Document	Document Title
US09730367B1	Systems and methods to improve sensor sensitivity and range in an electronic computing device Approaches are described for managing effects such as interference, crosstalk, and other types of noise in an electronic environment using a physical and/or electronic switch to improve electrode performance of a measurement system. Such approaches enable a component, such as a sensing electrode or other proximity sensing component of a measurement system of a computing device (e.g., a mobile phone, tablet computer, etc.) or other electronic device to be collocated, or otherwise placed in proximity, with one or more potential noise producing components, such as a ground plane, which can interfere or otherwise degrade the performance (i.e., electrode efficiency and/or electrode sensitivity) of the sensing electrode of the measurement system.
US09730363B2	Composite module A wireless LAN module as a composite module according to the present invention includes a first substrate 26 and a second substrate 28 that is so disposed as opposed to the other principal surface 48b of the first substrate 26. An external connector 66 for the connection with an electronic apparatus is mounted on one principal surface 48a of the first substrate 26. An electronic component device 76a is mounted on one principal surface of the second substrate 28 in a region opposing the external connector 66 sandwiching the first substrate 26 therebetween. A heat dissipation member 78 is disposed on a surface which is an opposite side to the mounting-surface of the electronic component device 76a.
US09730360B2	Shroud for an electrical enclosure A shroud that includes a body, a cavity, a curved outlet, and at least one non-linear channel. The body can have a top end and a bottom surface, as well as a first end and a second end located opposite the first end. The cavity can be located under the top end of the body and disposed toward the first end. The curved outlet can be disposed toward the second end of the body and have a banana-shaped vent that traverses at least two sides of the body. Each linear channel can include a bent passage, a third end, and a fourth end, where the third end adjoins the cavity, and where the fourth end adjoins a portion of the banana-shaped vent of the curved outlet. The curved outlet and the at least one non-linear channel can prevent substantially all liquids and solids outside the body from entering the cavity.
US09730359B2	Speaker cooling Embodiments are provided for cooling one or more components of a playback device using speaker vibrations that result from playback of inaudible audio. Movement of air molecules arising from the speaker vibrations may disperse heat away from the one or more components of a playback device. In an example implementation, a playback device detects that playback of audible audio content via at least one speaker has stopped, and in response to the detection, plays inaudible audio content to cause the at least one speaker to vibrate thereby inducing air movement within the playback device.
US09730357B2	Cable connector mounts for connector bricks of a cable communication system A connector brick for a cable communication system includes a header frame including end walls and side walls defining a header opening. The header frame is configured for mating with at least one circuit card. A plurality of cable connectors are received in the header opening. Each cable connector has cables extending therefrom and each cable connector has a header holding signal contacts at a mating end of the header and configured for mating with a corresponding card connector of the corresponding circuit card. Cable connector mounts are coupled to the end walls and extend into the header opening. The cable connector mounts engage corresponding cable connectors to secure the cable connectors in the header opening.
US09730356B2	Lever unit An assembly to connect two electronic components is provided herein. The assembly includes a lever unit with a lever and a base. The lever includes a primary cam member and a secondary cam member connected thereto. The lever also includes a hook member extending therefrom. The base includes a guide structure to engage with a drive pin. Rotation of the lever to move a first electronic component along a y-axis towards, a backplane. The secondary cam member to move the drive pin along the guide structure, and the hook member to engage with a second electronic component and mate the first electronic component and the second electronic component along the second axis.
US09730334B2	Mounting structure of leaded electronic component which reduces occurrence of blow hole In a leaded electronic component mounting structure in which the effect of reducing the occurrence of a blow hole is not impaired even if resin of a lead-inserted component is softened by heat during soldering and which can reduce a load placed on a lead when an external force acts, the lead of the lead-inserted component is inserted into a through hole provided in a base material of a printed wiring board, soldering is performed by immersing into molten solder, and a surface mount component and a surface mount component pad form an air vent tunnel. The air vent tunnel does not come into direct contact with the lead-inserted component, and therefore is not blocked even if the resin of the lead-inserted component softens due to soldering. Thus, the effect of reducing the occurrence of a blow hole is not impaired.
US09730333B2	Photo-curing process for metallic inks A solution of metal ink is mixed and then printed or dispensed onto the substrate using the dispenser. The film then is dried to eliminate water or solvents. In some cases, a thermal curing step can be introduced subsequent to dispensing the film and prior to the photo-curing step. The substrate and deposited film can be cured using an oven or by placing the substrate on the surface of a heater, such as a hot plate. Following the drying and/or thermal curing step, a laser beam or focused light from the light source is directed onto the surface of the film in a process known as direct writing. The light serves to photo-cure the film such that it has low resistivity.
US09730330B1	Compliant electronic devices A compliant electronic device is presented. The device may be, for example a wearable display for sports applications. The compliant electronic device comprises a thin sheet with a regular pattern of openings optimized to provide maximum compliance. The device may be partially or completely embedded in foam or other highly stretchable and compressible material that, while preserving compliance, protects the device from untoward environmental influences.
US09730325B2	Substrate with built-in passive element A substrate with built-in passive element includes passive elements and a substrate. The passive elements include at least one of a capacitor, an inductor, a resistor, a signal transmission element or an optical waveguide element. The capacitor, the inductor, the resistor, the signal transmission element or the optical waveguide element has a functional element filled in a groove-like or hole-like element forming region provided in the substrate along a thickness direction thereof. The functional element has a Si—O bond region obtained by reacting Si particles with an organic Si compound.
US09730323B2	Semiconductor package A semiconductor package may include a plurality of first semiconductor package mounted on a first region of a first surface of a first circuit board, a plurality of terminals disposed between the plurality of first semiconductor chips on a second region of the first surface of the first circuit board, and at least one second semiconductor chip mounted on a second circuit board connected to the first circuit board through the plurality of terminals.
US09730319B2	Printed circuit board Provided is a printed circuit board, including: a support substrate including a first region in which light emitting elements are mount, a second region extending from the first region, and a bending portion between the first region and the second region, an insulating substrate on the support substrate, wiring portions on the insulating substrate, and a protective layer on the wiring portions.
US09730318B2	Rollable display device, method of manufacturing the same, and flexible display device A rollable display device includes a flexible display panel, a housing, a grip part, and a connection part. The flexible display panel is configured to display an image. The flexible display panel is rolled and kept inside the housing. The grip part extends the flexible display panel from the housing to expose the flexible display panel to the outside of the housing. The connection part is between the flexible display panel and the grip part to connect the flexible display panel and the grip part. The connection part is not configured to display the image.
US09730315B1	Environment-tolerant tamper-proof circuit board A circuit board is protected by being enclosed in a security housing that includes conductive tamper traces running along its interior surface, the conductive tamper traces being a housing portion of a tamper detection circuit. The tamper detection circuit also includes a board portion that detect tampering with the tamper detection circuit by monitoring voltages at monitor nodes along the board portion. The board portion of the tamper detection circuit is connected to the tamper traces via multiple connector pieces. The connector pieces can be held in place by board connector piece holders affixed to the board or housing connector piece holders of the housing. When tampering is detected, it can be localized based on voltages measured at multiple recesses along the housing. The tamper detection circuit can be arranged in a wheatstone bridge layout for environmental tolerance. The circuit board's functions/components can be disabled if tampering is detected.
US09730305B2	Antistatic device and associated operating method An antistatic device for reducing electrostatic charges on moving material webs may include at least one active electrode assembly. The electrode assembly may include a plurality of active individual needle-shaped electrodes, which during operation may be electrically connected to an associated high voltage source. A controller may be included for controller the voltage source. The at least one active electrode assembly and the controller may be arranged in a housing. A signal device may be arranged at least one of in and on the housing. The signal device may include an optical indicator for outputting a signal to a user. The signal may correlate with at least one parameter of the material web. The at least one parameter may include a polarity of the material web.
US09730282B2	Switchable luminance LED light bulb A switchable luminance LED light bulb, including embodiments that may be used with any common commercial fitting.
US09730279B2	Arc-shaped microwave oven An arc-shaped microwave oven is disclosed, including a cooking cavity, an oven base, a microwave generation unit disposed within the oven base, and a control unit also disposed within the oven base, wherein the oven base includes a bottom portion and a back portion that is assembled with the bottom portion, the cooking cavity is formed by a cavity surrounded by the bottom portion, the back portion and a furnace door, the furnace door is in a hood shape and provided with a microwave shielding cover, and the microwave generation unit and the control unit are electrically connected to an operation/display unit. The furnace door can be movably connected to the back portion, the furnace door can swing up and down relative to the bottom portion and the back portion to open and close respectively, and the furnace door can be in an arc hood shape.
US09730266B2	System and method for uplink timing synchronization in conjunction with discontinuous reception A system and method are disclosed for providing uplink timing synchronization during DRX operation in a wireless communication system.
US09730264B2	Systems and methods providing improved success rate for RRC connection reestablishments Systems and methods that provide improved success rates for connection reestablishments in a cellular communications system are disclosed. Embodiments of a radio access node in a cellular communications system enabling connection reestablishment for a wireless device to a target cell controlled by the radio access node are disclosed. In some embodiments, the radio access node is operative to: (a) perform a wireless device context fetch for a context for the wireless device from two or more candidate source cells of the wireless device in response to a connection reestablishment request from the wireless device and (b) receive a wireless device context from at least one of the two or more candidate source cells of the wireless device in response to performing the wireless device context fetch. By performing multiple context fetches, the radio access node mitigates the problem of physical cell identifier ambiguity.
US09730257B2	Method and apparatus for establishing device-to-device connection in wireless communication system The present specification relates to a method for establishing, by a first device, a device-to-device connection in a wireless communication system, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting, to at least one second device, a first communication signal including connection information for a second communication connection; receiving a response to an infrared signal from the at least one second device; and establishing a second communication connection with the second device on the basis of the received response.
US09730256B2	Method and apparatus for discovering device in wireless communication network A method and apparatus for discovering a device without an access point (AP) to perform P2P communication in a wireless communication network includes: receiving a probe request frame from another P2P device; determining whether a message requesting at least one of a phone number and user identification information is included in the received probe request frame; and transmitting a probe response frame including at least one of the phone number and the user identification information to the another P2P device when the message is included in the probe request frame.
US09730255B1	Room-specific pairing via a combined ultrasonic beacon/bluetooth approach Embodiments disclosed describe room specific pairing of electronic devices using the combination of ultrasonic signal and other wireless means such as Bluetooth. The ultrasonic signal is used to communicate a unique identifier to the electronic devices within the same physical location. The electronic device receiving the ultrasonic signal uses the unique identifier to establish a secure wireless communication with the base station. The wireless communication is then used to communication the configuration information for a second network connection between the base station and the electronic device.
US09730251B2	Method for supporting an emergency call in a mobile communication system A method for supporting an emergency service by a mobility management entity (MME) and a base station in a mobile communication system, and a MME and base station, are provided. The method for supporting an emergency service by a MME includes receiving, by the MME, a first message including information associated with an attach request of a terminal from a base station, determining, by the MME, whether the attach request is accepted based on information indicating an emergency service included in the first message, and transmitting, by the MME, a second message to the base station if the attach request is accepted, wherein if the information associated with the attach request includes the information indicating the emergency service, the attach request is accepted, and wherein the information indicating the emergency service is included in the first message using information included in a third message received from the terminal.
US09730249B2	Systems, apparatuses, and methods for processing random acccess response messages for coverage constrained devices Disclosed herein are methods, apparatuses, and systems for establishing lightweight communications between different network components. A messaging process is utilized which includes a random access procedure for a user equipment (UE) and an eNodeB, and a messaging sequence comprising a reduced number of messages (compared to a legacy Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection messaging sequence) exchanged between different nodes of the network to establish a lightweight connection. These messages can be generated using any combination of pre-configured or pre-determined data specific to either the UE or to lightweight communications.
US09730246B2	Collision reduction mechanisms for wireless communication networks A method includes wirelessly communicating with one or more stations that are partitioned into one or more groups. The method also includes generating a message that identifies one or more time periods during which each station of a first group of the one or more groups is permitted to contend for a communication channel or restricted from contending for the communication channel. The method further includes transmitting the message.
US09730242B2	Method and system for scheduling radio resources in cellular networks A method for scheduling radio resource allocation among active flows within a wireless communication network. The method includes, at each working period of the scheduling method; for each active flow, checking presence of priority data to be transmitted within the current working period. Each active flow having priority data to be transmitted within the current working period is classified as a priority active flow. The remaining active flows are classified as non-priority active flows, the non-priority active flows having non-priority data that need not to be transmitted within the current working period. Radio resources are allocated among the priority active flows, and corresponding priority data are transmitted over the respective allocated resources. After completing priority data transmission, the radio resources are allocated among the non-priority active flows and corresponding non-priority data are transmitted over the respective allocated radio resources until the end of the current working period.
US09730241B2	Scheduling method and system, access point and station A scheduling method, including: listening to, by a station, a first beacon frame containing a DTIM message used for indicating a beacon interval allocated for each group of stations within a current scheduling period; determining the beacon interval allocated for the station within the current scheduling period according to the DTIM message contained in the first beacon frame; listening to, by the station, within the beacon interval allocated for the station, a second beacon frame containing scheduling information of the current beacon interval used for indicating a time period allocated to each group of stations for data transmission within the current beacon interval; when data transmission is required, transmitting, by the station, data within the time period allocated to the group of the station according to indication of the scheduling information. The present invention improves utilization of time periods, saves time resources and enhances transmission efficiency.
US09730239B2	Medium or channel sensing-based scheduling There is provided a method, performed by a network node associated with at least two wireless communication devices, for scheduling packet transmission over a radio-based medium. The method comprises sensing (S1) the radio-based medium by estimating a received signal level, and evaluating (S2), for each of the at least two wireless communication devices, whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission based on comparing the received signal level to a respective threshold associated with the considered wireless communication device. The method further comprises scheduling (S3) packet transmission over the radio-based medium based on the evaluating, for each of the at least two wireless communication devices, whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission.
US09730208B2	Load power consumption management in discontinuous reception According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method is implemented by a particular user equipment (UE) that is part of a group of UEs. The particular UE receives physical layer group signaling sent from a base station over a control channel on a first carrier. The particular UE determines, based on the group signaling, whether data will be transmitted by the base station to a UE in the group during a current DRX cycle over a second carrier that is different from the first carrier. Depending on the outcome of the determining, the particular UE performs one of the following: entering a DRX sleep mode for the rest of the DRX cycle; and starting or restarting a DRX inactivity timer of the particular UE and monitoring the control channel until the DRX inactivity timer expires.
US09730205B2	Multi-carrier modulation with hierarchical resource allocation Methods and systems for communicating in a multi-carrier communication system are disclosed. Radio resources may be organized in at least three hierarchical levels. The hierarchical levels may comprise macroblocks, blocks, and radio resource elements. A macroblock may contain a plurality of blocks and a block may contain a plurality of radio resource elements. The radio resource elements may further correspond to subcarriers in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol. An index in a control message may specify a modulation and/or coding scheme (MCS) pattern indicting a MCS for each block within a macroblock. In an embodiment, fewer bits are used by the index to specify a MCS pattern that is used statistically more frequently, and more bits are used by the index to specify a MCS pattern that is used statistically less frequently. Signals may be transmitted over the plurality of macroblocks.
US09730191B2	Wireless communication system, base station, mobile station and wireless communication method It is an object of the invention to provide a wireless communication system capable of decoding a downlink shared channel of an interfering cell while achieving the reduction of intercell interference to a downlink control channel of an interfered cell. In a wireless communication system that controls transmission timing of each base station so that a control channel transmitted by a first base station and a shared channel transmitted by a second base station temporally overlap, the second base station includes a muting control unit and a muting processing unit that transmit a null symbol in an overlapping time interval of the shared channel with a time interval of the control channel on the basis of the number of code blocks in a data signal component for each mobile station corresponding to the overlapping time interval of the shared channel with the time interval of the control channel.
US09730184B2	Broadcast and paging channels for machine type communication Methods, systems, and devices are described for facilitating Machine Type Communication (MTC) in a wireless communications system. Link budget-limited MTC devices may be supported. An MTC physical broadcast channel may be utilized for MTC and may be transmitted over one or more subframes different from a regular physical broadcast channel. The payload for the MTC physical broadcast channel may be reduced. The MTC physical broadcast channel may be utilized to indicate the presence of paging and/or to indicate a change in system information. One or more MTC-specific system information blocks may combine and/or simplify multiple system information blocks. The location of the MTC system information blocks may be predetermined or information about their location may be transmitted over the MTC physical broadcast channel. An enhanced paging channel may be used to indicate system information updates.
US09730182B2	Mobile terminal and method of controlling the same Disclosed are a mobile terminal capable of allowing a driver to drive a vehicle safely, by providing notification information related to the vehicle, and notification information received from the mobile terminal according to priorities, and a method of controlling the same. The mobile terminal includes: a communication unit; an output unit configured to output road guidance information; and a controller configured to detect first notification information related to a vehicle, to receive second notification information from a mobile terminal through the communication unit, to set priorities of the first and second notification information, and to output the first and second notification information to the output unit according to the set priorities.
US09730170B2	Connection to access point Technologies generally described herein relate to connection of a mobile device to an access point in a wireless communication system. Example mobile devices may include a receiver, a decoder and a data communication module. The receiver may be configured to receive a downlink synchronization signal from an access point through a cellular band. In some embodiments, the downlink synchronization signal is synchronized based on a signal from a base station. The decoder may be coupled to the receiver and configured to decode the received downlink synchronization signal to obtain information regarding the access point. The data communication module may be coupled to the decoder and configured to connect to the access point based, at least in part, on the obtained information regarding the access point.
US09730169B2	Power headroom reporting method and device for wireless communication system Methods and apparatus are provided for reporting a Power Headroom (PH) of a User Equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system having a plurality of aggregated uplink carriers. A method includes receiving a configuration message to configure at least one uplink carrier; triggering a power headroom report (PHR) for a first uplink carrier if a predetermined event occurs; detecting an allocation of an uplink transmission resource for the PHR; identifying whether the first uplink carrier for which a power headroom (PH) is to be determined is different from a second carrier to which the uplink transmission resource is allocated; determining the PH based on a first pathloss associated with the first uplink carrier, if the first uplink carrier is different from the second carrier; and transmitting the PHR generated based the determined PH.
US09730166B2	Controlling energy consumption of a wireless network node An arrangement for controlling energy consumption of a network node associated with a cell includes a terminal activity monitor configured to detect active terminals served by the cell. A transmission controller is connected to the terminal activity monitor and is configured to restrict transmission downlink in the cell during time periods when there are no active terminals served by the cell. During these time periods transmission is restricted to intermittent transmission of information assisting active terminals not served by the cell in finding the cell.
US09730164B2	Power control management in uplink (UL) coordinated multipoint (CoMP) transmission Techniques for performing path loss (PL) compensation in coordinated multipoint (CoMP) systems are provided. A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE) is provided. The method generally includes selecting, from a plurality of transmission points involved in uplink (UL) coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations with the UE, a transmission point to associate with for path loss (PL) compensation, and adjusting power of one or more transmissions based on path loss measured based on the selected transmission point.
US09730150B2	Methods and apparatus for use in facilitating access to aggregator services for mobile communication devices via wireless communication networks A mobile device performs a scanning operation for identifying a wireless network and receives from the wireless network a hotspot aggregator service identifier which identifies a hotspot aggregator service made available via the wireless network. The mobile device compares the received hotspot aggregator service identifier with one or more hotspot aggregator service identifiers stored in memory. When there is a match between the received and the stored hotspot aggregator service identifiers, the mobile device initiates a connection with the wireless network for receiving the hotspot aggregator service.
US09730148B2	Procedure for selecting network discovery method A solution for selecting a network discovery method in an apparatus. The apparatus performs the following: performing initial channel assessment of a radio channel at maximum a determined time period shorter than or equal to the shortest of a plurality of discovery frame broadcast periodicities employed by access nodes the apparatus is configured to search for in network discovery; upon determining that a transmission has been detected in the initial channel assessment, selecting a network discovery according to a first network discovery method; and upon detecting no transmission on the radio channel during the initial channel assessment, selecting network discovery according to a second network discovery method different from the first network discovery method.
US09730145B2	In-transit detection using low complexity algorithm fusion and phone state heuristics System and methods are disclosed to use information available on the state of mobile devices in a heuristics-based approach to improve motion state detection. In one or more embodiments, information on the WiFi connectivity of mobile devices may be used to improve the detection of the in-transit state. The WiFi connectivity information may be used with sensor signal such as accelerometer signals in a motion classifier to reduce the false positives of the in-transit state. In one or more embodiments, information that a mobile device is connected to a WiFi access point (AP) may be used as heuristics to reduce the probability of falsely classifying the mobile device in the in-transit state when mobile device is actually in the hand of a relatively stationary user. Information on the battery charging state or the wireless connectivity of the mobile devices may also be used to improve the detection of in-transit state.
US09730144B2	System and method for mixed-mesh wireless networking A mixed mesh wireless network that includes a Mixed Mesh network 105, and Energy Data Server (EDS) 110, EDS database 115, a Utility portal 130, and a Consumer portal 140. The EDS Server 110 is connected to Utility portal 130, Consumer portal 140 and EDS database 115 via a VPN. The wireless network 100 is adapted to connect end devices 150, for example, thermostats, meters, switches and other ZigBee supporting devices, appliances, or electronic devices to mixed mesh network 105. The network 100 is further adapted to connect mixed mesh network 105 to multiple consumer or end user applications 160 via the Internet, for example, desktops, notebooks, smart phones, or other computing or communications devices that may be used to manage, access and/or control end devices 150.
US09730143B2	Method and apparatus for self organizing networks A method for running a Self Organizing Network (SON) module in a communication network provides an open Application Programming Interface (API) for a SON framework and executes the SON module. The SON module accesses the functionality of the SON framework using the API. The SON module may be built by a developer other than a SON system provider and may be loaded into the SON framework by an operator other than a SON system provider. The SON module may be implemented as a state machine.
US09730142B2	Device and method for performing route search in wireless relay network, and non-transitory computer readable medium A wireless communication device transmits data to a relay destination being one of first relaying devices capable of communicating out of relaying devices; obtains first information, from each first relaying device, that indicates a representative value of remaining operating times of relaying devices present on a relay route from the first relaying device to a target device; determines to perform a new route search, based on the first information; increases a transmission power; then transmits a request; receive responses from all or a part of second relaying devices, which are relaying devices that have received the request, including pieces of second information each of which indicates a representative value of remaining operating times of relaying devices present on a relay route from the second relaying device to the target device; and selects a relay destination of data from among the second relaying devices based on the pieces of second information.
US09730128B2	MBMS support in heterogeneous network and in-venue A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication enable user equipment operating in a current cell that provides a multimedia broadcast/multicast service to distinguish between neighboring cells that have different operational characteristics. The presence of a neighboring cell is identified while the user equipment is operating in a first cell and it is determined whether the neighboring cell provides services different from the services provided in the current cell, based on information maintained by the user equipment. The user equipment may move to the neighboring cell to obtain better or different service.
US09730106B2	Technique for load balancing between cellular network subscriptions in a router having both short range and cellular communication interfaces A WLAN router connected via a cellular network (e.g. LTE) to the Internet is disclosed; a plurality of SIMs (subscriptions), each associated with a user of the router, may be plugged into the router (or soft SIMs used); simultaneous Internet access for a plurality of users is achieved, even if the WLAN router does only have one TX/RX equipment, by the following features: the WLAN router—when receiving a portion of network traffic for a user—determines the subscription that the portion is associated with and updates a data usage quota for the subscription accordingly by an amount of data corresponding to said portion; thereafter, it is decided whether future network traffic for that subscription shall be transmitted over the same network connection or another subscription's network connection based on the updated data usage quota; thus, the router carries out load balancing between the subscriptions.
US09730102B2	Methods and arrangements for packet flows in wireless networks Logic may compress wireless communications frames and communicate compressed frames that do not include the duplicative bit sequences within the packet flow. Logic may include the compressed frames in flow frames. Logic may generate, encode, transmit, decode, parse, and interpret flow frames after a packet flow is created. Flow frames may comprise a flow frame control field, a compressed frame, and a frame sequence check. Logic may decompress the compressed flow frame based upon flow decompression rules associated with a flow index of the flow frame. Flow frames may include a duration field to set the network allocation vectors of other stations. And the frame sequence check may be generated based upon the entire flow frame.
US09730101B2	Server selection in communications network with respect to a mobile user The invention refers to providing a service associated to a service request received from a mobile user equipment —UE— (10), the communications network comprising a plurality of service nodes (21a-21h), the communications network (1) receives (S2) a service request from a requesting UE (10), obtains mobility information associated to the UE (10), selects a service node (21) from the plurality of service nodes (21, 21′) in dependency of the mobility information, and transmits (S3) a response to the UE indicative of the selected service node (21) to be contacted for providing the service. The invention further refers to a gateway node and a method performed by the gateway node, a policy server and a method performed in the policy server and to corresponding programs.
US09730100B2	Terse message networks A tree-shaped mesh network is discussed which uses a mesh of wireless nodes that form a tree shaped network with one root node having a connection to an external network; chirp clients; and wireless network clients. Chirp clients comprise low cost chirp devices wherein said low cost chirp devices transmit short duration messages wherein transmission of said short duration messages are scheduled at preset transmission intervals. At least one wireless node of the mesh of wireless nodes is a designated chirp-aware node wherein said chirp-aware node sets the preset transmission intervals for chirp client communication by broadcasting a beacon prior to transmission by chirp clients and said chirp-aware node further comprises a bridge between the short duration messages and IP based devices wherein said bridge includes a wireless receiver to receive the short duration messages and is connected to said external network. The short duration messages are encapsulated into action frames, for onward transmission to other chirp aware routers. Each wireless node further comprises two logical radios and a service radio wherein each wireless node uplink and downlink operates on distinct non-conflicting frequencies. The wireless network clients communicate with the wireless nodes using node service radios.
US09730097B2	Method of efficient blind SCell activation An effective SCELL activation procedure is proposed to reduce the SCELL activation time. For carrier aggregation, a secondary cell (SCELL) needs to be configured and then activated before a UE can perform normal operation. In a first embodiment, the UE performs measurements on a list of candidate SCELLs before SCELL configuration. In a second embodiment, the UE performs measurements on a configured SCELL with high priority after the SCELL is configured. In a third embodiment, the UE performs deactivated-state SCELL measurements with adaptive SCELL measurement interval based on a configured measurement cycle and a state machine. Small SCELL activation time allows energy saving and network scheduling gain.
US09730088B2	Digital broadcasting system and method of processing data The present invention relates to a digital broadcasting system for transmitting/receiving a digital broadcasting signal and a method of processing data. In one aspect of the present invention provides a method of processing data, the method including receiving a broadcasting signal in which mobile service data and main service data are multiplexed, demodulating the received broadcasting signal, obtaining an identifier indicating that data frame of the broadcasting signal includes service guide information, decoding and storing the service guide information from the data frame; and outputting a service included in the mobile service data according to the decoded service guide information.
US09730086B2	Techniques for dynamic network optimization using geolocation and network modeling Techniques for dynamic network optimization using geolocation and network modeling are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a system for improving performance of a mobile communications network. The system may comprise one or more processors communicatively coupled to a mobile communications network. The one or more processors may be configured to determine allowable changes within a network and rank a cell or parameter based on a priority rule. The one or more processors may be further be configured to generate a plurality of network configurations and evaluate strength of the plurality of network configurations. The one or more processors may also be configured to output a set of network configurations that is strongest among the plurality of network configurations.
US09730076B2	Protecting mobile devices from malware Using a system distinct from a mobile device, the mobile device is switched from a first mode to a second mode to access a set of data storage locations in the mobile device. All malware-susceptible data stored in the set of data storage locations is received at the system from the mobile device to form received data, which is analyzed at the system to detect a malware from a set of malware in a first portion of the received data. Responsive to the analyzing, the first portion of the received data is modified at the system to form a modified first portion, wherein the modifying removes the malware from the first portion. The system stores the modified first portion in a first data storage location in the mobile device and a second portion of the received data in a second data storage location in the mobile device.
US09730075B1	Systems and methods for detecting illegitimate devices on wireless networks The disclosed computer-implemented method for detecting illegitimate devices on wireless networks may include (1) generating a fake network identification string that uniquely identifies a fake wireless network, (2) transmitting a request to connect to the fake wireless network, (3) receiving, in response to the request, a response from a network device that indicates the fake wireless network is available, and (4) determining, based on receiving the response that indicates the fake wireless network is available, that the network device is illegitimate. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09730072B2	Electronic subscriber identity module provisioning A method for preparing an eSIM for provisioning is provided. The method can include a provisioning server encrypting the eSIM with a symmetric key. The method can further include the provisioning server, after determining a target eUICC to which the eSIM is to be provisioned, encrypting the symmetric key with a key encryption key derived based at least in part on a private key associated with the provisioning server and a public key associated with the target eUICC. The method can additionally include the provisioning server formatting an eSIM package including the encrypted eSIM, the encrypted symmetric key, and a public key corresponding to the private key associated with the provisioning server. The method can also include the provisioning server sending the eSIM package to the target eUICC.
US09730060B2	Method and system for transfering profiles of authentication module A system for transferring a profile that is stored at an authentication module includes: a first terminal that includes a first authentication module and that operates based on a user profile that is stored at the first authentication module; a second terminal that includes a second authentication module and that requests the user profile by transmitting a first message including user identification information; and a management server that receives the first terminal and that acquires a profile that is stored at the first terminal based on user identification information and that transmits the acquired profile to the second terminal, wherein the first terminal exports the stored profile, and the second terminal installs a profile, having received from the management server at the second authentication module.
US09730048B2	Communication control method, management server, and user terminal A communication control method according to an embodiment comprises: receiving, by a first network apparatus, first information from a first user terminal, the first network apparatus configured to belong to a first Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN); and notifying, the first network apparatus, the first user terminal of second information. The first information includes a first identifier included in a discovery signal which the first user terminal has directly received from a second user terminal. The second information includes information corresponding to the first identifier. The communication control method further comprises determining, by the first network apparatus, in response to receiving the first information, whether the first identifier is a second identifier allocated in the first PLMN. The first network apparatus notifies the first user terminal of the second information in response to determining that the first identifier is the second identifier.
US09730030B2	Apparatus and system for processing emergency event information and providing evacuation guidance An information processing apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive from the terminal apparatus, terminal apparatus identification information of the terminal apparatus and output apparatus identification information of an output apparatus that has been acquired by the terminal apparatus; and a notifying unit configured to notify the terminal apparatus of relocation information based on the terminal apparatus identification information and the output apparatus identification information received by the receiving unit. The relocation information includes at least one of information on moving from the position of the terminal apparatus to a predetermined destination and information on moving from the position of the terminal apparatus to a next location.
US09730023B2	Communication based on geographical region In some embodiments, a server establishes communication with user devices; the server receives location data identifying a location of each user device; the server determines a geographical region based on the location of each user device, each geographical region being different for user devices not at the same location; the server receives an audio stream from the first of the user devices; the server determines which of the other user devices are within the geographical region of the first user device; and the server transmits the audio stream to the other user devices that are within the geographical region of the first user device. In some embodiments, the server creates altered audio streams based on the distances between user devices. In some embodiments, the server changes the number of the other user devices that are within the geographical region of the first user device.
US09730018B2	Intelligent guiding method and system based on M2M system An intelligent guiding method and system based on a M2M system are provided. The method includes that when receiving a service request message from an intelligent guiding M2M terminal device, an intelligent guiding M2M platform requests guiding information or a guiding information identifier from an intelligent guiding M2M application according to the location information of the intelligent guiding M2M terminal device; and the intelligent guiding M2M platform sends, to the intelligent guiding M2M terminal device, the guiding information provided by the intelligent guiding M2M application or guiding information that is retrieved according to the guiding information identifier provided by the intelligent guiding M2M application. The M2M technology and the electronic guiding system thus can be effectively combined, and rich guiding services can be provided based on the M2M system.
US09730015B1	Detecting location using WiFi hotspots A method of detecting location includes receiving, on a mobile device, a plurality of previously stored WiFi hotspots; detecting, on the mobile device, a plurality of surrounding WiFi hotspots; comparing the plurality of surrounding WiFi hotspots to determine one or more differences between the plurality of previously stored WiFi hotspots; determining the differences satisfy a difference threshold; sending the plurality of surrounding WiFi hotspots to a location lookup system; and receiving a response from the location lookup system.
US09730013B2	Method, recording medium and electronic device of 3D geolocation A method, a recording medium and an electronic device of 3D geolocation are provided. The method includes the following steps: distributing a plurality of samples that are already 2D-geolocated into a plurality of geographic areas according to 2D locations of the samples, wherein each sample includes a measurement report provided by a user equipment attached to a mobile network; generating a relative sequence of altitudes of the samples in each geographic area according to altitude-related data obtained from the samples in the geographic area; and determining the altitudes of the samples in each geographic area according to the relative sequence of the geographic area.
US09730002B2	Mechanical enclosures for a communication device The present disclosure describes a mechanical chassis having one or more conductive regions separated by one or more non-conductive regions. When a magnetic field contacts, or is sufficiently proximate to, this communication device, the magnetic field induces one or more eddy currents that flow in one or more closed loops around a surface of the one or more conductive regions. The one or more non-conductive regions confine the one or more eddy currents to the one or more conductive regions. The magnetic fields generated by these one or more eddy currents are weaker than a magnetic field generated by eddy currents in a communication device having a mechanical chassis constructed entirely of conductive material.
US09729995B2	Apparatus and method for generating a plurality of audio channels An apparatus for generating a plurality of audio channels for a first speaker setup is characterized by an imaginary speaker determiner, an energy distribution calculator, a processor and a renderer. The imaginary speaker determiner is configured to determine a position of an imaginary speaker not contained in the first speaker setup to obtain a second speaker setup containing the imaginary speaker. The energy distribution calculator is configured to calculate an energy distribution from the imaginary speaker to the other speakers in the second speaker setup. The processor is configured to repeat the energy distribution to obtain a downmix information for a downmix from the second speaker setup to the first speaker setup. The renderer is configured to generate the plurality of audio channels using the downmix information.
US09729993B2	Apparatus and method for reproducing recorded audio with correct spatial directionality An apparatus comprising: an input configured to receive from at least one co-operating apparatus at least one audio signal; an audio signal analyzer configured to analyze the at least one audio signal to determine at least one audio component position relative to the at least one co-operating apparatus recording position; and a processor configured to determine an position value based on the at least one cooperating recording position and the apparatus position, and further configured to apply the position value to the at least one audio component position, such that the at least one audio component position is substantially aligned with the apparatus position.
US09729989B2	Home automation sound detection and positioning Systems, methods, devices, non-transitory computer-readable mediums, and apparatuses are presented for detecting and positioning sound in a home automation system. Indications of sounds and timestamps may be received from various home automation devices. Using the received indications, a sound magnitude for the sound and whether the sound originated inside or outside of the structure can be determined. The sound magnitude may be compared to an inside sound threshold level if the sound was determined to originate inside the structure or compared to an outside sound threshold level if the sound was determined to originate outside the structure. Sound information corresponding to the sound may be logged if the sound was determined to originate inside and the sound magnitude exceeds the inside sound threshold level or the sound was determined to originate outside and the sound magnitude exceeds the outside sound threshold level.
US09729988B2	Glitch detection and method for detecting a glitch System and method for detecting a glitch is disclosed. An embodiment comprises increasing a bias voltage of a first capacitor, sampling an input signal of a first plate of the first capacitor with a time period, mixing the input signal with the sampled input signal, and comparing the mixed signal with a reference signal.
US09729987B2	Method and apparatus to evaluate audio equipment via at least one filter for dynamic distortions and or differential phase and or frequency modulation effects A testing method or apparatus utilizes a filter or modifier to measure time varying or dynamic harmonic, intermodulation, cross modulation, and or N-Beat or triple distortion from a device. With a stairstep or arbitrary signal and another signal, Nth order harmonic, cross modulation, triple beat, N-Beat, and or intermodulation distortion is measured via the filter or modifier at different offsets or time provided by an arbitrary low frequency signal. For example, an amplifier with crossover distortion will show increased (e.g., time varying) harmonic, cross modulation, triple beat, and or intermodulation distortion near the zero crossing while providing less distortion in other portions of the transfer curve of the amplifier. One or more distortion signals from the device (e.g., audio device) may be measured for a phase and or frequency modulation effect.
US09729984B2	Dynamic calibration of an audio system Technologies pertaining to calibration of filters of an audio system are described herein. A mobile computing device is configured to compute values for respective filters, such as equalizer filters, and transmit the values to a receiver device in the audio system. The receiver device causes audio to be emitted from a speaker based upon the values for the filters.
US09729976B2	Acoustic feedback event monitoring system for hearing assistance devices The present disclosure relates to tracking of acoustic feedback events of a hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid. Information about the acoustic feedback events is stored for analysis. Such information is useful for programming acoustic feedback cancellers and other parameters of a hearing assistance device.
US09729971B2	Stereo earphone There is provided is a stereo headphone provided with a pair of earphones having a cartilage conduction unit, a sheath unit connected to the cartilage conduction unit, and a piezoelectric bimorph of a vibration source connected to the cartilage conduction unit covered by the sheath unit without making contact with the inner wall thereof. The cartilage conduction unit is an elastic body. The cartilage conduction unit is in contact with the entrance to the external auditory meatus and has a passage hole in communication with the external auditory meatus. The vibration source is supported by a thick portion on the tragus side at the periphery of the passage hole. In accordance with a more specific feature, the thick portion is provided. The outer shape of the sheath has a thickness in the direction of the earhole that is less than the thickness in the direction orthogonal thereto.
US09729965B2	Percentile filtering of noise reduction gains A method of post-processing banded gains for applying to an audio signal, an apparatus to post-processed banded gains, and a tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed carry out the method. The banded gains are determined by input processing one or more input audio signals. The method includes post-processing the banded gains to generate post-processed gains, generating a particular post-processed gain for a particular frequency band including percentile filtering using gain values from one or more previous frames of the one or more input audio signals and from gain values for frequency bands adjacent to the particular frequency band.
US09729964B2	Audio apparatus having dynamic ground break resistance A method for audio signal processing, where an audio amplifier drives a load through a connector, using 1) an input audio signal, and 2) a signal from a return pin of the connector. Output headroom of the audio amplifier is automatically detected, while the amplifier is driving the load. A variable resistor circuit that is coupled to provide variable resistance between the return pin of the connector and a ground plane, is automatically adjusted, in response to the detected output headroom of the amplifier. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US09729959B2	System with wireless earphones Apparatus comprises adapter and speaker system. Adapter is configured to plug into port of personal digital audio player. Speaker system is in communication with adapter, and comprises multiple acoustic transducers, programmable processor circuit, and wireless communication circuit. In first operational mode, processor circuit receives, via adapter, and processes digital audio content from personal digital audio player into which adapter is plugged, and the multiple acoustic transducers output the received audio content from the personal digital audio player. In second operational mode, wireless communication circuit receives digital audio content from a remote digital audio source over a wireless network, processor circuit processes the digital audio content received from remote digital audio source, and the multiple acoustic transducers output the audio content received from the remote digital audio source.
US09729956B2	Electronic device, connecting module, sound output unit and method for switching audio output An electronic device including a housing, at least one first sound output unit, a connecting module and a second sound output unit is provided. The first sound output unit is located inside or outside the housing. The connecting module is disposed on the housing. The connecting module includes a base and a sensing component. The base has a slot. The sensing component is disposed on the base as corresponding to the slot. The second sound output unit at least includes a plug. The plug is detachably assembled to the slot and is adapted to rotate relative to the base along an axis line, so as to determine whether the plug is sensed by the sensing component to make the electronic device switch between a first sound output mode and a second sound output mode.
US09729949B2	Dynamic local decision control in software defined networking-based environment Cross-layer information associated with a software defined networking-based (SDN-based) communication network is collected. One or more updates are sent to one or more network elements in the SDN-based communication network to control one or more local decisions made at the one or more network elements. The one or more updates are based on at least a portion of the collected cross-layer information. Preferably, the collecting and sending steps are performed by a controller implementing an SDN management plane associated with the SDN-based communication network.
US09729944B2	Interchangable charm messaging wearable electronic device for wireless communication Particular embodiments described herein provide for a wearable electronic device, such as a bracelet, coupled to a plurality of electronic components (which may include any type of components, elements, circuitry, etc.). One particular implementation of a wearable electronic device may include a bracelet portion, and at least one charm device configured to be affixed to the bracelet portion. The at least one charm device includes logic configured to receive a first interaction input, and send a first message including a first information indicative of the first interaction input and a first identifier associated with the at least one charm device to a second wearable electronic device. The first identifier is further associated at least a portion of the second wearable electronic device.
US09729942B2	Methods and apparatus for enhancing a digital content experience Aspects of the present invention include methods and associated apparatuses that enhance a digital content experience. The methods and associated apparatuses may receive a selection of a video to view and determine a variety of content related to the selected video. The related content may be presented to a viewer while the video is playing.
US09729941B2	Method to watermark a compressed content encrypted by at least one content key A system and method to watermark a compressed content encrypted by at least one content key, said content key as well as pre-marking data forming Conditional Access System (CAS) data, said CAS Data being encrypted by a transmission key and comprising at least one signature to authenticate all or part of the CAS Data, said compressed content being received by a client device comprising: a Descrambler having an input to receive the encrypted compressed content and an output to produce an compressed content, a Watermark (WM) inserter directly connected to the output of the Descrambler, said Descrambler and said WM inserter being connected with a Conditioner, said Conditioner executing the following steps: receiving the CAS Data, decrypting the CAS Data with the transmission key, verifying the signature of the CAS Data, and if the signature is valid, transferring the content key to the descrambler and the pre-marking data to the WM inserter, and watermarking by the WM inserter, the decrypted content received by the descrambler using the pre-marking data and the identifier.
US09729937B2	CATV digital transmission with BandPass sampling Methods and systems capable of improving the transmission of data along an upstream path of a Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial Cable Network, from a transmitter in a node to a receiver in a Cable Modem Termination System.
US09729936B2	Interference reduction for upstream signals in communication networks Particular embodiments identify customer premise equipment (CPE) in a subscriber's premises that may potentially cause interference with other devices. For example, the interference may occur within an interfering spectrum where an interfering CPE transmits upstream in a frequency band that is the downstream frequency band for other customer premise equipment, such as legacy CPEs. Once the CPE is identified, when the CPE sends a request to initialize the CPE on the network, a cable modem termination service (CMTS) may adjust the target power level for a transmitter transmitting upstream content within the interfering frequency spectrum. For example, for those CPEs that transmit upstream using upstream channels within an interfering spectrum, such as within 54-85 MHz, the power level for these CPE may be reduced. Other CPEs that are not transmitting upstream in this interfering spectrum may not have their power reduced.
US09729935B1	Switching splitter and method of operating the same A switching splitter and method of operating the same comprises a first port, a second port in communication with the first port and a third port in communication with the first port. A switching module is in communication with the second port and the third port. The switching module switches in response to a direct current voltage at the second port. The switching module communicates a control signal from the second port to the first port or from the third port to the first port in response the direct current voltage.
US09729931B2	System for managing detection of advertisements in an electronic device, for example in a digital TV decoder A method for displaying multimedia content on the screen of a multimedia terminal, the multimedia content being encoded by data included in a file stored on a server remote from the terminal in a format such that the entire file is required by an application supporting the format for generating a display of the multimedia content on the screen of the terminal, wherein the method includes: requesting by the terminal the transmission of an encoding of the display of the multimedia content into a defined rendering format; using by the server the file for generating the rendering encoding of the multimedia content according to the defined rendering format by the terminal; and transmitting by the server the rendering encoding to the terminal using a graphic interface sharing protocol.
US09729929B2	Channel tuning with synthesized key codes Methods, systems, and computer readable media can be operable to facilitate integrating and coordinating content requests received by a STB from multiple devices. The methods, systems, and apparatuses described in this disclosure enable the integration and coordination of content requests received from different devices by associating a content request with a key code and generating a synthesized key code. The synthesized key code can be customized according to a status of a corresponding STB.
US09729928B2	Apparatus and method for processing audio, method for setting initialization mode, and computer-readable recording medium Provided herein is an audio processing apparatus including: a controller configured to determine an initialization mode for processing video and audio signals provided from an audio provision apparatus of among a plurality of initialization modes, and to perform an initialization process differently according to the result of determination; and an audio processor configured to process the audio signal and output the processed audio signal, when the initialization process is performed.
US09729926B1	System and method to remove the date specific information from a broadcast automation playlist Embodiments herein describe a content distribution system that removes time-dependent promotional content before providing a recording of a media presentation (e.g., show or program) to a video-on-demand (VOD) provider. To receive Nielsen credit for a subscriber watching a recording of the media presentation using VOD, the recording must be almost the same as the live version of the media presentation which includes the original program content and the commercial advertisements shown during commercial breaks. However, some shows also include promotional content that a telecommunication or cable provider adds to the media presentation to promote other shows or events being broadcasted later. By the time the user views the recording, however, the promotional content may already be outdated. The embodiments herein describe techniques for removing time-dependent promotional content from a media presentation before the recording of the media presentation is sent to VOD providers.
US09729908B1	Methods and systems for segmenting data and performing analysis Apparatus and methods for segmenting television audience data are disclosed. The methods include receiving program level viewing data for one or more individuals. The methods also include creating one or more segments for the one or more individuals based upon the program level viewing data. The methods further include combining the one or more segments into one or more groups by applying a grouping function and performing analysis on the one or more groups, and generating reports based upon the analysis.
US09729906B2	Providing representations of a video program with multiple video streams having different stream types Methods and systems for the efficient and non-redundant transmission of a single video program in multiple frame rates, optionally employing a combination of video coding standards, in a way that is backwards-compatible with legacy receivers only supportive of some subsection of frame rates or of some subsection of video coding standards.
US09729904B2	Apparatus for transmitting broadcasting signal, apparatus for receiving broadcasting signal, and method for transmitting/receiving broadcasting signal through apparatus for transmitting/receiving broadcasting signal A transmitter and method of processing broadcast data are discussed. In one embodiment, the method includes Forward Error Correction (FEC) encoding Physical Layer Pipe (PLP) data at a first code rate; FEC encoding first signaling data at a second code rate; FEC encoding second signaling data at a third code rate; time interleaving the FEC-encoded PLP data; frequency interleaving the time-interleaved PLP data by a pair of consecutive cells; and modulating the frequency-interleaved PLP data, the FEC-encoded first signaling data, and the FEC-encoded second signaling data by an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) method, wherein the first signaling data include FEC type information of the second signaling data and wherein the second signaling data include FEC type information and the first code rate used by the PLP data.
US09729900B2	Method and associated apparatus for processing video data A method and associated apparatus for processing video data are provided. The video data includes a first frame formed by a plurality of macroblocks. The method includes providing a memory, deblocking a first macroblock in the first frame, and writing the deblocked macroblock into the memory. The step of writing the deblocked macroblock lets a plurality of pixel data of the deblocked macroblock to be stored to a first storage space at consecutive addresses in the memory.
US09729896B2	Motion vector calculation method When a block (MB22) of which motion vector is referred to in the direct mode contains a plurality of motion vectors, 2 motion vectors MV23 and MV24, which are used for inter picture prediction of a current picture (P23) to be coded, are determined by scaling a value obtained from averaging the plurality of motion vectors or selecting one of the plurality of the motion vectors.
US09729895B2	Moving picture decoding device, moving picture decoding method, and moving picture decoding program A motion vector predictor candidate generation unit derives a plurality of motion vector predictor candidates by prediction from first coded prediction blocks neighboring a prediction block subject to coding within the same picture as the prediction block subject to coding, or from a second coded prediction block located at the same position as or in the neighborhood of the prediction block subject to coding in a picture different from that of the prediction block subject to coding, and adds the derived motion vector predictor candidates in a motion vector predictor candidate. The motion vector predictor candidate generation unit determines, for the purpose of obtaining a predetermined number of motion vector predictor candidates, which of first coded prediction blocks provides the motion vector from which to derive the motion vector predictor candidate, organizing the blocks in the order of priority.
US09729891B2	Sample array coding for low-delay The entropy coding of a current part of a predetermined entropy slice is based on, not only, the respective probability estimations of the predetermined entropy slice as adapted using the previously coded part of the predetermined entropy slice, but also probability estimations as used in the entropy coding of a spatially neighboring, in entropy slice order preceding entropy slice at a neighboring part thereof. Thereby, the probability estimations used in entropy coding are adapted to the actual symbol statistics more closely, thereby lowering the coding efficiency decrease normally caused by lower-delay concepts. Temporal interrelationships are exploited additionally or alternatively.
US09729890B2	Method and apparatus for unification of significance map context selection A method and apparatus for significance map coding for 4×4 TUs (transform units) and 8×8 TUs of video data are disclosed. The method comprises receiving at least one context selection table for a first TU associated with a first color component and generating a derived context selection table for a second TU associated with a second color component from said at least one context selection table. The first TU has a first size comprising of 4×4 and 8×8. The second TU has a second size comprising of 4×4 and 8×8. The second size is different from the first size, the second color component is different from the first color component, or both the second size is different from the first size and the second color component is different from the first color component. The derived context selection table is then used for significance map processing of the second TU.
US09729888B2	Speedup techniques for rate distortion optimized quantization Techniques for selecting a coding mode for an image coding process are described. Coding modes can be selected through a coding mode transition state machine, a re-quantization process, selection of an optimal transform size, by skipping some quantization parameters, or by performing motion search.
US09729884B2	Method and device for entropy coding/decoding The present invention relates to an entropy decoding method which includes: generating context related to a bin that forms a codeword of a syntax element; and performing arithmetic decoding of the bin based on the context.
US09729875B2	Palette coding mode Enhanced signaling is provided for video coding using a palette coding mode. In one aspect, the sending of a copy from above flag is skipped for the first row of a coding unit (CU), towards eliminating flag redundancy and to address a CU boundary issue. In a second aspect, an address line repeating pattern issue is overcome by signaling a single copy from above flag, except the first row, despite the fact that multiple runs exist in the row.
US09729870B2	Video coding efficiency with camera metadata A system and method for using camera capture settings and related metadata to estimate the parameters for encoding a frame of the captured video data and to modify reference frames to accommodate detected camera setting changes. Global brightness and color changes in video capture may be modeled by performing a sequence of transform operations on the reference frames to further improve the coding efficiency of a video coding system.
US09729866B2	Method of displaying a stereoscopic image and display device A method of displaying a stereoscopic image and a display device are disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes sequentially writing black data to a portion of the pixel rows during a portion of a first frame period and sequentially writing left eye image data to the pixel rows during the remaining portion of the first frame period and during a second frame period. The method also includes driving the pixel rows to simultaneously emit light during a first emission period, sequentially writing the black data to the portion of the pixel rows during a portion of a third frame period, and sequentially writing right eye image data to the pixel rows during the remaining portion of the third frame period and during a fourth frame period. The method further includes driving the pixel rows to simultaneously emit light during a second emission period corresponding to the fourth frame period.
US09729863B2	Generating content based on shot aggregation This disclosure provides an approach for aggregating elements that are common across shots in the rendering of image frames. In one embodiment, common elements are aggregated via a scene editor which stores the common elements in a scene layer, which is an asset that is a container for elements such as characters, locations, and the like that are common across shots. The scene layer permits new shots to be created that inherit the common elements, rather than from scratch or by manually copying elements from other shots. The scene editor may further receive elements specific to particular shots and store such elements in shot layers that are created on top of the scene layer and store differences from the scene layer. A rendering application then renders image frames on a shot-by-shot basis using the common elements stored in the scene layer and the shot-specific elements stored in the shot layers.
US09729855B2	3 dimensional camera and method for controlling the same A three-dimensional (3D) camera and a method for controlling the same are provided. In sensing RGB light and infrared (IR) light, the RGB light and the IR light are prevented from acting as optical noise to each other.
US09729852B2	3D video format detection A video signal is processed in a video device (50). The video signal transfers video data representing either three dimensional video [3D] content formatted according to a 3D format or 2D content formatted according to a 2D format. The video signal has a 2D frame and a control structure of a 2D format for being compatible with existing distribution systems. The device has a processor (52) for providing a 3D status signal indicative of the format of the video signal. The processor determines a respective format score for at least one of the possible 3D formats by processing the video data according to respective predetermined format properties for deriving and comparing respective 3D subframes, and sets the 3D status signal based on an assessment of the format score to indicate the format of the video signal. Advantageously the 3D format is detected automatically and a 3D display can be controlled accordingly.
US09729850B2	Methods and apparatus for receiving and/or using reduced resolution images Methods and apparatus for using selective resolution reduction on images to be transmitted and/or used by a playback device are described. Prior to transmission one or more images of an environment are captured. Based on image content, motion detection and/or user input a resolution reduction operation is selected and performed. The reduced resolution image is communicated to a playback device along with information indicating a UV map corresponding to the selected resolution allocation that should be used by the playback device for rendering the communicated image. By changing the resolution allocation used and which UV map is used by the playback device different resolution allocations can be made with respect to different portions of the environment while allowing the number of pixels in transmitted images to remain constant. The playback device renders the individual images with the UV map corresponding to the resolution allocation used to generate the individual images.
US09729844B2	Image capturing device, image display method, and recording medium In the related art, it was difficult to compare lengths of a plurality of objects which were present at different places. However, it is possible to easily compare lengths of photographed objects using an image capturing device which displays a length of an object which is calculated based on parallax information, by obtaining an image in which the object is photographed and the parallax information corresponding to the image as inputs, the device including an object extraction unit which extracts an image of an object using the parallax information from the photographed image; a comparison data maintaining unit which maintains the image of the object and the length of the object; an object comparison unit which compares the length of the object which is extracted using the object extraction unit to a length of comparison data which is extracted from the comparison data maintaining unit; and an image composition unit which combines a comparison result with the photographed image, and outputs the image.
US09729838B2	Discharge lamp driver, light source, projector, and method of driving discharge lamp A discharge lamp driver includes a discharge lamp drive unit that supplies a drive current to the discharge lamp, and a control unit that controls the discharge lamp drive unit according to a drive current waveform, wherein the drive current waveform has a mixed frequency drive period including a unit drive period containing a first drive period in which a first drive current is supplied to the discharge lamp and a second drive period provided immediately after the first drive period, in which a second drive current is supplied to the discharge lamp, the first drive current is a half-period alternating current having a frequency higher than 10 Hz and not higher than 300 Hz, the second drive current is an alternating current having a frequency higher than 1000 Hz, and a length of the second drive period is equal to or longer than a length of the first drive period.
US09729829B2	Video sharing platform providing for posting content to other websites A method for use in providing content includes hosting a network site on a computer network, displaying on the network site links to one or more videos, and displaying on the network site at least an on-demand preview of a first video in response to a corresponding one of the links being selected. A storage medium stores a computer program for use on a client computer. Several other methods, systems and programs are also disclosed.
US09729826B2	Communication management system, communication system, and communication management method A communication management system and a method of managing communication. The communication management system and the method of managing communication includes receiving, from a first shared communication terminal to be shared by a plurality of users at a first site, a communication start request for starting a video communication between the first shared communication terminal and a second shared communication terminal at a second site, the communication start request including first shared communication terminal identification information for identifying the first shared communication terminal and first personal communication terminal identification information for identifying a first personal communication terminal personalized to a first user of the plurality of users who requests to start the video communication using the first shared communication terminal, and storing, in a memory, the first shared communication terminal identification information and the first personal communication terminal identification information in association with each other.
US09729821B1	Sensor fusion for location based device grouping This disclosure is directed to facilitating voice and video communication between users independent of a location or a device. A communication request can specify users, who may be identified and located in their respective environments. For example, users can be identified and located using facial recognition imaging techniques and/or by monitoring a radio frequency (RF) signal associated with a device that is carried or worn by a user. After determining a location of a user, individual devices can be configured as a functionally grouped device to allow the users to communicate. For example, capabilities of a television, microphone, speaker, and imaging device can be combined to allow a video communication between users. Further, as a user moves around his or her environment, the location of the user can be tracked and additional functionally grouped devices can be provided for seamless communication.
US09729817B2	Parallel pipelines for multiple-quality level video processing A device for multiple-quality level video processing includes a primary tap configured to receive prime-quality video content from a source and to provide the prime-quality video content to a primary path and to a secondary tap. The primary tap may be operable in a prime-quality mode. The secondary tap may be disposed after the primary tap and may be coupled to a number of secondary paths. One or more dithering modules may be disposed after the primary tap. The dithering module(s) may be configured to convert the prime-quality video content provided by the primary tap to lower-bit precision and/or lower pixel-rate video content for use in one or more of the secondary paths.
US09729807B2	Image sensor, driving method, and electronic apparatus An image sensor includes a capacitor, a low-impedance virtual battery, and a boost current source. The capacitor includes one end connected to a vertical signal line and the other end. The low-impedance virtual battery is connected to the other end of the capacitor and configured to detect a current flowing in the capacitor. The boost current source is configured to provide a boost current to the vertical signal line, the boost current being a current corresponding to the current flowing in the capacitor.
US09729796B1	Method and apparatus for automatic stage scene detection A method and apparatus provide automatic stage scene detection. A first image of a scene can be captured using a frame luma for automatic exposure control. A brightness contrast can be calculated between a center region of the first image and areas surrounding the center region of the first image. A brightness value can be ascertained for the entire first image. The first image can be determined to be a stage scene image based on the brightness contrast being greater than a stage scene contrast threshold and the brightness value for the entire first image being less than a stage scene brightness value threshold. The frame luma for the automatic exposure control can be adjusted for correct exposure of the center region of the first image in response to determining the first image is a stage scene.
US09729792B2	Dynamic image selection Image capture can be improved by capturing a sequence of images and analyzing the images to select the image with the least blur and/or an acceptable amount of blur. Gradients can be calculated for at least a portion of the images, and gradient histograms generated. Two or more component curves can be fit to each histogram, such as by using a Gaussian mixture model, and the curves can be compared to determine an amount of variation between the curves. The image with the smallest differences between component curves, or with differences less than a specified blur threshold, can be selected as a sufficiently sharp image and provided for viewing, processing, or another intended purpose of the image to be captured.
US09729788B2	Image generation apparatus and image generation method A characteristic point extraction unit extracts a characteristic point in an overlapping region of a plurality of component images picked up using a camera built in portable equipment and having pan angles or elevation angles different from each other. A self-position estimation unit estimates three-dimensional coordinate values of the characteristic point and three-dimensional coordinate values of a camera position, which are associated with each other, at the same time in two component images in which the camera positions are displaced from each other. A panoramic image generation unit adjusts, based on the estimated three-dimensional coordinate values of the camera position, the three-dimensional coordinate values of the characteristic point of the component image to correct the component image and combine a plurality of component images having pan angles or elevation angles different from each other to generate a synthesis image.
US09729787B2	Camera calibration and automatic adjustment of images Techniques and apparatus for automatic upright adjustment of digital images. An automatic upright adjustment technique is described that may provide an automated approach for straightening up slanted features in an input image to improve its perceptual quality. This correction may be referred to as upright adjustment. A set of criteria based on human perception may be used in the upright adjustment. A reprojection technique that implements an optimization framework is described that yields an optimal homography for adjustment based on the criteria and adjusts the image according to new camera parameters generated by the optimization. An optimization-based camera calibration technique is described that simultaneously estimates vanishing lines and points as well as camera parameters for an image; the calibration technique may, for example, be used to generate estimates of camera parameters and vanishing points and lines that are input to the reprojection technique.
US09729784B2	Enhanced image capture Disclosed are techniques that provide a “best” picture taken within a few seconds of the moment when a capture command is received (e.g., when the “shutter” button is pressed). In some situations, several still images are automatically (that is, without the user's input) captured. These images are compared to find a “best” image that is presented to the photographer for consideration. Video is also captured automatically and analyzed to see if there is an action scene or other motion content around the time of the capture command. If the analysis reveals anything interesting, then the video clip is presented to the photographer. The video clip may be cropped to match the still-capture scene and to remove transitory parts. Higher-precision horizon detection may be provided based on motion analysis and on pixel-data analysis.
US09729781B2	Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof A mobile terminal and controlling method therein are disclosed, by which photos/videos can be conveniently taken/made using a plurality of different preview images taken with at least two cameras. The present invention includes a 1st camera, a 2nd camera, a touchscreen, and a controller controlling a 1st preview image taken with the 1st camera and a 2nd preview image taken with the 2nd camera in camera photograph mode to be simultaneously displayed on the touchscreen at least, the controller controlling an image/video corresponding to a prescribed one of the simultaneously displayed preview images to be taken/made.
US09729779B2	Phase detection autofocus noise reduction Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for using imaging pixels (that is, non-phase detection pixels) for performing noise reduction on phase detection autofocus. Advantageously, this can provide for more accurate phase detection autofocus and also to optimized processor usage for performing phase detection. The phase difference detection pixels are provided to obtain a phase difference detection signal indicating a shift direction (defocus direction) and a shift amount (defocus amount) of image focus, and analysis of imaging pixel values can be used to estimate a level of focus of an in-focus region of interest and to limit the identified phase difference accordingly.
US09729771B2	Optical image capturing system A three-piece optical lens for capturing image and a three-piece optical module for capturing image, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, include a first lens with positive refractive power; a second lens with refractive power; and a third lens with refractive power; and at least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the three lens elements are aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras.
US09729767B2	Infrared video display eyewear A wearable display apparatus for viewing video images of scenes and/or objects illuminated with infrared light, the display apparatus including a transparent display that is positioned in a user's field of vision when the display apparatus is worn, a stereoscopic video camera device including at least two cameras that each capture reflected infrared light images of a surrounding environment and a projection system that receives the infrared light images from the stereoscopic camera device, and simultaneously projects (i) a first infrared-illuminated video image in real-time onto a left eye viewport portion of the transparent display that overlaps a user's left eye field of vision and (ii) a second infrared-illuminated video image in real-time onto a right eye viewport portion of the transparent display that overlaps a user's right eye field of vision.
US09729757B2	Image processing apparatus and image forming apparatus A filter processing unit performs a bandpass filter process for a difference between an output pixel value and an input pixel value of an adjacent pixel to a target pixel. An error diffusion unit performs an error diffusion process of a quantization error for output of the filter processing unit. A quantizer performs quantization for a value obtained by the error diffusion process and thereby determines the output pixel value of the target pixel. The bandpass filter process is performed with characteristics different from each other (a) in respective ones of a primary scanning direction and a secondary scanning direction and (b) for respective ones of the component colors of the image. Furthermore, a filter coefficient of the bandpass filter process independently for each component color of an image is corrected for banding reduction with a correction coefficient corresponding to an angle from the primary scanning direction.
US09729752B2	Communication apparatus for multi-session communications, control method therefor, and storage medium A communication apparatus that avoids a situation in which all sessions are occupied by fax transmission. The communication apparatus is capable of conducting fax communications via an IP network using a plurality of sessions. An acquisition unit acquires a receive session count which indicates the number of sessions set to be used exclusively for fax reception when the plurality of sessions include any unoccupied session which is a session available for fax communications. A transmission starting unit determines whether or not sessions corresponding in number to the receive session count acquired by the acquisition unit are able to be secured as the receive sessions, and start fax transmission using the unoccupied session if the sessions are able to be secured.
US09729744B2	System and method of border detection on a document and for producing an image of the document A system of border detection on a document and for producing an image of the document is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the system comprises: a frequency specific reflective border on the document; an image capture device; a filter tuned to the frequency of the reflective border; a border detection algorithm; and a processor communicatively linked to the image capture device, to the notch filter, and to the border detection algorithm. The image capture device is configured to capture an image of the document. The processor is configured to apply the filter to the captured image and to produce a second frame. The processor is further configured to apply the border detection algorithm to the second frame to determine a document border mask. The processor is further configured to apply the border mask to the captured image to produce a document image.
US09729742B2	Flatbed scanning device and scanning module of paper feeding scanning equipment A flatbed scanning device of a paper feeding scanning equipment includes a device casing and a scanning module. The device casing includes a first glass plate, and a second glass plate spaced apart from the first glass plate and having a bottom surface. The scanning module is disposed in the device casing, and including a module body, a scanning assembly disposed in the module body, and at least one contact assembly disposed on the module body. When the scanning module is in an initial position, the scanning assembly is located below the first glass plate, and the at least one contact assembly abuttingly contacts the bottom surface of the second glass plate.
US09729739B2	Image processing apparatus, control method for image processing apparatus, and storage medium In response to a start of a pinch-out operation in a first display area displaying a preview image, display is switched from a first display mode to a second display mode, and in a case where a pinch-in operation in the first display area ends and a display size of the preview image reaches a predetermined threshold, the display is switched from the second display mode to the first display mode.
US09729719B2	System and method of automated order status retrieval A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising receiving an indication of availability of status information and transferring a communication to a particular destination based on a reason for the communication corresponding to a query of the status information, where the communication is transferred to the particular destination in response to receiving the indication of availability of the status information.
US09729718B2	Dynamic agent workflow based on contact center load Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for dynamically selecting a customer agent workflow for handling a customer contact in a contact center based on current contact center load. According to one embodiment, managing agent workflows in a contact center can comprise receiving a customer contact and selecting an agent from a plurality of agents to handle the customer contact. A current load of the contact center can be determined and a workflow for the selected agent to handle the customer contact can be dynamically selected from a plurality of workflows based on the determined current contact center load.
US09729713B2	Method and system for processing media data for later access A user has access to first and second telephony services. A call setup request directed to a first telephony party identifier associated with the first service is received from a caller and it is determined that the user is not available via the first service. A call setup request is transmitted to a telephony service destination associated with the second service to establish a telephony session between the caller and the destination. Media data transmitted during the session is caused to be captured using a media capture device intermediate the caller and the destination. The captured media data or media data derived therefrom is stored in a media data store so that the user can access the media data after the end of the session to determine what media data was transmitted during the session. The stored media data or media data derived therefrom is made accessible by the user.
US09729711B2	Unintentional call detection and response Methods and systems for detecting unintentional calls placed to a call center. In some implementations, a device with telephone capability recognizes that it is being used to place a call, and automatically collects information usable to estimate whether the call is intentional or unintentional. The device may make the estimate, or may send the collected information to the recipient of the call. When a call is estimated to be unintentional, the device may signal the user of the device, or may inform the recipient of the call that the call is suspected to be unintentional, or both. The collected information may include outputs from one or more sensors, such as an accelerometer, a microphone, a camera, or a biometric sensor. A button press initiating a call may be considered in the context of other usage of the device to estimate whether the call was intentional or unintentional.
US09729708B2	Methods and systems for altering features of mobile devices There is provided a method for altering features of a mobile device. The method includes detecting a charm having a charm identification, obtaining the charm identification from the charm, identifying the charm using the charm identification, altering a theme of the mobile device to a new theme based on the charm, in response to the identifying of the charm.
US09729706B2	Call-termination-triggered social interface In one embodiment, a method includes receiving identifier-information from a device of a first user, wherein the identifier-information is associated with a source of an incoming communication; accessing a social graph including nodes and edges, where the nodes include a first node corresponding to the first user, and second nodes corresponding to second users; determining whether one or more reporting users, corresponding to second nodes within a specified degree of separation from the first node, have flagged the source of the incoming communication as a spam source; and sending, to the first user, a spam-notification object that includes information identifying one or more of the reporting users.
US09729704B2	Playing a personalized prerecorded audio of a call recipient to the call recipient to authenticate a telephone caller An audio segment recorded by an individual is stored in a computational device controlled by an entity, where the computational device is coupled to a telephony device having a speaker and a microphone that are configurable to be enabled or disabled by the computational device. An electronic communication is initiated to the individual via the telephony device when the speaker and the microphone are both enabled. The stored audio segment is retrieved from an audio recording database that stores a plurality of audio segments of a plurality of individuals and played to the individual to authenticate the entity, in response to the initiating of the electronic communication to the individual.
US09729700B2	Answering call based upon thermal detection of proximity to a user A method includes generating a call alert notification on a device responsive to receiving an incoming call. A removal of the device from a stowed position is detected after generating the call alert notification. The incoming call is answered responsive to thermally detecting a proximity between the device and the user within a predetermined time period after detecting the removal of the device from the stowed position.
US09729691B2	Portable device and method for multiple recording of data A portable device performs a multiple recording function by which data is recorded using different recording techniques. The device includes at least one of an input unit and a touch panel, which creates or supports an input signal for activating an audio-related function and an input signal for activating the multiple recording function while the audio-related function is performed. The device further includes a display panel configured to output a memo writing screen of a memo function in response to the activation of the multiple recording function, the memo writing screen allowing the activation of a voice recording function. The device also includes a control unit configured to control the output of the memo writing screen.
US09729690B2	Dynamic interactive voice interface A dynamic voice user interface system is provided. The dynamic voice user interface system interacts with a user at a first level of formality. The voice user interface system then monitors history of user interaction and adjusts the voice user interface to interact with the user with a second level of formality based on the history of user interaction.
US09729682B2	Network device and method for processing a session using a packet signature A method processes a session having a first session packet received by a current node in an IP network having a plurality of nodes. The plurality of nodes includes a next node, and the current node that communicates with the next node using a Layer 3 protocol. The method receives the first session packet, which has a digital signature, payload data, and meta-data, at the current node. The method uses the payload data and meta-data to produce validation information, and uses the digital signature to produce a comparator digital signature. Next, the method compares the validation information with the comparator digital signature. If the validation information does not match the comparator digital signature, then the method discards the first session packet. If there is a match, then the method digitally signs the first session packet, and routes the first session packet to the next node via the IP network.
US09729680B2	Methods and systems to embed valid-field (VF) bits in classification keys for network packet frames Methods and systems are disclosed to embed valid-field (VF) bits into classification keys for network packet frames. The embedded VF bits allow for extracted data from existing fields associated with frame data to be distinguished from default data used for missing fields where this extracted data and default data has been included within a frame classification key generated for a network packet frame. In certain embodiments, a valid-field field extraction command (VF-FEC) causes a key generator to embed VF bits into a frame classification key, and the logic state of the VF bits are used to distinguish extracted data from default data. Further, the disclosed embodiments allow VF bits to be selectively cleared based upon a bit mask applied prior to embedding of the VF bits. Still further, users can define VF-FECs and other field extraction commands (FECs) for key generation through one or more programmable key composition rules.
US09729678B2	Methods of processing data corresponding to a device that corresponds to a gas, water, or electric grid, and related devices and computer program products Methods of operating a communication node are provided. A method of operating a communication node may include receiving data from an electric grid device via a network interface. The method may include processing the data from the electric grid device at the communication node. Moreover, the method may include transmitting a filtered portion of the data to an electric utility head end system, after processing the data at the communication node. In some embodiments, a method of operating a communication node may include using a message broker controlled by a virtual machine in the communication node to provide a protocol to interface with a field message bus that includes a standards-based or open-source Application Programming Interface (API). Related communication nodes and computer program products are also described.
US09729677B2	Method of adding client server automation to computer languages for cloud computing A method for creating a process of computer programming without mandatorily distinguishing client side programming and server side programming and without mandatorily distinguishing server technologies, a new client server computer programming paradigm is created, in which there is not a distinguish between client side programming and server side programming, client server programming is done in a same way local programming is done.
US09729664B2	System and method for managing connections between a client and a server An adapter card for managing connections between clients and a network server off-loads the connection management burden from the server. The adapter card includes a memory with an embedded proxy application and a communication protocol stack, a processing unit for executing the application code, a network controller for interfacing with an internetwork, and a bus protocol bridge for interfacing with the internal bus of the network server. The proxy application receives client requests on behalf of the server over relatively slow and unreliable network connections, and submits the requests to the server over fast, reliable bus connections.
US09729653B2	Systems and/or methods for automatically tuning a delivery system for transmission of large, volatile data Certain example embodiments relate to the concept of controlling the flow of data by providing an intelligent flow controller/manager, and a client-side component for the selection of a communication channel from a pool, and having these components communicate to regulate data flow through gateways to a broker- and/or other-type secondary stage. Data fragmentation and reassembly can be used to increase performance, e.g., through self-regulating behaviors. Advantageously, reliability is improved by enabling in-memory data persistence, rather than resorting to potentially performance-degrading use of disk storage. The delivery mechanism may be used to deliver data to multiple consumers, providing an end-to-end sender-to-consumer solution that self-regulates to optimize the data flow while still being reliable.
US09729647B2	Location based content aggregation and distribution In one embodiment, a method includes storing one or more content postings that each include data representative of one or more content instances. Each content posting is associated with one or more first users. The method also includes storing one or more data records associating one or more geographic locations with accessing of the content instances. The method also includes selectively sending one or more of the content postings for display on an access device associated with a second user based on a past or present geographic location of another access device associated with the second user.
US09729643B2	Customizing third-party content using beacons on online social networks In one embodiment, a method includes sending, via a beacon of a third-party content provider (e.g., a business), a request to associate with a user's mobile device. The request may be sent when the mobile device is proximate to the beacon, which may be located within a place of business. The request may include an attribute of the business (e.g., the type of business). A wireless communication session may be established between the beacon and the mobile device, and, in response, social-networking information of the user may be received, via the beacon. The particular information sent may be tailored to the business based on the received attribute, and a set of user-specified permissions may delimit what information is sent and to whom the information is sent. Third-party content may be customized based on the received social-networking information and sent to the mobile device for display.
US09729625B1	Personal cloud network A distributed storage space for individual users and their selected peers is provided. The personal cloud system allows an individual user to establish and maintain a shared data storage area on a network attached storage device connected to the individual user's private network and accessible to one or more network devices via a public network and the private network. The personal cloud system registers the shared data storage area with a central server and sends an invitation to one or more network peers to join the shared data storage area. The personal cloud system then monitors incoming data packets at the network attached storage device to identify requests from invited network peers to access the shared data storage area. Access is provided in accordance with predetermined access controls upon validation of the request.
US09729618B2	Monitoring a building management system Devices, methods, and systems for monitoring a building management system are described herein. One method includes monitoring an attribute of a building, monitoring an activity related to the attribute performed by an operator, and publishing the activity performed by the operator and the attribute of the building.
US09729612B2	Distributed stream processing A method and system for forming hybrid cluster to process log files are described. In example embodiments, a method configures a node to execute as a first slave node. The first slave node executes in a first operating environment. The method also adds the first slave node to a Hadoop cluster. The Hadoop cluster includes a second slave node that operates in a second and different operating environment.
US09729611B2	Method and system for ABR recording In one embodiment a method, system and apparatus for adaptive bitrate (ABR) recording management is described, the method, system and apparatus comprising receiving a request to record a content item using adaptive bitrate (ABR) technology at an ABR request controller comprised in a client device, scheduling a download of the ABR content item by a recording planner, the scheduling based, at least in part, on a provided deadline by which the ABR content item is to have been completely downloaded, determining a recording plan by the recording planner in order to schedule acquisition of the ABR content item, the recording plan based, at least in part, on the provided deadline, availability of the ABR content item in ABR playlists, availability of system resources which may be used by concurrent playback and recording sessions at the client device, and bandwidth available to the client device, acquiring the ABR content item, and storing the acquired ABR content item on a storage device. Related methods, systems and apparatus are also described.
US09729585B2	Communications adaptor for use with internet telephony system A communications adaptor comprising an adaptor first port; an adaptor second port; an adaptor third port; and a processor. The adaptor first port is configured to connect to an analog communications line. The adaptor second port is configured to connect to a data network. The adaptor third port is configured to connect to an analog telephony device. The processor is configured to determine that a first call setup request signal has been received at the adaptor first port. The processor is further configured, subsequent to such determination: (1) to transmit a second call setup request signal over the adaptor second port to an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony system over the data network; and (2) to transmit a third call setup request signal over the adaptor third port.
US09729581B1	Horizontal switch scalability via load balancing Embodiments are directed to secure communication over a network. If a source node sends a communication to a target node, a source gateway may forward the communication to the target node. The source gateway may provide a gateway identifier (GID) that may be associated with one or more target gateways associated with the target node. Further, the source gateway may embed marker information that includes at least a portion of the GID in the communication. If the GID is associated with more than one target gateway, a TMD selects one target gateway from the more than one target gateways. Also, the TMD provides a gateway key associated with the selected target gateway that is associated with the communication. And, the TMD may provide the communication to the selected target gateway that provides the communication to the target node.
US09729580B2	Performing actions via devices that establish a secure, private network Embodiments are directed towards, gateway computers and management platform server computers for managing secure communication over a network. Gateway computer may intercept communications from unauthenticated source node computers directed to target node computers. If the unauthenticated node computer provides its credentials in response to a request for credentials from the gateway computer, the credentials and the intercepted communications may be provided to a management platform server for further processing. The management platform server may authenticate the unauthenticated source node computer based on its credentials and the intercepted communication and the management platform server may determine a target gateway computer that corresponds to the target node computer based on content of the intercepted communication. The management platform server may provide configuration information for generating a secure private network connection between the gateway computer and the target gateway computer.
US09729579B1	Systems and methods for increasing security on computing systems that launch application containers A computer-implemented method for increasing security on computing systems that launch application containers may include (1) authenticating an application container that facilitates launching at least one application on a host computing system by verifying that the application container meets a certain trustworthiness threshold, (2) intercepting, via a policy-enforcement proxy, a command to perform a deployment action on the host computing system in connection with the authenticated application container, (3) determining that the deployment action potentially violates a security policy applied to the authenticated application container, and then in response to determining that the deployment action potentially violates the security policy, (4) modifying, via the policy-enforcement proxy, the command to prevent the potential violation of the security policy. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09729578B2	Method and system for implementing a network policy using a VXLAN network identifier A method and system for applying a network policy in a virtual extensible local area network (VXLAN) environment. The method includes receiving, at a network device, a VXLAN frame that includes a source VXLAN network identifier (VNI). The network device includes a first network policy. The method also includes examining the VXLAN frame to determine the source VNI; obtaining, based on the source VNI, the first network policy; and processing the VXLAN frame based on the application of the first network policy.
US09729573B2	Phishing campaign ranker According to one embodiment, an apparatus is configured to store a plurality of phishing scores, each phishing score of the plurality of phishing scores indicating a likelihood that a user will respond to a phishing email The apparatus is communicatively coupled to the memory and is configured to determine that a plurality of phishing campaigns are occurring. For each phishing campaign of the plurality of phishing campaigns, the apparatus is configured to determine that a plurality of users responded to the phishing campaign and to determine a priority score for the phishing campaign based on the phishing score of each user of the plurality of users. The apparatus is further configured to rank the plurality of phishing campaigns based on the priority score of each phishing campaign, wherein the phishing campaign of the plurality of phishing campaigns with the highest rank is reviewed first.
US09729559B2	Method and apparatus for tracing attack source of abnormal network traffic The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for tracing an attack source in the case of an abnormal network traffic, where said method comprises: from the network node(s) of an attack link, any or multiple said network nodes are selected as a tracing start point(s) and there into, said attack link is a communication link between an attacked target and an attack source. According to said tracing start point(s), a higher-level network node of said attack link is identified stepwise until a final attack source is confirmed. By adopting said technical solution provided by the present invention, the problems that the network security mechanisms in related technologies can only alleviate a network attack rather than position an attack source are solved, thus an effect can be achieved to trace and position the attack source in a reverse direction.
US09729558B2	Network maliciousness susceptibility analysis and rating Network security and robustness is analyzed by developing correlations among network maliciousness observations to determine attack susceptibility. Network traffic is analyzed at the autonomous system (AS) level, among connected Internet Protocol (IP) routing prefixes, to identify these observations. The traffic is monitored for any of a number of specified mismanagement metrics. Correlations among these metrics are determined and a unified network mismanagement metric is developed, indicating network susceptibility to potentially malicious attack.
US09729556B2	Digital badging for facilitating virtual recognition of an achievement A tool for administering virtual recognition of a group of users is provided. The group of users may be specifically identified or dynamically generated based on criteria selected by an administrative entity submitting a request to administer virtual recognition. The tool may be configured for generating user and badge recommendations based at least in part on the group of users identified to receive the virtual recognition.
US09729547B2	Systems and methods for credential management between electronic devices Embodiments are provided for managing user credentials that enable access to secure websites. According to certain aspects, a browser device connects (230) to a website server that hosts a secure website. The browser device initiates (236) a credential request and enters (238) a discovery routine with a mobile device. After establishing (240) a secure channel with the mobile device, the browser device sends (248) an identification of the secure website to the mobile device, which identifies (250) corresponding user credentials and sends (252) the user credentials to the browser device. The browser device populates (254) a login page with the user credentials and accesses (256) the secure website.
US09729544B2	Methods and systems for passcode creation and user authentication The present disclosure provides a method of creating a unique passcode for a computer system with graphics which enhance a user's episodic memory. Disclosed systems and methodology further relate to passcode authentication in response to prompting an individual to enter a passcode via display of images.
US09729541B2	Method and apparatus for migrating encrypted data An approach is provided for managing the provisioning and sharing of data among common users of a data service. A provisioning platform associates a security certificate with a business unit based on the submission of a provisioning request. The provisioning platform also associating one or more keys for accessing the data from the data service with a data container of the data service, the business unit, a key manager associated with the business unit, or a combination thereof based on the generation of a policy for establishing the identity of the business unit, for controlling access to data associated with the business unit as maintained by a data service, or a combination thereof based on the security certificate.
US09729537B2	System and method for identity management for mobile devices Systems and methods for managing a user identity on a mobile device are provided. The system comprises the mobile device comprising a user agent and a client application, the user agent and the client application in communication with each other. The system further comprises an identity provider in communication with the mobile device, and a client service in communication with the mobile device. The user agent is configured to communicate with the identity provider and retrieve the user identity for the client application, and the client application is configured to transmit the user identity to the client service.
US09729536B2	Tiered identification federated authentication network system The present disclosure describes a tiered identification federated authentication network system. Embodiments compile one or more authentication credentials required for access to each of a plurality of applications to generate an authentication set for each application. The system may aggregate the plurality of authentication sets to form a tiered federated authentication module having multiple rankings, wherein each rank is associated with an authentication set; wherein a higher ranked authentication set corresponds to more stringent authentication credentials and a lower ranked authentication set corresponds to less stringent authentication credentials. The system may receive a request from a user for access to a current application, determine if the user has previously authenticated to a higher ranked application and, if so, enable access to the current application, without requiring the user to authenticate again.
US09729524B1	Authenticated device-based storage operations Data storage operation commands are digitally signed to enhance data security in a distributed system. A data storage client and a compute-enabled data storage device may share access to a cryptographic key. The data storage client uses the cryptographic key to digitally sign commands transmitted to the data storage device, which can use its copy to verify a digital signature of a command before fulfilling the command. The storage device can also determine whether to perform a transformation, such that requests authenticated to a first identity might receive cleartext while a request authenticated to a second identity might receive ciphertext. The compute-enabled storage device can also receive unauthenticated calls and attempt to retrieve the appropriate key from a key management service or other such source.
US09729519B1	Email application for synthetic identities A machine has a processor and a memory connected to the processor. The memory stores instructions executed by the processor to receive an email account request, a name and a public key. A selected domain name is designated from a group of available domain names. A user name is generated based upon the name. An email account is formed using the user name and the selected domain name. The public key is stored.
US09729514B2	Method and system of a secure access gateway In one exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method of a secure-access gateway to a destination device in a protected computer network include the step of receiving a request from a remote user to access the destination device in the protected computer network. A session for the remote user is registered. The session includes an access to the destination device by the remote user according to a set of specified parameters controlled by the secure access gateway. The session is created. When the remote user connects and authenticates, the secure access gateway establishes the connection to the destination device on behalf of the remote user. The session is monitored according to the set of specified parameters. The session is monitored to determine if at least one specified parameters is achieved. The session between the remote user and the destination device is when terminated when the at least one specified parameters is achieved.
US09729507B2	Bi-directional data security for supervisor control and data acquisition networks A cyber-security system, including a device and associated method, provides secure communications bi-directionally between an external network and an internal network, including a supervisor control and data acquisition (SCADA) device. The device includes a processor in data communication with the external and internal networks that is programmed with a rule-set establishing validation criteria configured to validate data received from the external and internal networks. The processor is operable in an operational mode to pass between the external and internal networks only data that are compliant with the validation criteria. The processor may be configured to save certain validated data indicating a system state that can inform the application of the rule-set to data. The processor is re-programmable with a new rule-set only in a programming mode. The device includes a switch that is manually operable to switch the processor from the operational mode to the programming mode.
US09729506B2	Application programming interface wall Application programming interfaces (APIs) can be unintentionally exposed and allow for potentially undesirable use of corporate resources. An API call filtering system configured to monitor API call requests received via an endpoint and API call responses received via a supporting service of an API or web service. The API call filtering system enables enterprises to improve their security posture by identifying, studying, reporting, and securing their APIs within their enterprise network.
US09729475B1	Wireless communications device having a driver mode A cell phone designed to operate in a normal mode and a driver mode. The cell phone includes a memory, a screen, a text entry interface and a processor. The memory is adapted to maintain a driver mode reply message. The cell phone also includes a text-based message system and a driver mode system. The text-based message system is adapted to receive incoming text-based messages and send outgoing text-based messages. The driver mode system is adapted to transition the phone between the normal mode and the driver mode. Responsive to incoming text-based messages from message senders when the phone is in the driver mode, the text-based message system automatically sends the driver mode reply message to the message senders, thereby alleviating the driver's urge to check and reply to the incoming text-based messages.
US09729467B2	Method and apparatus for managing congestion in a wireless system Systems and methodologies are described herein that facilitate congestion control in a wireless communication system. As described herein, an access network and associated terminals can utilize a token bucket access control mechanism, through which respective terminals can be allotted access tokens and/or other units for access to the access network. For example, upon requesting access to a given network, a user of the network can determine whether sufficient access tokens have been accumulated, based on which the request can be selectively allowed or denied. As further described herein, multiple token bucket mechanisms can be utilized, which can correspond to respective packet flows or the like. Additionally, token bucket access control can be implemented as described herein in cooperation with conventional access persistence functionality. Further aspects described herein facilitate the adjustment of token bucket parameters for network access control based on network loading.
US09729466B2	Information technology resource management Embodiments relate to information technology resource management and scaling. According to one aspect, an upcoming event impacting an application operating on one or more resources is identified. A workload on the application is predicted based on the upcoming event identified and historical data about a previous event having similarity with the upcoming event. The prediction is performed using a predefined rule. A number of resources required to process the predicted workload is ascertained using a past scaling history of the application. The resources are scaled based on the ascertained number of said resources determined before the occurrence of the event.
US09729461B2	Method and apparatus for transmitting VOIP frame A method for transmitting a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) by a wireless LAN Access Point (AP) in a communication system includes when a VoIP frame is input from a terminal, determining whether a buffer for eliminating a jitter generated in a wireless network is used, and storing the VoIP frame in a queue, determining whether the buffer is used, and when the buffer is used, determining a time interval for transmitting the VoIP frame stored in the queue and a service start time, and transmitting the VoIP frame stored in the queue in a wired fashion based on the determined time interval and service start time.
US09729459B2	System and method for credit-based link level flow control A system and method for credit-based link level flow control. In one embodiment, a byte-based flow control mechanism is based on a sender effectively maintaining a buffer state at the receiver. In maintaining a buffer state at the receiver, the sender is provided with information regarding byte expansion at the receiver. This byte-expansion information can be used by the sender to identify the amount of additional storage needed by the receiver when storing a packet transmitted by the sender in the receiver's packet buffer.
US09729456B2	Service data transmission processing method and device and communication system The present invention provides a service data transmission processing method and device and a communication system. The service data transmission processing method includes: receiving, by a service offloading apparatus, uplink service data sent by a user equipment; obtaining, by the service offloading apparatus, a service type of the uplink service data; and sending, by the service offloading apparatus, uplink service data, a service type of which is a core network service to a core network service proxy apparatus through a first service tunnel, or sending, by the service offloading apparatus, uplink service data, a service type of which is a non-core network service to a non-core network service proxy apparatus through a second service tunnel. The technical solutions can avoid excessive use of backhaul network resources of a core network by non-core network services.
US09729448B2	Congestion detection using a differentiated packet pair A method, system, and computer program product for determining a congestion value in a networking component in a data network are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A first packet is set to use a first priority level and a second packet is set to use a second priority level. The second priority level is lower than the first priority level. The second packet is transmitted after the first packet to the networking component, causing the networking component to transmit the first and the second packets after they are received at the networking component. A function is applied to an arrival delay to compute the congestion value of the networking component, wherein the arrival delay comprises a length of an elapsed period between receiving a transmission of the first packet from the networking component and receiving a transmission of the second packet from the networking component.
US09729432B2	Different forwarding of packets based on whether received from a core or customer network In one embodiment, a provider edge packet switching device of a provider network is configured with different Internet Protocol (IP) forwarding information bases (FIBs) depending on whether the forwarding information base is associated with core-facing ingress packet traffic (e.g., packet traffic from the provider network) or customer-facing ingress packet traffic (e.g., packet traffic from a customer network). In the latter case of customer-facing ingress packet traffic, the customer-facing forwarding information base includes load balancing lookup results for load balancing traffic between a customer edge packet switching device and through the provider network. In the case of core-facing ingress packet traffic, the core-facing forwarding information base includes a lookup result for forwarding traffic to a customer edge packet switching device, and does not include the above-referenced load balancing lookup result information.
US09729409B2	System and method for dynamic management of network device data A method and apparatus of a device that dynamically changes how management data is managed in response to events detected in a network system is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the device detects an event occurring in the network system. The device further determines if the event triggers a system change in how the management data is reported on one or more of the managed nodes. If the event notification does trigger the system change, for each of the one or more of the managed nodes, the device determines a command for that manage node that represents a specific change in how frequent the management data is reported to the network management system. In addition, the device sends the command to that managed node, where the agent applies the command to the managed node and the applied command implements the specific change in how frequent the management data is reported to the network management system.
US09729406B2	Cloud provider, service, and tenant classification in cloud computing A cloud provider supports cloud-based services accessible to tenants of the cloud provider over a network. In the cloud provider, classification information including a cloud-identifier to identify the cloud provider, service-identifiers each to identify a respective one of the services, and tenant-identifiers each to identify a respective one of the tenants is maintained. The classification information is distributed within the cloud provider, including to the services, and may also be distributed outside of the cloud provider, to enable a respective tenant to exchange IP packets with, and thereby access, a respective service based on the classification information, wherein each IP packet includes the cloud-identifier, the service-identifier of the respective service, and the tenant-identifier of the respective tenant.
US09729400B2	Realization method and system for enabling LLDP function on non-ethernet link The disclosure provides a realization method for enabling a Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) function on a non-Ethernet link, which includes: starting LLDP global enabling on a network device at an end and a network device at an opposite end respectively; starting LLDP port enabling on a non-Ethernet interface of the network device at the end and a non-Ethernet interface of the network device at the opposite end respectively. The disclosure further provides a realization system for enabling an LLDP function on a non-Ethernet link, correspondingly. The disclosure extends and improves the physical interface scope supported by an LLDP, and achieves the purpose of enabling the LLDP neighbor discovery function on the non-Ethernet link such as a POS interface by means of supporting usage of the LLDP on the interface such as the POS interface.
US09729397B2	Decision service manager The disclosure generally describes computer-implemented methods, software, and systems for modeling and deploying decision services. One computer-implemented method includes creating a connection between a decision service manager and a managed system, establishing a signature of a decision service, developing, using at least one computer, the decision service based upon the established signature of the decision service, performing a deployment readiness check, transferring generated code implementing the decision service to the managed system upon a determination that the deployment readiness check was successful, inserting the generated code into the managed system, and retrieving a deployment status from the managed system.
US09729390B2	Dead drop network architecture A dead drop at a node in a dead drop (DD) domain performs actions responsive to detecting events in the DD domain. The node receives a notification request specifying an event to be monitored, the notification request including a dead drop identifier (DDID) referencing a storage location in the DD domain associated with the specified event and a token associated with the DDID. The node further specifies the action to perform in response to detecting the occurrence of the specified event. The node monitors for an occurrence of a specified event within the DD domain. The node detects the occurrence of the specified event within the DD domain. The node further performs a specified action in response to detecting the occurrence of the specified event within the DD domain.
US09729387B2	Link aggregation in software-defined networks One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch capable of processing software-defined data flows. The switch includes an identifier management module and a flow definition management module. During operation, the identifier management module allocates a logical identifier to a link aggregation port group which includes a plurality of ports associated with different links. The flow definition management module processes a flow definition corresponding to the logical identifier, applies the flow definition to ports in the link aggregation port group, and update lookup information for the link aggregation port group based on the flow definition.
US09729383B2	Flexible rules engine for managing connected consumer devices A processing device executing a rules engine receives a notification of a first event on a first network-connected device. The processing device identifies a first rule associated with a first user account, wherein the first user account is further associated with the first network-connected device, and wherein the first event on the first network-connected device is an input for the first rule. The processing device determines that the first event satisfies a first criterion of the first rule and generates a first command for a second network-connected device also associated with the first user account. The processing device then transmits the first command to the second network-connected device on behalf of the first user account, wherein the first command causes the second network-connected device to perform an action.
US09729381B2	Unified geograhic database and methods of creating, maintaining and using the same A Universal Geographic Database (“UGD”) is provided that includes a real-time, automated registry/clearinghouse for the publication and retrieval of real-world locations and location-related information for businesses and other entities. By this registry, entities may publish their location and location-related information in a single place, and information services and their users can refer to this single place, via telecommunications devices, to obtain static, real-time location and location-based information about the registered locations. Each UGD record is keyed by a proprietary location address (PLA) based on the World Geographic Referencing System (WGRS). PLAs may be used as key reference and addressing terms, e.g., imbedded in digital documents, websites, GPS devices, or other information services to provide links to maps, directions, and information in the registry related to such locations. PLAs may also provide a concise, user-friendly notation for location naming and designating real-world locations and on all types of location-sensitive electronic devices.
US09729376B2	Reception apparatus and frequency error correction method Provided is an OFDM reception apparatus that can reduce, even in an environment where the influence of noises is strong, this influence of the noises, thereby improving the precision of detecting a carrier frequency error. In this apparatus, a filtering unit (151) receives received signals each including a short preamble (STF) in which a plurality of pilot subcarriers are intermittently arranged in the frequency domain and repeatedly arranged in the time domain, and the filtering unit (151) attenuates the frequency components between respective two adjacent ones of the plurality of pilot subcarriers in the frequency domain. A correction unit (154) corrects a carrier frequency error of the received signal on the basis of the signals of the plurality of pilot subcarriers having passed through the filtering unit (151).
US09729372B2	Broadcast signal transmitting apparatus, broadcast signal receiving apparatus, broadcast signal transmitting method, and broadcast signal receiving method Disclosed is a method for transmitting a broadcast signal. The method comprises formatting input streams with multiple data transmission channels, and the formatting step comprises adding a header indicating a format of a payload of the BBF.
US09729366B2	Digital radio transmissions A digital radio receiver adapted to receive radio signals modulated using continuous phase frequency shift keying, CPFSK. The receiver comprises means for receiving a radio signal (2), a correlator (8) arranged to estimate a frequency offset between the carrier frequency of the received radio signal and a nominal carrier frequency, means for correcting said frequency offset (4) and outputting a frequency-corrected radio signal (6), and a matched filter bank, MFB, which comprises a plurality of filters (20,22), each of which corresponds to a different bit pattern, for determining a bit sequence (36) from the frequency-corrected radio signal (6).
US09729356B1	Channel estimation with co-channel pilots suppression A user equipment device operating in a cellular communications system includes a neighbor cell searcher configured to receive a first reference signal transmitted from a base station of a first cell of the cellular communications system and determine first channel information associated with the first cell, and receive a second reference signal transmitted from a base station of a second cell of the cellular communications system and determine second channel information associated with the second cell. A channel estimator is configured to generate correlations between times and frequencies associated with reception of the first reference signal and the second reference signal, and generate a channel estimate corresponding to the first reference signal based on the first channel information, the second channel information, and the correlations.
US09729355B2	Method, device and system for remote management of terminal peripheral A method, a device and a system for remote management of a terminal peripheral are described. The method includes that: a Machine-to-Machine/Man (M2M) gateway forwards data sent from a terminal peripheral to an M2M application or an M2M service platform; the M2M application or the M2M service platform sends a remote management operation to the terminal peripheral through the M2M gateway according to the data forwarded by the M2M gateway; and the M2M gateway processes the remote management operation according to remote management operation execution information fed back by the terminal peripheral and reports a remote management result.
US09729348B2	Tunnel-in-tunnel source address correction In one embodiment, a device in a network identifies a translated source network address for a tunnel source of a tunnel-in-tunnel packet. The device includes the translated source network address within a header of the packet. The header of the packet identifies an inner tunnel that is encapsulated within an outer tunnel during transmission of the packet within the network. The device sends the packet with the translated source network address within the header of the packet.
US09729342B2	Defining and implementing sensor triggered response rules A single controller platform for controlling and monitoring security, home automation, and monitoring devices is provided. This controller platform further provides for a rules-based response to receiving sensor events, including causing actions to be performed by the controller platform or to cause actions to be performed by sensor devices.
US09729326B2	Document certification and authentication system This invention safeguards the integrity of a machine-printed paper document by entangling a characteristic signature derived from the document's paper grain structure with the identities of the printing device and the person or organization which issued the document. This protection is achieved using a certification phase performed by an augmented document printer and an authentication phase performed by an augmented document scanner. In the certification phase, the grain structure of a specific area of the original paper is imaged and processed to generate a unique signature for the paper. This signature is doubly encrypted using the private keys of the augmented printer and the certifier. These encryption steps entangle the signature of the paper with its source information in a way that thwarts counterfeiting attacks which either copy the document or falsely attribute its source to a specific printer and/or certifier.
US09729321B2	Autonomous private key recovery Approaches described herein allow a stateless device to recover at least one private key. In particular, a stateless device can provide service-account credentials to a directory service to establish a first session and acquire a certificate and private key using information associated with the stateless device. The stateless device can store its private key before the first session ends. A stateless device can then provide user-account credentials to the directory service to establish a second session. After the second session begins, a private key can be acquired by the stateless device.
US09729317B2	Optical physical uncloneable function This application discloses a computing system implementing tools and mechanisms that can incorporate an optical physical uncloneable function (PUF) device in a circuit design. The optical physical uncloneable function device can generate at least a portion of a key. The tools and mechanisms can interconnect the optical physical uncloneable function device with a security control device in the circuit design, wherein the security control device is configured to initiate a security action when the key matches an expected key in the security controller.
US09729315B2	Initialization and registration of an application A public/private key pair is generated on a client device for an application. A device identifier for the client device is generated. An application identifier for the application is generated on the client device. At least one of the public key, the device identifier, and the application identifier are transmitted to a server.
US09729311B2	Proxy system for security processing without entrusting certified secret information to a proxy First communication units use a public key thereof certified by a certification authority on a PKI (Public Key Infrastructure), which is held by the first communication units in advance, and a secret key of the first communication units or delegation information generated by using secret information, as public key certificate, of the first communication units to thereby allow a proxy server to perform security processing, i.e. key exchange processing, authentication processing or processing for providing compatibility of encryption schemes, between the first communication units and a second communication unit on behalf of the first communication units.
US09729308B2	Digital system for estimating signal non-energy parameters using a digital phase locked loop A digital system of measuring parameters of the signal (phase, frequency and frequency derivative) received in additive mixture with Gaussian noise. The system is based on the use of variables of a PLL for calculating preliminary estimates of parameters and calculating the corrections for these estimates when there is a spurt frequency caused by a receiver motion with a jerk. A jerk is determined if the low pass filtered signal of the discriminator exceeds a certain threshold. The jerk-correction decreases the dynamic errors. Another embodiment includes a tracking filter for obtaining preliminary estimates of parameters to reduce the fluctuation errors. Estimates are taken from the tracking filter when there is no jerk and from the block of jerk-corrections when there is a jerk.
US09729307B1	Method and apparatus for detection of boundary between transmission and reception in TDD communication systems In many wireless communication systems, there is a major problem with the coverage in indoor environments because of signal loss during signal penetration through walls and other structures. Femto cells or repeaters may be used to address the signal coverage issue for indoor environments. The cost of femto cells or repeaters may be high depending on its capabilities. Method and apparatus are disclosed for a Signal Enhancer with reduced complexity to enhance the signal for an OFDM based TDD wireless communication system. This may result in a lower cost solution for improving the coverage and the overall communication system performance.
US09729306B2	Method and system for time division duplex communication in wireless networks A method of simultaneous bidirectional transmissions, the method comprising determining, by a network element, first transmission time slots for downlink and uplink transmissions for a first plurality of user equipment (UEs); assigning a DL transmission to a first shared time slot of the first transmission time slots for a first UE in the first plurality of UEs; and assigning an UL transmission to the first shared time slot for a second UE in the first plurality of UEs, wherein the first and second UEs form a virtual UE to communicate in virtual full duplex in at least the first shared time slot.
US09729305B2	Airplane system and control method thereof Disclosed are an airplane system including duplex modules, and a control method thereof. The control method of the airplane system includes: receiving, by each of a plurality of duplex modules, a corresponding event command from a client; performing, by a first module, a first event specified by the event command in response to the event command; performing, by a second module different from the first module, a second event specified by the event command after the first event is completed; and returning a first response signal indicating a result of the performance of the first event and a second response signal indicating a result of the performance of the second event to the client, in which the client compares the first response signal and the second response signal, and determines whether the plurality of duplex modules is synchronized or has an error.
US09729289B2	Frequency diversity modulation system and method A method of encoding a first bit and a second bit for transmission on a transmission band is provided. The method includes: mapping, via a mapping component, the first bit and the second bit into a first symbol; mapping, via the mapping component, the first bit and the second bit into a second symbol; dividing, via a dividing component, the transmission band into subcarriers; allocating, via an allocating component, the first symbol to a first subcarrier of the subcarriers; allocating, via the allocating component, the second symbol to a second subcarrier of the subcarriers; and differentially encoding, via a differential encoder, the first symbol and the second symbol.
US09729283B2	Systems, methods and devices for flexible retransmissions A hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process enables a retransmission to be sent on a carrier (or medium, set of frequencies, band, etc.) different from the carrier on which the previous transmissions (initial transmission and/or retransmissions) were sent. An enhanced HARQ process can improve system performance by aiding user throughput, system throughput, and delay performance by making retransmissions possible even when the unlicensed band is not available (e.g., when occupied by other RATs or the same RAT deployed by another operator). For example, a transmitter sends a subpacket in an unlicensed band. The receiver feeds back a NACK to the transmitter due to the packet decoding failure. If the medium is not idle, the transmitter sends the retransmission in another band or another channel that can be either a licensed band/channel or another unlicensed band/channel. The retransmission can be sent in multiple licensed and/or unlicensed bands/channels at the same time.
US09729278B2	Method and a device for improved status reports A method for use in a cellular communications system in which system traffic can be exchanged between transceivers comprises receiving traffic from a second transceiver at a first transceiver. The traffic includes data units that are each associated with an identifier. The data units are also divided into segments. The method additionally includes sending status information from the first transceiver to the second transceiver. The status information pertains to one or more data units transmitted by the second transceiver. Additionally, sending the status information includes, for non-received and partially received data units, sending information indicating the data units were non-received or partially received and, for partially received data units, sending information indicating which parts of the data units were not received.
US09729275B2	Apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, apparatus for receiving broadcast signals, method for transmitting broadcast signals and method for receiving broadcast signals A method and apparatus are presented for transmitting broadcast signals. Service data is encoded by an encoder. A signaling encoder encodes signaling data based on a mode of the signaling data. The signaling data is categorized to one of plural modes based on a modulation order for the signaling data. A frame builder builds at least one signal frame including the encoded service data in at least one data symbol and the encoded signaling data in at least one signaling symbol. A modulator modulates data in the at least one signal frame by an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) scheme. A transmitter transmits the broadcast signals carrying the modulated data in the at least one signal frame. The broadcast signals further carry a bootstrap. The bootstrap includes category information indicating the mode of the signaling data in the at least one signaling symbol in the at least one signal frame.
US09729273B2	Collision resolution among transmission schedules of uplink control information (UCI) A method for reporting uplink control information (UCI) on a user equipment (UE) is described. Multiple channel state information (CSI) reports are generated for multiple channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) received on a serving cell. The multiple CSI-RS reports are scheduled to be transmitted in a subframe. An overall highest priority CSI report is determined using a method of prioritization. The overall highest priority CSI report is selected. The overall highest priority CSI report is transmitted.
US09729262B2	Optical receiver and method of optical reception An optical receiver includes a reception module, a first detector, a second detector, a shift module, a first extraction module, and a second extraction module. The reception module receives a frame. The first detector detects a head position of a first layer, the head position being included in the frame. The second detector detects a head position of a second layer, the head position being included in the frame. The shift module shifts the frame so that the head position of the first layer and the head position of the second layer are located at respective predetermined positions. The first extraction module extracts a header of the first layer from the frame after the frame is shifted. The second extraction module extracts a header of the second layer from the frame after the frame is shifted.
US09729261B2	Transmission apparatus A transmission apparatus includes: a first mapping unit configured to allocate a first frame that stores a client signal to an intermediate frame; a second mapping unit configured to allocate the intermediate frame to a second frame that has a higher bit rate than a bit rate of the first frame; and a rate controller configured to control a bit rate of the intermediate frame based on the bit rate of the first frame and the bit rate of the second frame.
US09729254B1	Apparatus and method for providing east second order input intercept point calibration based on two tone testing An apparatus and a method. The apparatus includes a first low pass filter (LPF), a second LPF, a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a second ADC, a first discrete Fourier transform (DFT) unit, a second DFT unit, a second order intermodulation (IM2) tone amplitude measurement unit, and a calibration logic unit configured to simultaneously determine an in-phase mixer (I-mixer) digital-to-analog (DAC) code and a quadrature-phase mixer (Q-mixer) DAC code.
US09729253B2	System and method for providing underwater video Disclosed herein is a system including an underwater housing having an underwater wireless module communicating with a camera, an above-water wireless module configured in a floating above-water housing, the underwater wireless module communicating with the above-water wireless module via a tether and a tether extension and retraction device that extends and retracts the tether. The above-water wireless module can be configured on a boat or a separate floating housing. The underwater module receives a first wireless signal from the media capture device capturing images to yield a first signal. The underwater module in the extended system transmits the first signal via the tether to the above-water module and the above-water module in the extended system transmits the first signal to yield a second wireless signal, wherein a mobile device can receive the second wireless signal and display the images or video captured from the camera.
US09729244B2	Apparatus and method for monitoring signal quality of a modulated optical signal A transmitter with at least one optical modulator adapted to modulate the optical signal output by a laser source to generate a modulated optical signal, wherein the optical signal output by the laser source is tapped and supplied to a monitoring circuit comprising an optical front end configured to select signal components of the tapped modulated optical signal and to convert the selected signal components of the tapped modulated optical signal into analog signals, and comprising at least one analog-to-digital converter, ADC, adapted to perform equivalent-time sampling of the analog signals to provide digital signals processed by a processing unit to monitor signal quality of the modulated optical signal.
US09729234B2	Free space optical communications network with bent pipe channel and pilot channel A method for a plurality of nodes in a free space optical communications network comprises using a bent pipe channel to relay data between at least some of the nodes of the network; and using a pilot channel for pointing, acquisition and tracking to continuously maintain line-of-sight between all of the nodes even when the bent pipe channel is not active.
US09729233B2	Communication device An S/N calculation circuit 12 to calculate the S/N ratio of a received signal, and an S/N comparison circuit 13 to compare the S/N calculated by the S/N calculation circuit 12 with a threshold Th are disposed, and a parameter setting circuit 14 controls the radiation state of a beam radiated from a transmission optical system 5 according to the result of the comparison performed by the S/N comparison circuit 13. As a result, even if the state of the propagation environment gets worse, degradation in the communication quality can be prevented and communicative stabilization can be achieved.
US09729226B2	Communication system for an aircraft with an external assembly and related method A communication system for an aircraft with an external assembly and related method are provided. The system includes a unit for receiving incoming text messages, received from the outside assembly, and sending outgoing text messages, sent to the outside assembly; a display screen and a display management station, the display management station being able to display, on the display screen, a synthesis window showing a series of incoming text messages and/or outgoing text messages, each text message containing operating information about the aircraft. The display management station is able to display, in the synthesis window, an execution status indicator for an action to be performed remaining to be executed, associated with the incoming text message and/or the outgoing text message, in addition to the operating information of the aircraft.
US09729224B2	Wireless receiver with receive diversity Wireless receivers are described for receiving signals from a transmitter. A receiver can include a plurality of antennas each for receiving a version of a signal via a different propagation channel and providing that version to a respective input. Signal processing means can be included and configured to operate diversity processing of a supplied number of said inputs for use in performing detection of said signal. The receiver can include channel parameter estimation means, configured to estimate one or more channel parameters on the propagation channels. The receiver can also include selection means configured to select only a subset of said inputs to implement a specific dimensionality of the receiver diversity processing, in dependence on the one or more channel parameters indicative of channel conditions on said propagation channels. The diversity processing can be linear or non-linear. Related methods and software implementations and computer program products are also described.
US09729222B2	Method for feeding back channel state information, user equipment, and base station Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for feeding back channel state information, a user equipment, and a base station, to improve feedback precision of channel state information. The method includes: receiving a reference signal sent by a base station; selecting a precoding matrix W from a codebook according to the reference signal, where a column vector of the precoding matrix W may be expressed as α[v ejφv]T, v=[1 ejθ]; and sending a precoding matrix indicator PMI to the base station, where the PMI is corresponding to the selected precoding matrix W. The present invention may further improve quantization precision and achieve balance between overheads and the quantization precision. The base station performs precoding on a sent signal according to a fed back precoding matrix indicator, which can improve precoding precision, thereby improving a data transmission rate and system throughput.
US09729219B2	Methods for signaling and using beam forming quality indicators A method in a node is disclosed. The method comprises determining a beam forming quality indicator for the network node, the beam forming quality indicator indicating a beam forming performance gain from the network node having beam forming capability, wherein the beam forming quality indicator comprises at least or is a function of at least a reference signal quality and an achievable signal quality. The method further comprises performing one or more radio operations using the determined beam forming quality indicator.
US09729212B1	Radio apparatus and receiving method A radio apparatus includes a first antenna that transmits and receives a radio signal, a second antenna that receives a radio signal, a plurality of filters that acquire signals with mutually different frequencies from a received signal that is received by the second antenna, an amplification unit that is arranged in front of the plurality of filters and amplifies the received signal, and a control unit that controls whether or not the received signal is amplified by the amplification unit depending on a condition of radio communication by the first antenna and the second antenna.
US09729210B2	Chassis NFC antenna booster A communication device used for near filed communications (NFC). The device includes circuitry that generates a differential signal for communication with an analog front end of the device. The analog front end includes an impedance matching network and an antenna. The antenna is disposed at a predetermined distance away from the boundary of a battery compartment. The antenna forms a single loop around the battery compartment and is coupled to the matching network either in a differential manner or a single ended manner. The communication device includes a protective back casing that is either metallic or plastic in nature. With the single loop antenna configuration, both types of back covers enable efficient NFC.
US09729204B2	Device and system for power transmission A device for power transmission includes a power transmission section and a detection section. The power transmission section is configured to transmit an electric power wirelessly. The detection section is operatively connected to the power transmission section and configured to detect an object within a range from the power transmission section based on a change in impedance in vicinity of the power transmission section.
US09729200B2	Power line network with multi-scheme communication In various embodiments, a power-line communication apparatus provides data over a power-line communication network by transmitting data symbols to endpoint circuits over a power line. The power-line communication apparatus includes a signal-processing circuit configured to combine a plurality of different data streams, each of the plurality of different data streams respectively formatted according to different communication schemes, to form a signal that represents a combination of the different data streams and corresponding communication schemes. Further, the power-line communication apparatus includes a pulse-modulation circuit configured to convert the signals, as combined, as a pulse-width modulated or a pulse-density modulated signal, the pulse-modulation circuit configured to switch at a frequency higher than frequencies of the different communication schemes. An output circuit can be configured to filter the switching frequency and to couple the data symbols to an injector transformer for presentation to the endpoint circuits.
US09729194B2	Clock control circuit, demodulation device and spread spectrum method To provide a clock control circuit, a demodulation device, and a spread spectrum method, which can reduce interference caused by a clock signal on which spread spectrum is performed when demodulating a signal. A clock controller 22 according to the present invention disperses a harmonic of a clock signal in a used frequency band of a reception signal and controls a harmonic remaining in the used frequency band after the dispersion. For example, the clock controller 22 controls an amplitude of the harmonic on the basis of a spread frequency used for the dispersion and a spread width of the harmonic.
US09729189B2	Ultra low power sensing platform with multimodal radios An apparatus comprises a system on a chip (SoC). In some embodiments, the SoC includes a power supply circuit, a power management circuit operatively coupled to the power supply circuit, a first wireless communications circuit and a second wireless communications circuit. The first wireless communications circuit is configured to receive an RF signal and is operatively coupled to the power supply circuit and the power management circuit. The first wireless communications circuit has a net radio frequency (RF) power gain no more than unity before at least one of downconversion of the RF signal or detection of the RF signal. The second wireless communications circuit is operatively coupled to the power supply circuit and the power management circuit.
US09729187B1	Case with electrical multiplexing A case for an electronic device includes a shell and at least three electrical connectors. The shell receives the electronic device and covers at least a portion of the electronic device. A first electrical connector is on an interior of the shell and electrically connects the case to an electrical interface of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the case. A second electrical connector is on an exterior of the shell and electrically connects a first external electrical device to the electronic device through the electrical interface of the electronic device. A third electrical connector is on the exterior of the shell and electrically connects a second external electrical device to the electronic device.
US09729185B2	Self-centering and adjustable mount A circular housing having a top surface and a bottom surface, and an inner chamber, where a ring on the top surface of the circular housing has a teethed upper surface, and a housing magnet is located within the inner chamber of the housing. A lid is to be located on the top surface of the housing, and a lid magnet located within the lid is magnetically attracted to the housing magnet when the lid is positioned on top surface of the housing. The outer perimeter of the top surface of the lid is teethed, and the teethed outer perimeter of the top surface of the lid and the teethed upper surface of the ring interlock when the lid is positioned on top surface of the housing.
US09729165B2	Delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter topology with improved distortion performance A delta-sigma Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) (IC) which includes an input feed-forward path extending from an input to the ADC to a feed-forward summing circuit disposed between a loop filter and quantizer of the ADC, and a filter disposed in the feed-forward path as an apparatus for improving distortion performance in the delta-sigma ADC. The filter may be a low pass filter, for example, a Resistor-Capacitor (RC) circuit. The filter may have a cut-off frequency outside the ADC's passband. The filtering provided may be continuous-time filtering, even if the delta-sigma ADC is a discrete-time delta-sigma ADC.
US09729161B2	Analog converter and programmable logic controller system An analog converter includes an offset/gain value storage unit that is composed of a nonvolatile memory and stores therein offset/gain values, an operation unit that performs analog-digital conversion by using the offset/gain values in the offset/gain value storage unit as values for an interpolation operation, a previous offset/gain value storage unit that is composed of a nonvolatile memory and stores therein, as previous offset/gain values, the offset/gain values in the offset/gain value storage unit used in the past, wherein the operation unit includes an offset/gain value setting unit that controls setting of the offset/gain values in the offset/gain value storage unit and storage of the previous offset/gain values in the previous offset/gain value storage unit.
US09729151B2	Isolation module for use between power rails in an integrated circuit An integrated circuit (IC) can include multiple power domains that are served by a common power source. In an example, a first IC power rail can be coupled to the source and a first consumer circuit. A second IC power rail can be coupled to a second consumer circuit. The second IC power rail can receive a filtered power signal from an isolation module that is coupled between the first and second power rails. In an example, an isolation module includes an integrated inductor and a capacitor (e.g., a land-side capacitor). The integrated inductor can optionally include multiple spaced apart conductive layers that are electrically coupled. The integrated inductor can optionally include a series of conductive traces and plated through holes or vias that together provide a current path with multiple turns.
US09729149B2	Low power storage device in which operation speed is maintained A low-power storage device is provided. The storage device includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a logic element, and a semiconductor element. The second transistor controls supply of a first signal to a gate of the first transistor. When the potential of a second signal to be input is changed from a first potential into a second potential lower than the first potential, the logic element changes the potential of a first terminal of the first transistor from a third potential lower than the second potential into the first potential after the logic element changes the potential of the first terminal of the first transistor from the second potential into the third potential. The semiconductor element has a function of making a second terminal of the first transistor floating. The first transistor includes a channel formation region in an oxide semiconductor film.
US09729146B2	Gate driving circuit and display device having the same A gate driving circuit including first through (N)th stages is provided. An (M)th stage of the first through (N)th stages includes a pull-up control part, a pull-up part, a carry holding part, a carry part, and a first pull-down part. The pull-up control part applies a second node signal of a second node to a first node in response to the second node signal. The pull-up part outputs a clock signal as an (M)th gate output signal in response to the first node signal. The carry holding part applies the (M)th gate output signal to the second node in response to the (M)th gate output signal. The carry part outputs the clock signal as an (M)th carry signal in response to the first node signal. The first pull-down part pulls down the (M)th gate output signal to a first off voltage.
US09729145B2	Circuit and a method for selecting a power supply A circuit is provided, the circuit including: a first power supply terminal connected to a first p-type metal oxide semiconductor transistor; a second power supply terminal connected to a second p-type metal oxide semiconductor transistor; an output node connected between the first p-type metal oxide semiconductor transistor and second p-type metal oxide semiconductor transistor; and a decision circuit connected to the first power supply terminal and the second power supply terminal, wherein the decision circuit is powered by the output node and wherein gate terminals of the first p-type metal oxide semiconductor transistor and second p-type metal oxide semiconductor transistor are complementarily and actively controlled by the decision circuit.
US09729144B2	Isolated uni-polar transistor gate drive According to one aspect, a transistor gate drive comprises a first input configured to be coupled to a DC voltage source, a second input configured to receive a control signal, a third input configured to couple to a ground connection, a transformer, a first switch configured to couple the first input to a first end of a primary winding of the transformer in response to receipt of the control signal, and to decouple the first input from the first end of the primary winding in response to the receipt of the control signal, a second switch configured to couple a second end of the primary winding to the third input in response to receipt of the control signal, and to decouple the second end of the primary winding from the third input in response to the receipt of the control signal.
US09729142B2	Coil driver IC having a circuit capable of placing a coil connected output terminal into a floating state A coil-driving IC having a first output terminal configured connected to a first terminal of a coil and a second output terminal configured connected to a second terminal of the coil is disclosed. The coil-driving IC comprises a first switch connected to the first output terminal; a second switch connected to the second output terminal; a current driving part comprising a first current terminal connected to the first output terminal via the first switch and a second current terminal connected to the second output terminal via the second switch; and a gate driving part controlling the first switch and the second switch so that, when the coil is driven by a current provided from the first current terminal or the second current terminal, the first switch and the second switch are in an ON state, otherwise, the first switch and the second switch are in an OFF state.
US09729136B2	Circuit arrangement and method for controlling semiconductor switching element In order to reduce the problems with sharp-edged control voltages of semiconductor switching elements, it is provided that the control terminal (6) of the semiconductor switching element (1) is connected to the output terminal (7) of the semiconductor switching element (1) via a ramp generation unit (5), and the ramp generation unit (5) flattens the sharply ascending and descending edges of the driver control voltage (VS) into the form of a ramp, in order to generate a transistor control voltage (VG) at the output of the ramp generation unit (5).
US09729132B1	Precise signal swing squelch detector A squelch detector, including: an input configured to receive an input signal; a peak detector connected to the input configured to detect a maximum value of the input signal wherein the peak detector includes a refresh input configured to receive a refresh signal to refresh the output of the peak detector, a valley detector connected to the input configured to detect a minimum value of the input signal wherein the valley detector includes a refresh input configured to receive the refresh signal to refresh the output of the valley detector, and a comparator including a first signal input connected to an output of the peak detector, a second input connected to an output of the valley detector, and a first reference input, wherein the comparator is configured to compare a difference between an output of the peak detector and an output of the valley detector and a reference value received at the first reference input and configured to produce an output based upon the comparison.
US09729130B2	Building sample rate independent timing diagrams using digital edge averaging A method can include receiving an input signal having multiple signal edges, performing an initial scan of the input signal to identify peaks corresponding to the signal edges, and determining whether each peak is a Uniformly Synchronous (US) edge or a Quasi-Synchronous (QS) edge. The method can also include generating a final waveform and displaying the final waveform on a display device.
US09729125B2	Filter apparatus comprising series connected low pass and high pass filters with acoustic resonators A filter apparatus includes a low pass filter and a high pass filter connected in series to each other. The low pass filter includes first acoustic resonators including a resonant frequency and an anti-resonant frequency, first inductors, and first capacitive elements. The high pass filter includes second inductors, second capacitive elements, and second acoustic resonators. A first attenuation band caused by the anti-resonant frequency of the first acoustic resonators is provided at a low frequency side of a pass band and a second attenuation band caused by the resonant frequency of the second acoustic resonators is provided at a high frequency side of the pass band. A third attenuation band caused by a first LC resonant circuit is provided at a low frequency side of the first attenuation band and a fourth attenuation band caused by a second LC resonant circuit is provided at a high frequency side of the second attenuation band.
US09729124B2	Piezoelectric vibration component having distinguishable opposing principal surfaces A piezoelectric vibration component that includes a sealed space formed between first and second package members, and a piezoelectric vibrator is bonded to the first package member with first and second conductive adhesive portions. In the piezoelectric vibrator, a first vibration electrode and a first extended electrode are formed on a first surface of a piezoelectric substrate, and a second vibration electrode and a second extended electrode are formed on a second surface of the piezoelectric substrate. At least the second extended electrode provided on the second principal surface has a higher bonding strength with respect to the conductive adhesive than that of the electrodes on the first principal surface. The electrode patterns on the first and second principal surfaces differ from each other so that the first surface and the second surface can be distinguished from each other.
US09729113B2	Constant transconductance bias circuit A bias circuit is adapted for biasing a to-be-biased transconductance cell such that the to-be-biased transconductance cell has a constant transconductance, and includes a converter and a controller. The converter receives first and second current signals, and generates, based on the first and second current signals, a first voltage signal, a second voltage signal and a bias voltage that is for biasing the to-be-biased transconductance cell. The controller receives the first and second voltage signals from the converter, generates the first and second current signals for the converter based on the first and second voltage signals so as to make a magnitude of the first voltage signal equal a magnitude of the second voltage signal.
US09729108B2	Apparatus and method for adjusting envelope signal delay in envelope-tracking power amplifier Provided is an apparatus for adjusting an envelope signal delay in an envelope-tracking power amplifier. The apparatus includes: an envelope signal providing unit configured to provide an envelope signal; a variable negative group delay unit configured to adjust a group delay of the envelope signal received from the envelope signal providing unit and output the adjusted envelope signal; an envelope modulator configured to modulate the envelope signal outputted from the variable negative group delay unit; a group delay difference detecting unit configured to detect a group delay difference between the envelope signal which is outputted from the envelope signal providing unit and the envelope signal which is outputted from the envelope modulator; and a control signal generating unit configured to generate a control signal to control a group delay value of the variable negative group delay unit according to the group delay difference.
US09729104B2	Solar power systems A solar power system (11) which comprises a plurality of solar energy collecting means (10,10a,10b,10c) respectively comprising a platform assembly (16,16a,16b,16c) floating on liquid in a liquid reservoir (14,14a,14b,14c), each platform assembly carrying solar energy concentrators or collectors and respective reservoirs (14,14a,14b,14c), being interconnected in series and arranged in a cascading relationship such that the flooding of a platform assembly (16,16a,16b,16c) in one reservoir (14,14a,14b,14c), for protection of the concentrators or collectors under liquid displaces liquid in that reservoir (14,14a,14b,14c), and causes the flooding of an adjacent lower platform assembly (16,16a,16b,16c) to protect the concentrators or collectors carried thereon.
US09729101B1	Deployment techniques of a floating photovoltaic power generation system A method of deploying floating photovoltaic (“PV”) modules on water includes attaching first and second sections of a tensioning frame between a first group of mooring buoys. In a first embodiment, the first and second sections are adjoining sections attached to a common one of the mooring buoys and a plurality of PV modules are unrolled from positions adjacent to the first section of the tensioning frame and the PV modules are extended out from the first section. In a second embodiment, the PV modules are unrolled and extended out between two floating platforms. The PV modules are mechanically attached into a contiguous PV array. Third and fourth sections of the tensioning frame are attached between a second group of the mooring buoys to at least partially surround the PV array with the tensioning frame. Tension on the tensioning frame is adjusted to place the PV array under tension.
US09729099B1	Sensorless control of AC induction motor method and apparatus A method and apparatus are provided for controlling a sensorless alternating current induction motor (ACIM) having a rotor and a stator comprising a plurality of stator windings by applying a plurality of phase shifted voltages to the plurality of stator windings in the ACIM such that two energized stator windings are connected to first and second phase shifted voltages to cause rotation of the rotor relative to the stator while a third unconnected stator winding is floating so that a DC bus current and an inducted voltage can be measured from the ACIM and used to compute an estimated rotor speed.
US09729098B2	System for controlling motor of hybrid electric vehicle A system for controlling a motor of a hybrid vehicle determines a current of a first axis and a current of a second axis according to a driving condition, converts the currents of the first and second axes into a 3-phase AC current, and drives the motor by applying the 3-phase AC current to the motor, and includes: a revised temperature calculation module that calculates a revised temperature in order to compensate a torque error according to counter electromotive force dispersion of the motor; and a current determination module that determines the currents of the first and second axes by substituting the corrected temperature to a current map for each temperature and by using a demand torque at a present driving condition, a present speed of the motor, and a maximum counter magnetic flux of the motor.
US09729082B2	Self-resonance sensing dynamic power converter and method thereof A power converter and a method of operation thereof is disclosed including an input, an output, a sensor unit, a switched power converter, and a processor module. The power converter may convert an input power into an output power. The power converter may sense real-time measurements of the input power and the output power to determine a real-time calculated efficiency. The power converter may chop the input power into sized and positioned portions of the input power based on a plurality of determined operating parameters. The power converter may determine the operating parameters based on the real-time calculated efficiency and on a plurality of other operating factors/conditions.
US09729080B2	Power supply control circuit and power supply device A power supply control circuit, which is connected to a stabilized direct current power supply having a pair of first and second output terminals and a pair of first and second remote sensing terminals, includes: a current detector configured to detect an output current that is supplied to a load from the stabilized direct current power supply, and to output a current detection voltage; a current difference output unit configured to output a current difference voltage corresponding to a voltage difference between the current detection voltage and a current setting voltage; and a control voltage generator configured to generate a control voltage and output the control voltage to the first remote sensing terminal so as to perform a constant current control operation. The current detector, the current difference output unit and the control voltage generator are operated by only the direct current voltage supplied by the auxiliary power supply.
US09729069B2	Control device of a switching power supply A control section for a current resonant converter section controls a DC output voltage of a current resonant converter section to settle to a target voltage by varying a resonant period between predetermined two resonant periods based on an error signal between the DC output voltage and the target voltage. A gain converter is provided in a preceding stage of a frequency generator for generating a square waveform signal with a duty ratio of 50% and the gain converter has a setting of a nonlinear gain characteristic that cancels nonlinearity in the input-output characteristics of the current resonant converter section. The nonlinear gain characteristic can be a characteristic of continuous gain conversion or discrete gain conversion.
US09729065B2	Power device for delivering power to electronic devices and methods of assembling same An energy efficient apparatus includes a switching device, a frequency dependent reactive device, and a control element is provided. The switching device is coupled to a source of electrical power and includes a pair of transistors and is adapted to receive a control signal and to produce an alternating current power signal. The frequency of the alternating current power signal is responsive to the control signal. The frequency dependent reactive device is electrically coupled to the pair of transistors for receiving the alternating current power signal and producing an output power signal. The frequency dependent reactive device is chosen to achieve a desired voltage of the output power signal relative to the frequency of the alternating current power signal. The control element senses an actual voltage of the direct current power signal and modifies the control signal delivered to achieve the desired voltage of the direct current power signal.
US09729064B2	Electrical circuit for delivering power to consumer electronic devices An electrical circuit for providing electrical power for use in powering electronic devices is described herein. The electrical circuit includes a power converter circuit that is electrically coupled to an electrical power source for receiving alternating current (AC) input power from the electrical source and delivering direct current (DC) output power to an electronic device. The power converter circuit includes a transformer and a switching device coupled to a primary side of the transformer for delivering power from the electrical power source to a primary side of the transformer. A controller is coupled to a voltage sensor and the switching device for receiving the sensed voltage level from the voltage sensor and transmitting a control signal to the switching device to adjust the voltage level of power being delivered to the electronic device.
US09729062B2	Isolated flyback converter A flyback converter has a sub-nanofarad capacitor disposed between the primary winding and the secondary winding of a transformer included in the flyback converter. A controller in the flyback converter co-optimizes the switch period and width such that the flyback converter operates substantially at peak efficiency via the use of a novel set point and control-signal. A model of global optimal control is provided via a novel characterization and analysis method.
US09729059B1	Chip embedded DC-DC converter A direct current to direct current (DC-DC) converter can include a chip embedded integrated circuit (IC), one or more switches, and an inductor. The IC can be embedded in a PCB. The IC can include driver, switches, and PWM controller. The IC and/or switches can include eGaN. The inductor can be stacked above the IC and/or switches, reducing an overall footprint. One or more capacitors can also be stacked above the IC and/or switches. Vias can couple the inductor and/or capacitors to the IC (e.g., to the switches). The DC-DC converter can offer better transient performance, have lower ripples, or use fewer capacitors. Parasitic effects that prevent efficient, higher switching speeds are reduced. The inductor size and overall footprint can be reduced. Multiple inductor arrangements can improve performance. Various feedback systems can be used, such as a ripple generator in a constant on or off time modulation circuit.
US09729054B2	Interleaved soft switching boost converter An interleaved double boost converter including two simple boost converters each having a diode, an input inductor, a switch connected to the anode of the diode and a filter capacitor connected to the cathode of the diode, the two switches and the two filter capacitors being connected at a mid-point, the interleaved double boost converter further including a control circuit controlling the switches adapted to control: at a first phase, the opening of a first switch the other remaining closed, both switches initially being closed; at a second phase, the opening of the second switch which had remained closed; and at a third phase, the closing of both switches.
US09729048B2	Apparatus and methods for charge pumps for radio frequency systems Apparatus and methods for charge pumps are disclosed herein. In certain configurations, a charge pump includes a mode control circuit, a clock generation circuit that generates a clock signal, two or more switched capacitors, and a capacitor charging circuit used to charge the switched capacitors in response to transitions of the clock signal. The mode control circuit can be used to operate the charge pump in one of a plurality of modes associated with different clock signal oscillation frequencies and with different power supply voltages of the capacitor charging circuit. For example, in certain configurations, the selected mode can control an oscillation frequency of clock signal and a voltage level of a power supply voltage used by the capacitor charging circuit when charging the switched capacitors.
US09729046B1	Power supply apparatus A power supply apparatus includes a switch, a converting module and a control module. When the switch operates in an ON state, an input voltage is outputted through the switch to serve as an output voltage. The converting module selectively converts the input voltage into the output voltage. When the power supply apparatus operates in a mode where the switch operates in an OFF state, where the converting module performs the conversion, and where the output voltage is stabilized at a target voltage value, and when a condition associated with the input voltage is met, the control module causes the output voltage to gradually change toward the input voltage.
US09729045B2	Switched power converter with improved synchronization of a pulse width modulation switching frequency Power converter includes a switched power stage to generate an output voltage from an input voltage, and a controller to generate a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal for switching the switched power stage in dependence upon a voltage error signal. The voltage error signal is a difference between a reference voltage and the output voltage. The controller comprises a synchronizer to generate a first clock signal for clocking a low frequency domain of the controller, and a digital PWM controller clocked by the first clock signal and configured to determine an on-time information of the PWM signal and a PWM generator to generate the PWM signal based on the on-time information. The synchronizer is configured to synchronize a frequency of the PWM signal to a frequency imposed by the external reference signal by synchronizing a frequency of the first clock signal to the frequency imposed by the external reference signal.
US09729043B2	Power conversion apparatus and protection method thereof while feedback current signal being abnormal A power conversion apparatus and a protection method of the power conversion apparatus while a feedback current signal of the power conversion apparatus is abnormal are provided. The protection method includes a step of stopping switching a power switch if a duty cycle of a pulse width modulation signal is continuously greater than a preset duty cycle for at least one signal cycle and a voltage of a current sensing signal is smaller than a preset voltage level during the at least one signal cycle.
US09729037B2	Brushless motor A brushless motor has a stator and an outer rotor. The stator includes a stator core having 6N teeth and 6N coils wound respectively around the teeth where N is an integer equal to or greater than 1. The rotor includes 6N±2 permanent magnets. The permanent magnets are arranged circumferentially around the stator core and face the teeth across an air gap. The radial thickness of the air gap is uneven along the circumferential direction of the motor.
US09729034B2	Rotor with 2-step shaped slot and induction motor having the same A rotor with a two-step shaped slot may include a rotor core configured to include a plurality of shoe structures which have a two-step shaped slot, a plurality of rotor bars configured to be inserted into and coupled to the two-step shaped slot, and end rings configured to be coupled to both ends of the rotor core and to fix the rotor bars.
US09729033B2	Variable speed electro-mechanical drive An electrical machine and method for driving at least one ancillary device of a motor is provided wherein the electrical machine comprises a stator, configured to be rotated, and a rotor, rotatably mounted relative to the stator, coupled to the ancillary device. The speed of the rotor may be a function of the rotational speed of the stator and the frequency of a supply current supplied to the electrical machine and thus drives the ancillary device at a demanded load/speed.
US09729029B2	Interference suppression device An interference suppression device (100) for an electric machine (1), wherein at least a subregion of a spring element (25), together with a region (38) of a section (17; 17a, 17b) which makes contact with a housing element (18), is arranged in a radial gap (40) between a component part (1) and the housing element (18).
US09729028B2	Rotary electric machine having integrated drive control device In a rotary electric machine having an integrated drive control device, a motor housing joined to a mounting housing, which is a cast member, is made of a steel material. Therefore, an outer diameter is reduced and strength for retaining a stator core is satisfactorily ensured even under high-temperature environments.
US09729024B2	Solenoid actuator A solenoid actuator is mountable to a mounting surface of an engine, such that an accommodated portion is inserted into the engine, and an exposed portion is located outside the engine. An operating portion operates when a solenoid actuator portion is energized and de-energized. A main body forms at least a part of an outer shell of the exposed portion. A connector portion is projected from the main body in the exposed portion. The connector portion is connected with a wiring for the solenoid actuator portion. At least one protrusion is projected radially outward from a sidewall of the main body in the exposed portion. The at least one protrusion is located at a position different from the connector portion in a circumferential direction of the sidewall. The at least one protrusion forms a clearance with the mounting surface in an axial direction.
US09729022B2	Electric power steering device An electric power steering device (1) according to the present invention includes: a gearbox; and a driving control unit (4) connected to the gearbox through a mounting-portion contact surface (7). The driving control unit (4) includes an outer-diameter gradually increasing surface (11) formed on one end portion thereof, the outer-diameter gradually increasing surface (11) being connected so that an outer diameter thereof on the mounting-portion contact surface (7) matches with an outer diameter of the gearbox. Thus, it is possible to prevent a liquid from entering inside through the mounting-portion contact surface (7), thereby preventing electrical insulating properties of internal electric components from being lowered.
US09729018B2	Integral optimized flow channels for fluid-cooled motors and generators An electric machine is provided. The electric machine may comprise an inlet and a stator fluidly coupled to the inlet. The stator may comprise a first cooling channel formed in the stator with a first cross-sectional area. A second cooling channel may be formed in the stator and have a second cross-sectional area. The first cross-sectional area may be less than the second cross-sectional area. The electric machine may also include an outlet fluidly coupled to the stator. A stator assembly is also provided. The stator assembly may include a first channel with a first cross-sectional area and a second channel with a second cross-sectional area. The second cross-sectional area may be less than the first cross-sectional area.
US09729010B2	System, method, and apparatus for electric power grid and network management of grid elements Systems, methods, and apparatus embodiments for electric power grid and network registration and management of active grid elements. Grid elements are transformed into active grid elements following initial registration of each grid element with the system, preferably through network-based communication between the grid elements and a coordinator, either in coordination with or outside of an IP-based communications network router. A multiplicity of active grid elements function in the grid for supply capacity, supply and/or load curtailment as supply or capacity. Also preferably, messaging is managed through a network by a Coordinator using IP messaging for communication with the grid elements, with the energy management system (EMS), and with the utilities, market participants, and/or grid operators.
US09729006B2	Power management system A power supply system includes at least one power supply module and at least one redundant power supply module. A power supply module may include a charging resistor in parallel with an OR-ing device to keep all filter capacitors charged as long as at least one power supply module remains operational. This may avoid current spikes at turn on and may enable the redundant module to turn on without using soft start.
US09729005B2	Fluorescent LED lighting device and lighting on/off mode switching method therefor In order to add an emergency light function to a fluorescent LED lighting device, thereby increasing safety during a power outage, this LED lighting device, which can be mounted between a pair of sockets for fluorescent lighting, is equipped with a first power supply circuit, which lights the LED using direct current power obtained by converting/rectifying alternating current power supplied from the sockets, and a second power supply circuit, which lights the LED using an embedded battery. An embedded SW controller detects that a sudden drop in the current value or the voltage value in the lighting device, from a prescribed value Von when the lighting switch is turned on to a value that is essentially zero, occurs within a prescribed time T. When the sudden drop occurs two or more times in the prescribed time (FIG. 5), it is determined that a normal operation of turning off the light has been performed, and the light is turned off, and when the sudden drop occurs only once during the prescribed time (FIG. 6), it is determined that a power outage has occurred, and the LED is lighted as an emergency light using the second power supply circuit.
US09728975B2	Power supply unit that outputs electric power to a load together with another power supply unit According to some embodiments, there is provided a controller that performs communication with a plurality of power supply units each of which outputs electric power to a load. The controller includes a receiving unit, a control information generating unit and a transmitting unit. The receiving unit receives operation information from the power supply units by radio, the operation information being information on electric power output to the load from the power supply units, respectively. The control information generating unit generates control information to control the power supply units based on the operation information. The transmitting unit transmits the control information to the power supply units by radio.
US09728973B2	Power source device A power source apparatus that combines power generated by a photovoltaic system and power generated from another power source by using a power combiner and transmits the combined power to a load side, wherein an output voltage of the photovoltaic system can be changed by changing a cell connection state of a plurality of solar cells of the photovoltaic system, and the highest efficiency of the photovoltaic system can be obtained by adding the output voltage of the photovoltaic system to an output voltage of the another power source.
US09728972B2	Alternative energy bus bar by pass breaker, methods of use and installation The present invention is directed, in part, to electrical components and methods of use associated with such components. In particular, the invention relates to an electrical device and improved method of back feeding energy generated from alternative energy devices such as solar panels, wind turbines, fuel cells, electrical generators and other alternative energy sources, to the utility without the necessity of installing a sub panel or replacing an existing panel, resulting in significant cost savings for the user and increased electrical energy available to the power grid. The invention further discloses installation of a back feed circuit breaker into an existing main panel and main circuit breaker thus, eliminating the need of a home owner to completely reinstall a new electrical system in order to install alternative energy sources such as for example, solar panels and the like.
US09728970B2	Feedforward voltage series compensator based on complementary use of wind power and photovoltaic power A feedforward voltage series compensator based on complimentary use of wind, solar, and electric power comprising a controller, a rectifier unit, an H bridge inverter, a series transformer, a wind-power DC voltage sensor, a wind-power DC current sensor, an AC voltage transducer, a DC boost unit, a PV DC voltage sensor, a PV DC current sensor, and a grid-connected inverter. The compensator makes use of wind-electric and photovoltaic-electric complimentary interactions to solve the traditional energy issue for series compensator, and as the grid-connected inverter is feedforward, there is extra capacity for the series transformer and the series complimentary inverter unit, and hence it enjoys the feedforward and quick voltage complimentary characteristics of the wind and solar power generation.
US09728964B2	Power production monitoring or control The present invention is directed to monitoring or control of power production. A power production monitoring system may include a power production monitoring panel that is also configured to operate a premises control system. The power production monitoring system may include a gateway unit that receives signals from a power production source and sends signals to a power production monitoring panel.
US09728958B2	Current electronic distributing device A current electronic distributing device that can limit maximum output currents of a plurality of input/output (I/O) ports to a first current or a second current. The current electronic distributing device includes a plurality of current detection units, a plurality of current limiting units, a control unit, and a power supply unit. The power supply unit supplies power to the current electronic distributing device. Each of the current detection units respectively detects consumption currents of each of the I/O ports. The control unit calculates a sum of the consumption currents of the plurality of I/O ports, and controls each of the current limiting units to limit the maximum output currents of each of the I/O ports to the first current or the second current according to the sum of the consumption currents of the plurality of I/O ports.
US09728955B2	Zone selective interlocking (ZSI) power distribution operating a ZSI power distribution system Power distribution systems and methods are described. In one example, a method of determining by a first circuit protection device in a zone selective interlocking (ZSI) system whether to output a blocking signal to a second circuit protection device in the ZSI system is described. The method includes detecting, by a current rate of change sensor, a rate of change of a current flowing through the first circuit protection device. A trip unit receives a current rate of change signal from the current rate of change sensor. The current rate of change signal is proportional to the detected rate of change of the current flowing through the first circuit protection device. The trip unit determines whether to output the blocking signal to the second circuit protection device based, at least in part, on the current rate of change signal.
US09728954B2	Protection circuit for robot control device A first current cut-off unit that cuts off a current input from a power-supply-voltage input terminal connected to an AC power source when a current value of the current exceeds a preset threshold, and a second current cut-off unit that cuts off a current output from the first current cut-off unit when a voltage value of a voltage applied from the power-supply-voltage input terminal exceeds a preset threshold are configured. A current cut-off element provided on a current path from the power-supply-voltage input terminal toward a DC output terminal, and a resistor that draws a current having passed through the current cut-off element toward a ground are provided as the first current cut-off unit.
US09728946B1	Cable conduit transitions A cable conduit transition including a longitudinal axis, a lower portion having a semicircular shape around the longitudinal axis and two lower portion terminating ends, an upper portion having a semicircular shape around the longitudinal axis and two upper portion terminating ends, and wherein the two lower portion terminating ends are offset from the two upper portion terminating ends.
US09728940B2	Method for surface treating a substrate and device for carrying out the method The invention relates to a method for surface treating a substrate (28) by means of an electrical corona discharge, wherein aerosols (5) are sprayed into discharge area defined by an active gap formed between a corona electrode and the substrate (28) during the discharging, designed such that the aerosols (5) are sprayed substantially opposite the direction of gravity.
US09728939B2	Igniter An igniter includes a switch element and a switch control apparatus. An ignition signal IGT is input to an input line of the switch control apparatus. A high-frequency filter removes high-frequency noise from the input line. A voltage comparator compares an output voltage VFIL of the high-frequency filter with a reference voltage VREF, so as to generate a judgment signal SDET. A driving stage controls an on/off switching operation of the switch element according to the judgment signal SDET. An off-state dead-time circuit prohibits the switch element from turning off during a predetermined dead time after the judgment signal SDET transits to a negated level that corresponds to the off state of the switch element.
US09728936B2	Method, system and apparatus for hybrid optical and electrical pumping of semiconductor lasers and LEDs for improved reliability at high temperatures A method, system and an apparatus for hybrid optical and electrical pumping of semiconductor lasers and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) improves reliability at high operating temperatures. The semiconductor laser or LED is biased via optical pumping and a relatively small electrical modulation current modulates the laser. At low modulation speeds, the modulation current is substantially lower than that required for biasing the laser or directly modulating it at high speeds. The lifetime of the laser is improved by substantially reducing the operating current, enabling laser lifetimes adequate for operation in many applications, such as deep-hole oil drilling and jet engine control, where operation is not currently possible.
US09728932B2	Fiber coupled modular laser system A fiber coupled modular laser system comprises a laser oscillator, at least one fiber pre-amplifier, and at least one free space solid state power amplifier. The output of the laser oscillator is fiber coupled with the input of the at least one fiber pre-amplifier or the at least one free space solid state power amplifier. The output or the input of the at least one fiber pre-amplifier is fiber coupled with the input or the output of the at least one free space solid state power amplifier.
US09728923B2	Power supply of transformer and light string therewith A power supply of a transformer outputs alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) and contains: a housing and a lid for covering a first end of the housing. An input interface is formed on a second end of the housing, and the lid includes a DC output interface and an AC output interface. A light string contains a power supply of a transformer and a light emitting unit, the power supply outputs alternating currents (AC) and direct currents (DC), and the power supply contains: a housing and a lid for covering a first end of the housing. An input interface is formed on a second end of the housing, the lid includes a DC output interface and an AC output interface, and the DC output interface couples with a DC output connector, and the DC output connector connects with plural bulbs of the light string.
US09728922B2	Electrical adapter, and related switchgear panel An electrical adapter is disclosed for connecting a connection contact of a circuit breaker with an associated contact piece of an electrical circuit along which the circuit breaker has to be inserted, including a hollow tubular element having a first end portion and a second end portion configured to be electrically connected to a connection contact and a contact piece, respectively, an inner cavity of the hollow tubular element having, at the first end portion, a first frusto-conical shape. A first connector having a hollow deformable body and configured to be accommodated inside the first end portion. A locking body configured to be securely placed along the inner cavity of the hollow tubular element. A second connector including a first connection portion configured to be accommodated inside the first end portion of the hollow tubular element.
US09728917B2	High profile USB connector A high profile female USB connector for mounting to a substrate includes a heightened housing that elevates the female USB connector above and away from a surface of a substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB). The female USB connector, which can be a standard, mini, or micro USB type, is contained within the housing with contact pins extending from contacts of the female USB connector through a wall of the housing for connection to the substrate.
US09728915B2	Tapered-fang electronic connector An electronic connector includes a base, and one or more tapered extensions protruding from the base. Each tapered extension includes a nose forming a terminal end of that tapered extension. Each tapered extension further includes first and second connection faces that form respective opposing sides of that tapered extension, and that taper toward each other from the base to the nose. Each tapered extension further includes first and second flank surfaces that form respective opposing sides of that tapered extension, and that taper toward each other from the base to the nose between the first and second connection faces. Each tapered extension further includes a first forward set of plural electrical contacts and a first rearward electrical contact located along the first connection face. Each tapered extension further includes a second forward set of plural electrical contacts and a second rearward electrical contact located along the second connection face.
US09728914B2	Connection device and reception device A connection device includes a rod-shaped electrode, a plurality of cylindrical electrodes through which the rod-shaped electrode passes, the plurality of cylindrical electrodes being sequentially exposed on a surface in order from a front end side of the rod-shaped electrode, an insulation section configured to insulate the rod-shaped electrode and the plurality of cylindrical electrodes from each other, and a plurality of connection terminals electrically connected to the rod-shaped electrode and the plurality of cylindrical electrodes in a vicinity of a rear end of the rod-shaped electrode, the plurality of connection terminals being protruded from a rear side.
US09728901B2	Connector structure A connector structure (C) for connecting a plurality of electric devices accommodated in metal casings (10, 50) and arranged proximate to each other includes a first connector (30) provided in one (10) of the metal casings, a second connector (70) provided in the other (50) of the metal casings and configured to electrically connect the electric devices by being connected to the first connector (30), and a conductive resilient member (90) arranged to be sandwiched between the both metal casings while being electrically conductive to the metal casings (10, 50) and surround connected parts of the first and second connectors (30, 70).
US09728892B2	Housing for an electronic device Disclosed is a housing for an electronic device that includes a rear wall having an interior surface and an exterior surface, a central electrical contact in the rear wall, a first cut-out on the exterior surface of the rear wall exposing a portion of the central electrical contact, a first radial electrical contact in the rear wall, and a second cut-out on the exterior surface of the rear wall exposing a portion of the first radial electrical contact.
US09728891B2	Electrical connector provided with a cable clamping device The invention relates to a cable clamping device, for example for an electrical connector, comprising at least one bushing and a clamping ring. The bushing and the clamping ring both comprise an opening for the passage of a cable. A bushing has a number of bushing portions which, joined together, form a sleeve about the cable. Two flanges bear the bushing portions and are articulated to a casing so as to pivot between an unclamped position of each bushing, in which the cable can be moved, and a clamped position, in which each bushing is kept clamped to the cable by the clamping ring. Locking means keep the clamping ring in the position in which the cable is clamped by the bushing.
US09728887B2	Connector waterproofing structure A connector waterproofing structure watertightly seals a gap between openings of cavities of a pair of housings which accommodate terminals. In the structure, the pair of housings includes annular members formed at each of ends of the openings. The annular members are made of resin, protrude and surround the openings, either one of the annular members is formed into such a shape to be pressed to an inner peripheral surface or an outer peripheral surface of the opposite annular member, when the pair of housings are fitted together, and the inner peripheral surface or the outer peripheral surface are obliquely formed so that the wall thickness of the opposite annular member is gradually increased from the distal end toward the back.
US09728886B2	Coupling part for an electrical conductor A coupling part for an electrical line has an insulator having a receiving side and an oppositely lying plug-in side and throughholes, in which are arranged insulated electrical contact elements relative to each other, to which, in the mounted position, the electrical conductors of the line are connected on the receiving side of the insulator. A surrounding prefabricated housing is mounted over the connecting point of the conductors and contact elements, so that on the one side it stretches up to and over the insulator and on the other side up to and over the line.
US09728880B2	Hotline contacting structure The present invention is intended to provide a contact contacting structure for hot-line connection between contacts configured such that the occurrence of arc discharge between contacts is suppressed by a simple configuration. At least one of contact/separation contact surfaces in a pair opposed to each other at the contact/separation position between a first contact and a second contact is covered with an oxide film. At the time of contact or separation of the first contact and the second contact, the oxide film as an insulator intervenes between the paired contact/separation contact surfaces to decrease energy accumulated between the first contact and the second contact at the instant of contact or separation of the two contacts, thereby suppressing the occurrence of arc discharge.
US09728867B2	Magnetic coupling systems This patent pertains to magnetic coupling systems. One implementation includes magnetic jumper cables, which include magnetic couplers and elongate, insulated, electrically-isolated electric conductors.
US09728865B1	Sealed, solderless, replaceable, electrical connector Described herein is an electrical connector. One embodiment takes the form of an electrical connector that includes a pogo-pin connector having: a pogo-pin-connector longitudinal axis, a first end compressible along the pogo-pin-connector longitudinal axis, and a second end; and a leaf-spring connector having: a leaf-spring-connector longitudinal axis, a first end that is mechanically and electrically connected to the second end of the pogo-pin connector at a junction point, and a second end that comprises a contact portion; wherein when the pogo-pin connector and the leaf-spring connector are connected, (i) the pogo-pin-connector longitudinal axis and the leaf-spring-connector longitudinal axis are substantially parallel and (ii) the contact portion of the leaf-spring connector is configured to exert a force substantially normal to the substantially parallel longitudinal axes.
US09728862B2	Method and apparatus for beamforming A wireless communication system provides an antenna apparatus for the wireless communication system. The antenna apparatus includes a base, a plurality of Yagi-Uda antenna modules disposed in a specific arrangement, a plurality of floating metal modules correspondingly installed in upper portions of the Yagi-Uda antenna modules and selectively connected to a corresponding Yagi-Uda module among the plurality of Yagi-Uda antenna modules, a switching element for selectively switching the floating metal module and the Yagi-Uda antenna module, and a controller for controlling the Yagi-Uda antenna module to comprise a directivity in a desired direction by selectively switching the switching element.
US09728859B2	Antenna and method of manufacturing the antenna A slot array antenna where slots are arrayed in two directions is provided for suppressing occurrence of side lobes. An antenna includes a radiation waveguide part and stubs. The radiation waveguide part has two sheets of metal plates facing each other and outwardly radiates a radio wave from a plurality of slots formed in one of the metal plates. Each stub is arranged for every slot to extend inward of the radiation waveguide part from the face where the slots are formed, and changes a transmission mode of the radio wave within the radiation waveguide part. The slots are narrow and arranged at fixed intervals in both a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction of the slots. The stub is disposed for every slot, on either side of the slot in the lateral direction. Between the adjacent slots, the stubs are disposed on the opposite sides in the lateral direction.
US09728858B2	Electronic devices with hybrid antennas An electronic device may be provided with hybrid planar inverted-F slot antennas and indirectly fed slot antennas. A hybrid antenna may be used to form a dual band wireless local area network antenna. An indirectly fed slot antenna may be use to form a cellular telephone antenna. Antenna slots may be formed in a metal electronic device housing wall. The housing wall may have a planar rear portion and sidewall portions that extend upwards from the planar rear portion. The slots may have one or more bends. A hybrid antenna may have a slot antenna portion and a planar inverted-F antenna portion. The planar inverted-F antenna portion may have a metal resonating element patch that is supported by a support structure. The support structure may be a plastic speaker box containing a speaker driver that is not overlapped by the metal resonating element patch.
US09728856B2	Dual-polarized dual-band broad beamwidth directive patch antenna An antenna architecture with a dual-band patch antenna structure having a broadened low-frequency beamwidth is disclosed. The dual band antenna structure comprises a high frequency patch antenna cavity stacked inline above a low frequency patch antenna cavity. An N-shaped metallic wall surrounds the low frequency patch antenna cavity and broadens the emission radiation beamwidth of the low frequency emission. As such, these dual band antenna structures can emit radiation with a beamwidth of approximately 90 degrees in the low frequency band of 700 MHz to 900 MHz as well as the high frequency band of 1.7 GHz to 2.2 GHz.
US09728853B2	Antenna structure The present disclosure provides an antenna structure, including a feed terminal, an intermediate grounding terminal, a tail grounding terminal, a conductive head section and a conductive intermediate section. The feed terminal is for connecting a feed signal. The intermediate grounding terminal is responsible for conducting to a ground plane via an intermediate impedance during a second operation mode, and ceasing conducting via the intermediate impedance during a first operation mode. The tail grounding terminal is for connecting the ground plane. The head section extends from the feed terminal to the intermediate grounding terminal along a loop. The intermediate section extends from the intermediate grounding terminal to the tail grounding terminal along the loop.
US09728850B2	Communication system node comprising a transformation matrix The present invention relates to a node (1) in a wireless communication system, the node (1) comprising at least one antenna (2) which is arranged to cover a first sector (3) in a first direction (4) and comprises a number (A) of antenna ports (5, 6, 7, 8), which number (A) is at least four. The antenna ports (5, 6, 7, 8) are connected to a transformation matrix (9) which is arranged for transforming the antenna ports (5, 6, 7, 8) to at least a first set (S1) of virtual antenna ports (10, 11) and a second set (S2) of virtual antenna ports (12, 13), each set (S1, S2) comprising a number (B) of virtual antenna ports (10, 11; 12, 13). The present invention also relates to a corresponding method.
US09728841B2	Antenna structure and wireless communication device using the antenna structure An antenna structure includes a metal member, a radiating portion, a coupling portion, and a connecting portion. The metal member is grounded. The coupling portion is spaced apart from the radiating portion. The connecting portion has a first end electronically connected to the coupling portion and a second end electronically connected to the metal member. The radiating portion is configured to deliver current to the coupling portion.
US09728839B2	Housing, electronic device using same, and method for making same A housing includes a substrate having an opening, a plurality of metal sheets and a plurality of reinforcing members, the metal sheets are positioned in the opening, the reinforcing members inlaid in the metal sheets and the substrate. The present invention also provides an electronic device having the housing, and a method of making the housing.
US09728824B2	Rechargeable battery A rechargeable battery, particularly a rechargeable tool battery, includes at least one cell block which has at least one heat dissipation element, which is provided to dissipate heat from the cell block, and a rechargeable battery housing, which has at least one heat radiation element, which is provided at least to radiate the heat dissipated by the heat dissipation element to the surroundings. It is provided that the heat dissipation element and the heat radiation element are formed as components configured separately from each other.
US09728823B2	Battery for a vehicle and method for producing a battery The invention relates to a battery (10) for a vehicle. Said battery comprises a plurality of battery cells (12), which are arranged in a housing (16, 18, 20) of the battery (10), and also a cooling device (22, 24) for dissipating heat from the battery cells (12). A material (32), which takes up a first volume in a basic state and takes up a volume which is greater than the first volume in an expanded state, is introduced between the housing (20) and the cooling device (22, 24). The cooling device (22, 24) is pressed against the battery cells (12) by the material (32) which has changed over to its expanded state. The invention also relates to a method for producing a battery (10) of this kind.
US09728818B2	Battery status detection and storage method and system in medical monitoring Described herein are systems and methods to determine when a new or fresh battery has been replaced in a medical monitoring device and store a record of such battery replacement so that the battery records of the medical monitoring device can be reliably kept over the life of the monitoring device.
US09728817B2	Apparatus and method for in-line charging of a pipeline tool An apparatus for electrically charging a rechargeable power source of a pipeline tool while the tool is located within a pipeline comprises a power module including a charging power source, an insertion module including an insertion mechanism having a charging plug for mating with a charging socket of the pipeline tool and a drive assembly operable to extend and retract the charging plug, and a power line electrically connecting the charging power source to the charging plug. The charging power source, power line, and charging plug may be enclosed by a pressure barrier and brought into pressure equalization with the pipeline, wherein the power line does not cross the barrier. The charging power source may include batteries or a generator. If a generator is employed and a pressure barrier must be maintained, a magnetic coupling may be used to transmit kinetic energy across the barrier for input to the generator.
US09728809B2	Nonaqueous electrolyte battery, battery pack and vehicle A nonaqueous electrolyte battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The negative electrode contains a titanium-containing oxide. The nonaqueous electrolyte contains a compound having a functional group represented by the formula (1) below and a sultone having an unsaturated hydrocarbon group.[Chem.]
US09728803B2	Redox flow battery system including an anode electrode having a subsurface alloy A hydrogen/bromine reduction-oxidation flow battery system includes a bromine electrode, a hydrogen electrode, a membrane, a first catalyst, and a second catalyst. The membrane is positioned between the bromine electrode and the hydrogen electrode. The first catalyst is associated with the bromine electrode. The second catalyst is associated with the hydrogen electrode and at least partially formed from a subsurface alloy configured (i) to promote facile dissociation of H2, and (ii) to prevent bromide from adsorbing onto the hydrogen electrode.
US09728800B2	Stable proton exchange membranes and membrane electrode assemblies A proton exchange membrane and a membrane electrode assembly for an electrochemical cell such as a fuel cell are provided. A catalytically active component is disposed within the membrane electrode assembly. The catalytically active component comprises particles containing a metal oxide such as silica, metal or metalloid ions such as ions that include boron, and a catalyst. A process for increasing peroxide radical resistance in a membrane electrode is also provided that includes the introduction of the catalytically active component described into a membrane electrode assembly.
US09728798B2	Fuel cell system and control method for the same A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack having a membrane electrode assembly and an internal reactant gas passage, a unit that detects or estimates an actual retained water quantity (R.W.Q.), and a power generation control unit having a normal-time mode, a normal-time drying mode and a stop-time drying mode. In the normal-time drying mode, the fuel cell stack is caused to generate electric power while being dried more than in the normal-time mode until the actual R.W.Q. is decreased to a target R.W.Q. In the stop-time drying mode, when the actual R.W.Q. is equal to or more than a flooding threshold at a time of detection of a system stop instruction, the fuel cell stack is caused to generate electric power while being dried more than in the normal-time drying mode until the actual R.W.Q. is decreased to a target R.W.Q.
US09728778B2	Negative electrode active material containing a titanium oxide compound having a crystal structure of monoclinic system titanium dioxide A negative electrode active material according to one embodiment includes a titanium oxide compound having a crystal structure of monoclinic system titanium dioxide. The titanium oxide compound is modified by at least one kind of ion selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal cation, an alkali earth metal cation, a transition metal cation, a sulfide ion, a sulfuric acid ion and a chloride ion.
US09728776B2	Germanium-containing lithium-ion devices Lithium ion devices that include an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte are provided. The anode having an active material including germanium nano-particles, boron carbide nano-particles and tungsten carbide nano-particles, wherein the weight percentage of the germanium is between 5 to 80 weight % of the total weight of the anode material, the weight percentage of boron in the anode material is between 2 to 20 weight % of the total weight of the anode material and the weight percentage of tungsten in the anode material is between 5 to 20 weight % of the total weight of the anode materials.
US09728763B2	Current interruption device and electric storage device A current interruption device disclosed in the present specification includes: a first conductive member and a second conductive member that are facing each other; an insulating seal member disposed therebetween; and an insulating cover accommodating the first conductive member, the second conductive member, and the seal member. The seal member separates a space between the first and second conductive members into an inner space and an outer space which communicates with the space within the casing. In a plan view, the seal member is positioned in an entire area outside of contact portions of the seal member with the first and second conductive members within a range where the first and second conductive members are facing each other. The cover is disposed along outer circumferential edges of the first and second conductive members, and the seal member is in contact with the cover.
US09728756B2	Multi-region battery separators Disclosed is a battery separator, comprising two fiber regions comprising glass fibers, and a middle fiber region disposed between them comprising larger average diameter fibers and specified amounts of silica, or fine fibers, or both; and processes for making the separator. Also disclosed is a battery separator, comprising a fiber region and either one or two silica-containing region(s) adjacent thereto, each of the regions containing a specified amount of silica; and processes for making the separator. Such separators are useful, e.g., in lead-acid batteries.
US09728753B2	Cell module A cell module includes a battery pack in which a plurality of electrical cells are arranged; and a bottom plate member that supports the battery pack. The bottom plate member includes an ejector for ejecting a liquid on the bottom plate member in a direction intersecting in an arrangement direction of the electrical cells and in an extending direction of the bottom plate member.
US09728719B2	Leakage resistant RRAM/MIM structure An integrated circuit device includes a resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell or a MIM capacitor cell having a dielectric layer, a top conductive layer, and a bottom conductive layer. The dielectric layer includes a peripheral region adjacent an edge of the dielectric layer and a central region surrounded by the peripheral region. The top conductive layer abuts and is above dielectric layer. The bottom conductive layer abuts and is below the dielectric layer in the central region, but does not abut the dielectric layer the peripheral region of the cell. Abutment can be prevented by either an additional dielectric layer between the bottom conductive layer and the dielectric layer that is exclusively in the peripheral region or by cutting of the bottom electrode layer short of the peripheral region. Damage or contamination at the edge of the dielectric layer does not result in leakage currents.
US09728718B2	Magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device array A semiconductor device includes a first magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device, a second MTJ device, and a top electrode. The first MTJ device includes a barrier layer. The second MTJ device includes the barrier layer. The top electrode is coupled to the first MTJ device and the second MTJ device.
US09728709B2	Piezoelectric element, piezoelectric actuator device, liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting apparatus, and ultrasonic wave measurement apparatus A piezoelectric element in which a first electrode, a piezoelectric body layer comprised of a composite oxide having a perovskite structure that includes at least Pb, Nb and Ti, and a second electrode are sequentially laminated on a substrate, in which a crystal that configures the piezoelectric body layer has a tetragonal structure, and the crystal is {100} oriented to the substrate, and in which a region having a (100) plane and a region having a (001) plane that are perpendicular with respect to a direction of lamination, are mixed inside a lattice of the crystal.
US09728706B2	Method for producing a multilayer element A method for producing a ceramic multilayer element is disclosed. In an embodiment the method includes forming a plurality of multilayer segments in a green state, wherein each multilayer segment is formed by pressing together a plurality of ceramic layers in the green state and pressing together the multilayer segments in the green state to form a multilayer element that is in the green state. The method further includes sintering the multilayer element that is in the green state to form a ceramic multilayer element that includes the ceramic layers and electrode layers arranged one on top of another, wherein at least one or more of a temperature at which the multilayer segments are pressed together, a pressing force applied during the pressing of the multilayer segments, and/or a duration of the pressing of the multilayer segments are adjusted.
US09728703B1	Optically and thermally responsive nanohybrid materials Apparatus and methods of generating electricity include using an optically and thermally responsive material comprising single-walled Carbon nanotubes and Copper sulfide nanoparticles. This material acts as a thermoelectric generator lacking rectifying effects. In some forms, the generator may generate electricity from a light source alone, a heat source alone, or a source of both light and heat. Some forms exhibit enhanced optical and thermal switching characteristics, light absorption, photocurrent and thermocurrent generation under light illumination or/and thermal radiation, providing a new route to obtain thermoelectricity without any cooling or heat-sink component. Moreover, measurements showed thin films of SWNT CuS NPs had significantly increased light absorption (up to 80%) compared to untreated SWNT thin films.
US09728701B2	Thermoelectric generation apparatus A thermoelectric generation apparatus includes a heat absorbing surface configured to absorb heat from an internal combustion engine, a heat generating surface bonded to the heat absorbing surface by a semiconductor and configured to discharge the heat to the outside, and a conductive converting part interposed between the heat absorbing surface and the internal combustion engine. The conductive converting part is configured to allow the heat to be conducted from the internal combustion engine to the heat absorbing surface when a temperature of the internal combustion engine is equal to or greater than a specific value.
US09728696B2	Vertical solid-state transducers and high voltage solid-state transducers having buried contacts and associated systems and methods Solid-state transducers (“SSTs”) and vertical high voltage SSTs having buried contacts are disclosed herein. An SST die in accordance with a particular embodiment can include a transducer structure having a first semiconductor material at a first side of the transducer structure, and a second semiconductor material at a second side of the transducer structure. The SST can further include a plurality of first contacts at the first side and electrically coupled to the first semiconductor material, and a plurality of second contacts extending from the first side to the second semiconductor material and electrically coupled to the second semiconductor material. An interconnect can be formed between at least one first contact and one second contact. The interconnects can be covered with a plurality of package materials.
US09728680B2	Optoelectronic device comprising microwires or nanowires An optoelectronic device comprises microwires or nanowires, each of which comprises an alternation of passivated portions and of active portions, the active portions being surrounded with an active layer, where the active layers do not extend on the passivated portions.
US09728670B2	Light-emitting diode and manufacturing method therefor Disclosed is a light-emitting diode with an n-type graded buffer layer and a manufacturing method therefor. An epitaxial structure of a light-emitting diode comprises: a growth substrate; an n-type graded buffer layer located on the growth substrate; an n-type limiting layer (231) located on the n-type graded buffer layer; an active layer (232) located on the n-type limiting layer (231); and a p-type limiting layer (233) located on the active layer (232). A buffer layer is converted into an n-type graded buffer layer by means of an ion implantation method, and is applied to a light-emitting diode chip of a vertical structure while ensuring that a high-quality epitaxial structure is obtained, thereby being able to effectively reduce the contact resistance.
US09728669B2	Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same A method of manufacturing solar cell includes providing a semiconductor substrate. A coating layer is then formed on a plurality of sides. Subsequently, an anti-reflective layer is formed on the layer. Finally at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode are formed. The first and second electrodes respectively and electrically connect to the second conductive amorphous substrate and the semiconductor substrate. The potential induced degradation is greatly reduced.
US09728667B1	Solid state photomultiplier using buried P-N junction A device that detects single optical and radiation events and that provides improved blue detection efficiency and lower dark currents than prior silicon SSPM devices. The sensing element of the devices is a photodiode that may be used to provide single photon detection through the process of generating a self-sustained avalanche. The type of diode is called a Geiger photodiode or signal photon-counting avalanche diode. A CMOS photodiode can be fabricated using a “buried” doping layer for the P-N junction, where the high doping concentration and P-N junction is deep beneath the surface, and the doping concentration at the surface of the diode may be low. The use of a buried layer with a high doping concentration compared to the near surface layer of the primary P-N junction allows for the electric field of the depletion region to extend up near the surface of the diode. With a low doping concentration through the bulk of the diode, the induced bulk defects are limited, which may reduce the dark current. The resulting structure provides a diode with improved quantum efficiency and dark current.
US09728660B2	Optically-triggered linear or avalanche solid state switch for high power applications The present invention relates to a solid state switch that may be used as in optically-triggered switch in a variety of applications. In particular, the switch may allow for the reduction of gigawatt systems to approximately shoebox-size dimension. The optically-triggered switches may be included in laser triggered systems or antenna systems.
US09728657B2	Photodetector Provided is a photodetector including a substrate, a first doped region on the substrate, a second doped region having a ring structure, wherein the second doped region is provided in the substrate, surrounds the first doped region and is horizontally spaced apart from a side of the first doped region, an optical absorption layer on the first doped region, a contact layer on the optical absorption layer, a first electrode on the contact layer, and a second electrode on the second doped region.
US09728655B2	Termination structure for gallium nitride schottky diode A termination structure for a nitride-based Schottky diode includes a guard ring formed by an epitaxially grown P-type nitride-based compound semiconductor layer and dielectric field plates formed on the guard ring. The termination structure is formed at the edge of the anode electrode of the Schottky diode and has the effect of reducing electric field crowding at the anode electrode edge, especially when the Schottky diode is reverse biased. In one embodiment, the P-type epitaxial layer includes a step recess to further enhance the field spreading effect of the termination structure.
US09728652B2	Sensor device and method A sensor device includes a semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip has a sensing region sensitive to mechanical loading. A pillar is mechanically coupled to the sensing region.
US09728642B2	Retaining strain in finFET devices A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprises patterning a strained fin from a strained layer of semiconductor material arranged on a substrate, depositing a first layer of semiconductor material on the fin and exposed portions of the substrate, patterning and etching to remove a portion of the first layer of semiconductor material and a portion of the fin to expose a portion of the substrate, depositing a second layer of semiconductor material on exposed portions of the substrate and the first layer of semiconductor material, and patterning and etching to remove a portion of the second layer of semiconductor material layer and the first layer of semiconductor material to define a dummy gate stack, the dummy gate stack is operative to substantially maintain the strain in the strained fin.
US09728641B2	Semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof A method of fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes forming an isolation feature in a substrate, forming a first gate stack and a second gate stack over the substrate, forming a first recess cavity and a second recess cavity in the substrate, growing a first epitaxial (epi) material in the first recess cavity and a second epi material in the second recess cavity, and etching the first epi material and the second epi material. The first recess cavity is between the isolation feature and the first gate stack and the second recess cavity is between the first gate stack and the second gate stack. A topmost surface of the first epi material has a first crystal plane and a topmost surface of the second epi material has a second crystal plane. The topmost surface of the etched first epi material has a third crystal plane different from both the first crystal plane and the second crystal plane.
US09728640B2	Hybrid substrate engineering in CMOS finFET integration for mobility improvement A method for forming a hybrid complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device includes orienting a semiconductor layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate with a base substrate of the SOI, exposing the base substrate in an N-well region by etching through a mask layer, a dielectric layer, the semiconductor layer and a buried dielectric to form a trench and forming spacers on sidewalls of the trench. The base substrate is epitaxially grown from a bottom of the trench to form an extended region. A fin material is epitaxially grown from the extended region within the trench. The mask layer and the dielectric layer are restored over the trench. P-type field-effect transistor (PFET) fins are etched on the base substrate, and N-type field-effect transistor (NFET) fins are etched in the semiconductor layer.
US09728637B2	Mechanism for forming semiconductor device with gate Embodiments of mechanisms for forming a semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and an isolation structure in the semiconductor substrate and surrounding an active region of the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device also includes a gate over the semiconductor substrate, and the gate has an intermediate portion over the active region and two end portions connected to the intermediate portion, and the end portions are over the isolation structure. The semiconductor device further includes a support film over the isolation structure and covering the isolation structure and at least one of the end portions of the gate. The support film exposes the active region and the intermediate portion of the gate.
US09728627B2	Method for forming a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device A method for forming a semiconductor device comprises implanting a defined dose of protons into a semiconductor substrate and tempering the semiconductor substrate according to a defined temperature profile. At least one of the defined dose of protons and the defined temperature profile is selected depending on a carbon-related parameter indicating information on a carbon concentration within at least a part of the semiconductor substrate.
US09728624B2	Semiconductor testing devices A method for fabricating a test structure on a wafer includes forming a fin on a substrate, forming a first gate stack over the fin, the first gate stack having a first gate width, the first gate stack including a gate dielectric layer having a first thickness, forming a second gate stack over the fin, the second gate stack having a second gate width, the second gate stack including a gate dielectric layer having a second thickness, and forming a third gate stack over the fin, the third gate stack having a third gate width, the third gate stack including a gate dielectric layer having the second thickness, wherein the first gate stack is arranged a first distance from the second gate stack and the second gate stack is arranged the first distance from the third gate stack.
US09728620B2	Semiconductor device having metal gate structure and fabrication method thereof The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device including a metal gate structure and formation method thereof. The semiconductor device includes a substrate and a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate. The dielectric layer includes a trench. A diffusion barrier layer is disposed over a bottom surface and sidewall surfaces of the trench in the dielectric layer. The diffusion barrier layer includes at least a titanium-nitride stacked layer. The titanium-nitride stacked layer includes a TiNx layer disposed over the bottom surface and the sidewall surfaces of the trench, a TiN layer on the TiNx layer, and a TiNy layer on the TiN layer, x<1 and y>1. A metal gate is filled in the trench and disposed on the diffusion barrier layer.
US09728617B2	Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a main surface and a gate electrode which is within a trench between neighboring semiconductor mesas. The gate electrode is electrically insulated from the neighboring semiconductor mesas by respective dielectric layers. A respective pillar on each of the neighboring semiconductor mesas is formed, leaving an opening between the pillars above the trench. Dielectric contact spacers are formed in the opening along respective pillar side walls to narrow the opening above the gate electrode. A conductor is formed, having an interface with the gate electrode. The interface extends along an extension of the gate electrode, and the conductor has a conductivity greater than the conductivity of the gate electrode.
US09728615B2	Fin shape contacts and methods for forming fin shape contacts Semiconductor devices and methods for forming the devices with fin contacts. One method includes, for instance: obtaining a wafer with at least one isolation region; forming at least one fin on the wafer; forming at least one sacrificial contact; forming at least one sacrificial gate; etching to recess the at least one fin; growing an epitaxial material over the at least one fin; performing replacement metal gate to the at least one sacrificial gate; depositing an interlayer dielectric layer; and forming at least one fin contact. An intermediate semiconductor device is also disclosed.
US09728613B2	High electron mobility transistor structure A transistor includes a first layer over a substrate. The transistor also includes a second layer over the first layer. The transistor further includes a carrier channel layer at an interface of the first layer and the second layer. The transistor additionally includes a gate structure, a drain, and a source over the second layer. The transistor also includes a passivation material in the second layer between an edge of the gate structure and an edge of the drain in a top-side view. The carrier channel layer has a smaller surface area than the first layer between the edge of the gate structure and the edge of the drain in the top-side view.
US09728612B2	Silicon carbide substrate, semiconductor device and methods for manufacturing them A silicon carbide substrate capable of reducing on-resistance and improving yield of semiconductor devices is made of single-crystal silicon carbide, and sulfur atoms are present in one main surface at a ratio of not less than 60×1010 atoms/cm2 and not more than 2000×1010 atoms/cm2, and oxygen atoms are present in the one main surface at a ratio of not less than 3 at % and not more than 30 at %.
US09728609B2	Layered substrate with a miscut angle comprising a silicon single crystal substrate and a group-III nitride single crystal layer A step-flow growth of a group-III nitride single crystal on a silicon single crystal substrate is promoted. A layer of oxide oriented to a <111> axis of silicon single crystal is formed on a surface of a silicon single crystal substrate, and group-III nitride single crystal is crystallized on a surface of the layer of oxide. Thereupon, a <0001> axis of the group-III nitride single crystal undergoing crystal growth is oriented to a c-axis of the oxide. When the silicon single crystal substrate is provided with a miscut angle, step-flow growth of the group-III nitride single crystal occurs. By deoxidizing a silicon oxide layer formed at an interface of the silicon single crystal and the oxide, orientation of the oxide is improved.
US09728607B2	Silicon carbide semiconductor device and method for manufacturing silicon carbide semiconductor device A silicon carbide substrate having a gate insulating film provided in contact with a first main surface, having a gate electrode provided in contact with the gate insulating film, and having a source region exposed from first main surface is prepared. A first recess having a first inner wall surface is formed in an interlayer insulating film by performing a first isotropic etching with respect to the interlayer insulating film with use of a mask layer. A second recess having a second inner wall surface is formed by performing a first anisotropic etching with respect to the interlayer insulating film and the gate insulating film with use of the mask layer and thereby exposing the source region from gate insulating film. An interconnection is formed which is arranged in contact with the first inner wall surface and the second inner wall surface and electrically connected to a source electrode.
US09728606B2	Silicon carbide semiconductor element and fabrication method thereof In a fabrication method of a silicon carbide semiconductor element including a drift layer playing a role of retaining a high withstand voltage on a front side of a semiconductor substrate of silicon carbide and including an ohmic electrode on a backside, dicing is added to form at least one dicing line in an element active region on a surface of the semiconductor substrate on a side opposite of the drift layer before forming the ohmic electrode on the backside of the semiconductor substrate. Thus, a silicon carbide semiconductor element and fabrication method thereof is provided such that even if the semiconductor substrate is made thinner to reduce the on-resistance, the strength of the substrate can be maintained and cracking of the wafer during wafer processing can be reduced.
US09728604B2	Semiconductor devices Semiconductor devices may include a diffusion prevention insulation pattern, a plurality of conductive patterns, a barrier layer, and an insulating interlayer. The diffusion prevention insulation pattern may be formed on a substrate, and may include a plurality of protrusions protruding upwardly therefrom. Each of the conductive patterns may be formed on each of the protrusions of the diffusion prevention insulation pattern, and may have a sidewall inclined by an angle in a range of about 80 degrees to about 135 degrees to a top surface of the substrate. The barrier layer may cover a top surface and the sidewall of each if the conductive patterns. The insulating interlayer may be formed on the diffusion prevention insulation pattern and the barrier layer, and may have an air gap between neighboring ones of the conductive patterns.
US09728603B2	Bipolar junction transistors with double-tapered emitter fingers Device structures for a bipolar junction transistor and methods of fabricating a device structure for a bipolar junction transistor. A base layer comprised of a first semiconductor material is formed. An emitter layer comprised of a second semiconductor material is formed on the base layer. The emitter layer is patterned to form an emitter finger having a length and a width that changes along the length of the emitter finger.
US09728593B2	Organic light emitting display device An organic light emitting display device includes: a curved organic light emitting display panel. The organic light emitting display panel includes a flexible substrate, a thin film transistor layer including a semiconductor layer, and an organic light emission layer including an organic light emitting material. In the curved organic light emitting display panel, the thin film transistor layer receives a compressive stress, or a neutral plane in which the compressive stress and a tensile stress maintain equilibrium is defined in the thin film transistor layer.
US09728589B2	Imaging device comprising light-emitting element and light-receiving element Objects are to provide a small imaging device that can take an image of a thick book without distortion of an image of a gutter and to improve the portability of an imaging device by downsizing the imaging device. The imaging device has imaging planes on both surfaces. All elements included in the imaging device are preferably provided over one substrate. In other words, the imaging device has a first imaging plane and a second imaging plane facing opposite to the first imaging plane.
US09728574B2	CMOS image sensor with shared sensing node A CMOS image sensor has a pixel array provided with a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a matrix shape of rows and columns. Each of the unit pixels includes a photocharge generation means for generating photocharges by absorbing an external light; and a sensing node for receiving the photocharges transferred from the photocharge generation means, wherein the sensing node of the unit pixel in a previous scan line is shared with a sensing node of a unit pixel in a current scan line in response to a line select signal of the current line.
US09728571B2	Solid-state imaging device and method of manufacturing the same, and imaging apparatus A solid-state imaging device includes: a semiconductor substrate provided with an effective pixel region including a light receiving section that photoelectrically converts incident light; an interconnection layer that is provided at a plane side opposite to the light receiving plane of the semiconductor substrate; a first groove portion that is provided between adjacent light receiving sections and is formed at a predetermined depth from the light receiving plane side of the semiconductor substrate; and an insulating material that is embedded in at least a part of the first groove portion.
US09728569B2	Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device, an electronic apparatus, and a manufacturing method that are designed to further increase conversion efficiency. A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel in which element separation is realized by a first trench element separation region having a trench structure in a region between an FD unit and an amplifying transistor among element separation elements separating the elements constituting the pixel from one another, and a second trench element separation region having a trench structure in a region other than the region between the FD unit and the amplifying transistor among the element separation regions separating the elements constituting the pixel from one another, and the first trench element separation region is deeper than the second trench element separation region. The present technology can be applied to CMOS image sensors, for example.
US09728565B2	Low full-well capacity image sensor with high sensitivity Image sensor pixels having low full-well capacity and high sensitivity for applications such as DIS, qDIS, single/multi bit QIS. Some embodiments provide an image sensor pixel architecture, comprises a transfer gate, a floating diffusion region both formed on a first surface of a semiconductor substrate and a buried-well vertically pinned photodiode having a charge accumulation/storage region disposed substantially or entirely beneath the transfer gate. Image sensor may also comprise an array of pixels, wherein each pixel comprises: a vertical bipolar structure including an emitter, base, collector configured for storing photocarriers in the base; and a reset transistor coupled to the base, configured to be completely reset of all free carriers using the reset transistor. The emitter may be configured as a pinning layer to facilitate full depletion of the base. Such image sensor pixels may have a full well capacity less than that giving good signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
US09728563B2	Combinatorial masking A method of combinatorial masking employs a combinatorial etch mask that includes a top layer of a stack of material layers and a secondary mask on the top layer to etch other material layers of the stack. The method includes patterning a first layer at a top of the stack of material layers, and providing the secondary mask on top of the patterned first layer. The method further includes etching other material layers of the stack including a second layer below the first layer with the combinatorial mask and then etching the first layer along with the other material layers of the stack excluding the second layer using the secondary mask as an etch mask.
US09728561B1	Pixel structure for an electronic display A method for fabricating a stacked thin film transistor (TFT) structure comprises: forming at least two TFTs on a substrate of a display device; at least partially covering the at least two TFTs with an insulating layer; forming a common electrode on the insulating layer and the at least two TFTs; covering, at least partially, the common electrode with a dielectric material, wherein the insulating layer, the common electrode, and the dielectric material each include a contact hole; filling, at least partially, the contact hole with a conductive material; and depositing the conductive material over the dielectric material to form a pixel electrode.
US09728559B2	Device, manufacturing method thereof, and electronic device A wiring having excellent electrical characteristics is provided. A wiring having stable electrical characteristics is provided. A device is manufactured through the steps of forming a first insulating film over a substrate, forming a second insulating film over the first insulating film, removing part of the first insulating film and part of the second insulating film to form a first opening, forming a first conductor in the first opening and over a top surface of the second insulating film, and forming a second conductor by planarizing a surface of the first conductor so as to remove part of the first conductor.
US09728552B1	Semiconductor memory device having voids between word lines and a source line According to an embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes first and second stacked bodies, first and second memory parts, and an insulating part. The first stacked body includes first conductive layers and first insulating layers alternately arranged in a first direction. The second stacked body includes second conductive layers and second insulating layers alternately arranged in the first direction. The first and second memory parts extend through the first and second stacked body in the first direction, respectively. The insulating part is provided between the first and second stacked bodies. The insulating part includes a first oxygen-containing film including silicon and oxygen, and a nitrogen-containing film including silicon and nitrogen. The first oxygen-containing film is provided between at least one of first conductive layers and the nitrogen-containing film. The first oxygen-containing film has a hole.
US09728548B2	Vertical memory blocks and related devices and methods Vertical memory blocks for semiconductor devices include a memory cell region including an array of memory cell pillars and at least one via region including a dielectric stack of alternating dielectric materials and at least one conductive via extending through the dielectric stack. Semiconductor devices including a vertical memory block include at least one vertical memory block, which includes slots extending between adjacent memory cells of a three-dimensional array. The slots are separated by a first distance in a first portion of the block, and by a second, greater distance in a second portion of the block. Methods of forming vertical memory blocks include forming slots separated by a first distance in a memory array region and by a second, greater distance in a via region. At least one conductive via is formed through a stack of alternating first and second dielectric materials in the via region.
US09728545B2	Method for preventing floating gate variation A method for manufacturing an embedded flash memory device is provided. Memory and logic shallow trench isolation (STI) regions respectively extend into memory and logic regions of a substrate. The memory and logic STI regions have upper surfaces approximately coplanar with an upper surface of a pad layer overlying the substrate. A capping layer is formed overlying the logic region. A first etch is performed into the pad layer to expose memory gaps between the memory STI regions. A floating gate layer is formed filling the memory gaps. A second, dry etch is performed into the floating gate layer to etch the floating gate layer back to below upper surfaces of the capping layer and the memory STI regions. A third etch is performed into the memory STI regions to recess the memory STI regions. A fourth etch is performed into the floating gate layer to form floating gates.
US09728544B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include forming split gate structures including a floating gate electrode layer and a control gate electrode layer in a cell region of a substrate including the cell region and a logic region adjacent to the cell region. The method may include sequentially forming a first gate insulating film and a metal gate film in the logic region and the cell region, removing the metal gate film from at least a portion of the cell region and the logic region, forming a second gate insulating film on the first gate insulating film from which the metal gate film has been removed, forming a gate electrode film on the logic region and the cell region, and forming a plurality of memory cell elements disposed in the cell region and a plurality of circuit elements disposed in the logic region.
US09728538B2	Three-dimensional devices having reduced contact length Various embodiments comprise apparatuses and methods including a memory array having alternating levels of semiconductor materials and dielectric material with strings of memory cells formed on the alternating levels. One such apparatus includes a memory array formed substantially within a cavity of a substrate. Peripheral circuitry can be formed adjacent to a surface of the substrate and adjacent to the memory array. Additional apparatuses and methods are described.
US09728529B2	Semiconductor device with electrostatic discharge protection structure A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor body having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The semiconductor device further includes a first isolation layer on the first surface of the semiconductor body and a first electrostatic discharge protection structure on the first isolation layer. The first electrostatic discharge protection structure has a first terminal and a second terminal. A second isolation layer is provided on the electrostatic discharge protection structure. A gate contact area on the second isolation layer is electrically coupled to the first terminal of the first electrostatic discharge protection structure. An electric contact structure is arranged in an overlap area between the gate contact area and the semiconductor body. The electric contact structure is electrically coupled to the second terminal of the first electrostatic discharge protection structure and electrically isolated from the gate contact area.
US09728527B2	Multiple bond via arrays of different wire heights on a same substrate An apparatus relating generally to a substrate is disclosed. In such an apparatus, a first bond via array has first wires extending from a surface of the substrate. A second bond via array has second wires extending from the surface of the substrate. The first bond via array is disposed at least partially within the second bond via array. The first wires of the first bond via array are of a first height. The second wires of the second bond via array are of a second height greater than the first height for coupling of at least one die to the first bond via array at least partially disposed within the second bond via array.
US09728526B2	Packaging of high performance system topology for NAND memory systems A topology for memory circuits of a non-volatile memory system reduces capacitive loading. For a given channel, a single memory chip can be connected to the controller, but is in turn connected to multiple other memory devices that fan out in a tree-like structure, which can also fan back in to a single memory device. In addition to the usual circuitry, such as a memory arrays and associated peripheral circuitry, the memory chip also includes a flip-flop circuit and can function in several modes. The modes include a pass-through mode, where the main portions of the memory circuit are inactive and commands and data are passed through to other devices in the tree structure, and an active mode, where the main portions of the memory circuit are active and can receive and supply data. Reverse active and reverse pass-through modes, where data flows in the other direction, can also be used. The pads of the memory chip can be configurable to swap input and output pads to more efficiently form the memory chips into a package.
US09728516B2	Electric apparatus including electric patterns for suppressing solder bridges An electric apparatus may include a plurality of electric patterns arranged on a substrate. Each of the electric patterns may include a pad for connection with a solder ball, an electrical trace laterally extending from a portion of the pad to allow an electrical signal to be transmitted from or to the pad, a first dummy trace laterally extending from other portion of the pad, and a first connection line connecting the first dummy trace to the electrical trace. The first dummy trace may be provided at a position deviated from a straight line connecting the pad to the electrical trace.
US09728512B2	Electro static discharge clamping device Electrostatic discharge clamp devices are described. In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a first transistor, the first transistor including a first source/drain and a second source/drain, the first source/drain coupled to a first potential node, the second source/drain coupled to a second potential node. The device further includes a OR logic block, a first input of the OR logic block coupled to the first potential node through a capacitor, the first input of the OR logic block being coupled to the second potential node through a resistor, and a second input of the OR logic block coupled to a substrate pickup node of the first transistor.
US09728511B2	Semiconductor wafer and semiconductor die A semiconductor wafer includes a substrate, an integrated circuit and a die seal ring structure. The substrate is with a die region, a die seal ring region surrounding the die region and a scribe line region surrounding the die seal ring region. The substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and periodic recesses within the first surface of the die seal ring region, the scribe line region or both the die seal ring region and the scribe line region. The integrated circuit is located on the first surface and the second surface of the die region. The die seal ring structure is located on the second surface of the die seal ring region. A semiconductor die is also provided.
US09728508B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacture A device comprising a semiconductor device, a conductive via laterally separated from the semiconductor, an encapsulant between the semiconductor device and the conductive via, and a mark. The mark is formed from characters that are either cross-free characters or else have a overlap count of less than two. In another embodiment the mark is formed using a wobble scan methodology. By forming marks as described, defects from the marking process may be reduced or eliminated.
US09728507B2	Cap chip and reroute layer for stacked microelectronic module A cap chip or high density reroute layer for use in a stacked microelectronic module. A first set of electrically conductive reroute layers are defined on a sacrificial substrate. One or more stud bump columns are defined on an exposed conducive pad on a conductive reroute layer. One or more active or passive electronic elements, or both may be electrically coupled to one or more exposed conductive pads. The layer is encapsulated in an encapsulant and the stud bump columns exposed by removing a portion of the encapsulant. A second set of electrically conductive reroute layers is defined on the layer and electrically coupled to the stud bumps. The sacrificial substrate is removed to provide a cap chip or reroute layer.
US09728503B2	Via pre-fill on back-end-of-the-line interconnect layer In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a conductive interconnect layer. The conductive interconnect layer has a dielectric layer disposed over a substrate. An opening with an upper portion above a horizontal plane and a lower portion below the horizontal plane extends downwardly through the dielectric layer. A first conductive layer fills the lower portion of the opening. An upper barrier layer is disposed over the first conductive layer covering bottom and sidewall surfaces of the upper portion of the opening. A second conductive layer is disposed over the upper barrier layer filling the upper portion of the opening.
US09728496B2	Packaged semiconductor devices and packaging devices and methods Packaged semiconductor devices and packaging devices and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of packaging a semiconductor device includes providing a first integrated circuit die that is coupled to a first surface of a substrate that includes through-substrate vias (TSVs) disposed therein. A conductive ball is coupled to each of the TSVs on a second surface of the substrate that is opposite the first surface of the substrate. A second integrated circuit die is coupled to the second surface of the substrate, and a molding compound is formed over the conductive balls, the second integrated circuit die, and the second surface of the substrate. The molding compound is removed from over a top surface of the conductive balls, and the top surface of the conductive balls is recessed. A redistribution layer (RDL) is formed over the top surface of the conductive balls and the molding compound.
US09728492B1	Strip testing of semiconductor devices A strip of semiconductor devices includes a plurality of leadframes electrically isolated from each other, a plurality of semiconductor chips, and an encapsulation material. Each leadframe has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. At least one semiconductor chip of the plurality of semiconductor chips is electrically coupled to the first surface of each leadframe. The encapsulation material encapsulates each semiconductor chip and at least portions of each leadframe.
US09728477B2	Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having scribe lines The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes receiving a substrate. The substrate comprises at least one chip region and at least one scribe line next to the chip region, and each chip region comprises an active region. The method further includes disposing a buffer layer at least covering the scribe line, disposing a dielectric layer including an opening over each chip region, and disposing a bump material to the opening of the dielectric layer and electrically connecting to the active region. The method further includes forming a mold over the substrate, covering the buffer layer and cutting the substrate along the scribe line. Furthermore, the buffer layer includes an elastic modulus less than that of the mold, or the buffer layer includes a coefficient of thermal expansion less than that of the mold.
US09728467B2	Method for modulating work function of semiconductor device having metal gate structure by gas treatment A method for modulating a work function of a semiconductor device having a metal gate structure including the following steps is provided. A first stacked gate structure and a second stacked gate structure having an identical structure are provided on a substrate. The first stacked gate structure and the second stacked gate structure respectively include a first work function metal layer of a first type. A patterned hard mask layer is formed. The patterned hard mask layer exposes the first work function metal layer of the first stacked gate structure and covers the first work function metal layer of the second stacked gate structure. A first gas treatment is performed to the first work function metal layer of the first stacked gate structure exposed by the patterned hard mask layer. A gas used in the first gas treatment includes nitrogen-containing gas or oxygen-containing gas.
US09728465B2	Semiconductor devices with improved source/drain contact resistance and methods of manufacturing the same In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a first gate structure and a second gate structure are formed on a substrate in a first region and a second region, respectively. A first semiconductor pattern including germanium is formed in the first region on the substrate. A first metal layer is formed on the substrate to cover the first semiconductor pattern. A first heat treatment process is performed such that the first semiconductor pattern and the first metal layer react with each other to form a first metal-semiconductor composite pattern in the first region and a semiconductor material of the substrate and the first metal layer react with each other to form a second metal-semiconductor composite pattern in the second region. The first metal-semiconductor composite pattern is removed from the substrate. A second metal layer is formed on the substrate to cover the second metal-semiconductor composite pattern. The second metal layer includes a material different from the first metal layer. A second heat treatment process is performed such that the substrate and the second metal layer react with each other to form a third metal-semiconductor composite pattern.
US09728461B2	Method of forming semiconductor device with different threshold voltages A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first gate stack over a first fin feature and second gate stack over a second fin feature, removing the first gate stack to form a first gate trench that exposes the first fin structure, removing the second gate stack to form a second gate trench that exposes the second fin feature, performing a high-pressure-anneal process to a portion of the first fin feature and forming a first high-k/metal gate (HK/MG) within the first gate trench over the portion of the first fin feature and a second HK/MG within the second gate trench over the second fin feature. Therefore the first HK/MG is formed with a first threshold voltage and the second HK/MG is formed with a second threshold voltage, which is different than the first threshold voltage.
US09728456B2	Interconnect structure including middle of line (MOL) metal layer local interconnect on etch stop layer An interconnect structure includes an insulator stack on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate. The insulator stack includes a first insulator layer having at least one semiconductor device embedded therein and an etch stop layer interposed between the first insulator layer and a second insulator layer. At least one electrically conductive local contact extends through each of the second insulator layer, etch stop layer and, first insulator layer to contact the at least one semiconductor device. The interconnect structure further includes at least one first layer contact element disposed on the etch stop layer and against the at least one conductive local contact.
US09728452B2	Method for depositing one or more polycrystalline silicon layers on substrate A method for depositing one or more polycrystalline silicon layers (230c) on a substrate (210) by a chemical vapor deposition in a reactor, includes adjusting a deposition temperature between 605° C.-800° C. in a process chamber of the reactor, and depositing the one or more polycrystalline silicon layers on the substrate by using a silicon source gas including SiH4 or SiH2Cl2, and a dopant gas including BCl3.
US09728448B1	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including: forming a stacked structure including a plurality of layers, the stacked structure including a cell region, and first and second contact regions; forming a first mask pattern covering the cell region and the second contact region of the stacked structure; forming steps of n layers at a boundary of the cell region and the first contact region, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1; forming a second mask pattern on the stacked structure, wherein the second mask pattern covers the cell region and the formed steps and is expanded to partially cover the first and second contact regions; and etching the stacked structure by k layers by using the second mask pattern as an etch barrier, where k is a natural number greater than or equal to 2.
US09728446B2	Method of fabricating semiconductor device Provided are a cleaning composition for removing an organic material remaining on an organic layer and a method of forming a semiconductor device using the composition. The cleaning composition includes 0.01-5 wt %. hydroxide based on a total weight of the cleaning composition and deionized water.
US09728439B2	High-temperature, spin-on, bonding compositions for temporary wafer bonding using sliding approach New compositions and methods of using those compositions as bonding compositions are provided. The compositions comprise a polymer dispersed or dissolved in a solvent system, and can be used to bond an active wafer to a carrier wafer or substrate to assist in protecting the active wafer and its active sites during subsequent processing and handling. The compositions form bonding layers that are chemically and thermally resistant, but that can also be softened to allow the wafers to slide apart at the appropriate stage in the fabrication process.
US09728426B2	Method for producing resin-encapsulated electronic component, bump-formed plate-like member, resin-encapsulated electronic component, and method for producing bump-formed plate-like member The present invention provides a method for producing a resin-encapsulated electronic component, capable of simply and efficiently producing a resin-encapsulated electronic component having both of a via electrode(s) (bump(s)) and a plate-like member. The method includes a resin-encapsulation step of encapsulating at least one electronic component in a resin. A produced resin-encapsulated electronic component includes: a substrate; the at least one electronic component; the resin; a plate-like member; and at least one bump. A wiring pattern is formed on the substrate. In the resin-encapsulation step, between a bump-formed surface in a bump-formed plate-like member obtained by forming the at least one bump in the plate-like member and a wiring pattern-formed surface in the substrate, the at least one electronic component is encapsulated in the resin, and the at least one bump is caused to be in contact with the wiring pattern.
US09728425B1	Space-efficient underfilling techniques for electronic assemblies Space-efficient underfilling techniques for electronic assemblies are described. According to some such techniques, an underfilling method may comprise mounting an electronic element on a surface of a substrate, dispensing an underfill material upon the surface of the substrate within a dispense region for forming an underfill for the electronic element, and projecting curing rays upon at least a portion of the dispensed underfill material to inhibit an outward flow of dispensed underfill material from the dispense region, and the underfill material may comprise a non-visible light (NVL)-curable material. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09728423B2	Piezoelectric thin film process A process of forming an integrated circuit containing a piezoelectric thin film by forming a sol gel layer, drying in at least 1 percent relative humidity, baking starting between 100 and 225° C. increasing to between 275 and 425° C. over at least 2 minutes, and forming the piezoelectric thin film by baking the sol gel layer between 250 and 350° C. for at least 20 seconds, annealing between 650 and 750° C. for at least 60 seconds in an oxidizing ambient pressure between 700 and 1000 torr and a flow rate between 3 and 7 slm, followed by annealing between 650 and 750° C. for at least 20 seconds in a pressure between 4 and 10 torr and a flow rate of at least 5 slm, followed by ramping down the temperature.
US09728419B2	Fin density control of multigate devices through sidewall image transfer processes Methods and structures for fabricating fins for multigate devices are disclosed. In accordance with one method, a plurality of sidewalls are formed in or on a plurality of mandrels over a semiconductor substrate such that each of the mandrels includes a first sidewall composed of a first material and a second sidewall composed of a second material that is different from the first material. The first sidewall of a first mandrel of the plurality of mandrels is selectively removed. In addition, a pattern composed of remaining sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls is transferred onto an underlying layer to form a hard mask in the underlying layer. Further, the fins are formed by employing the hard mask and etching semiconducting material in the substrate.
US09728408B2	Method of semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. A dielectric layer is formed over a substrate. An interlayer is formed over the dielectric layer. A first photoresist layer with a first opening is formed over the interlayer and a second photoresist layer having a second opening is formed over the first photoresist layer. Spacers are formed along sidewalls of the first opening and the second opening. A first trench is formed in the interlayer by using the spacer along the first opening as an etch mask. A second trench is formed in the interlayer by using the spacer along the second opening as an etch mask. The first trench and the second trench are extended down into the dielectric layer as a lower portion and an upper portion, respectively, of a dielectric trench.
US09728400B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and recording medium A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a film on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, wherein the cycle includes non-simultaneously performing: supplying a precursor gas to the substrate in a process chamber; exhausting the precursor gas in the process chamber through an exhaust system; confining a reaction gas, which differs in chemical structure from the precursor gas, in the process chamber by supplying the reaction gas to the substrate in the process chamber while the exhaust system is closed; and exhausting the reaction gas in the process chamber through the exhaust system while the exhaust system is opened.
US09728382B2	Evaporation source Evaporation source, in particular for use in a sputtering process or in a vacuum arc evaporation process, preferably a cathode vacuum arc evaporation process. The evaporation source includes an inner base body which is arranged in an outer carrier body and which is arranged with respect to the outer carrier body such that a cooling space in flow communication with an inlet and an outlet is formed between the base body and the carrier body. In accordance with the invention, the cooling space includes an inflow space and an outflow space, and the inflow space is in flow communication with the outflow space via an overflow connection for the cooling of the evaporation source such that a cooling fluid can be conveyed from the inlet via the inflow space the overflow connection and the outflow space to the outlet.
US09728373B2	Pattern inspection apparatus and pattern inspection method A pattern inspection apparatus includes a data processing circuitry to input detection data based on a secondary electron from a substrate for each irradiation unit region, where n1×m1 irradiation unit regions in irradiation unit regions configure one of n2×m2 image reference regions configuring an inspection measurement image, to calculate, for each of the n2×m2 image reference regions, a statistic value acquired from the detection data of all the n1×m1 irradiation unit regions in one of the n2×m2 image reference regions, and to define the statistic value as image reference data for the image reference region, and a comparison processing circuitry to receive transmission of the image reference data for each image reference region, and to compare, using a reference image corresponding to the inspection measurement image composed of the n2×m2 image reference regions, the measurement image with the reference image for each image reference region.
US09728372B2	Measurement method and electron microscope A measurement method capable of easily measuring the directions of detector segments of a segmented detector relative to a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) image is provided. The measurement method is for use in an electron microscope equipped with the segmented detector having a detection surface divided into the detector segments. The measurement method is used to measure the directions of the detector segments relative to the STEM image. The method involves defocusing the STEM image to thereby cause a deviation of the STEM image and measuring the directions of the detector segments relative to the STEM image from the direction of the deviation of the STEM image (step S11).
US09728368B2	Continuous contact X-ray source An x-ray device utilizes a band of material to exchange charge through tribocharging within a chamber maintained at low fluid pressure. The charge is utilized to generate x-rays within the housing, which may pass through a window of the housing. Various contact rods may be used as part of the tribocharging process.
US09728365B2	Fuse, fuse box, and fuse device Disclosed are a fuse, a fuse box, and a fuse device capable of preventing insertion of wrong products into the box or device and persistent electric arc. In certain aspects, the fuse includes a pair of electro-conductive terminals, a fuse element having a fusion portion provided between the electro-conductive terminals, and an insulating housing mounted so as to cover at least a part of the fusion portion and the electro-conductive terminals, wherein a notch is provided on a lower-end side of the insulating housing, the notch is located between the pair of electro-conductive terminals and at a position that does not interfere with the shape of the fusion portion provided between the pair of electro-conductive terminals, and the notch is formed in a manner that a protrusion provided in a fuse box for housing the fuse can be fitted therein.
US09728361B2	Piezoelectric multiplexer A piezoelectric multiplexer includes an actuator and multiple piezo-morph beams. The actuator includes an actuator conducting head and an actuator stem, and each piezo-morph beam includes a conducting beam contact head and a beam stem manufactured out of piezo-morph material. A control voltage is selectively applied to electrical contacts coupled to the beam stems to create a piezoelectric effect that bends the selected piezo-morph beam and creates an electrical connection between its contact head and the conducting head of the actuator. A control circuit with a controller signals which piezo-morph beam to connect to the actuator. This multi-piezo-morph-beam piezoelectric multiplexer can be affixed to the electrical terminals of different electrical components (e.g., a transistor) to create an electrical cell that can be manufactured on a semiconductor chip or in a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device.
US09728359B1	Diagnostic system for a voltage regulator A diagnostic system for a voltage regulator is provided. The diagnostic system includes a microcontroller having first and second analog-to-digital converters and first and second output ports. The first analog-to-digital converter outputs a first voltage value corresponding to the first voltage from the voltage regulator. The microcontroller executes a first diagnostic function to set a first voltage regulator diagnostic flag equal to a fault value indicating a voltage out of range condition, if the first voltage value is greater than a first threshold voltage value or the first voltage value is less than a second threshold voltage value. The microcontroller executes a second diagnostic function to stop generating first and second control signals to de-energize a contactor coil to open a contact of a contactor if the first voltage regulator diagnostic flag is equal to the fault value.
US09728354B2	Isolating ground switch An isolating ground switch includes an enclosure with a frontal surface. A slide channel opens through the top of the enclosure. A conductive switch plate is received in the channel and is bi-directionally slidably positionable between the first position and the second position. A plurality of terminal studs project forwardly from the frontal surface of the enclosure and rearwardly conductively communicate with a conductive portion. When the switch plate is in the first position, the conductive portion engages the switch plate. When the switch plate is in the second position, the conductive portion is isolated from the switch plate.
US09728347B2	Integrated contactor mounting and power distribution system and method A contactor mounting system is disclosed herein. The contactor is directly mounted to the printed wire board. Pins may be coupled to an exposed end portion of the first stationary lead and the second stationary lead of the contactor. Pins may be configured to interconnect the contactor to the printed wire board.
US09728343B2	Electrical storage device element and electrical storage device A highly-reliable electrical storage device element and electrical storage device, in each of which on predetermined regions of predetermined end surfaces of a laminate forming an electrical storage component, sprayed end surface electrodes each having a high bond strength to the laminate are provided.
US09728334B2	Multilayer ceramic capacitor and board for mounting thereof A multilayer ceramic capacitor may include three external electrodes disposed on a mounting surface of a ceramic body so as to be spaced apart from each other. When a height of at least one portion of the external electrode formed on one side surface of the ceramic body in a width direction is defined as d, and a thickness of the ceramic body is defined as T, a ratio of d/T satisfies 0.10≦d/T.
US09728333B2	Method for manufacturing a ceramic laminated body A laminated ceramic capacitor that includes a ceramic laminated body having a stacked plurality of ceramic dielectric layers and a plurality of internal electrodes opposed to each other with the ceramic dielectric layers interposed therebetween, and external electrodes on the outer surface of the ceramic laminated body and electrically connected to the internal electrodes. The internal electrodes contain Ni and Sn, a proportion of the Sn/(Ni+Sn) ratio is 0.001 or more in molar ratio is 75% or more in a region of the internal electrode at a depth of 20 nm from a surface opposed to the ceramic dielectric layer, and the proportion of the Sn/(Ni+Sn) ratio is 0.001 or more in molar ratio is less than 40% in a central region in a thickness direction of the internal electrode.
US09728328B2	Transformer with bobbin for preventing crack, low voltage DC-DC converter having the same, and method for assembling the same A transformer with a bobbin for preventing a crack may include a lower core configured to be provided with a lower assembling jaw, a bobbin for preventing a crack configured to have a center rib which is provided with a lower core crack preventing part inserted into the lower assembling jaw and an upper core crack preventing part formed at an opposite side to the lower core crack preventing part, having a predetermined thickness, a bus bar configured to penetrate through the center rib, an insulating plate configured to be stacked on an upper end surface of the bus bar, and an upper core inserted into the insulating plate and the bus bar and inserted into the upper core crack preventing part.
US09728327B2	External on-load tap changer Disclosed is a suspensible external combined on-load tap changer, including: a switch box, a switch body and a motor mechanism, a top box wall of the switch box being opened with a top opening, a top box cover being mounted on the top opening, wherein the switch body is detachably mounted in the switch box and is entirely lifted in and lifted out by the top opening; and the motor mechanism is connected with the switch body in a driving manner. The switch body in the present invention uses a hoisting structure, and the top box wall of the switch box is opened with a top opening with a size large enough, so that the switch body is directly lifted in and lifted out of the switch box from the top opening, and installation and maintenance are easier.
US09728326B2	Apparatus for eddy current inhibiting electro-magnetic interference shielding A non-eddy current electro-magnetic interference (EMI) shield to prevent or inhibit generation of eddy currents in the shield. The shield may include a non-conductive enclosure, one or more conductive traces interlaced on the non-conductive enclosure, wherein the one or more conductive traces do not form any conductive loops, and one or more ground connections on the one or more conductive traces, wherein the one or more ground connections do not form a ground loop. The EMI shielded electronic device may at least partially encompass an electronic device, such as a magnetic tracker, wherein the EMI shield comprises a non-conductive housing, with conductive traces interlaced on the housing, in a pattern or arrangement such that the conductive traces do not form any conductive loops. One or more ground connections may be provided for the one or more conductive traces.
US09728325B2	Power feeding coil unit and wireless power transmission device A power feeding coil unit includes a power feeding coil, and first and second auxiliary coils located outside of the region defined by a wire of the power feeding coil. The axis of the first auxiliary coil and the axis of the second auxiliary coil are substantially perpendicular to the axis of the power feeding coil. The power feeding coil and the first and second auxiliary coils simultaneously generate respective magnetic fluxes, each of which interlinks the corresponding one of the power feeding coil and the first and second auxiliary coils in a direction from the center to the outside of the power feeding coil unit.
US09728323B2	Polyamide electrical insulation for use in liquid filled transformers A transformer assembly is provided that includes a housing, transformer oil disposed within the housing, a plurality of coils of electrically conductive wire, and aliphatic polyamide insulation material operable to insulate the coils disposed within the oil. The plurality of electrically conductive coils is disposed in the housing and in contact with the transformer oil. The aliphatic polyamide insulation material includes stabilizing compounds and nano-fillers. The stabilizing compounds provide thermal and chemical stability for the insulation material.
US09728319B2	Coil part There is to provide a coil part capable of reducing the number of fastening means such as screws and so on required when attaching it to a substrate. A coil part includes a transformer unit and a reactor unit, wherein the transformer unit includes: a primary winding part formed by winding a flat wire around a primary side hollow part; secondary winding parts, the secondary winding part being formed by winding a flat wire around a secondary side hollow part communicating with the primary side hollow part, arranged in pairs in a state of facing one side and another side of the primary winding part respectively; and a first core inserted into the primary side hollow part and the secondary side hollow part, and the reactor unit includes: a reactor winding part formed by extending one terminal side of the flat wire constituting the secondary winding part and winding the flat wire around a reactor side hollow part; and a second core inserted into the reactor side hollow part.
US09728318B2	Drum-type tri-phase transformer and methods for producing same This new type of transformer comprises a ferromagnetic drum-type core characterized in that the drum core has a plurality of holes or windows parallel to the drum longitudinal shaft to place the windings being the windows arranged close to the periphery of the drum symmetrically distributed at 360° of the circumference, each winding being parallel to the longitudinal shaft of the drum and each one of the windings crossing said longitudinal shaft. The core comprises two main components: a central body and an air gap filling system. The central body is formed by a plurality of silicon steel sheets, stacked one over the other, each of them has slots or spaces on its periphery thereof to place the windings and with an air gap filling system. Said filling system can be: wedge-shaped sheets, set of sheets extending parallel to the shaft of the core or a metal sheet wound around the central body.
US09728315B2	Electromagnetic actuator having enhanced magnetic structures An electromagnetic actuator includes a coil that is selectively energizable by an electric current. The electromagnetic actuator further includes an armature having a outwardly extending prong. The armature is movably disposed with respect to the coil such that when the coil is energized with the electric current, the armature moves in relation to the coil and disposing thereby the prong on a first side of the coil. A flux gatherer is provided to be disposed around a second side of the coil, thereby channeling magnetic flux emanating from the coil back into the armature and prong.
US09728310B2	Short-process method for preparing sintered NdFeB magnets with high magnetic properties recycling from NdFeB sludge The present invention discloses a short process preparation technology of sintered NdFeB magnets from the NdFeB sludge, which relates to a field of recycle technology of NdFeB sludge. The present invention comprises the following steps: water bath distillation of organics in sludge, ultrasonic cleaning, calcium reduction and diffusion, ultrasonic rinsing in a magnetic field and drying, powders mixing and sintering. NdFeB sludge as raw materials was directly prepared from recycled sintered magnets with high magnetic properties. Most of the organics in the sludge could be removed by a vacuum distillation process with stepwise heating. The ultrasonic rinsing process in a magnetic field could effectively remove the remaining organics. The recycled sintered magnets exhibited good maximum energy product [(BH)max] of 35.26 MGOe. The present invention has important features, such as the short processing time, efficient environmental protection, high recycling rate and effective utilization rate of rare earth metals.
US09728304B2	Shielding tape with multiple foil layers A coaxial cable of the present invention comprises a center conductor, a dielectric surrounding the center conductor, a shielding tape surrounding the dielectric, a braided metal surrounding the shielding tape, and an outer jacket surrounding the braided metal. The shielding tape comprises: (i) a first shielding layer bonded to a first separating layer; (ii) a second shielding layer bonded to the first separating layer and a second separating layer; and (iii) a third shielding layer bonded to the second separating layer. The present invention eliminates the potential problem of the outer shielding structures separating and interfering with connector attachment. Furthermore, the use of three or more shielding layers in the shielding tape of the present invention improves the flex life of the shield tape by covering micro-cracks in the metal layers with additional shielding layers, thus reducing signal egress or ingress. Accordingly, the present invention provides cost savings and/or an improvement in shielding performance.
US09728302B1	Flame retardant communication cables incorporating extinguishants Flame retardant communications cables may include at least one transmission media and at least one other component, such as a separator, buffer tube, jacket, shield layer, or wrap. The at least one other component may include a body portion, and at least one cavity formed in the body portion in which an extinguishant is positioned. Additionally, the at least one transmission media is not positioned within the at least one cavity.
US09728295B2	Conductive jacket The present invention relates to a new semiconductive composition, which comprises 50 to 98 weight percentage (wt %) of a polymer blend, 2 to 50 wt % of a conductive filler and 0.05 to 2 wt % of an antioxidant; wherein said polymer blend comprises 10 to 99 wt % of a multimodal high density polyolefin, which high density polyolefin has a density which is from 930 to 970 kg/m3 and a melt flow rate (MFR2@190° C.) according to ISO 1133 (190° C., 2.16 kg) which is less than 1.6 g/10 min, and 1 to 90 wt % of a thermoplastic elastomer, a process for producing a semiconductive composition, and a semiconductive jacket comprising the semiconductive composition, and a power cable comprising the semiconductive jacket or comprising the semiconductive composition, or use of a semiconductive jacket or a semiconductive composition in, for example, a power cable.
US09728287B2	Packaging for decommissioned and dismantled nuclear reactors and reactor components A method of decommissioning a nuclear reactor including a vessel defining an inner chamber and reactor internal components positioned within the inner chamber includes removing at least some of the internal components and repackaging at least some of the removed internal components in at least one of the first and second predefined sections of the vessel defining a cutting zone between the at least first and second predefined sections. The method further includes disposing the vessel in a container, and encapsulating the internal components in the vessel and encapsulating the vessel in the container to generate a package. A package including components from a decommissioned and dismantled nuclear reactor includes a vessel and a plurality of components encapsulated in the vessel.
US09728277B2	Method of repairing non-volatile memory based storage device and method of operating electronic system including the storage device A method of repairing a storage device including a non-volatile memory includes powering on the storage device, performing a booting sequence, determining whether an error has occurred during the booting sequence or during a normal mode, writing a failure signature to a predetermined signature address in the non-volatile memory upon determining that the error has occurred, reporting a failure to a host upon writing the failure signature, entering into a repair mode upon reporting the failure, and operating in the normal mode upon determining that the error has not occurred.
US09728269B2	Semiconductor memory device for performing repair operations based on repair information stored therein A semiconductor memory device includes a memory array region including normal cells and redundancy cells; a repair fuse block including a plurality of fuse sets suitable for programming repair addresses of the repair target cells as repair information, the repair fuse block being suitable for outputting the programmed repair information, in response to a boot-up signal; a fuse information storage block including a plurality of memory cells for storing the repair information outputted from the repair fuse block, the plurality of memory cells being refreshed simultaneously with the normal cells and the redundancy cells of the memory array region; and a repair control block suitable for comparing the repair information stored in the fuse information storage block and an address to generate a repair control signal to selectively activate redundant paths between the repair target cells and the redundancy cells.
US09728264B2	Nonvolatile memory device, operating method thereof, and data storage device including the same A nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell array including a data cell area, and a mode cell area that stores write mode information of the data cell area, a mode information storage block storing previous write mode information read out from the mode cell area in a previous read operation, and a control logic reading out the write mode information from the mode cell area comparing the read-out write mode information and the previous write mode information, and reading the data cell area in a read mode selected based on a comparison result.
US09728257B2	Semiconductor device having a write prohibited region An object of the present invention is to realize a highly reliable long-life information processor capable of high-speed operation and easy to handle. The processor includes a semiconductor device comprising a nonvolatile memory device including a plurality of overwritable memory cells, and a control circuit device for controlling access to the nonvolatile memory device. The control circuit device sets assignments of second addresses to the nonvolatile memory device independently of first addresses externally supplied, such that the physical disposition of part of the memory cells used for writing of first data to be written externally supplied is one of the first to (N+1)th of every (N+1) memory cells (N: a natural number) at least in one direction.
US09728256B2	Methods and apparatuses having a voltage generator with an adjustable voltage drop for representing a voltage drop of a memory cell and/or a current mirror circuit and replica circuit Apparatus and methods utilize a replica circuit to generate a voltage for programming of a memory cell, such as a memory cell of a phase-change memory (PCM). Current passing through a circuit including the memory cell to be programmed is mirrored in a scaled or unscaled manner, and provided as an input to the replica circuit. The replica circuit represents voltage drops that should be encountered when programming the memory cell. An input voltage is also provided to the replica circuit, which affects the voltage drop within the replica circuit that represents the voltage drop of the cell. The voltage drop across the replica circuit can then be mirrored and provided to bias the circuit including the memory cell.
US09728250B2	Memory write tracking device and method A memory write tracking device is applied to a data write operation to at least a memory cell row. The memory write tracking device includes a dummy cell row, a variation sensor, a judging device and a word-line pulse generator. The dummy cell row includes a plurality of dummy memory cells for simulating the data write operation to the memory cell row. The variation sensor senses a set of circuit parameters for write ability of the memory cell row. The judging device determines a threshold number according to a change of the set of circuit parameters and sends an enabling signal when a threshold number of the dummy memory cells have been successfully written with the data. The word-line pulse generator determines a write cycle of the data write operation in response to the enabling signal. An associated memory write tracking method is also provided.
US09728247B2	Memory controller for strobe-based memory systems An integrated circuit (IC) memory controller is disclosed. The memory controller includes a receiver to receive a strobe signal and provide an internal strobe signal. An adjustable delay circuit delays an enable signal to generate a delayed enable signal. A gate circuit generates a gated strobe signal using the delayed enable signal that masks transitions of the internal strobe signal that occur prior to a valid region of the internal strobe signal. A sample circuit samples data using the gated strobe signal.
US09728239B2	Semiconductor memory device According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first memory cell array including a first memory cell having a variable resistive element, a second memory cell array including a second memory cell having the variable resistive element, a reference signal generation circuit which generates a reference signal, a sense amplifier having a first input terminal and a second input terminal, and a read enable control circuit which generates a read enable signal in accordance with a command from outside and control switching between a single cell read mode and a twin cell read mode.
US09728231B1	Device and method for data-writing A device includes a voltage regulator, an auxiliary signal generator, and a circuit cell. The voltage regulator is configured to output a write voltage. The auxiliary signal generator is configured to output an auxiliary signal. The circuit cell is configured to receive both of the write voltage and the auxiliary signal according to a first select signal and a second select signal.
US09728211B1	Suspension pad for head-gimbal assembly that inhibits formation of an inter-pad solder bridge Devices including a suspension pad shape and layout that avoids shorts caused by solder bridging during coupling of leads thereto. One embodiment includes a plurality of slider pads and a plurality of suspension pads being generally aligned with the slider pads. A conductive material electrically couples each of the suspension pads to the slider pad aligned therewith. At least one of the suspension pads is characterized as follows. The suspension pad has a proximal edge positioned closest to the associated slider pad, a distal edge positioned opposite the proximal edge, and side edges extending between the proximal and distal edges. At least a portion of the suspension pad tapers toward the proximal edge.
US09728210B2	Texture-control layer for spin torque oscillator A magnetic field-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) head is provided, which includes a recording main pole and a texture control layer (TCL), a seed control layer, and a spin torque oscillator (STO) positioned over the main pole, in this order, in a stacking direction from a leading side to a trailing side of the recording head. The STO has a crystallographic preferred growth orientation and includes a spin polarized layer (SPL). The TCL may include a Cu layer.
US09728205B2	Generating audio fingerprints based on audio signal complexity An audio identification system accounts for an audio signal's complexity when generating a test audio fingerprint for identification of the audio signal. In particular, the audio identification system determines a complexity of an audio signal to be fingerprinted. For example, the audio signal's complexity may be determined by performance of an autocorrelation on the audio signal. Based on the determined complexity, the audio identification system determines a length of a sample of the audio signal used to generate a test audio fingerprint. A sample having the length is then obtained and used to generate a test audio fingerprint for the audio signal. The test audio fingerprint may be compared to a set of reference audio fingerprints to identify the audio signal.
US09728198B2	LPC residual signal encoding/decoding apparatus of modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT)-based unified voice/audio encoding device Disclosed is an LPC residual signal encoding/decoding apparatus of an MDCT based unified voice and audio encoding device. The LPC residual signal encoding apparatus analyzes a property of an input signal, selects an encoding method of an LPC filtered signal, and encode the LPC residual signal based on one of a real filterbank, a complex filterbank, and an algebraic code excited linear prediction (ACELP).
US09728194B2	Audio processing An audio processing system (100) for spatial synthesis comprises an upmix stage (110) receiving a decoded m-channel downmix signal (X) and outputting, based thereon, an n-channel upmix signal (Y), wherein 2≦m
US09728193B2	Frame erasure concealment for a multi-rate speech and audio codec An audio coding terminal and method is provided. The terminal includes a coding mode setting unit to set an operation mode, from plural operation modes, for input audio coding by a codec, configured to code the input audio based on the set operation mode such that when the set operation mode is a high frame erasure rate (FER) mode the codec codes a current frame of the input audio according to a select frame erasure concealment (FEC) mode of one or more FEC modes. Upon the setting of the operation mode to be the High FER mode, the one FEC mode is selected, from the one or more FEC modes predetermined for the High FER mode, to control the codec by incorporating of redundancy within a coding of the input audio or as separate redundancy information separate from the coded input audio according to the selected one FEC mode.
US09728191B2	Speaker verification methods and apparatus Techniques for automatically identifying a speaker in a conversation as a known person based on processing of audio of the speaker's voice to extract characteristics of that voice and on an automated comparison of those characteristics to known characteristics of the known person's voice. A speaker segmentation process may be performed on audio of the conversation to produce, for each speaker in the conversation, a segment that includes the audio of that speaker. Audio of each of the segments may then be processed to extract characteristics of that speaker's voice. The characteristics derived from each segment (and thus for multiple speakers) may then be compared to characteristics of the known person's voice to determine whether the speaker for that segment is the known person. For each segment, a degree of match between the voice characteristics of the speaker and the voice characteristics of the known person may be calculated.
US09728183B2	System and method for combining frame and segment level processing, via temporal pooling, for phonetic classification Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for combining frame and segment level processing, via temporal pooling, for phonetic classification. A frame processor unit receives an input and extracts the time-dependent features from the input. A plurality of pooling interface units generates a plurality of feature vectors based on pooling the time-dependent features and selecting a plurality of time-dependent features according to a plurality of selection strategies. Next, a plurality of segmental classification units generates scores for the feature vectors. Each segmental classification unit (SCU) can be dedicated to a specific pooling interface unit (PIU) to form a PIU-SCU combination. Multiple PIU-SCU combinations can be further combined to form an ensemble of combinations, and the ensemble can be diversified by varying the pooling operations used by the PIU-SCU combinations. Based on the scores, the plurality of segmental classification units selects a class label and returns a result.
US09728175B2	Interchangeable pickup system for an electric stringed musical instrument A guitar body having an inner sidewall forming an opening extending from a front to a back of the guitar body is provided. The inner sidewall includes electrical contacts electrically connected to a wiring of the guitar. A seat with magnets is formed about a periphery of the inner sidewall. A pickup cartridge includes a pickup, electrical contacts, and a flange with magnets. The opening is sized to receive the pickup cartridge so that the magnets of the seat attract to the magnets of the flange and releasably retain the pickup cartridge within. The electrical contacts of the pickup cartridge electrically connect with the electrical contacts of the inner sidewall.
US09728173B2	Automatic arrangement of automatic accompaniment with accent position taken into consideration Performance information of main music is sequentially acquired, and an accent position of the music is determined. An automatic accompaniment is progressed based on accompaniment pattern data. Upon determination that the current time point coincides with the accent position, an accompaniment event whose tone generation timing arrives within a predetermined time range following the current time point is extracted from the accompaniment pattern data, the tone generation timing of the extracted accompaniment event is shifted to the current time point, and then, accompaniment data is created based on the accompaniment event having the tone generation timing thus shifted. If there is no accompaniment event whose tone generation timing arrives at the current time point or within the predetermined time range following the current time point, automatic accompaniment data with the current time point set as its tone generation timing is additionally created.
US09728165B1	Multi-user/multi-GPU render server apparatus and methods The invention provides, in some aspects, a system for rendering images, the system having one or more client digital data processors and a server digital data processor in communications coupling with the one or more client digital data processors, the server digital data processor having one or more graphics processing units. The system additionally comprises a render server module executing on the server digital data processor and in communications coupling with the graphics processing units, where the render server module issues a command in response to a request from a first client digital data processor. The graphics processing units on the server digital data processor simultaneously process image data in response to interleaved commands from (i) the render server module on behalf of the first client digital data processor, and (ii) one or more requests from (a) the render server module on behalf of any of the other client digital data processors, and (b) other functionality on the server digital data processor.
US09728155B2	Gamma switching amplifier Electronic devices with displays are configured to provide a gamma correction signal to each source driver chip driving the display. The gamma correction signal is supplied by a gamma application circuit coupled to each source driver chip. The gamma application circuit includes a switching amplifier configured to output a switching waveform and a filter to input the switching waveform and output the gamma correction signal to an input of each source driver chip. The switching amplifier functions as a switching power supply having improved power efficiency compared to conventional gamma application circuits.
US09728152B2	Shift register with multiple discharge voltages A shift register for reducing size of a display apparatus through a reduction in falling edge time of a scan pulse. The shift register includes stages for sequentially outputting carry pulses and scan pulses. Each stage includes a carry output unit for generating a carry pulse, based on a first discharge voltage and a clock pulse having a low-level voltage with a level substantially equal to the first discharge voltage, and supplying the carry pulse to at least one of an upstream stage and a downstream stage, a scan output unit for generating a scan pulse, based on a second discharge voltage having a higher voltage value than the first discharge voltage and the clock pulse, and supplying the scan pulse to a corresponding gate line, and a node controller for controlling voltages at nodes connected to the carry output unit and the scan output unit.
US09728142B2	Reduced blur, low flicker display system A reduced blur, low flicker display system is provided, comprising: a display device comprising an array of pixel devices, each configured to be driven to a given output intensity value by changing each of the pixel devices between at least two intensity values within an image frame, including: a first intensity value and a second intensity value, higher than the first intensity value; and, a computing device configured to: spatially drive the pixel devices, according to image frames of image data, on a pixel-by-pixel basis and independent of one another, to respective output intensity values, according to at least two different spatio-temporal driving modes within a same image frame, a first set of the pixel devices driven according to a first spatio-temporal driving mode, and a second set of the pixel devices driven according to a second spatio-temporal driving mode, each within the same image frame.
US09728140B2	Organic light-emitting diode display An organic light-emitting diode display is disclosed. In one aspect, the organic light-emitting diode display includes a plurality of pixels formed in a display area of a substrate, wherein each of the pixels includes a pixel electrode, an emission layer, and a common electrode. The display also includes an auxiliary common electrode formed in a lattice pattern between at least two of the pixels and electrically connected to the common electrode, wherein the auxiliary common electrode includes two opposing sides. The display further includes a power supply electrically connected to a non-display area of the substrate. The display also includes a pair of first power supply wires formed in the non-display area and configured to electrically connect the power supply to a center portion of the two sides of the auxiliary common electrode.
US09728135B2	Voltage programmed pixel circuit, display system and driving method thereof A voltage programmed pixel circuit, display system having the pixel circuit and driving method thereof is provided. The pixel circuit includes a light emitting device, a driving transistor connected to the light emitting device and a programming circuit. The programming circuit adjusts a pixel current during a programming cycle of the pixel circuit.
US09728133B2	Pixel unit driving circuit, pixel unit driving method, pixel unit and display apparatus The embodiment of the present disclosure provides a pixel unit driving circuit comprising: a driving unit; a charging unit; a storage unit configured to be charged during the charging stage of the pixel unit driving circuit, and provide a control voltage to the driving unit during a driving stage of the pixel unit driving circuit; a lighting control unit configured to make that a driving current provided from the driving unit to the lighting element during the driving stage of the pixel unit driving circuit is independent on a threshold voltage of the driving unit; and the driving control unit connected to the lighting control unit, the storage unit and the driving unit and configured to control the supply of the control voltage of the driving unit. According the embodiments of the present disclosure, the influence of the threshold voltage of the driving unit on the operating current is eliminated by providing the lighting control unit and the driving control unit, so as to moderate the drift of the threshold voltage caused by process procedure and a long term operation and to ensure the uniformity of the displayed brightness of the lighting element.
US09728127B2	Pixel and organic light emitting display including the same A pixel includes a driving circuit, a first organic light emitting diode, a second organic light emitting diode, and a self-repair circuit. The driving circuit supplies current based on a data signal supplied through a data line. The first organic light emitting diode is coupled to the driving circuit through a first current path. The second OLED is coupled to the driving circuit through a second current path. The self-repair circuit interrupts the first current path and supplies the current to the second current path when the first organic light emitting diode has a defect.
US09728124B2	Adaptive RGB-to-RGBW conversion for RGBW display systems An electronic device may include a display having an array of display pixels. Each display pixel may include a red subpixel, a green subpixel, a blue subpixel, and a white subpixel. The display may be controlled using display control circuitry. The display control circuitry may convert frames of display data from a red-green-blue (RGB) color space to a red-green-blue-white (RGBW) color space. The display control circuitry may supply data signals corresponding to a frame of display data in the RGBW color space to the array of display pixels. A frame of display data may be converted from the RGB color space to the RGBW color space based on an amount of color saturation in the frame of display data, based on information identifying what code is running on control circuitry in the electronic device, and/or based on ambient lighting condition information.
US09728121B2	Organic el display panel with color shutter glass unit selecting a monochromatic, a color, a monochromatic three-dimensional and a color three-dimensional display mode A display device allows an optimal display mode to be selected in accordance with the form of use, so that the total power consumption is decreased. The display device includes an organic EL display panel for displaying a monochromatic image; and a color shutter glass unit including a pair of shutters. The pair of shutters are each controllable to be in a light transmissive state for a first color, a second color and a third color or in a light non-transmissive state. The pair of shutters corresponding to left and right glasses are each controllable in synchronization with display of an image on the organic EL display panel, so that one of a monochromatic image display mode, a color image display mode, a monochromatic three-dimensional image display mode, and a color three-dimensional image display mode is selected.
US09728120B2	Display apparatus A display apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting elements, at least one common line, a power supply, a plurality of drive lines, and a controller. The at least one common line is connected to first ends of the plurality of light emitting elements. The plurality of drive lines are connected to second ends of the plurality of light emitting elements. The controller is to execute delay control on lighting possible periods in which the plurality of light emitting elements are to light in unit delay control periods so that an order of delaying the lighting possible periods in a single unit delay control period among the unit delay control periods is different from an order of delaying the lighting possible periods in any one of the unit delay control periods other than the single unit delay control period.
US09728116B2	Display apparatus and method of driving the same A display apparatus includes a display panel, a timing controller, a gate driver, and a data driver. The display panel includes a plurality of pixel groups. Each of the pixel groups includes a first pixel and a second pixel disposed adjacent to the first pixel. The first and second pixels together include n (n is an odd number equal to or greater than 3) sub-pixels. The first and second pixels share their collective {(n+1)/2}th sub-pixel.
US09728109B1	Signage system, a display sign assembly incorporating the same and a method of use thereof A signage system and a method of using the same. The system includes a base plate with front and rear surfaces; one or more signs engageable with the base plate; each sign having a rear surface positionable adjacent the front surface of the base plate; a boss extending outwardly from the rear surface of the sign or a front surface of the base plate; and an aperture defined in the other of the rear surface of the sign or the front surface of the base plate; wherein the boss is received in the aperture; and wherein the sign is moveable relative to the base plate between an unlatched position and a latched position; and when in the latched position the boss is not removable from the aperture. A locking member is engageable with the base plate to selectively prevent relative movement between the signs and the base plate.
US09728084B2	Method and apparatus for providing vehicle classification based on automation level An approach is provided for classifying one or more vehicles based on their level of automation. The approach involves determining training sensor data collected during at least one driving operation of one or more vehicles, wherein one or more automation levels of the one or more vehicles are known. The approach also involves determining one or more sensor signatures for the one or more automation levels based, at least in part, on one or more values of one or more classification features extracted from the training sensor data. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a classification of one or more other vehicles according to the one or more automation levels based, at least in part, on the one or more sensor signatures and sensor data associated with the one or more other vehicles.
US09728080B1	Proximity-sensor supporting multiple application services A personal digital key (e.g., which can be carried by a human) contains a memory having different service blocks. Each service block is accessible by a corresponding service block access key. As the personal digital key (PDK) moves around, it is detected by sensors. The sensors report position data, thus enabling location tracking of the PDK. The sensors also provide a data path to various applications. An application that has access to a service block access key can therefore access the corresponding service block on the PDK. The sensors themselves may also contain service block access keys.
US09728078B2	Telerobotic communications system and method A telerobotic communications system including a teleoperation center to transmit control data and receive non-control data by wireless connection to and from a first mobile telerobot and indirectly to and from a second mobile telerobot. The first mobile telerobot includes a transceiver for receiving and transmitting control and non-control data, respectively, and also a repeater for relaying control data to a second mobile telerobot and relaying non-control data back to the teleoperation center. The system allows the second mobile telerobot to travel beyond a communications-enabled distance of the wireless signal emitted directly by the teleoperation center. The system may also include wireless repeaters to extend the communications distance between the first and second telerobots.
US09728074B2	Modular wireless mass evacuation notification system Monitoring and mass notification systems, such as fire alarm systems, for use in occupied structures, and more particularly to wireless monitoring and mass notification systems include wireless base units that can be modular in design. This allows horns, mini horns, strobes, and audio messaging modules (e.g., speakers) to be physically plugged into the wireless base unit creating a unit with the appearance of a single physical unit. Preferably standardized plugs are used. In some cases, visual and audio modules (i.e., notification devices) have their own battery pack or external power interface. Each wireless base unit can optionally function as a repeater if it has dual transceivers (master transceiver and slave transceiver).
US09728067B2	Method for detecting motion of an electrical device or apparatus A method for providing an alert to a person to unplug an electrical power cord of an electrical device or equipment includes an alarm device that is activated upon separation of a first portion from a second portion. The first and second portions of the alarm device are secured proximate opposite sides of a loop provided in the power cord. The first and second portions, when engaged, maintain a switch of an electrical circuit in an open position. If the equipment is moved prior to unplugging the power cord, the loop will be straightened, causing the first and second portions to separate. The switch closes, completing the electrical circuit and activating the alarm device. The alarm alerts the person to unplug the power cord. A first alternate method includes the alarm device as a part of newly manufactured equipment. A second alternate method includes a motion detector or sensor in the alarm device of the newly manufactured equipment. A third alternate method includes an add-on alarm device with the motion detector or sensor.
US09728057B2	Pneumatic detection using a liquefied compressed gas A pneumatic detection system and a method of forming the pneumatic detection system are described. The system includes a sealed tube, a refrigerant disposed within the sealed tube, and a switch configured to be activated based on a specified pressure being reached within the sealed tube.
US09728054B2	Systems and methods for protecting retail display merchandise from theft Security systems and methods configured for use with an item of merchandise for retail display include a housing, at least one sensor carried by the housing and at least one output device carried by the housing. The security system further includes a controller carried by the housing and operably coupled to the sensor and to the output device. The controller is operable to determine a distance traveled by the item of merchandise from a retail display “home” position based upon a sensor input from the sensor, and to activate the output device based upon the distance traveled by the item of merchandise exceeding a threshold distance. The controller may utilize the at least one sensor in conjunction with an inertial navigation system (INS) and motion processing algorithms or techniques to determine the distance traveled by the item of merchandise from the retail display “home” position.
US09728053B2	Security device A security device for preventing or deterring theft of an object from a retail store or similar comprising a housing; a loop of cable extending from the housing for placement around said object; spool means rotatably mounted on the housing, the loop of cable being attached to the spool means such that, in use, rotation of the spool means in a first direction with respect to the housing causes the cable to unwind from the spool means, and rotation of the spool means in a second direction causes the cable to be wound around the spool means; latching means; alarm means; and retracting means arranged to apply a biasing force to the spool means.
US09728049B2	System and method of allowing a player to play gaming machines having multiple reel sets A game machine is provided. The machine comprises a display and a controller. The display is configured to display a plurality of symbol cells displayed in a grid. The grid defines a plurality of columns, each column having an associated reel, each reel having an associated reel strip, each reel strip including a plurality of symbol positions and a plurality of game symbols displayed in each of the symbol cells in a predetermined order defining a reel layout, at least one of the reel strips having a second reel layout, the second reel layout having an identical symbol in a plurality of consecutive symbol positions. The controller is configured to replace the reel layout with the second reel layout in the at least one of the reel strips.
US09728044B2	Controlling method of a gaming machine A gaming machine having a display that displays a determined screen including a character, during execution of a game, a touch panel sensor, disposed above the display, that is capable of detecting the contact position, the position of the character contacted by a player, and a CPU that determines the contact position of the character as well as the contact mode, and that displays an image on the display, that is changed based on the result of this determination.
US09728039B2	Enabling financial transactions for electronic gaming machines A client device, a system and a method for enabling financial transactions for an electronic gaming machine is described. The client device includes an electronic gaming machine processor, a printer, a printer sharing module and a controller. The printer sharing module is electrically coupled to the printer and the electronic gaming machine processor. The controller is electrically coupled to the printer sharing module. The controller reroutes the communications between the electronic gaming machine processor and the printer and allows the controller to communicate with the printer so that the controller instructs the printer to print a voucher. The system also includes a wireless communications module that enables communications with at least one other wireless communication module over short distances using point to point or broadcast packets that allow for bi-directional data transmission between each client device located on a casino gaming floor.
US09728037B2	System and method of revealing the outcomes of real world wagers through reveals and unreveals The invention relates to systems and methods of selecting and placing real world wagers responsive to one or more wager triggers, obtaining outcomes of the real world wagers, facilitating user interactions with various interactive media, and revealing the outcomes of the real world wagers through the interactive media to give an appearance that the outcomes of the real world wagers resulted from the user interactions even though the outcomes resulted from the real world wagers and were determined before the user interactions. The system may reveal a payout resulting from a real world wager, and then “unreveal” the payout (i.e., take the payout away). Such reveals and unreveals may be based on user interactions with interactive media. For example, upon completion of an objective, a payout may be revealed to the user. Upon a subsequent event (which may or may not relate to the objective), the payout may be unrevealed.
US09728017B2	Electronic door access control system An electronic door lock system comprising a door control unit, a key reader and an encrypted binding between the key reader and the door control unit. When tampering is detected the encrypted binding is terminated thereby preventing the door from being opened. There is also disclosed a method for retrofitting a door comprising a key reader with a door control unit. The door control unit, key reader and the latch release mechanism may also be powered by a key comprising a power supply, the key also supplying a coded sequence to the door control unit.
US09728014B2	Sensor fault detection and diagnosis for autonomous systems A method for detecting and diagnosing sensor faults in an autonomous system that includes sensors and hardware components, according to which sensors are related to hardware components and correlations between data readings are recognized online and correlation between sensors is determined. Predefined suspicious patterns are identified by online and continuously tracking the data readings from each sensor and detecting correlation breaks over time. The readings from sensors that match at least one of the patterns are marked as uncertain. For each online reading of the sensors, whenever sensors that used to be correlated show a different behavior, reporting that the reading indicates a fault. Upon identifying fault detection, diagnosing which of the internal components or sensors caused the fault, based on a function that returns the state of the sensor which is associated with the fault detection.
US09728010B2	Virtual representations of real-world objects Methods for generating virtual proxy objects and controlling the location of the virtual proxy objects within an augmented reality environment are described. In some embodiments, a head-mounted display device (HMD) may identify a real-world object for which to generate a virtual proxy object, generate the virtual proxy object corresponding with the real-world object, and display the virtual proxy object using the HMD such that the virtual proxy object is perceived to exist within an augmented reality environment displayed to an end user of the HMD. In some cases, image processing techniques may be applied to depth images derived from a depth camera embedded within the HMD in order to identify boundary points for the real-world object and to determine the dimensions of the virtual proxy object corresponding with the real-world object.
US09728002B2	Texel shading in texture space A graphics processing unit is configured to map pixels of a first frame of a video stream to texels, select a subset of the texels for shading based on previously cached texels that were shaded for a second frame, and shade the subset of the texels. The graphics processing unit is also configured to cache the shaded subset of the texels with the previously cached texels and determine values for the pixels of the first frame based on the cached texels.
US09728001B2	Processing and rendering of large image files Tomographic data representing an imaged three-dimensional object is divided into macro blocks and filtered by visibility and presence in a projected frame of a rendered three-dimensional object to speed rendering of the object. The data are loaded and rendered in parallel for improved speed and capacity.
US09727998B2	Apparatus and method for virtual spatial reconstruction of a surgical tool An apparatus and a method determine a virtual spatial reconstruction of a surgical tool imaged in a 2D x-ray image. A reconstruction module segments a 2D image of at least one element of the surgical tool in the 2D x-ray image and a spatial reconstruction of the at least one element is implemented after the spatial configuration of the 2D image of the at least one element is determined.
US09727984B2	Electronic device and method for processing an image An electronic device and an image processing method are provided. The method acquires image detailed information of an image, detects an edge region and a texture region from the image detail information, and corrects the image detail information by applying different gain values to image signals corresponding to different regions.
US09727983B2	Automatic color palette based recommendations Systems and methods are provided for generating color-based recommendations using color palette information. An indication may be received that a user is requesting a color-related recommendation, the indication associated with item information and color palette information, the color palette information corresponding to a first color palette. Based at least in part on the item information and the color palette information, one or more items corresponding to the item information and the color palette information are identified. Where there is more than one identified item, a ranking for the identified plurality of items may be generated. Item recommendations comprising at least a portion of the identified plurality of items in accordance with the generated ranking may be provided for presentation on a user device.
US09727979B1	Lifeguard positioning system and method A method of determining proper positioning of lifeguard stations at a swimming pool or body of water to minimize the risk of bather drowning. The method includes: positioning submersible devices or other objects on a bottom of the swimming pool or body of water according to an established grid or pattern; imaging the submersible devices from different locations and different heights at the same locations; analyzing the images and other data to determine locations and heights of the lifeguard stations which provide the best sightlines of the swimming pool from the surface of the water to the bottom of the swimming pool or body of water; and positioning the lifeguard stations at the locations and the heights determined by analyzing the data.
US09727978B2	Method for extracting outer space feature information from spatial geometric data A method is provided for extracting outer space feature information from spatial geometric data. The method comprises: an input step S10 of inputting spatial geometric data for a target region; a sampling step S20 of determining a sample by selecting an arbitrary area for the spatial geometric data input in the input step using a preset selection method; a feature extraction step S30 of acquiring feature information for a corresponding sampling plane using a convex hull method based on sampling information including sampling plane information of the spatial geometric data for a sampling plane selected in the sampling step. The sampling step and the feature extraction step are repeatedly performed in a preset manner.
US09727976B1	Geospatial-temporal semantic graph representations of trajectories from remote sensing and geolocation data Various technologies for facilitating analysis of large remote sensing and geolocation datasets to identify features of interest are described herein. A search query can be submitted to a computing system that executes searches over a geospatial temporal semantic (GTS) graph to identify features of interest. The GTS graph comprises nodes corresponding to objects described in the remote sensing and geolocation datasets, and edges that indicate geospatial or temporal relationships between pairs of nodes in the nodes. Trajectory information is encoded in the GTS graph by the inclusion of movable nodes to facilitate searches for features of interest in the datasets relative to moving objects such as vehicles.
US09727974B2	System for video super resolution using semantic components A method for increasing the resolution of a series of low resolution frames of a low resolution video sequence to a series of high resolution frames of a high resolution video sequence includes receiving the series of low resolution frames of the video sequence. The system determines a first plurality of semantically relevant key points of a first low resolution frame of the series of low resolution frames and determines a second plurality of semantically relevant key points of a second low resolution frame of the series of low resolution frames. The system temporally processes the first plurality of key points based upon the second plurality of key points to determine a more temporally consistent set of key points for the first plurality of key points.
US09727973B2	Image processing device using difference camera A fast and stable image processing system detecting a mark from a differential image is described. The system includes a display displaying a first image and a second image alternately. A camera captures the first image that contains a mark and the second image. An image processing device detects the mark from a non-zero pixel region of a difference image between the first image that is captured and the second image that is captured.
US09727966B2	Display apparatus and method for estimating depth A display apparatus and method may be used to estimate a depth distance from an external object to a display panel of the display apparatus. The display apparatus may acquire a plurality of images by detecting lights that are input from an external object and passed through apertures formed in a display panel, may generate one or more refocused images, and may calculate a depth from the external object to the display panel using the plurality of images acquired and one or more refocused images.
US09727965B2	Medical image processing apparatus and medical image processing method According to one embodiment, a medical image processing apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry extracts a rigid region from predetermined medical image data among a plurality of items of medical image data. Further, between first medical image data and second medical image data among the plurality of items of medical image data, the processing circuitry performs rigid registration on the rigid region and performs non-rigid registration on a region other than the rigid region.
US09727954B2	Local contrast adjustment for digital images Edge enhancement of a digital image can include using at least two signal processing paths to adjust a display-formatted pixel value to enhance the appearance of edges in displayed image data. A digital image can be filtered by producing an edge enhancement factor, α, per pixel from at least one look up table (LUT). Digital image data can also be adjusted using at least two signal processing paths, where the image data is adjusted if a pixel value and its neighboring pixel values are all within a smoothing range or where the pixel delta value is outside of a bad pixel range and its neighboring pixel delta values are all within the bad pixel range. In such cases, the image data can be adjusted by replacing the pixel value with an average or median value of the neighboring pixels.
US09727951B2	Image processing apparatus and method for controlling the apparatus An image processing apparatus and a method thereof for correcting image data in accordance with a feature of the image data, calculates a brightness component of image data and a color difference component of image data, determines whether the image data is a nightscape image or an underexposed image using the calculated brightness component and color difference component, and corrects the image data which has been determined as a nightscape image or an underexposed image.
US09727946B2	Method of customizing an electronic image display device A method for customizing an electronic image display device having at least one display parameter of variable value includes: a) linking the electronic image display device to a user database, determining and recording at least one value of an evaluation parameter for the visual and oculomotor profile of a user; b) linking the electronic image display device to a display database and making a digital record including a plurality of values for the display parameter which are associated with an electronic image display device; c) selecting an optimum value for the display parameter from among the plurality of display parameters values in the digital record that are associated with the electronic image display device in the display database according to the visual acuity measurement associated with this user in the user database; d) automatically applying the optimum value for this image display parameter to the electronic image display device.
US09727936B2	Method to transform clinician order entry A computer-implemented method receives, into a computerized system, routine electronic transmissions such as a clinician order entry (CPOE) order message relating to a patient. The order message is used to identify one of a number of pre-established templates to create an individualized wellness plan. The method identifies data variables that need to be supplied for the wellness plan and identifies patient documentation related to the wellness plan. The method supplies the data variables and combines patient documentation into the wellness plan. The method identifies and includes dependency-awareness of tasks, reminders, and appointments within and across wellness plans. The method can customize the wellness plan according to clinician preferences and patient preferences, and can restrict access and content of the wellness plan. The method provides the wellness plan to the patient through their preferred interactive calendar application and obtains the remaining data variables, performs across plan dependency checks, and obtains the patient preferences from the patient through the interactive calendar application. This allows the method to provide the patient a list of tasks, reminders, and appointments through the interactive calendar application and enables both clinician and patient to track plan progress and completion.
US09727934B2	System and method for avoiding duplication of effort in drafting documents A system and method is provided for avoiding duplication of effort in drafting documents and, in particular, to a system and method for avoiding duplication of effort in preparing patent related submissions. The method is implemented on a computer infrastructure comprises storing disclosure information related to non-public proprietary innovation and receiving terms associated with an innovation. The method further comprises matching the terms with the stored disclosure information and providing an alert to a user that certain of the terms overlap with the stored disclosure information.
US09727933B1	System for providing three-dimensional reserve studies to common interest development owners and management A member of a Common Interest Development (CID) provides login credentials to an application server using a network-enabled device. For example, the CID is a residential condominium and the managing member is a Home Owners Association (HOA) board member. If authentication is successful, then the application server serves a three-dimensional reserve study markup language document to the device. The document renders a three-dimensional reserve study on a display of the device. The three-dimensional reserve study rendered on the display includes a three-dimensional line art diagram of the CID and a plurality of graphical elements. The graphical elements include reserve component information, such as identification information, location information, temporal information, description information, and financial information. The three-dimensional reserve study is interactive thereby allowing the board member to visually understand reserve costs for each year over a thirty year period and to persuade condominium owners to increase HOA contributions.
US09727931B2	Electricity demand prediction system An electricity demand prediction system includes electricity usage data collection means, production schedule storage means, model creation means, and short-term electricity demand prediction means. The electricity usage data collection means collects electricity usage data of each device and causes electricity usage data storage means to store the collected electricity usage data. The model creation means creates an electricity amount calculation model of each prescribed product type for each device on the basis of the electricity usage data stored in the electricity usage data storage means and a past production schedule stored in the production schedule storage means. The short-term electricity demand prediction means computes future electricity demand for each device on the basis of the electricity amount calculation model created by the model creation means and a future production schedule stored in the production schedule storage means.
US09727930B2	Real-time demand control system and method of controlling the same A real-time demand control system includes an analysis control module, a plurality of device management modules, and a plurality of electronic devices. The device management modules integrate electricity consumption of the electronic devices and provide the electricity consumption to the analysis control module. The analysis control module predicts whether the total electricity consumption at the next time period exceeds a contract capacity according to the present total electricity consumption. The analysis control module computes and announces reduction of electricity consumption to the device management modules when the predicted total electricity consumption is possible to exceed the contract capacity. Each device management module computes one or more state adjustment options to the analysis control module according to the reduction of electricity consumption. The analysis control module selects one or more state adjustment options to switch operation states of the electronic devices so as to reduce the total electricity consumption.
US09727918B2	System and method for displaying profit related information in an electronic trading environment A system and method for displaying a plurality of profit and risk related indicators are described. A graphical interface displays and dynamically updates a plurality of profit/loss (P/L) indicators including a realized, net, and open indicator. The net and open indicators are based on a trader's net position and a current market level, while the realized indicator is based on trader's buys and sells associated with a tradable object. In one embodiment, the plurality of indicators are displayed in relation to a plurality of money management regions defining a maximum order quantity and a maximum net position controlling the trader's trades, so that a trader can quickly determine his current as well as potential money management parameters. The graphical interface may also display a plurality of potential risk/gain indicators in relation to a realized profit indicator so that a trader, before entering an order having a predetermined order quantity, can view a potential risk/gain in entering into a predetermined net position in view of potential market movements.
US09727915B2	Methods and apparatus to implement spin-gesture based trade action parameter selection Methods and apparatus to implement spin-gesture based trade action parameter selection are disclosed herein. An example method includes detecting, via a user interface of a trading application generated by a computing device, an activation event associated with an interface control corresponding to a trade action, wherein the activation event is a gestural input received via the generated user interface. The example method also includes updating, via the user interface, a value of a trade action parameter associated with the trade action, wherein the value of the trade action parameter updates in a sequence based on a direction associated with the gestural input.
US09727912B1	Approaches for merchant financing A payment system can determine whether a merchant is eligible for a cash advance for a particular amount, along with a fee for the cash advance. The particular amount can be determined by evaluating previous financial transactions that were conducted by the merchant through the payment system. Once a determination is made that the merchant is eligible for the cash advance, the payment system can send an offer for the cash advance in the particular amount to the merchant, for example, in the form of an e-mail or text. The merchant can accept the offer for the cash advance by sending an acceptance to the payment system, for example, through a financing interface provided by the payment system. Upon accepting the offer, the merchant is provided the cash advance for the particular amount, for example, in the form of an electronic deposit in a financial account of the merchant.
US09727911B2	Systems, method and computer-accessible mediums for providing secure paper transactions using paper fiber identifiers Exemplary systems, methods and computer-accessible mediums can receive information comprising a first speckle pattern(s) associated with a portion(s) of the paper. The information can be generated by an optical arrangement, and the first speckle pattern(s) can be compared with a second speckle pattern(s) to determine if a similarity measure based on local or global descriptors is of equal to a predetermined amount or within a predetermined range.
US09727910B1	Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for implementing an antecedent, location-based budget alert to a user Location-based notification to a user before the user engages in a transaction at a location. Embodiments determine a location of a store at which the user is in or near by using positioning data received at a mobile communication device and determines a potential transaction amount for the user at the store and generates budget data based at least in part on a budget goal identified from a local memory of the mobile communication device or received from a remotely hosted financial management system. Budget data is presented to the user, e.g., in the form of a message, notification, or warning on the mobile communication device to inform the user about budget items relevant to a merchant at that location. The user may choose to initiate or complete a transaction at the location with or without involving the financial management system.
US09727904B2	System and method for sales generation in conjunction with a vehicle data system Embodiments of sales generation, including sales generation employing reverse lead generation using vehicle data systems and methods, are presented herein. In particular, in certain embodiments a user may utilize the vehicle data system to obtain pricing data corresponding to a desired vehicle configuration. When the user is presented with the pricing data associated with the specified vehicle configuration the user may additionally be presented with an upfront price offered by a dealer, where by providing their personal information the user may obtain the name of the dealer offering the upfront price and may additionally be offered the opportunity to purchase the desired, or similar, vehicle at the upfront price.
US09727897B2	Sensor data gathering A sensor data gathering environment that associates a sensor with a smart tag attached to a product. The sensor receives product identification data from the smart tag. An application, web service or a computing device associated with the sensor collects customer behavior data, such as a length of time the sensor is associated with the smart tag, the proximity of the sensor to the smart tag, the location of the sensor while in a threshold distance from the smart tag, and the like. The application, web service or the computing device associated with the sensor transmits the product identification data and the customer behavior data to a remote computing system for analysis. Based on the analysis, a message or communication is initiated to provide the customer with personalized customer service.
US09727888B2	Sales promotion assisting system Sales promotion assisting systems are disclosed. Such systems include a sales promotion assisting system in which specific incentive is retrieved by passing a portable terminal or the like over a predetermined terminal installed in a store such as an eating and drinking establishment. An incentive can be exchanged for an item or the like of application software such as a game, which can lead to sales promotion.
US09727884B2	Tracking brand strength using consumer location data and consumer survey responses Techniques that may be used by a consumer analytics system to track consumers' knowledge of brands and interactions with brands based in part on location data for consumers and responses to surveys that are distributed to consumers based at least in part on location data for the consumers. Such location data may be received, for example, from mobile devices operated by the consumers. A brand strength may represent any suitable measurement of a fraction or share of a market category. In some embodiments, a consumer analytics system may determine brand strength for a business using factors that each represent a “share” of a market category held by a business. The system may additionally track changes in these factors over time. Examples of factors that may be tracked include brand awareness for a business, brand accessibility for the business, brand consideration, brand usage, and brand favorites.
US09727877B2	Method and system for dynamic messaging Embodiments of methods and systems for dynamic messaging are disclosed. A lookup request may be received for a customer. A plurality of eligible campaigns may be determined for the customer. An eligible campaign of the plurality of eligible campaigns may include an available offer for the customer. The available offer may be represented by a compressed filter. The customer may match the compressed filter of the available offer of the plurality of eligible campaigns. The available offer of a campaign may be selected from the plurality of eligible campaigns based on metadata of the plurality of eligible campaigns and campaign history data of the customer. A message associated with the selected offer may be provided. The message may be capable of being presented to the customer.
US09727868B2	Determining targeted incentives based on consumer transaction history Systems, apparatus, and methods for determining incentives based on consumer history. When, how, and to whom incentives are sent can be determined. For example, an incentive can be sent to a consumer to encourage a transaction at a time when the particular consumer is predisposed to initiate the transaction. Also, an incentive for a transaction can be sent to a consumer when that transaction has a high likelihood of leading to other transactions. An incentive can also be sent after a consumer initiates a transaction that is known to not have many subsequent transaction correlated to it.
US09727864B2	Centralized identification and authentication system and method A Central-Entity centralizes users' personal and financial information in a secure environment in order to prevent the distribution of user's information in e-commerce. This information is then used to create digital identity for the users. The digital identity of each user is dynamic, non-predictable and time dependent, because it is a combination of a user name and a dynamic, non-predictable and time dependent secure code that will be provided to the user for his identification. The user provides his digital identity to an External-Entity such as merchant or service provider. The External-Entity is dependent on Central-Entity to identify the user based on the digital identity given by the user. The External-Entity forwards the user's digital identity to the Central-Entity for identification and authentication of the user and the transaction.
US09727857B2	Portable information processing device, settlement system, recording medium, and information processing method A device of an example is a portable information processing device performing settlement processing concerning purchase of a merchandise article or a right in cooperation with a given server, comprising: a non-contact communication unit performing non-contact communication with a data storage medium; a data acquisition unit acquiring data stored in the data storage medium, through the non-contact communication unit as a part of the settlement processing; a settlement processing unit performing settlement based on the data acquired by the data acquisition unit, in cooperation with the server, as a part of the settlement processing; a detection unit detecting at least one of attitude, movement, and a placement state of the own device; and a restriction unit acquiring a detection result from the detection unit and then, when the detection result does not satisfy a given condition, restricting performing of at least a part of the settlement processing.
US09727854B2	System and method for expedited release of held items A system for identifying and expediting the release of held items, such as checks. Paying banks (having accounts against which the checks are drawn) provide paid item files to the system, and depository banks (where checks have been deposited) provide held item files to the system. If there is a match of a paid item file and held item file (indicating that a held check has been paid by the paying bank), the depository bank is notified that the item has been paid and that the hold may be released.
US09727849B2	Replenishing a user account with more access resources needed for accessing network services A network access server (NAS) determines the status of availability (e.g., how much more quota is unused) of an access resource, and sends a notification embedded in a point-to-point protocol (PPP) packet. The format of the packet is chosen such that definition/use of higher layers (e.g., HTTP) is not required to communicate the status to a client system. As a result, the user may be notified even if software such as web browser is not being executed on the client system.
US09727847B2	Peak-performance-aware billing for cloud computing environment In some examples, a method is described that may include determining, by a computing device, from a service level agreement (SLA) with a user, an upper limit on computer resources in a cloud computing environment that can be consumed per unit time by at least one application executed for the user in the cloud computing environment. The method may also include charging a fixed cost per period under the SLA.
US09727840B2	Package physical characteristic identification system and method in supply chain management The system and method disclosed herein uses the physical characteristics of a package, pallet, or any object for that fact to uniquely identify an object being shipped in the supply chain. The physical characteristics include, but are not limited to, the dimensions, weight, color, color variation and native markings (such as printing on the object) to make an identification. The object identifying physical characteristics may be captured at a point of origin and passed electronically from the originator/shipper to the receiving party. When an object is received by the recipient, it is uniquely identified by capturing the physical characteristics and matching those characteristics against the electronic information received from the shipper.
US09727831B2	Methods for prompting a user to use enhanced automation system features, and systems and devices related thereto A control panel is used to control and/or monitor an automation system. The automation system may also be used in connection with one or more enhanced services, such as a remote access service. The remote access service may allow a user to control or monitor some or all aspects of the automation system through a remote computing device. To use the remote access service, or other enhanced services, the user may register to associate the user with the control panel of the automation system. If it is determined that the user has not registered, the service provider may send a message to the control panel. The message may prompt the user to register for the enhanced service. Optionally, contact information may be requested to allow a message to be sent to a personal device of the user to facilitate registration or use of the enhanced service.
US09727828B2	Method for evaluating operational and financial performance for dispatchers using after the fact analysis A method is provided for evaluating operational and financial performance for dispatchers in power grid control centers associated with utility systems. A comprehensive operating plan is provided that applies after the fact analysis for performance metrics, root-cause impacts and process re-engineering. after the fact analysis of past events and practices is performed. Actual system and resource conditions are captured. the system and resource conditions are supplied to a relational database. A scheduler engine receives the actual system and resource conditions from the relational database and processes it to calculate system performance. At least one of the following is displayed, transmission evaluation application displays, reference and scenario cases and associations between them, results presented with a graphical or tabular displays, comparison results between scenario cases and a reference case, a family of curves where each curve is a performance metric, comparison of scenario input data, study results and statistical analysis and historical data.
US09727821B2	Sequential anomaly detection A dataset including at least one temporal event sequence is collected. A one-class sequence classifier f(x) that obtains a decision boundary is statistically learned. At least one new temporal event sequence is evaluated, wherein the at least one new temporal event sequence is outside of the dataset. It is determined whether the at least one new temporal event sequence is one of a normal sequence or an abnormal sequence based on the evaluation. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
US09727820B2	Vehicle behavior prediction device and vehicle behavior prediction method, and driving assistance device In order to provide a vehicle behavior prediction device and a vehicle behavior prediction method, and a driving assistance device that uses said vehicle behavior prediction device, which enables vehicle behavior to be predicted in a highly accurate manner, a vehicle control device is installed in a vehicle. This vehicle control device is provided with a distribution calculation unit and a vehicle behavior prediction unit. The distribution calculation unit determines, on the basis of driving condition information that has been collected, probability distributions for when deceleration behavior occurs and does not occur. The vehicle behavior prediction unit determines the relative positional relationships between the driving speed and acceleration of vehicles ahead with respect to the probability distributions, and, on the basis of the relative positional relationships that have been determined, predicts the behavior of a vehicle that is subject to prediction.
US09727813B2	Credit, security, debit cards and the like with buttons A card is provided, such as a credit card or security card, that may transmit information to a magnetic stripe reader via a magnetic emulator. The emulator may transmit the information in order to reduce the amount of circuitry needed to emulate a particular block of information. Additionally, for example, one or more buttons may be included on the card. Buttons may be includes, for example, to provide a control interface to navigate through various options of the card. Additionally, coding schemes may be selected via buttons. Furthermore, a card may be locked until a private number is entered into a card or a number may only be generated (e.g., displayed and/or emulated) once a particular private number is entered into a card.
US09727810B2	Spatially addressable molecular barcoding The disclosure provides for methods, compositions, systems, devices, and kits for determining the number of distinct targets in distinct spatial locations within a sample. In some examples, the methods include: stochastically barcoding the plurality of targets in the sample using a plurality of stochastic barcodes, wherein each of the plurality of stochastic barcodes comprises a spatial label and a molecular label; estimating the number of each of the plurality of targets using the molecular label; and identifying the spatial location of each of the plurality of targets using the spatial label. The method can be multiplexed.
US09727809B2	Mobile terminal, program, and communication system for avoiding display of an unnecessary message A mobile terminal operated in cooperation with an information processing device capable of setting an authentication mode relating to user authentication to one mode selected from two kinds of modes of an authentication request mode requiring the user authentication, and a non-authentication request mode not requiring the user authentication, the mobile terminal including: a display unit configured to display a confirmation message inquiring a user of the mobile terminal whether to perform authentication operation; and a control unit configured to control display operation for displaying the confirmation message, acquiring, from the information processing device, authentication mode information being information representing whether the authentication mode is the authentication request mode or the non-authentication request mode, and displaying the confirmation message on the display unit, on condition that the authentication mode information is acquired, the authentication mode information representing that the authentication mode is the authentication request mode.
US09727805B2	Image evaluation device, image evaluation method and program storage medium An image evaluation device includes: a reading unit that reads a sample image included in a sample printout recognized as a non-defective printout and that reads an inspection object image included in an inspection object printout obtained by printing an image corresponding to the sample image on a recording medium using a printing device based on image data representing the image; an extraction unit that extracts a line defect including a linear pattern formed in a specific direction from the inspection object image represented by inspection object image data, based on a difference value between sample image data obtained by reading the sample image and the inspection object image data; and an evaluation unit that evaluates a visibility of the line defect extracted by the extraction unit.
US09727802B2	Automatic, computer-based detection of triangular compositions in digital photographic images An intelligent system detects triangles in digital photographic images, including portrait photography. The method extracts a set of filtered line segments as candidate triangle sides and/or objects as candidate triangle vertices. A modified RANSAC algorithm is utilized to fit triangles onto the set of line segments and/or vertices. Two metrics may then be used evaluate the fitted triangles. Those with high fitting scores are considered as detected triangles. The system can accurately locate preeminent triangles in photographs without any knowledge about the camera parameters or lens choices. The invention can also help amateurs gain a deeper understanding and inspirations from professional photographic works.
US09727783B2	Extended depth-of-field biometric system An iris recognition system may include an optical system having an intentional amount of spherical aberration that results in an extended depth of field. A raw image of an iris captured by the optical system may be normalized. In some embodiments, the normalized raw image may be processed to enhance the MTF of the normalized iris image. An iris code may be generated from the normalized raw image or the enhanced normalized raw image. The iris code may be compared to known iris codes to determine if there is a match.
US09727775B2	Method and system of curved object recognition using image matching for image processing A system, article, and method of curved object recognition using image matching for image processing.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10