US09295012B2

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and terminal device for controlling uplink transmission power. According to one embodiment, in which a terminal that communicates with cells of each timing alignment (TA) group controls uplink transmission power in the event a plurality of TA groups including one or more cells exists in a wireless communication system, a method includes: determining the uplink transmission power for at least one channel in the event at least two channels from among a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) including a plurality of pieces of uplink control information (UCI), a PUSCH including no UCI, a physical random access channel (PRACH), and a sounding reference signal (SRS) are simultaneously transmitted in the same subframe in each specific cell of the plurality of TA groups. The uplink transmission power is determined in consideration of a TA group index.
US09295011B1

A group of low power transceiver devices may create a private wireless network. In a private communication network, each device may monitor neighboring devices and transmit a low power signal on a periodic basis. At any time, if a device breaks away from the private communication network, the device determines its location and then transmits its location to one or more devices in the group at a high transmit power level.
US09295008B2

Techniques for mitigating interference in a wireless communication system are described. In one design, a sector may determine multiple fast other sector interference (OSI) indications for multiple subzones, with each subzone corresponding to a different portion of the system bandwidth. At least one report may be generated for the multiple OSI indications, with each report including at least one OSI indication for at least one subzone. Each report may be encoded to obtain code bits, which may then be mapped to a sequence of modulation symbols. A sequence of modulation symbols of zero values may be generated for each report with all OSI indications in the report set to zero to indicate lack of high interference in the corresponding subzones. This allows a report to be transmitted with zero power in a likely scenario. A regular OSI indication may also be determined for the system bandwidth and transmitted.
US09295004B2

A user device receives a command to transmit information at a transmit power level specified by a wireless carrier. The user device determines whether transmitting the information at the specified transmit power level using a first duty cycle will cause the user device to violate a condition. Responsive to determining that transmitting the information at the specified transmit power level using the first duty cycle will cause the user device to violate the condition, the user device determines a new duty cycle that is lower than the first duty cycle, and transmits the information using the new duty cycle.
US09294999B2

A technique for maintaining a radio time base used to schedule communication in a radio network (100) is provided. A method implementation (300) of the technique comprises determining (310) a course of a frequency relation; switching off (330) a reference oscillator (210) during a period of reduced power (418; 420); predicting (320) the frequency relation; restoring (340) the radio time base in or after the period of reduced power; and communicating (350) in the radio network at a time determined by the restored radio time base. The frequency relation is a relation between the reference oscillator and a clock (214). The predicting is based on a result of the determination and the restoring is based on a result of the prediction. The frequency relation is predicted for a given time in or after the period of reduced power.
US09294994B2

Devices and methods are provided for reducing client node power consumption when monitoring first and second channels corresponding to first and second access nodes in a heterogeneous wireless-enabled communications environment. Enhanced Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) operations are performed to mitigate interference between a first access node and a second access node. The client node monitors first and second channels corresponding to the first and second access nodes. The client node receives restricted measurement data transmitted on the first channel, which is then processed to schedule cessation of monitoring the first channel to reduce power consumption and thereby conserve battery resources.
US09294990B2

A channel searching method may include setting a first channel in a broadcast signal, determining signal strength of the broadcast signal and generating an automatic gain control signal for the first channel, and when the signal strength satisfies a preset first requirement and the automatic gain control signal satisfies a preset second requirement, skipping demodulation of the first channel.
US09294988B2

A processing device receives network data from a plurality of user devices. The network data identifies networks available to provide roaming service to at least one of the plurality of user devices at one or more geographical locations. The processing device generates at least one list of identifiers of preferred networks for at least one of the geographical locations based on the network data. The processing device sends the list of identifiers to the plurality of user devices.
US09294987B2

In a radio communication system in which a radio communication apparatus performs communication with another apparatus via a radio relay apparatus, a communication quality value indicating communication quality between the radio communication apparatus and the radio relay apparatus is measured, a threshold for deciding a level of the communication quality is determined on the basis of a past tendency of the communication quality value, and transmission of contents between the radio communication apparatus and the other apparatus is blocked while a present value of the communication quality is smaller than the threshold.
US09294979B2

An interference suppression method, base station and controlling node of the base station are disclosed. In the method, the controlling node informs via a first control signal the base station which is broadcasting a first synchronization signal containing a first cell identity (ID) and a first reference signal, of broadcasting a second synchronization signal containing a second cell ID and a second reference signal. The controlling node then informs via a second control signal the base station of adjusting signal powers of the first reference signal and the second reference signal to trigger a handover from the first cell ID to the second cell ID.
US09294961B2

The throttling of mobile device data rates is provided at events, e.g., sporting events, and other venues with large, dense crowds. The system can monitor the loading of the mobile radio antennas at the venue, and when the loading reaches a threshold loading point, the system can selectively throttle the data rates of mobile devices at the venue. In some embodiments, the system can throttle the data rates of certain applications on the mobile devices, or can select mobile devices that are placing a large strain on the network infrastructure to throttle. In other embodiments, the system can set maximum upload and download speeds for all the mobile devices at the venue.
US09294952B2

This disclosure provides example illustrations of device-side and network-side methods and apparatuses for avoiding more than a permitted level of interruption on a serving cell in association with the device making RRM and positioning measurements on one or more Secondary Component Carriers, SCCs, corresponding to one or more of the Secondary Cells, SCells, configured for the device according to a carrier aggregation, CA, configuration. Among the several advantages flowing from these teachings, a wireless device avoids exceeding a permitted level of interruption on a serving cell downlink or uplink by aligning the positioning and RRM measurements with respect to each other, to avoid exceeding a permitted level of interruption on the serving cell. The measurement alignment may be realized at least in part via adaptation of the corresponding measurement configurations and such adaptations may be performed by the wireless device, by a radio network node, and/or by a positioning node.
US09294951B2

The present disclosure relates to a method for determining an impact factor of a mobile communication system, wherein reference signals of a detection space defined by an impact factor are examined. Examining in this context refers to trying to detect, hence blindly detect, cell specific reference signals. The detection space is divided into a plurality of subsets, wherein each subset of the plurality of subsets is associated with a specific value of said impact factor. The specific value of said impact factor is identified for which an existence of cell specific reference signals has been detected in the subset associated with said specific value. Thus, the system information defined by a specific value of an impact factor is blindly detected.
US09294949B2

A method of estimating interference and noise of a communications channel includes receiving a data sequence transmitted over the communications channel at a receiver, and computing a sequence of channel estimates based on the received data sequence. The method also includes computing a difference sequence based on the sequence of channel estimates and the sequence of channel estimates subjected to a displacement in time or frequency, and determining a covariance measure of the difference sequence as an estimate of the interference and noise of the communications channel.
US09294946B2

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are disclosed that allow adaptive automatic detail diagnostic log collection for self-diagnosis and auto-recovery. In an embodiment, a group communication server determines that a fault has occurred with a group communication between wireless communication devices. The group communication server determines a set of events to log based on the fault, and instructs components that host the group communication to begin logging a set of events. Upon determining that logging the set of events can no longer be performed, such as due to too high of a load within a component of the group communication, the group communication server adapts the logging by logging a second set of events that will not cause too high a load, and can dynamically when resources become available.
US09294940B2

Provided are a method and an apparatus for determining transmission power of a preamble in a wireless communication system. A terminal estimates secondary cell (SCell) path loss with respect to a downlink (DL) component carrier (CC), which is in a linkage relationship with an uplink (UL) component carrier inside the SCell; decides the transmission power of a physical random access channel (PRACH) preamble based on the SCell path loss that is estimated; and transmits the PRACH preamble to a base station through the ULCC inside the SCell, based on the transmission power that is decided.
US09294936B2

A plurality of wireless devices can obtain location related information from members of a plurality of location anchors located throughout a region being monitored. The devices can each send probes to the location anchors. The anchors which receive a probe can each respond with a signal carrying at least an anchor address. Each of the devices can process the respective received signal to establish a distance parameter, and, can forward the address and the distance parameter to a displaced location estimating engine.
US09294935B2

Apparatus and method for wireless communication in a wireless communication network that includes receiving a signal from a network and measuring a minimum bandwidth of the received signal for a measurement region by shifting the measurement region of the signal based on a frequency offset and rotating the measurement region of the signal.
US09294927B2

A network device may select one or more secondary bands in a spectrum based on a measure of quality of the one or more secondary bands; transmit information identifying the one or more secondary bands to an end unit; code, based on a coding scheme, a data flow to obtain multiple data signals that represent the data flow; and transmit, towards the end unit, the multiple data signals via the one or more secondary bands and a primary band.
US09294926B2

A method and apparatus are described for integrating third generation partnership project (3GPP) radio access network and an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 radio access technologies (RATs). This may be done at a medium access control (MAC) layer or below the MAC layer. For example, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for multiple radio access technology (RAT) integration includes a 3GPP RAT including a radio resource control (RRC) entity, an IEEE 802.11 RAT including a medium access control (MAC) management entity, and a session management entity (SME) for mapping between the RRC entity and the MAC management entity. Combined, hybrid and split versions of logical channel prioritization (LCP) are described. The features of an LTE access stratum-service management entity (AS-SME) are also described.
US09294925B2

Disclosed is a low power base station (300) which acquires propagation loss information indicating the propagation loss between the low power base station (300) and a high power base station (100). The low power base station (300) restricts the frequency band allocated to a femtocell terminal (400) under the low power base station (300) on the basis of the propagation loss indicated in the acquired propagation loss information.
US09294922B2

A mobile wireless communications device may include a near field communication (NFC) transceiver, a geo-position determining device, and a controller coupled with the NFC transceiver and the geo-position determining device. The controller may be configured to receive a tag geo-position from an NFC tag when in close proximity thereto via the NFC transceiver, determine the geo-position of the mobile wireless communications device using the geo-position determining device, and perform at least one device unlock operation when the tag geo-position is within a threshold distance from the mobile wireless communications device geo-position.
US09294915B2

The invention provides a secure Wi-Fi communications method and system. In an embodiment of the invention, unique physical keys, or tokens, are installed at an access point and each client device of the network. Each key comprises a unique serial number and a common network send cryptographic key and a common network receive cryptographic key used only during the authentication phase by all components on the LAN. Each client key further includes a secret cryptographic key unique to each client device. During authentication, two random numbers are generated per communications session and are known by both sides of the wireless channel. Only the random numbers are sent across the wireless channel and in each case these numbers are encrypted. A transposed cryptographic key is derived from the unique secret cryptographic key using the random numbers generated during authentication. Thus, both sides of the wireless channel know the transposed cryptographic key without it ever being transmitted between the two.
US09294910B2

A UE indicates its radio access capabilities to the base station. An element is added to the radio access capabilities reported by the UE, to indicate in a release-independent manner if a certain network signaling parameter (e.g., NS-value) has been modified or if a new parameter has been introduced for an operating band. In this manner, the base station can distinguish UE with a modified NS-value behavior from legacy UE for the purpose of admission control, imposing scheduling or handover restrictions, or the like.
US09294909B2

A mobile terminal is control to change from being attached to a first mobile communication system to being attached to a second mobile communication system, through an update of a list of preferred mobile communication systems for the mobile terminal, according to which update the second mobile communication system has a higher rank than the first mobile communication system. The mobile terminal receives the update via the first mobile communication system and changes from being attached to the first mobile communication system to being attached to the second mobile communication system based on the updated list.
US09294902B2

A policy and charging control method includes creating by a policy and charging rules function (PCRF), first policy and charging control (PCC) rules at establishment of a user plane session associated with the UE. The first PCC rules are installed at a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF) and the service is initiated in accordance with these rules. During the lifetime of the user plane session, a quality-of-service (QoS) change request is transmitted by the UE upon activation of a user interface command. The PCRF creates second PCC rules based on the request, and installs them at the PCEF by replacing the first PCC rules by the second PCC rules. The service is continued in accordance with the second PCC rules. PCRF and PCEF servers as well as computer programs are also defined.
US09294896B2

Methods, systems and devices, including computer programs, for creating, storing, formatting and sending video messages from one mobile device to another. A video message is recorded by camera element on a first mobile device. A recipient identifier associated with a second mobile device is logged by way of input by the sender. An alert is transmitted to the second mobile device by way of the identifier, thereby providing notification that the video message is ready to view and presenting a selectable screen object to activate the video message. The operating system of the second mobile device is determined, and the video message is formatted for viewing compatibility with that operating system. The video message is then uploaded to and played on the second mobile device. A reply message may similarly be sent from the second mobile device to the first mobile device, without the need to input a recipient identifier.
US09294895B2

A RAN based data processing system is configured for content caching with remote charging services. The system can include a base station that includes an antenna, a receiver, a transmitter, a processor, a local cache, and a network interface to a data communications network. The system also can include an RNC coupled to the base station over the data communications network. The system yet further can include a charging service executing in memory of a host computer recording charges for data services provided in the RAN. Finally, the system can include a caching with remote charging module executing by the processor of the base station. The module can include program code enabled to receive a data request from an end user device, to route the request to a content server in a computer communications network through a coupled CN, to receive a response to the request, to cache the response in the local cache, to forward the response to the end user device, and to transmit data characteristic of the response to the charging service external.
US09294882B2

Methods, systems, apparatus, and computer program products that include, on a first device executing a first instance of a location application, receiving an indication to begin sharing data describing a path traveled by the first device, receiving location data describing the path traveled by the first device, the location data received from a location system of the first device, and the location data including a plurality of locations of the first device, and transmitting the location data in a form usable to enable a user interface of a second instance of a location application executing on a second device to indicate the path traveled by the first device.
US09294878B2

An approach is provided for providing hub-based indexing and services. The hub-based platform causes, at least in part, an indexing of location-based content according to one or more location hubs of one or more transportation lines, Next, the hub-based platform determines a current proximity, a predicted proximity, or a combination thereof of one or more devices to the one or more location hubs, wherein the one or more devices are (a) traveling on the one or more transportation lines, (b) predicted to travel on the one or more transportation lines, or (c) a combination thereof. Then, the hub-based platform causes, at least in part, a presentation of at least a portion of the location-based content based, at least in part, on the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof.
US09294872B2

Devices, methods, and systems are provided that allow for acquiring and/or communicating data associated with a location. Embodiments of the present invention allow a mobile communication device to detect a sensor associated with a particular location, and information about that location is provided to the mobile communication device. Other embodiments allow data to be detected and processed in order to characterize a location and objects contained therein.
US09294866B2

Methods and systems for resource optimized, coarse and fine grained location tracking for planned journey are disclosed. A method for tracking a mobile device with respect to a point of interest (POI) using a mobile location tracker includes a conserve mode in which the mobile location tracker is turned off. The conserve mode comprises determining, by an analyzer module, whether to assess an estimated time to arrive (ETA) at the POI. If determined to assess the ETA, the conserve mode comprises performing an ETA assess operation comprising receiving the ETA; and if the ETA is not greater than a threshold time, switching from the conserve mode to an active mode, wherein in the active mode the mobile location tracker is turned on. It is determined to assess the ETA if a timer measurement is not less than the reassess time or if a trigger to reassess is received.
US09294860B1

An audio device may be configured to produce output audio and to also capture input audio for speech recognition. Beamforming may be used to produce directional audio signals that emphasize sounds received from different directions. Acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) may be used to remove components of output audio from the directional input signals. AEC may be implemented by an adaptive filter based on dynamically optimized filter coefficients. The filter coefficients may be analyzed to detect the presence of potentially problematic reflective surfaces near the audio device. When such a reflective surface is detected, the user may be notified by illuminating a directional indicator on a housing of the audio device, where the directional indicator indicates the direction of the potentially problematic surface relative to the audio device.
US09294853B1

Implementations described herein may include activating an audio source associated with a graphical user interface, the audio source having an initial location associated with the graphical user interface. Some implementations may further include sensing a displacement of the audio source with respect to the initial location and determining that the displacement of the audio source exceeds a predetermined threshold. In some implementations, in response to determining that the displacement of the audio source exceeds a predetermined threshold, the process may include adjusting a level of audio associated with the audio source.
US09294847B2

An electrostatic loudspeaker (ESL) assembly providing curvature in two directions for improved dispersion of sound waves. The ESL comprises at least one stator panel, a flexible diaphragm and a spacer that impedes contact between the stator panel and the diaphragm. The stator is formed from a material that comprises an array of apertures. Furthermore, the material can be annealed. The material temper, along with the aperture geometry and patter, affect the stretchability of the material. The two-axis curved structure enables a compact form of ESL to be realized, including bookshelf type loudspeakers whereas all known commercial units are comparable in height to that of a human listener. The individual curved ESL panels can also be readily combined to create larger transducer assemblies including omni-directional units.
US09294846B2

A piezoelectric vibration element which includes at least a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of piezoelectric layers alternately disposed in a first direction, and performs bending vibration in the first direction so as to change amplitude in a second direction vertical to the first direction by inputting an electric signal, and in which a center of a facing portion in the second direction is provided at a different position from a center of the piezoelectric vibration element in the second direction, the facing portion including a portion in which one of the piezoelectric layers interposed between the electrodes that are disposed so as to be adjacently opposed to each other, and a piezoelectric vibration device and a portable terminal using the piezoelectric vibration element are provided.
US09294837B2

A vehicular active vibrational noise control apparatus includes an amplitude limiter for limiting the amplitude of a canceling signal based on a signal level of an audio signal, and a vehicle speed detector for detecting the vehicle speed of a vehicle, which incorporates therein the vehicular active vibrational noise control apparatus. The amplitude limiter changes an amplitude limitation rule, which represents a relationship of a limiting value for the amplitude of the canceling signal to the signal level, depending on the vehicle speed, and limits the amplitude of the canceling signal based on the limiting value determined according to the amplitude limitation rule.
US09294836B2

In accordance with methods and systems of the present disclosure, a processing circuit may implement at least one of: a feedback filter having a response that generates at least a portion of an anti-noise component from a playback corrected error, the playback corrected error based on a difference between the error microphone signal and a secondary path estimate; and a feedforward filter having a response that generates at least a portion of the anti-noise signal from a reference microphone signal. The processing circuit may also implement a secondary path estimate filter configured to model an electro-acoustic path of a source audio signal and have a response that generates a secondary path estimate from the source audio signal and a secondary path estimate performance monitor for monitoring performance of the secondary path estimate filter in modeling the electro-acoustic path.
US09294833B2

The invention provides a sound collection device having little error in a desired directivity. The sound collection device includes a unidirectional microphone 12A, a unidirectional microphone 12B, and a unidirectional microphone 12C which are arranged on one plane. Each of the unidirectional microphones has the maximum sensitivity direction directed toward the inside of the arrangement. Each of the unidirectional microphones has a rear surface (direction of the minimum sensitivity) being open acoustically. Since the maximum sensitivity direction of each of the unidirectional microphones is directed toward the inside of the arrangement, the oscillation plane of each of the unidirectional microphones can be positioned substantially at the center of the arrangement. Thus, by adjusting the gain of the sound collected by the respective unidirectional microphones, the directivity can be freely formed on a flat plane with little error.
US09294830B2

A system that includes a bus, a battery, core processing circuitry, radio frequency (RF) processing circuitry, first power regulating circuitry, second power regulating circuitry, and control circuitry is provided. The bus can be coupled to receive power from a source external to the system. The core processing circuitry and RF processing circuitry can be selectively coupled to each other via a switch. The switch can be operative to turn ON and OFF based on a signal level received on the bus. The first power regulating circuitry can be electrically coupled to the bus, the core processing circuitry, and the switch. The second power regulating circuitry can be electrically coupled to the battery, the RF processing circuitry, and the switch. The control circuitry can be operative to selectively turn ON and OFF the first power regulating circuitry and the second power regulating circuitry based on a number of monitored conditions.
US09294822B2

A method of presenting advertising opportunities to users of a digital advertising placement system is described. The method includes receiving sequences of video material from a video material source, the sequences of video material having been processed from original video material to select parts of the original video material which are suitable for placement of digital advertising components. The method further includes incorporating the received sequences of video material into an online catalog accessible to a plurality of users via a data communications network, the online catalog allowing remote access to a user to identify one or more sequences which are of interest to an advertiser wishing to conduct digital advertising placement using said system.
US09294818B2

According to one embodiment, the present invention is designed to automatically determine the language of the content distributed when connecting to the Web server so as to agree with the language configured at the initial setup. The present invention has following elements. An initial setup module maintains initial setup information that indicates at least a menu language. A setup information association process module which determines a language request signal to request a language the same as the menu language indicated in the initial setup information. And a network control module which accesses the World Wide Web while transmitting the language request signal to determine a browser language.
US09294813B2

Probabilistic methods and apparatus to determine the state of a media device are described. An example method includes generating, based on a first output signal from a first sensor, a first parameter value representative of a first property of a media device; generating, based on a second output signal from a second sensor, a second parameter value representative of a second property of the media device; calculating a first state probability that the media device is presenting media provided by a first source based on a first conditional probability associated with the first parameter value and a second conditional probability associated with the second parameter value; calculating a second state probability that the media device is presenting media provided by a second source different than the first source based on a third conditional probability associated with the first parameter value and a fourth conditional probability associated with the second parameter value; and generating a state identifier by comparing the first state probability and the second state probability.
US09294810B2

Methods of providing a media file include receiving the media file and an identification of a destination set-top box for the media file at a server device. The received media file is transmitted from the server device to the identified set-top box in an Internet protocol television (IPTV) multimedia format.
US09294805B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set-top box having a controller to receive a selection of media content that has finished being broadcast where the selection is of the previously broadcast media content, transmit a request for the media content, and receive the media content for presentation at the display device, where the media content includes a plurality of segments, where one or more of the segments is provided by each of a plurality of digital video recorders (DVR's) that have recorded the media content, where the DVR's are remote from the set-top box, and where the plurality of segments are merged prior to presentation by the set-top box. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09294804B2

A system or method for processing a variable bit rate representation of an image sequence can include segmenting a variable bit rate representation of an image sequence into a plurality of segments and creating a second representation of the image sequence where a block of information from a first segment of the plurality of segments is interlaced with blocks of information of a second segment of the plurality of segments. The second representation of the image sequence can include a fragment header indicating the block of information of the first segment of the plurality of segments interlaced with the blocks of information of the second segment of the plurality of segments.
US09294801B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a remote controller adapted to present a graphical user interface (GUI) with a first portion for selecting one or more set-top boxes (STBs) and one or more user accounts, and with a second portion corresponding to a console comprising a plurality of selectable icons, disable access to at least a portion of the plurality of selectable icons of the console, detect a selection of one of the STBs, detect a selection of one of the user accounts, establish a communication session with the selected STB, and enable access to the plurality of selectable icons of the console to manage operations of the selected STB. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09294798B2

A system and method of controlling a mirror link are provided. The method includes connecting, by a controller, a multimedia system mounted within a vehicle to a portable terminal and executing an application to perform the mirror link. In addition, a menu is output to independently control an output image of the multimedia system and the portable terminal to the vehicle. The controller is also configured to independently control the output image of the multimedia system and the portable terminal based on a user selection.
US09294775B2

Disclosed is an adaptive transform method based on an in-screen prediction, and an apparatus using the method. A method for encoding an image can comprise a step of determining in-screen prediction mode groups, and a step of transforming by using a different transform method according to the in-screen prediction mode group. As a result, transforming can be performed by applying the different transform method according to the in-screen prediction mode group.
US09294774B2

Disclosed is an adaptive transform method based on an in-screen prediction, and an apparatus using the method. A method for encoding an image can comprise a step of determining in-screen prediction mode groups, and a step of transforming by using a different transform method according to the in-screen prediction mode group. As a result, transforming can be performed by applying the different transform method according to the in-screen prediction mode group.
US09294771B2

The quantization parameter QP is well-known in digital video compression as an indication of picture quality. Digital symbols representing a moving image are quantized with a quantizing step that is a function QSN of the quantization parameter QP, which function QSN has been normalized to the most significant bit of the bit depth of the digital symbols. As a result, the effect of a given QP is essentially independent of bit depth a particular QP value has a standard effect on image quality, regardless of bit depth. The invention is useful, for example, in encoding and decoding at different bit depths, to generate compatible, bitstreams having different bit depths, and to allow different bit depths for different components of a video signal by compressing each with the same fidelity (i.e., the same QP).
US09294770B2

The present invention relates to an image information encoding and decoding method and a device for same. One embodiment of an image information encoding method according to the present invention, as an image information encoding method according to another embodiment of the present invention, includes the steps of: generating a restore block; applying a deblocking filter on the restore block; applying a Sample Adaptive Offset (SAO) on the restore block having the deblocking filter applied thereon; and transmitting information on the SAO application. During the applying of the SAO, the SAO is applied to chroma pixels, and during the transmitting of the information, in addition to information on whether the SAO is applied on the chroma pixels, at least one of area information, division information on the SAO coverage area, SAO type information, and SAO offset information is transmitted.
US09294767B2

The invention discloses an inter picture prediction method for video coding and decoding and a codec. The inter picture prediction method for video coding comprises: performing motion estimation over integer pixel positions of a reference picture, to determine an optimal motion vector for a current prediction unit in a current picture; and performing interpolation filtering processing for motion estimation over fractional pixel position by using the integer pixel position information to which the optimal motion vector directs in the reference picture, and spatially neighboring pixel information of the current prediction unit in the current picture. The inter picture prediction method for video decoding comprises performing decoding to obtain a motion vector in a current decoding unit; and for fractional pixel motion vector, performing interpolation filtering processing by using reference pixels to which the optimal motion vector directs in a reference picture, and spatially neighboring pixels of the current prediction unit in the current picture. The invention can improve the video coding and decoding efficiency, reduce the bit rate necessary for provision of the same video quality, and also reduce nonzero prediction residual signal so as to facilitate the reduction of blocking artifacts.
US09294765B2

An intra-prediction module includes an intra-prediction preprocessor configured to process pixel data from blocks of picture data to determine edge strength data and edge angle range data corresponding to a plurality of pixels of the blocks, and further to generate intra-prediction candidate data based on the edge strength data and the edge angle range data. The intra-prediction candidate data indicates a first subset selected from a plurality of intra-prediction partitions and a second subset selected from a plurality of intra-prediction modes. A rate distortion optimization processor determines final intra-prediction data, based on the intra-prediction candidate data.
US09294763B2

An imager including a self test mode. The imager includes a pixel array for providing multiple pixel output signals via multiple columns; and a test switch for (a) receiving a test signal from a test generator and (b) disconnecting a pixel output signal from a column of the pixel array. The test switch provides the test signal to the column of the pixel array. The test signal includes a test voltage that replaces the pixel output signal. The test signal is digitized by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and provided to a processor. The processor compares the digitized test signal to an expected pixel output signal. The processor also interpolates the output signal from a corresponding pixel using adjacent pixels, when the test switch disconnects the pixel output signal from the column of the pixel array.
US09294749B2

In a projection apparatus, a processor performs a light-source controlling process of simultaneously driving the semiconductor light-emitting elements included in the light source unit and of generating a sync signal for use in projecting a stereoscopic image, and a gradation controlling process of correcting gradations ranging from zero gradation to the gradation according to the luminance level of the sync signal, to a specific gradation, when the projecting unit forms an optical image of a color complimentary to the color of the sync signal generated by the light-source controlling unit.
US09294736B2

A working vehicle periphery monitoring system includes: a plurality of image capturing devices capturing a periphery of a working vehicle to output image information; a bird's eye image synthesizing unit synthesizing the image information to generate bird's eye image information for displaying a bird's eye image on a monitor; and a display control unit displaying, on the monitor, at least one of a first bird's eye image obtained by superimposing a first vessel image including at least the vessel other than a part of the vessel at a rear side of the working vehicle and front and rear wheels displayed with the vessel on an area of the working vehicle in the bird's eye image and a second bird's eye image obtained by superimposing a second vessel image including at least all of the vessel and the front and rear wheels displayed with the vessel on the area of the working vehicle in the bird's eye image.
US09294734B2

A video surveillance system wherein a monitoring station collects video data obtained by a monitoring camera is disclosed. The system includes a multihop wireless network formed of a plurality of wireless nodes including a first wireless node having the monitoring camera, and a second wireless node having a gateway connected to the monitoring station. The system also includes a priority control device configured to control the wireless network so that transmission in a link between the first wireless node and the second wireless node is performed at a priority level contained in a priority information message. The transmission including transmitting a video data request from the monitoring station to the monitoring camera, or transmitting video data from the monitoring camera to the monitoring station.
US09294717B2

A method includes selecting, at a first computing device, a first content source as a foreground content source and a second content source as a background content source. The method includes determining a location of the first computing device. The method also includes generating layered multimedia content. The layered multimedia content includes a foreground layer including first media content received from the first content source, a background layer including second media content received from the second content source, an information layer including data associated with the location to the first computing device, and audio content. The method includes sending the layered multimedia content to at least a second computing device.
US09294715B2

A user terminal comprising: a network interface; a display; and a communications module configured to: receive video data from at least one further user terminal over a communications network during a communication event with said at least one further user terminal via said network interface; receive location information from said at least one further user terminal over the communications network via said network interface; in response to receiving said location information, display a map on said display, said map displaying a plurality of locations; and for each of said at least one further user terminal, control the video data received from said further user terminal to be displayed on said display to provide a visual indication of the location of said further user terminal at one of said plurality of locations.
US09294714B2

Embodiments of wireless communication devices and method for discontinuous reception (DRX) mode in wireless communication are generally described herein. Some of these embodiments describe a wireless communication device having processing circuitry arranged to determine to use an extended paging discontinuous reception (DRX) value to increase a paging cycle length above a value and select a first periodicity, based on the extended paging DRX value, at which the UE is to perform evaluation of a parameter of a network in which the UE is opera. The wireless communication device may have physical layer circuitry arranged to transmit a message to the network, indicating that the UE desires to perform evaluation of the parameter at the first periodicity. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US09294701B2

An image pickup apparatus, a method for driving the image pickup apparatus, an image pickup system, and a method for driving the image pickup system output a digital signal based on a difference between signals output from a plurality of pixels and a digital signal based on the sum of the signals output from the pixels.
US09294693B1

An image sensor includes a plurality of photodiodes arranged into an array of rows and columns. The photodiodes are grouped into pixel units, where each pixel unit includes at least four photodiodes and shared pixel unit circuitry coupled to each of the four photodiodes. In one aspect the shared pixel unit circuitry may include a shared source follower transistor. In another aspect the shared pixel unit circuitry includes a shared reset transistor. Two of the photodiodes of the pixel unit are in a first column of the array and another two of the photodiodes are in a second column of the array. One of the photodiodes in the second column is in a row that is between rows of the two photodiodes in the first column.
US09294670B2

The display of images, such as lenticular images, in a limited display space can be aided through the use of motion-based control, whereby a user can rotate and/or translate a computing device in order to cause different views of a lenticular image to be displayed. Sensors can be used to determine the motion in order to select the appropriate view to display. Approaches can further assist the user in creating lenticular images. The user can specify various configurations in which to display different views in a lenticular. If the user is capturing the images, one or more previously-acquired images can be used as a guide to help the user to align the images. Various processing can be performed to cause the individual views of the lenticular to match as closely as possible in factors such as alignment, brightness, and color range, among other such options.
US09294664B2

An image display apparatus configured to recognize one or more objects from an image, determine a display priority of a menu to be displayed relating to a recognized object based on a set display mode, and displaying menus corresponding to one or more recognized objects based on the determined display priority.
US09294663B2

An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit and a transmission unit. The imaging unit is configured to capture two images that are different from each other by a predetermined amount of an optical distance (focus) between an objective lens and an imaging device having a first resolution. The transmission unit is configured to transmit the captured images.
US09294662B2

Aspects of depth map generation and post capture focusing and re-focusing are described. According to one embodiment, a depth map is generated. The depth map may include a mapping among relative depth values in a field of view of an image based on a difference between pixels of a first image and pixels of a second image. An edge map may also be generated by identifying edges in at least one of the first image or the second image. Using the depth map and the edge map, the relative depth values in the depth map may be smoothed using the edge map. In this manner, certain discontinuities in depth values may be smoothed within edge-bounded regions defined by the edge map. The depth map may be used for focusing and re-focusing, for example, or for object extraction, scene understanding, or gesture recognition, among other imaging processes.
US09294660B2

In some embodiments, an auxiliary optical system for a mobile electronic device has a mounting component that is configured to be selectively attachable and detachable from the mobile electronic device. The mounting component is configured to be coupled to and decoupled from a multi-lens component with a plurality of lenses. When the multi-lens component is coupled to the mounting component, the multi-lens component can be prevented from moving, such as sliding or rotating. In some embodiments, an auxiliary optical system for a mobile electronic device comprises a removable onboard camera lens or onboard camera of a mobile electronic device. The onboard lens or onboard camera can be removed and/or replaced with another onboard lens or onboard camera with different optical qualities.
US09294655B2

An apparatus for and a method of processing a document image are provided. The apparatus comprises: an estimation unit for estimating a brightness image from the document image; and a correction unit for correcting the brightness image by using brightness values of at least a part of edge pixels which lie on or in the adjacency of edges of the brightness image in parallel with x direction, wherein directions of neighboring two edges of the brightness image are set to be x, y directions respectively, and wherein compared with x direction, brightness values of pixels of the brightness image change relatively slightly or do not change along y direction; wherein the correction unit performs interpolation on a straight line extending along y direction by using the brightness values of the edge pixels on the straight line, thereby correcting brightness values of other pixels on the straight line.
US09294651B2

An image reading device includes: a CCD for reading an image on a document to output an image signal; a light source for switchingly emitting visible light and non-visible light; and lighting control means for controlling lighting periods of the light source. The lighting control means is adapted to perform control such that a first light source lighting period for applying non-visible light is longer than a second light source lighting period for applying visible light. The image reading device also includes splitting means for splitting the image signals outputted from the CCD into an image signal upon application of visible light and an image signal upon application of non-visible light.
US09294650B2

An image reading apparatus includes a casing configured to cut off ambient light and have a casing-opening portion at the bottom, an image capturing unit configured to perform image capturing of a medium that is exposed to an inside of the casing in the casing-opening portion, a plurality of light sources configured to be arranged on the inside of the casing and emit light to different areas on horizontal plane in the casing-opening portion, a control unit configured to control at least the image capturing unit and the plurality of light sources, and an attachment configured to be detachably attached to the bottom of the casing. The attachment surrounds the casing-opening portion in a state in which the attachment is attached to the casing and cuts off the ambient light together with the casing in a state in which the bottom is placed on the medium.
US09294638B2

An information processing system includes a main body that executes a plurality of functions; and an operation unit including a display unit to display a screen. The system also includes a first display controller that arranges, for each of the functions, a first display component in a home screen corresponding to the screen displayed on the display unit immediately after activation, the first display component being used to instruct an execution command for the each of the functions; and an execution controller that controls, when the first display component is pressed, the main body to perform a function corresponding to the pressed first display component.
US09294631B1

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for identification of common root causes with sequential patterns. In use, a plurality of customer event sequences are identified. Additionally, the plurality of customer event sequences are grouped into a hierarchical framework of patterns. Further, a root-cause analysis (RCA) is performed for the customer event sequences utilizing the hierarchical framework of patterns.
US09294622B2

Each user of a telecommunications system may speak and record their own name, in their own voice, and a recording of their spoken name may subsequently be accessed by or delivered to other users of the system, thereby facilitating communication between users by enabling users to better know how to pronounce the names of other users. A user may listen to the recorded spoken name of another user before placing a call to another user. When a user joins a conference call, their spoken name may be announced to other users (attendees) already in the call. A user joining a conference call may listen to the recorded spoken names of attendees in the call. A button on users' phones may invoke these features.
US09294614B2

A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a holography user interface is provided. The present invention includes a controller, a holography storing medium configured to record an interference pattern generated by interference of light, and a holography output module, if at least one event among a plurality of trigger events occurs, outputting a holography image attributed to diffraction between the light applied to the holography storing medium and the interference pattern under the control of the controller, wherein the controller controls the holography image to be outputted in accordance with at least one holography pattern set previously.
US09294597B2

Embodiments are provided for mobile phones, and similar sized electronics devices, with flexible displays, which allow suitable viewing sizes for different applications. The embodiment devices combine, into one compact package, the benefits of a small carry size with those of a large display. An embodiment mobile phone with a flexible display includes a first part having a first surface and a first edge, and a second part having a second surface and a second edge. A rotatable hinge couples the first edge of the first part is coupled to the second edge of the second part. The flexible display of the mobile phone is a continuous flexible display which has a back surface disposed on the first surface of the first part and on the second surface of the second part. The viewing surface of the flexible display is opposite to the back surface.
US09294589B2

A method of transmitting data packets is disclosed. The method comprises acquiring a data packet to be transmitted; parsing the data packet to extract at least a part of its header; matching the extracted part of the header with header items stored in a code book database; preparing, if the extracted part of the header matches a header item stored in the code book database, an adapted data packet comprising a code from the code book corresponding to the match replacing the at least part of the header, and the rest of the data packet; and transmitting the adapted data packet, if the adapted data packet is prepared, or the data packet, if no adapted data packet is prepared. A corresponding method of receiving data packets is also disclosed. The method comprises receiving a data transmission; determining whether the data transmission comprises a compressed header indicator for a data packet with a compressed header; and if the data packet is determined to comprise a compressed header, performing the steps of: parsing the data packet to extract a code; looking up a code book database using the extracted code to find corresponding header data; and decompressing the data packet by replacing the compressed header indicator and the extracted code by the header data. A transmitter, receiver, communication system, and computer program for implementing the methods are also disclosed.
US09294588B2

A graphical user interface for rendering hosted services is provided. The user interface includes a set of hosted service identifiers associated with a domain name. The set of hosted service identifiers is further broken down into a first subset of service identifiers and a second subset of service identifiers. Each identifier in the first subset corresponds to a service provided by a first service provider and each identifier in the second subset corresponds to a service provided by a second service provider. One of the services provided by the first service provider is rendered in response to a user selection of one of the first subset of service identifiers. One of the services provided by the second service provider is rendered in response to a user selection of one of the second subset of service identifiers.
US09294585B2

A method for live-migration of an operating system and an application is provided. The operating system runs on a first computer. The application may run on the operating system. The live-migration may be performed to a second computer while the application showing no externally detectable downtime during live-migration of the application. The method may comprise operating a tracking tool that may track and store data modifications to a disk-system of the computer in a tracking file, triggering a shutdown of the first computer while the tracking tool continues to operate in tracking mode and shut down the first computer completely. Then restarting the first computer and sending the data modifications stored prior to the complete shutdown of the first computer to the second computer, which then may be started based on the sent data, followed by starting the application such that from an external perspective no application disruption is detectable.
US09294582B2

Techniques are provided for the caching of content prior to the content being requested. A request for desired content may be received from a client application at a caching server. The request may also indicate additional content related to the desired content that may be subsequently requested by the client application. The indicated additional content (and the desired content, if not already cached) is retrieved from an origin server. The desired content is transmitted to the client application at the user device, and the additional content is cached at the caching server. Subsequently, a second request may be received from the client application that includes a request for the additional content. The additional content, which is now cached at the caching server, is served to the client application by the caching server in response to the second request (rather than being retrieved from the origin server).
US09294576B2

A system for identifying influential users of a social network platform. The system may compute a score for each of multiple users. Such a score may be topic-based, leading to a more accurate identification of influential users. Such a topic-based score may indicate authority and/or impact of a user with respect to a topic. The impact may be computed based on authority combined with other factors, such as power of the user. The authority score may be simply computed, in whole or in part, directly from a tweet log without, for example creating a retweet graph. As a result, the scores may be computed, using MapReduce primitives or other constructs that allow the computations to be distributed across multiple parallel processors. Such scores may be used to select users based on impact as part of social trend analysis, marketing or other functions.
US09294575B1

Methods and systems are presented for transmitting appliance-specific content to a user device associated with an appliance. In some embodiments, a third party platform may serve as a secure intermediary between a user device associated with an appliance (e.g., an oven) and a third party appliance service provider (e.g., appliance manufacturer). In some embodiments, the third party platform database may store appliance ownership data from the user device and compare an appliance search provided by the appliance service provider with the appliance ownership data in order to match an appliance service provider with a user device associated with an appliance meeting the criteria of the appliance search. The appliance service provider may efficiently transmit appliance-specific content (e.g., a list of approved or preferred appliance servicers) to the appliance user by way of the appliance user's user device. In some embodiments, the data exchange facilitated by the third party platform may be customized based on user-specified appliance center settings.
US09294571B2

Method of transferring a message in a Session Initiation Protocol based communications network, from a first node to a third node via a second node. The method comprises the steps of: storing, in a repository associated with the first node, a group identifier associated with a plurality of second nodes; deriving, by the first node, on the basis of the group identifier a network address corresponding to one second node of the plurality of second nodes; and transmitting the message to the third node via the second node derived by the first node.
US09294570B2

In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for social networking in a dynamic environment. In one embodiment, a method for social networking in a network includes broadcasting a first set of one or more keywords representing one or more interests of a first user in the network, receiving a response from a second user in the network indicating interest in at least one of the interests of the first user, and connecting to a server in the network, where the server hosts a group for supporting communications between at least the first network user and the second network user.
US09294568B2

Systems and methods for providing electronic content and applications to residents of controlled-environment facilities are disclosed. The portable computing device may be configured to determine that an external memory has been coupled to it. The external memory may include content requested by the resident and a key configured to allow the device to access the content to the exclusion of other devices associated with other residents. The portable computing device may retrieve the key from the external memory and allow the resident to view or play the content if the key matches a lock programmed within the device. If the resident attempts to insert a non-authorized external memory into the device, its contents may be erased and/or an alert may be generated. The content of the external memory may be transferred to the portable computing device and then the external memory may be locked so that it is unusable.
US09294565B2

One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for providing efficient synchronized data access. A request to access data on a first data provider is received. The requested data on the first data provider is synchronized with a second data provider, such that the first and second data providers respectively comprise a same version of the requested data. A provider score can respectively be determined for the first data provider and for the second data provider, where the provider score utilizes heuristic data that may indicate a data access rate and/or a cost of data access, for the respective first data provider and second data provider. The request for data access can be routed to the data provider that comprises a desired provider score, where a desired provider score may indicate a desired rate of data access and/or cost of data access.
US09294563B2

An apparatus and method for media streaming in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network having a plurality of peer modules connected on the network include a source peer module connected on the network, the source peer module being associated with a highest logical level of the network. A plurality of viewer peer modules is also connected on the network, each viewer peer module being associated with a logical network level. The logical network level associated with each viewer peer module is a quantity of logical network levels that the viewer peer module is logically below the source peer module. The P2P network is configured such that each viewer peer module can be connected to no more than one up-peer module logically above the viewer peer module, and each viewer peer module can be connected to any integer number of down-peer modules logically below the viewer peer module.
US09294554B2

A system and method that supports an integrated user interface experience with third party hosted applications selected and installed by a user within a user-installed native application of a user communication device.
US09294553B1

Features are disclosed for determining which content item or items are likely to be requested by a particular user or device, or by a group of users or devices. The determined content items may be obtained independently of a request from the users or devices, and substantially current versions of the content items may be maintained at a server system, such as an intermediary system. Visual representations of the content items may be generated to reduce processing requirements at a user device. When the content items are determined to be likely to be requested by a particular user, a predicted time may also be determined, and the visual representations may be generated such that they are available at the predicted time.
US09294552B2

The present invention is a cloud computing appliance, having a chassis, at least one server, capable of connecting to a remote interface device, at least two network switches, at least one firewall, and a power supply circuit. The present invention also includes a method for initializing the cloud computing appliance, and a method for migrating software applications to the cloud computing appliance. The cloud computing appliance includes at least one private cloud and is in electronic communication with at least one public cloud. There is an electrical connection capable of being in electronic communication with the remote interface device that allows a system administrator to interact with the at least one private cloud and the at least one public cloud.
US09294549B2

Bandwidth on the Internet and intranets is highly variable and unreliable, two properties that can make streaming digital media content difficult. In a virtualization system (e.g., virtual desktop, remote desktop, remote application, and the like), this is especially so based on different bandwidths available to the session host and the session client. Methods and systems for emulating a bandwidth of a client device in a virtualization system are described. When the session host is executing an application (e.g., a digital media application), the session host may emulate the bandwidth of the session client by hooking into and throttling data over one or more APIs associated with the digital media application, thereby tricking the application into making a bandwidth determination based on the emulated bandwidth of the session client, rather than based on the bandwidth of the session host.
US09294547B2

A mobile device application is described that runs on a mobile device and allows a user to log in to the user's account on a presentation server. The user can download previously stored presentations to the local memory of the mobile device to make an in-person offline presentation from the mobile device. While the user is making the presentation, the mobile device application tracks analytic data pertaining to the slide presentation, such as how long each slide is open and viewed. This analytic data is uploaded to the server when an internet connection is available for integration with other data tracked for the presentation.
US09294546B2

Techniques are provided for causing a file to be sent from a source device over a network to one or more destination devices. An intermediary receives a notification of a file and determines which destination device(s) are to retrieve the file. The intermediary may determine the destination device(s) based on one or more attributes of the file. The intermediary may cause the file to be stored in persistent storage that is maintained by a separate storage service. The intermediary may cause the file to be deleted after a particular period of time. The source device may send multiple versions of a file to the intermediary, which determines which destination device is to receive which version. The file may be a digital image and a destination device may be a device that displays a slideshow of digital images while the destination device receives the digital image over a network.
US09294543B2

One or more processors receive a standardized interface request that includes a command formatted in an application protocol. One or more processors extract a class name from a uniform resource identifier (URI) of an application header of the standardized interface request. The application header includes a meta-data that allows class declarations to function as a portion of interface description language. One or more processors identify a type of the command based, at least in part, on the application protocol of the command. One or more processors process the command based on the identified type of the command, the application protocol of the command, and the meta-data. One or more processors send a standardized interface response based on a result of the processing.
US09294540B2

Processing a browser request that specifies a destination network resource generally includes intercepting a browser request that specifies a selected destination network resource and redirecting the browser request to a network server that differs from the destination resource specified by the browser request. Processing a browser request also may include intercepting a browser request received from a client computer at a proxy server when the browser request specifies a selected destination network resource and performing instructions associated with and in addition to instructions performed to download the selected destination network resource.
US09294537B1

Techniques for suggesting a tag for content may include the following: receiving, from a member of a social network, an entry in a display field along with an indication that the entry is for a post; after receiving the entry and the indication, identifying content by performing a search using at least some of the entry and information about the member of the social network; obtaining tags corresponding to the identified content; ranking the tags; outputting the ranked tags as suggestions to include with the display field; and augmenting the entry by adding a selected tag to the display field.
US09294535B2

Disclosed herein is a communication system including: a first apparatus and a second apparatus being communication terminals at least one of which resides on a mobile object; and a server apparatus. The server apparatus includes: a determination block configured to determine whether the first and the second apparatuses are in close proximity to each other based on position data of the first apparatus and on position data of the second apparatus; and a communication block configured such that if the determination block determines that the first and the second apparatuses are in close proximity to each other, the communication block transmits preinstalled content data to at least one of the first and the second apparatuses.
US09294534B2

An access node comprises a control unit that determines an anticipated working set of television channels based on a historically delivered working set of television channels to which a subscriber network has previously subscribed. The anticipated working set indicates a time at which the subscriber network is expected to subscribe to a different set of channels. The access node includes at least one interface that couples the access node to the subscriber network, that prior to the time at which the subscriber network is expected to subscribe to the different set of channels, subscribes to the different set of television channels in accordance with the anticipated working set such that media content associated with the different channels of the anticipated working set is available for delivery to the subscriber network at the time during which the access node expects the subscriber network to subscribe to the different set of channels.
US09294533B2

A distribution control system distributes data to a communication terminal through a communication network. The distribution control system includes a receiver configured to receive, from the communication terminal, transmission delay time information indicating transmission delay time from when the data is distributed by the distribution control system to when the data is received by the communication terminal; and a changing unit configured to change, based on the transmission delay time information received by the receiver, a parameter of reproduction quality when the data is reproduced by the communication terminal.
US09294531B2

A method for adaptive streaming of a media content, wherein the method comprises receiving a media presentation description that provides presentation information for the media content, determining a plurality of representations from the media presentation description that comprise segments that are provided with bitrate and quality information, selecting a media segment that meets a desired quality level to download from one of the representations, updating a buffered media time for downloading the media segment, and determining when to switch to another representation by comparing the buffered media time to a switching threshold value.
US09294524B2

A method for creating a set of virtual machines on a public datacenter. The method, from a first network controller of a private network, commands a second network controller of the public datacenter to create the virtual machines. The method, from the first network controller of the private network, communicates with the second network controller of the public datacenter to determine a type of the second network controller. When the first network controller includes instructions for using application programming interfaces (APIs) of the type of the second network controller, the method uses the APIs to set up a VLAN for the set of virtual machines in order to allow the virtual machines of the set of virtual machines to communicate securely with each other without sending the communications through the private network. In some embodiments, the VLAN is a private VLAN (PVLAN).
US09294508B2

Methods, apparatus, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable media for managing a plurality of disparate computer application and data control policies on a computing device, especially a computing device connected to a computer network, are described. In one example, at least one policy distribution point is provided that includes least one policy distribution point including at least one information management policy. A plurality of policy enforcement points, including a first policy enforcement point operating at a first policy enforcement level, and a second enforcement point operating at second policy enforcement level, are also provided. A first policy element to the first policy enforcement point, and a second policy element to the second policy enforcement point, are allocated.A management compartment in computer memory in communication with said computing device including one or more computer applications, data, and metadata specified and controlled by the information management policy is also provided.
US09294499B2

An appliance communicates via a communication network via various communication services available for transmitting data via the communication network. The appliance can detect an anomaly in a communication that is established with the appliance via one of the communication services, and implement a defense communication mode. In the defense communication mode, the communications to be established with the appliance via a communication service for which a detection has occurred are inhibited, while the communications to be established via another communication service are allowed.
US09294485B2

Systems and methods for controlling access to shared content in an online content management system, include receiving a request to access a content item from a requester, wherein the content item is stored in a synchronized online content management system. The example method then includes determining that the requester is in an approved list of requestors and granting access to the content item. In one variation, the request to access the content item includes activation of a shared link. In another variation, the request to access the content item includes access to a shared folder in the synchronized online content management system. In a third variation, determining that the requester is in an approved list of requesters includes determining that the requester is logged into a primary and secondary account, and that the requester is in an approved list for the secondary account.
US09294479B1

A system and method for client-side authentication is disclosed. A client device comprises a browser and an authentication module. The browser is configured to receive a cookie and a timestamp via the network and determine a plug-in ID. The authentication module is communicatively coupled to the browser to receive the cookie, the timestamp and the plug-in ID. The authentication module determines a signing key and a public ID based at least in part on the cookie. The authentication module signs the timestamp, plug-in ID and the public ID using the signing key. The authentication module concatenates the public ID, the timestamp, the plug-in ID and the signature to form an authenticated plug-in URL using the security token. The browser loads the authenticated plug-in URL to display a plug-in and begin an authenticated session that expires at a time specified by the time-based security token.
US09294469B2

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for establishing a connection between an appliance and a home energy management device. Upon being prompted by a user, the home energy management device can create a private network for a limited period of time. Then, upon also being prompted by the user, an appliance can request to join the private network. If the appliance satisfies any required security criteria, the home energy management device can securely provide local area network access data to the appliance over the private network. After receiving such access data, the appliance can connect to the wireless local area network and establish a secure connection with the home energy management device via a router of the local area network. In one implementation, both the home energy management device and the appliance can be prompted by the user by simply pressing a button or other user-operable selector.
US09294466B2

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to authenticating an identity of users desiring access to an application program and determining whether an authenticated user is authorized to access one or more aspects of the application program.
US09294457B2

A federated realm discovery system within a federation determines a “home” realm associated with a portion of the user's credentials before the user's secret information (such as a password) is passed to a non-home realm. A login user interface accepts a user identifier and, based on the user identifier, can use various methods to identify an account authority service within the federation that can authenticate the user. In one method, a realm list of the user device can be used to direct the login to the appropriate home realm of the user. In another method, an account authority service in a non-home realm can look up the user's home realm and provide realm information directing the user device to login at the home realm.
US09294452B1

Authentication translation is disclosed. A request to access a resource is received at an authentication translator, as is an authentication input. The authentication input corresponds to at least one stored record. The stored record is associated at least with the resource. In response to the receiving, a previously stored credential associated with the resource is accessed. The credential is provided to the resource.
US09294451B2

A system is provided that includes a receiving component a first encrypting component and a second encrypting component. The receiving component can receive, from a first user, item identification data based on a tangible item and an ownership verification indicator. The receiving component can also receive, from the first user, image data based on the tangible item. The first encrypting component can generate encrypted item identification data based on the item identification data. The second encrypting component operable to generate encrypted image data based on the image data. The resultant set of encrypted information is stored so as to associate the image and the ownership data for use later as proof of ownership of an item and its associated rights.
US09294449B2

A system and method for providing load balanced secure media content and data delivery (10) in a distributed computing environment is disclosed. Media content is segmented and encrypted into a set of individual encrypted segments on a centralized control center (15). Each individual encrypted segment has the same fixed size. The complete set of individual encrypted segments is staged to a plurality of intermediate control nodes (17, 19). Individual encrypted segments are mirrored from the staged complete set to a plurality of intermediate servers (21a-b, 23a-b). Requests are received from clients (11) for the media content at the centralized control center. Each individual encrypted segment in the set is received from one of an intermediate control node and an intermediate server optimally sited from the requesting client. The individual encrypted segments are reassembled into the media content for media playback.
US09294447B2

A communication access control system (100) includes at least one access control cell (160), implemented on a computing entity, for computing random input addresses (205) and random output addresses (210) upon a request of a system user (105). The input and output addresses are based on a cryptographic key (165) held by a service facility (115) associated with the at least one access control cell (160).
US09294446B2

An audio/video content delivery system includes a content source linked by an internet data connection to a content receiver, the content receiver configured to receive access-controlled encoded broadcast content from a content source by a separate broadcast data path. The content source includes an encryptor sending encrypted content to the content receiver according to a content encryption key. The content receiver includes: a host module including a decryptor decrypting encrypted content received from the content source; and a removable conditional access module (CAM) including an access control unit decoding the access-controlled encoded broadcast content, the host module and removable CAM configured to provide an encrypted communication link therebetween for decoded access-controlled encoded broadcast content. The content source and the CAM are configured to communicate to establish the key required by the decryptor in the host module to decrypt the encrypted content received from the content source.
US09294444B2

A secure data parser is provided that may be integrated into any suitable system for securely storing and communicating data. The secure data parser parses data and then splits the data into multiple portions that are stored or communicated distinctly. Encryption of the original data, the portions of data, or both may be employed for additional security. The secure data parser may be used to protect data in motion by splitting original data into portions of data, that may be communicated using multiple communications paths.
US09294437B1

A network gateway is implemented on behalf of a customer entity. The network gateway may be implemented using a distributed computer system and the network gateway may connect a network of the customer entity to a public communications network. The network gateway may include network-related services without the need for adding specialized hardware. The network gateway may be provisioned programmatically in response to instructions received from the customer entity. The network gateway may be provisionable and accessible over several different types of data connections. The network gateway, by virtue of being implemented on a distributed computer system, is scalable upon demand without additional input by the customer entity.
US09294430B2

The invention enables digital music content to be downloaded to and used on a portable wireless computing device. An application running on the wireless device has been automatically adapted to parameters associated with the wireless device without end-user input (e.g. the application has been configured in dependence on the device OS and firmware, related bugs, screen size, pixel number, security models, connection handling, memory etc. This application enables an end-user to browse and search music content on a remote server using a wireless network; to download music content from that remote server using the wireless network and to playback and manage that downloaded music content. The application also includes a digital rights management system that enables unlimited legal downloads of different music tracks to the device and also enables any of those tracks stored on the device to be played so long as a subscription service has not terminated.
US09294424B2

In one embodiment, a user may transfer a multimodal conversation. A multimodal conversation may have a first mode communication session and a second mode communication session. A first user point of presence may execute a first transfer of the first mode communication session with a first partner point of presence from the first user point of presence to a first target point of presence. A second user point of presence may execute a second transfer of the second mode communication session with a second partner point of presence from the second user point of presence to a second target point of presence.
US09294415B2

The disclosure describes a proxy server application that supports the dynamic modification of proxy rules implemented by a proxy server. The proxy rules implemented by the proxy server specify network behaviors to be performed at various points during the handling of requests from client applications. A proxy server implements the proxy rules by processing one or more user-generated network traffic filters for managing network traffic. In an embodiment, users generate network traffic filters by creating network traffic filter source code that specify processing steps to be performed by a proxy server relative to network messages the proxy server receives. In an embodiment, user-generated network traffic filters may be added, removed, reordered, or otherwise modified in a proxy server application at runtime in order to respond to current network conditions or to achieve other desired proxy configurations.
US09294414B2

Bandwidth and/or Quality of Service (QoS) for a user session may be modified in a network that includes a Regional/Access Network (RAN) that facilitates differentiated end-to-end data transport between a Network Service Provider (NSP) and/or an Application Service Provider (ASP) and a Customer Premises Network (CPN) that includes a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) by receiving a request at the NSP and/or the ASP to change the bandwidth and/or QoS associated with the user's session. An Application Programming Interface (API) is used at the NSP and/or the ASP to communicate with the RAN to modify the bandwidth and/or QoS associated with the user's session.
US09294411B2

A networked system includes a plurality of information handling systems (IHSs). A networking device couples the plurality of IHSs to a network. The networking device is operable to receive a packet associated with a first network application from a first IHS of the plurality of IHSs. The networking device then determines that a first virtual port is associated with the first network application in a database. The networking device then assign packets received from the first IHS and associated with the first network application to the first virtual port. The networking device then forwards packets received from the first IHS and associated with the first network application over the network using the first virtual port. The first virtual port provides access to a virtual network that is provided for the first network application and configured using network information associated with the first network application.
US09294406B2

Methods and systems are disclosed for receiving, with circuitry of a network controller, information indicative of characteristics of incoming data traffic in an information transport network, the network comprising at least one packet switched layer and at least one transport layer; determining to transport the incoming data traffic through at least one determined layer being at least one of the packet switched layer and the transport layer, based on the characteristics of the incoming data traffic and/or network information; determining at least one route for the incoming data traffic through the determined layer; and transmitting a signal containing computer executable instructions to at least one switch, to configure the switch to steer the incoming data traffic through the at least one route of the at least one determined layer. The information indicative of characteristics of data traffic may be gathered/provided by one or more traffic monitor.
US09294400B2

A switch system realizes extension of the number of entries of an open flow table by using tables in a switch as existing resources. Specifically, the switch configures an open flow table by logically combining a plurality of tables, each of which defines processing to a given packet, based on a condition and a processing content defined in each table. The switch refers to the open flow table to determine the processing content to a reception packet. The switch executes the processing of the reception packet based on the determined processing content.
US09294397B1

A switch includes ports including a first port and a second port. A processor approves associations between the ports and addresses of packets. A memory stores entries having respective indicators indicating approval of an association between respective ports and addresses. The first port receives a first packet sent to the switch. The controller: determines whether one of the entries includes an address of the first packet; if none of the entries includes the address of the first packet, sends a first message to the processor requesting approval of the first packet; if one of the entries includes the address of the first packet, determines whether the indicator of the one of the entries indicates approval and based on this, sends the first message to the processor; receives a response from the processor based on the first message; and based on the response, forwards the first packet to the second port.
US09294389B2

An interface may be selected. First, it may be determined that an application is intended to use a first one of a plurality of network interfaces. Next, a first one of a plurality of routing tables may be selected corresponding to the determined first one of the plurality of network interfaces. Then the selected first one of the plurality of routing tables may be used to communicate with a first device on a first network over the determined first one of the plurality of network interfaces.
US09294386B2

Apparatus and computer program product for a programmable packet processing platform for accelerating network infrastructure applications that have been structured so as to separate the stages of classification and action. A pipeline comprising a collection of elements for handling network packets is established under which respective elements are capable of including multiple entries, and respective entries are capable of defining whether the respective entry matches a respective network packet and at least one corresponding action for handling the respective network packet. Defining whether the respective entry matches a respective network packet comprises defining via a predefined set of identifiers to indicate respective network protocol fields of different network protocols. Exemplary actions include dropping packets, forwarding packets, encrypting packets, decrypting packets, and classification of packet flows.
US09294383B2

The present disclosure illustrates a baseline wander compensating method adapted for compensating baseline wander induced in an Ethernet transceiver. The baseline wander compensating method comprises following steps. Firstly, an output packet is detected. Next, a detection result of the output packet and a predetermined value are compared, and a control signal is generated correspondingly. Based on the control signal, a first calibration signal or a second calibration signal is selected, and a calibrating calculation is executed for the selected one of the first calibration signal and a second calibration signal. Next, an input signal is compensated according to a baseline calibration value generated from the calibrating calculation.
US09294380B2

A Policy and Charging Rules Function server (PCRF) of a Policy and Charging Control (PCC) Architecture for deciding control rules applicable to user traffic flows to be inspected, in accordance with applicable telecommunication protocols for each traffic flow, by a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function server with Deep Packet inspection capabilities (PCEF-DPI) of the PCC Architecture. The PCRF includes a database having a list of protocols used in the user tialYtc flow s The PCRF includes an interface unit which receives a query from the PCEF-DPI about applicable control rules for an IP Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) session established for a user at the PCEF-DPI The PCRF includes a processing unit which sends the applicable control rules for the IP-CAN session and the list of protocols through the interface unit to the PCEF-DPI. A Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, server having Deep Packet Inspection capabilities (PCEF-DPI) of a Policy and Charging Control (PCC) Architecture. A method of a Policy and Charging Rules Function server (PCRF) of a Policy and Charging Control (PCC) Architecture. A method of a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function server having Deep Packet inspection capabilities (PCFF-DPI) of a Policy and Charging Control (PCC) Architecture.
US09294356B2

Managing devices in a system may comprise receiving information associated with a first device in the system and a first set of capabilities provided in the first device; receiving information associated with a second device in the system and a second set of capabilities provided in the second device; determining one or more required capabilities that need to be activated for the system, the system comprising at least the first device and the second device; for each of the one or more required capabilities, selecting automatically by a processor based on the information received and one or more criteria, which capability in the first device and the second device to activate to satisfy the one or more required capabilities; and activating said selected capability in the first device or the second device.
US09294349B2

Presented herein are techniques to handle data packets received at a top-of-rack (ToR) switch in an underlay network hosting one or more tenant networks. The underlay network may comprise a plurality of ToR switches each connected to each of a plurality of spine switches. The data packet may be received from a virtual machine in a tenant network, and have a header with a data packet identifier. A mobility domain identifier may be determined that corresponds to the network portion within which the virtual machine can be migrated. The mobility domain may be configured on the ToR switch on a per-port basis based on the virtual machine connected to the ToR switch port. A unique identifier may be formed based on the data packet identifier and mobility domain identifier. Using this unique identifier, provisioning information may be obtained for the tenant network on the ToR switch.
US09294342B2

Between network node apparatuses that operate as a duplex system, when a failure occurs in an information processing unit of one system, the service is maintained and continued in an information processing unit of the other system without interruption of the service. In a system using an active system network node apparatus 100-1 and a standby system network node apparatus 100-2 both in an operating state, a switch processing unit 110 has a transfer processing unit 112 that copies and transfers a packet flow to be a subject of information processing in the information processing unit 200 to two output destinations, when the switch processing unit operates as an active system. The information processing unit 200 has a mutual monitoring processing unit 203 that checks mutual operating states between the active system and the standby system, determines that a failure has occurred when the active system does not return a response and causes the standby system to operate as an active system, and a halt processing unit that, upon operation as the information processing unit of the standby system, halts output of a packet to be a subject of information processing.
US09294337B2

Independent IMS and WebRTC communications networks are integrated via an applications server including IMS and WebRTC functionality. A user equipment device including IMS and WebRTC capability is registered via the same application server with both the IMS and WebRTC networks. The application server is configured to make a routing determination whether to route a communications session over an IMS communications path or an RTC communications path when it is determined that parallel independent paths are available.
US09294335B2

Technologies are generally described for dynamically distributing a processing load. In some examples, a method performed under control of a server may include receiving information regarding load distribution from an end device and dynamically distributing a processing load between the server and the end device based at least in part on the information regarding load distribution.
US09294325B2

A method and an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, the apparatus comprises an encoder for encoding service data corresponding to each of a plurality of data transmission path, wherein each of the data transmission path carries at least one service component, an encoder for encoding signaling data, a frame builder for building at least one signal frame including the encoded service data, a modulator for modulating the at least one signal frame by an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) scheme and a transmitter for transmitting the broadcast signals carrying the at least one modulated signal frame.
US09294323B2

In an method for generating a data unit for transmission via a communication channel, a data portion of the data unit is generated. Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols of the data portion are generated using one of (i) a normal guard interval, (ii) a short guard interval and (iii) a long guard interval. A preamble of the data unit is generated. The preamble indicates whether at least OFDM symbols of the data portion are generated using the normal guard interval, the short guard interval, or the long guard interval. The data unit is then generated to include the preamble and the data portion.
US09294298B2

A method of controlling a network system is provided. The network system includes a metering device measuring energy supplied from a power supply source, a communication device in which energy information related to the energy communicates, and an energy management device recognizing the energy information, the energy management device controlling an operation of an electric product. The metering device or the energy management device checks whether communication of the communication device is possible. Also, when it is determined that the communication device is in a communication failure state, the communication failure state is displayed on the outside thereof. When a communication modem mounted on the electric product is in a communication failure state, the electric product may normally perform a power management program, based on power or operation information stored therein.
US09294294B2

In a method of enabling improved group communication for a plurality of mobile terminals MT participating in a multicast session in a communication system comprising a plurality of cells and at least two base station systems with corresponding cell coverage, reducing S1 mandatory paging signalling from said mobile terminals and said network, by maintaining said network and said mobile terminals in an active state, and limiting S2 cell update signalling in response to one of said plurality of mobile terminal moving from one cell to a new cell.
US09294293B2

A service provider receives from a user who has an account with it contact card information and recipient information picture information, therefrom determines a virtual contact card and contact channels through which the virtual contact card is sent to the recipients designated by the user, and sends the virtual contact card to the designated recipients through the contact channels. The virtual contact card and contact channels may be selected from what have been previously registered, either by the user or a third person, with the service provider and stored in the user's account, or just newly created, updated, and sent from the user at the time of transmission request to the designated recipients. The virtual contact card, when updated by the user, may be automatically sent by the service provider to the same recipients that previously received a pre-updated version.
US09294292B2

Techniques are provided for optimizing multicast routing in a network. At a router device, a message is sent to one or more physical devices. The message is configured to solicit a response indicating a network assignment for each of the physical devices. A response message is received from each of the physical devices. The response message comprises network assignment information for each of the physical devices. For each of the physical devices, the network assignment information is translated into a segment identifier. The segment identifier is distributed to other router devices in the network.
US09294286B2

Methods and systems for deploying management tunnels between managed and managing devices are provided. According to one embodiment, a managed device receives an address of a management device. The managed device has stored therein a pre-configured unique identifier of an authorized management device and a digital certificate assigned to the managed device prior to installation of the managed device within a network. A tunnel is established between the devices. The management device has stored therein a digital certificate assigned to the management device prior to installation of the management device within the network. The digital certificate of the management device is received by the managed device. Prior to allowing the management device to use the tunnel to perform management functionality in relation to the managed device, a unique identifier included within or associated with the digital certificate of the management device is confirmed with reference to the pre-configured unique identifier.
US09294285B2

The data storage portion stores an encrypted medium device key Enc (Kcu, Kmd_i) generated by encrypting a medium device key (Kmd_i), a medium device key certificate (Certmedia), and encrypted content data generated by encrypting content data, the controller stores a controller key (Kc) and first controller identification information (IDcu), the information recording device being configured to execute, after being connected to an external host device, an one-way function calculation based on the controller key (Kc) and the first controller identification information (IDcu) to generate a controller unique key (Kcu) used when decrypting the encrypted medium device key Enc (Kcu, Kmd_i), and second controller identification information (IDcntr) used when decrypting the encrypted content data.
US09294283B2

The method for obtaining information relating to the integrity of an article (2) as assessed from an exposure of said article (2) to physical or environmental conditions during a time span during which said article (2) is transported comprises a) providing a device (1) to be located in proximity to said article (2) during said transport, digital certificate data (C) and first digital private key data (K1*) being stored in said device (1); d) storing in said device (1) data (I) related to said physical or environmental conditions, said data being referred to as integrity data (I); e) creating within said device (1) first digitally signed data (DS1) by digitally signing data comprising said integrity data (I) and said digital certificate data (C), using said first digital private key data (K1*); f) storing said first digitally signed data (DS1) in said device (1). A high degree of security against malpractice and data falsification can be achieved. A corresponding device (1) is also presented.
US09294281B2

Various technologies pertaining to authenticating a password in a manner that prevents offline dictionary attacks are described. A protected module, which can be a hardware security module, a trusted platform module, or the like, is in communication with an authentication server. The protected module comprises a key that is restricted to the protected module. The key is employed in connection with authenticating the password on the protected module.
US09294278B2

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for performing WLAN-based P2P communication at the state where a P2P apparatus is connected to a cellular network and to a first P2P apparatus for the method. The method comprises: a step of receiving one or more pieces of key information from a cellular base station, each piece of key information including a key value corresponding to service identification information; a step of receiving an encryption data signal from a second P2P apparatus; and a step of performing a process of attempting to decrypt said encrypted data signal using one or more keys corresponding to one or more services in which said first P2P apparatus is interested, from among said one or more pieces of key information.
US09294271B2

There is provided a quantum-key-distribution receiving device used in a quantum key distribution system that utilizes a pair of quantum-entangled photons including a signal photon and an idler photon, the quantum-key-distribution receiving device including a single-photon detector in which a secure-key generation rate is dependent on a first performance index η/(1+Pa), η denoting a detection efficiency and Pa denoting an after-pulse probability.
US09294267B2

A method, system and program product comprise obtaining a user's username and password. A random key is generated for use as a master key. The master key is encrypted using the password to create an encrypted master key. A hash function is performed on the password to create a password hash. A random key is generated for use as a content key for encrypting the user's selected content. The content key is encrypted using the master key to create an encrypted content key. The selected content is encrypted using the content key to create encrypted content. The username, password hash, encrypted master key, first encrypted content key, and encrypted content is communicated to a server for storage in the user's account in which the possibility of decrypting at least the encrypted content by operations on the server is mitigated.
US09294266B2

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for encrypting plaintext data. The method includes: receiving at least one plaintext data input; applying a Nonce through a function to the at least one plaintext data input to create Nonced plaintext data outputs and/or to intermediate values of a portion of an encryption function applied to the at least one plaintext data input to create intermediate Nonced data outputs; and applying the encryption function to at least one of the Nonced plaintext data outputs and/or the intermediate Nonced data outputs to create encrypted output data. The encrypted output data is then transmitted to memory.
US09294259B2

A multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna system is implemented for communications in a wireless device. MIMO beamforming techniques are utilized to improve communications, and may be utilized in full-duplex mode. Techniques include the formation of beamforming patterns having orthogonal polarizations to one another at each communication device, but having matching polarization between transmit/receive pairs located at each respective communication device. Techniques also include the formation of beamforming patterns in a direction towards another communication device to maximize transmit power in that direction while inducing nulls in the beamforming pattern to reduce self-interference coupling via antennas configured for reception. Full-duplex communications are improved through monitoring of the self-interference coupling and adapting the beamforming patterns to reduce it. Beamforming vectors may be generated by solving a cost function that may include an additional constraint of reduction of self-interference coupling.
US09294257B2

A resource allocation method and apparatus for an OFDMA-based mobile communication system that allows allocating resources of multiple carriers is provided. A Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) transmission method for allocating resources in multiple frequency bands of a mobile communication system based on an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) according to the present invention includes generating and transmitting, at a base station, multiple PDCCHs for allocating resources in the multiple frequency bands using Control Channel Element (CCE) indices; and receiving and demodulating, at a user equipment, the multiple PDCCHs transmitted by the base station and locating the resources allocated in the multiple frequency bands using the CCE indices of respective PDCCHs. A Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) transmission apparatus for allocating resources in multiple frequency bands of a mobile communication system based on an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) according to the present invention includes a base station apparatus which generates and transmits multiple PDCCHs for allocating resources in the multiple frequency bands using Control Channel Element (CCE) indices; and a user equipment which receives and demodulates the multiple PDCCHs transmitted by the base station and locates the resources allocated in the multiple frequency bands using the CCE indices of respective PDCCHs.
US09294251B2

The receiving device receives a transmitted signal from a transmitting device by dividing by N the spectrum of a signal to be transmitted and performing spectrum editing to reduce its occupied bands. The receiving device generates a first decoded signal by error-correcting and decoding this received signal in the bandwidth of the signal to be transmitted, and generates a transmission replica signal from this first decoded signal and divides by N the spectrum of this transmission replica signal to generate N sub-replicas. The receiving device generates a compensated received signal by restoring the spectrum of the signal to be transmitted from the transmitting device using the N sub-replicas and the received signal, and decodes this compensated received signal to generate a second decoded signal.
US09294233B2

A decoding method for decoding information content in at least one data packet, which is transmitted from a sender to a receiver via a data link. The information is represented by a bit sequence, which is transformed into a transmittable redundancy version. The information is initially transmitted for a first time in a first data packet from the sender to the receiver. The information is represented by a first redundancy version, which is self-decodable. An incorrect receipt is confirmed by sending a confirmation from the receiver to the sender. The information is retransmitted at least a second time in a second data packet from the sender to the receiver upon receipt of the confirmation, wherein, for representation of the information, a second redundancy version is used, the selection of which is performed in dependence on a coding parameter, describing whether the redundancy version is self-decodable or not.
US09294221B2

A method and arrangement for retransmission control. A method in a sending system entity for controlling retransmissions of data to a sending system entity is provided. Initial data encoded with a first forward error correction code is sent 200 to the receiving system entity. When transmitted initial data is determined to be affected by errors at the receiving system entity, the sending system entity receives 202 a request to retransmit the initial data combined 204 by new data encoded with a second forward error correction code in a combined data stream which is encoded 206 with a third forward error correction code before being sent 208 to the receiving system entity. By combining initial data and encoded new data in a combined data stream when resending, an effective and flexible procedure for retransmissions is achieved, which doesn't introduce any substantial delay of the data.
US09294209B2

An apparatus and method for transmitting, through multiplexing a data frame that generates at least one super frame including at least one slice configured in a unit of a plurality of PLframes, generates a multiplexing super frame by rotating the at least one super frame by a predetermined phase value, and transmits the at least one super frame is provided.
US09294206B2

A method of controlling a wireless audio signal in order to avoid frequency interference between a display apparatus with a multi-view function and glasses with a function of receiving a wireless audio signal is provided.The method of controlling a wireless audio signal in a wireless audio signal transmitting device includes: pairing with a wireless audio signal receiving device using a first frequency band; detecting frequency interference by an external device other than the paired wireless audio signal receiving device; scanning a frequency when frequency interference is detected; determining whether a frequency change is needed using information related to the scanned frequency; and changing an audio signal transmitting frequency when frequency change is needed.
US09294201B2

An underwater system including at least one input device that is in sensory communication with water and generates input signals. The system further includes at least one optical transmitter and at least one optical receiver that allow omni-directional transmission and reception through water of optical signals representing the input signals, and allow data rates greater than 1 Mbps.
US09294196B2

A method for processing data in an optical network element is provided, wherein a multicarrier signal is linear pre-coded, and wherein the linear pre-coded signal is modulated. An according optical network element is also suggested.
US09294195B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, a device, and a system for saving energy in optical communication. The method includes the following: sending first information to an optical communication device at a peer end through the optical module by using a first transmit optical power; receiving, through the optical module, second information that is returned by the optical communication device at the peer end after it receives the first information; and reducing, according to the first transmit optical power, and a receive optical power value and minimum receive optical power value in the received second information, the transmit optical power value of the optical module of the optical communication device to a difference value between the first transmit optical power value and the receive optical power value plus the minimum receive optical power value of the optical communication device at the peer end and a margin value.
US09294191B2

A system comprises a source of entangled photon pairs. The source is to place a signal photon and an idler photon in individual unknown quantum states but in a known entangled quantum state. One or more transmission channels are connected to the source. Each of the one or more transmission channels transmits one of the signal photon or the idler photon. Each of the one or more transmission channels is to substantially balance an instantaneous transmission loss with an instantaneous transmission gain distributed over a transmission distance. Analysis interferometers are configured to receive a corresponding one of the signal photon or the idler photon. Each of the one or more analysis interferometers is to perform a basis measurement on one of the signal photon or the idler photon. Single-photon detectors detect one of the signal photon or the idler photon.
US09294182B2

A system for use in a mobile device comprises: a switch unit configured to switch a common connection of a transmitter and a first receiver from a first antenna to a second antenna and a connection of a second receiver from the second antenna to the first antenna; and a processing system configured to receive at least two reception signals from the first and second receivers; in response to receiving the two reception signals, evaluate a communication link via the first and second antennae; based on the evaluation of the communication link, determine that the transmitter needs to transmit via the second antenna; obtain reception parameters used by said first and second receivers; cause the switch unit to switch the common connection of the transmitter and a first receiver so that the transmitter transmits via the second antenna; and exchange reception parameters between the at least two receivers.
US09294178B2

An electronic device for beamforming and a method thereof in a wireless communication system are provided. The electronic device includes a plurality of antennas. The electronic device also includes a plurality of transmitter and receiver switches connected to the antennas and configured to select a plurality of transmission paths and a plurality of reception paths. The electronic device further includes a plurality of first Phase Shifters (P/Ss) configured to shift a phase of Radio Frequency (RF) signals received via the antennas and the transmitter and receiver switches. The electronic device includes a combiner configured to combine the phase-shifted RF signals to one RF signal. The electronic device also includes a quadrature signal generator configured to generate a quadrature signal. The electronic device further includes a down-mixer configured to convert the quadrature signal and the combined RF signal to a first baseband signal and configured to output the first baseband signal to a modem. The electronic device includes a controller configured to control the transmitter and receiver switches, the first P/Ss, and a plurality of second P/Ss to determine a transmission or reception mode of the transmitter and receiver switches, and the phase of the RF signals transmitted and received.
US09294177B2

A method and system for calibrating transmit and receive antenna patterns for time division duplex (TDD) is described. A station in a communications network comprises at least two antennas configured to operate together for both transmitting and receiving modes. A phase setting difference between the transmit and receive antenna patterns may be determined and used to determine a relative amplitude setting for the transmit antenna pattern and/or a relative amplitude setting for the receive antenna pattern.
US09294175B2

A method for transmitting and receiving uplink signals using an optimized rank 3 codebook is disclosed. The optimized rank 3 codebook includes 6 precoding matrix groups, each of which has 1 variable having an amplitude of 1. Preferably, the optimized 4Tx rank 3 codebook has 12 precoding matrix, two precoding matrixes are selected from each the above 6 precoding matrix groups considering chordal distance and the number of precoding matrix.
US09294174B2

The invention relates to a method for radio reception using a plurality of antennas and a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port amplifier. The invention also relates to a receiver for radio communication using this method. The receiver for radio communication comprises: four antennas; a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port amplifier comprising adjustable impedance devices, each of the adjustable impedance devices having a reactance at a frequency, the reactance of any one of the adjustable impedance devices being adjustable by electrical means; four analog processing and conversion circuits; a multiple-input signal processing device delivering a signal to a destination, the multiple-input signal processing device delivering a tuning instruction; and a tuning control unit, the tuning control unit receiving the tuning instruction from the multiple-input signal processing device, the tuning control unit delivering tuning control signals to the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port amplifier as a function of the tuning instruction.
US09294164B2

In a method for generating a preamble of a data unit for transmission via a communication channel, an indication of a first number of spatial or space-time streams is included in a first field of the preamble. The first number of spatial or space-time streams corresponds to transmission of the data unit to a first receiver. One or more training sequences are included in a second field of the preamble. The preamble is formatted such that the first field of the preamble will be transmitted prior to the second field of the preamble being transmitted.
US09294158B2

Various embodiments are disclosed for facilitating reception of a digital audio stream over a wireless personal area network (PAN). At a wireless network mobile computing device, a wireless network audio broadcast device is discovered. The wireless network audio broadcast device is operable to provide a digital audio stream over a wireless PAN. The wireless network mobile computing device facilitates the reception of the digital audio stream over the wireless PAN by a wireless network audio listening device.
US09294157B2

The invention is a radio-frequency identification system consisting of a reader and a tag. The reader comprises a transmit/receive resonant circuit comprising one or more coils, a means for repeatedly driving the transmit/receive resonant circuit with pulses of a periodic signal, a means for obtaining a tag response signal from the transmit/receive resonant circuit, a means for extracting tag information from the tag response signal obtained from the transmit/receive resonant circuit, a receive resonant circuit comprising one or more coils, a means for obtaining a tag response signal from the receive resonant circuit, and a means for extracting tag information from the tag response signal obtained from the receive resonant circuit. The tag comprises a plurality of resonant circuits, a means for recognizing he presence of an interrogating magnetic field, and a means for embedding information to be communicated to the interrogating reader in at least one coil current.
US09294143B1

A circuit card can include a circulator for routing a signal from a first amplifier to an antenna and for routing a signal from the antenna to a second amplifier, replacing a traditional transfer switch. The circulator can be a surface mount element to enable the circulator, first amplifier, and second amplifier to be mounted on the same circuit card thereby minimizing the size of a transceiver that employs the circuit card. Multiple circulators can be included on the same circuit card to allow for multi-band operation.
US09294133B1

Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for error correction. The method includes error-correction code (ECC) decoding a first code word of code words in a data block, determining erasures for a second code word of the code words in the data block based on corrections in the first code word by the ECC decoding, and ECC decoding the second code word with the erasures.
US09294126B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a CRC circuit with more simple structure and low power consumption. The CRC circuit includes a first shift register to a p-th shift register, a first EXOR to a (p−1)th EXOR, and a switching circuit. A data signal, a select signal, and an output of a last stage of the p-th shift register are inputted to the switching circuit, and the switching circuit switches a first signal or a second signal in response to the select signal to be outputted.
US09294123B2

Methods and apparatuses relating to an instruction to decode encoded information of a compression scheme are described. In one embodiment, a processor includes a decode unit to decode an instruction, and an execution unit to execute the instruction, the execution unit including a state machine and content addressable memory (CAM) circuitry, the state machine to receive a pointer to a stream of encoded information of a compression scheme, fetch a section of the encoded information, and apply the section of the encoded information to the CAM circuitry to obtain decoded information.
US09294117B2

A system for processing signals may be configured to apply digital conversion to analog signals, and to apply, prior to the analog-to-digital conversion, a gain to at least a portion of the analog signals. The gain may be controlled and/or adjusted based on processing of digital output generated based on the analog-to-digital conversion. The system may comprise a plurality of sampling slices, which may be configured to provide the analog-to-digital conversion in interleaved (e.g., time-interleaved) manner. Each of the sampling slices may comprise a dedicated gain element, for applying gain to signals handled by the corresponding slice. The gain applied by the gain elements of the sampling slices may be controlled, independently, collectively, and/or in based on grouping into subsets. The gain may be controlled based on application of a particular gain control algorithm, which may be selected from a plurality of predefined algorithms.
US09294115B2

A differential signal is amplified by passive amplification which does not a reference of a common-mode voltage. At this time, the voltage of the differential signal is passive-amplified twice before carrying out a successive approximation type analog-digital conversion operation. The passive amplification is attained by providing a plurality of capacitances which carry out a sampling operation, and switching these connection relation by using switches. Without being accompanied by the increase of the consumed power and the chip size, an influence by the noise of s comparator is reduced to a half so that the effective resolution can be increased for one bit.
US09294113B2

Described herein is a sampling system and related sampling scheme. The system and sampling scheme is based upon a framework for adaptive non-uniform sampling schemes. In the system and schemes described herein, time intervals between samples can be computed by using a function of previously taken samples. Therefore, keeping sampling times (time-stamps), except initialization times, is not necessary. One aim of this sampling framework is to provide a balance between reconstruction distortion and average sampling rate. The function by which sampling time intervals can be computed is called the sampling function. The sampling scheme described herein can be applied appropriately on different signal models such as deterministic or stochastic, and continuous or discrete signals. For each different signal model, sampling functions can be derived.
US09294110B1

In one embodiment, a correction circuit comprises circuit comprises a replica transistor biased at a current density to match that of a high side transistor of an output power switch at a specific load. A sample and hold circuit is coupled to the replica transistor to sample a voltage across the replica transistor. A differential amplifier provides a level shifted differential replica voltage to a tap of a resistor ladder of a successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter in response to the sampled voltage across the replica transistor. A current source provides a current to a top of the resistor ladder.
US09294108B2

A phase locked loop circuit (30, 100, 110) includes a controllable oscillator (42) for generating an output signal of desired frequency responsive to a control signal, a first phase detection circuit (32, 102, 112) for generating an output indicative of phase differential responsive to the output signal and a first edge of a reference signal and a second phase detection circuit (34, 104, 114) for generating an output indicative of phase differential responsive to the output signal and a second edge of a reference signal. The control signal to the controllable oscillator (42) is driven by the outputs of the first and second phase detections circuits.
US09294104B2

A phase-locked loop circuit includes a phase detector, a charge pump, a capacitor, and a capacitor multiplier. The phase detector receives a reference frequency and a feedback frequency to generate a up/down signal. The charge pump, which includes a positive node and a negative node, receives the up/down signal to generate a first current. The capacitor is coupled to the negative node. The capacitor multiplier, coupled to the negative node, generates a second current which is the first current divided by a first scaling number.
US09294102B2

A method for setting adjusting frequency of an electric oscillating circuit of a corona ignition device. The circuit is excited with a starting value (f1) of the excitation frequency and a reference value (IR) of a frequency-dependent variable is measured. The excitation frequency is incrementally changed. After every increment a value (I) of the frequency-dependent variable is measured and it is determined whether the measured value (I) deviates significantly from the reference value (IR). Depending upon the measured value (I) relative to the reference value, the value (f) of the excitation frequency is either set as the new starting value (f1) or stored as a boundary value. Further incremental changes to the excitation frequency are made in one of two directions and further comparisons of the values I and IR are performed. Ultimately, the excitation frequency can be set to a mean value between first and second boundary values.
US09294092B2

A packaged component may include an interposer and integrated circuit dies mounted on the interposer. At least one of the dies may be a radiation-hardened integrated circuit die, whereas the remaining dies may be non-radiation-hardened dies. If desired, the interposer may be a radiation-hardened interposer whereas the integrated circuit dies may be non-radiation-hardened dies. The radiation-hardened die or the radiation-hardened interposer may include monitor circuitry that is used to test non-radiation-hardened circuitry of the packaged component. Test results may be stored in a database at the monitor circuitry or transmitted to external devices such as a server. The monitor circuitry may be used to reconfigure failed circuitry or may control multiplexing circuitry in the interposer to functionally replace the failed circuitry. If desired, the monitor circuitry may adjust power consumption of non-radiation-hardened circuitry based on the test results.
US09294091B1

An integrated circuit and method for providing a differential transmission line driver are disclosed. One embodiment of the differential transmission line driver comprises a current mode logic (CML) stage, and a cross-coupled n-channel enhancement type metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (NMOS) stage, wherein the cross-coupled NMOS stage provides a feedback current to the CML stage, where each output voltage of the differential transmission line driver is characterized by symmetrical rising and falling edges.
US09294088B2

Inductive adjustment of the core-fitted coil (16) of an eddy-current distance sensor (11) can be avoided if the coil (16) fills a physically predetermined annular space between the winding support (17) of the plastic coil former (15) and its flanges (18-19) as well as the wall (21) of a pot (20) composed of ferromagnetic material, which is placed over the rearward, smaller flange (18) and whose end face (21) rests against an annular area of the front, larger flange (19) with the same diameter as the pot (20). The ferromagnetic coil core (31) which engages coaxially in the winding support (17) can therefore be arranged on the base (24) in the pot (20) and can therefore be mounted as part of the pot (20).
US09294084B1

A transistor drive circuit uses multi-stage slew rate control to drive one or more switching transistors. After a decision is made to change transistor state, a first drive current may be applied to an input terminal of the transistor for a predetermined time duration. After the predetermined time duration, a second drive current may be applied to the input terminal. When the transition between states is substantially complete, the current drive to the input terminal may be changed to a voltage drive. In some embodiments, the predetermined time duration may be based on the start time of a Miller plateau during the transition period.
US09294077B2

A method and circuit for injecting charge into a circuit node, comprising (a) resetting a capacitor's voltage through a first transistor; (b) after the resetting, pre-charging the capacitor through the first transistor; and (c) after the pre-charging, further charging the capacitor through a second transistor, wherein the second transistor is connected between the capacitor and a circuit node, and the further charging draws charge through the second transistor from the circuit node, thereby injecting charge into the circuit node.
US09294073B2

According to certain aspects, a method includes determining whether to amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal by a first gain achievable by a first circuit or a second gain achievable by a second circuit, amplification of the first and second circuits respectively configured to be turned on or off by first and second switches, the first switch in the on state and the second switch in the off state resulting in the RF signal being amplified by the first gain, and the first switch in the off state and the second switch in the on state resulting in the RF signal being amplified by the second gain; and applying or inducing application of a first bias voltage or a second bias voltage to an isolated well of the first switch upon determination that the RF signal is to be amplified by the first gain or the second gain, respectively.
US09294071B2

An antenna duplexer includes first and second filters connected to an antenna terminal. The first filter has a passband of a low frequency band. The second filter has a passband of a high frequency band. The second filter is a ladder-type filter including series-arm resonators and parallel-arm resonators. At least one parallel-arm resonator out of the parallel-arm resonators has a main resonance and an auxiliary resonance. Attenuation poles caused by the main resonance and the auxiliary resonance are within the low frequency band. This antenna duplexer has a high attenuation characteristic and a high isolation characteristic while maintaining a low insertion loss.
US09294070B2

A duplexer is proposed with a substrate which has at least one patterned metallization plane and on which, at least to some extent, a transmission path (TX) and a reception path (RX) are arranged, both of which are connected to an antenna connection (ANT). The duplexer comprises a transmission filter (TXF) which is arranged in the transmission path (TX) and which has a first acoustic wave filter (BAW1) with one or more resonators. Furthermore, the duplexer (DPL) comprises a reception filter (RXF) which is arranged in the reception path (RX) on the antenna side and which has a second acoustic wave filter (BAW2) with one or more resonators and also a single-ended output. In addition, the duplexer comprises, in the reception path (RX), a balun (BL) which is connected downstream of the reception filter (RXF) and the output of which delivers a balanced signal and which is in the form of an LC circuit, wherein at least one inductance and/or at least one capacitance of the balun (BL) are implemented in the patterned metallization plane of the substrate.
US09294063B1

A digital input circuit includes a series connection of a current limiter and a switch having a switch control input coupled between a signal input and ground, and a logic level shifter coupled to the signal input and having a switch control output coupled to the switch control input and a signal output, where a maximum amplitude at the signal input is greater than a maximum amplitude at the signal output. A digital input method includes coupling an input signal to ground with a current limiter by closing an electronic switch, providing an output signal responsive to the input signal, where a maximum amplitude of the input signal is greater than a maximum amplitude of the output signal, by latching the output signal while the input signal is above a threshold voltage and opening the electronic switch after the output signal is latched.
US09294061B2

A radio that includes a transceiver to transmit and receive RF signals. The transceiver including a transmitter, a transformer, and a receiver, the transformer is coupled to and shared between the transmitter and the receiver. A resonator is formed by the combination of the transformer and capacitive elements of the transmitter and receiver.
US09294059B2

An acoustic device, which reproduces an acoustic signal of one acoustic source selected from a plurality of acoustic sources. A first averaging unit averages signal levels of the acoustic signal for a first time period to obtain a first average signal. A second averaging unit averages the signal levels for a second time period shorter than the first time period to obtain a second average signal. A selecting unit selects either the first average signal or the second average signal as one signal having a signal level higher than the other. A gain decreasing unit decreases a gain of the acoustic signal according to the signal level of the one signal if the signal level of the one signal is higher than a threshold value determined according to the one acoustic source. A correcting unit corrects the signal levels of the acoustic signal according to the gain.
US09294058B2

A semiconductor device including an integrator circuit, in which electric discharge from a capacitor can be reduced to shorten time required for charging the capacitor in the case where supply of power supply voltage is stopped and restarted, and a method for driving the semiconductor device are provided. One embodiment has a structure in which a transistor with small off-state current is electrically connected in series to a capacitor in an integrator circuit. Further, in one embodiment of the present invention, a transistor with small off-state current is electrically connected in series to a capacitor in an integrator circuit; the transistor is on in a period during which power supply voltage is supplied; and the transistor is off in a period during which supply of the power supply voltage is stopped.
US09294055B2

A circuit for biasing a gallium arsenide (GaAs) power amplifier includes a reference voltage generator circuit implemented in a gallium arsenide (GaAs) material system, a field effect transistor (FET) bias circuit implemented in the gallium arsenide material system and adapted to receive an output of the reference voltage generator circuit and adapted to provide an output to a radio frequency (RF) amplifier stage.
US09294047B2

A power amplifier apparatus includes an amplifier configured to amplify an input signal converted into an analog signal, a distortion compensator circuitry configured to perform a pre-distortion process to an input signal at a second sampling rate higher than a first sampling rate at which the input signal is converted into an analog signal, a remover configured to remove a frequency component exceeding a frequency band corresponding to the first sampling rate from the input signal subjected to the pre-distortion process, a first rate converter configured to convert a sampling rate of the input signal from which the frequency component is removed from the second sampling rate to the first sampling rate, and a first signal converter configured to convert the input signal the sampling rate of which is converted into an analog signal at the first sampling rate to supply the input signal converted into the analog signal to the amplifier.
US09294042B2

A power amplifier system with supply modulation mitigation circuitry and methods is disclosed. The power amplifier system includes a regulator having an unregulated input and a regulated output along with a power amplifier having a supply input for receiving a supply current from the regulated output and having a signal input and a signal output that comprise a main signal path. The supply modulation mitigation circuitry is adapted to sense a supply modulation signal output from the regulator, generate a cancellation signal that is a scaled inverse of the supply modulation signal, and inject the cancellation signal into a node within the power amplifier system to sum the supply modulation signal and cancellation signal together to reduce the supply modulation signal from within the main signal path.
US09294040B1

A power amplifier includes an output terminal, capacitive element groups including capacitive elements, and amplifier groups including amplifiers. Capacitive elements of the capacitive element groups are disposed on a first circle whose center is located on the output terminal. Amplifiers of the amplifier groups corresponding to the capacitive elements of the capacitive element groups are disposed on a second circle, which is concentric with and larger than the first circle. Each of the capacitive elements of the capacitive element groups is connected to both the output terminal and the corresponding amplifier of the amplifiers of the amplifier groups.
US09294039B2

A bias circuit for biasing a field effect transistor (FET) to provide a transconductance (gm) that is substantially unaffected by power supply voltage variations. In one embodiment the circuit includes two parallel current paths, each including two amplifying elements such as FETs, the FETs in one of the paths both being diode-connected, and the FETs in the other path not being diode-connected. Variations in the power supply voltage result in comparable changes in the voltage drops across all four FETs, and drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) results in relatively small changes in gm with changes in power supply voltage.
US09294033B2

A tubular building enclosure system with thermally-broken glass modules having evacuated air spaces assembled in rows and/or columns to form a structurally self-supporting, thermally insulating, and solar energy collecting facade.
US09294031B2

A pinch detection apparatus for an opening-and-closing member actuated by a motor, the pinch detection apparatus includes a reference data storage portion calculating load data on the basis of a rotation speed of the motor and an environmental temperature, the reference data storage portion storing the load data and the environmental temperature as reference load data and reference temperature data, respectively, a drive load calculation portion calculating drive load data, and a pinch determination portion configured to determine an occurrence of pinch on the basis of a comparison result obtained by comparing a difference between the reference load data and the drive load data with a threshold, the pinch determination portion configured to correct a relative relation between the difference between the reference load data and the drive load data, and the threshold on the basis of a relative relation between a reference temperature and a drive temperature.
US09294030B2

A method of PWM regulating a motor through a half-bridge drive stage includes sampling the motor current to obtain sampled values during driving intervals or during current decay intervals, and comparing a last sampled value with a current threshold. The motor is coupled in a slow decay electrical path for the duration of a current decay interval if the last sampled value does not exceed the current threshold. Otherwise the motor is coupled in a fast decay electrical path for a portion of the duration of the current decay interval, and is coupled in the slow decay electrical path for a remaining part of the duration of the same current decay interval.
US09294029B2

A method of estimating a rotor angle of a synchronous reluctance motor, which includes a stator and a rotor. First, a stator flux and a stator current are determined. Two orthogonal stator flux components in a stator reference frame are calculated from the stator flux. Two orthogonal stator current components in the stator reference frame are calculated from the stator current. A rotor orientation vector is then calculated using a known rotor direct or quadrature axis inductance component, the stator flux components, and the stator current components. The rotor orientation is estimated on the basis of the rotor orientation vector.
US09294028B2

This motor control device generates a voltage command value from a current command value, performs feedback control by means of a detected current flowing through a motor, and is provided with: a speed control unit that performs speed control of the motor; a voltage measurement unit that measures a voltage command value that is on the basis of the output of the speed control unit when the motor is rotating at a set speed; and a correction value calculation unit that calculates a correction value for the rotational position of the motor on the basis of the measured voltage command value.
US09294019B2

Power converters and methods are presented for driving an AC load connected through an intervening filter circuit, in which at least one filter current or voltage signal or value is determined according to feedback signals or values representing an output parameter at an AC output of the power converter, and AC electrical output power is generated at the AC output based at least partially on the at least one filter current or voltage signal or value.
US09294015B2

The inventive concept discloses a piezoelectric energy harvesting array and a method of manufacturing the same. The manufacturing method may include forming a plurality of piezoelectric energy harvesting devices; connecting masses to one side of the piezoelectric energy harvesting devices and connecting the other side of the piezoelectric energy harvesting devices facing the masses to a base; and individually tuning a resonant frequency of each of the piezoelectric energy harvesting devices to prevent mismatch of resonant frequency when the masses vibrate.
US09294011B2

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed that assist in sensing underwater signals in connection with geophysical surveys. One embodiment relates to a transducer including a cantilever coupled to a base. The cantilever may include a beam and a first coupling surface angularly oriented from the beam, and the base may include a second coupling surface angularly oriented from the beam and substantially parallel to the first coupling surface of the cantilever. The transducer may further include a sensing material coupled between the first coupling surface of the cantilever and the second coupling surface of the base.
US09294001B2

In a power converter, a feedback controller feedback controls a manipulated variable based on a first electrical parameter depending on input power and a feedback controlled variable determined for output power. A dead-time determiner determines a value of the dead time as a function of a boundary condition variable depending on at least one of the input power and the output power. The boundary condition represents a reference for determining whether the power converter is operating in a continuous conduction mode or a discontinuous conduction mode. The continuous conduction mode is designed for a current to be continuously flowing through an inductor included in the power converter or a load as an inductor current. The discontinuous conduction mode is designed for the inductor current to be discontinuously flowing through the inductor.
US09294000B1

A circuit and method for providing a fully integrated differential boost converter and amplifier. A first half bridge circuit has a first output node and a first switching node. A second half bridge circuit has a second output node and a second switching node. A capacitive load is coupled between the first output node and the second output node. An inductor is coupled between the first switching node and the second switching node. Control modes are provided to couple the first output node to a supply voltage and the first switching node to ground; to couple the first output node to the supply voltage and the second switching node to ground; to couple the second output node to the supply voltage and the first switching node to ground; and to couple the second output node to the supply voltage and the second switching node to ground.
US09293998B2

A two-transistor flyback converter includes a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side, a first transistor connected between an input voltage source and a first terminal of the primary side, a second transistor connected between ground and a second terminal of the primary side, and a diode directly connected between the first terminal of the primary side and ground. The first and second transistors are operable to switch on and off simultaneously and with no current return from the primary side to the input voltage source when the input voltage source is less than a reflected voltage from the secondary side.
US09293997B2

A power converter may include an amplifier that generates an error signal, a modulator that generates a modulated error signal, an isolator that generates an isolated modulated error signal, and a demodulator that generates an isolated error signal, which may be substantially proportional to the difference between the output signal and the reference signal, and a controller that controls a power stage to generate the output signal of the power converter.
US09293978B2

Split phase power conversion apparatuses, methods and systems are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment includes a generator, an AC/DC converter coupled with the generator, a DC bus coupled with the AC/DC converter, and an inverter coupled with the DC bus. The inverter includes first, second, and third legs each including a plurality of switches. A first controller provides a control signal to the first leg based upon a voltage between a first system output and a second system output and a first current provided to the first system output. A second controller provides a second control signal to the second leg based upon a voltage between the second system output and a third system output and a second current provided to the third system output. A third controller controls the third leg to provide an output equal to one half of the DC bus voltage.
US09293954B2

Provided are a rotor of a motor capable of attaining a high-speed rotation by appropriately dispersing a stress exerted on a flux barrier portion while reducing a leakage of magnetic flux, and a fan driving motor including the rotor. A second inner wall surface is greater than a first inner wall surface in length in a cross-section perpendicular to a rotational axis (C). A side wall surface has a flux barrier wall surface extending from each of both ends of the second inner wall surface in the cross-section perpendicular to the rotational axis (C), the flux barrier wall surface extending outward relative to the second inner wall surface in an extending direction of the second inner wall surface and more distant from an outer edge of a rotor as it goes from the second inner wall surface toward the first inner wall surface in the cross-section perpendicular to the rotational axis (C).
US09293952B2

A wound field flux switching machine with a sinusoidal back electromotive force features a rotor with teeth and a stator with groups of teeth wherein each group has a field winding and each tooth has a phase winding.
US09293922B2

Systems and methods for an edge of network voltage control of a power grid are described. In some embodiments, a system comprises a distribution power network, a plurality of loads, and a plurality of shunt-connected, switch-controlled VAR sources. The loads may be at or near an edge of the distribution power network. Each of the loads may receive power from the distribution power network. The plurality of shunt-connected, switch-controlled VAR sources may be located at the edge or near the edge of the distribution power network where they may each detect a proximate voltage. Further, each of the VAR sources may comprise a processor and a VAR compensation component. The processor may be configured to enable the VAR source to determine whether to enable the VAR compensation component based on the proximate voltage and to adjust network volt-ampere reactive by controlling a switch to enable the VAR compensation component.
US09293906B2

A method for manufacturing a terminal includes: an electrically conductive member that has electrical connections, which are respectively formed at end portions of the electrically conductive member, wherein the electrical connections are respectively connectable with a lead wire and a terminal of a Hall IC; and a seal film that is formed in a surface of an intermediate portion of the electrically conductive member. In the method for manufacturing, end portions of a planar rod having a rectangular cross section are respectively used as the electrical connections, and an intermediate portion of the planar rod is processed such that corners of the rectangular cross section are rounded. Thereafter, a liquid seal agent is coated on the intermediate portion. Furthermore, the coated liquid seal agent is solidified to form a seal film.
US09293903B2

A convenient electrical juncture box will be used to repairing a broken household electrical wire, or to connect new wires to multiple locations. It provides all components that need for repairing job in a package. The package will include a conductor unit installed on a base structure, a cover box to enclose the entire electrical circuitry, two nails for securing the electrical juncture box to the wooden beam, and four screws for attaching the cover box to the base structure. The electrical juncture box can be mounted on a wooden beam in an open space such as the attic, crawlspace of a frame or similar structure.
US09293901B2

The embodiments disclose a method for creating a silicone encased flexible cable using manufacturing machinery including automatically arranging plural individual conduits, into custom grouped arrangements including electrical wiring, pneumatic tubing and fluid tubing, inserting the custom grouped arrangements including connectors and flexible silicone junction devices into a shaped silicone encasement extrusion apparatus, depositing a mixture of silicone and additives to the custom grouped arrangements encasement using the extrusion apparatus, customizing the mixture of silicone and additives to create differing characteristics of the custom grouped arrangements, using the extrusion apparatus to create a singular encasement and to cure the singular encasement to a desired shape of the custom grouped arrangements and integrating one or more encased flexible junction box to the custom grouped arrangements, wherein the one or more flexible junction box contains at least one incoming and two outgoing conduit connections and one or more functional devices.
US09293892B2

A short optical pulse generator which includes an optical pulse generation portion that has a quantum well structure and generates an optical pulse, a frequency chirp portion that has a quantum well structure and chirps a frequency of the optical pulse, and a group velocity dispersion portion that includes a plurality of optical waveguides disposed in a mode coupling distance and which causes a group velocity difference corresponding to a wavelength in the optical pulse of which the frequency is chirped.
US09293885B2

A continuous-wave (CW), ultraviolet triply-optically-pumped atomic laser (TOPAL) is disclosed. The inventive laser device includes a laser active media comprising a mixture of a neutral atomic vapor and one or more buffer gases. The gain mixture is placed within a segmented gain cell, allowing for periodic, selected spectral filtering of deleterious ASE transitions; the segmented gain cell, in turn, is placed within an optical cavity with a high Q at a specified ultraviolet wavelength, and is successively, resonantly excited by three drive pump lasers, in three energy-contiguous visible/IR electric-dipole allowed transitions, producing a steady-state electron population inversion density between a high-lying electronic energy level and the ground electronic level, and producing laser emission on a UV transition (within the spectral range ˜230 to ˜370 nm) terminating on the ground electronic level.
US09293876B2

Systems and methods for configuring contacts of a first connector includes detecting mating of a second connector with the first connector and in response to the detection, sending a command over one of the contacts and waiting for a response to the command. If a valid response to the command is received, the system determines the orientation of the second connector. The response also includes configuration information for contacts in the second connector. The system then configures some of the other contacts of the first connector based on the determined orientation and configuration information of the contacts of the second connector.
US09293875B2

A receptacle is selectively mateable with a first plug and a second plug. The receptacle comprises a holding member having a plate-like portion, a plurality of first contacts and a plurality of second contacts. The first contacts and the second contacts are held by the holding member. Each of the first contacts has a first contact portion while each of the second contacts has a second contact portion. The first contact portions and the second contact portions are exposed on a lower surface of the plate-like portion. The second contact portions are grouped into two groups. The first contact portions are located between the two groups of the second contact portions in a lateral direction. The first contact portions are connectable with both the first plug and the second plug, while the second contact portions are connectable with only the second plug between the first plug and the second plug.
US09293873B2

A coaxial plug-type connector with an outer conductor, an inner conductor, and an insulator connecting the outer conductor and the inner conductor, wherein the outer conductor has an axial contact area for making electrically conductive contact with another coaxial plug-type connector. The axial contact area of the outer conductor is provided with one or more projections.
US09293869B2

An electrical connector (100) includes an insulative body (2), a number of contacts (1), and a metal shell (5). The insulative body includes an upper wall (21), a lower wall (22) opposite to the upper wall, a pair of sidewalls (23), and a rear wall (24) connecting between the upper wall, the lower wall, and the sidewalls for cooperatively defining a receiving space (20). The insulative body has a mating tongue (25) extending forwardly from the rear wall into the receiving space. The contacts are retained in the mating tongue and partly exposed in the receiving space. The metal shell has a pair of arc portions engaging with a mating plug connector. The metal shell is positioned on the upper wall for reducing interference between the metal shell and an antenna mounted on a printed circuit board.
US09293864B2

A shunt for an electrical connector that comprises a conductive body which has two resilient leg extensions connecting at a hinge, each of the leg extensions terminating at a tail end opposite the hinge. Each of the leg extensions has at least one contact point on an outer surface thereof for engaging a contact of the electrical connector. The leg extensions curve such that they diverge from one another at at least one portion of the conductive body. The at least one contact point is located at this at least one portion.
US09293863B2

An article is disclosed. The article is an open connector that includes a base and first and second sides. The base and the first and second sides together define a receptacle channel. The receptacle channel is sized and shaped to receive a connector insert. The open connector includes one or several electrical contacts that can be located proximate to the base of the open connector. The electrical contact electrically connects with the connector insert. The open connector includes a retainer that can interact with a portion of the connector insert to retain the connector insert within the receptacle channel.
US09293850B2

A high power, single pole male electrical connector with a reduced surface area contact is disclosed. The male connector is configured for insertion into a female connector of standard design. The reduced surface area of the contact region of the male connector results in less surface contact between the male and female connectors.
US09293847B2

A connector includes a holding member. The holding member has two guide portions which are arranged away from each other in a pitch direction. Each of the guide portions has a side portion, an upper portion and a lower portion which are formed as described below. The side portion intersects with the pitch direction and is provided with a first projection portion and a side surface facing inward in the pitch direction. Each of the upper portion and the lower portion intersects with an up-down direction, and at least one of the upper portion and the lower portion is provided with a second projection portion. The first projection portion is away from both the upper portion and the lower portion and projects inward in the pitch direction from the side surface. The second projection portion is away from the side surface and projects inward in the up-down direction.
US09293846B2

A thin connector comprises a first connector having a flat plate shape and a second connector having a flat plate shape superimposed on and fitted with each other, the first connector including first contacts arrayed in a direction, each first contact being provided with a first contact portion, the second connector including second contacts arrayed in a same direction as the direction in which the first contacts are arrayed, each second contact being provided with a second contact portion, each first contact having a spring portion which extends in a direction obliquely crossing the direction in which the first contacts are arrayed and on which the first contact portion is formed.
US09293845B2

A mezzanine receptacle connector includes a housing having a mating end configured to be mated with a mezzanine header connector and a mounting end configured to be mounted to a circuit board. The mating end is opposite the mounting end and includes a plurality of contact cavities configured to receive associated header contacts of the mezzanine header connector. Receptacle contacts are received in corresponding contact cavities of the housing. Each receptacle contact has a main contact and a sub-contact extending from the main contact. The main contact defines a first mating interface and the sub-contact defines a second mating interface. The first and second mating interfaces of each receptacle contact are configured to directly engage the same header contact of the mezzanine header connector at different points of contact.
US09293839B2

A method for manufacturing a card member includes: preparing a substrate having a card edge section with card edge terminals to be connected to an opposing connector; preparing a fist mold and a second mold that have molding spaces for molding a resin molded section having a fitting section to be fitted with the opposing connector formed around the substrate; placing the substrate inside the molding spaces between the first mold and the second mold in such a way that the joining portion of the first mold and the second mold are disposed so as not to be overlapped with the portion where the fitting section is to be formed; injecting a synthetic resin material into the molding space to integrally form the resin molded section around the substrate. The method can provide a card member having an excellent watertightness.
US09293837B2

A wireless communication apparatus includes a first antenna, an antenna driving circuit, a first medium, a second medium, and a second antenna. The antenna driving circuit drives the first antenna. The first medium is electrically connected between the first antenna and the antenna driving circuit. The second medium and the first medium are in energy coupling. The second antenna is electrically connected with the second medium.
US09293823B2

An antenna device (1) includes a plurality of triplate lines (31, 32) each of which includes a central conductor (401/122A) arranged between one pair of outer conductors (30, 50/121A, 123A) parallel to each other, and a plurality of antenna elements (14a) to transmit high frequency signals distributed by the plurality of triplate lines (31, 32). The plurality of triplate lines (31, 32) include a first triplate line (31) and a second triplate line (32) arranged non-parallel to each other and at a predetermined angle therebetween so that respective central conductors (401/122A) of the first triplate line (31) and the second triplate line (32) are intersected and connected together.
US09293820B2

A method is provided that includes measuring amplitudes and phases of signals reflected off a reflector of a satellite, with the amplitudes and phases forming a first set of measurements. The method includes calculating an element correlation matrix as a function of the first set of measurements. The element correlation matrix represents a radiated feed element pattern off the reflector. And the method includes adjusting a formed beam pattern of a beamformer based on the element correlation matrix to thereby compensate for a non-ideal surface of the reflector.
US09293807B2

A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing that may include an electrically conductive continuous ring defining a perimeter of the portable housing. The electrically conductive continuous ring may be configured to function as an antenna. The mobile wireless communications device may further include a printed circuit board (PCB) carried by the portable housing and may include an electrically conductive layer defining a ground plane. The mobile wireless communications device may further include wireless transceiver circuitry carried by the PCB and coupled to the antenna. The mobile wireless communications device may also include an electrically conductive shorting member coupled between the electrically conductive continuous ring and the ground plane.
US09293806B2

An electronic device has a display mounted in a housing using a plastic display frame. The display has an active area and an inactive area. A display cover layer may have polymer coating layers in the inactive area. The display frame may lie under the inactive area. A patterned metal coating layer may be formed on the display frame. The patterned metal coating layer may have portions that form adhesion promotion structures for promoting adhesion between the frame and the adhesive. The patterned metal coating layer may also have portions that form antenna structures. The antenna structures may be used to transmit and receive radio-frequency signals and may be used as adhesion promotion structures. Adhesive may be interposed between the polymer coating layers and the metal coating layer on the display frame to attach the display cover layer and the display to the display frame.
US09293804B2

An antenna includes a first radiating array coupled to the mast and a second radiating array coupled to the mast. Each of the first and second radiating arrays comprises a plurality of dipoles associated with a radiation frequency, each dipole coupled to the mast by a standoff. The two arrays are mounted approximately opposite to each other relative to the mast, rather than one array on top of the other array. The antenna may be part of a Positive Train Control (PTC) system and be disposed in proximity to a train track.
US09293802B2

A method, system, and device relating to a broad-band fragmented aperture tile and antenna system are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, an aperture tile comprises a plurality of unit cells. The plurality of unit cells individually comprise a driven radiating element layer, a module layer having a printed circuit board, wherein the module layer comprises one or more of a time delay module, a radio frequency distribution module, a radio frequency module, or a digital signal processor. Furthermore the aperture tile is coupled to a cold plate configured for heat transfer.
US09293793B2

A core pack and a battery pack using the same. A battery pack includes a plurality of bare cells electrically connected to one another. A protection circuit module (PCM) is positioned at an outside of the bare cells and electrically connected to the bare cells. A temperature measurement device is provided with a temperature sensing portion that senses the temperature of the bare cells, a contact portion connected to the PCM, and a connecting portion through which the temperature sensing portion and the contact portion are connected to each other. A case accommodates the bare cells, the PCM and the temperature measurement device. In the battery pack, the temperature sensing portion is positioned in a space formed between outer circumferential surfaces of bare cells disposed in parallel adjacent to each other. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the quality of the battery.
US09293785B2

A lithium ion secondary battery includes a flat wound electrode body including a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet that are wound while interposing therebetween separators into a flat shape, and a battery case. In the flat wound electrode body, a central portion has a more constricted shape than end portions by pressing toward a winding axis in a short-side direction and each end portion includes an end-portion positive electrode sheet, an end-portion negative electrode sheet, and end-portion separators, and a core member arranged more inward than them. With tensile forces generated by pressing of the central portion in a central-portion positive electrode sheet, central-portion negative electrode sheet, and central-portion separators, the end-portion positive electrode sheet, end-portion negative electrode sheet, and end-portion separators are in pressure contact with each other and press the outer surfaces of the core member.
US09293783B2

The present disclosure provides a sheet-form electrode for a secondary battery, comprising a current collector; an electrode active material layer formed on one surface of the current collector; a conductive layer formed on the electrode active material layer and comprising a conductive material and a binder; and a first porous supporting layer formed on the conductive layer. The sheet-form electrode for a secondary battery according to the present disclosure has supporting layers on at least one surfaces thereof to exhibit surprisingly improved flexibility and prevent the release of the electrode active material layer from a current collector even if intense external forces are applied to the electrode, thereby preventing the decrease of battery capacity and improving the cycle life characteristic of the battery.
US09293778B2

A proton exchange membrane fuel cell is described and which includes a proton exchange membrane having at least one gas diffusion layer which is juxtaposed relative thereto, and which is fabricated, at least in part, of a porous, electrically conductive, inorganic material which is selected from the group comprising metal diborides, metal disilicides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, and composites, laminates and solid solutions thereof.
US09293772B2

A cathode for a metal air battery includes a cathode structure having pores. The cathode structure has a metal side and an air side. The porosity decreases from the air side to the metal side. A metal air battery and a method of making a cathode for a metal air battery are also disclosed.
US09293768B2

According to one embodiment, there is provided a battery electrode. The battery electrode includes a titanium oxide compound having a monoclinic titanium dioxide crystal structure and a basic polymer.
US09293767B2

A material is made up of particles of an optionally-doped fluorosulphate. The fluorosulphate has a distorted Tavorite type structure of formula (A1−aA′a)x(Z1−bZ′b)z(SO4)sFf (I) where A=Li or Na, A′ 0 a hole or at least one doping element, Z=at least one element selected from Fe, Co and Ni, Z′=a hole or at least one doping element, the indices a, b, x, z, s, and f are selected to assure the electroneutrality of the compound and a≧0, b≧0, x≧0, z>0, s>0, f>0, the respective quantities a and b of dopant A and Z′ being such that the Tavorite type structure is preserved. The material is obtained from the precursors thereof by an ionothermal route or ceramic route in a closed reactor. The material is of particular use as an active electrode material.
US09293766B2

A lithium nickel cobalt manganese composite oxide cathode material includes a plurality of secondary particles. Each secondary particle consists of aggregates of fine primary particles. Each secondary particle includes lithium nickel cobalt manganese composite oxide, which is expressed as LiaNi1-b-cCobMncO2. An average formula of each secondary particle satisfies one condition of 0.9≦a≦1.2, 0.08≦b≦0.34, 0.1≦c≦0.4, and 0.18≦b+c≦0.67. The lithium nickel cobalt manganese composite oxide has a structure with different chemical compositions of primary particles from the surface toward core of each of the secondary particles. The primary particle with rich Mn content near the surface and the primary particle with rich Ni content in the core of the secondary particle of the lithium nickel cobalt manganese composite oxide cathode material have provided the advantages of high safety and high capacity.
US09293763B2

Particulate silicon oxide having a Cu content of 100-20,000 ppm, an Fe content of 20-1,000 ppm, an Al content of up to 1,000 ppm, an average particle size of 0.1-30 μm, and a BET specific surface area of 0.5-30 m2/g is used as negative electrode material in constructing a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery. The secondary battery is improved in cycle performance while maintaining the high battery capacity and low volume expansion of silicon oxide.
US09293762B2

An anode material for a galvanic element, in particular a lithium-ion cell. To improve the current density and thermal stability of galvanic elements, the anode material includes nanofibers made of a metal, a metal alloy, a carbon-metal oxide composite material, a carbon-metal alloy composite material, a conductive polymer, a polymer-metal composite material, a polymer-metal alloy composite material or a combination thereof. The nanofibers may be in the form a nanofiber netting, a nonwoven and/or a network and may be connected to a current conductor.
US09293760B2

A battery includes a positive plate, a negative plate and an insulative separator disposed between the positive plate and the negative plate. Each of the positive plate and the negative plate has a collector and an electrode layer disposed on a surface of the collector. The electrode layer contains an active material. At least one of the positive plate and the negative plate has cracks in a whole area of the electrode layer thereof or at a part of the electrode layer thereof, the part being away from a connector of the one to be coupled to an electrode at least by a predetermined distance. For example, the cracks are formed by drying the electrode layer at a predetermined drying rate.
US09293752B2

The present invention provides a multilayer porous membrane having both high safety and practicality, especially as a separator for a non-aqueous electrolyte battery and comprising a porous layer containing an inorganic filler and a resin binder on at least one surface of a polyolefin resin porous membrane, wherein the porous layer simultaneously satisfies the following (A) to (C): (A) the inorganic filler has an average particle diameter of 0.1 μm or more and 3.0 μm or less, (B) a ratio of an amount of the resin binder to a total amount of the inorganic filler and the resin binder is 1% or more and 8% or less in terms of volume fraction, and (C) a ratio of a layer thickness of the porous layer to a total layer thickness is 15% or more and 50% or less.
US09293747B2

Battery cell carriers that have a semi-rigid elastomeric cell carrier body with a plurality of closely spaced apart, substantially parallel and substantially cylindrical channels. Each channel has a length, with neighboring channels sharing a sidewall therebetween. The channels are configured to hold at least a major portion of a length of a respective battery cell.
US09293744B2

A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; a first current collecting plate electrically connected to the first electrode; a second current collecting plate electrically connected to the second electrode; and a case for receiving the electrode assembly, the first current collecting plate, and the second current collecting plate, wherein the first current collecting plate is electrically connected to an inner wall of the case.
US09293743B2

Provided is a battery pack. The battery pack may prevent a center of a protective circuit module from being bent by external impacts during or after a process of manufacturing a battery pack. The battery pack includes a bare cell from which an electrode terminal protrudes, a circuit module disposed above the electrode terminal, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) unit disposed between the bare cell and the circuit module, the PTC unit being electrically connected to the bare cell and the circuit module, and an electrode lead plate having one side contacting the electrode terminal and the other side contacting the PTC unit, the electrode lead plate having a top surface contacting a bottom surface of the circuit module.
US09293735B2

An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the OLED display includes a substrate which includes non-emission regions and emission regions, a first electrode which is formed on each of the emission regions of the substrate, an organic light-emitting layer which is formed on the first electrode, a second electrode which is formed on the organic light-emitting layer and the substrate and a passivation layer which is formed on the second electrode. The passivation layer includes a first passivation layer which substantially overlaps the organic light-emitting layer and a second passivation layer which does not overlap the organic light-emitting layer, wherein the refractive index of the first passivation layer is higher than the refractive index of the second passivation layer.
US09293730B2

A flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display according to an exemplary embodiment includes: a substrate; an organic light emitting diode (OLED) layer provided on the substrate; and a thin film encapsulation layer provided on the OLED layer. The thin film encapsulation layer includes a plurality of laminated inorganic layers, at least one inorganic layer of the plurality of inorganic layers includes a plurality of inorganic layer patterns that are disposed to be spaced apart from each other on a plane, and an organic layer is formed between the plurality of inorganic layer patterns.
US09293729B2

An organic light emitting diode display may include a display substrate including an organic light emitting diode, a sealing member facing the display substrate to cover the organic light emitting diode, a sealant positioned between the display substrate and the sealing member and bonding the display substrate and the sealing member, and a reinforcing member positioned at an outer surface of the sealant and a space between the display substrate and the sealing member, in which shear stress and hardness of the reinforcing member are a function of a sum of thicknesses of the display substrate and the sealing member.
US09293727B2

An organic electroluminescence (EL) display device, includes a lower electrode on a substrate; an assistant electrode on the substrate and spaced apart from the lower electrode; an organic material layer on the lower electrode and the assistant electrode, the organic material layer including a light-emitting layer on the lower electrode; an upper electrode on the organic material layer; and a carrier generation material layer between the assistant electrode and the upper electrode, the organic material layer being between one or more of the carrier generation material layer and the assistant electrode, or the carrier generation material layer and the upper electrode.
US09293721B2

Provided is a hole-blocking layer which has excellent basic characteristics such as high photoelectric conversion efficiency, while exhibiting excellent productivity. The hole-blocking layer is produced by a process that has a step of bringing an aqueous solution containing hydrogen peroxide and titanium (IV) oxysulfate into contact with the surface of a member on which the hole-blocking layer is to be formed, and holding the contact between the aqueous solution and the member at 50 to 120° C., so that an amorphous titanium oxide precursor precipitates on the surface of the member; and a step of drying the amorphous titanium oxide precursor that has precipitated on the member.
US09293708B2

A method of regioselectively preparing a pyridine-containing compound is provided. In particular embodiments, the method includes reacting halogen-functionalized pyridal[2,1,3]thiadiazole with organotin-functionalized cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dithiophene or organotin-functionalized indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b′]dithiophene. Also provided is a method of preparing a polymer. The method includes regioselectively preparing a monomer that includes a pyridal[2,1,3]thiadiazole unit; and reacting the monomer to produce a polymer that includes a regioregular conjugated backbone section, wherein the section includes a repeat unit containing the pyridal[2,1,3]thiadiazole unit. A polymer that includes a regioregular conjugated backbone section, and electronic devices that include the polymer, are also provided.
US09293703B2

An object is to provide a memory including a memory device which includes a layer whose resistance changes and in which reset can be performed by using a reset gate. The object is achieved by a memory device including a pillar-shaped layer whose resistance changes, a reset gate insulating film surrounding the pillar-shaped layer whose resistance changes, and a reset gate surrounding the reset gate insulating film.
US09293699B1

A radio frequency switch includes a first transmission line, a second transmission line, a first electrode electrically coupled to the first transmission line, a second electrode electrically coupled to the second transmission line, and a phase change material, the first transmission line coupled to a first area of the phase change material and the second transmission line coupled to a second area of the phase change material. When a direct current is sent from the first electrode to the second electrode through the phase change material, the phase change material changes state from a high resistance state to a low resistance state allowing transmission from the first transmission line to the second transmission line. The radio frequency switch is integrated on a substrate.
US09293693B2

There is disclosed an information storage element including a first layer including a ferromagnetic layer with a magnetization direction perpendicular to a film face; an insulation layer coupled to the first layer; and a second layer coupled to the insulation layer opposite the first layer, the second layer including a fixed magnetization so as to be capable of serving as a reference of the first layer. The first layer is capable of storing information according to a magnetization state of a magnetic material, and the magnetization state is configured to be changed by a spin injection. A magnitude of an effective diamagnetic field which the first layer receives is smaller than a saturated magnetization amount of the first layer.
US09293692B2

A storage element including a storage layer configured to hold information by use of a magnetization state of a magnetic material, with a pinned magnetization layer being provided on one side of the storage layer, with a tunnel insulation layer, and with the direction of magnetization of the storage layer being changed through injection of spin polarized electrons by passing a current in the lamination direction, so as to record information in the storage layer, wherein a spin barrier layer configured to restrain diffusion of the spin polarized electrons is provided on the side, opposite to the pinned magnetization layer, of the storage layer; and the spin barrier layer includes at least one material selected from the group composing of oxides, nitrides, and fluorides.
US09293683B2

A connection method disclosed herein includes softening a resin film of a thermosetting resin by heating an element electrode of a piezoelectric body and a substrate electrode of a flexible cable to be connected to the piezoelectric body with the element electrode and the substrate electrode being pressed into contact with each other via the resin film; partially pushing out the molten resin film from an opposing position of the element electrode and the substrate electrode so as to bring a solder layer provided on the substrate electrode into contact with the element electrode; curing the resin film and melting solder in the solder layer by further raising a heating temperature; discharging excess solder in a direction defined by the cured resin film; and then solidifying the solder in the solder layer so as to solder the element electrode and the substrate electrode together.
US09293681B2

Provided is an electrocaloric material formed of a crystal represented by the composition formula Hf1-xAlxOy (where 0.071≦x≦0.091 and y≠0).
US09293679B2

A thermoelectric module includes an interrupted inner circumferential surface, an axis and an outer circumferential surface. A plurality of semiconductor elements having thermoelectric material are disposed in direction of the axis and between the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface and are electrically alternately connected to each other. At least some of the semiconductor elements include at least one inner frame part or an outer frame part and at least the inner frame parts form the interrupted inner circumferential surface. The inner circumferential surface also forms a cold side of the thermoelectric module and a dimensionally unstable sheath is provided at least at the interrupted inner circumferential surface. A vehicle having a plurality of thermoelectric modules is also provided.
US09293673B2

A semiconductor light-emitting device is configured to prevent or reduce metal migration. The device includes: an n-type semiconductor layer, a light-emitting layer, and a p-type semiconductor layer; a reflecting layer disposed over the p-type semiconductor layer and containing a metal that tends to migrate; a well ring structure at the p-type semiconductor layer and substantially surrounding the reflecting layer to prevent the metal from migrating towards a side wall of the device; and a metal coating layer over the reflecting layer and extending towards the well ring structure to form an ohmic contact with the p-type semiconductor of the entire well ring structure. The device reliability is improved as the p-type semiconductor layer forms a well ring structure have “pining” effect surrounding the reflecting layer, thereby preventing the metal from migrating towards the device edge along the contact surface between the reflecting layer and the p-type semiconductor.
US09293670B2

In various embodiments, an illumination device features an ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting device at least partially surrounded by an encapsulant. A barrier layer is disposed between the light-emitting device and the encapsulant and is configured to substantially prevent UV light emitted by the light-emitting device from entering the encapsulant.
US09293664B2

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a wafer-level light emitting diode (LED) package and a method of fabricating the same. The LED package includes a semiconductor stack including a first conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer; a plurality of contact holes arranged in the second conductive type semiconductor layer and the active layer, the contact holes exposing the first conductive type semiconductor layer; a first bump arranged on a first side of the semiconductor stack, the first bump being electrically connected to the first conductive type semiconductor layer via the plurality of contact holes; a second bump arranged on the first side of the semiconductor stack, the second bump being electrically connected to the second conductive type semiconductor layer; and a protective insulation layer covering a sidewall of the semiconductor stack.
US09293656B2

A light-emitting device, comprising: a substrate; a semiconductor stacking layer comprising a first type semiconductor layer on the substrate, an active layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer on the active layer; and an electrode structure on the second semiconductor layer, wherein the electrode structure comprises a bonding layer, a conductive layer, and a first barrier layer between the bonding layer and the conductive layer; wherein the conductive layer has higher standard oxidation potential than that of the bonding layer.
US09293649B2

A display device in which various embodiments can prevent a vertically-striped blur is disclosed. In one aspect, the display device includes first gate lines, second gate lines, data lines, dummy data lines, and a plurality of pixels. The first and second gate lines are extended in a first direction. The data lines and the dummy data lines are extended in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The pixels are defined by the intersection of a first gate line of the first gate lines and a first data line of the data lines.
US09293646B2

In a method of manufacture for a nitride semiconductor light emitting element including: a monocrystalline substrate; and an AlN layer; and a first nitride semiconductor layer of a first electrical conductivity type; and a light emitting layer made of an AlGaN-based material; and a second nitride semiconductor layer of a second electrical conductivity type, a step of forming the AlN layer includes: a first step of supplying an Al source gas and a N source gas into the reactor to generate a group of AlN crystal nuclei having Al-polarity to be a part of the AlN layer on the surface of the monocrystalline substrate; and a second step of supplying the Al source gas and the N source gas into the reactor to form the AlN layer, after the first step.
US09293645B2

A deposition apparatus includes a first nozzle configured to spray a first deposition material toward a substrate and a second nozzle configured to spray a second deposition material, a first deposition source configured to supply the first deposition material to the first nozzle and a second deposition source configured to supply the second deposition material to the second nozzle. The deposition apparatus further includes a barrier member disposed between the first nozzle and the second nozzle and is configured to block the first deposition material evaporated through the first nozzle from being mixed with the second deposition material evaporated through the second nozzle and a vacuum chamber configured to surround the first and second nozzles, the first and second deposition sources and the barrier member.
US09293628B2

A semiconductor detector device comprising: a detector element comprising at least one active detector layer of piezoelectric semiconductor material; a stress inducing element arranged to act in use on the detector element to generate therein a predetermined pattern of stress, and consequently a predetermined electrical field via the piezoelectric effect. A method of fabrication and of operation of a semiconductor detector device embodying these principles are also described.
US09293617B2

The present invention relates to phase change materials (PCMs) which may be used with photovoltaic (PV) modules. More specifically, solid/solid PCMs having a polyolefin backbone polymer and a crystallizable side chain are provided. Preferably, the solid/solid PCM has a copolymer backbone having a polyolefin repeating unit, and the crystallizable side chains are grafted onto the copolymer backbone. Most preferably, the copolymer is poly(ethylene-co-glycidyl methacrylate) (PE-co-GMA), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) is the crystallizable side chain. Photovoltaic modules and backsheets for photovoltaic modules having solid/solid PCMs are also provided.
US09293615B2

Low bandgap, monolithic, multi-bandgap, optoelectronic devices (10), including PV converters, photodetectors, and LED's, have lattice-matched (LM), double-heterostructure (DH), low-bandgap GaInAs(P) subcells (22, 24) including those that are lattice-mismatched (LMM) to InP, grown on an InP substrate (26) by use of at least one graded lattice constant transition layer (20) of InAsP positioned somewhere between the InP substrate (26) and the LMM subcell(s) (22, 24). These devices are monofacial (10) or bifacial (80) and include monolithic, integrated, modules (MIMs) (190) with a plurality of voltage-matched subcell circuits (262, 264, 266, 270, 272) as well as other variations and embodiments.
US09293614B2

A solar cell including a first conductive type semiconductor substrate; a first intrinsic semiconductor layer on a front surface of the semiconductor substrate; a first conductive type first semiconductor layer on at least one surface of the first intrinsic semiconductor layer; a second conductive type second semiconductor layer on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate; a second intrinsic semiconductor layer between the second semiconductor layer and the semiconductor substrate; a first conductive type third semiconductor layer on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate, the third semiconductor layer being spaced apart from the second semiconductor layer; and a third intrinsic semiconductor layer between the third semiconductor layer and the semiconductor substrate.
US09293605B2

A bidirectional Zener diode of the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first electrode and a second electrode which are defined on the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of diffusion regions of a second conductivity type, which are defined at intervals from one another on a surface portion of the semiconductor substrate, to define p-n junctions with the semiconductor substrate, and the plurality of diffusion regions include diode regions which are electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, and pseudo-diode regions which are electrically isolated from the first electrode and the second electrode.
US09293596B2

A graphene device may include a channel layer including graphene, a first electrode and second electrode on a first region and second region of the channel layer, respectively, and a capping layer covering the channel layer and the first and second electrodes. A region of the channel layer between the first and second electrodes is exposed by an opening in the capping layer. A gate insulating layer may be on the capping layer to cover the region of the channel layer, and a gate may be on the gate insulating layer.
US09293592B2

The structure includes a first blocking film over an insulating surface; a base insulating film over the insulating surface and the first blocking film; a first oxide semiconductor film over the base insulating film; a second oxide semiconductor film over the first oxide semiconductor film; source and drain electrodes in contact with side surfaces of the first and second oxide semiconductor films; a first insulating film over the source electrode; a second insulating film over the drain electrode; a third insulating film over the second oxide semiconductor film and the first and second insulating films; a third oxide semiconductor film over the third insulating film; a gate insulating film over the third oxide semiconductor film; and a gate electrode on and in contact with the gate insulating film and covering a top surface and side surfaces of the second oxide semiconductor film with the gate insulating film provided therebetween.
US09293590B2

A semiconductor device of stable electrical characteristics, whose oxygen vacancies in a metal oxide is reduced, is provided. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating film over the gate electrode, a first metal oxide film over the gate insulating film, a source electrode and a drain electrode which are in contact with the first metal oxide film, and a passivation film over the source electrode and the drain electrode. A first insulating film, a second metal oxide film, and a second insulating film are stacked sequentially in the passivation film.
US09293585B2

An embodiment is a semiconductor device comprising a first gate structure over a semiconductor substrate, a first etch stop layer (ESL) over the semiconductor substrate and the first gate, the first ESL having a curved top surface, and a first inter-layer dielectric (ILD) on the first ESL, the first ILD having a curved top surface. The semiconductor device further comprises a second ESL on the first ILD, the second ESL having a curved top surface, and a second ILD on the second ESL.
US09293582B2

Semiconductor-on-insulator structures facilitate the fabrication of devices, including MOSFETs that are at least partially depleted during operation and FinFETs including bilayer fins and/or crystalline oxide.
US09293573B2

Provided are a nitride semiconductor device having an excellent boundary between a nitride semiconductor and a gate insulating film, resulting in improved device characteristics, and a manufacturing method therefor. The nitride semiconductor device includes: an electron transport layer made of a nitride semiconductor; an electron supply layer layered on the electron transport layer, the electron supply layer being made of a nitride semiconductor including Al and having an Al composition different from that of the electron transport layer; a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the electron supply layer with a gap therebetween; a gate insulating film covering the surface of the electron supply layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode; a passivation film covering a surface of the gate insulating film and having an opening between the source electrode and the drain electrode; and a gate electrode having a main gate body in the opening facing the electron supply layer through the gate insulating film.
US09293570B2

The operation of a HEMT is monitored on an on-chip basis without increasing the power consumption rate. In a semiconductor device 10, an electron supply layer 12 is formed on a channel layer 11. A two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) layer 13 is formed at the side of the channel layer of the hetero-junction interface. Electrons flow through the 2DEG layer 13 between a source electrode 14 formed on the surface of the electron supply layer 12 and a drain electrode 15 that is formed on the same surface. A potential detection electrode 17 is arranged on the electron supply layer 12 between the gate electrode 16 and the source electrode 14. A resistor 18 having a sufficiently high resistance value makes the electric current flowing to the potential detection electrode 17 negligible relative to the drain current in operation.
US09293569B2

A bipolar junction transistor is provided with an emitter region, an oxide region, a base region and a collector region. The base region is located between the emitter region and the oxide region and has a junction with the emitter region and an interface with the oxide region. An at least partially conductive element such as metal or silicon is positioned to overlap with at least part of the junction between the base region and the emitter region, thereby forming a gate. The gate also overlaps with at least part of the interface between the base region and the oxide region. When a suitable bias voltage is applied to the gate, the gain of the transistor can be increased.
US09293562B2

To improve performance of a semiconductor device. Over a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode is formed via a first insulating film for a gate insulating film, and a second insulating film extends from over a side wall of the gate electrode to over the semiconductor substrate. Over the semiconductor substrate in a part exposed from the second insulating film, a semiconductor layer, which is an epitaxial layer for source/drain, is formed. The second insulating film has a part extending over the side wall of the gate electrode and a part extending over the semiconductor substrate, and a part of the semiconductor layer lies over the second insulating film in the part extending over the semiconductor substrate.
US09293561B2

A III-N device is described has a buffer layer, a first III-N material layer on the buffer layer, a second III-N material layer on the first III-N material layer on an opposite side from the buffer layer and a dispersion blocking layer between the buffer layer and the channel layer. The first III-N material layer is a channel layer and a compositional difference between the first III-N material layer and the second III-N material layer induces a 2DEG channel in the first III-N material layer. A sheet or a distribution of negative charge at an interface of the channel layer and the dispersion blocking layer confines electrons away from the buffer layer.
US09293557B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide semiconductor structures and methods for making the same that include a boron nitride (BN) spacer on a gate stack, such as a gate stack of a planar FET or FinFET. The boron nitride spacer is fabricated using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and/or plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) techniques to produce a boron nitride spacer at relatively low temperatures that are conducive to devices made from materials such as silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe), germanium (Ge), and/or III-V compounds. Furthermore, the boron nitride spacer may be fabricated to have various desirable properties, including a hexagonal textured structure.
US09293556B2

An illustrative semiconductor structure described herein includes a substrate including a logic transistor region, a ferroelectric transistor region and an input/output transistor region. A logic transistor is provided at the logic transistor region. The logic transistor includes a gate dielectric and a gate electrode. An input/output transistor is provided at the input/output transistor region. The input/output transistor includes a gate dielectric and a gate electrode. The gate dielectric of the input/output transistor has a greater thickness than the gate dielectric of the logic transistor. A ferroelectric transistor is provided at the ferroelectric transistor region. The ferroelectric transistor includes a ferroelectric dielectric and a gate electrode. The ferroelectric dielectric is arranged between the ferroelectric transistor region and the gate electrode of the ferroelectric transistor.
US09293552B2

A transfer transistor includes a pair of first diffusion regions and a gate electrode layer. The pair of first diffusion regions are formed in a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and are each connected to a contact. The gate electrode layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate via a gate insulating layer and has a pair of openings each surrounding the contact.
US09293550B2

The present invention discloses a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a gate insulating layer formed on an inner wall of a substrate recess, a work function material layer formed on the gate insulating layer so as to apply a tensile stress or a compressive stress to a channel of a MOS field-effect transistor, and a gate metal formed on the work function material layer. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device includes forming a work function material layer on a gate insulating layer so as to apply a tensile stress or a compressive stress to a channel of a MOS field-effect transistor, wherein the gate insulating layer is formed on an inner wall of a substrate recess, and depositing a gate metal on the work function material layer.
US09293546B2

The present disclosure relates to the fabrication of microelectronic devices having at least one negative differential resistance device formed therein. In at least one embodiment, the negative differential resistance devices may be formed utilizing quantum wells. Embodiments of negative differential resistance devices of present description may achieve high peak drive current to enable high performance and a high peak-to-valley current ratio to enable low power dissipation and noise margins, which allows for their use in logic and/or memory integrated circuitry.
US09293545B2

A structure by which electric-field concentration which might occur between a source electrode and a drain electrode in a bottom-gate thin film transistor is relaxed and deterioration of the switching characteristics is suppressed, and a manufacturing method thereof. A bottom-gate thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor layer is provided over a source and drain electrodes is manufactured, and angle θ1 of the side surface of the source electrode which is in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer and angle θ2 of the side surface of the drain electrode which is in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer are each set to be greater than or equal to 20° and less than 90°, so that the distance from the top edge to the bottom edge in the side surface of each electrode is increased.
US09293542B2

Methods of forming semiconductor devices and fin field effect transistors (FinFETs) are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a group III material over a substrate, the group III material comprising a thickness of about 2 monolayers or less. The method includes forming a group III-V material over the group III material.
US09293537B2

A method for forming a high performance strained source-drain structure includes forming a gate structure on a substrate and forming a pocket implant region proximate to the gate structure. Spacers are formed adjacent to the gate structure. A dry etch forms a recess with a first contour; a wet etch enlarge the recess to a second contour; and a thermal etch enlarges the recess to a third contour. The source-drain structure is then formed in the recess having the third contour.
US09293535B2

A power MOSFET has a main-FET (MFET) and an embedded current sensing-FET (SFET). MFET gate runners are coupled to SFET gate runners by isolation gate runners (IGRs) in a buffer space between the MFET and the SFET. In one embodiment, n IGRs (i=1 to n) couple n+1 gates of a first portion of the MFET (304) to n gates of the SFET. The IGRs have zigzagged central portions where each SFET gate runner is coupled via the IGRs to two MFET gate runners. The zigzagged central portions provide barriers that block parasitic leakage paths, between sources of the SFET and sources of the MFET, for all IGRs except the outboard sides of the first and last IGRs. These may be blocked by increasing the body doping in regions surrounding the remaining leakage paths. The IGRs have substantially no source regions.
US09293532B2

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprises forming a nanowire on an insulator layer at a surface of a substrate; forming a dummy gate over a portion of the nanowire and a portion of the insulator layer; forming recesses in the insulator layer on opposing sides of the dummy gate; forming spacers on opposing sides of the dummy gate; forming source regions and drain regions in the recesses in the insulator layer on opposing sides of the dummy gate; depositing an interlayer dielectric on the source regions and the drain regions; removing the dummy gate to form a trench; removing the insulator layer under the nanowire such that a width of the trench underneath the nanowire is equal to or less than a distance between the spacers; and forming a replacement gate in the trench.
US09293526B2

Exemplary power semiconductor devices with features providing increased breakdown voltage and other benefits are disclosed.
US09293520B2

A semiconductor structure is provided that includes a material stack including an epitaxially grown semiconductor layer on a base semiconductor layer, a dielectric layer on the epitaxially grown semiconductor layer, and an upper semiconductor layer present on the dielectric layer. A capacitor is present extending from the upper semiconductor layer through the dielectric layer into contact with the epitaxially grown semiconductor layer. The capacitor includes a node dielectric present on the sidewalls of the trench and an upper electrode filling at least a portion of the trench. A substrate contact is present in a contact trench extending from the upper semiconductor layer through the dielectric layer and the epitaxially semiconductor layer to a doped region of the base semiconductor layer. A substrate contact is also provided that contacts the base semiconductor layer through the sidewall of a trench. Methods for forming the above-described structures are also provided.
US09293519B2

An organic light emitting display that includes a display panel, a power supply and a coupling member. The display panel includes scan lines, data lines, first power lines and a plurality of pixels. The power supply is positioned at the outside of the display panel, and supplies first power to the display panel through a coupling member. The coupling member includes first and second coupling portions respectively coupled to the power lines, first and second coupling lines transmitting the first power supplied from the power supply to the respective first and second coupling portions, and a feedback line transmitting the voltage of the second coupling portion to the power supply. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an organic light emitting display capable of precisely controlling the voltage of output power and preventing the deterioration of the luminance of a display panel.
US09293510B1

A 3D variable resistance memory device having a junction FET and a driving method thereof are provided. The variable resistance memory device includes a semiconductor substrate and a string selection switch formed on the semiconductor substrate. A channel layer is formed on the column string selection switch. A plurality of gates stacked along a length of the channel layer and each of the gates contacts an outer side of the channel layer. A variable resistance layer is formed on an inner side of the channel layer, and contacts the channel layer.
US09293497B2

A method for manufacturing an imaging device is provided. The method comprises forming a contact pad over a semiconductor substrate. The contact pad has a malleable metal. The method further comprises providing a readout circuit having a first side and a contact plug. The contact plug has a base affixed to the first side of the readout circuit and a plurality of prongs extending from the base away from the first side. The first side of the readout circuit is moved towards the substrate so that the prongs of the contact plug are pressed into the pad and displace a portion of the pad into a space defined by and between a first and a second of the prongs. Stop elements formed over the substrate are aligned with and contact stop elements provided on the readout circuit so that the prongs are inhibited from passing completely through the contact pad.
US09293496B2

Provided are a semiconductor device in which a solid-state image sensing element having a backside-illuminated structure and capacitor elements storing therein some of the charges supplied from light receiving elements has further improved reliability and a manufacturing method thereof. In the solid-state image sensing element of the semiconductor device, first and second substrates are joined together at a junction surface. The first substrate is formed with photodiodes. The second substrate is formed with the capacitor elements. The photodiodes and the capacitor elements are placed to be opposed to each other. In the first substrate, first coupling portions for coupling to the second substrate are placed. In the second substrate, second coupling portions for coupling to the first substrate are placed. A first gap portion between the first coupling portions and a second gap portion between the second coupling portions are placed to overlap a first light blocking film.
US09293493B2

A photoelectric conversion apparatus at least includes an insulating film, a plurality of high-refractive-index members provided so as to correspond respectively to individual photoelectric conversion portions, being surrounded by the insulating film and having a refractive index higher than the refractive index of the insulating film, and a high-refractive-index film provided on the insulating film so as to connect the plurality of high-refractive-index members to one another and having a refractive index higher than the refractive index of the insulating film, and lens portions lying next to each other from among a plurality of lens portions border each other.
US09293490B2

An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate, an image sensor extending from a front surface of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate, and an isolation structure extending from a back surface of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate, wherein the isolation structure includes an air-gap therein. An air-gap sealing layer is on a backside of the semiconductor substrate. The air-gap sealing layer seals the air-gap, wherein the air-gap sealing layer includes a portion exposed to the air-gap.
US09293486B2

An image capturing device includes an intermediate region located between a pixel circuit region and a peripheral circuit region and forming a boundary with the pixel circuit region and the peripheral circuit region. The pixel circuit region, the peripheral circuit region, and the intermediate region are provided with a semiconductor layer, a first wiring layer on the semiconductor layer, and a second wiring layer located away from the semiconductor layer relative to the first wiring layer. Pixel circuits and a peripheral circuit are connected via one of at least the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer in the intermediate region. The area occupancy of the one wiring layer in the intermediate region relative to a total area thereof is between 0.5 times and 1.5 times the area occupancy of the one wiring layer in the pixel circuit region relative to a total area thereof.
US09293482B2

A thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate includes: a TFT including an active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode; a first conductive layer disposed in a same layer as one of the active layer, the gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; a second conductive layer disposed in a different layer from the first conductive layer; a node contact hole including a first contact hole part which exposes the first conductive layer, a second contact hole part which exposes the second conductive layer, and a connection part which connects the first contact hole part and the second contact hole part and has a width smaller than that of the first contact hole part and that of the second contact hole part; and a connection node disposed in the node contact hole to electrically connect the first and second conductive layers.
US09293476B2

A method of forming an active matrix, light emitting diode (LED) array includes removing, from a base substrate, a layer of inorganic LED material originally grown thereupon; and bonding the removed layer of inorganic LED material to an active matrix, thin film transistor (TFT) backplane array.
US09293475B2

A display device includes a substrate including a first region and a second region, a gate line and a data line on the substrate, a thin film transistor on the substrate, being connected to the gate line and the data line, and a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, wherein the second region has a second contact hole of which an area is larger than that of a first contact hole of the first region.
US09293473B2

A manufacturing process for a semiconductor-on-insulator structure having reduced electrical losses and which includes a support substrate made of silicon, an oxide layer and a thin layer of semiconductor material, and a polycrystalline silicon layer interleaved between the support substrate and the oxide layer. The process includes a treatment capable of conferring high resistivity to the support substrate prior to formation of the polycrystalline silicon layer, and then conducting at least one long thermal stabilization on the structure at a temperature not exceeding 950° C. for at least 10 minutes.
US09293458B2

An electronic component includes a high-voltage depletion-mode transistor and a low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor both encased in a single package. A source electrode of the high-voltage depletion-mode transistor is electrically connected to a drain electrode of the low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor, a drain electrode of the high-voltage depletion-mode transistor is electrically connected to a drain lead of the single package, a gate electrode of the low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor is electrically connected to a gate lead of the single package, a gate electrode of the high-voltage depletion-mode transistor is electrically connected to an additional lead of the single package, and a source electrode of the low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor is electrically connected to a conductive structural portion of the single package.
US09293457B2

To enhance electromigration resistance of an electrode.A drain electrode is partially formed on a side surface of a drain pad. In this case, the drain electrode is integrated with the drain pad and extends from the side surface of the drain pad in a first direction (y direction). A recessed portion is located in a region overlapping with the drain electrode in a plan view. At least a part of the drain electrode is buried in the recessed portion. A side surface of the recessed portion, which faces the drain pad, enters the drain pad in the first direction (y direction).
US09293452B1

An IC design that has an ESD transistor is disclosed. The IC includes a transistor, a ballast resistor, a routing structure and a coupling. The transistor includes a gate, a source and a drain. The ballast resistor is extending parallel to the gate of the transistor. The coupling connects the source of the drain of the transistor the ballast resistor. The routing structure connects the ballast resistor to the remaining of the circuitry. A method to design the IC is also disclosed. The ESD transistor provides means of protection against the ESD surges.
US09293450B2

Hierarchical layout synthesis of complex cells. In some embodiments, a method may include partitioning a cell into a plurality of subcells, where the cell represents a set of electronic components in an integrated circuit; identifying, among the plurality of subcells, a most complex subcell; synthesizing a layout of the most complex subcell for each of one or more side-port configurations; selecting a side-port configuration based upon the layout of the most complex subcell; and synthesizing a layout of one or more of the plurality of subcells neighboring the most complex subcell by propagating one or more constraints associated with the selected side-port configuration.
US09293448B2

Three-dimensionally integrated semiconductor systems include a photoactive device operationally coupled with a current/voltage converter on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SeOI) substrate. An optical interconnect is operatively coupled to the photoactive device. A semiconductor device is bonded over the SeOI substrate, and an electrical pathway extends between the current/voltage converter and the semiconductor device bonded over the SeOI substrate. Methods of forming such systems include forming a photoactive device on an SeOI substrate, and operatively coupling a waveguide with the photoactive device. A current/voltage converter may be formed over the SeOI substrate, and the photoactive device and the current/voltage converter may be operatively coupled with one another. A semiconductor device may be bonded over the SeOI substrate and operatively coupled with the current/voltage converter.
US09293442B2

A first package is bonded to a second package with a structural member located between the first package and the second package for structural support. In an embodiment the structural member is a plate or one or more conductive balls. Once the structural member is in place, the first package is bonded to the second package.
US09293439B2

An improved electronic module assembly and method of fabrication is disclosed. A patterned array of adhesive is deposited on a laminate, to which a chip is attached. Each region of adhesive is referred to as a lid tie. A lid is placed on the laminate, and is in contact with the lid ties. The lid ties serve to add stability to the laminate and reduce flexing during thermal processing and mechanical stress.
US09293436B2

A manufacturing method of a BGA, includes the steps of: providing a semiconductor chip having electrode pads; and removing a natural oxide film formed on the surface of each of the electrode pads. Further, a first film comprised of a conductive member is formed on the surface of the electrode pad exposed by removing the natural oxide film, a wire is connected with the first film, and part of the wire is brought into contact with the electrode pad to form an alloy layer at the interface between the wire and the electrode pad. The crystal structure of the first film is comprised of a body-centered cubic lattice or a hexagonal close-packed lattice. The cost of the semiconductor device can be reduced while the bonding reliability of wire bonding of the semiconductor device is ensured.
US09293427B2

A semiconductor device includes an antenna functioning as a coil, a capacitor electrically connected to the antenna in parallel, a passive element forming a resonance circuit with the antenna and the capacitor by being electrically connected to the antenna and the capacitor in parallel, a first field effect transistor controlling whether the passive element is electrically connected to the antenna and the capacitor in parallel or not, and a memory circuit. The memory circuit includes a second field effect transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer where a channel is formed and in which a data signal is input to one of a source and a drain. The gate voltage of the first field effect transistor is set depending on the voltage of the other of the source and the drain of the second field effect transistor.
US09293423B2

A workpiece has at least two semiconductor chips, each semiconductor chip having a first main surface, which is at least partially exposed, and a second main surface. The workpiece also comprises an electrically conducting layer, arranged on the at least two semiconductor chips, the electrically conducting layer being arranged at least on regions of the second main surface, and a molding compound, arranged on the electrically conducting layer.
US09293422B1

A stacked optoelectronic packaged device includes a bottom die having a top surface including bottom electrical traces and a light source die coupled to ≧1 bottom electrical traces. A first cavity die is on the bottom die. An optics die is on the first cavity die and a second cavity die on the optics die. A mounting substrate is on the second cavity die including top electrical traces. A photodetector die is optically coupled to receive light from the light source. The bottom and top electrical traces are both positioned substantially symmetrically on sides of a mirror plane so that when conducting equal and opposite currents a first magnetic field emanating from the first side and a second magnetic field emanating from the second side cancel one another to provide a reduction in magnetic flux density by more than 50% at one or more die locations on the optics die.
US09293418B2

A wafer thinning system and method are disclosed that includes grinding away substrate material from a backside of a semiconductor device. A current change is detected in a grinding device responsive to exposure of a first set of device structures through the substrate material, where the grinding is stopped in response to the detected current change. Polishing repairs the surface and continues to remove an additional amount of the substrate material. Exposure of one or more additional sets of device structures through the substrate material is monitored to determine the additional amount of substrate material to remove, where the additional sets of device structures are located in the semiconductor device at a known depth different than the first set.
US09293411B2

Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device including: a substrate having a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer arranged deeper than the first conductive layer; a large-diameter concave portion having, on a main side of a substrate, an opening sized to overlap the first and second conductive layers, with the first conductive layer exposed in part of the bottom of the large-diameter concave portion; a small-diameter concave portion extended from the large-diameter concave portion and formed by digging into the bottom of the large-diameter concave portion, with the second conductive layer exposed at the bottom of the small-diameter concave portion; and a conductive member provided in a connection hole made up of the large- and small-diameter concave portions to connect the first and second conductive layers.
US09293408B2

In one embodiment, an integrated circuit has a conductive layer, where the conductive layer has a first set of regions and a second set of fill material regions, and the second set of fill material regions has a line of symmetry. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09293398B2

In one embodiment, a method for forming a package substrate includes selectively removing portions of a lead frame to form cavities and filling the cavities with a resin layer to define an adhesion pad and a land structure. Top portions of the lead frame are selectively removed to isolate the adhesion pad and the land structure from each other, to expose a top surface of the resin layer, and to form at least one land having a part with a relatively greater size than the size of a respective lower part.
US09293390B2

A semiconductor device with improved heat radiation and improved insulation performance. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element, a lead frame bonded on one surface to the semiconductor element, a first insulating layer disposed on the other surface of the lead frame, and a metal base plate connected to the lead frame with the first insulating layer interposed between them, wherein an outer peripheral portion of the first insulating layer is inside an outer peripheral portion of the metal base plate, and the outer peripheral portion of the first insulating layer is covered with a second insulating layer having higher moisture resistance and higher insulation performance than the first insulating layer, the outer peripheral portion including an electric field concentrated point in an outer peripheral portion of the lead frame.
US09293387B2

The present invention relates to a film for flip chip type semiconductor back surface to be formed on a back surface of a semiconductor element flip chip-connected onto an adherend, in which the film for flip chip type semiconductor back surface before thermal curing has, at the thermal curing thereof, a volume contraction ratio within a range of 23° C. to 165° C. of 100 ppm/° C. to 400 ppm/° C.
US09293381B2

There are proposed a stack type semiconductor device and a method of fabricating and testing the same. A stack type semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of contact pads externally exposed, a via array electrically connected to the contact pads, a semiconductor substrate configured to have vias, forming the via array, electrically conductive with each other or insulated from each other, and a bias pad configured to supply a bias to the semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate may be subject to back-grinding.
US09293376B2

A power MOS transistor comprises a drain contact plug formed over a first side of a substrate, a source contact plug formed over a second side of the substrate and a trench formed between the first drain/source region and the second drain/source region. The trench comprises a first gate electrode, a second gate electrode, wherein top surfaces of the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode are aligned with a bottom surface of drain region. The trench further comprises a field plate formed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode, wherein the field plate is electrically coupled to the source region.
US09293365B2

The present invention relates generally to forming interconnects over contacts and more particularly, to a method and structure for filling interconnect trenches with a sacrificial filler material before removal of a hard mask layer to protect the liners of the contacts from damage during the removal process. A method is disclosed that may include: filling an opening in a dielectric layer above a contact and a contact liner with a sacrificial filler material, such that the contact liner is completely covered by the sacrificial filler material; removing a hard mask layer used to pattern and form the opening; and removing the sacrificial filler material from the opening selective to the dielectric layer, the contact liner, and the contact to form an interconnect trench.
US09293359B2

A memory device array with spaced apart parallel isolation regions formed in a semiconductor substrate, with an active region between each pair of adjacent isolation regions. Each isolation region includes a trench formed into the substrate surface and an insulation material formed in the trench. Portions of a top surface of the insulation material are recessed below the surface of the substrate. Each active region includes a column of memory cells each having spaced apart first and second regions with a channel region therebetween, a floating gate over a first channel region portion, and a select gate over a second channel region portion. The select gates are formed as continuous word lines extending perpendicular to the isolation regions and each forming the select gates for one row of the memory cells. Portions of each word line extend down into the trenches and disposed laterally adjacent to sidewalls of the trenches.
US09293356B2

A system for fluid processing substrate surfaces arrayed in a fluid having a process section with a frame having a plurality of process elements to process the substrate surfaces without contacting the substrate surfaces. A substrate holder assembly having a holder frame and a number of substrate holders, each of which is coupled to the holder frame and is configured for holding a substrate so that each substrate holder holds a different substrate for transport as a unit with the substrate holder assembly to and from the process section. The substrate holder assembly and each substrate holder are removably coupled to the process section frame, and the substrate holders of the substrate holder assembly are movable relative to the holder frame and positionable in repeatable alignment with respect to a predetermined feature of the process section and independent of positioning of the holder frame with respect to the process section.
US09293352B2

In a substrate processing apparatus (1), a silicon oxide film on a main surface of a substrate (9) is removed in an oxide film removing part (4) and then a silylation material is applied to the main surface, to thereby perform a silylation process in a silylation part (6). It is thereby possible to lengthen the Q time from the removal of the silicon oxide film to the formation of the silicon germanium film and reduce the temperature for prebaking in the formation of the silicon germanium film.
US09293348B2

A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a stacked structure, a dielectric layer, a conductive structure, a dielectric structure and a conductive plug. The stacked structure includes dielectric films and conductive films arranged alternately. The dielectric layer is between the conductive structure and a sidewall of the stacked structure. The dielectric structure is on the stacked structure and defining a through via. The conductive plug fills the through via and physically contacts one of the conductive films exposed by the through via and adjoined with the dielectric layer.
US09293347B2

The semiconductor device has a gate electrode GE formed on a substrate via a gate insulating film GI and a source/drain semiconductor layer EP1 formed on the substrate. The upper surface of the semiconductor layer EP1 is positioned higher than the upper surface of the substrate straight below the gate electrode GE. And, end parts of the gate electrode GE in a gate length direction are positioned on the semiconductor layer EP1.
US09293344B2

The present invention relates to a CMP polishing slurry comprising cerium oxide particles, a dispersant, a water-soluble polymer and water, wherein the water-soluble polymer is a polymer obtained in polymerization of a monomer containing at least one of a carboxylic acid having an unsaturated double bond and the salt thereof by using at least one of a cationic azo compound and the salt thereof as a polymerization initiator. The present invention provides a polishing slurry and a polishing method allowing polishing efficiently uniformly at high speed without scratch and also allowing easy process management in the CMP technology of smoothening an interlayer dielectric film, BPSG film, and insulation film for shallow trench isolation.
US09293342B2

Some embodiments include methods of patterning a base. First and second masking features are formed over the base. The first and second masking features include pedestals of carbon-containing material capped with silicon oxynitride. A mask is formed over the second masking features, and the silicon oxynitride caps are removed from the first masking features. Spacers are formed along sidewalls of the first masking features. The mask and the carbon-containing material of the first masking features are removed. Patterns of the spacers and second masking features are transferred into one or more materials of the base to pattern said one or more materials. Some embodiments include patterned bases.
US09293337B2

A semiconductor device including a conductive layer, a diffusion barrier layer formed over the conductive layer, including a refractory metal compound, and acquired after a surface treatment, and a metal silicide layer formed over the diffusion barrier layer. The adhesion between a diffusion barrier layer and a metal silicide layer may be improved by increasing the surface energy of the diffusion barrier layer through a surface treatment. Therefore, although the metal silicide layer is fused in a high-temperature process, it is possible to prevent a void from being caused at the interface between the diffusion barrier layer and the metal silicide layer. Moreover, it is possible to increase the adhesion between a conductive layer and the diffusion barrier layer by increasing the surface energy of the conductive layer through the surface treatment.
US09293332B2

A selective crystallization method includes placing a first substrate including first crystallization regions on a second substrate including second crystallization regions such that the first crystallization regions and the second crystallization regions are arranged alternately, and crystallizing the alternately-arranged first crystallization regions and the second crystallization regions with a laser beam. A laser crystallization apparatus can be used in the selective crystallization method.
US09293328B2

Methods for adhering materials and methods for enhancing adhesion between materials are disclosed. In some embodiments, a polymer brush material is bonded to a base material, and a developable polymer resist material is applied over the grafted polymer brush material. The resist material is at least partially miscible in the grafted polymer brush material. As such, the resist material at least partially dissolves within the grafted polymer brush material to form an intertwined material of grafted polymer brush macromolecules and resist polymer macromolecules. Adhesion between the developable polymer resist and the base material may be thereby enhanced. Also disclosed are related semiconductor device structures.
US09293320B2

A liquid treatment method includes: supplying a first organic solvent to a substrate with the substrate being held horizontally by a substrate holder; and thereafter supplying a second organic solvent to a substrate held by the substrate holder, the second solvent having a higher cleanliness than the first solvent.
US09293305B2

In one embodiment, a cleaning assembly may include a modular electrode sealing housing, an acid injection inlet, and a fluid injection inlet. The modular electrode sealing housing may include a high pressure closure member that contains a first cleaning volume and a low pressure closure member that contains a second cleaning volume. The acid injection inlet can be in fluid communication with the first cleaning volume of the high pressure closure member. The fluid injection inlet can be in fluid communication with the second cleaning volume of the low pressure closure member. During normal operation, a showerhead electrode can be sealed within the modular electrode sealing housing such that the first cleaning volume is located on a first side and the second cleaning volume is located on a second side of the showerhead electrode.
US09293301B2

A processing apparatus may include a plasma source coupled to a plasma chamber to generate a plasma in the plasma chamber, an extraction plate having an aperture disposed along a side of the plasma chamber; a deflection electrode disposed proximate the aperture and configured to define a pair of plasma menisci when the plasma is present in the plasma chamber; and a deflection electrode power supply to apply a bias voltage to the deflection electrode with respect to the plasma, wherein a first bias voltage applied to the deflection electrode is configured to generate a first angle of incidence for ions extracted through the aperture from the plasma, and a second bias voltage applied to the deflection electrode is configured to generate a second angle of incidence of ions extracted through the aperture from the plasma, the second angle of incidence being different from the first angle of incidence.
US09293298B2

Various embodiments for classifying defects detected on a wafer are provided. One method includes acquiring an electron beam image generated by a defect review tool for a location of a defect detected on a wafer by a wafer inspection tool. The method also includes determining a classification of the defect based on at least the electron beam image and without input from a user. The method may also include feeding back the classification results to the wafer inspection tool and optimizing the parameters of the tool to maximize sensitivity to the defects of interest.
US09293272B1

A circuit breaker adapter is disclosed for use in a fuse holder therein replacing a blade type fuse. The adapter includes a housing and a modified circuit breaker where pronged terminals are pivotally attached conductive articulable extensions. The housing is a contiguous block of material that receives the modified circuit breaker and gripping clips of the fuse holder. The housing has a center chute shaped section that holds the circuit breaker. In particular, the inside of the housing has a pair of accessible open cavities to receive the extensions similar to many fuses. The circuit breaker literally plugs into sockets on the housing, and the extensions are rotated outward into one of the accessible open cavities. The adapter may be placed into the fuse holder.
US09293269B2

In one aspect, energy storage devices and methods are disclosed that include (preferably in order): a cationic electrode cover layer, a cationic electrode, a cationic exchange polymer electrolyte layer, a separation dielectric layer, an anionic exchange polymer electrolyte layer, an anionic electrode, and an anionic electrode cover layer. In certain embodiments, the device is configured to be initially placed in an ionized state, and optionally, can be configured to be further charged to store energy in an electrostatic mode. In another aspect, ionic solid dielectric materials, energy storage devices including ionic solid dielectric materials, and methods of making and using such materials and devices are disclosed herein.
US09293268B2

A method for fabricating an EDLC includes (a) coating a porous activated carbon material onto current collector sheets to form carbon-based electrodes, (b) drying the carbon-based electrodes, (c) winding or stacking carbon-based electrodes interleaved with separator sheets to fabricate a jelly roll or prismatic electrode assembly, (d) inserting the electrode assembly into a package and forming electrical connections between the electrode assembly and package terminals, (e) filling the package with a liquid electrolyte, and (f) sealing the package. Steps (a)-(f) are performed in an atmosphere having a low moisture content. The atmosphere may be vacuum or purged with dry gas.
US09293243B2

An electromagnetic device includes: a fixed iron core; a movable iron core which is disposed to face the fixed iron core and which is displaceable in an axis line direction of the drive shaft; an electromagnetic coil; a permanent magnet which retains the movable iron core at the advanced position; supporting posts which are provided parallel to the axis line direction on both side surfaces of the fixed iron core and support the fixed iron core; an opening-side plate which is provided at one end portion of the supporting post; and a closing-side plate which is provided at the other end portion of the supporting post, wherein the advanced position of the movable iron core is restricted by the fixed iron core and the retreated position is restricted by the opening-side plate.
US09293240B2

An electrical transmission cable is provided with low inductance properties capable of carrying high current loads with a more uniform heating or loss profile. The low inductance properties of the cable lead to lower current losses resulting in a cooler and more efficient operation of the cable even at higher alternating current (AC) frequencies. Higher current loads are accommodated by a plurality of conductor bundles configured as braided wire strands that are separated and joined into like conductors prior to termination. Equal lengths of the insulated wire strands within the conductor bundles contribute to uniform heating along the length of the inventive cable embodiments. Uniform operating temperature is manifest as more uniform current transmission across the various strands of an inventive cable. In addition, the more equal weave position for all the wire strands making up each braided wire bundle tends to induce cancellation of inductive effects.
US09293234B2

Provided is a positive electrode active material giving nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries superior in cycle characteristics. The positive electrode active material according to the present invention includes a lithium-containing composite metal oxide having the composition represented by the following General Formula (1): LizFe1-xMxP1-ySiyO4  (1) (wherein M is at least one metal element selected from Zr, Sn, Y, and Al, 0.05z>0.9 to 0.75 or 0.25 to 0.1>z>0; the positive electrode active material has two crystalline phases of the lithium-containing composite oxides represented by the following General Formulae (2) and (3) when 0.9 to 0.75>z>0.25 to 0.1: LiaFe1-xMxP1-ySiyO4  (2) (wherein 0.75 to 0.9≦a≦1.00, 0.05
US09293233B2

A composite conductor is disclosed having an elongate support with an outer surface of a whisker-forming metallic, the conductor further having a carbon nanotube yarn intertwined with the elongate support. The yarn is infiltrated by self-assembled whiskers from the whisker forming metallic.
US09293228B2

An advanced initial core fuel configuration is for improving the fuel management efficiency and thus economics for a nuclear reactor. A method of implementing such an initial core involves providing a plurality of fuel assemblies having different average enrichments of uranium 235 and arranging the fuel assemblies in an initial core configuration structured to emulate a known equilibrium reload cycle core at least in terms of spatial reactivity distribution. The resulting average enrichment within the initial core ranges from below about 1.0 percent weight of uranium 235 to about 5.0 percent weight of uranium 235. An advanced lattice design is also disclosed.
US09293220B2

A low-pin-count non-volatile (NVM) memory to be provided in an integrated circuit for a 3D IC to repair defects, trim devices, or adjust parameters is presented here. At least one die in a 3D IC can be built with at least one low-pin-count OTP memory. The low-pin-count OTP memory can be built with a serial interface such as I2C-like or SPI-like of interface. The pins of the low-pin-count OTP in at least one die can be coupled together to have only one set of low-pin-count bus for external access. With proper device ID, each die in a 3D IC can be accessed individually for soft programming, programming, erasing, or reading. This technique can improve the manufacture yield, device, circuit, or logic performance or to store configuration parameters for customization after 3D IC are built.
US09293216B2

In response to a search start instruction, a read address signal including address sequences for blocks is generated and the read address signal is provided to a block management memory to successively read sequences of erasure count data pieces corresponding to the blocks from the block management memory. Thereafter, when the erasure count data piece read from the block management memory represents an erasure count smaller than a minimum erasure count data piece, the erasure count data piece is imported and retained and outputted as the minimum erasure count data piece. Also, the read address signal is imported and retained and an address indicated by the read address signal is outputted as a minimum erasure count address.
US09293215B2

A flash memory device uses a pair of parallely connected NMOS transistors with different voltage ratings to generate the reference current for the sense amplifier used in the read out operations. The reference current thus generated is temperature compensated with zero or near-zero temperature coefficient. In some embodiments, the pair of parallely connected NMOS transistors includes a high voltage NMOS transistor and a low voltage NMOS transistor or NMOS transistors with different gate oxide thicknesses.
US09293213B2

The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for sensing data stored in memory. A number of embodiments include an array of memory cells, and a controller coupled to the array and configured to sense a page of memory cells coupled to an activated access line by pre-charging only a single subset of a number of data lines coupled to the page, wherein more than two subsets of data lines are coupled to the page and the single subset is coupled to those memory cells storing at least a portion of a single sector of data of the page, and sensing the single subset of the number of data lines to determine the at least a portion of the single sector of data.
US09293212B2

A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to one embodiment includes a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to apply, when reading data of a first selected memory cell provided in a ROM area, a first read voltage to a first selected word line, and apply a first read pass voltage lower than a second read pass voltage to a first non-selected word line, thus allowing for the ROM area reading operation of reading a threshold voltage set in the first selected memory cell. The control circuit is configured to apply, when reading data of a second selected memory cell provided in a normal storage area, a second read voltage to a second selected word line, and apply the second read pass voltage to a second non-selected word line, thus allowing for a normal storage area reading operation of reading a threshold voltage set in the second selected memory cell.
US09293193B2

To reduce power consumption, a memory circuit includes a latch unit in which first data and second data are rewritten and read in accordance with a control signal, a first switch unit that controls rewrite and read of the first data stored in the latch unit by being turned on or off in response to the control signal, and a second switch unit that controls rewrite and read of the second data stored in the latch unit by being turned on or off in response to the control signal. The latch unit includes a first inverter and a second inverter. At least one of the first inverter and the second inverter includes a first field-effect transistor, and a second field-effect transistor that has the same conductivity type as the first field-effect transistor and has a gate potential controlled in accordance with the control signal.
US09293181B2

A block selection circuit and a semiconductor device having the same may include a row decoder which includes a high voltage generating circuit configured to output a block selection voltage in response to upper addresses, switching circuits configured to receive the block selection voltage and a precharge high voltage, and forward the block selection voltage through one of the switching circuits that is selected in response to selection signals, and pass transistor groups configured to select a memory block in response to the forwarded block selection voltage.
US09293178B1

A data output circuit may include a first node, which receives a first strobe signal, a second node, which receives a second strobe signal, an input control unit that is coupled to the first and second nodes, and receives the first strobe signal generated from a single strobe signal transmitted through a first path of a semiconductor memory apparatus and the second strobe signal generated from the single strobe signal transmitted from a second path of the semiconductor memory apparatus in response to a read command, generates a first input control signal based on the first strobe signal and the second strobe signal, and generates a second input control signal based on the second strobe signal.
US09293168B2

When data is recorded on an optical disc, and stored for a long period of time, there is a need to periodically evaluate whether a quality of the recorded data is determined with time, or not. If the signal quality is lower than a given level as an evaluation result, a work for moving the data to a brand-new optical disc is required. However, in periodical inspection, if the number of optical discs is enormous, a large amount of time is required to evaluate all data recorded on the optical disc. In recording user data on the optical disc, a signal of a particular pattern having a lifetime shorter than a reference lifetime of the user data is recorded in a given area of the optical disc in advance, the particular pattern signal is reading at given time intervals, and processing on the user data is determined on the basis of the evaluation result of the signal quality.
US09293148B2

A method for reducing noise in a shared media session. An indication is received from one or more of the participants in the shared media session. If the received indication is a first indication that indicates a background noise is present in the shared media session, the following steps are performed: a first counter is incremented for each of the first indications received from one or more of the plurality of participants, it is determined whether a background noise is present in the shared media session if the first counter exceeds a first threshold, an the shared media session is selectively muted such that the background noise is reduced if the background noise is determined to be present in the shared media session.
US09293147B2

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to selective voice transmission and include receiving an identification of one or more authorized speakers for a telephone call and retrieving a voice sample for each of the one or more authorized speakers. Embodiments also include receiving one or more audio signals for the telephone call and filtering the one or more audio signals by removing a portion of the one or more audio signals that do not contain a voice of at least one of the one or more authorized speakers in the one or more audio signals.
US09293146B2

A system and method for selectively applying Intensity Stereo coding to an audio signal is described. The system and method make decisions on whether to apply Intensity Stereo coding to each scale factor band of the audio signal based on (1) the number of bits necessary to encode each scale factor band using Intensity Stereo coding, (2) spatial distortions generated by using Intensity Stereo coding with each scale factor band, and (3) switching distortions for each scale factor band resulting from switching Intensity Stereo coding on or off in relation to a previous scale factor band.
US09293145B2

According to the invention, a device (101, 101′) for postprocessing at least one channel signal of a plurality of channel signals of a multi-channel signal is described, the at least one channel signal being generated from a decoded downmix signal by a low-bit-rate audio coding/decoding system, the device comprising: a receiver (103; 103′) for receiving the at least one channel signal generated from the decoded downmix signal, a time envelope of the decoded downmix signal and a classification indication indicating a transient type of the at least one channel signal, wherein the classification indication is associated to the at least one channel signal, and a postprocessor (105; 105′) for postprocessing the at least one channel signal based on the time envelope of the decoded downmix signal weighted by a respective weighting factor and in dependence on the classification indication.
US09293140B2

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for performing speaker-identification-assisted speech processing. In accordance with certain embodiments, a communication device includes speaker identification (SID) logic that is configured to identify a user of the communication device and/or the identity of a far-end speaker participating in a voice call with a user of the communication device. Knowledge of the identity of the user and/or far-end speaker is then used to improve the performance of one or more speech processing algorithms implemented on the communication device.
US09293137B2

Apparatus for speech recognition includes a recognition unit configured to recognize a speech signal and to generate a first recognition result, a transmitting unit that transmits at least one of the speech signal and a recognition feature to a server, a receiving unit that receives a second recognition result from the server, a result generating unit configured to generate a third recognition result, a result storage unit that stores the third recognition result and a dictionary update unit configured to update the client recognition dictionary.
US09293134B1

A speech system may be configured to operate in conjunction with a stationary base device and a handheld remote device to receive voice commands from a user. Voice commands may be directed either to the base device or to the handheld device. When performing automatic speech recognition (ASR), natural language understanding (NLU), dialog management, text-to-speech (TTS) conversion, and other speech-related tasks, the system may utilize various models, including ASR models, NLU models, dialog models, and TTS models. Different models may be used depending on whether the user has chosen to speak into the base device or the handheld audio device. The different models may be designed to accommodate the different characteristics of audio and speech that are present in audio provided by the two different components and the different characteristics of the environmental situation of the user.
US09293133B2

Systems and methods for improving communication over a network are provided. A system for improving communication over a network, comprises a detection module capable of detecting data indicating a problem with a communication between at least two participants communicating via communication devices over the network, a management module capable of analyzing the data to determine whether a participant is dissatisfied with the communication, wherein the management module includes a determining module capable of determining that the participant is dissatisfied, and identifying an event causing the dissatisfaction, and a resolution module capable of providing a solution for eliminating the problem.
US09293126B2

A system is used to reproduce the sound of a stringed instrument and provided with hammers to strike the strings. The system has a speed detector coupled with each hammer to detect the percussion velocity on the string, a plurality of note modules receiving in input a signal representative of the hammer velocity and generating a force signal (Ftot) representative of the global partial components of the string vibration, and a soundboard-instrument body module receiving in input said signal of the global partial components (Ftot) from each note module and generating two electrical signals (left, right) adapted to drive two electroacoustic transducers for sound emission.
US09293125B2

A tone effects system for use with electric instruments that allows for reduced or eliminated signal loss before sound effects are applied. A cartridge receiver and a changeover switch are integrated into the body of a desired electric instrument, while an effects cartridge is attached to the electric instrument via the cartridge receiver. The cartridge receiver provides electronic connections between the electric instrument and the effects cartridge, while the changeover switch is used to direct the electronic signal of the electric instrument through the effects cartridge. The effects cartridge provides an effects circuit for manipulating the received electronic signal, as well as an at least one effects control for adjusting the extent to which the effect is applied to the electronic signal. As the effects cartridge is attached to the electric instrument, the at least one effects control is readily accessible while the electric instrument is being played.
US09293120B2

An inventive set of small devices (‘capo elements’) to mechanically secure a string or strings of a guitar or other fretted stringed instrument at selected fret positions in order to selectively vary the string vibrational length and pitch when the string is plucked. This plurality of capo elements comprises a series of individual rectangular shaped blocks having formed on their upper portions a groove running parallel to the strings so shaped as to secure the string using an interference fit, thus preventing vibration at the distal end of the string and changing its pitch when plucked. Said capo elements feature a lip in the underside of the proximal portion of each capo element, so shaped as to overhang the raised fret, to ensure correct positioning of the capo element, and to secure the string at the same length as would otherwise have been achieved by fretting the string in the regular manner. Said capo elements have an adhesive bottom surface to secure them temporarily to the instrument fretboard. Said capo elements are made of a hard plastic so as not to dampen any vibration and deaden the tone, and are so sized as to enable them to be used adjacently on the same fret without impeding the movement of the musician's fretting hand. A plurality of capo elements are provided, one for each of the strings, though the musician has the option to leave desired strings unaltered without fitting capo elements. After use, the elements are removed manually and should not mark the fretboard.
US09293115B2

A display apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires, for each of division regions, brightness information; a decision unit that decides light emission brightness for each of the division regions; a light emitting unit; and a display panel, wherein the decision unit sets light emission brightness of a division region, in which a displayed image does not include a predetermined region, at light emission brightness according to brightness information of the division region, and sets light emission brightness of a division region, in which a displayed image includes the predetermined region, at light emission brightness lower than the light emission brightness according to brightness information of the division region.
US09293112B2

A mobile terminal and a control method are provided. The mobile terminal includes: a display unit configured to output first screen information corresponding to a first application; and a controller configured to switch the first screen information to second screen information different from the first screen information output to the display unit in response to a first control command, and output a first graphic object representing the first application to at least a region of the display unit, wherein the controller outputs the first screen information corresponding to the first application again to the display unit in response to a second control command.
US09293110B2

Methods for setting mutually dependent parameters of a microprocessor controlled medical apparatus are disclosed. Mutually dependent parameters may be set by displaying mutually dependent parameter settings, displaying possible values for at least one parameter setting, whereby limits of the range of possible values is mutable and is automatically determined based on the current parameter settings, adjusting a parameter setting upon manual selection by an operator, automatically determining and displaying the value of at least one parameter setting depending on the parameter setting that is adjusted by the operator, whereby the determination of the dependent parameter setting is based on a stored relationship between parameter settings, implementing the set of adjusted parameter settings by actuating a batch setting acceptance operation, and operating the medical apparatus based on the set of adjusted parameter settings.
US09293105B2

A first substrate includes a first switching element arranged in a first color pixel and a second switching element arranged in a second color pixel of which color is different from the color of the first color pixel in an active area. A driving unit superimposes DC bias voltages on voltages corresponding to gradations to be displayed in the first color pixel and the second color pixel, and to supply the superimposed voltages to the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode, respectively. A first halftone gradation voltage obtained by superimposing a first DC bias voltage on a voltage corresponding to a halftone gradation is supplied to the first pixel electrode. A second halftone gradation voltage obtained by superimposing a second DC bias voltage different from the first DC bias voltage on a voltage corresponding to the halftone gradation is supplied to the second pixel electrode.
US09293090B2

A gate driving apparatus includes a first stage which outputs a first gate output signal, and a second stage which outputs a second gate output signal. The first stage includes: a transistor which includes a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode; and a dummy transistor which includes a dummy gate electrode, a dummy source electrode and a dummy drain electrode. The gate electrode receives the second gate output signal, and the dummy source electrode is connected to the source electrode or the drain electrode of the transistor and prevents static electricity from flowing to the first stage.
US09293089B2

A method of driving an electrowetting display device for displaying images. The display device has a plurality of display elements arranged in an active matrix. The matrix has rows and columns. A specific display element is addressed by applying a voltage to the display elements along the column of the specific display element and selecting the row of the specific display element. The method includes determining a first group of rows where the voltages to be applied to the display elements in a predefined column or group of columns are within a first range smaller than a range over which the voltage is controllable; and selecting the rows in the first group consecutively.
US09293088B2

It is an object to improve image quality in displaying a still image and a moving image by suppressing flickers, a display malfunction, or the like of a display device. A method for controlling the light emission state of a backlight is made different between a still image portion and a moving image portion included in an image to be displayed. In specific, the amount of light emission in the still image portion is made as small as possible in a corresponding divided region of the backlight, and the amount of light emission in the moving image portion is controlled so as not to be changed as much as possible in a corresponding divided region of the backlight.
US09293070B2

An apparatus for mounting a flat screen television or monitor to a free standing display frame including a first elongate member and a second elongate member, the second elongate member being coupled to and arranged beside the first elongate member, a hook-shaped upper connector coupled to an upper end of the first elongate member, the upper connector including a first upper groove and a second upper groove, the first upper groove and the second upper grooves opening toward the first elongate member, and a generally foot-shaped lower connector coupled to a lower end of the first elongate member, the lower connector including a first lower groove and a second lower groove, the first lower groove and the second lower groove opening away from the first elongate member.
US09293055B2

An aircraft taxi control system may include a motor connected to drive a landing gear wheel of the aircraft. A motor controller may be connected to control speed of the motor. The system may also include an aircraft taxi route database, an aircraft position determination unit; an aircraft performance database and a processor configured to a) integrate signals from the aircraft taxi route database, the aircraft position determination unit and aircraft performance database, and b) produce a motor deceleration signal to the motor controller when the aircraft arrives at a predetermined distance from a predetermined location so that the aircraft arrives at the location traveling at a desired speed.
US09293054B2

Computer implemented systems and methods of communicating a system reaction to environmental input comprising receiving environmental input, determining a hazard state and a user state from the environmental input, determining a system reaction from the hazard state and the user state and communicating the system reaction to a user interface. In some embodiments, the system reaction comprises a system reaction level and in some embodiments the system reaction level corresponds to a stage of automation. In some embodiments, the user interface is a multimodal interface and in some embodiments the user interface is a haptic interface.
US09293053B2

The disclosure describes an aircraft avionics management and control system, including apparatuses and methods, for consolidating aircraft avionics management and control operations and for allowing universal management, control, and operation of a plurality of communications systems, navigation systems, transponder systems, and other avionics systems with a single device. The communication systems may comprise a plurality of military radios, civilian radios, or other communication systems of different types and may have different manufacturers. Similarly, the navigation systems and transponder systems may comprise navigation systems and transponder systems of different types and may have different manufacturers. The communication systems, navigation systems, transponder systems, and other avionics systems may be communicatively connected to the aircraft avionics management and control system via different types of communication links having different communications protocols and/or different standards.
US09293045B2

A computer-implemented method, carried out by one or more processors, for vehicle to vehicle communication. In an embodiment, the method comprises the steps of receiving a first message selection, where the first message selection includes at least information associated with a road hazard. Identifying a first directional RFID communicator of a first vehicle with a second directional RFID communicator of a second vehicle. Responsive to identifying the first directional RFID communicator of the first vehicle, sending the first message selection to the first directional RFID communicator from the second directional RFID communicator.
US09293044B2

According to an aspect of the invention, a traffic information communication system includes a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver may be configured to receive a message relating to traffic conditions along a thoroughfare from a communication node. The transmitter may be communicatively coupled to the receiver and may be configured to rebroadcast the message within a predetermined amount of time after receiving the message. The traffic information communication system may be implemented in a vehicle traveling along the thoroughfare.
US09293042B1

Electronic digital display systems, including roadside display devices, vehicle-based devices, personal mobile devices, intermediary servers, advertising servers, and/or additional external data sources may operate individually or in combination to identify one or more vehicle locations, driving routes, driver and passenger characteristics, and the like. Vehicle and individual characteristics may be determined based on data received from traffic cameras, vehicle-based devices, personal mobile devices, and/or other data sources. Based on the vehicle characteristics, individual characteristics, driving data and driving patterns, and the like, digital content may be determined for electronic roadside displays to be viewable by the approaching vehicles, and/or other digital display devices to be viewable by associated individuals via other display devices and at other times. Various techniques may be used to determine customized digital content, such as targeted advertisements and/or driving or vehicle safety messages, including retrieval and aggregation of certain characteristics, prioritization of characteristics, and real-time auctions for advertisements. Additionally, certain systems may be interactive to allow user responses and follow-up content via on-board vehicle devices or other user devices.
US09293034B2

A power-saving remote control apparatus (40) includes a remote control receiving unit (1022) and a main control unit (104). The main control unit (104) is configured to control the power-saving remote control apparatus (40) to enter a working mode when a controlled apparatus (30) needs to be turned on. The main control unit (104) is configured to control the power-saving remote control apparatus (40) to enter a sleeping-power-saving mode when the controlled apparatus (30) stops working, and then for every first predetermined time, the main control unit (104) is turned on to wake up the remote control receiving unit (1022) to scan a plurality of wireless signals (52). The main control unit (104) is configured to control the power-saving remote control apparatus (40) to enter the working mode if the wireless signals (52) include a wireless starting signal (54) for starting the controlled apparatus (30).
US09293030B2

The invention includes systems, methods, and software applications for centrally maintaining information and automatically distributing relevant portions of the information to remote users. In one embodiment, a central server stores the information, which is maintained on the central server. Periodically, or each time the server information is updated, the server identifies the portion of the information that is relevant to each user and downloads the relevant portion of information to each user, for example to a mobile device such as a Blackberry™. The invention may be used to maintain and timely distribute information related to emergency response procedures, sales or servicing schedules, and delivery schedules, among other things.
US09293024B2

Systems and methods are provided for detecting a sitting posture of a user on toilet and generating notifications for the user based on the detected sitting posture. A sitting posture detection and reminder mechanism measures a distance X between a distance sensor and a body of the user sitting on the toilet. The mechanism calculates an angle α between the user's spine and the user's thighs based on the measured distance X and generates a sitting posture notification for the user based on the calculated angle α. The mechanism may operate a motor coupled to the toilet cover to automatically adjust an angle of the cover and guide the user into a healthy sitting posture.
US09293016B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for detecting, by a system including at least one processor, a presence of an object from sensor data generated by a sensor device, retrieving, by the system, from a memory device a plurality of profiles biometrically descriptive of approved objects, asserting, by the system, an alarm responsive to determining from the sensor data that the detected object is not biometrically correlated to any of the plurality of profiles, classifying, by the system, the detected object as an authorized object responsive to determining from the sensor data that the detected object is biometrically correlated to at least one of the plurality of profiles, and notifying, by the system, at least one neighboring device responsive to asserting the alarm or responsive to classifying the detected object as the authorized object. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09293012B2

A method of providing a keno game includes, but is not limited to any of the combination of: displaying a keno board having a first predetermined number of keno board spots; receiving a player selection of a second predetermined number of keno board spots; selecting a first plurality of drawn balls; and calculating a player award in part based on data associated with the first plurality of drawn balls, wherein at least two of the drawn balls in the first plurality of drawn balls are duplicates.
US09293009B2

A method of mapping sporting event results to inputs for a game is provided. One or more event results of a particular sporting event having a particular number of participants are received, and a set of rules is selected from a plurality of sets of rules based on the particular number of participants in the particular sporting event. For each of a plurality of bets, one or more inputs for a game are determined by applying the selected set of rules to the received one or more event results of the particular sporting event. The result of the game is then determined for each of the plurality of bets based at least on the one or more determined inputs for that bet.
US09293008B2

A wagering game machine configured to present a wagering game upon which monetary value may be wagered receives a layout description for a first set of image components defines one or more placeholder areas. A first executable component renders a portion of the first set of image components in accordance with the layout description. A natively executed wagering game application renders a second set of image components defined independently from the layout description within the placeholder areas. The first executable component renders a second portion of the first set of images over the images rendered by the natively executed wagering game application.
US09293007B2

In various embodiments, the gaming system and method disclosed herein maintains a progressive award that is associated with a plurality of different progressive award trigger values or progressive award hit values. In such embodiments, the displayed value of the progressive award does not reset to a reset value or reset amount until the displayed value of that progressive award has incremented to each of the plurality of progressive award hit values associated with that progressive award. In these embodiments, the gaming system provides a plurality of displayed incremented values of a progressive award a plurality of times before the displayed value of that progressive award is reset to the reset value. Such a configuration provides that after the gaming system provides a currently displayed value of a progressive award to a player at least a first time, the displayed value of that progressive award continues incrementing from the provided value.
US09293000B2

The gaming system disclosed herein enables a player to simultaneously or concurrently play a plurality of games at a gaming device regardless or independent of if the gaming device accounting system in communication with the gaming device is configured to support such simultaneous or concurrent game play. The gaming system disclosed herein additionally or alternatively enables a player to simultaneously play a plurality of games wherein certain of the games are eligible to operate with a remote host and certain of the games are ineligible to operate with the remote host.
US09292999B2

The invention relates to a communication device between an audiovisual information playback system (1) and at least one electronic game machine (2), each electronic game machine comprising a viewing means (200), a means (210) for interacting with the user and a means of payment (220), characterized in that each electronic game machine (2) is connected to the playback system (2) via a network interface (21) and an associated LAN (3), and comprises specific means (20, 21, 22) for managing a means of payment, a viewing means and an interactive means, in order to enable, on the electronic game machine (2), the selection and payment of at least one selection stored on the playback system (2), with a view to playback thereof on the playback system, the specific means (22) of managing payment means and the specific means (21) of managing viewing means and the interactive means being triggered by the activation means of the electronic game machine (2).
US09292998B2

Gaming machines and games are configured with one or more wheel events or features. The wheel events or features may comprise main games or bonus games, or may comprise entertaining representations of outcomes of other games or events. The wheel events comprise the selection of one or more segments of a wheel having associated awards. Wheel events may have various entertaining configurations, including use of multiple wheels, concentric wheels and the like.
US09292968B2

A mapping method includes; mapping first and second models, each represented by polygonal elements of meshes and including a same number of regions, to a first and a second spherical surfaces, respectively; approximating boundaries of the regions by curves and moving nodes based on the curve approximation; associating the nodes on the boundary of first sphere with points on the boundary of the second sphere; moving the nodes other than the nodes on the boundary by minimizing changes of shapes and areas of the polygonal elements under a constraint that the nodes on the boundary of the first sphere are placed at positions corresponding to the associated points on the second sphere; and calculating a point in the second model for each of the nodes in the first model, from the corresponding node after the movement on the first sphere and corresponding polygonal elements on the second sphere.
US09292958B2

An example system includes: a field arrangement unit for positioning a field object in a three-dimensional virtual space; a viewpoint setting unit for setting a viewpoint in the virtual space so as to have an overhead viewpoint with respect to the field object; a scrolling unit for moving the viewpoint or the field object so as to change an area of the field object included in a range of vision on the basis of the viewpoint set by the viewpoint setting unit; a field deformation unit for deforming a shape of the field object such that a front side of the range of vision becomes flat while a back side of the range of vision is curved in a direction away from the viewpoint in accordance with a movement performed by the scrolling unit; and an image processing unit for generating a two-dimensional image displayed on a display unit.
US09292951B2

Facilitating service coverage identification using augmented reality is contemplated. The service coverage information may relate to wireless signaling metrics collected for wireless access points. A reality view captured with a mobile device to reflect an area proximate the access points may augmented with the service coverage information such that the resulting augmented reality view identifies variances or other parameters of the service coverage information relative to the mobile device.
US09292947B2

To generate a high-quality mosaic image even in a case where a material image having a shape different from that of a region in which the material image is to be placed is used. A target image is divided into a plurality of different-sized regions. The size of a material image is changed in accordance with the area of corresponding one of the regions, and is placed in the region on the basis of the chromatic component of the region. In the case of overlapping material images that have been placed, control processing is performed so that a smaller one of them is placed on a larger one of them.
US09292946B2

An X-ray computer tomography apparatus includes at least one X-ray tube generating X-rays, first detector elements (energy integrating type) and second detector elements (photon counting type) detecting an intensity and spectrum of the X-rays transmitted through the object respectively, at least one data acquisition circuit acquiring first projection data and second projection data smaller in data amount than the first projection data detected by the first and second detector elements respectively, an arithmetic circuit computing a minimum value of a cost function based on the first and second projection data by executing an iterative reconstruction algorithm, and reconstruction circuit reconstructing an image of the object based on the first and second projection data, which correspond to the minimum value of the cost function.
US09292945B2

An image display system includes a first projector and a second projector, and makes the first projector and the second projector operate in cooperation with each other to form a single projection image on a common screen. The first projector and the second projector are connected to each other via a signal line. A master control section of the first projector transmits a control signal to a subordinate control section of the second projector. The subordinate control section of the second projector controls a projection section of the second projector based on the control signal. Thus, the controllability of the image display system provided with a plurality of projectors is enhanced.
US09292939B2

Provided are an information processing system, an information processing method and a program that can detect probability whether individuals contacted or not outside the imaging ranges of surveillance cameras. The invention includes: an image receiving unit that receives input of images captured by a plurality of imaging apparatuses including a first surveillance camera and a second surveillance camera; and a list generating unit that outputs information on two individuals when each of the two individuals satisfies the conditions of a moment of disappearing from the frame of an image of one of the surveillance cameras, and a moment of appearing in the frame of an image of the other one of the surveillance cameras.
US09292934B2

Disclosed is a method for correcting for shimmer due to thermal turbulence, even for moving subjects, on a time smoothed base. The device is provided with: a movement compensation means that, for a correction-targeted block of a correction-targeted image within an input image, uses a temporally proximate correction image to derive movement information about a moving object, performs motion compensation, and outputs a correction block and a cost value; and a shimmer correction means that carries out time averaging processing, in accordance with the cost value, of the correction-targeted block and the correction block, and outputs a corrected block in which shimmer of the moving object has been corrected, and correction information. Through two-stage motion detection, the movement compensation means extracts and compensates for movement of a moving object, in a manner unaffected by thermal turbulence.
US09292925B2

An imaging system includes: an imaging unit that divides an imaging area of a subject into a plurality of blocks and captures images of the blocks; an image processing unit that merges the images of the respective blocks captured by the imaging unit to generate an entire image; a measuring unit that measures a plurality of points on the subject to acquire measured data before an image of the subject is captured by the imaging unit; and a dividing position adjusting unit that adjusts dividing positions of the subject based on the measured data of the measuring points acquired by the measuring unit so that boundaries of the blocks are arranged at positions having smaller spatial variations in values of the measured data. The imaging unit captures an image of each block according to the dividing positions adjusted by the dividing position adjusting unit.
US09292924B2

A first and a second image recording unit, which are arranged at a defined distance from one another, are provided for monitoring a spatial region. The spatial region has at least one structure having a plurality of substantially parallel edges. A number of reference marks are arranged at the structure. A first image of the spatial region is recorded by means of the first image recording unit. A second image is recorded by means of the second image recording unit. A number of reference distances between the image recording units and the reference marks are determined. A structure position of the structure is determined on the basis of the reference distances. Moreover, a number of object positions are determined on the basis of the first and second images, wherein each object position represents the spatial distance of an object relative to the image recording units. Depending on the object positions, a switching signal is generated.
US09292915B2

A digital optical comparator has a holder for a part under study. A light source illuminates the part and casts an Image of the part onto a camera, which is provided with a lens. The Image captured by the camera is displayed on a screen, and a drawing of the part is overlaid on the image of the part. Thus, defects in manufacturing can be easily and readily identified. In addition, a determination of whether the part is manufactured within tolerances can also be visually determined.
US09292903B2

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for rendering using a graphics processing component (GPC). A computing device can receive instructions for a GPC, including an instruction IA associated with a first portion of a canvas. An insertion position in an instruction buffer for instruction IA can be determined by: determining an instruction IB in the instruction buffer that is associated with a second portion of the canvas. If the first and second portions overlap, the insertion position can be based on an overlapping-instruction position of IB in the instruction buffer. Otherwise, if instructions IA and IB are similar, then the insertion position can be based on a second position of IB in the instruction buffer. Otherwise, the insertion position can be determined based on an ending position of the instruction buffer. Instruction IA can be inserted in the instruction buffer at the insertion position.
US09292897B2

Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate the watermarking of images. According to various embodiments, a watermark image to apply to a digital image is identified. The digital image may include a plurality of image pixel data values. Each of the image pixel data values may designate a color of a corresponding pixel in the digital image. The watermark image may include a plurality of watermark pixel data values. Each of the watermark pixel data values may designate a color change to a corresponding pixel. The watermark image may be of relatively low frequency and may exhibit relatively gradual transitions and relatively constant color tone. The watermark image may be superimposed on at least a portion of the digital image to create a watermarked digital image.
US09292890B2

A method and system for providing case update notifications is provided. Judicial court case updates are received via a judicial court case management system for a judicial court. At least one of the judicial court case updates is identified as being of interest to a user unaffiliated with the judicial court that is participating in the judicial court case. The user is automatically notified of the at least one judicial court case update.
US09292889B2

A food preparation and delivery system can include a plurality of cooking units such as ovens, each containing one or more prepared, but partially or completely uncooked, food items. The food items in the cooking units are for delivery to each of a corresponding plurality of consumer delivery destinations. The cooking units are loaded into a cargo compartment of a delivery vehicle for delivery to the plurality of consumer delivery destinations. The cooking conditions within the cooking unit are controlled such the each food item is cooked prior to arrival at the consumer destination location. In at least some embodiments, the estimated delivery time for each consumer destination location can be dynamically updated and the cooking conditions within the cooking unit adjusted.
US09292884B2

In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each node corresponding to a user of an online social network, identifying a plurality of clusters in the social graph using graph clustering, providing a treatment to a first set of users based on the clusters, and determining a treatment effect treatment for the users in the first set based on a network exposure to the treatment for each user.
US09292872B2

An example product configuration system includes a Configuration Input Manager that receives a selection of configuration parameters from a system user and coordinates obtaining input from the external information sources regarding the selected configuration parameters. Requests for input are transmitted along a plurality of communication channels individually selected for each configuration parameter. The Configuration Builder then assimilates the various input, such as the collective knowledge, opinions, preferences, experience, and other input provided by the external information sources, and compiles that information to generate a plurality of proposed product configurations that are consistent with the information provided.
US09292866B2

Among other things, publishers of digital content are enabled each to define, for each of one or more digital content items, a style in which the digital content item is to be presented to a user and a condition under which the user may have the digital content item presented. The digital content items are stored in a content library, the styles and conditions associated with the digital content items are stored in a server. Each of the digital content items is enabled to be presented to users within presentation contexts that are accessible to the users and controlled by presentation context providers. The presentation of the digital content items includes obtaining the digital content items from the server and controlling the presentation to occur under the conditions and in the styles defined by the publishers.
US09292863B2

Systems and methods in clued those for serving one or more advertisements contextually-relevant to an initial web page. Terms are selected from the initial web page that may be used as representative keywords to select advertisements that are contextually relevant to the initial web page. Keyword candidates are filtered via a series of operations that include: querying a network for web pages where the one or more keyword candidates are found, filtering the web pages based on time/date characteristics and a pre-defined number of web pages, analyzing the web pages using the one or more keyword candidates, and selecting certain keyword candidates to be representative keywords based on the analysis. The one or more representative keywords may be used to select one or more advertisements that may then be served with the initial web page.
US09292855B2

The present invention provides a computer network implementable integration of promoted information with non-promoted content before a consumer interaction with the network, such that when the consumer interacts with the network, a consumer information interacts with this integrated content and delivers a message to the consumer such that the consumer visualizes this message as part of consumer experience without distracting from the network interaction task at hand. The integration is facilitated by semantic analysis and synthesis to naturally position the promoted content as close to the consumer interaction tasks as possible at that instant. This approach displaces the current practice of matching message to media placement while further enabling a promoter to evaluate and respond to feedback data depicting the efficacy of the sponsor message. The network in question is any computer network such as the Internet or intranet.
US09292854B2

An electronic registration system facilitates authorized product returns. A retailer sales associate is prompted to enter individual product identification information such as an individual serial number. This individual product identification information is stored in a database, along with the date on which the product was sold and an appropriate UPC code, SKU number, or manufacturer code. A check digit algorithm may be used to verify the serial number prior to storage. A sales receipt may be imprinted with at least the date of the transaction and the serial number. When a product is returned, the retailer may cross-reference the serial number on the product with that on the receipt to verify the sales receipt. Otherwise, the database may be searched for sales information. A customer may also access a return authorization engine via the Internet to obtain return approval, an authorization number, return instructions, etc.
US09292853B2

A weighing scale, digital control panel and a laser scanner are mounted on each “Automated Market Cart”, and the operation of purchasing items is based in coordinating a store's main Computer data with the weight of any item by means of the use of a weighing scale, digital control panel and a barcode on each item, scanned by the customer. The “Automated Market Cart” gives the customers the ability to purchase anything with minimal human assistance.The unique weight and the barcode for each item will be transmitted to the stores main computer. The main store's computer function is that once an item is weighted and the barcode is received from the digital control panel microprocessor, it will check against the database of that unique item and calculate the total price and it will also control all auditing, purchasing, receiving, inventory controls, transferring of products to and from other locations.
US09292845B2

A method includes bringing a mobile device into proximity with an indicium, the indicium adjacent a radio frequency identification (RFID) integrated circuit (IC), the RFID IC coupled to an antenna. The method further includes the mobile device reading a message from the RFID IC, where the message is transmitted by the RFID IC via the antenna. The method further includes the mobile device responding to the message by opening an electronic wallet function in the mobile device.
US09292842B2

Systems and methods to provide licensing and licensing management to source code components. The system receives a request from a component developer for a component license. The system sends a public key, a component identifier, and licensing code to the developer and the developer embeds the public key, the component identifier, and the licensing code within the source of the component. The developer sends the embedded component to the system, which publishes the component for sale on a web site. A purchaser of the component can embed the component, API code, and a generated license key into a developed application. The API code is invoked, which activates the component within the application. The application can be sent to the system where it can be published to a web site for sale.
US09292833B2

Systems and methods of batched notifications of activities that occur in a web-based collaboration environment are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, for detecting activities occurring in an online collaboration environment, generating a notification event for one or more of the activities, and selecting one or more recipients for each notification event according to criteria determined based on a workspace in which the associated activity was performed in the online collaboration environment. The indications of each notification event are then added to one or more queues associated with the one or more recipients and, upon expiry of a queue timer, the contents of the one or more queues associated with the one or more recipients are sent to the corresponding one or more recipients as batched notifications.
US09292832B2

The disclosure relates to collaborative intelligence and decision-making in an Internet of Things (IoT) device group. In particular, various IoT devices in the group may be interdependent, whereby a decision that one IoT device plans may impact other IoT devices in the group. Accordingly, in response to an IoT device planning a certain decision (e.g., to transition state or initiate another action), the IoT devices in the group may collaborate using distributed intelligence prior to taking action on the planned decision. For example, a recommendation request may be sent to other IoT devices in the group, which may then analyze relationships within the group to assess potential impacts associated with the planned decision and respond to approve or disapprove the planned decision. Based on the responses received from the other IoT devices, the IoT device may then determine whether to take action on the planned decision.
US09292827B2

Various methods and systems such as in a software application are presented which may include automated purchase recommendations based on amalgamated purchase constraints (4) for business inventory maintenance, notation of events through noted event entry portals (31) for business related observation recordation, automatic facilitation of regular debut of initial suggested industry tied information (50), presentation of business performance data (65) and disparate substantially redundant business performance data (67) in a business performance display (66) for a summary review of business operations, and easy selection of inventory items (83) from a recommended hierarchical categorization of inventory items which may be used to create buying reports, ad hoc reports, and the like.
US09292823B2

The presented inventions seek to create a verifiable and closed loop chain-of-custody for a specific transaction in a pneumatic tube transport system while allowing a sender and recipient to perform asynchronous activity. That is, one aspect the presented inventions allows a sender to securely send a carrier to a desired recipient while allowing the desired recipient to receive the secured carrier at a convenient time and/or location without tying up system resources. Another aspect improves the physical barriers between high value payloads and the unintended recipients. This is done in part by introducing randomness into the carrier delivery process such that no member of the general public or facility staff knows the location and/or delivery time of a secured carrier without having access to specific database records indicating the current location and/or delivery status of the secured carrier.
US09292818B2

The present disclosure identifies and/or delivers tailored content based upon a service dialog. For example, the systems may receive a request for tailored content, facilitate a service dialog to obtain information related to the request, and communicate a plurality of tailored content based upon the information related to the request. Further, the systems may identify tailored content based upon a consumer profile, communicate the tailored content to a web client, and/or receive a selection of the tailored content. Further still, the systems may modify a magazine (e.g., content that is presented electronically) based upon tailored content.
US09292814B2

Method for scheduling and implementing an electronic meeting conducted among remotely-located users communicating with an agenda server, including: accepting a meeting agenda that includes a plurality of topics, a quorum, an identification of resources used by each topic, an identification of data used by each topic, and an identification of data produced by each topic; partitioning the meeting agenda into at least a first and second group of topics; searching for data dependencies between the first and second groups of topics; searching for resource dependencies between the first and second groups of topics; if data dependencies or resource dependencies are found between the first and second groups of topics, then repartitioning the meeting agenda until the data dependencies and resource dependencies between the first and second groups of topics are reduced below a predetermined dependency threshold; and concurrently scheduling and executing the first and second groups of topics.
US09292809B2

A method includes, in a project management application, identifying a group of software assets being managed using the project management application (the group includes: a first set of attributes and a corresponding first set of values), responsive to a de-selection of an attribute from the first set of attributes by a first user having a first privilege type, causing the deselected attribute to be inaccessible to one or more other users; and responsive to receiving, from a second user having a second privilege type, a request for accessing attributes associated with the group of software assets; and in accordance with a determination that the second privilege type enables the second user to access a second set of attributes, without regard to the de-selection by the first user, causing to be displayed, to the second user, the second set of attributes. The second set of attributes includes the deselected attribute.
US09292800B2

A method of predicting the origin and destination points of an unknown trip using a computer includes receiving an input of second marker information including the type and position of a known marker included in a second region; generating a second feature vector at each spot included in the second region on the basis of the second marker information; and predicting the probability that the respective spots included in the second region are the origin and destination points on the basis of a prediction model, which is acquired based on first marker information including the type and position of a known marker included in a first region and information on the known origin and destination points included in the first region, and the second feature vector.
US09292793B1

A method is used in analyzing device similarity. Data describing a device is received and a model is applied to the data. Based on the modeling, a measure of similarity between the device and a previously known device is determined.
US09292787B2

A deep tensor neural network (DTNN) is described herein, wherein the DTNN is suitable for employment in a computer-implemented recognition/classification system. Hidden layers in the DTNN comprise at least one projection layer, which includes a first subspace of hidden units and a second subspace of hidden units. The first subspace of hidden units receives a first nonlinear projection of input data to a projection layer and generates the first set of output data based at least in part thereon, and the second subspace of hidden units receives a second nonlinear projection of the input data to the projection layer and generates the second set of output data based at least in part thereon. A tensor layer, which can converted into a conventional layer of a DNN, generates the third set of output data based upon the first set of output data and the second set of output data.
US09292786B2

A robot, such as a bipedal robot, that includes three or more rigid links such as two legs and a pelvis. The robot includes joints pivotally connecting pairs of the rigid links and an actuator associated with each of the joints. The robot includes a universal balancing controller with an output feedback control module providing control signals to selectively drive the actuators to balance the robot on a support element which may be configured to provide a dynamic, unstable environment or to provide a static, stable environment. During use, the control signals are generated in response to processing of global robot data from sensors associated with the rigid links or the joints. The control signals are generated by the output feedback control module without any need for measurements of the support element or without any measurement of a dynamic environment.
US09292784B2

A dose counter, the counter having a base body, with a rotary counter element assembled in the base body on a pin forming the axis of rotation. The rotary counter element co-operating with an actuator member adapted to cause the rotary counter element to turn each time the actuator member is actuated. The actuator member including a fastener for fastening to the base body (460) and arranged on a first side of the pin, and a substantially rigid support portion arranged on a second side of said pin. The support portion supporting an actuator element so that, on each actuation, the actuator element is moved in translation. The support portion is connected to the fastener via an elastically-deformable portion that surrounds the pin. The support portion is extended towards the pin by a substantially-rectilinear flexible branch that supports a lug adapted to co-operate with the counter element on each actuation.
US09292779B2

An automated chemistry analysis method is disclosed. In one general aspect, the method includes receiving a modular chemistry analysis test unit that includes one or more vessels for one or more reagents, and a machine-readable test specification coupled with the vessels. The method also includes defining a test that defines a test including a series of operations that employ the reagents for the vessels, and installing the chemistry analysis test unit in a first chemistry analyzer that includes one or more analysis tools and sequencing logic for sequencing instructions to be carried out by the analysis tools. The machine-readable test specification is automatically received from the chemistry analysis test module and stored for access by the sequencing logic to allow the sequencing logic to instruct the analysis tools to carry out the test defined by the test specification.
US09292763B2

A method includes determining a position and length of a non-zero run in a row of a pixel map. The method also includes determining a number of neighbors for the non-zero run in a preceding row, based at least in part on the position and the length. In addition, the method includes updating a correspondence map of the non-zero run and a correspondence map of a first neighbor of the non-zero run, based at least in part on a correspondence map of a second neighbor of the non-zero run, in response to a determination that the non-zero run has at least two neighbors in the preceding row.
US09292757B1

Certain aspects direct to a laser projection pavertizing system, which includes a camera, a laser projector, and a controller. The camera is configured to capture the image frames of the projection area. When the controller receives image frames from the camera, the controller processes the image frames to detect at least one target existing in the projection area, generates projecting parameters for each of the at least one target, and sends the projecting parameters to the laser projector. Upon receiving the projecting parameters, the laser projector projects a pattern for each of the at least one target on the projection area at a predetermined distance from the at least one target in accordance with the projecting parameters such that the pattern is viewable for the at least one target.
US09292755B2

A method of shape detection detects a figure with a contouring loop method that extracts at least one iso-contour polygon from a set of pixels in an image using a triangular lattice superimposed over the set of pixels of the image. Then starting from an original triangle, the iso-contour polygon is extracted by selecting an intensity chroma value within the set of pixels between three corners of a triangle to find a directed line segment that represent the crossing of the intensity value within the triangle, and an exit point of the directed line segment and a nearest triangle which contains the next directed line segment of the at least one iso-contour polygon are determined to create a first matrix of points on the at least one iso-contour polygon, until arriving at the original triangle.
US09292753B2

The present disclosure is directed to a parallel face detection and tracking system. In general, embodiments consistent with the present disclosure may be configured to distribute the processing load associated with the detection and tracking of different faces in an image between multiple data processors. If needed, processing load balancing and/or protective features may be implemented to prevent the data processors from becoming overwhelmed. In one embodiment, a device may comprise, for example, a communication module and at least one processing module. The communication module may be configured to receive at least image information that may be processed by a plurality of data processors in the data processing module. For example, each of the data processors may be configured to detect faces in the image information and/or track detected faces in the image information based on at least one criterion.
US09292749B2

Biometric matching technology, in which a watch list is managed, multiple images of a potential suspect are accessed, and parallel pre-processing of the multiple images is controlled. Based on the pre-processing, an image of the potential suspect to use in matching against the watch list is determined and the determined image is used to search sorted biometric data included in the watch list. A subset of persons from the watch list is identified based on the search and parallel analysis of the determined image of the potential suspect against detailed biometric data associated with the subset of persons in the watch list is controlled. Based on the parallel analysis, it is determined whether the potential suspect matches a person in the watch list and a result is outputted based on the determination.
US09292747B2

Methods and systems for facilitating detecting features in sensor data are described. One example method implemented by a computing device includes receiving a first set of sensor data about a geographical region, and generating a second set of sensor data. The first set of sensor data includes data in a plurality of bands. The second set of sensor data is generated by receiving a first input designating a first sub-region of the geographical region, and determining a single band representation of at least a portion of the first set of sensor data associated with the first sub-region.
US09292744B2

The present invention is directed to a process for repairing one or more defects of a target coating of a vehicle. The process can repair target coatings at a repair facility using matching coating compositions provided from a supply center, where the matching coating compositions can be produced according to target repair data transmitted from one or more repair facilities to the supply center. The present invention is also directed to a system for repairing one or more defects of a target coating of a vehicle. The system can comprise one or more supply centers and one or more repair facilities.
US09292741B2

The present invention provides a novel apparatus and method for mapping of urban regions. An apparatus includes the remote sensing equipment that is connected to a computer processor. The remote sensing equipment gathers imaging data about an urban region. The computer processor interprets the imaging data to generate a map of the urban region comprising representations that identify a first set of indicia representing physiographic characteristics, a second set of indicia representing different types of built forms, and a third set of indicia representing patterns of human activity associated with both the physiographic characteristics and the built forms. The map can also include a fourth set of indicia representing an intensity level that at least one of the other types of indicia occurs.
US09292735B2

A living body recognizing device is equipped with a captured image acquiring unit which acquires captured images from infrared cameras having a characteristics that a luminance of an image portion of a target object becomes higher as a temperature of the target object becomes higher than a background, and vice versa, according to a temperature difference between the background and the target object, a living body image extracting unit which executes a first living body image extracting processing of extracting the image portion of the target object assumed as a living body, from a region in the captured image where the luminance is equal to or lower than a first threshold value, and a living body recognizing unit which recognizes an existence of the living body, based on the image portion of the target object extracted by the living body image extracting unit.
US09292734B2

Techniques for performing accurate and automatic head pose estimation are disclosed. According to one aspect of the techniques, head pose estimation is integrated with a scale-invariant head tracking method along with facial features detected from a located head in images. Thus the head pose estimation works efficiently even when there are large translational movements resulting from the head motion. Various computation techniques are used to optimize the process of estimation so that the head pose estimation can be applied to control one or more objects in a virtual environment and virtual character gaze control.
US09292732B2

According to an embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit and an image processing unit. The obtaining unit is configured to obtain depth information for each position in an image. The image processing unit is configured to switch between a first sharpening process and a second sharpening process in accordance with whether the image contains a predetermined area. The first sharpening process performs non-uniform sharpening on the image on the basis of the depth information; and the second sharpening process performs uniform sharpening on the image.
US09292725B2

The present disclosure relates to a method and system for identifying and reading a barcode on a circular label. Such method and system, in the embodiment discussed, is concretely addressed to a specific example in the engineering of a barcode reader in an electromechanical system for biological analyzes which uses cone-shaped tubes and corresponding strips of fluid containers. It is a requirement of the system that the right cone matches with the right strip. In order to avoid any human error, barcode reading system is implemented, by placing a barcode (e.g. a 2D barcode) on the cone-shaped tube and a barcode on the strip: however the particular shape of the cone poses some problems in the automatic localization and reading of the barcode on the circular label on top of the cone. An additional difficulty of the present system is that of the inclination of barcode reader with respect to the circular label carrying the code, due to the relative positioning of the various components of the machine which does not allow a straight alignment between the reader and the target. With the method according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure the circular label is scanned to detect the 2D barcode and it is then read, with a simplified algorithm requiring limited power and hardware resources.
US09292721B2

An electronic communication device includes an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and generate a differential current signal at a first tag pin and a second tag pin. A first variable resistor is coupled to the first tag pin and a second variable resistor is coupled to the second tag pin. A mixer circuit is coupled across the first variable resistor and the second variable resistor and is configured to generate an output voltage. The output voltage is used for RF signal detection at all RF signal levels.
US09292720B2

A tag communication method includes providing a tag reader operating at a first frequency and having transmit and receive antenna ports, providing a frequency converter module having transmit and receive plugs adapted to directly mate with the transmit and receive ports, and directly mating the transmit plug with the transmit port and the receive plug with the receive port. A transmit signal at the first frequency is received from the reader by the converter module by way of the directly mated transmit plug and converted to a second frequency differing from the first frequency to provide a converted transmit signal which is transmitted to the tag. A receive signal is received from the tag at the second frequency and converted to the first frequency to provide a converted receive signal which is applied by the conversion module to the reader by way of the directly mated receive plug.
US09292715B2

A system comprises a processor which executes an operating system and an application. The system also comprises a keyboard coupled to the processor. The keyboard and application share a shared secret that is used to encode keyboard data provided from the keyboard to the application. The shared secret is not known or accessible to the operating system.
US09292706B2

A method of customer data management in data analytics outsourcing includes communicating to a third party service provider an anonymous customer identifier (customer ID) that is uniquely associated with a customer. The method includes receiving from the third party service provider a customer data query that references the customer using the customer ID and requests customer data. The method includes determining whether an access control policy allows disclosure of customer data requested in the customer data query. In response to the access control policy allowing disclosure of the requested customer data, the method includes accessing the requested customer data and communicating the requested customer data to the third party service provider. In response to the access control policy prohibiting disclosure of the requested customer data, the method includes denying the customer data query.
US09292700B2

A method for securing user data includes the steps of: a) setting the user data as input data; b) randomly fragmenting the input data into a plurality of Atoms and randomly distributing the Atoms into an AtomPool and an AtomKey; and c) recording information about the fragmentation and the distribution of step b) into an AtomMap.
US09292698B1

A system and method for forensic data collection includes: creating, by a configuration computer, an encrypted configuration file for collecting files from a data source; saving, by the configuration computer, the encrypted configuration file to a non-password-encrypted configuration file storage device; loading, by a data collection computer, the encrypted configuration file from a non-password-encrypted external storage device; collecting, by the data collection computer, the files from the data source based on the encrypted configuration file.
US09292696B1

A method and system for anonymizing data to be transmitted to a destination computing device is disclosed. Data to be transmitted is received from a user computer. The data includes a plurality of fields of data. One or more fields of data are selected for anonymization. The selected one or more fields are anonymized. The data with one or more fields anonymized is transmitted to the destination computing device.
US09292693B2

Processing a downgrader specification by constructing a set of candidate downgrader placement locations found within a computer software application, where each of the candidate downgrader placement locations corresponds to a transition between a different pair of instructions within the computer software application, and where each of the transitions participates in any of a plurality of data flows in a set of security-sensitive data flows within the computer software application, applying a downgrader specification to the set of candidate downgrader placement locations, and determining that the downgrader specification provides full coverage of the set of security-sensitive data flows within the computer software application if at least one candidate downgrader placement location within each of the security-sensitive data flows is a member of the set of candidate downgrader placement locations.
US09292691B1

A computer-implemented method for protecting users from website security risks using templates may include (1) identifying a section of a website, the section being arranged according to a template that defines a layout for the website, (2) identifying a profile for the section that includes an attribute specific to the section, the attribute indicating acceptable content for the section of the website as distinct from acceptable content for the entire website, (3) identifying content placed within the section of the website in accordance with the template that defines the layout for the website, and (4) determining whether the identified content is acceptable by comparing the attribute specified in the profile for the section of the website to an attribute of the content placed within the section of the website. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09292688B2

Improved systems and methods for automated machine-learning, zero-day malware detection. Embodiments include a method for improved zero-day malware detection that receives a set of training files which are each known to be either malign or benign, partitions the set of training files into a plurality of categories, and trains category-specific classifiers that distinguish between malign and benign files in a category of files. The training may include selecting one of the plurality of categories of training files, identifying features present in the training files in the selected category of training files, evaluating the identified features to determine the identified features most effective at distinguishing between malign and benign files, and building a category-specific classifier based on the evaluated features. Embodiments also include by a system and computer-readable medium with instructions for executing the above method.
US09292682B2

A method begins, when a second web page is selected based on an element of a first web page, with a dispersed storage (DS) processing module determining dispersed storage network (DSN) location information for the second web page. The method continues with the DS processing module interpreting the DSN location information to request retrieval of a plurality of sets of at least a decode threshold number of encoded data slices from a DSN. The method continues with the DS processing module decoding, using a DS error coding function, a set of the plurality of sets of the least the decode threshold number of encoded data slices to reproduce an element of the second web page.
US09292672B2

A service providing method executed by an information processing apparatus that provides a first service, the method includes receiving role information from a terminal apparatus in use by a user, the role information indicating that a second service provided by another information processing apparatus and a role assigned to the user in the second service; and determining a role assigned to the user in the first service according to the role information and relationship information that indicates a relationship between the local apparatus and the another information processing apparatus, in correspondence to the second service.
US09292665B2

A serial number for a software product is secured with an authenticator value. The authenticator value and the serial number are evaluated entirely by a remote authentication server such that no cryptographic authentication occurs on a local computer on which the software product is being installed. An abbreviated portion of the authenticator value is used for offline authentication.
US09292662B2

A method, system, and computer program product for reducing power and energy consumption in a server system with multiple processor cores is disclosed. The system may include an operating system for scheduling user workloads among a processor pool. The processor pool may include active licensed processor cores and inactive unlicensed processor cores. The method and computer program product may reduce power and energy consumption by including steps and sets of instructions activating spare cores and adjusting the operating frequency of processor cores, including the newly activated spare cores to provide equivalent computing resources as the original licensed cores operating at a specified clock frequency.
US09292661B2

Various embodiments of a method and system for a content distribution mechanism. A content distribution mechanism is implemented to receive rights-protected content. Access to the rights-protected content is controlled according to a policy via a policy server. The distribution mechanism may receive an attempt to forward the rights-protected content to one or more recipients that do not currently have access to the rights-protected content. The distribution mechanism may hold the document and send a message requesting access rights to the rights-protected content for the recipient(s). In some embodiments, the distribution mechanism may send the message to a policy server. In other embodiments, the distribution mechanism may send the message to a policy administrator. Upon receiving acknowledgement that the recipient(s) have been granted access rights to the content, the distribution mechanism may forward the rights-protected content to the recipient(s).
US09292652B2

A computer-aided testing is provided for design verification of integrated circuits. More specifically, a method of generating a test case in design rule checking is provided for that includes extracting coordinates of an error marker for a first error identified in an integrated circuit design. The method further includes identifying a first rectangle that encloses the error marker. The method further includes generating a first test case based on data of the integrated circuit design contained within the rectangle. The method further includes determining whether the first test case is representative of the first error. The method further includes in response to determining the first test case is not representative of the first error, identifying a second rectangle that is between the first rectangle and a third rectangle. The method further includes generating a second test case based on data of the integrated circuit design contained within the second rectangle.
US09292651B2

A method of physical design of an IC using an EDA tool includes identifying elements of the IC design that have excess positive timing slack. The excess timing slack elements are placed in a separate partition and then parameters of the characteristics of the excess timing slack elements are modified to reduce their excess timing slack, such as reducing the voltage supplied to the separate partition, thereby lowering power consumption of the IC design.
US09292650B2

A method, system or computer usable program product for automatically identifying layout pattern candidates in selected regions for use in analyzing semiconductor device performance issues including identifying a set of target regions and a set of reference regions from a design layout; utilizing a processor to generate a reference baseline of layout patterns from the set of reference regions; utilizing the processor to compare a frequency profile of layout patterns in the set of target regions to a frequency profile of layout patterns in the reference baseline; and based on the comparison, utilizing the processor to identify candidate layout patterns from the set of target regions for further analysis.
US09292643B2

A method and apparatus for translating a hierarchical IC layout file into a format that can be used by a mask writer that accepts files having a limited hierarchy. Cover cells of the original IC layout file or a modified file are designated, and the hierarchical file is redefined to include only those designated cover cells. Non-designated cover cells and other geometric data are flattened into the designated cover cells. The hierarchy of the modified file is then redefined to be less than or equal to the hierarchy limit of the mask writing tool.
US09292640B1

A method and system of dynamically selecting a memory read port are provided. In one form a method may comprises, in part, processing instructions in the emulation processors of a hardware functional verification system, storing output bits generated by the LUT in a plurality of storage elements, selecting between a plurality of previously-stored LUT output bits and the output port of the data memory, selecting one of the plurality of output bits stored in the storage elements, and sending the current data bit provided at the output port of the data memory to a selection circuit when previously-stored LUT output bits are provided. The disclosed systems and methods provide the ability all inputs to a LUT, even while a memory read port is occupied performing other operations during that emulation step, for example sending a value stored in the memory to another emulation processor using the selection circuit.
US09292639B1

A method and system of providing additional lookup tables in an emulation processor cluster of an emulation chip of a hardware functional verification system is provided. An indirection table may be used within the processor cluster to provide the commonly-used function tables for the lookup tables (LUTs). The indirection table may be indexed according to a smaller portion of the standard LUT function table provided by an instruction than otherwise needed. The unused function table bits in the instruction may then be used for other purposes, including providing functionality to one or more extra LUTs of the processor cluster, whose function tables may be provided from another indirection table provided for that purpose. Additional processing capacity may thereby be provided for the cluster with a small amount of additional overhead within the emulation chip, while still providing the full range of function tables of the LUTs.
US09292635B2

A system and method for collaborative vehicle crash planning employs a model-based approach for mitigating damage and injuries resulting from a vehicle collision. A real-time crash model is generated to determine an optimal crash sequence within a parallel computing environment.
US09292623B2

A system and method are disclosed for locating, collecting, collating, analyzing, and reporting on summarized data that is generated from regulatory compliance matter data. Data is collected and compiled from multiple sources, including government databases, web pages, and regulatory documents. These collected data are consolidated and reconciled. A single topic record is created for a person, company, or product. Duplication and redundancy within the information are reduced. Corrections in data format are made for inconsistencies that exist between different information sources. Broad and/or narrow searches are enabled with the retrieval of information and/or relevant documents. The integrated data and associated analyses can be presented in reports that can be made accessible through a LAN, a WAN, a desktop, and/or a web interface.
US09292615B2

A method and a system for managing a website are disclosed, the website being arranged on a server. According to the method, a website administrator initially performs changes to content of the website. Then the traffic to the website is analysed, including obtaining information regarding value generated for the website owner by the traffic, and the impact on the value generated for the website owner by the traffic, due to the performed changes, is evaluated. In the case that the evaluating step reveals that the performed changes decrease the value generated for the website owner by the traffic, a warning is generated for the website administrator. Thereby the website administrator is alerted if the changed content causes the value generated for the website owner by the visitors visiting the website to decrease, thereby allowing the website administrator to reverse the changes and/or perform further changes to the content in order to once again increase the generated value.
US09292600B2

Message management and classification techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a message received from a sender for delivery via a user account is examined to extract one or more features of the message. A determination is then made as to whether the message corresponds to one or more categories based on the extracted features, the categories usable to enable features to be applied to the message in a user interface.
US09292592B2

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for object-based modeling using a composite model object having independently updatable component objects. A modeling client can host modeling logic and an application programming interface (API) to create, access, manipulate, and import/export modeling objects used in modeling applications, such as engineering, medical, financial, and other modeling platforms. In aspects, the source data accepted into the modeling client can include consumer or business-level applications, whose spreadsheet, database or other content can be extracted and encapsulated in extensible markup language (XML) or other object-oriented format. Various model objects can be extracted from source data, and aggregated into a composite model object encapsulating the underlying set of component model objects. In aspects, each of the component model objects can be accessed, updated, and stored independently of the other constituent objects. The modeling client can exchange composite or other modeling objects with external platforms on a programmatic basis.
US09292589B2

Disclosed are methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable storage media for identifying a topic for a text. In some implementations, one or more servers maintain a plurality of data entries in one or more database tables storing text data, each data entry of a first portion of the data entries including: a text sequence, a topic, and a text-to-topic association score indicating a number of times that the text sequence appears in a processed text associated with the topic, each data entry of a second portion of the data entries including a total word score indicating a number of times that a respective text sequence appears in one or more processed texts. The one or more servers may receive an incoming text and identify a topic for the incoming text by processing the text sequences of the incoming text in relation to the data entries in the database tables.
US09292586B2

The subject disclosure relates to a method and system for synchronizing a repository with a declarative definition. The method and system includes receiving the declarative definition in which the declarative definition represents a constraint-based execution model. A script is also created that translates the declarative definition into machine code. At least one function is then performed on the repository in which the script provides instructions for the at least one function.
US09292582B2

Rendering a database record having a plurality of fields in a fixed display space includes: with a physical processor configured to access and display the database record, allocating to each field in the database record a maximum display length having an initial value equal to a string length of the fixed display space divided by the number of fields in the database record; and displaying in the fixed display space a portion of each field in the database record such that the displayed portion of any field is no longer than the maximum display length allocated to that particular field.
US09292581B2

A system and method for the matching addresses is provided. Addresses may be received from a search engine or other source for purposes of matching. Address parts in the addresses may be contextually identified. Identified address parts, including their associated data, that have address part types that are alike may be compared to one another and a contextual matching score may be calculated and assigned. A free format token analysis of the addresses may also be performed in parallel with, before, or after, the contextual identification, and a free format matching score may be calculated. An address likeness score may be calculated and assigned based on the contextual matching score and the free format matching score.
US09292577B2

A computer implemented method, system, and/or computer program product performs an appropriate type of data analysis for a user. A preliminary request for a data analysis is received from a user having a user profile. The preliminary request fails to identify an appropriate data source for the data analysis, and fails to identify an appropriate type of data analysis. Thus, a customized request, that identifies the appropriate data source for analysis, is created from the preliminary request based on the user's profile. The customized request is mapped, based on the user's profile, to a specific data constrained analytic algorithm that performs the appropriate type of data analysis. This specific data constrained analytic algorithm performs the appropriate type of data analysis on the appropriate data source in order to generate an analytic result, which is transmitted to the user.
US09292567B2

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with bulk matching with update functionality are described. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first new record for matching with other records. The method includes querying a database that stores respective single best records (SBR) for respective sets of matching records to return SBR information. The first new record is matched to the other records by comparing the first new record to the SBR information to identify an SBR that matches the first new record. The first new record is associated with the identified SBR in the database.
US09292564B2

Techniques are provided for maintaining data persistently in one format, but making that data available to a database server in more than one format. For example, one of the formats in which the data is made available for query processing is based on the on-disk format, while another of the formats in which the data is made available for query processing is independent of the on-disk format. Data that is in the format that is independent of the disk format may be maintained exclusively in volatile memory to reduce the overhead associated with keeping the data in sync with the on-disk format copies of the data.
US09292561B2

A portion of a transaction is received at a distributed transaction system from an initiator region. The distributed transaction system operates under a multi-tier two-phase commit protocol. A local unit of work is established that represents the portion of the transaction received from the initiator region. Processing of the local unit of work is invoked with at least one transaction participant. An indication is received from the initiator region to assume a role of transaction coordinator for the transaction. The initiator region is instructed to commit last relative to the at least one transaction participant of the local unit of work.
US09292557B2

A host controller maintains a hierarchy of labels representing distinct virtual machine parameters, allows a user to specify labels for virtual machines hosted by one or more servers coupled to the host controller, and stores the specified labels in association with respective virtual machines in a database that reflects relationships between the labels according to the hierarchy. The host controller then facilitates management of the virtual machines using the labels.
US09292556B2

A method and a device are provided for outputting data records on the basis of input data records entered by a user, a set of data records present in a database being structured via a tree structure, and search criteria and filter information items being assigned to nodes in the tree structure which are not terminal nodes.
US09292555B2

An information processing device of the present invention includes: an index generating means for generating index data distributedly stored into a plurality of servers, each index data being generated for each data point information including metadata representing a characteristic of data to be searched, and each index data being associated with reference point information that are other data point information such that distances to the each data point information based on a preset reference are within a preset range; and a communication cost storing means for storing, for each of the servers storing the index data, communication cost information representing a preset cost that costs in communication with the server. The index generating means selects the reference point information to be associated with specific one of the data point information, based on the communication cost information of the server storing the index data corresponding to the reference point information.
US09292543B2

This invention involves tracking and backing all the information that a user generates on its computer devices (including embedded devices) in real time. The local user server records all user actions and gestures (via various means that include TV cameras). All of this information (user actions and saved files in a computer) is then sent to a remote server via the Internet. This remote server has a virtual map of all the embedded devices on a computer that the person uses. The remote server immediately starts to interpret the user's actions (including user gestures). In one implementation, the invention stores user actions that are related to data generation (e.g. actions that called some links where data is stored, or executed some programs that generated data). In another variant the remote server generates and downloads the same files that are downloaded on the local user computer devices. For example, if a person begins to download a program, the server may also download the same program on a remote backup server. This way, if the user loses this program, it can be retrieved automatically through a provided server on the Internet. If user's files are backed up by regular backup periodically, relevant data that were stored by real time backup servers can be eliminated.
US09292542B2

An information processing apparatus includes a display controller that displays, on a display, an image showing a designated area designated by a user in an image being processed and an image showing an area registered in a database; an updating unit that, in response to an updating operation performed by the user for updating the designated area, specifies a candidate area for the designated area and updates the specified candidate area as the designated area; and a registering unit that registers the designated area in the database in response to a registering operation performed by the user for registering the designated area. In response to the updating operation, when at least part of the candidate area covers a predetermined area or an area larger than that of an area registered in the database, the updating unit does not update the candidate area as the designated area.
US09292539B2

Described are embodiments for allowing clients that access a distributed file system to locally cache directory metadata. The client may request a read lease which allows the client to cache the directory metadata locally and service requests received from the same application which originally requested the directory metadata using the cache. In addition, the client may also request a handle lease which allows a client to delay the closing of a directory handle and allow the handle to be reused to service subsequent directory metadata requests from the same or a different application. A client may also request a write lease which allows an application on the client to modify the directory metadata, such as by creating or deleting new files in the directory, or changing their attributes, and cache those changes.
US09292533B2

Systems and methods for improving storage efficiency in an information handling system are provided. In some embodiments, an information handling system including an increased storage efficiency is provided. The information handling system may include a processor associated with a first storage resource and a plurality of second storage resources, where the first storage resource is more reliable than the plurality of second storage resources. The processor may be configured to determine a weight of a file portion, determine a number of copies of the file portion to be stored based at least on the determined weight, and store a copy of the file portion on the first storage resource if the determined number of copies of the file portion is greater than a predetermined storage threshold.
US09292523B1

Methods, a system, and a program product for use in managing data storage is disclosed. In an embodiment, a method, system, and program product comprises receiving content via an object based storage interface to a data storage system; generating a database insert operation for an object derived from the content, the object having a generated object identifier; and using the database entry operation, storing data associated with the object in a shared-nothing database located within the data storage system, wherein the shared-nothing database is enabled to perform parallel processing across multiple independent nodes.In another embodiment, a method comprises receiving a delete command for an object via an object based interface to a data storage system; generating a database delete operation for the object based on the delete command; and using the database delete operation, deleting data associated with the object in a shared-nothing database located within the data storage system, wherein the shared-nothing database is enabled to perform parallel processing across multiple independent nodes.In yet another embodiment, a method comprises receiving a search command via an object based interface to a data storage system; generating a database query based on the search command; and using the database query, querying a shared-nothing database located within the data storage system, wherein the shared-nothing database is enabled to perform parallel processing across multiple independent nodes.
US09292511B2

An information processing method and an electronic device are disclosed in the invention. If it is determined that a multimedia file is called by an application and the application is a preset application, a parameter value is assigned to the called multimedia file; and if it is determined that the called multimedia file is called by the application which is used to browse the multimedia file, a mark corresponding to the parameter value of the multimedia file is displayed. Thereby, it is possible to known whether the multimedia file is called by observing whether there is a mark corresponding to the parameter value of the multimedia file being displayed, so as to solve the problem in the prior art that after multimedia files are called by an application, it is not possible to determine which multimedia files are called by the application when the multimedia files are browsed.
US09292510B2

The present disclosure provides various systems and methods for indexing digital (electronic) documents. The systems and methods may utilize various software, hardware, and firmware modules to identify notations, such as sheet names, anchors, and anchor references on construction documents. The identified notations are indexed and used to create hyperlinked pages that are easily navigable. In some embodiments, the hyperlinked pages may include previous- and next-sheet hyperlinks that allow for direct navigation within a set of pages, according to an order provided in an index.
US09292508B2

A search device comprises a memory device for storing document data containing search target character strings to which delimiting characters are appended at both ends; an acquirer for acquiring keywords; a generator for generating a search character string by appending delimiting characters to both ends of the keywords; a designator for designating appearance positions where those extracted partial strings from the search character string appear in the search target character string of the document data; a determiner for determining the frequency with which partial strings common to the partial strings of the search character string appear with a positional relationship similar to the search character string in the search target character string; an evaluator for evaluating the degree of similarity between the search target character string and the search character string; and an output device for outputting the search target character string.
US09292505B1

Some embodiments provide a method for generating a graphical user interface (GUI) for a research system that identifies documents relevant to several categories. The method receives a user objective and at least one initial category for a recurring search that identifies documents relevant to several categories for presentation to a user. The method provides for display in the GUI several selectable additional categories related to the received initial category for the user objective. The method receives a selection of a set of categories through the GUI. The method provides for display in the GUI an optimized modifiable set of filters for removing specific types of documents that are relevant to the set of categories from the recurring search. The method generates the recurring search for the user based on the received categories and a modified set of filters.
US09292502B2

A method and system for providing a web platform configured to assist in a development of a web application. The method includes developing a core layer of a web development software stack including first bundles organized into a first bundle group by an underlying web framework, developing a ket layer of the web development software stack including second bundles organized into the first bundle group by the underlying web framework, developing an application layer of the web development software stack including third bundles organized into a second bundle group by the underlying web framework, and allowing modification of code for each of the core layer, ket layer and application layer exclusively by web developers having a respective classification of a plurality of different classifications. The system includes various hardware components configured to perform the method for providing the web platform.
US09292495B2

A method, system, and computer program product for contextual updating of existing documents using natural language processing (NLP) are provided in the illustrative embodiments. Information is received about a subject-matter domain. A portion of the existing document is identified, where the portion corresponds to the subject-matter domain. A search query is formed based on the portion, wherein the search query returns a result set, the result set including current information corresponding to the subject-matter domain, the current information being recent as compared to an age of the portion. A natural language (NL) update content is formed by processing the current information through an NLP application. The existing document is updated using the NL update content.
US09292491B2

An apparatus for providing a control input signal for an industrial process or technical system having one or more controllable elements includes elements for generating a semantic space for a text corpus, and elements for generating a norm from one or more reference words or texts, the or each reference word or text being associated with a defined respective value on a scale, and the norm being calculated as a reference point or set of reference points in the semantic space for the or each reference word or text with its associated respective scale value. Elements for reading at least one target word included in the text corpus, elements for predicting a value of a variable associated with the target word based on the semantic space and the norm, and elements for providing the predicted value in a control input signal to the industrial process or technical system. A method for predicting a value of a variable associated with a target word is also disclosed together with an associated system and computer readable medium.
US09292490B2

Using exemplary sentences, usage patterns and thematic roles ascribed in VerbNet to generate “deep pattern trees” for the exemplary sentences. Then, when an arbitrary natural language subject sentence is input, these deep pattern trees can be matched to the natural language subject sentence in order to assign thematic roles to at least some of the “grammatical portions” of the natural language subject sentence.
US09292482B1

A method is implemented on a server, the method includes storing, on a database of the server, a causal tree structure corresponding to a document, where the causal tree structure includes a sequence of editing instructions and each editing instruction is assigned an identifier unique to such editing instruction. The method further includes receiving, at the server, a user editing instruction for the document, where the user editing instruction is assigned an identifier unique to the user editing instruction. The method includes storing, using a processor of the server, the user editing instruction and the identifier assigned to the user editing instruction as an additional node to the causal tree structure. The method further includes broadcasting, to a plurality of client devices connected to the server, the user editing instruction and the identifier assigned to the user editing instruction.
US09292477B1

A method for validating a data value, the method including receiving a data value entered into an input field of a software application, obtaining a validation rule corresponding to the input field from a validation rule book, executing the validation rule to determine a validation result, and returning the validation result to the software application.
US09292476B2

Fourier transform computation for distributed processing environments is disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to compute a Fourier transform of an input data sequence include performing first processing on the input data sequence using a plurality of processors, the first processing resulting in an output data sequence having more data elements than the input data sequence Such example methods also include performing second processing on the output data sequence using the plurality of processors, the output data sequence being permutated among the plurality of processors, each of the processors performing the second processing on a respective permutated portion of the output data sequence to determine a respective, ordered segment of the Fourier transform of the input data sequence.
US09292475B1

A method and apparatus for processing information includes receiving electronic information at a second device from a first device, where the received electronic information is sampled periodically, resulting in a plurality of numerical data value samples. The data value samples are analyzed within the receiver to determine slope transitions within the data which are interpreted as high and low transitions representative of bit transitions ordinarily seen in the transmission of digital data. The bit transitions are then converted into a receiving device appropriate usable and readable form, such as bytes (8 bits each) or groups of bytes, as needed. Data bytes may be commands, information, or other indicators useful to the receiving device.
US09292474B1

Hybrid adder circuitry is provided for integrated circuits such as programmable integrated circuits. The hybrid adder may combine the capabilities of multiple adder architectures. Hybrid adders may include carry select and carry ripple adder circuits. The adder circuits may be combined using a carry look-ahead architecture. Adder functionality may be implemented using the resources of logic regions on the programmable integrated circuits. Each logic region may include combinatorial logic such as look-up table logic and register circuitry. The hybrid adder circuitry may receive input words to be added from the combinatorial circuitry and may produce corresponding arithmetic sum output signals to the register circuitry.
US09292464B2

Embodiments of a multiprocessor system are disclosed that may include a plurality of processors interspersed with a plurality of data memory routers, a plurality of bus interface units, a bus control circuit, and a processor interface circuit. The data memory routers may be coupled together to form a primary interconnection network. The bus interface units and the bus control circuit may be coupled together in a daisy-chain fashion to form a secondary interconnection network. Each of the bus interface units may be configured to read or write data or instructions to a respective one of the plurality of data memory routers and a respective processor. The bus control circuit coupled with the processor interface circuit may be configured to function as a bidirectional bridge between the primary and secondary networks. The bus control circuit may also couple to other interface circuits and arbitrate their access to the secondary network.
US09292455B1

A peripheral device connected to a local electronic device which is connected to at least one communication network can communicate with a peripheral device attached to a remote electronic device as if the remote peripheral device was locally attached. Data designated for the remote peripheral device is received by a local virtual device object and transmitted to the remote electronic device via at least one of the electronic devices communication interfaces or peripheral devices. Data received by the remote electronic device's communication interface or peripheral device is written to the peripheral device at the remote electronic device by a virtual device object. For compensation of different transfer speeds or outages between the peripheral device and the communication interface or another peripheral device the virtual device provides the ability to utilize the virtual devices emulation driver that is attached to the virtual device object as an I/O buffer.
US09292450B2

Methods and migration units for use in out-of-order processors for migrating data to register file caches associated with functional units of the processor to satisfy register read operations. The migration unit receives register read operations to be executed for a particular functional unit. The migration unit reviews entries in a register renaming table to determine if the particular functional unit has recently accessed the source register and thus is likely to comprise an entry for the source register in its register file cache. In particular, the register renaming table comprises entries for physical registers that indicate what functional units have accessed the physical register. If the particular functional unit has not accessed the particular physical register the migration unit migrates data to the register file cache associated with the particular functional unit.
US09292446B2

A profiler may identify potentially-independent remote data accesses in a program. A remote data access is independent if value returned from said remote data access is not computed from another value returned from another remote data access appearing logically earlier in the program. A program rewriter may generate a program-specific prefetcher that preserves the behavior of the program, based on profiling information including the potentially-independent remote data accesses identified by the profiler. An execution engine may execute the prefetcher and the program concurrently. The execution engine may automatically decide which of said potentially-independent remote data accesses should be executed in parallel speculatively. A shared memory shared by the program and the prefetcher stores returned data from a data source as a result of issuing the remote data accesses.
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