hollow element, the post and the inserting portion.
US09622359B2 RFID transponder chip modules
The planar antenna (PA) of a transponder chip module (TCM) may have a U-shaped portion so that an outer end (OE) of the antenna may be positioned close to an RFID chip (IC) disposed at a central area of a module tape (MT) for the transponder chip module. A module tape (MT2) may have contact pads (CP) on one side thereof and a connection bridge (CBR) on another side thereof, and may be joined with a module tape (MT1) having a planar antenna (PA). Metal of a conductive layer (CL) within a conductive element such as a coupling frame (CF) or a planar antenna (PA) may be scribed to have many small segments. A metal sheet may be stamped to have contact side metallization, and joined with a module tape (MT) having a planar antenna (PA).
US09622349B2 Control device, and motor unit including control device
A control device includes: a metal housing having a bottom wall and a side wall; a first circuit board having a principal surface, the principal surface facing the bottom wall; and a second circuit board upright to the first circuit board, and having a principal surface and a power element, the power element being mounted on the principal surface and facing the side wall.
US09622340B2 Flexible circuit board and method for manufacturing same
A flexible circuit board includes an insulating layer, a linear signal line, a plurality of grounding lines, a metal coating layer, a circuit layer and an electromagnetic shielding layer. The insulating layer includes a first face and a second face. The metal coating layer covers the linear signal line on the first face. The metal coating layer has a thickness less than that of the linear signal line, and an electrical conductivity larger than that of the linear signal line. The grounding lines are at two opposite sides of the linear signal line on the first face. The circuit layer is on the second face. The electromagnetic shielding layer covers the linear signal line and the grounding lines. The linear signal line and the grounding lines are between the electromagnetic shielding layer and the circuit layer. A method for manufacturing the flexible circuit board is also provided.
US09622326B1 Method and device for determining emitted light intensity level
Systems and methods are provided for determining a light intensity level of emitted light from an illuminator of a display device and the ambient light surrounding the display device such that, for example, the display device may compensate for performance variations of the illuminator over time.
US09622322B2 Task light based system and gesture control
A system that determines the task of the viewer and/or gestures made by the user. Based upon the determined task and/or the gestures, the lighting provided to the viewer may be modified.
US09622319B2 Substrate to which film is formed, method for production, and organic EL display device
A film formation substrate is arranged such that (i) a base end, in a y-axis direction, of a film-thickness-gradually-diminishing part of a first film overlaps a first film formation region, and (ii) a film-thickness-gradually-diminishing part of a second film is disposed on an outside, in the y-axis direction, of a second film formation region and overlaps the film-thickness-gradually-diminishing part of the first film so as to compensate for a gradually diminished thickness of the film-thickness-gradually-diminishing part.
US09622317B2 LED retrofit lamp
The present invention relates to an LED retrofit lamp (700) adapted for operation with an alternating current. The LED lamp comprises an LED unit (740), a mains current line, first and second switching devices (710, 720) (e.g., first and second relays), and a control unit (730). The control unit (730) detects an ignition voltage on the mains current line. In response to detecting the ignition voltage on the mains current line, the control unit (730) sets the first and second switching devices (710, 720) to a conducting state such that the LED unit (740) is connected to power. By using the first and second switching devices (710, 720), safety of the LED lamp (700) is improved, in particular when installing the lamp (700) into a fixture designed for fluorescent lamps.
US09622315B2 Method and apparatus for increasing dimming range of solid state lighting fixtures
A device for controlling levels of light output by a solid state lighting load at low dimming levels includes a bleed circuit connected in parallel with the solid state lighting load. The bleed circuit includes a resistor and a transistor connected in series, the transistor being configured to turn on and off in accordance with a duty cycle of a digital control signal when a dimming level set by a dimmer is less than a predetermined first threshold, decreasing an effective resistance of the bleed circuit as the dimming level decreases.
US09622314B1 Dimmable and color temperature-adjustable LED lamp
The invention provides dimmable and color temperature-adjustable LED lamps in the LED illumination field, comprising: a ceiling disk; an LED light source assembly on the disk, comprising an LED board with double-color temperature lamp beads and a driver providing low-voltage power for the board; and a lampshade, wherein the driver comprises: a drive housing; and a driving circuit board comprising an input power line, a high-voltage input module, a wireless control module, a dimming module, a color temperature-adjusting module, a voltage-transformation module, a low-voltage output module and an output power line. The driver with dimming and color temperature-adjusting modules can select color temperature conversion and adjust light source brightness of each color temperature section. LED lamp beads with two different color temperatures are simultaneously distributed on the same board for the consumer to adjust and convert different color temperature functions, enriching flexible selection requirement for LED lamp functions.
US09622307B2 Apparatus and technique for modular electronic display control
The present invention discloses apparatus and techniques for modular backlighting control of a display. The display includes a number of strings of LEDs. The display is divided into several sections, and each section includes one or more strings of LEDs. A local controller is assigned to each section. The local controller receives feedback signals from the strings of LEDs in its sections and controls the drive voltages and drive currents of those strings. The local controllers communicate with each other and also with the main system controller.
US09622293B2 Modular radio transceiver
A modular Radio Frequency transceiver includes a frequency synthesizer module arranged to generate a local oscillator signal. At least one transmitter module and/or at least one receiver module are arranged adjacent to the frequency synthesizer module. Each transmitter module and receiver module is arranged to mix at least one respective input signal with the local oscillator signal. Adjacently arranged modules are electrically connected to each other with respect to at least data signals, the local oscillator signal and a power supply.
US09622283B2 Method of supporting signal transmission and reception using at least two radio access technologies and apparatus therefor
A method of supporting communication using two or more heterogeneous radio access technologies (RAT) comprises: receiving a setup message providing instructions for access to a second base station in a second communication network supporting the second RAT from a first base station in a first communication network supporting a first RAT; and attempting to access the second base station. At this time, when the terminal successfully accesses the second base station, specific traffic type data are transmitted and received through the second base station, and data other than the specific traffic type can be transmitted and received through the first base station.
US09622276B2 Method and device for determining to establish multi-protocol label switching traffic engineering tunnel
A method for determining to establish a multi-protocol label switching traffic engineering tunnel. A first PE receives an IGP notification message including information of a Mesh Group to which a second PE belongs and role information of the second PE released by the second PE. Then, it determines, according to information of Mesh Groups to which the two belong, whether the two belong to a same Mesh Group. After determining that the two belong to the same Mesh Group, the first PE determines, according to role information of the two, whether to establish the MPLS TE tunnel to the second PE.
US09622267B2 Systems and methods for multi-user simultaneous transmissions
Systems, methods, and devices are provided for protecting a multiuser (MU) transmission between an access point and a plurality of wireless stations. The access point may transmit a frame that is addressed to multiple stations in a wireless network. Each of the stations addressed by the frame may respond with an identical clear-to-send frame. In some instances, the clear-to-send frames transmitted by each wireless station may utilize the same scrambling code utilized by the frame transmitted by the access point, use the same modulation and coding scheme, and/or occupy the same frequency bands such that the multiple clear-to-send frames are combined in the air and detected as a single frame by the access point. In some instances, the access point may thereafter transmit an uplink reference frame to trigger the wireless stations to transmit an uplink data request frame to the access point.
US09622266B2 Configuring simultaneous transmissions in wireless network
This document discloses some embodiments for configuring simultaneous transmissions in a wireless network. According to an aspect, a method including: detecting, by a first apparatus of a first wireless network on the basis of a first criterion, that transmissions performed simultaneously with a second apparatus of a second wireless network are allowed; determining, on the basis of a second criterion different from the first criterion, to prohibit frame transmissions simultaneous with frame transmissions of the second apparatus; upon the determining, causing transmission of a control message in the first wireless network, wherein the control message includes an instruction to refrain from transmissions simultaneously with the second apparatus.
US09622256B2 Method and apparatus for receiving fragment as well as method and apparatus for transmitting fragment
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for receiving fragments as well as a method and apparatus for transmitting fragments. The method for receiving fragments includes: receiving a group of fragments from a transmitter through a first channel, where the transmitter suspend transmitting a next group of fragments after the group of fragments is transmitted; and transmitting one or a plurality of first acknowledgement messages to the transmitter through the first channel immediately after the group of fragments are received. According to embodiments of the present invention, the acknowledgement messages may be immediately transmitted to the transmitter through a current channel after one group of fragments are received through the current channel, thereby avoiding the delay of a fragment receiving and transmitting process, which is caused by the competition and occupation of the channel by other nodes, and thus improving transmission efficiency.
US09622253B2 Methods of incorporating an AD HOC cellular network into a fixed cellular network
In this invention, we disclose methods directed toward integrating an ad hoc cellular network into a fixed cellular network. The methods disclosed herein automate the creation and integration of these networks. In additional embodiments, we disclose methods for establishing a stand-alone, ad hoc cellular network. In either of these implementations, we integrate or establish an ad hoc cellular network using mobile ad hoc cellular base stations configured to transmit and receive over a variety of frequencies, protocols, and duplexing schemes. The methods flexibly and dynamically choose an access or backhaul configuration and radio characteristics to optimize network performance. Additional embodiments provide for enhancing an existing network's coverage as needed, establishing a local network in the event of a loss of backhaul coverage to the core network, and providing local wireless access service within the ad hoc cellular network.
US09622248B2 Relay device and method
A wireless communications system including a base station, a relay device, and a terminal device. The terminal device can transmit one or more first type access request messages to request uplink resources from the base station, and if no response to the first type access request messages is received from the base station, transmit a second type access request message. The base station is responsive to a first type access request message received from the terminal device to transmit an allocation of uplink resources to the terminal device. The relay device is responsive to a second type access request message received from the terminal device to transmit a relayed access request message to request the base station to allocate uplink resources to the terminal device. The base station is responsive to the relayed access request message to transmit an allocation of uplink resources to the terminal device.
US09622243B2 Context transfers and multi-band operation for wireless networks
Various example embodiments are disclosed relating to wireless networks and relating to context transfers and multi-band operation in wireless networks. In an example embodiment, a multi-band scheduler may be provided for use in a wireless node. The multi-band scheduler may be configured to: receive one or more data units of a flow; assign each received data unit of the flow to a first frequency band of a plurality of frequency bands; determine a band transfer condition for the flow; and perform a context transfer from the first frequency band to a second frequency band for the flow based on the determined band transfer condition.
US09622241B2 Method and apparatus for preventing message collision
In one embodiment, the method includes performing symbol to resource element mapping such that mapping for a first message configured to use a first amount of transmission resource differs from mapping for a second message configured to use a second amount of transmission resource by a mapping offset of a number of resource units, and the first amount being different than the second amount.
US09622240B2 Method and arrangement for transmissions in VAMOS capable wireless communication systems
A method for transmitting information from a radio base station node to a first mobile station and a second mobile station is disclosed herein. The first and second mobile stations are paired on and share a same carrier frequency, TDMA frame, and time slot in a wireless communication system. Further, the first and second mobile stations are allocated on a first and second VAMOS sub-channel, respectively. The method includes transmitting a GMSK modulated SACCH burst of a SACCH block in a predetermined time slot and TDMA frame on one of the first and second VAMOS sub-channel. The method further includes simultaneously muting the other of the first and second VAMOS sub-channels in the predetermined time slot and TDMA frame.
US09622238B2 Method and apparatus for transreceiving downlink signal by considering antenna port relationship in wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more specifically, disclosed are a method and an apparatus for transmitting or receiving a downlink signal by considering an antenna port relationship. A method for user equipment receiving a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) signal in the wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: determining a start symbol index of the PDSCH from a downlink subframe; and receiving the PDSCH signal based on the start symbol index, wherein the PDSCH can be scheduled by means of downlink control information (DCI) which is received through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH). When the DCI is comprised according to DCI format 1A, which is transmitted through the EPDDCH, and the downlink subframe is a non-multicast broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframe, the start symbol index can be determined depending on an EPDCCH start symbol value which is established by an upper layer.
US09622232B2 Method, user equipment, and base station for transmitting information
The present invention discloses a method, a user equipment, and a base station for transmitting information. The method includes receiving a downlink assignment sent by a base station. The downlink assignment includes a trigger flag that is used to indicate a trigger state of aperiodic channel state information (CSI). An uplink resource used to send the aperiodic CSI is determined. The aperiodic CSI to the base station is sent on the uplink resource according to the trigger flag.
US09622231B2 Method of transmitting and receiving control information based on spatial-multiplexing gain
A control information transmission and reception method based on a spatial-multiplexing gain, are provided. The control information may be transmitted by obtaining the spatial-multiplexing gain using an E-PDCCH region, and thus, a transmission efficiency of the control information may be improved. The common control information used for decoding the E-PDCCH may be transmitted via a PDCCH, and thus, a base station supporting both a general terminal and an enhanced terminal may effectively transmit the control information. Information associated with an indicator indicating whether the E-PDCCH is to be used during a subsequent resource allocation period may be transmitted, and thus, whether decoding with respect to the E-PDCCH is to be performed during the subsequent allocation period may be determined.
US09622216B2 Method and system for low rate MAC/PHY for 60 GHz transmission
One or more coordinating devices may be utilized to control high speed data transmission among a plurality of wireless devices utilizing 60 GHz for high speed data transmission. Control messages may be sent and/or received between each of the plurality of wireless devices and the one or more coordinating devices utilizing low rate control connections via available secondary physical layers. The secondary physical layers may comprise Bluetooth, 802.11, and/or UWB physical layers. The controlling may comprise time coordination, frequency coordination, and/or spatial coordination that may enable the wireless devices to align and/or position directional antenna that may be utilized to perform the 60 GHz high speed data transmission. The wireless devices may utilize the low rate control connections to communicate reporting messages to the one or more coordinating devices. The reporting information may enable the one or more coordinating devices to manage available resources in the plurality of wireless devices.
US09622215B2 Optimized mechanism for paging transmission and reception
Methods and apparatus are provided for paging transmission and reception for UEs requiring coverage extension/coverage enhancement. In one novel aspect, the UE reports the CE status to the MME. CE level related information and the corresponding cell ID are provided from eNB to MME. MME sends paging information including the repetition number to all eNBs in the corresponding tracking area when paging the UE. In another novel aspect, a paging area is used for CE UEs. The UE receives paging area information, notifies the network, and updates the stored paging area information upon detecting changes between the received and the stored paging areas. In another embodiment, the UE reports its CE status upon detecting CE status changes. The eNB stores UE CE information and forwards it to neighboring eNBs in the same paging area. The eNB pages UEs on its CE UE list with repetition while paging other UEs normally.
US09622211B2 Access spreading with selective paging
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for selectively notifying user equipments (UEs) of updated access barring statuses and for spreading access attempts by the UEs. The methods and apparatus disclosed in the present application reduce potential overloads in a radio access network caused by UEs simultaneously accessing the radio network, after being notified that access restrictions have been removed.
US09622203B2 Low power communication system and method
A communication system is disclosed herein. The communication system includes a master device that includes a master clock and is connected to a host through a communication network, and a plurality of nodes connected to the master device. The master device transmits one or more periodic beams that include a radio frequency. Each of the nodes includes a node clock that is configured and in synchronization with the master clock based on the one or more periodic beams. The communication system establishes a connection for communication between the master device and at least one node when the node clock of the at least one node is in synchronization with the master clock. The communication system further includes at least one repeater 104A operatively connected between the master device and at least one node.
US09622202B2 Method and apparatus for generating synchronous signal in wireless access system for supporting super-high frequency band
The present invention relates to a method for newly defining a synchronous signal used in a super-high frequency band and acquiring downlink synchronization by using the synchronous signal, and an apparatus for supporting the same. The method for enabling a base station to transmit the synchronous signal in the wireless access system supporting the super-high frequency band, as one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: generating a general synchronous signal which do not have repetitive characteristics; generating a repetitive synchronous signal on the basis of a repetition factor for estimating a carrier frequency offset of the super-high frequency band; transmitting the general synchronous signal from a first frame; and transmitting the repetitive synchronous signal from a second frame. At this time, the repetition factor indicates the repetitive characteristic of the repetitive synchronous signal.
US09622201B2 Synchronization of control device
A synchronization control device includes a command movement amount calculation unit, a predicted command movement amount calculation unit, and a movement amount comparison unit for comparing a command movement amount with a predicted command movement amount, and synchronization of a driven shaft is not started when the predicted command movement amount is less than the command movement amount, and synchronization is started when the predicted command movement amount is equal to or greater than the command movement amount.
US09622198B2 Methods of providing power headroom reports arranged in order of component carrier indices and related wireless terminals and base stations
Power headroom reports may be transmitted from a wireless terminal to a base station wherein a primary component carrier and at least one secondary component carrier are provided for uplink transmissions from the wireless terminal to the base station and wherein a respective component carrier index is assigned to each of the at least one secondary component carriers provided for the wireless terminal. Respective power headroom reports may be generated for the primary component carrier and for each of the at least one secondary component carriers, and a MAC control element may be generated including the power headroom reports for the primary and secondary component carriers. More particularly, the power headroom reports for each of the at least one secondary component carriers may be arranged in order of the component carrier indices for the respective secondary component carriers. The MAC control element including the power headroom reports for the primary and secondary component carriers may be transmitted from the wireless terminal to the base station over one of the component carriers. Related wireless terminals, and base stations are also discussed.
US09622195B2 Apparatus and method for controlling transmission power of terminal in wireless environment
Disclosed are an apparatus and method for controlling transmission power of a terminal in a wireless environment. The apparatus for controlling transmission power of a terminal includes an optimal transmission power calculation unit configured to calculate an optimal transmission power value for a terminal of a type, the terminal being accessible to one or more wireless networks; a transmission power setting unit configured to, when an access of the terminal to at least one of the one or more wireless networks is sensed, provide the terminal with optimal transmission power values corresponding to the terminal and the network accessed by the terminal.
US09622182B2 Embedded computing device
According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising a first processing core configured to generate first control signals and to control a display by providing the first control signals to the display via a first display interface, a second processing core configured to generate second control signals and to control the display by providing the second control signals to the display via a second display interface, and the first processing core being further configured to cause the second processing core to enter and leave a hibernation state.
US09622179B2 Dynamic geographic beacons for geographic-positioning-capable devices
In one embodiment, a processor may identify information about an entity represented by a first node in a social graph for a social-networking system. The information may comprise a location for the entity and an affinity score for the entity with respect to a user, wherein the user is represented by a second node in the social graph. The processor may then determine a region defined with respect to the location of the entity, wherein the region is defined based in part on the affinity score for the entity, as well as determining that a location of a mobile device associated with the user is within the region. Finally, the processor may cause the mobile device to transition from a sleep state to an active state.
US09622174B2 Method and apparatus for using a plurality of cells in communication system
Methods and apparatus for using a plurality of cells by an evolved NodeB (eNB) in a communication system are provided. A first eNB, which manages a first cell and is providing a communication service to a User Equipment (UE) located in the first cell, determines to provide the communication service to the UE together with a second cell of a second eNB, which neighbors the UE. A cell addition request message, making a request for aggregation of the first cell and the second cell, is transmitted to the second eNB to provide the communication service. When a cell addition response message, accepting the request for aggregation of the first cell and the second cell, is received from the second eNB, a cell activation request message, making a request for activation of the second cell, is transmitted to the second eNB.
US09622170B2 Wireless communication in heterogeneous networks
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for energy saving in heterogeneous wireless communication networks are provided. The small cell (e.g., pico cell, relay cell, femto cell) may adjust its transmit power based on the requirement of user equipments (UEs) in the cell's coverage. The small cell may detect a UE entering its coverage with or without assistance from the macro cell. An appropriate small cell may be selected to serve the UE based on its traffic load when the UE is located in the coverage of multiple small cells. The small cell may also transmit auxiliary synchronization signals to reduce the association time for the UE.
US09622163B2 Quickly joining Wi-Fi networks using neighboring access points
One embodiment of the present invention provides a device for joining a known Wi-Fi network. During operation, the device performs a scanning operation during a scanning process to find a known access point of a WLAN for the device to join. Next, if the scanning operation finds an access point, the device determines whether the access point neighbors a known access point. If so, the device attempts to associate with the known access point by performing a scanning operation on the specific channel associated with the known access point.
US09622162B1 Client-server network selection
An application processing element in a first wireless communication network receives a first indicator associated with an availability of a first access node in the first wireless communication network to serve a wireless device. The wireless device being served by a first active connection with a second wireless communication network. In response to a first request by the wireless device, the application processing element sends a second indicator to the wireless device. The second indicator is associated with the availability of the first access node in the first wireless communication network to serve the wireless device. The wireless device ending the first active connection based on the first indicator and the signal strength associated with the first access node.
US09622157B2 Node grouping method, node, and access point
Embodiments of the present invention provide a node grouping method, a node, and an access point (AP). The method comprises: receiving a grouping request sent by an AP; according to the grouping request, obtaining a received signal strength indicator (RSSI); obtaining a group Identity (ID) of a group determined according to the RSSI. In the embodiment of the present invention, nodes are grouped according to the RSSI, so as to solve the problems of contention collision and low network performance in a large-scale network, avoid the problem of unfair throughput incurred by the near-far effect, and reduce the phenomena of hidden terminals.
US09622149B2 Method and device for selecting and managing mobility protocol in mobile communications system
Disclosed is a method for selecting and managing a mobility protocol between a network and a terminal in a mobile communication system. When the terminal is to setup an IP tunnel for data transmission/reception with the network supporting a plurality of mobility protocols, firstly, the terminal is configured to transmit a list of terminal-supported mobility protocols and/or its preference information (e.g., information about mobility protocol preferred by the terminal) to the network, and secondly, the network is configured to determine (select) a mobility protocol of an IP tunnel for data transmission/reception with the terminal based on the information, thereby enhancing an efficiency of the resource when the IP tunnel is setup between the terminal and the network.
US09622144B2 Apparatus and method for routing data in mobile communication system
A method for routing data by a Corresponding Mobility Agent (CMA) in a mobile communication system is provided. The method includes managing mobility for a Mobile Station (MS) with a Mobile Access Gateway (MAG), and routing a data packet between a Corresponding Node (CN) and the MS based on a location of the MS, wherein the CMA is mapped to an application server which provides an application service.
US09622143B1 Access point name mappings for a layer two wireless access network
In general, techniques are described for using virtual local area networks (VLANs) to facilitate packet forwarding between wireless endpoint devices attached to a wireless local area network (WLAN) access network and one or more mobile gateways providing access to packet data network services. For example, a wireless access gateway includes an upstream interface for a mobility tunnel to a mobile gateway of a mobile service provider network and a downstream interface for a WLAN access network. The wireless access gateway receives a packet from the mobile gateway by the upstream interface. The wireless access gateway determines, based at least on the mobility tunnel, a VLAN of the WLAN access network that is uniquely associated in the wireless access gateway with a combination of the APN associated with the mobility tunnel and the mobile gateway. The wireless access gateway then forwards, to a wireless endpoint device, the packet on the VLAN.
US09622142B2 System and method en-route wireless network access
A method, a computer program product, and a computer system for en-route wireless network access are provided. A server receives from a mobile device information of a route along which the mobile device moves. The server determines registered wireless access points along the route. The server sends information of the mobile device and user credentials to one or more providers of the registered wireless access points. From the one or more providers, the server receives connection information of the registered wireless access points. The server sends the connection information to the mobile device. Based on the connection information, the mobile device establishes connectivity with respective ones of the registered wireless access points en-route.
US09622141B2 Wireless network handover
A method performed under control of a receiver device may include receiving, from a sender device, connection information regarding a first apparatus that is connected to the sender device via a machine-to-machine network between the sender device and the receiver device; and connecting to the first apparatus based at least in part on the received connection information after the sender device is disconnected from the first apparatus.
US09622127B2 Method and system for wireless communication
A method and system for bandwidth allocation in a wireless communication system, by assigning at least one specific frequency, called hand-off frequency, to one or more base station called as hand-off base station (HBS) located within the service area, for handing off subscriber stations between at least two cells, wherein the said hand-off frequency is not used by the base station of the said two cells for serving subscriber stations and wherein, hand-off is triggered when received signal strength at serving base station, hand-off base station or at subscriber station is below acceptable value and assigning frequencies, other than the hand-off frequency, to the base stations called as serving base stations (SBS) located within the cells of the service area, for serving the subscriber stations within the cell. The method further comprising of regulating the signal transmission strength of the serving base station.
US09622126B2 Mobile station and control method
A mobile station for communication using carrier aggregation includes a secondary cell state management unit configured to manage whether a state of a secondary cell is an activation state or a deactivation state; and a transmission control unit configured to stop transmission of uplink control information on a physical uplink control channel in a first secondary cell, when the state of the first secondary cell managed by the secondary cell state management unit is the deactivation state at a timing of transmission of the physical uplink control channel in the first secondary cell.
US09622118B2 Method and system for improved PS to CS handover of a user equipment
A Mobile Switching Center, MSC, an Access Transfer Control Function, ATCF, an Access Transfer Gateway, ATGW and respective methods therein are provided for performing a packet-switched, PS, to circuit-switched, CS, handover of a User Equipment, UE, are provided. When the UE is handed over from a PS communication network to a CS communication network, the MSC requests the ATCF controlling the ATGW to bi-casting to both the CS communication network and the PS communication network, and forwarding speech data from the UE to a remote terminal with which the UE is communicating during the PS to CS handover procedure. Once the UE is handed over, the bi-casting and the forwarding are terminated.
US09622108B2 Expandable analog manifold
An n input, radio frequency (RF) signal matrix is formed of a plurality of two-to-one RF signal routing units each including first, second, and third switching units selectively connecting either a first input to an output via a bypass conductive path while electrically isolating first and second signal combining conductive paths from the output or first and second inputs to the output via first and second signal combining conductive paths while electrically isolating the bypass conductive path from the output. The RF signal routing units are connected in at least two levels with outputs from a first level connected to inputs for a second level to form the n inputs for the RF signal matrix. Any number of the n inputs may be employed without unused inputs loading the output.
US09622102B2 Method and apparatus of communicating a beacon report
A beacon signal may be provided with data extensions. The data extensions permit additional information to be provided by the beacon signal, thereby reducing the traffic overhead of the network. The data extensions further permit handoffs and handoffs based on offset values. A Measurement Request field corresponding to a beacon request contains a measurement duration value and channel number for which the request applies. The beacon request permits a scan mode. In Active Scan mode, the measuring station (STA) transmits a probe request with a broadcast SSID. In Passive Scan mode, the measuring STA passively receives on the specified channel and return a beacon report containing one information element for each STA from which it detects a beacon or probe response. In Beacon Table mode, the measuring STA returns a beacon report containing the current contents of its beacon table without performing additional measurements.
US09622100B2 Base station apparatus, terminal apparatus, integrated circuit, and radio communication method
A terminal apparatus that communicates with a base station apparatus includes a configuration unit that sets a first configuration, a second configuration, and a third configuration. The configuration unit starts or restarts the timer when setting the third configuration, and the configuration unit clears/discards the third configuration when the timer expires. The first configuration is used to determine correspondence between a subframe in which PDCCH is arranged and a subframe in which PUSCH corresponding to the PDCCH is arranged, the second configuration is used to determine correspondence between a subframe in which PDSCH is arranged and a subframe in which a HARQ-ACK corresponding to the PDSCH is transmitted, and the third configuration is used to specify an uplink subframe in which uplink transmission is possible.
US09622089B1 Cloud DFS super master systems and methods
The present invention relates to wireless networks and more specifically to systems and methods for selecting available channels free of radar signals from a plurality of radio frequency channels. One embodiment includes a cloud DFS super master, a plurality of radar detectors, and one or more client devices. The cloud DFS super master is programmed to receive the results of a scan for a radar signal from each of the plurality of radar detectors, geo-location information for the plurality of radar detectors, geo-location information for the client devices and a request for available radio channels from the client devices. The cloud DFS super master is programmed to determine one or more radio channels that are free of radar signals within a distance of the client device.
US09622088B2 Communication system, communication device, program and communication control method
There is provided a communication system comprising: a first communication device that senses a communication environment surrounding the first communication device; a second communication device that acquires sensed data sensed by the first communication device; and a third communication device that determines availability of usage of a second communication service using a part or whole of a spectrum assigned to a first communication service based on the sensed data transmitted from the second communication device.
US09622076B2 User terminal, external apparatus, data transceiving system, and data transceiving method
A user terminal is provided. The user terminal includes a communicator configured to communicate with an external apparatus, a sound detector configured to detect a sound around the user terminal during a period of time, a location detector configured to detect a location of the user terminal during the period of time, and a controller configured to transmit information regarding the detected sound and the detected location to the external apparatus, and transmit data relevant to a user group determined based on the information regarding the detected sound and the detected location to the external apparatus or receive the data from the external apparatus.
US09622071B2 Method for reporting capability information and dual mode user equipment adapted thereto
A system and a method that reports capability information regarding a dual mode User Equipment (UE) are provided. The UE supports Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD). The UE capability transmitting method includes receiving a message requesting UE capability information from an evolved Node B (eNB), generating first capability information and second capability information according to the UE capability information requesting message, and transmitting UE capability information including the first and second capability information to the eNB. The first capability information comprises FDD capability information applicable to an FDD mode or TDD capability information applicable to a TDD mode. The second capability information comprises capability information applicable to both the FDD mode and the TDD mode. The system and method can allow a dual mode UE to efficiently report its capability information.
US09622063B2 Method and apparatus for automated device subscription monitoring
An approach is provided for optimizing the use of a device based on the subscriptions and contextual information associated with the device. The optimizing platform determines at least one request to perform one or more activities associated with at least one device. The optimizing platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of the at least one request against one or more conditions of one or more subscriptions associated with the at least one device to cause, at least in part, a recommendation of at least one of the one or more subscriptions for performing the one or more activities.
US09622061B2 Enhanced wireless home phone for an emergency call service network
An enhanced wireless home phone (WHP) component for use in an emergency call service network is presented herein. A method can include in response to determining that address information representing an address corresponding to a subscriber identity associated with a wireless service has been included in a data store corresponding to an emergency telecommunication service, determining whether a location of a wireless communication device associated with the subscriber identity satisfies a defined condition with respect to a distance of the wireless communication device from the address; and in response to determining that the location of the wireless communication device satisfies the defined condition, and in response to determining that a communication corresponding to the emergency telecommunication service has been received from the wireless communication device, sending the address information directed to a public safety answering point device.
US09622058B1 Apparatus, system, methods and network for communicating information associated with digital images
A wireless communications device (WCD) includes an image processor operable to process information associated with digital images, a storage medium such as random access memory, flash memory, minidisk drive, etc. operable to store digital information associated with digital images. The WCD also includes a wireless communications module, such as a cellular modem, operable to wirelessly communicate with a network operable to communicate with wireless devices. For example, the wireless communications module may configure the information into a format (i.e. CDMA, TDMA, GSM, etc.) such that the information may be wirelessly communicated to a network operable to receive image/information.
US09622057B1 Device and method for forwarding voice calls received at the device to a paired computing device
A mobile communication device and method for forwarding a new voice call, received at the device during a current voice call, to a paired computing device is provided. The method includes, at the device comprising a processor, a display device, a memory and a communication interface, receive a new voice call while a current voice call is active at the device and display, on the display device, a selectable option for forwarding the new voice call. Upon detecting selection of the selectable option: retrieve, from the memory one or more stored device identifiers, each stored device identifier associated with a paired computing device, display, on the display device, the one or more stored device identifiers and upon detecting selection of a device identifier of the one or more stored device identifiers, forward the new voice call, using the communication interface, to the paired computing device associated with the device identifier.
US09622056B2 Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof for extracting available personal information corresponding to recognized faces
A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one other terminal; a memory configured to store a phonebook database including personal information and a profile image of each of a plurality of counterparts; a memory; a display unit; and a controller configured to recognize faces of people in an image displayed on the display unit, extract available personal information from the phonebook database of counterparts corresponding to the recognized faces, and perform a group call or a group chat, via the wireless communication unit, with the corresponding counterparts using the extracted personal information.
US09622044B2 Femto cell visitation history for location based services
Collection and communication of data are provided on handset attachment procedure, or visitation, to one or more femto cells to provide location information. A mobility component receives actual subscriber and femto access point (AP) attachment signaling and extracts visitation data that facilitates generation of real-time or historical visitation reports. Location information is conveyed through visitation reports which can include mobile device identifier(s), femto AP location, and a timestamp. Visitation reports also can include processed visitation data such as mobility matrices, historical mobility patterns or profiles, and predicted mobility events. Provision of location information occurs without the need for dedicated handset functionality, and associated hardware, or additional battery draw.
US09622035B2 Relay control method for proximity service and device therefor
The present invention relates to a method and a device by which first user equipment (UE) that is located out of the range of a group communication service determines a relay through a proximity service (ProSe) in a wireless communication system. Particularly, the method comprises the steps of: receiving traffic transmitted by second UE which already relays group communication; determining whether the traffic is information bound to group communication; determining relay UE by using a discovery procedure for a relay for the group communication, when the traffic is not recognized as the information bound to the group communication; and determining the second UE as the relay UE for the group communication, when the traffic is recognized as the information bound to the group communication.
US09622027B2 Systems and methods for network centric WLAN location of a mobile device
Systems, methods and devices for computing a mobile device location using network centric location measurements are described. In one potential embodiment, a location method comprises performing a user plane location session between a mobile device and a location server in order to reliably coordinate positioning of the mobile device. Based on the network centric coordination, the location server instructs one or more access points to obtain location measurements for the mobile device. The location server may then locate the mobile device based on the location measurements and possibly any mobile centric location measurements obtained from the mobile device using the user plane location session. The coordination of network centric positioning using the user plane location session may comprise transfer of SUPL and possibly LPP/LPPe positioning messages between the mobile device and location server.
US09622026B2 Method, system and device of location authentication
The present invention relates to a field of communication technology that provides a method, system and device of location authentication. The method comprises the following steps: the mobile device receives the signal marking the position information of the location base station sent by the location base station within the same region. The mobile device would obtain the position information of the location base station after analyzing the signal; the location base station would send the position information to the location authentication server to obtain the location authentication that it is in the same region with the location base station. Thus, this invention performs the location authentication of the mobile device staying in the same region with the location base station.
US09622023B2 Remote wakeup of sleeping subsystems
A computing device and method for remotely waking sleeping subsystems of the computing device are disclosed. The method includes monitoring a plurality of hardware subsystems on the computing device to detect when at least one of the hardware subsystems goes into an idle state and initiating a remote-start advertisement in response to the at least one of the hardware subsystems going into an idle state. A wireless low energy module of the computing device is monitored for a remote start signal from a remote device, and the at least one of the hardware subsystems that is in an idle state is powered up in response to receiving a remote start signal from a remote device. The remote-start advertisement is then ended in response to the at least one of the hardware subsystems powering up.
US09622014B2 Rendering and playback of spatial audio using channel-based audio systems
Embodiments are described for a method and system of rendering and playing back spatial audio content using a channel-based format. Spatial audio content that is played back through legacy channel-based equipment is transformed into the appropriate channel-based format resulting in the loss of certain positional information within the audio objects and positional metadata comprising the spatial audio content. To retain this information for use in spatial audio equipment even after the audio content is rendered as channel-based audio, certain metadata generated by the spatial audio processor is incorporated into the channel-based data. The channel-based audio can then be sent to a channel-based audio decoder or a spatial audio decoder. The spatial audio decoder processes the metadata to recover at least some positional information that was lost during the down-mix operation by upmixing the channel-based audio content back to the spatial audio content for optimal playback in a spatial audio environment.
US09622011B2 Virtual rendering of object-based audio
Embodiments are described for a system for virtual rendering of object based audio through binaural rendering of each object followed by panning of the resulting stereo binaural signal between a plurality of cross-talk cancelation circuits feeding a corresponding plurality of speaker pairs. In comparison to prior art virtual rendering utilizing a single pair of speakers, the described embodiments improve the spatial impression for both listeners inside and outside of the cross-talk canceller sweet spot. Also described is an improved equalization technique for a crosstalk canceller that is computed from both the crosstalk canceller filters and the binaural filters and applied to a monophonic audio signal being virtualized. The described techniques improve timbre for listeners outside of the sweet-spot as well as a smaller timbre shift when switching from standard rendering to virtual rendering.
US09622004B2 Sound velocity correction device
Provided a sound velocity correction device including an environmental parameter obtainer that acquires a measured value of a surrounding environmental parameter of a sound collector that collects a sound emitted from a sound source; and a sound velocity corrector that corrects a sound velocity of the sound which is used to form directivity in a directing direction toward the sound source from the sound collector, using the measured value of the surrounding environmental parameter of the sound collector which is acquired by the environmental parameter obtainer.
US09621999B2 State of charge indication in a hearing device
A hearing device such as a hearing aid includes a function module, a rechargeable battery, and a battery power management unit. The battery power management unit includes a voltage regulator in operative connection with the rechargeable battery, the voltage regulator being adapted to output a supply voltage to the function module. The battery power management unit also includes a control unit in operative connection with the voltage regulator and with the rechargeable battery, adapted to measure the rechargeable battery output voltage and to control the supply voltage output by the voltage regulator. The control unit is adapted to encode a signal in dependence of the rechargeable battery output voltage onto the supply voltage. In consequence, the function module can extract information on the state of charge of the rechargeable battery so as to be able to inform the hearing device wearer accordingly.
US09621997B2 Electroacoustic transduction film
Disclosed is an electroacoustic transduction film suitable for a flexible speaker or the like, in which predetermined acoustic properties are able to be stably exhibited regardless of a bending state. The electroacoustic transduction film includes a polymer composite piezoelectric body in which piezoelectric body particles are dispersed in a viscoelastic matrix formed of a polymer material having viscoelasticity at a normal temperature, and electrode layers interposing the polymer composite piezoelectric body therebetween, and an area fraction of the piezoelectric body particles in a contact surface with respect to the electrode layer is less than or equal to 50%, and thus the object is attained.
US09621983B1 100 to 150 output wattage, 360 degree surround sound, low frequency speaker, portable wireless bluetooth compatible system
An improved 360 degree surround sound performance, 100 to 150 output wattage, low frequency driver portable wireless, Bluetooth compatible system is disclosed utilizing a sound reflective surface. In this system, a sound enclosure is formed including inner and outer half-spherical shaped, side wall enclosures, and as a bottom surface an elevated horizontal base region. A low frequency mounted driver is facing downward and mounted within a downward facing aperture of the inner half-spherical spaced, side wall enclosures and within an inner surface of the elevated horizontal base region. A pair of oppositionally mounted drivers, facing outward is mounted within oppositionally mounted, side apertures of the inner spaced apart, half-spherical shaped, side wall enclosures. Half-spherical shaped bowls couple to a back portion of the oppositionally mounted, side apertures. A phase plug couples to side apertures of the outer spaced apart, half-spherical shaped, side wall enclosures via straps and mounts in front of and spaced-apart from each of the pair of the oppositionally mounted drivers, facing outward.
US09621982B2 Directivity control apparatus, directivity control method, storage medium and directivity control system
A directivity control apparatus controls a directivity of a sound collected by a first sound collecting unit including a plurality of microphones. The directivity control apparatus includes a directivity forming unit, configured to form a directivity of the sound in a direction toward a monitoring target corresponding to a first designated position in an image displayed on a display unit, and an information obtaining unit, configured to obtain information on a second designated position in the image displayed on the display unit, designated in accordance with a movement of the monitoring target. The directivity forming unit is configured to change the directivity of the sound toward the monitoring target corresponding to the second designated position by referring to the information on the second designated position obtained by the information obtaining unit.
US09621978B2 Headset for a mobile electronic device
Electronic necklace-headset for mobile electronic device in the form of a neck loop or necklace and a pair of wired headphones, where the headphone cords attached in close proximity to the back of electronic necklace and additionally connected together in the suboccipital node, located in the position of the device on the surface of the cervico-occipital region of the user to fix headphones and its cords, which reduces the slack of the cords and streamlines their excursion, creating conditions for continuous wear electronic necklace, including under the clothes, does not change the appearance of the user, allows to control an electronic necklace on touch over clothing, and inoperative can accommodate headphones shot and its cords in the back of the electronic necklace without having to remove the entire device.
US09621976B2 Glasses apparatus for watching display image
A glasses apparatus which works in conjunction with a display apparatus which operates in a multi-view mode to combine and output a plurality of contents. The glasses apparatus includes: a first interface module which receives a synchronization signal in a first wireless communication method; first and second glasses mounted on a glasses frame and which are driven in synchronization with one of the plurality of contents based on the synchronization signal; a second interface module which receives an audio signal of at least said one content in a second wireless communication method; a controller which selects an audio signal of said one content from among audio signals corresponding to the plurality of contents, and an audio outputter which outputs the audio signal of the selected content, and which is integrally formed with the glasses frame.
US09621968B2 Multi layer, multi vendor, multi domain, applications for software defined networking enabled networks
Systems and methods are disclosed including a computer system, comprising a software defined networking configuration manager having a processor computing and provisioning paths through an optical transport network for multiple switch nodes to be provisioned as head end nodes, the processor managing and interpreting data indicative of managed entities within the optical transport network to create a first network Sub-Network Connection (SNC) for a first customer, and a second network SNC for a second customer, the first network SNC being representative of a first graphical illustration of a state of first resources within the transport network that are allocated to the first customer, and the second network SNC being representative of a second graphical illustration of a state of second resources within the transport network that are allocated to the second customer.
US09621959B2 In-residence track and alert
Monitoring, via a network of sensors each communicatively coupled to a home gateway system, movement and location of one or more individuals within their own residence. The home gateway system may also respond to inquiries as to a potential or probable or possible status of the one or more individuals within the residence.
US09621953B1 Systems and methods for alerting a user and displaying a different version of a segment of a media asset
Systems and methods are presented for presenting segments of an uncensored version of a media asset on a second device while a censored version of the media asset is displayed on a first device. These systems and methods alert a user when segments of the uncensored version of the media asset do not overlap with the censored version, i.e., the uncensored version contains inappropriate content that is censored. Subsequent to alerting the user, the segment of the uncensored version is presented on the second device.
US09621950B2 TV program identification method, apparatus, terminal, server and system
A method for retrieving and playing a TV program uses a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal captures one or more images of a TV program currently played on a TV using the image sensor and sends the images to a remote server. The remote server extracts a TV station identifier from the received images, compares the received images with images stored in an image library and corresponding to the TV station identifier, and determines an identity of the TV program when there is a match, generates an information record for the TV program, and returns the TV program information record to the mobile terminal, the TV program information record including a hyperlink to the TV program. After receiving the TV program information record from the remote server, the mobile terminal displays the hyperlink on the display of the mobile terminal.
US09621943B2 Multimedia processing resource with interactive voice response
A multimedia processing resource (MPR) includes interactive voice response capabilities. A user may control MPR commands and functions over a telephone interface. For example, through a telephone connection a user may receive a listing of electronic programming guide data, may schedule a multimedia program for recording, or may receive a report related to a multimedia program that is viewed at the present time.
US09621939B2 Apparatus and methods for enabling media options in a content delivery network
Apparatus and methods for providing media options over a network. In one embodiment, the media options are presented in conjunction with a promotion or advertisement for particular content. The precise ones of a plurality of disclosed options that will be presented may be determined based at least in part on a campaign established by a content management entity and a current availability of the content. For example, certain media options may only be made available for content that is currently available, while other options may be only available for content available at a future date/time, or during a particular time window. Rules for determining which options are to be provided in conjunction with which content and/or advertisements are established and by a content management entity, such as an entity of a multiple systems operator (MSO).
US09621935B2 Using bitrate data to output an alert indicating a functional state of back-up media-broadcast system
In one aspect, an example method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up media-broadcast system involves: a computing device determining first bitrate-data associated with a first compressed media-stream; the computing device determining second bitrate-data associated with a second compressed media-stream; the computing device making a determination that the determined first bitrate-data and the determined second bitrate-data lack a threshold extent of similarity; and responsive to the determination that the determined first bitrate-data and the determined second bitrate-data lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert.
US09621932B2 Enhancing live broadcast viewing through display of filtered internet information streams
A method is described for supplementing a live broadcast. The method is performed on a server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors to perform the method. The server system receives first keywords related to the live broadcast. The server system then receives a plurality of input streams, wherein each input stream includes a plurality of events. The server system then extracts second keywords from the plurality of events. The server system then determines the relevance of each event in the plurality of events to the live broadcast by correlating the first and second keywords. The server system then transmits the relevant events to a client device.
US09621925B2 Methods and apparatus for video encoding and decoding binary sets using adaptive tree selection
Methods and apparatus are provided for encoding and decoding binary sets using adaptive tree selection. In one exemplary encoding method embodiment, picture data is encoded for a block in a picture; in which one of a plurality of trees structures is selected to code a binary set of data for indicating coefficient significance for the block. In another exemplary encoding method embodiment, picture data is encoded for a block in a picture, in which one or more trees are used to encode a binary set of data for indicating coefficient significance for the block, the one or more trees each having a plurality of nodes, at least one of the nodes of the one or more trees being modified responsive to at least one parameter.
US09621923B2 Motion video predict coding method, motion video predict coding device, motion video predict coding program, motion video predict decoding method, motion predict decoding device, and motion video predict decoding program
A video predictive coding system includes a video predictive encoding device having: an input circuit to receive pictures constituting a video sequence; an encoding circuit which conducts predictive coding of a target picture using, as reference pictures, pictures encoded and reconstructed in the past, to generate compressed picture data; a reconstruction circuit to decode the compressed picture data to reconstruct a reproduced picture; picture storage to store the reproduced picture as a reference picture for encoding of a subsequent picture; and a buffer management circuit which controls the picture storage, (prior to predictive encoding of the target picture), on the basis of buffer description information BD[k] related to reference pictures used in predictive encoding of the target picture, encodes the buffer description information BD[k] with reference to buffer description information BD[m] for a picture different from the target picture, and adds encoded data thereof to the compressed picture data.
US09621921B2 Coefficient groups and coefficient coding for coefficient scans
Techniques are described for a video coder (e.g., video encoder or video decoder) that is configured to select a context pattern from a plurality of context patterns that are the same for a plurality of scan types. Techniques are also described for a video coder that is configured to select a context pattern that is stored as a one-dimensional context pattern and identifies contexts for two or more scan types.
US09621920B2 Method of three-dimensional and multiview video coding using a disparity vector
A method and apparatus for a three-dimensional or multi-view video encoding or decoding system are disclosed, where a three-dimensional coding tool relying on a disparity vector are adaptively applied depending on whether the inter-view reference picture pointed by the disparity vector is in the reference list associated with the current slice. The three-dimensional coding tool may correspond to the Inter-View Motion Prediction (IVMP) or View Synthesis Prediction (VSP). If the inter-view reference picture pointed by the DV is not in the current reference list associated with the current slice, the selected three-dimensional coding tool is disabled for the current block. If the inter-view reference picture pointed by the DV is in the current reference list associated with the current slice, the selected three-dimensional coding tool can be applied to the current block.
US09621918B2 Method and device for intra prediction video
A method and apparatus for intra predicting a video. The method includes: determining availability of a predetermined number of adjacent pixels used for intra prediction of a current block; if a first adjacent pixel is unavailable, searching for a second adjacent pixel that is available by searching the predetermined number of adjacent pixels in a predetermined direction based on the first adjacent pixel; and replacing a pixel value of the first adjacent pixel with a pixel value of a found second adjacent pixel. At least one third adjacent pixel in another location, which is not available and excludes the first adjacent pixel at a predetermined location, is sequentially replaced by using a directly adjacent pixel in a predetermined direction.
US09621910B2 Method and device for sharing a candidate list
The present invention relates to a method and device for sharing a candidate list. A method of generating a merging candidate list for a predictive block may include: producing, on the basis of a coding block including a predictive block on which a parallel merging process is performed, at least one of a spatial merging candidate and a temporal merging candidate of the predictive block; and generating a single merging candidate list for the coding block on the basis of the produced merging candidate. Thus, it is possible to increase processing speeds for coding and decoding by performing inter-picture prediction in parallel on a plurality of predictive blocks.
US09621908B2 Dynamic load balancing for video decoding using multiple processors
A method and computer readable medium storing a corresponding computer program for decoding a video bitstream based on processors using dynamic load balancing are disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, the method configures multiple processors to perform the multiple processing modules including a prediction module by mapping the multiple processing modules to the multiple processors. One or more buffer queues are used among said multiple processing modules and the mapping the prediction module to the multiple processors is based on the level of the buffer queue. The multiple processors may correspond to a multi-core Central Processing Unit (CPU) comprising of multiple CPUs or a multi-core Digital Signal Processor (DSP) comprising of multiple DSPs to practice the present invention.
US09621906B2 Method for decoding image and apparatus using same
A method for decoding an image according to the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving and parsing a parameter set including indication information which indicates the presence of withheld information to be used in the future; receiving and parsing a slide header including the withheld information, when the indication information indicates the presence of the withheld information; and decoding the image according to semantics and a value corresponding to the withheld information. As a result, provided are a method and an apparatus for describing an additional extension information indication in a bitstream supporting a hierarchical image.
US09621898B2 Image processing device and image processing method
Provided is an image processing device including a selection section configured to select, from a plurality of transform units with different sizes, a transform unit used for inverse orthogonal transformation of image data to be decoded, a generation section configured to generate, from a first quantization matrix corresponding to a transform unit for a first size, a second quantization matrix corresponding to a transform unit for a second size from a first quantization matrix corresponding to a transform unit for a first size, and an inverse quantization section configured to inversely quantize transform coefficient data for the image data using the second quantization matrix generated by the generation section when the selection section selects the transform unit for the second size.
US09621895B2 Encoding/decoding method and device for high-resolution moving images
A video decoding apparatus includes a decoder to decode division information related to dividing a current block into subblocks, and reconstruct transform coefficients of each of the subblocks identified by the division information, and thereby generate transformed residual subblocks; an inverse transformer to inverse-transform each of the transformed residual subblocks, and thereby generate residual subblocks; a predictor to generate predicted subblocks by intra-predicting each of the subblocks; an adder to reconstruct the current block by adding the predicted subblocks to the residual subblocks corresponding thereto; and a first filter to perform deblocking-filtering on boundaries between the subblocks in a reconstructed picture including the reconstructed current block.
US09621893B2 Method of generating quantized block
Provided is a method that derives an intra prediction mode of a prediction unit, selects an inverse scan pattern of a current transform unit among a diagonal scan, a vertical scan and a horizontal scan based on the intra prediction mode and a size of the transform unit, and generates a quantized block by inversely scanning significant flags, coefficients signs and coefficient levels according to the selected inverse scan pattern. If the transform unit is larger than a predetermined size, multiple subsets are generated and inversely scanned. Therefore, the amount of coding bits of the residual block is reduced by determining the scan pattern based on the size of the transform unit and the intra prediction mode, and by applying the scan pattern to each subset. Also, the signaling bits decreases by generating MPM group adaptively according to the neighboring intra prediction modes.
US09621891B2 Apparatus for transmitting image data
An image data transmitting apparatus is disclosed, the apparatus being configured to receive a right image and a left image and transmit the received right image and left image to a host system using a USB method, such that a depth image and a color image can be compressed in real time by a standard protocol, the compressed depth image and the color image are respectively converted to USB packet data, and the converted depth image and the color image are transmitted to a host system.
US09621890B2 Method and device for encoding a video frame, method and device for decoding a video frame and storage medium
A method and a device are described for modifying a video frame for encoding or decoding wherein values of pixels of the video frame are represented an increased bit depth.The described method comprises using processing means for executing the step of offsetting the pixel values of increased bit depth with offsets, the offsets depending on a spatial neighbourhood of the pixel to-be-offset.Such local adaptive offsetting of pixel values de-emphasizes high frequencies in the transform domain artificially emphasized by the bit depth increase.
US09621889B2 Image encoding method, image decoding method, image encoding apparatus, image decoding apparatus, and image coding apparatus
An image encoding method is used for encoding a current picture on a block-by-block basis and includes: generating a reference picture list by (i) assigning a reference picture index to a reference picture referable for encoding the current picture and (ii) including the reference picture assigned the reference picture index into the reference picture list; and encoding a current block included in the current picture with reference to a reference picture that is specified, from the reference picture list, for encoding the current block, wherein, when a reference picture belonging to a reference view different from a current view to which the current picture belongs has a chance of being referenced for encoding the current picture, the reference picture belonging to the reference view is added to the reference picture list in the generating.
US09621888B2 Inter prediction method and apparatus therefor
According to the present invention, an inter prediction method comprises the steps of: generating a merge candidate list for a block to be predicted, wherein the block is to correspond to a current prediction unit; deriving, on the basis of one of a plurality of merge candidates constituting the merge candidate list, motion information on the block to be predicted; and performing, on the basis of the derived motion information, a prediction on the block to be predicted so as to generate a prediction block corresponding to the current prediction unit.
US09621887B2 Motion compensation and motion estimation leveraging a continuous coordinate system
Computer processor hardware receives settings information for a first image. The first image includes a set of multiple display elements. The computer processor hardware receives motion compensation information for a given display element in a second image to be created based at least in part on the first image. The motion compensation information indicates a coordinate location within a particular display element in the first image to which the given display element pertains. The computer processor hardware utilizes the coordinate location as a basis from which to select a grouping of multiple display elements in the first image. The computer processor hardware then generates a setting for the given display element in the second image based on settings of the multiple display elements in the grouping.
US09621884B2 Method and apparatus for estimating a quantization table for a video image
A method of estimating a quantization table for an image block, which is compressed in image processing, includes performing a first quantization using a table dictionary that includes a number of candidate quantization tables for the compressed image block; performing edge-related filtering on the compressed image block and performing a second quantization using the table dictionary for the filtered compressed image block; and estimating a quantization table for the compressed image block based on energy costs of the first-quantized image block and the second-quantized image block.
US09621883B2 Predictive network testing
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for evaluating a network and for predicting network performance for a higher order modulation by analyzing network signals modulated using a lower order modulation format. A margin index may be generated for the current or projected modulation formats based on displacement vectors for received symbols to indicate a margin remaining before a codeword error occurs to alert the network operator of potential performance issues before actual codeword errors occur.
US09621882B2 Calibration device, imaging device, calibration method, and method for manufacturing imaging device
In order to provide a calibration device and the like suitable for image stabilization, a calibration device (1) is provided with a correction lens (11), an actuator coil (13), and a control section (20) for calibrating a center (p) of a movable range (R) of the correction lens (11) to a center position (pa) between a left rated output position (α) and a right end position (b), the left rated output position (α) being a position closest to a left end position (a) in a range where the correction lens (11) is movable when a current within a rated current is caused to flow in the actuator coil (13).
US09621872B1 Systems and methodologies related to formatting data for 3-D viewing
Image acquisition instruments may be employed to capture images used to produce data for driving 3-D projectors. The data obtained from the image acquisition instruments may be compressed. Projectors may also be used to form 3-D images of the object based on the compressed data after decompressing the data. Accordingly, various embodiments described herein involve the formatting of the data such as compressing the data or un-compressing the data.
US09621871B2 Image coding method, image decoding method, image coding apparatus, and image decoding apparatus
An image coding method for properly handling a 3D video format including a base layer and an enhancement layer includes a video layer and a system layer. The video layer includes a step of coding an image to generate a coded stream. The system layer includes a step of multiplexing the coded stream and an identifier to generate a system stream, the identifier indicating whether or not the image has a left-right mixed format that includes a base layer and an enhancement layer and that has a left view image area and a right view image area in each picture. In the coding step, the image that includes the base layer and the enhancement layer and that has the left view image area and the right view image area in each picture is coded to generate the coded stream, when the image has the left-right mixed format.
US09621865B2 Indication of trickplay availability for selected multimedia stream
A user is able to select a multimedia stream from a plurality of multimedia streams available at a multimedia receiver. The availability of one or more trickplay features for the selected multimedia stream is determined in response to the selection of the multimedia stream. A visual indicator, an audible indicator, or both are selectively provided for display/output based on the determined availability status of the corresponding trickplay feature. The selective provision of a trickplay indicator can include providing a first trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is available and providing a second, different trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is unavailable. Alternately, the selective provision of a trickplay indicator includes providing the trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is unavailable and omitting provision of the trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is available, or vice versa.
US09621863B2 Projector and light emission control method in the projector
A projector including: a projecting unit including a plurality of light sources and a modulating unit configured to modulate lights emitted by the plurality of light sources, the projecting unit projecting modulated light modulated by the modulating unit; an optical system configured to optically change a projection state of the modulated light projected from the projecting unit; an optical-system adjusting unit configured to change a state of the optical system; a storing unit configured to store states of the optical system and adjustment values of light emission amounts of the respective light sources for adjusting white balance of the modulated light in association with each other; and a light-emission-amount adjusting unit configured to adjust the light emission amounts of the respective light sources on the basis of the adjustment values corresponding to the states of the optical system.
US09621856B2 Image processing apparatus and image processing method
A structure is provided which reduces erroneous estimation when a state of a work is estimated. An image processing apparatus includes: a camera which inputs an image of a work; a work state estimation unit which estimates a state of the work from the image which has been input by the camera; an occurrence probability storage unit which stores an occurrence probability that is previously associated with each state of the work; and a reliability calculation unit which calculates reliability for the estimated state of the work, based on the state of the work estimated by the work state estimation unit and the occurrence probability which corresponds to the state of the work.
US09621854B2 Recording a videoconference using separate video
A videoconference may be initiated between a plurality of endpoints. At least one of the endpoints may be coupled to a recording server, which may be configured to record the videoconference. A configuration may be selected (e.g., automatically or manually) for performing the recording. The endpoint (e.g., acting as an MCU) may transmit information to endpoints and may transmit recording information to the recording server. The recording information may be different from the videoconference information. For example, it may be in a “streaming friendly” format, at a different bit rate, encoded differently, have different inputs, etc. The manner in which the videoconference is stored and/or recorded may be based on the selected configuration. Clients may be configured to receive and display the videoconference from the recording server and may be configured to change the provided layout to different layouts, e.g., based on user input.
US09621845B2 Architecture for web-based real-time communications (WebRTC) to access internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS)
Embodiments for providing an architecture for WebRTC to access Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a non-IMS user equipment (UE) is provided along with an Application Signaling Interworking Function (ASIF) co-located with the non-IMS UE. The non-IMS UE is arranged to send a register message to the ASIF for registering the non-IMS UE with an IMS core. The ASIF is arranged to translate the register message from the non-IMS UE to IMS-based signaling and to register the non-IMS UE with the IMS core using the register message translated to IMS-based signaling.
US09621843B2 Network device and method for dynamic adjustment of video resolution
A method for dynamic adjustment of video resolution when watching TV, sets a first, second, and third threshold values for a Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), the first threshold value being greater than the second threshold value and the second threshold value being greater than the third threshold value. A working mode of a receiving WI-FI device is detected. An RSSI value of WI-FI signals being received by a user terminal is calculated and the RSSI value is compared with first, second, and third threshold values. Taking working mode of the WI-FI device into account, the video resolution of video streams to be transmitted are adjusted according to results of comparisons and the adjusted video streams are transmitted to the user terminal.
US09621842B2 Camera system, video processing apparatus, and camera apparatus
Disclosed herein is a camera system including, a camera apparatus having, an image sensor, a correction section, a first transmission processing section, and a synchronization processing section, and a video processing apparatus having a second transmission processing section and a conversion section, wherein the video processing apparatus outputs the video data obtained by the conversion by the conversion section.
US09621841B1 Frame rate conversion based on object tracking
A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for frame rate conversion based on object tracking. The method includes determining whether a block of a first frame of an input video stream corresponds to a detected object region or a non-object region. The method further includes selecting a motion estimation operation from a group of operations comprising an object tracking operation based at least on the determining of whether the block of the first frame corresponds to the detected object region or the non-object region. The method further includes determining a motion vector of the block by performing the selected motion estimation operation and determining an interpolated frame based at least on the determined motion vector and the first frame and a second frame of the input video stream.
US09621835B2 Retail demo mode on GPS or IP reverse look up
A device such as a television automatically determines, on initial power up, its geographical location. If the television is determined to be residing in a retail store location it will automatically default to retail mode where picture and audio quality will be set to pre-specified settings conducive to a retail environment where the ambient light and sound levels are not what would typically be found in a residential environment. The invention consists of a software module and a database resident in the television that can determine, from interrogating either a GPS chip set, or obtaining identifying data from an attached wired or wireless network and matching the data to identifying data for retail store locations to determine if the television is located in a retail store. If the location of the television is determined to be in a retail store the television will initialize the video and audio quality for a retail store environment. If the location of the television is determined to not be in a retail store, the television will initialize the video and audio quality for a residential environment.
US09621833B2 Solid-state imaging device and imaging apparatus
An imaging device includes a pixel region in which light sensing pixels are grouped into pixel-units that each include multiple pixels, each column including pixels from at least two of the pixel-units. Each of the pixel-units is connected, via a corresponding readout line, to a corresponding readout unit configured to perform analog-to-digital conversion on pixel signals output thereto. A scanning unit that extends in a column direction is configured to select pixels for readout by applying row scanning pulses to scan lines connected to rows. A scanning unit that extends in a row direction for applying readout-enabling scan pulses to lines connected to columns is omitted. Those pixels that are selected for readout by one of the row scanning pulses are read out independently of any enabling pulses applied to lines connected to columns.
US09621832B2 Solid-state image sensor and camera
A solid-state image sensor comprises a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are two-dimensionally arranged, and a plurality of column signal processing circuits which read out signals from the pixel array via a plurality of column signal lines arranged in correspondence with respective columns of the pixel array, wherein signals of the pixels of different colors in the pixel array are read out by the plurality of column signal processing circuits during a single period, and wherein at least the column signal processing circuits which process signals of the pixels of different colors, of the plurality of column signal processing circuits, are driven via conductive lines which are separated from each other in a region where at least the column signal processing circuits which process signals of the pixels of different colors are arranged.
US09621824B2 Thermal imager
A thermal imager includes a detector, a lens, a shutter disposed between the detector and the lens, and a motor operably connected to the shutter for moving the shutter between a first and a second position. There is a source of electrical energy operably connected to one or more of the detector, lens and motor by an electrical circuit. The electrical circuit includes one or more of a capacitor, a diode, and a resistor.
US09621823B2 Thermal camera calibration
A system for calibrating a thermal camera with a calibration target. The calibration target may have a pattern which can be seen on an infrared image captured by the camera. The pattern may be of various kinds. For example, the pattern may be a checkerboard with some, such as every other square, having one emissitivity and the remaining squares having a different emissitivity, or having infrared light sources placed at corners of the squares. A difference between the emmissitivities may be sufficient so that the checkerboard pattern appears in an infrared image captured by the camera for calibration. The calibration may aid in determining intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the camera. The parameters may provide a basis for transforming camera pixel coordinates to a world coordinate system which allows measurement of real world entities by the thermal camera. Measurements may incorporate distances between objects, heights of objects, and so forth.
US09621822B2 Imaging unit and imaging method
There is included: a light receiving device configured to receive light and convert the received light into a light detection signal; a pixel transistor connected to the light receiving device and configured to control connection between the light receiving device and a signal line; a low-pass filter configured to be applied with respect to the light detection signal; an A-D converter configured to convert an output signal of the low-pass filter into digital data; and a sequencer configured to, prior to causing the A-D converter to operate to output the digital data, control the pixel transistor to be in an ON state and thereby maintain the light receiving device to be connected to the signal line, in a state in which the low-pass filter is caused to function effectively with respect to the light detection signal.
US09621814B2 Image pickup for endoscope and method for operating image pickup system for endoscope
There is provided an image pickup system for endoscope including: a light source; an image forming optical system; a focus lens driving section; an image pickup section outputting an image signal; an image signal amplifying section; an image brightness detecting section; a brightness adjusting section adjusting a brightness control condition such as a light quantity of the light source, an image pickup condition of the image pickup section and an amplification factor of the amplifying section so that brightness of an image becomes a predetermined brightness; an auxiliary AF section estimating a temporary focus position based on the brightness control condition; a control section setting a small scanning range including the temporary focus position; and a contrast AF section causing contrast AF to be performed in the scanning range.
US09621812B2 Image capturing control apparatus and method
Methods and apparatus for image capturing are provided. A first camera mounted on a rear side of a mobile terminal, and a second camera mounted on a front side of a mobile terminal, are driven in an image capturing mode. A user's face is detected in a second image generated by the second camera. An alarm is generated that indicates that a first image is out of an intended image capturing area, when the user's face is not detected in the second image and when a difference is detected between the first image and a reference first image.
US09621811B2 Non-functioning headlight warning
A vehicle system includes a processing device programmed to identify a first zone and a second zone in an image of an area ahead of a vehicle. The processing device compares a first brightness associated with the first zone to a second brightness associated with the second zone to determine a brightness difference. The processing device can determine whether at least one vehicle headlight has malfunctioned based at least in part on the brightness difference.
US09621806B2 Image capturing method, apparatus, and electronic device
Various embodiments provide methods, apparatus, and electronic devices for image capturing. An exemplary image capturing method can include first acquiring image information via a camera contained in an electronic device and then detecting whether a shake amplitude of the electronic device is within a pre-set range. When the shake amplitude of the electronic device is detected within the pre-set range, the image information acquired by the camera can be captured. An exemplary image capturing apparatus can include an acquisition module for acquiring image information; a first detection module for detecting whether a shake amplitude of an electronic device is within a pre-set range; and a capturing module for capturing the image information, when the first detection module detects that the shake amplitude of the electronic device is within the pre-set range.
US09621805B2 Method, system and computer program product for debluring images
The invention is directed to a camera deblur technique. An exemplary method comprises capturing an image using the camera, wherein the image is captured using a first sampling frequency; estimating, using pixel samples from the image and sampled with a second sampling frequency, a blur function, wherein the second sampling frequency is greater than the first sampling frequency; and performing deblur processing of the image based on the estimated blur function.
US09621794B2 Image processing device, image processing method and permanent computer-readable medium
A storage portion stores (220) an image data and a distance data including a respective subject and a lens focus. A display (180) displays a display image based on the image data, and an operation regarding a depth of field and a focus position being performed. An image adjusting portion (320) detects a first operation and a second operation performed referring to the display (180), and adjusts a focus distance according to the first operation and the distance data as well as adjusts a depth of field according to the second operation and the distance data for the image data to generate the display image.
US09621793B2 Information processing apparatus, method therefor, and measurement apparatus
A spread degree of a geometric feature in a surface of an object to be measured is estimated. The geometric feature is included in a geometric pattern, and will be observed in an image obtained by capturing the object on which the geometric pattern is projected. A parameter is set based on the estimated spread degree. Based on the parameter, a point on the geometric pattern is set in a captured image obtained by capturing the object to be measured on which the geometric pattern is projected. A three-dimensional position on the surface of the object corresponding to the set point is calculated.
US09621788B2 Focus control device, non-transitory computer readable recording medium having therein program for focus control, and method for focus control
A focus control device includes an acquisition unit that acquires image data of a plurality of first frames, each of the plurality of first frames being captured at each of positions of a lens in an optical axis direction, the positions being different each other; and a movement unit that, when a focusing position of the lens is not determined based on contrast evaluation values for an area to be focused on in the plurality of first frames, determines a direction for moving the area, based on a magnitude of a contrast evaluation value within the area and a position of an area with the contrast evaluation value larger than or equal to a given threshold in each piece of image data of the plurality of first frames or a plurality of second frames newly acquired by the acquisition unit, and moves the area in the determined direction.
US09621781B2 Focus control device, endoscope system, and focus control method
The focus control device includes a focus control section that controls an imaging optical system that is configured so that an in-focus object plane position is changed when an imaging magnification is changed, an image acquisition section that acquires a plurality of images captured through the imaging optical system at a different imaging magnification, and a change-in-magnification detection section that detects a change in magnification that is at least one of a change in the imaging magnification and a change in size of an object within an image among the plurality of images, the focus control section driving the imaging optical system based on an AF evaluation value that indicates the focus state of the imaging optical system and calculated based on the image and the change in magnification to control focus of the imaging optical system.
US09621780B2 Method and system of curve fitting for common focus measures
An efficient method and system for estimating an optimal focus position for capturing an image are presented. Embodiments of the present invention initially determine an initial lens position dataset. Then, scores are calculated for each value of the initial lens position dataset producing a plurality of scores. Embodiments of the present invention then determine an optimum focus position through interpolation and extrapolation by relating the initial lens position dataset to the score dataset, in which the score dataset comprises of the plurality of scores.
US09621772B2 Integrated lens barrel, actuator, and MEMS snubber systems and methods
Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide concomitant mechanical motion inhibition and electrical distribution for actuator modules, such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based optical actuators adapted to move and/or orient one or more lenses and/or optical devices of a camera module. A mechanical motion inhibition and electrical distribution system may include one or more flexible snubber structures disposed substantially adjacent a MEMS structure and between the MEMS structure and another component of a camera module. Each flexible snubber structure may be implemented with one or more electrical traces, flexible films, snubber films, and/or mechanical stabilizers adapted to route electrical signals to or from the MEMS structure and/or to inhibit mechanical motion of at least a portion of the MEMS structure.
US09621767B1 Spatially adaptive tone mapping for display of high dynamic range (HDR) images
Techniques are provided for spatially adaptive tone mapping for display or reproduction of HDR images on devices with lower dynamic range capability. An example system may include a log-conversion circuit to convert luminance data, from a received image, to a logarithm domain. The system may also include an edge-aware filter circuit to decompose the log domain luminance data into a base layer, a small scale detail layer, and a large scale detail layer. The system may further include an amplitude adjustment circuit to shift and scale data amplitudes in each of the layers to a selected range and a linear-conversion circuit to convert the adjusted layers from the log domain back to the linear domain. The system may further include a tone compression circuit to generate compressed linear domain layers and a luminance data reconstruction circuit to generate compressed luminance data based on the compressed linear domain layers.
US09621761B1 Automatic correction of skewing of digital images
A method and system for automatic correction of skewing of digital images. A captured digital image s provided. An initial angle of rotation is determined by sampling test angles of rotation of the input image and analyzing resultant rotated images to determine a resultant rotated image with a highest number of substantially empty lines. The input image is rotated by the initial angle of rotation to generate a first rotated image which is processed to determine a refining angle of rotation as follows: determining text line areas of the first rotated image; generating a representative line of each text line area; calculating a slope of each representative line; and determining an aggregated slope of all the representative lines. The aggregated slope is converted to the refining angle of rotation. The first rotated image is rotated by the refining angle of rotation to result in a final rotated image.
US09621755B2 Information processing apparatus and wireless communication method
An image processing apparatus includes a first communication unit, an image processing unit, and an authentication unit. The first communication unit performs contactless communication using a radio-frequency identification (RFID). The second communication unit performs wireless communication. The image processing unit performs an image processing job. The authentication unit authenticates a user of the image processing apparatus. In a case where the authentication unit authenticates a user, the second communication unit starts the wireless communication with an external apparatus which has been identified by an identification (ID) communicated from the external apparatus. The image processing unit performs the image processing job using the wireless communication between the second communication unit and the external apparatus.
US09621754B2 Image forming apparatus, method, and medium for affecting startup
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which has a controller and an image forming unit, and which has multiple startup modes including a first startup mode and a second startup mode as startup modes for the controller. The startup time period for the second startup mode is shorter than that for the first startup mode.
US09621753B2 Image reading apparatus, control method for image reading apparatus, and program
An apparatus includes an image sensor that has a plurality of sensor chips having photoelectric conversion elements and that outputs pixel signals from a plurality of output channels; identifying means that identifies a width of a document to be read by the image sensor; and signal control means that controls signals to be output from the image sensor. In the image sensor, different sensor chips at an interval of the number of channels of the output channels are connected to each output channel, and the signal control means controls output of a pixel signal of each sensor chip based on the identified document width.
US09621750B2 Image forming system that moves print job between a plurality of image forming apparatuses and recording medium
An image forming system includes a portable terminal device and an image forming apparatus. The portable terminal device includes a job information acquisition circuit, an augmented reality circuit, and a job moving circuit. The job information acquisition circuit acquires job information indicative of the print job executed by the image forming apparatus. The augmented reality circuit causes a display device to display a composite image where a job information image based on the job information acquired by the job information acquisition circuit is combined on a location corresponding to the image forming apparatus on a captured image captured by an imaging device. The job moving circuit moves the print job between the plurality of image forming apparatuses corresponding to an operation input by an input device with respect to the job information image displayed on the display device by the augmented reality circuit.
US09621749B2 Capturing selected image objects
Exemplary embodiments provide a technique that processes captured images derived from selected targeted objects in a field of view. The captured images may be transferred via a communication link to a storage location for future availability. A possible aspect may provide a cross-reference association between saved multiple exposures having different quality characteristics. In some instances an identifier record is provided to enable future accessibility to selected captured data by one or more authorized parties or approved devices or authorized recipients. In some embodiments the captured data may include both a video data stream and one or more still image frames derived from related fields of view. Stored versions of the captured images may be provided in original or altered form to be incorporated in a composite visual work.
US09621742B2 Document printing
Provided is a method of printing a document. An email message comprising a document for printing is received on a cloud server, wherein the email message includes an email address of a printer and an email address of an additional recipient. The email message is transmitted to the printer and the additional recipient. The document is printed on the printer upon receipt of the email message.
US09621740B2 Operation of multifunctional printer over peer to peer network based on port detection
A method of determining which of a multifunctional printer's multiple functions a client device is requesting by determining an operation associated with a network port through which an operation request from the client device is received. The multifunctional printer can open multiple network ports each associated with a different operations, such that identification of the network port that the operation request was sent to can indicate which operation the client device is requesting.
US09621738B2 Method and apparatus for controlling charging by using volume information of data
The present disclosure relates to a method and an apparatus for controlling charging by using volume information of data, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for controlling charging for a UE by using volume information of data when a caching operation according to a byte caching mode or an object caching mode is performed.Disclosed is a method including receiving a caching operation request for data from another server; determining a caching mode corresponding to the caching operation request; and transmitting a PCC rule change request to the policy controller according to the caching mode, wherein the PCC rule is a rule that controls charging for the UE based on volume information of the data.
US09621724B2 Customer service call routing
Customer service calls to media service providers are addressed by remotely monitoring and diagnosing the customer's installed equipment. Such remote diagnosis decreases the need for assistance from customer service representatives and on-site repair technicians. In a method of operating a customer service routing system for a media service provider, subscriber equipment is first identified and then data specific to the subscriber equipment is collected. Relevant data can be maintained as an equipment health history in a database that is updated periodically by automatic monitoring. The database can be located within a remote server. Equipment data can be extracted automatically and relayed directly to the subscriber, thereby bypassing interaction with a customer service representative.
US09621722B2 Caller authentication
In order to authenticate a caller, a callee generates a code, such as, an alphanumeric code that is sent to a code manager via an electronic communication channel. The generated code is for authenticating a caller in a communication session to be made by the caller to the callee. The code manager stores the code in a memory. After the communication session has been initiated from the caller to the callee and then established, the code is sent to the callee so the callee can verify the caller is authentic.
US09621717B2 Second party control over mobile device usage
A mechanism is provided whereby a parent, or other second party, can monitor and/or control a child's or other first party's wireless device usage. An interface can allow the parent to set rules for the child's usage, and can specify that the parent should receive messages when a call is made to or from the child's wireless device. In addition to call information, the message may prompt the parent for approval of the call connection. Thus, a parent can decide whether a call that is incoming from or outgoing to a third party should be permitted.
US09621715B2 Delivering a toll-free caller ID on toll-free calls
A computer device may include logic configured to receive a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) telephone call and identify the SIP telephone call as originating from a first toll-free telephone number and destined for a second toll-free telephone number. The computer device may further determine a screened telephone number associated with the first toll-free telephone number; generate a diversion header that includes the determined screened telephone number for the SIP telephone call, in response to identifying the SIP telephone call as originating from the first toll-free telephone number and destined for the second toll-free telephone number; and send the SIP telephone call to a local exchange carrier network associated with the second toll-free telephone number.
US09621713B1 Identical conversation detection method and apparatus
An automated system is disclosed for detecting situations in which identical segments of conversation appear within two different recordings. The system automatically detects where within each of two audio recordings an identical conversation segment begins and ends, thus enabling detection of conversations where multiple prison inmates participated in a conference call.
US09621700B2 Mobile terminal device
A mobile terminal device is disclosed. The device includes a display module, a communication module, a sound input module, a sound output module, a hold detection module and a control module. The communication module is configured to receive an incoming call. The sound input module is configured to receive sound from a user. The sound output module is configured to output sound of the call. The hold detection module is configured to detect that the mobile terminal device is held. The control module is configured to perform a process of notifying the caller that the user cannot take the call when the communication module receives an incoming call, the hold detection module detects that the mobile terminal device is held and then the hold detection module detects that the mobile terminal device is not held.
US09621697B2 Unified communications IP phone using an information handling system host
A VoIP telephone provides basic VoIP capabilities, such as those defined by SIP, with an onboard communications engine that presents a user interface at a display. More complex communications capabilities are provided by interfacing the telephone with an information handling system and driving the user interface of the telephone with a UC application executing on the information handling system. For example, the telephone has an LCD that presents a number pad or basic telephone number list for interaction with the communications engine; however, UC application drives a user interface with greater processing power and storage available from the information handling system, such as an address book or communication actions not supported by the communications engine.
US09621692B2 Display apparatus and electronic apparatus including the same
A display apparatus includes a bezel in which a size of the bezel is reduced. The display apparatus includes a display panel in which both edges of the display panel are bent. A back supporting unit is disposed on the back of the display panel. The back supporting unit supports the center of the display panel. A side supporting unit is disposed on sides of the display panel. Both edges of the display panel are disposed between the back supporting unit and the side supporting unit. The display panel includes a display area and a peripheral area surrounding the display area. A portion of the display area is disposed between the back supporting unit and the side supporting unit.
US09621685B2 Architecture for an access network system management protocol control under heterogeneous network management environment
A method for processing messages within a telecommunication network, including receiving, by a central office (CO) from a network manager, a message packaged within a first data frame, the message conforming to a first protocol and being addressed to a customer premises equipment (CPE), wherein the CO communicates with the network manager using the first protocol, and communicates with the CPE using a second protocol, determining if the CPE to which the message is addressed supports the first protocol, when the determining is affirmative, then encapsulating the message conforming to the first protocol within a second data frame confirming to the second protocol, when the determining is not affirmative, then translating the message from the first protocol to the second protocol, and packaging the translated message within a second data frame confirming to the second protocol, and sending the second data frame to the CPE using the second protocol.
US09621683B2 Transcoding of communication with personal health devices
In embodiments, devices, computer-readable media, and methods for personal health device transcoding may be described. A transcoding module may serve as an interface between a manager device implementing an IEEE 11073-20601 (“IEEE 11073”) standard and a personal health device that does not implement the standard. The transcoding module may be configured to interact with one or more models of an IEEE 11073 stack implemented by the manager device. The transcoding device may be configured to redirect requests from the models and emulate responses from the personal health device such that the personal health device appears, to the manager device, to implement the IEEE 11073 standard. The transcoding module may perform the emulation asynchronously, through transcoding of communications with the personal health device, or may synchronously generate responses on behalf of the personal health device. Other embodiments may be described.
US09621678B1 Delivering and displaying content feeds on smartwatch devices
The disclosed embodiments provide a system for displaying a content feed on a smartwatch device. During operation, the system transmits a request for a content feed to a mobile application on a mobile device. When the mobile application responds with the content feed within a pre-specified period after the request, the system stores the content feed on the smartwatch device and displays the content feed on the smartwatch device. When the mobile application does not respond with an update to the content feed within the pre-specified period after a subsequent request for the content feed from the smartwatch device, the system obtains the content feed from storage on the smartwatch device and displays the content feed on the smartwatch device in lieu of the update.
US09621673B2 Customer initiated tenant operations in a multitenant cloud environment
Customer initiated tenant operations are presented that are provided within a work center of a client cloud application. System supported tenant operations combined with automatic validations and determinations are exposed directly to the customer via the work center. Customers are able to coordinate and initiate tenant operations using a specific work center called a service control center, which is added to other work centers that build the cloud enterprise applications or products the customers are using. The enterprise application embedded service control center is connected to a central service control center, which is located in a service provider cockpit system. The central service control center enables the execution of customer specific tenant operations that are tailored to the customer's landscape and guarantees the tenant isolation.
US09621670B2 Parallel, side-effect based DNS pre-caching
Embodiments of the present invention include methods and systems for domain name system (DNS) pre-caching. A method for DNS pre-caching is provided. The method includes receiving uniform resource locator (URL) hostnames for DNS pre-fetch resolution prior to a user hostname request for any of the URL hostnames. The method also includes making a DNS lookup call for at least one of the URL hostnames that are not cached by a DNS cache prior to the user hostname request. The method further includes discarding at least one IP address provided by a DNS resolver for the URL hostnames, wherein a resolution result for at least one of the URL hostnames is cached in the DNS cache in preparation for the user hostname request. A system for DNS pre-caching is provided. The system includes a renderer, an asynchronous DNS pre-fetcher and a hostname table.
US09621669B2 Content delivery network with deep caching infrastructure
Embodiments herein include methods and systems for use in delivering resources to a client device over a local network. An exemplary system comprises a plurality of caching devices operable to cache resources on behalf of a plurality of content providers, and a local caching device communicatively situated between an access network and the client device, wherein the access network is communicably situated between the plurality of caching devices and the local caching device. The local caching device is operable to retrieve a requested resource from at least one of the plurality of caching devices, deliver the requested resource to the client device over the local network, and store the requested resource for future requests by other client devices.
US09621658B2 Method and device for obtaining content of service information
A method for obtaining content of service information is provided. The method includes detecting service network information associated with a wireless network provided by a service information provider, obtaining an identifier included in the service network information, determining whether the identifier is stored in a database, and if it is determined that the identifier is stored in the database, obtaining the content of service information based on a corresponding relation between the identifier and the content of service information.
US09621651B1 Systems and methods for replicating data
A system facilitates the distribution and redistribution of chunks of data among multiple servers. The system may identify servers to store a replica of the data based on at least one of utilization of the servers, prior data distribution involving the servers, and failure correlation properties associated with the servers, and place the replicas of the data at the identified servers. The system may also monitor total numbers of replicas of the chunks available in the system, identify chunks that have a total number of replicas below one or more chunk thresholds, assign priorities to the identified chunks, and re-replicate the identified chunks based substantially on the assigned priorities. The system may further monitor utilization of the servers, determine whether to redistribute any of the replicas, select one or more of the replicas to redistribute based on the utilization of the servers, select one or more of the servers to which to move the one or more replicas, and move the one or more replicas to the selected one or more servers.
US09621648B2 Peer-to-peer architecture for web traffic management
Techniques are provided for a peer-to-peer web traffic management. A first mapping between identifiers and peers in a network is established. Upon receiving a first request associated with a first identifier and classifiers, based, at least in part, on the first identifier, a first peer retrieves a first global counter snapshot and a first local increment counter, and uses them to determine whether the first peer can service the first request. If the determination is positive, then the first peer services the first request, and updates the first local increment counter. If the first local increment counter exceeded a threshold value, then the first local increment counter is transmitted to a second peer, and then reset to zero. In response to the first peer receiving a first global counter associated with the first global counter snapshot, the first global counter snapshot is updated with the first global counter.
US09621647B2 Peer-to-peer networking through universal port connections
Embodiments relate to two general purpose computers connected in a peer-to-peer mode by connecting a cable (or wireless connection) between universal ports (e.g., PCIe ports) on each computer. A timing protocol utility runs on each computer to time schedule operations performed by its respective computer. Because the system clocks on each peer computer operate independently (asynchronously), they may vary somewhat from each other. To support time synchronized peer-to-peer operations, paired clock value (one for each peer computer) are generated continually and independently by each peer system. Each peer system periodically supplies the paired clock values to its associated timing protocol utility, which uses the paired clock values to time synchronize peer-to-peer computer operations. The timing protocol utilities may also exchange the paired clock values with each other for integrity checking and other operations.
US09621645B2 Device pairing via a cloud server
Methods for device pairing via a cloud server are provided. In one aspect, a method includes sending an initial signal from a first device to a second device. The method includes sending a notification from the first device of a set of communication capabilities of the first device. The method also includes receiving an indication of a common communication capability between the first and second devices. The method includes initiating pairing of the first device and the second device using the common communication capability in response to the received indication. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.
US09621643B1 System and method for joining containers running on multiple nodes of a cluster
A method for joining Containers and balancing loads uses a cluster of independent computer nodes assembled into a cloud service. The cluster nodes have Containers implemented on them. The Containers execute some real processes that use the resources of the node. If the Container requires additional resources (CPU, memory, etc.), the Container is provided with resources available from another node. In order to do this, the process requiring additional resources is migrated to another Container on a different node, and a proxy process imitates this process execution on the original Container. A load balancer monitors the resource usage and selects the Containers to be joined.
US09621638B2 Method, system, and apparatus for sharing application information
A method, a system, and an apparatus are provided for sharing application information. The method receives match request sent by a mobile terminal X upon receipt of a share instruction of a user. According to the match request, the method determines whether there is a mobile terminal that is matched with the mobile terminal X among other mobile terminals that send match request, and if a mobile terminal is found, sends a success message. When a server receives identifiers of applications to be shared sent from any one mobile terminal of the matched mobile terminals, the method determines whether the other mobile terminal of the matched mobile terminals is connected to the server, if the other mobile terminal is online, obtains relevant information of the application corresponding to each identifier respectively, and sends the obtained relevant information to the other mobile terminal.
US09621634B2 Dependency management with atomic decay
A processor records statistics regarding invocation of a second component of a distributed computing system by a first component of the distributed computing system. The processor determines a dependency between the first component and the second component based on the statistics and determines a dependency rating for the dependency based on the statistics. The processor migrates the first component from a first location to a second different location. Responsive to determining that the dependency rating for the dependency exceeds a dependency threshold, the processor migrates the second component to the second location.
US09621622B2 Information providing apparatus, information providing method, and network system
An information providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a receiving unit and a distribution unit. The receiving unit receives an access request for accessing first content from a terminal apparatus used by a first user. The distribution unit distributes, to the terminal apparatus, the first content including link information which is posted by a second user related to the first user in a predetermined communication service among pieces of link information to other content when the receiving unit receives the access request.
US09621621B2 System, apparatus and method for activity guidance and monitoring
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems, apparatus and methods for activity guidance and monitoring utilizing a scanning device associated with a system network. Embodiments further disclose activity guidance and monitoring of labor workflow. The system may include a scanning device with a network communication component facilitating communication with a server. The scanning device may scan identification codes associated with a user or an activity, and display activity information based upon the scanned codes. The server may include a database of information related to the users and activities as well as historical information, and the server may provide analysis of such information. A user interface may facilitate activity status updates to be input into the system. Reports may be created to reflect the status updates or an analysis of the information.
US09621617B2 Method and server for sending a data stream to a client and method and client for receiving a data stream from a server
A method is provided, in a server, operatively connectable to a client via a data connection, a method of sending a data stream to the client. The method comprises receiving from the client, a request for data, the request comprising a communication identifier, obtaining a first part of the data stream from a streaming source for sending to the client and sending, to the client, a streaming data message. The streaming data message comprises: the first part, the communication identifier, and a stream indicator, indicating a second data message may follow, comprising a second part of the data stream. The method does not comprise resending the streaming data message if no acknowledgement of receipt has been received from the client. Also a method in a client is provided, as well as the server and the client.
US09621608B2 Digital content supply system
The invention concerns a method of generating and electronically transmitting to at least one distribution platform a digital media product, the method involving: generating product parts of a first product based on a plurality of digital media files retrieved from a database (112), and storing the product parts in a product memory (140); transmitting the first product comprising the product parts to a first distribution platform; and determining, based on scheduling data, whether, after transmission to the first distribution platform one or more of the product parts is scheduled to be transmitted to another distribution platform, and if not, deleting the one or more product parts from the product memory.
US09621607B2 Systems and languages for media policy decision and control and methods for use therewith
A system includes a policy repository configured to store a plurality of media-centric policies. A media policy decision point is configured to execute operational instructions in accordance with a media centric policy language to select at least one of the plurality of policies corresponding to one of the plurality of media sessions based on, for example, feedback extracted monitoring the plurality of media sessions. The media-centric policy language, in various embodiments, expresses at least one of: operator preferences, operator goals, or operator constraints, facilitates management of individual ones of the plurality of media sessions and/or facilitates management of aggregate media traffic over the plurality of media sessions.
US09621602B2 Identifying and providing physical social actions to a social networking system
Physical social actions are conveniently detected, characterized, and provided to a social networking system. This improves the user experience of the social networking system by more thoroughly recording the social actions of users occurring outside a social graph. This has the effect of extending an open social graph, which typically refers to social actions taken outside the social networking system but within a computer network, to physical social actions. By providing characterized physical social actions to the social networking system, the open social graph is extended to include physical social actions.
US09621598B2 Enhancing user experience for internet protocol multimedia core network subsystem based communication services
User experience is enhanced for Internet Protocol Multimedia Core Network Subsystem (IMS) based rich communication services in telecommunication environments. A system receives, from a user equipment, a session initiation protocol invitation packet to commence a communication session, and as a function of the session initiation protocol invitation packet, displays an access network technology type used by the user equipment to access a network device associated with a multiple access communication network.
US09621596B2 Mobile application deployment for distributed computing environments
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system, and computer program product for ensuring the veracity of a mobile application for deployment in a distributed computing environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for ensuring the veracity of a mobile application for deployment in a distributed computing environment is provided. The method includes detecting a mobile application being uploaded for deployment to a mobile computing device in the distributed computing environment, creating and then storing a fingerprint for the uploaded mobile application, calculating an offset value according to the fingerprint for the uploaded mobile application, and storing the offset value for the uploaded mobile application. The method further includes, prior to deploying the uploaded mobile application to the mobile computing device, validating the offset value for the uploaded mobile application to determine that the uploaded mobile application is an unaltered version of the uploaded mobile application.
US09621595B2 Conditional declarative policies
Methods, systems, and media for producing a firewall rule set are provided herein. Exemplary methods may include receiving a declarative policy associated with a computer network security policy; collecting information from at least one external system of record; generating a firewall rule set using the declarative policy and information, the firewall rule set including addresses to or from which network communications are permitted, denied, redirected or logged, the firewall rule set being at a lower level of abstraction than the declarative policy; and provisioning the firewall rule set to a plurality of enforcement points of a distributed firewall, the firewall selectively policing network communications among workloads using the firewall rule set.
US09621580B2 Security aware email server
A security aware email server and a method of managing incoming email are described. The server includes a memory device configured to store rules, instructions, and user preferences. The processor makes a determination of whether a sender of an incoming email used a secure or unsecure sending network to send the email and determines an action to take with the email based on the determination and the user preferences.
US09621579B2 Systems and methods for protecting against unauthorized network intrusions
The disclosed computer-implemented method for protecting against unauthorized network intrusions may include (1) identifying a signal received by one or more antennas of a network from a transceiver of a device attempting to access the network, (2) detecting one or more signal strengths of the signal received by the antennas of the network in connection with the attempt to access the network, (3) determining, based at least in part on the signal strengths of the signal, that the attempt to access the network is potentially malicious, and then in response to determining that the attempt to access the network is potentially malicious, (4) initiating at least one security measure to address the potentially malicious attempt to access the network. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09621574B2 Out of band end user notification systems and methods for security events related to non-browser mobile applications
A cloud based security method includes authenticating a mobile device through a cloud based security system; associating the mobile device with a user of the cloud based security system based on the authenticating; monitoring user requests from the mobile device by the cloud based security system; detecting security threats based on the monitoring; and sending an out of band end user notification to the mobile device responsive to detecting a security threat, wherein the out of band end user notification comprises information for the user related to the security threat.
US09621562B2 Propagating authentication between terminals
Propagating authentication between terminals connected to a server having identification information and user information for the terminals. The terminal receives identification information, user information, location information and a login status from a first terminal and a second terminal in response to a predetermined impact between the terminals, or the terminals coming within a predetermined distance of each other, the login status of the terminals being either authenticated or unauthenticated. The server then authenticates the second terminal in response to the users of the first terminal matching some or all of the users of the second terminal based on the identification and user information, in response to the terminals being located within a predetermined distance of each other, and in response to the first terminal being authenticated and the second terminal being unauthenticated on the basis of the login status.
US09621548B2 Online pseudonym verification and identity validation
Methods, systems, and computer program products for authenticating an online user. Authentication involves sending a code from a server to a user device equipped with a source of illumination and a camera capable of capturing video imagery of the online user. The user device receives the code, modulates the source of illumination in accordance with the code, and captures video imagery of the user while the source of illumination is being modulated according to the code. The captured video imagery of the online user is sent to the server where it is analyzed to detect evidence of changes in illumination that correspond to the code. If good correspondence is found, the user may be authenticated. Similar methods may be applied to other biometric data. Applications of the authentication include identify validation, pseudonym verification, and distinguishing human from non human access attempts.
US09621545B2 System and method for connecting client devices to a network
A system and method are provided for enabling a client device to connect to a network. The method comprises: obtaining an authorization code via a communication channel different from the network, the authorization code corresponding to the client device; and after detecting initiation of a security negotiation protocol by the client device, using the authorization code in at least one security negotiation operation.
US09621540B2 Secure provisioning of computing devices for enterprise connectivity
Technologies for securely provisioning a personal computing device for enterprise connectivity includes a trusted computing device for wirelessly communicating with the personal computing device, generating a key pair for the personal computing device, generating a certificate signing request, sending the certificate signing request on behalf of the personal computing device, receiving an access certificate for enterprise connectivity, and securely exporting the access certificate and a private key of the key pair to the personal computing device.
US09621529B2 Information processing system, apparatus, and method
An information processing system, which includes one or more computers, includes a reception part configured to receive a request addressed to one of multiple destinations, a generation part configured to generate authority identification information for identifying operation authority to operate an apparatus in a case where provision of the operation authority is authorized based on a condition that differs depending on a combination of the destination of the request and a transmission source of the request, and a transmission part configured to transmit the authority identification information to the transmission source of the request.
US09621521B2 Rapid data encryption and decryption for secure communication over open channels with plausible deniability
Technologies are generally described for providing rapid data encryption and decryption for secure communication over an open channel with plausible deniability. In some examples, a single bit of information may be encoded by many alternative combinations of bits thus providing high security as well as enabling a single ciphertext to encrypt several different plaintexts of the same length simultaneously. The ability to encrypt several different plaintexts of the same length simultaneously may allow plausible deniability of messages. Encryption speed may be enhanced through accumulation of useful bit sets with desired properties in advance for later use. When the need arises, several plaintexts of the same size may be encrypted into a single ciphertext using accumulated bit combinations corresponding to different secret keys.
US09621519B2 System and method for key exchange based on authentication information
Disclosed are a system and method for exchanging a key based on user authentication information. The system for exchanging a key based on user authentication information includes a terminal configured to generate an ID-based ciphertext corresponding to authentication information of a user of the terminal using a terminal-side random number and a server ID and a server configured to decrypt the ID-based ciphertext that is received from the terminal using a server-side private key corresponding to the server ID to restore the authentication information, authenticate the terminal using the restored authentication information, and generate a server-side session key corresponding to the authenticated terminal.
US09621503B2 System and method to enable private conversations around content
Methods, system and computer readable medium for allowing a user to participate in an online private conversation for a head content includes detecting a selection of the content published on a website hosted by a host. A conversation interface is provided for initiating a private conversation within a context of the content. A comment related to the content is provided and one or more users are selected, using the conversation interface. The selected users are socially related to the user and are selected from one or more social networking sites. A link to the private conversation for the content is generated and the generated link is forwarded to the selected users in a notification inviting the users to participate in the private conversation. The link provides access to the content and the private conversation initiated for the content at the website.
US09621500B2 Messaging system with multiple messaging channels
A messaging system facilitates communication between users through various messaging channels. The messaging system supports multiple communication channels and includes a messaging module that automatically selects one or more of the messaging channels for delivering a message to a recipient of the message using, for example, a set of policy rules or a trained model. The messaging module may also provide, in a user interface for sending and receiving messages, a visual indication of the selected messaging channel to the sender of the message to provide the user with transparency about how the message will be delivered. Additionally, the message may be delivered via multiple messaging channels, where the messaging module may rescind messages from some of the messaging channels upon receiving a reply from the recipient of the message or other confirmation that the recipient has seen the message via one of the communication channels.
US09621499B2 Excluding recipients of a message based on content of the message
In an approach for excluding contacts from receiving a message within a social network environment, a computer receives a message to be sent by a first user in a social network environment and determines that content of the message includes objectionable language, wherein the objectionable language includes at least one of: a negative connotation, a negative term, and a negative content. Based on the determination of the named user in the message content and the objectionable language in the message content, the computer recommends excluding, prior to sending the message, the named user from receiving the message to be sent.
US09621497B2 Systems and methods for email attachments management
Systems and methods consistent with various disclosed embodiments provide for managing email attachments. In one embodiment, a system is disclosed for managing email attachments. The system may include a memory storing software instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the software instructions to perform one or more operations. The operations may include providing an interface for converting an original attachment to an email. The operations may also include converting the original attachment to a modified attachment based on input received through the interface. The operations may further include substituting the original attachment to the email with the modified attachment, and providing information to send the email with the modified attachment.
US09621494B2 Generating instant messaging contacts for customer relationship management systems
A computer-implemented method, computer program product, and computing system is provided for the interaction between a CRM system and a instant messaging system. According to an implementation, a computer-implemented method may include identifying, by one or more processors, one or more individuals associated with an opportunity included within a CRM system. The method may also include creating, by the one or more processors, an instant message buddy list group associated with the opportunity. The method may also include populating, by the one or more processors, the instant message buddy list group with at least a portion of the one or more individuals.
US09621490B2 System and method for instant VoIP Messaging
Methods, systems and programs for instant voice messaging over a packet-switched network are provided. A method for instant voice messaging may comprise receiving an instant voice message having one or more recipients, delivering the instant voice message to the one or more recipients over a packet-switched network, temporarily storing the instant voice message if a recipient is unavailable; and delivering the stored instant voice message to the recipient once the recipient becomes available.
US09621489B2 Selectively sending electronic messages via alternate delivery mechanisms
A method, system and computer program product for instant message communication in a wireless and non-wireless environment. A message is sent from a mobile unit device over a wireless communication network. The message includes a destination address, information associated with the mobile unit device's user, message content and message address. If, according to information previously stored for the mobile unit device's user at the instant message system, the destination address is associated with an instant message function, the associated instant message function is executed at the instant message system using the information contained in the message content, if required as determined by the associated instant message function. If, according to information previously stored for the mobile unit device's user at the instant message system, the destination address is associated with an instant message name, an instant message is created according to the message content and is sent to the user with the associated instant message name. For instant messages sent or received by a mobile unit device with known buddies, the instant message is optimized by tagging the instant message with a routing phone number that is unique to the mobile unit device and buddy combination, whose identity is stored both in the mobile unit device address book and in the instant message routing server.
US09621484B2 System and method for supporting efficient buffer reallocation in a networking device
A system and method can support efficient packet switching in a network environment. The system can comprise an ingress buffer on a networking device. The ingress buffer operate to store one or more incoming packets that are received at an input port on the networking device, wherein the input port is associated with a plurality of source virtual lanes (VLs). Furthermore, the ingress buffer operate to reallocate buffer resource in the ingress buffer from being associated with a first source VL in the plurality of source VLs to being associated with a second source VL in the plurality of source VLs, and send an initial credit update to the input port for the first source VL and the second source VL.
US09621482B2 Servers, switches, and systems with switching module implementing a distributed network operating system
One networking device includes a switch module, a server, and a switch controller. The switch module has ports with a communications interface of a first type (CI1) and ports with a communications interface of a second type (CI2). The server, coupled to the switch module via a first CI2 coupling, includes a virtual CI1 driver, which provides a CI1 interface in the server, defined to exchange CI1 packets with the switch module via the first CI2 coupling. The virtual CI1 driver includes a first network device operating system (ndOS) program. The switch controller, in communication with the switch module via a second CI2 coupling, includes a second ndOS program controlling, in the switch module, a packet switching policy defining the switching of packets through the switch module or switch controller. The first and second ndOS programs exchange control messages to maintain a network policy for the switch fabric.
US09621480B2 Data acquisition pertaining to connectivity of client applications of a service provider network
Providing for external control of data network client resources for application-based client network access is described herein. By way of example, the external control can be implemented by a third party service provider in conjunction with delivery of content to the client devices. The external control can be provided over a network gateway, for instance, and facilitate a proxy access to resource allocation components of the data network, or alternatively a direct communication access between the resource allocation components and third party service provider. The external control enables a content service provider to allocate resources on an as-needed basis to subsets of client devices requesting such content. Billing for data network resources as well as for service provider content can be reconciled among the respective networks and client according to a predetermined billing arrangement.
US09621473B2 Method and system for sending data
Embodiments of systems and methods for data transfer disclosed herein. Specifically, embodiments may utilize a protocol module deployed on a computing device, where the protocol module may be configured to receive data from an application and send that data using a particular protocol. The protocol module may, for example, utilize a latency tolerant protocol such as the Mobile Transport Protocol (MTP).
US09621466B2 Storage area network multi-pathing
Provided are a method, computer program product and system for network multi-pathing. Paths to a storage system are through a first network type and a second network type. The first network type has a higher Input/Output (I/O) per second performance characteristic than the second network type. A length is determined from a received I/O request. The I/O request is sent on one of the paths to the storage system through the first network type in response to determining that the length of the I/O request is below a threshold length. The I/O request is sent on one of the paths to the storage system through the second network type in response to determining that the length of the I/O request is above the threshold length.
US09621465B2 Wired data-connection aggregation
According to at least one embodiment, a computer-implemented method to transmit data is described. The data being transmitted over a wired data-connection may be identified. The identified data may be parsed into two or more parts. A first part of the identified data may be transmitted over a primary wired data-connection. A second part of the identified data may be transmitted over an auxiliary wired data-connection. The auxiliary wired data-connection may be connected to the primary wired data-connection via a wireless data-connection.
US09621459B2 Message forwarding method, system, and relay agent device
The present disclosure provides a message forwarding method and system, and a relay agent device. The forwarding method includes: receiving a first DHCPv6 message from a DHCPv6 client through a layer-3 interface; generating a Relay-forward message, where the first DHCPv6 message is encapsulated into the Relay-forward message and an identifier of the layer-3 interface is added therein; and sending the Relay-forward message to a DHCPv6 server.
US09621450B2 Method and device for controlling session keep-alive for application in mobile communication system
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a session keep-alive by a user equipment in a mobile communication system, comprising the steps of: setting request information of a session lifetime for a new application and transmitting the set request information to a network if the new application starts; and acquiring the session lifetime from the network and adjusting a message transmission period of the user equipment to keep-alive the session by using the session lifetime.
US09621449B2 Application-layer traffic optimization service map updates
Using the ALTO Service, networking applications can request through the ALTO protocol information about the underlying network topology from the ISP or Content Provider. The ALTO Service provides information such as preferences of network resources with the goal of modifying network resource consumption patterns while maintaining or improving application performance. This document describes, in one example, an ALTO server that implements enhancements to the ALTO service to enable initiating incremental updates of network and cost maps to ALTO clients upon receiving status information from a content delivery network (CDN) node.
US09621446B2 Combining measurements based on beacon data
Usage data representing resource accesses on a network by client devices in a plurality of households is accessed. Based on the accessed usage data, a set of the households that the usage data indicates are associated with a specified number and type of client devices is determined. A subset of the usage data is extracted, where the subset corresponds to resource accesses by client devices associated with the subset of households. Usage information is determined for the specified number and type of client devices based on the extracted subset of the usage data.
US09621440B2 System and method for validating documentation of representational state transfer (REST) services
A validation tool is provided for a representational state transfer (REST) service. In one embodiment, a method for validating documentation of a REST service includes including detecting one or more messages for a REST service by a validator, wherein the one or more messages are intercepted for the REST service, translating documentation of the REST service, by the validator, into a representation of an automaton, and validating the one or more messages by the validator based on the automaton, wherein validation of the messages determines conformance of the REST service to the documentation of the REST service.
US09621431B1 Classification techniques to identify network entity types and determine network topologies
Classification techniques are employed in computer networks. For example, network activity is monitored in a computer network and the monitored network activity is used to discover an endpoint of unknown type. A first set of classification models is utilized to identify an endpoint type of the discovered endpoint based on the monitored network activity. In addition, communication patterns between different endpoints of known types are monitored in the computer network, and a second set of classification models is utilized to determine a logical topology of the computer network based on the monitored communication patterns.
US09621424B2 Providing a common interface for accessing and presenting component configuration settings
Embodiments are directed to accessing configuration settings for a variety of different hardware or software components and to providing a common interface for accessing and presenting component configuration settings. In one scenario, a computer system receives a request to access configuration settings for hardware and/or software components. The request specifies at least one namespace for the corresponding hardware or software component. The computer system accesses a directory to determine which configuration settings are available for the specified namespace, and further accesses configuration metadata to determine where the configuration settings for the hardware or software components are stored and how the configuration settings are to be accessed. Then, upon determining where the configuration settings are stored and how the configuration settings are to be accessed, the computer system accesses the configuration settings at the specified location in the manner specified in the configuration metadata.
US09621415B1 Automated configuration collection and management using source control
A computer-implemented method for managing enterprise application configurations is described. Configuration information of an enterprise application deployed across multiple servers at a single point in time is collected. An application footprint of the configuration information is generated. The application footprint is stored in a source control format.
US09621411B2 Relaying information for an unreliably heard utility node
Data of a utility node that is unreliably heard may be relayed through another utility node. In some examples, utility nodes of a star network may attempt to transmit data to a collector, a repeater, a relay, a router, or a mobile device. When it is determined that a utility node is unable to reliably transmit data, a relay relationship may be established so that data of the unreliable utility node is relayed through the network.
US09621409B2 System and method for handling storage events in a distributed data grid
A system and method can handle storage events in a distributed data grid. The distributed data grid cluster includes a plurality of cluster nodes storing data partitions distributed throughout the cluster, each cluster node being responsible for a set of partitions. A service thread, executing on at least one of said cluster nodes in the distributed data grid, is responsible for handling one or more storage events. The service thread can use a worker thread to accomplish synchronous event handling without blocking the service thread.
US09621400B2 Systems and methods for transmitting content
Systems and methods for transmitting content are provided. In some aspects, a method includes receiving an indication of a plurality of input streams of content. Each input stream is associated with an input bit rate. The method includes determining a plurality of output bit rates at which to transmit the content to one or more client devices, comparing the plurality of input bit rates to the plurality of output bit rates, and generating, by a server, a plurality of output streams of the content based on the comparison. Each generated output stream is associated with a corresponding output bit rate and includes a transcoded input stream or a non-transcoded input stream. The plurality of output streams is generated such that a number of output streams comprising non-transcoded input streams is maximized. The method also includes transmitting the generated output streams to the one or more client devices.
US09621397B2 Signaling of modulation configuration
The present disclosure pertains to a terminal for a wireless network, the terminal being adapted to receive a control message. The terminal further is adapted to read from one of a set of alternative tables based on the control message, and to perform modulation configuration based on information read from the table.
US09621395B2 Apparatus and method for sending and receiving broadcast signals
Disclosed herein is a broadcast signal receiver. A broadcast signal receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a synchronization and demodulation unit configured to perform signal detection and OFDM demodulation on a received signal, a frame parser configured to parse the signal frame of the received signal, a time deinterleaving unit configured to deinterleave LDM data, a first demapping/decoding unit configured to obtain the data of a core layer by demapping and FEC-decoding the LDM data, an interference removal unit configured to remove the core layer data from the LDM data and to output the data of an enhanced layer, and a second demapping/decoding unit configured to demap and FEC-decode the enhanced layer data.
US09621388B2 Method for serial data transmission and system therefor
A method and system for serial data transmission are provided. The method includes steps of: bit-synchronously receiving N bit binary code data which is transmitted continuously and repeatedly by a transmitting end, wherein the N bit binary code data is N bit binary code data converted from original data by the transmitting end on the basis of a preset rule; performing cyclic left shift or right shift 0 to N−1 times on each of the received N bit binary code data, which results in a data set, and obtaining an extreme value in the data set; and decoding the extreme value, which results in the original data transmitted by the transmitting end. With the method and system, a start and an end flags are not needed to be added additionally during the serial data transmission, thus improving the efficiency of the serial data transmission.
US09621380B2 Transmission device and communication system
A transmission device of the disclosure includes a first selector configured to select one of a first signal and a second signal, and output the selected signal; a second selector configured to select one of an inversion signal of the first signal, the second signal, and an inversion signal of the second signal, and output the selected signal; a first control signal generator configured to generate a first control signal, a second control signal, and a third control signal, based on the first signal, the second signal, and a third signal; a first driver configured to set a voltage of a first output terminal, based on an output signal of the first selector and the first control signal; and a second driver configured to set a voltage of a second output terminal, based on an output signal of the second selector and the second control signal.
US09621375B2 Smart Ethernet edge networking system
A system is provided for controlling the flow of data-packet traffic through an Ethernet telecommunications network having a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by multiple network links. Incoming data-packet traffic from multiple customer connections are received at a first node for entry into the network via the first node. Flow control messages are generated to represent the states of the first node and, optionally, one or more network nodes upstream from the first node, and these states are used as factors in controlling the rate at which the incoming packets are admitted to the network. Alternatively, the flow control messages may be used to control the rate at which packets generated by a client application are transmitted to the first node.
US09621373B2 Proxy address resolution protocol on a controller device
Techniques are presented herein for reducing network congestion in data center environments. A virtual switch, hosted by a server device in the network, registers with a controller device to enable the virtual switch to exchange address information with the controller device. The virtual switch generates mapping information comprising Media Access Control addresses of one or more virtual machines that are in communication with the virtual switch. The mapping information is sent to the controller device.
US09621372B2 Title-enabled networking
Methods and apparatus are provided for processing packets in a network. A received packet includes title materials which include one or more of a title object, a component of the title object, or a reference to the title object. The title object is a digital bearer instrument representing at least one right relating to processing of the packet in the network which may be redeemed by presentation of the title object to a title-enabled device or process operating in the network. Upon validation of the title object, the packet is processed in the network in accordance with the at least one right represented by the title object.
US09621367B2 Method and system for a high capacity cable network
A cable modem termination system (CMTS) may communicate with a plurality of cable modems using a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) subcarriers. The CMTS may determine a performance metric of each of the cable modems. For each of the OFDM subcarriers and each of the cable modems, the CMTS may select physical layer parameters to be used for communication with that cable modem on that OFDM subcarrier based on a performance metric of that cable modem. The parameters may be selected for each individual modem and/or each individual subcarrier, or may be selected for groups of modems and/or groups of subcarriers. The parameters may include, for example, one or more of: transmit power, receive sensitivity, timeslot duration, modulation type, modulation order, forward error correction (FEC) type, and FEC code rate.
US09621361B2 Pin-hole firewall for communicating data packets on a packet network
A pin-hole firewall network communications device that includes a first port configured to communicate data packets over a packet network and a first counter module in communication with the first port. A pin-hole firewall module may be in communication with the first counter module. A call control module may be in communication with the first counter module and the pin-hole firewall function. The call control module is configured to communicate with the pin-hole firewall module to alter the communication of data packets through a firewall pin-hole. A second counter module may be in communication with the pin-hole firewall function and the call control module. A second port may in communication with the second counter module and the packet network and be configured to communicate data packets over a second node segment of the packet network.
US09621357B2 System and method for providing consent management
A system and method for managing consent for an enterprise to, for example, provide access to controlled data to another enterprise wherein the controlled data can be in the form of subject data records. The system includes a consent management module operative to associate a plurality of control levels with a subject data record and process a consent request requesting access to the controlled data. Access is determined based on the control levels associated with a subject of the controlled data, a requesting operator, and/or the controlled data itself, A control level data set comprising the control levels for use in controlling access to the controlled data and/or subject data records is stored in a database.
US09621351B2 Image processing device and image data transmission method
An image processing device includes: a reading unit to read information stored in a detachable storage medium; a transmission unit to transmit image data outwardly; a determination unit to determine, in a case where the transmission unit transmits the image data, whether or not the information stored in the detachable storage medium is necessary; and a control unit to execute, in a case where the determination unit determines that the information stored in the detachable storage medium is necessary, control to maintain a state capable of reading the information stored in the detachable storage medium until the reading unit reads from the detachable storage medium the information necessary to transmit the image data.
US09621341B2 Anonymous verifiable public key certificates
The anonymity of a user at a client computer may be preserved when authenticating with an on-line service or content provider through the use of an anonymous and verifiable (i.e., “blind”) certificate set that is created by a certificate authority from a fixed-size set of PKI key pairs. The certificate authority randomly selects a subset of PKI key pairs to generate the blind certificate set where each certificate in the set includes a respective public key from the PKI key pair subset. The certificate authority also sends the private keys from the PKI key pair subset to the user. During authentication, the client computer is configured to randomly select a subset of one or more certificates from the set to present to the provider. The provider will encrypt content using the public keys in the subset of certificates and the client will decrypt the content with the corresponding private keys.
US09621337B2 Adaptive I/O mismatch calibration
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to calibrating I/Q mismatches in communication systems. In some implementations, a reference signal to be transmitted by a transmitter (Tx) is identified. A loopback signal corresponding to the reference signal is generated by passing the reference signal through the TX and a receiver (Rx). The loopback signal includes an additional signal that distinguishes an in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) mismatch caused by the Tx (Tx I/Q mismatch) from an I/Q mismatch caused by the Rx (RX I/Q mismatch). A set of Tx I/Q mismatch parameters and a set of Rx I/Q mismatch parameters are determined based on the reference signal and the loopback signal, using the additional signal. A Tx signal is calibrated based on the set of Tx I/Q mismatch parameters, while a Rx signal is calibrated based on the set of Rx I/Q mismatch parameters, independently from the calibrating the Tx signal.
US09621332B2 Clock and data recovery for pulse based multi-wire link
A method and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus may includes a clock recovery circuit having a plurality of input latches configured to assume a first state when a first pulse is received in one or more of a plurality of input signals, combinational logic configured to provide a second pulse response to the first pulse, a delay circuit configured to produce a third pulse on a receive clock that is delayed with respect to the second pulse, a plurality of output flip-flops configured to capture the first state when triggered by the third pulse. The first state may identify which of the plurality of input signals received input pulses.
US09621331B2 Adaptive offset synchronization of data based on ring buffers
A method and apparatus for synchronizing operations between a first circuit and a second circuit is disclosed. The method involves writing receive data from the first circuit to a first ring buffer at a first rate. The first ring buffer has a fixed-length of buffer elements and respective read and write buffer pointers. The buffered receive data is read from the first ring buffer to the second circuit at a second data rate. The respective positions of the read and write buffer pointers are detected, and a relative position between the read and write pointers is dynamically adjusted to enforce at least a predetermined minimum spacing. The dynamic adjustment comprises selectively adding or deleting portions of the data to or from the ring buffer.
US09621329B2 Method for performing a HARQ process and apparatus using same
A method for transmitting control information related to a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process operation using a frequency division duplex (FDD) frame structure by a base station (BS) in a wireless communication system; the BS therefore; a method for receiving control information related to a HARQ process operation using a FDD frame structure by an RN; and the RN therefore are discussed. The method for transmitting control information according to one embodiment includes transmitting information related to a number of HARQ processes. The HARQ processes are sequentially assigned to subframes configured for the RN-to-the BS transmission. If a subframe configured for the BS-to-the RN transmission is a subframe n, a subframe configured for the RN-to-the BS transmission is a subframe n+4. The method further includes transmitting a HARQ ACK/NACK signal for uplink data through a corresponding subframe based on the number of HARQ processes.
US09621316B2 Method and device for receiving downlink signal in wireless communication system
A method for a terminal for receiving a downlink signal according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving, from a serving cell, a cell-specific reference signal (CRS) information for a neighboring cell; and receiving, from a serving cell and/or a neighboring cell, a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), wherein the CRS of the serving cell is invalidated if the terminal receives a PDSCH from the neighboring cell.
US09621314B2 Signal transmission method using MBSFN subframe in radio communication system
A signal transmission method using a multicast broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframe in a radio communication system is provided. The method includes: selecting a plurality of relay stations for transmitting a plurality of backhaul signals, and transmitting the plurality of backhaul signals to the selected respective relay stations by using different radio resources, wherein each of the selected relay stations configures a subframe for receiving each of the plurality of backhaul signals as the MBSFN subframe. Accordingly, the backhaul signal can be transmitted between the base station and the plurality of relay stations by effectively using the radio resources.
US09621305B2 Bit parser for interleaver in transmitter with multiple transmit antennas
A transmitter having two or more transmit antennas includes a bit parser for providing two or more data streams to an interleaver of the transmitter. The bit parser receives bits representing data to be transmitted over the transmit antennas, and parses the bits into a number of data streams equal to a number of the transmit antennas such that the bits are divided into bit groups, each having no more than two of the bits, and each of the data streams include non-adjacent ones of the bit groups.
US09621304B2 Self-learning and self-correcting decoding of BMC encoded signal
A method of decoding a biphase mark coded (BMC) data stream. A BMC encoded signal (BMC signal) including a preamble and data payload is received at a receiver which includes a BMC decoder state machine (state machine). The preamble is processed using the state machine including measuring a total duration spanning at least three transitions to provide a ≧2 UI duration measure, a calculated 0.75 UI duration value (0.75 UI duration value) is generated from the ≧2 UI duration measure, and the 0.75 UI duration value is compared to a programmed UI range. Provided the 0.75 UI duration value is within the programmed UI range data, respective bits are extracted bit-by-bit from the data payload using the 0.75 UI duration value to obtain unencoded data.
US09621293B2 Distribution of time-division multiplexed (TDM) management services in a distributed antenna system, and related components, systems, and methods
Distribution of management services in distributed antenna systems having a central unit and remote units configured to time-division multiplex (TDM) downlink and/or uplink management signals into time slots to form a TDM management frame signal. In this manner, collision will not occur between multiple management signals communicated over a common communications medium at the same time in the distributed antenna system. Collision detection and management mechanism can add design complexity, cost by requiring additional components, and require additional area on electronic boards. The TDM management frame signal may also be modulated at a carrier frequency before being combined with RF communications signals so that the combined signals are within a linear range of shared certain communications components to reduce cost and area.
US09621286B2 Apparatus for generation of corrected vector wideband RF signals
A signal generation system can include an input source configured to provide an input radio frequency (RF) signal, a correction filter calculation (CFC) block configured to determine correction filter parameters, and an automatic level control (ALC) loop configured to provide ALC loop information to the CFC block. The correction filter parameters may be determined based at least in part on the ALC information. The system can also include a predistortion field programmable gate array (FPGA) configured to apply a correction filter to the input RF signal, wherein the correction filter is based at least in part on the correction filter parameters, and an RF output configured to provide an RF output signal.
US09621283B1 Molecular communication system and method of operating molecular communication system
A molecular communication system includes a molecular transmitter, a molecular receiver and a molecular transmission channel. The molecular transmitter transmits at least one molecule representing first data. The molecular receiver receives the at least one molecule, and obtains the first data based on the at least one molecule. The molecular transmission channel is connected between the molecular transmitter and the molecular receiver, and provides a transmission path for the at least one molecule. The at least one molecule moves in the molecular transmission channel based on an anomalous diffusion process. The anomalous diffusion process in the molecular transmission channel is modeled based on a fractional diffusion equation (FDE).
US09621277B2 Pre-distortion of an optical signal with frequency division multiplexed sub-carriers
A method is provided for pre-distorting an optical signal, intended to be transmitted over an optical transmission line and including a plurality of frequency division multiplexed optical sub-carriers. The optical signal is obtained from an optical conversion of an electrical signal including a plurality of frequency division multiplexed sub-carriers. This method includes obtaining a plurality of corrective factors, corresponding to the electrical sub-carriers, as a function of a plurality of values, determined for the optical sub-carriers, of a first parameter dependent on the power of the sub-carriers, and application of the corrective factors to the amplitudes of the corresponding electrical sub-carriers, so as to equalize, at the output of the optical transmission line, the values of the first parameter for the sub-carriers of the optical signal.
US09621272B2 Optical transmission device and control method for the same
[Problem to be Solved]There is provided an optical transmission device in wavelength-division-multiplexing-based optical communications that has both of improved reliability because of provision of backup optical transceiving unit and power saving capability because of appropriate control.[Solution]An optical transmission device is configured with optical switch means 40, a plurality of optical transceiving means 41 and control means 42. The optical switch means 40 outputs an input optical signal to a given path. Each optical transceiving means 41 receives an optical signal from the optical switch means 40 and transmits an optical signal to the optical switch means 40. The control means 42 performs various kinds of control. The optical transceiving means 41 operates in three operation states: a normal mode in which the optical transceiving means transmits and receives optical signals, a first standby mode which is a standby state, and a second standby mode in which power consumption is smaller than power consumption in the first standby mode. The control means 42 includes means for causing the optical transceiving means in the first standby mode to transition to the normal mode and causes the optical transceiving means in the second standby mode to transition to the first standby mode or the normal mode.
US09621271B2 Point-to-multipoint digital radio frequency transport
One embodiment is directed to a system for use with a coverage area in which one or more wireless units wirelessly transmit using a wireless radio frequency spectrum. The system comprises a first unit, and a plurality of second units communicatively coupled to the first unit using at least one communication medium. Each of the plurality of second units generates respective digital RF samples indicative of a respective analog wireless signal received at that second unit. Each of the plurality of second units communicates the respective digital RF samples generated by that second unit to the first unit using the at least one communication medium. The first unit digitally sums corresponding digital RF samples received from the plurality of second units to produce summed digital RF samples. The system is configured so that an input used for base station processing is derived from the resulting summed digital RF samples.
US09621266B2 Techniques for raster line alignment in light-based communication
Techniques are disclosed for providing proper raster line alignment of a camera or other light-sensing device of a receiver device relative to a transmitting light-based communication (LCom)-enabled luminaire to establish reliable LCom there between. In accordance with some embodiments, proper alignment can be provided automatically (e.g., by the receiver device and/or other suitable controller). In accordance with some embodiments, proper alignment can be provided by the user. In some instances in which a user is to be involved in the alignment process, the receiver device may be configured, for example, to instruct or otherwise guide the user in the process of properly aligning the receiver device relative to a given transmitting LCom-enabled luminaire.
US09621257B2 Robust beam switch scheduling
Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.
US09621254B2 Communications architectures via UAV
A communication system includes a transmitter segment at a source location inputting a plurality of input signals to be transmitted. The input signals are transformed to wavefront multiplexed signals (WFM signals), and the WFM signals are modulated into WFM waveforms. The WFM waveforms are transmitted through a segment of propagation to a receiver segment; wherein the segment of propagation includes a plurality of UAV based transmission channels among the WFM waveforms; wherein the WFM waveforms are transmitted over the transmission channels; wherein the receiver segment receives the WFM waveforms from the transmission channels. Demodulation is performed on the received WFM waveforms to convert the received WFM waveforms to received WFM signals individually. A wavefront de-multiplexing transform is performed on the received WFM signals to recover individual desired signals.
US09621248B2 Apparatus, system and method of wireless backhaul and access communication via a common antenna array
Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of wireless backhaul and access communication via a common antenna array. For example, an apparatus may include a wireless communication unit to control an antenna array to form one or more first beams for communicating over one or more access links and to form one or more second beams for communicating over one or more backhaul links, the access links including wireless communication links between a wireless communication node and one or more mobile devices, and the backhaul links including wireless communication links between the wireless node and one or more other wireless communication nodes.
US09621244B2 Method and apparatus for quantizing channel state information
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for quantizing channel state information (CSI). An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for providing codeword index information to a base station configured with Nt directional antennas, including: determining a first codeword in a first codebook whose rank is r, where r=1, 2, . . . , Nt, and sending an index of the codeword to the base station; and determining a second codeword in a second codebook whose rank is r, and sending an index of the codeword to the base station. The first codeword is a block diagonal matrix, and a matrix on a diagonal block of the block diagonal matrix is a matrix with Nt/2 rows and Nb columns. The Nb columns are Nb different Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) vectors arbitrarily selected from N predefined DFT vectors, N is an integer power of 2, 1≦Nb≦N, and the length of each DFT vector is Nt. Each column corresponding to each data stream in the second codeword includes an equal-length column selection vector for individually selecting from the Nb columns in the first codeword the DFT vectors used in two polarization directions and co-phasing information θ=2πm/M between the two polarization directions, where M is an integer power of 2, and 0≦m≦M−1.
US09621239B2 System and method for nonlinear MU-MIMO downlink channel precoding with arbitrary precoder
Method and apparatus are provided for transmission of data. A precoder is selected, and a feedforward filter is derived in accordance with the precoder. In some embodiments, the precoder is an arbitrary effective precoder. Data prepared using the precoder and the feedforward filter can then be transmitted.
US09621237B2 Method and apparatus for transceiving signals in a distributed antenna system
The present invention relates to a terminal which receives signals from a base station, and to a method in which the terminal receives signals from the base station in a distributed antenna system (DAS). The terminal receives, from the base station having a plurality of antennas, control information on one or more active transmission antennas allocated to the terminal, from among the plurality of antennas, and receives signals from the base station via said one or more active transmission antennas.
US09621232B2 Communication device capable of executing wireless communication of NFC scheme according to NFC standard
A communication device may comprise a first interface used by executing a wireless communication. The communication device may perform: in a case where a first connection via the first interface is established with the portable terminal under a circumstance where the communication device is in an error state, sending related information to the portable terminal by using the first connection via the first interface, the related information being related to the error state; and in a case where a second connection via the first interface is established with the portable terminal under a circumstance where the communication device is in a non-error state, sending different information to the portable terminal by using the second connection via the first interface, the different information being different from the related information.
US09621231B2 System, an apparatus, a device, a computer program and a method for device with short range communication capabilities
The invention relates to a method, a system, an apparatus and a computer program. The system comprises an apparatus and at least two devices. Yet further, the system comprises setting means configured to set a first short range communication path between the apparatus and one of at least two devices, which first short range communication path is used for delivering a first pairing information enabling a connection between at least two devices. The setting means are also configured to set a second short range communication path between the apparatus and at least one other of said at least two devices, which second short range communication path is used for delivering a second pairing information enabling a connection between at least two devices. The system comprises also connecting means configured to form the connection between at least two devices by means of the first and second pairing information.
US09621226B2 Wireless signal generating cards and methods and system of using such cards
An electronic card connectable to a client terminal via a memory card reader slot. The electronic card comprises a card interface having at least one power supply pin set to be connected to at least one source terminal in an electronic card reader slot of a client terminal, a wireless communication unit electronically wired to be powered via the at least one power supply pin, and a signal encoder which operates the wireless communication unit to transmit a presence signal containing a unique identifier (ID) independently from any computational operation of the client terminal.
US09621219B1 Protective case with stylus access feature
A protective case for use with a portable electronic device includes a protective shell and a cap. The protective shell is configured to at least partially encase the portable electronic device and includes an aperture configured to align with a receptacle of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is installed in the protective case. The aperture is configured to allow insertion of the stylus into the receptacle of the portable electronic device from outside the protective shell a cap removably insertable into the aperture of the protective shell to close the aperture. The cap is attachable to the stylus to facilitate removal of the stylus from the receptacle of the installed portable electronic device. The cap is configured to allow the stylus to extend into the receptacle to interact with the sensor of the portable electronic device while remaining attached to the stylus.
US09621218B1 Phone case with ring deployment mechanism and method of capturing video using same
A phone case configured for use in capturing a digital video during the course of a proposal. The phone case comprises a first housing for receiving a mobile phone, a second housing connected to the first housing by a first hinge, a pedestal disposed within the second housing and connected to a second hinge, the pedestal adapted to support an engagement ring. The second housing is capable of moving to an open position, away from the first housing, and the pedestal moves to an open position while or after the second housing moves to an open position. Methods for using the case to capture digital video during the course of a proposal are also disclosed.
US09621211B2 Adaptive maximum power limiting using capacitive sensing in a wireless device
An apparatus for satisfying Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) compliance criteria including a first capacitance sensor, a second capacitance sensor, a memory, and a processor. The memory is configured to store pre-established proximity regions that include a free space region of proximity based on baseline capacitance measurements obtained from the sensors when no human body is proximate a wireless device and a first region of proximity based on initial capacitance measurements obtained from the sensors when the human body is spaced apart from the wireless device by a first predetermined separation distance. The processor is configured to instruct a radio frequency (RF) transmitter to operate at a first output power when subsequent capacitance measurements received from the sensors are within the free space region of proximity and at a second output power, less than the first output power when the subsequent capacitance measurements are within the first region of proximity.
US09621209B2 Use of scheduling request and random access for LTE advanced networks
Methods and apparatus for communicating in a wireless network include mechanisms to facilitate concurrent use of periodic scheduling requests and a random access procedure for a UE to request uplink resources from an eNB.
US09621201B1 Systems and methods for emulating an interference environment
Methods and systems for emulating an interference environment include combining a plurality of emulated interfering signals and transmitting the plurality of emulated interfering signals using at least one transmitter. The methods and systems may further include receiving a selection of a frequency region, where the plurality of emulated interference signals are transmitted in all or part of the selected frequency region. The selected frequency region may be at least partially within an Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio band. The plurality of emulated interfering signals may be transmitted to at least one device to test the interference immunity of the at least one device.
US09621199B2 Power combining power amplifier architectures and methods
Systems and methods are provided for implementing and using multiband transceivers. In a transmitter that comprises a plurality of transmit paths, a frequency spectrum that is used for transmission may be assigned to the plurality of transmit paths. Performance in each of the plurality of transmit paths may be monitored during transmission of signals, and based on the monitored performance, at least one of segmentation of the frequency spectrum and assignment of the segments to the plurality of transmit paths may be dynamically modified. Performance monitoring may be based on spectrum usage, peak to average power ratio (PAPR), and/or performance related criteria (e.g., threshold, timeout duration, etc.). Modifying operation of a transmit path may comprise disabling or enabling that transmit path. The frequency spectrum may be segmented such that each of the segments is uniformly sized, or such that at least one of the segments is sized differently.
US09621190B2 Low density parity check code for terrestrial cloud broadcast
Provided is an LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) code for terrestrial cloud broadcast. A method of encoding input information based on an LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) includes receiving information and encoding the input information with an LDPC codeword using a parity check matrix, wherein the parity check matrix may have a structure obtained by combining a first parity check matrix for an LDPC code having a higher code rate than a reference value with a second parity check matrix for an LDPC code having a lower code rate than the reference value.
US09621188B2 Soft and hard decision message-passing decoding
A decoder unit is configured to perform a decoding on encoded data. The decoder unit includes a data bus comprising a number N of data lines, a local memory configured to store messages for a message-passing decoding and communicate the messages across the data bus, a plurality of first decoder processing units, wherein each first decoder processing unit is configured to perform the message-passing decoding by communicating with the local memory using a number A of the data channels, and a plurality of second decoder processing units, where each second decoder processing unit is configured to perform the message-passing decoding by communicating with the local memory using a number B of the data lines. N is at least two, A and B are less than or equal to N, and A is different from B.
US09621181B2 Digital to analog converter with output impedance compensation
A digital to analog converter with output impedance compensation has an encoding unit, a current cell array, a summing unit and a compensation unit. The compensation unit is connected to output terminals of the DAC and provides a nonlinear impedance to compensate an original output impedance of the DAC. With the compensated output impedance, the SFDR performance and the linearity of the DAC are improved to obtain a superior input-to-output transfer curve.
US09621172B1 Phase-locked loop circuit and calibrating method thereof
A calibrating method of a phase-locked loop circuit is provided. Firstly, a bias voltage of the phase-locked loop circuit is adjusted, so that the voltage controlled oscillator generates the oscillation signal with an initial frequency. Then, a charging current is used as a driving current and sent to a loop filter. Consequently, a tuned voltage is increased, and the frequency detector issues a first real count number. Then, a discharging current is used as the driving current and sent to the loop filter. Consequently, the tuned voltage is decreased, and the frequency detector issues a second real count number. Then, a ratio of a real loop gain to an ideal loop gain is calculated according to the first real count number and the second real count number. Moreover, a digital filter is adjusted according to the ratio.
US09621171B1 Frequency scaling method, circuit and associated all-digital phase-locked loop
A frequency scaling method is disclosed. The method is used for changing an output frequency of an all-digital phase-locked loop (ADPLL) from a first frequency to a second frequency different from the first frequency. The method includes: stopping a feeding of a first oscillator tuning word (OTW) to a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) of the ADPLL, wherein the first OTW is generated based on a phase detecting result obtained with respect to the first frequency; feeding a second OTW to the DCO in order to change the output frequency from the first frequency to the second frequency; and performing a zero phase restart (ZPR) operation to produce the phase detecting result according to the second frequency. An associated ADPLL and a frequency scaling circuit are also disclosed.
US09621168B2 Look-up table
The present invention relates to a look-up table comprising a plurality of register signals (r0-r3); a plurality of inputs signals (A, A′, B, B′); and at least one output signal (Y); and a plurality of pass gates, wherein at least a first pass gate of the plurality of pass gates is controlled by at least a first input signal of the plurality of input signals, and by at least a first register signal, of the plurality of register signals, such that the register signal has priority over the input signal on the operation of the first pass gate.
US09621167B2 Logic circuit and method for controlling a setting circuit
A logic circuit includes a setting circuit which holds and outputs setting information, a first flip-flop which holds data written to the setting circuit and outputs it in synchronization with an inputted clock, a second flip-flop which holds a write address for selecting the setting circuit and outputs it in synchronization with the inputted clock, and a third flip-flop which holds write enable which allows writing to the setting circuit and outputs it in synchronization with the inputted clock, wherein the setting circuit includes a fourth flip-flop which holds the setting information in synchronization with a given timing signal, and a fifth flip-flop which holds the output of the third flip-flop and outputs a write clock to the fourth flip-flop as the timing signal in synchronization with the inputted clock.
US09621158B2 Switch and multiplexer including the same
A switch and a multiplexer including the same are provided, which are applicable to selectively transmit the high frequency signal from an input terminal to an output terminal therethrough. The switch includes a switch device and a variable resistor. The switch device is connected between the input terminal and the output terminal, and the switch device includes a control terminal and is configured to be switched between ON and OFF according to a switch controlling signal provided to the control terminal. The variable resistor is connected to the control terminal and configured to change to a first resistance while the switch device is ON, and to change to a second resistance while the switch device is OFF according to a resistor controlling signal. The first resistance is higher than the second resistance, and the resistor controlling signal is changed corresponding to the switch controlling signal.
US09621156B2 Analog switches and methods for controlling analog switches
An analog switch may be maintained reliably in an off state. The switch comprises: a P-type first transistor having a source, a drain and a gate, a N-type second transistor having a source, a drain and a gate, and a switch control circuit to drive the gates of the first and second transistors. The drain of the first transistor and the source of the second transistor are connected at a first node, and the source of the first transistor and the drain of the second transistor are connected at a second node. When the voltage at the first or second nodes falls outside of a supply voltage range of the switch control circuit, the switch control circuit is operable, in response to a signal to make the switch high impedance, by adjusting the gate voltages of the first transistor and the second transistor.
US09621152B2 Coupling inductor based hybrid millimeter-wave switch
A switch comprising a plurality of inductors and a plurality of shunt transistors is described. Each inductor can be electrically coupled between adjacent shunt transistors to form a distributed switch structure. At least two inductors in the plurality of inductors can be inductively coupled with each other. The plurality of inductors can correspond to portions of a coupling inductor, wherein the coupling inductor can have an irregular octagonal shape.
US09621136B1 Data sampler circuit with equalization function and method for sampling data
A data sampler circuit comprises a transconductance amplifier, a latch circuit, a current-to-voltage converter, and a negative resistance circuit. The transconductance amplifier has an input and an output. The latch circuit is coupled to the output of the transconductance amplifier. The current-to-voltage converter has an input coupled to the output of the transconductance amplifier, and an output for providing a feedback signal to the latch circuit. The negative resistance circuit is coupled to the output of the transconductance amplifier and provides equalization during both a sampling mode and a data latching mode. In one embodiment, the negative resistance circuit comprises a pair of cross-coupled transistors. A gain of the negative resistance circuit can be adjusted based on a pulse width of an input signal.
US09621132B2 Antenna tuning apparatus for a multiport antenna array
An antenna tuning apparatus for a multiport antenna array used for sending and/or receiving electromagnetic waves for radio communication comprises: 4 antenna ports, 4 user ports, 10 adjustable impedance devices each presenting a negative reactance and having a terminal coupled to one of the antenna ports, 4 windings each having a first terminal coupled to one of the antenna ports and a second terminal coupled to one of the user ports, and 10 adjustable impedance devices each presenting a negative reactance and having a terminal coupled to one of the user ports. All adjustable impedance devices are adjustable by electrical means. Any small variation in the impedance matrix of the antenna array, caused by a change in operating frequency or a change in the medium surrounding the antennas, can be compensated with a new adjustment of the adjustable impedance devices.
US09621122B2 Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, which facilitates a terminal to be used in further consideration of user's convenience. The present invention includes a display unit configured to display an image signal of a video, an audio output unit configured to output an audio signal of the video, and a controller configured to separate the audio signal of the video into sound sources, and control a volume of at least one of the sound sources manually or automatically.
US09621119B2 Power amplifier bias signal multiplexing
A power amplifier (PA) system includes an amplifying transistor having a base, a collector, and an emitter. The PA system further includes a radio-frequency (RF) input configured to receive an RF input signal having an RF component and a DC bias component, a bias circuit coupled to the base of the amplifying transistor, and a bias tee circuit configured to receive the RF input signal and pass at least a portion of the DC component to the bias circuit and at least a portion of the RF component to the base of the amplifying transistor.
US09621115B1 Amplifier devices with in-package transmission line combiner
The embodiments described herein include amplifiers that are typically used in radio frequency (RF) applications. The amplifiers described herein use a combiner that is implemented inside the device package. Specifically, the amplifiers can be implemented with a combiner that includes a transmission line inside the device package, where the transmission line has a length between first and second ends configured to provide an impedance inverter between the outputs (e.g., drain terminals) of transistors in the amplifier.
US09621107B2 Oscillation circuit, oscillator, electronic apparatus, and moving object
An oscillation circuit includes a circuit for oscillation and a signal adjustment circuit connected to the circuit for oscillation. An input voltage based on a direct-current voltage, a voltage value of which can be changed, is input to the circuit for oscillation and the signal adjustment circuit. The circuit for oscillation causes a vibration piece to oscillate and outputs a first oscillation signal. A frequency of the first oscillation signal is adjusted according to the voltage value output from the signal adjustment circuit.
US09621094B2 Method and apparatus for reducing radiated emissions in switching power converters
A filter for reducing radiated emissions in switching power converters such as a motor drive is disclosed. The switching power converter modulates a DC voltage input to generate a desired AC voltage output. Capacitors are connected in parallel between each output phase and a common connection, which may be a ground connection. The magnitude and layout of the capacitors are selected to minimize current conducted by the capacitors. The capacitors may be surface mount technology located proximate to the switching devices or the capacitors may be incorporated in the circuit board on which the switching devices are mounted. The filter may be applied to any of the switching elements in a motor drive, such as the inverter section, an active rectifier section, or a switched mode power supply.
US09621093B2 Motor control device
To achieve smooth switching of control without fluctuations in speed and torque, an excitation current command is allowed to transit linearly or in accordance with the function of speed between a value under sensorless vector control and a value under low-speed region control in accordance with a speed command or estimated speed in a speed region where the control is switched or in an adjacent speed region where sensorless vector control is performed. Therefore, abrupt variations in excitation current are reduced before and after the switching of the control.
US09621087B2 Stepping motor driving apparatus, image carrier rotation driving apparatus and image forming apparatus
A stepping motor driving apparatus includes a stepping motor having a rotor, a driving unit configured to drive the stepping motor, and a rotation position detection unit configured to detect a rotation angle of the rotor. A control unit calculates a magnetic pole position of the stepping motor based on a first detection result and a second detection result. The stepping motor rotates by a predetermined step in one rotation direction from an initial position and thereafter rotates by the predetermined step in the other rotation direction so that the stepping motor is in a first held state. The first detection result is detected in the first held state. The stepping motor rotates by the predetermined step in the other rotation direction from the initial position and thereafter rotates by the predetermined step in the one rotation direction so that the stepping motor is in a second held state.
US09621081B2 Motor- driven apparatus and method for driving the same
A motor-driven apparatus in one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a brushless motor; a full-wave rectifier circuit; a drive circuit; a controller; and a forcible stop unit. The forcible stop unit performs a forcible stop control to temporarily forcibly stop a switching operation of a plurality of switching elements during a stop period when a full-wave rectified voltage is smaller than an induced voltage generated by a plurality of coils, and the switching operation of the plurality of switching elements is to be stopped.
US09621080B2 Methods and systems for recording operating information of an electronically commutated motor
A unit for recording operating information of an electronically commutated motor (ECM) is described. The unit includes a system controller communicatively coupled to an ECM. The system controller includes a processing device configured to control the unit. The unit also includes a memory device communicatively coupled to the system controller. The memory device is configured to receive and store ECM operating information provided by the processing device.
US09621078B2 Methods and systems for micro machines
A micro machine may be in or less than the micrometer domain. The micro machine may include a micro actuator and a micro shaft coupled to the micro actuator. The micro shaft is operable to be driven by the micro actuator. A tool is coupled to the micro shaft and is operable to perform work in response to at least motion of the micro shaft.
US09621077B2 Method for manufacturing energy harvester comprising piezoelectric polymer microstructure array
A method for manufacturing an energy harvester including a piezoelectric polymer microstructure array. The method includes: preparing a micro-column array of a piezoelectric polymer on a substrate; supplying a plate electrode as an upper electrode, allowing the substrate and the upper electrode to form a pair of plate electrodes; applying a DC voltage between the pair of the plate electrodes; heating the substrate to a temperature higher than a glass transition temperature of the piezoelectric polymer and performing rheological formation of the micro-column array with the DC voltage still being applied until the column array of the piezoelectric polymer reaches the upper electrode to form a mushroom-shaped structure array; and cooling and solidifying the piezoelectric polymer to obtain the piezoelectric energy harvester.
US09621074B2 Inertial drive actuator
An inertial drive actuator includes a shift unit that generates a small shift, a vibration base plate that moves to and fro with the small shift of the shift unit, a mover having a first magnetic field generating unit, a first yoke, and a second yoke. The first yoke and an end portion of the second yoke are opposed to each other at a position outside the vibration base plate, thereby restricting movement of the mover with respect to the direction perpendicular to the driving direction. The frictional force acting between the mover and the vibration base plate is controlled by controlling a magnetic field generated by the first magnetic field generating unit to drive the mover.
US09621073B1 1MHz scalable cascaded Z-source inverter using gallium nitride (GAN) device
The scalable cascaded Z-source inverter is able to interface flexibly different distributed renewable energy sources or storages in wide voltage change range, such as wind power, solar power, battery, fuel cell, Ultra-capacitor and so on. The invention facilitates the AC 1 MHz frequency output; therefore high power density can be reached. Z-source network is integrated in each inverter module to wide system operation range, improve high system efficiency, and enhance high system reliability. The invention is applied for PV system to verify the performance.
US09621070B2 Power supply with multiple converters and averaged feedforward control
A power supply includes power modules. Each of the power modules includes an input stage and an output stage. The input stage generates an intermediate voltage, and the output stage outputs a DC supply voltage according to the intermediate voltage. The input stages are controlled with at least one first common control signal having a common duty cycle, and the output stages are controlled with at least one second common control signal having a common duty cycle.
US09621067B2 Hybrid power supply device of air-conditioner
A hybrid power supply device of an air-conditioner for supplying multiple electric power sources to a DC rail of an inverter of a DC brushless motor of the air-conditioner to drive the operation of the DC brushless motor is introduced. Two power sources may be selectively fed into the inverter of the DC brushless motor to provide hybrid power sources to the air-conditioner in a low cost simply by connecting the outputs of two one-way rectifiers. In addition, a voltage boost circuit is provided to program each source as the main power source and a backup power source. With the skillful arrangement of a simple circuit, the air-conditioner achieves the hybrid power supply effect with a multiple of controllable power sources.
US09621060B2 Self-excited power conversion circuit for secondary side control output power
A self-excited power conversion circuit for secondary side control output power includes a comparator unit and a transistor installed directly in a secondary side output module, and the comparator unit is electrically coupled to at least one load, and the transistor is electrically coupled between to a conversion module of the circuit and the load. The comparator unit is provided for adjusting the duty cycle of the transistor after detecting the amount of energy outputted from the conversion module to the load from, so as to adjust the amount of energy actually received by the load to achieve a constant power effect.
US09621059B2 Method for controlling a SMPC having a synchronous rectification switch, a SMPC and a controller therefor
A controller for a switched mode power converter is disclosed, the switched mode power converter comprising a transformer defining a primary side circuit and a secondary side circuit, the primary side circuit comprising a primary switch, the secondary side circuit comprising a synchronous rectification switch, the controller comprising: a baseline off-set circuit configured to provide a baseline timing off-set between opening the synchronous rectification switch and closing the primary switch; a peak current detector configured to detect a peak negative current in the secondary side circuit; and a feedback circuit configured to add an off-set adaptation to the baseline timing off-set to provide an adapted timing off-set, wherein the feedback circuit is configured to adjust the off-set adaptation to minimize the negative peak current.A switched mode power converter and electronic equipment using such a controller is also disclose, as is a method for controlling a switch mode power converter.
US09621047B2 Systems and methods for measuring power system current using OR-ing MOSFETs
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a power supply unit may include one or more stages including an output stage configured to generate a direct-current output voltage at an output of the power supply, an OR-ing metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) coupled between the output stage and the output, and a controller. The controller may be configured to measure a signal indicative of a voltage associated with the OR-ing MOSFET and determine an estimated output current of the power supply based on the signal.
US09621036B2 Circuits and techniques for improving regulation in a regulator having more than one mode of operation
A switching regulator control circuit comprises a first control circuit to control conduction of the switch according to a first mode of operation and having a regulation point and a second control circuit to control conduction of the switch according to a second mode of operation in response to a reference signal that is calibrated to have a predetermined relationship with respect to the regulation point of the first control circuit. In some embodiments, the reference signal is calibrated to be a predetermined amount greater than the regulation point of the first control circuit and may be calibrated during the first mode of operation or in response to a regulator start or restart event.
US09621029B2 Method and device for high-power-factor flyback converter
The present disclosure is directed to a switching power converter having a power transistor controlled by a controller. The controller includes a multiplier that produces a voltage reference signal. A subtraction circuit subtracts a capacitor signal, which is based on the voltage reference signal, from a sensing signal that is representative of the current flowing through the power transistor. A comparator compares the voltage reference signal to the output of the subtraction circuit, and a driving circuit drives the power transistor based on the comparison resulting in a high power factor and low total harmonic distortion for the converter.
US09621023B2 Resonance suppression device
The present invention whose object is to reduce compensation current at the time when suppressing harmonic distortion caused by harmonic voltage, to reduce capacitance of an inverter, a resonance suppression device configured to suppress resonance which occurs when a power facility such as a wind power generator is connected to a power system includes: an inverter configured to supply alternating current to the power system, the inverter being in parallel with the power facility; a current command value generation unit in which voltage at a connection point between the power facility and the power system is inputted thereto and a current command value is obtained by multiplying, by a transfer function, a harmonic component contained in the voltage at the connection point; and a current control unit configured to control the alternating current outputted from the inverter based on the current command value.
US09621013B2 Rotating machine with magnetic bearing
A method of manufacturing an electrical machine includes selecting a desired threshold control current, selecting dimensions to modify stator teeth of a magnetic bearing based on the desired threshold control current, and modifying the stator teeth using the selected dimensions. A method of producing a rotating machine includes selecting an operating point of a magnetic bearing of the rotating machine, and shaping at least some stator teeth of the magnetic bearing to generate increased force at control currents above the control current at the selected operating point.
US09621010B2 Rotating electrical machine
A rotating electric machine (1) having a stator (4) in a housing (2) and a rotor (10) supported by a shaft (6). The housing (2) circumferential wall (12) and first and second axially opposing end walls (14, 16) support bearing flanges with bearings (18) for the shaft (6). Two cooling fan impellers (20, 22) are connected to the shaft (6). An inner cooling fan impeller (20) positioned inside the housing (2) generates an inner cooling air circuit (A) inside the housing (2). An outer cooling fan impeller (22) provided outside the housing (2), generates an outer cooling air flow (B). The first end wall (14) is formed with a thermal conductivity of at least a specified value and has an outer cooling rib geometry (28) on its outer side facing the outer cooling fan impeller (22), and an inner cooling rib geometry (30) on its opposing inner side.
US09621002B2 Permanent magnet rotor for an electronically commutated DC motor
In a DC motor, a permanent magnet rotor comprising a shaft, a rotor sheet packet supported by the shaft, which rotor sheet packet comprises close to the periphery thereof completely closed and tangentially extending rectangular recesses for receiving planar permanent magnet plates. At least one permanent magnet plate is accommodated in each recess, the permanent magnet plates are held by spring elements free of play by force locking, the recesses have free spaces connected to the permanent magnet plates in the tangential direction, which free spaces extend across the major part of the side surfaces of the permanent magnet plates and the rotor sheet packet consists essentially of a radial outer annular region and a radial inner core region, wherein the annular region in a large part is delimited by the recesses and the free spaces and is integral with the core region via thin radial webs.
US09620994B2 Method and system of anti-islanding of a microgrid in a grid-connected microgrid system
A system for detecting islanding of a microgrid includes a number of power sources to output real power and controlled reactive power injection; a number of controllers each controlling one of the number of power sources; and an output from the microgrid powered by the number of power sources. A number of electrical switching apparatus electrically connect the output from the microgrid to a grid and electrically disconnect the output from the microgrid from the grid. A microgrid controller detects islanding of the microgrid with respect to the grid, and sends a number of commands to a number of the number of controllers in order to control reactive power injection by a number of the number of power sources. A communication channel is between the microgrid controller and the number of controllers. A number of microgrid loads are powered by the output from the microgrid.
US09620990B2 Electricity supply management device
An electricity supply management device includes a solar cell; a commercial Alternating Current (AC) power source; and a storage battery, in which the storage battery is charged by an electric power from the solar cell, and a power from at least one of the solar cell, the commercial AC power source and the storage battery is supplied to one or more load devices. A power consumption level by the load devices is controlled based on comparison result between a power generation amount by the solar cell and a power consumption amount by the load devices, and a charge level of the storage battery indicative of a ratio of charging to capacity of the storage battery.
US09620987B2 System and method for a dynamically configurable power distribution control and management system
A dynamically configurable battery management system includes a controller system with a first processor connected to a first memory and a first wireless transceiver connected to a wireless packet network. A battery system with a second processor is connected to a second memory and a second wireless transceiver connected to the wireless packet network. One or more batteries are connected to the battery system, and the connected batteries include a battery pack. A sensor that is connected to the battery system generates a data stream that is stored in the second memory. The data stream allows for establishing a battery capability and status unique to each battery in the battery pack. The stored data stream is stored as a battery record with a universal unique identifier.
US09620985B2 Multi-coil wireless charging
Techniques of forming a wireless power receiving unit are described herein. The techniques may include forming a first receiving coil of a device to be charged by inductive coupling to a first transmitting coil. The techniques may include forming a second receiving coil of a device to be charged by inductive coupling to a second transmitting coil. The second receiving coil is disposed at an angle to a plane of the first receiving coil, and the first receiving coil and the second receiving coil are formed to connected in parallel to a receiving circuit.
US09620979B2 Storage battery control apparatus, storage battery control method, and storage battery system
A storage battery control apparatus includes: a storage battery state detection unit which obtains a remaining SOC which is an SOC of a storage battery at the start of a supply and demand control period; an offset power value determination unit which determines an offset power value that is a power value indicating charge or discharge; an adjustment instruction value obtainment unit which obtains an adjustment instruction value indicating a state of charge and discharge of the storage battery; and a charge and discharge control unit which performs control of discharging power from the storage battery to the grid or charging power from the grid to the storage battery, the power having a magnitude of a first power value which is a power value obtained by adding the offset power value to the adjustment instruction power value indicated by the adjustment instruction value.
US09620976B2 Modular system having expandable form factor
A modular system of devices, in which a (master) device can be combined with one or more of other (slave) devices to transform to functional electronic devices having expanded functionalities and features in different form factors and/or platforms. The master device is docked to the slave device via a data/electrical interface, to transform the master device to the larger form factor of the slave device, with the master device maintaining control of the slave device, substantially based on the operating system installed in the master device, with access to the data, application programs, functionalities and features embodied in the master device. An intermediate removable physical interface adaptor (or docking adaptor) is provided to facilitate docking compatibility of the master device to the slave device. An enhanced charging and power management scheme is provided to optimize power management for the master device and the slave device.
US09620975B2 Methods and apparatus for battery characteristic conversion
A battery characteristic converter comprises an interface to a battery and to an electronic device to be powered with energy supplied by the battery. The interface to the battery and the interface to the electronic device are connected using a bidirectional voltage ratio converter. The bidirectional voltage ratio converter is controlled so that the characteristics at the interface to the electronic device are adapted to the electronic device, independently of the battery characteristics. Energy may flow to the electronic device to power the electronic device or from the electronic device to the battery to charge the battery, depending on a comparison of the characteristics at the interfaces.
US09620974B2 Apparatus for transferring energy using power electronics and machine inductance and method of manufacturing same
A fraction inverter circuit includes a first energy storage device configured to output a DC voltage, a first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter coupled to the first energy storage device, and a first electromechanical device. The first electromechanical device includes a first plurality of conductors coupled to the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter, a second plurality of conductors coupled together, and a plurality of windings coupled between the first plurality of conductors and the second plurality of conductors. The traction converter circuit also includes a charge bus comprising a first conductor coupled to the second plurality of conductors of the first electromechanical device, the charge bus configured to transmit a charging current to or receive a charging current from the first electromechanical device to charge the first energy storage device via the first electromechanical device and the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter.
US09620969B2 Storage battery equalization device capable of charging battery pack including storage battery modules having different output voltages in short time
A storage battery equalization device is provided with: a battery pack including a plurality of storage battery modules; a plurality of equalization circuits corresponding to the respective storage battery modules, each including a DC/AC mutual converter circuit, a variable capacitor, and a transformer; external wirings interconnecting secondary windings of the transformers; voltage monitors each being connected across both electrodes of a corresponding storage battery module; and an equalization control unit. The equalization control unit determines equalization groups, each including one or more storage battery modules for discharging and one or more storage battery modules for charging, sets one of electrostatic capacitance values to the variable capacitors for each equalization group, the electrostatic capacitances corresponding to resonance frequencies of the equalization circuits, and controls a frequency of an alternating current outputted from the DC/AC mutual converter circuit of each equalization circuit, to be the resonance frequency of the equalization circuit.
US09620967B2 Autonomous battery balancing
A device is introduced for cell-balancing a plurality of battery cells connected in series. The device includes a measuring device which is connectable to each of the battery cells and which is configured to generate a current which is proportional to a minimum cell voltage of all the cell voltages of the battery cells and to output the current to resistors which are connected in series. The device also contains a multiplicity of comparators which compare a cell voltage of an assigned battery cell to the minimum cell voltage which is replicated by the current which is proportional to the minimum cell voltage and the resistors. The comparators are configured to output a control signal, which is dependent on a result of the comparison, to an assigned discharging unit which allows a discharge current to flow from the respective battery cell as a function of the control signal.
US09620964B2 Power transmission system and method, power transmitting apparatus and power receiving apparatus
A power transmission system (1, 2) is provided with a power transmitting apparatus (11, 12, 13) having a power transmission coil (101) and a power receiving apparatus (21, 22) having a power reception coil (201) disposed at a distance from the power transmission coil, and transmits and receives electric power in a wireless manner between the power transmission coil and the power reception coil. The power transmission system is provided with: a foreign body detecting device (106, 206) configured to detect a foreign body positioned in surroundings of the power transmission coil and the power reception coil and detect a relative position of the detected foreign body to the power transmission coil or the power reception coil; and a power controlling device (104) configured to control the power transmitting apparatus to control the transmitted and received electric power according to the detected relative position.
US09620954B2 Semiconductor package having an over-temperature protection circuit utilizing multiple temperature threshold values
According to an exemplary implementation, a semiconductor package includes a multi-phase power inverter having power switches and situated on a leadframe of the semiconductor package. The semiconductor package further includes an over-temperature protection circuit configured to reduce current through the power switches based on multiple temperature threshold values of the power switches and a sensed temperature of the power switches. The over-temperature protection circuit can be configured to enter first and second modes based on the multiple temperature threshold values and the sensed temperature, where the second mode reduces current through the power switches to a greater extent than the first mode.
US09620948B2 Device for unwinding and winding up one or more lines
The invention relates to a device for unwinding and winding one or more lines for uninterrupted connection of each of the one or more lines between two connection points, it being possible to produce the uninterrupted connection between a fixed first connection point and a second connection point which is at a variable distance or in each case one of a plurality of second connection points which are at different distances. The device comprises a rotatable winding body for unwinding and winding the one or more lines, in that the line(s) is/are guided from the first fixed connection point in a first sub-portion from a stationary first position coaxial with the winding body to a second position opposite the first position and from said second position to a third position which is substantially in one plane with the first position but is rotatable with the winding body, the line(s) in the first sub-portion being guided helically at least in portions. The line(s) is/are then guided from the third position in a second sub-portion to the circumferential side of the winding body and optionally via a number of windings around the winding body to the second connection point.
US09620947B2 Antigalloping device
An antigalloping device can include first and second clamps, each having a respective jaw for clamping to respective first and second cables. A connecting assembly can be coupled between the first and second clamps. The connecting assembly can include an elongate insulator attached to a flexible tether. The flexible tether is capable of being bent and maneuvered during installation. At least one of the first and second clamps can be rotatably coupled to the connecting assembly. The elongate insulator and the flexible tether can straighten along a longitudinal axis. The at least one of the first and second clamps can be orientatable in a position transverse to the longitudinal axis for being rotatable between the position transverse to the longitudinal axis and a position inline with the longitudinal axis, under opposed tension exerted on the jaws of the first and second clamps, for twisting at least one of the first and second cables for reducing galloping.
US09620946B2 Electrical device cover with keyhole inserts
A base for an electrical outlet having a front surface and a back surface, at least one opening extending there through, the at least one opening having a size large enough to receive a socket face, at least one mounting screw aperture opening extending through the base, the mounting screw aperture having a first portion sized large enough to receive a mounting screw head, and at least a second portion extending into the first portion and through the base, the second portion sized large enough to allow a mounting screw shaft to extend through the base but small enough to disallow the mounting screw head from passing through the base, at least one keyhole cover removably secured within the first portion, and wherein the base is configured with the second portion of the mounting screw aperture accessible after the base is installed on the electrical outlet.
US09620942B2 Utility knife for cleaning a conductor
A utility knife for cleaning a conductor is disclosed herein. The utility knife includes a housing having first and second ends, a blade connected to the first end of the housing, and a brush connected to a second end of the housing.
US09620933B1 High brightness, monolithic, multispectral semiconductor laser
A system and method for combining multiple emitters into a multi-wavelength ouput beam having a certain band and combining a plurality of these bands into a single output using non-free space combining modules.
US09620930B2 Reflection based signal pre-emphasis
Systems, and apparatus for adding reflection based pre-emphasis to a laser driver. In one aspect, a device includes a load (e.g. a laser) having a load impedance, a first end of a transmission line connected to the load, and a reflective impedance element connected to a second end of the transmission line. The reflective impedance element has a given impedance value that differs from the transmission line's characteristic impedance, and the characteristic impedance differs from the load impedance. This mismatch causes reflections between the reflective impedance element and the load. The reflections between the reflective impedance element and the load combine with an incident signal at the load to create a target signal having a target spectral shape.
US09620927B2 High-order harmonic wave generation apparatus capable of selecting wavelength
A high-order harmonic wave generation apparatus using a diode-pumped solid state laser includes a pump head for generating a fundamental wave, Porro prisms disposed on the left and right sides of the pump head, nonlinear crystals for sequentially generating a second-order harmonic wave, a fourth-order harmonic wave, and a fifth-order harmonic wave from the fundamental wave, and a final emission unit for reflecting and transmitting any one of the second-order harmonic wave, the fourth-order harmonic wave, and the fifth-order harmonic wave and for emitting the harmonic wave without changing the optical path. Accordingly, the apparatus is insensitive to changes in the external environment through a resonator having a structure comprising Porro prisms, and enables the final emission unit to selectively output the fourth-order harmonic wave or the fifth-order harmonic wave.
US09620926B2 Laser machining apparatus changing operation based on length of power-down time
A laser machining apparatus includes: a laser oscillator; a control device controlling the laser oscillator; a power-down detection unit detecting a decrease in supply power; a time measurement unit measuring power-down time until the supply power is returned to a predetermined value from when the supply power is decreased under the predetermined value; an electricity storage unit supplying electric power to the control device upon a power outage; and equipment operating abnormally when the supply power is decreased under the predetermined value, and recovering from an abnormal operation when a state of the supply power being smaller than the predetermined value continues for a first predetermined period or longer, the control device stopping the laser machining apparatus when the power-down time is smaller than the first predetermined period and not stopping the laser machining apparatus when the power-down time is equal to or larger than the first predetermined period.
US09620924B1 Reduction of Yb-to-Er bottlenecking in co-doped fiber laser amplifiers
The system and method for reducing Yb to Er bottlenecking in a single frequency Er:Yb-doped fiber laser amplifier. The system is pumped off peak at about 935-955 nm. The off-peak pumping reduces bottlenecking and increases the optical and slope efficiency of the system by about 10% as compared to an EYDFA system pumped on-peak.
US09620911B2 Electrical charging devices and assemblies
Electrical charging devices and assemblies are provided herein. An example device includes a housing tray having a sidewall extending perpendicularly from the housing tray, the housing tray being configured to hold a personal electronic device, the housing tray including an electrical connector interface that couples with a charging connector of the personal electronic device. The device also includes a circuit mounted on the housing tray for converting alternating current received from an electrical outlet to direct current that charges the personal electronic device through the electrical connector interface. Also, the device includes an electrical connector for electrically coupling the circuit with the electrical outlet, the electrical connector capable of being placed in either a deployed configuration where the electrical connector can couple with the electrical outlet or a stored configuration where the electrical connector cannot couple with the electrical outlet.
US09620910B2 Cable connector
A cable connector includes an insulative housing, a number of contacts, an internal circuit board and a flat cable. The contacts are arranged in two rows. Each contact has a retaining portion retained in the insulative housing, a contact portion and a connecting portion extending from two ends of the retaining portion. The internal circuit board has a plurality of first golden fingers at one end thereof and a plurality of second golden fingers at another end thereof. The first golden fingers connect with the connecting portions of the contacts. The second golden fingers electrically connect with the first golden fingers. The flat cable has a plurality of wires corresponding to and connecting with the second golden fingers and a coating retaining at outside of the wires. All wires are arranged in a row.
US09620905B2 Vehicular cable assembly
A vehicular cable assembly that is easy to install and allows high transmission rates. This vehicular cable assembly includes at least two unshielded conductive signal lines that are untwisted around each other in a connection region in which the unshielded conductive signal lines are adapted to be connected to an external element and twisted around each other in a region next to the connection region. This vehicular cable assembly also includes a shielding assembly having at least one canal-like receptacle shielding part extending at least along the entire connection region and within which the unshielded conductive signal lines are disposed.
US09620904B2 Electrical connector assembly
An electrical connector assembly includes an electrical receptacle connector and an electrical plug connector. The electrical receptacle connector includes a first insulation housing, upper-row plate terminals, and lower-row plate terminals. The first insulation housing includes a first base portion and a tongue portion extending from one side of the base portion. The upper-row plate terminals and the lower-row plate terminals are at an upper surface and a lower surface of the tongue portion, respectively. The electrical plug connector includes a second insulation housing, upper-row elastic terminals, and lower-row elastic terminals. The second insulation housing includes a second base portion, an upper member, a lower member, and a mating room between the upper member and the lower member for receiving the tongue portion. The upper-row elastic terminals and the lower-row elastic terminals are respectively above and below the mating room.
US09620890B1 Thermal-transfer assembly and electrical connector having the same
Thermal-transfer assembly includes a first transfer module having a plurality of first projections. The first projections are spaced apart from one another to form corresponding gaps therebetween. The thermal-transfer assembly also includes a second transfer module having a plurality of second projections. The second projections are spaced apart from one another to form corresponding gaps therebetween. The first and second transfer modules interface with each other in a mated arrangement. The first and second projections project in opposite directions along a Z-axis and intimately engage one another to transfer thermal energy therebetween. The thermal-transfer assembly also includes an assembly clip coupled to and configured to engage each of the first and second transfer modules. The assembly clip prevents the first and second transfer modules from separating along the Z-axis and/or biases the first and second transfer modules away from each other along the Z-axis.
US09620886B1 Electrical connector with recessed contact and socket for receiving electrical connector
According to an example embodiment, an electrical connector may include a plug connected to a cord. The cord may be connected to a back of the plug. A width of the plug may narrow from the back of the plug to a front of the plug. The cord may be connected to the back of the plug. The cord may include at least one electrical wire.
US09620885B2 Insulated test clip cover assembly
An insulator for a test clip is described. The insulator includes a first clip cover configured to removably attach to a top portion of a test clip. The test clip comprises a top portion and a bottom portion pivotally attached to the top portion along a pivot axis. The insulator also comprises a second clip cover configured to removably attach to the bottom portion of the test clip. Each of the first and the second clip cover comprises one or more retaining elements configured to secure the clip cover to its respective portion of the test clip. In some implementations, each of the first and the second clip cover comprises one or more cantilevered retaining segments configured to extend over a portion of the test clip in order to secure the first and the second clip covers to the test clip.
US09620883B2 Connector with wire having insulation coating removed from an end part and a thin coating layer of photocurable resin applied to the end part
A conduction path (20) is formed by connecting a coated wire (26), in which a conductor (27) is surrounded by an insulation coating (28), to a rear end part of a terminal fitting (21) and the entire terminal fitting (21) and a front end part of the coated wire (26) are to be accommodated into a housing (10). The conduction path (20) includes a coating layer (29) made of a photocurable resin, provided in an area of the coated wire (26) to be accommodated into the housing (10), thinner than the insulation coating (28) and surrounding an area of the conductor (27) where the insulation coating (28) is removed.
US09620873B2 Electrical connection arrangement
A connection arrangement includes a printed circuit board, a semiconductor component arranged on a first surface, a first side, of the printed circuit board, a connection means arranged on a second surface, a second side, of the printed circuit board, a contact element contactable with the connection means and an electrical line, wherein the connection means is arranged opposite the semiconductor component.
US09620871B2 Cable-mount socket
A socket assembly has a housing holds a circuit board that is provided with contacts for engagement with a data plug and a back face provided with rearwardly projecting blade contacts. A conductor spreader block engageable in a rear housing end fits with conductors of a multiconductor cable and, when fitted in the housing, electrically engages the conductors with the blade contacts, A holder in the base between the spreader block and the board has an open back side through which the block can fit. The holder forms a first U-shaped half seat, and a cover subassembly forms a second U-shaped half seat and is pivotal on the holder between an open position projecting laterally therefrom with the cable passing loosely into the housing and a closed position rearwardly closing the holder and compressing the cable between the half seats and locking the block in the holder.
US09620862B2 Reflectarray
A reflectarray reflects an incident wave in a desired direction, and the reflectarray includes a plurality of elements arranged in a first direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The elements reflect the incident wave. A phase of a reflected wave by one element among the plurality of elements differs from a phase of the reflected wave by an element adjacent to the one element in the first direction by a predetermined value, and the phase of the reflected wave by the one element is equal to a phase of the reflected wave by an element adjacent to the one element in the second direction. Gap sizes between patches of a predetermined plural number of elements arranged in the first direction vary from a smallest value to a largest value. Here, an oblique TM incidence is utilized at a spurious resonance frequency.
US09620861B1 Configurable joined-chevron fractal pattern antenna, system and method of making same
Embodiments are directed to a multi-fractal pattern antenna, system and method of making multi-fractal pattern antennas. The antenna comprises a fractal antenna pattern having at least one resonant frequency and having a plurality of joined-chevron fractal segments arranged as a function of at least one resonant frequency. Each joined-chevron fractal segment comprising a first chevron comprising a first V-shaped fractal element having a first leg, second leg and a first vertex where the first leg and second leg are separated by a first angle. Each joined-chevron fractal segment comprising a second chevron joined to the first chevron to form a joined-chevron fractal segment and comprising a second V-shaped fractal element having a third leg, fourth leg and a second vertex where the third leg and the fourth leg are separated by a second angle. A set of the plurality of joined-chevron fractal segment approximates a staircase shape.
US09620855B2 Electromagnetic beam steering antenna
Described embodiments include an electromagnetic beam steering apparatus. The apparatus includes a first electromagnetic beam deflecting structure including a first artificially structured effective media having at least two first electronically-selectable tangential refractive index gradients. Each electronically-selectable tangential refractive index gradient of the at least two first electronically selectable tangential refractive index gradients deflecting an incident electromagnetic beam at a respective first deflection angle. The apparatus includes a second electromagnetic beam deflecting structure including a second artificially structured effective media having at least two second electronically-selectable tangential refractive index gradients. Each electronically-selectable tangential refractive index gradient of the at least two second electronically selectable tangential refractive index gradients deflecting an incident electromagnetic beam at a respective second deflection angle.
US09620849B2 Coupled-feed wideband antenna
A device having a coupled-feed wideband antenna is provided. The device comprises: a chassis comprising as a ground plane; an antenna feed, a ground side of the antenna feed connected to the ground plane; and, an antenna comprising: a first radiating arm configured for generating a first resonance at a first frequency, the first radiating arm connected to the chassis and hence the ground plane; a second radiating arm configured for generating a second resonance at a second frequency higher than the first frequency, the second radiating arm connected to the ground plane; and a third radiating arm configured for generating a third resonance at a third frequency higher than the second frequency, the first radiating arm capacitively coupled to the third radiating arm, and the third radiating arm connected to a positive side of the antenna feed.
US09620847B2 Integration of millimeter wave antennas on microelectronic substrates
A high performance antenna incorporated on a microelectronic substrate by forming low-loss dielectric material structures in the microelectronic substrates and forming the antenna on the low-loss dielectric material structures. The low-loss dielectric material structures may be fabricated by forming a cavity in a build-up layer of the microelectronic substrate and filling the cavity with a low-loss dielectric material.
US09620842B1 Compact two probe impedance tuner
An automated “double-decker” slide screw impedance tuner uses two tuning probes, independently movable inside two stacked circular slablines, which lie flat on the bench table. The eccentrically self-rotating disc probes are mounted at the end of rotating radial arm-carriages, the total mechanism operating in a planetary configuration. The radial arms are mounted one above and one below the whole structure. The rotation of the arms control the phase of Gamma and the self-rotation of the disc probes controls the amplitude. The length (footprint) of the tuner, compared with traditional “linear” tuners, is reduced by a factor of 5 to 9, depending of the minimum frequency of operation.
US09620836B2 Bandpass microwave filter tunable by a 90 degree rotation of a dielectric element between first and second positions
A frequency tunable microwave bandpass filter comprises a resonator, including: a cavity with conducting wall substantially cylindrical with axis Z having height H, and partially closed at both ends; and a dielectric element inside the cavity. The resonator resonates at two perpendicular polarizations having distributions of electromagnetic field in the cavity deduced from eachother by 90° rotation. The element rotates about an axis substantially perpendicular to axis Z, between a first and second position. The element comprises a first end wherein: in a first position the element is disposed substantially in a plane perpendicular to axis Z and the center of the first end is disposed at a height in the cavity corresponding substantially to an electric field minimum; and in a second position the element is substantially parallel to Z and the first end is disposed in a plane corresponding to an electric field maximum within +/−30%.
US09620828B2 Process for recycling volatile battery sources
The invention is directed to systems and methods for the recycling of lithium ion batteries or the like. The system methods include comminution and destruction of used batteries, controlling the explosive reaction of the battery components during processing, and processing the materials into a suitable form for sampling and recycling.
US09620819B2 Non-aqueous electrolyte solution and lithium secondary battery comprising the same
Provided are a non-aqueous electrolyte solution including propylene carbonate (PC) and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI), and a lithium secondary battery including the non-aqueous electrolyte solution. The lithium secondary battery including the non-aqueous electrolyte solution of the present invention may improve low-temperature output characteristics, high-temperature cycle characteristics, output characteristics after high-temperature storage, capacity characteristics, and swelling characteristics.
US09620815B2 Electrolyte additives for transition metal cyanometallate electrode stabilization
A method is provided for the self-repair of a transition metal cyanometallate (TMCM) battery electrode. The battery is made from a TMCM cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte including solution formed from a solvent and an alkali or alkaline earth salt. The electrolyte includes an additive represented as G-R-g: where G and g are independently include materials with nitrogen (N) sulfur (S), oxygen (O), or combinations of the above-recited elements; and where R is an alkene or alkane group. In response to charging and discharging the battery in a plurality of cycles, the method creates vacancies in a surface of the TMCM cathode. Then, the method fills the vacancies in the surface of the TMCM cathode with the electrolyte additive. An electrolyte and TMCM battery using the above-mentioned additives are also provided.
US09620814B2 Nonaqueous electrolytes and nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries employing the same
A nonaqueous electrolyte containing a monofluorophosphate and/or a difluorophosphate and a compound having a specific chemical structure or specific properties. The nonaqueous electrolyte can contain at least one of a saturated chain hydrocarbon, a saturated cyclic hydrocarbon, an aromatic compound having a halogen atom and an ether having a fluorine atom.
US09620802B2 Fuel cell membrane electrode assembly and method for producing the same, and fuel cell
The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of the present invention is a fuel cell MEA including an anion exchange membrane and a catalyst layer disposed on the surface of the membrane. In the MEA, the anion exchange membrane is an anion-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane in which a graft chain having anion conducting ability is graft-polymerized on a substrate formed of a skived film of ultra-high molecular weight polyolefin. This MEA has various superior properties for achieving an improvement in the power output of an anion exchange PEFC compared to conventional MEAs.
US09620794B2 Fuel cell system and method of operating the same
A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell to generate electric power; a casing accommodating at least the fuel cell, the casing including an air inlet and an exhaust outlet; a supply passage connected to the air inlet, to introduce external air into the casing; an exhaust passage connected to the exhaust outlet, to exchange heat with the supply passage and discharge at least air inside the casing; an air supply device to introduce the external air into the casing; a temperature detector to detect a temperature; and a controller configured to control at least the air supply device. If the temperature detected by the temperature detector after the controller has caused the air supply device to operate is lower than or equal to a first predetermined temperature, the controller reduces an amount of air supplied by the air supply device and causes the air supply device to continue operating.
US09620793B2 Hybrid system
[Object] To provide a hybrid system of which overall efficiency is improved.[Solution] A hybrid system of the invention includes: a fuel cell device; and a thermoacoustic cooler. The thermoacoustic cooler 14 includes: a thermoacoustic energy generating section 20 in which thermoacoustic energy is generated by a temperature gradient between a high-temperature side and a low-temperature side; and a cooling section 21 in which a function of cooling is performed in the low-temperature side using the temperature gradient between the high-temperature side and the low-temperature side which is produced when the thermoacoustic energy transmitted from the thermoacoustic energy generating section 20 is converted into energy. The system is configured to cause exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell device to flow through the high-temperature side of the thermoacoustic energy generating section 20. Therefore, it is possible to achieve the hybrid system of which overall efficiency is improved.
US09620785B2 Carbon structure electrode for redox flow battery, method of preparing carbon structure electrode for redox flow battery, and carbon structure electrode structure for redox flow battery
Disclosed is a carbon structure electrode for redox flow batteries, which includes a plurality of spherical macropores formed on a surface of a polymer-derived carbon structure and inside the polymer-derived carbon structure so as to allow electrolyte migration. The carbon structure electrode for redox flow batteries has excellent electrical conductivity and enables cost reduction through a simplified preparation process.
US09620781B2 Electrode binder for secondary battery providing excellent adhesion strength and life characteristics
Disclosed is a binder for a secondary battery electrode including a copolymer of a hydrophilic monomer and a hydrophobic monomer, wherein, when a concentration of the copolymer is 5% in a solution based upon NMP as a solvent, a viscosity of the solution including the copolymer is 800 cP to 10000 cP. By using the binder, stability of an electrode is fundamentally improved from an electrode preparation process and, as such, a secondary battery having excellent lifespan characteristics is provided.
US09620774B2 Method of manufacturing an electrode, corresponding electrode and battery comprising such an electrode
A method of manufacturing an electrode, including: a) depositing catalytic growth seeds on an electrically conducting support by aerosol spraying, b) growth of oriented carbon nanotubes on the basis of the deposition of the catalytic growth seeds, c) a deposition of sulphur on the oriented carbon nanotubes formed in b), and d) a deposition of a layer of carbon on the sulphur. An electrode, as well as to a battery including such an electrode, includes an electrically conducting support and oriented carbon nanotubes disposed on the surface of the electrically conducting support and covered at least partly by sulphur, the oriented carbon nanotubes exhibiting a length of greater than 20 μm, or greater than 50 μm.
US09620765B1 Battery disconnect device utilizing original single segment unmodified battery ground cable to connect/disconnect current flow at chassis connection site
The invention is an equipment or vehicle battery circuit cutoff device that mounts at the battery chassis ground mounting hole and accepts the original (in place) battery ground cable (single cable) to provide a secure electrical connection in the use configuration (HOT) and a simple quick, safe, and absolute change of state to the electrical cutoff configuration (CUT). The device employs a heavy compression spring that clamps the battery ground cable into the device when compression spring tension is released against the cable end and allows the quick release of the ground cable when a threaded stud knob or a lever assembly lifts the spring tension to allow the ground cable to be quickly removed. There is no internal switch in the device; the only switch being the presence (HOT) or absence (CUT) of the ground cable in the cutoff device insertion slot. Maximum current flow is supported with this design since the cable is locked against a heavy copper bar in the closed circuit state (HOT) so that the current flow is limited only by the capacity of the cable rather than the configuration of internal cutoff switch contacts. The cable clamping force in the closed circuit (HOT) position is constant and resistant to equipment vibration since the clamping force is derived from a high force (40 foot pounds or greater) compression spring rather than a bolt which may vibrate loose and/or may not have been adequately tightened by the equipment operator.
US09620762B2 Electrical storage element
An electrical storage element includes a power generation element that includes an electrode, a can in which the power generation element is stored, a lid that seals an opening of the can, an external terminal that is disposed on the lid, and a current collector that connects the electrode of the power generation element, and the external terminal. The external terminal includes a bus bar welding portion having a bus bar welding surface to which a bus bar is welded, and a current collector connection portion having a caulking-jig abutting surface, the current collector connection portion includes an insertion portion which is inserted into a through-hole of the lid and has a tip end which is fixed to the current collector by caulking, the bus bar welding portion and the current collector connection portion are integrally provided in parallel on the lid, and the jig abutting surface is extended from the bus bar welding surface in the same plane as the bus bar welding surface.
US09620761B2 Battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly and a battery module
A battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly having a plastic frame member having a plate portion and a central wall is provided. The central wall defines an interior region. The assembly further includes a first interconnect member that is coupled to the plate portion that is electrically coupled to a first electrical terminal of a first battery cell. The first interconnect member has a spade lug. The assembly further includes a removable wire harness assembly having an adaptor body, a spade clip, and an electrical cable. The spade clip is disposed in an aperture of the adapter member. The spade clip is electrically and physically coupled to the spade lug of the first interconnect member when the adapter member is at least partially disposed in the interior region.
US09620758B2 Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery
To realize high capacity of batteries, an object of the invention is to provide nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries which are unlikely to become swollen when charged to a high voltage and allowed to stand in a high temperature atmosphere. The nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode including a negative electrode active material, a nonaqueous electrolyte, and a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. An inorganic particle layer is disposed between the positive electrode and the separator or between the negative electrode and the separator. The inorganic particle layer contains a polymer with a polyethylene glycol group. The polymer with a polyethylene glycol group has an average molecular weight of not less than 200.
US09620751B2 Dual sealing cap assembly and cylindrical secondary battery including the same
The present invention relates to a cap assembly and a battery including the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cap assembly for a cylindrical secondary battery, in which the support unit of a current interrupt device (CID) is seated in the inclined portion or the terraced portion of a gasket and thus the battery is dually sealed, thereby preventing the leakage of an electrolyte, and a cylindrical secondary battery including the cylindrical secondary battery. The cap assembly of the present invention is dually sealed for the leakage of an electrolyte. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that the safety of the battery can be greatly improved because the electrolyte is rarely leaked although the battery is shocked because of dropping.
US09620750B2 High-voltage storage device
The present invention refers to a high-voltage battery for power supply, particularly of an automotive vehicle, comprising: an energy storage module with a plurality of electrochemical storage cells and a wall accommodating the plurality of storage cells, each storage cell comprising at least two electric connection terminals, and an upper part for contacting and covering the connection terminals, said upper part overlapping the wall in a contactless manner, so that a gap remains relative to the storage cells.
US09620748B2 Rechargeable battery
A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly; a case accommodating the electrode assembly; a cap plate combined with the case and having first and second terminal openings passing through the case from an inside to an outside; first and second seal gaskets inserted into the first and second terminal openings, respectively, and having insertion openings; and first and second terminals inserted into the insertion openings of the first and second seal gaskets, respectively, and electrically connected with first and second current collecting members of the electrode assembly, respectively, wherein sidewalls of the first and second gasket seals, which are brought into contact with inner walls of the first and second terminal openings, are inclined with respect to center axes of the first and second terminal openings.
US09620746B2 Secondary battery and manufacturing method thereof
A method of manufacturing a secondary battery, which is capable of simplifying a processing method. The method includes preparing a cap plate that closes an opening of a case, the case accommodating an electrode assembly therein and having the opening at an end thereof, forming a short-circuit portion and a vent portion on the cap plate, performing a first heat treatment on the short-circuit portion, and performing a second heat treatment on the vent portion. The secondary battery manufactured by this method is economical because the processing method is simplified and a manufacturing cost is reduced.
US09620744B2 Optical patterning mask and method for fabricating display device using the same
The optical patterning mask had a protection layer on a light absorption layer. It prevents the light absorption layer from damaged by the cleaning gas when processing the used optical patterning mask for reuse. The protection layer may be made of the same material as bank layer or of material different from the bank layer. The bank layer defines the boundary of the area to be transferred in the transfer layer. The protection layer of the present invention can maintain longer the transfer efficiency of the optical patterning mask, even when the same mask is used repeatedly after cleaning, since the light absorption layer protected from cleaning process can maintain longer its heat conversion property.
US09620743B2 Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
Provided is an organic light-emitting display apparatus including a substrate; a first pixel electrode for first color emission, a second pixel electrode for second color emission, and a third pixel electrode for third color emission, the first pixel electrode, the second pixel electrode, and the third pixel electrode being spaced apart from each other on the substrate; a first color emission layer on the first pixel electrode, a second color emission layer on the second pixel electrode, and a third color emission layer on the third pixel electrode; an opposite electrode on the first color emission layer, the second color emission layer, and the third color emission layer; and a capping layer that includes a same material as the opposite electrode and is porous.
US09620741B2 Method of manufacturing a display device
A method for manufacturing a display device is provided including forming a light emitting element by stacking in sequence a pixel electrode, light emitting layer and common electrode above a substrate, and forming an organic material pattern including a plurality of protrusions by evaporating an organic material above the common electrode, wherein the evaporation is performed under a reduced pressure in at a substrate temperature that is equal to or less than a glass transition temperature of the organic material.
US09620734B2 Methods for making optical components, optical components, and products including same
Methods for making multiple hermetically sealed optical components are disclosed. Methods for making an individual hermetically sealed optical component are disclosed. An individual hermetically sealed optical component and products including same are also disclosed.
US09620732B2 Method of forming a light-emitting device
A method of forming a light-emitting device comprises: forming patterned portions of precursor material over a substrate, the edges of the patterned portions defining sidewalls; performing a shaping control process on the patterned portions of precursor material to control the sidewall profile to reduce the angle the sidewalls of the precursor material make with the substrate to less than 15 degrees; selectively applying from solution a conductive coating onto the portions of shaped precursor material so as to form a plurality of first conducting contacts such that an upper surface of said conductive coating follows the sidewall profile of the precursor material; forming a light-emitting layer over the conductive contacts and substrate, and forming a plurality of second conducting contacts over the light-emitting layer. The precursor material may comprises an activator catalyst and the conductive coating comprises a metal selectively applied to the shaped precursor material by electroless plating.
US09620731B2 Thin film transistor, organic EL light emitting device, and method of fabricating thin film transistor
A thin film transistor according to the present disclosure including: a gate electrode above a substrate; a gate insulating layer covering the gate electrode; a semiconductor layer above the gate insulating layer; and a source electrode and a drain electrode which are above the gate insulating layer, and electrically connected to the semiconductor layer, in which the gate insulating layer includes a first area and a second area, the first area being above the gate electrode, the second area being different from an area above the gate electrode, and made of a same substance as the first area, and the first area has a higher density than a density of the second area.
US09620725B2 Polymer solar cell and method of forming the same
Provided is a polymer solar cell. The polymer solar cell includes a photoactive layer having a network-structured electron donor layer and a silica thin film layer surrounding the electron donor layer. By mixing of electron donor polymers, electron acceptor polymers, and block copolymers, the electron donor polymers form polymer grains through a self-assembly process. In addition, during a heat treatment process, silica precursors included in the block copolymers cross-link to each other to form the silica thin film. Electrons generated in the electron donor layer tunnel through the silica thin film, and holes are blocked by the silica thin film. Accordingly, electron-hole recombination in the electron acceptor layer is prevented.
US09620724B2 Benzimidazo[1,2-A]benzimidazole derivatives for electronic applications
A compound of the general formula a process for the production of the compound and its use in electronic devices, especially electroluminescent devices. Improved efficiency, stability, manufacturability, or spectral characteristics of electroluminescent devices are provided when the compound of formula I is used as host material for phosphorescent emitters in electroluminescent devices.
US09620721B2 OLEDs having high efficiency and excellent lifetime
An OLED device comprises a cathode, an anode, and has therebetween a light-emitting layer wherein the light-emitting layer comprises (a) a 2-arylanthracene compound and (b) a light-emitting second anthracene compound having amino substitution at a minimum of two positions, wherein at least one amine is substituted at the 2 position of the second anthracene compound.
US09620713B2 Memory cells formed with sealing material
Memory cells, arrays of memory cells, and methods of forming the same with sealing material on sidewalls thereof are disclosed herein. One example of forming a memory cell includes forming a stack of materials, forming a trench to a first depth in the stack of materials such that a portion of at least one of the active storage element material and the active select device material is exposed on sidewalls of the trench. A sealing material is formed on the exposed portion of the at least one of the active storage element material and the active select device material and the trench is deepened such that a portion of the other of the at least one of the active storage element material and the active select device material is exposed on the sidewalls of the trench.
US09620710B2 Self-selecting PCM device not requiring a dedicated selector transistor
A Zinc Oxide (ZnO) layer deposited using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) over a phase-change material forms a self-selected storage device. The diode formed at the ZnO/GST interface shows both rectification and storage capabilities within the PCM architecture.
US09620699B2 Manufacturing method for thermoelectric conversion device
An insulating substrate is prepared. In this substrate, plural via holes penetrating in a thickness direction are filled with a conductive paste. This paste is produced by adding an organic solvent to a powder of an, and by processing the power of the alloy to a paste. The substrate is then pressed from a front surface and a back surface of the substrate, while being heated. The conductive paste is solid-phase sintered and interlayer connecting members are formed. A front surface protective member is disposed on a front surface of the substrate and a back surface protective member is disposed on a back surface of the substrate, and a laminate is formed. The laminate is integrated by a lower pressure being applied while heating at a lower temperature, compared to the temperature and pressure in the process of forming the interlayer connecting members.
US09620693B2 Light emitting device and lighting system having the same
Disclosed are a light emitting device and a lighting system having the same. The light emitting device includes a body including first and second lateral side parts, third and fourth lateral side parts, and a cavity, a first lead frame extending in a direction of the first lateral side part of the body, a second lead frame extending in a direction of the second lateral side part of the body, a light emitting chip disposed on the first lead frame in the cavity, and a gap part between the first and second lead frames. The first lead frame includes a first recess part having a first depth, and a second recess part recessed at a second depth, and the first recess part and the second recess part have a step structure with a curved surface.
US09620687B2 Light emitting diode
Provided are a light emitting diode, a method of manufacturing the same, and a use thereof. The light emitting diode having excellent initial light flux and excellent color uniformity and dispersion, the method of manufacturing the same, and the use thereof may be provided.
US09620686B2 Display light sources with quantum dots
A display may be provided with light sources. The light sources may include light-emitting diodes. The light sources may have packages formed from package bodies to which the light-emitting diodes are mounted. Layers such as quantum dot layers, light-scattering layers, spacer layers, and diffusion barrier layers may be formed over the package bodies and light-emitting diodes. Quantum dots of different colors may be stacked on top of each other. A getter may be incorporated into one or more of the layers to getter oxygen and water. Quantum dots may be formed from semiconductor layers that are doped with n-type and p-type dopant to adjust the locations of their conduction and valance bands and thereby enhanced quantum dot performance.
US09620685B2 Surface mount light-emitting device
A surface mount light-emitting device of side view and lead frame type can include a casing having a cavity, a first lead frame having a first mounting surface exposed from the cavity, and a second lead frame having a second mounting surface exposed from the cavity. A light-emitting chip can be mounted on one of the first and the second mounting surfaces, which extend in a substantially same level and balanced shapes with respect to each other to be used as external electrodes. An encapsulating resin including at least one phosphor can also encapsulate the light-emitting chip in the cavity. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide reliable surface mount light-emitting devices that can be easily mounted on a mounting board with high positional accuracy and can emit various color lights having a high light-emitting intensity using a high brightness chip in a substantially parallel direction to the mounting board.
US09620674B2 Optoelectronic component and method for the production thereof
A method for producing an optoelectronic component includes creating a first layer of a polymer material. The method also includes applying crystals to a surface of the first layer. The method also includes creating a second layer of a polymer material on the surface of the first layer. The crystals can be between the first and second layers.
US09620657B2 Image sensor and electronic device including the same
An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate integrated with at least one first photo-sensing device sensing light in a first wavelength region and at least one second photo-sensing device sensing light in a second wavelength region shorter than the first wavelength region, a photoelectric device including a pair of electrodes facing each other and a light absorption layer between the electrodes, the photoelectric device selectively absorbing light in a third wavelength region between the first wavelength region and the second wavelength region, and a nanostructural body between the semiconductor substrate and the photoelectric device, the nanostructural body including at least two parts having different optical paths.
US09620653B2 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory element, nonvolatile semiconductor memory, and method for operating nonvolatile semiconductor memory element
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nonvolatile semiconductor memory element including: a semiconductor substrate including: a source region; a drain region; and a channel region; a lower insulating film that is formed on the channel region; a charge storage film that is formed on the lower insulating film and that stores data; an upper insulating film that is formed on the charge storage film; and a control gate that is formed on the upper insulating film, wherein the upper insulating film includes: a first insulting film; and a second insulating film that is laminated with the first insulating film, and wherein the first insulating film is formed to have a trap level density larger than that of the second insulating film.
US09620645B1 Fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device structure with ultra-thin body and method for forming the same
A FinFET device structure and method for forming the same is provided. The FinFET device structure includes an oxide layer formed over a substrate and a fin structure formed over the oxide layer. The fin structure is made of a semiconductor layer, and the semiconductor layer includes a first portion, a second portion and a third portion. The second portion is between the first portion and the third portion. The first portion, the second portion and the third portion construct a U-shaped trench, and the second portion is below the U-shaped trench. The FinFET device structure further includes a gate structure formed in the U-shaped trench.
US09620633B2 Quantum well fin-like field effect transistor (QWFinFET) having a two-section combo QW structure
The present disclosure provides a quantum well fin field effect transistor (QWFinFET). The QWFinFET includes a semiconductor fin over a substrate and a combo quantum well (QW) structure over the semiconductor fin. The combo QW structure includes a QW structure over a top portion of the semiconductor fin and a middle portion of the semiconductor fin. The semiconductor fin and the QW comprise different semiconductor materials. The QWFinFET also includes a gate stack over the combo QW structure.
US09620631B2 Power semiconductor device
A power semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, a pair of conductive bodies, a third semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type, and a fourth semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type. The second semiconductor layer is provided on the first semiconductor layer on the first surface side. The pair of conductive bodies are provided via an insulating film in a pair of first trenches extending across the second semiconductor layer from a surface of the second semiconductor layer to the first semiconductor layer. The third semiconductor layer is selectively formed on the surface of the second semiconductor layer between the pair of conductive bodies and has a higher second conductivity type impurity concentration in a surface of the third semiconductor layer than the second semiconductor layer.
US09620628B1 Methods of forming contact feature
A method to fabricate a semiconductor device includes forming a semiconductor fin on a substrate; forming a dummy gate material layer over the semiconductor fin; forming a contact hole in the dummy gate material layer; forming a source/drain feature in the contact hole; forming a contact feature on the source/drain feature within the contact hole; and replacing a dummy gate that is formed of the dummy gate material layer with a metal gate.
US09620625B2 Manufacturing a submicron structure using a liquid precursor
A method for manufacturing a submicron semiconductor structure on a substrate, including: forming at least one template layer over a support substrate; forming one or more template structures, including one or more recesses and/or mesas, in the template layer, the one or more template structures including one or more edges extending into or out of the top surface of the template layer; coating at least part of the one or more template structures with a liquid semiconductor precursor; and, annealing and/or exposing the liquid semiconductor precursor coated template structures to light, wherein during the annealing and/or light exposure a part of the liquid semiconductor precursor accumulates by capillary forces against at least part of the one or more edges, the annealing and/or light exposure transforming the accumulated liquid semiconductor precursor into a submicron semiconductor structure extending along at least part of the one or more edges.
US09620614B2 Sawtooth electric field drift region structure for power semiconductor devices
This invention discloses a semiconductor power device formed in a semiconductor substrate includes rows of multiple horizontal columns of thin layers of alternate conductivity types in a drift region of the semiconductor substrate where each of the thin layers having a thickness to enable a punch through the thin layers when the semiconductor power device is turned on. In a specific embodiment the thickness of the thin layers satisfying charge balance equation q*ND*WN=q*NA*WP and a punch through condition of WP<2*WD*[ND/(NA+ND)] where ND and WN represent the doping concentration and the thickness of the N type layers 160, while NA and WP represent the doping concentration and thickness of the P type layers; WD represents the depletion width; and q represents an electron charge, which cancel out. This device allows for a near ideal rectangular electric field profile at breakdown voltage with sawtooth like ridges.
US09620613B2 Organic light emitting display devices and methods of manufacturing organic light emitting display devices
An organic light emitting display device includes a substrate, a first transistor disposed on the substrate in the opaque region, a second transistor disposed on the substrate in the opaque region, the second transistor being adjacent to the first transistor along a first direction, and a capacitor disposed on the substrate in the opaque region, the capacitor being adjacent to the first transistor along a second direction different from the first direction. Here, the capacitor may include a first capacitor electrode, a dielectric structure including silicon oxynitride and a second capacitor electrode.
US09620582B2 Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors and forming methods
The present disclosure relates a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor. In some embodiments, the MIM capacitor has a capacitor bottom metal (CBM) electrode arranged over a semiconductor substrate. The MIM capacitor has a high-k dielectric disposed over the CBM electrode and a capacitor top metal (CTM) electrode arranged over the high-k dielectric layer. The MIM capacitor has a dummy structure that is disposed vertically over the high-k dielectric layer and laterally apart from the CTM electrode. The dummy structure includes a conductive body having a same material as the CTM electrode.
US09620579B2 Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a substrate; an active layer; a gate electrode, source and drain electrodes; a first insulating layer disposed between the active layer and the gate electrode; a second insulating layer disposed between the gate electrode and the source and drain electrodes; a third insulating layer disposed over the source and drain electrodes; conductive layers disposed over the third insulating layer and electrically connected to the source and drain electrodes through the third insulating layer; a first line disposed over the second insulating layer and formed of the same material as the source and drain electrodes; a second line overlapping the first line, disposed over the third insulating layer, and formed of the same material as the conductive layer; a fourth insulating layer disposed over the third insulating layer to cover the conductive layer; and an organic light-emitting diode disposed over the fourth insulating layer.
US09620577B2 Organic light emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting display device includes a substrate including a light-emitting region and a transparent region, a transistor disposed in the light-emitting region and including a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode overlapping the gate electrode, a capacitor disposed in the light-emitting region and disposed adjacent to the transistor and including a first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode overlapping the first capacitor electrode, and a plurality of light-blocking patterns partially overlapping the gate electrode, the source electrode or the drain electrode and disposed on a different layer as a layer the gate electrode, the source electrode or the drain electrode are disposed.
US09620567B2 OLED backboard, method of manufacturing the same, alignment system and alignment method thereof
The present disclosure relates to a technical field of OLED display and discloses an OLED backboard, a method of manufacturing the same, an alignment system and an alignment method thereof, which aims to solve a problem of low efficiency in forming an organic light-emitting material layer on the OLED backboard. The OLED backboard comprises: a transparent substrate; at least two functional layers disposed on the upper surface of the transparent substrate and stacked on each other; at least two via holes formed in predefined areas of the at least two functional layers and extending through at least the upper one of the at least two functional layers; and at least two alignment modules located in the at least two via holes respectively, wherein each of the at least two alignment modules comprises at least three first alignment structures arranged in a predefined trace, and a virtual alignment point is allowed to be determined based on the relative position among all the first alignment structures in each of the alignment modules. The efficiency of forming the organic light-emitting material layer on the OLED backboard is thus increased by using the above OLED backboard.
US09620560B2 EL display device and method for manufacturing same
An EL display device of the present invention includes a plurality of pixel electrodes, wiring, a common electrode, a plurality of light-emitting layer portions, and a protective layer. The pixel electrodes are formed in one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of pixels. The wiring is formed in at least one of a plurality of intervals between the pixels. The common electrode is formed above each of the pixel electrodes and is in electrical connection with the wiring. The common electrode is made of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal. The light-emitting layer portions are each located between a corresponding one of the pixel electrodes and the common electrode. The protective layer is located on the common electrode, preventing oxidization thereof. The EL display device suppresses voltage drop in the common electrode, while also suppressing reduction in a property of electron injection to the light-emitting layer portions.
US09620551B2 Mechanisms for forming backside illuminated image sensor device structure
A backside illuminated image sensor device structure and methods for forming the same are provided. The method for manufacturing a backside illuminated image sensor device structure includes providing a substrate and forming a polysilicon layer over the substrate. The method further includes forming a buffer layer over the polysilicon layer and forming an etch stop layer over the buffer layer. The method further includes forming a hard mask layer over the etch stop layer and patterning the hard mask layer to form an opening in the hard mask layer. The method further includes performing an implant process through the opening of the hard mask layer to form a doped region in the substrate and removing the hard mask layer by a first removing process. The method further includes removing the etch stop layer by a second removing process and removing the buffer layer by a third removing process.
US09620548B1 Image sensor with wide contact
An image sensor structure is provided. The image sensor structure includes a substrate including a first light sensing region and a second light sensing region. The image sensor structure further includes an isolation structure formed through the substrate to separate the first light sensing region and the second light sensing region and a first source/drain structure and a second source/drain structure formed at a front side of the substrate. In addition, the first source/drain structure and the second source/drain structure are located at opposite sides of the isolation structure. The image sensor structure further includes a contact formed over the isolation structure, a portion of the first source/drain structure, and a portion of the second source/drain structure.
US09620546B2 Pixel for CMOS image sensor and image sensor including the same
A pixel of a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a third surface formed by removing part of the semiconductor substrate from a second surface, an active region which is formed between the first surface and the third surface and which contains a photoelectric conversion element generating charges in response to light incident on the substrate at the third surface, and a trench-type isolation region formed from either of the first and third surfaces to isolate the active region from an adjacent active region. The trench-type isolation region is filled with first material in a process that leaves a void in the material, the void is filled or partially filled with second material, and then a layer of third material is formed over the resulting structure composed of the first and second materials.
US09620542B2 Curable resin composition, production method of image sensor chip using the same, and image sensor chip
There is provided a curable resin composition which is capable of being coated on a solid-state imaging device substrate and contains a dye having a maximum absorption wavelength in a wavelength range from 600 to 850 nm, a production method of image sensor chip comprising a step of coating the curable resin composition on a solid-state imaging device substrate to form a dye-containing layer, and a step of adhering a glass substrate having an infrared ray reflecting film onto the dye-containing layer, and an image sensor chip comprising a solid-state imaging device substrate and a dye-containing layer composed of the curable resin composition.
US09620536B2 LTPS array substrate
An LTPS array substrate includes a plurality of LTPS thin-film transistors and a bottom transparent conductive layer, a protective layer, and a top transparent conductive layer. Each LTPS thin-film transistor includes a substrate, a patternized light shield layer, a buffering layer, a patternized poly-silicon layer, a gate insulation layer, a gate line, and a common electrode line, an insulation layer, a drain and a source, and a planarization layer that are formed to sequentially stack on each other. The light shield layer covers the scan line and the source/drain. A patternized third metal layer is between the bottom transparent conductive layer and the protective layer and includes a first zone and a second zone intersecting the first zone. The first zone shields the source line. A portion of the second zone overlaps a side portion of the light shield layer that is close to the source/drain electrode.
US09620532B2 Manufacturing method of transistor with floating gate and application method of transistor with floating gate electrode
Embodiments of the disclosure disclose a transistor with floating gate electrode, a manufacturing method thereof, an application method thereof and a display driving circuit. The transistor with floating gate electrode includes a substrate (1), and a floating gate electrode (3), a source electrode (4), a drain electrode (5) and a control gate electrode (6) disposed on the substrate (1). The transistor with floating gate electrode further comprises a first insulating film (7) and a polysilicon film (8) that are sequentially disposed on the substrate (1), and a channel region (2) is formed in the polysilicon film (8) at a position corresponding to the floating gate electrode (3).
US09620531B2 TFT array substrate, display panel and display device
A TFT array substrate is disclosed. The TFT array substrate includes a base, a display region disposed on the base, and a gate drive circuit region disposed on the base. The display region includes a plurality of data lines extending along a first direction, and a plurality of scan lines extending along a second direction, the scan lines intersecting and electrically insulated from the data lines. In addition, the gate drive circuit region includes at least one first capacitor, and a plurality of TFTs which are separated from each other to form a margin region between the TFTs, where the first capacitor is disposed in the margin region.
US09620529B2 Display substrate and method of manufacturing the same
A display substrate includes a gate line extending in a first direction, a floating electrode disposed on the same layer as the gate line, and a data line. Opposite ends of the floating electrode are electrically connected with the data line. The floating electrode extends in a second direction that crosses the first direction. The data line includes a recess disposed adjacent to the gate line. The data line overlaps with the floating electrode and also extends in the second direction.
US09620528B2 Display panel
A display panel is disclosed, which comprises: a substrate with a first surface, a first thin film transistor unit and a second thin film transistor unit disposed on the first surface of the substrate; a first conductive line with a first inclined surface, disposed on the first surface of the substrate and electrically connecting to the first thin film transistor unit; a second conductive line with a second inclined surface, disposed on the first surface of the substrate and electrically connecting to the second thin film transistor unit, wherein an angle included between the first surface and the first inclined surface or an extension surface thereof of the first conductive line is defined as a first angle, an angle included between the first surface and the second inclined surface or an extension surface thereof of the second conductive line is defined as a second angle, and the first angle is different from the second angle.
US09620521B2 Semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory cells arranged on a substrate. The semiconductor memory device includes an interconnect layer including a first interconnect and a second interconnect, the first interconnect extending in a first direction, the second interconnect extending in a second direction, the first direction being tilted with respect to an arrangement direction of the memory cells, the second direction being different from the first direction and tilted with respect to the arrangement direction of the memory cells.
US09620520B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
The present disclosure may provide a semiconductor device with an enhanced integration. The device may include a lower pipe gate; an upper pipe gate including a first horizontal portion and first and second protrusions, the first horizontal portion being parallel to the lower pipe gate, the first and second protrusions extending from the first horizontal portion to the lower pipe gate and crossing each other so as to define a pipe channel region; a partition pipe gate disposed between the lower and upper pipe gates, the partition pipe gate dividing the pipe channel region into first and second pipe channel regions; and first and second pipe channel films disposed respectively in the first and second pipe channel regions.
US09620518B2 Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. A stack layer is formed on a substrate. The stack layer is patterned to form a plurality of stack structures extending in a first direction. A trench extending in the first direction is located between two adjacent stack structures. Each trench has a plurality of wide portions and a plurality of narrow portions. A maximum width of the wide portions in a second direction is larger than a maximum width of the narrow portions in the second direction. A charge storage layer is formed to cover a bottom surface and sidewalls of the wide portion and fill up the narrow portion. A conductive layer is formed to fill up the wide portion. A semiconductor device formed by the method is also provided.
US09620516B2 Embedded SONOS based memory cells
Memory devices and methods for forming the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes a non-volatile memory (NVM) transistor formed in a first region of a substrate, the NVM transistor comprising a channel and a gate stack on the substrate overlying the channel. The gate stack includes a dielectric layer on the substrate, a charge-trapping layer on the dielectric layer, an oxide layer overlying the charge-trapping layer, a first gate overlying the oxide layer, and a first silicide region overlying the first gate. The device includes a metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor formed in a second region of the substrate comprising a gate oxide overlying the substrate in the second region, a second gate overlying the gate oxide, and a second silicide region overlying the second gate. A strain inducing structure overlies at least the NVM transistor and a surface of the substrate in the first region of the substrate.
US09620514B2 3D semicircular vertical NAND string with self aligned floating gate or charge trap cell memory cells and methods of fabricating and operating the same
A memory device includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in a string substantially perpendicular to the major surface of the substrate in a plurality of device levels, at least one first select gate electrode located between the major surface of the substrate and the plurality of memory cells, at least one second select gate electrode located above the plurality of memory cells, a semiconductor channel having a portion that extends vertically along a direction perpendicular to the major surface, a first memory film contacting a first side of the semiconductor channel, and a second memory film contacting a second side of the semiconductor channel. The second memory film is electrically isolated from the first memory film, and is located at a same level as the first memory film.
US09620510B2 Stacked metal layers with different thicknesses
A semiconductor chip includes a plurality of stacked conductive layers. The plurality of stacked conductive layers includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a third conductive layer. The first conductive layer is disposed on a first side of the second conductive layer. The third conductive layer is disposed on a second side of the second conductive layer. The third conductive layer is disposed on a side of the second conductive layer. The second conductive layer has a thickness which is thicker than those of the first conductive layer and the third conductive layer.
US09620508B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having an active layer in which an element region and a contact region are formed, a support substrate supporting the active layer, and a buried insulation layer interposed between the active layer and the support substrate. A transistor element is formed in the element region, the transistor element having a transistor buried impurity layer formed within the active layer. The semiconductor device further includes a substrate contact having a contact buried impurity layer formed within the contact region and a through contact extending from the surface of the active layer to the support substrate through the contact buried impurity and the buried insulation layer, the contact buried impurity layer being in the same layer as the transistor buried impurity layer.
US09620498B2 Configuration of gate to drain (GD) clamp and ESD protection circuit for power device breakdown protection
A semiconductor power device supported on a semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of transistor cells each having a source and a drain with a gate to control an electric current transmitted between the source and the drain. The semiconductor further includes a gate-to-drain (GD) clamp termination connected in series between the gate and the drain further includes a plurality of back-to-back polysilicon diodes connected in series to a silicon diode includes parallel doped columns in the semiconductor substrate wherein the parallel doped columns having a predefined gap. The doped columns further include a U-shaped bend column connect together the ends of parallel doped columns with a deep doped-well that is disposed below and engulfing the U-shaped bend.
US09620490B2 Fuse package and light emitting device module using the same
A fuse package may include a first lead frame, a second lead frame spaced apart from the first lead frame, a package body configured to cover at least a portion of the first lead frame and at least a portion of the second lead frame, a wire fuse mounted on the first lead frame and the second lead frame, and configured to electrically connect the two lead frames, and an encapsulator configured to cover the wire fuse.
US09620487B2 Light emitting device reflective bank structure
Reflective bank structures for light emitting devices are described. The reflective bank structure may include a substrate, an insulating layer on the substrate, and an array of bank openings in the insulating layer with each bank opening including a bottom surface and sidewalls. A reflective layer spans sidewalls of each of the bank openings in the insulating layer.
US09620483B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit including power TSVS
A semiconductor device including power TSVs for stably supplying a power source is described. A semiconductor device includes a chip power pad placed in a first region of a chip, power through silicon vias (TSVs) connected to the chip power pad and placed in the second region of each of the chips, and metal lines configured to couple the chip power pad and the power TSVs.
US09620481B2 Substrate bonding with diffusion barrier structures
A metallic dopant element having a greater oxygen-affinity than copper is introduced into, and/or over, surface portions of copper-based metal pads and/or surfaces of a dielectric material layer embedding the copper-based metal pads in each of two substrates to be subsequently bonded. A dopant-metal silicate layer may be formed at the interface between the two substrates to contact portions of metal pads not in contact with a surface of another metal pad, thereby functioning as an oxygen barrier layer, and optionally as an adhesion material layer. A dopant metal rich portion may be formed in peripheral portions of the metal pads in contact with the dopant-metal silicate layer. A dopant-metal oxide portion may be formed in peripheral portions of the metal pads that are not in contact with a dopant-metal silicate layer.
US09620472B2 Method of manufacturing an electronic component
A method of manufacturing an electronic component includes applying solder paste to at least one electrically conductive portion of a package, applying a high-voltage depletion-mode transistor onto the solder paste, applying a low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor onto the solder paste, applying solder paste onto the high-voltage depletion-mode transistor, applying solder paste onto the low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor, applying an electrically conductive member onto the solder paste on the high-voltage depletion-mode transistor and onto the solder paste on the low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor to form an assembly, and heat treating the assembly to produce an electrical connection between the high-voltage depletion-mode transistor and the low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor via the electrically conductive member.
US09620468B2 Semiconductor packaging structure and method for forming the same
Various embodiments provide semiconductor packaging structures and methods for forming the same. In an exemplary method, a chip having a metal interconnect structure thereon can be provided. An insulating layer can be formed on the chip to expose the metal interconnect structure. A columnar electrode can be formed on the metal interconnect structure. A portion of the metal interconnect structure surrounding a bottom of the columnar electrode can be exposed. A diffusion barrier layer can be formed on sidewalls and a top surface of the columnar electrode, and on the exposed portion of the metal interconnect structure surrounding the bottom of the columnar electrode. A solder ball can then be formed on the diffusion barrier layer. The solder ball can wrap at least the sidewalls and the top surface of the columnar electrode.
US09620467B2 Electronic component
In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a lateral transistor device having an upper metallization layer. The upper metallization layer includes n elongated pad regions. Adjacent ones of the n elongated pad regions are coupled to different current electrodes of the lateral transistor device. The n elongated pad regions bound n−1 active regions of the lateral transistor where n≧3.
US09620466B1 Method of manufacturing an electronic device having a contact pad with partially sealed pores
A method of manufacturing an electronic device may include: forming at least one electronic component in a substrate; forming a contact pad in electrical contact with the at least one electronic component; wherein forming the contact pad includes: forming a first layer over the substrate; planarizing the first layer to form a planarized surface of the first layer; and forming a second layer over the planarized surface, wherein the second layer has a lower porosity than the first layer.
US09620465B1 Dual-sided integrated fan-out package
A method for forming through vias comprises the steps of forming a dielectric layer over a package and forming an RDL over the dielectric layer, wherein forming the RDL includes the steps of forming a seed layer, forming a first patterned mask over the seed layer, and performing a first metal plating. The method further includes forming through vias on top of a first portion of the RDL, wherein forming the through vias includes forming a second patterned mask over the seed layer and the RDL, and performing a second metal plating. The method further includes attaching a chip to a second portion of the RDL, and encapsulating the chip and the through vias in an encapsulating material.
US09620464B2 Wireless communications package with integrated antennas and air cavity
Antenna package structures are provided to implement wireless communications packages. For example, an antenna package includes a package carrier and a package cover. The package carrier includes an antenna ground plane and an antenna feed line. The package cover includes a planar lid having a planar antenna element formed on a first surface of the planar lid. The package cover is bonded to a first surface of the package carrier with the first surface of the planar lid facing the first surface of the package carrier, and with the planar antenna element aligned to the antenna ground plane and the antenna feed line of the package carrier, wherein the first surface of the planar lid is disposed at a distance from the first surface of the package carrier to provide an air space between the planar antenna element and the package carrier.
US09620462B2 Integrated circuit package having surface-mount blocking elements
A first cavity-down ball grid array (BGA) package includes a substrate member and an array of bond balls. The array of bond balls includes a pair of parallel extending rows of outer mesh bond balls and a row of inner signal bond balls that is parallel to the pair of rows of outer mesh bond balls. A surface-mount blocking element is disposed between the row of inner signal bond balls and the pair of rows of outer mesh bond balls. The surface-mount blocking element is either a passive or an active component of the BGA package. In one example, the first cavity-down BGA package is surface-mounted to a second cavity-down BGA package to form a package-on-package (POP) security module. The surface-mount blocking element provides additional physical barrier against the probing of the inner signal bond balls. Sensitive data is therefore protected from unauthorized access.
US09620460B2 Semiconductor chip, semiconductor package and fabricating method thereof
Provided are a semiconductor chip, a semiconductor package and a fabricating method thereof, which can reduce or prevent cracks from being generated or propagated due to an external pressure. The semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate including a first region and a second region, a plurality of interlayer insulation layers formed on the semiconductor substrate, a first crack stopper formed in the plurality of interlayer insulation layers of the first region, an interconnector formed in the plurality of interlayer insulation layers of the second region, a pad wire formed on the plurality of interlayer insulation layers, electrically connected to the interconnector in the second region and extending to the first region, a bonding pad on the plurality of interlayer insulation layers of the first region, electrically connected to the pad wire, and a protection layer covering the pad wire and exposing the bonding pad. The first crack stopper is positioned at a lower level than the bonding pad and is formed to completely surround the bonding pad while not overlapping with the bonding pad and not being connected to the pad wire.
US09620459B2 Semiconductor arrangement, method for producing a semiconductor module, method for producing a semiconductor arrangement and method for operating a semiconductor arrangement
A semiconductor arrangement includes upper and lower contact plates and basic chip assemblies. Each chip assembly has a semiconductor chip having a semiconductor body with upper and lower spaced apart sides. An individual upper main electrode and an individual control electrode are arranged on the upper side. The chip assemblies have either respectively a separate lower main electrode arranged on the lower side of the semiconductor chip of the corresponding basic chip assembly, or a common lower main electrode, which for each of the chip assemblies is arranged on the lower side of the semiconductor body of that chip assembly. An electrical current between the individual upper main electrode and the individual or common lower main electrode is controllable by its control electrode. The chip assemblies are connected to one another with a material bonded connection by a dielectric embedding compound, forming a solid assembly.
US09620443B2 Semiconductor component and method of manufacture
In accordance with an embodiment, a semiconductor component includes a support having a first device receiving structure, a second device receiving structure, a first lead and a second lead. A first semiconductor chip is coupled to the first device receiving structure and a second semiconductor chip is coupled to the first semiconductor chip and the second device receiving structure. The first semiconductor chip is configured from a silicon semiconductor material and has a gate bond pad, a source bond pad, and a drain bond pad, and the second semiconductor chip is configured from a gallium nitride semiconductor chip and has a gate bond pad, a source bond pad, and a drain bond pad. In accordance with another embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor component includes coupling a first semiconductor chip to a support and coupling a second semiconductor chip to the support.
US09620441B2 Semiconductor package with multi-section conductive carrier
In one implementation, a power semiconductor package includes a non-contiguous, multi-section conductive carrier. A control transistor with a control transistor terminal is coupled to a first section of the multi-section conductive carrier, while a sync transistor with a sync transistor terminal is coupled to a second section of the multi-section conductive carrier. The first and second sections of the multi-section conductive carrier sink heat generated by the control and sync transistors. The first and second sections of the multi-section conductive carrier are electrically connected only through a mounting surface attached to the power semiconductor package. Another implementation of the power semiconductor package includes a driver IC coupled to a third section of the multi-section conductive carrier. A method for fabricating the power semiconductor package is also disclosed. The power semiconductor package according to the present disclosure results in effective thermal protection, current carrying capability, and a relatively small size.
US09620439B2 Low-profile footed power package
A power package includes a heat tab extending from a die pad exposed on the underside of the package, which facilitates the removal of heat from the die to the PCB or other surface on which the package is mounted. The heat tab has a bottom surface coplanar with the flat bottom surface of the die pad and bottom surface of a lead. The lead includes a horizontal foot segment, a vertical columnar segment, and a horizontal cantilever segment facing the die pad. The heat tab may also have a foot. A die containing a power device is mounted on a top surface of the die pad and may be electrically connected to the lead using a bonding wire or clip. The die may be mounted on the die pad with an electrically conductive material, and the package may also include a lead that extends from the die pad and is thus electrically tied to the bottom of the die. The result is a package with a minimal footprint that is suitable for the technique known as “wave soldering” that is used in relatively low-cost printed circuit board assembly factories. Methods of fabricating the package are disclosed.
US09620435B2 Evaporator, cooling device, and electronic device
An evaporator includes a housing in which an evaporator chamber configured to evaporate a refrigerant is formed; a heat transfer surface provided on an inner wall of the housing and having a hot area which is a part that becomes hot due to heat transferred from a heating element to the housing; and a supply port formed in the housing, opposed to the hot area and configured to eject the refrigerant supplied from a supply pipe to the hot area, wherein a narrow groove is formed in the heat transfer surface.
US09620434B1 High temperature bonding processes incorporating metal particles and bonded substrates formed therefrom
A method of bonding a first substrate to a second substrate includes disposing a first high melting point metal layer onto a first substrate, disposing a first low melting point metal layer onto the first high melting point metal layer, disposing a second high melting point metal layer onto a second substrate, and disposing a second low melting point metal layer onto the second high melting point metal layer. The method further includes applying precursor metal particles onto the first and/or second low melting point metal layers, positioning the first and second low melting point metal layers such that the precursor metal particles contact both the first and second low melting point metal layers, and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate by heating the precursor metal particles and each metal layer to form an intermetallic alloy bonding layer between the first and second substrates.
US09620433B2 Packaged microelectronic elements having blind vias for heat dissipation
System and method for thermal management in a multi-chip packaged device. A microelectronic unit is disclosed, and includes a semiconductor element having atop surface and a bottom surface remote from the top surface. A semiconductor device including active elements is located adjacent to the top surface. Operation of the semiconductor device generates heat. Additionally, one or more first blind vias extend from the bottom surface and partially into a thickness of the semiconductor element. In that manner, the blind via does not contact or extend to the semiconductor device (defined as active regions of the semiconductor element, and moreover, is electrically isolated from the semiconductor device. A thermally conductive material fills the one or more first blind vias for heat dissipation. Specifically, heat generated by the semiconductor device thermally conducts from the semiconductor element, and is further distributed, transferred and/or dissipated through the one or more first blind vias to other connecting components.
US09620426B2 Method and system for providing process tool correctables using an optimized sampling scheme with smart interpolation
The present invention may include performing a first measurement on a wafer of a first lot of wafers via an omniscient sampling process, calculating a first set of process tool correctables utilizing one or more results of the measurement performed via an omniscient sampling process, randomly selecting a set of field sampling locations of the wafer of a first lot of wafers, calculating a second set of process tool correctables by applying an interpolation process to the randomly selected set of field sampling locations, wherein the interpolation process utilizes values from the first set of process tool correctables for the randomly selected set of field sampling locations in order to calculate correctables for fields of the wafer of the first lot not included in the set of randomly selected fields, and determining a sub-sampling scheme by comparing the first set of process tool correctables to the second set of correctables.
US09620424B2 Linearity performance for radio-frequency switches
Improved linearity performance for radio-frequency (RF) switches. In some embodiments, a switching device can include a first terminal and a second terminal, and a plurality of switching elements connected in series to form a stack between the first terminal and the second terminal. The switching elements can have a non-uniform distribution of a parameter that results in the stack having a first linearity performance that is better than a second linearity performance corresponding to a similar stack having a substantially uniform distribution of the parameter.
US09620421B2 Metal gate transistor, integrated circuits, systems, and fabrication methods thereof
A method of forming an integrated circuit structure includes providing a gate strip in an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer. The gate strip comprises a metal gate electrode over a high-k gate dielectric. An electrical transmission structure is formed over the gate strip and a conductive strip is formed over the electrical transmission structure. The conductive strip has a width greater than a width of the gate strip. A contact plug is formed above the conductive strip and surrounded by an additional ILD layer.
US09620409B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes processes of forming a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode on a nitride semiconductor layer, forming an insulating film including, on a surface thereof, a step that covers the gate electrode and reflects a shape of the gate electrode, and a flat portion, forming a mask on the insulating film, forming an opening in the mask, the opening including a shape in which a side surface of the step is located on an inner side of the opening and an upper surface end portion of the gate electrode is located on an outer side of the opening, and having an overhang shape extending in a depth direction, and forming a field plate extending from a side surface of the step to the flat portion using the mask.
US09620408B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device having a semiconductor element (a thin film transistor, a thin film diode, a photoelectric conversion element of silicon PIN junction, or a silicon resistor element) which is light-weight, flexible (bendable), and thin as a whole is provided as well as a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. In the present invention, the element is not formed on a plastic film. Instead, a flat board such as a substrate is used as a form, the space between the substrate (third substrate (17)) and a layer including the element (peeled layer (13)) is filled with coagulant (typically an adhesive) that serves as a second bonding member (16), and the substrate used as a form (third substrate (17)) is peeled off after the adhesive is coagulated to hold the layer including the element (peeled layer (13)) by the coagulated adhesive (second bonding member (16)) alone. In this way, the present invention achieves thinning of the film and reduction in weight.
US09620401B2 Pre-aligner apparatus
The apparatus includes a rotary mechanism for holding a semiconductor wafer and rotating the same, a detection mechanism for detecting a positioning cutout portion formed in the wafer, and a wafer transfer mechanism for lifting the wafer from a wafer mounting portion of the rotary mechanism or mounting the wafer on the same. The wafer transfer mechanism has a movable holding portion for holding the wafer at a position just above the wafer mounting portion and is constituted such that the movable holding portion moves up or down while avoiding the wafer held by the rotary mechanism.
US09620390B2 Method of making a semiconductor device having a functional capping
A wafer level method of making a micro-electronic and/or micro-mechanic device, having a capping with electrical wafer through connections (vias), comprising the steps of providing a first wafer of a semiconductor material having a first and a second side and a plurality of holes and/or recesses in the first side, and a barrier structure extending over the wafer on the second side, said barrier comprising an inner layer an insulating material, such as oxide, and an outer layer of another material. Then, metal is applied in said holes so as to cover the walls in the holes and the bottom of the holes. The barrier structure is removed and contacts are provided to the wafer through connections on the back-side of the wafer. Bonding structures are provided on either of said first side or the second side of the wafer. The wafer is bonded to another wafer carrying electronic and micro-electronic/mechanic components, such that the first wafer forms a capping structure covering the second wafer. Finally the wafer is singulated to individual devices.
US09620379B2 Multi-layer mask including non-photodefinable laser energy absorbing layer for substrate dicing by laser and plasma etch
Methods of dicing substrates having a plurality of ICs. A method includes forming a multi-layered mask comprising a laser energy absorbing, non-photodefinable topcoat disposed over a water-soluble base layer disposed over the semiconductor substrate. Because the laser light absorbing material layer is non-photodefinable, material costs associated with conventional photo resist formulations may be avoided. The mask is direct-write patterned with a laser scribing process to provide a patterned mask with gaps. The patterning exposes regions of the substrate between the ICs. Absorption of the mask layer within the laser emission band (e.g., UV band and/or green band) promotes good scribe line quality. The substrate may then be plasma etched through the gaps in the patterned mask to singulate the IC with the mask protecting the ICs during the plasma etch. The soluble base layer of the mask may then be dissolved subsequent to singulation, facilitating removal of the layer.
US09620374B2 Surface machining method for single crystal SiC substrate, manufacturing method thereof, and grinding plate for surface machining single crystal SiC substrate
A surface machining method for a single crystal SiC substrate, including: a step of mounting a grinding plate which includes a soft pad and a hard pad sequentially attached onto a base metal having a flat surface, a step of generating an oxidation product by using the grinding plate, and a step of grinding the surface while removing the oxidation product, wherein abrasive grains made of at least one metallic oxide that is softer than single crystal SiC and has a bandgap are fixed to the surface of the hard pad.
US09620371B2 Semiconductor structures having low resistance paths throughout a wafer
A semiconductor structure with low resistance conduction paths and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming at least one low resistance conduction path on a wafer, and forming an electroplated seed layer in direct contact with the low resistance conduction path.
US09620367B2 Diffusion agent composition, method of forming impurity diffusion layer, and solar cell
A diffusion agent composition including an impurity-diffusing component (A); a binder resin (B) that thermally decomposes and disappears below a temperature at which the impurity-diffusing component (A) begins to thermally diffuse; SiO2 fine particles (C); and an organic solvent (D) that contains an organic solvent (D1) having a boiling point of at least 100° C.
US09620361B2 Apparatus for and method of crystallizing active layer of thin film transistor
An apparatus for crystallizing an active layer of a thin film transistor, the apparatus includes a first laser irradiating a first beam toward a substrate, an amorphous layer on the substrate being crystallizable into the active layer of the thin film transistor by the first beam, and a second laser irradiating a second beam toward the substrate to heat the active layer, the second beam having an asymmetric intensity profile in a scanning direction of the first and second beams.
US09620360B1 Fabrication of semiconductor junctions
A method comprises providing a cavity structure on the substrate comprising a first growth channel extending in a first direction, a second growth channel extending in a second direction, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction and the second channel is connected to the first channel at a channel junction, a first seed surface in the first channel, at least one opening for supplying precursor materials to the cavity structure, selectively growing from the first seed surface a first semiconductor structure substantially only in the first direction and in the first channel, thereby forming a second seed surface for a second semiconductor structure at the channel junction, growing in the second channel the second semiconductor structure in the second direction from the second seed surface, thereby forming the semiconductor junction comprising the first and the second semiconductor structure.
US09620337B2 Determining a malfunctioning device in a plasma system
Systems and methods for determining a malfunctioning device in a plasma system, are described. One of the methods includes receiving an indication whether plasma is generated within a plasma chamber of the plasma system. The plasma system includes a processing portion and a power delivery portion. The method further includes determining whether the plasma system operates within constraints in response to receiving the indication that the plasma is generated, determining a value of a variable at an output of the power delivery portion when the processing portion is decoupled from the power delivery portion, and comparing the determined value with a pre-recorded value of the variable. The method includes determining whether the determined value is outside a range of the pre-recorded value and determining that the malfunctioning device within the power delivery portion upon determining that the determined value is outside the range of the pre-recorded value.
US09620336B2 Plasma processing apparatus and method therefor
A dry etching apparatus plasma processes a wafer held by a carrier having a frame and an holding sheet. A electrode unit of a stage includes an electrostatic chuck. Adjacent to an upper surface of the electrostatic chuck, a first electrostatic attraction electrode and a second electrostatic attraction electrode are incorporated. The first electrostatic attraction electrode is of unipolar type and electrostatically attracts the wafer via the holding sheet. The second electrostatic electrode is of bipolar type and electrostatically attracts the frame via the holding sheet as well as a holding sheet between the wafer and the frame. Both of plasma processing performance and electrostatic attraction performance are improved.
US09620330B2 Mathematical image assembly in a scanning-type microscope
A method and apparatus for imaging a specimen using a scanning-type microscope, by irradiating a specimen with a beam of radiation using a scanning motion, and detecting a flux of radiation emanating from the specimen in response to the irradiation, in the first sampling session {S1} of a set {Sn}, gathering data from a first collection of sparsely distributed sampling points {P1} of set {Pn}. A mathematical registration correction is made to compensate for drift mismatches between different members of the set {Pn}, and an image of the specimen is assembled using the set {Pn} as input to an integrative mathematical reconstruction procedure.
US09620323B1 Vacuum tube
A vacuum tube includes a filament and two pairs of a grid and an anode. The filament is tensioned linearly and emits thermoelectrons. Both of the anodes are formed on a same face on a planar substrate. The filament is arranged parallel to the planar substrate at a position facing both of the anodes. Each of the grids is arranged, such that the grid faces the anode of a same pair at a first predetermined distance from the anode and has a second predetermined distance from the filament, between the anode and the filament. The vacuum tube further includes an intermediate filament fixing part fixing the filament at a position corresponding to an intermediate point between the anodes of the two pairs.
US09620316B2 Circuit-breaker pole part with a flexible conductor for connecting a movable electrical contact
The disclosure relates to a pole part of a circuit-breaker arrangement having an insulation housing for accommodating a vacuum interrupter containing a pair of corresponding electrical switching contacts, wherein a fixed upper electrical contact is connected to an upper electrical terminal molded or assembled in the insulation housing and a movable lower electrical contact is connected to the insulating housing by a support plate of the insulation housing via a flexible conductor that includes a first end for attaching the flexible conductor to the lower electrical terminal and a second end for attaching the flexible conductor to the movable lower electrical contact. The second end of the flexible conductor is provided with an inside thread which is screwed to an outside thread arranged on the distal end of the movable lower electrical contact.
US09620308B1 Membrane keyboard equipped with click generating resilient pieces
A membrane keyboard equipped with click generating resilient pieces, having multiple keys and an electrically conductive membrane; each of the keys having a base and a cap; the cap sleeves on the base; an inner sidewall of the base is provided with an insertion slot for mounting a click generating resilient piece; a top part of the insertion slot is provided with position limiting wedges; the click generating resilient piece is positioned between the inner sidewall of the base and an outer sidewall of the cap; the cap is provided with a motion transmission element which drives the click generating resilient piece to move up and down in the insertion slot when the cap moves up and down. The clicking sounds generated by the click generating resilient pieces help users determine whether the desired key is pressed or released. Obvious tactile feedback can also be felt when using the keyboard.
US09620307B2 Keyboard circuit employing diodes
A keyboard includes plural keys, a membrane key switch module and plural diodes. The plural diodes are disposed on the membrane key switch module, and electrically connected with plural upper contacts or plural lower contacts of the membrane key switch module. Consequently, the keyboard has the function of avoiding the ghosting problem.
US09620303B2 Circuit breakers with handle bearing pins
Circuit breakers with handles having at least one handle bearing pin that contacts an upper end portion of a moving arm and allows the arm to rotate to “OFF”, “ON” and “TRIP” positions, typically about 90 degrees of rotation.
US09620299B2 Capacitor
A capacitor includes a capacitor element and an electrolyte containing a lactone compound. At least one of a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the capacitor element contains activated carbon Entire surface functional group amount D (meq/g/nm2) in an average sectional area of pores of the activated carbon is calculated at 0.152 or less by the following equation: D=F/S where F represents an entire surface functional group amount per unit weight (meq/g) of the activated carbon, and S represents an area (nm2) of a circle of which diameter is an average diameter of the pores of the activated carbon.
US09620295B2 Dye-sensitized solar cell and method for manufacturing same
The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell and a fabrication method thereof. The dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention comprises: a transparent substrate; a porous semiconductor layer provided on the transparent substrate and comprising a dye sensitizer; a current collecting electrode provided on the porous semiconductor layer and deposited such that a structure having at least one through-hole on the porous semiconductor layer is formed; a catalyst electrode; and an electrolyte material provided between the transparent substrate and the catalyst electrode.
US09620288B2 Chip-component structure
A chip-component structure includes an interposer and a multilayer capacitor mounted thereon. The interposer includes a substrate, a component connecting electrode, an external connection electrode, and a side electrode. The component connecting electrode and the external connection electrode are electrically connected by the side electrode. The component connecting electrode is joined to an external electrode of the multilayer capacitor. The substrate includes a communication hole that communicates between opposite spaces opening in both principal surfaces of the substrate.
US09620286B2 Insulating material, passive element, circuit board, and method of manufacturing an insulating sheet
Disclosed are an insulating material (high-k layer) which includes a fiber assembly mainly composed of a cellulose nanofiber, and an electroconductive metal material supported by the fiber assembly; and a passive element (capacitor) which includes a high-k layer which is composed of the insulating material, and an electroconductive part stacked on the high-k layer.
US09620281B2 Inductive power receiver apparatus
A magnetic flux pad (BPP) is provided for receiving magnetic flux. The pad may be used with an inductive power transfer system, and comprises a magnetically permeable core (4) and two substantially flat overlapping coils (2, 3) magnetically associated with the core (4).
US09620279B2 Coil unit and contactless power supplying apparatus
In a power supplying side core around which a power supplying side resonant coil is wound that contactlessly supplies power to a power receiving side resonant coil, a pair of protrusion portions is provided that protrudes from central axis direction both sides of the power supplying side resonant coil toward the power receiving side resonant coil. Further, in a power receiving side core around which the power receiving side resonant coil is wound that contactlessly receives power from the power supplying side resonant coil, a pair of protrusion portions is provided that protrudes from central axis direction both sides of the power receiving side resonant coil toward the power supplying side resonant coil.
US09620267B2 Resistor and manufacturing method for same
In a method of manufacturing a resistor, a sheet-shaped resistive element having formed thereon a plurality of belt-shaped electrodes is cut in a direction crossing these belt-shaped electrodes to produce strip-shaped resistive elements. On the other hand, a metal paste containing a glass frit is printed in a pattern of belts arranged at regular intervals on a surface of a plate-shaped insulating substrate to form a plurality of adhesive layers. Then, the strip-shaped resistive elements are respectively applied to the adhesive layers on the plate-shaped insulating substrate, and these are fired in a nitrogen atmosphere. After firing, while a resistance value of a part between each adjacent two electrodes of each strip-shaped resistive element is measured, the strip-shaped resistive element is trimmed so that the resistance value becomes a predetermined value. Then, the plate-shaped insulating substrate having adhered thereto the strip-shaped resistive elements is divided into pieces.
US09620265B2 Sealed header assembly
A sealed header assembly includes a housing having a cover shroud portion, a mounting portion, and a wire holder portion. The sealed header assembly includes a wire cover removably mounted to the housing. A seal is held within the housing by a seal cap. The housing and wire cover include wire guidance features for providing a path for the wire to exit the housing.
US09620258B2 Silver-based electrical contact material
The present invention relates to a new silver-based electrical contact material, in which silver is in a continuous phase and carbon being in a nano-dispersed phase is dispersed in continuous phase silver. The content of the dispersed phase carbon in the silver-based electrical contact material can be 0.02% to 5% by weight, on the basis of the total weight of the silver-based electrical contact material. According to the present invention, the carbon contains carbon in a diamond form. Such a silver-based electrical contact material shows excellent mechanical wear resistance and electrical performance.
US09620256B2 X-ray imaging device including anti-scatter grid
An x-ray imaging device includes an anti-scatter grid placed inside the housing of the imaging device and adjacent to an x-ray detector.
US09620247B2 Energy focussing
A method of producing a localized concentration of energy includes providing a series of projectiles and firing the projectiles at a target. An apparatus for producing localized concentration of energy includes: a mechanism to provide a series of projectiles and a mechanism to fire the projectiles at a target. The target is configured such that upon striking the target, a projectile traps and compresses a volume of gas between the projectile and the target. The target and the projectile are also configured such that impact of the projectile onto the target gives rise to a converging shockwave inside the trapped volume of gas.
US09620246B2 Operating method of memory system
Second data is generated by re-reading first data using a second read voltage when a first ECC decoding to first data using a first read voltage fails. Third data is generated by performing a second ECC decoding to the second data. An error-bit-number, which is a number of bits different between the second data and the third data, is obtained when the second ECC decoding fails. The process is repeated by changing the second read voltage until the error-bit-number is smaller than a predetermined threshold value. A third ECC decoding is performed to an optimal data that is the second data read using the second read voltage, with which the error-bit-number is smaller than the predetermined threshold value.
US09620243B2 Test system simultaneously testing semiconductor devices
Individual memory chips are simultaneously tested by a tester using selectively enabled stress modules that apply a corresponding stress test to memory cells, wherein each stress test is associated with a corresponding failure attribute for the memory cells. Built-in self-test (BIST)/built-in self-stress (BISS) circuitry is provided in each stress module and may configured to selectively apply one or more stress test(s) during the simultaneous testing of a plurality of memory chips.
US09620232B2 Nonvolatile memory device and method of operating the same
According to example embodiments, an operation method of a nonvolatile memory device includes determining a location of a selected word line among word lines connected to the nonvolatile memory device, selecting one of a plurality of different read disturbance reducing modes according to the location of the selected word line, and performing a read or verification operation according to the selected read disturbance reducing modes. The nonvolatile memory device includes cell strings. Each one of the cell strings includes memory cells stacked on top of each other in a direction perpendicular to the substrate and between a ground select transistor and a string select transistor. The ground select transistor is between the substrate and the number of the memory cells. The string select transistor is connected to a bit line and is between the bit line and the number of the memory cells.
US09620225B2 Split voltage non-volatile latch cell
A memory including an array of non-volatile latch (NVL) cells and method of operating the same are provided. In one embodiment, each NVL cell includes a non-volatile portion and a volatile portion. The non-volatile portion includes a first non-volatile memory (NVM) device and a first pass gate transistor coupled in series between a first output node and a bitline true, and a second NVM device and a second pass gate transistor coupled in series between a second output node and a bitline complement. The volatile portion includes cross-coupled first and second field effect transistors (FET), the first FET coupled between a supply voltage (VPWR) and the first output node, and the second FET coupled between VPWR and the second output node. A gate of the first FET is coupled to the second output node, and a gate of the second FET is coupled to the first output node.
US09620221B1 Semiconductor memory device and operating method thereof
There may be provided a semiconductor memory device and an operating method thereof. A semiconductor memory device may include a memory cell array including a plurality of memory strings. The semiconductor memory device may include a peripheral circuit for performing a program operation on the plurality of memory strings, and a control logic for controlling the peripheral circuit to perform the program operation. The control logic may control the peripheral circuit to adjust potential levels of program permission voltages to be applied to the plurality of memory strings according to arrangement positions of the memory strings.
US09620216B2 Flash memory device configurable to provide read only memory functionality
The disclosed embodiments comprise a flash memory device that can be configured to operate as a read only memory device. In some embodiments, the flash memory device can be configured into a flash memory portion and a read only memory portion.
US09620212B2 Memory provided with associated volatile and non-volatile memory cells
A memory array including: a plurality of volatile memory cells, each including a latch; and a plurality of non-volatile memory cells, each including at least one resistive element that can be programmed by the direction of a current passed therethrough in order to take at least two resistive states, each of the non-volatile memory cells being associated with a corresponding cell from the volatile memory cells.
US09620210B2 Method and apparatus for healing phase change memory devices
A first memory cell including a phase change material. The first memory cell is programmable to store one data value of a plurality of data values. The plurality of data values are represented by a plurality of non-overlapping ranges of resistance of the first memory cell. At least one testing pulse is applied to the first memory cell to establish a cell resistance of the first memory cell in an intermediate range of resistance, the intermediate range of resistance in between first and second adjacent ranges in the plurality of non-overlapping ranges of resistance representing the plurality of data values. After applying the at least one testing pulse to the first memory cell, it is determined whether to apply at least one healing pulse to repair the first memory cell, depending on relative values of (i) the cell resistance in the intermediate range of resistance and (ii) a reference resistance in the intermediate range of resistance.
US09620208B2 Devices and methods for programming a resistive random-access memory
A memory-programming device includes a voltage generator, a resistive random-access memory, a current detector, and a controller. The voltage generator is configured to generate a program voltage. The resistive random-access memory receives the program voltage to generate a program current. The current detector detects the program current. The controller executes a program procedure. The program procedure includes: gradually ramping up the program voltage by the voltage generator and detecting the program current by the current detector; discovering the maximum of the program current to be a reference current; continuing to ramp up the program voltage by the voltage generator and determining whether the program current detected by the current detector is not less than the reference current; controlling the voltage generator to stop generating the program voltage when the program current is not less than the reference current.
US09620200B1 Retention voltages for integrated circuits
Various implementations described herein may be directed to retention voltages for integrated circuits. In one implementation, an integrated circuit may include functional circuitry to store data bits, and may also include retention mode circuitry coupled to the functional circuitry to provide retention voltages to the functional circuitry, where the retention mode circuitry may include a first circuitry to provide a first retention voltage to the functional circuitry. The first circuitry may include a first diode device, and may include a first transistor device, a second diode device, or combinations thereof. The retention mode circuitry may also include a second circuitry to provide a second retention voltage to the functional circuitry, where the second circuitry includes second transistor devices. Further, the functional circuitry may be held in a data retention mode when the first retention voltage or the second retention voltage is provided to the functional circuitry.
US09620188B2 MTJ spin hall MRAM bit-cell and array
An apparatus is described having a select line and an interconnect with Spin Hall Effect (SHE) material. The interconnect is coupled to a write bit line. A transistor is coupled to the select line and the interconnect. The transistor is controllable by a word line. The apparatus also includes an MTJ device having a free magnetic layer coupled to the interconnect.
US09620187B2 Self-referenced MRAM cell that can be read with reduced power consumption
Self-referenced magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell including a magnetic tunnel junction including a sense layer; a storage layer having a storage magnetization; a tunnel barrier layer between the sense and the storage layers; and an antiferromagnetic layer exchange-coupling the storage layer such that the storage magnetization can be pinned when the antiferromagnetic layer is below a critical temperature and freely varied when the antiferromagnetic layer is heated at or above the critical temperature. The sense layer includes a first sense layer having a first sense magnetization, a second sense layer having a second sense magnetization and spacer layer between the first and second sense layers. The MRAM cell can be read with low power consumption.
US09620180B2 Memory system and electronic device
An electronic device includes a memory controller; a first memory device coupled to the memory controller; a second memory device coupled to the memory controller, the second memory device being a different type of memory from the first memory device; and a conversion circuit between the memory controller and the second memory device. The memory controller is configured to send a first command and first data to the first memory device according to a first timing scheme to access the first memory device, and send a second command and a packet to the conversion circuit according to the first timing scheme to access the second memory device. The conversion circuit is configured to receive the second command and the packet, and access the second memory device based on the second command and the packet.
US09620178B1 Memory system controlling power supply and control circuit for controlling power supply
According to one embodiment, there is provided a memory system including a 1st memory group, a 2nd memory group, a power supply voltage adjustment circuit, a 1st line, a 1st switch, a 2nd line, a 3rd line, and a 4th line. The power supply voltage adjustment circuit includes a 1st terminal and a 2nd terminal. The 1st line electrically connects the 1st terminal to the 1st memory group. The 1st switch includes a 3rd terminal, a 4th terminal, and a 5th terminal. The 1st switch electrically connects the 3rd terminal to the 4th terminal when turned on. The 2nd line electrically connects the 1st terminal to the 3rd terminal. The 3rd line electrically connects the 4th terminal to the 2nd memory group. The 4th line electrically connects the 2nd terminal to the 5th terminal.
US09620176B2 One-time programmable memory array having small chip area
A memory cell includes a first select transistor, a first following gate transistor, an antifuse transistor, a second following gate transistor, and a second select transistor. The first select transistor has a first terminal coupled to a bit line, a second terminal, and a gate terminal coupled to a word line. The first following gate transistor has a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first select transistor, a second terminal, and a gate terminal coupled to a following control line. The antifuse transistor has a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first following gate, and a gate terminal coupled to an antifuse control line. The second following gate transistor and the second select transistor are disposed symmetrically to the first following gate transistor and the second select transistor with respect to the antifuse transistor.
US09620174B2 Arrays of nonvolatile memory cells comprising a repetition of a unit cell, arrays of nonvolatile memory cells comprising a combination of vertically oriented and horizontally oriented memory cells, and arrays of vertically stacked tiers of nonvolatile memory cells
Disclosed is an array of nonvolatile memory cells includes five memory cells per unit cell. Also disclosed is an array of vertically stacked tiers of nonvolatile memory cells that includes five memory cells occupying a continuous horizontal area of 4F2 within an individual of the tiers. Also disclosed is an array of nonvolatile memory cells comprising a plurality of unit cells which individually comprise three elevational regions of programmable material, the three elevational regions comprising the programmable material of at least three different memory cells of the unit cell. Also disclosed is an array of vertically stacked tiers of nonvolatile memory cells that includes a continuous volume having a combination of a plurality of vertically oriented memory cells and a plurality of horizontally oriented memory cells. Other embodiments and aspects are disclosed.
US09620171B2 Recorded content repair
A television receiver may detect at least one gap in content within an instance of recorded programming. The television receiver may send to a computer system a request to repair the at least one gap in content within the instance of recorded programming. The television receiver may receive one of content associated with the at least one gap in content, and a notification that indicates unavailability of content associated with the at least one gap in content. The television receiver may edit the instance of recorded programming to include content associated with the at least one gap in content when content associated with the at least one gap in content is received.
US09620158B2 Tolerance ring and hard disk device
A tolerance ring includes: a base formed of a strip-like member substantially wound around into a shape; a plurality of projections provided along a winding direction of the base so as to protrude from an outer peripheral surface of the base in a radial direction of the base orthogonal to the outer peripheral surface; at least one extended portion extending from at least one of edge end portions in a width direction of the base, the width direction extending orthogonally to the winding direction and the radial direction. The extended portion extends from a region that includes at least one of a plurality of straight lines passing through respective contact points disposed between a section of the base and a circumscribed circle that circumscribes the section and extend in parallel with the width direction.
US09620156B2 Magnetic head device
A magnetic head device with high joint strength in an arm and a suspension is provided. The magnetic head device comprises an arm, a suspension overlapping with a leading end part of the arm, a slider located at a leading end part of the suspension, and a joint part that is located between the leading end part of the arm and the suspension and that joins the arm and the suspension, while the joint part includes Sn.
US09620154B1 Characterization of dielectric breakdown in TMR sensors
A method operates a digital measurement unit and an ambient temperature control unit as to a plurality of TMR sensors, each having a geometry including area Amr and tunnel barrier thickness tB. The method includes dividing the plurality of TMR sensors into test groups. For each test group, the method includes setting the ambient air temperature Tair, applying a voltage pulse at Vdeg and time τp Npulse times until dielectric breakdown, and appending Npulse and τp to a dataset. The method includes fitting a survival fraction of form: S ⁡ ( t deg , τ db ) = ⅇ - ( t deg τ db ) β versus Npulse, wherein tdeg=Npulse·τp, to determine β and τdb. The method includes determining a temperature rise based on τp, determining, based on the temperature rise, κmr(τdb,Amr), and determining T mr = T air + P mr κ mr ⁡ ( τ db , A mr ) based on κmr(τdb,Amr). The method includes fitting τ db = τ 0 ⁡ ( A mr ) · ⅇ ( U - η · V deg k B · T mr ) with τ 0 ⁡ ( A mr ) = τ 00 · ( A mr ) 1 β . The method further includes returning an analytical form for a dielectric breakdown voltage for the geometry.
US09620151B1 Plasmon generator with (111) oriented tip portion for thermal assisted magnetic recording head
A plasmon generator generates a surface plasmon, and generates a near-field light from the surface plasmon on a front end surface positioned on an air bearing surface opposing to a magnetic recording medium. The plasmon generator has a first surface that is adjacent to the front end surface and that faces a lower layer where the plasmon generator is deposited, and a second surface at the back side of the first surface relative to a down track direction. The first surface tilts toward a surface that is orthogonal to the down track direction, and, is parallel to across track direction, and the plasmon generator is deposited with a (111) orientation from the first surface toward the second surface.
US09620150B2 Devices including an amorphous gas barrier layer
Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); an amorphous gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer.
US09620149B2 Communication device
A communication device includes a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory, configured to extract a component of a voice signal that is input, detect a speech rate of the voice signal, adjust the extracted component, based on the detected speech rate, and add the adjusted component to the voice signal to expand a band of the voice signal.
US09620147B2 Intent discovery in audio or text-based conversation
Methods, systems, and computer program products for identifying one or more utterances that are likely to carry the intent of a speaker are provided herein. A method includes providing a transcript of utterances to a word weight scoring module to perform inverse document frequency based scoring on each word in the transcript, thereby generating a weight for each word; calculating a weight for each utterance in the transcript to generate weighted utterances by summing the weights or each constituent word in each utterance; comparing at least one weighted utterance to pre-existing example utterances carrying the intent of a speaker to determine a relevancy score for the at least one weighted utterance; and generating a ranked order of the at least one weighted utterance from highest to lowest intent relevancy score, wherein the highest intent relevancy score corresponds to the utterance which is most likely to carry intent of the speaker.
US09620144B2 Confirmation of speech commands for control of headset computers
Presented are improvements for speech recognition systems used to control devices. Features include two-stage confirmation, two-stage limited speech recognition mode, and two-stage wake-up for speech driven applications and systems. A headset computer device includes such staged confirmation operation.
US09620143B2 Vehicle-to-vehicle communication device
A vehicle-to-vehicle communication device generates voice information that includes a voice message and added information regarding an output of the voice message. The voice information is transmitted in one direction of a subject vehicle via a transmission unit, and voice information from another vehicle is received via a reception unit. The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device plays the voice message of the voice information received by the reception unit based on the added information of the voice information. In such manner, information regarding a travel situation is appropriately transmitted by the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device.
US09620136B2 Method for coding pulse vectors using statistical properties
Improved methods for coding an ensemble of pulse vectors utilize statistical models (i.e., probability models) for the ensemble of pulse vectors, to more efficiently code each pulse vector of the ensemble. At least one pulse parameter describing the non-zero pulses of a given pulse vector is coded using the statistical models and the number of non-zero pulse positions for the given pulse vector. In some embodiments, the number of non-zero pulse positions are coded using range coding. The total number of unit magnitude pulses may be coded using conditional (state driven) bitwise arithmetic coding. The non-zero pulse position locations may be coded using adaptive arithmetic coding. The non-zero pulse position magnitudes may be coded using probability-based combinatorial coding, and the corresponding sign information may be coded using bitwise arithmetic coding. Such methods are well suited to coding non-independent-identically-distributed signals, such as coding video information.
US09620127B2 System and method for voice authentication over a computer network
Systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable media are provided for voice authentication. The method includes receiving a speech sample from a user through an Internet browser for authentication as part of a request for a restricted-access resource, pre-authenticating the speech sample, transmitting an authentication request to an authentication server, which compares the speech sample to a previously established speech profile associated with the user, and providing access to the restricted access resource based on the response.
US09620125B2 Method of providing input method and electronic device using the same
A method of providing an input method for an electronic device includes receiving a command for switching a display image of the electronic device; determining whether at least two words correspond to at least two languages when at least the two words are in the display image; determining a word count of a first language and a word count of a second language when the two words correspond to the two languages; and enabling a first input method corresponding to the first language when the word count of the first language is greater than the word count of the second language, or enabling a second input method corresponding to the second language when the word count of the second language is greater than the word count of the first language.
US09620123B2 Seamless authentication and enrollment
Some aspects of the invention may include a computer-implemented method for enrolling voice prints generated from audio streams, in a database. The method may include receiving an audio stream of a communication session and creating a preliminary association between the audio stream and an identity of a customer that has engaged in the communication session based on identification information. The method may further include determining a confidence level of the preliminary association based on authentication information related to the customer and if the confidence level is higher than a threshold, sending a request to compare the audio stream to a database of voice prints of known fraudsters. If the audio stream does not match any known fraudsters, sending a request to generate from the audio stream a current voice print associated with the customer and enrolling the voice print in a customer voice print database.
US09620121B2 Communication system and method between an on-vehicle voice recognition system and an off-vehicle voice recognition system
A vehicle based system and method for receiving voice inputs and determining whether to perform a voice recognition analysis using in-vehicle resources or resources external to the vehicle.
US09620114B2 Initiating actions based on partial hotwords
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, receiving audio data; determining that an initial portion of the audio data corresponds to an initial portion of a hotword; in response to determining that the initial portion of the audio data corresponds to the initial portion of the hotword, selecting, from among a set of one or more actions that are performed when the entire hotword is detected, a subset of the one or more actions; and causing one or more actions of the subset to be performed.
US09620109B2 Apparatus and method for generating a guide sentence
A server and a guide sentence generating method are provided. The method includes receiving user speech, analyzing the user speech, determining a category of the user speech from among a plurality of categories, storing the user speech in the determined category, determining a usage frequency and a popularity of each of the plurality of categories, selecting a category from among the plurality of categories based on the usage frequency and the popularity, and generating a guide sentence corresponding to the selected category.
US09620094B2 Effects pedal mounting bracket
An effects pedal mounting bracket designed to securely mount musical effects pedals to bases is provided. The effects pedal mounting bracket works in conjunction with both the existing hardware on a musical effects pedal and the secure mounting hardware provided. The embodiments disclosed herein provide a secure and solid bond between the effects pedal and the base.
US09620084B2 Method and apparatus of graphical object selection in a web browser
Various approaches for selection of graphical objects in a web browser-based application are described. In one approach, a selection overlay is stored in a web document. The selection overlay encompasses a plurality of user-selectable graphical objects in the web document occupies a highest position in layers of graphical objects in the web document and includes a plurality of selection regions. Each selection region is respectively associated with one of the plurality of graphical objects and defines a region of selectability for the associated graphical object. In response to the web browser-based application detecting entry of a user-directed pointer into one of the selection regions in the selection overlay, the graphical object associated with the one selection region is selected for user manipulation and displayed.
US09620078B2 Touch display apparatus and shift register thereof
A touch display apparatus includes a touch driver and a display driver. The touch driver outputs touch signals to drive a touch panel. The display driver outputs scan signals to drive a display panel. A display driver has a plurality of shift registers, and each of the plurality of shift registers includes a pull-up unit, a driving unit, a pull-down unit and a holding unit. The pull-up unit is electrically connected to a driving node for outputting a driving voltage. The driving unit is electrically connected to the driving node for outputting a first scan signal according to a clock. A pull-down unit is electrically connected to the driving node and the output terminal, for pulling down the voltage level of the driving voltage and the first scan signal, respectively. The holding unit is electrically connected to the driving node.
US09620074B2 LCD panel and pixel structure thereof
The present invention provides a pixel structure including a plurality of pixel cells arranged in a matrix. The pixel cells are defined by a plurality of scan lines and data lines that being mutually intersected. Each pixel cell includes a first discharge control switch, a second discharge control switch, a main pixel area and a sub-pixel region is disposed adjacent the latter. The main pixel area includes a main pixel electrode and a main charge control switch. The sub-pixel area includes a sub-pixel electrode and a sub-charge control switch. The main pixel electrode receives display signals by the main charge control switch. The sub-pixel electrode receives display signals by the sub-charge control switch. The scan line transmitting scan signals of its present pixel cell and the sub-pixel electrode of the above pixel cell are connected by said first discharge control switch.
US09620068B2 Residual image removing method and liquid crystal display using same
The present invention discloses a liquid crystal display including a first common voltage regulator, a second common voltage regulator, a switching circuit, and a sequential controller. The first common voltage regulator regulates a common voltage to minimize a flicker during a switching mode between a white frame and a black frame and set this common voltage as a first common voltage. The second common voltage regulator regulates a common voltage to minimize a flicker during a switching mode between a gray frame and a black frame and set this common voltage as a second common voltage. The sequential controller inserts predetermined number of abnormal frames every predetermined number of normal frames according to a preset scan frequency. The switching circuit is correspondingly connected to the first common voltage regulator and a second common voltage regulator.
US09620064B2 Compensation methods for display brightness change associated with reduced refresh rate
A method and system are provided for compensating for brightness changes in a display having an array of display pixels. The method includes storing a plurality of look-up tables, where each table has a plurality of brightness signals that provide compensation for a brightness change when the refresh rate is changed during a panel self-refresh. The method also includes using display control circuitry to determine the refresh rate associated with an input signal and to determine a compensation based on the refresh rate. The display control circuitry may, for example, use non-linear interpolation to generate a look-up table for the refresh rate. The display control circuitry may adjust the input signal based on the look-up table to produce an output signal that compensates for a brightness change at the refresh rate. The output signal may be transmitted to the array of display pixels.
US09620060B2 Semiconductor device including transistors, switches and capacitor, and electronic device utilizing the same
A source-drain voltage of one of two transistors connected in series becomes quite small in a set operation (write signal), thus the set operation is performed to the other transistor. In an output operation, two transistors operate as a multi-gate transistor, therefore, a current value can be small in the output operation. In other words, a current can be large in the set operation. Therefore, the set operation can be performed rapidly without being easily influenced by an intersection capacitance and a wiring resistance which are parasitic on a wiring and the like. Further, an influence of variations between adjacent ones can be small as one same transistor is used in the set operation and the output operation.
US09620051B2 Display bridge with support for multiple display interfaces
Method and apparatus for a display bridge with support for multiple display interfaces are disclosed. The novel display bridge comprises a predriver configured to provide data input signals. A shared output driver is configured to receive the data input signals and provide output display signals compatible for driving MIPI-DSI, EDP, or LVDS displays. A regulator and current source is coupled to the shared output driver configured to regulate the shared output driver operating voltage and provide a current source for the shared output driver. A shared termination output coupled to the shared output driver is configured to provide termination resistance for the output display signals and termination voltage for the termination resistance.
US09620046B2 Organic light-emitting display device and method of detecting defect in the organic light-emitting display device
A method of detecting a defect in an organic light-emitting display device includes: preparing an organic light-emitting display device including an organic light-emitting display panel which includes a plurality of pixels, where each of the pixels includes a driving transistor which operates in a saturation region or a transition region based on a potential difference between a source and a drain thereof and outputs a driving current, and an organic light-emitting diode which emits light based on the driving current; providing a plurality of voltages to the organic light-emitting display panel to operate the driving transistor in the transition region, and determining whether the organic light-emitting display device is defective based on an image, which is displayed on the organic light-emitting display panel based on data applied thereto.
US09620039B2 Barrel-shaped foldable and lowerable display arrangement
The invention relates to a display arrangement including a foot which supports a plurality of panels, which are flexibly interconnected by means of connecting elements, a lifting device and a receiving device that can be lowered into the ground. The receiving device is designed to receive the panels, folded together, including the foot and the lifting device. The lifting device is designed to raise the panels out of the receiving device and to lower the panels into the receiving device. The panels can be folded together in a barrel shape around the foot and in particular also around the lifting device. The receiving device is designed to receive the panels folded together in a barrel shape around the foot and more particularly also around the lifting device.
US09620036B1 Sign holder
A sign holder includes a pair of upright posts, each having a lower ground engaging end and an upwardly disposed portion having a serpentine area with a plurality of bend areas leading to an upper end which is not aligned with the lower end. A relatively thicker transverse member joins the upright posts such that the upper ends thereof are spaced farther apart than the lower ends thereof.
US09620035B1 Vehicle parking space sign system
A parking space sign system that is placed in a parking space at the interior end and includes a U-shaped flexible bracket defining a base and two opposing arms projecting from the base, a pair of frame mounts adapted for mounting to the projecting arms, at least one sign panel having indicia thereon for placement in one of the frame mounts and an end cap for each end of each frame mount to secure the frame mounts to the flexible bracket. The flexible brackets are preferably made from a rubber-based material used for tires.
US09620034B2 Methods and apparatus to expose enclosure labels
Methods and apparatus to expose enclosure labels are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first enclosure having a first characteristic, a first label indicative of the first characteristic and fixed to an outer surface of the first enclosure, and a second enclosure to couple to the first enclosure. The second enclosure is to cover the first label when the second enclosure is coupled to the first enclosure. The first and second enclosures have a second characteristic when the second enclosure is coupled to the first enclosure. The example apparatus also include a second label indicative of the second characteristic and fixed to an outer surface of the second enclosure. The second label is to be exposed when the second enclosure is coupled to the first enclosure.
US09620028B2 Method and system for developing process, project or problem-based learning systems within a semantic collaborative social network
The system provides a framework for developing process, project or problem-based learning systems that make use of social networking. The system provides a general purpose framework to create, manage, and deliver online instruction that supports learning methods consistent with social constructivist and experiential learning theories. The framework utilizes personal social software for collaboration, problem-solving, group work, and other activities consistent with those methods. The general framework, based on finite-state automata and other methods for determining similarity of learning objectives, provides individual creators the means to define, implement, and manage experiential instruction within a social network.
US09620014B2 Vehicle intersection monitoring system and method
A vehicle intersection monitoring method includes exchanging host vehicle information and remote vehicle information between a host vehicle and a remote vehicle, identifying a road intersection based on at least one of the host vehicle information and the remote vehicle information, and selecting an intersection scenario from a plurality of intersection scenarios based on the host vehicle information and the remote vehicle information. The method further includes monitoring, by operation of a processor, a location relationship between the host vehicle and the remote vehicle according to an algorithm that is determined based on the selected intersection scenario, to determine whether a possibility of contact between the host vehicle and the remote vehicle exists proximate to the intersection, and performing a threat mitigation operation while the possibility of contact exists.
US09620009B2 Vehicle surroundings monitoring device
When a vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a vehicle speed threshold value, a display displays an imaged image in which an icon is displayed at the position corresponding to the object as an overhead view display image. When the vehicle speed exceeds the vehicle speed threshold value, the display displays an icon display image in which the icon is displayed at the position corresponding to the object as the overhead view display image. Though the overhead view display image displayed on the display is switched between the imaged image and the icon display image according to the change of the vehicle speed, the icon representing the object can continuously be displayed.
US09619998B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method and program
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a matter extracting unit extracting a predetermined matter from text information, an action pattern specifying unit specifying one or multiple action patterns associated with the predetermined matter, an action extracting unit extracting each of the action patterns associated with the predetermined matter, from sensor information, and a state analyzing unit generating state information indicating a state related to the matter, based on each of the action patterns extracted from the sensor information, using a contribution level indicating a degree of contribution of each of the action patterns to the predetermined matter, for a combination of the predetermined matter and each of the action patterns associated with the predetermined matter.
US09619985B2 Home automation communication system
A method for security and/or automation systems is described. In one embodiment, the method may include receiving occupancy data associated with a home. The method may further include automatically selectively broadcasting an audio stream to at least one of a plurality of speakers in the home based, at least in part, on the received occupancy data.
US09619980B2 Systems and methods for generating haptic effects associated with audio signals
Systems and methods for generating haptic effects associated with audio signals are disclosed. One disclosed system for outputting haptic effects includes a processor configured to: receive an audio signal; determine a haptic effect based in part on the audio signal by: identifying one or more components in the audio signal; and determining a haptic effect associated with the one or more components; and output a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect.
US09619968B2 Methods of receiving electronic wagers in a wagering game via a handheld electronic wager input device
A gaming system for conducting a multi-player wagering game includes a multi-touch table surface that is touched by a handheld electronic wager input device (EWID) carried by a player for placing wagers on a wagering game displayed on the multi-touch table surface. Each EWID carried by a player has an associated unique identification code, which is linked to the respective player's account. Players indicate an amount to be wagered by touching the EWID to designated wager amount areas, then place the wager by touching the EWID to a designated wagering area. Because each EWID is uniquely associable with distinct player accounts, the gaming system can support any number of players placing wagers. The funds remain safe in the player account and no funds are stored on the EWID. Only the identification code is detected, which is compared with the associated player account before allowing that player to place wagers.
US09619964B2 Gaming system with gaming machines having associated secondary game boards
A gaming system comprises gaming machines which are configured to generate gaming information and present games, such as primary games, to players, and game boards which also generate gaming information for use in presenting games, such as secondary games, to players. The game boards may be used to present the secondary games to players via player presentation devices such as a player's mobile phone, tablet, PDA, computer or the like.
US09619955B2 Systems and methods for facilitating package delivery or pickup
A system for facilitating package delivery or pickup at premises of senders or recipients has a package door that is used for receipt and collection of packages. The package door includes an input device for entering package information and an image capture device for visually recording the arrival of a courier. Based on the package information entered via the input device, the system determines whether the package information matches a predetermined value, such as a package tracking number. The system may automatically unlock the package door if the package information matches such predetermined value. In other embodiments, a user may remotely monitor the package information and/or information from the image capture device to determine whether to provide inputs for unlocking the package door. The system logs the package information received from the input device and the image capture device.
US09619951B2 System and method for deploying handheld devices to secure an area
A handheld security system includes a set of handheld devices positioned at a group of access points to a secure area. The handheld device includes a set of input/output devices including a text and graphics display, a camera, a local security database and a set of security devices including an RFID reader, a bar code reader, a magnetic stripe card reader and a biometric scanner. The set of handheld devices are communicatively connected through wireless signaling and protocol to one another and to a server operating a global a global security database. The local security database is synchronized to the global security database. A location stack table is continuously updated with security events and monitored for violation of a set of anti-passback rules. An association table associates a set of assets and a set of personnel, allowing for visitor tracking and asset tracking on a schedule.
US09619950B2 Method and device for providing driver feedback
The present invention relates to a method of evaluating at least one operating parameter of a motor vehicle. A system variable relating to an operating parameter of the vehicle is measured. A look-up map (A; S; B) associated with the operating parameter is accessed. The look-up map (A; S; B) comprises of one or more sets of threshold values (R0, R1, R2, R3, R4) and a comparison is made between the measured system variable and the threshold values (R0, R1, R2, R3, R4). An economy rating (E1, E2, E3, E4, E5) is obtained from the look-up map and an indicator output based on the economy rating (E1, E2, E3, E4, E5) to provide the driver with feedback. The present invention also relates to a device for providing driver feedback.