US09043503B2

A method of interacting with data at a wireless communication device is provided. The wireless communication device has access to a first set of capabilities. Data is received at the wireless communication device via a wireless transmission. The data represents visual content that is viewable via a display device. A graphical user interface, including a delayed action selector, is provided via the display device. An input is received within a limited period of time after displaying the delayed action selector. The input is associated with a command to delay execution of an action with respect to the data until the wireless communication device has access to a second set of capabilities. The action is not supported by the first set of capabilities but is supported by the second set of capabilities. An indication of receipt of the input is provided at the wireless communication device.
US09043501B2

Machines, systems and methods for I/O monitoring in a plurality of compute nodes and a plurality of service nodes utilizing a Peripheral Component Interconnect express (PCIe) are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises assigning at least one virtual function to a services node and a plurality of compute nodes by the PCIe interconnect and a multi-root I/O virtualization (MR-IOV) adapter. The MR-IOV adapter enables bridging of a plurality of compute node virtual functions with corresponding services node virtual functions. A front-end driver on the compute node requests the services node virtual function to send data and the data is transferred to the services node virtual function by the MR-IOV adapter. A back-end driver running in the services node receives and passes the data to a software service to modify/monitor the data. The back-end driver sends the data to another virtual function or an external entity.
US09043500B2

An electronic data tablet has a controller and transition manager. The controller is to store in a memory of the tablet virtual configuration space information for a peripheral device of a computer, and the transition manager is to control the controller to operate in a first mode and a second mode. The virtual configuration space information is stored in the tablet memory when the first mode is to be switched to the second mode. When the second mode is switched to the first mode, the virtual configuration space information is accessed to control recognition of the peripheral device of the computer without performing a re-scanning operation.
US09043492B2

A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for realizing server management functionalities in the absence of a routable Internet Protocol (IP) network address of a remote access controller (RAC). A first device, which is operatively coupled to a link-local network, generates a Multicast Domain Name System (mDNS) IP multicast query message, which it then sends to a second device on the link-local network. In response, the second device, which comprises a RAC, returns its link-local IP address to the first device.
US09043491B2

A method of detecting proximity between a media proxy and a client uses a proximity probe to query a plurality of media proxies, forcing the media proxies to respond to a proximity server. The proximity server uses an algorithm to determine which media proxy is closest to the client based on the responses. In an alternate embodiment, the same sorts of proximity probes may be used to determine if two media endpoints have a direct connection such that they may bypass a media proxy.
US09043476B2

A network arrangement that employs a cache having copies distributed among a plurality of different locations. The cache stores state information for a session with any of the server devices so that it is accessible to at least one other server device. Using this arrangement, when a client device switches from a connection with a first server device to a connection with a second server device, the second server device can retrieve state information from the cache corresponding to the session between the client device and the first server device. The second server device can then use the retrieved state information to accept a session with the client device.
US09043475B2

A method for activating network storage includes: a message processing server receives a network storage request from a client; the message processing server establishes a session with a history function (HF) according to the network storage request, and sends the content from the session in which the client participates to the HF through the session with the HF. A system for activating network storage, a message processing server, and a client are also provided. With the present invention, the network storage is implemented more conveniently, and the user experience is improved.
US09043472B1

Method and system for providing detection of dead or failed network communication session connections (such as TCP or UDP) in a data network by an intermediary node in the data network coupled to the end nodes (such as the client terminal and the server terminal) are provided.
US09043471B2

A method for managing resources of clusters is disclosed. A computer retrieves data about an event and other data about past events. The computer selects a set of past events that are similar to the event, based on the data about the event and the other data about the past events. The computer then analyzes the data about the event and the other data about the past events associated with the set of past events to identify a portion of the resources of one or more of the clusters required for use by the event.
US09043469B2

Cache control for Web application resources can include receiving a cache manifest for a Web application, wherein the cache manifest specifies a Web page of the Web application, and determining, using a processor, a resource that is required by the Web page. A closure collection can be built that includes the resource required by the Web page. A reference to the resource can be written to the cache manifest.
US09043467B2

A network device, capable of understanding communications between an end user and the core network on a RAN network is disclosed. In some embodiments, the device is able to decode the control plane and the user plane. As such, it is able to determine when the end user has requested multimedia content. Once this is known, the device can optimize the delivery of that content in several ways. In one embodiment, the device requests the content from the content server (located in the core network) and transmits this content in a just-in-time manner to the end user. In another embodiment, the device automatically changes the encoding and resolution of the content, based on overall monitored network traffic. In another embodiment, the device automatically selects or modifies the format and resolution options based on overall bandwidth limitations, independent of the end user.
US09043465B2

The invention focuses on providing services (3) originating from a plurality of services (3a, 3b) through one central network element (4), which may be integrated in a gateway. The network element performs a method comprising:—combining pluralities of independent service elements (3a, 3b) to form respective service compositions;—providing a plurality of service chaining applications, each of said service chaining applications being associated with one of said service compositions and defining a set of network and/or user events associated with actions for controlling the independent service elements (3a, 3b) of the corresponding service composition; wherein upon triggering of at least one service composition said method further comprises:—identifying and executing a corresponding service chaining application to manage instances of the independent service elements (3a, 3b) comprised in said service composition in accordance with current network and/or user events; and—managing said network resources and said network services in accordance with a totality of current instances of independent service elements (3a, 3b).
US09043458B2

A framework for implementing multitenant architecture is provided. The framework comprises a framework services module which is configured to provide framework services that facilitate abstraction of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) services and crosscutting services for a Greenfield application and a non SaaS based web application. Further the abstraction results in a SaaS based multitenant web application. The framework further comprises a runtime module configured to automatically integrate and consume the framework services and APIs to facilitate monitoring and controlling of features associated with the SaaS based multitenant web application. The framework further comprises a metadata services module configured to provide a plurality of metadata services to facilitate abstraction of storage structure of metadata associated with the framework and act as APIs for managing the metadata. The framework further comprises a role based administration module that facilitates management of the metadata through a tenant administrator and a product administrator.
US09043448B1

A method of configuring a network component includes providing a plurality of templates, each of which is selectable for configuring the network component, wherein each of the templates has a set of available attributes associated thereto and includes a plurality of entry groups, each of the entry groups including a plurality of entries for allowing network processing rules that involve one or more of the attributes to be entered. The method also includes receiving an input regarding a desired attribute to be considered in a network process, and selecting one of the templates for configuring the network component based on the received input, wherein the act of selecting is performed automatically using a processor.
US09043447B2

An aspect of the present invention simplifies setup of management servers controlling access to voluminous configuration data required for applications. In one embodiment, a schema specifying the parameters (and the corresponding data types) in the configuration data is examined and a set of management interfaces is generated consistent with the corresponding data types based on the examining of the schema. The generated management interfaces are registered with a management server, such that the management server makes available to applications the values corresponding to the specified parameters according to the set of management interfaces.
US09043443B2

A real-time streaming media playing method is provided. According to the present invention, plural streaming data are stored in an electronic device, plural time stamps are assigned to respective streaming data, and the plural streaming data are arranged according to the time sequence. When the user wants to listen to a specified section of the real-time streaming media, a designated section command is generated by dragging a scroll thumb. According to the position of the scroll thumb, a corresponding time stamp is selected by the electronic device. The streaming data corresponding to the selected time stamp is decoded by the electronic device, so that a designated section audio signal is generated.
US09043432B2

A method of managing content format conversion for transmission of converted content to a mobile device includes retrieving initial content, which includes video content, having a first format over a data communications network. The retrieved initial content is analyzed based on an identification of data delivery parameters relating to potential delivery of converted content and a determination is made as to whether or not the data delivery parameters meet predetermined criteria. The format of the initial content is converted to a second format only in response to a determination that the data delivery parameters meet the predetermined criteria. The converted content forms a message body of a message. A conversion management system configured to manage content format conversion for transmission of converted content to a mobile device, and a computer program for performing the method, are also provided.
US09043423B2

Among other things, an intelligent automated proxy for an party who wants to communicate a multimedia message about a life event an integrated, conversational manner using natural language dialog to a second party and provides information from which the life event, the communication, the manner of delivery, the future time, and the recipient can be determined.
US09043412B2

A device, server, method, and computer program product for reading an e-book are provided. The e-book may include at least a content identifier corresponding to a content in the e-book. The device may include a content navigator configured to present the content according to a command from a user and a processing unit configured to acquire the content identifier corresponding to the content presented by the content navigator, send the content identifier to a server, and receive from the server a message associated with the content. An output unit configured to output the message to the user may be provided.
US09043409B2

Methods and apparatus for publishing services and performing queries for service in a network are described herein. Service descriptions writing in a native search description language are translated to a normalized schema. The normal schema is published to the network. Queries to the network, which may be written in any native search description language, are also translated to normalized schema prior to performing the search. Accordingly, all services available can be published and located in a query without consideration of the native search description language.
US09043408B2

A message body carried by an Internet Protocol (IP) packet is identified; the message body is searched for features of an email message; and a result of the search is used to determine if the IP packet is associated with email. The features of an email message include multiple words usually associated with email messages.
US09043405B2

A computer-implemented method for leveraging social networking information with a messaging client are disclosed. In one aspect, a messaging client (e.g., email client), or an application designed to be closely integrated with an email client, analyzes a message to identify a sender, and then generates a query including information identifying the sender that is forwarded to a social networking application to be processed. The social networking application returns information about the sender (e.g., from a social networking profile), that can be viewed by a user of the messaging client, thereby providing additional information about the sender of a particular message.
US09043395B2

A method for exiting, by a peer owner, a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) peer-to-peer network including the peer owner and a plurality of client devices, and the Wi-Fi peer-to-peer network are provided. The method includes delegating ownership of the peer-to-peer network from the peer owner to a new owner from among said the plurality of client devices; and exiting the network after delegating the ownership to the new owner.
US09043392B2

A screen data transfer device that includes a processor that executes a procedure. The procedure includes: (a) receiving screen data having a changed portion compressed by first compression processing, and detecting a high region where a changed frequency in the screen is a threshold value or greater; (b) detecting a processing load of the device itself; and (c) when the detected load is a threshold value or greater, and in cases in which the changed portion overlaps with the high region, assigning a route of the screen data to a first route in which second compression processing with a higher compression ratio than the first compression processing is executed by a compression section, and in cases in which the changed portion does not overlap with the high region, assigning the route to a second route in which the screen data bypasses the compression section.
US09043374B2

A system and method for efficient data storage, which reduces data entropy of data on a data storage device. The technique organizes related data entities (such as files on a hard drive) in close physical proximity and in a predictive or ordered sequence, to reduce the amount of time and effort (mechanical, computational, or otherwise) a storage/retrieval device needs to expend locating each data related entity as it processes a sequence of requests. In addition, the data may be organized and stored according to a file directory index structure, whereby file fragmentation is reduced.
US09043373B2

A system and method for efficient data storage, which reduces data entropy of data on a data storage device. The technique organizes related data entities (such as files on a hard drive) in close physical proximity and in a predictive or ordered sequence, to reduce the amount of time and effort (mechanical, computational, or otherwise) a storage/retrieval device needs to expend locating each related data entity as it processes a sequence of requests. In addition, the data may be organized and stored according to a file directory index structure, whereby file fragmentation is reduced.
US09043369B2

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for supplying rich multimedia metadata usable to generate, e.g., sophisticated entertainment user interfaces in the home. These methods and systems can be implemented as a server-based software application that feeds multiple, diverse clients. The server functionality could be distributed, even co-located physically with one or more clients, or centralized. The server aggregates, filters, validates, augments and links metadata from disparate sources. The server transforms the metadata into a more manageable and extensible internal format. The server communicates with client devices using a schema-independent protocol, providing metadata in the appropriate format that suites the clients needs.
US09043365B2

Embodiments of the invention are generally related to data processing, and more specifically to retrieving results for a query from one or more devices coupled to a network. A first device may receive an abstract query including logical fields defined by a first data abstraction model and retrieve query results stored in the first device. The query may be sent to one or more other devices via the network. The one or more other devices may be configured to convert the abstract query to local abstract queries including logical fields defined in local data abstraction models. The local queries may be issued against local databases to retrieve additional results for the query.
US09043364B2

A system and method are disclosed for rationalizing configurations associated with one or more products. The system includes a database associated with one or more customers. The system further includes an order analysis system coupled with the database. The order analysis system is capable of rationalizing the differences between configurations of various combinations of options that are stored in the database.
US09043350B2

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for providing topical search suggestions are provided. Topical search suggestions allow a user to receive search results related to the designated topic or subject matter. The present invention may generate multiple topics based on search input provided by a user. The search input may be a search prefix that includes one or more words entered into the search query box before the completed search query is submitted to the search engine. A search interface then presents the topics derived from the search prefix to a user before the user submits the query. In another embodiment, the user designates multiple search inputs. The present invention generates search results based on the search inputs and then presents topics extracted from the search results. In one embodiment, the topics are extracted by performing a natural language analysis of search result metadata.
US09043344B1

Embodiments are described for a system and method of providing a data miner that decouples the analytic flow solution components from the data source. An analytic-flow solution then couples with the target data source through a simple set of data source connector, table and transformation objects, to perform the requisite analytic flow function. As a result, the analytic-flow solution needs to be designed only once and can be re-used across multiple target data sources. The analytic flow can be modified and updated at one place and then deployed for use on various different target data sources.
US09043343B2

An identifier assigning method, an identifier parsing method, and a multimedia reading are provided. The identifier assigning method includes: obtaining association information between at least two objects with different expression forms (101), where the at least two objects with different expression forms have the same subject content; assigning association relationship unique identifiers to the at least two objects with different expression forms according to the association information (102), where the association relationship unique identifier is used to show a unique association relationship among different expression forms with the same subject content, the unique association refers to a unique identifier of an association relationship among various expression forms with different subject content, and the association relationship unique identifiers in each group are globally unique. The method realize a synchronized function demonstration of combined multimedia information, and manage combined multimedia content using the identifier.
US09043341B2

For efficiently storing and retrieving data and metadata in phases, in a first phase, metadata tokens, which are assigned to most active metadata-emitting entities, are used for storing the data and the metadata together in a single input/output operation while piggybacking the metadata of least active metadata-emitting entities onto one of the most active metadata-emitting entities having one of the metadata tokens. In a second phase, the metadata is re-written to a metadata delta journal for reclaiming the metadata tokens. In a third phase, the metadata journal is applied to a metadata structure containing the metadata of the storage system, the metadata delta journal is then cleared after successfully updating the main metadata structure with the metadata of the metadata journal. The metadata journal is swapped with an empty metadata journal for concurrently adding metadata while retaining the metadata journal until applying the metadata delta journal to the metadata structure.
US09043337B1

Embodiments are described for a system and method of providing a data miner that decouples the analytic flow solution components from the data source. An analytic-flow solution then couples with the target data source through a simple set of data source connector, table and transformation objects, to perform the requisite analytic flow function. As a result, the analytic-flow solution needs to be designed only once and can be re-used across multiple target data sources. The analytic flow can be modified and updated at one place and then deployed for use on various different target data sources.
US09043331B2

A method and search engine for classifying a source publishing a document on a portion of a network, includes steps of electronically receiving a document, based on the document, determining a source which published the document, and assigning a code to the document based on whether data associated with the document published by the source matches with data contained in a database. An intelligent geographic- and business topic-specific resource discovery system facilitates local commerce on the World-Wide Web and also reduces search time by accurately isolating information for end-users. Distinguishing and classifying business pages on the Web by business categories using Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes is achieved through an automatic iterative process.
US09043307B2

Statistics for a pattern matching predicate are generated using stored character statistics. A first structure stores, for each of a plurality of character positions, frequently occurring characters in that character position, and a count of the number of occurrences of that character. A second structure stores frequently occurring characters that are subsequent to the frequently occurring characters stored in the first structure, and a probability of occurrence of each frequently occurring subsequent character. To form an estimate of the number of tuples matching a pattern matching predicate, statistics are retrieved for the matching characters in each matching position in the predicate, and then combined to produce the estimate. In the event a statistic is not stored for a desired character, the available statistics are used to make an estimate by accumulating statistics for other characters, and then calculating average frequency of occurrence of characters that do not have stored statistics.
US09043306B2

A client application installed on end user computers generates metadata from the content of web pages visited by end users and provides the metadata to a search engine. When an end user visits a web page, the end user's computer downloads and displays the web page to the end user. The client application may simultaneously access the web page content and generate this metadata in the form of a content signature of the web page from the web page content. The client application then provides the content signature to a search engine. The search engine may employ content signatures to identify new web pages to crawl and index. Additionally, the search engine may employ content signatures to identify changes to web pages and determine the crawl frequency of web pages.
US09043302B1

Techniques for providing interactive visualizations for an entity or group of entities based on search interest data are provided. The search interest data may be derived from Internet or online search data related to the entities and relevant attributes of the entities. Each of the entities and attributes may be represented in a structured search market using a predefined list of relevant search terms or keywords. The search interest of each entity and attribute may be determined based on probabilities representing a likelihood of a search for an entity co-occurring with a search for a relevant attribute within a predetermined time proximity.
US09043299B2

A system for image storing contains image downloading tool from image sources, system administering tool, screen for displaying downloaded images and image archive comprising the units of archiving images to the archive and searching images from archive. The purpose of the proposed system is to create an image archiving system, in which the relevant criteria are: the objects represented on the image; what properties criteria the image corresponds to and; how users group images. For this reason a clear distinction is made between a priory categories, including ON- and IN- keywords, and matrix categories when archiving images.
US09043298B2

A content management system allows users to capture content from content sources, such as web pages and hardcopy publications, using a client application that runs on user devices such as a personal computer or mobile device. The client application creates bibliography citations for captured content by gathering information from and/or about the content sources. Captured content and corresponding citations can be uploaded to a remote system that provides functionality for users to search for content clippings. The client application can include a document editor that facilitates importation of captured content and bibliography citations into documents being edited. In some embodiments, the system also uses social network connections between users to facilitate sharing of content.
US09043294B2

Overflow access records (OARs) are managed in a database system. An OAR is created in response to receiving an update command for a data record and to the updated data record generated by the update command not fitting onto the page in the table where the data record was stored. The OAR that is created includes an index counter that indicates a number of indexes associated with the table. When an OAR is accessed in response to a query command, an identifier of the accessed OAR is replaced in the index by an identifier of a data record pointed to by the OAR, and the index counter in the accessed OAR is changed by a predefined amount. When the index counter reaches a predefined value, the accessed OAR is removed from the table.
US09043281B2

Methods, systems, and physical computer storage media are now provided that improve backing up data sets. Each database transaction is registered to a central repository prior to starting the database transaction, each database transaction comprising a plurality of writes to be executed for a database application on a database, receiving a first signal indicating a start of a backup application on the database, and quiescing all database transactions registered to the central repository to thereby wait for all ongoing writes of the database transactions registered to the central repository to complete and to release control of the database to the database application.
US09043276B2

An arrangement for packaging and transferring files such as content items and metadata in synchronization operations. Files are packaged in a concatenated fashion in order to optimize usage of the transfer channel, while maintaining an ability to keep track of how many files have been transferred. Metadata associated with the files may be sent in a single package in advance of sending the files. The metadata may be compressed using both a custom mechanism that takes into account predictable commonalities inherent in metadata for multimedia files, as well as standard compression techniques.
US09043273B2

A data warehouse is constructed using the relational mapping of a transactional database without reconstructing the data relationships of the transactional database. First, an application programmer analyzes an object model in order to describe facts and dimensions using the objects, attributes, and paths of the object model. Each of the dimensions has an identifier that correlates an item in the transactional database to a dimension record in the data warehouse. The fact and dimension descriptions are saved to a description file. Second, a Data Warehouse Engine (DWE) then access the description file and uses the object model, fact and dimension descriptions, and object-relational mapping to map transactional data to the data warehouse.
US09043271B2

A method and apparatus for backing up a computer system. A backup is provided of a data stored on a first computer by the first computer generating a dump stream. The dump stream is transmitted to a second computer, the second computer uses the dump stream to maintain a file system copy of the data. One or more snapshots of the file system of the second computer are stored on a backup computer, the snapshots providing a backup of the data stored on the first computer.
US09043267B2

Methods, systems, and a computer readable medium storing a computer executable program for managing a data mining model are disclosed. A first notification associated with a data mining model is received at a business process system. A second notification associated with the data mining model is transmitted from the business process system responsive to the first notification. A determination is made regarding whether a first response operable to define an association between the data mining model and business data has been received at the business process system responsive to the second notification. A command is issued from the business process system to update model metadata associated with the data mining model based on the determination.
US09043266B2

A system for analyzing data from a data set is disclosed. The system includes analysis logic responsive to a dimensional analysis control and an attribute analysis control for the same data. This logic can incrementally update the state of a data presentation from an existing state to a new state, and then remain responsive in the new state to further user input via the dimensional data analysis control and further user input via the attribute analysis control to further incrementally update the presentation.
US09043262B2

An information providing apparatus for vehicle has a remaining capacity detecting section 110 that detects a remaining capacity of a battery; a power consumption amount detecting section 130 that detects a power consumption amount of the battery; a power consumption amount history generating section 130 that generates a power consumption amount history on the basis of the power consumption amount detected by the power consumption amount detecting section 130; a charge necessity judgment information generating section 130 that generates, on the basis of the power consumption amount history generated by the power consumption amount history generating section 130, charge necessity judgment information which is information for user's judgment about whether or not charging of the battery is necessary; and a providing section 150 that provides information of the remaining capacity of the battery and the charge necessity judgment information with these information correlated with each other to the user. The information providing apparatus can properly provide the information for user's judgment about whether or not charging of the battery to the user.
US09043259B2

Systems and methods for recommending media content items are provided. In some implementations, a method includes, identifying a first set of media items selected by a first plurality of users; causing a second set of media items to be displayed to a second user not included in the first plurality of users in accordance with the first set of media items. The first set of media items and the second set of media items are associated with a same media item category. In some implementations, the method optionally includes, identifying the second set of media items without regard to media content item selection history associated with the second user. In some implementations, the first and second sets of media items are news items.
US09043249B2

A computer implemented method for automatic chemical assay classification, the method comprising steps the computer is programmed to perform, the steps comprising: receiving a plurality of sets of parameters, each one of the received sets of parameters characterizing a respective assay of a chemical reaction, calculating a space enhancing proximity among points representative of assays of qualitatively identical chemical reactions, and representing each one of at least two of the received sets of parameters as a respective point in the calculated space, and dividing the points in the calculated space into a number of groups, according to proximity among the points in the calculated space, each group pertaining to a respective chemical reaction, thereby classifying the assays.
US09043232B1

An image of an item is obtained in one or more computing devices. The item is identified from the image based at least in part on data derived from reference images that are each associated with one or more items. Catalog data corresponding to the item is associated with the image. The catalog data is added to a merchant catalog in an electronic marketplace.
US09043230B2

A method that improves and enhances the customer's in-store shopping experience. The consumer product of purchase interest or intent to buy expresses (or self-announces via technology) it's match (or fit based on known or understood buying habits, customer taste, tendencies, etc) against the customer preferences during an in-store shopping experience.
US09043229B2

A method for providing a content gift to a gift-receiving terminal is provided. The method includes a gift server communicating with the gift-receiving terminal over a wireless communication link to determine what content is owned by the gift-receiving terminal. The method further includes the gift server generating catalog data including at least one content gift targeted for the gift receiving terminal. Further included in the method is the gift server wirelessly transmitting the catalog data to a gift-giving terminal. Additionally, the method includes the gift server receiving a selection of a content gift from the gift-giving terminal over a wireless communication link. Further included is the gift server facilitating delivery of the selected content gift to the gift-receiving terminal.
US09043223B1

Configurations for targeting nearby geographic locations for managing content are disclosed. The subject technology identifies one or more geographic locations for targeting content from a campaign for delivery to users and the campaign associated with a content sponsor. One or more geographic locations that are nearby the one or more geographic locations associated with the campaign are automatically presented to the content sponsor, including presenting candidate nearby geographic locations and estimated reach information along with each candidate geographic location. The subject technology receives a selection of one or more candidate geographic locations for inclusion in the campaign, and adds the selection to the campaign.
US09043210B1

A biometric voice command and control switching device has a microphone assembly for receiving a currently spoken challenge utterance and a reference utterance, and a voice processing circuit for creating electronic signals indicative thereof. The device further includes a memory for storing the electronic signals, and a processor for comparing the electronic signals to determine if there is a match. If there is a match, an interface circuit enables the operable control of the controlled device.
US09043208B2

A speech recognition system, method of recognizing speech and a computer program product therefor. A client device identified with a context for an associated user selectively streams audio to a provider computer, e.g., a cloud computer. Speech recognition receives streaming audio, maps utterances to specific textual candidates and determines a likelihood of a correct match for each mapped textual candidate. A context model selectively winnows candidate to resolve recognition ambiguity according to context whenever multiple textual candidates are recognized as potential matches for the same mapped utterance. Matches are used to update the context model, which may be used for multiple users in the same context.
US09043199B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating search results. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining a transcription of a voice query, and data that identifies an accent of the voice query, submitting the transcription and the data that identifies the accent of the voice query to a search engine to generate one or more accent-influenced results of the voice query, and providing the accent-influenced results to a client device for display.
US09043194B2

A method (and system) of emulation in a multiprocessor system, includes performing an emulation in which a host multiprocessing system of the multiprocessor system supports a weak consistency model, and the target multiprocessing system of the multiprocessor system supports a strong consistency model.
US09043186B2

Various technologies described herein pertain to computing surface normals for points in a point cloud. The point cloud is representative of a measured surface of a physical object. A point in the point cloud can be set as a point of origin, and points in the point cloud can be modeled as electrostatic point charges. Moreover, a point of least electrostatic potential on a sphere centered at the point of origin can be computed as a function of the electrostatic point charges. Further, unit vector with a direction from the point of origin to the point of least electrostatic potential on the sphere can be assigned as a normal for the point of origin.
US09043175B2

When discharge power calculated based on a current value detected by a current detector is smaller than expected maximum power, which is the maximum power expected in an actual operation, a discharge efficiency at the expected maximum power is set as a discharge efficiency used for remaining capacity calculation. This ensures that a remaining capacity based on power required for a photographing operation can be detected.
US09043168B2

Disclosed are various embodiments involving correction of signals generated by a crystal oscillator. An age of an integrated circuit or a time of use of the integrated circuit may be determined. A signal generated from a crystal of the integrated circuit may be modified based at least in part on the determined age of the integrated circuit or the determined time of use of the integrated circuit.
US09043159B2

The methods described herein enable the evaluation of compounds on subjects to assess their therapeutic efficacy or toxic effects. The target of analysis is the underlying biochemical process or processes (i.e., metabolic process) thought to be involved in disease pathogenesis. Molecular flux rates within the one or more biochemical processes serve as biomarkers and are quantitated and compared with the molecular flux rates (i.e., biomarker) from control subjects (i.e., subjects not exposed to the compounds). Any change in the biomarker in the subject relative to the biomarker in the control subject provides information to evaluate therapeutic efficacy of an administered drug or a toxic effect and to develop the compound further if desired. In one aspect of the invention, stable isotope-labeled substrate molecules are administered to a subject and the label is incorporated into targeted molecules in a manner that reveals molecular flux rates through metabolic pathways of interest.
US09043158B1

A method for providing a biological logic gate comprising the following steps: subjecting a bistable autoregulatory gene network (GRN) to a noisy background; identifying adjustable parameters of the GRN; using logical stochastic resonance to determine values of the GRN parameters which result in the GRN performing different logic gate functions; and setting the parameter values of the GRN such that the GRN performs a first logic gate function.
US09043149B2

A method and apparatus for performing a quick search of a path display terminal are provided. The quick search device of a path display terminal comprises: a vehicle position display unit for displaying a position of a vehicle on a map generated based on map data; a quick search display unit for displaying a quick search area for inputting a search word in a portion of the map; a search unit for searching for a destination corresponding to the search word; and a path display unit for generating and displaying a path from the vehicle position to the destination.
US09043144B2

A method and apparatus for determining a trajectory for a vehicle are disclosed, wherein, the method includes: identifying a starting position (p0) and a desired terminal position (P) for the vehicle; linearly approximating dynamics of the vehicle; and using the starting position (p0), desired terminal position (P), and linear approximation, determining the trajectory for the vehicle. The linear approximation can be constrained by requirements (e.g., specifications) that: (i) an acceleration applied to the vehicle at a point on the trajectory is relatively large when the acceleration acts in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the velocity of the vehicle; and (ii) an acceleration applied to the vehicle at a point on the trajectory is relatively small when the acceleration acts in a direction that is substantially parallel to the velocity of the vehicle. The vehicle may have a curvature limit.
US09043137B2

According to a map display device, from current location information acquired by a current location acquiring unit 6 and boundary coordinate information in time zone information acquired by a time zone information acquiring unit 22, it is determined whether or not a vehicle 9 is located within a set area which is provided in the range of a predetermined distance from a boundary of a time zone to which a current location of the vehicle 9 belongs, and if it is determined that the vehicle 9 is located within the set area, a display unit 3 displays distinctively the time zone to which the current location of the vehicle 9 belongs and a time zone which is adjacent to the corresponding time zone through the set area.
US09043134B2

Devices, methods and systems are disclosed herein to describe a range marker for a navigation system. The range marker may delineate a bounded area within a navigation map that a vehicle may travel based on the amount of fuel remaining. As the fuel continues to decrease during operation of the vehicle, the range marker may become smaller and smaller indicating a shrinking range since the fuel remaining decreases, thereby allowing the driver to easily identify which gas stations may be within a range of the vehicle (based on a current vehicle fuel level) and which gas stations might not be within the range of the vehicle.
US09043130B2

Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure builds on integrating existing technology with new devices, methods, and systems to provide a complete vehicle ecosystem.
US09043125B2

Device (10) for vehicle driving evaluation comprising: A means (11) to obtain at least one physical parameter whereby it possible at any time to determine the value of the speed and instantaneous acceleration of a traveling vehicle; A calculation and comparison unit (12) whereby it is possible, from said physical parameter, to calculate an effective parameter that depends on said instantaneous acceleration and to compare said effective parameter with a reference parameter; A driving evaluation unit (13), whereby it is possible to generate a vehicle driving energy score by measuring the variance between said effective parameter and said reference parameter. Corresponding vehicle driving evaluation process.
US09043116B2

The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for performing driving assistance for a controlled vehicle, involving determining a first longitudinal acceleration target value on the basis of a lateral acceleration of the controlled vehicle, determining a second longitudinal acceleration target value on the basis of a target speed of the controlled vehicle, determining a third longitudinal acceleration target value based on a minimum value of the first longitudinal acceleration target value and the second longitudinal acceleration target value, and controlling a longitudinal acceleration of the controlled vehicle on the basis of the determined third longitudinal acceleration target value.
US09043113B2

A drive system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The drive system may have a travel speed sensor, at least one traction device speed sensor, and a controller in communication with the travel speed sensor and the at least one traction device speed sensor. The controller may be configured to determine a slip value associated with a traction device of the mobile machine based on signals generated by the travel speed sensor and the at least one traction device speed sensor, and determine a torque output value of the mobile machine. The control may also be configured to make a comparison of the slip value and the torque output value with a pull-slip curve stored in memory, and selectively update the pull-slip curve based on the comparison.
US09043111B2

A method for enhancing stability of a three wheel vehicle having a pair of front wheels and a single rear wheel, each of the wheels having a tire with a tire grip threshold. The method including deploying an electronic stability system (ESS) on the vehicle, providing the ESS with input from various vehicle sensors related to the longitudinal and lateral acceleration of the vehicle, causing the ESS to determine whether (i) a precursory condition indicative of a wheel lift exists and (ii) the tire grip threshold of any of the tires has been exceeded; and when a precursory condition indicative of a wheel lift exists and the tire grip threshold of none of the tires has been exceeded, causing the ESS to reduce the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle by a first amount less than that which would cause the tire grip threshold of any of the tires to be exceeded.
US09043104B2

A method of determining and shifting to an optimal gear in a vehicle prior to entering a curve in a vehicle which comprises an automatic transmission. A curve speed limit is determined for an anticipated curve which is recognized by a navigation device, an anticipated road pattern and dependent on the vehicle and curve or road data, and a sportiness indicator (Ftyp). For each anticipated curve, an actual, optimal gear is determined, based on the determined curve speed limit and the sportiness indicator (FTyp) and, after determining the optimal gear, the method performs a check to determine whether or not the optimal gear deviates from the engaged gear (RGA_DEST). When a deviation is recognized and a driver reaction, which causes a deceleration of the vehicle and/or a reduction of the vehicle speed, is present, a down shift down to the actual, optimal gear occurs.
US09043100B2

The present invention provides for a transmission shift assembly for a vehicle and methods of monitoring and controlling the same. The transmission shift assembly includes a transmission having a shift position member movable between a plurality of gear positions, an actuator configured to move the shift position between the gear positions, and a linkage coupled to the actuator and movable between a plurality of positions in response to movement of the actuator. The assembly further includes a controller to control the actuator, an ignition to receive a key, and at least one key sensor positioned within the ignition and configured to transmit a signal to the controller upon sensing removal of the key, the controller controlling the actuator to move the shift position member to a predetermined gear position upon receiving the signal from the key sensor that the key has been removed from the ignition.
US09043096B2

A combine bin level monitor may include a yield monitor to determine how much grain has been added to the combine tank, a container weighing system (e.g. scales on a grain cart) that measures the amount of grain unloaded from the combine tank and wirelessly transfers the amount to the combine bin level monitoring system. The system further includes a software routine in the combine bin level monitoring system that calculates and displays the bin level by adding grain accumulated by the yield monitor and subtracting grain accumulated by the container weighing system from the last known amount of grain in the combine tank. The accumulated grain is the amount accumulated since the last time the amount of grain in the combine tank was known.
US09043092B2

A vehicle control apparatus capable of automatic steering control while reducing discomfort or stress on vehicle occupants. In the apparatus, a lane detection unit detects a lane in which the vehicle is traveling. An offset setting unit sets an offset within the lane suitable for making a driver feel less stressed. An occupant detection unit detects the presence of a designated occupant of a seat opposite a driver's seat. An offset adjustment unit, when the designated occupant is detected, adjusts the offset set by the offset setting unit to be decreased. A vehicle-path estimation unit estimates a vehicle path in the lane such that the vehicle can travel along the vehicle path from a current lateral position to a target lateral position of the vehicle. An automatic steering control unit automatically controls steering so that the vehicle travels along the estimated vehicle.
US09043089B2

There is provided an actuator control apparatus configured such that even when an electronic device that generates an electric signal to be used to control an actuator is provided in the form of a duplexed system, an increase in the number of communication paths between the electronic device and a controller is suppressed. A torque sensor and a rotation angle sensor are each provided in the form of a duplexed system. Two sets of a torque sensor and a rotation angle sensor are connected to a microcomputer via a SPI communication line. The torque sensors and the rotation angle sensors are connected to the microcomputer via CS communication lines, respectively. By selecting a communication target via a corresponding one of the CS communication lines, the microcomputer is able to receive multiple kinds of electric signals via each one of the SPI communication lines.
US09043087B2

A method for determining a steering angle of a steering shaft in a motor vehicle is disclosed. The method uses a rotation sensor associated with an electric motor of a power steering system to determine the relative steering angle of the steering column. The relative steering angle is measured relative to an initial position of the steering column during vehicle startup. The relative steering angle is reset each time the motor vehicle is turned on.
US09043084B2

A respective representation of signals from the control apparatus is provided for selection which has been prescribed as a first selection of signals for the control apparatus. At least two representations of program processes which can be executed concurrently can be produced. At least one of these representations is produced as a respective representation of an operating program process, and at least one of these representations is produced as a respective representation of a supplementary program process. Access by the at least one supplementary program process is limited to the prescribed first selection of signals. Program code is produced based on the prescribed first selection of signals and the at least two representations produced for program processes which can be executed concurrently.
US09043083B2

A parking assistance apparatus has a region detector capable of detecting a plurality of possible parking regions where a vehicle can park in at least one side to the left or right of the vehicle, a photographic image of the scenery surrounding the vehicle including the possible parking regions is displayed on a monitor device, the possible parking regions detected by the region detector are superimposed on the photographic image as graphic images showing parking target candidates in all of the corresponding positions, and one of the parking target candidates can be selected as a parking target on the basis of a command input from a driving device of the vehicle.
US09043082B2

In a vehicle in which a power distributor is provided between a plurality of electric actuators for door-related accessories and an auxiliary power source connected to a main power source, the electric actuators including an electric actuator for a door lock device provided on a door lock device, control unit for controlling the power distributor operates so that, when a voltage applied from the main power source to the auxiliary power source is reduced to a predetermined voltage or below, and an impact detection sensor detects an impact that is a predetermined value or greater, a door lock device is put into an unlocked state while maintaining the supply of power from the auxiliary power source to the electric actuator for a door lock device, but the supply of power from the auxiliary power source to the remaining electric actuators for door-related accessories is forcibly stopped.
US09043070B2

A moving device and a moving control method thereof are provided. The moving control method comprises the following steps. Firstly, a first magnetic field and a second magnetic field are sensed by a moving device within a moving region. A first magnetic stripe generating the first magnetic field is arranged along an outer border of the moving region, and a second magnetic stripe generating the second magnetic field is arranged along an inner border of the moving region. Then, a motion mode is determined and a corresponding motion is performed by the moving device according to an order in which the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field are sensed.
US09043069B1

Methods and devices for estimating a heading of a target vehicle are disclosed. An example method may include determining a first point cloud representative of a location of a target vehicle at a first time period and a second point cloud representative of the location of the target vehicle at a second time period. Using a computing device, an initial comparison between the first point cloud and the second point cloud may be determined based on an estimate of a speed for the target vehicle and a time difference between the first time period and the second time period. Additionally, the initial comparison may be revised based on a minimization of a distance between points of the first point cloud and corresponding points of the second point cloud. An estimate of a heading of the target vehicle may then be determined based on the revised comparison.
US09043062B2

In at least one embodiment, a vehicle is provided including a variable voltage controller (VVC), an electric motor configured to provide an assistive torque to an engine, and a single controller configured to read a plurality of analog signals indicative of operating conditions of the vehicle. The controller may also perform, during each of a repeating sequence of time periods, analog to digital (ATD) conversions on the analog signals, and further provide command signals to the electric motor and the VVC based on the ATD conversions and readings.
US09043057B2

A control device controls the operating state of each of a plurality of propulsion machines arranged in parallel in a marine vessel. Control devices are connected to each other by a communication line through which operating information of the propulsion machine is mutually transmitted and received. The control device includes a unit which determines the installation position of a corresponding propulsion machine, a unit which determines the connection state of another propulsion machine connected to the communication line, and a unit which determines a propulsion machine as a control reference from among a plurality of control devices. The propulsion machine as a control reference is switched to a propulsion machine which is arbitrarily designated by an operator or a propulsion machine which has the highest priority as a control reference.
US09043052B2

A system and method are provided for controlling a plurality of vehicles to affect positioning of a common payload. The system comprises of multiple vehicles having positioners to change the location of the common payload, where the group of vehicles form a swarm that is controlled by a driver or pilot station. Each vehicle is autonomously stabilized and guided through a swarm electronics unit, which further includes sensor, communication, and processing hardware. At the driver or pilot station, a system or a person remotely enters payload destinations, which is processed and communicated to each vehicle. The method for controlling a multi-vehicle system includes inputting the desired location of the payload and determining a series of intermediary payload waypoints. Next, these payload waypoints are used by the swarm waypoint controller to generate individual waypoints for each vehicle. A controller for each vehicle moves the vehicle to these individual waypoints.
US09043043B1

The present invention is directed to a flight controls system and a method for navigating an aircraft via the flight controls system implemented on-board an aircraft. The flight controls system may provide a first mode for allowing the aircraft to be autonomously navigated safely to a loiter zone in the event the pilot becomes incapacitated or unable to operate the aircraft. Further, the flight controls system may provide a second mode for providing autonomous landing functionality for the aircraft when the engines of the aircraft have failed.
US09043036B2

The invention is a centralized server-based system containing a database with relevant information regarding features, parameters, and characteristics of a particular irrigation system, which utilizes proprietary irrigation software to control a plurality of field modules, at one or more remote locations, via a network bridge adapter. An irrigation system may comprise a single server, or multiple servers that may be configured so that control of the entire system is centralized, and control of one or multiple irrigation locations may be accomplished remotely by wirelessly accessing, monitoring and controlling a location's field module matrix.
US09043035B2

Cooling apparatuses and methods are provided which include one or more coolant-cooled structures associated with an electronics rack, a coolant loop coupled in fluid communication with one or more passages of the coolant-cooled structure(s), one or more heat exchange units coupled to facilitate heat transfer from coolant within the coolant loop, and N controllable components associated with the coolant loop or the heat exchange unit(s), wherein N≧1. The N controllable components facilitate circulation of coolant through the coolant loop or transfer of heat from the coolant via the heat exchange unit(s). A controller is coupled to the N controllable components, and dynamically adjusts operation of the N controllable components, based on Z input parameters and one or more specified constraints, to provide a specified cooling to the coolant-cooled structure(s), while limiting energy consumed by the N controllable components, wherein Z≧1.
US09043028B2

A method of determining the orientation of a robotic machine at a worksite contemplates providing a target on the machine, moving the target to a first position on said machine, determining the location of the first position in the worksite, moving the target to a second position on said machine, and determining location of the second position in the worksite. The first and second positions are known with respect to the machine. Finally, a vector between the first and second locations defines the orientation of the machine with respect to the worksite. The target may be moved to additional positions on the machine.
US09043019B2

In a preferred embodiment, an Automated Pharmacy Admixture System (APAS) may include a manipulator system to transport medical containers such as bags, vials, or syringes in a compounding chamber regulated to a pressure below atmospheric pressure. In a preferred implementation, the manipulator system is configured to grasp and convey syringes, IV bags, and vials of varying shapes and sizes from a storage system in an adjacent chamber regulated at a pressure above atmospheric pressure. Various embodiments may include a controller adapted to actuate the manipulator system to bring a fill port of an IV bag, vial, or syringe into register with a filling port at a fluid transfer station in the chamber. A preferred implementation includes a sanitization system that can substantially sanitize a bung on a fill port of a vial or IV bag in preparation for transport to the fluid transfer station.
US09043017B2

Provided are a home network system and a method for an autonomous mobile robot to travel along a shortest travel route. The home network system capable of home automation includes a plurality of beacons for sensing a user located in a cell coverage area and for transmitting resulting sensing information of the user; an autonomous mobile robot for executing travel to reach the user based on provided travel route information; and a home server for calculating a travel route along which the autonomous mobile robot can easily reach the user based on the sensing information of the user transmitted from the beacons, and for providing the travel route to the autonomous mobile robot. Therefore, the autonomous mobile robot may reach the user by the shortest travel route and thus reducing energy loss.
US09043015B2

Present invention discloses a dispenser having means to dispense desired number of pills from a bulk supply of pills contained in the dispenser. The dispenser comprises of storage compartment having bulk supply of pills and having a discharge port emptying into counting compartment The counting compartment contains first and second conveyors moving at first and second speed; wherein the second speed is greater than the first speed thereby enabling pill separation; the second conveyor discharges pills into dispensing compartment. Sensors are strategically placed along the conveyors to count pills discharged into dispensing compartment. A pill recovery system and apparatus is disposed inside the dispenser having means to recover pills remaining on conveyors upon completion of a dispensation cycle and deposit recovered pills back into the storage compartment for use in future dispensation cycles. A docking station having receptacles to accommodate dispenser is provided. Docking station has communication ports enabling two-way communication with personal computer.
US09043005B2

An audio navigation device comprising an input means for inputting two or more audio pieces into the navigation device; a spatialization means for allocating a position in the form of a unique spatial co-ordinate to each audio piece and arranging the audio pieces in a multi-dimensional arrangement; a generating means for generating a binaural audio output for each audio piece, wherein the audio output simulates sounds that would be made by one or more physical sources located at the given position of each audio piece; an output means for simultaneously outputting multiple audio pieces as binaural audio output to a user; a navigation means for enabling a user to navigate around the audio outputs in the multi-dimensional arrangement; a selection means for allowing a user to select a single audio output.
US09043003B2

A secondary or “sidebar” display within a process control environment may provide several small applications to allow business managers, engineers, maintenance personnel, or other non-operator personnel to organize and manage process control system information and to display selected diagnostics and summary information or “key operating parameters” for the process control system. Further, sidebar applications may communicate with other applications that are executing on a non-operator user's workstation to, thereby, retrieve information related to tasks that the user is currently completing. The sidebar application may then determine whether certain process control information may be useful for the main task the user is completing and display that process control information within the sidebar.
US09042992B2

An airway of a patient is protected from intrusion of contaminants by monitoring muscles of the patient to detect an attempted cough or swallow, and applying an electrical stimulus to the neck of the patient, varying amplitude and/or frequency over time, the applied electrical stimulus operates to promote an efficacious cough or swallow. The electrical stimulus induces a voltage within a range of greater than zero volts and less than 20 volts, and the frequency have patterned changes between at least about 4 Hz to not more than about 30 Hz. The monitoring is carried out by an electronic device, and the patient may indicate to the electronic device that a swallow or cough is impending.
US09042991B2

An implantable head-mounted unibody peripheral neurostimulation system is provided for implantation in the head for the purpose of treating chronic head pain, including migraine. The system may include an implantable pulse generator (IPG) from which multiple stimulating leads may extend sufficient to allow for adequate stimulation over multiple regions of the head, preferably including the frontal, parietal and occipital regions. A lead may include an extended body, along which may be disposed a plurality of surface metal electrodes, which may be sub-divided into a plurality of electrode arrays. A plurality of internal metal wires may run a portion of its length and connect the IPG's internal circuit to the surface metal electrodes. The IPG may include a rechargeable battery, an antenna, and an application specific integrated circuit. The IPG may be capable of functional connection with an external radiofrequency unit for purposes that may include recharging, diagnostic evaluation, and programming.
US09042987B2

An electro-stimulation device for the treatment of anterior and posterior pelvic floor muscle dysfunction is reversibly compressible and is fully self-contained. The device requires no external power sources or control and may be inserted into the vagina or anus through the use of an applicator. In the compressed state the device may be of tampon proportions and after use may easily be removed. The device utilizes a compressible electrode component.
US09042984B2

Cardiac pacing methods for an implantable single chamber pacing system, establish an offset rate for pacing at a predetermined decrement from either a baseline rate (i.e. dictated by a rate response sensor), or an intrinsic rate. Pacing maintains the offset rate until x of y successive events are paced events, at which time the offset rate is switched to the baseline rate for pacing over a predetermined period of time. Following the period, if an intrinsic event is not immediately detected, within the interval of the offset rate, the rate is switched back to baseline for pacing over an increased period of time. Some methods establish a preference rate, between the offset and baseline rates, wherein an additional criterion, for switching from the offset rate to the baseline rate, is established with respect to the preference rate.
US09042982B2

Methods and devices for determining optimal Atrial to Ventricular (AV) pacing intervals and Ventricular to Ventricular (VV) delay intervals in order to optimize cardiac output. Impedance, preferably sub-threshold impedance, is measured across the heart at selected cardiac cycle times as a measure of chamber expansion or contraction. One embodiment measures impedance over a long AV interval to obtain the minimum impedance, indicative of maximum ventricular expansion, in order to set the AV interval. Another embodiment measures impedance change over a cycle and varies the AV pace interval in a binary search to converge on the AV interval causing maximum impedance change indicative of maximum ventricular output. Another method varies the right ventricle to left ventricle (VV) interval to converge on an impedance maximum indicative of minimum cardiac volume at end systole. Another embodiment varies the VV interval to maximize impedance change.
US09042981B2

One or more temporal stimulation parameters of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) are selected to substantially modulate one or more target physiological functions without substantially modulating one or more non-target physiological functions. In one embodiment, a stimulation duty cycle is selected such that VNS is delivered to the cervical vagus nerve trunk to modulate a cardiovascular function without causing laryngeal muscle contractions.
US09042975B2

A device and method for accurately characterizing tissue impedance employs multiple electrodes at a plurality of separation distances to cancel the effects of front end loading leakage currents and electrode polarization to improve the accuracy of sensitive impedance measurements used to identify cancerous tissues. These measurements may be automated over a range of frequencies.
US09042972B2

A peak-relevant value device acquires a peak-relevant value (for example, the peak value of an R wave (R peak value)) every cycle from an electrocardiogram acquired. The frequencies of the peak-relevant value acquired as time-series data and the magnitudes for the respective frequencies are analyzed. A peak-relevant value LF calculating device calculates an LF component (peak-relevant value LF component) from the frequency component of the peak-relevant value. An interval acquiring device acquires the interval between characteristic points of the electrocardiographic complex from the electrocardiogram acquired and the frequencies of the feature point interval acquired as time-series data to acquire the magnitudes of the respective frequency component are analyzed. An interval HF calculating device calculates the HF component from the frequency components of the feature point interval acquired and pain is judged on the basis of the variations of the peak-relevant value LF components and the interval HF components.
US09042969B2

A device for detecting a cardiac event is disclosed. Detection of an event is based on a test applied to a parameter whose value varies according to heart rate. Both the parameter value and heart rate (RR interval) are filtered with an exponential average filter. From these filtered values, the average change in the parameter and the RR interval are also computed with an exponential average filter. Before computing the average change in the parameter, large changes in the parameter over short times, which may be caused by body position shifts, are attenuated are removed, so that the average change represents an average of small/smooth changes in the parameter's value that are characteristic of acute ischemia, one of the cardiac events that may be detected. The test to detect the cardiac event depends on the heart rate, the difference between the parameter's value and its upper and lower normal values, and its average change over time, adjusted for heart rate changes. The upper and lower normal parameter values as a function of heart rate are determined from long term stored data of the filtered RR values and parameter values. Hysteeresis related data and transitory deviations from normal (e.g. vasospasm related data) are excluded from the computation of normal upper and lower parameter bounds.
US09042968B2

The present invention has an object to measure lymphatic pressure with more safety and ease at lower cost. To achieve this, a lymphatic pressure-measuring system 1 includes: a manchette 11 fitted on a vital observation portion; a measurement unit 13 that measures and outputs pressure of the manchette 11; an infrared camera 21 that detects fluorescence emitted from fluorescent dye previously injected into a lymph vessel in the vital observation portion; and an image processing device 22 that generates and displays an image showing a position of the fluorescent dye in the lymph vessel based on a detection result of the infrared camera 21. The infrared camera 21 repeats the detection while the pressure of the manchette 11 decreases from first pressure to block a lymph flow in the vital observation portion to second pressure at restart of the lymph flow. The measurement unit 13 repeats the measurement during the period.
US09042962B2

The present invention relates to a model based positioning system that includes a positioning device having at least one transmitter configured to be in a tracking environment, e.g. inserted into a body, a receiver having a plurality of receiver elements arranged outside the tracking environment, a control unit configured to measure amplitude and/or phase information of a signal transmitted from the at least one transmitter and received at each receiving element, and a memory unit M for storing a model for each receiving element. The control unit is also configured to estimate the position P of the positioning device by comparing the model for each receiving element with the measured received signal for each receiving element.
US09042955B2

The present application provides Ag/AgCl based reference electrodes having an extended lifetime that are suitable for use in long term amperometric sensors. Electrochemical sensors equipped with reference electrodes described herein demonstrate considerable stability and extended lifetime in a variety of conditions.
US09042951B2

In an intermediate connecting unit 50 of superconducting cables, by forming the connecting superconducting wires 101 in a trapezoid shape tapered in the direction of the electric insulating layer 113 (the superconducting shield layers 114) sides from the large radius section 213a side of the reinforcement insulating layer 213, the inclined surface sections 213b can be covered without spaces and without the plurality of connecting superconducting wires overlapping. The plurality of connecting superconducting wires 101 cover the inclined surface sections 213b of the reinforcement insulating layer 213 formed thicker than the radius of the cable cores 11 of the superconducting cables 10. The connecting superconducting wires 101 further connects the superconducting wires 10 arranged on the outer periphery of the large radius section 213a of the reinforcement insulating layer 213 and the superconducting wires 100 constituting the superconducting shield layers 114.
US09042949B2

A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, a circuit board carried by the portable housing, a wireless communications circuit carried by the circuit board, and an audio circuit carried by the circuit board. The mobile wireless communications device may further include an antenna assembly including an antenna carrier frame coupled to the circuit board and defining a cavity therein, and an antenna element carried on the antenna carrier frame and having a plurality of spaced apart signal feed points coupled to the wireless communications circuit. In addition, an audio transducer may be carried within the cavity of the antenna carrier frame and coupled to the audio circuit.
US09042940B2

In a case where a communication device belongs to a first wireless network for the communication device to execute a wireless communication, the communication device may execute using a wireless communication with a mobile device via the first wireless network after sending to the mobile device a first wireless setting. The first wireless setting may be for the mobile device to belong to the first wireless network and include a password. In a case where the communication device belongs to a second wireless network for the communication device to execute a wireless communication, the communication device may execute a wireless communication with the mobile device via the second wireless network after sending to the mobile device a second wireless setting. The second wireless setting may be for the mobile device to belong to the second wireless network and not including the password.
US09042936B2

A communication device and a power control method thereof are provided. The power control method, performed by a communication device, includes: determining a power range of a transmit power of an uplink signal; determining a gain switch range based on the power range; when the transmit power of the uplink signal is within the gain switch range, determining a first gain mode for amplifying the uplink signal; and when the transmit power of the uplink signal is out of the gain switch range, determining a second gain mode for amplifying the uplink signal.
US09042935B2

The concepts relate to radio channel utilization. One example can monitor a location of a mobile device that has both a first type of wireless capabilities and a second type of wireless capabilities. The example can determine a distance from the location of the mobile device to a location of a wireless device. The example can cause data to be transmitted from the mobile device to the wireless device at a power level based upon the distance.
US09042930B1

This specification describes a method and corresponding system for reducing aggregate forward link transmission power. In one arrangement, a RAN may reduce the aggregate transmission power level in a coverage area by (i) determining which WCDs in the coverage area have a communication error rate that is at least a threshold level of communication error rate, and in response to the determining, (ii) reducing the forward link transmission power level of the determined WCDs. In another arrangement, the RAN may reduce the aggregate transmission power level in a coverage area by reducing the forward link transmission power of WCDs in the coverage area that have (i) a forward link transmission power level that is at least a threshold level of forward link transmission power and (ii) a communication error rate that is at least a threshold level of communication error rate.
US09042926B2

The present invention provides a method for obtaining an uplink transmit power control parameter, where the method is applicable to a radio communication system using a CoMP transmission technology and includes: obtaining, by an base station, a downlink path loss of a serving cell serving for a UE and a sum of a each difference between a downlink path loss of each coordinated cell serving for the UE and the downlink path loss of the serving cell; obtaining, by the base station, a downlink path loss of the UE in a coordinated multi-point transmission environment and a transmit power control command of the UE in the coordinated multi-point transmission environment according to the downlink path loss of the serving cell and the sum of differences between downlink path losses. Thereby, the reduction of cell throughput and waste of UE power consumption is avoided.
US09042917B2

Techniques for positioning access points and terminals in WLANs and other wireless networks are described. For access point positioning, measurements are obtained for at least one access point in a WLAN. The measurements may be based on transmission sequences (e.g., beacon frames) transmitted periodically by each access point. The measurements may be made by multiple terminals at different locations or a single mobile terminal at different locations. The location of each access point is determined based on the measurements and known locations of the terminal(s). For terminal positioning, measurements for at least one access point in a WLAN are obtained. The location of the terminal is determined based on the measurements and known location of each access point. The measurements may be round trip time (RTT) measurements, observed time difference (OTD) measurements, time of arrival (TOA) measurements, signal strength measurements, signal quality measurements, etc.
US09042914B2

A wireless access device in a wireless network, whether a known or unknown entity, can be located using a geolocation system according to the present invention. A signal strength is determined by a wireless intrusion detection system (WIDS) node in a wireless network for each wireless access device that it detects. Based on the signal strength, an approximate distance from the node is determined, which, in one embodiment corresponds to a radius of a circle around the node. To account for error, an approximation band of the circle is calculated that will allow a user to determine the approximate location of the device within the wireless network.
US09042908B2

Access is obtained to call data records (or other data) for a plurality of mobile telephony users. The call data records (or other data) include location-time sequences. For each of the mobile telephony users, corresponding ones of the location-time sequences are segmented into trips; a home-work-school classification model is used to determine a home location and a work-school location, based on the trips; and a trip purpose classification model is used to assign each of the trips a purpose label, based at least on comparing at least one of a start location and an end location for each one of the trips to at least one of the home location and the work-school location determined using the home-work-school classification model. The trips are aggregated into purpose based origin-destination categories based at least on the purpose labels, time ranges of the location-time sequences, and the start and end locations.
US09042906B1

In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for identifying proximity of a mobile computing device to another mobile computing device. A computing system determines that a set of mobile computing devices are geographically proximate to a first mobile computing device based on identifying that each of the mobile computing devices received a first type of signal from an emitting device for which the first mobile computing device also received the first type of signal. The computing system determines a subset of the mobile computing devices that share a physical space with the first mobile computing device based on identifying that each of the mobile computing devices emitted a second type of signal that was detected by the first mobile computing device, or detected the second type of signal that was emitted by the first mobile computing device.
US09042901B2

A system may include a macro cell base station configured to determine a service quality associated with the macro cell base station; determine whether the service quality is below a quality threshold; and instruct a small cell base station to switch from a sleep mode to an awake mode, when the service quality is below the quality threshold. The system may further include a small cell base station, located within a coverage area of the macro cell base station, configured to enter an awake mode, when instructed to enter the awake mode by the macro cell base station; and inform the macro cell base station that the small cell base station is in awake mode. The macro cell base station may be further configured to hand over one or more user devices to the small cell base station, when the small cell base station is in the awake mode.
US09042890B2

The present invention discloses a method for access control of a terminal, which is applied to the access control of the terminal in a terminal handover process. The method comprises: a source access network element notifying a target access network element of closed subscriber group configuration information of a source cell via a direct interface, and the target access network element determining whether to allow the terminal to access to a target cell based on closed subscriber group configuration information of the target cell and the closed subscriber group configuration information of the source cell. The present invention further discloses a method for access control of a terminal and an access equipment. The present invention provides a feasible scheme for the access control process when the terminal performs handover via a direct interface.
US09042888B2

A mobile wireless device maintains a radio sector database. When receiving no response or a negative response from a radio sector to a transmitted signaling message, the mobile wireless device adds or updates the radio sector database. When receiving a positive response from the radio sector, the mobile wireless device deletes the radio sector from the radio sector database. Before transmitting signaling messages to a radio sector, the mobile device determines a time delay value if the radio sector is in the radio sector database. The mobile wireless device discards the signaling message when an elapsed time since a most recently transmitted signaling message to the radio sector does not exceed the determined time delay value. In an embodiment, each radio sector in the radio sector database includes a failure count value, and the determined time delay value depends on the failure count value.
US09042885B2

A wireless communication apparatus including a wireless communication interface configured to receive radio waves, and a processor configured to measure radio-wave qualities of the radio waves from a plurality of base stations in a periodic measurement period, to divide one measurement period out of the periodic measurement period, and to measure radio-wave qualities of the corresponding measurement-target base stations, to determine a base station to be excluded from the measurement-target base stations in a next measurement period in the periodic measurement period on the basis of the radio-wave qualities, and to allocate the measurement time period that has been allocated to the base station to be excluded in a measurement period to a measurement-target base station in the next measurement period.
US09042883B2

Various procedures for operating a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) in Long Term Evolution (LTE) Idle mode are described. The procedures include: methods for applying cell reselection priorities in the WTRU, methods for converting a mobility state of the WTRU between operating modes, a method for assigning a mobility state to the WTRU, and a method for determining whether the WTRU may access a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell. Also described are methods and an apparatus on the operations of the LTE mobility state transition mechanism between LTE WTRU Idle mode and Connected mode, a definition of the Pcompensation parameter for LTE, inter-frequency and inter-radio access technology cell reselection priority validity definitions, and coverage extension principles for CSG cells.
US09042862B2

In various embodiments, a method is described that includes receiving mobile device usage data directly from each of a plurality of mobile devices associated with a particular enterprise, aggregating the usage data from each of the plurality of mobile devices at a central database, and generating one or more mobile device usage reports based on the aggregated usage data.
US09042856B2

A method and apparatus for using erasure to improve signal decoding when data is impacted by an interference event. Embodiments may include receiving in an RF receiver a desired on-channel signal that includes an information signal modulated on to the desired on-channel signal; generating a sampled received signal with an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter; detecting an interference event using an interference detector as well as generating a mask based on the interference event; processing the sampled received signal using the mask to generate decoding data for use by a soft decoder; and, providing the decoding data to the soft decoder.
US09042846B2

An improved user interface is provided by a portable radio (100) having a housing (102) having a through-hole (110) formed therethough. The through-hole provides a user interface for accommodating a plurality of interchangeable accessories through the incorporation of electrical interface (114) and alignment features (116) within the through-hole.
US09042844B2

A transceiver includes: a power amplifying circuit arranged to generate differential output signals during a transmitting mode of the transceiver; a balance-unbalance circuit arranged to convert the differential output signals into a single-ended output signal; a switchable matching circuit arranged to receive the single-ended output signal on a signal port of the transceiver during the transmitting mode, and to convert a single-ended receiving signal on the signal port into a single-ended input signal during a receiving mode of the transceiver; and a low-noise amplifying circuit arranged to convert the single-ended input signal into a low-noise input signal during the receiving mode. The power amplifying circuit, the Balun, the switchable matching circuit, and the low-noise amplifying circuit are configured as a single chip.
US09042842B2

In a wireless network, plural downlink signals from plural base stations are transmitted to a terminal. The plural downlink signals all carry the same information to the terminal. The terminal provides feedback on the downlink channels. The feedback provides information on the taps of the channels. The amount of information fed back is constrained. Based on the feedback, transmission parameters of the downlink signals are adjusted. The process of transmitting, providing feedback, and adjusting the parameters continue so that the energy of the downlink signal is enhanced at the terminal location and suppressed elsewhere. Beam forming can be used to further suppress the energy signature at locations other than the terminal location.
US09042834B2

A mobile station (UE) according to the present invention is configured to repeatedly transmit a first measurement report including a radio quality of a first cell and to repeatedly transmit a second measurement report including a radio quality of a second cell at the same timings, when the mobile station starts transmitting the first measurement report and thereafter starts transmitting the second measurement report.
US09042832B2

The present invention relates to the communication field and describes a communication method and a mobile communication terminal. The communication method and the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention add new capabilities to mobile communication terminals, including cell phones, such that they can choose from a plurality of radio frequency parameter sets for communications. The present invention enables cell phones to store a plurality of radio frequency parameter sets, and necessary changes to RF parameters can be assessed according to different user demands or external application environments such that the cell phone software can switch to upload the most appropriate RF parameters. Consequently, an antenna can obtain optimal parameters such that a cell phone can obtain optimal radiation properties without the need to design a new antenna and can meet HAC requirements by operators.
US09042826B2

An apparatus and method for power state transition via Near Field Communication (NFC) are provided. The apparatus includes a Near Field Communication (NFC) transceiver for generating a trigger signal in response to presence of another NFC device within an NFC communication range of the NFC transceiver, and a controller for controlling the apparatus to transition to or from a wake state when the trigger signal is received from the NFC transceiver.
US09042823B2

Method, apparatus, and computer program product example embodiments enable devices to disconnect a communication connection. In an example embodiment, a method includes measuring, by an apparatus, a power level of one or more wireless communication messages received from a selected wireless device over a wireless communication connection, after an interval following an establishment of the wireless communication connection; and disconnecting, by the apparatus, the wireless communication connection with the selected wireless device, if the one or more wireless communication messages received over the wireless communication connection, has a measured power level greater than a threshold value.
US09042814B2

An NFC-enabled device including tag emulation circuitry and reader emulation circuitry operates so as to provide a signal strength meter function. The signal strength meter function, in tag emulation mode, measures and reports on how well the tag is coupled to a third party reader field. In reader emulation mode, the signal strength meter function measures and reports how well the reader of the NFC-enabled device couples to a tag that is being read. One exemplary method includes detecting an NFC reader field, operating reader receiver circuitry at the NFC-enabled device so as to at least determine the strength of a signal received from the reader field, generating information representative of the determined strength of the signal received from the reader field at a first time, and performing one or more predetermined actions based at least in part on the one or more signals representative of the determined strength. Predetermined actions may include generating visual, audio, and/or other indications of the received signal strength.
US09042811B2

The specification of smart televisions are herein disclosed and enabled. The smart television is a wireless television that includes a wireless communication unit compatible, at least partly, with a protocol within IEEE 802.11, and may include Bluetooth compatibility. The smart television may render digital content received from a wireless mobile information apparatus over the wireless communication unit. The smart television includes an operating system for enabling installation of additional applications for expanding functionalities of the smart television; an output controller for decoding, decompressing, or decrypting the digital content; an image processor for applying one or more of a color, an image enhancement, or a resolution operation; and an output engine for rendering the digital content to a display or a projection medium. The wireless television may further include a touch sensitive display screen for interacting with users. Additionally, the wireless television may include authentication based on biometrics of the user.
US09042807B2

An image formation apparatus has a body having a pair of frames, and an image formation unit configured to form an image on a sheet, and a re-feeding path which is used when the sheet, on one surface of which an image has been formed by the image formation unit, is fed again to the image formation unit. The re-feeding path includes a first path vertically extending from a downstream side, in a sheet feed direction, of the image formation unit, a second path extending horizontally, and a curved portion connecting the first path and the second path. The pair of frames are connected with a metal plate which is formed and arranged to extend along the curved portion.
US09042803B2

An image transfer device includes a transfer unit and a transport unit. The transfer unit that heats a layered body including a recording member, which is flexible and has an image recorded on a recording surface thereof, and a base member, onto which the image on the recording member is to be transferred, to transfer the image recorded on the recording surface onto the base member. The transfer unit transporting the layered body by rotating while being in contact with a back surface of the recording member on a side opposite to the side of the recording surface. The transport unit disposed upstream of the transfer unit in a transport direction of the layered body. The transport unit rotating while being in contact with the back surface of the recording member to transport the layered body to the transfer unit.
US09042787B2

A grid electrode that is substantially thin-plate-shaped includes an opening section in which plural openings are formed and a frame section that surrounds the opening section. The grid electrode is curved along a short-side direction thereof and includes portions having different thicknesses, the portions being arranged in the short-side direction.
US09042775B2

An interval securing member configured to maintain a distance between an image bearing member and a developer bearing member includes a first image bearing member side contact portion that contacts with the image bearing member upstream in a rotation direction of the image bearing member from a nearest position where the distance between the image bearing member and the developer bearing member becomes the smallest, a first developing side contact portion that contacts with the developer bearing member upstream from the nearest position in a rotation direction of the developer bearing member, a second image bearing member side contact portion that contacts with the image bearing member downstream from the nearest position in the rotation direction of the image bearing member, and a second developing side contact portion that contacts with the developer bearing member downstream from the nearest position in the rotation direction of the developer bearing member.
US09042766B2

A cooling device including a heat pipe to cool a sheet, a radiator provided to an end of the heat pipe, and a duct accommodating the radiator and having a closably openable cover member. The cover member is openable to enable attachment and detachment of the heat pipe to and from the cooling device in a predetermined direction.
US09042762B2

An image forming apparatus has an image forming section configured to form an image on a recording sheet, a controller to execute a job, and an adjustment section configured to adjust a density of the image formed on the recording sheet by the image forming section during execution of the job. The controller discharges an inserting sheet onto the recording sheet having the image formed during the execution of the job when a value of the adjustment is larger than a predetermined value.
US09042754B2

An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a rotation member that rotates to rotate the photosensitive member, a light emitter that emits light to the photosensitive member and forms a latent image, a detector that detects the latent image on the photosensitive member positioned at a detecting position, a measuring device that measures time, and a correcting device that performs a correction according to a variation of a light emission position of the light emitter from a reference light emission position. The measuring device measures a time interval from a time when the latent image is formed on the photosensitive member by the light emitter to a time when the latent image reaches the detecting position and is detected by the detector, and the correcting device performs the correction based on the time interval measured by the measuring device.
US09042730B2

A method for adjusting an optical signal includes determining a polarization dependent loss (PDL) value associated with the optical signal, determining an angle between the optical signal and one or more axes of PDL, determining an amount of nonlinear phase noise due to PDL and nonlinear effects upon the optical signal based upon the PDL value and the angle, determining a phase rotation based upon the amount of nonlinear phase noise, and applying the phase rotation to the optical signal.
US09042728B2

An optical line termination node has a first connection arrangement for connecting a working fiber, a second connection arrangement for connecting a protection fiber, a transceiver arrangement having first primary link and a first secondary link, and protection switching means configured for being switched either in a working operating state or in a protection operating state.
US09042723B2

An apparatus and method for fault indication and localization in a Passive Optical Network (PON) comprising a multistage power splitter (100, 200, 300) with at least one 1:N splitter (120, 221, 222, 321, 322) followed by N items of 2:M splitters (131, 132, 231-233, 331-336), wherein N and M are integers greater than 1. The apparatus also comprises an Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR) device (110, 210, 310) capable of inserting an OTDR signal into the power splitter (100, 200, 300), and adapted to insert the OTDR signal between the first stage of the at least one 1:N splitter (120, 221, 222, 321, 322) and the second N items of 2:M splitters (131, 132, 231-233, 331-336).
US09042719B2

Provided herein are devices and system to magnetically, rotably secure a lens filter to a camera. Generally the devices and systems comprise a magnet assembly and a lens filter assembly threadably engageable. Also provided are magnetic lens filter systems comprising the engaged magnet and lens filter assemblies and an attachment assembly securable around a camera lens and magnetically attachable to the magnet comprising the magnetic lens filter, magnetic adapter assembly or magnetic adapter. Further provided are camera systems comprising the magnetic lens filter systems rotatably affixed thereto.
US09042710B2

A video processing apparatus that can be connected to a video playback apparatus includes an input unit configured to input video data from the video playback apparatus, an interpolation unit configured to generate interpolated frame image data of input video data, and an output unit configured to output the interpolated frame image data as interpolated video data, wherein the interpolation unit generates different interpolated frame image data according to a playback mode of the video playback apparatus.
US09042709B2

An image capture device includes: first and second shooting sections, each of which is configured to shoot an image of a subject; a disparity calculating section configured to generate a depth map based on first and second images that have been shot by the first and second shooting sections, respectively; and an image generating section configured to generate, based on the depth map and the first image, a third image that has as high a resolution as the first image and that forms part of a 3D image. The image generating section is controlled to determine whether or not to generate the third image based on at least one of the states of the first and second images, a zoom power during shooting, and the tilt of the image capture device during shooting.
US09042705B1

A processing system decodes packetized program information including ancillary program specific information comprising a plurality of hierarchically ordered information tables. The ancillary information is used in acquiring and decoding packetized program information to provide a video program for display. The processing system employs a method involving detection of a mismatch between a version number of a first table of the program specific information (e.g. a virtual channel table (VCT), or channel information table (CIT)) and a corresponding version number of the first table conveyed in a second table (e.g. a master guide table (MGT)). If a mismatch is detected, the first and second tables are forced to contain a compatible first table version number. The packetized program information is decoded to provide a video program for display using the program specific information including the first and second tables including the forced compatible version number. A detected mismatch may also be disregarded to enable the decoding of the packetized program information and a User's channel line-up may be edited to remove channels associated with a detected mismatch or other program specific information error condition.
US09042700B2

A spool assembly includes a drum having a first axial end and an oppositely disposed second axial end. The drum includes an inner surface that defines a bore that extends through the first and second axial ends. A drum support is disposed in the bore of the drum. The drum support includes a first end and an oppositely disposed second end. The drum support has an exterior surface. The exterior surface of the drum support and the inner surface of the drum define a plurality of channels. A first flange is engaged to the first end of the drum support. A second flange is engaged to the second end of the drum support.
US09042696B2

Embodiments of the invention use crystallographic etching of SOI wafers with a (110)-oriented epi layer to form both the vertical input facet and the re-entrant mirror. Proposed layout design combined with proposed orientation of the epi enables both vertical facets and re-entrant (upward-reflecting) mirror facets to be made in a single wafer-level wet etch process.
US09042695B2

A bend-loss tolerant multimode fiber transmission system is provided. The system includes: a transmission fiber having a core and a cladding, and a mode-launching system for selectively exciting only a useful portion of the transmission modes, that portion corresponding to high effective refractive indices relative to a refractive index of the cladding the useful portion corresponding to a substantial number of modes. The mode-launching system may include a lead-in fiber, coupled to the transmission fiber, supporting a number of lead-in modes substantially corresponding to the number of transmission modes in the useful portion. The transmission fiber may have a refractive index profile, within a region of its core that is aligned with the lead-in fiber core, which has a shape that matches a refractive index profile shape in the lead-in fiber core. The transmission fiber core may have a graded refractive index profile that is parabolic or nearly parabolic or truncated.
US09042693B2

The present invention provides optical-fiber communication cables with an improved water-blocking element that reduces or eliminates microbending caused by water-swellable particulate powders. In one embodiment, such water-swellable powders may be employed in conjunction with a smooth water-soluble carrier tape. In another embodiment, such water-swellable powders may embedded within a water-soluble binder. The water-blocking element is deployed within optical-fiber buffer tubes to water-block the buffer tubes and to minimize microbending that can occur when water-swellable particulate powders press against optical fibers.
US09042687B2

A waveguide lens includes a substrate, a planar waveguide formed on the substrate and configured to couple with a laser light source that emits a laser beam into the planar waveguide along an optical axis, and a media grating film including two media gratings with a gap intervening therebetween. Each media grating is symmetrical about a widthwise central axis. Each widthwise central axis and the optical axis are substantially parallel with each other and cooperatively define a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the planar waveguide.
US09042686B2

Disclosed are an optical waveguide platform with integrated active transmission device and monitoring photodiode. The optical waveguide platform with hybrid integrated optical transmission device and optical active device includes an optical waveguide region formed by stacking a lower cladding layer, a core layer and an upper cladding layer on a substrate; a trench region formed by etching a portion of the optical waveguide region; and a spot expanding region formed on the core layer in the optical waveguide region, in which the optical transmission device is mounted in the trench region and the optical active device is flip-chip bonded to the spot expanding region. The monitoring photodiode is flip-chip bonded to the spot expanding region of the core layer of the optical waveguide, thereby monitoring output light including an optical coupling loss that occurs during flip-chip bonding.
US09042682B2

One or more derived versions of image content may be obtained by interpolating two or more source versions of the same image content. A derived version may be targeted for a class of displays that differs from classes of displays targeted by the source versions. Source images in a source version may have been color graded in a creative process by a content creator/colorist. Interpolation of the source versions may be performed with interpolation parameters having two or more different values in two or more different clusters in at least one of the source images. A normalized version may be used to allow efficient distribution of multiple versions of the same content to a variety of downstream media processing devices, and to preserve or restore image details otherwise lost in one or more of the source versions.
US09042676B2

There is described a method and a device for forming a panoramic image wherein it is decided to add a current image in a current panoramic image based on definitions of edges of the current image and the current panoramic image.
US09042671B2

A method, system and computer software product for improving rate-distortion performance while remaining faithful to JPEG/MPEG syntax, involving joint optimization of Huffman tables, quantization step sizes and quantized coefficients of a JPEG/MPEG encoder. This involves finding the optimal coefficient indices in the form of (run, size) pairs. By employing an interative process including this search for optimal coefficient indices, joint improvement of run-length coding, Huffman coding and quantization table selection may be achieved. Additionally, the compression of quantized DC coefficients may also be improved using a trellis-structure.
US09042669B2

A method and apparatus prioritizing video information during coding and decoding. Video information is received and an element of the video information, such as a visual object, video object layer, video object plane or keyregion, is identified. A priority is assigned to the identified element and the video information is encoded into a bitstream, such as a visual bitstream encoded using the MPEG-4 standard, including an indication of the priority of the element. The priority information can then be used when decoding the bitstream to reconstruct the video information.
US09042665B2

An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding an image are provided. The image decoding method includes decoding luma blocks according to a predetermined decoding mode of each of the luma blocks, and decoding chroma blocks according to the predetermined decoding mode of each of the luma blocks.
US09042660B2

According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes an acquirement unit and a reporting unit. The acquirement unit is configured to acquire an image captured by a image capturing section. In a situation that a similarity representing a degree with which the image of an object captured by the image capturing section is similar to the reference image of each commodity meets a condition of determining a captured commodity as one commodity in the commodities corresponding to the reference image, the reporting unit is configured to report a situation that the captured commodity is determined as the commodity meeting the condition and corresponding to the reference image.
US09042658B2

An image processing device that generates a pixel value of a pixel and interpolates the pixel with the pixel value, the image processing device including: a periodicity determining unit that determines whether an area including the pixel is a periodic area; a boundary determining unit that determines whether the pixel belongs to the periodic area or a non-periodic area; a first pixel value generating unit that generates a first pixel value; a second pixel value generating unit that generates a second pixel value; a control unit that determines whether the first pixel value generating unit is to be used or the second pixel value generating unit is to be used, based on determination results of the periodicity determining unit and the boundary determining unit; a pixel value inputting unit that inputs one of the first pixel value and the second pixel value to the pixel.
US09042657B2

An image-based georeferencing system comprises an image receiver, an image identification processor, a reference feature determiner, and a feature locator. The image receiver is configured for receiving a first image for use in georeferencing. The image comprises digital image information. The system includes a communicative coupling to a georeferenced images database of images. The image identification processor is configured for identifying a second image from the georeferenced images database that correlates to the first image. The system includes a communicative coupling to a geographic location information system. The reference feature determiner is configured for determining a reference feature common to both the second image and the first image. The feature locator is configured for accessing the geographic information system to identify and obtain geographic location information related to the common reference feature.
US09042653B2

A spreadsheet application associates data obtained from a captured image with a spreadsheet. For example, one or more images of physical data may be captured and translated into electronic data that is automatically associated with one or more spreadsheets. The formatting and underlying formulas of the data included within the captured image may be represented within a spreadsheet (e.g. highlighted data remains highlighted within the electronic spreadsheet). The data may also be compared with existing electronic data. For example, differences between the data in the captured image with the data in an existing spreadsheet may be used to update the existing spreadsheet. A display of a captured image may be also be augmented using data that is obtained from the captured image. For example, a chart may be created and displayed using data that is obtained from the captured image.
US09042651B2

A multi-point image labeling method adopts an image labeling device to label an object pixel matrix containing image data and makes adjacent array elements with image data have an identical image label value. Next, the image labeling device provides a multi-point label window, which designates a non-zero temporary labeled value to store in the register according to the temporary labeled value of the adjacent array elements. Next, the image labeling device provides a label-equivalence window, which generates label-equivalence information according to the adjacent temporary labeled values. Next, an equivalent-substitution processing process is performed on the temporary labeled values according to the label-equivalence information to generate label-equivalence substitution information. Then, the temporary labeled values are replaced according to the label-equivalence substitution information to obtain the resultant image labeled values and complete the image labeling of the object pixel matrix.
US09042650B2

A method of labeling pixels in an image in which pixels in the image that represent human skin of one or more people are detected and one or more regions in the image are identified, where each region in the one or more regions includes all or a portion of a human face of a person in the one or people in the image. Pixels that represent each face in the image are identified using the pixels that represent skin and the regions that include faces of the people, thereby identifying a position of each face in the image. From this, a face mask for each face and a rough body map corresponding to each face is determined using the positions of the identified faces. Further still, a torso map corresponding to each face is determined using determined face positions. Then, the extracted face masks and the torso maps are used to refine a skin map. A person or people map is determined using the skin map and the rough body map.
US09042642B2

A determining unit determines which one of a plurality of divided areas in color distribution a value of an input image single falls within. The plurality of divided areas are defined for each of R, G, and B color components, and the determining unit determines, for each color component, which one of the plurality of divided areas the value of the input image signal falls within. An image correcting unit reads correction coefficients corresponding to the determined divided area for each color component from a correction coefficient storing unit in which correction coefficients are registered for each of the color components and each of the divided areas. The image correcting unit calculates each of R, G, and B output values of an output image signal using the correction coefficients of the individual color components read from the correction coefficient storing unit.
US09042638B2

An image matching method is utilized for performing a stereo matching from a first image block to a second image block in a stereo matching system. The image matching method includes performing a matching computation from the first image block to the second image block according to a first matching algorithm to generate a first matching result; performing the matching computation between the first image block and the second image block according to a second matching algorithm to generate a second matching result and a third matching result; obtaining a matching error and a matching similarity of the first image block according to the second matching result and the third matching result; and determining a stereo matching result of the first image block according to the matching error and the matching similarity.
US09042637B2

According to an embodiment, an image processing device includes: a first acquiring unit, a second acquiring unit, a first setting unit, a second setting unit, a first calculating unit, and a second calculating unit. The first acquiring unit acquires a plurality of captured images by imaging a target object from a plurality of positions. The second acquiring unit acquires a provisional three-dimensional position and a provisional size. The first setting unit sets at least one search candidate point near the provisional three-dimensional position. The second setting unit sets a search window for each projection position where the search candidate point is projected, the search window having a size. The first calculating unit calculates an evaluation value that represents whether or not the target object is included inside the search window. The second calculating unit calculates a three-dimensional position of the target object based on the evaluation value.
US09042635B2

A system, that includes a hybrid sensor that comprises: a monochromatic portion that is arranged to obtain a monochromatic image of a first area of an object; a multiple-color portion that is arranged to obtain a multi-colored image of a second area of the object; wherein the monochromatic portion comprises monochromatic sensing elements that sense radiation of a same frequency band; wherein the multiple-color portion comprises color sensing elements of different types, wherein different types of color sensing elements are associated with different frequency bands.
US09042631B2

The invention relates to a computer implemented method and systems for cell level fish dot counting. FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) dot counting is the process of enumerating chromosomal abnormalities in the cells which can be used in areas of diagnosis and cancer research. The method comprises in part overlaying images of a biological sample comprising a nuclear counterstain mask and a FISH binary mask. The FISH binary mask is extracted using a multi-level extended h-maxima or h-minima.
US09042627B2

According to one embodiment, an X-ray diagnostic apparatus includes a data acquiring unit and a data processing unit. The data acquiring unit acquires X-ray projection data corresponding to plural directions from an object in which a stent having markers has been inserted by exposing X-rays to the object from the plural directions. The data processing unit obtains a spatial position corresponding to at least one marker out of the markers based on first three dimensional image data generated by first image reconstruction processing of the X-ray projection data to generate second three dimensional image data by second image reconstruction processing of the X-ray projection data with a correction using a shift amount obtained based on the X-ray projection data and projected data of the one marker on a projected plane of the X-ray projection data.
US09042622B2

An optical coherence tomographic apparatus includes a unit configured to perform tracking of an eye to be examined based on a plurality of images of the eye which are obtained at different times, and a control unit configured to control the unit which performs the tracking in a case where a plurality of tomographic images of the eye are obtained.
US09042621B2

A system and computer implemented method for use in determining the deviation of an intra-operative position of an orthopaedic implant from a planned position is described. The position of the orthopedic implant in the bone is defined by a plurality of implant position parameters. The distance of a plurality of anatomical features in a three dimensional model of the surface of the bone relative to a model of the implant at a first position is calculated. The first position corresponds to a first set of values for the implant position parameters. The distance of the plurality of anatomical features to a model of the implant at a second position in the bone is calculated. The second position corresponds to a second set of values for the implant position parameters, and the second position is different to the first position.
US09042619B2

A method and system for detection of native and bypass coronary ostia in a 3D volume, such as a CT volume, is disclosed. Native coronary ostia are detected by detecting a bounding box defining locations of a left native coronary ostium and a right native coronary ostium in the 3D volume using marginal space learning (MSL), and locally refining the locations of the left native coronary ostium and the right native coronary ostium using a trained native coronary ostium detector. Bypass coronary ostia are detected by segmenting an ascending aorta surface mesh in the 3D volume, generating a search region of a plurality of mesh points on the ascending aorta surface mesh based on a distribution of annotated bypass coronary ostia in a plurality of training volumes, and detecting the bypass coronary ostia by searching the plurality of mesh points in the search region.
US09042617B1

Systems and methods that allow transfer criteria to be defined based on one or more of several attributes, such as a particular user, site, or device, as well as whether individual images and/or image series are classified as thin slices, and applied to medical images in order to determine which images are downloaded, viewed, stored, and/or any number of other actions that might be performed with respect to particular images.
US09042615B1

Nystagmus conditions of a subject can be valuated by taking an image of at least a portion of the eye of the subject. The image is then converted into data related to relative lightness or darkness of portions of the image. Next the data is compared to at least baseline data if not data from multiple images of the subject to be able to report a physical condition of the subject, such as a blood alcohol level based on horizontal nystagmus conditions.
US09042613B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for evaluating cardiovascular treatment options for a patient. One method includes creating a three-dimensional model representing a portion of the patient's heart based on patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart or vasculature; and for a plurality of treatment options for the patient's heart or vasculature, modifying at least one of the three-dimensional model and a reduced order model based on the three-dimensional model. The method also includes determining, for each of the plurality of treatment options, a value of a blood flow characteristic, by solving at least one of the modified three-dimensional model and the modified reduced order model; and identifying one of the plurality of treatment options that solves a function of at least one of: the determined blood flow characteristics of the patient's heart or vasculature, and one or more costs of each of the plurality of treatment options.
US09042612B2

A method and system for acquiring, processing, storing, and displaying x-ray mammograms Mp tomosynthesis images Tr representative of breast slices, and x-ray tomosynthesis projection images Tp taken at different angles to a breast, where the Tr images are reconstructed from Tp images.
US09042610B2

An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup unit to pick up an image of a subject which a user desires. The image pickup apparatus detects a face image area which includes a face of the subject person in the picked-up image based on the image information of the picked-up image, recognizes an expression of the face in the detected face image area, ranks the face image areas in order of good smile from among the recognized expressions, and displays the face image areas arranged in the order of ranking and the entire picked-up image on a same screen.
US09042603B2

A system includes a processor configured to receive a trailer image. The processor is also configured to identify an axle in the trailer image and identify a tongue-end in the trailer image. Further, the processor is configured to receive a tire image, including a wheel diameter provided on a tire. The processor is additionally configured to retrieve the wheel diameter from the tire image. The processor is also configured to identify a wheel, having an indentified diameter corresponding to the wheel diameter, in the first image. Additionally, the processor is configured to calculate a distance from the axle to the tongue-end using the identified diameter.
US09042598B2

Methods and apparatus to generate and use content-aware watermarks are disclosed herein. In a disclosed example method, media composition data is received and at least one word present in an audio track of the media composition data is selected. The word is then located in a watermark.
US09042596B2

This invention is a wearable, automatic, and tamper-resistant device and method for monitoring and measuring food consumption and caloric intake. It can help people to manage their energy balance and weight. It can be embodied as: (a) one or more automatic-imaging members that are worn on a person from which these members collectively and automatically take pictures of the person's mouth and pictures of a reachable food source when the person eats; (b) a tamper-resisting mechanism which detects and responds if the operation of the one or more automatic-imaging members is impaired; and (c) an image-analyzing member which automatically analyzes pictures of the person's mouth and pictures of the reachable food source in order to estimate the types and quantities of food that are consumed by the person.
US09042593B2

A protective portion is provided on a lower surface of a sound reproducing device, and has a protective wall that restrains a deformation of a terminal in a direction different from an elastic deformation direction of the terminal. The terminal includes a restrained portion in which the deformation is restrained with the protective wall. The restrained portion is provided at at least one of a position closer to a base than a feeding portion of the terminal and a position closer to a tip portion of the terminal than the feeding portion. The protective wall extends along the restrained portion. This configuration can suppress a plastic deformation of the terminal even when a force in the direction different from the elastic deformation of the terminal is applied to the terminal.
US09042592B2

An electronic device includes a first housing, a second housing engaged with the first housing, a circuit board enclosed between the first and second housings, two speakers, and an antenna. The speakers and the antenna are attached to two sides of the circuit board. The first housing defines two receiving recesses in a surface facing the circuit board and two first through holes each adjacent to one corresponding receiving recess. Each receiving recess defines a second through hole in a bottom. The speakers are received in the receiving recesses. The receiving recesses communicate with the vents to form front resonating chambers for the speakers. The circuit board defines two third through holes aligned with the first through holes and communicating with the recessed sections. The first, second, and third through holes, the recessed sections, and the vents communicate with each other to form back resonating chambers for the speakers.
US09042590B2

A positioning and retaining structure for an in-ear earpiece. An outer leg and an inner leg are attached to each other at an attachment end and attached to a body of the earpiece at the other end. The outer leg lies in a plane. The positioning and retaining structure have a stiffness that is greater when force is applied to the attachment end in a counterclockwise direction in the plane of the outer leg than when force is applied to the attachment end in a clockwise direction in the plane of the outer leg. The positioning and retaining structure position an earpiece associated with the earpiece in a user's ear and retains the earpiece in its position.
US09042589B2

A custom-fit in-ear-monitor (IEM) is provided that utilizes a plurality of drivers and a single piece driver module that significantly simplifies fabrication while insuring that the completed IEM achieves the desired acoustic performance. The driver module, which is fit within a custom-fit ear mold shell, includes a plurality of driver ports to which the drivers are coupled. The driver module also includes an acoustic output member that includes one or more sound bores that acoustically couple the acoustic output surface of the custom-fit ear mold shell to the plurality of driver ports via a plurality of sound ducts within the driver module.
US09042587B2

A headphone including two earphone cups, a main strap and a decorating strap is provided. Two ends of the main strap are connected to the earphone cups. Two ends of the decorating strap are detachably connected to the earphone cups or the main strap and rotatable corresponding to the earphone cups or the main strap.
US09042576B2

To sufficiently suppress an impact sound in a noisy signal.The impact sound in the noisy signal is suppressed. For this, the impact sound is detected in the noisy signal. It is characterized in that phase information of the detected impact sound is processed by using the phase information of a signal other than the impact sound in the noisy signal so that an amount of change in the phase information is reduced.
US09042575B2

A method, device and computer program product for processing audio signals, the method including determining beamformer filter coefficients to be applied to the audio signals; applying the beamformer filter coefficients to the audio signals; outputting the filtered audio signals from an audio output comprising a plurality of speakers coupled with the device; and receiving at a microphone coupled with the device, the filtered audio signals output from the audio output. The filter coefficients are determined such that the filtered audio signals are suppressed when received at the microphone.
US09042564B2

Provided is a wireless communication device having speech recognition, speech translation, and hearing aid functions, which includes: an ITE (In-The-Ear) type radio transceiver including a microphone that receives an external voice, an ITE (In-The-Ear) type radio signal processor that processes radio data received from the microphone, a receiver that converts electrical signals from the radio signal processor into sound pressure, a volume controller that controls the intensity of the sound pressure, and a coil antenna for short-range wireless communications; and a portable radio repeater including a portable communication device that relays signals transmitted from the coil antenna of the ITE type radio transceiver, a coil antenna for short-range wireless communications with the ITE type radio transceiver, and a radio frequency (RF) antenna for two-way wireless communications with a portable radio repeater owned by another conversation partner.
US09042558B2

A decoding apparatus (10) is disclosed which includes: a storing means (11) for storing encoded audio signals including multi-channel audio signals; a transforming means (40) for transforming the encoded audio signals to generate transform block-based audio signals in a time domain; a window processing means (41) for multiplying the transform block-based audio signals by a product of a mixture ratio of the audio signals and a first window function, the product being a second window function; a synthesizing means (43) for overlapping the multiplied transform block-based audio signals to synthesize audio signals of respective channels; and a mixing means (14) for mixing audio signals of the respective channels between the channels to generate a downmixed audio signal. Furthermore, an encoding apparatus is also disclosed which downmixes the multi-channel audio signals, encodes the downmixed audio signals, and generates the encoded, downmixed audio signals.
US09042557B2

Provided is a method and apparatus for reproducing a three-dimensional (3D) sound field. A method of reproducing a 3D sound field may determine a control region based on a wavelength of an excitation frequency, set, based on a loudspeaker array, at least one candidate control point in the control region, and determine a non-uniform control point corresponding to a non-uniform loudspeaker.
US09042554B2

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to encode auxiliary data into text data and methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to obtain encoded data from text data are disclosed. An example method to embed auxiliary data into text data includes assigning source data to one of a plurality of groups, the source data comprising text data, identifying a symbol to be added to the source data based on an assigned group of the source data, and generating encoded data by including in the source data a text character representative of the symbol.
US09042552B2

A method and apparatus is disclosed for managing encryption keys in a computer system in which in response to the change of a system key the old key and new key are both maintained for subsequent use.
US09042548B2

Method and apparatus for SPS authentication, for example for use with GPS, are disclosed. The method may include receiving a first set of Y codes from a plurality of satellites, generating authentication decisions using W code estimates extracted from the first set of Y codes for satellite channels corresponding to the plurality of satellites, and generating an authentication response according to authentication decisions generated for the satellite channels.
US09042546B2

Computationally implemented methods and systems are described herein that are designed to, among other things, receiving a level-one encrypted output of a surveillance device; encrypting at least a part of the level-one encrypted output of the surveillance device with a level-two encryption key whose decryption key is inaccessible by a level-two encryption entity; and transmitting a level-two encrypted output of the surveillance device.
US09042538B2

Network architectures, methods, and operations for routing telephone calls are disclosed. A customer premise includes a conventional POTS dedicated communication line to a central office switch and a broadband connection to a data network. The central office switch and the data network are connected by a communication link. A first telephone call originated at the customer premise may be connected via the dedicated communication link. A second or subsequent call originated at the customer premise may be connected via the data network. Optionally, the same call identifier may be assigned to the first and second or subsequent calls.
US09042533B2

The present invention discloses a dual-channel analog door entry system and a method thereof. The dual-channel analog door entry system comprises two cables connected between the building gateway and the floor distributors, configured to transmit audio and/or video signals between the outdoor stations and indoor phones; the building gateway, configured to receive a call request from at least one of the outdoor stations, identify and assign an available cable as an intercom channel, send the call request to each of the floor distributors via the intercom channel, and switch the audio and/or video signals from the outdoor station to the available cable; at least one of floor distributors, configured to receive and forward the call request to a desired indoor phone, receive a call response from the desired indoor phone if the desired indoor phone is available, and switch the audio and/or video signals from the available cable to the desired indoor phone. The solutions of the present invention achieves great improvement on line busy probability for large buildings and communities; and the solution is smart and simple to implement with low additional cost for reconstruction.
US09042532B2

Methods and systems for processing inbound fax messages in an efficient and scalable manner are provided. According to one embodiment, an inbound fax call is received by an Internet fax system. The fax call has a source address, a destination address and a fax signal. The Internet fax system is coupled to a circuit-switched network and a packet-switched network and includes multiple fax processing resources having different configurations, features, capabilities or capacities. One or more desired fax protocol technical call processing capabilities are determined for processing the fax signal based on one or more of the source address, the destination address, the type of network through which the fax call was received and a service provider through which the fax call was received. Then, a fax processing resource that has the desired fax protocol technical processing capabilities is dynamically selected to translate the fax signal into a digital representation.
US09042531B2

Provided are systems and methods for communication protocol mapping. A first computing device uses a first communication protocol while a second computing device uses a second communication protocol. In some implementations, the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol are for different service domains. In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, a server is configured to map communication between the different service domains. In some implementations, the first communication protocol is a protocol conforming to Representational State Transfer ‘REST’ and the second communication protocol is a Session Initiation Protocol ‘SIP’. In accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure, a server is configured to map communication between the protocol conforming to REST and SIP, regardless of whether different service domains are involved.
US09042515B2

The invention relates to a device (10; 10a;10b; 10c; 50) for checking pharmaceutical products (1), in particular hard gelatin capsules, by means of at least one radiation source (30; 60) preferably embodied as an X-ray source, and a conveying device which conveys the products (1) in a clocked manner in a radiation area (31) of the radiation source (30; 60). The radiation emitted by the radiation source (30; 60) penetrating the products (1) preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axes thereof (2), and the radiation is captured on the side of the products (1) opposite the radiation source (30) by means of at least one sensor element (35) which is coupled to an evaluation device (36). The invention is characterized in that the conveyor device is embodied as a conveyor wheel (15; 15a; 51) which can rotate in a stepped manner about an axis (12; 52), and the products (1) are arranged, while being conveyed in the radiation area (31), in receiving areas (28; 37; 56) of the conveyor wheel (15; 5a; 51).
US09042514B2

Among other things, one or more systems and/or techniques are described for dynamically adjusting, in a fan-angle direction, attenuation of radiation during an examination of an object such that portions of the object that are not represented in resulting (tilted/targeted) images of the object are exposed to less radiation than portions of the object that are represented in resulting (tilted/targeted) images of the object. As a rotating gantry is rotated, blades of a pre-object collimator are dynamically repositioned to selectively attenuate emitted radiation. A collimator adjustment component may be configured to determine how to reposition the blades based at least in part upon at least one of a desired tilt of the resulting (tilted) image(s), a translational position of the object, and a gantry rotation angle, for example.
US09042507B2

A sintered fuel pellet for a water nuclear reactor fuel rod including a peripheral wall extending along a central axis and two end faces. At least one of the end faces includes at least a first chamfer extending from the peripheral wall towards the central axis with a first non-zero slope with respect to a plane perpendicular to the central axis and a second chamfer extending from the first chamfer towards the central axis with a second non-zero slope with respect to a plane perpendicular to the central axis, wherein the first slope is different from the second slope.
US09042506B2

Systems and methods for discrete signal synchronization based on a known bit pattern are described. In one aspect of the present subject matter, a discrete signal synchronization system is configured to synchronize a preprocessed discrete signal with a modified discrete signal. The system comprises a processor and a synchronization module coupled to the processor. The synchronization module comprises an extraction module and comparison module. The extraction module determines a bit pattern from the modified discrete signal using Discrete Wavelet Transformation (DWT) and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). The comparison module compares the determined bit pattern with a known bit pattern of the preprocessed discrete signal and records a time point at which the determined bit pattern matches with the known bit pattern of the preprocessed discrete signal as a synchronization point.
US09042502B2

A wideband multi-channel receiver comprises an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency band. A band-pass filter is in signal communication with the antenna, and a low-noise amplifier is in signal communication with the band-pass filter. A mixer is in signal communication with the low-noise amplifier and is configured to translate a radio frequency band to an intermediate frequency (IF) band. A tunable local oscillator is in signal communication with the mixer. At least one fixed-frequency notch filter is in signal communication with the mixer, with the notch filter configured to reject at least one interference signal in the IF band while passing remaining signals in the IF band. An analog-to-digital converter is in signal communication with the notch filter and is configured to convert the remaining signals in the IF band to digital signals.
US09042488B2

A phase offset compensator for compensating a phase offset is provided. The phase offset includes a first phase sub-offset and a second phase sub-offset. The phase offset compensator includes a feedback loop comprising a first loop filter, the feedback loop being configured to compensate the first phase sub-offset of the phase offset, and a feed forward loop comprising a second loop filter, the feed forward loop being configured to compensate the second phase sub-offset of the phase offset.
US09042487B2

Apparatus and methods disclosed herein perform gain, clipping, and phase compensation in the presence of I/Q mismatch in quadrature RF receivers. Gain and phase mismatch are exacerbated by differences in clipping between I & Q signals in low resolution ADCs. Signals in the stronger channel arm are clipped differentially more than weaker signals in the other channel arm. Embodiments herein perform clipping operations during iterations of gain mismatch calculations in order to balance clipping between the I and Q channel arms. Gain compensation coefficients are iteratively converged, clipping levels are established, and data flowing through the network is gain and clipping compensated. A compensation phase angle and phase compensation coefficients are then determined from gain and clipping compensated sample data. The resulting phase compensation coefficients are applied to the gain and clipping corrected receiver data to yield a gain, clipping, and phase compensated data stream.
US09042486B2

In an angle modulated radio transmitter, the total power is the same when modulated or unmodulated. Angle modulation produces multiple sideband pairs. The power in the sidebands is derived from the carrier. When a complex modulating waveform is used, the power (and therefore the amplitude) of the carrier varies. A system and method is provided for dramatically minimizing, to nearly zero, the bandwidth needed to transmit digital information using sideband suppression of angle modulated signals. The systems described use various techniques to suppress sideband pairs, leaving the carrier signal. The amplitude variations of the carrier are used to convey information. In some examples, techniques are used to filter and/or phase out one or more sideband pairs, leaving the carrier signal.
US09042484B2

A method of transmitting a training signal in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system includes generating one or more first training signals for a first destination station and one or more second training signals for a second destination station by applying a mapping matrix P to a training signal generation sequence, mapping the first training signals and the second training signals to a plurality of antennas according to an antenna mapping matrix, and performing Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) on each of the first training signals and the second training signals mapped to the plurality of antennas and transmitting the training signals through the plurality of antennas.
US09042472B2

A method for decoding Spatial-Multiplexing MIMO in a system with 2 transmit (Tx) antennas, comprising: A. The baseband signal model is written using vector-notation, wherein, in the case of a system with 2 Tx antennas, the equation can be written with separated channel-matrix columns; B. For all M possibilities of the first symbol vector-element component s1 in vector s, calculate the following M vector values; C. For the vectors Gi calculated in Step (B), calculate Zero-Forcing or MMSE values. D. For the vectors Si, calculated in Step (C), find the one that attains the minimum value of the Euclidean vector norm of the error.
US09042470B2

The disclosure discloses a measurement method. The method includes: a conjugate multiplication operation is performed on reference signals corresponding to a subcarrier within adjacent time slots to remove phase interference of the reference signals; the reference signals from which the phase interference has been removed are descrambled; and all the descrambled reference signals are accumulated. The disclosure further provides a measurement apparatus. With the technical solution of the disclosure, the operation complexity of measurement can be reduced.
US09042465B2

An apparatus and method for updating channel information in a mobile communication terminal supporting Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) are provided. The method includes sending a broadcasting information request to an Over The Air (OTA) server over a mobile communication network, receiving broadcasting information from the OTA server over the mobile communication network, and updating stored broadcasting information based on the received broadcasting information.
US09042464B2

A 500 Mbps transmission apparatus is provided. The apparatus uses a 2P line which is capable of providing a 500 megabits-per-second service via a 2P UTP cable by adding a sub-layer which serializes and de-serializes symbols which have rates matched with each other and are synchronized, while maintaining a 1000BASE-T unique hierarchical architecture.
US09042446B2

Techniques to efficiently deliver interactive program guide (IPG) to a number of terminals. Each IPG page can be decomposed into a guide portion that is specific to each IPG page and a background portion that is common for all IPG pages. The background portion can be further decomposed into a time-varying video portion and other static portions. One method includes receiving a viewer selection for imagery, where the imagery includes at least one intracoded slice and at least one predictively coded slice, and each of the intracoded and predictively codes slices are associated with respective bitstreams. Packets from the at least one bitstream corresponding to the at least one intracoded slice of the selected imagery are extracted, and packets from the at least one bitstream corresponding to the at least one predictively coded slice of the selected imagery are also extracted. The payload portions of the extracted packets are then arranged to form the selected imagery.
US09042444B2

A system for transmission of data signals over a wireless network having an encoding module for encoding video data into a plurality of buffers for transmission. The system also has a feedback module for processing feedback from one or more sources, wherein the encoding module dynamically alters the amount of data that is encoded into the one or more video buffers based at least in part on the feedback received. A method for transmission of data signals over a wireless network including encoding video data into a plurality of buffers, transmitting some of the data, processing feedback from one or mores sources, wherein the feedback relates to delivery parameters and dynamically altering the amount of data passed into the buffers based at least in part on the data received.
US09042440B2

In one example, an apparatus is disclosed for coding coefficients associated with a block of video data during a video coding process, wherein the apparatus includes a video coder configured to code x- and y-coordinates that indicate a position of a last non-zero coefficient within the block according to a scanning order associated with the block when the scanning order comprises a first scanning order, and code interchanged x- and y-coordinates that indicate the position of the last non-zero coefficient within the block according to the scanning order when the scanning order comprises a second scanning order, wherein the second scanning order is different than the first scanning order.
US09042439B2

A method of setting an order of reference frames for multi-view coding performed by one or more processors. The method includes selecting one or more frames of the same kind that have a same-view relation with said current frame and have an inter-view relation with a frame of the same kind, which is encoded or decoded immediately before; and encoding or decoding the current frame by making reference to the selected one or more kind. Further, the one or more frames of the same kind is a P frame.
US09042433B2

Methods and apparatus for power control in a communications device are described. Bonding of channels in a modem may be dynamically adjusted responsive to user activity or demand for bandwidth. Bonded channel configurations may be adjusted to single channel configurations for low power operation. Modem configuration may be dynamically adjusted so as to maintain only required synchronization and system information to facilitate rapid data transfer resumption upon demand.
US09042432B2

An adaptive filter bank can be implemented on a PLC device to dynamically adapt to variations in notching requirements and the performance of the PLC medium. The PLC device can apply filter coefficients to one or more filter elements of the adaptive filter bank to generate one or more notched subcarriers in the PLC band. A performance measurement of one or more subcarriers in the PLC band can be determined and evaluated against corresponding performance measurement thresholds. For a given notched subcarrier, if the performance measurement of the corresponding subcarriers is not in accordance with the performance measurement threshold, updated filter coefficients for the filter element configured to generate the notched subcarrier can be determined based, at least in part, on the performance measurement of the one or more subcarriers. The filter coefficients of the filter element can then be updated using the updated filter coefficients.
US09042428B2

A system and method to more efficiently compute updated Frequency Domain (FD) Minimum Mean Squared Error (MMSE) equalization weights in a multi-stage Parallel Interference Cancellation (PIC) receiver after initial interference cancellation. The updated equalization weights (which are to be used during re-equalization) can be obtained using the old equalization weights already computed for initial interference cancellation. There is no need to invert an nR by nR matrix (where nR is the number of receive antennas) at each stage of the PIC receiver during each iteration of equalization and decoding operations. Rather, the matrix to be inverted to obtain updated equalization weights may be of the dimension n×n (where “n” equals the total number of transmission layers in a transmission scheme used in the wireless network). This significantly reduces complexity of determining updated equalization weights during FD MMSE equalization, thereby saving computational resources in a digital receiver performing such equalization.
US09042424B2

A silicon-based thermal energy transfer apparatus that aids dissipation of thermal energy from a heat-generating device, such as an edge-emitting laser diode, is provided. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a silicon-based base portion having a first primary surface and a silicon-based support structure. The silicon-based support structure includes a mounting end and a distal end opposite the mounting end with the mounting end received by the base portion such that the support structure extends from the first primary surface of the base portion. The support structure includes a recess defined therein to receive the edge-emitting laser diode. The support structure further includes a slit connecting the distal end and the recess to expose at least a portion of a light-emitting edge of the edge-emitting laser diode when the edge-emitting laser diode is received in the support structure.
US09042414B2

A tunable laser source that includes multiple gain elements and uses a spatial light modulator in an external cavity to produce spectrally tunable output is claimed. Several designs of the external cavity are described, targeting different performance characteristics and different manufacturing costs for the device. Compared to existing devices, the tunable laser source produces high output power, wide tuning range, fast tuning rate, and high spectral resolution.
US09042413B1

A pulsed smaser includes at least one optical resonator and an optical pump. The at least one optical resonator includes opposing mirrors, a solid state gain medium having a masing frequency in a range of from about 50 GHz to about 1 THz, and a Q-switch, wherein the solid state gain medium and the Q-switch are optically arranged between the opposing mirrors. The optical pump is arranged to provide optical pump power to the solid state gain medium. The optical pump and the Q-switch are configured to generate pulsed masing in the solid state gain medium at the masing frequency at room temperature to provide output electromagnetic radiation at the masing frequency.
US09042405B1

A method for processing packets in a centralized packet processor includes configuring the centralized packet processor to operate as a part of a communication system that includes a plurality of component systems configured to operate as components of the communication system, where each of the plurality of component systems includes a respective set of physical interfaces to provide interfaces to ports associated with other devices on a network, and where each of the plurality of component systems is configured to forward selected packets to an external device via a dedicated physical interface, receiving the selected packets via a plurality of physical ports of the centralized packet processor, generating, for use at the centralized packet processor, a plurality of virtual ports to uniquely identify a plurality of physical interfaces of the component systems, where a quantity of the plurality of virtual ports is larger than a quantity of physical interfaces available at the centralized packet processor, and performing a processing operation on the selected packets at the centralized packet processor using the plurality of virtual ports.
US09042404B2

The present application discloses apparatus and methods for increasing channel utilization for a high-speed serial interface of an integrated circuit (IC). A new circuit architecture is disclosed which provides circuitry that may be programmed flexibly to support a multitude of different channel bonding schemes. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the new architecture decouples the granularity of control-signal channel bonding from the granularity of data-aggregation channel bonding. This advantageously allows optimization of configurations for both types of channel bonding. In another aspect of the invention, the logical boundaries of bonded user channels are decoupled from the physical boundaries of the PCS modules. This decoupling advantageously eliminates a rigid constraint of previous architectures.
US09042396B2

The disclosure disclosed a system and method for processing a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). The system comprises: a first and second storage units for storing MMS data, a first control unit for controlling the storage of received MMS data outside the system into the first storage unit and data acquisition from the first storage unit, and a second control unit for controlling the writing of the MMS data stored in the first storage unit into the second storage unit according to performance of the second storage unit. The disclosure improves the processing performance of a Multimedia Messaging Service Center (MMSC) system, lowers the construction cost of an MMS server of the MMSC system, and guarantees the stable running of the MMSC system.
US09042392B2

Provided is a processor with a data transfer structure that is excellent in performance and efficiency. According to an aspect, the processor may include a plurality of processing elements, a plurality of routers respectively connected to the processing elements, and a plurality of connection links formed between the routers such that data is transferred between the processors via a network.
US09042386B2

There are provided methods and systems for transferring requested data over a node chain from a source node to a destination node through at least two intermediate nodes. A method includes identifying, at a file system level, at each of the at least two intermediate nodes, prior data previously sent to or received from a subsequent node in the node chain that matches at least a portion of the requested data. The method also includes transmitting, to the subsequent node, at least one pointer to the prior data and a reconstruction recipe for reconstructing the requested data at the subsequent node based on at least the at least one pointer, when the prior data matches at least the portion of the requested data. The method further includes transmitting, to the subsequent node, other portions of the requested data previously unsent to or un-received by the subsequent node.
US09042383B2

A universal network interface controller (UNIC) is provided for interfacing a host computer to a switch fabric, a packet network, or both. The UNIC includes ingress transmit logic designed to transmit switch fabric data in memory associated with the host computer to a switch fabric. The UNIC further includes egress receive logic designed to receive switch fabric data from the switch fabric to store the received switch fabric data in the host memory associated with the host computer. As an option, the ingress transmit logic may be further designed to transmit packet network data in memory associated with the host computer to a packet network, such as Ethernet, and the egress receive logic may be further designed to receive the packet network data from the packet network and to store the received switch fabric data and the received packet network data in the host memory associated with the host computer.
US09042379B2

A network management system utilizes an element manager at the RNC level to reduce the workload and efficiently manage multiple wireless appliances in a mobile data network. Management communications from the network management system flow through the element manager to all devices under the RNC level appliance hosting the element manager. The element manager provides for fault management, performance monitoring and configuration of the many breakout appliances and reports necessary information back to the network management system.
US09042377B2

A web telephone service system comprises a client web page adapted to be displayed on a screen of a computer, the client web page including an element associated with the web telephone service and embedded software code, a client web server hosting the web page and an authentication key, an application server adapted to authenticate the client using the authentication key and determining a client telephone number associated with the client, a media server adapted to translate IP traffic to and from a real-time protocol traffic, a media gateway in communication with a private branch exchange adapted to associate the client telephone number with a dial plan, a SIP trunk adapted to translate VOIP traffic to and from POTS traffic, and whereby a user clicking on the visual element is operable to cause a voice communication line to be automatically established between the computer and a client POTS telephone device.
US09042375B2

A method of client routing in a peer-to-peer (“P2P”) overlay network is provided. In one embodiment, the method of client routing in a P2P overlay network comprises requesting communication with a client by a first peer using the P2P overlay network, wherein said first peer is directed to a second peer to which said client is registered in the P2P overlay network; determining that said client is not attached to said second peer in the P2P overlay network and said client has access to another network; providing said second peer with said client's location in the P2P overlay network using said other network, wherein said client's location is associated with a third peer to which said client is attached and not registered in the P2P overlay network; forwarding said client's location from said second peer to said first peer using the P2P overlay network, and using said client's location to communicate with said client by said first peer using the P2P overlay network.
US09042366B2

A physical layer communication device (PHY) transmits and receives signal to and from a communication link using a synchronous protocol. The PHY communicates with a higher-layer device using a packet protocol. Timestamp values contained in timing-related messages in some packets are written or modified by the PHY. Delays incurred in transmitting and receiving the packets are predicted and used in setting the timestamp values.
US09042360B2

Modifying remote service discovery based on presence involves identifying service discovery data using ad-hoc, peer-to-peer, service discovery protocols of a local network. The service discovery data is aggregated via an entity of the local network. Presence data associated with a remote device located outside of the local network is identified and the aggregated service discovery data is altered based on the presence data. The altered aggregated service discovery data is made available to the remote device using out-of-band communications. The out-of-band communications are different from the service discovery protocols of the local network.
US09042353B2

An endpoint device may be operable to transmit and receive data wirelessly via a medium to which access is time-division multiplexed into a plurality of repeating windows. A first window of the plurality of repeating windows may be time-division multiplexed into a plurality of timeslots utilized for transmitting beacon signals. A second window of the plurality of repeating windows may be time-division multiplexed into a plurality of timeslots utilized for transmitting alarm signals. The endpoint may be assigned one of the first timeslots and, when an alarm condition is present, select one of the second timeslots for transmitting an alarm signal based on the assigned first timeslot, and based on a hash function. The endpoint may then transmit an alarm signal during the second timeslot. The endpoint may be operable to synchronize its local clock by listening to beacons transmitted by other endpoints.
US09042352B2

A method for data transmission in a local area network, wherein data is transmitted on a medium access control layer within successive time frames between a plurality of first nodes comprising client nodes and a second node within reach of the first nodes, and a coordinator node for the first nodes where a time frame comprises a plurality of time slots. Each time slot is assigned to a first node that is a slot owner node being exclusively allowed to start transmitting data at a time within a first interval at the beginning of the time slot. At least one first nodes of the plurality of first nodes is allowed to use the time slot based on a contention based access to transmit the data in a second interval succeeding the first interval where the slot owner node has not started transmitting data at a time within the first interval.
US09042349B1

In response to receiving a first resource request from a first wireless communication device (WCD) and a second resource request from a second WCD, a radio access network (RAN) may determine that the first WCD and second WCD are contending for a resource of a wireless coverage area that is defined by the RAN. The RAN may further determine that the first WCD supports a first media codec, and that the second WCD supports a second media codec but does not support the first media codec. The RAN may compare the first media codec to the second media codec, and based on a result of this comparison, may allocate the resource to the first WCD.
US09042343B2

A method, apparatus and system for resource allocation in redirection of data traffic are provided. The method includes receiving a message including a subscription identification, position information associated with the subscription and an action proposal associated with the subscription (200a), selecting at least one local area network based at least in part on the position information (222), mapping the at least one local area network to a local area network server (230), ensuring a valid unique task identification for the subscription in the local area network server, and sending an off-loading indication message including the action proposal, the valid task identification and an identifier of the local area network server to the subscription (200d).
US09042342B2

Provided is a radio communication base station device which can suppress a use amount of an SRS communication resource. In this device, a correlation rule setting unit (102) sets a rule for correlating a preamble with an SRS transmission time interval so that the preamble transmission time band and the SRS transmission time band are in the same transmission time band. An SRS transmission band decision unit (103) decides a time interval of a transmission time band which can transmit the SRS according to the preamble transmission time interval inputted from a preamble transmission band decision unit (101) and the correlation rule setting unit (102).
US09042337B2

A method and system for minimizing the control overhead in a multi-carrier wireless communication network that utilizes a time-frequency resource is disclosed. In some embodiments, one or more zones in the time-frequency resource are designated for particular applications, such as a zone dedicated for voice-over-IP (VoIP) applications. By grouping applications of a similar type together within a zone, a reduction in the number of bits necessary for mapping a packet stream to a portion of the time-frequency resource can be achieved. In some embodiments, modular coding schemes associated with the packet streams may be selected that further reduce the amount of necessary control information. In some embodiments, packets may be classified for transmission in accordance with application type, QoS parameters, and other properties. In some embodiments, improved control messages may be constructed to facilitate the control process and minimize associated overhead.
US09042336B2

In a system using spatial precoding, in the event that reliable channel state information is unavailable, a transmitting node uses an extended transmission mode, in which the precoders applied to data within each of several groups of time-frequency resources vary according to frequency. The extended transmission mode creates a frequency-selective variation in precoders, which may appear to be random, while using DMRS-based transmission. This variation is achieved by applying different precoders to the resource elements carrying data, using a pattern of precoder variation that is known to the receiving device. The precoding applied to DMRS within a given group of time-frequency resources is held constant—thus, the varying precoders within a given group of time-frequency resources are only applied to data elements, not to the DMRS resource elements.
US09042335B2

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for performing hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) in a wireless communication system. A terminal transmits a plurality of code words on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and receives a plurality of acknowledgement/non-acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) signals, which indicates if each of the plurality of code words has been received, on each physical hybrid-ARQ indicator channel (PHICH) corresponding to the respective code words. A downlink resource for which each of the PHICHs is mapped is determined based on the smallest physical resource block (PRB) index (IPRB—RAlowest—index) among PRBs mapped by the PUSCH and on an uplink demodulation reference signal (DMRS) circular shift parameter (nDMRS), and those downlink resources for which PHICHs are mapped respectively do not overlap each other.
US09042333B2

A cooperative multi-user multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) system coordinates spatially distributed transceiver stations for communicating with wireless client devices. The system comprises a network interface communicatively coupled to the transceiver stations via a backhaul network, which may comprise a wireless local area network. A MIMO processor pre-codes NR original data streams to generate NT subspace-coded data streams, wherein each subspace-coded data stream comprises a linear combination of at least some of the original data streams. NT may denote a number of transmitting antennas, and NR may denote a number of receiving antennas. A network controller conveys the subspace-coded data streams to the transceiver stations via the backhaul network and coordinates the simultaneous transmission of the subspace-coded data streams over wireless links to the wireless client devices. The pre-coding causes the transmissions to coherently combine at a first wireless client device to produce at least a first data stream while suppressing inter-user interference from at least a second data stream intended for at least a second wireless client device. The client devices and/or the transceiver stations may be selected based on channel state information and/or measured channel quality.
US09042322B2

Embodiments of methods and apparatus for determining and/or quantizing a beamforming matrix are disclosed. In some embodiments, the determining and/or quantizing of the beamforming matrix may include the use of a base codebook and a differential codebook. Additional variants and embodiments are also disclosed.
US09042320B2

A method and an apparatus for processing scheduling information in a terminal into which a plurality of forward carriers and reverse carriers are aggregated are provided. The method includes receiving a control message from a base station, the control message including information on a reverse carrier added by the carrier aggregation, and determining a new buffer state table to be used for reporting the state of buffers to the base station, based on the information included in the control message.
US09042318B2

Disclosed, in example embodiment herein, is an apparatus comprising an interface and channel selection logic coupled to the interface. The channel selection logic is operable to receive data representative of neighboring wireless devices to a wireless device occupying a channel for a plurality of channels via the interface. The channel selection logic is responsive to receiving the data representative of neighboring wireless devices occupying the plurality of channels to generate a graph for each of the plurality of channels, wherein vertices of the graph represent the wireless device and neighboring wireless devices occupying the channel and edges of the graph represent wireless devices with overlapping coverage areas. The channel selection logic selects the channel for the wireless device whose graph has the smallest radius.
US09042310B2

The present invention relates to transmit power allocation in multi-carrier, multiplexing MIMO communication systems. The present invention especially relates to a MIMO communication device, a method of assigning transmit power to two or more communication channels and a software program product. A multiple-input-multiple-output, MIMO, communication device according to the present invention comprisesa link controller adapted to assign transmit power to two or more transmission channels, each of said transmission channels having preassigned a portion of transmit power for each of a group of subcarriers, said link controller being further adapted to assign, for each subcarrier of said group of subcarriers, at least part of the preassigned transmit power portion of a transmission channel that is not used for transmitting information at the subcarrier, to one or more transmission channels that are used for transmitting information at the subcarrier.
US09042308B2

A system including (i) a first gateway providing access to a first network and a second network, and (ii) a second gateway providing access to the second network. A network device determines whether a wireless terminal is communicating with the first network via the first gateway and attempting to communicate with the second network via the second gateway. The network device determines whether the first gateway permits the wireless terminal to communicate with the second network. In response to determining that the wireless terminal is communicating with the first network via the first gateway and is attempting to communicate with the second network via the second gateway and that the first gateway permits the wireless terminal to communicate with the second network, the network device permits the wireless terminal to access the second network via the first gateway prior to the wireless terminal establishing a connection with the second gateway.
US09042293B2

A communication method using a relay station (RS) in a mobile communication system is disclosed. A base station transmits identification information, which designates a position of a relay station region during at least one next frame, to a mobile subscriber station through the relay station, and the mobile subscriber station identifies the position of the relay station region during the at least one next frame. Thus, the mobile subscriber station does not need to synchronize with a relay station preamble to retrieve the relay station region for every frame, and a start point of the relay station region can be retrieved quickly and exactly even in the case that the position of the relay station region is varied.
US09042284B2

There are provided an apparatus and a method for establishing a contention window in a WiMedia wireless network. The contention window establishing apparatus includes: a parsing unit extracting the number of devices that intend to transmit data from a beacon received during a beacon period and an access category (AC) of each device; a calculation unit calculating a transmission probability of each access category (AC) on the basis of the extracted number of devices; and a contention window establishing unit establishing a contention window for each access category (AC) on the basis of the calculated transmission probability, to reduce contentions among the devices and decrease data transmission latency time, thereby maximizing efficiency in data transmission latency time.
US09042281B2

A method and apparatus for initializing a radio frequency identification tag are disclosed. For example, the method receives an optical signal having a unique identifier and an encryption key from a display by a radio frequency identification repeater associated with the radio frequency identification tag, wherein the radio frequency identification repeater comprises an optical reader. The method then transmits a communication comprising radio frequency identification information associated with the radio frequency identification tag and the unique identifier via the radio frequency identification repeater to a wireless access point, wherein the communication is encrypted using the encryption key.
US09042280B2

Systems and techniques are described for scheduling communication by half-duplex devices. One or more half-duplex devices informs a base station that it is capable only of half-duplex operation. For each such device, the base station configures a transmit/receive pattern comprising sequences of uplink and downlink subframes and applies the pattern to the device. The half-duplex device may receive during a downlink subframe and may transmit during an uplink subframe. Uplink and downlink subframes within a pattern are separated by an offset based at least in part on a number of hybrid automatic repeat request processes.
US09042273B1

A collaborative communication system comprises a highly flexible architecture that facilitates connecting communication devices and networks to establish multimedia collaboration sessions in a manner that allows distribution of various services and features throughout the collaborative communication system to provide scalability and selectable combination of cost, resource usage, and performance.
US09042270B2

A computer comprises a memory, and a controller operable to: manage, using the memory, a first relationship among a plurality of ports of Fiber Channel protocol and a volume used to store data to be sent via the ports, and a second relationship between each of the ports and a fabric identification of a fabric topology; manage use of the ports for creating a same fabric zone if the ports correspond to same fabric identification based on the second relationship; and manage use of (1) a first port of the plurality of ports as a first proxy port in a second fabric zone and (2) a second port of the plurality of ports as a second proxy port in a first fabric zone, for interconnecting the first fabric zone and the second fabric zone, if the ports do not correspond to the same fabric identification based on the second relationship.
US09042262B2

A method of adjusting a transmit power for sounding reference signals in a wireless communication system supporting a plurality of cells, performed by a user equipment, including determining a first transmit power for a first sound reference signal (SRS) to be transmitted on a first serving cell and a second transmit power for a second SRS to be transmitted on a second serving cell, and if a total transmit power for the first SRS and the second SRS exceeds a maximum transmit power, scaling the first SRS and the second SRS with a same scaling factor.
US09042257B2

A computer having a communication function is caused to receive user instructions designating execution of a process other than a process for acquiring information relating to a communication environment; execute the process designated by the user instructions; acquire information relating to the communication environment of the computer, when the user instructions are received or when the process indicated by the user instructions is executed; and acquire position information of the computer, when the user instructions are received or when the process indicated by the user instructions is executed.
US09042254B2

A communication method between two distinct networks with radio communication nodes, includes the following steps: collecting geographical location information for the nodes of the first and second network, deducing a geographical coverage area of the first and second network as a function of geographical location information; determining an intersection zone of the geographical coverage areas; identifying, as a function of the collected location information, nodes of the first and second network, located inside said intersection zone; and sending said nodes of the first identified network data indicating the collected geographical locations of the nodes of the second identified network.
US09042245B2

A network diagnostics equipped device(s), such as a Domain Master, node, test and measurement system, transceiver, or the like, is configured to be capable of performing one or more of data rate measurements in a network, Signal-to-Noise Ratio per subcarrier (SNRps) measurements in a network, Bit Allocation Value per subcarrier (BATVps) measurements in a network, Channel Attenuation per subcarrier (CATps) measurements in a network, Quiet Line Noise per subcarrier (QLNps) measurements in a network and Nonlinear Noise per subcarrier (NLNps) measurements in a network. The above information can be further used to address network performance issues as well as to map and assist with identification of one or more problems within the network.
US09042242B2

A terminal identifying method identifies a terminal in a media access control layer, and includes allocating a station ID to the terminal for identifying the terminal, and allocating a flow ID to a connection in the terminal for identifying the connection in the terminal.
US09042235B1

Systems and methods for determining peer to peer communication paths between service providers are presented. In one embodiment the method is carried out in a peer-to-peer interconnect controller. The method may include obtaining default route information associated with a subscriber on a foreign service provider network in response to a request for route information, the default route information comprising identification of a peer access point designated for peer-to-peer interconnection. The method may also include generating a directed query for additional peer-to-peer interconnection routes in response to the default route information. Additionally, the method may include obtaining one or more candidate routes from the foreign service provider network in response to the directed query. In one embodiment, the method may also include selecting one of the candidate routes for establishing a peer-to-peer connection with the subscriber of the foreign service provider network.
US09042231B2

A method and apparatus for uplink (UL) starvation avoidance includes determining a current buffer status information. The current buffer status information is reported to an evolved Node B (eNB). A grant that includes a determination of a number of tokens a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may accumulate is received from the eNB.
US09042218B2

Apparatus and methods are disclosed that provide various incentive schemes for owners of low-power base stations to allow others nearby to use their base station, enabling offloading of some users from a nearby macrocell, thus helping improve overall network performance. For example, a “win-win” scenario might exist when a sharing opportunity at a low-power base station overlaps with a sharing opportunity at the neighboring macrocell. During this overlap, when the low-power base station provides access to its air interface to one or more UEs outside of a set of UEs associated with the low-power base station, an incentive credit may be received. Incentive credits can take various forms, and in some examples, may be in an amount that is a function of an amount of contribution to the network resulting from the provision of access to the air interface.
US09042215B2

In mobile user equipment (UE) configured to allow for operation on multiple wireless communication networks, such as on a TD-SCDMA network or on a TDD-LTE network, an improved method for handing over a circuit-switched call is offered. The proposed circuit-witched fallback procedure, employing an improved UE hardware architecture, allows for certain connection setup procedures to occur in parallel, such as the UE pre-acquiring the TD-SCDMA cell. The parallel operations thus speed up the circuit-switched fallback procedure and reduce existing delays in executing circuit-switched fallback from TDD-LTE to TD-SCDMA networks.
US09042212B2

Method and apparatus for progressive preamble transmission in a communication system, such as a wireless system, is disclosed. In particular, a first symbol is utilized to communicate first timing information for coarse timing acquisition. A second symbol communicates first information including network identification information concerning a first network for fine timing acquisition of symbols in the first network. If a second network data is desired, a progressive or selectively utilizable third symbol communicates second information including network identification information concerning a second network. The network identification information concerning the second network includes network identification information concerning the first network to minimize processing to determine fine timing acquisition for the second network data.
US09042193B2

A sense amplifier circuit comprising a pair of cross-coupled inverters and a data line charging circuit is disclosed. The cross-coupled inverters comprise a first inverter and a second inverter. The first inverter has a first pull-up transistor with a first pull-up terminal. The second inverter has a second pull-up transistor with a second pull-up terminal. The output of the first inverter is coupled to the input of the second inverter at a first sense amp node. The output of the second inverter is coupled to the input of the first inverter at a second sense amp node. The data line charging circuit has a first node connected to a data line and the first pull-up terminal. The data line charging circuit also has a second node connected to a complementary data line and the second pull-up terminal. The first and second pull-up transistors are coupled to different voltage levels when a sense amplifier enable signal is activated.
US09042190B2

Apparatuses, sense circuits, and methods for compensating for a voltage increase on a wordline in a memory is described. An example apparatus includes a bitline, a memory cell coupled to the bitline, a bipolar selector device coupled to the memory cell, a wordline coupled to the bipolar selector device, and a wordline driver coupled to the wordline. The apparatus further includes a model wordline circuit configured to model an impedance of the wordline and an impedance of the wordline driver, and a sense circuit coupled to the bitline and to the model wordline circuit. The sense circuit is configured to sense a state of the memory cell based on a cell current and provide a sense signal indicating a state of the memory cell. The sense circuit is further configured to adjust a bitline voltage responsive to an increase in wordline voltage as modeled by the model wordline circuit.
US09042188B2

A memory controller transmits a data signal, a data strobe signal and a mask signal to a memory, wherein each transition of the data strobe signal indicates a sample point for the data signal and the mask signal indicates a validity of the data signal. A mask signal training procedure is carried out comprising three steps. Writing first and second values to the memory for a predetermined plurality of transitions of the data strobe signal with the mask signal set to indicate that the first data signal is valid and the second data signal is valid except for a selected transition of the predetermined plurality. Reading from the memory for the predetermined plurality of transitions of the data strobe signal. Determining a timing offset for the mask signal for which the value read at the selected transition matches the first value.
US09042187B2

Methods, memories and systems may include charging a sense node to a logic high voltage level, and supplying charge to a bit line and to a reference bit line for a precharge period that is based, at least in part, on a time for a voltage of the reference bit line to reach a reference voltage. A memory cell that is coupled to the bit line may be selected after the precharge period, and a clamp voltage may be set based, at least in part, on the voltage of the reference bit line. If a voltage level of the bit line is less than the clamp voltage level during a sense period, charge may be drained from the sense node, and a state of the memory cell may be determined based, at least in part, on a voltage level of the sense node near an end of the sense period.
US09042186B2

A data erasing method of a solid state drive is provided. The solid state drive includes a memory module. The memory module includes a block. A data to be erased is stored in the block. The data erasing method includes steps of performing a first erasing operation to erase the block, programming the block after the first erasing operation, and performing a second erasing operation to erase the block.
US09042182B2

A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, a plurality of local sense amplifiers, a global sense amplifier and an address decoder. The address decoder is configured to switch between a first verification and a second verification. The first verification operates the plurality of local sense amplifiers and simultaneously verifies data of a plurality of memory cells connected to the plurality of local sense amplifiers. The second verification stops the plurality of local sense amplifiers, directly connects the local bit line connected to each of the local sense amplifiers with the global bit line, and simultaneously verifies data of the plurality of memory cells connected to the plurality of local sense amplifiers.
US09042181B2

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing erase operations for a data storage medium. A method includes determining whether a use threshold for one or more non-volatile storage cells is satisfied. A method includes performing a default erase operation for the one or more storage cells in response to determining that the use threshold is not satisfied. A method includes performing an extended erase operation for the one or more storage cells in response to determining that the use threshold is satisfied. An extended erase operation may include a greater number of erase pulse iterations than a default erase operation.
US09042177B2

A semiconductor device includes first memory blocks arranged in a longitudinal direction, and including a plurality of strings, wherein the strings are formed along a vertical direction, and the strings adjacent to each other share bit lines or source lines with each other, each string including a drain selection transistor coupled to an odd drain selection line or an even drain selection line, memory cells coupled to word lines, and a source selection transistor coupled to an odd source selection line or an even source selection line, page buffers suitable for storing data, a selection switch unit suitable for transferring the data stored in the page buffers or various voltages supplied from an external source to the bit lines and the source lines; and a control circuit suitable for controlling the page buffers and the selection switch unit.
US09042175B2

Disclosed is a nonvolatile memory device which includes a memory cell connected to a bit line and a word line; a page buffer electrically connected to the bit line and sensing data stored in the memory cell; and a control logic controlling the page buffer to vary a develop time of the bit line or a sensing node connected to the bit line according to a current temperature during a read operation.
US09042172B2

A flash memory device may operate from two supply voltages, one being provided externally, and the other being generated within the flash memory device from the external supply voltage. The flash memory device may be provided with a selectable-level buffer for interfacing with either low supply voltage or high supply voltage integrated circuits. To provide even greater flexibility, the flash memory device may be provided with the capability of receiving a second supply voltage from an external source, which may take precedence over the internally-generated second supply voltage or may be combined with the internally-generated second supply voltage.
US09042170B2

A system and method for storing data uses multiple flash memory dies. Each flash memory die includes multiple flash memory cells. A charge pump is adapted to supply charge at a predetermined voltage to each flash memory die of the flash memory dies, and an interface is adapted to receive instructions for controlling the charge pump.
US09042164B2

A system may include circuitry and a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) die including at least one MRAM cell. The circuitry may be configured to detect attempted tampering with the MRAM die and generate a signal based on the detected attempted tampering. The signal may be sufficient to damage or destroy at least one layer of the at least one MRAM cell or a fuse electrically connected to a read line of the at least one MRAM cell.
US09042156B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a writing circuit and a reading circuit. The writing circuit executes a setting action for converting a resistance of a variable resistance element to a low resistance by applying current from one end side to the other end side of a memory cell via the variable resistance element, and a resetting action for converting the resistance to a high resistance by applying current from the other end side to the one end side via the variable resistance element. The reading circuit executes a first reading action for reading a resistance state of the variable resistance element by applying current from one end side to the other end side of the memory cell via the variable resistance element, and a second reading action for reading the resistance state by applying current from the other end side to the one end side via the variable resistance element.
US09042139B1

A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate node. The voltage regulator also includes a filter coupled to the slaves, the filter including one or more inductor banks each of which having a predetermined number of inductors.
US09042138B2

A power management device of a touchable control system includes a boost circuit, a storage circuit, a detection circuit and a loading circuit. The boost circuit has an output terminal and generates an output voltage. The storage circuit electrically connects to the output terminal of the boost circuit and stores the output voltage. The detection circuit electrically connects to the storage circuit so as to detect the output voltage. The loading circuit electrically connects or disconnects to the output terminal of the boost circuit according to a predetermined value of the output voltage.
US09042125B1

A series resonant power converter includes a power stage comprising a switching circuit operating at least a resonant frequency. To achieve soft switching and provide current at a voltage through an inductive element. The power converter can also include a control circuit for controlling a phase angle of the current, for controlling a duty cycle of the switching circuit.
US09042124B1

Embodiments include circuits and methods to determine peak current for current regulation. A control signal circuit monitors a current on the primary side of a transformer based a turn on time of a switch coupled to the primary side. The control signal circuit determines whether the monitored current exceeds an over-current protection threshold, and determines a duration that the monitored current exceeds the over-current protection threshold. The control signal circuit determines a peak primary current in the primary side based on the over-current protection threshold, the duration that the monitored current exceeds the over-current protection threshold, and the turn on time of the switch. The control signal circuit controls the turn on time for the switch based on the determined peak primary current.
US09042120B2

An apparatus for reducing EMI at the micro-electronic-component level includes a substrate having a ground conductor integrated therein. A micro-electronic component such as an integrated circuit is mounted to the substrate. An electrically conductive lid is mounted to the substrate, thereby forming a physical interface with the substrate. The electrically conductive lid substantially covers the micro-electronic component. A conductive link is provided to create an electrical connection between the electrically conductive lid and the ground conductor at the physical interface.
US09042100B2

An assembly for cooling heat generating components, such as power electronics, computer processors and other devices. Multiple components may be mounted to a support and cooled by a flow of cooling fluid. A single cooling fluid inlet and outlet may be provided for the support, yet multiple components, including components that have different heat removal requirements may be suitably cooled. One or more manifold elements may provide cooling fluid flow paths that contact a heat transfer surface of a corresponding component to receive heat.
US09042095B2

A mobile terminal has a waterproof sheet interposed between a first body portion and a second body portion. The waterproof sheet is formed with a curved shaped or step-like cross-section in consideration of characteristic of internal component or a battery arranged on the first body portion of the mobile terminal, the curved shaped or step-like cross-section is configured to encase, in part or in whole, the internal component or the battery.
US09042088B2

According to one embodiment, a battery-mounting structure includes a first housing, a second housing including a display device including a display screen, a hinge configured to attach the second housing to the first housing rotatably between a first position in which the display screen is covered with the first housing and a second position in which the display screen is exposed, and a battery configured to be attached to the first housing and including a recess configured to accommodate a part of the second housing in the second position.
US09042086B2

An electronic device is provided, including a main body, a display, a foot pad and a transmission unit. The display is pivotally connected to the main body, and the foot pad is disposed on the bottom side of the main body and contacts a supporting surface parallel thereto. The transmission unit is disposed in the main body and connects the foot pad with the display. When the display rotates from a closed position to an open position relative to the main body, the foot pad moves in a first direction parallel to the supporting surface.
US09042079B2

A ceramic electronic component comprising; including a chip component of approximately rectangular parallelepiped, a first metal terminal portion having a first flat plate portion facing a first end face, at least a pair of first fitting arm portions connected to the first flat plate portion, having a first engagement projection engaging with a first wraparound portion holding the first wraparound portion in between, and a first mounting portion connected to the first flat plate portion and extending approximately parallel to one side face, and a second metal terminal portion having a second flat plate portion facing the second end face, at least a pair of second fitting arm portions connected to the second flat plate portion, having a second engagement projection engaging with a second wraparound portion, holding the second wraparound portion in between, and a second mounting portion extending approximately parallel to one side face.
US09042077B2

The invention could be a stun glove and a method of operating the same, the stun gun could comprise a glove portion made from a laminate of an inside material and an outside material, the laminate forms a cavity adapted for covering at least a portion of a hand within at least a thumb sleeve; an electronic circuitry when activated by a trigger mechanism generates a pulsed electrical charge to a plurality of electrodes, the electronic circuitry being embedded within the laminate in a manner to expose each said electrode to a glove portion exterior; and the trigger mechanism located within the thumb sleeve so as to be proximate to a leading edge of a tip of the thumb sleeve.
US09042075B2

An apparatus comprises a sensor having a sensing film and at least two electrodes; and a plurality of electronic components operably associated with the sensor. The sensing film is configured to provide a signal based on humidity immediately prior to contact with liquid water. The electronic components are configured to provide a change in output voltage to trigger an electronic switch that disconnects an electronic device from a power source.
US09042072B2

A method of method of forming a wide band-gap semiconductor transient voltage suppressor (TVS) assembly and a system for a transient voltage suppressor (TVS) assembly are provided. The TVS assembly includes a connecting component configured to electrically couple a first electrical component to a second electrical component located remotely from the first electrical component through one or more electrical conduits and a transient voltage suppressor device positioned within the connecting component and electrically coupled to the one or more electrical conduits wherein the TVS device includes a wide band-gap semiconductor material.
US09042065B2

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit is disclosed including at least a clamping device, a switching device, and a voltage limiter. The ESD protection circuit may include devices of different voltage domains. The switching device may be in series with the clamping device to block at least a portion of a voltage from dropping across the clamping device. The switching device may sustain higher maximum operating voltages than the clamping device.
US09042064B2

Electrostatic discharge protection for Class D power amplifiers is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes an amplifier having an output transistor coupled to an interface pad, a snapback supply clamp coupled across first and second supplies of the amplifier and configured to provide a clamp voltage across the first and second supplies during ESD event; and a trigger circuit coupled to the output transistor, the trigger circuit configured to detect the clamp voltage and to enable the output transistor to provide a discharge path from the interface pad to the second supply when the clamp voltage is detected.
US09042058B1

A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The method provides a first read sensor stack and defines a first read sensor in a stripe height direction from the first read sensor stack. The stripe height direction is perpendicular to the ABS. A shield is provided on the first read sensor stack and in a down track direction from the first read sensor stack. A second read sensor stack is provided. The shield is between the first read sensor and the second read sensor stack in the down track direction. Both the first read sensor and the second read sensor are defined from the first read sensor stack and from the second read sensor stack, respectively, in a cross-track direction. The cross-track direction is substantially perpendicular to the down track direction and substantially perpendicular to the stripe height direction.
US09042053B1

A magnetic recording medium including a substrate, and at least one magnetic layer formed on the substrate. The magnetic layer is formed from an alloy containing Cobalt, and Platinum (Pt). The magnetic layer is also formed from grain boundary segregation materials comprising Manganese Oxide and at least one of Silicon Oxide, Chromium Oxide, and Cobalt Oxide (CoO).
US09042040B2

There is provided a lens module including: a first lens including a first conical surface based on an optical axis and a first flat surface extending in a vertical direction with respect to the optical axis; and a second lens including a second conical surface based on an optical axis and a second flat surface extending in a vertical direction with respect to the optical axis, wherein the first conical surface and the first flat surface are connected by a first curved surface having a first radius, and the second conical surface and the second flat surface are connected by a second curved surface having a second radius.
US09042035B2

A photographing lens and an electronic device including the same are provided. The photographing lens includes a first lens, a second lens, a meniscus third lens, a meniscus fourth lens, and a fifth lens. The first lens has a positive refractive power and an object side lens surface that is convex toward the object side. The second lens has negative refractive power and an image side lens surface that is convex toward the image side. The meniscus third lens has a positive refractive power and an image side lens surface that is concave toward the image side. The meniscus fourth lens has a positive refractive power and an image side lens surface that is convex toward the image side. The fifth lens has a negative refractive power and an image side lens surface that is concave toward the image side around an optical axis.
US09042029B2

A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side, a first unit that does not move, a negative second unit which moves during zooming, a positive third unit which moves during zooming, a positive fourth unit which moves during zooming and focus adjustment, an aperture stop that does not move in an optical axis direction, and a positive fifth unit which does not move, wherein Zinf representing a zooming ratio of the entire zoom lens when focused on infinity, β3winf and β3tinf representing lateral magnifications of the third unit at the wide angle end and a telephoto end, respectively, when focused on infinity, β4tinf and β5tinf representing lateral magnifications of the fourth unit and the fifth unit, respectively, at the telephoto end when focused on infinity, and f3 and f4 representing focal lengths of the third unit and the fourth unit, respectively, satisfy predetermined conditional expressions.
US09042022B2

The invention relates to a display arrangement (1) for a motor vehicle, for displaying information for an occupant (12) of the motor vehicle. To be able to display the information as cost-effectively as possible in two display areas (4, 5) of the motor vehicle, the invention provides that the display arrangement (1) has an image splitter (9) for separating at least two juxtaposed image sections (B1, B2) of the image.
US09042005B2

An amplifying-apparatus that raman-amplifies light transmitted through an optical-fiber-transmission-path, includes: an inputting-unit that inputs pump light to the optical-fiber-transmission-path; a path-switching-unit that is capable of switching between a first state in which the light transmitted through the optical-fiber-transmission-path is output to a first path and a second state in which the light transmitted through the optical-fiber-transmission-path is output to a second path; a splitting-unit that splits the light output to the second path by the path-switching-unit and outputs resulting first light and second light; and a control-circuit that stores information based on a result of reception of the light output to the first path by putting the path-switching-unit into the first state and then controls power of the pump light on a basis of the stored information and a result of reception of the first light output by the splitting-unit by putting the path-switching-unit into the second state.
US09042004B2

By compensating polarization mode-dispersion as well chromatic dispersion in photonic crystal fiber pulse compressors, high pulse energies can be obtained from all-fiber chirped pulse amplification systems. By inducing third-order dispersion in fiber amplifiers via self-phase modulation, the third-order chromatic dispersion from bulk grating pulse compressors can be compensated and the pulse quality of hybrid fiber/bulk chirped pulse amplification systems can be improved. Finally, by amplifying positively chirped pulses in negative dispersion fiber amplifiers, a low noise wavelength tunable seed source via anti-Stokes frequency shifting can be obtained.
US09041997B2

An electro-chromic display element includes a display electrode 1 provided on a display substrate 1b an electro-chromic layer 3 provided on the display electrode 1; multiple opposing electrodes 2 which are provided on an opposing substrate 2b and which are arranged to oppose the display electrode 1; an electrolytic layer 4 provided between the display electrode 1 and the multiple opposing electrodes 2; and an erasing electrode 5 placed between the display electrode 1 and the multiple opposing electrodes 2 and which is arranged such that the electro-chromic layer 3 is placed between the third electrode and the display electrode 1.
US09041996B2

Described is a method of controlling the absorption of light in a cavity, a system in which absorption is so controlled, and an interferometer embodying the underlying physical concept. Materials can be made to completely absorb incident light when the light is imposed in a specific pattern of illumination. Coherent perfect absorption, as the process is referred to, is achieved when a cavity is illuminated coherently and monochromatically by the time-reverse of the output of a lasing mode. Varying the parameters of the incident light and/or of the cavity allows the absorption of the incident light by the cavity to be controlled; enhanced or even reduced.
US09041995B2

A fixed aperture includes a first fixed slit and a second fixed slit which are arranged respectively in regions positioned on both sides with a moving line sandwiched therebetween. A drive aperture includes a first drive slit and a second drive slit which are arranged on both sides with the moving line sandwiched therebetween. The first fixed slit and the first drive slit are formed in an extending manner along a first line, and are arranged such that these slits communicate with each other when a shutter is at a position where the transmission of light is allowed. The second fixed slit and the second drive slit are formed in an extending manner along a second line which intersects with the first line, and are arranged such that these slits communicate with each other when the shutter is at a position where the transmission of light is allowed.
US09041981B2

With the aim of realizing an easy and inexpensive method of realizing a “stealth” dot pattern, whose presence on a medium surface is not visually recognizable, merely through minor improvements in the existing printing technology, the present invention provides dots which form a dot pattern by printing these dots using an ink of any color reactive in the infrared or ultraviolet wavelength range on a medium surface on which a dot pattern is to be formed, for use with a dot pattern reading system that irradiates infrared or ultraviolet light on a medium surface having a dot pattern provided thereon, recognizes the dot pattern by reading the reflections of the light with an optical reading means, converts the dot pattern into the corresponding data, and outputs the text, voice, images and so forth contained in the data.
US09041972B2

A print control device includes an output unit, an adding unit, and a transmitting unit. The output unit outputs generated print data to a printing mechanism. The generated print data is generated as a result of unit print data, which includes page data of at least one page, being copied; and includes pieces of the unit print data. The adding unit adds blank page data between one piece of unit print data and another piece of unit print data to be printed next in line to the one piece of unit print data. The transmitting unit transmits, to the printing mechanism, information for causing an additional image to be formed on a medium when an image based on the page data is printed on the medium, and information for causing the additional image not to be formed on a blank page formed based on the added blank page data.
US09041970B2

An image processing apparatus includes: a protected area determining unit that determines a protected area to be protected by forming a transparent color material pattern made of a transparent color material on recording paper; a grain-direction acquiring unit that acquires a grain direction of the recording paper; a pattern determining unit that determines a direction of the transparent color material pattern based on the acquired grain direction; a pattern generating unit that generates the transparent color material pattern in the determined direction; and a color material forming unit that forms the transparent color material pattern in the determined direction on the protected area of the recording paper.
US09041965B2

An information processing apparatus may communicate with a communication-target device, which is a device with which the information processing apparatus is to communicate, via a first type interface section. The information processing apparatus may store, in a first storage area, target identification information for identifying the communication-target device as default identification information, in a case where a first network to which the communication-target device belongs is identical to a second network to which the information processing apparatus belongs via the second type interface section. The target identification information may be stored in association with at least one of a plurality of attributes. The information processing apparatus may cause the target identification information not to be stored in the first storage area as the default identification information in a case where the first network is not identical to the second network.
US09041962B2

An image forming apparatus includes a data converting module, a communicating unit, a differential data obtaining module, and a combining module. The data converting module is configured to convert image data to displayed image data. The communicating unit is configured to send via a network the displayed image, and to receive an edited displayed image via the network which is edited based on the displayed image. The differential data obtaining module is configured to obtain differential data of at least a difference between the image data and the edited image data. The combining module is configured to combine the image data with the differential data into combined image data.
US09041961B2

An information processing apparatus sets a sorting information list and a sorting method used for a sort operation, and transmits the sorting information list set to an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus displays a selection screen on which a user can select sorting information from the sorting information list, and transmits the sorting information selected on the selection screen to the information processing apparatus, and transmits scanned data to the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus sorts the scanned data using the sorting information based on the sorting method set.
US09041951B2

An information processing apparatus includes: a package holding section; a package designation receiving section; and a program creating section. The package holding section holds a plurality of packages each containing: a command to output to an image forming apparatus an instruction to perform an operation performable by the image forming apparatus or a designation of a setting value for an item adjustable in the image forming apparatus, the setting value indicating an operating level of an operation shown by the item; and image data showing the operation for which the command instruction to perform is intended or the item for which the command designates the setting value. The package designation receiving section receives a designation of packages and an order of execution of the packages. The program creating section uses the designated packages to create a program for executing the commands in the packages in the designated order of execution.
US09041939B2

A method of compensating for sample misalignment in an optical measurement apparatus (40), comprises the steps of: determining an expected response from a detector (58) in said optical measurement apparatus given a particular set of parameters defining a path that light can take through the optical measurement apparatus from a source (42), via a sample (50), to the detector (58); measuring a response from the detector for the sample under test; and refining the set of parameters until the expected response and the measured response converge so as to determine the set of parameters giving rise to the measured response.
US09041936B2

An integrated swept wavelength tunable optical source uses a narrowband filtered broadband signal with an optical amplifier and self-tracking filter. This source comprises a micro optical bench, a source for generating broadband light, a tunable Fabry Perot filter, installed on the bench, for spectrally filtering the broadband light from the broadband source to generate a narrowband tunable signal, an amplifier, installed on the bench, for amplifying the tunable signal. The self-tracking arrangement is used where a single tunable filter both generates the narrowband signal and spectrally filters the amplified signal. In some examples, two-stage amplification is provided. The use of a single bench implementation yields a low cost high performance system. For example, polarization control between components is no longer necessary.
US09041932B2

A system and method for detecting analytes using a conformal filter. A conformal filter, which may comprise a tunable filter, is configured to filter interacted photons conforming to a spectral shape correlated with an analyte of interest. Conformal filter configurations may be selected by consulting a modified look-up table associated with an analyte. An iterative methodology may be used to calibrate a conformal design for an analyte of interest, refine a previous conformal filter design for an analyte of interest, and/or generate a new conformal filter design for an analyte of interest.
US09041931B2

A system for imposing and analyzing surface acoustic waves in a substrate to determine characteristics of the substrate is disclosed. Optical elements and arrangements for imposing and analyzing surface acoustic waves in a substrate are also disclosed. NSOM's, gratings, and nanolight elements may be used to impose surface acoustic waves in a substrate and may also be used to measure transient changes in the substrate due to the passage of surface acoustic waves therethrough.
US09041930B1

The present invention may include an illumination source; a TDI sensor having a plurality of rows of TDI pixels, wherein each of the TDI pixels have a 1:1 aspect ratio; a multicolor filter contacted to the surface of the TDI sensor, wherein the multicolor filter has alternating sections of a first color filter, a second color filter, and at least a third color, wherein adjacent rows of TDI pixels are grouped in order to form a plurality of rows of integrated multicolor pixels; an objective having a first end positioned proximate to the specimen; a second lens configured to focus light from the image path onto the TDI sensor; and an anamorphic optics element configured to magnify an image of the one or more specimens such that the image is magnified by a factor of three along a direction orthogonal to an integrating direction of the TDI sensor.
US09041919B2

An approach for IR-based metrology for detecting stress and/or defects around TSVs of semiconductor devices is provided. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, a beam of IR light will be emitted from an IR light source through the material around the TSV. Once the beam of IR light has passed through the material around the TSV, the beam will be analyzed using one or more algorithms to determine information about TSV stress and/or defects such as imbedded cracking, etc. In one embodiment, the beam of IR light may be split into a first portion and a second portion. The first portion will be passed through the material around the TSV while the second portion is routed around the TSV. After the first portion has passed through the material around the TSV, the two portions may then be recombined, and the resulting beam may be analyzed as indicated above.
US09041913B2

A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam; a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table including a substrate holder constructed to hold a substrate; and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the substrate table is constructed and arranged to reduce or eliminate slip and hysteresis in position and orientation between the substrate table and the substrate holder.
US09041906B2

An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid. The exposure apparatus includes a stage that is movable below the projection optical system while holding the substrate and a detector that is capable of detecting a liquid adhered to a rear surface of the substrate. As an alternative, or in addition, the apparatus can include a detector that is capable of detecting a liquid adhered to an optical member disposed at the stage.
US09041904B2

Methods and apparatus for cooling mirrors in an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system using a liquid metal interface are described. According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus includes a heat exchanger, a mirror assembly, and a first liquid metal interface. The heat exchanger includes at least one well defined therein. The mirror assembly includes a mirror block having a mirrored surface. The mirror assembly also has at least one surface. Finally, the first liquid metal interface includes liquid metal which is contained in the first well. The at least one surface is in contact with the liquid metal to transfer heat from the mirror block to the heat exchanger.
US09041903B2

A mask inspection system with Fourier filtering and image compare can include a first detector, a dynamic Fourier filter, a controller, and a second detector. The first detector can be located at a Fourier plane of the inspection system and can detect a first portion of patterned light produced by an area of a mask. The dynamic Fourier filter can be controlled by the controller based on the detected first portion of the patterned light. The second detector can detect a second portion of the patterned light produced by the section of the mask and transmitted through the dynamic Fourier filter. Further, the mask inspection system can include a data analysis device to compare the second portion of patterned light with another patterned light. Consequently, the mask inspection system is able to detect any possible defects on the area of the mask more accurately and with higher resolution.
US09041902B2

An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with exposure light via a liquid. The exposure apparatus includes an optical system including an emission surface from which the exposure light is emitted; a liquid supply port that supplies the liquid in order to fill an optical path of the exposure light emitted from the emission surface with the liquid; and a fluid supply port that supplies a fluid including a material capable of changing the specific resistance of the liquid to at least a part of a space around a liquid immersion space that is formed by the liquid.
US09041898B1

Simultaneous movies of plural portions of a scene are acquired and shown, using one imager with electrooptical directing device to acquire, stepwise, an interleaved (e. g. alternating) sequence of subscene images. Apparatus is ideally in a vehicle: airborne or unmanned, or both. The invention records and transmits (via one data link, with no needed parallel path) the sequence as one image series; best sorts the received sequence into noninterleaved sequences, a separate sequence for each subscene; and shows these as movies. Alternatively, scene portions form a mosaic. Including gyro operation and pointing, the device best gets a new image roughly each 5 to 40 msec or less; or excluding gyros and pointing, 5 to 40 msec by FSM, 1 to 5 by MEMS, 1 to 5 (or 10) by LC, 1 by 2-axis nongimbal scanner and 0.1 to 0.2 by digigimbal. Subscene direction and focal changes best synchronize with frame reception. FSMs best have refractory bearings and electromagnetic pointing.
US09041891B2

Apertures are formed in the common electrode or in the pixel electrode of a liquid crystal display to form a fringe field. Storage capacitor electrodes are formed at the position corresponding to the apertures to prevent the light leakage due to the disclination caused by the fringe field. The apertures extend horizontally, vertically or obliquely. The apertures in adjacent pixel regions may have different directions to widen the viewing angle.
US09041890B2

A pixel structure comprises a plurality of pixel regions, and each of the pixel regions includes first and second electrodes that are overlapped with each other, the first electrode is disposed above the second electrode, and each of the pixel regions is divided at least into a first to fourth domain display regions; strip-shaped first electrodes in the first to fourth domain display regions make first to fourth angles with a reference direction; the sum of the first angle and the second angle is 180 degrees, the sum of the third angle and the fourth angle is 180 degrees, and the first, the second, the third and the fourth angles are different from one another.
US09041888B2

The present invention provides a display device substrate, a display device substrate manufacturing method, a display device, a liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal display device manufacturing method and an organic electroluminescent display device that allow suppressing faults derived from occurrence of gas and/or bubbles in a pixel region. The present invention is a display device substrate that comprises: a photosensitive resin film; and a pixel electrode, in this order, from a side of an insulating substrate. The display device substrate has a gas-barrier insulating film, at a layer higher than the photosensitive resin film, for preventing advance of a gas generated from the photosensitive resin film, or has a gas-barrier insulating film, between the photosensitive resin film and the pixel electrode, for preventing advance of gas generated from the photosensitive resin film.
US09041886B2

Disclosed herein is a liquid crystal display device including a plurality of pixels each having a reflecting section and a transmitting section, the pixels each including a plurality of sub-pixels resulting from alignment division, the liquid crystal display device including: an element layer formed on a substrate; an insulating film formed on the substrate so as to cover the element layer; a pixel electrode formed on the insulating film so as to be connected to the element layer; a gap adjusting layer formed on the insulating film on the element layer including a region of connection between the element layer and the pixel electrode; and a dielectric formed on a connecting part for making an electric connection between the sub-pixels.
US09041878B2

A liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a backlight module. The backlight module includes a lightbar, a lightbar heat sink, and a light guide panel (LGP). A light coupling distance is set between the lightbar and the LGP. The backlight module further includes a control structure controlling the light coupling distance. The lightbar is configured with a through hole, the control structure penetrating through the through hole is arranged on the lightbar heat sink, and the lightbar heat sink provides a fixing force that controls a position the LGP.
US09041867B2

A display casing has a first cover, a second cover, and a fixing member between the first cover and the second cover to serve as a combination medium therebetween. The fixing member is engaged with two buckling pieces of the first cover by a positioning pin and a restraining portion, and the second cover is then buckled on the fixing member by a buckling member to be combined with the first cover. The material of the fixing member is the same as that of the second cover but is different from, the material of the first cover. Therefore, when the buckling member of the second cover is buckled on the fixing member, the risk of the fracture of the fixing member under the stress of the buckling member can be avoided.
US09041855B2

An aspect of the present invention provides an interchangeable lens camera having a camera body and a lens unit that is freely attachable and detachable to the camera body. In the interchangeable lens camera, a communications unit in the camera body sends via communications terminals (MT_MOSI and MT_MISO) an INTR_BUSY control instruction that instructs whether to make notification with a busy signal (INTR_BUSY signal) for any operation out of a plurality of types of operations that can be executed, and the lens unit or camera body communications unit sets the busy signal (INTR_BUSY) to an ON state (low level) only during the period of operation of the type indicated by the INTR_BUSY control instruction.
US09041851B2

The present invention is directed to a an organic imaging device having organic detectors on a curved surface. The device may be used for imaging applications such as photography, lightweight camera systems, very high-resolution imaging, lightweight “night vision”, robotic vision, and others. A concave housing with a deformable lens is provided. The deformable lens allows for a range of fields of view and focal lengths. The invention may be configured to detect a range of electromagnetic radiation. It may then provide input to a computer, display, or other device for processing or display of the detected radiation as an image.
US09041842B2

An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixel cells each including a floating diffusion node, a photosensitive element coupled to selectively transfer image charge to the floating diffusion node, and a feedback coupling capacitor coupled between the floating diffusion node and an output line. A bit line is coupled to selectively readout image data output from each one of a group of the plurality of pixel cells. An integrator is capacitively coupled to the bit line. The integrator is coupled to output an output signal on the output line in response to the image data. The output signal on the output line is capacitively coupled to the floating diffusion node through the feedback coupling capacitor to suppress a potential swing at the floating diffusion node of each one of the group of the plurality of pixel cells in response to the output signal.
US09041841B2

A system and method for image sensing is disclosed. An embodiment comprises a substrate with a pixel region and a logic region. A first resist protect oxide (RPO) is formed over the pixel region, but not over the logic region. Silicide contacts are formed on the top of active devices formed in the pixel region, but not on the surface of the substrate in the pixel region, and silicide contacts are formed both on the top of active devices and on the surface of the substrate in the logic region. A second RPO is formed over the pixel region and the logic region, and a contact etch stop layer is formed over the second RPO. These layers help to reflect light back to the image sensor when light impinges the sensor from the backside of the substrate, and also helps prevent damage that occurs from overetching.
US09041832B2

Even when as an object targeted for registering feature data, an object for which registered feature data has reached an upper limit is selected, replacement of the registered feature data is prompted to register new feature data. An imaging apparatus includes a registration unit configured to register a plurality of feature data up to an upper limit number in association with the same object, a selection unit configured to select one of registered objects for which new feature data is to be registered, and a control unit configured to perform control to display a selection screen for allowing, when the object selected by the selection unit is the object for which the upper limit number of feature data has been registered, a user to select the feature data to be replaced with the new feature data among the upper limit number of feature data registered for the object.
US09041821B2

An image obtaining unit continuously obtains plural images each showing a moving subject and motionless subject. Dark current noise is removed from the plural images. Image portions of the moving subject are extracted from the plural images with noise removed, which image portions occupy different positions in the plural images, respectively. Image portions of the motionless subject are extracted from the plural images with noised removed, which image portions occupy the fixed positions in the plural images, respectively. The extracted image portions of the moving subject are moved in the plural images with noise removed based on the corresponding positions in the respective images. The moved image portions of the moving subject are combined with the mage portions of the motionless subject held at the fixed positions in the plural images with noise removed, whereby a shooting image is composed.
US09041819B2

A method for stabilizing an input digital video. Input camera positions are determined for each of the input video frames, and an input camera path is determined representing input camera position as a function of time. A smoothing operation is applied to the input camera path to determine a smoothed camera path, and a corresponding sequence of smoothed camera positions. A stabilized video frame is determined corresponding to each of the smoothed camera positions by: selecting an input video frame having a camera position near to the smoothed camera position; warping the selected input video frame responsive to the input camera position; warping a set of complementary video frames captured from different camera positions than the selected input video frame; and combining the warped input video frame and the warped complementary video frames to form the stabilized video frame.
US09041817B2

A Digital Image Stabilization apparatus and method applies a Principal transform including a rotational motion component to a source frame and interpolates and outputs the image data of each pixel of an entire row of the destination frame in raster order. A first step identification the diagonally oriented meta-rows of source frame data that correspond to the pixels of an entire row of the destination frame, based on the principal transform coefficients. A second step is to horizontalize the source frame data of the meta-rows that correspond to the pixels of an entire row of the destination frame, by storing each meta-row of source frame data into one row of a memory buffer, such as a multi-line buffer. Then, a moving-window interpolation step sequentially interpolates based on the principal transform coefficients and outputs the image data of an entire row of the destination frame in raster order.
US09041815B2

An operator friendly camera testing module is described. The camera testing module includes at least a color shift evaluation unit and a color non-uniformity evaluation unit. The color shift evaluation unit providing a color shift metric and the color non-uniformity evaluation unit providing a color non-uniformity metric each used to characterize a digital camera.
US09041808B2

A headlight controller, an optical unit and a vehicle headlight can include a headlight controller and an optical unit. The headlight controller can include a system controller and a camera photographing vehicles located in a forward direction thereof, and the system controller can be configured to output a control signal to provide various favorable light distribution patterns by using image data output from the camera in accordance with traffic conditions. The optical unit can be configured to emit beam lights each having a light-emitting angle using lights emitted from first and second white LEDs via a projector lens so that the beam lights can be used as a high and low beam without movable parts. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can include providing vehicle headlights that can form various favorable light distribution patterns by utilizing the characteristics of the controller and the optical unit in accordance with the traffic conditions.
US09041798B1

An automated method for cueing a high resolution video camera to a mobile object involves first detecting the presence of an object by a wide-area surveillance asset such as a radar and using the radar's positional information to cue the video camera iteratively, while updating the positional information each time. Then, a video analytics algorithm detects the object and generates more accurate positional and rate information on the object, which is then used to cue the video camera into a higher resolution setting for classifying/identifying the object. Once the object is identified, the positional and rate information is updated and the updated information is used to further cue the video camera into a higher resolution setting for recording a video clip of the moving object while the video camera is dynamically steered.
US09041795B2

A method for measuring critical dimension (CD) includes steps of: scanning at least one area of interest of a die to obtain at least one scanned image; aligning the scanned image to at least one designed layout pattern to identify a plurality of borders within the scanned image; and averaging distances each measured from the border or the plurality of borders of a pattern associated with a specific type of CD corresponding to the designed layout pattern to obtain a value of CD of the die. The value of critical dimensions of dies can be obtained from the scanned image with lower resolution which is obtained by relatively higher scanning speed, so the above-mentioned method can obtain value of CD for every die within entire wafer to monitor the uniformity of the semiconductor manufacturing process within an acceptable inspection time.
US09041793B2

A method of using a scanning microscope to rapidly form a digital image of an area. The method includes performing an initial set of scans to form a guide pixel set for the area and using the guide pixel set to identify regions representing structures of interest in the area. Then, performing additional scans of the regions representing structures of interest, to gather further data to further evaluate pixels in the regions, and not scanning elsewhere in the area.
US09041782B2

A multiple-viewer auto-stereoscopic display apparatus includes a display unit, an eye-tracking unit, a light transmission control unit, a light separation unit, and a synchronization control unit. The display unit is configured to display a view sequence of a plurality of view images of a 3D image in multiple viewing zones to one or more viewers. The light transmission control unit is configured to control light transmission to a particular viewing zone. The light separation unit is configured to separate the plurality of view images for the viewers to perceive 3D display. Further, the synchronization control unit is configured to synchronize refreshing of the display unit and the light transmission control unit, wherein a refreshing rate of the display unit equals to a refreshing rate of the light transmission control unit, and to dynamically adjust the view sequence based on the position information of the one or more viewers.
US09041781B2

An image processing apparatus includes a stereoscopic effect adjustment unit that receives left eye images and right eye images applied to three-dimensional image display, and performs stereoscopic effect adjustment by correcting the received images which are input images, wherein the stereoscopic effect adjustment unit performs a reduction process or an enlargement process in a transverse direction for at least any ones of the left eye images and the right eye images, and generates corrected images where parallax is adjusted.
US09041780B2

A method of displaying image provides data of a left eye image frame to a display panel during a first period, and provides data of a black image frame during a second period that is shorter than the first period. The method also provides data of a right eye image frame during the first period, and provides the data of the black image frame during the second period. A frame period during which the black image frame is displayed in a stereoscopic image mode is thus decreased, and a frame period in which the left eye image frame or right eye image frame is displayed is increased, allowing for increased charging time and improved image quality.
US09041778B2

To obtain an image processing device and a method of processing an image that improve distance accuracy and is capable of performing accurate distance even about an object at a greater distance than before, when a distance to an object is measured, one image object region 302 including an image of an object is extracted from one image of a pair of images imaged by a pair of imaging elements at the same time in the same direction. The degree of background that is likelihood of whether either an object image configuration part 304 or a background image configuration part 303 is calculated for each of a plurality of image configuration parts that configures the one image object region 302. Then, the other image object region 503 having an image similar to the one image object region 302 is extracted from the other image 501 using the degree of background, and a parallax between the one image object region 302 and the other image object region 503 is calculated.
US09041775B2

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for gesture capturing, detection, recognition, and mapping them into commands which allow one or many users to interact with electronic games or any electronic device interfaces. Gesture recognition methods, apparatus and system are disclosed from which application developers can incorporate gesture-to-character inputs into their gaming, learning or the like applications. Also herein are systems and methods for receiving 3D data reflecting hand, fingers or other body parts movements of a user, and determining from that data whether the user has performed gesture commands for controlling electronic devices, or computer applications such as games or others.
US09041771B2

Systems, methods, and devices that control switching of a multi-mode barrier component for efficiently displaying various types of 2-D content and 3-D content are presented. A barrier control component detects an optical signal in a control region of a display screen that is providing visual content to the barrier component, and identifies the type of visual content, such as 2-D content, 3-D stereoscopic content, or 3-D autostereoscopic content, based at least in part on the optical signal. The barrier control component identifies a specified control signal based at least in part on the identified content type, and transmits the specified control signal to the barrier component via a wireline or wireless connection. The barrier component is controlled to automatically switch to a specified mode, such as 2-D mode, 3-D stereoscopic mode, or 3-D autostereoscopic mode, and employ a specified barrier pattern, in response to the received specified control signal.
US09041768B1

Improved methods, systems, and devices for managing communications are provided. A user device may display all ongoing communications so that a user can visualize the communications network or some subset thereof (e.g., a subgroup or group of users). A system may maintain the user device in an instant ready-on mode of communication with the other user devices. A user may then initiate communications with a subgroup (e.g., a pair) or group without initiating a new connection. Accordingly, a user can simultaneously and fluidly communicate at the subgroup level, at the group level, or at the inter-group level. Moreover, users can function as independent actors that can freely form and leave subgroups as well as groups.
US09041766B1

Methods for providing feedback information regarding a person's focus of attention during a live video communication are described. The live video communication may comprise a live video conference. The feedback information may correspond with non-verbal cues such as who a speaking person is looking at when they are speaking and whether a listener is paying attention to the speaking person. In some embodiments, a dominant speaker in a live video conference may be determined and a live video stream that is being viewed by the dominant speaker may be identified. An identification of the live video stream may be transmitted to computing devices associated with other participants in the live video conference. Images associated with the live video stream being displayed to the other participants may be highlighted, enlarged, or moved to a different location on displays used by the other participants.
US09041765B2

A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support the operation of a Virtual Media Room or Virtual Meeting Room (VMR), wherein each VMR can accept from a plurality of participants at different geographic locations a variety of video conferencing feeds of audio and video streams from video conference endpoints and enables a multi-party video conferencing session in real time among the plurality of participants. Each of the participants is offered a rich set of conferencing and collaboration interaction hitherto not experienced by video conferencing participants and a moderator of the video conference is further offered with in-meeting management and control over a plurality of security and privacy settings during the video conference. These interactions encompass controlling of a video conferencing session, its configuration, privacy, security, the visual layout of the participants, customization of the VMR and adaptation of the room to different vertical applications.
US09041761B2

An image forming device includes a photoreceptor drum including a target surface that is scanned in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, an exposure head including a plurality of light emitting segments aligned in parallel to the main scanning direction, an exposure driving unit which selectively drives the plural light emitting segments, a storing unit which stores a profile where the respective positions of the plural light emitting segments correspond to a correction amount from the main scanning direction toward the sub-scanning direction at every position, and a correcting unit which smoothes a local change of the correction amount in the profile.
US09041760B2

An optical print head, including: a light emitting substrate which includes a light emitting element on a base; a rod lens array which focuses light emitted from the light emitting element onto an image carrier, the rod lens array having a larger linear expansion coefficient than the base of the light emitting substrate; and expansion suppressing members which are attached to both lateral surfaces of the rod lens array in a direction that is perpendicular to an optical axis direction and is a shorter direction, each of the expansion suppressing members having a smaller linear expansion coefficient than the rod lens array.
US09041758B2

An optical scanning device includes: a driving unit that drives a light source that outputs multiple light beams; a deflecting unit that scans a scanning surface in a main-scanning direction by deflecting the light beams, the scanning surface moving at a predetermined line speed in a sub-scanning direction; and a control unit that changes number of the light beams according to the line speed by controlling the driving unit, changes a scanning speed of the deflecting unit in the main-scanning direction according to a difference between an exposure amount per unit length in the main-scanning direction after a change in the number of the light beams and a predetermined exposure amount, and changes light intensity of each of the light beams output by the light source according to an amount of a change in the scanning speed.
US09041757B2

An image forming apparatus including a control unit configured to cause the light irradiation unit to irradiate the photosensitive member at an image forming portion to which toner particles adhere with light emitted from the light source by a first light emission amount, and cause the light irradiation unit to irradiate the photosensitive member at a non-image forming portion to which no toner particles adhere with light emitted from the light source by a second light emission amount that is smaller than the first light emission amount. The image forming apparatus further includes an adjusting unit configured to adjust the first light emission amount and the second light emission amount, and an acquisition unit configured to acquire information relating to a speed of surface of the photosensitive member. The adjusting unit is configured to change the second light emission amount according to information acquired by the acquisition unit.
US09041752B2

The disclosure discloses a printer performing printing processing that forms desired print on a print-receiving medium. The printer includes a cartridge holder, a drive device, a thermal head, an energization device, an attribute detecting device, a first determination portion, and a processing portion. The cartridge holder removably mounts a cartridge. The drive device drives a feeding roller to feed the print-receiving medium. The thermal head performs printing on the print-receiving medium fed. The energization device controls energization of the thermal head. The attribute detecting device detects an attribute of the print-receiving medium. The first determination portion determines whether or not a tube cartridge capable of supplying a tubular print-receiving medium is mounted. The processing portion performs predetermined processing that is for suppressing expansion of the tubular print-receiving medium and is triggered by the determination that the tube cartridge has been mounted by the first determination portion.
US09041745B2

There is provided a method of boosting a local dimming signal. In the method, it is determined whether or not local dimming signals, which are applied for individually driving light source blocks per frame, satisfy boosting conditions. Then, a predetermined local dimming signal corresponding to at least one of the light source blocks is boosted to a reference luminance value when the local dimming signals continuously satisfy the boosting conditions, and the boosting luminance of the predetermined local dimming signal at the reference luminance value is gradually decreased after a light adaptation time of an observer's eye. When the luminance of light source blocks that are boosted is gradually decreased before the light adaptation time or luminance of light source blocks that will be boosted is gradually increased to the light adaptation time, power consumption required to boost the light source blocks may be decreased.
US09041731B2

The invention provides a user interaction system (100) and a method of controlling a lighting system. The user interaction system (100) comprises a display (106), a means for receiving a location indication (102), a location identification means (104) and an overlay image creator (108). The display (106) displays a subarea image and an overlay image. The subarea image is an image of a specific subarea of the environment. The location identification means (104) detects which specific location in the environment is indicated by the location indication. The overlay image creator (108) generates the overlay image. The overlay image comprises information related to a lighting effect which is obtainable by the lighting system at the specific location. The obtainable effect is an effect of at least two controllable light sources of the lighting system. The information which is related to the obtainable lighting effect is based on a lighting system model (110) which represents effects that are obtainable in the environment by controllable light sources of the lighting system.
US09041718B2

Techniques are disclosed for generating a bilinear spatiotemporal basis model. A method includes the steps of predefining a trajectory basis for the bilinear spatiotemporal basis model, receiving three-dimensional spatiotemporal data for a training sequence, estimating a shape basis for the bilinear spatiotemporal basis model using the three-dimensional spatiotemporal data, and computing coefficients for the bilinear spatiotemporal basis model using the trajectory basis and the shape basis.
US09041715B2

The invention relates to a system for obtaining the transformation (30) of an image, said system comprising means for capturing or introducing a image proportions; means for capturing or introducing a width of the transformation; means for capturing or introducing a height of the virtual representation of the image; means for establishing or introducing coordinate axes at the point on the surface, onto which the viewing point is orthogonally projected; and comprising a computer equipped with a program for obtaining: a first transformation angle (α) from two parameters: the distance between the point on the surface onto which the viewing point is projected and the upper end furthest from the transformation; and the distance corresponding to the coordinate of the upper end furthest from the transformation in relation to said viewing point, and the distance corresponding to the coordinate of the upper end furthest from the transformation in relation to the viewing point; a lateral transformation longitude (L3) from the first transformation angle and the transformation width; a longitude (L4) of the transformation (30) from the captured proportions and height of the virtual representation; a second transformation angle (λ) from two parameters: the distance between the point on the surface onto which the viewing point is projected and the lower end closest to the transformation; and the distance corresponding to the coordinate of the lower end closest to the transformation.
US09041712B2

A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and computer program product display multiple slices of a three-dimensional body in a computer drawing application. A first view of a 3D body is displayed. One or more slice sketches are defined on the first view. A single slice view of the three dimensional body is displayed. The single slice view simultaneously depicts all of the slices with a zero-depth representation of each slice.
US09041711B1

An exemplary method for simplifying a texture of a three-dimensional model includes simplifying a first three-dimensional model to determine a second three-dimensional model. The first three-dimensional model has a higher resolution than the second three-dimensional model. The method also includes allocating a texture atlas for the second three-dimensional model. The method further includes filling in the texture atlas for the second three-dimensional model. Filling in the texture atlas may include determining a location on the second three-dimensional model corresponding to a pixel in the texture atlas for the second three-dimensional model, determining a location on the first three-dimensional model corresponding to the determined location on the second three-dimensional model, determining a color value texture mapped to the first three-dimensional model at the determined location on the first three-dimensional model, and setting the determined color value to the pixel in the texture atlas for the second three-dimensional model.
US09041707B2

Confirming compliance with a configuration includes: receiving information about a fixture, where the information includes a specified configuration of items to be displayed on the fixture; generating a display using the information, where the display depicts the specified configuration; presenting the display using a graphics system of a computing device; receiving an image depicting an actual configuration of the fixture; associating metadata with the image, where the metadata includes searchable data that distinguishes the fixture from at least some other fixtures of like type; sending the image, along with the metadata, over a network to a server that is remote from the computing device; and in a case that the specified configuration substantially matches the actual configuration, sending, along with the image and the metadata, a message indicating that the fixture is in compliance with the specified configuration.
US09041706B2

In order to suppress an influence of an electrical stress on a TFT characteristic in use of a TFT, a light emitting display apparatus according to the present invention comprises organic EL devices and driving circuits for driving the organic EL devices. The driving circuit includes plural pixels each having a thin film transistor of which a threshold voltage reversibly changes due to the electrical stress applied between a gate terminal and a source terminal, and a voltage applying unit which sets gate potential of the thin film transistor higher than source potential. The voltage applying unit applies the electrical stress between the gate terminal and the source terminal at a time when the thin film transistor is not driven, so as to drive the thin film transistor in a region that the threshold voltage is saturated to the electrical stress.
US09041698B2

Electronic displays encounter visibility issues due to varying ambient light conditions. An ambient light sensor can be provided to sense ambient light and dynamically adjust display brightness to compensate for changes in ambient light. A wave guide for improving angular response in a light sensor is provided.
US09041696B2

A display device includes: a flexible display panel having a display area variably exposed in a first direction and including a conductive pattern; a sensing pattern positioned to correspond to the conductive pattern in the first direction; and a controller sensing a current flowing to one of the conductive pattern and the sensing pattern to display an image corresponding to the display area of the flexible display panel in the flexible display panel.
US09041693B2

A scan driver includes a plurality of stages for receiving a first start signal and a second start signal, a first clock signal and a second clock signal, and at least one of two interrupt signals and outputting a scan signal. Each stage includes an up-signal output unit for receiving the first start signal and for outputting a first output signal that is shifted by one horizontal period from the first start signal, a down-signal output unit for receiving a second start signal and outputting a second output signal shifted by one horizontal period from the second start signal, and a scan signal output unit for receiving the first and second output signals and outputting a high-level or low-level scan signal.
US09041680B2

A following coordinate which follows an input coordinate late is calculated. Then, an inference moving amount is calculated on the basis of a moving amount of an input coordinate, and an inference moving direction is calculated on the basis of a moving direction of the following coordinate. An inference movement vector is set on the basis of the inference moving amount and inference moving direction calculated thus. The following coordinate has low correlation with an actual moving amount of a linger of an operator, and the moving direction of the input coordinate has low correlation with an actual moving direction of the finger of the operator due to fluctuation of the input coordinate. Thus, the inference movement vector which is set as described above more accurately reflects the actual moving amount and moving direction of the finger of the operator.
US09041676B2

A mechanism is described for employing and facilitating a thumb sensor at a computing device. A method of embodiments of the invention includes extending a touch panel of a computing device into a flap of the touch panel to be used as a side sensor of the computing device, and sensing a use of the side sensor, the use including touching of the side sensor by a user, where sensing may include detecting a change at one or more intersecting points of a plurality of intersecting points of conductive lines. The method may further include facilitating an action in response to the use of the side sensor.
US09041673B2

The present invention provides a method of controlling a noise processing circuit of a touch panel and a related noise signal processing apparatus. At first, the present invention detects whether the touch panel is interfered with by noise. Then, according to whether the noise interferes with the touch panel, the noise processing circuit is controlled to be activated or not activated. Therefore, the noise processing circuit can be turned off if it is unnecessary, thereby to reduce the workload due to the noise processing.
US09041670B2

There are provided an operation determining unit which, when a touch panel is pressed, determines whether or not the press on the touch panel has been an operation on a soft key for designating one of the plurality of functions assigned to the one hard key, and a state transition unit which, when it is determined that the press corresponds to an operation on the soft key, shifts a function acceptability state of the one hard key. Thus, when the soft key corresponding to the hard key is pressed, the function acceptability state of the hard key is shifted to a correct state, even without actually operating one hard key.
US09041668B2

A mobile touch-generating device having logic and a touch-generating system. The touch-generating system includes one or more touch-generating elements. The touch-generating system is operatively coupled to the logic to generate touch events via the one or more touch-generating elements, the touch events detectable by a touchscreen, such as, a capacitive sensing touchscreen. Also provided are: (i) a method of bidirectional communication between a mobile touch-generating device and a touchscreen device; and (ii) a computer readable non-transitory medium containing a computer program which, when executed, causes a computer to execute the steps of the above method.
US09041643B2

A light emitting element drive apparatus capable of outputting the lowest voltage satisfying drive conditions and having high light emitting efficiency and low power loss, and a portable apparatus using the same, comprising an LED drive apparatus to which LEDs of different drive voltages required for emitting light are connected in parallel and driving one or more LEDs, wherein the LED drive apparatus 10 has drive circuits connected to the corresponding LEDs among a plurality of LEDs and driving the corresponding LEDs with luminances based on set values and power supply circuits for deciding a drive voltage value required for the highest light emission among one or more LEDs driven to emit light based on drive states of drive circuits (for example terminal voltages of the current source) and supplying a drive voltage having at least the decided value to LEDs in parallel.
US09041632B2

A device for displaying a text message, comprising a display (10) having a plurality of characters, each of said characters being arranged at a fixed position, not overlapping with any other of said characters, and being adapted to be switched on and off, and a controller being connected to said plurality of characters and being adapted to switch on and off selected characters so that at a given time, a selected sub-group of said characters is switched on, the selected sub-group displaying a text message.
US09041630B2

A pixel includes a load, a transistor which controls a current supplied to the load, a storage capacitor, and first to fourth switches. By inputting a potential in accordance with a video signal into the pixel after the threshold voltage of the transistor is held in the storage capacitor, and holding a voltage of the sum of the threshold voltage and the potential, variations of a current value caused by variations of threshold voltage of a transistor can be suppressed. Consequently, a predetermined current can be supplied to the load such as a light-emitting element. Further, by changing the potential of a power supply line, a display device with a high duty ratio can be provided.
US09041625B2

A subpixel arrangement structure for a display device, including a plurality unit pixels each having a red subpixel, a green subpixel and a blue subpixel, wherein openings of the red and green subpixels of each unit pixel are aligned along a direction of a column axis, and wherein an opening of the blue subpixel of each unit pixel is aligned along a direction of a row axis that is perpendicular to the column axis or arranged in zigzags along the direction of the row axis.
US09041624B2

A method and device for three-dimensionally depicting images, in which a sequence of two-dimensional individual images are produced by means of a two-dimensional array, which consists of individually controllable light-emitting diodes (LED's) and which focuses light emitted by the LED's of the array onto a projection device. The light striking the projection device is focused onto a diffusing screen. While coupled to one another, the projection device and the diffusing screen are moved in a periodically reversing manner in a direction that is essentially perpendicular to the screen plane, and the sequence of two-dimensional individual images are synchronized with the spatial position of the diffusing screen.
US09041608B2

A portable electronic device includes a casing unit, a first support unit, a second support unit, a first antenna unit, a second antenna unit, a first conducting unit and a second conducting unit. The casing unit includes a first outer casing and a second outer casing pivotally connected with the first outer casing. The first outer casing includes a hinge structure pivotally connected with the second outer casing. The first support unit includes a first support body disposed in the hinge structure, and the second support unit includes a second support body disposed in the hinge structure. The first antenna unit includes a first antenna structure disposed on the first support body and separated from the second outer casing. The second antenna unit includes a second antenna structure disposed on the second support body and separated from the second outer casing.
US09041604B2

Multi-pattern transmission of frames. The method of operations comprises transmitting a first portion of a frame using a first radiation pattern. The frame comprises one or more preambles and a single data portion associated with the one or more preambles. Thereafter, an operation is conducted to switch the radiation pattern from the first radiation pattern, used to produce the first portion of the frame, to a second radiation pattern. A second portion of the same frame is produced using the second radiation pattern.
US09041596B2

An on-board multibeam radar apparatus includes a plurality of beam elements that constitute an antenna transmitting a transmission wave and receiving an incoming wave reflected by and arriving from a target in response to the transmission wave, and a processing unit configured to apply a Fourier transformation to beam element data which are data of a received wave received through the plurality of beam elements based on the number of elements and the element interval of a desired virtual array antenna so as to create virtual array data, and to perform a predetermined process based on the created virtual array data.
US09041593B2

According to one embodiment, a target tracking apparatus acquires a first determination result by determining which combination of N-dimensional tracks is for the real target, acquires a second determination result by determining which combination of N-dimensional angular observation values is for the real target, selects the first determination result when an observation environment is an environment other than a dense environment, selects the second determination result when the observation environment is a dense environment, and calculates distance information to thereby generate an (N+1)-dimensional track for each target.
US09041585B2

A method of synthetic aperture radar autofocus for ground penetration radar. The method includes transmitting a signal via an antenna; receiving a reflected signal comprising a plurality of image blocks via the antenna; reading each image block from the reflected signal via a processor; locating prominent targets in each image block via the processor; estimating ground penetration phase error via the processor in each image block via phase error inputs including pulling range and quantization level by generating a 1D phase error and converting the 1D phase error into a 2D phase error of an image spectra; refocusing each image block according to estimated ground penetration phase error for that image block via the processor; and forming an image mosaic comprising each refocused image block via the processor.
US09041581B2

An analog-to-digital conversion apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of analog-to-digital converters 30 and a ramp generator 20. Each of the analog-to-digital converters 30 comprises an analog signal input for receiving an analog signal level and a ramp signal input. A control stage is arranged to compare the ramp signal with the analog signal level and, based on the comparison, to enable a counter provided at the analog-to-digital converter or to latch a digital value received from a counter. The control stage comprises a comparator in the form of a first differential amplifier with a first branch connected to the input for receiving the ramp signal, a second branch connected to the analog signal input and an output, and a biasing current source for biasing the first differential amplifier. A feedback circuit controls the biasing current source. The feedback circuit comprises a second differential amplifier OP1 with a first input connected to a node 46 on the first branch and a second input connected to a reference voltage VB such that the node on the first branch is maintained at a substantially constant voltage.
US09041573B2

A sampling and interleaving stage device for use in an analog-digital-converter and for providing a sampling output signal and an analog-to-digital-converter. The sampling and interleaving stage device for use in an analog-digital-converter, including: a receiving unit having a clock unit with a plurality of clock-driven switches for receiving an input signal; for each of the plurality of clock-driven switches, a first demultiplexer, for receiving the input signal via a clock-driven switch and for providing a number of first demultiplexer outputs; for a first demultiplexer output, at least one storage element for a stored input potential depending on the input signal; and an output demultiplexer for receiving an indication about the stored input potential and for outputting a corresponding sampling output signal to a respective sampling output.
US09041571B2

Systems and methods are provided for calibrating an analog to digital converter (ADC) using one or more feedback mechanisms. In an embodiment, a capture memory module captures a portion of ADC data and post-processes the captured data using a microprocessor to perform calibration. Using the microprocessor, the capture memory module calibrates the ADC until the output of the ADC is within a desired range. In an embodiment, the capture memory module also captures a portion of data output from a digital correction module and post-processes this captured data using the microprocessor. Using the microprocessor, the capture memory module calibrates the digital correction module until the output of the digital correction module is within a desired range.
US09041569B2

A successive approximation register (SAR) ADC includes an SAR comparator circuit including first and second inputs, a control input, and first and second outputs. The SAR comparator circuit further includes a plurality of capacitors coupled to the first and second inputs and includes a plurality of switches configured to couple the plurality of capacitors to one of a first voltage and a second voltage. The SAR ADC further includes a calibration circuit coupled to the first and second outputs and to the control input of the SAR comparator. The calibration circuit is configured to control the plurality of switches to selectively couple the plurality of capacitors to one of the first and second voltages to provide a calibration signal to the SAR comparator circuit. The calibration circuit is configured to calibrate the SAR comparator based on corresponding output signals at the first and second outputs.
US09041562B2

An apparatus and an article of manufacture for controlling a voice site using a haptic input modality include validating a haptic input from an instrument capable of accessing a voice site, processing the haptic input on a server to determine a voice site command corresponding to the haptic input, and processing the voice site command at the server to control an interaction with the voice site.
US09041559B2

Disclosed is a method for the monitoring of a cabin region of a transport system located outside a field of view, wherein at least one light beam is emitted, passing through the cabin region in the longitudinal direction, and in the event of a disturbance of the at least one light beam path a message is generated. A monitoring device is also provided, with at least one emitter unit for purposes of emitting at least one light beam, with at least one receiver unit for purposes of receiving the emitted light beam, and with at least one messaging unit for purposes of generating a message in the event of a disturbance of the at least one light beam path; also disclosed is an aircraft cabin with at least one such monitoring system.
US09041551B2

A disclosed telemetry system comprises an Nth number of telemetry devices and an equal number of standard disposable circular electrode patches. A body of each telemetry device in the system includes a female snap receptor configured to attach to a single male snap post of an electrode patch. A wireless transmitter module is disposed immediately around and in direct connection with each female snap receptor. Each wireless transmitter module transmits a signal from the respective female snap receptor to a receiver. A wireless receiver module is configured to receive and to process an Nth number of transmitted signals from the Nth number of telemetry devices into an Nth−1 number of signals where the number of signals is greater than zero. There are Nth−1 number of signals because at least one of the Nth telemetry devices is configured as a ground reference for the rest of the Nth telemetry devices.
US09041550B2

A method of reporting information from a meter interface unit to a receiving device in which a data packet is transferred from the meter interface unit containing meter readings, which are associated with an indicator of the elapsed time since the reading was taken. The receiving device compares this elapsed time value with the actual elapsed time, based upon the internal clock of the receiving device, in order to determine any inaccuracies in the clock of the meter interface unit. In another embodiment, the data packet includes at least two nonsequential meter readings, separated by a multiplicity of reading intervals, on a rolling basis, such that data will not be lost as a result of a temporary obstruction that interferes with the transmission or receipt of meter readings.
US09041549B2

Remotely readable valve position indicators and related methods are described. An example apparatus in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure includes a valve body, a valve stem and a fluid flow control apparatus coupled to the valve stem. The fluid flow control apparatus is longitudinally displaceable between a first position and a second position to control fluid flow through a flow aperture of the valve body. The apparatus also includes a valve position indicator including an identifier device coupled to the valve stem. In the first position, the wireless identifier device associated with a first value indicative of the first position of the fluid flow control apparatus. In the second position, the wireless identifier device associated with a second value indicative of the second position of the fluid flow control apparatus.
US09041545B2

The present invention relates to an apparatus that senses the intensity of sounds and the velocity of objects. Specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus that may prevent an audio signal from reaching a user, make a warning noise, or otherwise alert the user when a object is noisy and/or approaching the user at a threatening rate. More specifically, the present invention takes data from the surrounding area and compares it to one or more thresholds to determine an object's threat level. The present invention relates to one or more speakers, and includes, generally, one or more microphones to receive and measure the intensity of surrounding noises and one or more range sensors to detect distance, velocity, and acceleration.
US09041538B2

An integrated passive wireless chip diagnostic sensor system is described that can be interrogated remotely with a wireless device such as a modified cell phone incorporating multi-protocol RFID reader capabilities (such as the emerging Gen-2 standard) or Bluetooth, providing universal easy to use, low cost and immediate quantitative analyses, geolocation and sensor networking capabilities to users of the technology. The present invention can be integrated into various diagnostic platforms and is applicable for use with low power sensors such as thin films, MEMS, electrochemical, thermal, resistive, nano or microfluidic sensor technologies. Applications of the present invention include on-the-spot medical and self-diagnostics on smart skin patches, Point-of-Care (POC) analyses, food diagnostics, pathogen detection, disease-specific wireless biomarker detection, remote structural stresses detection and sensor networks for industrial or Homeland Security using low cost wireless devices such as modified cell phones.
US09041534B2

Fluid tanks in a hospital or similar environment include sensors to detect, e.g., state and location, which can be communicated to a central station where this data can be processed to permit predictions of resource usage and enable automated management of the fluid tanks.
US09041529B2

An identification device comprising an ultrasound transmitter unit (16) and an outer housing (6) which receives said transmitter unit (16), said outer housing (6) comprising one or more apertures (32) which are sealed by a membrane, said membrane being substantially transparent to ultrasound when compared to the rest of the housing.
US09041525B2

A machine having a light control system is provided. The light control system includes a hazard light associated with the machine, a plurality of control locations provided on the machine, and a light control module provided at each of the plurality of control locations and communicably coupled to the hazard light. The light control module configured to receive an input signal from each of the plurality of control locations. The light control module is further configured to prioritize the input signal based on a time stamp associated with the input signal. The light control module is further configured to control an operation of the hazard light based, at least in part, on the prioritized input signal.
US09041517B2

The invention relates to an RFID reading devices having: transmitting means for generating a field for inductively coupling to an RFID transponder; measuring means for measuring a field strength of the field; and control means for controlling the transmitting power on the basis of the measured field strength.
US09041511B2

A method includes docking a mobile device in a docking station and providing, by the mobile device, identification information to the docking station, where the identification information identifies a user associated with the mobile device. The method also includes forwarding, by the docking station, the identification information to a network device, and receiving, by the network device, the identification information. The method also includes updating, by the network device, a database based on the received identification information.
US09041506B2

Disclosed herein are a multilayer power inductor and a method of manufacturing the same. The multilayer power inductor includes a multilayer body formed by multi-layering a plurality of body sheets; a coil portion including internal electrode patterns that are respectively formed on the plurality of body sheets; and external electrodes that are disposed on lateral surfaces of the multilayer body and are electrically connected to both ends of the coil portion, wherein a space portion is formed in the internal electrode pattern to correspond to contraction of the plurality of body sheet. The multilayer power inductor relieves internal stress generated in a product through the space portion so as to prevent the body sheet from being magnetized due to the internal stress, thereby preventing a reduction in inductance. The multilayer inductor may also be manufactured by using conventional manufacturing processes themselves without any influence on the productivity of a product.
US09041505B2

In accordance with an embodiment, a transformer includes a first coil disposed in a first conductive layer on a first side of a first dielectric layer, and a second coil disposed in a second conductive layer on a second side of the first dielectric layer. Each coil has a first end disposed inside its respective coil and a second end disposed at an outer perimeter of its respective coil. A first crossover disposed in the second conductive layer is directly connected to the first end of the first coil and extends past the outer perimeter of the first coil. In addition, a second crossover disposed in the first conductive layer is directly connected to the first end of the second coil and extends past the outer perimeter of the second coil.
US09041493B2

A coupling structure for a multi-layered chip filter includes a resonator layer including a resonator pattern with spaced areas and a coupling layer including at least two separated overlap portion patterns overlapped with the spaced areas of the resonator pattern respectively and a connecting portion pattern having multiple linear portions connecting the separated overlap portion patterns in an area not-overlapped with the resonator pattern.
US09041486B2

An object of the present invention is to improve the passing characteristic at high temperature in a ladder-type elastic wave filter and a duplexer including the filter. The ladder-type elastic wave filter of the present invention includes a piezoelectric substrate, a first series elastic-wave resonator formed on the piezoelectric substrate and connected in series between the input and output terminals of the filter, a parallel elastic-wave resonator formed on the piezoelectric substrate and connected in parallel between the series elastic-wave resonator and the ground terminal, and a dielectric film formed on the piezoelectric substrate so as to cover the first series elastic-wave resonator. The piezoelectric substrate is formed of a material with a negative temperature coefficient. The dielectric film is formed of a material with a positive temperature coefficient and its film thickness is formed thicker than that with which the frequency-temperature coefficient of the first series elastic-wave resonator becomes 0.
US09041483B2

An attenuator includes, on a substrate: a resistor section; an insulating film covering the resistor section; and connection terminals covering the insulating film and connected in part to the resistor section. A total thickness of the insulating film and the connection terminal in a region where the insulating film and the connection terminal overlap with the resistor section is from 50 μm to 200 μm.
US09041481B2

The present invention provides an artificial microstructure employed in an artificial electromagnetic material. The artificial microstructure includes a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment. The first segment is parallel to the second segment, and the third segment is connected between the first segment and the second segment. The artificial electromagnetic material has a special electromagnetic effect. The artificial electromagnetic material can be applied to various electromagnetic application systems instead of the typical electromagnetic material.
US09041456B2

A transistor being one of an IGBT and a MOSFET and arranged near a gate control circuit applies a gate control signal from the gate control circuit to the gate of a transistor arranged far from the gate control circuit. A gate control signal is applied via a resistive element to the transistor arranged near the gate control circuit.
US09041455B2

A semiconductor device prevents recognition failure in mutual recognition between a host and a device compliant with USB Specifications. The semiconductor device includes: an interterminal opening/closing section having a plurality of first conductivity type MOS transistors, the respective sources or drains of which are cascaded, in which the source or drain of a first-stage MOS transistor among the cascaded MOS transistors is used as a first terminal, the source or drain of a final-stage MOS transistor among the cascaded MOS transistors is used as a second terminal, and the respective gates of the cascaded MOS transistors receive a control signal for controlling the opening or short-circuiting between the first and second terminals; and a current bypass section that reduces a current flowing into either one connection node coupling the respective sources or drains of the cascaded MOS transistors.
US09041453B2

Two gate drivers each comprising a shift register and a demultiplexer including single conductivity type transistors are provided on left and right sides of a pixel portion. Gate lines are alternately connected to the left-side and right-side gate drivers in every M rows. The shift register includes k first unit circuits connected in cascade. The demultiplexer includes k second unit circuits to each of which a signal is input from the first unit circuit and to each of which M gate lines are connected. The second unit circuit selects one or more wirings which output an input signal from the first unit circuit among M gate lines, and outputs the signal from the first unit circuit to the selected wiring(s). Since gate signals can be output from an output of a one-stage shift register to the M gate lines, the width of the shift register can be narrowed.
US09041445B1

The present invention is directed to signal processing system and electrical circuits. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a DLL system that provides phase correction by determining a system offset based on phase differences among the delay lines. The offset is used as a part of a feedback loop to provide phase corrections for the delay lines. There are other embodiments as well.
US09041444B1

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for compensating for an undesired fractional spur due to a PLL in a communication system. The communication system includes a time-to-digital converter (TDC) that is configured to execute in parallel to the PLL. The TDC is configured to determine a phase difference between a reference frequency and an output oscillation signal provided by the PLL. The phase difference is received by a processor to estimate particular characteristics of the undesired fractional spur, and the estimate of the characteristics is used to construct an estimate of the undesired fractional spur.
US09041441B2

A sequence circuit includes first through third signal terminals, first through ninth resistors, and first through fifth electronic switches. The sequence circuit receives a first signal through the first signal terminal. The sequence circuit receives a second signal through the second signal terminal. The sequence circuit outputs a third signal through the third signal terminal. The sequence circuit is used to ensure the sequence of the first through third signals.
US09041439B2

A circuit includes a first power node at a first voltage level, a second power node at a second voltage level, a first voltage driver, a first current driver, and a control unit. The first voltage driver is configured to electrically couple a first output node to the first power node when a first input signal at the first input node is at a first logic state, and electrically couple a first output node to the second power node when the first input signal is at a second logic state. The first current driver is configured to inject or extract a first adjustment current into or out of a first output node. The control unit is configured to generate a measurement result of the first voltage level, and to set the first adjustment current according to the measurement result.
US09041425B2

A detecting circuit for pixel electrode voltage of a flat panel display device, the flat panel display device having a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines crossing with the plurality of scanning lines, the plurality of scanning lines and data lines define a plurality of pixel units, and each of the pixel units including a pixel switching element and a pixel electrode. The detecting circuit for pixel electrode voltage includes at least one detecting sub-circuit for pixel electrode voltage. The detecting sub-circuit for pixel electrode voltage includes: a signal amplifying unit connected with the pixel electrode in the pixel unit, for amplifying a voltage signal of the pixel electrode; and a signal detecting unit connected with the signal amplifying unit, for detecting the voltage signal of the pixel electrode that has been amplified by the signal amplifying unit, and outputting a variation in the voltage signal of the pixel electrode with time. Compared with the prior art, the present invention has advantages of simple detecting circuit structure and accurate detection result.
US09041423B2

A semiconductor apparatus includes a through via and a comparison unit. The through via is electrically connected with another chip. The comparison unit includes a reference capacitor, and compares a capacitance value of the through via and a capacitance value of the reference capacitor in response to a test start signal and a reset signal and generates a comparison result.
US09041417B2

Embodiments of the subject method and apparatus relate to a sequence of noncontact Corona-Kelvin Metrology, C-KM, that allows the determination and monitoring of interface properties in dielectric/wide band gap semiconductor structures. The technique involves the incremental application of precise and measured quantities of corona charge, QC, onto the dielectric surface followed by determination of the contact potential difference, VCPD, as the material structure response. The V-Q characteristics obtained are used to extract the surface barrier, VSB, response related to the applied corona charge. The metrology method presented determines an intersection of the VCPD-QC characteristic obtained in the dark with the VOX-QC characteristic representing the dielectric response. The specific VSB-QC dependence surrounding the reference VFB value is obtained from this method and allows the noncontact determination of the dielectric interface trap density and its spectrum. Application of embodiments of the subject metrology method to thermal oxide on n-type 4H—SiC demonstrates the modification of the Dit distribution by Fowler-Nordheim stress. In addition, an ability to quantify and separate trapped charge components is provided.
US09041412B2

The present disclosure provides methods and devices for testing a connection between speakers and a power amplifier. The disclosed methods and devices solve a problem that, upon a connection test for a power amplifier which has a booster power source, when a midpoint potential of the power amplifier and the voltage of the speaker connection terminal are compared, and it is determined that short-circuiting occurs on a ground side when the potential of the speaker connection terminal is lower than the midpoint potential, a wrong test is conducted if a midpoint potential is higher than a battery voltage.
US09041399B2

A gradient coil is provided. The gradient coil comprises: a first layer comprised of a first plurality of turns of wires; and a second layer of coil comprised of a second plurality of turns of wires. Each turn of wire in the first and second plurality of turns of wires circles along the side walls of a cylindrical substrate and each turn of wire in the first and second plurality of turns of wires include a first portion wound along the inner side wall of the substrate and a second portion wound along the outer side wall of the substrate.
US09041390B1

A direct current transducer includes an open-loop Hall-effect sensor, a first ADC coupled to the open-loop Hall-effect sensor, a thermistor, a second ADC coupled to the thermistor, a manually controlled mode-selection device, a digital processor coupled to the first ADC and the second ADC, and digital memory coupled to the digital processor. The manually controlled mode-selection device is operative to develop an operating mode selection digital signal for a plurality of operating modes including a temperature-compensated direct current (DC) transducer mode and a calibration mode.
US09041386B2

A linear position measuring system (10) and a method for determining a position of a carriage in relation to a slide rail (12), with an incremental scale (14) placed along the slide rail (12) and a scanner secured to the slide scale. The scanner is designed to scan a plurality of incremental markings along the incremental scale (14), wherein the incremental markings can be scanned as an essentially analog signal progression. The scanner is designed to scan the incremental markings with a variable scanning frequency. The scanning frequency can be adaptively varied in relation to a currently acquired frequency of the analog signal progression, wherein the variable scanning frequency measures at least twice the currently acquired frequency of the analog signal progression.
US09041382B2

A power-supply circuit for a DC appliance includes an input unit including a first terminal and a second terminal so as to receive a DC current, an output unit including a third terminal to output the DC current entered by the input unit and a fourth terminal, a connection unit including a first conductive line and a second conductive line so as to interconnect the input unit and the output unit, a rectifier unit including first to fourth diodes coupled as a bridge diode format so as to rectify the input DC current in a predetermined direction, an inductor unit that is connected in series to the rectifier unit in such a manner that the input DC current is gradually increased from an abrupt change time point of the DC current, and a condenser unit that is connected in series to the inductor unit.
US09041378B1

Systems and methods that provide control circuits having multiple sub-control inputs that control operation of a power electronics device (e.g., a power converter). Each of the multiple sub-control inputs are output from a separate sub-control circuit that includes a feedback circuit having an input tied to a common control node. The common control node is coupled to an input of a controller (e.g., a PWM controller). Outputs of each of the sub-control circuits are coupled to the common control node by a respective switch (e.g., diode, transistor, etc.) so that each of the sub-control circuits may be selectively coupled to the common control node to provide a control signal to a controller. Since components of each of the feedback compensations circuits are biased at a regulation voltage instead of a higher power supply voltage, the control circuit may switch between control modes with minimal delay.
US09041370B2

A charge pump regulator circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator and a plurality of charge pumps. The voltage controlled oscillator has a plurality of inverter stages connected in series in a ring. A plurality of oscillating signals is generated from outputs of the inverter stages. Each oscillating signal has a frequency or amplitude or both that are variable dependent on a variable drive voltage. Each oscillating signal is phase shifted from a preceding oscillating signal. Each charge pump is connected to a corresponding one of the inverter stages to receive the oscillating signal produced by that inverter stage. Each charge pump outputs a voltage and current. The output of each charge pump is phase shifted from the outputs of other charge pumps. A combination of the currents thus produced is provided at about a voltage level to the load.
US09041359B2

A battery pack and an electronic device are disclosed. The battery pack includes a battery for storing electric energy, and a non-contacting discharging unit for receiving the stored electric energy from the battery and for transferring the stored electric energy to a power receiving unit in a non-electrically contacting manner. The electronic device includes a main body and the battery pack. The main body includes a power receiving unit. The battery pack is for mounting to and supplying power to the main body.
US09041358B2

A semiconductor device for battery control includes a CPU, a first bus coupled to the CPU, a second bus not coupled to the CPU, and a protective function circuit for protecting a battery from stress applied thereto. The semiconductor device also includes a non-volatile memory storing trimming data, a trimming circuit to perform trimming required to allow the protective function circuit to exert a protective function, and a bus control circuit capable of selectively coupling the first bus and the second bus to the non-volatile memory. The semiconductor device further includes a transfer logic circuit which causes, by making the bus control circuit select the second bus, a trimming data transfer path leading from the non-volatile memory to the trimming circuit to be formed and the trimming data stored in the non-volatile memory to be transferred to the trimming circuit without involving the CPU.
US09041353B2

A battery fuel gauge apparatus comprises a current amplifier formed by a first transistor and a second transistor. Both transistors operate in the same operation conditions except that the second transistor has a smaller channel width in comparison with that of the first transistor. The first transistor is connected in series with a battery pack. The second transistor is connected in series with a sensing device. The sensing device comprises a first resistor and a second resistor connected in series. The first resistor has a positive temperature coefficient and the second resistor has a negative temperature coefficient.
US09041345B2

A battery system is disclosed. The battery system includes a plurality of battery cells, and a battery cell balancing unit, configured to adjust voltages across each of the battery cells to reduce variation among the voltages across the battery cells. The battery cell balancing unit includes a controller configured to receive a DC reference current and to generate an AC current based on the DC reference current, a transformer, a rectifier circuit including a rectifier connected to the output coil, and a switching unit including a plurality of switches, each configured to selectively connect the rectifier to one of the battery cells.
US09041342B2

An apparatus for charging an automobile battery is presented. The device provides a surface charge with a time limited window in which to start a vehicle. Use of used batteries provides for environmentally effective manner in which to deal with the tremendous amount of used batteries that are discarded worldwide each year. The apparatus may optionally include a charging circuit to allow for recharging the used batteries. An LED display may be included to provide indication when a target battery has sufficient surface charge to warrant an attempt to start an engine. The apparatus is a small portable device that can be stored anywhere in a vehicle.
US09041321B1

An improved vibration motor controller and method maintains a substantially consistent vibration over time, despite decreasing battery voltage over time, with the controller used in a mobile communication device, the mobile communication device powered by a battery having a maximum charge voltage and a minimum charge voltage, the controller being operative for monitoring the available voltage at the battery; driving the vibration motor using pulse width modulation with a motor voltage which is less than the minimum charge voltage of the battery; and controlling the pulse width modulation used to drive the vibration motor in a manner to provide a substantially consistent power level despite fluctuations in voltage of the battery.
US09041314B2

A power supply topology is used in which a transistor is provided on the side of an output node of a rectifying circuit. An inductor is provided on the side of a reference node, a resistor is inserted between the transistor and the inductor, and one end of the resistor is coupled to a ground power supply voltage of a PFC circuit. The PFC circuit includes a square circuit which squares a result of multiplication of an input voltage detection signal and feedback information (output voltage of an error amplifier circuit). The PFC circuit drives on the transistor when a detection voltage developed at the resistor reaches zero, and drives off the transistor when the detection signal reaches an output signal of the square circuit.
US09041313B2

A ballast circuit for a Light Emitting Diode (LED) has a regulator element coupled to the LED and to an input voltage source. A control circuit is coupled to the LED and to an input voltage source. A first switching device is coupled in series with the regulator element. A second switching device is coupled to the input voltage and the control circuit.
US09041310B2

A load driving apparatus related to light emitting diodes (LED) is provided. The load driving apparatus includes a power conversion circuit, a complex function circuit, and a control chip. The power conversion circuit receives a DC input voltage and provides a DC output voltage to at least one LED string in response to a gate pulse-width-modulation (PWM) signal. The complex function circuit is serially connected with the LED string and provides a short-protection mechanism. The control chip is coupled to the power conversion circuit and the complex function circuit. The control chip generates the gate PWM signal to control the operation of the power conversion circuit, and when the LED string is short-circuited, the control chip controls the complex function circuit to activate the short-protection mechanism, so as to protect the load driving apparatus from being damaged.
US09041301B2

A light emitting diode (LED) fluorescent lamp includes an external connection pin including a first connection pin and a second connection pin, an LED array including a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) connected in series, a current stabilizing capacitor connected in parallel to the LED array, and a capacitive element unit connected between the LED array and the external connection pin and configured to vary an impedance of a fluorescent lamp ballast connected to the capacitive element unit through the external connection pin.
US09041300B2

A driving circuit and method for a pixel unit, the pixel unit and a display apparatus. The driving circuit for the pixel unit includes a switching unit, a storage capacitor (Cst), a first transistor (T1), a second transistor (T2) and a sixth transistor (T6). The switching unit includes a third transistor (T3), a fourth transistor (T4) and a fifth transistor (T5) for controlling a data signal current (Idata) to charge the storage capacitor (Cst). The driving circuit for the pixel unit expedites the speed for charging the storage capacitor (Cst); further, it has an excellent negative feedback function for the leak current of the storage capacitor (Cst), and ensures the stable operation of the circuit.
US09041295B2

A retrofit light emitting diode (LED) module may include a carrier with at least one LED, a retrofit connection for mechanical and electrical contact-connection to conventional lamp holders, and an electronic system for driving the at least one LED. At least one part of the electronic system is integrated into the carrier, and the electronic system comprises a sensor system. A retrofit LED module system may include at least two retrofit LED modules and at least one control unit which regulates the retrofit LED modules in an adaptive and synchronized manner.
US09041286B2

A volumetric light emitting device includes a substrate, a semiconductor light emitting diode disposed on the substrate and a reflector ring extending axially from the substrate. The reflector ring defines a first volume bounded by the substrate, an inner wall of the reflector ring, and a terminal plane at a distal end of the reflector ring. An encapsulant fills the first volume and encapsulates the semiconductor light emitting diode. A volumetric light conversion element surrounds the reflector ring and the first volume wherein the volumetric light conversion element is adapted to down-convert light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting diode at a first wavelength and emit the down-converted light at a second wavelength. A second volume of encapsulant or scattering material extends axially between the terminal plane and the volumetric light conversion element.
US09041282B2

The light-emitting element of the present invention includes a light-emitting layer and a layer for controlling movement of carriers between a pair of electrodes. The layer for controlling movement of carriers includes a first organic compound having a carrier transporting property and a second organic compound for reducing the carrier transporting property of the first organic compound, and the second organic compound is dispersed in the first organic compound. The layer for controlling movement of carriers is provided in such a manner, whereby change in carrier balance with time can be suppressed. Therefore, a light-emitting element having a long lifetime can be obtained.
US09041281B2

A self-light emitting display unit capable of improving manufacturing yield is provided. Sizes of color pixel circuits corresponding to pixels for R, G, and B are respectively set unevenly within a pixel circuit according to a magnitude ratio of drive currents which allow color self-light emitting elements in the pixel to emit with a same light emission luminance. Thereby, the pattern densities of color pixel circuits respectively corresponding to the pixels for R, G, and B become even to each other, and the pattern defect rate as the whole pixel circuit is decreased.
US09041279B2

A production machine (12) is proposed, in particular a machine tool or the like, having a machine housing (13) for at least partially enclosing the production machine (12) and having an operating state warning light device (1) for the optical display of at least one operating state of the production machine (12), in particular of multiple different operating states, wherein at least one warning light element (1) is provided, which is implemented as a light-emitting diode (1) and has a warning light surface, wherein the warning light element (1) is arranged on a carrier layer, wherein the warning light element (1) has at least one luminescent layer, which emits a warning light and is arranged between a first and a second electrode, in particular a cathode and an anode, wherein better perceptibility is achieved than in the prior art. This is achieved according to the invention in that the machine housing (13) at least comprises the warning light element (1), and in that the electrode surfaces of the electrodes substantially correspond to the warning light surface of the warning light element (1), and in that at least one of the electrodes is light-transmitting and/or transparent.
US09041277B2

A lighting device includes an LED light source that emits light having a first peak wavelength at 430 to 460 nm and a second peak wavelength at 530 to 570 nm.
US09041274B2

A spark plug has a shell, an insulator, a center electrode, a ground electrode, and a firing pad. The firing pad is made of a precious metal material and is attached to the ground electrode. The firing pad has a side surface at a peripheral edge that can be flush or nearly flush with a free end surface of the ground electrode. This construction can help improve ignitability and flame kernel growth of the spark plug during a sparking event, and can provide better thermal management at the attached ground electrode and firing pad.
US09041268B2

A rotary electric machine includes a rotor core in which first magnetic pole portions having permanent magnets and second magnetic pole portions having no permanent magnets are alternately arranged in a circumferential direction; and a stator core which is arranged to face an outer periphery of the rotor core. The rotor core is configured such that an average gap length between the stator core and the second magnetic pole portions is larger than an average gap length between the stator core and the first magnetic pole portions.
US09041267B2

The present invention provides a preload control device of a magnetic bearing, which includes a main shaft, a housing, a first magnetic bearing mechanism, a second magnetic bearing mechanism, a pressing mechanism, and a sliding member. The main shaft is rotatably formed in the shape of a rod that is longitudinally long. The housing covers and is fixed outside the main shaft. The first magnetic bearing mechanism is disposed between the housing and the main shaft. The second magnetic bearing mechanism is spaced from the first magnetic bearing mechanism in the axial direction of the main shaft, between the housing and the main shaft. The pressing mechanism is disposed between the second magnetic bearing mechanism and the frusto-conical member. The sliding member is disposed between the pressing mechanism and the second magnetic bearing mechanism.
US09041263B2

Provided is a vehicle AC generator which enables the common use of components and the use of the same molding die for molded bodies to enable a significant reduction in fabrication cost. The vehicle AC generator includes a molded body (45) having the same outer shape. On one surface side of the molded body, a capacitor body including a capacitor element built therein is electrically connected to an insert conductor, and a resistor (44) is electrically connected to the insert conductor only when a device main body is provided outside of the AC generator. On another surface side of the molded body, the device main body is electrically connected to the insert conductor only when the device main body is provided in the AC generator.
US09041262B2

A stator coil includes first to fourth in-slot portions and first and second turn portions. Both the first and third in-slot portions are received in one slot of a stator core, while both the second and fourth in-slot portions are received in another slot. The first and second turn portions both protrude from an axial end face of the stator core and respectively connect the pair of the first and second in-slot portions and the pair of the third and fourth in-slot portions. The second turn portion is located inside the first turn portion. When viewed along an axial direction of the stator core, the first and second turn portions extend so as to cross each other with a reference line C interposed therebetween; the reference line C is defined to extend along a circumferential direction of the stator core through an intersection between the first and second turn portions.
US09041260B2

Embodiments of the invention provide an electric machine module including an electric machine which can include a stator assembly. The stator assembly can include stator end turns. Some embodiments can provide a housing at least partially enclosing the electric machine and the housing can at least partially define a machine cavity. Further, at least one baffle can be coupled to the housing at a region near the stator end turns, so that the at least one baffle surrounds a portion of a perimeter of the stator end turns.
US09041240B2

A wind turbine apparatus includes a wind turbine, a support column supporting the wind turbine, and a turning base as a base for the support column, the turning base including a turning gear and a turning base shaft. By turning the turning gear 360 degrees or more, only the wind turbine, or the support column and the wind turbine can turn 360 degrees or more about a rotating axis of the turning gear.
US09041238B2

A variable wing venturi generator and a housing for the same are presented. The wings are variable in that their relative position may be changed and optimized to maximize airflow through a turbine and generator contained between the wings. The invention allows for improved efficiency in wind generation. The device accelerates wind speed between a pair of adjustable venturi wings and is especially suited for low wind conditions.
US09041231B2

A power generation apparatus includes an operation member that has a first operation part or a second operation part operated upon power generation; a power generation part that generates an induced electromotive force upon being driven by a slide member that moves in a first direction or a second direction; first and second elastic units that accumulate an elastic force; a first connection release mechanism that prompts the first elastic unit to accumulate elastic force when the first operation part is operated and allows the elastic force to be output to move the slide member in the second direction when accumulation is completed; and a second connection release mechanism that prompts the second elastic unit to accumulate the elastic force when the second operation part is operated and allows the elastic force to be output to move the slide member in the first direction when accumulation is completed.
US09041222B2

A semiconductor device is provided, which comprises a first semiconductor package, a second semiconductor package, and a connection structure. The first semiconductor package includes a first substrate. The first substrate includes a first region and a second region. The second semiconductor package is mounted on the first semiconductor package. The connection structure electrically connects the second semiconductor package and the first semiconductor package. The connection structure comprises first connection patterns at the first region. The first connection patterns provide a data signal at the first region. The connection structure further comprises second connection patterns at the second region. The second connection patterns provide a control/address signal at the second region. A number of the second connection patterns is less than a number of the first connection patterns.
US09041214B2

Methods of fabricating semiconductor structures include implanting atom species into a carrier die or wafer to form a weakened region within the carrier die or wafer, and bonding the carrier die or wafer to a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure may be processed while using the carrier die or wafer to handle the semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure may be bonded to another semiconductor structure, and the carrier die or wafer may be divided along the weakened region therein. Bonded semiconductor structures are fabricated using such methods.
US09041207B2

An apparatus including a die including a dielectric material on a device side, an insulating layer surrounding a die area and embedding a thickness dimension of the die; and a carrier including a plurality of layers of conductive material disposed on the device side of the die, a first one of the layers of conductive materials being formed on the insulating layer and patterned into traces at least a portion of which are connected to respective contact points on the die. A method including disposing a die on a sacrificial substrate with a device side of the die opposite the sacrificial substrate; disposing a mold on the sacrificial substrate around; introducing an insulating material into a chase of the mold; removing the mold; forming a carrier on the insulating material adjacent a device side of a die; and separating the die and the carrier from the sacrificial substrate.
US09041206B2

A semiconductor device comprises a first semiconductor chip including a first substrate and a plurality of first metal lines formed over the first substrate and a second semiconductor chip bonded on the first semiconductor chip, wherein the second semiconductor chip comprises a second substrate and a plurality of second metal lines formed over the second substrate. The semiconductor device further comprises a conductive plug coupled between the first metal lines and the second metal lines, wherein the conductive plug comprises a first portion formed over a first side of a hard mask layer, wherein the first portion is of a first width and a second portion formed over a second side of the hard mask layer, wherein the second portion is of a second width greater than or equal to the first width.
US09041190B2

A semiconductor package, wherein, in bonding of members constituting the semiconductor package, by using bonding layers containing 98 wt % or more of one metallic element such as silver having a melting point of 400° C. or higher, the bonding is performed in a temperature range where the occurrence of warpage or distortion of the members is suppressed, and after the bonding, a high melting point is obtained; and by configuring the members so that all the surfaces of the members which become bonding surfaces of bonding layers are parallel to each other, all the thickness directions of the bonding layers are aligned to be in the same direction, and during the formation of the bonding layers, the pressing direction is set to be one-way direction which is the direction of laminating the members.
US09041189B2

A method of fabricating a semiconductor package is provided, including: providing a carrier having a plurality of chip areas defined thereon, and forming a connection unit on each of the chip areas; disposing a semiconductor element on each of the connection units; forming an insulating layer on the carrier and the semiconductor elements; and forming on the insulating layer a circuit layer electrically connected to the semiconductor elements. Since being formed only on the chip areas instead of on the overall carrier as in the prior art, the connection units are prevented from expanding or contracting during temperature cycle, thereby avoiding positional deviations of the semiconductor elements.
US09041185B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first land formed in a first surface of the substrate, a second land formed in a second surface of the substrate, a first terminal coupled to the second land, a line coupled to the first land and the second land, a second terminal formed in the second surface of the substrate and a branch line coupled to the line and the second terminal. The second terminal is coupled to the first land and the second land and is not coupled to other lands in the first surface. The second surface is different surface from the first surface.
US09041184B2

A chip-housing module is provided, the chip-housing module including a carrier configured to carry one or more chips; the carrier including a first plurality of openings, wherein each opening of the first plurality of openings is separated by a first pre-determined distance, and is configured to receive a chip connection for providing a voltage lying within a first range of voltage values to a chip; the carrier including a second plurality of openings, wherein each opening of the second plurality of openings is separated by a second pre-determined distance, and is configured to receive a chip connection for providing a voltage lying within a second range of voltage values to a chip; and wherein a pair of openings consisting of one opening of the first plurality of openings and one opening of the second plurality of openings is separated by a distance different from at least one of the first pre-determined distance and the second pre-determined distance.
US09041177B2

Various embodiments of the present invention include a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device including a first semiconductor chip disposed on a substrate, a first sealing resin sealing the first semiconductor chip, a built-in semiconductor device disposed on the first sealing resin, and a second sealing resin sealing the first sealing resin and the built-in semiconductor device and covering a side surface of the substrate. According to an aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a high-quality semiconductor device, in which downsizing and cost reduction can be realized.
US09041170B2

A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor die having a first electrode at a first side and a second electrode at a second side opposing the first side, a first lead under the semiconductor die and connected to the first electrode at a first level of the package, and a second lead having a height greater than the first lead and terminating at a second level in the package above the first level, the second level corresponding to a height of the semiconductor die. A connector of a single continuous planar construction over the semiconductor die and the second lead is connected to both the second electrode and the second lead at the same second level of the package.
US09041159B2

An epitaxial growth method includes the steps of: providing a substrate; forming a sacrifice layer on the substrate; patterning the sacrifice layer to form a plurality of bumps spaced apart from each other on the substrate; epitaxially forming a first epitaxial layer on the substrate to cover a portion of each of the bumps; removing the bumps to form a plurality of cavities; and epitaxially forming a second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer such that the cavities are enclosed by the first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer. An epitaxial structure grown by the method is disclosed as well.
US09041150B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide an integrated circuit system including a first active layer fabricated on a front side of a semiconductor die and a second pre-fabricated layer on a back side of the semiconductor die and having electrical components embodied therein, wherein the electrical components include at least one discrete passive component. The integrated circuit system also includes at least one electrical path coupling the first active layer and the second pre-fabricated layer.
US09041142B2

A semiconductor device and an operating method for the same are provided. The semiconductor structure comprises a first doped region, a second doped region, a third doped region, a fourth doped region and a first gate structure. The first doped region has a first type conductivity. The second doped region has a second type conductivity opposite to the first type conductivity. The first doped region is surrounded by the second doped region. The third doped region has the first type conductivity. The fourth doped region has the second type conductivity. The first gate structure is on the second doped region. The third doped region and the fourth doped region are in the second doped region and the first doped region on opposing sides of the first gate structure respectively.
US09041140B2

A device includes a semiconductor substrate having a front side and a backside, a photo-sensitive device disposed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate, and a first and a second grid line parallel to each other. The first and the second grid lines are on the backside of, and overlying, the semiconductor substrate. The device further includes an adhesion layer, a metal oxide layer over the adhesion layer, and a high-refractive index layer over the metal layer. The adhesion layer, the metal oxide layer, and the high-refractive index layer are substantially conformal, and extend on top surfaces and sidewalls of the first and the second grid lines.
US09041131B2

A method of forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes forming a first MTJ cap layer on a MTJ structure. The first MTJ cap layer includes a first non-nitrified metal. The method also includes forming a second MTJ cap layer over the first MTJ cap layer. The second MTJ cap layer includes a second non-nitrified metal. The method further includes forming a top electrode layer over the second MTJ cap layer. The second MTJ cap layer is conductive and configured to reduce or prevent oxidation.
US09041130B2

According to one embodiment, a magnetic memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a memory cell array area on the semiconductor substrate, the memory cell array area including magnetoresistive elements, each of the magnetoresistive elements having a reference layer with an invariable magnetization, a storage layer with a variable magnetization, and a tunnel barrier layer therebetween, a magnetic field generating area which generates a first magnetic field cancelling a second magnetic field applying from the reference layer to the storage layer, and which is separated from the magnetoresistive elements, and a closed magnetic path area functioning as a closed magnetic path of the first magnetic field, and surrounding the memory cell array area and the magnetic field generating area.
US09041115B2

An SRAM array is formed by a plurality of FinFETs formed by fin lines. Each fin line is formed in a substrate, wherein a bottom portion of the fin line is enclosed by an isolation region and an upper portion of the fin line protrudes above a top surface of the isolation region. From a first cross sectional view of the SRAM array, each fin line is of a rectangular shape. From a second cross sectional view of the SRAM array, the terminals of each fin line is of a tapered shape.
US09041109B2

At least one doped semiconductor material region is formed over a crystalline insulator layer. A disposable gate structure and a planarization dielectric layer laterally surrounding the disposable gate structure are formed over the at least one doped semiconductor material region. The disposable gate structure is removed selective to the planarization dielectric layer to form a gate cavity. Portions of the at least one doped semiconductor material region are removed from underneath the gate cavity. Remaining portions of the at least one doped semiconductor material region constitute a source region and a drain region. A channel region is epitaxially grown from a physically exposed surface of the crystalline insulator layer. The channel region has a uniform thickness that can be less than the thickness of the source region and the drain region, and is epitaxially aligned to the crystalline insulator layer.
US09041107B2

Devices having gate-to-gate isolation structures and methods of manufacture are provided. The method includes forming a plurality of isolation structures in pad films and an underlying substrate. The method further includes forming a plurality of fins including the isolation structures and a second plurality of fins including the two pad films and a portion of the underlying substrate, each of which are separated by a trench. The method further includes removing portions of the second plurality of fins resulting in a height lower than a height of the plurality of fins including the isolation structures. The method further includes forming gate electrodes within each trench, burying the second plurality of fins and abutting sides of the plurality of fins including the isolation structures. The plurality of fins including the isolation structures electrically and physically isolate adjacent gate electrode of the gate electrodes.
US09041105B2

An Integrated Circuit (IC) and a method of making the same. In one embodiment, the IC includes: a substrate; a first semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate; a shallow trench isolation (STI) extending through the first semiconductor layer to within a portion of the substrate, the STI substantially separating a first n+ region and a second n+ region; and a gate disposed on a portion of the first semiconductor layer and connected to the STI, the gate including: a buried metal oxide (BOX) layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer and connected to the STI; a cap layer disposed on the BOX layer; and a p-type well component disposed within the first semiconductor layer and the substrate, the p-type well component connected to the second n+ region.
US09041100B2

A semiconductor device has a source region, channel region, and drain region disposed in order from the surface of the device in the thickness direction of a semiconductor substrate. The device includes a source metal embedded in a source contact groove penetrating the source region and reaching the channel region, a gate insulating film formed on the side wall of a gate trench that is formed to penetrate the source region and channel and reach the drain region, a polysilicon gate embedded in trench so that at least a region facing the channel region in the insulating film is covered with the gate and so that the entire gate is placed under a surface of the source region, and a gate metal that is embedded in a gate contact groove formed in the gate so as to reach the depth of the channel region and in contact with the gate.
US09041094B2

A method for semiconductor fabrication includes patterning one or more mandrels over a semiconductor substrate, the one or more mandrels having dielectric material formed therebetween. A semiconductor layer is formed over exposed portions of the one or more mandrels. A thermal oxidation is performed to diffuse elements from the semiconductor layer into an upper portion of the one or more mandrels and concurrently oxidize a lower portion of the one or more mandrels to form the one or more mandrels on the dielectric material.
US09041093B2

The semiconductor memory device of the present invention includes a plurality of memory strings having a plurality of electrically reprogrammable memory cells connected in series, the memory strings having a column shaped semiconductor, a first insulation film formed around the column shaped semiconductor, a charge accumulation layer formed around the first insulation film, a second insulation film formed around the charge accumulation film and a plurality of electrodes formed around the second insulation film, a bit line connected to one end of the memory strings via a plurality of selection transistors, and a conducting layer extending in two dimensions and in which the plurality of electrodes of the memory strings and the plurality of electrodes of different memory strings are shared respectively, wherein each end part of the conducting layer is formed in step shapes in a direction parallel with the bit line.
US09041092B2

A semiconductor device includes a pillar-shaped silicon layer including a first diffusion layer, a channel region, and a second diffusion layer formed in that order from the silicon substrate side, floating gates respectively disposed in two symmetrical directions so as to sandwich the pillar-shaped silicon layer, and a control gate line disposed in two symmetrical directions other than the two directions so as to sandwich the pillar-shaped silicon layer. A tunnel insulating film is formed between the pillar-shaped silicon layer and each of the floating gates. The control gate line is disposed so as to surround the floating gates and the pillar-shaped silicon layer with an inter-polysilicon insulating film interposed therebetween.
US09041090B2

Methods for forming a string of memory cells and apparatuses having a vertical string of memory cells are disclosed. One such string of memory cells can be formed at least partially in a stack of materials comprising a plurality of alternating levels of control gate material and insulator material. A memory cell of the string can include floating gate material adjacent to a level of control gate material of the levels of control gate material. The memory cell can also include tunnel dielectric material adjacent to the floating gate material. The level of control gate material and the tunnel dielectric material are adjacent opposing surfaces of the floating gate material. The memory cell can include metal along an interface between the tunnel dielectric material and the floating gate material. The memory cell can further include a semiconductor material adjacent to the tunnel dielectric material.
US09041088B2

Disclosed are non-volatile memory devices and methods of manufacturing the same. The non-volatile memory device includes device isolation patterns defining active portions in a substrate and gate structures disposed on the substrate. The active portions are spaced apart from each other in a first direction and extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The gate structures are spaced apart from each other in the second direction and extend in the first direction. Each of the device isolation patterns includes a first air gap, and each of a top surface and a bottom surface of the first air gap has a wave-shape in a cross-sectional view taken along the second direction.
US09041086B2

A method of forming a vertical field effect transistor includes etching an opening into semiconductor material. Sidewalls and radially outermost portions of the opening base are lined with masking material. A semiconductive material pillar is epitaxially grown to within the opening adjacent the masking material from the semiconductor material at the opening base. At least some of the masking material is removed from the opening. A gate dielectric is formed radially about the pillar. Conductive gate material is formed radially about the gate dielectric. An upper portion of the pillar is formed to comprise one source/drain region of the vertical transistor. Semiconductive material of the pillar received below the upper portion is formed to comprise a channel region of the vertical transistor. Semiconductor material adjacent the opening is formed to comprise another source/drain region of the vertical transistor. Other aspects and implementations are contemplated.
US09041084B2

Embodiments relate to a method of forming a memory array, comprising: forming a collector layer; forming a plurality of collector regions in the collector layer; forming a plurality of base regions over the collector region; forming a plurality of emitter regions over the base regions; forming a plurality of memory elements over the emitter regions, wherein the collector regions, base regions and emitter regions form heterojunction bipolar transistors.
US09041073B2

Image sensors are provided. In the image sensor, an area of a device isolation layer may be reduced and elements may be isolated from each other by a channel stop region extending between the photoelectric conversion region and the device isolation layer, such that a dark current property of the image sensor may be improved.
US09041068B2

A 3D semiconductor device and a 3D logic array structure thereof are provided. The 3D semiconductor device includes an array structure, a periphery line structure and a 3D logic array structure. The array structure has Y contacts located at a side of the array structure. Y is within MN-1 to MN. Y, M and N are natural numbers. M is larger or equal to 2. The 3D logic array structure includes N sets of gate electrodes, an input electrode and Y output electrodes. Each set of the gate electrodes has M gate electrodes. The Y output electrodes connect the Y contacts. The M·N gate electrodes and the input electrode connect the periphery line structure.
US09041054B2

A high holding voltage (HV) electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit comprises a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) device and compensation regions located within the length between the anode and cathode (LAC) of the SCR device which increase the holding voltage of the SCR device. The compensation regions may introduce negative feedback mechanisms into the SCR device which may influence the loop gain of the SCR and cause it to reach regenerative feedback at a higher holding voltage.
US09041051B2

An insulated gate bipolar transistor having a gate electrode (7) and an emitter electrode (9) is provided in a transistor region. A termination region is arranged around the transistor region. A first N type buffer layer (18) is provided below an N type drift layer (1) in the transistor region. A P type collector layer (19) is provided below the first N type buffer layer (18). A second N type buffer layer (20) is provided below the N type drift layer (1) in the termination region. A collector electrode (21) is directly connected to the P type collector layer (19) and the second N type buffer layer (20). An impurity concentration of the second N type buffer layer (20) decreases as a distance from the collector electrode (21) decreases. The second N type buffer layer (20) does not form any ohmic contact with the collector electrode (21).
US09041050B2

In a method of further enhancing the performance of a narrow active cell IE type trench gate IGBT having the width of active cells narrower than that of inactive cells, it is effective to shrink the cells so that the IE effects are enhanced. However, when the cells are shrunk simply, the switching speed is reduced due to increased gate capacitance. A cell formation area of the IE type trench gate IGBT is basically composed of first linear unit cell areas having linear active cell areas, second linear unit cell areas having linear hole collector areas and linear inactive cell areas disposed therebetween.
US09041033B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a first semiconductor layer, a light emitting layer, a second semiconductor layer, a p-side electrode, a plurality of n-side electrodes, a first insulating film, a p-side interconnect unit, and an n-side interconnect unit. The p-side interconnect unit is provided on the first insulating film to connect to the p-side electrode through a first via piercing the first insulating film. The n-side interconnect unit is provided on the first insulating film to commonly connect to the plurality of n-side electrodes through a second via piercing the first insulating film. The plurality of n-side regions is separated from each other without being linked at the second surface. The p-side region is provided around each of the n-side regions at the second surface.
US09041020B2

The invention relates to an optoelectronic semiconductor component, comprising a substrate-free optoelectronic semiconductor chip (1), which has a first main surface (1a) on an upper face and a second main surface (1b) on a lower face, and a metal carrier (2), which is arranged on the lower face of the optoelectronic semiconductor chip (1), wherein the metal carrier (2) protrudes over the optoelectronic semiconductor chip (1) in at least one lateral direction (1) and the metal carrier (2) is deposited on the second main surface (1b) of the optoelectronic semiconductor chip (1) using a galvanic or electroless plating method.
US09041019B2

A method of and a system for making LED comprising concurrently forming multiple dam structures on a whole silicon wafer using a liquid transfer mold, attaching dies to the silicon wafer inside each of the dam structure, performing flux reflow, cleaning flux, performing wire bonding, dispensing phosphor, curing the phosphor, concurrently forming dome structures by using a liquid transfer mold on all of the dam structures, mounting wafer, and using a saw for single or multiple LED(s) singulation.
US09041015B2

A semiconductor device, a package structure, and methods of forming the same are disclosed. An embodiment is a semiconductor device comprising a first optical device over a first substrate, a vertical waveguide on a top surface of the first optical device, and a second substrate over the vertical waveguide. The semiconductor device further comprises a lens capping layer on a top surface of the second substrate, wherein the lens capping layer is aligned with the vertical waveguide, and a second optical device over the lens capping layer.
US09041011B2

In one implementation, a modular power converter having a reduced switching loss includes a package, a field-effect transistor (FET) including a gate terminal, a drain terminal, and a source terminal, and fabricated on a semiconductor die situated inside the package, and a driver circuit inside the package. The driver circuit is configured to drive the gate terminal of the FET. The driver circuit is further configured to sample a drain-to-source voltage (VDS) of the FET directly from the drain terminal and the source terminal, thereby enabling the reduced switching loss.
US09041008B2

A semiconductor device of an embodiment includes a first conductive type silicon carbide substrate having first and second main surfaces, a first conductive type silicon carbide layer formed on the first main surface, a second conductive type first silicon carbide region formed in the silicon carbide layer, and a first conductive type second silicon carbide region formed in the first silicon carbide region. The device includes a trench penetrating through the first and second silicon carbide regions, and a second conductive type third silicon carbide region formed on a bottom and a side surface of the trench. The third silicon carbide region is in contact with the first silicon carbide region, and is formed between the trench and the silicon carbide layer. In addition, the device includes a gate insulating film formed in the trench, a gate electrode, a first electrode, and a second electrode.
US09041002B2

A TFT-LCD array substrate is disclosed. The TFT-LCD array substrate includes a substrate and a thin film transistor (TFT) on the substrate, at least one pixel electrode, and a passivation layer. The passivation layer covers the gate insulation layer. The pixel electrode is arranged on the passivation layer. At least one portion between the gate insulation layer and the substrate is arranged with common electrode lines. At least one data line is arranged between the gate insulation layer and the passivation layer. The data line is arranged on the common electrode line. The common electrode line blocks the data line. In addition, a corresponding liquid crystal device is also disclosed. With the TFT-LCD array substrate and the liquid crystal device, not only the light leakage is avoided, but also the crosstalk resulting from the light leakage is also avoided.
US09041000B2

A thin film transistor array substrate includes: a driving thin film transistor including an active layer having a bent shape, where the active layer includes: a first active pattern extending substantially in a first direction; and a second active pattern extending substantially in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and connected to the first active pattern, and a gate electrode disposed on the active layer, where gate electrode overlaps the first active pattern and exposes the second active pattern; and a capacitor including a first electrode defined by the gate electrode of the driving thin film transistor, and a second electrode disposed on the first electrode, where the second electrode overlaps substantially an entire surface of the first electrode.
US09040997B2

A pixel, a storage capacitor, and a method for forming the same. The storage capacitor formed on a substrate comprises a semiconductor layer, a first dielectric layer, a first conductive layer, a second dielectric layer and a second conductive layer. The semiconductor layer is formed on the substrate wherein the semiconductor layer and the substrate are covered by the first dielectric layer. The first conductive layer is formed on a part of the first dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer is formed on the first conductive layer, and the lateral side of the stacking structure including the second dielectric layer and the first conductive layer has a taper shaped. The second conductive layer is formed on a part of the second dielectric layer.
US09040991B2

A pixel structure including a first scan line, a second scan line, a data line and a power line substantially perpendicular to the first scan line and the second scan line, a reference signal line and an emission signal line substantially parallel with the first scan line and the second scan line, a common thin film transistor (C-TFT), a first pixel unit, and a second pixel unit is provided. The common thin film transistor has a common gate electrode, a common source electrode and a common drain electrode. The common gate electrode is electrically connected to the first scan line, the common drain electrode is electrically connected to the reference signal line. The first and the second pixel units respectively have a first TFT, a second TFT, a third TFT, a fourth TFT, a fifth TFT, a sixth TFT, a capacitor, and an emission device.
US09040988B2

The disclosure discloses a thin film transistor and a manufacturing method thereof, an array substrate, and a display device, which can manufacture a thin film transistor with lower contents of impurity at a low temperature. The thin film transistor comprises: a substrate, and an active layer disposed on the substrate, the active layer comprising a source region, a drain region and a channel region, wherein the active layer is formed by depositing an inducing metal on an amorphous silicon layer on the substrate by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method and then conducting heat treatment on the amorphous silicon layer deposited with the inducing metal so that metal induction crystallization and metal induction lateral crystallization take place in the amorphous silicon layer.
US09040987B2

A semiconductor device including a substrate, a metal layer, an insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, a drain and a source is provided. The substrate has a surface and a first cavity. The metal layer is disposed on the substrate and covers the surface and inner-wall of the first cavity to define a second cavity corresponding to the first cavity. The insulating layer covers the metal layer and inner-wall of the second cavity to define a third cavity corresponding to the second cavity. The semiconductor layer exposes a portion of the insulating layer and covers the inner-wall of the third cavity to define a fourth cavity corresponding to the third cavity. The drain and source are disposed on the semiconductor layer and covers a portion of the semiconductor layer and a portion of the insulating layer, in which the drain and source expose the fourth cavity.
US09040986B2

A three-dimensional integrated circuit (3DIC) including a top chip having at least one active device and an interposer having conductive routing layers and vias. The 3DIC further includes a plurality of conductive connectors configured to electrically connect the top chip and the interposer. The 3DIC further includes a conductive line over at least one of the top chip or the interposer. The conductive line traces a perimeter of top chip or interposer parallel to an outer edge of the top chip or interposer. The conductive line is configured to electrically connect the conductive connectors. The 3DIC further includes at least one testing element over at least one of the top chip or the interposer. The testing element is configured to electrically connect to the plurality of conductive connectors.
US09040985B2

An object is to provide a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer and has high electric characteristics. An oxide semiconductor layer including SiOx is used in a channel formation region, and in order to reduce contact resistance with source and drain electrode layers formed using a metal material with low electric resistance, source and drain regions are provided between the source and drain electrode layers and the oxide semiconductor layer including SiOx. The source and drain regions are formed using an oxide semiconductor layer which does not include SiOx or an oxynitiride film.
US09040974B2

Provided is an organic light-emitting display apparatus. The organic light-emitting display apparatus including: pixels arranged in a display region of a substrate and at intersections between scanning lines and data lines; a first initialization main line arranged along a first side of the display region of the substrate; a second initialization main line arranged along a second side of the display region of the substrate; an initialization power line electrically connected to the pixels and to the first initialization main line and the second initialization main line; and a first electrical connection portion comprising a doped semiconductor layer of which a first portion is connected to the first initialization main line and a second portion is connected to the initialization power line.
US09040972B2

An OLED display includes: a substrate including a display area with a plurality of pixels; an encapsulation substrate at the display area; and a sealant formed along an edge of the encapsulation substrate between the substrate and the encapsulation substrate to bond the substrate to the encapsulation substrate. The sealant includes a plurality of straight line portions and crossing portions formed by two straight line portions crossing each other.
US09040967B2

A method for manufacturing an organic electroluminescence device includes: preparing an organic electroluminescence device including a lower electrode, an organic layer including a light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode and having a part in which the lower electrode and the upper electrode are shorted, at least one of the lower electrode and the upper electrode being made of a transparent conductive material; and irradiating the transparent conductive material in at least one of the part where the lower electrode and the upper electrode are shorted and a part around the shorted part with a femtosecond laser, and increasing resistance by changing a structure of the transparent conductive material.
US09040966B2

Provided is a method of producing an organic transistor, including collectively forming a gate insulating film and an organic semiconductor film by applying, onto a gate electrode, a solution including a polymer and at least one of compounds represented by General Formulas 1 to 4 and 5 to 7, a compound having a structure represented by General Formula 4, a compound having a structure represented by General Formula 5 or 6, and forming a source electrode and a drain electrode on the organic semiconductor film. (where R is a linear or branched alkyl group) (where R is an alkyl group) (where R is an alkyl group) (where A1 and A2 are represented by Formula 8) (where R is an alkyl group or another substituent).
US09040946B2

The invention relates to a thermal conduction element (20) for a package for transporting and/or storing radioactive materials, comprising: an internal part (30) intended to be in contact with a lateral body (14) of the package; an external part (34) intended to form a portion of an external envelope (24) of said package, holding radiological protection means (22); an intermediate part (32) arranged between the internal and external parts, the internal, external and intermediate parts being produced from copper and one of the alloys thereof. According to the invention, the external part (34) is equipped, at each of its two opposite ends, with an area (36) for connection by welding to another thermal conduction element (20), each connection area (36) being produced from steel.
US09040940B2

Disclosed is a scintillator panel provided with on a support a phosphor layer comprising columnar crystals and a protective layer sequentially in this order, wherein degraded areas on lateral surfaces of columnar crystals at an end of the phosphor layer and produced by a cutting treatment account for not less than 0% and not more than 40% of an area of all of the side surfaces of the columnar crystals. A production method of the scintillator panel is also disclosed.
US09040925B2

A spatially-aware radiation probe system/method allowing for detection and correction of radiation readings based on the position and/or movement of a radiation detector is disclosed. The system incorporates a radiation detector combined with a spatially-aware sensor to permit detection of spatial context parameters associated with the radiation detector and/or object being probed. This spatial context information is then used by analysis software to modify the detected radiation values and/or instruct the radiation probe operator as to appropriate measurement activity to ensure accurate radiation measurements. The spatially-aware sensor may include but is not limited to: distance sensors to determine the distance between the radiation detector and the object being monitored; accelerometers integrated within the radiation detector to detect movement of the radiation detector; and/or axial orientation sensors to determine the axial orientation of the radiation detector.
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