Document	Document Title
US09948481B1	Uplink voice and video enhancements The present disclosure may provide technique(s) to configure a UE for asynchronous UL HARQ transmission. In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus may perform an initial RRC configuration procedure. The apparatus may transmit a first RRC message. The first RRC message may indicate that the UE supports a VoLTE mode. The apparatus may receive a second RRC message from the base station. The second RRC message may configure the UE to operate in VoLTE mode. The apparatus may monitor a CSS for a first uplink grant in first DCI. The first uplink grant may not contain an uplink HARQ ID field. The apparatus may monitor a USS for a second uplink grant in second DCI. The second uplink grant may be associated with asynchronous uplink HARQ, and the second uplink grant may include a HARQ ID field.
US09948480B2	Media access control filtering apparatus for high speed switching and operating method thereof A media access control (MAC) filtering method is provided. The MAC filtering method includes setting a variable of condition on a target frame to be re-transmitted, with a relay control logic; receiving data from a physical layer; storing the received data in a relay buffer; determining whether to re-transmit the receive data; monitoring a transmission state of a MAC control logic and transmitting the received data while the MAC control logic is not used, to prevent data collision, when as a result of the determination that the receive data needs to be re-transmitted; and storing information that the received data is being transmitted, into a transmit state memory in the MAC control logic, when the received data is transmitted.
US09948470B2	Applying circuit delay-based physically unclonable functions (PUFs) for masking operation of memory-based PUFs to resist invasive and clone attacks An authentication device is provided that authenticates an electronic device based on the responses from distinct types of physically unclonable functions. The authentication device receives a device identifier associated with the electronic device. It then sends one or more challenges to the electronic device. In response, the authentication device receives one or more responses from the electronic device, the one or more responses including characteristic information generated from two or more distinct types of physically unclonable functions in the electronic device.
US09948461B2	Signed application cards A device displays signed application cards. The device receives a card object that includes: an application function identifier that identifies an application function of a native application, a digital signature, and a certificate that comprises a public key. The device verifies the authenticity of the digital signature with the public key in the certificate. The device determines that the certificate is signed by a developer of the native application referenced by the card object. The device renders an application card on the display based on the information included in the card object. The application card includes a text string, an image, an audio, and/or an image. The device overlays an indicator onto the application card. The indicator indicates that the authenticity of the digital signature has been verified. The indicator also indicates that the developer of the native application authorized the rendering of the application card.
US09948460B2	Multivariate cryptography based on clipped hopfield neural network The systems and methods disclosed herein, in one aspect thereof, can encrypt and decrypt messages using a multivariate extended Clipped Hopfield neural network that uses a Diffie-Hellman like key exchange algorithm. The proposed cryptosystem comprises three stages that are involved in the communication. A first stage, where parameters are initialized and private keys are generated, a second stage where various base matrix pairs and threshold vectors are synchronized between the sender and the recipient, and a third stage, where encryption/decryption is performed.
US09948455B2	Management of group secrets by group members A method of adding a new device (221) to a device group (210), the device group (210, 220) including a plurality of devices, wherein each device in the device group possesses a device group key and device keys of all other devices in the device group for encryption of messages, except its own device key. The method includes: establishing a secure connection between the new device (221) and a first device (211) in the device group (210); sending, by the first device (211) in the device group (210), the device group key and device keys of all other devices (212, 213, . . . , 21N) in the device group (210) to the new device (221); distributing, by one of the other devices (212, 213, . . . , 21N) in the device group (210), the device key of the first device (211) in the device group (210) to the new device (221); generating and distributing, by one of the devices (211, 212, 213, . . . , 21N) in the device group (210), a device key of the new device (221) to all other devices (211, 212, 213, . . . , 21N) in the device group (210). This approach is also generalized to k-resilient schemes.
US09948442B2	Method and apparatus for transmitting control information in a wireless communication system A method for transmitting control information via a PUCCH in a wireless communication system and an apparatus for performing the method are provided, the method including joint-coding a plurality of pieces of control information to obtain a single code word; obtaining a first modulated symbol sequence from the single code word; obtaining a plurality of second modulated symbol sequences corresponding to each slot in the PUCCH from the first modulated symbol sequence; cyclically shifting the plurality of second modulated symbol sequences in a time domain to obtain a plurality of third modulated symbol sequences; performing a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) precoding process on the plurality of third modulated symbol sequences to obtain a plurality of complex symbol sequences in a frequency domain; and transmitting the plurality of complex symbol sequences via the PUCCH.
US09948433B2	User equipment and base station Techniques for controlling HARQ processes in uplink communication to implement low latency communication are disclosed. One aspect of the present invention relates to user equipment, comprising: a transmission and reception unit configured to transmit and receive radio signals to/from a base station; and an HARQ process control unit configured to control multiple HARQ processes for uplink communication with the base station, wherein the HARQ process control unit asynchronously transmits uplink data from the multiple HARQ processes to the base station in accordance with a predetermined transmission method allowing the base station to identify a transmitting HARQ process of received uplink data.
US09948432B2	Methods and apparatuses for signaling in dynamic time division duplex systems The present invention relates to a method in a UE served by a network node, a method in the network node, the UE, and the network node. The network node is applying dynamic TDD with flexible subframes. The method comprises receiving (900) from the network node information configuring the user equipment with a TDD reference configuration, and determining (910) in which subframe to signal HARQ information based on the TDD reference configuration. The method further comprises monitoring (930) a set of DL subframes indicated to the user equipment by the network node for explicit signaling messages that may be transmitted by the network node in the set of downlink subframes, and receiving (940) an explicit signaling message in response to monitoring. The explicit signaling message designates a subframe in which the UE shall receive a DL signal. The method also comprises preparing (950) to receive the DL signal in the designated subframe.
US09948427B2	High speed add-compare-select for Viterbi decoder System and method of comparing-selecting state metric values for high speed Viterbi decoding. In an Add-Compare-Select (ACS) unit, a select control signal is produced by Boolean operations on comparator decision signals and used to control a multiplexer structure. The comparator decision signals can be generated in parallel by an array of comparators comparing all possible pairs of a set of state metrics values. The Boolean operations are predefined through Boolean algebra that uses the decision signals as variables and complies with restriction imposed by the selection criteria, e.g., to select an minimum or maximum value of the set of state metrics values. The Boolean operations are performed by a logic module implemented using basic logic gates, such as AND, OR and NOT. As a result, the multiplexer structure that receives the set of input values can output the optimum value responsive to the select control signal.
US09948426B2	Apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, apparatus for receiving broadcast signals, method for transmitting broadcast signals and method for receiving broadcast signals The present invention provides a method of transmitting broadcast signals. The method includes, encoding, by an encoder, data in plural PLPs (Physical Layer Pipes); processing, by a framing and interleaving block, the encoded data in the plural PLPs, wherein the processing the encoded data further includes: time interleaving, by a time interleaver, the encoded data in the plural PLPs, frame mapping, by a framer, the time interleaved data onto at least one signal frame, and frequency interleaving, by a frequency interleaver, data in the at least one signal frame; and waveform modulating, by a waveform generation block, the frequency interleaved data in the at least one signal frame and transmitting, by the waveform generation block, broadcast signals having the waveform modulated data.
US09948424B2	System and method for reducing blind decoding complexity in OFDMA-based systems A base station comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a downlink frame. The downlink frame comprises a resource allocation region, and the resource allocation region comprises a set of resource allocation messages comprising at least one resource allocation message. All or a subset of the resource allocation messages each comprise one or more fields with an indicator, interpreted from a particular field or a combination of some or all of the one or more fields, to indicate a number of resource allocation messages intended for a particular subscriber station in the resource allocation region.
US09948419B2	Method and apparatus for determining propagation delay in a communications network A method and apparatus for determining propagation delay of a first path and or of a second path which connect a first transceiver unit associated with a first clock to a second transceiver unit associated with a second clock in a communications network. The apparatus comprises a control unit configured to cause the first transceiver unit to transmit a first signal to the second transceiver unit over the first path and to receive a reply to the first signal from the second transceiver unit over the second path, and to transmit a second signal to the second transceiver unit over the second path and to receive a reply to the second signal from the second transceiver unit over the first path. The apparatus further comprises a receiving unit configured to receive a first time reference representing the time of transmission of the first signal from the first transceiver unit, a second time reference representing the time of receipt of the first signal at the second transceiver unit, a third time reference representing the time of transmission of the reply to the second signal from the second transceiver unit and a fourth time reference representing the time of receipt of the reply to the second signal at the first transceiver unit. The apparatus further comprises a determining unit configured to determine a propagation delay of the first path and or of the second path using the first time reference, the second time reference, the third time reference and the fourth time reference.
US09948417B2	Broadcast transmission device, method by which broadcast transmission device processes data, broadcast reception device and method by which broadcast reception device processes data A broadcast transmission device and a method by which the broadcast transmission device processes data are disclosed. The method by which the broadcast transmission device processes data, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: encapsulating emergency alert information as a link layer packet; error-correction-encoding data of the link layer packet in a physical layer; building a signal frame including the error-correction-encoded data; and transmitting a broadcast signal including the built signal frame, wherein the link layer packet includes a header and a payload, the header includes header information for signaling the payload, the payload includes the emergency alert information, and the header information includes indication information indicating that the link layer packet is a packet for an emergency alert and type information indicating the type of emergency alert information.
US09948413B1	Relay system calibration for wireless communications between a head-mounted display and a console A head-mounted display (HMD) is wirelessly coupled to a console or a relay depending on the relative positions of the HMD, the console, and the relay. The HMD communicates wirelessly with the console using a beam that is oriented in a particular direction. As the position of the HMD changes, the quality of the communication link between the HMD and the console may degrades. In response to the degradation, the HMD forms a communication link with a relay, which operates as an intermediary between the HMD and the console. The relay communicates with the HMD over a dedicated communication channel that is isolated from the communication channel over which the relay communicates with the console. An RF signal path with calibration features in the relay iteratively adjusts a feedback reduction parameter until the effects of the undesirable feedback are eliminated.
US09948398B2	Image-acquisition-based linking for wearable group communication device Systems, methods, software and apparatus enable linking of a wearable end user communication device (EUD) to an intermediate communication device (ICD) utilizing optical symbol sequence matching. Optical symbol reference data corresponding to an optical symbol sequence displayed on the EUD is obtained from the EUD by the ICD. Optical symbol input data is also acquired by the ICD (e.g., via user inputs, EUD device proximity data, image acquisition). The devices are linked if the optical symbol reference data and optical symbol input data match. The optical symbol reference data can be displayed, allowing user confirmation of a match with the optical symbol sequence displayed on the EUD. An ICD user interface touchscreen can present users with selectable color inputs to replicate the optical symbol sequence displayed on the EUD, for example using an LED array. Communications between the devices before and after linking can utilize Bluetooth low energy.
US09948396B2	Method and system for transmitter optimization of an optical PAM serdes based on receiver feedback The present invention is directed to data communication system and methods. More specifically, various embodiments of the present invention provide a communication interface that is configured to transfer data at high bandwidth using PAM format(s) over optical communication networks. A feedback mechanism is provided for adjusting the transmission power levels. There are other embodiments as well.
US09948378B2	Method and device for transmitting reference signal in multi-antenna supporting wireless communication system The present invention relates to a method and a device for estimating a channel of a terminal in a wireless communication system that supports multiple antennas. Particularly, the method comprises the steps of receiving a channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS) for a plurality of first domain antennas and a cell-specific reference signal (CRS) for a plurality of second domain antennas, and estimating the all of the channels on the basis of a first channel for the first domain antennas estimated from the CSI-RS and a second channel for the second domain antennas estimated from the CRS.
US09948376B1	Transmission mode selection Transmission mode selection operations include determining that a first wireless device out of a plurality of wireless devices connected to an access node qualifies for a beamforming transmission mode, determining that a pair of wireless devices out of the plurality of wireless devices qualifies for a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) transmission mode, comparing a first total throughput of the access node using the beamforming transmission mode with a second total throughput of the access node using the MU-MIMO transmission mode, and selecting the downlink transmission mode from the first total throughput and the second total throughput that has a highest total throughput.
US09948375B2	Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving reference signal through beam grouping in wireless communication system A method for transmitting a reference signal by a base station in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes transmitting configuration information for a reference signal to a terminal, performing a scrambling operation which multiplies the reference signal by a sequence on the basis of a beam group identifier for each of at least two beam groups set on a single cell, and transmitting the reference signal, to which the scrambling operation has been performed on the basis of the configuration information, to the terminal.
US09948360B2	Base station, wireless communication terminal, wireless communication system and wireless communication method Disclosed are a base station, a wireless communication terminal, a wireless communication system, and a wireless communication method. The base station can be used in coordinated multi-point transmission and comprises: a channel quality obtaining unit for obtaining uplink channel quality between a user equipment and a coordinated base station; a channel quality determination unit for comparing the obtained uplink channel quality with a quality threshold to determine whether the uplink channel quality is good or bad; a feedback control unit for determining, according to a determination result, whether to allow the user equipment to feed back channel state information to the corresponding coordinated base station; and a sending unit for sending information, about how to feed back the channel status information, to the user equipment. When the determination result is that the uplink channel quality is better than channel quality represented by the quality threshold, the feedback control unit determines to allow the user equipment to feed back the channel status information to the corresponding coordinated base station; when the determination result is that the uplink channel quality is poorer than the channel quality represented by the quality threshold, the feedback control unit determines not to allow the user equipment to feed back the channel status information to the corresponding coordinated base station.
US09948359B2	Secondary short-range wireless assist for wireless-based access control Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to secondary short-range wireless assist for wireless-based access control. According to one aspect, a method can include receiving, at an access control system, a first identifier via a near-field communications (“NFC”) reader associated with an entryway to an area. The NFC reader can receive the first identifier from an NFC component of a mobile device. The method can include receiving, at the access control system, a second identifier via a wireless transceiver associated with the area. The wireless transceiver associated with the area can receive the second identifier from a wireless communication component of the mobile device after the mobile device has entered the area through the entryway. The method can also include determining, by the access control system, that the first identifier and the second identifier constitute an authentication pair that identifies the mobile device as being authenticated to access the area.
US09948345B2	Protective case A protective case includes a first half frame, which has a first body portion and a first strengthened portion connected to two different positions on the first body portion, and a second half frame, which has a second body portion and a second strengthened portion connected to two different positions on the second body portion. Two first abutting portions are provided at two different positions on the first body portion, and the first strengthened portion has a second abutting portion. Two third abutting portions adapted to abut against the first abutting portions are respectively provided at two different positions on the second body portion. The second strengthened portion has a fourth abutting portion adapted to abut against the second abutting portion. Whereby, the first body portion and the second body portion form a complete frame, which surrounds an outer periphery of an electronic device to provide a protective effect.
US09948343B2	Electronic device having waterproof structure An electronic device is provided. An electronic device includes a window formed with a transparent or semi-transparent material at an outside of the electronic device, a display disposed on or over the window and having a second side substantially vertical to a first side, and first and second members to absorb or block moisture inflowing from the outside. The window includes a first area corresponding to the display and a second area corresponding to the outside of the display, the first member is disposed on a part of the second area, the second member is disposed on a part of the first member and on a part of the display, a height of the first member is substantially identical to a height of the display, and a width of the first member or a height of the second member is substantially identical to the first side of the display.
US09948339B1	Spatially distributed module architecture A spatially distributed module and method of assembling the spatially distributed module in a vehicle include disposing a first sub-module of the module in a first location of the vehicle, and disposing a second sub-module of the module in a second location of the vehicle that is spatially separated from the first location. The first sub-module includes a processor and a memory device and the second sub-module includes a first set of one or more components. The method includes coupling the second sub-module to the first sub-module via a flexible connector such that the first set of the one or more components in the second sub-module use the processor and the memory device in the first sub-module. A length of the flexible connector is at least equal to a minimum distance between the first location and the second location.
US09948338B2	Advanced device locking criteria Systems and methods for providing additional control over user equipment (UE) using standardized features of a subscriber identity module (SIM) is provided. The UE can impose SIMLocking criteria based on subscriber related attributes (such as rate plan, prepay, postpay, etc.). The SIM module can comprise multiple unique entries and one value for each entry. One or more entries on the SIM can be subdivided to provide additional values with each value made up of a subset of bits from a particular entry. Thus, a single entry can provide a plurality of values to make up a SIM configuration. The SIM configuration can be compared to a UE SIMLock configuration with the same, or similar, entries to determine if the SIM is compatible for use with the UE. The SIM configuration can be updated dynamically to reflect changes in the account associated with the UE or the SIM.
US09948333B2	Method and apparatus for wireless communications to mitigate interference Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, generating a wireless signal at a first network device and directing the wireless signal towards a second network device of another utility pole, which includes directing the wireless signal away from another network device of the other utility pole. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09948331B2	Transmission circuit, high-frequency front-end circuit, transmission signal control method, and high-frequency front-end transmission/reception control method A transmission circuit includes a transmission signal generation unit, a control unit, and a transmission signal amplification unit. The transmission signal generation unit generates a transmission signal that has been modulated. The transmission signal amplification unit includes a power amplifier that amplifies the transmission signal. The control unit determines a supply voltage signal having an amplitude characteristic of a period identical to that of an envelope of the transmission signal and supplies the supply voltage signal to the power amplifier. The control unit determines an output timing of the supply voltage signal such that a phase difference between a phase of the envelope of the transmission signal and a phase of the supply voltage signal does not become zero.
US09948323B2	Operating method of memory system An operating method of a memory system includes: reading a first data from a particular data group among a plurality of data groups included in a memory device; performing a first error correction code (ECC) decoding for the first data; when the first ECC decoding fails, reading a plurality of the remaining data other than the first data from the particular data group; performing a second ECC decoding for the plurality of the remaining data; when the second ECC decoding fails, identifying data, to the second ECC decoding fails, among the plurality of the remaining data; obtaining first and second soft read values respectively corresponding to the first data, to which the first ECC decoding fails, and the second data, to which the second ECC decoding fails; determining reliability of the first and second data based on the first and second soft read values; and correcting the first data based on the reliability of the first and second data.
US09948321B2	Semiconductor apparatus A semiconductor apparatus includes a pattern conversion circuit configured to generate conversion data in response to a monitoring enable signal, pattern select signals and parallel input data; a transmission circuit configured to output the conversion data as serial data in response to a plurality of clocks; a reception circuit configured to output the serial data as parallel output data in synchronization with the plurality of clocks; and a monitoring circuit configured to generate a result signal in response to the plurality of clocks, clock select signals and the serial data.
US09948319B2	Data compression/decompression system, data compression method and data decompression method, and data compressor and data decompressor In a data compression method, a data string is compressed in units of symbols, each of the symbols being data having a fixed length. Then, a conversion table in which an entry indicating a correspondence between two or more pre-conversion symbols and one post-conversion symbol is registered is searched, and if it is determined that two or more consecutive symbols in the data string are not registered as two or more pre-conversion symbols, an entry in which the two or more consecutive symbols are registered as two or more pre-conversion symbols is registered in the conversion table, and the two or more consecutive symbols are output without conversion, and if two or more consecutive symbols in the data string are registered as two or more pre-conversion symbols in an entry in the conversion table, the two or more consecutive symbols are converted into one post-conversion symbol, the one post-conversion symbol being in correspondence with the two or more consecutive symbols in the entry.
US09948317B2	Time-based delay line analog to digital converter An analog-to-digital converter includes differential digital delay lines, a circuit including a set of delay elements included in the differential digital delay lines, and another circuit including another set of delay elements included in the differential digital delay lines. The first circuit is configured to generate data representing an analog to digital conversion of an input. The second circuit is configured to calibrate a source to the differential digital delay lines.
US09948314B2	Vapor cell and method for making same Vapor cells and methods for making the same are presented, in which a cell cavity is completely filled with aqueous alkali metal azide solution and the solution is dried at a controlled evaporation rate to substantially maintain edge contact pinning at an interface with the cavity sidewall to promote preferential evaporation in the center and outward capillary flow from an unpinned air-fluid interface toward the sidewall to form crystallized alkali metal material at the sidewall while inhibiting drying of dispersed aqueous solution on a transparent cavity bottom to provide substantially unrestricted passage of light through the cavity for atomic clock and other applications.
US09948310B2	Methods and systems for clocking a physical layer interface A method for clocking a physical layer (“PHY”) and a controller of a computing device, comprises the steps of: generating a reference clock signal; synchronizing a plurality of clock signals as a function of the reference clock signal; and clocking the controller and the PHY using the plurality of synchronized clock signals.
US09948308B2	Multi-modulus prescaler with improved noise performance Design techniques for multi-modulus prescaler circuits that minimize the input-to-output delay dependence on the modulus control state or history. The feed-forward signal path inside a multi-modulus prescaler is identified, as well as all feedback paths connected to the feed-forward signal path. In various embodiments, one or more of several techniques may be applied to reduce capacitive load variations and signal coupling due to the modulus control state or history. For at least one component coupled to the feed-forward signal path and having a feedback path, a buffered feedback path may be created separate but parallel to a buffered feed-forward signal path. Double buffers may be added to some feedback paths directly coupled to the feed-forward path so that the forward signal path is not affected by load variations in such feedback paths.
US09948297B2	Pressure dependent capacitive sensing circuit switch construction A user interface which includes a capacitive measurement circuit with a sense plate covered by an electrically conductive cover member, and wherein said circuit may sense two types of events, said types distinguished by an inverse change in measured capacitance, and wherein user proximity and touches with less than a minimum required force constitute one event type, and touches with more than said minimum force constitute the other event type.
US09948296B2	Conductive film of a touch panel and manufacturing method thereof The present disclosure provides a conductive film of a touch panel. The conductive film has a film and a plurality of a plurality of hydrophobic units. The film is used for sensing touch signals, and the hydrophobic units are disposed in the film with intervals. Conductive material of the conductive film of the touch panel is distributed outside the region of the hydrophobic units, and as the hydrophobic units have good light transmittance, the touch panel of the present disclosure has a characteristic of high light transmittance.
US09948293B1	Transmitter driver circuits and methods An integrated circuit includes first and second transmitter driver circuits. The first transmitter driver circuit includes a first pull-up circuit and a first pull-down circuit that are configured as a first voltage mode driver to drive a first single-ended output signal to a first pad during a voltage mode operation. The second transmitter driver circuit includes a second pull-up circuit and a second pull-down circuit that are configured as a second voltage mode driver to drive a second single-ended output signal to a second pad during the voltage mode operation. The first and second pull-up circuits and the first and second pull-down circuits drive a differential output signal to the first and second pads during a current mode operation when the first and second transmitter driver circuits are configured as a current mode driver.
US09948291B1	20V to 50V high current ASIC PIN diode driver An apparatus includes a first circuit, a second circuit and a third circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate a plurality of second signals by a voltage translation of a plurality of first signals. The second circuit may be configured to switch the second signals to generate a plurality of third signals. The second signals are generally switched such that (i) all third signals are inactive before one of the third signals transitions from inactive to active while a switching condition is enabled and (ii) all third signals are switched inactive while the switching condition is disabled. The third circuit may be configured to amplify the third signals to generate a plurality of output signals. Each of the output signals generally has a current capacity to drive one or more of a plurality of diodes in a diode switch circuit.
US09948287B2	Level-shift circuits compatible with multiple supply voltage A level-shift circuit, receiving a supply voltage and a input signal, includes a pre-stage voltage conversion circuit and a post-stage voltage conversion circuit. The pre-stage voltage conversion circuit includes a first voltage protection module generating an inner conversion voltage and a first voltage conversion module converting the input signal into a pre-stage output signal according to the inner conversion voltage. The post-stage voltage conversion circuit includes a second voltage protection module generating a first inverse output signal, a first output signal, a second inverse output signal, and a second output signal. The transistors of the pre-stage voltage conversion circuit and the post-stage voltage conversion circuit have a punch-through voltage. The level-shift makes the stress of the transistors less than the punch-through voltage when the supply voltage is greater than the punch-through voltage, and remains the driving capability when being less than the punch-through voltage.
US09948273B1	Temperature stable MEMS resonator A resonant member of a MEMS resonator oscillates in a mechanical resonance mode that produces non-uniform regional stresses such that a first level of mechanical stress in a first region of the resonant member is higher than a second level of mechanical stress in a second region of the resonant member. A plurality of openings within a surface of the resonant member are disposed more densely within the first region than the second region and at least partly filled with a compensating material that reduces temperature dependence of the resonant frequency corresponding to the mechanical resonance mode.
US09948266B2	Electrical filter, electrical equipment which is provided with such a filter and a vehicle which is equipped with such equipment An electrical filter (10) is suitable for having a greater effectiveness for reducing the common mode current that an electrical device (30) can produce in the direction of a voltage source (20) which is used to supply this device. Such a filter can be useful for meeting the electromagnetic compatibility requirements set by the BMW Group Standard GS 95002-2 “Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)—requirements and tests on components up to 60 V nominal voltage”.
US09948263B2	Multilayer electronic component A multilayer electronic component includes a body including a dielectric layer and/or a magnetic layer, a terminal part including an input terminal, an output terminal, and a ground terminal connected to the body, and a filter part including a coil part disposed in the body and a capacitor part connected to the coil part and filtering a high frequency component of an input signal input to the input terminal. The capacitor part includes a plurality of first internal electrodes connected to the coil part and a plurality of second internal electrodes exposed to an exterior of the body.
US09948251B2	Low noise amplifier (LNA) system A low noise amplifier (LNA) system having a constant noise factor (Const-NF) mode and a constant third-order intercept (Const-IP3) mode is disclosed. The LNA system includes an LNA core and a trade-off bias network coupled to the LNA core to selectably bias the LNA core to realize the Const-NF mode and the Const-IP3 mode. The trade-off bias network is made up of selectable Const-NF circuitry and selectable Const-IP3 circuitry. The LNA system further includes a bias switching controller that is configured to enable the selectable Const-NF circuitry and disable the selectable Const-IP3 circuitry to select the Const-NF mode in response to a first condition and to disable the selectable Const-NF circuitry and enable the selectable Const-IP3 circuitry to select the Const-IP3 mode in response to a second condition.
US09948246B1	Impedance flattening network for high efficiency wideband doherty power amplifier A wideband power amplifier includes a set of amplifiers connected in parallel to amplify signals from input ports of the amplifiers, a matching network configured to match the signals amplified by the amplifiers with predetermined load values, the matching network having a first impedance frequency response as a monotonically decreasing function of frequency of the amplified signals in a target operation frequency range, a converter network configured to convert the signals matched by the matching network, and an impedance flattening network having a second impedance frequency response as a monotonically increasing function of frequency of the amplified signals in the target operation frequency range.
US09948232B2	Method for fabricating flexible solar panel module A flexible solar panel module is provided having a plurality of non-flexible solar panels, a plurality of non-flexible covers and a flexible back sheet. Each of the non-flexible solar panels has a photoreactive device layer, a positive ribbon and a negative ribbon. The non-flexible covers correspond to the non-flexible solar panels respectively and are disposed on front surfaces of the non-flexible solar panels. Each of the non-flexible covers is bigger in size than each of the non-flexible solar panels. The flexible back sheet is disposed under back surfaces of the non-flexible solar panels and has a plurality of openings therein. A first water-resistant sealant is disposed between adjacent non-flexible covers and physically contacts the flexible back sheet. A second water-resistant sealant is disposed between the non-flexible covers and the flexible back sheet and covers sidewalls of the non-flexible solar panels. The non-flexible solar panels are laminated with the flexible back sheet and regions between adjacent non-flexible solar panels are flexible/bendable regions of the flexible solar panel module.
US09948229B2	Electric vehicle An electric vehicle includes: a first inverter circuit; a second inverter circuit; an inverter control device that outputs first switching signals to the first inverter circuit and second switching signals to the second inverter circuit; first signal lines that transfer the first switching signals to the first inverter circuit; second signal lines that transfer the second switching signals to the second inverter circuit; and a signal blocking circuit inserted in the first signal lines and the second signal lines, the signal blocking circuit being configured to output to the first inverter circuit first OFF signals in place of the first switching signals, and outputting to the second inverter circuit second OFF signals in place of the second switching signals, when receiving at least one of the first abnormality signal and the second abnormality signal.
US09948226B2	Apparatus for driving voice coil actuator of camera and method thereof An apparatus for driving a voice coil actuator of a camera and a method thereof are provided. The driving apparatus performs input shaping based on a resonance frequency of a voice coil actuator and damping of vibration in the voice coil actuator to generate a control signal using a shaping signal as an initial input from an unshaped control signal, and thereby drives the voice coil actuator using the control signal subjected to input shaping. The shaping signal is provided to remove the resonance of the voice coil actuator, and may be a pure shaping signal, such as a multi-step shaping signal or a toggle shaping signal, or a convoluted shaping signal obtained by convoluting such pure shaping signals. The driving apparatus may significantly reduce residual vibration and may enhance an auto-focus function of the voice actuator using input shaping control based on damping.
US09948219B2	Rotating electrical machine control device A rotating electrical machine control device where the changeover control circuit switches the source of electric power for the electronic control unit when the electric power that is supplied from the second DC power supply to the electronic control unit becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined first reference value and electric power that is output from the backup power supply is equal to or higher than a predetermined second reference value, and the electronic control unit uses the electric power supplied from the backup power supply to cause the inverter to perform the switching operation to perform fail-safe control.
US09948209B2	Digital controller architecture for three-phase AC sources Digital controller architecture for three-phase AC sources includes a phase accumulator, a command control, and a synchronization generator that are utilized to synchronize three controllers. Each controller provides the input to a separate power stage.
US09948206B2	Multilevel power conversion device with flying capacitor A multilevel power conversion device includes: N (N≥1) direct current voltage sources; a first flying capacitor; a second flying capacitor; and a phase module of a M phase (M≥2) being configured to output, from the output terminal, a potential of one of the input terminals, or a potential obtained by adding or subtracting the voltage of the capacitor to or from the potential of the one of the input terminals, by selectively controlling the respective switching elements in an ON/OFF manner.
US09948194B2	DC/DC converter including phase shift control In a DC/DC converter, a first switching circuit is connected between a first winding of a transformer and a DC power supply, and a second switching circuit is connected between a second winding and a battery. In charging the battery, a control circuit controls respectively phase shift amounts of first and second diagonal elements in the first and second switching circuits relative to the drive phase of a first reference element in the first switching circuit. During a step-up charge control period, if charge current is positive or zero, the control circuit performs control so that the phase shift amount becomes greater than the phase shift amount by an amount exceeding a short-circuit prevention time for the switching elements, allowing step-up operation to be performed, improving controllability in step-up control.
US09948188B2	Control device for a quasi-resonant switching converter, and corresponding control method A control device for a switching converter having a transformer, with a primary winding receiving an input quantity, a secondary winding providing an output quantity, an auxiliary winding providing a feedback quantity, and a switch element. The control device has a processing module for generating a control signal for switching the switch element on the basis of the feedback quantity in order to regulate the output quantity via alternation of phases of storage and transfer of energy. The processing module controls the end of the transfer phase by comparing the feedback quantity with a comparison threshold. A discrimination circuit generates a signal for discrimination between the presence of a short circuit on the output or the fact that the input quantity is lower than a threshold. The processing module controls the end of the energy-transfer phase also on the basis of the discrimination signal.
US09948175B2	Soft-start control system and method for an isolated DC-DC converter with secondary controller A DC-DC converter for supplying a gradually increasing voltage via a soft start circuit from a first powered domain to a second unpowered domain. The powered domain may be connected to a primary winding of a first transformer, and the unpowered domain may be connected to the secondary winding of the first transformer. The unpowered domain may respond to an applied voltage from the soft start circuit by supplying a feedback signal to the powered domain via a feedback circuit. The feedback signal indicates the power supplied from the secondary winding of the first transformer to the unpowered domain is satisfactory.
US09948167B2	Rotor of motor which uses magnets to achieve variation-free torque A rotor (10) of a motor includes a rotor core (11) and a plurality of magnets (14a, 14b) which are arranged at a circumferential surface of the rotor core or at the inside of the rotor core, the length of a magnet of the plurality of magnets in the axial direction of the rotor core determined in accordance with the residual magnetic flux density of the magnet. The axial direction length of the magnet is preferably determined by multiplying a reference axial direction length of the magnet with the residual magnetic flux density of the magnet and dividing this by a reference residual magnetic flux density of the magnet.
US09948165B2	Inverter-integrated electric compressor Provided is an inverter-integrated electric compressor which has improved assembly properties and assembly precision, and improved productivity. In this inverter-integrated electric compressor, a P-N terminal is provided on the inverter device main substrate, and a power source-side cable can be connected to the P-N terminal by inserting a connector provided at one end; by arranging and mounting multiple high-voltage electric components on the back of the main substrate in the area where the P-N terminal is arranged, a filter circuit is provided on the main substrate. The multiple high-voltage electric components are integrally coupled via fitting units provided on the housing cases of one another and are arranged in a prescribed position on the back of the main substrate with a positioning means provided on one of the housing cases.
US09948157B2	Containing casing for a stator of an electric machine and stator assembly using said casing A containing casing for a stator of an electric machine defines, around said axis, a compartment to house the stator. A first radially inner part and a second radially outer part are coupled to one another and define together at least one duct surrounding the axis for the passage of a cooling fluid. Said duct comprises, in turn, a plurality of first sections and a plurality of second sections, which are distributed around the axis alternated with one another. The first sections are arranged around the axis with an arrangement that supports the motion of the fluid around the axis. The second sections are transverse to the first sections and at least partially obtained inside respective protuberances of the first radially inner part, which project towards the inside of the compartment. A space for the insertion of radially projecting portions of electric windings of the stator is defined between two consecutive protuberances around the axis.
US09948156B2	Lawn mower motor and drive A combined d.c. brushless motor and drive control assembly for a rotary mower includes a hollow motor housing, a cover removably attached to an open rear end of the housing, and an end shield mounted to an internal shelf of the housing adjacent its rear end. The end shield and a front wall of the housing define rotary bearing seats for a motor drive shaft. An electronic circuit board including motor drive electronics and feedback sensors is mounted to the housing or to the cover, and is positioned at an axial location between the internal shelf of the housing and the rear wall of the cover. The housing is configured for mounting on a shroud of the rotary mower such that at least the removable cover is above the shroud and easily accessible, whereby repair or replacement of the electronic circuit board is facilitated.
US09948155B2	Sealed robot drive A transport apparatus including a housing, a drive mounted to the housing, and at least one transport arm connected to the drive where the drive includes at least one rotor having at least one salient pole of magnetic permeable material and disposed in an isolated environment, at least one stator having at least one salient pole with corresponding coil units and disposed outside the isolated environment, where the at least one salient pole of the at least one stator and the at least one salient pole of the rotor form a closed magnetic flux circuit between the at least one rotor and the at least one stator, and at least one seal configured to isolate the isolated environment where the at least one seal is integral to the at least one stator.
US09948149B2	Method and apparatus for wireless power transfer In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises a wireless power receiver configured to receive a wireless power signal, a communication circuitry configured to transmit one or more change requests associated with a quantity of the wireless power signal, and a control circuit configured to measure a plurality of reception levels associated with the quantity of the wireless power signal and to determine whether the plurality of reception levels corresponds to the one or more change requests.
US09948146B2	Variable capacitance circuit, variable capacitance device, resonant circuit, amplifying circuit, and electronic apparatus Provides is a variable capacitance circuit that is capable of efficiency optimizing antenna transmission effectively by regulating capacitance values of variable capacitance capacitors with use of direct current voltages applied to the variable capacitance capacitors. A variable capacitance circuit (1) includes a series variable capacitance element (2) and a parallel variable capacitance element (4) connected in series with the series variable capacitance element (2). The series variable capacitance element (2) includes two variable capacitance capacitors (CS1, CS2) (2a, 2b) connected in series. The parallel variable capacitance element (4) includes two variable capacitance capacitors (CP1, CP2) (4a, 4b) connected in series and a variable capacitance capacitor (CP3)(6) connected in parallel with the variable capacitance capacitors (CP1, CP2) (4a, 4b). The variable capacitance circuit (1) further includes three direct current terminals (7a, 7b, 7c).
US09948135B2	Systems and methods for identifying sensitive objects in a wireless charging transmission field Embodiments disclosed herein may generate and transmit power waves that, as result of their physical waveform characteristics (e.g., frequency, amplitude, phase, gain, direction), converge at a predetermined location in a transmission field to generate a pocket of energy. Receivers associated with an electronic device being powered by the wireless charging system, may extract energy from these pockets of energy and then convert that energy into usable electric power for the electronic device associated with a receiver. The pockets of energy may manifest as a three-dimensional field (e.g., transmission field) where energy may be harvested by a receiver positioned within or nearby the pocket of energy.
US09948134B2	Battery pack for wirelessly charging two or more devices A rechargeable battery pack includes a housing, one or more rechargeable batteries contained in the housing, a first inductive coil, a second inductive coil, and electrical circuitry. The first inductive coil is configured for inductively transferring first electrical power from the one or more rechargeable batteries to a first electronic device through a first wireless charging interface according to a first charging interface protocol. The second inductive coil is configured for inductively transferring second electrical power from the one or more rechargeable batteries to a second electronic device according to a second charging interface protocol that is different than the first charging interface protocol simultaneous to the transferring of the first electrical power to the first electronic device. The electrical circuitry is configured for driving the first inductive coil and the second inductive coil for inductively transferring the electrical power to the first and the second electronic devices.
US09948132B2	Wireless charging method and apparatus for handheld mobile terminal Provided are a wireless charging method and a wireless charging apparatus for a handheld mobile terminal. The method includes: detecting a state of an earphone cord of the handheld mobile terminal in real time (S101); when it is detected that the earphone cord is in the to-be-charged twisted state, connecting the earphone cord, as an electricity receiving coil, to a charging apparatus (S102); after the earphone cord is connected as the electricity receiving coil to the charging apparatus, placing the handheld mobile terminal on or near a charging plate provided with an electricity transmitting coil to enable electromagnetic coupling (S103); and obtaining electric energy, by the handheld mobile terminal, through the electromagnetic coupling between the electricity transmitting coil and the electricity receiving coil, to wirelessly charge a battery of the handheld mobile terminal (S104). Convenience can be brought to a user and the user experience can be improved.
US09948126B2	Portable terminal having wireless charging module A portable terminal is provided, including a cover member which is detachably provided at a rear surface of a main body of a terminal, a resonant antenna for a reception unit provided inside of the cover member, a reception circuit unit provided inside of the main body, and a connection unit for connecting the resonant antenna for a reception unit with the reception circuit unit. The portable terminal efficiently receives the signal power provided from a charger by arranging the resonant antenna inside of the cover member, and minimizes the thickness of the portable terminal by providing the reception circuit unit inside of the main body of the terminal.
US09948122B2	Smart battery charging to improve the lifespan of batteries A method for managing a rechargeable battery. The method includes a computer processor identifying a rechargeable battery within a first device. The method further includes a computer processor identifying a battery maintenance policy associated with the rechargeable battery. The method further includes a computer processor determining a first set of models for implementing the identified battery maintenance policy on the identified rechargeable battery based on the identified battery maintenance policy and one or more environmental factors corresponding to the first device. The method further includes a computer processor installing the first set of models in the first device. The method further includes a computer processor performing an intervention action based, at least in part, on a current state of the first set of models and one or more current environmental factors corresponding to the first device.
US09948121B2	Hybrid power type of automatic grease gun A hybrid power type of an automatic grease gun includes a storage tank to store grease, a discharge part to discharge the grease from the storage tank, a drain port to drain out the grease which is discharged from the discharge part, and a power supply part to supply power to the discharge part, to supply power, which is received from moving equipment in connection with the power of the moving equipment, to a rechargeable battery as power to be charged in the rechargeable battery, to first supply the power charged in the rechargeable battery to the discharge, and to automatically and directly supply the power of the moving equipment to the discharge part when the rechargeable battery is fully discharged.
US09948120B2	Portable power source device A portable power source device includes a case having upper and lower shells hingedly connected by a living hinge. The upper and lower shells are formed with ventilation holes for heat ventilation. A power source assembly is provided on an inner surface of one of the shells. The power source assembly may include a battery, a control circuit board, at least one USB interface and a power-indicating unit. A support frame is provided on the inner surface adjacent to the power source assembly for supporting thereon an electronic device such as a mobile phone. The upper and lower shells are fastened together by a fastener.
US09948117B2	Battery balancing apparatus and battery balancing method thereof A battery balancing apparatus configured to perform a battery balancing for a battery pack is provided. The battery balancing apparatus includes n energy storage elements connected in series, n resistors connected in series and a switch unit. First and second terminals of an ith resistor among the n resistors are connected to first and second terminals of an ith energy storage element respectively, where n and i are positive integers and 1≤i≤n. In a first period, the switch unit selects at least one ith battery unit from among the battery units, and connects positive and negative electrode terminals of the ith battery unit to the first and second terminals of the ith energy storage element respectively, so as to perform the battery balancing. A battery balancing method is also provided.
US09948107B2	Electrical device A method of processing power in an electrical device, and an electrical device embodying this method, are both disclosed. A primary conducting element is connected with a secondary conducting element in a first parallel circuit. A current supply inlet and a primary load outlet are connected in series with the secondary conducting element, wherein the primary conducting element contains reverse current induced by the secondary conducting element in use. A secondary load outlet is connected with the primary conducting element in a second parallel circuit. A switching means is located in the first parallel circuit and switched between a first position for closing the primary conducting element to directly supply current from the current supply inlet to the secondary load outlet, and a second position opening the primary conducting element to direct reverse current from the primary conducting element to the secondary load outlet.
US09948104B2	Tripolar VSC-HVDC transmission system and method A tripolar VSC-HVDC system and method include a rectifier and an inverter formed by a three-phase six-bridge arms modular multilevel converter (MMC) respectively, and two converter valves are arranged on the DC side of the rectifier and inverter respectively. The midpoint of upper and lower converter valves of the rectifier and inverter are connected with a pole 3 DC line by a smoothing reactor. Triggering of the upper and lower converter valves is controlled to change the DC voltage polarity of the pole 3 periodically, and tripolar DC transmission is realized by modulating current orders of the three poles.
US09948083B2	Automatic splice water drip nose cone A device for preventing the intrusion of water or other liquids into the interior of an automatic splice. The device may be constructed in a single-piece or two-piece design and includes a series of fingers that contact the cable stranding and wick water away from the cable and out of the connector. These fingers could be integrally molded into the cable cone or molded as a separate piece and inserted. They could also be constructed of any typical brush material such as metal, plastic, rubber, or fiber. The fingers could be arranged in a variety of configurations.
US09948082B2	Cable sealing unit with multiple sealing modules A sealing unit (28) that fits within the sealing unit opening (26) of a housing 22. The sealing unit (28) including a sealant arrangement (32) that define a plurality of cable ports (30). The sealing arrangement is also configured for providing a peripheral seal between the housing (22) and the sealing unit (28). The sealing unit (28) includes an actuation arrangement (31) for pressurizing the sealant arrangement (32) within the sealing unit opening (26). The sealant arrangement (32) includes a plurality of sealing modules (33a-33e) each sized to form only a portion of the pressure actuated sealant arrangement (32).
US09948080B2	Cable spacer clamp arm liner A liner for use with a cable spacer clamp arm is provided. The liner includes a first portion formed in an arcuate configuration and made from a first elastomeric material. A second portion is formed in the arcuate configuration and is receivable within the first portion. The second portion is made from a second elastomeric material different from the first elastomeric material. The first portion attaches to the second portion.
US09948077B2	Manufacturing process of molding stress control module for cross-linked polyethylene insulation cable body terminal The present invention discloses a manufacturing process for a termination injection molding stress control module for cross-linked polyethylene insulated cable body, which comprises the steps of melting and cross-linking a cable factory insulation layer and a filling insulation; melting and cross-linking the cable factory semiconducting layer and a filling semiconducting layer; and melting and cross-linking the filling insulation and the filling semiconducting layer.
US09948076B1	Rack pulley system A removable rack pulley system is provided. The removable rack pulley system is detachably connected to a rack and is employed to adjust cables that are associated with equipment stored in shelves of the rack. The rack pulley system includes a cable-run assembly and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a pressure-actuated locking pin to adhere and release calipers that attach the rack pulley system to the rack. The cable-run assembly uses a multi-length shaft that is integrally connected to the locking mechanism. The multi-length shaft is configured to receive multiple spools of cable to allow various types and sizes of cables to be simultaneously pulled through the rack pulley system while retaining separation of the cables during adjustment of cables. The spools are secured in the cable-run assembly by a holding wire that detachably connects to an end of the multi-length shaft.
US09948070B2	Spark plug A spark plug includes an insulator, a metal shell surrounding the insulator, a center electrode disposed in the insulator, with a front end thereof exposed outside from the insulator, a ground electrode having a fixed end portion fixed to the metal shell and a free end portion located at a predetermined gap apart from the center electrode, and a coating part formed of noble metal or noble metal alloy so as to cover at least a region of an inner surface of the ground electrode from a first intersection to a second intersection, where the first intersection is an intersection at which an imaginary line extending from an outer circumference of the center electrode intersects the ground electrode; and the second intersection is an intersection at which an imaginary plane extending through a midpoint of the predetermined gap in parallel with the front end intersects the ground electrode.
US09948064B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, and semiconductor device A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a step of forming a mesa portion including an active layer above a substrate, and an n-type layer above the active layer, a step of forming a current confinement portion on left and right of the mesa portion, the current confinement portion including a p-type current blocking layer, an n-type current blocking layer above the p-type current blocking layer, and an i-type or p-type current blocking layer above the n-type current blocking layer, and a p-type doping step of diffusing p-type impurities into the i-type or p-type current blocking layer, an upper portion of the n-type current blocking layer, and left and right portions of the n-type layer to change the upper portion of the n-type current blocking layer and the left and right portions of the n-type layer to p-type semiconductors.
US09948063B2	Waveguide structure for mid-IR multiwavelength concatenated distributed-feedback laser with an active core made of cascaded stages Concatenated distributed feedback lasers having novel waveguides are disclosed. The waveguides allow for coupling of the laser beam between active and passive waveguide structures and improved device design and output efficiency. Methods of making along with methods of using such devices are also disclosed.
US09948053B2	Diffraction grating for laser pulse compression and laser device A pulse compressor for compressing a laser pulse in a laser device using a chirped pulse amplification method includes two identically shaped diffraction gratings arranged parallel to each other with their respective grating surfaces facing each other and a total reflection mirror for receiving a laser pulse through the diffraction grating and returning it back to the same gratings. Each diffraction grating is a reflective blazed diffraction grating having grooves with a sawtooth-shaped section covered with a reflective Au coating on their surface, with the blaze angle determined so that, at the wavelength of the laser pulse to be used, the incident angle of a laser pulse entering the pulse compressor and first order diffracted light form a relationship of mirror reflection with the groove slope and so that a predetermined level of diffraction efficiency is obtained. Since the laser pulse impinges on the grating at substantially right angles to the groove slope, a high level of damage threshold is obtained and a high-power laser pulse can be generated.
US09948048B2	Splitter terminal and connector A connector assembly may include first and second connector bodies and a terminal splitter. The second connector body may matingly engage the first connector body. The terminal splitter may be received in at least one of the first and second connector bodies. The terminal splitter may include a body portion having first and second wires connected thereto and a blade portion extending from the body portion and including a third wire connected thereto. The third wire may be joined to a female receptacle mounted in the other one of the connector bodies for being joined to the blade portion.
US09948046B1	Composite connector A composite connector includes a first tongue, a second tongue, and multiple terminal units respectively arranged on the first tongue and the second tongue. Each of the terminal units includes four terminals independent from each other, which are respectively two non-high-speed differential signal terminals and a pair of high-speed differential signal terminals located between the two non-high-speed differential signal terminals. Terminals in each terminal unit are made of a same metal plate and are located on a same plane. There is no other terminal between adjacent two terminal units. A non-high-speed differential signal terminal of one terminal unit is adjacent to a non-high-speed differential signal terminal of an adjacent terminal unit.
US09948044B2	Electrical and mechanical connector Systems and methods for electrical connections between electrical components or flow paths are described. Systems can include a pin having a proximal end and a distal end, a proximal groove disposed between and spaced vertically from the proximal end and the distal end, and a distal groove disposed between and spaced vertically from the proximal groove and the distal end. A proximal garter spring can be disposed around the pin at least partially within the proximal groove, and a distal garter spring can be disposed around the pin at least partially within the distal groove. The proximal garter spring and distal garter spring can be configured to compress in order to mechanically and electrically couple a first electrical flow path and a second electrical flow path.
US09948043B2	Hybrid neutral plug on bar with distributed pitch A neutral bus bar 150 is provided for an electrical distribution apparatus, such as an electrical panel 100. The neutral bus bar includes an elongated body 152 that includes a plurality of wire connectors 154 and plug-on neutral landing sections 156 distributed along a length of the body. Each wire connector includes a side hole 172 and a top landing hole 184 on the body. The top landing hole can receive a hold down screw 176 to secure an electrical wire received in the side hole 172 from a wire-type circuit breaker. Each plug-on neutral landing section is able to receive a plug-on neutral clip from a plug-on neutral type circuit breaker. Adjacent plug-on neutral landing sections have at least one wire connector arranged therebetween on the body. The plug-on neutral landing sections are also distributed with a pitch spacing that corresponds to a pole spacing of circuit breakers connectable on the electrical distribution apparatus.
US09948040B1	Connector A connector includes an insulated housing, four connecting terminals, three pins and a plug. The insulated housing has a containing space and a disposing surface, and the disposing surface is located in the containing space. The connecting terminals are separately disposed in the containing space of the insulated housing and located on the disposing surface. The pins are separately disposed in the containing space of the insulated housing and extend from the disposing surface toward a direction away from the disposing surface, and the connecting terminals surround the pins. The plug is disposed in a center of the containing space of the insulated housing and located on the disposing surface. The plug is beneficial to rotate and has no directionality. The plug includes a plurality of conductive rings, the conductive rings are separately arranged along the direction away from the disposing surface, and the pins surround the plug.
US09948032B2	Electrical plug connector optimized for installation An electrical plug connector for a vehicle comprises a plug with a plug casing in which a contact chamber is formed, an electrical contact part arranged in the contact chamber, a locking bolt for releasably attaching a plug-in contact to the contact part, and a socket to be plugged with the plug, a socket casing and a plug-in contact attached thereto. The plug connector has a locking slide attachable to the plug casing that is mounted on the casing for displacement at least into a locking position in a direction transverse to the plugging direction of the plug, to lock the plug to the socket. The locking slide has a guide slot extending substantially transversely to the plugging direction and having an inclined plane to guide the locking bolt of the contact part as it is moved into the locking position.
US09948030B1	Lever-type electrical connector body and related electrical connector assembly A lever-releasable first electrical connector body includes a housing that includes a set of electrical connectors and a lever rotatably mounted in the housing for rotation between retracted and extended positions. When the first connector body is engaged with a second electrical connector body to form electrical connections with the set of electrical connectors, the lever is normally in the retracted position. Rotation of the lever to the extended position causes an end of the lever to engage and urge the second electrical connector away from the first electrical connector.
US09948026B2	Wire mount electrical connector An electrical connector includes an insulative connector housing including a longitudinal body portion and first and second pairs of opposing end portions. The body portion has a plurality of contact openings extending therein in an insertion direction for supporting a plurality of electrical contact terminals. The first and second pairs of opposing end portions extend from opposing ends of the body portion in the insertion direction. At least one end portion in each pair of opposing end portions includes a ridge extending in the insertion direction for guiding a cover latch along a side surface of the ridge and guiding a strain relief latch along an opposing side surface of the ridge. The ridge has an inclined top surface for resiliently deflecting a cover latch and an inclined side surface for resiliently deflecting a strain relief latch. The ridge has an end portion for latching onto a cover latch and a strain relief latch.
US09948009B2	Controlled illumination dielectric cone radiator for reflector antenna A dielectric cone radiator sub-reflector assembly for a reflector antenna with a waveguide supported sub-reflector is provided as a unitary dielectric block with a sub-reflector at a distal end. A waveguide transition portion of the dielectric block is dimensioned for coupling to an end of the waveguide. A dielectric radiator portion is provided between the waveguide transition portion and a sub-reflector support portion. An outer diameter of the dielectric radiator portion is provided with a plurality of radial inward grooves and a minimum diameter of the dielectric radiator portion is greater than ⅗ of a sub-reflector diameter of the sub-reflector support surface.
US09948007B2	Subterranean antenna including antenna element and coaxial line therein and related methods An antenna assembly may be positioned within a wellbore in a subterranean formation. The antenna assembly includes a tubular antenna element to be positioned within the wellbore, and an RF coaxial transmission line to be positioned within the tubular antenna element. The RF coaxial transmission line includes a series of coaxial sections coupled together in end-to-end relation, each coaxial section including an inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor, and a dielectric therebetween. Each of the outer conductors has opposing threaded ends defining overlapping mechanical threaded joints with adjacent outer conductors.
US09948005B2	Antenna device and communication terminal apparatus An antenna device that includes a planar conductor with a first side and a second side. The antenna device includes multiple coil antennas that each includes a coil conductor wound around a winding axis that extends in a direction of the planar conductor. Moreover, two or more of the coil antennas have respective coil openings positioned adjacent to the first side of the planar conductor.
US09948000B2	Antenna module An antenna module includes a radiation unit, a ground unit and an electrostatic protection unit. The radiation unit includes a metal element and a substrate. The metal element is disposed on a surface of the substrate. The ground unit is disposed on another surface of the substrate. The electrostatic protection unit is disposed in the substrate and connected between the metal element and the ground unit.
US09947998B2	Laminated antenna A laminated antenna includes a bases board having a grounding port and a feed-in port, a feed-in portion on the base board, a dielectric layer, a conductive layer, and a second winding portion. The feed-in portion has opposite first and second ends. The first end is connected to the feed-in port. The dielectric layer has a covering surface covering the feed-in portion and an assembling surface. The conductive layer is on the assembling surface. The conductive layer includes a main radiation portion, an extension radiation portion, and a first winding portion. A segment of the main radiation portion is overlapped with the second end to form a coupling capacitor. The first winding portion is extending between the main radiation portion and the extension radiation portion to form a first inductor. The second winding portion is connected between the main radiation portion and the grounding port to form a second inductor.
US09947992B2	Mobile terminal with new type of antenna structure A mobile terminal with a antenna structure applicable to the field of communications equipment technologies, where the antenna structure includes a metal rear cover, a first slot which is disposed on the metal rear cover, and connects with the metal rear cover through one end, a second slot and a third slot which are disposed on the metal rear cover, and located on opposite sides of the first slot, and connects with the first slot through one end, and the metal rear cover includes a rear cover which is located on one side of the second slot and the third slot, and an antenna part located on the other side of the second slot and the third slot, and the antenna part includes a first antenna part located on one side of the first slot and a second antenna part located on the other side of the first slot.
US09947991B2	Radio communication device A radio communication device includes a body structural material such as a metal casing, a planar coil antenna which is disposed inside the body structural material so as to face the body structural material and includes a coil pattern and a coil opening, and a first slit pattern which is provided in the body structural material, intersects the coil pattern at at least two locations on the coil pattern in a plan view, and is not connected to an edge portion of the body structural material. Thus, mechanical strength is ensured, and predetermined communication performance is ensured.
US09947990B2	Coil apparatus of mobile terminal A coil apparatus of a mobile terminal is disclosed, comprising: a metal coil embedded, in a flat spiral shape, in an inner side of a rear cover of a mobile terminal; an analog switch connected between the metal coil, a wireless charging chip and a signal receiving chip. The embodiment of the present document combines an antenna for receiving a frequency modulated signal with a wireless charging coil, and uses a same group of coils, and embeds the metal coil in the inner side of the rear cover of the mobile terminal, which increases the area of the coil and lengthens the length of the coil, simultaneously improves the efficiency of the wireless charging and the performance for receiving the frequency modulated signal.
US09947988B2	Wireless communication device with integrated ferrite shield and antenna, and methods of manufacturing the same A wireless communication device and methods of manufacturing and using the same are disclosed. The wireless communication device includes a substrate with an antenna and/or inductor thereon, a patterned ferrite layer overlapping the antenna and/or inductor, and a capacitor electrically connected to the antenna and/or inductor. The wireless communication device may further include an integrated circuit including a receiver configured to convert a first wireless signal to an electric signal and a transmitter configured to generate a second wireless signal, the antenna being configured to receive the first wireless signal and transmit or broadcast the second wireless signal. The patterned ferrite layer advantageously mitigates the deleterious effect of metal objects in proximity to a reader and/or transponder magnetically coupled to the antenna.
US09947986B1	Reactive power combiners and dividers including nested coaxial conductors A power divider/combiner includes a main conductor defining an axis and having an outer surface; an input connector, at a front end, having a center conductor, electrically coupled to the main conductor and having an axis aligned with the main conductor axis; a first hollow cylindrical conductor having an open end facing rearwardly, having an inner cylindrical surface, the main conductor being received in and spaced apart from the inner cylindrical surface, the first hollow cylindrical conductor being electrically coupled to the second conductor of the input connector; a second hollow cylindrical conductor having an open end facing forwardly, the first cylindrical conductor being received in and spaced apart from the inner cylindrical surface of the second cylindrical conductor; a third hollow cylindrical conductor having an open back end facing rearwardly, the second cylindrical conductor being received in and spaced apart from the inner cylindrical surface of the third cylindrical conductor; and a plurality of output connectors having respective axes that are perpendicular to the main conductor axis, the output connectors being angularly spaced apart relative to each other, the output connectors having center conductors electrically coupled to the third cylindrical conductor. Methods are also provided.
US09947985B2	System and method for a directional coupler In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a directional coupler includes determining a coupled power variation by applying an input signal at an input port of the directional coupler, applying a first impedance at a transmitted port of the directional coupler, measuring a first coupled power at a coupled port of the directional coupler after applying the first impedance, applying a second impedance at the transmitted port of the directional coupler, measuring a second coupled power after applying the second impedance, and determining a difference between the first coupled power and the second coupled power to form the coupled power variation.
US09947984B2	Power divider and power combiner A power circuit suitable for combining or splitting broadband signals. The circuit includes a stepped impedance section, a core section and a first, second and third port. The stepped impedance section and the core section are interconnected at an interconnection. The stepped impedance section includes a first transmission line running from the first port to the interconnection. The core section includes a second and a third transmission line running from the interconnection to the second and third ports, respectively. The second and third transmission lines each have at least a first and a second core subsection. The number of core subsections of the second transmission line and the number of core subsections of the third transmission line is equal, to the number of stepped impedance subsections of the stepped impedance section.
US09947983B2	Contactless signal conduit structures Conduit structures for guiding extremely high frequency (EHF) signals are disclosed herein. The conduit structures can include EHF containment channels that define EHF signal pathways through which EHF signal energy is directed. The conduit structures can minimize or eliminate crosstalk among adjacent paths within a device and across devices.
US09947982B2	Dielectric transmission medium connector and methods for use therewith Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a connector that includes a first port configured to receive electromagnetic waves guided by a first dielectric core of a first transmission medium. A waveguide is configured to guide the electromagnetic waves from the first port to a second port. The second port is configured to transmit the electromagnetic waves to a second dielectric core of a second transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09947979B2	High-frequency filter and electronic device A flat cable high-frequency filter includes a dielectric substrate extending in a transmission direction of a high-frequency signal. The dielectric substrate includes dielectric layers stacked on each other. Elongated conductor patterns are provided on a flat surface of one dielectric layer which faces another dielectric layer. The conductor patterns are as wide as possible in the dielectric substrate in accordance with a desired inductance. A capacitive coupling conductor pattern opposes one conductor pattern by a predetermined area with a dielectric layer therebetween. By using a connecting conductor, the capacitive coupling conductor pattern is connected to the conductor pattern which does not oppose the capacitive coupling conductor pattern.
US09947977B2	Anode for lithium secondary battery, fabricating method thereof and lithium air battery having the same Provided is an anode for a lithium secondary battery capable of improving the performance and the life of a lithium air battery by forming the anode so that lithium metal is sealed, but migration of lithium ions is possible, and thus, preventing corrosion of a lithium metal and the generation of hydrogen gas caused by permeation of moisture and oxygen gas into the anode, a manufacturing method thereof, and a lithium air battery containing the same.
US09947976B2	System and method for regulating the temperature of an electrochemical battery A system and method regulate the temperature of an electrochemical battery. The system can be incorporated in a hybrid or electric motor vehicle including at least two electrical-energy-accumulating elements, each element including at least one electrochemical cell. The system increases the intensity of the value of the current flowing through the battery up to a first threshold value and includes a module for disconnecting and connecting an electrical-energy-accumulating element.
US09947974B2	Heating system and battery system A heating system includes: an alkaline secondary battery and a controller. The alkaline secondary battery includes: a power generating element configured to be charged or discharged; and a battery case that accommodates the power generating element in a hermetically sealed state. The controller is configured to control charging and discharging of the alkaline secondary battery, and, when an internal pressure of the alkaline secondary battery is higher than or equal to a first threshold, execute a heating process for heating the alkaline secondary battery by decreasing the internal pressure through discharging of the alkaline secondary battery. The heating process is a process of raising a temperature of the alkaline secondary battery.
US09947971B2	Battery system A battery capacity estimation unit estimates a battery in battery capacity based on information regarding the battery's use history. A moisture intrusion estimation unit estimates an amount of moisture intruding into the battery. A battery capacity correction unit uses the estimated amount of intruding moisture to correct the estimated battery capacity.
US09947962B2	Cathodes and electrolytes for rechargeable magnesium batteries and methods of manufacture The invention relates to Chevrel-phase materials and methods of preparing these materials utilizing a precursor approach. The Chevrel-phase materials are useful in assembling electrodes, e.g., cathodes, for use in electrochemical cells, such as rechargeable batteries. The Chevrel-phase materials have a general formula of Mo6Z8 and the precursors have a general formula of MxMo6Z8. The cathode containing the Chevrel-phase material in accordance with the invention can be combined with a magnesium-containing anode and an electrolyte.
US09947953B2	High efficiency, reversible flow battery system for energy storage The present invention relates to a reversible solid oxide electrochemical cell that may operate in two modes: a discharge mode (power generation) and a charge mode (electrolytic fuel production). A thermal system that utilizes a SOFB and is inclusive of selection of operating conditions that may enable roundtrip efficiencies exceeding about 80% to be realized is disclosed. Based on leverage of existing solid oxide fuel cell technology, the system concept is applicable to energy storage applications on the kW to MW scale.
US09947947B2	Mixed metal borohydrides The invention relates to mixed metal borohydrides used for solid hydrogen storage. The mixed metal borohydrides are synthesized through solution synthesis using multiple metal borohydrides. First and second precursor solutions are prepared and combined to create a mixture in which the mixed metal borohydride is formed. The solvent is removed, leaving the mixed metal borohydride. The first precursor solution consisting essentially of lithium borohydride, and the second precursor solution consisting essentially of a borohydride compound containing one or more metal cations selected from the group of metals consisting of sodium, magnesium, calcium and titanium.
US09947946B2	Integrated gas management device for a fuel cell system An integrated gas management device (GMD) for a fuel cell comprises a gas-to-gas humidifier for transferring water from a second gas to a first gas; a heat exchanger attached to a first end of the humidifier core for cooling the first gas; and/or a water separator attached to a second end of the humidifier core for removing liquid water from the second gas. The GMD may optionally comprise a thermal isolation plate between the heat exchanger and the first end of the humidifier core. The GMD further comprises a bypass line to allow the first gas to bypass the humidifier. The first gas may comprise cathode charge air and the second gas may comprise cathode exhaust.
US09947945B2	Ventilation system for an automotive fuel cell stack enclosure A fuel cell stack is housed within a fuel cell stack enclosure. Air is used to ventilate the fuel cell stack enclosure. The air may be pulled from an air stream used to cool a high voltage battery. The air may also be pulled from a vehicle compartment such as a vehicle trunk or vehicle cabin. Filters are used to remove particulate matter from the air.
US09947944B2	Frame body, cell frame for redox flow battery, and redox flow battery There is provided a frame body used for a cell of a redox flow battery, that can improve heat dissipation of an electrolyte in a slit while reducing a shunt current loss through the electrolyte, and can also suppress strain caused at a slit formation portion. It is a frame body used for a cell of a redox flow battery, comprising: an opening formed inside the frame body; a manifold allowing an electrolyte to pass therethrough; and a slit which connects the manifold and the opening and forms a channel of the electrolyte between the manifold and the opening, the slit having at least one bent portion, the at least one bent portion having a radius of curvature of 2.0 mm or more and 200 mm or less.
US09947939B2	Use of an anode catalyst layer A method of operating a fuel cell having an anode, a cathode and a polymer electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode, includes feeding the anode with an impure hydrogen stream having low levels of carbon monoxide up to 5 ppm, and wherein the anode includes an anode catalyst layer including a carbon monoxide tolerant catalyst material, wherein the catalyst material includes: (i) a binary alloy of PtX, wherein X is a metal selected from the group consisting of rhodium and osmium, and wherein the atomic percentage of platinum in the alloy is from 45 to 80 atomic % and the atomic percentage of X in the alloy is from 20 to 55 atomic %; and (ii) a support material on which the PtX alloy is dispersed; wherein the total loading of platinum group metals (PGM) in the anode catalyst layer is from 0.01 to 0.2 mgPGM/cm2.
US09947934B2	Catalyst and electrode catalyst layer, membrane electrode assembly, and fuel cell using the catalyst The present invention has an object to provide a catalyst having excellent oxygen reduction reaction activity. The present invention relates to a catalyst comprising a catalyst support and a catalyst metal supported on the catalyst support, wherein a specific surface area of the catalyst per support weight is 715 m2/g support or more or a covering ratio of the catalyst metal with an electrolyte is less than 0.5, and an amount of an acidic group of the catalyst per support weight is 0.75 mmol/g support or less.
US09947930B2	Positive active material, method of preparing the same, positive electrode, and lithium battery A positive active material, a method of preparing the same, and a lithium battery including the positive active material, the positive active material including a core, the core including an overlithiated lithium transition metal oxide; and a coating layer on the core, the coating layer including Li3VO4.
US09947928B2	Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery The initial charge/discharge efficiency and cycle characteristics of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery are improved. Provided is a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a porous layer placed on the negative electrode, a separator, and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The porous layer has flat voids. The minor axis direction of each flat void is perpendicular to the plane direction of the porous layer and the major axis direction of the flat void is parallel to the plane direction of the porous layer. The ratio of the major axis to the minor axis of the flat void preferably ranges from 1.4 to 2.2.
US09947925B2	Negative electrode for lithium-ion secondary battery Provided are an anode active material for lithium ion rechargeable batteries and an anode, which are capable, when used in a lithium ion rechargeable battery, of providing excellent charge/discharge capacity and cycle characteristics, and also high rate performance, as well as a lithium ion rechargeable battery using the same. The anode active material contains particles having a crystal phase represented by RAx, wherein R is at least one element selected from the group consisting of rare earth elements including Sc and Y but excluding La, A is Si and/or Ge, and x satisfies 1.0≤x≤2.0, and a crystal phase consisting of A. The material is thus useful as an anode material for lithium ion rechargeable batteries.
US09947924B2	Positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, and nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery A positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, which has high energy density and excellent cycle characteristics. A positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries of the present invention is represented by general formula LiNixCoyM(1-x-y)O2(wherein M represents at least one element selected from among metal elements, 0.3≤x<1.0 and 0
US09947910B2	Energy storage apparatus and spacer Provided is an energy storage apparatus where a spacer includes: a base disposed orthogonal to a first direction; a first restricting portion and a second restricting portion extending from an end portion of the base in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a first projecting portion projecting from the base and the first restricting portion; and a second projecting portion projecting from the base and the second restricting portion. The first projecting portion includes: a first portion extending in the second direction on one surface of the base; and a second portion extending to a distal end in the first restricting portion, and is continuously formed at least from an end portion of the first portion on a first-restricting-portion side to a distal end of the second portion. The second projecting portion includes: a third portion which extends in the second direction on the other surface of the base and disposed at the position different from the first portion in a third direction; and a fourth portion extending to a distal end on the second restricting portion, and is continuously formed at least from an end portion of the third portion on a second-restricting-portion side to a distal end of the fourth portion. The distal end of the second portion and the distal end of the fourth portion are disposed at the same position in the third direction.
US09947908B2	Vent housing for advanced batteries A system includes a vent housing configured to be installed on a lower housing of a battery module at a first side of the vent housing. The vent housing has a main body having an opening on a second side of the vent housing and an internal chamber coupled to the opening. The internal chamber includes a first wall having an internal burst vent configured to open at a first pressure threshold and a second wall having a ventilation vent comprising a gas-selective permeability layer.
US09947901B2	Electronic devices with light sensors and displays An electronic device is provided with a display and a light sensor that receives light that passes through the display. The display includes features that increase the amount of light that passes through the display. The features may be translucency enhancement features that allow light to pass directly through the display onto a light sensor mounted behind the display or may include a light-guiding layer that guides light through the display onto a light sensor mounted along an edge of the display. The translucency enhancement features may be formed in a reflector layer or an electrode layer for the display. The translucency enhancement features may include microperforations in a reflector layer of the display, a light-filtering reflector layer of the display, or a reflector layer of the display that passes a portion of the light and reflects an additional portion of the light.
US09947884B1	Solar active powder for fusion powder coating A fusion coating powder useful in forming a coating by fusion of the powder comprising a solar active or a photovoltaic pigment in combination with a resin including a conductive resin and a device for generating electric energy from solar or photo illumination comprising an electrode, a first powder coated layer of an absorptive pigment and a resin, a second powder coated layer of the aforementioned solar active powder, and a protective layer.
US09947880B2	Organic electroluminescent materials and devices Novel phosphorescent tetradentate platinum (II) compounds comprising a twisted aryl group are provided. Also provided are novel phosphorescent tetradentate platinum (II) compounds comprising an imidazo[1,2-f]phenanthridine moiety. The compounds may be used in organic light emitting devices to provide improved device efficiency, line shape and lifetime.
US09947875B2	Amine derivatives, material for organic electroluminescent device and organic electroluminescent device including the same A material for an organic electroluminescent device having high emission efficiency and an organic electroluminescent device including the same. An amine derivative of an embodiment of the inventive concept is represented by Formula (1).
US09947870B2	Method of manufacturing organic light-emitting display apparatus A method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display apparatus including forming an anode on a substrate, forming a lift-off layer on the substrate including the anode, the lift-off layer including a fluoropolymer, forming a pattern on a first portion the lift-off layer overlapping the anode using a roll-to-roll stamp process, forming an organic functional layer including a light-emitting layer on the anode and on a second portion of the lift-off layer not formed with the pattern, removing the lift-off layer using a solvent including fluorine, and forming a cathode on the organic functional layer.
US09947861B2	High performance microwave dielectric systems and methods Loss tangents in microwave dielectric materials may be modified (increased and/or reduced), particularly at cryogenic temperatures, via application of external magnetic fields. Exemplary electrical devices, such as resonators, filters, amplifiers, mixers, and photonic detectors, configured with dielectric components having applied magnetic fields may achieve improvements in quality factor and/or modifications in loss tangent exceeding two orders of magnitude.
US09947858B2	Curable organopolysiloxane composition for transducers and applications of such curable silicone composition for transducers The present invention provides a curable organopolysiloxane composition capable of producing a cured article that can be used as a transducer and provided with excellent mechanical characteristics and/or electrical characteristics. The present invention also relates to a novel curable organopolysiloxane composition for transducer use comprising a curable organopolysiloxane composition, dielectric inorganic fine particles having a specific dielectric constant of greater than or equal to 10, and fine particles having a specific dielectric constant of less than 10.
US09947849B2	Light emitting device Disclosed herein is a light emitting device manufactured by separating a growth substrate in a wafer level. The light emitting device includes: a base; a light emitting structure disposed on the base; and a plurality of second contact electrodes disposed between the base and the light emitting structure, wherein the base includes at least two bulk electrodes electrically connected to the light emitting structure and an insulation support disposed between the bulk electrodes and enclosing the bulk electrodes, the insulation support and the bulk electrodes each including concave parts and convex parts engaged with each other on surfaces facing each other, and the convex parts including a section in which a width thereof is changed in a protrusion direction.
US09947844B1	Package for ultraviolet emitting devices Embodiments of the invention include a light emitting diode including a semiconductor structure including an active layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. The active layer emits UV radiation. A first metal layer is in direct contact with the p-type region. A second metal layer is in direct contact with the n-type region. The first and second metal layers are both formed on a first side of the semiconductor structure. A transparent optic is optically coupled to a major surface of the light emitting diode.
US09947843B2	Method of producing a cover element and an optoelectronic component, cover element and optoelectronic component A method of producing a cover element for an optoelectronic component includes producing a frame having a multiplicity of openings, wherein the frame is made of a material having embedded particles of TiO2, ZrO2, Al2O3, AlN, SiO2, or another optically reflective material and/or an embedded colored pigment; introducing a material into a multiplicity of the openings; and dividing the frame.
US09947840B2	Light emitting device and light source A light emitting device includes at least one light emitting element to emit a first light having a first peak emission wavelength in a range of 420 nm to 480 nm and at least one fluorescent material to convert the first light to a second light having a second fluorescent peak wavelength in a range of 610 nm to 750 nm. The second light has chromaticity existing in an enclosed area in a CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram in which chromaticity is defined by x and y coordinates. The enclosed area is enclosed with a first straight line, a second straight line, a third straight line, and a curved line.
US09947838B2	Method of producing a multicolor LED display A method produces a multicolor LED display, the display including an LED luminous unit having a multiplicity of pixels. First subpixels, second subpixel and third subpixels contain an LED chip that emits radiation of a first color, wherein a first conversion layer that converts the radiation into a second color is arranged at least above the second subpixels and a second conversion layer that converts the radiation into a third color is arranged above the third subpixels. At least one process step is carried out in which the first or second conversion layer is applied or removed in at least one defined region above the pixels, wherein a portion of the LED chips is electrically operated, and wherein the region is defined by the radiation generated by the operated LED chips, generated heat or a generated electric field.
US09947835B2	Light-emitting element and light-emitting package comprising same A light emitting device includes a substrate; a plurality of light emitting cells disposed on the substrate to be spaced apart from one another, the light emitting cell having a via hole passing through the second conductive type semiconductor layer, the active layer and a part of the first conductive type semiconductor layer; a first electrode layer electrically connected to the first conductive type semiconductor layer at a bottom of the via hole; a second electrode layer disposed on the second conductive type semiconductor layer; and a first passivation layer, electrically separating the first electrode layer from the second electrode layer, wherein the first electrode layer of one light emitting cell is electrically connected to the second electrode layer of another light emitting cell adjacent to the one light emitting cell.
US09947834B2	Light emitting element and light emitting element package A light emitting element includes: a substrate; a first conductive type semiconductor layer stacked on the substrate; a light emitting layer stacked on the first conductive type semiconductor layer; a second conductive type semiconductor layer stacked on the light emitting layer; an ITO layer stacked on the second conductive type semiconductor layer; and a reflective layer stacked on the ITO layer. The substrate is transparent to an emission wavelength of the light emitting layer, and the reflective layer includes a Ti-containing first layer stacked on the ITO layer to make contact with the ITO layer and an Al-containing second layer stacked on the first layer in an opposite side to the ITO layer.
US09947831B2	Light emitting diode device having III-nitride nanowires, a shell layer and a continuous layer A light emitting diode (LED) includes a plurality of Group III-nitride nanowires extending from a substrate, at least one Group III-nitride pyramidal shell layer located on each of the plurality of Group III-nitride nanowires, a continuous Group III-nitride pyramidal layer located over the at least one Group III-nitride pyramidal shell layer, and a continuous pyramidal contact layer located over the continuous Group III-nitride pyramidal layer. The at least one Group III-nitride pyramidal shell layer is located in an active region of the LED. The plurality of Group III-nitride nanowires are doped one of n- or p-type. The continuous Group III-nitride pyramidal layer is doped another one of p- or n-type to form a junction with the plurality of Group III-nitride nanowires. A distance from a side portion of the continuous contact layer to the plurality of Group III-nitride nanowires is shorter than a distance of an apex of the continuous contact layer to the plurality of Group III-nitride nanowires.
US09947829B2	Substrate with buffer layer for oriented nanowire growth The present invention provides a substrate (1) with a bulk layer (3) and a buffer layer (4) having a thickness of less than 2 μm arranged on the bulk layer (3) for growth of a multitude of nanowires (2) oriented in the same direction on a surface (5) of the buffer layer (4). A nanowire structure, a nanowire light emitting diode comprising the substrate (1) and a production method for fabricating the nanowire structure is also provided. The production method utilizes non-epitaxial methods for forming the buffer layer (4).
US09947828B2	Quantum dot light-emitting device A quantum dot light-emitting device includes: a first electrode; a second electrode opposite to the first electrode; an emission layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the emission layer including quantum dots; and an inorganic layer between the emission layer and the second electrode, the inorganic layer including a metal halide.
US09947824B1	Solar cell employing nanocrystalline superlattice material and amorphous structure and method of constructing the same A solar cell employing nanocrystalline superlattice material and amorphous structure and method of constructing the same provides improved efficiency when converting sunlight to power. The photovoltaic (PV) solar cell includes an intrinsic superlattice material deposited between the p-doped layer and the n-doped layer. The superlattice material is comprised of a plurality of sublayers which effectively create a graded band gap and multi-band gap for the superlattice material. The sublayers can include a nanocrystalline Si:H layer, an amorphous SiGe:H layer and an amorphous SiC:H layer. Varying the thickness of each layer results in an effective energy gap that is graded as desired for improved efficiency. Methods of constructing single junction and parallel configured two junction solar cells include depositing the various layers on a substrate such as stainless steel or glass.
US09947822B2	Bifacial photovoltaic module using heterojunction solar cells One embodiment of the present invention provides a bifacial solar panel. The bifacial solar panel includes a first transparent cover on a first side of the solar panel, a second transparent cover on a second side of the solar panel, a plurality of solar cells sandwiched between the first cover and the second cover, and one or more lead wires for outputting power generated by the solar panel. The lead wires are positioned on an edge of the solar panel without shading the first and second sides of the solar panel. A respective solar cell comprises a photovoltaic structure, a first metal grid on the first side of the photovoltaic structure, which allows the solar cell to absorb light from the first side, and a second metal grid on the second side of the photovoltaic structure, which allows the solar cell to absorb light from the second side.
US09947819B2	Solar cell module and method of fabricating the same Disclosed are a solar cell module and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell module includes a support substrate including a lateral side, at which a 1st bending portion is formed, and a rear side at which a 2nd bending portion is formed, a solar cell on the support substrate, and a protective layer on the support substrate and the solar cell.
US09947816B2	Semiconductor structures for fuel generation This disclosure relates to photovoltaic and photoelectrosynthetic cells, devices, methods of making and using the same.
US09947809B2	Conductive paste and electronic device and solar cell including an electrode formed using the conductive paste A conductive paste includes a conductive powder, a metallic glass having a glass transition temperature of less than or equal to about 600° C. and a supercooled liquid region of greater than or equal to 0 K, and an organic vehicle, and an electronic device and a solar cell include an electrode formed using the conductive paste.
US09947805B2	Nanowire-based mechanical switching device Nanowire-based mechanical switching devices are described. For example, a nanowire relay includes a nanowire disposed in a void disposed above a substrate. The nanowire has an anchored portion and a suspended portion. A first gate electrode is disposed adjacent the void, and is spaced apart from the nanowire. A first conductive region is disposed adjacent the first gate electrode and adjacent the void, and is spaced apart from the nanowire.
US09947802B2	Manufacturing method of semiconductor device, manufacturing method of electronic appliance, semiconductor device, display device, memory device, and electronic appliance A semiconductor device is manufactured by forming an oxide layer, forming an insulating layer and a sacrificial layer over the oxide layer, forming a conductive layer over the insulating layer and the sacrificial layer, and performing heat treatment after the formation of the conductive layer so that a first mixed layer is formed in a region of the oxide layer that is in contact with the conductive layer and a second mixed layer is formed in a region of the sacrificial layer that is in contact with the conductive layer. The first mixed layer includes at least one of elements included in the conductive layer. The second mixed layer includes at least one of elements included in the conductive layer. The resistance value of the first mixed layer is smaller than that of the oxide layer.
US09947801B2	Transistor and semiconductor device A transistor with small parasitic capacitance can be provided. A transistor with high frequency characteristics can be provided. A semiconductor device including the transistor can be provided. Provided is a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, a first conductor, a second conductor, a third conductor, a first insulator, and a second insulator. The first conductor has a first region where the first conductor overlaps with the oxide semiconductor with the first insulator positioned therebetween; a second region where the first conductor overlaps with the second conductor with the first and second insulators positioned therebetween; and a third region where the first conductor overlaps with the third conductor with the first and second insulators positioned therebetween. The oxide semiconductor including a fourth region where the oxide semiconductor is in contact with the second conductor; and a fifth region where the oxide semiconductor is in contact with the third conductor.
US09947800B2	Transistor, method for manufacturing transistor, semiconductor device, and electronic device A transistor with favorable electrical characteristics, a transistor with stable electrical characteristics, or a highly integrated semiconductor device is provided. In a top-gate transistor in which an oxide semiconductor is used for a semiconductor layer where a channel is formed, elements are introduced to the semiconductor layer in a self-aligned manner after a gate electrode is formed. After that, a side surface of the gate electrode is covered with a structure body. The structure body preferably contains silicon oxide. A first insulating layer is formed to cover the semiconductor layer, the gate electrode, and the structure body. A second insulating layer is formed by a sputtering method over the first insulating layer. Oxygen is introduced to the first insulating layer when the second insulating layer is formed.
US09947791B2	FinFET with merge-free fins A semiconductor device comprises an insulation layer, an active semiconductor layer formed on an upper surface of the insulation layer, and a plurality of fins formed on the insulation layer. The fins are formed in the gate and spacer regions between a first source/drain region and second source/drain region, without extending into the first and second source/drain regions.
US09947790B2	Semiconductor device having curved gate electrode aligned with curved side-wall insulating film and stress-introducing layer between channel region and source and drain regions A semiconductor device including a channel region formed in a semiconductor substrate; a source region formed on one side of the channel region; a drain region formed on the other side of the channel region; a gate electrode formed on the channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween; and a stress-introducing layer that applies stress to the channel region, the semiconductor device having a stress distribution in which source region-side and drain region-side peaks are positioned between a pn junction boundary of the channel region and the source region and a pn junction boundary of the channel region and the drain region.
US09947787B2	Devices and methods for a power transistor having a schottky or schottky-like contact Devices, structures, and methods thereof for providing a Schottky or Schottky-like contact as a source region and/or a drain region of a power transistor are disclosed. A power transistor structure comprises a substrate of a first dopant polarity, a drift region formed on or within the substrate, a body region formed on or within the drift region, a gate structure formed on or within the substrate, a source region adjacent to the gate structure, a drain region formed adjacent to the gate structure. At least one of the source region and the drain region is formed from a Schottky or Schottky-like contact substantially near a surface of the substrate, comprising a silicide layer and an interfacial dopant segregation layer. The Schottky or Schottky-like contact is formed by low-temperature annealing a dopant segregation implant in the source and/or drain region.
US09947786B2	Semiconductor structure having a junction field effect transistor and a high voltage transistor and method for manufacturing the same The present examples relate to a junction field effect transistor (JFET) that shares a drain with a high voltage field effect transistor. The present examples are able to control a pinch-off feature of the junction transistor while also maintaining electric features of the high voltage transistor by forming a groove on a lower part of a first conductivity type deep-well region located on a channel region of the junction transistor in a channel width direction.
US09947785B2	Junction field effect transistor and manufacturing method therefor The present invention relates to a junction field effect transistor. The junction field effect transistor comprises a substrate (10), a buried layer in the substrate, a first well region (32) and a second well region (34) that are on the buried layer, a source lead-out region (50), a drain lead-out region (60), and a first gate lead-out region (42) that are in the first well region (32), and a second gate lead-out region (44) in the second well region (34). A Schottky junction interface (70) is disposed on the surface of the first well region (32). The Schottky junction interface (70) is located between the first gate lead-out region (42) and the drain lead-out region (60), and is isolated from the first gate lead-out region (42) and the drain lead-out region (60) by means of isolation structures. The present invention also relates to a manufacturing method for a junction field effect transistor.
US09947784B2	High voltage lateral extended drain MOS transistor with improved drift layer contact An integrated circuit and method having an extended drain MOS transistor with a buried drift region, a drain end diffused link between the buried drift region and the drain contact, and a concurrently formed channel end diffused link between the buried drift region and the channel, where the channel end diffused link is formed by implanting through segmented areas to dilute the doping to less than two-thirds the doping in the drain end diffused link.
US09947783B2	P-channel DEMOS device A p-channel drain extended metal oxide semiconductor (DEPMOS) device includes a doped surface layer at least one nwell finger defining an nwell length and width direction within the doped surface layer. A first pwell is on one side of the nwell finger including a p+ source and a second pwell is on an opposite side of the nwell finger including a p+ drain. A gate stack defines a channel region of the nwell finger between the source and drain. A field dielectric layer is on a portion of the doped surface layer defining active area boundaries including a first active area having a first active area boundary including a first active area boundary along the width direction (WD boundary). The nwell finger includes a reduced doping finger edge region over a portion of the WD boundary.
US09947769B1	Multiple-layer spacers for field-effect transistors Structures for spacers in a device structure for a field-effect transistor and methods for forming spacers in a device structure for a field-effect transistor. A first spacer is located adjacent to a vertical sidewall of a gate electrode, a second spacer is located between the first spacer and the vertical sidewall of the gate electrode, and a third spacer is located between the second spacer and the vertical sidewall of the gate electrode. The first spacer has a higher dielectric constant than the second spacer. The first spacer has a higher dielectric constant than the third spacer. The third spacer has a lower dielectric constant than the second spacer.
US09947750B2	Silicon carbide semiconductor switching device and method of manufacturing silicon carbide semiconductor switching device A silicon carbide semiconductor switching device having a planar metal oxide semiconductor insulated gate structure. The silicon carbide semiconductor switching device includes a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate having a bandgap wider than that of silicon, a drift layer formed on the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, a base region selectively formed in the drift layer at a top surface thereof, a source contact region selectively formed in the base region at a top surface thereof, a trench formed in the drift layer at the top surface thereof, the trench having a depth that is shallower than a depth of the source contact region, a gate electrode embedded in the trench, a top surface of the gate electrode being substantially flush with a top surface of the source contact region, and an interlayer insulating film formed on the top surfaces of the source contact region and the gate electrode.
US09947748B2	Dielectric isolated SiGe fin on bulk substrate A method for forming fins on a semiconductor device includes etching trenches into a monocrystalline substrate to form first fins and forming a first dielectric layer at bottoms of the trenches. Second fins of a material having a different composition than the substrate are grown on sidewalls of the trenches. A second dielectric layer is formed over the second fins. The first fins are removed by etching. The second fins are processed to form fin field effect transistor devices.
US09947746B2	Bipolar junction transistor device and method for fabricating the same A bipolar junction transistor (BJT) device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first doping region with a first conductivity, a second doping region with a second conductivity, a third doping region with the first conductivity, at least one stacked block and a conductive contact. The first doping region is formed in the semiconductor substrate. The second doping region is formed in the first doping region. The at least one stacked block is formed on and insulated from the second doping region. The third doping region is formed in the second doping region and disposed adjacent to the at least one stacked block. The conductive contact electrically connects the at least one stacked block with the third doping region.
US09947745B2	Substrate structure with embedded layer for post-processing silicon handle elimination The present disclosure relates to a substrate structure with a buried dielectric layer for post-processing silicon handle elimination. The substrate structure includes a silicon handle layer, a first silicon oxide layer over the silicon handle layer, a buried dielectric layer over the first silicon oxide layer, where the buried dielectric layer is not formed from silicon oxide, a second silicon oxide layer over the buried dielectric layer, and a silicon epitaxy layer over the second silicon oxide layer. The buried dielectric layer provides extremely selective etch stop characteristics with respect to etching chemistries for silicon and silicon oxide.
US09947743B2	Structures and methods for long-channel devices in nanosheet technology Techniques for providing supporting structures for suspended nanosheets/wires in long-channel devices are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a device structure includes: forming a series of alternating active and sacrificial layers as a stack on a substrate; patterning at least one feature through each of the active and sacrificial layers in the stack; filling the feature with a fill material that is resistant to etching performed on the sacrificial layers; and etching the sacrificial layers to selectively remove at least a portion of each of the sacrificial layers from the stack thereby suspending the active layers, wherein following the etching the fill material remains as a structure supporting the suspended active layers. Transistor devices and methods for formation thereof are also provided.
US09947737B2	Pixel structure having high aperture ratio and circuit A pixel circuit and a pixel structure having high aperture ratio are provided. A first gate electrode, a layer including a first source electrode and a first drain electrode, and an etching stopper layer, a first semiconductor layer, and a gate isolation layer sandwiched between the first gate electrode and the layer of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode construct a first thin film transistor. A second gate electrode, a layer including a second source electrode and a second drain electrode, and an etching stopper layer, a second semiconductor layer, and the gate isolation layer sandwiched between the second gate electrode and the layer of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode construct a second thin film transistor. An isolation layer with a flat top surface is sandwiched between a transparent electrode and a pixel electrode to form a transparent capacitor.
US09947727B2	Organic light emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same An organic light emitting display device realizes slimness, having flexibility, and effectively reducing or preventing visibility of reflected external light, which includes an organic light emitting panel, a first adhesive layer on the organic light emitting panel, a touch electrode array being in contact with the first adhesive layer, a separation layer on the touch electrode array, and a cover film on the separation layer.
US09947726B2	Foldable display A foldable display device according to one or more exemplary embodiments of the present invention includes: a first supporting member; a second supporting member coupled to the first supporting member and configured to be rotated with respect to the first supporting member; an ultra-elastic sheet adhered to the first supporting member and the second supporting member; and a display module adhered to the ultra-elastic sheet.
US09947723B2	Multiple conductive layer TFT A multiple layer pixel architecture for an active matrix display is provided having a common bus line on a metal level separate from that on which the gate electrodes of the thin-film transistors (TFTs) are formed. A multilayer electronic structure includes a TFT for driving a pixel of an active matrix optoelectronic device and a capacitor for storing charge to maintain an electrical state of said active matrix pixel, wherein the structure includes a substrate bearing at least four conducting layers separated by at least three dielectric layers, first and second ones of said conducting layers defining drain/source electrodes and a gate electrode of said transistor respectively, and third and fourth ones of said conducting layers defining respective first and second plates of said capacitor, wherein said capacitor and said transistor are laterally positioned such that they overlap in a vertical direction.
US09947712B2	Matrix type integrated circuit with fault isolation capability Technology is described for selectively disconnecting a communal module (e.g., horizontal power and signal distribution network) from conductive traces (e.g., vertical columns) that are coupled to cell elements. In one example, a matrix type integrated circuit includes a two dimensional (2D) array of cell elements, a plurality of conductive traces, a communal module, and a plurality of switches. Each cell element in the 2D array provides a similar function. The plurality of conductive traces is substantially parallel to a first axis of the 2D array. Each conductive trace is coupled to a conductive interconnect of cell elements adjacent to the conductive trace. The communal module is configured to provide distribution of at least one electrical signal to the cell elements in the 2D array via at least two conductive traces that are substantially parallel to the first axis.
US09947710B2	Semiconductor device, solid-state imaging device with tantalum oxide layer formed by diffusing a material of an electrode of necessity or a counter electrode A semiconductor device including a semiconductor layer that includes an active region, semiconductor elements that are formed using the active region, connection regions that are obtained by metalizing parts of the semiconductor layer in an island shape isolated from the active region, an insulation film that is formed to cover one main surface side of the semiconductor layer, electrodes that are disposed to face the semiconductor elements and the connection regions via the insulation film, and contacts that penetrate through the insulation film to be selectively formed in portions according to necessity among portions that connect the semiconductor elements or the connection regions to the electrodes.
US09947706B2	Semiconductor device having a light receiving element Provided is a semiconductor device having a light receiving element in which a plurality of photodiodes are formed on a top surface of a P-type semiconductor substrate, an insulating oxide film is formed on surfaces of the photodiodes 51 via a buried oxide film, and an SOI layer of single crystal silicon is formed between a photodiode and an adjacent photodiode via the buried oxide film for shielding unnecessary light.
US09947705B1	Image sensors with infrared-blocking layers An image sensor may include an infrared radiation-blocking layer. The infrared radiation-blocking layer may block infrared radiation from reflecting off of metal layers formed beneath pixel structures in the image sensor so that the reflected light does not reach the photodiodes. The infrared radiation-blocking layer may be formed between a backside redistribution layer and an epitaxial silicon layer in which pixel structures such as photodiodes and transistors are formed. The infrared radiation-blocking layer may be formed from a pre-existing metal layer between the backside redistribution layer and the epitaxial silicon layer. The infrared radiation-blocking layer may prevent the image sensor from generating inadvertent photocurrents in response to reflected infrared light.
US09947701B2	Low noise device and method of forming the same A low noise device includes an isolation feature in a substrate. The low noise device further includes a gate stack over a channel in the substrate. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric layer extending over a portion of the isolation feature, and a gate electrode over the gate dielectric layer. The low noise device further includes a charge trapping reducing structure adjacent to the isolation feature. The charge trapping reducing structure is configured to reduce a number of charge carriers adjacent an interface between the isolation feature and the channel.
US09947690B2	Display panel A display panel is disclosed. The display panel includes a first substrate, a display layer, a first conductive layer, a first insulation layer, a first protective layer, and a second insulation layer. The first substrate includes an active area and a peripheral area located adjacent to the active area. The display layer is disposed over the first substrate. The first conductive layer is disposed over the first substrate and located in the peripheral area. The first insulation layer is disposed between the first substrate and the first conductive layer. The first protective layer covers the first conductive layer. The second insulation layer is disposed over the first protective layer. The display panel according to the disclosure has better corrosion resistance to improve its reliability.
US09947689B2	Semiconductor device structure with 110-PFET and 111-NFET current flow direction A FinFET comprises a hybrid substrate having a top wafer of (100) silicon, a handle wafer of (110) silicon, and a buried oxide layer between the top wafer and the handle wafer; a first set of fins disposed in the top wafer and oriented in a <110> direction of the (100) silicon; and a second set of fins disposed in the handle wafer and oriented in a <112> direction of the (110) silicon. The first set of fins and the second set of fins are aligned.
US09947687B2	Memory cells comprising a programmable field effect transistor having a reversibly programmable gate insulator A memory cell comprises an elevationally extending programmable field effect transistor comprising a gate insulator that is reversibly programmable into two programmable states characterized by two different Vt's of the programmable transistor. The programmable transistor comprises a top source/drain region and a bottom source/drain region. A bottom select device is electrically coupled in series with and elevationally inward of the bottom source/drain region of the programmable transistor. A top select device is electrically coupled in series with and is elevationally outward of the top source/drain region of the programmable transistor. A bottom select line is electrically coupled in series with and is elevationally inward of the bottom select device. A top select line is electrically coupled in series with and is elevationally outward of the top select device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09947686B2	Semiconductor device including a stack having a sidewall with recessed and protruding portions A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a stack, and channel structures penetrating the stack. The stack includes gate electrodes and insulating layers alternately and repeatedly stacked on the substrate, and extending in a first direction. The channel structures in a first row are spaced apart from each other in the first direction. The stack includes a first sidewall that includes first recessed portions and first protruding portions. Each of first recessed portions is defined by an adjacent pair of the first recessed portions. Each of the first recessed portions has a shape recessed toward a first region of the stack between an adjacent pair of the channel structures of the first row. Each of the first recessed portions has a width that decreases in a direction toward the first region when measured along the first direction.
US09947683B2	Three-dimensional semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing the same According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a structural body, first to fourth pillars, a first interconnection, a second interconnection, a third interconnection, and a fourth interconnection. The first to fourth pillars are provided within the structural body extending along the first direction. A first distance between the first pillar and the first interconnection is greater than a second distance between the third pillar and the third interconnection. The first distance is greater than a third distance between the fourth pillar and the fourth interconnection. A fourth distance between the second pillar and the second interconnection is greater than the second distance. The fourth distance is greater than the third distance.
US09947680B2	Semiconductor memory device A semiconductor memory device includes first wires extending in a first direction; second wires provided in a first interconnect layer including the first wires, the second wires extending in the first direction along extension lines of the first wires respectively; third wires provided in a second interconnect layer different from the first interconnect layer; and transistors on/off controlling electrical connections between the first wires and the second wires through the third wires. The first and second wires are arranged respectively in a second direction crossing the first direction. The transistors are disposed in M stages (M is integer not less than 2) in the first direction, the M stages each including a transistor array aligned in the second direction. The first second wires are periodically arranged with the minimum period including M times N first wires (N is integer not less than 2) and M times N second wires.
US09947677B1	High-density EEPROM arrays having parallel-connected common-floating-gate NFET and PFET as memory cell A memory array includes an N×M array of memory cells, each memory cell having a first transistor connected to a first terminal and a second transistor connected in parallel to the first transistor and a second terminal, where the first and second transistors share a common floating gate and a common output node. Each memory cell further includes an access transistor connected in series to the common output node and a low voltage terminal, the access transistor configured to trigger hot-carrier injection to the common floating gate to change a voltage of the common floating gate. The first transistor is an n-type transistor and the second transistor is a p-type transistor.
US09947674B2	Static random-access memory (SRAM) cell array A static random-access memory (SRAM) cell array forming method includes the following steps. A plurality of fin structures are formed on a substrate, wherein the fin structures include a plurality of active fins and a plurality of dummy fins, each PG (pass-gate) FinFET shares at least one of the active fins with a PD (pull-down) FinFET, and at least one dummy fin is disposed between the two active fins having two adjacent pull-up FinFETs thereover in a static random-access memory cell. At least a part of the dummy fins are removed. The present invention also provides a static random-access memory (SRAM) cell array formed by said method.
US09947673B1	Semiconductor memory device The present invention provides a semiconductor memory device, includes at least one static random access memory (SRAM) cell, wherein the SRAM cell includes a first pick-up node, and a dielectric oxide SRAM (DOSRAM), disposed in a first dielectric layer and disposed above the SRAM cell when viewed in a cross section view, wherein the DOSRAM includes an oxide semiconductor filed effect transistor (OSFET) and a capacitor, a source of the OSFET is electrically connected to the first pick-up node of the SRAM cell through a via structure, and at least parts of the first dielectric layer are disposed between the source of the OSFET and the via structure, and the capacitor is disposed above the OSFET and electrically connected to a drain of the OSFET when viewed in the cross section view.
US09947666B2	Semiconductor device structures including buried digit lines and related methods Methods of forming semiconductor device structures include forming trenches in an array region and in a buried digit line end region, forming a metal material in the trenches, filling the trenches with a mask material, removing mask material in the trenches to expose a portion of the metal material, and removing the exposed portion of the metal material. A plurality of conductive contacts is formed in direct contact with the metal material in the buried digit line end region. Methods of forming a buried digit line contact include forming conductive contacts physically contacting metal material in trenches in a buried digit line end region. Vertical memory devices and apparatuses include metallic connections disposed between a buried digit line and a conductive contact in a buried digit line end region.
US09947646B2	Method and structure for semiconductor mid-end-of-line (MEOL) process A semiconductor device includes a substrate having first and second regions. The first region includes an insulator and the second region includes source, drain, and channel regions of a transistor. The semiconductor device further includes first and second gate stacks over the insulator; a third gate stack over the channel region; a first dielectric layer over the first, second, and third gate stacks; a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer; and a metal layer over the first and second gate stacks. The metal layer is in electrical communication with the second gate stack and is isolated from the first gate stack by at least the first and second dielectric layers.
US09947638B2	Device and method for permanent bonding A method and corresponding device for permanent bonding of a first layer of a first substrate to a second layer of a second substrate on a bond interface, characterized in that a dislocation density of a dislocation of the first and/or second layer is increased at least in the region of the bond interface before and/or during the bonding.
US09947636B2	Method for making semiconductor device with lead frame made from top and bottom components and related devices A method for making a semiconductor device may include bonding a top lead frame component, having recesses, with a bottom lead frame component to form a lead frame, the top and bottom lead frame components each including metal. The method may include mounting an IC on the lead frame, encapsulating the IC and the lead frame, and removing portions of the bottom lead frame component to define contacts for the IC.
US09947631B2	Surface finishes for interconnection pads in microelectronic structures A surface finish may be formed in a microelectronic structure, wherein the surface finish may include an interlayer comprising a refractory metal, phosphorus, and nickel, with the refractory metal having a content of between about 2 and 12% by weight and the phosphorus having a content of between about 2 and 12% by weight with the remainder being nickel. In one embodiment, the refractory metal of the interlayer may consist of one of tungsten, molybdenum, and ruthenium. In another embodiment, the interlayer may comprise the refractory metal being tungsten having a content of between about 5 and 6% by weight and phosphorus having a content of between about 5 and 6% by weight with the remainder being nickel.
US09947627B2	Guard ring structure and method for forming the same A guard ring structure having a semiconductor substrate with a circuit region encircled by a first ring and a second ring. At least one of the first and second ring includes: a plurality of separated doping regions formed in various top portions of the semiconductor substrate, providing P-N junction or N-P junction on bottom of the plurality of separated doping regions; and an interconnect element formed over the semiconductor substrate, covering at least portion of the plurality of separated doping regions.
US09947622B2	Ultrathin superlattice of MnO/Mn/MnN and other metal oxide/metal/metal nitride liners and caps for copper low dielectric constant interconnects An electrical device including an opening in a low-k dielectric material, and a copper including structure present within the opening for transmitting electrical current. A liner is present between the opening and the copper including structure. The liner includes a superlattice structure comprised of a metal oxide layer, a metal layer present on the metal oxide layer, and a metal nitride layer that is present on the metal layer. A first layer of the superlattice structure that is in direct contact with the low-k dielectric material is one of said metal oxide layer and a final layer of the superlattice structure that is in direct contact with the copper including structure is one of the metal nitride layers.
US09947618B2	Microelectronic components with features wrapping around protrusions of conductive vias protruding from through-holes passing through substrates In a microelectronic component having conductive vias (114) passing through a substrate (104) and protruding above the substrate, conductive features (120E.A, 120E.B) are provided above the substrate that wrap around the conductive vias' protrusions (114′) to form capacitors, electromagnetic shields, and possibly other elements. Other features and embodiments are also provided.
US09947614B2	Packaged semiconductor device having bent leads and method for forming A package device has a first lead frame having a first flag. A first integrated circuit is on the first flag. A first encapsulant is over the first integrated circuit. A first plurality of leads is electrically bonded to the first integrated circuit. A first lead of the first plurality of leads has an inner portion covered by the first encapsulant and an outer portion extending outside the encapsulant. The outer portion has a hole and a bend at the hole. The outer portion extends above the first encapsulant.
US09947612B2	Semiconductor device with frame having arms and related methods A semiconductor device may include a circuit board having an opening, and a frame. The frame may have an IC die pad in the opening, and arms extending outwardly from the IC die pad and coupled to the circuit board. The semiconductor device may include an IC mounted on the IC die pad, bond wires coupling the circuit board with the IC, and encapsulation material surrounding the IC, the bond wires, and the arms.
US09947609B2	Integrated circuit stack In some examples, an integrated circuit system includes a plurality of integrated circuit layers. At least one of the integrated circuit layers includes an integrated circuit die, which may not include any through-silicon vias that provide a pathway to an adjacent integrated circuit layer, and an interposer portion, which includes electrically conductive through-vias. The interposer portion may facilitate communication of the integrated circuit die with other integrated circuit layers of the integrated circuit system. In some examples, the stacked integrated circuit system may include more than one integrated circuit die, which may be in the same integrated circuit layer as at least one other integrated circuit die, or may be in a different integrated circuit layer.
US09947607B2	Inverter An inverter includes: an inverter circuit including: a power semiconductor module; and an inverter circuit module including a passive component; a cooler including a cooler surface to which the power semiconductor module is joined; an inverter case sealing the inverter circuit with the cooler surface of the cooler; and a sealed heat insulating layer being formed on the cooler surface of the cooler and having a thickness that is equal to or less than a maximum convection suppressing distance.
US09947601B1	Integrated circuit including NCEM-enabled, side-to-side gap-configured fill cells, with NCEM pads formed from at least three conductive stripes positioned between adjacent gates An integrated circuit, in the form of a wafer, die, or chip, includes multiple standard cell-compatible fill cells, configured to enable non-contact electrical measurements. Such fill cells include mesh pads that contain at least three conductive stripes disposed between adjacent gate stripes. Such fill cells further include geometry to enable non-contact evaluation of side-to-side shorts and/or leakages.
US09947599B2	Method for PECVD overlay improvement The present disclosure generally relates to a method for performing semiconductor device fabrication, and more particularly, to improvements in lithographic overlay techniques. The method for improved overlay includes depositing a material on a substrate, heating a substrate in a chamber using thermal energy, measuring a local stress pattern of each substrate, wherein measuring the local stress pattern measures an amount of change in a depth of the deposited material on the substrate, plotting a plurality of points on a k map to determine a local stress pattern of the substrate, adjusting the thermal energy applied to the points on the k map, determining a sensitivity value for each of the points on the k map, and applying a correction factor to the applied thermal energy to adjust the local stress pattern.
US09947595B2	Semiconductor device structure with gate spacer having protruding bottom portion and method for forming the same A semiconductor device structure and method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate and a gate stack structure formed on the substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes gate spacers formed on the sidewall of the gate stack structure, and the gate spacers include a top portion and a bottom portion adjoined to the top portion, and the bottom portion slopes to a top surface of the substrate. The semiconductor device structure further includes an epitaxial structure formed adjacent to the gate spacers, and the epitaxial structure is formed below the gate spacers.
US09947592B2	FinFET devices and methods of forming the same FinFET devices and methods of forming the same are disclosed. One of the FinFET devices includes a substrate, multiple gates and a single spacer wall. The substrate is provided with multiple fins extending in a first direction. The multiple gates extending in a second direction different from the first direction are provided respectively across the fins. Two of the adjacent gates are arranged end to end. The single spacer wall extending in the first direction is located between the facing ends of the adjacent gates and is in physical contact with a gate dielectric material of each of the adjacent gates.
US09947590B1	Method, apparatus, and system for using a cover mask for enabling metal line jumping over MOL features in a standard cell At least one method, apparatus and system disclosed involves providing an integrated circuit having metal feature flyover over an middle-of-line (MOL) feature. A first location for a non-contact intersection region between a first middle of line (MOL) interconnect feature and a metal feature in a functional cell is determined. A dielectric feature is formed over the first MOL interconnect feature at the first location. The metal feature is formed over the dielectric layer, the dielectric layer providing a predetermined amount of voltage isolation between the first MOL interconnect feature and the metal feature.
US09947589B1	Methods of forming a gate contact for a transistor above an active region and the resulting device A transistor is formed above an active region. The transistor includes a gate structure, a first gate cap layer and a first sidewall spacer positioned adjacent sidewalls of the gate structure. Source/drain contacts are formed adjacent the first sidewall spacer. The first gate cap layer and a portion of the first sidewall spacer are removed to define a gate contact cavity that exposes a portion of the gate structure and an upper portion of the SD contacts. A second spacer and a conductive gate plug are formed in the gate contact cavity. Upper portions of the SD contacts positioned adjacent the second spacer are removed to define a gate cap cavity. A second gate cap layer is formed in the gate cap cavity. An insulating layer is formed above the second gate cap layer. A first conductive structure is formed in the insulating layer conductively coupled to the gate structure.
US09947580B2	Interconnect structures with enhanced electromigration resistance Interconnect structures are provided that include an intermetallic compound as either a cap or liner material. The intermetallic compound is a thermal reaction product of a metal or metal alloy of an interconnect metallic region with a metal of either a metal cap or a metal layer. In some embodiments, the metal cap may include a metal nitride and thus a nitride-containing intermetallic compound can be formed. The formation of the intermetallic compound can improve the electromigration resistance of the interconnect structures and widen the process window for fabricating interconnect structures.
US09947564B2	Conveyance base and conveyance system Provided is a conveyance system that adjusts the position of a conveyed substrate, prevents damage resulting from the heat of another apparatus in a conveyance base, prevents insufficient electrical power of another apparatus in the conveyance base, and can move the conveyance base smoothly. A substrate processing system is provided with a conveyance chamber and a sliding box moving within the conveyance chamber. A plurality of processing modules are connected, and the sliding box is provided with: a conveyance arm that moves wafers; a servo motor that moves the conveyance arm; and a servo motor driver that controls the electrical power supplied to the servo motor. A servo motor controller that controls the servo motor driver is disposed outside a transfer module, and the servo motor driver and servo motor controller perform optical communication.
US09947557B2	Semiconductor processing system having multiple decoupled plasma sources A semiconductor substrate processing system includes a chamber that includes a processing region and a substrate support. The system includes a top plate assembly disposed within the chamber above the substrate support. The top plate assembly includes first and second sets of plasma microchambers each formed into the lower surface of the top plate assembly. A first network of gas supply channels are formed through the top plate assembly to flow a first process gas to the first set of plasma microchambers to be transformed into a first plasma. A set of exhaust channels are formed through the top plate assembly. The second set of plasma microchambers are formed inside the set of exhaust channels. A second network of gas supply channels are formed through the top plate assembly to flow a second process gas to the second set of plasma microchambers to be transformed into a second plasma.
US09947552B2	Structure and formation method of chip package with fan-out structure Structures and formation methods of a chip package are provided. The method includes forming multiple conductive structures over a carrier substrate and disposing a semiconductor die over the carrier substrate. The method also includes disposing a mold over the carrier substrate. The method further includes forming a protection layer between the mold and the carrier substrate to surround the semiconductor die and the conductive structures. In addition, the method includes removing the mold.
US09947545B2	Methods for gate formation in circuit structures Methods for forming a gate structure of a circuit structure are provide. The methods for forming the gate structure may include: forming a first gate pattern in a gate mask layer, the forming including a first etching of rounded corner portions of the first gate pattern; forming a second gate pattern in the gate mask layer, the second gate pattern at least partially overlapping the first gate pattern, the forming including a second etching of rounded corner portions of the second gate pattern; and, etching the gate mask layer using the first gate pattern and second gate pattern to form the gate structure.
US09947539B2	Plasma poisoning to enable selective deposition Atomic layer deposition in selected zones of a workpiece surface is accomplished by transforming the surfaces outside the selected zones to a hydrophobic state while the materials in the selected zones remain hydrophilic.
US09947535B2	Trench formation using horn shaped spacer A method includes forming a mandrel layer over a target layer, and etching the mandrel layer to form mandrels. The mandrels have top widths greater than respective bottom widths, and the mandrels define a first opening in the mandrel layer. The first opening has an I-shape and includes two parallel portions and a connecting portion interconnecting the two parallel portions. Spacers are formed on sidewalls of the first opening. The spacers fill the connecting portion, wherein a center portion of each of the two parallel portions is unfilled by the spacers. Portions of the first opening that are unfilled by the spacers are extended into the target layer.
US09947531B2	High rate sputter deposition of alkali metal-containing precursor films useful to fabricate chalcogenide semiconductors The present invention provides methods to sputter deposit films comprising alkali metal compounds. At least one target comprising one or more alkali metal compounds and at least one metallic component is sputtered to form one or more corresponding sputtered films. The at least one target has an atomic ratio of the alkali metal compound to the at least one metallic component in the range from 15:85 to 85:15. The sputtered film(s) incorporating such alkali metal compounds are incorporated into a precursor structure also comprising one or more chalcogenide precursor films. The precursor structure is heated in the presence of at least one chalcogen to form a chalcogenide semiconductor. The resultant chalcogenide semiconductor comprises up to 2 atomic percent of alkali metal content, wherein at least a major portion of the alkali metal content of the resultant chalcogenide semiconductor is derived from the sputtered film(s) incorporating the alkali metal compound(s). The chalcogenide semiconductors are useful in microelectronic devices, including solar cells.
US09947527B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the invention includes the step S1 of cleaning the silicon carbide substrate 1 surface, the step S2 of bringing a material gas into a plasma and irradiating the atoms contained in the material gas to silicon carbide substrate 1 for growing silicon nitride film 2 on silicon carbide substrate 1, the step S3 of depositing silicon oxide film 3 on silicon nitride film 2 by the ECR plasma CVD method, and the step S4 of annealing silicon carbide substrate 1 including silicon nitride film 2 and silicon oxide film 3 formed thereon in a nitrogen atmosphere. By the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the invention, a semiconductor device that exhibits excellent interface properties including an interface state density and a flat band voltage is obtained.
US09947526B2	Gas discharge device and flat light source using the same, and driving method therefor A gas discharge device includes a thin glass tube filled with a discharge gas; a pair of first and second long electrodes extending toward either side along a longitudinal direction with a discharge gap interposed therebetween are provided outside of a back side flat surface of a thin glass tube; and a ultraviolet phosphor layer formed on an inner surface at the back side flat surface, the thin glass tube filled with a discharge gas having a front side flat surface and the back side flat surface facing each other on a transverse section, wherein, starting with trigger discharge that is initially generated in the discharge gap as a result of a voltage increase when a voltage with a sine waveform or an inclined waveform is applied between both electrodes, the discharge gradually extends so as to move in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes. Ultraviolet light having high luminous efficiency and emission intensity is obtained from a front side surface of the thin glass tube by driving the device with a sine-wave AC voltage.
US09947524B2	Diathermy knife ionisation source A method of detecting one or more compounds, chemicals or contaminants in a substrate by mass spectrometry is disclosed. A non-living substrate is analyzed by contacting the substrate with a diathermy knife. An electric current is applied to the diathermy knife such that the diathermy knife vaporizes a portion of the substrate. The vapor is aspirated via a sampling tube pumped by a venturi pump into a vacuum chamber of a mass spectrometer. Analyte molecules are aspirated into the vacuum chamber whereupon they impact a surface of the vacuum chamber and are ionized to form analyte ions which are then mass analyzed.
US09947519B2	Computational method and system for deducing sugar chains using tandem MSn spectrometry data Based on the m/z of a precursor ion used in an MS2 analysis of a test sugar chain, a plurality of sugar-chain structure candidates are extracted from a sugar-chain database in which various sugar-chain structures are related to m/z (S2). Product ions that can be generated by cutting one sugar-chain bond are calculated for each sugar-chain structure candidate (S3). For each combination of two sugar-chain structure candidates, the product ions of one candidate are compared with those of the other to extract characteristic product ions for each sugar-chain structure candidate, and their m/z values are calculated (S4). Whether or not an MS2 spectrum of the test sugar chain has a peak located at m/z of any of the characteristic product ions is determined, and based on the determination result, the sugar-chain structure candidates are narrowed down (S5) and the obtained result is shown on a display unit (S6).
US09947510B2	Method for supplying gas, and plasma processing apparatus In the exemplary embodiment, a method for supplying a gas is provided. This method includes supplying a processing gas to each of a central gas inlet portion and a peripheral gas inlet portion through a first branch line and a second branch line; closing a valve at a downstream side in a gas line for an additional gas, and filling the additional gas in a tube between the valve and an upstream flow rate controller; opening the valve after filling the additional gas, and supplying a high frequency power to one of an upper electrode and a lower electrode from a high frequency power supply after opening the valve.
US09947505B2	Graphene modification Some embodiments are directed to a support for receiving a biological sample, the support comprising at least one support member, and including graphene attached to the support member. The graphene is partially hydrogenated graphene. Some embodiments are also directed to use of a partially hydrogenated graphene surface to support a biological molecule for electron microscopy. Some other embodiments are also directed to a method for making a partially hydrogenated graphene. The method includes applying a hydrogen ion or hydrogen atom to the surface of graphene. The hydrogen ion or hydrogen atom is applied at an energy in the range 1 to 21 eV. A sensor comprising a surface capable of adsorbing a biological molecule thereto is also disclosed, wherein said surface includes partially hydrogenated graphene.
US09947504B2	Particle beam apparatus and method for operating a particle beam apparatus The system described herein relates to a particle beam apparatus for analyzing and/or for processing an object and to a method for operating a particle beam apparatus. The particle beam apparatus is designed for example as an electron beam apparatus and/or an ion beam apparatus. The particle beam apparatus comprises a beam deflection device, for example an objective lens, which is provided with a first coil and a second coil. The first coil is operated with a first coil current. The second coil is operated with a second coil current. The first coil current and/or the second coil current may always be controlled in such a way that the sum of the first coil current and the second coil current (the summation current) or the difference between the first coil current and the second coil current (the difference current) is controlled to a setpoint value.
US09947496B2	Circuit breaker with hybrid switch An alternating current circuit breaker includes a first galvanic separation switch (SW2) and a bypass switch (SW1) in a live line, and a second galvanic separation switch (SW3) in a neutral line, and a semiconductor switch element connected parallel to the bypass switch (SW1). The semiconductor switch element includes a combination of a rectifier bridge (D1-D4) and an isolated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). A processing unit is connected to a current measurement unit arranged in the live line, and is arranged to control the bypass switch (SW1), first and second galvanic separation switches (SW2, SW3) and the conducting state of the isolated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) in case of detection of a short circuit condition.
US09947490B2	Electrical circuit switching Systems and techniques are provided for electrical circuit switching. An electrical load may be connected to a voltage supply with current flow entering a first terminal of the electrical load. The electrical load may be disconnected from the voltage supply. The electrical load may be connected to ground such that the electrical load discharges. The electrical load may be connected to the voltage supply with current flow entering a second terminal of the electrical load. The electrical load may be disconnected from the voltage supply. The electrical load may be connected to ground such that the electrical load discharges.
US09947486B2	Switch unit, in particular a circuit breaker A switch unit, preferably implementing a circuit breaker, includes a contact slide unit formed by a contact slide, a fixed contact piece and a moveable contact piece), and a short-circuit release that acts to displace the moveable contact piece by means of a tappet in the event of a short-circuit. A moveable braking device is configured and arranged such that, following circuit opening displacement of the moveable contact piece in response to a short-circuit, the moveable brake device dampens the return, rebound movement of the moveable contact piece to reclose the circuit.
US09947485B2	Three dimensional energy storage device, method of manufacturing same, and mobile electronic device containing same An energy storage device includes an electrode made from an active material in which a plurality of channels have been etched. The channels are coated with an electrically functional substance selected from a conductor and an electrolyte.
US09947481B2	Lubricant-impregnated surfaces for electrochemical applications, and devices and systems using same In certain embodiments, the invention relates to an electrochemical device having a liquid lubricant impregnated surface. At least a portion of the interior surface of the electrochemical device includes a portion that includes a plurality of solid features disposed therein. The plurality of solid features define a plurality of regions therebetween. A lubricant is disposed in the plurality of regions which retain the liquid lubricant in the plurality of regions during operation of the device. An electroactive phase comes in contact with at least the portion of the interior surface. The liquid lubricant impregnated surface introduces a slip at the surface when the electroactive phase flows along the surface. The electroactive phase may be a yield stress fluid.
US09947479B2	Volumetric efficiency wet electrolyte capacitor having a fill port and terminations for surface mounting A wet electrolytic surface mount capacitor has a body defining an interior area and having a fill port formed through a wall of the body. A capacitive element is positioned in an interior of the body and is isolated from the body. A surface mount anode termination is in electrical communication with the capacitive element and isolated from the body. A surface mount cathode termination is in electrical communication with the body. An electrolyte is contained in the interior area of the body, and is introduced into the interior area of the body through the fill port. A fill port plug is positioned adjacent the fill port. A fill port cover compresses the fill port plug against the fill port to seal the fill port, and may be welded in place. A method of forming the capacitor is also provided.
US09947475B2	Ceramic capacitor and method for manufacturing same A ceramic capacitor includes first and second first internal electrodes respectively including first and second extended portions that respectively include a plurality of ceramic columns penetrating the first and the second extended portions, respectively, in a thickness direction. The first extended portion includes a first high ceramic-column density portion in which ceramic columns are provided at intervals of about 20 μm or less along the length direction of the extended portion. The second extended portion includes a second high ceramic-column density portion in which ceramic columns are provided at intervals of about 20 μm or less along the length direction of the extended portion.
US09947471B2	Multilayer capacitor and method for producing the same A multilayer capacitor includes a multilayer body with sides each about 0.3 mm or smaller when viewed from a stacking direction of the multilayer body, and first and second outer electrodes disposed on a surface of the multilayer body. An outermost one of the conductive layers is bent to be convex in the stacking direction and includes penetrating portions extending in the stacking direction. In a cross section perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the multilayer body, assuming the bent conductive layer is equally divided into four regions named region A, region B, region C, and region D arranged in the order named in a widthwise direction of the multilayer body, a sum of minimum diameters of the penetrating portions is larger in the region A than in the region B and larger in the region D than in the region C.
US09947463B2	Ignition coil for internal combustion engine An ignition coil for internal combustion engines is provided which includes magnetically coupled primary and secondary coils, a case, a high-voltage tower, a resistor, and resin packed in the case. The case has the primary coil and the secondary coil disposed therein. The high-voltage tower is attached to a tower mount formed on a front end of the case. The resistor is embedded in the high-voltage tower with a front and a base end surfaces thereof exposed from the high-voltage tower. The resin is packed in the case to seal the primary coil and the secondary coil. This structure enhances the productivity of an assembly of the high-voltage tower and the resistor.
US09947447B2	Neodymium iron boron magnet and preparation method thereof The present invention, on the one hand, provides a neodymium iron boron magnet, comprising neodymium iron boron magnet blank and the RTMH alloy layer compounded on the surface; the R is one or more selected from rare earth elements; the T is Fe and/or Co; the M is one or more selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, In, Sn, Sb, Hf, Ta, W, Pt, Au, Pb and Bi; the H is hydrogen element. By the present invention, the coercive force of magnets is significantly enhanced, and at the same time, the original magnetic remanence and maximum magnetic energy product of the magnets are not significantly reduced.
US09947441B2	Integrated superconductor device and method of fabrication An integrated superconductor device may include a substrate base and an intermediate layer disposed on the substrate base and comprising a preferred crystallographic orientation. The integrated superconductor device may further include an oriented superconductor layer disposed on the intermediate layer and a conductive strip disposed on a portion of the oriented superconductor layer, The conductive strip may define a superconductor region of the oriented superconductor layer thereunder, and an exposed region of the oriented superconductor layer adjacent the superconductor region.
US09947440B2	Mounting cable and method for manufacturing mounting cable A mounting cable includes: a coaxial cable including: a core wire made of a conductive material; an internal insulator covering an outer periphery of the core wire; a shield covering an outer periphery of the internal insulator; and a jacket covering an outer periphery of the shield with an insulator, the coaxial cable having one end portion on which the core wire, the internal insulator and the shield are exposed; a cable fixing unit that fixes one end portion of the exposed core wire and has a connection surface on which an end face of the core wire is exposed; and a conductor having one end electrically and mechanically connected to the exposed shield and having the other end fixed to the cable fixing unit. An end portion of the conductor is exposed on the connection surface of the cable fixing unit.
US09947431B2	Anisotropic films templated using ultrasonic focusing An anisotropic composite film includes a plurality of effectively parallel lines of particles with a polymeric or other solid matrix. The composite films are prepared by dispersion of the particles within a precursor to the matrix, such as a monomer, and acoustically stimulating the dispersion to form effectively parallel lines of the particles that are fixed by polymerizing the monomer or otherwise solidifying a matrix. The composite film is anisotropic and the transmittance of the composite film can exceed 50%. The composite films can be rigid or flexible. The composite film can be electrically conductive. The composite films can be employed as transparent electrodes for, displays, solar cells, and wearable devices.
US09947430B2	Transparent conductive film comprising silver nanowires A transparent conductive film. The film comprises a transparent polymer comprising fused latex polymer particles. A plurality of nanowires comprising silver are partially dispersed in the transparent polymer. Devices employing the transparent conductive film and methods of making the devices are also disclosed.
US09947416B2	Nonvolatile memory device, operating method thereof and memory system including the same A method of operating a non-volatile memory device includes performing an erasing operation to memory cells associated with a plurality of string selection lines (SSLs), the memory cells associated with the plurality of SSLs constituting a memory block, and verifying the erasing operation to second memory cells associated with a second SSL after verifying the erasing operation to first memory cells associated with a first SSL.
US09947414B2	Nonvolatile memory device and operating method thereof An operating method of a nonvolatile memory device is provided. The nonvolatile memory device includes first and second page buffers, and first and second bit lines connected thereto, respectively. First and second latch nodes of the first page buffer are charged to have a voltage having a first level according to data stored in a first latch of the first page buffer. After the charging of the first latch node is started, a sensing node of the second page buffer is pre-charged. The sensing node is connected to the second bit line. Data stored in the first latch is dumped into a second latch of the first page buffer during the pre-charging of the sensing node of the second page buffer.
US09947410B2	Non-volatile semiconductor memory device A non-volatile semiconductor memory device is provided. A determination circuit 200 used to determine the suspected qualification is connected with a plurality of page buffer/sensing circuits 170 via wirings PB_UP, PB_MG, PB_DIS. The page buffer/sensing circuit 170 includes a transistor Q2 in which a reference current Iref flows through a transistor Q1 when the programming verification is unqualified. The determination circuit 200 includes a comparator CMP, a voltage of the wiring PB_UP is supplied to one of input terminals of the comparator CMP, and a reference voltage Vref is supplied to another one of the input terminals. The reference voltage Vref is generated by a reference current (Iref*N) whose amount is corresponding to an unqualified bit number (N) which is determined to be suspectedly qualified.
US09947403B1	Method for operating non-volatile memory device and applications thereof A method for operating a resistance switching memory device is provided, wherein the method includes a first program process, and the first program process includes steps as follows: A programming pulse having a first polarity is firstly applied to at least one resistance switching memory cell of the NVM device. A first verifying pulse with a verifying voltage is then applied to the resistance switching memory cell. A first settling pulse is applied to the resistance switching memory cell prior to or after the verifying pulse is applied, wherein the first settling pulse includes a settling voltage having a second polarity opposite to the first polarity and an absolute value substantially less than that of the verifying voltage.
US09947399B2	Updating resistive memory Data is initially programmed in a portion of ReRAM in parallel. Subsequently, one or more ReRAM cells in the portion are determined to contain first data that is to be modified while remaining ReRAM cells in the portion contain second data that is not to be modified. First conditions are applied to the one or more ReRAM cells thereby modifying the first data, while second conditions are applied to the remaining ReRAM cells, the second conditions maintaining the second data in the remaining ReRAM cells without significant change.
US09947398B1	Semiconductor memory device and operation method thereof A semiconductor memory device includes: a memory array including a plurality of memory cells, the memory cells being in any of a high resistance state (HRS) and a low resistance state (LRS); a reference array including a plurality of reference cells, the memory cells and the reference cells having the same impedance-temperature relationship, the reference cells being in a middle resistance state between HRS and LRS; an average circuit configured for averaging respective reference currents from the reference cells of the reference array into an average reference current; and a comparator configured for comparing a plurality of respective memory currents from the memory cells of the memory array with the average reference current to obtain a plurality of output data of the memory cells of the memory array and to determine respective impedance states of the memory cells of the memory array.
US09947391B1	SRAM based physically unclonable function and method for generating a PUF response A physically unclonable function (PUF) is implemented in a plurality of SRAM cells. In a method for generating a PUF response, a logic zero is first written to all the SRAM cells of the PUF. A bit line coupled to the storage node that stores the logic zero of each SRAM cell is biased to a predetermined voltage. The bit lines are then selected for an evaluation read operation. During the evaluation read, a read current of one of the bit lines from one column is converted to a first voltage and a read current of another bit line of another column is converted to a second voltage. The first voltage is then compared to the second voltage. A logic state of a bit of the PUF response is determined as a result of the comparison. The logic bit may be provided to the input of a parallel-in serial-out shift register. There may be a comparator for each logic bit, or a few comparators may be shared between the logic bits. The PUF response may be used to provide a signature for the data processing system. The back-bias of each cell may be selectively adjusted.
US09947390B2	Structure and methods of operating two identical 4T random access memories storing the same data The random access memory includes: two identical memory cell arrays, a data write circuit and a data read circuit. Array structures of the two identical memory cell arrays are the same, and same original stored information is stored in memory cells with a same address in the two identical memory cell arrays. The data write circuit is configured to write same data into the memory cells with the same address in the two identical memory cell arrays. The data read circuit is configured to select two pieces of stored information from the memory cells with the same address in the two identical memory cell arrays, and to output “0” if the two pieces of stored information are different or output one of the two pieces of stored information if the two pieces of stored information are the same.
US09947381B2	Self-referenced multibit MRAM cell having a synthetic antiferromagnetic storage layer A multibit MRAM cell including a magnetic tunnel junction including a sense layer having a freely orientable sense magnetization; a tunnel barrier layer; and a synthetic antiferromagnet storage layer having a first and second storage layer. The sense magnetization induces a dipolar field having a magnitude above a spin-flop field of the storage layer. The MRAM cell also includes aligning means for aligning the sense magnetization in a plurality of distinct orientations such as to encode a plurality of distinct logic states in the MRAM cell. The present disclosure also concerns a method for operating the multibit MRAM cell.
US09947380B2	Adjustable read reference voltage to reduce errors in memory devices According to one embodiment, a memory includes a magnetoresistive element, a reference cell, a sense amplifier comparing a first current flowing in the magnetoresistive element with a second current flowing in the reference cell, a first transistor having a first control terminal controlling a value of the first current, a second transistor having a second control terminal controlling a value of the second current, and a controller applying a first potential to the first control terminal and a second potential to the second control terminal in a first operation, and applying the first potential to the first control terminal and a third potential larger than the second potential to the second control terminal in a second operation.
US09947369B2	Network storage device A network storage device is provided, where the network storage device includes a cabinet, a network switch, and a hard disk area, where the network switch and the hard disk area are installed inside the cabinet, the hard disk area includes at least one hard disk, each hard disk is fastened to the cabinet using a mounting bracket, each hard disk in the hard disk area and the network switch have a same type of interface, and the hard disk and the network switch are connected using a cable or a printed circuit board (PCB). Using the network storage device, a problem that storage density is limited is resolved, and expansion flexibility is high.
US09947367B2	Assignment of a local physical user interface control function to a remote physical user interface control for local control in a media production system A state of an application program can be stored and transferred to a remote system. The remote system attempts to recreate the original state of the application program. If the remote system is unable to do so, an image of the state of the application program is obtained, instead. Assignment of control to various functions of an application program is achieved by associating a function (i.e., modifying a parameter) with a user control at a remote location.
US09947363B2	Method for voice recording and electronic device thereof A method for voice recording and an electronic device thereof are provided. The method includes determining a voice recording mode from among a plurality of voice recording modes, determining a voice beamforming direction according to the determined voice recording mode, and recording voice signals based on the determined voice beamforming direction.
US09947360B2	Optical information storage medium An optical information storage medium includes a multilayer film that includes a plurality of extruded alternating active data storage layers and buffer layers, which separate the active data storage layers. The active data storage layers and buffer layers have thicknesses that allow the active data storage layers to be writable by non-linear or threshold writing processes to define data voxels within the active data storage layers that are readable by an optical reading device.
US09947359B2	Holographic characterization and playback apparatus A holographic characterization and playback apparatus is provided, which includes a light source, an optical path-forming optical system for separating the light emitted from the light source into a probe light and a reference light of different polarizations, and combining optical paths of the probe light and the reference light.
US09947358B1	Laser diode unit with enhanced thermal conduction to slider An apparatus comprises a slider having a trailing edge and a leading edge. A laser diode unit comprises a submount and a laser diode mounted to the submount. The submount includes a mounting surface affixed to a first surface of the slider at the trailing edge such that a first surface of the submount faces toward the leading edge of the slider. A thermally conductive material covers the first surface of the submount and at least a portion of the first surface of the slider. The thermally conductive material serves as a thermal conduction pathway between the submount and the slider.
US09947354B1	Utilization of multiple writer modules for simultaneously writing two times the number of data tracks in a compact form factor In one general embodiment, an apparatus includes a first outer module having an array of writers, a second outer module having an array of writers, an inner module positioned between the outer modules, and a first actuator for shifting the first outer module. The shifting is relative to the inner module, in a cross-track direction by about one half of a center-to-center pitch of the writers of the first outer module. The inner module has an array of readers.
US09947352B1	Magnetic disk apparatus According to one embodiment, a VCM resistance estimation unit estimates a VCM resistance in a voice coil motor based on an acceleration and a velocity of a magnetic head with a VCM voltage saturated, and an equivalent current force constant estimation unit estimates an equivalent current force constant of the voice coil motor based on the acceleration and the velocity of the magnetic head with the VCM voltage saturated.
US09947336B2	Acoustic echo mitigation apparatus and method, audio processing apparatus and voice communication terminal The present application provides an acoustic echo mitigation apparatus and method, an audio processing apparatus and a voice communication terminal. According to an embodiment, an acoustic echo mitigation apparatus is provided, including: an acoustic echo canceller for cancelling estimated acoustic echo from a microphone signal and outputting an error signal; a residual echo estimator for estimating residual echo power; and an acoustic echo suppressor for further suppressing residual echo and noise in the error signal based on the residual echo power and noise power. Here, the residual echo estimator is configured to be continuously adaptive to power change in the error signal. According to the embodiments of the present application, the acoustic echo mitigation apparatus and method can, at least, be well adaptive to the change of power of the error signal after the AEC processing, such as that caused by change of double-talk status, echo path properties, noise level and etc.
US09947334B2	Enhanced conversational communications in shared acoustic space A multichannel acoustic system (MAS) comprises an arrangement of microphones and loudspeakers and a multichannel acoustic processor (MAP) to together enhance conversational speech between two or more persons in a shared acoustic space such as an automobile. The enhancements are achieved by receiving sound signals substantially originating from relatively near sound sources; filtering the sound signals to cancel at least one echo signal detected for at least one microphone from among the plurality of microphones; filtering the sound signals received by the plurality of microphones to cancel at least one feedback signal detected for at least one microphone from among the plurality of microphones; and reproducing the filtered sound signals for each microphone from among the plurality of microphones on a subset of loudspeakers corresponding that are relatively far from the source microphone.
US09947333B1	Voice interaction architecture with intelligent background noise cancellation A voice interaction architecture has a hands-free, electronic voice controlled assistant that permits users to verbally request information from cloud services. The voice controlled assistant may be positioned in a room to receive voice commands from the user. The voice controlled assistant may also pick up background sources of speech, music, or other noise, such as from a television or stereo system, which may adversely impact the user's intended vocal input to the assistant. The assistant transmits the aggregated audio data (user command and background noise) over a network to the cloud services, which implements noise cancellation functionality to remove the background noise while isolating and preserving the user's command. Once isolated, the cloud serves can process and interpret the user input to perform some function, and return the response over the network to the voice controlled assistant for audible output to the user.
US09947332B2	Method and apparatus for automatic audio alignment in a hybrid radio system A method of processing a digital radio broadcast signal includes: (a) determining a plurality of current correlation sample values representative of a time delay between samples in an analog audio sample stream and samples in a digital audio sample stream; (b) determining a current inversion status; (c) updating a delay history and an inversion status history; (d) checking the current correlation sample values for consistency with a first confidence threshold; (e) if consistency is found in step (d), determining if each of a first plurality of values in the delay history is consistent within a predetermined range of the current correlation sample values; (f) if consistency is found in step (e), determining if a value in the inversion status history is consistent with the current inversion status; and (g) if the consistency is found in step (f), allowing blending of an output to the digital audio sample stream.
US09947329B2	Apparatus and method for encoding or decoding an audio signal using a transient-location dependent overlap An apparatus for encoding an audio or image signal, includes: a controllable windower for windowing the audio or image signal to provide the sequence of blocks of windowed samples; a converter for converting the sequence of blocks of windowed samples into a spectral representation including a sequence of frames of spectral values; a transient location detector for identifying a location of a transient within a transient look-ahead region of a frame; and a controller for controlling the controllable windower to apply a specific window having a specified overlap length to the audio or image signal in response to an identified location of the transient, wherein the controller is configured to select the specific window from a group of at least three windows, wherein the specific window is selected based on the transient location.
US09947327B2	Methods and apparatus for performing variable block length watermarking of media Methods and apparatus for performing variable block length watermarking of media are disclosed. An example method to encode auxiliary data in audio data comprises selecting a frequency based on a code, selecting a block size based on the code, a combination of the block size and the frequency to represent of the code, encoding the code in an audio stream according to the block size and the frequency, and transmitting the audio stream including the encoded code.
US09947323B2	Synthetic oversampling to enhance speaker identification or verification An apparatus for oversampling audio signals is described herein. The apparatus includes one or more microphones to receive audio signals and an extractor to extract a set of feature points from the audio signals. The apparatus also includes a processing unit to determine a distance between each pair of feature points and an oversampling unit to generate a plurality of new feature points based the distance between each pair of feature points.
US09947306B2	Electric acoustic apparatus An electric acoustic apparatus includes a supply unit that supplies sound-generation information including timing information representing a start of a sound-generation, a storage storing sound control pattern data representing a pattern of over-time change of a parameter defining a behavior of a sound, a reproducer that reproduces the sound control pattern data, and a sound signal generator that generates a sound signal representing a sound according to the sound-generation information and changes the behavior of the sound based on the reproduced sound control pattern data. The reproducer controls a reproduction behavior of the sound control pattern data according to the sound-generation information.
US09947302B2	Pedalboard support for electric instruments A pedalboard support for electric instruments includes at least two end pieces, and at least two parallel longitudinal sections, each of which has a top surface to support pedals and at least two lower grooves forming open channels to receive attachment means. The at least two parallel longitudinal sections include at least a longitudinal groove on the top surface forming a channel which is open to the exterior. Each of the at least two end pieces joins the at least two parallel longitudinal sections together at respective ends through attachments placed in the open channels.
US09947294B2	Power advantaged image data control For power-advantaged image data control, a method, system, and apparatus are disclosed. The method includes identifying, by use of a processor, a power source state, determining whether display data includes a power-adverse image based, at least in part, on the power source state, and replacing the power-adverse image with a power-advantaged image in response to the display data including the power-adverse image. In some embodiments, the method includes converting the power-adverse image into the power-advantaged image. In some embodiments, the method includes notifying a user, in response to displaying the power-advantaged image, that the power-advantaged image is displayed in place of the power-adverse image, and providing the user a control to display the power-adverse image in place of the power-advantaged image.
US09947290B2	Multi embedded timing controller, display panel, and computer system having the same A timing controller, a multi embedded timing controller (TED), and a display panel including a multi TED are provided. The timing controller includes: a first interface configured to receive data from a host device; and a second interface configured to communicate with another timing controller for driving the display panel, wherein the second interface is configured to communicate full link training information with the other timing controller.
US09947287B2	Transparent display device A transparent display device for compensating for external environmental effects, such as color background overlapping, interference due to external light, and the like, which have an effect on an image, provides an original image with a minimized distortion to a viewer. According to the present disclosure, one or more sensors are provided on a front surface and a rear surface of the transparent display device to detect the viewer's line of sight and background, and to compensate for a distortion of the image based on color coordinates estimated according to the detection results, thereby providing an image with higher quality.
US09947276B2	Display device, user terminal, and method for adjusting display device A liquid crystal display device (1) includes an adjustment setting section (11), a color component adjusting section (14), and a background color setting section (12). In a case where the adjustment setting section (11) carries out color component adjustment, (i) the background color setting section (12) carries out a second process of setting a background color and (ii) the color component adjusting section (14) carries out a first process of converting a grayscale level of a picture element. In a case where the adjustment setting section (11) does not carry out the color component adjustment, (i) the background color setting section (12) does not carry out the second process and (ii) the color component adjusting section (14) does not carry out the first process.
US09947257B2	Pixel layout and display with varying area and/or luminance capability of same type sub-pixels in different composite pixels A color display includes multiple composite pixels, each composite pixel including sub-pixels of more than one color type. Sub-pixels of at least one of the color types are provided with differing luminance capability in different composite pixels. Each composite pixel may include red, green and blue sub-pixels having different luminance capability in different composite pixels. The differing luminance capability may be achieved by providing sub-pixels of at least one of the color types of differing relative area. An image data processing unit (IDPU) receives input image data of a standard format, and modifies the input image data into output image data for display to account for a discrepancy between the luminance capability based on the differing luminance capability or differing size of each sub-pixel, and a luminance capability as expected based on the input image data. The IDPU then outputs the output image data to control the composite pixels.
US09947253B2	Display device and method of inspecting the same There are provided a display device capable of detecting a defect of a scan driver. The display device includes pixels positioned in regions demarcated by scan lines and data lines, a scan driver including a plurality of stages connected to the scan lines, an inspection unit connected to the stages to detect whether the stages are defective, and including first transistors turned on when a control signal is supplied, and a timing controller supplying the control signal, wherein the timing controller detects a position of a defective stage by reducing a period during which the control signal is supplied.
US09947245B1	Corrugated signage A corrugated display sign with a former panel secured to a backer panel. The former panel includes a central section opposed by two lateral sections, two support members partially cut away from the central section and maintaining a connection with the central section via at least one fold line, and two or more preformed slots, with one slot positioned adjacent to the support members. The display sign further includes a graphic panel operable to be wrapped around exterior edges of the lateral sections, and having ends secured to the backer panel. The display sign is capable of being erected from a knockdown configuration to an erected configuration by folding the lateral sections away from the central section and wrapping the graphic panel about the lateral sections.
US09947239B2	Data diagnostic evaluation device A teaching aid to aid in evaluating data may include a frame member and an eye guide movably connected to the frame member to guide the user of the teaching aid in evaluating the data. The frame member may include a top frame wall, a pair of opposing a side frame walls to connect to the top frame wall and a bottom frame wall to connect to the pair of opposing side frame walls, and the frame member may include a divider wall to define a cavity for the data to be evaluated.
US09947231B2	Methods and systems for controlling the flight of aircraft Methods and systems for controlling the flight of aircraft are disclosed. An example method includes in response to a first time of arrival at a first waypoint, determining first cruise speeds and corresponding first descent speeds for the first waypoint at the first time of arrival; in response to a second time of arrival at a second waypoint, determining second cruise speeds and corresponding second descent speeds for the second waypoint at the second time of arrival, at least one of the first waypoint or the second waypoint being in a descent phase of a flight; identifying a third cruise speed and a third descent speed based on the first cruise and descent speeds and the second cruise and descent speeds, the first cruise and descent speeds including the third cruise speed and the third descent speed, the second cruise and descent speeds including the third cruise speed and the third descent speed; and identifying a trajectory of an aircraft that satisfies the third cruise speed and the third descent speed.
US09947229B2	Managing flight paths of a soaring aircraft Disclosed is a novel system and method for adjusting a flight path of an aircraft. The method begins with computing a flight path of an aircraft from a starting point to an ending point which incorporates predicted weather effects at different points in space and time. An iterative loop is entered for the flight path. Each of the following steps are performed in the iterative loop. First lift data is accessed from a fine-grain weather model associated with a geographic region of interest. The lift data is data to calculate a force that directly opposes a weight of the aircraft. In addition, lift data is accessed from sensors coupled to the aircraft. The lift data is one or more of 1) thermal data, 2) ridge lift data, 3) wave lift data, 3) convergence lift data, and 4) a dynamic soaring lift data. Numerous embodiments are disclosed.
US09947222B2	Road traffic optimization system To optimize road traffic within an application server (SA) providing itineraries recommended to users connected to said application server from communication terminals (TC), each recommended itinerary being provided to a user based on a profile of the user containing the departure date or arrival date, the departure location and the arrival location, the application server compares the itineraries recommended to users whose indicated departure date belongs to a given interval time, produces a set of users whose corresponding recommended itineraries have at least one itinerary segment of given length in common, and modifies an itinerary recommended to at least one user who belongs to said set of users.
US09947214B2	Authentication apparatus, authentication method, authentication system, and container system An authentication apparatus includes an authentication unit configured to perform authentication processing according to power generation information from a power generation unit configured to generate electric power from ambient energy.
US09947213B2	On-vehicle emergency notification device and communication system An emergency notification device performs emergency notification to send an emergency notification to a notification center when an urgent event is generated on a vehicle, and test notification to diagnose whether the emergency notification can be performed, through a notification button that is a part of one user interface. This device has a normal mode in which emergency notification can be performed, and a test mode in which test notification can be performed, through an operation of the notification button, as well as a transit mode in which transition from the normal mode to the test mode can be performed with a predetermined vehicle operation in the normal mode as a trigger. The emergency notification device performs informing processing, which differs from mode to mode, through indicators and that are another part of the one user interface.
US09947210B2	User intervention opt-in in a tracking device environment A tracking system can provide intervention notifications to a user to notify the user that a tracking device is potentially lost or is in a predicted state. The tracking system may notify the user that a tracking device is potentially lost or in a predicted state based on a number of factors, including: a proximity of a tracking device to other tracking devices or a user's mobile device, a movement of a tracking device to more than a threshold distance away from a mobile device or other tracking devices, a location of a tracking device relative to a geographic location or to geographic boundaries, a usage or movement behavior of the tracking device, a usage or movement behavior of a user or owner of a tracking device, information received from an external source, or information received from sensors within the tracking device or a user's mobile.
US09947206B2	Electronic device and control method thereof An electronic device with a display screen is provided and the device includes an infrared light emitter for emitting infrared light; and an infrared light receiver configured corresponding to the infrared light emitter such that the infrared light receiver receives infrared light emitted by the infrared light emitter when the electronic device is not deformed or deformation of the electronic device is not greater than a preset threshold. A control unit is connected with the infrared light emitter and the infrared light receiver for transmitting first information to an operation system of the electronic device when the infrared light emitter emits infrared light but the infrared light receiver does not receive the infrared light. The electronic device enables detecting deformation of electronic devices using infrared light, so that damage to the screens of the electronic devices can be avoided as soon as possible.
US09947202B1	Sensor data to identify catastrophe areas A computer-implemented method for generating an automated response to a catastrophic event, that includes (1) analyzing a sample set of data generated in association with a catastrophic event to determine a threshold pattern; (2) receiving, with customer permission or affirmative consent, home sensor data from a smart home controller via wireless communication or data transmission, the home sensor data including data regarding at least one of (i) structural status; (ii) wind speed; (iii) availability of electricity; (iv) presence of water; (v) temperature; (vi) pressure; and/or (vii) presence of pollutants in the air and/or water; (3) determining, based upon or from computer analysis of the home sensor data, whether the home sensor data indicates a match to the threshold pattern; and (4) automatically generating a response if the home sensor data indicates a match to the threshold pattern. As a result, catastrophic events and responses thereto may be improved through usage of a remote network of home sensors.
US09947201B2	Assistance with setting clinical alarm limits A medical monitoring system includes one or more processors (23) configured to receive (84) monitored physiological measures (16) and corresponding one or more alarm occurrences for a patient (10) and an adjustable alarm setting (56). The one or more processors are further configured to configure (86) a display (28) of at least one monitored physiological measure (76) and a retrospective graphical illustration of the physiological measure (30) including illustrations of the one or more occurrences of alarms (32) corresponding to the adjustable alarm setting (56).
US09947197B2	Alerting system and method for portable electronic device An alerting method for portable electronic devices, the alerting method being performed by at least one of first and second portable devices. The method includes first and second electronic devices communicating with one another through two different wireless channels, the first channel providing longer range communications than the second channel. The second electronic device may enter an alarm mode of operation if communications through a channel fails. The second electronic device may exit the alarm mode of operation if communications through the other channel are restored.
US09947191B2	Monitoring system A master device stores audio data and image data transmitted from an outdoor monitoring camera in an image memory and transmits the data to a mobile phone terminal, the mobile phone terminal includes a display/input unit, displays the image data and a predetermined icon on the display/input unit, and transmits a request signal for stopping the storage operation performed by the master device to the master device when a predetermined operation is performed on the predetermined icon, and the master device stops storing the audio data and the image data in the image memory.
US09947172B2	Game machine, and control method of controlling computer and computer program used therefor A game machine includes a display device that displays a game screen in which virtual reels formed by symbols are arranged so as to correspond one-to-one to cells as symbol stop positions. And, a game machine determines the symbol to stop in each cell through drawing, and controls a movement to change the symbol and a stop of the movement for each virtual reel based on a drawing result. Furthermore, a game machine determines a number of specific symbols that stop in the cells, and controls a movement of each virtual reel, which causes the specific symbols to appear in the cells, as one virtual reel group and a stop of the movement in units of virtual reel group.
US09947169B2	Operation unit and game machine An operation portion support portion that moves in a Z direction in response to a pressing operation performed by a user, a first slide portion that is arranged at a position covering the periphery in the X direction and Y direction of the operation portion support portion and moves in the Y direction, which is orthogonal to the Z direction, due to the operation portion support portion moving in the Z direction, a second slide portion that is arranged at a position adjacent in the Y direction to the first slide portion and moves in the X direction, which is orthogonal to the Z direction and Y direction due to the first slide portion moving in the Y direction, and a biasing member that biases the second slide portion in the −X direction are included.
US09947165B2	Linkage device A linkage device is provided, which includes: a banknote stacking plate, a cover plate, a transmission mechanism, and a driving mechanism. The first transmission component is mounted on the banknote stacking plate, and configured to drive the banknote stacking plate to rotate. The second transmission component and a spring are mounted on the cover plate, and the second transmission component is configured to drive the cover plate to rotate. The torque limiter is mounted on the first transmission component. The one-way bearing is mounted on the second transmission component. The linkage device may prevent a customer from placing banknotes into a fault position when depositing the banknotes, and may also avoid problems of the internal structures such as the banknote separating mechanism, the impeller wheel type banknote stacking mechanism exposed being blocked by foreign matters disposed, or being damaged for other reasons.
US09947163B2	Authentication of security documents and mobile device to carry out the authentication A method of authenticating security documents and a mobile device, especially a smartphone, programmed to carry out the method, based on an analysis of features which are produced by intaglio printing, which analysis involves a decomposition of sample images of a candidate document to be authenticated based on Wavelets, each sample image being digitally processed by performing a Wavelet transform of the sample image in order to derive a set of classification features. The method is based on an adaptive approach, which includes the following steps: —prior to carrying out the Wavelet transform, defining a categorization map containing local information about different intaglio line structures that are found on the security documents; —carrying out a Wavelet selection amongst a pool of Wavelet types based on the categorization map; and —performing the Wavelet transform of the sample image on the basis of the selected Wavelet.
US09947161B2	Disk image acquiring device and disk sorting device Disk image acquiring device includes a guide for guiding a peripheral surface of a disk moving in a predetermined direction along a predetermined guide line, an imaging window defining an image-taking region on the one surface of the disk, a timing sensor to take images having a detection axis traversing a moving direction of the disk and outputting a timing signal as arrival of the disk at a predetermined position on the imaging window when the peripheral surface of the disk has been detected on the detection axis, and an imager which takes an image of the one surface of the disk via the imaging window based upon the timing signal, wherein a bisector of an angle between the guide line and the detection axis is utilized as a base line, and the imaging window is extended along the base line.
US09947156B2	Granting control of a shared system Method and apparatus for granting control of a shared-access system. The method comprises: obtaining (305) an identity of a user; obtaining (310, 315) a priority rating associated with the user, wherein the priority rating is updated in response to one or more observed activities of the user, the one or more observed activities being linked to the shared-access system (100); comparing the priority rating with a threshold; and granting (320) control of at least a part of the shared-access system (100) to the user if the priority rating is above the threshold. For example, each user may have a respective ‘strength of association’ with the shared-access system or part thereof; the shared-access system may comprise one or more lighting units arranged to illuminate an environment, and a user who is present most often in the environment may be deemed to have the ‘strongest association’ with the shared-access system.
US09947143B2	Ticket dispensing module A ticket dispensing module includes an elongate ticket dispensing aperture provided within a face of the ticket dispensing module, and a housing body with opposed first and second faces provided with first and second complementary slideable engagement elements and latching elements. The first slideable engagement element of a first housing body is engageable with the second slideable engagement element of a corresponding, second housing body, by relative displacement of the first and second housing bodies. The first and second slideable engagement elements of the housing bodies are configured to prevent separation of the housing bodies transverse to the direction of relative displacement when they are engaged. The housing body has opposed third and fourth faces each connecting between the first and second faces, provided with complementary slideable engagement elements and latching elements.
US09947140B2	Connection method, visualization system and computer program product A method for a measurement or production setup includes providing a visualization system with a processor, an output device and a capturing module for capturing identification data of a working space. The method further provides a first setup component having at least one first marker at the working space and provides a second setup component having at least one second marker at the working space and being connectable to the first setup component through at least one connection. The method captures identification data about the markers and identifies the markers. The processor retrieves digital information for the markers from a database and makes a decision on the connection of the setup components based on the retrieved digital information and the captured identification data. The method then outputs a visual representation of the connection between the first and second setup components according to the decision.
US09947139B2	Method and apparatus for providing hybrid reality environment A method for generating a hybrid reality environment includes receiving data of a first user and a second user at different locations. The method also includes generating a scene of an augmented reality (AR) based environment that includes the first user and a virtual object related to the second user; and generating a scene of an augmented virtuality (AV) based environment that includes the virtual object related to the second user and a virtual object related to the first user. The method further includes sending signals for displaying the scene of the AR based environment to the first user and displaying the scene of the AV based environment to the second user such that the first user can interact with the virtual object related to the second user in real time and the second user can interact with the virtual object related to the first user in real time.
US09947132B2	Material representation data structure and method of representing a material for digital image synthesis A material representation data structure and a method of representing a material for digital image synthesis. The data structure may be embodied in a graphics processing subsystem, including: (1) a memory configured to store a material representation data structure according to which a material is declaratively represented by a property indicative of an interaction between the material and light, and (2) a processor operable to gain access to the memory and employ the property in a rendering procedure defined independent of the material representation data structure and designed to effect the interaction.
US09947127B2	Efficient image transmission A mobile telephone receives, constructs and displays an image from a server over a mobile telephone network. The server determines the parameters for data transfer from the server to the mobile telephone, the capabilities of the mobile telephone, transfer task requirements, and apportions the processing between the server and the mobile telephone for each of a plurality of elements in each image, thereby to meet the task requirement, which can include being within a predetermined time for task completion, or being the fastest means for task completion. Parameters for data transfer from server to telephone include server transmission bandwidth, phone reception bandwidth, data channel bandwidth, transmission protocol, and channel accessibility. Phone capabilities include the data processing speed, the available memory, display size, and the data processing software available; Task requirements include the maximum transmission time and the minimum display resolution of the image.
US09947124B2	Motion control of active deformable objects Techniques are proposed for animating a deformable object. A geometric mesh comprising a plurality of vertices is retrieved, where the geometric mesh is related to a first rest state configuration corresponding to the deformable object. A motion goal associated with the deformable object is then retrieved. The motion goal is translated into a function of one or more state variables associated with the deformable object. A second rest state configuration corresponding to the deformable object is computed by adjusting the position of at least one vertex in the plurality of vertices based at least in part on the function.
US09947121B2	Image stitching A computing device is described which has a memory holding at least two input images depicting different parts of a panoramic scene, the images having been captured by a user moving the camera by hand to capture the panorama. The computing device has an image stitching component configured to identify, at a processor, a region of overlap between the at least two images and to calculate a displacement vector for each of a plurality of warp points in the region of overlap. The image stitching component is arranged to warp a second one of the at least two images using the warp points; and to join the warped second image to the first image.
US09947112B2	Scanning device and method for positioning a scanning device The present invention relates to a scanning device (10, 10′) for scanning an object (12), wherein the scanning device (10) comprises a projection unit (16) for projecting an alignment image (28) onto the object (12), said alignment image (28) comprising a main pattern (26), an image capturing unit (18) for capturing a live camera image (30) of the object (12), said live camera image (30) comprising a derivative pattern (32) of the main pattern (26), the derivative pattern (32) representing said projected alignment image (28) as seen from the image capturing unit viewpoint, and an alignment unit (22, 22′) for providing an indication of a correct position and/or orientation of the scanning device (10) with respect to the scanned object (12) on the basis of the captured live camera image (30).
US09947106B2	Method and electronic device for object tracking in a light-field capture A method and an electronic device for object tracking in a sequence of light-field captures. A data acquisition unit acquires a sequence of light-field captures, wherein each light-field capture comprises a plurality of views. A feature determining unit determines features of an initial visual appearance model for an object of interest in a reference view of a first light-field capture. A feature matching unit matches the features in the reference view and in the further views of the first light-field capture. A feature discarding unit discards features that cannot be well matched in all views of the first light-field capture. An appearance model building unit builds an updated visual appearance model for the object of interest based on the remaining features. Finally, a movement tracking unit tracks the movement of the object of interest in the sequence of light-field captures using the visual appearance model.
US09947102B2	Image segmentation using neural network method The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for segmenting three-dimensional images. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method for segmenting a three-dimensional image is provided. The method may include receiving a three-dimensional image acquired by an imaging device, and selecting a plurality of stacks of adjacent two-dimensional images from the three-dimensional image. The method may further include segmenting, by a processor, each stack of adjacent two-dimensional images using a neural network model. The method may also include determining, by the processor, a label map for the three-dimensional image by aggregating the segmentation results from the plurality of stacks.
US09947099B2	Reflectivity map estimate from dot based structured light systems Systems and methods are provided for determining a depth map and a reflectivity map from a structured light image. The depth map can be determined by capturing the structured light image and then using a triangulation method to determine a depth map based on the dots in the captured structured light image. The reflectivity map can be determined based on the depth map and based on performing additional analysis of the dots in the captured structured light image.
US09947094B2	Medical image processing device, operation method therefor, and medical image processing program There are provided a feature point extraction unit that extracts an anatomical feature point included in a medical image based on the medical image and a standardization conditions acquisition unit that acquires standardization conditions of pixel values of the medical image based on some pixel values around the anatomical feature point among the pixel values of the medical image.
US09947090B2	Medical image dectection system and method The present invention involves a foreign object detection system and method which involves combining several algorithms specifically enhanced for foreign object detection to provide an improved detection system.
US09947082B2	Image compensation method and apparatus An image compensation method and apparatus is provided. The method may include: determining, as the second brightness value, a brightness value for which a SAD corresponding to the brightness value and the first brightness value is the minimum, in brightness parameters of a second image displayed at a second time; determining a membership degree corresponding to a target SAD; determining a motion compensation parameter corresponding to a first coordinate and a median frame interpolation parameter corresponding to the first coordinate; determining a brightness compensation parameter corresponding to the first coordinate based on the membership degree corresponding to the target SAD, the motion compensation parameter corresponding to the first coordinate and the median frame interpolation parameter corresponding to the first coordinate; performing an image compensation so as to display a compensated image at a time between the second time and the first time based on the brightness compensation parameter corresponding to the first coordinate.
US09947078B2	Image resampling with geometric transformation Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer storage media directed at image resampling with geometric transformation. In embodiments the method may begin by determining a two-dimensional filter for application to an original image to produce a resampled image. This determining may be based on a specified geometric transformation. The method can proceed by computing identifiers for pixel locations in the resampled image that indicate a position of the two-dimensional filter with respect to the original image. Additionally, the method can include applying the two-dimensional filter to the original image in accordance with the computed identifiers to produce the resampled image. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09947077B2	Video object tracking in traffic monitoring A method and system are provided for tracking an object in a video sequence. The method includes selecting a tracking window in a current video frame, the tracking window including at least a location and a size associated with an object to be tracked, and adjusting the size of the tracking window based on an estimated change in a scale of the object, and using the adjusted tracking window for tracking the object in a subsequent video frame.
US09947073B2	Memory-aware matrix factorization Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for performing memory-aware matrix factorization on a graphics processing unit. Aspects include determining one or more types of memory on the graphics processing unit and determining one or more characteristics of each of the one or more types of memory. Aspects also include assigning each of a plurality of memory accesses of a matrix factorization algorithm to one of the one or more types of memory based on the one or more characteristics and executing the matrix factorization algorithm on the graphics processing unit.
US09947070B2	GPU that passes PCIe via displayport for routing to a USB type-C connector A GPU can be configured to selectively function as a PCIe switch so that a PCIe link can be formed between the GPU and a remote GPU. The GPU can include a DisplayPort interface that is coupled via a multiplexer to a USB type-C port. When it is desired to implement remote graphics, the GPU can cause the DisplayPort interface to instead function as a PCIe interface between the GPU and the multiplexer. With this PCIe connection, the GPU can forward its PCIe interface with the CPU to the remote GPU via the USB type-C port. In this way, remote graphics can be implemented without using Thunderbolt to tunnel the PCIe interface to the remote GPU.
US09947068B2	System and method for GPU scheduling A computer-implemented method, apparatus and computer program product for scheduling tasks, the method comprising: receiving a request from a context for processing a frame by a Graphic Processing Unit (GPU); allocating frame processing time for the context in association with the frame; receiving a command buffer associated with the frame; subject to a pending command buffer collection being empty, submitting the command buffer for processing by the GPU; determining priorities for all command buffers in the pending command buffer collection, including a priority for the command buffer; if the highest priority command buffer is the command buffer, submitting the command buffer for processing; otherwise adding the command buffer to the pending command buffer collection, wherein the frame processing time allocated for the context is reduced by an amount of time related to a time a previous frame associated with the context exceeded its allocated processing time.
US09947067B2	Radiation image inspection system and method based on B/S architecture The present disclosure provides a radiation image inspection system based on B/S architecture. The system comprises: at least one client terminal, configured to initiate an image operation request to a Web server, and display an image operation result on a browser of the client terminal upon receiving a response from the Web server; an image processing assembly, configured to query, based on the image operation request from the client terminal and forwarded by the Web server, an image which the client terminal desires to process, perform an operation on an image as requested by the client terminal, convert the resulted image into an image in a designated format and quality and return the converted image to the browser of the client terminal via the Web server for displaying; and the Web server, configured to receive the image operation request from the client terminal, forward the image operation request to the image processing assembly, and return the image operation result from the image processing assembly to the client terminal.
US09947062B2	Image forming apparatus and social security number registration system An image forming apparatus includes a reading device that reads an image from a document, a storage device, and a central processing unit (CPU). The storage device stores therein an authentication kit, a scan extension kit, and a specific information collection program. The CPU executes the authentication kit to function as an authentication unit, the scan extension kit to function as a character recognition unit, and the specific information collection program to function as a specific information collection unit. The specific information collection unit acquires information of the user for which authentication passes from a user information management system that manages the information of the user. The specific information includes a character that represents a value of a specific item indicated in a specific document as the document and that is recognized by the character recognition unit; and the information of the user acquired from the user information management system.
US09947057B2	Providing online promotions through social network platforms Systems and methods for providing online promotions integrated with social network-based platforms are disclosed. Promotion details such as rules, offered prizes, incentives and descriptions, survey questions, display banners, terms and conditions, privacy policy, and social networks to integrate the promotion with, are provided by the sponsoring organization to a server. The server generates a custom promotion application or widget for integrating with the organization's social network webpage external to social networks. A participant enters the promotion through these webpages or other links and lists friends in the social network to receive an invitation to enter the promotion. Viral features such as friend invite features, newsfeeds, minifeeds, other features that display online activities of users and people in the users' social network, notifications, requests, and other social media-based platform features to deliver messages to members of the one or more social networks further spread the word about the organization's promotion.
US09947054B2	Real-time transaction data processing and reporting platform A processing server may receive transaction data from one or more point of sale (POS) terminals in near real-time. Transaction data received from each of the POS terminals may be in a format that is specific to the POS terminal. Upon receiving the transaction data having the POS specific format, the processing server may convert the transaction data to a common format that is compatible with the operations of the processing server. Further, the processing server may index the converted transaction data into one or more categories. Responsive to indexing, the processing server may generate aggregate data from the indexed transaction data. Further, the processing server may receive a request for a data report associated with the aggregate data. Responsive to receiving the request, the processing server may generate the data report, format the data report to match a user preference, and transmit the data report for presentation.
US09947049B2	Methods and apparatus to calculate and present transaction adjusted values Methods and apparatus to calculate and display transaction adjusted values are disclosed. An example method includes defining an order related to a tradeable object listed on an electronic exchange, wherein the order is associated with a user; determining whether the user qualifies for a pricing incentive that rewards trading activity meeting a threshold; when the user qualifies for the pricing incentive, calculating a transaction adjusted value of the order at respective ones of a plurality of price levels of a trading interface, wherein the pricing incentive is factored into the calculation of the transaction adjusted value for a first one of the price levels, and the pricing incentive is not factored into the calculation of the transaction adjusted value of a second one of the price levels; and displaying ones of the transaction adjusted values in a value axis of the trading interface in connection with respective ones of the plurality of price levels.
US09947043B2	Smart form Some embodiments of a system and a method to dynamically create a smart form have been presented. In one embodiment, a graphical user interface (GUI) module, running on a server, creates a GUI to present a questionnaire having at least one question to an end-user. A rule engine, running on the server, receives an answer to the at least one question via the GUI from the end-user. Using truth maintenance, the rule engine may determine what follow-up questions to ask the end-user based on the answer received. The GUI module may dynamically modify the GUI to present the follow-up questions to the end-user.
US09947039B2	Order item recognition system A system is provided that that recognizes an order item. The system defines an order item specification including a recognition property and a dynamic parameter property. The system further receives an order item of an order, the order item including a key that uniquely identifies a conceptual model entity and arbitrary parameters, each arbitrary parameter comprising a parameter name and a parameter value. The system further extracts the key from the order item. The system further stores the key within the recognition property. The system further identifies the conceptual model entity based on the recognition property. The system further dynamically binds parameter values from the arbitrary parameters to the dynamic parameter property based on the identified conceptual model entity.
US09947031B2	Content access management in a social networking system for locally stored content A content access management system receives an access determination requested identifying an access rule and a requesting user. The access rule may be created in advance by the content owner at the content access management system. The access rule may allow access to content objects based on the requesting user's biographic information, geographic information, affiliation information, payment information, or any other user characteristic. The user information may be entered by the requesting user at a social networking system interface for purposes unrelated to the content object or content owner. The content access management system retrieves the identified access rule and retrieves requesting user information based on the access rule. An access determination is made based on the retrieved access rule and requesting user information, and is transmitted to the content owner.
US09947025B2	Method and apparatus for providing search capability and targeted advertising for audio, image, and video content over the internet The present invention provides an apparatus and method for extracting the content of a video, image, and/or audio file or podcast, analyzing the content, and then providing a targeted advertisement, search capability and/or other functionality based on the content of the file or podcast.
US09947023B2	System and method for toy adoption and marketing A method that provides a virtual presentation includes providing a real-world toy associated with a registration code, receiving the code by a registration subsystem via a computer interface of a computer system, and validating the registration code. Responsive to the validating, the computer system processes the registration code to transform the real-world toy into a virtual toy that is a virtual replica of the real-world toy in a virtual world to be displayed by a computer display. Content is provided for displaying a virtual room and a selection of virtual furnishings. In response a user command, the virtual furnishings are provided, arranged and displayed at an initial location within the virtual room. In response to another user command, the one or more virtual furnishings are moved to a new virtual location within the virtual room. The virtual toy interacts with one of the virtual furnishings and exhibits an animated response that simulates a real-world activity.
US09947019B2	Method and system for contextual profiling for object interactions and its application to matching symmetrical objects A method for constructing a context profile within a system implementing symmetrical object profiles. The method includes establishing one or more contextual boundary parameters defining a context within which transactions occur. A plurality of transactions associated with the context is filtered using the contextual boundary parameters to obtain a pool of filtered transactions. Each of the transactions is conducted between at least two objects in the system including a plurality of objects associated with the symmetrical object profiles. An array of filtered objects including objects involved in at least one filtered transaction is established. Each filtered object is defined by a current version of a corresponding object profile and is associated with a corresponding transaction. The method includes generating a context object profile associated with the context that is based on attribute values of filtered object profiles associated with the array of filtered objects.
US09947005B2	Method and apparatus of processing symbology interactions between mobile stations and a control system Disclosed are an apparatus and method of creating, displaying and utilizing quick response (QR) codes to perform processing an application on a mobile device and a control system network. One example method of operation may include identifying a user information parameter and generating a symbology code image that includes the user information parameter and displaying the symbology code on a mobile device display.
US09947004B2	Wireless client transaction systems and related methods Computer implemented systems and methods, including methods of transacting with wireless clients. Embodiments include, in various combinations, a client ID module, a scanning module configured to scan, or an act of scanning, a wireless channel set at a business locale for wireless signals of a registered customer set, or a combination thereof. Some embodiments identify out of the wireless signals certain wireless packets of a client of the registered customer set, calculate a first client signal strength of the first wireless packets, or both. In certain embodiments, a localization module calculates or is configured to calculate whether the first client is at a transaction area of the business locale, for example, based on the first client signal strength, for instance, without reliance on near field communication technology. Some embodiments include a training module or act, a point of service module or act, or both.
US09947000B2	Universal secure registry An authentication system and method of use thereof are provided to authenticate a user involved in a transaction. The system comprises a communications interface configured to receive a one-time code generated by an electronic device, wherein the one-time code is generated by an electronic device responsive to successful verification of biometric information at the point of use of the electronic device, and one or more processors configured to retrieve account information associated with a user of the electronic device, wherein the account information is retrieved in response to receiving the one-time code, and to use the retrieved account information to access account identifying information or identifying information associated with the user of the electronic device.
US09946991B2	Methods using multi-dimensional representations of medical codes Medical coding systems receive as input medical terms which coders classify into medical codes, used in the remuneration of medical procedures. A set of applicable medical codes can be determined by intersecting multidimensional data structures associated with the input terms and counting medical codes occupying regions of intersection. If the resulting set contains a single code, it is presented to the coder for verification. If the resulting set contains more than a single code, the coder can be questioned in a variety of ways to access, and select from, terminology options not implied by the originally provided input terms. The interactive process may also use the multidimensional data structures to regulate the order of questions, present decision aids, and select related procedure codes. The interaction concludes when the coder has fully specified the proper code or codes that describe the required procedure or procedures.
US09946986B1	Petroleum reservoir operation using geotechnical analysis A method of improving operation of a petroleum reservoir using geotechnical analysis includes classifying a petroleum reservoir using a Reservoir Ranking Analysis (RRA) and then making one or modifications to the operation of the reservoir. RRA classification includes establishing reservoir classification metrics for at least resource size and recovery potential, and optionally profitability. The reservoir can be classified based on at least one metric in the profitability classification category, and also based on at least one metric in one or more of the resource size classification category or the recovery potential classification category. Classification of reservoirs can aid in reservoir management, planning, and development.
US09946985B2	Touchless mobile applications and context-sensitive workflows Systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for performing workflows using a mobile device, without requiring tactile input from the user. The workflow is thus “touchless” and may utilize input preferably including optical data and/or audio data. Tactile input may be optionally provided in some embodiments, but the workflow is configured to be performed without any tactile input. Accordingly, in one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for performing a touchless mobile workflow includes: invoking a mobile application using a mobile device; receiving auditory input via the mobile device; and performing a business workflow via the mobile application based on the auditory input. Corresponding systems and computer program product embodiments configured for touchless mobile workflows are also described.
US09946984B2	System and method for transporting a document between a first service provider and a second service provider A system and method manages workflows exchanges a document between a first server associated with a first service provider and a second server associated with a second service provider over a network. A first workflow engine associated with the first service provider is configured to apply the document to a first workflow based on a first set of rules. A second workflow engine associated with the second service provider is configured to apply the document to a second workflow based a second set of rules. The first and second workflow engines run the first workflow at first service provider asynchronous to the second workflow at the second service provider. The system and method transports a document between the first service provider and second service provider. A first server encrypts the document to create an encrypted document and append an unencrypted header to the encrypted document. The header has a pairwise relationship identifier.
US09946983B1	Rule-based electronic workflow processing A workflow processing system may receive a representation of one or more objects corresponding to the current state of a workflow. A rule may be mapped to one or more activities of the workflow. The rule may comprise an any-of clause, an all-of clause, and a none-of clause. Each clause may contain zero or more conditions that are evaluated with respect to the current state of the workflow. When each of the any-of, all-of, and none-of clauses evaluates to true, the rule may be satisfied and the activities to which the rule is mapped are performed.
US09946982B2	Web-based support subscriptions Embodiments pertain generally to a method for providing subscription services based on virtual machines. The method includes providing for a service portal for users to subscribe to subscription services for at least one of technical support and software based on the virtual machines and providing the subscription services based on client information and business requirements entered by the customer in the service portal.
US09946977B2	Method and system for paperless electronic queue ticketing A computer-implemented method for paperless electronic queue ticketing is provided. The method includes reading, by a processor of a user device, an electronic ticket code displayed on a ticket device, the electronic ticket code having information and instructions for an electronic ticket; decoding, by the processor of the user device, the information and instructions in the electronic ticket code; and sending, by the processor of the user device, a signal to a sensor on the ticket device to obtain the electronic ticket. A system and computer product for paperless electronic queue ticketing are also provided.
US09946976B2	System for enabling channel designation differentiation for hierarchically organizing and accessing address registers with address signifiers and elements A system of multiple computer systems operating over a network that creates addresses using elements received by users or determined by administrators or supplied by the system based on computer system data, content data, and user data, distinguishes the addresses using address signifiers, organizes the addresses hierarchically, provides access to users by enabling entries that manipulate element inclusion and signifier inclusion, amends entries by adjusting signifier type, and approximates entires with element matching.
US09946970B2	Neural networks for encrypted data Embodiments described herein are directed to methods and systems for performing neural network computations on encrypted data. Encrypted data is received from a user. The encrypted data is encrypted with an encryption scheme that allows for computations on the ciphertext to generate encrypted results data. Neural network computations are performed on the encrypted data, using approximations of neural network functions to generate encrypted neural network results data from encrypted data. The approximations of neural network functions can approximate activation functions, where the activation functions are approximated using polynomial expressions. The encrypted neural network results data are communicated to the user associated with the encrypted data such that the user decrypts the encrypted data based on the encryption scheme. The functionality of the neural network system can be provided using a cloud computing platform that supports restricted access to particular neural networks.
US09946969B2	Producing spike-timing dependent plasticity in a neuromorphic network utilizing phase change synaptic devices Embodiments of the invention relate to a neuromorphic network for producing spike-timing dependent plasticity. The neuromorphic network includes a plurality of electronic neurons and an interconnect circuit coupled for interconnecting the plurality of electronic neurons. The interconnect circuit includes plural synaptic devices for interconnecting the electronic neurons via axon paths, dendrite paths and membrane paths. Each synaptic device includes a variable state resistor and a transistor device with a gate terminal, a source terminal and a drain terminal, wherein the drain terminal is connected in series with a first terminal of the variable state resistor. The source terminal of the transistor device is connected to an axon path, the gate terminal of the transistor device is connected to a membrane path and a second terminal of the variable state resistor is connected to a dendrite path, such that each synaptic device is coupled between a first axon path and a first dendrite path, and between a first membrane path and said first dendrite path.
US09946954B2	Determining distance between an object and a capture device based on captured image data In various embodiments, methods, systems, and computer program products for determining distance between an object and a capture device are disclosed. The distance determination techniques are based on image data captured by the capture device, where the image data represent the object. These techniques improve the function of capture devices such as mobile phones by enabling determination of distance using a single lens capture device, and based on intrinsic parameters of the capture device, such as focal length and scaling factor(s), in preferred approaches. In some approaches, the distance estimation may be based in part on a priori knowledge regarding size of the object represented in the image data. Distance determination may be based on a homography transform and/or reference image data representing the object, a same type or similar type of object, in more approaches.
US09946949B2	Techniques including URL recognition and applications Methods are systems are provided that include obtaining a digital image from a digital photograph, such as may be taken by a digital camera or a camera phone. The digital image includes, for example, a URI or URL, which may be contained within a visible frame. A character recognition technique, such as an optical character recognition technique, may be used to recognize the URI or URL from the digital image. The URI or URL may be used to access a corresponding Web page. The character recognition technique may be applied on the digital camera or cell phone itself, or remotely.
US09946946B1	Systems and methods for recognizing symbols in images A computer-implemented method comprises generating a description of a character symbol from a binarized image; comparing a template for the character symbol with the description of the character symbol based on a reference description, wherein the template comprises a grid of cells, a set of local features which may be present in the grid of cells, the reference description specifying which member of the set of local features should be present or absent in the grid of cells, and a threshold of an accepted deviation with the description of the character symbol; assigning a penalty value to the description of the character symbol via a cost function when a discrepancy exists based on the comparing; selecting the template as a match candidate for the character symbol when the penalty value is below the threshold; recognizing the character symbol based on the selecting.
US09946937B2	Method and control unit for recognizing a weather condition in the surroundings of a vehicle A method for recognizing a weather condition in the surroundings of a vehicle. The method includes a step of ascertaining at least one imaging feature in image information. The image information represents a depiction of at least a portion of the surroundings, and the imaging feature represents a light effect on a reflective or luminescent object in the portion of the surroundings. In addition, the method includes a step of determining weather information for characterizing the weather condition based on a comparison between the imaging feature and at least one expected value.
US09946936B2	Automated video based ingress/egress sensor reset for truck stop occupancy detection A method and system for parking occupancy detection comprises collecting video of the parking facility with a video capturing device, counting an occupancy of a parking facility using at least one sensor to establish a sensor occupancy count, classifying each of a plurality of parking spots as occupied or vacant with a classifier according to the classification threshold in order to establish a video occupancy count, determining a difference between the sensor occupancy count and the video occupancy count, and setting the sensor occupancy count to equal the video occupancy count if the difference between the sensor occupancy count and the video occupancy count exceeds a difference threshold.
US09946933B2	System and method for video classification using a hybrid unsupervised and supervised multi-layer architecture A computer-implemented video classification method and system are disclosed. The method includes receiving an input video including a sequence of frames. At least one transformation of the input video is generated, each transformation including a sequence of frames. For the input video and each transformation, local descriptors are extracted from the respective sequence of frames. The local descriptors of the input video and each transformation are aggregated to form an aggregated feature vector with a first set of processing layers learned using unsupervised learning. An output classification value is generated for the input video, based on the aggregated feature vector with a second set of processing layers learned using supervised learning.
US09946927B2	Method and system for marking an object having a surface of a conductive material The present invention describes a method for marking an object (18), the object (18) having a surface of a conductive material. The method comprises a step of applying an electric spark to the surface such that the material is at least one of partially melted and partially ablated by the electric spark, thereby forming a pattern on the object (18). Further, the present application relates to a marking system (10) for marking an object (18) using a spark generator (12) having a counter electrode (14) and a connector (16) for electrically connecting the spark generator (12) to the surface of the object (18) to be marked. Further, the present application relates to an authenticating system for authenticating or identifying an object (18) marked by the above described method for marking the object (18).
US09946920B1	Sensing element and fingerprint sensor comprising the sensing elements A fingerprint sensor is disclosed. The fingerprint sensor includes a substrate, a sensing electrode, a shielding plate, a first pair of conductive plates and an amplifier. The sensing electrode is configured to detect a capacitance in response to a touch event on the fingerprint sensor, and configured to selectively receive or not receive an input voltage. The shielding plate is configured to selectively receive the input voltage or is coupled to a reference voltage level. The first pair of conductive plates includes a first plate selectively coupled to the sensing electrode. The amplifier includes an inverting terminal coupled to a second plate of the first pair of conductive plates, and a non-inverting terminal to receive a voltage that is a fraction of the input voltage. The sensitivity of the fingerprint sensor is directly proportional to the input voltage.
US09946910B2	Optical information reading device Provided is an optical information reading device that can reduce an installation load on a user, and can accurately read a code provided to each of various workpieces. A polarized illumination light source includes light emitters that irradiate the workpiece with illumination light through a polarization filter. A non-polarized illumination light source includes light emitters that irradiate the workpiece with illumination light without through a polarization filter. An imaging element is provided with a polarization filter having a polarization direction different from a polarization direction of the polarization filter of the light emitters. Either of the polarized illumination light source and the non-polarized illumination light source is used in accordance with the workpiece.
US09946897B2	Data privacy management system and method Aspects of the technology described herein can provide data privacy management. An exemplary computing device may have a tracker to track various user data of a user distributed among different service providers based on metadata associated with the user data. When a transaction manager of the exemplary computing device receives a request for a first service provider to access the user data of the user, the transaction manager may request a second service provider having the user data to provide the user data to the first service provider if the user approves the first service provider to access the user data.
US09946896B2	Attribute information provision method and attribute information provision system A user attribute information provision system processes attribute information of users while preventing a leakage of attribute information. A provision apparatus: selects an apparatus group forming a communication path; generates information registration request in which information of a predetermined user is concealed in data recognizable only to a correspondent of the provision apparatus; and transmits the information registration request to an access destination solving apparatus via the apparatus groups. The access destination solving apparatus: stores the information of the user indicated by the information registration request and information of a correspondent provision apparatus; receives an inquiry request from an inquiry apparatus; and transfers the inquiry request by way of the correspondent provision apparatus as the user to the provision apparatus as the inquiry destination via the provision apparatuses in the communication path, thereby causing the provision apparatus to return the attribute information of the user to the inquiry apparatus.
US09946886B2	System and method for authentication with a computer stylus A method for securing operation of a computing device operated with a stylus includes recognizing a pre-defined gesture performed by a stylus on a touch screen, the pre-defined gesture defined as a user command to lock an item displayed on the touch screen, determining a location of the gesture, determining identity of the stylus, locking an item displayed at the location determined, and recording identity of the stylus. A method for operating a computing device with a stylus includes receiving a command with a stylus to add restricted annotations to a document, receiving identity of the stylus, linking an annotation to the identity, restricting display of the annotation on the document to a computing device receiving input from the stylus; and displaying the document absent the at least one annotation on a computing device on which input from the stylus is not received.
US09946884B2	System and method for cryptographic suite management Systems and methods for cryptographic suite management are described. A system for cryptographic suite management has a cryptographic suite management unit comprising a series of APIs enabling diverse applications to call cryptographic functions. The system enables: multiple applications on an interface to access shared cryptographic resources; applications across multiple devices to share and license cryptographic resources between devices; encryption, decryption and sharing of data between devices having different cryptographic implementations; the definition, distribution and enforcement of policies governing the terms of use for cryptographic implementations, systems and methods to secure and protect shared and dynamically loaded cryptographic providers; use by an application of multiple cryptographic resources and the management of cryptographic provider bundles and associated policies across one or many cryptographic suite management unit instances.
US09946880B2	Software vulnerability analysis method and device The present disclosure includes: searching a code clone corresponding to a used source code from any analysis target source code; detecting a security sink and sensitive data of the security sink on the basis of patch information in the searched code clone; acquiring a source code which is from the user input point the a security sink by backwardly tracing the sensitive data detected in the analysis target source code; and verifying whether the searched code clone is a vulnerability in the analysis target source code by performing a concolic testing on the basis of a path from the input point to the security sink.
US09946869B1	Posture assessment in a secure execution environment Systems and methods for providing computer system monitoring as a service of a computing resource service provider, monitoring capacity computer system of a customer of the computing resource service provider, and based on the request, launching a monitoring agent in a protected execution environment in which the monitoring agent is configured to generate an assessment of the computer system and provide the assessment of the computer system.
US09946868B2	Device functionality control A system and associated method for controlling access to features of a device are provided. The system includes a feature access component that maintains an access control register configured to store an access control parameter indicating whether a user has access to a feature of the device. Responsive to receiving a request to modify the access control register to enable or disable access to the feature, an access authentication parameter is set to an authentication key of the request and an access parameter is set to a value of the request (e.g., 1 “Enable”). The access authentication parameter and access parameter are evaluated utilizing an authentication algorithm. Responsive to successfully authenticating the request, the access control register is modified based upon the value of the access parameter, such as to indicate that the user is now authorized to read and/or modify a parameter and/or invoke a service to execute.
US09946863B1	Strong authentication using authentication objects Representations of authentication objects are provided for selection via an interface. An authentication object may be generated to include information proving possession of a user of an item, such as a one-time password token or a physical trait. A selected authentication object may contain information sufficient for authentication with a corresponding system. The interface may provide multiple representations of authentication objects that are usable with different service providers.
US09946858B2	Authentication system and device including physical unclonable function and threshold cryptography An authentication system and device including physical unclonable function (PUF) and threshold cryptography comprising: a PUF device having a PUF input and a PUF output and constructed to generate, in response to the input of a challenge, an output value characteristic to the PUF and the challenge; and a processor having a processor input that is connected to the PUF output, and having a processor output connected to the PUF input, the processor configured to: control the issuance of challenges to the PUF input via the processor output, receive output from the PUF output, combine multiple received PUF output values each corresponding to a share of a private key or secret, and perform threshold cryptographic operations. The system and device may be configured so that shares are refreshable, and may be configured to perform staggered share refreshing.
US09946839B1	Search engine systems for matching medical providers and patients In one embodiment, a matching-engine system receives from a user a search query with a location of the user and a user-specified symptom or treatment. The matching-engine system determines a base-concept of a medical diagnosis or medical procedure based on the search query. The matching-engine system may identify a set of physicians to be recommended to the user based on factors relevant to the base-concept such as readmission rate, infection rate, average length-of-stay, relative invasiveness, and healthcare facility ratings. The matching-engine system may send a search-results page to the user listing the recommended physicians.
US09946832B2	Optimized placement design of network and infrastructure components Approaches presented herein enable optimization of a network and component configuration in a dense server environment. Specifically, an approach includes: constructing a plurality of populated racks, each selected so as to contain an optimized size and configuration of components constrained according to a set of user-selected requirements that specify a type, a quantity, and one or more characteristics of at least one of the set of components; optimizing a configuration of the populated racks to minimize a cable length between populated racks, the configuration adhering to, e.g., power requirements, cooling requirements, and weight requirements for the populated racks; and optimizing a position of a set of cable trays and corresponding junctions by reducing a number of cable tray channels associated with the cable length between populated racks. Taken together, these elements provide a repeatable approach for optimizing the number of cables, quantity of multiplexed connections, cable lengths, and switch/component placement.
US09946813B2	Computer-readable recording medium, search support method, search support apparatus, and responding method A search support apparatus includes a receiving unit, a determining unit, and an output unit. The receiving unit receives a question containing a character string and extracts a keyword for specifying a question object and a keyword for specifying a question type from the character string contained in the question. The determining unit determines a display mode of an output of a response to the received question in accordance with the keyword for specifying the question type. The output unit outputs a search result based on the keyword for specifying the question object, in the display mode of the output.
US09946808B2	Using vertex self-information scores for vertices in an entity graph to determine whether to perform entity resolution on the vertices in the entity graph Provided are a computer program product, system, and method to determine whether to perform entity resolution on vertices in an entity graph. A determination is made of pairs of records in a database having a relationship value satisfying a threshold. An entity relationship graph has a vertex for each of the records of the pairs and an edge between two vertices. Each vertex has a self-information score based on content in the record, an initial unique entity identifier, and an entity information score. For each subject vertex of the vertices, a determination is made of a target vertex directly connected to the subject vertex that has a highest entity information score and whether to set the subject vertex entity identifier and entity information score to the entity identifier and entity information score of the target vertex based on the target vertex self-information score.
US09946800B2	Ranking related objects using blink model based relation strength determinations Mechanisms are provided for performing a cognitive operation. An input graph is received having a plurality of first nodes, where subsets of first nodes are coupled to one another via first edges and each first edge has an associated weight. A blinking graph model is generated based on the graph, where blink rates are associated with second edges and are calculated based on weights of corresponding first edges in the input graph. The blink rate specifies a fraction of time a corresponding second edge is determined to be present in the blinking graph model. A relatedness metric is calculated for a target node relative to a node of interest based on the blink rates of the second edges. The relatedness metric indicates a degree of relatedness of the target node to the node of interest. A cognitive operation is then performed based on the relatedness metric.
US09946798B2	Identification of target audience for content delivery in social networks by quantifying semantic relations and crowdsourcing A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for content delivery. The mechanism identifies a candidate user of a social networking service. The candidate user has an associated profile including at least one concept of interest. The mechanism determines a probability that the candidate user is interested in an item of content based on a semantic similarity of the at least one concept of interest and at least one concept tag associated with the item of content using a weighted semantic graph. Responsive to the probability exceeding a probability threshold, the mechanism delivers the item of content to the candidate user. Responsive to receiving feedback comprising at least one action taken by the candidate user with respect to the item of content, the mechanism adjusts weights in the weighted semantic graph.
US09946789B1	Classifying electronic messages using individualized artificial intelligence techniques An example method includes: identifying message labels for electronic messages; identifying, based on a classification model specific to a first user, a first and a second message labels for a first and a second electronic messages; detecting a user action by the first user on the second electronic message to indicate the first message label is descriptive of the second electronic message; responsive to the user action, re-training the classification model based on tokens produced from the second electronic message to produce an updated classification model specific to the first user; after re-training is completed, detecting an incoming electronic message having a timestamp later in time than timestamps for the first and the second electronic messages; determining that the incoming electronic message shares a predefined number of tokens with the second electronic message; and assigning, based on the updated classification model, the first message label to the incoming electronic message.
US09946788B2	System and method for automated mapping of keywords and key phrases to documents A method for automated mapping of key terms to documents. Preferably a feature vector is generated for the key terms. Preferably such feature vectors are automatically generated by analyzing a corpus, but may optionally be generated manually, or using a combination of automated and manual processes. Next, preferably such feature vectors are weighted. Such weighting may optionally be performed manually, but more preferably is performed automatically. Next, a feature vector is optionally and preferably generated for the document, which preferably includes words and phrases that were extracted from the document but may optionally include words and phrases that do not appear in the document, such as synonyms and related. Each element in the document feature vector is preferably weighted. The feature vectors of the key terms and the feature vectors of the documents are compared, in order to produce relevancy scores, which are used to produce mapping between documents and key terms. This mapping may optionally be used for a wide variety of applications, such as for targeted advertising for example.
US09946779B2	Pipleline merge operations using source data and multiple destination data structures A method for performing multiple merge operations with a source data structure and a plurality of destination data structures, in which the source data structure is scanned one time in order to obtain source data that is then used for multiple merge operations. The source data is then used consecutively in order to merge the source data into the one or more destination data structures. Each merge is performed using the same scan of the source data structure and within the same execution of a database command.
US09946777B1	Systems and methods for facilitating data transformation Systems and methods are provided for facilitating the transformation of data from a tabular data set organized according to a data schema to an object based data set organized according to data ontology. The data schema and the data ontology may be used to generate a custom coding language suitable for facilitating the creation of a transform script. Error checking, type checking, autocomplete, and preview tools may be provided to permit the verification of the transform script as it is created.
US09946767B2	Smoothed dynamic modeling of user traveling preferences in a public transportation system A method and system are disclosed for generating a list of trips on an associated transportation network, the list ranked in accordance with time-dependent modeling of passenger preferences. User preferences of choosing a specific public transportation service or change point are modeled by a set of latent variables. Any actual trip on the network is converted into a set of pairwise preferences implicitly made by the passenger during the trip. Sequences of services matrices and change points matrices from the retrieved set of trips and non-negative factorization of the services and change points matrices is performed to smooth the matrices. The set of pairwise preferences are used to learn a ranking function and the output of a journey planner is re-ranked using the ranking function.
US09946761B2	Recommendation for diverse content The content recommendation system that acquires attribute information of a given user, acquires at least one list from among lists of content sequentially generated over time on the basis of the attribute information of the given user, acquires user preference information, which is feature information of content preferred by the given user, extracts some content from content included in the list acquired on the basis of the user preference information, and presents the content to the given user.
US09946756B2	Mechanism to chain continuous queries Techniques for implementing mechanisms for chaining continuous queries are provided. In some examples, results of a first continuous query may be stored in a data object. For example, the first continuous query may be configured to process business event data and store the results in the data object. Additionally, a second continuous query may then be processed based at least in part on the results stored in the data object.
US09946755B2	Automated hybrid constraint database manager Automated database manager aspects selectively apply different active constraints within a definition statement for a hybrid constraint name to a relational database management system table data field. One at a time the definition statement constraints are selected and tested, their logical set values to TRUE in response to the testing meeting their defined conditions and an OR statement output generated of the logical values of all of the hybrid constraint name definition statement constraints, wherein the logical values are linked by logical OR operators and the output is TRUE in response to the logical value of any one of the constraints having a logical value of TRUE. In response to the OR statement output set to TRUE, the data operation is performed on the target table name and affected column name without testing any other untested ones of the constraints within the definition statement.
US09946749B2	Rewriting inequality queries Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for expressing inequality expressions as a bounded number of equality expressions. One of the methods includes receiving an original query having an inequality expression for an original attribute. A new query that replaces the inequality expression with a bounded number of equality expressions is generated, wherein each equality expression references a respective auxiliary attribute, each auxiliary attribute representing intervals of values for the original attribute. The new query having the bounded number of equality expressions is provided to a database system instead of the original query. Query results that satisfy the inequality expression for the original attribute are received from the database system.
US09946745B2	Lock-free transactional support for large-scale storage systems Described is a reliable and efficient design for a transactional status oracle (“ReTSO”), which supports large-scale storage systems. ReTSO uses a centralized scheme and implements snapshot isolation, a property that guarantees that read operations read a consistent snapshot of the data store. The centralized scheme of ReTSO enables a lock-free commit algorithm that prevents unreleased locks of a failed transaction from blocking other transactions. Each transaction submits the identifiers of modified rows to the ReTSO, the transaction is committed only if none of the modified rows is committed by a concurrent transaction, and a log of the committed transaction is cached. To recover from failures, before a client is notified of a change, the change cached is first persisted into a write-ahead log, such that the memory state can be fully reconstructed by reading from the write-ahead log. Furthermore, ReTSO implements a lazy, auto-garbage collector hash map that reduces the number of memory accesses per request.
US09946741B2	Optimizing tables with too many columns in a database Methods and systems for database optimization include detecting a plurality of columns in an unoptimized database that co-appear in queries to the database. The plurality of columns are compacted into a single hyper-column to form an optimized database. Each entry in the hyper-column includes data from a corresponding entry in each of the plurality of columns. An interface is generated for the optimized database that accepts queries according to a schema for the unoptimized database and translates the queries into queries according to a schema for the optimized database.
US09946739B2	Intelligent internet system with adaptive user interface providing one-step access to knowledge An Intelligent Internet system having the capacity to discover, acquire, organize, store, and make accessible knowledge about things of interest to users and to help users more efficiently interact with these things in a rich variety of ways. The Intelligent Internet system provides users with a personalized interface that dynamically adapts to each user's interests and context. This interface provides users with direct access to “knowledge” about things that humans or machines can uniquely sense, recognize, name, understand and interact with, whether real or imagined. Users can access the knowledge stored in the Intelligent Internet system to find, learn about and select products and services; communicate with family, friends, colleagues, classmates, customers and suppliers; learn about things they encounter in their environment, make decisions about them, consume and share content related to them and perform transactions.
US09946737B2	System and method for simplifying data access between tiers in a multi-tier system A system and method for simplifying data access between tiers in a multi-tier system is disclosed. In an embodiment, a method is provided for receiving a request for service from a browser at a generic data access object (GDAO) layer; generating, by use of a data processor, a single, shared, generic data transfer object (GDTO) at the GDAO layer; calling through to a database tier, the database tier providing database metadata; and using the database metadata to include result data in the GDTO and return the GDTO in response to the request.
US09946736B2	Constructing a database of verified individuals A method including entering individual-associated data bits (IDBs) into a computerized system, the set of data of each of the IDBs including at least one personal identifier of an individual and relationship data including data on one or more related individuals and the nature of the relationship, processing the entered IDBs on a processor, generating an individual-identifier data set (IDS) for each identified individual or one of the related individuals having data in the processed IDBs, and storing IDSs of identified individuals in a database.
US09946724B1	Scalable post-process deduplication Implementations are provided herein for data deduplication, and more particularly, to post-process data deduplication on a large scale out storage system. Multiple techniques and implementations are disclosed that offer greater efficiency, higher performance, and more stability when performing post-process data deduplication at large scale. Disclosed implementations are based on a process for data deduplication involving four main phases: enumeration, commonality, sharing, and update. Multi-level hashing can be used to identify candidates for deduplication during the enumeration phase, providing a more efficient use of compute resources. In addition, datasets can be phase rotated through the post-process deduplication steps providing a more controllable deduplication environment as well as a more efficient use of resources.
US09946723B2	Data embedding in run length encoded streams One or more system, apparatus, method, and computer readable media for embedding supplemental data into a compressed data stream to form a supplemented compressed data stream. In embodiments, supplemental data is embedded at a run-length encoded (RLE) compression stage. In embodiments, supplemental data is extracted from a supplemented RLE stream to recover supplemental data and/or reconstruct the compressed data stream from which the supplemental data is extracted.
US09946711B2	Text generation from correlated alerts Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are described herein that are configured to generate an operator text in response to an alarm that is either received from an alarm or alert system or that is self-generated based on an analysis of one or more data feeds. The method of an example embodiment may include determining whether an operator text is to be generated in response to a received alert condition by performing data analysis operations comprising: analyzing, using a processor, a primary data feed and at least one confirmatory data feed to identify one or more features; and determining based on the detection of a feature in the primary data feed or the at least one confirmatory data feed satisfies at least one predetermined constraint. The method may further include generating an output text that is displayable in a user interface that describes at least a diagnosis for the feature that satisfied that at least one predetermined constraint.
US09946710B2	Language conversion apparatus, language conversion method, and language conversion program Business rule statements written in a natural language are automatically converted into DRL language sentences. A language conversion apparatus 10 includes: a storage device 16 that stores syntax definition information 30 for defining syntaxes to convert a business rule statement written in a natural language into a DRL language sentence on a syntax basis, and conversion information 40 for converting element variables of the business rule statement into element variables of the DRL language sentence; and a CPU 11 that analyzes a syntax of the business rule statement by comparing the business rule statement with the syntax definition information 30 and converts the business rule statement into the DRL language sentence by referring to the conversion information 40.
US09946708B2	Identifying word-senses based on linguistic variations One or more words are received. A set of frequency of occurrence values of the received word(s) within a set of domain tables is determined. A domain table in the set of domain tables is associated to the received word(s), based on the set of frequency of occurrence values meeting a threshold value. A word-sense of the received word(s) is determined based on a corresponding word-sense in the associated domain table and/or corresponding domain dictionary.
US09946705B2	Query processing using a dimension table implemented as decompression dictionaries According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system may execute database queries and may comprise a computer system including at least one processor. The system may select a column of a first table as a candidate column for creating a dictionary, create tokens for a foreign key in a second table that corresponds to a primary key in the first table, generate the dictionary for the selected column using the created tokens as indexes in the dictionary and modify a query accessing the column of the first table to retrieve column values based on the dictionary. Embodiments of the present invention further include a method and computer program product executing database queries in substantially the same manner described above.
US09946702B2	Digital processing system for transferring data for remote access across a multicomputer data network and method thereof Disclosed herein is a digital processing system for transferring data for remote access across a multicomputer data network. In one embodiment, the digital processing system is configured to receive user input, analyze the data input, assign a reference tag to the data input based on contextual information associated with the data input, and store the reference tag within a memory device that may be accessed by one or more users of the multicomputer data network.
US09946699B1	Location-based speech recognition for preparation of electronic tax return Methods, systems and articles of manufacture for location-based speech recognition for preparation of an electronic tax return.
US09946697B2	Assisting users to generate desired meme in document A method, system and computer program product for assisting users to generate the desired meme in a document. A document is scanned to identify parts of speech, numerical text or numbers and images (collectively the “terms”) that provide positive/negative memes. A score for each of these terms is assigned. A score may then be assigned to each designated primary object (e.g., individual, company) discussed in the document using the scores assigned to the identified terms. Options may then be provided to modify the document to provide the type of meme (e.g., positive or negative meme) desired by the author to be associated with the particular designated primary object. Upon receiving a selection of one or more of these options, the document is modified accordingly to generate the desired meme in the document.
US09946692B2	Package file presentation Various embodiments illustrated and described herein include one or more of systems, methods, software, and data structures for package file presentation. Some embodiments include receiving a package file including a presentation specification, one or more content files, and metadata defining display elements within the presentation specification and associating each display element with one of the content files. The package file may then be presented by instantiating the presentation specification as a function of executable code embedded within the presentation specification. Some embodiments further include instantiating each display element, each display element including a link to an associated content file within the package file and to generate and distribute display elements within a graphical user interface.
US09946688B2	Efficient interpolation Interpolation logic described herein provides a good approximation to a bicubic interpolation, which is generally smoother than bilinear interpolation, without performing all the calculations normally needed for a bicubic interpolation. This allows an approximation of smooth bicubic interpolation to be performed on devices (e.g. mobile devices) which have limited processing resources. At each of a set of predetermined interpolation positions within an array of data points, a set of predetermined weights represent a bicubic interpolation which can be applied to the data points. For a plurality of the predetermined interpolation positions which surround the sampling position, the corresponding sets of predetermined weights and the data points are used to determine a plurality of surrounding interpolated values which represent results of performing the bicubic interpolation at the surrounding predetermined interpolation positions. A linear interpolation is then performed on the surrounding interpolated values to determine an interpolated value at the sampling position.
US09946686B2	Measuring device and a method for the decimation of a datastream A measuring device for an oscilloscope provides a decimation unit. The decimation unit provides at least one input, which receives a datastream with a plurality of sampled values from at least one data source. The decimation unit also has at least one output, at which a reduced datastream is output. The reduced datastream is formed from a root-mean-squared value of respectively at least two sampled values calculated by the decimation unit.
US09946683B2	Reducing precision timing measurement uncertainty Techniques for reducing precision timing message uncertainty are described herein. A method includes resetting an elastic buffer of a first device in response to a second device linked with the first device sending SKIP (SKP) ordered sets to the first device. The method also includes initiating a PTM handshake with the second device in response to resetting the elastic buffer. Additionally, the method includes sending PTM messages to the second device immediately after receiving the SKP ordered sets.
US09946680B2	Peripheral device diagnostics and control over a two-wire communication bus Disclosed herein are systems and techniques for peripheral device diagnostics and control over a two-wire communication bus. For example, in some embodiments, a slave device may include circuitry to receive a synchronization control frame from an upstream device, receive audio data from the upstream device subsequent to receipt of the synchronization control frame, provide a synchronization response frame toward the upstream device, and provide first data representative of an operational characteristic of an audio device coupled to the slave device subsequent to provision of the synchronization response frame; circuitry to derive timing information from the synchronization control frame; and circuitry to provide the audio data to the audio device, and receive, from a sensor coupled to the slave device, second data representative of the operational characteristic of the audio device.
US09946679B2	Distributed audio coordination over a two-wire communication bus Disclosed herein are systems and technique for distributed audio coordination over a two-wire communication bus. For example, in some embodiments, a first slave device may include circuitry to receive, over a two-wire bus a synchronization control frame, audio data, and a dynamics processor (DP) parameter for a second audio device coupled to a second slave device. The first slave device may include circuitry to derive timing information from the synchronization control frame, and circuitry to provide the audio data and a DP parameter (based on the DP parameter for the second audio device) to a first audio device coupled to the first slave device.
US09946676B2	Multichip package link A system-on-a-chip, such as a logical PHY, may be divided into hard IP blocks with fixed routing, and soft IP blocks with flexible routing. Each hard IP block may provide a fixed number of lanes. Using p hard IP blocks, where each block provides n data lanes, h=np total hard IP data lanes are provided. Where the system design calls for k total data lanes, it is possible that k≠h, so that ┌k/n┐ hard IP blocks provide h=np available hard IP data lanes. In that case, h−k lanes may be disabled. In cases where lane reversals occur, such as between hard IP and soft IP, bowtie routing may be avoided by the use of a multiplexer-like programmable switch within the soft IP.
US09946674B2	Scalable multi-core system-on-chip architecture on multiple dice for high end microcontroller A system for a multiple chip architecture that enables different system on-chip (SoC) systems with varying compatibilities to interact as one SoC via a transparent interface. The system address maps of the single SoCs are configured so that each provide a system address map of the two SoCs without overlap or address re-mapping when connected to one another via the transparent interface. The transparent interface enables components related to safety/security and interrupt communication of a first and second SoC within the multiple chip system to transparently communicate and interact. The transparent interface can enable sources of both SoCs to be flexibly mapped to interrupt services providers on the first/second SoC within the multiple chip system.
US09946673B2	Network controller—sideband interface port controller A network interface controller includes a media access controller connected to receive an in-band packet and further connected to receive a sideband packet. The network interface controller includes a host adapter that includes a receive route connected to receive the in-band packet and the sideband packet from the media access controller, and further connected to transmit the in-band packet to a host. The network interface controller includes a sideband port controller comprising a sideband receive buffer. The host adapter further includes a first receive buffer to store the in-band packet and to store the sideband packet. The host adapter further includes an arbiter connected to allow, at a time, the in-band packet to advance from the first receive buffer along the receive route towards the host and further connected to allow, at a different time, the sideband packet to advance to the sideband receive buffer of the sideband port controller.
US09946672B2	Transfer for control data over half-duplex link A method of transferring control data between a master device and a slave device over a path including at least one intermediate device, such that the path includes multiple path segments between successive pairs of devices. Data is transferred on each path segment in a plurality of frames of data, wherein the frames are synchronized between said path segments. The control data is transmitted in command slots of each frame, wherein a command slot comprises a set of control data bit slots, and wherein a control data bit slot is a time window associated with the transfer of a single control data bit over a single path segment between the devices on the path segment. The control data bit slots for each command slot are subdivided into: a first set of bit slots reserved for the transfer of control data in the direction from the master device to the slave device, and a second set of bit slots reserved for the transfer of control data either in the direction from the master device to the slave device or in the direction from the slave device to the master device. The time positions of the command slots on each path segment are offset from the positions of the command slots on each respective adjacent path segment by at least one control data bit slot.
US09946671B1	Methods and systems for processing read and write requests Methods and systems for processing an input/output (I/O) requests are provided. The method includes generating an I/O request by an initiator adapter of a computing device that interfaces with a target adapter; indicating by the initiator adapter that the I/O request is sequential in nature. When the I/O request is a sequential read request, the target adapter notifies a target controller to read-ahead data associated with other sequential read requests; and stores the read ahead data at a cache such that data for the other sequential read requests is provided from the cache instead of a storage device managed by the target controller. A sequential write request is processed without claiming any cache space, when data for the write request is not to be accessed within a certain duration.
US09946664B2	Socket interposer having a multi-modal I/O interface Exemplary embodiments include a socket interposer having a plurality of connectors configured to attach to a server board, the server board including: a first processor socket having a processor form factor, and a first memory associated with the first processor socket, a processor inserted into the at least first processor socket, the processor having access to the first memory, and a second processor socket having the processor form factor, and a second memory associated with the second processor socket, wherein the plurality of connectors are configured to fit the processor form factor; and a multi-modal I/O interface having a first mode and a second mode, wherein in the first mode provides processor-to-processor communication, and the second mode provides the first processor with accessibility to the second memory associated with the second processor socket.
US09946654B2	High-bandwidth prefetcher for high-bandwidth memory A method for prefetching data into a cache is provided. The method allocates an outstanding request buffer (“ORB”). The method stores in an address field of the ORB an address and a number of blocks. The method issues prefetch requests for a degree number of blocks starting at the address. When a prefetch response is received for all the prefetch requests, the method adjusts the address of the next block to prefetch and adjusts the number of blocks remaining to be retrieved and then issues prefetch requests for a degree number of blocks starting at the adjusted address. The prefetching pauses when a maximum distance between the reads of the prefetched blocks and the last prefetched block is reached. When a read request for a prefetched block is received, the method resumes prefetching when a resume criterion is satisfied.
US09946652B2	Pre-fetch in a multi-stage memory management system A memory management system for managing a memory and includes a multi-stage memory management unit including control circuitry and cache memory. The cache memory may have a respective translation look-aside buffer for each stage of the multi-stage memory management unit. The control circuitry may be configured to generate a blank data request including a virtual address and information that specifies that data is not to be read from the memory, perform address translations based on the generated blank data request in multiple stages until a physical address is obtained, and discard the blank data request.
US09946645B2	Information processing apparatus and memory control method An information processing apparatus comprises a plurality of processor elements, and a memory having a plurality of banks. Statistical information representing an access frequency distribution to each memory area of the memory by the plurality of processor elements is obtained. An allocation process of allocating the banks to the memory areas is performed based on the statistical information.
US09946642B2	Distributed multimode storage management In one embodiment, a distributed storage system comprises: a plurality of appliances, a distributed multimode storage management coordinator, and a communication mechanism for communicating distributed multimode storage management messages. A first one of the plurality of appliances can include: a plurality of storage devices that have a first storage partition including a first type of interface and a first information storage region and a second storage partition including a selective underlying exposure (SUE) interface and a second information storage region that stores a second type of information, wherein the SUE interface exposes an aspect of the second information storage region. The distributed multimode storage management coordinator can include a plurality of multimode storage management systems that direct conveyance of information to the plurality of storage devices, wherein the coordinator includes a multiple mode SUE management system that directs file activities of the second partitions via the SUE interface.
US09946631B1	Debug management in a distributed batch data processing environment Disclosed aspects relate to debug management in a distributed batch data processing environment which uses a shared pool of configurable computing resources. A debug configuration to fire a breakpoint based on an achievement of a debug criterion may be initiated in the distributed batch data processing environment. A data block may be detected in the distributed batch data processing environment. The data block may be analyzed with respect to the debug criterion by a debug management engine. Achievement of the debug criterion by the data block may be determined by the debug management engine. In response to determining the achievement of the debug criterion by the data block, the breakpoint may be fired based on the achievement of the debug criterion.
US09946617B2	Optimized recovery in data replication environments A method for optimizing recovery in a data replication environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes directing I/O from a primary site to a secondary site in response to a failure at the primary site. After the primary site has recovered from the failure, the method initiates a recovery process wherein updated data elements at the secondary site are copied to the primary site. The method determines a recorded average I/O latency for a host system driving I/O to the secondary site, and calculates an expected average I/O latency for the host system driving I/O to the primary site. The method redirects I/O from the secondary site to the primary site when a difference between the expected average I/O latency and the recorded average I/O latency reaches a threshold value. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.
US09946614B2	Methods, systems, and computer readable storage devices for managing faults in a virtual machine network Faults are managed in a virtual machine network. Failure of operation of a virtual machine among a plurality of different types of virtual machines operating in the virtual machine network is detected. The virtual machine network operates on network elements connected by transport mechanisms. A cause of the failure of the operation of the virtual machine is determined, and recovery of the virtual machine is initiated based on the determined cause of the failure.
US09946611B2	Method, apparatus and system for matching devices In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining device-related information corresponding to a plurality of devices from the device manager, selecting, for each first device, a second device matching each first device from among the at least one second device based on device-related information of the each device; determining corresponding device matching information based on the second devices matching the each first device, and sending the device matching information to the at least one second controller; wherein the device matching information includes one or more pairs of matching first device and second device.
US09946609B2	Managing multi-level backups into the cloud A backup tool can manage multi-level backup into a cloud and restoration from the cloud. The backup tool can request a data source to stream backup data to the backup tool, and the backup tool can then generate data objects from the data stream for storing into the cloud. The backup tool generates the data objects in accordance with serialization of the data stream. The order of the data objects resulting from the data stream serialization is encoded into the names of the data objects. In addition, the backup tool encodes the backup level into the object names. With sequencing and backup level encoded into the data object names, the data objects can be stored in the cloud for later restoration.
US09946606B1	Stream architecture for data representation A stream architecture for data representation is disclosed. A stream is retained with respect to write transactions to a given volume. The stream includes the write transactions and provides a sequence of the write transactions according to the order in which the write transactions were received for the given volume. By way of example, a stream image can be associated to the stream. The stream image provides a representation of the data in the given volume for a point in time by referencing a non-contiguous subset of the sequence of write transactions in the stream.
US09946598B1	Handling open circuits while writing data by moving them to the least vulnerable location in an error correction code codeword Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for recording, if a non-volatile memory (NVM) location satisfies an open circuit condition, open circuit location information associated with the NVM location. Additionally, a shift of one or more bits may be conducting during a write of a codeword to the NVM location to avoid open circuit in the NVM location. Moreover, an end of a parity portion of the codeword may be punctured by an amount of the shift. In one example, the end of the parity portion includes a last circulant of the codeword.
US09946597B2	Protecting embedded nonvolatile memory from interference Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of a system-on-a-chip (SoC) is enhanced by encoding at least a subset of control signals before the control signals are transmitted over a bus (e.g., a bus internal to a SoC) from a controller to an embedded nonvolatile memory (NVM). The error-detection code used causes an EMC event to introduce errors into the transmitted codewords with relatively high probability. In response to an error being detected in the transmitted codeword, a set of safeguarding operations are performed to prevent the data stored in the NVM from being uncontrollably changed.
US09946593B2	Recovery strategy for a stream processing system The technology disclosed relates to discovering multiple previously unknown and undetected technical problems in fault tolerance and data recovery mechanisms of modern stream processing systems. In addition, it relates to providing technical solutions to these previously unknown and undetected problems. In particular, the technology disclosed relates to discovering the problem of modification of batch size of a given batch during its replay after a processing failure. This problem results in over-count when the input during replay is not a superset of the input fed at the original play. Further, the technology disclosed discovers the problem of inaccurate counter updates in replay schemes of modern stream processing systems when one or more keys disappear between a batch's first play and its replay. This problem is exacerbated when data in batches is merged or mapped with data from an external data store.
US09946588B2	Structure for reducing power consumption for memory device Techniques for generating a design structure for cache power reduction are described herein. In one example, a system includes logic to detect memory address information corresponding to accessed data in a first instruction, and detect memory address information corresponding to accessed data in a second instruction. The logic can also compare the memory address information corresponding to the first instruction and the memory address information corresponding to the second instruction, and detect, based on the comparison, that the accessed data in the first instruction and the accessed data in the second instruction are in a same data range of the memory device. The logic can also execute the second instruction using the accessed data from the first instruction.
US09946585B1	System and method for asset module isolation Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide for deploying an asset platform to an asset in a distributed offering network. The asset platform includes a container and an asset module and offering module implemented on the container. The asset module provides an abstraction of the asset to the offering module such that offer modules may communicate through the container with asset modules in a standard manner.
US09946579B2	Systems and methods for load balancing of time-based tasks in a distributed computing system A load manager comprises a configuration manager and a load monitor. The load manager is configured to monitor and manage aspects of a distributed computer system comprising a plurality of servers. Each server is configured to perform tasks according to a respective time-based scheduler configuration. In some embodiments, the load monitor monitors one or more load metrics of each of the one or more servers. In response to one or more load metrics exceeding a threshold, the configuration manager determines the current time-based task scheduler configuration of the server exceeding the threshold. The load manager is further configured to modify the time-based task scheduler configuration to adjust a further task load on the server based on the at least one or more load metrics.
US09946575B2	Method of execution of tasks in a critical real-time system Method for executing a task composed of a set of sequential and alternative processes. The method includes the steps of: a) assigning to each process a hardware resource need and time constraint; b) allocating to each process a time-slot having a duration corresponding to the time constraint of the process; c) identifying a branch point at which is decided the execution of one or other of two alternative processes; d) allocating to the two alternative processes a common time-slot; e) assigning to the common time-slot a resource need equal to the larger of the resource needs of the two alternative processes; f) iterating from step c) for each branch point; g) organizing the resulting time-slots in an execution template associated with the task; and h) configuring real-time multitasking system to constrain the execution of the task according to the resource needs assigned to the time slots of the execution template.
US09946572B1	Resource tolerations and taints In a computing resource environment including at least one resource capable of being allocated to at least one of a plurality of tasks, techniques are disclosed for applying a taint to a resource in a computing resource environment, the taint being configured to prevent the resource from being claimed for a resource request without a toleration to that taint. Variations include receiving, at a resource scheduler in the resource environment, a request to allocate the resource to perform a particular task and determining whether the resource is subject to a taint. If the resource is subject to a taint, analyzing the request to determine if it includes a toleration for the taint. If the request includes a toleration for the taint, allocating the resource to the task. If the request does not include a toleration for the taint, not allocating the resource due to the taint.
US09946571B1	Predictive power management in a wireless sensor network using activity costs A system comprising a plurality of self-powered devices and at least one remote device. The plurality of self-powered devices may be configured to (i) perform one or more tasks and (ii) select one of a plurality of modes of operation. The remote device may be configured to (a) determine scheduling data for one or more activities based on a resource capacity of the self-powered devices and (b) communicate with the self-powered devices. The activities may comprise one or more of the tasks. The self-powered devices may determine a computational cost of performing the tasks.
US09946568B1	Micro-virtualization architecture for threat-aware module deployment in a node of a network environment A micro-virtualization architecture deploys a threat-aware microvisor as a module of a virtualization system configured to facilitate real-time security analysis, including exploit detection and threat intelligence, of operating system processes executing in a memory of a node in a network environment. The micro-virtualization architecture organizes the memory as a user space and kernel space, wherein the microvisor executes in the kernel space of the architecture, while the operating system processes, an operating system kernel, a virtual machine monitor (VMM) and its spawned virtual machines (VMs) execute in the user space. Notably, the microvisor executes at the highest privilege level of a central processing unit of the node to virtualize access to kernel resources. The operating system kernel executes under control of the microvisor at a privilege level lower than a highest privilege level of the microvisor. The VMM and its spawned VMs execute at the highest privilege level of the microvisor.
US09946564B2	Adjusting virtual machine migration plans based on alert conditions related to future migrations Migration of virtual machines within a computing environment is facilitated. A processor obtains a current virtual machine to host mapping in the computing environment, as well as a plurality of future virtual machine to host mappings. A current migration plan to migrate from a current state of the computing environment to another state of the computing environment is also obtained. Based on the current virtual machine to host mapping and one or more future virtual machine to host mappings of the plurality of future virtual machine to host mappings a determination is made that one or more potential alert conditions exist in the current migration plan. The current migration plan and/or one or more future virtual machine to host mappings are displayed. The current migration plan is adjusted to address at least one potential alert condition of the one or more potential alert conditions to improve processing within the computing environment.
US09946551B2	System and method that generate reconfiguration information A netlist converter, which generates configuration information for reconfiguring a reconfigurable logic operation unit, includes: a mapping unit that enumerates k-feasible cuts where the number of nodes after cutting is an integer k or fewer, out of all cuts for each node included in a netlist generated based on a specification to be processed in the logic operation unit; and a generating unit that generates configuration information including element reconfiguration information that reconfigures elements by selecting cuts assigned to the elements out of the enumerated k-feasible cuts and channel reconfiguration information for reconfiguring the data transfer channels to realize the netlist by connecting the reconfigured elements.
US09946550B2	Techniques for predicated execution in an out-of-order processor A technique for handling predicated code in an out-of-order processor includes detecting a predicate defining instruction associated with a predicated code region. Renaming of predicated instructions, within the predicated code region, is then stalled until a predicate of the predicate defining instruction is resolved.
US09946548B2	Age-based management of instruction blocks in a processor instruction window A processor core in an instruction block-based microarchitecture includes a control unit that explicitly tracks instruction block state including age or priority for current blocks that have been fetched from an instruction cache. Tracked instruction blocks are maintained in an age-ordered or priority-ordered list. When an instruction block is identified by the control unit for commitment, the list is checked for a match and a matching instruction block can be refreshed without re-fetching from the instruction cache. If a match is not found, an instruction block can be committed and replaced based on either age or priority. Such instruction state tracking typically consumes little overhead and enables instruction blocks to be reused and mispredicted instructions to be skipped to increase processor core efficiency.
US09946546B2	Processor and instruction code generation device In a processor including an instruction prefetch buffer to prefetch a group of instructions with continuous addresses from a memory, the probability of occurrence of the situation where a bus is occupied by the instruction prefetch more than necessary is reduced. The processor includes an instruction fetch address generator which controls the address and amount of the instruction to be prefetched to the instruction prefetch buffer. The instruction fetch address generator includes a table which stores an instruction prefetch amount of an instruction to make the instruction prefetch buffer perform prefetching in association with a branch destination address of a branch arising in the process execution unit. When a branch arises in the process execution unit, the instruction fetch address generator makes an instruction prefetch buffer prefetch the instruction of the instruction prefetch amount corresponding to the branch destination address concerned including the branch destination address of the arisen branch.
US09946531B1	Autonomous vehicle software version assessment Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. In certain aspects, with the customer's permission, a computer-implemented method for updating an autonomous operation feature may be provided. An indication of a software update associated with the autonomous operation feature may be received, and several autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles having the feature may be identified. The update may be installed within the several vehicles, such as via wireless communication. Also, a change in a risk level associated with the update to the autonomous operation feature may be determined, and an insurance discount may be determined or adjusted. As a result, an insurance discount may be provided to risk averse customers that affirmatively share their vehicle data with an insurance provider, and promptly and remotely receive new versions of software that operate autonomous vehicle safety features.
US09946524B2	Method of compiling a source code, storage medium, and apparatus A method of compiling a source code described by a first programming language, the method being executed by a computer and includes: specifying a function described by a second programming language different from the first programming language from the source code, the function being allowed to use one or more arguments; and first creating an instruction to store given data that causes occurrence of an error when a register is accessed due to execution of the function in an area in the register for an argument that is not set for the function in the source code among the one or more arguments.
US09946518B2	System and method for extending a visualization platform Systems and methods for extending a visualization platform are disclosed. A user may create a visualization project created. One or more properties for a non-native widget established by a developer of the non-native widget may be received from the project. Such properties may designate a name or a type of data that the non-native widget is capable of processing. Responsive to an instruction received from the user of the visualization authoring environment, a source of data to be processed by the non-native widget or a destination of data produced by the non-native widget to be processed by other widgets may be established. The appearance or behavior of the non-native widget may be rendered based at least in part on a value available from the source of the data or the appearance or behavior of one or more other widgets may be rendered based at least in part on data produced by the non-native widget.
US09946513B2	Semiconductor device and information processing system A spin unit provided with a memory cell that stores a value of one spin of an Ising model, a memory cell that stores an interaction coefficient from an adjacent spin which interacts with the corresponding spin, a memory cell that stores an external magnetic field coefficient of the one spin and circuits that determine the next state of the one spin on the basis of a product of a value of each adjacent spin and the corresponding interaction coefficient and the external magnetic field coefficient is configured, the semiconductor device is provided with a spin array where the plural spin units are arranged and connected on a two-dimensional plane on a semiconductor substrate, a random number generator and a bit regulator, the bit regulator operates output of the random number generator and supplies a random bit to all spin units in the spin array via one wire.
US09946511B2	Method for user training of information dialogue system Provided is a method for user training of an information dialog system. The method may include activating a user input subsystem, receiving a training request entered by the user, converting the training request into text by the user input subsystem, sending the text of the training request obtained as a result of the conversion to a dialog module, processing the text of the training request by the dialog module, forming a response to the training request by the dialog module, and sending the response to the training request to the user. The response to the training request may be formed in a form of one or more of the following: a voice cue, a text, and an action performed by the information dialog system.
US09946504B2	Head-mounted display apparatus worn on user's head A head-mounted display apparatus worn on the head of a user and a method for controlling the head-mounted display apparatus are disclosed. The head-mounted display apparatus includes an attitude detector that detects the attitude of the head-mounted display apparatus, a manipulation detector that detects a predetermined manipulation performed on the head-mounted display apparatus, a display, and a processor. The head-mounted display apparatus switches a display of first display information to second display information according to a change in the attitude detected by the attitude detector. However, if the manipulation detector detects the predetermined manipulation, the head-mounted display apparatus maintains the display of the first display information without switching to the second display information even if there is a change in the attitude detected by the attitude sensor.
US09946496B2	SSD with non-blocking flush command A computing system includes a storage device and a host. The storage device includes a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory, and is configured to receive data for storage in the non-volatile memory, to buffer at least some of the received data temporarily in the volatile memory, and to guarantee that any data, which is not part of a predefined amount of data that was most recently received, has been committed to the non-volatile memory. The host is configured to send the data for storage in the storage device, and, in response to a need to commit given data to the non-volatile memory, to send the given data to the storage device followed by at least the predefined amount of additional data.
US09946495B2	Dirty data management for hybrid drives A hybrid drive includes multiple parts: a performance part (e.g., a flash memory device) and a base part (e.g., a hard disk drive). A drive access system, which is typically part of an operating system of a computing device, issues input/output (I/O) commands to the hybrid drive to store data to and retrieve data from the hybrid drive. Some data can be stored in one part but not the other, and this data can be synchronized with (e.g., copied to) the other part at various times. The drive access system provides indications to the hybrid drive of when to synchronize data in one part with the other part. These indications are made so that potential interference with use of the device by the user and/or power saving modes of the device due to the synchronization is reduced.
US09946483B2	Efficiently managing unmapped blocks to extend life of solid state drive with low over-provisioning Systems and methods disclosed herein allow for efficiently managing unmapped blocks to extend life of solid-state drives. In one aspect, a method includes: measuring a level of over-provisioning (“OP”) in a storage device and operating it in a first mode of operation while the OP satisfies a first threshold. The method also includes: changing to a second mode of operation if the OP does not satisfy the first threshold. While operating in the second mode of operation, the method includes: (i) determining an unmapped portion of a declared storage capacity of the storage device; and (ii) determining whether processing a write command would reduce the unmapped portion to less than a second threshold. If processing the write command wouldn't reduce the unmapped portion to less than the second threshold, the method includes: accepting and processing the write command. Else, the method includes: forgoing acceptance and processing of the write command.
US09946469B2	Solid state storage system with latency management mechanism and method of operation thereof A solid state storage system, and method of operation thereof, including: a system interface configured to receive host commands; a controller, coupled to the system interface, configured to identify frequently read data blocks from the host commands; a non-volatile memory, coupled to the controller, configured for access of the frequently read data blocks; an error correction code unit, coupled to the controller, configured to provide health monitor parameters for the frequently read data blocks verified by the controller; and a redundant frequently read data (RFRD) area, coupled to the error correction code unit, configured to transfer a recovered data from the frequently read data blocks.
US09946468B2	Rewritable multibit non-volatile memory with soft decode optimization A non-volatile memory system including multi-level storage optimized for ramp sensing and soft decoding is provided. Sensing is performed at a higher bit resolution than an original user data encoding to improve the accuracy of reading state information from non-volatile storage elements. Higher resolution state information is used for decoding the original user data to improve read performance through improved error handling. Ramp sensing is utilized to determine state information by applying a continuous input scanning sense voltage that spans a range of read compare points. Full sequence programming is enabled as is interleaved coding of the user data over all of the data bit sets associated with the storage elements.
US09946467B2	Data storage method and electronic device A data storage method and an electronic device are described where the method includes acquiring a running status parameter of an electronic device; determining, on the basis of the running status parameter, a data storage policy corresponding to the running status parameter; acquiring, on the basis of the data storage policy, target data corresponding to the data storage policy; and writing, on the basis of a data category of the target data, the target data into a flash or a cache of a solid state memory of the electronic device. The method is for solving the technical problem that the system's data writing manner is fixed.
US09946459B2	Systems and methods for determining intentional touch screen contact A device configured to distinguish between intentional and inadvertent input is provided. Input may be in the form of touch screen or on-screen keyboard input. Such input is examined such that a device may ignore unintentional and resting contact while reacting only to purposeful contact. The characteristics of unintentional and resting device contact are ascertained and differentiated from the contact characteristics of intentional device input.
US09946457B2	Wearable electronic device with interface A wearable electronic device is disclosed. The wearable electronic device comprises a ring body and a substrate. The ring body has an outer cover and an interface disposed on an exterior of the outer cover, with the ring body defining an annular receiving space within the ring body. The substrate is disposed in the annular receiving space and has a plurality of capacitive plates.
US09946451B2	Terminal and method of operating the same Provided are a terminal and a method of operating the same. The terminal includes a display unit displaying a plurality of icons that respectively represent the plurality of objects and detecting a user input; and a control unit displaying the plurality of icons on the display unit according to a first user input, displaying at least one icon to be identified according to a second user input that selects the at least one icon selected from the plurality of icons, and pasting an object corresponding to the selected icon on an input window according to a third user input that inputs the selected at least one icon into the input window.
US09946438B2	Maximum value displayed content feature Techniques for enhancing a user's viewing experience include providing new opportunities for viewing information or manipulating data during the viewing experience. The user may take an action that has an intended purpose of changing a mode of play of content displayed at the client device. An event prompted by the user action, such as a pause or rewind of the displayed content, may be an event that triggers at least one extended option associated with the displayed content.
US09946436B2	Interactive dynamic push notifications An example method includes receiving, at a mobile device, one or more user selections by a user of the mobile device, where each user selection indicates a respective type of data item to be presented on the mobile device. The method also includes receiving, at the mobile device, one or more data items. The method also includes identifying data items that are associated with the types of data items to be presented on the mobile device, and responsive to identifying data items that are associated with the types of data items to be presented on the mobile device, presenting, on the mobile device, a dynamic icon to present the identified data items.
US09946435B2	Control device, control method, and electronic apparatus to control movement of a cursor A control device includes a control unit that displays a first cursor which discretely moves in response to an operation of a user and a second cursor which changes continuously on a display screen.
US09946426B2	Method for forming metal mesh pattern and touch panel A method for forming a metal mesh pattern is provided. The method includes the operations below. First, at least one pitch of each of mesh base units of a mesh base is determined, and thereby the mesh base is formed. Then, a seed region is set in each of the mesh base units of the mesh base, in which a ratio of an area of each of the seed regions to an area of each of the mesh base units is a constant. Then, a plurality of seeds are generated by randomly selecting a point in each of the seed regions. Finally, the metal mesh pattern is formed, in which the metal mesh pattern is a set of perpendicular bisectors of lines connecting the seeds and their adjacent neighboring seeds.
US09946413B2	Touch module and manufacturing method thereof A touch module and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The touch module includes a substrate, at least two first touch electrodes, at least two second touch electrodes, at least one electrode channel, and at least one bridge. All of the first touch electrodes, the second touch electrodes, and the electrode channel are embedded in the substrate. The electrode channel is configured to connect the second touch electrodes to each other. The bridge crosses over the electrode channel, is configured to electrically connect the first touch electrodes to each other. The first touch electrodes and the second touch electrodes are insulated from each other.
US09946407B2	Frequency multiplexed optical touchscreen An apparatus, methods, systems, and computer program products are provided that can detect touch events on touch panels in a more effective and less costly manner. According to an embodiment, a touch system includes a touch panel and a plurality of radiation sources located at a first edge of the touch panel. The intensity of light emitted from each of the plurality of radiation sources is modulated with a respective modulation frequency. The touch system further includes an optical receiver that is located at a second edge of the touch panel and is configured to receive the light emitted from each of the plurality of radiation sources.
US09946395B2	User interface method and apparatus A user interface method and apparatus are provided. A user interface method of a smart device includes receiving an electrical signal from an electromyography (EMG) sensor worn on a user, determining a user input based on the received electrical signal and position information about a determined position of a detected touch of the user on a touch screen, and controlling operation of the smart device in response to the determined user input.
US09946390B2	Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same A mobile terminal including a touch screen with a first display area disposed at a front of a terminal body and a second display area disposed at a side of the terminal body; and a controller configured to display an operation screen on the first display area, display, on the second display area, information related to the operation screen displayed on the first display area in response to the terminal body being rotated from a first position to a second position, and control the information displayed on the second display area in response to an input received through the first display area.
US09946389B2	Variable pressure touch system The disclosed variable pressure touch system includes an information handling system (IHS) that may take many forms. In one embodiment, the IHS may be a tablet with a touch sensor in the form of a touch sensitive display. A user may apply pressure to the touch sensor with a finger, stylus, or other pointing device. The touch sensor may then generate a current pressure indication of the current pressure exhibited by the touch on the touch sensor. In one embodiment, a touch tool of the IHS may receive the current pressure indication and generate a display image on the display of the IHS that changes as the current pressure indication changes. In other embodiments, the touch tool of the IHS may receive the current pressure indication and generate a visual indicator on the display of the IHS that changes as the current pressure indication changes.
US09946388B2	Touch sensor with improved pressure sensing characteristics A pressure sensor includes a piezoelectric detection electrode, an insulating substrate, a piezoelectric base film, a piezoelectric detection electrode and an insulating substrate. The insulating substrate includes a top face and a bottom face on which the piezoelectric detection electrode is formed. The insulating substrate includes a top face and a bottom face on which the piezoelectric detection electrode is formed. The pressure sensor includes the piezoelectric film whose opposite principal surfaces are provided with respective piezoelectric detection electrodes. When viewed from a direction orthogonal to the principal surfaces, an opening is provided in a center region of one of the piezoelectric detection electrodes provided on at least one of the principal surfaces.
US09946377B2	Structured body with conducting and light absorption layers The present invention relates to a touch panel comprising a structure body comprising: a substrate; a conducting pattern that is provided on at least one surface of the substrate; and a light absorption pattern provided on at least one surface of the conducting pattern and provided on at least a portion of regions corresponding to the conducting pattern, and a method for manufacturing the same.
US09946373B2	System and method for using single-display application programs on a multi-display device A system and method is provided for, on a multi-display touch screen apparatus executing a single-display application program, establishing an interface between the multi-display touch screen apparatus and the single-display application program, the interface comprising a virtual display and virtual sensors, obtaining sensor data from physical sensors of the multi-display touch screen apparatus, providing at least a first subset of the sensor data to the single-display application program via the virtual sensors of the interface, specifying to the single-display application program virtual display parameters which emulate single display parameters of a single-display touch screen apparatus, receiving at the virtual display of the interface a window image to be displayed from the single-display application, and displaying the window image on at least a first one of multiple displays of the multi-display touch screen apparatus.
US09946366B2	Display, touch, and stylus synchronization A touch input device configured to synchronize a stylus acquisition process with both a touch data acquisition process and a display refresh process is provided. The touch input device can include one or more processors that can synchronize the stylus data acquisition process to the touch data acquisition process by coordinating stylus scans to take place in between touch scans. The one or more processors can also virtual data banks to synchronize both the touch data acquisition and the stylus scan acquisition with the display refresh process.
US09946362B2	System and method for inputting user commands to a processor A system for inputting commands to a processor. A processor detects an object in one or more images and extracts one or more image analysis parameters associated with the object. A first motion detection test is applied to the one or more image analysis parameters. Based on a result of the first motion detection test, a second motion detection test is applied to the one or more image analysis parameters. A command associated with the second motion detection test is executed.
US09946359B2	Thin keyboard structure and its keycap A key cap includes a cap body having a bottom surface, and at least one pivot retainer protrusively disposed on the bottom surface of the cap body. The pivot retainer includes a position-limiting portion, two lateral portions and a shaft-received recess. The lateral portions are connected to the same side of the position-limiting portion, and the shaft-received recess is disposed in the position-limiting portion, and is located between the two lateral portions.
US09946345B2	Portable terminal and method for providing haptic effect to input unit A portable terminal and a method for providing a haptic effect to an input unit are provided. The method includes displaying at least one object on a touch screen, detecting a touch input by the input unit with respect to the object displayed on the touch screen, determining a preset mode based on the detected touch input of the input unit, and transmitting a control signal corresponding to a predetermined haptic pattern based on the preset mode to the input unit.
US09946343B2	Motion tracker with an array of distinct light sources A head-mounted display device includes a display element with a two-dimensional array of pixels, and an enclosure at least partially enclosing the display element. The head-mounted display device also includes a plurality of light sources located on the enclosure for determining a position of the head-mounted display device. Each light source of the plurality of light sources is uniquely identifiable based at least in part on light emitted by the light source.
US09946340B2	Electronic device, method and storage medium According to one embodiment, an eye-worn electronic device includes a first nose pad, a first electrode, a second nose pad, a second electrode and a third electrode. The first electrode is on the first nose pad. The second electrode is on the second nose pad. The first electrode and the second electrode are in a first straight line extending in a first direction and are used for measuring first ocular potentials in the first direction. The third electrode is on the second nose pad and is at a position distance away from the first straight line. The first electrode and the third electrode are in a second straight line extending in a second direction different from the first direction and are used for measuring second ocular potentials in the second direction.
US09946331B2	System and method to process signals having a common component Signal processing may include determining a first component common to a first input signal and a second input signal and extracting the first component from at least one of the first input signal or the second input signal, a second component from the first input signal, and a second component from the second input signal. The second component of the first input signal may be different from the second component of the second input signal. An operation may be performed using the extracted, second components. The first component may be combined with a result of the operation.
US09946330B2	Information processing apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium, and information processing method An information processing apparatus includes transmitting-receiving units, response processing units, and a switching unit. The transmitting-receiving units transmit data to and receive data from networks. An operation state of each of the response processing units is able to be switched between a first state and a second state. The switching unit performs switching between the first state and the second state of each of the response processing units. The transmitting-receiving units and the response processing units are provided for plural respective networks. In a case where all the response processing units are in the second state, the switching unit switches, among all the response processing units, an operation state of a response processing unit that has received predetermined data from the second state to the first state.
US09946328B2	Automated system for cold storage system In an approach to managing racks in a MAID system, a first rack of a data center is identified. The data center comprises a plurality of racks. The first rack corresponds to a request. The request is one of (i) a request to change a power status of a storage device of the first rack or (ii) a request to service the first rack. An optimal placement of the plurality of racks is calculated to satisfy a condition of the request. One or more of the racks are moved from a first location to a second location, based on the calculated optimal placement of the one or more racks.
US09946313B2	Peripheral card holder for an information handling system A peripheral card for an information handling system mounts to an end of a chassis. The peripheral card has an opposite end secured to a base. The base has switchable features for accommodating different types of peripheral cards that may be installed in the chassis.
US09946312B2	Articulated screen cover for accommodating objects A cover for a mobile computing device includes two or more hinges so constructed that the hinges are substantially rigid when in-plane and flexible when out-of-plane. The cover includes segments made of a rigid material disposed between the hinges. The cover, when swiveled to the back side of the computing device, forms a contour around an object such as a stylus to secure the object to the back side of the computing device when the object is present. The cover becomes substantially flat and parallel to the back side of the computing device when the object is absent.
US09946308B1	Electronic apparatus with integrated stand Electronic apparatuses and electronic subassemblies having integrated stands are provided. An electronic subassembly includes a display device and a housing coupled with the display device. The housing has an integrated stand that encircles an open area and that projects away from the display device. The electronic subassembly also includes a processor disposed in the housing and that controls information displayed on the first display device. The integrated stand pivots relative to the housing and supports the housing at different angles relative to a surface on which the housing is disposed. Another electronic subassembly may be removably coupled with the electronic subassembly having the integrated stand.
US09946305B2	Electronic device An electronic device includes: a sheath including a connection magnet to couple another device, wherein the connection magnet is installed in a region of the sheath where the another device is coupled; a movable part installed in the region of the sheath where the another device is coupled, wherein the movable part is foldable back to a side where the connection magnet is present; and a magnetism-blocking part installed on a region of the movable part that covers the connection magnet when the movable part is folded back to the connection magnet side.
US09946293B2	Magnetic force in a directional input device Embodiments for a user input device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a user input device comprises a body, an elongate directional control element having a first end projecting towards the body and a second end projecting away from the body and configured to be movable by a user, a magnet to hold the directional control element in one or more predetermined positions, and a sensor coupled to the body to detect a change in position of the directional control element.
US09946287B2	NOC-oriented demand coordination network control node An apparatus including a first node and a network operations center (NOC). The first node is within the facility and is coupled to a second node via a demand coordination network. The first node has a node processor coupled to a first device, and transmits data and status via the network for generation of schedules, and operates the first device within an acceptable operating margin to maintain a first environment by cycling on and off according to the schedules. The NOC generates the schedules to control the peak demand of the resource, where one or more run times start prior to when otherwise required to maintain corresponding local environments. The NOC coordinates run times for the first device and a second device, where coordination is based on a global schedule, an adjusted first descriptor set characterizing the first environment, and an adjusted second descriptor set characterizing a second environment.
US09946282B2	LDO regulator with improved load transient performance for internal power supply A voltage regulator includes a feedback regulation loop and a drive transistor configured to source current to a regulated output. A transient recovery circuit is coupled to the voltage regulator circuit and includes a first transistor coupled to source current into a control terminal of the drive transistor, wherein the source current is in addition to current sourced in response to operation of the feedback regulation loop. The first transistor is selectively actuated in response to a drop in voltage at the regulated output. The transient recovery circuit further includes a second transistor coupled to sink current from the regulated output. The sink current has a first non-zero magnitude in the quiescent operating mode of the regulator circuit. In response to an increase in voltage at the regulated output, the operation of the second transistor is modified to increase the sink current to a second, greater, non-zero magnitude.
US09946281B1	Limit cycle oscillation reduction for digital low dropout regulators A method achieves minimum limit cycle oscillation (LCO) amplitude of a digital low dropout regulator (D-LDO) by adding auxiliary unit power transistors in parallel with the main PMOS array with selected unit strength and LCO mode. An improved D-LDO with reduced LCO amplitude includes an auxiliary power transistor array in selected strength driven by an output of a comparator in parallel with a main power transistor array.
US09946272B2	Thermostatic valve having a sleeve Thermostatic valve including a housing; a sleeve for regulating the circulation of a fluid in the housing, movable along its axis; a thermostatic element, the moving part of which is movable along the axis relative to its stationary part resulting from an expansion of the thermodilatable material of this element so as to move the sleeve; a compression spring for returning the stationary and moving parts toward one another; and a bracket supporting the spring, which supports a decompression thrust produced by the spring and is provided with both fasteners for fastening to a bearing portion of the housing transverse to the axis, these fasteners cooperating in a form-fitting manner with the bearing portion so as to be attached with the bearing portion along the axis resulting from a decompression thrust produced by the spring, and locking for locking the bracket in position while axially abutting against the bearing portion.
US09946266B2	Classification of environment elements The presently disclosed subject matter includes, inter alia, a method and a system which enables to classify information of a scanned outdoor or indoor environment to different types of environment elements. The identification of environment element types enables to improve detection of obstacles in an environment. The improved detection of obstacles can assist in motion planning to enable to advance quickly and safely through the environment.
US09946261B2	User-operable control for propulsion systems A propulsion system for an aquatic vessel is provided. The propulsion system includes a plurality of Magnus-type rotors and a drive arrangement for rotating the plurality of Magnus-type rotors. The plurality of Magnus-type rotors are operable to rotate about corresponding substantially upright axes. The propulsion system also includes a control arrangement for receiving one or more measured apparent wind speeds and for controlling the drive arrangement to vary rates of rotations of the plurality of Magnus-type rotors. The rates of rotations may, for example, be varied as functions of the measured apparent wind speeds and a direction of travel of the aquatic vessel. Moreover, the control arrangement includes a user-operable control for adjusting propulsion provided by the plurality of Magnus-type rotors. The control arrangement is operable to control the drive arrangement to vary a drive applied to rotate one or more Magnus-type rotors from the plurality of Magnus-type rotors.
US09946260B2	Sparse map autonomous vehicle navigation A system for sparse map autonomous navigation of a vehicle along a road segment may include at least one processor. The at least one processor may be programmed to receive a sparse map of the road segment. The sparse map may have a data density of no more than 1 megabyte per kilometer. The at least one processor may be programmed to receive from a camera, at least one image representative of an environment of the vehicle, and determine an autonomous navigational response for the vehicle based on the analysis of the sparse map and the at least one image received from the camera.
US09946250B2	Servo actuator default disconnected ID setting method for servo controlling system A servo actuator default disconnected ID setting method is performed by a servo actuator controlling system, which includes a plurality of servo actuators. A first message is broadcasted which indicates that an original ID is replaced with a non-default-disconnected to the plurality of servo actuators. The original ID of each actuator is replaced with the non-default-disconnected according to the first message. A second message is broadcasted which indicates that the non-default-disconnected ID is replaced with a default disconnected ID. And the non-default-disconnected ID of each servo actuator is replaced with the default disconnected ID according to the second message.
US09946242B2	Operation schedule optimizing device, method, and program with determination of whether to request user approval An optimized operation schedule of a control-target apparatus is ensured while maximally reducing a burden share to a facility operator. An energy predictor sets, for a control-target apparatus, a predicted value of energy consumption or energy supply within a predetermined future time period based on process data. A schedule optimizer optimizes an operation schedule of the control-target apparatus within the predetermined time period with a predetermined evaluation barometer based on the predicted value, the characteristic of the control-target apparatus, and the process data. An approval request determiner determines a necessity of an approval for a latest operation schedule based on a preset determining condition. A determination result transmitter transmits a determination result by the approval request determiner.
US09946237B2	Energy management device, energy management system, and energy management method An energy management device includes a measurement manager and a communicator. The measurement manager manages energy information based on a physical quantity measured from at least one measurement object belonging to each of a plurality of energy types in a customer. The communicator communicates the energy information of each of the energy types to another device over a network.
US09946236B2	Electronic device and control method thereof The present invention discloses an electronic device and control method thereof. The electronic device according to the present invention comprises a main engine and a USB man-machine interface unit connected thereto; an illuminating source and a drive circuit thereof are arranged on the USB man-machine interface unit; the USB man-machine interface unit receives illuminating information sent by the main engine, generates a control command according to the illuminating information and sends the control command to the drive circuit so as to drive the illuminating source. Because the present invention sends the illuminating information to the USB man-machine interface unit through the main engine and then obtains the control command to switch on or off the illuminating source after processing the illuminating information through the USB man-machine interface unit, a user can participate in controlling the illuminating source so as to realize an illuminating effect expected by the user.
US09946234B2	Control of flow networks A method for control of a flow network in order to improve the performance of the flow network comprises: (a) applying predetermined excitations at multiple control points within the flow network, wherein the multiple control points are at different branches of the flow network; (b) receiving measurements of changes in one or more flow parameter(s) in one or more flow path(s) in which flows of more than one of the different branches have been combined; (c) carrying out an analysis of the flow parameter measurements to identify variations induced by the applied excitations; (d) determining an adjustment to be made at one or more of the control point(s) in order to improve the performance of the flow network, for example by building and solving an optimization model; (e) making the determined adjustment to the control point(s) of the flow network or making an alternative adjustment decided upon by the flow network operator; and (f) repeating steps (a) to (e) one or more times to thereby iteratively improve the performance of the flow network.
US09946232B2	Determining a machine condition A set of load data for a selected point in time and resulting from the machine operation is received. The load data is provided from a first database comprising predefined machine conditions associated to different sets of load data for the machine. One of the predefined machine conditions that is most representative of the received set of load data is selected.
US09946225B2	Mobile hologram apparatus A mobile hologram apparatus is disclosed. An example apparatus includes a sheet folded along preformed creases into a pyramid structure configured to be actuated between a compressed state and an uncompressed state. The pyramid structure has a base section and a top section connected by four side sections. The pyramid structure in the compressed state has a height that is less than 1/10th the height of the pyramid structure in the uncompressed state. The apparatus also includes an elastic band connected to a perimeter of the base section of the pyramid structure and configured to cause the pyramid structure to self-actuate from the compressed state to the uncompressed state.
US09946218B2	Cleaning blade disposed to be in contact with an image carrying belt having an elastic layer and an image forming apparatus Provided is a cleaning blade disposed to be in contact with an image carrying belt having an elastic layer for removing foreign material from a surface of the image carrying belt, including: a base; and an amorphous coating layer on the base, the coating layer including a contact portion disposed to be in contact with the image carrying belt, wherein the contact portion is curved to have a predetermined curvature with respect to a direction of a movement of the image carrying belt.
US09946203B2	Fixing device for changing a nip width In accordance with an embodiment, a fixing device comprises a first rotating body; a second rotating body configured to face the first rotating body and be stretched over a plurality of rotating bodies; and a first mechanism configured to enable at least one among a plurality of the rotating bodies to move to change a nip width between the first rotating body and the second rotating body.
US09946202B2	Image forming apparatus and image forming method According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium includes a fixing member that fixes a toner image to the recording medium. A heating unit heats the fixing member. A control unit receives a print job, the print job indicating a print mode and at least one job condition. The control unit determines a ready temperature based on the print mode and the at least one job condition. The control unit controls a heating operation of the heating unit based on the determined ready temperature.
US09946198B2	Developing cartridge capable of stopping movement of protrusion of gear A developing cartridge includes a casing to accommodate toner; an agitator to agitate the toner and rotatable about a first axis extending in a predetermined direction, the agitator including one end portion and another end portion in the predetermined direction, the agitator being movable in the predetermined direction between a first position and a second position; a first gear mounted to the one end portion and rotatable along with the agitator; an input gear engaging with the first gear; a second gear mounted to the another end portion and rotatable along with the agitator; a third gear; and a protrusion. The second gear is mounted to the another end portion while the first gear engages with the input gear in the first position. And the second gear is separated from the another end portion while the first gear engages with the input gear in the second position.
US09946193B2	Developer supply container and developer supplying system A developer supply container includes a developer accommodating portion capable of accommodating a developer, a storage capable of storing the developer, with the storage being provided with a discharge opening configured to permit discharge of the developer from the storage, and a pump portion changeable between a maximum volume state and a minimum volume state and actable to the discharge opening. In addition, a discharge suppressing portion is movable between a first position in which the discharge suppressing portion is remote from the discharge opening and a second position in which the discharge suppressing portion is close to the discharge opening, wherein the discharge suppressing portion is in the second position at least for a predetermined period of time when the pump portion is in the minimum volume state.
US09946191B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus that continuously carries out image formation on a plurality of recording materials includes an image bearing member and a developing device configured to develop an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member. A first feeding screw is provided in a developing chamber and includes a first screw portion, a second screw portion and a third screw portion. Each of the second and third screw portions are provided with a blade portion formed helically on an outer peripheral surface of a rotation shaft of the first feeding screw, and the first screw portion is not provided with the blade portion. Based on information on the relative humidity in the developing container and on the amount of toner consumed with the image formation on a plurality of recording materials, a controller controls a driving speed for rotationally driving the first feeding screw by a driving device.
US09946176B2	Electrophotographic photoreceptor Provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor containing a conductive support having thereon a photosensitive layer and a surface layer laminated in that order, wherein the surface layer contains a conductive filler having a number average primary particle size of 10 to 500 nm in a resin; and the conductive filler is treated with a surface treatment agent containing a fluoroalkyl (meth)acrylate/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer.
US09946175B2	Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, electrophotographic apparatus, and condensed polycyclic aromatic compound To provide an electrophotographic photosensitive member which satisfies abrasion resistance and electrical properties and which is difficult to cause image deletion. A surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member of this invention contains a polymerized product of a hole transporting compound having a polymerizable functional group, in which the hole transporting compound is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: a compound consisting of one or more carbon atoms, one or more hydrogen atoms, and one or more halogen atoms; and a compound consisting of one or more carbon atoms, one or more hydrogen atoms, one or more oxygen atoms, and one or more halogen atoms.
US09946163B2	Apparatus and method for maintaining immersion fluid in the gap under the projection lens during wafer exchange in an immersion lithography machine An immersion exposure apparatus and method involves (i) supporting a substrate with a stage, (ii) arranging the stage under an optical assembly to maintain immersion liquid in a gap between the optical assembly and the stage, (iii) projecting an image onto the substrate via the optical assembly and the immersion liquid, (iv) arranging a movable pad, which is movable separately from the stage, adjacent to the stage, and (v) moving the stage and the pad adjacent to each other relative to the optical assembly to arrange the pad under the optical assembly in place of the stage such that the immersion liquid is maintained below the optical assembly during the movement, thereby to arrange the movable pad under the optical assembly to maintain the immersion liquid in a gap between the optical assembly and the pad.
US09946160B2	Method for forming pattern and method for producing device A pattern forming method which includes: forming a plurality of first line patterns of which longitudinal direction is a first direction and a plurality of second line patterns of which longitudinal direction is the first direction and of which etching characteristic is different from etching characteristic of the plurality of first line patterns, so that at least one edge portion of each of the plurality of first line patterns and at least one edge portion of each of the plurality of second line patterns are adjacent to each other; and removing at least a portion of the plurality of first line patterns by etching.
US09946157B2	Resist composition and method for producing resist pattern A resist composition contains: a novolak resin (A1) having a protective group capable of being cleaved by action of an acid, an acid generator (B), an anticorrosive agent (G), and a solvent (D) as well as a method for producing a resist pattern includes steps (1) to (4); (1) applying the resist composition according to the above onto a substrate; (2) drying the applied composition to form a composition layer; (3) exposing the composition layer; and (4) developing the exposed composition layer.
US09946151B2	Method for producing a mask and the mask Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for producing a mask and a mask obtained by this method. The mask is configured to shield light during an exposure of a product. The method includes steps of: producing a composite membrane, wherein the composite membrane includes a first protection layer, a bonding layer, a shielding layer and a second protection layer stacked in sequence; only cutting the first protection layer, the bonding layer and the shielding layer of the composite membrane, wherein a cutting line corresponds to a shape of an area to be exposed of the product; removing the first protection layer and cut portions of the bonding layer and the shielding layer which have a same shape as that of the area to be exposed; attaching the formed composite membrane onto a base substrate of an open mask, and removing the second protection layer.
US09946149B1	Method of producing a packaging material for making a packaging bag configured to contain hair dye A method of producing a packaging material for making a packaging bag configured to contain hair dye includes the steps of preparing a first biaxially-oriented polyester film and an aluminum foil film, coating them with adhesives, and hot pressing them; preparing a second biaxially-oriented polyester film and roughening opposite surfaces thereof; coating one surface of the second biaxially-oriented polyester film with an adhesive, adhere it to the aluminum foil film and hot pressing them; preparing a cast polypropylene film and coating a surface thereof with an adhesive; and adhering the surface of the cast polypropylene film to the other surface of the second biaxially-oriented polyester film and hot pressing them.
US09946147B2	Transmission-type transparent screen, image display system and image display method To provide a transmission-type transparent screen which is excellent in the see-through property for a scene on the other side of the transparent screen as viewed from an observer in a state where no image-forming light is projected from a projector and which is excellent in visibility of an image displayed on the transparent screen as viewed from the observer in a state where image-forming light is projected from the projector, as well as an image display system and an image display method, employing the transparent screen. A transmission-type transparent screen 1 which has a first surface A and a second surface B on the opposite side thereof and which has a light scattering layer 34 comprising a transparent resin 32 and a light scattering material 33, wherein the light scattering layer 34 further contains a light absorbing material, the haze is from 3 to 30%, the total light transmittance is from 15 to 95%, and the diffuse reflectance is from 0.1 to 2.4%.
US09946131B2	Liquid crystal display device A liquid crystal display device in which smear error is suppressed and transmittance is uniform is provided. In a liquid crystal display device which includes a plurality of pixels and uses comb-teeth-shaped transparent conductive films 110 as common wirings, the common wirings include mesh-shaped common metal wirings 101v and 101h extending in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction and the comb-teeth-shaped transparent conductive films 110 are connected between adjacent pixels.
US09946128B2	Image display device In an image display device including a first display panel and a second display panel, there are provided a first panel body, a first panel body emission-side polarizing plate disposed at a front-surface side with respect to the first panel body, a second panel body, a second panel body incidence-side polarizing plate disposed at a back-surface side with respect to the second panel body, at least one inter-panel polarizing plate disposed between the first panel body and the second panel body, and a back-surface irradiation light source configured to emit light toward the back-surface side. The back-surface irradiation light source is provided in one of regions between the first panel body emission-side polarizing plate and the second panel body incidence-side polarizing plate.
US09946119B2	Display device and manufacturing method thereof To provide a display device of high quality and high reliability by securely sealing the gap between the bezel and the display panel even when variation is generated in the gap. The display device includes: a display panel including a display face; a bezel which includes a frame part and an aperture end that is on the inner side of the frame part, and covers the fringe of the display panel on the display face side by the frame part; a frontal panel provided by sandwiching the bezel on the display face side of the display panel; and a resin member provided along the whole circumference of the aperture end of the bezel. The resin member has a first resin member formed on the display face and a second resin member formed to cover over the first resin member and a surface of the bezel opposing to the frontal panel.
US09946118B2	Display device To improve the reliability of a display device, a liquid crystal display device includes a substrate having a back surface, a substrate having a front surface opposing the back surface, a display functional layer arranged between the substrate and the substrate, and a sealing section SL that adhesively fixes the substrates around the display functional layer in a plan view. The sealing section SL includes a member PS extending along an outer edge of the display functional layer and sealing materials adjacently arranged on both sides of the member PS and continuously surrounding the periphery of the display functional layer in a plan view. The member PS includes a plurality of portions PS1 having a height TK1 and a plurality of portions PS2 arranged among the plurality of portions PS1 and having a height TK2 smaller than the height TK1.
US09946109B2	Color filter and method for preparing the same, method for preparing alignment mark for spacer, and method for detecting position accuracy The present application discloses a color filter, comprising: a substrate; a black matrix layer formed on the substrate; color film layers formed on at least one first sub-pixel opening area and a plurality of second sub-pixel opening areas on the substrate; wherein the size of the first sub-pixel opening area is smaller than the size of the second sub-pixel opening area; the size of the color film layer on the first sub-pixel opening area is smaller than the size of the color film layer on the second sub-pixel opening area; a flat layer formed on the color film layer; an alignment mark formed on the flat layer and located at a designated position around the first sub-pixel opening area; a spacer layer formed on the flat layer.
US09946107B2	Display device A display device including a plurality of pixels includes a first display part including a first electrode, a second electrode and a light emitting layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a second display part including the second electrode, a third electrode and a light function layer provided between the second electrode and the third electrode, the light function layer controlling the diffusion state or transparency state of light and being provided on the same side the light emitting layer with respect to the second electrode.
US09946105B2	Opposed substrate, method for fabricating the same and display device An array substrate and a method for fabricating the same and a display device are disclosed. The array substrate includes a protection layer, wherein the protection layer overlays a display region and a non-display region of the array substrate. The non-display region includes a cutting region, and a thickness of a part of the protection layer overlaying the cutting region is larger than that of a part of the protection layer overlaying the display region.
US09946104B2	Display device and method of manufacturing the same According to one embodiment, a display device includes a cover panel, a display panel opposed to the cover panel, an adhesive layer provided between the cover panel and the display panel and attaching the display panel to the cover panel, the adhesive layer including a first area to which the display panel is fixed and a second area located further outward than an outer periphery of the display panel, a backlight unit opposed to the display panel, and a case containing the display panel and the backlight unit, at least a part of the case being fixed to the cover panel by the second area of the adhesive layer.
US09946101B2	Gate driver control circuit A method for operating a gate driver that is driving pixel transistors of a display panel, is described. An internal start pulse is produced in response to an external start pulse and in accordance with a system clock, wherein the internal start pulse is input to a first cell of a gate driver shift register whose outputs are coupled to level shifting output stages that are driving the rows of pixel transistors of the display panel. The produced internal start pulse was qualified by an output of a last cell of the gate driver shift register. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US09946098B2	Eyewear with a cellular GPS module The embodiments herein provide an eyewear with an improved structure for temple. The eyewear comprises a cellular communication module and a push button mounted in the pair of temples. The cellular communication module is configured to provide wireless communication between the eyewear and a computing device for tracking GPS location coordinates of the eyewear. The eyewear is tracked by the computing device using an identification number programmed in the cellular communication module. The eyewear is tracked by identifying GPS location coordinates of the eyewear using an eyewear detecting application in the computing device. Further, the push button is configured to make emergency calls to a plurality of emergency contact numbers programmed in the cellular communication module. The push button enables to make an emergency call during an emergency occurred to the user of the eyewear.
US09946097B2	Electronic frames comprising electrical conductors In some embodiments, a first device may be provided. The first device may comprise a lens housing adapted to support a first lens and a second lens, a first temple movably coupled to the lens housing, a second temple movably coupled to the lens housing, an electronics module disposed at least partially within the first temple, and a first electrical conductor coupled to the first temple. A first conductive path may be provided from the first temple to the lens housing at least in part by the first electrical conductor. The first electrical conductor may be configured to couple the electronics module to the first temple.
US09946092B2	Methods for manufacturing biocompatible cathode slurry for use in biocompatible batteries Methods and apparatus to form biocompatible energization elements are described. In some examples, the methods and apparatus to form the biocompatible energization elements involve forming cavities comprising active cathode chemistry. The active elements of the cathode and anode are sealed with a biocompatible material. In some examples, a field of use for the methods and apparatus may include any biocompatible device or product that requires energization elements.
US09946091B2	Eyeglasses frame The eyeglasses frame includes a first hinge barrel provided on a lens holding portion, a second hinge barrel provided on a temple, a first screw that pivotably couples the first hinge barrel and the second hinge barrel, and a second screw provided in the second hinge barrel and contactable with the first hinge barrel. A tip portion of the first hinge barrel is a cam that includes a first depression where the second screw comes to rest when the eyeglasses frame is completely open, a second depression where the second screw comes to rest when the eyeglasses frame is completely closed, substantially straight portions that join the first and second depressions, and a corner portion where the substantially straight portions change direction at a point therebetween.
US09946090B2	Cushioned eyeglass frame nose support A flexible foam nose cushion block attached on top of the nose area of an eyeglass frame takes stress off of the nose of the wearer of the eyeglasses. It replaces the traditional eyeglass nose supports, thereby releasing stress on the nose. The cushion sits atop the nose, as opposed to the side of the nose like ordinary eyeglass nose supports, thus distributing the weight of the eyeglasses, increasing the comfort, and eliminating the typical indentation marks left by traditional eyeglasses. The flexible nose cushion is attached to a horizontally extending supporting cross member between the two eyeglass lens frame members at or near the top of the lenses.
US09946085B2	3D panel, method for producing the same, and 3D display apparatus having the same An embodiment of the present invention provides a 3D panel. The 3D panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and liquid crystals configured to be filled between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein both the first substrate and the second substrate are provided with a common electrode and a signal electrode. Since the substrates at two sides of the 3D panel of the present invention have electrodes which can be independently controlled, the switching of a grating electrode function between the upper and lower substrates can be achieved by switching the signal to the two substrates, thereby improving the application range of the 3D panel and the compatibility and versatility of the 3D panel. In addition, the embodiments of the present invention also disclose a method for producing the 3D panel and a 3D display apparatus having the 3D panel.
US09946078B2	Head-up display device A head-up display device including a screen; a projector that projects a visual image to the screen using a projection lens; and an image generator that generates a virtual image of the visual image to be visually recognized by a user from the visual image projected to the screen, wherein the visual image is composed of a first visual image and a second visual image; and the image generator generates a first virtual image, which is a virtual image of the first visual image, from the first visual image, and generates a second virtual image, which is a virtual image of the second visual image, from the second visual image.
US09946076B2	System and method for 3-D projection and enhancements for interactivity A system projects a user-viewable, computer-generated or -fed image, wherein a head-mounted projector is used to project an image onto a retro-reflective surface, so only the viewer can see the image. The projector is connected to a computer that contains software to create virtual 2-D and or 3-D images for viewing by the user. Further, one projector each is mounted on either side of the user's head, and, by choosing for example a retro angle of less than about 10 degrees, each eye can only see the image of one of the projectors at a give distance up to 3 meters, in this example, from the retro-reflective screen. The retro angle used may be reduced with larger viewing distance desired. These projectors use lasers to avoid the need for focusing, and in some cases there projectors use instead of lasers highly collimated LED light sources to avoid the need for focusing.
US09946075B1	See-through display glasses for virtual reality and augmented reality applications Architecture and designs of wearable devices for virtual reality and augmented reality applications are described. According to one aspect of the present invention, a display device is made in form of a pair of glasses and includes a minimum number of parts to reduce the complexity and weight thereof. A separate enclosure is provided as portable to be affixed or attached to a user (e.g., a pocket or waist belt). The enclosure includes all necessary parts and circuits to generate content for virtual reality and/or augmented reality applications. The content is optically picked up by an optical cable and transported by one or more optical fibers in the optical cable to the glasses, where the content is projected respectively to the lenses specially made for displaying the content before the eyes of the wearer.
US09946073B2	Methods and systems for eliminating strobing by switching display modes in response to detecting saccades A virtual-reality system includes a head-mounted display system comprising an eye tracker and a display screen comprising an array of pixels. The virtual-reality system monitors movement of a user's eye using the eye tracker. A first plurality of frames for virtual-reality images is displayed on the display screen using a first persistence in accordance with a first display mode. The persistence is a percentage of a frame duration during which the array of pixels is activated. While displaying the first plurality of frames in accordance with the first display mode, a saccade of the user's eye is detected. In response to detecting the saccade, the virtual-reality system switches from the first display mode to a second display mode having a second persistence that is greater than the first persistence. In the second display mode, a second plurality of frames for the virtual-reality images is displayed using the second persistence.
US09946066B1	Optics for diffraction limited focusing inside transparent media Apparatuses, devices and systems and methods for microscopy and optical data storage in transparent media, as well as for laser material processing of transparent or semi-transparent materials. Optics for diffraction limited focusing inside transparent or semi-transparent media comprising aplanatic focusing optical system and positive meniscus lens where reciprocal positions of the components and a transparent medium are optimized with criterion of minimized aberration providing diffraction limited internal focusing at a given depth inside the said transparent medium. For modern high resolution microscopy the optical components have achromatic and apochromatic optical designs. Immersion in space between the meniscus lens and the transparent material is used to increase the system numerical aperture. Simultaneous compensation of aberrations at different depths in a transparent medium provides diffraction limited focusing in wide depth range and simultaneous operation in multiple working planes separated along optical axis that is required in modern multi-focus microscopy. For modern scientific and industrial applications the movable optical components can be motorized.
US09946065B2	Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus including the same Provided is an optical system, including, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, which is configured to move during focusing, and a third lens unit having a positive or negative refractive power, the first lens unit consisting of, in order from the object side to the image side, a positive lens (Gp1), a positive lens (Gp2), and a subunit including a plurality of lenses, the subunit including at least one negative lens, in which an Abbe number νdGp1 of a material of the positive lens (Gp1), an Abbe number νdGn1 of a material of a negative lens (Gn1) closest to the object side among the negative lenses of the subunit, and a partial dispersion ratio θgFGn1 of the material of the negative lens (Gn1) are each appropriately set.
US09946057B2	Microscope module for a microscope arrangement for imaging a sample A microscope module (300) for imaging a sample (270) is disclosed. The microscope module (300) includes at least one illumination objective (210) for producing an illumination beam along an illumination beam path (215) arranged to illuminate lower surface of the sample (270) and at least one detection objective (220) having a detection path (225). The detection path (225) is at an angle to the illumination beam path (215).
US09946052B2	Mobile device and optical imaging lens thereof Present embodiments provide for a mobile device and an optical imaging lens thereof. The optical imaging lens comprises six lens elements positioned sequentially from an object side to an image side. Through controlling the convex or concave shape of the surfaces and/or the refracting power of the lens elements, the optical imaging lens shows better optical characteristics and the total length of the optical imaging lens is shortened.
US09946049B2	Lens moving apparatus and camera module including the same An embodiment includes a housing including a guide protrusion projecting from an upper surface thereof and a guide groove formed adjacent to the guide protrusion, a first magnet disposed at the housing, a bobbin on which a lens is mounted, a first coil disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the bobbin to move the bobbin by interaction with the first magnet, an upper elastic member coupled to the bobbin and the housing and having an end disposed in the guide groove, a damping member disposed between a side surface of the guide protrusion and a first end of the upper elastic member disposed in the guide groove, and a second coil for moving the housing by interaction with the first magnet.
US09946041B2	Advanced fiber-optic contact and method An opto-electronic contact, method and connection system can utilize an active opto-electronic converter configured for removable optical engagement with an opposing contact. A barrel housing defines an interior cavity to capture the converter in the interior cavity for external optical engagement to the opposing contact via the first barrel opening for relative movement of the converter axis along the elongation axis, transverse thereto, and oblique thereto to accommodate mating tolerances responsive to engaging the opposing contact. A flexible circuit board assembly can be used to externally electrically interface the converter.
US09946040B2	Optical fibers without cladding In some examples, an optical fiber may include a clad portion and an exposed fiber core that extends from the clad portion. Multiple such optical fibers may be included in a fiber bundle having a condensed region of fiber cores spaced at a first center-to-center spacing and a non-condensed region of clad portions spaced at a second center-to-center spacing greater than the first center-to-center spacing. Such optical fibers may be formed with exposed fiber cores ab initio.
US09946030B1	Beam branching device A beam branching device capable of suppressing an increase in the cost and the like even when the number of branching directions of an incident beam is large and increasing the coupling efficiency even when the rotation accuracy of a rotary motor is not increased too high and coping with high-speed switching of the optical path is provided. In a beam branching device, a rotation shaft of a rotary motor is rotated to rotate a rotating member together with a plurality of reflection mirrors so that an incident beam is reflected from a reflection mirror surface portion of any one of the plurality of reflection mirrors and the incident beam is branched to a plurality of directions to switch an optical path of a reflection beam. A central axis of the rotating member is at a skewed position in relation to a central line of the incident beam, and the plurality of reflection mirrors are arranged at a position on the rotating member to face both sides in an axial direction of the rotating member with a position closest to the incident beam interposed therebetween.

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