US09113919B2
An undercutting system for preparing a region between ilium and sacrum for sacroiliac fusion. The undercutting system includes an insertion apparatus and a cutting assembly. The insertion apparatus has an elongate shaft and a rotatable handle. The cutting assembly is operably attached to the insertion apparatus. Rotation of the handle with respect to the shaft causes the cutting assembly to move with respect to the shaft between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. When in the extended configuration, at least a portion of the cutting assembly extends laterally from the shaft.
US09113916B2
Drill bits comprising a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end; and a cutting head located at the distal end of the shaft, having a cutting diameter, and having at least one flute, which includes a cutting edge and an offset leading spur are disclosed. A portion of the shaft of the drill bits located adjacent and proximal to the cutting head has a reduced diameter relative to the remainder of the shaft. The drill bits have a tapered point along the longitudinal axis at the distal end of the cutting head for guiding the drill bit or are cannulated to receive a guide wire.
US09113914B2
A resection guide locator includes a bone engagement portion with surfaces that are complementary to the surface topographies of a bone to be resected during surgery. A housing includes a socket defined by a resilient annular wall that is sized and arranged so to accept a resection guide by press-fit to thereby position and hold the resection guide within the socket. The resection guide is maintained in a predetermined, preferred position while the surfaces are releasably locked in position on the bone. A method is disclosed for forming and using the resection guide locator.
US09113909B2
A forceps includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members. Each jaw member includes an elongated proximal segment and a distal segment. The distal segments are configured to grasp tissue therebetween. The jaw members are biased towards a spaced-apart position relative to one another. A sliding unit is disposed about the first and second jaw members and is slidable relative to the jaw members between a first position, wherein the sliding unit is disposed about the elongated proximal segments of the jaw members, and a second position, wherein the sliding unit is disposed about the distal segments of the jaw members. The sliding unit is configured to transition the jaw members against the bias from the spaced-apart position to an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween upon sliding of the sliding unit from the first position to the second position.
US09113899B2
A surgical instrument includes a shaft defining a longitudinal axis therethrough and having an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end thereof. The shaft includes first and second shaft components that are releasably engageable with one another. A drive sleeve is disposed within the shaft and is longitudinally translatable relative to the shaft to transition the end effector assembly between a first state and a second state. The drive sleeve includes first and second drive sleeve components that are releasably engageable with one another. A coupling mechanism includes one or more shaft cantilever springs configured to releasably engage the first and second shaft components to one another and one or more drive sleeve cantilever springs configured to releasably engage the first and second drive sleeve components to one another.
US09113893B2
An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly; a shaft assembly including a housing extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis; a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the shaft assembly; a jaw mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the shaft assembly, the jaw being movable between an open spaced-apart condition and a closed approximated condition; and a pusher bar reciprocally disposed within the housing of the shaft assembly and being detachably connectable to the housing of the shaft assembly, the pusher bar being configured to load a distal-most surgical clip into the jaws during distal movement and remain connected to the housing of the shaft assembly and in a distally advanced position during an approximation of the jaws.
US09113889B2
The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing an end effector assembly, the method comprising the steps of providing a pair of opposing first and second jaw members including a tissue contacting plate disposed thereon having a longitudinal channel defined therealong, providing a first electrically conductive cutting plate disposed on at least the first jaw member below the tissue contacting plate, stamping the first electrically conductive cutting plate to define a cutting element, bending the cutting element about a bending region such that the cutting element extends along the first electrically conductive cutting plate and into the longitudinal channel of the at least the first jaw member, and applying an insulative material to a portion of the first electrically conductive cutting plate.
US09113874B2
A surgical instrument system is disclosed including a surgical instrument and a remote user-controlled actuation console for controlling the surgical instrument.
US09113872B2
This disclosure relates to surgical stapling apparatus for enhancing one or more properties of body tissue that is or is to be repaired or joined. The apparatus includes a staple anvil, a staple cartridge, a driving member for driving the surgical staples from individual staple slots in the staple cartridge and against the staple anvil, and a wound closure material applicator assembly. The applicator assembly includes at least one conduit extending along at least a length of the driving member, anvil and/or cartridge and at least one reservoir in fluid communication with the at least one conduit, the reservoir containing a wound closure material therein. The staples can be coated with a wound closure material.
US09113867B2
Devices and methods are provided for forming and securing a tissue plication. More particularly, the devices and methods of the present invention can be used to create tissue folds on an anterior and posterior wall of a stomach cavity to reduce the volume thereof. In one aspect, a tissue acquisition and fixation system is disclosed that includes an elongate shaft, an end effector coupled to the elongate shaft and having first and second jaws, and a tissue acquisition member coupled to the end effector by a linkage assembly. At least a portion of the linkage assembly and tissue acquisition member are slidably movable in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the jaws. Further, the tissue acquisition member is vertically movable relative to the end effector such that a distance between a longitudinal axis of the tissue acquisition member and the jaws can be adjusted.
US09113861B2
A needle holder includes a shaft and a needle driver located at the distal end of the shaft. The needle driver is operable to rotate a needle such that the needle forms a non-perpendicular angle with a longitudinal axis of the shaft. In some versions, the needle driver includes a first arm and a rotatable assembly that is configured to longitudinally clamp about a portion of a needle. The rotatable assembly may include self-righting features to right the needle perpendicular to the first arm. The needle driver may further include a second arm that is pivotable relative to the first arm. The rotatable assembly may include a top member associated with the second arm and a bottom member associated with the first arm. In some versions, spring-loaded collets may secure the needle to a rotatable assembly. Alternatively, a pair of actuating arms may pivot the needle about a curved surface.
US09113859B2
Techniques and reconstruction systems for knotless tissue fixation using a driver with a cannulated interference device or fixation device preloaded on the shaft of the driver. An eyelet, adjustable in size, is formed of a loading suture provided at the distal end of the driver shaft. A working suture attached to the tissue to be fixed is passed through the eyelet. The size of the eyelet is adjusted by the user once the working suture is passed through the eyelet, to capture the working suture with the eyelet. The cannulated interference device is then advanced down the shaft to secure the working suture in a bone socket.
US09113851B2
Described are methods and apparatuses for delivering fistula plugs into fistulae having at least a primary fistula opening, a secondary fistula opening, and a fistula tract extending therebetween. Illustratively, some inventive methods involve delivering a fistula plug into a fistula tract through a primary fistula opening and toward a secondary fistula opening, while others involve delivering a fistula plug into a fistula tract through a secondary fistula opening and toward a primary fistula opening. In certain aspects, a fistula plug is pushed and/or pulled through a fistula tract along a guidewire or other plug-guiding device, potentially protected by a protective delivery device such as a sheath, capsule or other suitable delivery vehicle.
US09113840B2
A catheter device comprising a chamber containing an opacity enhancing substance is disclosed. The opacity enhancing substance is in a dried or semi-dried form within the chamber of the device. Release of a liquid into the chamber suspends the substance and forms an opacity enhancing solution that is released into the lumen of the device in order to enhance the opacity of the device for imaging.
US09113833B2
Technologies for increasing sample throughput by predicting the end point response time of a sensor for the analysis of an analyte in a sample are disclosed. In one aspect, a system includes a sensor that generates data signals associated with the measurement of an analyte within the sample. A processor records appropriate data points corresponding to the signals, converts them to a logarithmic function of time scale, and plots the converted data points. The processor then determines a curve that fits the plotted data points and determines a curve fitting equation for the curve. Once the equation is determined, the processor extrapolates an end point response of the sensor using the equation. A value, such as analyte concentration, is then calculated using the extrapolated end point response.
US09113831B2
A sensor interface is configured to receive a sensor signal. A transmitter generates a transmit signal. A receiver receives the signal corresponding to the transmit signal. Further, a monitor interface is configured to communicate a waveform to the monitor so that measurements derived by the monitor from the waveform are generally equivalent to measurements derivable from the sensor signal.
US09113830B2
Systems and methods for detecting and monitoring arrhythmias from a signal are provided. A signal processing system may transform a signal using a wavelet transformation and analyze changes in features of the transformed signal to detect pulse rhythm abnormalities. For example, the system may detect pulse rhythm abnormalities by analyzing energy parameters, morphology changes, and pattern changes in the scalogram of a PPG signal. Further, the system may detect pulse rhythm abnormalities by analyzing both the PPG signal and its corresponding scalogram. Physiological information, such as cardiac arrhythmia, may be derived based on the detected pulse rhythm abnormality.
US09113826B2
A transmission/reception unit transmits an ultrasonic wave to a subject via the ultrasonic probe, receives an ultrasonic wave reflected by the subject, and outputs an echo signal corresponding to the received ultrasonic wave. A first volume data generating unit generates first volume data based on the echo signal. A second volume data generating unit generates second volume data by applying, to each voxel contained in the first volume data, three-dimensional filtering with a filtering characteristic corresponding to three-dimensional directivity of the voxel. An image data generating unit generates data of a two-dimensional ultrasonic image based on the second volume data.
US09113825B2
A side-fire ultrasonic probe includes an alignment feature that, when used to connect the probe with a needle guide for intra-cavity medical procedures, enables alignment of a needle in an imaging plane of an ultrasonic transducer. The alignment feature is configured such that alignment of the needle within the imaging plane is accomplished when a protective sheath is disposed between the alignment feature and the needle guide. This configuration can be used with high frequency ultrasonic arrays having frequency distributions centered at about 20 MHz, and for medical procedures, such as biopsying organs or other bodily intra-cavity structures, and delivering intra-cavity therapies.
US09113819B2
A wavefront sensor includes a light source configured to illuminate a subject eye, a detector, a first beam deflecting element configured to intercept a wavefront beam returned from a subject eye when the subject eye is illuminated by the light source and configured to direct a portion of the wavefront from the subject eye through an aperture toward the detector and a controller, coupled to the light source and the beam deflecting element, configured to control the beam deflecting element to deflect and project different portions of an annular ring portion of the wavefront from the subject eye through the aperture and further configured to pulse the light source at a firing rate to sample selected portions of the annular ring at the detector.
US09113818B2
A pressure measuring System (11, 111, 211) is described comprising a sensor assembly (13, 113, 213) and a vessel adapter (17, 217), with the sensor assembly defining a compartment (19, 119, 219, 220), comprising a measurement port (29, 129, 229, 230), an actuator (21, 121, 221, 222) for enabling and disabling pressure transmission across the measurement port, and at least one pressure sensor (23, 123, 223, 224, 225) for measuring a pressure in the compartment relative to a reference pressure, and the vessel adapter defining a fluid chamber (47, 247, 248), said chamber being in pressure connection with the compartment by means of said measurement port, and characterized in that in-between the compartment and the fluid chamber at least one membrane (15, 215) is located which separates the medium in the compartment from the medium in the fluid chamber. The pressure measuring System is used to measure the pressure of a medium in a vessel adapter relative to a reference pressure. In a further embodiment the pressure measuring System is adapted to measure the differential pressure of a medium flowing through a vessel adapter with a flow restrictor.
US09113817B2
An ultrasound imaging probe supports determination of the location of an object scanned within a 3D volume. A handheld movable ultrasound imaging device emits ultrasound waves and detects corresponding ultrasound waves reflected from an object. At least three light emitting elements are mounted on the ultrasound imaging device and are detectable by a camera located at a fixed position with respect to a 3D volume where the object is imaged. A motion detector provides data indicating detected movement of the ultrasound imaging device in at least one axis. The data indicating detected movement is used together with distance data indicating distance of the ultrasound imaging device from the camera derived using the light emitting elements and the camera, to determine a location of the object scanned within a 3D volume using the ultrasound imaging device.
US09113816B2
The invention presents tools to improve a 3-D image aided biopsy or treatment procedure for prostate gland by providing additional functionality and additional visual cues on an output image of the prostate, which may be generated substantially in real-time. The tools include i) the identification of various parts of prostate to classify as per regular classification in pathological reports, ii) Computing and displaying the insertion depth of needle with respect to a selected target point during the procedure, iii) Computing and displaying the distance from needle tip to prostate surface following a procedure and, iv) Calibration for misalignment of a 2-D imaging transducer when used under tracked motion for a procedure.
US09113812B2
A system can include an implantable device, an instrument, a display device and a processor. The implantable device can include a port and a localizer for generating a navigation field. The instrument can include a tracking device for sensing the navigation field. The processor can be operably coupled to the tracking and display devices and operable to determine a real-time location of the instrument relative to the port and a trajectory of the instrument relative to an insertion axis of the port. The processor system can be operable to cause the display device to graphically render the instrument as a plurality of two or three-dimensional rings positioned around an axis coincident with the determined trajectory and in spaced relation to each other along the axis. A first ring of the plurality of rings can be positioned at the determined instrument location relative to a graphical representation of the port location.
US09113810B2
A system and method for producing an image of a vasculature of a subject using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes applying a saturation pulse to a prescribed imaging slice to substantially suppress MR signals in the prescribed imaging slice. A quiescent inflow time period (QITP) is observed that is at least equal to half a projected duration of a cardiac cycle of the subject. After the QITP, k-space data is acquired from the prescribed imaging slice, and a subset of the data representative of a desired portion of the cardiac cycle of the subject is reconstructed into an image of the subject including at least the prescribed imaging slice.
US09113796B2
An adjustment of the visualization of volume data of an object as an image with regard to diagnostically relevant medical information relating to the environment of a region under investigation is provided. In the process, at least one slice region is specified in accordance with slice information within the volume data. A first mapping of a value range of the volume data is used for visualizing the at least one slice region on a display. A second mapping different from the first mapping is used for visualizing a region bordering on the at least one slice region on the display.
US09113794B2
Some embodiments provide a wearable fitness monitoring device including a motion sensor and a photoplethysmographic (PPG) sensor. The PPG sensor includes (i) a periodic light source, (ii) a photo detector, and (iii) circuitry determining a user's heart rate from an output of the photo detector. Some embodiments provide methods for operating a heart rate monitor of a wearable fitness monitoring device to measure one or more characteristics of a heartbeat waveform. Some embodiments provide methods for operating the wearable fitness monitoring device in a low power state when the device determines that the device is not worn by a user. Some embodiments provide methods for operating the wearable fitness monitoring device in a normal power state when the device determines that the device is worn by a user. Some embodiments provide methods for using response characteristics of the user's skin to adjust a gain and/or light emission intensity of the heart rate monitor.
US09113792B2
An X-ray imaging method and apparatus are provided for forming an X-ray image having reduced noise and showing a clear boundary of a lesion region. The X-ray imaging method includes performing a first main shot which irradiates an object in a compressed state by using X-rays at least once to obtain a single two-dimensional image, performing a second main shot which irradiates the object by using X-rays at different positions to obtain a plurality of two-dimensional images, and forming a two-dimensional final image by removing a lesion region having a unclear boundary from each of the plurality of two-dimensional images and substituting a lesion region of the single two-dimensional image into an area which corresponds to the removed lesion region.
US09113784B2
An imaging system and method for imaging an immobilized object. The imaging system includes a support member adapted to receive the object in an immobilized state. The system also includes means for imaging the immobilized object in various imaging modes to capture images of the object. The imaging system further includes a movable phosphor screen. The phosphor screen is adapted to be movable without moving the immobilized object and support member.
US09113781B2
A method and system for on-line learning of landmark detection models for end-user specific diagnostic image reading is disclosed. A selection of a landmark to be detected in a 3D medical image is received. A current landmark detection result for the selected landmark in the 3D medical image is determined by automatically detecting the selected landmark in the 3D medical image using a stored landmark detection model corresponding to the selected landmark or by receiving a manual annotation of the selected landmark in the 3D medical image. The stored landmark detection model corresponding to the selected landmark is then updated based on the current landmark detection result for the selected landmark in the 3D medical image. The landmark selected in the 3D medical image can be a set of landmarks defining a custom view of the 3D medical image.
US09113777B2
An apparatus and method is described to sense sparse signals from a medical device using compressed sensing and then transmitting the data for processing in the cloud.
US09113776B2
A patient monitoring system that enables a healthcare provide to request access to patient data via interaction directly with a local patient monitor and subsequently provide patient data to the healthcare provider's portable communication device regardless of device location.
US09113775B2
An endoscope system includes: a light transmitting section for transmitting illuminating light and emit the light from a light exit surface; a light receiving section for receiving return light of the light emitted from the light exit surface; a light guiding section for allowing the light to be incident on the light receiving section by totally reflecting return light from a subject or the emitted light at least one or more times; a driving section for allowing an end portion having the light exit surface of the light transmitting section to be swung; a light detecting section for detecting the light received through the light guiding section, as a signal; and a control section for, if the pattern of fluctuations in the signal level by the light detected by the light detected section does not correspond to the predetermined pattern of fluctuations, performing control for lowering a quantity of the illuminating light.
US09113773B2
A rack assembly for supporting dishes in a dishwasher may comprise a wire frame rack having a plurality of wire elements and a trim assembly having at least one trim element and at least one tolerance adjuster mounted to the wire frame rack. The at least one trim element and the at least one tolerance adjuster may cooperate to alter the effective length of the trim assembly.
US09113772B1
A hand operated sweeping mop applicator with a unique disposable cloth retaining assembly where the cloth is retained by cloth retaining members attached to the bottom of a top plate which extend perpendicularly away from a bottom of the top plate and extend through aligned openings in a bottom plate to retain a cleaning cloth against a bottom surface of the bottom plate. Separation force members such as force springs are sandwiched between the bottom of the top plate and the top of the bottom plate and retained in a compressed state buy a force from a shotgun closing member.
US09113770B2
A cleaning device (1) comprising a handle (2). The handle (2) is formed by a tube (3), which defines a liquid reservoir (4). A nozzle unit (5) is arranged at one end of the handle and a hand grip (6) is arranged at the other end of the handle. An operating device (7) for the nozzle unit (5) is associated with the hand grip (6) The operating device (7) is connected to the nozzle unit (5) by an operative connection (8) arranged in the tube (3).
US09113767B1
A window cleaning tool provides both a scrubbing pad and squeegees. Multiple squeegee blades are mounted to a squeegee roller. A wiper bar is disposed adjacent the squeegee roller to clean the squeegee blades. A trigger is mounted adjacent a handle and connected to the squeegee roller such that movement of the trigger rotates the squeegee roller and simultaneously cleans dirty squeegee blades while presenting a clean squeegee blade for use.
US09113747B2
A coffee maker and coffee holder cooperate to provide either single-cup or multi-cup brewing. A single-cup coffee holder in insertable into the coffee maker for preparing a single serving of coffee, and a multi-serving coffee holder is insertable into the coffee maker for preparing multiple servings of coffee. A coffee holder lid is attached to the coffee maker and is configured to close both the singe serving and multi-serving coffee holders. The holder lid is configured to either spray heated water into the coffee holders, or to inject the heated water through needles into coffee in the coffee holder. In one embodiment, the coffee is held in a filter paper package with a rim, and the rim is sandwiched between the coffee holder and the holder cover. A tamper may be included which tamps the coffee before brewing.
US09113745B2
An infusion device including an infusion chamber formed by portions movable with respect to each other along an opening and closing direction; a first duct for feeding an infusion liquid in the infusion chamber; a second duct for dispensing a food product from the infusion chamber; a pair of oscillating arms movable with respect to at least one of the portions forming the infusion chamber, along the opening and closing direction, and provided with retaining members for retaining a capsule in a space between the first and the second portion of the infusion chamber and for inserting said capsule inside the infusion chamber; divaricating members for causing the reciprocal divarication of the two arms and of the respective retaining members and the release of the capsule inside the infusion chamber; in one of the portions of the infusion chamber, an ejector for ejecting the capsule from the infusion chamber.
US09113741B2
An apparatus and method for cooking portioned food pieces in batches are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a cooking chamber for cooking the food pieces and a water removal chamber, beneath the cooking chamber, having a wastewater outlet, for discharging hot wastewater from the water removal chamber. A heating chamber is arranged around the cooking chamber, with a heating unit being arranged between the heating chamber and cooking chamber. A fresh water tank is connected to the heating chamber in order to fill the heating chamber with fresh water, and the heating chamber is connected to the cooking chamber to fill the cooking chamber with preheated fresh water. A wastewater tank is connected to the wastewater outlet. The wastewater tank and the fresh water tank are configured such that the fresh water in the fresh water tank is preheated by the hot wastewater in the wastewater tank.
US09113735B1
A post drink holder device securely holds multiple beverage containers on an existing post such as a on a boat dock. The device includes a base wall coupled to and extending downwardly from a lower surface of a panel defining a post receiver for receiving a post therein such that the panel is supported on the post. An upper wall is coupled to and extends upwardly from an upper surface of the panel defining a primary cup for receiving a beverage container. Each of a plurality of outer cups extends into the upper surface and through the panel for holding additional beverage containers.
US09113728B1
One embodiment provides a method and apparatus for suspending air conditioning duct works from a support structure comprising unistrut type support beams which apparatus includes a plurality of support brackets arranged and configured for being slidably interlockable with the interior of the unistrut beam members. The support brackets can be slid inside the interior of the support beam until adjacent a support beam which support beam can be connected to the support bracket. In like manner additional support brackets can be inserted into the interior of the support beam members to be adjustably located next to their respective support rod. In such manner multiple support rods can be used to support a frame member even where the support rods are not symmetrically located along the length of the support beam as the support bracket can be slid/moved inside the support beam until lining up with its respective support rod. Additionally, the entire support framework can be moved relative to the plurality of support rods by sliding the framework relative to the support brackets. In such manner the location of the supporting frame member can be changed without moving the support rods.
US09113710B2
An easy to install countertop edging system comprising a profiled edge strip is described. The rear mating surface of the edge strip includes an adhesion promoting material for attachment to the substrate. An optional channel on the bottom of the edge strip allows for incorporation of lighting elements and decorative materials, mechanical securing of the edge and application of tools and additional features. The countertop edge system may also include a stanchion rail. The profiled edge strip is attached to an edge of a countertop or other substrate by the stanchion rail and/or structural adhesive. Related methods using the edge strip and rail are also described.
US09113705B1
An adjustable shelving assembly includes at least two support rails, at least one geared rack provided in each of the at least two support rails, and an actuating mechanism placed adjacent to the at least one geared rack. The actuating mechanism is configured to support at least one shelf and facilitates movement of the at least one shelf along the at least two support rails. The actuating mechanism includes a pinion mating with the at least one geared rack, a plurality of permanent magnets mounted coaxially inside the pinion, ferromagnetic disks provided on either ends of the pinion, and a shaft placed axially in the pinion, connecting the permanent magnets. The permanent magnets magnetize or demagnetize the ferromagnetic disks when the shaft is rotated for locking or unlocking the at least one shelf.
US09113702B2
An article of furniture includes a base support, an intermediate support moveably attached to the base support via a first moveable attachment mechanism, and a top support moveably attached to the intermediate support via a second moveable attachment mechanism. The first moveable attachment mechanism includes a first rotatable member that rotates about a first axis of rotation such that the intermediate support is rotatable relative to the base support and is rotatable relative to the top support. The second moveable attachment mechanism includes a second rotatable member that is rotatable about a second axis of rotation such that the top support is rotatable relative to the intermediate support and is also rotatable relative to the base support.
US09113701B2
A foldable table/chairs set is disclosed. The foldable table/chairs set may include a foldable table surface; a chair set including a plurality of foldable chairs; and a supporting element that is used to conjugate with the table surface to form a table when the supporting element is fully extended, wherein when the supporting element is folded, a receiving space located at a lower portion of one side of the supporting element is created to receive said folded table surface and chairs therein.
US09113695B2
A cosmetics unit, in particular a mascara unit, that includes a storage container for storing the cosmetic to be applied, an applicator which in its stowed position preferably dips into the cosmetic, and a wiper device which wipes off a portion of the cosmetic picked up by the applicator during dipping. The wiper device consists of several wipers that produce a different wiping action and through which the applicator can be passed alternatively.
US09113692B2
A cosmetic applicator and method of manufacturing same, wherein the cosmetic applicator is formed of a substrate and an application element comprising one or more application areas that are cohesively maintained on the substrate in a gapless, side-by-side formation in the presence of wet and/or dry binders. The substrate is subjected to a wetting agent that provides a better bind for the cosmetic slurries as they are printed onto their respective application area. The cosmetic compositions of each cosmetic application area may be different. Various cosmetic effects may be provided to end-users in a portable application.
US09113684B1
An umbrella cover system for covering an umbrella is provided. The umbrella has a center post. The umbrella cover system comprises a round cover having a first side, a second side, and an outer perimeter edge. An aperture is formed in the center of the cover with the aperture having a center point and the center point of the aperture being equidistant from every point of the perimeter edge. A fastening mechanism is positioned between the cover and the umbrella for releasably securing the cover to the umbrella. Upon positioning the first side of the cover against the umbrella with the center post of the umbrella extending through the aperture, the fastening means are activated to releasably secure the cover directly against the umbrella.
US09113682B2
A locket is provided including a cap and a base. The cap includes a cylindrical wall portion; a top portion combining with the cylindrical portion to define an internal cap aperture, the internal aperture having internal threads defined therein; and a decorative element protruding from the top portion in a direction opposite of the cylindrical wall portion. The base includes a bottom and a cylindrical wall, the cylindrical wall defining an internal base aperture. The base further including outwardly protruding threads operable to selectively engage threads of the cap such that rotational motion of the cap or base causes engagement and disengagement of the cap and the base. The base further including a track including upper and lower annular elements, the track sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of a coupler therein.
US09113676B2
An improved cleat design is provided for article of footwear. At least one cleat is arranged on a bottom surface of the outsole, such that the cleat is disposed partially within the outsole and extends substantially perpendicular from the bottom surface of the outsole. The cleat includes an aperture such that a portion of the outsole extends through the aperture in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the outsole to retain the at least one cleat in a desired position relative to the outsole.
US09113671B2
A protective helmet composed of a helmet shell in which interior fittings are fixed having an assembly contacting the user's head having a supporting cage, a head band and a neck strap. The interior fitting subassembly having three support arms protruding laterally downwards from the supporting cage in the temple areas or backwards and downwards in the area of the back of the head and formed as spacers as a way to affix to the helmet shell. The interior fitting subassembly is continuously held in a distance from the helmet shell along its entire outer circumference. A clearance which is therefore present around the interior fitting subassembly on all sides renders a relative dislocation of the helmet shell relative to the interior fitting subassembly possible. The free ends of the support arms are releasably attached to the helmet shell, respectively.
US09113666B2
A glove sized and shaped to enclose a human hand, the medical glove having a two-layer cuff, the two layers being fixed to one another at a plurality of locations to define a plurality of spaced apart openings in the cuff, the openings accessible only outside the glove.
US09113659B2
The present invention provides an electronic cigarette and its nozzle, the electronic cigarette nozzle comprises an atomizer, a nozzle cover configured at an end of the atomizer, and further comprises a hermetic ring hermetically configured between the atomizer and the nozzle cover, the hermetic ring defines an concave chamber oriented to the atomizer, a thickness of the top wall of the concave chamber is gradually increased from a circumference to a center so that an upper surface of the top wall is a bevel, and plural through holes are circumferentially defined in the top wall. In the present invention, the hermetic ring, the concave chamber oriented to the atomizer, the top wall with a beveled upper surface and the plural through holes circumferentially defined in the bottom wall are adopted, and these technical means can eliminate the smoke oil residue, and improve user's taste experience.
US09113657B2
An apparatus and method for producing a substantially spiral shaped food product is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a die defining a plurality of apertures disposed in a circle about a center. The apparatus also includes at least one cutting blade disposed for rotation about the center and operable to intermittently pass fully across each of the apertures during rotation. The apparatus also includes a plurality of slicing blades arranged for individual rotation about one of the plurality of apertures. The plurality of slicing blades are also arranged for continuous extension less than fully across the one aperture. The apparatus also includes a planetary coupling arrangement operably disposed to facilitate reciprocating rotation between the at least one cutting blade and the plurality of slicing blades.
US09113651B2
This invention provides a novel method for producing maize flour including at least one treatment step in which a product comprising maize is treated under alkaline conditions, wherein an alkaline solution is sprayed onto the product. Furthermore, a facility for producing maize flour is disclosed, in particular in said method. Moreover, maize flour obtained by this method and foodstuffs containing this flour are disclosed.
US09113649B2
The present invention relates to amidase enzymes and a feed or food additive comprising the amidase enzyme capable of degrading ochratoxin.
US09113645B2
A process for extraction of crude oil from distillers dried grain solubles and/or distillers dried grains and producing corn distillers meal that may be used as a livestock supplement is disclosed. For example, the corn distillers meal may be used as a crude protein supplement for use in a livestock feed diet or a poultry feed diet. The solvent extracted crude oil may be suitable for oleochemical processing for personal care and home care products, biodiesel production, and/or renewable diesel production from hydro-treating the extracted oil to make green diesel fuel.
US09113641B2
The present invention provides methods for manufacturing heat treated products involving the use of probiotic bacteria, e.g. lactic acid bacteria and/or Bifidobacteria, cultures of such bacteria, supernatant from such cultures, and/or concentrates of such supernatant and/or fractions of such supernatant. The invention further provides heat treated products of such processes and their use for regulation of cellular uptake of fat and/or triglycerides and/or body weight management or weight reduction and/or redistribution of fat and/or reduction in visceral and/or abdominal fat deposition in a subject.
US09113639B1
The scissor-style crab leg clipping tool are uniquely designed to aid in cracking crab legs, cutting crab legs, and retrieving crab meat. The hand-held scissors feature elongated finger openings for enhanced gripping action. The pair of hand-held scissors is further defined with a first armature and a second armature. The first armature features an ovular profile along an anterior portion, whereas the second armature features a thin profile. The first armature includes a gripping nub at a distal end, and which extends downwardly as well as perpendicularly with respect to a first blade affixed thereon. The gripping nub is used to grab hold of crabmeat, and pull said crabmeat from within a crab leg shell.
US09113637B2
The present invention relates to a device and method for automatically processing a carcass of a slaughtered animal suspended from the hind legs. The automatically processing is driven by automatically controlled drive means for handling a slaughtering processing tool. Such slaughtering tools are a rotatable cutting blade (20) which is partially shielded and which shielding (21) is provided with a protruding guide pin (22). A further slaughtering tool is a cleaving blade (23) to split the pubic bone of the carcass. The cleaving blade is attached to the shield that partially covers the rotatable cutting blade.
US09113636B2
This application relates to methods and materials for providing a benefit to a seed or seedling of an agricultural plant (e.g., an agricultural grass plant), or the agricultural plant derived from the seed or seedling. For example, this application provides purified bacterial populations that include novel seed-origin bacterial endophytes, and synthetic combinations of seeds and/or seedlings (e.g., cereal seeds and/or seedlings) with heterologous seed-derived bacterial endophytes.
US09113634B1
The present invention provides a panel assembly comprising a plurality of panels arranged in edge-to-edge format having joints between each pair of adjacent panels in the assembly. A copper-containing material, such as copper tape with adhesive backing, is provided in or near the joints in the assembly to render the joints less susceptible to bacterial contamination.
US09113633B2
The present invention provides a composition containing an aluminate and calcium hypochlorite, wherein the content of the aluminate is 1.0 part by weight to less than 2 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the composition.
US09113622B2
An environmentally friendly apparatus to attract and kill insect pests is described. The apparatus includes two panels, which could be made from one folded sheet, coupled together to form a housing for a pad containing an insect attractant, e.g. a pheromone. The outer surface of the housing has a plurality of louvered vents for dispersion of the scent from the attractant to the environment thus attracting the insect pest. The apparatus is configured to be capable of being on a fruit tree.
US09113615B1
A feeder for larval and juvenile fishes is capable of delivering a small (ca. 15 mg) precise dose of microparticulate (ca. 100 μm diameter) feed to selected locations, via pneumatic conveyance and control. A source of low-pressure dry gas is used to blow microparticulate feed through a manifold and into a selected one of a number of tubes. A terminal valve at the end of the tube is selectively activated to send the feed to a selected tank or pond. When not in use, the feeder is sealed, and the feed protected from moisture and ambient oxygen.
US09113613B2
An excrement depository assembly includes a tubular garment that may be positioned on a rear of an animal. A collection bag is removably coupled to the tubular garment so the collection bag may receive animal excrement.
US09113608B2
The present invention relates to the field of plant breeding and disease resistance. More specifically, the invention includes a method for breeding soybean plants containing quantitative trail loci (QTL) for resistance the Phytophthora root rot (PRR) caused by Phytophthora sojae. The invention further includes the use of molecular markers in the introgression of PRR resistance QTL into soybean plants.
US09113606B2
A growing unit includes a tub that receives plants and a nutrient solution. The base of the tub includes a plurality of channels that drain toward a peripheral channel that extends around the periphery of the tub base. The peripheral channel drains to an aperture that forms a drain. Nutrient solution for irrigating the plants can be provided into the tub through the aperture and, after an appropriate time, can be drained from the tub through the aperture.
US09113603B2
A solar greenhouse structure includes a plurality of supporting frames, a light-permitting roof supported by at least one supporting frame, and at least one solar panel disposed below the roof and near the bottom surface thereof. The instant disclosure uses thinner solar panels, where the supporting frames can be less rigid, in lowering the solar greenhouse cost.
US09113597B1
A hay retrieving apparatus for use with a vehicle is disclosed herein. The hay retrieving apparatus may include a base frame, a rear wall frame coupled to the base frame, carriage assembly, and a fork assembly coupled to carriage assembly. The base frame and carriage assembly are configured to pivotally couple to a vehicle frame and move from horizontal positions to vertical positions. The carriage assembly is also configured to pivot with the base frame, pivot independent of the base frame, or both. The fork assembly is designed to move from one end of the carriage end to the opposing end of the carriage assembly during operation. The fork assembly includes two arms that are movable to increase and decrease the distance between the two arms.
US09113594B1
A replaceable blade assembly includes an arm that may be coupled to a lawn mower. A blade is removably coupled to the arm so the blade may be moved by the arm. A clip is removably coupled to the arm so the clip may retain the blade on the arm.
US09113587B2
A scraper for removing accumulated soil from the wheel of a planter, the scraper comprising a scraper arm having a first end and a second end, the first end being adapted for attachment to an axle mounted to the frame of the planter, and the second end for carrying a scraper blade, wherein the scraper arm is sized and shaped so that when the first end of the scraper arm is attached to the axle, the second end can present the scraper blade to the ground-contacting surface of the wheel so as to remove accumulated soil from the wheel.
US09119335B2
A method for manufacturing a rigid-flexible multilayer wiring board includes a step of forming a release layer such that the release layer covers a flexible portion forming region of a principal surface of a first thermoplastic resin sheet, a step of conducting surface modification on the principal surface of the first thermoplastic resin sheet while using the release layer as a mask, a step of laminating a second thermoplastic resin sheet such that the second thermoplastic resin sheet covers the release layer to form a laminate including the first and second thermoplastic resin sheets, a step of press-bonding the laminate, a step of forming a cut from at least either one of upper and lower surfaces of the laminate toward an outline of the release layer when seen in a plan view, and a step of removing a portion surrounded by the cut.
US09119332B2
An assembly including a substrate, a metal wiring layer on the substrate, the metal wiring layer having an opening therein, a thermosetting resin layer on at least a portion of the substrate overlapping the opening of the metal wiring layer, and a device on the resin layer, the device positioned over the opening of the metal wiring layer and bonded to the substrate via the resin layer.
US09119322B2
A wiring board includes a substrate having an opening portion, electronic components positioned in the opening portion of the substrate and including first and second electronic components, and an insulation layer formed over the substrate and the first and second components. The first component has first and second electrodes having side portions on side surfaces of the first component, the second component has first and second electrodes having side portions on side surfaces of the second component, the first electrode of the first component and the first electrode of the second component are set to have substantially the same electric potential, and the first component and the second component are positioned in the opening portion of the substrate such that the side portion of the first electrode of the first component is beside the side portion of the first electrode of the second component.
US09119319B2
A wiring board includes a first insulating layer containing a thermosetting resin, a first wiring layer stacked on an upper surface of the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer stacked on the upper surface of the first insulating layer, a second wiring layer stacked on an upper surface of the second insulating layer, and a third insulating layer stacked on the upper surface of the second insulating layer. The second and third insulating layers contain a first photosensitive resin. An outer side surface of the second insulating layer is flush with an outer side surface of the first insulating layer. An outer side surface of the third insulating layer is located inside the outer side surface of the second insulating layer in a plan view. The upper surface of the second insulating layer connecting to the outer side surface thereof is exposed from the third insulating layer.
US09119318B2
A multilayer substrate module includes a multilayer circuit substrate, a mounting land, and an input/output terminal. Inside the multilayer circuit substrate, a wiring line that connects the mounting land and the input/output terminal to each other, an inductor that defines a portion of the wiring line, a first ground conductor that is positioned on the one main surface side of the inductor, and a second ground conductor that is positioned on the other main surface side of the inductor are defined by conductor patterns. The area where inductor is located is not superposed with the area where the second ground conductor is located, when the one main surface or the other main surface of the multilayer circuit substrate is viewed in plan, the second ground conductor being closer to the layer where the inductor is located than the first ground conductor is.
US09119314B2
A flexible printed circuit connector structure and assembly method. A panel with a back side that is parallel to a first plane and a flexible printed circuit backer that has a base and a backing structure. The base is attached to the back side of the panel. The backing structure depends from the base and extends along a second plane that forms an angle with the first plane. A first flexible circuit side of the flexible printed circuit is attached to a first side and an opposite second side of the backing structure. The flexible printed circuit has exposed conductors on a second flexible circuit side that is opposite the first flexible circuit side.
US09119306B2
A display panel includes a periphery area, an active display area adjacent to the periphery, a driving chip disposed out of the active display area for driving the active display area, and a plurality of wires electrically connecting the driving chip and the active display area. The width of at least one wire at a portion adjacent to the driving chip is smaller than the width of the at least one wire at the other portion adjacent to the active display area.
US09119300B2
A motor control device includes a circuit board having a control circuit controlling electric power to be supplied to a motor, a base fixedly supporting the circuit board, a flexible printed circuit supplying electric power to the motor, a pin terminal disposed on the circuit board, being electrically connected with the control circuit, a dummy pin terminal disposed on the circuit board, being electrically free from the control circuit, a wiring pattern land disposed on the FPC, being electrically connected with the pin terminal, and a dummy wiring pattern land disposed on the FPC, being connected with the dummy pin terminal.
US09119289B2
An interdigitated electrode film co-extruded with bus bars for thin film electronics or other devices. First electrode layers are located between first and second major surfaces of the film with a first bus bar electrically connecting and integrated with the first electrode layers. Second electrode layers are located between the first and second major surfaces with a second bus bar electrically connecting and integrated with the second electrode layers. The first electrode layers are interdigitated with the second electrode layers, and insulating layers electrically isolate the first bus bar and electrode layers from the second bus bar and electrode layers. The electrode films include multilayer films with vertical bus bars and multilane films with horizontal bus bars.
US09119287B2
A hook portion projecting outward is provided on a side plate portion of an upper case. An upper case includes a support surface that supports a display surface of a display panel. A lower case includes a sidewall that faces an outer circumferential side of the side plate portion. The sidewall has an opening into which the hook portion is inserted. The hook portion is inserted in the opening in a state in which no load is applied in a plane parallel to the support surface, and is elastically deformable toward center of the support surface up to a position not overlapping the opening when a portion inserted in the opening is pressed from outside of the support surface toward the center of the support surface.
US09119286B2
A cover assembly for covering a pivot of an electronic device is disclosed. The pivot connects a first component and a second component of the electronic device. The cover assembly is disposed at one side of the pivot, and the cover assembly includes a first covering element and a second covering element. A first end of the first covering element is connected to the first component, and a second end of the first covering element includes a first limit part. A first end of the second covering element is connected to the second component, and a second end of the second covering element includes a second limit part. The first covering element is overlapped with the second covering element. When the pivot rotates, the first limit part and the second limit part move correspondingly.
US09119270B2
Systems and method for detecting failure in solid state light sources and recovering from the failure are provided. A light engine including a controller circuit and strings of solid state light sources emits light in response to drive current provided by a driver circuit. The controller circuit monitors an output voltage of the driver circuit, and detects a failure of one of the solid state light sources. The failure is associated with a change in the output voltage of the driver circuit. The controller circuit then transmits a first signal to the driver circuit in response to detecting a failure, and the driver circuit is configured to decrease the drive current in response to the first signal.
US09119267B2
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for controlling a fault in a lighting network. The apparatus includes power selection units respectively provided in a plurality of lighting units connected to one another over a network, each power selection unit being configured to compare a reference voltage with an output voltage sensed from power supply signals input from power supply units respectively provided in a lighting unit, located ahead of a faulty lighting unit, and the faulty lighting unit if a fault occurs in the lighting unit, and to select supply power to be supplied to the faulty lighting unit. Lighting control units control driving of the faulty lighting unit using the selected supply power.
US09119266B1
An illumination source for a camera includes one or more LEDs, and an electrical circuit that selectively applies power from the DC voltage source to the LEDs, wherein the illumination source is suitable for handheld portable operation. In some embodiments, the electrical circuit further includes a control circuit for driving the LEDs with electrical pulses at a frequency high enough that light produced has an appearance to a human user of being continuous rather than pulsed, the control circuit changing a pulse characteristic to adjust a proportion of light output having the first characteristic color spectrum output to that having the second characteristic color spectrum output. Some embodiments provide an illumination source including a housing including one or more LEDs and a control circuit that selectively applies power from a source of electric power to the LEDs, thus controlling a light output color spectrum of the LEDs.
US09119259B2
The present disclosure discloses an AMOLED pixel unit driving circuit and method, an AMOLED pixel unit and a display apparatus, the AMOLED pixel unit driving circuit includes: a switching unit with a first input terminal connected to a current source for supplying a charging current and a second input terminal connected to an OLED; a storage capacitor with a first terminal connected to an output terminal of the switching unit and a second terminal connected to a low level; a driving TFT with a gate electrode connected to the first terminal of the storage capacitor and a source electrode connected to the low level; and a current dividing unit with a first terminal connected to the low level. The embodiments of the present disclosure enable a relatively large scale to exist between the charging current Idata and the current loled flowing through the OLED.
US09119258B2
Current split circuit for equally splitting current between parallel connected LED luminaire strings
A system and method for equally splitting the current supplied to parallel connected strings of LEDs. The system and method includes a current splitting circuit such as a mirror circuit that divides the current substantially equally between two or more parallel connected strings of LEDs. The current splitting circuit ensures that illumination levels of the strings of LEDs are uniform without requiring the strings of LEDs to be binned. The current splitting circuit also allows the strings of LEDs to be dimmed in both pulse width modulation (PWM) and continuous modes.
US09119255B2
A LED light source comprising a LED strip supplied by a switch mode power supply is disclosed. The LED light source has a low power dissipation and is to a large extent independent of the magnitude of the DC voltage supplying the switch mode power supply. The LED light source allows arbitrary positioning of a light or a presence detector.
US09119254B2
The present invention provides a light emitting device power supply circuit with dimming function and a control circuit thereof. The light emitting device power supply circuit includes: a phase-cut dimming circuit, a rectifier circuit, a transformer circuit, and a control circuit. The transformer circuit includes an auxiliary winding, which is coupled to a primary winding, for generating a bleeder current to keep a conduction current higher than a holding current and prevent the phase-cut dimming circuit from turning OFF when the phase-cut dimming circuit operates in conductive phase. The control circuit includes a waveform analysis circuit, a bleeder current control circuit, and a bleeder current source. The bleeder current source includes a linear regulator or a variable current source. The bleeder current source controls the bleeder current so that the bleeder current is generated in a continuous and non-switching manner within the conductive phase.
US09119250B2
Systems and methods for driving solid state light sources are provided. A first drive circuit is configured to generate a drive current to cause a first solid state light source load and a second solid state light source load to illuminate. A feedback and control circuit is configured to receive feedback from the first solid state light source load and to control the drive current through the first solid state light source load based on the feedback. A second drive circuit is configured to control the drive current through the second solid state light source load. A master controller is configured to provide a first input to the feedback and control circuit to control the drive current through the first solid state light source load and a second input to the second drive circuit to control the drive current through the second solid state light source load.
US09119243B2
In a lighting system (SLS), a radar arrangement (RU1) transmits a signal (CW). The radar arrangement (RU) detects a spectral power distribution of a received signal (RF) susceptible of comprising a reflection of the signal that has been transmitted. Lighting is controlled as a function of the spectral power distribution that has been detected.
US09119239B2
A gestural control dimmer switch for controlling the illumination level of a light using hand movements comprises a dimmer panel in operative communication with a light, the dimmer panel having a plurality of hand position sensors corresponding to a spectrum of illumination levels of the light, wherein when a hand is detected by the hand position sensors the illumination level of the light is set until the hand reaches a dimmer trigger position when the switch enters a dimming mode during which the illumination level is adjusted to the illumination level corresponding to the hand position sensor the presence of the hand is detected until a release condition is satisfied.
US09119238B2
A method for driving an LED connected to a power switch is provided. The method includes: determining a duty cycle of a pulse sequence for controlling the power switch according to a present current and a predetermined operating current of the LED; generating the pulse sequence according to the duty cycle and according to at least one of a randomized period sequence and a randomized pulse position sequence; and controlling switching operation of the power switch by the pulse sequence, so as to drive the LED. An apparatus for driving a light emitting diode, an apparatus for dimming a light emitting diode and illumination systems are also provided.
US09119237B2
The present invention discloses a lighting lamp (10), is used for emitting a plurality of lights with different color temperatures, and color rendering indexes of all the lights are larger than 90. The lighting lamp (10) includes a combination (100) of light sources and a driving module (200). The combination (100) of the light sources includes four LEDs with specific wavelengths. The driving module (200) is utilized to drive the LEDs to illuminate and to control energy distribution of luminous energy for the first, second, third and fourth LEDs, thereby dynamically adjusting to show the light with 9000K, 12000K and eight color temperatures defined by the ENERGY STAR.
US09119235B2
The invention provides LED backlight source, including: a boost converter, for boosting input voltage and outputting boosted voltage; N parallel LED strings, wherein each LED string including a plurality of series LEDs and receiving boosted voltage; a backlight driving IC, for controlling connection/disconnection of boost converter and determining whether to shut down LED strings other than specific LED string based on voltage at negative terminal of specific LED string; and N control circuits, wherein each control circuit controlling voltage at negative terminal of corresponding LED string not to become zero so that backlight driving IC unable to shut down LED strings other than corresponding LED string. When an LED string becomes open, backlight driving IC cannot shut down LEDs strings other than the open LED string to avoid turning off all LED strings. The invention also provides liquid crystal display with LED backlight source.
US09119225B2
A method includes automatically sending a request from a wireless access point to a configuration server during a power-up procedure for the wireless access point. The method includes receiving virtual private network tunnel parameters at the wireless access point from the configuration server in response to the request. The virtual private network tunnel parameters identify an access gateway. The method also includes establishing a virtual private network tunnel between the wireless access point and the centralized access gateway during the power-up procedure based on the virtual private network tunnel parameters. The virtual private network tunnel enables the wireless access point to provide one or more wireless devices access to a wide area network.
US09119220B2
Methods and apparatus for efficient communication of backlog information, e.g., backlog information indicating amounts of uplink traffic waiting to transmitted by a wireless terminal are described. Delta backlog reports are used in addition to absolute backlog reports, thus reducing control signaling overhead, at least some information communicated in a delta backlog report being referenced with respect to a previously transmitted backlog report. A base station uses received backlog information from wireless terminals in determining scheduling of uplink traffic channel segments In some embodiments, the absolute backlog report uses a first fixed size report format, while the delta backlog report using a second fixed size report format, said second size being different from said first fixed size.
US09119218B2
The disclosure discloses a method for controlling Machine Type Communication (MTC) equipment to access network, wherein an access grade is set for an MTC equipment or an MTC group, and corresponding access parameters are set for the MTC equipment or MTC group according to the access grade, wherein the method comprises the steps of: notifying or configuring the access parameters to the MTC equipment and initiating, by the MTC equipment, an access request according to the access parameters; or, an access priority is configured for the MTC equipment or MTC group, wherein the method comprises the steps of: acquiring by the network side the access priority of the MTC equipment or MTC group after the network side receives the access request from the MTC equipment, and performing an access control on the MTC equipment according to the current network load. The disclosure further discloses a system for implementing the method. The disclosure can ensure that the service load of the Core Network (CN) side is controlled within a certain range, thus avoiding impact on the services that have currently accessed the network. The disclosure is especially applicable to communication systems with Machine To Machine (M2M) mechanism.
US09119201B2
A method, apparatus and computer program product are disclosed to allow for proximity detection in a manner that advantageously balances power consumption and latency. In the context of a method, the presence of a communication device is detected and a wireless link is caused to be established to provide a connection, such as a session description protocol (SDP) connection, with the communication device. The method may also detect the proximity of the communication device based upon signal strength of one or more signals communicated via the established wireless link. The method may also adjust one or more connection parameters of the established wireless link based at least upon the signal strength of the one or more signals communicated via the link. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.
US09119199B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting a downlink signal in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless communication system is disclosed. A method for receiving a downlink signal from a base station to a user equipment in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system, which supports dual layer transmission based on first and second antenna ports, comprises receiving downlink control information (DCI) through a downlink control channel; and receiving downlink data through a downlink data channel, the downlink data including one or more of a first transport block and a second transport block, wherein the downlink control information includes a new data indicator (NDI) for each of the first and second transport blocks, and if the first transport block is disabled and the second transport block is enabled, the new data indicator for the first transport block indicates an antenna port through which the second transport block is received.
US09119197B2
In one embodiment, a method for delay scheduling includes determining whether a communications controller has information for a machine type communication (MTC) device and determining a first subframe to transmit a downlink control information (DCI) message on when the communications controller has information for the MTC device. The method also includes transmitting, by the communications controller to the MTC device, the first subframe including the DCI message and the information in accordance with the first subframe.
US09119191B2
The disclosure provides a method and a device for feeding back Acknowledgment (ACK) information during switching of backhaul link subframe configuration, and the method includes during the switching of the backhaul link subframe configuration, if Uplink (UL) ACK/Negative ACK (NACK) information, which corresponds to a last transmission before the switching of one or more Downlink (DL) Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) transmissions, is not fed back on a UL subframe which is before the switching, feeding back the ACK/NACK information on an available UL subframe which is after the switching since Nms after the last transmission, wherein N is an integer. The disclosure achieves the effect of correctly feeding back the ACK information during switching of the backhaul link subframe configuration.
US09119187B2
An encoding unit encodes an information bit sequence. An IDFT unit generates a spectrum from the signals of the information bit sequence. A clipping unit generates, when re-transmitting the information bit sequence, a transmission spectrum that differs from that of the previous transmission. An OFDM signal generation unit transmits the transmission spectrum.
US09119182B2
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in connection with use of expressions with D2D communications in a LTE based WWAN. In one example, a MME is equipped to receive a request from a first UE to establish a communication link with a second UE based on a first expression pair, determine whether the UEs can use a first context associated with previously used expression pair, and provide information associated with the first context to the first UE. In another example, a UE is equipped to send a connection request, to its MME, to establish a communication link with a second UE based on a first expression pair, receive at least a portion of information associated with a first context between the UEs based on a previously used expression pair, and establish the communication link with the second UE using the received information.
US09119179B1
A system and method for dynamically planning a network is presented. One method may begin by determining network parameters for connecting nodes to a network and decision variables associated with radios and/or nodes in the network. Constraints may be established to narrow possible values of the network parameters and/or the decision variables. The constraints may be based on one or more of: values associated with connecting a radio to a node in the network, values associated with connecting two nodes in the network together over a communication link, whether a node can connect to a GIG node and a flow balance in the GIG node. To find possible links in the network that are optimal, the method may minimize an equation based on the network parameters, constraints and decision variables to determine optimal communication links between pairs of nodes in the network, pairs of nodes and radios and/or pairs of radios.
US09119175B2
A method for handling MBMS dynamic scheduling information in a network terminal of a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes steps of generating a MAC Control Element for carrying an MBMS dynamic scheduling information, the MAC Control Element containing at least one fields, each corresponding to one MBMS service transmitted on an MCH, for indicating an ending point of sub-frames used by the corresponding MBMS services in a scheduling period of the MCH; and setting a first field to a specific value to indicate there is no sub-frame scheduled for the corresponding MBMS service in the scheduling period when the corresponding MBMS service has no data for transmission in the scheduling period.
US09119157B2
Various aspects of apparatus for accessing a network through a wireless access point and methods of power savings for such apparatus include operating in a sleep state, and scheduling one or more sleep state intervals for operating in the sleep state during a time period, wherein the scheduled one or more sleep state intervals are based on one or more wireless transmission parameters.
US09119151B2
A signal transmission device includes: a communication device that transmits first information and second information, wherein at the time of transmitting the first information, the communication device controls a strength of a transmission signal thereof on the basis of the second information.
US09119150B1
Systems and methods for adaptive power control are provided. A minimum power level of a primary acoustic signal is estimated. The minimum power level may then be compared to at least one power threshold. Subsequently, a large power consuming system is controlled based on the comparison of the minimum power level to the power threshold.
US09119149B2
A communication method of a coordinator in a bidirectional event transmission sensor network comprising a sensor node and the coordinator is provided. The method includes sensing, in an uplink section, whether a signal having energy greater than or equal to a predetermined magnitude is received, the signal indicating occurrence of an uplink event detected by the sensor node, and transmitting, to the sensor node in a downlink section, a synchronization packet that is used for receiving the uplink event or for transmitting a downlink event in response to the coordinator detecting the downlink event or sensing the signal having energy greater than or equal to the predetermined magnitude in the uplink section. The bidirectional event transmission sensor network has a structure of a super frame that includes at least one standby slot (SS) including the uplink section and the downlink section.
US09119135B2
A user terminal receives at least one signal with information depending on a location of the user terminal. The user terminal processes the at least one signal for providing data related to the location while it is in a cell of an accessible private base station and saves the data as a reference data. After that, the user terminal receives at least one signal with information depending on the location of the user terminal and a broadcast from a private base station. The user terminal processes the at least one signal for providing data related to a location of the user terminal and compares the data and a reference data with each other. The controller enables a contact to the private base station if the data and the reference data match each other and, otherwise, disables a contact to the private base station.
US09119133B2
Aspects describe indicating to a mobile station whether an access point supports local Internet Protocol (IP) access. The indication can be sent through utilization of common signaling, which allows the mobile station to have information about the local IP access availability before connecting to the access point. The indication can be sent through utilization of dedicated signaling, which allows the mobile station to find out about availability of local IP access after the mobile station connects to the access point.
US09119129B2
A transceiver of an apparatus supports communication with at least one additional apparatus. A processing module processes at least a portion of media access control (MAC) header content of a MAC frame within a signal received via the at least one transceiver or generated internally. In particular, the MAC header content, and optionally the MAC payload content, is processed based on a filter and classification agreement between the apparatus and the at least one additional apparatus to classify the MAC frame.
US09119128B2
An intelligent routeback mechanism that may inter alia receive from an entity (such as for example a wireless carrier) aspects of the entity's messaging traffic, data, etc. with the intelligent routeback mechanism aiding the (1) return (optionally augmented, optionally transformed, etc.) to the entity of that portion of the traffic, data, etc. that the entity is able to deliver itself and (2) delivery of that portion of the traffic, data, etc. that the entity is unable to deliver itself. Such an intelligent routeback mechanism may reside in inter alia a Messaging Inter-Carrier Vendor.
US09119126B2
A handover decision is capable of lowering a handover failure rate of horizontal handover between a source base station and a target base station in a wireless communication system. After deciding a target base station to which the mobile terminal is to be handed over, a hysteresis value for determining a handover execution point is decided, and execution of the handover of the mobile terminal occurs when a difference between the received signal strength of a signal received from the target base station to the mobile terminal and the received signal strength of a signal received from the source base station to the mobile terminal is continuously maintained at the hysteresis value or above during a predetermined time.
US09119124B2
The disclosure provides a method and system for communication implementation for a user equipment, which include: a user equipment reports the state information of other sub-devices except the sub-device adopting Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology to the network (300); the network performs radio resource management according to the obtained state information (301). It can be seen from the method of the disclosure that the network, already knowing the state information of the user equipment, performs radio resource management. As for the sub-devices in the user equipment which are configured to adopt the LTE technology and as for other sub-devices adopting such technologies other than the LTE technology as WLAN technology, Bluetooth technology, and the like, the method achieves effective suppression of the in-device co-existence interference, thus improving the communication quality of the radio technologies in the user equipment and the communication experience of the users.
US09119120B2
Methods and systems are described that incorporate joint network assisted offloading and cross-RAT (Radio Access Technology) user mapping techniques for integrated multi-RAT Het-Nets. Techniques are described for network based offloading and user association methods for multi-tier, multi-RAT HetNets, which account for overall user as well as network utility.
US09119113B2
With the deployment of home NodeB or home eNodeB, a user can access both operator's core network and Local Internet (IP) Access (LIPA), e.g. to home based network or general Internet, on the same device at the same time. However, existing mechanisms do not allow an efficient way of LIPA mobility support, especially when there are multiple home NodeBs or home eNodeBs serving the same LIPA domain. The present invention provides a solution that can achieve seamless mobility among different home NodeBs or home eNodeBs without interruption to LIPA service. The LIPA traffic for the terminal can be contained within the local domain during the handover process. It also provides support of the relocation of the gateway that provides the LIPA access to the mobile terminal.
US09119111B2
A video session management capability is disclosed. The video session management capability enables management of potential and/or established video sessions of mobile devices of a cellular sector (e.g., for supporting dynamic changes to the transmission bit rates of established video sessions in a cellular sector). In response to an indication of a condition associated with the cellular sector, a manager determines, for each of a plurality video senders of a respective plurality of uplink video sessions of the cellular sector, a modified transmission bit rate for the video sender for the uplink video session and propagates, toward the video sender, a message for instructing the video sender to use the modified transmission bit rate for its uplink video session.
US09119106B2
At least one table for mapping measured quantity values of a signal strength, which are measured by a user equipment according to a minimizing drive tests policy in a mobile communications environment, to reported values is generated by including a number n of thresholds therein which are adjustable and indicate signal strength ranges defining the reported values, wherein n is greater or equal to two. The number n and values of the thresholds are adjusted to filter the measured quantity values in the user equipment, and the minimizing drive tests policy is controlled based on the at least one table.
US09119101B2
Channel State Information (CSI) is reported by a subscriber station to a base station. The CSI is reported periodically for at least two physical uplink control channels (PUCCH). In case of a collision between a report for a first PUCCH and a report for the second PUCCH, each of the report types is partitioned into one of a number of classes, which include: a first class for rank indicator related report types and wideband (WB) W1 report types; a second class for WB report types or WB channel quality indicator report types; and a third class for subband related report types or W1 report types. A priority rule assigns a priority to each of the classes. The CSI feedback reports are transmitted according to the priority rule such that the report type included in a higher class is transmitted and the report type included in the lower class are dropped.
US09119095B2
A communication system and method are disclosed for transmitting packets of information in at least one first format over a communications link that utilizes packets of information in a second format. In certain embodiments, the packets of information in a first format are converted to packets of information in the second format prior to transmission via the communications link by packing and fragmenting the information in the first format in a coordinated manner. Embodiments may also utilize packing subheaders and fragmentation control bits in the packing and fragmentation processes.
US09119088B2
Some embodiments provide a capacity management agent that modifies content requests to adjust bandwidth consumption when streaming requested content from a content provider to a requesting user. The modifications include modifying a URL or header information of the request. The agent performs a process that receives a request for content of a content provider. The process identifies a parameter of the carrier network and modifies the request when the parameter satisfies a threshold. The process passes the request to the content provider and the content provider provides content that consumes a first set of resources in response to an unmodified request and a second set of resources in response to a modified request. When the parameter identifies congestion, the first set of resources is greater than the second set of resources. When the condition parameter identifies underutilization, the first set of resources is less than the second set of resources.
US09119070B2
An approach is provided for detecting unauthorized wireless devices in a network. A platform retrieves an identifier of a device from a log of devices connected to a network, determines whether the device is a wireless device by applying a plurality of criteria to the identifier, retrieving a list of wireless devices authorized to connect to the network if the device is determined to be a wireless device, and compares the identifier with the list to determine whether the device is authorized to connect to the network.
US09119065B2
A particular method includes receiving, at a secure user plane location (SUPL) server, an indication from a mobile device of one or more transport layer security (TLS) cipher suites supported by the mobile device; determining whether the one or more TLS cipher suites include a TLS pre-shared key (TLS-PSK) cipher suite that is supported by the SUPL server; in response to determining whether the one or more TLS cipher suites include the TLS-PSK cipher suite that is supported by the SUPL server, performing a generic bootstrapping architecture (GBA)-based authentication process to authenticate the mobile device, or determining whether the SUPL server supports a certificate-based authentication method; and in response to determining that the SUPL server supports the certificate-based authentication method, performing the certificate-based authentication method that includes sending a server certificate to the mobile device and receiving a device certificate from the mobile device.
US09119061B2
Methods and systems are provided for relocatable repeaters for wireless communication links to locations that may present accessibility problems using, for example, small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS). An sUAS implemented as an easy-to-operate, small vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft with hovering capability for holding station position may provide an extended range, highly secure, high data rate, repeater system for extending the range of point-to-point wireless communication links (also referred to as “crosslinks”) in which repeater locations are easily relocatable with very fast set-up and relocating times. A repeater system using beam forming and power combining techniques enables a very high gain antenna array with very narrow beam width and superb pointing accuracy. The aircraft includes a control system enabling three-dimensional pointing and sustaining directivity of the beam independently of flight path of the aircraft.
US09119057B2
Disclosed is an emergency broadcast receiver. The receiver comprises an alert device, a tuner adapted to demodulate a baseband signal from a radio frequency signal, a signal decoder adapted to extract digital data from the demodulated baseband signal, a location device adapted to provide location data representing a location of the emergency broadcast receiver; and an embedded controller. The embedded controller is adapted to detect a trigger signal in the extracted digital data, determine whether location information encoded in the detected trigger signal corresponds with the location data; and activate, based on the determination, the alert device.
US09119053B2
A host server is configured to switch communications associated with an account between first and second mobile devices. The server stores a mapping of the account to a first PIN which identifies the first mobile device, and communicates messages via a wireless network based on the stored mapping using the first PIN for data synchronization therebetween. The server then receives a request for device switching. In response, the server switches the mapping of the account to a second PIN which identifies a second mobile device, and communicates messages via the wireless network based on the switched stored mapping using the second PIN for data synchronization therebetween. The mapping of the account to the first PIN may be maintained even after switching the stored mapping to the second PIN, for a subsequent request for switching back to the first mobile device for the account.
US09119049B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that provide a voice notification to an end user while the end user is on an active voice call, where the voice notification includes information on a text message that was received. A system in one embodiment includes a message delivery system that receives a text message intended for a destination, and initiates delivery of the text message to the destination. The system also includes a message notification system that detects that the destination is engaged in an active voice call during the delivery of the text message, identifies information for the text message, converts the text message information into voice data to generate a voice notification, and initiates transmission of the voice notification to the destination to be played during the active voice call.
US09119042B2
Method for handling at least one external device in an environment, wherein the environment comprises at least one central handling unit and at least one communication module, wherein at least one external device is assigned to the communication module, and wherein a dialogue session is established between the central handling unit and at least one of the further components of the environment, characterized in that, in the dialogue session at least one request message relating to the handling of the external device is transmitted, during the existence of the dialogue session a response message relating to the request message is generated, wherein the response message comprises handling information, relating to the handling of the external device, the response message is a confirmation message on the receipt of the request message at a component of the environment and the response message is transferred back within the same dialogue session.
US09119026B2
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment, a method of transmitting signals is provided. Signal waveforms are transmitted from at least two respective sectors. The at least two respective sectors are from at least two different sets of a superset of sectors. The transmitted signal waveforms include signal waveforms at least nearly mutually orthogonal at least along a particular signal dimension. An advantage of such an embodiment, for example, is reduced signal interference.
US09119025B1
In response to determining that a Bluetooth inquiry phase or a Bluetooth paging phase is beginning, a power save (PS) mode signal is sent from a first device to a second device via a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication link, wherein the PS mode signal indicates that the first device is in a WLAN PS mode. A PS poll signal is sent from the first device to the second device via the WLAN communication link in a gap between Bluetooth inquiry phase message transmissions during the Bluetooth inquiry phase or between Bluetooth paging phase message transmissions during the Bluetooth paging phase.
US09119024B2
A master device transmits a beacon signal including information related to a proximity wireless communication area in a predetermined cycle by using a transmission power which allows the beacon signal to reach beyond the proximity wireless communication area. When a slave device receives the beacon signal from the master device, the slave device estimates a distance to the master device in accordance with the information of the beacon signal. When a wireless communication terminal is located within the proximity wireless communication area, the slave device is connected to the master device by using a proximity wireless communication.
US09119023B2
In certain embodiments, a system includes a master node device. The master node device includes communication circuitry configured to facilitate communication with a welding power supply unit via a long-range communication link, and to facilitate wireless communication with one or more welding-related devices via a short-range wireless communication network. The master node device also includes control circuitry configured to associate the one or more welding-related devices with the short-range wireless communication network. The master node device further includes means for manually initiating association of the one or more welding-related devices with the short-range wireless communication network.
US09119013B1
A remote monitoring device is described that includes a microprocessor, a location determination unit connected to the microprocessor and operable to determine a location of the remote monitoring device. One or more interfaces connect the microprocessor to one or more sensors, wherein the one or more interfaces includes a multi-function radio frequency interface to communicate with wireless sensors. A radio frequency identification (RFID) interface interacts with RFID readers using the multi-function radio frequency interface, and a configuration interface to allow a user to configure the monitoring device also uses the multi-function radio frequency interface. The monitoring device uses a transmitter to transmit the location, status and collected information.
US09119003B2
There are provided a sound generator with less peaks and dips in sound-pressure frequency characteristics, and a sound-generating apparatus which employs the sound generator. A sound generator and a sound-generating apparatus using the same are provided, wherein the sound generator includes at least a vibration plate, and a plurality of piezoelectric elements attached to the vibration plate so as to be spaced from each other to cause the vibration plate to vibrate. The plurality of piezoelectric elements includes piezoelectric elements having at least two different thicknesses. The piezoelectric elements having at least two different thicknesses are disposed in two directions that cross each other in a main surface of the vibration plate. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve a sound generator, as well as a sound-generating apparatus which have less peaks and dips in sound-pressure frequency characteristics.
US09118999B2
Methods and apparatus are described by which equalization and/or bass management of speakers in a sound reproduction system may be accomplished.
US09118990B2
Headset connector systems and headset engaging connector systems are provided. Headset connector systems can include two or more headset connector contact regions. Headset engaging connector systems can include two or more headset engaging contact regions to provide at least one of power and data. The headset connector system or the headset engaging connector system can include switching circuitry electrically coupled to the respective contact regions. The switching circuitry can be operative to determine an interface orientation between the headset connector contact regions and the headset engaging contact regions. The switching circuitry can also be operative to selectively route received signals based on the determined interface orientation. At least a portion of the headset connector system or the headset engaging connector system can be magnetically attractive.
US09118988B2
A loudspeaker includes a horn including a first end panel, a second end panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. Edges of at least the first and second side panels define a diffraction slot opening. The first and second side panels are each fabricated from a sheet of flexible material held in a stressed, curved shape by at least a rigid support member. The panels are designed by an automated process based on a number of electro-acoustic transducers to be used in a loudspeaker, horizontal and vertical coverage angles for the loudspeaker, and a wall length for a horn of the loudspeaker.
US09118975B2
A method of providing a Non-Real-Time (NRT) service includes receiving a file configuring the NRT service, first signaling information, and second signaling information in a state of being IP-packetized and contained in a single ensemble, configuring and displaying a service guide using the first signaling information acquired from the ensemble, acquiring a first content identifier of content selected from the displayed service guide, accessing a FLUTE session using the second signaling information acquired from the ensemble and acquiring a second content identifier matched with the first content identifier from the accessed FLUTE session, and receiving and storing at least one file configuring the content based on the acquired second content identifier.
US09118972B2
In a television system in which at least program title information for programs which are to be transmitted in the future is transmitted in advance to form a channel guide listing, apparatus is provided for searching the listing for specific user-entered information, and upon successful conclusion to the search, the apparatus schedules the tuning of the desired program, or in the alternative, notifies the viewer of the availability of the program. In those instances where descriptive text accompanies the program listing, apparatus of the invention performs a search of the text for a particular text string which may relate to the title, the star, the director, or the context of the program, among other search criteria.
US09118969B2
A method enables a user to pause or stop content reproduction in one viewing room, and resume content reproduction in another viewing room according to a timing condition. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method is used in a system including first and second video devices, and includes steps of: receiving by the first video device while playing back a program, a first control signal to interrupt the playback; enabling display of a message by the second video device for a predetermined time interval asking a viewer whether to continue playback of the program by the second video device; receiving by the second video device a second control signal within the predetermined time interval to continue playback of the program; and enabling playback of the program by the second video device in response to the second control signal.
US09118967B2
A system, method, and computer instructions is provided to render an on screen channel changer on a television. A request is received from a user to activate the on screen channel changer. An on screen channel changer for an Intelligent TV may include a display of a number bar, miniature (mini) electronic program guide (EPG), a dynamic EPG, and a program preview. The EPG information comes from EPG information sources including EPG information embedded in a content feed from a cable provider and EPG information from an internet source. The EPG information displayed can include a schedule of past, current, and upcoming TV programs. The on screen channel changer may be displayed on top of a TV program currently being viewed. The user changes the channel by making a channel number selection using the on screen channel changer.
US09118964B2
A broadcast receiving apparatus is disclosed. The broadcast receiving apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive a broadcast signal which includes video data; a detector configured to detect error information for determining whether there is an error in a packet identifier information, regarding the video data and correction information for correcting the packet identifier information; and a controller configured to detect the packet identifier information using the correction information, and detect the video data using the corrected packet identifier information, when it is determined that the error occurs in the packet identifier information.
US09118963B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining identified impressions that are detected from consumption data collected from a group of media processors where the identified impressions represent viewing of selected content and where the consumption data indicates channel tuning events at the group of media processors including changing of channels, applying a ridge regression analysis to the identified impressions to determine a predicted number of target impressions per advertisement slot, and generating a media plan based on a ratio of an advertisement slot cost to the predicted number of target impressions per advertisement slot. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09118950B2
A broadcast receiving apparatus capable of playing back, with another apparatus, a broadcast content item and a communication content item in synchronization with each other is a broadcast receiving apparatus that receives a broadcast content item to be broadcast, and includes: a first information obtaining unit configured to obtain synchronization information for playing back, in synchronization with playback of the broadcast content item, a communication content item to be distributed through communication other than broadcasting; an information notifying unit configured to notify a playback apparatus that plays back the communication content item of the synchronization information; and a broadcast receiving and playback unit configured to receive and play back the broadcast content item.
US09118942B2
Methods and systems to provide and manage on-demand sessions are described herein. A request is received from a client to start an on-demand session. It is determined if there are sufficient resources to start the on-demand session for the client. The request is inserted into a queue if there aren't sufficient resources to start the on-demand session for the client. The on-demand sessions is started when there are sufficient resources available and it is the client's turn in the queue.
US09118935B2
An exemplary media streaming system 1) maintains media profile data representative of a plurality of media profiles supported by technical specifications of access devices included in a population of access devices, 2) defines, based on a statistical distribution of the access devices across the plurality of media profiles, a subset of the plurality of media profiles as benchmark media profiles, 3) maintains, for only the subset of the plurality of media profiles defined as the benchmark media profiles, media content data representative of different versions of a media content program, the different versions of the media content program corresponding to the media profiles included in the subset, and 4) uses the media content data representative of the different versions of the media content program corresponding to the media profiles included in the subset to stream the media content program. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
US09118920B2
An image encoding apparatus and method and an image decoding apparatus and method are disclosed. The image encoding method may include extracting a ROI from an input image, determining a compression rate of a remaining region excluding the ROI of the image based on a network state between the image transmitting apparatus and the image receiving apparatus, and encoding the remaining region based on the compression rate.
US09118919B2
Novel “loss rate” metrics are presented that can be used to indicate the quality of a video stream. These metrics may be determined using a simplified method or by a more sophisticated method, the latter method applying different “weights” (i.e., adjustments) to error computations based on the type of frame involved (i.e., I, P, B). Both methods may produce a video quality score within a given range (e.g., in the range of 0 to 1) where one end of the range indicates a video stream of high quality (i.e., no frames are affected), and the other end indicates a video stream of low quality (i.e., all frames are affected).
US09118918B2
The present invention is directed to a rate-distortion optimized (RDO) transform and quantization system. A frame classification unit classifies an input frame as either a key frame or a non-key frame. A rate model update unit generates at least one model parameter of a rate model according to a transform coefficient and a bitrate resulted from an encoded key frame. An RDO transform and quantization unit processes the input frame, thereby generating a quantized transform coefficient according to the model parameter. A frame buffer is used to store a previous frame, according to which the bitrate is estimated.
US09118915B2
A method and apparatus for encoding video by using deblocking filtering, and a method and apparatus for decoding video by using deblocking filtering are provided. The method of encoding video includes: splitting a picture into a maximum coding unit; determining coding units of coded depths and encoding modes for the coding units of the maximum coding unit by prediction encoding the coding units of the maximum coding unit based on at least one prediction unit and transforming the coding units based on at least one transformation unit, wherein the maximum coding unit is hierarchically split into the coding units as a depth deepens, and the coded depths are depths where the maximum coding unit is encoded in the coding units; and performing deblocking filtering on video data being inversely transformed into a spatial domain in the coding units, in consideration of the encoding modes.
US09118913B2
A video encoding method and apparatus and a video decoding method and apparatus. In the video encoding method, a first predicted coding unit of a current coding unit that is to be encoded is produced, a second predicted coding unit is produced by changing a value of each pixel of the first predicted coding unit by using each pixel of the first predicted coding unit and at least one neighboring pixel of each pixel, and the difference between the current coding unit and the second predicted coding unit is encoded, thereby improving video prediction efficiency.
US09118907B2
An imaging device in the present disclosure includes: an imaging unit including an imaging optical system configured to form an image of an object and an imaging element configured to convert an optical image formed by the imaging optical system into an image signal and output the image signal; a distance-measuring section configured to obtain distance information of the object; an image display section configured to display an image of the image signal; an object recording section configured to previously register and record an object to be shot; and a distance designation section configured to designate a distance at which the object is to be shot. The imaging optical system performs a focusing operation for the distance designated by the distance designation section. The imaging unit performs shooting exposure when the object recorded previously by the object recording section is located at the distance designated by the distance designation section.
US09118896B2
In a digital contents receiver for receiving transmitted digital contents, the digital contents include at least component information indicating an element which constitutes a program of the contents. When the component information indicates that the received digital contents are a 3D component, it is determined whether a display part corresponds to display of the 3D component. If the display part corresponds to display of the 3D component, the received digital contents are displayed in 3D.
US09118892B2
Provided is an apparatus and method for encoding/decoding a moving picture based on adaptive scanning. The moving picture apparatus and method can increase a compression rate based on adaptive scanning by performing intra prediction onto blocks of a predetermined size, and scanning coefficients acquired from Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) of a residue signal and quantization differently according to the intra prediction mode. The moving picture encoding apparatus includes: a mode selector for selecting and outputting a prediction mode; a predictor for predicting pixel values of pixels to be encoded of an input video based on the prediction mode to thereby output a residue signal block; a transform/quantization unit for performing DCT onto the residue signal block and quantizing the transformed residue signal block; and an encoder for adaptively scanning and encoding the quantized residue signal block based on the prediction mode.
US09118889B2
A video signature extraction device includes an each-picture feature extraction unit which extracts a feature of each picture, which is a frame or a field, as an each-picture visual feature from an input video; a time axial direction change region extraction unit which analyzes an image change in a time direction with respect to predetermined regions in a picture from the video, obtains a region having a large image change, and generates change region information which is information designating the region; an each-region feature extraction unit which extracts a feature of the region corresponding to the change region information as an each-region visual feature from the video; and a multiplexing unit which multiplexes the each-picture visual feature, the each-region visual feature, and the change region information, and generates a video signature.
US09118888B1
An example news production system includes a scheduling system, a composite display, and a camera. The scheduling system accesses a news program schedule that specifies a sequence of actions to be performed by the news production system. The scheduling system reads entries from the news program schedule, identifies actions associated with each, and sends signals to cause the actions to be performed. The news production system may cause the composite display to render video content in accordance with a specified layout. A camera can capture video of a field of view that includes at least a portion of the composite display while the specified video content is rendered thereon. The news production system may also cause an output video stream to be based, at least in part, on the captured video.
US09118883B2
High dynamic range imaging techniques with multi-storage pixels are provided. Multiple images may be captured during a single exposure using an image sensor with multi-storage pixels. During a single exposure, charge from photodiodes may be transferred alternately to multiple storage nodes of the multi-storage pixels. During readout of a multi-storage pixel, charge may be transferred from each of multiple storage nodes one at a time to a floating diffusion node. Each subsequent transfer of charge may be summed with the charge already stored in the floating diffusion node. A pixel signal may be read out from the multi-storage pixel after each charge transfer. Images formed from the pixel signals may be combined to produce a high dynamic range image.
US09118882B2
A method and apparatus updates supplement information (SI) in a time-shifted multimedia program that includes a primary multimedia-content feed and one or more SI overlays. In one embodiment, the invention identifies spatial, temporal, and/or logical occurrences of supplemental information (SI) in a recorded program and replaces this potentially outdated information with SI that is either less time-sensitive and/or updated to be relevant to the playback time of the program. In another embodiment, SI overlays are identified by tags that are embedded into a multimedia program feed and stored (time-shifted) along with the feed by an enhanced digital video recorder (EDVR) set-top. The set-top decodes the stored feed, reads the tags to determine sources for replacement SI, retrieves the replacement SI from the sources, and creates updated overlays from the replacement SI. The set-top then replaces the original overlays with updated SI overlays and outputs the result to a display.
US09118881B2
Methods and systems for use in calibrating imaging data, are provided that include using a calibration array to generate a test pattern. The calibration array can emit a test pattern having geometric, temporal, and electromagnetic characteristics. The collected data can be compared with the geometric, temporal and electromagnetic characteristics to determine an error factor that can then be used in analyzing the collected data.
US09118873B2
An imaging device includes photoelectric conversion elements arranged unidirectionally for each color of light to be received, and performing photoelectric conversion of reflected light from an approximately same position of an object for the each color sequentially pixel by pixel; and a black correction unit that corrects a black level of the object with respect to a pixel group including some photoelectric conversion elements in a way that an output result of the photoelectric conversion of reflected light by a photoelectric conversion element for a pixel, independent of the reflected light, is subtracted from another output result of photoelectric conversion of reflected light by the photoelectric conversion element for the same pixel.
US09118872B1
Embodiments of a method and apparatus for image enhancement are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the method includes accessing two or more sets of first pixel data representative of two or more images of a physical object. The method can further include transforming the two or more sets of pixel data to generate two or more sets of frequency domain data. The method can further include upsampling each of the two or more sets of frequency domain data to generate a set of upsampled frequency domain data. The method can further include re-transforming the set of upsampled frequency domain data to generate two or more sets of second pixel data. The method can further include combining two or more sets of second pixel data to generate an enhanced image of the physical object. Other example methods, systems, and apparatuses are described.
US09118871B2
An image formation apparatus, for forming an image using color developers and a transparent developer, includes: a color developer threshold memory unit configured to store a color developer maximum threshold for each point of interest; a transparent developer threshold memory unit configured to store a transparent developer threshold for each point of interest; and an image signal converter configured to make color correction of the color developers in received image data when the image data contains a portion where a total amount of the color developers exceeds a color developer maximum threshold, and issue an instruction to apply the transparent toner to a portion where the total amount is not more than the transparent developer threshold.
US09118869B2
An exemplary system includes a media content processing subsystem configured to provide a program guide graphical user interface having at least a first viewing pane and a second viewing pane to a display for presentation to a user, provide a selector object within the first viewing pane, and provide a list of content channels within the first viewing pane. When one content channel of the list of content channels is located within the selector object, the media content processing subsystem is further configured to provide within the second viewing pane a vertically oriented time axis and a vertically oriented list of at least one media content instance entry corresponding to at least one media content instance available via the one content channel during a time period represented by the time axis.
US09118855B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array section that includes a light-blocked pixel portion, and an effective pixel portion, and a signal process circuit that processes a pixel signal output from each pixel of the pixel array section. The signal processing circuit calculates, as held data, a row statistic obtained by performing a statistical process on pixel signals of the light-blocked pixel portion in the unit of rows, holds the held data items of a plurality of rows including a process target row of the pixel array section, randomly selects one of the held data items of a plurality of rows, and subtracts the randomly selected held data item from a pixel signal of the pixel of the process target row in the effective pixel portion.
US09118854B2
An imaging apparatus for the present invention comprises an image sensor which repeatedly reads out image data, an OB calculating unit which calculates a representative value of OB output levels read from the image sensor; and a memory which stores the representative value of OB pixel output levels calculated by the OB calculating unit in a manner of dividing into a part for subtraction (a integer part) and a part for carrying-over (a decimal part); and an image synthesizing unit which sequentially adds the image data read from an effective pixel region in the image sensor and generates an added image, wherein the above-described image synthesizing unit subtracts the part for subtraction of the representative value of OB pixel output levels stored in the memory (OB subtraction part) from either the generated added image, or the image read from the effective pixel region, and, when a next OB value for addition after second addition is calculated, the OB calculating unit adds the carrying-over (decimal) part to the representative value of OB output levels stored in the memory for the representative value of OB output levels calculated using the image data read from the OB pixel regions.
US09118852B2
By utilizing scene metrics in an image processing system (such as night vision goggles or a camera), a setpoint controller can set a setpoint used by a gain controller. Using the setpoint and an average video level of a frame, the gain controller can set gain control signals sent to an image sensor and/or a high voltage power supply to adaptively adjust for higher and lower light scenarios. Scene metrics can include an amount of saturation in a frame, a number or percentage of pixels above a first threshold and a number or percentage of pixels below a second threshold.
US09118845B2
A method of annotating, on a display, a plurality of objects in an image of a scene captured by a camera, the method comprising: receiving i) metadata representing the different annotations to be applied to each of the objects, and ii) position information identifying the real-world position of each object in the scene to which the annotations in the image are to be applied; determining the focal length of the camera and the tilt applied to the camera; determining the position of the camera with respect to the scene being captured; and applying the annotation to the image captured by the camera in accordance with the position information.
US09118844B2
An image processing unit performs image processing with respect to image data. A still image information storage unit stores still image data in accordance with an instruction from a still image shooting instruction unit. A moving image recording unit records moving image data in accordance with an instruction from a moving image shooting instruction unit. The timing information acquisition unit acquires timing information. The image processing unit performs special effect image processing of combining the still image data to image data associated with the timing information in the pieces of image data constituting the moving image data.
US09118837B2
The imaging apparatus holds an imaging element that converts a subject image that has been formed by an imaging optical system to an electric signal by a holding member. An optical member is disposed more toward the subject side than the imaging element and is installed on the holding member. A sealing member that is formed by an elastic material encloses the light receiving surface of the imaging element as a countermeasure for dust protection. A position restricting member provided on the sealing member carries out positioning by being inserted between the outer peripheral edge portion of the optical member and the holding member in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the imaging optical system.
US09118829B2
An imaging device is provided that includes an imaging component, an image processor a display component, and a controller. The imaging component is configured to capture a subject image and produce image information that corresponds to the subject image. The image information has a first region and a second region. The image processor is configured to perform a vignette processing on the second region to produce a vignetted image. The image processor is further configured to enlarge at least part of the first region to produce an enlarged image according to an operation signal from an interface component. The display component is configured to display the vignetted image on the second region and the enlarged image on the first region. The controller is configured to control at least one of the imaging component, the image processor, and the display component.
US09118825B2
A technique for assembling camera modules that includes attaching optical elements, such as an optics stack, directly to the upper surface of an image sensor. A housing may be provided to partially surrounded the optics stack. Alternatively, the housing can be provided by a transfer molding process. This technique can be applied in array processing scenario and solder balls can be attached to the bottom of the image sensor to provide an efficiently-produced and low cost camera module.
US09118823B2
An image generation apparatus comprises: a first-image obtaining unit adapted to obtain an image obtained by causing an image capturing unit to capture the grip unit controlled so as to place the target object in one predetermined orientation of a plurality of predetermined orientations with respect to the image capturing unit and the target object in the one predetermined orientation as a grip-state image; a second-image obtaining unit adapted to obtain, as a non-grip-state image corresponding to the one predetermined orientation, an image of the grip unit that does not grip the target object and is placed in a predetermined orientation coincident with the orientation controlled to place the target object in the one predetermined orientation; and an image generation unit adapted to generate a target object image including only the target object for the one predetermined orientation based on a difference between the grip-state image and the non-grip-state image.
US09118816B2
The driver assistance system includes a camera operatively connectable to a processor. The driver assistance system is operable while the host vehicle is moving to detect a deviation in vertical contour of a road. A first image frame and a second image frame are captured in the field of view of the camera. Image motion is processed between respective images of the road derived from the first image frame and the second image frame. The vertical contour of the road is estimated using a road surface model of the road and the deviation in the vertical contour is computed from the road surface model.
US09118814B2
A peer-to-peer (P2P) video-on-demand (VoD) system or method use a plurality of LP-enabled VoD set-top box (STB) peers in a pool for providing video content data to a requesting client peer in the pool. One other peer in the pool can be designated as a parent peer for downloading high priority playback content that is substantially immediately needed for playback display. Low priority pre-fetch content can be downloaded to the requesting client peer from another peer in the pool other than the parent peer. Bandwidth at the requesting client peer that is not used by the playback module for downloading the high priority playback video content data can be allocated for downloading the pre-fetch content. Using the requesting client peer, video content data can be served, for the playback display on a video monitor, wherein such served video data content can comprise the playback content and the prefetch content.
US09118809B2
Methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, are described for multi-factor authentication of media-based (e.g., video and/or audio) conferencing between a plurality of end point devices. The methods and apparatuses provide for analysis of an end point media stream using a matrix of authentication factors, where the authentication factors include at least two of: user-specific facial recognition attributes, user-specific audio recognition attributes, acoustic environment attributes, visual environment attributes, user gesture attributes, technical attributes of the end point device, and technical attributes of the media stream, to determine an authentication score for the first end point device.
US09118806B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a memory that stores executable instructions and a processor that executes the instructions. The processor may determine, for plural received compressed video inputs received from one or more endpoints in a video conference, at least one motion vector included in each of the plural compressed video inputs. The processor may calculate, based on the determined motion vectors, a motion value corresponding to each of the plural compressed video inputs, the motion values representing a level of motion over several frames for each of the plural compressed video inputs. The processor may allocate, based on the calculated motion values, bandwidth to the one or more endpoints in the video conference.
US09118805B2
Provided is a multi-point connection device including: a first signal receiving unit which receives a first signal containing a plurality of constituent elements and first analysis information expressing the relationship between the constituent elements contained in the first signal; a second signal receiving unit which receives a second signal containing a plurality of constituent elements and second analysis information expressing the relationship between the constituent elements contained in the second signal; a signal mixing unit which mixes the first signal and the second signal; and an analysis information mixing unit which mixes the first analysis information and the second analysis information.
US09118800B2
An image reading apparatus includes: a document table that includes one surface on which a document is to be placed; an image reader that is provided over the other surface of the document table and is configured to read an image of the document being placed on the document table; and a resin housing that houses the document table and the image reader therein. The image reader includes: an image sensor including a plurality of reading elements arranged in a first direction; a holder configured to support the image sensor; a resin guide integrally formed with the housing; a reinforcement member which is made by a metal plate and provided at the guide; and a driver configured to move the holder along the guide in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
US09118799B2
A reading apparatus includes a reading unit and a movement-restriction unit that restricts a movement of the reading unit. The reading unit includes a reading portion for reading an image, a holding portion that holds the reading portion. The holding portion has a first surface. The reading unit further includes a sliding portion that moves in contact with the movement-restriction unit. The sliding portion has a second surface facing the first surface. A first region is provided between the first surface of the holding portion and the second surface of the sliding portion so as to form a predetermined gap.
US09118791B2
In an information processing apparatus, when a receiving unit receives data from an external device, a power control unit returns a power state of the apparatus from a power saving state and a transmitting unit transmits a start instruction to a connected image forming apparatus, and when a power supply switch becomes on according to a user's operation, the power control unit returns the power state of the apparatus from the power saving state but the transmitting unit does not transmit the start instruction to the image forming apparatus. Thus, it is possible to achieve both a linkage start and an individual start for an external image processing controller and the image forming apparatus, in an image processing system including the information processing apparatus, the external image processing controller and the image forming apparatus capable of performing an image process in cooperation with others.
US09118775B2
A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal are provided. The method according to one embodiment includes connecting a call between the mobile terminal and a counterpart mobile terminal; preparing a brain wave sensor and determining a state of mind of a user based on brain wave measurements obtained from the user by the brain wave sensor module; and performing a control operation relevant to the call according to the determined state of mind of the user.
US09118771B2
A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
US09118760B2
Systems and methods for processing calls and data are described. A user interface is displayed on a communication terminal associated with a user, wherein the user interface includes: a menu item enabling the user to initiate a voice call with a specified entity and a menu item or form via which the user can provide contextual information relating to the voice call. Contextual information provided by the user is transmitted to the specified entity, optionally prior to the voice call being established between the specified entity and the user. A data session is established. A call request is received from the user. Contextual information provided by the user is provided for display to the specified entity. A voice session is established, including the establishment of the voice call between the specified entity and the user, while the contextual information is displayed to the specified entity.
US09118742B2
Delivering a video stream is disclosed. A request for the video stream is received. A past portion of the video stream is delivered to a client. The past portion has a marker time that precedes a current time by an interval that corresponds to a buffer length in a client buffer. Receiving a video stream is also disclosed. A request for the video stream is transmitted. A past portion of the video stream is received. The received past portion has a marker time that precedes a current time by an interval that corresponds to a buffer length in a client buffer.
US09118737B2
A method and system are disclosed in which a group of people are able to replicate the physical world experience of going with a group of friends to pick a movie, watch the movie together, and provide commentary on the movie itself in the virtual world on a virtual couch while each user is sitting in different physical locations. Additionally, the virtual representation of the destination that the group of people are watching the movie together in can be themed to allow users to watch movies in different locations pivoting on special events or by the users choice.
US09118736B2
A pairing server includes: a second determination unit which, when a first request is received from a transmitting terminal and a second request is received from a receiving terminal, determines whether or not there is matching of pairing identifiers included in the first and second requests and whether or not there is matching of communication device information included in the first and second requests; and a pairing unit which pairs the transmitting terminal and the receiving terminal using a first device identifier included in the first request and a second device identifier included in the second request when it is determined that there is matching of the pairing identifiers included in the first and second requests and that there is matching of the communication device information included in the first and second requests.
US09118733B2
A communication system comprising a plurality of nodes that are capable of establishing a communication connection between two or more clients, the plurality of nodes being arranged in a hierarchy in which a node comprised in one level of the hierarchy is more likely to be reachable by a client trying to establish a communication connection with another client than a node comprised in a lower level of the hierarchy, the communication system being arranged such that, when a client determines that a node is unreachable for establishing a communication connection between it and another client, that communication connection is instead established by a node comprised in a higher level of the hierarchy than the unreachable node.
US09118722B1
Users are allowed to communicate with a server via a local client even when the server experiences an abnormal peak of traffic. The local client is configured to send a new connection request only after a specified time interval passes from a previous connection. The local client presents content, such as a game, that makes it appear to the user as if the user is interacting with the server while the local client is waiting for reconnection to the server. The user interactions during the time interval are locally stored and later provided to the server for further process.
US09118708B2
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for a database associating a plurality of device vulnerabilities to which computing devices can be subject with a plurality of remediation techniques that collectively remediate the plurality of device vulnerabilities. Each of the device vulnerabilities is associated with at least one remediation technique. Each remediation technique associated with a particular device vulnerability remediates that particular vulnerability. Further, each remediation technique has a remediation type are selected from the type group consisting of patch, policy setting, and configuration option. Still yet, a first one of the device vulnerabilities is associated with at least two alternative remediation techniques.
US09118701B2
A remote asset management system comprising a network of programmable wireless modules, each having an antenna and an identification module and configured to communicate via a radio communication protocol. The system further includes a plurality of assets each linked to one of the wireless modules and configured to be managed by the linked wireless module. A remote system server service platform is configured to receive remote asset data from the wireless modules, pass the remote asset data to and from the wireless modules, send messages to at least one of the wireless modules, monitor the wireless modules by requesting and receiving current mode information, and remotely program the wireless modules. A data processing module located within the wireless module(s) and configured to process messages received by the wireless module, authenticate said message, analyze authenticated messages, and carry out asset management instructions included in the message.
US09118687B2
In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a core network node configured to be operatively coupled to a set of network nodes. The core network node is configured to receive a broadcast signal from a network node from the set of network nodes, which is originated from a host device operatively coupled to the network node. The broadcast signal is sent via a tunnel from the network node to the core network node, such that other network nodes that are not included in the tunnel do not receive the broadcast signal. The core network node is configured to retrieve control information associated with the broadcast signal without sending another broadcast signal, and then send the control information to the network node.
US09118681B2
A method is implemented by a nano-box for providing processing resources to support application execution to a set of devices connected to a network of the nano-box. The method includes receiving application data for an application for a mobile or fixed device. The application is executed using the application data of the mobile or fixed device to generate an output. A handoff notification is received indicating that the root controller has reassigned the application to another nano-box in the set of nano-boxes based on best resource availability and minimum latency. In response, the nano-box updates the application data with a current state of the application and transmits the updated application data over the network to be provided to the other nano-box.
US09118674B2
Methods, computer-readable media, and apparatuses are disclosed for storing and utilizing state information for service providers. In one aspect of the invention, the methods, processes, or apparatus may include one or more of the following steps: 1) storing state information on a vault; 2) requesting state information on the vault from a receiving party and a device and providing identification to the vault; 3) authenticating and certifying the request from the receiving party; 4) providing the state information to the receiving party; 5) using the state information on the device; and 6) returning the state information to the vault. An additional aspect of the invention provides a method and/or process for storing and utilizing web-based cookies on a cloud environment for service providers.
US09118673B2
According to some embodiments, a member authentication request is received at a security server from a client server. The member authentication request may be associated with, for example, a member attempting to access confidential information from the client server. A secure key associated with the member may be determined and data associated with that key may be transmitted to the member (e.g., via his or her wireless device or computer). Secure key information may be received from the member and validated. Based on the validated secure key information, it may be arranged for the member to receive the confidential information from the client server.
US09118666B2
An integrity verification process is performed by an integrity verification module of a client computing device. When the computing device is powered-up, but before an operating system is booted, the integrity verification module performs an integrity check of the computing device and gathers integrity verification information to ensure that the system is secure. If the system passes the integrity check, the system boots to a browser session which is capable of communicating with a cryptographic module. In response to a request from a service provider, the computing device retrieves the integrity verification information and signs the integrity verification information using a private key from the cryptographic module and forwards the signed data to the service provider. The integrity of the computing device may then be verified using a known public key of the cryptographic module that is accessible from a trusted third party.
US09118661B1
Methods and apparatus are provided for authenticating a user using multi-server one-time passcode verification. A user is authenticated by receiving authentication information from the user; and authenticating the user based on the received authentication information using at least two authentication servers, wherein the received authentication information is based on a secret shared between a security token associated with the user and an authentication authority that provides the at least two authentication servers. For example, the authentication information can comprise a passcode comprised of a tokencode from the security token and a password from the user. The user can be authenticated only if, for example, all of the at least two authentication servers authenticate the received authentication information.
US09118656B2
Requests to gain access to secure resources are adjudicated according to authentication policies that include rules based on user-states derived from multiple heterogeneous access-control systems. Comprehensive user authentication and access control based on rules and policies that encompass a user's status in multiple access-control systems, including both logical access (e.g., Active Directory, RADIUS, Virtual Private Network, etc.) as well as physical access (e.g., card-based) control systems, may be realized.
US09118653B2
In accordance with various embodiments, services gatekeeper systems and methods allow mapping and protecting communication services APIs with OAuth and group access to user information. Such a system can include a plurality of applications, executing on one or more application servers. The services gatekeeper is operable to define a group of members using a group URI, intercept requests for access to communication services APIs, obtain authorization from a group owner for access to a specified communication services API for each member of the group, and enable access to the specified communication services API of each member of the group in accordance with the scope authorized by the group owner.
US09118651B2
The present invention relates to communication within a vehicle, and particularly relates to an in-vehicle Ethernet, and the vehicle comprising thereof. A physical layer device (PHY) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a first pin receiving a power-on signal from exterior; a second pin which can be set as a first mode or a second mode; a decision unit which determines the mode in the second pin when the power-on signal is received at the first pin; and an operating preparation unit which initiates a communication by applying a predetermined value based on the mode in the second pin which is determined by the decision unit.
US09118649B2
Methods and systems for processing Ethernet data are disclosed and may comprise receiving Ethernet data via a single gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip. A secure application key may be received from a secure server by an OSM integrated within the gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip for processing the received Ethernet data. The received Ethernet data may be processed by the gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip based on the received secure application key. A unique security identifier internal to the single gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip may be communicated off-chip to the secure server. The unique security identifier may identify the single gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip. The secure server may authenticate the gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip based on the unique security identifier internal to the single gigabit Ethernet IP telephone chip, prior to the receiving of the secure application key.
US09118646B2
A system and method to detect and prevent fraud in a system is provided. The system may uniquely identify physical devices connecting to a network, register unique devices, track end-user logins, associate end-user accounts with specific devices, and share information with multiple network service providers is described.
US09118644B2
The present invention enables an enterprise to move from an implicitly trusted resource pool to an explicitly authenticated resource pool. Trust information is generally conveyed whenever a new resource is added to the pool and trust information is revoked when a resource is removed from the pool or is unable to provide its advertised resources. The dynamic, event driven conveyance of trust information is particularly important in highly virtualized environments where virtual resources are dynamically scaled up and down in response to resource demand.
US09118639B2
Generally, this disclosure describes a system and method for trusted data processing in the public cloud. A system may include a cloud server including a trusted execution environment, the cloud server one of a plurality of cloud servers, a cloud storage device coupled to the cloud server, and a RKM server including a key server module, the RKM server configured to sign the key server module using a private key and a gateway server configured to provide the signed key server module to the cloud server, the trusted execution environment configured to verify the key server module using a public key related to the private key and to launch the key server module, the key server module configured to establish a secure communication channel between the gateway server and the key server module, and the gateway server configured to provide a cryptographic key to the key server module via the secure communication channel.
US09118638B2
Provided is a system for the distribution of data, comprising a data server comprising a processor, a computer-readable storage medium coupled to the data server, a plurality of proxy servers, each with a plurality of network interfaces, a file of digital content, comprising a plurality of chunks, wherein copies of each chunk are stored on two or more of the proxy servers and the digital server; and logic, stored on the computer-readable storage medium and executed on the processor, for receiving a request for the digital file from a client device, for generating a proxy list for each chunk, comprising information identifying the two or more proxy servers on which the copies of the chunks are stored, and information corresponding to network interfaces associated with the two or more proxy servers on which the copies are stored; and for transmitting the proxy list to the client device to enable the client device to select two or more proxy servers on which the copies are stored and simultaneously download the two or more of the chunks utilizing two or more proxy servers and two or more network interfaces.
US09118631B1
Processing a query, includes, at a client, receiving a user-generated query having a plurality of recognizable terms, securing the user-generated query to generate an encrypted query, so that the plurality of recognizable terms generated by the user-generated query cannot be determined by a server, transmitting the encrypted query to the server, to perform the query on encrypted data comprising a mix of regular data and secure data previously provided by the client, wherein at least one of selection criteria of the query and identifies of selected records of the query result cannot be determined by the server, and interpreting a result of the query provided by the server, and providing an output of the query to the user having the plurality of recognizable terms.
US09118629B2
A method for generating and delivering a message via a web service is provided. A message for a recipient is converted to a URL and sent. A request is received from a sender having a first type of security to send a message also having the first type of security to the recipient having a second type of security. A URL message is created in response to receiving the request to send the message to the recipient and the URL message is sent to the recipient. A URL message response is received from the recipient and provides a landing message to the recipient in response to receiving the URL message response. The landing message includes a hint requesting an answer from the recipient. An answer is received from the recipient and the message is sent to the recipient using the second type of security in response to receiving the answer.
US09118623B2
A CDN edge server is configured to provide one or more extended content delivery features on a domain-specific, customer-specific basis, preferably using configuration files that are distributed to the edge servers using a configuration system. A given configuration file includes a set of content handling rules and directives that facilitate one or more advanced content handling features, such as content prefetching. When prefetching is enabled, the edge server retrieves objects embedded in pages (normally HTML content) at the same time it serves the page to the browser rather than waiting for the browser's request for these objects. This can significantly decrease the overall rendering time of the page and improve the user experience of a Web site.
US09118613B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for creating an electronic communication digest. In one implementation, a system receives a first electronic communication including first content, and generates an electronic communication digest that reflects the first electronic communication by including first digest content generated based on the first content. The system receives a second electronic communication that includes second content, and determines a repeated portion of the second content that is included in the first content and a unique portion of the second content that is unique to the first content. The system also update the electronic communication digest to reflect the second electronic communication by adding second digest content generated that includes the unique portion of the content and does not include the repeated portion of the second content.
US09118607B2
A system for routing packets that includes leaf network devices, spine network devices, and a border gateway protocol controller to perform a method for routing packets in a network. The method includes receiving packets at a leaf device and, using the destination IP address of the packet to determine to which spine network device the packet is to be sent. The spine network devices each include a non-overlapping portion of a routing table. The spine network devices include functionality to determine a route for the packet based on its destination IP address, to determine to which leaf network device the packet is to be sent, and to send the packet to the discovered leaf network device. The leaf network device that receives the packet includes functionality to, based on the destination MAC address of the packet, determine out of which leaf network device interface to send the packet.
US09118603B2
An apparatus and method for managing a user's ability to access content on the Internet involves a reporting and control server, an Internet Access Control (IAC) device, the IAC device including at least one light to indicate when at least one disallowed event has occurred, and a reset component which, for the at least one light to be reset, must be coupled to the IAC device. The method involves receiving a web address, determining whether a requested Domain Name System (DNS) server is an acceptable DNS server, determining whether an IP address provided by the acceptable DNS server is a redirect IP address and, if so, indicating an objectionable content event has occurred by changing a state of at least one light on the IAC device, sending information so that a reporting and control server can transmit a reset, receiving the reset, and resetting the at least one light.
US09118599B2
A system may receive a test signal from a first server; monitor network activity associated with the device; determine when the device is in an idle state based on the network activity associated with the device; generate a first packet based on receiving the test signal and based on determining when the device is in the idle state; provide the first packet to a second server; receive a second packet from the second server based on providing the first packet to the second server, the second packet authorizing the device to perform the network test; communicate with a third server, associated with the second packet, to perform the network test independently of the first and/or second server; generate test results based on performing the network test; and provide the test results to the second server, the second server being capable of generating performance data based on the test results.
US09118598B2
A redirector, a relay, a system for configuring route information, and a method for updating route information are disclosed herein. The redirector includes: a route storing module and a route indicating module. The redirector further includes: a monitoring module which is coupled to communicate with the route storing module and configured to monitor change of the route configuration information; and a notifying module which is coupled to communicate with the monitoring module and configured to send a notification to the intermediate node managed by the redirector, where the notification indicates that the route information corresponding to the changed route configuration information is invalid. Through the foregoing solution, after the route configuration information changes, a notification may be sent in time to indicate that the previously subscribed route indication information is invalid, thus better ensuring correct forwarding of the service request message and improving the QoS.
US09118596B2
Automated techniques reduce packet fragmentation in a communications network environment, including a networking environment that uses tunnels. In a tunneling environment, a tunnel endpoint evaluates whether tunnel processing for an outbound packet will cause the packet to exceed a particular size such as a message transmission unit (“MTU”) size, which in turn would lead to error processing and/or fragmentation of the packet. Similar MTU and packet mismatch may occur in a system across the virtual machine and the hypervisor, a networking stack and the physical MTU possible on the network. If so, the tunnel endpoint or the network driver simulates an error condition and returns an error message to the protocol stack that prepared the packet, so that the packet size can be reduced before the packet is actually sent on the tunnel. Existing functionality is leveraged to perform the size reduction, thus obviating the need for administrator intervention.
US09118588B2
Techniques are providing for managing and optimizing the configuration of network devices. At a management device in a network, a message is received from a first network device via a wireless link or a power line communication link between the management device and the first network device. The new network device is classified as belonging to one of a plurality of network device zones based on evaluating the message. A response message is then sent to the new network device via the wireless link or the power line communication link to ensure secure access to a virtual console-port is provided for the management device and the network devices in the network device zones.
US09118580B2
A communication device includes a processor that is operative to perform actions, including, determining whether a failure occurs in a regular communication channel to transmit a packet to another communication device, selecting, upon determining that the failure occurs in the regular communication channel, a backup communication channel for transmitting the packet, determining, upon selecting the backup communication channel, whether the backup communication channel is shared by the regular communication channel and another regular communication channel, changing, upon determining that the backup communication channel is shared, a priority assigned to the packet transmitted from the regular communication channel to the backup communication channel, and controlling the transmission of the packet in accordance with the changed priority.
US09118574B1
The present invention provides for the delivery of presence information to a service node from a mobile terminal using a messaging service, such as the short messaging service. The mobile terminal is configured to communicate via a cellular network as well as via a terminal adaptor, which is coupled to a wireline telephony switch or a data access network to support telephony communications. A local wireless interface is provided between the mobile terminal and the terminal adaptor to support communications through the terminal adaptor. In operation, the mobile terminal will provide a messaging service message including presence information to the service node, wherein the presence information will bear on the ability of the mobile terminal to communicate with the terminal adaptor, and thus, facilitate communications through the terminal adaptor.
US09118573B2
Each of a network fabric controller device and a network fabric forwarder devices includes network connecting hardware and network managing logic. The network connecting hardware of the devices connects them to a singly contiguous network fabric including switching devices that route data between initiator nodes and target nodes and that have routing logic programmable by the controller device. The controller device does not directly route the data themselves. The network managing logic of the devices effects multipaths for transmission of the data through the singly contiguous network fabric from the initiator node to the target nodes via programming of the routing logic of the switching devices.
US09118563B2
A non-transitory processor-readable medium is provided that stores code representing instructions to be executed by a processor to filter data associated with an entity for a first predefined time period in response to an access by the entity at a first time to a preselected network location from a plurality of preselected network locations. The plurality of preselected network locations are associated with forced web traffic patterns. The processor is also caused to filter data associated with the entity for a second predefined time period in response to an access by the entity at a second time to a preselected network location from the plurality of preselected network locations during the first predefined time period. The second time is after the first time.
US09118560B2
A method and system for distributing content on a network through network-wide transactions is disclosed. The method and system monitors the network using triggered measurement of the performance of an element of the network, dynamically computing, based on the monitoring, the regions of the network with available performance capacity for the transaction to proceed at a given time, determining, based on the computing, a scheduled time for the transaction to proceed, and distributing the content according to a schedule related to the scheduled time.
US09118559B2
Methods and apparatuses described herein are configured to calculate the instantaneous bit rate of a network connection. According to certain aspects, conventional solutions measure average bit rate of a network, whereas the techniques described herein are configured to measure the instantaneous bit rate. According to further aspects, structurally, conventional solutions require external devices (hosts or servers) and a plurality of data packets for measurement, whereas the present invention is self-referenced and requires, in principle, only two network packets, of any type, for measuring the instantaneous bit rate. The instantaneous bit rate can then be used to adjust the transmission bit rate of network packets to optimize the network connection such that the bandwidth of the network connection is fully utilized and packet loss is avoided.
US09118554B2
A system and method of automated Data Center Bridging (DCB) configuration of an access switch includes a control unit, a memory, and a port configured to couple the access switch to a peer device. The control unit is configured to operate the port according to a state machine including a DCB disabled state, a DCB downstream state, and a DCB upstream state. When the port is in the DCB disabled state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port without any DCB extensions. When the port is in the DCB upstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using DCB extensions based on the DCB configuration and receives the DCB configuration from the peer device. When the port is in the DCB downstream state, the control unit exchanges network traffic on the port using the DCB extensions and transmits the DCB configuration to the peer device.
US09118552B2
A system for simplifying the configuration and administration of computer networks. A the server system first sends a broadcast message out to the other network nodes on the computer network to learn configuration of each other network nodes on the local network. Next, network software within each other network node (not shown) responds to the broadcast message with a response containing configuration information and an identifier key value. In one embodiment, the identifier key value may be a randomly generated number. The server system then builds a table of network nodes using the information received in the response messages sent in response to the broadcast message. The server may then communicate with systems having duplicate addresses using the identifier key value. In some embodiments, the server system may send request messages to one or more network nodes specifying a network configuration change.
US09118549B2
Systems and methods comprising a context analyzer configured to associate one or more Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) transactions, an extensible document parser configured to parse a document included in the one or more HTTP transactions; and a library of parser additions used by the context analyzer to generate context-full replay instructions.
US09118546B2
A data forwarding method and a router are provided. The router includes: forwarding engines FEs, physical interface cards PICs, a first switch device and a second switch device, where the first switch device includes a primary first switch device and a standby first switch device, all the FEs are connected with each other via the first switch device, the FEs are connected to the PICs via the second switch device, the number of the FEs is at least two, the number of the PICs is at least two, and the number of the FEs is equal to the number of the PICs. Embodiments of the present invention could improve reliability of a system.
US09118545B2
An Agent Apparatus is described including a Detecting Device for detecting the execution of an automated function within a communication network. The Agent Apparatus further includes a Type Determining Device for determining the type of the automated function and a Writing Device for writing information representing the type of the automated function in a predefined storage area of a record carrier.
US09118543B2
Systems and methods for monitoring performance associated with fulfilling resource requests and determining optimizations for improving such performance are provided. A processing device obtains and processes performance metric information associated with processing a request corresponding to a set of resources. The processing device uses the performance metric information to identify a subset of the resources corresponding to a display location associated with a visible portion of a display and to assess performance related to processing of the identified subset of the resources. In some embodiments, the processed performance data may be used to identify timing information associated with the subset of the embedded resources. Aspects of systems and methods for identifying and testing alternative resource configurations corresponding to the content associated with the original set of resources and for determining whether to recommend a resource configuration for improving performance of subsequent client requests for the content are also provided.
US09118534B2
A multicarrier transmitter has a first mode, in which the transmitter is configured to transmit a first component carrier signal modulated onto a first carrier by using a first LO signal, and a second mode, in which the transmitter is configured to transmit the first component carrier signal modulated onto the first carrier and a second component carrier signal modulated onto a second carrier by using a second LO signal. The multicarrier transmitter is coupled to a controllable oscillator and configured to adapt a frequency of an LO signal output by the controllable oscillator dependent on the multicarrier transmitter being activated in the first or second mode to output the first LO signal or the second LO signal. For example, the multicarrier transmitter may be configured to switch between the first mode and the second mode while transmitting the component carrier signals.
US09118529B2
The present patent application comprises a method and apparatus to identify an address of a neighboring node, comprising the steps of identifying an existence of a neighboring cell, receiving a measurement report containing an identifier of the cell; sending an inquiry containing the identifier of the cell to a server, wherein the inquiry inquires what the IP address of the neighboring node of the cell is, and receiving an inquiry response containing the IP address of the neighboring node. In another embodiment, the inquiry containing the identifier of the cell is sent to other nodes.
US09118526B2
Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for controlling data storage. The method includes: obtaining the number of copies of to-be-placed media content; inputting user set information, server set information, media traffic demand information, and network topology information that are collected into a joint optimization model that is based on server selection and traffic engineering to perform joint optimization, and obtaining output information; performing statistics collection on the output information to obtain user access statistics of the to-be-placed media content on each cache device; and placing, according to the user access statistics of the media content and the number of copies, the copies of the to-be-placed media content so that the copies of the to-be-placed media content are preferentially placed on a cache device having large user access statistics. Embodiments of the present invention also provide an apparatus for controlling data storage.
US09118516B1
A differential transmission line with a common mode notch filter includes adjacently arranged, repeating differential transmission line pair sections. The sections have lengths that are each equal to half of an electric wavelength of a lowest frequency of a common mode electromagnetic wave to be suppressed during transmission of an electric signal over the differential transmission line. Each section includes a pair of conductors separated from one another by a spacing. The width of each conductor and the spacing between the conductors of each section vary over the length thereof according to a same pattern such that at every point over the length of each section a differential mode impedance of the differential transmission line is identical. A common mode impedance of the differential transmission line changes periodically in accordance with the lengths of the sections.
US09118512B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for compensating for impairments of a wireless device. In accordance with a disclosed method, a set of equalizer taps for an analog pipeline of the wireless device is determined. A first set of complex filter taps and a second set of complex filter taps are also determined, by modifying the set of equalizer taps according to an estimated imbalance of the analog pipeline of the wireless device. A signal associated with the analog pipeline is processed with a complex filter according to the first set of complex filter taps and the second set of complex filter taps. The processing provides a combined imbalance compensation and equalization of the signal. The complex filter may include a first complex half-filter associated with the first set of complex filter taps and a second complex half-filter associated with the second set of complex filter taps.
US09118510B2
Voice service over a next generation network is provided using Advanced Intelligent Network solutions. According to an exemplary embodiment, a Voice over Network system includes a communications device having a directory communication address in communication with a telecommunications network, means for decoding the directory communications address to identify a voice over internet protocol service feature of the communications address, and means for establishing an internet protocol telephony communications connection of the communications device with a called party's communications address via a VoN hotline. According to further exemplary embodiments, the hotline may include a media gateway, an application server, a feature server, and means for communicating among the media gateway, the application server, and the feature server.
US09118505B2
A system and method are provided to organize updates on a mobile device. The organization of the updates can be controlled according to something detectable on the mobile device which can be correlated to something detectable in the updates. For example, updates to be displayed on the mobile device can be organized based on context provided by the mobile device, such that more relevant updates are distinguishable from those that may be less relevant. In this way, all updates are accessible to the user, but those that are deemed to be particularly relevant may be more visible and more easily accessed to avoid the need to sort through or scroll through large lists of new updates.
US09118502B2
The invention is directed to providing a method and system for automatically determining a root cause of a failure in a packet switching telecommunications network using IP/MPLS protocols and having Virtual Private Network (VPN) services such as VLL, VPLS, VPRN.
US09118501B2
The present invention is an intelligent services network that uses a switch controller. The switch controller controls the operation of one or more programmable switches to accept calls from a public switched telephone network. The intelligent service network comprises intelligent service network components that are used for enhanced service processing, interconnection to external networks, and other call functions. Communication between the components allows for call set-up, connection to a terminating party, transfer to an alternate intelligent service network component, and termination of the call.
US09118497B2
A method for mounting a network attached storage (NAS) device, and a digital media player are provided, which includes broadcasting a discovery message for searching a network attached storage NAS device; parsing a configuration response message, which is sent by the NAS device according to the discovery message, and obtaining configuration information of the NAS device; and mounting the NAS device according to the configuration information. According to the present invention, the automatic mounting of the NAS device is realized by discovering and obtaining the configuration information of the NAS device in the network, and personally-recorded-video-contents or downloaded media contents, where the personally-recorded-video-contents or the downloaded media contents are stored in the NAS device, can be played according to the selection of a user in the case that local data storage is not supported, so as to enable a digital home user to obtain a better user experience.
US09118495B1
Briefly, in accordance with an embodiment, communication between broadcast domains is described.
US09118489B2
A communication system has: a monitoring unit 201 monitoring power consumption in a switching unit 20 forwarding a communication message; a power consumption data transmission unit 202 transmitting a data indicating the power consumption monitored by the monitoring unit 201; a control signal receiving unit 203 receiving a control signal; a control unit 204 controlling a data transfer rate on the basis of content of control included in the control signal received by the control signal receiving unit 203; a power consumption data receiving unit 301 receiving the data indicating the power consumption transmitted by the power consumption data transmission unit 202; a control determination unit 302 determining, on the basis of the data received by the power consumption data receiving unit 301, target of control and the content of control regarding power consumption; and a control signal transmission unit 303 transmitting the control signal including the target of control and the content of control determined by the control determination unit 302.
US09118485B2
A certificate status distribution system receives a request from a client pertaining to a status of a certificate and determines whether the client is an online certificate status protocol (OCSP) compliant client. The certificate status distribution system sends the certificate status to the client using OCSP in response to a determination that the client is an OCSP compliant client and sends a certificate revocation list to the client in response to a determination that the client is not an OCSP compliant client.
US09118479B2
A mobile communication system comprises a base station and a relay station to relay data transmitted/received between the base station and a mobile station. The base station includes a first scheduler to perform scheduling of initial transmission of the data transmitted/received between the base station and the mobile station via the relay station, and a first manager to manage predetermined wireless resources which are periodically used, as wireless resources used for the initial transmission of the data. The relay station includes a second scheduler configured to perform scheduling of transmission of a message for confirming necessity of retransmission of the data and retransmission of the data and a second manager configured to manage wireless resources used for the transmission of the message and the retransmission of the data.
US09118465B2
A wireless communication base station is disclosed, configured to serve a plurality of user terminals in a series of downlink radio frames wherein user terminals in a first group are served in a first temporal region of the downlink radio frame and user terminals in a second group are served in the second temporal region of the downlink radio frame. A downlink radio frame contains an indicator signaling a change of duration of either of the first or second temporal region of at least one downlink radio frame in a series of downlink radio frames.
US09118463B2
Technologies for distributed single sign-on operable to provide user access to a plurality of services via authentication to a single entity. The distributed single sign-on technologies provide a set of authentication servers and methods for privacy protection based on splitting secret keys and user profiles into secure shares and periodically updating shares among the authentication servers without affecting the underlying secrets. The correctness of the received partial token or partial profiles can be verified with non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs.
US09118458B1
A clock generation circuit is operative to disable and enable a plurality of output clock signals while maintaining predetermined phase relationships between the clock signals. A reference clock signal is divided by a factor of at least two, to generate a master clock signal. A plurality of phase circuits, each independently enabled, generates a plurality of output clock signals by dividing the reference clock signal. The output clock signals have predetermined phase relationships relative to each other. Each phase circuit is enabled synchronously to a synchronization edge of the master clock signal. A synchronization circuit associated with each phase circuit ensures synchronization with the master clock signal by outputting a phase circuit enable signal only upon the conditions of a clock enable signal associated with the output clock being asserted and the receipt of a predetermined number of master clock signal synchronizing edges.
US09118452B2
The invention relates to a method comprising classifying user equipment (UE) cells, to which carrier aggregation is applied, into a plurality of time advance groups. Uplink-time synchronization is managed using the time synchronization of a primary cell (Pcell) in the time synchronization group to which the primary cell belongs. For other time synchronization groups, the uplink time synchronization is managed using the time synchronization of a secondary cell (SCell) that is particularly set in the relevant time synchronization group. Thus, the plurality of time synchronizations can be effectively managed for the UE and a base station (BS).
US09118447B1
An apparatus generally relating to a receiver is disclosed. In this apparatus, the receiver includes a phase interpolator, a detector and a slicer. The slicer is coupled to the phase interpolator to provide a sampling signal for a sampling position of the phase interpolator. The detector is coupled to the slicer to receive the sampling signal. The detector is configured to adjust a code of the phase interpolator to adjust the sampling position iteratively in response to the sampling signal to tune the sampling position of the receiver toward an optimum therefor.
US09118445B2
A method for transmitting signals at a User Equipment (UE) in a multi-antenna wireless communication system is discussed. The method includes receiving an uplink grant from a Base Station (BS); transmitting transport blocks and Reference Signals (RSs) for the transport blocks via a plurality of layers based on the uplink grant to the BS; receiving Negative ACKnowledgment (NACK) information for at least one transport block among the transport blocks from the BS; and retransmitting the at least one transport block and the RS for the at least one transport block via at least one layer to the BS.
US09118444B2
Embodiments include systems and methods for enabling a physical layer (PHY) link signaling channel between a network termination modem and a cable modem in a cable network. The PHY link signaling channel is embedded within the same multi-carrier channel as the data and enables PHY link up between the network termination modem and cable modem without involvement of higher layers (e.g., MAC). The PHY link signaling channel can be implemented in the downstream (from the network termination modem to the cable modem(s)) or in the upstream from a cable modem to the network termination modem. Embodiments are applicable to any known cable network, and particularly to cable networks implementing the DOCSIS and EPoC standards.
US09118440B2
A channel information compressing apparatus of the present invention includes a DCT part that performs discrete cosine transform on channel information (CSI) representing the state of a communication channel, and an information compressor that compresses high frequency components of information included in discrete cosine transform data which is produced by way of discrete cosine transform, thus compressing information while maintaining a good accuracy of channel information.
US09118433B2
Operations, administration and management (OAM) functions in a passive optical network (PON) can be performed by providing a system of flow points (i.e., software entities), such as those along the lines of the Maintenance End Points (MEPs) and Maintenance Intermediate Points (MIPs) described in the IEEE 802.1ag specification, which communicate connectivity fault test messages with each other. The flow points can be provided in the Optical Line Terminal (OLT) and Optical Network Terminator (ONT). Alternatively or in addition, flow points can be provided in a subscriber gateway coupled to the ONT. The flow points issue test messages, to which other flow points can respond with information regarding the state of network connectivity.
US09118422B2
A pre-equalization optical transmitter includes: a tap coefficient selecting unit for saving, in advance, a tap coefficients for generating an RZ pre-equalization signal and an NRZ pre-equalization signal, and for selecting and outputting one of the tap coefficients according to the value of a parameter that is a factor of transmission power fluctuations; a pre-equalization signal generating unit for generating the RZ pre-equalization signal or the NRZ pre-equalization signal based on the tap coefficient; and a modulating unit for generating a pre-equalization optical transmission signal by modulating an optical signal input from a light source by using a signal obtained through D/A conversion and amplification of the RZ pre-equalization signal or the NRZ pre-equalization signal, wherein a transmission method is switched between an RZ method and NRZ method by switching the tap coefficients by the tap coefficient selecting unit.
US09118414B2
Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for monitoring optical communications between a managed location and a remote location. In particular, an optical signal is transmitted over an optical fiber and passed-through a test device. A portion of the optical signal is filtered from the original optical signal and passed to a monitoring unit. The monitoring unit may instruct one or more switches in the test device to loop the optical signal back toward the managed location. Subsequently, testing and monitoring may be performed at the managed location. The device may provide a test output or may transmit the information to the managed location.
US09118405B2
A system to suppress sound emerging from speakers and the generation of same at a distance is presented. This system includes devices to handle audio which when manipulated, in their different applications, are capable of reducing or of eliminating the acoustic impact or sound unwanted by people or by the environment. The present system includes a combination of known devices to handle audible signals or sound that allow for the analysis of the characteristics or specifications of sound or for the generation of an identical signal which can be inverted and mixed with the output signal to cancel sound and at the same time to suppress the inverted signal at a distance and in this way to once again generate sound at a distance. Considering the above, the scope of the present invention falls within the scope of the universe to transmit, mix, and suppress sound.
US09118403B2
A compact automatic gain control module for an RF amplifier includes a microchip Tuner for detection of pilot signals in an incoming RF signal. By selectively tuning into pilot signals in response to command from an on-board microprocessor, the module is frequency agile in the selection of pilot signals, selecting specifically advantageous signals for use as a pilot. Use of a microprocessor also enables specific advantages in receiving firmware upgrades to incorporate algorithms for operation parameter monitoring and adjustment of response in accord with monitored parameters. Such monitoring also enables the recording of on-module events that enable storage of a log to enable maintenance and performance enhancement within the module.
US09118397B2
An apparatus comprises a transmit network to transmit an input from a first amplifier to an antenna, a receive network to provide an input from an antenna to a second amplifier, a first switch to selectively decouple the transmit network from the antenna, and a second switch to selectively decouple the receive network from the antenna. Other embodiments may be described.
US09118396B2
A wireless communication device configured for reducing Tx leakage in a receive signal is described. The wireless communication device includes a transceiver chip. The transceiver chip includes a receiver, a feedback receiver and a transmitter. The wireless communication device also includes a Tx leakage signal reduction module. The Tx leakage signal reduction module reuses the feedback receiver.
US09118394B2
A method and system selects an antenna for signal propagation within a wireless communication device having multiple antennas. A transfer switch controller identifies an operating mode being initiated on the wireless communication device. The transfer switch controller configures a dynamic transfer switch based on the operating mode initiated to support propagation of each available type of communication signal. In addition, the transfer switch controller utilizes a pre-established priority of each available type of communication signal to select the appropriate antenna. The transfer switch controller communicatively connects, utilizing the configured dynamic transfer switch, each of at least one transceiver associated with the operating mode initiated to a specific antenna, where each transceiver supports propagation of a specific type of communication signal. As a result, the transfer switch controller enables each of the at least one communication signal to be propagated via a specific antenna selected using the configured dynamic transfer switch.
US09118388B2
A network element comprising a phase matched or phase controlled interconnect configured to receive a data signal sample, a Raman equalization transmitter, and a Raman crosstalk equalization conditioning circuit configured to generate a Raman mitigation signal using the data signal sample to be transmitted by the Raman equalization transmitter. Included is a method comprising multiplexing incoherent data signals with a video signal and a Raman mitigation signal to be co-propagated on a single optical fiber, wherein the Raman mitigation signal is selected to destructively interfere with Raman crosstalk noise induced on the video signal. Also included is a system comprising a video signal component configured to transmit a video signal, data stream signal components configured to transmit a data stream signals, a Raman crosstalk equalization system configured to transmit a Raman mitigation signal, and an optical multiplexer configured to multiplex the signals for co-propagation onto a single transmission fiber.
US09118384B2
A payload includes one or more antennas for receiving polarized radiofrequency signals; a device for regenerating radiofrequency signals by filtering, frequency transposition, and amplification; and antennas for transmitting the regenerated radiofrequency signals to one or more terrestrial terminals. The radiofrequency signal regeneration device includes a plurality of regeneration channels, each channel consisting of an amplification device capable of amplifying two radiofrequency signals having separate frequency bands and the transmission antennas associated with a regeneration chain are capable of transmitting two regenerated radiofrequency signals having orthogonal polarization directions and intended for cells belonging to a single cell layout that uses at least two separate frequency bands and two separate polarizations.
US09118383B2
A network for establishing RF links between a main ground station connected to a NOC center and ground terminals via a multispot satellite, the network being composed of a coverage area composed of a plurality of cells in which terminals are located, each cell being associated with at least one link spot beam with the satellite to which a frequency band is allocated, the center including a determination module to determine the transmission parameters characteristic of the position of terminals in the coverage area, the parameters covering the entire coverage area and a transmitter to transmit all parameters to each of the terminals. Each of the terminals includes a storage device to store at least part of all the parameters, a positioning device to determine its geographic position in the coverage area and a processor to determine, from the parameters and its geographic position, the transmission parameters to be utilized.
US09118373B1
Wireless communication systems normally employ Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transmission and reception schemes to increase performance and the data rate of the system. Spatial Multiplexing (SM) is used in MIMO systems for increasing the data rate of the communication system by transmitting multiple data symbols on different antennas at the same time on the same frequency. The complexity of decoding spatially multiplexed signals using the optimal Maximum Likelihood (ML) algorithm is high and therefore the throughput is often limited by the processing capability of the receiver. A new approach for an SM-MIMO decoder reduces the search and sorting operations. A pre-computed list of nearest neighbors for a given modulation constellation geometry is used to reduce the search and sort operations. Sorting operations are generally difficult to parallelize leading to increased processing latency. The present approach disclosed provides a low and deterministic latency with reduced complexity decoder for SM-MIMO systems.
US09118367B2
Embodiments provide transmitter topologies that improve the power efficiency and bandwidth of RF transmitters for high transmission power applications. In an embodiment, the common-emitter/source PA of conventional topologies is replaced with a current-input common-base/gate PA, which is stacked on top on an open-collector/drain current-output transmitter. The common-base/gate PA protects the output of the transmitter from large output voltage swings. The low input impedance of the common-base/gate PA makes the PA less susceptible to frequency roll-off, even in the presence of large parasitic capacitance produced by the transmitter. At the same time, the low input impedance of the common-base/gate PA reduces the voltage swing at the transmitter output and prevents the transmitter output from being compressed or modulated. In an embodiment, the DC output current of the transmitter is reused to bias the PA, which results in power savings compared to conventional transmitter topologies.
US09118361B2
A phased array antenna system with multiple beams incorporates a CDMA base station (32) with multiple ports 341to 36N for positive and negative polarisation signals connected to ports 401 to 42N of an antenna assembly (44). The antenna assembly (44) is single stack and multi-port, and it provides multiple antenna beams with polarisation diversity and different vertical angles of electrical tilt which are fixed or variable. It is suitable for 3G mobile radio using CDMA. Different antenna beams may carry groups of data channels distinguished either by different channelisation process coding or by different scrambling process coding. An operator may use two or more beams simultaneously. Control of angle of electrical tilt of antenna beams may be implemented by introducing variable relative delay between signals associated with different antenna ports A(+) and B(+) and feeding them to a signal splitting and combining network providing antenna element signals.
US09118356B2
The described embodiments relate generally to a dielectric wave guide interconnect for an electronic device including a first routing circuit, a second routing circuit, and a dielectric wave guide coupling the first routing circuit to the second routing circuit. The interconnect may also include a first coupling element securing a first end of the dielectric wave guide proximal to the first routing circuit and a conductive element to insulate the dielectric wave guide from radio-frequency (RF) signals. In some embodiments, the first routing circuit is in a bottom portion of the electronic device; and the second routing circuit is in a top portion of the electronic device. An electronic device including a dielectric wave guide interconnect as above is also disclosed. A coupler for an electronic device including a first end adapted to receive an electrical signal and a propagating electromagnetic signal is also disclosed.
US09118350B2
Serially-concatenated codes are formed in accordance with the present invention using a constrained interleaver. The constrained interleaver cause the minimum distance of the serial concatenated code to increase above the minimum distance of the inner code alone by adding a constraint that forces some or all of the distance of the outer code onto the serially-concatenated code. This allows the serially-concatenated code to be jointly optimized in terms of both minimum distance and error coefficient to provide significant performance advantages. Constrained interleaving can be summarized in that it: 1) uses an outer code that is a block code or a non-recursive convolutional code, and as such, there are multiple codewords present in the constrained interleaver, 2) selects a desired MHD, 3) selects an interleaver size and a set of predefined interleaver constraints to prevent undesired (low-distance) error events so as to achieve the desired MHD, and 4) performs uniform interleaving among the allowable (non-constrained) positions, to thereby maximize or otherwise improve the interleaver gain subject to the constraints imposed to maintain the desired MHD.
US09118343B2
Measurement circuits having a delta-sigma modulator are disclosed. One example measurement circuit includes a low pass filter coupled to receive an input voltage, a switched-capacitor integrator circuit, and a switched comparator circuit. The measurement circuit may generate a digital output made up of a sequence of logic high and logic low levels that are representative of a scaled value of the input voltage output by the low pass filter circuit. Also, by virtue of its switched-capacitor configuration, the electric charge received by the switched difference amplifier circuit may be returned to the input in a manner such that the input to the delta-sigma modulator takes little to no average current from the voltage it measures. In other words, the delta-sigma modulator may have a high input impedance by virtue of its switched-capacitor circuit configuration.
US09118340B2
According to an embodiment, an analog-to-digital converter includes a first AD (analog-to-digital) conversion circuit and a second AD conversion circuit. The first AD conversion circuit performs AD conversion of a first input signal to generate an upper-bit digital signal. The second AD conversion circuit performs AD conversion of a sampled signal to generate a lower-bit digital signal. The sampled signal is obtained by sampling a residual signal corresponding to a residue of the AD conversion in the first AD conversion circuit. A period during which the second AD conversion circuit performs AD conversion of the sampled signal overlaps a period during which a second input signal subsequent to the first input signal is settled.
US09118337B2
A parallel-type AD converter includes: a plurality of comparators that receive comparison reference potentials different from one another and compare the comparison reference potentials and received analog input signals; an encoder that encodes outputs of the plurality of comparators to output digital signals; and a resistor ladder circuit that resistance-divides a reference voltage to generate the comparison reference potentials and supplies the comparison reference potentials to the comparators through output nodes each positioned between resistors, and is designed to supply a correction current corresponding to noise currents that the comparators generate to the output nodes of the comparison reference potentials in the resistor ladder circuit, and thereby the noise currents that the comparators generate are offset by the correction current, a bias current in the resistor ladder circuit can be decreased, and accuracy deterioration in AD conversion can be suppressed.
US09118331B2
A contact state detection apparatus which can accurately detect the pressed state of a contact body such as a probe against an object without damaging the contact body or the object includes a contact body approach section, a probe light source, an imaging device, and a computer unit. The contact body approach section holds a contact body in an inclined attitude with respect to a target contact surface of an object, and displaces the contact body toward the object. The probe light source irradiates light toward the contact body which is being displaced toward the object. The imaging device captures an image of the illuminated contact body and outputs contact body captured image information to the computer unit. The computer unit detects the state of the contact body being pressed against the object based on a change in the contact body captured image information.
US09118322B2
A bidirectional switch device includes a main pass field effect transistor (FET) connected to an input node and an output node. A body region of the first main pass transistor is tied to a voltage substantially halfway between the voltage at the input node side of the first main pass transistor and the voltage at the output node side of the transistor when the first main pass transistor is in an ON state.
US09118321B2
An exemplary differential output buffer includes a mixing stage and an output stage. The mixing stage includes a mixing circuit that mixes a differential data signal and an inverted delayed differential data signal to generate a mixed differential data signal. The output stage includes a first and a second output stage differential pair of transistors. Sources of the transistors in each of the output stage differential pairs are commonly coupled. Gates of the transistors in the first and second output stage differential pairs are supplied with the differential data signal and the mixed differential data signal, respectively. Drains of corresponding ones of the transistors in the first and second output stage differential pairs are commonly connected to form output nodes to output an emphasized differential data signal. The mixing stage includes a mixing ratio setting circuit that sets the mixing ratio to one of 1:0, 1:1, and 0:1.
US09118306B2
An oversampling method for data signal includes oversampling data strobe signal and data signal according to sampling phases to generate first and second sampling results, performing edge detection on the first and second sampling results to obtain first and second edge positions where edges are detected, calculating and storing first offset according to the first edge position and the corresponding second edge position when the second edge position are obtained, using first offset obtain in a previous sampling cycle as the first offset in a current sampling cycle when the second edge position aren't obtained, calculating first sampling point according to the first edge position; calculating second sampling point according to the first sampling point and the corresponding first offset, and selecting and outputting the corresponding second sampling results according to the second sampling point.
US09118303B2
A filter includes: acoustic wave resonators connected between an input terminal and an output terminal; and a cancel circuit including an input connection portion and an output connection portion connected so that the cancel circuit is connected in parallel to at least a part of the acoustic wave resonators, wherein the cancel circuit includes a first acoustic wave resonator connected between a node between the input connection portion and the output connection portion and a ground.
US09118302B2
In a filter module capable of handling multiple bands, cross wiring with an RF-IC is to be solved. The filter module includes: an antenna terminal; first and second transmission filters; first and second reception filters; a first switch circuit connected to the antenna terminal, and selectively connected to the first and second transmission filters; a second switch circuit connected to the antenna terminal, and selectively connected to the first and second reception filters; a first matching circuit connected between the first switch circuit and the first transmission filter or between the second switch circuit and the first reception filter; and a second matching circuit connected between the first switch circuit and the second transmission filter or between the second switch circuit and the second reception filter.
US09118299B2
Disclosed herein is a piezoelectric vibration module that includes a side damper between a vibration plate with a piezoelectric element and an upper case so as to ensure reliability against external shock applied to the side and narrows a spaced distance between the vibration plate and the upper case.
US09118292B2
A method and apparatus for outputting a bell sound are disclosed. The method includes receiving an ambient noise; extracting a target frequency band from the ambient noise; changing volume of a pre-stored bell sound by using the target frequency band; and outputting the changed pre-stored bell sound. In the apparatus for outputting a bell sound, when a bell sound outputting apparatus receives an incoming call signal, a user may hear a bell sound including a signal in a frequency band not existing in a peripheral environment, and thus may easily recognize the bell sound.
US09118290B2
A speed dependent equalizing control system for automated design of gain and equalization filter parameters can be used for volume and velocity dependent equalization of audio signals reproduced in a vehicle. The system is configured to develop volume-dependent power spectral density estimations based on a test signal received at a number of different volume levels, and develop non-acoustical parameter-dependent power spectral density estimations based on received noise received at a number of different non-acoustical measurement values representing different states of the vehicle. In one example, the non-acoustical measurement values are different velocities, or speeds, of the vehicle. The system may generate filter parameters of a parameterized equalization filter based on a target equalization curve developed by summation of the volume-dependent power spectral density estimates and the non-acoustical measurement-dependent power spectral density estimates.
US09118289B1
A high temperature magnetic amplifier, which utilizes the nonlinear properties of square loop magnetic cores to achieve very large amounts of both voltage and power amplification. By combining square loop, grain-oriented magnetic materials with high temperatures along with high temperature packaging approaches, high temperature long lifetime components can be produced. The high temperature magnetic amplifier is used as a building block to develop high temperature versions of operational amplifiers, comparators, voltage regulators, timers, counters, modulators, motor starters, servo systems, converters, inverters, power switches and many other devices.
US09118288B2
A digitally-controlled power amplifier (DPA) includes a radio-frequency (RF) clock input, an amplitude control word (ACW) input, and a plurality of DPA cells. The RF clock input is arranged for receiving an RF clock. The ACW input is arranged for receiving a digital ACW signal. The DPA cells are coupled to the RF clock and the digital ACW signal, wherein at least one of the DPA cells is gradually turned on and off in response to at least one bit of the digital ACW signal.
US09118283B2
An amplifier circuit comprising a driver (204, 304) configured to provide a switched mode input signal, a switching mode power amplifier (206, 306) configured to receive the switched mode input signal and provide an output signal for an external load (210, 310); and a sensor (208, 308) configured to sense the impedance of the external load (210, 310) The driver is configured to set the duty cycle of the switched mode input signal in accordance with the sensed impedance of the external load (210, 310).
US09118282B2
Provided are a power amplifier and a method thereof. The power amplifier power amplifier includes: a main amplifying unit receiving power; an auxiliary amplifying unit connected in parallel to the main amplifying unit; and a Balun transformer combined with the main amplifying unit and the auxiliary amplifying unit. Respectively different bias voltages are applied to the main amplifying unit and the auxiliary amplifying unit.
US09118280B2
A high voltage amplifier and a method of assembling and of operating a high voltage amplifier are described. The device includes a first metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) driven by a first gate drive circuit. The device also includes a second MOSFET driven by a second gate drive circuit and a first optocoupler coupled to the second gate drive circuit. The first MOSFET and the second MOSFET of the high voltage amplifier drive a first output voltage.
US09118258B2
A switching power converter with an input terminal configured to receive a first input voltage; an output terminal configured to provide an output current to a load, wherein the output current has a peak value and an average value; a power switch; a first loop coupled to the input terminal, wherein the first loop configured to generate a first output signal based on the first input voltage; a second loop configured to generate a second output signal based on the output current; a multiplier configured to generate a multiplying signal based on multiplying the first output signal with the second output signal; and a driving circuit configured to generate a driving signal based on the multiplying signal to control the power switch, so as to reduce the ratio between the peak value and the average value of the output current.
US09118255B2
A flyback power converter is disclosed. The flyback power converter includes a voltage transformer, a main switch, a synchronous rectification switch, a synchronous rectification control circuit, a sampling circuit and an operation circuit. A control end of the main switch receives a main switch signal so as to control the main switch. The synchronous rectification control circuit transmits control signal to control end of the synchronous rectification switch according to sensing signal received. The sampling circuit samples the state of the synchronous rectification switch so as to generate first logic signal and second logic signal. The operation circuit executes timing for charging/discharging according to the first and the second logic-signal, so as to output switch cut-off pulse signal to a voltage-dividing circuit. If voltage of the sensing signal is lower than predetermined threshold voltage, the synchronous rectification switch enters into cut-off state according to the control signal.
US09118254B2
Disclosed is a DC-DC converter. The DC-DC converter includes a power input unit to which power is applied, a first module comprising a first transformer and a second transformer to output a first output power transformed according to operations of a first switch and a second switch connected with the first transformer and the second transformer by using the applied power, a second module comprising a third transformer and a fourth transformer to output a second output power transformed according to operations of a third switch and a fourth switch connected with the third transformer and the fourth transformer by using the applied power, an output unit to output a sum of the first output power and the second output power, and a controller to control an interleaving operations between the first module and the second module.
US09118250B2
A power supply circuit for an electrical appliance, including a turning-on stage configured for determining a transition from a turned-off state, in which the power supply circuit is off and does not supply electric power, to a turned-on state of the power supply circuit. The turning-on stage includes a transducer of the remote-control type configured for triggering the transition in response to the reception of a wireless signal. In some embodiments, operating power is transmitted from a remote controller to a control circuit of the electronic equipment, such that the electronic equipment can be turned on remotely but draws zero standby power.
US09118246B2
A multi-output DC to DC converter can have complex control requirements in CCM mode because of the differing load requirements of the outputs. A multi-output DC to DC converter having a single coil or inductor and a freewheel switch is described. A controller measures the duration of the freewheel phase. The controller increases the current supplied to the DC to DC converter in the following duty-cycle if the duration is less than a first value, and decreases the current supplied to the inductor in the following duty-cycle if the duration is greater than a second value.
US09118237B2
A mover for a linear motor includes an armature having a plurality of teeth arranged along a line and wound with coils. The mover further includes a main-pole magnet array arranged at a side of the armature at which the teeth exist. The main-pole magnet array includes a plurality of main-pole magnets with different polarities alternately arranged along an arranging direction of the teeth. The mover further includes at least one auxiliary-pole magnet arranged adjacent to one end or both ends of the main-pole magnet array.
US09118224B2
The manufacturing cost of a stator for a rotary electric machine can be reduced, and the volume of coil end portions can be reduced to enable downsizing. A stator for a rotary electric machine includes: a cylindrical stator core with plural slots formed at an inner circumferential surface; a plurality of coil segments received by the slots; a plurality of first coil end plates electrically connected with the coil segments on either one of end surfaces of the stator core; and a plurality of second coil end plates electrically connected with the coil segments on the other end surface of the stator core. The plate portion of at least one of the plurality of the first coil end plates is formed longer than the plate portions of the other first coil end plates and has a stepped portion.
US09118216B2
In various embodiments, power multipliers and associated methods are provided that employ parametric excitation. In one embodiment, a ring power multiplier is provided that has a ring. A parametric reactance is associated with the ring that negates at least a portion of a physical resistance of the ring.
US09118209B2
A power generator device for a portable electronic device includes a main body, a magnet, and a winding. The main body defines a receiving space therein. The magnet is received in the receiving space, and is capable of sliding in the receiving space. The winding is coiled on the main body. When the magnet slides in the receiving space, the winding cuts magnetic force lines of the magnet, and induction current is generated in the winding to charge a rechargeable battery of the portable electronic device.
US09118208B2
A charging device for a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal are disclosed. The charging device includes a motor for power generation, a drive module, a charge pump module, a filtering and voltage regulation module and a control unit. The drive module is connected with an input end of the motor and is configured to obtain swing kinetic energy of the mobile terminal. The charge pump module is connected with an output end of the motor and is configured to boost a voltage output by the motor. The filtering and voltage regulation module is configured to perform direct current filtering and voltage regulation processing on a voltage output by the charge pump module, so as to output a charging voltage matching with a battery. The control unit is configured to accumulate charging current so as to adapt to the battery, and to control a charging process.
US09118207B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that can be used to broadcast or otherwise send load shed and other requirements over a network to recipients. One exemplary embodiment involves sending a first broadcast message to a first group of recipients. The first broadcast message requests compliance with a requirement but does not require a synchronous reply from the first group of recipients. The first group of recipients are each configured to automatically comply with the requirement in response to receiving the first broadcast message. The exemplary embodiment further involves determining, for example, based on actual load determination, to send a second broadcast message to a second group of recipients different from the first group of recipients and sending the second broadcast message to the second group of recipients, the second broadcast message requesting compliance with the requirement.
US09118204B2
An information processing apparatus is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a communication circuitry with an external apparatus in a noncontact manner by using a carrier of a predetermined frequency and charging an external battery in a noncontact manner; and a control circuitry configured to control a characteristic of at least one of communication and charging.
US09118201B2
A control system includes a first switching module and a second switching module. The second switching module is operably connected to the first switching module. The control system is configured to be selectably connected to at least two of an energy dissipation system, an external energy storage system, or an internal energy storage system. When the control system is selected for electrical communication with one of the at least two of an energy dissipation system, external energy charging system, or internal energy storage system, the first and second switching modules control the path of a current distributed through the one of the at least two of an energy dissipation system, external energy charging system, or internal energy storage system.
US09118191B2
A method of balancing a plurality of battery cells includes acquiring an open circuit voltage (OCV) of a battery cell of the plurality of battery cells connected in series; determining a state of charge (SOC) of the battery cell based on the OCV of the battery cell; determining a differential value in the OCV of the battery cell per a change of the SOC of the battery cell, in accordance with the SOC of the battery cell; and activating cell balancing of the plurality of battery cells when the differential value is greater than a reference value.
US09118189B2
A method and system for charging multi-cell lithium-based batteries. In some aspects, a battery charger includes a housing, at least one terminal to electrically connect to a battery pack supported by the housing, and a controller operable to provide a charging current to the battery pack through the at least one terminal. The battery pack includes a plurality of lithium-based battery cells, with each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells having an individual state of charge. The controller is operable to control the charging current being supplied to the battery pack at least in part based on the individual state of charge of at least one battery cell.
US09118171B2
A flame sensor apparatus and a cable assembly apparatus are provided for use in sensing characteristics of a flame within a combustion chamber. The flame sensor apparatus includes an electrical assembly remote from a sensor assembly. A cable assembly extends between the sensor assembly and the electrical assembly. The cable assembly includes two cable ends and a housing that defines an internal volume. Cable fittings are connected to the cable ends through a first seal. An electrical cable is inserted through cable fitting openings in each cable fitting and the internal volume of the housing. A second seal is located in the annular spaces between the electrical cable and each cable fitting opening, configured to prevent moisture and contaminants from passing through the cable fitting opening. Additionally, a method of sealing an electrical cable and a flexible conduit is provided.
US09118168B2
In order to provide a spark gap configuration for overvoltage protection, the spark gap configuration has electrodes that face each other and exhibit a short deionization time. The electrodes have, on at least a portion thereof, a current-path bounding device for forcing a desired current path in the electrodes themselves resulting in improved spark behavior.
US09118163B2
Methods and apparatus for generating terahertz radiation are disclosed herein. In addition, methods for forming orientation-patterned nonlinear semiconductor crystals are disclosed herein. For example, according to an example implementation, a method for generating terahertz radiation may include: providing an optical pulse having a wavelength less than approximately 1.0 μm; and illuminating an orientation-patterned nonlinear semiconductor crystal with the optical pulse.
US09118161B2
The invention relates to a laser diode (2) comprising a plurality of individual emitters (EE) constructed on a substrate (8), said laser diode (2) comprising a housing which consists of a first contact part (13), a second contact part (15), an optical element (19b), a backplate (12) and two side pieces (11), with a plurality of first spacers (9o) being arranged between the substrate (8) and the first contact part (13) and a plurality of second spacers (9u) being arranged between the individual emitters (EE) and the second contact part (15). Incisions (17a) through which a cooling medium can flow are formed between each of the individual emitters (EE). The invention also relates to a device comprising at least one laser diode (2) of this type.
US09118160B2
Provided is a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). The VCSEL includes a silicon substrate, a lower reflective layer disposed on the silicon substrate, a light generation laser disposed on the lower reflective layer, and an upper reflective layer disposed on the light generation layer. The lower reflective layer, the light generation layer, and the upper reflective layer may include a III-V semiconductor light source-active layer monolithically integrated on a first impurity layer by wafer bonding.
US09118157B2
An electrical connector is to be connected to a mating electrical connector in a connecting direction. The electrical connector includes a terminal; and a housing for holding the terminal. The terminal includes a board connecting portion to be connected to a board; a holding portion fixed to the housing; a contact region for contacting a mating contact portion of the mating electrical connector; a contact piece capable of elastically deforming; and a contact portion formed at a distal end portion of the contact piece. The housing includes an inner piece portion and an outer piece portion. The contact piece is disposed between the inner piece portion and the outer piece portion. The outer piece portion includes inner piece holding portions at both sides thereof. The inner piece holding portions are away from each other by a distance greater than a width of the inner piece portion.
US09118153B2
An electric socket can include a visual indicator capable of displaying time-series forecast information that forecasts a property or attribute related to the power being sourced from an energy provider. The information being displayed on the visual indicator can help an energy consumer decide whether to use an appliance now by plugging it into the electric socket or wait until some optimal time in the future to plug the appliance in.
US09118150B2
An electrical connector assembly includes an electrical connector (100) and a pick up cap (3) assembled thereon. The electrical connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1) with a plurality of contacts (11) received therein, a plurality of soldering members (12) connected the contacts (11) and protruded beyond the bottom of the insulative housing (1), and a position member (2) surrounded and moved upwardly and downwardly relative to the insulative housing (1). The insulative housing (1) includes a limit portion (102) protruded outwardly, the pick up cap (3) includes a stop portion (31) protruded toward the limited portion (102) and the position member (2) includes a body portion (20) positioned therebetween. When the soldering members (12) and the position member (2) are put on a same plane, there is a space between the body portion (20) and the stop portion (31).
US09118146B2
A plug-in device (10) for providing commands and/or signals comprising an attachment part (12), an adaptor (22), and at least one command or notification device (30). The device (10) includes a plug-in rotary coupling for connecting the adaptor and attachment part in response to relative rotational movement about an axial direction (A). For locking the coupling, a locking web (62) is provided for engagement and disengagement by a locking coupling web (88) in response to relative rotation of the adaptor (22) and attachment part (12). A catch lock further is provided that includes a catch (68) arranged on a plug-in appendage (42 and a counter catch (90, 92) that are engageable by relative rotation of the adapter (22) and the attachment part (12).
US09118143B2
A mechanism is described for facilitating and employing a magnetic grid array according to one embodiment. A method of embodiments may include engaging, via magnetic force of a magnet, magnetic contacts of a magnetic grid array to substrate lands of a package substrate of an integrated circuit package of a computing system, and disengaging, via a removal lever, the magnetic contacts from the substrate lands.
US09118142B2
A connector including a housing. A lock is positioned on a mating end of the housing. The connector also includes a contact. A slide member is positioned on the housing and is slideable along a longitudinal axis to the mating end and engageable with the lock in a lock position, and being slideable along the longitudinal axis to a terminal end of the housing in an unlock position.
US09118140B2
A chip card holder includes a housing, a printed circuit board, a seat, a pivotable shaft, a protective cover, a receiving frame, and a tray. The housing defines an opening. The seat is slidably received in the housing. The protective cover is rotatably connected to the seat with the pivotable shaft configured for covering the opening. The receiving frame is mounted on the printed circuit board. The tray is positioned on the seat, and is slidably received in the receiving frame.
US09118135B2
A high voltage connecting terminal for a power supply with improved insulating properties is disclosed. The high voltage connecting terminal may include a power connecting portion having a base plate mounted at one side of a conducting case in which a first opening and a first fastening hole are formed and a power connecting terminal formed to protrude at one side of the base plate, an insulating member interposed between the conducting case and the power connecting portion and having a third opening and a third fastening hole formed therein, and an insulating gasket mounted at the other side of the conducting case and having a fourth opening and a fourth fastening hole formed therein, the insulating gasket including a protruding portion formed along an outer circumference of the fourth opening so as to pass through the first opening.
US09118128B2
Provided is a technique for achieving a narrower pitch without causing any problem in terms of contact force and strength at each contact point. A socket includes a frame body including an outer peripheral frame and a plurality of elongated slit frames arranged in parallel with each other on the inside of the outer peripheral frame; a plurality of contact blocks inserted between the adjacent slit frames and held on the frame body; and a reinforcement frame formed separately from the frame body and mounted on the frame body so as to intersect the slit frames.
US09118127B2
A connector includes: a housing including terminal accommodating chambers, and lances projecting into the terminal accommodating chambers and capable of withdrawing from the terminal accommodating chambers due to elastic deformation of the lances; terminals inserted into the terminal accommodating chambers and each including a terminal contact part formed on its leading side for contact with a mating terminal and an engagement part foamed for engagement with respective lance and a front holder fitted to a front part of the housing to move between a formal engagement position and a temporary engagement position to hold the terminal contact part. The housing is provided with an opening which exposes engagement points between the lances and the engagement parts in a direction generally perpendicular to an elastically-deformable direction of the lances.
US09118126B2
According to one disclosed embodiment, a power semiconductor package includes an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) residing on a package substrate, where the IGBT includes a plurality of solderable front metal (SFM) coated emitter segments situated atop the IGBT and connected to an emitter of the IGBT. The power semiconductor package also includes a conductive clip coupling the plurality of SFM coated emitter segments to an emitter pad on the package substrate. Additionally, the power semiconductor package includes a gate pad on the package substrate coupled to a gate of the IGBT, a collector pad on the package substrate situated under the IGBT and coupled to a collector of the IGBT, and an emitter terminal, a collector terminal and a gate terminal of the package substrate that are routed to the emitter pad, collector pad, and gate pad, respectively.
US09118124B2
A carrier rail adapter for an electric installation device, wherein the carrier rail adapter has a housing, to the lower side of which a latching component is attached which can be actuated by means of a locking and unlocking mechanism in order to attach the carrier rail adapter to a carrier rail or to remove the carrier rail adapter from the carrier rail, and on the upper side of which inner contact devices for connection of the electric installation device are provided, which are connected to connection terminals via inner conductors located in the housing, which connection terminals are provided on an end face of the housing for connection of electric lines.
US09118108B2
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for antenna switching for simultaneous communication. In one embodiment, a wireless communication apparatus is provided. The wireless communication apparatus includes a plurality of antennas including a first antenna and a second antenna. The wireless communication apparatus further includes a plurality of receive circuits including a first receive circuit. The wireless communication apparatus further includes a controller configured to determine one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over a plurality of sources. The controller is further configured to selectively switch the first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the first antenna to receive wireless communications via the second antenna if the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources fall simultaneously. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US09118107B2
Aspects of a method and system for a configurable antenna in an integrated circuit package are provided. In a hybrid circuit comprising an integrated circuit bonded to a multi-layer package, one or more antenna parameters may be adjusted by configuring a plurality of antenna elements via one or more switching elements. In this regard, the antenna elements and/or the switching elements may be within and/or on the multi-layer package and/or within the integrated circuit. The switching elements may be MEMS switches on and/or within the IC and/or the multi-layer package. The IC may be bonded or mounted to the underside of the package and signals may be communicated between the IC and the package via one or more solder balls. The IC may comprise suitable logic, circuitry, and/or code for configuring the antenna elements. The antenna elements may be configured based on desired polarization, antenna gain, and/or frequency.
US09118105B2
A circuit board and a circuit module more accurately provide impedance matching between an antenna coil and an electronic component electrically connected to the antenna coil, and include a board body including board portions and a plurality of laminated insulating material layers made of a flexible material. An antenna coil includes coil conductors provided in the board portion. Wiring conductors are provided in the board portion and electrically connected to the antenna coil. The board portion has a structure that is less likely to deform than the board portion. An integrated circuit electrically connected to the wiring conductors is mounted on the board portion.
US09118103B1
Apparatus having corresponding methods and computer-readable media comprise: a receiver configured to receive a wireless signal transmitted by an access point, wherein the wireless signal includes one or more transmit beamforming parameters used by the access point to transmit the wireless signal; wherein a location of the apparatus is determinable based, at least in part, on i) the one or more transmit beamforming parameters included in the wireless signal, and ii) a location of the access point.
US09118096B2
A feed structure for a wearable antenna incorporates a microstrip transmission line designed for mounting on opposite sides of a fabric. The transmission line has a perforated ground plane which reduces capacitance and offers an appropriate impedance, even when the fabric is thin, and allows the use of a relatively robust line conductor having a width of 3 mm or 5 mm or more. The ground plane can be extended to provide the ground plane of a balun and the material of that ground plane can in turn be extended to provide the wearable antenna.
US09118093B2
A cooling jacket for a battery pack includes a first half and a second half. The first half and the second half are substantially identical and flip-ably connected to each other. A channel is provided in between the first half and the second half. Further, a coolant flows in the channel provided between the first half and the second half.
US09118092B2
A cooler arrangement for at least one battery (8) in a vehicle (1) includes a cooling circuit (12a-f) with a circulating cooling medium, a circulator (13) to circulate the cooling medium in the cooling circuit (12a-f), and a cooling region (A) where the cooling medium cools the battery (8). The cooler arrangement includes a container (10) with an enclosed internal space (11), in which the battery (8) and the cooling circuit (12a-f) with the circulating cooling medium are situated, and the container (10) includes a heat release region (B) where cooling medium is intended to release heat to surrounding air.
US09118087B2
Disclosed are an electrode for a lithium secondary battery which includes a metal substrate and a plated layer arranged on the metal substrate and bearing active material particles and resin particles embedded therein, in which a part of the active material particles and the resin particles has a protruding portion beyond the plated layer; and a lithium secondary battery using the electrode. The electrode helps the lithium secondary battery to be resistant to deterioration and property degradation at high temperature and allows the battery to have high input-output performance and to be suitable typically for hybrid electric vehicles.
US09118086B2
An electrolyte for a lithium secondary battery, which includes a lithium salt, a nonaqueous organic solvent and at least one additive selected from the group consisting of vitamin G (vitamin B2, riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacinamide), vitamin B4 (adenine), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin H (vitamin B7, biotin), vitamin M (vitamin B9, folic acid), vitamin BX (4-aminobenzoic acid), vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), vitamin K1 (phylloquinone), ascorbyl palmitate, and sodium ascorbate.
US09118083B2
A method for producing a fuel cell electrode catalyst, including: a step (1) of mixing at least a metal compound (1), a nitrogen-containing organic compound (2), a compound (3) containing fluorine and at least one element A selected from the group consisting of boron, phosphorus, and sulfur, and a solvent to obtain a catalyst precursor solution, a step (2) of removing the solvent from the catalyst precursor solution, and a step (3) of heat-treating a solid residue, obtained in the step (2), at a temperature of 500 to 1100° C. to obtain an electrode catalyst; a portion or the entirety of the metal compound (1) being a compound containing, as a metal element, at least one transition metal element M1 selected from the elements of group 4 and group 5 of the periodic table; and at least one of the compounds (1), (2), and (3) having an oxygen atom.
US09118074B2
An anode active material, a lithium battery including the anode active material, and a method of preparing the anode active material are provided. The anode active material includes an alloy containing silicon (Si), titanium (Ti) and nickel (Ni) elements, wherein the alloy includes a Si phase and an alloy phase, and a peak intensity ratio (I(111)/I(220)) of Si(111) to Si(220) plane in a X-ray diffraction spectrum of the Si phase is from about 1.0 to about 1.5.
US09118069B2
A battery cell has a main body including active material configured to generate power from an electrochemical reaction. A first terminal is disposed on the main body and includes an integrated busbar. The integrated busbar is configured to place the battery cell in electrical communication with a second terminal of an adjacent battery cell.
US09118068B2
A layered solid-state battery that includes a first unit cell, a second unit cell, and an internal collection layer that is disposed to intervene between the unit cells. Each of the unit cells includes a positive electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a negative electrode layer that are sequentially stacked. The internal collection layer has one side surface that is in contact with the positive electrode layer of the first unit cell and the other side surface that is in contact with the negative electrode layer of the second unit cell. Also, the internal collection layer contains an electron conductive material and an ion-conductively insulating specific conductive material.
US09118067B2
A battery pack including secondary batteries, and a case accommodating the secondary batteries, the case including: an upper case; a lower case; and plates disposed on each of the upper case and the lower case and each of the plates having holes corresponding to ends of each of the secondary batteries, wherein support protrusions are formed on the holes of the case so as to align the secondary batteries.
US09118066B2
A battery apparatus of the type having a length, a width and a height, top and bottom surfaces substantially perpendicular to the height direction. First and second side surfaces, that include curved surfaces, are disposed between the top and bottom surfaces, and front and rear end portions are disposed between the top and bottom surfaces and also disposed between the first and second side surfaces. A plurality of electric contact portions are exposed through terminal windows; and a battery cell is electrically connected to at least one of the electric contact portions. The front end portion includes first and second level surfaces, with the second level surface being lower than the first level surface; and wherein the terminal windows are disposed in the second level surface.
US09118065B2
Provided is a lead-oxide pasted battery plate comprising a lead alloy grid, lead oxide paste and a nonwoven glass fiber mat. The nonwoven glass mat is comprised of glass fibers having a diameter greater than 10 microns, a binder for the glass fibers, and a third component. The third component can comprise cellulosic fibers, glass micro-fibers, polymeric fibers, fillers or mixtures thereof. The presence of the third component restricts the penetration of the lead oxide paste through the thickness of the mat during the plate pasting operation, thereby keeping the process equipment free from the accumulation of lead oxide paste. The component can then dissolve in the battery acid solution, or work synergistically with the battery separator to deliver electrolyte to the lead oxide plate during the operation of the battery.
US09118060B2
A mounting portion of a battery is provided with a bracket that is placed to face a front face of the battery. A wire harness is placed forward of the battery in a vehicle and is displaced to one side of the bracket in a vehicle width direction, and a terminal that is connected to the wire harness is connected to an electrode. A guiding portion extends from an upper end portion of the bracket to a side portion of the bracket on one side in the vehicle width direction, and the wire harness can be slid along the guiding portion when the wire harness contacts the guiding portion from above. Accordingly, the wire harness is guided by the guiding portion to a position in a routed state in the vehicle width direction.
US09118049B2
A fuel cell system determines whether an operation condition of a fuel cell corresponds to a fuel gas shortage or an oxidation gas shortage. Upon determining that the fuel gas is in shortage, the system sets a lower voltage limit to be higher than that set when the system determines that the oxidation gas is in shortage. The system further controls an output voltage from the fuel cell so as to prevent output voltage from the fuel cell from decreasing below the lower voltage limit.
US09118048B2
One embodiment of the present invention is a unique method for operating an engine. Another embodiment is a unique engine system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for engines and engine systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
US09118043B2
To provide a membrane/electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, which is capable of providing high power generation performance even under a low humidity condition and has sufficient mechanical strength and dimensional stability, and which has an excellent durability even in an environment where moistening and drying are repeated, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which is capable of providing high power generation performance even under a low humidity condition.A membrane/electrode assembly 10 is used, which comprises a cathode 20 having a catalyst layer 22, an anode 30 having a catalyst layer 32, and a polymer electrolyte membrane 40 interposed between the catalyst layer 22 of the cathode 20 and the catalyst layer 32 of the anode 30, wherein at least one of the cathode 20 and the anode 30 further has a reinforcing layer 26 comprising a porous sheet-form reinforcing material made of a polymer, and an electrically conductive fiber.
US09118038B2
An organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate, first electrodes patterned on the substrate, pixel defining layers on the substrate to separate the first electrodes corresponding to pixel units, light emitting layers on the first electrodes and separated corresponding to the pixel units, and a second electrode on the light emitting layers, wherein the pixel defining layers have pores.
US09118020B2
An OLED device comprises a cathode, an anode, and has therebetween a light emitting layer (LEL) comprising a phosphorescent emitting compound disposed in a host comprising a mixture of at least one electron transporting co-host which is a benzophenone derivative with a spiro substituent and at least one hole transporting co-host which is a triphenylamine which contains one trivalent nitrogen atom that is bonded only to carbon atoms, at least one of which is a member of an aromatic ring, wherein there is present an electron transporting layer contiguous to the LEL (HBL?) on the cathode side comprising an anthracene or a fluoranthene and wherein there is present an election injecting layer comprising a phenanthroline or a lithium quinolate contiguous to the cathode.
US09118016B2
A method of manufacturing an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes forming a thin film transistor on a substrate; forming a first electrode electrically connected with the thin film transistor; forming a hole auxiliary layer on the first electrode; depositing an organic material on the hole auxiliary layer using a mask having an opening corresponding to the first electrode; forming an organic emission layer by partially eliminating the organic material through dry-etching, the dry-etching being performed to eliminate the organic material deposited outside of a boundary of the first electrode; forming an electron auxiliary layer on the organic emission layer; and forming a second electrode on the electron auxiliary layer.
US09118003B2
A variable resistance memory device includes a lower electrode on a substrate, a variable resistance pattern on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode on the variable resistance pattern. The upper electrode is in contact with at least a sidewall of the variable resistance pattern.
US09117998B2
A method of forming a nonvolatile memory cell includes forming a first electrode having a first current conductive material and a circumferentially self-aligned second current conductive material projecting elevationally outward from the first current conductive material. The second current conductive material is different in composition from the first current conductive material. A programmable region is formed over the first current conductive material and over the projecting second current conductive material of the first electrode. A second electrode is formed over the programmable region. In one embodiment, the programmable region is ion conductive material, and at least one of the first and second electrodes has an electrochemically active surface directly against the ion conductive material. Other method and structural aspects are disclosed.
US09117995B2
A magnetoresistance element includes a first magnetic layer having first and second surfaces, a second magnetic layer, an intermediate layer provided between the first surface and the second magnetic layer, a first layer provided on the second surface, containing B and at least one element selected from Hf, Al, Mg, and Ti and having third and fourth surfaces, a second layer provided on the fourth surface and containing B and at least one element selected from Hf, Al, and Mg, and an insulating layer provided on a sidewall of the intermediate layer and containing at least one element selected from the Hf, Al, and Mg contained in the second layer.
US09117993B2
A stacked piezoelectric actuator has a laminate structure including piezoelectric layers and cover parts such that when an external electrode is applied with drive voltage, the piezoelectric layers become distorted and the entire stacked piezoelectric actuator deforms, and at that time, the cover parts become displaced, wherein the distortion difference occurring between the piezoelectric layers and the cover parts reduces, thereby inhibiting the development of cracks. Moreover, the surface area of the active region of the piezoelectric layers is the same as the surface area of the active region of the cover parts, and therefore the loss of the displacement transfer, which is produced by the piezoelectric layers, at the cover parts is reliably reduced.
US09117991B1
A method of and the device for making a LED assembly that contains regionally rigid structures that are made by bending, folding, or forming a flexible hybrid heat spreading laminate is provided. The hybrid heat spreading laminate comprises a thin heat spreader layer in the range of 100-150 micrometers. The hybrid heat spreading laminate has enhanced heat conductivity and thermal emissivity.
US09117986B2
A light emitting device may be provided that includes a conductive support member, a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, an insulation layer between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, and a light emitting structure that includes a second semiconductor layer on the second conductive layer, a first semiconductor layer, and an active layer between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. The first conductive layer may include at least one conductive via that passes through the second conductive layer, the second semiconductor layer and the active layer. A top surface of the at least one conductive via is provided into the first semiconductor layer. The insulation layer may substantially surround a side wall of the conductive via.
US09117985B2
One purpose is to provide a silicone resin composition which provides a cured product having a large Abbe's number and a high brightness. A silicone resin composition including (A-1) an organopolysiloxane having a three-dimensional crosslinked structure, at least two alkenyl groups, and at least one monovalent aromatic hydrocarbon group bonded to a silicon atom, (A-2) a linear organopolysiloxane having alkenyl groups at at least both terminals of a molecular chain and at least one monovalent aromatic hydrocarbon group bonded to a silicon atom, (B-1) a linear organohydrogen polysiloxane having at least one silphenylene skeleton in a molecular chain and hydrosilyl groups at least both terminals of the molecular chain, in an amount such that a ratio of the number of the hydrosilyl groups in component (B-1) to a total number of the alkenyl groups in components (A-1) and (A-2) is 0.5 to 2, and (C) a hydrosilylation catalyst in a catalytic amount.
US09117982B2
A light-emitting device includes a substrate that includes at least a pair of electrodes, an LED element electrically mounted on the substrate, a phosphor plate adhered to an upper surface of the LED element and including an upper surface and a lower surface each having an area larger than that of the upper surface of the LED element, a white resin provided on an upper surface of the substrate and seamlessly covering a peripheral side surface of the LED element and a peripheral side surface of the phosphor plate. A lower surface of the phosphor plate is adhered to the upper surface of the LED element through a transparent adhesive.
US09117978B2
The present invention provides a thermosetting silicone resin sheet having a phosphor-containing thermosetting silicone resin layer formed in the form of an LED device and a method for producing the same, and a light-emitting apparatus using the thermosetting silicone resin sheet and a method for producing the same. The present invention was accomplished by the phosphor-containing thermosetting silicone resin sheet comprising a substrate film and a phosphor-containing thermosetting silicone resin layer that is a plastic solid or a semi-solid at room temperature composed of a single layer having no adhesive layer, formed by printing and molding a phosphor-containing thermosetting silicone resin composition on the substrate film in the form of an LED device.
US09117974B2
A light emitting element that includes a Ga2O3 substrate; an AlxGa1-xN buffer layer (0≦×≦1) formed on the Ga2O3 substrate; an n-GaN layer formed on the AlxGa1-xN buffer layer; an p-GaN layer formed on a portion of the n-GaN layer; an n-electrode formed on a portion of the n-GaN layer; and an p-electrode formed on the p-GaN layer.
US09117958B2
It is an object to provide a photoelectric conversion device whose power consumption and a mounting area are reduced and yield is improved and further to provide a photoelectric conversion device whose number of manufacturing processes and manufacturing cost are reduced. A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion element for outputting photocurrent corresponding to illuminance, and a resistor changing resistance corresponding to illuminance. In the photoelectric conversion device, one terminal of the photoelectric conversion element and one terminal of the resistor are electrically connected in series; the other terminal of the photoelectric conversion element is connected to a high power supply potential; the other terminal of the resistor is connected to a low power supply potential; and a light intensity adjusting unit is provided on a light reception surface side of the photoelectric conversion element or the resistor to adjust illuminance.
US09117955B2
Semiconductor structures include an active region between a plurality of layers of InGaN. The active region may be at least substantially comprised by InGaN. The plurality of layers of InGaN include at least one well layer comprising InwGa1-wN, and at least one barrier layer comprising InbGa1-bN proximate the at least one well layer. In some embodiments, the value of w in the InwGa1-wN of the well layer may be greater than or equal to about 0.10 and less than or equal to about 0.40 in some embodiments, and the value of b in the InbGa1-bN of the at least one barrier layer may be greater than or equal to about 0.01 and less than or equal to about 0.10. Methods of fainting semiconductor structures include growing such layers of InGaN to form an active region of a light emitting device, such as an LED. Luminary devices include such LEDs.
US09117953B2
Disclosed is a solar cell module that includes: a plurality of solar cells; wiring material electrically connecting solar cells with each other; and resin adhesive that bonds solar cells and wiring material together. Solar cells each include photoelectric conversion body and electrode. Electrode includes finger electrode. Finger electrode extends in direction y orthogonal to direction x in which wiring material extends. In bonding area of finger electrode bonded to wiring material, an end portion on one side in direction y in which finger electrode extends is bonded to wiring material with lower bonding strength than at least part of the other portion of bonding area.
US09117949B2
The invention involves structure and fabrication method of a high performance IR detector. The structure comprises a substrate; a releasing barrier band on the substrate; a thermal isolation chamber constructed by the releasing barrier band; a black silicon-based IR absorber located right above the thermal isolation chamber and the black silicon-based IR absorber is set on the releasing barrier band; a number of thermocouples are set around the lateral sides of the black silicon-based IR absorber. The thermopiles around the black silicon-based IR absorber are electrically connected in series. The cold junctions of the thermopile are connected to the substrate through the first thermal-conductive-electrical-isolated structures as well as the heat conductor under the first thermal-conductive-electrical-isolated structures. The hot junctions of the thermopile are in contact with the IR absorber through the second thermal-conductive-electrical-isolated structures, and the second thermal-conductive-electrical-isolated structures are located above the releasing barrier band. The structure of such detector is simple, and it is easy to implement and can also be monolithicly integrated. Such detector has high responsivity and detection rate, and is CMOS-compatible, thus can be used widely in a safe and reliable manner.
US09117946B2
A method of forming an integrated photonic semiconductor structure having a photodetector and a CMOS device may include forming the CMOS device on a first silicon-on-insulator region, forming a silicon optical waveguide on a second silicon-on-insulator region, and forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) region surrounding the silicon optical waveguide such that the shallow trench isolation electrically isolating the first and second silicon-on-insulator region. Within a first region of the STI region, a first germanium material is deposited adjacent a first side wall of the semiconductor optical waveguide. Within a second region of the STI region, a second germanium material is deposited adjacent a second side wall of the semiconductor optical waveguide, whereby the second side wall opposes the first side wall. The first and second germanium material form an active region that evanescently receives propagating optical signals from the first and second side wall of the semiconductor optical waveguide.
US09117943B2
A method of forming a light-emitting diode (LED) device is provided. The method includes steps of providing a first substrate, forming an LED structure on the first substrate, forming a porous layer on the first substrate after forming the LED structure, forming a conductive substrate on the LED structure, and separating the LED structure from the first substrate along the porous layer. The substrate has a doped layer. The forming of the porous layer includes a step of converting the dopes layer to the porous layer.
US09117941B2
A method of LED package includes: forming a P-type through-hole and a N-type through-hole through a substrate; forming a conductive material on the sidewall of said P-type through-hole and N-type through-hole; forming a reflective layer on an upper surface of said substrate; aligning a P-type pad and a N-type pad with said P-type through-hole and said N-type through-hole, respectively, said P-type pad and N-type pad being formed on a first surface of a LED die, wherein said LED die is formed on said upper surface of said substrate; forming electrical connection from said P-type pad and said N-type pad by a copper refilling material within said P-type through-hole and said N-type through-hole; and a P-type terminal pad which positioned under said substrate electrically coupled to said P-type pad via said copper refilling material within said P-type through-hole, and a N-type terminal pad which positioned under said substrate electrically coupled to said N-type pad via said copper refilling material within said N-type through-hole.
US09117939B2
A method of forming an integrated circuit structure is provided. In an embodiment, the method includes bonding top dies onto a bottom wafer and then molding a first molding material onto and in between the top dies and the bottom wafer. The bottom wafer, the top dies, and the first molding material are sawed to form molding units. Each of the molding units includes one of the top dies and a bottom die sawed from the bottom wafer. The molding units are bonded onto a package substrate and a second molding material is molding onto the one of the molding units and the package substrate. Thereafter, the package substrate and the second molding material are sawed to form package-molded units.
US09117937B2
A varactor comprising two Schottky diodes, each diode comprising a substrate and a plurality of layers formed on the substrate including at least one GaN layer and at least one semi-insulating material layer formed of a material with an energy gap greater than 3.5 and free carrier mobility less than 300 cm2/V-s; the Schottky diodes having cathodes adapted to be connected to an AC voltage input and being configured so that as the AC voltage applied to the cathodes increases the capacitance decreases nonlinearly, the nonlinear transition from high capacitance to low capacitance being adjustable by utilizing the intrinsic carrier concentration of the semi-insulating layer to obtain an optimal nonlinear transition for the predetermined AC voltage applied to the cathodes. A method of making a varactor comprising computer modeling to produce capacitance-voltage curves, modifying at least one semi-insulating region, and modeling power input/output efficiency for a predetermined input signal.
US09117936B2
A diode (200) is disclosed having improved efficiency, smaller form factor, and reduced reverse biased leakage current. Schottky diodes (212) are formed on the sidewalls (210) of a mesa region (206). The mesa region (206) is a cathode of the Schottky diode (212). The current path through the mesa region (206) has a lateral and a vertical current path. The diode (200) further comprises a MOS structure (214), p-type regions (220), MOS structures (230), and p-type regions (232). MOS structure (214) with the p-type regions (220) pinch-off the lateral current path under reverse bias conditions. P-type regions (220), MOS structures (230), and p-type regions (232) each pinch-off the vertical current path under reverse bias conditions. MOS structure (214) and MOS structures (230) reduce resistance of the lateral and vertical current path under forward bias conditions. The mesa region (206) can have a uniform or non-uniform doping concentration.
US09117931B2
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment has: a semiconductor substrate; an acoustic resonator formed on the semiconductor substrate, having a semiconductor layer including impurity electrically isolated from the substrate by depletion layer and configured to resonate at a predetermined resonance frequency based on acoustic standing wave excited in the semiconductor layer; a temperature detector formed on the semiconductor substrate and configured to detect temperature of the semiconductor substrate; a calculating unit formed on the semiconductor substrate and configured to perform calculation of temperature compensation based on the temperature detected by the temperature detector, kind of the impurity and concentration of the impurity; and a controller formed on the semiconductor substrate and configured to control the resonance frequency based on a result of the calculation by the calculating unit.
US09117929B2
By using an implantation mask having a high intrinsic stress, SMT sequences may be provided in which additional lithography steps may be avoided. Consequently, a strain source may be provided without significantly contributing to the overall process complexity.
US09117924B2
According to one embodiment, a magnetic memory element includes a first magnetic layer having a first surface and a second surface being opposite to the first surface, a second magnetic layer, an intermediate layer which is provided between the first surface of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, a layer which is provided on the second surface of the first magnetic layer, the layer containing B and at least one element selected from Hf, Al, and Mg, and an insulating layer which is provided on a sidewall of the intermediate layer, the insulating layer containing at least one element selected from the Hf, Al, and Mg contained in the layer.
US09117921B2
A thin film transistor includes a gate electrode extending from a scan line of a display and having an edge, and a connection line connecting the edge of the gate electrode to the scan line.
US09117906B2
A method is provided for fabricating a fin field-effect transistor. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate, and forming a plurality of fins with hard mask layers and an isolation structure. The process also includes forming a first dummy gate layer on the fins and the isolation structure, and polishing the first dummy gate layer until the hard mask layer is exposed. Further, the method includes removing the hard mask layer to expose a top surface of the fins, and forming a second dummy gate material layer on the first dummy gate material layer. Further, the method also includes etching the second dummy gate layer and the first dummy gate layer to form a dummy gate on each of the fins.
US09117905B2
The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device that includes forming a plurality of fins, the fins being isolated from each other by an isolation structure, forming a gate structure over a portion of each fin; forming spacers on sidewalls of the gate structure, respectively, etching a remaining portion of each fin thereby forming a recess, epitaxially growing silicon to fill the recess including incorporating an impurity element selected from the group consisting of germanium (Ge), indium (In), and carbon (C), and doping the silicon epi with an n-type dopant.
US09117904B2
A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a gate electrode disposed on the substrate, wherein the gate electrode has a first top surface. Agate dielectric layer is disposed between the substrate and the gate electrode. A silicon carbon nitride spacer surrounds the gate electrode, wherein the silicon carbon nitride spacer has a second top surface not higher than the first top surface. A silicon oxide spacer surrounds the silicon carbon nitride spacer.
US09117901B2
The present invention discloses a high voltage device and a manufacturing method thereof. The high voltage device includes: a substrate, having an isolation structure for defining a device region; a drift region located in the device region, wherein from top view, the drift region includes multiple sub-regions separated from one another but are electrically connected with one another; a source and a drain in the device region; and a gate on the surface of the substrate and between the source and drain in the device region.
US09117899B2
A semiconductor field-effect device is disclosed that utilizes an octagonal or inverse-octagonal deep trench super-junction in combination with an octagonal or inverse-octagonal gate trench. The field-effect device achieves improved packing density, improved current density, and improved on resistance, while at the same time maintaining compatibility with the multiple-of-45°-angles of native photomask processing and having well characterized (010), (100) and (110) (and their equivalent) silicon sidewall surfaces for selective epitaxial refill and gate oxidation, resulting in improved scalability. By varying the relative length of each sidewall surface, devices with differing threshold voltages can be achieved without additional processing steps. Mixing trenches with varying sidewall lengths also allows for stress balancing during selective epitaxial refill.
US09117897B2
A high withstand voltage transistor is formed in a high withstand voltage region, and a low withstand voltage transistor is formed in a low withstand voltage region in a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a thermal oxide film and a silicon nitride film over the surface of a silicon substrate; forming an opening to the thermal oxide film and the silicon nitride film in each of the high withstand voltage region and the low withstand voltage region; etching the silicon substrate to form trenches; burying a buried oxide film in each of the trenches; removing the thermal oxide film and the silicon nitride film; and forming a thick gate oxide film and a thin oxide film. The depth of a tapered portion of the trench in the low withstand voltage region is shallower than that in the high withstand voltage region.
US09117888B2
According to one embodiment, an integrated circuit device includes a plurality of interconnects and a contact via. The plurality of interconnects are arranged parallel to each other. The contact via is connected to each of the interconnects. A protrusion is formed at a portion of the each of the interconnects connected to the contact via to protrude in a direction of the arrangement. A recess is formed at a portion of the each of the interconnects separated from the portion having the protrusion to recede in the direction of the arrangement. The protrusion formed on one interconnect of two mutually-adjacent interconnects among the plurality of interconnects is opposed to the recess formed in one other interconnect of the two mutually-adjacent interconnects. In the each of the interconnects, the portion having the recess is separated from portions on two sides of the portion having the recess and is separated also from the portion having the protrusion.
US09117884B1
A layer of diffusion barrier or seed material is deposited on a semiconductor substrate having a recessed feature. The method may include a series of new deposition cycles, for example, a first net deposition cycle and a second net deposition cycle. The first net deposition cycle includes depositing a first deposited amount of the diffusion barrier or seed material and etching a first etched amount of the diffusion barrier or seed material. The second net deposition cycle including depositing a second deposited amount of the diffusion barrier or seed material and etching a second etched amount of the diffusion barrier or seed material. At least one of the process parameters of the first cycle differs from that of the second allows providing a graded deposition effects to reduce a risk of damaging any under layers and dielectric. A deposited layer of diffusion barrier or seed material is generally more conformal.
US09117878B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes the following steps. First, a semiconductor substrate is provided and a patterned pad layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate so as to expose a portion of the semiconductor substrate. Then, the semiconductor substrate exposed from the patterned pad layer is etched away to form a trench inside the semiconductor substrate. A selectively-grown material layer is selectively formed on the surface of the trench, followed by filling a dielectric precursor material into the trench. Finally, a transformation process is carried out to concurrently transform the dielectric precursor material into a dielectric material and transform the selectively-grown material layer into an oxygen-containing amorphous material layer.
US09117876B2
An integrated circuit including at least one isolating trench that delimits an active area made of a monocrystalline semiconductor material, the or each trench comprising an upper portion including an insulating layer that encapsulates a lower portion of the trench, the lower portion being at least partly buried in the active area and the encapsulation layer comprising nitrogen or carbon.
US09117873B2
A direct multiple substrate die assembly can include a first and a second substrate, wherein each substrate can include at least one interlocking edge feature. An electrical interconnection area can be formed adjacent to or within the interlocking edge feature on each substrate and can be configured to couple one or more electrical signals between the substrates. In one embodiment, the interlocking edge feature can include one or more keying features that can enable accurate alignment between the substrates. In yet another embodiment, the direct multiple substrate die assembly can be mounted out of plane with respect to a supporting substrate.
US09117868B1
Methods of and apparatuses for dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. In an example, a plasma etch chamber includes a plasma source disposed in an upper region of the plasma etch chamber. A bipolar electrostatic chuck is disposed below the plasma source. The bipolar electrostatic chuck is sized to support a substrate carrier having a tape and tape frame. The bipolar electrostatic chuck is configured to control a backside temperature of the substrate carrier prior to and during plasma processing.
US09117865B2
Electronic device processing systems and robot apparatus are described. The systems and apparatus are adapted to efficiently pick or place substrates into twin chambers by having independently rotatable first and second booms, and independently rotatable first and second upper arms, wherein each upper arm has a forearm, a wrist member, and an end effector adapted to carry a substrate coupled thereto. The boom members and upper arms are driven through co-axial drive shafts in some embodiments. Co-axial and non-coaxial drive motors are disclosed. Methods of operating the robot apparatus and processing systems are provided, as are numerous other aspects.
US09117864B2
A cassette assembly for storing a plurality of platelike workpieces. The cassette assembly includes a first cassette, a second cassette stacked on the first cassette, and a fixing unit for fixing the first cassette and the second cassette to each other in the stacked condition. Both of the cassettes include a first side plate having workpiece supporting grooves, and a second side plate arranged parallel to the first side plate. The second side plate has workpiece supporting grooves respectively opposed to the workpiece supporting grooves of the first side plate, a top plate for connecting the upper ends of the first and second side plates, a bottom plate for connecting the lower ends of the first and second side plates, and a load/unload opening formed near the front ends of the first and second side plates, the top plate, and the bottom plate for loading and unloading the workpieces.
US09117863B1
A material handling apparatus adapted to support a plurality of disc-shaped platters, such as but not limited to a cassette assembly adapted to support data recording media or substrates during manufacturing. In some embodiments, a cassette assembly includes a base cassette with a base and opposing sidewalls configured to support an outermost perimeter of each of a first plurality of disc-shaped platters having a first diameter. An insert contactingly engages the base cassette. The insert has a plurality of spaced apart grooves to contactingly support an outermost perimeter of each of a second plurality of disc-shaped platters having a different, second diameter.
US09117860B2
A cluster architecture and methods for processing a substrate are disclosed. The cluster architecture includes a lab-ambient controlled transfer module that is coupled to one or more wet substrate processing modules. The lab-ambient controlled transfer module and the one or more wet substrate processing modules are configured to manage a first ambient environment. A vacuum transfer module that is coupled to the lab-ambient controlled transfer module and one or more plasma processing modules is also provided. The vacuum transfer module and the one or more plasma processing modules are configured to manage a second ambient environment. And, a controlled ambient transfer module that is coupled to the vacuum transfer module and one or more ambient processing modules is also included. The controlled ambient transfer module and the one or more ambient processing modules are configured to manage a third ambient environment. The cluster architecture therefore enables controlled processing of the substrate in either the first, second or third ambient environments, as well as during associated transitions.
US09117859B2
A substrate processing apparatus including a chamber capable of holding an isolated atmosphere and having a front and rear disposed along a longitudinal axis and a transport apparatus located in the chamber, and having twin scara arms and a drive section with a coaxial drive shaft assembly, each shaft of which being operably connected to at least one rotatable link of both scara arms to move the twin scara arms, wherein movement of one of the twin scara arms mirrors movement of another of the twin scara arms across the longitudinal axis.
US09117844B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate having a gate stack, and performing a pre-amorphous implantation (PAI) process to form an amorphized region on the substrate. The method also includes performing an annealing process to recrystallize the amorphized region after the stress film is formed. The annealing process includes a preheat at a temperature in a range from about 400° C. to about 550° C. and an annealing temperature equal to or greater than about 900° C., and the annealing process recrystallizes the amorphized region.
US09117840B2
The present disclosure provides a method for fabricating a semiconductor device that includes forming a gate stack over a silicon substrate, forming dummy spacers on sidewalls of the gate stack, isotropically etching the silicon substrate to form recess regions on either side of the gate stack, forming a semiconductor material in the recess regions, the semiconductor material being different from the silicon substrate, removing the dummy spacers, forming spacer layers having an oxide-nitride-oxide configuration over the gate stack and the semiconductor material, and etching the spacer layers to form gate spacers on the sidewalls of the gate stack.
US09117826B2
Provided is a semiconductor device with improved reliability. A logic chip (first semiconductor chip) and a laminated body (second semiconductor chip) are stacked in that order over a wiring substrate. An alignment mark formed over the wiring substrate is aligned with an alignment mark formed on a front surface of the logic chip, whereby the logic chip is mounted over the wiring substrate. An alignment mark formed on a back surface of the logic chip is aligned with an alignment mark formed on a front surface of the laminated body, whereby the laminated body is mounted over the back surface of the logic chip LG.
US09117823B2
A conductive film of an embodiment includes: a fine catalytic metal particle as a junction and a graphene extending in a network form from the junction.
US09117822B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide a semiconductor structure for BEOL (back end of line) integration. A directed self assembly (DSA) material is deposited and annealed to form two distinct phase regions. One of the phase regions is selectively removed, and the remaining phase region serves as a mask for forming cavities in an underlying layer of metal and/or dielectric. The process is then repeated to form complex structures with patterns of metal separated by dielectric regions.
US09117820B2
A conductive line of a semiconductor device includes a conductive layer disposed on a semiconductor substrate. A thickness of the conductive layer is substantially larger than 10000 angstrom (Å), and at least a side of the conductive layer has at least two different values of curvature.
US09117816B2
A device includes an inter-layer dielectric, a device die under the inter-layer dielectric; and a die-attach film under the inter-layer dielectric and over the device die, wherein the die-attach film is attached to the device die. A plurality of redistribution lines includes portions level with the die-attach film. A plurality of Z-interconnects is electronically coupled to the device die and the plurality of redistribution lines. A polymer-comprising material is under the inter-layer dielectric. The device die, the die-attach film, and the plurality of Z-interconnects are disposed in the polymer-comprising material.
US09117813B2
A chip package includes a first die with an active surface having at least one die pad positioned thereon; a first adhesive layer having a first surface coupled to the active surface of the first die and a second surface opposite the first surface; and a first dielectric layer having a top surface. A first portion of the top surface of the first dielectric layer is coupled to the second surface of the first adhesive layer. A second portion of the top surface of the first dielectric layer, distinct from the first portion, is substantially free of adhesive.
US09117811B2
A microelectronic package includes a substrate overlying the front face of a microelectronic element. A plurality of metal bumps can project from conductive elements of the substrate towards the microelectronic element, the metal bumps having first ends extending from the conductive elements, second ends remote from the conductive elements, and lateral surfaces extending between the first and second ends. A conductive matrix material can contact the second ends and at least portions of the lateral surfaces of respective ones of the metal bumps and join the metal bumps with contacts of the microelectronic element.
US09117810B2
A leadless semiconductor package includes a package body on a leadframe that includes a die paddle and a plurality of bond pads, none of which extend as far as a lateral face of the body. During manufacture of the package, molding compound is deposited over a face of the leadframe on which the die paddle and bond pads are positioned. After the molding compound is cured, a back side of the leadframe is etched to isolate the die paddle and bond pads, back surfaces of which remain exposed at a back face of the body. During manufacture of the leadframe, a parent substrate is etched to define the die paddle and a plurality of bond pads on one side of the substrate and a plurality of cavities on the opposite face.
US09117807B2
An integrated passives package includes an encapsulation compound and a plurality of electrically conductive pads embedded in the encapsulation compound. Each of the pads has opposing first and second sides. The first side of the pads is uncovered by the encapsulation compound and forms array of external electrical connections at a first side of the package. The integrated passives package further includes a plurality of passive components embedded in the encapsulation compound. Each of the passive components has a first terminal attached to one of the pads and a second terminal attached to a different one the pads at the second side of the pads. Corresponding semiconductor modules and methods of manufacturing are also provided.
US09117801B2
A method for manufacturing semiconductor devices includes providing a stack having a semiconductor wafer and a glass substrate with openings and at least one trench attached to the semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of semiconductor devices. The openings of the glass substrate leave respective areas of the semiconductor devices uncovered by the glass substrate and the trench connects the openings. A metal layer is formed at least on exposed walls of the trench and the openings and on the uncovered areas of the semiconductor devices of the semiconductor wafer. A metal region is formed by electroplating metal in the openings and the trench and by subsequently grinding the glass substrate to remove the trenches. The stack of the semiconductor wafer and the attached glass substrate is cut to separate the semiconductor devices.
US09117785B2
Provided is a display device, including a pixel electrode in each of a plurality of pixels; an auxiliary wiring part including a first auxiliary wiring having a first edge portion, and a second auxiliary wiring having a second edge portion spaced apart from and facing the first edge portion; an insulating layer on the pixel electrode and the auxiliary wiring part, and in which a first opening and a second opening are defined, the first opening overlapping the pixel electrode, and the second opening overlapping the first edge portion and the second edge portion; an organic light-emitting layer on the insulating layer and contacting the pixel electrode through the first opening; and an upper electrode on the organic light-emitting layer and having a connection portion electrically connected with the auxiliary wiring part through the second opening.
US09117781B2
An organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate; a first capacitor electrode provided over the substrate and including polysilicon; an insulating layer provided over the first capacitor electrode; and a second capacitor electrode provided over the insulating layer and including a first lower metal layer overlapping with the first capacitor electrode and a first upper metal layer. The first upper metal layer includes a doping opening configured to expose at least a portion of the first lower metal layer.
US09117774B2
A semiconductor device (1,21) includes a solid state device (2,22), a semiconductor chip (3) that has a functional surface (3a) on which a functional element (4) is formed and that is bonded on a surface of the solid state device with the functional surface thereof facing the surface of the solid state device and while maintaining a predetermined distance between the functional surface thereof and the surface of the solid state device, an insulating film (6) that is provided on the surface (2a, 22a) of the solid state device facing the semiconductor chip and that has an opening (6a) greater in size than the semiconductor chip when the surface of the solid state device facing the semiconductor chip is vertically viewed down in plane, and a sealing layer (7) that seals a space between the solid state device and the semiconductor chip.
US09117766B2
Multiple pitch-multiplied spacers are used to form mask patterns having features with exceptionally small critical dimensions. One of each pair of spacers formed mandrels is removed and alternating layers, formed of two mutually selectively etchable materials, are deposited around the remaining spacers. Layers formed of one of the materials are then etched, leaving behind vertically-extending layers formed of the other of the materials, which form a mask pattern. Alternatively, instead of depositing alternating layers, amorphous carbon is deposited around the remaining spacers followed by a plurality of cycles of forming pairs of spacers on the amorphous carbon, removing one of the pairs of spacers and depositing an amorphous carbon layer. The cycles can be repeated to form the desired pattern. Because the critical dimensions of some features in the pattern can be set by controlling the width of the spaces between spacers, exceptionally small mask features can be formed.
US09117760B2
A wet chemical processing method and apparatus for use in semiconductor manufacturing and in other applications, is provided. The method and apparatus provide for energizing a processing liquid such as a cleaning or etching liquid using ultrasonic, megasonic or other energy waves or by combining the liquid with a pressurized gas to form a pressurized spray, or using both. The energized, pressurized fluid is directed to a substrate surface using a fluid delivery system and overcomes any surface tensions associated with liquids, solids, or air and enables the processing liquid to completely fill any holes such as contact holes, via holes or trenches, formed on the semiconductor substrate.
US09117751B2
Methods and apparatus for spectrum-based endpointing. An endpointing method includes selecting a reference spectrum. The reference spectrum is a spectrum of white light reflected from a film of interest on a first substrate and has a thickness greater than a target thickness. The reference spectrum is empirically selected for particular spectrum-based endpoint determination logic so that the target thickness is achieved when endpoint is called by applying the particular spectrum-based endpoint logic. The method includes obtaining a current spectrum. The current spectrum is a spectrum of white light reflected from a film of interest on a second substrate when the film of interest is being subjected to a polishing step and has a current thickness that is greater than the target thickness. The method includes determining, for the second substrate, when an endpoint of the polishing step has been achieved. The determining is based on the reference and current spectra.
US09117750B2
A method for manufacturing a resistive element of a non-volatile memory includes the following steps. An insulation layer is formed on a conductive region. The insulation layer is etched to form a via in the insulation layer, wherein a bottom of the via is contacted with a top surface of the conductive region. A dielectric layer is formed on an inner wall and the bottom of the via. A barrier layer is formed on the dielectric layer. A metal layer is filled into the via. The dielectric layer and the barrier layer are reacted with each other to form a transition layer.
US09117746B1
Porting a first integrated circuit design targeted for implementation in a first semiconductor manufacturing process, and implementing a second circuit design in a second semiconductor manufacturing process wherein the electrical performance of the second integrated circuit meets or exceeds the requirements of the first integrated circuit design even if the threshold voltage targets of the second integrated circuit design are different from those of the first integrated circuit design; and wherein physical layouts, and in particular the gate-widths and gate-lengths of the transistors, of the first and second integrated circuit designs are the same or substantially the same. The second integrated circuit design, when fabricated in the second semiconductor manufacturing process and then operated, experiences less off-state transistor leakage current than does the first integrated circuit design, when fabricated in the first semiconductor manufacturing process, and then operated. Porting includes determining processing targets for the second semiconductor manufacturing process.
US09117740B2
The invention provides an SiC semiconductor element having fewer interface defects at the interface between the SiC and the insulating film of the SiC semiconductor, as well as improved channel mobility. The semiconductor element is provided with at least an SiC semiconductor substrate and an insulating film in contact with the substrate, wherein the insulating film is formed on a specific crystal plane of the SiC semiconductor substrate, the specific crystal plane being a plane having an off-angle of 10-20° relative to the {11-20} plane toward the [000-1] direction or at an off-angle of 70-80° relative to the (000-1) plane toward the <11-20> direction. Through the use of a specific crystal plane unknown in the prior art, interface defects between the SiC semiconductor substrate and the insulating film can be reduced, and channel mobility of the semiconductor element can be improved.
US09117713B2
A solid-state image sensor which holds a potential for a long time and includes a thin film transistor with stable electrical characteristics is provided. A reset transistor is omitted by initializing the signal charge storage portion to a cathode potential of a photoelectric conversion element portion in the solid-state image sensor. When a thin film transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer and has an off-state current of 1×10−13 A or less is used as a transfer transistor of the solid-state image sensor, the potential of the signal charge storage portion is kept constant, so that a dynamic range can be improved. When a silicon semiconductor which can be used for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor is used for a peripheral circuit, a high-speed semiconductor device with low power consumption can be manufactured.
US09117707B2
The array substrate includes a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines which intersect each other to define a plurality of pixel regions, each of the pixel regions includes a thin film transistor and further includes: a base substrate; more than one protrusion disposed apart from each other on the base substrate; a first electrode layer including at least one first electrode strip disposed in a gap between adjacent protrusions; a second electrode layer including at least one second electrode strip disposed on the protrusions.
US09117695B1
A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a memory region and a periphery region; forming a memory cell on the memory region; forming a first polysilicon layer on the periphery region and the memory cell; forming a patterned cap layer on the periphery region; forming a second polysilicon layer on the first polysilicon layer and the patterned cap layer; and performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to remove the second polysilicon layer, wherein the chemical mechanical polishing process comprises an abrasive of greater than 13% and a remove rate of less than 30 Angstroms/second.
US09117686B2
The invention relates to a process for assembling a first element that includes at least one first wafer, substrate or at least one chip, and a second element of at least one second wafer or substrate, involving the formation of a surface layer, known as a bonding layer, on each substrate, at least one of the bonding layers being formed at a temperature less than or equal to 300° C.; conducting a first annealing, known as degassing annealing, of the bonding layers, before assembly, at least partly at a temperature at least equal to the subsequent bonding interface strengthening temperature but below 450° C.; forming an assembling of the substrates by bringing into contact the exposed surfaces of the bonding layers, and conducting an annealing of the assembled structure at a bonding interface strengthening temperature below 450° C.
US09117682B2
Methods of packaging semiconductor devices and structures thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of packaging a semiconductor device includes providing a carrier wafer, providing a plurality of dies, and forming a die cave material over the carrier wafer. A plurality of die caves is formed in the die cave material. At least one of the plurality of dies is placed within each of the plurality of die caves in the die cave material. A plurality of packages is formed, each of the plurality of packages being formed over a respective at least one of the plurality of dies.
US09117681B2
A silicon carbide semiconductor element and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed in which a low contact resistance is attained between an electrode film and a wiring conductor element, and the wiring conductor element is hardly detached from the electrode film. In the method, a nickel film and a nickel oxide film are laminated in this order on a surface of an n-type silicon carbide substrate or an n-type silicon carbide region of a silicon carbide substrate, followed by a heat treatment under a non-oxidizing condition. The heat treatment transforms a portion of the nickel film into a nickel silicide film. Then, the nickel oxide film is removed with hydrochloric acid solution, and subsequently, a nickel aluminum film and an aluminum film are laminated in this order on a surface of the nickel silicide film.
US09117678B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor region, a first active region in the semiconductor region, a second active region in the semiconductor region, and a conductive gate disposed above the first active region and the second active region. A first contact of the conductive gate is configured to couple to a first node of a circuit associated with the semiconductor device. Moreover, a second contact of the conductive gate is configured to couple to a second node of a circuit associated with the semiconductor device. A resistive device is defined between the first contact and the second contact.
US09117665B2
In accordance with an embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a substrate including a semiconductor layer including an active region, a first insulating film on the active region, a charge storage layer on the first insulating film, an element isolation insulating film defining the active region, a second insulating film, and a control electrode on the second insulating film. The top surface of the element isolation insulating film is placed at a height between the top surface and the bottom surface of the charge storage layer, thereby forming a step constituted of the charge storage layer and the element isolation insulating film. The second insulating film covers the step and the charge storage layer. The second insulating film includes a first silicon oxide film and a first silicon nitride film on the first silicon oxide film. Nitrogen concentration in the first silicon nitride film is non-uniform.
US09117663B2
The invention provides a method for manufacturing a barrier layer on a substrate, the method comprising: —providing a substrate with an inorganic oxide layer having a pore volume between 0.3 and 10 vol. %; —treating said substrate with an inorganic oxide layer in a glow discharge plasma, said plasma being generated by at least two electrodes in a treatment space formed between said two electrodes, said treatment space also being provided with a gas comprising Nitrogen compounds; and —the treating of the substrate in said treatment space is done at a temperature below 150° C., e.g. below 100° C. The invention further provides a device for manufacturing a barrier layer on a substrate.
US09117658B2
There is provided a fabrication technique of a MOS structure that has a small EOT without increasing the interface trap density. More specifically, provided is a method of producing a semiconductor wafer that includes a semiconductor crystal layer, an interlayer made of an oxide, nitride, or oxynitride of a semiconductor crystal constituting the semiconductor crystal layer, and a first insulating layer made of an oxide and in which the semiconductor crystal layer, the interlayer, and the first insulating layer are arranged in the stated order. The method includes (a) forming the first insulating layer on an original semiconductor crystal layer, and (b) exposing a surface of the first insulating layer with a nitrogen plasma to nitride, oxidize, or oxynitride a part of the original semiconductor crystal layer, thereby forming the interlayer, together with the semiconductor crystal layer that is the rest of the original semiconductor crystal layer.
US09117653B2
A method for in-situ dry cleaning of a Ge containing semiconductor surface, other than SiGe. The method is conducted in a vacuum chamber. An oxygen monolayer(s) is formed and promotes removal of essentially all carbon from the surface, and serves to both clean and functionalize the surface. The Ge semiconductor surface is then annealed at a temperature below that which would induce dopant diffusion.
US09117644B2
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an Electron Transfer Dissociation cell. Positive analyte ions are fragmented into fragment ions upon colliding with singly charged negative reagent ions with the cell. The cell comprises a plurality of ring electrodes which form a spherical trapping volume. Ions experience negligible RF heating over the majority of the trapping volume which enables the kinetic energy of the analyte and reagent ions to be reduced to just above thermal temperatures. An Electron Transfer Dissociation cell having an enhanced sensitivity is thereby provided. Fragment ions created within the cell may be cooled and may be transmitted onwardly to an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser enabling a significant improvement in the resolution of the mass analyser to be obtained.
US09117631B2
Method of handling a substrate support structure for clamping a substrate on a surface thereof in a lithography system. First, a substrate support structure adapted to absorb energy from a substrate clamped thereon and a substrate are provided. The substrate is clamped on a surface of the substrate support structure. The substrate support structure with the substrate clamped thereon is transferred to a lithography apparatus, in which a lithographic process is performed on the substrate clamped onto the substrate support structure. The substrate support structure with the substrate clamped thereon is then removed from the lithography system. The substrate is removed from the substrate support structure, and the substrate support structure is conditioned by removing energy stored in the substrate support structure before providing a new substrate onto the substrate support structure.
US09117630B2
An insulation structure of high voltage electrodes includes an insulator having an exposed surface and a conductor portion, which includes a joint region in contact with the insulator, and a heat-resistant portion provided, along at least part of an edge of the joint region, in such a manner as to be adjacent to the exposed surface of the insulator. The heat-resistant portion is formed of an electrically conductive material whose melting point is higher than that of the conductor portion. The heat-resistant portion may be so provided as to have a gap between the insulator and the exposed surface.
US09117629B2
In a multi-energy ion implantation process, an ion implanting system having an ion source, an extraction assembly, and an electrode assembly is used to implant ions into a target. An ion beam having a first energy may be generated using the ion source and the extraction assembly. A first voltage may be applied across the electrode assembly. The ion beam may enter the electrode assembly at the first energy, exit the electrode assembly at a second energy, and implant ions into the target at the second energy. A second voltage may be applied across the electrode assembly. The ion beam may enter the electrode assembly at the first energy, exit the electrode assembly at a third energy, and implants ions into the target at the third energy. The third energy may be different from the second energy.
US09117623B1
The filament clamp assembly has a pair of clamps to hold the connecting leads of a filament. Each clamp employs a locking pin within a longitudinally disposed bore that is moved into clamping engagement with a filament lead by rotation of a locking nut that moves a stud with a camming surface into the clamp to lift the locking pin via the camming surface.
US09117622B2
A miniaturized high-speed modulated X-ray source (MXS) device and a method for rapidly and arbitrarily varying with time the output X-ray photon intensities and energies. The MXS device includes an ultraviolet emitter that emits ultraviolet light, a photocathode operably coupled to the ultraviolet light-emitting diode that emits electrons, an electron multiplier operably coupled to the photocathode that multiplies incident electrons, and an anode operably coupled to the electron multiplier that is configured to produce X-rays. The method for modulating MXS includes modulating an intensity of an ultraviolet emitter to emit ultraviolet light, generating electrons in response to the ultraviolet light, multiplying the electrons to become more electrons, and producing X-rays by an anode that includes a target material configured to produce X-rays in response to impact of the more electrons.
US09117609B2
A contact resistance value detected by a detection means (a resistance detection part) is compared with a predetermined threshold value. A determining means (an abnormality determining part) determines that there is a failure when the contact resistance value exceeds the predetermined threshold value, and then an abnormality detection signal is outputted from an output means (an output part). Therefore, it is possible to detect a failure in a contact, such as oxidization generated on a surface of a contact or contact pressure reduction generated between contacts, based on the contact resistance value of a contact part.
US09117608B2
A switchgear includes a fixed contactor provided in a tank filled with insulating gas, and a movable contactor provided in the tank, the movable contactor being connected to and disconnected from the fixed contactor so as to move forward and backward. The switchgear includes an arc extinction member including a surrounding portion which is slidably connected to the outer circumferential surface of the movable contactor halfway in a movement range from a close contact state to an open contact state and is formed so as to surround an arc space portion in a sealed manner, the surrounding portion being formed with a through hole through which the arc space communicates with the outside of the arc space.
US09117600B2
An aspect of the present invention provides an electric magnet device, in which a smooth movement of an armature is ensured and, even if a vibration or an impact is applied, an attraction state between a yoke and the armature is maintained to prevent a malfunction, and a switch provided therewith, where the electric magnet device includes: a coil adapted to insert through an armature and a yoke so as to attract surfaces of the yoke and the armature, which are opposed to each other, to receive a voltage, to excite for separating the surfaces of the yoke and the armature; the armature disposed on one end side of the coil; and the yoke disposed on the other end side of the coil and adapted to oscillate, such that an oscillation angle of the yoke is greater than that of the armature.
US09117599B2
In a key switch, a base is disposed under a keycap. A frame has a receiving space for accommodating the keycap, and the receiving space is defined with a first dimension, a second dimension and a third dimension, and any two of the first, second and third dimensions are perpendicular to each other. A guiding mechanism is disposed between the keycap and the base, and configured to guide the keycap in response to an external force exerted on the keycap to move in substantially parallel to the frame with a first displacement in the first dimension, a second displacement in the second dimension and a third displacement in the third dimension.
US09117598B2
A latching device for a circuit breaker includes a manual operating toggle moveably arranged between an OFF-position and an operation-readiness position, a moveable contact and a fixed contact, wherein the moveable contact is configured to open and close a main circuit of the circuit breaker. An energy storage mechanism is configured to store an actuating force of the toggle by the toggle being moved from the OFF-position to the operation-readiness position and to exert the stored force to the moveable contact to close the main circuit of the circuit breaker. A removable retention lever is configured to prevent movement of the moveable contact into a closing position upon the energy storage mechanism exerting the stored force to the moveable contact. A holding mechanism is configured to hold the toggle in the operation-readiness position.
US09117595B2
An electronic component with terminal strips joined to end faces of external electrodes via a solder is characterized in that two plate-like supports of each terminal strip are formed by bending two plate-like parts projecting outward in a line-symmetrical manner from both side edges of a plate-like leg in the width direction such that at least tips of the thickness surfaces on the electronic component sides of the two plate-like parts are positioned below an external electrode of the electronic component, and the electronic component is supported from below by the tips of the thickness surfaces on the electronic component sides of the four plate-like supports. Slipping of the electronic component from both terminal strips due to melting of the solder can be suppressed in a reliable manner.
US09117594B2
A photoelectric conversion device provided with an electron transport layer having an excellent electron transport ability and having an excellent photoelectric conversion efficiency, and electronic equipment provided with such a photoelectric conversion device and having a high reliability are provided. A solar cell, to which the photoelectric conversion device is applied, has a first electrode provided on a substrate, a second electrode arranged opposite to the first electrode and retained on a facing substrate, an electron transport layer provided between these electrodes and positioned on the side of the first electrode, a dye layer being in contact with the electron transport layer, and an electrolyte layer provided between the electron transport layer and the second electrode and being in contact with the dye layer. The electron transport layer includes particles of sodium trititanate.
US09117592B2
There are provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component and a mounting board therefor, the multilayer ceramic electronic component including a ceramic body having a hexahedral shape, including dielectric layers, and satisfying T/W>1.0 when a length of the ceramic body is defined as L, a width of a lower surface of the ceramic body is defined as W, and a thickness of the ceramic body is defined as T, and first and second internal electrodes stacked in the ceramic body so as to face each other, having the respective dielectric layers interposed therebetween, wherein when a width of an upper surface of the ceramic body is defined as Wa, 0.800≦Wa/W≦0.985 is satisfied.
US09117591B2
A method of forming an electrolyte solution involves combining ammonium tetrafluoroborate and a quaternary ammonium halide in a liquid solvent to form a quaternary ammonium tetrafluoroborate and an ammonium halide. The ammonium halide precipitate is removed from the solvent to form an electrolyte solution. The reactants can be added step-wise to the solvent, and the method can include using a stoichiometric excess of the ammonium tetrafluoroborate to form a substantially halide ion-free electrolyte solution.
US09117583B2
An electromagnetic actuator device, comprising a coil unit (14), which surrounds a first yoke section (13) of a stationary yoke unit and can be activated by energizing the coil unit; and armature elements (10, 12), which are guided so as to be movable relative to the yoke unit and which interact with an output-side actuating partner and which can be driven in order to perform an actuating movement. The armature elements interact with at least one second yoke section (15, 16) of the yoke unit to form an air gap (26, 28) for a magnetic flux produced by the activated coil unit.
US09117581B2
An aspect of the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing magnetic powder, which comprises adding an alkali metal salt compound comprising a substituent selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal salt of a carboxyl group and an alkali metal salt of a hydroxyl group to a water-based magnetic liquid comprising magnetic particles dispersed in an acidic water-based solvent to cause the magnetic particles to aggregate in the water-based magnetic liquid; and collecting the aggregated magnetic particles to obtain the magnetic powder.
US09117574B2
An expandable dielectric cover system for a pair of insulators supporting a conductor includes a first insulator cover and a separate insulator cover. A sleeve covers portions of the first insulator cover and second insulator cover and covers the conductor between the two covers. The sleeve covers a variable length of the first insulator cover and second insulator cover to accommodate a wide range of separations between the two covers while still covering the conductor. Pivotable arms are connectable to the other sides of the covers for covering a length of the conductor extending away from the sleeve.
US09117572B2
A foamed axial cable includes a pair of signal conductors, an insulation covering a periphery of the signal conductor and formed of a foamed material, a skin layer covering a periphery of the insulation and formed of a non-foamed material, and a shield conductor on a periphery of the skin layer. An outer surface of the skin layer or an inner surface of the shield conductor includes a fine groove formed thereon so as to have a void between the skin layer and the shield conductor.
US09117570B2
Disclosed are a copper clad aluminum wire, a compressed conductor and a cable including the same and a method of manufacturing the compressed conductor. The copper clad aluminum wire, the compressed conductor and a cable including the copper clad aluminum wire and the method of manufacturing the compressed conductor according to embodiments of the present invention may exhibit electrical features similar to those of a conventional pure copper wire without greatly increasing outer diameters of the conductor and the cable, guarantee workability of a worker when the worker installs the cable even in a narrow work space, and efficiently utilize an installation space.
US09117561B2
A universal mounting adapter is configured for interchangeably mounting a calibration source to two or more different imaging devices. The two imaging devices have different mounting brackets so they cannot be used with the same conventional calibration source. The present adapter includes mounting mechanisms for both types of bracket, allowing the attached calibration source to be moved from one imaging device to the other, while maintaining the calibration source in a prescribed geometry within the respective imaging device. This can be performed without the need for any tools.
US09117556B2
A method for waste burial includes preparing metallic containers (11) for waste storage each being configured to contain drum cans (12) in each of which waste is contained, and being sealed; drilling a vertical hole (26) to bury a plurality of the containers (11) for waste storage in a ground (20), thereafter disposing a steel pipe (27) in the vertical hole (26); providing a concrete base (30) on a lower portion of the steel pipe (27), thereafter disposing the container (11) for waste storage on the concrete base (30), and thereon stacking a plurality of the containers (11) for waste storage; and sealing an upper portion of the uppermost container (11) for waste storage with a concrete (34), after stacking the containers (11) for waste storage from the ground (20) to a predetermined depth.
US09117554B2
An inspection system for inspecting a core shroud includes a remotely operated vehicle with a profile, scanning ability, and reliability that contribute to expanded inspection coverage and reduced inspection times.
US09117551B2
An SRAM memory card includes a monitoring unit that monitors, via a contact, a power supply voltage generated by a battery, set an ON value in an alarm signal when electric potential at the contact is lower than a threshold and set an OFF value in the alarm signal when the electric potential at the contact is equal to or higher than the threshold, and output the alarm signal to an apparatus via an interface unit; a detecting unit that detects an ON/OFF state of the power supply of the apparatus via the interface unit; and a discharge circuit that discharges, according to the ON/OFF state of the power supply of the apparatus detected by the detecting unit, charges accumulated in a first electrode of a capacitive element.
US09117536B2
An operating method for a non-volatile memory device includes applying first and second read voltages to a first word line to perform a read operation; counting first memory cells each having a threshold voltage belonging to a first voltage range between the first read voltage and the second read voltage; applying a third read voltage to the first word line sequentially after applying the second read voltage to count second memory cells each having a second threshold voltage belonging to a voltage range between the second read voltage and the third read voltage; comparing the number of first memory cells counted and the number of second memory cells counted; determining a fourth read voltage based on a result of the comparing; and applying the fourth read voltage to the first word line sequentially after applying the third read voltage.
US09117534B2
During a program operation of a fuse cell of a fuse circuit, all of a group of select transistors of a fuse cell are made conductive to program the fuse cell. During a test operation of a fuse cell of the fuse circuit, less than all of the group of select transistors are made conductive so that current less than a programming current flows through the fuse cell.
US09117530B2
A system and methods for programming non-volatile memory elements by using latches to transfer data. Upon discovering errors in previously programmed non-volatile memory elements, the system recovers the corresponding data from the latches and programming the recovered data to other non-volatile memory elements.
US09117528B2
A semiconductor device has a smaller area. That is, in a row selection decoder including MOS transistors, which selectively connect a plurality of selection signal lines to row selection lines of NAND flash memories having an SGT structure, the MOS transistors are formed on a planar silicon layer that is formed on a substrate, and each have a structure such that a drain, a gate, and a source are disposed in the vertical direction and the gate surrounds a silicon pillar. The planar silicon layer is formed of a first activation region of a first conductivity type and a second activation region of a second conductivity type, and the first and second activation regions are connected with each other via a silicide layer formed on the surface of the planar silicon layer.
US09117527B2
A flash memory device having at least one bank, where the each bank has an independently configurable page size. Each bank includes at least two memory planes having corresponding page buffers, where any number and combination of the memory planes are selectively accessed at the same time in response to configuration data and address data. The configuration data can be loaded into the memory device upon power up for a static page configuration of the bank, or the configuration data can be received with each command to allow for dynamic page configuration of the bank. By selectively adjusting a page size the memory bank, the block size is correspondingly adjusted.
US09117526B2
A memory includes a doped substrate well, a substrate connector coupled to the doped substrate well, and a set of interlayer connectors insulated from the doped substrate well. A series arrangement including a plurality of memory cells is coupled on a first end by a first switch to a bit line and coupled on a second end by a second switch to a source line contact pad. The source line contact pad is connected to the substrate connector and to at least one of the interlayer connectors in the set of interlayer connectors. A supply line is connected to the set of interlayer connectors. A plurality of word lines is coupled to the plurality of memory cells. Circuitry is coupled to the supply line and to the doped substrate well and configured to bias the supply line and the doped substrate well with different bias conditions.
US09117525B2
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell and a select gate transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate. The memory cell includes a first gate insulating film, a first charge storage layer, a first intergate insulating film, and a first control gate. The first gate insulating film, the first charge storage layer, the first intergate insulating film, and the first control gate are formed on the semiconductor substrate in order. The select gate transistor includes a second gate insulating film, a first gate electrode, a second intergate insulating film, and a second control gate. The second gate insulating film, the first gate electrode, the second intergate insulating film, and the second control gate are formed on the semiconductor substrate in order. The second intergate insulating film different first and second thicknesses.
US09117513B2
A resistive random access memory (ReRAM) includes a first electrode, a threshold switching layer formed over the first electrode and configured to perform a switching operation according to an applied voltage, a resistance change layer formed over the threshold switching layer, and configured to perform a resistance change operation, and a second electrode formed over the resistance change layer, wherein the threshold switching layer comprises a stoichiometric transition oxide while the resistance change layer comprises a non-stoichiometric transition metal oxide.
US09117496B2
A memory device comprising a programmable command-and-address (CA) interface and/or a programmable data interface is described. In an operational mode, two or more CA interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, CA interfaces may be active. In an operational mode, all of the data interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, data interfaces may be active. The memory device can include circuitry to select: an operational mode; a sub-mode within an operational mode; one or more CA interfaces as the active CA interface(s); a main CA interface from multiple active CA interfaces; and/or one or more data interfaces as the active data interfaces. The circuitry may perform these selection(s) based on one or more bits in one or more registers and/or one or more signals received on one or more pins.
US09117493B2
The present invention discloses a discrete three-dimensional memory (3D-M). Its 3D-M arrays are located on at least one 3D-array die, while its address-data translator (A/D-translator) is located on a separate peripheral-circuit die. The A/D-translator converts at least an address and/or data between logical space and physical space for the 3D-array die. A single A/D-translator die can support multiple 3D-array dies.
US09117490B2
In a CD player, a connection tray is mounted in a cabinet in a shiftable manner among a retracted position, a first projected position, and a second projected position. The connection tray has an upper tray and a lower tray. The upper tray has a first connector, a second connector, and a stopper. The lower tray has an unlock button, a movable plate, and a lock plate. A lock bracket is formed with a lock depression into which a lock boss is inserted to lock the connection tray in the first projected position, in shifting the connection tray forward from the retracted position. In a front surface of the lock bracket, a lock projection is formed. The lock projection receives the lock boss to lock the connection tray in the second projected position.
US09117487B2
A method and apparatus for disc authentication are disclosed. The authentication method includes measuring at least one physical property of a data disc, which includes at least one of an angle and an eccentricity parameter associated with two data layers of a data disc, and authenticating the disc by determining whether a match exists between the measured property and encoded information on data layer the data disc relating to the physical property.
US09117474B1
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for implementing a write head device for writer-to-disk contact detection and spacing sensing of recording heads in hard disk drives (HDDs). A write head device, such as a spin-torque oscillator (STO), is provided between a main pole tip and a surrounding magnetic shield of the writer in the recording head. A pair of connections is provided to the magnetic shield and the main pole of the writer, and resistance of the write head device is measured to detect writer to disk spacing and contact.
US09117467B1
A suspension includes a flexure including a conductive substrate, and a dielectric layer formed on the conductive substrate, and the conductive substrate being grounded; and a plurality of electrical traces formed on the dielectric layer and extending from a leading portion to a trailing portion of the flexure, and the electrical traces at least having a pair of read traces. At least one via is formed at certain position on the read traces to connect the read traces with the conductive substrate that is etched partially. It can minimize ESD damage during various stages of manufacturing process of the disk drive unit, reduce manufacturing cost, and also improve electrical performance of the suspension interconnection.
US09117464B1
Methods for manufacturing hybrid coils for magnetic write heads used in disk drives are described. One such embodiment includes a magnetic read/write head including a read transducer, and a write transducer including a pair of write poles, a hybrid coil including a first coil having a pancake coil configuration with at least one turn positioned between the pair of write poles, and a second coil having a helical coil configuration including a plurality of turns positioned between the pair of write poles, the second coil coupled to the first coil, where the at least one turn of the first coil is interleaved with the turns of the second coil.
US09117458B2
A method of processing an audio signal is disclosed. The present invention includes a method for processing an audio signal, comprising: receiving, by an audio processing apparatus, the spectral data including a current block, and substitution type information indicating whether to apply a shape prediction scheme to a current block; when the substitution type information indicates that the shape prediction scheme is applied to the current block, receiving lag information indicating an interval between spectral coefficients of the current block and the predictive shape vector of a current frame or a previous frame; obtaining spectral coefficients by substituting for spectral hole included in the current block using the predictive shape vector.
US09117452B1
A language processing system identifies, from log data, command inputs that parsed to a parsing rule associated with an action. If the command input has a signal indicative of user satisfaction, where the signal is derived from data that is not generated from performance of the action (e.g., user interactions with data provided in response to the performance of another, different action; resources identified in response to the performance of another, different action having a high quality score; etc.), then exception data is generated for the parsing rule. The exception data specifies the particular instance of the sentence parsed by the parsing rule, and precludes invocation of the action associated with the rule.
US09117448B2
In an example embodiment, there is disclosed an apparatus comprising an audio interface configured to receive an audio signal, a data interface is configured to communicate with at least one social graph, and logic is coupled to the audio interface and the data interface. The logic is configured to identify a calling party. The logic is further configured to acquire data representative of a called party from the audio signal. The logic is configured to initiate a search of the at least one social graph for the data representative of the called party to identify the called party responsive to acquiring the data representative of the called party.
US09117445B2
Disclosed herein are methods for presenting speech from a selected text that is on a computing device. This method includes presenting text on a touch-sensitive display and having that text size within a threshold level so that the computing device can accurately determine the intent of the user when the user touches the touch screen. Once the user touch has been received, the computing device identifies and interprets the portion of text that is to be selected, and subsequently presents the text audibly to the user.
US09117437B2
A noise cancelling headphone is described. The noise cancelling headphone utilizes a low power consuming noise cancellation circuit wherein an audio input signal is directly fed into the headphone without the use of an additional headphone amplifier. The noise cancelling circuit uses a microphone to pick up ambient noise and produces a signal which is equal in amplitude but opposite in polarity to the ambient noise signal. The resultant signal is mixed with the audio input signal and fed into the speakers of the headphone. This method is advantageous because it uses fewer components than conventional noise cancellation circuits and it also consumes less power due to the use of fewer components. The distortion of the audio input signal is also reduced since no amplification is performed to the audio input signal onboard the noise cancellation circuit.
US09117433B2
A tuning device is provided. The sound to be tuned is inputted by an input means while a reference sound is produced by an output means. At least two pitches are detected independently from a mixture of the sound to be tuned and the reference sound by a pitch detection means. Based on pitch information of the reference sound acquired by an acquiring means, the pitch of the sound to be tuned is extracted by a pitch extraction means from the at least two pitches detected by the pitch detection means. Information about the pitch of the sound to be tuned is displayed by a display means under control of a display control means. Therefore, the user can easily perform tuning on the sound to be tuned, based on the pitch information displayed by the display means, while listening to the reference sound and producing the sound to be tuned.
US09117431B1
An electronic device adapter for storing and mounting a computer application device such as a smart phone or a personal computer comprises a guitar body and an adapter which enables a user to play the guitar in a wired or wireless manner while accessing music applications, adjusting sound levels, and downloading music. The computer application device is positioned and secured upon the rear surface of the guitar.
US09117428B2
A system for controlling for at least one string of a musical instrument by selectively exciting or damping vibration of the string is provided. The system includes at least one transducer configured to sense a lateral vibration of the string and/or to apply an actuating force to the string. A controller is configured to determine an actuating signal for driving the actuator to apply a longitudinal actuating force to the string at a termination point of the string. The longitudinal actuating force are operable to modulate a tension of the string that increases and/or damps the lateral vibration and/or selected harmonics thereof.
US09117424B2
A multilayer article is configured to provide cushioning for a musical instrument. The multilayer article has an attachment layer configured to be detachably coupled to the musical instrument. An upper raised section layer is attached to the attachment layer and configured to be concave downward. A lower raised section layer attached to the attachment layer and configured to be concave upward. A center raised section layer attached to the attachment layer between the upper raised section layer and the lower raised section layer. The upper raised section layer, the lower raised section layer and the center raised section layer are arranged to ergonomically accommodate a clavicle of a human user.
US09117415B2
A display device comprises a display panel composed of a pixel portion in which a plurality of TFTs are arranged in matrix, a source driver, and a gate driver, an image signal processing circuit for processing an image signal input from an external, and a control circuit for controlling the display panel and the image signal processing circuit. The image signal processing circuit corrects the image signal on the basis of a correction table. By feeding the display panel with the corrected image signal, the display device can provide a good quality image.
US09117412B2
A display driver IC with a built-in memory device having a one-time programmable function is provided. The memory device includes: a cell array comprising a plurality of one-time programmable unit cells and configured to receive a writing voltage generated from an internal voltage generating unit to operate upon writing operation; a detecting unit configured to detect a change of the writing voltage; and a controlling unit configured to control the internal voltage generating unit and the unit cells according to an output signal of the detecting unit.
US09117397B2
Provided are a timing controller for converting RGB data to WRGB data, a driving method thereof, and an LCD device using the same. The timing controller according to an embodiment includes a reception unit to receive input RGB data from an external device; a converter to convert the input RGB data into input WRGB data composed of W, R, G and B data; an aligner to convert one of the W, R, G, and B data into 0 to generate conversion WRGB data, the conversion WRGB data having bits less than the total number of bits composing the W, R, G, and B data; a controller to transfer the conversion WRGB data to an external memory; and a re-aligner to convert the conversion WRGB data received from the external memory into digital WRGB data corresponding to the input WRGB data, and to output the digital WRGB data.
US09117391B2
A disclosed portable terminal includes: an inclination measurement unit that measures an inclination of the portable terminal; a change unit that change a display direction of contents to be displayed on a display screen of the portable terminal according to a state of a user holding the portable terminal; an operation interval setting unit that sets an operation interval of the change unit based on change of the inclination over time, which was measured by the inclination measurement unit; and an operation controller that causes the change unit to operate at intervals that were set by the operation interval setting unit.
US09117390B2
A display device and a driving method thereof. The display device includes a plurality of pixels, each receiving a predetermined on-bias voltage transferred through a data line during one frame, receiving a first image data signal corresponding to the corresponding frame through the data line and storing the same, and emitting light according to a driving current that corresponds to a second image data signal that corresponds to the previous frame of the corresponding frame, and a first period for storing the first image data signal and a second period for light emission according to a driving current corresponding to the second image data signal overlap each other in one frame.
US09117389B2
The present invention discloses a spherical-screen device, a spherical-screen playing system and an image generating method for image rectification. The method includes the steps of: equally dividing an arc curve of a spherical screen, which corresponds to a radian of 90°, into a plurality of segments; equally dividing a straight line of a planar image corresponding to the arc curve into a plurality of segments, the number of the segments of the straight line being equal to the number of the segments of the arc curve; assigning an image parameter of a first point in the planar image to a third point in a planar image; and connecting a sphere center with a second point of a to-be-displayed image position on the arc curve that corresponds to the first point, a point falling in the planar image being the third point.
US09117382B2
Devices and methods for improving viewing perspective of content displayed on the display screen of a computing device include determining one or more viewing angles relative to a viewer of the content, generating a content transformation to apply a corrective distortion to the content to improve the viewing perspective when viewed at the one or more viewing angles, and rendering the content as a function of the content transformation. The viewing angles relative to a viewer of the content may be determined automatically using viewer location sensors, or may be input manually by the viewer. The content transformation visually scales the content by an appropriate factor to compensate for visual distortion experienced by the viewer at one or more viewing angles. Content may be transformed as a function of a single approximate viewing angle or multiple viewing angles.
US09117375B2
A computerized assessment grading method comprises creating a syntax tree for a received equation-based response to at least one assessment question and a syntax tree for at least one solution to the at least one question, comparing the syntax trees, and grading the response based on the results of the comparison.
US09117370B1
A system and method for determining if an aircraft is headed in the right direction on a runway entered upon at a location that does not display runway identification comprises receiving runway and aircraft position data for determining the identity of the runway. The identity of the runway is then compared with a representation of an assigned runway stored on the aircraft to determine that they match.
US09117364B2
A mechanism and method for making status reporting devices for container handlers, including: providing a micro-controller module, and installing a program system into memory accessed by a computer directing the micro-controller module. The micro-controller module communicatively couples with means for wirelessly communicating and for sensing a state of the container handler. Means for wirelessly communicating may include means for wirelessly determining container handler location. The micro-controller module may be communicatively coupled to a separate means for determining location. An apparatus making the devices may include a second program system directing the invention's method through a second computer, which may control an assembly device in creating the micro-controller, coupled with the means for sensing and for wirelessly communicating.
US09117356B2
The invention provides a baby monitor device featuring a specially designed power cord that easily separates from the monitor when handled or otherwise accessed. When the cord is separated from the monitor, an internal battery powered alarm immediately sounds and notifies a child's caregivers, allowing them to take immediate action to retrieve the cord and assist the child.
US09117354B2
A lock for securing an electronic device includes a tamper module and a destruction module. The tamper module determines whether a component of the lock has been compromised. The tamper module may determine whether a cable securing the electronic device has been cut. If the tamper module determines that a lock component has been compromised, a destruction module may destroy an enabling component that enables the electronic device to operate. The destruction module may destroy a transmitter in the lock that communicates an authentication code if the electronic device will not function without the authentication code.
US09117349B2
A control apparatus for a premises based system is provided. The control apparatus has an improved memory and processor configuration for separate operation of the life safety and life style code so that the operation of the life style code may be changed without changing the operation of the life safety code, such as through the use of a virtual machine or code running at a single operating system layer. The memory may store life safety code in a first partition and life style code in a second partition. The life style code may be updated while life safety code continues to run.
US09117336B2
A gaming table including a plurality of illumination devices mounted therein and a controller configured for receiving a selection of a preset game layout configuration from one or more preset game layout configurations stored in memory and actuating the illumination of a portion of the plurality of illumination devices corresponding with the selected preset game layout configuration.
US09117330B2
A gaming system is disclosed which is arranged to randomly display a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols. The gaming system comprises a function allocator arranged to allocate a function to at least one symbol selected from the set of symbols, and a game outcome generator arranged to determine a game outcome based on the displayed symbols and on the function allocated to the selected symbol. A corresponding method, computer program and computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein are also disclosed.
US09117324B2
Systems and methods for binding a smartcard and a smartcard reader are provided. A smartcard is provision to store a first set of credentials for use in traditional transactions such as at a brick and mortar retail store and a second set of credentials for use when performing a transaction using a smartcard reader associated with a user such as an on-line transaction. The user smartcard reader registers with a smartcard issuer server by cryptographically authenticating a secure processor associated with the smartcard reader. As a result of the registration, the secure processor obtains a set of private keys associated with the second set of credentials. When a request for a authorizing a transaction via the user's smartcard reader is received, the smartcard reader cryptographically authenticates itself to the smartcard using a private key associated with a credential to be used to authorize the transaction.
US09117323B2
An apparatus for stacking financial documents, in particular banknotes. The financial documents (BN) are stacked upright in a stacking area on a stacking surface, and the stacking operation is terminated when a predetermined stack length is reached. The stack formation takes place in a receiving bag (14) which is stationarily held by a holding frame (10) in the entry area of the financial documents (BN) and which forms a stock (15) around the circumference of the holding frame (10). With increasing stack length, receiving bag material is automatically taken from the stock (15) so that the length of the receiving bag (14) continuously adapts to the length of the value note stack (31). At the end of the stacking operation the receiving bag (14) is closed at its opening, e.g. by welding, and can subsequently be removed from the stacking area and can be used as a transport container or, respectively, a security bag.
US09117319B2
Provided is a method of receiving data from a vehicle onboard computer. The onboard computer is configured to transmit vehicle identification data in response to receipt of an identification request, which is transmitted in a basic communication protocol. The onboard computer is further configured to transmit private operational data in response to receipt of a private data request. The private data request is transmitted in a diagnostic protocol. The method includes connecting a scan tool to the onboard computer, and polling the onboard computer to identify the basic communication protocol. The identification request is then transmitted to the onboard computer. Vehicle identification data is subsequently received from the onboard computer. A protocol database having a plurality of diagnostic protocols is then accessed. Each diagnostic protocol is associated with respective vehicle identification data. The diagnostic protocol is then determined based on the received vehicle identification data.
US09117312B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for altering character body animations to improve subsequent cloth animations. In particular, based on a character body animation, an extra level of processing is performed, prior to the actual cloth simulation. The extra level of processing removes potential areas of pinching or tangling in input character body simulation data, ensuring that the output of the cloth simulation will be have reduced pinches and tangles.
US09117310B2
A virtual camera system comprises a plurality of physical cameras and a hardware setup miming software to create virtual viewpoints for the virtual camera system. The position of the physical cameras is constrained, where the main constraint is the overlap between the physical cameras. The present invention provides a method for creating a virtual viewpoint of a plurality of images captured by the plurality of cameras, the images comprising current frames and previous frames. The method comprises creating background frames by combining a set of previous frames; creating a plurality of foreground masks by performing segmentation on the plurality of current frames, the segmentation comprising separating foreground objects from background objects using the created background frames; extracting the foreground objects by AND-ing the plurality of current frames with the created plurality of foreground masks; rendering the foreground objects by using a three dimensional depth-box constrained viewpoint interpolation algorithm on the plurality of current frames, the three dimensional depth box being constructed for each foreground object by exploiting information from the created foreground masks and positioning information of the foreground objects; rendering a view-dependent background image by performing homographic transformations on the created background frames; and creating the virtual viewpoint by superimposing the rendered foreground objects on the rendered background frame.
US09117305B2
A processor-based apparatus for computing stream vectors for an area of interest divides the area of interest into a number of hydrologic unit code (HUC) areas. The processor calculates stream vectors from lower resolution digital elevation map (DEM) data. For those HUC areas where higher resolution DEM data is available, the processor merges the lower resolution and higher resolution DEM data. Stream vectors are calculated from the merged DEM data and used to replace those stream vectors calculated from the lower resolution DEM data. Attributes of stream vectors that receive upstream flow from an adjacent HUC area are corrected.
US09117291B2
A foreground statistic with respect to a distribution of image values in a foreground region and a background statistic with respect to a distribution of image values in a background region are calculated. Image values of a plurality of input images that are captured at different times are corrected based on the foreground statistics and the background statistics which are obtained by processing the input images.
US09117288B2
A system and method for remote rendering of computer graphics wherein user transactions are reliable and the transmission of rendered graphics is relatively fast. The invention is implemented in a client server context, where a computer graphics application and rendering resources are located at a server. A user controls the graphics application through a client machine connected to the server through a computer network. The user's commands are sent from the client to the server, while rendered computer graphics are transmitted from the server to a display at the client. Different transport protocols are used, depending on the requirements of a particular transmission. Data related to user interactions is transmitted using a relatively reliable transport protocol, such as TCP. Rendered subject graphics data is transmitted from the server to the client using a less reliable but faster transport protocol, such UDP.
US09117280B2
A content application determines images of an article for extraction. The content application identifies an initial image associated with a content of the article. A caption and a credit line associated with the initial image is detected and the initial image is extracted along with the caption and the credit line. A second image of the article associated with a video is also detected and extracted along with the video. In addition, the content application extracts a slideshow detected within the article.
US09117279B2
The subject disclosure is directed towards reconstructing an approximate hair surface using refinement of hair strands. Hair strands are first extracted from 2D images of a camera array, and projected onto a 3D visual hull. The 3D positions of these strands are refined by optimizing an objective function that takes into account orientation consistency, a visual hull constraint and/or smoothness constraints defined at the strand, wisp and/or global levels.
US09117274B2
Systems and methods directed to fine-grained interaction with ordinary markerless paper documents and projectors at flexible poses in 3D space. Systems and methods allow for the projection of images onto non-flat variable surfaces by utilizing depth detection techniques in order to project an image or video properly onto a variable surface.
US09117267B2
Methods and systems for image marking and generation of a three-dimensional (3D) image of an object are described. In an example, a computing device may be configured to receive a first set of images of an object that capture details of the object. The computing device may also be configured to receive a second set of images that include markings projected on the object and that are indexed to correspond to images of the first set of images. The computing device may be configured to spatially align images of the second set of images based on the markings projected on the object and determine respective images of the first set of images corresponding to spatially aligned images of the second set of images. The computing device may then generate a 3D image of the object from the respective images of the first set of images.
US09117265B2
A security method for in-flight entertainment device (IFED) rentals having self-contained, audiovisual presentations is disclosed. A self-contained IFED has internal storage configured to contain current releases of movies and other audiovisual presentations. The method provides layers of security including unique bit stream encoding format, watermarking, camera artifacts, file encryption, hard drive encryption, input-output encryption and physically unique connectors, and tamper resistant casing the self-contained IFEDs.
US09117247B2
Tax data, e.g., Form W2 data, is encoded as a two-dimensional machine readable representation, such as a QR CODE. Certain tax data is encoded as segments of a QR CODE, and a tax form generated by an employer or payroll processing service and provided to an employee or user includes the QR CODE representing certain W-2 or other tax data. An image of the QR CODE is acquired using a camera of a mobile communication device or computer or other image capture device. When using a Smartphone, a tax preparation application executing on the Smartphone decodes the QR CODE image to determine the tax data, and populates fields of an electronic tax return with decoded data, thus allowing a consumer to prepare an electronic tax return using a mobile communication device.
US09117235B2
Entities may be matched to enhance the efficiency of various commercial activities using various system and method embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. Belief propagation on a graph data structure defining a bipartite or unipartite matching opportunity is used to calculate a best matching. In embodiments, functions are implemented based upon the match, such as executing sales between matched buyers and sellers in an online auction system. In embodiments, messages with scalar values carry information about the relative value of possible matchings, initially provided as weights or values for the possible matchings. Weights may depend on, for example, bids or costs. Messages may be passed, for example over a network between processors respective to the nodes. Belief values reflecting a best matching can be continuously updated for each node responsively to the value information and received messages to rank the matches respective to each node, which progressively improve. This allows short or complete terminations conditions to determine the goodness of the matching. Differing numbers of matches respective to each member of the disjoint sets and distributions of the desirability of different numbers of matches can be integrated in the matchings in respective embodiments.
US09117233B2
An example carwash method involves a customer using a smartphone with an app for finding participating carwash locations, making online payments for select carwash options, and then using the smartphone app to start the washing process when the customer arrives at the carwash. Various means can be used for determining when the vehicle is at the carwash entrance. Examples of such means include, but are not limited to, reading the GPS coordinates of the smartphone in the vehicle; establishing Bluetooth, WiFi or some other limited-range wireless communication link between the smartphone and the local carwash controller; displaying and manually entering a code or password at the carwash; and scanning a QR code displayed on the smartphone. During the carwash operation, in some examples, the smartphone app provides the customer with an emergency stop option.
US09117230B2
A computer-implemented method, including receiving information regarding a transaction involving an individual and involving an account, wherein the information regarding the transaction is received by a receiver prior to a processing, a completion, a consummation, or a cancellation, of the transaction, processing the information regarding the transaction with a processing device, generating a report or a message in response to the processing of the information regarding the transaction, wherein the report or the message contains information regarding a charge-back regarding a previous transaction involving the individual, and transmitting the report or the message to a communication device associated with a merchant, vendor, or provider, of a good, product, or service.
US09117223B1
In one embodiment, method that can be performed on a system, is provided to take not just a person's time and location into consideration, but also has knowledge of and takes into account their availability, their preferences, their schedule, their purpose for being at their current location, and/or their next goal or stop (not just in terms of location but also in terms of activity). One embodiment is able to take into account a real-time view of supplier inventory and deduce and make available much better-adapted offerings and support for that person's travels and endeavors. In one embodiment, having an understanding of a rate of conversion and its relation to traffic and weather patterns allows service providers to make more accurate predictions about various items, including but not limited to, conversion rates, offer types, offer upgrades, traffic etc. In yet another aspect of the invention, the information collected from many travelers, and also information collected from airlines and weather observers, etc., can be used to forecast inventory requirements, such as obtaining and preparing fresh food and pulling from storage chilled or frozen food, as well as man power or staffing level requirements, to meet projected demands.
US09117219B2
A method for selecting advertisement spots that comprises providing parameters, each associated with one or more references to web documents which are retrieved by it, receiving a description of a product, identifying a match between the received description and at least one of the parameters, and generating a list of references which are associated with the at least one parameter.
US09117217B2
Universal synchronization of profiles of audience members targeted for the delivery of content. A unique global identifier may be assigned to and used to manage a profiled audience member. This identifier may also be associated to an authoritative identifier and cookie information used in connection with the collection of profile data. An authoritative identifier may be received in connection with activity, and might not be accompanied by a global identifier. The authoritative identifier may then be used to identify the global identifier, which in turn may be used to identify the cookie related information of record for the profiled audience member. Comparing the cookie related information to previously retained cookie information may be used to determine that the cookie information for a particular, profiled audience member has changed, so that it can be restored.
US09117200B2
Computing systems and methods for geosciences collaboration are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for geosciences collaboration includes obtaining a first set of geosciences information from a first computer system of the plurality of computer systems; distributing the first set of geosciences information from the first computer system to at least a second computer system; receiving a user input from the second computer system of the plurality of computer systems, the user input entered manually by a user; providing the user input to the first computer system; in response to providing the user input to the first computer system, receiving a revised set of geosciences information from the first computer system; and repeating the receiving a user input, the providing the user input, and the receiving the revised set of geosciences information until the revised set of geosciences information is determined to satisfy accuracy criteria.
US09117197B1
A system includes: a rule module, an application programming interface module, a determination module and a communication module. The rule module receives an alert rule describing a second user and a social network application associated with the second user. The rule module stores the alert rule in a user profile for the first user. The application programming interface module determines an application programming interface. The determination module receives a presence update from the social network application. The determination module determines whether the second user may be active on the social network application. The determination module determines an alert event responsive to determining that the second user may be active on the social network application. The communication module transmits an alert message to the first user responsive to the alert event.
US09117193B2
A method and system are disclosed for detecting affinity between entities in a virtual universe (VU) using real time access to descriptions prepared from information about objective entities available in VU databases as well as descriptive information made available by the objective entities. Objective entities may be aggregations of virtual entities. Activators for affinity determinations are provided. The information on an objective entity is compared with descriptive information on a VU subject to determine affinity, and corresponding action of the VU subject. In this manner also the comparative affinities of different objective entities may determine actions of the VU subject.
US09117191B2
An apparatus and method for automatically inventorying a plurality of devices is disclosed herein. A secure, trusted connection is established between a remote device each device of a plurality of devices. The remote device automatically extracts device information from each device of the plurality of devices. The remote device creates an inventory of the plurality of devices based on the extracted device information. The remote device automatically maintains the inventory including automatically extracting at least updated device information associated with an update event of the first device.
