US09101054B2
A multilayer printed wiring board includes a core substrate having a through-hole formed through the substrate, an interlayer insulation layer formed on the substrate and having a via conductor formed through the insulation layer, and a conductor layer formed on the insulation layer and connected to the via in the insulation layer. The substrate has multiplayer insulation structure, outer power layer formed on surface of the structure, outer ground layer formed on opposite surface of the structure, inner power layer formed inside the structure and inner ground layer formed inside the structure, each of the inner layers has tapered end having angle satisfying 2.8
US09101051B1
A utility component mounting assembly configured to be assembled and installed during building construction or remodeling and to provide access to a variety of residential, commercial, and/or industrial utilities in a manner that is unobtrusive and aesthetically appealing. In some aspects, the utility component mounting assembly is assembled and installed such that there is little or no outward protrusion of any portion of the assembly from a generally planar wall surface. The assembly provides the ability to apply the same final finishing materials to exposed portions of the assembly as to adjacent wall material. The assembly can be readily installed with existing building constructions materials, tools, and skills. The assembly can be mounted in flexible locations on a wall and in a vertical or horizontal orientation.
US09101050B2
A circuit module includes a circuit substrate, a mount component, a sealing body, and a shield. The circuit substrate includes a mount surface. The mount component is mounted on the mount surface. The sealing body is formed on the mount surface, covers the mount component and has a trench formed from a main surface of the sealing body to the mount surface. The trench includes side walls configured of a first side wall at a mount surface side and a second side wall at a main surface side. A straight line connecting the first point and the second point has a second slope gentler than the first slope against the mount surface. The shield covers the sealing body and has an inner shield section formed within the trench and an outer shield section disposed on the main surface and the inner shield.
US09101049B2
An opacity baffle is disclosed that can be permanently secured to the back face of an electronic apparatus to cover ventilation openings or other openings that render the apparatus visually unsecure. The opacity baffle in one example comprises a grill and ventilation material that are secured together at their edges resulting in a rigid structure. The grill contains openings to promote ventilation within the apparatus, and the ventilation materials allows for air flow despite being visually opaque. One-way fasteners can be used to secure the baffle to the back face, which when inserted in place cannot be removed without evident tampering. The baffle and fasteners can be provided with the apparatus when sold or can be sold separately, allowing a particular customer to affix the baffle if needed to meet security requirements, or not if such security measures are unnecessary.
US09101048B2
A printed wiring board includes an insulative substrate, a wiring portion which is formed on a surface of the insulative substrate and has a predetermined wiring pattern, an insulative layer which is formed on the wiring portion and on which a part of the wiring layer is exposed as a terminal, a radiator plate provided on another surface of the insulative substrate, and a heat conductive portion which is formed inside the through hole penetrating through the surface and the other surface of the insulative substrate and connected to the wiring portion.
US09101037B2
An emergency lighting ballast device includes a housing; a circuit disposed within the housing and configured to receive a battery supply voltage and to process the battery supply voltage for driving one or more fluorescent lamps; and at least three ballast outputs providing at an exterior of the housing, each ballast output being directly connected to a different electrical component of the circuit than the other ballast outputs and being configured to be selectively connected to the one or more fluorescent lamps to supply power from the circuit to the one or more fluorescent lamps.
US09101031B2
A lighting device includes a DC/DC converter for receiving DC power and converting the DC power into a predetermined output required for a load; a voltage detection unit for detecting an output voltage or an equivalent value from the output voltage; a current detection unit for detecting an output current or an equivalent value from the output current; and a control unit for controlling the DC/DC converter based on detection values from the voltage detection unit and/or the current detection unit. The control unit reduces the output when a rapid change is detected in a load state in which a change in the output within a first predetermined time is equal to or greater than a predetermined width.
US09101028B2
The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for controlling and power lighting units connected to a network controller. In one aspect there is provided a method that may include receiving at a first input power from a power supply; receiving at a second input one or more illumination control packets from a data processing device via one or more network connections; transmitting from a first output power to one or more lighting units; and powering from a second output an illumination level of one or more colors associated with the one or more lighting units in accordance with the one or more illumination control packets via the one or more network connections. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
US09101025B2
System and methods are provided for driving one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) to reduce audible noise. An example system includes a switching component, a system controller, and a current generator. The switching component is configured to receive a dimming signal with a predetermined dimming frequency and configured to switch on or off the one or more LEDs in response to the dimming signal, the predetermined dimming frequency being outside a frequency band of the audible noise. The system controller is configured to receive a feedback signal related to a LED current that flows through the one or more LEDs and configured to generate a drive signal. Additionally, the current generator is configured to receive the drive signal, to generate a charging current to store energy during a charging period and to generate the LED current during a discharging period.
US09101022B2
A lighting device is generally illustrated including a light body having forward facing light sources including a visible white light source, visible colored light source and an infrared light source. Additionally, a side facing light source is provided. The light body also includes switches for activating the visible light sources and a three-position switch for activating the IR light source and the side facing light source. The lighting device further includes boost circuitry for controlling electrical energy supplied to a light source.
US09101003B2
A wireless intelligent lamp control method is to be implemented by a remote switch handset for wireless communication with a wall switch base, and includes: receiving an ON signal set including at least one ON signal sent from a user-selected command key unit, and determining at least one of a number and a duration of the at least one ON signal; transmitting a wireless signal indicating the user-selected command key unit to the wall switch base for establishing a matching relation when the ON signal set includes only one ON signal and the duration thereof is longer than an ON threshold time; and wirelessly receiving the matching relation from the wall switch base, and storing the matching relation.
US09101002B2
A method of controlling multiple lamps is applied to an illumination system, which includes an input interface, a signal transmitter, a plurality of signal receivers, a plurality of driving devices, and a plurality of lamps. The method includes the following steps: detect a state of the input interface with the signal transmitter; transmits a corresponding signal with the signal transmitter; each of the signal receivers receives the signal and detects a waveform of an AC power source, and each of the signal receivers transmits a corresponding control signal to the corresponding driving device to control the corresponding lamp at a reference point in the following cycle of the waveform of the AC power source.
US09100996B2
A transparent pane with a conductive coating is described. The transparent pane is electrically connected to an electrically heatable coating that extends at least over a part of the area of the pane and to at least two first electrodes provided for electrical connection to the two terminals of a voltage source. The heating field of the transparent pane includes at least one coating-free zone. The transparent pane also has at least one second electrode provided for electric connection to one terminal of the voltage source. The supply section of the transparent pane consists of at least two supply parts separated from each other, and a coupling section, which is electrically connected to the heatable coating. A method for manufacturing the transparent pane is also described.
US09100993B2
A heating device may include an electric heating element configured to generate heat, a heat radiation element, and an electrical insulation member interposed between the electric heating element and the heat radiation element. The electrical insulation member may be bonded to both of the electric heating element and the heat radiation element.
US09100986B2
Cellular processors are cascaded to provide different configurations, which result in higher-capacity base stations, increased numbers of simultaneous users over one frequency band, and/or aggregation of several carriers while still using only one radiofrequency (RF) chipset. The processors are aligned in both time and frequency, with each processor having a data port that allows data exchange with the other processors. The data alignment and exchange allow the processors, in the aggregate, to act as a single unit, resulting in a scalable architecture that can accommodate different system configurations.
US09100985B2
A coordinated multi-point communications system is provided. A first center site is operative to serve one or more user equipment located under coverage of a first cluster. Multiple first remote devices are connected to the first center site and operative to receive downlink signals from the first center site and transmit the downlink signals to the one or more user equipment and/or receive uplink signals from the one or more user equipment and transmit the uplink signals to the first center site. The first center site and the first remote devices form the first cluster to support coordinated multi-point transmission and reception for simultaneously transmitting and/or receiving the downlink and/or uplink signals to and/or from the one or more user equipment, and at least one of the first remote devices is further connected to at least a second center site of a second cluster adjacent to the first cluster.
US09100982B1
A method, system and medium are provided for automatically routing an incoming call to one active wireless-telecommunications device of a set of devices associated with a single wireless-telecommunications-network subscriber. A proximity-based relationship is created between a primary device and a nonprimary device. Upon receiving an indication that the primary device is within a threshold proximity of the nonprimary device, a request is communicated to the network to associate a set of user credentials of the primary device and a set of hardware credentials of the primary device with the nonprimary device. The nonprimary device is thereby activated so that it can receive an incoming call. The primary device is deactivated so that the subscriber can only receive an incoming call on one device at a time.
US09100978B2
In one embodiment, the method for allocating resources in a wireless system supporting a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT operating in a narrower frequency band than the first RAT includes assigning at least one physical resource block (PRB) of a plurality of PRBs of the frequency band to the second RAT. The method further includes transmitting, in a first sector, over the at least one assigned PRB using the second RAT. The method further includes transmitting, in the first sector, control signals on unassigned PRBs using the first RAT.
US09100971B2
A method and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal using interference alignment in a multi-cellular network are provided. The method includes determining a total number Sj of effective Inter-Cell Interference (ICI) channels of a j-th cell, determining a number tj,i of effective ICI channels caused by each of other Base Stations (BSs) and a number nj,i(s) of ICI channels aligned to each effective ICI channel, acquiring information about a channel matrix between users of the j-th cell and each BS, determining effective ICI channels reaching from the other BSs to users of the j-th cell and a receive beamforming matrix by reference to tj,i, nj,i(s) and information about the channel matrix, transmitting feedback information indicating the channel matrix and the receive beamforming matrix to the BS of the j-th cell, and receiving a signal from the BS of the j-th cell using the determined receive beamforming matrix.
US09100967B2
Methods and apparatus provide for channel selection within a wireless network. A multi-channel wireless access point may select a channel for a wireless device requesting data or voice service based on the transmit times of each channel supported by the multi-channel wireless access point. The transmit times may be based on the physical rates of the devices assigned to each channel. The channel may also be selected based on the quality of service requested by the wireless device, the medium occupancy of each channel, or the number of wireless devices assigned to each channel. Alternatively the wireless device may select the channel for assignment based on channel statistics information provided by the multi-channel wireless access point. This information may be provided through one or more beacon signals, or supplied in response to a request for the information from a wireless device.
US09100963B2
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a method in a transmitting unit; a method in a receiving unit; a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, in a wireless communication network employing Time Division Multiple Access, TDMA, for transmitting and, receiving and demodulating data, respectively, the data being transmitted in a signal comprising a burst, wherein bursts relating to NMS number of mobile stations are multiplexed into a single time slot. The transmission comprises grouping a block of N b number of user code bits, representing the data to be transmitted, into NDS/NMS groups of user code bits. Mapping the groups of user code bits to data symbols such that one group is represented by one data symbol, thereby obtaining a block of data symbols, wherein each data symbol is drawn from one or more pre-defined complex-valued symbol constellation(s). The transmission further comprises repeating the block of data symbols, such that the burst to be transmitted comprises NMS number of equal blocks of data symbols, rotating the NMS number of blocks of data symbols according to a mobile-station-specific rotation, and transmitting the rotated blocks of data symbols in a burst in the time slot.
US09100955B2
Provided are a terminal, a base station and a signal transmission control method whereby a response signal can be efficiently transmitted when the terminal receives downstream allocation control information via an R-PDCCH. An extraction unit (204) receives downstream control information via one of a first downstream control channel, which is transmitted by use of one or more control channel elements (CCE) associated with an upstream control channel resource, and a second downstream control channel different from the first downstream control channel, and also receives data via a data channel. A control unit (208) selects, from resources associated with CCE and from particular resources reported by a base station, an upstream control channel resource to be used in transmission of the response signal, and controls the transmission of the response signal.
US09100952B2
The present invention is directed to preventing occurrence of PDCCH blocking while reducing PDCCH detection errors. The present invention provides a search space size adaptive control section (203) that controls the size of the UE-specific search space adaptively depending on the number of component carriers to which a PDSCH for a mobile station apparatus (10) is assigned, a control information generation section (201) that generates control information reflecting a control result by the search space size adaptive control section (203), and a transmission/reception section (23) that transmits this control information to a mobile station apparatus (10) by RRC signaling.
US09100947B2
Systems and methods of controlling characteristics of messages in sub-1 GHz networks (e.g., IEEE 802.11ah networks) are disclosed. One or more data structures indicating available modulation and coding schemes (MCSs) may be stored at or accessible to transmitters and receivers. The data structures may be organized based on an MCS index, a frame format, a wireless network bandwidth, and/or the number of spatial streams in use at the wireless network. Information stored in the data structures may be used in generation and processing of messages communicated via the sub-1 GHz network.
US09100934B2
Coordinated multi-point (CoMP) transmissions in a cellular network is performed using multi-broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframes. During CoMP transmission, demodulation reference signals (DRS) are placed in the one portion the MDSFN subframe, while cell-specific reference signals (CRS) are placed in a separate portion of the MDSFN subframe. Therefore, no CRS-DRS collision will occur during CoMP transmission.
US09100933B2
A broadcast message may be initiated or received at a peer node. The node obtains an uplink bandwidth available for broadcasting the message over the network and a number of copies that can be broadcast based on the available bandwidth. The node determines a range of key values for finger nodes that should receive copies of the broadcast message from a finger table. The finger table entries include references to finger nodes and key values associated with the finger nodes. The node determines which other nodes should receive copies of the broadcast message from range of key values and the number of copies. The node also determines an End ID for each recipient node. A copy of the broadcast message and corresponding End ID is sent to a finger node if the finger node's key value is within a range of key values specified by the End ID.
US09100925B2
Location information associated with a computing device may be periodically transmitted to a server. A user of the computing device may transmit a request to the server when the computing device is no longer able to communicate with the server. For example, the user request may be associated with locating the computing device. In response to the request, the user may be shown the latest received location information of the computing device. The last received location information may be displayed in a web page.
US09100922B2
Method of transmitting a power status report by a mobile station in a wireless communication system according to the present application comprises receiving at least one of an offset value of a data channel or an offset value of a control channel for an uplink power control from a base station; determining a base uplink transmit power level for at least one of the data channel or control channel based on at least one of the received offset value of the data channel or the received offset value of the control channel; and transmitting the determined base uplink transmit power level to the base station.
US09100921B2
Embodiments include methods and apparatus for performing transmit power control. A gain application element receives a sequence of digital input samples and a digital gain signal, and combines the digital gain signal with the digital input samples to generate a sequence of gain-compensated digital samples. A power amplifier receives and amplifies an analog version of the gain-compensated digital samples in order to generate an antenna output signal. A feedback path generates an analog feedback signal from the antenna output signal, produces a sequence of digital feedback samples from the analog feedback signal, and generates difference values based on the digital feedback samples. When a specified type of constant modulus symbol is represented in the antenna output symbol, the feedback path accumulates the difference values into an accumulated error value, and produces the digital gain signal from the accumulated error value.
US09100920B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a parameter configuration method and a configuration device for a mobile terminal. A parameter configuration method for a mobile terminal includes: obtaining a current channel change rate; comparing the current channel change rate with a maximum channel change rate and a minimum channel change rate in each scenario respectively; determining a channel change rate range to which the current channel change rate belongs, and setting a scenario corresponding to the channel change rate range as a target scenario; and obtaining a parameter configuration value group corresponding to the channel change rate range in the target scenario according to a corresponding relationship between a preset parameter configuration value group and the channel change rate range, and configuring a corresponding parameter of each module of the mobile terminal by using each parameter configuration value of the parameter configuration value group.
US09100916B2
A portable terminal for providing a Wi-Fi Peer-to-Peer (P2P) function is provided. An apparatus and a method of a portable terminal for enhancing a data transmission performance by adjusting a Notice of Absence (NoA) duration in a NoA-based power saving mode are provided. The apparatus includes a communication unit for receiving Notice of Absence (NoA) information for a power saving mode, a control unit for controlling a client of a group to enter the power saving mode based on the NoA information, and a power management unit for generating the NoA information for the power saving mode.
US09100910B1
Receivers, apparatuses, and methods associated with packet classification based power saving receiver are described. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting an incoming frame at a receive unit. Expected power savings are calculated based, at least in part, on a switching time and frame duration of the incoming frame. The method further includes determining to enter an ignore frame state rather than a receive frame state based, at least in part, on the expected power savings. In the receive frame state the incoming frame is received by the receive unit. In the ignore frame state the incoming frame is either not received or not decoded. The method also includes selectively controlling the receive unit to enter the ignore frame state from the receive frame state. The receive unit is returned to the receive frame state in time to perform end of frame processing on the incoming frame.
US09100905B2
In a mobile communication method according to the present invention, in a communication start procedure of a mobile station camps on a femtocell, acquiring, by an exchange 20, a frequency of the femtocell and a femtocell ID for uniquely identifying the femtocell which are held in a controller 10, storing, by the exchange 20 and a home location register 30, the acquired frequency of the femtocell and the acquired femtocell ID in association with subscriber information of the mobile station UE, performing, by the exchange 20 and the home location register 30, location registration to register the mobile station UE for a location registration area to which the femtocell geographically overlaid with the macrocell belongs, in response to the received location registration request signal, in a release procedure of the radio connection after completion of the location registration, notifying, by the controller 10, the mobile station UE of the notified frequency of the femtocell notified by the exchange 20.
US09100898B2
A method enabling a mobile terminal to access a wireless cellular telecommunication network including plural base stations and a core network device. The mobile terminal is allowed to access the wireless cellular telecommunication network through at least one first base station and memorizes a list including information enabling the identification of signals transferred by each first base station, the mobile terminal not memorizing information enabling the identification of signals transferred by second base stations. One second base station: receives a message requesting the second base station to transfer signals that should be transferred by one first base station, transfers signals that should be transferred by the first base station, and broadcasts information enabling the identification by the mobile terminal of other signals transferred by the second base station and/or at least one other second base station.
US09100891B2
User equipment (UE) includes an architecture for handling femtocell fingerprints. The architecture may, as examples, maintain the validity and reliability of fingerprints and coordinate enhancement to existing fingerprints. The architecture also supports fingerprint creation, updating, and deletion.
US09100890B2
Methods and apparatuses for facilitating switching HSPA (high speed packet access) serving cells from each of an RNC (radio network controller), base station, and access terminal are provided. The RNC pre-configures an access terminal and each base station in an active set for HS-DSCH operation by providing identification codes identifying each of the base stations. The RNC transmits data packets tagged with sequence numbers to each base station where they are synchronously buffered. The access terminal initiates a handover by transmitting a PDU (protocol data unit) to each of the base stations. The PDU is encoded with the identification code of a target base station and a sequence number of a subsequent packet. The target receives the PDU and directly completes the handover with the access terminal.
US09100888B2
A Multi Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) modem capable of receiving paging messages related to at least two subscriber identities comprises a paging configuration block configured to determine whether a collision between paging occasions related to the respective subscriber identities will be systematic or not, and to launch, when the collision has been determined to be systematic, a reselection of a new cell for at least one of the at least two subscriber identities.
US09100884B2
A method and apparatus for performing a handover in a wireless communication system are disclosed. The method for performing a handover of a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system includes measuring a first reception power from a first transmission point and a second reception power from a second transmission point; and determining transmission of a measurement report for the handover to the second transmission point. The transmission of the measurement report is determined using the first reception power, the second reception power, an offset value, and a value related to uplink transmission power of the user equipment (UE).
US09100874B2
One or more system and/or method of dynamically setting values of Channel Access Parameters employing a Load Supervision Manager entity, a Quality of Service Parameters Manager entity, and an Access Point. The entities work with the Access Point and continuously monitors network loading conditions and setting Channel Access Parameters values in response to network loading conditions. The Load Supervision Manager is a controlling and/or supervisory entity that sits at a network level receives information from the QoS Parameters Manager which sits at a subnet level, and judges prevailing loading conditions. The prevailing loading conditions include such factors as the number of Mobile Nodes and the applications or ACs they are running on in each subnet. The QoS Parameters Manager assesses the possible near future loading condition in each subnet including monitoring the hand-off Mobile Nodes and issues directives to QoS Parameters Managers.
US09100868B2
A rule specifies a timing relation between a measurement configuration which indicates at least one subframe to measure and a reporting configuration which indicates at least one subframe in which to report. This rule is used by both user equipment UE and network to map between a downlink subframe in which channel state information is measured and an uplink subframe in which the channel state information is reported. The network may configure the UE with the measurement and reporting configurations via dedicated signaling or broadcast. If the measurement configuration is periodic and indicates multiple downlink subframes to measure the rule results in a one to one mapping of downlink to uplink subframe where less than all of the multiple downlink subframes map to an uplink subframe; if aperiodic the rule indicates a single downlink subframe to measure.
US09100864B2
An operation monitoring apparatus for estimating a cause by which a first and second observation data observed by a monitored apparatus are obtained, the operation monitoring apparatus including: an observation event receiving process unit which receives the first and second observation data transmitted from the monitored apparatus; an observation event extracting unit which extracts the first observation data, out of the first and second observation data, based on a probability that the cause occurs with respect to the first and second observation data; a cause event determining process unit which estimates the cause based on the extracted first observation data; and a cause notifying process unit which outputs data indicating the estimated cause.
US09100860B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for measuring power levels of signals provided by a receiver configured to scan radio frequency signals over a wide frequency band, calculating an average power level from at least a portion of the measured power levels, determining a threshold, detecting interference in the wide frequency band based on the threshold, the average power level, or both, and causing a null that substantially suppresses the interference received by the receiver. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09100859B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for analyzing a wide frequency band with respect to signal power levels in specified narrow frequency bands, detecting narrow band signal power levels received in the specified narrow frequency bands, determining an average composite wideband power level from the narrow band signal power levels, determining an adaptive threshold, tracking narrow band interferers according to the adaptive threshold and the average composite wideband power level, and transmitting a report descriptive of the narrow band interferers. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09100856B2
A method includes receiving, at a distribution management device, a request for a content item from a requesting local device. The distribution management device is at a first level of a content distribution architecture, the requesting local device is one of a plurality of local devices at a second level and each local device serves a plurality of sub devices at a third level. A determination whether the requested content item is available from the distribution management device is made. At least one other local device that has the requested content item is identified if the requested content item is not available. A minimum routing cost local device for the requested content to the requesting local device is determined based on the identified at least one other local device. A request for the requested content is sent to the identified minimum routing cost local device.
US09100855B2
A method for congestion control in a transport network of a radio access network is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, by the control node, a first uplink flow through a first communication link in the transport network from a first radio access node and receiving, by the control node, a second uplink flow through a second communication link in the transport network from a second radio access node. If congestion is detected in the transport network for either uplink flow, the control node selectively triggers either Active Queue Management (AQM)-based congestion control at the control node, or local congestion control at the for the uplink flow. Triggering is carried out such that AQM-based congestion control is carried out for only one of the first uplink flow or the second uplink flow if congestion is detected for both the first uplink flow and the second uplink flow.
US09100848B2
A location judgment unit (411) judges whether an installation location of a base station (10) is in a first area corresponding to a service area of a first network operator. A frequency determination unit (412) determines, by using a first procedure, a radio frequency for use in wireless communication between the base station (10) and a mobile station (30) when the installation location of the base station (10) is in the first area, and determines the radio frequency of the base station (10) by using a second procedure different from the first procedure when the installation location of the base station (10) is outside the first area. The second procedure includes: receiving information on a frequency available in the installation location of the base station (10) from a frequency management system (50) that manages a frequency of a second area including the installation location of the base station (10); and determining a radio frequency of the base station (10) based on the frequency information.
US09100846B2
There are provided measures for terminal measurement configuration in carrier aggregation, said measures exemplarily including a configuration of one or more carriers for automatic terminal measurements relating to network performance on said one or more carriers, said one or more carriers being carriers in a carrier aggregation for one or more terminals, wherein said configuration may be dependent on the one or more terminals' capabilities in terms of single- or multi-carrier terminal measurements. According to such configuration, automatic terminal measurements may be performed simultaneously on the configured one or more carriers or on the configured one or more carriers based on a predetermined priority of each carrier. Said measures may exemplarily be applied for in an MDT context.
US09100839B2
Provided herein are apparatus and methods for radio frequency (RF) signal boosters. In certain implementations, a multi-band signal booster is provided for boosting the uplink and downlink channels of at least a first frequency band and a second frequency band. In certain configurations, the downlink channels of the first and second channels are adjacent, and the signal booster includes a first amplification path for boosting the uplink channel of the first frequency band, a second amplification path for boosting the uplink channel of the second frequency band, and a third amplification path for boosting both downlink channels of the first and second frequency bands.
US09100832B2
A self-organizing wireless network (SON) includes a plurality of base stations. Each base station includes a SON component for coordinating radio resource allocation with other base stations and a radio resource management component for accepting an allocation from the SON component and managing usage of that allocation for end user equipment associated with its base station. The base stations provide access to a plurality of end user equipment. The SON may include a server for communicating with the SON component for coordinating of radio resource allocation. The self-organizing wireless network may include a central control for communicating with the SON component for coordinating of radio resource allocation. Coordinating of radio resources relates to physical channels, transmit power, spatial resource allocation, admission control, load balancing, coordinating network elements in groups and includes adapting to addition of and reduction of network elements in a group in real time.
US09100830B2
A wireless communication system for communicating via a wireless communication network, may include: a setting device configured to create a first information needed for joining a wireless device into the wireless communication network and set the first information in the wireless device to be joined into the wireless communication network, the setting device being configured to create setting information that correlates the first information with a second information containing at least one of information indicating a method of setting the first information and information indicating an operator who performed an operation of setting the first information; and a management device configured to select the wireless device, which is to be joined into the wireless communication network, by using the setting information that has been created by the setting device.
US09100823B2
An information processing system includes a first information processing apparatus that outputs a sound of a predetermined frequency; and a second information processing apparatus that collects the sound that is output from the first information processing apparatus, and outputs a response to the sound of the predetermined frequency to the first information processing apparatus. The first information processing apparatus transmits predetermined data to the second information processing apparatus that has output the response to the sound of the predetermined frequency.
US09100815B2
Embodiments are directed to selecting a physical layer for an access terminal's (AT's) participation in a communication session. In an embodiment, the AT can register its priorities for multiple physical-layer systems as well as contact information by which an application server can contact the AT over each system. The AT selectively updates the system prioritization and/or contact information. When the AT joins or initiates a communication session, the application server supports the AT on a highest-priority system through which the AT can be contacted. The system supporting the AT's session can change upon request by the AT, the initiative of the application server and/or a detected triggering event. In a further embodiment, multiple systems can be used concurrently to support the AT's session, such that the AT can send and/or receive signaling and/or media for at least a portion of the communication session over the multiple systems concurrently.
US09100811B2
A system for facilitating communication in an adaptive virtual environment is disclosed. For example, the system creates a virtual image of a communication device running services rendered by one or more telecom service providers, wherein the communication device belongs to a user. The system emulates hardware and software configuration of the communication device in the virtual image, wherein the virtual image is stored in the memory. The system synchronizes the memory, storing the hardware and software configuration in the virtual image, with a device memory of a user device at pre-determined intervals of time. The system further remotely installs the hardware and software configuration in the user device upon executing the virtual image thereby creating a virtual environment in the user device. The system further generates a unique number for the user. The system further facilitates communication using the one or more telecom service providers based upon the unique number.
US09100810B2
Methods and apparatus for managing multiple user access control entities or clients. For example, in one embodiment, a “wallet” of electronic subscriber identity modules (eSIMs) may be stored and used at a user device and/or distributed to other devices for use thereon. In another embodiment, a networked server may store and distribute eSIM to a plurality of user devices in communication therewith. A database of available eSIM is maintained at the wallet entity and/or at the network which enables request for a particular eSIM to be processed and various rules for the distribution thereof to be implemented. Security precautions are implemented to protect both user and network carrier specific data as the data is transmitted between networked entities. Solutions for eSIM backup and restoration are also described.
US09100802B2
A method and apparatus for automatically sending a data message from a mobile device to at least one recipient during or soon after an emergency voice call, the method having the steps of: determining whether the data message can be sent over the network during the emergency voice call, and if yes, creating and sending the data message; and if no, waiting until either the mobile device connects to a new network, wherein the method proceeds back to said determining step, or until the voice call has ended and then creating and sending the data message.
US09100790B2
A method for discovering the presence of hidden neighbor mobile devices in a common environment is disclosed. A given mobile unit is moved into a common environment with the given mobile device having a unique identifier associated therewith. The common environment is scanned within a scan range associated with the given mobile device. The presence of broadcasting devices scanned by the given mobile device is detected and identification information received therefrom. The received identification information is transmitted to a central location in addition to the unique identifier. The given mobile device receives from the central location information about a hidden mobile unit that is not scannable by the given mobile device, but can scan other broadcast devices in the common environment, which information provides an indication that the hidden mobile unit had previously scanned at least one of the broadcast devices scanned by the given mobile device.
US09100784B2
A dial-in number is provided to a participant of a conference call. A computer identifies a participant of a conference call, and attempts to determine the location of the participant. Responsive to determining the location of the participant, the computer determines a location-based dial-in number for the participant and transmits the determined location-based dial-in number to the participant. Responsive to failing to determine the location of the participant, the computer determines an alternative dial-in number for the participant and transmits the determined alternative dial-in number to the participant. The computer can determine the location of the participant based on attributes derived from a location service enabled application or device associated with the participant.
US09100783B2
Two friends can pair wireless communication devices which subsequently exchange positional information peer-to-peer or through a cloud server. Each device presents a map showing its location and the location of the paired device. Instructions can be provided to the device playing a follower role of how to reach the current location of the other device, which plays a leader role. In turn the leader device can present information as to the location of the follower device so that a user of the leader device can ascertain if the follower is off-track.
US09100777B2
A method and an apparatus for controlling a device are provided. Information regarding a second external device, which was received by a first external device, is received from the first external device. The second external device is authenticated based on the information regarding the second external device. Position information regarding the second external device is detected. Control information regarding the first external device is transmitted to the first external device. The control information is based on the position information.
US09100776B2
Utilizing a spatial calendar device and service, the user can associate an event reminder to a location in space. The location can be fed into the device manually, from the map unit, GIS address book unit, or from the current reading of the GPS unit, as well as any other source of GPS location media. An event reminder can be text and/or audio to remind the user of a specific thing to do or pick once he or she approaches the location. Examples: once at the parking lot of an airport (inside the car or in the vicinity of the car), the user can associate a reminder (text, audio, or visual) to the location of his/her vehicle at the airport. In this case the system will automatically read the GPS location of the car and will prompt the user to enter an audio or text event reminder.
US09100775B2
Methods and systems for delivering audio content to a headset are disclosed. A user taps a close proximity data exchange headset onto an device to download audio content. The audio content is played at the headset. In another embodiment, a user can record audio content with a headset and save the content onto a close proximity data exchange device. Other parties may then use the close proximity data exchange device to retrieve the audio content. Security techniques could be implemented to ensure only an authorized person can store or retrieve audio content. The close proximity data exchange headset may be a near field communication (NFC) headset, and the close proximity data exchange device may be an NFC device.
US09100771B2
Disclosed in the present invention are a Machine Type Communication event reporting method, device and system. The method includes: a mobility management network element acquires identifier information of an MTC server corresponding to an MTC device from a user subscription server; the mobility management network element sends the identifier information to an MTC event reporting entity; and the MTC event reporting entity reports an MTC event of the MTC device to the MTC server corresponding to the identifier information. By way of the present invention, the MTC event report can be sent to a correct MTC server, so that the MTC server can effectively monitor the MTC device.
US09100769B2
A method of providing wireless communication service to a mobile device is provided. The method comprises providing a system memory partition and a carrier memory partition on the mobile device. The method further comprising protecting two or more service brand packages from deletion by a mobile device reset. The method further comprises provisioning the mobile device with a first service brand network. The method further comprising resetting the mobile device, wherein resetting the mobile device comprises removing the mobile device from the first service brand network and deleting unprotected data stored on the mobile device. The method further comprising provisioning the mobile device with a second service brand network without re-installing previously installed data associated with the second service brand package.
US09100768B2
Soundfield signals as such e.g. Ambisonics carry a representation of a desired sound field. The Ambisonics format is based on spherical harmonic decomposition of the soundfield, and Higher Order Ambisonics uses spherical harmonics of at least 2nd order. However, commonly used loudspeaker setups are irregular and lead to problems in decoder design. A method for improved decoding an audio soundfield representation for audio playback comprises calculating a panning function using a geometrical method based on the positions of a plurality of loudspeakers and a plurality of source directions, calculating a mode matrix Ξ from the loudspeaker positions, calculating a pseudo-inverse mode matrix μ+ and decoding the audio soundfield representation. The decoding is based on a decode matrix that is obtained from the panning function and the pseudo-inverse mode matrix Ξ+.
US09100767B2
A converter and conversion method are disclosed for converting N channel audio input channels into M channel audio output channels, wherein a processor is used for applying a transfer function to a signal received on an input channel to obtain reverberation components of a calculated output channel,wherein said transfer function is a simplified transfer function matching a selected subset of a set of local maxima of a measured reverberation when applied to a corresponding stimulus.
US09100741B2
A microphone includes an output controller 14 to control output from a microphone unit 10, a metal portion 20 of an outer casing of the microphone, a neon tube 24 to discharge static electricity from an external object through the metal portion 20, and an acoustic coupler 30 to control the output controller 14 through generation of sound in response to a discharge current from the neon tube 24 and detection of the sound.
US09100734B2
An apparatus for multichannel signal processing separates signal components from different acoustic sources by initializing a separation filter bank with beams in the estimated source directions, adapting the separation filter bank under specified constraints, and normalizing an adapted solution based on a maximum response with respect to direction. Such an apparatus may be used to separate signal components from sources that are close to one another in the far field of the microphone array.
US09100730B2
An optical transmission network comprises nodes which support a plurality of different wavelength channels and support at least a first bitrate traffic type and the second bitrate traffic type on respective wavelength channels. A connection of the second bitrate traffic type is established on an available wavelength, if the wavelength offers an acceptable quality of transmission using a first quality of transmission calculation. Alternatively, a connection of the second bitrate traffic type is established on a wavelength which is spaced, by a guard band, from wavelengths used for connections of the first bitrate traffic type, if the wavelength offers an acceptable quality of transmission using a second quality of transmission calculation. The second quality of transmission calculation is less stringent than the first quality of transmission calculation, and can ignore the effects of interference due to cross-phase modulation. The guard band is a wavelength spacing at which the interference between a connection of the first bitrate traffic type and a connection of the second bitrate traffic type is less than a predetermined amount.
US09100719B2
Techniques described herein provide for an advertising processing engine service to act as an intermediary between client applications and advertising networks. The advertising processing engine service can provide an interface with which the client can interact, via an application programming interface (API) or directly through the use of a standardized language, thereby allowing client applications to receive advertisement data without the need to be customized to communicate with specific advertising networks. On the other hand, the advertising processing engine service can receive requests from clients and communicate these requests to advertising networks in the corresponding language and/or format they require.
US09100718B2
A computer system in which augmentation content can be provided to a client device. A receiver is provided in a server for receiving a live television signal. A matching engine can then identify a segment of television, based on fingerprinting techniques and can determine a time delay between the start time of the segment of television and its identification. A content retrieval unit can then select augmentation content based on the identified segment of television and the time delay, and this can be output to a client device. In this way the augmentation content can be selected so that it maintains synchronization with live television.
US09100717B2
The disclosed embodiments relates to methods and systems for performing a content verification in a video content. The method includes identification of one or more random access points in the video content. Thereafter, one or more work units are created based on the identified one or more random access points. The method further includes processing of the one or more work units by one or more processing units simultaneously, and determining one or more errors in each of the one or more work units while the decoding. The one or more determined errors in each of processed one or more work units are then merged with each other. A verification report is generated based on at least the merging.
US09100715B2
An apparatus for a television includes storage areas for storing a key and authentication information, a communication unit to transmit and receive information from a server supplying protected content, and a controller to control output of the protected content from the server based on an authentication procedure. This procedure includes encrypting the stored authentication information with the key, transmitting the encrypted authentication information to the server, and then outputting the protected content received from the server for display after transmission of the encrypted authentication information if determined to be valid.
US09100714B2
A method for measuring an audience of peers of a television channel streamed over a peer-to-peer network includes connecting at least one monitored peer to the peer-to-peer network and sending by the at least one monitored peer a request to at least one neighboring peer of the peer-to-peer network. There is an identifier of the at least one neighboring peer contained in its own list of neighboring peers. In reply to the request, receiving by the at least one monitored peer a list of neighboring peers receiving the television channel streamed over the peer-to-peer network and containing for this purpose, in their respective buffer memory, chunks of the television channel likely to be downloaded by any one of the peers of the peer-to-peer network. The method also includes updating by the at least one monitored peer of its own list of neighboring peers by adding to this list the identifiers of neighboring peers present in the list received and which were not already present in its own list of neighboring peers. The method further includes constructing the audience measurement from the list of neighboring peers of the at least one monitored peer.
US09100711B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a process that monitors consumption of media content of equipment of a user. A tout message associated with a media content item is constructed based on the consumption. The tout message includes information including a selectable link. The selectable link provides instructions to direct a media processor of the subscriber to access the media content item without receiving additional input from equipment of the subscriber. A mobile communication device of the subscriber is selected based on a determined likelihood of reaching the subscriber, and the tout message is transmitted to the mobile communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09100706B2
There is provided a method of customizing live media content with the live media content including at least one dewarped panoramic view of a monitored area. The panoramic view may have a plurality of portions for selection by a user, the method comprising: receiving the live media with audio and video interleaved and/or compressed as a single stream data, receiving a selection of one of the plurality of portions of the panoramic view; and customizing the live media based on the selection of the a portion of the panoramic view for display. A system to customize live media content is also disclosed.
US09100704B2
A method for reestablishing presentation of a paused media program is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Set-Top Box (STB) located in a building can have a controller element that presents a media program to a media device operable only in the building, pauses presentation of the media program responsive to a pause request, generates a departure mark that identifies a presentation point in the media program associated with the pause request, receives a request to resume presentation of the media program from the departure mark at a portable communication device capable of maintaining communications with the STB outside the building, and transmits to the portable communication device a presentation of the media program from the departure mark. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US09100701B2
A method is provided for enhanced video services to at least one user. The method includes receiving a first input video, and processing the received input video to obtain multi-dimensional information associated with the input video. The method also includes obtaining user recommendation information based on user behavior, and creating enhanced video information based on the multi-dimensional information associated with the input video and the user recommendation information. Further, the method includes associating the enhanced video information with the first input video to create an enhanced video of the first input video, and playing back the enhanced video to the user.
US09100700B2
A remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system is disclosed. The RS-DVR system includes a network interface to communicate data between the RS-DVR system and a subscriber system via a network, a file system module coupled to the network interface, an ingest agent coupled to the file system module to receive encoded media segments that represent media content files encoded at a plurality of different bitrates; and a storage architecture coupled to the file system to store the encoded media segments, resulting in stored media segments. The RS-DVR carries out a number of functions and operations to service multiple subscribers and associated subscriber systems, such as various storage device management operations, file structure techniques, assignment of recorded media to subscribers, file system indexing, and supporting shared and per-subscriber content rights.
US09100694B1
Systems and methods for changing TV operating mode in accordance with number of viewers present. In some implementations, a method includes: obtaining a total number of viewers of a connected TV, the connected TV having a plurality of operating modes and the total number is one or more; in accordance with a determination that the total number of viewers is within a first predefined range of a plurality of predefined ranges; placing or maintaining the connected TV in or into a first operating mode unrelated to media content being displayed on the connected TV; and in accordance with a determination that the total number of viewers is within a second predefined range of the plurality of predefined ranges: placing or maintaining the connected TV in or into a second operating mode unrelated to the media content, the second operating mode is different from the first operating mode.
US09100693B2
An apparatus for secured playback is presented. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a controller that includes a key derivation module to manage authentication and key derivation. In one embodiment, the apparatus provides a video decryption key to a graphics engine if video data portions in a data stream are retrievable without having to decrypt the data stream. In one embodiment, the apparatus also includes a decryption module to decrypt a part of data in conjunction with an encryption key to generate video information and video data. The controller then writes an encrypted version of the video data to a video buffer of a graphics engine.
US09100685B2
This document describes techniques and apparatuses for determining an audience's state or interest using passive sensor data. The techniques receive sensor data that measures an audience during presentation of a media program. The techniques, based on this sensor data, then determine a state or interest of the audience members during the media program.
US09100674B2
The present disclosure provides a multi-channel video distribution method and apparatus, and a video management system using the same, including a client system to communicate with a standardized video providing apparatus or a non-standardized video providing apparatus, and to receive a video/sound signal from the standardized video providing apparatus or the non-standardized video providing apparatus; a transcode system to convert the video/sound signal, received by the client system, to a video/sound format that is requested in a client application; and a server system to communicate with the client application, and to transmit, to the client application, the video/sound signal that is converted by the transcode system.
US09100663B2
A video signal processing method includes the steps of processing an input video signal and outputting an output video signal, detecting a temporal feature from the input video signal, smoothing the temporal feature by filtering and outputting the smoothed temporal feature, and controlling processing performed in the processing step in accordance with the temporal feature smoothed in the smoothing step. In this method, the smoothing step switches a characteristic of the filtering in accordance with the attribute of the input video signal.
US09100662B2
A system and method for adaptive motion filtering to improve subpel motion prediction efficiency of interframe motion compensated video coding is described. The technique uses a codebook approach that is efficient in search complexity to look-up best motion filter set from a pre-calculated codebook of motion filter coefficient set. In some embodiments, the search complexity is further reduced by partitioning the complete codebook into a small base codebook and a larger virtual codebook, such that the main calculations for search only need to be performed on the base codebook.
US09100655B2
A motion compensation method includes: specifying, using a motion vector of a current block, a reference image area for use in motion compensation for each of the current block and a current sub-block spatially adjacent to the current block, to read out reference pixel data of the specified area from a frame memory; performing motion compensation using the reference pixel data read out in the readout, to generate prediction pixel data for each of the current block and the current sub-block; outputting the prediction pixel data for the current block, generated in the performing of motion compensation; and temporarily storing the prediction pixel data for the current sub-block, generated in the performing of motion compensation.
US09100652B2
An apparatus having a circuit is disclosed. The circuit may be configured to (i) generate a complexity value by encoding a current picture in a video signal, where the current picture is encoded using a current one of a plurality of configurations, (ii) calculate an estimate in response to the complexity value and (iii) reconfigure the encoding into a new one of the configurations in response to the estimate relative to one or more thresholds. The configurations may include a normal configuration and one or more simplified configurations. The estimate generally describes a computational stress that the encoding of the current picture placed on the circuit. The new configuration may be different from the current configuration.
US09100642B2
A system and method for generating a three-dimensional image using depth layers is provided. A plurality of depth layers may be generated from the image, where each depth layer has a height, a width, and a thickness. Certain regions of the image may be assigned to one of the plurality of depth layers. A depth map may be generated based on the depth layers. Further, a disparity map may be generated based on both the depth map and the depth layers. A stereo view of the image may then be rendered based on the disparity map.
US09100633B2
An electronic device including a receiver configured to receive a stereoscopic moving image including a plurality of frames; a controller configured to obtain a change in depth information of at least one object included in the stereoscopic moving image and to produce a sound zooming factor reflecting the obtained change in depth information; and an audio processor configured to apply the produced sound zooming factor to a sound signal corresponding to at least one speaker of a plurality of speakers outputting sound signals for the stereoscopic moving image.
US09100630B2
A perimeter around a detected object in a frame of image data can be generated in a first coordinate system. The perimeter can be converted from the first coordinate system into a second coordinate system having the same aspect ratio as the first coordinate system. A first metadata entry can include dimensions of image data in the second coordinate system. A second metadata entry can provide a location and dimensions of the converted perimeter in the second coordinate space. Additional metadata can indicate matching objects between frames, position of an object relative to other objects in a frame, a probability that an object is correctly detected, and a total number of objects detected across multiple frames of image data.
US09100629B1
Methods and systems for presenting interactive content, to members of an audience having visible access to a common display screen, as part of a pre-show that precedes presentation of featured display content. Social network messages are received at a server. Each of the messages originates at, and is received from, one of a plurality of mobile devices executing a client application. The server forwards at least some of the received messages to a projector, which in turn projects the messages to the display screen as posts within a social network “page”. Concurrently, the received messages are transmitted over a wireless local area network to mobile terminals executing the client application. The client application initiates display of the messages within a corresponding social network page. A resource identifier (e.g. HTML link) within a message enables viewing of supplemental content at the discretion and initiative of each individual mobile terminal user.
US09100627B2
An electronic device and a method of controlling the electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a broadcast receiving unit that receives a broadcast content, a communication unit that receives power information associated with a mart grid, the power information including at least one of per-time slot electricity rate information and power demand information, and a controller that selectively performs one of an operation of outputting the broadcast content received through the broadcast receiving unit and an operation of storing the received broadcast content in an internal memory or an external memory considering the received power information.
US09100625B2
An image processing apparatus includes a first determination unit configured to determine whether a difference between the result of measuring a first chart formed by an image forming unit and a target value is larger than a first preset threshold value, and a control unit configured to, based on a result of determination by the determination unit, control execution of correction of reproduction characteristics of an image formed by the image forming unit by using the result of measuring a second chart formed by the image forming unit and the target value.
US09100623B2
An image processing device includes an image processing part configured to perform image processing to an original image including a background and an object by adding a first texture component to at least the background.
US09100619B2
The invention provides data for display on the display area for a child frame when the child frame is synthesized and displayed on the parent frame in picture-in-picture playback in order to give the displayed area of the child frame in conformity with the video content in the parent frame, as well as providing a video display apparatus etc. for displaying the child frame at an appropriate displayed position using the data for display. A video display apparatus 1 includes: decoders 101 and 103 for decoding two sets of video data; a synthesizer 105 for synthesizing the decoded videos to output; an input unit 108 for commanding display/non-display of the child frame; a processing controller 109 for controlling the operations of decoders 101 and 103 in accordance with the command; and a position designator 110 which receives the command and the data for display and time information and designates the displayed position of the child frame to the synthesizer 105. The position designator 110 determines the displayed position of the child-frame video in accordance with displayable time information of the child-frame video and information on the displayed area or displayable area depending on time, included in the data for display.
US09100615B2
On-screen display techniques and configurations for audiovisual content input selection and indications in a television, monitor, receiver, or other electronic display device are described herein. An on-screen user interface of a display device may be enhanced with on-screen indications that indicate the position of the respective audiovisual content. For example, a user interface may provide an arrow in the lower-left portion of the screen to correspond to audiovisual input obtained from a device connected to the lower-left portion of the display device housing. A listing of input sources arranged by position relative to the display device and appropriate previews of the audiovisual content from the sources may also be incorporated into the user interface. In further examples, determined labels and human-readable identifiers for the respective input sources may be coordinated with the listing of input sources arranged by position.
US09100610B2
Embodiments include systems and methods for performing image processing on a document based on a delayed determination of whether the document is monochrome or color. The image reproduction system includes image processing hardware configured to receive a plurality of pixels corresponding to a scan document, perform color processing on the plurality of pixels to produce color-processed scan data, perform monochrome processing on the plurality of pixels to produce monochrome-processed scan data, produce color distribution data for the plurality of pixels, and determine from the color distribution data that the scan document is one of a color document or a monochrome document. Based at least on determining that the scan document is one of a color document or a monochrome document, one of the color-processed scan data or the monochrome-processed scan data are discarded.
US09100603B2
Provided are an image pickup device and a camera system that are capable of detecting an extremely small signal from a pixel or one photon signal with low noise and high precision at high speed, and are capable of performing various kinds of high-performance shooting by increasing a frame rate with use of this. Each sense circuit includes a comparator configured to compare an output signal from a pixel with a reference signal, and when signal detection is performed, a charge allowing a first pixel signal output from a selected pixel to be cancelled out is held in one or both of input sections of the comparator, an independent offset bias for each comparator is applied to one of the input sections of the comparator to cancel out an offset of the comparator, and a digital decision on intensity of light incident on the pixel is performed by comparing a reference signal changing in steps with a second pixel signal output from the selected pixel.
US09100599B2
An image capture apparatus that carries out exposure control by driving an aperture includes: an image sensor, including multiple pixels, that accumulates and transfers charges per predetermined pixel group; a determination unit that determines an image region in the image sensor that serves as a region from which to output image data for recording or image data for display; and a control unit that drives the aperture within a period in which charge accumulation for the image data for recording or the image data for display is not being carried out for the pixels included in the image region determined by the determination unit.
US09100595B2
For a thermal imaging camera (1), features are extracted from a series of at least two infrared images (10, 11) or visible images (19, 20) associated therewith by a feature analysis, and an optimal correspondence between features extracted from the images (9, 10, 19, 20) is determined, and a translation vector (18) that relates the pixels of the first infrared image (10) to pixels of the second infrared image (11) is determined for the image positions (16, 17) of the corresponding features.
US09100585B2
Streaming content may be delivered through a combination of broadcast and a backchannel. Related apparatus and methods for receiving and distributing streaming content are described. A receiving device may receive a packet of information in the form of a broadcast signal from a broadcast source. The packet of information may contain one or more streamlets and a table of contents associated with the streamlets. A desired streamlet may be selected from the packet of information and presented with a display. A remainder of a data stream associated with the streamlet may be requested and received from via a backchannel while the desired streamlet is being presented. The remaining data stream may then be presented with the display.
US09100579B2
A method that includes obtaining a video signal of an object by a camera, obtaining an ambient light signal representing ambient light, obtaining a display signal representing light emitted by a display, obtaining a distance signal representing a distance between the display and the object, and modifying the video signal based on the ambient light signal, the display signal, and the distance signal, to obtain a modified video signal.
US09100567B2
The imaging device includes: a first optical system; a second optical system; a first imaging element configured to convert an optical image of a first shooting range formed by the first optical system into an electrical signal; a second imaging element configured to convert an optical image of a second shooting range formed by the second optical system into an electrical signal; a first focus driving section configured to shift a focus lens of the first optical system to a focus position of a first object in the first shooting range; and a movement prediction section configured to predict movement of an image of a second object in the second shooting range. The first focus driving section shifts the focus lens of the first optical system to a position different from the focus position of the first object, according to a result of the prediction of the movement prediction section.
US09100566B2
In the present invention, in a state where a photographing parameter of an imaging section (for example, the focal length of a zoom lens) has been set within the range between a first value (for example, a wide angle end of 18 mm) and a second value (for example, a telephoto end of 140 mm), and a reference value (for example, 28 mm) for the photographing parameter has been set within the range between the first value and the second value, a control section changes the set parameter to the reference value.
US09100562B2
In exemplary implements of this invention, a lens and sensor of a camera are intentionally destabilized (i.e., shifted relative to the scene being imaged) in order to create defocus effects. That is, actuators in a camera move a lens and a sensor, relative to the scene being imaged, while the camera takes a photograph. This motion simulates a larger aperture size (shallower depth of field). Thus, by translating a lens and a sensor while taking a photo, a camera with a small aperture (such as a cell phone or small point and shoot camera) may simulate the shallow DOF that can be achieved with a professional SLR camera. This invention may be implemented in such a way that programmable defocus effects may be achieved. Also, approximately depth-invariant defocus blur size may be achieved over a range of depths, in some embodiments of this invention.
US09100560B2
Certain embodiments provide a camera module including a housing of a substantially cuboid shape, a light reflecting portion, a plurality of solid-state imaging device, a lens, and an optical spectroscope. The light reflecting portion is arranged inside the housing and reflects the light incident from the opening portion which is formed on a top surface of the housing, in a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the housing. Each of a plurality of solid-state imaging devices has a light receiving surface which is provided in the housing vertically to the bottom surface of the housing. The lens is arranged inside the housing such that an optical axis is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the housing. The optical spectroscope is arranged inside the housing and separates the light which has passed through the lens into lights.
US09100556B2
An image processing method includes a restore step of performing blur restoration for image data, an acquisition step of acquiring image-related information stored together with the image data, and an extraction step of extracting the range of object distances at which the blur restoration is performed, based on the image-related information. In the restore step, blur restoration is performed for the image data in the range of object distances extracted in the extraction step.
US09100552B2
The present disclosure relates to a terminal, including an output unit; an image sensor configured to capture an image; and a controller functionally connected to the output unit and the image sensor. The controller controls to recognize a signal light on an image captured by the image sensor, and output the signal information of the recognized signal light through the output unit. The signal information includes at least one of a signal state of the signal light, a signal change expected time, an expected time required to pass through a signal light from a current location, and an expected signal change frequency.
US09100543B2
Disclosed is a method and system for allowing a server system to control a video structure of a client system through a video of an optimized size and to transmit the controlled video structure in a system in which video conference is remotely available. The method includes a step of allowing a control unit of any one client system to request a main control unit of a server system to change the video structure which includes coordinates and video size; and allowing the main control unit to make a change so as to coincide with the request of the control unit of the client system, which has requested the change of the video structure being currently outputted to a video conference monitor, and to transmit the change to a control unit of each client system.
US09100539B2
Systems and methods for augmenting web conference sessions with multimedia content based on text extracted from audio content transmitted during the web conference. In one embodiment, a conference application or other application can receive audio content from at least one client participating in a web conference. The web conference can connect multiple clients for live sharing of audio and video. The conference application can also extract at least one text item from the audio content. The conference application can also generate augmented electronic content by combining electronic content received via the web conference with additional electronic content based on the at least one text item. The conference application can also provide the augmented electronic content via the web conference.
US09100536B2
A display is disclosed that comprises an array of display pixels, in which light sensing pixels are interspersed with the display pixels substantially across the area of the display. At least one color display sub-pixel is arranged to be switched off when the corresponding color light sensor pixel closest to that display sub-pixel is detecting light to generate an image. A portable electronic device is disclosed which comprises the display. The display is then operable to capture an image from the light sensing pixels, so that for example it can then operate as one or more of a digital mirror, scanner, biometric lock or touch panel. When a user looks at the display for a video call, the captured image of the user appears to look directly the other party.
US09100533B2
A photoelectric conversion element includes: a plurality of light receiving elements that are arranged in a main-scanning direction, are arranged in a sub-scanning direction according to colors of light to be received, and accumulates electric charge due to light exposure; and a plurality of AD conversion units that convert analog signals that indicate quantities of electric charge accumulated in the light receiving elements into digital signals are provide for each of groups each consisting of a predetermined number of pixels corresponding to the light receiving elements arranged in the sub-scanning direction. The AD conversion units convert the analog signals into the digital signals in an order in which the light receiving elements in the group are exposed to light. The light receiving elements constitute a correction unit that performs correction so as to reduce a difference relating to the timings in the sub-scanning direction.
US09100522B2
An image reading device includes a casing, an image reading unit, a mounting board, and an antenna. The casing has a side wall positioned at one end thereof in a first direction. The image reading unit is accommodated in the casing and configured to read an image of an original document by scanning in the first direction. The mounting board is accommodated in the casing and mounts an electronic component that is used when the image reading unit reads the image, the mounting board extending in the first direction. The antenna is accommodated in the casing and configured to receive or transmit a radio signal. The antenna is disposed along and adjacent the side wall.
US09100518B2
An information processing apparatus includes a receiver that receives sheet identification information included in information images printed onto sheets scanned by a scanner, a detector that detects that a scanning operation by the scanner is an operation indicating that a plurality of sheets are a sequential sheet group, and a unifier that, when the detector detects an operation indicating the sequential sheet group, unifies information corresponding to the plurality of sheets that is respectively indicated by the plurality of sheet identification information received by the receiver during the scanning operation.
US09100510B2
An image reading apparatus include a light source; an image sensor configured to output an image signal of an object illuminated by the light source; a first calculating unit configured to calculate a third light amount based on a difference between a first image signal output from the image sensor when the light source illuminates a reference member as the object at a first light quantity and a second image signal output from the image sensor when the light source illuminates the reference member at a second light quantity and a difference between the first light quantity and the second light quantity; and a light quantity setting unit configured to set a light quantity at which the light source illuminates a document as the object to the third light quantity.
US09100506B2
In one embodiment, the line termination card includes a data output terminal configured to output a data sequence. The card further includes a vectoring entity configured to parse and encode the data sequence into frequency samples according to a carrier loading parameter, configured to scale the frequency samples into scaled frequency samples according to a carrier scaling parameter, and, configured to process the scaled frequency samples for crosstalk compensation. A controller is configured to adjust the carrier loading parameter and the carrier scaling parameter, and a forwarder is coupled to the data output terminal and to the controller. The forwarder is configured to forward the data sequence, the carrier loading parameter and the carrier scaling parameter towards a further line termination card.
US09100493B1
Provided are a wearable personal digital device and related methods. The wearable personal digital device may comprise a processor, a display, biometric sensors, activity tracking sensors, a memory unit, a communication circuit, a housing, an input unit, a projector, a timepiece unit, a haptic touch control actuator, and a band. The processor may be operable to receive data from an external device, provide a notification to a user based on the data, receive a user input, and perform a command selected based on the user input. The communication circuit may be communicatively coupled to the processor and operable to connect to a wireless network and communicate with the external device. The housing may be adapted to enclose the components of the wearable personal digital device. The band may be adapted to attach to the housing and secure the wearable personal digital device on a user body.
US09100488B2
Various technologies described herein pertain to using detected physical gestures to cause calls to transfer between client devices. A physical gesture between a first client device and a second client device can be detected (e.g., utilizing the first client device, the second client device, a disparate client-side device, a server, etc.). The first client device participates in a call, while the second client device is not participating in the call at a time of the detection of the physical gesture. Responsive to detection of the physical gesture, participation of the second client device in the call can be initiated. Participation of the second client device in the call can be initiated by causing the call to transfer from the first client device to the second client device or causing the second client device to join the call while the first client device continues to participate in the call.
US09100487B1
Systems, methods, and software for operating a wireless communication system are provided herein. In one example, method of operating a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes processing a voice call directed to a user device and alerting the user device of the voice call, determining that the user device has not answered the voice call, and determining a status of the wireless communication system. When the status of the wireless communication system indicates a first condition, then the method includes initiating a first connection for the voice call to a voicemail service for the wireless communication system. When the status of the wireless communication system indicates a second condition, then the method includes initiating a second connection for the voice call to a voicemail service on the user device.
US09100484B1
Embodiments may take the form of a secure call environment and methods related thereto. In one embodiment, a secure call environment for conducting a transaction is provided. The secure call environment includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor storing instructions executable by the processor to provide secure call environment functionality. The secure call environment is configured to create a communication channel between a caller and an agent, record information entered by the caller, and provide the caller entered information to a client application without agent accessibility to the information.
US09100482B2
A mobile service observing integration system efficiently utilizes multi-functional smart devices providing operating system support for native applications and application programming interface support for third-party applications, allowing seamless mobile communication between a contact center and its agents and supervisors.
US09100475B2
A method and system for routing communications includes building a first user profile for a first user based on a history of communications associated with a first communication identifier to route inbound communications. The first communication identifier is associated with the first user and subsequently, the first communication identifier may be assigned to a second user. A second communication identifier is assigned to the first user such that a received inbound communication is directed towards the first communication identifier. The method routes the inbound communication based on an analysis of the first user profile of the first user.
US09100462B2
A cache server for providing content includes a processor configured to receive a first datagram from a client system sent to an anycast address, send a response datagram to the client system in response to the first datagram, receive a request datagram from the client system sent to the anycast address, and send a batch of content datagrams to the client system. The first datagram includes a universal resource locator corresponding to the content. The response datagram includes a content identifier for the content. The request datagram includes the content identifier, an offset, and a bandwidth indicator. The batch of content datagrams includes a portion of the content starting at the offset.
US09100461B2
Systems and methods of automatically publishing a stream to multiple destinations are disclosed. A media server receives a stream and identifies a plurality of entries in a publishing map stored at the media server, where the each of the plurality of entries is associated with the stream. A first entry of the plurality of entries identifies a first publishing destination and a second entry of the plurality of entries identifies a second publishing destination that is different from the first publishing destination. The media server automatically publishes the stream to the first publishing destination and to the second publishing destination.
US09100460B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for requesting potentially missing fragments in a media stream index are described in this specification. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a fragmented media stream index at a client system, where the media stream index includes a list of sequentially arranged fragment identifiers. Fragments listed in the media stream index can be requested from a server system. Fragment identifiers that are potentially missing in the media stream index can be identified based, at least in part, on a determined naming convention indicating the sequential arrangement of the fragment identifiers. Fragments can be requested based on the potentially missing fragment identifiers and processed for display when received.
US09100458B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a mobile communication device, having a controller to capture media content and transmit the media content to a media server with a request for distribution of the media content to one or more targeted recipients according to a user profile associated with the mobile communication device that is stored in the media server, where a format of the media content is adjusted by the media server based at least in part on the user profile. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09100457B2
Method and apparatus for framing in a wireless transmission system supporting broadcast transmissions. A framing format incorporates fields specific to a uni-directional transmission and reduces the overhead of the system. One embodiment employs a version of HDLC having a start of frame field and an error checking mechanism attached to the payload of each frame, wherein protocol information is not transmitted with each individual frame.
US09100452B2
A content reproducing method and a content reproducing apparatus capable of continuously reproducing content by searching for an apparatus having optimal capabilities for reproducing the content, when a plurality of content reproducing apparatuses with similar functions are located within a short range of each other.
US09100446B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a single platform that provides controller functionality for each of security, monitoring and automation, as well as providing a capacity to function as a bidirectional Internet gateway. Embodiments of the present invention provide such functionality by virtue of a configurable architecture that enables a user to adapt the system for the user's specific needs. Embodiments of the present invention further provide for a software-based installation workflow to activate and provision the controller and associated sensors and network. Embodiments of the present invention also provide for downloading of previously-stored configuration data to the controller from a remote server, and for activation and provisioning of the controller from the previously-stored configuration data.
US09100443B2
A first Virtual Input/Output Server (VIOS) of a VIOS cluster performs the functions of: generating, at a sending daemon of the first VIOS, a send message that is to be transmitted to a receiving daemon at a second VIOS; in response to completion of the generating of the send message, forwarding the send message to a sending virtual small computer systems interface (vscsi) kernel extension (VKE) via a system call interface; and in response to the sending VKE receiving the send message from the sending daemon, forwarding the send message to one or more second VIOSes within the VIOS cluster utilizing a kcluster interface. The sending VKE parses at least one of a message header and a sub-header of the send message; and responsive to detection of a broadcast setting for the send message, the VKE forwards the send message to all nodes within the cluster via a cluster broadcast.
US09100440B1
A computer-implemented method for applying data loss prevention policies to closed-storage portable devices may include (1) injecting a data loss prevention component into at least one application process that is running on a computing device, (2) intercepting, via the data loss prevention component, an attempt by the application process to transfer a file to a closed-storage portable device that is connected to the computing device, (3) identifying a data loss prevention policy that applies to the attempt by the application process to transfer the file, (4) determining that the attempt by the application process to transfer the file violates the data loss prevention policy, and (5) performing a security action in response to determining that the attempt by the application process to transfer the file violates the data loss prevention policy. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09100437B2
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide firewalls for process control systems are disclosed. An example method includes analyzing a network communication to identify a first service, an address associated with the first service within a secured portion of a network, and a subset of ports used by the first service, the network communication originating from within the secured portion of the network and to be transmitted to a destination outside of the secured portion of the network, and storing an identifier of the first service, the address, and the subset of the ports when the network communication includes the identifier, the address, and the subset of the ports.
US09100428B1
Systems and methods are presented for generating a threat score and a usage score of each of a plurality of IP addresses. The threat score may be determined based on quantity of occurrences and recency of each occurrence of an IP address in network alert datasets, in addition to a weighting factor for each data source indicating the accuracy of the data source.
US09100427B2
A method and an apparatus to perform multiple packet payload analysis have been disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a plurality of data packets, each of the plurality of data packets containing a portion of a data pattern, determining whether each of the plurality of data packets is out of order, and making and storing a local copy of the corresponding data packet if the corresponding data packet is out of order. Other embodiments have been claimed and described.
US09100423B2
A method for processing network traffic data includes receiving a packet, and determining whether the packet is a previously dropped packet that is being retransmitted. A method for processing network traffic content includes receiving a plurality of headers, the plurality of headers having respective first field values, and determining whether the first field values of the respective headers form a first prescribed pattern. A method for processing network traffic content includes receiving a plurality of packets, and determining an existence of a flooding attack without tracking each of the plurality of packets with a SYN bit.
US09100411B2
A system is provided to restrict the ability of a spammer to freely contact an entity over a communication channel. To do so, the system reconfigures a communication channel used to contact the target entity such that the system can intercept a communication from a source contacting entity en route to the target entity. The system extracts an identifier (e.g., contacting entity's telephone number) from the communication and uses the identifier to query a database storing information about the contacting entity. The information reveals the contacting entity's industry, occupation, credibility, etc. From this information, the system automatically identifies the contacting entity as a spammer, potential spammer, or non-spammer. The system performs a default screening of the communication based on the classification. Alternatively, the target contacted entity can specify a configuration for different actions the system takes to screen the communication based on the source contacting entity classification.
US09100403B2
Methods, apparatus, and systems are described for providing an accessor device an access credential to interact with a device resource on an accessee device. An authorization entity having a trust relationship with the accessee device, or a linked subordinate authorization entity, generates the access credential. The access credential includes a modification detection indicator, at least one access privilege, and an accessor public key. The at least one access privilege corresponds to at least one device resource on the accessee device. The authorization entity forwards the access credential to the accessor device, which presents the access credential to the accessee device for authentication. Once authenticated, the accessee device grants access to one or more device resources, and controls requests to insure they are within the scope of the at least one access privilege.
US09100398B2
Systems and methods are provided for authenticating and authorizing network access requests using directory services in which the directory service authentication and authorization procedures are enhanced using contextual information.
US09100387B2
Methods and systems are described for state driven orchestration of authentication components to access a resource protected by an access manager framework. In response to a client request for a protected resource, relevant authentication components and their respective order are determined. Upon successful authentication of the first authentication component, proper state information of the authentication process is stored by the client indicating the next authentication component. In response to a request for additional credential information for the authentication process from the next authentication component, the client provides the stored state information so that the authentication process continues with the second authentication component according to the determined order of the authentication components within an authentication process.
US09100384B2
A method and an apparatus for accessing heterogeneous networks via a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) are disclosed. The method includes receiving an access request from a WLAN terminal or a portal/policy server; determining a target network that the terminal needs to access according to the access request; converting the access request according to the format of a target network transmission protocol; sending the converted access request to the target network; and receiving an authentication result from the target network, and sending the authentication result to the terminal.
US09100381B2
A method of providing virtual Wi-Fi service via a virtual Wi-Fi access network is provided. The method comprises: receiving data from an owner of an individual Wi-Fi access point; updating the owner of the Wi-Fi access point with access IDs, passwords, and security keys for a plurality of virtual Wi-Fi access subscribers; receiving subscriber data from a virtual Wi-Fi access subscriber; providing the subscriber with virtual Wi-Fi access log-in information; connecting the subscriber to the virtual Wi-Fi access network, wherein the virtual Wi-Fi access network comprises a plurality of individual Wi-Fi access points in communication with at least one virtual Wi-Fi access server; and billing the subscriber for virtual Wi-Fi access.
US09100380B2
Disclosed are a file download method, device and system. The file download method comprises: obtaining a file identifier of a target file from a first server in accordance with a source download link of the target file; obtaining download mode information about the target file from a second server in accordance with the file identifier of the target file; and downloading the target file in accordance with the download mode information about the target file. The present invention can save maintenance costs and investments for a storage platform.
US09100378B2
There is provided a file transfer device in which a determining unit determines, when a first file requested by a user terminal is not cached in a file buffering unit, a second file transferred to the user terminal based on a file cache status of the file buffering unit, a transfer protocol unit reads the second file from the file buffering unit while the file buffering unit reads the first file, a transmitting unit transmits the second file to the user terminal, wherein the instructing unit determines to transfer the first file, based on a progress status of reading the first file, the transfer protocol unit suspends reading the second file and reads the first file from the file buffering unit, the transmitting unit transmits the first file read by the transfer protocol unit to the user terminal.
US09100374B2
The present invention discloses a method for managing remote upgrading keys in an information security apparatus. A remote source apparatus generates key disabling data according to a divulged remote upgrading key and sends the key disabling data to the information security apparatus, and the information security apparatus performs the disabling operation on the divulged remote upgrading key according to the received key disabling data. Using the method disclosed in the present invention can prevent the information security apparatus from being maliciously attacked by malicious attackers by using the divulged remote upgrading key and through the remote upgrading process.
US09100369B1
Establishing a connection is disclosed. A first communication link with a perimeter gateway located external to a private network firewall but behind a perimeter network firewall is initiated. A request to allow the connection from a requestor that has requested the connection to an internal server via the perimeter gateway is received. A second communication link with the internal server protected by the private network firewall is initiated. The connection is allowed at least in part by associating together the first communication link with the second communication link.
US09100363B2
A system and computer program product for automatically generating one or more rules during IT transformation for configuring one or more firewall interfaces in a post-transformation target environment include obtaining at least one communication pattern occurring in a pre-transformation source environment, and automatically generating one or more vendor-neutral rules for one or more intended firewall interfaces in a post-transformation target environment based on the at least one communication pattern occurring in the source environment and based on information derived from the target environment.
US09100361B1
A routing module in a secure routing and communication architecture to receive and transmit data of varied protocols, convert the data protocols to an internet protocol for routing on a local area network. Components of the input/output module comprise a processor, a cryptomodule, a field programmable gate array, all of which communicate in internet protocol. The routing module has a number of interfaces through which SATCOM protocol, UHF-VHF protocol, digital data protocols, serial data protocols, common data link protocols, push-to-talk data protocols, analog voice and voice internet protocol, and other internet protocol data can be received, routed, and transmitted. Hardware, firmware, and software logic within the components convert analog or other digital data to internet protocol, verify the classification level of data, protect the classification level of the data, encrypt the data for routing through a secure routing system a destination interface.
US09100359B2
Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications and/or commerce via a social network. In one embodiment, communication references are provided to facilitate the requests for real time communications with a member of the social network via a connection provider, which performs scheduling, filtering, payment processing, etc. for the member of the social network. In one embodiment, a method includes, responsive to a request from a first member of a social network, determining a preference of a second member of the social network based at least in part on a characteristic of a social connection between the first and second members who are not socially directly connected in the social network; and facilitating real time communications between the first and second members in accordance with the preference. In one embodiment, the presentation of the advertisement or the advertiser is at least partially based on the social network.
US09100350B2
There is provided a router for use in a datacenter, the router including a frame receiving module operative to receive a traffic frame and a frame forwarding module operative to forward the traffic frame to a second router in a second datacenter if a Destination Media Access Control (DMAC) address included in the traffic frame is different from all of the following: a Burned in Address of the router; a Burned in Address of at least one server associated with the router; a Media Access Control (MAC) address of one of a Hot Standby Routing Protocol (HSRP) group and a Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) group of the router; and a MAC address of one of a HSRP group and a VRRP group of a subnet hosted by the router.
US09100345B2
Certain example embodiments provide a generic integration framework for connecting on-premises applications with software as a service (SaaS) applications, and/or for integrating the same. The framework of certain example embodiments involves a layered approach (including a Connector Development Kit, connection factory, metadata handlers, and connector services) that helps to, among other things, allow customization of applications in multi-tenant architectures. Design-time wizards help create runtime artifacts and, during runtime, the connector service helps serve as an intermediary between the on-premises application and the cloud service, thereby hiding the complexity of the specific cloud providers. Certain example embodiments advantageously provide a generic and well-integrated solution for connecting an on-premises application to a cloud service in connection with existing containers.
US09100338B2
Systems and techniques are described which improve performance, reliability, and predictability of networks without having costly hardware upgrades or replacement of existing network equipment. An adaptive communication controller provides WAN performance and utilization measurements to another network node over multiple parallel communication paths across disparate asymmetric networks which vary in behavior frequently over time. An egress processor module receives communication path quality reports and tagged path packet data and generates accurate arrival times, send times, sequence numbers and unutilized byte counts for the tagged packets. A control module generates path quality reports describing performance of the multiple parallel communication paths based on the received information and generates heartbeat packets for transmission on the multiple parallel communication paths if no other tagged data has been received in a predetermined period of time to ensure performance is continually monitored. An ingress processor module transmits the generated path quality reports and heartbeat packets.
US09100334B1
Machine implemented method and system for processing frames received by a network device from another network device via a network link are provided. The network device is configured to maintain a data structure to determine a tag size of a tag received in a frame header of a frame received by the network device; determine if the tag size is less than a fixed programmable size; insert a blank character to increase the tag size to the programmable size; and process the frame with the tag having the programmable size.
US09100328B1
Network devices provide Internet Protocol (IP) and Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) fast reroute for unicast and multicast traffic. The approach described herein for fast reroute for IP and LDP uses maximally redundant trees (MRTs). MRTs are a pair of trees where the path from any node X to the root R along the first tree and the path from the same node X to the root along the second tree share the minimum number of nodes and the minimum number of links. A network device, such as a router, computes a pair of MRTs for each destination and installs one or more MRT alternate next-hops in its forwarding plane for use in forwarding network traffic to a destination in the event a failure occurs that renders a primary next-hop unusable for reaching the destination.
US09100327B2
A bandwidth information notification method includes: obtaining current bandwidth information of a link; and sending the bandwidth information to an endpoint of a service connection through the service connection which passes through the link. The endpoint of the service connection can adjust a service policy according to the bandwidth information. An endpoint of a service connection which passes through a microwave link may obtain bandwidth information of the microwave link, where the bandwidth information is obtained after adaptive modulation of the microwave link.
US09100318B1
A method for controlling data acquisition using a supervisory control and data acquisition system, wherein the system can include an enterprise server. The enterprise server can include an online configurable communication server software, a configurable server interface, a configurable protocol interface, and a configurable connection interface. The method can discover at least one router in a communication path between a communication server and at least one remote device being monitored and controlled with the supervisory control and data acquisition system and calculate latencies incurred by each hop of at least one tracer packet deployed by the communication server, to determine bandwidth restrictions.
US09100316B2
A method of peer interfacing a Link-State controlled network domain with an Ethernet Bridging controlled network domain. A pair of peer attachment points are provided between the Link-State controlled network domain and the Ethernet Bridging domain. The peer attachment points are respective endpoints of a set of one or more LAN segments defined within the Ethernet Bridging domain. The set of LAN segments are represented as a virtual node in the Link-State controlled network domain. The virtual node is represented in the Link-State controlled network domain as connected to each of the peer attachment points via a respective virtual link. The virtual links are configured such that frames to or from an address in the Link-State controlled network domain are forwarded over a tree passing through only one of the peer attachments points.
US09100313B1
A multi-stage network switch comprises a plurality of ingress port subsystems each comprising one or more ingress ports configured to receive packets. The switch also comprises a plurality of unscheduled crossbar switching elements connected to the ingress port subsystems that are configured to receive one or more packets from at least one of the ingress port subsystems. The switch further comprises a plurality of egress port subsystems each comprising a memory and a plurality of egress ports. The memory comprises at least one shared egress buffer configured to receive any packets forwarded by the crossbar switching elements from the ingress port subsystems directed to the egress port subsystem, and the egress ports are configured to transmit the packets received in the shared egress buffer.
US09100299B2
A method includes generating, by a first network device, test traffic to be transmitted to a second network device. The first and second network devices are coupled via a number of communication links, where one of links is a backup link. The method also includes transmitting, by the first network device, the test traffic to the second network device at periodic intervals via the backup link, receiving, by the second network device, the test traffic and monitoring the received test traffic. The method further includes comparing the monitored test traffic to a threshold, determining whether the monitored test traffic meets the threshold, and generating an alarm or notification message, in response to determining that the monitored test traffic does not meet the threshold.
US09100298B2
At a data switching device in a data center, it is detected whether a host has connected to a cloud computing network of which the data switching device and the data center are components. The detection is performed without directly communicating with the host. The data switching device determines properties of the host and generates a message comprising data representative of the properties of the host. The message is sent from the data switching device to a node in the cloud computing network that is configured to manage components of the cloud computing network associated with the host.
US09100296B1
A system receives discovery rule inputs that include addresses, verifies one or more device identifiers for one or more addresses, obtains device information from each verified device associated with the one or more verified device identifiers, determines whether each verified device is a discovered device based on the device information, and automatically adds each verified device as a discovered device to a management system without human intervention when it is determined that the verified device is discovered. The system further creates device configuration information, creates an identifier and password, provides device configuration information, the identifier, and the password, to each of the discovered devices based on the NETCONF or the Device Management Interface standards, waits for a connection from the discovered devices, imports device configuration information from the discovered devices when the connection has been established, and indicates that the discovered devices are managed devices.
US09100295B2
A system, computer-implemented method and a computer-readable medium for accessing content on a plurality of computing devices from a plurality of independent frameworks. The system includes a virtual backend service (VBS) platform. A plurality of independent frameworks hosted on the VBS platform, where each independent framework is configured to provide access to an independent set of applications that provide a service over a network. The system also includes a configuration module for configuring each computing device in the plurality of computing devices to access the set of applications particular to the independent framework, wherein the configuring dynamically switches access of each computing device between the independent frameworks, and access the service from each framework by the configured computing device.
US09100294B2
A device is configured to be operable in a plurality of network environments. A number of different configurations are available to be set on the device, where a first configuration enables operation on a first network, and a second configuration enables operation on a second, disparate, network. A plurality of external ports in conjunction with a multiplexer switch, network switch, internal CPU, external CPU, routing links, etc., can be combined to facilitate multiple configurations for the device. The device is suitable for incorporation into a human machine interface, for application in an industrial processing operation. Receive port information can be incorporated into a data frame to facilitate identification of an external port associated with the reception of the data frame. Applicable networks include linear topology, ring topology, star topology, Ethernet, ROCKWELL NEO, EtherNet/IP, one or more LANs, etc. Configuration can be via a USB device or an interface.
US09100291B2
Systems and methods for generating a semantic description of operations between network agents. In an embodiment, packet-level traffic between two or more network agents is captured. The packet-level traffic is bundled into one or more messages, wherein each message comprises one or more elements. For each of the messages, the elements of the message are matched to one or more attributes, and the message is decoded into message data based on the matched attributes. The message data is then used to generate a semantic description of operations between the network agents.
US09100286B2
A tracking system comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a programmed processor for monitoring a database is provided. The storage medium includes instructions for storing a plurality of link identifiers in a database, each link identifier associated with a content address identifier and instructions for receiving a current shortened content address with an appended link identifier from a requesting user. The storage medium further includes instructions for determining a requested content address identifier associated with the current shortened content address and instructions for determining if the tracking system has previously received any previous shortened content address associated with the requested content address identifier from the requesting user. The storage medium also includes instructions for creating a new link identifier for the requesting user only when the tracking system has not previously received any previous shortened content address associated with the requested content address identifier from the requesting user.
US09100282B1
A method for optimizing delivery of digital information packets across a network of linked, packet switching nodes is disclosed. A suitably programmed computer translates business oriented requests into network technical requirements. The computer then uses knowledge including pre-stored or real-time discovered topographical maps of the network, and a database of the current attributes of the components of the network, to automatically determine settings for software addressable forwarding devices on the network to implement the network technical requirements, and then configures the network remotely via the software addressable switches at nodes on the network.
US09100280B2
Undirected cross connects are provided based on wavelength-selective switches. An undirected Cantor network is disclosed where the switch nodes are wavelength selective switches. An undirected Clos cross connect is also disclosed where one or more undirected switches are undirected Cantor networks having at least one wavelength selective switch.
US09100277B2
A client credentials data structure, a method of employing the same and a secure client-server communication system employing the data structure or the method. One embodiment of the data structure is associated with a client and includes: (1) a pre-provisioned set of credentials configured to register the client with a server, (2) a standard user set of credentials employable for secure client-server communication, and (3) a re-acquisition token combinable with the pre-provisioned set of credentials to allow the client to re-register the client with the server.
US09100273B2
A client-server session is automatically initiated between a client-type device an a cloud-based server in a cloud-based computing environment based on user-defined parameters, thereby providing convenience and ease of use for a user for uploading, sharing and downloading media content to and from a content-sharing website. A user-preference database stores user-preference information, such as information relating to media-content-type information, media-content-source information, media-content-destination information, user-uploading-preference information, and/or uplink-network-preference and downlink-network-preference information. A rule is generated for uploading and/or downloading a designated media-content type to the content-sharing website based on the stored user preference information and at least one calendar event available from a calendar application. An event trigger signal is generated if the conditions of the rule are satisfied, and a communication controller then establishes a communication link to the content-sharing website and uploads and/or downloads the designated media content.
US09100272B1
A network audio feed source terminal, for coupling units of audio content from an audio source to a network. The feed terminal includes a source interface that receives audio content from the audio source and a content monitor that identifies audio content in accordance with monitoring criteria. The feed terminal also includes a means for capturing a selected portion of the identified audio content as units of audio content in accordance with capture criteria, and, a network interface that couples the units of audio content into the network.
US09100262B2
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for normally receiving data by accurately estimating and compensating for a frequency offset for a wireless frequency channel through which data are transmitted in a communication system under wireless frequency environment. In the present invention, data transmitted through the wireless frequency channel are received, the frequency offset in the wireless frequency channel from the receive data is estimated based on an interpolation scheme using the periodogram, and the frequency offset is compensated to receive the data by frequency-synchronizing with the wireless frequency channel.
US09100260B2
An IS-OFDM system for point-to-point wireless communications that suppresses narrow-band interference comprises an IS-OFDM transmitter and an IS-OFDM receiver, wherein a transmitted signal comprises a plurality of subcarriers, and further wherein each subcarrier contains more than one and potentially all symbols transmitted in a given frame. The IS-OFDM transmitted signal is at a data rate that is equal to the data rate of the input data stream via the use of P/S converters.
US09100257B2
Systems and methods are provided for adaptively filtering a signal. A signal is received, and the received signal is filtered to generate an output signal. A difference signal is generated based on a difference between the output signal and a reference signal, and a correlation of the received signal and the different signal is evaluated. Then, a mode is selected between a first adaptive filtering mode and a second adaptive filtering mode based at least in part on the correlation, and the received signal is filtered using the selected adaptive filtering mode.
US09100254B2
A technique for eliminating from or reducing the complexity of an upsampler/interpolator of a transmit system. In general, the technique involves configuring an IFFT to perform both the conversion of a modulated signal from frequency to time domain, and at least a portion of the upsampling from the first sampling rate towards the sampling rate of a DAC. In one embodiment, the IFFT is configured to have a bandwidth substantially equal to the sampling rate of a DAC. In this embodiment, the upsampler/interpolator may be totally eliminated. In another embodiment, the IFFT is configured to have a bandwidth that is greater than the first sampling rate of the modulated signal, and lower than the sampling rate of the DAC. In this embodiment, a simpler upsampler/interpolator may be employed to perform the remaining upsampling from the IFFT bandwidth to the sampling rate of the DAC.
US09100231B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a hybrid approach for Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) Interference Cancellation (IC). In certain aspects, if the PDSCH information is known for a serving cell but not be known for interfering cell(s), a hybrid approach that involves using Codeword-level IC (CWIC) for the serving cell and using Symbol-level IC (SLIC) for the interfering cells may be used for better IC performance. The hybrid IC approach may start with a UE attempting to decode the serving cell PDSCH. If the decode is unsuccessful, the UE may perform CWIC for the serving cell followed by SLIC using the results of the CWIC stage. After the SLIC stage, the UE may attempt to decode the serving cell PDSCH again. The UE may perform multiple operations of this method until the serving cell PDSCH is successfully decoded or a maximum number of iterations is reached.
US09100224B2
A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system includes at least one Internet Protocol (IP) terminal setting up a call through a switching system according to a signaling protocol, and at least one computer terminal capable of remotely accessing the IP terminal. The IP terminal sets up the call by exchanging a signaling message with a counterpart IP terminal when the computer terminal has remotely accessed the IP terminal, by transmitting a packet received through the call to the computer terminal, and by transmitting a packet received from the computer terminal to the counterpart IP terminal. A subscriber can receive and originate a call by accessing the subscriber's IP terminal irrespective of the subscriber's location.
US09100220B2
The present disclosure provides for merging of instant messaging (IM) chat sessions. In one embodiment, a method for automatically replying to an IM message from a first IM sender when a recipient is engaged in an IM session with a second IM sender is provided. In another embodiment, the disclosure provides a method for forwarding IM messages to a recipient at different IM clients. In still another embodiment, a method for transferring IM messages to a different recipient is provided. In some embodiments, two separate IM chat sessions are merged into a single IM chat session.
US09100219B2
A first Instant Message is published to a group of subscribing clients. The message is received by an application at a first client. A response message is created at the first client, the response message comprising information provided by the first client, the first message and information about the first client. The response message is returned to the originator of the published first message.
US09100218B2
A graphical user interface between a user of a computer service and the computer service includes a list of other users of the computer service selected by the user as significant to the user and an icon associated with one of the other listed users indicating that a communication has occurred between the user and the other user.
US09100216B2
Some implementations provide a method for managing switches in a data center that includes: (1) establishing a connection from one switch to another switch in the data center, the data center providing a plurality of virtual local area networks (VLANs), each VLAN including at least one Virtual Machine and capable of spanning across more than one of the plurality of switches; (2) provisioning device prefixes for IPv6 addresses, a given device prefix corresponding to a particular VLAN on a particular switch in the data center, the given device prefix included in a host address of a particular virtual machine, the particular virtual machine hosted on a server computer, the sever computer connected to the particular switch without additional intervening switches; (3) configuring a hardware memory to include prefix information and address information; and (4) transferring packets by using the prefix information and the address information.
US09100209B2
A method for real-time data transmission in a communication network for transmitting useful data from a transmitter to a plurality of receivers, wherein the receivers are synchronized in terms of time via a synchronization method, at least one time for transmitting a respective useful data message to the receivers is stipulated during real-time data transmission, each of the receivers is assigned its own receiver useful data area within the useful data message, which area is assigned to the receiver, and the transmitter transmitting a useful data message. In accordance with the invention, a first of the receivers receiving this useful data message, stores the useful data contained in the receiver useful data area assigned to it for further processing, and forwards the useful data message to a second of the receivers at the transmission time.
US09100208B2
An multiservice access device (MAD) for Ethernet and DS1/DS3 services is provided for public communications carriers (telcos), for example, and has a reduced form factor (e.g., Type 400 NCTE mechanics or small enclosure), at least two 2.5 Gb/1 Gb facility side ports, at least four full rate GigE drops, complementary RJ48C demarcation and stub-ended DS1 cable options, integral T1 NIUs for in-band loopback, NPRM, SPRM, AIS/AIS-CI and RAI/RAI-CI diagnostics, lightning protection, and protection switching. The MAD has built-in SynchE and IEEE 1588 synchronization, and Stratum 3 and incoming DS1/DS3 synchronization capabilities.
US09100194B2
A method, apparatus and/or system generates a challenge for user authentication, having a challenge data element from a stored pool of challenge data elements. The challenge is based on rule data and stored usage data associated with at least some of the challenge data elements in the stored pool of challenge data elements. The generated challenge is sent for use in an authentication of a user to a sender. A method, apparatus and/or system also generates sender authentication and corresponding location information, having a data element from a stored pool of challenge data elements. Selection of the data elements is based on rule data and stored usage data associated with at least some of the data elements in the stored pool of data elements.
US09100185B2
A device that uses homomorphic encryption is disclosed. The device obtains a first encrypted polynomial, a second encrypted polynomial, a first encrypted weight, and a second encrypted weight by respectively encrypting a first polynomial, a second polynomial, a first weight, and a second weight by using a homomorphic encryption scheme, and obtains an encrypted secure distance corresponding to encryption of a secure distance.
US09100184B2
A method of an aspect includes receiving an instruction indicating a first source having at least one set of four state matrix data elements, which represent a complete set of four inputs to a G function of a cryptographic hashing algorithm. The algorithm uses a sixteen data element state matrix, and alternates between updating data elements in columns and diagonals. The instruction also indicates a second source having data elements that represent message and constant data. In response to the instruction, a result is stored in a destination indicated by the instruction. The result includes updated state matrix data elements including at least one set of four updated state matrix data elements. Each of the four updated state matrix data elements represents a corresponding one of the four state matrix data elements of the first source, which has been updated by the G function.
US09100181B2
Values representative of modulation signal components are extracted from a modulated signal. The modulated signal contains a modulation signal. A local clock signal is developed which correlates in time to the modulated signal and has a plurality of non-overlapping phase sectors per cycle. Signal values are acquired from the modulated signal, separately for at least one phase sector of one cycle of the local clock signal. At least two signal values from the same local clock cycle, but different phase sectors are combined to obtain at least one combined signal value representative of a modulation signal component.
US09100174B2
Embodiments include methods for securely provisioning copies of an electronic circuit. A first entity (e.g., a chip manufacturer) embeds one or more secret values into copies of the electronic circuit. A second entity (e.g., an OEM): 1) embeds a trust anchor in a first copy of the electronic circuit; 2) causes the electronic circuit to generate a message signing key pair using the trust anchor and the embedded secret value(s); 3) signs provisioning code using a code signing private key; and 4) sends a corresponding code signing public key, the trust anchor, and the signed provisioning code to a third entity (e.g., a product manufacturer). The third entity embeds the trust anchor in a second copy of the electronic circuit and causes the electronic circuit to: 1) generate the message signing private key; 2) verify the signature of the signed provisioning code using the code signing public key; and 3) launch the provisioning code on the electronic circuit. The electronic circuit can authenticate itself to the OEM using the message signing key pair.
US09100168B2
In a serial communication circuit, a data extracting section extracts reception data based on a reception clock signal with maximum speed. A pattern determining section compares a reception bit pattern of the reception data corresponding to a characteristic pattern and each of a plurality of detection bit patterns for the characteristic pattern, and indicates when the reception bit pattern matches one of the detection bit patterns. A periodicity determining section determines a period when the reception bit pattern matches the detection bit pattern, based on the pattern match indication, detects that the detection bit pattern emerges continuously in a stream of the reception data every the period, and determines a generation difference between transmission and reception speeds based on the detection bit pattern. A transmission rate setting section determines the transmission speed of a connected device transmitting the reception data based on the generation difference and maximum speed.
US09100167B2
A communication system may include a number of communication channels operating in accordance with one or more communication standards. The channels may generate data clocks from one or more master clock signals. The phase of the data clocks may be aligned using phase detectors for determining respective phase relationships and using phase interpolators for adjusting respective clock phases. The communication system may include communication channels that operate at different data clock frequencies. These systems may divide their respective data clocks in order to achieve a common clock frequency for use in their phase alignment. The phase detectors and associated circuitry may be disabled to save power when not in use.
US09100164B2
Techniques for supporting concurrent deployment of 2-millisecond and 10-millisecond TTI for E-DCH transmissions in CELL_FACH state and Idle Mode are disclosed. One example method comprises receiving a (310) transport block from a mobile terminal, wherein said transport block is transmitted using either a 10-millisecond or 2-millisecond TTI, and sending (320), to an RNC, an indication of whether data carried by the transport block was transmitted using the 10-millisecond TTI or the 2-millisecond TTI. In some embodiments, the indication is sent in a user plane frame sent over a base-station-to-RNC interface. A spare bit in an uplink data frame sent to the RNC may be used, for example.
US09100159B2
A method of performing HARQ performed by a user equipment (UE) is provided. The method includes receiving a bundling indicator which indicates the number of bundled downlink subframes, determining whether at least one bundled downlink subframe is missed by comparing the bundling indicator with the number of detected bundled downlink subframes, generating a representative ACK/NACK signal when no bundled downlink subframe is missed, and transmitting the representative ACK/NACK signal on an uplink channel. Recovery capability is maximized and the packet loss is reduced in such a situation that less number of ACK/NACK signals are fed back than that of downlink packets.
US09100156B2
A wireless communication system is disclosed. The method for processing a downlink subframe at a user equipment in a wireless communication system includes receiving information associated with a PHICH duration, receiving a subframe that includes a PHICH, a PDCCH, and a PDSCH, and obtaining the PDSCH after a lapse of the PDCCH duration. If the PHICH duration is larger than the PDCCH duration, the obtaining of the PDSCH is performed in consideration of PHICH resources in a duration that corresponds to the PHICH duration but not to the PDCCH duration.
US09100150B2
Obtaining a timing reference in wireless communication is facilitated when desiring to communicate with a weak serving base station (such as an evolved NodeB) in the presence of a stronger interfering base station. The user equipment (UE) may track a stronger interfering base station's timing, or the UE may track a timing that is derived by a composite power delay profile (PDP) from multiple base stations. The composite PDP may be constructed by adjusting individual base station PDPs according to a weighting scheme. The timing obtained in such a manner may be used for estimation of the channel of the interfering base station and cancelling interfering signals from the base station. It may also be used to estimate the channel of the serving base station after adding a backoff. The UE may track a stronger interfering base station's frequency, or the UE may track a composite frequency.
US09100146B2
Embodiments of the claimed subject matter provide a method and apparatus for virtual sectorization using an active antenna array. Embodiments of the apparatus include a transmitter for providing signals to an active antenna array. The signals cause the active antenna array to transmit a first reference signal to a first sector indicated to user equipment within the first sector by a sector identifier. The signals also cause the active antenna array to transmit a plurality of second reference signals into a corresponding plurality of second virtual sectors that overlap the first sector. The apparatus also includes a scheduler for scheduling transmission to user equipment based on feedback generated by the user equipment using the first reference signal or the second reference signals.
US09100145B2
Methods and apparatus to report link quality measurements for downlink dual carrier operation are disclosed. Example methods and apparatus disclosed herein implement one or more example techniques for reporting link quality measurements involving, for example, modifying measurement reporting messages to increase the number and/or types of link quality measurements that can be reported, permitting mobile stations, when appropriate, to use different reporting messages capable of supporting more link quality measurements, and/or prioritizing certain link quality measurements to be reported when the reporting messages do not contain sufficient space to report all requested and/or specified link quality measurements.
US09100141B2
An efficient discontinuous reception operation is provided for a mobile station device in Advanced-EUTRA. In a mobile station device connected to a base station device using a plurality of component carriers, during discontinuous reception, one discontinuous reception parameter is applied to all the component carriers used by the mobile station device to thereby perform the operation of monitoring a control channel in all the component carriers, and when the control channel addressed to the mobile station device is received in one or more component carriers during a reception ON period, the reception ON period is extended in all the component carriers.
US09100132B2
Systems and methods are provided for gathering audience measurement data relating to exposure of an audience member to audio data. Audio data is received in a user system and is then encoded with audience measurement data. The encoded audio data is reproduced by the user system, picked up by a monitor and decoded to recover the audience measurement data.
US09100126B2
An optical reception device (10) includes an electrical signal converter (110) that converts an optical signal serving as an input polarization multiplexed signal into electrical signals of respective polarization components, a signal processor (120) that executes digital signal processing for digital signals generated by executing A/D conversion processing, and a phase difference output unit (130) that detects a phase difference generated between the polarization components of the optical signal based on the signals having undergone digital signal processing, and outputs information representing the phase difference. The signal processor (120) compensates for the distortion of the optical signal based on the information representing the phase difference. Even if rapidly varying PMD exists, the optical reception device prevents degradation of the reception precision by executing signal processing in optimal identification phases for the respective polarization components of a received polarization multiplexed signal.
US09100121B2
A link setup method for a wavelength-division-multiplexing passive optical network (WDM PON) system. The system includes a service providing device, a local node, and a plurality of subscriber devices. The link setup method includes assigning an initial wavelength for communication between the service providing device and a new subscriber device to be installed in the local node. The assigning of the initial wavelength may be performed as a part of process for activating the subscriber device, and this procedure may be performed between a physical layer of the service providing device and a physical layer of the new subscriber device.
US09100116B2
The present disclosure provides short-term optical recovery systems and methods in coherent optical receivers to minimize recovery time for fault scenarios and signal reacquisition while maintaining robust signal acquisition. The short-term optical recovery systems and methods include special techniques and algorithms to minimize recovery time. The short-term optical recovery systems and methods include an expedited acquisition engine that includes a reference clock recovery, a compensator to remove chromatic dispersion, a burst framer, and a compensator to remove polarization dispersion. Importantly, the expedited acquisition engine uses a memory-oriented architecture to allow some properties of the acquisition engine to be stored during initial acquisition and, hence, later on be deployed in any fault scenario to further expedite recovery of a signal. The expedited acquisition engine leverages on a frequency aligned Local Oscillator (LO) as well as pre-calculated dispersion maps and equalizer coefficients.
US09100112B1
Techniques and mechanisms determine latencies of transmitters of transceivers and use the determined latencies to adjust latencies of the transmitters. For example, a test pattern may be used to determine a first transmitter has a higher latency than a second transmitter. The second transmitter may be provided data indicating a delay to increase its latency such that it matches the first transmitter.
US09100101B2
A power line communication device and a power control method thereof are provided. The power line communication device, coupled to a power line in a power line communication system, includes a transmitter, a power coupler, a signal detector and a controller. The transmitter is configured to produce a transmit signal. The power coupler, coupled to the transmitter, is configured to couple the transmit signal to the power line. The signal detector, coupled between the transmitter and the power coupler, is configured to detect the transmit signal. The controller, coupled to the transmitter and the signal detector, is configured to adapt a dynamic range of the transmitter based on the detected transmit signal without conducting a channel sounding procedure.
US09100096B2
A method is provided for reducing near-field radiation and specific absorption rate (SAR) values in a communications device. The communications device includes a multimode antenna structure transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals and circuitry for processing signals communicated to and from the antenna structure. The antenna structure includes: a plurality of antenna ports operatively coupled to the circuitry; a plurality of antenna elements, each operatively coupled to a different one of the antenna ports; and one or more connecting elements electrically connecting the antenna elements at a location on each antenna element that is spaced apart from an antenna port coupled thereto to form a single radiating structure and such that electrical currents on one antenna element flow to a connected neighboring antenna element and generally bypass the antenna port coupled to the neighboring antenna element, the electrical currents flowing through the one antenna element and the neighboring antenna element being generally equal in magnitude, such that an antenna mode excited by one antenna port is generally electrically isolated from a mode excited by another antenna port at a given desired signal frequency range and the antenna structure generates diverse antenna patterns. The method includes adjusting the relative phase between signals fed to neighboring antenna ports of the antenna structure such that a signal fed to the one antenna port has a different phase than a signal fed to the neighboring antenna port to provide antenna pattern control and to increase gain in a selected direction toward a receive point. The method features using a transmit power lower than the transmit power used in a non-pattern control operation of the antenna structure such that the communications device obtains generally equivalent wireless link performance with the receive point using reduced transmit power compared to the non-pattern control operation, thereby reducing the specific absorption rate.
US09100092B2
A relay node in a mobile communication network for relaying communications between a base station and a mobile terminal. The relay node includes a communication interface that receives resource allocation information from the base station, the resource allocation information indicating a controllable range of communication resources available to the relay node. The relay node also includes a control unit that controls allocation of resources for communication between the relay node and the mobile station based on the received resource allocation information. The relay node then communicates with the mobile terminal based on the control performed by the control unit.
US09100087B2
Multipath mitigation can be performed in a surface environment by various systems and methods. For example, antenna beams from multiple antennas can be used to reduce the impact of multipath on a received signal. Thus, a method can include monitoring for a signal on at least one upper antenna beam of an aircraft. The method can also include monitoring for the signal on at least one lower antenna beam of the aircraft while monitoring on the at least one upper antenna beam. The method can further include processing the signal received by the at least one upper antenna beam and/or the at least one lower antenna beam.
US09100084B2
Interference detection involves detecting the interference component in the received signal if there is such a component, controlling a band reject filter according to the detected interference component to filter the received signal to suppress the interference component, and synchronizing the receiver to the received signal, wherein the step of detecting the interference component is started before synchronization is achieved. By starting the interference detection without waiting for synchronization to be achieved, rather than following the synchronization, then the interference detection is no longer dependent on the synchronization being achieved.
US09100080B2
A digital radio receiver comprises: a first section arranged to receive an analog radio signal and to generate therefrom digital intermediate frequency I and Q channel samples, a second section arranged to convert said I and Q channel samples to a lower, baseband frequency, said second section comprising: a first coordinate rotation digital computer module arranged to perform a complex rotation of the I channel samples; a second coordinate rotation digital computer module arranged to perform a complex rotation of the Q channel samples; a phase accumulator arranged to provide an output signal representing a complex rotation to be applied to each of the I and Q channel samples, wherein the second section is arranged such that the phase accumulator output signal is modified by a phase offset signal prior to being supplied to one of the first and second coordinate rotation digital computers.
US09100066B2
A method for transmitting an uplink signal at a User Equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system includes receiving, from a Base Station (BS), an uplink scheduling grant for multi-antenna transmission; transmitting the uplink signal precoded using precoding information included in the received uplink scheduling grant to the BS; and retransmitting the uplink signal to the BS according to Acknowledgment/Negative Acknowledgment (ACK/NACK) corresponding to the transmitted uplink signal. The retransmitted uplink signal is precoded using precoding information included in a most recent uplink scheduling grant or a predetermined precoding matrix if an uplink scheduling grant for the retransmission is not received from the BS.
US09100053B2
In a method for reconstructing a source signal, which is encoded by a set of at least two descriptions, the method comprises: receiving a subset of the set of descriptions; reconstructing a reconstructed signal at an operating bitrate of a set of operating bitrates upon the basis of the subset of descriptions, the reconstructed signal having a second probability density, wherein the second probability density comprises a first statistical moment and a second statistical moment; and manipulating the reconstructed signal, wherein the reconstructed signal is manipulated such that, irrespective of the operating bitrate, a predetermined minimum similarity between the first statistical moment of the third probability density and the first statistical moment of the first probability density and between the second statistical moment of the third probability density and the second statistical moment of the first probability density is maintained.
US09100044B2
A method and apparatus for direct digital synthesis (DDS) of signals using Taylor series expansion is provided. The DDS may include a modified phase-to-amplitude converter that includes read-only-memories (ROMs), registers and, a single size, such as a coarse, intermediate, and fine ROM corresponding to respective higher resolution phase angles. The outputs of the ROMs when combined can form a digital output signal in the form of a Taylor series of a sinusoid function.
US09100041B1
A capacitance reduction circuit retains a conversion digital code of a previous sampling of an input signal of a delta-sigma modulated ADC and compares a set of least significant data bits and most significant bits of the conversion digital code to a least significant and a most significant boundary codes. When the least significant bits of the conversion digital code are less than or equal to the least significant boundary code or when the most significant bits of the conversion digital code are greater than or equal to the most significant boundary code, the capacitance reduction circuitry generates a capacitance reduction enable/disable code applied to multiple summation-quantization circuits to enable or disable groups of the multiple summation-quantization circuits bits to reduce capacitive loading of the outputs of delta-sigma modulator and an input signal to improve the total harmonic distortion and noise.
US09100028B2
It is an object of the present invention to solve a problem that malfunction of communication is generated by varying a frequency of a clock due to noise from outside in a case where there is no supplied signal in a circuit which performs negative feedback control so that the supplied signal and the feedback signal can maintain a fixed phase relationship between the signals. The present invention provides a configuration including a PLL circuit and an oscillator circuit, where a switch for switching an output between a signal from the PLL circuit and a signal from the oscillator circuit to the signal output portion is provided to switch from a connection to the PLL circuit to a connection to the oscillator circuit in a case where there is no received signal.
US09100026B2
One feature pertains to a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) that comprises a variable capacitor and noise reduction circuitry. The variable capacitor has a variable capacitance value that controls an output frequency of the DCO. The variable capacitance value is based on a first bank capacitance value provided by a first capacitor bank, a second bank capacitance value provided by a second capacitor bank, and an auxiliary bank capacitance value provided by an auxiliary capacitor bank. The noise reduction circuitry is adapted to adjust the variable capacitance value by adjusting the auxiliary bank capacitance value while maintaining at least one of the first bank capacitance value and/or the second bank capacitance value substantially unchanged. Prior to adjusting the variable capacitance value, the noise reduction circuitry may determine that a received input DCO control word transitions across a capacitor bank sensitive boundary.
US09100022B2
A user interface includes a touch surface substrate, a graphic layer, a touch sensor disposed on a circuit carrier associated with the rear side of the touch surface substrate, and a light source associated with the rear side of the circuit carrier. The circuit carrier defines an aperture through which light emanating from the light source can pass. This light also passes through the graphic layer and is visible at the front side of the touch surface substrate.
US09100021B2
A system includes a capacitively-coupled touch sensor having a conductive first layer and a conductive second layer on a first insulative layer. The width of the second layer varies along an axis of the first layer. A first excitation signal is applied to one of the first and second layers and is capacitively coupled through a touch element to the other layer, producing a first signal that produces a second signal which is digitized. Digitized peak values of the second signal are processed to compute a value for a touch element location. A conductive third layer can be placed on the opposite side of the first layer has width varying oppositely to the second layer. The first excitation signal is applied to the second layer and a non-overlapping second excitation signal is applied to the third layer. The resulting digitized peak values are processed to cancel errors due to variations.
US09100012B1
Systems and methods for dynamically adjusting programs implemented on an integrated circuit (IC) are provided. During runtime, characteristics of the application may change or become known. Accordingly, the embodiments described herein allow for partial reconfiguration of kernels implemented on an IC during runtime to dynamically alter performance based upon these characteristics.
US09100010B2
An aspect of the present invention includes a circuit having a cascoded H-bridge, an upper voltage supply component, a lower voltage supply component and a pre-driver component. The cascoded H-bridge is arranged to provide a driving signal for driving a load. The upper voltage supply component can provide an upper supply voltage to the cascoded H-bridge. The lower voltage supply component can provide a lower supply voltage to the cascoded H-bridge. The pre-driver component can provide a pre-driving signal to the cascoded H-bridge, wherein pre-driver component has a first voltage source and a second voltage source. The first voltage source can provide an upper swing voltage and the second voltage source can provide a lower swing voltage. The pre-driver component can provide the pre-driving signal based on the upper swing voltage, the lower swing voltage and one of the upper supply voltage and the lower supply voltage.
US09100009B2
According to an embodiment, a drive circuit includes a first signal source outputting a signal to control a normally on type transistor to change between an ON state and an OFF state, a second signal source outputting a signal to put the transistor in the OFF state, a gate voltage monitor monitoring a gate voltage of the transistor, and a controller making the second signal source to output a signal for putting the transistor in the OFF state, based on an output signal from the gate voltage monitor.
US09100001B2
Power switching is facilitated. In accordance with one or more embodiments, a power-switch apparatus includes a plurality of switches coupled between a voltage supply and a switched voltage output. A test control circuit operates the switches for testing a subset thereof, therein indicating a condition of the subset, which may be indicated independently from a condition of the power-switch apparatus as a whole. In some implementations, on-chip current loads are applied to emulate off-chip loads for testing the subset of switches, or individual switches.
US09099986B2
Electromechanical systems dilation mode resonator (DMR) structures are disclosed. The DMR includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a piezoelectric layer formed of a piezoelectric material. The piezoelectric layer has dimensions including a lateral distance (D), in a plane of an X axis and a Y axis perpendicular to the X axis, and a thickness (T), along a Z axis perpendicular to the X axis and the Y axis. A numerical ratio of the thickness and the lateral distance, T/D, is configured to provide a mode of vibration of the piezoelectric layer with displacement along the Z axis and along the plane of the X axis and the Y axis responsive to a signal provided to one or more of the electrodes. Ladder filter circuits can be constructed with DMRs as series and/or shunt elements, and the resonators can have spiral configurations.
US09099984B2
An HBAR resonator comprises, on a substrate, a piezoelectric transducer, said transducer comprising at least one piezoelectric layer, at least two series of electrodes and exhibiting resonance frequencies Fi corresponding to wavelengths λi, characterized in that it comprises an amplification structure comprising at least one resonant cavity arranged on the substrate between said transducer and said substrate or in said substrate, this amplification structure being suitable for mechanically resonating at least one of the resonance frequencies Fi of said transducer corresponding to said wavelength λi, so as to amplify the amplitude of the electrical resonance generated at said frequency.
US09099982B2
Switchable and/or tunable filters, methods of manufacture and design structures are provided herein. The method of forming the filters includes forming at least one piezoelectric filter structure comprising a plurality of electrodes formed on a piezoelectric substrate. The method further includes forming a fixed electrode with a plurality of fingers on the piezoelectric substrate. The method further includes forming a moveable electrode with a plurality of fingers over the piezoelectric substrate. The method further includes forming actuators aligned with one or more of the plurality of fingers of the moveable electrode.
US09099970B2
An output stage of a differential line driver generates a differential output signal. A common-mode component of the differential output signal is decoupled from the differential output signal using a common-mode voltage sense. The common-mode component of the differential output signal is provided to a capacitor that is coupled between the output stage and the common-mode voltage sense.
US09099968B2
The problem to be solved is to alleviate the distortion characteristic of an amplifier and to prevent the drop in gain with respect to a low-level high-frequency signal. A bias control circuit (10) for controlling the bias of an amplifier (20) which amplifies a high-frequency signal is provided herein with a detector (11) for detecting the envelope of the high-frequency signal, a first bias circuit (12) for supplying a constant bias current to the amplifier (20) and a second bias circuit (14) for supplying a bias current that varies with the variation of the level of the envelope of the high-frequency signal to the amplifier.
US09099964B2
Disclosed is a high-frequency signal processing device capable of reducing transmission power variation and harmonic distortion. For example, the high-frequency signal processing device includes a pre-driver circuit, which operates within a saturation region, and a final stage driver circuit, which operates within a linear region and performs a linear amplification operation by using an inductor having a high Q-value. The pre-driver circuit suppresses the amplitude level variation of a signal directly modulated, for instance, by a voltage-controlled oscillator circuit. Harmonic distortion components (2HD and 3HD), which may be generated by the pre-driver circuit, are reduced, for instance, by the inductor of the final stage driver circuit.
US09099959B2
According to one embodiment, there is provided a fractional frequency dividing circuit including an integral frequency dividing circuit and an adjustment circuit. The integral frequency dividing circuit is configured to convert a reference signal to K (K is a positive integer) phase signals. Each of the K phase signals has a frequency of one nth (n is a positive integer) of the reference signal and has different phases from each other. The adjustment circuit is configured to weighting-add a plurality of signals corresponding to the K phase signals and generate a fractional-frequency-divided signal. The fractional-frequency-divided signal has a frequency of m times (m is a positive integer that is not multiplies of n) of each of the plurality of phase signals.
US09099951B2
A method for evaluating a gauge controller is disclosed. The method includes counting a number of high pulses for a plurality of signal types until either each of the control signals present low signals. After the number of high signals are counted, an angular offset of a gauged needle is calculated.
US09099941B2
A vibration type driving device includes a vibrator configured to make an elliptic motion of a contact portion by combining vibrations in different vibration modes, and a driven body configured to be rotated relative to the vibrator by the elliptic motion while being in contact with the contact portion. A contact pressure of the contact portion with the driven body is lower on a radial inner side than on a radial outer side in a radial direction of the rotation.
US09099933B2
An AC-to-AC-converter for converting a first frequency AC-voltage to a second frequency AC-voltage is disclosed. The converter includes: a first converter section which includes a first input terminal, a second input terminal, a first DC-output node, and a second DC-output node; a second converter section which includes a first DC-input node connected to the first DC-output node, a second DC-input node connected to the second DC-output node, and at least two second output terminals; a DC-link overvoltage clamp which is coupled between the first DC-output node and the second DC-output node; and a capacitor system. The first converter section, the second converter section, the DC-link overvoltage clamp, and the capacitor system are integrated into one assembly.
US09099925B2
A switching power supply that conducts switching of an input voltage by a switching element to obtain a specified output voltage includes: an ON width controlling component that controls an ON width of the switching element; a zero current detecting component that detects zero current through the switching element to turn ON the switching element; a frequency reducing component that delays a turn ON timing of the switching element upon detection of a light load condition by a load condition detecting component to reduce a switching frequency of the switching element; and an AC period detecting component that detects a period of the input voltage to hold the load condition detected by the load condition detecting component over every period detected by the AC period detecting component.
US09099918B2
A power supply apparatus that suppresses radiation of noise while supplying a stable voltage, and a method of supplying power are provided. The power supply apparatus includes a power conversion unit configured to input a voltage to convert the voltage into an electric power; and a smoothing unit configured to include a coil, a capacitor, and a cable in which power supply wires connecting one end of the capacitor to the coil and ground wires connecting the other end of the capacitor to a ground of the power conversion unit are alternately arranged, and to smooth the voltage output from the power conversion unit.
US09099915B2
Congruent power and timing signals in a single electronic device. In an embodiment, a circuit may include just one isolation transformer operable to generate a power signal and a timing signal. On the secondary side, two branches may extract both a power signal and a clock signal for use in the circuit on the isolated secondary side. The first branch may be coupled to the transformer and operable to manipulate the signal into a power signal, such as a 5V DC signal. Likewise, the second circuit branch is operable to manipulate the signal into a clock signal, such as a 5 V signal with a frequency of 1 MHz. By extracting both a power supply signal and a clock signal from the same isolation transformer on the secondary side, valuable space may be saved on an integrated circuit device with only having a single winding for a single isolation transformer.
US09099898B2
A device is disclosed comprising a wheelmill having a cylindrical shape adapted to receive a rotatable shaft of a generator and a one way clutch housed within the inner portion of the wheelmill in communication with the shaft such that said shaft may rotate in one direction only and a generator in communication with the shaft.
US09099894B2
An inductive power transfer system and method for transferring power to an electrical device wirelessly includes an inductive power outlet and an inductive power receiver. During operation, instruction signals are sent from the inductive power outlet to the inductive power receiver. When no instruction signals are transferred, the system is configured to deactivate such that power is drawn by the system only during operation.
US09099893B2
The invention relates to a power control device for a power grid and to a method for controlling the operation of a power control device. To allow a consumer unit connected to the power control device to be supplied with energy in an optimized manner in accordance with its requirements, a power control device according to the invention is proposed, said device comprising a power generation unit, in particular a photovoltaic unit, for generating power from renewable resources, an energy storage unit for storing energy, a load connection unit for connecting the power control device to a consumer unit for consuming energy, a grid unit, in particular an inverter unit, for connecting the power control device to a power grid, for drawing energy from the power grid and for feeding energy into the power grid, and a control unit for controlling a flow of energy between the power generation unit, the energy storage unit, the consumer unit and/or the power grid.
US09099889B2
A power unit is equipped with a power generator connected to an electric load, a first storage device connected to the electric load and the power generator, a second storage device connected to the electric load, the power generator, and the first storage device, and a charge control device that controls charge/discharge of the second storage device. The charge control device controls the discharge of the second storage device such that a power is supplied to the electric load and the first storage device when a predetermined condition corresponding to a high possibility of an increase in a power generation amount of the power generator is fulfilled, and controls the discharge of the second storage device such that a power is supplied to the electric load when the predetermined condition is not fulfilled.
US09099888B2
A device for recovering electric energy in an AC motor-driven electric vehicle. The device includes a battery, a single-phase or three-phase inverter, a single-phase or three-phase inductor, an AC motor, a rectifier bridge or a second inverter, and a charger. The anode and the cathode of the battery are connected to input ends of the inverter, respectively. An output end of the inverter is connected to the AC motor via a primary coil of the inductor. An output end of a secondary coil of the single-phase or three-phase inductor is connected to an input end of the rectifier bridge or the second inverter. Output ends of the rectifier bridge are connected to the anode and the cathode of the battery, respectively. The charger is connected to the anode and the cathode of the battery for supplying power from an external power supply.
US09099887B2
A power supply system includes a flywheel system electrically coupled to a DC bus for supplying electrical power between a power grid and a load. The flywheel system includes a flywheel coupled to rotate with a rotor of a motor/generator. A battery system is electrically coupled to the DC bus concurrently with the flywheel system.
US09099883B2
A portable terminal includes a charging control system. The system supplies electric power to the battery. If the battery is charged completely, the system stops charging the battery temporarily, adjusts the termination current, and then charges the battery to the preset second charge capacity. The system can recharge the battery if the battery of the second charge capacity under goes a natural discharge for a certain time period by a certain rate of the second charge capacity, for example, 1%, or if the maximum voltage corresponding to the second charge capacity drops by 1% of the maximum voltage. Therefore, the system can retail the maximum charged state of the battery.
US09099882B2
A method for controlling a hybrid machine is disclosed. The hybrid machine may be equipped with a turbine engine, a generator connected in series with the turbine engine, an electrical energy storage device, and a motor drivingly connected to a power output component for the hybrid machine. A controller may receive a power demand signal, determine a power level in the electrical energy storage device, determine available inertial energy stored at least in rotating components of the turbine engine and the generator, and provide one or more control signals to selectively control powering the turbine engine to full power, selectively turn off all fuel to the turbine engine, selectively store excess energy as electrical energy by directing excess electrical energy from the generator to the electrical energy storage device, and selectively store excess energy as inertial energy.
US09099874B2
Provided is a battery state monitoring circuit including: a charge/discharge control circuit for detecting and controlling a state of a secondary battery; a temperature sensor circuit connected to an overcurrent detection terminal; an amplifier for comparing a reference voltage and a divided voltage of the overcurrent detection terminal; and a transistor that receives an output signal of the amplifier, for controlling a charge control output terminal. When a charger is connected in a state in which the secondary battery has an ultra-low voltage, a charge control FET is controlled so that a constant voltage may appear between output terminals, to thereby ensure an operating voltage of the temperature sensor circuit to enable an overheat protection function.
US09099872B2
Electrical energy buffering system, comprising an energy source for delivering electrical energy, an energy buffer for buffering electrical energy delivered from the energy source, the energy buffer comprising a plurality of supercapacitors, and control logic for controlling the operation of the energy buffer by selectively switching the supercapacitors, wherein the plurality of supercapacitors are switchably connected in parallel to each other in a circuit comprising the energy source and an electrical power output, and the control logic comprises a buffer monitor for monitoring a parameter representing the charge or discharge state, respectively, of each of the supercapacitors and is adapted to sequentially switch single supercapacitors or groups of supercapacitors on, responsive to the detection of a first predetermined charge or discharge state, respectively, and to switch them off, responsive to the detection of a second predetermined charge or discharge state, respectively.
US09099868B2
In one embodiment, a federation device receives one or more grid control-based signals over a computer network, applies one or more utility grid control policies to the one or more grid control-based signals, and federates the one or more signals and/or the one or more utility grid control policies into one or more federated control-based signals. The federation device then propagates the one or more federated control-based signals to one or more grid-related devices.
US09099861B2
An over-voltage protection device includes a substrate, an insulation layer having a depression over the substrate, a conductor layer having a first electrode and a second electrode over the insulation layer, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode form a discharge path, and the depression is under the discharge path. A method for preparing the over-voltage protection device includes the steps of forming an insulation layer over a substrate; forming a depression in the insulation layer; forming a photoresist pattern filling the depression and protruding the insulation layer; forming a conductor layer over the insulation layer; and removing the photoresist pattern, wherein the photoresist pattern divides the conductor layer into a first electrode and a second electrode that form a discharge path, and the depression is under the discharge path after the removal of the photoresist pattern.
US09099857B2
The invention relates to a tubular helical support (1) for the radial support of resiliently expanded tubing (27), a process and a device (18) for the production thereof, and a tubing arrangement (26) comprising a helical support (1) according to the invention, the helical support (1) being made of at least one extruded element (2), which is wound to form a plurality of windings (11, 12, 13) and the connection portions (7, 8) of which are connected to one another at least in portions by a connection seam (15), preferably formed as a laser weld seam. To produce a helical support (1) which reliably withstands the compression forces of the tubing (27), can easily be removed from the expanded tubing (27), and is easy and cheap to produce, it is provided in accordance with the invention that at least the interconnected connection surfaces (9, 10) of the connection portions (7, 8) of the extruded element (2) are not transparent to laser beams.
US09099855B2
A screw retaining mechanism includes a hollow stud and a nut is matched with the hollow stud. The hollow stud has a plurality of elastic plates extending from a free end thereof and along a peripheral wall thereof. An opening is located between two adjacent elastic plates. An inner wall of the nut has a plurality of tubers protruding in the axial direction to match into the opening. The elastic plate defines a first side face and a second side face opposite to the first side face. Said first side face is used to guide the tubers into the opening and the second side face prevent the tuber fall off from the stud.
US09099853B2
A tool includes a spool, and a clamping assembly. The clamping assembly can include clamping members that are moveable relative to each other to clamp onto a clamped member between the two clamping members. One or more gripping members can be attached to the spool to hold a wire that is wound onto the spool. A driving mechanism can be attached to the spool. The driving mechanism can be configured to rotate the spool and wind the wire onto the spool. A cable-ripping tool can be clamped onto a cable. A portion of a wire from the cable can be gripped with a gripping member of the tool. This gripping can include moving the gripping member relative to a spool of the cable-ripping tool. The spool can be rotated so that the wire rips through a jacket of the cable and winds onto the spool.
US09099851B2
A rotary joint or swivel device for ensuring a continuous connection between two items that rotates with respect to each other, for example between an instrumentation unit on a fixed installation and sensor elements in a cable on a rotating cable reel or drum, is provided. The rotary joint or swivel device comprises a minimum of two spools 1A,B to coil a connecting cable 3. A first spool 1A is coupled to a first, static, item 40. A second spool 1B is coupled to a second, rotatable, item 30. A guiding arm 4 feeds the connecting cable 3 from the first 1A to the second 1B spool. Correspondingly, a method for ensuring a continuous connection between two items 30,40 that rotates with respect to each other is provided. The method comprises arranging a rotary joint or swivel device according to any of the embodiments of the invention between the two items.
US09099840B2
A distributed feedback (DFB) laser includes a substrate of a compound semiconductor material, and quantum-well (QW) active layer(s) overlying the substrate. A p-doped cladding layer including the compound semiconductor material is on one side of the active layer and an n-doped cladding layer is on the other side. A grating is in one of the cladding layers configured to select an operating wavelength for the DFB laser. A waveguide structure in the n-doped cladding layer includes a waveguide layer of a first composition compositionally different from the compound semiconductor material having an optical thickness of 0.7 to 1.5 of the guided wavelength. The waveguide structure can further include a hetero-waveguide stack including a plurality of alternating compositional layers beyond the waveguide layer each having a thickness between one quarter and one half the guided wavelength alternating the compound semiconductor material with a second composition defining a composition wavelength.
US09099826B2
An electrical bridge is provided for electrically connecting first and second electronic modules that include first and second external chassis, respectively. The electrical bridge includes a rigid housing extending along a fixed path from a first end to a second end, and first and second electrical contacts held by the housing. The first and second electrical contacts are positioned at the first and second ends, respectively, of the housing. An electrical pathway is defined within the housing from the first electrical contact to the second electrical contact such that the first and second electrical contacts are electrically connected. The first and second ends of the housing are configured to be mounted to the first and second external chassis, respectively, such that the first and second electrical contacts are configured to mate with, and thereby electrically connect to, the first and second electronic modules, respectively.
US09099802B2
A modular electrical apparatus is provided. The present modular apparatus consists of four separate interchangeable electrical fixtures that can be connected together to form a single device that provides outlets and light sources to locations that often lack wired electrical connections, such as outdoor sheds. The user can connect any number of the various electrical fixtures together in any order, allowing users to fully customize the present invention based upon their needs.
US09099800B2
There is provided a connector capable of realizing simple assembly and prevention of entering of foreign matter. A connector terminal (56) includes an insertion part (56a) that has a terminal metal fitting to be electrically connected with an external connection terminal, and a pin (56d) fixed to the insertion part (56a) and has a bent shape. The connector terminal (56) is held by a connector housing (55). In this situation, the connector housing (55) has a hole (57) that has a size at which the pin (56a) can penetrate from a tip side, and a guide wall (57d) formed along an outer circumference of the hole (57) and projects in a direction in which the pin (56d) projects from the connector housing (55).
US09099797B1
An electrical connector includes a housing, a first contact, and a second contact. The housing has a first segment oriented transverse to a second segment, and a cavity extending through the first and second segments. The first contact is received in the cavity within the first segment. The second contact is received in the cavity within the second segment, and is oriented transverse to the first contact. A mating end of the first contact includes a cap and at least one deflectable arm that define an attachment region therebetween. A mating end of the second contact includes a bulb that is received in the attachment region to mechanically and electrically connect the mating ends. The at least one deflectable arm engages a proximal portion of the bulb, and the cap engages a distal portion of the bulb to retain the bulb in the attachment region.
US09099790B2
A mobile device includes a ground element, a conductive bezel, a nonconductive layer, and a feeding element. The conductive bezel is substantially independent of the ground element. A slot is formed in the conductive bezel. The nonconductive layer is affixed to the conductive bezel and covers the slot of the conductive bezel. The feeding element is close to the slot of the conductive bezel and is coupled to a signal source. An antenna structure is formed by the feeding element and the slot.
US09099786B2
An apparatus to modify an incident free space electromagnetic wave includes a block of an artificially structured material having an adjustable spatial distribution of electromagnetic parameters (e.g., ε, μ, η, σ, and n). A controller applies control signals to dynamically adjust the spatial distribution of electromagnetic parameters in the material to introduce a time-varying path delay d(t) in the modified electromagnetic wave relative to the incident electromagnetic wave.
US09099785B2
An improved system 100 and method of reducing RF energy leakage from being trapped in a gap (cavity) 178 between a battery 102 and printed circuit board (PCB) 104 in an electronic communications device 106 is provided by a RF shield assembly that can extend between the battery and the PCB. The RF shield assembly can comprise a conductive wrap 168 and conductive foam 170 connected to metal pads 138 and 140 along the ground plane 136 of the PCB 104.
US09099783B2
A tensioning device for tensioning a radome fabric (7, 8), which device comprises a substantially circular, upper tensioning profile (3, 5) and a substantially circular, lower tensioning profile (4, 6), which is disposed in parallel with and axially displaced relative to the upper tensioning profile, between which tensioning profiles the radome fabric is tensioned in order to form a radome (1), wherein at least one of the tensioning profiles (3, 4, 5, 6) comprises a fabric contact portion (9), which exhibits a convex contact surface (10) for interacting with an edge portion of the radome fabric.
US09099781B2
A dual polarization antenna includes a transducer element having two orthogonal sides and configured to conduct current at least two orthogonal directions.
US09099779B2
An antenna assembly employed by a wireless communication device having a housing includes a base board, a grounding member secured on the base board and grounding the antenna assembly, a first radio member electrically connected to the based board to receive and transmit wireless signals having a first central frequency, and a second radio member forming a portion of the housing and electrically connected to the grounding member. The second radio member couples with the first radio member to receive and transmit wireless signals having a second central frequency.
US09099778B2
A superconducting antenna device of an embodiment includes an array antenna made by stacking a flat antenna having one or more antennas made of a superconducting material and a ground pattern on a low-loss dielectric substrate from a short wave band to an extremely-high frequency band, a vacuum chamber configured to accommodate the array antenna, a refrigerator configured to cool the array antenna, and a vacuum insulating window configured to pass an electromagnetic wave from a short wave band to an extremely-high frequency band in a direction of directivity of the array antenna in the vacuum chamber.
US09099776B2
A method for iterative estimation of a set of unknown channel parameters in a beamforming network including determining a first order estimate of offsets at measurement nodes and an estimate of the confidence in the initial estimate of the measurement nodes' offsets, and iterating, until a desired estimation accuracy is obtained, determining an improved estimate of a parameter set, and the confidence in the estimates, using the prior estimate of the offsets at the measurement nodes and determining an improved estimate of the offsets at the measurement nodes and the associated confidence values using the prior estimate of the parameter set and the corresponding confidence values.
US09099773B2
A multifunction wireless device having at least one of multimedia functionality and smartphone functionality, the multifunction wireless device including an upper body and a lower body, the upper body and the lower body being adapted to move relative to each other in at least one of a clamshell, a slide, and a twist manner. The multifunction wireless device further includes an antenna system disposed within at least one of the upper body and the lower body and having a shape with a level of complexity of an antenna contour defined by complexity factors F21 having a value of at least 1.05 and not greater than 1.80 and F32 having a value of at least 1.10 and not greater than 1.90.
US09099768B2
An antenna device includes: a feeding rod unit connected to a feeding unit, in which a radio signal is applied to be sent and received to the feeding unit; an end rod unit, disposed at the end of the antenna device, and spaced apart from the feeding rod unit; at least one intermediate rod unit, interposed between the feeding rod unit and the end rod unit; a first helical unit, interposed between the feeding rod unit and the at least one intermediate rod unit; and a second helical unit, interposed between the intermediate rod unit and the end rod unit.
US09099766B2
An antenna structure includes a ground plane, a feeding element, and a coupling radiation element. The feeding element is coupled to a signal source. The feeding element substantially has a T-shape. The coupling radiation element is separate from the feeding element and is adjacent to the feeding element. The coupling radiation element is further coupled to the ground plane and at least partially surrounds the feeding element.
US09099762B2
A composite phase change material and the method for forming the material is disclosed herein. Thereof, especially a composite phase change material for lithium battery cooling, comprising polyethylene glycol, silica vehicle and composite flame retardant comprising graphite and polymer, wherein the weight ratio of the graphite and polymer is approximately 1:2. The composite phase change material according to the invention has a good stability and a thermal conductivity, a small corrosivity, a high phase transition enthalpy of 150-350 J/g, and a morphological stability during phase change. Moreover, addition of high thermal conductivity material and composite flame retardant ensures good thermal conductivity and excellent flame retardant effect of the phase change material.
US09099759B2
A multimode power module system automatically selects one of multiple operating modes to maximize power transfer in varying conditions by using direct energy transfer, boost peak power tracking, buck peak power tracking, charge limit, and eclipse standby modes with reduced switching losses, reduced component count, and scalability through connections of multiple power modules system.
US09099752B2
The electrocatalyst for the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide includes a copper material supported on titania nanotubes. The copper material may be pure copper, copper and ruthenium, or copper and iron supported on the titania nanotubes. The electrocatalyst is prepared by first dissolving copper nitrate trihydrate in deionized water to form a salt solution. Titania nanotubes are then added to the salt solution to form a suspension, which is then heated. A urea solution is added to the suspension to form the electrocatalyst in solution. The electrocatalyst is then removed from the solution. In addition to dissolving the copper nitrate trihydrate in the volume of deionized water, either iron nitrate monohydrate or ruthenium chloride may also be dissolved in the deionized water to form the salt solution.
US09099747B2
The present invention relates to an anode for a cable-type secondary battery, more specifically an anode for a cable-type secondary battery, comprising a spiral electrode consisting of at least two wire-type electrodes which are spirally twisted with each other, each of the wire-type electrodes comprising a wire-type current collector, an anode active material layer formed by coating on the outer surface of the wire-type current collector, and a polymer resin layer formed by coating on the outer surface of the anode active material layer; and a cable-type secondary battery comprising the anode.The anode for a cable-type secondary battery according to the present invention comprises a polymer resin layer formed by coating on the outer surface of an anode active material layer, thereby preventing the release of the anode active material layer from a wire-type current collector and eventually preventing the deterioration of battery performances.
US09099745B2
A graphite carbon composite material including a graphite material having diversity in the sizes of optical anisotropic structure and optical isotropic structure, the ratio thereof, and crystal direction, and a carbon material on the way to a graphitized structure of easily-graphitizable carbon. Also disclosed is a carbon material for a battery electrode, a past for an electrode, an electrode, a battery, a lithium ion secondary battery and a method of producing the graphite carbon composite material.
US09099737B2
The present application relates to a process for the preparation of compounds of general formula (I) Lia-bM1bFe1-cM2cPd-eM3eOx (I), wherein M1, M2, M3, a, b, c, d, e and x: M1: Na, K, Rb and/or Cs, M2: Mn, Mg, Ca, Ti, Co, Ni, Cr, V, M3: Si, S, a: 0.8-1.9, b: 0-0.3, c: 0-0.9, d: 0.8-1.9, e: 0-0.5, x: 1.0-8, depending on the amount and oxidation state of Li, M1, Fe, M2, P, M3, wherein compounds of general formula (I) are neutrally charged, comprising the following steps (A) providing an essentially aqueous mixture comprising at least one lithium-comprising compound, FeOOH as iron-comprising compound and at least one M1-comprising compound, if present, and/or at least one M2-comprising compound, if present, and/or least one M3-comprising compound, if present, at least one compound comprising at least one phosphorous atom and at least one reducing agent, (B) drying the mixture provided in step (A), in order to obtain a solid compound and (C) calcining the solid compound obtained from step (A) or (B) at a temperature of 300 to 950° C.
US09099734B2
Disclosed is a highly reliable prismatic secondary battery with a current interruption mechanism that is unlikely to be damaged even if the battery is subjected to shock due to vibration, falling, etc. A second insulating member that has a through-hole is disposed between an inversion plate and the first region of a positive electrode collector, and through the through-hole the first region of the positive electrode collector is electrically connected to the inversion plate. First to third projections to formed around the through-hole formed in the second insulating member fit respectively into first to third openings formed in the first region of the positive electrode collector, and the diameters of their apexes are widened, thus forming first to third fixing portions. Thereby, the second insulating member is robustly joined to the first region of the positive electrode collector.
US09099729B2
Provided is an assembled battery with which a wasted space can be reduced and having a large energy density. The assembled battery including a first laminated battery provided to a plurality of current collectors, a second laminated battery provided to a plurality of current collectors, and a connecting portion that bundles and connects the plurality of current collectors provided to the first laminated battery and the plurality of current collectors provided to the second laminated battery, wherein the plurality of current collectors provide to the first laminated battery and the plurality of current collectors provided to the second laminated battery are laminated and bundled in the connecting portion, and a lamination direction of the plurality of current collectors in the connecting portion and a lamination direction of the plurality of current collectors in each laminated battery are intersecting with each other.
US09099723B2
A battery pack and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A battery pack includes one or more bare cells. A protection circuit module is provided with a circuit portion and disposed parallel to a length direction of at least one of the bare cells. A connection tab is provided with at least one coupling member so as to electrically connect the protection circuit module to the bare cells. The connection tab is integrally formed with a connection end portion connected to the protection circuit module. Accordingly, a certain amount of coupling member is previously coupled to the connection tab, so that it is possible to improve the problem in a welding process and to implement an automated welding process.
US09099722B2
A recombinator for a flowing electrolyte battery comprises a housing defining a reaction chamber for receiving a halogen source and a hydrogen source. A catalyst is located within the reaction chamber to catalyze the formation of hydrogen halide from the halogen source and the hydrogen source and substantially all of the halogen source, hydrogen source and hydrogen halide within the reaction chamber are maintained in gaseous form.
US09099715B2
A sealed accumulator container (2) intended to contain an electrochemical bundle (9), the container comprising a wall forming a bottom (3) in an electrically conducting material comprising: a peripheral portion (3a), a cap (3c), an embrittled portion (3b) delimiting the cap, joining the peripheral portion to the cap, adapted so as to break upon overpressure inside the container, in which container is positioned an electrically conducting deformable membrane (10) electrically connecting electrodes of same polarity of an electrochemical bundle to the cap, and in which container, overpressure causes deformation of the membrane, this deformation causing failure of the embrittled portion.
US09099714B2
An electrical storage battery includes a housing and a plurality of rectangular cell assembly modules electrically coupled together. The rectangular cell assembly modules are mounted by spring damping elements in the housing and are in each case arranged in an intermediate space between an outer area of at least one lower edge of the cell assembly modules and the housing, with at least one common spring damping element extending transversely with respect to the direction of the longest side of the cell assembly modules along the plurality of cell assembly modules.
US09099708B2
A fuel cell system with a reformer for generating hydrogen-containing synthesis gas and a fuel cell of the fuel cell system. The fuel cell is arranged downstream of the reformer. The fuel cell system is heated up conventionally in a first heat-up phase by combusting a superstoichiometric fuel/air mixture. The first heat-up phase is stopped by stopping the combustion of the fuel/air mixture in the mixing chamber of the reformer. In a second heat-up phase, in which the reformer catalyst is operated in the catalytic combustion operation with a superstoichiometric fuel/air mixture, the entire heat-up process can be significantly shortened by a change in stoichiometry at the end of the second heat-up phase.
US09099703B2
A system and method for breaking-in and humidifying membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs) in a fuel cell stack. The method includes performing voltage cycling and humidification of the MEAs in the stack, including one or more temperature steps wherein current density of the stack is cycled within a predetermined range for each of the one or more temperature steps. The method also includes maintaining a fuel cell stack voltage within a predetermined range, and maintaining anode and cathode reactant flows at an approximate set-point during the current density cycling of the one or more temperature steps to break-in and humidify the MEAs in the stack so that the stack is able to operate at a predetermined threshold for a fuel cell stack voltage output capability.
US09099702B2
A system and method for selectively operating a fuel cell stack in response to loss of a voltage signal from one or more fuel cells in the stack. If the voltage signal from the one or more fuel cells is lost, the method performs one or more remedial actions to cause the fuel cell stack to operate in a more stack safe condition. The method then determines whether the cell or cells whose voltage signal is lost was healthy, such as operating above a predetermined voltage threshold, prior to the voltage signal being lost. If the cell voltage signal was above the voltage threshold, then the fuel cell stack is operated normally under the remedial actions, and if the voltage signal is below the voltage threshold, then the fuel cell stack is operated in a power limitation mode.
US09099698B2
A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack that generates electricity by an electrochemical reaction using a fuel gas; an insulating first passage member through which produced water that is produced by the electrochemical reaction in the fuel cell stack and off-gas that is discharged from the fuel cell stack pass; a conductive second passage member that is connected to the first passage member; and a produced water flow disrupting portion that is provided on the first passage member and breaks up or stops the flow of the produced water that is introduced from an inside wall of the first passage member to the second passage member.
US09099687B2
A donor substrate includes a base substrate; a light reflection layer disposed on the base substrate and overlapped with a portion of the base substrate, a heat blocking pattern disposed on the light reflection layer, overlapped with the light reflection layer, and including a plurality of air holes; a light-to-heat conversion layer disposed on the base substrate; and a transfer layer disposed on the light-to-heat conversion layer.
US09099682B2
A light-emitting element is provided, in which n (n is a natural number of two or more) EL layers are provided between an anode and a cathode. Between the m-th (in is a natural number, 1≦m≦n−1) EL layer and the (m+1)-th EL layer, a first layer containing any of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a rare earth metal, an alkali metal compound, an alkaline earth metal compound, and a rare earth metal compound, a second layer containing a substance having high electron-transport properties in contact with the first layer, and a charge-generation layer containing a substance having high hole-transport properties and an acceptor substance in contact with the second layer are provided in this order over the anode. The charge-generation layer does not have a peak of an absorption spectrum in a visible light region.
US09099681B2
A display device includes: a third electrode provided on a side of the second electrode opposite to the light-emitting layer; and an efficiency improving layer improving an efficiency of light extraction from the light-emitting layer, and the efficiency improving layer being provided between the second and third electrodes. The first and third electrodes are each in a laminated structure including a first layer being transmissive, and a second layer being transmissive and having a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the first layer.
US09099679B2
Electronic devices, such as photovoltaic, transistor or doped light-emitting devices, can be manufactured with an air-based manufacturing process and device structure that encapsulates the device with air-stable electrodes and active layers that are reasonably stable in their unexcited state. A sheet of flexible material may act as a substrate and a second sheet of material acts as a cover. Getter materials are included in the encapsulated device, with the getter latent or unreactive during the manufacturing process.
US09099678B2
An objective is to increase the reliability of a light emitting device structured by combining TFTs and organic light emitting elements. A TFT (1201) and an organic light emitting element (1202) are formed on the same substrate (1203) as structuring elements of a light emitting device (1200). A first insulating film (1205) which functions as a blocking layer is formed on the substrate (1203) side of the TFT (1201), and a second insulating film (1206) is formed on the opposite upper layer side as a protective film. In addition, a third insulating film (1207) which functions as a barrier film is formed on the lower layer side of the organic light emitting element (1202). The third insulating film (1207) is formed by an inorganic insulating film such as a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxynitride film, an aluminum nitride film, an aluminum oxide film, or an aluminum oxynitride film. A fourth insulating film (1208) and a partitioning layer (1209) formed on the upper layer side of the organic light emitting element (1202) are formed using similar inorganic insulating films.
US09099677B2
An encapsulation structure for an organic light emitting display device, an organic light emitting display device, and a method of manufacturing an organic light emitting display device are provided. The encapsulation structure includes a first porous layer, a first planarization layer, and a first barrier layer. The first porous layer above a substrate may have a curved top surface. The first planarization layer on the first porous layer may have a flat top surface. The first barrier layer on the first planarization layer may include a low melting point glass.
US09099673B2
The subject of the present invention is a multilayer electrode (3), acid etching thereof and also organic light-emitting devices incorporating it. The multilayer electrode, known as a lower electrode for an organic light-emitting device (10), successively comprises: —a contact layer (31) based on a metal oxide and/or a metal nitride; a functional metallic layer (32) having intrinsic electrical conductivity properties; a thin blocking layer (32) directly on the functional layer, the layer comprising a metallic layer having a thickness less than or equal to 5 nm and/or a layer with a thickness less than or equal to 10 nm, which is based on a substoichiometric metal oxide, substoichiometric metal oxynitride or substoichiometric metal nitride; a coating comprising an overlayer based on a metal oxide (34) for adapting the work function.
US09099667B2
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to prolong the luminance half life of an organic EL element. A means for solving the problem is a method for producing an organic electroluminescent element comprising a first electrode that is formed first, a second electrode that is formed later, and a light-emitting layer that is formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the method comprising the steps of applying a solution containing a light-emitting organic material to a surface of a layer located below to form an applied film; calcining the applied film in an inert gas atmosphere or in a vacuum atmosphere to form a light-emitting layer; holding the surrounding of the formed light-emitting layer in an inert gas atmosphere or in a vacuum atmosphere; and forming a layer located on the light-emitting layer in an inert gas atmosphere or in a vacuum atmosphere.
US09099643B2
A magnetoresistive device includes an MR element including a metal layer, and an insulating portion made of magnesium oxide and in contact with the MR element. A method of manufacturing the magnetoresistive device includes the step of removing an unwanted magnesium oxide film that is formed by the magnesium oxide in the process of forming the insulating portion. In this step, the unwanted magnesium oxide film is wet etched by using an etchant containing an aqueous ammonia solution.
US09099635B2
An ultrasonic transducer element chip includes a substrate, a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements and a plate-shaped member. The substrate includes a partition wall section defining a plurality of openings arranged in an array pattern. A wall thickness of the partition wall section is smaller than a wall height of partition wall section. Each of the ultrasonic transducer elements is provided in each of the openings. The plate-shaped member is fixed on a surface of the substrate opposite to a surface of the substrate on which the ultrasonic transducer elements are provided. The plate-shaped member covers at least one of the openings in a plan view seen along a thickness direction of the substrate.
US09099630B2
The present application provides an electronic apparatus including a substrate including a first electrode pad, a second electrode pad and an intermediate pad each disposed on one surface of the substrate and separated from one another. An electronic device is disposed on the substrate and including a first electrode unit and a second electrode unit. The first electrode unit has an adhesion surface facing the first electrode pad and the intermediate pad. The second electrode unit has an adhesion surface facing the second electrode pad.
US09099627B2
Sample A is produced by sequentially forming a first insulating film of SiO2 and a reflective film on a sapphire substrate. Sample B is produced by sequentially forming a first insulating film of SiO2, a reflective film, and a second insulating film of SiO2 on a sapphire substrate. In both samples A and B, the reflectance of the reflective film was measured at a wavelength of 450 nm before and after heat treatment. Heat treatment was performed at 600° C. for three minutes. As shown in FIG. 1, in Al/Ag/Al where Al has a thickness of 1 Å to 30 Å, Ag/Al where Al has a thickness of 20 Å, and Al/Ag/Al/Ag/Al where Al has a thickness of 20 Å, the reflectance was 95% or more, which is equivalent to or higher than that of Ag even after the heat treatment.
US09099619B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a light emitting section and a wavelength conversion section. The light emitting section is configured to emit light. The wavelength conversion section is provided on one major surface side of the light emitting section. The wavelength conversion section contains a phosphor. The wavelength conversion section has a distribution of amount of the phosphor based on a distribution of wavelength of the light emitted from the light emitting section.
US09099618B1
A lighting device is provided, comprising: a substrate; two or more light-emitting elements formed over the substrate; a first transparent conformal layer formed over the two or more light-emitting elements in a pattern, the first transparent conformal layer being doped with a luminescent material; a second transparent conformal layer formed over a portion of the substrate not covered by the two or more light-emitting elements, the second transparent conformal layer not being doped with the luminescent material.
US09099615B2
A light emitting device is provided with a semiconductor light emitting element and a wavelength conversion portion. The wavelength conversion portion includes an outer peripheral portion between an input surface and an output surface. The outer peripheral portion includes a first inclined part at a side of the input surface and a second inclined part at a side of the output surface. The first inclined part and the second inclined part define a projecting portion that is projected on the outer peripheral portion.
US09099613B2
Aspects include Light Emitting Diodes that have a GaN-based light emitting region and a metallic electrode. The metallic electrode can be physically separated from the GaN-based light emitted region by a layer of porous dielectric, which provides a reflecting region between at least a portion of the metallic electrode and the GaN-based light emitting region.
US09099610B2
Disclosed are a light emitting device and a light emitting device package. The light emitting device includes a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer, a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer, a third semiconductor layer between the active layer and the second conductive semiconductor layer, and a light extraction structure on the second conductive semiconductor layer. A top surface of the third semiconductor layer has a Ga-face.
US09099607B2
A solar cell is discussed. The solar cell according to an embodiment includes a substrate of a first conductive type, an emitter layer of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, which forms a p-n junction along with the substrate, a first anti-reflection layer on the emitter layer, a second anti-reflection layer on the first anti-reflection layer, a first electrode part connected to the emitter layer, and a second electrode part connected to the substrate. The first anti-reflection layer is formed of silicon nitride, and the second anti-reflection layer is formed of silicon oxide.
US09099605B2
The fabrication and characterization of large scale inverted organic solar array fabricated using all-spray process is disclosed, consisting of four layers; ITO-Cs2CO3-(P3HT:PCBM)-modified PEDPT:PSS, on a substrate. With PEDPT:PSS as the anode, the encapsulated solar array shows more than 30% transmission in the visible to near IR range. Optimization by thermal annealing was performed based on single-cell or multiple-cell arrays. Solar illumination has been demonstrated to improve solar array efficiency up to 250% with device efficiency of 1.80% under AM1.5 irradiance. The performance enhancement under illumination occurs only with sprayed devices, indicating device enhancement under sunlight, which is beneficial for solar energy applications. The semi-transparent property of the solar module allows for applications on windows and windshields, indoor applications, and soft fabric substances such as tents, military back-packs or combat uniforms, providing a highly portable renewable power supply for deployed military forces.
US09099592B2
An optical element has a plano-plano body formed of a first material having a greater refraction index n1 and a second material having a lesser refraction index n2. Both indices are greater than one. The absolute value of the index contrast, log10 (n1/n2), is in the range from about 0.001 to about 0.17, preferably from about 0.01 to about 0.05. The materials have an induced absorbance rate ΔAbs/Dose less than or equal to about 0.4, preferably less than or equal to about 0.2. The materials are arranged such that an interface with at least one cusp is defined therebetween. The cusp has an apex pointed toward the material having the greater index of refraction. The cusp is operative to produce a region of increased light intensity on one surface of the optical element in response to light incident on the other surface of the optical element.
US09099587B2
The present invention relates to an educational solar cell module. According to the present invention, the electrodes of the solar cells can be easily and removably connected to each other in series or in parallel, and the variations in voltage and current according to the number of connected solar cells can be easily observed to thereby increase interest in solar energy. The educational solar cell module includes: a plurality of frames; a solar cell panel joined to the top surface of the frames; and a frame coupling member disposed on the frames to couple neighboring frames to each other so that the frames can be continuously joined and arrayed.
US09099581B2
A photonic integrated circuit (I/C) includes a focusing sidewall or in-plane surface that redirects and focuses light from a waveguide to a photodetector structure. The focusing includes redirecting an optical signal to a width smaller than a width of the waveguide. The focusing of the light allows the photodetector structure to be outside a waveguide defined by parallel oxide structures. With the photodetector structure outside the waveguide, the contacts can be placed closer together, which reduces contact resistance.
US09099555B2
A TFET transistor includes an intrinsic channel, source and drain extension regions, source and drain conductive regions, a gate surmounting the channel and laid out such that an end of the channel is not covered by the gate. The transistor includes a first arrangement for forming an isolating space between the sides of the gate and the source conductive region including a first and a second dielectric spacer. The extension region has a thickness strictly greater than that of the channel such that the extension region has an increased thickness opposite the gate dielectric layer. The first face of the first spacer is in contact with the side of the gate followed by the side of the gate dielectric layer such that the first face covers the whole of the side of the layer.
US09099554B2
A semiconductor device and a fabricating method thereof are provided. The semiconductor device include: a trench disposed within a substrate, the trench comprising an upper trench part that is wider than a lower trench part in width; a gate disposed in the trench; an interlayer insulating layer pattern disposed above the gate in the trench; a source region disposed within the substrate and contacting a sidewall of the upper trench part; a body region disposed below the source region in the substrate; and a contact trench disposed above the body region and filled with a conductive material.
US09099547B2
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a wafer having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface. The top surface has a plurality of dicing channels. The wafer has a plurality of dies adjacent the top surface. Each die of the plurality of dies is separated by a dicing channel of the plurality of dicing channels from another die of the plurality of dies. Trenches are formed in the wafer from the top surface. The trenches are oriented along the plurality of dicing channels. After forming the trenches, the plurality of dies is tested to identify first dies to be separated from remaining dies of the plurality of dies. After testing the plurality of dies, the wafer is subjected to a grinding process from the back surface. The grinding process separates the wafer into the plurality of dies.
US09099533B2
A multiple-patterned semiconductor device and a method of manufacture are provided. The semiconductor device includes a conductive layer. The conductive layer includes conductive tracks which may be defined by photomasks. The conductive tracks may have quality characteristics. Distinct quality characteristics of distinct conductive tracks may be compared. Based on the comparison, signals and supply voltage may be routed on particular conductive tracks.
US09099530B2
Integrated circuit methods are described. The methods include providing a photomask that includes two main features for two via openings and further includes an optical proximity correction (OPC) feature linking the two main features; forming a hard mask layer on a substrate, the hard mask layer including two trench openings; forming a patterned resist layer over the hard mask layer using the photomask, wherein the patterned resist layer includes a peanut-shaped opening with two end portion aligned with the two trench openings of the hard mask layer, respectively; and performing a first etch process to the substrate using the hard mask layer and the patterned resist layer as a combined etch mask.
US09099524B2
A die bonder that eliminates the need for moving a recognition camera for capturing an image related to adhesive application and achieves high reliability with high throughput is disclosed. The die bonder includes a lead frame; a syringe located above the lead frame and enclosing therein a paste adhesive; a recognition camera lateral to the syringe; an illumination lamp disposed in the vicinity of the recognition camera; and a reflector plate disposed opposite the illumination lamp. The reflector plate is adapted to reflect light from the illumination lamp onto the lead frame at an application surface of the paste adhesive. The recognition camera, illumination lamp, and reflector plate are arranged in a manner that the reflector plate is disposed on −Y side and the recognition camera and the illumination lamp are disposed on +Y side with respect to the syringe located above the lead frame transported in X direction.
US09099522B2
A semiconductor device includes a stripe-shaped gate trench formed in one major surface of n-type drift layer, a gate trench including gate polysilicon formed therein, and a gate polysilicon connected to a gate electrode. A p-type base layer is formed selectively in mesa region between adjacent gate trenches and a p-type base layer including an n-type emitter layer and connected to emitter electrode. One or more dummy trenches are formed between p-type base layers adjoining to each other in the extending direction of gate trenches. An electrically conductive dummy polysilicon is formed on an inner side wall of dummy trench with a gate oxide film interposed between the dummy polysilicon and dummy trench. The dummy polysilicon is spaced apart from the gate polysilicon and may be connected to the emitter electrode.
US09099521B2
A reverse conducting IGBT that includes an insulated gate; a semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type drift region, a second conductivity type body region, a first conductivity type emitter region, and a second conductivity type intermediate region; and an emitter electrode provided on a surface of the semiconductor layer. The first conductivity type drift region of the semiconductor layer contacts the insulated gate. The second conductivity type body region of the semiconductor layer is provided on the drift region and contacts the insulated gate. The first conductivity type emitter region of the semiconductor layer is provided on the body region and contacts the insulated gate. The second conductivity type intermediate region of the semiconductor layer is provided on the emitter region and is interposed between the emitter region and the emitter electrode.
US09099517B2
New designs for silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and new methods of manufacturing such SiC BJTs are described. The SiC BJT comprises a collector region, a base region and an emitter region disposed as a stack, the emitter region and part of the base region forming a mesa. The intrinsic part of the base region includes a first portion having a first doping concentration and a second portion having a second doping concentration lower than the first doping concentration. Further, the second portion is vertically disposed between the first portion and the emitter region in the stack.
US09099513B2
A substrate processing apparatus includes a tray, a mask and a rotary stage. The tray includes a substrate support configured to support an outer edge portion of a substrate, a mask support provided on an outer periphery side of the substrate support and projected above the substrate support, and a recess provided between the substrate support and the mask support. The mask covers the recess and the substrate support of the tray. The rotary stage includes an electrostatic adsorption surface and a tray mounting portion provided on an outer periphery side of the electrostatic adsorption surface and below the electrostatic adsorption surface. The outer edge portion of the substrate is projected toward the tray mounting portion side from the electrostatic adsorption surface. The substrate support is spaced below the outer edge portion of the substrate. The mask is spaced above the outer edge portion of the substrate.
US09099504B2
The substrate treatment apparatus according to the present invention includes a substrate holding mechanism which holds a substrate, a nozzle body having a spout which spouts an etching liquid toward a major surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism, a nozzle body movement mechanism which moves the nozzle body in a predetermined movement direction so as to move an etching liquid application position at which the etching liquid is applied on the major surface, a first flexible sheet attached to the nozzle body to be brought into contact with a portion of the major surface located on one of opposite sides of the etching liquid application position with respect to the movement direction, and a second flexible sheet attached to the nozzle body to be brought into contact with a portion of the major surface located on the other side of the etching liquid application position with respect to the movement direction.
US09099503B2
In a plasma etching apparatus, a first high frequency for plasma generation and a second high frequency for ion attraction are respectively applied from two high frequency supplies to a susceptor. Further, DC voltage is applied from a variable DC power supply to an upper electrode via a filter circuit. An annular DC ground part attached to an upper side surface of the susceptor is connected to a filter circuit. This filter circuit allows a specific frequency component of the intermodulation distortion generated in a plasma by a series resonant to selectively flow to a ground line.
US09099500B2
The present invention discloses a hexagonal programmable array based on a silicon nanowire field effect transistor and a method for fabricating the same. The array includes a nanowire device, a nanowire device connection region and a gate connection region, wherein, the nanowire device has a cylinder shape, and includes a silicon nanowire channel, a gate dielectric layer, and a gate region, the nanowire channel being surrounded by the gate dielectric layer, and the gate dielectric layer being surrounded by the gate region; the nanowire devices are arranged in a hexagon shape to form programming unit, the nanowire device connection region is a connection node of three nanowire devices and secured to a silicon supporter. The present invention can achieve a complex control logic of interconnections and is suitable for a digital/analog and a mixed-signal circuit having a high integration degree and a high speed.
US09099494B2
The invention relates to a contact structure of a semiconductor device. An exemplary structure for a contact structure for a semiconductor device comprises a substrate comprising a major surface and a trench below the major surface; a strained material filling the trench, wherein a lattice constant of the strained material is different from a lattice constant of the substrate; an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer having an opening over the strained material, wherein the opening comprises dielectric sidewalls and a strained material bottom; a semiconductor layer on the sidewalls and bottom of the opening; a dielectric layer on the semiconductor layer; and a metal layer filling an opening of the dielectric layer.
US09099493B2
In a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate is provided. This SOI substrate comprises a buried oxide layer and an ETSOI layer between the buried oxide layer and a surface of the SOI substrate. A dummy gate is formed on the ETSOI. At least two raised source/drain regions are epitaxially formed adjacent to the dummy gate, and a protective cap is formed thereon. An etch process employing at least one acid is used to remove the dummy gate from the ETSOI. A gate dielectric layer is deposited on the protective cap and the ETSOI after removing the dummy gate. A replacement metal gate is then formed on the gate dielectric layer to replace the removed dummy gate, the gate dielectric layer is removed from the protective metal cap, and the protective cap is removed from the raised source/drain regions.
US09099487B2
Zener diode structures and related fabrication methods and semiconductor devices are provided. An exemplary semiconductor device includes first and second Zener diode structures. The first Zener diode structure includes a first region, a second region that is adjacent to the first region, and a third region adjacent to the first region and the second region to provide a junction that is configured to influence a first reverse breakdown voltage of a junction between the first region and the second region. The second Zener diode structure includes a fourth region, a fifth region that is adjacent to the fourth region, and a sixth region adjacent to the fourth region and the fifth region to provide a junction configured to influence a second reverse breakdown voltage of a junction between the fourth region and the fifth region, wherein the second reverse breakdown voltage and the first reverse breakdown voltage are different.
US09099468B2
An electronic fuse and method for forming the same. Embodiments of the invention include e-fuses having a first metallization level including a metal structure, a second metallization level above the first metallization level, a metal via in the second metallization level, an interface region where the metal via meets the first metallization level, and a damaged region at the interface region. Embodiments further include a method including providing a first metallization level including a metal structure, forming a capping layer on the first metallization level, forming an opening in the capping layer that exposes a portion of the metal structure; forming above the capping layer an adhesion layer contacting the metal structure, forming an insulating layer above the adhesion layer, etching the insulating layer and the adhesion layer to form a recess exposing the metal structure, and filling the fuse via recess to form a fuse via.
US09099454B2
A semiconductor package is manufactured by providing a semiconductor die with a terminal at a first side of the die, providing a material coupled to the die at an opposing second side of the die and embedding the die in a molding compound so that the die is covered by the molding compound on all sides except the first side. The molding compound is thinned at a side of the molding compound adjacent the second side of the die, to expose the material at the second side of the die without exposing the second side of the die. An electrical connection is formed to the terminal at the first side of the die. In the case of a transistor die, the terminal can be a source terminal and the transistor die can be attached source-down to a metal block such as a die paddle of a lead frame.
US09099453B2
A packaged semiconductor device includes a communication pad formed in a side surface, which is operatively coupled to a communication circuit so as to enable the establishing of a wireless communication channel to an adjacently positioned packaged semiconductor device. The communication pad may be formed upon cutting a block including the packaged semiconductor device and an appropriately positioned and dimensioned conductor.
US09099451B2
Disclosed herein are a power module package and a method of manufacturing the same. The power module package includes first and second semiconductor devices mounted on sides of first and second lead frames, ends of which are separated from each other, respectively, a support pin corresponding to a mounting position of the first semiconductor device and formed adjacent to a lower portion of the first lead frame, and a molding portion formed to cover portions of the first and second lead frames and the first and second semiconductor devices.
US09099441B2
Various embodiments provide a power transistor arrangement. The power transistor arrangement may include a carrier; a first power transistor having a control electrode and a first power electrode and a second power electrode; and a second power transistor having a control electrode and a first power electrode and a second power electrode. The first power transistor and the second power transistor may be arranged next to each other on the carrier such that the control electrode of the first power transistor and the control electrode of the second power transistor are facing the carrier.
US09099437B2
A semiconductor device in which a semiconductor layer is formed over a gate electrode with a large aspect ratio, thereby obtaining a channel length of a transistor which hardly causes a short-channel effect even when the transistor is miniaturized. A lower electrode is provided under the gate electrode with an insulating layer provided therebetween so that the electrode overlaps with the semiconductor layer. A potential (electric field) of the lower electrode imparts a conductivity type to the semiconductor layer overlapping with the lower electrode, so that a source region and a drain region are formed in the semiconductor layer. The gate electrode serves as a shield, so that a region in the semiconductor layer, which faces the gate electrode with the gate insulating layer provided therebetween, is not influenced by the electric field from the lower electrode.
US09099436B2
The basic structure and functionality of a probe as disclosed herein allows for flexibly incorporating into the probe, various sensing elements for various sensing applications. Two example applications among these various sensing applications include bio-sensing and chemical-sensing applications. For bio-sensing applications the probe, which is fabricated upon a silicon substrate, includes a bio-sensing element such as a nano-pillar transistor, and for chemical-sensing applications the probe includes a sensing element that has a functionalized contact area whereby the sensing element generates a voltage when exposed to one or more chemicals of interest.
US09099434B2
A method of forming a device is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate having a device region. The device region includes a source region, a gate region and a drain region defined thereon. The substrate is prepared with gate layers on the substrate. The gate layers are patterned to form a gate in the gate region and a field structure surrounding the drain region. A source and a drain are formed in the source region and drain region respectively. The drain is separated from the gate on a second side of the gate and the source is adjacent to a first side of the gate. An interconnection to the field structure is formed. The interconnection is coupled to a potential which distributes the electric field across the substrate between the second side of the gate and the drain.
US09099432B2
An electronic device for power applications and configured for being mounted on a printed circuit board is disclosed. The electronic device includes a semiconductor chip integrating a power component, and a package. The package comprises an insulating body embedding the semiconductor chip, and exposed electrodes for electrically connecting conductive terminals of the semiconductor chip to external circuitry in the printed circuit board. The electronic device is further configured to be fastened to a heatsink with a back surface of the insulating body in contact with a main surface of the heatsink for removing heat produced by the electronic device during the operation thereof. The insulating body lacks of a fixing portion in which a hole for receiving an insertable fastener element for the fastening of the electronic device to the heatsink is located.
US09099429B2
There is provided a heat sink including: a heat radiation plate having a heating element fixed to one surface thereof; a plurality of heat radiation fins formed on the other surface of the heat radiation plate to radiate heat generated in the heating element; a flange part provided on a heat radiation fin positioned in an outermost position among the plurality of heat radiation fins; and a fixing member inserted into the flange part to fix the heat sink to a printed circuit board, wherein the flange part is compressed in a predetermined position thereof, such that the fixing member and the flange part are coupled and fixed to each other.
US09099424B1
A mobile system, including: a 3D device, the 3D device including: a first layer of first transistors, overlaid by at least one interconnection layer, where the interconnection layer comprises copper or aluminum; a second layer including second transistors, the second layer overlaying the interconnection layer, the second layer including: a plurality of electrical connections connecting the second transistors with the interconnection layer; and at least one thermally conductive and electrically non-conductive contact, the at least one thermally conductive and electrically non-conductive contact thermally connects the second layer to the top or bottom surface of the 3D device.
US09099418B2
A display panel includes, for each pixel, a self light emitting device and a pixel circuit driving the self light emitting device. The pixel circuit has a retention capacitor, a first transistor writing a voltage corresponding to a video signal in the retention capacitor, and a second transistor driving the self light emitting device based on the voltage of the retention capacitor, and the display panel has a light exit face discharging a light emitted from the self light emitting device to outside and also has a light blocking layer blocking an external light introduced from the light exit face to the first transistor.
US09099416B2
An organic light-emitting device including a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel on a substrate; a plurality of first electrodes in the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, and the third sub-pixel, respectively; a second electrode being a sub-common layer to the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel and facing the first electrodes of the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel; and a third electrode in the third sub-pixel and facing the first electrode of the third sub-pixel is disclosed.
US09099410B2
An apparatus including an electronic device having a plurality of substantially collocated components, the plurality of components including an integrated circuit (IC) chip, an energy supply operable to electrically power the IC chip, and an energy harvesting (EH) device operable to convert non-electrical energy to electrical energy supplied to the energy supply. A material substantially encloses at least a portion of at least one of the IC chip, the energy supply, and the EH device.
US09099405B2
According to one embodiment, a display device, includes: a display unit and a control unit. The display unit has a plurality of segments. Each of the plurality of segments includes a plurality of organic light emitting layers to emit light of mutually different colors. The plurality of segments forms one of a plurality types of images by changing the colors of the emitted light from the plurality of segments. The control unit drives each of the plurality of segments of the display unit to emit light.
US09099400B2
Semiconductor device manufacturing methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first pattern in a hard mask using a first lithography process, and forming a second pattern in the hard mask using a second lithography process. A protective layer is formed over the hard mask. Portions of the hard mask and portions of the protective layer are altered using a self-aligned double patterning (SADP) method.
US09099399B2
Methods of forming fine patterns for semiconductor devices are provided. A method may include sequentially forming a lower layer and a mask layer having first openings on a substrate, forming pillars to fill the first openings and protrude upward from a top surface of the mask layer, forming a block copolymer layer on the substrate with the pillars, performing a thermal treatment to the block copolymer layer to form a first block portion and second block portions, removing the second block portions to form guide openings exposing the mask layer, and etching the mask layer exposed by the guide openings to form second openings.
US09099380B2
A methodology enabling the formation of steep channel profiles for devices, such as SSRW FETs, having a resultant channel profiles that enables suppression of threshold voltage variation and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments include providing STI regions in a silicon wafer; performing a deep well implantation of a dopant into the silicon wafer between STI regions; forming a recess in the doped silicon wafer between the STI regions; performing a shallow well implantation of the dopant into the silicon wafer in the recess; and forming Si:C on the doped silicon wafer in the recess.
US09099377B2
Micropipe-free, single crystal, silicon carbide (SiC) and related methods of manufacture are disclosed. The SiC is grown by placing a source material and seed material on a seed holder in a reaction crucible of the sublimation system, wherein constituent components of the sublimation system including the source material, reaction crucible, and seed holder are substantially free from unintentional impurities. By controlling growth temperature, growth pressure, SiC sublimation flux and composition, and a temperature gradient between the source material and the seed material or the SiC crystal growing on the seed material during the PVT process, micropipe-inducing process instabilities are eliminated and micropipe-free SiC crystal is grown on the seed material.
US09099359B2
A display device includes an electrode layer formed at a predetermined position on a substrate, an insulating film having a through-hole formed on the top of the electrode layer, and a wiring film connected to the electrode layer via the through-hole formed in the insulating film. Based on a surface of the substrate, the through-hole includes a first taper portion having a first taper angle, a second taper portion formed higher than the first taper portion and having a second taper angle different from the first taper angle, and a third taper portion formed higher than the second taper portion and having a third taper angle different from the second taper angle.
US09099358B2
A thin film transistor (TFT) array panel includes: first and second pixel electrodes neighboring each other; a data line extending between the first and the second pixel electrodes; first and second gate lines extending perpendicularly to the data line; a first TFT including a first gate electrode connected to the first gate line, a first source electrode connected to the data line, and a first drain electrode facing the first source electrode and connected to the first pixel electrode; and a second TFT including a second gate electrode connected to the second gate line, a second source electrode connected to the data line, and a second drain electrode facing the second source electrode and connected to the second pixel electrode. The first source electrode has the same relative position with respect to the first drain electrode as the second source electrode with respect to the second drain electrode.
US09099356B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an array substrate, comprising: a base substrate; a gate line and a data line formed on the base substrate, the gate line and the data line crossing with each other to define a pixel region; a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode, disposed in the pixel region; a strip-like common electrode, disposed above the pixel electrode and the data line, the common electrode comprising a first common electrode which covers above the data line and has a width greater than that of the data line; and a second common electrode, disposed above the pixel electrode; an insulating layer, disposed between the common electrode and the pixel electrode as well as between the common electrode and the data line, wherein a region of the first common electrode corresponding to the data line is hollowed out.
US09099355B2
A display device includes a main body, a support stand, and a display portion. The display portion includes a pixel having a TFT and a capacitor. The capacitor includes a capacitor electrode on an insulating surface, an insulating film on the capacitor electrode, and a pixel electrode of the TFT on the insulating film.
US09099349B2
In a process of dividing gates of multi-layered films in fabricating a NAND flash memory having a three-dimensional structure, a pattern is prevented from deforming and falling. A ratio of a length L to a height h of control gate groups configuring a memory cell of the flash memory is set to be less than 1.65 which is a range in which buckling does not occur. It is desirable that a ratio of a length L to a width W of the control gate groups is set to be less than 16.5.
US09099344B2
A method of electroplating includes forming a seed region to be electroplated on a first portion of a substrate, forming a ground plane on a second portion of a substrate, electrically isolating the ground plane from the seed region, electroplating the region, wherein electroplating includes causing the ground plane and the region to make electrical connection, and then removing the ground plane region on the second portion of the substrate, but not removing the electrical isolation. This creates a structure having a substrate, a passivation layer on the substrate, and at least one electroplated, metal region on the substrate such that there is contiguous contact between the metal region and the passivation layer. And, after an additional flip-chip assembly to a bond pad/heat sinking chip, results in a device having a bond pad chip having bond pads, solder beads formed on the bond pads, and a component connected to the bond pads by the solder beads. Wherein, the component has a substrate, a passivation layer on the substrate, and at least one electroplated, metal region on the substrate such that there is contiguous contact between the metal region and the passivation layer.
US09099338B2
A semiconductor device and method of forming the same includes a substrate having a NMOS region and a PMOS region. The method includes forming a dummy gate structure having a stacked sacrificial dielectric layer and a sacrificial gate material layer on the NMOS and PMOS regions. The method further includes concurrently removing the stacked sacrificial dielectric layer and a sacrificial gate material layer to form a groove, and forming a high-K dielectric layer and a first metal gate layer in the grove. The method also includes forming a hard mask over the NMOS region, removing the first metal gate layer and the high-K dielectric layer in the PMOS region to form a channel groove, forming a second high-K dielectric layer and a second metal gate layer in the channel grove, and removing the hard mask. The work function metal layer in the NMOS and PMOS regions can be independently controlled.
US09099337B2
An integrated circuit includes an NMOS and a PMOS disposed over a substrate. The NMOS transistor includes a first gate dielectric structure over the substrate, a first work function metallic layer over the first gate dielectric structure, a conductive layer over the first work function metallic layer, and a silicide layer over the conductive layer. The PMOS transistor includes a second gate dielectric structure over the substrate, and a second work function metallic layer over the first gate dielectric structure. The PMOS transistor is devoid of any silicide material on the second work function metallic layer.
US09099334B2
An improvement is achieved in the manufacturing yield of a semiconductor device including a plurality of field effect transistors having different characteristics over the same substrate. By combining anisotropic dry etching with isotropic wet etching or isotropic dry etching, three types of sidewalls having different sidewall lengths are formed. By reducing the number of anisotropic dry etching steps, in a third n-type MISFET region and a third p-type MISFET region where layout densities are high, it is possible to prevent a semiconductor substrate from being partially cut between n-type gate electrodes adjacent to each other, between the n-type gate electrode and a p-type gate electrode adjacent to each other, and the p-type gate electrodes adjacent to each other.
US09099330B2
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip operating at a first power supply voltage and a second semiconductor chip operating at a second power supply voltage lower than the first power supply voltage to supply the second power supply voltage to the first semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip includes an output circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, interconnected in series and turned on or off complementarily. The output circuit outputs a signal to a first external output terminal. The first semiconductor chip also includes a third transistor connected in series with the first and second transistors and having a gate electrode connected to a second output terminal.
US09099329B2
There is provided an In nanowire including a substrate, an indium thin film formed on the substrate, an insulating film formed on the indium thin film and having at least one through hole through formation of a pattern, and an In nanowire vertically protruded from the indium thin film through the at least one through hole.
US09099328B2
A complementary device including a gate electrode, a channel, a source electrode connected to the gate electrode and the channel, and a first drain electrode and a second drain electrode connected to the gate electrode and the channel is provided. The first/second drain electrode is formed so that, in accordance with a voltage applied to the gate electrode, electron spins injected into the source electrode are moved from the source electrode to the first/second drain electrode through the channel while rotating in a first/second direction. Directions of the electron spins that reach the first drain electrode and the second drain electrode are opposite to each other.
US09099326B2
Provided is a stack-type semiconductor package comprising a first semiconductor package with a first package substrate and a logic chip mounted thereon, a second semiconductor package including a second package substrate disposed on the first semiconductor package and first and second memory chips stacked on the second package substrate, and connection pads disposed between the first and second package substrates to connect the first and second semiconductor packages electrically to each other. The first package substrate has first and second edges that are substantially perpendicular to each other. The first package substrate may include first DQ connection pads electrically connected to the first memory chip, and second DQ connection pads electrically connected to the second memory chip. The first DQ connection pads may be arranged adjacent to the first edge and the second DQ connection pads may be arranged adjacent to the second edge.
US09099322B2
Process for manufacturing a semiconductor power device, wherein a trench is formed in a semiconductor body having a first conductivity type; the trench is annealed for shaping purpose; and the trench is filled with semiconductor material via epitaxial growth so as to obtain a first column having a second conductivity type. The epitaxial growth is performed by supplying a gas containing silicon and a gas containing dopant ions of the second conductivity type in presence of a halogenide gas and occurs with uniform distribution of the dopant ions. The flow of the gas containing dopant ions is varied according to a linear ramp during the epitaxial growth; in particular, in the case of selective growth of the semiconductor material in the presence of a hard mask, the flow decreases; in the case of non-selective growth, in the absence of hard mask, the flow increases.
US09099318B2
A semiconductor chip includes a substrate, a circuit formed over the substrate, a plurality of conductive pads formed over the substrate, and a plurality of bump structures each formed over a corresponding one of the plurality of conductive pads. The plurality of conductive pads includes a first conductive pad having a first pad width and a second conductive pad having a second pad width larger than the first pad width. The first conductive pad is electrically coupled to the circuit, and the second conductive pad is positioned at a corner region of the semiconductor chip and is free from being electrically coupled to the circuit. The first conductive pad is positioned closer to a geometric center of the semiconductor chip than the second conductive pad.
US09099317B2
A package includes a first plated area, a second plated area, a die attached to the first plated area, and a bond coupling the die to the second plated area. The package further includes a molding encapsulating the die, the bond, and the top surfaces of the first and second plated areas, such that the bottom surfaces of the first and second plated areas are exposed exterior to the package. Additional embodiments include a method of making the package.
US09099316B2
Within a cassette of a press pack module, a conductive shim is bonded to the backside of a device die by a layer of sintered metal. The die, sintered metal, and shim together form a sintered assembly. The cassette is compressed between a metal top plate member and a metal bottom plate member such that the backside of the assembly is pressed against the top plate member, and such that the frontside of the assembly is pressed against another shim. A central portion of the frontside surface of the die is contacted on the bottom by the other shim, but there is no shim contacting a peripheral portion of the frontside surface. Despite there being no shim in contact with the peripheral portion of the frontside surface, the peripheral portion is in good thermal contact with the top plate member through the sintered metal and the bonded conductive shim.
US09099313B2
An embedded package in which active elements, such as semiconductor chips, are embedded within a package substrate. The semiconductor chips, embedded within a dielectric layer, are coupled with circuit wires to ensure electrical and signal continuity. When connections between the semiconductor chip and the package substrate are performed in different directions, there is a reduction in overall interconnection area, connection reliability is improved, leakage currents are reduced, and higher device yields can be realized.
US09099311B2
A method for forming a double step surface on a semiconductor substrate includes, with an etching process used in a Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) process, forming a rough surface on a region of a semiconductor substrate. The method further includes, with an annealing process used in the MOCVD process, forming double stepped surface on the region of the semiconductor substrate.
US09099306B2
An integrated circuit (IC) device including an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection network for a high voltage application. The ESD protection network includes a common diode structure coupled between an external contact of the IC device and a substrate of the IC device, such that the common diode structure is forward biased towards the external contact, a Darlington transistor structure coupled between the external contact and the substrate of the IC device, and the Darlington transistor structure includes: an emitter node coupled to the external contact; a collector node coupled to the substrate; and a base node coupled between the emitter node of the Darlington transistor structure and the common diode structure. The at least one ESD protection network further comprises an isolation diode structure coupled between the emitter node and the base node of the Darlington transistor structure such that the isolation diode structure is forward biased towards the base node.
US09099298B2
A substrate cleaning device is capable of removing more diverse contaminants from substrates than ultra-low temperature aerosol ejection, while avoiding technical problems inherent to wet cleaning, such as micro-roughness, watermarks, loss of substrate material and destruction of the device structure. A substrate cleaning device for cleaning wafers to which cleaning target objects have adhered includes a cluster spraying unit which sprays the wafer with one or more types of clusters formed of cleaning preparation molecules agglomerated together, a suction unit which sucks the cleaning target objects separated by spraying the clusters of the cleaning agent molecules; and a unit for moving the wafer and the cluster spraying unit relative to the one another along the surface of the wafer W to which the cleaning target objects have adhered.
US09099290B2
Mass spectrometer collision/reaction cell multipole and method. The multipole may have first and second portions and an intermediate portion therebetween, the first and second portions operating at first and second q values lower than a third q value at the intermediate portion. A low-mass cut-off of the multipole may be controlled by varying a q value from a first to at least a second value. The multipole may have multipole electrodes disposed about a central axis and having a respective first portion, second portion, and intermediate portion therebetween which is radially closer to the central axis. This offers relatively high acceptance and ion transmission, while providing low-mass cut-off for removing undesired/interfering ions and helping reduce background count.
US09099288B2
Systems and methods are used to store an electronic record of all product ion spectra of all detectable compounds of a sample. A plurality of product ion scans are performed on a tandem mass spectrometer one or more times in a single sample analysis across a mass range using a plurality of mass selection windows. All sample product ion spectra of all detectable compounds for each mass selection window are produced. All sample product ion spectra for each mass selection window are received from the tandem mass spectrometer using a processor. All sample product ion spectra for each mass selection window are stored as an electronic record of all detectable compounds of the sample using the processor. The electronic record is used to characterize compounds known at the time the electronic record is stored or to characterize compounds that became known after the electronic record was stored.
US09099280B2
An X-ray tube is provided. The X-ray tube includes a cathode electrode which is disposed in one end of a vacuum container and includes an emitter emitting an electron; a gate electrode which is disposed in the vacuum container to be adjacent to the cathode electrode; an anode electrode which is disposed in the vacuum container of the other end of a direction in which the vacuum container extends and inclines with respect to the cathode electrode; and a focusing electrode which is disposed in the vacuum container along an inner circumference surface of the vacuum container between the gate electrode and the anode electrode. The focusing electrode has an opening of which a plan cross section has a maximum width and a minimum width different from each other.
US09099279B2
An x-ray tube for generating a sweeping x-ray beam. A cathode is disposed within a vacuum enclosure and emits a beam of electrons attracted toward an anode. The anode is adapted for rotation with respect to the vacuum enclosure about an axis of rotation. At least one collimator opening corotates with the anode within the vacuum enclosure, such that a swept x-ray beam is emitted.
US09099276B1
A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) apparatus that includes a scanning electron microscope, an x-ray detector, and an auxiliary acceleration voltage source. The scanning electron microscope includes a sample holder, and a layered electron beam column arranged to output an electron beam towards the sample holder at an initial beam energy. The auxiliary acceleration voltage source is to apply an auxiliary acceleration voltage between the sample holder and the layered electron beam column to accelerate the electron beam to a final beam energy. At the final beam energy, the electron beam is capable of generating x-rays at multiple wavelengths from a larger range of atomic species than the electron beam at the initial beam energy.
US09099265B2
A high-voltage disconnection knife insulated by air for external use in high-voltage electrical transmission and distribution networks, the disconnection knife includes two copper arms for the disconnection or contact, mounted in a parallel relation to each other, a front and rear contact base, a turning support in the vicinity of the rear base such that the arms turn at one of its ends about an axis perpendicular to them, a central copper block for distribution of the current flowing through the copper arms; the distance between the arms is defined by the set of stainless steel axes, the copper block and the turning mechanism. At the ends of the disconnection arms an aluminum spring of with transverse section of gradually reduced thickness is connected to the external surface, said spring being fixed to the ends of the arms by means of a pair of stainless steel axes. The front and rear L-shaped bases are formed by the bending of a copper sill with rounded edges to define an area of contact.
US09099257B2
The present invention relates to a moving element for a low voltage switching device and to a switching device comprising this moving element. The moving element according to the invention comprises for each pole a housing unit suitable to receive an elastic element which interacts with an electrical contact. This latter comprises a first contact portion susceptible to contact a further electrical contact and a second portion connectable to a conductive element of the switching device. The electrical contact comprises a pin shaped portion positioned rotating in a seat defined on the housing unit so as to configure a mutual rotation axis of the electrical contact with respect to the housing unit.
US09099251B2
The present invention relates to an energy storage apparatus capable of preventing performance degradation by reducing resistance during movement of charges between layers in a multilayer capacitor with very high capacity includes: a plurality of cathode layers for storing positive charges; a plurality of anode layers for storing negative charges; a plurality of separation layers for electrically separating the cathode layers and the anode layers; a cathode hole for introducing the positive charge into the cathode layer from the outside or discharging the positive charge from the cathode layer to the outside; an anode hole for introducing the negative charge into the anode layer from the outside or discharging the negative charge from the anode layer to the outside; a cathode conducting unit for moving the positive charge; and an anode conducting unit for moving the negative charge.
US09099248B2
A variable capacitor device is disclosed in which the capacitive tuning ratio and quality factor are increased to very high levels, and in which the capacitance value of the device is tuned and held to a desired value with a high level of accuracy and precision using a laser micromachining tuning process on suitably designed and fabricated capacitor devices. The tuning of the variable capacitor devices can be performed open-loop or closed-loop, depending on the precision of the eventual capacitor value needed or desired. Furthermore, the tuning to a pre-determined value can be performed before the variable capacitor device is connected to a circuit, or alternatively, the tuning to a desired value can be performed after the variable capacitor device has been connected into a circuit.
US09099245B2
A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic main body having internal and floating electrode layers laminated therein and spaced apart from each other; and external electrodes formed on ends of the ceramic main body and including a first layer including a conductive metal and a second layer formed on the first layer and including a conductive resin. When Tc is thickness of a cover layer, G is gap between internal electrodes, L1 is length from either end of the ceramic main body in a length direction thereof to an end of the first layer formed on the upper or lower surface of the ceramic main body, Te is thickness of the internal electrode, Td is distance between internal and floating electrode layers, Lm is length of a margin part of the floating electrode layer, and L is length of the ceramic main body, Tc≦80 μm, (1.5)Lm≦G≦(L−2Lm), and L1
US09099242B2
A laminated chip electronic component includes: a ceramic body including internal electrodes and dielectric layers; external electrodes formed to cover both end portions of the ceramic body in a length direction; an active layer in which the internal electrodes are disposed in an opposing manner, while having the dielectric layers interposed therebetween, to form capacitance; and upper and lower cover layers formed on upper and lower portions of the active layer in a thickness direction, the lower cover layer having a thickness greater than that of the upper cover layer.
US09099241B1
An enhanced energy storage device such as double layer capacitor or battery is made starting with a substrate capable of conducting stored energy. The substrate material is one in which ordered pores can be formed, creating a template of densely arrayed pores. An electrode comprised of high density carbon nanotubes within the template is grown from and oriented substantially perpendicular to the substrate to constitute an axi-symmetric, ultra-high surface area electrode, and then the template is then selectively and only partially etched. An electrolyte is structurally confined anisotropically around the nanotubes by a remaining portion of the selectively and partially etched template so that substantially enhanced energy storage is obtained. The optimal structural confinement, which causes optimal charge storage, depends upon the amount of partial etching of the template which is defined by the electrolyte selected.
US09099239B2
A contactless power supplying system, which excites a primary coil of a power supplying device to generate an induced electromotive force at a secondary coil of an appliance arranged on the device and supply the induced electromotive force to a load of the appliance, includes a metal foreign object detection device. The metal foreign object detection device includes an antenna coil, an oscillation circuit, and a detection circuit. The oscillation circuit includes a component having a design value that generates oscillation in a range of oscillation conditions from immediately after the oscillation circuit starts to generate oscillation to just before a stable and continuous oscillation condition. The detection circuit detects a suspension of the oscillation or an attenuation in amplitude of the oscillation based on a change in an electric characteristic of the antenna coil caused by a metal foreign object on the power supplying device.
US09099234B2
The present invention discloses a filter for removing noise, which includes: a lower magnetic body; an insulating layer provided on the lower magnetic body and including at least one conductor pattern; and an upper magnetic body including a primary ferrite composite provided on the insulating layer and a secondary ferrite composite provided on the primary ferrite composite to cover a pore formed on a surface of the primary ferrite composite, and a method of manufacturing the same.According to the present invention, it is possible to implement a filter for removing noise with high performance and characteristics by increasing magnetic permeability and improving impedance characteristics through simple structure and process.
US09099222B2
Methods of patterning films that enable visual identification of patterned films and the patterned regions on them, while still achieving minimally discernible optical differences between the patterned and unpatterned regions in devices incorporating the patterned films. Such methods can exhibit wide successful manufacturing operating windows and the patterned films are useful in electronic applications.
US09099221B2
A monomer for binding nano-metal, which is useful for the preparation of a conductor having increased conductivity with ensuring flexibility and transparency. Polymerization of the monomer for binding nano-metal provides a conductive polymer composite including a nano-metal rod. A method of preparing the conductive polymer composite is also provided.
US09099219B2
An oxide evaporation material according to the present invention includes a sintered body containing indium oxide as a main component thereof and cerium with a Ce/In atomic ratio of 0.001 to 0.110. The L* value in the CIE 1976 color space is 62 to 95. The oxide evaporation material with the L* value of 62 to 95 has an optimal oxygen amount. Accordingly, even when a small amount of an oxygen gas is introduced into a film-formation vacuum chamber, a transparent conducting film having a low resistance and a high transmittance in the visible to near-infrared region is formed by vacuum deposition methods. Since the amount of the oxygen gas introduced is small, the difference in composition between the film and the evaporation material is made small. This reduces the variations in composition and characteristics among films formed in large quantities.
US09099211B2
Disclosed herein is a prompt gamma-ray detection apparatus for analyzing chemical materials using femtosecond pulse laser-induced neutrons, which can be effectively used in the nondestructive inspection of various materials, such as metals, coal, cement, radioactive materials and the like as well as explosives and chemical materials, and which can provide better measurement results for the analysis of basic materials, and a method of measuring prompt gamma-rays using the apparatus. The prompt gamma-ray detection apparatus is advantageous because it can non-destructively analyze the elements in a chemical sample using a femtosecond pulse laser-induced neutron generator that solves the problems of an atomic reactor for research or a radioactive isotope as a neutron radiation source.
US09099209B2
A shielding device includes two elongated, parallel tubes joined at a distal portion, and a shield at least one of removably and slidably situated at the distal portion. An assembly includes an applicator configured for a treatment site, an assembly block attached to the applicator, at least one rotary unit configured to be rotatably received in the assembly block, and at least one shielding device that is configured to be movably received in a respective rotary unit. A method of using the shielding device with an applicator includes inserting the distal portion of the shielding device to a treatment site, and adjusting a position of the distal portion relative to a distal end of the applicator.
US09099206B2
According to an embodiment, a nuclear reactor monitoring device comprises: an ultrasonic wave transmission means which is installed on the outside surface of a reactor pressure vessel and transmits ultrasonic pulses to the interior of the reactor pressure vessel; an ultrasonic wave receiving means which is installed on the outside surface of the reactor pressure vessels and receives reflected pulses including ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic pulses reflected by an inspection object in the reactor pressure vessel; a preprocessing means which specifies and removes the reflected ultrasonic pulses generated in the wall of the reactor pressure vessel from the reflected pulse signal received by the ultrasonic wave receiving means or selectively extracts the reflected pulse signal; and a calculation means which determines the vibration of the inspection object from the reflection pulse signal processed by the preprocessing means in accordance with the observation time of the inspection object.
US09099199B2
A memory cell includes a first, second, and third columns of devices. The first column of devices includes a first pull-down transistor, a second pull-down transistor, a first switch, and a second switch. The second column of devices includes a third pull-down transistor, a fourth pull-down transistor, a third switch, and a fourth switch. The third column of devices includes a first pull-up transistor, and a second pull-up transistor. The first pull-up transistor, the first pull-down transistor, and the third pull-down transistor are connected as a first inverter, and the second pull-up transistor, the second pull-down transistor, and the fourth pull-down transistor are connected as a second inverter. The first inverter and the second inverter are cross-coupled. The first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch are coupled with output terminals of the first and second inverters.
US09099198B2
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a memory block to include memory cells to hold data; a precharge control unit to control precharging the memory cells; a row decoder to output a row selection signal identifying a row address of the memory cells; an integral circuit to integrate a signal level of the row selection signal for a same row address, and to have an integral characteristic where an integral value of the signal level becomes a predetermined value when the row selection signal for the same row address is consecutively output for a predetermined number of times; and a determination unit to determine whether the integral value of the integral circuit becomes the predetermined value or greater. The precharge control unit turns off precharging the memory cells when the integral value of the integral circuit becomes the predetermined value or greater.
US09099194B2
A memory component includes a memory core comprising dynamic random access memory (DRAM) storage cells and a first circuit to receive external commands. The external commands include a read command that specifies transmitting data accessed from the memory core. The memory component also includes a second circuit to transmit data onto an external bus in response to a read command and pattern register circuitry operable during calibration to provide at least a first data pattern and a second data pattern. During the calibration, a selected one of the first data pattern and the second data pattern is transmitted by the second circuit onto the external bus in response to a read command received during the calibration. Further, at least one of the first and second data patterns is written to the pattern register circuitry in response to a write command received during the calibration.
US09099178B2
This invention belongs to the technical field of memories and specifically relates to a resistive random access memory structure with an electric-field strengthened layer and a manufacturing method thereof. The resistive random access memory in the present invention can include a top electrode, a bottom electrode and a composite layer which is placed between the top electrode and the bottom electrode and have a first resistive switching layer and a second resistive switching and electric-field strengthened layer; the second resistive switching and electric-field strengthened layer cab be adjacent to the first resistive switching layer and have a dielectric constant lower than that of the first resistive switching layer. The electric-field distribution in the RRAM unit is adjustable.
US09099176B1
A resistive switching memory device can include a plurality of resistive memory cells, where each of the resistive memory cells includes: (i) a first diode having an anode coupled to a first word line and a cathode coupled to a common node; (ii) a second diode having an anode coupled to the common node and a cathode coupled to a second word line; and (iii) a resistive storage element having an anode coupled to a bit line and a cathode coupled to the common node, wherein the resistive memory cell is configured to be programmed to a low resistance state by application of a program voltage in a forward bias direction, and to be erased to a high resistance state by application of an erase voltage in a reverse bias direction.
US09099166B2
A memory module comprises a plurality of semiconductor memory devices each comprising a mode register set (MRS) circuit configured to generate an enable signal corresponding to an error mode of the semiconductor memory device in response to an MRS command received from a command decoder, and an address buffer configured to store a predetermined address signal, to receive an address signal and corresponding data from an external device, and to compare the address signal received with the predetermined address signal in response to the enable signal. As a consequence of determining that the address signal received from the external device is the same as the predetermined address signal stored in the address buffer, data different from the corresponding data received from the external device is written to a memory cell corresponding to the predetermined address signal.
US09099160B2
A disc drive system provides increased reliability by detecting and correcting errors associated with bit-patterned media. Write synchronization errors associated with bit-patterned media are addressed by including data storage for temporarily storing data that is being written to the disc drive. The data is read from both the disc drive and the storage medium and compared to detect write synchronization errors. A disc drive system for correcting write synchronization errors includes an encoder, non-volatile storage, and decoder device for implementing a parity-based scheme for increased reliability. Data strings being written to the disc drive are combined in an encoder to generate a parity string. The address of the data being written to the disc drive, along with the updated parity string is stored to the non-volatile storage. The data strings are read from the disc drive by the decoder. If uncorrectable errors are identified, the decoder employs the parity string in conjunction with the other data strings written to the disc drive to reconstruct the data string with uncorrectable errors.
US09099148B2
Systems and methods are described for providing a magnetic clutch to limit Z-directional motion of a mass (e.g., a carriage for transporting a robotic mechanism in context of a storage library). According to embodiments, the mass is suspended by cabling, and its Z-directional movement is controlled by a Z-drive assembly. The Z-drive assembly includes a drive gear made of a magnetic or conductive material, and the drive gear is in magnetic communication with a biasing magnet. Embodiments configured the biasing magnet with a particular magnetic moment and a position relative to the drive gear, so that the spinning of the drive gear induces magnetic currents that tend to counteract the motion of the gear. For example, in the event of power loss to the Z-drive assembly, magnetic clutching is used to limit or prevent motion of the mass under the force of gravity.
US09099140B2
In order to provide a thermal energy assisted medium capable of improving anti-sliding reliability over long periods of time in low flying head conditions, while also maintaining a high SNR, a unique medium is proposed. A soft magnetic layer is formed on a substrate, a soft magnetic layer is formed thereon via a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and an intermediate layer, a crystal oriented control intermediate layer, an artificial lattice intermediate layer having an artificial lattice film in which a first layer comprising Co and a second layer comprising Pt and Pd are laminated repeatedly to form a recording layer, and a cap layer and an lubricating layer are formed. The concentration of Pd comprising the second layer is from about 20 atomic % to about 40 atomic %. Other mediums and systems are also described.
US09099131B1
A novel suspension assembly includes a suspension assembly mounting plate, a microactuator mounting structure extending from the suspension assembly mounting plate, a load beam extending from the microactuator mounting structure, and a laminated flexure attached to the load beam. The laminated flexure includes a tongue that has a read head bonding surface. The suspension assembly includes a stainless steel surface having a gold coating, and a piezoelectric microactuator attached to the microactuator mounting structure and electrically connected to the gold coating.
US09099120B1
The embodiments generally relate to a read head in a magnetic recording head. The read head utilizes a sensor structure having a pinned magnetic structure with a magnetic field, a barrier layer disposed on top of the pinned magnetic structure, a free layer disposed on top of the barrier layer, and an interlayer coupling field canceling layer disposed on top of the free layer. The interlayer coupling field canceling layer has a cancelling magnetic field pinned anti-parallel the magnetic field of the pinned magnetic structure.
US09099119B2
A magnetic sensor utilizing the spin Hall effect to polarize electrons for use in measuring a magnetic field. The sensor eliminates the need for a pinned layer structure or antiferromagnetic layer (AFM layer), thereby reducing gap thickness for increased data density. The sensor includes a non-magnetic, electrically conductive layer that is configured to accumulate electrons predominantly of one spin at a side thereof when a current flows there-through. A magnetic free layer is located adjacent to the side of the non-magnetic, electrically conductive layer. A change in the direction of magnetization in the free layer relative to the orientation of the spin polarized electrons causes a change in voltage output of the sensor.
US09099116B2
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a magnetic device having a discontinuous array of columns disposed near a magnetic pole. Each column has a length extending perpendicular to an air bearing surface and a width. The length is greater than the width.
US09099111B2
The present invention generally relates to a HAMR head. An insulating layer isolates the NFT from the magnetic lip of the magnetic pole. A noble metal alloy diffusion barrier layer is present between the insulating layer and the magnetic lip to prevent diffusion from the insulating layer into the magnetic lip. The noble metal alloy has a melting point of greater than about 1065 degrees Celsius, and the noble metals may be selected from Au, Pt, Ir, Re and Ru. The alloying elements comprise less than 10 percent of the alloy. The alloying elements can include Rh, W, Mo, Ni, Pt, Co, B, Ru and combinations thereof. The diffusion barrier layer may surround the magnetic lip, may surround the insulating layer, or may simply be at the interface of the insulating layer and the magnetic lip.
US09099110B1
Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a magnetic write head. The magnetic write head includes a write pole, a shield and a first coil disposed around the write pole. The magnetic write head further includes a magnetic circuit and the magnetic circuit includes a loop of magnetic material and a second coil disposed around the loop of magnetic material. The magnetic circuit magnetically resets the shield to improve far track interference.
US09099102B2
Approaches to improving the signal-to-noise ratio in a microwave-assisted magnetic recording hard disk drive over the entire region from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of the disk, especially in the context of shingled magnetic recording, include a narrower side gap on the side opposing a spin torque oscillator offset direction than the side gap in the offset direction, thereby increasing the gradient of the recording magnetic field in the cross-track direction and reducing the track edge noise of the recording pattern. Embodiments include use of a side shield on the side opposing the offset direction that has a higher saturation magnetization than the side shield on the side in the offset direction, thereby further increasing the gradient of the recording magnetic field in the cross-track direction.
US09099099B2
System and method embodiments are provided for very short pitch detection and coding for speech or audio signals. The system and method include detecting whether there is a very short pitch lag in a speech or audio signal that is shorter than a conventional minimum pitch limitation using a combination of time domain and frequency domain pitch detection techniques. The pitch detection techniques include using pitch correlations in time domain and detecting a lack of low frequency energy in the speech or audio signal in frequency domain. The detected very short pitch lag is coded using a pitch range from a predetermined minimum very short pitch limitation that is smaller than the conventional minimum pitch limitation.
US09099095B2
An apparatus and a method thereof, processes a voice signal of a mobile terminal in a mobile communication system. The apparatus to process a received-voice signal received through a wireless channel in a mobile terminal includes a digital signal processing unit to generate an encoded packet and frame type information defining a characteristic of the encoded packet by performing voice encoding on an audible signal input from a microphone. The apparatus also includes a received-voice controlling unit to determine a noise level in consideration of the frame type information and a level of the audible signal, and to control at least one of a tone and a volume of a received voice by the determined noise level.
US09099092B2
Techniques disclosed herein include systems and methods for open-domain voice-enabled searching that is speaker sensitive. Techniques include using speech information, speaker information, and information associated with a spoken query to enhance open voice search results. This includes integrating a textual index with a voice index to support the entire search cycle. Given a voice query, the system can execute two matching processes simultaneously. This can include a text matching process based on the output of speech recognition, as well as a voice matching process based on characteristics of a caller or user voicing a query. Characteristics of the caller can include output of voice feature extraction and metadata about the call. The system clusters callers according to these characteristics. The system can use specific voice and text clusters to modify speech recognition results, as well as modifying search results.
US09099087B2
A method for producing speech recognition results on a device includes receiving first speech recognition results, obtaining a language model, wherein the language model represents information stored on the device, and using the first speech recognition results and the language model to generate second speech recognition results.
US09099080B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for providing targeted location-based communications. An exemplary apparatus is configured to receive an encoded signal, decode the encoded signal such that embedded data is retrieved, send the embedded data a remote server; and receive a message based at least partially on sending the embedded data. Another exemplary apparatus is configured to provide the encoded signal by receiving data input, receiving a host signal, embedding the data input within the host signal such that an encoded signal is generated, and transmitting the encoded signal. A third exemplary apparatus is configured to provide the targeted communications by storing one or more messages associated with an entity, receiving data, selecting at least one of the one or more messages based at least partially on the data received, and sending the at least one of the one or more messages selected.
US09099070B2
An electronic percussion instrument may include a percussion member that generates vibrations when percussed, a vibration resonance member, and a vibration damping member. The vibration resonance member may include a hub portion centrally located in the vibration resonance member, a plurality of radial portions extending radially from the hub portion, and a plurality of ring portions. Each of the radial portions may traverse through and connect at least some of the plurality of ring portions. Ring portions of the plurality of ring portions may be concentrically arranged with each ring portion adjacent to one another. The vibration damping member, disposed between and in direct contact with the percussion member and the vibration resonance member, may propagate the vibrations generated by the percussion member to the vibration resonance member.
US09099068B2
An optoelectronic pickup for a musical instrument includes at least one light source which directs light to impinge a sound generating element of the musical instrument in at least one photoreceiver located to detect the reflected light, so as to generate an electrical signal that is responsive to sound generating element movement.
US09099067B1
Inventive methods and apparatuses for causing one or more effects to be generated based on analysis of an audio signal are disclosed. The apparatuses may be electrically coupled to an audio signal, may analyze the audio signal to determine if a control cue is present in the audio signal, and direct the effects generated by one or more effect generating devices if a control cue is present.
US09099063B2
A stringed instrument work station and hanging system 10 includes a low profile cabinet 12 configured with a slide-out drawer 14 that is shaped to support a guitar or other type of stringed instrument when repairing, adjusting, or otherwise working on the instrument. The drawer includes longitudinal walls or rails for spanning between the drawer end walls (46) for not only holding tools and spare parts for the stringed instruments, but also for supporting the body portion of the stringed instrument when the instrument is positioned on the opened drawer. Various neck supports (78) and (80) are utilized with the drawer (14) for supporting the neck of the stringed instrument when being serviced. The neck supports (78) and (80) can be positioned at various locations across the drawer (14).
US09099061B1
The drum stand includes a stand main body, a drum support, and an attachment that attaches the drum support to the stand main body. The drum support is composed of a first arm and two second arms that open and close with respect to the first arm. The first and second arms all extend obliquely and linearly from near the upper end of a post toward a bottom surface of a snare drum.
US09099056B2
In displaying a map on a wireless communications device, a method is provided that resolves labelling of sharp curves. The method entails a determination of whether a curvature of a map element associated with the map feature exceeds a predetermined threshold (e.g. whether a rate of change in slope of a path or the change in angular orientation of each successive character in the label exceeds a threshold that is a function of zoom level. If the curvature exceeds the threshold, the label is rendered on the map in a new map location that avoids the map location where the curvature exceeds the threshold.
US09099055B2
A display driving device a driving unit, an output unit, and an output control unit. The driving unit includes a first buffer and a second buffer generating a first driving voltage and a second driving voltage, respectively. The output unit includes a first output pad and a second output pad to which voltages are respectively applied via first second data driving paths, respectively, and which output the voltages to outside. The output control unit includes a charge share path that connects the first output pad and the second output pad. Each of the first data driving path and the second data driving path includes a first electro-static discharge (ESD) protection element, and the charge share path includes a second ESD protection element that is disposed separately from the first data driving path and the second data driving path.
US09099051B2
A method, computer program product, and system that includes a virtual function module with an emulated display timing device, a first independent resource, and a second independent resource, where the first and second independent resources signal a physical function module that a new surface has been rendered, and where the physical function module signals the virtual function module via the emulated timing device and the first and second independent resources when the rendered new surface has been displayed, copied, used, or otherwise consumed.
US09099046B2
Dual modulator displays are disclosed incorporating a phosphorescent plate interposed in the optical path between a light source modulation layer and a display modulation layer. Spatially modulated light output from the light source modulation layer impinges on the phosphorescent plate and excites corresponding regions of the phosphorescent plate which in turn emit light having different spectral characteristics than the light output from the light source modulation layer. Light emitted from the phosphorescent plate is received and further modulated by the display modulation layer to provide the ultimate display output.
US09099045B2
Disclosed herein is a backlight apparatus for controlling a backlight wherein light emitting devices for emitting light of red, green and blue and a switching device for switching on or off light emission of the light emitting devices are provided for each of a plurality of divisional regions formed by division of a lighting region such that the light emission luminance can be varied for each of the regions, the backlight apparatus including: light emission luminance control means; current value storage means; and current control means.
US09099044B2
A driving apparatus for driving at least one first light emitting diode unit and a second light emitting diode unit includes a data transmitting unit and a driving unit. The data transmitting unit is used for receiving and storing driving data. The driving data includes first data corresponding to a first driving signal and second data corresponding to a second driving signal. The driving unit divides the first driving signal into a plurality of first sub-driving signals and the second driving signal into a plurality of second sub-driving signals, and then alternately outputs the first sub-driving signals and the second sub-driving signals to alternately drive the first light emitting diode unit and the second light emitting diode unit.
US09099043B2
A light source device including: a boost-type conversion unit configured to convert an input AC voltage into a DC voltage; a detection unit configured to detect a voltage value of the input AC voltage; and a control unit configured to control the brightness of a light source unit on the basis of an input image signal. The control unit changes the timing of brightness change of the light source unit according to a voltage value detected by the detection unit.
US09099039B2
An organic electro luminescence display device includes a display panel including a plurality of pixels arranged at intersections of m columns and n rows, a data driver unit configured to generate data signals and to provide the data signals to the pixels, and a gate driver unit configured to generate a first luminescence control signal, a second luminescence control signal, and scan signals, wherein the scan signals are sequentially provided to the pixels by a row unit, the first luminescence control signal is provided to the pixels via the left-most side of the pixels of the display panel, and the second luminescence control signal is provided to the pixels via the right-most side of the pixels of the display panel.
US09099032B2
Disclosed herein is a light-emitting panel including: an organic electroluminescence element adapted to emit electroluminescence light toward a transparent substrate; a pixel circuit formed on the transparent substrate and adapted to drive the organic electroluminescence element; a color filter formed not only between the transparent substrate and organic electroluminescence element but also immediately on or above the pixel circuit; and a conductive layer formed between the pixel circuit and color filter, the conductive layer being more conductive than the color filter.
US09099029B2
A control circuit for driving a display panel is disclosed. The control circuit includes a timing controller, outputting a timing control signal; and a driving module, electrically coupled to the timing controller and the display panel for driving the display panel in response to the timing control signal, and the timing controller is switchable to a modifying state according to a driving condition of the driving module. A control method for driving a display panel is also disclosed.
US09099028B2
Systems and methods may provide for determining a mode of operation associated with a Red, Green, Blue, White (RGBW) display and controlling a yellow-to-white (Y/W) luminance ratio of the RGBW display based on the mode of operation. In one example, the Y/W luminance ratio is decreased if the RGBW display is in a low power mode and increased if the RGBW display is in a high color fidelity mode.
US09099027B2
A display panel driving device has a signal line driver. The signal line driver applies a pixel driving voltage based on an input image signal to each signal line of a display panel at a timing corresponding to a clock signal. The signal line driver is divided into a plurality of driver chips connected in cascade by the clock line. The display panel driving device supplies a clock signal through the driver chips. The duty ratio of the clock signal is stabilized when the clock signal passes through the driver chips, without leading to an increase in power consumption and in manufacturing costs.
US09099025B2
A plurality of data signals to be supplied to a first pixel and a second pixel formed by a first sub-pixel, two second sub-pixels, and two third sub-pixels on the display panel are rendered. Input data corresponding to a first sampling window with respect to the second sub-pixel of the first pixel among the input data applied to the stripe pattern is used to render a second data signal supplied to the second sub-pixel through filtering sampled input data for a color of the second sub-pixel. The first data signal to be supplied to the first sub-pixel is rendered through filtering of the input data of a second window unit for a color of the first sub-pixel with respect to the first sub-pixel of the first pixel among the sampled input data.
US09099023B2
A display driver circuit, including a source driver configured to drive source lines of a display panel, and a timing controller configured to transfer image data to the source driver and to control the source driver such that the transferred image data is displayed via the display panel, the timing controller also being configured to transfer to the source driver a control signal and a test pattern, which are used to test a bit error rate, and the source driver being configured to test the bit error rate of the transferred test pattern in response to the transferred control signal.
US09099018B2
Disclosed is a backlight unit. The backlight unit includes a light source, and a cover bottom internally accommodating the light source. Here, the cover bottom is divided into re-numbered (n>1) sub-cover bottoms, and a coupling unit for mutually fixing and coupling the divided cover bottoms is formed at ends of each of the cover bottoms facing each other.
US09099017B1
An apparatus for dropping multiple objects into a visual field to create imagery including hollow ducts for conveying the objects to the visual field and computer-controlled gating devices for releasing the objects at desire times and sequences to produce the imagery.
US09099015B2
A procedure for pre-operating assessment of one or more anatomical structures generated from medical images and provided in a rendered 3D space, and an imaging system, apparatus, and computer program, that operate in accordance with the procedure. The procedure comprises providing one or more safety margin indicators in the rendered 3D space, each having a shape corresponding to that of a respective one of the anatomical structures within an organ and having a predetermined size of safety margin from the respective one of the anatomical structures. The procedure also comprises manipulating at least one of the shape and predetermined size of safety margin of at least one of the safety margin indicators in the rendered 3D space, and immediately providing a rendering in the 3D space of a manipulated version of the at least one safety margin indicator. Also provided is a procedure for defining at least one cutting surface to resect one or more medical anatomical structures using an imaging system.
US09099013B2
The present invention relates to a method for representing musical scales by means of tiles, including pentatonic scales (arbitrary scales with five notes per octave), heptatonic scales (arbitrary scales with seven notes per octave). Major blues and Minor blues scales (specific scales with six notes per octave), and to an electronic musical device with an interface that uses this representation. More specifically, the device uses a multi-touch interface with or without strings which allows the musician to concentrate on the melodic line only, making it easier to improvise and perform music composed in one of said scales. The representation differs from the traditional interfaces on string instruments (such as a guitar) in that only the notes of a given scale (with five, six or seven notes per octave) can be played.
US09099008B2
A motion platform for use with a video simulation system is described. The platform is configured to provide simultaneous roll-axis and yaw-axis motion about a pivot point for simulating a aircraft environment. Additionally, the motion platform is configured to achieve motion using a single linear actuator, and thus is provided at a significantly reduced cost compared to conventional motion platforms. Other benefits of the motion platform include improved power efficiency, reduced weight for increased portability, and reduced maintenance due to only one linear actuator driving the system.
US09099002B2
A vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, has a device for influencing the attention of the driver. The vehicle includes a display unit for displaying information content. The vehicle includes a central operating panel associated with the display unit. The vehicle includes a system for detecting a danger in traffic. The vehicle includes a system for issuing a warning regarding a detected danger, and the vehicle further includes a computing unit. The computing unit ascertains a viewing probability of the driver looking in the direction of the display unit during an operating sequence and at a viewing point in time. The computing unit takes the interaction of the driver with the vehicle into consideration for ascertaining the viewing probability. The warning is issued as a function of the ascertained viewing probability.
US09098995B2
A delay of a scheduled transport which runs along a route according to a timetable is determined The route comprises at least one leg. Determining the delay is based on a detailed reference schedule indicating arbitrary time-stamped reference positions of a transport that is on time. A request is received for the transport's delay by a user device located on the transport. The request indicates at least the current position of the transport. The transport's delay is calculated on the basis of the current position indicated in the request, a time-stamp and the corresponding time-stamped reference position of the detailed reference schedule. The calculated delay is returned to the user device. The calculated delay is stored into a logbook. In response to a request not indicating the current position of the transport, the delay is returned on the basis of the logbook.
US09098994B2
An electric meter (EM) network system, an EM node and a broadcasting method thereof are provided. The EM node, which is electrically connected to a power supply loop, stores a layer number and a total layer number. When the power supply loop recovers from a power disconnect condition to a power supplying condition, the EM node obtains a waiting time according to a difference value between the layer number and the total layer number, and broadcasts a route message after the waiting time.
US09098992B2
The electronic apparatus includes a submergence detector for detecting submergence of the electronic apparatus in the water and retrieval thereof, a light-emitting device provided within an enclosure of the electronic apparatus, an illumination circuit for lighting the light-emitting device when an illumination signal is input, a controller for causing the light-emitting device to blink by generating the illumination signal at prescribed blinking intervals at least during a period from a point of submergence to a point of retrieval of the electronic apparatus and inputting the illumination signal to the illumination circuit, and a power control circuit for activating the controller by supplying electric power thereto if the electric power is not supplied to the controller when the submergence detector detects submergence.
US09098991B2
In one aspect of the disclosed implementations, a device includes one or more motion sensors for sensing motion of the device and providing activity data indicative of the sensed motion. The device also includes one or more feedback devices for providing feedback, a notice, or an indication to a user based on the monitoring. The device also includes one or more processors for monitoring the activity data, for determining one or more activity metrics based on the activity data, and for causing one or more of the feedback devices to produce an indication to the user that an activity goal has been achieved by the user based on one or more of the activity metrics. The device further includes a portable housing that encloses at least portions of the motion sensors, the processors and the feedback devices.
US09098986B2
An indicator light interpretation device and method for indicator lights of an electronic device are provided. The indicator light interpretation device in one example embodiment includes a storage system configured to store one or more device images of an electronic device and a processing system coupled to the storage system, with the processing system configured to process the one or more device images, with the one or more device images including one or more indicator lights, identify the electronic device from the one or more device images, identify one or more indicator lights in the one or more device images, and generate indicated information for the electronic device from the one or more indicator lights.
US09098976B2
Disclosed herein is a game played on a gaming device that displays a randomly selected array of symbols, where the symbols across one or more paylines are evaluated by circuitry to determine an award to be granted. A trigger event, such as the occurrence of a certain plurality of special symbols, initiates a series of free games. The number of free games and an award multiplier associated with each free game are dependent on the particular type of special symbols making up the trigger event.
US09098975B2
Portable wagering media may be utilized to alter play of wagering games.
US09098971B2
The gaming system that includes a server, a Class II gaming machine communicatively coupled to the server, and a processor. The processor is programmed to, upon an input of a wager by a player operating the Class II gaming machine, provide a bingo based game on the Class II gaming machine, the bingo based game including gaming content that includes at least one bingo game card, determine that a triggering event has occurred during play of the bingo based game, and based on the triggering event, providing the player with at least one free bingo card in a bingo based bonus game.
US09098970B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive operational power from a primary power supply at a processor housed within a wagering game machine, where the processor is operable to present a wagering game. Further activities may include determining that the wagering game machine is currently in a hibernation state, authenticating at least one hibernation file, and resuming operation of the wagering game machine to a base operation state defined by the at least one hibernation file. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US09098965B2
In a first aspect, a method is provided that includes the steps of (1) providing an auxiliary unit adapted to allow a gaming machine to be retrofitted to provide communications services; and (2) retrofitting a non-communications-enabled gaming machine with the auxiliary unit so that the non-communications enabled gaming machine is adapted to provide communications services based on game play at the non-communications-enabled gaming machine. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US09098960B1
After loss of communications between a cash handling device and a financial institution, transactions may continue to be processed. In one configuration, the transactions may be processed up to a predefined transaction limit. Transaction limits may be defined by a number of transactions, a dollar amount transacted or to be transacted, an amount of time and/or combinations thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the transaction limit may be specific to one or more types of transactions. Transaction data may be stored in memory until communication has been re-established, at which time the data may be transmitted to the financial institution for processing.
US09098958B2
A method and apparatus for providing mobile commerce, electronic commerce, customer care and communication services via a plurality of networks, including receiving in a roaming network from a user device, an identification number and a request for a service, forwarding from the roaming network, to a home network, the identification number, the request for the service, and adding a service provider identification number that relates to a service provider and a cost or rate of the service, if the service is to be charged, verifying, by a convergent communication platform located on the home network, that the identification number relates to a valid user account, that the user device is authorized to receive the service and that the valid user account has sufficient value to pay for the service, providing an authorization to the service provider, if the identification number relates to the valid user account, the user device is authorized to receive the service and the valid user account has sufficient value, if the service is to be charged and charging the valid user account on a real time basis, if necessary, for providing the service, if the service is to be charged.
US09098957B1
A method of controlling a wireless hotspot at a vehicle includes receiving one or more Wi-Fi control variables along with a vehicle identity at a central facility; authenticating the received Wi-Fi control variables at the central facility using the vehicle identity; establishing a cellular connection between the central facility and a vehicle providing the Wi-Fi hotspot identified by the transmitted vehicle identity; and transmitting a command to change the Wi-Fi control variables from the central facility to the vehicle when the Wi-Fi control variables have been authenticated.
US09098954B1
A self-contained portable unit with an integral access control and tracking system, which provides a portable, unmanned, entry and access control system. The system for logging tagged assets while simultaneously allowing or denying access to a perimeter area and egress from a perimeter area of vehicular, human and animal traffic. The system monitors and/or records radio frequency identification tagged assets and stops assets with radio frequency identification tags from entering a site unless a login/logout device is used with libraries of login information. The system can generate on-site audible and visual alarms and generate reports on asset movement and non-asset non-tagged movement.
US09098946B2
An image processing apparatus includes an estimating unit and a hiding unit. The estimating unit extracts a subject specifying mark image corresponding to a specifying mark from a recording area image corresponding to a recording area in which an image is recorded, plural predetermined types of specifying marks having predetermined attributes different from an attribute of the image of the recording area and being used for specifying a region within the recording area by using different specifying methods, at least one of the plural predetermined types of specifying marks being recorded in the recording area. The estimating unit estimates the type of specifying mark corresponding to the extracted subject specifying mark image. The hiding unit hides the region specified by the type of specifying mark estimated by the estimating unit by using a hiding method which is uniquely determined for the estimated type of specifying mark.
US09098945B2
Described is a search technology in which spatially varying anisotropic reflectance is modeled using image data captured from a single view. Reflectance at each point is represented using a microfacet-based Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF). Modeling processes the image data, which provides a partial normal distribution function (NDF) for each surface point. The NDF at each selected point is completed by texture synthesis using similar, overlapping partial NDFs from other points. Also described is a scanning device that illuminates a sample surface from a two-dimensional set of light directions using a linear array of LEDs moved over a flat sample.
US09098941B2
In some embodiments, a method includes selecting a first and a second predetermined number of points of graphical data; determining an initial distance between each of the first predetermined number of points, generating a fast approximate distance oracle comprising identifiers of points and oracle distances between at least one point and another point, determining a graphical distance for each of the second predetermined number of points relative to other points of the first and second predetermined number of points, calculating a potential error between the determined graphical distance and a topologic distance between each of the second predetermined number of points, approximating a correction for at least one of the second predetermined number of points, adjusting a position of the at least one of the second predetermined number of points, and displaying the at least one of the second predetermined number of points.
US09098940B2
The present application discloses a method, apparatus and system for processing graphic objects in a flow diagram. Said method comprises obtaining a flow diagram and execution stage information generated when executing said flow diagram; obtaining a layout policy, wherein said layout policy at least designates the conditions for determining a primary path in the flow diagram using the execution stage information; determining the primary path using the execution stage information based on the layout policy; and displaying prominently said primary path during displaying said flow diagram. Owing to the present invention, the elements, such as a primary path, in a diagram in which a user takes interest can be found by the user easily to facilitate the user to understand the diagram. Furthermore, the diagram automatically arranged using the present invention is usually clear enough so that it is almost not required to be manually adjusted by the user.
US09098939B2
A method and system for generating light maps for use with an out the window, or a night vision goggles display utilizes inputs from a variety of different geographical and structural data sources. These data sources are then used to determine the locations of structures, roads, and areas of interest within a selected land area. Realistic light maps can then be created quickly and automatically.
US09098934B2
The embodiment discloses an improved Augmented Reality Multi Marker Positioning system that detects the distance and relative position of each marker, correlates the detected multiple markers and dynamically renders different objects for a single marker.
US09098931B2
Apparatus (20) for mapping includes an illumination module (30), which includes a radiation source (32), which is configured to emit a beam of radiation. A scanner (34) receives and scans the beam over a selected angular range. Illumination optics (35) project the scanned beam so as to create a pattern of spots extending over a region of interest. An imaging module (38) captures an image of the pattern that is projected onto an object (28) in the region of interest. A processor (46) processes the age in order to construct a three-dimensional (3D) map of the object.
US09098930B2
Embodiments of methods and systems for stereo-aware image editing are described. A three-dimensional model of a stereo scene is built from one or more input images. Camera parameters for the input images are computed. The three-dimensional model is modified. In some embodiments, the modifying the three-dimensional model includes modifying one or more of the images and applying results of the modifying one or more of the images to corresponding model vertices. The scene is re-rendered from the camera parameters to produce an edited stereo pair that is consistent with the three-dimensional model.
US09098924B2
One embodiment sets forth a method for associating each stencil value included in a stencil buffer with multiple fragments. Components within a graphics processing pipeline use a set of stencil masks to partition the bits of each stencil value. Each stencil mask selects a different subset of bits, and each fragment is strategically associated with both a stencil value and a stencil mask. Before performing stencil actions associated with a fragment, the raster operations unit performs stencil mask operations on the operands. No fragments are associated with both the same stencil mask and the same stencil value. Consequently, no fragments are associated with the same stencil bits included in the stencil buffer. Advantageously, by reducing the number of stencil bits associated with each fragment, certain classes of software applications may reduce the wasted memory associated with stencil buffers in which each stencil value is associated with a single fragment.
US09098922B2
Special blend operations (referred to as “image seam-matching”) are described that keep the pixel values in the two images being blended the same along their transition border or seam, and smoothly increases/decreases pixel values on either side of the seam through the images' transition band (an area around the seam in which image blend operations are constrained). Image seam-matching provides many of the benefits of gradient blending (e.g., the avoidance of ghosting), without the associated computational overhead. This makes image seam-matching a particularly useful approach for real-time image processing such as during the real-time generation of wide area-of-view images. In situations where image seam-matching may be inappropriate, such as when the images being blended include long objects that span an entire overlap region(s), a mechanism is described which allows the selection of either, or both, seam-matching and cross-fading blend operations in a graceful or smooth manner.
US09098909B2
A three-dimensional distance measurement apparatus comprising: a distance information calculation unit configured to calculate distance information of a measurement object based on a captured image of the measurement object on which pattern light is projected; and a local pattern setting unit configured to adaptively set a spatial resolution of measurement points of the pattern light for each local region, wherein the local pattern setting unit sets the spatial resolution of the measurement points of the pattern light based on information about an arithmetic amount of the distance information calculation unit.
US09098901B2
A device and a method process data derivable from remotely detected electromagnetic radiation emitted or reflected by a subject, which data includes physiological information. An input signal is received and indicative entities thereof are transmitted. The indicative entities are indicative of physiological information representative of at least one vital parameter in a subject of interest. The indicative entities are detected under consideration of at least one defined descriptive model describing a relation between physical skin appearance characteristics and a corresponding representation in the input signal such that non-indicative side information represented by non-indicative entities in the input signal is substantially undetectable in a resulting transmitted signal. The at least one vital parameter is detected from the transmitted signal including the indicative entities under consideration of detected skin color properties representing circulatory activity.
US09098900B2
A pill identification system includes a device which is configured to collect three-dimensional image data of surfaces of one or more pills, generate geometric features of the pill(s) from the three-dimensional image data, and identify the pill(s) using the geometric features. In some embodiments, the identified pills can be verified for patient administration by comparing the identified pills to prescription information.
US09098886B2
According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a chroma calculation unit, a lightness calculation unit, a glossiness calculation unit, and a correction unit. The chroma calculation unit is configured to calculate a chroma of each pixel of an image to be processed. The lightness calculation unit is configured to calculate a lightness of each pixel of the image. The glossiness calculation unit is configured to estimate a glossiness of each pixel of the image, based on the chroma and the lightness. The correction unit is configured to correct each pixel of the image so that a correction amount of a pixel is larger when the glossiness of the pixel is higher.
US09098877B2
A method for displaying a matrix of correlations or other statistical measures of co-movement associated with a plurality of financial instruments, portfolios, indices, or asset classes is disclosed. The method includes: converting the matrix of correlations or other co-movement measures into a probability transition matrix; defining a corresponding abstract distance measurement between any two of the plurality of financial instruments, portfolios, indices, or asset classes based on the probability transition matrix; assigning coordinates in a Euclidean space to each of the plurality of financial instruments, portfolios, indices, or asset classes, wherein a Euclidean distance between any two financial instruments, portfolios, indices, or asset classes in the Euclidean space corresponds to the corresponding abstract distance measurement; and displaying on a display device the plurality of financial instruments, portfolios, indices, or asset classes based on more significant dimensions of the Euclidean space.
US09098868B1
A system and method for coordinating advertisements on multiple playback devices during playback of heterogeneous content are provided. In general, a virtual group of playback devices or users of the playback devices is formed and managed by a virtual group (VG) control function. In operation, the VG control function operates to coordinate advertisement slots in heterogeneous content being played by the playback devices and provide targeted advertisements to the playback devices for insertion into the coordinated advertisement slots. The targeted advertisements may be, for example, targeted advertisements for each user or playback device, targeted advertisements for subsets of the users or playback devices in the virtual group, targeted advertisements for the virtual group, targeted complementary advertisements for subsets of users or playback devices in the virtual group, or targeted complementary advertisements for the virtual group.
US09098867B2
A method that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, the steps of transmitting media content to a group of set top boxes for presentation with an overlay superimposed onto the media content, receiving a first comment from a first set top box of the group of set top boxes where the first comment is presentable with the overlay and the media content by the group of set top boxes, determining a first advertisement based on the first comment, and transmitting the first advertisement to the first set top box for presentation with the overlay and the media content. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09098865B2
Systems and methods for near-field communications with a mobile device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for near-field communication may comprise: detecting, by a source device located at a point-of-sale, the proximity of a receiving device; encoding purchase data on an audio signal with one or more ultrasonic frequencies; and transmitting the encoded purchase data to the receiving device, wherein the encoded purchase data is transmitted using a speaker of the source device.
US09098864B2
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for executing game operations. One method includes an operation for receiving a request from a player to acquire a first game asset to be utilized in the game, the first game asset being associated with a token usable in the real world outside the game. After assigning the first game asset to the player in the game, the player is rewarded in the game with a second asset in response to the request. Further, the method includes an operation for detecting a commercial operation executed outside the game by the player with the token, and the player is rewarded in the game with a third asset in response to the detecting.
US09098862B2
Providers of goods and services may desire human input regarding the products that they offer. A vocal query service provides a mechanism to present queries to human respondents. A human respondent may be presented with information and subsequently queried as to their opinion. The respondents receiving the query may be selected based upon profiles containing demographic information, interest information, desired contact time, and the like. Prospective respondents may be contacted via a personal telephone at a time of their choosing and may choose whether or not to respond. During the query, should a respondent require assistance, the respondent may be contact a customer service agent. Query respondents may be motivated to participate, as the query is designed to appeal to respondent's interest and is presented at a convenient time. The query service may also increase the customer service agents to expand the query to additional human respondents in near-real time.
US09098853B2
A system and method of determining whether to make an item listing visible to a user are disclosed. A user is enabled to navigate an e-commerce site. A returns frequency index is calculated for the user based on the user's transaction history. The user's transaction history includes the user's history of item returns. It is determined whether or not to make an item listing visible to the user on the e-commerce site based on the returns frequency index for the user. In some embodiments, the returns frequency index is calculated using the mathematical expression (VRet/NRet)/(VPurch/NPurch), wherein VRet is a total value of items returned by the user, NRet is a total number of items returned by the user, VPurch is a total value of items purchased by the user, and NPurch is a total number of items purchased by the user.
US09098851B2
A predetermined amount, which may, in general, be zero, less than, the same as, or greater than a (yet-to-be-determined) final transaction amount, is charged upon first presentation of a payment device to a merchant. A final transaction amount is calculated, preferably at a central server, subsequent to the first presentation. A variable adjustment value is calculated, preferably at the central server, by comparing the predetermined amount already charged with the final transaction amount. A new predetermined amount charged, upon a subsequent presentation of the payment device, is modified by the variable adjustment value.
US09098845B2
The process encompasses the communication between trade system accessible over GUI of the mobile communication device (4), when after the item being purchased is selected, the acquirer's (12) identification is loaded from the removable memory card (1). The acquirer's (12) identification is sent to the trade system's (2) headquarters, where after it is approved, the transaction payment parameters are created and these enter the removable memory card (1) as an initiator of the payment terminal application. The payment terminal application runs on the removable memory card (1) and it creates a payment cryptogram. This one is sent into the trade system's (2) headquarters, where it can be handled as a common cryptogram of usual POS terminals. The process can encompass even a preparation and pre-preparation phase, thanks to which corresponding applications of individual participants of the system are installed, configured and activated. The online payment can preferably realize even the reset of the counter on the payment device.
US09098843B2
One embodiment of the invention is directed to a system comprising a database and a server computer coupled to the database, wherein the server computer comprises a processor and a computer-readable storage medium coupled to the processor, the computer readable storage medium comprising code executable by the processor for implementing a method comprising: receiving transit transaction data, determining a hotel based on the transit transaction data, and sending the transit transaction data to the hotel, wherein the hotel places a transit charge based on the transit transaction data onto a hotel folio. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method, the method comprising receiving transit transaction data, determining a hotel based on the transit transaction data, and sending the transit transaction data to the hotel, wherein the hotel places a transit charge based on the transit transaction data onto a hotel folio.
US09098837B2
Methods and systems are provided for presenting a plurality of shared calendars in a single electronic display frame or window where each of the plurality of shared calendars is displayed in a common view mode relative to other displayed shared calendars. Users may select one or more shared calendars to be displayed in the same display frame or window as their own calendar. Upon selection of a shared calendar to be displayed alongside a first calendar, an aggregate view object is called to control and coordinate all shared calendars selected for display in the common window or frame. The aggregate view object determines the view data object, including view mode (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly) and other calendar display settings of the first or active calendar displayed in the common view of shared calendars.
US09098832B1
A system and method for recording a photo chat session are provided. In one embodiment, an online photo album is hosted by a peer node in a peer-to-peer (P2P) photosharing system, and a photo chat session is established between an owner at the peer node and a guest viewing the online photo album at a guest node. At the end of the photo chat session, either the owner or the guest requests that the photo chat session be saved. In response, the peer node generates a chat history including a slideshow for each shared image recreating a portion of the photo chat session related to the shared image. In another embodiment, an online photo album is hosted by a central node in a centrally hosted photosharing system, wherein the central node generates the chat history in response to a request from either the owner or the guest.
US09098828B2
Techniques are provided that allow users to collaborate in relationship to data views, application displays, applications or events. A user can type in a text view related to a specific view in an application display, and the information is shared with other users that take part in sharing that view. A user that expresses an interest in an event is notified about the event and has the capability to interact, in relation to the event, with other users (e.g. by text). The particular form of interaction (and sharing) can be selectively specified. This interaction is comparable to a dynamic bulletin board where the subject is event driven, and where a user can specify who are allowed to participate. In the case of an event interest(s), users specify their interest (e.g. in other user application events or system events) and the system automatically alerts them to the occurrence of the event.
US09098827B2
A chat room system interfaces with an automated processing system. When an interactive query message from a user is addressed to the automated processing system, the interactive query message is passed to the automated processing system. The automated processing system extracts one or more keywords from the interactive query message and obtains response information from a data structure based on the one or more keywords. The automated processing system then returns an interactive response to the user through instant messaging. When the interactive query message is not addressed to the automated processing system, the interactive query message is forwarded to a support group through a chat room system. When the interactive response exceeds a predetermined size, part of the interactive response may be sent through instant messaging and the remainder through e-mail.
US09098814B2
An automatic live publisher event system and method interact with multiple travel reservation systems and social network applications, and instantaneously publishes a user's travel-related information in real-time upon the occurrence of an event regardless of whether the user is connected to the system. The system may parse information from reservations so that users do not have to manually enter information in the system to send to members of their social networks. The system may include an event journal repository, an event parser module, a media manager module, a publisher module and a GPS manager module, which are integrated with each other, and which may interface with a reservation system. The system facilitates the customization of content and communications media of a user's travel-related information associated with an event that is published and shared with multiple users via multiple communications media concurrently.
US09098806B2
A method, machine readable storage medium, and system for providing personalized semantic controls for semantic systems. A semantic network may be set up with initial configuration. A business application user interface, including semantic controls, may be coupled to the semantic network to interact with the semantic network. Semantic objects and relations may be defined in the semantic network for business terminology. A user request for business data may be received. The semantic network may update the objects and relations for business terminology based on the request. The business application user interface may provide for personalized semantic controls based on the updated objects and relations.
US09098799B2
Business processes are implemented using a collection component for storing system knowledge comprising usage history and user input relative to activities within community of users, where the system knowledge comprises at least a folksonomy. At least one of a user client component interacts with the data collection component to enable a corresponding user to contribute user-derived information to the folksonomy and a monitoring component monitors activities associated with the community of users and interacts with the data collection component to contribute usage information to the system knowledge. Still further, a composition design application interacts with a user to build and/or modify processes built using services, wherein the composition design application recommends candidate services that can implement aspects of the business processes based upon information derived from the system knowledge.
US09098789B2
An electronic device (200) includes a single antenna (211), a communication circuit (202), and a RFID circuit (207). A switch (212) selectively couples the single antenna to one of the communication circuit or the RFID circuit. For example, the RFID circuit can be coupled to the single antenna when the electronic device is OFF, and the communication circuit can be coupled to the single antenna when the electronic device is ON. Accordingly, RFID information can be received from an RFID communication device when the electronic device is OFF. When the electronic device is ON, an interrupt can cause the switch to connect the RFID circuit to the single antenna, sometimes only for less than a predetermined duration.
US09098788B2
A method for setting the clock frequency of a processing unit of an electromagnetic transponder, wherein a ratio between data, representative of a voltage across an oscillating circuit of the transponder and obtained for two values of the resistive load, is compared with one to decide whether to increase or decrease the clock frequency of the processing unit.
US09098778B2
To prevent a user from their confusion when a cover mounted on a case is opened, when a cover mounted on a case is opened, in a case that a condition of an inkjet printer is a detection state that performs detection of an ink remaining amount by an ink sensor, a cover open error is outputted to a display part. On the other hand, in a case that the condition of the inkjet printer is not a detection state, the cover open error is not outputted to the display part.
US09098777B2
A method, system, and computer program product for evaluating digital images of handwritten documents comprising handwritten symbols are disclosed. A set of symbols from the digital image is determined by applying a first predefined technique. If the set of symbols determined by applying the first predefined technique does not match with a predefined set of symbols, a second predefined technique is applied to determine the set of symbols from the digital image. Thereafter, an evaluation report is created based on the determining by applying the first predefined technique or the determining by applying the second predefined technique.
US09098773B2
A system and method of detecting one or more objects in a three-dimensional point cloud scene are provided. The method includes receiving a three-dimensional point cloud scene, the three-dimensional point cloud scene comprising a plurality of points; classifying at least a portion of the plurality of points in the three-dimensional point cloud into two or more categories by applying a classifying-oriented three-dimensional local descriptor and learning-based classifier; extracting from the three-dimensional point cloud scene one or more clusters of points utilizing the two or more categories by applying at least one of segmenting and clustering; and matching the extracted clusters with objects within a library by applying a matching-oriented three-dimensional local descriptor.
US09098770B2
An image processing device for recognizing an object corresponding to a registered image registered beforehand from an imaged image, comprising: an obtaining unit configured to obtain the imaged image; a recognizing unit configured to recognize an object corresponding to the registered image from the imaged image; and a detecting unit configured to detect, based on a registered image corresponding to an object recognized from the imaged image thereof, an area where another object is overlapped with the object corresponding to the registered image thereof.
US09098764B2
Barcode decoding bypassing binarization is provided which relies on deformable templates to makes use of all the gray level information of each pixel in the barcode image. Parameterization of the deformable templates allow for efficiently performing maximum likelihood estimation independently on each barcode digit and enforcing spatial coherence across the barcode digits.
US09098757B2
A semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of dies. Each of the plurality of dies includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag circuit and a coil. The RFID tag circuit includes a tag core, an RF front-end circuit, an ID decoder, a comparator and conductive line for a unique ID. The RF front-end circuit is configured to receive electromagnetic signals through the coil in each of the plurality of dies and to convert the received electromagnetic signals into commands. The ID decoder is configured to receive the commands and to generate an expect ID. The comparator is configured to compare the unique ID with the expect ID to generate a comparison result. The comparison result is arranged to decide if the tag core is configured to receive commands.
US09098753B1
Methods and systems for object detection using multiple sensors are described herein. In an example embodiment, a vehicle's computing device may receive sensor data frames indicative of an environment at different rates from multiple sensors. Based on a first frame from a first sensor indicative of the environment at a first time period and a portion of a first frame that corresponds to the first time period from a second sensor, the computing device may estimate parameters of objects in the vehicle's environment. The computing device may modify the parameters in response to receiving subsequent frames or subsequent portions of frame of sensor data from the sensors even if the frames arrive at the computing device out of order. The computing device may provide the parameters of the objects to systems of the vehicle for object detection and obstacle avoidance.
US09098751B2
A system and method are disclosed for determining the presence and period of dashed line lane markers in a roadway. The system includes an imager configured to capture a plurality of high dynamic range images exterior of the vehicle and a processor, in communication with the at least one imager such that the processor is configured to process at least one high dynamic range image. The period of the dashed lane markers in the image is calculated for detecting the presence of the dashed lane marker and for tracking the vehicle within the markers. The processor communicates an output for use by the vehicle for use in lane departure warning (LDW) and/or other driver assist features.
US09098749B2
Methods, systems, and processor-readable media for pruning a training dictionary for use in detecting anomalous events from surveillance video. Training samples can be received, which correspond to normal events. A dictionary can then be constructed, which includes two or more classes of normal events from the training samples. Sparse codes are then generated for selected training samples with respect to the dictionary derived from the two or more classes of normal events. The size of the dictionary can then be reduced by removing redundant dictionary columns from the dictionary via analysis of the sparse codes. The dictionary is then optimized to yield a low reconstruction error and a high-interclass discriminability.
US09098747B1
Embodiments include a computer-implemented method for identifying locations of infrastructure assets. The method including identifying a location of a first infrastructure asset and a location of a second infrastructure asset, identifying a region of interest extending at least partially between the locations of the first and second infrastructure assets, obtaining an aerial image of the region of interest, determining that the aerial image of the region of interest comprises a third infrastructure asset, determining a location of the third infrastructure asset based at least in part on the aerial image, and storing the location of the secondary infrastructure asset in an infrastructure asset datastore.
US09098746B2
A building texture extracting apparatus and a method thereof are provided, wherein the building texture extracting apparatus comprises a storage unit and a processor. The storage unit is configured to store an aerial image and a panoramic image of a building. There is a coordinate correlation between the aerial image and the panoramic image. The processor defines an edge segment of a building in the aerial image, calculates an edge function according to the edge segment, projects the edge function onto the panoramic image according to the coordinate correlation to derive an edge curve function, decides an edge curve segment according to the edge curve function, captures an image area under the edge curve segment to be a building texture of the building, and stores the building texture in the storage unit.
US09098743B2
A fundus image processing apparatus that processes a fundus image of an examinee's eye, the fundus image processing apparatus includes: a processor; and a memory storing computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the fundus image processing apparatus to: identify the optic disc included in the fundus image; identify a blood vessel included in the fundus image; calculate an upper diameter ratio which is a diameter ratio of those of the identified blood vessels that are positioned in a region above a height of the optic disc; calculate a lower diameter ratio which is a diameter ratio of those of the identified blood vessels that are positioned in a region under the height of the optic disc; and calculate an arteriovenous diameter ratio in the fundus of the examinee's eye based on the upper diameter ratio and the lower diameter ratio.
US09098738B2
A system for contamination monitoring includes a tracking component, a material identification component, a procedural component, and a notification component. The tracking component tracks an individual and one or more objects in a work area using a three-dimensional tracking system. The material identification component identifies a material of the one or more objects based on a captured image. The procedural component determines that an object of the one or more objects is contaminated based on tracked locations of the one or more objects and the individual. The notification component provides a notification of the contamination.
US09098732B2
Computer-implemented systems and methods predict behavior of sprays based on receiving a selection of one or more variables affecting spray. Relative amounts of the droplets forming the spray are grouped into various droplet size classes, where each droplet size class represents a range of droplet sizes. The relative amounts of the spray in the classes is visually depicted on a computer display according to a distribution of droplets, a volume of spray falling within the droplet size classes, a chart depicting relative amounts of the spray as a function of droplet size, or according to a spray quality based on environmental factors.
US09098731B1
An image associated with a poll may be acquired via a camera. One or more symbols indicating responses may be found by analyzing the image. The responses specified by the symbols may be determined and saved. The responses may also be displayed to the operator and/or to the respondents.
US09098722B2
The present invention relates to systems and methods for parsing of a token stream for user generated content in order to prevent attacks on the user generated content. The systems and methods include a database which stores one or more whitelists, and a parser. The parser removes tokens from the token stream by comparing the tokens against the whitelist. Next, the parser validates CSS property values, encodes data within attribute values and text nodes, reconciles closing HTML tags, and coerces media tags into safe variants. The tokens removed may be any of HTML tags, HTML attributes, HTML protocols, CSS selectors and CSS properties.
US09098717B2
A system is provided to ensure a timely secure data erase by determining an erasure deadline for each physical volume of a plurality of physical volumes and calculating a remaining time for each physical volume. The remaining time is calculated for each physical volume by comparing a current date to the erasure deadline of each physical volume respectively. The physical volumes may then be sorted based on the remaining time and the physical volume with a shortest calculated remaining time will be selectively secure data erased.
US09098716B2
An authentication system for an instruction processing apparatus includes first and second authentication portions each for performing user authentication at the time of using the instruction processing apparatus, and a controller which makes the first authentication portion execute the user authentication and switches from the first authentication portion to the second authentication portion when the user authentication by the first authentication portion cannot be established.
US09098710B2
According to one general aspect, a computer-implemented method for implementing default security features for web applications and browser extensions includes receiving a request to include a web application or a web browser extension in a digital marketplace. A determination is made if the web application or the web browser extension conforms to default security features, wherein the default security features include a prohibition against running in-line script on web pages. The web application or the browser extension is included in the digital marketplace if the web application or the browser extension conforms to the default security features.