US09049803B2

The present invention attempts to reduce the thermal resistance with the use of heat-transfer devices (e.g., vapor chambers) placed directly on the heat-generating components in IT equipment and the integration of a cold plate within the cabinet. In some embodiments, the present invention is a thermal management system comprising a cabinet-side thermal management system and a server-side thermal management system using moveable thermal components.
US09049795B2

Provided is a rolled copper or copper-alloy foil having a roughened surface, the rolled copper or copper-alloy foil subjected to roughening treatment with copper fine grains wherein a copper base plating layer is provided between the copper roughened layer and the rolled copper or copper-alloy foil. An object of the present invention is to provide a roughened rolled copper-alloy foil having fewer craters, the presence of which is a serious disadvantage unique to a rolled copper-alloy foil having a roughened surface. In particular, provided is a rolled copper or copper-alloy foil in which the development of craters caused by inclusions present in or near a surface of the base material can be controlled.
US09049794B2

A wiring substrate includes an insulation layer including a thermosetting resin and a reinforcement member having plural first fiber bundles and plural second fiber bundles woven together, the second fiber bundles being intersected with the first fiber bundles, and a pair of differential wirings arranged alongside each other on the insulation layer. The first fiber bundles and the second fiber bundles have a curved portion relative to a plan direction of the insulation layer in a region on which the pair of differential wirings is arranged.
US09049792B2

A protection cover and a portable apparatus including the same are provided. The protection cover includes a front cover, a rear cover, and a coupling member. The front cover is mountable on the portable apparatus and covers a screen of the portable apparatus. The coupling member is formed of a flexible material such that the front cover is pivotable between and open and a closed position. The rear cover is mounted on the backside of the portable apparatus to serve as a rear case of the portable apparatus. The coupling member is integrally coupled with the front cover and separably coupled with the rear cover. According to the above structure, the protection cover can minimize the total volume and dimensions of the portable apparatus after it is mounted.
US09049791B2

A method of attaching a chip to the substrate with an outer layer consisting of via pillars embedded in a dielectric such as solder mask, with ends of the via pillars flush with said dielectric, the method consisting of optionally removing an organic varnish, positioning a chip having legs terminated with solder bumps in contact with exposed ends of the via pillars, and applying heat to melt the solder bumps and to wet the ends of the vias with solder.
US09049779B2

An electrical component includes a substrate having a circuit area and a sacrificial area. A lift-off layer is deposited on the substrate in the sacrificial area. A seed layer is deposited on the substrate in the circuit area and on the lift-off layer in the sacrificial area. A plating layer is electrodeposited on the seed layer. The plating layer forms a circuit in the circuit area. The plating layer forms plating electrodes in the sacrificial area. The lift-off layer is removable from the substrate. The seed layer and the plating layer on the lift-off layer are removed with the lift-off layer when the lift-off layer is removed from the substrate, leaving the circuit on the substrate. The lift-off layer may be dissolved after the plating layer is formed, where the plating layer deposited on the lift-off layer is removed as the lift-off layer is dissolved.
US09049771B2

Disclosed is a charge-transporting material comprising a heteropoly acid compound such as phosphomolybdic acid as a charge-transporting substance. Also disclosed is a charge-transporting varnish comprising the charge-transporting material and an organic solvent, wherein the charge-transporting substance is dissolved in the organic solvent. It becomes possible to provide a charge-transporting material which comprises a substance having high solubility in an organic solvent, charge-transporting properties, and an ability to oxidize hole transport materials, and a charge-transporting varnish comprising the charge-transporting material.
US09049760B2

A PFC LED driver having a flicker control mechanism, including: a bridge rectifier, used to generate a full-wave-rectified line input voltage according to an AC power; a single stage PFC constant average current converter, coupled with the bridge rectifier and used for forcing an input current to track the full-wave-rectified line input voltage and regulating an average value of an output current at a first preset value; and a current ripple reducing unit, in series with an LED module to form a load for the output current to flow through, wherein the current ripple reducing unit has a negative feedback control mechanism for forcing a peak of the output current approach an average value of the output current.
US09049756B2

Multiple control modules (14, 16, 18) provide various power control functions including occupancy sensing, ambient light level sensing, manual touch switch (push button) preset stations, light dimming and power control relay switching. The control modules (14, 16, 18) are interconnected in a conventional four-wire local area network for executing different power control functions in response to remote wireless commands as well as preset manual switch commands at the wall box level. The local area network (12) supplies DC operating power and communicates programming command and control module status information signals to all network control modules (14, 16, 18). One or more control modules (14, 16, 18) include an infrared signal sensor, a laser signal sensor, a signal decoder, a data microcontroller, a parameter lookup table and multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs). The LED diodes are used individually or in combination, in one or more colors and blink rate, to indicate the programming mode, or provide sensor feedback, or indicate device status, according to information contained in a command signal transmitted by a remote programming unit (58).
US09049750B2

A honeycomb structure body is comprised of a honeycomb body, a pair of electrodes, a pair of electrode terminals and one or more slit sections. The honeycomb body is comprised of a cell formation section and an outer skin section. The outer skin section has a cylindrical shape and covers the cell formation section. The electrodes are formed on an outer peripheral surface of the outer skin section so that the electrodes face with to each other in a radial direction of the honeycomb structure body. Each electrode terminal is formed in an electrode terminal formation section on the corresponding electrode. One or more the slit sections are formed in at least one of an electrode terminal formation section and a circumferential outside section of the electrode terminal formation section.
US09049746B2

Devices and methods are disclosed for concurrently managing multimode communications devices. In various embodiments, a wireless communication device comprises a first radio configured to use a first Radio Access Technology (RAT) and a second radio configured to use a second RAT. Processing logic in the wireless device is configured to monitor and manage the state machines of said first and second radios. The processing logic is further configured to place the first radio in an active operational mode and to place the second radio in a reduced functionality operational mode. Control messages for the second radio are then received and processed via the first radio while the second radio is in the reduced functionality operative mode.
US09049744B2

There is a method including receiving information from a relay node associated with a first node. The information includes an indication of at least one second node. The method also includes determining parameter information of the at least one second node on the basis of the indication.
US09049743B1

A method and apparatus in which multiple Internet Protocol (IP) based wireless data transmissions are simultaneously provided between a wireless device and a server, including providing multiple antennas, multiple T/R units, multiple processors and multiple I/O ports on the wireless device. The method includes receiving multiple IP data packets on the I/O ports at substantially the same time, and sending multiple data packets from the wireless device to the server, whereby the transmission rate between the wireless device and the server is increased.
US09049734B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, an apparatus, and a system for resource immediate assignment, which includes: constructing an immediate assignment message according to channel request messages of at least two terminals, where the immediate assignment message assigns a channel resource for the at least two terminals according to the channel request messages of the at least two terminals; and sending the immediate assignment message out. By implementing the embodiments of the present invention, in a case that a valid byte of an immediate assignment message is unchanged, one immediate assignment message can assign a packet resource for at least two terminals, thereby satisfying an access requirement of more terminals.
US09049732B2

A terminal (10) includes elements for transmitting data towards a station (20) in the form of radio signals, the radio signals being transmitted using a frequency resource (MC) shared between a plurality of terminals (10), characterized in that the terminal is configured to emit radio signals, the instantaneous frequency spectrum of which has a bandwidth (TOB) that is significantly lower than a frequency drift of a frequency synthesis unit of the terminal. Also disclosed are a method for using a frequency resource, a method for manufacturing terminals (10) and a telecommunication system (1).
US09049730B2

Systems and methods providing uplink coordinated multi-point (CoMP) communication are shown. A second cell may identify at least one first UE communicating with a first cell and capable of causing high uplink interference to the second cell. The second cell may estimate uplink interference from the at least one first UE at the second cell. The second cell may estimate uplink interference on specific resources. For example, the second cell may determine resources assigned to the at least one first UE for data transmission to the first cell (e.g., using pre-scheduling information provided by the first cell) and estimate uplink interference from the at least one first UE on the resources assigned to the at least one first UE. The second cell may schedule at least one second UE for uplink data transmission to the second cell based on the estimated uplink interference from the at least one first UE.
US09049717B2

A system, method, and computer readable medium for terminating a call in a network system are provided. A femtocell system receives a notification to terminate a call that includes a user equipment serviced by the femtocell system. The femtocell system conveys a clear command to a base transceiver station of the femtocell system, transmits a release message to the user equipment, receives a clear completion message, and deletes a connection allocated for the call.
US09049715B2

Disclosed is a method for a femtocell to reduce interference with an overlapping macrocell. The femtocell determines soft-frequency-reuse (“SFR”) information of the macrocell. From that information, the femtocell determines which frequency sub-channels are assigned by the macrocell for its cell-center users and which frequency sub-channels are assigned for cell-edge users. (Cell-edge users are given a higher transmission power profile in order to overcome potential interference with neighboring macrocells.) Then, the femtocell selects from the cell-center user frequency sub-channels for transmission to the femtocell's users. By transmitting on the cell-center user frequency sub-channels, the femtocell reduces interference with the overlapping macrocell. The femtocell continues to update its knowledge of the macrocell's SFR information and re-assigns frequency sub-channels as the SFR changes. If the macrocell detects that one of its cell-center users is “close enough” to the femtocell, then the macrocell re-assigns the cell-center user as a cell-edge user to overcome interference.
US09049698B2

An enhanced connection recovery upon lost RRC connection due to radio link failure (RLF) or handover failure (HOF) is proposed. A UE first establishes an RRC connection in a source cell in a mobile communication network. Later on, the UE detects a failure event and starts an RRC reestablishment procedure in a target cell to restore the RRC connection. In a first novel aspect, a fast RLF process is applied to reduce the outage time in the serving cell. In a second novel aspect, an enhanced cell selection mechanism based on cell prioritization information is applied to reduce the outage time in the target cell. In one embodiment, multi-RAT registration is used to steer cell selection.
US09049690B2

A communication system includes a call control server that receives a call request containing preference information of the outgoing call side, calls the incoming call side and transmits call request reception information containing information indicating that the call request has been received and the preference information to a message transmission server in order to convey the received call request to the incoming call side. The message transmission server receives the call request reception information transmitted from the call control server and transmits an activation message for activating communication with the outgoing call side containing the preference information contained in the call request reception information, based on the received call request reception information, to the incoming call side.
US09049689B2

A radio communication network (1) comprises at least a radio base station (10) serving an active cell (15) and a radio base station (20, 30, 40) having a passive cell (25, 35, 45) and does not transmit any cell-defining information for the passive cell (25, 35, 45). User equipment (100) receives random access enabling information applicable to the passive cell (25, 35, 45) from the radio base station (10) serving the active cell (15). The user equipment (100) uses this information for compiling and transmitting a random access to the radio base station (20, 30, 40) of the passive cell (25, 35, 45). Upon reception of the random access, the radio base station (20, 30, 40) activates its passive cell (25, 35, 45) and starts transmission of cell-defining information for the now activated cell (25, 35, 45) to assist user equipment (10) in finding the cell (25, 35, 45) for radio communication service.
US09049687B2

A method for a base station to provide a multicast and/or broadcast service (MBS) in a communication system. The method includes: transmitting system information on a system control information block (SCIB); transmitting MBS control information that is changed with relatively high frequency on a secondary multicast/broadcast control information block (S-MCIB); and transmitting MBS content data based on the MBS control information.
US09049685B2

Methods and apparatuses for capillary network device registration implemented in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) are disclosed. Registration or bootstrap messages may be received by a capillary network device where the WTRU acts as a gateway for communication between the capillary device and a network such as a 3GPP network. A capillary network device identifier (CNDID) is sent to the capillary device. A packet data protocol (PDP) context or PDN connection may be established with the network and the CNDID may be sent to a machine type communications (MTC) server. The WTRU may create the registration message, establish a connection with the network, and forward the registration message to the MTC server. Methods and apparatuses implemented in a network are also disclosed for identifying, addressing, and triggering the capillary devices from the MTC server. The trigger message may include fields for group communication, reducing signaling, and enabling charging.
US09049683B2

A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for registration of a mobile communication device include receiving a tracking area update request from the mobile communication device. Determining if the mobile communication device is categorized as moving or stationary. Categorizing the mobile communication list as one of moving or stationary based on the tracking area update request. Transmitting a tracking area list and a timer value to the mobile communications device based on the categorizing of the mobile communication device and the tracking area update request. The tracking area list and timer value can also be based on other factors.
US09049679B2

Disclosed herein are a location measurement method and apparatus. The apparatus includes a first grading unit, a first presumed line calculation unit, a second grading unit, a second presumed lined calculating unit, a presumed location calculation unit, and a final location calculation unit. The first grading unit determines the grade of a first RSSI. The first presumed line calculation unit calculates the range of the object from a first node based on the grade of the first RSSI. The second grading unit determines the grade of a second RSSI. The second presumed line calculating unit calculates the range of the object from a second node based on the grade of the second RSSI. The presumed location calculation unit calculates two presumed locations. The final location calculation unit determines one of the two presumed locations to be the final location of the object.
US09049674B2

A wireless communication system and a method for detecting downlink receiving power in the system are disclosed. N cells in the system respectively transmit data to at least one receiving terminal via N resource blocks using the same time-frequency resources; multiple channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs) of a corresponding cell are set in each resource block, and orthogonality is maintained among the CSI-RSs of all the cells, wherein N is an integer greater than 1. Said method includes: an additional demodulation reference signal (DM-RS) used for indicating a receiving power is set in a puncture position in the resource block of the first cell which corresponds to a CSI-RS set in a resource block of another cell; and the receiving power of said first cell is detected according to said additional DM-RS. By using said method, the receiving power of a single cell in N cells can be detected, and the system overhead is not increased.
US09049668B2

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus obtains at least one of a pathloss measurement to a base station or a maximum tolerable interference to the base station, determines a maximum transmission power for an access link to a user equipment (UE) based on the at least one of the pathloss measurement or the maximum tolerable interference to the base station, and communicates on the access link to the UE at a transmission power less than the determined maximum transmission power.
US09049663B2

In a particular embodiment, an apparatus includes a first sensor that has an active mode and a dormant mode. When operating in the active mode, the first sensor has a first power consumption level. The apparatus further includes a second sensor that has a second power consumption level that is less than the first power consumption level (i.e., the power consumption level of the first sensor). The second sensor is deactivated when the first sensor is operating in the active mode. The apparatus includes logic to activate the second sensor when the first sensor transitions from the active mode to the dormant mode.
US09049661B2

Certain aspects of the present disclosure may help reduce power consumption by allowing a UE to remain in a low power state by not attempting to decode ACK/NACK transmissions after receiving a positive acknowledgement (ACK).
US09049659B2

A method and apparatus minimize current consumption related to accessing a local network in a multi-mode mobile terminal. Current location information of the multi-mode mobile terminal is checked through a first communication module. A second communication module for a local network is turned-on when the current location information of the multi-mode mobile terminal corresponds to stored location information. And the second communication module is turned-off when a connection to the local network is interrupted and the current location information of the multi-mode mobile terminal does not correspond to the stored location information.
US09049653B2

In one embodiment of the invention, a method for wireless communication includes receiving a packet destined to a destination node at a first egress router. The destination node is supported by a second egress router. A destination address of the packet is the first egress router. The received packet is redirected to the second egress router.
US09049652B2

Aspects of a method and system for controlling access and utilization of femtocells via a network based service are provided. In this regard, a femtocell management entity communicatively coupled to a network and operable to manage one or more femtocells may be accessed via an end-user communication device. In this manner, the femtocell(s) may be managed via the end-user device such as one of the cellular enabled communication devices. The femtocell management entity may enable establishing one or more SLAs between the femtocell(s) and the cellular enabled communication device(s). The SLA(s) may enable the cellular enabled communication device(s) to establish one or more cellular communication channels with the femtocell(s). The SLA(s) may determine when the cellular communication channels may be established. The SLA(s) may determine how a femtocell owner/operator may be compensated for providing cellular service. The femtocell(s) may be accessed utilizing Internet Protocol.
US09049638B2

A method of operation of a mobile communication system includes: receiving a base carrier frequency signal from a cell tower location; generating a power spectral density from the base carrier frequency signal; measuring a Rician K factor from the power spectral density; estimating a line-of-sight Doppler frequency based on the base carrier frequency signal; determining the cell tower location based on the Rician K factor; and activating a handover decision handler based on the cell tower location.
US09049622B1

Methods and corresponding systems are provided for limiting mobile station operation when multiple mobile stations are moving together in a group. Such group movement includes but is not limited to movement in a vehicle. According to disclosed methods, a determination is made that multiple mobile stations are moving substantially together, and in response to the determination, operation of one or more of the mobile stations is limited.
US09049606B2

A self-diagnosis circuit is coupled to a signal transmission path between a high-frequency signal input part and an output part and is configured to diagnose a high-frequency circuit using a signal that propagates along the signal transmission path. The self-diagnosis circuit includes a detector configured to detect the high-frequency signal propagating along the signal transmission path from the output part toward the input part; and a diagnosis unit that diagnoses for an abnormality in the follower stage of the high-frequency circuit disposed between a coupling part of the self-diagnosis circuit with respect to the signal transmission path and the output part, in accordance with the detection result of the detector.
US09049599B2

An information processing apparatus capable of effectively preventing an unauthorized access in a manner cooperatively associated with a predetermined security setting of a wireless communication. An information processing apparatus is capable of wireless communication with an external apparatus, receives a job request therefrom, and executes job processing according to the job request. A CPU sets a management setting for managing users who use the information processing apparatus. The CPU receives the job request from the external apparatus via a wireless LAN interface. The CPU determines, when the job request is received, whether or not the wireless communication has been set to a predetermined security setting, and performs control, when it is determined that the wireless communication has not been set to the predetermined security setting, so as to refuse to accept the job request, unless the management setting has been set.
US09049598B2

Methods, devices, and systems are disclosed for altering a mobile electronic device's screen timeout based on a strength of ambient wireless signals. A ringtone can be altered in addition to the password timeout time. Signals may be recognized or unknown and the time out can be adjusted based on the determined risk associated with the signals.
US09049592B2

Key derivation procedures and key hierarchies compatible with the mesh link establishment protocol for use in a mesh network. A single cryptographic primitive may be utilized, which is a key derivation function, denoted as kdfK, where K is a cached pairwise master key. The result of the function kdfK may be used to derive the keys used to secure both link establishment and the data subsequently exchanged over the link.
US09049590B1

In a communication system, a control server determines a first quota for a rating group to grant communication usage on a per-user basis and indicates the first quota to a network element. The network element grants communication usage to the users in the rating group based on the first quota. A user communication device receives a user input indicating a user priority and transfers the user priority to the network element. The network element transfers the user priority to the control server. The control server processes the user priority to determine a second quota for the rating group. The network element receives the second quota and grants subsequent communication usage to the users in the rating group based on the second quota.
US09049586B2

When a call is placed within a femtocell area of coverage, the location of the femtocell is used as the location of the mobile device. The location of the femtocell is stored in the network, and if the call is placed through the femtocell, the location of the femtocell is used to determine the location of the mobile device.
US09049583B2

A mobile device identifies whether potentially distracting applications are running on the mobile device as well as the activity of the user, via at least one sensor on the mobile device. If it is determined that at least one potentially distracting application is running and the user is engaged in an activity that may become dangerous due to use of the at least one potentially distracting application, a warning is provided on a user output of the mobile device when the mobile device is within a predetermined time and/or distance of an identified hazard.
US09049572B2

A mobile device periodically polls a network server via a communications network to obtain new communications addressed to a client account according to a polling schedule. The mobile device receives an indication of a threshold change of one or more of ambient light, temperature, or proximity of an object to the mobile device via an optical sensor of the mobile device, or an indication of motion of the mobile device via a motion sensor of the mobile device. The polling schedule is advanced responsive to the indication of the threshold change of ambient light, temperature, or proximity, or the indication of motion. The mobile device outputs a notification that new communications have been received by the mobile device from the network server.
US09049564B2

A vehicle may include a vehicle broadcasting system for providing occupant interaction between one or more vehicle occupants. The on-board device may receive communications from occupants in the vehicle or from a different vehicle within a predetermined communication range. Vehicle occupants may send communications to the on-board device through a communication device, e.g., a cell phone, or through a user interface in the vehicle. The vehicle broadcasting system may implement any number of interaction functionalities, such as supporting a conversation between vehicle occupants, interactive video, game, quiz, karaoke, or other occupant interactions.
US09049560B2

Examples disclosed herein may relate to transmitting almanac information associated with a subset of wireless transmitters to a mobile station. The subset of wireless transmitters may be determined, at least in part, by determining expected contributions of one or more wireless transmitters to a future navigation operation for the mobile station.
US09049542B1

A system, method and computer readable medium for targeting messages delivered by wireless communication comprising determining at least one target space within at least one wireless communications network, determining a notification list comprising at least one recipient in said at least one target space, determining at least one notification message, and transmitting said at least one notification message through said at least one wireless communications network to at least one recipient on said notification list.
US09049538B2

A mobile communication device configured for Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications is provided. In the mobile communication device, a wireless module performs wireless transmissions and receptions to and from a service network, and a controller module receives a message with a Slot Cycle Index (SCI) only for the M2M communications from the service network via the wireless module and instructs the wireless module to monitor a paging channel according to the SCI only for the M2M communications.
US09049537B2

Pairing among computing devices is achieved without any of the device entering discoverable mode. An inquiring device obtains a list of MAC addresses and transmits connection requests using the MAC addresses. Any device within reception distance that has the same MAC address would respond to the request. Upon receiving the response, the two devices would pair up. A beacon may be used to store MAC addresses and related data. Computing devices may send inquiries to the beacon and receive in return MAC addresses corresponding to the inquiry. The devices may then transmit pairing requests using these MAC addresses.
US09049536B2

A method and apparatus for efficiently allocating resources to a terminal in a random access system are provided. A method for transmitting an abnormal power down report from a Machine to Machine (M2M) device in a wireless communication system may include transmitting the abnormal power down report to a base station using uplink resources that have already been allocated to the M2M device and starting a first timer for confirmation of the transmitted abnormal power down report.
US09049534B2

An audio system for a vehicle includes a directional loudspeaker that is mounted to a vehicle seat. The directional loudspeaker radiates a first channel audio signal so that the direction toward an intended location of a first ear position of an occupant of the vehicle seat is a high radiation direction and radiates a second channel audio signal so that the direction toward an intended location of a second ear position of the occupant of the vehicle seat is a high radiation direction. A forward mounted loudspeaker radiates at least one of the first channel audio signal and the second channel audio signal. Signal processing circuitry modifies (e.g., delays) the first channel audio signal to at least one of the directional loudspeaker and the forward mounted loudspeaker to cause one of those speakers to dominate spatial perception.
US09049533B2

A method is provided for optimizing acoustic localization at one or more listening positions in a listening environment such as, but not limited to, a vehicle passenger compartment. The method includes generating a sound field with a group of loudspeakers assigned to at least one of the listening positions, the group of loudspeakers including first and second loudspeakers, where each loudspeaker is connected to a respective audio channel; calculating filter coefficients for a phase equalization filter; configuring a phase response for the phase equalization filter such that binaural phase difference (Δφmn) at the at least one of the listening positions or a mean binaural phase difference (mΔφmn) averaged over the listening positions is reduced in a predefined frequency range; and filtering the audio channel connected to the second loudspeaker with the phase equalization filter.
US09049529B2

A field ready, unsupervised-use ready, method and apparatus for audio fitting a hearing aid is described in a hand held configuration having paired comparisons (hearing selections) stored in and derivable from a memory therein. The paired comparisons are presented one at a time to a user and a preferred selection for each paired comparison is made by a select indicator after the user toggles back and forth between the selections for as many times necessary in determining their preferences. A genetic algorithm converges all the preferences upon a single solution. Crossover and mutation genetic algorithm operators operate on a linear range of indexes representative of parametric values of the pairs. A fully integrated hearing aid having all the above described features incorporated therein is also presented.
US09049521B2

A magnetic circuit includes a magnet, a first plate, and a yoke, and has a magnetic gap. The first plate and the yoke are joined to the magnet. The magnet includes first and second magnet parts. The second magnet part has a lower magnetic property than that of the first magnet part. Such a first magnet part is disposed in a vicinity of the magnetic gap. On the other hand, the second magnet part is disposed farther from the magnetic gap than the first magnet part. The first and second magnet parts are connected in parallel to each other. With this configuration, the second magnet part makes a small contribution to the magnetic flux density in the magnetic gap. Therefore, the magnetic property of the second magnet part may be low, and an inexpensive magnet can be used as the second magnet part.
US09049511B2

A diaphragm is disclosed in the present disclosure. The diaphragm includes a middle layer, a first and a second adhesive layer attached on two side surfaces of the middle layer respectively, and a first layer adhered to the middle layer by the first adhesive layer and a second layer adhered to the middle layer by the second adhesive layer. The first adhesive layer is made of acrylic adhesive and the second adhesive layer is made of silica gel. A speaker using the diaphragm described above is also disclosed. The diaphragm can be used in a relatively wide temperature range and has a strong adaptability to the environment.
US09049510B2

The method for checking loudspeakers comprises the steps of emitting a pulse over an electrical connection with the loudspeaker; measuring the electrical resistance over the connection; determining the state of the loudspeaker according to the measured resistance; and triggering a corrective action depending on the determined state of the loudspeaker. The claimed method further comprises the steps of associating a plurality of amplification systems to different subsets of the plurality of loudspeakers; assigning different signals to be emitted by different loudspeakers for each of a plurality of control signals; and storing parameters representing the signals to be emitted in each amplification system. When a control signal common to the different amplification systems is received, the amplification systems cause the loudspeakers to emit the different signals and the corrective action comprises memorizing the parameters representing the status of the loudspeaker.
US09049506B2

A micro-speaker includes a yoke, a magnet assembly attached to the yoke, a voice coil, and a diaphragm connected with the voice coil. The yoke defines a bottom wall, and a number of sidewalls extending upwards from the bottom wall. The magnet assembly includes a main magnet positioned on the bottom wall, and a number of secondary magnets positioned on tops of the sidewalls.
US09049501B2

An electrical apparatus to sense current through a load includes a first input terminal having a first input voltage relative to a reference, a second input terminal having a second input voltage relative to the reference, a first load terminal of the load having a first load voltage relative to the reference, a second load terminal of the load having a second load voltage relative to the reference, a first current sensing element connected between the first input terminal and the first load terminal and a second current sensing element connected between the second input terminal and the second load terminal. A first sense voltage is determined by a relationship between the first input voltage and the second load voltage and a second sense voltage is determined by a relationship between the second input voltage and the first load voltage.
US09049499B2

A communication network device and corresponding patch field system are disclosed. The device includes a port module, ports, and an appliqué attached to a face of the port module. The appliqué includes a printed circuit board (PCB) with conductive pads. A patch cord connects the device with an intelligent patch panel. The patch cord contains at least one system wire. The patch panel is adapted to measure a resistance associated with each port via the system wire. An open circuit indicates that no patch cord is attached to the port, a resistance within a first range indicates that the patch cord is attached only to the port of the intelligent patch panel, and a resistance within a second range less than the first range indicates that the patch cord connects the intelligent patch panel and the device.
US09049496B2

A server machine and a first device (e.g., a television) are configured to access a stream of media (e.g., a broadcast channel) from a media source (e.g., a broadcaster). The server machine generates a representation (e.g., a fingerprint) of the stream of media and stores the representation. The first device plays the stream of media (e.g., for a user) and generates an analog signal based on the stream of media. A second device (e.g., a mobile device of the user) is configured to receive the analog signal and generate a representation of the analog signal. The second device provides the representation of the analog signal to the server machine, which may compare the representation of the stream of media to the representation of the analog signal. Based on the comparison, the server machine may provide an identifier of the media source to the second device.
US09049494B2

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for performing an action during playback based on a media manifest file. A system, such as a media player, configured to practice the method receives a media manifest, extracts, from the media manifest, a list of media chunks and at least one tag associated with the list of media chunks. The list of media chunks can describe two or more separate media assets. Then the system parses the at least one tag to identify an action to perform during playback and a playback position to perform the action. The system retrieves, for playback, at least one media chunk associated with the playback position from the list of media chunks, and, during playback of the at least one media chunk and at the playback position, performs the action. Modifying the media playback control can include temporarily disabling a media playback control.
US09049488B2

Methods to present video and purchasing function content embedded in the video in a single user interface. The user interface may be configured to allow the user watching the video to take an action with respect to the video content, which may include items for purchase, and to allow the user to both watch the video content, and select the item for purchase in one transaction step. In other embodiments, the video content is segmented such that a user is provided the ability to select one or more objects in the video. In other embodiments, the user interface provides a dynamic message such as a “call to action” to a user. The call to action may be timed with the video and/or with the user viewing selections in order to urge a user to take a pre-determined action such as purchase a product, make a donation, and the like.
US09049484B2

A remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system receives a media content file that is stored in a storage architecture of the RS-DVR system. The same stored media content file is assigned to multiple subscribers such that each of the multiple subscribers shares a common identifier that references a single common physical copy of the same stored media content file in the storage architecture of the RS-DVR system.
US09049477B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to monitor for media content from a first source that is distributable where the media content is adjusted for distribution to a plurality of communication devices that are associated with a user and a portion of the plurality of communication devices use different communication protocols from another portion of the plurality of communication devices, obtain content metadata from the media content, receive a request for information associated with the media content from a first communication device of the plurality of communication devices of the user, compile the information from the content metadata based at least in part on a user profile associated with the user, and transmit the information to the first communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09049472B2

A media player can identify one or more elements of a media presentation and select an element of the media presentation for generating output. The elements may be identified in a playlist or elsewhere. For example, the playlist may specify a composition of a plurality of visual, audio, or other elements for generating output or other behavior in parallel and/or in series over the course of the media presentation. The media player can comprise a playback component configured to utilize at least one selectively-enabled functional component of the media player to generate output based on evaluating the trait(s) exposed by the selected element. Traits may be determined based on analyzing media types or other data regarding the elements of the presentation.
US09049471B2

A personal video recorder is provided for displaying a targeted advertisement on a display in conjunction with displaying of a broadcast stream on the display. A viewer profile of a viewer of the display is defined based on signals received by a controller indicating usage of a viewer control interface by the viewer, for example based on viewer reactions to a broadcast stream or to an advertisement. A targeted advertisement is selected from stored advertisements based on the viewer profile of the viewer of the display. The targeted advertisement is displayed on the display. The viewer profile is updated based on subsequent signals received by the controller indicating usage of the viewer control interface. The signals indicate viewer reactions, for example, a viewer reaction to a broadcast stream or a viewer reaction to an advertisement or a viewer purchase.
US09049464B2

An apparatus, system, and method utilizing multi-description coding (MDC) for multimedia content with a plurality of forms of diversity. A source scene can be fragmented into one or more region of interest (ROI) portions and non-ROI portions, based on motion or any other metric of interest. One or more of these portions can further be fragmented by sub-sampling the respective portions to generate a plurality of lower-resolution versions, e.g., with alternating groups of pixels in respective versions. Still further, one or more of these portions can be further fragmented by image frames, e.g., with alternating frames in respective fragments. At least one ROI portion and lower-resolution versions may then be encoded into a plurality of descriptions and transmitted. Utilizing various combinations of ROI diversity, resolution diversity, and frame rate diversity can improve channel utilization and robustness for streaming multimedia content.
US09049450B2

A method of encoding a video based on a bit depth increment, the method including: determining a scaling method so that a dynamic range, which is based on a bit depth of a restored image decreased by de-scaling that is performed to decrease the bit depth increment, is identical to a dynamic range based on a bit depth of an input image, and generating an internal image having the bit depth increment by applying the scaling method to pixel values of the input image; and determining and encoding coding units having a tree structure, for each maximum coding unit of the internal image having the bit depth increment.
US09049449B2

A method of encoding scalable video data having multiple layers where each layer in the multiple layers is associated with at least one other layer includes identifying one or more layers using a first identifier where the first identifier indicates decoding dependency, and identifying reference pictures within the identified one or more layers using a second identifier. The coding of the second identifier for pictures in a first layer is independent of pictures in a second enhancement layer. As such, for all pictures with a certain value of DependencyID, the syntax element frame_num is coded independently of other pictures with different values of DependencyID. Within all pictures with a pre-determined value of DependencyID, a default frame_num coding method is used.
US09049442B2

A technique is provided that can record moving images while not resulting in calculation load increase and maintaining a certain degree of image quality even when encoding corresponding to a 4:4:4 format. Provisional encoding is performed, by obtaining motion vectors in accordance with a plurality of mutually different search ranges of image data of one color component, on a preset number of frame images at an initial stage at a time when an encoding start instruction is given. Moreover, the search range having the smallest error vector among each of the search ranges is determined as a search range for a motion vector, for each color component in main encoding processing carried out following provisional encoding.
US09049434B2

A 3D imaging device determines during imaging whether the captured images will be viewed three-dimensionally without causing fatigue while simulating actual human perception. In a 3D imaging device, a warning unit provides a warning to a photographer indicating that the captured images of the scene to be imaged will not be perceived as a 3D video having an appropriate 3D effect when a control unit determines that the captured images will not be perceived as such an appropriate 3D video. The 3D imaging device is prevented from obtaining an inappropriate 3D image (3D video).
US09049425B2

A method is provided for a three-dimensional (3D) image processing system including a stereoscopic display device. The method includes providing a stereoscopic image and obtaining a parallax range of the stereoscopic image and a parallax range supported by the stereoscopic display device. The method also includes determining a parallax operation to adjust the parallax range of the stereoscopic image based on the relationship between the parallax range of the stereoscopic image and the parallax range supported by the stereoscopic display device. Further, the method includes determining an offset value and an offset direction of a horizontal coordinate of each pixel of the stereoscopic image, and shifting the horizontal coordinate of each pixel of the stereoscopic image by the offset value and in the offset direction.
US09049423B2

The techniques of this disclosure are directed to the feedback-based stereoscopic display of three-dimensional images, such as may be used for video telephony (VT) and human-machine interface (HMI) application. According to one example, a region of interest (ROI) of stereoscopically captured images may be automatically determined based on determining disparity for at least one pixel of the captured images are described herein. According to another example, a zero disparity plane (ZDP) for the presentation of a 3D representation of stereoscopically captured images may be determined based on an identified ROI. According to this example, the ROI may be automatically identified, or identified based on receipt of user input identifying the ROI.
US09049422B2

Providing for operation of high-speed optical sensor equipment at full data path speeds in conjunction with testing equipment operating at a lower speed is described herein. By way of example, a data stream output from optical sensor equipment to testing equipment can be throttled at a serial interface between such equipment. Throttling can involve subdividing a set of pixel data and outputting a subset of the pixel data in a given readout frame. Consecutive outputs of respective subsets of pixel data are initiated with an offset from the previous readout frame. Accordingly, the optical sensor equipment can be operated at full speeds, simulating realistic operational conditions, while slower testing equipment can be utilized to perform data analytics, heuristics, and other quality tests on various portions of the optical sensor equipment.
US09049421B2

An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method of using pattern vectors for image coding and decoding. The method comprises converting a block of image data into a set of transform coefficients, quantizing the transform coefficients such that a number of the coefficients become zero, constructing a single entity or bit vector indicating which coefficients are non-zero, coding the single entity or bit vector as an integer using an adaptive, semi-adaptive or non-adaptive arithmetic coder, coding the values of the coefficients in any fixed order, using an adaptive, semi-adaptive or non-adaptive arithmetic coder, or some other coder, and coding all coefficients except the zero coefficients. The system and method of decoding data relate to the corresponding hardware and process steps performed by the decoder when decoding a bitstream coded as described herein.
US09049416B2

A system and method for constructing a scene clip, and a non-statutory record medium thereof are provided. The system includes media supply equipment, a metadata server, a scene server, and an end device. The media supply equipment is used for providing media data. The metadata server is used for providing scene time information corresponding to playback scenes of the media data. A first end device acquires the media data and the scene time information, and extracts, according to capture time information input when playing the media data, at least one piece of target scene time from each piece of the scene time information. The scene server acquires the media data and the target scene time, and according to an alignment result of the target scene time and each piece of the scene time information, extracts local scene clips from the media data to form a piece of media division data.
US09049412B2

The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method for projecting video onto a screen. A video unit (10) may comprise a plurality of light emitting diodes (40a, 40b, and 40c) disposed in an annular formation (41) and configured to produce light (44), a reflector configured to reflect the produced light from at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes (40a, 40b, and 40c), and a plurality of optical components disposed in an annular formation, wherein each of the optical components corresponds to one of the light emitting diodes (40a, 40b, and 40c), wherein each of the optical components is configured to focus the produced light at the reflector.
US09049401B2

An apparatus and a method for providing a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) service using a digital TeleVision (TV) and an external device are provided. It is determined whether a received broadcast channel supports a Multi Mode Service (MMS), and if so, one of subchannels included in the broadcast channel is set to a main channel. The digital TV reproduces a broadcast signal via the main channel, and broadcast signals of subchannels excluding the main channel are transmitted to at least one external device in communication with the digital TV.
US09049393B2

Provided is a solid state imaging device including: a pixel portion where pixel sharing units are disposed in an array shape and where another one pixel transistor group excluding transfer transistors is shared by a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions; transfer wiring lines which are connected to the transfer gate electrodes of the transfer transistors of the pixel sharing unit and which are disposed to extend in a horizontal direction and to be in parallel in a vertical direction as seen from the top plane; and parallel wiring lines which are disposed to be adjacent to the necessary transfer wiring lines in the pixel sharing unit and which are disposed to be in parallel to the transfer wiring lines as seen from the top plane, wherein voltages which are used to suppress potential change of the transfer gate electrodes are supplied to the parallel wiring lines.
US09049391B2

A camera array, an imaging device and/or a method for capturing image that employ a plurality of imagers fabricated on a substrate is provided. Each imager includes a plurality of pixels. The plurality of imagers include a first imager having a first imaging characteristics and a second imager having a second imaging characteristics. The images generated by the plurality of imagers are processed to obtain an enhanced image compared to images captured by the imagers. Each imager may be associated with an optical element fabricated using a wafer level optics (WLO) technology.
US09049383B2

Provided are a method and an apparatus for displaying a photo on a screen having any shape. The method includes: extracting photographing information about a photo having a first shape; adjusting the photo for display with a shape optimized for a screen having a second shape, based on the extracted photographing information; and displaying the adjusted photo on the screen.
US09049382B2

There is a provided an image processing apparatus comprising an image generation unit to generate a processed image using an image group having a plurality of images captured from multiple view points, a first image recognition unit to recognize a particular object from the processed image, a second image recognition unit to recognize respective objects which appear in the image group, a determination unit to compare the results by the first and second image recognition units and to determine an object of interest and an object of noninterest, and an attribute generation unit to generate attribute information including the result of determination by the determination unit, in the processed image.
US09049374B2

An imaging apparatus includes an image sensor that exposes a subject image by reading lines sequentially to generate an image; a detector that detects an angular velocity of a shake of the imaging apparatus; a controller that: (i) determines the detected angular velocity as an angular velocity for correction when the detected angular velocity is equal to or less than a predetermined angular velocity and, determines the predetermined angular velocity as the angular velocity for correction when the detected angular velocity is larger than the predetermined angular velocity; and (ii) corrects to reduce an influence of a shake to the image generated by the image sensor by image processing based on the determined angular velocity for correction.
US09049373B2

A method captures images of objects using an image capturing apparatus. The method obtains x-coordinate values, y-coordinate values, and z-coordinate values of the accelerations of a camera device sensed by a gravity sensor in a default time interval, calculates three-dimensional coordinate differences according to the obtained x-coordinate, y-coordinate, and z-coordinate values, and determines whether the three-dimensional coordinate differences are less than corresponding predefined thresholds. If at least one coordinate difference is not less than a corresponding predefined threshold, the method delays a period of time to obtain the x-coordinate, y-coordinate, and the z-coordinate values in a next default time interval. If all the three-dimensional coordinate differences are less than the corresponding predefined thresholds, the method controls the camera device to capture images of the subject object.
US09049363B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a digital photographing apparatus including a user interface provider for providing a user interface including: a display region for displaying a live-view image or a reproduced image; a first region for providing at least one pre-set menu; and a second region for providing at least one user set menu set by a user.
US09049361B2

Light emission control makes it possible to determine an appropriate main light emission amount even when an optical accessory that changes color characteristics of transmitted light is attached forward of a light emission section of an illumination device. A strobe capable of having a color filter attached thereto, which changes color characteristics of transmitted light. The strobe includes a strobe microcomputer that acquires information on characteristics of the color filter attached forward of the light emission section, and transmits the acquired information on the characteristics to an image pickup apparatus on which the strobe is mounted.
US09049355B2

An embodiment of the invention discloses a face-slimming method applied to a series of images captured by an electronic device. The process begins to receive a current image from the series of captured images and detects at least one face landmark corresponding to a face region of the current image. The face landmark of the current image is compared with a reference landmark and a distortion mask is adjusted accordingly. And then, a size of the face region within the current image is then adjusted according to the distortion mask, where the distortion mask corresponds to positions of the face landmark.
US09049354B2

A system and method suitable for collecting local television signals includes a local collection facility having a plurality of primary receiver circuit modules with a first receiver circuit module and a back-up receiver module. The local collection facility includes the first receiver circuit module receiving and demodulating the first channel signal and forming a first IP signal. The first receiver has a first multicast group. The back-up receiver circuit module receives and demodulates the first channel signal and forming a second signal. The back-up receiver has a second multicast group. A remote facility is spaced apart from the local collection facility and communicates with the local collection facility through an IP backhaul. A primary decoder within the remote facility is communication with the IP backhaul and forms a decoded signal from the first IP signal. The primary decoder belongs to the first multi-cast group. A primary encoder within the remote facility communicates with the primary decoder and forms a first encoded signal from the decoded signal. A multiplexer multiplexes the first encoded signal into a multiplexed signal. A monitoring system includes commanding the primary decoder to join the second multicast group and discontinue the first multicast group. The primary decoder forms the decoded signal from the second IP signal.
US09049350B2

An imaging apparatus connected to another imaging apparatus and a reception apparatus via a network. A reception section receives a transmission request requesting transmission of first video data photographed by the imaging apparatus to the reception apparatus, from the reception apparatus. A determination section determines, based on processing load on the imaging apparatus, a distribution capacity of the imaging apparatus, or conditions of the network, whether or not the imaging apparatus is to execute transmission processing for transmitting the first video data to the reception apparatus. An acquisition section acquires, in a case where the determination section has determined that the imaging apparatus is not to execute the transmission processing, a transmission destination to which a request for acquiring second video data photographed by said another imaging apparatus is to be transmitted.
US09049347B2

A method and mobile unit facilitate installation of a surveillance camera for monitoring an object of interest in a scene. The surveillance camera acquires a zoomed out image of the scene. The zoomed out image is displayed in a display wherein the zoomed out image has a zoomed out center point. An indicator overlaid on the displayed zoomed out image is displayed in the display, wherein the indicator and the zoomed out center point are displaced in relation to each other by a deviation. The indicator indicates the position of a zoomed in center point of a zoomed in image of the scene. The surveillance camera is directed so that the position of the object of interest and the indicator coincide so that the object of interest is included in a zoomed in image of the scene.
US09049342B2

In a case in which through an Internet, a first exchange system to which a multi-functional telephone of a conference organizer who organizes a conference is connected and a second exchange system to which are connected multi-functional telephones used by conference participants who participate in the conference straddling different bases are connected, when the multi-functional telephones of the plurality of conference participants who participate in the conference are connected to the same exchange system as the second exchange system, in a video conference mixing device in the second exchange system, conference communication information (video image information+audio information) from the multi-functional telephones is previously mixed to be edited into one conference communication information, and the one conference communication information is transmitted to the video conference mixing device in the first exchange system of the conference organizer side.
US09049341B2

A method and apparatus for video resource management in a video conference is provided in embodiments of this invention. comprises: partitioning a display interface into a first display area, a second display area, a third display area; graphically representing a plurality of conference rooms participating in a video conference and presenting the plurality of graphical conference rooms participating in the video conference in the first display area; presenting a first graphical conference room comprising a first video resource, the first conference room being selected presented in the first display area; presenting the second graphical conference room in the third display area, the second conference rooms presented in the second display area. The embodiments of this invention may graphically represent video resources corresponding to screens or terminal video collecting apparatus in each conference room of a video conference, so that users can perceive situations in each conference room visually.
US09049337B2

A mobile communication terminal for providing a Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) service interworking with video telephony and a method thereof are provided. The mobile communication system includes a first mobile communication terminal for generating RFID service information by using RFID tag information and for transmitting the generated information to a second mobile communication terminal, and the second mobile communication terminal for parsing the RFID service information received from the first mobile communication terminal and for outputting the parsed RFID service information.
US09049336B2

An auto-detect method for detecting a single-frame image format is provided. A single-frame image is divided into a plurality of macro-blocks. Each of the macro-blocks is divided into a plurality of sub-blocks. A meta-block is allocated in each of the sub-blocks. A pixel luminance sum characteristic value for each of the meta-blocks is calculated. A first confidence between a left half and a right half of the single-frame image is calculated according to the pixel luminance sum characteristic values. A second confidence between an upper half and a lower hap of the single-frame image is calculated according to the pixel luminance sum characteristic values. A format of the single-frame image is determined according to the pixel luminance sum characteristic values, and the first and second confidences of the single-frame image.
US09049334B1

A method for chroma denoising a digital image created in a digital camera includes decomposing the digital image into a plurality of spatial frequency bands. A separate modified color correction matrix is calculated from a color correction matrix associated with the camera for each of the plurality of spatial frequency bands. Each modified color correction matrix is applied to data in its corresponding spatial frequency band to produce color-corrected data in the plurality of spatial frequency bands. The color-corrected data in plurality of spatial frequency bands is combined to produce an output image.
US09049331B2

An electronic device has, as operation modes, a first mode and a second mode reduced in power consumption from the first mode. The electronic device includes a main unit an operation of which is suppressed in the second mode; and a sub-unit. The sub-unit includes a communicating unit that performs communication via a communication line; and an operation mode controller that changes the operation modes from the second mode to the first mode when the communication with a predefined prescribed device is requested during the second mode and changes the operation modes from the first mode to the second mode at a timing corresponding to termination of the communication.
US09049326B2

A multifunction device including an image recording unit and a scanner unit is provided. The scanner unit includes an image readable plane. The image recording unit includes a first tray, a conveyer path to convey the recording sheet in a first orientation, and a second tray, which is formed along an edge of an opening formed on the front face, and in which the recording sheet having been conveyed in the conveyer path is disposed. The recording sheet in a maximum conveyable size for the conveyer path is disposed to occupy a discharge area in the second tray. A downstream end of the discharge area along a second orientation is in a displaced and downstream position with respect to a downstream end of an image readable area of the image readable plane along the second orientation for a first distance.
US09049324B2

A data processing device for incorporating one or more scanned data files generated by an image scanning device for storage into a file in a specified format (e.g. an Excel file) equipped with a plurality of display areas (e.g. spreadsheets), which is capable of receiving user's designation of one of the display areas to which each of the scanned data files is allocated to (S101), and modifying configuration data (e.g. part files) of the file so that each of the scanned data files is allocated to one of the display areas according to the user's designation (S112).
US09049323B2

A data processing apparatus includes a position detecting portion capable of detecting a position designated by a user, and a control portion which includes a content displaying portion to display a display area of content and a gesture event determining portion to determine a gesture event. The content displaying portion includes a display image generating portion, and a display control portion to display the display image. The display image generating portion includes a state storing portion to store state information for specifying the display area at a time point of start of a gesture period, and a prioritized displaying portion operable, when a first gesture event changing the display area and a second gesture event not changing the display area are determined during the gesture period, to generate a display image for displaying the display area specified by the state information, on the basis of the second gesture event.
US09049322B2

In response to detecting a wireless communication apparatus, an information processing apparatus acquires from the wireless communication apparatus setting information for causing a function corresponding to a display screen to be executed, and executes the function based on the acquired setting information.
US09049320B2

An image processing apparatus includes following components. A blank-area identifying unit identifies a blank area having a size exceeding a predetermined size, from a non-specifying-mark image portion of a recording area image of a recording area that includes individual images and a specifying mark specifying an area containing images among the individual images. A concealing unit conceals a divided area specified by the specifying-mark image, among divided areas obtained by dividing a non-blank area by a gap having a width equal to or larger than a threshold in a specific direction, among gaps between the individual images arranged in the specific direction in the non-blank area. The non-blank area is an area of the non-specifying-mark image portion of the recording area image other than the blank area identified by the blank-area identifying unit.
US09049317B2

A camera system includes a plurality of first cameras and a second camera. Each of the plurality of first cameras has a first receiving section that receives a control signal, a first image pickup section that photographs a first image based on the control signal, and a first transmitting section that transmits the first image and terminal information based on the control signal. The second camera has a second image pickup section that photographs a second image, a second transmitting section that transmits the control signal, a second receiving section that receives the first image and the terminal information, a camera selecting section that selects the first camera that satisfies a predetermined condition as control target camera based on the terminal information, and a storing section that stores the second image.
US09049313B2

An image forming apparatus includes: a receiving unit configured to receive reflection light emitted by a light emitting unit, and output a detection signal corresponding to an amount of received reflection light; a detection unit configured to output, as an output signal, a signal corresponding to a difference between a value that corresponds to an amount of reflection light from a first position at which a detection image having one or more lines in a direction different from a movement direction is formed and a value that corresponds to an amount of reflection light from a second position different from the first position; and a control unit configured to control an image formation condition related to density of an image to be formed, based on a peak value of the output signal.
US09049307B2

A system, method process and apparatus is presented for interfacing digital and audio communications in a security system, comprising, a control panel having one or more first radio receiver/transceivers and one or more remote alarm sensors coupled to the control panel and the control panel receiving one or more digital reports from each one or more remote alarm sensors, a wireless interface device having one or more second radio receiver/transceivers for receiving the digital reports from the control panel unit and for establishing two-way voice communication between the control panel and the wireless interface unit, one or more telephone units coupled to the wireless interface device for communicating with the wireless interface unit and at least one POTS and/or IP network modem device coupled to the wireless interface device, an IP network, wherein, the wireless interface device includes a communication processing unit for transmitting one or more digital reports to a monitoring service via the POTS and/or IP network and for establishing two-way voice communication between the control panel and the monitoring service via a voice channel connection.
US09049296B2

Embodiments of the present invention generally provide techniques and apparatus that may be used to distribute services in a telephone system. Utilizing these techniques, functions conventionally centralized and requiring a separate server may be distributed to end units, for example, as instances of such applications running on network telephones. Examples of such functions include, but are not limited to, auto attendant functions, distributed voice mail functions, and operator functions.
US09049294B1

Systems and methods enable configuring and using speed dialing. A first user interface is displayed to a user, the first user interface providing a name field configured to display and/or receive a contact name and a phone address field configured to display and/or receive a phone address associated with the contact name. A speed dial field configured to receive and/or display a speed dial identifier associated with the phone address is provided. When the user later enters speed dial identifier via a telephone, the phone address is called.
US09049287B2

A private branch exchange (PBX) server determines a caller identification (ID) of a voice call received from a first phone system attempting to reach a second phone system. The PBX server transmits a request to a remote phone number resolving server for categorizing the caller ID. In response to a response received from the remote phone number resolving server indicating one or more categories associated with the caller ID, the PBX server processes the voice call based on the one or more categories.
US09049283B1

A case, having a storage compartment, for an electronic device includes a soft protective case that protects the electronic device installed therein; a hard protective frame, configured to removably mount over the soft protective case wherein the hard protective frame comprises grooves; and a cover which has rails adapted to mate with and slidably mounted on the grooves so that the cover slides along the grooves to open and close the storage compartment.
US09049276B2

An approach is provided for analyzing a hybrid telephony network. A plurality of nodes within a network is polled for configuration information, wherein the nodes are configured to establish packetized voice sessions. The configuration information is correlated. A view of the nodes and associated circuits is presented to a user for configuring one or more of the nodes based on the correlation.
US09049272B2

One conferencing system allows conference participants to share all or a portion of the display seen on their computer screens. The conferees may be at sites removed from each other, or may view a recorded presentation or archived conference at different times. Conference participants are either “presenters” who can modify the display or “attendees” who cannot modify the display. A pointer icon, which can be labeled to identify the conferee, is displayed on the shared image area. Each conferee can modify the position of his or her own pointer, even when not presenting, so that every participant can see what each conferee is pointing to, should a conferee choose to point to an element of the display. These and other features apply to other data streams shared in the conference or in meetings where there is no shared-image data stream.
US09049270B2

A device is positioned upstream of a modulator in a digital service stream broadcasting chain, and is adapted to receive a plurality of transport streams and to transmit a transport stream to a modulator, each transport stream encapsulating a digital service stream adapted to be broadcast by the modulator, the digital service streams representing the same digital service. The device is also adapted to: digital service streams from the received transport streams; detect errors in the streams; align the extracted streams; select a stream from the aligned streams, according to any errors detected; encapsulate the selected stream, in order to form the stream to be transmitted to the modulator.
US09049261B2

A computing device is described that receives an indication of a notification, and determines a priority level associated with the notification. The computing device determines, based at least in part on the priority level, content of the notification. Responsive to receiving an indication of a gesture detected at an input device, the computing device outputs, for display, a notification center graphical user interface that includes a graphical indication of the notification including the content of the notification.
US09049247B2

A proxy server receives from a client device a request for a network resource that is hosted at an origin server for a domain. The request is received at the proxy server as a result of a DNS request for the domain resolving to the proxy server. The origin server is one of multiple origin servers that belong to different domains that resolve to the proxy server and are owned by different entities. The proxy server transmits the request to the origin server. Responsive to determining that the origin server is offline, the proxy server determines whether the requested resource is available in cache. If it is in cache, the proxy server retrieves the requested resource from the cache and transmits the requested resource to the client device.
US09049239B2

Embodiments of a wireless device and method for transmitting a packet comprising one or more orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) transmission symbols are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the wireless device may be configured to map data to active tones and map zeroes to nulled tones of a set of OFDM tones to generate an OFDM symbol comprising both the active and the nulled tones. The number of active and nulled tones may be based on a nulling factor. The OFDM symbol may be down-clocked to generate an OFDM transmission symbol for transmission over a reduced transmission bandwidth. Accordingly, low power may be used for very low data rate transmissions, which may be suitable for sensor devices.
US09049238B2

A system for creating an anonymous social gathering of 3 or more persons. The system has a server digital device and a client digital device both operatively connected to a distributed network and thus to each other. The client device is configured to display an electronic mapping received from the server digital device through the distributed network and the electronic mapping displays at least one selectable geolocation indicator. Each geolocation indicator represents an indicated location of a gathering of at least two anonymous portable digital devices. The electronic mapping is configured to display indicator identification information on the user device for the momentarily selected indicator.
US09049225B2

Identifying valid wireless access points based on clock skews. A computing device receives plurality of frames, each including a corresponding timestamp, from a wireless access point. The computing device calculates transmit and receive offsets based on transmit and receive times of the plurality of frames, and also calculates differences between the transmit and receive offsets. The computing device also calculates a clock skew of a clock at the wireless access point based on a slope of the differences. The client computing device determines whether the wireless access point is an authorized wireless access point or an unauthorized wireless access point based on comparing the calculated clock skew with one or more known baseline clock skews of one or more authorized wireless access points.
US09049210B2

A method of establishing a communications session for communication of data with respect to at least two user devices in a data communications network. A client-server connection request is received from at least one of the at least two user devices. Call party details of a telephone call are received. The telephone call involves at least a first telephony user device and a second telephony user device. The call party details include a first identity associated with the first telephony user device and a second identity associated with the second telephony user device. At least one of the first and second identities comprises a telephone dialing number. A separate communications session is established on the basis of the first and second identities received in the call party details.
US09049200B2

A method in an example embodiment includes creating a first search key from variable data of a message received in a network environment, creating a second search key from constant data of the message, identifying a first database entry in a first database based on the first search key, and identifying a second database entry in a second database based on the second search key. The method can also include performing an action associated with the first database entry when a correlation is identified between the first and second database entries. In specific embodiments, the variable data are modified and the constant data are not modified. The first search key can be created prior or subsequent to forwarding the message. In further embodiments, the correlation is identified when an offset of the first database entry is the same as an offset of the second database entry.
US09049199B2

Node, computer software and method for selecting a resource that is available at multiple caches connected in a communication network. The method includes receiving from a user a request for the resource; identifying one or more caches of the multiple caches that store the resource; determining a total cost associated with a path between the user and each cache of the one or more caches storing the resource, the total cost including a static cost [Cf] that reflects a topology of the communication network and a dynamic cost [Δ] which is indicative of changing conditions of the communication network; and selecting one cache from the one or more caches that store the resource based on a lowest total cost of the one cache.
US09049196B1

Methods for processing streaming data records are provided that include facilities for defining and naming multiple input and output data streams using relational processing definitions and abstractions similar to those found in relational database management systems (RDBMS) and embodied as a set of communicating stream processing nodes. The result is a Distributed Data Stream Management System (DDSMS) which is also a kind of Relational Data Stream Management System (RDSMS). The former comprises a set of Relational Data Stream Management System (RDSMS) nodes, whereas the latter might contain only a single RDSMS node.
US09049192B2

A biometric authentication method for a computer system, the computer system comprising: a computer; and an authentication server, the biometric authentication method including steps of: extracting a first feature from the captured biometric information; generating a template polynomial for enrollment; extracting a second feature from the captured biometric information; generating a template polynomial for authentication; generating a correlation function for calculating a correlation between the template polynomial for authentication and the enrolled template polynomial; calculating a correlation value between the template polynomial for authentication and the enrolled template polynomial by using the generated correlation function, and determining based on the calculated correlation value whether or not the biometric information at the time of authentication coincides with the biometric information enrolled.
US09049191B2

Provided is a biometric authentication system capable of preventing spoofing attacks even if leakage of key information and a registration conversion template occurs. A communication terminal device (300) calculates secret key information k′ which is exclusive OR of key information k of the registration biological information and masked value c′ which is randomly selected from a predetermined error correction code group, and calculates verified information c′″ which is exclusive OR of sent information c″ and value c′. A biometric authentication device (500) calculates exclusive OR of authentication biological information, information k′, and registration conversion template w, as information c″, wherein the template w is exclusive OR of information x, information k, and authentication parameter c randomly selected from the code group; and performs biometric authentication on the basis of a degree of matching between information c′″ corresponding to information c″, and the parameter c.
US09049185B1

Methods and apparatus are provided for authenticated hierarchical set operations. A third party server processes a query q (possibly from a client) on outsourced data sets S1, . . . , Sn on behalf of a source of the data. The query q comprises a hierarchical set operation. Authenticated Set Operation techniques for flat set operations can be iteratively applied for hierarchical set operations. In addition, bilinear accumulators are extended to provide an extractable accumulation scheme comprising a primary bilinear accumulator and a secondary bilinear accumulator. In addition, a query q is parsed as a tree and for each tree node, a Union/Intersection argument is provided that is related to one or more accumulation values associated with the corresponding tree node. The client receives an answer to the query and a verification proof comprising, for example, subset witnesses, completeness witnesses, and/or accumulation values, but not necessarily intermediate results associated with the internal tree nodes of the query q.
US09049183B2

The present invention discloses an Ethernet base, a network system, and a data forwarding method. The Ethernet base receives service data which is in a USB format and sent by a 3G router, and after converting the service data in the USB format into service data in an Ethernet format, sends the service data in the Ethernet format to a fixed network router. The Ethernet base further performs software configuration on its USB unit, so as to enable the USB unit to fulfill a hardware time sequence function of a USB host device. According to embodiments of the present invention, network traffic of the 3G router can be switched to the fixed network router without modifying basic architecture of the 3G router; and a USB interface of the Ethernet base supports charging the 3G router simultaneously in a process of data transmission.
US09049175B2

Described herein are various principles for operating transfer protocols using adaptive flow control techniques. In accordance with some of these principles, a client may adaptively negotiate with a server regarding a window size to use when communicating datagrams using a connectionless content unit transfer protocol like the Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP). In some implementations, a client may inform a server whether to increase or decrease a window size. In these implementations, the client may increase the window size upon determining that a previous window size has led to successful transfer of content without any loss of datagrams and the client may decrease the window size upon detecting a loss of a datagram. Because of the limited resources available in some environments in which these techniques may be used, in some implementations a window size may be increased by small amounts but may be decreased drastically upon detecting a loss.
US09049174B2

A method for maintaining a session between a smart thin client and a smart thin client server is provided. The smart thin client server permits a user to create, manage, and deploy enterprise applications via the smart thin client but lacks the ability to save state information. The method includes detecting a log-off event for the session between the smart thin client and the smart thin client server; and saving, by the smart thin client server in a database accessible by the smart thin client server, state information for the session, in a record containing a user identification corresponding to a user of the smart thin client.
US09049172B2

A method and an apparatus for providing security in an intranet network are disclosed. For example, the method receives a packet at a customer edge router, and applies an inbound access control list by the customer edge router to the packet if the packet is destined to a server in a protected server group, wherein said protected server group identifies one or more servers within the intranet network to be protected. The method applies an outbound access control list by the customer edge router to the packet if the packet is from a server in the protected server group.
US09049170B2

A system and method performed by a computing device connected to a network and having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors. At least one packet is received over a network. The packet is analyzed to detect predetermined content. The predetermined content is selected if it is determined that the packet contains the predetermined content. Future transmission of any packet containing the predetermined content is prevented in response to selection of the predetermined content.
US09049164B2

Exemplary embodiments provide methods and systems for dynamically changing a message retrieval scheme during runtime in a client/server electronic messaging system in which the server executes a message retrieval component and incoming messages received from the client is stored in a message queue. Aspects of the exemplary embodiment include accessing messaging business rules from a memory by a message retrieval component at runtime, wherein the messaging business rules define a primary retrieval scheme and a secondary retrieval scheme, and wherein a value provided for each of the primary retrieval scheme and the secondary retrieval scheme are selected from a combination of different message retrieval types including: First In First Out (FIFO), Last In First Out (LIFO), and random. The message retrieval component subdivides the message queue into sub-queues based on at least one of a message quantity limit and a message received time limit specified in the business rules. Each of the sub-queues is then accessed using the value of the secondary retrieval scheme; and messages from each of the sub-queues are retrieved using the value of the primary retrieval scheme.
US09049155B2

A method includes receiving, at a first wireless device from a second wireless device, a signal (SIG) unit including a length field and an aggregation field. The length field is interpreted as a number of symbols in response to determining that the aggregation field has a first value. The length field is interpreted as a number of bytes in response to determining that the aggregation field has a second value.
US09049152B2

Methods, systems, and techniques for assigning hotkeys to legacy tasks as part of modernizing such tasks are provided. A user can assign a hotkey to an individual task so that the user can have instant access to a legacy or a non-legacy task without needing to navigate to “sub-” tasks of the legacy task. Hotkey access may be used with role-based modernization of legacy tasks to provide navigation to and from legacy tasks without starting and stopping sessions. Example embodiments provide a Role-Based Modernization System (“RBMS”), which uses these enhanced modernization techniques to provide role-based modernization of menu-based legacy applications.
US09049137B1

The invention is directed to optimizing load balancing for equal cost multiple path (ECMP) network routing by improving the load balancing of network data traffic across multiple equal cost next hop egress network links that have the same next hop routing cost. At least one of the various embodiments may enable improve load balancing of egress network links by programming network routing tables and conducting diagnostic processes and testing to determine if a programmed network routing table optimally load balances the outgoing the network data traffic among the equal cost next hop egress network links. If an embodiment determines that a programmed network routing table is load balancing less effectively than desired, it may re-program the network routing table(s).
US09049135B2

A network spares audit, optimization, and maintenance system and method, including: an application running on a processor of one of (1) a network management system of a network and (2) a logistics management tool external to the network and in communication with the network management system of the network, the application including: a mapping algorithm executed by the application and operable for mapping network elements of one or more networks to spares depots; and a probabilistic risk analysis algorithm executed by the application and operable for utilizing statistical analysis to determine how many and what types of spares are stocked at each spares depot based on inputted conditions; wherein operation and output of the application is dynamically updated based on network configuration information automatically received from the network management system of the network.
US09049134B2

Network condition prediction and multimedia streaming consumption prediction are provided. The prediction may be based on a device's prior location, behavior, and statistics thereof. By gathering location data from users anonymously and securely, a virtual location network with millions of nodes are provided. Each virtual location, at a given time, is stored with associated network metrics gathered from various devices in a database. The database may comprise a probabilistic model and a behavioral model tracking device metrics.
US09049133B2

In one embodiment, one or more point-to-point (P2P) services are established between attachment circuits on provider edge (PE) devices in a computer network, and each of the one or more P2P services (e.g., Virtual Private Wire Service, VPWS) are associated with an Ethernet virtual private network (E-VPN) Ethernet Auto-Discovery (A-D) route, where links between the PE devices and customer edge (CE) devices are configured as Ethernet interfaces with Ethernet tagging. As such, the Ethernet A-D route may then be exchanged for each P2P service attachment circuit, and forwarding can be performed on the one or more P2P services without performing a media access control (MAC) address lookup and without performing MAC learning.
US09049131B2

The load balancing method includes: receiving identify information of the nodes to construct a network topology diagram and receiving support rates of connection ports through a controller; monitoring average data rates of the connection ports through the controller; when the average data rate of one of the connection ports is in excess of a congestion criteria, searching a packet flow with the highest data rate among packet flows passing through the connection port of which the average data rate is in excess of the congestion criteria through the controller; and performing a shortest path first algorithm according to the packet flow with the highest data rate and the network topology diagram, wherein the computed connection ports do not include the connection port of which the average data rate is in excess of the congestion criteria; and a new transmitting path is acquired.
US09049126B2

Responsive to transactional middleware for a particular domain processing a particular transaction instance at a processing point specified in transaction telemetry standards as a tracking point along a flow of the particular transaction, a facility of the middleware accesses correlation data for the particular transaction instance in the particular domain and extracts application level context information about the particular transaction instance from the particular domain, wherein the transaction telemetry standards specify a same set of standards for application by each separate transactional middleware instance of a composite application. At least one facility of the transactional middleware creates a tracking event comprising the correlation data and the application level context information formatted into an event structure defined by the transaction tracking standards. At least one facility of the transactional middleware surfaces the tracking event in compliance with the transaction telemetry standards.
US09049117B1

A method is provided for collecting and processing information of a target who is a user of a communication network. The method includes obtaining a first identifier of the target, accessing, based on a handle of the first identifier, a first public webpage associated with the target in a first Internet site identified based on a domain of the first identifier, extracting content of the first public webpage for including in target data of the target, obtaining a third identifier of the target, intercepting a document associated with the target from a private portion of communication network traffic identified based on a domain of the third identifier, extracting content of the document for including in the target data, determining a second identifier by searching the target data, associating the second identifier with the target based on a pre-determined criterion, and collecting information of the target based on the second identifier.
US09049099B2

An application node advertises service(s), using a label distribution protocol, that it offers to other network nodes and a corresponding label to use to identify these services(s). For example, a Targeted Label Distribution Protocol (tLDP) session may be established between a packet switching device and the application node providing these services to communicate the advertisement. Packets are encapsulated and sent from a service node (e.g., packet switching device) with the corresponding label to have one or more advertised services applied to the packet by an application node (e.g., a packet switching device and/or computing platform such as a Cisco ASR 1000).
US09049093B2

Input data is encoded using a look-up table and then transmitted over a transmission medium as a series of pulses. The look-up table includes data elements. The length of each pulse is calibrated to correspond to one of the data elements in the look-up table. Upon receipt at another end of the transmission medium, the data is decoded using a look-up table. This decoding includes measuring the length of each received pulse to match the measured length to a corresponding one of data elements in the look-up table.
US09049091B2

A system for determining a time delay between an in-phase signal component and a quadrature-phase signal component includes an in-phase signal start time determination module coupled to an in-phase delay module, the in-phase signal start time determination module and the in-phase delay module configured to receive an in-phase signal component of a received signal. The in-phase signal start time determination module is configured to receive a reference signal. The system also includes a quadrature-phase signal start time determination module coupled to a quadrature-phase delay module, the quadrature-phase signal start time determination module and the quadrature-phase delay module configured to receive a quadrature-phase signal component of a received signal. The quadrature-phase signal start time determination module is configured to receive a reference signal, wherein the in-phase delay module is configured to develop an in-phase delay signal and the quadrature-phase delay module is configured to develop a quadrature-phase delay signal.
US09049090B2

A method for determining timing synchronization for demodulating a signal by a receiver, comprises the steps of: generating a channel response for the signal; transforming the signal into the time domain using an inverse fast fourier transform (“IFFT”); determining a signal power for the transformed signal as a function of the generated channel response; and calculating the timing synchronization by the receiver as a function of the determined signal power.
US09049087B2

A communication device includes: a reception element for receiving a radio signal modulated in a first modulation scheme or a second modulation scheme; a first demodulation element for demodulating the received radio signal in a first demodulation scheme corresponding to the first modulation scheme; a second demodulation element for demodulating the received radio signal in a second demodulation scheme corresponding to the second modulation scheme; and a modulation scheme detection section for detecting a modulation scheme of the received radio signal. The received radio signal includes modulation scheme determination information. The modulation scheme detection section detects the modulation scheme of the received radio signal based on a result of demodulation of the modulation scheme determination information performed by the first demodulation element and a result of demodulation of the modulation scheme determination information performed by the second demodulation element.
US09049080B2

The present invention relates to an injection-locked RF receiver having trifilar transformer splitter. The injection-locked RF receiver includes a trifilar transformer splitter, an injection-locked oscillator and a phase detector. The trifilar transformer splitter includes a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding. RF input signal is input to the primary winding. The secondary winding outputs a first differential signal to the injection-locked oscillator. The tertiary winding outputs a second differential signal to the phase detector. Using the trifilar transformer splitter of the invention, the frequency-shift keying demodulation with high sensitivity is achieved, and the number of amplifier can be reduced so as to lower the power consumption of the injection-locked RF receiver and reduce the complexity of the involved system.
US09049079B2

A method, device, system, and program able to automatically optimize configuration values in software constituting an integrated system. The integrated system introduction support device collects from a configuration management database (CMDB) software configuration values related to other integrated systems sharing interactive aspects with the software constituting the target integrated system, and generates a regression model of configuration values having a high correlation among the collected software configuration values. When configuration values in a predetermined software program constituting the integrated system have been specified by the user, the integrated system introduction support device applies the specified configuration values to the regression model, and calculates an optimum value for the other software programs constituting the integrated system.
US09049077B2

A host controller generates and sends a request for first status information to a host. The host controller receives first status information from the host along with a unique identifier that is associated with the first status information. After a time period, the host controller generates and sends a new request for second status information to the host, the new request including the unique identifier. When second status information and the first status information are associated with the same unique identifier, the host controller receives a response from the host indicating that the second status information is the same as the first status information.
US09049060B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a co-channel dual polarized microwave device and a method. Frame synchronization is performed on a first receive signal processed by cross polarization interference cancellation and phase noise immunization is performed on the first receive signal processed by frame synchronization. Frame synchronization is performed on a second receive signal not processed by cross polarization interference cancellation and phase noise immunization is performed on the second receive signal processed by frame synchronization. The first receive signal processed by phase noise immunization and the second receive signal processed by phase noise immunization are selectively received according to a frame synchronization state signal and a signal quality signal. Delay alignment is performed on a selectively received signal according to the frame synchronization state signal to implement lossless switching in a selective receiving process.
US09049056B2

A communication terminal may include a processing unit that includes information identifying another communication terminal as path information in data when the data is directly transmitted from its own communication terminal to the other communication terminal, and a transmitting unit that directly transmits the data in which the path information is included by the processing unit to the other communication terminal.
US09049049B2

A routing method and an in-vehicle gateway device having a plurality of interfaces for communication, automatic setting of routing function is enabled to perform, in consideration of characteristics of data which a connecting network handles. A network is classified to an information-system, a control-system and a safety-system, based on characteristics thereof, and which one of the systems includes a network connecting to the in-vehicle gateway device, is judged from equipments connecting to the network, or traffic of the network. Still more processing in data exchange among different classifications is set in advance.
US09049041B2

Connecting USB devices with USB hosts over a network supporting distributed initiations of USB connections over the network, including the following steps: Connecting non-collocated USB hosts with respective non-collocated USB host adaptors (USBHs), according to USB specification timings. Connecting non-collocated USB devices with respective non-collocated USB device adaptors (USBDs). Enabling the USBDs and the USBHs to communicate over the network and to discover the presence and capabilities of one another. Initiating, by the USBDs or the USBHs, via the network control plane, USB-over-network-data-plane connections between the USB devices and the USB hosts. And operating at least two of the USB-over-network-data-plane connections essentially simultaneously and without any common network node.
US09049038B2

This invention relates to a method of associating or re-associating devices in a control network including control zones to respective zone controllers (ZCs) controlling the control zones. In a first step, an associating or re-associating timer (ZC_REASSC_TIMER) window is initialized at the (ZCs) defining the time during which said associating or re-associating of the devices takes place. In a second step, during the (ZC_REASSC_TIMER) window zone specific information (ZN_SPEC) message sage is transmitted, the (ZN_SPEC) message including information about the devices expected to be in the zones controlled by the (ZCs). In a third step, it is compared whether the zone specific information contained in the (ZN_SPEC) received by the devices includes device specific information that match with local device specific information associated to the devices. In case the comparing results in that a pre-defined matching criteria is fulfilled an association or re-association request message (RA_REQ) is sent from the devices to the zone controllers (ZCs) where the pre-defined matching criteria was met. The (RA_REQ) message including device description parameters and indicates a request from the devices to join the control zones controlled by said (ZCs). Finally, it is determined whether the association or re-association of the respective devices is to be confirmed by means of comparing, by the respective (ZCs) receiving the (RA_REQ) message, the device description parameters included in the (RA_REQ) message match with zone specific information included in the (ZN_SPEC).
US09049036B2

A computer system analyzing apparatus includes an acquiring unit which acquires information indicating at least use states of a plurality of computer resources, and a detecting unit which detects whether each of the use states of the computer resources which are indicated by the information corresponds to a state determined as an unreasonable state in advance.
US09049028B2

A power supplying system is configured so that a power supply server for supplying power and a client for receiving power are connected through a bus line on which an information signal representing information and power exist superimposed on one another, and the information signal is exchanged between the power supply server and the client. To the bus line of the power supplying system, a monitoring apparatus to monitor at least one of the information signal and power information related to power is connected. The monitoring apparatus includes a receiving portion to detect an information signal existing on the bus line, and a display control portion to display at least one of the information signal and the power information exchanged between the power supply server and the client.
US09049023B2

Functional encryption (FE) ciphertext is transformed into partially-decrypted (PD) ciphertext. The PD ciphertext has a shorter bit length than the FE ciphertext, or the decryption time of the PD ciphertext is less than the decryption time of the FE ciphertext. The FE ciphertext can be an attribute-based encryption ciphertext. The transformation can be performed with a transformation key generated by an authority with a master key or by a user with a decryption key. The transformation can also be performed, without a transformation key, based on unencrypted components of the FE ciphertext and on auxiliary information associated with the unencrypted components of the FE ciphertext. The PD ciphertext can require less transmission time across a network than the FE ciphertext. The PD ciphertext can require less time to decrypt than the FE ciphertext, particularly when the computational resources performing the decryption are limited.
US09049021B2

A method and apparatus are proposed for cryptographic computations implemented in an electronic component. The method includes determining the cofactor of an elliptic curve E defined over a finite field Fq with q elements, the elliptic curve comprising a base point P having an order equal to n. The step of determining includes determining a value of floor((q+2ceil(b/2)+1+1)/n) when n>6√q, where the function ceil corresponds to the ceiling function, floor corresponds to the floor function, and b corresponds to the size q in number of bits of q.
US09049018B2

A method of processing data for a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) operation in a wireless communication system. The method includes receiving a timing alignment command (TAC) and one or more uplink grants from a network; and generating a data unit. The one or more uplink grants are used for transmitting the generated data unit to the network. The method further includes starting a time alignment timer (TAT) upon receiving the TAC. The TAT is used to control how long a User Equipment (UE) is considered to have an uplink time that is aligned. The method further includes when the TAT expires, clearing the one or more uplink grants.
US09049016B2

A method for use in a wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU) for two-stage reordering of received protocol data units (PDUs). The method comprising receiving PDUs from Node-Bs, wherein each of the received PDUs has a transmission sequence number (TSN), reordering the received PDUs from Node-Bs using the TSN in a MAC layer in different reordering queues, delivering the received PDUs from reordering queues to one logical channel in the RLC layer, reordering the received PDUs in the RLC layer based on a sequence number (SN), starting a timer when at least a RLC PDU is missing based on SN of the RLC PDU, and transmitting a status report indicating a missing RLC PDU based on SN of the RLC PDU if the timer expires, wherein transmission of the status report is delayed if a RLC PDU is missing based on SN of the RLC PDU and the timer is running.
US09049006B2

Embodiments of the systems, devices, and methods described herein generally facilitate the secure transmittal of security parameters. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a representation of first data comprising a password is generated at the first computing device as an audio signal. The audio signal is transmitted from the first computing device to the second computing device. The password is determined from the audio signal at the second computing device. A key exchange is performed between the first computing device and the second computing device wherein a key is derived at each of the first and second computing devices. In at least one embodiment, one or more security parameters (e.g. one or more public keys) are exchanged between the first and second computing devices, and techniques for securing the exchange of security parameters or authenticating exchanged security parameters are generally disclosed herein.
US09049005B2

A memory controller controlling a nonvolatile memory is provided. The memory controller includes an encryption key feeder configured to feed a cipher key according to a logical address transferred from a host; and an encryption engine configured to perform an encryption operation on data transferred from the host or a decryption operation on data transferred from the nonvolatile memory device, using the cipher key provided from the encryption key feeder.
US09048996B2

A method for de-mapping on a Long Term Evolution (LTE) downlink control channel is provide, which includes that: a resource element group table and a first parameter are acquired from the configuration parameters, and the resource element group table is analyzed according to the first parameter to acquire a mapping address of Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) data; a second parameter is acquired from the configuration parameters, and de-cyclic-shift processing is performed on the mapping address of the PDCCH data according to the second parameter to acquire a de-cyclic-shift address; and a third parameter is acquired from the configuration parameters, and de-interleaving processing is performed on the de-cyclic-shift address according to the third parameter to acquire a de-mapping address. Accordingly, a device for de-mapping on an LTE downlink control channel is also provided.
US09048995B2

An approach is provided for low latency radio frequency wave transmission. A long haul transport network receives a first signal representing latency sensitive data, receives a second signal representing latency insensitive data, and combines the first signal and the second signal to output a combined radio frequency signal, wherein the latency sensitive data of the combined radio frequency signal are at a first level of error coding, and the latency insensitive data of the combined radio frequency signal are at a second level of error coding.
US09048982B2

Distributed inter-cell interference coordination in a communications system can include: at one other femtocell system, sending channel quality information of a subordinate device communicating with the other femtocell system to the first femtocell system; receiving the channel quality information of the at least one other femtocell system at the first femtocell system; estimating an influence of a use of a resource on the communications system at the first femtocell system according to the channel quality information received by one or more of the at least one other femtocell system; and determining at the first femtocell system whether to use the resource.
US09048972B2

Provided are a wireless communication apparatus and a reference signal generating method, wherein inter-cell interference is reduced inside and outside a CoMP set. A CoMP mode setting unit (101) sets whether the terminal (100) thereof is a CoMP terminal or a Non-CoMP terminal. When the terminal (100) is set as a Non-CoMP terminal, the hopping pattern calculating unit (104) calculates a ZC sequence number to be used as the transmission timing, from among all the ZC sequence numbers that can be used within the system. When the terminal (100) is set as a CoMP terminal, the hopping pattern calculating unit (104) calculates a ZC sequence number to be used as the transmission timing, by hopping the ZC sequence numbers to be used within the CoMP set. A ZC sequence generating unit (105) generates a ZC sequence to be used as an SRS, using the calculated ZC sequence number.
US09048970B1

A method in a mobile communication terminal includes receiving signals from a serving cell and from one or more interfering cells. Respective channel responses are estimated in the terminal for the signals received from the interfering cells. A level of interference, caused by the signals of the interfering cells to a signal received from the serving cell, is derived from the channel responses. A Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) is calculated for the signal received from the serving cell based on the level of interference caused by the signals of the interfering cells. Feedback information is produced based on the SNR and transmitted from the terminal.
US09048967B2

A method of network communications includes determining an access identifier (AID) for an egress signal through a network interface of a network element, an Optical Transport Network (OTN) multiplexing structure identifier (MSI) associated with the egress signal through the network interface, another AID associated with a defined ingress signal through the network interface, another OTN MSI associated with the defined ingress signal through the network interface, and associating the egress signal and the defined ingress signal based on the AIDs and OTN MSIs. The first OTN MSI is not equal to the second OTN MSI.
US09048961B2

An audio signal processing apparatus performs audio signal process composed of a plurality of channels each having parameters used in the audio signal process. The audio signal processing apparatus has a plurality of channel strips, each being assigned with a channel and being provided with controls for adjusting values of the parameters of the assigned channel, and has a plurality of storing sections having different priorities relative to each other, each storing section being capable of storing a setting indicative of a channel set to a channel strip for assignment thereto. A changing section changes a setting stored in a storing section. A clearing section clears a setting stored in a storing section. An assigning section is activated when a setting stored in one of the plurality of the storing sections is changed by the changing section or cleared by the clearing section, then refers to all of the storing sections that currently store the settings for a channel strip, and assigns a channel to the channel strip according to the setting stored in a storing section having the highest priority among the storing sections referred to by the assigning section.
US09048947B2

A fiber optic communication system includes a first fiber optic device configured to transmit a fiber optic signal. A second fiber optic device is in fiber optic communication with and configured to receive the fiber optic signal from the first fiber optic device. The second fiber optic device includes an adjustment circuit configured to automatically adjust the fiber optic signal if the fiber optic signal is transmitted outside of a predetermined signal strength range.
US09048943B2

A method is provided for communicating signals at a low power level in an electromagnetic interference (EMI) environment. A first device transmits a modulated signal having a first carrier frequency, including the encoded information via a hardwire transmission medium. In one aspect, the power level of the modulated signal can be adjusted to minimize power consumption or reduce the generation of EMI. The modulated signal may be in one of the following formats: frequency modulation (FM) or phase modulation (PM) to name a few examples. A second device including a logarithmic detector amplifier (LDA) demodulator circuit receives the signal, which may be mixed with EMI. The LDA demodulator circuit amplifies the modulated signal, without amplifying the EMI, to supply a demodulated baseband signal, which may be an n-ary digital signal, or an audio signal. A low-power, noise insensitive communication channel is also provided.
US09048938B2

A method for receiving chirp signals at a receiver device according to a protocol in which each chirp signal has a gradient known to the receiver device, the method comprising: receiving a chirp signal having a first gradient g; generating a reference chirp signal having a second gradient g′, wherein the second gradient g′ differs from the first gradient g by a fixed value v; multiplying the reference chirp signal and the received chirp signal so as to form a mixed chirp signal; and detecting the received chirp signal by correlating the mixed chirp signal with a fixed gradient correlating chirp signal.
US09048935B2

A system including a transmitter and a receiver that are loosely synchronized, the transmitter encodes signal waveforms having a start time, a width and a height that are determined based on a range of possible relative drifts of a receiver clock with respect to a transmitter clock and the receiver decodes the waveforms based on a sequence of tests, chosen to account for any uncertainty that may arise due to the lack of tight synchronization.
US09048932B2

A method and apparatus reduces the likelihood of packet loss when an OFDMA transceiver and synchronous frame-based transceiver are operating on the same device. More specifically, a method protects reception of Bluetooth signals (such as reception of slave device signals) from co-existence interference caused by co-located OFDMA transceiver transmissions. The method receives a transmission-enable (TXE) signal indicating that the OFDMA transceiver is transmitting, determines an estimated transmission-enable (TXE′) signal indicating when the OFDMA transceiver is expected to be transmitting in the future, and sends the TXE′ signal to the Bluetooth transmitter to shut down Bluetooth transmissions when a transmission is expected to be sent from the OFDMA transceiver.
US09048925B2

A method and a device for processing data has data transmitted from a first network component to at least one second network component via at least two lines. According to the novel method the data to be conveyed via the at least two lines is distributed within at least one frame.
US09048921B2

One exemplary receiver for a wireless communication system includes signal processing components arranged to generate a receiver output according to a radio frequency (RF) signal. The signal processing components include amplifiers having a class-AB biased amplifier included therein. The signal processing components are disposed in a chip, and the class-AB biased amplifier is an amplifier which processes a signal corresponding to the RF signal before any other amplifier included in the chip. The class-AB biased amplifier has a first amplifier block, a bias circuit and a second amplifier block. The first amplifier block is arranged to receive an input at the input port and generating a first output. The bias circuit is arranged to bias the first amplifier block for a class-AB operation. The second amplifier block is arranged to generate an output at the output port according to the first output.
US09048910B2

This invention is codebook sub-sampling of the reporting of RI, CQI, W1 and W2. If CSI mode 1 is selected RI and W1 are jointly encoded using codebook sub-sampling in report 1. If CSI mode 2 is selected W1 and W2 are jointly encoded using codebook sub-sampling in report 2.
US09048909B2

Disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention is a method for transmitting channel state information and device thereof. By applying the technical schemes of the embodiment of the present invention, in a LTE-A system using PUCCH reporting mode 1-1, in a situation where PMI feedback for 8 antenna ports is needed to be reported in a sub-frame and PUCCH capacity is limited, therefore codebook compression is required, a corresponding relationship definition of the pre-coding matrix indicator information or the pre-coding matrix indicator information pair and the codebook index or the codebook index pair after codebook compression is provided, thus realizing the feedback and receiving of channel state information between a base station and terminal equipment.
US09048897B2

A cooperative multi-user multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) system coordinates spatially distributed network transceiver nodes for communicating with wireless client devices. A MIMO processor pre-codes data for transmission from the network transceiver nodes, wherein the pre-coding comprises subspace coding derived from channel measurements between the network transceiver nodes and the wireless client devices. A network controller coordinates the network transceiver nodes to transmit simultaneous non-interfering channels within a common frequency to the wireless client devices such that each client device receives a subspace-coded transmission from each of the network transceiver nodes. The client devices and/or the network transceiver nodes may be selected based on channel state information and/or measured channel quality.
US09048895B2

Multi-user null data packet (MU-NDP) sounding within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. Within communication systems including multiple wireless communication devices (e.g., one or more APs, STAs, etc.), channel sounding of the selected communication links between the various wireless communication devices is performed. A MU-NDP announcement frame is transmitted to and received by various wireless communication devices indicating which of those wireless communication devices (e.g., one, some, or all) are being sounded. Then, respective NDP sounding frames are transmitted via the communication links corresponding to those wireless communication devices (e.g., one, some, or all) are being sounded, and sounding feedback signals are subsequently sent back to the original transmitting wireless communication device. In some instances, after transmission of the MU-NDP announcement frame, a clear to send (CTS) is sent from at least one of the wireless communication devices thereby precipitating the transmission of the NDP sounding frames.
US09048889B1

The present disclosure provides physical coding sublayer architectures that enable high-speed serial interfaces capable of operating at data rates ranging from 400 gigabits per second (Gbps) to 1 terabit per second (Tbps). A first embodiment relates to an architecture that provides an aggregated physical coding sublayer (PCS) that provides multiple virtual lanes. A second embodiment relates to an architecture that has a channel-based PCS and provides an aggregation layer above the PCS channels. A third embodiment relates to an architecture that, like the second embodiment, has a channel-based PCS and provides an aggregation layer above the PCS channels. However, each channel-based PCS in the third embodiment provides multiple virtual lanes. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
US09048884B2

A wireless local area network magnetic communications system comprising a plurality of portable interdependent satellite magnetic transceivers each connected to a respective computer module enclosed in a chassis, wherein a base system containing a magnetic transceiver communicates with the satellite transceivers having associated antennas for transmitting and receiving magnetic signals via a wireless network protocol.
US09048881B2

The present invention provides a method of time-synchronized data transmission in induction type power supply system, comprising timers and programs installed in a supplying-end module and a receiving-end module to predict the time for generating the trigger signal at the receiving-end end and perform steps for detecting signals to avoid omission. Under the condition of high power transmission, power output on the supplying-end coil is pre-reduced prior to the time expected for receiving trigger data, making the main carrier wave amplitude decrease in a short time period. In every process of data transmission, timers are mutually calibrated and synchronized again to transmit power without detecting and receiving in the period when no data are expected to be transmitted, thus preventing interference of power load noise and enabling the induction type power supply system to transmit data code stably.
US09048869B2

An encoder and decoder using LDPC-CC which avoid lowering the transmission efficiency of information while not deteriorating error correction performance, even at termination; and an encoding method of the same. A termination sequence length determining unit determines the sequence length of a termination sequence transmitted added to the end of an information sequence, according to the information length (information size) and encoding rate of the information sequence. A parity calculation unit carries out LDPC-CC coding on the information sequence and the known-information sequence necessary for generating a termination sequence of the determined termination sequence length, and calculates a parity sequence.
US09048863B2

A slope compensation module provides slope compensation of a switched-mode power supply using current mode control. This slope compensation function may be provided by a digital slope compensation generator and a pulse density modulated digital-to-analog converter (PDM DAC) having a selectable response mode low pass filter.
US09048860B1

An apparatus relating generally to an analog-to-digital converter (“ADC”) is disclosed. In such an apparatus, the ADC is configured for successive approximations. The ADC includes a digital-to-analog converter (“DAC”), a comparator, and a control block. The DAC is coupled to receive a reference input signal and coupled to provide an analog output signal. The analog output signal is capacitively coupled to an analog input node through a capacitor. The capacitor is coupled between the DAC and the comparator to provide capacitive coupling therebetween. The comparator is coupled to the analog input node. The comparator is further coupled to provide a comparator output signal to the control block. The control block is configured for successive approximations to provide a digital output signal to a digital output node. The DAC is coupled to the digital output node to receive the digital output signal as a feedback input signal.
US09048856B2

Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed such as those that operate to encode data bits transmitted on a plurality of channels according to at least one of multiple Data Bus Inversion (DBI) algorithms. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US09048846B2

A device includes a digital-to-time converter and an interpolator having a data input and a data output coupled to the digital-to-time converter. The interpolator may be configured to receive a converter control signal at the data input and to provide an interpolated converter control signal at the data output. An interpolation rate of the interpolator may depend on the converter control signal.
US09048844B2

A method and a system are described for controlling and stabilizing in time, as temperature changes, the frequency of a signal generated by a controllable oscillator (3), the method includes the steps of: measuring the frequency of the signal generated by the controllable oscillator (3) by using a first signal, whose duration is proportional to the length of a delay line (5) includes at least a first (7) and a second (9) delay line portions arranged in series and having a first (L1) and a second (L2) lengths, respectively; applying a frequency correction to the signal generated by the controllable oscillator (3) if the difference in frequency between the signal and the desired frequency value exceeds a predetermined threshold; providing the first portion of the delay line (5) by coupling a conductive material to a first dielectric material having a first negative gradient of its dielectric constant as a function of temperature; providing the second portion (9) of the delay line (5) by coupling or another conductive material to a second dielectric material having a second negative gradient of its dielectric constant as a function of temperature, the absolute value of the second gradient being greater than that of the first gradient; selecting the second length (L2) of the second delay line portion (9) in a manner such that the relation L2=(L1·ΔR1)/abs(ΔR2) is true, wherein ΔR1 and ΔR2 represent, respectively, a first and a second delay variations introduced by the first (7) and the second (9) line portions, and wherein said first delay variation (ΔR1) is smaller, for each Kelvin degree, than the thermal expansion coefficient of or another conductive material.
US09048836B2

Embodiments of radio frequency (RF) switching circuitry are disclosed that include (at least) a first switch and a body switching network operably associated with the first switch. The first switch has a first control contact, a first switch contact and a first body contact. The body switching network includes a first switchable path and a second switchable path. The first switchable path is connected between the first body contact and the first control contact of the first switch. Additionally, the second switchable path is connected between the first body contact and the first switch contact. Accordingly, the first body contact is can be appropriately biased by the switchable paths without requiring a resistor network and thus there is less loading. This maintains the Q factor of the RF switching circuitry.
US09048831B2

A system for regulating semiconductor devices may include a current regulator configured to regulate one or more currents provided to an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). The current regulator may regulate the currents by generating a current profile based at least in part on a collector voltage value associated with the IGBT, a rate of collector voltage change value associated with the IGBT, or any combination thereof. The current profile may include one or more current values to be provided to a gate of the IGBT such that the current values are configured to limit the rate of collector voltage change to a first value. The current regulator may then send the one or more current values to a current source configured to supply the gate of the IGBT with one or more currents that correspond to the one or more current values.
US09048817B2

An apparatus for active feed forward electromagnetic interference (EMI) filtering, including, a noise detection and current reconstruction circuit that receives EMI noise occurring at a noise source, and noise voltage compensation circuit operatively coupled to the noise detection and current reconstruction circuits. The active feed forward circuit generates a noise voltage compensation signal based on the EMI noise reconstructed by the noise detection circuit.
US09048810B2

A piezoelectric vibration element includes a piezoelectric substrate including a thin vibration region and a thick section integrated along three sides excluding one side of the vibration region, excitation electrodes respectively arranged on the front and rear surfaces of the vibration region, and lead electrodes. The thick section includes a first thick section and a second thick section arranged to be opposed to each other across the vibration region and a third thick section connected between proximal ends of the first and second thick sections. The second thick section includes an inclined section connected to the one side of the vibration region, a second thick section main body connected to the other side of the inclined section, and at least one slit for stress relaxation.
US09048808B2

A semiconductor package includes a package substrate; an integrated circuit chip formed on one surface of the package substrate; and a sealed quartz oscillator formed on at least one of an inside, one surface, and the other surface of the package substrate, wherein the sealed quartz oscillator includes a substrate, a quartz blank formed on one surface of the substrate, and a sealing cap covering at least one surface of the quartz blank and including metal.
US09048801B2

Apparatus and methods for buffer linearization are provided. In certain implementations, an amplifier includes a buffer circuit and a gain circuit. The buffer circuit includes a buffer transistor pair used to buffer a differential input signal to generate a differential buffered signal. Additionally, the gain circuit includes a gain transistor pair configured to amplify the buffered differential signal to generate an amplified differential signal. The buffer circuit can include a linearization transistor pair configured to decrease the buffer circuit's output impedance and to provide feedback that reduces changes in the voltage of the differential buffered signal in response to displacement currents associated with the CJC or CGD capacitances of the gain transistor pair.
US09048797B2

A remote radio head unit (RRU) system is disclosed. The present invention is based on the method of adaptive digital predistortion to linearize a power amplifier inside the RRU. The power amplifier characteristics such as variation of linearity and asymmetric distortion of the amplifier output signal are monitored by a wideband feedback path and controlled by the adaptation algorithm in a digital module. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention can compensate for the nonlinearities as well as memory effects of the power amplifier systems and also improve performance, in terms of power added efficiency, adjacent channel leakage ratio and peak-to-average power ratio. The present disclosure enables a power amplifier system to be field reconfigurable and support multi-modulation schemes (modulation agnostic), multi-carriers, multi-frequency bands and multi-channels. Consequentially, the remote radio head system is particularly suitable for wireless transmission systems, such as base-stations, repeaters, and indoor signal coverage systems.
US09048796B2

A transmission signal power control apparatus includes a power amplifier model unit which generates a learning digital signal by multiplying part of a predistortion signal by model coefficients which tentatively represent the input-output characteristics of a power amplifier, and an adaptive low-pass filter which generates a pseudo feedback signal by attenuating the high frequency components of the learning digital signal by multiplying the learning digital signal by weighting coefficients. Then, the power amplifier model unit updates the model coefficients such that the error between the feedback signal whose the high frequency components are attenuated by the low-pass filter and which is digitized, and the pseudo feedback signal is minimized, and the adaptive low-pass filter updates the weighting coefficients such that the error is minimized.
US09048791B2

A pulse width modulation (PWM) amplifier includes a first amplifier stage, a second amplifier stage, and a gain module. The first amplifier stage is configured to amplify an analog input signal in the analog and digital domains using a first pulse width modulation (PWM) generator, to provide a first stage output for coupling to a load. The gain module is configured to amplify a quantization error of the first PWM generator by a predetermined gain. The second amplifier stage is configured to spectrally shape and attenuate the amplified quantization error of the first PWM generator using a second PWM generator, to provide a second stage output for coupling to the load.
US09048788B2

In a semiconductor device, power consumption is reduced. Further, a standby circuit is formed of a few elements, and thus increase in the circuit area of the semiconductor device is prevented. The standby circuit provided in the semiconductor device is formed of only one transistor and voltage supplied to the transistor is switched, whereby output current of the semiconductor device is controlled. As a result, the output current of the semiconductor device in a standby state can be substantially zero, so that the power consumption can be reduced. By using an oxide semiconductor for a semiconductor layer of a transistor, leakage current can be suppressed as low as possible.
US09048784B2

A system and method for data communication over a cellular communications network that allows the transmission of digital data over a voice channel using a vocoder that monitors parameters of a Levinson Durbin recursion and then uses full rate CELP if the monitored prediction error falls to below a predetermined threshold within a pre-selected number of iterations of the recursion. The system and method encode digital data to be transmitted using a continuous signal modulation technique at a selected bit rate and one or more frequencies that are selected such that the resulting modulated carrier signal is processed by the vocoder using full rate CELP as a result of the monitored prediction error.
US09048769B2

The motor driving circuit includes a first converting circuit that outputs an analog voltage proportional to a rotational speed of a motor, a differential voltage calculating circuit that calculates a differential voltage between the analog voltage and a rotation instruction voltage that prescribes the rotational speed of the motor and outputs a differential voltage signal including information on the differential voltage, a duty controlling circuit that outputs, based on the differential voltage signal, a duty controlling signal including information on a control duty that controls a duty of a PWM signal so as to bring the differential voltage between the rotation instruction voltage and the analog voltage close to zero, and a motor driving waveform controlling circuit that generates the PWM signal in response to a signal based on the duty controlling signal and that outputs the PWM signal.
US09048766B2

Controlling a synchronous electric machine includes determining a rotor field current of a wound rotor of the synchronous electric machine and determining a time-rate change in field flux linkage. A rotor field voltage is determined based upon the time-rate change in the field flux linkage, and a rotor field resistance is determined based upon the rotor field voltage and the rotor field current. A rotor temperature is determined based upon the rotor field resistance. Operation of the synchronous electric machine is controlled responsive to a torque command and the rotor temperature.
US09048763B2

The invention relates to a control circuit (3) for an electric motor, in particular for driving a windshield wiper, including a control means (16) comprising an output for controlling the electric motor, the control means being capable of varying the angle of the motor between a given minimum value and maximum value. In particular, the control means (16) comprises an input for receiving a speed set point and is capable of controlling the angular speed of the motor according to the speed set point, the control circuit likewise including a set point means (14) comprising an input for receiving values of the angle of the motor and an output for providing a speed set point to the control means, the set point means (14) being capable of determining the speed set point from a continuous function of the motor angle. The invention likewise relates to a driving mechanism (2) for producing an alternating rotary motion comprising a circuit (3) such as described previously and an electric drive motor (4), as well as to a windshield wiper device (I) including at least one driving mechanism (2) such as described previously and an windshield wiper arm (5) driven by the driving mechanism.
US09048749B2

A power supply, a power control method and a display apparatus having the same, for controlling a standby mode, are provided. The power supply of an electronic apparatus includes: a rectifier configured to rectify a current of alternating current (AC) power input as input power, into a direct current (DC); a power factor correction (PFC) circuit configured to correct a power factor of a DC voltage converted by the rectifier; a switching circuit configured to convert the DC voltage output by the PFC circuit into a predetermined operating voltage and a standby voltage and supply the operating voltage and the standby voltage to the electronic apparatus; and an output controller configured to control the PFC circuit and the switching circuit to convert the DC voltage into the predetermined operating voltage and standby voltage by the switching circuit and supply the operating voltage and the standby voltage to the electronic apparatus.
US09048748B2

Systems, methods and apparatus are disclosed for broadband AC to DC conversion. In one aspect, a power conversion apparatus for providing direct current (DC) based at least in part on an alternating current is provided. The power conversion apparatus includes a first rectifier circuit configured to rectify the alternating current to a first direct current. The power conversion apparatus further includes an averaging circuit configured to average the first direct current received from the first rectifier circuit and to provide a second direct current. The power conversion apparatus further includes a second rectifier circuit configured to rectify the alternating current to a third direct current. The direct current is derived from the second direct current and the third direct current.
US09048747B2

A startup circuit delivers regulated startup current to a control IC in a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) system, and automatically disconnects the startup current when the SMPS Control IC starts switching the transformer or inductor used as the energy storage element in the SMPS system. Disconnection of the startup current may be triggered by detecting a time-varying voltage waveform on an accessible node in the SMPS system, or by detecting an increased current consumption by the SMPS Control IC, without requiring any ground reference to the SMPS Control IC, nor without requiring any logic signals generated by the SMPS Control IC. This provides for rapid and predictable startup of an SMPS Control IC and reduced power loss once the SMPS Control IC is operational, and is independent of the operating voltages of the SMPS control IC, and independent of the particular control scheme and switch topology of the SMPS system.
US09048744B2

A method and apparatus for controlling resonant converter power production. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining accumulated charge processed by a resonant converter; dynamically determining a level of the accumulated charge that generates a predetermined output power; and controlling a switching cycle of the resonant converter based on the level of the accumulated charge.
US09048743B2

An adapter for electrical power that includes a rectifier coupled to a transformer with a primary coil and a secondary coil. The secondary coil includes a first end tap, a second end tap, and a center tap. A first switch is coupled between the first end tap and a primary side ground. A second switch is coupled between the second end tap and the primary side ground. A controller is coupled to the first switch and to the second switch so that during one or more intervals, the first switch and the second switch are alternately open and closed a predetermined number of times, wherein the initial switch closed each interval alternates between the first switch and the second switch, and after the predetermined number of times, both the first switch and the second switch are opened for a predetermined time period.
US09048742B2

System and method for regulating a power conversion system. For example, a system controller includes a signal generator and one or more power-consumption components. The signal generator is configured to receive a feedback signal related to an output signal of the power conversion system, a current sensing signal and an input voltage, and to generate a control signal based on at least information associated with the feedback signal, the current sensing signal and the input voltage. The power-consumption components are configured to receive the control signal. The signal generator is further configured to determine whether the feedback signal is smaller than a feedback threshold for a first predetermined period of time, the current sensing signal is smaller than a current sensing threshold for a second predetermined period of time, and the input voltage is smaller than a first threshold for a third predetermined period of time in magnitude.
US09048741B2

A primary side resonant circuit is formed by a primary side resonant inductor and a primary side resonant capacitor, and secondary side resonant circuits are formed by secondary side resonant inductors and secondary side resonant capacitors. Equivalent mutual inductances and equivalent mutual capacitances are formed through electromagnetic field resonant coupling between a primary winding and secondary windings, and a multi-resonant circuit including an LC resonant circuit formed in each of the primary side and the secondary side is formed. Electric power is transmitted from the primary side circuit to the secondary side circuit, and resonant energy that is not transmitted from the primary winding and, of energy which the secondary winding has received, resonant energy that is not supplied to an output are each retained in the multi-resonant circuit.
US09048723B2

An active feedback control integrated circuit applied to an alternating current/direct current converter includes a feedback pin, an operation unit, a control unit, and a controlled-current generation unit. The feedback pin is used for receiving a feedback current of an output feedback unit of the alternating current/direct current converter. The operation unit is used for generating an operation signal according to the feedback current. The control unit is coupled to the operation unit for generating a current control signal. The controlled-current generation unit is coupled to the control unit for generating a controlled current to the feedback pin according to the current control signal.
US09048722B2

The present application discloses a current equalizing busbar for a converter comprising: a direct current busbar connected to a DC terminal of the converter and positive terminals and negative terminals of respective power modules; and an alternate current busbar connected to AC terminals of the respective power modules and a load; wherein, when the converter operates, a sum of an inductance caused by the DC busbar between the DC terminal and a positive terminal or a negative terminal of a power module and an inductance caused by the AC busbar between the load and an AC terminal of the power module is equal to a sum of an inductance caused by the DC busbar between the DC terminal and positive terminals or negative terminals of other power modules and an inductance caused by the AC busbar between the load and AC terminals of said other power modules.
US09048716B2

In a motor, a magnetic sensor is provided on the lower surface of a substrate disposed above a magnetic sensor. On an upper surface of the substrate, a plate-shaped magnetic member is disposed at a position axially overlapping the magnetic sensor. The substrate and the magnetic member are fixed to each other at a plurality of fixing positions by axial tightening. On the upper surface of the magnetic member, a rib extending to connect the vicinity of one fixing position and the vicinity of another fixing position is provided. Flexure of the magnetic member is significantly reduced and prevented by this rib. For this reason, the direction of the magnetic flux of a magnet is concentrated on the magnetic sensor side. As a result, detection accuracy of the magnetic sensor is significantly improved.
US09048715B2

The rotor of the present invention is capable of improving magnetic characteristics, general versatility and ease of assembly. The rotor comprises: a rotor shaft; a ring-shaped rotor magnet being disposed coaxially with the rotor shaft; and a non-magnetic cover covering an outer circumference of the rotor magnet. The rotor magnet and the cover are integral-molded with molding resin in a state where an outer circumference of the cover is exposed and both end parts and an inner circumference of the rotor magnet are covered with the molding resin.
US09048706B1

An apparatus uses mechanical means to allow low volume, intermittent air or water or other energy sources to provide electrical power through a power train connected to an electrical generator.
US09048705B2

Provided is a wind power generating apparatus including a generating tower that has a wall surface in which a plurality of through-holes for inflow of wind are formed, wind inlet walls that protrude outwardly from the respective through-holes so as to guide the inflow of wind, a generating blade that rotates by means of the wind introduced into the generating tower, a generator that generates electricity in conjunction with the rotation of the generating blade, a wind inlet port formed through the respective through-holes formed in the wall surface of the generating tower, and a wind contact member, which is connected to an end of the generating blade, which has a triangular pyramid shape with an open front surface so as to extend the area pressurized by the wind introduced through the wind inlet port, and which has a flow channel dividing member arranged across the open front surface.
US09048698B2

A hoist with a regenerative resistor contains the following in a casing: a load-raising/lowering motor driven by an inverter control device and provided with a forced-cooling means; and a mechanism part containing a reduction mechanism part and a load sheave that uses power from the reduction mechanism part to take up and let out a chain. The load-raising/lowering motor, mechanism part, inverter control device, and regenerative resistor are distributed inside the casing to achieve a balance of weight about the center of gravity of the load applied when raising or lowering. Also, the inverter control device and the regenerative resistor are affixed to the casing, in close contact therewith, in parts of the casing separated from each other with the mechanism part therebetween.
US09048675B2

A charging circuit for a capacitor includes a current mirror module including a first branch circuit, a second branch circuit and a third branch circuit for supplying a plurality of output currents respectively, a switching module coupled to the first branch circuit and the second branch circuit for determining a conducting condition of the switching module according to the plurality of output currents from the first branch circuit and the second branch circuit, and an active loading circuit coupled to the third branch circuit and the switching module for adjusting a current passing through the active loading circuit according to the conducting condition of the switching module. The capacitor has one end coupled to the first branch circuit and the switching module to process a charging operation according to the output current of the first branch circuit.
US09048670B2

System and method are provided for transferring electrical energy among multiple electrical energy storage devices via a differential power bus and a capacitive load switched-mode power supply. The switched-mode power supply transfers the electrical energy between the load capacitor and the differential power bus to which the electrical energy storage devices (e.g., rechargeable batteries and/or capacitors connected in parallel or series or combinations of both) are electrically connected via bus switches. As a result, electrical energy is efficiently transferred and distributed among the electrical energy storage devices.
US09048669B2

Provided are a charge equalization apparatus and method for a battery string connected in series, and more particularly, are a charge equalization apparatus and method that efficiently perform charge equalization while reducing entire complexity and volume and lowering production costs through a configuration that an individual battery included in a battery string shares a single voltage sensing module and a single charge equalizing module; a switch block of a two-stage structure forms a current path for measuring voltage of individual batteries included in the battery string, and at the same time, forms a charging or discharging path of a low-charged or over-charged battery among the battery strings; and a switch device having low withstand voltage is used.
US09048664B2

An apparatus and article of manufacture for estimating loss rates of links in a smart grid include identifying end-to-end passage rates from a source to each of multiple receiver and/or load meters in a smart grid, and estimating a loss in at least one link of the grid by identifying the sparsest solution of link loss rates that matches the end-to-end passage rates. Also, a system includes a memory, a processor coupled thereto, and software modules executing on the processor, including a monitoring module for monitoring power flow of receiver and/or load meters in a smart grid, a measurement collector module for collecting measurements to compute end-to-end passage rates from a source to each receiver and/or load meter, and a processing module for estimating a loss in a link of the grid by identifying the sparsest solution of link loss rates matching the end-to-end passage rates.
US09048660B2

A short-circuit detecting apparatus and method of a heating system for a high voltage battery that includes a plurality of heaters, a short-circuited detection resistor, an A/D converter, and a Battery Management System (BMS). The plurality of heaters are connected to a high voltage battery to heat the high voltage battery. The short-circuit detection resistor is connected between the heaters to detect whether the heaters are short-circuited. The A/D converter is configured to sense a voltage applied across the short-circuit detection resistor. The BMS is configured to calculate a final operation value using the voltage applied across the short-circuit detection resistor and compare the final operation value with the value of battery pack voltage to detect whether the heaters are short-circuited.
US09048659B2

An energy storage subsystem includes a metal casing and an electrical storage system mechanically fastened within the metal casing and including at least one super-capacitor module having a plurality of super-capacitors linked together in series. The subsystem includes at least one electrical protection device configured to open an electrical circuit to link electrical ground to either the metal casing or the super-capacitor module.
US09048658B2

A method of suppressing propagation of leakage current in an array of switching devices. The method includes providing a dielectric breakdown element integrally and serially connected to a switching element within each of the switching device. A read voltage (for example) is applied to a selected cell. The propagation of leakage current is suppressed by each of the dielectric breakdown element in unselected cells in the array. The read voltage is sufficient to cause breakdown in the selected cells but insufficient to cause breakdown in the serially connected, unselected cells in a specific embodiment. Methods to fabricate of such devices and to program, to erase and to read the device are provided.
US09048657B2

A control circuit for an electric power circuit switch includes: a sampling/hold circuit section configured to sample a period of a detection signal of a current of an electric power system and provide a sampled signal; a discrete Fourier transforming (abbreviated as DFT) circuit section perform DFT on the one-period sampled signal to provide a magnitude and a phase of a frequency component of the current of the electric power system; a differentiator configured to differentiate the detection signal to provide a rate of change of the current over time; and a controller to determine whether to perform trip controlling according to the magnitude of the frequency component of the current from the DFT circuit section or the rate of change from the differentiator on the basis of the rate of change of the current and the reference rate of change.
US09048644B1

An electrical box assembly including an electrical box with an integral siding block and a collapsible cover assembly. The collapsible cover assembly includes a frame member and a while-in-use cover plate. The cover assembly includes cord openings that enable closing of the cover plate while electrical cords are connected to electrical outlets within the electrical box. When desired, the cover assembly may be collapsed upon the electrical box to lower the profile of the electrical box assembly in order to limit the distance the assembly extends from the wall.
US09048629B2

A semiconductor device is provided that has a VCSEL and a protection diode integrated therein and that has an additional intrinsic layer. The inclusion of the additional intrinsic layer increases the width of the depletion region of the protection diode, which reduces the amount of capacitance that is introduced by the protection diode. Reducing the amount of capacitance that is introduced by the protection diode allows the VCSEL to operate at higher speeds.
US09048620B2

A bi-section type GaN-based semiconductor laser device that has a configuration and a structure in which damage is less likely to be caused in a region in a saturable absorption region that faces a first light emission region is provided. The semiconductor laser device includes a first light emission region, a second light emission region, a saturable absorption region sandwiched by the foregoing light emission regions, a first electrode, and a second electrode. Laser light is emitted from an end face on a second light emission region side thereof. The second electrode is configured of a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. 1
US09048612B2

A laser light source module that does not emit laser light when taken out of a device or that does not emit laser light when the device is modified by removing a portion of the device is installed and used in a case and is provided with: a laser unit that includes a memory unit that stores a password and that operates when an input password that is entered matches a password stored in the memory unit; a password-setting mechanism that generates different data according to the state of the case; and a password-generating circuit that generates an input password that matches the password stored in the memory unit by means of data generated by means of the password-setting mechanism when the case is in a normal state.
US09048611B2

The present application discloses a wavelength conversion device. The wavelength conversion device includes a light source for generating excitation light, a laser medium for generating fundamental light from the excitation light, a resonator mirror for forming a resonator for the fundamental light in cooperation with the laser medium, and a wavelength convertor for converting wavelength from the fundamental light into harmonic light. The wavelength convertor includes a first end surface inclined by an angle θ from a surface orthogonal to an optical axis of the resonator and a second end surface parallel to the first end surface.
US09048610B2

The invention relates to an external cavity tunable laser with 25 GHz frequency interval. The laser comprise a laser cavity end mirror directly plated on a laser gain medium, and the laser gain medium, an intracavity collimating lens, an active optical phase modulator, a tunable acousto-optic filter and an intracavity total reflection mirror all arranged inside a laser cavity sequentially. The laser further comprises: an active polarization rotator arranged on the opposite side of the tunable acousto-optic filter from the intracavity total reflection mirror, a polarization beam splitter arranged behind the active polarization rotator, a first etalon, a first total reflection mirror, a second etalon, a second total reflection mirror, a drive source for the tunable acousto-optic filter, a pumping source for the laser gain medium, a drive source for the active optical phase modulator, a drive source for the active polarization rotator and a laser drive control circuit. The invention is compact with high performance, low cost for volume production and installation, achieves high spectral density, narrow spectral bandwidth and stable tunable laser output within a wide spectrum range.
US09048608B2

One aspect relates to an electrical bushing for use in a housing of an implantable medical device. The electrical bushing includes at least one electrically insulating base body and at least one electrical conducting element. The conducting element is set-up to establish, through the base body, at least one electrically conductive connection between an internal space of the housing and an external space. The conducting element is hermetically sealed with respect to the base body. The at least one conducting element includes at least one cermet. The cermet has a metal fraction in a range from 30% by volume to 60% by volume.
US09048599B2

A gripping member for a coaxial cable connector is disclosed. The gripping member has a front end and a rear end opposite the front end, and an outer surface and an inner surface defining a longitudinal hole extending between the front end and the rear end. A first portion of the gripping member terminates at the front end. A second portion of the gripping member terminates at the rear end and includes at least one notch which extends from the inner surface of second portion to a certain depth from inner surface. The gripping member is configured to be forced under a body of a coaxial cable connector when driven axially forward by a shell of a coaxial cable connector to secure a coaxial cable to the connector.
US09048597B2

Printed circuit substrates may be formed from rigid printed circuit material or flexible sheets of polymer. Printed circuit substrates may have conductive traces. Integrated circuits, touch sensor electrode structure, sensors, and other components may be mounted to the conductive traces. Connectors such as board-to-board connectors may be used to couple printed circuit substrates together. To hold the connectors together and to provide electromagnetic shielding, printed circuits and connectors may be surrounded by printed circuit connector securing structures. The printed circuit connector securing structures may have one or more strips of conductive fabric tape wrapped around the connectors. Metal stiffening members may be attached to opposing ends of the strip of conductive tape to facilitate removal of the tape for rework or repair. An additional strip of tape may be used to help secure the wrapped conductive tape. The additional strip may have a tab to facilitate removal.
US09048595B2

A retaining clip that provides a method for securing electrical connections between a male and female electrical connectors is disclosed. Current locking mechanisms are on both the electrical plug and the connector. These locking mechanisms often break when disconnecting the plug. Some embodiments of the present invention eliminate the need for the locking mechanisms. Furthermore, in cases where the mechanisms have been broken, some embodiments provide a method for reusing the electrical plug and/or the connector.
US09048588B2

A connecting apparatus for transmitting high-voltage current in a motor vehicle has a first connection element (4), a second connection element (6), a shielding housing (12) and fasteners (8, 10). The first connection element (4) has a housing (20) having a first insulating housing (21), a first contact (18) connected electrically to an internal conductor (16) of a cable (14), and a shielding arrangement (28) connected to a shield (30) of the cable (14). The shielding arrangement (28) is connected to the shielding housing (12) by a shielding part (32). The second connection element (6) has a second housing (41) having a second insulating housing part (42) with a second contact element (46) connected to a current line element. A weak-current contact arrangement creates a control circuit, and has a ring contact (52) and two spring contacts (60, 62).
US09048586B2

An earth connection for electrically and mechanically connecting a plurality of earth wires to a structure, in particular to an aircraft structure, comprising an angled element which element is formed in one piece and is made of electrically conductive material, which comprises a first and a second fastening portion. The first fastening portion is fastened to the structure and the second fastening portion comprises a plurality of electrical connections for connecting the earth wires. The electrical connections comprise socket contact elements which are formed so as to receive pin contact elements of the earth wires.
US09048585B2

An electrical connector assembly (600) comprising a shielding housing (20) and a socket (40), and a buckle (60) assembled to the shielding housing. The shielding housing has a horizontal passage (22) and an entrance (220) backwardly communicating the passage and forwardly opening for receiving a plug (80). The socket is used for mating with a front end of a plug inserted therein. The buckle has a front latch (62) movable between an open position where a plug inside the shielding housing is permitted to be pulled out and a closed position where the front latch blocks the entrance of the shielding housing so that a plug inside the shielding housing is blocked from being pulled out.
US09048583B2

An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing, a plurality of electrical signal contacts carried by the dielectric housing, and a ground plate carried by the dielectric housing. The electrical signal contacts are arranged along a first plane, wherein the signal contacts define signal pairs such that a respective gap is disposed between adjacent signal pairs. The signal contacts further define respective mating and mounting ends. The ground plate includes a ground plate body oriented in a second plane that is substantially parallel to the first plane and offset from the first plane. The ground plate body defines first and second opposed surfaces. The ground plate includes at least one rib that defines first and second opposed surfaces, wherein the first surface of the rib projects from the first surface of the ground plate body in a direction toward the gap, and the second surface is recessed into the second surface of the ground plate body. The ground plate further includes a plurality of mating ends and mounting ends extending from the ground plate body and disposed in the first plane so as to be aligned with the respective mating ends and mounting ends of the electrical signal contacts.
US09048579B2

A lever (4) mounted on a cover (3) is held at a standby position and, in that state, the cover (3) is fitted to a housing (1) in a connecting direction to a position where the cover (3) is not aligned with the housing (1). At this position, gear teeth of the lever (4) and rack teeth of sliders (2) do not interfere with each other and are not engaged. If the cover (3) is subsequently moved in a direction perpendicular to the connecting direction via a guiding action of the engagement of guide receiving portions (9) of the connector housing (1) and U-shaped guide portions (15) formed on the cover (3), the cover (3) is smoothly mounted at a proper mounting position. At this time, since the guide portions (15) vertically sandwich the guide receiving portions (9), upward detachment of the cover (3) is prevented.
US09048576B2

An electrical connector assembly comprises a primary connector housing, a mating connector housing, a primary lock, and a secondary lock. The primary lock is defined by both the primary connector housing and the mating connector housing. The secondary lock is supported by the mating connector housing and is arranged and configured for interacting with the primary lock so as to prevent the primary lock, when positioned in a locked position, from disengaging. The primary lock comprises a lock arm extending from the primary connector housing and a lock lever extending from the mating connector housing.
US09048573B2

An interconnect system (30, 100) includes a transceiver module assembly (105) that is mountable in an industrial receptacle (28, 103). The receptacle mates to an industrial optical connector (34) to form an environmentally sealed connection. The receptacle has an interior passageway (143, 162) and mating means (124) for attaching the module assembly. The module assembly includes a spring-loaded module cage (50) for receiving active devices (48), such as SFP transceivers. The spring-loaded module cage can adjust its position within the receptacle to accommodate different type of modules from various vendors. When attached to the platform, the module assembly is positioned so that the cage's open end is accessible through the receptacle's passageway. Users have the option of plugging/unplugging the transceiver module either through the passageway or by removing the module assembly from the receptacle.
US09048570B2

A USB socket having a receptacle that comprises first electrical connectors for receiving a USB plug having second electrical connectors that are configured for mating with the first electrical connectors further comprises at least an ejector. The ejector is electrically connected to a control unit for receiving a control signal. The ejector further having a pusher for pushing an inserted USB plug in the direction out of the receptacle to a position where the first electrical connectors are disconnected from the second electrical connectors. The pusher may be configured for activation of a push action as a consequence of receiving the control signal from the control unit.
US09048568B2

An easy-pull network connector includes a male connector body providing a resilient clip lockable to a mating female network connector, a protective jacket surrounding the male connector body, a bracket located at one end of the male connector body remote from the resilient clip, a pivotable hook pivotally mounted at the bracket and hooked on the resilient clip and biasable to release or press the resilient clip when the protective jacket is moved forwards or backwards relative to the male connector body. Thus, when the user pulls the protective jacket backward to press the resilient clip, the easy-pull network connector is disengaged from the mating female network connector.
US09048566B2

A cable assembly includes a connector, a cover enclosing the connector, a strain relief located on the rear end of the cover, a spring, and a cable. The cover includes a blocking. The strain relief is fixed by the blocking. The strain relief defines a through hole and a receiving cavity communicated with the through hole. The through hole has an inner diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the receiving cavity. A shoulder is formed between the through hole and the receiving cavity. The spring is received in the cavity, and has one end restricted by the shoulder and an opposite end restricted by the blocking. The cable is connected to the connector and runs through the spring and the through hole.
US09048555B2

A wire connector includes a connection box having two closed end walls spaced in a longitudinal direction. The connect box includes a compartment having first and second end walls spaced in a height direction. At least one partitioning wall extends from the second end wall toward but spaced from the first end wall, defining a gap. The at least one partitioning wall divides the compartment into a plurality of channels spaced in a width direction. The channels are respectively aligned with and in communication with through-holes in at least one of the closed end walls. Each channel has a first end at the first end wall and a second end at the second end wall. The first ends of the channels and the gap together define a flat receiving groove in which a conductive plate is received. An elastic pressing plate is received in each channel.
US09048554B2

An electrical connector for use with a circuit board including an insulating housing used to be fixed to a circuit board, a plurality of signal contacts arranged on the insulating housing along a longitudinal direction of the same, at least one ground contact provided in an arrangement of the signal contacts on the insulating housing, and a conductive shell member provided for covering partially a portion of the insulating housing and to be connected with a grounding portion of the circuit board, wherein the conductive shell member has a ground connecting reed-like portion formed thereon so as to correspond to the ground contact and both of the ground connecting reed-like portion of the conductive shell member and the ground contact are connected by means of soldering with the grounding portion of the circuit board.
US09048552B2

A connector (100) for making an electrical connection between two plates (110, 120) that are mechanically secured to one another, the connector comprising a first socket (50) for fixing to a first plate (110), a second socket (60) for fixing to a second plate (120), and a connector pin (150), the first and second sockets both comprising an aperture (55, 65) for receiving the connector pin (150), wherein the connector further comprises a first spring (161) for contacting between the connector pin and the first socket, and a second spring (162) for contacting between the connector pin and the second socket.
US09048538B2

A wireless communication device includes a housing and an antenna assembly. The antenna assembly includes a base board, a feed member electronically connecting with the base board to carry an electrical current, and a radio member including a first radio portion, the first radio portion defining a first slot. The radiator couples with the feed member, inducing an electrical current in the first radio portion. The radio member is electronically connected to the base board through the metal housing, enabling the induced electrical current to flow through the first radio portion, the metal housing, and the base board to form a current loop. The induced electrical current flows through the first slot to excite a first resonance mode, enabling the antenna assembly to receive/transmit a first wireless signal.
US09048537B2

An electronic device may have a conductive housing with an antenna window. A display cover layer may be mounted on the front face of the device. Antenna and proximity sensor structures may include a dielectric support structure with a notch. The antenna window may have a protruding portion that extends into the notch between the display cover layer and the antenna and proximity sensor structures. The antenna and proximity sensor structures may have an antenna feed that is coupled to a first conductive layer by a high pass circuit and capacitive proximity sensor circuitry that is coupled to the first conductive layer and a parallel second conductive layer by a low pass circuit. The first conductive layer may be formed from a metal coating on the support structure. The second conductive layer may be formed from patterned metal traces in a flexible printed circuit.
US09048535B1

A multi-frequency, noise optimized active antenna capable of transmit and receive operation consisting of one or several actively tuned antennas optimized over incremental bandwidths and capable of tuning over a large total bandwidth. One or several switches are integrated and provide the capability of operation of an active antenna for both transmit and receive functions. One or multiple impedance transformers are connected to the antennas at an optimal location, with the transformers acting to reduce the impedance for optimal coupling to a transceiver/receiver. Active components can be incorporated into the antenna structures to provide yet additional extension of the bandwidth along with increased optimization of antenna performance over the frequency range of the antenna. The radiating elements can be co-located with a ferrite material and/or active components coupled to the element to tune across a wide frequency range.
US09048528B1

Antenna structures of electronic devices and methods of operating the electronic devices with the antenna structures are described. One antenna structure includes a ground plane, a radio frequency (RF) feed, a first antenna element coupled to the RF feed, a second antenna element coupled to the RF feed and a third antenna element coupled to the ground plane at a grounding point. The third antenna element is at least partially disposed between the first and second antenna elements to form a first coupling between the first antenna element and the third antenna element, a second coupling between the second antenna element and the third antenna element and a third coupling between the second antenna element and the third antenna element.
US09048523B2

The RF MEMS crosspoint switch comprising a first transmission line and a second transmission line that crosses the first transmission line; the first transmission line comprises two spaced-apart transmission line portions, and a switch element that permanently electrically connects the two spaced-apart transmission line portions; the second transmission line crosses the first transmission line between the two spaced-apart transmission line portions; the RF MEMS crosspoint switch further comprises actuation means for actuating the switch element at least between a first position, in which the switch element is electrically connecting the two spaced-apart transmission line portions of the first transmission line and the first and second transmission lines are electrically disconnected, and a second position, in which the switch element is electrically connecting the two spaced-apart transmission line portions of the first transmission line and is also electrically connecting the two transmission lines together.
US09048522B2

A waveguide/planar line transducer of the present invention includes a waveguide that transmits electromagnetic waves through an opening portion, and a multiplayer substrate that includes a plurality of conductive layers. The multilayer substrate includes: a first conductive layer that is in close contact with the opening portion of the waveguide, and includes a first coupling hole provided at a position overlapping the opening portion of the waveguide when viewed in a plate thickness direction of the multilayer substrate; a strip electrode that is electromagnetically coupled to the first conductive layer, arranged on an opposite side to the first conductive layer in the plate thickness direction, and extending in one of a planar direction of the multilayer substrate; and a second conductive layer that is arranged between the first conductive layer and the strip conductor in the plate thickness direction, and includes a second coupling hole having a protuberance facing at least one of directions in which the strip electrode extends.
US09048518B2

A transmission line RF applicator apparatus and method for coupling RF power to a plasma in a plasma chamber. The apparatus comprises an inner conductor and one or two outer conductors. The main portion of each of the one or two outer conductors includes a plurality of apertures that extend between an inner surface and an outer surface of the outer conductor.
US09048512B2

The present invention relates to a nanosized electrochemical dispersion comprising essentially modified silica sol and at least one additive; also a process of preparing nanosized electrochemical dispersion, wherein the process comprises step of loading at least one additive to metalate modified silica sol to obtain the dispersion; in addition a rechargeable alkaline storage zinc battery comprising nanosized electrochemical dispersion consisting of essentially modified silica sol and at least one additive; further a method of manufacturing a rechargeable alkaline storage zinc battery, wherein the method comprises steps of adding a nanosized electrochemical dispersion consisting essentially modified silica sol and at least one additive into a conventional alkaline storage zinc battery to obtain a rechargeable alkaline storage zinc battery; and further a process to prevent dissolution of zinc in a battery, wherein the process comprises addition of nanosized aqueous electrochemical dispersion comprising essentially modified silica sol and at least one additive to the battery, and preventing the dissolution of zinc electrode in the battery.
US09048499B2

[Object]The invention provides catalysts that are not corroded in acidic electrolytes or at high potential and have excellent durability and high oxygen reducing ability.[Solution]A catalyst of the invention includes a metal oxycarbonitride that contains titanium and at least one metal (hereinafter, also referred to as “metal M” or simply “M”) selected from silver, calcium, strontium, yttrium, ruthenium, lanthanum, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium.
US09048497B2

The described invention provides self-forming compositions as positive electrode materials. The described invention further provides electrode compositions related to an electrochemical energy storage cell comprising a metal, a glass former and lithium fluoride.
US09048494B2

An electrolytic manganese dioxide improved for tool wear reduction, methods for preparing the improved electrolytic manganese dioxide and for preparing a positive-electrode precursor, and a primary battery are provided. One method includes displacement-washing neutralized electrolytic manganese dioxide with a solution including a corrosion inhibitor configured to be at a first predetermined concentration. The method further includes drying the washed electrolytic manganese dioxide to collect improved electrolytic manganese dioxide including the corrosion inhibitor configured to be at a second predetermined concentration within the improved electrolytic manganese dioxide to minimize corrosion of a metal material in contact with the improved electrolytic manganese dioxide. The corrosion inhibitor includes one of a benzoate salt, a phosphate salt, a carbonate salt, a metaborate salt, a tetraborate salt, a metaperiodate salt, and a meta-aluminate salt.
US09048493B2

A cathode active material, a cathode including the cathode active material, and a lithium battery including the cathode. The cathode active material includes a lithium composite oxide and a lithium titanium oxide, wherein the lithium titanium oxide includes titanium having an average oxidation number of 4-y (0
US09048488B2

Active material for a negative electrode of a rechargeable zinc alkaline electrochemical cell is made with zinc metal particles coated with tin and/or lead. The zinc particles may be coated by adding lead and tin salts to a slurry containing zinc particles, a thickening agent and water. The remaining zinc electrode constituents such as zinc oxide (ZnO), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), a dispersing agent, and a binding agent such as Teflon are then added. The resulting slurry/paste has a stable viscosity and is easy to work with during manufacture of the zinc electrode. Further, the zinc electrode is much less prone to gassing when cobalt is present in the electrolyte. Cells manufactured from electrodes produced in accordance with this invention exhibit much less hydrogen gassing, by as much as 60-80%, than conventional cells. The cycle life and shelf life of the cells is also enhanced, as the zinc conductive matrix remains intact and shelf discharge is reduced.
US09048486B2

A negative active material including: a composite including a matrix comprising silicon oxide, silicon carbide, and carbon and silicon particles dispersed in the matrix; and a carbon coating film formed on a surface of the composite, wherein an intensity ratio of a SiC peak to a Si peak in an X-ray diffraction spectrum is 1 or more, a method of preparing the negative active material, a negative electrode including the negative active material, and a lithium battery including the electrode.
US09048485B2

A lithium-ion secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode containing an active material, and an electrolytic solution, in which the active material includes a core portion capable of occluding and releasing lithium ions, and a covering portion arranged on at least part of a surface of the core portion, in which the covering portion contains, as constituent elements, Si, O, and at least one element M1 selected from Li, C, Mg, Al, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ge, Zr, Mo, Ag, Sn, Ba, W, Ta, Na, and K, and the atomic ratio y (O/Si) of O to Si is 0.5≦y≦1.8.
US09048478B2

Proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane based on a polyazole salt of an inorganic or organic acid which is doped with an acid as electrolyte, wherein the polyazole salt of the organic or inorganic acid has a lower solubility in the acid used as electrolyte than the polyazole salt of the acid used as electrolyte, a process for producing the inventive proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane-electrode assembly comprising at least two electrochemically active electrodes which are separated by a polymer electrolyte membrane, wherein the polymer electrolyte membrane is a proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane according to the invention, and a fuel cell comprising at least one membrane-electrode assembly according to the invention.
US09048476B2

The invention relates to a cover part (1) for a rechargeable battery, with the cover part (1) being produced from plastic and having at least one sleeve-like connecting socket (2) for making electrical contact with the rechargeable battery, with a lower section (26) of the connecting socket (2) being embedded in the plastic material of the cover part (1), wherein a plurality of sliding elements (3), which are in the form of strips and are separated from one another over the internal circumference of the connecting socket (2), are arranged on the inside of the connecting socket (2).
US09048472B2

A shut-down procedure for an electricity delivery system comprising a fuel cell, the cell being fed with pure oxygen as oxidant and delivering an electrical voltage to an electrical power line. The electricity delivery system comprises a fuel gas circuit on the anode side, and a pure oxygen circuit on the cathode side. The shut-down procedure comprises the steps of an initial step during which the oxygen gas feed is interrupted, and an electrical consumption phase during which a hold current is drawn from the fuel cell until the pressure in the oxygen circuit reaches the water vapor pressure.
US09048470B2

A fuel directing reaction device for a passive fuel cell comprises: a substrate, which has a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; a fuel reservoir, which is disposed on the first side of the substrate; a fuel introducing microfluidic channel portion, which is disposed on the first side of the substrate and connected with the fuel reservoir; a first rib array portion, which is disposed on the first side of the substrate, and connected with the fuel introducing microfluidic channel portion; a second rib array portion, which is disposed on the first side of the substrate, and connected with the first rib array; and a plurality of reaction holes, each of which is disposed on the open side of the V-shaped portion of the second ribs and extends through the substrate to connect the first side and the second side of the substrate.
US09048468B2

A membrane humidifier assembly for a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell system and a method for making the same is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of providing a material for forming a diffusion medium; forming a plurality of channels in the material with one of a channel-forming roller, a means for etching the material, and a press for forming the diffusion medium; and providing a pair of membranes, wherein the diffusion medium is disposed between the pair of membranes.
US09048463B2

A pouch-cell battery arrangement has a shrink sleeve covering (50), that surrounds the pouch (22) at least in places in an interlocking manner.
US09048460B2

A deposition apparatus is capable of checking, in real time, the thickness or uniformity of a thin layer which is formed. The deposition apparatus includes a moving unit to which a substrate is detachably fixed. A conveyer unit conveys the moving unit in a first direction or in an opposite direction to the first direction. A deposition unit includes at least one deposition assembly for depositing a deposition material on the substrate. A discharge data acquisition unit acquires data associated with the amount of the deposition material discharged per unit time from the at least one deposition assembly. A transmission unit transmits the data acquired by the discharge data acquisition unit.
US09048458B2

A method of fabricating a pixel structure for an organic light-emitting display (OLED) is disclosed. A substrate having at least a sub-pixel region is provided. An auxiliary electrode layer and an insulating layer are formed on the substrate in the sub-pixel region, wherein the insulating layer has an opening to expose the auxiliary electrode layer. A lower electrode layer, an organic light emission layer, and an upper electrode layer are formed on the substrate, wherein the organic light emission layer fills the opening in the insulating layer. Another opening is formed in the upper electrode layer and the organic light emission layer directly on the opening in the insulating layer by performing a laser process, such that the upper electrode layer and the auxiliary electrode layer are welded together through the opening in the upper electrode layer and the organic light emission layer.
US09048457B2

An organic EL display device including a substrate, a transparent electrode, a luminescent layer, and a metal electrode layer in this order from a light emission side, a circularly polarizing plate disposed on the light emission side of the substrate, the circularly polarizing plate including a polarizing film and phase difference films that stacked on each other. The phase difference film includes a resin composition (A) containing polystyrene-based polymer having a syndiotactic structure and polyarylene ether, a ratio of the polystyrene-based polymer having the syndiotactic structure with respect to the polyarylene ether in the resin composition (A) is 65:35 to 55:45, being a weight ratio of (the polystyrene-based polymer having the syndiotactic structure) with respect to (the polyarylene ether), the phase difference film satisfies a relation Re450
US09048456B2

An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) having first, second and third sub-pixels of different colors includes: a substrate; first and second electrodes; an organic emission layer (OEL) between the electrodes including a first OEL in the first sub-pixel, a second OEL in the second sub-pixel, and a common third OEL in the first, second and third sub-pixels; a hole transport layer (HTL) between the first electrode and OEL; a hole injection layer (HIL) between the first electrode and HTL; an intermediate layer between the HTL and HIL; a first optical thickness auxiliary layer (OTAL) between the first OEL and third OEL in the first sub-pixel and including a first hole transporting compound and a cyano group-containing compound; and a second OTAL including a second hole transporting compound between the third OEL and HTL in the first sub-pixel, and between the second OEL and HTL in the second sub-pixel.
US09048455B2

An encapsulation member is disclosed. The encapsulation member includes at least two organic material layers, at least two inorganic material layers and a light absorption layer pattern. The inorganic material layers and the organic material layers are stacked alternately. The light absorption layer pattern is disposed between one of the organic material layers and one of the inorganic material layers which immediately neighbor each other. The light absorption layer pattern includes a plurality of wires which extend in a first direction, and are arranged substantially parallel to each other.
US09048447B2

An organic light emitting display device with improved lifespan is disclosed. The organic light emitting display device includes first and second electrodes facing each other on a substrate, at least two light emitting units formed between the first and second electrodes, an N-type charge generation layer and a P-type charge generation layer sequentially stacked between the light emitting units, and at least one auxiliary charge generation layer formed between at least any one of the P-type charge generation layer and the N-type charge generation layer and an emitting layer of the light emitting unit disposed on an upper or lower portion of the at least any one thereof and generating electrons and holes supplied to the emitting layer of the light emitting unit.
US09048438B2

A tetraazaperopyrene compound of formula (I): wherein: R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8 at each occurrence, independently are selected from H, Cl and Br, with the proviso that at least one of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 is Cl or Br, R9, R10, at each occurrence, independently are selected from H, a C1-30 alkyl group, a C1-30 haloalkyl group, a C6-14 aryl group, a heteroaryl group having 5 to 14 ring atoms, and a C7-20 arylalkyl group, wherein aryl, heteroaryl and arylalkyl can be optionally substituted with one or more halogen, C1-4 haloalkyl, —CN, —NO2, —CHO, —COOH, —CONH2, —CO(C1-14 alkyl), —COO(C1-14 alkyl), —CONHC(C1-14 alkyl) and —CON(C1-14 alkyl)2 groups.
US09048433B2

The invention relates to novel polymers containing one or more thieno[3,2-b]thiophene-2,5-dione and/or furo[3,2-b]furan-2,5-dionerepeating units or their thioketone derivatives, monomers and methods for their preparation, their use as semiconductors in organic electronic (OE) devices, especially in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices, and to OE and OPV devices comprising these polymers.
US09048429B2

The present invention provides a method for enhancing optoelectronic properties of polymers that contain conjugated moieties in their molecular structures (hereby denoted as “conjugated polymers”), to be used in lighting, photovoltaics, other various optoelectronic devices and applications. The method of the present invention includes preparing a conjugated polymer layer or multiple conjugated polymer layers and imprinting the conjugated polymer layer or layers through the application of a mold or multiple molds.
US09048424B2

The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device selectively forms a resist film on the multilayer gate film and the gate side wall insulating film extending on the semiconductor substrate. An upper part of the gate side wall insulating film and the hard mask film selectively are removed by etching using the resist film as a mask so as to expose a surface of the metal film. the metal film and the barrier metal film adjoining the metal film are removed, by wet etching. After the removal of the resist film, embedding a space formed by removal of the metal film and the barrier metal film and depositing a pre-metal dielectric to a level higher than an upper surface of the remaining hard mask film. A top part of the pre-metal dielectric is planarized by CMP using the remaining hard mask film as a stopper.
US09048423B2

A memory storage device including a lower electrode formed to be separate for each of a plurality of memory cells; a memory storage layer formed on the lower electrode and capable of recording information according to a change in resistance; and an upper electrode formed on the memory storage layer. The memory storage device includes a first layer formed of metal or metal silicide and a second layer formed on the first layer and formed of a metal nitride, the lower electrode is formed by lamination of the first layer and the second layer and formed such that only the first layer is in contact with a lower layer and only the second layer is in contact with the memory storage layer, which is an upper layer. The memory storage layer and the upper electrode are formed in common to plural memory cells.
US09048421B2

Variable resistance memory devices and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The devices may include an additional barrier layer that is a portion of a variable resistance layer and that is formed before forming a horizontal electrode layer. Due to the presence of the additional barrier layer, it may be possible to cure loss or damage of the variable resistance layer.
US09048419B2

An arrangement that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy employs a base member and a cantilever member coupled thereto. The cantilever member has two piezoelectric layers with an air space therebetween. A proof mass is coupled to the cantilever member distal from the base member. The first and second piezoelectric layers are formed of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), and the output voltage of the cantilever member is proportional to the height of the air gap. A piezoresistive accelerometer that is useful for measuring mechanical vibration has a suspension beam and a piezoresistive layer be separated from the suspension beam. A method of monitoring an acoustic vibration utilizes a piezoresistive element having an air-spaced cantilever formed of a piezoelectric material in the vicinity of the system to be monitored and obtains an alternating voltage form the air-spaced cantilever of the piezoresistive element.
US09048414B2

A method of processing a nonvolatile memory device includes forming a first electrode, depositing a layer of sol-gel solution on the first electrode, hydrolyzing the layer of sol-gel solution to form a layer of variable electric resistance material, and forming a second electrode on the layer of variable electric resistance material.
US09048412B2

A magnetic memory device may include a first vertical magnetic layer, a non-magnetic layer on the first vertical magnetic layer, and a first junction magnetic layer on the non-magnetic layer, with the non-magnetic layer being between the first vertical magnetic layer and the first junction magnetic layer. A tunnel barrier may be on the first junction magnetic layer, with the first junction magnetic layer being between the non-magnetic layer and the tunnel barrier. A second junction magnetic layer may be on the tunnel barrier with the tunnel barrier being between the first and second junction magnetic layers, and a second vertical magnetic layer may be on the second junction magnetic layer with the second junction magnetic layer being between the tunnel barrier and the second vertical magnetic layer.
US09048411B2

A magnetic element is disclosed that has a composite free layer with a FM1/moment diluting/FM2 configuration wherein FM1 and FM2 are magnetic layers made of one or more of Co, Fe, Ni, and B and the moment diluting layer is used to reduce the perpendicular demagnetizing field. As a result, lower resistance x area product and higher thermal stability are realized when perpendicular surface anisotropy dominates shape anisotropy to give a magnetization perpendicular to the planes of the FM1, FM2 layers. The moment diluting layer may be a non-magnetic metal like Ta or a CoFe alloy with a doped non-magnetic metal. A perpendicular Hk enhancing layer interfaces with the FM2 layer and may be an oxide to increase the perpendicular anisotropy field in the FM2 layer. A method for forming the magnetic element is also provided.
US09048406B2

A curable silicone composition comprises: (A) an organopolysiloxane represented by an average unit formula; (B) an organopolysiloxane having 10 or less silicon atoms, wherein 30 to 60 mole % of all silicon atom-bonded organic groups are alkenyl groups having from 2 to 6 carbons; (C) an organopolysiloxane represented by a general formula; (D) an organopolysiloxane having at least 2 silicon atom-bonded hydrogen atoms in a molecule, wherein the content of phenyl groups in all silicon atom-bonded organic groups in this component is at least 20 mole %; (E) an organopolysiloxane having at least 2 silicon atom-bonded hydrogen atoms in a molecule, wherein the content of phenyl groups in all silicon atom-bonded organic groups in this component is less than 20 mole %; (F) a hydrosilylation reaction catalyst; (G) a white pigment; and (H) an inorganic filler other than a white pigment, has excellent formability for forming a cured product that has little discoloration and lowering of mechanical strength by heat and light, has high light reflectance, has excellent dimensional stability, and is capable of good attachment by a sealing agent used for an optical semiconductor device.
US09048397B2

A method of disposing a phosphor material on an LED such that the LED emits white light and adjusting the quantity of phosphor material such that the white light meets a color target. A formulated procedure is used to determine the adjustment required, and includes a correlation between a change in position of a color of an LED on a CIE diagram and a known quantity of phosphor material added to the LED.
US09048394B2

An exemplary light emitting diode (LED) package includes a substrate, a first electrode and a second electrode embedded in the substrate and spaced from each other, and an LED die mounted on a top surface of the substrate. The substrate also includes a bottom surface. Top ends of the first and second electrodes are exposed at the top surface of the substrate, and bottom ends of the first and second electrodes are exposed at the bottom surface of the substrate. An oxidation-resistant metal coating layer is formed on a top face of each of the first and second electrodes. The LED die is electrically connected to the first and second electrodes via the two oxidation-resistant metal coating layers.
US09048384B2

A steam generation apparatus 1 including a high-temperature pipe 10 disposed extending horizontally and through which a high-temperature fluid passes; low-temperature pipes 20 disposed on both sides of the high-temperature pipe 10 in a horizontal direction and through which a low-temperature fluid having a temperature lower than that of the high-temperature fluid passes; and a thermoelectric module 30 interposed between the high-temperature pipe 10 and each of the low-temperature pipes 20 for generating electrical power using a temperature difference between the high-temperature pipe 10 and the low-temperature pipes 20, the low-temperature pipes 20 being configured such that the supplied low-temperature fluid in a liquid form is turned into steam due to heat exchange with the high-temperature fluid and is discharged from an upper portion of the low-temperature pipes 20.
US09048365B2

A light-emitting diode device includes a base substrate including a plurality of quantum well layers, a first electrode on one side of the plurality of quantum well layers, and a second electrode on an opposite side of the plurality of quantum well layers. The device includes a tensile-stressing layer formed on the base substrate and having a thickness and chemical composition configured to generate a first tensile stress in the base substrate, the first compressive stress selected to cause the base substrate to have a predetermined band-gap.
US09048359B2

A solar cell module includes a plurality of solar cells arranged next to one another in a first direction orthogonal to a second direction. The solar cells each include a lower conductive layer, an upper conductive layer, and a power generating layer. Adjacent solar cells include edge portions overlapped and electrically connected with each other. Each of the solar cells further includes end processed regions at both ends thereof and a main power generating region in a middle portion thereof. The end processed regions prevent a short-circuit between the upper conductive layer and the lower conductive layer. The main power generating region performs photoelectric conversion. The edge portion of one of the adjacent solar cells overlaps from above with the edge portion of the other one of the adjacent solar cells within a range of the main power generating region of the other one of the adjacent solar cells.
US09048357B2

A semi-conducting structure, configured to receive an electromagnetic radiation and to transform the electromagnetic radiation into an electric signal, including: a first zone and a second zone of a same conductivity type and of same elements; a barrier zone, provided between the first and second zones, for acting as a barrier to majority carriers of the first and second zones on a barrier thickness, the barrier zone having its lowest bandgap energy defining a barrier proportion; and a first interface zone configured to interface the first zone and the barrier zone on a first interface thickness, the first interface zone including a composition of elements which is varied from a proportion corresponding to that of the first material to the barrier proportion, the first interface thickness being at least equal to half the barrier thickness.
US09048356B2

A photoelectric conversion device includes a first cell including a photoelectric conversion layer, a second cell over the first cell including a photoelectric conversion layer formed of a material having a wider band gap than that of the first cell, first and second electrodes under a surface of the first cell which is opposite to the second cell, and a third electrode over a surface of the second cell which is opposite to the first cell. The first and second cells each include a p-n or p-i-n junction, the first and second cells are in contact with each other and a p-n junction is formed in a contact portion therebetween, the first cell is electrically connected to the first and second electrodes to form a back contact structure, and the second cell is electrically connected to the third electrode.
US09048350B2

A sealed body in which sealing is uniformly performed is provided. A light-emitting module in which sealing is uniformly performed is provided. A method of manufacturing the sealed body in which sealing is uniformly performed is provided. The sealed body comprises a first substrate alternately provided with a high-reflectivity region with respect to the energy ray and a low-reflectivity region with respect to the energy ray so as to overlap with a sealant surrounding a sealed object, and a second substrate capable of transmitting the energy ray. The sealed object is sealed between the first substrate and the second substrate by heating the sealant with irradiation with the energy ray through the second substrate.
US09048328B2

A semiconductor device includes, a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of memory cells being provided on the semiconductor substrate in a memory cell region. Each of the plurality of memory cells having a first gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate with a first gate insulating film, and the first gate electrode having a first charge storage layer, a first inter-electrode insulating film and a first control gate electrode film, and a cavity is interposed between an upper surface of the charge storage layer and the inter-electrode insulating film.
US09048315B2

A semiconductor device includes a pillar-shaped silicon layer and a first-conductivity-type diffusion layer in an upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer. A sidewall having a laminated structure including an insulating film and polysilicon resides on an upper sidewall of the pillar-shaped silicon layer. A top of the polysilicon of the sidewall is electrically connected to a top of the first-conductivity-type diffusion layer and has the same conductivity as the diffusion layer.
US09048308B2

A rectifier building block has four electrodes: source, drain, gate and probe. The main current flows between the source and drain electrodes. The gate voltage controls the conductivity of a narrow channel under a MOS gate and can switch the RBB between OFF and ON states. Used in pairs, the RBB can be configured as a three terminal half-bridge rectifier which exhibits better than ideal diode performance, similar to synchronous rectifiers but without the need for control circuits. N-type and P-type pairs can be configured as a full bridge rectifier. Other combinations are possible to create a variety of devices.
US09048281B2

A semiconductor device satisfies the condition Db≦(⅓)×Da, in which Da represents a distance between a top surface of a cathode segment and an end of an embedded gate segment facing an anode segment, and Db represents a distance between a highest-impurity concentration portion in the embedded gate segment and an end of the cathode segment facing the anode segment.
US09048280B2

A vertical heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) includes doped polysilicon having a doping of a first conductivity type as a wide-gap-emitter with an energy bandgap of about 1.12 eV and doped single crystalline Ge having a doping of the second conductivity type as the base having the energy bandgap of about 0.66 eV. Doped single crystalline Ge having of doping of the first conductivity type is employed as the collector. Because the base and the collector include the same semiconductor material, i.e., Ge, having the same lattice constant, there is no lattice mismatch issue between the collector and the base. Further, because the emitter is polycrystalline and the base is single crystalline, there is no lattice mismatch issue between the base and the emitter.
US09048276B2

An apparatus and method are provided for selecting materials for forming an electrostatic clamp. The electrostatic clamp has a backing plate having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, wherein the backing plate provides structural support and rigidity to the electrostatic clamp. The electrostatic clamp further has a clamping plate having a clamping surface associated with contact with a workpiece, wherein the clamping plate has a second coefficient of thermal expansion associated therewith. The clamping plate is bonded, attached or grown to the backing plate, wherein minimal deflection of the clamping plate is evident across a predetermined temperature range. The first coefficient of thermal expansion and second coefficient of thermal expansion, for example, are substantially similar, and vary by no greater than a factor of three.
US09048275B2

In a transport system, a positioning hole is provided in an undersurface of a container. A positioning protrusion corresponding to the positioning hole of the container is provided on a first load port of a manufacturing device. When a transport vehicle places the container onto the first load port, the placement position of the container is established by having the positioning protrusion of the first load port fit into the positioning hole. A second load port different from the first load port of the manufacturing device is provided on a storage device. A positioning protrusion is not provided on the second load port. A slip prevention member is provided on an upper surface of the second load port.
US09048272B2

The disclosure relates to trays for the handling and shipping of computer chips, or similar microelectronic devices. The tray include a series of channels, each extending along a width of the tray. The channels include such devices as pins and clips for securing a thermoformed tape. The thermoformed tape includes pockets for storing the various computer chips, or similar microelectronic devices.
US09048271B2

Disclosed is a modular semiconductor substrate processing system (1), including a plurality of independently operable substrate processing units (100). Each unit (100) comprises a reactor module (104) and a substrate transfer module (102). Within the system (1), the substrate transfer modules (102) of the different units (100) are serially interconnected such that substrates (116) may be exchanged between them. Exchange of substrates (116) between neighboring processing units (100) is facilitated by a shared substrate hand-off station (130) that is associated with each pair of neighboring processing units. The actual transfer of substrates is performed by a substrate handling robot (122), which may preferably be of the SCARA-type.
US09048269B2

Disclosed is a liquid treatment apparatus for processing a lower surface of the substrate. The apparatus includes a first nozzle disposed below a lower surface of the substrate retained by the substrate retaining unit to eject a treatment liquid towards the lower surface of the substrate, the first nozzle having a plurality of first ejection ports, which are arrayed from a position opposing a central portion of the substrate retained by the substrate retaining unit to a position opposing a peripheral portion of the substrate retained by the substrate retaining unit. An ejecting direction of the treatment liquid ejected from the first ejection port is inclined towards a rotation direction of the substrate rotated by the rotational driving unit.
US09048248B2

Some embodiments herein relate to a transmitter. The transmitter includes an integrated circuit (IC) package including a first antenna configured to radiate a first electromagnetic signal therefrom. A printed circuit board (PCB) substrate includes a waveguide configured to receive the first electromagnetic signal and to generate a waveguide signal based thereon. A second antenna can be electrically coupled to the waveguide and can radiate a second electromagnetic signal that corresponds to the waveguide signal. Other devices and methods are also disclosed.
US09048239B2

A semiconductor device comprising a plurality of semiconductor chips and a plurality of through-line groups is disclosed. Each of the through-line groups consists of a unique number of through-lines. The numbers associated with the through-line groups are mutually coprime to each other. When one of the through-lines is selected for the each through-line group, one of the semiconductor chip is designated by a combination of the selected through-lines of the plurality of the through-line groups.
US09048234B2

A microelectronic assembly includes first and second stacked microelectronic elements, each having spaced apart traces extending along a front face and beyond at least a first edge thereof. An insulating region can contact the edges of each microelectronic element and at least portions of the traces of each microelectronic element extending beyond the respective first edges. The insulating region can define first and second side surfaces adjacent the first and second edges of the microelectronic elements. A plurality of spaced apart openings can extend along a side surface of the microelectronic assembly. Electrical conductors connected with respective traces can have portions disposed in respective openings and extending along the respective openings. The electrical conductors may extend to pads or solder balls overlying a face of one of the microelectronic elements.
US09048233B2

A package system includes an integrated circuit disposed over an interposer. The interposer includes a first interconnect structure. A first substrate is disposed over the first interconnect structure. The first substrate includes at least one first through silicon via (TSV) structure therein. A molding compound material is disposed over the first interconnect structure and around the first substrate. The integrated circuit is electrically coupled with the at least one first TSV structure.
US09048229B2

A printed wiring board includes a core substrate, an electronic component accommodated in the substrate, a first buildup layer laminated on first surface of the substrate and including the outermost interlayer resin insulation layer and the outermost conductive layer formed on the outermost interlayer resin insulation layer of the first buildup layer, and a second buildup layer laminated on second surface of the substrate and including the outermost interlayer resin insulation layer and the outermost conductive layer formed on the outermost interlayer resin insulation layer of the second buildup layer. The outermost interlayer resin insulation layer of the first buildup layer has thermal expansion coefficient which is set lower than thermal expansion coefficient of the outermost interlayer resin insulation layer of the second buildup layer.
US09048228B2

A system and method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: a leadframe having a side solderable lead with a half-etched lead portion and a lead top side; a mold body directly on the leadframe and the side solderable lead, the lead top side of the side solderable lead exposed from the mold body; a mold groove in the mold body and in a portion of the side solderable lead for exposing a lead protrusion of the side solderable lead on an upper perimeter side of the mold body; and the half-etched lead portion exposed from a lower perimeter side of the mold body.
US09048227B2

A semiconductor device includes a metal substrate, semiconductor elements, wires, a control terminal, a main electrode terminal, a control substrate, a cover, a sealing resin, a case, and an insulator. The metal substrate includes a metal plate, an insulating layer formed on the top surface of the metal plate, and electrode patterns provided on the insulating layer. The semiconductor elements are secured to different ones of the electrode patterns by solder. The sealing resin seals the components within the case, such as the semiconductor elements. The insulator covers a portion of the surface of the insulating layer and at least a portion of the edge of each electrode pattern.
US09048224B2

According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: first and second stacked bodies, first and second semiconductor pillars, a connection portion, a memory film, and a partitioning insulating layer. The stacked bodes include electrode films stacked along a first axis and an inter-electrode insulating film provided between the electrode films. Through-holes are provided in the stacked bodies. The semiconductor pillars are filled into the through-holes. The connection portion electrically connects the semiconductor pillars. The memory film is provided between the semiconductor pillars and the electrode films. The partitioning insulating layer partitions the first and second electrode films. A side surface of the first through-hole on the partitioning insulating layer side and a side surface of the second through-hole on the partitioning insulating layer side have a portion parallel to a plane orthogonal to a second axis from the first stacked body to the second stacked body.
US09048214B2

In one embodiment, a structure for a semiconductor device has trench shield electrodes formed above and below a gate electrode. The structure can be configured to function as a bidirectional power field effect transistor.
US09048211B2

A semiconductor device has a first thermally conductive layer formed over a first surface of a semiconductor die. A second surface of the semiconductor die is mounted to a sacrificial carrier. An encapsulant is deposited over the first thermally conductive layer and sacrificial carrier. The encapsulant is planarized to expose the first thermally conductive layer. A first insulating layer is formed over the second surface of the semiconductor die and a first surface of the encapsulant. A portion of the first insulating layer over the second surface of the semiconductor die is removed. A second thermally conductive layer is formed over the second surface of the semiconductor die within the removed portion of the first insulating layer. An electrically conductive layer is formed within the insulating layer around the second thermally conductive layer. A heat sink can be mounted over the first thermally conductive layer.
US09048202B2

The present invention is to ensure that when it has been judged that film-formation areas of a plurality of layers laminated on the same luminescent areas of organic EL devices involve a defect, it is possible to exactly find which layer of the multi-laminated layers is a defective layer. The film formation areas of layers to be laminated on luminescent area are formed in a manner such that overlap deviations e1-e3 are intentionally formed.
US09048200B2

In manufacturing an LSI, or semiconductor integrated circuit device, the step of assembling device (such as resin sealing step) is normally followed by a voltage-application test in an environment of high temperature (e.g., from 85 to 130° C.) and high humidity (e.g., about 80% RH). It has been found that separation of a titanium nitride anti-reflection film from an upper film and generation of cracks in the titanium nitride film at an upper surface edge part of the aluminum-based bonding pad applied with a positive voltage in the test is caused by an electrochemical reaction due to moisture incoming through the sealing resin and the like to generate oxidation and bulging of the titanium nitride film. These problems are addressed by removing the titanium nitride film over the pad in a ring or slit shape at peripheral area of the aluminum-based bonding pad.
US09048194B2

Methods for circuit material processing are provided. In at least one such method, a substrate is provided with a plurality of overlying spacers. The spacers have substantially straight inner sidewalls and curved outer sidewalls. An augmentation material is formed on the plurality of spacers such that the inner or the outer sidewalls of the spacers are selectively expanded. The augmentation material can bridge the upper portions of pairs of neighboring inner sidewalls to limit deposition between the inner sidewalls. The augmentation material is selectively etched to form a pattern of augmented spacers having a desired augmentation of the inner or outer sidewalls. The pattern of augmented spacers can then be transferred to the substrate through a series of selective etches such that features formed in the substrate achieve a desired pitch.
US09048182B2

A semiconductor device manufacturing method, the method including: forming an insulation layer having a protruding portion, the insulation layer having a surface and a rising surface that protrudes upward from the surface, on a semiconductor substrate; forming a conductive layer to cover the insulation layer having the protruding portion; and removing a predetermined region of the conductive layer by patterning the predetermined region according to an etching process using microwave plasma, which uses a microwave as a plasma source, while applying bias power of 70 mW/cm2 or above on the semiconductor substrate, under a high pressure condition of 85 mTorr or above.
US09048179B2

Systems and methods for preparing films using sequential ion implantation, and films formed using same, are provided herein. A structure prepared using ion implantation may include a substrate; an embedded structure having pre-selected characteristics; and a film within or adjacent to the embedded structure and including ions having a perturbed arrangement arising from the presence of the embedded structure. The perturbed arrangement may include the ions being covalently bonded to each other, to the embedded structure, or to the substrate, whereas the ions instead may be free to diffuse through the substrate in the absence of the embedded structure. The embedded structure may inhibit or impede the ions from diffusing through the substrate, such that the ions instead covalently bond to each other, to the embedded structure, or to the substrate. The film may include, for example, diamond-like carbon, graphene, or SiC having a pre-selected phase.
US09048171B2

A precision resistor is formed with a controllable resistance to compensate for variations that occur with temperature. An embodiment includes forming a resistive semiconductive element having a width and a length on a substrate, patterning an electrically conductive line across the width of the resistive semiconductive element, but electrically isolated therefrom, and forming a depletion channel in the resistive semiconductive element under the electrically conductive line to control the resistance value of the resistive semiconductive element. The design enables dynamic adjustment of the resistance, thereby improving the reliability of the resistor or allowing for resistance modification during final packaging.
US09048169B2

A method of fabricating a device layer structure includes providing a III-nitride semiconductor layer which is bonded to a bonding substrate. A device layer structure is formed on a nitrogen polar surface of the III-nitride semiconductor layer. The device layer structure includes an indium gallium nitride layer with a metal polar surface adjacent to the nitrogen polar surface of the III-nitride semiconductor layer.
US09048168B2

A semiconductor package can include a substrate body having a first surface and a second surface. A semiconductor chip can be mounted on the first surface and a plurality of electrode pads can be on the second surface and selectively formed to have progressively smaller or larger sizes extending from a central region of the substrate body toward an outer edge of the substrate body based on a reflow soldering process warpage profile for the semiconductor package.
US09048145B2

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an array substrate, comprising: step A, sequentially forming patterns of a first conduction layer, source and drain electrodes, an active layer, and an insulation layer on one side of the substrate, wherein at least one via hole is provided on the insulation layer; step B, sequentially forming a gate metal layer and a passivation layer on the substrate on which the first conduction layer, the source and drain electrodes, the active layer, and the insulation layer have been formed, wherein the gate metal layer comprises a gate electrode and a gate line, and the gate metal layer is coupled to the first conduction layer through the at least one via hole to form a path for dispersing static electricity.
US09048139B2

A method for fabricating a non-volatile memory device includes alternately stacking a plurality of inter-layer dielectric layers and a plurality of sacrificial layers over a substrate, forming at least a channel hole that exposes the substrate by selectively etching the inter-layer dielectric layers and the sacrificial layers, forming a protective layer on sidewalls of the sacrificial layers that are exposed through the channel hole, sequentially forming a memory layer and a channel layer on the sidewalls of the channel hole, forming slit holes that penetrate through the inter-layer dielectric layers and the sacrificial layers on both sides of the channel hole, removing the sacrificial layers that are exposed through the slit holes, removing the protective layer, and forming gate electrodes in space from which the sacrificial layers and the protective layer are removed.
US09048138B2

A three dimensional semiconductor memory device has a stacked structure including cell gates stacked therein that are insulated from each other and first string selection gates laterally separated from each other, vertical active patterns extending through the first string selection gates, multi-layered dielectric layers between sidewalls of the vertical active patterns and the cell gates and between the sidewalls of the vertical active patterns and the first string selection gates, and at least one first supplement conductive pattern. The first string selection gates are disposed over an uppermost cell gate of the cell gates. Each vertical active pattern extends through each of the cell gates stacked under the first string selection gates. The first supplement conductive pattern is in contact with a sidewall of one of the first string selection gates.
US09048136B2

A static random access memory cell is provided formed in a silicon layer over a buried oxide layer on a substrate and including first and second inverters each having a pull-up and pull-down transistor configured to form a cell node. Each of the pull-down transistors of the first and second inverters are formed over first regions below the buried oxide layer with the first regions having a first doping level forming first backgates for the pull-down transistors. A pair of passgate transistors respectively couples to the cell nodes of the first and second inverters and each are formed over second regions below the buried oxide layer with the second regions having a second doping level forming second backgates for the passgate transistors. Active bias circuitry applies potentials to the first and second backgates during read, standby and write operations of the static random access memory cell.
US09048134B2

A memory device comprises a substrate, a plurality of buried word lines, a plurality of digital contacts, a patterned insulating layer, a liner layer, a plurality of buried bit lines, and a cap layer. The buried word lines are arranged in the substrate in parallel along a first direction. Each of the digital contacts is arranged between one pair of the neighboring buried word lines. The patterned insulating layer is arranged on the buried word lines, having a plurality of contact holes opposite to the digital contacts. The liner layer is arranged on the substrate, and abuts the patterned insulating layer. The buried bit lines are arranged in parallel along a second direction different from the first direction. The cap layer arranged to cover the buried bit lines.
US09048129B2

Semiconductor devices are formed with a thin layer of fully strain relaxed epitaxial silicon germanium on a substrate. Embodiments include forming a silicon germanium (SiGe) epitaxial layer on a semiconductor substrate, implanting a dopant into the SiGe epitaxial layer, and annealing the implanted SiGe epitaxial layer.
US09048128B2

Embodiments of mechanisms of forming an inductor structure are provided. The inductor structure includes a substrate and a first dielectric layer formed over the substrate. The inductor structure includes a first metal layer formed in the first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer over the first metal layer. The inductor structure further includes a magnetic layer formed over the first dielectric layer, and the magnetic layer has a top surface, a bottom surface and sidewall surfaces between the top surface and the bottom surface, and the sidewall surfaces have at least two intersection points.
US09048125B2

A semiconductor device including a relatively thin interposer excluding a through silicon hole and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The method includes forming an interposer on a dummy substrate. The forming of the interposer includes, forming a dielectric layer on the dummy substrate, forming a pattern and a via on the dielectric layer, and forming a seed layer at the pattern and the via of the dielectric layer and forming a redistribution layer and a conductive via on the seed layer. A semiconductor die is connected with the conductive via facing an upper portion of the interposer, and the semiconductor die is encapsulated with an encapsulant. The dummy substrate is removed from the interposer. A bump is connected with the conductive via facing a lower portion of the interposer.
US09048123B2

A semiconductor device includes a first fin rising out of a semiconductor base. It further includes a second fin rising out of the semiconductor base. The second fin is substantially parallel to the first fin that forms a span between the first fin and the second fin. A first dielectric layer is deposited on exposed surfaces of a first gate body area of the first fin, a second gate body area of the second fin, and an adjacent surface of the semiconductor base that defines the span between the first and second gate body areas. A gate electrode layer is sandwiched between the first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer. The semiconductor device includes a third fin interdigitated between the first fin and the second fin within the span. Exposed surfaces of the gate body area of the third fin are in contact with the second dielectric layer.
US09048119B2

There exists a possibility that a semiconductor device configured with a normally-on JFET and a normally-off MOSFET which are coupled in cascade may break by erroneous conduction, etc. A semiconductor device is configured with a normally-on SiCJFET and a normally-off Si-type MOSFET. The normally-on SiCJFET and the normally-off Si-type MOSFET are coupled in cascade and configure a switching circuit. According to one input signal, the normally-on SiCJFET and the normally-off Si-type MOSFET are controlled so as to have a period in which both transistors are set in an OFF state.
US09048118B2

Methods and systems for power semiconductor devices integrating multiple quasi-vertical transistors on a single chip. Multiple power transistors (or active regions) are paralleled, but one transistor has a lower threshold voltage. This reduces the voltage drop when the transistor is forward-biased. In an alternative embodiment, the power device with lower threshold voltage is simply connected as a depletion diode, to thereby shunt the body diodes of the active transistors, without affecting turn-on and ON-state behavior.
US09048117B2

An object of the present invention is to suppress deterioration in the thin film transistor. A plurality of pulse output circuits each include first to eleventh thin film transistors is formed. The pulse output circuit is operated on the basis of a plurality of clock signals which control each transistor, the previous stage signal input from a pulse output circuit in the previous stage, the next stage signal input from a pulse output circuit in the next stage, and a reset signal. In addition, a microcrystalline semiconductor is used for a semiconductor layer serving as a channel region of each transistor. Therefore, degradation of characteristics of the transistor can be suppressed.
US09048115B2

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. An epitaxial layer is grown on a substrate, wherein the epitaxial layer and the substrate have a first conductivity type. A trench is formed in the epitaxial layer. A barrier region is formed at a bottom of the trench. A doped region of a second conductivity type is formed in the epitaxial layer and surrounds sidewalls of the trench, wherein the barrier region prevents a dopant used for forming the doped region from reaching the epitaxial layer under the barrier region. The trench is filled with a dielectric material. A pair of polysilicon gates is formed on the epitaxial layer and on both sides of the trench.
US09048108B2

An electrical circuit, planar diode, and method of forming a diode and one or more CMOS devices on the same chip. The method includes electrically isolating a portion of a substrate in a diode region from other substrate regions. The method also includes recessing the substrate in the diode region. The method further includes epitaxially forming in the diode region a first doped layer above the substrate and epitaxially forming in the diode region a second doped layer above the first doped layer.
US09048093B2

A single crystal substrate made of silicon carbide and a first support substrate having a size greater than a size of each of the single crystal substrates are prepared. The single crystal substrate is bonded onto the first support substrate. Process on the single crystal substrate bonded to the first support substrate is performed. The first support substrate is removed. The single crystal substrate is subjected to heat treatment. The single crystal substrate is bonded onto a second support substrate having a size greater than the size of the single crystal substrate. Process on the single crystal substrate bonded to the second support substrate is performed.
US09048088B2

This invention pertains to fabrication of devices. One embodiment is a method of substrate cleaning and electroless deposition of a cap layer for an integrated circuit. The method is performed on a substrate having a surface comprising a metal and dielectric damascene metallization layer. The method comprises exposing the surface of the substrate to a cleaning solution sufficient to clean the surface of the substrate and exposing the surface of the substrate to an electroless deposition solution sufficient to deposit the cap layer. Other embodiments of the present invention include solutions to clean the substrate and solutions to accomplish electroless deposition.
US09048086B2

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a substrate recycling method and a recycled substrate. The method includes separating a first surface of a substrate from an epitaxial layer; forming a protective layer on an opposing second surface of the substrate; electrochemically etching the first surface of the substrate; and chemically etching the electrochemically etched first surface of the substrate.
US09048076B2

Methods and devices for detecting a target substance on a subject without contacting the subject are disclosed. At least one air jet blows analyte from a surface of the subject into an airflow, the airflow entraining the analyte. A desorption channel desorbs molecules from analyte in a portion of the airflow travelling through the desorption channel. An ionizer forms ions from vapor molecules in the portion of the airflow. At least one mass spectrometer analyzes the ions to detect the target substance. The flow travels without interruption from the subject to the at least one mass spectrometer. The desorption channel causes a sufficient quantity of molecules to desorb from the analyte to enable the at least one mass spectrometer to detect the target substance.
US09048071B2

An imaging mass spectrometer capable of reducing the dependence of the resolution of a projection image on mass is offered. Also, a method of controlling this spectrometer is offered. The imaging mass spectrometer includes: a plate on which a sample is placed; a lens system through which ions generated by irradiating the sample with laser light pass; an ion optical system for separating the ions according to flight time corresponding to mass-to-charge ratio; a detection system for measuring arrival positions and flight times of the ions passed through the ion optical system and generating an image of the sample when it is ionized; and a voltage control portion for sweeping the voltage applied to an electrode included in the lens system such that the lens effect of the lens system increases with time during a given period synchronized with the laser irradiation.
US09048069B2

An apparatus for monitoring beam currents of an implanter is provided. The apparatus includes a beam-sensing unit for sensing the beam currents; a position-determining unit for determining scan positions; and a computing unit. The computing unit is configured to perform the functions of receiving the beam currents from the beam-sensing unit; receiving the scan positions from the position-determining unit; and determining a drift status of the implanter from the beam currents, wherein the computing unit is configured to receive the beam currents and the scan position periodically between a starting time and an ending time of a scan process of the implanter.
US09048067B2

Mineral definitions each include a list of elements, each of the elements having a corresponding standard spectrum. To determine the composition of an unknown mineral sample, the acquired spectrum of the sample is sequentially decomposed into the standard spectra of the elements from the element list of each of the mineral definitions, and a similarity metric computed for each mineral definition. The unknown mineral is identified as the mineral having the best similarity metric.
US09048061B2

The present invention is directed toward an X-ray scanner that has an electron source and an anode. The anode has a target surface with a series of material areas spaced along it in a scanning direction. The material areas are formed from different materials. The electron source is arranged to direct electrons at a series of target areas of the target surface, in a predetermined order, so as to generate X-ray beams having different energy spectra.
US09048060B2

The invention relates to a charged-particle microscope comprising a charged-particle source; a sample holder; a charged-particle lens system; a detector; and a beam pulsing device, for causing the beam to repeatedly switch on and off so as to produce a pulsed beam. The beam pulsing device comprises a unitary resonant cavity disposed about a particle-optical axis and has an entrance aperture and an exit aperture for the beam. The resonant cavity is configured to simultaneously produce a first oscillatory deflection of the beam at a first frequency in a first direction and a second oscillatory deflection of the beam at a second, different frequency in a second, different direction. The resonant cavity may have an elongated (e.g. rectangular or elliptical) cross-section, with a long axis parallel to said first direction and a short axis parallel to said second direction.
US09048057B2

A field-emission electron gun including an electron emission tip, an extractor anode, and a mechanism creating an electric-potential difference between the emission tip and the extractor anode. The emission tip includes a metal tip and an end cone produced by chemical vapor deposition on a nanofilament, the cone being aligned and welded onto the metal tip. The electron gun can be used for a transmission electron microscope.
US09048056B2

A glass composition according to the present invention comprises: transition metals; phosphorus; barium; and zinc, the transition metals including: vanadium; and tungsten and/or iron, the glass composition not containing substances included in the JIG level A and B lists, an softening point of the glass composition being from 430 to 530° C., an average linear expansion coefficient of the glass composition being from 6 to 9 ppm/° C. at temperatures from 30 to 250° C.
US09048055B2

A method for making carbon nanotube slurry is presented. At least one carbon nanotube film is provided, the at least one carbon nanotube film includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes oriented along substantially the same direction. A substrate is provided, and the at least one carbon nanotube film is attached to a surface of the substrate. The at least one carbon nanotube film is cut perpendicular the oriented direction of the carbon nanotubes with a laser to form a carbon nanotube belt. An inorganic binder and an organic carrier is provided, the carbon nanotube belt, the inorganic binder, and the organic carrier are mixed in an organic solvent to form a mixture. The organic solvent is removed.
US09048054B2

A circuit breaker is disclosed that has a neutral lock-out mechanism that prevents electrical connection between a power source and a load when a neutral rail is disconnected from the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker has a line connector, a load connector and a plug-on neutral line connector. A trip mechanism has an on position allowing electrical connection between the line connector and the load connector. The trip mechanism has a tripped position interrupting electrical connection between the line connector and the load connector in response to detection of a fault condition such as a short circuit. The trip mechanism also has an off position which is required before resetting the trip mechanism to the on position. A trip link is coupled to the trip mechanism. The trip link has a first position that prevents the trip mechanism from being reset to the on position. The trip link has a second position allowing the trip mechanism to be reset to the on position. A neutral lock mechanism is coupled to the plug-on neutral line connector. The neutral lock mechanism has a tension spring that retains the trip link in the first position when the neutral rail is disconnected from the neutral line connector. When the neutral rail is inserted into the neutral line connector, the tension spring is compressed and the trip link may move to the second position allowing the circuit breaker to be reset.
US09048051B2

An electromagnetic contactor has a pair of fixed contacts disposed and fixed maintaining a predetermined interval; a movable contact disposed to be capable of contacting to and separating from the pair of fixed contacts; an electromagnet unit to drive the movable contact; and a drive circuit driving the electromagnet unit. The electromagnet unit includes at least a movable plunger urged by a return spring, a coil to move the movable plunger, and a ring-form permanent magnet magnetized in a moving direction of the movable plunger. The drive circuit includes a power source to supply power to the coil; a pulse drive circuit to output and supply to the coil an engage pulse causing the movable plunger to perform an attracting operation and a hold pulse maintaining the attracting operation when the movable plunger is subject to the attracting operation, and a flywheel circuit having a semiconductor switching element.
US09048047B2

A micro-reed switch includes a first magnetic reed and a second magnetic reed. The first magnetic reed includes a first metal electrode and a first non-wettable area. The first metal electrode includes a liquid metal. The second magnetic reed includes a second metal electrode and a second non-wettable area. The first magnetic reed and second magnetic reed is parallel to each other and a gap is defined there between. When a magnetic field is available, the liquid metal and the second metal electrode are engaged with one another by a magnetic force of the magnet.
US09048042B2

A connector (100) and connector system are provided. A connector can include a domed metal switch (102) that is partially covered with a liquid impermeable barrier (101) such that a portion of the domed metal switch is exposed and the liquid impermeable barrier is coupled to the domed metal switch with a liquid impermeable junction (221). In a connector system, a complementary connector can include a dome switch actuator (706,707), partially covered with another liquid impermeable barrier. When pressed against the connector, the domed metal switch can deform to contact an electrical conductor (104). A control circuit (1309) can determine whether an electronic device or user is causing the deformation by detecting whether voltage or current is applied to the domed metal switch while deformed.
US09048039B2

The present invention relates to a vacuum switch assembly for interrupting and isolating fault current. The vacuum switch assembly includes first and second dc lines that, in use, are electrically connected to the dc output terminals of a primary dc power source and a dc network. Each dc line includes at least one vacuum switch having contacts that are opened and closed under the control of a vacuum switch controller. A passive dc power supply unit is electrically connected to the first and second dc lines and includes a secondary dc power source that provides a substantially ripple-free sensing voltage. The vacuum switch controller is adapted to open the vacuum switch contacts when a fault condition (e.g. a fault current or other fault) or an operator request has been identified and when the current flowing between the vacuum switch contacts is below a chopping current associated with the vacuum switches.
US09048037B2

A transfer switch including: a bus bar; a track parallel to the bus bar; a first power source connection proximate to the track; a second power source connection proximate to the track offset along the track from the first power source connection; a conductive core slidably coupled to the track, wherein the core includes a deformable array of conductive sections and the array includes contacting surfaces on opposite sides of the array; wherein the conductive core has a first position providing a conductive coupling between the bus bar and the first power source and a second position providing a conductive coupling between the bus bar and the second power source.
US09048031B2

Multilayer carbon nanotube capacitors, and methods and printable compositions for manufacturing multilayer carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are disclosed. A first capacitor embodiment comprises: a first conductor; a plurality of fixed CNTs in an ionic liquid, each fixed CNT comprising a magnetic catalyst nanoparticle coupled to a carbon nanotube and further coupled to the first conductor; and a first plurality of free CNTs dispersed and moveable in the ionic liquid. Another capacitor embodiment comprises: a first conductor; a conductive nanomesh coupled to the first conductor; a first plurality of fixed CNTs in an ionic liquid and further coupled to the conductive nanomesh; and a plurality of free CNTs dispersed and moveable in the ionic liquid. Various methods of printing the CNTs and other structures, and methods of aligning and moving the CNTs using applied electric and magnetic fields, are also disclosed.
US09048027B2

A fluid dispersion obtained by mixing oxide particles and water is sprayed to a raw aluminum foil from a direction opposite to a travelling direction of the raw aluminum foil while the raw aluminum foil is allowed to travel. In this way, a roll-pressed mark of the raw aluminum foil is eliminated, and thus aluminum foil for aluminum electrolytic capacitor electrode is produced. Pyramidal-shaped recesses each having an acute angle tip are present all over a surface of the aluminum foil.
US09048026B2

There is provided a multilayered ceramic capacitor, including: a ceramic body; an active layer including a plurality of first and second internal electrodes; an upper cover layer; a lower cover layer, the lower cover layer being thicker than the upper cover layer; a dummy electrode formed inside at least one of the upper and lower cover layers; and first and second external electrodes, wherein, when A is defined as ½ of an overall thickness of the ceramic body, B is defined as a thickness of the lower cover layer, C is defined as ½ of an overall thickness of the active layer, and D is defined as a thickness of the upper cover layer, a ratio of deviation between a center of the active layer and a center of the ceramic body, (B+C)/A, satisfies 1.063≦(B+C)/A≦1.745.
US09048024B2

The present invention provides a solid electrolytic capacitor and a method producing the same, in which high reliability is realized and further in which the product yield is improved by suppressing the increase of ESR or the like. In the present invention, the electroconductive polymer layer includes first electroconductive polymer layer 3 and second electroconductive polymer layer 10, in which first electroconductive polymer layer 3 covers the surface of dielectric polymer 2, and the second electroconductive polymer layer is provided on a surface of first electroconductive polymer layer 3 covering the bottom surface and the side surfaces, and is provide with opening at least a part of the leading surface of first electroconductive polymer layer 3.
US09048014B2

There are provided a permanent magnet and a manufacturing method thereof capable of decreasing an activity level of a calcined body activated by a calcination process. To fine powder of milled neodymium magnet is added an organometallic compound solution containing an organometallic compound expressed with a structural formula of M−(OR)x (M represents Dy or Tb, R represents a substituent group consisting of a straight-chain or branched-chain hydrocarbon, x represents an arbitrary integer) so as to uniformly adhere the organometallic compound to particle surfaces of the neodymium magnet powder. Thereafter, desiccated magnet powder is held for several hours in hydrogen atmosphere at 200 through 900 degrees Celsius. Thereafter, the powdery calcined body calcined through the calcination process in hydrogen is held for several hours in vacuum atmosphere at 200 through 600 degrees Celsius for a dehydrogenation process. Thereafter, through powder compaction and sintering process, the powdery calcined body is formed into a permanent magnet.
US09048012B2

A method of fabricating electrical feedthroughs selectively removes substrate material from a first side of an electrically conductive substrate (e.g. a bio-compatible metal) to form an array of electrically conductive posts in a substrate cavity. An electrically insulating material (e.g. a bio-compatible sealing glass) is then flowed to fill the substrate cavity and surround each post, and solidified. The solidified insulating material is then exposed from an opposite second side of the substrate so that each post is electrically isolated from each other as well as the bulk substrate. In this manner a hermetic electrically conductive feedthrough construction is formed having an array of electrical feedthroughs extending between the first and second sides of the substrate from which it was formed.
US09048009B2

Domain segregation of polymer blends or block copolymers in the presence of thermal conducting high aspect ratio nanocrystals leads to preferential placement of conductive filler either inside one domain, which promote the self-assembly of a thermal and/or electrical conducting pathway composed of high aspect ratio filler. The self-assembly of such thermal and/or electrical conducting pathway effectively enhances the thermal and/or electrical conductivity of the composite with significantly less amount of filler.
US09048007B2

A separator structure for Cat 6 cable has a core (2); a shield layer (1) between the core (2) and a jacket, or a jacket (1); four conductor sets (3) each consisting of a pair of conductors (21), and insulating layers (22) covering the conductors provided inside the core (2); and a separator (25) among the four conductor set (3). The separator (25) has a shape of “V”, the bottom end of which is located at the center of the core (2) and the two sides of which respectively separate the adjacent conductor sets (3) from each other.
US09048003B2

The current invention relates to self-supporting cables that often are aerial mounted between cable fixing points (800) and where the conductors in the cables act as the bearing elements. In this type of cables, slippage between the surfaces of different layers in the cable is undesirable. On the other hand, it must be possible to easily bend the cable, even for larger dimensions. Both these requirements are difficult to meet with the solutions from prior art. The present invention overcomes this by introducing an intermediate layer (130) between the surfaces (112, 121) comprising at least on tape (511) with friction particles (512) where the friction obtained by the friction particles (512) is low enough to allow the two surfaces (112, 121) to slip relatively each other in longitudinal direction enough so that the cable 100 can be bent but prevents the two surfaces (112, 121) from slipping in response to an inwardly directed radial pressure force (F) at the cable fixing points (800).
US09047993B2

A method and an arrangement for producing spherical fuel cores and/or breeder material cores by dripping a pouring solution containing uranyl nitrate and a solution containing at least one auxiliary agent into an ammoniacal precipitation bath to form microspheres, aging, washing, drying, and thermally treating the microspheres. In order to provide a continuous production method along with a constantly high core quality, it is proposed that 1) the microspheres from the precipitation bath be separated through a first separator and fed to the ammoniacal aging water for aging, 2) the contact duration of the microspheres with the liquid of the precipitation bath before being introduced into the aging water be set equally or substantially equally, 3) the microspheres be transferred from the aging water to a multi-stage cascade scrubber using a transfer device, wherein the microspheres are washed in the multi-stage cascade scrubber so as to be free or substantially free from ammonium nitrate and at least one auxiliary agent contained in the microspheres, and 4) after drying, the microspheres be calcinated while distributed in a monolayer during a thermal treatment.
US09047968B2

A multi-state current-switching magnetic memory element includes a stack of magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) separated by a non-magnetic layer for storing more than one bit of information, wherein different levels of current applied to the memory element cause switching to different states.
US09047964B2

A Multi-Level Memory Cell (MLC) using multiple Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) structures having one or more layers with varying thickness is disclosed. The multiple MTJ structures, which are vertically stacked and arranged in series, may have substantially identical area dimensions to minimize fabrication costs because one mask can be used to pattern the multiple MTJ structures. Further, varying the thicknesses associated with the one or more layers may provide the multiple MTJ structures with different switching current densities and thereby increase memory density and improve read and write operations. In one embodiment, the layers with the varying thicknesses may include tunnel barriers or magnesium oxide layers associated with the multiple MTJ structures and/or free layers associated with the multiple MTJ structures.
US09047955B2

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for adjusting operating parameters in a storage device. A controller in a solid state drive monitors current operating conditions for blocks of memory used to store data in the drive. When a block has been subjected to a predetermined number of program/erase cycles one or more stored bias values are retrieved from a storage location based on the wordline(s) associated with a current memory operation. The one or more parameters of the memory operation are then adjusted based on the one or more stored bias values, and the memory operation performed on the block of memory cells using the adjusted parameters.
US09047952B2

Provided are nonvolatile memory devices and methods of forming the same. The nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of word lines, a ground select line, string select line, and a dummy word line. Each of distances between the dummy word line and the ground select line and between the dummy word line and the word line is greater than a distance between a pair of the word lines adjacent to each other.
US09047950B2

Voltage controlled magnetoelectric tunnel junction (MEJ) based content addressable memory is described which provides efficient high speed switching of MEJs toward eliminating any read disturbance of written data. Each cell of said CAM having two MEJs and transistor circuitry for performing a write at voltages of a first polarity, and reads at voltages of a second polarity. If the data searched does not equal the data written in the CAM, then the match line state is changed.
US09047944B2

The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for sensing a resistance variable memory cell. A number of embodiments include programming a memory cell to an initial data state and determining a data state of the memory cell by applying a programming signal to the memory cell, the programming signal associated with programming memory cells to a particular data state, and determining whether the data state of the memory cell changes from the initial data state to the particular data state during application of the programming signal.
US09047938B2

A three dimensional (3D) stack of phase change memory (PCM) devices which includes PCM devices stacked in a 3D array, the PCM devices having memory regions; a memory management unit on at least one of the PCM devices; a stack controller in the memory management unit to monitor an ambient device temperature (Tambient) with respect to a neighborhood of memory regions in the PCM devices and to adjust a programming current with respect to at least one of the memory regions in the neighborhood of memory regions in accordance with the Tambient. Also disclosed is a method of programming a PCM device.
US09047937B2

A resistive random access memory device, a method for manufacturing the resistive random access memory device, and a method for operating the resistive random access memory device are disclosed. The resistive random access memory device includes a resistive switching memory element including two electrodes and a layer of variable-resistance material between the two electrodes, wherein the layer of variable-resistance material exhibits bipolar resistive switching behavior; and a Schottky diode including a metal layer and a p-doped semiconductor layer which contact each other, wherein the metal layer of the Schottky diode is coupled to one of the two electrodes of the resistive switching memory element. The present disclosure provides the resistive random access memory device operating in bipolar resistive switching scheme.
US09047935B2

Disclosed is a read timing generation circuit, capable of reducing dynamic power consumption. After a multi-bit address Add1, Add2, . . . , and AddN passes through an address change monitoring unit (100), a response pulse signal corresponding the address is generated. After the response pulse signal passes through an address trigger determination unit (200), a single trigger determination signal ATDPRE is generated. The single trigger determination signal ATDPRE passes through an ATD timing generation unit (300) and a post-timing generation unit (1000), thereby forming a read timing generation circuit in a serial link and generating corresponding read timing. Compared with the conventional read timing generation circuit in which each bit of an address signal corresponds to a stage of structures to execute the trigger, ATD control timing output, and ATD determination process separately, the present invention greatly reduces the total dynamic power consumption of the circuit.
US09047934B1

An integrated circuit includes a delay circuit, a buffer circuit, and a storage circuit. The delay circuit delays a first timing signal to generate a second timing signal. The buffer circuit generates a third timing signal for transmission to an external device. The third timing signal is generated based on the first timing signal. The external device provides data to the integrated circuit based on the third timing signal. The storage circuit captures the data transmitted from the external device in response to the second timing signal.
US09047920B2

An apparatus and a method for efficiently converting, by means of mixdown, audio signals recorded in multiple tracks into stereo signals.A plurality of audio signals input from an input terminal are recorded into a plurality of tracks of a recording medium. A mixer reads the audio signals recorded in the multiple tracks, subjects the audio signals to mixdown according to a mixer parameter set by an operation section, and records the processed signals as audio signals in the recording medium without reproducing the processed signal in real time. A plurality of mixer parameters are set, and a user can select a desired mixer parameter.
US09047916B2

A category creating apparatus receives a piece of music, extracts video image information included in the received music, and decomposes the extracted video image information with respect to each characteristic of the extracted video image information. Then, the category creating apparatus creates, with respect to each piece of decomposed video image information, a category representing the characteristic of the piece of video image information. The category creating apparatus extracts, from the video image information in the received music, character information and decomposes the extracted character information into words. The category creating apparatus creates, for each decomposed word, a category associated with the word.
US09047915B2

A method for managing a revision to a media asset in media production. The method includes identifying error or defect in the media asset; manually generating a path or arc of corrections and approvals needed to correct the identified error or defect in the media asset when manual generation of the path or arc of corrections is requested; generating the path or arc of corrections and approvals using a pre-defined set of steps or tasks when no request for manual generation is received; and performing the corrections and approvals according to the generated path or arc.
US09047909B2

A skew adjusting apparatus is provided. The skew adjusting apparatus includes a plurality of skew support members provided on a base mold coupled to a base chassis to have an elastic force, and a plurality of skew screws configured to couple a motor plate that supports a spindle motor to the base mold.
US09047902B1

A method and system for providing a touchdown sensor for use in disk drive is described. The touchdown sensor includes a seed layer, a sensor layer on the seed layer, and a capping layer. The sensor layer includes NiFe. In some embodiments, at least one of the seed layer and the capping layer promote stability and performance of the sensor layer.
US09047894B2

A magnetic write head having a write pole with a tapered trailing edge portion and having a spin torque oscillator that is formed entirely on the tapered trailing edge portion and that is self aligned with first and second sides of the write pole. The write pole and spin torque oscillator are formed by a method wherein the sides of the spin torque oscillator and write pole are defined in the same photolithographic and ion milling process, thereby allowing for the self alignment of the spin torque oscillator with the sides of the write pole.
US09047892B2

A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane magnetoresistive sensor has an antiparallel free (APF) structure and soft side shields wherein the upper free layer (FL2) of the APF structure is magnetically coupled antiparallel to the top shield and a top shield seed layer via a nonmagnetic antiparallel coupling (APC) layer. In one embodiment the antiparallel coupling is through an antiferromagnetic-coupling (AFC) layer that provides a dominant antiferromagnetic indirect exchange coupling of FL2 to the top shield. In another embodiment the antiparallel coupling is by an APC layer that decouples FL2 and the top shield and causes the edge-induced magnetostatic coupling between FL2 and the seed layer to dominate. The degree of coupling is controlled by the composition and thickness of the nonmagnetic APC layer between FL2 and the seed layer, and by the thickness of the seed layer.
US09047889B1

In one embodiment, a perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main pole configured to write data to a magnetic medium, a leading-side magnetic shield positioned on a leading side of the main pole in a down-track direction adjacent a media-facing surface of the head, and a trailing-side magnetic shield positioned on a trailing side of the main pole in the down-track direction adjacent the media-facing surface of the head, wherein a trailing side taper is provided on the trailing side of the main pole in the down-track direction, wherein a leading shield taper is provided on a main pole side of the leading-side magnetic shield, and wherein an angle of the trailing side taper relative to a line extending along an element height direction is less than or equal to an angle of the leading shield taper relative to the line extending along the element height direction.
US09047885B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a perpendicular magnetic recording head which can suppress reduction in recording field and efficiently reduce a fringe field. According to one embodiment, a side shield disposed at a side of each side face in a cross track direction of a main pole is arranged at a far leading side compared with the main pole.
US09047882B2

A storage system includes a storage medium operable to maintain a data set, a read/write head assembly operable to write the data set to the storage medium and to read the data set from the storage medium, a multi-level encoder operable to encode the data set at a plurality of different code rates before it is written to the storage medium, and a multi-level decoder operable to decode the data set retrieved from the storage medium and to apply decoded values encoded at a lower code rate when decoding values encoded at a higher code rate.
US09047881B2

A method and system for storing information in a nonvolatile memory comprising: a substrate comprising magnetic material operatively associated therewith, the magnetic material having at least one first portion of low permeability and at least one second portion of high permeability; a reader comprising a sensor for reading information by measuring the magnetic permeability for the at least one first portion and the at least one second portion; whereby the at least one first and second portions are subjected to a magnetic probe field from one of an external source, the sensor, or a combination of an external source and the sensor.
US09047874B2

The noise suppression device includes: a shock noise detection unit which receives an input signal including a shock noise and detects a shock noise according to a change of the input signal; and a shock sound suppression unit which receives the shock sound detection result and the input signal so as to suppress the shock sound.
US09047873B2

A self-contained breathing and communication apparatus is described that can facilitate communication between a first user and a second user. A microphone can record sound when the first user speaks. The microphone can convert the recorded sound to a voice signal. A voice activity detection processor can detect spoken words and informative sounds of the first user from the converted voice signal. For this detection, the voice activity detection processor can remove noise from the voice signal. A voice-to-text processor can convert the detected words and informative sounds to a text message. A transmitter of the transmitting module can transmit the text message to a receiver of the second user via a communication network. A display device of the second user can display the text message on a graphical user interface. Related methods, apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
US09047867B2

Methods and systems for recognition of concurrent, superimposed, or otherwise overlapping signals are described. A Markov Selection Model is introduced that, together with probabilistic decomposition methods, enable recognition of simultaneously emitted signals from various sources. For example, a signal mixture may include overlapping speech from different persons. In some instances, recognition may be performed without the need to separate signals or sources. As such, some of the techniques described herein may be useful in automatic transcription, noise reduction, teaching, electronic games, audio search and retrieval, medical and scientific applications, etc.
US09047863B2

A method of audio signal processing is described. The method includes calculating a criticality measure based on information about a first frame of the audio signal. The method also includes calculating a threshold value based on information relating to a state of a transmission channel. The method further includes comparing the calculated criticality measure to the calculated threshold value. The method additionally includes deciding to transmit a redundant copy of the first frame based on a result of the comparison. The method also includes transmitting the redundant copy of the first frame with a second frame. The first frame precedes the second frame in the audio signal.
US09047853B2

A CPU 41 detects an operation performed with respect to a plurality of frets 23 provided on a fingerboard 21, decides pitch of a musical sound to be generated based on the detected operation, decides sound generation timing for the musical sound to be generated, instructs a sound source to generate a musical sound of the decided pitch at the decided sound generation timing, and controls the musical sound generated in the sound source 45 based on a state of the detected operation.
US09047839B2

A liquid crystal display device includes an array of pixels each having a memory function, a driving section that supplies a common voltage to a counter electrode of a liquid crystal capacitor, and supplies one of a first voltage and a second voltage to a pixel electrode of the liquid crystal capacitor, the first voltage being the same as the common voltage, the second voltage reversing polarity every predetermined period, and an adjusting section that adjusts an amplitude of at least the second voltage.
US09047833B2

An exemplary liquid crystal display (LCD) provides data lines, gate lines, and pixel units arranged as a matrix array. A method for driving the LCD includes a step of analyzing and determining polarities of one column of the pixel units as determining pixels, thereby defining a first polarity group and a second polarity group, and a step of sequentially applying corresponding data signals to a part of the whole pixel units that are arranged at same rows with the first polarity group in a part of a period of a frame. Corresponding data signals are sequentially applied to the other part of the whole pixel units that are arranged at same rows with the second polarity group in another part of a period of a frame.
US09047831B2

A liquid crystal display panel and a display driving method are disclosed. The liquid crystal display panel includes data lines, scan lines, common electrode lines, pixel units, voltage buffer circuits and common electrode controller units. The pixel units are coupled to corresponding data lines and scan lines. Each pixel unit includes a storage capacitor. The pixel units on the same row are coupled to the same common electrode line. The common electrode controller units drive the common electrode lines to re-charge each pixel unit via the storage capacitor. The voltage buffer circuits are coupled between the common electrode controller units and the common electrode lines. The voltage buffer circuits are used for maintaining the voltage levels on each of the common electrode lines when each of the pixel units is not in their data writing period.
US09047830B2

An apparatus includes a plurality of display elements arranged in an array and a control matrix coupled to the plurality of display elements to communicate data and drive voltages to the display elements. For each display element, the control matrix includes an actuation circuit coupling a voltage source to the display element. The control matrix is configured to apply an actuation voltage to an actuator of the display element throughout an actuation stroke of the actuator and to initiate the actuation of the actuator after a pre-charging signal that initiated the application of the actuation voltage to the actuator has been deactivated.
US09047829B2

An image display apparatus includes a dimming value determination circuit for determining a dimming value of a backlight based on an input image signal, an image signal compensation circuit for compensating the input image signal supplied to a liquid crystal panel in accordance with the dimming value, and a backlight drive circuit for driving and controlling the backlight in accordance with the dimming value. When the light emitting luminance of the present frame of the backlight increases relative to the light emitting luminance of the previous frame, the backlight drive circuit delays the timing for applying the dimming value of the present frame. This makes it possible to reduce power consumption of the backlight by suppressing deterioration in the image quality in spite of the sharp change in the display image luminance.
US09047828B2

A liquid crystal display includes: a liquid crystal panel including a first region and a second region; a first signal controller which generates a first representative value representing image signals of the first region; a second signal controller which generates a second representative value representing image signals of the second region and transmits the second representative value to the first signal controller; a light source unit which irradiates light to the liquid crystal panel; and a light source driver which controls luminance of the light source unit. The first signal controller transmits a luminance of the light source unit to the light source driver. The luminance of the light source unit is calculated from the first representative value and the second representative value.
US09047825B2

A display device includes a calculation unit which calculates a required luminance according to a set luminance for each color of a backlight, for each of a first video signal and a second video signal, and obtains the higher of the required luminance corresponding to the first video signal and the required luminance corresponding to the second video signal as an objective luminance for each color based on a calculation result, a backlight driving unit which drives the backlight for each color according to the obtained objective luminance of each color, a detection unit which compares the required luminance with the objective luminance and detects, for each color, the required luminance corresponding to the video signal lower than the objective luminance, and a brightness adjustment unit which performs adjustment for each color so that an image corresponding to the video signal lower than the objective luminance is darkened.
US09047822B2

In order to achieve lower power consumption, a technique of performing display (partial display) by utilizing only a part of a display area is used. For example, a display area is divided, a plurality of driver circuits for driving the divided display areas independently are provided, and only a region where a fixed pattern is displayed is driven in a power saving mode, thereby partial display is performed; however, display cannot be performed at an arbitrary position. Alternatively, partial display can be performed by inputting a video signal to a pixel in an arbitrary display area; however, a structure of a driver circuit is complicated. The object of the invention is to provide a display device which can perform partial display at an arbitrary position and reduce power consumption. In partial display, operation of a signal line driver circuit is set so as to be stopped and a non-display signal is set so as to be outputted from the signal line driver circuit when a pixel in a non-display area is selected.
US09047820B2

A method of driving an organic light emitting display capable of providing a sufficient (e.g., a sufficiently long) data writing period and/or threshold voltage compensating period is provided. The method includes supplying scan signals to odd scan lines in a writing period of an odd frame set to be in a non-emission state, and supplying scan signals to even scan lines in a writing period of an even frame set to be in the non-emission state.
US09047818B1

An active matrix microdisplay system is provided. The microdisplay system includes an array of micro-emitters. The microdisplay system also includes an array of CMOS driving circuits. Each of the CMOS driving circuits is coupled to a respective micro-emitter for controlling current to each respective micro-emitter. Each driving circuit includes metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) devices, where the MOSFET devices comprise p-type metal-oxide-semiconductors (PMOSs) or n-type metal-oxide-semiconductors (NMOSs).
US09047816B2

A pixel for an organic light emitting display is disclosed. The pixel is configured to provide a current to an organic light emitting diode which is substantially independent of a voltage threshold of the driving transistor of the circuit.
US09047810B2

The present disclosure provides a circuit for discharging parasitic capacitance in a display panel with common-anode topology having a plurality of light emitters, as well as a circuit for charging parasitic capacitance in a display panel with common-cathode topology. In the common-cathode topology, the circuit includes a three-terminal device having a gate, a source, and a drain, wherein one of the source and the drain is electrically coupled to a common cathode of the light emitters, and a mechanism for controlling the three-terminal device, the mechanism being electrically coupled to the gate. Shortly after a previously selected light emitter is unselected, the mechanism turns on the three-terminal device to form a conductive path between the source and the drain. The mechanism turns off the three-terminal device after a voltage at the common cathode is increased to a predetermined voltage level or after a maximum period of time lapses.
US09047806B2

A display device for selectively adjusting a viewing angle thereof and a method of adjusting a viewing angle thereof are provided. The display device comprises: a display unit displaying an input image based on a determined viewing angle; and a controlling unit determining a viewing angle of the display unit according to a predetermined viewing condition and controlling to display the input image with the determined viewing angle, wherein the viewing condition is one of a viewer position condition, an image type condition, and a viewer setting condition.
US09047799B2

An e-book reader in which destruction of a driver circuit at the time when a flexible panel is handled is inhibited. In addition, an e-book reader having a simplified structure. A plurality of flexible display panels each including a display portion in which display control is performed by a scan line driver circuit and a signal line driver circuit, and a binding portion fastening the plurality of display panels together are included. The signal line driver circuit is provided inside the binding portion, and the scan line driver circuit is provided at the edge of the display panel in a direction perpendicular to the binding portion.
US09047797B2

An image display apparatus and a method for controlling the same are provided. The method includes displaying at least one of a left-eye object or a right-eye object when the image display apparatus has entered a 3-dimensional (3D) mode, displaying a movement amount object indicating the amount of movement of pixel arrangement of the at least one of the left-eye object or the right-eye object, receiving a pixel arrangement movement amount input through the movement amount object, and changing at least one pixel of the displayed left-eye object to a pixel of the right-eye object and displaying the changed pixel or changing at least one pixel of the displayed right-eye object to a pixel of the left-eye object and displaying the changed pixel according to the pixel arrangement movement amount input. This increases user convenience when stereoscopic images are displayed in an autostereoscopic manner.
US09047796B2

The present invention supplies a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, which includes a non-contact inspection process capable of confirming if a circuit or circuit element formed on an array substrate is normally performed and can decrease a manufacturing cost by eliminating wastes to keep a defective product forming.An electromotive force generated by electromagnetic induction is rectified and shaped by using primary coils formed on a check substrate and secondary coils formed on an array substrate, whereby a power source voltage and a driving signal are supplied to circuits or circuit elements on a TFT substrate so as to be driven.
US09047778B1

The various examples disclosed herein relate to systems, methods, and equipment that provide location and velocity monitoring of both a user's vehicle and another vehicle to avoid collision. The examples are applicable for using on-board telematics units to process that information and provide additional information based thereon such as the probability of collision. In some examples, if the chances of collision are high based on information received, warnings may be given to the vehicle's user. Based on these warnings, the user may take evasive maneuvers to reduce the probability of collision and prevent it. In other examples, if the chances of collision are high, the vehicle may decelerate without prompting from the user to minimize the impact of the collision. Any emergency reporting by the telematics unit, e.g. if a collision still occurred, may be enhanced with the relative location and velocity data from some interval prior to the emergency.
US09047771B1

A system for displaying guidance aids to a crew for ground obstacle avoidance, particularly wingtip clearance. Perspective areas are drawn representing the current locations of the wingtips over the ground and predicted locations out into the future for a specified time or a specified distance. A flight crew may use these displayed guidance aids to determine the proximity of any perceived threat to the airplane. This capability addresses the costly problem of wingtip/airplane ground collisions. The graphical cue systems are specifically targeted toward aircraft that have a large wing span/size and/or folding wingtips.
US09047763B2

A method is provided for displaying information on a display device of an aircraft. The method comprises receiving data indicating a point selected from a trajectory of a flight path; determining an estimated time of arrival minimum and an estimated time of arrival maximum based on the point; and displaying in a dialogue box associated with the trajectory of the flight path the estimated time of arrival minimum and the estimated time of arrival maximum for the point.
US09047759B2

A mobile device includes a position sensing unit, a remote control information obtainment unit, and a storage unit. Position information obtained by the position sensing unit is stored in the storage unit in association with remote control information. The mobile device further includes a directional space obtainment unit and an apparatus specification unit. The mobile device recognizes a direction pointed by a user using the mobile device, and enables operation of a terminal apparatus existing in the pointing direction.
US09047745B2

Systems and methods disclosed herein provide, for some embodiments, infrared cameras and target position acquisition techniques for various applications. For example, in one embodiment, a system may include a portable imaging/viewing subsystem having a target position finder and may also include a fixed mount camera subsystem having a camera and a camera positioner. A communications link may be configured to communicate a signal from the target position finder to the camera positioner. The signal may be representative of a position of a target being imaged/viewed with the portable imaging/viewing subsystem. The camera positioner may aim the camera toward the target in response to the signal. The target may, for example, be a man overboard. Thus, the system may be useful in search and rescue operations.
US09047744B2

An apparatus including a flexible strap section configured to emit visible light; and a connection section configured to connect the flexible strap section to a portable electronic device such that the portable electronic device can hang from the flexible strap section. The connection section is configured to receive a signal from the portable electronic device. The flexible strap section is configured to emit the visible light based, at least partially, upon the signal from the portable electronic device.
US09047743B2

Device, process and program for determining and alerting a user of the existence of nearby acquaintance, including: providing a first electronic communication device having near-field transmitting and receiving communications capability, a user interface and control circuitry; transmitting from the first communication device an inquiry to determine the presence in the near-field of a compatible second electronic communication device; upon receipt of a positive response to the inquiry, transmitting from the first communication device anonymous user indicia; receiving anonymous user indicia from the second communication device; coordinating the received anonymous user indicia to determine the presence of any matches between the transmitted anonymous user information and the received anonymous user indicia; and providing either a list of matches or an indication of no matches to the user via the user interface. Based on the information exchanged, the users can determine whether a relationship between the users exists or might be created.
US09047740B2

A wagering game is operable on a reel-based gaming machine which has the capability to selectively illuminate one or more reels with one or more colors of graduating intensity. In conjunction with the stopping sequence of the reels for a given play of the wagering game, the gaming machine provides a distinctive lighting effect at one or more of the reels when a reel in the set is stopped showing a predefined symbol. The predefined symbol presents the possibility of some desirable outcome for the given play of the wagering game depending upon the positions in which the remaining reels in the set stop.
US09047722B2

A fault diagnostic system of a vehicle includes: a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and a diagnostic module. The GPS receiver determines a location of the vehicle. The diagnostic module diagnoses a fault in a component of the vehicle. In response to the diagnosis of the fault, the diagnostic module stores diagnostic data in a computer readable medium. The diagnostic data includes both a predetermined diagnostic trouble code associated with the fault diagnosed and the location of the vehicle when the fault was diagnosed.
US09047721B1

A system for determining a driver log entry comprises a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to determine a log start time. The processor is configured to determine a driver identity after the log start time. The processor is configured to determine whether a change to the driver identity has occurred based at least in part on a sensor data. In the event that the driver identity has changed, the processor is configured to determine a log stop time and determine a driver log entry using the log start time, the driver identity, and the log stop time.
US09047717B2

A fleet operations quality management system for use with one or more vehicles which includes a data recording unit and separate memory subsystem mounted on each vehicle, a remotely located data collection station to collect, store and pre-process data from multiple vehicles, a centralized data storage and retrieval system designed to accept and assimilate recorded trip data, a web application designed to provide access to and analysis of the recorded trip data, and a graphical software application that can be used to view the recreated trip in a realistic simulated environment. An electronic system comprising a receiver module and a mobile device, whereby the receiver module is capable of receiving data transmissions from a network of ground stations and buffering the data for future use.
US09047706B1

To align a first digital 3D model of a scene with a second digital 3D model of the scene, real-world photographs of the scene are received and synthetic photographs of the first digital 3D model are generated according to different camera poses of a virtual camera. Using the real-world photographs and the synthetic photographs as input photographs, points in a coordinate system of the second digital 3D model are generated. Camera poses of the input photographs in the coordinate system of the second 3D model also are determined. Alignment data for aligning the first 3D model with the second 3D model is generated using the camera poses of the virtual camera and the camera poses corresponding to the input photographs.
US09047703B2

A method, augmented reality driving system and device safely guide a vehicle driver to perform a left turn. A vehicle navigator detects a left turn based upon proximity and speed for a vehicle. A target sensor determines a current position and a relative vector for an oncoming vehicle in a lane for opposing traffic that is approaching the left turn. An augmented reality controller three dimensionally maps a forward view including the oncoming vehicle and spatially overlays an augmented reality display on a volumetric heads up display for a driver of the vehicle by projecting a target path of the oncoming vehicle based upon the vector and relative vector and by projecting a left turn path.
US09047698B2

A head mounted device provides an immersive virtual or augmented reality experience for viewing data and enabling collaboration among multiple users. Rendering images in a virtual or augmented reality system may include capturing an image and spatial data with a body mounted camera and sensor array, receiving input indicating a first anchor surface, calculating parameters with respect to the body mounted camera and displaying a virtual object such that the virtual object appears anchored to the selected first anchor surface. Further rendering operations may include receiving a second input indicating a second anchor surface within the captured image that is different from the first anchor surface, calculating parameters with respect to the second anchor surface and displaying the virtual object such that the virtual object appears anchored to the selected second anchor surface and moved from the first anchor surface.
US09047696B2

A method is disclosed for reconstructing image data of an examination object from measurement data, wherein the measurement data were acquired in the course of a relative rotational movement between a radiation source of a computed tomography system and the examination object. First image data of the examination object are reconstructed from the measurement data. Scatter signals are calculated from the first image data using a scattered radiation model, wherein the scattered radiation model specifies an angle-dependent scatter distribution for a scatter point as a function of a line integral corresponding to an attenuation integral of a scattered beam from the scatter point to a specific detector element. The calculated scatter signals are used for correcting the measurement data, and second image data are reconstructed using the corrected measurement data.
US09047695B2

A transformation method for diffusion spectrum imaging includes: receiving an original DSI dataset and a template DSI dataset; computing an energy function; computing, for each time point, first-order and second-order derivatives of the energy function with respect to velocity fields in an image space and in a q-space; computing, for each time point, the velocity fields in the image space and in the q-space based upon the first-order and second-order derivatives; performing integration on the velocity fields over time to obtain a deformation field; and generating a transformed DSI dataset according to the deformation field.
US09047684B2

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed that use super-resolution (SR) processes to use information from a plurality of low resolution (LR) images captured by an array camera to produce a synthesized higher resolution image. One embodiment includes obtaining input images, determining an initial estimate of at least a portion of a high resolution image using a plurality of pixels from the input images, and determining a high resolution image that when mapped through the forward imaging transformation matches the input images to within at least one predetermined criterion using the initial estimate of at least a portion of the high resolution image. In addition, each forward imaging transformation corresponds to the manner in which each imager generates the input images, and the high resolution image has a resolution that is greater than any of the input images.
US09047680B2

As a user inputs instruction to start up content, an initial image is displayed. A viewpoint shift request is made, viewpoint coordinates are calculated according to the viewpoint shift request. Then verified is whether a hierarchical level has been changed in hierarchical image data due to a shift of the viewpoint coordinates or not. If the hierarchical level has been changed, the node of a hierarchical image is extracted from image correspondence data and then a coordinate transform matrix associated with the node is modified. A new elemental image is decoded, each image is subjected to the coordinate transform based on the image correspondence data so as to evaluate the coordinates on display coordinates. Each elemental image is placed on the evaluated coordinates, which in turn integrates the elemental images and updates a displayed imaged.
US09047677B2

An image segmentation method has a training phase and a segmentation phase. In the training phase, a frame of pixellated data from a camera is processed using information on camera characteristics to render it camera independent. The camera independent data are processed using a chosen value of illuminant spectral characteristics to derive reflectivity data of the items in the image. Pixels of high reflectivity are established. Then, using data from the high reflectivity pixels, the actual illuminant spectral characteristics are established. The illuminant data are then processed to determine information on the illumination of the scene represented by the frame of pixellated data to derive reflectivity data of the scene. The segmentation phase comprises operating on a subsequent frame of pixellated data to render it camera independent and using the determined illumination information to process the camera independent data to determine reflectivity data of the scene to derive a foreground mask.
US09047674B2

An image represented by multiple nodes can be processed by determining whether information can be propagated to a node from another node (e.g., source node) of the image, thereby allowing significantly greater parallelism and scalability by taking advantage of multiprocessing or multi-core processors that are prevalent and widely available today. Conceptually, an image can be presented as a “structured grid” of multiple nodes (e.g., a structured grid of pixels of an image). In a “structured grid,” two or more of the nodes can determine whether to propagate information in parallel. In fact, each node of a “structured grid” can perform operations relating to propagation of information in parallel. This means that for an image of N pixels, it is possible to perform N operations in parallel. It is also possible to divide the processing of N operations for N pixels substantially equally between the number processors or processing cores available at a given time.
US09047670B2

A method for exemplar-based inpainting using a Laplacian pyramid in a multi-scale space is provided, which is capable of reflecting structural features and texture features simultaneously every time inpainting is performed. The exemplar-based inpainting method using the Laplacian pyramid in the multi-scale space includes constructing a Laplacian pyramid image including a plurality of levels using an input image and performing inpainting reflecting the structural features of a low frequency region and the texture features of a high frequency region using the Laplacian pyramid image.
US09047669B1

There is described herein a method and system for dynamically controlling the bit rate of a codec during image data compression by analyzing information output by a first module that processes the group of macroblocks as part of the compression scheme, and configuring a second module to process the group of macroblocks according to this analysis.
US09047668B2

A global position of an observed object is determined by obtaining a first global position of an observed object with at least one positioning device. A determination is made as to whether a set of stored visual characteristic information of at least one landmark matches a visual characteristic information set obtained from at least one captured image comprising a scene associated with the observed object. In response to the set of stored visual characteristic information matching the obtained visual characteristic information set, a second global position of the observed object is determined based on a set of stored location information associated with the at least one landmark and the first global position.
US09047667B2

The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for encoding/decoding high resolution images, which involve setting the size of the prediction unit to be encoded to an expanded macro-block size in accordance with the temporal frequency characteristics or spatial frequency characteristics among pictures to be encoded, and performing motion prediction motion compensation, and transformation on the basis of a set prediction unit size. In addition, the methods and the apparatuses of the present invention involve dividing a macro-block having a pixel size of 32*32 or 64*64 into at least one partition on the basis of an edge, and performing encoding processes for each partition. Accordingly, encoding efficiency can be improved for high definition (HD) or higher resolution high-resolution images.
US09047665B2

An image processing apparatus comprises: a separation unit configured to separate image data into a luminance signal and a color difference signal; a decision unit configured to decide a reference pixel, which is referenced for a pixel of interest included in the image data; a luminance noise reduction unit configured to reduce luminance noise in the luminance signal of the image data; a weight calculation unit configured to calculate a weight of the reference pixel based on similarity of luminance included in the luminance signal having been subjected to noise reduction by the luminance noise reduction unit between a first area containing the pixel of interest and a second area containing the reference pixel; and a color noise reduction unit configured to reduce color noise in the color difference signal for the pixel of interest by using the weight of the reference pixel.
US09047660B2

Methods for analyzing biomedical data include: (a) obtaining macroscopic imaging data; (b) obtaining histopathological imaging data; (c) executing a parallel algorithm stored on a non-transient computer-readable medium to compute one or a plurality of network cycle features of a relative neighborhood graph derived from the histopathological imaging data; (d) registering the macroscopic imaging data and the histopathological imaging data; and (e) correlating the macroscopic imaging data and the network cycle features. Systems for analyzing biomedical data and computer readable storage media are described.
US09047657B2

A method and system for optically inspecting the entire outer peripheral surface of a part are provided. The system includes an enclosure which allows movement of a part relative to the enclosure both prior to and after inspection within the enclosure. An illumination assembly simultaneously illuminates a plurality of exterior side surfaces of the part which are annularly spaced about the axis of the part with radiation when the part is at a predetermined location within the enclosure to obtain corresponding reflected radiation signals. A plurality of lens and detector assemblies are provided. Each of the assemblies forms an optical image of one of the illuminated exterior side surfaces from the reflected radiation signals and detects the formed optical image within the enclosure. A processor processes the detected optical images to obtain a continuous, seamless, 360° panoramic composite image of the peripheral surface of the part.
US09047656B2

A method of processing a digital image. The method comprises: populating (100) a bilateral grid (10) comprising a plurality of cells (20), based on information obtained from the image, each cell comprising at least one value; then cumulatively integrating (110) the at least one value over the bilateral grid to form an integrated grid comprising integrated values; generating (120) a modified bilateral grid, comprising computing the sum of the at least one value over a predetermined rectangular box of cells of the bilateral grid, by using the integrated values corresponding to the corners of the box; and slicing (130) the modified bilateral grid to generate an output image.
US09047649B2

A method, system, and medium are provided for distributing transportation alerts to computing devices in accordance with factors, such as device-specific and location-specific factors. In embodiments of the present invention, travel alerts, including public alerts associated with certain areas, are formatted or held prior to delivery, based on safety concerns, legal requirements, device settings, or other considerations.
US09047640B2

In general terms, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for providing an account exceeding available funds or credit service involving an account exceeding available funds or credit magnetic stripe. For example, in some embodiments, a method is provided that includes: (a) receiving transaction information associated with a transaction, where the transaction involves a transaction machine and an account, and where the account is associated with a credit/debit card; (b) determining, based at least partially on the transaction information, that the account will incur an account exceeding available funds or credit as a result of the transaction; (c) receiving account exceeding available funds or credit swipe information indicating that an account exceeding available funds or credit magnetic stripe of the credit/debit card was swiped at the transaction machine; and (d) authorizing the transaction based at least partially on receiving the account exceeding available funds or credit swipe information.
US09047627B1

This specification describes methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage device, for precluding the serving of expandable content items from vendors for publisher hosts that do not support the particular vendors.
US09047613B2

A computer-implemented method comprises receiving a request for content from a user, determining two user lists that are associated with the user, each user list including a definition that characterizes members of a respective user list, determining a consumer is a subscriber to the two user lists, determining the consumer has indicated a preference to target members that are included in both user lists, and providing an indication to the consumer for all users that are included in both user lists including providing the definitions associated with both user lists along with the request to the consumer.
US09047610B1

A method for generating a list of recommendations to be supplied by a vendor to a prospective customer by the use of a computer comprising the steps of inputting into a searchable data set a plurality of products and attributes of each product. A product is. The attributes of the selected product are ascertained. All products are ascertained that match at least one of the attributes of the selected product to provide looked-up products. From the looked-up products then are selected all products that are the closest match to the selected product to provide best matches. An output list of best matches of correlated products from the looked-up products is generated.
US09047605B2

A fingerprint analysis device is presented including a sensing mechanism including an adhesive member configured to perform at least a chemical analysis of a fingerprint and a sound emitting mechanism for emitting one or more sounds based on the chemical analysis of the fingerprint. The chemical analysis device further performs on-the-spot, substantially instantaneous chemical analysis of received fingerprints and emits or conveys audible and/or non-audible information based on the fingerprints received.
US09047601B2

Techniques for mobile devices configured to support settlement of charges in electronic invoices or bills are described. A mobile device embedded with a secure element generates or is loaded with an electronic invoice. When the mobile device is brought to a consumer with an NFC mobile device, the data including the electronic invoice and other information regarding the mobile device or an owner thereof is read off wirelessly into the NFC mobile device. After the user verifies the amount being charged and authorizes the payment, the NFC mobile device communicates with a payment gateway or network for payment that is configured to proceed with the payment in accordance with a chosen payment methods.
US09047600B2

Provided are computer implemented methods and systems for facilitating mobile and wearable device payments and multimedia transfer. The method commences with receiving a multimedia transfer request from a mobile and wearable device associated with a sender. The method further comprises receiving a recipient identifier. The recipient identifier is associated with a mobile and wearable device associated with a recipient. The method continues with transferring the multimedia content to the recipient. The transfer is based on the recipient identifier. The method further comprises receiving a transaction request from the sender. The transaction request includes one or more of a currency amount, the recipient identifier, and payment data associated with the sender. The method further comprises encrypting transaction data. The transaction data includes one or more of the currency amount and the payment data associated with the sender. The method continues with performing a transaction based on the transaction request.
US09047591B2

Systems and methods are provided to specify a location of a planned event via a selection of a listing that has location information. For example, in response to a search request a listing may show a business entity at a geographic location; and the user may select the listing as a way to specify the location of a new event or an existing event. In some embodiments, one event can have multiple listings specifying multiple locations.
US09047574B2

A system and methods for capacity planning of electronic systems storage are provided. Features include a non-invasive data discovery and collection mechanism, an adaptive grouping mechanism, a flexible analysis mechanism, predictive modeling and forecasting mechanisms, and a business metric and correlation mechanism. A discovery engine that ascertains the availability of collectable entities. A collection engine in turn gathers information from and about entities discovered by the discovery engine. A grouping module groups together entities according to parameters specified by the user. An analysis and forecasting module allows a user to create, modify and save forecast scenarios from which a model is generated by a modeling module. Correlations can be identified between specified key business metrics and historical data. Once a model has been created, a forecast is generated and can then be analyzed using Bold Freehand Extrapolation, time-series analysis, and business trend-based forecasting.
US09047570B2

A method is provided of evolving algorithms for network node control in a telecommunications network node by updating a model of the network node, and genetic programming by (a) generating algorithms, (b) determining fitness level of the algorithms based on the model of the network node, and (c) selecting the algorithm that meet a predetermined fitness level. The steps (a), (b) and (c) are repeated automatically to provide a series of algorithms over time adapted to the changing model of the network node for possible implementation in the network node.
US09047569B2

A multi-objective optimization method. The method comprises a population of objects for each objective utilizing an optimization process and determining a measure for the variation in values of each gene within each population. A crossbreed between objects from different ones of the populations is performed, wherein a selection of gene values for the child object is weighted based on the measures for the variations in the values of each gene within the respective populations.
US09047563B2

A plurality of topics encompassed in a document are determined and, for each such topic, a sentiment for that topic is likewise determined. Thereafter, credibility of the document is determined based on the resulting plurality of sentiments. In one embodiment, credibility of at least one target document is established by first determining, for each of a plurality of portions of the at least one target document, at least one topic encompassed in the portion to provide a plurality of target topics. Likewise, sentiment scores are determined for each portion. Thereafter, for each prior topic of a plurality of prior topics, a topic-sentiment score is determined based on sentiment scores corresponding to those portions of the plurality of portions having a target topic corresponding to the prior topic. A credibility index is determined based on the resulting plurality of topic-sentiment scores.
US09047559B2

Systems and methods are provided for evaluating performance of forecasting models. A plurality of forecasting models may be generated using a set of in-sample data. Two or more forecasting models from the plurality of forecasting models may be selected for use in generating a combined forecast. An ex-ante combined forecast may be generated for an out-of-sample period using the selected two or more forecasting models. The ex-ante combined forecast may then be compared with a set of actual out-of-sample data to evaluate performance of the combined forecast.
US09047555B2

An apparatus sets a chromaticity point serving as a gray reference in a color gamut of a color space that an output device is able to output, specifies, in the color gamut of the color space that the output device is able to output, a first minimum lightness point on a lightness axis of the set chromaticity point and a second minimum lightness point that is achromatic, and generates a gray line that passes through a black point that is a minimum lightness point on a line connecting the first minimum lightness point and the second minimum lightness point, the first minimum lightness point, and the set chromaticity point and reaches a white point in the color gamut of the color space that the output device is able to output.
US09047552B2

The image forming apparatus includes a printing device that performs printing on the basis of output image data; a transmission processing unit that generates image log data from the output image data of one page and transmits the generated image log data to a server apparatus that stores image log data corresponding to a print job of plural pages; and a job executing unit that (a) starts a waiting status before a generation process of output image data of a next page when the generation process of the output image data of the aforementioned one page is completed, and (b) releases the waiting status after the image log data corresponding to the output image data of the aforementioned one page is generated and transmitted to the server apparatus by the transmission processing unit.
US09047550B2

An image formation apparatus includes a conveyance member in which a reflection characteristics irregular part having light reflection characteristics different from those of a surrounding surface part is formed, a measurement unit configured to perform an detection operation including irradiating the conveyance member with irradiation light and detecting reflection light, a controller configured to perform a current detection operation, and perform a next detection operation after a surface of the conveyance member is moved by a distance longer than a reflection characteristics irregular part length that is a length of the reflection characteristics irregular part in a movement direction of the conveyance member surface, and a correction unit configured to perform correction for image formation on the basis of detection results of the current detection operation and the next detection operation by the measurement unit.
US09047548B2

A semiconductor chip (1, 91) for a transponder (3, 93) comprises a chip substrate (4) with a surface (5), chip terminals (6, 7) arranged on the surface (5), and a passivation layer (22) covering the surface (5) and completely covering the chip terminals (6, 7), so that an antenna (2, 30) with antenna terminals (24, 25) can be attached to the chip (1, 91) above the chip terminals (6, 7), so that the chip terminals (6, 7), the passivation layer (22) and the antenna terminal (24, 25) form first capacitors.
US09047543B2

A designating unit designates any of three edge faces other than an edge face corresponding to a spine of a book-bound article generated by a printer. A generating unit generates a bitmap corresponding to the designated edge face depending on a bookbinding condition. A rendering unit renders a first image designated by a user on the bitmap. A specifying unit specifies, among pieces of line data respectively corresponding to dots forming a first side parallel to a paper thickness direction and that each extend parallel to a second side orthogonal to the first side, in the bitmap, line data corresponding to an object page to be printed. An adding unit adds a second image to a place corresponding to the dots of the first image included in the specified line data, on a third side indicating a side of the object page corresponding to the specified line data.
US09047537B2

A detection process, contact recognition process, classification process, and identification process are applied to raw sensor data to produce an identified contact record set containing one or more identified contact records. A prioritization process is applied to the identified contact record set to assign a contact priority to each contact record in the identified contact record set. Data are removed from the contact records in the identified contact record set based on the contact priorities assigned to those contact records. A first contact stream is produced from the resulting contact records. The first contact stream is streamed in a contact transport stream. The contact transport stream may include and stream additional contact streams. The contact transport stream may be varied dynamically over time based on parameters such as available bandwidth, contact priority, presence/absence of contacts, system state, and configuration parameters.
US09047536B2

Method for providing target point candidates forming a candidate set for selecting a target point from the candidate set by means of a geodetic measuring device. The measuring device is coarsely oriented toward the target point, and an image is recorded in the sighting direction. A search process for certain target object candidates in the recorded image is performed by means of image processing and wherein at least one respective point representing the target object candidate is associated with each of the target object candidates as a target point candidate. Candidates are associated with a candidate set. respective weight values are derived according to at least one value of a predetermined target point property of the candidates and associated with the target point candidates. The target point candidates from the candidate set are each provided together with respective information representing the weight value associated with the target point candidate.
US09047526B2

A reader device includes a mounting surface on which a passport with a page to be read is placed, a light source for illuminating the page to be read, and a camera for picking up an image of the page to be read. The light source is arranged outside a front area of the page to be read. The page to be read contains a near-edge code positioned close to an edge of the page to be read. The light source includes an infrared LED array and a white LED array. An infrared LED and a white LED included in the infrared LED array and the white LED array, respectively, and located at a near-edge code position corresponding to the near-edge code are arranged closer to the page to be read than the other infrared LEDs and white LEDs in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface.
US09047522B1

An RFID system is used to detect whether an RFID tag is part of the load of a forklift or other transport device. In one aspect where the load is in motion relative to an RFID reader system, the RFID system obtains tag readings and derives tag vector motion information which can be compared to the known motion of the load to distinguish tags that are part of the load from false positives which are unavoidably also within the field of the reader system. A forklift antenna system may also make readings from load pickup to load deposit in a truck trailer, and utilize computed tag vector motion information to distinguish tags that are part of the load from false positives. The tag vector information my relate to tag velocity, tag acceleration, and/or rate of change of tag acceleration. The two components of the RFID system may communicate information on identified tags, and/or interact (e.g. by silencing tags), so as to cooperate in identifying true positive tags in the load. A portal or reader system location along the path of the forklift can be activated prior to arrival of the load to eliminate certain false positives from requiring evaluation while the forklift load is moving through the field region of such reader system. Vertical motion of the load can be utilized as a way of discriminating between true positive tags in the load and false positives.
US09047521B2

A computer implemented method for diagnosing a magnetic reader subassembly. A processor generates a test signal during a diagnostic period. The processor then receives a return signal from the magnetic reader subassembly. The processor then compares the test signal and the return signal and diagnoses an operational status of the magnetic reader subassembly in response to the comparison of the test signal and the return signal.
US09047520B2

Systems and methods for providing remote approval of an image for printing are provided. One system includes a processing circuit in communication with an image capturing device that is configured to capture an image of a printed product. The processing circuit is configured to process the captured image into a processed image accurate to within a tolerance in a color space to indicate the visual appearance of one or more colors. The color space is a standardized color space, such as sRGB or CIELAB. The processing circuit is further configured to transmit the processed image to a display located remote from the image capturing device and to receive an input signal from a remote input device to allow a user to approve or reject the displayed processed image for printing on a print device.
US09047513B2

A method for increasing the accuracy of a target property value derived from a rock sample is described in which the sample is scanned to obtain a three-dimensional tomographic digital image which can be processed to pore space and solid material phases through a segmentation process. A process is used which revises the segmented volume, e.g., by increasing pore space connectivity, in a manner affecting the target property value that would be derived. Another described method increases the accuracy with which a segmented volume represents a material sample having structure not adequately resolved in an original three-dimensional tomographic digital image. Further, a system for performing the processes, and a segmented digital volume which more accurately represents a sample of a porous media, are described.
US09047512B2

Apparatus, systems and methods for facilitating iris-scanning contact lenses and/or biometric identification employing iris scanning contact lenses are provided. In one implementation, the contact lens can include: a transparent substrate formed to cover at least a portion of an iris of an eye; and a circuit. The circuit can include: one or more light sensors disposed on or within the transparent substrate and that detects light filtered through the iris and incident on the one or more light sensors; readout circuitry, operably coupled to the one or more light sensors, that outputs information indicative of the light filtered through the iris and incident on the one or more light sensors; and a power component that supplies power to the readout circuitry. In various implementations, the contact lens can be employed in systems and/or methods associated with authentication and identification.
US09047506B2

A computer-readable recording medium storing an authentication program for causing a computer to execute an authentication process, the authentication process includes: extracting a plurality of face information from an image acquired; when the plurality of face information include both first face information registered in authentication information and second face information not registered in the authentication information, registering the second face information in the authentication information; and if new face information extracted from new image is the second face information stored in the authentication information, determining that an authentication for the new face information is successful.
US09047505B2

A collating device includes a collation list, a collation unit and a comparison unit. The collation list is configured to retain a false alarm list including a registered image, a threshold value serving as a criterion for determining whether to perform alarm activation, and a false alarm person image. The collation unit is configured to collate an input image with the registered image and the false alarm person image managed by the collation list, thereby obtaining a similarity therebetween. The comparison unit is configured to compare: a larger one of a value of the similarity between the input image and the false alarm person image, which is obtained by the collation unit, and the threshold value; and the similarity between the input image and the registered image, which is obtained by the collation unit, thereby determining whether to perform the alarm activation.
US09047502B2

An automatic culture device 1 having an automatic quality determination system is equipped with an analysis program 12. The analysis program 12 extracts cell characteristics from a captured image of a cell by driving a characteristic quantity extraction program 13, which is an image processing program for extracting characteristics (characteristic quantities) of this cell. The quality of the cell is then determined from the extracted characteristic or a combination of a plurality of characteristics by driving an identification program 15 that determines the quality of a cell. This allows cell quality determination to be automated.
US09047498B2

A method reconstructs a reconstruction data set containing virtual X-ray images of projection images of a target region recorded with an X-ray device. The projection images being recorded at different positions of an X-ray source along a scanning trajectory. The method includes defining an imaginary position of the X-ray source for each virtual X-ray image. For each virtual X-ray image and each pixel to be reconstructed in the X-ray image a virtual beam section, covering the target region, of the path between the imaginary position of the X-ray source and the pixel is defined. For each projection image, an integral is determined from the relationships between the forward projection and the filtered back-projection by re-parameterizing. A projection value of the virtual X-ray image from the integrals determined is combined.
US09047490B2

There are provided a method, a system and an initiator server for a secure execution of workflow tasks of a workflow to be executed according to a given execution pattern in a distributed workflow management system within a decentralized network system with a plurality of servers (b0, b1, . . . , bn) including at least an initiator server and at least a number of groups of servers of the plurality of servers. Each group satisfies a policy (poli) of a vertex, and thus, knows a corresponding policy key pair including a policy private key (SKpoli) and a policy public key (PKpoli), respectively. Each vertex denotes a set of workflow tasks to be executed in accord with the execution pattern and is assigned a vertex key pair including a vertex private key and a vertex public key. The vertex private keys and the policy public keys are jointly encrypted within a first onion structure, the first onion structure being built up of a number of onion layers representing the execution pattern which defines a succession of vertices such that each layer is decryptable by using the policy private key of exactly one vertex thus revealing the corresponding vertex private key.
US09047483B2

The apparatus comprises at least one database for storing digital information associated with at least a first user and a second user, at least one links module for the first user and for the second user, at least one manipulations module and at least one display device for respectively displaying at least said linked digital information wherein said linked digital information associated with said first user is automatically updated on at least said display device of said second user when that information is manipulated, and wherein said linked digital information associated with said second user is automatically updated on at least said display device of said first user when that information is manipulated.
US09047470B2

A device receives identification information associated with a mobile commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) device, and receives configuration and security requirements defined for the mobile COTS device. The device creates secure configuration software for the mobile COTS device based on the identification information and the configuration and security requirements, and provides the secure configuration software to the mobile COTS device for installation.
US09047467B1

A method, system and apparatus for assembling and publishing frequent malware signature definition updates through the use of additive or “streaming” definition packages is provided. Embodiments of the present invention provide such functionality by publishing not only full malware signature definition updates on a long periodicity but also streaming malware signature definition updates containing newly certified signature definitions on a short periodicity. As newly-certified malware signature definitions are received, those newly-certified signature definitions are incorporated not only in the full signature definition file but also in a streaming signature definition update that contains only newly-certified signature definitions received during a streaming update period. At the end of the streaming update period, a streaming signature definition file is made available by publication to anti-malware clients. A streaming signature definition file only contains those signature definitions received during the assembly period for that streaming definition file.
US09047462B2

A computer account management system includes: an account management subsystem; an information asset management subsystem; an authentication (integrated) subsystem; a service (integrated) subsystem; and an account portal subsystem; wherein the account management subsystem manages information of physical accounts and logical account numbers; wherein the information asset management subsystem manages data information resources generated by network activities of physical account information; wherein the authentication subsystem provides an authentication integrated interface to the physical account numbers; wherein the service subsystem is a customizable interface which is open to internet or local network; wherein the account portal provides interfaces and tools of login, service list management of services subscribed or bought by the account, account information management and information asset management. The computer account management system is not bundled with services, seamlessly integrated with the user information asset and is lifetime-valid. The system can be used in account management of the internet.
US09047461B2

A computer-implemented method for replacing a security-relevant unencrypted data string from a data record by a token in a tokenisation device. The method is structured in such a way that it works more efficiently than a replacement table with randomly generated tokens and is more secure than the generation of tokens by exclusive application of a mathematical function to the unencrypted data string.
US09047458B2

A system or method for network access protection executes steps for receiving, at a server, an access request for access to at least one network resource from a client machine, the access request including account authentication information comprising an account identifier and password, obtaining a client machine identifier from the client machine in response to receiving the request for access, and controlling access to the network resource in response to the access request by authorizing access to the network resource for the access request if the client machine identifier matches a registered machine identifier that is registered for use with the account authentication information and the account authentication information matches registered information for a valid account, but denying access to the network resource if the client machine identifier does not match a registered client machine identifier that is registered for use with the account authentication information.
US09047444B2

An application on a mobile terminal in a mobile network is registered with an application server. The mobile terminal includes an identity module. At the application server, a first message is received for registering the application, the first message including a telephone number associated with the identity module. The application server generates a unique identifier and associates the unique identifier with the telephone number. A second message is sent from the application server to the mobile terminal, the second message including the unique identifier. The mobile terminal generates and stores a data block including the unique identifier, a subscriber identity associated with the identity module and a terminal identifier associated with the mobile terminal.
US09047443B2

Provided is a data federation system for a sociality storage service in cloud computing, the data federation system including an instance management unit to collect instance information from a cloud system for integrating cloud storage services provided to individuals, a service authentication unit to authenticate a state of the cloud storage services using the collected instance information, a storage synchronization unit to integrate cloud storages to collect data of the authenticated cloud storage services, and an index management unit to organize the collected data based on a state value of at least one of a file and a folder in the integrated cloud storage.
US09047438B2

Herein is reported a method for determining whether a re-usable chromatography column packing, which is used at least for the second time in a purification step of a purification of a polypeptide, has reduced separation efficacy in said purification step of said purification of said polypeptide, comprising the following steps: a) identifying and determining the experimental data of an inert change of at least one physicochemical parameter of a mobile phase passing through said re-usable chromatography column packing, b) determining the parameters of a function of formula I by fitting the experimental data of the inert change of the physicochemical parameter of the at least second use, c) determining the difference between the experimental data of the inert change of the physicochemical parameter of the at least second use and the function of formula I with the parameters determined in step b), d) calculating the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the difference determined in step c) and normalizing said difference, e) determining reduced separation efficacy of said re-usable chromatography column packing when the absolute value of the difference calculated in step d) is more than 0.1.
US09047432B2

A system comprises a processor-implemented tool configured to generate a layout of an integrated circuit (IC) die. At least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium includes a first portion encoded with a first gate-level description of first and second circuit patterns to be formed on first and second integrated circuit (IC) dies, respectively, and a second portion encoded with a second gate level description of the first and second circuit patterns received from the processor implemented tool. The second gate level description includes power and ground ports, and the first gate level description does not include power and ground ports. A processor-implemented first verification module is provided for comparing the first and second gate level descriptions and outputting a verified second gate-level description of the first and second circuit patterns.
US09047425B2

Methods and apparatus disclosed herein operate to receive a plurality of cycles characterized by a set of time-domain aspects, to modify at least one of the time-domain aspects of at least some of the plurality of cycles to produce a plurality of modified cycles, to process at least some of the modified cycles to produce time-domain cycles, and to create a time-domain signal based at least in part on concatenating the time-domain cycles.
US09047422B2

A system and method determines a path in an open space that does not have a well-structured routing infrastructure. In some embodiments, the system and method may model the open space with one-dimensional segments. The system and method may determine a path between two points along the one-dimensional segments. In some embodiment, the system and method may smooth the path based on geometry of objects in the open space.
US09047421B2

Embodiments of the invention provide improved timing compensation for a bidirectional serial link in order to relax accuracy requirements of clock sources used for the link. When forming a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) for transmission over the link, fill levels of receiver buffers at either ends of the link are used to determine a particular type of start of PDU (SOP) character sequence to use. When a given type of SOP character sequence is present in a PDU received at one end of the link, a next PDU to be transmitted from the same end of the link is delayed by a predetermined amount of time to allow the receiver buffer at the other end of the link to decrease its fill level before receiving the next PDU.
US09047418B2

Devices and methods for extending USB-compliant communication distances, including USB 3.0 SuperSpeed communication, are provided. In some embodiments, a host is communicatively coupled to a device that provides an upstream facing port, and a USB device is communicatively coupled to a device that provides a downstream facing port. The upstream facing port and downstream facing port are coupled via a communication channel. In some embodiments, the upstream facing port and downstream facing port generate packets to ensure that timing requirements of the USB specification are met regardless of the latency of the communication channel.
US09047413B2

Certain example embodiments relate to white-box testing techniques, e.g., for graphical user interfaces (GUIs). A test case to be run on the application includes interactions between the application and external components that were gathered as the application ran and received user input from a user until a desired test state was reached, and assertions to be made to the application once that state is reached. A test environment replaces a normal environment in which the application runs. An adapter executes interactions on the test environment's GUI dedicated thread(s). The application is fed with interactions, through the adapter, until the application reaches the desired state. Once the application reaches that state, the application is fed with assertions. Expected data associated with the assertions is compared with data actually being generated by the application. A determination is made regarding whether the test case resulted in success or failure.
US09047408B2

A method enables a computer to execute software and to monitor software execution, the method comprising: acquiring, by one or more processors, image data of a screen image displayed on a display device while monitored software is executed; acquiring, by one or more processors, peripheral information, wherein the peripheral information is a state of software and hardware in which the software is executed, at a time of acquisition of the image data; and adding, by one or more processors, the peripheral information to the image data and storing the image data having the peripheral information added thereto into a storage device, so that, in response to an image based on the image data being displayed on the display device, a content of the peripheral information acquired by the peripheral information acquiring unit is displayed along with the screen image.
US09047407B2

The execution of a dynamic code segment sequence that includes at least two code segments in sequence. The first code segment is first executed and the corresponding state of the environment is captured. The second code segment is then executed. When the second code segment is later re-executed, the first code segment is not re-executed again. Rather, the environmental state is set to be the captured state that existed when the first code segment originally executed. Then, the second code segment may be executed without spending the resources required to re-run the first code segment. This may be employed at authoring time, or after deployment time.
US09047404B1

Techniques are disclosed for development of code for deployment on target devices within native code containers that provide access to native resources on the target devices. The native code containers on the target devices may provide only limited development capabilities. Thus, the disclosed development techniques may make use of a device that offers extended development capabilities in comparison to the native code containers on the target devices. A bridge may be established to connect an extended development capability device to a target device. The disclosed bridge may allow developers to benefit from extended development capabilities, while also enabling certain appropriate features to be tested on the target device in the environment in which they will eventually be used.
US09047403B2

According to embodiments of the invention, methods, computer readable storage medium, and a computer system for providing multiple versions of elements of a program in a single compile are disclosed. The method may include receiving a request to compile a current version of a program for debug. The method may also include identifying, by an integrated development environment, a previous version of an element of the program, wherein the previous version of the element is identified by comparing the current version of the program to a previous version of the program. The method may also include inserting the previous version of the element into the current version of the program. The method may also include creating a compiler directive identifying the previous version of the element. The method may also include compiling the current version of the program for debug.
US09047399B2

A method and apparatus for generating visualizations from running executable code is described. In one embodiment, the method includes monitoring an executable software application while the software application is running. The method may also include capturing data indicative of runtime events that occur while the executable software application is run. In one embodiment, the method may further include generating a profile of the executable software application from the captured data, and rendering a visualization of the profile for display.
US09047393B1

Techniques are described herein that provide for inter-domain communications with one or more shared worker applications. A parent web application associated with a first domain may create a child web application associated with a second domain different than the first domain. The child web application may determine whether a shared worker associated with the second domain is operating. The shared worker acquires information associated with the second domain in response to one or more requests, and stores acquired information associated with the second domain in a memory of the local computing device. The parent web application may request, via the child web application, information associated with the second domain from the shared worker. In response to the request, the parent web application may receive, from the shared worker, information associated with the second domain stored in the memory of the local computing device.
US09047388B2

The present invention provides a system, method, and software application for enabling a user to view data from an external data source in a visual map, wherein the external data source has a web services interface. Visual mapping software on a computer provides a visual mapping interface in which a user can create, edit, and/or view a visual map. Within the visual mapping interface, the visual mapping software provides the user with an option to obtain data from one or more data sources associated with a web service. In response to the user selecting a data source associated with a web service, the visual mapping software builds a web service request for the web service associated with the selected data source. The visual mapping application makes a call to the applicable web service with the web service request. The visual mapping application subsequently receives data from the web service and transforms the data into a format that can be used to generate visual map data. The visual mapping software then displays the data in a visual map.
US09047387B2

A system and method are provided for segregating access to dynamic content on multiple websites hosted by a web server. When a request is received for dynamic content from a website, a UserRetriever module identifies a path to the content and retrieves a username and password corresponding to the website, from a database that is separate from the web server and used for other purposes (e.g., billing). A UserImpersonator module requests a logon handle for that username from a logon cache manager. The logon handle is used to associate the request with the impersonated user account instead of the default anonymous user account with which the request was initially associated. The dynamic content is retrieved and served under the context of the restricted impersonated user account session, after which the applied logon handle is stripped off and the request is re-associated with the default anonymous user account.
US09047378B1

A host service holds a collection of contacts for multiple organizations, or domains. The system maintains an index made of one or more tables. The index may be sorted across multiple machines. Each table contains a set of elements, and each element points to a subset of the contacts that share a common attribute. When the system receives query to return at least one of the contacts in the collection, the system accesses the index to identify a first element having a domain that matches the domain of the first query and an attribute that matches an attribute value of the query. In response, it returns the contacts to which the first element points.
US09047361B2

An enhanced metadata structure and associated process is provided which captures and stores metadata gathered about the source and usage of a media asset or file. The source and usage metadata is integrated, such as by encoding within the enhanced media file, as the media asset is transferred and used. The integrated metadata accumulates, as a trail of source information and usage information in the enhanced media asset, and can be extracted upon arrival at a target computer system.
US09047353B2

Example methods, apparatuses, or articles of manufacture are disclosed that may be implemented using one or more computing devices or platforms to facilitate or otherwise support one or more processes or operations associated with a space-time-node engine signal structure.
US09047352B1

Described are techniques for searching. Search criteria including parameters is received. It is determined whether to perform searching based on storage provisioned for one or more selected applications identified in the search criteria. If it is determined to perform searching based on storage provisioned for one or more selected applications, first processing is performed in accordance with the search criteria, and otherwise second processing is performed in accordance with the search criteria. Search results produced as a result of one of the first processing and the second processing are received.
US09047344B2

Fast restoration of referential integrity between metadata and data after they were restored to some inconsistent backup copies in content management archival solutions. An inferred logging mechanism uses separate metadata and data logs to capture recent update activities during normal system conditions with additional object reference information using a method called reference tagging. This requires no system internal changes and introduces no performance overhead. The information in the logs facilitates quick identification of potential referential inconsistencies and allows referential integrity between metadata and data to be restored in a fraction of the time when compared to exhaustive data scans.
US09047336B2

Approaches for providing reputation based access control are provided. Specifically, at least one approaches includes: identifying a requesting subject that is requesting access to a controlled resource; retrieving the requesting subject's reputation stored as a virtual attribute in a reputation-based access control database, wherein the requesting subject's reputation comprises a value for skill for operating with the requested controlled resource, and wherein the requesting subject's reputation is modified following an indication from a peer of the requesting subject that the requesting subject's value for skill is diminished; retrieving the requested controlled resource's policy; determining if the requesting subject's reputation meets the requested controlled resource's policy; if the requesting subject's reputation meets the requested controlled resource's policy, allowing the requesting subject access to the requested controlled resource; and if the requesting subject's reputation does not meet the requested controlled resource's policy, denying the requesting subject access to the requested controlled resource.
US09047327B2

A method and apparatus for developing a social hierarchy for a user from a plurality of contacts includes, for each contact, tracking communications occurring between the user and the contact; determining, from the tracked communications, a rate of change for communications between the user and the contact; and identifying, based on the rate of change, a position in the social hierarchy for the contact. Another method and apparatus includes tracking communications occurring between the user and a contact in the plurality of contacts, wherein tracking a communication comprises identifying a method of communication and a time the communication occurred; determining, from the tracked communications, that repeated communication attempts were made between the user and the contact; and identifying, based on the repeated communication attempts, a position in the social hierarchy for the contact.
US09047325B2

A mechanism is provided for creating modules from an XML schema. The mechanism includes creating a syntax tree from a sample XML fragment of the XML schema, creating a module with a list of parameters based on the syntax tree, identifying variable pieces of information in the syntax tree to be inserted in the list of parameters with a variable sign, and inserting the variable information into the list of parameters. The mechanism includes inserting another module in the syntax tree of the module, in which the other module corresponds to another sample XML fragment and has another list of parameters, and identifying the other module with the variable sign in the syntax tree of the module. The mechanism includes inserting the other module into the list of parameters of the module in which the other module to serve as a parameter, and providing an option for constraining the module.
US09047319B2

A computing device configured to determine that one or more regions of an image are associated with a tag of the image is described herein. The computing device is further configured to determine one or more attribute tags describing at least one of the content or context of the one or more regions. Upon determining the attribute tags, the computing device associates the attribute tags with the tag to enable image searching based on the tag and attribute tags.
US09047311B2

Approaches for retrieving files from a replicated file system. A component receives, from a requestor, a request for a copy of a data unit. The component identifies a plurality of storage nodes that each stores a complete copy of the data unit. The component sends, to the plurality of storage nodes, an instruction to retrieve a copy of the data unit within a specified period of time. At each storage node receiving an instruction, a determination of whether the copy of the data unit may be retrieved within the specified period of time is made, and if so, the copy of the data unit is provided to the component only if the copy of the data unit was actually retrieved within the specified period. The component provides the first copy of the data unit it receives to the requestor and discards any subsequently received copies of the data unit.
US09047293B2

A method and a non-transitory computer readable medium that stores instructions for converting a first file of a first format to a second file of a second format that differs from the first format; wherein the converting comprises converting first file fields having invalid values with second file fields having valid values; and converting the second file to a third file of the first file format, if the converting of the first file to the second file succeeds.
US09047290B1

At least one case from a set of cases is identified in response to a query relating to at least one category. An indication is received regarding whether the at least one case belongs to the category. A categorizer is trained based on the received indication. A quantification measure associated with cases in the category is computed based on output from the categorizer.
US09047281B2

Improved methods and systems for granular opportunistic locking mechanisms (oplocks) are provided for increasing file caching efficiency. Oplocks can be specified with a combination of three possible granular caching intentions: read, write, and/or handle. An oplock can be specified with an identifier that indicates a client/specific caller to avoid breaking the original oplock due to an incompatibility from other requests of the same client. An atomic oplock flag is added to create operations that allow callers to request an atomic open with an oplock with a given file.
US09047275B2

Computer-implemented systems and methods align fragments of a first text with corresponding fragments of a second text, which is a translation of the first text. One preferred embodiment preliminarily divides the first and second texts into fragments; generates a hypothesis about the correspondence between the fragments of the first and second texts; performs a lexico-morphological analysis of the fragments using linguistic descriptions; performs a syntactic analysis of the fragments using linguistic descriptions and generates syntactic structures for the fragments; generates semantic structures for the fragments; and estimates the degree of correspondence between the semantic structures.
US09047274B2

An authoring method includes generating an authoring interface configured for assisting a user to author a text string in a source language for translation to a target string in a target language. Initial source text entered by the user is received through the authoring interface. Source phrases are selected that each include at least one token of the initial source text as a prefix and at least one other token as a suffix. The source phrase selection is based on a translatability score and optionally on fluency and semantic relatedness scores. A set of candidate phrases is proposed for display on the authoring interface, each of the candidate phases being the suffix of a respective one of the selected source phrases. The user may select one of the candidate phrases, which is appended to the source text following its corresponding prefix, or may enter alternative text. The process may be repeated until the user is satisfied with the source text and the SMT model can then be used for its translation.
US09047272B1

Systems and methods are disclosed that utilize a genetic algorithm to search for an index configuration for a collection of data such as, e.g., a database. Genetic algorithms can include stochastic search heuristics that mimic processes of natural evolution including inheritance, mutation, crossover, and selection. A population of chromosomes representing candidate index configurations can evolve to increase or optimize the fitness of the population and to identify the best (e.g., most fit) index configuration. Fitness of a chromosome may be measured based at least in part on the cost of computer resources used for executing Structured Query Language (SQL) statements in the indexed database. In various implementations, virtual indexing may be used to simulate building an index, chromosomes may be encoded using non-bitmapped representations of index configurations, chromosomes may include genes representing a column in a table in a database, dropping an index from a table in a database, or a composite index for a database, and/or a participation pool may be used to select fitter genes for an initial population of chromosomes.
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