Document Document Title
US09661243B2 CMOS image sensor with column-wise selective charge-domain binning
An imaging device and method for operating the imaging device. Some embodiments comprise a pixel array configured as rows and columns of binning pixel units, each binning pixel unit including a plurality of photosensors that generate respective charge signals in response to incident light. Each binning pixel unit is configured to selectively bin the charge from at least two of the photosensors. The pixel array may be readout in a binning-pixel-unit row by binning-pixel-unit row basis. During readout of each binning pixel unit row, each binning pixel unit in the row is operable to selectively bin at least two of the charge signals therein based on a respective one of control signals provided to each of the binning pixel units in the row. In reading out a binning pixel unit row for a given image frame, a first binning pixel unit may perform in-pixel charge domain binning while a second binning pixel unit in the row may not bin the charge from the different photosensors therein. The respective control signals may be provided as a reset control signal coupled to the binning pixel units via respective vertical reset control lines, each of which is coupled to all of the binning pixel units in a respective column of binning pixel units, each reset control signal being operable to cause potential level resetting of a charge storage region in the binning pixel cell.
US09661231B2 Imaging device attachable to a display device
An imaging device includes a communication circuit that transmits an image data to an external display device, and an image sensor. The imaging device also includes an outer case in which the image sensor is disposed, and a coupling a coupling portion disposed at a rear side of the imaging device, where the rear side is opposite side from an light incident side of the image sensor. A large-diameter portion and an inclined portion are provided in the outer case, in a manner that the diameter of the inclined portion is reduced according to approach from the large-diameter portion to the rear side, and an image taking button is disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion.
US09661224B2 Image shake correcting apparatus and control method therefor, optical apparatus, and image pickup apparatus
This image pickup apparatus detects a shake and performs feedback control. A LPF and a subtracting unit divide a detection signal into low-frequency components and high-frequency components. An output of the LPF for integrating the high-frequency components and the LPF for integrating the low-frequency components are combined in an adding unit to output the result as the target position of the correcting lens. A HPF removes the low-pass components of the shake amount applied to the image pickup apparatus. A control switching determination unit switches a first control mode for performing an image shake correction by a signal produced by frequency dividing a signal after processing signal with the HPF, and a second control mode for performing the image shake correction by a signal that is generated by subtracting a fixed offset amount calculated with the HPF based on the shake signal and dividing the result into the frequency components.
US09661218B2 Using captured high and low resolution images
A method produces an improved high resolution image. This method includes capturing low resolution images and a high resolution image and combining the low resolution images to provide an aggregate low resolution image. The method further includes reducing the resolution of the high resolution image to provide an image representative of a low resolution image at a low resolution setting of the image capture device; interpolating the representative low resolution image to provide an interpolated high resolution image; and calculating a residual image from the high resolution image and the interpolated high resolution image. The method also includes combining the representative low resolution image and the aggregate low resolution image to provide a final low resolution image and using the final low resolution image and the residual image to provide the improved high resolution image.
US09661209B2 Remote controlled studio camera system
A system for remotely controlling a camera is disclosed. The system includes five major subsystems; a first subsystem collocated with the camera; a second subsystem which serves as a gateway between the camera and the third subsystem; a third subsystem to remotely monitor the studio and control the camera; a fourth subsystem located at the destination of the video stream; and a fifth subsystem to receive and re-transmit a video control stream. This system allows the camera to be monitored and controlled by one location, while the primary video stream is transmitted to a different location. In some embodiments, the control video stream is a lower bandwidth signal than the primary video stream. Furthermore, the fifth subsystem is capable of receiving and re-transmitting control video streams from a plurality of cameras simultaneously. The second subsystem allows remote access to the first subsystem, such as via the third subsystem, based on approved credentials.
US09661205B2 Method and apparatus for imaging
Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus for imaging. Specific embodiments can incorporate an imaging module having at least one first imager, where each first imager images a corresponding at least one first portion of a θ° field of view about a reference point, such that the at least one first imager images the θ° field of view. In a specific embodiment θ is at least 90°. The imaging module can also incorporate at least one second imager, where each second imager images a corresponding at least one second portion of the θ° field of view about the reference point, and one or more of the at least one first imager has a different magnification than one or more of the at least one second imager. Embodiments can allow imaging of a θ° field of view about a reference point with imagers having at least two different magnifications.
US09661199B2 Imaging apparatus and electronic device which can be reduced in height
There is provided an imaging apparatus including: a lens group including one or more lens elements; and an image sensor having a light-receiving surface onto which an image of an object is formed by the lens group. The light-receiving surface of the image sensor is curved concavely toward the lens group. A distance from a lens surface closest to the light-receiving surface of the lens group to the light-receiving surface is a half or more of a distance from a lens surface closest to the object of the lens group to the light-receiving surface.
US09661198B2 Voice coil motor displacement sensor and controller
A voice coil motor displacement sensor and a voice coil motor controller that uses said sensor. The sensor configured to apply an alternating measurement signal at a predetermined frequency to a voice coil motor, the sensor configured to use a measure of a voltage across and a current through the voice coil motor to determine its impedance at the predetermined frequency and determine an estimated displacement of said voice coil motor using said impedance and a predetermined displacement-impedance function.
US09661193B2 Imaging apparatus and analyzing apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes a lens optical system including a lens, a stop, and first through nth divided optical elements in which first through nth optical regions are defined, respectively, along a plane perpendicular to an optical axis and positioned to be point-symmetric with respect to the optical axis, an image sensor, and a microlens array guiding light that has passed through the first through nth optical regions to the first through nth pixels of the image sensor, respectively. At least three of s1, . . . , and Sn are mutually different and a relation of si≧si+1 is satisfied, where s1, . . . , and sn represent mean luminances of images obtained from the first through nth pixels, respectively. The first optical region and the nth optical region are positioned not to be point-symmetric to each other with respect to the optical axis.
US09661181B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus has a data acquisition unit that acquires first multi-valued data for a first ink that is not black ink and second multi-valued data for a second ink that is black ink; a threshold value acquisition unit that acquires a threshold value from a threshold value matrix; an offsetting unit that offsets at least one of the threshold value and the second multi-valued data; and a generating unit that generates first quantized data for the first ink by comparing the first multi-valued data and the threshold value, and generate second quantized data for the second ink by comparing the second multi-valued data and the threshold value with offset by the offsetting unit. Dispersibility of dots printed at positions corresponding to threshold values from a minimum value to a predetermined value is higher than that corresponding to threshold values except from the minimum value to the predetermined value.
US09661175B2 Adaptive scanning device
An adaptive scanning device, used to meet requirements for scanning and recognizing different scanned media and to save time and scanning costs. The adaptive scanning device in an embodiment of the present invention includes: a left side plate, a right side plate, an extension spring, an upper floating channel assembly, an image scanning tube B, a lower channel plate, a card information reading assembly, a document information reading assembly, friction wheels and a shaft sleeve. The upper floating channel assembly specifically includes: an image scanning tube A, an upper channel plate, an upper channel fixed shaft and fixed bearings.
US09661171B2 Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and information processing method for providing application information
An information processing apparatus connectable to a device includes: an acquiring unit to acquire, from the device, a display request including destination information indicating a country or an area where the device is used and indicating information for requesting an application list screen for providing an application; a specifying unit to specify, based on application compatibility information in which application identification information identifying an application available for the device is associated with the destination information, the application identification information associated with the destination information included in the display request; and a first transmitting unit to transmit, to the device, the application list screen for providing the application identified by the application identification information. The device includes: a second transmitting unit to transmit the display request to the apparatus; a receiving unit to receive the application list screen from the apparatus; and a display controller to display the application list screen.
US09661169B2 Electric power supplying device and image processing apparatus
An electric power supplying device includes a main power supply that supplies electric power to each component of an apparatus, an auxiliary power supply that supplies electric power to an assisted component in the apparatus, the assisted component requiring power supply during start-up time of the apparatus and having a whose start-up time being equal to or longer than a predetermined period of time, a discharging control circuit that controls the auxiliary power supply to cause the auxiliary power supply to output a voltage, the output voltage being lower than a voltage output by the main power supply and being equal to or more than a lower limit voltage of a voltage range that the assisted component is operable, and a power supply prevention circuit that prevents the auxiliary power supply from supplying power to a component other than the assisted component in the apparatus.
US09661167B2 Communication apparatus configured to perform non-contact communication with external device
A communication controller controls non-contact communication with an external device via an antenna while at least one of first and second power is supplied. A first circuit electrically connects a first power supply to a communication node. A second circuit electrically connects a second power supply to the communication node. The first circuit includes a first electrical component configured to prevent second power from being supplied to a particular target electrically connected to the first power supply while the second power is supplied to the communication node. The communication controller communicates with the communication node in a certain data communication method while the second power is supplied to the communication node. In response to reception of electric power from the external device via the antenna, the second power supply supplies the second power to the communication controller, and supplies the second power to the communication node through the second circuit.
US09661166B2 Image processing apparatus, region detection method and computer-readable, non-transitory medium
An image processing apparatus includes a color component image generator for extracting a particular color component from an input image to generate a color component image, an expanded-color-component image generator for expanding particular pixels in the color component image to generate an expanded-color-component image, an edge pixel extractor for extracting edge pixels from the expanded-color-component image, and a document region detector for detecting a document region from the edge pixels.
US09661158B2 Image forming apparatus that delivers image data displayed on digital signage devices and computer-readable non-transitory recording medium with image forming apparatus control program recorded thereon
An image forming apparatus includes an image reading section, a storage section, a communication section, an acceptance section, and an operation control section. The storage section has a plurality of storage regions at least one of which is associated one-to-one with one or more digital signage devices. The operation control section is configured to, when the acceptance section accepts a delivery instruction, allow the image reading section to read an original document and generate image data from the read original document, allow the storage section to store the image data generated by the image reading section in the one or more respective storage regions associated with the one or more digital signage devices designated in the delivery instruction, and allow the communication section to send the image data stored in the one or more associated storage regions to the one or more respective digital signage devices.
US09661155B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: an error detector detecting an error occurring in the image forming apparatus; a storage storing pieces of error handling information and test modes in association with each other, each of the pieces of error handling information indicating a method of error handling for each of errors occurring in the image forming apparatus, the test modes to be executed during the error handling; and an error controller reads, from the storage, the piece of error handling information and one or more of the test modes corresponding to an error detected by the error detector, generates an error handling screen including the read piece of error handling information and a transition button for transition to a test mode list screen for displaying a list of the read one or more of the test modes, and displays the generated error handling screen on a display.
US09661152B2 Policy decision method, charging device, and system
A policy decision method is provided, including receiving, by a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) device, a first user policy request for a first user sent by a gateway device, determining, by the PCRF device, that the first user and a second user share a usage quota, and the second user is an owner user of the usage quota, acquiring, by the PCRF device, a current second user counter status of a second user counter of the second user, and generating, by the PCRF device, a first user control policy according to the current second user counter status and sending the first user control policy to the gateway device. The present invention can implement sharing of accumulated data among users, reduces processing pressure of the charging system, and decreases a performance loss of the charging system.
US09661151B2 Method, apparatus and system for determining policy and charging rule function entity
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, an apparatus, and a system for determining a policy and charging rule function entity. The method includes: receiving, by a first PCRF, a first request message transmitted by a first routing agent device, where the first request message carries an IP address of a user; inquiring a pre-stored corresponding relationship between the IP address of the user and an identity of a PCRF currently serving the user according to the IP address of the user, and determining an identity of a second PCRF currently serving the user; and transmitting a message carrying the identity of the second PCRF to the first routing agent device. The method realizes that session information of the same user can be routed to the same PCRF when a biplane DRA is under a multi-PCRF networking, and provides reliable DRA signaling network networking.
US09661146B2 Communication systems and methods of operating communication devices assigned individual and group unique identifiers
Described are systems and methods for operating a plurality of communication devices configured to be associated with a user group. Each communication device of the plurality of communication devices may be configured to communicate with one or more servers both as an individual communication device with an individual unique identifier assigned thereto and as the user group with a group unique identifier assigned thereto.
US09661142B2 Method and system for providing conferencing services
An approach is provided for supporting multi-media conferencing. Textual information (e.g., text associated with a presentation) is received for display during a conference session to multiple participants. For a particular participant, configuration information corresponding to the participant specifies language assistance for the textual information. Language assistance involves augmenting the textual information according to the configuration information for comprehension of the textual information by the particular participant. In one embodiment, the augmented textual information includes language translation of the textual information. Additionally, the augmented textual information can encompass definitions of terms, including acronyms. The augmented textual information is forwarded for display to the participant during the conference session.
US09661134B2 Systems and methods for IP and VoIP device location determination
A method and system for precise position determination of general Internet Protocol (IP) network-connected devices. A method enables use of remote intelligence located at strategic network points to distribute relevant assistance data to IP devices with embedded receivers. Assistance is tailored to provide physical timing, frequency and real time signal status data using general broadband communication protocols. Relevant assistance data enables several complementary forms of signal processing gain critical to acquire and measure weakened or distorted in-building Global Navigation Satellite Services (GNSS) signals and to ultimately extract corresponding pseudo-range time components. A method to assemble sets of GNSS measurements that are observed over long periods of time while using standard satellite navigation methods, and once compiled, convert using standard methods each pseudo-range into usable path distances used to calculate a precise geographic position to a known degree of accuracy.
US09661124B2 Communication device, communication control device, program, and communication control method
There is provided a communication device including a display control unit configured to, in a case where information on a plurality of parameters is provided, use the provided information and control display of a screen for deciding values of the plurality of parameters, the plurality of parameters each indicating user's request with respect to a radio communication service and depending on each other, and an acquisition unit configured to acquire the decided values of the plurality of parameters. The acquired values of the plurality of parameters are used for changing control of the radio communication service.
US09661116B1 Card-receptible semiautomatic slide case for mobile phone
The present disclosure relates to a semiautomatic slide case for a mobile phone, which is capable of being semi-automatically slid by applying a slidable hook to a card-receptible mobile phone slide case to open and close a card receiving space.
US09661115B2 Device arrangement
A device arrangement may include an inner casing. The inner casing may include an inner casing base and an inner casing cover defining a cavity therebetween. The cavity may receive an electronic device. The inner casing base may have a first viewing window. A window pane may be composed of a transparent material and be attached to at least one of the electronic device and the inner casing. The window pane may at least partially seal the first viewing window. An outer casing may at least partially encase the inner casing. The inner casing may be mounted on the outer casing via a suspension/damping device.
US09661112B2 System and methods for providing server virtualization assistance
An improved system and method for network switching that provides the ability to automatically and seamlessly migrate policies for network hosts under certain conditions to local or remote switch ports. The improved switch automatically migrates switch policies for virtual and physical hosts from a source port to a destination port when hosts have been physically moved or replaced. For elements that have failed, the improved switch also migrates host network policies for both physical hosts and virtual machines when the old host network policy will maintain serviceability of the element when applied to the new port.
US09661107B2 Data transmitting apparatus, data receiving apparatus, data transceiving system, data transmitting method, data receiving method and data transceiving method configured to distinguish packets
A data transmitting apparatus includes a packet generator which generates a plurality of packets regarding multi-channel audio sample data and transmitter which transmits the plurality of generated packets to a data receiving apparatus. Each of the plurality of packets includes an identifier field to distinguish a position or an order of the packets.
US09661102B2 System and method for sharing data
A data sharing system includes at least one first client device, at least one second client device, and a hub equipment. The at least one first client device provides data. The at least one second client device receives data. The hub equipment receives data from the first client device using a first transmission protocol, and transmits the received data to the second client device using a second transmission protocol.
US09661101B2 Content delivery system, delivery server, receiving terminal, and content delivery method
A transmitting terminal can transmit a content held by itself to a specific receiving terminal having no email software as if using a mailer. The transmitting terminal (10) and the receiving terminal (20) are connected to a delivery server (30) via a network (4). The delivery server (30) comprises: a database (36) for registering the device ID that specifies the receiving terminal (20); a content storage (39) for temporarily storing a content transmitted from the transmitting terminal (10); and table (33, 37) for managing contents separately on a per device ID basis of the receiving terminal. The delivery server (30), when receiving a request from the receiving terminal (20), refers to the tables (33, 27) and transmits to the receiving terminal (20) a content, the transmission destination of which corresponds to the device ID of the receiving terminal (20).
US09661095B2 Content management system, content management apparatus, content management method, and program
A content management system, in which a server apparatus communicates with a plurality of client apparatuses via a network, includes a first client apparatus including a selection unit for selecting content to be uploaded, an editing unit for editing the content, a storage unit for associating and storing the content and editing information about the content, and an upload unit for uploading the content and the editing information to the server apparatus. The server apparatus includes a content receiving unit for receiving the content from the first client apparatus, an acquisition unit for acquiring the editing information from the apparatus, and a transmission unit for transmitting information about the content and the editing information to a second client apparatus. The second client apparatus includes a display unit for displaying the information about the content and for selectively displaying predetermined information based on the editing information.
US09661094B2 Systems and methods for identifying a processor from a plurality of processors to provide symmetrical request and response processing
Described herein is a method and system for distributing request and responses across a multi-core system. Each core executes a packet engine that further processes data packets allocated to that core. A flow distributor executing within the multi-core system forwards client requests to a packet engine on a core that is selected based on a value generated when a hash is applied to a tuple comprising a client IP address, a client port, a server IP address and a server port identified in the request. The packet engine selects a first IP address and a first port of the core, and determines whether a hash of a tuple comprising those values identifies the selected core. A modification is then made to the client request so that the client request includes a tuple comprising the first IP address, the server IP address, the first port and the server port.
US09661093B2 Device control profile for a fabric network
Methods, systems, and instructions for remotely controlling devices using device control profiles are described herein. The device control profile may include resetting configuration data in a remote device, arming and disarming failsafes on remote devices, or enabling and disabling connection monitoring links to maintain an active connection between remote devices.
US09661089B2 Customized presentation of event guest lists in a social networking system
A user creates an event in a social networking system specifying a location, a time, and a guest list of other users invited to the event. The social networking system generates a page associated with the event that provides information about the event and identifies whether users have responded to invitations to the event. The content of the page may be customized for the user viewing the page to encourage the viewing user to attend the event. For example, the viewing user's relationship to and/or similar characteristics with other users on the guest list is determined and used by the social networking system to identify the users whose responses to invitations are shown to the viewing user via the page. Additionally, a notification method more prominently distributes acceptances of invitations to other users to encourage attendance.
US09661087B1 Notifying users that were early consumers of popular media content
Systems and methods are provided for notifying a user regarding early consumption of a popular content item. In one or more aspects, a system includes an identification component configured to identify a user that was among a first X percentage of users to access a content item that is ranked as a popular content item based in part on total number of times the content item was previously accessed, a notification generation component configured to generate a notification identifying the user as being among the first X percentage of users to access the popular content item, and a notification posting component configured to send the notification to a device or an account of the user.
US09661084B2 Method and system for sampling online communication networks
A representative sample of an online social network is formed by performing a deterministic process that coalesces to indicate success. A random value is selected for seeding the process. Based on the random value, the process is executed and once the process coalesces, a proper sampling of the online social network results.
US09661078B1 Federated namespace management
Described are techniques for managing a federated namespace of a data storage system federation. A node identifier is assigned to a node. The node identifier uniquely identifies the node in the data storage system federation and is included in a federated node identifier namespace. A portion of a federated target port identifier namespace may be associated with the node identifier. The portion may include target port identifiers reserved from the federated target port identifier namespace for the node. Data storage management information for the data storage system federation may be updated to indicate that the node identifier is allocated from the federated node identifier namespace and that the portion of the federated target port identifier namespace is assigned to the node identifier.
US09661076B2 Concurrently uploading multimedia objects and associating metadata with the multimedia objects
In one embodiment, a first computing device receives a first user input selecting a set of multimedia objects stored on the first computing device, and initiates upload of the set of multimedia objects to a second computing device. While the upload is in progress, a second user input is concurrently received selecting a subset of the set of multimedia objects, and a third user input is concurrently received comprising metadata, and the metadata is associated with one or more multimedia objects from the subset of multimedia objects.
US09661069B2 Virtual world subgroup determination and segmentation for performance scalability
A system and method of decreasing server loads and, more particularly, to decrease server load by automatically determining subgroups based on object interactions and computational expenditures. The system includes a plurality of servers; a subgroup optimization module configured to segment a plurality of objects into optimal subgroups; and a server transfer module configured to apportion one or more of the optimal subgroups between the plurality of servers based on a load of each of the plurality of servers. The method includes determining a relationship amongst a plurality of objects; segmenting the objects into optimized subgroups based on the relationships; and apportioning the optimized subgroups amongst a plurality of servers based on server load.
US09661063B2 Automated integration of content from multiple information stores using a mobile communication device
A system, device and method are provided for merging information from a plurality of network sources using a mobile device capable. The mobile device receives data of a first type from a first network source, then merges the received data with data of a different type stored at the mobile device to create a merged data set, the merging including matching an identifier associated with the received data against an identifier associated with the stored data. The merged data set is then merged with a data record at a different network source, this merging including matching an identifier associated with the merged data set against an identifier associated with the data record.
US09661051B2 Streamloading content, such as video content for example, by both downloading enhancement layers of the content and streaming a base layer of the content
Video streaming applications are a major contributor to the recent dramatic rise of data traffic in cellular networks. Mobile users in a cellular network often experience fluctuating data rates, which might affect the quality of video they view in a streaming service. Although replacing such video streaming services with video downloading/renting services could potentially allow such mobile users to enjoy consistently higher quality videos, such services typically cost a lot more than video streaming services because of legal copyright pricing and management issues. By downloading enhancement layers but streaming base layers of the content, mobile users can enjoy download-quality videos with a service (legally) classified as a streaming service.
US09661045B2 System and methods for dynamic transcoder rate adaption for adaptive bit rate streaming
A system and methods for providing dynamic transcoder rate adaption for an adaptive bit streaming function is described. In a first embodiment, a client may select from all available bit rates during the encoding session, wherein the bit rates are provided to the client via a manifest file from a media gateway. In a second embodiment, a subset of the bit rates are provided to the client, from which a client chooses a selected bit rate. The encoding session continues until a request for a new bit rate is received from the client, at which time a new subset of bit rates are generated. This new subset of bit rates is presented to the client, and this loop continues until the termination of the encoding session.
US09661042B2 Data share system, data process apparatus, and computer-readable recording medium
A data process apparatus for sharing shared data among plural data process apparatuses participating in an event. The data process apparatus includes a participation notification reception unit configured to receive a participation notification from each of the plural data process apparatus including first and second data process apparatuses in the event, a notifying unit configured to notify the second data process apparatus to the first data process apparatus as a data obtain target from which the shared data is to be obtained. The second data process apparatus is a data process apparatus from which the participation notification has already been received by the participation notification reception unit.
US09661039B2 Recommending resources to members of a social network
Systems and methods for presenting recommendations for resources to be used by members in learning about and/or acquiring a skill are described. In some example embodiments, the systems and methods receive information associated with a skill from a member of a social network, identify members of the social network that are associated with the skill, receive information from the identified members of the social network that identifies one or more resources associated with the skill, and generate a list of recommended resources that is based on the information received from the identified members of the social network.
US09661034B2 Apparatus and method for computer controlled call processing applications for skills-based routing in packet switched telephone networks
A method is presented comprising transmitting, from an application computer communicably connected to a call controller which is connected to a data network, packetized messages indicative of telephone calls in progress at an endpoint of the data network, or indicative of such endpoint, and transmitting, from the call controller to the application computer, packetized messages indicative of a variety of information contained in, or relevant to, the telephone calls so as to process such information for a variety of applications. Apparatus to implement the method is also presented.
US09661030B2 Building and switching IP multimedia sessions
Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods and systems of building an IP multimedia session without the use of a central server and switching IP multimedia session among devices. The method of building an IP multimedia session includes receiving a registering request from a plurality of IP multimedia session participant devices, electing a service device from the plurality of participant devices, and building IP multimedia session among the plurality of participant devices by using the elected service device.
US09661029B2 Wireless peer-to-peer network topology
A method and apparatus for generating a topology for wireless peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. A network architecture comprises a traffic optimization service including a traffic optimization server and an adaptor to effect bi-directional translation of a request-response protocol of the traffic optimization service and a signaling protocol of a multimedia network. The traffic optimization server stores information related to wireless communication systems comprising user/location id information including cache proxies, media gateways, and network peers of multiple access networks and cost metric information including maximum bit rate, guaranteed bit rate, storage capacity, CPU capabilities, number of clients serving, battery capabilities, reliability of path, and supported video/audio codec.
US09661023B1 Systems and methods for automatic endpoint protection and policy management
A computer-implemented method for dynamically adjusting server settings is described. In one embodiment, at least one parameter of a status of a server that diverges from a corresponding baseline setting of a policy maintained by the server may be identified. An adjustment to the baseline setting of the policy may be calculated based at least in part on the divergent parameter. The baseline setting of the policy may be adjusted according to the calculated adjustment. A command may be issued to send data representative of the adjusted baseline setting of the policy from the server to a client to update a user profile.
US09661016B2 Data center infrastructure management system incorporating security for managed infrastructure devices
A system is disclosed for enhancing detection of a security threat to a managed infrastructure device operating within a data center. The system may have a data center infrastructure management (DCIM) system for monitoring operation of the managed infrastructure device. The DCIM system may include a remote access appliance for communicating with the managed infrastructure device. The managed infrastructure device may include an on-board computer. The remote access appliance may include an engine configured to detect if information to be communicated to the on-board computer poses a security threat to the managed infrastructure device.
US09661014B2 Leveraging persistent identities in website testing
A system and method for dynamically scanning one or more features on a Website. The system allows detecting of stored scripting errors, where an attack or injection occurs on a page or feature that results in executing malicious code by another page or feature. The system uses stored test identities and allows testing reuse.
US09661008B2 Network monitoring apparatus, network monitoring method, and network monitoring program
A network monitoring apparatus includes a log collecting unit and a log analyzing unit. The log collecting unit collects log information related to passing packets from at least one of a FW and a proxy server, which are included in a network, for packets transferred in the network. The log analyzing unit extracts log information satisfying a predetermined condition in a predetermined time period by analyzing, over time, the log information collected by the log collecting unit.
US09661006B2 Method for protection of automotive components in intravehicle communication system
Methods and systems for mitigating cyber attacks on components of an automotive communication system are disclosed. These methods and systems comprise elements of hardware and software for receiving a frame; determining whether the frame potentially affects correct operation of an automotive component; and, taking protective action.
US09660987B2 Storage isolation using I/O authentication
Techniques are described for logically isolating data I/O requests from different operating systems (OSes) for a same multi-tenant storage system (MTSS). Techniques provide for OSes and the MTSS to obtain security tokens associated with the OSes. In an embodiment, an OS uses a security token to generate an authentication token based on the contents of a data input/output (I/O) request and sends the authentication token to the MTSS along with the data I/O request. When an MTSS receives such data I/O request, MTSS retrieves its own copy of the security token associated with the OS and generates its own authentication token based on the contents of the received data I/O request. If the authentication token generated by the MTSS matches the authentication token generated by the OS, then the data I/O request is successfully authenticated. Otherwise, if the authorization tokens fail to match, then the data I/O request has been compromised. For example, either the contents of data I/O request has been tampered with, or an entity other than the OS, has sent the data I/O request in the first place. Accordingly, the data I/O request may not be serviced by the MTSS.
US09660982B2 Reset and recovery of managed security credentials
Disclosed are various embodiments for management functions relating to security credentials. Account data, which includes multiple security credentials for multiple network sites for a user, is stored in an encrypted form. A request to temporarily change the account data is obtained from a client. The request specifies a master security credential for accessing the account data. In response to the request, the multiple security credentials for the account data are changed to a single temporary security credential, as specified by a user. After an expiration period expires, the multiple security credentials are automatically reset to a plurality of different security credentials.
US09660978B1 Using a digital certificate with multiple cryptosystems
In a general aspect, a digital certificate can be used with multiple cryptography systems (“cryptosystems”). In some cases, the digital certificate includes a public key field, which contains a first public key of an entity. The first public key of the entity is associated with a first cryptosystem. The digital certificate includes a signature value field, which contains a first digital signature of a certificate authority. The first digital signature is associated with the first cryptosystem. The digital certificate includes an extension. The extension contains a second public key of the entity, a second digital signature of the certificate authority or both. The second public key is associated with a second cryptosystem, and the second digital signature is associated with the second cryptosystem.
US09660972B1 Protection from data security threats
A credential, such as a password, for an entity is used to generate multiple keys. The generated keys are distributed to credential verification systems to enable the credential verification systems to perform authentication operations. The keys are generated such that access to a generated key allows for authentication with a proper subset of the credential verification systems. Thus, unauthorized access to information used by one authentication system does not, by itself, allow for successful authentication with other authentication systems.
US09660969B2 Method and apparatus for providing key management for data encryption for cloud-based big data environments
An approach is provided for key management for data encryption. A key management platform receives a request from at least one client for one or more private keys for decrypting one or more datasets. The one or more private keys are encrypted in at least one key repository associated with at least one server. The key management platform also causes, at least in part, an authentication of the request using one or more secure credentials of the at least one client, the at least one server, or a combination thereof. The key management platform further causes, at least in part, an authorization of the at least one client to determine whether the at least one client is authorized to access the one or more private keys based on the authentication. The key management platform further causes, at least in part, a decryption of the one or more private keys using at least one master key based on the authorization.
US09660964B2 Communications router
Communications router for anonymously routing messages between a source communication device (200) and respondent communication devices (213,214,215,2116,217,218). A source storage means (203) is provided for storing the communication identifiers for the source communication device (200) and a predetermined subject identifier for designating messages associated therewith. A respondent storage means (203) is provided for storing the communication identifiers for each respondent communication device (213,214,215,2116,217,218), along with a unique tag identifier assigned thereto. A first message handler (202,204,205,206) selects received messages from the respondent communication devices (213,214,215,2116,217,218), attaches the appropriate tag identifier, and transmits the message to the source communication device (200). A second message handler (202,201) receives messages from the source communication device (200) and transmits them to the appropriate respondent communication devices (213,214,215,2116,217,218) based on the predetermined subject identifier and the tag identifier contained in the message.
US09660963B2 Adaptive encryption optimization
Adaptive encryption optimization is disclosed. A first secure tunnel is established between a device and a node. It is determined that a second secure tunnel between an application on the device and a server has been established. The second secure tunnel is established at least in part using the first secure tunnel. The first secure tunnel is removed based at least in part on the determination that the second secure tunnel has been established.
US09660960B2 Real-time reconfigurable web application firewall for a distributed platform
Some embodiments provide reconfigurable web application firewall (WAF) functionality across a distributed platform. Specifically, the WAF function at each distributed platform server is customizable on a per customer and per inbound message basis. When a server receives an inbound message, the server identities the content or services of which specific customer are implicated by the inbound message. The server screens the inbound message for attacks using a first set of rules and policies defined as part of a production profile from a WAF instance defined by the specific customer while contemporaneously testing the inbound message against a second set of rules and polices defined as part of an audit profile from the same WAF instance. In this manner, the specific customer tests the audit profile rules and policies while still receiving the protections of the production profile rules and policies.
US09660959B2 Network traffic analysis to enhance rule-based network security
A method of interpreting a rule and a rule-interpreting apparatus for rule-based security apparatus, and an apparatus implementing the method. The method includes the following steps: designating a suspicious timeslot; if any packet does not present in the designated timeslot, capturing current incoming packets or capturing other incoming packets in the designated timeslot next time; automatically associating the packets in the designated timeslot to form at least one traffic flow corresponding to a connection or call; analyzing the at least one traffic flow to select at least one suspicious target traffic flow; and outputting the at least one selected suspicious target flow.
US09660946B2 System and method for managing files to be attached to or detached from an electronic mail
A system and method for identifying specific locations where to attach or detach e-mail attachments based on e-mail storage locations is disclosed. The method allows to search in a mail-attachment connection table all the attachment locations that are in relation to the e-mail where the attachment is to be attached to or to be detached from and to present to a user all attachment locations that have a relevance for the attach/detach operation.
US09660931B2 Method and apparatus for receiving or transmitting radio frequency (RF) signal
A method and apparatus for receiving or transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal are disclosed. A method for receiving a downlink signal by a user equipment (UE) in a Time Division Duplex (TDD) wireless communication system supporting Coordinated Multi-point transmission and reception (CoMP) includes: acquiring information of a time-resource region to which a downlink signal for the CoMP is transmitted, for at least one cell, and receiving a downlink signal for the CoMP signal for the CoMP on the basis of the acquired information, wherein the time-resource region information includes a length of a time region contained in a specific subframe to which the downlink signal for the CoMP is transmitted.
US09660924B2 Determining a maximal size of packets
Packets from a first network entity to a second network entity are received. A maximal size of packets from the second network entity to the first network entity is determined based on information in the received packets.
US09660923B2 Schedule and location responsive agreement compliance controlled information throttle
Controls electronic devices and/or throttles electronic devices and/or information for electronic devices based on agreements or events and/or based on schedule, location, time, or any combination thereof. An agreement includes condition(s) to satisfy the agreement, such as task(s) or activities to be performed by an agreement performer, for example based on a schedule and/or location, at a particular time, or time period, or, or events that may be detected, and actions performed to enforce or assert the agreement. Actions may include controlling the electronic device and/or at least partially enabling/disabling or otherwise limiting, reducing or increasing the amount or type of information allowed with respect to any or all electronic devices associated with the agreement performer. Embodiments may reduce or block information from particular sources during a scheduled school class to limit web surfing for information related to that class based on a schedule and/or location of the electronic device.
US09660909B2 Network service header metadata for load balancing
A method for load balancing based on metadata in a network service header. The method includes receiving a packet or frame of a traffic flow, wherein the packet or frame has a payload and the network service header including metadata and service path information for the traffic flow identifying the service path, and the metadata comprises classification information of the packet or frame, extracting, by a service header processor of the load balancer, the classification information of the metadata from the packet or frame, and applying, by a load balancing function of the load balancer, a load balancing policy on the packet or frame based on the classification information of the metadata.
US09660904B2 Method and system for inserting an openflow flow entry into a flow table using openflow protocol
A method for inserting an OpenFlow flow entry into a flow table is disclosed. In the embodiment, the method involves receiving a flow mod message at an OpenFlow-enabled switch, the flow mod message including a cookie field, decoding an OpenFlow flow entry from the flow mod message, identifying a flow table from the cookie field, and inserting the decoded flow entry into the flow table.
US09660898B2 Enhanced protocol independent multicast source registration over a reliable transport
In one example, a method includes exchanging, by a first routing device and with a second routing device, targeted hello messages using a Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) protocol to establish a targeted neighbor connection between the first routing device and the second routing device, wherein the first routing device exchanges the targeted hello messages with the second routing device via at least one intermediate routing device, and wherein at least one of the first or second routing device comprises a rendezvous point (RP). The example method further includes processing, by the first routing device using the targeted neighbor connection, a register message that includes multicast stream data elements, wherein each multicast stream data element identifies a source address and a group address that are collectively associated with a respective multicast stream, and wherein each multicast stream data element further indicates whether the respective multicast stream is active or withdrawn.
US09660892B2 System for selectively unifying overlapping networks to coordinate communication channel usage
A system including first and second network nodes that communicate with additional nodes in first and second networks, respectively, using a shared communication channel. In response to detecting presence of the first network node, the second network node transmits a first signal to the first network node including a predetermined sequence known to both the first and second network nodes. The first network node measures a strength of the transmitted signal based on knowledge of the predetermined sequence and calculates a throughput metric (throughput referring to amount of information transmitted per second) based on the measured strength. In response to the throughput metric being less than a unification threshold, the first network node selectively transmits a unification request to the second network node. The unification request invites the second network node to coordinate operation with the first network node to reduce interference between the first network and the second network.
US09660890B2 Service provider optimization of content management
A system and method for monitoring the performance associated with fulfilling resource requests and determining optimizations for improving such performance are provided. A processing device obtains and processes performance metric information associated with processing a request for an original resource and any embedded resource. The processing device uses the processed performance metric information to determine a set of service providers for alternatively hosting, processing, and/or transmitting at least a portion of the original resource and/or any embedded resources. In some embodiments, in making such a determination, the processing device assesses performance metric information collected and associated with subsequent resource requests for the original resource and any embedded resources using each of a variety of alternative set(s) of service providers. Aspects of systems and methods for generating recommendations associated with monitoring the operation and performance of service providers with respect to specific resource requests are also provided.
US09660883B2 Computer product, monitoring method, and monitoring apparatus
A non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium stores a monitoring program that causes a computer to execute a process that includes acquiring from a server among a group of servers that are migration candidates for a monitored virtual machine, identification information of a virtual machine operating on the server; identifying classification of the virtual machine that corresponds to the acquired identification information, by referring to a storage unit that correlates and stores identification information of the monitored virtual machine and classification of the monitored virtual machine; and correlating and outputting the identified classification of the virtual machine, the identification information of the virtual machine, and identification information of the server.
US09660874B2 Devices and methods supporting content delivery with delivery services having dynamically configurable log information
A device supporting content delivery is configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services. The plurality of CD services include delivery services with dynamically configurable log information.
US09660861B2 Method and system for synchronizing with neighbor in a distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) link aggregation group
A method of updating operational states of a network device in a distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) of a link aggregation group is disclosed. The method starts with initializing the network device for link aggregation, wherein the initialization includes setting variables of the network device for a first portal as configured by administrative settings, where the first portal includes the network device and at least one neighbor network device. The method continues with determining that an operational state associated with the first portal is changed and updating a set of operational states of the network device for link aggregation in response to the operational state change, where the set of operational states of the network device for link aggregation includes an operational state of the gateway of the network device.
US09660859B1 Methods and systems for quantum ready computations on the cloud
The present disclosure provides methods, systems, and media for allowing access to quantum computers in a distributed computing environment (e.g., the cloud). Such methods and systems may provide optimization and computational services on the cloud. Methods and systems of the present disclosure may enable quantum computing to be relatively and readily scaled across various types of quantum computers and users at various locations, in some cases without the need for users to have a deep understanding of the resources, implementation or the knowledge that may be required for solving optimization problems using a quantum computer. Systems provided herein may include user interfaces that enable users to perform data analysis in a distributed computing environment while taking advantage of quantum technology in the backend.
US09660857B2 Dynamic communication stack
A method of facilitating communication between a resource and a computer is described. The computer employs a software application that allows the computer to communicate with the resource. The resource may comprise a medical device such as a blood glucose meter or an insulin pump. In order to facilitate communication between the computer and the resource, the software constructs a communication protocol particular to the type of resource connected to the computer. The stack comprising the communication protocol allows the computer to communicate with the resource. Once the resource and computer cease communication, the stack may be removed from the memory of the computer.
US09660856B2 Distortion compensation circuit
A method and system of compensating for distortion in a baseband in-phase (I) and a corresponding baseband quadrature (Q) signal. The circuit includes an in-phase I attenuator configured to attenuate the baseband in-phase I signal and an in-phase Q attenuator configured to attenuate the baseband Q signal. There are one or more circuits that are configured to receive the attenuated in-phase I signal and the attenuated baseband Q signal. Each circuit performs a different calculation based on predetermined equations configured to determine the IM2, HD2@0°, HD2@90°, IM3@0°, IM3@90°, HD3@0°, and HD3@90°. The distortion compensation circuit is configured to use the result of at least one of the calculation circuits to generate I and Q distortion compensation signals.
US09660855B2 Orthogonal signal demodulation
A modulation transmission technique comprises placing orthogonal subcarriers across an arbitrary-wide band of frequencies without a fixed pre-defined center frequency. Receivers demodulate only the sub-group of subcarriers in which they are to receive data. Thus a broadcast service with many audio programs could send signals across a wide band and receivers would only demodulate the audio channel that the user or users wanted to hear. This saves energy which is important for battery powered devices. A transform bandwidth smaller than the transform bandwidth of the transmitter is used that encompasses the receivers pass band, plus the 2 transition bands (upper and lower) of the linear filter. This technique maintains orthogonality between subcarriers. The subcarriers in the pass band are utilized and the subcarriers in the transition bands are discarded. The orthogonal subcarriers may include both orthogonal frequency division multiplexed and pulse amplitude modulated signals. A notch filter may be included in the receiver to remove unwanted non-orthogonal signals such as a television signal or other interference.
US09660854B2 Multi-user mimo receiver and method for receiving data units over a wideband channel
A multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) receiver includes circuitry to receive a MIMO transmission through a plurality of antennas over a channel comprising two or more 20 MHz portions of bandwidth. The MIMO transmission comprises a plurality of streams, each transmitted over a corresponding spatial channel and configured for reception by multiple user stations. The MIMO receiver also includes circuitry to simultaneously accumulate signal information within at least two or more of the 20 MHz portions of bandwidth. Each 20 MHz portion comprises a plurality of OFDM subcarriers. The MIMO receiver also includes circuitry to demodulate at least one of the steams using receive beamforming techniques. In this way, multi-user protocol data units can be received.
US09660852B2 Communication method and apparatus in a wireless communication system supporting multiple OFDM parameter sets
Communication methods and apparatuses in a wireless communication system are provided. Information relating to Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) parameter sets supported by a Base Station (BS), from among a plurality of OFDM parameter sets, is transmitted to at least one Mobile Station (MS), from the BS, using a default OFDM parameter set. The BS selects at least one OFDM parameter set for the at least one MS, from among the OFDM parameter sets supported by the BS, based on one of a channel state and a mobility of the at least one MS. The BS performs data communication with the at least one MS through the at least one selected OFDM parameter set. Each of the plurality of OFDM parameter sets comprises parameter values representing a Cyclic Prefix (CP) length, a subcarrier spacing, and at least one of an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) size and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) size. The default OFDM parameter set is determined based on subcarrier spacings of the plurality of OFDM parameter sets.
US09660851B2 Modulation and equalization in an orthonormal time-frequency shifting communications system
A system and method of providing a modulated signal useable in a signal transmission system. The method includes transforming, perhaps with respect to both time and frequency, a data frame including a plurality of data elements into a transformed data matrix. The transformed data matrix includes a plurality of transformed data elements where each of the plurality of transformed data elements is based upon each of the plurality of data elements. The method further includes generating the modulated signal in accordance with the transformed data elements of the transformed data matrix.
US09660843B2 Apparatus for processing a serial data stream
A system includes a decision feedback equalizer (DFE). The DFE includes a first summing node, a first synchronization latch, a second synchronization latch, a first feedback latch, and a first feedback shift register. The first summing node is coupled to a data input of the DFE. The first synchronization latch receives data from the first summing node. The second synchronization latch and the first feedback latch receive data from the first synchronization latch. The first feedback shift register is coupled to an output of the second synchronization latch or the first feedback latch. The first feedback shift register includes sequentially coupled shift latches. A first of the shift latches data received from the second synchronization latch or the first feedback latch and provides data to the first summing node. First alternate ones of the shift latches are configured to provide feedback data to the first summing node.
US09660841B2 Circuit and method for performing adaption on all receiver branches
Receiver circuitry is disclosed that can take circuit branches offline to possibly adapt an offset value. In one embodiment, a circuit in a receiver has at least two branches. Each branch includes an adjustor to adjust the branch signal by an offset value. Selection circuitry takes one of the branches offline by selecting the output of that branch as an offline value, and by selecting the output of one or more of the other branches as a data decision value. The selection circuitry changes which branch is taken offline during the operation of the circuit. When a branch is taken offline, an offset value associated with that branch may be updated, if necessary.
US09660833B2 Application identification in records of network flows
In one embodiment, a method is provided for improving data center and endpoint network visibility and security. The method comprises detecting a communication flow of a plurality of packets over a network, and generating a flow identifier that uniquely identifies the communication flow. After determining an application associated with the communication flow, a flow record is generated. The flow record includes the flow identifier and an indication of the application associated with the communication flow. The indication of the application may be, for example, a hash of the application binary file.
US09660818B2 Advanced service-aware policy and charging control methods, network nodes, and computer programs
In a method carried out in a telecommunication network, a policy decision function provides an instruction to a policy enforcement function and/or a traffic detection function. Within the instruction, some service instances of a service are identified by the order according to which the service instances are started. The instruction also indicates: (i) a service instance level reporting rule according to which the policy enforcement function and/or traffic detection function should report, or should not report, information to the policy decision function after occurrence of an event relating to any one of the identified service instances; and/or (ii) a service instance level enforcement rule that the policy enforcement function and/or traffic detection function should enforce on a received packet relating to any one of the identified service instances. The invention also relates to network nodes and computer programs.
US09660817B2 Advising clients about certificate authority trust
In many information security scenarios, a certificate issued by a certificate authority may be presented to a client in order to assert a trust level of a certificated item, such as a message or a web page. However, due to a decentralized structure and incomplete coordination among certificate authorities, the presence and exploitation of security vulnerabilities to issue untrustworthy certificates may be difficult to determine, particularly for an individual client. Presented herein are techniques for advising clients of the reputations of respective certificate authorities by evaluating the certificates issued by such certificate authorities, such as the number and types of domains certified by the certificate; the number and pattern of certificates issued for the domain; and the certification techniques used to issue the certificates. Such evaluation enables a determination of a certificate authority trust level that may be distributed to the clients in a certificate authority trust set.
US09660816B2 System and method for secure provisioning of an information handling system
Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with provisioning of information handling systems, including without limitation those associated with bare metal provisioning of information handling systems, are disclosed. A system may include a processor, and a memory and an access controller each communicatively coupled to the processor. The access controller may store an enterprise public key associated with an enterprise private key and a platform private key associated with the system. The access controller may be configured to: (i) authenticate communications received from a provisioning server communicatively coupled to the access controller based at least on an enterprise public certificate associated with the provisioning server and (ii) establish an asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel between the access controller and the provisioning server based at least on a platform public key associated with the platform private key, the platform private key, the enterprise public key, and the enterprise private key.
US09660815B2 Securing a computing device accessory
Various embodiments are disclosed that relate to security of a computer accessory device. For example, one non-limiting embodiment provides a host computing device configured to conduct an initial portion of a mutual authentication session with an accessory device, and send information regarding the host computing device and the accessory device to a remote pairing service via a computer network. The host computing device is further configured to, in response, receive a pairing certificate from the remote pairing service, the pairing certificate being encrypted via a private key of the remote pairing service, and complete the mutual authentication with the accessory device using the pairing certificate from the remote pairing service.
US09660810B2 Method and apparatus for providing secret delegation
A method for providing secret delegation may comprise receiving a credential secret applied to an algorithm associated with a distributed application in a trusted execution environment, causing delegation of the credential secret from one communication device to at least one other communication device, and modifying the credential secret prior to transfer of a modified version of the credential secret to the at least one other communication device in a manner that enables a generation of the credential secret to be determined. An apparatus and computer program product corresponding to the method are also provided.
US09660807B2 System and method for verifying changes to UEFI authenticated variables
A mechanism for certifying that an operating system-based application has authorization to change a UEFI authenticated variable held in the system firmware is discussed. Embodiments of the present invention receive with the system firmware a request from an operating system-based application to change a UEFI authenticated variable. The request includes an authentication descriptor header with a timestamp and pre-determined GUID. The request also includes a hash calculated using a password known to the firmware. The system firmware certifies that the caller has authorization to change an authenticated variable by first verifying the information in the header and then creating a new hash using the password. The new hash is compared to the received hash and must match in order for the system firmware to allow the alteration of the UEFI authenticated variable. In one embodiment, the password is the system firmware password.
US09660804B2 Methods and apparatus for generating keys in device-to-device communications
Methods and apparatus are provided for securing device-to-device communications. A method can comprise: at an access network apparatus, obtaining from a core network apparatus and storing a first key shared between a first user equipment and the core network apparatus for device-to-device communications of the first user equipment; receiving from a second user equipment, a request for generating a second key for a device-to-device communication between the first user equipment and the second user equipment; in response to the request, generating the second key based on the first key and security parameters; and sending the second key to the second user equipment.
US09660799B1 Changing the clock frequency of a computing device
Techniques for enabling a rapid clock frequency transition are described. An example of a computing device includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) that includes a core and noncore components. The computing device also includes a dual mode FIFO that processes data transactions between the core and noncore components. The computing device also includes a frequency control unit that can instruct the core to transition to a new clock frequency. During the transition to the new clock frequency, the dual mode FIFO continues to process data transactions between the core and noncore components.
US09660793B2 Leveraging full duplex for rate adaptation in wireless LANs
Techniques for presenting communication between two or more stations in a WLAN environment are provided. Specifically, methods are presented, that when taken alone or together, provide a device or group of devices with an efficient way for fast rate adaptation based on full duplex functionality, increasing link and network throughput. The present disclosure includes a method that provides a fast rate adaptation by leveraging full duplex in order to get immediate channel quality feedback.
US09660791B2 Apparatus and method for discontinuous reception in mobile telecommunication system
A communication apparatus and method for performing discontinuous reception in a mobile communication system is provided. The communication apparatus continues to turn on a receiver during a reception-on (Rx-on) period associated with persistent resource allocation to receives a packet, and receives a retransmission packet transmitted through the persistent resources at the Rx-on period spaced from the Rx-on period by a processing time of the retransmission packet given taking into account feedback information determined according to a reception error of the packet.
US09660783B2 Method and device for receiving control information in wireless communication system
The present invention according to one embodiment relates to a method for enabling a terminal to receive control information in a wireless communication system, and the method for receiving the control information comprises the step of attempting to decode a set of enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) candidates according to each set level, wherein a minimum value among the values available as the set levels is set according to the amount of available resources for an EPDCCH within a physical resource block (PRB) pair that is attempting to decode.
US09660782B2 Method and apparatus for transceiving downlink control information in a wireless access system
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for transceiving downlink control information (DCI) in a wireless access system. More particularly, the method comprises: a step of mapping a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) to a common search space (CSS) defined within a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) region in a frequency first mapping manner; and a step of transmitting DCI to a terminal through the mapped PDCCH.
US09660776B2 Method and apparatus for providing antenna diversity in a wireless communication system
Apparatus and methods implementing transmission schemes that can flexibly achieve the desired spatial multiplexing order, spatial diversity order, and channel estimation overhead order are provided. For example, an apparatus is provided that includes a processor configured to allocate different subcarriers to different antennas at different times. A memory is coupled to the processor. The processor can be further configured to map a traffic channel to a specific sequence of the different subcarriers at the different times. The processor can also be further configured to transmit the traffic channel on only one of the different subcarriers at each time in the different times. The processor can be integrated with at least one of a base station and a terminal.
US09660770B2 Framing scheme and method for digital communication overhead and latency reduction
A data communication framing scheme of a bit stream that is divided among a plurality of discrete physical frames, each physical frame is of a definite number of symbols in duration, each symbol is associated with at least one sub-carrier in a plurality of sub-carriers, the physical frame is partitioned in time into at least an uplink zone and a downlink zone, the data framing scheme comprising a logical frame having a logical frame start position that is offset by a rational number of said symbols from a reference symbol, said reference symbol is selected from said definite number of symbols, wherein said logical frame extends in time to coincide with at least part of the duration of said physical frame and at least part of the duration of another physical frame in said plurality of discrete physical frames.
US09660768B2 Dense acknowledgement broadcast/multicast
A method (of operating a central node to acknowledge received messages) includes: receiving multiple data messages from multiple instances of a message-sourceable end node, respectively, each end-node-instance having an at least substantially unique identification (“ID”); and sending a dense acknowledgement message (“dense ACK”) acknowledging receipt of the data messages but not explicitly identifying any of the IDs of the corresponding end-node-instances. And a method (of operating a given instance of the end node to infer a delivery-condition at the central node of a data message sent by the given instance) including: sending a given data message including the substantially unique ID; receiving a dense ACK including a payload indicating receipt of multiple data messages but not explicitly identifying IDs of the given end-node-instance nor of other end-node-instances corresponding to the received messages, respectively; and inferring the delivery-condition based on a manipulated payload of the dense ACK.
US09660766B2 Robust symbol transmission and reception method using hierarchical modulation in wireless access system
The present invention provides hierarchical modulation methods for robust symbol transmission and reception in a wireless access system, and devices supporting same. A method for transmitting a hierarchically modulated (HM) symbol in a wireless access system, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: generating a first symbol; generating a second symbol; generating an HM symbol by combining the first symbol and the second symbol; and transmitting the HM symbol, wherein the first symbol can be generated by means of a spatial multiplexing (SM) technique, a beam-forming technique, or a space-time coding technique and the second symbol can be generated by means of a spatial multiplexing (SM) technique, a beam-forming technique, or a space-time coding technique.
US09660765B1 Method and apparatus for broadcast information reception in wireless communication systems
Low latency wireless communication applications require highly dynamic allocation of resources. Providing allocation information on a highly dynamic basis increases the overhead of control signaling for allocation. A technique known as blind decoding is used to reduce the control signaling overhead for allocation information. However, blind decoding may occasionally lead to invalid detection of allocation messages which in turn may lead to a number of problems such as wasted bandwidth, increased power consumption, reduced throughput, etc. A method and apparatus are disclosed that detect the invalid allocation messages by maintaining a record of previously received allocation messages and using it to check the validity of the newly received allocation messages.
US09660753B2 Optical add/drop multiplexer using integrated optical components
An optical add/drop multiplexer incorporates an integrated receiver module and an integrated transmitter which are interfaced to an intervening electrical network to provide an add/drop/pass-through functionality. The receiver module incorporates a wavelength demultiplexer which is in turn combined with optical/electrical converters PIN photodiodes, and amplifiers on a per wavelength basis to output a plurality of parallel electrical signals in response to a common optical input. The transmitter module combines an integrated plurality of drive circuits and lasers for converting a plurality of parallel input electrical signals to a plurality of optical signals, on a per wavelength basis, which in turn are coupled via an optical wavelength multiplexer to a common output optical fiber. The interconnected electrical network, ring mesh or tree, can provide a reconfigurable electrical add/drop interface to other portions of the network.
US09660741B2 Method for performing measurement
One disclosure of the present specification provides a method for performing measurement. The method may comprise the steps of: receiving measurement setting information and wireless resource setting information from a serving cell; and receiving setting information for a measurement interval if a frequency band of the serving cell and a frequency band of a neighboring cell belong to different inter-bands, wherein setting information for the measurement interval may indicate a setting in which the number of downlink (DL) subframes is 1 for 5 ms if the serving cell operates with a TDD UL-DL setting of 0 or 6. The method may comprise a step of performing measurement for reference signals from the serving cell and the neighboring cell during the measurement interval.
US09660740B2 Signal strength distribution establishing method and wireless positioning system
A signal strength distribution establishing method includes establishing a plurality of distribution functions corresponding to a plurality of base stations; measuring a plurality of signal strengths from the plurality of base stations on at least a measuring location in an area to obtain a plurality of signal strengths measured values; adjusting the plurality of distribution functions according to the plurality of signal strengths on the at least a measuring location; computing a plurality of signal strength estimated values corresponding to a plurality of locations within the area according to the plurality of adjusted distribution functions; and establishing a signal strength distribution map corresponding to the area according to the plurality of signal strength measured values and the plurality of signal strength estimated values.
US09660737B2 Method of supporting multi-frequency bands and electronic device supporting the same
An electronic device which operates in response to multi-frequency bands is provided. The electronic device includes an antenna, a reception module configured to amplify a signal received through the antenna and distribute the amplified signal according to the multi-frequency bands, and a circuit unit configured to process signals included in the multi-frequency bands.
US09660729B2 Cable communication system optical nodes having selectable attenuation values to mitigate distortion of upstream information
An HFC cable communication system comprising: a CMTS having a first attenuator to attenuate one or more upstream signals applied to the CMTS; an optical link having a dynamic range and comprising an optical receiver having a second attenuator to attenuate the upstream signal(s) and an optical transmitter having a third attenuator to attenuate the upstream signal(s); a coaxial RF link comprising one or more RF amplifiers having a fourth attenuator to attenuate the upstream signal(s); and one or more subscriber modems to generate the upstream signal(s) at respective transmit RF signal levels. The CMTS implements a long loop ALC to set the transmit RF signal level(s) based on received RF signal levels of the upstream signal(s) at the CMTS. Respective values for the first, second, third and fourth attenuators are selected based on the dynamic range of the optical link so as to facilitate implementation of the long loop ALC and effective transmission of upstream information carried by the upstream signal(s).
US09660725B2 Identifier announcement and detection scheme for PoE fixtures
Techniques are presented herein to enable identification of light fixtures. A light fixture modulates light emitted by the light fixture with an identifier associated with the light fixture. The identifier may be encoded or encrypted before it is modulated. In one example, the identifier is a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID). A user device is positioned to detect light emitted by the light fixture. The user device demodulates the light to obtain the identifier. The identifier, time and location associated with detection of the identifier are sent to a management entity for use in provisioning the light fixture on a network.
US09660724B2 Communication apparatus and storage medium
There is provided a communication apparatus including a communication unit having an optical communication scheme and a different communication scheme from the optical communication scheme, a level setting unit configured to set a security level in data communication, and a communication scheme switching unit configured to switch communication schemes of the communication unit in accordance with the security level that is set by the level setting unit.
US09660714B2 Two-way relay apparatus and method thereof
One or more embodiments provide an apparatus and a method to estimate channel information even when channel information is not accurately known and design a relay filter based on the estimated information in a two-way relay system where a terminal having a single antenna and a relay exist. A relay apparatus of a two-way relay system includes a receiver, a controller, and a transmitter. The receiver receives a signal from at least one terminal. The controller estimates a channel between the terminals based on the received signal, and calculates a receiver matrix and a precoder. The transmitter transmits a signal precoded by the precoder.
US09660713B2 Method and apparatus for obtaining channel direction information
The present disclosure relates to a pre-5th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates Beyond 4th-Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE).The present disclosure discloses a method for obtaining channel direction information, which includes: transmitting a first detection signal and a second detection signal in at least one detection region, wherein there is differential information between the first detection signal and the second detection signal; receiving a signal receiving characteristic of the first detection signal and a signal receiving characteristic of the second detection signal from a receiver; and adjusting channel direction information (CDI) according to the signal receiving characteristic of the first detection signal and the signal receiving characteristic of the second detection signal. The present disclosure further discloses an apparatus for obtaining channel direction information.
US09660705B2 On-board unit, communication method, and recording medium
An on-board unit includes a first antenna and a second antenna, a traffic data service communicating section corresponding to a traffic data service; a billing service communicating section corresponding to a billing service, a switch which switches a connection relation between each of the first antenna and the second antenna and the traffic data service communicating section and the billing service communicating section, a control section which controls the switch. When the operation mode is switched from the traffic data service mode to the billing service mode, the on-board unit is set to a switching communication mode in which one of the first antenna and the second antenna is connected with the traffic data service communicating section and the other is connected with the billing service communicating section.
US09660693B1 Spatio-temporal signal monitoring
A spatio-temporal signal monitoring system includes a sampler configured to receive a radio frequency signal and obtain first compressive sensing measurements of said received signal at a first resolution level, and a signal detector configured to identify at least one signal of interest based on said first compressive sensing measurements and perform second compressive sensing measurements on said at least one signal of interest at a second resolution level, said second resolution level being higher than said first resolution level. The received signal may be analyzed as an array or image having two or more dimensions, based on frequency and on at least one other parameter, such as angle-of arrival, and may be analyzed at a higher level of resolution at the frequencies and angles corresponding to a signal of interest (SOI). Estimates of the frequency and/or the at least one other parameter may be generated by the system. The system may be used to monitor a wideband RF spectrum and/or track signals, such as frequency-hopping signals.
US09660688B2 Apparatus and methods for power amplifier output matching
Apparatus and methods for power amplifier output matching is provided. In certain configurations, an output matching circuit includes a supply voltage biasing circuit electrically connected between an input node and a power high supply voltage, a second-order harmonic series resonant circuit electrically connected between the input node and a power low supply voltage, a third-order harmonic parallel resonant circuit electrically connected between the input node and a harmonic frequency grounding node, a third-order harmonic series resonant circuit electrically connected between the harmonic frequency grounding node and the power low supply voltage, and a DC blocking capacitor electrically connected between the harmonic frequency grounding node and an output node.
US09660685B1 Electronic device and key module
An electronic device and a key module are provided. The electronic device includes a case, a key plate, a switch, a location sensor and a processor. The case has a first hole. The key plate is slidably disposed at the inner wall of the case. Portion of the key plate is exposed at the first hole, and the key plate is configured to slide between a first location and a second location. The switch is disposed at the case. The key plate is suitable for pressing the switch to enable the switch to send a switch signal. The location sensor is disposed at the case for sensing whether the key plate is located at the first location or the second location. The processor is electrically coupled to the switch and the location sensor and performs a first command or a second command in response to the switch signal and according the sensing result of the location sensor.
US09660683B2 Protective cover
A protective cover includes a housing and a support. The housing includes a receiving space for receiving a portable electronic device, an opening and a sliding rail. The support is received in the opening. The support includes a folding portion and a supporting portion. The folding portion includes a connecting element, a first main body, a second main body, and a free end. One end of the first main body is rotatably connected to one end of the opening by the connecting element, another end of the first main body, the second main body, and the free end are rotatably connected in turn. The free end is received in the sliding rail to slide along the sliding rail. One end of the supporting portion is fixed to the second main body, and another end of the supporting portion is free related to the first main body.
US09660682B2 Apparatus for holding an electronic device
A holder for an electronic device includes a body, a first receptacle, and a second receptacle. The body includes a surface, a first end portion, a second end portion, a medial portion, and an attachment mechanism configured for attaching the body to a wearable band. The attachment mechanism includes one or more deformable attachment protrusions configured for insertion into one or more corresponding attachment apertures of the wearable band. The first and second receptacles are each configured for removably retaining the electronic device to the body. The first and second receptacles each define a respective cavity bounded by a stretchable opening. Each opening is configured to receive and retain a respective end of the electronic device as well as ends of other electronic devices having a range of sizes.
US09660671B2 Transformer and communication terminal device
In a transformer, first and second coils are provided on different substrate layers of a multilayer body. The first and second coil conductors are interlayer-connected to each other by interlayer connection conductors. A coil aperture defined by the first coil conductor and a coil aperture defined by the second coil conductor overlap each other when seen in a plan view from a laminating direction of the multilayer body. The first and second coil conductors are connected to each other at at least two places with the interlayer connection conductors interposed therebetween. A parallel connection portion including a first portion of the first coil conductor and a first portion of the second coil conductor is provided, and a series connection portion including a second portion of the first coil conductor and a second portion of the second coil conductor is provided.
US09660661B2 High bandwidth oscilloscope
A method for improving bandwidth of an oscilloscope involves, in preferred embodiments, the use of frequency up-conversion and down-conversion techniques. In an illustrative embodiment the technique involves separating an input signal into a high frequency content and a low frequency content, down-converting the high frequency content in the analog domain so that it may be processed by the oscilloscope's analog front end, digitizing the low frequency content and the down-converted high frequency content, and forming a digital representation of the received analog signal from the digitized low frequency content and high frequency content.
US09660657B2 Spread spectrum clock generator
A spread spectrum clock generator includes: a phase comparing unit that receives a reference clock signal and a feedback clock signal, and generates a control voltage corresponding to a phase difference between the reference clock signal and the feedback clock signal; a voltage-controlled oscillator that oscillates at an oscillating frequency corresponding to the control voltage, and generates an output clock signal; a delta-sigma modulator that receives a waveform signal for controlling spreading of a spectrum of the output clock signal, and outputs bits larger than 1 bit based on the waveform signal; a control circuit that controls a multiplication number according to an output signal of the delta-signal modulator; and a divider that generates the feedback clock signal by dividing the output clock signal according to the multiplication number controlled by the control circuit, and supplies the feedback clock signal to the phase comparing unit.
US09660655B2 Ultra low phase noise frequency synthesizer
A system for providing ultra low phase noise frequency synthesizers using Fractional-N PLL (Phase Lock Loop), Sampling Reference PLL and DDS (Direct Digital Synthesizer). Modern day advanced communication systems comprise frequency synthesizers that provide a frequency output signal to other parts of the transmitter and receiver so as to enable the system to operate at the set frequency band. The performance of the frequency synthesizer determines the performance of the communication link. Current days advanced communication systems comprises single loop Frequency synthesizers which are not completely able to provide lower phase deviations for errors (For 256 QAM the practical phase deviation for no errors is 0.4-0.5°) which would enable users to receive high data rate. This proposed system overcomes deficiencies of current generation state of the art communication systems by providing much lower level of phase deviation error which would result in much higher modulation schemes and high data rate.
US09660651B2 Level shift circuit
An input part is supplied with a low voltage from a low voltage power supply line. A level shift part and an output part are supplied with a high voltage from a high voltage power supply line. An input terminal is pulled up by a resistor and connected to the level shift part through a buffer circuit and an inverter circuit. The level shift part is connected in series with an NMOS and turned on when the input terminal changes to a low level. The output terminal is pulled up by a resistor through the buffer circuit. Even when the level shift part operates unstably because of long delay time from rising of a potential of the high voltage power supply line to rising of a potential of the low voltage power supply line, the output voltage is maintained at a high level.
US09660649B2 Voltage scaling for holistic energy management
A method for scaling voltages provided to different modules of a system-on-chip (SOC) includes receiving, at an energy-performance engine of the SOC, a first indication of usage history for a first module of the SOC and a second indication of usage history for a second module of the SOC. The method includes receiving a battery life indication that indicates a remaining battery life for a battery of the SOC. The method also includes adjusting a first supply voltage provided to the first module of the SOC based on the first indication, the second indication, and the battery life indication. The method further includes adjusting a second supply voltage provided to the second module of the SOC based on the first indication, the second indication, and the battery life indication.
US09660647B2 Calibration device and memory system having the same
A calibration device for use in a memory system includes a bias circuit providing bias current, and a calibration unit generating a control signal for calibration. The bias circuit includes an internal resistor and measures a second bias current generated by mirroring a first bias current through the internal resistor, and adjusts the second bias current to generate the second bias current in a predetermined range as a third bias current. The calibration unit generates the control signal based on a comparison result between a reference voltage and a voltage generated based on the third bias current through an adjustable resistor.
US09660637B1 Driving circuit and driving method
A driving circuit configured to control at least one switch element is disclosed in the present disclosure. The driving circuit includes a first voltage generating circuit, a second voltage generating circuit and a driving voltage generating circuit. The first voltage generating circuit is configured to generate a first voltage signal. The second voltage generating circuit is configured to generate a second voltage signal. The driving voltage generating circuit is electrically coupled with the first voltage generating circuit and the second voltage generating circuit. The driving voltage generating circuit outputs at least one driving voltage signal according to the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal. The at least one driving voltage signal comprises three levels. At least one level of the levels is lower than zero level.
US09660635B2 Power device drive circuit
A power device drive circuit reduces the short-circuit resistance of a power device that switches an input voltage. The power device drive circuit includes an output amplifier that applies a control voltage to a control terminal of the power device so as to be turned on and off, and an internal power supply circuit that generates a drive voltage of the output amplifier in accordance with a change in the input voltage, thereby causing the control voltage to change. In particular, the internal power supply circuit reduces the drive voltage of the output amplifier when the input voltage rises, thereby reducing the short-circuit current of the power device.
US09660633B2 Power gating
A circuit and method for power gating is provided. The circuit includes a switch circuit and a modulation oscillator. The switch circuit is connected between a circuit module and a power network having a target level. The switch circuit receives a control signal at its control signal input terminal to gate a connection between the circuit module and the power network under the control of the control signal. The switch circuit is connected to the circuit module at a first node. A modulation oscillator enabling signal input terminal is connected to a gating signal for enabling the modulation oscillator, a modulation oscillator control signal input terminal is connected to the first node, and an modulation oscillator output terminal is connected to the control signal input terminal of the switch circuit. The oscillation signal outputted from the modulation oscillator is modulated by the level of the first node.
US09660632B1 Adjustable time duration for driving pulse-width modulation (PWM) output to reduce thermal noise
Noise introduced in an output signal of a pulse-width modulator (PWM) may be reduced by changing the time duration that a switch is driving the output node. Because the power supplies coupled to the switches are the source of noise in the output signal of the PWM, the time duration that the power supplies are driving the output may be reduced to obtain a subsequent reduction in noise in the output signal. For example, when a small signal is desired to be output by the PWM, the switches may be operated for shorter time durations. Thus, the switches couple the noise sources to ground for a duration of a cycle to reduce contribution of noise to the output. But, when a larger signal is desired to be output by the PWM, the switches may be operated for longer time durations or the conventional time durations described above.
US09660626B2 Implantable medical device having clock tree network with reduced power consumption
An integrated circuit includes a clock tree network that distributes a clock signal to a plurality of clocked components of the integrated circuit. The clock tree network includes clock lines, each of which includes a clock tree delay element that provides a modified clock signal that is provided to an individual one the clocked components. Among the plurality of clocked components, one or more of the clocked components provides a data signal to another one or more of the clocked components. The one or more clocked components are configured having a transmission duration for the data signal that is longer relative to a transmission duration of the modified clock signal of the receiving clocked component.
US09660619B2 High voltage pulse generator
The present invention relates to a high voltage pulse generator which can operate for a long time and has high pulse frequency. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the air stored in the air container is transmitted to the air duct by means of a hose over the regulator that adjusts the pressure and flow rate of the air. The air given into the air duct blows into the chamber through the nozzles. Then, this air is taken into this air duct by means of the nozzles placed on the other air duct and is transferred to the outer environment over an exhaust valve placed under the air duct. The air coming from the air container takes the place of the removed air.
US09660611B2 Method, system, and apparatus for resonator circuits and modulating resonators
Embodiments of resonator circuits and modulating resonators and are described generally herein. One or more acoustic wave resonators may be coupled in series or parallel to generate tunable filters. One or more acoustic wave resonances may be modulated by one or more capacitors or tunable capacitors. One or more acoustic wave modules may also be switchable in a filter. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09660602B2 Device and method for filtering electromagnetic interference
Device (1) for filtering electromagnetic interference, comprising: —a plurality of electrical conductors (5) mounted in parallel, each conductor (5) comprising a first coil (10) disposed between a first (7) and a second (8) end of the conductor (5), said first coils (10) being coupled magnetically together and exhibiting one and the same first number of turns, said first (7) and second (8) ends of the conductors (5) respectively defining first (7) and second (8) terminals for the device, —a plurality of capacitors (13), each capacitor (13) being mounted between the second and (8) of an electrical conductor (5) and a third terminal (15) of the device, and —an additional circuit (20) comprising a second coil (21) coupled magnetically with the first coils (10) and exhibiting a second number of turns, said circuit (20) furthermore comprising an additional coil (23).
US09660589B2 Power amplifier module
A power amplifier module includes an amplifier transistor and a bias circuit. A first power supply voltage based on a first operation mode or a second power supply voltage based on a second operation mode is supplied to the amplifier transistor. The amplifier transistor receives a first signal and outputs a second signal obtained by amplifying the first signal. The bias circuit supplies a bias current to the amplifier transistor. The bias circuit includes first and second resistors and first and second transistors. The first transistor is connected in series with the first resistor and is turned ON by a first bias control voltage which is supplied when the first operation mode is used. The second transistor is connected in series with the second resistor and is turned ON by a second bias control voltage which is supplied when the second operation mode is used.
US09660581B2 Oscillation circuit, electronic apparatus, moving object, and method of adjusting oscillation circuit
An oscillation circuit includes a circuit for oscillation, a first frequency adjustment circuit for adjusting a frequency, and a first terminal. The oscillation circuit has a first mode in which the circuit for oscillation and the first frequency adjustment circuit are electrically connected to each other and the first frequency adjustment circuit and the first terminal are not electrically connected to each other, and a second mode in which the circuit for oscillation and the first frequency adjustment circuit operate and a terminal on a side where a signal of the first frequency adjustment circuit is output and the first terminal are electrically connected to each other.
US09660576B2 Predicting production of photovoltaic systems
The present invention is directed to methods, systems, and devices for predicting production of a photovoltaic (PV) system. A method may include establishing a reference performance model for a reference PV system at a reference site. Further, the method may include establishing a performance factor for an installed PV system based on configuration parameters of the installed PV system, measurements of the installed PV system, weather data at an installation site of the installed PV system and a comparison of the measurements of the installed PV system to the reference performance model. The method may also include predicting production of the installed PV system based on the performance factor, cumulative weather data and a time dependent performance ratio.
US09660571B2 Method for hybrid solar tracking, and apparatus for hybrid solar tracking and photovoltaic blind system using same
A method for hybrid solar tracking, and an apparatus for hybrid solar tracking and a photovoltaic blind system using the same are disclosed. The method includes generating first predicted power output data by analyzing first measured power output data of the past; generating a lagged error; constructing a regression analysis (RA) model, and deriving second predicted power output data; constructing an artificial neural network (ANN) model, and deriving third predicted power output data; selecting either a method for solar tracking based on photovoltaic power output or a method for solar tracking based on location and time depending on whether the second measured power output data of the present time falls within a filtering range based on a first error range and a second error range; and determining the directions of photovoltaic panels according to the selected method for solar tracking.
US09660562B2 Apparatus for determining start of electric machine
An apparatus for determining start of electric machine is disclosed wherein a frequency of a 3-phase current inputted from a motor is estimated to determine whether the motor has started using a difference between the estimated frequency and a frequency of output voltage of inverter configured to drive the motor.
US09660558B2 System and method for controlling regenerative braking of electric vehicle
A system and a method for controlling regenerative braking of an electric vehicle are provided. The system and method calculate an available torque considering a battery system and an available torque considering a motor system to improve an accuracy of regenerative braking amount. The method includes calculating an available torque considering a battery system and an available torque considering a motor system when regenerative braking of the electric vehicle is required and calculating a regenerative braking capacity based on the available torque considering the battery system and the available torque considering the motor system.
US09660551B2 Operating point optimization with double-base-contact bidirectional bipolar junction transistor circuits, methods, and systems
The present application teaches, inter alia, methods and circuits for operating B-TRANs (double-base bidirectional bipolar junction transistors). Base drive circuits provide high-impedance drive to the base contact region on whichever side of the device is (instantaneously) operating as the collector. (B-TRANs, unlike other bipolar junction transistors, are controlled by applied voltage, not applied current.) Control signals operate preferred drive circuits, providing diode-mode turn-on and pre-turnoff operation, and a hard ON state with a low voltage drop (the “transistor-ON” state). In some (not necessarily all) preferred embodiments, a self-synchronizing rectifier circuit provides an adjustable low voltage for the gate drive circuit. Also, in some preferred embodiments, the base drive voltage used to drive the c-base region (on the collector side) is varied while monitoring the base current at that terminal, so that no more base current than necessary is applied. This solves the difficult challenge of optimizing base drive in B-TRANs.
US09660542B2 Valley to valley switching in quasi-resonant mode for driver
The time when a switch is turned on from the time of one voltage valley to the time of another voltage valley may be adjusted for controlling an average load current or average load voltage. In some examples, the adjustment is instantaneous, and in some examples, the adjustment is gradual. Both of these example techniques provide for high switching efficiency of the switch.
US09660538B2 Digital closed-loop control for DC/DC switch-mode power converters with multiple outputs
Apparatus and method for providing closed loop feedback control for switch-mode DC/DC power converter with multiple outputs using digital filter feedback, in contrast to analog error feedback. In the apparatus and method, multiple outputs for a switch-mode DC/DC power converter are regulated by digital means, including the allocating or partitioning of digital control resources among each of the multiple outputs. The partitioning of control resources may be in response to operating conditions.
US09660535B2 Method and system to dynamically position a switch mode power supply output voltage
A switch mode power supply (SMPS) converter is periodically run backwards by using a synchronous switch instead of the normally used commutating diode. By running the SMPS converter backwards the SMPS output capacitor can be discharged very quickly to provide a fast turn off of (no current through) the LED's, thereby solving the color shift problem. This enables positioning the output voltage of the SMPS up or down by actively charging or discharging the bulk output capacitor. Having the capability of actively charging or discharging the bulk output capacitor allows generation of a current source comprising substantially square, e.g., substantially full current when on and substantially no current when off, current pulses that are preferable for driving LED lighting applications.
US09660530B2 Resonant virtual supply booster for synchronous digital circuits having a predictable evaluate time
A booster for a digital circuit block provides speed and reliability at lower static power supply voltages, reducing overall power consumption of the circuits. The booster includes a transistor that couples a dynamic power supply node to a static power supply and is disabled in response to a boost clock. An inductor and capacitance, which may be the block power supply shunt capacitance, coupled to the dynamic power supply resonates so that the voltage of the dynamic power supply increases in magnitude to a value greater the static power supply voltage. A boost transistor is included in some embodiments to couple an edge of the clock to the dynamic power supply, increasing the voltage rise. Another aspect of the booster includes multiple boost transistors controlled by different boost clock phases so that the resonant boost circuit is successively stimulated to increase the amount of voltage rise.
US09660528B2 Adaptive controller for a voltage converter
A DC-to-DC converter includes an input voltage node, an inductor, and a switch coupled to the inductor and the input voltage node. More specifically, the switch has an on state and off state, wherein during the on state, current flowing through the inductor increases and the off state results in a decrease of the current flowing through the inductor via a driver coupled to the switch. The driver comprises a plurality of transistors and an adaptive voltage node, wherein a voltage level at the adaptive voltage node is to vary in accordance with the current flowing through the inductor so as to decrease a variation of the amount of time to turn off the switch.
US09660513B2 Switching device
A control circuit is driven by a driving voltage (VOC) generated by a generator circuit, and outputs a control signal. A drive circuit is driven by a driving voltage (VOD) generated by another generator circuit, and turns a switching element inside a switching circuit on or off by supplying, to the switching circuit, a drive signal based on the control signal. During activation of a switching device, a voltage generation controller detects a voltage value of the output voltage (VOC) of the generator circuit, and allows activation of the other generator circuit after verifying that the detected voltage value is at or above a designated threshold.
US09660510B2 Voltage converter for a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a voltage converter (1) for a motor vehicle. Said voltage converter (1) comprises a transformer (10) and a power output stage (7). The power output stage (7) comprises at least two semiconductor switches (20, 22, 24, 26) that are connected to the transformer (10), in particular to a primary winding (12) of said transformer (10). The voltage converter (1) has a driver stage (31) which is connected, on the output side, to a control connection of the semiconductor switch (20, 22, 24, 26) and which is designed to actuate said semiconductor switch (20, 22, 24, 26) using a control signal (93, 94), for the purpose of generating an alternating voltage. According to the invention, the driver stage (31) is connected, on the input side, to a pulse signal generator (35) and an input capacitor (60, 62). The pulse signal generator (35) is designed to generate a pulse signal (37, 38) and to actuate the driver stage (31) using the pulse signal (37, 38) in order to generate the control signal (93, 94). For at least one incipient half-wave of the alternating voltage, the pulse signal (37, 38) has at least one prepulse and one main pulse that generates the half-wave, the prepulse being designed to preload the input capacitor (60, 62) of the driver stage (31) such that complete switching of the semiconductor switch (20, 22, 24, 26) can occur more quickly than it could without a prepulse.
US09660499B2 Compressor having biased controlled magnetic bearings
A stator is provided which exerts a combined electromagnetic force of a plurality of electromagnets on a drive shaft having a fluctuating load. A controller is provided which controls a current difference between a first coil current passed through a coil of the electromagnet generating an electromagnetic force in a direction opposite to that of the load and a second coil current passed through a coil of the electromagnet generating an electromagnetic force in the same direction as that of the load to perform a position control on the drive shaft. The controller adjusts the second coil current to reduce an average value of the second coil current.
US09660494B2 Joint and jointing method in a permanent magnet synchronous machine
The invention relates to a joint between a copper short-circuiting ring (1) and a copper bar (2) of the damper winding in a permanent magnet synchronous machine, wherein the end of the bar is jointed to a hole (9) disposed in the short-circuiting ring by welding them together at the mating surfaces. Further, the invention relates to a corresponding method. According to the invention the short-circuiting ring (1) includes a blocking structure for limiting the heat flux from being conducted further into the short-circuiting ring from the weld between the short-circuiting ring and the bar.
US09660490B2 Permanent magnet type motor and method for manufacturing permanent magnet type motor
Provided is a permanent magnet type motor capable of improving a demagnetization proof stress almost without lowering a generated torque, and reducing a torque ripple and a cogging torque by improving a gap magnetic flux density distribution. Portions having a low demagnetization proof stress of a plurality of permanent magnets incorporated into a rotor core are partially and equally demagnetized.
US09660487B1 Intelligent wireless power transferring system with automatic positioning
An automatic-positioning wireless power transfer system to wirelessly charge power to an object and is also capable of wirelessly harvesting power from an object. The power transfer system consists of a mobile housing configured to autonomously move about the object, and has a tiltable transceiver. The mobile housing can be tethered to a base station via a cable, or not physically tethered to a base station when it travels.
US09660485B2 Methods and apparatus for electronic device power
Improved mechanisms for automated control of harvested energy delivery are described. A device harvests and stores energy and activates a controller when a sufficient level of stored energy is achieved. The controller retrieves previous power-off state information determines status information, and activates and powers a powered device. Just before insufficient energy remains to power the powered device, the controller stores shutdown status information and enters a power-off state.
US09660483B2 Power supply control apparatus and power supply control system having the same
A power supply control apparatus is connected to an electric device to control supply of power to the electric device. The apparatus includes a main power switch to apply or interrupt main power to the electric device, the main power being external input commercial AC power, an auxiliary power storage unit supplied and charged with the main power as auxiliary power, a charging/discharging unit including a charging circuit to convert the main power into DC power and charge the converted DC power in the auxiliary power storage unit, and a discharging circuit to convert the DC power in the auxiliary power storage unit into AC power and discharge the converted AC power to the electric device, and a controller to control the main power switch, and control the charging/discharging unit to selectively drive the charging circuit or the discharging circuit.
US09660482B2 Power conversion device with momentary voltage drop compensation
A power conversion device able to supply a constant load voltage even when the voltage of a 3-phase alternating current power supply fluctuates. A series circuit formed of switching element Q1 and switching element Q2 and a series circuit formed of switching element Q3 and switching element Q4 are connected to both ends of direct current power supply series circuit 3 formed of direct current power supply Psp and direct current power supply Psn, a bidirectional switch element S1 is connected between alternating current output terminals U and R, a bidirectional switch element S2 is connected between alternating current output terminal U and neutral terminal O, a bidirectional switch element S3 is connected between alternating current output terminal W and neutral terminal O, a bidirectional switch element S4 is connected between alternating current output terminal W and terminal T, and alternating current output terminals V and terminal S are connected.
US09660479B2 Device and method for wirelessly transmitting power
There is provided a wireless power transmitting device capable of simply being carried by a user and wirelessly transmitting a power to a power receiving device with a high transmission efficiency regardless of time and space. The wireless power transmitting device includes a power storage unit configured to store a direct current power, and a power transmitting unit configured to be operated by the direct current power stored in the power storage unit and to wirelessly transmit the power to a power receiving device.
US09660477B2 Mobile charging unit for input devices
Devices, methods, and systems for charging input devices. A charging unit includes a sleeve for receiving a stylus and a base. The charging unit receives electrical power from an external power source via an interface and transfers the power to the stylus via a connection between the base's charging contacts and conductive charging zones on a portion of the input device in the base. A method detects insertion of a stylus into a charging unit having an internal battery and an interface capable of receiving power from an external power source. The method determines if the unit is connected to a power source. If so, the stylus is charged by transferring the received energy via a connection between the unit's charging contacts and conductive charging zones of the stylus. If energy is not being received from the external power source, the method charges the stylus using the unit's internal battery.
US09660473B2 Controllers for DC/DC converter
A DC/DC converter converts an input DC voltage to an output DC voltage and charges a battery. The DC/DC converter includes: a DC/DC controller, operable for generating a driving signal according to a target value for the output voltage and a first detection signal indicative of the output voltage level to control switching circuitry and to adjust the output voltage level; and a battery charging controller, coupled to the DC/DC controller and the battery, that is operable for receiving the first detection signal indicative of the output voltage level and a second detection signal indicative of a battery voltage level, and for generating a loop control signal according to the first detection signal and the second detection signal to adjust the target value for the output voltage, wherein the difference between the first detection signal and the second detection signal indicates the amount of a battery charging current.
US09660465B2 Uninterruptible power supply, battery assembly thereof and charging-discharging method thereof
A battery assembly includes a power module, a receptacle connector, a driving switch and a movable stop arm. The power module includes a battery control unit and a cell electrically connected to the battery control unit. The receptacle connector is disposed at the power module and electrically connected to the cell via the battery control unit. The receptacle connector includes an insertion opening. The driving switch is disposed corresponding to the receptacle connector and electrically connected to the battery control unit. A default setting of the driving switch is “switched off”. One end of the movable stop arm is outside of the insertion opening and blocks the same. The movable stop arm is movable toward the driving switch to touch and switch on the same.
US09660461B2 Charging assembly and charging control method
A charging assembly and a charging control method are provided for charging a battery pack in a fast charging voltage value which is greater than the rated charging voltage value. The charging assembly includes a battery pack, a charger and a control system configured to control the charger to charge the battery pack with a constant charging current. The method includes: detecting the open-circuit voltage of each battery cell and screening out a maximum open-circuit voltage value, calculating a maximum charging duration and controlling the charger to charge the battery cell assembly with a constant current when the charging voltage is equal to the fast charging voltage value or reaches the maximum charging duration.
US09660458B2 Electrical load management
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for electrical load management. One of the systems includes a first electrical grid, one or more power sources coupled to the first electrical grid, a second electrical grid coupled to the first electrical grid by a power conversion system, one or more loads coupled to the second electrical grid, and one or more load control systems coupled to the one or more loads. A grid control system is configured to receive source information from the first electrical grid and send load instructions to the load control systems based on the source information.
US09660446B2 Power distribution system for an aircraft
An aircraft power distribution system includes a first DC power distribution bus, a second DC power distribution bus, and a DC power source coupled with at least one of the first or second DC power distribution buses, wherein the DC power distribution buses are electrically coupled by a plurality of electrical couplings.
US09660444B2 Control unit for robots
In a control unit for a robot, an inverter which drives a motor installed in a robot. A control circuit controls drive of the motor. A drive power circuit supplies DC power to the motor, and a control power circuit DC power to the control circuit. A backup power circuit supplies backup DC power to the control circuit when the DC power from the control power circuit to the control circuit is shut down. A first switch is arranged between the backup power circuit and the inverter, the first switch being selectively switched on and off to open and close. A first switch control section switches on the first switch such that the DC power in the backup power circuit is supplementarily supplied to the inverter when the motor is driven to be accelerated.
US09660439B2 Direct current power distribution and protection system
A direct current power (DC) distribution system includes a plurality of DC power sources, a ring bus, a plurality of switch assemblies, and a plurality of passive protection assemblies. Each DC power source is coupled to the ring bus by a respective switch assembly and a respective passive protection assembly.
US09660426B1 Attachments for compact tractor for pulling wire through underground conduits
A compact tractor equipped for pulling wire through underground conduits having a boom and dipper on the rear of the compact tractor and a rotatable witch's hat spool assembly on the front of the compact tractor, wherein the spool assembly is mounted onto the loader lifter arms such that it can be easily tilted to dump a roll of cable onto the back of a trailer.
US09660415B2 Semiconductor laser device
This semiconductor laser device includes a semiconductor laser chip and a spatial light modulator SLM which is optically connected to the semiconductor laser chip. The semiconductor laser chip LDC includes an active layer 4, a pair of cladding layers 2 and 7 sandwiching the active layer 4, and a diffraction grating layer 6 which is optically connected to the active layer 4. The spatial light modulator SLM includes a transparent common electrode 25, a plurality of transparent pixel electrodes 21, a liquid crystal layer LC arranged between the common electrode 25 and the pixel electrodes 21. A laser beam output in a thickness direction of the diffraction grating layer 6 is modulated by the spatial light modulator SLM, passes therethrough, and is output to the outside.
US09660414B2 Heat dissipation system for optical module
A heat dissipation system for an optical module, related to communication fittings technologies, is provided to improve heat dissipation efficiency of the optical module. The heat dissipation system for an optical module includes a circuit card on which at least one optical module is mounted, where the optical module includes a housing and a laser disposed inside the housing. A first heat dissipation apparatus is fixedly disposed on the circuit card. A heat dissipation window is provided in an area that is above the laser and on the housing of the optical module. The first heat dissipation apparatus performs heat dissipation on the heat dissipation window.
US09660413B2 Nitride semiconductor light emitting device
A nitride semiconductor light emitting device includes a first coat film of aluminum nitride or aluminum oxynitride formed at a light emitting portion and a second coat film of aluminum oxide formed on the first coat film. The thickness of the second coat film is at least 80 nm and at most 1000 nm. Here, the thickness of the first coat film is preferably at least 6 nm and at most 200 nm.
US09660411B2 Tunable SOI laser
A wavelength tunable silicon-on-insulator (SOI) laser comprising: a laser cavity including: a semiconductor gain medium having a front end and a back end, wherein a mirror of the laser cavity is located at the back end of the semiconductor gain medium; and a phase-tunable waveguide platform coupled to the front end of the semiconductor gain medium, the phase-tunable waveguide platform comprising: a first resonator and a second resonator; at least one resonator being a phase-tunable resonator; wherein the first resonator is any one of: an MMI device including a pair of reflective surfaces defining a resonator cavity therebetween such that the device is configured to act as a Fabry-Perot filter; a ring resonator; or a waveguide Fabry-Perot filter; and wherein the second resonator is any one of: an MMI device including a pair of reflective surfaces defining a resonator cavity therebetween such that the device is configured to act as a Fabry-Perot filter; a ring resonator; or a waveguide Fabry-Perot filter.
US09660409B2 Low noise, high stability, deep ultra-violet, continuous wave laser
A laser for generating deep ultra-violet (DUV) continuous wave (CW) light includes a second-harmonic generator and a fourth-harmonic generator. The fourth-harmonic generator includes a plurality of mirrors as well as a first non-linear optical (NLO) crystal and a pair of tilted plates. The first NLO crystal generates the light having the fourth harmonic wavelength and a first astigmatism, and is placed in operative relation to the plurality of mirrors. The pair of tilted plates is placed in operative relation to the first NLO crystal such that the light having the second harmonic wavelength passes through both of the tilted plates. Notably, the pair of tilted plates are disposed at substantially equal and opposite angles about respective parallel axes such that they introduce a second astigmatism that corrects for the first astigmatism while minimizing displacement of the circulated light.
US09660407B2 Crimp head quick-change structure of a crimping tool
This invention is a crimp head quick-change structure of a crimping tool that enables a crimping tool to quickly replace crimp heads of various specifications. The operating theory of the crimp head quick-change structure of a crimping tool is to utilize: a first crimp head protrusion and a first blocker back section notch pushing each other combines with a first crimp head notch and a first head pushing each other to cause the first crimp head to lodge at first clamp section.
US09660404B2 Terminal connection structure for resistor
Provided is a connection structure for a detection terminal of shunt resistor that allows a lead wire, that is to be connected to an electrode of the shunt resistor and is for detecting electrical current, to be easily and compactly connected to the electrode within a narrow and small module. A terminal connection structure for a resistor, which connects a detection terminal to an electrode, comprises a shunt resistor (13) that has a pair of electrodes (12) at both ends of a resistor body (11); a connector base (14) formed of insulating material; and an electrically conductive section (15a) formed on the connector base (14); wherein the connector base (14) is fit onto the shunt resistor (13) such that the electrically conductive section (15a) is electrically connected to the electrodes (12). The connector base (14) is provided with a joint section (C) that can be fit onto the resistor body (11). The resistor body (11) and the electrode (12) is provided with a level difference and the connector base (14) is fit into between the electrodes (12,12).
US09660397B2 Plate for cable connector attachments
A mounting system for facilitating ordered mating of plural connectors includes a bracket having at least one feature for securing to a pole or wall. A plate is connected to the bracket and includes plural mounting positions. Optional grounding and/or surge arrestors may be included. In a keying embodiment, each mounting position has an inner perimeter shape different than the inner perimeter shapes of the other mounting positions. Each connector of plural first connectors includes a threaded portion holding a first nut with an outer perimeter having a shape unique as compared to the first nuts of other first connectors. The outer perimeter of the first nut seats into one, and only one, of the plural mounting positions of the plate. Optionally, a second plate may be mounted to and spaced from the first plate. The second plate includes plural keyholes which are aligned to the plural mounting positions. Each keyhole has an inner perimeter shape matching the inner perimeter shape of the mounting position to which the keyhole is aligned. The keyholes only permit a second connector, with a matching key nut, to pass therethrough and mate into the first connector in the aligned mounting position.
US09660391B1 Adapter having a rotating member with a connector pin connected to a printed circuit board
An adapter having a rotatable plug is provided. The adapter includes a case having an installation hole which provides access to an interior of the case; a rotation member installed within the installation hole of the case, the rotation member being rotatable within the installation hole relative to the case; at least one connection pin installed in the rotation member and protruding from the case; and a guide member provided adjacent to installation hole in the interior of the case and configured to guide rotation of the rotation member.
US09660390B2 Cable connector assembly having an insulative housing constructed of two main bodies
A cable connector assembly includes: an insulative housing; a number of contacts retained in the insulative housing; a cable including a plurality of wires electrically connected with the contacts and an insulative outer coating enclosing the wires; and a shielding case enclosing the insulative housing; wherein the insulative housing includes a first main body extending along a docking direction and a second main body extending along a direction perpendicular to the docking direction, an end of the second main body is exposed to the first main body along the docking direction, and the insulative outer coating of the cable extends along a direction away from the docking direction to form an angle relative to the extending direction of the second main body.
US09660376B2 Connector insert having a cable crimp portion with protrusions and a receptacle having a label in the front
A magnetic connector system having a durable and reliable construction and a reduced height while maintaining sufficient holding strength. A connector insert may utilize a crimping piece to crimp a braiding of a cable. The crimping piece may be fixed to an attraction plate and a board in the insert for mechanical reliability. Retention clips may be used to fix a shell to the attraction plate. A connector receptacle may employ a magnetically conductive label to improve holding strength.
US09660375B2 Anti-corrosive material, wire with terminal, and wire harness
An anti-corrosive material includes: an ultraviolet curable resin including a polymerizable compound as a main component, the polymerizable compound composed of at least one of a photopolymerizable (meth)acrylate monomer and a photopolymerizable (meth)acrylate oligomer. The polymerizable compound is composed of a combination of a monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomer and a bifunctional (meth)acrylate monomer, or a combination of at least one of a monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomer and a bifunctional (meth)acrylate monomer and at least one of a trifunctional (meth)acrylate monomer and a polyfunctional (meth)acrylate monomer having four or more functional groups. The anti-corrosive material has a viscosity at 25° C. of 18900 mPa·s or less measured according to JIS Z8803.
US09660374B2 Sealed electrical connector for magnetic bearings
An electrical connector providing a sealed electrical link between an inside environment subjected to corrosive gases or liquids under pressure and an outside environment of different pressure. The connector includes a connector body, conductor cables, a thermoplastic insulator, and a sealing element. The connector body is secured to a structure and includes insulating feed-throughs for receiving electrical contacts connecting an outside environment to an inside environment. The conductor cables, comprising an outer insulating layer made of a fusible thermoplastic material, are connected to said electrical contacts inside said inside environment. The thermoplastic insulator is secured to said connector body and surrounds the conductor cables. The thermoplastic insulator and cable outer insulating layers are made of a same type of fusible thermoplastic material making it possible, by localized fusion, to form a thermoplastic weld therebetween. The sealing element is mounted between the connector body and the thermoplastic insulator.
US09660363B2 Battery terminal
What is described is a battery terminal having a pole contact element which is designed to surround a pole of a rechargeable battery on a mounting plane; a first limb and a second limb which are each connected to the pole contact element, the spacing between the first and second limbs being reducible by application of force in order to fasten the pole contact element to the pole, and a tensioning arrangement which couples the two limbs to one another, said tensioning arrangement having a tensioning screw which can be actuated so as to apply force to the two limbs and which is oriented along a tensioning direction which is tilted with respect to the mounting plane. In this case, the tensioning arrangement comprises a first clamping piece which can be positioned on the first limb and a second clamping piece which can be positioned on the second limb, wherein the tensioning screw is passed through a first screw receptacle formed in the first clamping piece and a second screw receptacle formed in the second clamping piece, said first and second screw receptacles being aligned with one another along the tensioning direction.
US09660356B1 Semiconductor device
In a semiconductor device, a plurality of semiconductor units is electrically connected in parallel using a connecting device. The connecting device includes a first connecting unit and a second connecting unit. The first connecting unit is electrically connected to a control terminal of each semiconductor unit. The second connecting unit is electrically connected to a main terminal of each semiconductor unit.
US09660345B1 Millimeter-wave communications on a multifunction platform
A millimeter-wave (MMW) communication system may include an antenna array structure operating within a MMW band, having both a first antenna coupling point and a second antenna coupling point, whereby the first and the second location of the antenna coupling points are within a coplanar surface on which the antenna array structure is formed. The system may further include a single MMW transmitter device having a power splitter that splits a data modulated MMW signal into a first MMW data modulated signal and a second MMW data modulated signal identical to the first MMW data modulated signal, such that the first data modulated MMW signal is coupled to the first antenna coupling point for radio propagation at a first direction, and the second data modulated MMW signal is coupled to the second antenna coupling point for radio propagation at a second direction.
US09660342B2 Antenna structure and wireless communication device employing same
A wireless communication device includes a substrate and an antenna structure. The substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The antenna structure includes a feeding antenna, a metal ring, and a parasitic antenna. The feeding antenna has a feeding point configured to feed current signal. The metal ring is positioned apart from the feeding antenna, the metal ring is configured to be grounded and resonate with the feeding antenna to generate a first high-frequency resonate mode. The parasitic antenna is connected to the metal ring, the parasitic antenna is configured to resonate with the feeding antenna to generate a second high-frequency resonate mode, and resonate with the metal ring to generate a low-frequency mode.
US09660341B2 Signal line module and communication terminal apparatus
In a signal line module and a communication terminal apparatus, a first connection portion connected to a feeding circuit, a second connection portion connected to a radiation element, a first high-frequency line portion, a second high-frequency line portion, and a matching circuit portion defining all of or a portion of a first matching circuit are integrally provided in a multilayer body including a plurality of base material layers. The first connection portion, the first high-frequency line portion, and the matching circuit portion are in a ground zone superposed with a ground conductor, when viewed in plan in a stacking direction of the multilayer body, and the second high-frequency line portion and the second connection portion are in a non-ground zone. The second high-frequency line portion and the second connection portion, together with the radiation element, operate as a radiation portion.
US09660337B2 Multimode antenna structure
One or more embodiments are directed to a multimode antenna structure for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals in a communications device. The communications device includes circuitry for processing signals communicated to and from the antenna structure. The antenna structure is configured for optimal operation in a given frequency range. The antenna structure includes a plurality of antenna ports operatively coupled to the circuitry, and a plurality of antenna elements, each operatively coupled to a different one of the antenna ports. Each of the plurality of antenna elements is configured to have an electrical length selected to provide optimal operation within the given frequency range. The antenna structure also includes one or more connecting elements electrically connecting the antenna elements such that electrical currents on one antenna element flow to a connected neighboring antenna element and generally bypass the antenna port coupled to the neighboring antenna element. The electrical currents flowing through the one antenna element and the neighboring antenna element are generally equal in magnitude, such that an antenna mode excited by one antenna port is generally electrically isolated from a mode excited by another antenna port at a given desired signal frequency range without the use of a decoupling network connected to the antenna ports, and the antenna structure generates diverse antenna patterns.
US09660336B2 Systems, devices and methods for transmitting electrical signals through a faraday cage
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide devices, methods, and systems that support electrical connection, signal delivery, and/or communication between internal and external portions of a Faraday cage. In some embodiments, devices and methods are provided for transmitting electrical signals through a waveguide port of a Faraday cage. In some embodiments, aspects of the present disclosure are employed to adapt a magnetic resonance imaging system for communications between a scanner room and a control room.
US09660326B2 Conductive loop antennas
A antenna for a wireless device is provided. The antenna may include a dielectric substrate, a counterpoise disposed on the dielectric substrate, a first conductive element electrically connected to the counterpoise, and a second conductive element electrically connected to a feed point. The first conductive element may form at least a portion of a radiating loop resonant at a first frequency, and the second conductive element may form at least a portion of a radiating spur resonant at a second frequency higher than the first frequency. The antenna may further include a conductive frame constituting at least a portion of the radiating loop or the radiating spur.
US09660324B2 Hybrid piezoelectric device / radio frequency antenna
A hybrid antenna including a piezoelectric device and an RF radiator. The hybrid antenna is capable of providing both RF and piezoelectric device functionality, e.g., radio frequency transmission/reception capabilities for radio frequency devices as well as sound-producing and/or energy-scavenging functionality via the piezoelectric device. The piezoelectric device may be in conductive contact with the RF radiator or may not be in conductive contact with the RF radiator.
US09660314B1 High efficiency plasma tunable antenna and plasma tuned delay line phaser shifter
A tunable antenna includes a patch antenna including a substrate, a metallic patch mounted on a first side of the substrate, a signal line connected through the substrate to the metallic patch, and a ground plane on a second side of the substrate opposite the first side. The tunable antenna includes an ionizable gas adjacent to the patch antenna.
US09660305B2 Method of controlling storage battery, apparatus for controlling storage battery, and electric power control system
A method of controlling a high-temperature storage battery connected to an electric power system, an apparatus for controlling the storage battery, and an electric power control system reside in that, when the temperature of the storage battery is equal to or lower than a reference temperature, charging and discharging the storage battery with charging and discharging electric power, which is the sum of charging and discharging electric power based on a preset process of operating the storage battery and charging and discharging electric power corresponding to charging and discharging cycles each of a continuous charging time of 1 hour or shorter and a continuous discharging time of 1 hour or shorter, for thereby supplying thermal energy to the storage battery.
US09660304B2 Battery pack of novel air cooling structure
Disclosed herein is a battery pack including a plurality of battery modules, each having a battery cell or a unit module (unit cell) that can be charged and discharged, mounted in a pack case, wherein two or more unit cells constitute one battery module, two or more battery modules are arranged in a length direction of the battery pack to constitute one battery module group, two battery module groups are arranged in a width direction of the battery pack in a state in which the batter module groups are spaced apart from each other such that a coolant discharge part is defined between the battery module groups, a coolant inlet port is independently formed at a region of the pack case corresponding to each of the battery modules located at a position opposite to the coolant discharge part, and a coolant outlet port is formed at a front or a rear of the pack case in the length direction of the battery pack such that coolant introduced through the respective coolant inlet ports cools the unit cells of the respective battery modules while passing through the respective battery modules and is then discharged out of the pack case.
US09660302B2 Secondary battery pack having non-protruded connector
Disclosed herein is a secondary battery pack including a battery cell having a cathode terminal and an anode terminal formed on one surface including a sealed portion to seal the battery cell and a protection circuit module (PCM) including a protection circuit board (PCB) having a protection circuit formed thereon, an external input and output terminal electrically connected to the protection circuit, a connector electrically connected to the external input and output terminal, and an electrically insulative PCM case in which the PCB is mounted, wherein the PCM is loaded on the sealed portion in a state in which the PCM is electrically connected to the battery cell and the connector is formed on the PCM such that the connector does not protrude outward from the secondary battery pack.
US09660300B2 Method for manufacturing sealed battery
A method for manufacturing a sealed battery includes: injecting an electrolytic solution into an exterior; introducing a detection gas into the exterior; and detecting a leakage by detecting a leakage of the detection gas introduced into the exterior, the electrolytic solution in an electrolytic solution tank is pressure fed into the exterior by pressurizing the electrolytic solution tank by feeding a gas of a kind the same as the detection gas in the electrolytic solution tank where the electrolytic solution is stored, in order to inject the electrolytic solution into the battery container.
US09660294B2 Electrolyte materials for batteries and methods for use
An electrolyte solution comprising an additive wherein the additive is not substantially consumed during charge and discharge cycles of the electrochemical cell. Additives include Lewis acids, electron-rich transition metal complexes, and electron deficient pi-conjugated systems.
US09660293B2 Method and system for battery protection
An electrical combination. The combination comprises a hand held power tool, a battery pack and a controller. The battery pack includes a battery pack housing connectable to and supportable by the hand held power tool, a plurality of battery cells supported by the battery pack housing, each of the plurality of battery cells having a lithium-based chemistry, being individually tapped and having an individual state of charge. A communication path is provided by a battery pack sense terminal and a power tool sense terminal. The controller is operable to monitor a state of charge of a number of battery cells less than the plurality of battery cells and to generate a signal based on the monitored state of charge of the number of battery cells less than the plurality of battery cells, the signal being operable to control the operation of the hand held power tool.
US09660292B2 Electrode structures for three-dimensional batteries
An electrode structure for use in an energy storage device comprising a population of electrodes, a population of counter-electrodes and a microporous separator separating members of the electrode population from members of the counter-electrode population. Each member of the electrode population comprises an electrode active material layer and an electrode current conductor layer, and each member of the electrode population has a bottom, a top, a length LE, a width WE and a height HE, wherein the ratio of LE to each of WE and HE is at least 5:1, the ratio of HE to WE is between 0.4:1 and 1000:1, and the electrode current collector layer of each member of the electrode population has a length LC that is measured in the same direction as and is at least 50% of length LE.
US09660287B2 Apparatus for preventing deformation of fuel cell stack
An apparatus for preventing deformation of a fuel cell stack is provided. The apparatus includes a support unit, respective ends of which are connected to first endplates of a pair of stacked fuel cell stacks. The apparatus further includes a support protrusion that protrudes from a surface of the support unit and extends through a gap between the pair of fuel cell stacks.
US09660274B2 Iron coated chromium powder and SOFC IC made therefrom
A component, such as a SOFC interconnect, and methods of making the component are provided using various chromium powders, including powder particles with a chromium core covered with an iron shell, a pre-alloyed Cr—Fe powder or a chromium powder produced by hydrogen reduction with hydrogen.
US09660270B2 Method for producing garnet-type compound, garnet-type compound, and all-solid lithium secondary cell containing said garnet-type compound
The present invention provides a production method that can produce a garnet-type compound containing zirconium and lithium, the compound being in the form of fine particles, with high productivity. The method produces a garnet-type compound containing Zr, Li, and element M1 (wherein M1 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of La, Sc, Y, and Ce) as constituent elements. The method includes a first step of (1) mixing a first raw material and a second raw material to obtain a precipitate, the first raw material being a solution containing a zirconium carbonate complex and having a pH of at least 7.0 and not more than 9.5, and the second raw material containing a compound containing the above element M1 as a constituent element; and (2) a second step of mixing the precipitate and a third raw material containing Li as a constituent element to obtain a mixture, and then firing the mixture at a temperature of less than 1,000° C. to obtain a fired product. The first raw material is prepared by mixing, at a prescribed molar ratio, at least a compound that contains a carbonate species and a compound that contains a zirconium species.
US09660269B2 Electrode for lithium secondary battery and lithium secondary battery
The present invention provides positive and negative electrodes, for a lithium secondary battery, allowing a battery to be quickly and fully charged in a very short period of time, for example, within one minute and allowing the battery to be used for vehicles at low temperatures. An organic electrolytic solution is permeated into an electrode group formed by winding positive and negative electrodes or by laminating the positive and negative electrodes one upon another with a separator being interposed therebetween to repeatingly occlude and release lithium ions. The positive electrode active substance and the negative electrode active substance have at least one phase selected from among a graphene phase and an amorphous phase as a surface layer thereof. An activated carbon layer is formed on a surface of the positive electrode active substance and that of the negative electrode active substance.
US09660267B2 High power electrode materials
An LFP electrode material is provided which has improved impedance, power during cold cranking, rate capacity retention, charge transfer resistance over the current LFP based cathode materials. The electrode material comprises crystalline primary particles and secondary particles, where the primary particle is formed from a plate-shaped single-phase spheniscidite precursor and a lithium source. The LFP includes an LFP phase behavior where the LFP phase behavior includes an extended solid-solution range.
US09660261B2 Positive electrode active material, method for producing the same, and electrochemical device
The invention provides a high-capacity positive electrode active material capable of sufficiently exploiting the excellent characteristics of magnesium metal or the like as a negative electrode active material, such as high energy capacity; a method for producing the same; and an electrochemical device using the positive electrode active material. A positive electrode 11 includes a positive electrode can 1, a positive pole pellet 2 having a positive electrode active material and the like, and a metal mesh support 3. A negative electrode 12 includes a negative electrode cap 4 and a negative electrode active material 5 such as magnesium metal. The positive electrode pellet 2 and the negative electrode active material 5 are disposed so as to sandwich a separator 6, and an electrolyte 7 is injected into the separator 6. The positive electrode active material, which provides the feature of the invention, is synthesized by a step of reacting a permanganate, such as potassium permanganate, with hydrochloric acid preferably having a concentration of 3 to 4 mol/l to produce a precipitate, and a step of filtering the precipitate, thoroughly washing the filtered precipitate with water, and then subjecting the washed precipitate to heat treatment preferably at a temperature of 300 to 400° C. for not less than 2 hours, thereby giving a manganese oxide.
US09660258B2 Lithium-ion secondary battery
The negative electrode is formed from silicon, an amount of heat generation in a negative electrode, which is measured by a differential scanning calorimeter within a range of 210 to 380° C. during full charge, is 850 J/g or less, and a cyclic carbonate including ethylene carbonate and a chain carbonate which has a chemical formula expressed by R1—O—CO—OR2, and in which R1 and R2 represent an alkyl group having a carbon number of 2 or more are used for an electrolytic solution.
US09660256B2 Storage element for a solid electrolyte battery
A storage element for a solid electrolyte battery is provided, having a main member including a porous ceramic matrix in which particles that are made of a first metal and/or a metal oxide and jointly form a redox couple are embedded. The storage element further includes particles made of another metal and/or an associated metal oxide, the other metal being electrochemically more noble than the first metal.
US09660250B2 Secondary battery, and electrode sheet cutting apparatus
A secondary battery 100 comprises a positive electrode current collector 221 and a positive electrode active material layer 223 applied on the positive electrode current collector 221 and containing at least a positive electrode active material. The lithium-ion secondary battery 100 further comprises a negative electrode current collector 241 provided so as to oppose the positive electrode current collector 221 and a negative electrode active material layer 243 applied on the negative electrode current collector 241 and containing at least a negative electrode active material. The lithium-ion secondary battery 100 is also formed with a porous insulating layer 245 which contains stacked resin particles having insulating properties and is formed so as to cover at least one of the positive electrode active material layer 223 and the negative electrode active material layer 243 (in this case, negative electrode active material layer 243). The lithium-ion secondary battery 100 further comprises, on the edge of the insulating layer 245, a molten part 246 where the resin particles are melted.
US09660240B2 Secondary battery including separator containing electroconductive porous layer sandwiched between electroconductive material-free porous layers
Provided is a very safe secondary battery that can prevent the occurrence of battery abnormalities even when the internal battery temperature increases due to, for example, overcharging. A separator 70 in this secondary battery has a laminated structure that is provided with at least two porous layers 76A, 72, 76B, wherein one of these layers forms a porous electroconductive layer 72 in which an electroconductive material 74 is dispersed in the porous layer.
US09660237B2 Manifold vent channel for a battery module
The present disclosure includes a battery module having a housing that includes a lid and a battery cell with a battery cell terminal and a battery cell vent on an end of the battery cell. The battery cell vent is configured to exhaust battery cell effluent. The battery module includes a printed circuit board positioned in an immediate vent direction of the battery cell, a vent shield channel positioned between the battery cell vent and the printed circuit board along the immediate vent direction of battery cell effluent, where the vent shield plate is immediately adjacent to the printed circuit board and configured to block the effluent from contacting the printed circuit board and to redirect the battery cell effluent along a desired vent path, and a module vent fluidly coupled to the desired vent path and configured to direct the battery cell effluent out of the battery module.
US09660234B2 Battery enclosure with arc-shaped elongated impact absorbing ribs
An enclosure for a traction motor battery of a vehicle is disclosed that includes a plurality of impact absorbing members on the exterior of the enclosure. The impact absorbing members have an arc-shaped or partially cylindrical wall and a flat wall that define a partially cylindrical pocket. In an impact, the arc-shaped wall collapses toward the flat wall to absorb the impact force.
US09660223B2 Printing apparatus
A printing apparatus includes a printing mask, which is disposed between a substrate having a display area and a non-display area surrounding the display area. The apparatus further includes a nozzle discharging an organic light emitting liquid onto the substrate. The printing mask includes a mask open part and a mask cover part. The mask open part exposes the display area, and the mask cover part surrounds the mask open part and covers the non-display area. The apparatus can be used to form an organic emitting layer on the substrate.
US09660210B2 Method for manufacturing OLED device and OLED device manufactured therewith
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an OLED device and an OLED device manufactured therewith. The method for manufacturing an OLED device includes: (1) providing a substrate and forming, in sequence, an anode and a hole transporting layer on the substrate; (2) forming an emissive layer on the hole transporting layer through a solution film casting process, wherein the emissive layer comprises a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, a blue sub-pixel, and a white sub-pixel, of which at least one sub-pixel is formed of a quantum dot and at least one sub-pixel is formed of an organic light-emitting material; (3) forming, in sequence, an electron transporting layer and a cathode on the emissive layer; and (4) providing a package cover plate, which is set above the cathode, wherein the substrate and the package cover plate are bonded together by sealing enclosing resin to complete packaging of the OLED device. Since each sub-pixel of the emissive layer is formed through a solution film casting process, the manufacture of the OLED device requires no use of a fine metal mask so that the manufacturing cost is low, the utilization rate of material is high, and the yield rate is good.
US09660197B2 Condensed cyclic compound and organic light-emitting device comprising the same
A condensed cyclic compound represented by Formula 1: Also disclosed is an organic light-emitting device including a first electrode; a second electrode; and an organic layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the organic layer including an emission layer and the condensed cyclic compound of Formula 1. An organic light-emitting device including the condensed cyclic compound of Formula 1 may have low driving voltage, high efficiency, a high luminance, and long lifetime.
US09660196B2 Organic dye for a dye-sensitized solar cell
Organic dye for a Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) comprising at least one electron donor group and at least two electron acceptor groups, each of said electron acceptor groups being bound to said electron donor group through a π-conjugated unit.Said organic dye is particularly useful in a dye sensitized photoelectric transformation element, which, in its turn, can be used in a Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC).
US09660191B2 Thin film deposition apparatus and method of manufacturing organic light-emitting display device by using the same
A thin film deposition apparatus including a deposition source having a crucible to contain a deposition material and a heater to heat and vaporize the deposition material; a nozzle unit disposed at a side of the deposition source along a first direction and having a plurality of nozzle slits to discharge the deposition material that was vaporized; a plurality of emission coefficient increasing units disposed toward the nozzle unit within the deposition source and increasing a quantity of motion of the deposition material that is discharged toward the nozzle unit; a patterning slit sheet disposed opposite to the nozzle unit and having a plurality of patterning slits arranged along the first direction; and a barrier plate assembly disposed between the nozzle unit and the patterning slit sheet along the first direction, and having a plurality of barrier plates that partition a space between the nozzle unit and the patterning slit sheet into a plurality of sub-deposition spaces.
US09660189B1 Barrier layer for correlated electron material
Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to correlated electron switch devices, and may relate more particularly to one or more barrier layers having various characteristics formed under and/or over and/or around correlated electron material.
US09660187B1 Methods of forming a layer and methods of manufacturing magnetic memory devices using the same
A method of forming a layer includes providing a first insulator and a second insulator over a lower structure, generating a first ion source and a second ion source from the first insulator and the second insulator, respectively, and forming an insulating layer on the lower structure using the first ion source and the second ion source. The first and second insulators are vertically spaced apart from the lower structure and are laterally spaced apart from each other. The first insulator and the second insulator include the same material.
US09660182B2 Plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus
A plasma processing method of etching a multilayered material having a structure where a first magnetic layer 105 and a second magnetic layer 103 are stacked with an insulating layer 104 therebetween is performed by a plasma processing apparatus 10 including a processing chamber 12 where a processing space S is formed; and a gas supply unit 44 of supplying a processing gas into the processing space, and includes a first etching process where the first magnetic layer is etched by supplying a first processing gas and generating plasma, and the first etching process is stopped on a surface of the insulating layer; and a second etching process where a residue Z is removed by supplying a second processing gas and generating plasma. The first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer contain CoFeB, the first processing gas contains Cl2, and the second processing gas contains H2.
US09660179B1 Enhanced coercivity in MTJ devices by contact depth control
A magnetic memory device includes a magnetic memory stack including a bottom electrode and having a hard mask formed thereon. An encapsulation layer is formed over sides of the magnetic memory stack and has a thickness adjacent to the sides formed on the bottom electrode. A dielectric material is formed over the encapsulation layer and is removed from over the hard mask and gapped apart from the encapsulation layer on the sides of the magnetic memory stack to form trenches between the dielectric material and the encapsulation layer at the sides of the magnetic memory stack. A top electrode is formed over the hard mask and in the trenches such that the top electrode is spaced apart from the bottom electrode by at least the thickness.
US09660178B2 Electronic device and method for fabricating the same
Provided is an electronic device. The electronic device according to an implementation of the disclosed technology includes a semiconductor memory, the semiconductor memory including: a substrate; an interlayer insulating layer formed over the substrate; a metal-containing insulating layer formed over the interlayer insulating layer and including a second metal; a contact hole formed through the interlayer insulating layer and the metal-containing insulating layer; a contact plug filling a portion of the contact hole; a contact pad formed over the contact plug so as to fill the remaining portion of the contact hole; and a variable resistance element formed over the contact pad, wherein the contact pad includes a metal-containing material including a first metal, and the second metal has a higher electron affinity than the first metal.
US09660177B2 Method to minimize MTJ sidewall damage and bottom electrode redeposition using IBE trimming
An improved method for etching a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) structure is achieved. A stack of MTJ layers is provided on a bottom electrode. The MTJ stack is patterned to form a MTJ device wherein sidewall damage or sidewall redeposition is formed on sidewalls of the MTJ device. A dielectric layer is deposited on the MTJ device and the bottom electrode. The dielectric layer is etched away using ion beam etching at an angle relative to vertical of greater than 50 degrees wherein the dielectric layer on the sidewalls is etched away and wherein sidewall damage or sidewall redeposition is also removed and wherein some of the dielectric layer remains on horizontal surfaces of the bottom electrode.
US09660174B2 Piezoelectric material and piezoelectric element using the same, and electronic apparatus using the piezoelectronic element
Provided is a lead-free piezoelectric material having a high Curie temperature, a satisfactory mechanical quality factor, and a satisfactory Young's modulus, and a piezoelectric element and a multilayered piezoelectric element each using the piezoelectric material. The piezoelectric material contains 0.04 mol % or more to 2.00 mol % or less of Cu with respect to 1 mol of a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by the following general formula: (KvBiwBa1-v-w)1-yNax(NbyTi1-y)O3 where relationships of 0
US09660164B2 Light emitting device with reduced epi stress
Elements are added to a light emitting device to reduce the stress within the light emitting device caused by thermal cycling. Alternatively, or additionally, materials are selected for forming contacts within a light emitting device based on their coefficient of thermal expansion and their relative cost, copper alloys being less expensive than gold, and providing a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than copper. Elements of the light emitting device may also be structured to distribute the stress during thermal cycling.
US09660163B2 Semiconductor light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor light-emitting device, and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor light-emitting device includes a first electrode layer, an insulating layer, a second electrode layer, a second semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a first semiconductor layer that are sequentially stacked on a substrate, a first contact that passes through the substrate to be electrically connected to the first electrode layer, and a second contact that passes through the substrate, the first electrode layer, and the insulating layer to communicate with the second electrode layer. The first electrode layer is electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer by filling a contact hole that passes through the second electrode layer, the second semiconductor layer, and the active layer, and the insulating layer surrounds an inner circumferential surface of the contact hole to insulate the first electrode layer from the second electrode layer.
US09660162B2 Illumination device
Provided is an illumination device that includes a light emitting device having a first electrode and a second electrode and a mounting substrate including a first wiring pattern and a second wiring pattern. The first wiring pattern and the second wiring pattern face and are bonded to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively, through a bonding material. The second electrode and the second wiring pattern are configured to be at least partially overlapped with each other in a plan view irrespective of an orientation of the light emitting device, under condition that the first electrode and the first wiring pattern are at least partially overlapped with each other in the plan view.
US09660153B2 Gap engineering for flip-chip mounted horizontal LEDs
A horizontal LED die is flip-chip mounted on a mounting substrate to define a gap that extends between the closely spaced apart anode and cathode contacts of the LED die, and between the closely spaced apart anode and cathode pads of the substrate. An encapsulant is provided on the light emitting diode die and the mounting substrate. The gap is configured to prevent sufficient encapsulant from entering the gap that would degrade operation of the LED.
US09660133B2 Group III nitride heterostructure for optoelectronic device
Heterostructures for use in optoelectronic devices are described. One or more parameters of the heterostructure can be configured to improve the reliability of the corresponding optoelectronic device. The materials used to create the active structure of the device can be considered in configuring various parameters the n-type and/or p-type sides of the heterostructure.
US09660129B2 Solar cell
A solar cell is discussed, which includes a pair of connecting electrodes having a portion having a width smaller than a width of a plurality of bus bar electrodes, and the pair of connecting electrodes connects a plurality of second finger electrodes to both sides of an end of one of the plurality of bus bar electrodes, respectively, wherein the end of the one of the plurality of bus bar electrodes being positioned in a second direction, wherein an area not including the plurality of second finger electrodes is positioned between the pair of connecting electrodes, and wherein an auxiliary electrode not connected to the plurality of second finger electrodes and having a width smaller than the width of the plurality of bus bar electrodes is disposed in the area not including the plurality of second finger electrodes.
US09660125B2 Method of making a modular off-axis solar concentrator
A method of making a solar concentrator may include forming a receiving wall having an elongated wall, a first side wall and a second side wall; attaching the first side wall and the second side wall to a reflecting wall to form a housing having an internal volume with an opening; forming a lip on the receiving wall and the reflecting wall; attaching a cover to the receiving wall and the reflecting wall at the lip to seal the opening into the internal volume, thereby creating a rigid structure; and mounting at least one receiver having at least one photovoltaic cell on the elongated wall to receive solar radiation entering the housing and reflected by the receiving wall, the receiver having an axis parallel with a surface normal of the photovoltaic cell, such that the axis is disposed at a non-zero angle relative to the vertical axis of the opening.
US09660122B2 Compact LCPV solar electric generator
A compact low concentration photovoltaic (LCPV) apparatus totally enclosed in a protective clear dome against harsh environment without active cooling. A conical mirror reflector, a circular lens refractor and a planar circular crystalline silicon photovoltaic solar panel rotate simultaneously inside the dome to concentrate sun rays and instantly produce electricity. The mirror increases electrical current three times and the lens increases one time for total four times using low overall concentration of five to twenty times sun. The lens is offset from the plane parallel to the photovoltaic solar panel, while the panels forming the mirror are angled offset to a center axis perpendicular to the solar panel. The optical assembly and solar panel are mounted in a conical aluminum cage which is pivoted from a rotary turntable for the daily azimuth and altitude rotations. The dual axis movements consist of irregular intermittent increments of less than one second “on time” and less than two minutes “off time” while following the sun path. The electrical power produced is at least two times more than from fixed conventional crystalline silicon solar panel occupying the same planar surface area. LCPV dual tracking systems offer reduced electricity generation costs, reduced installation costs and increased flexibility in deployment.
US09660121B2 Method for fabricating a solar module of rear contact solar cells using linear ribbon-type connector strips and respective solar module
A solar module and a method for fabricating a solar module comprising a plurality of rear contact solar cells are described. Rear contact solar cells (1) are provided with a large size of e.g. 156×156 mm2. Soldering pad arrangements (13, 15) applied on emitter contacts (5) and base contacts (7) are provided with one or more soldering pads (9, 11) arranged linearly. The soldering pad arrangements (13, 15) are arranged asymmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis (17). Each solar cell (1) is then separated into first and second cell portions (19, 21) along a line (23) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (17). Due to such cell separation and the asymmetrical design of the soldering pad arrangements (13, 15), the first and second cell portions (19, 21) may then be arranged alternately along a line with each second cell portion (21) arranged in a 180°-orientation with respect to the first cell portions (19) and such that emitter soldering pad arrangements (13) of a first cell portion (19) are aligned with base soldering pad arrangements (15) of neighboring second cell portions (21), and vice versa. Simple linear ribbon-type connector strips (25) may be used for interconnecting the cell portions (19, 21) by soldering onto the underlying aligned emitter and base soldering pad arrangements (13, 15). The interconnection approach enables using standard ribbon-type connector strips (25) while reducing any bow as well as reducing series resistance losses.
US09660119B2 Polyester film, method for producing the same, back sheet for solar cell, and solar cell module
A polyester film has excellent resistance to hydrolysis, excellent heat resistance in high temperatures and low humidity, and mechanical strength. The polyester film satisfies a stress heat resistant coefficient f(125)≧3 and a wet thermo retention (=100×S(120)/S(0)) of 30% or more. f(125) is a value obtained by substituting t=125° C. in an approximation represented by f(t); t represents a temperature (° C.) at thermo processing; f(t) represents a stress heat resistant coefficient f at the thermo temperature t and represents an approximation to a straight line obtained by linear approximation by a least squares method of values plotted from a relationship between the thermo temperature t and a logarithm (log T(t)) of time T at which a rupture stress is 50% when t is 150° C., 160° C., 170° C., or 180° C.; T(t) is a time (hr) at which the maximum stress in a tensile test after thermo processing at t° C. and 0% RH is 50% of the maximum stress in a tensile test before thermo processing; S(120) is breaking elongation (%) after aging for 100 hours at 120° C. and 100% RH, and S(0) represents a breaking elongation (%) before aging.
US09660117B1 Energy selective photodetector
A semiconductor device has a layered structure. The semiconductor device includes a metallic layer of thickness 1-100 nm, with a thickness optimized to absorb light in a wavelength range of operation. The device further includes an adjacent semiconductor layer additionally adjacent to an ohmic electrical contact, wherein the interface between the metallic layer and the semiconductor layer is electrically rectifying and energy selective. The device further includes a reflective back surface positioned opposite to the semiconductor layer relative to incident light providing broadband reflection in the wavelength range of operation. The semiconductor layer includes a quantum well adjacent to the metallic layer, wherein the energy selectivity is provided by the quantum well allowing charge carrier tunneling from the metallic layer. The device further may include an additional anti-reflection dielectric layer deposited on the metallic layer that is configured to minimize reflection of light in the wavelength range of operation.
US09660115B2 Nano-electrode multi-well high-gain avalanche rushing photoconductor
Provided is a detector that includes a scintillator, a common electrode, a pixel electrode, and a plurality of insulating layers, with a plurality of nano-pillars formed in the plurality of insulating layers, a nano-scale well structure between adjacent nano-pillars, with a-Se separating the adjacent nano-pillars, and a method for operation thereof.
US09660093B2 Transistor with multilayer film including oxide semiconductor layer and oxide layer
Stable electrical characteristics of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer are achieved. A highly reliable semiconductor device including the transistor is provided. The semiconductor device includes a multilayer film formed of an oxide layer and an oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating film in contact with the oxide layer, and a gate electrode overlapping with the multilayer film with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween. The oxide layer contains a common element to the oxide semiconductor layer and has a large energy gap than the oxide semiconductor layer. The composition between the oxide layer and the oxide semiconductor layer gradually changes.
US09660091B2 Thin film transistor and method of driving same
A thin film transistor (TFT) and a method of driving the same are disclosed. The TFT includes: an active layer; a bottom gate electrode disposed below the active layer to drive a first region of the active layer; and a top gate electrode disposed on the active layer to drive a second region of the active layer. The TFT controls the conductivity of the active layer by using the bottom gate electrode and the top gate electrode.
US09660075B2 Integrated circuits with dual silicide contacts and methods for fabricating same
Integrated circuits having silicide contacts with reduced contact resistance and methods for fabricating integrated circuits having silicide contacts with reduced contact resistance are provided. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate with fin structures having source/drain regions in PFET areas and in NFET areas. The method includes selectively forming a contact resistance modulation material on the source/drain regions in the PFET areas. Further, the method includes depositing a band-edge workfunction metal overlying the source/drain regions in the PFET areas and in the NFET areas.
US09660072B2 Laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor and field drift metal oxide semiconductor
A laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) is provided. A substrate has a deep well with a second conductive type therein. A gate is disposed on the substrate. A first doped region of a second conductive type and a second doped region of a first conductive type are located in the deep well and at the corresponding two sides of the gate. A drain region of a second conductive type is located in the first doped region. A drain contact is disposed on the drain region. A doped region of a first conductive type is located in the first doped region and under the drain region but not directly below the drain contact. A source region is located in the second doped region. A field drift metal oxide semiconductor (FDMOS) which is similar to the laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) is also provided.
US09660071B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, a conductive layer, a gate electrode, and a first electrode. The conductive layer includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion is surrounded by the first semiconductor region via a first insulating portion. The second portion extends in a second direction, is provided on the first semiconductor region, and is provided on the second region. The third portion is connected between the first portion and the second portion and extends in a third direction. The first electrode is electrically connected to the third semiconductor region and the conductive layer. The second portion electrically connects the first electrode to the third portion.
US09660069B2 Group III nitride integration with CMOS technology
A method of forming a structure that can be used to integrate Si-based devices, i.e., nFETs and pFETs, with Group III nitride-based devices is provided. The method includes providing a substrate containing an nFET device region, a pFET device region and a Group III nitride device region, wherein the substrate includes a topmost silicon layer and a <111> silicon layer located beneath the topmost silicon layer. Next, a trench is formed within the Group III nitride device region to expose a sub-surface of the <111> silicon layer. The trench is then partially filled with a Group III nitride base material, wherein the Group III nitride material base material has a topmost surface that is coplanar with, or below, a topmost surface of the topmost silicon layer.
US09660068B2 Nitride semiconductor
According to this GaN-based HFET, resistivity ρ of a semi-insulating film forming a gate insulating film is 3.9×109Ωcm. The value of this resistivity ρ is a value derived when the current density is 6.25×10−4 (A/cm2). By inclusion of the gate insulating film by a semi-insulating film having a resistivity ρ=3.9×109Ωcm, a withstand voltage of 1000 V can be obtained. Meanwhile, the withstand voltage abruptly drops as the resistivity of the gate insulating film exceeds 1 ×1011Ωcm, and the gate leak current increases when the resistivity of the gate insulating film drops below 1 ×107Ωcm.
US09660064B2 Low sheet resistance GaN channel on Si substrates using InAlN and AlGaN bi-layer capping stack
Transistors or transistor layers include an InAlN and AlGaN bi-layer capping stack on a 2DEG GaN channel, such as for GaN MOS structures on Si substrates. The GaN channel may be formed in a GaN buffer layer or stack, to compensate for the high crystal structure lattice size and coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between GaN and Si. The bi-layer capping stack an upper InAlN layer on a lower AlGaN layer to induce charge polarization in the channel, compensate for poor composition uniformity (e.g., of Al), and compensate for rough surface morphology of the bottom surface of the InAlN material. It may lead to a sheet resistance between 250 and 350 ohms/sqr. It may also reduce bowing of the GaN on Si wafers during growth of the layer of InAlN material, and provide a AlGaN setback layer for etching the InAlN layer in the gate region.
US09660061B2 Semiconductor device
A p-type well is formed in a semiconductor substrate, and an n+-type semiconductor region and a p+-type semiconductor region are formed in the p-type well to be spaced apart from each other. The n+-type semiconductor region is an emitter semiconductor region of a bipolar transistor, and the p-type well and the p+-type semiconductor region are base semiconductor regions of the bipolar transistor. An electrode is formed on an element isolation region between the n+-type semiconductor region and the p+-type semiconductor region, and at least a part of the electrode is buried in a trench which is formed in the element isolation region. The electrode is electrically connected to the n+-type semiconductor region.
US09660045B2 Semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device
The characteristics of a semiconductor device are improved. A semiconductor device is formed so as to have a channel layer formed over a substrate, a barrier layer, a trench penetrating through the barrier layer in an opening region, and reaching some point of the channel layer, a gate electrode arranged in the trench via a gate insulation film, and an insulation film formed over the barrier layer outside the opening region. Then, the insulation film has a lamination structure of a Si-rich silicon nitride film, and a N-rich silicon nitride film situated thereunder. Thus, the upper layer of the insulation film is set as the Si-rich silicon nitride film. This enables the improvement of the breakdown voltage, and further, enables the improvement of the etching resistance. Whereas, the lower layer of the insulation film is set as the N-rich silicon nitride film. This can suppress collapse.
US09660039B2 Display device
According to one embodiment, a thin-film transistor includes a semiconductor layer SC including a channel region, and a source region and a drain region on both sides of the channel region, a gate electrode GE, a first electrode SE connected to the source region via a first contact hole CH1, a second electrode DE connected to the drain region via a second contact hole CH2, a source line connected to the first electrode, and a drain line connected to the second electrode. A distance from the first and second contact holes to an end of the respective regions in a direction of a channel width is greater than or equal to 5 μm and less than or equal to 30 μm. The source line and the drain line extend in directions different from each other.
US09660031B2 Integrated circuit device having III-V compound semiconductor region comprising magnesium and N-type impurity and overlying III-V compound semiconductor layer formed without Cp2Mg precursor
A method includes epitaxially growing a first III-V compound semiconductor, wherein the first III-V compound semiconductor is of p-type. The first III-V compound semiconductor is grown using precursors including a first precursor comprising Cp2Mg, and a second precursor comprising a donor impurity. A second III-V compound semiconductor is grown overlying and contacting the first III-V compound semiconductor. The second III-V compound semiconductor is of n-type.
US09660028B1 Stacked transistors with different channel widths
A semiconductor device includes a first gate stack arranged about a first nanowire and a second nanowire, the first nanowire is arranged above a second nanowire, the first nanowire is connected to a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region. A second gate stack is arranged about a third nanowire and a fourth nanowire, the third nanowire is arranged above a fourth nanowire, the third nanowire is connected to a third source/drain region and a fourth source/drain region. An insulator layer having a first thickness is arranged adjacent to the first gate stack.
US09660025B2 Structure and formation method of semiconductor device structure
Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a fin structure over a semiconductor substrate. The fin structure includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is inclined to the second surface. The semiconductor device structure also includes a passivation layer covering the first surface and the second surface of the fin structure. The thickness of a first portion of the passivation layer covering the first surface is substantially the same as that of a second portion of the passivation layer covering the second surface.
US09660022B2 Semiconductive device with a single diffusion break and method of fabricating the same
A method of fabricating a single diffusion break includes providing a fin with two gate structures crossing the fin and a middle dummy gate structure crossing the fin, wherein the middle dummy gate structure is sandwiched by the gate structures. Later, numerous spacers are formed and each spacer respectively surrounds the gate structures and the middle dummy gate structure. Then, the middle dummy gate structure, and part of the fin directly under the middle dummy gate structure are removed to form a recess. Finally, an isolating layer in the recess is formed to close an entrance of the recess so as to form a void embedded within the recess.
US09660013B2 Chip inductor
Disclosed herein is a chip inductor. The chip inductor according to the present invention includes a substrate on which a trough-hole is formed, a conductive coil that is formed on the substrate, an upper resin composite magnetic layer that is filled to surround the conductive coil so that a core is formed on a center portion of the substrate, a lower resin composite magnetic layer that is formed on a bottom portion of the substrate, and an external electrode that is formed on both sides of the upper and lower resin composite magnetic layers.
US09660008B2 High-yield fabrication of large-format substrates with distributed, independent control elements
A large-format substrate with distributed control elements is formed by providing a substrate and a wafer, the wafer having a plurality of separate, independent chiplets formed thereon; imaging the wafer and analyzing the wafer image to determine which of the chiplets are defective; removing the defective chiplet(s) from the wafer leaving remaining chiplets in place on the wafer; printing the remaining chiplet(s) onto the substrate forming empty chiplet location(s); and printing additional chiplet(s) from the same or a different wafer into the empty chiplet location(s).
US09660003B2 Display device
An organic electroluminescent device with a touch sensor including: a first substrate; a second substrate arranged opposite to the first substrate; an organic EL element layer arranged above the first substrate; a first sealing film arranged toward the second substrate of the organic EL element layer, covering the organic EL element layer, and including a first inorganic layer; plural first detection electrodes extending in one direction, and arranged in parallel toward the second substrate of the first sealing film; a second sealing film arranged toward the second substrate of the first detection electrodes, and including a second inorganic layer; plural second detection electrodes extending in another direction different from the one direction, and arranged in parallel toward the second substrate of the second sealing film; and a touch sensor control unit controlling a potential to detect a touch with a display surface.
US09659986B2 Two-dimensional solid-state image capture device with polarization member and color filter for sub-pixel regions and polarization-light data processing method therefor
A two-dimensional solid-state image capture device includes pixel areas arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, each pixel area being constituted by multiple sub-pixel regions, each sub-pixel region having a photoelectric conversion element. A polarization member is disposed at a light incident side of at least one of the sub-pixel regions constituting each pixel area. The polarization member has strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers and slit areas, provided between the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers. Each sub-pixel region further has a wiring layer for controlling an operation of the photoelectric conversion element, and the polarization member and the wiring layer are made of the same material and are disposed on the same virtual plane.
US09659981B2 Backside illuminated image sensor with negatively charged layer
A semiconductor image sensor device having a negatively-charged layer includes a semiconductor substrate having a p-type region, a plurality of radiation-sensing regions in the p-type region proximate a front side of the semiconductor substrate, and a negatively-charged layer adjoining the p-type region proximate the plurality of radiation-sensing regions. The negatively-charged layer may be an oxygen-rich silicon oxide, a high-k metal oxide, or a silicon nitride formed as a liner in a shallow trench isolation feature, a sidewall spacer or an offset spacer of a transistor gate, a salicide-block layer, a buffer layer under a salicide-block layer, a backside surface layer, or a combination of these.
US09659971B2 Array substrate and liquid crystal display device
The present invention relates to the field of liquid crystal display technology and provides an array substrate and a liquid crystal display device which can solve the problem of low transmissivity of existing liquid crystal display devices. The array substrate of the present invention comprises a plurality of pixel units, each pixel unit is provided with a plate electrode and a slit electrode arranged above the plate electrode, an insulation layer is provided between the plate electrode and the slit electrode, and the plate electrode extends to the periphery region of the pixel unit, the slit electrode extends to the periphery region of the pixel unit; the slit electrode and the plate electrode are both provided in at least part of the peripheral region of the pixel unit. the present invention is applicable to liquid crystal display devices, especially the liquid crystal display devices taking a “dual gate lines” design.
US09659967B2 Thin-film transistor and display device having the same
A thin-film transistor includes a substrate, a gate electrode formed over the substrate, a gate insulating layer formed over the gate electrode and the substrate, an oxide semiconductor layer formed over the gate insulating layer and comprising a source section and a drain section, a first electrode formed over the substrate and electrically connected to the source section, and a second electrode formed over the substrate and electrically connected to the drain section. The thin-film transistor further includes a first barrier layer disposed between the oxide semiconductor layer and the first electrode, a second barrier layer disposed between the first barrier layer and the first electrode, and the first electrode being electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer via the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer.
US09659955B1 Crystalinity-dependent aluminum oxide etching for self-aligned blocking dielectric in a memory structure
A method of forming a device includes forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers over a substrate, forming a memory opening extending through the alternating stack, and forming an aluminum oxide layer on sidewall surfaces of the sacrificial material layers and on sidewall surfaces of the insulating layers around the memory opening. First aluminum oxide portions of the aluminum oxide layer are located on sidewall surfaces of the sacrificial material layers, and second aluminum oxide portions of the aluminum oxide layer are located on sidewalls of the insulating layers. The method also includes removing the second aluminum oxide portions at a greater etch rate than the first aluminum oxide portions employing a selective etch process, such that all or a predominant portion of each first aluminum oxide portion remains after removal of the second aluminum oxide portions.
US09659948B2 Semiconductor device and method of fabricating semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate with a memory region and a logic region, a logic gate stack, and a non-volatile gate stack. The substrate has a recess disposed in the memory region. The logic gate stack is disposed in the logic region and has a first top surface. The non-volatile gate stack is disposed in the recess and has a second top surface. The second top surface is lower than the first top surface by a step height.
US09659942B1 Selective epitaxy growth for semiconductor devices with fin field-effect transistors (FinFET)
A method for forming a semiconductor device includes depositing spacer material on a first sidewall and a second sidewall of a fin formed on a substrate. The spacer material is removed from the first sidewall. A selective epitaxy process is performed on the first sidewall of the fin.
US09659941B2 Integrated circuit structure with methods of electrically connecting same
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) structure and methods of electrically connecting multiple IC structures. An IC structure according to embodiments of the present disclosure can include: a first conductive region; a second conductive region laterally separated from the first conductive region; a first vertically-oriented semiconductor fin formed over and contacting the first conductive region; a second vertically-oriented semiconductor fin formed over and contacting the second conductive region; and a first gate contacting each of the first vertically-oriented semiconductor fin and the second conductive region, wherein the first gate includes: a substantially horizontal section contacting the first vertically-oriented semiconductor fin, and a substantially vertical section contacting the second conductive region.
US09659940B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: preparing a wafer in which a first cell area and a second cell area are defined; forming a bottom electrode structure in the first cell area and a dummy structure located in the second cell area; and sequentially forming a dielectric layer and a top electrode on the bottom electrode structure and the dummy structure, wherein the bottom electrode structure includes a plurality of bottom electrodes extending in a first direction in the first cell area and first and second supporters to support the plurality of bottom electrodes, wherein the dummy structure includes a first mold film, a first supporter film, a second mold film, and a second supporter film that are sequentially formed to cover the second cell area, and the second supporter and the second supporter film are at a same level relative to the wafer.
US09659930B1 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device includes first and second FETs including first and second channel regions, respectively. The first and second FETs include first and second gate structures, respectively. The first and second gate structures include first and second gate dielectric layers formed over the first and second channel regions and first and second gate electrode layers formed over the first and second gate dielectric layers. The first and second gate structures are aligned along a first direction. The first gate structure and the second gate structure are separated by a separation plug made of an insulating material. A width of the separation plug in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction is smaller than a width of the first gate structure in the second direction, when viewed in plan view.
US09659929B2 Semiconductor device with enhancement and depletion FinFET cells
A semiconductor device includes enhancement FinFET cells and depletion FinFET cells. The enhancement FinFET cells include first gate structures separating first semiconductor fins. The depletion FinFET cells include second gate structures separating second semiconductor fins. Between the first and second gate structures a connection structure separates the first semiconductor fins from the second semiconductor fins. The connection structure has a specific conductance which is higher than a specific conductance in the second semiconductor fins.
US09659908B1 Systems and methods for package on package through mold interconnects
Discussed generally herein are methods and devices for more reliable Package on Package (PoP) Through Mold Interconnects (TMIs). A device can include a first die package including a first conductive pad on or at least partially in the first die package, a dielectric mold material on the first die package, the mold material including a hole therethrough at least partially exposing the pad, a second die package including a second conductive pad on or at least partially in the second die package the second die package on the mold material such that the second conductive pad faces the first conductive pad through the hole, and a shape memory structure in the hole and forming a portion of a solder column electrical connection between the first die package and the second die package.
US09659905B2 Semiconductor package and semiconductor system including the same
A semiconductor package may include a first die, a second die disposed adjacent to the first die, and configured to share an address with the first die. The semiconductor package may include a first address pin included with the first die, and configured for receiving the address. The semiconductor package may include a second address pin included with the second die, and configured for receiving the address. The first die and the second die may output data corresponding to the address. Timings of the address in the first die and the second die may be aligned according to delay signals applied from a controller.
US09659903B2 Method of manufacturing connector structures of integrated circuits
A die includes a substrate, a metal pad over the substrate, and a passivation layer covering edge portions of the metal pad. A metal pillar is formed over the metal pad. A portion of the metal pillar overlaps a portion of the metal pad. A center of the metal pillar is misaligned with a center of the metal pad.
US09659898B1 Apparatuses, systems, and methods for die attach coatings for semiconductor packages
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards apparatuses, systems, and methods for die attach coatings for semiconductor packages. In one embodiment, a die may be coupled with a substrate by a die attach and a coating may be applied to an edge of the die attach.
US09659886B2 Method of fabricating semiconductor device having voids between top metal layers of metal interconnects
The invention provides a semiconductor device including a substrate, a dielectric layer, a dummy bonding pad, a bonding pad, a redistribution layer, and a metal interconnect. The substrate includes a non-device region and a device region. The dielectric layer is on the non-device region and the device region. The dummy bonding pad is on the dielectric layer of the non-device region. The metal interconnect is in the dielectric layer of the non-device region and connected to the dummy bonding pad. The bonding pad is on the dielectric layer of the device region. The buffer layer is between the bonding pad and the dielectric layer. The buffer layer includes metal, metal nitride, or a combination thereof. The redistribution layer is on the dielectric layer and connects the dummy bonding pad and the bonding pad.
US09659867B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
The reliability of wirings, each of which includes a main conductive film containing copper as a primary component, is improved. On an insulating film including the upper surface of a wiring serving as a lower layer wiring, an insulating film formed of a silicon carbonitride film having excellent barrier properties to copper is formed; on the insulating film, an insulating film formed of a silicon carbide film having excellent adhesiveness to a low dielectric constant material film is formed; on the insulating film, an insulating film formed of a low dielectric constant material as an interlayer insulating film is formed; and thereafter a wiring as an upper layer wiring is formed.
US09659865B2 Field-effect transistor, method of manufacturing the same, and radio-frequency device
There is provided a field-effect transistor including: a gate electrode; a semiconductor layer having a source region and a drain region with the gate electrode in between; contact plugs provided on the source region and the drain region; first metals stacked on the contact plugs; and a low-dielectric constant region provided in a region between the first metals along an in-plane direction of the semiconductor layer and provided at least in a first region below bottom surfaces of the first metals along a stacking direction.
US09659861B2 Semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a lower wiring layer made of a conductive material; an upper wiring layer formed in an upper layer than the lower wiring layer; and a fuse film, at least a portion of the fuse film being formed in a plug formation layer in which a plug for connecting the lower wiring layer and the upper wiring layer is formed, and made of a conductive material including a metallic material other than copper.
US09659855B2 Cavity package with pre-molded substrate
A cavity package is set forth along with a method of manufacturing thereof. The method comprises applying a selective plating resist to a metallic substrate in a pattern to expose portions for a ring, tie bars, die attach pad and input/output wire bonding pads; elective depositing of metal plating using the selective plating resist; removing the selective metal plating resist; applying a selective etching resist to the substrate; selectively etching portions of the substrate not covered by the selective etching resist; stripping away the selective etching resist; pre-molding a leadframe to the substrate so as to surround the die attach pad portion; etching the tie bars away from the bottom surface of the substrate; attaching a semiconductor device die to the die attach pad; wire bonding the semiconductor device to the input/output wire bonding pads; and attaching a cap to the ring portion of the substrate and the die attach pad to protect the wire bonded semiconductor device die and permit electrical grounding.
US09659845B2 Power quad flat no-lead (PQFN) package in a single shunt inverter circuit
A power quad flat no-lead (PQFN) package includes a driver integrated circuit (IC) situated on a leadframe. The PQFN package further includes low-side U-phase, low-side V-phase, and low-side W-phase power switches situated on the leadframe. A logic ground of the leadframe is coupled to a support logic circuit of the driver IC. A power stage ground of the leadframe is coupled to sources of the low-side U-phase, low-side V-phase, and low-side W-phase power switches. The power stage ground can further be coupled to gate drivers of the driver IC.
US09659842B2 Methods of fabricating QFN semiconductor package and metal plate
A method for fabricating a quad flat non-leaded (QFN) package includes: forming die pads and bump solder pads by pressing a metal plate, wherein each of the die pads and the bump solder pads has at least a cross-sectional area greater than another cross-sectional area located underneath along its vertical thickness dimension, thereby enabling the die pads and the solder pads to be securely embedded in an encapsulant.
US09659841B2 Semiconductor device and method of producing semiconductor device
A method of producing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of forming a through hole in a semiconductor substrate having a first main surface, a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, and a first conductive layer disposed on the second main surface so that the through hole passes through the semiconductor substrate from the first main surface to the second main surface; forming an insulation film to extend from a bottom portion of the through hole to the first main surface through a side surface of the through hole; coating an organic member on the insulation film on the side surface of the through hole and the first main surface; removing an air bubble in the organic member and between the organic member and the insulation film; and forming a first opening portion in the organic member.
US09659840B2 Process flow for a combined CA and TSV oxide deposition
A method of forming a TSV isolation layer and a transistor-to-BEOL isolation layer during a single deposition process and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments include providing a gate stack, with source/drain regions at opposite sides thereof, and an STI layer on a silicon substrate; forming a TSV trench, laterally separated from the gate stack, through the STI layer and the silicon substrate; forming an isolation layer on sidewalls and a bottom surface of the TSV trench and over the gate stack, the STI layer, and the silicon substrate; forming a TSV in the TSV trench; forming a dielectric cap over the isolation layer and the TSV; and forming a source/drain contact through the dielectric cap and the isolation layer down to the source/drain contract regions.
US09659835B1 Techniques for integrating thermal via structures in integrated circuits
A technique for designing an integrated circuit includes placing standard cells across a first surface of a substrate of an integrated circuit (IC) design. At least two unoccupied regions are located across the first surface that do not include standard cells. Aspect ratios for one or more micro fill vias that can be placed in the at least two unoccupied regions are determined. The one or more micro fill vias are placed in the at least two unoccupied regions. Finally, one or more partial thermal vias are placed from a second surface of the integrated circuit, opposite the first surface, to thermally couple the one or more partial thermal vias to the one or more micro fill vias to create thermal paths from the first surface to the second surface.
US09659830B2 Dimension detection device and cassette
A dimension detection device includes a first detection unit which is moved to a first predetermined position in a first direction, and configured to detect a current position of the first member, and when the current position of the first member is not a third predetermined position corresponding to the first predetermined position, send a first signal; a second detection unit which is moved to a second predetermined position in the first direction, and configured to detect a current position of the second member, and when the current position of the second member is not a fourth predetermined position corresponding to the second predetermined position, send a second signal; a movement unit which is configured to move the first detection unit and the second detection unit; and an alarm unit configured to send an alarm upon the receipt of the first signal and/or the second signal.
US09659814B2 Doping control of metal nitride films
Described are methods for controlling the doping of metal nitride films such as TaN, TiN and MnN. The temperature during deposition of the metal nitride film may be controlled to provide a film density that permits a desired amount of doping. Dopants may include Ru, Cu, Co, Mn, Mo, Al, Mg, Cr, Nb, Ta, Ti and V. The metal nitride film may optionally be exposed to plasma treatment after doping.
US09659811B1 Manufacturing method of semiconductor device
A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a low-k dielectric layer over a substrate and forming a first dielectric layer on the low-k dielectric layer. A first metal hard mask layer is formed on the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer is formed on the first metal hard mask layer. A second metal hard mask layer is formed on the second dielectric layer, and a first trench opening is formed in the second metal hard mask layer and the second dielectric layer exposing the first metal hard mask layer. A first via opening is formed in the exposed first metal hard mask layer in the first trench opening, and the first trench opening and first via opening are extended into the low-k dielectric layer to form a first trench and a first via.
US09659810B2 Method of making a FinFET device
The present disclosure provides many different embodiments of fabricating a FinFET device that provide one or more improvements over the prior art. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a FinFET includes providing a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of dummy fins and active fins on the semiconductor substrate. A predetermined group of dummy fins is removed.
US09659796B2 Rinsing wafers using composition-tunable rinse water in chemical mechanical polish
An apparatus for manufacturing integrated circuits on a wafer includes a polish pad; a rinse arm movable over the polish pad; and a post-polish cleaner. The post-polish cleaner includes a brush for brushing the wafer; and a nozzle aiming at the wafer. The apparatus further includes a mixer configured to mix an additive and de-ionized water; and a pipe connecting the mixer to at least one of the rinse arm and the nozzle.
US09659793B2 Method for producing a material-bonding connection between a semiconductor chip and a metal layer
A method for producing a material-bonding connection between a semiconductor chip and a metal layer is disclosed. For this purpose, a semiconductor chip, a metal layer, which has a chip mounting portion, and also a bonding medium containing a metal powder are provided. The metal powder is sintered in a sintering process. In this case, throughout a prescribed sintering time, the prescribed requirements are met, that the bonding medium is arranged between the semiconductor chip and the metal layer and extends right through from the semiconductor chip to the metal layer, that the semiconductor chip and the metal layer are pressed against one another in a pressing-pressure range that lies above a minimum pressing pressure, that the bonding medium is kept in a temperature range that lies above a minimum temperature and that a sound signal is introduced into the bonding medium.
US09659790B2 Method of forming pattern and method of manufacturing integrated circuit device by using the same
A method of forming a pattern, the method including forming a mask layer on a feature layer on a substrate; forming guides regularly arranged with a first pitch on the mask layer in a first region and dummy guides regularly arranged with the first pitch on the mask layer in a second region spaced apart from the first region with a separation region therebetween, the separation region having a width greater than the first pitch; forming a block copolymer layer on the mask layer; phase-separating the block copolymer layer to form a self-assembled layer; forming a mask pattern by etching the mask layer using the self-assembled layer; and patterning the feature layer by transferring a shape of the mask pattern to the feature layer in the first region while blocking the shape of the mask pattern from being transferred to the feature layer in the second region.
US09659783B2 High aspect ratio etch with combination mask
A method for etching features in a stack is provided. A combination hardmask is formed by forming a first hardmask layer comprising carbon or silicon oxide over the stack, forming a second hardmask layer comprising metal over the first hardmask layer, and patterning the first and second hardmask layers. The stack is etched through the combination hardmask.
US09659782B2 Memory device and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating memory device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a tunnel oxide layer on the substrate, a first electrode layer on the tunnel oxide layer, an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) stack on the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer on the ONO stack, and then removing part of the second electrode layer, part of the ONO stack, and part of the first electrode layer so that the tunnel oxide layer is not exposed.
US09659778B2 Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices and structures thereof
Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices and structures thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a gate material stack over a substrate having a first region and a second region. The gate material stack includes a semiconductive gate material. A thickness is altered or a substance is introduced to the semiconductive gate material in the first region or the second region of the substrate. The gate material stack is patterned in the first region and the second region resulting in a first transistor in the first region of the substrate comprising an NMOS FET of a CMOS device and a second transistor in the second region of the substrate comprising an NMOS FET of the CMOS device. The first transistor has a first threshold voltage and the second transistor has a second threshold voltage different than the first threshold voltage.
US09659772B2 Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the same
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the semiconductor devices are provided. The semiconductor devices may include a first line pattern that includes a first main line having a first width and a first subline having a second width, and a second line pattern that includes a second main line having the first width and a second subline having a third width. The first line pattern may include a first width changer whose width increases from the first width to the second width. The second line pattern may include a second width changer whose width increases from the first width to the third width.
US09659761B2 Dynamically harmonized FT-ICR cell with specially shaped electrodes for compensation of inhomogeneity of the magnetic field
A method and apparatus of compensating a magnetic field inhomogeneity in a dynamically harmonized FT-ICR cell is presented, based on adding of extra electrodes into the cell, the extra electrodes being shaped in such a way that the averaged electric field created by these electrodes produces a counter force to the forces caused by the inhomogeneous magnetic field on the cycling ions.
US09659748B2 Treating biomass
Methods and systems are described for processing cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials and useful intermediates and products, such as energy and fuels. For example, irradiating methods and systems are described to aid in the processing of the cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials. The electron beam accelerator has multiple windows foils and these foils are cooled with cooling gas. In one configuration a secondary foil is integral to the electron beam accelerator and in another configuration the secondary foil is part of the enclosure for the biomass conveying system.
US09659741B2 X-ray tube having planar emitter with tunable emission characteristics
An electron emitter can include: a plurality of elongate rungs connected together end to end from a first emitter end to a second emitter end in a plane so as to form a planar pattern; a plurality of corners, wherein each elongate rung is connected to another elongate rung through a corner having a corner apex and an opposite corner nadir; a first gap between adjacent non-connected elongate rungs, wherein the first gap extends from the first emitter end to a middle rung; a second gap between adjacent non-connected elongate rungs, wherein the second gap extends from the second emitter end to the middle rung, wherein the first gap does not intersect the second gap; and one or more cutouts at one or more of the corners of the plurality of corners between the corner apex and corner nadir or at the corner nadir.
US09659740B2 Radiation generator adjusting beam focusing based upon a diagnostic electrode
A radiation generator is provided that includes a target, a cathode to emit electrons in a downstream direction toward the target, a first conductive member downstream of the cathode, and a second conductive member downstream of the cathode. The first and second conductive members have a potential difference with the cathode such that a resultant electric field accelerates the electrons toward the target. A diagnostic current in the second conductive member and a target current in the target may be measured, and an electrical property of the first conductive member may be adjusted based upon the diagnostic current and the target current.
US09659728B2 Solid-dielectric switch including a molded viewing window
A solid-dielectric switch includes a visible disconnect assembly having an open state and a closed state. A molded housing at least partially encases the visible disconnect assembly. At least a portion of the molded housing forms a molded one-piece wall having an inner surface and an outer surface. An aperture in the molded one-piece wall extends between the inner surface and the outer surface of the wall. A viewing window is disposed in the aperture and molded into the molded wall. The viewing window includes a lens, wherein the viewing window has an outer edge that is embedded within the molded one-piece wall with the outer edge extending into the molded one-piece wall between the inner surface and the outer surface of the molded one-piece wall.
US09659717B2 MEMS device with constant capacitance
A MEMS apparatus has a substrate, an input node, an output node, and a MEMS switch between the input node and the output node. The switch selectively connects the input node and the output node, which are electrically isolated when the switch is open. The apparatus also has an input doped region in the substrate and an output doped region in the substrate. The input doped region and output doped region are electrically isolated through the substrate—i.e., the resistance between them inhibits non-negligible current flows between the two doped regions. The input doped region forms an input capacitance with the input node, while the output doped region forms an output capacitance with the output node.
US09659716B2 Collector and electrode structure, non-aqueous electrolyte cell, electrical double layer capacitor, lithium ion capacitor, or electrical storage device using same
Provided is a technique to confirm the performance of the conductive resin layer of a current collector without actually preparing an electrode structure, a non-aqueous electrolyte battery, an electrical double layer capacitor, a lithium ion capacitor, or an electrical storage device, and to confirm the performance of the conductive resin layer easily with high accuracy by a non-destructive test. A current collector includes a conductive substrate and a resin layer possessing conductivity, the resin layer being formed on at least one side of the conductive substrate. The resin layer possessing conductivity contains a resin and a conductive material containing carbon as a main component. When the color tone of the surface of the resin layer possessing conductivity is specified with L*a*b* color system, L* is 60 or lower, a* is −1.0 to 1.0, and b* is −1.0 to 3.0.
US09659715B2 Electricity storing/discharging device having multiple input/output electric conductive interface covered by electrode plate pair with multiple-sided electric conductive terminals with a single layer means
The present invention provides an electricity storing/discharging device having multiple input/output electric conductive interface covered by electrode plate pair with multiple-sided electric conductive terminals with a single layer means, which is applied in a specific multiple-sided package structure having electrode plate pair with multiple-sided electric conductive terminals and a multiple-directional input/output electric conductive interfaces, so the electrode plate pair is able to be installed on at least one multiple-sided electric conductive terminal and/or at least one side for forming an electric conductive interface so as to transfer electric energy to the exterior.
US09659703B2 Ignition coil for internal combustion engine
An ignition coil for an internal-combustion engine, including an assembly of a primary coil, a secondary coil, and a central core, and a ring-shaped outer core surrounding the assembly. The assembly includes at least one first protrusion protruding from a first end surface of the secondary spool. The at least one first protrusion is in contact with an inside surface of the outer core and offset from the central core toward an opening of the outer core in a penetration direction of the outer core. The assembly further includes at least one second protrusion protruding from a second end surface of the primary spool. The at least one second protrusion protrudes beyond a second axial end surface of the central core so as to be in contact with the inside surface of the outer core and extends substantially the entire length of the outer core in the penetration direction.
US09659699B2 Magnetic substance holding device minimalizing residual magnetism
Disclosed herein is a magnetic substance holding device that minimizes residual magnetism by way of employing structures for minimizing reluctance to magnetic flux flow.
US09659694B2 Non-oriented electrical steel plate and manufacturing process therefor
Disclosed are a non-oriented electrical steel plate with low iron loss and high magnetic conductivity and a manufacturing process therefor. The casting blank of the steel plate comprises the following components: Si: 0.1-2.0 wt %, Al: 0.1-1.0 wt %, Mn: 0.10-1.0 wt %, C: ≦0.005 wt %, P: ≦0.2 wt %, S: ≦0.005 wt %, N: ≦0.005 wt %, the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities. The magnetic conductivity of the steel plate meets the following relationship formula: μ10+μ13+μ15≧13982−586.5P15/50; μ10+μ13+μ15≧10000, wherein P15/50 is the iron loss at a magnetic induction intensity of 1.5 T at 50 Hz; μ10, μ13, and μ15 are relative magnetic conductivities at induction intensities of 1.0 T, 1.3 T, and 1.5 T at 50 Hz, respectively. The steel plate can be used for manufacturing highly effective and ultra-highly effective electric motors.
US09659691B2 Thin-film thermistor element and method of manufacturing the same
Provided is a thin-film thermistor element including a Si substrate 2, a thermistor thin film 5 formed on the Si substrate 2, and an electrode 3 made of platinum, an alloy thereof or the like and formed on, under or inside the thermistor thin film 5. The electrode 3 is formed from a film deposited containing oxygen and nitrogen and then crystallized by heat treatment.
US09659690B2 Method for manufacturing a surface mount device
A method of manufacturing a surface mount device includes providing at least one core device and at least one lead frame. The core device is attached to the lead frame. The core device and the lead frame are encapsulated within an encapsulant. The encapsulant comprises a liquid epoxy that when cured has an oxygen permeability of less than approximately 0.4 cm3·mm/m2·atm·day.
US09659676B2 Jet pump diffuser stack repair
A method of repairing a slip joint on a jet pump assembly between an inlet mixer and a diffuser, with the diffuser having an opening that receives the inlet mixer with a given spacing between an outside diameter of the inlet mixer and an inside diameter of the opening in the diffuser forming an annulus whose spacing is a product of manufacture and vibration wear. The method comprises the steps of remotely accessing the annulus and narrowing a radial dimension of the annulus.
US09659668B2 Via stack fault detection
A method and apparatus are disclosed. One such method includes selecting a die of a plurality of dies that are coupled together through a via stack. A via on the selected die can be coupled to ground. A supply voltage is coupled to an end of the via stack and a resulting current measured. A calculated resistance is compared to an expected resistance to determine if a fault exists in the via stack.
US09659661B2 EEPROM backup method and device
An electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) device includes a plurality of data areas in the EEPROM associated with a corresponding plurality of memory addresses, respectively, a data status indicator associated with each of the plurality of data areas. The data status indicator is configured to indicate that a data area is in an erase state, an uncertain state, or a valid state. The EEPROM device also includes a controller. A first data area and a second data area are configured to be a backup storage area for each other. In an erase and program cycle, at least one of the first or second memory areas is in a valid state throughout the erase and program cycle. Further, in an erase and program cycle, an erase operation is performed in one of the first or second memory areas, and a program operation is performed in the other data areas.
US09659660B2 Memory system and driving method thereof using at least two zone voltages
A driving method of a nonvolatile memory device includes receiving a program command and an address. The method includes changing a number of adjacent zones of a plurality of zones formed of unselected word lines according to a location of a selected word line corresponding to the received address. The method further includes applying different zone voltages to the number of adjacent zones and remaining zones. The nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of strings formed to penetrate word lines stacked on a substrate in a plate shape.
US09659659B2 Semiconductor memory apparatus and data scrambling method using the same
A semiconductor memory apparatus and a data processing method are provided. The semiconductor memory apparatus gives consideration to partial page programming and data scrambling, and improves the reliability. In the flash memory of the present invention, when data is programmed to a page n times consecutively, identification information and program information are generated. A scrambled data, the location information and the flag information are programmed to a selected page in a memory array. The location information indicates a storage location for a data scrambling in the page selected based on an input address information. The flag information is used to identify a storage region specified by the location information is programmed.
US09659644B2 Driving method of nonvolatile memory device using variable resistive element
Provided is a driving method of a nonvolatile memory device for performing a write operation using a plurality of consecutive write loops. The driving method includes writing data to a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells during a first write loop, and after the first write loop, writing the data to the plurality of nonvolatile memory cells during a second write loop. A first maximum parallel bit size of the first write loop is n bits. A second maximum parallel bit size of the second write loop is m bits. m is greater than n.
US09659635B1 Memory array with bit-lines connected to different sub-arrays through jumper structures
An integrated circuit structure includes an SRAM array including a first sub-array having a first plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of SRAM cells, and a second sub-array having a second plurality of rows and the plurality of columns of SRAM cells. A first bit-line and a first complementary bit-line are connected to the first and the second pass-gate MOS devices of SRAM cells in a column in the first sub-array. A second bit-line and a second complementary bit-line are connected to the first and the second pass-gate MOS devices of SRAM cells in the column in the second sub-array. The first bit-line and the first complementary bit-line are disconnected from the second bit-line and the second complementary bit-line. A sense amplifier circuit is electrically coupled to, and configured to sense, the first bit-line, the first complementary bit-line, the second bit-line, and the second complementary bit-line.
US09659630B2 Multi-mode memory device and method having stacked memory dice, a logic die and a command processing circuit and operating in direct and indirect modes
Memory device systems, systems and methods are disclosed, such as those involving a plurality of stacked memory device dice and a logic die connected to each other through a plurality of conductors. The logic die serves, for example, as a memory interface device to a memory access device, such as a processor. The logic die can include a command register that allows selective operation in either of two modes. In a direct mode, conventional command signals as well as row and column address signals are applied to the logic die, and the logic die can essentially couple these signals directly to the memory device dice. In an indirect mode, a packet containing a command and a composite address are applied to the logic die, and the logic die can decode the command and composite address to apply conventional command signals as well as row and column address signals to the memory device dice.
US09659629B2 Sense amplifier driving device
A sense amplifier driving device, and more particularly, a technology for improving the post overdriving operation characteristic of a semiconductor device. A sense amplifier driving device includes a driving signal generation block configured to compare a reference voltage set by a voltage trimming signal and a level of a power supply voltage, and generate a pull-up driving signal for controlling an operation of a sense amplifier; and a sense amplifier driving block configured to supply a driving voltage to a pull-up power line of the sense amplifier for an active operation period in correspondence to the pull-up driving signal, the driving signal generation block including a voltage divider configured to divide the power supply voltage, and output a divided voltage; and a voltage comparison section configured to compare the reference voltage and the divided voltage, and output a control signal for controlling an overdriving operation of the sense amplifier.
US09659626B1 Memory refresh operation with page open
Embodiments are generally directed to memory refresh operation with page open. An embodiment of a memory device includes a memory array including a plurality of memory banks; and a control logic to provide control operations for the memory device including a page open refresh mode, wherein the control logic is to perform a refresh cycle in response to a refresh command with a memory page of the memory array open, the refresh operation including precharge of one or more memory banks of the plurality of memory banks, refresh of the one or more memory banks, and activation of the memory page.
US09659622B1 Sense amplifier
In a non-volatile memory, a method of performing a sensing operation to read a non-volatile (NV) element includes a first and a second phase. During the first phase, the NV element is coupled via a sense path transistor to a first capacitive element at a first input of an amplifier stage and a reference cell is coupled via a reference sense path transistor to a second capacitive element at a second input of the amplifier stage. During the second phase, the NV element is coupled via the sense path transistor to the second capacitive element and the reference cell is coupled via the reference sense path transistor to the first capacitive element. During the first phase, the first and second capacitive elements are initialized to voltages representative of states of the NV element and reference cell, respectively. During the second phase, the voltage differential between the two voltages is amplified.
US09659620B2 Memory device with self-boosted mechanism
An electronic device is disclosed that includes memory cells, a word line, a selection unit and a self-boosted driver. The memory cells are configured to store data. The word line is coupled to the memory cells. The selection unit is disposed at a first terminal of the word line, and is configured to transmit a selection signal to activate the word line according to one of a read command and a write command. The self-boosted driver is disposed at a second terminal of the word line, and is configured to pull up a voltage level of the word line according to a voltage level of the word line and a control signal.
US09659619B2 System and method for memory integrated circuit chip write abort indication
Systems and methods for detecting a command execution abort are disclosed. Power failure may abort the writing of data in a memory device prematurely, resulting in potential data corruption. A memory device controller in the memory device sends commands, such as write or erase commands, to one or more memory integrated circuit chips. Along with executing the commands, the memory integrated circuit chips track execution of the commands by storing the address at which the command is being executed along with flag(s) indicative of the progress executing the command (e.g., command has begun and/or completed execution). When a power failure occurs, the memory device controller may poll the memory integrated circuit chips for the address/flags information to determine whether (or where) the command abort occurred. Thus, relying on the address/flag(s), the memory device controller may more quickly or easily determine whether a command abort has occurred.
US09659614B2 Integrated keeper circuit
Various implementations described herein are directed to a keeper circuit coupled to a bitline input path and configured to provide a first voltage source signal to the bitline input path based on a keeper enable signal. The keeper circuit may include an NMOS transistor. Further, a logic device may be coupled to the bitline input path and configured to receive the bitline input signal, receive the first voltage source signal from the keeper circuit, and provide an inverted bitline input signal as an output signal.
US09659611B1 Semiconductor devices and semiconductor systems including the same
A semiconductor system includes a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device outputs a command and a mask command. The second semiconductor device drives a first local line according to data on a first global line if a first mask write operation is performed in response to the command and the mask command. In addition, the second semiconductor device senses and amplifies data on a second local line if the first mask write operation is performed in response to the command and the mask command.
US09659610B1 Apparatuses and methods for shifting data
The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to shifting data. A number of embodiments include an apparatus comprising pre-charge lines and n-channel transistors without complementary p-channel transistors. A number of embodiments include a method comprising shifting data by pre-charging nodes with an operating voltage.
US09659602B2 Voltage control integrated circuit devices
Voltage control in integrated circuits include a first voltage divider coupled to receive a reference voltage and having an output providing an adjusted reference voltage; an operational amplifier having a first input coupled to receive the output of the first voltage divider, a second input coupled to receive a feedback voltage, and an output; a voltage generation circuit responsive to the output of the operational amplifier and having an output providing an output voltage; and a second voltage divider coupled to receive the output voltage and having an output providing the feedback voltage. The first voltage divider is responsive to first control signals to adjust a voltage level of the adjusted reference voltage. The second voltage divider is responsive to second control signals to adjust a voltage level of the feedback voltage.
US09659599B1 Multiple port data storage device
The present disclosure outlines front-end-of-line (FEOL) processing, middle-end-of-line (MEOL) processing, and back-end-of-line (BEOL) processing for fabricating a memory cell that can be implemented within a data storage device. The memory cell of the present disclosure represents a multiple port memory cell having at least three ports, such as a write-port, a first read-port, and a second read-port. The disclose FEOL processing is used to form semiconductor devices of the memory cell onto diffusion layers and polysilicon layers of a semiconductor layer stack. The disclosed MEOL processing is used to form interconnections, such as one or more vias and/or one or more contacts to provide some examples, between the semiconductor devices and metallization layers of the semiconductor layer stack. The disclosure BEOL processing is used to form the least three ports onto the metallization layers of the semiconductor layer stack.
US09659595B2 Video remixing system
A method and related apparatus for providing content information for a video remix, the method comprising: identifying at least one performer of an event on the basis of image data of a source video; obtaining information about a role of the at least one performer in the event; determining at least some video frames of the source video to contain said at least one performer as a dominant performer in said event; and annotating said video frames of the source video with a description of the role of the at least one performer.
US09659587B1 Magnetic head having a reader overcoat with DLC and a recessed writer overcoat without DLC
A magnetic head includes a slider defining an air bearing surface (ABS) and having a trailing face approximately orthogonal to the ABS. A transducer is disposed on the trailing face and includes a reader and a writer. The writer comprises a non-ferromagnetic writer encapsulate material, and includes a ferromagnetic write pole embedded in the non-ferromagnetic writer encapsulate material. The reader comprises a non-ferromagnetic reader encapsulate material, and includes a magnetoresistive sensor stack embedded in the non-ferromagnetic reader encapsulate material. The magnetic head further includes a novel dual overcoat having a writer overcoat material disposed on the writer, and a reader overcoat material disposed on the reader. The reader overcoat material comprises diamond-like carbon (DLC), and the writer overcoat material does not comprise DLC. An example method for fabricating the novel dual overcoat is also disclosed.
US09659584B2 Dynamic flying height read/write head with off-track contact capability at touch down in hard disk drives
Dynamic fly height (DFH) control is obtained for a read/write head by use of a heating element having two laterally separated heat sources symmetrically spaced around the track center line of the head. The two heating sources create a protrusion profile relative to the undistorted ABS that recesses the read element and main write pole at the track center line relative to off-track positions. The resulting DFH control also protects the head from HDI (head-disk interference) events that are either the result of calibration procedures or normal HDD (hard disk drive) operation.
US09659571B2 System and method for emitting and especially controlling an audio signal in an environment using an objective intelligibility measure
Public address systems or other systems for emitting audio signals, like music, speech or announcements, in different locations like supermarkets, schools, universities, and auditoriums are widely known. In one embodiment, invention proposes a system for emitting an audio signal in an environment. The system includes an audio source for providing the audio signal and at least one loudspeaker for emitting the audio signal. The system also includes at least one microphone for receiving an acoustic signal from the environment. The acoustic signal is based on the audio signal and may comprise disturbing components. The system also includes an analyzing module for analyzing the acoustic signal and for providing an intelligibility measure from an objective intelligibility measure method. The intelligibility measure is used as a feedback signal.
US09659570B2 Audiovisual information processing in videoconferencing
Embodiments of the present invention relate to audiovisual stream processing in videoconferences. For each audiovisual stream in a videoconference, a sound level of the audiovisual stream is detected. If the sound level exceeds a predefined threshold level, the audiovisual stream is processed with a first configuration. If the sound level is below the predefined threshold level, the audiovisual stream is processed with a second configuration. The second configuration is more resource-effective than the first configuration.
US09659561B2 Recording support electronic device and method
A recording support method includes: receiving audio data; acquiring voice data from the audio data; receiving or generating text data corresponding to the voice data; storing at least part of the voice data and at least part of the text data corresponding to the at least part of the voice data; and output the received or generated text data, and wherein the stored at least part of the voice data and the stored at least part of the text data are associated each other, and wherein the at least part of voice data comprises one or more units.
US09659560B2 Semi-supervised learning of word embeddings
Software that trains an artificial neural network for generating vector representations for natural language text, by performing the following steps: (i) receiving, by one or more processors, a set of natural language text; (ii) generating, by one or more processors, a set of first metadata for the set of natural language text, where the first metadata is generated using supervised learning method(s); (iii) generating, by one or more processors, a set of second metadata for the set of natural language text, where the second metadata is generated using unsupervised learning method(s); and (iv) training, by one or more processors, an artificial neural network adapted to generate vector representations for natural language text, where the training is based, at least in part, on the received natural language text, the generated set of first metadata, and the generated set of second metadata.
US09659550B2 Cymbal sizzle sound enhancer and method
A sizzle enhancer device is provided for complimentary use with a cymbal instrument to modify the sound the cymbal produces. The device reversibly fastens to the stand post above the cymbal element and includes an adjustable sizzle element which contacts and vibrates with the cymbal element to product a sizzle sound upon impact of the cymbal element with an object.
US09659540B1 GOA circuit of reducing power consumption
The present invention provides a GOA circuit of reducing power consumption. In the GOA unit circuit of the Nth stage, the twenty-second thin film transistor (T22) of the pull-up module (300) is controlled by the twenty-first thin film transistor (T21) of the second pull-up controlling and transmission module (200) to output the constant high voltage level (VDD) to the scan driving signal (G(N)) for reducing the parasitic capacitance of the clock signal, lowering the voltage level of the clock signal, easing the loading of the clock signal, and thus, to reduce the power consumption of the GOA circuit; the clock signal (CK(m)) is outputted to the stage transfer signal (ST(N)) through the twenty-first thin film transistor (T21), and the stage transfer signal (ST(N)) is employed for the transmission of the signal and the backward feedback to reduce the loading of the scan driving signal, and enhance the propulsive force of the scan driving signal, and the normal function of the GOA circuit can be ensured; and the forty-first thin film transistor (T41) is added in the pull-down holding module (700) to pull down the stage transfer signal (ST(N)) for preventing the electrical leakage of the twenty-second thin film transistor (T22).
US09659537B2 Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof
The disclosure is related to a liquid crystal display device, including a liquid crystal display panel and a gamma generator including a first storage unit storing a group of positive or negative gamma voltage values and a second storage unit storing a group of negative or positive gamma voltage values. The gamma generator periodically obtains the group of the positive or negative gamma voltage values, or the group of the positive or negative gamma voltage values according to a control of a polarity inversion signal. The liquid crystal display panel displays an image according to the group of the positive and/or the group of the negative gamma voltage values. The difference between the disclosure and the current technique is that the cost is decreased effectively; meanwhile, the driving structure is simplified, a wiring area is decreased and it is favorable for a narrow frame design.
US09659536B2 Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of pixels disposed on an insulation substrate in a horizontal direction, and including a thin film transistor region and a display area; and a reference voltage line extended along a center of the display area in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction. The display area includes a plurality of domains disposed in two rows, a domain in one of the two rows includes a high-gray subpixel area including a high-gray pixel electrode, and a domain in the other of the two rows includes a low-gray subpixel area including a low-gray pixel electrode. The high-gray pixel electrode and the low-gray pixel electrode each include a plurality of unit pixel electrodes, and each unit pixel electrode includes a center electrode having a planar structure and a plurality of minute branches that extend from a side of the center electrode.
US09659532B2 Four-channel transmissive display system
A four-color transmissive display system incorporates a display having independently variable light sources for different colors, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive and process a three-color input image signal, and provide a four-color output image signal to the display. The controller incorporates units respectively configured to (1) calculate a blue reduction factor for each pixel, dependent on luminance differences between blue and other color components, (2) produce respective saturation adjustment factors for red, green, and blue, (3) apply the blue reduction factor to reduce blue luminance, and apply the saturation adjustment factors to reduce saturation of other colors, (4) produce the output image signal. An optional sensor is operable to provide a control signal to the controller, whereby display power can be reduced. An optional estimating unit is configured to estimate current required to display the input image signal, for adjustment of the output image signal.
US09659526B2 Light-emitting device capable of correcting variation in luminance among pixels
A light-emitting device is provided, which is capable of correcting variation in luminance among pixels due to variation in electrical characteristics, such as threshold voltage or mobility, among driving transistors in a period where image display is performed. The light-emitting device includes a pixel; a first circuit configured to generate a signal including information about a value of current extracted from the pixel; and a second circuit configured to correct an image signal in accordance with the signal. The pixel includes a light-emitting element; a transistor whose drain current has a value determined in accordance with the image signal; a first switch configured to control supply of the drain current to the light-emitting element; and a second switch configured to control extraction of the drain current from the pixel and control the supply of the drain current to the light-emitting element.
US09659523B2 Display panel and display panel driving method
Display panel includes: a power supply unit that generates first power supply voltage and variable second power supply voltage; and first and second power supply lines that transmit the first and second power supply voltages, respectively, to light emitting elements. The power supply unit (i) includes: first and second input terminals; a switching control unit; an inductor having first terminal connected to the second power supply line; a first switch element that switches conduction/non-conduction between a second terminal of the inductor and the first input terminal; a second switch element that switches conduction/non-conduction between the second terminal and the second input terminal; a capacitor having first electrode to which constant voltage is applied; and a third switch element that switches conduction/non-conduction between the second terminal and a second electrode of the capacitor, and (ii) collects, into the capacitor, and regenerates power from parasitic capacitance of the second power supply line.
US09659517B2 Converting system and converting method of three-color data to four-color data
A converting system and a converting method of three-color data to four-color data are provided. The converting system includes: a first calculating part configured to calculate a saturation value and a luminance enhancement coefficient according to inputted RGB values, a second calculating part configured to calculate luminance-enhanced RGB values according to the luminance enhancement coefficient and the inputted RGB values, a white determining part configured to use a minimum value of the luminance-enhanced RGB values as an outputted W value, and a three-color determining part configured to calculate outputted RGB values according to the luminance-enhanced RGB values and the outputted W value. The invention can obtain optimal outputted W values for different inputted RGB values and maximally increase the transmittance of the display apparatus. Accordingly, the display apparatus can increase the saturation of display image while enhance the transmittance.
US09659494B2 Technologies for reporting and predicting emergency vehicle routes
Technologies for reporting and predicting emergency vehicle routes include a cloud server to receive emergency vehicle route data from an emergency vehicle, the emergency vehicle route data indicating a travel route of the emergency vehicle. The cloud server determines a scope of disclosure of the travel route to other vehicles based on the emergency vehicle route data and which other vehicles different from the emergency vehicle to which to convey the travel route of the emergency vehicle. The cloud server transmits a portion of the travel route of the emergency vehicle to the other vehicles based on the scope of disclosure.
US09659486B2 Device and system for protecting a person from RF radiation
A radiofrequency (“RF”) transmitter site protection system and an RF radiation protection device are provided. The RF radiation protection device includes a control system and a communication module. The control system includes a processor. The communication module is adapted to communicate with a device operable to sense RF radiation and to receive data representative of a level of the RF radiation proximate the RF safety monitoring device from the RF safety monitoring device.
US09659481B2 Data collection and monitoring system and method
A data collection and monitoring system for at least one defined space within a public or commercial facility includes: a plurality of sensors each monitoring a predetermined parameter; and a data collecting unit arranged for communicating with said sensors within a range of communication which corresponds to the extent of said defined space, with at least one mobile device for a user and with a central server which is associated with a storage medium. The storage medium is adapted for storing and monitoring data related to said sensors. Said data collecting unit is arranged for forwarding data relating to the sensors to the mobile device when the mobile device enters said space.
US09659480B2 Reminders based on virtual locations
One embodiment provides a method, including: obtaining, using a processor, a reminder, the reminder being triggered by a later access to a virtual location; thereafter determining, using a processor, a user is accessing the virtual location; and providing, using a processor, the reminder to the user. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09659456B2 Gaming system with improved wager mechanism
A gaming system comprising presentation means for presenting selected symbols from a first and a second symbol reel with respective first and second sets of symbols in a display area, outcome determination means for determining an outcome from a first win line symbol from the first set and a second win line symbol from the second set, being the symbols from the first and second sets that are positioned along a win line in the display area, outcome replacement means for, upon occurrence of a predetermined event, selecting for the first win line symbol a first replacement symbol, selecting for the second win line symbol a second replacement symbol and causing the output determination means to determine the outcome from the first and second replacement symbols, wherein the first and second replacement symbols are positioned at an equal distance from the first and second win line symbols respectively.
US09659454B2 Electronic gaming device with auto-play functionality
Examples disclosed herein relate to systems and methods, which may receive wagers on one or more paylines. The systems and methods may utilize one or more auto-play game functionality. The systems and methods may determine one or more payouts based on the one or more auto-play game functionality. The systems and methods may display one or more presentations based on the one or more auto-play game functionality.
US09659452B2 Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller
A method of gaming comprising: (a) determining a minimum prize value to be awarded for a current game outcome based on a previous game outcome; (b) generating the current game outcome; (c) determining a provisional prize value based on the current game outcome; (d) comparing the provisional prize value with the minimum prize value; and (e) setting a current prize value at the minimum prize value upon the provisional prize value being less than the minimum prize value or at the provisional prize value upon the provisional prize value being greater than or equal to the minimum prize value.
US09659449B2 Methods and systems for providing accessory devices usable to facilitate remotely viewable wagering game outcomes
In accordance with some embodiments, a plurality of outcomes are generated and used to create a video presentation of representative outcomes. The video presentation is recorded onto a tangible medium (e.g., DVD or CD-ROM) or otherwise provided to a player (e.g., player may access the video presentation online). This allows a player to purchase a video presentation of (e.g., predetermined) outcomes in a jurisdiction in which gambling is legal yet view the presentation at the player's convenience (e.g., from any jurisdiction and at any time). The outcomes on the DVD or CD ROM may be viewed on a video display generated by a primary output device (e.g., a personal computer or a DVD player). In addition, the player may purchase or otherwise obtain an accessory device that interacts (e.g., augments the outcomes) with the game play recorded on the tangible medium.
US09659447B2 System and method for augmented wagering
Disclosed is a method and system involving augmented wagering. In one contemplated approach, context-sensitive betting options are conveniently presented to a player. Promotion of time sensitive propositions are presented to both simplify the wagering experience and provide a better targeted experience.
US09659439B1 Method, device, and computer-readable medium for wagering on a skills-based digital gaming competition with an out-of-game peer wagering module
A method for wagering on a skills-based digital gaming competition, the method executing on a computing device including storage storing a peer-wagering module that is external and distinct from at least one game stored on the storage device or another storage device, the method including: receiving potential game and competitor player data; receiving game competition selection information from the player that includes at least one selected game instance and at least one wager amount; receiving game instance match ID data generated by the transactional server, wherein the game instance match ID data includes at least one of: credential data associated with the player, player wager amount or a board, level, or difficulty setting associated with the selected game instance; and transmitting the game instance match ID data and game initiation data to the game, thereby activating the at least one selected game instance on the computing device.
US09659431B2 Gaming machine with improvements to replay functionality
A gaming machine has a display device; an input device; and a controller comprising a processor and a memory device. The memory device stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device to display game data in the gaming window on the display device for each of a plurality of plays of a game. The gaming window has sides defining a geometrical shape and defining an enclosed area for presenting the game data on the display device. Upon a replay triggering event, the processor resizes the geometric shape of the gaming window and replays at least one of a plurality of plays of the game in the resized gaming window, wherein the game data displayed in the resized gaming window is accordingly scaled.
US09659429B2 Gaming device having advance game information analyzer
This concept is directed to methods of operating a gaming device to analyze game information that is part of a gaming event having a player interaction in advance of the player interaction to make a determination about the game play. These methods may be used for a variety of gaming devices such as slot machines, video keno devices, video poker machines, electronic table games, internet gaming terminals, etc. In each type of gaming device, these operation methods evaluate future game information during game play to determine one of multiple manners by which the game play will continue. These continuation manners may include changing the speed of game play, determining display characteristics of the game and outcome, providing tips or information to the player about the future game information, automatically initiating a subsequent game, or otherwise altering an aspect of the game play parameters in response to the evaluated game information.
US09659424B2 Technologies and methods for security access
Embodiments herein are directed security access. Embodiments include an electronic lock that executes a time-based cryptographic algorithm to compute a time-based access code. The electronic lock compares the time-based access code with a received access code, and grants access to one or more lock features when the time-based access code matches the received access code. Embodiments also include providing an unlock code, including receiving a lock identifier and a user identifier. The lock identifier and the user identifier are sent to a remote computer system, and an access code for the lock is received from the remote computer system. Embodiments also include an electronic lock that receives and verifies an access code that includes a validity start time and a validity end time. When the current time is within the validity start time and the validity end time, the electronic lock grants access to one or more lock features.
US09659420B2 Security system of information processing apparatus and security control apparatus
In a security system, a security control apparatus 300 includes an authentication processing unit 31 for perform an authentication on whether the mobile terminal is a permitted terminal, a distance determining unit 32 for determining whether the mobile terminal is located within a predetermined distance from a printer 100, and an unlocking unit 33 for transmitting an unlock instruction signal to the printer 100 when the authentication is successful and it is determined that the mobile terminal is located within the predetermined distance from the printer 100. Therefore, a locking mechanism of the printer 100 cannot be unlocked even if the authentication is successful, and the locking mechanism of the printer 100 can be unlocked when it is further determined the mobile terminal is located within the predetermined distance from the printer 100.
US09659418B2 Locking systems
A locking system is disclosed. The locking system may move a lockable device included in the locking system between a locked and unlocked state. The lockable device may comprise a laser.
US09659415B2 Apparatus for warning of occurrence of error of device
Proposed is a warning system which includes: a warning device; a display device; an IC CPU for controlling the operation of the display device and the warning device; and a master ECU for, connected to the IC CPU through a communication channel and connected to one or more warning devices through a hardware channel, controlling the operation of the warning device through the IC CPU. The master ECU includes an error detection module to monitor regularly the data validity of the communication channel, the warning device and the response of the IC CPU, and an on/off module to operate the warning device. When the error detection module detects an error in the data validity of the communication channel, the warning device and the response of the IC CPU, the master ECU controls the on/off module to operate directly the warning device using the hardware channel.
US09659413B2 Method, system and device for navigating in a virtual reality environment
A method, a system, and a device for navigating in a virtual reality scene, using body parts gesturing and posturing are provided herein. The method may include: projecting a synthetic 3D scene, into both eyes of a user, via a near eye display, so as to provide a virtual reality view to the user; identifying at least one gesture or posture carried out by at least one body part of said user; measuring at least one metric of a vector associated with the detected gesture or posture; applying a movement or action of said user in virtual reality environment, based on the measured metrics; and modifying the virtual reality view so as to reflect the movement or action of said user in the virtual reality environment.
US09659406B2 Procedural authoring
A three dimensional (3D) model of an object or environment may be created from images and other information of the object or environment. The 3D model may be created by aligning the images. The 3D model may include surfaces that are based on surfaces of the object or environment. The 3D model may be displayed, extorted, modified and so on.
US09659405B2 Image processing method and apparatus
An image processing apparatus comprises data receiving circuitry for receiving a volumetric imaging data set which is representative of a volume, the volume comprising a region of interest and lighting circuitry configured to place a virtual light source outside the region of interest and to apply a lighting simulation process to simulate light from the virtual light source. The applying of the lighting simulation process is at least partially different for a first lighting region than for a second lighting region, the first lighting region comprising at least part of the volume outside the region of interest and the second lighting region comprising at least part of the region of interest.
US09659401B2 Methods of and apparatus for using textures in graphics processing systems
A graphics virtual texturing system in which textures stored in a storage medium of a host system are divided into respective pages that are then loaded into a local memory of a graphics processing system for use. Each page of a graphics texture has an associated fade factor value that can be set by an application that is to use the texture to control the contribution that the page will be used to make to any texturing result that is generated using the texture page in question. The graphics processing system then controls the contribution of texture data from a texture page to texturing result data to be generated in accordance with the fade factor value associated with the texture page in question. This allows texture paging to be done in a more visually pleasing manner than just a binary “page-is-here”/“page-is-not-here” switch.
US09659400B2 Efficiently implementing and displaying independent 3-dimensional interactive viewports of a virtual world on multiple client devices
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to efficiently circumventing the limitations of client side rendering of virtual worlds. In a particular implementation, a proposed system renders each client viewport remotely, removing the burden of rendering a 3D scene from the local client device. 3D viewports, rather than being rasterized on the local client, are instead generated on a remote render device which then transmits a visual representation of the viewport to the client device in a format (including, but not limited to a video stream) which the client can use to display the scene without requiring complex 3D rasterization. This process eliminates the need for the client to have any specialized 3D rendering software or hardware, or to install or download any persistent render assets on the local system. The hardware requirements for the client are therefore roughly equivalent to those needed to play a continuous video stream.
US09659398B2 Multiple visual representations of lighting effects in a computer animation scene
Computer animation tools for viewing, in multiple contexts, the effect of changes to a computer animation are disclosed. An artist configures multiple visual displays in the user interface of a computer animation system. A visual display shows one or more frames of computer animation. An artist configures a visual display to reflect a specific context. For example, the artist may assign a particular virtual viewpoint of a scene to a particular visual display. Once visual displays are configured, the artist changes a configuration of the computer animation. For example, the artist may change the lighting parameters of a scene. In response, the visual displays show the visual effects of the configuration (e.g., lighting parameters) change under corresponding contexts (e.g., different virtual camera viewpoints). Using multiple visual displays, which may be displayed side-by-side, an artist can view the effects of her configuration changes in the various contexts.
US09659391B1 Request resolution shaper in a networked system architecture
An apparatus and related method are provided for generating a graphical display region for display of a plurality of pixels of a display device, comprising generating a timeline axis for display in the graphical display region, receiving requester event data for a plurality of requester events from a requester device relating to a request and storing the requester event data, including a time of occurrence for each requester event, and fulfiller event data for fulfiller events from a fulfiller device and storing the fulfiller event data, calculating a time scale for the timeline axis such that requester events and fulfiller events are displayable at a position along the timeline axis proportional to their respective time of occurrence, and a respective axial position for requester indicia representing the requester events and fulfiller indicia representing the fulfiller events at a position along the timeline axis proportional to their respective time of occurrence.
US09659386B2 Method for operating a camera assembly, camera assembly and driver assistance system
The invention relates to a method for operating a camera assembly, in which a first camera and a second camera capture images (36, 42). Respective fields of view of the two cameras overlap at least in a partial region (24). At least in an image (36) captured by the first camera, at least one contamination region (38) including a plurality of pixels is detected within the partial region (24). Thereupon, data values specifying the respective transparency of the pixels in the at least one contamination region (38) are varied with respect to respective reference values of the transparency, wherein these reference values increase in the partial region (24) towards an edge (28) of the respective image upon superimposition of the images. Furthermore, the invention relates to a camera assembly.
US09659384B2 Systems, methods, and computer program products for searching and sorting images by aesthetic quality
A system, method, and computer program product for assigning an aesthetic score to an image. A method of the present invention includes receiving an image. The method further includes executing a neural network on the image to generate learned features. The method further includes applying a machine-learned model to assign an aesthetic score to the image, where a more aesthetically-pleasing image is given a higher aesthetic score and a less aesthetically-pleasing image is given a lower aesthetic score. The learned features are inputs to the machine-learned model.
US09659383B2 Image compression device, image compression method, and image compression program
A reference image is generated by converting a vector image into a raster image, a temporarily-compressed image is generated by compressing the raster image according to a compression ratio, a comparison image of the same size as the reference image is generated by subjecting the temporarily-compressed image to interpolation enlargement processing, the above processing is repeated while varying the compression ratio if the error ratio between the reference image and the comparison image is greater than a benchmark error ratio, the above processing is repeated while varying the benchmark error ratio if the image volume of the temporarily-compressed image is greater than a predetermined memory capacity when the error ratio is at or under the benchmark error ratio, and the temporarily-compressed image is stored in memory as a compressed image of a vector image if the image volume of the temporarily-compressed image is at or under the memory capacity.
US09659373B2 Method and device for ascertaining a blind area of a camera
A method for ascertaining a blind area of a camera includes a step of forming a first signal curve of a plurality of gradients, which have been determined as a function of gray values of adjacent image points of an image section of a first image recorded by the camera, and a second signal curve of a plurality of gradients, which have been determined as a function of gray values of adjacent image points of the image section of a second image recorded by the camera, the second image having been recorded with a time lag relative to the first image, and detecting the blind area, if a comparison of the first signal curve with the second signal curve shows that at least one section of the first signal curve is identical to a corresponding section of the second signal curve.
US09659372B2 Video disparity estimate space-time refinement method and codec
A method for disparity estimation of stereo video data receives a sequence of frames of stereo video data. Image-based disparity estimation is initially conducted on a frame-by-frame basis to produce initial disparity estimates. A plurality of initial disparity estimates is grouped into a space-time volume. Disparity error is reduced in the space-time volume to refine the initial disparity estimates.
US09659366B2 Image processing display device and an image processing display program
An image processing display and an image processing display program that can prevent interference with catheter treatment even when the distal end of a catheter is located behind a treatment apparatus on X-ray fluoroscopic images. The image processing display displays X-ray fluoroscopic images to be obtained by looking through a region including blood vessels using X-rays during treatment, and includes a treatment apparatus image extractor and an image processor. The treatment apparatus image extractor, based on X-ray fluoroscopic images, extracts treatment apparatus images representing the treatment apparatus having the property of absorbing X-rays. The image processor determines the distal end position of the catheter to superimpose and display images representing the determined distal end position of the catheter on the region of the X-ray fluoroscopic images showing the treatment apparatus.
US09659365B2 Image analysing
A flow pattern in a tube system is calculated from acquired image data. From the flow pattern virtual image data are generated and compared with the acquired data in order to determine a quality measure for the usability of the generated flow pattern at characteristic locations.
US09659358B2 Apparatus for checking adherence state of fiber reinforced plastic tape
An apparatus for checking an adherence state of fiber reinforced plastic tape includes an illuminating section having first and second illuminating groups. The main optical axes of illumination light beams of light emitting sections of the first illuminating group are set at a designated inclination angle with respect to a surface of an imaging region and distances on the main optical axes between a surface of a structural object and each of the light emitting sections are set to be the same. The main optical axes of illumination light beams of light emitting sections of the second illuminating group are set at an inclination angle different from the first illuminating group with respect to the surface of the imaging region and distances on the main optical axes between the surface of the structural object and each of the light emitting sections are set to be the same.
US09659351B2 Displaying personalized imagery for improving visual acuity
A method to generate an output image that improves observation of a target image viewed on a medium by an optical system is disclosed. The method includes receiving at least one target image by a processing system, receiving at least one parameter by the processing system, defining an error signal associated with the difference between calculated optical system observation of intermediate images and the at least one target image, minimizing the error signal, and generating an output image associated with the intermediate image having the minimized error.
US09659348B1 Methods and systems for high definition scaling with low hardware complexity
Methods and systems are discussed for high definition scaling. The method may include identifying values for each of a first plurality of points in a first grid. The method may include interpolating values for each of a second plurality of points in a second grid based on a location of a point and the first plurality of points, wherein the second grid is in a first grid. The method may include interpolating a value for the point based on values for each of a subset of the second plurality of points. Interpolating by using the first plurality of points may reduce storage requirements. Directional filters may be used to preserve edge sharpness during interpolation. Iterative interpolation may ensure that a limited number of directional filters are used, thereby further reducing storage requirements.
US09659342B2 Mid command buffer preemption for graphics workloads
Mid-command buffer preemption is described for graphics workloads in a graphics processing environment. In one example, instructions of a first context are executed at a graphics processor, the first context has a sequence of instructions in an addressable buffer and at least one of the instructions is a preemption instruction. Upon executing the preemption instruction, execution of the first context is stopped before the sequence of instructions is completed. An address is stored for an instruction with which the first context will be resumed. The second context is executed, and upon completion of the execution of the second context, the execution of the first context is resumed at the stored address.
US09659340B2 Silicon chip of a monolithic construction for use in implementing multiple graphic cores in a graphics processing and display subsystem
A graphics processing chip includes multiple graphics pipeline cores and multi-pipeline core logic circuitry to process graphic data streams received from a processor and to drive multiple GPUs on the multiple graphics pipeline cores.
US09659337B2 Unified communication system and unified communication method using multi-login, terminal for controlling operation of unified communication tool, and communication method in terminal
Provided are a unified communication system and a unified communication method using multi-login, a terminal for controlling an operation of a unified communication tool, and a communication method in a terminal. The unified communication system may include a communication tool provider to provide a communication tool for at least one communication server associated with a user; a login manager to manage login information of the user when the user is logged in to two or more terminals simultaneously through respective communication tools on the two or more terminals, respectively, the login manager storing the login information of the user in a storage unit; a terminal determining unit to determine, among the two or more terminals, at least one terminal to which data associated with the user is to be transmitted based on the login information; and a communication unit to transmit the data to the at least one determined terminal.
US09659336B2 Mobile baggage dispatch system and method
The disclosure relates to an apparatus, method and system for dispatching baggage. The apparatus includes a processor configured to receive baggage information associated with a passenger; associate the baggage information with a delivery person, where the delivery person is associated with delivery person information; and transmit at least apportion of the baggage information and the delivery person information to a passenger computing device associated with the passenger.
US09659326B2 System and method for debt presentment and resolution
A system and method for debt presentment and resolution through an Intranet or Internet content provider is disclosed. Said system and method include a plurality of “transaction communities” which are electronic forums allowing interaction between a plurality of debtors and creditors through means of electronic mail (e-mail) or other electronic communication means. The Internet/Intranet based software application allows said debtors to access and input information related to a particular debt with any Internet browser software. Said debtors are provided with the URL (Universal Resource Locator) for said content provider along with a unique identification code from the collection agency(s) through mail correspondence or other communication means. Upon said user entering said URL and entering said identification code, said user may then proceed to choose from a variety of settlement options listed on the HTML (HyperText Markup Language) page.
US09659321B2 Real-time return of local search content based on global search key
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving at a network device, a search key from a global search initiated at a mobile device, the network device in communication with the mobile device via a proxy operable to retrieve the search key from a packet transmitted from the mobile device, performing a search at the network device for local content associated with the search key, and transmitting the local content from the network device for display on the mobile device. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.
US09659317B2 Individual online price adjustments in real time
A method, system and computer program product for adjusting prices for goods and services offered using a computer network. In one embodiment, data relating to goods and services offered over the computer network by a number of entities using the computer network are stored in a database, communications are monitored, using the computer network, to identify an interest of a user, and this interest of the user and the data in the database are used to identify one of the entities to offer a specified product or service to the user. Information is obtained relating to a price for the specified product or service, and this information and the data in the database are used to determine an adjusted price for the specified product or service. In one embodiment, the information the user has about a price for the specified product or service is used to determine the adjusted price.
US09659315B2 Directing internet shopping traffic and tracking revenues generated as a result thereof
A system having a client, a host server, a sponsor server, and a video server, which are all interconnected via the Internet and which operate seamlessly together in order to provide video content to an end user at the client and allow the end user at the client to purchase products and/or services from the sponsor that are featured in the video content provided by the video server. As the user views video content on his or her computer, images associated with segments of the content are periodically provided in conjunction with the video content. Each image contains an image map, which defines areas in the image. Each defined area is associated with a product which is displayed in that area of the image. Each defined area is also associated with an anchored hyperlink which links to web content from a sponsor server.
US09659304B1 Methods, systems, and computer program products for associating a shopper loyalty program with a mobile payments account
A method includes performing operations as follows on at least one processor: receiving credentials from a shopper, the credentials being associated with a purchase from a merchant, determining that the shopper is registered for a loyalty program with the merchant based on the credentials, determining that the shopper has a mobile payments account with a mobile payments processor associated with the loyalty program, the mobile payments account having a mobile phone number associated therewith, sending a payment request for the purchase to the mobile payments processor with the mobile phone number, and receiving an approval for advancing funds for the purchase from the mobile payments processor responsive to the shopper sending a payment request from a mobile device having the mobile phone number.
US09659295B2 Personal digital identity device with near field and non near field radios for access control
A personal digital ID device provides a digital identifier to a service for a predetermined duration in response to user interaction. The user interaction may include a button press. The personal digital ID device may be in the form of a bracelet, a key fob, or other form factor. The service may be provided by a mobile device, in the cloud, or elsewhere.
US09659270B2 Supplemental system for business intelligence systems
In various implementations, a supplemental system may be provided. The supplemental system may be coupled to business intelligence environment(s) to facilitate deployment, version control, testing, and/or other processes.
US09659268B2 Ticket approval system for and method of performing quality control in field service applications
A ticket approval system and method of performing quality control in a field service application. The method includes obtaining a ticket, performing at least one task associated with the ticket, collecting data associated with at least one task, and transmitting the data to a work management server including database and approval applications. Also provided is a method of reviewing the data received by the approval application for quality control purposes.
US09659246B1 Dynamic magnetic stripe communications device with beveled magnetic material for magnetic cards and devices
A flexible card may include a dynamic magnetic stripe communications device having multiple layers, such as an electromagnetic generator, a magnet, and a shield. A shield may form a non-flexible layer within the stack and may bend, but the shield may not be able to stretch or compress. Flexible layers may surround and adhere to the shield such that when the card is flexed, the flexible layers may stretch and compress with the movement of the shield. The dynamic magnetic stripe communications device may include one or more coils. Each coil may contain a material that may be beveled, such that a width at an end portion of the material may be smaller than a width at a middle portion of the material.
US09659244B2 Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes
Systems and methods for custom functional patterns for optical barcodes are provided. In example embodiments, image data of an image is received from a user device. A candidate shape feature of the image is extracted from the image data. A determination is made that the shape feature satisfies a shape feature rule. In response to the candidate shape feature satisfying the shape feature rule, a custom graphic in the image is identified by comparing the candidate shape feature with a reference shape feature of the custom graphic. In response to identifying the custom graphic, data encoded in a portion of the image is decoded.
US09659242B2 Apparatus that performs calibration for maintaining image quality
To add an arbitrary recording medium as a recording medium that can be used for calibration to maintain the quality of an image to be formed, an image forming unit forms a pattern image on each of a specific recording medium that can be used for the calibration and the arbitrary recording medium. A creating unit creates second conversion setting information applied to the arbitrary recording medium to convert luminance information into density information, using first luminance information obtained from the pattern image formed on the specific recording medium, second luminance information obtained from the pattern image formed on the arbitrary recording medium, and first conversion setting information applied to the specific recording medium for converting luminance information into density information. A determining unit determines a common image formation condition applied to the specific recording medium and the arbitrary recording medium based on the second conversion setting information.
US09659234B1 Adaptive selection of scale invariant image feature keypoints
Techniques are provided for adaptive selection of feature keypoints of an image. An example system may include a contrast statistics calculation circuit configured to generate contrast measurements of regions of the image associated with each of the feature keypoints, and to calculate a mean and variance of the contrast measurements. The system may also include an edge statistics calculation circuit configured to generate ratios of principal curvatures of regions of the image associated with each of the feature keypoints, and to calculate a mean and variance of the ratios of principal curvatures. The system may further include a threshold calculation circuit configured to calculate thresholds based on the mean and variance of the contrast measurements and on the mean and variance of the ratios of principal curvatures; and a keypoint filter circuit configured to filter the set of feature keypoints based on the those thresholds.
US09659224B1 Merging optical character recognized text from frames of image data
Disclosed are techniques for merging optical character recognized (OCR'd) text from frames of image data. In some implementations, a device sends frames of image data to a server, where each frame includes at least a portion of a captured textual item. The server performs optical character recognition (OCR) on the image data of each frame. When OCR'd text from respective frames is returned to the device from the server, the device can perform matching operations on the text, for instance, using bounding boxes and/or edit distance processing. The device can merge any identified matches of OCR'd text from different frames. The device can then display the merged text with any corrections.
US09659223B2 Driving assistance apparatus and driving assistance method
A driving assistance apparatus captures with a camera a video image showing an area, which surrounds a vehicle and includes a target on a road surface; generates a positioning video image for positioning the vehicle; and displays the generated positioning video image on a display monitor. The driving assistance apparatus also acquires a relative location of the target with respect to the vehicle. Further, based on the relative location of the target, the driving assistance apparatus switches the display mode of the positioning video image displayed on the display monitor between a first display mode (in which the target moves with respect to the vehicle) and a second display mode (in which the vehicle moves with respect to the target).
US09659220B2 Method and apparatus for updating scene model and video surveillance
The present invention relates to the method for updating scene model and video surveillance. A method is provided for updating a scene model in a video which is composed of a plurality of visual elements, comprising: a classifying step for classifying the visual elements in a scene into stationary visual elements and moving visual elements according to their appearance change rates; a border determining step for determining borders from the scene according to a spatial distribution information of the stationary visual elements and the moving visual elements; and an updating step for updating the scene model according to the determined borders in said scene.
US09659213B2 System and method for efficient recognition of handwritten characters in documents
A system and computer-implemented method for efficient recognition of one or more handwritten characters in one or more documents is provided. The system comprises an image input module configured to receive the one or more documents as one or more images. The system further comprises a snippet extraction module to extract one or more fields of information from the one or more received images. Furthermore, the system comprises a segmentation module to segment the one or more extracted fields of information into one or more segments. Also, the system comprises a feature extraction module configured to extract one or more handwritten characters from each of the one or more segments. In addition, the system comprises a character recognition module configured to recognize the one or more extracted handwritten characters. The system further comprises a language processing module configured to detect and correct errors in the one or more recognized characters.
US09659210B1 System and method for detecting and tracking facial features in images
The present invention relates to a system for detecting and tracking facial features in images and can be used in conjunction with a camera. Given a camera, the system will detect facial landmarks in images. The present invention includes software for real time, accurate facial feature detection and tracking in unconstrained images and videos. The present invention is better, more robust and faster than existing approaches and can be implemented very efficiently allowing real-time processing, even on low-power devices, such as mobile phones.
US09659208B2 Biometric image sensing
An novel sensor is provided having a plurality of substantially parallel drive lines configured to transmit a signal into a surface of a proximally located object, and also a plurality of substantially parallel pickup lines oriented proximate the drive lines and electrically separated from the pickup lines to form intrinsic electrode pairs that are impedance sensitive at each of the drive and pickup proximal locations.
US09659199B2 Terminal with flicker-corrected aimer and alternating illumination
An indicia reading terminal is disclosed that eliminates unwanted flickering effects in an illuminated screen reading mode, among other advantageous features. The indicia reading terminal, in response to a screen reading signal, is operative to activate a screen reading cycle. In the screen reading cycle, an imaging subsystem is activated at least once at the same time that an illumination subsystem is activated for one of a plurality of active illumination periods, for a first illuminated exposure period. The imaging subsystem is activated at least once while the illumination subsystem is not activated, for a first unilluminated exposure period, which is longer than the first illuminated exposure period. An aimer subsystem is activated for a plurality of active aimer periods when neither the imaging subsystem nor the illumination subsystem is activated, wherein intervals of time between the active aimer periods are equal, within nominal tolerances.
US09659186B2 Controlled use medical application
Various systems, machine-readable media, and methods for controlled use of medical applications using virtualization are described herein. In various embodiments, a virtualized medical application container can be created, including creating an image of a clean version of an operating system, installing a medical application on the image, and initializing the medical application on the image. Various embodiments include receiving an indication of a request for metered use of the medical application; requesting permission for metered use of the medical application, wherein the metered use includes at least one of a single use, a defined number of uses, unlimited use, or timed use; executing at least a portion of the medical application; and controlling usage of the medical application to comply with at least one of medical informatics standards and medical informatics regulations.
US09659185B2 Method for detecting spammers and fake profiles in social networks
A method for protecting user privacy in an online social network, according to which negative examples of fake profiles and positive examples of legitimate profiles are chosen from the database of existing users of the social network. Then, a predetermined set of features is extracted for each chosen fake and legitimate profile, by dividing the friends or followers of the chosen examples to communities and analyzing the relationships of each node inside and between the communities. Classifiers that can detect other existing fake profiles according to their features are constructed and trained by using supervised learning.
US09659180B2 Personalized website theme
A personalized website theme for a website is received. The personalized website theme is distinct from a standard theme of the website. Further, a set of data is sent to the computing device. The set of data includes an indicium indicating the personalized website theme so that the computing device displays the website according to the personalized website theme at least prior to a request for identifying data associated with access to an account on the website.
US09659171B2 Systems and methods for detecting tampering of an information handling system
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include storing a system fingerprint of an information handling system, the system fingerprint comprising information associated with one or more information handling resources of the information handling system recorded during creation of the system fingerprint including information regarding a security seed, wherein the security seed comprises a value stored at a location of a non-transitory computer readable medium integral to an information handling resource of the one or more information handling resources. The method may also include during a verification mode, based on the information in the system fingerprint, determining whether potential tampering of the information handling system has occurred, and if potential tampering has occurred, issuing an alert indicating potential tampering with the information handling system.
US09659166B2 Risk-based credential management
Risk-based credential management is provided. A request to checkout credentials is received. The credentials are associated with at least one managed resource. A risk value of the request is determined. The determination of the risk value is based, at least in part, on risk information of the requesting device. A determination is made whether to deny the request based, at least in part, on the risk value and a first predetermined threshold of a checkout policy.
US09659163B2 Secure authentication mechanism using quick response codes
A method of securing authentication of a user's identity is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: an authentication program of an entity receiving initiation of a transaction from a user; the authentication program searching for associated information of the user; the authentication program choosing an authentication query requiring input from the user based on the associated information; the authentication program generating a visual code representing the authentication query; the authentication program splitting the visual code into pieces; and the authentication program sending each piece of visual code to the user via a separate communication channel. A method of securing authentication of a user's identity with an entity is also disclosed.
US09659159B2 Sleep data chain of custody
A wearable device includes one or more biometric sensors, each of the one or more biometric sensors gathering biological data from a wearer of the wearable device, the wearable device further having a computer processor for receiving the biological data from the one or more biometric sensors and generating biometric information based on the biological data and according one or more biometrical algorithms, the biometric information including validation information to validate the wearer as a source of the biological data gathered by each of the one or more sensors, the biometric information further including sleep information to provide a sleep profile of the wearer.
US09659153B2 System for tracking biological samples
Systems, methods, and apparatus are described for the handling of biological specimens for analysis. The systems, methods and apparatus are designed to reduce errors in misidentification, incorrect processing, and recordkeeping and reporting. The systems, methods, and apparatus can also provide real time tracking of samples at any stage, from collection to processing to analyzing to storage.
US09659136B2 Suspect logical region synthesis from device design and test information
Various embodiments related to identifying a candidate defect region in a semiconductor device are disclosed. For example, one embodiment includes receiving an electrical test mismatch reported for a scan chain; generating a physical representation of portion of a logical design of the semiconductor device, the physical representation including location information for physical instantiations of logical cells and logical interconnections included in the portion of the logical design; identifying a suspect logical region in the physical representation, the suspect logical region including a portion of the logical cells and the logical interconnections electrically connected with the scan chain; generating a candidate defect region within the semiconductor device, the candidate defect region being defined, via the physical representation, to include the physical instantiations of logical cells and logical interconnections included in the suspect logical region; and displaying the candidate defect region.
US09659135B2 Logic structure aware circuit routing
A method, executed by a computer, for routing a circuit includes receiving a logic structure for a circuit, retrieving a logic template, determining whether the logic structure for the circuit matches the logic template, and routing the circuit using a routing recipe corresponding to the logic template in response to determining that the logic structure matches the logic template. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed herein.
US09659128B2 Semiconductor overlay production system and method
Disclosed herein is a system and method for producing semiconductor devices using overlays, the method comprising associating one or more patterned overlays with respective ones of reserved regions in a layer template, receiving a layer design based on the layer template, identifying the reserved regions in the layer design, generating a production layer design based on the layer design, the production layer design describing at least one production overlay in one of the reserved regions, and fabricating one or more devices based on the production layer design.
US09659120B2 Baseband equivalent volterra series for digital predistortion in multi-band power amplifiers
Methods, systems and apparatus for modelling a power amplifier and pre-distorter fed by a multi-band signal are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method includes receiving a multi-band signal and generating a discrete base band equivalent, BBE, Volterra series based on the received multi-band signal, where the series has distortion products grouped according to determined shared kernels. The shared kernels are determined based on a transformation of a real-valued continuous-time pass band Volterra series without pruning of kernels.
US09659119B2 Method and design apparatus
When a design apparatus adjusts clock skews, the design apparatus separates each of the power supply currents which flow through circuit sections that operate in synchronization with a clock signal into a plurality of frequency components, sets skew values of the clock signal which reaches the circuit sections, and performs, by changing the skew values, repetition of calculating a combined amplitude by combining, with respect to each of the frequency components, corresponding ones of the frequency components of the power supply currents which flow through the circuit sections and finds dependence of the combined amplitude on a skew.
US09659116B2 Method for designing containers
A method comprises steps of: providing an initial package design, providing an initial package-handling element design, modeling the interaction of the package and the package-handling element, and altering one of the package design or the package-handling element design according to the results of the model. Wherein the initial package-handling element design comprises at least one item selected from the group consisting of: a motion transfer component comprising a combination of discrete geometrically defined elements, package guide rails, package guide rail supports, vacuum conveying components, and combinations thereof. And wherein the interaction reflects the package interaction with the discrete elements of a multi-element motion transfer component or the package guide rails having a flexibility greater than zero, or package guide rail supports having a finite stiffness, or a combination thereof.
US09659099B2 Translation of user requests into itinerary solutions
A method for translating user requests into itinerary solutions is disclosed. The method may commence with receiving an itinerary request associated with one or more passengers. The method may continue with parsing the itinerary request to create an itinerary network associated with the itinerary request. The itinerary network may include at least two or more nodes and dependencies between two or more nodes. Upon the parsing, a topology of the itinerary network may be created. The method may include processing the itinerary network using the topology to create a plurality of tuples. The plurality of tuples may be analyzed. The method may continue with determining feasible itinerary solutions based on the analysis. The feasible itinerary solutions may be ranked. The method may further include presenting, to the one or more passengers, at least one itinerary solution selected from the feasible itinerary solutions based on the ranking.
US09659090B2 Data-driven media management within an electronic device
A method and apparatus for intelligently routing and managing audio signals within an electronic device is disclosed. The routing is responsive to a set of logical and physical policies which are stored in data tables which can be updated as needed.
US09659082B2 Semantic query language
Various technologies described herein pertain to executing a mixed query to search a database retained in a data repository. The mixed query includes a regular expression, which is a pattern of elements, and a semantic constraint. The elements in the regular expression include a first wildcard, where the semantic constraint restricts a meaning of the first wildcard. Moreover, the elements in the regular expression include explicit lexical constraint(s) and/or disparate wildcard(s). For instance, semantic constraint(s) can restrict meaning(s) of the disparate wildcard(s). The mixed query is executed to retrieve results that match the pattern of the elements in the regular expression and satisfy the semantic constraint(s).
US09659079B2 Shard determination logic for scalable order and inventory management architecture with a sharded transactional database
A store computer system is provided. The computer system includes a sharded store transactional database such as an order or inventory database. The database may include a first database shard which stores a first group of order or inventory data and a second database shard which stores a second group of order or inventory data which is different than the first group of data. The computer system may include a store order management computer system that implements a shard determination module which is programmed to receive a query regarding an order or item associated with the store, identify a database shard associated with the order or item from data in the query, and communicate data regarding the order or item to or from the identified database shard.
US09659077B2 System and method for efficient database record replication using different replication strategies based on the database records
Systems and methods are provided for synchronizing operational data records in a manner that reduces redundant copying of data. A set of operational data records is stored, wherein each data record is assigned a unique ID in ascending order based on a creation time of the data record. A highest unique ID is identified from the operational data records in the set of operational data records. A tolerance number is identified that is indicative of a range of unique IDs that can be processed at a same time such that it cannot be guaranteed that operational data records with unique IDs separated by less than the tolerance number were assigned unique IDs in the order that the operational data records were created. A synchronization ID is calculated comprising subtracting the tolerance number from the highest unique ID. The synchronization ID is transmitted to the source operational data store.
US09659072B2 Creation of change-based data integration jobs
A computer software implemented method for transforming a first extract transform load (ETL) job having at least some unload transform load (UTL) portions. The method includes the following steps: (i) decomposing the first ETL job into an intermediate set of one or more jobs; and (ii) for each job of the intermediate set, transforming the job into a transactionally equivalent job to yield a final set of one or more jobs. The decomposing is performed so that each job of the intermediate jobs set is a Simple UTL job. The transforming is performed so that each job of the final set includes no UTL portions.
US09659070B2 Methods, systems, products, and devices for processing DNS friendly identifiers
When a request having a keyword is received, a domain name having the keyword can be generated and a network resource corresponding to the domain name can be requested wherein the network resource is adapted to extract the keyword from the domain name. In turn, when a request having a first domain name is received, a second domain name having the first domain name can be generated and a network resource corresponding to the second domain name can be requested wherein the network resource is adapted to extract the first domain name from the second domain name.
US09659069B2 Highlighting items for search results
The present invention provides a search capability to allow a user to easily locate a preference control, file, folder, control, or other system resource or data item associated with a search result. In one embodiment, a user enters a search term (or a portion thereof) in a search field associated with one or more resource types that may be searched. The user may be presented with a pop-up menu containing a list of likely matches. The user selects the desired preference control from the pop-up menu, and the corresponding preference pane, or other container, containing the selected data item, control, or other resource is displayed. In one aspect, as the user enters the search term (or portion thereof), certain icons are highlighted. Specifically, those icons that represent containers containing matching data items (such as preference panes having controls that match the search term) are highlighted. Different types of highlighting can be used depending on the degree of certainty as to which container is likely to contain the correct match.
US09659067B2 Providing a search results document that includes a user interface for performing an action in connection with a web page identified in the search results document
A computer device is configured to identify a document; determine that the document includes an annotation, the annotation describing a user interface that is to be visually displayed in connection with information identifying the document when the information identifying the document is included in a search results document, the user interface including a user interface element that, when selected, causes an action to be performed in connection with the document, and the action being performed without obtaining the document after the user interface element is selected; determine information relating to the user interface based on the annotation; and store, in a search index, the information relating to the user interface in association with the information identifying the document.
US09659064B1 Obtaining authoritative search results
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for obtaining authoritative search results. One of the methods includes receiving a first search query. First search results responsive to the first search query are obtained. Based on the first search query or the first search results, an authoritative search result that identifies a resource on a site that is authoritative for the first search query is obtained. A ranking of the authoritative search result and the one or more first search results is generated, and the ranking of the authoritative search result and the one or more first search results is provided in response to the first search query.
US09659047B2 Data deduplication utilizing extent ID database
An extent map (EMAP) database may include one or more extent map entries configured to map extent IDs to PVBNs. Each extent ID may be apportioned into a most significant bit (MSB) portion, i.e., checksum bits, and a least significant bit (LSB) portion, i.e., duplicate bits. A hash may be applied to the data of the extent to calculate the checksum bits, which illustratively represent a fingerprint of the data. The duplicate bits may be configured to denote any reoccurrence of the checksum bits in the EMAP database, i.e., whether there is an existing extent with potentially identical data in a volume of the aggregate. Each extent map entry may be inserted on a node having one or more key/value pairs, wherein the key is the extent ID and the value is the PVBN. The EMAP database may be scanned and utilized to perform data deduplication.
US09659046B2 Probing a hash table using vectorized instructions
Techniques for performing database operations using vectorized instructions are provided. In one technique, a hash table probe phase involves executing vectorized instructions to determine where in a bucket a particular key is located. This determination may be preceded by one or more vectorized instructions that are used to determine whether the bucket contains the particular key.
US09659042B2 Data lineage tracking
A data lineage tracking system may include a memory storing a module comprising machine readable instructions to obtain trace log entries representing an interaction with, a manipulation of, and/or a creation of a data value. The data lineage tracking system may further include machine readable instructions to select the trace log entries that are associated with commands performed by an application, cluster similar trace log entries from the selected trace log entries, and analyze mappings between the clustered trace log entries to determine data lineage flow associated with the data value.
US09659035B2 Authenticated digital photography system and method
A system and method for maintaining authenticity of a forensic digital image is provided. The system includes a dSLR camera having a secure storage coupled to a uni-directional communication circuit configured to transmit data to a remote repository. Moreover, bi-directional control messages are transmitted from the repository to a third mobile device in the possession of the photographer.
US09659033B2 Metric based recognition, systems and methods
Apparatus, methods and systems of object recognition are disclosed. Embodiments of the inventive subject matter generates map-altered image data according to an object-specific metric map, derives a metric-based descriptor set by executing an image analysis algorithm on the map-altered image data, and retrieves digital content associated with a target object as a function of the metric-based descriptor set.
US09659030B2 Web server for storing large files
A system and method for processing large image files using HTML 5 employed by Web Browsers for efficiently process multiple images from the same or different sets of images by one or more client-side users contemporaneously, where the system includes a file server for storing native, processed, or partially processed, image files and meta data associated with the image files, a Web Viewer Cache for dynamic storage of such files and meta data such, a plurality of dedicated Web Servers to perform some or all of the image processing functionality, and a load balancer server dedicated to interfacing with one or more Web Browsers from client-side computers to direct, distribute and manage image retrieval and processing by the dedicated Web Servers regardless of whether a pre-fetch image processing request or a real-time image processing request has been made by the client-side computer users.
US09659021B1 Client based backups and backup indexing
Systems and methods for backing up a client or a client's data are disclosed. A client is configured with an agent that enables data of the client to be backed up to a device without a backup server. Indexing information is also stored with the backup.
US09659020B2 Serialization for delta encoding
Data can be serialized in such a manner as to facilitate later delta encoding, even when the serialization is performed using a lossy compression algorithm or an algorithm in which portions of the serialized data are encoded relative to other portions which may be modified. This can be achieved by approaches including preserving keyframe information across modified versions of a file, duplicating information from a previously created compressed file when serializing a later version, or adding change information showing differences between versions of a file during the serialization process.
US09659018B2 File name producing apparatus that produces file name of image
An MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) is a file name producing apparatus that produces a file name of an image. The MFP selects a candidate character string, which is a file name candidate and in which a head character is a space, from the character strings extracted from the image. The MFP deletes the space that is the head character of the candidate character string, or changes all the characters constituting the candidate character string to other characters. The MFP produces the character string, which is corrected by the deletion or the change, as the file name of the image. Therefore, the proper file name can be produced.
US09659015B2 Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a mobile terminal includes a touchscreen configured to display a list including a plurality of categories and at least one content grouped for each of the plurality of categories, and a controller, if a command for a reduced display of the list is received, configured to generate summary information for each of the plurality of categories based on information of the grouped at least one content, to hide the grouped at least one content from the list, and then to control the touchscreen to display the plurality of categories and the generated summary information corresponding to the plurality of categories.
US09659013B2 System and method for indexing electronic discovery data
Systems and methods for efficiently processing electronically stored information (ESI) are described. The systems and methods describe processing ESI in preparation for, or association with, litigation. The invention preserves the contextual relationships among documents when processing and indexing data, allowing for increased precision and recall during data analytics.
US09659012B2 Debugging framework for distributed ETL process with multi-language support
In various embodiments, a data integration system is disclosed which enables users to debug distributed data integration scenarios which are platform and technology independent. A debugger client can connect to a plurality of local and/or remote hosts executing portions of a distributed data integration scenario. The debugger client can additionally enable line-by-line debugging of the portions of the distributed data integration scenario using a plurality of language-specific interfaces. The language-specific interfaces can further enable the user to dynamically update and debug changes to the code during debugging, reducing the time and resources required by multiple recompilations of the code.
US09659010B1 Multiple language screen capture
In an approach for generating a composite of images in multiple languages when a request is made to capture an image of a screen, a processor receives a request to capture a first graphical user interface (GUI) display of an application in languages available to the application. A processor iterates over GUI elements of the first GUI display to locate language bundle keys. A processor generates a second GUI display for the languages available to the application, wherein the second GUI display is a recreation of original images within the first GUI display.
US09658993B2 Concurrent preparation of multiple versions of a website
Techniques are disclosed for concurrent preparation of multiple versions of a website. Web page content can be branched in response to a request from a first user to create a working copy of one or more production web pages source documents. Any edits applied to the production version of the documents may be automatically applied to the working copy. Further, the working copy can be edited independently of the production version. The working copy can be promoted to production by replacing the production version with the edited working copy. Any number of separate working copies can be created and edited concurrently with the production version.
US09658989B2 Apparatus and method for extracting and manipulating the reading order of text to prepare a display document for analysis
A method for preparing a display document for analysis includes: extracting character data from the display document; determining a first order associated with processing of the character data and a second order associated with a logical order of the character data; determining whether the first order is different from the second order; and reversing at least a portion of the character data in response to the determination that the first order is different from the second order.
US09658985B2 Pipelined configurable processor
A configurable processing circuit capable of handling multiple threads simultaneously, the circuit comprising a thread data store, a plurality of configurable execution units, a configurable routing network for connecting locations in the thread data store to the execution units, a configuration data store for storing configuration instances that each define a configuration of the routing network and a configuration of one or more of the plurality of execution units, and a pipeline formed from the execution units, the routing network and the thread data store that comprises a plurality of pipeline sections configured such that each thread propagates from one pipeline section to the next at each clock cycle, the circuit being configured to: (i) associate each thread with a configuration instance; and (ii) configure each of the plurality of pipeline sections for each clock cycle to be in accordance with the configuration instance associated with the respective thread that will propagate through that pipeline section during the clock cycle.
US09658982B2 Data structure product and method for interface transmission
The present invention discloses an interface transmission method including: enabling a first command string including a first sub-command to be transmitted to a storage device from a processing device during a first period; enabling a second command string including a second sub-command to be transmitted to the storage device from the processing device during a second period, wherein the first sub-command and the second sub-command constitute a command; when the command is a write command, enabling a write data string to be transmitted to the storage device from the processing device during a third period, wherein the write data string includes write data; and when the command is a read command, enabling a read data string to be transmitted to the processing device from the storage device during the third period, wherein the read data string includes read data.
US09658978B2 Providing multiple decode options for a system-on-chip (SoC) fabric
In one embodiment, a system-on-chip (SoC) can be configured to receive a request from a master agent in a fabric coupled to the master agent, send a show command grant to the master agent responsive to selection of the request by the fabric, receive a command portion of a transaction corresponding to the request in the fabric and determine a target agent to receive the transaction based on the command portion, and thereafter send a transaction grant to the master agent for the transaction. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09658966B2 Systems and methods of write cache flushing
A data storage device includes a write cache, a non-volatile memory, and a controller coupled to the write cache and to the non-volatile memory. The controller is configured to, responsive to receiving a command to flush particular data from the write cache, attempt to fill a write block of data using the particular data and pending data obtained after receipt of the command.
US09658965B2 Cache utilization to efficiently manage a storage system
In an approach for managing a storage system, distribution of storage volumes among a plurality of storage controller groups may be adjusted dynamically or adaptively based on the current access hot degrees of respective storage volumes in the storage system. In this way, optimized distribution of storage volumes can be achieved without user interference. Such redistribution eliminates the degradation of performance of the storage system.
US09658963B2 Speculative reads in buffered memory
A speculative read request is received from a host device over a buffered memory access link for data associated with a particular address. A read request is sent for the data to a memory device. The data is received from the memory device in response to the read request and the received data is sent to the host device as a response to a demand read request received subsequent to the speculative read request.
US09658948B2 Workload mapper for potential problem areas using modules and defect data
Embodiments are directed to methods for improving the efficiency at which problem areas are identified and prioritized for an existing large, multi-module software system. In some embodiments, a workload mapper generates workload maps that identify the intersection between defect risk scores accumulated for various modules and a log of the modules that are accesses by a given workload. A graphical user interface (GUI) provides the ability to sort, search, compare and display the workload maps against various sort, search and/or compare criteria.
US09658946B2 Test machine management
A method includes distributing the plurality of test cases to any available test agents, wherein each test case out of the plurality of test cases does not have any associated preconditions. The method receives event information for a first test case out of the plurality of test cases from a first test agent. Responsive to determining the event information for the first test case includes a satisfied condition for a second test case, the method determines whether the satisfied condition for the second test case relates to a global variable or local variable. The method handles the second test case, wherein handling the second test case includes distributing the second test case to the first test agent subsequent to the first test agent becoming available if the satisfied condition relates to the local variable.
US09658941B2 Methods and systems of function-specific tracing
A system and methods are provided for function-specific tracing of a program. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a trace profile identifying one or more functions of a target program, wherein the trace profile identifies one or more functions to trace and depth of tracing for each function to be traced, loading the trace profile and the target program, identifying traced functions in the target program based on the trace profile, patching the target program to call a trace parameter for one or more functions, wherein traced functions are declared at runtime, and observing function calls for traced functions of the application. In this regard, individual functions are traced and debugged on a function-by-function basis without modifying the code or pre-arranging functions so they are traceable. As such, the scope of tracing may be dynamically limited to yield only information that is desired.
US09658936B2 Optimization analysis using similar frequencies
Periodicity similarity between two different tracer objectives may be used to identify additional input parameters to sample. The tracer objectives may be individual portions of a large tracer operation, and each of the tracer objectives may have separate set of input objects for which data may be collected. After collecting data for a tracer objective, other tracer objectives with similar periodicities may be identified. The input objects from the other tracer objectives may be added to a tracer objective and the tracer objective may be executed to determine a statistical significance of the newly added objective. An iterative process may traverse multiple input objects until exhausting possible input objects and a statistically significant set of input objects are identified.
US09658928B2 File-based cluster-to-cluster replication recovery
Resiliency in file replication scenarios via maintenance of multiple replication queues with differing susceptibility to various sources of data loss. A plurality of requests are received at a first file system location to write to one or more file system objects at the first file system location. Details about the plurality of requests are recorded in at least two replication queues which differ, at least in part, as to types of failures which will cause data loss. Responsive to detection of data loss in one of the replication queues, details about the plurality of requests are retrieved from another of the replication queues.
US09658927B1 Assisted device recovery
A system for assisted device recovery is provided. The system includes a CMTS connected to a cable modem over a network. The system also includes database including a plurality of cable modem fingerprints and associated recovery actions and an assisted device recovery module. The assisted device recovery module includes one or more processors and a memory. The assisted device recovery module also includes a cable modem identifier configured to identify the make and model of the cable modem using a fingerprint, wherein the fingerprint includes a hardware version and a software version of the cable modem, a recovery determiner configured to query the database with the cable modem fingerprint and determine an associated recovery action, and a recovery performer configured to perform the associated recovery action on the cable modem.
US09658923B2 Optimization of rebuilding in solid state drives
According to one embodiment, a method includes initiating a rebuild process in a storage system having at least one solid state drive, obtaining a bitmap indicating which blocks of data are in a garbage collection process, determining which blocks of data are in the garbage collection process using the bitmap, accessing the blocks of data that are not in the garbage collection process, not accessing the blocks of data that are in the garbage collection process, and performing the rebuild process using the blocks of data that are not in the garbage collection process.
US09658920B1 Method for reconfiguring an erroneous memory frame in an integrated circuit
A method of correcting a configuration memory frame may include identifying an erroneous memory frame in a plurality of memory frames in the integrated circuit. The erroneous memory frame may be identified with error detection circuitry on the integrated circuit. A portion of data stored in an off-chip memory module may be read with controller circuitry. The read data portion may correspond to the erroneous memory frame. The erroneous memory frame may thus be corrected by loading the read data portion into the erroneous memory frame during normal operation of the integrated circuit. Every memory bit in the erroneous memory frame may be replaced or overwritten when the read data portion is loaded into the erroneous memory frame. The integrated circuit may be partially reconfigured when the erroneous memory frame is corrected.
US09658918B2 User prompted volume recovery
A method of recovering from a data storage error includes determining that a data storage error has occurred. The method further includes, upon receiving direction from the user to recover from the data storage error, evaluating a page map relating a logical storage architecture with a physical storage architecture. The method also includes revising the page map based on the evaluating. The data storage error may be one or more of a (i) a missing page and (ii) a duplicate page.
US09658915B2 Enhanced restart of a core dumping application
A method for enhanced restart of a core dumping application is provided. The method includes stopping a plurality of threads in an address space, except for the thread performing the core dump. Computational segments are remapped to client segments. Each open file descriptor in the address space is closed. The application is terminated and the client segments are flushed to external storage.
US09658901B2 Event-based orchestration in distributed order orchestration system
A distributed order orchestration system is provided that includes an event manager configured to generate and publish a set of events based on a process state and metadata stored in a database. A set of subscribers can consume the set of events, and each subscriber can execute a task based on the consumed event.
US09658899B2 Distributed lock management in a cloud computing environment
A distributed lock manager (DLM) may be implemented in a distributed computing system that provides virtualized computing resources and/or virtual computing services to clients. Locks may be created and managed by the DLM in response to requests from clients to do so. The components of the DLM may communicate with each other over a network other than one over which client application components communicate with each other or access the shared resources protected by the locks. For example, DLM components may communicate over a control plane network of a cloud computing environment and application components may communicate over a data plane network of the cloud computing environment. The DLM may expose an API to clients, allowing them to make local calls to a DLM component on the same node to perform various lock management operations. The meanings of the lock values may be established by their use in client applications.
US09658896B2 Apparatus and method to manage device performance in a storage system
A method to optimize workload across a plurality of storage devices of a storage system, where the method monitors a workload of a first storage device belonging to a first tier of the storage system, calculates a performance of the workload of the first storage device belonging to a first tier of the storage system, interpolates a performance threshold for the first storage device using the workload pattern of the first storage device and a profile of the first storage device, the profile identifying a benchmark performance of the first storage device, and optimizes a usage of the first storage device within the storage system to improve a performance of the first storage device.
US09658895B2 System and method for configuring boot-time parameters of nodes of a cloud computing system
The present disclosure relates to a method and system for configuring a computing system, such as a cloud computing system. A method includes providing a user interface comprising selectable boot-time configuration data and selecting, based on at least one user selection of the boot-time configuration data, a boot-time configuration for at least one node of a cluster of nodes of the computing system. The method further includes configuring the at least one node of the cluster of nodes with the selected boot-time configuration to modify at least one boot-time parameter of the at least one node.
US09658892B2 Management of storage cluster performance with hybrid workloads
Embodiments of the invention relate to management of hybrid workloads, including serial and parallel workload optimizations, in a shared pool of configurable computer resources. Resource utilization in the shared pool is dynamically tracked, and employed for assessing a set of servers a parallel access protocol should utilize for one or more I/O requests in conjunction with any serial workload optimizations. Accordingly, the load balancing embodies a diverse set of workloads to support dynamic and equitable allocation.
US09658882B1 Providing relevant information based on usage data
A computing device can obtain usage data associated with the device. The usage data indicate how the computing device operates or how the device is used. The device can analyze the usage data to recognize usage patterns. The usage patterns can correspond to recurring actions or tasks initiated by the user using the device, such as actions or tasks initiated due to the user's habits and/or routines. Based on the usage patterns, the device can determine a task that has a sufficient likelihood of being performed using the device within a specified or determined time (e.g., 5 minutes from now, one year from now, etc.). The device can provide information (e.g., recommendations) associated with the task, and likely relevant to the user. The user can use the provided information to perform the task, thereby increasing the ease of access or efficiency associated with performing the task.
US09658881B1 Application hosting in a distributed application execution system
In an application execution system having a plurality of application servers, each application server stores a plurality of applications, and has computational resources for executing applications in response to received requests. Each application server also includes instructions for loading a respective application into volatile storage and executing the application in response to a request from a client, and for returning a result. A generic application instance may be cloned, creating a pool of generic application instance clones that can be loaded with code for a requested application to produce an application instance. The application instance can then be stored in a cache to be used for a future application request.
US09658870B2 In-process trapping for service substitution in hosted applications executing on mobile devices with multi-operating system environment
The invention provides in some aspects a computing device that includes a central processing unit that executes a native operating system including one or more native runtime environments within which native software applications are executing, where each such native software application has instructions for execution under the native operating system. One or more hosted runtime environments execute within the one or more native runtime environments, each of which hosted runtime environments executes hosted software applications that have instructions for execution under a hosted operating system that differs from the native operating system. A first hosted software application executing as a first process of the hosted runtime environments includes an instruction that references a member (hereinafter, “referenced member”) of an object defined by an object-oriented programming (OOP) class (“referenced class”). The process executes that instruction utilizing data and/or code (hereinafter, “substitute member”) other than that specified by the referenced class as the referenced member. As used here, a “member” of an object is any of a method member and a data member.
US09658858B2 Multi-threaded low-level startup for system boot efficiency
Methods, computer-readable media and devices for executing a plurality of startup instructions are disclosed. For example, a method includes a first processor of a device accessing a plurality of startup instructions in response to a startup of the device. The first processor then executes a first startup instruction of the plurality of startup instructions to perform a first task and executes a second startup instruction of the plurality of startup instructions. The executing the second startup instruction causes the first processor to send a further instruction to a second processor of the device to perform a second task. At least a portion of the first task and at least a portion of the second task are performed at a same time.
US09658856B2 Coalescing adjacent gather/scatter operations
According to one embodiment, a processor includes an instruction decoder to decode a first instruction to gather data elements from memory, the first instruction having a first operand specifying a first storage location and a second operand specifying a first memory address storing a plurality of data elements. The processor further includes an execution unit coupled to the instruction decoder, in response to the first instruction, to read contiguous a first and a second of the data elements from a memory location based on the first memory address indicated by the second operand, and to store the first data element in a first entry of the first storage location and a second data element in a second entry of a second storage location corresponding to the first entry of the first storage location.
US09658852B2 Updating of shadow registers in N:1 clock domain
A processing unit includes a first storage entity being updated at a first clock cycle (CLK1) for holding a master copy of processing unit state. The processing unit further includes at least two shadow storage entities being updated with update information of the first storage entity. A shadow storage entity running at a second clock cycle (CLK2) is slower than the first clock cycle (CLK1). The first storage entity is coupled with the shadow storage entities via an intermediate storage entity, and the intermediate storage entity provides multiple storage stages for buffering consecutive update information of the first storage entity. Selection circuitry is adapted to provide one update information contained in one storage stage to the shadow storage entity with the active clock edge of the second clock cycle (CLK2) in order to update said shadow storage entity.
US09658846B2 Software configuration control wherein containers are associated with physical storage of software application versions in a software production landscape
According to some embodiments, a source version of a software product may be established in connection with a software production landscape. A first container, representing a first uniquely addressable physical location in the software production landscape, may then be associated with the source version. An executable derivative version of the software product may be built from the source version, and a second container, representing a second uniquely addressable physical location in the software production landscape, may be associated with the executable derivative version. Software configuration information may then be automatically provided to a user based at least in part on a relationship between the first and second containers at a given point in time.
US09658844B1 Encapsulation of software support tools
A system, method, and computer program product for facilitating troubleshooting of remote workstation issues reported by an end user to a technical support center analyst in an enterprise network. A plurality of remote workstation software support tools are encapsulated in a support center utility application. Upon receiving a call from an end user (also referred to as customer herein), the remote workstation name for the end user is entered into the support center utility application. This causes information for the remote workstation and end user to be presented to the analyst via a support center utility application interface. At least one encapsulated remote workstation software support tool is launched based on an issue reported by the end user, the tool being pre-populated with information for the remote workstation from the support center utility application interface. The launched remote workstation software support tool is utilized to perform at least one troubleshooting step to resolve the issue reported by the end user.
US09658840B2 Compiler and compiling method for a networked control system comprising a plurality of devices
The invention relates to a compiler and a method for compiling control logic for a plurality of devices of a networked control system, particularly to the automated assignment of control logic to devices. The invention provides with a compilation an automatic assignment procedure of an executable runtime code to devices of a networked control system. The assignment process of control logic to the devices may take various optimization criteria into account which include various distribution aspects, e.g. network resources or capabilities, such as available bandwidth or reliability of the network links, and device resources or capabilities, e.g. CPU, memory, power source or sleeping behavior which may influence the observed behavior of the devices, e.g. due to transmission delay or data packet loss.
US09658838B2 Optimized JavaServer Pages lifecycle model
Systems and methods are provided that service a JavaServer Page (“JSP”), including receiving a request for a JSP page, parsing source code for the JSP page, creating a tree of the parsed source code. executing the tree in memory, and returning the requested JSP page. Accordingly, JSP pages do not require repeated recompilation, and JSP pages with customized content may be quickly regenerated with a low performance overhead.
US09658834B2 Program visualization device, program visualization method, and program visualization program
A data visualization device includes a module for a specific viewpoint which is selected and a diagram representing the program is generated for modules included in source code. For a module extracted using a module call relationship diagram creation unit, a data analysis unit calculates the relevance of a viewpoint, which is input by a user, by utilizing a module call relationship and a common data usage relationship. The relevance is calculated by multiplying the viewpoint relevance of a viewpoint dependent module serving as the base point and a viewpoint relevance weight in an action determination table and in inter-module path viewpoint relevance weight data. The calculated viewpoint relevance is corrected using a viewpoint relevance correction value in viewpoint relevance determination noise correction threshold data. Final viewpoint relevance is stored into per-module viewpoint relevance determination data and a program diagram in accordance with this viewpoint relevance is created.
US09658831B2 Optical random number generator and method for generating a random number
An optical random number generator has: a light source (2) for randomly emitting photons (9); an array (3) of single photon avalanche diodes for detecting the photons (9) provided by the light source (2), wherein the array (3) of single photon avalanche diodes is positioned in a predefined distance (d) to the light source (2); and a control (10) coupled to the array (3) of single photon avalanche diodes and for determining an arrival time of the photons (9) detected by each of the single photon avalanche diodes of the array (3) of single photon avalanche diodes, and for generating a random number on the basis of the arrival time.
US09658826B2 Sorting multiple records of data using ranges of key values
A method and system for sorting data of an input file containing multiple records associated with multiple tables of a database. The multiple records include key values. The key values are segmented into ranges of key values for each table. Each range of key values for each table is a segment having a segment value. A block number, which contains a unique permutation of the segment values of the segments, is generated. The segment values denote the ranges of key values encompassing multiple key values in each record. A sort key value for each record is ascertained, based on the generated block number for each record, and added to each record. The multiple records are sorted according to the sort key values in the multiple records. The sorted multiple records are stored in an output file. The selected multiple key values include all key values that satisfy a condition.
US09658824B1 Extracting topics from customer review search queries
Relevant topics for an item may be extracted from customer review search queries. Customer review search queries are obtained from customers to search a collection of customer reviews for a specific item. Relevant topics for the specific item are extracted by analyzing the queries. A user interface is generated based at least in part on at least some of the relevant topics.
US09658823B2 Source-to-source compiler and run-time library to transparently accelerate stack or queue-based irregular applications on many-core architectures
Systems and methods for system for source-to-source transformation for optimizing stacks and/or queues in an application, including identifying usage of stacks and queues in the application and collecting the resource usage and thread block configurations for the application. If the usage of stacks is identified, optimized code is generated by determining appropriate storage, partitioning stacks based on determined storage, and caching tops of the stacks in a register. If the identifier identifies usage of queues, optimized code is generated by combining queue operations in all threads in a warp/thread block into one batch queue operation, converting control divergence of the application to data divergence to enable warp-level queue operations, determining whether at least one of the threads includes a queue operation, and combining queue operations into threads in a warp.
US09658822B1 Rate controlled buffer for output at either a first or second rate responsive to a fill level
Buffer rate control generally relates to outputting data at either a first rate or a second rate responsive to a fill level of the buffer. In an apparatus therefore, there is a buffer for receiving a data-signal input and for providing a data-signal output. A controller is coupled to receive fill-level information from the buffer and coupled to provide rate-control information to the buffer. The rate-control information is for controlling an output rate of the buffer for the data-signal output to be provided to a bus. The output rate is either a first rate or a second rate for providing the output rate of the data-signal output to the bus. The fill-level information is for selecting either the first rate or the second rate responsive to the buffer being either above or below a threshold fill level, respectively.
US09658820B2 Resuming synchronous playback of content
A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices that have independent clocking arrangements. The system includes a task distribution device that distributes tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices that are to perform the tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to the members of the synchrony group over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which the members of the synchrony group are to execute the task. Each member of the synchrony group periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of the current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device's clock and its respective clock and determines therefrom a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task.
US09658819B2 Systems and methods for autonomously scheduling and playing audio files
Systems and methods for autonomously playing audio files at predeterminable times of a day, week, and/or year, including but not limited to astronomical events, for example, dusk or dawn. The systems and methods employ a computer program running on a standalone computer connected to an audio power amplifier and speaker system. The computer program includes an always-running service configured to execute a scheduling algorithm that causes selected audio files to be played according to one or more schedules.
US09658813B2 Information processing device, information processing system, information processing method, and storage medium
An information processing device includes a communication unit that makes communication with a plurality of service providing devices; a receiving unit that receives information relating to use of a function, which is provided by the information processing device, from one service providing device among the plurality of service providing devices; and a notification unit that notifies the other service providing device about a state of the information processing device through the communication unit in response to the reception of the information by the receiving unit.
US09658807B2 Printing system and method for proof printing on said printing system
The invention relates to a printing system comprising a print job receiving section permitting a user to submit a print job to the printing system, the print job comprising a plurality of print job settings comprising a proof print job setting indicating whether or not the print job needs to be proofed before printing, a control unit for controlling a print job queue for print jobs submitted to the printing system and scheduled to be printed, a user interface configured to display the print job queue, wherein the user interface is configured to display a digital user operable item for a print job in the print job queue, the print job having a proof print job setting indicating that the print job needs to be proofed before printing, and wherein the control unit is configured to schedule a proof print job corresponding to the print job in the print job queue before the print job upon activation of the digital user operable item, and to print the proof print job according to the print job queue.
US09658804B2 Electronic device that displays degree-of-recommendation, image forming system, and recording medium
An electronic device includes: a display device; a toner color determining section configured to determine, from print data, one or more use toner colors as the colors of toners for use during printing based on the print data; a degree-of-recommendation determining section configured to determine a degree of recommendation of the image forming apparatus according to a probability of a situation preventing printing on the image forming apparatus; and a degree-of-recommendation display section configured to allow the display device to display the degree of recommendation determined by the degree-of-recommendation determining section, wherein the degree-of-recommendation determining section is configured to acquire apparatus information about the image forming apparatus from a server on a network and determine the probability according to whether information, included in the apparatus information, on the toners of the use toner colors determined by the toner color determining section meets a specified criterion.
US09658801B2 System having in-memory buffer service, temporary events file storage system and backup events file uploader service
Computer-implemented methods and systems are provided. The system includes a data store that is configured to store events in an event table, a temporary events file storage system (TEFSS), and a cluster of application servers. The cluster includes a first application server that generates events, and a second application server that includes an events file uploader service. When the first application server is unable to directly write events to the data store, an indirect events writer generates events file(s), and writes the events file(s) to the TEFSS. Each events file includes a plurality of events flushed from an in-memory buffer service at the first application server. When the events file uploader service determines that the first application server is inactive, it reads the events file(s) from the TEFSS, and writes the events from each of the events files to the data store.
US09658800B2 End of life prediction based on memory wear
A memory system or flash card may include a mechanism for memory cell measurement and analysis that independently measures/predicts memory wear/endurance, data retention (DR), read disturb, and/or remaining margin. These effects may be independently quantified by analyzing the state distributions of the individual voltage levels of the cells. In particular, a histogram of cell voltage distributions of the memory cells can be analyzed to identify signatures for certain effects (e.g. wear, DR, read disturb, margin, etc.). Those measurements may be used for block cycling, data loss prediction, or adjustments to memory parameters. Pre-emptive action at the appropriate time based on the measurements may lead to improved memory management and data management. That action may include calculating the remaining useful life of data stored in memory, cycling blocks, predicting data loss, trade-off or dynamic adjustments of memory parameters.
US09658799B2 Data storage device deferred secure delete
A method of securely deleting data from a data storage device is described. The method includes the steps of receiving a secure delete command to securely delete a file. A data block of the file to securely delete is identified. A pointer to the data block is stored in a deletion buffer. It is then determined whether the secure delete command has a highest priority over other data storage device commands. In response to the secure delete command having the highest priority, the secure delete command to the data block is performed.
US09658795B2 Managing temperature of solid state disk devices
A solid state disk (SSD) device has a set of data transfer parameters which regulate I/O operations of the SSD device. The temperature of the SSD device is monitored using temperature readings from a temperature sensor. The temperature of the SSD device satisfies a temperature threshold. A data transfer modification is determined. The data transfer modification is capable of modifying one or more data transfer parameters of the set of data transfer parameters. The set of data transfer parameters is modified using the data transfer modification in response to the temperature of the SSD satisfying the temperature threshold. One or more I/O operations are completed with the SSD device using the modified set of data transfer parameters.
US09658785B2 Dynamic configuration of data volumes
A storage system may implement dynamic configuration of data volumes. Client utilization of a data volume in a storage system may be tracked or monitored. Based on the utilization of the data volume, configuration recommendations to reconfigure the data volume according to data volume offerings may be determined. The data volume may be configured according to an authorized configuration recommendation. In some embodiments, these recommendations may be provided to a client and selection of the configuration recommendation to perform may be received. In some embodiments, a configuration recommendation may be automatically performed based on previously provided authorization to configure the data volume.
US09658784B1 Using head and/or drive performance information for predicting and/or ascertaining failures
A computer-implemented method according to one embodiment includes collecting, by the computer, performance data corresponding to a tape drive and/or a magnetic tape head. The performance data is stored in memory, and used by the computer to perform problem analysis. A computer-implemented method according to another embodiment includes collecting, by the computer, performance data corresponding to a tape drive and/or a magnetic tape head. The collected performance data is condensed to reduce a size of the collected performance data. The condensed performance data is stored in memory, and used to perform problem analysis.
US09658783B2 DRAM having SDRAM interface and flash memory consolidated memory module
In methods connecting a memory module configured from DRAM, which is high-speed memory, and a memory module configured from flash memory which is slower than DRAM but is high-capacity memory, to a CPU memory bus, in the case of sequential reading, the busy rate of the CPU memory bus increases, and performance degradation occurs easily. In the present invention, an information processing device has a CPU, a CPU memory bus, and a primary storage device. The primary storage device has a first memory module and a second memory module. The first memory module has high-speed memory. The second memory module has memory having the same memory interface as that of the high-speed memory, high-capacity memory having a different memory interface from that of the high-speed memory, and a controller that controls same. The first memory module and second memory module are caused to be accessed by the memory interface of the high-speed memory.
US09658781B2 Tier based data file management
A hierarchal storage management method is provided. The method includes detecting a first portion of a first file being deleted from a hybrid storage device including a hard disk drive (HDD) memory device, a solid state drive (SSD) memory device, and an archival storage memory device. A first set of memory blocks associated with the first portion of the first file is identified. The first set of memory blocks are determined to reside on the SSD memory device. In response, the first set of memory blocks are transferred from the SSD memory device to a first portion of the hybrid storage device.
US09658780B2 Magnetic random access memory with dynamic random access memory (DRAM)-like interface
A memory device includes a magnetic memory unit for storing a burst of data during a burst write operation. Each burst of data includes sequential data units with each data unit being received at a clock cycle, and written during the burst write operation, wherein the burst write operation is performed during multiple clock cycles. Further, the memory device includes a mask register coupled to the magnetic memory unit that generates a write mask during the burst write operation to inhibit or enable data units of write data. Furthermore, the memory device allows a next burst write operation to begin while receiving data units of the burst of data to be written or providing read data.
US09658768B2 Method of controlling mobile terminal
There is disclosed a method of controlling a mobile terminal including steps of implementing a first application; implementing a second application during the implementation of the first application; and overlay-displaying by displaying a screen of the second application or the first application on a screen of the other, wherein a screen of the front application has implementable input and output function in a semitransparent state, and a screen of the rear application has a restricted input function and an implementable output function.
US09658754B2 Multi-directional and variable speed navigation of collage multi-media
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, methods and apparatus are provided for flexible and user-friendly navigation of loaded media in a multi-media presentation, such that a user may be able to view and/or edit the presentation. In one embodiment, a method for navigating loaded media comprises loading a page of a collage document to a client device, the page having a plurality of layers with each layer being associated with a media object. The method further includes creating a list of layers of the loaded page, each layer indexed by at least a position in the collage document; navigating the collage document in at least one direction and at at least one speed based on user input; and filtering the list of layers based on at least the position in the collage document and a visual window of a user interface to display visible layers of the page within the visual window. A client device for navigating loaded media is also disclosed.
US09658747B2 Virtual tabs supporting web content suspension
A Web application displays Web content in a user interface (UI) tab having multiple associated virtual tabs. The multiple associated virtual tabs can include a visible tab hosting Web content that is currently visible, one or more hidden tabs each hosting Web content that is not currently visible, and optionally one or more empty tabs each hosting no Web content or only primitive Web content. For each hidden tab, the Web content hosted in the hidden tab is suspended, which refers to ceasing execution of instructions in and/or other operations performed by the Web content. For example, audio/video playback is paused, execution of script instructions ceases, and so forth.
US09658745B1 Presentation of non-interrupting content items
A method for enabling a user of a computing device to designate a content item for subsequent review is provided. The computing device is coupled to a memory device and a display. The method is implemented using the computing device. The method includes displaying, by the computing device, a first publication. The method further includes the steps of displaying, by the computing device, a content item at a first time, wherein the content item is displayed in conjunction with the first publication. The method further includes receiving, by the computing device, a first input from the user to designate the content item for subsequent review, generating an indicator that the content item has been designated for subsequent review, causing the memory device to store the indicator, determining a second time to display the content item, and displaying the content item at the second time.
US09658744B1 Navigation paths for panorama
Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to allowing users to create their own image navigation experiences. As an example, a set of panoramic images may be identified using manual and/or automated methods. One or more suggested potential paths connecting ones of the panoramic images may be determined. This information may be displayed to a user with an interface that allows the user to create and change relationships between the panoramic images. For example, users may activate the suggested paths and create connections between the panoramic images of the set. Users may also draw their own connecting paths between panoramic images. The panoramic images and the connections between them may be used to provide a navigation experience.
US09658742B2 Generating and displaying supplemental information and user interactions on interface tiles of a user interface
Technologies for displaying supplemental interface tiles on a user interface of a computing device include determining supplemental information and/or available user interactions associated with a user interface tile displayed on the user interface. A supplemental interface tile is displayed in association with the user interface tile in response to a user selecting the user interface tile. The supplemental information and/or an interaction widget corresponding to the available user interactions may be displayed on the supplemental interface tile based on the selection gesture used by the user to select the user interface tile.
US09658741B2 Measuring device and measuring method with interactive operation
A measuring device comprises a control unit, a measuring unit, a display unit and an input unit. The measuring unit comprises a plurality of functional units and a connection unit configured for selectively connecting the plurality of functional units. The control unit is configured to control the display unit to display a plurality of function blocks each corresponding to at least one functional unit. The input unit is configured to allow a user to select one of the plurality of function blocks. The control unit is configured, after a function block is selected by the user, to control the display unit to display possible connections of the selected function block to further function blocks.
US09658728B2 Touch panel controller, integrated circuit, touch panel device, and electronic device
Provided is a driving control unit (93) which performs control to switch high and low of correlation of code sequences output by driving signal generation units (4a to 4d) according to a detection distance which is a distance between a surface of a touch panel (2) and an object to be detected.
US09658715B2 Display mapping modes for multi-pointer indirect input devices
An indirect interaction input device, such as but not limited to a touch sensor, can provide multiple points of input, such as two or more positions in a coordinate space where a user is touching the sensor. These multiple points are in turn mapped to multiple positions on an output device such as a display. The mapping can be relative or absolute. With a relative mapping, boundary conditions for single and multiple displays are applied and, if appropriate, remedial offsets are added to the input points to maintain a desired user interaction model.
US09658712B2 Smartphone
A smartphone includes a cover layer; an LCD panel which is located under the cover layer and includes a liquid crystal layer, and a first glass layer and a second glass layer between which the liquid crystal layer is placed, wherein at least a portion of a touch sensor which senses touch in a capacitive manner is located between the first glass layer and the second glass layer; a backlight unit which is located under the LCD panel; a pressure electrode which is located under the backlight unit; and a shielding member which is located under the pressure electrode.
US09658709B2 Touch display device
A touch display device comprises a touch panel, a display panel and a first transparent adhesive layer. The touch panel includes a first patterned electrode layer including a patterned portion and a non-patterned portion. The first transparent adhesive layer is disposed between the touch panel and the display panel. The refractive index of the first transparent adhesive layer is greater than or equal to 1.65 and less than or equal to 1.72, wherein reflectivity of the patterned portion is substantially the same as the reflectivity of the non-patterned portion.
US09658707B2 Modular connector for touch sensitive device
Apparatus for providing modular connection means to electrodes in a touch-sensitive device. The modular connections may include electronics allowing controlling electronics to individually address electrodes associated with driving electrodes and sensing signals occurring on electrodes.
US09658706B2 Touch panel
A touch panel according to the embodiment includes a cover window including an active area and an unactive area; a print layer on the unactive area; a sensing part on the unactive area to emit light toward the print layer; and a first light receiving part on the print layer to receive the light, wherein the print layer includes a first print layer on the cover window; a second print layer formed on the first print layer while forming a step difference with respect to the first print layer; and a third print layer formed on the second print layer while filling the step difference.
US09658699B2 System and method for using a side camera for free space gesture inputs
An information handling system including a camera mounted in the side edge surface for detecting gestures by a user on a detected working surface in a gesture detecting zone next to the system and including a gesture detection system for interpreting free space gestures and initializing cursor control commands.
US09658692B1 Magnetometer-based gesture sensing with a wearable device
A wearable computing device such as a head-mounted display (HMD) may be equipped with a magnetometer for detecting presence and motion of a hand-wearable magnet (HWM). The HMD may analyze magnetic field measurements of the magnetometer to determine when the HWM moves within a threshold distance of the magnetometer, and may thereafter determine one or more patterns of motion of the HWM based the magnetic field measurements. The HMD may operate in a background detection state in order to determine a background magnetic field strength and to monitor for magnetic disturbances from the HWM. Upon occurrence of a trigger event corresponding to magnetic disturbance above a threshold level, the HMD may transition to operating in a gesture detection state in which it analyzes magnetometer measurements for correspondence with known gestures. Upon recognizing a known gesture, the HMD may carry out one or more actions based on the recognized known gesture.
US09658686B2 Motion based view matrix tuning
Various embodiments relating to using motion based view matrix tuning to calibrate a head-mounted display device are disclosed. In one embodiment, the holograms are rendered with different view matrices, each view matrix corresponding to a different inter-pupillary distance. Upon selection by the user of the most stable hologram, the head-mounted display device can be calibrated to the inter-pupillary distance corresponding to the selected most stable hologram.
US09658685B2 Three-dimensional input device and input system
A three-dimensional input device, which comprises two optical measuring means as set at a predetermined interval from each other, and for measuring a three-dimensional position of an object to be measured at a real time based on a direction of an object to be measured as obtained individually by the two optical measuring means and the predetermined interval and also has a three-dimensional position detecting device which is capable of being mounted on a human body, and a control unit, wherein the control unit generates input information based on change and mode of change of three-dimensional position of the object to be measured.
US09658684B2 Method and system for automatically captioning actions in a recorded electronic demonstration
A system and method are disclosed for automatically captioning an electronic demonstration using object properties captured from the operating system. In response to an action that is initiated by a demonstrator, the operating system is queried to obtain the property information for the target object to which the action is directed as well as the parent object of the target object. This property information is then used to generate explanatory captions that are displayed to a user or trainee during the playback of the electronic demonstration.
US09658680B2 Electronic device
An electronic device whose power consumption can be reduced appropriately depending on the condition of use by a user is provided. The electronic device having a power saving mode includes a processor and a plurality of memories configured to be able to become a stopped state individually, and available to the processor. The processor causes a predetermined number of memories among the plurality of memories to become the stopped state, based on a processing load of the processor, to thereby make a shift to the power saving mode. In the power saving mode, the processor has a standby state of restricting the operation of a part of the electronic device and an active state of normally controlling the operation of the electronic device, and maintains the stopped state of the predetermined number of memories regardless of whether the processor is in the standby state or the active state.
US09658674B2 Mobile system optimization method
Provided is a method of a mobile system, comprising executing an application at the mobile system, determining an execution condition of the application, and controlling a performance of the mobile system in response to a result of the determined execution condition before the application performs an actual workload. The mobile system optimization method enhances the performance of the mobile system by utilizing the same resources.
US09658666B1 Dynamic capacitor modulated voltage regulator
Some embodiments include apparatuses and method using a first node to receive an input voltage, a second node to provide an output voltage, circuit lanes coupled to the first and second nodes, each of the circuit lanes including switches coupled between the first and second nodes, and a controller to selectively place at least one circuit lane among the circuit lanes in an activated state to cause the at least one circuit lane to control the switches in order to adjust an amount of charge provided from a capacitor network to the output node based on a toggling frequency of a comparator output signal generated based on a comparison between a value of a reference voltage and a value of a feedback voltage generated from a value of the output voltage.
US09658663B2 Thermally-aware throttling in a three-dimensional processor stack
A three-dimensional (3-D) processor stack includes a plurality of processor cores implemented in a plurality of layers. A controller is to selectively throttle one or more of a plurality of processor cores in response to detecting a thermal event. The controller selectively throttles the one or more of the plurality of processor cores based on values of thermal couplings between the plurality of layers and based on measures of criticality of threads executing on the plurality of processor cores.
US09658660B2 Electronic device having a bimetallic material
An electronic device may be provided that includes a body having one or more electronic components. The body may have a first portion and a second portion. The second portion may include a first layer of material comprising a first metal and a second layer of material comprising a second metal. At least one electronic component may be between the first portion and the second portion.
US09658652B2 Convertible information handling system input device surface and support
A convertible information handling system transitions to tablet and tablet stand configurations having a keyboard with a friction enhanced surface disposed against a support surface, the keyboard resisting movement of the information handling system relative to the support surface. For example, the keyboard has a rubberized plastic outer surface on non-moving keys to effectively increase the surface area of the keyboard in contact with the support surface. In one embodiment, the friction enhanced surface has its friction characteristics increased when proximate a support surface and decreased when distal a support surface.
US09658641B2 Cosmetically self-centering removable module tray
This application relates to methods and apparatus pertaining to a SIM tray that includes a deformable portion. When the SIM tray is subjected to stresses that result from tolerance stacking, the deformable portion accommodates the differences tolerance errors by allowing the non-deformable portion of the SIM tray to move substantially independently from one another. Creating the deformable portion can be accomplished by utilizing materials with lower relative moduli of elasticity, dovetails, magnets, or other means.
US09658634B2 Under voltage detection and performance throttling
An under voltage detection circuit and method of operating an IC including the same is disclosed. In one embodiment, an IC includes an under voltage protection circuit having first and second comparators configured to compare a supply voltage to first and second voltage thresholds, respectively, with the second voltage threshold being greater than the first. A logic circuit is coupled to receive signals from the first and second comparators. During operation in a high performance state by a corresponding functional circuit, the logic circuit is configured to cause assertion of a throttling signal responsive to an indication that the supply voltage has fallen below the first threshold. A clock signal provided to the functional circuit may be throttled responsive to the indication. If the supply voltage subsequently rises to a level above the second threshold, the throttling signal may be de-asserted.
US09658627B2 Detection of imminent control instability
Imminent control instability is detected in a system that applies a stimulus to an object. The system provides a parameter signal that represents a system parameter indicating oscillation of the object while the stimulus is being applied to the object. The method comprises monitoring maximum amplitude of a dominant tone in a selected frequency band of the parameter signal; and taking an action to avoid imminent control instability if the maximum amplitude persists over a specified period of time.
US09658624B2 Seed index system for treating agricultural seeds
Seed index system and methods for treating agricultural seeds with one or more seed care products employing a size-adjusted application rate based on the size of the seeds. Such size-adjusted application rates can be determined by a supplier of seed care products and communicated to an applicator who applies the seed care product to a quantity of seeds. Such size-adjusted application rates can be in the form of a chart, an equation, or a calculator.