Document Document Title
US09992919B2 Electronic circuit component mounting system
An electronic circuit component mounting machine including a suction nozzle lowered by a first linear motor and a second linear motor by two stages A drive circuit of the second linear motor includes a reaction force detecting section and a damage detecting section that detects damage of an electronic circuit component. A controller that controls the drive circuit includes an appropriate operation parameter determining section that determines an appropriate value of an operation parameter of the second linear motor using the reaction force detecting section and the damage detecting section.
US09992914B2 Commmonly submersed servers with velocity augmentation and partial recirculation in tank
An apparatus for holding and cooling rack-mountable servers having heat-producing electronic components includes a tank, a volume of dielectric liquid coolant in the tank, mounting members that hold rack-mountable servers in the tank, one or more pumps, fluid velocity augmentations devices, and a liquid-to-liquid or liquid-to-refrigerant heat exchanger outside of the tank. The mounting members hold the rack-mountable servers in a vertical orientation within the tank such that the servers are commonly submersed in the volume of the dielectric liquid coolant. When a pump is operated to move the dielectric liquid coolant vertically across the heat producing components of the rack-mountable servers, a circuit is formed in which a first portion of heated dielectric liquid coolant is moved vertically upward across the heat producing components and then downward outside of the rack mountable servers in a passage external to the rack-mountable servers, while a second portion of heated dielectric liquid coolant flows out of the tank and through the liquid-to-liquid or liquid-to-refrigerant heat exchanger.
US09992913B1 Rack system cooling with inclined computing devices
A data center includes one or more racks, one or more computing devices coupled to at least one of the racks, and one or more air moving devices. The computing devices include heat producing components. The computing devices may be inclined in the rack such that the lower ends of the computing devices are at a lower elevation than the higher ends of the computing devices. The air moving devices can move air from the lower end of the inclined computing devices to the higher end of the inclined computing devices such that heat is removed from heat producing components in the inclined computing devices.
US09992911B1 Controllable conductance thermal interface
A thermal transfer system for reducing temperature cycling of an electronic device. The thermal system includes a thermally conductive device to which the electronic device is mounted, a heat sink and a thermal rail mounted to the heat sink. The thermal system further includes a plurality of shape memory alloy (SMA) elements extending through aligned openings in the rail and the thermally conductive device, where the SMA elements are shaped in a deformed wire-like configuration and attempt to return to an undeformed spring-like configuration when the plurality of SMA elements are heated above a transition temperature so as to increase a heat transfer contact pressure between the thermally conductive device and the rail.
US09992910B2 Liquid supply mechanism and liquid cooling system
A liquid supply mechanism includes a lower cover, an upper cover, a plunger, at least one resilient member and at least one damping member. The lower cover has a liquid outlet and the upper cover is connected to the lower cover. A chamber is formed between the lower cover and the upper cover. The chamber communicates with the liquid outlet and contains a cooling liquid. The upper cover has an axial hole. The plunger is movably disposed in the chamber. The plunger has an axial rod and the axial rod is inserted into the axial hole. The resilient member is disposed in the chamber. Opposite ends of the resilient member abut against the upper cover and the plunger. The damping member is disposed on the axial rod and abuts against an inner wall of the axial hole.
US09992909B2 Reversible louver for fabric card fan solution
A system may include a fan module and a louver. The fan module includes a first housing, adapted to include a fan in a first orientation. The fan is adapted to cause air to flow into the rear side of the first housing and out of the front side of the first housing. The fan module also includes a key receptacle that is adapted to mate with a first key. The louver includes a second housing that includes a set of slats adapted as a one way valve. The second housing also includes the first key which is adapted to only mate with the key receptacle. The second housing also includes the second key which is adapted to not mate with the key receptacle.
US09992907B2 Power conversion apparatus
In a power conversion apparatus, an inverter converts a DC voltage supplied from a battery into an AC voltage, and a DC-to-DC converter steps up or down the DC voltage. A case has an input terminal to which a power line from the battery is connected so as to input the DC voltage to the inverter, and a converter input terminal to which a power line to the DC-to-DC converter is connected so as to input the DC voltage to the DC-to-DC converter. The case has a reference wall and an opposed wall opposed to each other. The inverter input terminal is disposed adjacent to the reference wall with respect to an imaginary plane that bisects the case between the reference wall and the opposed wall. The converter input terminal is disposed adjacent to the opposed wall with respect to the imaginary plane.
US09992904B2 Electronic device enclosure with an access mechanism
A device enclosure includes a housing, a shaft, and a front panel. The housing defines a receiving bay configured to slidably receive an electronic device. The shaft is slidably mounted on a sidewall of said housing, includes a rear flange, and is slidable between a retracted position and a deployed position. The front panel is rotatably mounted on the shaft by a hinge and having a fulcrum projection and is rotatable between a closed position that closes a front of the receiving bay and a fully open position which extends away from the housing.
US09992899B2 Support member to position a system board
A support member that positions a system board is provided herein. The support member includes a frame and a plurality of mounting members. The frame supports a system board. The plurality of mounting members are formed in the frame. The plurality of mounting members connect the frame to the system pan holding the system board. The plurality of mounting members are disposed on the frame to bend the system board.
US09992898B2 Electronic device having an attribute information display part
An electronic device includes a base plate, and a plurality of modules detachably attached to the base plate. The modules comprise a terminal block module. The terminal block module has an openable and closable door at a pullout end portion-side. The door has an attribute information display part configured to display attribute information of a device to be connected to the terminal block module.
US09992877B2 Manufacturing method for a lighting apparatus for a vehicle
A lighting apparatus for a vehicle may include a flexible printed circuit board of which at least one lighting source may be mounted on an upper surface of the flexible printed circuit board, and a cover which may be made of flexible material, and connected on the printed circuit board for the at least one lighting source to be disposed within the cover, wherein the cover distributes a light emitted from the at least one lighting source to an upper direction of the cover.
US09992855B2 Energy imaging with controlled rise and fall times
Rise times and fall times provided by a high voltage generator are controlled to maintain image quality during such scans. The rise and fall times are controlled by first measuring rise and fall times at each transition. Then, a closed-loop controller is used to adjust control parameters of the high voltage generator, based on an error determined from the measurement, to achieve substantially constant rise and fall times. This invention may be based on the implementation of two closed-loop controllers on rise and fall time of fast-kV exposures. As a result, image quality may be improved and system calibration time may be reduced.
US09992851B2 Information processing apparatus, and method
The present technique relates to an information processing apparatus and a method capable of realizing a communication tool of a new mode.An LED emits light according to a light emission pattern identified based on a set of light emission parameters indicating characteristics of light emission. An action control unit controls the light emission pattern of the LED based on a relationship between the self apparatus and a group to which the self apparatus and at least one other information processing apparatus including the LED belong, or a relationship between the other information processing apparatus and the self apparatus belonging to the group. The present technique may be applied to an information processing apparatus used as a communication tool.
US09992847B2 Self-adjusting sensor for sensing daylight
A sensor unit for ascertaining control data for use in a daylight-dependent light-controlling device having an image sensor for acquiring digital image data as well as a controller for analyzing the image data and creating a brightness signal representing the daylight. The controller is designed such that when creating the brightness signal, same gives more weight to those image regions of the image data acquired by the image sensor which are more greatly influenced by the daylight.
US09992836B2 Method, system and apparatus for activating a lighting module using a buffer load module
Control apparatus and system for controlling an output of a constant current driver are disclosed. A control apparatus is coupled between a constant current driver and a load, such as a lighting module, in order to add functionality to the overall system. The control apparatus is powered by the constant current driver and may control the dimming of the constant current driver by controlling the 0-10V dim input into the driver. The control apparatus may comprise one or more switching elements between the constant current driver and the load to allow for mixing of groups of LEDs of various colors or color temperatures. The control apparatus may include a buffer load to mitigate negative impacts of turning on the lighting module after a period of deactivation. The control apparatus can also be adapted to operate as a dim-to-warm module within a lighting apparatus.
US09992826B1 Dual mode constant current LED driver
A dual mode constant output current LED driver is capable of operating with a very wide range of input direct current (DC) voltage. This provides an effective topology for a wide range of constant output current LED drivers, and allows for changing the number of connected LEDs without negatively impacting the output current. The LED driver includes a converter and a mode selection circuit that control the modes of the circuit based on the voltage. The converter and mode selection circuit operate in a buck-boost mode when the output voltage of the LED driver is less than the DC input voltage plus a first threshold amount, and in a boost mode when the output voltage of the LED driver is greater than the DC input voltage plus a second threshold amount.
US09992825B2 Methods for producing a glass-based non planar digital display
A curved display for an electronic device, comprises a main substrate, a display circuit component, an OLED stack and a secondary substrate. The main substrate has a first curved section extending from a first end of the main substrate and a longitudinally adjacent second planar section extending to define a second end of the main substrate opposite the first end. The first curved section comprises at least one flat glass member bent into a curved configuration, and the second planar section comprises a flat segment of the flat glass member. The display circuit component is mounted to an upper surface of the second planar section, the display circuit component being positioned within and spaced from edges of the second planar section. The OLED stack is positioned over the first curved section. The secondary substrate comprises a flat glass member bent into a curved configuration and secured to the first curved section of the main substrate with the OLED stack positioned between the first curved section of the main substrate and the secondary substrate.
US09992821B2 Automatic heating apparatus
A heating apparatus includes a power source, a heating unit, and a control unit. The control unit includes a transistor and a thermal resistor. The transistor is connected between the power source and the heating unit to control the power source to provide power to the heating unit. The thermal resistor is connected to the transistor. A resistance value of the thermal resistor changes along with ambient temperature to turn on or off the transistor to control the power source to provide power to the heating unit according the ambient temperature.
US09992816B2 Mobile communication system and user terminal that support D2D communication
A mobile communication system comprises a first user terminal having a scheduling function of assigning a radio resource used for the D2D communication. When the scheduling function is enabled, the first user terminal broadcasts periodically or aperiodically a message including identification information indicating that the first user terminal is a scheduling terminal that performs the assignment of the radio resource.
US09992815B2 Method of performing handover procedure, making handover decision for device-to-device communications and control node thereof
A method of performing a handover procedure for device-to-device (D2D) communications and a control node thereof are proposed. The method is applicable to a first control node serving a D2D communication between a first user equipment (UE) and a second UE. The method includes: determining that one of the first UE and the second UE needs to be handed over or both of the first UE and the second UE need to be handed over; transmitting a handover request to a second control node if the first control node determines that both of the first UE and the second UE need to be handed over to the second control node; receiving a handover request acknowledgement from the second control node; and transmitting a handover command to indicate the first UE and the second UE to detach from the first control node and synchronize to the second control node.
US09992802B2 Method for performing connecting operation with multiple communication systems in network including multiple communication systems interworking with each other, and apparatus for same
A method performed by a user equipment (UE) that operates according to a first indicator and a second indicator is provided. When the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) connected state with a first communication system and is in a state of idle mode with a second communication system, the UE receives a first message including the first indicator and the second indicator from the first communication system. The first indicator instructs the UE to perform association processes with a base station of the second communication system. The second indicator instructs the UE to operate in a power saving mode with the base station of the second communication system. After the UE performs the association processes, the UE switches to an RRC-idle mode state with the first communication system and enters the power saving mode from the idle mode with the second communication system.
US09992798B2 Integrated circuit for controlling selection of random access preamble sequence
A sequence allocating method and apparatus wherein in a system where a plurality of different Zadoff-Chu sequences or GCL sequences are allocated to a single cell, the arithmetic amount and circuit scale of a correlating circuit at a receiving end can be reduced. In ST201, a counter (a) and a number (p) of current sequence allocations are initialized, and in ST202, it is determined whether the number (p) of current sequence allocations is coincident with a number (K) of allocations to one cell. In ST203, it is determined whether the number (K) of allocations to the one cell is odd or even. If K is even, in ST204-ST206, sequence numbers (r=a and r=N−a), which are not currently allocated, are combined and then allocated. If K is odd, in ST207-ST212, for sequences that cannot be paired, one of sequence numbers (r=a and r=N−a), which are not currently allocated, is allocated.
US09992792B2 Methods and systems for scheduling a virtual MIMO communication environment
A system and method for scheduling cooperative uplink transmissions in a virtual multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless communication environment are provided. More specifically, both random and channel aware orthogonal scheduling techniques for identifying a sub-set of N mobile terminals to provide cooperative uplink transmissions for each transmit time interval are provided.
US09992786B2 Facilitation of multipath scheduling
Leveraging multiple network interfaces, such as Wi-Fi and cellular, on mobile devices can improve user experience for various applications. Deadline-aware MPTCP scheduling can complement existing MPTCP scheduler. The deadline-aware MPTCP scheduler can dynamically select transmission paths to minimize cellular usage while satisfying data transfer deadlines. The deadline-aware MPTCP scheduler can also address several challenges, such as determining the appropriate traffic pattern over cellular paths, designing proper APIs between MPTCP and applications, and making the scheduler functionality robust and lightweight.
US09992785B2 Adjusting transmission parameters to support coexistence fairness
In some aspects, the disclosure is directed to methods and systems for coexistence management. A first access point operating in an unlicensed frequency band using a first RAT receives, from a second access point operating in the unlicensed frequency band using a second RAT, information regarding operation of the second access point in the unlicensed frequency band. It is determined, using the received information, that the first access point or the second access point is using a first share of the unlicensed frequency band that is below a predetermined threshold, indicating an imbalance of usage between the first RAT and the second RAT. A transmission parameter of the first access point for operating in the unlicensed frequency band using the first RAT is adjusted according to the determination. The first access point transmits the one or more packets using the adjusted transmission parameter, to cause the first access point or the second access point to use an updated share of the unlicensed frequency band that is closer to the predetermined threshold than the first share.
US09992783B2 Handover of device-to-device (D2D) user equipment (UE) devices using D2D subframes with cell identifiers
A Device-to-device (D2D) user equipment (UE) device communicating with another D2D UE device within a first cell transmits a D2D subframe that includes a cell identifier a second cell when the UE device moves from the first cell to the second cell. After a handover to the second cell is initiated, the D2D UE device can suspend D2D communication. The D2D UE device transmits the D2D subframe, such as D2D discovery subframe, identifying the second cell when the handover is complete. The other D2D UE device identifies the second cell to the base station providing the first cell. The base stations providing the first cell and the second cell coordinate to determine resources for D2D communication between the D2D UE devices.
US09992781B2 Signaling for inter-cell D2D discovery in an LTE network
Embodiments of an evolved Node-B (eNB), user equipment (UE), and methods of signaling for proximity services and device-to-device (D2D) discovery in an LTE network are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the eNB may support inter-cell device-to-device (D2D) discovery by transmitting signaling, to a first user equipment (UE), to indicate configuration information for a D2D discovery resource pool including D2D resources configured by one or more neighboring cells. The configuration information includes timing offsets between a serving cell of the first UE and the one or more neighboring cells. Other apparatuses and methods are also described herein.
US09992780B2 Methods and apparatus for accessing spectrum in a shared spectrum system
Methods and apparatus for shared access systems may be used to allow operation in three-tiered shared spectrum architecture. For example, a Shared Spectrum Manager (SSM) may organize spectrum segments. The SSM may communicate with access users of different priority and may use message exchanges to request spectrum, bid for spectrum, manage spectrum, or the like. The SSM may manage admission of access users (allocation of spectrum to users) and operation with a spectrum request that may be provided as a range between a minimum (guaranteed) and maximum quality of operation. The SSM may also manage the way an access user may use the assigned spectrum. Inter-SSM communication may be used in regions where multiple SSMs may exist (e.g. country borders). Accordingly, triggers for this inter-SSM communications and corresponding actions are also disclosed herein.
US09992777B2 System and method for advising wireless computer networks on inter-network interferences
The present invention provides a system and method for advising wireless computer networks on inter-network interferences during their life time. The method of the present invention initially observes initial channel utilization profiles along with corresponding time-slots of dynamic network elements and network characteristics of a first network and stores as historical channel utilization profiles. The initial transmission profiles an interfering second network are also recorded. The threshold transmission profiles are then recorded as historical transmission profiles. The aggregator determines interference patterns, by comparing historical channel utilization profiles with runtime threshold transmission profiles and advises and pre-warns appropriate network actions to a network manager of the first network on the interference prone zones. The system of the present invention includes a first network with a common multi-network interference observer, to advise on inter-network interferences.
US09992770B2 Apparatus, system, and method for PDCCH preparation in radio frequency circuitry
An apparatus, system, and method for performing PDCCH preparation in RF circuitry are described. In one embodiment, power may be provided to a crystal oscillator to exit a first sleep state. One or more clocking signals may be provided to RF circuitry based on output from the crystal oscillator. Calibration and state restoration of the RF circuitry may be performed independent of baseband circuitry. A plurality of algorithms to prepare for receiving data form a wireless communication network may be performed independent of the baseband circuitry. After initiating the plurality of algorithms, state restoration of the baseband circuitry may be performed. Data may be received from a wireless communication network using the RF circuitry. The data may be processed using the baseband circuitry. State retention for the RF circuitry and the baseband circuitry may be performed. Finally, the crystal oscillator may be powered down to enter a second sleep state.
US09992765B2 Method for transmitting and receiving a frame in a wireless LAN system and apparatus for supporting same
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting and receiving a frame performed by an AP in a wireless communication system. The method includes the steps of: transmitting a PST message providing instructions to transmit a frame to at least one STA; and receiving frames from a first STA and a second STA. The PST message includes first subband information indicating a first subband in which a first frame is transmitted from the first STA and second subband information indicating a second subband in which a second frame is transmitted from the second STA.
US09992764B2 Trained data transmission for communication systems
Various embodiments are described for a trained data transmission for communication systems. A training phase may include a first wireless station exchanging medium reservation messages with a second wireless station to reserve a medium and to select a data transmission parameter. The data transmission parameter may include a modulation scheme and a forward error correction (FEC) coding rate. At least one of the medium reservation messages may include a duration field indicating a duration for which the medium is reserved. A first data phase may include sending data from the first wireless station to the second wireless station according to the selected data transmission parameter. A second data phase may then be performed without first repeating the training phase. The second data phase may include transmitting data from the first wireless station to a second wireless station according to the data transmission parameter.
US09992763B2 Method and device for controlling transmission power in uplink transmission
A user equipment in wireless communication system is provided. The user equipment includes an antenna unit including a plurality of antennas, a control unit for grouping the plurality of antennas into a predetermined number of antenna groups and controlling separately transmission power of each of the predetermined number of antenna groups, and a transmitting unit, connected to the control unit, for transmitting at least one of data and control information to a base station via at least one of the predetermined number of antenna groups.
US09992762B2 Reverse path communication system
The Reverse Path Communication System architecture enables end user devices to share a common wireless forward path of a multicast communication architecture in which the forward path delivered content is dynamically changed or modified based on a real-time, near-real-time, or delay-time basis via aggregated reverse path feedback from at least one of a plurality of end user devices. The Reverse Path Communication System periodically or continuously aggregates the feedback input received via the reverse path (having wired and/or wireless connectivity), modifies the forward path multi-media content, and delivers this dynamically modified multi-media content to the then connected population of end user devices via a wireless forward path multicast in a repetitive closed loop fashion.
US09992749B2 First node and methods therein for controlling a transmission power of a second node
Method by a first node of controlling power of a second node. The first node determines whether a measurement report, MR, has been received from a third node. The MR comprises a first type of information, related to a channel between the third and second nodes during a time period. When the MR has been received, the first node determines a power for the second node based on a first type and a second type of calculation. The first type is based on the received MR. The second type is based on a second type of information related to the channel during a shorter time period. When the MR has not been received, the first node determines the power based on the second type of calculation. The first node configures the second node to use the determined power.
US09992740B2 Communication device, program storage medium, and communication method
There is provided a communication device including (1) a communication controller that causes a control frame for synchronization to be transmitted during a control frame transmission period to a transmission destination of a data frame such that the data frame is transmitted after transmission of the control frame has completed, (2) a transmission section that continuously transmits the control frame for the control frame transmission period, (3) a reception section that receives a frame transmitted by a communication device of the transmission destination, (4) a control frame transmission information saving section that saves information for respective destination addresses, (5) a control frame transmission controller that references the information saved in the control frame transmission information saving section, and determines the control frame transmission period for when to transmit the next control frame, based on the control frame transmission period from the past and the data frame transition result.
US09992735B1 System and method for vehicle wireless connection management
A system and method for vehicle wireless connection management is disclosed. Vehicles may provide wireless connectivity to the Internet for associated mobile devices. The vehicle, using a vehicle access point management device, may manage whether to connect to a cellular wireless system or to another wireless system (such as a Wi-Fi access point external to the vehicle). In particular, the vehicle access point management device may access a location-based access point map that correlates potentially available Wi-Fi access points correlated to geographic locations, and using the current location of the vehicle and the location-based access point map, determine whether to attempt to connect to a Wi-Fi access point. In this way, the vehicle access point management device need not initially search for available Wi-Fi access points, which in a single Wi-Fi antenna vehicle, could potentially disrupt the Wi-Fi connection to the associated mobile devices.
US09992733B2 Device and method for opportunistic roaming
A method, station and computer readable storage medium used to perform opportunistic roaming procedures. A station joined to a basic service set (BSS) of an access point (AP) performs a method including determining a roam profile for the station, the roam profile indicating at least one of available operating bands or available APs for the station, determining a first value associated with a network parameter of the joined AP, determining at least one roam candidate AP having a second value associated with the network parameter corresponding to the roam candidate AP, wherein the first and second values are a received signal strength indicator, determining whether a predetermined criteria value is satisfied based upon the first and second values, wherein the predetermined criteria value is a minimum difference between the first value and second value and roaming to the roam candidate AP when the predetermined criteria value is satisfied.
US09992713B2 Method for determining access control
Examples of the present disclosure provide a method for determining access control, applied in a handoff procedure of a UE. The method includes: if a current service is a LIPA@LN service, and if the UE is in a same local network before and after the handoff, keeping, by a node performing access control determination, service continuity of the LIPA@LN service; if the UE moves out of the local network after the handoff, deactivating, by the node performing the access control determination, the LIPA@LN service; if the current service is a SIPTO@LN only service or a SIPTO@CN@LN service, if the UE is in the same local network before and after the handoff, keeping, by the node performing the access control determination, the service continuity of the SIPTO@LN only service or the SIPTO@CN@LN service; if the UE moves out of the local network after the handoff, determining, by the node performing the access control determination, whether to keep the service continuity of the SIPTO@LN only service or the SIPTO@CN@LN service according to a network policy. According to the technical solution provided by the present disclosure, service continuity of the LIPA service or the SIPTO service can be maintained correctly.
US09992705B2 Wi-Fi calling quality of service on trusted WLAN networks
Techniques are presented that ensure Quality of Service (QoS) for Wi-Fi® calling and other Internet Media Services (IMS) when a user connects from a carrier-operated public Wi-Fi network to an IMS. A first packet including a domain name system (DNS) request received from a wireless mobile device via an access point is intercepted at a networking device. A network address of a collocated gateway device associated with the networking device is sent to the wireless mobile device in response to the DNS request. A second packet is received from the wireless mobile device including the network address of the collocated gateway to establish a network communication via the collocated gateway device. First QoS parameters associated with the network communication are received from the collocated gateway device and a notification message is sent to the access point, the notification message including the first QoS parameters.
US09992703B2 Insertion of management packet into a deterministic track
In one embodiment, a method comprises: a first network device in a deterministic network identifying first and second slots for transmission of a data packet toward a destination device along a deterministic track of the deterministic network, the first slot reserved for the first network device receiving the data packet from a second network device and the second slot reserved for transmission by the first network device of the data packet toward the destination device along the deterministic track; the first network device detecting, in the first slot, an absence of receiving the data packet from the second network device; and the first network device selectively generating and transmitting in the second slot, in response to the absence of receiving the data packet, a management packet along the deterministic track.
US09992694B2 System and method of releasing resources in a telecommuncations network
A system, method, and node for releasing resources in a telecommunications network. The method begins by a node assigning a resource-Identification (ID) to an internal resource within the node. At least one internal resource is allocated by the node for a specific Packet Data Network (PDN) connection. Next, a first message containing a resource-ID of the allocated internal resource is sent to one or more peer nodes. The peer nodes store the received resource-ID from the first message. When a node determines that a malfunction of the allocated internal resource of the node occurs, the node sends a second message containing the resource-ID of the malfunctioning internal resource to the peer nodes. The peer nodes then tear down the PDN connection.
US09992693B2 Method and apparatus for adding serving cells in a wireless communication system
A method and apparatus are disclosed for adding serving cells in a wireless communication system. The method includes a UE (User Equipment) is served by a first cell controlled by a first eNB (evolved Node B), wherein multiple radio bearers (RBs) for the UE are allocated to the first eNB and there is a MAC (Medium Access Control) entity in the UE for supporting the first cell. The method also includes the UE receives a RRC (Radio Resource Control) message for adding a second cell controlled by a second eNB to the UE, wherein a RB among the multiple RBs is relocated to the second eNB according to information included in the RRC message. The method further includes the UE re-establishes a RLC (Radio Link Control) entity corresponding to the RB and does not reset the MAC entity in response to the relocation of the RB.
US09992688B2 Communication method and apparatus
According to a communication method and a base station that are provided in embodiments of the present invention, the base station transmits a broad beam that covers a sector of the base station and narrow beams whose coverage areas completely fall within a coverage area of the broad beam, which implements that under a premise that a coverage area of the sector of the base station maintains unchanged by using the broad beam, enhanced coverage of the sector is further achieved by using the narrow beams, thereby improving spectral efficiency. In the solutions, a sector coverage area of the broad beam transmitted by the base station still maintains unchanged, and therefore, a coverage relationship between sectors is not affected. In addition, neither an additional site backhaul resource nor additional standardization support is required in the solutions.
US09992686B2 Method and device for performing cell shaping
The present invention relates to a method and a device for performing cell shaping. A base station can establish a cell shaping plan on the basis of current states. The current states may be the load of the base station and the traffic space distribution of the base station. The base station transmits a first message to a neighboring base station and receives a second message from the neighboring base station in response to the first message. The first message may include the cell shaping plan, and the second message may include whether or not the neighboring base station can perform cell shaping. The base station can determine whether or not to perform cell shaping on the basis of the second message.
US09992684B2 Clustering method and apparatus
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a clustering method, including: adjusting, by a first device, a beginning of its own first small bandwidth beacon transmission interval to be aligned with a selected empty Beacon SP, setting its own BI to be equal to a synchronization device beacon interval S-BI, and joining, after accordingly adjusting an interval VBI for sending a beacon frame on a large bandwidth channel and an interval SBBI for sending a beacon frame on a small bandwidth channel, a target small bandwidth cluster; or sending a beacon frame including a cluster probe IE over a large bandwidth channel, requesting, by using the cluster probe IE, a synchronization PCP to return cluster synchronization information and control information, and joining the target large bandwidth cluster according the information and a second PCP.
US09992681B2 Subsystem for authorization and activation of features
One or more selectively activated features needed at a device to use a network service may be identified. Authorization information and feature activation key(s) associated with features that the device has been authorized to activate may be obtained at the device. The feature activation key(s) may be used to activate and/or maintain activation of the authorized features that match the selectively activated feature(s) needed to use the network service. An authorization server may obtain a request to activate one or more selectively activated features of a device. The authorization server may verify that the selectively activated feature(s) are authorized to be used at the device based on an authorization agreement obtained at the authorization server. The authorization server may send proof that the device is authorized to use e selectively activated feature(s) and may send feature activation key(s) based on the authorization agreement in response to the request.
US09992677B2 Apparatus and method for registering home device in server in home network system
The present invention relates to a method for registering a home device of a home network system in a server, the method comprising: receiving an access token from an account server managing an account for a control device; receiving a peer identifier (peer ID) identifying the home device and a peer group identifier (peer group ID) identifying a group of home devices from the control device; and logging into a connectivity server managing the connection between the home device and the control device on the basis of the access token, the peer ID, and the peer group ID.
US09992669B2 Encryption method, decryption method, and related apparatus
Embodiments of the present application provide an encryption method, a decryption method, and a related apparatus. The encryption method includes: generating a keystream, where the keystream is used to encrypt a part of data to be encrypted in an initial layer-3 message, and the part of data to be encrypted includes small data; generating, by performing an exclusive OR operation on the keystream and the initial layer-3 message, an initial layer-3 message in which the part of data is encrypted; and sending the initial layer-3 message in which the part of data is encrypted, where the initial layer-3 message includes an added encryption indication, and the encryption indication is used to indicate that the part of data to be encrypted in the initial layer-3 message is encrypted.
US09992663B2 Methods and nodes for handling updated subscriber data
The embodiments herein relate to a method in a first mobility management node for handling updated subscriber data associated with a UE. The UE is currently unreachable by the first mobility management node. The first mobility management node receives, from a subscriber database, updated subscriber data associated with the UE. At least part of the updated subscriber data is modified. The first mobility management node determines that transmission of the updated subscriber data to a gateway node should be postponed until the UE has become reachable.
US09992657B2 Relay of charging information for proximity services
Systems and methods for providing charging information for a device-to-device (D2D) communication. One embodiment is User Equipment (UE) that collects charging information for a D2D communication with one or more other UEs, to determine that the UE is out-of-coverage of a mobile network, to select a relay entity capable of relaying the charging information from the UE to the mobile network, and to transmit the charging information to the relay entity. The relay entity may then relay the charging information to the mobile network to initiate charging for the D2D communication.
US09992655B2 System and method for call management
A system and method are provided in accordance with the various aspects of the invention that enhance the information regarding a caller and a call location. Such calls are typically sent to a dispatcher that handles urgent or emergency calls. The information provided can be in the form of a message that is includes specifics about the call initiator and the nature of and/or reason for the call; a message that is converted to verbal form from text-to-speech; and/or the message may include location information, especially as it relates to representing a wireless device as a landline location based on nearby communication options, such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth beacons.
US09992653B2 E911 positioning via background signal tracking
Example methods, apparatuses, or articles of manufacture are disclosed herein that may be utilized, in whole or in part, to facilitate or support one or more operations and/or techniques for improved E911 positioning via background signal tracking, such as for use in or with a mobile communication device, for example.
US09992644B2 Methods for providing additional information for a mobile-originated short message
Methods for appending additional device, location, and/or presence information to a mobile-originated (MO) short message are taught herein. One such method for appending additional device information includes receiving a MO short message at a message center. The MO short message includes a content request. The message center sends a query to a subscriber directory for device information corresponding to the device of the requesting subscriber. The subscriber directory searches for the device information and generates a response to be sent to the message center, the response including the device information. The subscriber directory sends the response to the message center, which appends the device information to the MO short message. The message center then sends the short message to the destination, for example, a content provider. Methods for appending location and/or presence information are also taught.
US09992642B1 Automated messaging
Approaches provide for generating an introductory text message to be delivered to a recipient when a voice-enabled communications device is used to send a message to the recipient for a first time. For example, audio input data that includes an instruction to send a text message can be received and an application can analyze the audio input data to determine an instruction to send a text message, a message body, and an intended recipient of the text message. The application can determine whether a text message has previously been sent to the intended recipient using the voice-enabled communications device or another device associated with the customer's account. In the situation where a text message has been sent, a text message is generated that includes the message body and the application causes the text message to be sent to the intended recipient. In the situation where it is determined that this is the first time a text message is being sent to the intended recipient using the voice-enabled communications device or another device associated with the customer's account, an introductory text message is generated and the application causes the introductory text message and the text message that includes the message body to be sent to the intended recipient.
US09992629B2 System and method for providing a descriptor for a location to a recipient
A method for providing a descriptor of a location to a recipient includes receiving location data of the location from a user and using the location data to identify one or more regions near or including the location. Each region is associated with a descriptor. One of the one or more regions is selected based on a recipient's interaction with the selected region including whether the user has shared with or received from the recipient the descriptor associated with the selected region. The descriptor associated with the selected region is provided to the recipient.
US09992628B2 Map downloading based on user's future location
Methods and systems are provided for facilitating a download of a specific portion of a map onto a computing device based on information received from a location-aware service. Location information, a start date, and an end date associated with travel plans of a user are received from, for example, a location-aware application or service. A download time corresponding to when to download a map portion corresponding to the received location information is determined. At or prior to the download time, it is determined whether the map portion can be downloaded at that particular time based on one or more factors. If the map portion can be downloaded at that time, the map portion is downloaded to a device associated with the user. The map portion is then removed from the device associated with the user on or after the end date.
US09992627B2 Method and apparatus for providing location sharing via simulation
An approach for providing location sharing via simulation is disclosed. A location sharing platform determines at least one location point associated with at least one device and at least one algorithm for determining at least one predicted route of the at least one device based, at least in part, on the at least one location point. The location sharing platform then causes, at least in part, a transmission of the at least one location point and the at least one algorithm to at least one other device for generating location tracking information.
US09992623B2 Methods, apparatus, and systems for enhanced multi-radio container node elements used in a wireless node network
Multi-antenna container node implemented methods, apparatus and systems are described that can locate a package ID node within a logistics container and communicate with a master node outside the container. The container node's controller may generate a location control message related to the package ID node and send it to one of the node's transceivers. That transceiver may select different subsets of its antenna elements to receive an inbound wireless signal from the package ID node in response to the location control message, and detect reception information about what was received for each of the subsets before providing that detected reception information to the container node controller. The controller then determines a location of the package ID node relative to the logistics container based upon the detected reception information, and then another separate transceiver of the container node transmits a location determination message to the master node.
US09992622B2 Architecture for indoor location tracking
Some embodiments provide a program that receives, from a first sensor, a first set of sensor data that the first sensor detects from a first set of signal-transmitting devices. The program receives, from a second sensor, a second set of sensor data that the second sensor detects from a second set of signal-transmitting devices. The program processes the first set of sensor data to determine a first set of potential locations and a corresponding first set of location metrics associated with the first set of potential locations. The program processes the second set of sensor data to determine a second set of potential locations and a corresponding second set of location metrics associated with the second set of potential locations. The program identifies a location from the first and second sets of potential locations as a location of the device based on the first and second sets of location metrics.
US09992621B2 Methods and apparatus for identifying communication service availability for a mobile device using breadcrumbs
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for enabling a mobile device to generate pathway records, and to use the generated records to identify a location at which a desired type of communication service is available for the mobile device. The generated pathway records include (a) timing data indicative of a data collection time, (b) location data indicative of a collection location of the mobile device at the collection time, and (c) data indicative of available communication services for the mobile device at the collection location. Via a user interface, the mobile device presents a map including indications of (a) a current location of the mobile device, (b) a trail representing a time-ordered sequence of the pathway records, and (c) the available communication services associated with respective ones of the pathway records generated by the mobile device.
US09992616B2 Information processing method and NFC terminal
The present invention provides an information processing method and an NFC terminal. The method includes: monitoring a state of a TCP connection that is established by at least one secure element SE in a near field communication NFC terminal to a server by using a Transmission Control Protocol TCP port of the NFC terminal; when monitoring that the state of the TCP connection is disconnected, determining a first SE from the at least one SE, where the first SE is an SE corresponding to a TCP port whose TCP connection is disconnected; and obtaining an application identifier AID of a contactless application in the first SE.
US09992614B2 Wireless device pairing management
A method may include detecting a first wireless device configured to perform short-range wireless communications and detecting a second wireless device configured to perform short-range wireless communications. The method may also include determining one or more short-range wireless connection priorities with respect to a first pairing and a second pairing. The first pairing may be with respect to short-range wireless communications between the first wireless device and a third wireless device configured to perform short-range wireless communications. The second pairing may be with respect to short-range wireless communications between the second wireless device and the third wireless device. The method may further include managing the first pairing and the second pairing based on the one or more short-range wireless connection priorities.
US09992613B2 Method for connecting a field device to an operating unit and a field device
A method for connecting a field device (1) to an operating unit (2), and a field device (1) for use therewith, via which a connection between a field device and an operating unit can be implemented when the field device is mounted at a location that is difficult to access is achieved in that a query signal is transmitted to the field device (1) by the operating unit (2) and that a response signal is generated by the field device (1) as a reaction to the query signal, in that the field device (1) generates a blinking display and/or a change in color of the display and/or an acoustic signal and/or a change in an acoustic signal.
US09992610B2 Mine WiFi and method
A telecommunications system for a mine with tunnels having a plurality of nodes disposed in the tunnels in the mine which provides communication through WiFi with devices in the mine. Each node having a housing defining an enclosure, a first radio with a first antenna disposed at least partially in the enclosure within the housing directed for communication in a first direction relative to the node, a second radio with a second antenna disposed at least partially in the enclosure within the housing directed for communication in a second direction essentially opposite the first direction, and a power supply in electrical communication with the first and second radios to power the first and second radios. A method of a telecommunications system for a mine. A method of a Wifi node for a mine. A Wifi node for a mine. An apparatus for holding an object in a mine.
US09992607B2 eSIM identification data
Mobile communications devices are provisioned using unique device information. A request may be received by a device from an application executing on the device. The request may be for unique identification data for an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) installed on the device. In response to the request, the device may access the unique identification data from a persistent storage of the computing device. The unique identification data may be provided to the requesting application via an interface.
US09992592B1 Vacuum testing of audio devices
A method of assessing noise involves evacuating air from a vacuum chamber to a pressure less than about 1 Torr and stimulating a device positioned in the chamber by shaking it or by operating a component of the device. Measuring vibrations in a low pressure environment decreases or eliminates propagation of sound waves, thereby enabling isolation and identification of vibrations caused by mechanical noise. These measurements may be useful for more precise acoustic characterization of audio devices containing multiple components.
US09992591B2 Arranging an audio signal based on the number of loudspeakers
An apparatus including: a router configured to route a first audio signal to a local loudspeaker apparatus; and a switch configured to route at least one further audio signal, wherein in a first mode of operation the switch is configured to route the at least one further audio signal to at least one remote loudspeaker apparatus dependent on determining the presence of at least one remote loudspeaker apparatus, and in a second mode of operation the switch is configured to route the at least one further audio signal to the local loudspeaker apparatus.
US09992583B2 Hearing aid system and a method of operating a hearing aid system
A method of operating a hearing aid system (400) based on a classification of the current sound environment, which includes a measure of a beat probability and a hearing aid system for carrying out such a method.
US09992571B2 Speaker protection from overexcursion
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a controller configured to be coupled to an audio transducer, may be further configured to receive an audio input signal, calculate a displacement compensation signal in a displacement domain of the audio transducer based on the audio input signal, convert the displacement compensation signal from the displacement domain into a voltage compensation signal in a voltage domain, and apply the voltage compensation signal to the audio input signal, or a derivative thereof, to minimize overexcursion of the audio transducer.
US09992570B2 Auralization for multi-microphone devices
A method for auralizing a multi-microphone device. Path information for one or more sound paths using dimensions and room reflection coefficients of a simulated room for one of a plurality of microphones included in a multi-microphone device is determined. An array-related transfer functions (ARTFs) for the one of the plurality of microphones is retrieved. The auralized impulse response for the one of the plurality of microphones is generated based at least on the retrieved ARTFs and the determined path information.
US09992566B2 Wireless joint and wireless microphone having same
A wireless joint includes a converter, a radio frequency (RF) device, and a connector. The converter realizes a conversion between an audio signal and a wireless signal. The RF device receives and transmits the wireless signal. The connector connects with a microphone body.
US09992562B1 Loudspeaker having passive heat dissipation assembly
A loudspeaker including a first housing which delimits a acoustic chamber, an acoustic driver disposed within the acoustic chamber, a second housing which delimits a second chamber disposed adjacent to the acoustic chamber, a heat source disposed within the second chamber, a passive radiator disposed in communication with the acoustic chamber and the second chamber, a vent disposed in communication with the second chamber and with an exterior of the loudspeaker, wherein the passive radiator is configured to move in response to a movement of the driver, where the passive radiator is further configured to direct an airflow proximate to the heat source during the movement of the passive radiator and to direct the airflow through the vent to the exterior of the loudspeaker.
US09992551B1 Integrated diagnostic and debugging of regional content distribution systems
System, method, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed for integrated diagnosis and debugging of content distribution systems. A system includes a networking module that receives, from a central server, instructions for running network diagnostics on a cable headend. A diagnostics environment module is configured to perform diagnostic operations based on the received instructions. The networking module transmits results of the diagnostic operations to the central server.
US09992546B2 Contextual navigational control for digital television
A contextual navigational control for digital television is described. An apparatus, comprises a contextual navigation control interface (CNCI). The CNCI includes a first area that represents a plurality of cable television programs having a first level of relevance. A second area represents a first group of the plurality of programs having a second level of relevance. A third area represents a first subgroup of the first group having a third level of relevance. A fourth area represents a second subgroup of the first group having a fourth level of relevance. There may be additional areas representing additional sub-groups of relevance to the current viewing context.
US09992545B2 Method for play synchronization and device using the same
A method, devices, and a non-transitory recording medium for providing contents are provided. The method includes reproducing at least one content, at a first device; transmitting information corresponding to the at least one content from the first device to a second device to reproduce content corresponding to the at least one content in the second device; receiving a message from an external device while reproducing the at least one content at the first device; providing the received message while reproducing the at least one content at the first device; and transmitting information corresponding to the received message from the first device to the second device, the information corresponding to the received message being used to enable the second device to provide a message corresponding to the received message while reproducing the content corresponding to the at least one content.
US09992536B2 Information provision device, information provision method, and information provision system
An information provision device includes a processor; and a memory which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to execute, selecting a content corresponding to position information of a user from contents stored in a storage unit in advance; multiplexing the contents using a multiplex number that corresponds with familiarity of the user with the selected content; and providing the multiplexed contents to the user.
US09992533B2 Media channel identification and action with multi-match detection and disambiguation based on matching with differential reference—fingerprint feature
A computing system compares various reference fingerprints each representing a reference media stream broadcast on a different respective known channel, and the computing system determines that a plurality of the reference fingerprints match each other, thus defining a multi-match group of the matching reference fingerprints. In response, the computing system identifies a fingerprint feature that could define a distinction between the reference fingerprints, and the computing system resolves the multi-match based on the identified feature, thereby determining the channel carrying the media stream being rendered by the media presentation device. And the server then takes channel-specific action based on the determined channel.
US09992529B2 Method and apparatus for exchanging video between media devices
Accordingly, there is provided a method in a first media device arranged to display a video. The method comprises receiving a selection of a video, and receiving an instruction from a user to display the video on a second media device. The method further comprises, in response to said instruction from the user, requesting an indication from the user as to where on a display of the second media device to display the video. The method further comprises receiving an indication from the user as to where on the display of the second media device to display the video. The method further comprises sending an instruction to the second media device, the instruction indicating where the second media device should display the video; and transferring video playback from the first media device to the second media device.
US09992523B1 Selecting recommendations in a video delivery system using diversity and relevance
A method receives a candidate set of recommendations for video entities on a video delivery service in response to receiving a request to generate a page of an interface. A number for each recommendation is generated that represents a relevance rating of the respective recommendation minus a similarity rating between the respective recommendation and recommendations from the candidate set of recommendations that are added to a subset of recommendations. A recommendation is added to the subset of recommendations that has a maximum probability of being relevant to the user and diverse from the recommendations in the subset of recommendations based on the number. The method then updates the number for recommendations in the candidate set of recommendations based on adding the recommendation to the subset of recommendations. This process is iteratively performed and the subset of recommendations in the page of the interface is provided to a client device.
US09992514B2 System and a method for disocluded region coding in a multiview video data stream
A method for disoccluded region coding in multiview video data stream by an entropy encoder, the method comprising the steps of: coding a block of a base view; storing state and estimated probabilities in contexts models of the entropy encoder in a context storage module with a reference identifying the block of the base view; repeating the aforementioned steps of coding and storing for every block of the base view of the multiview video data stream; starting coding of a disoccluded region and dividing, into blocks, disoccluded area of a side view associated with the base view; determining, for neighboring blocks, of currently coded block, that have not been in the disoccluded area, a corresponding block in the base view, using a block correspondence database; when such a correspondence is determined, reading a previously stored state and estimated probabilities in context models of the entropy encoder for the corresponding block; copying all coding modes from the corresponding block to the neighboring block; applying state and estimated probabilities in context models to the entropy encoder of the block that is adjacent to the currently processed block; encoding, by the entropy encoder, the selected block of the side view; and repeating steps (e) to (i) for all blocks of the side view associated with the base view processed in steps (a) to (b).
US09992505B2 Image decoding method, image coding method, image decoding apparatus, image coding apparatus, and image coding and decoding apparatus
An image decoding method for decoding a bitstream including a coded signal resulting from coding slices into which an image is partitioned and each of which includes coding units, includes decoding the coded signal, wherein each of the slices is either a normal slice having, in a slice header, information used for another slice or a dependent slice which is decoded using information included in a slice header of another slice, the image includes rows each of which includes coding units, and when the normal slice starts at a position other than the beginning of the first row, the second row immediately following the first row does not start with the dependent slice.
US09992501B2 Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding scalable video signal
A method for decoding a scalable video signal, according to the present invention, comprises: determining whether a corresponding picture in a lower layer is used as an inter-layer reference picture for a current picture in an upper layer, based on a temporal level identifier of the lower layer; and performing inter-layer prediction of the current picture using the corresponding picture, when the corresponding picture in the lower layer is used as the inter-layer reference picture for the current picture in the upper layer, wherein the inter-layer prediction is limitedly performed depending on tile alignment between the upper layer and the lower layer.
US09992499B2 Adaptive streaming techniques
Systems and methods are presented for minimizing the suddenness and immediacy of changes to the video quality perceived by users due to bandwidth fluctuations and transitions between different bitrate streams. A method may include identifying an upcoming bitrate change in a bitstream and a nearest scene cut boundary from sync frame scene cut tags included in the bitstream. The method may include calculating whether waiting until the identified nearest scene cut boundary before changing the bitrate will cause the buffer to drop below a threshold. When the buffer is calculated to not drop below the threshold, the method may postpone the upcoming bitrate change until the identified nearest scene cut boundary.
US09992490B2 Video parameter set (VPS) syntax re-ordering for easy access of extension parameters
The HEVC VPS Syntax Structure is modified by re-ordering of some syntax parameters for the future HEVC Extensions in scalable video coding, multi-view coding and 3D video coding areas. This re-ordering enables external network devices such as middle-boxes to easily access of some of the useful parameters in VPS and its extension data that are able to be used for session negotiation and/or capability exchanges for better communication and system integration purposes.
US09992488B2 Method and system for region-based monitoring of video assets
A method and system for monitoring video assets provided by a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) includes an expert test monitoring platform (ETMP) configured to emulate MCDN client systems at a facility of an MCDN service provider. The ETMP may be used to test monitor MCDN performance by acquiring a baseband video signal and performing a test operation including at least one check point condition. The check point condition may be associated with a masked region of the video signal and may also involve a test of an audio channel. A plurality of test operations and/or check point conditions may be defined and executed on the baseband video signal, while the results of the test operation may be logged.
US09992481B2 Method and apparatus for processing surrounding images of vehicle
A method and an apparatus for processing surrounding images of a vehicle are provided. In the method, plural cameras disposed on the vehicle are used to capture images of plural perspective views surrounding the vehicle. The images of the perspective views are transformed into images of a top view. An interval consisted of at least a preset number of consecutive empty pixels is found from one column of pixels in each image of the top view, and the images of the perspective views and the top view are divided into floor side images and wall side images according to the height of the interval in the image. The divided floor side images and wall side images are stitched to generate a synthetic image surrounding the vehicle.
US09992477B2 Optical system for collecting distance information within a field
An optical system for collecting distance information within a field is provided. The optical system may include lenses for collecting photons from a field and may include lenses for distributing photons to a field. The optical system may include lenses that collimate photons passed by an aperture, optical filters that reject normally incident light outside of the operating wavelength, and pixels that detect incident photons. The optical system may further include illumination sources that output photons at an operating wavelength.
US09992476B1 Compatible stereoscopic video delivery
Stereoscopic images are subsampled and placed in a “checkerboard” pattern in an image. The image is encoded in a monoscopic video format. The monoscopic video is transmitted to a device where the “checkerboard” is decoded. Portions of the checkerboard (e.g., “black” portions) are used to reconstruct one of the stereoscopic images and the other portion of the checkerboard (e.g., “white” portions) are used to reconstruct the other image. The subsamples are, for example, taken from the image in a location coincident to the checkerboard position in which the subsamples are encoded.
US09992474B2 Stereo depth camera using VCSEL with spatially and temporally interleaved patterns
In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there are provided systems, methods, and apparatuses for implementing a stereo depth camera using a VCSEL projector with spatially and temporally interleaved patterns. For instance, a depth camera is described having therein a Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser projector (VCSEL projector); in which the VCSEL projector embodies a VCSEL array, the VCSEL being comprised of a plurality of VCSEL elements divided into a plurality of individually addressable subsets of the plurality of VCSEL elements; processing circuitry to activate one or more of the individually addressable subsets of the plurality of VCSEL elements to cause the VCSEL projector to emit a plurality of infrared beams through a projection lens to form a projected pattern which is projected onto a scene; stereoscopic image capture devices to capture stereoscopic imagery from the scene having the projected pattern projected thereupon; and processing circuitry to determine depth to an object in the scene based on the captured stereoscopic imagery from the scene having the projected pattern represented therein as projected from the VCSEL projector. Other related embodiments are disclosed.
US09992469B2 Imaging processing device and imaging processing method
An imaging processing device and an imaging processing method that can solve a problem generated in visible light photographing in a case where DBPF is used instead of an infrared cut filter. An imaging sensor includes a color filter, and DBPH that has a transmission characteristic in a visible-light band, blocking characteristic in a first wavelength band adjacent to a long-wavelength side of the visible-light band, and transmission characteristic in a second wavelength band that is a part of the first wavelength band. A signal processing unit subtracts an infrared signal, which is output from an infrared pixel, from each color signal output from a pixel in each color of visible light in the imaging sensor. Here, in a case where each color signal reaches a pixel saturation level, control of performing correction in such a manner that an infrared signal subtracted from each color signal is lowered is performed.
US09992468B2 Image processing apparatus and its adjustment method
In an image processing apparatus, an image acquisition unit acquires an image. A correction unit corrects pixel values of pixels composed of the acquired image by using correction coefficients to produce a correct image. An object recognition unit recognizes an object in the corrected image. A storage unit stores in advance standard color characteristics of a predetermined object which is a recognition target. A color characteristics acquisition unit acquires color characteristics of the predetermined object if the predetermined object is recognized by the object recognition unit. A comparison unit compares the color characteristics of the acquired object with the standard color characteristics of the same predetermined object stored in advance in the storage unit. An updating unit updates the correction coefficients used in the correction unit based on a result of comparison so as to reduce a difference between the color characteristics and the standard color characteristics.
US09992459B2 Lighting apparatus and lighting system
A lighting apparatus includes: a light modulator which modulates light emitted from a light source, using frames received by a receiver; an illuminator which emits the modulated light; and a controller. The controller periodically performs a storage control which continues for a predetermined period of time and in which, every time the receiver receives a frame, the received frame is stored into a storage. When a detector detects an interruption in the reception of the frames at the receiver, the light modulator modulates the light emitted from the light source, sequentially using two or more consecutive frames stored into the storage.
US09992454B2 Monitoring blind spot using moving objects
Provided is a method of monitoring a blind spot of stationary monitoring devices in a target monitoring area using at least one moving object. The method may include detecting at least one moving object located near to a blind spot of stationary monitoring devices in a target monitoring area upon generation of a predetermined initiation event, and monitoring the blind spot of the stationary monitoring devices using a monitoring device mounted on the detected at least one moving object.
US09992450B1 Systems and methods for background concealment in video conferencing session
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for background concealment in a video conferencing session. In one exemplary method, a video stream may be captured and provided to a first terminal participating in a video chat session. A background element and a foreground element may be determined in the video stream. A border region may additionally be determined in the video stream. The border region may define a boundary between the foreground element and the background element. The background region may be modified based, at least in part, on video content of the border region. The modified video stream may be transmitted to a second terminal participating in the video conferencing session.
US09992448B2 Recording web conferences
Conference recording is carried out by identifying a virtual conference operated by a conferencing system connected to a communications network. A virtual participant process executing in a processor is registered with the conferencing system as a co-participant in the virtual conference. Information streams produced by the human participants are recorded and distributed with the virtual participant process.
US09992446B2 Image transmission system and image transmission method
Disclosed herein is an image transmission system including a plurality of cameras and a coaxial cable for transmitting image signals from the cameras, wherein: each of the cameras includes an imaging block configured to acquire an image signal by imaging an object, a coding block configured to compression-code the image signal through intra-frame compression and inter-frame compression so as to generate a coded signal, and a signal output block configured to output the coded signal onto the coaxial cable; and the camera of interest outputs the coded signal obtained through inter-frame compression onto the coaxial cable when another of the cameras outputs the coded signal obtained through intra-frame compression onto the coaxial cable.
US09992430B2 Per-pixel performance improvement for combined visible and infrared image sensor arrays
A per-pixel performance improvement is described for combined image sensor arrays that measure infrared and visible light. One embodiment is a method that includes forming an array of photodetectors on a silicon substrate, treating a subset of the photodetectors to improve sensitivity to infrared light, and finishing the photodetector array to form an image sensor.
US09992428B2 Single-chip sensor multi-function imaging
Mixed mode imaging is implemented using a single-chip image capture sensor with a color filter array. The single-chip image capture sensor captures a frame including a first set of pixel data and a second set of pixel data. The first set of pixel data includes a first combined scene, and the second set of pixel data includes a second combined scene. The first combined scene is a first weighted combination of a fluorescence scene component and a visible scene component due to the leakage of a color filter array. The second combined scene includes a second weighted combination of the fluorescence scene component and the visible scene component. Two display scene components are extracted from the captured pixel data in the frame and presented on a display unit.
US09992412B1 Camera device with verged cameras
A camera device having verged cameras is disclosed. A camera device may include a housing and four cameras disposed in the housing. The housing may define a horizontal plane passing through the center of the housing. Each of the four cameras may be verged at an angle defined by a longitudinal center axis of the camera and the horizontal plane. Each camera may include a vertical field of view verged at the same angle. The camera device may produce a panoramic image (e.g., a panoramic still image or panoramic video) using two or more of the cameras. Systems and processes including the camera device are also disclosed.
US09992404B2 Method and system for adjusting camera focus to facilitate infrared imaging
Methods, systems, and techniques for adjusting camera focus to facilitate infrared imaging are employed to account for a difference in wavelength between visible and infrared light to permit sharp imaging regardless of whether imaging is performed using visible or infrared light. Camera focus is adjusted in accordance with base and offset values. The base value may be determined in accordance with a curve relating focus motor position and object distance and the offset value may be manually set by the user or automatically set by performing an autofocus method when the camera is operating in low light conditions.
US09992398B2 Optical sighting
Optical sighting is performed using plural optical sighting apparatuses that each comprise: a camera unit and a viewing system for viewing images. Geometric calibration of the camera units with respect to the imaged scene is performed by detecting features within captured images, generating descriptors from respective patches of the image at the features; detecting corresponding descriptors from different images, and deriving the geometric calibration from the positions in the respective images of the corresponding descriptors. A target location in a designator image captured at an earlier image-capture time is designated and a corresponding location relative to the current image captured at the current time is identified from the geometric calibration. A viewing system indicates where the corresponding location lies relative to the current image.
US09992396B1 Focusing lighting module
A lighting module which provides adjustably controllable illumination of a camera field of view of a camera module includes an adjustable collimator which can be adjustably positioned such that the emitted light beam is adjustably directed to illuminate various regions of various camera fields of view. The collimator can be adjusted via an actuator which adjustably positions the collimator relative to static components of the lighting module, including the light emitter. The light beam can be directed to illuminate a selected limited region of a camera field of view, based on identification of a subject within the limited region. The light beam can be adjustably directed based on user interactions with a user interface, including adjusting the light beam according to user-commanded beam angle, intensity, and direction. The light beam can be adjustably directed to illuminate a region according to different fields of view of different camera modules.
US09992394B2 Dual-lens mounting for a spherical camera
Dual-lens assemblies and cameras including dual lens-assemblies that include a first lens barrel securing a first lens having a first optical axis and a second lens barrel securing a second lens having a second optical axis are disclosed. In one dual-lens assembly, the first optical axis is approximately parallel to and spaced from the second optical axis by a lateral offset, axial lengths of the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel are approximately equal, and the first lens and the second lens are oriented in opposite directions at opposing ends of the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel.
US09992391B1 Use of nonreflective separator between lenses striking a single optical sensor to reduce peripheral interference
An image sensor can be present within an optical capture device. Two lenses that capture and direct light from a real world environment upon the image sensor. The image sensor converts light from the real world environment into electronic signals. A separator can be positioned between optical pathways of light from the lenses. The separators can absorb light from a region surrounding the image circle to prevent optical distortions from the image circles which are in close proximity to each other.
US09992376B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: a raster image processing unit configured to convert original image data into image data for image formation being of a raster image; an image forming unit configured to form an image on a paper sheet; a reading unit configured to generate read image data by reading the image formed on the paper sheet; a monitor setting unit configured to set a monitor setting color and an ideal value for the monitor setting color; a color tone monitoring unit configured to monitor a color tone difference between a value of the read image data in the monitor setting color and the ideal value; and a hardware processor configured to perform control to have color correction performed in the image forming unit, wherein the monitor setting color includes at least one of a primary color, a secondary color, a tertiary color, and a tertiary achromatic color.
US09992374B2 Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes: an image processing unit configured to execute, in forming an image on both surfaces of a sheet, image processing including skew correction to deform the image in advance to offset distortion to be caused in the image to be formed on the sheet, wherein, the image processing unit receives specification of any of one side, two sides, and an external form of the sheet, as a reference position of the image processing for the image to be formed on the both surfaces of the sheet, and executes the image processing including the skew correction based on the specification.
US09992367B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus including a rotatable operation unit for information display and data input and configured to form an image on a sheet includes a tilt drive unit configured to rotate the operation unit, a tilt motor configured to drive the tilt drive unit, a volume sensor configured to detect a rotation position at which the operation unit is rotated, and a CPU configured to control rotation of the operation unit by driving the tilt motor based on a detection result acquired by the volume sensor, wherein the CPU prohibits a first rotation operation for rotating the operation unit to a predetermined position if the first rotation operation is not finished within a first predetermined time, and cancels the prohibition of the first rotation operation if a second rotation operation for rotating the operation unit to a standby position is finished within a second predetermined time.
US09992366B2 Printing control apparatus, method for controlling printing control apparatus, and storage medium
A printing control apparatus includes a conveying unit that conveys a document to a reading unit, a detection unit that detects a size of the document before it begins to be conveyed, a detection unit that detects the size of the document after the document begins to be conveyed, and a control unit that performs a copy job using the reading unit and printing unit based on the size of the document detected before it is conveyed in a case where the printing unit starts to print the image data before the reading unit finishes generating image data for one page and performs a copy job based on the size of the document detected after it begins to be conveyed in a case where the printing unit starts to print the image data after the reading unit finishes generating image data for at least one page.
US09992359B2 Relay device employ technique of controlling a communication path established with a server and an image processing device when communication are relayed
A communication relay device installed on a local network relays communications between an image processing device installed on the local network and an application server installed on a network different from the local network. The communication relay device comprises: a communication path setting part that sets a communication path to send and receive job data of a job to and from the application server when the job is created at the image processing device or the application server; and a communication controller that sends and receives the job data to and from the application server over the communication path. When a new job is created at the image processing device or the application server as at least one communication path has been established with the application server, the communication path setting part sets either the new communication path or the existing communication path for the new job.
US09992355B2 Diagnostic apparatus, diagnostic system, and non-transitory computer readable medium
A diagnostic apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires sound information; a first analysis unit that performs a frequency analysis of the sound information and generates frequency analysis result data representing a temporal change in an intensity distribution for each frequency; a specifying unit that specifies a frequency of an abnormal sound in the frequency analysis result data; a second analysis unit that analyzes a frequency component of the specified frequency of the abnormal sound; and an extracting unit that extracts period information of the abnormal sound from an analysis result acquired by the second analysis unit.
US09992335B2 Caller assistance system
Techniques and technologies for caller assistance systems are described. In at least some embodiments, a system comprises: a processing component; and a caller assistance engine configured to receive a request from a calling device; select a menu execution path associated with the request, the menu execution path defining one or more operations to be performed to achieve an intent of the request; execute the menu execution path including execute the one or more operations to be performed to achieve the intent of the request; determine whether the intent of the request has been achieved; and when the intent of the request has been achieved, connect the calling device with the intent of the request or provide an alert to the calling device that the intent of the request has been achieved.
US09992333B2 Emergency mobile notification handling
Methods for operating a call center. In one example implementation, a call center maintains personal profiles of a number of clients of a service provided by the call center. At least some of the personal profiles include contact information for one or more entities designated by the respective clients for receiving information about the respective clients. A text-based electronic emergency notification message is received via an electronic network from a communication device associated with a particular one of the clients. The personal profile of the particular client includes contact information for one or more entities designated by the particular client for receiving information about the particular client from the call center. A notification that the communication device associated with the particular client received the text-based electronic emergency notification message is forwarded to one or more of the entities designated in the personal profile of the particular client.
US09992331B2 Continuous call recording
In order to allow for redundant call recording, a first message is received by a first media recorder indicating that a second media recorder is recording a media stream of a communication session between a plurality of communication devices. The first message includes a unique identifier for the communication session between the plurality of communication devices. A determination is made that the second media recorder is unable to continue to record the media stream. In response to determining that the second media recorder is unable to record the media stream, the first media recorder sends a second message, to a Session Border Controller (SBC), that includes the unique identifier for the communication session between the plurality of communication devices. The SBC streams the media stream to the first media recorder. The first media recorder receives the media stream and records the media stream.
US09992315B2 Terminal and terminal multiple protection method
Disclosed are a terminal and a terminal multiple protection method. The radiation processing module is configured to convert after preprocessing a first signal received from the external into a second signal that can be recognized by a baseband chip of a terminal. A radiation diagnosis module is configured to extract signal characteristics expressed by the second signal, to classify signals via comparison of signal characteristics, to diagnose to acquire a signal type to which the second signal pertains, and to output the second signal to a radiation protection control module for executing a relevant protection process for the corresponding signal type. The radiation protection module is configured to acquire the second signal and the corresponding signal type thereof and to selectively execute a relevant protection control process among multiple protection processes on the basis of the corresponding signal type.
US09992314B2 Automatic device mode switching
Techniques are described for automatic device mode switching. In an implementation an electronic device provides a variety of functionality through multiple modes of the electronic device. The electronic device may be configured to toggle between modes when inserted into or removed from a corresponding mounting device. In an implementation, one operational mode may be automatically activated upon insertion of the electronic device into the mounting device. Another operational mode may be automatically activated when the electronic device is removed from the mounting device. In another implementation, multiple modes of an electronic device may be associated with multiple orientations of the device. An orientation detector may provide signals indicative of orientation, which when detected causes automatic activation of an associated operational mode.
US09992308B2 Historical summarization in a process control environment
A system for displaying statistical data in a process control environment. A client device connects, via a network, to a historian connection module, and subscribes, via the connection to the historian connection module, to statistical data stored in a historian server module. A historian device receives a connection, by the historian connection module via the network, from the client device, forms a connection between the historian connection module and the historian server module, receives a subscription, by the historian connection module via the network, to statistical data stored in the historian server module from the client device, and stores, by the historian connection module, the received subscription.
US09992305B2 Cloud models based on network definition data
Examples relate to cloud models based on network definition data. Some examples disclosed herein may enable obtaining first cloud definition data that describes a first cloud infrastructure. The first cloud definition data may comprise network definition data that describes a first server node to be included in the first cloud infrastructure and a first set of network interfaces to be enumerated on a bus of the first server node. Some examples may further enable generating a first cloud model based on the first cloud definition data. The first cloud model may comprise first cloud configuration data that, when executed, causes the first cloud infrastructure to be deployed. Some examples may further enable storing a first checkpoint image of the first cloud model. The first checkpoint image may comprise at least a portion of the first cloud configuration data.
US09992303B2 Request routing utilizing client location information
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for request routing based on client location information are provided. A content delivery network service provider receives a DNS query from a client computing device. The DNS query corresponds to a resource identifier for requested content from the client computing device. The content delivery network service provider transmits an alternative resource identifier in response to the client computing device DNS query. The alternative resource identifier is selected as a function of client location information. The client location information is obtained from information corresponding to a mapping of at least partial IP addresses to known locations. The client computing device then issues a second DNS query to the same content delivery network service provider. The content delivery network service provider can then either resolve the second DNS query or transmit another alternative resource identifier.
US09992294B2 Information push system and method
An information push system, including a plurality of signal transmitters, a client side, and a server. The signal transmitters are configured to output a respective identification code. The client side is configured to determine a user setting, and receive the identification codes from the signal transmitters. The server is configured to receive the user setting and the identification codes from the client side, and output the push information of a received identification code according to the user setting and the received identification code. The server also includes a database, which is configured to store the user setting, and the identification code and the push information which are corresponding to each signal transmitter.
US09992279B2 Managed object replication and delivery
A method, system and computer program product for managed object replication and delivery redirects, directly or indirectly, a client's request for an object that is not available at a best or optimal handling edge server of a network to a parent server that has the requested object. So, where the requested object is not available at the handling edge server, the client's request is redirected directly to the parent server that can provide the requested object to the client or indirectly via one or more parent servers to a parent server that can provide the requested object to the client. The method, system and computer program product further intelligently replicates the object to the edge server if the object is popular enough. Likewise, an object is removed from an edge server when it is no longer popular. All redirection and replication operations are preferably transparent to the end-user and do not degrade the quality of service.
US09992278B2 Automatic account selection
A content item uploaded to a content management system from a client device can be assigned to one of multiple user accounts on which the client device is authorized. The user account can be selected based on account selection rules dictating selection of a user account based on various factors. For example, the account selection rules can dictate selection of a user account based on the type of user account; the type of content item; the client device that created the content item; the time the content item was created, modified, or uploaded; the location the content item was created, modified, or uploaded; etc. The account selection rules can be specified by a user or be heuristics based on general assumptions, data gathered regarding the user, and/or historical data gathered from content items already assigned to the user accounts. The content item can be assigned to the selected user account.
US09992267B2 Method and device for sharing a playlist at a dedicated media player device
A playlist is received at a television from a remote playlist source coupled to the television over a network. The playlist includes at least one video item identifier that identifies at least one video item. The playlist is communicated from the television to a cellular phone coupled to the television over the network. The at least one video item identifier is received at the television from the cellular phone. The at least one video item is rendered by the television. The television, the cellular phone, and the remote playlist source are all separate devices. The at least one video item identifier identifies at least one video item having been played during a time duration selected from the group consisting of today, a past week, a past month, and a past year.
US09992266B1 Automated file delivery systems and methods
The invention provides systems and methods for automatically delivering a file from an originating computer system including a processor and memory to a destination computer system including a processor and memory. The method includes creating at least one master file delivery application and at least two file delivery agents running on the at least one originating computer system. A first file delivery agent of the at least two file delivery agents is controlled by a first master file delivery application of the at least one master file delivery application. A second file delivery agent of the at least two file delivery agents is run either by a second master file application. The method also includes dynamically balancing loads by the one master file delivery application, between the first file delivery agent controlled by the first master file delivery application and the second file delivery agent. The balancing is based on a number of files retrieved by the first file delivery agent and a number of files retrieved by the second file delivery agent; and transmitting at least one file according to at least one destination parameter associated with the at least one file.
US09992262B2 Personalized document content aggregation and document association implemented in a digital rights management system
Methods for managing contents of multiple digital documents for individual users, to generate aggregated documents from multiple documents and/or create associations among multiple documents, based on the user's interactions with multiple digital documents. A document content aggregation method can, on a personalized basis, aggregate contents from multiple digital documents into an aggregated document based on a user's past interactions with the documents. The aggregation is based on a content importance score calculated from the user interaction pattern. A document association method can, on a personalized basis, create associations among multiple digital documents based on the user's past interactions with the documents. Two documents are deemed related if there is a user interaction pattern where the user interacts with both documents with a predetermined time interval from each other. When displaying one document, link icons are displayed to allow the user to directly navigate to the related documents.
US09992261B2 System and method for forwarding a file
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided. Some embodiments include, after receiving at least a portion of a file at a computing system, obtaining information about the file at a first time. First information is stored in a data structure, the first information comprising information that identifies the file and the information about the file at the first time. Then, information about the file at a second time after the first time is obtained. Second information is stored in a memory of the computing system, the second information comprising information that identifies the file and the information about the file at the second time. It is determined whether the second information matches the first information. In response to determining that the second information matches the first information, the file is sent from the computing system to a predetermined destination. In some embodiments, the file comprises a facsimile communication.
US09992260B1 Configuration change processing for content request handling in content delivery node
Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and software for enhancing content configuration change processing for cached content in content delivery nodes. In one example, a method of changing a content configuration for a content delivery node includes receiving a configuration change request by an end user. The method further provides, processing the configuration change request and a present configuration to generate a changed configuration comprising an assembly level code representation of the changed configuration, and transferring the changed configuration for delivery to the content delivery node.
US09992259B2 Systems and methods to circumvent advertisement blocking on the internet
A publisher web server may receive from an end user device a web page request. A plug-in installed at the publisher web server may transmit information about the request to an advertisement blocking circumvention platform. The platform may respond with information including an invalid URL resource address, and the publisher web server may transmit a data package, including the information about the invalid URL, to the end user device. The publisher web server may then receive from the end user device a resource request including the invalid URL, and information about the invalid URL may be forwarded to the platform. Responsive to receiving the information about the invalid URL, the platform may transmit a message (including advertising content) and the publisher web server may transmit to the end user device a response to the resource request such that the advertising content will be delivered via the end user device.
US09992258B2 Techniques for managing a remote web client from an application on a mobile device
Techniques for managing a remote web client from an application on a mobile device are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a messaging application operative on the processor circuit to receive a request from a remote web browser, the request for the remote web browser to receive messaging updates from the messaging application; establish an encrypted connection between the messaging application and the remote web browser; receive a messaging update at the messaging application; and transmit the messaging update from the messaging application to the remote web browser. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09992257B2 System and method for dynamic in-session altering of remote desktop windows
Examples of systems and methods are provided for the dynamic in-session altering of a remote desktop window. A client device may establish a remote session with a server to provide to a user a remote desktop window. The client device detects events associated with the remote desktop window. Information related to the detected even is sent to the server via a communications channel. The server sends to the client device updated remote desktop windows information and the client device alters the remote desktop size and resolution accordingly. The remote desktop is altered without requiring the disconnection of the current remote session and subsequent establishment of a new remote session.
US09992255B2 Apparatuses and methods for application-specific congestion control for data communication (ACDC), and storage medium thereof
A mobile communication device including a wireless transceiver and a controller is provided. The wireless transceiver performs wireless transmission and reception to and from a cell. The controller determines whether an Application-specific Congestion control for Data Communication (ACDC) has been enabled in the cell in response to a Domain Name Server (DNS) query or Internet Protocol (IP) packet initiated by an application, and in response to the ACDC having been enabled, responds to the DNS query with an IP address or transmits the IP packet to the cell via the wireless transceiver only when the application is associated with a high-priority service.
US09992251B2 Segment routing support in MPEG dash
According to one aspect, a method includes identifying a request for a piece of content, and obtaining a Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG) Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH) manifest after identifying the request for the piece of content. The method also includes identifying at least one location at which the piece of content is located using the DASH manifest, wherein the at least one location at which the piece of content is located is a location from which the piece of content is arranged to be fetched.
US09992250B2 Carriage of ISO-BMFF event boxes in an MPEG-2 transport stream
A method of media streaming implemented by a network device, the method comprising encapsulating a message box into one or more packets in a segment, and sending the segment directly or indirectly to a streaming client.
US09992249B2 Live stream manifests for on demand content
Disclosed are various embodiments for requesting fragments of a media item. A latency to a media distribution service and bandwidth for a client are estimated. A time to request a subsequent fragment from the media item is determined. Sources for the fragment are scored and one of the sources is selected. The fragment is requested from the selected source.
US09992248B2 Scalable event stream data processing using a messaging system
A system processes streaming data and includes at least one processor. The system may write streaming data received from a data source as messages in queues at a queuing cluster. The queuing cluster includes a coordinator node to direct the messages to non-coordinator nodes of the queuing cluster. The system may retrieve the data from the queues based on subscription of topics and store the retrieved data in a consumable repository.
US09992238B2 Proxy based data transfer utilizing direct memory access
A method for transferring data utilizing direct memory access. The method includes a computer processor establishing a networking connection, using a proxy, between at least a first computing entity and a second computing entity. The method further includes determining a shared memory space for the established networking connection between at least the first computing entity and the second computing entity. The method further includes allocating the shared memory space from heap memory. The method further includes transmitting data over the established networking connection between at least the first computing entity and the second computing entity utilizing a direct memory access protocol and the allocated shared memory space.
US09992235B2 Information processing system and user authentication method
An information processing system includes at least one information processing terminal and a first information processing apparatus. When an instruction for selecting a user authentication mode, which is received, from a user, by a user interface of the information processing terminal, selects a second user authentication mode, circuitry of the first information processing apparatus determines whether a sum of charges for services used by the user while logging in the information processing terminal via the second user authentication mode after a most recent login via a first user authentication mode exceeds a predetermined amount, and generates an authentication result indicating that the user is not the authenticated user.
US09992226B2 Enhanced thread handling in security handshaking
Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and software for handling threaded processes in security handshaking between end users and content delivery nodes are presented. In one example, a method of operating a content delivery node includes identifying a secure layer connection request within an application thread, and initiating a new thread for a security handshake process based on the secure layer connection request. The method further includes, in response to completing the security handshake process, returning to the application thread.
US09992225B2 System and a method for identifying malware network activity using a decoy environment
A system for gathering information about malware and a method of use therefor, the system comprising a working environment including physical working environment servers, physical working environment endpoints, a working environment network, a switch, and a router directing traffic between said working environment network and an external network, a decoy environment including at least one physical machine, a decoy environment server, a decoy environment endpoint, a decoy environment network and a decoy environment router, a file directing mechanism directing at least some files to the decoy environment, and a threat tracking mechanism tracking and observing actions triggered by the files in the decoy environment.
US09992224B1 Passenger presence indication system and method
A system to indicate the presence of one or more bystanders during wireless communications is herein presented. The system includes: a memory, controller, one or more bystander sensors, and a first transceiver device. The memory is configured to include one or more executable instructions. The controller is configured to execute the executable instructions. Each bystander sensor is configured to produce bystander information. The first transceiver device is capable of communicating with the controller. Moreover, the executable instructions enable the controller to: receive bystander information from the one or more bystander sensors; generate indicator information based on the sensor information; permit a first communication link to be established with the first transceiver device; and provide the first transceiver device with the indicator information through the first communication link.
US09992216B2 Identifying malicious executables by analyzing proxy logs
Identifying malicious executables by analyzing proxy logs includes, at a server having connectivity to the Internet, retrieving sets of proxy logs from a plurality of proxy servers. Each proxy server of the plurality of proxy servers is associated with a network and generates network traffic logs for one or more nodes included in the network. Then, a set of executables hosted by each of the one or more nodes associated with each of the plurality of proxy servers is determined. Each set of executables is analyzed to detect a specific executable and portions of each of the network traffic logs that are associated with the specific executable are identified. An alert is generated indicating the portions of each of the network traffic logs as likely to be associated with the specific executable.
US09992208B2 Role-based application program operations on machine data in a multi-tenant environment
Embodiments are directed towards a system and method for a cloud-based front end that may abstract and enable access to the underlying cloud-hosted elements and objects that may be part of a multi-tenant application, such as a search application. Search objects may be employed to access indexed objects. An amount of indexed data accessible to a user may be based on an index storage limit selected by the user, such that data that exceeds the index storage limit may continue to be indexed. Also, one or more projects can be elastically scaled for a user to provide resources that may meet the specific needs of each project.
US09992207B2 Scalable authentication process selection based upon sensor inputs
Disclosed is a mobile device that selects an authentication process based upon sensor inputs and mobile device capabilities. The mobile device may include: a plurality of sensors; and a processor. The processor may be configured to: determine multiple authentication processes based upon sensor inputs and mobile device capabilities for authentication with at least one of an application or a service provider; select an authentication process from the multiple authentication processes that satisfies a security requirement; and execute the authentication process.
US09992206B2 Enhanced security for electronic communications
Techniques are described for providing enhanced security for electronic communications, such as by including in a message sent between two services a digital signature that is generated by using secret information known to the services, so that the recipient receives assurance regarding the sender's identity if the recipient can replicate the received digital signature using the secret information known to the recipient. In some situations, the enhanced security is used in communications to and/or from an access manager system that provides single sign-on functionality and other functionality to other services for use with those services' users, such as to prevent malicious phishers from inappropriately gaining access to user information. Various services may use the enhanced security techniques when interacting with the access manager system at various times, such as to initiate sign-on for a user and/or to take subsequent action on behalf of a signed-on user.
US09992201B2 Threat-aware provisioning and governance
A management component of a computing system evaluates end-users, end-user devices, and user accounts for access to provisioned-resources of the computing system. The management component utilizes device compliance attributes to form a device risk vector associated with an end-user device. The management component further utilizes resource compliance attributes to form a resource risk vector associated with a provisioned-resource. The management component forms a policy vector utilizing compliance attributes included in a compliance policy. The management component compares the device and resource risk vectors to the policy vector to determine a threat vector, and uses the threat vector to evaluate the end-users, end-user devices, and user accounts for risk of security breach, damage to, and/or loss of components of the computing system.
US09992200B2 System and method for secure content sharing and synchronization
A flexible content sharing system may comprise a network based application built on a client device using information from dissociated user experience component (UXC), application logic and execution layer (ALEL), and content distribution system (CDS) payloads. An ALEL engine may communicate a request from the network based application to a CDS module. The CDS module may interface the ALEL engine and a CDS server. The ALEL engine can act as a gate keeper and securely communicates requests from client devices to the CDS server. The CDS server is configured to manage and alert the ALEL of any enterprise policies that may be applicable to the client devices connected to the ALEL engine which, in turn, notifies the client devices to comply with the enterprise policies. The CDS server may synchronize any change made to the content by any of the client devices running network based applications.
US09992198B2 Network-based frictionless two-factor authentication service
Techniques described herein may be used to enable users to access services protected by two-factor security systems without having to provide additional authentication information (e.g., a portion of the user's social security number, biometric information, etc.). An application server may provide one or more services, such as a social networking service, an online banking service, etc. When a user device attempts to access the service, the user may provide a username and password, to the application server, as the first factor of a two-factor authentication process required to access the service. However, instead of requiring the user to provide additional authentication information (e.g., the second factor), a network authentication server, the application server, and the user device may collaborate to automatically provide the additional authentication information.
US09992197B2 Method and system for secured communication of control information in a wireless network environment
A method and system for securely communicating control information in a wireless network environment is provided. When a transmitting station has to transmit control information to a receiving station, the transmitting station determines whether the control information belongs to first type or second type. If the control information is the second type of control information, the transmitting station secures the second type of control information using a counter value, a Cipher based Message Authentication Code (CMAC) value and security keys computed for protecting the second type of control information. Upon securing the control information, the transmitting station transmits the secured control information to a receiving station.
US09992194B2 System and method of notifying mobile devices to complete transactions
A method including registering an authority device for an account on an auth platform; receiving transaction request from an initiator to the auth platform; messaging the authority device with the transaction request; receiving an authority agent response from the authority device to the auth platform; if the authority agent response confirms the transaction, communicating a confirmed transaction to the initiator; and if the authority agent response denies the transaction, communicating a denied transaction to the initiator.
US09992193B2 High-safety user multi-authentication system and method
A high-safety user multi-authentication system, comprising: a server having a user habit information and a key generator for generating a real key corresponding to the user habit information and at least one bait key; and a user application unit disposed on a communication device having a user interface, a key receiving unit for receiving the real key and the at least one bait key from the server, an OTP (one time password) generator for generating a real OTP based on the real key and at least one bait OTP based on the at least one bait key; wherein the real OTP is provided to the user interface when the communication device is operated according to the user habit information.
US09992188B2 Methods and systems for single sign-on while protecting user privacy
A method of enabling applications to reference user information is provided, including receiving a request for a user identifier that references a user of the application and sending a second request for the user identifier to a server. The second request may include a second user identifier that references the user and a second authentication token for the second user identifier. Furthermore, the second user identifier and the second authentication token are not accessible by the user. The method includes receiving the user identifier and an authentication token for the first user identifier. The user identifier corresponds to the second identifier; and providing the user identifier and authentication token to the application. A method of enabling an application to identify users associated with a user of the application is provided; the method may include receiving, from the server, user identifiers that reference one or more users scoped to the application.
US09992184B2 Method of using server, server reservation control apparatus and program storage medium
In a content supply system, in order to use a streaming server to perform a live distribution, a user PC used makes a reservation for a time zone, etc. to a server reservation control center. When the user PC sends desired reservation information to the server reservation control center via the Internet, if the reservation is accepted, a reservation ID only used for authentication of the reservation is created and sent from the server reservation control center to the user PC via the Internet. When a distribution request is sent from the user PC to the streaming server, authentication processing using this reservation ID is performed.
US09992181B2 Method and system for authenticating a user based on location data
Disclosed is a method of authenticating a user based on location data. The method includes receiving, using a communication device, a user location from a location tracking device associated with the user. Further, the method includes receiving, using the communication device, a terminal location from a computing terminal. Yet further, the method includes computing, using a processing device, a distance between the user location and the terminal location. Further, the method includes performing, using the processing device, a first comparison of the distance with a first predetermined threshold value. Moreover, the method includes authenticating, using the processing device, the user based on a first result of the first comparison.
US09992175B2 Systems and method for providing a data security service
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for providing standards compliant encryption, storage, and retrieval of date are disclosed. In an embodiment, data is received at a first data center from a first device in connection with a service request, and encrypted to produce encrypted data. The encrypted data may be transmitted from the first data center to the first device, and then may subsequently be received at a second data center. The second data center may store the encrypted data in a database accessible to the second data center. Because all data provided to the system is encrypted by the first data center prior to being stored and/or provided to the second data center, the database and the second data canter may be out of the scope of compliance monitoring, auditing, and reporting for one or more date security standards.
US09992168B2 Data transfer
A data transfer system includes a set of switch and/or router devices (104B, 104E, 104F), each said device in the set being a layer 1, 2 and/or 3 device of OSI seven-layer model and being configured, in use, to transfer data, directly or indirectly, between a plurality of computing devices (102A, 102B). Each said switch or router device in the set is configured to provide a virtual partition (VP), wherein only data designated as virtual partition data is transferrable to another said device in the set via the virtual partition.
US09992162B2 Device, system and method for network-based address translation for multiple recipients
A network system, switch controller for multicast packet distribution by controlling a network switch having at least one ingress interface and at least one egress interface. The controller generates a control command using an application programming interface for the network switch, the control command having a replicate command to replicate the incoming signal packets by distributing the incoming signal packets based on a number of the plurality of destination addresses to a corresponding number of egress interfaces of the at least one egress interface of the network switch, each of the number of egress interfaces having a loopback connection to an ingress interface of the at least one ingress interface of the network switch, the control command having a header translation command to control the network switch to translate header address information of each of the replicated signal packets to a destination address of the plurality of destination addresses, the destination address for transmission of the translated replicated signal packets to a destination device listening to the destination address. The controller sends the control command to the network switch to trigger the distribution of the incoming signal packets to the plurality of destination addresses.
US09992160B2 Optical communication system to automatically configure remote optical nodes
An optical Internet Protocol (IP) router serves a cell-site over an optical communication network. The optical IP router transmits a network attach request having an optical node name over a control optical wavelength. The optical communication node receives an assignment of a data optical wavelength, a cell-site mode, and an Internet Protocol (IP) address over the control optical wavelength based on the optical node name. The optical communication node operates in the cell-site mode and responsively exchanges cell-site data having the IP address over the data optical wavelength.
US09992155B2 DNS alias synchronization in replication topology
A redundant array of independent nodes are networked together. Each node executes an instance of an application that provides object-based storage. The nodes are grouped into a plurality of systems each having multiple nodes. The systems have one or more replication links each being formed to indicate replication of data from one system to another system in a replicated environment where each system is configured as a sub-domain in a Domain Name System (DNS) infrastructure. A DNS alias synchronization method comprises maintaining updated information, within each system, of all replication links involving that system and of DNS aliases of other systems associated with all replication links involving that system (S602-S607). This enables that system to process network-based requests, on behalf of the other systems, without redirecting the requests from the other systems to that system.
US09992151B2 Anonymous solicitation of a response to a user-associated question
In one embodiment, a message may be received from an initiating user over a computer network including an indication of a target user selected by the initiating user and of a plurality of other users selected by the initiating user. A message is then sent to the target user over the computer network prompting the target user to indicate a level of the target user's romantic interest toward each of the initiating user and the plurality of other users. Next, an indication of the target user's romantic interest toward each of the initiating user and the plurality of other users is received over the computer network. Then, a message is sent to the initiating user over the computer network notifying the initiating user of the target user's romantic interest toward the initiating user. Other user-associated questions/responses may also be used, thus anonymously soliciting the responses in a similar manner.
US09992147B2 During an email migration, converting distribution list messages into single-instanced content within a collaboration platform group
During an email migration, a migration engine can identify which emails in the source system are associated with distribution lists. The migration engine can convert any emails that are associated with a distribution list into group content of an appropriate group in the target system. In contrast, for any email that is not associated with a distribution list, the migration engine can migrate the email into a corresponding mailbox in the target system.
US09992140B2 Electronic apparatus, server, and control method of system
An electronic apparatus connected to a server providing real-time messaging through a messaging channel to communicate therewith is provided. The apparatus includes a client communication unit for communicating with the server and at least one external device, the electronic apparatus and the at least one external device forming a client group, and a client controller for classifying the electronic apparatus and the at least one external device in the client group into a header client connected with the messaging channel to the server and a node client, and for controlling the header client to transmit a message about the node client from the server to the node client when the message from the server is transmitted to the header client through the messaging channel.
US09992135B2 Apparatus and method for fusion of compute and switching functions of exascale system into a single component by using configurable network-on-chip fabric with distributed dual mode input-output ports and programmable network interfaces
Described is an apparatus which comprises: a Network-On-Chip fabric using crossbar switches, having distributed ingress and egress ports; and a dual-mode network interface coupled to at least one crossbar switch, the dual-mode network interface is to include: a dual-mode circuitry; a controller operable to: configure the dual-mode circuitry to transmit and receive differential signals via the egress and ingress ports, respectively, and configure the dual-mode circuitry to transmit and receive signal-ended signals via the egress and ingress ports, respectively.
US09992133B2 Switching device for routing packets through a network
A switching device in a network system for transferring data includes one or more source line cards, one or more destination line cards and a switching fabric coupled to the source line cards and the destination line cards to enable data communication between any source line card and destination line card. Each source line card includes a request generator to generate a request signal to be transmitted in order to obtain an authorization to transmit data. Each destination line card includes a grant generator to generate and send back a grant signal to the source line card in response to the request signal received at the destination line card to authorize the source line card to transmit a data cell to the destination line card.
US09992124B2 Multi-channel decoder architecture
An example method of receiving a data packet includes receiving a data packet at a channel receiver of at least one channel receiver each associated with a channel, providing the data packet to a data packet identification block that corresponds to the channel receiver, validating the data packet at the data packet identification block, and providing the validated data packet to an available decoder block of at least one decoder block capable of performing one or more decoding functions, where a quantity of the decoder blocks is less than a quantity of the data packet identification blocks and optimized according to one or more goals. If no decoder block is available and the validated data packet is a higher priority data packet, a decoder block processing a lower priority data packet may be forced to stop processing the lower priority data packet and process the higher priority data packet.
US09992113B2 Virtual network interface controller performance using physical network interface controller receive side scaling offloads
Techniques disclosed herein provide an approach for using receive side scaling (RSS) offloads from a physical network interface controller (PNIC) to improve the performance of a virtual network interface controller (VNIC). In one embodiment, the PNIC is configured to write hash values it computes for RSS purposes to packets themselves. The VNIC then reads the hash values from the packets and places the packets into VNIC RSS queues, which are processed by respective CPUs, based on the hash values. CPU overhead is thereby reduced, as RSS processing by the VNIC no longer requires computing hash values. In another embodiment in which the number of PNIC RSS queues and VNIC RSS queues are identical, the VNIC may map packets from PNIC RSS queues to VNIC RSS queues using the PNIC RSS queue ID numbers, which also does not require the computing RSS hash values.
US09992112B2 Transactional controls for supplying control plane data to managed hardware forwarding elements
Some embodiments provide novel methods for controllers to communicate with managed hardware forwarding elements (MHFEs) in a transactional manner. The transactional communication methods of some embodiments ensure that an MHFE receives the entirety of a control plane update that a controller supplies to it, before the MHFE starts to modify its data plane forwarding data and operations. The transactional communication methods of some embodiments provide one or more transactional boundary controls to the controllers to define complete control plane data set updates. In some embodiments, the transactional controls ensure that an MHFE receives all of a control plane update before it starts to modify its data plane forwarding data. Controllers use one transactional control in some embodiments when they define logical forwarding elements (e.g., logical switches or routers) on the MHFEs.
US09992103B2 Method for providing sticky load balancing
Presented herein are techniques to reduce the number of redirected subscriber packet flows while performing sticky hierarchical load balancing. An Nth head end network element may be activated such that a plurality of N head end network elements are active and capable of receiving and processing one or more packet flows. A primary load balancer may then be directed to overwrite a portion of pointers of a hash table in an evenly distributed manner with pointers to the Nth head end network element such that packet flows are forwarded to the Nth head end network element, wherein the hash table retains a static number of entries as the number of head end network elements is modified.
US09992099B2 Protocol independent multicast designated router redundancy
In one embodiment, a method includes transmitting a packet from a router located in a communication path between a source and a receiver, the packet having one or more values used to select a group designated router from a list of candidate group designated routers for multicast traffic streams, selecting the router as said group designated router for one or more of the multicast traffic streams, and forwarding traffic for the one or more multicast traffic streams to the receiver. The candidate group designated routers are last hop routers for transmitting the multicast traffic streams to a common link connected to the receiver. An apparatus is also disclosed herein.
US09992092B2 Network resource monitoring and measurement system and method
A method and system for analyzing and measuring multiple sources of data over a communications network (18) so as to ascertain information or usage of one or more resources, such as resource servers (2). A data collection and processing means (20) collects and processes the data sources which are forwarded to a reporting server (34) as a combined data source made available to interested parties.
US09992090B2 Data metrics analytics
Aspects of the present disclosure provide systems and methods directed toward identifying causes of attenuated performance at computing systems. Performance data corresponding to performance metrics may be stored at a data store. Performance metrics may be associated with application servers. Alerts may be received from a performance monitoring agent triggered by performance attenuations at the application servers. A timeframe in which a performance attenuation occurred may be selected and the performance data may be searched in order to identify another performance attenuation that occurred at one of the application servers during or before the selected timeframe. Performance data may be evaluated to identify one of the application servers associated with the additional performance attenuation as a potential source of the performance attenuation that triggered the alert. Information corresponding to the potential source of the performance attenuation that triggered the alert may be presented to a user at a display device.
US09992087B2 System and method for long range wireless local area network communications
A method and monitoring station are disclosed that enable efficient communications between a monitoring station and a wireless device. The method includes determining that receipt of a first data packet by the monitoring station from the wireless device has been received without error, receiving a subsequent data packet at the monitoring station from the wireless device, determining that the subsequent data packet being received from the wireless device is a retransmission of the first data packet, and transmitting a first acknowledgement to the wireless device before the subsequent data packet is received in its entirety. A propagation delay may be estimated and used to adjust certain parameters of the monitoring station so as to account for excessive delays that are beyond the delays anticipated by and accommodated within the IEEE802.11 Standard.
US09992086B1 External health checking of virtual private cloud network environments
Systems and methods are described to enable health checking of computing devices within a virtual private cloud (VPC) networking environment, without requiring that the devices be accessible via a public network address. An endpoint is placed within the VPC, which enables interaction with an external health checking system via a substrate network. The endpoint handles communications between the heath checking system and the VPC, and can modify data originating from the health checking system such that it appears to originate from the endpoint. Thus, from the viewpoint of the VPC, the endpoint itself may appear to be conducting health checking. Thus, external health checking can be used on a VPC without compromising the security of the VPC by requiring that a portion of the VPC be externally addressable.
US09992079B2 Provisioning dedicated network resources with API services
Embodiments are disclosed that provision a cloud-based service together with a dedicated network connection to provision a cloud-based service element. In response to the request both the cloud-based service element and a dedicated network connection are provisioned. Provisioning the cloud-based service element together with the dedicated network connection enables the cloud-based service element to utilize the dedicated network connection.
US09992075B2 Content delivery methods and systems
Aspects of the present disclosure involve provisioning customers of an aggregator, such as a reseller, of a content delivery network (CDN). In one aspect, content requests to the CDN are processed in accordance with the virtual IP (VIP) address at which the request was received, according to a property template bound to the VIP where the template is selected by the customer and only involves discrete parameters for the reseller. In another aspect, cache fills of the network are processed without direct knowledge of the customer origin through a combination of some request attribute, e.g., alias host of the customer, and an attribute of the reseller to make a DNS request to a name server outside the CDN. Another aspect involves receiving a property template selection, an origin and an alias from a customer of the reseller, and providing appropriate DNS entries to validate the customer and provide origin information to the CDN.
US09992073B2 Network status measuring system and a method for measuring status of a network
A network status measuring system comprising a processor; a display circuitry configured to display a schematic overview of the network; a data traffic measuring circuitry configured to measure bit rate and latency on links of the network; and a graphic generating circuitry configured to generate a graphical representation of a bit rate and a latency measured on a particular link of the network by generating objects to be displayed at the particular link of the network in connection with the schematic overview of the network. The processor is further configured to calculate a number of the objects to be displayed at the particular link of the schematic overview of the network based on the bit rate measured on the particular link of the network. The display circuitry is further configured to display the generated objects at the particular link of the schematic overview of the network.
US09992072B1 System, method, apparatus, and computer program product for enabling management of a plurality of computer components using a software framework
A system, method, apparatus, and computer program product for enabling management of a plurality of computing components, such as a converged infrastructure, through a software framework are disclosed. For example, a method in accordance with some example embodiments may include receiving an action target command that is comprised of target component identification information, action identification information and action parameters. The method may include invoking a registered hook and passing the action parameters to a function that is bound to the action and resolving the received target component identification information and the received action identification data. A command and command parameters may be transmitted to each of the identified computing components thereby causing the command to be performed on the computing components.
US09992068B2 Rule based mobile device management delegation
Rule-based mobile device management delegation is disclosed. A set of rules are applied to attributes associated with a mobile device to assign the mobile device to one of a plurality of management partitions. The mobile device is managed according to a policy associated with the assigned management partition.
US09992067B1 Communication network multiplexer grooming optimization
Aspects of optimized grooming of multiplexers of a communication network are presented. In an example method, information indicating a current multiplexer configuration is accessed, in which the current multiplexer configuration indicates a current assignment of each of a plurality of data channels to one of a plurality of inputs of a plurality of multiplexers of a communication network. An optimization value associated with each of a plurality of multiplexer configurations is determined based on the current assignment, wherein each of the plurality of multiplexer configurations includes a proposed assignment of each of the plurality of data channels to one of the plurality of inputs. A multiplexer configuration having a highest-ranked optimization value of the plurality of multiplexer configurations is identified from the plurality of multiplexer configurations.
US09992062B1 Implicit traffic engineering
Briefly, methods and/or apparatuses for implicit traffic engineering, such as for the Internet, are described.
US09992058B2 Redundant storage solution
Method and apparatus for switching between a first server and a second server, each located within a virtual private cloud and the first server being located within a first zone and the second server being located within a second zone that is physically separate from the first zone. The method and apparatus further configured to determine that the first server has experienced a failure to send or receive data. The method and apparatus further configured to enable a second port on the second server. The method and apparatus further configured to create a new route table by the second server and flush the previous route table. The method and apparatus further configured to transmit, via the second port, a request to a virtual private cloud controller to update an elastic internet protocol address with the second port information and receive data from the virtual private cloud controller.
US09992056B2 Triggered in-band operations, administration, and maintenance in a network environment
Embodiments of the disclosure pertain to activating in-band OAM based on a triggering event. Aspects of the embodiments are directed to receiving a first notification indicating a problem in a network; triggering a data-collection feature on one or more nodes in the network for subsequent packets that traverse the one or more nodes; evaluating a subsequent packet that includes data augmented by the data collection feature; and determining the problem in the network based on the data augmented to the subsequent packet.
US09992053B1 Multi-channel, multi-lane encryption circuitry and methods
Encryption/authentication circuitry includes an encryption portion having a first number of encryption lanes, each encryption lane including a plurality of encryption stages, and keyspace circuitry including a plurality of key lanes corresponding to a predetermined maximum number of channels. Each key lane has key storage stages corresponding to the encryption stages, and includes key memories for the predetermined maximum number of channels. Key channel selection circuitry for each stage selects a key from among the key memories at that stage. An authentication portion includes a second number of authentication lanes, hash key storage for the predetermined maximum number of channels, partial hash state storage for the predetermined number of channels, and hash channel selection circuitry. Based on the channel being processed, the hash selection circuitry selects, in each respective lane, respective hash key data from the hash key storage and respective partial hash state data from the partial hash state storage.
US09992052B2 Registration of SIP-based communications in a hosted VoIP network
Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products, and the like, for implementing a registrar component or functionality in a telecommunications network. In one implementation, the registrar functionality is handled at a Session Border Controller (SBC) or Network Address Translation (NAT) Traversal Manager (NTM) device of the network to alleviate an application server of the network from performing the registration function.
US09992043B2 FEC coding identification
The present invention is directed to data communication systems and methods. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for transceivers to quickly identify FEC mode used in data communication. A transmitting transceiver embeds FEC mode information in a designated field of an alignment marker. The receiving transceiver acknowledges the receipt of the FEC mode information and processes the incoming data accordingly. There are other embodiments as well.
US09992039B2 Activating mobile backup link based on wired customer edge-provider edge (CE-PE) link status
A method is provided in one embodiment and includes establishing a primary wired access link between a first routing device and a second routing device, and establishing a backup wireless access link between the first routing device and the second routing device. The method further includes determining a status of the primary wired access link indicative of whether the primary wired access link between the first routing device and the second routing device has failed. The method still further include activating the backup wireless access link between the first routing device and the second routing device when it is determined that the status of the primary wired access link is indicative that the primary wired access link has failed.
US09992038B2 Underwater multi-hop communications network
A multi-hop ad hoc communications network may allow optical communications between underwater nodes. Each node may be fitted with environmental sensors. Each node may collect data from the sensors and transmit the data to other nodes in the network according to a time division multiple access (TDMA) scheme. The data may propagate through a series of child and parent nodes to reach a master node. The master node may have a wired connection for power and data transfer.
US09992031B2 Dark bits to reduce physically unclonable function error rates
Embodiments of an invention for using dark bits to reduce physically unclonable function (PUF) error rates are disclosed. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a PUF cell array and dark bit logic. The PUF cell array is to provide a raw PUF value. The dark bit logic is to select PUF cells to mark as dark bits and to generate a dark bit mask based on repeated testing of the PUF cell array.
US09992023B2 System for transparent authentication across installed applications
A system for authenticating mobile device users transparently is disclosed. This invention improves on the existing flaws by deriving encryption keys from environmental condition data when the user and device are trusted. The keys are then cryptographically hashed and compared with repository hashed data to determine if the conditions match a prior set of conditions. If a match is found and trust factors are sufficient, the system uses the condition data to decrypt a master key that allows access to secure data in the same manner as would a user-provided password. The security system cannot be bypassed if the device is stolen, as an attacker would have to replicate the exact environment and behavioral attributes employed and learned from the user without any knowledge as to the factors that constitute them because the factors are not maintained by the system.
US09992013B2 System and method for providing defence to a cryptographic device against side-channel attacks targeting the extended euclidean algorithm during decryption operations
A system, method and computer-readable storage medium for decrypting a code c using a modified Extended Euclidean Algorithm (EEA) having an iteration loop independent of the Hamming weight of inputs to the EEA and performing a fixed number of operations regardless of the inputs to the EEA thereby protecting a cryptographic device performing the decryption from side-channel attacks.
US09992011B1 Receiver with coherent matched filter
In one implementation, a receiver has a module to calculate the cross-correlation between a portion of a digital representation of a received signal and a reference signal. The receiver also has a module to generate an estimate of a portion of a message potentially included in the digital representation of the received signal and a screening module to determine the likelihood that the received signal includes a message. For a received signal that is determined likely to include a message, the receiver includes a carrier refinement module to shift the frequency of carrier pulses in the digital representation of the received signal toward a desired frequency and to align the phase of carrier pulses in the digital representation of the received signal with a desired phase and a coherent matched filter to recover the message from the digital representation of the received signal.
US09992009B2 Method and apparatus for performing uplink transmissions in a wireless communications system
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for performing uplink transmission in a wireless communications system. A mobile terminal is provided with a set of available transport formats by receiving at least one UL grant comprising a transport format indication pointing to one or more transport formats. The mobile terminal then selects a suitable transport format from the set, for example in dependence on propagation channel conditions, for transmission of a scheduled transmission.
US09992008B2 Creating library of interferers
A system includes a method for detecting a signal interference in a communication signal of a wireless communication system. An identified source of the signal interference is determined according to an interference profile of a plurality of interference profiles associated with an interference profile library having information that approximates characteristics of the signal interference. The signal interference of the communication signal is mitigated according to an interference parameter associated with the identified source by filtering the communication signal according to the interference parameter.
US09992007B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting uplink control information in multi-carrier wireless communication system
A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting and receiving Uplink Control Information (UCI) in a wireless communication system. The method includes generating the UCI including at least one of channel quality indicator (CQI) information and hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) information; identifying, if the terminal is configured with a plurality of serving cells, a serving cell among the plurality of serving cells based on information on a cell index of the serving cell; and transmitting the UCI on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) of the identified serving cell.
US09992005B2 Method, base station, and user equipment for feeding back ACK/NACK information for carrier aggregation
The present invention provides a method, a base station, and a user equipment for feeding back ACK/NACK information for carrier aggregation. The method includes: configuring a common field preset in DCI as at least one type of command field related to ACK/NACK feedback of at least two types of command fields related to ACK/NACK feedback, where the common field can be configured as the command fields related to ACK/NACK feedback; and sending the DCI to a user equipment, so that the user equipment feeds back ACK/NACK information according to the DCI. The present invention may realize backward compatibility of the ACK/NACK information feedback with an LTE system in carrier aggregation.
US09992004B2 Code block cluster level HARQ
Methods, systems, and devices are described for wireless communication. Wireless devices may exchange data using Medium Access Control (MAC) layer units known as transport blocks. The transport blocks may be partitioned into code block clusters (CBCs), each of which may include one or more code blocks. A receiving device may attempt to decode a transport block and send acknowledgement (ACK) and negative-acknowledgment (NACK) information to the transmitting device based on the whether each CBC was successfully decoded. The transmitting device may retransmit a redundancy version of a CBC for each NACK received. The transmitting device may group CBCs in segments of a transport block according to redundancy version. In some cases, the transmitting device may send a control message in a control channel which indicates the composition of the transport block.
US09992002B2 User terminal, radio access network, and communication control method
A user terminal according to a first feature performs uplink communication with a radio access network by simultaneously using a plurality of carriers. The plurality of carriers include a first carrier used for mobility control of the user terminal, and a second carrier that provides radio communication in coordination with the first carrier. The first carrier includes a first physical uplink control channel region provided at each of both end portions in a frequency direction of the first carrier. The second carrier includes a second physical uplink control channel region provided at a center frequency side of the second carrier away from each of both end portions in a frequency direction of the second carrier.
US09992001B2 Interference measurement pilot tones
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to interference measurement pilot tones in communication systems. In some implementations, a method includes identifying, by a transmitting device, a pilot pattern for transmission in a plurality of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols over a wireless local area network (WLAN) channel, the pilot pattern including an interference measurement pilot tone, wherein the interference measurement pilot tone is located at a specified frequency and time location in the plurality of OFDM symbols, the interference measurement pilot tone including a null tone that facilitates a receiving device to measure interference; and transmitting, by the transmitting device, the pilot pattern in the plurality of OFDM symbols over the WLAN channel. The pilot pattern can further include a regular, nonzero pilot tone that facilitates the receiving device to measure a frequency drift or a phase noise.
US09991995B2 Multiuser signaling and access request mechanisms
In an example of wireless communications, an access point (AP) may send a first trigger frame to multiple stations. In response, some or all of the stations may transmit their respective uplink frames to the AP. The uplink frames may include status information of the stations such as buffered data size. The AP may send a second trigger frame, including resource allocation assignments to inform stations which sub-bands may be used to send their payloads to the AP. The AP may allocate sub-bands to stations based on the status information of the station. The AP may allocate a relatively narrow sub-band to one or more stations when the status information is not known to the AP. Status information may be provided in certain control fields of a data frame. Random access may be provided by assigning a sub-band to multiple stations. Other methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09991994B1 Method and terminal device for reducing image distortion
A method and terminal device for reducing an image distortion are provided. The terminal device generates a radio frequency signal from a first path that includes first and second low pass filters of in-phase and quadrature phase paths, produces a decomposed signal having in-phase and quadrature phase components in digital form based on the radio frequency signal, and determines a phase mismatch between the in-phase and quadrature phase components. Then the terminal device generates a bandwidth adjustment value based on the determined phase mismatch, further generates, based on the bandwidth adjustment value, first and second bandwidth control signals; and adjusts a bandwidth of first and second low pass filters based on the first and second bandwidth control signals to reduce the phase mismatch.
US09991993B2 Time offset validation of components with independent silicon clocks
In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there is provided systems and methods for time offset validation of components with independent silicon clocks. A requesting component includes transmission logic to transmit timing protocol requests to a responding component, receiving logic to receive timing protocol responses, replay detection logic to detect a retransmission of a timing protocol message and to set an internal timing state of the requesting component as invalid, and validation logic to detect at least two consecutive timing protocol dialogs and set the internal timing state of the requesting component as valid. A responding component includes receiving logic, transmission logic, replay detection logic to detect a retransmission of a timing protocol message and set an internal timing state of the responding component as invalid, and validation logic to detect at least two consecutive timing protocol dialogs and set the internal timing state of the responding component as valid.
US09991991B2 Signal processing method and base station
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a signal processing method and a base station. The method may include: performing, by a base station, packet assembly, code modulation, and multi-antenna processing on downlink channel data, so as to form antenna port signals. The method may also include performing, by the base station, orthogonal transform on the antenna port signals according to a preset matrix used for orthogonal transform, and simultaneously sending, by the base station, orthogonally transformed antenna port signals to user equipment by using different antennas, where cells covered by the different antennas have a same cell identity.
US09991990B1 Sequence detection
Calculating path metrics, associated with respective states of an n-state trellis, by accumulating branch metrics in a sequence detector. Each path metric is represented by N bits plus a wrap-around bit for indicating wrap-around of the N-bit value of that path metric.
US09991989B2 Soft hybrid automatic repeat request
Methods, systems, and devices for soft hybrid automatic repeat request operation in wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) may fail to decode a received signal, for example. The UE may store a portion of the signal in a buffer if the signal size is greater than the buffer size; otherwise, the UE may store the entire signal in the buffer. The UE may then receive a second signal and combine the second signal with the stored portion of the first signal; the combined signal may be larger than the buffer size. This combined signal may, for example, have a code rate less than the first signal. The UE may perform a second decoding attempt on the combined signal. The UE may determine that the second decoding attempt failed and may store a portion of the combined signal in the buffer.
US09991988B2 Systems and methods for pilot signal and control data retransmission
Historical decoding can be performed in accordance with pilot signal retransmission or control information retransmission to reduce the amount network resources consumed during data recovery. In one example, historical decoding is achieved through retransmitting a sub-set of coded bits carried by an earlier transmission, which are compared with a corresponding portion of the original signal (stored in memory) to obtain improved channel state information (CSI) relating to that earlier transmission. In another example, historical decoding is achieved through communicating parity information related to a sub-set of the coded bits carried by an earlier transmission, which are used in accordance with a data aided CSI technique to obtain the improved CSI relating to that earlier transmission. In yet another example, historical decoding is achieved by re-transmitting control information carried by an earlier transmission, which is used to decode an original signal (stored in memory).
US09991984B2 Signal coding for improved spectral quality
A satellite communications system can use a spread-spectrum waveform and format, a synchronization scheme, and/or a power management algorithm. This approach can provide benefits such as allowing every terminal to communicate with every other terminal, link margin permitting. This gives the network a mesh topology although it can be configured in a star topology for highly asymmetric applications. A further understanding of the nature and the advantages of particular embodiments disclosed herein may be realized by reference of the remaining portions of the specification and the attached drawings.
US09991981B2 Method for operating a node of a communications network, a node and a communications network
A method for operating a node in a communications network comprises the following steps: The node receives a reference time via the communications network. A transmit clock of the node, which was determined for an earlier clock cycle on the basis of a local clock of the node, is compared with the reference time. The local clock of the node is corrected on the basis of the comparison result. On the basis of the corrected local clock a transmit clock is determined to be used by the node for the current clock cycle.
US09991980B2 Apparatus and methods for tracking and analyzing digital recording device event sequences
Methods and apparatus for tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device are disclosed. An example method involves monitoring data conveyed via a data bus communicatively coupled to a processor and a data storage device associated with the digital media device. The example method also involves identifying event information associated with the digital media device based on the data and identifying the viewing information based on the event information.
US09991974B2 Transmitter, integrated circuit, detection section and method for testing integrated circuit
An integrated circuit according to the present invention includes a transmission circuit that transmits a millimeter wave signal, a detection section that detects the millimeter wave signal, an output terminal connected to an output of the transmission circuit via a first wire, a detection terminal provided adjacent to the output terminal and connected to an input of the detection section via a second wire, a first grounding terminal provided adjacent to the output terminal and connected to the transmission circuit via a first grounding wire for grounding the transmission circuit and a second grounding terminal provided adjacent to the detection terminal and connected to the detection section via a second grounding wire for grounding the detection section, wherein the first grounding wire and the second grounding wire are arranged around the first wire and the second wire.
US09991972B1 Remote radio head calibration
Embodiments herein describe calibrating a plurality of radio heads having a plurality of wireless antennas. In one embodiment, the plurality of radio heads communicate a calibration signal in a round robin fashion such that each of the radio heads communicates a respective calibration signal to the remaining radio heads. In one embodiment, at least one of the radio heads is isolated from the remaining radio heads. The received calibration signals are then used to calibrate the radio heads. In one embodiment, a controller coupled with the plurality of radio heads calibrates the radio heads. The calibrated radio heads then communicate to one or more client devices.
US09991970B2 Transferring data via audio link
Transferring data via audio link is described. In an example a short sequence of data can be transferred between two devices by encoding the sequence of data as an audio sequence. For example, the audio sequence may be a sequence of tones which vary in dependence on the encoded data. The sequence of data may be encoded by a first device and transmitted using a loudspeaker associated with the first device. At least one mobile communications device can be used to capture the audio sequence, for example using a microphone, and to decode the sequence, retrieving the data encoded therein. In some examples the encoded data may comprise a shortened URL or other information which can be used to control one or more aspects of the capture device.
US09991967B1 Front end characterization of coherent receiver
Techniques are described for characterizing a receiver front end of a pluggable optical module. The pluggable optical module receives an optical signal that includes a first portion having a first polarization and a second portion having a second polarization. The first portion and second portion are not coherent with one another and the power of the first portion and second portion is equal.
US09991959B2 Frequency comparison and phase synchronization in optical signals
An optical oscillator 10 combines optical signals L1′ and L2 to generate an optical signal L3. The optical signal L1′ includes light waves W1′ and W2′ having frequencies spaced apart by a frequency difference Δf1. The optical signal L2 includes light waves W3 and W4 having frequencies spaced apart by a frequency difference Δf2. The optical oscillator 10 separates the optical signal L3 into optical signals L4 and L5, wherein the optical signal L4 includes the light waves W1′ and W3 and the optical signal L5 includes the light waves W2′ and W4. The optical oscillator 10 compares the frequency differences Δf1 and Δf2 based on frequency difference Δf3 between the light waves W1′ and W3 included in the optical signal L4 and frequency difference Δf4 between the light waves W2′ and W4 included in the optical signal L5.
US09991956B2 System and method for communication with a mobile device via a positioning system including RF communication devices and modulated beacon light sources
A light source emits a modulated light, and a radio-frequency transceiver disposed therewith emits a radio-frequency signal. A mobile device may receive either or both signals and determine its position based thereon. The light and radio-frequency sources may be disposed in node in a network of said sources, and the nodes may communicate via the radio-frequency transceivers.
US09991951B2 Peer state transfer among satellite devices
Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying applications in satellites. In one example, a satellite device includes a communication interface and a virtualized execution system. The virtualized execution system is configured to receive state information via the communication interface from at least a peer satellite device related to execution of one or more software payloads by the peer satellite device, and execute one or more virtual nodes based at least on the state information.
US09991949B2 Experimental smartphone ground station grid system and method
This system and method provides for a plurality of satellite ground stations, distributed across some geographic region, and for these regions in turn to be scalable to cover large regions or even the globe using a combination of low-orbit satellites, terrestrial participant devices, and cloud-based communications. The invention in its simplest form is intended to solve the short temporal window problem inherent to the scenario where a single base or ground station is trying to track and communicate with a low-end LEOSAT or even a cube-satellite.
US09991947B1 Self-calibration of a communications device for transmit power level control
The present disclosure is directed to a method for calibrating a communications device. The method may include the step of determining a first coefficient based on correction data obtained by the transition from an initial open loop power operation to a power level of a closed loop operation. The method may also include the step of determining a second coefficient of transmitter gain based on the power of one or more transmissions by the communications device. A further step of the method may include determining a strength of a downlink signal received by the communications device from a satellite computed from knowledge of a receiver gain represented by the first coefficient. The method may also include the step of determining a transmit power level for the communications device based on the strength of the downlink signal, the first coefficient, and the second coefficient of transmitter gain.
US09991945B2 Device and method for air-to-ground communication of aircraft
A device for air-to-ground communication between an aircraft and a ground station, said aircraft and said ground station each having antennas for directional radio data transmission. The data transmission is performed in a frequency band from 60 GHz to 90 GHz and the antenna of the ground station transmits and receives data exclusively in a range of angles α of at least 5 degrees in the upward direction relative to the horizontal plane.
US09991941B1 Beamforming scheme for phased-array antennas
A plurality of received signals are received at a first communication device, the plurality of received signals corresponding to at least one training signal having been transmitted by a second communication device a plurality of times via a plurality of antennas by the second communication device applying a respective antenna weight vector from a plurality of different antenna weight vectors each time the at least one training signal is transmitted. The first communication device generates a transmitter antenna weight vector based on a mathematical combination of at least i) the plurality of received signals, ii) the antenna weight vectors applied by the second communication device when transmitting the at least one training signal the plurality of times, and iii) the at least one training signal. The first communication device transmits the transmitter antenna weight vector to the second communication device.
US09991933B2 Attenuator and signal generator for stepwise attenuating a radio frequency signal
The invention relates to an attenuator for stepwise attenuating a radio frequency signal. The attenuator comprises a first attenuation module that is configured to stepwise attenuate a radio frequency signal within a first signal frequency range. The attenuator comprises a second attenuation module that is configured to stepwise attenuate a radio frequency signal with a second signal frequency range, wherein the second attenuation module is arranged in parallel to the first attenuation module. The attenuator further comprises a switching element, wherein the switching element switches either the first attenuation module or the second attenuation module to an output node of the attenuator.
US09991922B2 Apparatus and method for supporting an article
Modular mounting systems for supportably engagement of one or more devices. The systems may include corresponding attachment members and carrier members for selective supportive engagement of one or more devices relative to a base. The attachment members and carrier members may be magnetically engageable. Various form factors for devices, base members, carrier members, attachment members, and other portions of the system are described.
US09991914B1 Bi-directional radio frequency front-end (RFFE)
Technology for a bi-directional radio frequency front-end (RFFE) architecture with high selectivity performance is described. One RFFE has a first mixer that receives a LO signal from the LO circuit and a transmit (TX) signal, having a first frequency, from a transmitter and produces a down-converted TX signal for channel bandwidth filtering, the TX signal having a second frequency that is lower than the first frequency. A programmable filter circuit, in response to a selection signal, filters the down-converted TX signal according to a selected channel bandwidth. The second mixer receives the LO signal from the LO circuit and a channel-filtered TX signal from the programmable filter circuit and produces an up-converted TX signal having the first frequency. The power amplifier amplifies the up-converted TX signal to produce an output TX signal to cause an antenna to radiate electromagnetic energy in the selected channel bandwidth.
US09991912B2 Transmitting device, receiving device and transmitting/receiving system
A transmitting device has a transmission data generating part and an output buffer part. The transmission data generating part transmits a data and a clock, which are to be transmitted to a receiving device, and outputs them to the output buffer part. The output buffer part includes a data transmitting part and a clock transmitting part. The clock transmitting part generates and transmits a clock intermittently phase-shifted. The data transmitting part transmits the data in sync with the clock transmitted from the clock transmitting part.
US09991909B2 Radio-frequency module and communication device
A radio-frequency module includes switch elements, first signal paths, band pass filters, first matching circuits, second signal paths, and second matching circuits. Each of the first signal paths is connected between one end of a corresponding one of the switch elements and an antenna terminal. Each of the band pass filters is connected to a corresponding one of the first signal paths and allows a radio-frequency signal of one of the plurality of frequency bands to pass therethrough. Each of the first matching circuits is connected to a corresponding one of the first signal paths. Each of the second signal paths is connected to a corresponding one of the switch elements. Each of the second matching circuits is connected to a corresponding one of the second signal paths. A component included in the first matching circuits and a component included in the second matching circuits are electromagnetically coupled.
US09991908B2 Blind source separation of signals having low signal-to-noise ratio
A blind source separation (BSS) system comprises means for gathering wideband signal power spectral information without using special Fourier transform hardware/software systems and without using extremely large signal memories. The method involves taking the combined energy output of a large set of BSS filters that are operating under a blind source separation algorithm that looks for signals of interest, along with instantaneous filter characteristics such as center frequency, bandwidth and spectral response, and records a weighted spread energy into a frequency- and time-based histogram. This information can then be used to compare against the BSS signal output and signal energy which does not correspond to existing signal output is added to additional BSS signal output. This system can operate in real time, but uses long-term averaging to enhance signal detection.
US09991906B2 System and method for low-power digital signal processing
A system and method for low-power digital signal processing, for example, comprising adjusting a digital representation of an input signal.
US09991903B2 Level shifter, digital-to-analog converter, and buffer amplifier, and source driver and electronic device including the same
A level shifter, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and a buffer amplifier, and a source driver and an electronic device including the same are provided. The source driver includes a level shifter configured to receive digital bits and provide a level-shifted output signal; a DAC including a resistor string configured to provide a plurality of gradation voltages formed by an upper limit voltage and a lower limit voltage being received through one end and the other end, and an N-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) switch and a P-type MOS (PMOS) switch configured to be controlled by the level-shifted output signal and output a gradation voltage corresponding to the level-shifted output signal; and an amplifier configured to amplify a signal provided by the digital-to-analog converter, and the lower limit voltage is provided to a body electrode of the NMOS switch.
US09991899B2 Digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with partial constant switching
Systems and methods are provided for adaptive configuration and control of digital-to-analog converters (DACs). Performance of a plurality of conversion elements in a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) may be assessed based on particular input conditions associated with a digital input to the DAC, and the DAC may be configured based on the assessing of performance. Each conversion element of the plurality of conversion elements handles a particular bit in the digital input. The configuring may comprise selecting a subset of the plurality of conversion elements, and setting only the subset of the plurality of conversion elements to apply a particular type of operations. The particular type of operations pertains to applying digital-to-analog conversions via the DAC, and the particular type of operations relates to or affects performance. The particular input conditions may comprise signal backoff.
US09991897B1 Sampling phase-locked loop (PLL)
Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for generating oscillating signals. For example, certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a phase-locked loop (PLL) having a first switch coupled to a sampling input node of the PLL, an integrator coupled to an output of the sampling circuit, and a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) having an input coupled to an output of the integrator. In certain aspects, the PLL may also include a feedback path coupled to an output of the VCO and a control input of the first switch.
US09991896B2 Phase locked loop circuit with charge pump up-down current mismatch adjustment and static phase error reduction
A magnitude difference between intrinsic positive and negative current components forming a PLL's charge pump output current is determined by simultaneously outputting the intrinsic positive and negative pump current components, and incrementally increasing a bias current added to one of the intrinsic current components (e.g., such that the total positive current component is gradually increased). Calibration control voltages generated by the calibration pump output current are measured to determine when magnitudes of the adjusted (e.g., positive) current component and the non-adjusted/intrinsic (e.g., negative) current component are equal, and the bias current amount required to achieve equalization is stored as a digital converter code. During subsequent normal PLL operations, the digital converter code is utilized to control the charge pump such that the magnitude of the positive current component is adjusted by the bias current amount such that the positive and negative current components are matched.
US09991892B2 Electronic device having a physical unclonable function identifier
Electronic device comprising at least: a plurality of MOSFET FD-SOI type transistors among which the first transistors are such that each first transistor comprises a channel in which a concentration of the same type of dopants as those present in the source and drain of said first transistor is greater than the concentration in the channel of each of the other transistors in said plurality of transistors; and an identification circuit capable of determining a unique identifier of the electronic device starting from at least one intrinsic electrical characteristic of each of the first transistors, the value of which depends at least partly on the conductance of said first transistor; and in which the length of a gate of each of the first transistors is less than or equal to about 20 nm.
US09991886B2 Method and apparatus for a brown out detector
The disclosure provides a detector that includes a pre-charge circuit. The pre-charge circuit receives a supply voltage. A pre-charged comparator is coupled to the pre-charge circuit and receives the supply voltage. The pre-charged comparator generates a transition signal at a transition node. A slope of the transition signal is greater than a slope of the supply voltage. A first diode connected transistor receives the supply voltage. A first capacitor is coupled to the first diode connected transistor. An inverter is coupled to the first diode connected transistor and generates an enable signal when the supply voltage is below a threshold voltage.
US09991884B2 Switching circuits having ferrite beads
A circuit includes an electronic component package that comprises at least a first lead, a III-N device in the electronic component package, a gate driver, and a ferrite bead. The III-N device comprises a drain, gate, and source, where the source is coupled to the first lead. The gate driver comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, where the first terminal is coupled to the first lead. The ferrite bead is coupled between the gate of the III-N transistor and the second terminal of the gate driver. When switching, the deleterious effects of the parasitic inductance of the circuit gate loop are mitigated by the ferrite bead.
US09991883B2 Static switch
A thyristor switch is constituted of a pair of arms connected in anti-parallel, each of the arms including a plurality of thyristors connected in series. A controller includes a phase detecting unit configured to detect a phase of a power supply voltage supplied from an alternating-current power supply, and a gate signal generating unit configured to interrupt a gate signal when an open command is provided to the static switch and the phase of the power supply voltage detected by the phase detecting unit matches a target phase. The target phase is set outside of a phase range where interruption of the gate signal is prohibited, the phase range being set so as to include a zero crossing point at which a load current is switched in polarity.
US09991882B2 Semiconductor apparatus
A semiconductor apparatus includes an internal circuit connected to a first power line to which a first power voltage is applied; a transistor including a first terminal, which is connected to a node to which an input voltage is applied, a second terminal connected to the internal circuit, and a control terminal to which a control voltage is applied; and a voltage control circuit, which is connected to the node, generating the control voltage. Further, the voltage control circuit includes a step-down circuit generating an internal voltage by lowering the input voltage applied to the node, and a switching circuit, which is connected to the first power line, generating the control voltage based on the first power voltage and the internal voltage.
US09991878B2 Cross-point shifting techniques
This disclosure describes techniques for shifting the cross-point of a digital signal in an optical transmitter. The cross-point shifting techniques may use multiple differential transconductors with their common polarity outputs coupled together to shift the cross-point of a signal. Using multiple differential transconductors in this manner may increase the balance between the positive and negative polarities of the resulting cross-point shifted signal relative to other types of cross-point shifting techniques, which may improve the quality of an optical signal generated by an optical transmitter.
US09991871B2 Bulk acoustic wave resonator comprising a ring
An acoustic resonator includes a first electrode disposed over a substrate; a piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode; and a second electrode disposed over the piezoelectric layer; a passivation layer disposed over the second electrode; and a ring disposed between the substrate and the passivation layer.
US09991869B2 Temperature compensated compound resonator
The invention concerns microelectromechanical resonators. In particular, the invention provides a resonator comprising a support structure, a doped semiconductor resonator suspended to the support structure by at least one anchor, and actuator for exciting resonance into the resonator. According to the invention, the resonator comprises a base portion and at least one protrusion extending outward from the base portion and is excitable by said actuator into a compound resonance mode having temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) characteristics, which are contributed by both the base portion and the at least one protrusion. The invention enables simple resonators, which are very well temperature compensated over a wide temperature range.
US09991862B2 Audio system equalizing
Processes and devices for equalizing an audio system that is adapted to use a loudspeaker to transduce test audio signals into test sounds. The processes and devices can involve the use of infrared signals to convey information in one or both directions between the audio system and a portable computer device that captures test sounds, calculates audio parameters that can be used in the equalization process, and transmits these audio parameters back to the audio system for its use in equalizing audio signals that are played by the audio system.
US09991861B2 System and method for controlled dynamics adaptation for musical content
According to a preferred aspect, there is provided a system and method for controlled dynamics adaptation of audio works. The dynamics complexity of the audio is adapted depending on the listening environment and its dynamics properties. The instant invention utilizes a function of stepwise linear and logarithmical sections, which describe individual points of a curve and which therefore with the use of a parameter can be utilized to calculate and control the target value of the loudness range. The curve points are stored and provided as metadata of the musical program, which allows the dynamics scaling functionality to be implemented dynamically and not tied to a certain time or place.
US09991851B1 Multi-mode radio frequency (RF) power amplifier circuit
A multi-mode radio frequency (RF) power amplifier circuit is disclosed. The multi-mode RF power amplifier circuit can operate in a low-resource block (RB) mode and a high-RB mode. The multi-mode RF power amplifier circuit includes a driver stage power amplifier and an output stage power amplifier to amplify an RF input signal and generate an RF output signal. A control circuit is configured to provide a constant envelope voltage and an envelope tracking (ET) supply voltage to the driver stage power amplifier and the output stage power amplifier, respectively, in the high-RB mode. As a result, it is possible to optimize RF performance and reduce sensitivity of the driver stage power amplifier and the output stage power amplifier in the high-RB mode, without increasing costs and footprint of the multi-mode RF power amplifier circuit.
US09991843B2 Contacts for Junction Boxes on Solar Panels
A connection box with reliable and yet inexpensive contacts for solar panels to enable the use of multiple types of passive and active covers for different functionalities in the junction box built into the panel.
US09991841B2 Self-cleaning solar power system
A photovoltaic (PV) module cleaning system can include a robotic cleaning device and a support system. The support system can be configured to provide a metered fill to the robotic cleaning device.
US09991833B2 Control device for rotating electric machine
A control device for rotating electric machine, which controls a rotating electric machine as a charging electric generator, using an inverter circuit, the control device including: an energization amount generating unit for generating a first electric generation mode in which an energization amount for a field winding and an energization amount for an armature winding of the rotating electric machine are controlled and the inverter circuit is driven to perform electric generation, and a second electric generation mode in which an energization amount for the field winding is controlled to perform electric generation; and an energization signal generating unit for, on the basis of variation-related information relevant to variation in one of electric generation torque and electric generation current of the rotating electric machine, performing switching between the first electric generation mode and the second electric generation mode, and generating energization signals for the field winding and the armature winding.
US09991824B2 Self powered optical system
Apparatus for a self-powered optical transmitter system. One such system includes an inductor, a power converter, an optical driver, and an optical transducer. A magnet interacting with the inductor generates and EMF that is applied to the power converter, which provides power for the optical transducer. In various embodiments, the power converter includes a voltage multiplier, such as a semiconductor circuit or a transformer, and/or a Zener diode to limit the voltage applied to the optical transducer. The optical driver is either inherent in the power converter or a separate circuit such as one including a processor. The processor has at least one input and produces an output that modulates the optical transducer.
US09991821B2 Transformerless multiple output capable power supply system
An energy efficient apparatus includes a switching device, a frequency dependent reactive device, and a control element is provided. The switching device is coupled to a source of electrical power and includes a pair of transistors and is adapted to receive a control signal and to produce an alternating current power signal. The frequency of the alternating current power signal is responsive to the control signal. The frequency dependent reactive device is electrically coupled to the pair of transistors for receiving the alternating current power signal and producing an output power signal. The frequency dependent reactive device is chosen to achieve a desired voltage of the output power signal relative to the frequency of the alternating current power signal. The control element senses an actual voltage of the direct current power signal and modifies the control signal delivered to achieve the desired voltage of the direct current power signal.
US09991818B2 Apparatuses and related methods for a wireless power receiver using coupled inductors
A wireless power enabled apparatus includes a wireless power receiver. The wireless power receiver includes one or more receive coils configured to generate an AC power signal responsive to a wireless power signal. The wireless power receiver also includes two or more inductors configured with tightly coupled windings that share a common leakage inductance. Switching circuits are included such that each switching circuit is operably coupled to a corresponding one of the inductors. Control logic is configured to operate switches of the switching circuits such that each of the switching circuits and its corresponding two or more inductors are operated to shift between an energy storage mode for one or more phases of a switching period and an energy transfer mode for other phases of the switching period and the phases combine to comprise an entirety of the switching period.
US09991815B2 Power conversion apparatus
A power conversion apparatus is provided with a bus bar connecting a cable connected to an external power supply or load and an internal circuit. To provide this power conversion apparatus with a wiring structure for noise propagation suppression without use of a filter circuit element that causes increase in the volume of the apparatus, the bus bar is provided with an electromagnetic band gap structure. Electromagnetic noise is thereby suppressed from propagating from the power conversion apparatus to the power supply or the load via the cable.
US09991807B2 Apparatus and method for driving synchronous rectifier
Provided is apparatus and a method for driving synchronous rectifiers, which relate to the field of power supplies for communications. The apparatus includes: detection circuits, wherein each of the detection circuits is configured to detect drain and source voltages of one of synchronous rectifiers to obtain a detection signal for indicating a current direction in the one of the synchronous rectifiers; an isolated driving circuit, configured to generate isolated driving signals for driving the synchronous rectifiers according to the detection signals output by the detection circuits; and the synchronous rectifiers, configured to synchronously rectify input signals from a main transformer by using the isolated driving signals. The present disclosure can obtain the isolated driving signals of the synchronous rectifiers simply and effectively, and has a superior protective feature in case of shoot-through and other abnormalities.
US09991799B2 Switch mode power supplies including primary side clamping circuits controlled based on secondary side signals
A switch mode power supply includes an input, an output, and a power converter coupled between the input and the output. The power converter includes a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side, and a clamping circuit. The clamping circuit has a switching device coupled to the primary side of the transformer. The power supply further includes a control circuit coupled to the switching device. The control circuit includes at least one isolation component. The control circuit is configured to receive a signal from the secondary side of the transformer via the at least one isolation component, and control the switching device coupled to the primary side of the transformer in response to the signal received from the secondary side of the transformer via the at least one isolation component. Other example power supplies, power converters, control circuits, etc. are also disclosed.
US09991797B2 Semiconductor element drive apparatus
A semiconductor element drive apparatus for driving first and second semiconductor elements connected to a half-bridge circuit at respectively an upper-level side and a lower-level side of the half-bridge circuit. The semiconductor element drive apparatus includes a high-side circuit and a low-side circuit for respectively driving the first and second semiconductor elements. The high-side circuit includes a voltage drop detection unit that detects an abnormal voltage drop of a voltage of a main power supply, a pulse generation circuit that generates a pulse signal, a frequency of which is decreased in response to the abnormal voltage drop detected by the voltage drop detection unit, and a level-down circuit that receives the pulse signal from the pulse generation circuit, generates an abnormality signal, and transmits the abnormality signal to the low-side circuit, to thereby notify the low-side circuit of the abnormal voltage drop in the high-side circuit.
US09991796B2 Switch drive circuit
A switch drive circuit includes a high-side power supply section, a latch circuit, a high-side driver, a low-side driver, and a high-side switch control circuit. The latch circuit latches a logical level of a high-side switching signal at the time of performing switching of a high-side switch. The high-side driver drives the high-side switch by the high-side switching signal outputted from the latch circuit. The low-side driver drives a low-side switch by a low-side switching signal. The high-side switch control circuit sets, at the time of stopping the switching of the high-side switch, a stop established state in which the logical level of the high-side switching signal is fixed at a stop logic level, and releases the stop established state at the time of performing the switching of the high-side switch.
US09991793B2 Power supply circuit and control method for the same
According to one embodiment, a power supply circuit is adapted to turn on a switching transistor connected between an input terminal and an output node and supply current via an inductor to a capacitor connected to the output node, so as to obtain an output voltage from an output terminal connected to the capacitor. A detection signal according to current flowing in the inductor or a detection signal according to a comparison result between the output voltage and a reference voltage are detected at a predetermined time, and an ON-time of the transistor is controlled in accordance with the detection signal.
US09991787B2 Fast startup control circuit for switch mode power supply
A control circuit for a switch mode power supply (SMPS) includes a power switch for coupling to a primary winding of the power supply and a startup resistor coupled to an external input voltage and to a control terminal of the power switch. The control circuit also includes a controller. During startup, the controller is configured to cause the power switch to amplify a startup current from an external input voltage through the startup resistor and provide a startup power to the controller. During normal operation, the controller is configured to provide a power switch control signal to turn on and off the power switch for controlling a current flow in the primary winding and regulating an output of the power supply. The controller is configured to provide a current signal for driving an NPN power switch and to provide a voltage signal for driving an NMOS power switch.
US09991786B2 Power control device and method thereof
An embodiment relates to a power control device and a technology capable of stably supplying power when an electrical fuse boots up. The power control device includes a power supply unit, a power driving unit, and an electrical fuse unit. The power supply unit generates a driving signal from a power supply voltage when a control signal is activated. The power driving unit outputs the driving signal when the control signal is activated. The electrical fuse unit generates, when a boot-up enable signal is activated, a clock signal by performing a boot-up operation in response to the driving signal outputted from the power driving unit.
US09991784B2 Dynamic current limit circuit
A system is disclosed which provides a dynamic current limit circuit that accurately defines both the lower and the upper limits for the current limit. The circuit ensures both the lower and upper current limits are well-controlled. The lower current limit is matched to the normal pulse-frequency modulation (PFM) limit, and the upper current limit is matched to the pulse-width modulation (PWM) limit. This implementation has several key benefits, including making the peak current limit accurate in both sync and dynamic sleep modes. If the scheme is carefully designed, the dynamic sleep current limit gives the best load transient response.
US09991782B2 Control of conversion ratios of a power source block and bidirectional active filter
Methods, systems and apparatuses for voltage regulation are disclosed. For an embodiment, a voltage regulator includes a power source block configured to convert an input voltage to an output voltage to supply current to an output load, a storage capacitor, and an active filter configured to transfer energy between the output load and the storage capacitor. A conversion ratio of the active filter is controlled by a parameter related to the output voltage, and a conversion ratio of the power source block is at least partially controlled by a parameter related to the voltage on the storage capacitor.
US09991778B2 Balancing current within a modular converter system
To provide current balancing between paralleled first and second inverter units of a modular converter system, a system controller is configured to determine a gate driver offset value based on respective voltages at the phase output nodes of the first and second inverter units. The system controller controls gate drivers for the first and second inverter units based on the determined gate driver offset value. In turn, the gate drivers drive the first and second inverter units with subsequent drive signals such that the amounts of current provided by the first and second inverter units when producing an in-phase power output are balanced.
US09991771B2 Active control system for a variable electromotive-force generator with applications to wind turbines, ships, and hybrid vehicles
This invention relates to an active control system for a variable electromotive-force generator (VEG) for use in wind turbines, ships, hybrid vehicles, and related applications.
US09991770B2 Spring post for brush card for a power tool
An electric motor is provided including a stator and an armature rotatably received within the stator, the armature having an armature shaft on which a commutator is mounted. The motor also includes a brush assembly having a brush card mount disposed around the commutator, a brush holder mounted on a surface of the brush card mount, and a brush disposed within the brush holder in sliding contact with the commutator to supply electric current to the commutator. A torsion spring is secured to the brush card mount adjacent the brush holder, the spring having a leg arranged to engage the back surface of the brush. A spring stop post is disposed proximate an outer periphery of the brush card mount to limit an outward movement of the leg of the spring away from the back surface of the brush.
US09991768B2 Windscreen wiper motor and suppression assembly for a windscreen wiper motor
A windscreen wiper motor with a housing is disclosed. In the housing, an armature shaft is arranged with a commutator which cooperates with carbon elements arranged in the region of a carbon holder plate, which elements are connected in an electrically conducting manner with voltage supply lines via electrical connections, preferably in the form of carbon strands. The voltage supply lines are connected with the electrical connections via a suppression device arranged at least substantially in a suppression housing, which is connected with the carbon holder plate, and the voltage supply lines are connected with at least one plug connection element, which is able to be connected to a plug connection region of the housing with mating plug connectors on the vehicle side.
US09991767B2 Head end power module having two inverters
The present disclosure is directed to a method for generating power for a machine. The method may include inverting a common power at a first location and outputting a first inverted power. The method may further include inverting the common power at a second location, outputting a second inverted power, and shifting an operational phase of the second inverted power so that the first inverted power and the second inverted power are in phase. The method may further include passing the first inverted power to a transformer, passing the second inverted power to the transformer, and transforming the first inverted power and the second inverted power to a transformed power.
US09991764B2 Cooling structure of oil cooling motor
A cooling structure of an oil cooling motor may include a housing, a front cover and a rear cover each mounted at both sides of a housing along a length direction of the housing, a rotor shaft extending through the housing and have both ends rotatably supported by bearings of the front cover and the rear cover, a rotor disposed in the housing and rotatably supported by the rotor shaft, a front oil supply groove and a rear oil supply groove formed on opposing inner sides of the front cover and the rear cover and configured to temporarily store oil stored in a bottom of the housing and scattered by churning of the rotor, and a front cover passage and a rear cover passage configured to communicate with the front oil supply groove and the rear oil supply groove, respectively.
US09991760B2 Drive device for vehicle
A vehicular drive system is provided with at least one electric motor and a helical gear portion which are accommodated within a casing formed by a plurality of casing members fixed to each other, wherein: said casing includes a first casing member to which a stator of each of said at least one electric motor is fixed, and a second casing member which is fixed to said first casing member so as to cooperate with said first casing member to form a space accommodating said at least one electric motor and which has a support portion supporting said helical gear portion; and a rotor of said each electric motor is rotatably supported at opposite ends thereof by said first casing member and said second casing member, respectively, while said helical gear portion is rotatably supported by said second casing member through said support portion.
US09991759B2 Multi-directional air cooling of a motor using radially mounted fan and axial/circumferential cooling fins
An airflow system may comprise a fan radially mounted on a motor with a first plurality of fins surrounding the motor disposed to provide airflow in a first direction, and a second plurality of fins surrounding the motor disposed to provide airflow in a second direction. A housing may surround the plurality of fins.
US09991756B2 Stator, motor and compressor
A stator for a motor of a compressor includes a stator core, insulator, coil, slot insulator, and inter-coil insulator. The stator core has a plurality of tooth portions arrayed circumferentially. The insulator is fitted to axial end faces of the stator core. The coil is wound on the tooth portions. The slot insulator is placed within slot portions that are spaces between circumferentially neighboring ones of the tooth portions, and which are interposed between the stator core and the coil. The inter-coil insulator is placed between circumferentially mutually neighboring windings of the coil. The inter-coil insulator is sheet shaped and folded over a width equal to double a sheet thickness at a folding-bottom portion extending along an axial direction. The folding-bottom portion is positioned on a distal end side of the tooth portions. Movement of the folding-bottom portion in a radial direction toward the rotor is restricted.
US09991752B1 Wireless power feeding method
A direction of the first power transmission antenna is detected in a power transmission stop state from the slave power transmission apparatus after detection of a power reception apparatus, by using a master power transmission apparatus including a first power transmission device and a first power transmission antenna and a slave power transmission apparatus including a second power transmission device and a plurality of the second power transmission antennas, a second power transmission antenna in which an amount of electric power received by the power reception apparatus becomes maximum is detected in the power transmission stop state from the master power transmission apparatus, and a phase of at least one power transmission radio wave of the master power transmission apparatus and the slave power transmission apparatus is adjusted to a phase in which the amount of the electric power received by the power reception apparatus becomes maximum.
US09991743B2 System and method for providing wireless power in a removable wireless charging module
A wireless charging module includes an antenna and a wireless charger module. An enclosure is configured to fit at least partially within an optical drive bay of an information handling system. The antenna is disposed within a plastic lower portion of the enclosure. The plastic lower portion of the enclosure is configured to enable the antenna to wirelessly receive power from a wireless charging pad. The wireless charger module is disposed within the enclosure, and is configured to provide power to the information handling system.
US09991742B2 Zero voltage switching half-bridge converters
A power converter comprises a primary switch network coupled to a power source, wherein the primary switch network comprises a plurality of power switches, a controller configured to generate gate drive signals for the plurality of power switches, a secondary rectifier coupled to an output, a first transformer having a first winding coupled to the primary switch network, a second winding coupled to the secondary rectifier and a third winding coupled to the controller and a second transformer having a fourth winding coupled to the primary switch network, a fifth winding coupled to the secondary rectifier and a sixth winding coupled to the controller, wherein a voltage signal from the third winding and/or the sixth winding is processed to provide a feedback of a voltage at the output.
US09991741B1 System for tracking and reporting status and usage information in a wireless power management system
The embodiments described herein include a transmitter that transmits a power transmission signal (e.g., radio frequency (RF) signal waves) to create a three-dimensional pocket of energy. At least one receiver can be connected to or integrated into electronic devices and receive power from the pocket of energy. A wireless power network may include a plurality of wireless power transmitters each with an embedded wireless power transmitter manager, including a wireless power manager application. The wireless power network may include a plurality of client devices with wireless power receivers. Wireless power receivers may include a power receiver application configured to communicate with the wireless power manager application. The wireless power manager application may include a device database where information about the wireless power network may be stored.
US09991738B2 Powering a plurality of dispensers
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for providing power to a plurality of dispensers. For example, a supply coupler, such as an alternating current to direct current power converter, is coupled to an energy storage component and/or a load coupler of a power distribution apparatus. The supply coupler provides power over the load coupler to one or more dispensers for operation. The supply coupler provides power to the energy storage component for energy storage. Responsive to a load on the power distribution apparatus exceeding a supply current of the power provided by the supply coupler (e.g., multiple dispensers may attempt to perform concurrent dispense events), the energy storage component may discharge energy to provide additional power to one or more dispensers to facilitate concurrent dispense events. Because the power distribution apparatus may connect to multiple dispensers, a cord management device may be used for power cord management.
US09991737B2 Portable propane-fueled battery charger
System and method for a portable propane-fueled battery charger. One system includes a battery charger including a propane fuel line and an engine including an output shaft. The engine is configured to receive propane via the propane fuel line and rotationally drive the output shaft. The battery charger further includes an alternator including a rotor and stator coils. The output shaft is mechanically coupled to the rotor, and the rotor is rotationally driven by the output shaft. An electrical current is induced in the stator coils by rotation of the rotor. The battery charger further includes an electrical circuit that receives the electrical current and is configured to determine when a battery pack is coupled to a battery connector, and charge the battery pack.
US09991734B2 Multiband wireless power system
The present disclosure relates to a module for relaying power wirelessly to a device implanted in a user. The module may include a structure adapted to be worn by the user, a receiver configured to receive a first wireless power transmission at a first frequency, a transmitter configured to transmit a second wireless power transmission at a second frequency different from the first frequency, and a frequency changer configured to convert energy generated by the first wireless power transmission into energy for generating the second wireless power transmission. Each of the receiver, transmitter and frequency changer may be disposed on or in the structure.
US09991732B2 Contactless battery system utilizing a bidirectional power converter
A bidirectional power converter circuit is controlled via a hysteresis loop such that the bidirectional power converter circuit can compensate for variations and even changes in transmit and receive coil locations without damaging components of the system. Because the bidirectional power converter is capable of both transmitting and receiving power (at different times), one circuit and board may be used as the main component in multiple wireless power converter designs. A first bidirectional power converter is employed in a sealed battery unit having no external electrical contacts. A second bidirectional power converter is employed in a corresponding cart bidirectional power converter assembly. The battery unit and the cart bidirectional power converter assembly cooperate to wirelessly transmit power from the battery unit to a load of the cart bidirectional power converter assembly and from a power source to the battery unit via the cart bidirectional power converter assembly.
US09991728B2 Monitoring system for energy storage system
A monitoring system for an energy storage system is provided. The monitoring system for an energy storage system includes a power conversion system controlling charging and discharging of a battery; a charging control unit receiving data from the power conversion system and controlling the power conversion system; and a system control unit receiving data from the charging control unit and transmitting control data to the charging control unit, wherein the system control unit and the charging control unit transmit and receive data according to a priority if data traffic is equal to or higher than a certain level, and when the data traffic is the equal to or higher than the certain level, the charging control unit transmits data to the system control unit only if control data is not transmitted from the system control unit.
US09991719B2 Systems and methods for reducing circulating current and phase to phase imbalance in a parallel modular converter system
A system and method for providing power to a vehicle with reduced circulating current and phase-top-phase imbalance is disclosed. The system can include a plurality of parallel module converter for prioritizing and allocating each electrical load to one or more parallel modular converter modules. The system can also comprise a load balancer to ensure that differences in the properties (e.g., impedance) of the parallel modular converter modules do not create circulating currents or phase-to-phase imbalances. The load balancer can monitor the outputs to the plurality of parallel modular converter modules and modify the inputs to equalize, synchronize, or both the outputs.
US09991704B2 Power supply apparatus and power supply method
A power supply apparatus including a master power converter and a slave power converter is provided. The master power converter generates a main power having a working voltage level. The slave power converter generates an auxiliary power. According to its operation state, the master power converter provides a corresponding control signal to the slave power converter. If the master power converter determines the operation state is a first operation state, the slave power converter generates the auxiliary power having a voltage level lower than the working voltage level, so that the slave power converter can be operated in a no-load conversion state. If the master power converter determines the operation state is a second operation state, the slave power converter raises the voltage level of the auxiliary power to the working voltage level, so that the auxiliary power replacing the main power is supplied to a load.
US09991702B2 Control device to boot up power source
A battery system including a battery unit including a plurality of battery cells, and a control device including a power supply boot-up unit. The power supply boot-up unit is configured to receive a voltage from the plurality of battery cells, and supply a control signal in response to the voltage supplied by the plurality of battery cells.
US09991695B2 Charging circuit interrupt devices with self-test and methods thereof
A charging circuit interrupting device for applying an input voltage provided by first and second input power lines of a power system to first and second output power lines of an output system includes a current-detecting unit, a self-test device, and a controller. The current-detecting unit executes a leakage-detection function and generates a leakage signal when the current difference between the first and second power lines is detected. The self-test device generates a bypass path according to the detection enable signal so that there is a current difference between the first and the second input power lines. When operating in a self-test mode, the controller generates the detection enable signal, determines that the leakage-detecting function is normal, and enters a normal mode to apply the input voltage to the output system when the leakage signal is received.
US09991694B1 Multi-channel tone monitor system and method for ground wire monitoring using same
Methods and systems for a ground wire tone monitor, a multi-channel open loop ground wire tone monitoring system, and method for monitoring two or more ground wires in a power distribution system. A tone monitor includes a transmitter assembly and a receiver assembly. The receiver assembly on the power center communicates with the transmitter assembly on the machine side through a ground wire, so that this ground wire can be directly monitored, the location of the receiver and transmitter interchangeable. The multi-channel system includes up to 16-standalone tone monitor pairs used together to form a multi-channel system. Each tone monitor pair forms one channel in the multi-channel system and each channel operates on a unique preselected frequency. Filters are used to pass signals through to the receivers; the Amplitude of the signal is used to calculate the resistance of the ground wire.
US09991693B2 Circuit protection device and methods of configuring a circuit protection device
A circuit protection device having operational parameters configurable only via a separate programming device includes a memory configured to receive a selector identifying one of a plurality of operational parameters to be adjusted, and to receive a parameter value from the programming device. A processor is coupled to the memory and is configured to receive the selector from the memory, select the operational parameter of the circuit protection device based on the selector, and to receive a parameter value for the operational parameter from memory, and set the selected operational parameter to the parameter value.
US09991691B2 Component with at least one opening
A component has at least one opening through which an electric and/or electronic contact element is guided outwards in a sealed manner against the penetration of environmental media. A closed volume is formed at least in a wall of the component in the region of the contact element, and a permanently elastic sealing material which completely surrounds the at least one contact element in at least some sections is filled into said volume.
US09991687B2 Method in the manufacturing of an insulated electric high voltage DC termination or joint
A method in the manufacturing of an insulated electric high voltage DC termination or joint includes the steps of providing an insulated electric high voltage DC cable including an inner conductor; a polymer based insulation system, the polymer based insulation system comprising an insulation layer and a semiconducting layer; and an outer grounding layer; removing the grounding layer and the semiconducting layer in at least one end portion of the high voltage DC cable, thereby exposing the insulation layer in the at least one end portion of the high voltage DC cable; covering the insulation layer of the polymer based insulation system in the at least one end portion of the high voltage DC cable by a cover impermeable to at least one substance present in the insulation layer of the polymer based insulation system in the at least one end portion of the high voltage DC cable in a non-homogenous distribution; subjecting the insulation layer of the polymer based insulation system in the at least one end portion of the high voltage DC cable for a heat treatment procedure, while being covered by the cover, thereby equalizing the concentration of the at least one substance in the insulation layer of the polymer based insulation system in the at least one end portion of the high voltage DC cable; and removing the cover. Instead of using a temporary cover, which is later removed, as the impermeable barrier, a field grading adapter or joint body mounted at the end of the DC cable during the manufacturing of the high voltage DC termination or joint may be used.
US09991683B2 Refrigerator module utilities enabled via connection
A connection system includes a feature module that supplies various functionalities, a portable countertop stand having an upright section that selectively receives the feature module and an umbilical connecting the portable stand to an external appliance to deliver utilities to the portable countertop stand. A utility port selectively delivers at least one utility to the feature module when engaged with the upright section. A utility receiver removably engages the utility port by hand without the use of tools and selectively receives a predetermined set of utilities when the feature module engages the upright surface. A connection interface detects when the feature module is engaged with the upright section and the predetermined utility set required by the engaged feature module. After the feature module is engaged, the connection interface prompts the utility port to release the predetermined utility set to the feature module.
US09991676B2 Small-mode-volume, vertical-cavity, surface-emitting laser
A small-mode-volume, vertical-cavity, surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). The VCSEL includes an active structure to emit light upon injection of carriers, and two reflecting structures at least one of which is a grating reflector structure. The active structure is disposed within at least one of the reflecting structures. The reflecting structures are configured as a vertical-cavity resonator of small mode-volume. An optical-bus transmitter including a plurality of small-mode-volume VCSELs, and a system including at least one optical bus and at least one optical-bus transmitter in a digital-information processor, or a data-processing center, are also provided.
US09991675B2 Surface emitting laser, laser array, light source device, information acquisition device, and optical coherence tomography apparatus
Provided is a surface emitting laser that is to be excited by an external light source and in which a light-emitting position is defined.A surface emitting laser includes a pair of reflecting mirrors (11, 15) and an active layer (13) that is arranged between the pair of reflecting mirrors (11, 15) and that is to be excited by light that is radiated from an external light source. A gap is formed between the active layer and one of the pair of reflecting mirrors (15), the oscillation wavelength of the surface emitting laser is changed, and a defining structure (20) that defines a light-emitting region of the active layer (13) is arranged in at least one of a region between the pair of reflecting mirrors (11, 15) and a region in at least one of the pair of reflecting mirrors (11, 15).
US09991673B2 Low cost optical package
An optical package having a patterned submount, an optoelectronic device mounted to the patterned submount, a spacer affixed on one side to the patterned submount, the spacer having a bore hole therethrough wherein the optoelectronic device is positioned, and an optical element affixed to the spacer on a side opposite the patterned submount and covering the spacer bore hole. The patterned submount may be a circuit board. The optoelectronic device may be a VCSEL. The spacer may be affixed to the circuit board, for example, using an epoxy preform or an adhesive laminate. The spacer may, for example, be manufactured from a sheet of stainless steel or from a circuit board. The optical element may be, for example, a diffuser, a concave lens, a convex lens, a holographic element, polarizers, or diffraction gratings. The optical element may be affixed to the spacer using an epoxy preform or an adhesive laminate.
US09991672B2 Method for manufacturing semiconductor laser device including wavelength converting member and light transmissive member
The light emitting device according to the present invention comprises a laser diode; a wavelength converting member which is configured to convert a wavelength of a light emitted from the laser diode; and a support member which is configured to support the wavelength converting member so that the light passes through two surfaces of the wavelength converting member. The wavelength converting member comprises a fluorescent material and a binder. At least one light transmissive member is disposed on at least one of these two surfaces of the wavelength converting member. The binder has a melting point higher than a melting point of the light transmissive member. The light transmissive member is fixed to the support member by fusion bonding.
US09991671B2 Method for producing semiconductor laser element
A method for producing a semiconductor laser element includes providing a semiconductor wafer comprising: a nitride semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor stack located on the substrate, the semiconductor stack including a plurality of nitride semiconductor layers; forming in the substrate a fissure starting point and a fissure extending from the fissure starting point; forming a cleavage reference portion extending parallel to a cleavage plane of the semiconductor wafer as estimated from a plan view shape of the fissure; and cleaving the semiconductor wafer parallel to the cleavage reference portion to thereby obtain resonator end faces.
US09991661B2 Cleaning system for slip ring of medical imaging apparatus
A cleaning system for cleaning a slip ring arranged to be rotatable about an axis is disclosed. The cleaning system includes a cleaner assembly configured so as to be positionable to contact the slip ring. The cleaner assembly is capable of moving along the slip ring for cleaning. A control unit is configured to control the functioning of the cleaner assembly based on user input.
US09991657B2 Magnetic adapter
Connector adapters that may have a MagSafe connector receptacle and a Universal Serial Bus Type-C connector insert. This may allow MagSafe chargers to be used to charge devices having Universal Serial Bus Type-C connector receptacles. This also may provide the breakaway characteristic of a MagSafe connector system for a device that does not include a MagSafe connector receptacle. Other adapters may have other types of magnetic connector receptacles and connector inserts.
US09991655B2 Contactor in power distribution assembly
An electrical contactor assembly includes an electrical contactor having an electrical lead having a contactor pin extending therefrom, an electrical bus bar, and at least one post extending between the electrical contactor and the electrical bus bar. The post is constructed from an electrically and thermally conductive material. The post includes an opening for receiving the contactor pin and the opening includes a contactor-foil material disposed in contact with the pin.
US09991653B2 Method for reducing crosstalk in electrical connectors
An apparatus and method for crosstalk compensation in a jack of a modular communications connector includes a flexible printed circuit board connected to jack contacts and to connections to a network cable. The flexible printed circuit board includes conductive traces arranged as one or more couplings to provide crosstalk compensation.
US09991650B2 Connector assembly
A connector assembly includes an outer contact and a cavity insert. The outer contact has a mating segment, a terminating segment, and a middle segment therebetween. The mating segment is configured to engage a mating outer contact of a mating connector assembly. The terminating segment is configured to be terminated to a cable. The cavity insert surrounds the middle segment of the outer contact. The cavity insert has an overmold body. An interior surface of the overmold body engages an exterior surface of the outer contact and follows contours of the exterior surface along the middle segment.
US09991628B2 Quick connect magnetic interface products and methods
A quick-connect adaptor for conveying data or data and power from a first electronic unit to a second electronic unit. The adaptor includes a connectable interface between a first body part and a second body part, wherein the parts may be coupled with rotationally symmetry such that a 180 degree rotation of either body part, either clockwise or counterclockwise, results in an identical electrical connection, eliminating the need for checking alignment when making a connection. The first and second body parts in either of two rotational orientations are secured together by a magnetic “snap” connection. Three-piece and two-piece kits are disclosed for coupling with popular devices. In an optional embodiment, at least one end of the interface includes a “smart sensor” and a processor or logic gates that configure communications so as to be correctly wired in either rotational orientation, even before an electrical connection is made.
US09991625B2 Waterproof connector and electronic equipment
A waterproof connector provided herein is capable of reducing an area taken up by the connector while ensuring waterproof performance, achieving layout design of electronic equipment more freely, and contributing to size reduction of the electronic equipment. This waterproof connector is also capable of increasing the strength and durability of a shell dramatically. A waterproof connector (1) includes: a shell (2) of a seamless and substantially tubular shape; a resin support (3) accommodated in a wall pattern in the shell (2); a contact terminal (4) attached to the support (3) for example by insert molding and supported by the support (3); and a sealing member (5) provided around an outer periphery of the shell (2). Preferably, the shell (2) is provided with a non-through recess (26) formed so as to bulge outward. The non-through recess (26) allows engagement of a hook of a plug.
US09991623B2 Separable connector structure coupled to device
A connector formed with at least two housings is provided. The connector includes a first connector case, and a second connector case, wherein at least one of the first connector case or the second connector case is coupled to an external device to form an integrated structure.
US09991622B2 Electrical component comprising insulating resin molded article, and method for stabilizing flame retardance
Provided is an electric component equipped with a live electrical part and an insulating resin molded article that is molded from a thermoplastic resin composition and is in contact with the live electrical part, wherein: the thermoplastic resin composition includes (A) 60 to 80 parts by mass of a polyphenylene ether resin or a mixture of a polyphenylene ether resin and a styrene resin, (B) 60 to 80 parts by mass of a hydrogenated block copolymer, (C) 5 to 30 parts by mass of a flame retardant, and (D) 0.1 to 3 parts by mass of titanium oxide (in an amount corresponding to 100 parts by mass of the total of (A) to (C)).
US09991621B2 Optoelectronic arrangement
An optoelectronic arrangement includes a first circuit board, a second circuit board, and an optoelectronic semiconductor chip arranged on the first circuit board, wherein a first electrical contact surface and a second electrical contact surface are formed on a surface of the first circuit board, a first mating contact surface and a second mating contact surface are formed on a surface of the second circuit board, and the first circuit board and the second circuit board connect to one another such that the surface of the first circuit board faces toward the surface of the second circuit board, and the first mating contact surface electrically conductively connects to the first contact surface and the second mating contact surface electrically conductively connects to the second contact surface.
US09991619B1 Dual direction, electrical battery connector and electronic device with a dual direction electrical battery connector
An electrical connector and an electronic device including the electrical connector. The electrical connector comprises a housing and an electrical contact. The housing includes a first wall oriented in a first direction, a second wall oriented in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction, and an aperture defined by the first wall and the second wall. The electrical contact is disposed within the aperture and has a singular structure with a first end and a second end opposite from the first end. A first portion of the electrical contact extends from the aperture in the second direction and is configured to deflect toward the first wall along the second direction. A second portion of the electrical contact extends from the aperture in the first direction and is configured to deflect toward the second wall along the first direction.
US09991613B2 Wire detachment-preventing structure
A wire detachment-preventing structure includes: a circuit board box, a housing provided with a wiring outlet and constituting the circuit board box, a terminal block for connecting a wire and provided on the circuit board box and provided with a wiring inlet; the circuit board box is provided with a wire detachment-preventing rib, the wiring inlet and the wiring outlet are provided on one same side of the wire detachment-preventing rib, a first passageway is formed between the wiring outlet and the wire detachment-preventing rib, a second passageway is formed between the wire detachment-preventing rib and the housing, and the wire from the wiring outlet bypasses the wire detachment-preventing rib through the second passageway and leads to the wiring inlet through the first passageway so as to form a U shape. By use of the wire detachment-preventing rib, the wire is not easily detached from the wiring inlet.
US09991610B2 Contact member
A pair of solder bonding portions to be solder-bonded onto the printed wiring board and a contact portion to contact the different conductive member or the like are coupled by a pair of flat spring portions. The respective flat spring portions protrude from side surfaces of mutually opposed corners of the contact portion. Sections following protruded sections of the respective flat spring portions are bent so as to wind in the same direction around a pillar-shaped space obtained by projecting the contact portion downward, and the flat spring portions reach the corresponding solder bonding portions. When the contact portion is pressed by the conductive member, the contact portion and the solder bonding portions remain parallel to each other, whereby the contact member can be successfully flattened toward the printed wiring board. At this point, outward deformation of the flat spring portions is inhibited.
US09991606B2 Slot array antenna
A slot array antenna includes: an electrically conductive member having an electrically conductive surface and slots therein, the slots being arrayed in a first direction which extends along the conductive surface; a waveguide member having an electrically conductive waveguide face which opposes the slots and extends along the first direction; and an artificial magnetic conductor extending on both sides of the waveguide member. At least one of the conductive member and the waveguide member includes dents on the conductive surface and/or the waveguide face, the dents each serving to broaden a spacing between the conductive surface and the waveguide face relative to any adjacent site. The dents include a first, second, and third dents which are adjacent to one another and consecutively follow along the first direction. A distance between centers of the first and second dents is different from a distance between centers of the second and third dents.
US09991601B2 Coplanar waveguide transition for multi-band impedance matching
A microstrip antenna including a first substrate, a ground plane disposed on a first side of the first substrate, a first conductive layer disposed on a second side of the first substrate, wherein the first conductive layer is configured to resonate at a first frequency, a second substrate disposed on the first conductive layer, a second conductive layer disposed on a side of the second substrate, wherein the second conductive layer is configured to resonate at a second frequency, a first feed portion extending through the first substrate, and configured to provide first excitation signals to the first conductive layer, a second feed portion extending through the second substrate, wherein the second feed portion is configured to provide second excitation signals to the second conductive layer, and a conductive strip disposed in the first conductive layer and electrically connecting the first feed portion and the second feed portion.
US09991600B2 Flexible printed circuit board for dual mode antennas, dual mode antenna and user device
A dual mode antenna including: an insulative sheet; a loop-shaped wireless communication coil formed on a front surface of the insulative sheet; and a wireless power transmission coil formed inside the loop-shaped wireless communication coil to be electrically disconnected from the loop-shaped wireless communication coil, and formed on the front surface and a rear surface of the insulative sheet, the wireless power transmission coil being electrically connected from each other via a via-hole passing through the insulative sheet to wirelessly transmit or receive power.
US09991587B1 Satellite beamforming
Beamforming in a satellite communications network includes determining a first delay imparted to signals redirected by a first reflecting dish in a satellite, the first delay being caused by motion of the first reflecting dish relative to the satellite. A second delay imparted to signals redirected by a second reflecting dish in the satellite is determined, the second delay being caused by motion of the second reflecting dish relative to the satellite. Calculating, using the determined first and second delays, beamforming coefficients that enable the generation of a single beam by combining a group of signals that includes a first signal redirected by the first reflecting dish and a second signal redirected by the second reflecting dish.
US09991579B2 Waveguide device, communication module and electronic device
An electronic device includes a central control unit and a waveguide device. The waveguide device includes a communication module having a communication function, and an attachment/detachment unit capable of attaching/detaching a high-frequency signal waveguide so that coupling between the module and the high-frequency signal is possible. The communication module includes a communication device, and a transfer structure configured to cause a high-frequency signal emitted from the communication device to be coupled to the high-frequency signal waveguide.
US09991567B2 Battery pack
A battery pack includes a plurality of stacked unit batteries and a circuit board electrically coupled to the plurality of stacked unit batteries and being bent. The circuit board includes a first substrate including a bending portion and a second substrate on the first substrate layer and being less flexible than the first substrate layer.
US09991557B2 Composite solid electrolyte and all solid battery
A composite solid electrolyte, which includes a solid electrolyte containing LaF3, and solid electrolyte particles, which are either Li3xLa2/3-xTiO3 (0≤x≤⅙) or Li7La3Zr2O12 connected via the solid electrolyte.
US09991550B2 Methods and devices associated with bonding of solid-state lithium batteries
An example device includes a lithium-based battery having conductive battery contacts protruding from a surface of the battery, where a non-conductive portion of the surface of the battery separates the conductive battery contacts. The battery is a type that undergoes an expansion during charging in which the expansion of the lithium-based battery includes an outward bulging of the non-conductive portion of the battery surface. The device includes a substrate having conductive substrate contacts. The conductive battery contacts are electrically connected to the respective conductive substrate contact via a flexible electrically-conductive adhesive that physically separates the conductive battery contacts from the respective conductive substrate contacts and allows for relative movement therebetween caused by the expansion of the lithium-based battery.
US09991545B2 Metal-air flow batteries using oxygen enriched electrolyte
A metal air flow battery includes an electrochemical reaction unit and an oxygen exchange unit. The electrochemical reaction unit includes an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and an ionic conductive membrane between the anode and the cathode, an anode electrolyte, and a cathode electrolyte. The oxygen exchange unit contacts the cathode electrolyte with oxygen separate from the electrochemical reaction unit. At least one pump is provided for pumping cathode electrolyte between the electrochemical reaction unit and the oxygen exchange unit. A method for producing an electrical current is also disclosed.
US09991544B2 Aqueous redox flow batteries comprising metal ligand coordination compounds
This invention is directed to aqueous redox flow batteries comprising redox-active metal ligand coordination compounds. The compounds and configurations described herein enable flow batteries with performance and cost parameters that represent a significant improvement over that previous known in the art.
US09991527B2 Heat exchanger, method of producing heat exchanger, and fuel cell system
A heat exchanger, in which heat is exchanged between first and second mediums, includes a housing that includes a first inlet and a first outlet, an internal member that divides a space in the housing into first and second chambers, and first and second external channels, through which the first medium flows, in the respective first and second chambers. The internal member includes a diverging hole that divides the first medium into flows through the first and second external channels, a converging hole that allows the divided first medium to converge, a second inlet, a second outlet, and an internal channel through which the second medium flows. The first and second external channels each include a first bent portion bent inwardly at a peripheral portion of the first or second chamber. The internal channel includes a second bent portion bent inwardly at a peripheral portion of the internal member.
US09991520B2 Flexible secondary battery
A flexible secondary battery includes an exterior member having an accommodation space inside, a cathode collector and an anode collector located in the accommodation space and spaced apart from each other, a cathode active material portion on the cathode collector, and an anode active material portion on the anode collector. The cathode collector includes a first connection portion extending in a first direction and a plurality of first leg portions protruding from the first connection portion in a second direction different from the first direction. The anode collector includes a second connection portion parallel to the first connection portion and a plurality of second leg portions protruding from the second connection portion toward the first connection portion. The first leg portions and the second leg portions are alternately arranged between the first connection portion and the second connection portion. The cathode active material portion is located only on the first leg portions. The anode active material portion is located on the second connection portion and the second leg portions.
US09991513B2 Positive active material and lithium secondary battery including positive electrode that includes the positive active material
A positive active material represented by Formula 1 and a lithium secondary battery having a positive electrode that includes the positive active material are provided: Li1-aAaNixCoyMn1-x-yO2  Formula 1 wherein, in Formula 1, A is an alkali metal; 0.0025≤a≤0.02; 0.0
US09991501B2 Vent shield for a battery module
The present disclosure relates generally to a battery module having a housing and a stack of battery cells disposed in the housing. Each battery cell has a battery cell terminal and a battery cell vent on an end of each battery cell, and the battery cell vent is configured to exhaust effluent into the housing. The battery module has a vent shield plate disposed in the housing and directly along an immediate vent path of the effluent, a first surface of the vent shield plate configured to direct the effluent to an opening between the shield plate and the housing, and a second surface of the vent shield plate opposite the first surface. The battery module also has a venting chamber coupled to the opening and at least partially defined by the second surface and a vent configured to direct the effluent out of the battery module.
US09991498B2 Electrode assembly and secondary battery including the same
An electrode assembly includes an electrode jelly-roll, which includes a winding including a first electrode plate, a second electrode plate, and a separator disposed between the first and second electrode plates; an outer surface parallel to a winding axis of the prismatic electrode jelly-roll, side surfaces perpendicular to the winding axis; a first electrode tab, which is electrically connected to the first electrode plate and extends in a winding axis direction of the prismatic electrode jelly-roll; a second electrode tab, which is electrically connected to the second electrode plate and extends in a winding axis direction of the electrode jelly-roll, wherein an end portion of at least one of the first electrode tab and the second electrode tab is bent in a direction opposite to the direction in which the corresponding electrode tab extends and faces an outer surface of the prismatic electrode jelly-roll.
US09991496B2 Terminal holder, battery module and method for producing same
A terminal holder is provided for holding a connection terminal (20) for at least three round cells (14, 15, 16). The terminal holder has a centrally encircling rib (11) for placement of the terminal holder (10) on the round cells (14, 15, 16) and for spacing the connection terminal (20) apart from the round cells (14, 15, 16). An elastic lip (12) is arranged at the end for clamping the terminal holder (10) between the round cells (14, 15, 16). A plastic head (13) is arranged opposite the lip (12), for fastening the terminal holder (10) on the connection terminal (20).
US09991491B2 Slurry including inorganic particles with improve dispersibility by controlling particle size and slurry viscosity
The present disclosure relates to an invention directed to controlling a viscosity of a slurry used to manufacture an electrochemical device, by adjusting a particle diameter of an inorganic matter that is an ingredient of the slurry, so that a sinking rate of the inorganic particles may remarkably slow down and dispersibility may be dramatically improved, and as a result, the content of the inorganic particles may relatively increase and the inorganic particles may be uniformly distributed in a coating layer on a substrate, thereby preventing a reduction in battery performance.
US09991490B2 Separators for three-dimensional batteries
An electrode structure for use in an energy storage device, the electrode structure comprising a population of electrodes, a population of counter-electrodes and an electrically insulating material layer separating members of the electrode population from members of the counter-electrode population, each member of the electrode population having a longitudinal axis AE that is surrounded by the electrically insulating separator layer.
US09991484B2 Battery pack of electric vehicle, electric vehicle chassis and method for replacing battery modules
Provided are systems and methods for configuring battery packs in electric vehicles. A battery pack may include a plurality of battery modules, a support part, and at least one opening provided on the support part. The support part may be provided with a bottom for supporting the plurality of battery modules, sides, a top, and an accommodation space formed by the bottom, the sides, and the top for accommodating the plurality of battery modules. The opening provided on the bottom of the support part may enable the plurality of battery modules to be passed through the at least one opening and be detachably mounted to the bottom of the support part so as to be supported by the bottom.
US09991468B2 Rollable display device
A display device includes: a frame; and a flexible display unit configured to be wound into the frame, and including a transparent adhesive layer, the adhesive layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The adhesive layer is configured to adhere layers on the first surface and the second surface thereof to each other, and a first elongation percentage of the adhesive layer in a first direction is greater than a second elongation percentage of the adhesive layer in a second direction crossing the first direction, the first direction being a direction along which the display unit is unwound from the frame.
US09991465B2 Display device having crack prevention portion
A display device includes: a lower substrate comprising an active area, and a peripheral area outside the active area; a thin film transistor layer on the lower substrate; a plurality of pixel electrodes on the thin film transistor layer and in the active area; an encapsulating portion on the pixel electrode and encapsulating the pixel electrode; and a pattern layer comprising a plurality of patterns on the encapsulating portion, wherein the encapsulating portion covers a first area of the lower substrate and exposes a second area outside the first area, and the pattern layer comprises a crack preventing portion at the peripheral area.
US09991463B2 Electronic devices with improved shelf lives
Embodiments of the present invention provide electronic devices such as OLEDs that have enhanced mechanical integrity and prolonged shelf, by minimizing the spread of a delamination region using topographical non-uniformities introduced in the device structure. For example, a device may be made deliberately non-planar by introducing multiple energy barriers which can prevent or minimize the propagation of a delamination, because the delamination will have to cross the energy barriers in order to spread to a larger area.
US09991462B2 Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display device is provided according to the present disclosure. An organic light emitting display device comprising a first planarization layer configured to planarize an upper portion of a circuit element on a substrate, an inorganic layer comprising a first out-gassing pattern on the first planarization layer, a second planarization layer configured to planarize an upper portion of the inorganic layer and a metal layer comprising a second out-gassing pattern on the second planarization layer.
US09991461B2 Light emitting device
Multiple organic layers (120) are located between a first electrode (110) and a second electrode (130), each organic layer including a light emitting layer. A charge generation layer (200) is located between mutually adjacent organic layers (120). In other words, the multiple organic layers (120) are mutually laminated and the charge generation layer (200) is located between the multiple organic layers (120). The charge generation layer (200) includes a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The first layer contains an electron transport material and the second layer contains a metal and a hole injection material. The third layer is formed using a hole transport material. The charge generation layer (200) contains an electron injection material for improving electron injection properties of the first layer, the charge generation layer provided on the first layer side than the second layer.
US09991440B2 Magnetoresistive random access memory cell and fabricating the same
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor memory device. The device includes a pinning layer having an anti-ferromagnetic material and disposed over a first electrode; a pinned layer disposed over the pinning layer; a tunneling layer disposed over the pinned layer, a free layer disposed over the tunneling layer and a capping layer disposed over the free layer. The capping layer includes metal-oxide and metal-nitride materials.
US09991434B2 Semiconductor device with metal-bonded heat dissipator and manufacturing method for the same
A semiconductor device includes an insulating substrate,a semiconductor element disposed on an upper surface of the substrate, a heat dissipation member, and a metal bonding layer that bonds the lower surface of the substrate to the upper surface of the heat dissipation member, and the area of the upper surface of the heat dissipation member is larger than the area of the lower surface of the substrate, and the metal bonding layer contacts the whole of the lower surface of the substrate and has an area larger than the area of the lower surface of the substrate, and the heat conductivity of the metal bonding layer is higher than the heat conductivity of the heat dissipation member.
US09991428B2 Optoelectronic component and method for the production thereof
An optoelectronic component includes a housing having a first cavity open toward an upper side of the housing, and a second cavity open toward the upper side of the housing, wherein the first cavity and the second cavity connect by a connecting channel, an optoelectronic semiconductor chip is arranged in the first cavity, a potting material is arranged in a region of the first cavity enclosing the optoelectronic semiconductor chip, a bond wire is arranged between an electrical contact surface of the optoelectronic semiconductor chip and a bond surface of the housing, and the bond surface is arranged in the connecting channel.
US09991423B2 Micro assembled LED displays and lighting elements
The disclosed technology provides micro-assembled micro-LED displays and lighting elements using arrays of micro-LEDs that are too small (e.g., micro-LEDs with a width or diameter of 10 μm to 50 μm), numerous, or fragile to assemble by conventional means. The disclosed technology provides for micro-LED displays and lighting elements assembled using micro-transfer printing technology. The micro-LEDs can be prepared on a native substrate and printed to a display substrate (e.g., plastic, metal, glass, or other materials), thereby obviating the manufacture of the micro-LEDs on the display substrate. In certain embodiments, the display substrate is transparent and/or flexible.
US09991422B2 Electronic device mounted on a substrate
A device includes: a substrate; and a functional element mounted, the functional element including electrodes. The substrate includes a support substrate, and includes a first seed metal, a second seed metal, and a resin component on the support substrate, the first seed metal being disposed in a section opposed to part or all of a first electrode among the electrodes, and being connected to the first electrode by plating, the second seed metal being disposed in a section opposed to part or all of a second electrode among the electrodes, and being connected to the second electrode by plating, and the resin component being disposed in a layer between the functional element and the support substrate, and fixing the functional element to the support substrate, and being, provided avoiding a neighborhood of an end of the functional element among, opposed side sections of the first and second seed metals.
US09991417B2 Resonant cavity strained III-V photodetector and LED on silicon substrate
An optoelectronic device that includes a germanium containing buffer layer atop a silicon containing substrate, and a first distributed Bragg reflector stack of III-V semiconductor material layers on the buffer layer. The optoelectronic device further includes an active layer of III-V semiconductor material present on the first distributed Bragg reflector stack, wherein a difference in lattice dimension between the active layer and the first distributed brag reflector stack induces a strain in the active layer. A second distributed Bragg reflector stack of III-V semiconductor material layers having a may be present on the active layer.
US09991416B2 Method for manufacturing light emitting diode with InGaN/GaN superlattice
A light emitting diode and a method of manufacturing the light emitting diode are provided. The light emitting diode includes an n-type semiconductor layer, an inclined type superlattice thin film layer, an active layer, and a p-type semiconductor layer. The n-type semiconductor layer is disposed on a substrate. The inclined type superlattice thin film layer is disposed on the n-type semiconductor layer and includes a plurality of thin film pairs in which InGaN thin films and GaN thin films are sequentially stacked. The active layer having a quantum well structure is disposed on the inclined type superlattice thin film layer. The p-type semiconductor layer is disposed on the active layer. Composition ratio of Indium (In) included in the InGaN thin film is increased as getting closer to the active layer. Thus, internal residual strain is reduced, and quantum confinement effect is enhanced, and internal quantum efficiency is increased.
US09991414B2 Method of forming a composite substrate
In a method according to embodiments of the invention, a III-nitride layer is grown on a growth substrate. The III-nitride layer is connected to a host substrate. The growth substrate is removed. The growth substrate is a non-III-nitride material. The growth substrate has an in-plane lattice constant asubstrate. The III-nitride layer has a bulk lattice constant alayer. In some embodiments, [(|asubstrate−alayer|)/asubstrate]*100% is no more than 1%.
US09991396B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
It is an object to provide a highly reliable semiconductor device including a thin film transistor with stable electric characteristics. In a semiconductor device including an inverted staggered thin film transistor whose semiconductor layer is an oxide semiconductor layer, a buffer layer is provided over the oxide semiconductor layer. The buffer layer is in contact with a channel formation region of the semiconductor layer and source and drain electrode layers. A film of the buffer layer has resistance distribution. A region provided over the channel formation region of the semiconductor layer has lower electrical conductivity than the channel formation region of the semiconductor layer, and a region in contact with the source and drain electrode layers has higher electrical conductivity than the channel formation region of the semiconductor layer.
US09991394B2 Semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof
A transistor with high and stable electrical characteristics whose parasitic capacitance is suppressed is provided even when miniaturized. A semiconductor device including it also achieves higher performance and reliability. The transistor includes an oxide semiconductor over a substrate, first and second electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor, an insulator over the oxide semiconductor, and the first and second electrodes, and a third electrode over the insulator. The oxide semiconductor includes a first region, a second region, and a third region overlapping with the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode, respectively. The first region and the second region include a fourth region and a fifth region each overlapping with the third region, respectively. Top surfaces of the first and second electrodes are provided on the same plane as a top surface of the oxide semiconductor or the side closer to the oxide semiconductor than the same plane.
US09991389B2 Thin film transistor, a thin film transistor array panel including the same, and a method of manufacturing the same
A thin film transistor includes a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, and an insulating layer. The semiconductor layer includes a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a channel part disposed therebetween. The gate electrode is disposed on the channel part and extends in a direction crossing a channel length direction of the semiconductor layer. The insulating layer includes a second region connected to the first region and extending in a same direction as an extending direction of the gate electrode from the first region. A hydrogen content of the source electrode or the drain electrode is in a range between a maximum hydrogen content that is larger than a hydrogen content of the second region of the insulating layer by about 10% and a minimum hydrogen content that is smaller than the hydrogen content of the second region of the insulating layer by about 10%.
US09991375B2 Metal gate electrode of a semiconductor device
The invention relates to integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly to a metal gate electrode. An exemplary structure for a semiconductor device comprises a substrate comprising a major surface; a first rectangular gate electrode on the major surface comprising a first layer of multi-layer material; a first dielectric material adjacent to one side of the first rectangular gate electrode; and a second dielectric material adjacent to the other 3 sides of the first rectangular gate electrode, wherein the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material collectively surround the first rectangular gate electrode.
US09991373B1 Semiconductor device
In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, a Group III nitride based transistor arranged on a front surface of the substrate, and a conductive through substrate via. The conductive through substrate via includes a via extending from the front surface to a rear surface of the substrate, and conductive material extending from the front surface to the rear surface of the substrate. The via tapers from the front surface to the rear surface of the substrate.
US09991367B1 Bipolar junction transistor
A bipolar junction transistor (BJT) includes an emitter region, a base region surrounding the emitter region, and a collector region surrounding the base region. The emitter region includes a fin structures extending along a first direction, a first metal gate extending across the fin structure along a second direction, and a second metal gate disposed in parallel with the first metal gate. A spacing between the first metal gate and the second metal gate ranges between 0.2 micrometers and 0.4 micrometers.
US09991362B2 Semiconductor device including tungsten gate and manufacturing method thereof
In a method of manufacturing a tungsten layer by an atomic layer deposition, a seed layer on an underlying layer is formed on a substrate by supplying a boron containing gas and a dilute gas, and a tungsten layer is formed on the seed layer by supplying a tungsten containing gas. A flow ratio of a flow amount of the boron containing gas to a total flow amount of the boron containing gas and the dilute gas is in a range from 1/21 to 1/4.
US09991360B2 Method for forming III-V semiconductor structures including aluminum-silicon nitride passivation
A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure includes forming a semiconductor layer over a substrate and forming an aluminum-silicon nitride layer upon the semiconductor layer. When the semiconductor layer in particular comprises a III-V semiconductor material such as a group III nitride semiconductor material or a gallium nitride semiconductor material, the aluminum-silicon nitride material provides a superior passivation in comparison with a silicon nitride material.
US09991352B1 Methods of forming a nano-sheet transistor device with a thicker gate stack and the resulting device
A method that includes forming a patterned stack of materials comprising at least one channel semiconductor material layer and first and second layers of sacrificial material positioned above and below, respectively, the at least one channel semiconductor material layer, forming a replacement gate cavity above the patterned stack of materials and performing an etching process through the gate cavity to selectively remove at least a portion of the first and second layers of sacrificial material relative to the at least one channel semiconductor material layer. The method further includes performing a second etching process to form a reduced-thickness portion of the channel semiconductor material layer that has a final thickness that is less than the initial thickness and forming a replacement gate structure around at least the reduced-thickness portion of the channel semiconductor material layer.
US09991341B2 Method for treating a gallium nitride layer comprising dislocations
A method is for treating a doped gallium nitride substrate of a first conductivity type, having dislocations emerging on the side of at least one of its surfaces. The method may include: a) forming, where each dislocation emerges, a recess extending into the substrate from the at least one surface; and b) filling the recesses with doped gallium nitride of the second conductivity type.
US09991340B2 Mechanical stress-decoupling in semiconductor device
According to a method in semiconductor device fabrication, a first trench and a second trench are concurrently etched in a semi-finished semiconductor device. The first trench is a mechanical decoupling trench between a first region of an eventual semiconductor device and a second region thereof. The method further includes concurrently passivating or insulating sidewalls of the first trench and of the second trench. A related semiconductor device includes a first trench configured to provide a mechanical decoupling between a first region and a second region of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device further includes a second trench and a sidewall coating at sidewalls of the first trench and the second trench. The sidewall coating at the sidewalls of the first trench and at the sidewalls of the second trench are of the same material.
US09991338B2 Electronic device including a conductive structure surrounded by an insulating structure
An electronic device can include a substrate and an insulating structure laterally surrounded by the substrate. In an aspect, the electronic device can include a first conductive structure or an active region that is laterally surrounded by the insulating structure and the substrate. In another aspect, the electronic device can include an inductor surrounded by the insulating structure. In a further aspect, a process of forming an electronic device can include patterning a substrate to define a trench and a plurality of features, including a first feature and a second feature, within the trench; forming a first insulating layer within the trench; removing the first feature to create a first cavity; forming a second insulating layer to at least partly fill the first cavity; removing the second feature to create a second cavity; and forming a conductive or semiconductor structure within the second cavity.
US09991336B2 Semiconductor device, method for manufacturing the same, and power conversion system
An anode electrode and a cathode electrode formed on a silicon semiconductor substrate, p-type layer formed next to the anode electrode, an n-type layer formed next to the cathode electrode by a V-group element being diffused, an n− layer formed between the p-type layer and the n-type layer, and an n-buffer layer formed between the n− layer and the n-type layer and containing oxygen are provided and an oxygen concentration in an area of a width of at least 30 μm from a surface on a side of the n-type layer of the cathode electrode toward the anode electrode is set to 1×1017 cm−3 or more and also the oxygen concentration of the n− layer in a position in contact with the p-type layer is set to less than 3×1017 cm−3.
US09991335B2 Semiconductor device having a polarization super junction field effect transistor, electric equipment, bidirectional field effect transistor, and mounted structure body having the same
Provided are a semiconductor device and a bidirectional field effect transistor which can easily overcome the tradeoff relation between the high voltage resistance and high speed in the semiconductor device using a polarization super junction, realize both the high voltage resistance and elimination of the occurrence of current collapse, operate at a high speed, and further the loss is low. The semiconductor device comprises a polarization super junction region and a p-electrode contact region. The polarization super junction region comprises an undoped GaN layer 11, an undoped AlxGa1-xN layer 12 with a thickness not smaller than 25 nm and not larger than 47 nm and 0.17≤x≤0.35, an undoped GaN layer 13 and a p-type GaN layer 14. When the reduced thickness tR is defined as tR=u+v(1+w×10−18) for the thickness u [nm] of the undoped GaN layer 13, the thickness v [nm] and the Mg concentration w [cm−3] of the p-type GaN layer 14, tR≥0.864/(x−0.134)+46.0 [nm] is satisfied. The p-electrode contact region comprises a p-type GaN contact layer formed to be in contact with the p-type GaN layer 14 and a p-electrode that is in contact with the p-type GaN contact layer.
US09991333B1 Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor structure and method for forming the same
A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor structure and a method for forming the MIM capacitor are provided. The MIM capacitor structure includes a substrate. A MIM capacitor is formed on the substrate. The MIM capacitor includes a U-shaped electrode having a first portion. The MIM capacitor also includes an inverted U-shaped electrode. The first portion of the U-shaped electrode is clamped by the inverted U-shaped electrode. The MIM capacitor further includes an insulating film between the U-shaped electrode and the inverted U-shaped electrode.
US09991321B2 Organic light emitting diode display device and method of fabricating the same
An organic light emitting diode display device includes a first substrate including a display region, wherein a plurality of pixel regions are defined in the display region; a first electrode over the substrate and in each of the plurality of pixel regions; a bank on edges of the first electrode and surrounding each of the plurality of pixel regions, the bank including a lower layer having a hydrophilic property and an upper layer having a hydrophobic property; an organic emitting layer on the first electrode and in each of the plurality of pixel regions surrounded by the bank; and a second electrode on the organic emitting layer and covering an entire surface of the display region.
US09991320B2 Organic light emitting diode display device and organic light emitting diode thereof
There is provided an organic light emitting diode display device. The organic light emitting diode display device includes a substrate divided into an emission area and a non-emission area, an overcoating layer disposed on the substrate and including a plurality of micro lenses, a plurality of first electrode patterns disposed on the overcoating layer and spaced away from each other in the emission area, an organic emission layer disposed on the plurality of first electrodes, and a second electrode disposed on the organic emission layer.
US09991314B2 Magnetoresistive element and magnetic memory
A magnetoresistive element according to an embodiment includes: a first magnetic layer; a second magnetic layer; and a first nonmagnetic layer disposed between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, the second magnetic layer containing a material with a composition (lR1-xhRx)z(TM1-yZy)1-z (0
US09991312B1 Electroluminescence display apparatus and manufacturing method thereof
An electroluminescence display device and manufacturing method thereof are provided. An electroluminescence display device includes a pixel, having: an electroluminescence diode, a driving transistor configured to supply a current to the electroluminescence diode, and a switching transistor configured to switch a signal supplied to the driving transistor, wherein a size of a channel area of the driving transistor is different from a size of a channel area of the switching transistor, and wherein a taper angle deviation of the channel areas of the driving transistor and the switching transistor is less than or equal to 10°.
US09991309B1 CMOS image sensor having enhanced near infrared quantum efficiency
An image sensor comprises a semiconductor material having an illuminated surface and a non-illuminated surface; a photodiode formed in the semiconductor material extending from the illuminated surface to receive an incident light through the illuminated surface, wherein the received incident light generates charges in the photodiode; a transfer gate electrically coupled to the photodiode to transfer the generated charges from the photodiode in response to a transfer signal; a floating diffusion electrically coupled to the transfer gate to receive the transferred charges from the photodiode; a near infrared (NIR) quantum efficiency (QE) enhancement structure comprising at least two NIR QE enhancement elements within a region of the photodiode, wherein the NIR QE enhancement structure is configured to modify the incident light at the illuminated surface of the semiconductor material by at least one of diffraction, deflection and reflection, to redistribute the incident light within the photodiode to improve an optical sensitivity, including near-infrared light sensitivity, of the image sensor.
US09991304B2 Image pickup device having an infrared absorption layer between a laminate band-pass layer and a low refractive index layer above on-chip lenses
An image pickup device according to the present technique includes an on-chip lens, a low-refractive-index layer, and an infrared absorption layer. The on-chip lens is formed of a high-refractive-index material. The low-refractive-index layer is formed flat on the on-chip lens and formed of a low-refractive-index material. The infrared absorption layer is formed of an infrared absorption material and laminated as a higher layer than the low-refractive-index layer. The infrared absorption material includes an infrared absorption pigment and a binder resin, the binder resin, being a synthetic resin constituted of a siloxane skeleton alone or a synthetic resin constituted of a siloxane skeleton part and a partial skeleton having a low reaction activity in an oxygen part.
US09991303B2 Image sensor device structure
An image sensor structure is provided. The image sensor device structure includes a substrate, and the substrate includes an array region and a peripheral region. The image sensor device structure includes an anti-reflection layer formed on the substrate and a buffer layer formed on the anti-reflection layer. The image sensor device structure includes a first etch stop layer formed on the buffer layer and a metal grid structure formed on the first etch stop layer. The image sensor device structure also includes a dielectric layer formed on the metal grid structure.
US09991302B1 Optical sensor with color filters having inclined sidewalls
An optical sensor includes a sensing layer, a color filter, and a grid structure. The sensing layer includes a photodiode. The color filter includes a lower portion disposed on the sensing layer, and an upper portion disposed on the lower portion. The upper portion includes a bottom surface connected to the lower portion, a first inclined surface inclined relative to the bottom surface, and a second inclined surface that is opposite to the first inclined surface and inclined relative to the bottom surface. The grid structure surrounds the upper portion. Between the first inclined surface and the bottom surface is a first acute angle, and between the second inclined surface and the bottom surface is a second acute angle.
US09991301B2 Image sensor having improved dicing properties, manufacturing apparatus, and manufacturing method of the same
The present technology relates to techniques of preventing intrusion of moisture into a chip. Various illustrative embodiments include image sensors that include: a substrate; a plurality of layers stacked on the substrate; the plurality of layers including a photodiode layer having a plurality of photodiodes formed on a surface of the photodiode layer; the plurality of layers including at least one layer having a groove formed such that a portion of the at least one layer is excavated; and a transparent resin layer formed above the photodiode layer and formed in the groove. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an image sensor.
US09991298B1 Stacked image sensor pixel cell with a charge amplifier and selectable shutter modes and in-pixel CDS
A pixel cell has a photodiode, a transfer transistor, a reset transistor, an amplifier transistor in a common source configuration and a readout circuit block. The photodiode, transfer transistor, reset transistor and common source amplifier are disposed within a first substrate of a first semiconductor chip for accumulating an image charge in response to light incident upon the photodiode. The readout circuit block may be partially disposed within a second substrate of a second semiconductor chip and partially disposed within the first substrate wherein the readout circuit block comprises optionally selectable rolling shutter and global shutter readout modes through the use of computer programmable digital register settings. The global shutter readout mode provides in-pixel correlated double sampling.
US09991297B2 Imaging device and manufacturing method thereof
An imaging device is provided, in which the dynamic range of still pictures can be suppressed from being decreased. In the imaging device, a photodiode including an n-type impurity region and a photodiode including an n-type impurity region are formed in a p-type well. An n-type impurity region is formed between the n-type impurity region on one side and that on the other side so as to contact each of the two. The impurity concentration of the last-formed n-type impurity region is set to be lower than those of the first-formed n-type impurity regions.
US09991276B2 Semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate; a first structure; a second structure; a step; an insulating layer; a first pillar; a second pillar; a first contact portion; and a second contact. The first structure includes a first electrode layer and a first insulator. The first structure has a first terrace on a surface of the first insulator. The second structure includes a second electrode layer and a second insulator. The second structure has a second terrace on a surface of the second insulator. The second contact portion is electrically connected to the second electrode layer via the second terrace. The first contact portion is located between the step and the first pillar. The step is located between the first contact portion and the second pillar.
US09991258B2 FinFETs with non-merged epitaxial S/D extensions having a SiGe seed layer on insulator
Semiconductor devices include multiple fins formed in trenches in an insulator layer. Each of the plurality of fins has a uniform crystal orientation and a fin cap in a source and drain region that extends vertically and laterally beyond the trench. The fin caps of the respective fins are separate from one another. A gate structure is formed over the fins that leaves the source and drain regions exposed. The insulator layer at least partially covers a sidewall of the gate structure.
US09991250B2 Electrostatic discharge devices and method of making the same
In one embodiment, electrostatic discharge (ESD) devices are disclosed.
US09991249B2 Integrated circuit and computer-implemented method of manufacturing the same
A computer-implemented method of manufacturing an integrated circuit includes placing a plurality of standard cells that define the integrated circuit, selecting a timing critical path from among a plurality of timing paths included in the placed standard cells, and selecting at least one net from among a plurality of nets included in the timing critical path as at least one timing critical net. The method further includes pre-routing the at least one timing critical net with an air-gap layer, routing unselected nets, generating a layout using the pre-routed at least one timing critical net and the routed unselected nets, and manufacturing the integrated circuit based on the layout.
US09991247B2 Semiconductor device packages, packaging methods, and packaged semiconductor devices
Semiconductor device packages, packaging methods, and packaged semiconductor devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a package for a semiconductor device includes an integrated circuit die mounting region and a molding material disposed around the integrated circuit die mounting region. An interconnect structure is disposed over the molding material and the integrated circuit die mounting region. A protection pattern is disposed in a perimeter region of the package. The protection pattern includes a conductive feature.
US09991241B2 Light emitting device package
A light emitting device package is provided. The light emitting device package may include a main body having a cavity including side surfaces and a bottom, and a first reflective cup and a second reflective cup provided in the bottom of the cavity of the main body and separated from each other. A first light emitting device may be provided in the first reflective cup, and a second light emitting device may be provided in the second reflective cup.
US09991240B2 Display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
A display apparatus includes: a display substrate; a light-emitting diode (“LED”) disposed on the display substrate and which emits light; a passivation layer disposed on the display substrate and surrounding the LED; a first conductive layer disposed on the LED and the passivation layer; and a capping layer disposed on the LED and which adjusts a proceeding path of light emitted from the LED, where the first conductive layer includes a first region which overlaps the capping layer and a second region which does not overlap the capping layer, and the first region and the second region of the first conductive layer have different light characteristics from each other.
US09991238B2 LED light source for automotive application
Proposed is a light source comprising first and second LED light sources. Each of the first and second LED light sources have: a semiconductor diode structure adapted to generate light; and a light output section above the semiconductor diode structure adapted to output light from the semiconductor diode structure in a light output direction, the area of the light output section being less than the area of the semiconductor diode structure. The second LED light source is arranged above and at least partially overlapping the first LED light source with non-aligned light output sections with respect to the light output direction.
US09991237B2 Light emitting device
A light emitting device includes a base, a first light emitting element, a second light emitting element, and a sealing member. The first light emitting element has an active layer of a nitride semiconductor and has a first emission peak wavelength in a blue region. The second light emitting element has an active layer of a nitride semiconductor and has a second emission peak wavelength longer than the first emission peak wavelength of the first light emitting element. The sealing member includes a first region and a second region. The first region contains a phosphor to be excited by light from the first light emitting element. The first region is provided on an element mounting surface. A first upper surface of the first light emitting element is located in the first region. The second region does not substantially contain the phosphor and is provided on the first region.
US09991236B2 LED lamp device having a fluorescent element shaped for uniform light conversion
An LED lamp device includes a plurality of LED elements separately mounted on a substrate and effective to emit light having a first wavelength. A fluorescent element includes a fluorescent material excitable by light emitted from the LED elements to emit light of a second wavelength, and is arranged to cover each LED element with no gaps provided between the fluorescent element and the substrate. The fluorescent element is shaped in accordance with the positioning of the LED elements and the spaces defined there-between such that a proportion of light of the first wavelength with respect to light of the second wavelength is substantially uniform irrespective of light exit direction.
US09991233B2 Package-on-package devices with same level WLP components and methods therefor
Package-on-package (“PoP”) devices with same level wafer-level packaged (“WLP”) components and methods therefor are disclosed. In a PoP device, a first integrated circuit die is surface mount coupled to an upper surface of a package substrate. Conductive lines are coupled to the upper surface of the package substrate in a fan-out region. The first conductive lines extend away from the upper surface of the package substrate. A molding layer is formed over the upper surface of the package substrate, around sidewall surfaces of the first integrated circuit die, and around bases and shafts of the conductive lines. WLP microelectronic components are located at a same level above an upper surface of the molding layer respectively surface mount coupled to sets of upper portions of the conductive lines.
US09991226B2 Semiconductor packages having asymmetric chip stack structure
A semiconductor package may include first chip stack including first chips which are stacked on a package substrate and offset to form a first reverse stepwise sidewall. The semiconductor package may include a second chip stack including second chips which are stacked on the package substrate and offset to form a second reverse stepwise sidewall. The first protrusion corner of the first chip stack may protrude toward the second chip stack.
US09991222B2 Package substrate and manufacturing method thereof and package
A package substrate including a carrier, a first patterned conductive layer, a second patterned conductive layer and a 3D-printing conductive wire is provided. The carrier has a first surface, a second surface and a third surface. The first surface is opposite to the second surface, and the third surface is connected between the first surface and the second surface. The first patterned conductive layer is disposed on the first surface. The second patterned conductive layer is disposed on the second surface. The 3D-printing conductive wire is disposed on the third surface and connected between the first patterned conductive layer and the second patterned conductive layer.
US09991217B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device that includes a bipolar transistor, wherein a third opening, through which a pillar bump and a second wiring line, which is electrically connected to an emitter layer, contact each other, is shifted in a longitudinal direction of the emitter layer away from a position at which the third opening would be directly above the emitter layer. The third opening is arranged, with respect to the emitter layer, such that an end portion of the emitter layer in the longitudinal direction of the emitter layer and the edge of the opening of the third opening are substantially aligned with each other.
US09991214B2 Activating reactions in integrated circuits through electrical discharge
Embodiments of the present invention provide integrated circuits and methods for activating reactions in integrated circuits. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit is provided having reactive material capable of being activated by electrical discharge, without requiring a battery or similar external power source, to produce an exothermic reaction that erases and/or destroys one or more semiconductor devices on the integrated circuit.
US09991213B2 Resin-encapsulated semiconductor device and its manufacturing method
A resin-encapsulated semiconductor device having a semiconductor chip which is prevented from being damaged. The resin-encapsulated semiconductor device (100) comprises a semiconductor chip (1) including a silicon substrate, a die pad (10) to which the semiconductor chip (1) is secured through a first solder layer (2), a resin-encapsulating layer (30) encapsulating the semiconductor chip (1), and lead terminals (21) electrically connected to the semiconductor chip (1) and including inner lead portion (21b) covered with the resin-encapsulating layer (30). The lead terminals (21) are made of copper or a copper alloy. The die pad (10) is made of 42 alloy or a cover alloy and has a thickness (about 0.125 mm) less than the thickness (about 0.15 mm) of the lead terminals (21).
US09991208B2 Susceptor for holding a semiconductor wafer having an orientation notch, a method for depositing a layer on a semiconductor wafer, and semiconductor wafer
A semiconductor wafer processing susceptor for holding a wafer having an orientation notch during deposition of a layer on the wafer, having a placement surface for supporting the semiconductor wafer in the rear edge region of the wafer, the placement surface having a stepped outer delimitation, and an indentation of the outer delimitation of the placement surface for placement of the partial region of the edge region of the rear side of the wafer in which the orientation notch is located onto a partial region of the placement surface delimited by the indentation of the outer delimitation of the placement surface. The susceptor is used in a method for depositing a layer on a wafer having an orientation notch, and wafers made of monocrystalline silicon upon which layers are deposited using the susceptor have greater local flatness on both front and rear sides proximate the orientation notch.
US09991206B1 Package method including forming electrical paths through a mold layer
A package method includes disposing a chip and a plurality of solder bumps on a substrate by disposing a plurality of chip interfaces and the plurality of solder bumps on a plurality of first interfaces of the substrate respectively; forming a mold layer configured to encapsulate the chip and the plurality of solder bumps; grinding the mold layer to obtain a grinded mold layer and expose a top side of the chip; drilling the grinded mold layer to form a plurality of through holes corresponding to the plurality of solder bumps; and applying a conductive material to fill the plurality of through holes with the conductive material to form a plurality of electrical paths through the grinded mold layer and electrically couple to the plurality of solder bumps.
US09991195B2 Semiconductor device
The semiconductor device includes a wiring substrate having a plurality of ball lands formed on a lower surface of a core layer, a solder resist film covering the lower surface of the core layer, a via conductor layer penetrating the core layer and connected to the ball lands, and an upper surface wiring formed on the upper surface of the core layer, the upper surface wiring having one end formed as a bonding land and the other end connected to the via conductor layer. The semiconductor device further includes a semiconductor chip arranged on the wiring substrate, a solder ball connected to the ball lands. The solder resist film has an eliminating portion that exposes the lower surface of the core layer, and the upper surface wiring has a thin-wire portion and a thick-wire portion, and when seen in a plan view, the thick-wire portion overlaps the eliminating portion.
US09991185B2 Direct bonded copper semiconductor packages and related methods
A power semiconductor package includes a first direct bonded copper (DBC) substrate having a plurality of connection traces on a first face of the first DBC substrate. A plurality of die are coupled to the connection traces, each die coupled to one of the connection traces at a first face of the die. A second DBC substrate includes connection traces on a first face of the second DBC substrate. A second face of each die is coupled to one of the connection traces of the first face of the second DBC substrate. A cavity between the first face of the first DBC substrate and the first face of the second DBC substrate is filled with an encapsulating compound. Terminal pins may be coupled to connection traces on the first face of the first DBC substrate. More than two DBC substrates may be stacked to form a stacked power semiconductor package.
US09991183B2 Semiconductor component having inner and outer semiconductor component housings
A semiconductor component includes an inner semiconductor component housing and an outer semiconductor component housing. The inner semiconductor component housing includes a semiconductor chip, a first plastic housing composition and first housing contact surfaces. At least side faces of the semiconductor chip are embedded in the first plastic housing composition and the first housing contact surfaces are free of the first plastic housing composition and include a first arrangement. The outer semiconductor component housing includes a second plastic housing composition and second housing contact surfaces which include a second arrangement. The inner semiconductor component housing is situated within the outer semiconductor component housing and is embedded in the second plastic housing composition. At least one of the first housing contact surfaces is electrically connected with at least one of the second housing contact surfaces.
US09991181B2 Air-cavity package with enhanced package integration level and thermal performance
The present disclosure relates to an air-cavity package, which includes a bottom substrate, a top substrate, a perimeter wall, a bottom electronic component, a top electronic component, and an external electronic component. The perimeter wall extends from a periphery of a lower side of the top substrate to a periphery of an upper side of the bottom substrate to form a cavity. The bottom electronic component is mounted on the upper side of the bottom substrate and exposed to the cavity. The top electronic component is mounted on the lower side of the top substrate and exposed to the cavity. And the external electronic component is mounted on an upper side of the top substrate, which is opposite the lower side of the top substrate and not exposed to the cavity.
US09991180B2 Semiconductor device for reducing self-inductance
A semiconductor device includes: a resin case that houses a semiconductor element; a parallel plate that is disposed inside the resin case while being connected with the semiconductor element, the parallel plate including two flat plates parallel to each other with an insulating material therebetween; two electrodes that are each led out from two electrode lead-out portions in an upper end of the parallel plate and are disposed on an upper surface of the resin case at a predetermined interval; and a metal plate that stands erect on the main surface of the flat plate in a region at the predetermined interval between the two electrode lead-out portions.
US09991177B2 Method and arrangement for analyzing a semiconductor element and method for manufacturing a semiconductor component
According to the improved concept, a method for analyzing a semiconductor element comprising polymer residues located on a surface of the semiconductor element is provided. The method comprises marking at least a fraction of the residues by exposing the semiconductor element to a fluorescent substance and detecting the marked residues by visualizing the marked residues on the surface of the semiconductor element using fluorescence microscopy.
US09991176B2 Non-destructive acoustic metrology for void detection
Advanced interconnect technologies such as Through Silicon Vias (TSVs) have become an integral part of 3-D integration. Methods and systems and provided for laser-based acoustic techniques in which a short laser pulse generates broadband acoustic waves that propagate in the TSV structure. An optical interferometer detects the surface displacement caused by the acoustic waves reflecting within the structure as well as other acoustic waves traveling near the surface that has information about the structure dimensions and irregularities, such as voids. Features of voids, such as their location, are also identified based on the characteristics of the acoustic wave as it propagates through the via. Measurements typically take few seconds per site and can be easily adopted for in-line process monitoring.
US09991170B2 Integrating a planar field effect transistor (FET) with a vertical FET
One embodiment provides a method of integrating a planar field-effect transistor (FET) with a vertical FET. The method comprises masking and etching a semiconductor of the vertical FET to form a fin, and providing additional masking, additional etching, doping and depositions to isolate a bottom source/drain (S/D) region. A dielectric is formed on the bottom S/D region to form a spacer. The method further comprises depositing gate metals, etching a vertical gate for the vertical FET and a planar gate for the planar FET using a shared gate mask, depositing dielectric, etching the dielectric to expose one or more portions of the fin, growing epitaxy on a top S/D region, masking and etching S/D contact openings for the bottom S/D region, forming silicide regions in S/D regions, depositing contact metal in the silicide regions to form contacts, and planarizing the contacts.
US09991162B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device with a through via penetrating a semiconductor substrate, in which shorting between a wiring and a semiconductor element is prevented to improve the reliability of the semiconductor device. A liner insulating film as a low-k film, which has a function to insulate the semiconductor substrate and a through-silicon via from each other and is thick enough to reduce capacitance between the semiconductor substrate and the through-silicon via, is used as an interlayer insulating film for a first wiring layer over a contact layer. This prevents a decrease in the thickness of an interlayer insulating film in the contact layer.
US09991160B2 Process of forming semiconductor device having interconnection formed by electro-plating
A process of forming a semiconductor device that includes an interconnection formed by electro-plating is disclosed. The process comprises steps of: forming a stopper layer on a first insulating film; covering the stopper layer and the first insulating film with a second insulating film; preparing a first mask having an edge that overlaps with the stopper layer; depositing a seed layer on the first mask and the second insulating film that is exposed from the first mask; preparing a second mask having an edge that overlaps with the stopper layer, the edge of the first mask being retreated from the edge of the second mask; forming an upper layer on the seed layer by electro-plating a metal so as not to overlap with the first mask; and removing the seed layer exposed from the upper layer by etching.
US09991157B2 Method for depositing a diffusion barrier layer and a metal conductive layer
We disclose a method of applying a sculptured layer of material on a semiconductor feature surface using ion deposition sputtering, wherein a surface onto which the sculptured layer is applied is protected to resist erosion and contamination by impacting ions of a depositing layer. A first protective layer of material is deposited on a substrate surface using traditional sputtering or ion deposition sputtering, in combination with sufficiently low substrate bias that a surface onto which the layer is applied is not eroded away or contaminated during deposition of the protective layer. Subsequently, a sculptured second layer of material is applied using ion deposition sputtering at an increased substrate bias, to sculpture a shape from a portion of the first protective layer of material and the second layer of depositing material. The method is particularly applicable to the sculpturing of barrier layers, wetting layers, and conductive layers upon semiconductor feature surfaces.
US09991154B2 Method for fabricating a fin field effect transistor and a shallow trench isolation
A method for fabricating a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure comprises the following steps. A silane-base precursor having a volumetric flowrate of 500 to 750 sccm and a nitrogen-base precursor having a volumetric flowrate of 300 to 600 sccm are introduced and mixed under a first pressure ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 torr at a first temperature ranging from 30 to 105 centigrade to deposit a flowable dielectric layer in a trench of a substrate. Then, ozone gas and oxygen gas are introduced and mixed under a second pressure ranging from 300 to 650 torr at a second temperature ranging from 50 to 250 centigrade to treat the flowable dielectric layer, wherein a volumetric flowrate ratio of ozone gas and oxygen gas ranges from 1:1 to 3:1. A method for fabricating a FinFET is provided.
US09991153B2 Substrate support bushing
In one embodiment, a substrate support bushing for a lift pin used in a semiconductor processing chamber is provided. The bushing includes an elongated housing sized to guide the lift pin in a substrate support pedestal. The housing has a longitudinal bore formed through the housing. The housing includes at least one passageway slot extending and open to substantially the entire length of the bore. In another embodiment, a method for transferring a substrate from a substrate support pedestal is provided. The method includes displacing a lift pin through a central bore toward a substrate disposed on a substrate support pedestal. The bore has at least one slot extending substantially along and open to the central bore. The method further includes spacing the substrate from the substrate support pedestal on the lift pin.
US09991152B2 Wafer-handling end effectors with wafer-contacting surfaces and sealing structures
Wafer-handling end effectors and semiconductor manufacturing devices that include and/or are utilized with wafer-handling end effectors are disclosed herein. The end effectors include an end effector body and a plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces that is supported by the end effector body and configured to form an at least partially face-to-face contact with a wafer. The end effectors further include a vacuum distribution manifold that extends between a robot-proximal end of the end effector body and the plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces. The end effectors also include a plurality of vacuum openings that is defined within the plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces and extends between the plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces and the vacuum distribution manifold. The end effectors further include a plurality of sealing structures each of which is associated with a respective one of the plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces.
US09991150B2 Procedure of processing a workpiece and an apparatus designed for the procedure
The present invention provides a procedure of processing a workpiece such as backside grinding of a device wafer and an apparatus designed for the procedure. The procedure comprises (1) preparing a bonded stack comprising (e.g. consisting of) a carrier layer, a workpiece layer, and an interposer layer therebetween; (2) processing the workpiece layer; and (3) delivering a gas jet at the junction between two adjacent layers in the stack to separate or debond the two adjacent layers. Technical merits of the invention include enhanced efficiency, higher wafer throughput, reduced stress on workpiece surface, and uniformly distributed stress and avoidance of device wafer breakage and internal device damage, among others.
US09991147B2 Wafer grounding and biasing method, apparatus, and application
A wafer grounding apparatus and method adaptable to a charged particle beam apparatus is disclosed. A wafer substrate is supported by a wafer mount. A pulse current pin is arranged to be in contact with a backside film formed on a backside of the wafer substrate. A grounding pulse generator provides at least one pulse to drive the pulse current pin such that dielectric breakdown occurring at the backside film leads to establishment of a current path through the backside films. Accordingly, a current flows in the wafer substrate through this current path and then flows out of the wafer substrate via at least one current return path formed from capacitive coupling between the wafer substrate and the wafer mount.
US09991144B2 Storage warehouse
A storage warehouse includes shelves, wherein first and second containers capable of being transported while placed on an attachment are stored; a warehouse-in port and a warehouse-out port whereon the first and second containers placed on the attachment are placed; a warehouse-in conveyor and a warehouse-out conveyor that convey the first and second containers placed on the attachment between the shelves, and the warehouse-in port and between the shelves, and the warehouse-out port; an attachment-use warehouse-in/out port that temporarily stores the attachment; and a transfer machine that is capable of transferring the attachment between the attachment-use warehouse-in/out port and the warehouse-in port and between the attachment-use warehouse-in/out port and the warehouse-out port.
US09991142B2 Apparatus and method for decapsulating packaged integrated circuits
A system for decapsulating a portion of an encapsulated integrated circuit that includes copper elements has one or more containers holding specific etchant solutions, a pump having an inlet port connected to the one or more containers holding specific etchant solutions, and an outlet port, a temperature-controlled metal block having a fluid inlet connected to the pump outlet port, and an outlet port from the block, and control circuitry enabling control of temperature of the metal block and operation of the pump, and flow and temperature sensors coupled to the control circuitry. Etchant temperature at the outlet of the metal block is controlled to be at or below ambient temperature by controlling the pump and temperature of the metal block, and etchant mixture is delivered via a delivery conduit to an encapsulation surface of an encapsulated integrated circuit, decapsulating a portion of encapsulated circuit, minimizing damage to the copper elements.
US09991134B2 Processing systems and methods for halide scavenging
Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.
US09991127B2 Method of fabricating integrated circuit device by using slurry composition
A method of fabricating an integrated circuit device may include forming a polishing stop layer and a semiconductor layer on a substrate, and selectively polishing the semiconductor layer from a surface which simultaneously exposes the polishing stop layer and the semiconductor layer, by using a slurry composition including a compound composition and polishing particles. The compound composition may include a sulfonate compound and a terminal amine group-including compound.
US09991123B2 Doped protection layer for contact formation
A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a first doped region and a second doped region and a gate stack on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device also includes a main spacer layer on a sidewall of the gate stack and a protection layer between the main spacer layer and the semiconductor substrate. The protection layer is doped with a quadrivalent element. The semiconductor device further includes an insulating layer formed over the semiconductor substrate and the gate stack and a contact formed in the insulating layer. The contact includes a first portion contacting the first doped region, and the contact includes a second portion contacting the second doped region. The first portion extends deeper into the semiconductor substrate than the second portion.
US09991115B2 Directed self-assembly using trench assisted chemoepitaxy
The present disclosure relates to directed self-assembly using trench assisted chemoepitaxy. An example embodiment includes a method of forming a pre-patterned structure for directing a self-assembly of a self-assembling material that includes a first and a second component having different chemical natures. The method includes providing an assembly includes a substrate, a layer of pinning material overlying the substrate, and a resist pattern overlaying the layer of pinning material. The method also includes modifying a chemical nature of an exposed part of a top surface of the layer of pinning material. The method further includes removing the resist pattern. In addition, the method includes attaching a neutral layer to the layer of pinning material.
US09991113B2 Systems and methods for fabricating single-crystalline diamond membranes
A buffer layer is employed to fabricate diamond membranes and allow reuse of diamond substrates. In this approach, diamond membranes are fabricated on the buffer layer, which in turn is disposed on a diamond substrate that is lattice-matched to the diamond membrane. The weak bonding between the buffer layer and the diamond substrate allows ready release of the fabricated diamond membrane. The released diamond membrane is transferred to another substrate to fabricate diamond devices, while the diamond substrate is reused for another fabrication.
US09991109B2 Apparatus for etching high aspect ratio features
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus, such as a processing chamber, suitable for etching high aspect ratio features. Other embodiments include a showerhead assembly for use in the processing chamber. In one embodiment, a processing chamber includes a chamber body having a showerhead assembly and substrate support disposed therein. The showerhead assembly includes at least two fluidly isolated plenums, a region transmissive to an optical metrology signal, and a plurality of gas passages formed through the showerhead assembly fluidly coupling the plenums to the interior volume of the chamber body.
US09991108B2 Ion guide with orthogonal sampling
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a RF ion guide wherein in a mode of operation a continuous, quasi-continuous or pulsed beam of ions is orthogonally sampled from the ion guide and wherein the continuous, quasi-continuous or pulsed beam of ions is not axially trapped or otherwise axially confined within the RF ion guide. The ion guide is maintained, in use, at a pressure selected from the group consisting of: (i) 0.0001-0.001 mbar; (ii) 0.001-0.01 mbar; (iii) 0.01-0.1 mbar; (iv) 0.1-1 mbar; (v) 1-10 mbar; (vi) 10-100 mbar; and (vii) >100 mbar.
US09991107B2 Methods of performing ion-ion reactions in mass spectrometry
A method is described that produces product ions for mass analysis, the method comprising the steps of: introducing precursor ions into an RF electric field ion containment device, introducing reagent ions into the RF electric field ion containment device and performing an ion-ion interaction in the RF electric field ion containment device by co-trapping the precursor ions with the reagent ions. Precursor ions and product ions may be retained and/or isolated in the RF electric field ion containment device. The steps above may be repeated until a predetermined amount of reaction completeness is attained. Mass analysis of at least some of the ions in the RF electric field ion containment device may be performed where the ions are mass analyzed either directly from the RF electric field ion containment device.
US09991101B2 Magnetron assembly for physical vapor deposition chamber
Methods and apparatus for a magnetron assembly are provided herein. In some embodiments, a magnetron assembly includes a shunt plate having a central axis and rotatable about the central axis, a closed loop magnetic pole coupled to a first surface of the shunt plate and disposed 360 degrees along a peripheral edge of the shunt plate, and an open loop magnetic pole coupled at a the first surface of the shunt plate wherein the open loop magnetic pole comprises two rows of magnets disposed about the central axis.
US09991082B2 Semiconductor device and related manufacturing method
A semiconductor device may include the following elements: a semiconductor substrate, an insulator positioned on the substrate, a source electrode positioned on the insulator, a drain electrode positioned on the insulator, a gate electrode positioned between the source electrode and the drain electrode, a hollow channel surrounded by the gate electrode and positioned between the source electrode and the drain electrode, a dielectric member positioned between the hollow channel and the gate electrode, a first insulating member positioned between the gate electrode and the source electrode, and a second insulating member positioned between the gate electrode and the drain electrode.
US09991077B2 Current limiting device of circuit breaker
In present disclosure, a movable bar guide portion is formed to protrude toward a movable bar in a shaft having a movable bar, and when a fault current is applied and the movable bar is rotated due to electromagnetic repulsion force, the movable bar and the movable bar guide portion contact each other, and thus, when the movable bar is rotated through the movable guide portion, movement of a rotation center of the movable bar is minimized.
US09991075B2 Controlling a controllably conductive device based on zero-crossing detection
A load control device may control power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source. The load control device may include a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load, a zero-cross detect circuit configured to generate a zero-cross signal representative of the zero-crossings of an AC voltage. The zero-cross signal may be characterized by pulses occurring in time with the zero-crossings of the AC voltage. The load control device may include a control circuit operatively coupled to the controllably conductive device and the zero cross detect circuit. The control circuit may be configured to identify a rising-edge time and a falling-edge time of one of the pulses of the zero-cross signal, and may control a conductive state of the controllably conductive device based on the rising-edge time and the falling-edge time of the pulse.
US09991067B2 Method for producing an electric contact support
A method for the production of an electric contact carrier includes producing a basic profile from a basic material. A contact material is applied on a contact accepting area of the basic profile. The contact material is formed into a contact of the contact carrier. Then, the contact carrier is removed from the basic material.
US09991066B2 Synchronizing switching times of relays to a zero-crossing
Methods, devices, and systems for synchronizing switching times of relays to a zero-crossing are described herein. One device includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive phase information of an alternating-current (AC) electric mains, determine, from the phase information, a zero-crossing of the phase of the AC electric mains, determine a reference time based on the zero-crossing for a number of relays corresponding to a number of relay controllers, and transmit the reference time to the number of relay controllers.
US09991056B2 Sonicating bath for anode foils
A process and apparatus are presented for cleaning the tunnels of an electrochemically etched anode foil. The apparatus includes a tank, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and one or more tranducers. The tank is designed to receive a plurality of cartridges, each of the plurality of cartridges having a reservoir and being designed to hold a metal foil. The fluid inlet and fluid outlet are coupled with at least one of the plurality of cartridges, and are designed to introduce and expel, respectively, a liquid from the reservoir within at least one of the plurality of cartridges. The one or more transducers are coupled to at least one wall of each reservoir, the one or more transducers being designed to sonicate the liquid within each reservoir at a frequency less than 300 Hz.
US09991049B2 Correlation-evading commutated-element direct-current current transformer
The present invention provides a correlation-evading commutated-element direct-current current transformer (DCCT) that offers freedom from errors caused by correlation between its commutation frequency and its input current waveform. Its commutated element, comprising a commutating switch and a current transformer generates, responsive to a commutating signal, a current in a burden, which burden generates a signal representing the DCCT input current. A drive generator generates a commutation signal that can be switched between plural frequencies. Correlation detection circuitry detects correlation between the DCCT input current waveform and its commutation frequency and issues a signal for causing the drive generator to switch commutation frequency to evade correlation.
US09991032B2 Method for manufacturing thin film chip resistor device
A method for manufacturing a thin film chip resistor device includes the steps of: disposing a magnetic fixing member on a first surface of a substrate, and disposing a magnetic shadow mask on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface, such that the magnetic shadow mask detachably and fixedly contacts the second surface of the substrate by virtue of an attractive magnetic force between the magnetic fixing member and the magnetic shadow mask; and depositing at least one resistor unit on the second surface of the substrate with the use of the magnetic shadow mask, the resistor unit including two separated first electrode elements and a resistor element that electrically interconnects the first electrode elements.
US09991023B2 Interconnect cable having insulated wires with a conductive coating
A cable assembly includes a plurality of wires. Each wire has a first end, intermediate section, and a second end. The intermediate sections of the respective wires are detached from each other. A conductive shield surrounds the respective intermediate sections of the plurality of wires. Each wire includes a conductor, an insulating layer that surrounds the conductor, and a conductive coating formed on an outside surface of the insulating layer.
US09991022B2 Electroconductive resin composition and pressure sensor
[Problem] To provide: an electroconductive resin composition which can be produced at low cost and is suitable as a material for the electrical conductors of a pressure sensor; and a pressure sensor including electrical conductors constituted of the electroconductive resin composition. [Solution] The present invention provides a pressure sensor (1) which includes an insulator (10) having a hollow portion (13) and a plurality of electrical conductors (11) that have been disposed apart from each other along the inner surface facing the hollow portion (13) of the insulator (10), the plurality of electrical conductors (11) comprising an electroconductive resin composition that includes both a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer and carbon.
US09991018B2 Method for manufacturing carbon carrier-metal nanoparticle composite and carbon carrier-metal nanoparticle composite manufactured thereby
The present application relates to a method for preparing a carbon carrier-metal nanoparticle composite and a carbon carrier-metal nanoparticle composite prepared thereby, and has an advantage in that it is possible to improve dispersibility and supporting ratio of metal nanoparticles with respect to a carbon carrier by efficiently supporting metal nanoparticles having a uniform size of several nanometers on evenly dispersed carbon carriers.
US09991012B2 Extraction process
A process for extracting Cs-137 from i) an acidic solution obtained by dissolving an irradiated solid target comprising uranium, ii) an acidic solution comprising uranium which has previously been irradiated in a nuclear reactor, or iii) an acidic solution comprising uranium which has been used as reactor fuel in a homogeneous reactor, the acidic solution i), ii) or iii) having been treated to harvest Mo-99, wherein the process comprises contacting the treated acidic solution with an adsorbent comprising ammonium molybdophosphate (AMP). In an embodiment, the AMP is combined with an organic or inorganic polymeric support, for example AMP synthesized within hollow aluminosilicate microspheres (AMP-C).
US09991011B2 Glass composition for vitrifying mixed waste product
This invention relates to the vitrification of radioactive waste products. According to this invention, a glass composition that is suitable for mixed waste products, which include flammable waste products, such as gloves, working clothes, plastic waste, and rubber, and low-level radioactive waste products, and a method of vitrifying the mixed waste products using the same are provided to significantly reduce the volume of radioactive waste products and to vitrify the mixed waste products using the glass composition, which is suitable for vitrifying the mixed waste products, thereby maximally delaying or completely preventing the leakage of radioactive materials from a glass solidified body.
US09991005B2 Shift register and driving method thereof
The present disclosure provides a shift register and a method for driving the shift register. The shift register includes a first input module, a second input module and an output module. The first input module includes a first transistor and a second transistor, both being connected with a first input terminal, a fourth input terminal and a fifth input terminal. The second input module is connected with a second input terminal, a third input terminal and a fourth input terminal. The second input terminal is electrically connected with the first input module at a first node. The output module being connected with a fifth input terminal, a sixth input terminal and a first output terminal, the output module being electrically connected with the first input module at the first node and the second node, and the output module being electrically connected with the second input module at the first node.
US09991002B2 Methods for reading and operating memory device including efuse
The present disclosure provides a memory. The memory includes an array of memory cells arranged as a plurality of rows by a plurality of columns. A memory cell is connected to at least one redundant memory cell in series in a same row for storing same data as the memory cell; and a column of memory cells correspond to at least one redundant column of redundant memory cells wherein each redundant memory cell in the at least one redundant column stores same data as the memory cell in a same row.
US09990989B2 Enhancing nucleation in phase-change memory cells
Various embodiments disclosed herein comprise methods and apparatuses for placing phase-change memory (PCM) cells of a memory array into a temperature regime where nucleation probability of the PCM cells is enhanced prior to applying a subsequent SET programming signal. In one embodiment, the method includes applying a nucleation signal to the PCM cells to form nucleation sites within the memory array where the nucleation signal has a non-zero rising-edge. A programming signal is subsequently applied to achieve a desired level of crystallinity within selected ones of the plurality of PCM cells. Additional methods and apparatuses are also described.
US09990980B2 Internal strobe signal generating circuit capable of selecting data rate and semiconductor apparatus including the same
An internal strobe signal generating circuit may include a data rate selection circuit, a division circuit and a strobe output circuit. The data rate selection circuit may enable a data rate selection signal according to operational information. The division circuit may generate a divided strobe signal by dividing a data strobe signal in response to the data rate selection signal. The strobe output circuit may generate, in response to the data rate selection signal, an internal strobe signal based on one of the divided strobe signal and the data strobe signal.
US09990978B2 Semiconductor devices relating to a refreshing operation
A semiconductor device may be provided. The semiconductor device may include an address input circuit and a target address generation circuit. The address input circuit may be configured to latch a bank address and an address to generate a bank active signal and a latch address based on the execution of an active operation. The target address generation circuit may be configured to generate the latch address as a target address.
US09990972B1 Tracking wordline behavior
Various implementations described herein are directed to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may include a memory bank having an array of memory cells that are accessible via a selected wordline and a pair of complementary bitlines. The integrated circuit may include a dummy wordline coupled to each of the pair of complementary bitlines via a pair of coupling capacitors. The dummy wordline may mimic the selected wordline. During transitions of the pair of complementary bitlines between first and second logic states, the dummy wordline may receive coupling capacitance from the pair of complementary bitlines via the pair of coupling capacitors.
US09990971B2 Devices, methods, and systems supporting on unit termination
The present disclosure includes devices, methods, and systems supporting on unit termination. A number of embodiments include a number of memory units, wherein a memory unit includes termination circuitry, and a memory unit does not include termination circuitry.
US09990969B2 Page buffer and memory device including the same
Provided herein are a page buffer and a memory device having the same. The page buffer may include: a latch circuit comprising a first node configured to be set to a first level in response to a sense amplifier strobe signal when an operation of setting up a bit line is performed during a program operation of a semiconductor memory device; a current control circuit configured to supply an internal power to a current sensing node depending on a value of the first level of the first node; and a page buffer sensing circuit configured to couple the bit line to the current sensing node in response to a page buffer sensing signal and control a potential level of the bit line depending on a potential level of the page buffer sensing signal.
US09990960B2 Offset-printing method for three-dimensional printed memory with multiple bits-per-cell
The present invention discloses an offset-printing method for a three-dimensional printed memory with multiple bits-per-cell. The mask-patterns for different bits-in-a-cell are merged onto a multi-region data-mask. At different printing steps, a wafer is offset by different values with respect to the data-mask. Accordingly, data-patterns from a same data-mask are printed into different bits-in-a-cell.
US09990957B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and recording medium
The present invention comprises an input part for inputting image data, a receiving part for receiving production information relating to production transmitted from another apparatus, a recording part for recording the production information received by the receiving part and image data input by the input part, a detection part for detecting a recording position on a recording medium at an editing point of image data recorded by the recording part, and a transmission part for transmitting information of the recording position detected by the detection part, whereby identification information for identifying image data and voice data is recorded in a recording medium or a recording device, this relieving a burden on a photographer and an editor and facilitating extraction of image data and voice data.
US09990955B2 Image recording apparatus and method, and image playback apparatus and method
An image recording apparatus having an image sensing unit and a particular operation unit controls so as to start or to stop, in a case where the first recording mode is set, in accordance with an operation on the particular operation unit, a recording to a recording medium of a moving image captured by the imaging unit, and to control so as to record, in a case where the second recording mode is set, in accordance with an operation on the particular operation unit, while continuing recording to the recording medium of a moving image captured by the imaging unit, information indicating a start of a scene which is a portion of the moving image being recorded, or information indicating an end of a scene which is a portion of the moving image being recorded.
US09990954B2 Disc device
A disc device of the present disclosure includes a plurality of magazine units aligned in height direction of the disc device. Each of the magazine units includes a plurality of magazine holders each storing at least one magazine, a rail that is slidable in depth direction of the disc device along a side of a housing of the disc device and has higher stiffness than the magazine holders, and a box-shaped handle mounted to a front end of the rail to extend in width direction of the disc device. The plurality of magazine holders is arranged in depth direction of the disc device. The rail holds the plurality of magazine holders at one side of the magazine holder. The handle extends from the front end of the rail toward a free-end side of the magazine holders and includes a recessed engagement portion that admits a finger in depth direction of the disc device and enables the finger to engage when each of the magazine units is pulled out in depth direction of the disc device.
US09990947B1 Pad sharing for contact sensor and bolometer with temperature compensation in heat-assisted magnetic recording device
A slider of a heat-assisted recording head comprises electrical bond pads coupled to bias sources and a ground pad, an air bearing surface, and a waveguide configured to receive light from a laser source. A contact sensor proximate the air bearing surface is coupled between a first bond pad and a second bond pad. A bolometer is coupled to a reference thermal sensor. The bolometer is situated at a slider location that receives at least some of the light communicated along the waveguide. The reference thermal sensor is situated at a slider location unexposed to the light communicated along the waveguide. The bolometer and reference thermal sensor are coupled between the first and second bond pads and in parallel with the contact sensor. A ground connection is coupled to the ground pad and at a connection between the bolometer and the reference thermal sensor.
US09990935B2 System aspects of an audio codec
The present document relates to the design of anti-aliasing and/or anti-imaging filters for resamplers using rational resampling factors. In particular, the present document relates to a method for implementing such anti-aliasing and/or anti-imaging filters with reduced computational complexity. In addition, the present document relates to further aspects of an audio encoding and decoding system, such as the phase relation between the channels of a multi-channel audio signal and/or the structure of the bitstream of an encoded audio signal.
US09990923B2 Automated software execution using intelligent speech recognition
Methods and apparatuses are described for automated execution of computer software using intelligent speech recognition techniques. A server captures a digitized voice segment from a remote device, the first digitized voice segment corresponding to speech submitted by a user of the remote device during a voice call. The server analyzes the digitized voice segment to convert the digitized voice segment into text and extract a set of keywords from the converted text. A client computing device displays the extracted keywords in a user interface of a display device. The server determines one or more computer software applications accessible to the client computing device and selects least one of the computer software applications that include functionality responsive to the keywords. The client computing device executes the functionality of the selected computer software applications that is responsive to the keywords.
US09990915B2 Systems and methods for multi-style speech synthesis
Techniques for performing multi-style speech synthesis. The techniques include using at least one computer hardware processor to perform: obtaining input comprising text and an identification of a desired speaking style to use in rendering the text as speech; identifying a plurality of speech segments for use in synthesizing the text as speech, the identifying comprising identifying a first speech segment recorded and/or synthesized in a first speaking style that is different from the desired speaking style based at least in part on a measure of similarity between the desired speaking style and the first speaking style; synthesizing speech from the text in the desired speaking style at least in part by using the first speech segment; and outputting the synthesized speech.
US09990914B2 System and method for dynamically interacting with a mobile communication device by series of similar sequential barge in signals to interrupt audio playback
Audio presentations of a media content delivered onto a device are interrupted using commands not otherwise known to or programmed in to a messaging application used to present the content to the user of the device. In one embodiment, an electronic message having textual content is received at the mobile device, where it is translated into an audio stream, and presented (i.e., played back) to the user of the device within the messaging application. The user provides, and the application receives a string of identical user commands that are not specifically defined or programmed in as commands within the messaging application, and playback of the audio stream is modified according to the received string of user commands.
US09990913B2 Method of generating a drive signal for a loudspeaker arranged in a motor vehicle, an exhaust system for an engine and a sound system for a passenger cell
A method of generating a drive signal for a loudspeaker in an exhaust system of an engine of a vehicle or inside or outside a passenger cell includes providing a predetermined source signal for a desired additional sound in a time domain comprising a plurality of signal components of different frequencies; analyzing the source signal based on a phase of the source signal and/or a phase of at least one oscillation in the source signal; identifying a phase of engine noise and/or a phase of at least one oscillation existing in engine noise; shifting the phases of the source signal and/or the oscillation existing in the source signal based on phases identified in engine noise and/or in oscillation existing in engine noise, the relationship of phases of individual oscillations of the source signal among each other being preserved; and generating the drive signal based on the phase-shifted source signal.
US09990908B2 Percussion instrument strainer and tuning system
A strainer system includes an adjustable slide assembly that can be used as a strainer side assembly or a butt side slide assembly for tensioning a snare that will not detune due to sympathetic vibrations. The strainer system may also be configured to easily control the amount of snare contact with the bearing edge on both the strainer side and the butt side of the shell body.
US09990906B2 Musical string with high modulus fiber winding
A string for a musical instrument, comprising a liquid crystal aromatic polyester fiber. Incorporating a synthetic material having a high modulus of elasticity into a musical instrument string substantially increases the torsional stiffness of the string without causing undesirable property changes such as increasing bending stiffness. This is especially useful when used in conjunction with a multifilament synthetic core.
US09990902B2 Electronic device for adjusting brightness of screen and method thereof
An operation method of an electronic device is provided. The operation method includes detecting a movement speed of contents being scrolled, if the detected movement speed is determined as being equal to or greater than a set speed, changing a brightness of a screen having been displayed at a first brightness, into a second brightness, and changing the brightness of the screen from the second brightness to the first brightness according to a changing movement speed of the contents being scrolled.
US09990899B2 Image display apparatus combining three-in-one with single color light-emitting elements
An image display apparatus comprising a display section provided by pixels arranged in a grid pattern, each of the pixels being formed of a light-emitting element, in which basic grids are repeatedly arranged in a grid pattern, each of the basic grids consisting of four pixels of a 2 by 2 matrix, each of the basic grids having a pattern in which one or two pixels of the four pixels being assigned a three-in-one element including three primary colors of R, G, and B and the remaining pixels being assigned a single-color light-emitting element, and the apparatus comprises processor for correcting a first color reproduction range provided by chromaticities of the three primary colors of R, G, and B to a second color reproduction range by light-emission intensity of the single-color light-emitting element and shifting chromaticity points for the three colors.
US09990895B2 Display apparatus and driving method of display panel thereof
A display apparatus and a driving method of a display panel thereof are provided. The display apparatus includes a gate driver circuit providing a plurality of gate driving signals, a switch driver circuit providing a plurality of switch driving signals and the display panel having a plurality of pixels arranged in an array. Each of the pixels includes a first switch, a second switch and a storage capacitor coupled in series, wherein the first switch is controlled by the corresponding switch driving signal, and the second switch is controlled by the corresponding gate driving signal. During a frame update period, the gate driving signals are enabled sequentially, and an enabling period of each of switch driving signal is overlapped with enabling periods of a part of gate driving signals. During an operation waiting period, the gate driving signals are enabled periodically.
US09990883B2 Organic light emitting display and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting display comprises a display panel having data lines, scan lines, emission signal lines, and pixels. The display also comprises a data driver configured to provide a data voltage corresponding to an input image to one of the data lines connected to a pixel and a gate driver configured to provide an N-th scan pulse to an N-th scan line to charge the pixel with the data voltage during a scan period within a frame period. The display further comprises an emission driver configured to receives shift clocks and the N-th scan pulse from the gate driver to provide an N-th emission control signal to the N-th emission signal line and to control a current path through the OLED based on the N-th emission control signal during a duty driving period following the scan period within a frame period.
US09990879B2 Display device with solar cell module
The present disclosure provides a display device. A solar cell module is integrated into a body of the display device. A photosensitive control module is configured to detect a brightness value of current ambient light being incident on the display device, and when the detected brightness value meets a predetermined condition, switch a power supply of the display device from a local cell to the solar cell module, so as to supply the electric energy stored in the solar cell module to the display device.
US09990870B2 Modular art-post assembly and method of using the same
An outdoor art-post assembly includes an elongate support pole, an art post, and at least one mounting mechanism. The elongate support pole has a lower portion and an auger disposed at the lower portion. The auger allows for vertical installation of the support pole in soil in response to manual rotation of the support pole. The art post has an inner surface defining a bore. The bore is capable of receiving at least a portion of the elongate support pole. The art post also has an outer surface including decorative indicia thereon. The mounting mechanism is located on the support pole and has protruding portions extending away from the support pole. The protruding portions are configured to contact the inner surface of the art post and affix the art post relative to the support pole. Methods of assembling the same are also disclosed.
US09990868B1 Compact, convertible exit sign
A compact exit sign includes a main body having an open frontal portion, an annular side wall portion and a rear panel portion including a central opening extending across greater than half of the rear panel, and a front plate including a face portion provided with exit indicia. The exit sign can be selectively converted between single and double face exit signs by snap-connecting a first, solid and non-transparent insert to the main body across the central opening of the rear panel to establish a single face exit sign and snap-connecting a second, exit indicia containing insert to the main body across the central opening of the rear panel to establish a double face exit sign. A lighting system is housed within the main body for illuminating the exit indicia for either of the single or double face configurations.
US09990867B1 Nameplate assembly for a bag
A nameplate assembly for a bag has a base, a nameplate and at least one connecting unit, the nameplate is disposed in an accommodating recess of the base, and the at least one connecting unit is mounted in at least one connecting recess of the base. The nameplate is connected and fixed on the base by the connecting unit. The base further includes a pressing recess formed in an end of the accommodating recess, the nameplate extending to a position above the pressing recess. The nameplate can be easily mounted on the base by the magnetic force from the connecting unit and can be easily removed by being pressed into the pressing recess. Therefore, the nameplate assembly is efficient in manufacturing and is easy to use.
US09990863B2 Perfusion phantom device
The invention relates to a phantom device for reproducing the fluid perfusion in a body, said device comprising a phantom organ that may be introduced into a scanner, said phantom organ comprising a housing in which are defined a plurality of fluid channels, suitably of differing cross-sectional areas; a feed tube arranged to supply liquid to a first end of all of said channels and means for collecting liquid from the other end of the channels. Alternatively or additionally, the device may comprise an element comprising a phantom heart through which fluid can flow, wherein the phantom heart comprises a first chamber representing a right atrium which is arranged to receive fluid from a fluid supply, a second chamber representing a right ventricle which receives fluid leaving said first chamber, a third chamber representing a left atrium which receives fluid leaving the second chamber and a fourth chamber representing left ventricle which receives fluid leaving the third chamber; and wherein a phantom thoracic system is interposed between the second chamber and the third chamber.Uses of the device in quality control, validation or calibration of monitoring devices such as magnetic resonance (MR) or computerized tomography (CT) scanners, in teaching or training of machine operatives or for research purposes including for research into scanners, scanning techniques or reagents such as contrast agents used in such processes, form further aspects of the invention.
US09990860B2 Wearable blind guiding apparatus
A blind guiding apparatus comprises a first wearable assembly on which a voice recognition unit, a central processing unit, a GPS unit, a voice output unit and a Braille display unit are disposed. The blind guiding apparatus provides real-time positioning and navigating functions for a blind user walking outside, wherein the Braille display unit allows the user to confirm a destination address recognized by the voice recognition unit so as to avoid error in navigation.
US09990859B2 Intraoral tactile biofeedback methods, devices and systems for speech and language training
An intraoral method, biofeedback system and kit are provided for supplying intraoral feedback representative of a speaker's pronunciation during sound production, which feedback may be used for training and enhancing a speaker's pronunciation accuracy.
US09990858B2 Golf swing classification method, golf club selection method, golf swing classification device, and golf swing classification system
Provided is a golf swing classification method that is capable of optimizing selection of a golf club. A golf swing classification method when a golf club hits a golf ball according to the present invention includes the steps of: acquiring acceleration in at least a single point on the golf club or in at least one point that follows the single point during the golf swing; and mapping a behavior of the golf club based on a time period from a time point when an absolute value of the acceleration is at a maximum to a time point when the golf club hits the golf ball.
US09990857B2 Method and system for visual pedometry
A system and method for calculating step count and associated physical movement intensity. In some embodiments, the system includes at least a camera to capture video of user motions, which are analyzed, and the corresponding step count and physical exercise intensity are deduced by the disclosed method.
US09990853B1 Material detection on a road
A material detection system mountable to a ground vehicle. The material detection system includes a first range determination system (RDS) that includes a first electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitter configured to emit first EMR behind the ground vehicle within a first field of view (FOV), a first EMR receiver that is configured to receive first EMR reflections, and a first RDS processing device configured to generate first RDS data that identifies distances to reflective surfaces based on the first EMR reflections. A processing device is coupled to the first range determination system and is configured to determine, based at least in part on the first RDS data, that material exists on the road. The processing device is also configured to determine a location of the material, and cause the location to be communicated to a computing device that maintains a map that identifies locations of material larger than a predetermined threshold.
US09990844B2 Method for handling misbehaving vehicle and V2X communicaton system performing the same
An on-board unit of a vehicle communication system includes: a reception module receiving a message including driving information of a nearby vehicle from the nearby vehicle; and a misbehaving vehicle detection module analyzing the received message and detecting a misbehaving vehicle based on the analyzed message.
US09990842B2 Learning alarms for nuisance and false alarm reduction
A learning alarm includes a sensor operatively connected to a processor to detect environmental properties and an alarm operatively connected to the processor to provide an alert if the environmental properties are outside an acceptable range. A user interface is operatively connected to the processor to accept user input indicating an alert corresponds to a nuisance condition. A memory is also operatively connected to the processor for storing detected environmental properties corresponding to the nuisance condition. The processor is configured to suppress alerts from the alarm based on detected environmental properties corresponding to the environmental properties of the nuisance condition stored in the memory.
US09990837B1 Intrinsic safety isolation with capacitive coupling
A communication apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a printed circuit board having a thickness that complies with an intrinsic safety physical separation specification. A first pair of capacitive plates are disposed on opposite sides of the printed circuit board and are arranged to form a first capacitor having an insulating layer of the printed circuit board forming a dielectric material for the first capacitor. A second pair of capacitive plates are disposed on opposite sides of the printed circuit board and are arranged to form a second capacitor having the insulating layer of the printed circuit board forming a dielectric material for the second capacitor. A modulator is coupled to the first and second capacitors and is configured to receive an input signal having an input signal frequency and to provide a modulated signal having a frequency that is higher than the input signal. A demodulator is coupled to the first and second capacitors and configured to detect the modulated signal and provide a demodulated signal having the input signal frequency.
US09990836B2 Systems and methods for automated personal emergency responses
A subscriber device for use in an automated personal emergency response system implemented as a conference bridge on a remote computing network. The device, intended to be worn as a pendant, wristband or in another wearable configuration, includes a color high-resolution display for signaling a user of the subscriber device with notifications, arrows for directional guidance, and/or other status messages. The device also includes microphones and speakers for enabling a teleconference between a user of the subscriber device in need of assistance and parties joined to the teleconference via the automated personal emergency response system. The user of the subscriber device may initiate the call for assistance and teleconference via a press of a single button on the device; alternatively, accelerometers in the device may detect a fall and automatically initiate the call. The device can receive medical telemetry and provide it to conference participants and perform home automation tasks.
US09990832B2 Occupancy detection by social media
A method for security and/or automation systems is described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving social media data via a signal, analyzing the social media data based at least in part on a first parameter, identifying occupancy information based at least in part on the analyzing, and assessing a structure occupancy based at least in part on the identifying.
US09990826B1 System for monitoring offender during correctional supervisory program
The present disclosure provides details of a system for monitoring an offender during a correctional supervisory program. The system includes an offender communication device that transmit and receive communications via a communication and monitoring center. The offender communication device include a smart phone or tablet that obtains identity information including biometric information from an offender before a communication is transmitted or received. The offender communication device also stores data including metadata, metrics, or content of a communication and transmits the stored data to the communication and monitoring center. The communication and monitoring center transmits and receives communications from the offender communication device and another communication device. Further, the communication and monitoring center provides monitoring functionality to record a communication and determine that a location of an offender is in an authorized location based on rules and requirements of the correctional supervisory program.
US09990813B2 Combination signal marker panel and solar panel
A combination signal marker panel and solar panel and methods are disclosed. The combination signal marker panel and solar panel includes a signal marker that is detachably fastened to a flexible solar panel. The solar panel is modular and configurable to provide any output voltage. Namely, the solar panel can include any number of solar modules configured in series, configured in parallel, or configured in any combination of series and parallel arrangements. The combination signal marker panel and solar panel can be used to harvest solar energy while simultaneously marking the user's position.
US09990812B2 Configuring point-of-sale (POS) applications based on a priority level in order to communicate with peripheral devices in a POS system
A Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal in a retail environment is communicatively connected to one or more POS peripheral devices. Each POS peripheral device is associated with a configuration file that defines configuration settings for the POS peripheral device and environmental context information for the POS terminal and the POS controller. The configuration files are prioritized according to various criteria, and used to re-configure POS applications executing on the POS to operate optimally with the particular POS peripheral device. Additionally, the prioritized configuration files control the POS applications to update the configuration information.
US09990811B2 Point-of-sale (POS) terminal having a lock system
A point-of-sale (POS) terminal includes a main body, a door attached to the main body, an electric lock attached to one of the main body and the door and including a first movable part configured to move between a lock position and an unlock position using electric power, and a manual lock attached to the other one of the main body and the door and including a second movable part that is manually movable between a lock position and an unlock position. When the door is in a closed state and the first and second movable parts are both at the lock position, the first and second movable parts restrict movement of the door. When the door is in the closed state and at least one of the first and second movable parts is at the unlock position, the door is movable.
US09990802B2 Gaming device having multiple interacting independently operable wheels
A gaming device having multiple interacting independently operated symbol generators, such as wheels. In one embodiment, each wheel includes a plurality of sections that are associated with a plurality of different outcomes which are displayed to a player. One or more of the wheels are activated, either sequentially or simultaneously and the results of the wheel activations influence one or more subsequent wheel activations. Upon a terminating event, an outcome based on the results from one or more spins of one or more of the wheels is provided to the player.
US09990799B2 Table games and related methods
A gaming table in which the outcome of the game is determined manually, and in which players place bets electronically and wins or losses are calculated electronically. The gaming system is applicable to any suitable game including roulette.
US09990790B2 Unit for communication by means of a predetermined protocol
The invention relates to a unit (SYST) for communication by means of a predetermined protocol, said communication unit (SYST) including: a master device (EQ_MAI); and a slave device (EQU_ESC) capable of communicating with a vehicle according to a UHF or BF protocol, and capable of assuming a plurality of states, characterized in that the master device (EQ_MAI) is suitable for sending, to the slave device (EQU_ESC), alerts pertaining to the actuation of a state.
US09990782B2 Method for analyzing operation characteristics of a vehicle driver
A method analyzes characteristics of a vehicle driver, especially for insurance purposes. The method is performed by a cooperation of an analyzing vehicle system in a vehicle and a stationary processing unit remote from the vehicle. The analyzing vehicle system determines a driver operation characteristics parameter from the driving vehicle and sends the parameter to the stationary processing unit. The stationary processing unit derives a metric from that parameter as driver operation characteristics.
US09990780B2 Using computed facial feature points to position a product model relative to a model of a face
Using computed facial feature points to position a product model relative to a model of a face is disclosed, comprising: obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) model of a user's face, wherein the 3D model of the user's face comprises a plurality of 3D points; determining a face normal that is normal to a plane that is determined based at least in part on a first subset of 3D points from the plurality of 3D points; determining a set of computed bridge points based at least in part on a second subset of 3D points from the plurality of 3D points and the face normal; and using the set of computed bridge points to determine an initial placement of a 3D model of a glasses frame relative to the 3D model of the user's face.
US09990778B2 Notification system for virtual reality devices
A notification system for virtual reality devices that includes a message indicator device, an audiovisual (A/V) signal source connected to the message indicator device and adapted provide an A/V feed containing at least one of video information and audio information, a monitoring system connected to the message indicator device and configured to detect notification events at a monitored premises, and a virtual reality (VR) headset connected to the message indicator device and adapted to receive and present the A/V feed, wherein the message indicator device is adapted to communicate the A/V feed to the VR headset during a normal operating state, and wherein the message indicator device is adapted to communicate an alert signal to the VR headset upon detection of a notification event by the monitoring system.
US09990771B2 Method and system of displaying information during a medical procedure
A method and system including a head mounted display for displaying information to a user when performing a medical procedure is described. A user wearing the head mounted display device can view objects, while simultaneously receiving and displaying feedback information on a procedure being performed. Text and graphical information is presented in a position on the head mounted display so that the object or a part of an object out of the line of sight appears in the same location and with the same shape, size and orientation as if the object or part of an object were visible to the user.
US09990768B1 Multiple simultaneous bin sizes
Conflicts between the database-building and traversal phases are resolved by allowing the database bin size to be different from the display bin size. The database bin size is some multiple of the bin display bin size, and when there are multiple display bins in a database bin, each database bin is traversed multiple times for display, and the rasterizer discards primitives outside of the current display bin. This allows a trade off between memory bandwidth consumed for database building and bandwidth consumed for display, particularly when the display traversal is done multiple of times.
US09990760B2 Generating a 3D interactive immersive experience from a 2D static image
A two-dimensional (2D) static image may be used to generate a three-dimensional (3D) interactive immersive experience. An image type of the 2D image may first be identified. The image type may be selected from a set of types such as interior, exterior, people, corridor, landscape, and other. Each image type may have an associated main feature type. The main feature of the 2D image may be identified using the corresponding main feature type. Then, unless the 2D image is of the “other” image type, a 3D object with two or more planes may be generated. The planes may intersect on the identified main feature. A virtual camera may be positioned proximate the 3D object, and a 3D view of the 3D object may be generated and displayed for the user. The user may optionally move the virtual camera, within limits, to view the 3D object from other locations.
US09990755B2 Apparatus and method for processing animation
An apparatus for processing an animation includes an object storage unit configured to store objects included in animation content and an animation control unit configured to adjust at least one of a number of objects to be rendered in one frame among the objects included in the animation content and preset target frames per second (FPS) by calculating a rendering time of the objects to be rendered in one frame and comparing the rendering time with the target FPS.
US09990753B1 Image stitching
A computer system that execute a method to stitch satellite images into a wide-angle image. The method includes dividing each of the satellite images into plural subimages, determining whether the subimages include an overlap area that overlaps with adjacent subimages, obtaining cropped subimages by removing the overlap area from the subimages, generating preprocessed satellite images each including the cropped subimages, selecting a reference image and a target image from the preprocessed satellite images, determining plural correspondent pairs in an overlap region between the reference and target images based on a feature matching algorithm, obtaining a transformation matrix by a least-squares algorithm and based on coordinates of the correspondent pairs, obtaining calibrated coordinates for each pixel of the target image by applying the transformation matrix, and stitching the target images into the wide-angle image based on the calibrated coordinates of the target image.
US09990746B2 Data visualization method and apparatus
A data visualization method includes acquiring a spatiotemporal behavior data set generated by network users, determining, according to a time point at which or a time period in which each piece of spatiotemporal behavior data is generated, an amount of spatiotemporal behavior data that is in the spatiotemporal behavior data set and generated at a time point or in a time period falling within each time period in N time periods, and presenting a column bar corresponding to an ith time period in the N time periods, where the column bar is in a radial direction of a first circle representing a full time domain and intersects the first circle and the length of a column bar represents a quantity of behaviors in a time period corresponding to the column bar.
US09990738B2 Image processing method and apparatus for determining depth within an image
An image processing method and apparatus for determining depth in an original image captured by a light field image capture device, in which a light field analysis algorithm is applied a plurality of times to the original image, changing the focus setting each time, so as to generate a respective plurality of scene images focused at different depths; edge detection is performed in respect of each of the scene images to generate a respective plurality of edge detected images; area identification is performed in respect of each edge detected image to generate a respective plurality of area identification images indicative of areas of respective edge detected images in which edges have been detected; and the area identification images are applied to respective scene images so as to extract from the scene images respective image segments corresponding to the areas in which edges have been detected.
US09990737B2 Apparatus and method for correlating images of a photolithographic mask
An apparatus for correlating at least two images of a photolithographic mask that at least partially overlap, in which the apparatus includes a correlation unit that is provided to use at least one random variation, which is present in the at least two images, of at least one structural element of the photolithographic mask for the correlation of the at least two images.
US09990724B2 Image recording simulation in a coordinate measuring machine
The present invention relates to a method for simulating an image recording by an optical sensor of a coordinate measuring machine for inspecting a measurement object, comprising the following steps: providing a first data set representing a model of the measurement object, a second data set representing a model of an illumination of the measurement object, and a third data set representing a model of an optics of the optical sensor, and rendering an image stack on the basis of the first data set, the second data set and the third data set, wherein the image stack has a plurality of virtual images of at least one partial region of the measurement object, wherein each virtual image is rendered at least with a different second and/or different third data set. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for optimizing an image recording by a coordinate measuring machine.
US09990717B2 Hemoglobin and hematocrit analyzer and analyzing method thereof
Described is a hemoglobin and hematocrit analyzer, and an analyzing method thereof. The method includes: scanning and taking an image signal of the palpebral conjunctiva of a subject by a scanning unit; receiving the image signal by an analyzing unit connected to the scanning unit; providing a default colorimetric scale by a database connected to the analyzing unit; inputting a clinical test result into the analyzing unit through an input unit connected to the analyzing unit. The image signal is transformed by the analyzing unit to a measured color value. The measured color value is compared with the default colorimetric scale to obtain a test result. The measured color value and the clinical test result are provided as feedback to the database.
US09990714B2 Apparatus and method for global optimization
An apparatus and method for computing optima of a function of a digital image. The apparatus includes circuitry configured to initialize a plurality of candidate points that lie in a solution space of the function, and computes one or more stationary points of the function. The circuitry deflates a gradient of the function at each of the one or more computed stationary points, and repeats the computing and the deflating until a first criteria is satisfied. The circuitry selects a predetermined number of fit points, recombines the selected fit points to generate a set of new candidate points, and repeats, for the set of new candidate points, the computing, the deflating, the first repeating, the selecting, and the recombining, until a second criteria is satisfied. The circuitry obtains the optima of the function upon the second criteria being satisfied, and processes the digital image based on the obtained optima.
US09990710B2 Apparatus and method for supporting computer aided diagnosis
An apparatus and method for supporting computer aided diagnosis (CAD). The apparatus includes: a control processor configured to determine a duration during which a remaining image of a first region of interest (ROI) detected from a first image frame is displayed, based on a characteristic of measuring the first ROI; and a display configured to mark a remaining image of a second ROI of a second image frame in the first image frame and display the marked image on a screen, in response to the first image frame being acquired during a duration set to display the remaining image of the second ROI. the first image frame is obtained subsequent to the second image frame.
US09990709B2 Image processing apparatus, method, and recording medium for processing images using different filters
An image processing apparatus includes a divider that generates a plurality pieces of third image information on the basis of a plurality of pieces of first image information and a plurality of pieces of second image information, a determiner that determines, on the basis of information regarding a sample, a filter to be used for the plurality of pieces of third image information, and a processor that deconvolutes each of the plurality of pieces of third image information using the determined filter. An image sensor that has received first resulting light emitted from a sample that has received first light emitted from a first angle outputs the plurality of pieces of first image information. The image sensor that has received second resulting light emitted from the sample that has received second light emitted from a second angle outputs the plurality of pieces of second image information.
US09990705B2 Atmospheric compensation in satellite imagery
Techniques for atmospheric compensation in satellite imagery that include converting an image including an array of radiance values to an array of surface reflectance values. The conversion is performed in an automated fashion by identifying one or more portions of the image for which the surface reflectance can be estimated and determining the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) by iteratively comparing the radiance value captured by the image sensor to a calculated radiance value (based on the known surface reflectance, historical values for other atmospheric parameters, and the AOD) and adjusting the AOD until the calculated radiance value is substantially the same as the captured radiance value.
US09990703B2 Visualization method and apparatus
In this visualization method, for each brightness value for voxels included in a predetermined Region Of Interest (ROI) in a three-dimensional volume data, opacity is set according to an appearance frequency of the brightness value. Then, three-dimensional image data is generated for a portion on and under a cross section set for the three-dimensional volume data, by using color data that corresponds to a brightness value of each voxel included in the ROI and the opacity of each brightness value. Then, a cross section image generated from data of voxels on the cross section and the three-dimensional image data are superimposed and displayed.
US09990702B2 Method and system for processing image content for enabling high dynamic range (UHD) output thereof and computer-readable medium comprising UHD content created using same
Implementations disclosed herein (e.g., systems, methods, and computer-readable program products) provide a high definition range “UHD” compatible version of classic image content (e.g., as-released motion pictures) that was created in an era of limited dynamic range and that maintains aesthetic characterization defined by “Director's Intent” of the classic image content. Such implementations advantageously use clues to the Director's Intent found in the classic image content to make intelligent estimations as to what a Director (or other image content editing professional) was attempting to achieve in the classic image content relative to a corresponding original image content (e.g., as-shot image content). The original image content holds original imagery details that have been altered or omitted during creation of corresponding classic image content. The classic image content exhibits attributes that reflect the Director's Intent such as, for example color, contrast, vignetting, saturation, and the like.
US09990696B2 Decimation strategies for input event processing
In an embodiment, a touch sensitive device includes a touch interface having conductors and a signal generator for generating signals on the conductors. A touch processor identifies touch on the touch interface by processing touch signals present on the conductors, and outputting a stream of touch events. A decimator receives the stream of touch events and outputs a modified stream of touch events for use by the touch sensitive device, the modified stream of touch events may include predicted or estimated usable touch events.
US09990691B2 Ray compression for efficient processing of graphics data at computing devices
A mechanism is described for facilitating ray compression for efficient graphics data processing at computing devices. A method of embodiments, as described herein, includes forwarding a set of rays to a ray compression unit hosted by a graphics processor at a computing device, and facilitating the ray compression unit to compress the set of rays, wherein the set of rays are compressed into a compressed representation.
US09990689B2 Multi-user virtual reality processing
A multi-user virtual reality and/or augmented reality cluster system enabling the projection and tracking of users in a simulated environment is described. The disclosed cluster system enables both timely user action display in the first person and a timely view of a user's action by other participants of the simulation. The cluster system integrates motion capture cameras, distributed computing, and tracking devices to provide a simulation which seems lifelike to all participants and observers.
US09990687B1 Systems and methods for fast and repeatable embedding of high-dimensional data objects using deep learning with power efficient GPU and FPGA-based processing platforms
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to providing new systems and methods for using deep learning techniques to generate embeddings for high dimensional data objects that can both simulate prior art embedding algorithms and also provide superior performance compared to the prior art methods. Deep learning techniques used by embodiments of the present invention to embed high dimensional data objects may comprise the following steps: (1) generating an initial formal embedding of selected high-dimensional data objects using any of the traditional formal embedding techniques; (2a) designing a deep embedding architecture, which includes choosing the types and numbers of inputs and outputs, types and number of layers, types of units/nonlinearities, and types of pooling, for example, among other design choices, typically in a convolutional neural network; (2b) designing a training strategy; (2c) tuning the parameters of a deep embedding architecture to reproduce, as reliably as possible, the generated embedding for each training sample; (3) optionally deploying the trained deep embedding architecture to convert new high dimensional data objects into approximately the same embedded space as found in step (1); and optionally (4) feeding the computed embeddings of high dimensional objects to an application in a deployed embodiment.
US09990684B2 Mailport for automated parcel carriers
A Mailport that solves a variety of problems caused by the proliferation of Automated Parcel Carriers, including unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”). The preferred embodiment of the invention features an access aperture designed to retrieve and transfer packages to and from Automated Parcel Carriers. The preferred embodiment of the invention also features a storage area for parcels, and a secured aperture to enable intended recipients to receive or send Parcels as appropriate. Various embodiments of the invention may stand alone or otherwise integrate within the structure of a building.
US09990679B2 Implicit social graph connections
Several embodiments include a social network system that generates an implicit social graph connection between a first social network object and a second social network object. The implicit social graph connection can be generated based on a shared profile attribute between the social network objects or a user interaction in the social network system. The social network system can store the implicit social graph connection in a social graph of the social network system. The social network system can provide a social network service that selectively presents, based on the implicit social graph connection, a content entry to a client of the social network system.
US09990675B2 Systems and methods for multiplier-adjusted lean levels for trading strategies
Certain embodiments provide a method for trading in an electronic trading environment including receiving market data relating to a plurality of tradeable objects; sending a order to an exchange for the first tradeable object at a quoted price; receiving a fill confirmation for the quoting order at a filled price; determining a difference between the quoted price and the filled price; determining a hedge price for each of the plurality of tradeable objects other than the first tradeable object based at least in part on the difference and at least one multiplier associated with at least one leg of the trading strategy; and sending hedge orders for each of the plurality of tradeable objects other than the first tradeable object at the corresponding hedge price. The plurality of tradeable objects includes at least a first, second, and third tradeable object, which are traded as legs of a trading strategy.
US09990663B2 Measuring shirt
A measuring garment may be provided. The measuring garment may include at least one measurement marking for determining a measurement for a desired garment dimension. The measuring garment may be used to convey calculate and subsequently convey measurement info to a garment company for producing or providing fitted garments.
US09990653B1 Systems and methods for serving online content based on user engagement duration
An engagement time computer system for serving online content based on user engagement duration includes an output device, at least one memory, and one or more processors. The processors are configured to determine a historical engagement time of an online user and to identify a plurality of online content items. Each online content item of the plurality of online content items has a target engagement time. The processors are further configured to receive a request for a content item. The request is associated with the online user. The processors are also configured to select a first online content item from the plurality of online content items based at least in part on the historical engagement time of the online user and the target engagement time of the first online content item and to transmit the first online content item for display to the online user.
US09990648B2 System and method for managing message campaign data
A server system comprising one or more processors and memory obtains user profiles for a plurality of users. In response to receiving profile-update information for a respective user, the server system updates a respective profile of the respective user in accordance with the profile-update information and initiates storage of profile-archive information that enables the server system to obtain a prior version of the respective profile. After updating the respective profile, the server system receives, from a requestor, a request for analysis of message interaction data. In response to receiving the request for analysis of the message interaction data, the server system obtains a message-interaction report that correlates the message interaction data with a set of one or more prior versions of profiles of one or more users that includes the prior version of the respective profile of the respective user and provides the message-interaction report to the requestor.
US09990643B2 Systems and methods to provide real-time offers via a cooperative database
In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to: store transaction data recording transactions processed by a transaction handler; organize third party data according to community, where the third party data includes first data received from a first plurality of entities of a first community and second data received from a second plurality of entities of a second community; and responsive to a request from a merchant in the second community, present an offer of the merchant in the second community to users identified via the transaction data and the first data received from the first plurality of entities of the first community. In one embodiment, the first data provides permission from the merchant in the first community to allow the merchant in the second community to use intelligence information of the first community to identify users for targeting offers from the merchant in the second community.
US09990639B1 Automatic detection of fraudulent real estate listings
A system for rental fraud detection comprises an input interface, a feature vector extractor, a model builder, and a predictor. The input interface is to receive a set of training data, wherein the set of training data comprises a set of rental fraud indications and to receive a set of prediction data. The feature vector extractor is to extract a first training set of feature vectors from the set of training data and to extract a first test feature vector from the set of prediction data. The model builder is to build a first model using the first training set of feature vectors and the rental fraud indications. The predictor is to predict whether the first test feature vector corresponds to fraudulent data using the first model.
US09990635B2 Methods for providing cross-vendor support services
An analysis is performed on first and second product information to determine a relationship between a first product and a second product. In response to a first notification from a first backend system, a first message is transmitted to a mobile device of the user indicating that the change of a first activity is needed. It is determined whether a modification of a second activity is needed based on the relationship information of the first product and the second product and in response to determining that the modification of the second activity is needed, a second message is transmitted to the mobile device, indicating a possible modification of the second activity and offering a list of one or more options to modify the second activity. A live communications session is established between the user and a support agent of the server to discuss the possible modification of the second activity.
US09990629B2 Internet service provider (ISP) authentication of eCommerce transactions
The present disclosure provides internet service provider (ISP) authentication of eCommerce transactions, more particularly, a method and system of associating an ISP recognition identification (ID) with a cashless payment account. A system, method, and software product are provided for fraud prevention in the field of cashless payment account transactions. A computing device receives details of completed eCommerce payment transactions. A number of ISP recognition IDs are also received indicating merchant URLs of personal computing devices. A computing device then flags all received ISP recognition IDs for a time period surrounding the completed eCommerce payment transactions, and defines sets of flagged ISP recognition IDs. The sets of flagged ISP recognition IDs are then compared in generating candidate ISP recognition IDs (i.e., ISP subscriber lines), which are associated with each cashless payment account. Further iterations allow for limiting of the number of ISP recognition IDs associated with each cashless payment account.
US09990628B2 Two-level authentication for secure transactions
A system and method provide efficient, secure, and highly reliable authentication for transaction processing and/or access control applications. A Personal Digital Key stores one or more profiles (e.g., a biometric profile) in a tamper-proof memory that is acquired in a secure trusted process. Biometric profiles comprise a representation of physical or behavioral characteristics that are uniquely associated with an individual that owns and carries the PDK. The PDK wirelessly transmits the biometric profile over a secure wireless transaction to a Reader for use in a biometric authentication process. The Reader compares the received biometric profile to a biometric input acquired at the point of transaction in order to determine if the transaction should be authorized.
US09990625B2 Establishing trust for conducting direct secure electronic transactions between a user and service providers
Ensuring security of electronic transactions between a user and a service provider involves establishing electronic trust among a user, device, transaction service provider, and service providers through OTAC processing, key generation and exchange, and verification.
US09990624B2 Transmitting data based on retrieval locations
A system, a medium, and a method are provided to send compensation data to devices at one or more locations where the data is retrievable. For example, a communication interface of a server device accesses request data, where the request data includes an indication of one or more locations where a compensation amount is retrievable. A compensation data component generates compensation data based on the indication of the one or more locations where the compensation amount is retrievable. A location component determines a location of a client device that corresponds to the one or more locations. A transceiver transmits the compensation data to the client device based on the determined location of the client device that corresponds to the one or more locations.
US09990621B1 Merchant application programming interface for splitting bills
Split bill payment technology enabled by an application programming interface (API) is disclosed. In some embodiments, API integration between a merchant application or system and a payment application or payment service system enables the merchant application or system to send requests for split bill payments to the payment service system. In response, the payment service system can collect from each bill payer identified in a request, the bill payer's share of a bill and transfer the collected amounts to the merchant.