US09293946B2
Electrical power systems and methods using bidirectional power converters to provide, among other functions, uninterruptible power supplies for loads such as cell towers. The power-packet-switching power converter can be connected, for example, to a photovoltaic array, batteries, and a critical load such as a cell tower. An AC generator can also be connected in order to power the cell tower and/or to charge the batteries as needed. Green energy utilization is maximized, power conversion efficiency is increased, and system costs are decreased, by having only a single power conversion stage for all conversions.
US09293945B2
System and method for converting electric power, and apparatus and method for controlling the system
Disclosed is technology regarding a system and a method for power conversion, particularly technology for converting power, which is supplied from a plurality of power supply sources, using a plurality of power conversion modules. A plurality of power conversion modules, which can process all of various types of supplied power, are used to convert power according to the type of supplied power. An intermediate connection unit, which can selectively connect the power supply sources and the power conversion modules, is used so that, when one of the power conversion modules has a problem, another power conversion module is used instead to guarantee stable power supply. This construction makes the power processing path flexible and enhances system stability because, even if one of the power conversion modules malfunctions, power conversion can continue through another path.
US09293944B2
Disclosed are various embodiments for a power stage that can drive various types of loads. The power stage includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor that are coupled to the load. The power stage also includes switches that are operable in a first power stage state and a second power stage state. When the switches are in the first power stage state, the first capacitor discharges to the load, and the second capacitor charges. When the switches are in the second power stage state, the second capacitor discharges to the load, and the first capacitor charges.
US09293932B2
In a vehicle, a lamp for illuminating a charging connector is provided in a charging port, and lighting and extinction of the lamp are controlled by a light emission controller. The light emission controller causes the lamp to emit light when an outer door is opened. Further, the lamp is extinguished after detecting that the outer door has been closed, the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed, an ignition switch has been switched ON, a door locking operation has been performed, or charging has begun.
US09293930B2
A protective monitoring circuit includes a protective circuit to detect at least one of overcharging, overdischarging, and overcurrent of a chargeable secondary battery to control whether to turn on or off a control transistor to protect the secondary battery, and a secondary-battery monitoring circuit, having a reduced size and having a breakdown voltage lower than a battery voltage of the secondary battery, to detect a status of the secondary battery, wherein the protective circuit generates a voltage that is commensurate with an output voltage of the secondary battery and that is within a predetermined tolerance voltage range of the secondary-battery monitoring circuit, and the secondary-battery monitoring circuit generates a detection value responsive to the generated voltage supplied from the protective circuit, the detection value being indicative of the output voltage of the secondary battery.
US09293927B2
An inductively coupled power and data transmission system include a main power source, apparel having an electrical conductor in electrical communication with the main power source, the apparel having a first inductively couplable power and data transmission sub-system to regulate power to the primary coil or coils and transmission of power and data by the primary coil or coils and reception of data by the primary coil or coils, and an independent device having a second inductively couplable power and data transmission sub-system so as to regulate reception of power and data by the secondary coil or coils and transmission of data from a secondary processor by the secondary coil or coils. The first and second primary coils transfer said power and data during inductive coupling, at electromagnetic radiation frequencies, between the first primary coil or coils and the secondary coil or coils.
US09293924B2
The electrical phase synchronization technology includes a system, a method, and/or components thereof. In some examples, the electrical phase synchronization system includes an electrical power transmission network having a plurality of transmission lines and a plurality of electrical power generation devices. Each electrical power generation device includes an electrical power source and a control unit.
US09293921B2
A method of controlling a plurality of power converters 1a, 1b and 1c can be used to interface to a supply network, ac busbar etc. Each power converter includes a network bridge 14 operating in accordance with a pulse width modulation (PWM) strategy having the same switching period and which causes at least one unwanted harmonic in the supply network voltage. The method includes the step of providing the switching period of the PWM strategy of each network bridge with a different time offset relative to a time datum such that the at least one unwanted harmonic in the supply network voltage is at least partially cancelled. Two alternative ways of providing the time offset are described.
US09293919B2
An electronic device for inductive load switching is described. The electronic device includes a voltage sensor module that monitors a voltage waveform. The electronic device also includes a current sensor module that monitors a current waveform. The electronic device additionally includes a computing module coupled to the voltage sensor module and to the current sensor module that determines a power factor based on the voltage waveform and the current waveform. The electronic device further includes a controller module coupled to the computing module that switches off an inductive load based on the power factor. The electronic device has dimensions for fitting within a wall box.
US09293916B2
Method, modules and a system formed by connecting the modules for controlling payloads. An activation signal is propagated in the system from one module to the modules connected to it. Upon receiving an activation signal, the module (after a pre-set or random delay) activates a payload associated with it, and transmits the activation signal (after another pre-set or random delay) to one or more modules connected to it. The system is initiated by a master module including a user activated switch producing the activation signal. The activation signal can be propagated in the system in one direction from the master to the last module, or carried bi-directionally allowing two way propagation, using a module which revert the direction of the activation signal propagation direction. A module may be individually powered by an internal power source such as a battery, or connected to an external power source such as AC power.
US09293915B2
A controller installed at each consumer side comprises: a power generation amount acquisition unit acquiring the amount of electricity that has been generated in a solar cell; a power selling amount acquisition unit acquiring the amount of electricity for sale that has been allowed to flow into an electric power system by reverse power flow, among the electricity generated in the solar cell; and a power selling suppression control unit configured to set a threshold value for the amount of the electricity for sale, as proportional to the amount of the generated electricity acquired by the power generation amount acquisition unit, and configured to suppress the reverse power flow into the electric power system so that the amount of the electricity for sale is set to the threshold value or less.
US09293909B2
A power electronics module for enhancing short circuit failure mode (SCFM) transitions. The module is adapted to disconnect a gate unit from the module using a first switch, upon a failure of at least one of a plurality of semiconductor chips during which the failed chip enters an SCFM, and connect a passive circuit arrangement, including at least one capacitor and at least one resistor, to the module using a second switch. The passive circuit arrangement is adapted to switch on at least one of the remaining non-failed semiconductor chips.
US09293907B2
A load circuit protective device calculates increasing temperature of wire of a load circuit with a first predetermined sampling period (dt1) determined by a clock signal for normal operation when a semiconductor relay (Q1) is on to estimate the temperature of the wire. The temperature of the wire is therefore estimated with high accuracy. Moreover, when the semiconductor relay (Q1) is off, the load circuit protective device calculates decreasing temperature of the wire of the load circuit with a second predetermined sampling period (dt2) to estimate the temperature of the wire. The second predetermined sampling period (dt2) is determined by a clock signal for power-saving operation and is longer than the first predetermined sampling period (dt1). Accordingly, the calculation times of the temperature can be reduced, and the power consumption is therefore reduced.
US09293905B1
A cable tray apparatus is provided for a people mover system such as a Sky Train or the like. The cable tray apparatus is made up of a plurality of identical cable trays which are secured together in an end-to-end relationship. The cable trays are selectively laterally horizontally adjustable with respect to one another and are selectively vertically adjustable with respect to one another to correspond to curves in the roadway of the system and to correspond to elevational changes in the roadway of the system. Each of the cable trays includes a cover having an upstanding tactile warning device at the side edges thereof. A light is also associated with each of the tactile warning devices.
US09293902B2
An electrical junction box has a main body with a circuit board, and a cover arranged to accommodate the main body. One of the main body and the cover has a guide rib, and the other has a guide groove. The circuit board is arranged inside a side wall of the main body, and the guide rib or the guide groove is formed on an outer surface of the side wall. At least one of the side wall of the main body and the cover has a water capturing groove located between the guide rib or the guide groove and the circuit board relative to a first direction along a periphery of the main body such that the water capturing groove captures water that has entered the cover via a gap between the guide rib and the guide groove before the water reaches the circuit board.
US09293899B2
The present invention is directed toward a transition splice that joins a cable tray and cable basket to form a cable routing system. The cable tray and cable basket each include a plurality of longitudinal wires and a plurality of transverse wires. An end transverse wire of the cable basket is positioned adjacent to an end transverse wire of the cable tray. A plurality of the longitudinal wires of the cable tray and the cable basket are aligned to form a pathway. The transition splice is secured to an end of the cable tray and to an end of the cable basket to maintain the pathway for routing cables thereon.
US09293891B2
A device is provided for managing heat in an optical element, including: the optical element; a material at a reference temperature; and an intermediate gas layer located directly between the reference-temperature material and the optical element, the intermediate gas layer being located on at least a portion of the thickness thereof in a temporary diffusion state defined by a thickness of the intermediate gas layer, such that the ratio of the mean free path of the gas molecules in the intermediate gas layer over said thickness is between 0.1 and 10. The thickness of the intermediate gas layer is between 10 μm and 5 mm. A corresponding heat-management method is implemented in the device for managing the temperature of an optical element.
US09293889B1
A third-order Stokes signal at the desired output wavelength of 1240 nm and a zeroth-order Stokes pump wavelength at 1066 nm are seeded into a Raman amplifier comprised of two nested resonators tuned to the first-order Stokes line at 1118 nm and second-order Stokes line at 1176 nm, respectively. The pump wavelength is first amplified and then sequentially converted into the first and second-order Stokes wavelengths as the light traverses the nested resonators. The desired third-order Stokes output wavelength is then amplified by the second-order Stokes wavelength as it propagates through the outermost resonator. Each Raman resonator includes a photosensitive Raman fiber located between a pair of Bragg gratings. The linewidths of the various Stokes orders can be controlled through adjusting the resonant bandwidths of the Raman resonators by offsetting, through heating, the reflectivity bandwidths of each pair of Bragg gratings respectively located in the Raman resonators.
US09293883B2
An electrode (2) of metallic material comprising an axis of revolution (6) and a bottom face (2a) of outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of a top face (2b), characterized in that it comprises a fin (10) of revolution about said axis of revolution (6), on the bottom part of the lateral face (2c), said fin (10) having a radial length L and a thickness h such that the ratio L/h is below a threshold, L and h observing the following relationship: L . L 3 h ≥ 2 EX 5 σ 3 in which: E represents the Young's modulus of the metallic material; X represents the minimum deflection tolerated by the fin; and σ represents the thermal stress acting on the fin.
US09293881B2
Devices and methods of use for brush holder assemblies are disclosed. Brush holder assemblies including a mounting block and a brush holder are disclosed. Also illustrated is a brush holder assembly including a first portion in sliding engagement with a second portion. In some embodiments the brush holder includes a channel, such that at least a portion of the mounting block is disposed within the channel of the brush holder.
US09293870B1
An electronic control module which has a housing, a cavity formed as part of the housing, and a connector. The control module also includes a plurality of pins, and a portion of the housing is integrally formed around the pins such that a first end of each of the pins are part of the connector, and a second end of each of the pins is located in the cavity. The control module also has a cover with a large portion and a small portion. A sealant is disposed between part of the cover and the housing to provide a seal between the cover and the housing. The small portion of the cover is bendable relative to the large portion to allow an inspection of the pins after the pins are press-fitted into the circuit board as the cover is connected to the housing.
US09293865B2
A multiple connector socket is able to interface to a low bandwidth connector and a high bandwidth connector. The low bandwidth connector facilitates a low bandwidth interface, such as USB 2.0, using a miniaturized connector having low bandwidth blade contacts, such as a micro USB 2.0 connector. The high bandwidth connector interposes high bandwidth blade contacts between the low bandwidth blade contacts for facilitating a high bandwidth interface, such as components of a DisplayPort interface. The high bandwidth blade contacts incorporate apertures to reduce electromagnetic coupling with the low bandwidth blade contacts. In one implementation, apertures are not required on the low bandwidth blade contacts.
US09293854B2
Provided is a memory card. The memory card includes interconnection terminals for electric connection with an external electronic machine. The interconnection terminals may be spaced from the front side of the memory card by a distance greater than the lengths of the interconnection terminals. Alternatively, the memory card may include other interconnection terminals between its front side and the former interconnection terminals. The former and latter interconnection terminals may be used for electric connection with different kinds of electronic machines.
US09293852B2
An electrical terminal assembly includes a base and a spring member. The base defines an axis and includes a plurality of base beams deflectable toward the axis. The spring member has a main portion that is disposed over the base, and a plurality of spring beams that extend from the main portion. The spring beams bias the base beams toward the axis. The main portion of the spring member is made from a folded blank having a first edge that is permanently secured to a second edge such that the edges cannot be pulled apart from one another.
US09293851B2
An electronic connector includes a housing and a plug extending from the housing. The plug includes at least one flexible region that provides flexing of the plug. In some example embodiments, the plug also includes at least one rigid region. The plug has at least one interconnect. Each interconnect includes a lead and a contact. The contacts are exposed on an exterior surface of the plug, such exposure being provided so as to enable electrical coupling between the plug and an electronic receptacle into which the plug may be removably inserted.
US09293836B2
According to one embodiment, an antenna apparatus includes a concave curved reflector, a radiator arranged in a focal position of the reflector to perform at least one of transmission of two linearly polarized waves toward a concave surface of the reflector and reception of the waves from the concave surface, the two linearly polarized waves being crossed orthogonally to each other, and a structural unit configured to support the radiator at the focal position. The unit includes a main body protruding from a rear surface of the reflector into a radiation space defined by the concave surface at a position on the concave surface, the position being apart from two linear polarization planes defined by the two linearly polarized waves.
US09293834B2
A metamaterial structure including at least one basic unit including a mounting made of a dielectric material. The mounting has an upper surface and a lower surface. Each basic unit includes an electrically conductive unit arranged on the upper surface of the mounting and including: a first C-shaped conductive element including first and second ends; a second C-shaped conductive element including third and fourth ends, the first and second conductive elements being arranged relative to one another such that the first and third ends are opposite one another and separated by a first space, and the second and fourth ends are opposite one another and separated by a second space; and a connector configured so as to connect the first end to the fourth end.
US09293824B2
Examples disclose a printed circuit board including an antenna and a matching circuit to match an impedance of the antenna. Further, the examples of the printed circuit board provide the printed circuit board is interchangeable among various types of platforms by adjusting the impedance value of the matching circuit without replacing an electrical component of the matching circuit.
US09293819B2
An antenna apparatus includes: a first member ground-connected to a ground of a printed circuit board (PCB); a second member spaced from the first member in parallel, and configured to capacitive coupling-feed the first member so as to transmit and receive signals of a first frequency band; and a third member extending from the second member by a prescribed length, so as to have a bandwidth extending up to a second frequency band adjacent to the first frequency band.
US09293816B2
An electronic device may be provided with antenna structures. The antenna structures may include a plate antenna. The electronic device may have a conductive housing such as a metal housing with an opening. A dielectric antenna window may be formed within the opening. A dielectric support structure such as a flexible printed circuit may overlap the opening. A conductive trace on the dielectric support structure may form an antenna resonating element plate for the plate antenna. The plate may have a periphery that is separated from adjacent portions of the metal housing by a gap. The antenna resonating element plate may have a rectangular shape with a bend that lies along an edge of the conductive housing. The dielectric antenna window may have a bend that also lies along the edge of the conductive housing.
US09293814B2
A hearing aid includes a housing, and a hearing aid assembly accommodated in a housing, the hearing aid assembly having a first antenna element configured for emission of an electromagnetic field, and a second antenna element comprising a first section and a parasitic antenna element, wherein the first antenna element, the first section, and the parasitic antenna element are configured so that a total electromagnetic field emitted from the hearing aid assembly is substantially the same irrespective of whether the housing is worn in its operational position on a right hand side or a left hand side of a user.
US09293812B2
A radar antenna assembly includes a microstrip patch, a hybrid coupler, a phase shifter, and a power divider. The microstrip patch is configured to emit a radar signal. The radar signal is characterized by a transmitted polarization of the radar signal. The transmitted polarization is influenced by a first transmit signal received at a first port of the microstrip patch and a second transmit signal received at a second port of the microstrip patch. The hybrid coupler is configured to orthogonally combine a first input signal and a second input signal to output the first transmit signal and the second transmit signal. The phase shifter is operable to vary the phase of the second input signal relative to the first input signal. The power divider is configured to divide unequally a source signal so the amplitudes of the first input signal and the second input signal are substantially equal.
US09293808B1
A case is provided for a portable Radio Frequency (RF) communications device having an RF antenna. The case includes a base and a plurality of walls, extending from the base. The base and the plurality of walls have requisite dimensions to receive a portable Radio (RF) having an outer surface with a first portion and a second portion. First dielectric characteristics adjacent to the first portion having a relatively low effect on a frequency characteristic of an RF antenna arrangement and second dielectric characteristics adjacent to the second portion having a relatively high effect on the frequency characteristic of the RF antenna arrangement. When the communications device is disposed in the case, the case is adapted to cover part of the first portion of the communications device so as to cause a dielectric parameter adjacent a part of the first portion of the communications device to be relatively high, and a dielectric parameter adjacent the second portion to be relatively low. A method for fitting the case on the RF communications device and method for manufacturing the device is also provided.
US09293791B2
Provide is a zinc secondary battery capable of preventing a short circuit between the positive and negative electrodes caused by zinc dendrites. The zinc secondary battery of the present invention comprises a positive electrode; a negative electrode containing zinc; an electrolytic solution in which the positive electrode and the negative electrode are immersed or with which the positive electrode and the negative electrode are in contact, wherein the electrolytic solution is an aqueous solution containing an alkali metal hydroxide; and a separator being placed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode and separating the positive electrode and the negative electrode from each other, wherein the separator comprises an inorganic solid electrolyte body having hydroxide ion conductivity.
US09293786B1
Solid, or highly viscous, organic electrolytes consisting of alkylimidazolium cation with alkyl, PEGylated and fluorinated side chains of different molecular weights were synthesized and characterized (cf. chemical structures in Schemes 1 and 2). The PEGylated/fluorinated imidazolium iodide is a solid organic electrolyte that has a conductivity of about 2×10−5 S/cm at 30° C. The ionic conductivity could be significantly increased (1.11×10−4 S/cm at 30° C. and S/cm at 2.88×10−3 at 90° C.) by blending the PEGylated/fluorinated imidazolium iodide with another solid electrolyte, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide (EtMImI). The PEGylated imidazolium iodides synthesized in the present work have conductivities in the range 1.6×10−4 S/cm to 2×10−4 S/cm at 30° C. and viscosities in the range 620 cP to 720 cP at 30° C. The iodide counter ion in the present electrolytes supplies the anion for the I−/I3− redox mediators for DSSCs. Therefore, the organic electrolytes of the present invention can be used even without the addition of inorganic salts such as LiI or KI. We found that the addition of an organic solid electrolyte, EtMImI, resulted in an increase in the ionic conductivity of the PEGylated/fluorinated imidazolium iodides, whereas the addition of the inorganic LiI led to a decrease in ionic conductivity. All the electrolytes are thermally stable until high temperatures (250° C. to 300° C.).
US09293781B2
An automotive or other power system including a flow cell, in which the stack that provides power is readily isolated from the storage vessels holding the cathode slurry and anode slurry (alternatively called “fuel”) is described. A method of use is also provided, in which the “fuel” tanks are removable and are separately charged in a charging station, and the charged fuel, plus tanks, are placed back in the vehicle or other power system, allowing fast refueling. The technology also provides a charging system in which discharged fuel is charged. The charged fuel can be placed into storage tanks at the power source or returned to the vehicle. In some embodiments, the charged fuel in the storage tanks can be used at a later date. The charged fuel can be transported or stored for use in a different place or time.
US09293780B2
The present invention provides sulfonated poly(phenylene sulfide sulfone nitrile) and a polymer electrolyte membrane thereof. In particular, the present invention provides sulfonated poly(phenylene sulfide sulfone nitrile) having a triple bond at its both ends and a polymer electrolyte membrane with superior mechanical properties prepared by heating sulfonated poly(phenylene sulfide sulfone nitrile) and forming cross-links between ends of sulfonated poly(phenylene sulfide sulfone nitrile).
US09293779B2
A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly, a first separator, and a second separator. The second separator has a fuel gas flow field connected to a fuel gas supply passage and a fuel gas discharge passage. The fuel gas flow field includes a plurality of corrugated flow grooves and a flat flow field. The corrugated flow grooves extend in the horizontal direction, respectively, and are arranged in the direction of the gravity. The flat flow field is provided within a power generation area, at the lowermost position in the direction of the gravity, and extends in the horizontal direction.
US09293773B2
Provided herein are electrolytes for lithium-ion electrochemical cells, electrochemical cells employing the electrolytes, methods of making the electrochemical cells and methods of using the electrochemical cells over a wide temperature range. Included are electrolyte compositions comprising a lithium salt, a cyclic carbonate, a non-cyclic carbonate, and a linear ester and optionally comprising one or more additives.
US09293769B2
The invention relates to a method of preparing an electrochemical electrode which is partially or totally covered with a film that is obtained by spreading an aqueous solution comprising a water-soluble binder over the electrode and subsequently drying same. The production cost of the electrodes thus obtained is reduced and the surface porosity thereof is associated with desirable resistance values.
US09293764B2
A negative electrode active material for an electric device includes an alloy containing Si in a range from greater than or equal to 17% by mass to less than 90% by mass, Ti in a range from 10% by mass to 83% by mass exclusive, Ge in a range from 0% by mass to 73% by mass exclusive, and inevitable impurities as a residue. The negative electrode active material can be obtained with a multi DC magnetron sputtering apparatus by use of, for example, Si, Ti and Ge as targets. An electric device employing the negative electrode active material can achieve long cycle life, and ensure a high capacity and improved cycle durability.
US09293761B2
Disclosed are a positive active material layer composition for a rechargeable lithium battery including a positive active material including a lithium metal oxide and tungsten oxide (WO3) coated on the surface of the lithium metal oxide and an aqueous binder, and a rechargeable lithium battery using the same.
US09293759B2
A three-dimensional nanobattery formed by individually wiring nanostructured electrodes and combining them with an electrolyte. Short, capped nanotubes termed ‘nanobaskets’ are formed by sputtering coating onto nanoporous templates. Metallic nanowires are grown by electrochemical deposition from the nanobaskets and through the template, making electrical contact with each nanobasket electrode. The same procedure can be used to fabricate both a battery anode and a battery cathode. A thin layer of electrolyte is placed between the two nanobasket electrodes, and electrical contact is made through the nanowires.
US09293753B2
The porous membrane according to the present invention comprises non-conductive particles, a binder, and a water-soluble polymer, and is characterized in that: the three dimensions of the non-conductive particles, namely the length (L), thickness (t), and width (b), are such that the length (L) is 0.1 to 0 μm, the ratio (b/t) of the width (b) and the thickness (t) is 1.5 to 100; the binder is a copolymer containing (meth)acrylonitrile monomer units and (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer units; and the water-soluble polymer contains sulfonic acid groups, and has a weight average molecular weight of 1000 to 15000. The slurry for a porous membrane according to the present invention is characterized by being formed by dispersing the non-conductive particles, the binder, and the soluble polymer, in water. Thus, the present invention provides: a porous membrane that can be formed into a thin film, has an excellent sliding property, and generates few particles; and a slurry for porous membranes which is capable of producing porous membrane easily and quickly, and has excellent storage stability.
US09293745B2
A fused cover assembly for a battery system. The fused cover assembly includes an attachment means configured to attach the assembly to a battery formed of a plurality interconnected cells, and a plurality of fused connections configured to make electrical contact with the interconnected cells and thereby provide a sense connection to the cells of the battery that is fused. If the sense connection to the battery cells is short-circuited, a fuse device open-circuits to protect the cell from being damaged.
US09293740B2
A method of manufacturing an EL display device having a panel part that comprises a light emitting part in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed, and a thin-film transistor array device to control light emission of the light emitting part. The method includes the following steps: forming the panel part on a substrate, and then forming a sealing layer to cover the panel part. The step of forming the sealing layer is performed by forming a film configuring the sealing layer, with the mask being disposed over base substrate. Mask includes contact part in contact with the base substrate, and edge part disposed over the panel part with a gap between the edge part and the panel part.
US09293736B2
An organic light emitting element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an organic layer. The organic layer includes a first emission layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, a second emission layer between the first emission layer and the second electrode, and an electron injection layer (EIL) between the first emission layer and the second emission layer, the electron injection layer (EIL) containing fullerene (C60).
US09293732B2
An organic light emitting display device includes a first electrode, a second electrode facing the first electrode, an organic light emitting layer disposed between the first and second electrodes, a first auxiliary structure and a second auxiliary structure both of which are disposed between the first and second electrodes. The first electrode is disposed on a substrate having a first sub-pixel region, a second sub-pixel region and a third sub-pixel region. The organic light emitting layer includes a first organic light emitting layer, a second organic light emitting layer and a third organic light emitting layer. The first auxiliary structure includes a first doping pattern, a first resonance auxiliary pattern, a second doping pattern and a second resonance auxiliary pattern. The second auxiliary structure includes a third doping pattern, a third resonance auxiliary pattern, a fourth doping pattern and a fourth resonance auxiliary pattern.
US09293726B2
An object of the present invention is to provide an EL display device having high operation performance and reliability.A third passivation film 45 is disposed under the EL element 203 comprising a pixel electrode (anode) 46, an EL layer 47 and a cathode 48, and diffusion of alkali metals from the EL element 203 formed by inkjet method into TFTs is prevented. Further, the third passivation film 45 prevents penetration of moisture and oxygen from the TFTs, and suppress degradation of the EL element 203 by dispersing the heat generated by the EL element 203.
US09293725B2
An organic light-emitting device and a method of producing the same, the device including a substrate; a first electrode layer on the substrate; an emission layer on the first electrode layer; an electron transport layer on the emission layer, the electron transport layer including first electron transport layers and a second electron transport layer between the first electron transport layers and the second electron transport layer including a lanthanide metal; and a second electrode layer on the electron transport layer.
US09293722B2
A solid-state image pickup device includes: an organic photoelectric conversion layer; a passivation layer formed to cover a top of the organic photoelectric conversion layer; and an insulating film formed on the passivation layer and in a slit produced on a level difference in the passivation layer, the insulating film having a smaller refractive index than that of the passivation layer.
US09293720B2
Organic and organic/inorganic hybrid bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices with improved efficiencies are disclosed. The organic photovoltaic device comprises a photoactive polymer:fullerene C60-carbon nanotube (polymer:C60-CNT) composite as a component of the active layer. Under light irradiation, photoinduced charge separation at the polymer:C60 interface is followed by electron transfer from C60 onto CNTs for efficient electron transport towards an electrode. The organic/inorganic hybrid photovoltaic device comprises quantum dots and carbon nanotubes. Power conversion efficiency enhancement methods of polymer-CNT based photovoltaics are also provided.
US09293719B2
A semiconductor device includes: a gate electrode; an organic semiconductor film forming a channel; and a pair of source-drain electrodes formed on the organic semiconductor film, the pair of source-drain electrodes each including a connection layer, a buffer layer, and a wiring layer that are laminated in order.
US09293718B2
The present invention relates to polymers, comprising a repeating unit of the formula (I), and compounds of formula (II), wherein Y, Y15, Y16 and Y17 are independently of each other a group of formula (a) characterized in that the polymers and compounds comprise silicon-containing solubilizing side chains and their use as organic semiconductor in organic devices, especially in organic photovoltaics and photodiodes, or in a device containing a diode and/or an organic field effect transistor. The polymers and compounds according to the invention can have excellent solubility in organic solvents and excellent film-forming properties. In addition, high efficiency of energy conversion, excellent field-effect mobility, good on/off current ratios and/or excellent stability can be observed, when the polymers and compounds according to the invention are used in organic field effect transistors, organic photovoltaics and photodiodes.
US09293710B2
An organic light-emitting diode including a buffer layer including an amine-based compound.
US09293701B2
A variable resistance memory device includes a gate pattern and a dummy gate pattern provided at the same level on a substrate, a first contact pattern provided on the dummy gate pattern, and a variable resistance pattern provided between the dummy gate pattern and the first contact pattern. The gate pattern and the dummy gate pattern define conductive electrodes of functional and non-functional transistors, respectively. The first contact pattern and the dummy gate pattern define upper and lower electrodes on the variable resistance pattern, respectively. Related fabrication methods are also discussed.
US09293700B2
According to example embodiments, a nonvolatile memory cell includes a first electrode and a second electrode, a resistance change film between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a first barrier film contacting the second electrode. The resist change film contains oxygen ions and contacts the first electrode. The first barrier film is configured to reduce (and/or block) the outflow of the oxygen ions from the resistance change film.
US09293696B2
According to one embodiment, a magnetic memory includes a first magnetic unit, a first magnetic layer, a first recording/reproducing element, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The first magnetic unit extends in a first direction. The first magnetic unit includes a plurality of magnetic domains arranged in the first direction. The first magnetic unit has a columnar configuration having a hollow portion. The first magnetic layer is connected to a first end portion of the first magnetic unit, the first magnetic layer extends in a direction intersecting the first direction. The first recording/reproducing element is provided in contact with the first magnetic layer. The first electrode is electrically connected to the first magnetic layer. The second electrode is connected to a second end portion of the first magnetic unit on a side opposite to the first end portion.
US09293695B2
According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element comprises a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, a first nonmagnetic layer, a second nonmagnetic layer, and a third magnetic layer. The first magnetic layer has a variable magnetization direction. The second magnetic layer has an invariable magnetization direction and includes a nonmagnetic material film and a magnetic material film. The first nonmagnetic layer is arranged between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The second nonmagnetic layer is arranged on a surface of the second magnetic layer. The third magnetic layer is arranged on a surface of the second nonmagnetic layer. The second nonmagnetic layer is in contact with the nonmagnetic material film included in the second magnetic layer.
US09293680B2
Cartridge-based thermoelectric assemblies and systems are provided which include at least one shunt configured to extend around a conduit, a plurality of thermoelectric elements in thermal communication and in electrical communication with the at least one shunt with at least a portion of the at least one shunt sandwiched between the at least one first thermoelectric element and the at least one second thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric elements are electrically isolated from the conduit. The thermoelectric assemblies and systems further include at least one heat exchanger in thermal communication with the at least one shunt and configured to be in thermal communication with a second fluid.
US09293674B2
A semiconductor device has a light emitting element, and a resin layer; the light emitting element includes a semiconductor laminated body in which a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer are laminated in sequence, a second electrode connected to the second semiconductor layer on an upper surface of the second semiconductor layer that forms an upper surface of the semiconductor laminated body, and a first electrode connected to the first semiconductor layer on an upper surface of the first semiconductor layer in which a portion of the second semiconductor layer on one surface of the semiconductor laminated body is removed and a portion of the first semiconductor layer is exposed; and the resin layer is configured to cover at least a side surface of the light emitting element, and an upper surface of the resin layer is lower than the upper surface of the semiconductor laminated body.
US09293669B2
A light emitting device including a light emitting structure having a first conduction type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conduction type semiconductor layer, a metal filter having an irregular pattern disposed on the light emitting structure, a transparent conductive layer disposed between the light emitting structure and the metal filter, and openings disposed between the irregular patterns in the metal filter.
US09293668B2
A phosphor-converted single-color LED is provided. The phosphor-converted single-color LED includes a long-wavelength pass filter having a special construction. The phosphor-converted single-color LED has high color purity and efficiency despite the use of a phosphor in the form of a nano/micro powder.
US09293667B2
An LED pump light with multiple phosphors is described. LEDs emitting radiation at violet and/or ultraviolet wavelengths are used to pump phosphor materials that emit other colors. The LEDs operating in different wavelength ranges are arranged to reduce light re-absorption and improve light output efficiency.
US09293665B2
A fluorescent material represented by the following formula (I): M1yM2nOzCx:M3w (I); wherein M1 is selected from Sc3+, Y3+, La3+, Sm3+, Gd3+, Tb3+, Pm3+, Er3+, Lu3+, and combinations thereof; M2 is selected from Al3+, In3+, Ga3+, and combinations thereof; M3 is selected from Tm3+, Bi3+, Tb+, Ce3+, Eu3+, Mn3+, Er3+, Yb3+, Ho3+, Gd3+, Pr3+, Dy3+, Nd3+, and combinations thereof; and 0.45≦x/n≦0.75, 0.54≦y/n≦0.6, 0.002
US09293647B2
A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device is formed of an n-type nitride semiconductor layer, a trigger layer, a V-pit expanding layer, a light-emitting layer, and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer provided in this order. The light-emitting layer has a V-pit formed therein. The trigger layer is made of a nitride semiconductor material having a lattice constant different from that of a material that forms an upper surface of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer. The V-pit expanding layer is made of a nitride semiconductor material having a lattice constant substantially identical to that of the material that forms the upper surface of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer, and the V-pit expanding layer has a thickness of 5 nm or more and 5000 nm or less.
US09293642B2
A light emitting device includes a light emitting element and a wavelength converting member bonded with each other. The light emitting element has, from the wavelength converting member side, a first region and a second region. The wavelength converting member has, from the light emitting element side, a third region and a fourth region. The first region has an irregular atomic arrangement compared with the second region. The third region has an irregular atomic arrangement compared with the fourth region. The first region and the third region are directly bonded.
US09293637B2
A light-emitting element includes a light-emitting region which is made from a stacked structure configured from a first compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second compound semiconductor layer, and a light propagation region which is made from the stacked structure, extends from the light-emitting region, and has a light-emitting end surface. The light-emitting region is configured from a ridge stripe structure and ridge stripe adjacent portions positioned at both sides of the ridge stripe structure, and when a thickness of the second compound semiconductor layer in the ridge stripe adjacent portions is set to d1, a thickness of the second compound semiconductor layer in the light propagation region is set to d2, and a thickness of the second compound semiconductor layer in the ridge stripe structure is set to d3, d3>d2>d1 is satisfied.
US09293630B2
A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor substrate which includes a first connection terminal electrically connected to a wiring for signal transfer. The semiconductor package may include a semiconductor support substrate which may be bonded to the semiconductor substrate such that a second connection terminal and the first connection terminal are connected to face each other, and has a through via exposing the second connection terminal.
US09293629B2
An optoelectronic component includes a carrier on which at least one first light-emitting semiconductor chip and one first light-absorbing semiconductor chip connected antiparallel to the at least one first light-emitting semiconductor chip, at least one second light-emitting semiconductor chip and one second light-absorbing semiconductor chip connected antiparallel to the at least one second light-emitting semiconductor chip, wherein the semiconductor chips are arranged on the carrier such that light from each light-emitting semiconductor chip falls on at least one of the light-absorbing semiconductor chips not connected to the respective light-emitting semiconductor chip, and the light-absorbing semiconductor chips are formed as protection diodes.
US09293624B2
A method for forming a contact region for a solar cell is disclosed. The method includes depositing a paste composed of a first metal above a substrate of the solar cell, curing the paste to form a first metal layer, electrolessly plating a second metal layer on the first metal layer and electrolytically plating a third metal layer on the second metal layer, where the second metal layer electrically couples the first metal layer to the third metal layer. The method can further include electrolytically plating a fourth metal layer on the third metal layer.
US09293620B2
A technique which can reduce a cost of a space machine installed with a solar cell. The space machine is composed of a light collecting unit and the solar cell. The light collecting unit is arranged on a surface of the body of the space machine to collect incident sun light inside the body. The solar cell is installed inside the body to receive the sun light collected by the light collecting unit.
US09293610B2
To overcome a problem in related art and to provide an easy-adhesive having an excellent adhesive property and an excellent adhesive durability for a solar cell rear surface protection sheet, a solar cell rear surface protection sheet, and a solar cell module formed by using the solar cell rear surface protection sheet. An easy-adhesive for a solar cell rear surface protection sheet according to the present invention exhibits a specific glass transition temperature, a specific number average molecular weight, and a specific hydroxyl value. Further, the easy-adhesive for a solar cell rear surface protection sheet contains a (meth)acrylic-based copolymer (A) that contains a carbon-carbon double bond in a side chain at a specific rate, and a polyisocyanate compound (B) at a specific rate.
US09293606B2
A seal ring for semiconductor devices is provided with embedded decoupling capacitors. The seal ring peripherally surrounds an integrated circuit chip in a seal ring area. The at least one embedded decoupling capacitor may include MOS capacitors, varactors, MOM capacitors and interdigitized capacitors with multiple capacitor plates coupled together. The opposed capacitor plates are coupled to different potentials and may advantageously be coupled to Vdd and Vss.
US09293603B2
An oxide thin film transistor (TFT) includes an oxide semiconductor layer including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer; a gate insulating layer on the oxide semiconductor layer; a gate electrode on the gate insulating layer; an interlayer insulating layer on the gate electrode; and a source electrode and a drain electrode on the interlayer insulating layer and contacting the oxide semiconductor layer, wherein a first reflectance of the first semiconductor layer is greater than a second semiconductor layer.
US09293594B2
A source and drain electrode layer (3s/3d) of an oxide TFT element (3) is formed by a first conductive layer. A gate electrode (3g) of the oxide TFT element (3) and a gate electrode (5g) of an a-Si TFT element (5) are formed by a single conductive layer, that is, a second conductive layer. A source and drain electrode layer (5s/5d) of the a-Si TFT element (5) is formed by a third conductive layer. The third conductive layer is formed above the second conductive layer in a thickness direction in which each conductive layer is stacked on an insulating substrate (2). Further, the first conductive layer is formed below the second conductive layer in the thickness direction. Therefore, it is possible to provide a circuit board that can have an improved degree of integration of transistor elements formed on the insulating substrate.
US09293591B2
A vertical-mode tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) is provided with an oxide region that may be laterally positioned relative to a source region. The oxide region operates to reduce a tunneling effect in a tunnel region underlying a drain region, during an OFF-state of the TFET. The reduction in tunneling effect results in a reduction or elimination of a flow of OFF-state leakage current between the source region and the drain region. The TFET may have components made from group III-V compound materials.
US09293587B2
Approaches for isolating source and drain regions in an integrated circuit (IC) device (e.g., a fin field effect transistor (finFET)) are provided. Specifically, the FinFET device comprises a gate structure formed over a finned substrate; an isolation oxide beneath an active fin channel of the gate structure; an embedded source and a drain (S/D) formed adjacent the gate structure and the isolation oxide; and an epitaxial (epi) bottom region of the embedded S/D, the epi bottom region counter doped to a polarity of the embedded S/D. The device further includes a set of implanted regions implanted beneath the epi bottom region, wherein the set of implanted regions may be doped and the epi bottom region undoped. In one approach, the embedded S/D comprises P++ doped Silicon Germanium (SiGe) for a p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (PMOSFET) and N++ Silicon Nitride (SiN) for a n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (NMOSFET).
US09293586B2
Approaches for enabling uniform epitaxial (epi) growth in an epi junction area of a semiconductor device (e.g., a fin field effect transistor device) are provided. Specifically, a semiconductor device is provided including a dummy gate and a set of fin field effect transistors (FinFETs) formed over a substrate; a spacer layer formed over the dummy gate and each of the set of FinFETs; and an epi material formed within a set of recesses in the substrate, the set of recesses formed prior to removal of an epi block layer over the dummy gate.
US09293583B2
A method for inducing stress within the channel of a semiconductor fin structure includes forming a semiconductor fin on a substrate; forming a fin hard mask layer, multiple isolation regions, and multiple spacers, on the semiconductor fin; forming a gate structure on the semiconductor fin; and oxidizing multiple outer regions of the semiconductor fin to create oxidized stressors that induce compressive stress within the channel of the semiconductor fin. A method for inducing tensile stress within the channel of a semiconductor fin by oxidizing a central region of the semiconductor fin is also provided. Structures corresponding to the methods are also provided.
US09293580B2
An integrated circuit device and method for fabricating the integrated circuit device is disclosed. The method involves providing a substrate; forming a gate structure over the substrate; forming an epitaxial layer in a source and drain region of the substrate that is interposed by the gate structure; and after forming the epitaxial layer, forming a lightly doped source and drain (LDD) feature in the source and drain region.
US09293574B2
A semiconductor device includes: a first nitride semiconductor layer; a second nitride semiconductor layer above the first nitride semiconductor layer and having a band gap larger than that of the first nitride semiconductor layer; a p-type nitride semiconductor layer above the second nitride semiconductor layer; two third nitride semiconductor layers of n-type above the second nitride semiconductor layer and located separately on either side of the p-type nitride semiconductor layer; and a first ohmic electrode above one of the two third nitride semiconductor layers and a second ohmic electrode above the other of the two third nitride semiconductor layers; and a gate electrode above the p-type nitride semiconductor layer. The second nitride semiconductor layer includes, in a region above which neither the p-type nitride semiconductor layer nor the two third nitride semiconductor layers is located, a surface layer including p-type impurities identical to those in the p-type nitride semiconductor layer.
US09293568B2
Embodiments of the present invention may include a semiconductor patterning method involving forming a fin on a substrate, where the fin may have a sloped sidewall. The fin may be characterized by an initial height and a first width measured proximate a midpoint of the initial height. The method may include forming a masking layer above the fin, and the method may involve removing a first portion of the masking layer. The method may include decreasing the first width of the fin while maintaining the initial height.
US09293563B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device with memory cells each composed of a vertical transistor, comprises a silicon layer formed into a columnar shape on a silicon substrate, a gate insulating film part in which a tunnel insulating film, a charge storage layer, and a block insulating film are formed to surround the sidewall surface of the silicon layer, and a stacked structure part formed to surround the sidewall surface of the gate insulating film part and in which a plurality of interlayer insulating films and a plurality of control gate electrode layers are stacked alternately. The silicon layer, gate insulating film part, and control gate electrode layer constitute the vertical transistor. The charge storage layer has a region lower in trap level than a region facing the control gate electrode layer between the vertical transistors.
US09293554B2
Metal semiconductor alloy contacts are provided on each of a source region and a drain region which are present in a semiconductor substrate. A transition metal is then deposited on each of the metal semiconductor alloy contacts, and during the deposition of the transition metal, the deposited transition metal reacts preferably, but not necessarily always, in-situ with a portion of each the metal semiconductor alloy contacts forming a transition metal-metal semiconductor alloy liner atop each metal semiconductor alloy contact. Each transition metal-metal semiconductor alloy liner that is provided has outer edges that are vertically coincident with outer edges of each metal semiconductor alloy contact. The transition metal-metal semiconductor alloy liner is more etch resistant as compared to the underlying metal semiconductor alloy. As such, the transition metal-metal semiconductor alloy liner can serve as an effective etch stop layer during any subsequently performed etch process.
US09293549B2
A silicon carbide layer includes a first region having a first conductivity type, a second region provided on the first region and having a second conductivity type, and a third region provided on the second region and having the first conductivity type. A trench having an inner surface is formed in the silicon carbide layer. The trench penetrates the second and third regions. The inner surface of the trench has a first side wall and a second side wall located deeper than the first side wall and having a portion made of the second region. Inclination of the first side wall is smaller than inclination of the second side wall.
US09293541B2
A highly reliable semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Provided is a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor layer, an insulating layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer, a gate electrode layer overlapping with the oxide semiconductor layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The oxide semiconductor layer includes a first region having a crystal whose size is less than or equal to 10 nm and a second region which overlaps with the insulating layer with the first region provided therebetween and which includes a crystal part whose c-axis is aligned in a direction parallel to a normal vector of the surface of the oxide semiconductor layer.
US09293539B2
A nitride semiconductor epitaxial wafer includes a substrate, and a nitride semiconductor layer formed on the substrate, the nitride semiconductor layer including a (002) plane in an upper surface thereof. An in-plane dispersion of a full width half maximum (FWHM) of an X-ray rocking curve in the (002) plane or a (100) plane of the nitride semiconductor layer is not more than 30%. The wafer is not less than 100 μm in thickness and not less than 50 mm in diameter.
US09293538B2
An electrode structure is described in which conductive regions are recessed into a semiconductor region. Trenches may be formed in a semiconductor region, such that conductive regions can be formed in the trenches. The electrode structure may be used in semiconductor devices such as field effect transistors or diodes. Nitride-based power semiconductor devices are described including such an electrode structure, which can reduce leakage current and otherwise improve performance.
US09293529B2
A semiconductor device includes a silicon substrate layer with a decoupling region. The decoupling region of the silicon substrate layer comprises an array of lamellas laterally spaced apart from each other by cavities. Each lamella of the array of lamellas comprises at least 20% silicon dioxide.
US09293527B1
A super-junction trench MOSFET is disclosed by applying a first doped column region of first conductivity type between a pair of second doped column regions of second conductivity type adjacent to sidewalls of a pair of deep trenches with buried voids in each unit cell for super-junction. A buffer poly-silicon layer is deposited above the buried void for stress release to prevent wafer crack and silicon defects.
US09293517B2
The present invention provides an array substrate, a manufacturing method thereof and a display panel. The array substrate comprises a base, the base comprises a display region for displaying and a periphery region outside the display region, a plurality of lead wires extending from the display region to the periphery region are provided on a first side of the base, a plurality of conductive via-holes are provided in the periphery region of the base, the conductive via-holes are electrically connected with the respective lead wires and provided with conductive material therein, the lead wires are electrically connected to a second side of the base through the respective conductive via-holes; a back-side structure electrically connected with the conductive via-holes is provided on the second side of the base, and the back-side structure comprises a plurality of lead wire pads electrically connected with the respective conductive via-holes.
US09293515B2
An organic light-emitting display device and a method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting display device. The organic light-emitting display device is a dual emission display capable of displaying differing images on either side of the display, and includes a facing electrode that is selectively deposited in the first area but not in the second area, the selectivity being brought about by a varying an underlying material having differing adhesive forces with the material of the facing electrode. In addition, the underlying materials of the facing electrode and other intermediate layers of the organic light emitting diode device provide extra distance between the organic light emitting layer and a reflective electrode, so that exciton quenching is reduced, resulting in improved light emitting efficiency.
US09293509B2
The present invention discloses a small-grain three-dimensional memory (3D-MSG). Each of its memory cells comprises a thin-film diode with critical dimension no larger than 40 nm. The thin-film diode comprises at least a small-grain material, whose grain size G is substantially smaller than the diode size D. The small-grain material is preferably a nano-crystalline material or an amorphous material. The critical dimension f of the small-grain diode is smaller than the critical dimension F of the single-crystalline transistor.
US09293508B2
A memory cell array having such a structure that can be realized with a simpler process and ideal for realizing a higher density is provided. Memory cells have a structure in which channel layers (88p and 89p) are formed on the side surfaces of each of a plurality of stacked structures which extends in the Y direction and is periodically formed in the X direction with a gate insulator film layer (9) interposed, and a resistance-change material layer (7) is formed so as to be electrically connected to two adjacent channel layers of the channel layers. Due to such a structure, it is not necessary to perform such a very difficult step that processes the resistance-change material and the silicons collectively and it is possible to provide the memory cell array with a simpler process.
US09293503B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion section configured to generate photocharges and a transfer gate that transfers the photocharges to a semiconductor region. A method for driving a unit pixel includes a step of accumulating photocharges in a photoelectric conversion section and a step of accumulating the photocharges in a semiconductor region. A method of forming a solid-state imaging device includes implanting ions into a well layer through an opening in a mask, implanting additional ions into the well layer through an opening in another mask, and implanting other ions into the well layer through an opening in yet another mask. An electronic device includes the solid-state imaging device.
US09293474B2
Trenches are formed through a top semiconductor layer and a buried insulator layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. A selective epitaxy is performed to form bulk semiconductor portions filling the trenches and in epitaxial alignment with the semiconductor material of a handle substrate. At least one dielectric layer is deposited over the top semiconductor layer and the bulk semiconductor portions, and is patterned to form openings over selected areas of the top semiconductor layer and the bulk semiconductor portions. A semiconductor alloy material is deposited within the openings directly on physically exposed surfaces of the top semiconductor layer and the bulk semiconductor portions. The semiconductor alloy material intermixes with the underlying semiconductor materials in a subsequent anneal. Within each of the SOI region and the bulk region, two types of semiconductor material portions are formed depending on whether a semiconductor material intermixes with the semiconductor alloy material.
US09293470B2
Stack structures are arranged in a first direction horizontal to a semiconductor substrate, one of which has a longitudinal direction along a second direction. One stack structure has a plurality of semiconductor layers stacked between interlayer insulating layers. A memory film is formed on side surfaces of the stack structures and includes a charge accumulation film of the memory cell. Conductive films are formed on side surfaces of the stack structures via the memory film. One stack structure has a shape increasing in width from above to below in a cross-section including the first and third directions. One conductive film has a shape increasing in width from above to below in a cross-section including the second and third directions. Predetermined portions in the semiconductor layers have different impurity concentrations between upper and lower semiconductor layers.
US09293468B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes a tunneling region and an erase region formed over a substrate, a selection gate formed over the substrate to overlap with the tunneling region, a floating gate formed over the substrate to be disposed adjacent to the selection gate with a gap therebetween and to overlap with the tunneling region and the erase region, and a charge blocking layer filling the gap.
US09293455B2
Provided is an in-wiring-layer active element (component) which allows for electrical isolation between a gate electrode and a channel in a top gate structure. A semiconductor device includes a first wiring layer, a second wiring layer, and a semiconductor element. The first wiring layer has a first interlayer insulating layer, and a first wire embedded in the first interlayer insulating layer. The second wiring layer has a second interlayer insulating layer, and second wires embedded in the second interlayer insulating layer. The semiconductor element is provided at least in the second wiring layer. The semiconductor element includes a semiconductor layer provided in the second wiring layer, a gate insulating film provided in contact with the semiconductor layer, a gate electrode provided on the opposite side of the semiconductor layer via the first gate insulating film, and a first side wall film provided over a side surface of the semiconductor layer.
US09293445B2
A device is described in one embodiment that includes a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) device disposed on a first substrate and a semiconductor device disposed on a second substrate. A bond electrically connects the MEMS device and the semiconductor device. The bond includes an interface between a first bonding layer including silicon on the first substrate and a second bonding layer including aluminum on the second substrate. The physical interface between the aluminum and silicon (e.g., amorphous silicon) can provide an electrical connection.
US09293433B2
A semiconductor package includes a wiring substrate that includes a first conductive member; a semiconductor chip that is mounted on the wiring substrate and includes a second conductive member, the first conductive member and the second conductive member being positioned to face each other; and a bonding member that bonds and electrically connects the first conductive member and the second conductive member, at least one of the first conductive member and the second conductive member being a pillar-shaped terminal, the bonding member being bonded to an end surface of the pillar-shaped terminal and a portion of a side surface of the pillar-shaped terminal, an intermetallic compound layer being formed at an interface of the bonding member and the pillar-shaped terminal.
US09293432B2
A chip packaging structure and packaging method. The packaging structure comprises: a semiconductor substrate; a metal pad provided inside the semiconductor substrate; an insulating layer provided on the semiconductor substrate, the insulating layer having an opening for exposing the metal pad; a sub-ball metal electrode provided on the metal pad; a solder ball provided on the surface of the sub-ball metal electrode, the solder ball having a first apron structure and the first apron structure covering partial metal pad on the periphery of the bottom of the under-ball metal electrode. The chip packaging structure of the present invention enhances the adhesion between the solder ball and the metal pad, and improves the reliability in chip packaging.
US09293421B2
An electronic component module according to the present invention is provided with an electronic component, a sealing resin that seals the electronic component, and a metal film that covers a surface of the sealing resin. The sealing resin contains filler of oxide particles. Part of the filler in the sealing resin is exposed to the surface of the sealing resin. At least the part of the filler exposed to the surface of the sealing resin includes a crack that extends from an exposed surface of the filler into an inner portion. The crack is filled with at least one metal that constitutes the metal film.
US09293413B2
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an insulating material layer over a workpiece, patterning an upper portion of the insulating material layer with a conductive line pattern, and forming a stop layer comprising a metal oxide or a metal nitride over the patterned insulating material layer. A masking material is formed over the stop layer, and the masking material is patterned with a via pattern. The via pattern of the masking material is transferred to a lower portion of the insulating material layer.
US09293406B2
A semiconductor package includes: a semiconductor chip: a first insulating layer, wherein the semiconductor chip is embedded in the first insulating layer such that the first surface and the side surface of the semiconductor chip are covered by the first insulating layer; a wiring structure on the first surface of the first insulating layer and comprising an insulating layer and a wiring layer; an outermost wiring layer on the wiring structure and having: a reinforcing wiring pattern; and a via wiring which penetrates the reinforcing wiring pattern and electrically connected to the reinforcing wiring pattern, wherein the via wiring is formed through the insulating layer of the wiring structure and electrically connected to the wiring layer of the wiring structure; a second insulating layer on the wiring structure to cover the outermost wiring layer.
US09293405B2
A technique capable of improving reliability of a semiconductor device is provided. In the present invention, as a wiring board on which a semiconductor chip is mounted, a build-up wiring board is not used but a through wiring board THWB is used. In this manner, in the present invention, the through wiring board formed of only a core layer is used, so that it is not required to consider a difference in thermal expansion coefficient between a build-up layer and the core layer, and besides, it is not required either to consider the electrical disconnection of a fine via formed in the build-up layer because the build-up layer does not exist. As a result, according to the present invention, the reliability of the semiconductor device can be improved while a cost is reduced.
US09293394B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a chip package which includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a conducting pad structure located on the first surface; a dielectric layer located on the first surface of the substrate and the conducting pad structure, wherein the dielectric layer has an opening exposing a portion of the conducting pad structure; and a cap layer located on the dielectric layer and filled into the opening.
US09293393B2
An exemplary implementation of the present disclosure includes a stacked package having a top die from a top reconstituted wafer situated over a bottom die from a bottom reconstituted wafer. The top die and the bottom die are insulated from one another by an insulation arrangement. The top die and the bottom die are also interconnected through the insulation arrangement. The insulation arrangement can include a top molding compound that flanks the top die and a bottom molding compound that flanks the bottom die. The top die and the bottom die can be interconnected through at least the top molding compound. Furthermore, the top die and the bottom die can be interconnected through a conductive via that extends within the insulation arrangement.
US09293388B2
Device and method for forming a device are disclosed. A substrate which is prepared with a dielectric layer having a top metal level of the device is provided. The top metal level includes top level conductive lines. A top dielectric layer which includes top via openings in communication with the top level conductive lines is formed over the top metal level. A patterned top conductive layer is formed on the top dielectric layer. The patterned top conductive layer includes a top via in the top via opening and a top conductive line. A first passivation sub-layer is formed to line the patterned conductive layer and exposed top dielectric layer. A plasma treatment is performed on the surface of the first passivation sub-layer to form a nitrided layer. A second passivation sub-layer is formed to line the nitrided layer. The plasma treatment improves the passivation integrity of the passivation stack.
US09293383B2
Reading reliability of a code formed in a semiconductor device is improved.A manufacturing method of semiconductor devices according to one embodiment includes a step of forming a sealing body MR in a plurality of device regions DVP with a code (first identification information) MK3 being formed outside the device regions DVP of a wiring substrate. Also, the manufacturing method of semiconductor devices according to one embodiment includes a step of, after forming the sealing body MR, reading the code MK3 and affixing another code (second identification information) to the sealing body MR. Further, before the step of forming the sealing body MR, a dam part DM is formed between a marking region MKR in which the code MK3 is formed and the device regions DVP.
US09293377B2
There are provided a semiconductor device structure and a method for manufacturing the same. The method comprises: forming at least one continuous gate line on a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate spacer surrounding the gate line; forming source/drain regions in the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the gate line; forming a conductive spacer surrounding the gate spacer; and performing inter-device electrical isolation at a predetermined region, wherein isolated portions of the gate line form gates of respective unit devices, and isolated portions of the conductive spacer form contacts of respective unit devices. Embodiments of the present disclosure are applicable to manufacture of contacts in integrated circuits.
US09293375B2
A trench isolation structure is formed beneath a topmost surface of a semiconductor substrate. A mandrel structure having a bottommost surface that straddles a sidewall edge of the underlying trench isolation structure is then formed. Nitride spacers are formed on sidewalls of the mandrel structure and thereafter the mandrel structure is removed. A dielectric oxide material is then formed having a topmost surface that is coplanar with a topmost surface of each remaining nitride spacer. Each nitride spacer is removed and thereafter a semiconductor fin is epitaxially grown within a cavity in the dielectric oxide material which exposes a topmost surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US09293367B2
Conductive interconnect structures and formation methods using supercritical fluids are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes forming a via in a substrate, with the via having a width and a length generally transverse to the width, and with a length being approximately 100 microns or more. The method can further include disposing a conductive material in the via while the via is exposed to a supercritical fluid. For example, copper can be disposed in the via by introducing a copper-containing precursor into the supercritical fluid and precipitating the copper from the supercritical fluid. Interconnect structures can be formed using this technique in a single generally continuous process, and can produce conductive structures having a generally uniform grain structure across the width of the via.
US09293364B2
There is provided an electroless plating apparatus which, despite using a high-productivity batch processing method, can reduce the amount of a liquid chemical brought out of a processing tank, thereby reducing the cleaning time in a cleaning step, and can perform flushing easily and quickly. The electroless plating apparatus includes a pre-plating treatment module including a pre-plating treatment tank, a plating module, and an inter-module substrate transport device. The pre-plating treatment tank is provided with a pre-plating treatment solution circulation line having a temperature control function for a pre-plating treatment solution. The plating tank is provided with a plating solution circulation line having a filter and a temperature control function for a plating solution. The plating solution circulation line is connected to a flushing line for flushing the interior of the plating solution circulation line and the interior of the plating tank.
US09293362B2
This technology provides a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same, which may reduce parasitic capacitance between adjacent conductive structures. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device may include forming a plurality of bit line structures over a substrate, forming contact holes between the bit line structures, forming sacrificial spacers over sidewalls of the contact holes, forming first plugs recessed into the respective contact holes, forming air gaps by removing the sacrificial spacers, forming capping structures capping the air gaps while exposing top surfaces of the first plugs, and forming second plugs over the first plugs.
US09293361B2
The present invention is a process for forming an air gap within a substrate, the process comprising: providing a substrate; depositing a sacrificial material by deposition of at least one sacrificial material precursor; depositing a composite layer; removal of the porogen material in the composite layer to form a porous layer and contacting the layered substrate with a removal media to substantially remove the sacrificial material and provide the air gaps within the substrate; wherein the at least one sacrificial material precursor is selected from the group consisting of: an organic porogen; silicon, and a polar solvent soluble metal oxide and mixtures thereof.
US09293350B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor package system includes: providing a first substrate; providing a second substrate having a cavity, the second substrate being attached to the first substrate; connecting the first substrate to the second substrate using an interconnect, the interconnect being in the cavity; and attaching a semiconductor device to the first substrate or the second substrate.
US09293349B2
A semiconductor device includes a multi-layer substrate. A ground shield is disposed between layers of the substrate and electrically connected to a ground point. A plurality of semiconductor die is mounted to the substrate over the ground shield. The ground shield extends beyond a footprint of the plurality of semiconductor die. An encapsulant is formed over the plurality of semiconductor die and substrate. Dicing channels are formed in the encapsulant, between the plurality of semiconductor die, and over the ground shield. A plurality of metal-filled holes is formed along the dicing channels, and extends into the substrate and through the ground shield. A top shield is formed over the plurality of semiconductor die and electrically and mechanically connects to the ground shield through the metal-filled holes. The top and ground shields are configured to block electromagnetic interference generated with respect to an integrated passive device disposed in the semiconductor die.
US09293345B2
Semiconductor devices and sidewall image transfer methods with a spin on hardmask. Methods for forming fins include forming a trench through a stack of layers that includes a top and bottom insulator layer, and a layer to be patterned on a substrate; isotropically etching the top and bottom insulator layers; forming a hardmask material in the trench to the level of the bottom insulator layer; isotropically etching the top insulator layer; and etching the bottom insulator layer and the layer to be patterned down to the substrate to form fins from the layer to be patterned.
US09293343B2
A method of forming patterns of a semiconductor device includes forming a material film on a substrate, forming a hard mask on the material film, forming a first mold mask pattern and a second mold mask pattern on the hard mask, forming a pair of first spacers to cover opposite sidewalls of the first mold mask pattern, and a pair of second spacers to cover opposite sidewalls of the second mold mask pattern, forming a first gap and a second gap to expose the hard mask by removing the first mold mask pattern and the second mold mask pattern, the first gap being formed between the pair of first spacers and the second gap being formed between the pair of second spacers, forming a mask pattern on the hard mask to cover the first gap and expose the second gap, forming an auxiliary pattern to cover the second gap, removing the mask pattern; and forming a hard mask pattern by patterning the hard mask using the first spacers, the second spacers and the auxiliary pattern as a mask.
US09293334B2
An N work function metal for a gate stack of a field effect transistor (FinFET) and method of forming the same are provided. An embodiment FinFET includes a fin supported by a semiconductor substrate, the fin extending between a source and a drain and having a channel region, and a gate stack formed over the channel region of the fin, the gate stack including an N work function metal layer comprising an oxidation layer on opposing sides of a tantalum aluminide carbide (TaAlC) layer.
US09293330B2
A method for producing a semiconductor is disclosed, the method having: providing a semiconductor body having a first side and a second side; forming an n-doped zone in the semiconductor body by a first implantation into the semiconductor body via the first side to a first depth location of the semiconductor body; and forming a p-doped zone in the semiconductor body by a second implantation into the semiconductor body via the second side to a second depth location of the semiconductor body, a pn-junction forming between said n-doped zone and said p-doped zone in the semiconductor body.
US09293322B2
A method for fabricating patterns of III-V semiconductor material on a semiconductor substrate based on oriented silicon or germanium comprises: production of a growth mask on the surface of the substrate, defining masking patterns Miox of width L, of height hox with a distance S between masking patterns; growth of patterns MiIII-V of III-V material between said masking patterns, such that said patterns exhibit a height h relative to the top plane of said masking patterns, said height h being at or above a critical minimum height hc, the growth step comprising: determining growth rates v100 and v110 at right angles to the face of the III-V material, defining ratio R=v100/v110; determining the angle of dislocations θ of the III-V material relative to the plane of the substrate; determining the critical minimum height hc by the equation: h c = h ox - S × tan ( θ ) tan ( θ ) R - 1 with R being determined to be greater than tan(θ).
US09293319B2
Methods of removing metal from a portion of a substrate are useful in integrated circuit fabrication. Methods include exposing the substrate to an oxidizing environment comprising at least one oxidizing agent and at least one reducing agent, and exposing the substrate to a reducing environment comprising at least one reducing agent and at least one oxidizing agent.
US09293315B2
An ion spectrometer is provided, comprising: an ion source, arranged to generate ions continuously with a first range of mass to charge ratios; and an ion trap, arranged to receive ions from the ion source along an axis, and to eject ions with a second range of mass to charge ratios orthogonally to that axis, the second range of mass to charge ratios being narrower than the first range of mass to charge ratios. In some embodiments, ions generated by the ion source continuously flow into the ion trap. Additionally or alternatively, ion optics receive ions ejected from the ion trap and cool the ions without substantial fragmentation. An ion analyzer receives ions ejected from the ion trap or ion optics and separates the ions in accordance with at least one characteristic of the ions.
US09293313B2
Provided is a spatial focusing ion mobility tube, including an ionzation source, an ion gate, a grid mesh and a faraday disc. A focusing grid mesh parallel to the ion gate is provided at one side of the ion gate away from the ionization source, and the ion gate and the focusing grid mesh combine into a spatial focusing ion gate assembly which controls the flight of the ions. The mobility tube employs a traditional design and changes the ion gate portion to one or more spatial focusing ion gate assemblies. The spatial focusing assembly can realize the injection function of the ion gate and produce the spatial compression focusing of ions.
US09293311B1
A portable, stand-alone microfluidic interrogation device including a microprocessor and a touch-screen display. The touch-screen display can receive one or more user input to select a particular particle interrogation procedure, and subsequently show interrogation results. A microfluidic path extending through the interrogation device includes alignment structure that defines an interrogation zone in which particles carried in a fluid are urged toward single-file travel. Operable alignment structure may define sheath-, or non-sheath fluid flow. Desirably, a portion of the alignment structure is removable from the device in a tool-free procedure. The device may operate under the Coulter principle, and/or detect Stokes' shift phenomena, and/or other optically-based signal(s).
US09293308B2
In an electron tube, an electrical resistance film having a stacked structure of electrically insulating layers and electrically conductive layers is formed on holding surfaces of bases in insulating substrates. This electrical resistance film is made as a firm and fine film with a desired resistance by use of an atomic layer deposition method, which can suppress electrification of the bases comprised of an insulating material. This makes it feasible to stably maintain withstand voltage characteristics.
US09293302B2
A method and device for processing a gas by forming microwave plasmas of the gas. The gas that is to be processed is set in a two or three co-axial vortex flow inside the device and exposed to a microwave field to form the plasma in the inner co-axial vortex flow, which subsequently is expelled as a plasma afterglow through an outlet of the device.
US09293300B2
There is provided a plasma processing apparatus that can generate uniform plasma without increasing costs per unit electric power even though the discharge area is increased to adapt to samples in given sizes by arranging a plurality of plasma discharge units. A plasma processing apparatus includes an RF power supply having an RF signal circuit and an RF power circuit, a case, and a discharge electrode. A plasma module is configured of the discharge electrode and the RF power circuit provided in the case. A frequency signal from the RF signal circuit is inputted to a plurality of the plasma modules connected in parallel with each other.
US09293293B2
The objective of the present application is to suppress the occurrence of flares and to reduce the amount of secondary electrons arising at an aperture provided to the lead-out electrode of an electron gun. By coating a thin film having a low rate of secondary electron emission such as carbon onto the aperture of a lead-out electrode closest to an electron source in an electron gun, it is possible to reduce the amount of secondary electrons arising. Secondary electrons arising at the lead-out electrode, are reduced, and so as a result, flare is reduced. By incorporating two apertures to the lead-out electrode, and applying to the two apertures a potential that is equipotential to the lead-out electrode, it is possible to eliminate an electric field from seeping from under to over the lead-out electrode. Secondary electrons arising when an electron beam impacts the lead-out electrode cease to incur force in the direction of passage from the lead-out electrode, and consequently there is a reduction in flares.
US09293290B2
A spare-fuse holding structure holds a spare fuse including a pair of terminals exposed on both sides of a fuse resin main body serving as a resin main part of the spare fuse in a resin housing chamber. The spare-fuse holding structure includes a resin guide portion configured to guide, when the spare fuse is inserted into the resin housing chamber in a manner inclined with respect to the insertion direction, the spare fuse into the resin housing chamber while changing a posture of the spare fuse in the insertion direction by coming into contact with the fuse resin main body to prevent the pair of terminals from coming into contact with resin walls forming the resin housing chamber.
US09293288B2
In order to provide a high impedance between two sensor terminals, for instance for connecting a Rogowski transducer to a circuit breaker, but to prevent the coupling-in of interference signals in the case of a non-connection to the terminals, two auxiliary terminals are connected. In at least one embodiment, they are connected in such a manner that in the basic state, the sensor terminals are short circuited but in the case of a connection, for example of a plug to the sensor terminals and simultaneously to the auxiliary terminals, the short circuit is canceled with external short circuiting of the auxiliary terminals.
US09293282B2
A moving seal for an air circuit breaker provides an arc creepage surface that is positioned between a pair of separable contact assemblies when the moving seal is fit into an inlet of the arc chamber. The arc creepage surface has a surface contour that increases a length of an arc travel path between the separable contact assemblies, relative to a straight line distance between of separable contact assemblies.
US09293280B2
The invention relates to the use of a mixture of a hydrofluoroolefin and a hydrofluorocarbon, optionally combined with another fluorinated gas, as an electrical insulation medium and/or an electric arc extinguishing medium in a medium-voltage electrical apparatus. The invention also relates to a medium- or high-voltage electrical apparatus in which such a mixture provides electrical insulation and/or electric arc extinguishing.
US09293275B2
Provided is a molded case circuit breaker including an upper external box defining a rear space, a lower external box coupled with the upper external box and defining a front space divided from the rear space together with the upper external box, a fixed contact unit provided on one side of the front space and connected to electrically connected to one of a power supply and a load, a movable contact unit installed in the front space to be movable and being in contact with the fixed contact unit or being separated from the fixed contact unit, a switching device installed in the rear space and operating to allow the movable contact unit to be in contact with the fixed contact unit or to be separated from the fixed contact unit, an operation device installed in the front space and the rear space and transferring the movable contact unit according to operation of the switching device, and an electrode shaft installed on one side of the upper external box, corresponding to an outside of the front space.
US09293273B2
The invention relates to a tap changer having vacuum interrupters for switching over between winding taps of a tapped transformer without interruption. The tap changer according to the invention having vacuum interrupters is based on the general idea of combining the functionalities of at least one conventional vacuum switching contact which switches under load and a further mechanical switching means according to the prior art in just one single vacuum interrupter with two separately moving contact systems.
US09293270B2
In the present invention, a method of preparing Ag-based oxide contact materials with directionally arranged reinforcing particles is disclosed, comprising steps of: a) preparing evenly dispersed composite powders by chemical co-precipitation method combining with roasting, b) granulating the composite powders by high energy ball milling, and sieving the powders, c) mixing the powders and Ag matrix in a powder mixing machine, d) cold isostatic pressing, e) sintering, f) hot-pressing, g) hot-extruding to obtain Ag-based oxide contact materials with directionally arranged reinforcing particles. This method can obtain particle reinforced Ag-based material with good electrical performance even when the reinforced (oxide) particles are very small. This method is simple, easy to operate, and does not require special equipment. The resistance to welding and arc erosion, electric conductivity and the processability of the material prepared through this present invention can be greatly improved.
US09293266B2
Photovoltaic devices and methods of making the same, are disclosed herein. The cell comprises a photovoltaic device that comprises a first electrically conductive layer comprising a photo-sensitized electrode; at least one photoelectrochemical layer comprising metal-oxide particles, an electrolyte solution comprising at least one asphaltene fraction, wherein the metal-oxide particles are optionally dispersed in a surfactant; and a second electrically conductive layer comprising a counter-electrode, wherein the second electrically conductive layer comprises one or more conductive elements comprising carbon, graphite, soot, carbon allotropes or any combinations thereof.
US09293265B1
Disclosed is a technique for fabricating a bio-photovoltaic cell which includes coupling graminoids extracted from natural grasses to a semiconductor electron acceptor, on which plasmonic silver nanoparticles are aligned, by using an organic ligand material. More particularly, disclosed is a technique for fabricating a new renewable energy generation device useable for fabrication of high efficiency bio-photovoltaic cells by improving a photo-electron generation rate of graminoids through a surface plasmon effect of silver nanoparticles and increasing an effective photo-electron amount transferred to the electron acceptor due to optimized bonding between a photo sensitizer and an electron acceptor.
US09293259B2
There is provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component, including a ceramic body including dielectric layers, and having first and second main surfaces, first and second side surfaces and first and second end surfaces; first and second internal electrodes having overlap regions forming a capacitance part, the first internal electrodes having a first lead out portion to be exposed to the first side surface, and being alternately laminated with the second internal electrodes while being insulated therefrom, the second internal electrodes having a second lead out portion; first and second external electrodes connected to the first and second lead out portions, respectively; and an insulating layer formed on the first side surface, wherein a length of the first lead out portion is longer than that of the second lead out portion and the capacitance part has different distances from the first side surface.
US09293257B2
A solid-state electronic device according to the present invention includes: an oxide layer (possibly containing inevitable impurities) that is formed by heating, in an atmosphere containing oxygen, a precursor layer obtained from a precursor solution as a start material including both a precursor containing bismuth (Bi) and a precursor containing niobium (Nb) as solutes, the oxide layer consisting of the bismuth (Bi) and the niobium (Nb); wherein the oxide layer is formed by heating at a heating temperature from 520° C. to 650° C.
US09293255B2
Described in this patent application are devices for energy storage and methods of making and using such devices. In various embodiments, blocking layers are provided between dielectric material and the electrodes of an energy storage device. The block layers are characterized by higher dielectric constant than the dielectric material. There are other embodiments as well.
US09293254B2
A heated capacitor runs current through either a lower metal plate, an upper metal plate, a lower metal trace that lies adjacent to a lower metal plate, an upper metal trace that lies adjacent to an upper metal plate, or both a lower metal trace that lies adjacent to a lower metal plate and an upper metal trace that lies adjacent to an upper metal plate to generate heat from the resistance to remove moisture from a moisture-sensitive insulating layer.
US09293252B2
[Problem] To provide a heavy rare-earth element RH diffusion process that contributes greatly to mass production.[Solution] A method for producing a sintered magnet includes the steps of: providing a sintered R-T-B based magnet body; providing an RH diffusion source which is made of at least one of a fluoride, an oxide and an oxyfluoride that each include Dy and/or Tb; loading the sintered R-T-B based magnet body and the RH diffusion source into a process chamber so that the magnet body and the diffusion source are movable relative to each other and are readily brought close to, or into contact with, each other; and performing an RH diffusion process in which the sintered R-T-B based magnet body and the RH diffusion source are heated to a processing temperature of 800° C. through 950° C. while being moved either continuously or discontinuously in the process chamber.
US09293247B2
An AC inductor includes a core, at least one permanent magnet for magnetically biasing the core, an inductor winding on the core, and a circuitry which guides an alternating current which flows through the AC inductor in such a way through the inductor winding that, during each half-wave of the alternating current, the alternating current generates a magnetization of the core which is opposite to the magnetization by the permanent magnet. This circuitry includes a commutator which guides the alternating current flowing between two contacts of the AC inductor through the same part of the inductor winding with a same flow direction during each of the half-wave of the alternating current.
US09293238B1
An acoustic-sensing underwater tow cable includes a cable core for transmission of power/signals there along, a first jacket encasing the cable core, and discrete regions of carbon nanotubes affixed to the first jacket. The carbon nanotubes at each of the discrete regions define an acoustic sensor. A second jacket encases each acoustic sensor and any electrical conductors coupled thereto.
US09293237B2
Use of 2-aminoethanol as an additive in an aqueous suspension, containing from 25 to 62 vol. % of at least one calcium carbonate-comprising material, wherein the use provides improved stability with regard to the conductivity of the suspension.
US09293226B2
A memory test device for testing a memory device is provided. The memory test device includes a sequencer configured to output first and second sequencer outputs that are different from each other in response to a sequencer input. A first pattern generator is configured to output a first test pattern according to the first sequencer output. A second pattern generator is configured to output a second test pattern according to the second sequencer output. A selector is coupled to the first and second pattern generators and configured to output write data according to the first test pattern and the second test pattern.
US09293221B1
A technique is provided for programming a transistor having a source, a drain, a gate, and a channel region between the source and the drain. The gate is above dielectric above the channel region. A gate voltage is about equal to or greater than a breakdown voltage of the gate dielectric in order to break down the gate dielectric into a breakdown state. Current flows between the source and the drain as a result of breaking down the gate dielectric. In response to the transistor being programmed, the current flowing between the source and the drain is not based on the gate voltage at the gate.
US09293209B2
An operating method of a semiconductor memory device includes performing a first read operation on main cells of a first page with an initial read voltage, performing a second read operation on the main cells of the first page with a read voltage corresponding to a read retry number when the number of error bits generated as results of performing the first read operation exceeds the number of error-correctable bits, and storing the read retry number in spare cells of the first page while the second read operation is performed, and repeatedly performing the second read operation and repeatedly storing the read retry number until the number of error bits generated as results of performing the second read operation becomes the number of error-correctable bits or less.
US09293207B1
An integrated circuit including data and code non-volatile memory configuration is provided. The integrated circuit comprises a first non-volatile memory array for storing code and a second non-volatile memory array for storing data. The first non-volatile memory array comprises a plurality of first non-volatile memory cells, the first non-volatile memory cells each having a first channel width. The second non-volatile memory array comprises a plurality of second non-volatile memory cells, the second non-volatile memory cells each having a second channel width. The second channel width of the second non-volatile memory cells is larger than the first channel width of the first non-volatile memory cells. This allows the data non-volatile memory cells to have a higher transconductance than the code non-volatile memory cells.
US09293206B2
An erase method of a three-dimensional nonvolatile memory device may include receiving an erase command, applying an erase voltage to perform an erase operation to a selected memory region in response to the erase command, suspending the erase operation by cutting off the erase voltage after a specific time has elapsed from when the erase voltage is applied, receiving a resume command after a reference time has elapsed from when the erase operation is suspended, and applying the erase voltage to the memory region for the specific time according to the resume command.
US09293191B1
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for multi-memory array access. One example apparatus includes a pair of input/output lines, and a first array coupled to the pair of input/output lines. The first array is configured to provide data to and receive data from the pair of input/output lines. The example apparatus further includes an access block coupled to the pair of input/output lines. The access block is configured to access a second array responsive to memory access control signals directed to the second array. The access block is configured provide data between the second array and the pair of main input/output lines responsive to the access of the second array.
US09293190B2
A semiconductor includes a plurality of memory cell arrays each of which includes a plurality of memory cells. Bitlines extend in one direction in the memory cell arrays to transfer data stored in the memory cells. Wordlines extend perpendicular to the bitlines in the memory cell arrays to select at least one of the memory cells. Local data lines extend parallel to the wordlines outside of the memory cell arrays and convey signals from bitlines. Global data lines convey signals from the local data lines. The global data lines include a part extending parallel to the wordlines and the part is disposed over another one of the memory cell arrays other than a selected memory cell array.
US09293183B2
A magnetoresistive random access memory includes a memory cell line in which memory cells are formed and write bit lines. The memory cell line 1 includes a magnetic recording layer, magnetization fixed layers, reference layers, spacer layers, and nMOS transistors. The spacer layer and the reference layer are located between the magnetization fixed layer and the magnetization fixed layer). The magnetization fixed layers have a magnetization fixed to a direction opposite to that of a magnetization of the magnetization fixed layers. The reference layers also have a fixed magnetization direction. The nMOS transistor is provided between the write bit line and the magnetization fixed layer.
US09293179B2
A method comprises providing a trigger signal, generating an input pulse according to the trigger signal, inverting the input pulse to generate an inverted input pulse and pulling down an output voltage using the inverted input pulse, wherein the inverted pulse is applied to a transistor of a high threshold voltage circuit.
US09293176B2
Methods, and apparatus configured to perform such methods, providing peak power management are useful in mitigating excessive current levels within a multi-die package. For example, a method might include providing a clock signal, counting primary clock cycles of the clock signal in a counter, monitoring an indication of high current demand for each die of the multi-die package, and determining a total unit consumption of current. The method may further include pausing an access operation for a particular die of the multi-die package at a designated point, and resuming the access operation if a value of the total unit consumption is less than or equal to a unit limit when a count value of the counter matches an assigned counter value of the particular die.
US09293175B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a first comparative device, to which first and second voltages are input; a first capacitor, which accumulates the electrical potential of a first node; a power source, which outputs the first electric current to a second node; a resistor, which generates a third voltage in the second node; a second capacitor, which accumulates the electric potential of the second node; first switches, which make a common connection at a third node possible for the first node and the second node, to which the first capacitor and the second capacitor are connected respectively; and a second comparison device, which uses as an input voltage a fourth voltage, which is obtained as a result of the charge share between the first and the second capacitors and the electrical potential of a fourth node, and equalizes the electrical potential of the fourth node with the fourth voltage.
US09293174B2
To provide a semiconductor device including a plurality of circuit blocks each of which is capable of performing power gating by setting off periods appropriate to temperatures of the respective circuit blocks. Specifically, the semiconductor device includes an arithmetic circuit, a memory circuit configured to hold data obtained by the arithmetic circuit, a power supply control switch configured to control supply of the power supply voltage to the arithmetic circuit, a temperature detection circuit configured to detect the temperature of the memory circuit and to estimate overhead from the temperature, and a controller configured to set a period during which supply of the power supply voltage is stopped in the case where a power consumption of the arithmetic circuit during the period is larger than the overhead period and to control the power supply control switch.
US09293170B2
Memory devices and methods are described, such as those that include a stack of memory dies and an attached logic die. Method and devices described provide for configuring bandwidth for selected portions of a stack of memory dies. Additional devices, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US09293162B1
A head stack assembly (HSA) having an actuator comb with a stepped inner bore may have an upper portion of the inner bore with a first diameter that is greater than the diameter of a lower portion of the inner bore. Therefore, little friction and resistance is encountered when force fitting a pivot-bearing assembly into the upper portion of the stepped inner bore, thereby avoiding surface damage and the generation of unwanted debris particles. The HSA may further comprise a plurality of tolerance rings to couple the actuator comb with the pivot-bearing assembly, such as one tolerance ring positioned below the step feature and one tolerance ring positioned above and seated on the step feature of the comb inner bore.
US09293158B2
Various embodiments relate to an apparatus having an array of sensors sharing a common media-facing surface, each sensor having an active sensing region, magnetic shields flanking the active sensing region, and gaps between the active sensing region and the magnetic shields. At least one of the gaps includes an electrically conductive layer having a refractory material. Other embodiments relate to an apparatus having a sensor with an active sensing region, magnetic shields flanking the active sensing region, and gaps between the active sensing region and the magnetic shields. At least one of the gaps includes an electrically conductive layer having a modified region at a media facing side thereof, the modified region being at least one of nonconductive and mechanically hardened.
US09293157B1
A dual/beam FIB/SEM system and method for operating such a system are provided. A micrograph of a throat height view of a magnetic writer is obtained through iterative milling and repeated evaluation of the leading bevel angle or pole length. In some cases, the milling depth for a next iteration may be modified based on evaluation of the leading bevel angles of the current iteration.
US09293156B2
An AlTiC-based substrate suitable for a thin-film magnetic head is provided. The Al2O3—TiC based substrate for a thin-film magnetic head including an Al2O3 phase and a TiC phase, wherein a c-axis lattice constant of the Al2O3 phase is 12.992 Å or more and 12.998 Å or less, and a lattice constant of the TiC phase is 4.317 Å or more and 4.325 Å or less.
US09293151B2
Visual information is used to alter or set an operating parameter of an audio signal processor, other than a beamformer. A digital camera captures visual information about a scene that includes a human speaker and/or a listener. The visual information is analyzed to ascertain information about acoustics of a room. A distance between the speaker and a microphone may be estimated, and this distance estimate may be used to adjust an overall gain of the system. Distances among, and locations of, the speaker, the listener, the microphone, a loudspeaker and/or a sound-reflecting surface may be estimated. These estimates may be used to estimate reverberations within the room and adjust aggressiveness of an anti-reverberation filter, based on an estimated ratio of direct to indirect (reverberated) sound energy expected to reach the microphone. In addition, orientation of the speaker or the listener, relative to the microphone or the loudspeaker, can also be estimated, and this estimate may be used to adjust frequency-dependent filter weights to compensate for uneven frequency propagation of acoustic signals from a mouth, or to a human ear, about a human head.
US09293143B2
A device includes a decoder that includes an extractor, a predictor, a selector, and a switch. The extractor is configured to extract a first plurality of parameters from a received input signal. The input signal corresponds to an encoded audio signal. The predictor is configured to perform blind bandwidth extension by generating a second plurality of parameters independent of high band information in the input signal. The second plurality of parameters corresponds to a high band portion of the encoded audio signal. The selector is configured to select a particular mode from multiple high band modes including a first mode using the first plurality of parameters and a second mode using the second plurality of parameters. The switch is configured to output the first plurality of parameters or the second plurality of parameters based on the selected particular mode.
US09293142B2
A vehicular speech recognition system including multiple speech recognition apparatuses and a speech recognition controller is provided. The multiple speech recognition apparatuses are mounted to a vehicle. When speech recognition of an inputted speech is performed individually by the multiple speech recognition apparatuses to provide multiple results of the speech recognition, the speech recognition controller selects and adopts one result of the speech recognition from among the multiple results of the speech recognition based on contents of the multiple results of the speech recognition.
US09293139B2
A wireless communication device that accepts recorded audio data from an end-user. The audio data can be in the form of a command requesting user action. The audio data is reduced to a digital file in a format that is supported by the device hardware. The digital file is sent via wireless communication to at least one server computer for further processing. The command includes a unique device identifier that identifies the wireless communication device. The server computer determines required additional processing for the command based on the unique device identifier. The server computer constructs an application command based on the processed command, and transmits the application command to the wireless communication device. The application command includes at least one instruction that causes a corresponding application on the wireless communication device to execute the application command.
US09293135B2
Mitigating disruption to a voice recognition system in a vehicle caused by a passing source of noise is provided. Sensors sense an approaching truck or the like that is likely to disrupt operation of the in-vehicle voice recognition system. Countermeasures are initiated to mitigate the disruption.
US09293131B2
Provided is a noise-robust voice activity segmentation device which updates parameters used in the determination of voice-active segments without burdening the user, and also provided are a voice activity segmentation method and a voice activity segmentation program.The voice activity segmentation device comprises: a first voice activity segmentation means for determining a voice-active segment (first voice-active segment) and a voice-inactive segment (first voice-inactive segment) in a time-series of input sound by comparing a threshold value and a feature value of the time-series of the input sound; a second voice activity segmentation means for determining, after a reference speech acquired from a reference speech storage means has been superimposed on a time-series of the first voice-inactive segment, a voice-active segment and a voice-inactive segment in the time-series of the superimposed first voice-inactive segment by comparing the threshold value and a feature value of the time-series of the superimposed first voice-inactive segment; and a threshold value update means for updating the threshold value in such a way that a discrepancy rate between the determination result of the second voice activity segmentation means and a correct segmentation calculated from the reference speech is decreased.
US09293128B2
An acoustic noise cancellation (ANC) process is performed during in-the-field use of a personal listening audio device, using a control filter to produce anti-noise by the device. The process includes computing an S_hat filter that estimates a signal path between an earpiece speaker of the device and an error microphone that are at a user's ear. A response associated with the computed S_hat filter is compared to a predetermined response that is stored in the device. The control filter is adjusted in accordance with the comparison. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US09293124B2
A method of adjusting the presentation of music is provided. In the method, a sequence of musical notes is presented by a first music presenting device. A critical beat indicator defining a time within the sequence of musical notes for a critical beat point is received. An isolation indicator defining a period for note isolation for the sequence of musical notes is received. A velocity coefficient is calculated by a processor for each note of the sequence of musical notes. The velocity coefficient is calculated as a function of the defined time and the defined period for note isolation. The sequence of musical notes is presented by a second music presenting device using the calculated velocity coefficient.
US09293123B2
A portable guitar stand has two stand racks, two supporting racks and two holding racks. The stand racks are pivotally connected to each other. The supporting racks are respectively and pivotally connected to the stand racks. The holding racks are respectively and pivotally connected to the stand racks. The holding rack and the supporting rack are pivotally connected to different sides of the corresponding stand rack. When the guitar stand is folded, the stand racks, the supporting racks and the holding racks are parallel to each other. When expanded, the supporting racks and the holding racks, which extend toward different sides, may firmly support the guitar on the guitar stand. When folded, the stand racks, the supporting racks and the holding racks are parallel to each other, thereby lowering the volume of the guitar stand for ease of transportation and storage.
US09293119B2
A solution is proposed to perform display updates in a lower power user interface. According to one embodiment, the display panel is placed in the lower possible refresh rate that can be supported. Rendered updates are presented to the displays at the fasted possible pixel rates the communication interface between the rendering component to the display panel can support, and a buffer on the receiving end of the display receives and stores updated frames as they are rendered and transmitted. Subsequent display updates (generated in response to subsequent sensor input, for example) may be created and transmitted as soon as the preceding display frames are buffered. In the meantime, as soon as the update frame is transmitted, the timing controller of the display panel is instructed to interrupt the current refresh period and to immediately rescan the frame.
US09293116B2
A vehicular display apparatus is disclosed. A display screen has first and second display areas for displaying first and second images generated by first and second drawing units, respectively. The apparatus displays a pointer image on an active area, which is one of the first and second display areas. In response to an input of user movement request for moving the pointer image into an inner edge portion of the active area, the apparatus switches the active area from the one of the first and second to the other, and switches the one into an inactive area, and the second drawing unit starts superimposing the pointer image on the other, and the first drawing unit stops superimposing the pointer image on the one.
US09293109B2
A graphics processing unit includes a set of geometry processing units each configured to process graphics primitives in parallel with one another. A given geometry processing unit generates one or more graphics primitives or geometry objects and buffers the associated vertex data locally. The geometry processing unit also buffers different sets of indices to those vertices, where each such set represents a different graphics primitive or geometry object. The geometry processing units may then stream the buffered vertices and indices to global buffers in parallel with one another. A stream output synchronization unit coordinates the parallel streaming of vertices and indices by providing each geometry processing unit with a different base address within a global vertex buffer where vertices may be written. The stream output synchronization unit also provides each geometry processing unit with a different base address within a global index buffer where indices may be written.
US09293102B1
A display may have an array of pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each pixel may have a transistor for controlling the amount of output light associated with that pixel. The transistors may be thin-film transistors having active areas, first and second source-drain terminals, and gates. Gate lines may be used to distribute gate control signals to the gates of the transistors in each row. Data lines that run perpendicular to the gate lines may be used to distribute image data along columns of pixels. The gate lines may be connected to gate line extensions that run parallel to the data lines. The data lines may each overlap a respective one of the gate line extensions. Vias may be used to connect the gate line extensions to the gate lines. The gate line extensions may all have the same length.
US09293093B2
A gate driver circuit includes an N-th stage (‘N’ is a natural number) The N-th stage (‘N’ is a natural number) includes a pull-up part configured to output an N-th gate signal using a first clock signal in response to a node signal of the control node, a carry part configured to output an N-th carry signal using the first clock signal in response to the node signal of the control node, an first output part connected to an n-th gate line and configured to output an n-th gate signal using the N-th gate signal in response to a second clock signal having a period shorter than the first clock signal (‘n’ is a natural number), and a second output part connected to an (n+1)-th gate line and configured to output an (n+1)-th gate signal using the N-th gate signal in response to an second inversion clock signal having a phase opposite to the second clock signal.
US09293092B2
A liquid crystal display and liquid crystal display panel (101). The liquid crystal display panel (101) includes: several data lines, several scan lines, several sub-pixel arranged in a matrix form. Three scan lines are formed between every two rows of sub-pixels. One data line is formed respectively on the two sides of the first column of the sub-pixels in every three adjacent columns of the sub-pixels. Therefore, the charging time of the pixels can be improved while the high display quality is satisfied.
US09293083B2
A pixel circuit and a display, wherein the pixel circuit includes: a first pixel sub-circuit and a second pixel sub-circuit, as well as an initialization module and a data voltage writing module connected to the first pixel sub-circuit and the second pixel sub-circuit; wherein the initialization module is connected to a reset signal terminal and a low potential terminal, and is used to initialize the first pixel sub-circuit and the second pixel sub-circuit under a control of a reset signal inputted from the reset signal terminal; the data voltage writing module is connected to a data signal line and a gate signal terminal, and is used to firstly write a first data voltage to the first pixel sub-circuit and the second pixel sub-circuit under a control of a signal inputted from the gate signal terminal and to compensate for a driving module of the second pixel sub-circuit, and then to write a second data voltage to the first pixel sub-circuit and compensate for a driving module of the first pixel sub-circuit. The pixel circuit and the display can reduce a size of pixel circuit, so as to further reduce a pixel pitch, increase the number of the pixels contained in per unit area and improve a picture display quality.
US09293080B2
A detection output circuit provided in a source driver compares a voltage detected by a resistor and a voltage of a driving signal using comparators drives a transistor, a capacitor and an operational amplifier using a ramp signal so that they are maintained at voltages corresponding to a current flowing through a data line, and performs feedback control so that the potential of the data line is a desired potential. With this simple configuration, a data line circuit can be achieved that is capable of eliminating variation in driving transistor characteristics and the like, while performing current protection at high speed.
US09293079B2
A head mounted display (HMD) for viewing a virtual environment generally include a flat display (FD), lenses for focusing on the FD, and a housing to enclose the FD and lenses. The housing is generally opaque to block out all external light, so the viewer only sees light from the FD. By making a portion or all of the housing translucent or transparent, ambient light and other external light can be seen by the viewer, providing additional visual cues and a larger perceived field of view. Additionally, other people can see light from the FD. The lenses are configured to view the FD and parts of the translucent housing.
US09293076B2
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for an arrangement of pixels and interconnects in a display. In one aspect, polarities of pixels may be in a dot inversion configuration, or checkerboard pattern, to reduce the visibility of flicker. Various interconnect alternatively couple between modules in different columns or rows to provide dot inversion.
US09293071B2
A graphic panel assembly includes a graphic holder. The graphic holder includes a base having an upper support portion for coupling to a graphic and a lower support portion including an aperture. The graphic holder also includes a hardware assembly. The hardware assembly includes a bored rod having a threaded exterior and a threaded interior and a magnetic foot fixedly mated to the threaded interior of the bored rod. The threaded exterior is positioned within the aperture located in the lower support portion of the base. The bored rod is rotatable within the aperture to adjust a distance between the base and the magnetic foot.
US09293069B2
A method of forming an elastic labeling band. The method includes covering a central portion of a web of tag material with a release agent, advancing the web of tag material longitudinally and disposing a layer of molten elastomer over the advancing web of tag material, including over the release agent on the central portion thereof. The layer of molten elastomer is disposed over the web of tag material so that the elastomer bonds only to those portions of the web not covered with the release agent. The method includes curing the elastomer to define, with the web bonded thereto, an advancing web assembly, and separating a longitudinal segment from the web assembly to define an elastic labeling band.
US09293060B2
A medication confirmation method and apparatus. The method of an embodiment of the invention includes the steps of capturing one or more video sequences of a user administering medication, storing the captured one or more video sequences, and comparing at least one of the stored video sequences with a corresponding one or more prerecorded video sequences to confirm that the user has properly administered the medication.
US09293057B2
A real-time virtual reality welding system including a programmable processor-based subsystem, a spatial tracker operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem, at least one mock welding tool capable of being spatially tracked by the spatial tracker, and at least one display device operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem. The system is capable of simulating, in virtual reality space, a weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics. The system is further capable of importing data into the virtual reality welding system and analyzing the data to characterize a student welder's progress and to provide training.
US09293056B2
A real-time virtual reality welding system including a programmable processor-based subsystem, a spatial tracker operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem, at least one mock welding tool capable of being spatially tracked by the spatial tracker, and at least one display device operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem. The system is capable of simulating, in virtual reality space, a weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics. The system is further capable of importing data into the virtual reality welding system and analyzing the data to characterize a student welder's progress and to provide training.
US09293047B2
A method for monitoring vehicle movement for use in a first vehicle includes the steps of determining a lane location at a first point in time, determining a position of a second vehicle at a second point in time, the second point in time being subsequent to the first point in time, and determining a path of the second vehicle based at least in part on the position of the second vehicle and the lane location.
US09293039B2
A system is provided for estimating time travel distributions on signalized arterials. The system may be implemented as a network service. Traffic data regarding a plurality of travel times on a signalized arterial may be received. A present distribution of the travel times on the signalized arterial may be determined. A prior distribution based on one or more travel time observations may also be determined. The present distribution may be calibrated based on the prior distribution.
US09293038B2
Embodiments relate to traffic control resource planning. An aspect includes receiving information about available routes in a transportation network and receiving an estimate of a traffic demand in the transportation network. Traffic control planning is performed and it may include: simulating a traffic flow based on the available routes and the traffic demand; applying a model that varies traffic control agent (TCA) placement and traffic signal settings in the transportation network to minimize a cost associated with the traffic flow, the cost including a TCA deployment cost and a traffic delay cost; and outputting a traffic control plan based on the applying, the traffic control plan including a TCA placement and traffic signal setting plan.
US09293032B2
Systems and devices for controlling at least one entertainment device include at least one remote in two-way communication with a base device. Memories of the remote and the base device are operable to store substantially the same data as the other such that if the remote or base device fails, data in the memory of the non-failing device is loaded into a memory of a replacement device. A memory of a second remote may also store the same data as the remote memory such that if either the first remote or the base device fails, data in the memory of the second remote is loaded into a memory of a replacement device.
US09293026B2
The invention is an improved Bed Exit Night Light System designed to illuminate a hospital room if a patient leaves his bed, but automatically tracks medical personnel movement within the room and illuminates the room as appropriate to the medical tasks taking place.
US09293022B2
The present invention provides a detecting apparatus for detecting an abnormal state such as a drop or fall of a person to be observed from a captured image in a real-time manner and realizing improvement in precision of the detection while eliminating the influence of a background image and noise. The detecting apparatus calculates a motion vector of each of blocks of an image of video data, and extracts a block group in which the size of the motion vector exceeds a predetermined value. The detecting apparatus forms a group from adjacent blocks. For example, in descending order of the area of the blocks, the detecting apparatus calculates characteristic amounts such as an average vector, a variance, and a rotation direction component of motion blocks included in the blocks. The detecting apparatus detects that the person to be observed is in an abnormal state such as a drop or fall on the basis of the characteristic amounts of the groups, and informs an external apparatus or the like of the detection result. The detecting apparatus corrects a deviation of the angle of the imaging direction on the basis of a process of reducing pixels in the horizontal direction of an image and acceleration of the camera, thereby improving the precision of the detection.
US09293021B2
A system (2) for monitoring a plurality of objects (6) in a predefined detection area (8), includes: a plurality of radiofrequency identification tags (4), each tag (4) being suitable for being attached onto an object (6), at least one radiofrequency reader (10) for reading radiofrequency identification tags (4), the or each reader (10) being connected to an antenna (12), and all of the readers (10) defining the predefined detection area (8), an element (16) for processing information transmitted by the or each radiofrequency reader (10), the information including an identifier specific to each tag (4) to be monitored in the predefined detection area (8), and an alarm element (18) connected to the processing element, the monitoring system being characterized in that it includes a casing (14) that is impervious to the radiofrequency signals transmitted by the radiofrequency identification tags (4) located inside the casing (14).
US09293020B2
Method for operating a magnetically controlled lock in an EAS tag (100) involves the application of a magnetic field to a plunger (322) within a housing (102) of the EAS tag. The applied magnetic field is used to cause a translational movement of the plunger in a first direction. The method can further involve causing a latch (320) to pivot about a pivot axis (807) by using the translational motion (1002) of the plunger to apply a torque (1004) to the latch. Rotation of the latch in this way causes it to move to an unlocked position which releases a locking pin (106).
US09293014B2
The present disclosure relates broadly to a gaming device operable under control of a processor together with a method of operating a gaming device. The disclosure relates particularly, although not exclusively, to a gaming device and method where a wild symbol is in the course of a plurality of games extends along at least one of a plurality of symbol reels.
US09293005B2
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a plurality of different player-selectable wager alternatives if a credit balance of a player is less than a designated wager amount (such as a cost to cover a play of a wagering game or a maximum wager amount for the play of the wagering game) and greater than or equal to a lowest eligible credit balance (such as 1 credit). Generally, selecting one of the different wager alternatives when the player's remaining credit balance is less than the designated wager amount and greater than or equal to the lowest eligible wager amount enables the player to utilize the player's remaining credit balance (or any suitable portion thereof) in a manner that is different than, separate from, and in addition to wagering on one or more plays of the wagering game.
US09293004B2
A system comprises a client operable to communicate a bet regarding a spin of a virtual roulette wheel. The system further comprises a controller communicably coupled to the client and operable to determine a of the spin of the virtual roulette wheel, the based at least in part upon one or more digits of at least one financial market indicator at a configurable point in time. The system is further operable to determine an outcome of the bet based at least in part on the determined .
US09292996B2
Various techniques are disclosed for facilitating side wagering activities conducted at a casino which includes a casino gaming network. In at least one embodiment, the gaming network includes a plurality of gaming devices, including a first gaming device. A side wager request may be received for placing a first side wager relating to a first target. In at least one embodiment, the first target may be selected from a group of possible targets which, for example, may include, but are not limited to one or more of the following (or combination thereof): casino players, game tables, electronic gaming devices (EGDs), game themes, game denominations, game paytables, etc. An identity of a first player associated with generating the first side wager request may be determined. A first side wager session may be automatically initiated.
US09292995B2
A refrigerated automatic distributor (51) for juices extracted from fresh fruits (53) comprising a fruit or vegetable stocking store (52), a juice extraction device (54) for extracting juice from fruits or vegetables, a fruit moving mechanism for moving the fruits or vegetables between the stocking store and the extraction device, a mouth (26) of access to a container (33) for the juice and an electronic control unit (31). The distributor (51) further comprises a sealing device (41) for sealing the container (33) with the juice extracted and to be dispensed and in which the electronic control unit (31) is provided for activating the sealing device (41) on request of the user.
US09292988B2
A display includes a first optical effect layer including a first interface part, the first interface part being provided with recesses or protrusions arranged two-dimensionally at the minimum center-to-center distance of 200 nm to 500 nm, each of the recesses or protrusions having a forward-tapered shape, a reflective material layer covering at least a part of the first interface part, and a second optical effect layer including, at a position of a first portion of the first interface part that is covered with the reflective material layer, a portion that faces the reflective material layer with the first optical effect layer interposed therebetween or faces the first optical effect layer with the reflective material layer interposed therebetween, the second optical effect layer containing at least one of a cholesteric liquid crystal, a pearl pigment and a multilayer interference film.
US09292985B2
An operation communication system is provided including a server, a mobile device, and a reader device. The server and the reader device communicate data with one another via the mobile device. The mobile device may communicates with the reader device via Bluetooth, for example. The mobile device may communicate with the server via the Internet, for example. Associated methods, devices and apparatuses are also provided.
US09292974B2
An information processing system that acquires video data captured by an image pickup unit; detects an object from the video data; detects a condition corresponding to the image pickup unit; and controls a display to display content associated with the object at a position other than a detected position of the object based on the condition corresponding to the image pickup unit.
US09292972B2
A computer implemented method for 3-D visualization of a building module and building related data includes receiving attributes of a plurality of building modules from a building information model and receiving data inputs from a plurality of sensors located in at least a subset of the plurality of building modules. The building related data is calculated for each of the plurality of building modules based on the data inputs. A 3-D visualization data of a selected building module in the plurality of building modules is generated for display on a computer screen.
US09292970B2
Systems and methods of updating graphical objects are disclosed. The methods and systems receive polygonal data which described points on an object. A user indicates a length, and retopologized data for a region is automatically generated based on the length such that the retopologized data has fewer geometries than the received polygonal data in the region.
US09292969B2
Systems and methods of determining the volume and dimensions of a three-dimensional object using a dimensioning system are provided. The dimensioning system can include an image sensor, a non-transitory, machine-readable, storage, and a processor. The dimensioning system can select and fit a three-dimensional packaging wireframe model about each three-dimensional object located within a first point of view of the image sensor. Calibration is performed to calibrate between image sensors of the dimensioning system and those of the imaging system. Calibration may occur pre-run time, in a calibration mode or period. Calibration may occur during a routine. Calibration may be automatically triggered on detection of a coupling between the dimensioning and the imaging systems.
US09292965B2
A circuit arrangement, program product and circuit arrangement utilize the known view orientation for an image frame to be rendered to reposition an Accelerated Data Structure (ADS) used during rendering to optimize the generation and/or use of the ADS, e.g., by transforming a scene from which an image frame is rendered to orient the scene relative to the view orientation prior to generating the ADS. A scene may be transformed, for example, to orient the view orientation within a single octant of the scene, with additional processing resources assigned to that octant to ensure sufficient processing resources are devoted to processing the primitives within the view orientation.
US09292959B2
A method and apparatus comprises a combination of four-dimensional image stacking methods and self-correction features. An input frame in a sequence is modified into multiple subimages with multiple subregions, where there is one and only one subregion in every subimage contains the higher frequency information of the original input frame than the same subregion in all other subimages; each of the subimages is sent to a device of a stacked display system; the sequence of displayed frames is further modified into pairs for temporal stacking. The result is equal or considered better than the original quality. By equipped with sensor based negative feedback processes and correction algorithms, it provides new ways to fast calibration or constantly and continuously self-correction to the display system non-uniformities, including brightness, registration, etc., and all behind the scene during the normal show playing or image presentation therefore unnoticeable to audience.
US09292952B2
Information about a device may be emotively conveyed to a user of the device. Input indicative of an operating state of the device may be received. The input may be transformed into data representing a simulated emotional state. Data representing an avatar that expresses the simulated emotional state may be generated and displayed. A query from the user regarding the simulated emotional state expressed by the avatar may be received. The query may be responded to.
US09292932B2
A three-dimensional measurement method three-dimensionally restores an edge having a cross angle close to parallel to an epipolar line. Edges e2L, e3L and e4L on the same plane of a work are selected, and among these edges, at least two edges e2L and e4L residing in a predetermined angle range with reference to the cross angle of 90° crossing the epipolar line are three-dimensionally restored by a stereo method. Then, a three-dimensional plane P1 including these three-dimensionally restored e2L and e4L is found, and the edge e3L residing beyond a predetermined angle range with reference to the cross angle of 90° crossing the epipolar line is projected to this three-dimensional plane P1, thus three-dimensionally restoring the edge e3L.
US09292931B2
The invention provides an apparatus and method for extracting a boundary of an object in an image and an electronic device. The apparatus includes: a position determining unit, configured to determine a start point and an end point of a boundary of an object in an image and to determine a position of a reference point relevant to the start point and the end point; a first direction determining unit, configured to determine a first direction of the boundary; a gradient map obtaining unit, configured to obtain a gradient map of a first region; a gradient attenuating unit, configured to attenuate in the gradient map the gradients of a second region; and an extracting unit, configured to extract a boundary of an object. The technology of the invention can improve the accuracy of boundary extracting, and can be applied in the field of image processing.
US09292929B2
An image region extraction device for extracting a target region on the basis of a designated region with high precision. An image region extraction device (100) extracts a target region from an image on the basis of a designated region and is provided with: a spatial change learning unit (180) for acquiring, for each section of the image, a pixel value changing pattern which is a characteristic of the spatial changes in a pixel value component, and a distance changing pattern which is a characteristic of the spatial changes in a distance component extending from a reference position to a photographic object; and a region dividing unit (210) for extracting a target region on the basis of the similarities between the pixel value changing pattern and the distance changing pattern among the designated region and each section of the image.
US09292928B2
A method of forming a refined depth map DR of an image I using a binary depth map DI of the image, said method comprising segmenting (315) the image into a superpixel image SREP, defining (330) a foreground and a background in the superpixel image SREP, to form a superpixel depth map DS, intersecting (450) the respective foreground and the background of the superpixel depth map DS with the binary depth map DI determined independently of the superpixel image SREP, to define a trimap T consisting of a foreground region, a background region and an unknown region, and forming the refined binary depth map DR of the image from the trimap T by reclassifying (355, 365) the pixels in the unknown region as either foreground or background based on a comparison (510) of the pixel values in the unknown region with pixel values in at least one of the other trimap regions.
US09292922B2
A point cloud assisted photogrammetric restitution method is described. Said method comprises: the simultaneous visualization on a screen (5) of the ensemble of a stereoscopic image (33) and a point cloud (34) acquired on a given area (2), said stereoscopic image deriving from at least a couple of photogrammetric images (11) acquired on said given area (2) and oriented according to the same coordinate system of the point cloud, the real time connection of the collimation mark (S) of the stereoscopic image with the corresponding collimation mark (S′) of the point cloud.
US09292920B2
A computer implemented method for determining the 3-dimensional shape of an implant to be implanted into a subject includes obtaining a computer readable image including a defective portion and a non-defective portion of tissue in the subject, superimposing on the image a shape to span the defective portion, and determining the 3-dimensional shape of the implant based on the shape that spans the defective portion.
US09292916B2
Methods and devices are disclosed for collecting fingerprint and genetic information from an individual during a single collection session. A skin site is illuminated by direct imaging of the skin site using light reflected from the illuminated skin site. A cell of the individual, such as a skin cell, is retrieved from the collection surface.
US09292902B1
This disclosure is directed to the control of graphical output of a second computing device by a first computing device. According to these techniques, a first computing device may be configured to generate at least one control object that includes at least one control script. The at least one control script is configured to be executed according to an execution environment (e.g., a graphics processing environment) of the second computing device. Once executed, the at least one control script may be configured to access a native application programming interface (API) of the second computing device to cause graphical data to be presented via an output interface (e.g., a display) communicatively coupled to the second computing device based on a context defined by the at least one control object.
US09292893B2
Examples of encoding and decoding a watermark for a digital image and to using the watermark for authenticating the digital image are disclosed. The examples may include embedding a chaotic watermark in a digital image and using parameters associated with source and capture information for the digital image to both generate the chaotic watermark and to authenticate the digital image.
US09292885B2
A method and system for social media ecosystem searching. A desired person can be searched for from public search engines and social media sites directly by name and/or by unique search keywords and search categories created and publically published by the desired person, a social media index of the desired person or a social commerce connection associated with the desired person. The search results are publically viewable. However, communication with the desired person located within the social media ecosystem is via a private system in which a searcher must provide login information to privately communicate with the desired person. The private system helps ensure that social media index values and social commerce connections are properly established, recorded and updated for the desired person and provides a layer of security and privacy. The social media searching ecosystem is provided on a cloud communications network for mobile and non-mobile devices.
US09292881B2
Techniques for social sharing security information between client entities forming a group are described herein. The group of client entities is formed as a result of a security server providing one or more secure mechanisms for forming a group among client entities, the client entities each belonging to a different organization. The security service then automatically shares security information of a client entity in the group with one or more other client entities in the group.
US09292879B1
A social marker is generated from data about user relationships and interactions with consumer objects such as brands, products, services, or a combination thereof. The social marker provides an indicator to a target user that someone they have a relationship with has taken some action associated with the consumer object. This action may include, but is not limited to, posting a comment, a rating, a recommendation, and so forth about the consumer object.
US09292878B1
A system and method for providing an application programming interface for interfacing with audio files within a social networking service are provided. The method includes receiving, at the one or more computing devices, an ordered list of social networking contacts associated with a member of the social networking service. The ordered list of social networking contacts is arranged according to a ranking of the social networking contacts. The method also includes receiving a list of audio files associated with the member of the social networking service. The method also includes receiving a set of instructions. The set of instructions is configured to be implemented with the ordered list of social networking contacts and the list of audio files. The method also includes interfacing with the ordered list of social networking contacts or the list of audio files according to the set of instructions to modify the list of audio files.
US09292874B2
An integrated risk management tool includes a persistent object database to store information about actors (individuals and/or groups), physical surroundings, historical events and other information. The risk management tool also includes a decision support system that uses data objects from the database and advanced decision theory techniques, such as Bayesian Networks, to infer the relative risk of an undesirable event. As part of the relative risk calculation, the tool uses a simulation and gaming environment in which artificially intelligent actors interact with the environment to determine susceptibility to the undesired event. Preferred embodiments of the tool also include an open “plug-in” architecture that allows the tool to interface with existing consequence calculators. The tool also provides facilities for presenting data in a user-friendly manner as well as report generation facilities.
US09292873B1
An electronic service provides a sample of a media item to a user, along with a prompt. The prompt gives the user the opportunity to receive an additional part of the item substantially without further interaction with the user. The streamlined acquisition of the additional part of the media item is enabled by the user's establishment, in advance, of user identification information, payment information, and so on.
US09292870B2
A system and method for remitting payment from a consumer's credit or stored value account by digital presentations of account information are described. A merchant may create one or more merchant account at a point-of-sale service site (“POS service site”) and associate one or more merchant portable computing devices (“MPCDs”) with one or more of the merchant accounts. Each MPCD may be configured to receive customer data from a customer via one of a visual capture and a wireless communication, such as a near field communication (“NFC”) or a machine-readable optical code. The customer data may be received from an NFC-capable physical token such as an EMV card, or a virtual token presented by a customer portable computing device (“CPCD”) using a NFC or a machine-readable optical code. Each MPCD may contain a point-of-sale payment application supplied by the POS service site that may capture data representative of a consumer account from the received customer data.
US09292867B2
A method includes receiving, at a user identification module of an electronic receipt system in electronic communication with a point of sale terminal, a user identifier transmitted from a mobile communication device to a near-field communication enabled communication device associated with the point of sale terminal. The method also includes verifying, by a validation module of the electronic receipt system, an enrollment status of the user identifier; and based on results of the verifying, transmitting, by a transfer module of the electronic receipt system, the user identifier and data characterizing an electronic receipt to a receipt storage module of the electronic receipt system.
US09292859B1
A playlist and a digital advertisement are received. The digital advertisement is output to a screen on the basis of information in the playlist. A code is generated based on the information in the playlist and the generated code is output to the screen. The generated code is output to the screen by flashing the generated code on the screen at a predetermined flash frequency and for a predetermined flash time so that the generated code is visually imperceptible or barely detectable to a human viewer. A suitable equipped electronic device may detect the code and utilize information encoded in the code in various ways.
US09292857B2
A method and system for automatically defining and applying an exception rule to reports created from at least one multi-dimensional database, comprising: defining global exception parameters, displaying at least one report created from a multi-dimensional database, receiving a user command to detect exceptional cells in the displayed report, locating the most relevant time dimension in the semantics of the source database of the report, detecting exceptional cells in the displayed report according to the exception parameters and the most relevant time dimension, calculating an exception quality for each detected exceptional cell, and indicating on the displayed report the exceptional cells, the indication comprising differentiating between different exception qualities, wherein the exception rule is independent of data granularity in the time dimension in the report.
US09292852B2
A transaction processing service operates as an intermediary between acquirers of financial transaction requests and issuing institutions that process the financial transaction requests. The intermediary receives an authorization request generated based on a transaction initiated by a customer at a point of purchase. The intermediary service then determines one or more stored value items that can be applied to the transaction. Stored value items may be determined based on the customer's identity or based on transaction characteristics, such as the point of purchase or the transaction items. The service sends a transaction notification to a mobile device associated with the customer to notify the customer of the available stored value items. The service then applies the stored value items to pay a portion of the transaction amount and initiates a payment process to pay the remainder of the transaction amount.
US09292851B1
A system and method of obtaining and storing a signed agreement authorizing the use of a user's biometric data for the purpose of offering legal consent to agreements and transactions with one or more operators. The present invention imparts a process by which merchants and other service providers can access a verifying agreement indicating a user's intent to submit biometric data as a substitute for a written signature and the user's consent to abide by the terms and conditions of any agreements entered into by the submission of biometric data.
US09292849B2
Embodiments are directed to a mobile bank card number generator for digital wallet. Embodiments receive a request from a user to perform an ATM transaction on an account owned by the user; in response to the request to perform an ATM transaction, generate a one-time bank card number associated with the account owned by the user; generate a readable indicia based at least in part on the one-time bank card number; and initiate communication of the readable indicia to an ATM, wherein the ATM receives a user authentication credential from the user, a bank system validates the user authentication credential and in response to validating the user authentication credential, approves the ATM transaction for the user's account.
US09292843B1
Advanced payment applications are provided to improve the functionality of cards and devices. For example, a user interface may be placed on a card (e.g., a physical button) or a telephonic device (e.g., a virtual button on a capacitive touch screen). Manual input provided to this user interface may, for example, cause an item purchased on credit to be paid via one or more user accounts (e.g., bank accounts) as soon as the next credit statement posts or becomes due. A user may decide to pay for an item when the next statement becomes due at a point-of-sale magnetic stripe reader by using an interface on a card to cause information to be communicated through the infrastructure indicative of a user's desire to pay the for an item when the next statement becomes due.
US09292839B2
Various embodiments of a system and method for personalized commands are described. The system and method for personalized commands may include a payment service including a command management component. Such payment service may be responsive to one or more base commands. The command management component may be configured to generate a user interface for specifying personalized commands that correspond to the base commands. The command management component may be configured to generate mapping information from the information received via the user interface. The command management component may be configured to receive one or more messages that may include commands for the payment service, including personalized commands. From the personalized commands, the command management component may be configured to determine a corresponding base commands (e.g., based on the mapping information). Once the base command is determined, the payment service may perform the base command.
US09292838B2
In one embodiment, an intended recipient of money transmits a payment link created by the recipient to an intended sender of money, where the link contains a locator to a site of a payment provider, information about the recipient (e.g., phone number), and the amount of money to be sent. The link can be sent via email, text, IM, or other means. The sender then accesses the link, such as by clicking or tapping on the link, which launches a checkout or payment page for the sender on the payment provider site. The sender completes the payment page, and the payment is sent to the recipient by the payment provider.
US09292829B2
To avoid the need to access multiple applications and perform multiple corresponding status changes each time a user or device's status or availability changes, multiple status updates can be generated and provided to corresponding systems, according to a detected event. To enable status updates to be provided to multiple systems based on the detected event, a status update module can be used, which is operable to send multiple status updates to multiple systems on behalf of a mobile device. By using a status server or other network-based component to performing such updating, processing can be offloaded from the mobile devices and updates can be performed even when the mobile devices are not communicable with the systems being updated.
US09292824B1
In certain embodiments, a system includes a processing system and tangible computer-readable media accessible by the processing system. The media may store software and purchase order identifications. Each purchase order identification indicates a respective one of the purchase orders and is globally unique with respect to each other purchase order identification. The software when executed by the processing system is configured to perform operations, including accessing a request comprising a particular one of the purchase order identifications. The request had been generated at a client device that had decoded the particular purchase order identification from an optical scan of a code provided with packaging of one or more products of the respective purchase order indicated by the particular purchase order identification. The operations further include generating data for receipt by the client device. The data comprises information that facilitates returning at least one of the products.
US09292821B2
Seamless transition from a Component Business Model (CBM) to a Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) is achieved by converting a tabular representation of a CBM Heat Map to a Unified Modeling Language (UML) representation, and automatically converting the UML representation of a CBM Heat Map to a first iteration of input used during the subsequent SOA solution development using Service Oriented Modeling and Architecture (SOMA).
US09292815B2
A system receives data storage workflow activities that include computer-executable instructions for carrying out data storage workflow in a network data storage system. Once the workflow is received, the system deploys the workflow to one or more workflow engines that can execute the various data storage activities related to the workflow. Prior to executing a data storage activity, the system can determine which workflow engine to use based on an allocation scheme.
US09292810B2
Provided herein are approaches to re-factor, rationalize, and prioritize a service model, and to assess service exposure in the service model. At least one approach provides: determining a granularity of one or more services of the service model; re-factoring and refining a service portfolio and a hierarchy of the service model; adapting a Service Litmus Test (SLT) and service exposure scope to the service model; applying Service Litmus Tests (SLTs) to the service model; and verifying, with each affected stakeholder associated with the service model, that the service model achieves business and technical needs based on the results of the SLTs, which include tests to make exposure decisions, including whether to expose the service or not expose the service, wherein the service represent business capabilities and are placed in the hierarchy of the service model which represents the granularity.
US09292804B2
An energy management apparatus and a user interface method thereof, an electric device controlled by the energy management apparatus, and an energy management apparatus including the same are disclosed. A user interface that intuitively and simply displays a user input for controlling energy consumption of the electric device and a degree of inconvenience that a user experiences when the electric device operates according to the user input is provided to allow the user to be intuitively aware of the degree of inconvenience due to the user input, thereby enabling more intuitive user interaction.
US09292803B2
According to an embodiment there is provided a system comprising an input for connecting the system to a power supply, at least one further power source, at least one power consumer, an identifying unit arranged to identify, based on information originating from within the system, an ongoing and/or future power consumption event by the at least one power consumer and a power router that comprises a controller and that is arranged to route power to the power consumer from at least one of the power supply and the at least one further power source, the power router storing rules that define at least part of the routing operation of the router. The power router is arranged to route power to an power consumer in accordance with the rules so that at least a part of the power consumed by the power consumer during the power consumption event is provided by the at least one power source, rather than through the input, in response to the identifying unit identifying a power consumption event.
US09292801B2
A gradient computation unit computes a gradient of an objective function in a variable to be optimized. An added variable selection unit adds a variable corresponding to a largest absolute value of the computed gradient from among variables included in a variable set, to a nonzero variable set. A variable optimization unit optimizes a value of the variable to be optimized, for each variable included in the nonzero variable set. A deleted variable selection unit deletes a variable that, when deleted, causes a smallest increase of the objective function from among variables included in the nonzero variable set, from the nonzero variable set. An objective function evaluation unit computes a value of the objective function for the variable to be optimized.
US09292794B2
Techniques, systems, and articles of manufacture for voltage-based clustering to infer connectivity information in smart grids. A method includes clustering multiple voltage time series measurements into one or more groups, wherein said multiple voltage time series measurements are derived from one or more sensors; determining a connectivity model based on the one or more groups; comparing the determined connectivity model to an existing connectivity model to detect one or more inconsistencies between the determined connectivity model and the existing connectivity model; and updating the existing connectivity model based on said one or more detected inconsistencies.
US09292792B1
A computerized classifier system that forms convex hulls containing all training experiences for each target class (e.g. threat/non-threat) is disclosed. The intersection of convex hulls for each pair of classes defines a region of ambiguity in feature space. Measurement of feature vector(s) outside an ambiguous region of feature space leads to a class decision while measurement of feature vector(s) within an ambiguous region of feature space defined by convex hulls causes a transition to a new feature space with new features. In particular embodiments, measured feature data includes estimated motion states and electrical lengths of a given object, and range, velocity and acceleration image data from second phase differences for debris mitigation.
US09292791B2
A system including a global topic model building module that builds a global topic model based on a set of data that is updated according to an activity of each user of a plurality of users, a user model building module that builds a plurality of user models, each user model being built based on an activity of a respective user, an expertise model building module that builds an expertise model for the topic based on the activity of at least one user of the plurality of users, the expertise model for the topic setting a target level of knowledge for a first user of the plurality of users, a processor to compare a user model of the first user with the expertise model for the topic; and an expertise assessment and learning recommendation module that recommends an activity associated with the set of data to the first user based on the comparison.
US09292781B2
An installation card for a smart SIM Overlay and an installation method using the same are provided. The installation card comprises a carrier plate, a first adhesive layer, a smart overlay and a second adhesive layer. The carrier plate has a notch and a surface. The first adhesive layer adheres to the surface of the carrier plate. The smart overlay is adheres to the first adhesive layer, and the smart overlay is positioned corresponding to the notch. The second adhesive layer is adhered to the smart overlay.
US09292778B2
An output system includes a terminal apparatus, an output apparatus, and an information processing apparatus that are interconnected via a network. The output system includes a unit that registers an output request for output data received from the terminal apparatus that is operated by a registering user, a unit that displays information on the registering user that has designated an outputting user operating the output apparatus as a delegate user and receives a selection of the registering user from the outputting user, a unit that receives from the output apparatus an acquisition request for the output request of the selected registering user and provides the requested output request to the output apparatus, and a unit that receives a selection of the output request from the outputting user, acquires the output data of the selected output request, and outputs the acquired output data at the output apparatus.
US09292775B2
An image forming apparatus includes a power supply control unit that controls switching a power source to an auxiliary power supply that stores therein power from a main power supply when the main power supply is off, and to the main power supply when the main power supply is on; a detection unit that detects whether the power source is the main or the auxiliary power supply; a communication mode control unit that switches a data transfer rate from a first high-speed mode to a first low-speed mode allowing power consumption lower than the first high-speed mode when the power source is the auxiliary power supply; and a print mode control unit that switches a print speed from a second high-speed mode to a second low-speed mode allowing the power consumption lower than the second high-speed mode when the power source is the auxiliary power supply.
US09292773B2
The printing system includes a computer and an image display apparatus. When receiving the printing condition from the image display apparatus, the computer generates print data based upon a printing condition and image data having a higher resolution among a second image data stored in a second memory in the computer and the first image data stored in a first memory in the computer, which corresponds to the identification information contained in the printing condition, and sends the print data to a printer connected to the computer for printing.
US09292770B2
An information processing method includes inputting a gradation object, rendering the input gradation object to obtain a rectangular bitmap including the rendered gradation object, generating a command for extracting pixels corresponding to the rendered gradation object from the obtained rectangular bitmap, and sending the obtained rectangular bitmap and the command for extracting the pixels from the obtained rectangular bitmap.
US09292764B2
A method for providing object information for a scene in a wearable computer is disclosed. In this method, an image of the scene is captured. Further, the method includes determining a current location of the wearable computer and a view direction of an image sensor of the wearable computer and extracting at least one feature from the image indicative of at least one object. Based on the current location, the view direction, and the at least one feature, information on the at least one object is determined. Then, the determined information is output.
US09292762B2
Provided is a region extraction system that uses an image data analysis process, which has overcome the problem of false positives in region extraction and assists in more accurate region extraction. A luminance distribution-analyzing unit (105) is used to determine a parameter of unknown quantity for extracting a region of interest. The luminance distribution-analyzing unit (105) searches a luminance distribution management database (106) for a region, which has a luminance distribution similar to the region of interest and is easily extracted, as a similar area. The region of the similar area is extracted using a region extraction pre-processing unit (107) and the value of the parameter of unknown quantity is determined on the basis of an image feature value calculated from the region extraction results.
US09292760B2
An apparatus comprises a determination unit configured to determine, based on a region that satisfies a predetermined condition in an image as a candidate of an output target, whether to set the region as the output target; and a decision unit configured to, in a case where a plurality of regions that satisfy the predetermined condition exists in the image, decide a portion of the image including one or a plurality of regions determined, out of the plurality of regions, as the output target by said determination unit as a portion of the output target.
US09292756B2
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention automatically crop images based upon the location of one or more regions of interest (ROIs) identified within the cropped image. In one embodiment, an image cropping application configures a processor to utilize at least one object detector to identify at least one region of interest within an image. A plurality of candidate cropped images within the image are selected and for each candidate cropped image, an output is generated by weighting each of the at least one region of interest contained within the candidate cropped image as a function of its position within the candidate cropped image. A crop location can then be selected based upon the candidate cropped image having the largest output.
US09292752B2
An image processing device includes a processor; and a memory which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to execute, acquiring a captured image; extracting first feature data and second feature data of a first user included in the image; calculating a first authentication decision value, which indicates a probability that the first feature data of the first user resembles first feature data of a second user; and authenticating the first user by using the first feature data or both the first feature data and the second feature data according to the first authentication decision value.
US09292740B2
Extracting card data comprises receiving, by one or more computing devices, a digital image of a card; perform an image recognition process on the digital representation of the card; identifying an image in the digital representation of the card; comparing the identified image to an image database comprising a plurality of images and determining that the identified image matches a stored image in the image database; determining a card type associated with the stored image and associating the card type with the card based on the determination that the identified image matches the stored image; and performing a particular optical character recognition algorithm on the digital representation of the card, the particular optical character recognition algorithm being based on the determined card type. Another example uses an issuer identification number to improve data extraction. Another example compares extracted data with user data to improve accuracy.
US09292738B2
An object (e.g., a driver's license) is tested for authenticity using imagery captured by a consumer device (e.g., a mobile phone camera). Corresponding data is sent from the consumer device to a remote system, which has secret knowledge about features indicating object authenticity. The phone, or the remote system, discerns the pose of the object relative to the camera from the captured imagery. The remote system tests the received data for the authentication features, and issues an output signal indicating whether the object is authentic. This testing involves modeling the image data that would be captured by the consumer device from an authentic object—based on the object's discerned pose (and optionally based on information about the camera optics), and then comparing this modeled data with the data sent from the consumer device. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
US09292736B2
Methods and apparatus to count people in images are disclosed. An example method includes analyzing frame pairs of a plurality of frame pairs captured over a period of time to identify a redundant person indication detected in an overlap region, the overlap region corresponding to an intersection of a first field of view and a second field of view; eliminating the identified redundant person indication to form a conditioned set of person indications for the period of time; grouping similarly located ones of the person indications of the conditioned set to form groups; analyzing the groups to identify redundant groups detected in the overlap region; and eliminating the redundant groups from a people tally generated based on the groups.
US09292733B2
An information processing device includes a conversion unit that performs conversion such that an area including a feature point and the periphery thereof in a specific target is set as a first area and, when one pixel in the first area is set as a reference pixel, an area including the reference pixel and pixels in the periphery thereof is set as a second area, and, based on a comparison result of the feature amount of the reference pixel and the feature amount of another pixel in the second area, the feature amount of another pixel is converted for each pixel in the second area, and a calculation unit that calculates a feature amount to be used in an identification process for identifying the specific target by performing computation for the value of each pixel in the second area which is obtained from the conversion for each reference pixel.
US09292724B1
An imager defines a field of view and an optical axis. An illuminator directs illumination towards a region of interest, the region of interest being an intended position of the object. A tapered translucent diffuser is concentrically aligned with the optical axis, and has a first distal end proximate to the imager, and a second distal end proximate to the region of interest. The tapered translucent diffuser includes a darkened region, the darkened region to absorb a portion of the illumination to substantially reduce reflection of the portion of the illumination toward the object. A light guide can be positioned proximate the first distal end and the imager, such that a second illuminator can generate an aimer beam that passes through the light guide to produce an aimer pattern on the object.
US09292722B2
There is set forth herein an indicia reading apparatus having a configuration in which an illumination assembly for projecting an illumination pattern is de-energized during subsequent exposure periods. In one embodiment the indicia reading apparatus includes a configuration in which the illumination assembly is energized intermediate of the exposure periods. The indicia reading apparatus is useful for reading decodable indicia that is displayed on a display.
US09292716B2
A power detection circuit configured to detect an output power of a radio frequency transmitter. The power detection circuit includes a multiplier circuit configured to multiply a first differential input signal and a second differential input signal. The first differential input signal corresponds to a radio frequency signal to be amplified by the radio frequency transmitter. The second differential signal corresponds to an output signal as amplified by an amplifier of the radio frequency transmitter. A bias circuit is configured to generate a bias signal. A differential amplifier is configured to generate, based on the bias signal and the first differential signal and the second differential signal as multiplied by the multiplier circuit, an indication of the output power of the amplifier of the radio frequency transmitter.
US09292713B2
In accordance with some embodiments, multiple blind debug passwords are provided. Each of a plurality of interested entities may have its own password and each password may unlock a specific set of features offered by an integrated circuit. In some embodiments each entity does not know the other passwords of the other entities. Potentially interested entities include an integrated circuit end customer, the original equipment manufacturer, the entity that provided the features to the integrated circuit and a conditional access provider. All debug features may be controlled solely via access to the debug tiers which are accessed by multiple debug passwords. Lower tier passwords are required in order to access higher tiers. Debug features may be separated into multiple tiers with more intrusive access requiring multiple debug passwords in order to gain access.
US09292712B2
An exemplary method of maintaining secure time in a computing device is disclosed in which one or more processors implements a Rich Execution Environment (REE), and a separate Trusted Execution Environment (TEE). The TEE maintains a real-time clock (RTC) that provides a RTC time to the REE. A RTC offset is stored in non-volatile memory, with the RTC offset indicating a difference between the RTC time and a protected reference (PR) time. Responsive to a request from the REE to read the RTC time, a current RTC time is returned to the REE. Responsive to a request from the REE to adjust the RTC time, the RTC time and the corresponding RTC offset are adjusted by a same amount, such that the PR time is not altered by the RTC adjustment. An exemplary computing device operable to implement the method is also disclosed.
US09292711B1
A hardware secret is securely maintained in a computing device. The device operates in accordance with a usage limit corresponding to a limited number of operations using the hardware secret that the device is able to perform. Once the device reaches a usage limit, the device becomes temporarily or permanently unable to perform additional operations using the hardware secret.
US09292702B2
Disclosed is a computer implemented method, computer program product, and apparatus to switch security configurations. A data processing system accesses a first security configuration via a thread of execution, wherein a security configuration comprises at least one security parameter. The thread receives an incoming request. The thread switches to a second security configuration that specifies a resource, based on the incoming request, responsive to receiving the incoming request. The thread stores the second security configuration or a reference to the second security configuration to a stack. The thread authenticates the incoming request based on the second security configuration. The thread grants or denies access to the resource. The thread executes a method referenced in the incoming request. The thread restores to a first security configuration, responsive to completing the method.
US09292697B2
A computing device utilizes matrix codes to securely communicate information with a variety of servers. The computing device receives public user data, and generates a display of a base matrix code for reading by a scanner associated with a first server, wherein the base matrix code includes the public user data in a first mask. Responsive to the display of the base matrix code to the scanner associated with the first server, the computing device receives first private user data from the first server. The computing device generates a display of a first combined matrix code for reading by a scanner associated with a second server, wherein the first combined matrix code includes the public user data in the first mask and includes the first private user data in a second mask. The computing device can receive the public and first private user data in a matrix code.
US09292675B2
A system and method for creating a core cognitive fingerprint are provided. A core cognitive fingerprint can be used to capture and summarize the evolution of a system state and potentially respond with a predetermined action if the fingerprint falls within a defined threshold. The method includes: identifying a set of time frames, each time frame corresponding to a respective data source, within which data is extracted; providing a plurality of pattern recognizers each having an assigned heuristic specific to a type of content; processing the extracted data through the plurality of pattern recognizers to generate an initial set of elements, each element corresponding to the output of the heuristic assigned to each pattern recognizer; extracting identified relationships amongst the initial set of elements; modifying the initial set of elements to include the identified relationships to create an intermediate set of elements; comparing the intermediate set of elements against assigned values to emphasize or deemphasize each element in the intermediate set of elements to create a final set of elements; and using the final set of elements as a cognitive fingerprint representing a signature of the data extracted from the time frame, so that the signature can be compared to other cognitive fingerprints for further analysis.
US09292674B2
A password-encrypted key (PEK) is generated from a user-supplied password or other identifying data and then used to encrypt the user's password. The encrypted password is stored in a user record on a server. At login a would-be user's password is again used to make a key, which is then used to decrypt and compare the stored encrypted password with the would-be user's password to complete the login. The successful PEK is stored in a temporary session record and can be used to decrypt other sensitive user information previously encrypted and stored in the user record as well as to encrypt new information for storage in the user record. A public/private key system can also be used to maintain limited access for the host to certain information in the user record.
US09292671B1
Secret values used in a multi-server authentication scheme are updated. Information is authenticated in a system comprising a plurality of processing devices each adaptable for communication with one or more other devices. The information is authenticated by generating at least first and second shares of a first password associated with a first device (such as a client device); storing the first and second shares in respective second and third devices of the plurality of devices; updating the first and second shares using a personalized proactivization value; assigning a version number to the updated first and second shares; and upon submission of additional information associated with the first device to at least one of the second and third devices, the second and third devices utilizing the respective updated first and second shares for a given version number to collectively determine a correspondence of the additional information with the first password.
US09292667B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating a location based community. A location associated with a user is identified, as are point of interest in proximity to the location. A question can be received from a user that is related to a point of interest, which can be routed to other users who may be in the same or similar location or have an expertise in a particular subject matter area related to the question.
US09292659B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for using vessel reactivity to guide diagnosis or treatment for cardiovascular disease. One method includes receiving a patient-specific vascular model of a patient's anatomy, including at least one vessel of the patient; determining, by measurement or estimation, a first vessel size at one or more locations of a vessel of the patient-specific vascular model at a first physiological state; determining a second vessel size at the one or more locations of the vessel of the patient-specific vascular model at a second physiological state using a simulation or learned information; comparing the first vessel size to the corresponding second vessel size; and estimating a characteristic of the vessel of the patient-specific vascular model based on the comparison.
US09292658B2
Various embodiments provide systems, computer program products and computer implemented methods. In some embodiments, a system includes a method of providing a confidence-estimation-based inference, the method includes receiving a query concerning a patient from a user, accessing an electronic health record (EHR) for the patient, the EHR including a first component regarding the patient, querying the user, using a conversational interface, for a second component regarding the patient, the second component being in a natural language information form, receiving the second component regarding the patient in response to the query, calculating a first probability density function using the first component, and a second probability density function using the second component, combining the first and second probability density functions using a Gaussian mixture model, calculating at least one conditional probability table using the Gaussian mixture model and providing the confidence-estimation-based inference based on the at least one conditional probability table.
US09292654B2
Apparatus for performing diagnostic imaging examinations with tutorial means for the user, both in the preparatory step and in the operative step, and method for using the apparatus. The apparatus includes, stored into dedicated memory units, a list of procedural steps, with relevant text explanations and/or example images and/or example videos, reference parameters of setting status of commands and/or of execution sequence relevant to the execution of each procedural step, reference quality parameters of images and/or of reception signals relevant to acquisition of specific types of images, feedback means for detecting steps made by the operator and feedback means for detecting quality parameters of acquired images, and means for comparing procedural steps performed by the operator and quality parameters of acquired images and/or of reception signals with procedural steps and relevant reference quality parameters of images provided into the list stored into the image processing and/or acquisition procedure memory unit.
US09292637B2
A computer-implemented method for simulating a polymer material comprising a polymer, a filler and a modifying agent for increasing the affinity of the polymer to the filler is disclosed. A pair of filler models are defined by a pair of parallelly-opposed wall surfaces of a virtual space in which the modified polymer models are disposed, and a molecular dynamics calculation is performed. In order to evaluate the affinity, the number of the particles of the modified polymer models 2 moved into and staying in a nearby-filler area is counted at constant time steps, and the variation of the counted numbers is smoothened by averaging every two or more successive counted numbers.
US09292631B1
The present invention provides a method and system for automatic verification of automatically generated standalone code intended for execution on a target computing platform against its original design simulated in a simulation environment. The present invention also applies to execution comparisons between two implementations, such as two simulations, one simulation and one standalone code implementation, or two standalone code implementations. Block diagrams can be used to create a comparison model that compares two implementations. The comparison of different implementations can be performed at a block level, a subsystem level, a model level, or multi-model level. The present invention allows automatic comparison once a user supplies the intermediate outputs and/or signals that the user wants to compare and monitor. Reports can be generated to show the statistics of the comparison results.
US09292625B2
Systems and methods for determining alternative visual analytics are described. Visual analytics result from the application of visual analytic patterns that include instructions for generating visualizations of analytical data. Analytical data is the result of the execution of analytical operations specified in a report definition on an underlying business object. By analyzing the metadata associated with the report definition or visual analytic pattern, alternative visual analytic patterns may be determined that better represent the character of the analytical data. The metadata may include a mapping that associates alternative visual analytic patterns with a business object, a report definition, or another visual analytic pattern. Accordingly, the determination of the alternative visual analytic patterns may be based on the mappings. The alternative visual analytic pattern s may then be applied to the analytic data to generate one or more alternative visual analytics that may be selected by a user.
US09292622B2
Systems and methods for providing search suggestions are disclosed. In some implementations, a method includes: at an electronic device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors: displaying a search field; detecting a predefined user activity relating to the search field over a first predefined period of time; and in response to the detection: displaying one of: (i) a suggested search feature demonstrating syntax of a system-supported user query, or (ii) a suggested search term related to a user's recent viewing activity. In other implementations, the method includes: displaying a search field; detecting user inactivity with respect to the search field over a first predefined period of time; and in response to the detection: displaying, in the search field, a search suggestion demonstrating syntax of a system-supported user query.
US09292620B1
Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems for retrieving data from multiple locations in storage systems. One embodiment includes a method that determines that data is stored in multiple locations remote to a computer, estimates a latency to retrieve the data from the multiple locations, and requests the data from the plural locations.
US09292612B2
Systems and methods for creating and using a domain profile include identifying a status of a first page associated with a domain. The first page is retrieved and additional pages from the domain are identified based on hyperlinks from the first page. The status of the additional pages is identified and the hyperlinks are prioritized based on the status and/or a comparison with predetermined data. Content is extracted from the first page and selected pages from among the additional pages. The specific additional pages may be selected based on the prioritization. The retrieved content may be processed through a signature marker set to determine a contextual match. A purpose of the domain is determined according to the status of the first page, the status of the additional pages and results of the processing of the content. The domain profile can be displayed, stored, sent and/or searched to identify web sites or attributes of interest.
US09292611B1
A firmware setup utility executing on a computing system is configured to display a two-dimensional barcode, such as a Quick Response (“QR”) code. The two-dimensional barcode may be encoded with data about the computing system and/or a hyperlink specifying a location from which additional information may be retrieved. Another device, such as a mobile device, may be utilized to scan the two-dimensional barcode, decode the information contained therein, and present the data. If a hyperlink is encoded in the two-dimensional barcode, the device may retrieve the additional information from the specified location and present the retrieved data.
US09292587B2
Systems and methods for providing notifications of changes made in a database table to a remote application is presented. The system and methods manage change notification of a table in a database by notifying an application registered to receive notifications of changes made to a database table. A database manager executing on a device may receive a request to register an application to be notified when a first table of a plurality of tables in a database is changed. The database manager may establish a notification table comprising fields of the first table and one or more additional fields for managing notification. The database manager may establish a trigger on the first table to invoke a trigger procedure to copy a changed row of the first table to the notification table. The database manager may create a rule for the notification table to notify registered applications when a new row is inserted into the notification table.
US09292583B2
A system and method are provided that display search results and user location on a map. A floor selector interface may be displayed with the map. The floor selector interface may include one or more floor selectors, each of which correspond to a floor in a multi-story building. Upon selection of a floor selector, first search result and location indicators may be displayed transparently or semi-transparently to indicate whether the user or the search results are on the selected floor. If the user or the search results are on a non-selected floor, such indicators may be displayed differently, such as with a different transparency. The floor selector interface may also include second search result and location identifiers. Such second identifiers may be displayed at particular floor selectors corresponding to the present elevation of the user and search results, respectively.
US09292576B2
A method of analyzing physiological data streams. According to the method, physiological data is received into a computerized machine. The physiological data comprises numerical data and medical symptoms of a patient. Features are extracted from the physiological data based on development of the physiological data over a period of time. The features are converted into a textual representation using natural language generation. Input terms for an information retrieval system operating on the computerized machine are automatically generated based on the features. The input terms are input to the information retrieval system. A corpus of data is automatically searched to retrieve results to the input terms using the information retrieval system.
US09292570B2
An embodiment of the system and method for optimizing pattern query searches on a graph database uses a pattern query optimizer to optimize execution of the search plan for any sequence of SQL expressions by separating or breaking a pattern query into multiple subpattern queries before converting the subpattern queries into SQL expressions. An embodiment of the pattern query optimizer algorithmically, without intervention by an analyst, decomposes any pattern query into a set of subpattern queries by first identifying branches and cycles within a pattern query and then decomposing each identified branch and cycle into equivalent straight line paths, i.e., straight line nodes joined by edges. Cardinality may be used to improve the performance of pattern searches.
US09292568B2
A system and method of query optimization are disclosed. A complexity measure of a client query received from a client application is compared to a predetermined threshold, which is determined using at least one of system data and query execution data. An optimized query is generated by modifying the client query to reduce the complexity measure of the client query if the complexity measure of the client query exceeds the predetermined threshold. The optimized query is submitted to a server application on a server and a post-processing routine to be applied to the result set is selected.
US09292562B2
Disclosed is a method of reading and writing data to and from a transactional database using a scatter-gather routine that minimizes the time in which the database is subject to a transaction lock. Data is placed in a scatter-gather list in RAM, which speeds the process of reading and writing data to the database. Further, a process is disclosed for restoring data in a transactional database that is accessed by more than one controller. An alternate controller is held in reset mode and placed offline, so that data in the transactional database cannot be changed during the restoration process. In addition, the database is placed offline and the host is notified that the database is invalid, so that the host cannot access the transactional database.
US09292560B2
Collisions in hash tables are reduced by removing each empty bucket from a hash table and compacting the non-empty buckets, generating a map of the hash table indicating a status of the buckets of the hash table, and accessing data in the hash table by applying a hash key to the generated map to determine a corresponding bucket containing the data.
US09292558B2
Techniques for performing database operations using vectorized instructions are provided. In one technique, an aggregation operation involves executing vectorized instructions to update a data value that corresponds to a particular key. The aggregation operation may be one of count, sum, minimum, maximum, or average.
US09292536B2
The invention provides a system and method for file synchronization. One embodiment of the system of this invention includes a software program stored on a computer readable medium. The software program can be executed by a computer processor to receive a file from a server; store the file as a cached file in a cache; determine if the cached file has been modified; and if the cached file has been modified, communicate the cached file directly to the database.
US09292532B2
A computer-implemented method for performing remote data storage includes providing, by at least one client, files to be stored on a remote server, evaluating popularity of the files, and storing the files on the server in a form that depends on the popularity of the files. Files with a first level of popularity are stored in a deduplicated form and files with a second level of popularity are stored in an encrypted form, the first level of popularity being higher than the second level of popularity.
US09292528B2
Information processing apparatus, method, and medium for processing files stored in a storage medium
An information processing apparatus acquires pieces of file information for specifying each of a plurality of files as candidates for which predetermined processing is executed. The apparatus generates a file list for specifying one or more first files as some of the plurality of files, on a memory, based on the pieces of acquired file information. The apparatus newly generates, in a case where the predetermined processing is executed for one or more second files of the plurality of files, a file list corresponding to the one or more second files on an area of the memory in which the file list corresponding to the one or more first files is stored.
US09292524B2
Provided is a storage device configured to store a file system including (1) a personality oriented file information (PFI) directory entry including a first directory entry having a file allocation table (FAT) structure, and a second directory entry having a structure different from that of the first directory entry, the second directory entry including additional information instructing an access device on at least one parameter associated with creation and storing of a storage file, and (2) an entry table including location information of the PFI directory entry.
US09292518B2
In one embodiment, a social networking system automatically tags one or more users to an image file by creating a list of potential matches, and selecting a subset of potential matches based on location, asking a first user to confirm the subset of potential matches, and tagging one or more matched users to the image file.
US09292512B2
Disclosed are various embodiments for making publisher content available to specific users. A directory describing media items that are remotely stored is presented via a user interface. Selection information corresponding to a particular media item is received via the user interface. The media item is requested and received from another computing device. Consumption data is collected during consumption of the media item. The consumption data is sent to another computing device.
US09292500B2
The present disclosure describes a teleconferencing system that may use a virtual participant processor to translate language content of the teleconference into each participant's spoken language without additional user inputs. The virtual participant processor may connect to the teleconference as do the other participants. The virtual participant processor may intercept all text or audio data that was previously exchanged between the participants may now be intercepted by the virtual participant processor. Upon obtaining a partial or complete language recognition result or making a language preference determination, the virtual participant processor may call a translation engine appropriate for each of the participants. The virtual participant processor may send the resulting translation to a teleconference management processor. The teleconference management processor may deliver the respective translated text or audio data to the appropriate participant.
US09292497B2
A method and a system for translating sections of one or more applications are disclosed. The method includes capturing and storing text phrases of the sections. The method further includes capturing and storing of screen shot images of the sections. The captured text phrases and the screen shot images are then combined to provide a context-based translation of the sections.
US09292496B1
A user input pertaining to a question of whether a first electronic product is interoperable with a second electronic product is received. Based on the question a new message is generated and posted in at least one web based forum. The new message asks whether the first electronic product is interoperable with the second electronic product. Responses to the new message are monitored and analyzed to determine whether, for each response, the response pertains to the interoperability of the first electronic product with the second electronic product. Responsive to determining that at least one response pertains to the interoperability of the first electronic product with the second electronic product, information indicating whether the first electronic product is interoperable with a second electronic product, based on the response to the new message posted in the web based forum, is presented to the user.
US09292488B2
A method for processing a voice message in a computerized system. The method receives and records a speech utterance including a message portion and a communication portion. The method proceeds to parse the input to identify and separate the message portion and the communication portion. It then identifies communication parameters, including one or more destination mailboxes, from the communication portion, and it transmits the message portion to the destination mailbox as a voice message.
US09292487B1
A language model for speech recognition may be discriminatively pruned. In some embodiments, the language model is discriminatively pruned by computing a discriminative objective function value for one or more n-grams in the language model, and selecting one or more n-grams to prune based at least in part on a threshold value. In some embodiments, the language model is discriminatively pruned to a sufficiently small number of n-grams such that transcription of audio inputs may occur in real time, or such that the pruned language model may be stored on a device with relatively limited electronic storage capacity.
US09292483B2
Text is intelligently annotated by first creating a topic map summarizing topics of interest of the user. A data structure is created. The topic map is used to create two linked user dictionaries, a topic dictionary reflecting topic names and a traversal dictionary reflecting the knowledge structure of a topic. Actions may be linked with topic types. When the text to be annotated is being read, the topic data structure of the topics found in the text are automatically instantiated using the dictionaries and any actions previously linked to topic types. Instantiated topic data structures are automatically attached to the text being annotated. A user GUI may be created to allow the user to access and interact with the text annotations.
US09292481B2
Briefly, one or more embodiments of a process, system, apparatus or article to edit electronic content is provided. Electronic content may be displayed in an application. A snapshot of a portion of the electronic content may be created. An edit and/or a comment may be received that provides context for the comment. A review that includes the snapshot and edit and/or comment may be published to one or more recipients. At least one of the one or more recipients may be configured to receive the review and display the review using a different application.
US09292478B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a visual editor allowing graphical editing of expressions in an expression language. A graphical user interface is displayed. A first user input of an expression is received. The expression is defined in a logical or textual form, and each component of the expression is represented by a graphical element on the graphical user interface. A syntax of the first user input is verified and an alert is provided to the user in response to detecting a syntax error or an inconsistency of the first user input when verifying the syntax.
US09292472B2
A vehicular display apparatus on a vehicle includes a display device which displays a magnitude of an acceleration which is being detected by an acceleration sensor on a display unit, and also displays a magnitude of an acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor when an ESC controller generated a braking force on road wheels on the display unit.
US09292469B2
An I/O device management method of a computer system including a computer, an I/O device, an I/O switch assigning the I/O device to the computer, and a management computer of managing the I/O device, in which a process of the management processor includes a step of acquiring a piece of configuration information of the I/O device assigned to the computer, and a piece of configuration information of a network connected with I/O device, a step of acquiring a flow amount indicating an amount of a data transmitted and received via the I/O device for each I/O type, a step of determining the I/O device of changing an assignment to the computer based on the pieces of acquired information, and a step of issuing an assignment change instruction to the I/O switch.
US09292465B2
Embodiments help dynamically configure the width of PCIe links and also determine how to best configure the appropriate link width. This helps avoid situations where PCIe links are almost always active even at very low traffic rates. Embodiments achieve these benefits based on, for example, run-time monitoring of bandwidth requirement for integrated and non-integrated ports located downstream for the PCIe controller. This provides power savings with little impact on performance. Other embodiments are discussed herein.
US09292457B2
A cloud computing network device is disclosed. The device is configured to generate output data based on input data, wherein the output data is indicative of the input data, cause data indicative of the input data to be stored in a memory, and respond to instructions to access the input data by accessing the data stored in the memory.
US09292453B2
Embodiments relate to a method, system and computer program product for storing a system-absolute address (SAA) in a first level look-aside buffer (TLB). In one embodiment, the system includes a central processor including the TLB and general purpose registers (GPRS). The TLB is configured for storing the SAA. The central processor is configured for issuing a load system-absolute address (LSAA) instruction. The system includes a translation unit that is in communication with the TLB of the central processor. The system is configured to perform a method including determining, based on the LSAA instruction being issued, whether the SAA is stored in the TLB. The method includes sending a translation request to the translation unit from the central processor based on the SAA not being stored in the TLB. The method includes determining the SAA by the translation unit based on receiving the translation request.
US09292448B2
Disclosed are cache management apparatus and methods. A mobile device can include a global cache manager (GCM), a processor, and a storage medium. The GCM can manage a cache for an application of the mobile device. The storage medium can store instructions that, upon the processor's execution, cause the mobile device to perform functions. The functions can include: receiving an indication of a triggering event related to memory allocated for the application; the GCM responsively determining an amount of memory allocated to the application; the GCM determining whether a memory limit for the application is within a threshold amount of being exceeded by the amount of memory allocated to the application; and responsive to determining that the memory limit for the application is within the threshold amount of being exceeded, instructing the application to cease utilization of a portion of memory allocated to the cache.
US09292447B2
A processor includes a processing unit, a memory, a data cache, an One Block Look-ahead (OBL) prefetch engine, a Stride-Allocate on Miss (AoM) prefetch engine and a prefetch back-off module. The prefetch back-off module assigns and sets a status bits to a prefetched cache line and resets the status bit when the cache line is used by the processing unit. The back-off module also decrements a count value when at least two cache lines are used consecutively by the processing unit, increments the count value when at least two unused cache lines are evicted consecutively from the data cache, and disables cache line prefetching when the count value is greater than zero. The stride-AoM prefetch engine includes a reference pattern table (RPT) that stores details of only those instructions that have undergone a cache miss.
US09292445B2
Embodiments relate to a non-data inclusive coherent (NIC) directory for a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) of a computer. An aspect includes determining a first eviction entry of a highest-level cache in a multilevel caching structure of the first processor node of the SMP. Another aspect includes determining that the NIC directory is not full. Another aspect includes determining that the first eviction entry of the highest-level cache is owned by a lower-level cache in the multilevel caching structure. Another aspect includes, based on the NIC directory not being full and based on the first eviction entry of the highest-level cache being owned by the lower-level cache, installing an address of the first eviction entry of the highest-level cache in a first new entry in the NIC directory. Another aspect includes invalidating the first eviction entry in the highest-level cache.
US09292430B2
A method of writing data in a memory comprising a NAND cell array is disclosed, wherein a data output device completes the writing process only by transmitting the data and a start address for writing the data to the memory.
US09292422B2
In a method of testing a software item, a graphical user interface is presented for scheduling a test of the software item. Specified information regarding conduct of a test is received via the graphical user interface. The specified information includes a test time for initiating the test. The test is initiated at the test time.
US09292420B2
Arrangements described herein relate to generation of test plans. A list of test case selection criteria can be presented to each of a plurality of stakeholders. At least one user input is received from each of the plurality of stakeholders selecting at least one test case selection criterion from the list of test case selection criteria and, for each selected test case selection criterion, assigning a criterion priority. Test cases, which correspond to the selected test case selection criteria, can be automatically selected to include in a candidate test plan. A candidate priority can be automatically assigned to each test case selected to be included in the candidate test plan. The processor selects the test cases to include in the candidate test plan and assigns the candidate priorities to the selected test cases based on processing the criterion priorities assigned to the selected test case selection criteria by the stakeholders.
US09292415B2
A module-specific tracing mechanism may trace the usage of a module on behalf of the module developer. The module may be used by multiple application developers, and the tracing system may collect and summarize data for the module in each of the different applications. The data may include usage data as well as performance data. Usage data may include anonymized data for each time the module may be invoked and called, and performance data may include the processing time, memory consumption, and other metrics. The module-specific tracing may be enabled or disabled by an application developer.
US09292412B2
Enabling remote debugging of virtual machines, in one aspect, may comprise attaching a debug virtual machine to a target virtual machine deployed in a virtualized environment. Interactions and/or access to the target virtual machine may be performed via the attached debug virtual machine. The debug virtual machine may be created and attached to the target virtual machine in response to receiving a request to debug the target machine, for example, from a remote user of the target virtual machine.
US09292411B2
A debug control system and method thereof which includes a debug device and a wireless communication module. The debug device is configured to communicate electrical data with a target device via a first signal transmission interface. The wireless communication module is configured to communicate electrical data with the debug device via a second communication interface, and is configured to communicate electrical data with a host device. Electrical data exchanged between the debug control system and the target device is configured to debug or update firmware residing on the target device.
US09292410B2
A computerized method that combines identifying conflicting requirements and monitoring requirements integrity. Traceability link strengths are computed between a code element and a plurality of requirements. Revised traceability link strengths are computed between a revised version of the same code element and the plurality of requirements. The revised traceability link strengths are compared to the pre-existing traceability link strengths and a deviation decreased is identified when the revised traceability link strength is less than the pre-existing traceability link strength. An additional traceability link strength is computed between the revised version of the same code element and a new requirement, the new requirement first appearing with the revised version of the same code element. A conflict between the new requirement and the pre-existing requirements is identified when both a deviation decrease is identified and when additional traceability link strength exceeds a correlation threshold.
US09292404B1
A computer-implemented method may include tracking a child's usage of a computing system. The computer-implemented method may also include generating an event history based on the child's usage of the computing system and identifying a restricted event that violated a parental-control policy. The computer-implemented method may further include creating an event trail by identifying at least one event in the event history that led to the restricted event. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09292387B2
A medium stores a control program for an information processing apparatus. The control program causes the information processing apparatus to execute a procedure. The procedure includes obtaining history information on a type of an operation performed to each of a plurality of files, calculating a priority for a file among the files based on the type of the operation in the history information, and selecting a file among the files based on the priority.
US09292375B2
A memory management method for receiving a multi channel hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) packet may enable smooth communication and reduce costs by maintaining a small memory size of a receiver in a communication system using a HARQ including a plurality of channels.
US09292373B2
Embodiments relate to a method and computer program product for error handling. The method includes performing at least one query operation. The processing of query operation also includes generating error information data based at least an error encountered during performance of the query operation and generating a data result relating to any portion of the query operation successfully completed. The data result is processed together with the error information data based on encountering any errors. The data result and error information are provided together in a package but separated by an indicator to distinguish between them.
US09292367B2
A state migration module (SMM) is described herein which seamlessly, efficiently, and correctly transfers application state between user computing devices, or between different interactions with the application on the same device that occur at different respective times. The SMM operates by capturing the current state of an application relative to the operation of a high-level execution platform (such as a browser) on which the application runs, rather than capturing the overall low-level state of the computing that runs the application. The SMM can include additional provisions designed to improve the efficiency of state migration, such as asynchronous migration, incremental delta-based migration, etc.
US09292351B2
A device creates a local forwarding function in a virtual machine of a device associated with a cloud computing environment, where the local forwarding function local forwarding function connects the device with local devices associated with the cloud computing environment. The device creates a global forwarding function in the virtual machine, where the global forwarding function connects the device with global devices associated with other cloud computing environments. The device also creates, in the virtual machine, a virtual control plane that controls the local forwarding function and the global forwarding function. The device communicates, via the local forwarding function, first traffic with a particular local device of the local devices, and communicates, via the global forwarding function, second traffic with a particular global device of the global devices.
US09292348B2
Data processing system efficiency is improved by automatically determining whether to adjust for a next time interval a number N of processors running within the system for processing a workload. The automatically determining includes obtaining a measure of operating system overhead by evaluating one or more characteristics of processor time of the N processors consumed within the system for a time interval, and obtaining a measure of system utilization of the N processors running within the system for processing the workload for the time interval. The automatically determining further includes automatically ascertaining whether to adjust the number N of processors running within the system for the next time interval to improve system efficiency using the obtained measure of operating system overhead and the obtained measure of system utilization of the N processors.
US09292345B2
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for managing processes. A command is received to process one or more workflows, each of the one or more workflows including a set of instructions. A request for identification of one or more devices meeting predefined criteria is issued. A device identifier (ID) and data corresponding to each of the one or more devices meeting the predefined criteria are stored in a database. The one or more workflows are processed for each of the one or more devices meeting the predefined criteria by executing the set of instructions included in the one or more workflows. Executing the set of instructions included in the one or more workflows includes calling one or more functions to be performed by one or more communicatively coupled systems.
US09292339B2
A multi-core processor system includes a core configured to determine whether a task to be synchronized with a given task is present; identify among cores making up the multi-core processor and upon determining that a task to be synchronized with the given task is present, a core to which no non-synchronous task that is not synchronized with another task has been assigned, and identify among cores making up the multi-core processor and upon determining that a task to be synchronized with the given task is not present, a core to which no synchronous task to be synchronized with another task has been assigned; and send to the identified core, an instruction to start the given task.
US09292334B2
A system for controlling and operating applications in multiprocessor systems is described. Various multiprocessor systems comprising various processors coupled to various transceiver processors operate independently and automatically establish communications with each other. Data managers within the independent multiprocessor systems exchange messages indicating types of data processed by software applications in the independent multiprocessor systems. When a data manager determines that a software application in another independent multiprocessor system is configured to process the same data type, then data can be sent from one multiprocessor system to the other to allow a software application in the communicating multiprocessor system to control and operate a software application in the other multiprocessor system.
US09292332B1
Generally described, aspects of the present disclosure relate to a live update process of the virtual machine monitor during the operation of the virtual machine instances. An update to a virtual machine monitor can be a difficult process to execute because of the operation of the virtual machine instances. Generally, in order to update the virtual machine monitor, the physical computing device needs to be rebooted, which interrupts operation of the virtual machine instances. The live update process provides for a method of updating the virtual machine monitor without rebooting the physical computing device.
US09292331B2
One or more services for enhancing guest utilization of a virtual machine and other VDC resources may be provided at the intermediary manager. In an embodiment, the intermediary manager intercepts a hypercall from a guest operating system that is separate from the intermediary manager. The intermediary manager determines that a particular intermediary service is associated with the hypercall and causes execution of service instructions associated with the particular intermediary service. The intermediary manager and guest operating systems may operate within a virtual machine hosted by a host machine and managed by a hypervisor. Embodiments may be useful in any of a virtualized enterprise computer system; a virtual machine infrastructure in a private data center; computing, storage or networking resources in a private cloud; computing, storage or networking resources of cloud service provider; and a hybrid cloud computing environment.
US09292329B2
Application management is facilitated by observing messages communicated amongst virtual applications external to application-hosting virtual machines. In one instance, the messages can be observed from within a virtual switch outside hosting virtual machines. One or more actions can subsequently be performed as a function of the messages such as but not limited to application monitoring as well as message routing, filtering, and/or transformation.
US09292319B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for implementing a global computing interface. One of the methods includes maintaining a global database of virtual machine configuration information, the database including information on cloud computing resources in each of a plurality of regions, wherein each region of the plurality of regions includes one or more datacenters. A virtual machine image is received in a first region. The global database is updated with configuration information about the received virtual machine image that is stored in the first region. A request is received to start one or more virtual machines from the virtual machine image in a second different region, and the virtual machine image is transmitted from the first region to the second region and one or more virtual machines are started from the virtual machine image in a datacenter of the second different region.
US09292313B2
A mechanism is provided for detecting an operating state of a component. A CLI command is transmitted via a command line interface to the component. An output character string is received responsive to the CLI command. A set of significant character substrings is dissected from the output character string, where each significant character substring comprises a label character string indicating a meaning of the output character string and a data character string expressing data of the output character string. A regular expression corresponding to each significant character substring is set thereby forming a set of regular expressions. A difference is calculated between each of the set regular expressions and each significant character substring corresponding to the regular expression as a character string distance. Each calculated character string distance is compared to a corresponding predetermined threshold and the operating state of the component is output based on results of the comparison.
US09292305B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for declarative instance based access control for persistent application resources in a multi-tier application. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for instance based access control in a persistent application resource can be provided. The method can include creating one or more instances of an persistent application resource for a particular user or based on attributes of the user, coupling the instance(s) of the persistent application resource to a database implementing row-level access control, initializing access to the database according to a role or attribute for the particular user, and accessing a restricted set of data in the database through the instance(s) of the persistent application resource.
US09292304B2
Systems and methods for language integration via function redirection are disclosed herein in connection with simulation of quantum computations on classical computers. A base class that all of the functions of a group will instantiate in their context may be defined. The functions may take arguments that may be passed to a member of the base class for dispatch. A dispatcher may be provided to analyze the current context. The dispatcher may perform any of a number of operations as a result, including, but not limited to, passing the arguments to the class instance for execution, returning the class instance directly or via a context holder, returning a new representation of the function for future execution via a context holder, or any other return type that may be desired.
US09292299B2
A server-implemented method for managing packages on a client device is provided. The method initiates with receiving a content request from a client device, the content request defining a requested content item and current package data identifying one or more currently installed packages on the client device. Required packages for providing the requested content item are determined based on the content request, wherein determining the required packages includes analyzing dependencies amongst the required packages. A response to the content request is generated based on the determined required packages and the current package data, the response defining actions for providing the requested content item at the client device and actions for managing the one or more currently installed packages on the client device. The package management instructions are sent to the client device.
US09292296B2
Processing instruction grouping information is provided that includes: reading addresses of machine instructions grouped by a processor at runtime from a buffer to form an address file; analyzing the address file to obtain grouping information of the machine instructions; converting the machine instructions in the address file into readable instructions; and obtaining grouping information of the readable instructions based on the grouping information of the machine instructions and the readable instructions resulted from conversion. Status of grouping and processing performed on instructions by a processor at runtime can be acquired dynamically, such that processing capability of the processor can be better utilized.
US09292292B2
A processor employs a prediction table at a front end of its instruction pipeline, whereby the prediction table stores address register and offset information for store instructions; and stack offset information for stack access instructions. The stack offset information for a corresponding instruction indicates the entry of the stack accessed by the instruction stack relative to a base entry. The processor uses pattern matching to identify predicted dependencies between load/store instructions and predicted dependencies between stack access instructions. A scheduler unit of the instruction pipeline uses the predicted dependencies to perform store-to-load forwarding or other operations that increase efficiency and reduce power consumption at the processing system.
US09292288B2
Systems and methods for flag tracking in data manipulation operations involving move elimination. An example processing system comprises a first data structure including a plurality of physical register values; a second data structure including a plurality of pointers referencing elements of the first data structure; a third data structure including a plurality of move elimination sets, each move elimination set comprising two or more bits representing two or more logical data registers, the third data structure further comprising at least one bit associated with each move elimination set, the at least one bit representing one or more logical flag registers; a fourth data structure including an identifier of a data register sharing an element of the first data structure with a flag register; and a move elimination logic configured to perform a move elimination operation.
US09292284B2
A parallel arithmetic device includes a status management section, a plurality of processor elements, and a plurality of switch elements for determining the relation of coupling of each of the processor elements. Each of the processor elements includes an instruction memory for memorizing a plurality of operation instructions corresponding respectively to a plurality of contexts so that an operation instruction corresponding to the context selected by the status management section is read out, and a plurality of arithmetic units for performing arithmetic processes in parallel on a plurality of sets of input data in a manner compliant with the operation instruction read out from the instruction memory.
US09292283B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for implementing fast large-integer arithmetic within an integrated circuit, such as on IA (Intel Architecture) processors, in which such means include receiving a 512-bit value for squaring, the 512-bit value having eight sub-elements each of 64-bits and performing a 512-bit squaring algorithm by: (i) multiplying every one of the eight sub-elements by itself to yield a square of each of the eight sub-elements, the eight squared sub-elements collectively identified as T1, (ii) multiplying every one of the eight sub-elements by the other remaining seven of the eight sub-elements to yield an asymmetric intermediate result having seven diagonals therein, wherein each of the seven diagonals are of a different length, (iii) reorganizing the asymmetric intermediate result having the seven diagonals therein into a symmetric intermediate result having four diagonals each of 7×1 sub-elements of the 64-bits in length arranged across a plurality of columns, (iv) adding all sub-elements within their respective columns, the added sub-elements collectively identified as T2, and (v) yielding a final 512-bit squared result of the 512-bit value by adding the value of T2 twice with the value of T1 once. Other related embodiments are disclosed.
US09292280B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for multi-tiered registration of file formats for applications. A processor receives a registration request from a developer of an application to register an application with a list of primary formats and a list of secondary formats. The processor associates the list of primary formats and the list of secondary formats with the application, and the processor receives an open request from a user to open a file having a file format. The application is determined to be associated with a primary format corresponding to the file format, and the application is selected to open the file.
US09292271B2
An apparatus for use in developing a software application includes a translation manager for generating and maintaining a table comprising tokens, native language messages, and translated messages, a technical communicator for verifying that the native language messages comply with at least one of policies, grammar rules, spelling rules, and duplication rules, and a translator for translating the native language messages into the translated messages. A method for managing translation in the development of a software application is also described.
US09292266B2
A method for updating a computer the includes converting a first computer the to executable byte code and receiving a second computer the that includes a change that distinguishes the second computer file from the first computer file. The method also includes converting the second computer the to executable byte code and comparing at least a portion of the executable byte code of the second computer file with at least a portion of the executable byte code of the first computer file. The method further includes inserting, into the executable byte code the first computer file, a modification that causes at least a portion of the executable byte code of the first computer the to resemble the executable byte code of the second computer file.
US09292257B2
Example systems and methods for estimating range for a vehicle are provided. In an example, a server remotely located from a vehicle receives vehicle status information from the vehicle as well as reference data from sources other than the vehicle. An estimated range for the vehicle is computed based on both the vehicle status information and the reference data, and then this estimated range is transmitted to the vehicle.
US09292252B2
Methods and apparatus for voice-enabling a web application, wherein the web application includes one or more web pages rendered by a web browser on a computer. At least one information source external to the web application is queried to determine whether information describing a set of one or more supported voice interactions for the web application is available, and in response to determining that the information is available, the information is retrieved from the at least one information source. Voice input for the web application is then enabled based on the retrieved information.
US09292248B2
This document describes techniques for transporting at least a portion of the data for a remote presentation session via datagrams. In particular, a span-out model is described whereby a remote presentation session can be associated with multiple channels and each channel can be routed through a different gateway computer system. As such, a connectionless oriented channel for a client may be routed through a first gateway computer system and a connection oriented channel for the client may be routed through a second gateway computer system. In addition to the foregoing, other techniques are described in the claims, the attached drawings, and the description.
US09292239B2
A maintenance method of an information processing apparatus comprises: acquiring a machine information including an identification information identifying a machine of the information processing apparatus, a group name classifying the machine as an isolated group and the setting value information of multiple setting items of the machine through an external storage apparatus, acquiring a statistical data of the setting item generated for each group based on the setting value information of multiple information processing apparatuses, comparing the machine information with the statistical data according to each setting item whose group name matches, and generating an evaluation information denoting the propriety of the setting value of the machine and displaying the evaluation information from a display processing unit on a display unit.
US09292238B2
A method for preventing leakage of a printout using security paper includes registering, by an export registration device, information about a printout of an electronic document by generating the information about the printout and transmitting the information about the printout to an export management server, outputting, by a security printer, a security printout by printing content and a security identifier of the electronic document on paper including a security substance, and determining whether or not to export the security printout, by a leakage detection device, by inspecting whether or not the security printout includes the security substance and detecting the security identifier. The security identifier includes security information about the printout of the electronic document, and the information about the printout of the electronic document includes information about a unique value allowing the printout to be uniquely identified.
US09292237B2
An image forming apparatus is provided, including an image forming mechanism which executes a printing process; an object data memory which stores image data as an object of the printing process when a printing instruction is received; a re-formation condition memory which stores a type of a printing function and whether or not image data is an object of image re-formation in correlation with each other; an object judging mechanism which judges whether or not the image data as a source of the image formation is the object of the image re-formation; and a data deleting mechanism which deletes the image data as the source of the image formation from the object data memory if the image data as the source of the image formation is not the object of the image re-formation.
US09292232B2
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium includes a printing management program, which, when processed by a computer, causes the computer to function as a scheduling unit configured to schedule a print job in an image forming apparatus, the print job having a printing capability that matches a printing capability set in the image forming apparatus; and a capability change job generator configured to generate a capability change job having an instruction to change the printing capability set in the image forming apparatus. When the capability change job generated by the capability change job generator is scheduled in the image forming apparatus, the scheduling unit schedules the print job having the printing capability that matches the printing capability changed by the capability change job after the capability change job.
US09292228B2
A RAID controller includes a cache memory in which write cache blocks (WCBs) are protected by a RAID-5 (striping plus parity) scheme while read cache blocks (RCBs) are not protected in such a manner. If a received cache block is an RCB, the RAID controller stores it in the cache memory without storing any corresponding parity information. When a sufficient number of WCBs to constitute a full stripe have been received but not yet stored in the cache memory, the RAID controller computes a corresponding parity block and stores the RCBs and parity block in the cache memory as a single stripe.
US09292198B2
For rotational graphical user interface navigation, a display module displays a first face of a uniform prism rotatable only about a central horizontal axis. The uniform prism includes a plurality of faces. Each face has Graphical User Interface (GUI) controls for a unique function set. Only one face of the uniform prism is visible at a time. Each face is displayed with a geometric shape conforming to a face geometry of the multidimensional solid when the multidimensional solid is being rotated, and a face is displayed as filling a screen when the multidimensional solid is not being rotated. An input module receives a rotational command. The rotational command rotates the uniform prism around the central horizontal axis. The rotation module rotates the uniform prism to display a second face in response to the rotational command, displaying the rotation of the uniform prism.
US09292196B2
Providing a bridge interface for managing virtual workspaces is disclosed. A plurality of workspace images is presented in a user interface, each workspace image corresponding to a different virtual workspace available to a user of a computer system. A plurality of application windows associated with one of the virtual workspaces is presented. The presented application windows are visually grouped into one or more clusters, at least one cluster including a set of application windows, and at least a first of the application windows in the set of application windows visually overlaps a second application window in the set of application windows. User input indicating a movement of the application windows in the at least one cluster is received. The presentation of the at least one cluster is modified to make the second application window appear more visible to the user.
US09292189B2
Techniques to display location-based information are described. An apparatus may comprise a screen management component and an interface component. The screen management component may be operative to display in a first screen area location-based information on a map according to geographic location, to display in a second screen area a list comprising the location-based information, and to adjust a relative size of the first screen area and the second screen area in response to a received interaction with one of the first screen area and second screen area. The interface component may be operative to receive the interaction with one of the first screen area and second screen area. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09292186B2
At least some aspects of the present disclosure feature a computing device configured to receive an input image of an environment having a plurality of physical notes. The computing device automatically processes the input image to identify at least some of the plurality of the physical notes in the input image and displays the input image and indications indicative of the identified physical notes on a user interface. The computing device receives a user input indicating a position within the input image via a user interface and, responsive to the user input, recognizes proximate to the position a missed one of the physical notes that was not identified by the computing device when initially processing the input image.
US09292181B2
Various techniques and procedures related to filtering objects in a virtual application within a multi-tenant system are provided. One approach involves providing a first graphical user interface element enabling indication of a first filtering criterion and a second graphical user interface element enabling indication of a second filtering criterion within the virtual application being accessed over a network from a client device. After indication of the first filtering criterion and the second filtering criterion, a filtered set of objects is identified based on the first filtering criterion and the second filtering criterion. At least a portion of the filtered set of objects may then be presented within the virtual application on a client device.
US09292180B2
A method and apparatus for locating a part in an aircraft. A part is identified in the aircraft. A series of views is generated from a model of the aircraft with graphical indicators in the series of views configured to provide guidance to a position of the part in the aircraft. The series of views is displayed on a display device.
US09292178B2
An information display apparatus for a vehicle which is advantageous in displaying an energy flow in an easy-to-understand way to the driver is provided. A battery icon represents a driving battery. An engine icon represents an engine. A front-wheel icon and a rear-wheel icon represent front wheels and rear wheels, respectively. An energy transmission state displaying portion indicates the transmission state of energy and is displayed while being directly bridged between the battery icon, the engine icon, the front-wheel icon, and the rear-wheel icon. The energy transmission state displaying portion indicates the presence or absence and the direction of transmission of energy between the driving battery, the engine, the front wheels, and the rear wheels.
US09292171B2
A border menu can be presented on four sides of an outer border of a graphical user interface. The border menu can be presented at the top of a stack of a graphical user interface. The border menu can include a set of user-selectable options, each selectable via a pointing device, each of the user-selectable options being associated with at least one of an icon or text button. At least one of the user-selectable options can be presented along each of the four sides of the outer border of the border menu. Selection of each of the user-selectable options can result in triggering an event, which results in firing of a programmatic action to run executable code for a corresponding one of the user-selectable options. At least a portion of the user-selectable options can include application-specific options for an application running on the computing device.
US09292155B2
A tool-tip presentation system for multimedia files. The tool-tip presentation system can be configured to respond to proximity events associated with a selected entry in a list of multimedia files such as screen captured images or complete audio files. Based upon the selected entry, a corresponding multimedia sample such as a thumbnail image of a screen captured image or an audio sample of the audio file can be retrieved and presented as a tool-tip. In particular, the tool-tip can be displayed in a position which is proximate to the selected entry. In this way, one who interacts with the list of multimedia files need not load each complete multimedia file in the list in order to determine the contents of the multimedia file. Rather, the multimedia sample in the tool-tip can suffice.
US09292154B2
Synchronizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) operation includes receiving operation information of the GUI operation performed on a first machine. The operation information includes object information and action information. The object information is in a first language and indicates a GUI object to which the GUI operation is directed. The action information indicates an action performed by the GUI operation on the GUI object. The object information in the first language is converted to object information in a second language. A GUI object in a GUI displayed on a second machine is identified according to the object information in the second language. The action indicated by the action information is performed on the identified GUI object.
US09292151B1
A user interface for a mobile computing device includes three distinct display areas, one for presentation of an image and one or more interactive elements, a second for display of a linearly scrollable sequence of content elements, each of which is associated with a corresponding one of the interactive elements, and a third for display of soft keys, each of which corresponds to a respective one of the interactive elements. The soft keys and the interactive elements are responsive to user input so as to cause the image displayed in the first display area to feature prominently a portion thereof corresponding to the interactive element associated with the user input and the content element displayed within the second display area to be that associated with the same interactive element.
US09292149B2
Provided are systems and methods for configuring a portable computer for transient use by a plurality of guests at a selected location. According to some embodiments, the system and methods include displaying a first selection of content on a display screen of the portable computer, initiating a first session responsive to a first guest accessing the portable computer via a user interface of the portable computer, creating a first guest profile responsive to the first session being initiated, displaying a second selection of content on the display screen during the first session, the second selection of content comprising more available content than the first selection of content, terminating the first session responsive to one of a termination action taken by the first guest and expiration of a time-out period, and erasing history of the first session on the portable computer responsive to termination of the first session.
US09292148B2
The disclosure relates to a method of fabricating a capacitive touch pane where a plurality of groups of first conductive patterns are formed along a first direction, a plurality of groups of second conductive patterns are formed along a second direction, and a plurality of connection components are formed on a substrate. Each of the first conductive patterns is electrically connected to another adjacent first conductive pattern in the same group by each of the connection components and each of the plurality of groups of the second conductive patterns is interlaced with and insulated from each of the plurality of groups of the first conductive patterns. A plurality of curved insulation mounds are formed to cover the first connection components. A plurality of bridge components are formed to electrically connect each of the second conductive patterns with another adjacent second conductive pattern in the same group.
US09292143B2
A sensor electrode (31) provided between an insulating substrate (21) and a counter electrode (27) is electrically connected to a grid-shaped metal bridge (35) via an insulating layer.
US09292142B2
The electronic device has a display section with a display surface; and a touch panel that is provided while being superimposed on the display section and that can detect an area occupied by an indicator in which the occupied area is on a predetermined plane which is approximately parallel to and spaced apart by a predetermined distance from the display surface of the display section. When flattening of the area occupied by the indicator is smaller than a threshold value in which the occupied area is on the predetermined plane spaced apart from the display surface of the display section by a predetermined distance, coordinates of the center of the area are made valid. When the flattening is greater than the threshold value, the coordinates of the center of the area are made invalid.
US09292141B2
Compact touch sensors for touch sensitive devices and processes for forming the touch sensors are disclosed. The touch sensor structure can include a substrate, one or more underlying layers disposed on the substrate, one or more blocking layers disposed on the substrate or on one or more underlying layers, and one or more patterned layers disposed on the underlying layers or blocking layers. The one or more blocking layers can be configured to block underlying layers from exposure to certain wavelengths of light or from penetration of a laser beam that can cause damage. Additionally, the one or more underlying layers can be multi-functional, including the ability to block one or more light sources.
US09292135B2
A coordinate detecting device, which is used in a system including a display section including a display surface, two optical sensor units disposed at one side of the display section and including light emitting and receiving surfaces, and optical reflection members disposed at other three sides of the display section, includes adjustment units adjusting the respective light emitting and receiving surfaces of the optical sensor units where the reflection light is irradiated and received, and impact absorption units absorbing impact applied to the respective optical sensor units.
US09292132B2
A multi-touch recognizing device for distinguishing an illusion from an actually touched position and an illusion position by using an inclination angle measuring method, minimizing time for measuring a touch position, and more accurately measuring the position is provided.
US09292112B2
Provided is a multimodal graphical user interface. The multimodal graphical user interface includes a menu with at least one menu item, wherein the at least one menu item is displayed as command name along with a unique hand shape, wherein the at least one menu item is configured to receive a combination of cursor and selection gesture input.
US09292109B2
A pen tool for use with a machine vision interactive input system comprises an elongate body, a tip on the body and a variable reflector disposed on the body. The variable reflector comprises a reflecting portion and an attenuating portion configured to control the amount of illumination reflected by the reflecting portion.
US09292108B2
Systems and methods are provided that may employ remote system mouse pointer position feedback from video/graphics circuitry (e.g., video adapter hardware such as graphics card, video card, etc.) of a remote information handling system to manage a remote mouse pointer based on local mouse position input received from a user interface of local information handling system that is communicatively coupled to the remote information handling system across a wired or wireless network, e.g., to synchronize a remote mouse pointer with a local mouse pointer that is manipulated by a local user of a local information handling system or to implement a single cursor mode for the remote mouse pointer.
US09292102B2
Handheld electronic devices including motion sensing and processing. In one aspect, a handheld electronic device includes a set of motion sensors provided on a single sensor wafer, including at least one gyroscope sensing rotational rate of the device around at least three axes and at least one accelerometer sensing gravity and linear acceleration of the device along the at least three axes. Memory stores sensor data derived from the at least one gyroscope and accelerometer, where the sensor data describes movement of the device including a rotation of the device around at least one of the three axes of the device, the rotation causing interaction with the device. The memory is provided on an electronics wafer positioned vertically with respect to the sensor wafer and substantially parallel to the sensor wafer. The electronics wafer is vertically bonded to and electrically connected to the sensor wafer.
US09292100B2
A keyboard can be comprised of a plurality of alphabetic keys that are disposed in an evenly-spaced grid pattern with respect to one another. In any event, these keys have keycaps configured to comport with touch typing as with a keyboard having a plurality of alphabetic keys that are disposed in an offset pattern (such as the classic QWERTY offset-pattern typewriter-styled keyboard). By one approach, these keycaps can have keycaps having bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile features that at least substantially match standard touch-typing finger positions. By one approach these tactile features can comprise an indentation. If desired, these keycaps can share a same form factor. In such a case, some of the keycaps for the alphabetic keys can be disposed on the keyboard at a 180 degree rotation as compared to others of the alphabetic character keycaps.
US09292097B1
A computer-implemented method is described that includes providing a watch defining a body and a watch face on a surface of the body, the body having one or more sensors arranged to sense user inputs in an area adjacent to the body. The method further comprises sensing a motion of an object in the area adjacent to, but not touching, the body using the one or more sensors and changing a display of a pointing element on a graphical user interface on the watch in coordination with the sensed motion.
US09292096B2
An information processing apparatus is connected to a projector that projects an image and a gesture recognizing device that recognizes a gesture by a person. The information processing apparatus includes a projection image transmitter that inputs a projection image to the projector; an image capturing device that captures, when the gesture recognizing device has recognized a gesture, a projection image being projected by the projector; a transmission destination determining device that determines a transmission destination address based on a gesture recognized by the gesture recognizing device; and a captured image transmitter that transmits a captured image captured by the image capturing device to a transmission destination address determined by the transmission destination determining device.
US09292094B2
The subject disclosure relates to annotating data based on gestures. Gestures include user interaction with a client device or client software. Gestures are tracked and associated with data. In an aspect, client context associated with a gesture is also tracked. The gestures are then employed to determine a global term to associate with the data. In an aspect, a look-up table comprising a pre-defined relationship between gestures and a global term can be employed. In another aspect, an inference component employ context information in conjunction with the tracked gestures to determine a global term to assign to data. After a global term is determined for data based on a gesture, an annotation file for the data can be created associating the data with the global term.
US09292089B1
A posture for a user is derived and used in conjunction with a known physical location of a tangible object or a presented virtual object to determine when the user selects at least a portion of the object. The derived posture comprises a model having a user origin and a gestural terminus, from which a designation vector intersecting with the selected object is determined. The designation vector may extend from a user origin of the dominant eye through a gestural terminus comprising a tip of an outstretched finger. For example, the user may point to a chair in the room to select the physical chair, or point to a picture of a chair presented via a display device to select the picture.
US09292086B2
Correlating pupil position to gaze location within a scene. Illustrative embodiments may include correlating pupil position of a user to gaze location within a scene viewed by the user. The correlating may include: illuminating an eye of the user, the eye containing the pupil, and the illuminating with light; creating a first video stream depicting the eye; creating a second video stream depicting the scene in front of the user; determining pupil position within the first video stream; calculating gaze location in the second video stream based on pupil position in the first video stream; and sending an indication of the gaze location in the second video stream to a computer system.
US09292083B2
Embodiments are disclosed that relate to interacting with a user interface via feedback provided by an avatar. One embodiment provides a method comprising receiving depth data, locating a person in the depth data, and mapping a physical space in front of the person to a screen space of a display device. The method further comprises forming an image of an avatar representing the person, outputting to a display an image of a user interface comprising an interactive user interface control, and outputting to the display device the image of the avatar such that the avatar faces the user interface control. The method further comprises detecting a motion of the person via the depth data, forming an animated representation of the avatar interacting with the user interface control based upon the motion of the person, and outputting the animated representation of the avatar interacting with the control.
US09292071B2
In an electronic device provided with a resume function, a timer outputs a predetermined signal if a measured time value becomes a set time. Upon receiving the predetermined signal from the timer, a state control unit executes a resume process. A time information receiving unit receives time information that specifies a time interval, at which an application executes a predetermined process. A time interval retaining unit retains a time interval T for restoring the application to an executable state. A defining unit registers a set time with the timer on the basis of the received time information and the time interval T.
US09292065B2
A system and method are provided for regulating a supply voltage of a device. The method includes the steps of determining whether a supply voltage for an analog multiplexor is below a threshold voltage. If the supply voltage for the analog multiplexor is below the threshold voltage, then the method includes the step of shorting the supply voltage to an output of the analog multiplexor. However, if the supply voltage for the analog multiplexor is above or equal to the threshold voltage, then the method includes the step of transmitting at least one input signal coupled to the analog multiplexor to the output of the analog multiplexor. A system configured to implement the method may include a power management integrated circuit configured to generate a supply voltage for a device and a device that includes a self-powered analog multiplexor with voltage sensing bypass switch.
US09292063B2
The present invention relates to an on-load tap changer control method for a power excitation chain. The chain includes a generator, a step-up transformer equipped with an on-load tap changer and connected on the one hand to the output of the generator and on the other hand to a transmission bus, and an excitation control system with a generator automatic voltage regulator (AVRG) and one excitation limiter (OELG, UELG). The method monitors the excitation conditions of the generator, activates the one excitation limiter (OELG, UELG) when the monitored excitation conditions are outside a predefined range, and temporarily inhibits the change of step of the on-load tape changer.
US09292059B2
A microprocessor reset control operates in one of two reset states and transitions from the first state to the second state when a first signal falls below a first threshold and from the second state to the first state when a second signal exceeds a second threshold.
US09292046B2
Provided is a display device, including: a display unit (31); a touch panel (32) stacked on a front part of the display unit (31); and a case for housing the touch panel (32) and the display unit (31). The case includes: a rear case (21); and a front case (22) removably attached to the rear case (21), which has an opening portion for exposing a touch detection region and a visible region of the touch panel (32) and the display unit (31) stacked together. The display unit (31) is mounted to the rear case (21), and the touch panel (32) is mounted to the front case (22).
US09292045B2
A method of automatically activating a camera application implemented in a mobile device in locked mode starts with the processor receiving a first signal from an accelerometer. The device's processor activates the camera application when the processor determines that the mobile device has remained in a stationary portrait or landscape position for a period of time based on the first signal. Activating the camera application includes signaling by the processor to the display device to display a camera screen from a locked screen. The processor may also receive a second signal from a proximity sensor that detects presence of a nearby object to the mobile device. When the processor determines that there is presence of the nearby object to the mobile device based on the second signal, the mobile device remains in locked mode and the processor does not activate the camera application.
US09292040B2
According to an example, synthetic time series data generation may include receiving time series data for a plurality of users, and applying dimensionality reduction to transform the time series data from a high dimensional space n of the time series data to a low dimensional space m, where m
US09292035B2
Disclosed are a method of and an apparatus devising a packet based DDS circuitry for performing packet based a direct digital synthesizing (DDS) function within an electronic testing instrument. The circuitry comprising a DDS logic circuit configured to execute direct digital syntheses on a plurality of consecutive packets of sine-like waves, each packet having a length of a period precisely chosen such that the sine wave at the end of one packet matches up with the sine wave at the start of the immediate subsequent packet. Also disclosed is an eddy current testing circuitry using multiple outputs of the single packet based DDS, one of the output is used in a circuit producing reference signals approximating the response signals. With the usage of the packet based DDS, the reference signal can be highly effective in nulling the unchanging portion of the response signals.
US09292032B2
An operator control device for operating a plurality of functions, in particular, in a vehicle, has at least a first rotary actuator and a second rotary actuator. A respective rotary actuator is assigned a function of the vehicle. The first rotary actuator has a first rotary body and a first operator control body, where the first operator control body is mechanically coupled with the first rotary body. The second rotary actuator has a second rotary body and a second operator control body, where the second operator control body is mechanically coupled with the second rotary body. The first rotary body and the second rotary body are arranged coaxially in each other such that they can be rotated about a common axis of rotation. At least one operator control body has a grip area that is designed in a lever-like manner.
US09292023B2
In an embodiment, a current internal corrosion level at a current time is read from an internal corrosion sensor that is internal to a computer. An internal corrosion difference is calculated between the current internal corrosion level and a previous internal corrosion level. If the internal corrosion difference is more than a first threshold amount, a first action is performed that decreases an internal temperature of the computer.
US09292021B2
Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of systems and methods to communicate data over at least one wire line between units each associated with a control system. In an exemplary embodiment, a conditioned input AC signal serves as a reference signal for data to be transmitted. In phase or out of phase state of the conditioned reference signals is determined by dividing the reference signal into predetermined number of segments, generating a template signal frame and a data signal frame at predetermined segments, generating an interrupt signal in each control system on a predetermined location on the reference signal, logically ORing the template and data signal frames, transmitting the ORed signal, and analyzing the ORed signal to determine phase of the reference signal provided to each control system. If the reference signal is out of phase, the interrupting signal is shifted to correct the out of phase state of the reference signal.
US09292019B2
The invention relates to a thermostat insert having at least one return spring, a thermostatic working element having a working piston that can be pushed out of a housing of the working element against the force of the return spring, a main valve element, and a short circuit valve element connected to the working element displaced when the working piston is pushed out of the housing, a base element implemented as a base plate, and a brace on which the return spring is supported, wherein the brace is mechanically connected to the base element, so that the return spring is enclosed in a cage-like manner, and the exterior of the brace has a closed peripheral collar seated against a slanted sealing surface of a counterpart after installation that is loaded by the return spring so that the brace is sealingly forced in the direction of the slanted sealing surface.
US09292018B2
A detector detects positions of a moving body in a travel direction at a position shifted from a center of control of travel of the moving body in a direction different than the travel direction of the moving body. Positions of the center of control in the travel direction relative to the output of the detector is stored in a storage unit for at least a curved section of a travel route of the moving body, and the travel of the moving body is controlled by a controller, based on the positions of the center of control read out from the storage unit.
US09292014B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a digital control manager comprising a first transceiver configured to provide one or more wireless communication links to one or more energy autonomous end devices; a second transceiver configured to provide one or more wireless communication links to one or more digital control managers and one or more end devices; a local database; an intellectualize function module configured to execute a computer program to provide intelligence to the digital control manager and to end devices in communication therewith. A digital control manager system comprises a network of communication links between the digital control managers to enable data exchange between the digital control managers; a plurality of end devices, wherein each end device is in communication with at least one digital control manager by a communication link to enable data exchange between the end device and the at least one digital control manager, and at least one distributed database comprising a copy of the objects of the local databases of at least some of the digital control managers.
US09292013B2
The disclosure provides an energy management system that is based on a distributed architecture that includes networked energy management devices located at a plurality of sites and a collection of energy management program applications and modules implemented by a centralized energy management service unit. The energy management program applications and modules are responsible for facilitating customer access to the system, configuring energy management devices, and collecting, storing, and analyzing energy management data collected from the plurality of sites. The energy management system is adaptable to a wide variety of energy usage requirements and enables customers to configure energy management devices at customer sites using scheduling templates, to define and customize site groupings for device configuration and data analysis purposes, and to request and view various statistical views of collected energy usage data.
US09291996B2
An image forming apparatus has a fusing unit including a first rotor provided with a heat-generating unit and an elastic layer, as well as a second rotor provided in direct contact with the first rotor, the fusing unit fixing a toner image on a sheet, and a duct for allowing an inlet and an exhaust outlet to communicate with each other, the inlet being adapted to allow a current of air derived from the fusing unit to flow in, the exhaust outlet facing toward the outside of the apparatus. The duct includes an introduction channel for guiding and jetting out air taken in from the inlet, a main channel for guiding the air jetted out of the introduction channel to the exhaust outlet, and a cul-de-sac provided in communication with the main channel at one end and closed at the other end.
US09291995B2
An image forming apparatus includes a housing; an image forming section that is provided within the housing and forms an image onto a recording medium; an output section that outputs the recording medium, having the image formed thereon by the image forming section, outward from the housing; a loading section on which the recording medium output from the output section is loaded and that is provided with an air hole; and a cooling unit that allows air to flow between an interior of the housing and the loading section via the air hole so as to cool a surface, which faces the loading section, of the recording medium loaded on the loading section.
US09291983B2
An image forming apparatus capable of connecting to a network receives via the network an electric power control signal for instructing electric power control, turns off a power of the image forming apparatus in accordance with the electric power control signal, and presents, to a user, information indicating that the image forming apparatus entered a power off state due to the electric power control signal. Also, a method of controlling such an image forming apparatus, and a program.
US09291980B2
An image forming apparatus (100) includes a discharge section (210), a paper receiving tray (93), a first detecting section (211), a lever (220), a second detecting section (230) and a decision section (240). The first detecting section (211) is disposed in the discharge section (210), and detects a paper jam. The second detecting section (230) detects a swinging state of the lever (220) from a first position at which the lever (220) is not in the process of receiving an action of the paper sheet to a second position. The decision section (240) judges an occurrence factor in a paper jam to be a user-induced factor when the second detecting section (230) detects a state in which the lever is at the first position in a state where the first detecting section (211) detects the paper jam. Also, the decision section (240) judges the occurrence factor in the paper jam to be an image forming apparatus-induced factor when the second detecting section (230) detects a state in which the lever is swung over the first position in the state where the first detecting section detects the paper jam.
US09291975B2
A sheet-edge detecting device includes first and second detecting units and a determining unit. The detecting units are disposed at an edge of a sheet having feed holes in a direction crossing a transporting direction of the sheet, and are separated from each other in the transporting direction so as not to be positioned in one or more feed holes simultaneously. In the direction crossing the transporting direction, the detecting units are separated from each so as not to be positioned in a feed hole and outside the edge simultaneously, one of the detecting units is at a position corresponding to an allowable displacement of the edge, and the other detecting unit is at the same position as the one of the detecting units or closer to the edge than the one of the detecting units is. The determining unit determines the position of the edge of the sheet.
US09291971B2
An image forming apparatus includes a drive roller, a rotary drive source, a rotation signal detection portion, and a removal determination portion. The drive roller is configured to rotate in contact with a printing medium. The rotary drive source is configured to supply a rotational force to the drive roller. The rotation signal detection portion is configured to detect a rotation signal indicating that the drive roller is rotated while the rotary drive source is being powered off. The removal determination portion is configured to determine whether the printing medium that has stopped in contact with the drive roller is removed, based on detection of the rotation signal by the rotation signal detection portion.
US09291968B2
An image forming apparatus performs a serviceman call detection mode during its idling time. In this time, a control portion controls upper and lower pressuring rollers to be clamped, controls a driving motor, and controls a change-over mechanism to switch a braking motor off. A torque detection portion detects a torque value Y of the driving motor at this time. The control portion then controls the upper and lower pressuring rollers to be clamped, controls the driving motor, and controls the change-over mechanism to switch the braking motor on. The torque detection portion detects a torque value Z of the driving motor at this time. The control portion subtracts the torque value Y from the torque value Z to calculate a difference value. The control portion determines that the braking motor is broken down when the difference value does not exceed the threshold value.
US09291957B2
An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a belt; a cleaning blade; a reciprocating mechanism for reciprocating the cleaning blade in the width direction so that one end portion thereof is between first and second positions and the other end portion thereof is between third and fourth positions; and a brush, extending in the width direction, for removing the toner deposited on the belt in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the belt. The brush is provided upstream of the cleaning blade and downstream of the transfer portion with respect to the movement direction of the belt so that one end portion of the brush is between the first and second positions and the other end portion of the brush is between the third and fourth positions.
US09291954B1
In accordance with one embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises an image forming section configured to form an image on an image carrier, a transfer roller configured to transfer the image formed on the image carrier to an image receiving medium, a support body configured to support the image carrier in a main body opposite to the transfer roller, a holding member arranged in the support body to hold two end parts of the transfer roller and having a conductive member that makes electrical contact with the transfer roller when the transfer roller is mounted in the holding member, and a power supply section configured to apply transfer bias to the image carrier and to the transfer roller through the conductive member.
US09291948B2
A liquid electrophotographic ink developer comprises a developer roller (112) rotatable about an axis, first and second electrodes (108, 110) proximate the developer roller (112) and an inlet chamber (100) extending along the axis from a first end adjacent an inlet opening (122) to a second end opposite the first end. A neck (104) forms an uninterrupted ink flow path from the inlet chamber (100) to the developer roller (112).
US09291946B2
A developing device includes a developer carrying member, a developing container, a pair of first seal members provided at end portions of the developer carrying member along a circumferential direction of the developer carrying member so as to contact the developer carrying member, and a pair of second seal members configured to seal the end portions of the developer carrying member. The second seal members are provided at overlapping positions with the first seal members with respect to a circumferential surface of the developer carrying member and an axial direction of the developer carrying member. The second seal members are mountable in a direction crossing the axial direction of the developer carrying member and into a main assembly of an image forming apparatus in a state in which the developer carrying member is mounted in the image forming apparatus.
US09291945B2
A developing unit includes a developer carrier configured to hold a developer including a toner and a carrier on a developer carrying area, a first chamber configured to collect the developer from the developer carrier, and a second chamber configured to communicate with the first chamber and to circulate the developer between the first chamber and the second chamber. A first conveying member in the first chamber conveys the developer from a first communication portion toward a second communication portion, and a second conveying member in the second chamber conveys the developer from the second communication portion toward the first communication portion. The first communication portion is configured to be provided outside of the developer carrying area, and the second communication portion is configured to be provided in a position overlapping an edge of the developer carrying area.
US09291936B2
There are provided an image-forming apparatus that inhibit the occurrence of a longitudinal streak image attributed to a cleaning failure, and a process cartridge.The image-forming apparatus and the process cartridge each have a charging member with a surface having a concavities derived from an opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle, and a protrusions derived from an edge of the opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle,the coverage ratio X1 of a surface of the toner with the silica fine particles is 50.0 area % or more and 75.0 area % or less, and when a theoretical coverage ratio of the toner by the silica fine particles is X2, a diffusion index represented by the formula 1 satisfies the formula 2: diffusion index=X1/X2 (formula 1) diffusion index≧−0.0042×X1+0.62 (formula 2)
US09291932B2
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming devices having a developing device that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member to form a toner image, and a transferring device that transfers the developed toner image to an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material, for each of a plurality of colors, an exposure unit that irradiates the image bearing member with a laser beam to form the electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member, and a detector that detects an image pattern for correcting misregistration of each color. In addition, a control device corrects the misregistration of each color based on a detection result by the detector. The control device forms an image pattern of one color among the plurality of colors on a first page interval that is between a first image and a second image, and corrects misregistration based on a first period from a timing when a reference signal to form the image pattern of one color among the plurality of colors is transmitted to a timing when the image pattern of one color among the plurality of colors is detected by the detector.
US09291928B2
A toner includes toner particles, each containing binder resin and a plurality of microcapsules dispersed therein, each of the microcapsules containing a liquid material. A method for forming an image on a medium includes forming an electrostatic latent image on a carrier, forming a toner image by developing the electrostatic latent image using the toner, transferring the toner image onto a medium, and fixing the transferred toner image on the medium.
US09291920B2
The present disclosure is directed to a method of determining one or more focus values for a lithographic scanner. An optical signal including at least a first variable and a second variable is detected by an optical analysis system from at least one test sample for a plurality of programmed focus error values. A first variable value showing sensitivity to focus is selected based upon a corresponding responsiveness of the second variable to change of focus and/or a corresponding linearity of raw focus with respect to the programmed focus error. At least one focus value for the lithographic scanner is determined based upon at least one determined raw focus value corresponding to the selected first variable value.
US09291918B2
A beam adjuster assembly (14) receives an input beam (16) and provides a first output beam (18) and a spaced apart second output beam (20). The beam adjuster assembly (14) comprises a first frequency adjuster (22) and a second frequency adjuster (24). The first frequency adjuster (22) receives the input beam (16). The first frequency adjuster (22) transmits a first portion of the input beam (16) to provide the first output beam (18) having a first output frequency. Additionally, the first frequency adjuster (22) adjusts a second portion of the input beam (16) to provide a first adjusted beam (354). The second frequency adjuster (24) receives the first adjusted beam (354). Moreover, the second frequency adjuster (24) adjusts at least a portion of the first adjusted beam (354) to provide the second output beam (20) having a second output frequency that is different than the first output frequency.
US09291912B2
An exposure apparatus includes an optical system configured to expose a substrate. The optical system includes an optical member, a holding portion which holds the optical member, a pressing portion which presses the holding portion and the optical member against each other, and a sealed adhesive material which is filled in a space formed by the optical member and the holding portion pressed against each other, and adheres the optical member and the holding portion to each other.
US09291909B2
The present invention relates a novel aqueous composition comprising polymeric thermal acid generator and a process of coating the novel composition onto photoresist pattern, thereby forming a layer of the polymeric thermal acid generator over the photoresist pattern. The polymeric thermal acid generator comprises a polymer having at least one repeating unit of structure 2; where R1 to R5 are independently chosen from the group consisting of H and C1-C6 alkyl; R6 is chosen from the group consisting of unsubstituted aryl, substituted aryl, alkyl (C1-C8) and fluoroalkyl (C1-C8) and W is a C2-C6 alkylene spacer.
US09291903B2
The present invention provides a method of forming a detection mark from line patterns formed on a substrate, including a first step of deciding a first region for forming the detection mark on the substrate, and a second region which surrounds the first region and in which formation of the detection mark is forbidden, and a second step of projecting, onto the substrate by a projection optical system, patterns including a first cut pattern for partially cutting the line pattern in the first region to form a plurality of mark elements, and a removal pattern for removing the line pattern in the second region, and forming the detection mark including the plurality of mark elements.
US09291896B2
There is provided an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising (P) a resin containing a repeating unit represented by the specific formula (1) and a repeating unit represented by the specific formula (A); a resist film formed using the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition; a pattern forming method comprising (i) a step of forming a film from the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition, (ii) a step of exposing the film, and (iii) a step of developing the exposed film by using a developer to form a pattern; a method for manufacturing an electronic device, comprising the pattern forming method, and an electronic device manufactured by the manufacturing method of an electronic device.
US09291895B2
The general inventive concepts relate to an alkali soluble binder which is obtained by copolymerizing main polymerization monomer(s) and functional polymerization monomer, wherein said main polymerization monomer is selected from the group consisting of (meth)acrylic acid and esters thereof, and said functional polymer monomer comprises (meth)acrylic acid C14-C22 alkyl ester and C4-C6 alkenyl anhydride or dianhydride. The general inventive concepts further relate to a photosensitive binder composition and a process for producing the alkali soluble binder and a process for producing the photosensitive binder composition.
US09291891B2
A method of controlling surface roughness of a flexographic printing element during thermal processing is provided. An imaged and exposed relief image printing element is thermally developed to remove the portions of at least one layer of photopolymer that are not crosslinked and cured by using a blotting material. The blotting material is separated from the at least one layer of photopolymer. Thereafter, a smooth material is inserted between the surface of the at least one layer of photopolymer and the blotting material, applying pressure and heat. In the alternative, after the relief image printing element is removed from the thermal processor, a polymeric film is laminated onto the relief image printing element using heat and pressure. The surface roughness of the relief image printing element is reduced, allowing for increased solid ink density on solid areas printed using the relief image printing element.
US09291890B2
A method for repairing a mask is disclosed. A mask, having multiple defective regions need to be repaired, is received. Locations and sizes of the defective regions are determined. A pre-repair-passivation-treatment (PRPT) is performed to form a passivation membrane over the mask. With the passivation membrane on the mask, a mask repair process is performed to the defective regions on the mask.
US09291888B2
A linear Fresnel lens sheet (3) includes: a lens layer (10) having a first surface (11) in which a linear Fresnel lens portion (13), having a number of lens surfaces (14) arranged in a first direction d1, is formed, and a second surface (12) opposite the first surface (11); and a diffusion layer (20) disposed on the side of the second surface (12) of the lens layer (10).
US09291885B2
In a control apparatus for use in a multiple light projection type image display apparatus, the control apparatus includes a light source driver part configured to drive a plurality of light sources; and an apparatus controller configured to control the light source driver part. The light source driver part drives the plurality of light sources at respective different frequencies.
US09291884B2
The disclosure provides a method for regulating a light wavelength of a projection device. The method comprises the following steps. A single-color light source is provided and emits a first chromatic light. A phosphor layer is formed on an optical path of the single-color light source, so that the first chromatic light transmits the phosphor layer. The phosphor layer transforms a part of the first chromatic light to a second chromatic light, and emits the residual first chromatic light. The residual first chromatic light is further mixed with the second chromatic light to generate a third chromatic light. The wavelength of the third chromatic light is regulated by adjusting the proportion of the luminous intensity of the residual first chromatic light and the second chromatic light.
US09291878B2
A single focal length lens system comprising at least a positive first lens unit and a second lens unit, wherein the first lens unit includes a first sub lens unit E which successively comprises a negative lens element A, a positive lens element B, a negative lens element C and a positive lens element D, a second sub lens unit comprising at least one lens element is a focusing lens unit in the second lens unit, and the conditions: 1.0<|fW/fA|<2.2, 0.5
US09291874B2
An optical deflection element is provided with a substrate; an optical waveguide film made of an electro-optic medium, and constituting an optical waveguide formed on the substrate; a first electrode pair disposed on an incident side of the optical waveguide film at a position facing a film thickness direction of the optical waveguide film, and configured to deflect a light beam transmitting through the optical waveguide film in an in-plane direction of the optical waveguide film in accordance with a first applied voltage; and a second electrode pair disposed on an output side of the optical waveguide film at a position facing the film thickness direction of the optical waveguide film, and configured to deflect the light beam deflected in the in-plane direction of the optical waveguide film by the first electrode pair in the film thickness direction of the optical waveguide film in accordance with a second applied voltage. The second electrode pair includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode are formed to have lengths different from each other in a direction of travel of the light beam transmitting through the optical waveguide film.
US09291867B2
A double layer LC FP filter display device includes a backlight module (4) and a double layer LC FP filter module (2) arranged above the backlight module. The double layer LC FP filter module (2) includes a plurality of main pixels (402) arranged in a matrix. Each of the main pixels (402) comprises two sub-pixels (204). Each of the sub-pixels (204) includes one up-layer LC FP filter units (220) and one down-layer LC FP filter units (240) stacked together. The two sub-pixels (204) of the main pixels (402) are independently driven such that transmission light having two chromaticity is obtained when the white transmission light having the continuous spectrum provided by the backlight module (4) passes through the two sub-pixels (204). The chromaticity of the main pixels (402) is obtained by mixing the transmission light having two chromaticity.
US09291858B2
Provided are a display panel and a manufacturing method therefor and a display device. The display panel comprises: a color film substrate and an array substrate, which are engaged with each other; and liquid crystals arranged between the color film substrate and the array substrate. The array substrate comprises a substrate (1) and a pixel unit layer (2) and an alignment layer (3) which are formed on the substrate (1) in sequence, wherein the alignment layer (3) comprises: a first alignment layer (5) covered on the pixel unit layer (2), a reflection layer (4) formed on the first alignment layer (5) in a position corresponding to a reflection region, and a second alignment layer (6) formed above the reflection layer (4).
US09291847B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a pixel unit and a TFT-LCD with touch function. The pixel unit comprises a data line, a gate line and a pixel electrode formed on a base substrate. The pixel unit further comprises: a first touch layer connected to the data line and not connected to the pixel electrode; and a second touch layer connected to the gate line and not connected to the pixel electrode.
US09291844B2
A liquid crystal display device (display device) is provided with: LEDs (light source); a liquid crystal panel (display panel); a light guide plate; a chassis that is disposed on the opposite side of the light guide plate from the liquid crystal panel, is formed in a plate shape, and has a chassis side recessed and protruding part formed from recessed parts and protruding parts arranged along the plate surface direction of the chassis on a plate surface on the light guide plate side; and a frame (frame member) that is arranged on a display surface side of the liquid crystal panel, accommodates the LEDs, liquid crystal panel, and light guide plate within the chassis, has the LEDs attached thereto, has a frame side recessed and protruding part that can mate with the chassis side recessed and protruding part, and also has the frame side recessed and protruding part mated with the chassis side recessed and protruding part.
US09291842B2
According to an aspect, a display device includes a first display panel including a first protective layer; a second display panel including a second protective layer; and a connection part that connects the first display panel and the second display panel. The connection part includes a portion of a flexible substrate included in the first display panel and the second display panel, and the first protective layer and the second protective layer have higher strength than the flexible substrate.
US09291840B2
A liquid crystal display device having an alignment layer stopper which is formed external to a display area to suppress the generation of an electric field between signal lines and the alignment layer stopper, wherein the alignment layer stopper includes a second conductive layer SP formed above the first substrate when the alignment layer stopper is formed by coating and a first conductive layer SH formed below the second conductive layer SP through an insulating film and arranged in such a manner that its marginal parts in the longitudinal direction of the second conductive layer SP are exposed when viewed from the plane direction from the second conductive layer SP, and the first conductive layer SH is formed in a thin film layer between signal lines arranged in the side parts of the display area and the second conductive layer SP.
US09291836B2
Provided are an optical modulator modulating optical signals and an optical module including the same. The optical modulator includes a lower clad layer, an optical transmission line extended in a first direction on the lower clad layer, and an upper clad layer on the optical transmission line and the lower clad layer. The optical transmission line may include graphene.
US09291829B2
A apparatus and method of enabling autostereoscopic viewing of displays with a parallax barrier apparatus is provided. In one embodiment, the present invention employs a parallax barrier, comprising a plurality of opaque barrier lines, disposed on a flexible substrate that can adhere to an existing display. One application of the present invention is in enabling autostereoscopic viewing of a display that is not otherwise configured to display 3D images.
US09291826B2
A system for variable distribution of light is provided. The system comprises: a plurality of reflective optical devices having a first variable reflective beam splitter configured to receive light along an input light path and direct a first portion of the light along a first light path and direct a second portion of the light to another one of the plurality of reflective optical devices, and a last reflective optical device configured to receive remaining light from a second last reflective optical device and to perform one of: direct the remaining light along a last light path; and, divide the remaining light into two portions, and direct the two portions along two different light paths. At least one optical property of one or more of the plurality reflective optical devices is adjustable to variably apportion received light.
US09291825B2
A beam shaping system including: a first and second optical modules that are accommodated in a spaced-apart relationship in an optical path of light through the system to sequentially apply beam shaping to light incident thereon. The beam shaping system includes first and second alignment modules respectively carrying the first and second optical modules and operable for laterally positioning the optical modules with respect to the optical path. A calibration module of the beam shaping system is connectable to the first and second alignment modules and is operable to sequentially calibrate and align the respective lateral positions of the first and second optical modules with respect to the optical path. The system thereby enables shaping of an incoming light beam of given predetermined wave-front and lateral intensity distribution to form an output light beam having desired wave-front and desired lateral intensity distribution.
US09291822B2
The sizes of the respective reflecting units vary in the image take-out section along the Z direction in association with the state of the total reflection angle in the light guide section. Thus, it becomes possible to keep the sufficient effective light beam width of the image light input thereto in all of the reflecting units. Therefore, the deterioration in the image light caused by the reflection in the reflecting units can be avoided, and as a result, the degradation of the resolution of the image due to the virtual image light thus emitted can be prevented.
US09291820B2
A display module including light emitting units and a display panel is provided. Each of the light emitting units includes a light source and a light converging element. The light emitting units are divided into at least one first light emitting unit row and a second light emitting unit row adjacent to the first light emitting unit row. Top surfaces of the light converging elements of the first light emitting unit row are disposed on a first surface. Top surfaces of the light converging elements of the second light emitting unit row are disposed on a second surface. The first surface is located between the display panel and the second surface. Moreover, a head up display including the display module is also provided.
US09291816B2
A scanning mirror includes a mirror unit configured to reflect a laser beam, a supporter configured to cause the mirror unit to rotate and oscillate, and an oscillation sensor configured to output a monitor signal indicating oscillation of the mirror unit. A photodetector detects an intensity of the laser beam. When a value of the monitor signal falls out of a predetermined range of a normal operation and a value of the intensity detected by the photodetector fails to decrease, a breaking signal for causing the supporter to oscillate more than a breaking limit angle of the supporter is input. This scanning mirror and an image projection device using this scanning mirror can display an image at sufficient brightness safely.
US09291815B2
An optical reflection element includes a fixed portion having a pair of sides opposite to each other, a pair of first vibration portions having one ends each connected to respective one of the sides of the fixed portion, a pair of connection portions each connected to respective one of another ends of the first vibration portions, a movable frame rotatably supported by another ends of the first vibration portions via the connection portions, a pair of second vibration portions having one ends each connected to respective one of a pair of sides of the movable frame, and a mirror rotatably connected to another ends of the second vibration portions. The second vibration portions are configured to transmit a rotational vibration about a rotation axis to the mirror. The connection portions are connected to the movable frame in a direction of the rotation axis. The connection portions are connected to a part of the movable frame at which a displacement of the movable frame due to the rotational vibration of the mirror has a minimum amount. This optical reflection element reduces unnecessary vibration, and projects clear images.
US09291803B2
A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side toward an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power. The second lens unit, the third lens unit, and the fourth lens unit are moved during zooming. A position of the third lens unit at a telephoto end is closer to the object side than a position of the third lens unit at a wide-angle end. The focal length of the zoom lens at the wide-angle end, the difference in the position of the second lens unit on an optical axis between that at the wide-angle end and that at the telephoto end, and the focal length of the second lens unit are set appropriately.
US09291802B2
A compact microplate imaging system, including: a tunable light source; a lens ensemble to collimate the light source onto the microplate and to transmit light that is reflected from the microplate; a beam splitter to divert a portion of the reflected light; an imaging lens to collect diverted light and to produce an optical image of the at least one sensor of the microplate; and an image sensor for receiving the optical image of the at least one sensor of the microplate. A method for interrogating a sensor using the compact microplate imaging system, as further defined herein, is also disclosed.
US09291797B2
There is provided a lens module including: a first lens having positive refractive power; a second lens having negative refractive power; a third lens having negative refractive power; a fourth lens having refractive power; a fifth lens having negative refractive power and having a shape in which an image-side surface thereof is convex; and a sixth lens having refractive power, having a shape in which an image-side surface thereof is concave, and having at least one point of inflection formed on the image-side surface thereof.
US09291796B1
An imaging lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side: an aperture stop; a first lens having a positive refractive power; a second lens having a negative refractive power; a third lens having a positive refractive power; a fourth lens having a negative refractive power. A focal length of the imaging lens assembly is f, a focal length of the first lens is f1; a focal length of the second lens is f2; a curvature radius of the object side surface of the first lens is R1; a curvature radius of the image side surface of the first lens is R2; a curvature radius of the object side surface of the second lens is R3; a curvature radius of the image side surface of the second lens is R4, and the lens assembly satisfies the following conditions: 1.08≦f1/f≦1.20; −4.00≦f2/f≦−2.50; −1.50≦(R1+R2)/(R1−R2)≦−1.25; 1.30≦(R3+R4)/(R3−R4)≦5.00.
US09291785B2
An optical module includes a first ferrule, a second ferrule that is aligned with the first ferrule via a positioning pin, a housing including a support part that supports the second ferrule, and a ferrule clip that is fastened to the housing and presses the first ferrule toward the second ferrule.
US09291776B2
Embodiments are provided for an apparatus and method for differential thermal optical switch control. The optical switch is operated based on the interferometric principle by modifying the optical phase between waves propagating in waveguides via refractive index change in the waveguides using the thermo-optic effect. A heat pump designed as part of the optical switch is used to generate a temperature difference across the waveguides based on the thermo-electric effect. The thermo-electric effect is obtained using thermo-electric material or elements, also referred to as Peltier elements. An embodiment apparatus includes a dielectric base, a pair of waveguides extended in parallel on the dielectric base, and on the dielectric base a thermo-electric material in contact with the pair of waveguides. Additionally, a pair of electrodes extended, on the thermo-electric material, next to and along the length of the waveguides.
US09291775B2
An optical fiber connector for coupling light to or from an input fiber is disclosed. The connector includes a first alignment member that holds an achromatic GRIN lens. The achromatic GRIN lens has a half-pitch axial length L, wherein 0.5 mm≦L≦5 mm. The optical fiber connector has a field fiber that interfaces with the achromatic GRIN lens. The connector is operable between operating wavelengths of 800 nm and 1600 nm with a coupling loss of less than 0.2 dB.
US09291771B2
Provided is an optical fiber having a W-type refractive-index profile and having a reduced bend loss at a practically used bend radius. The optical fiber of the invention comprises: a core; an inner cladding enclosing the core and having a refractive index smaller than the refractive index of the core; and an outer cladding enclosing the inner cladding and having a refractive index which is smaller than the refractive index of the core and larger than the refractive index of the inner cladding, whereas the bend radius Rt is 25 mm or less when ⅆ α ( R ) ⅆ R is the minimum, the bend loss at the bend radius R being α(R).
US09291759B2
In a head lamp 1, relative positions of a laser light guide path in a tapered light guide section 20 and a parabolic mirror 5 are fixed. An optical fiber 10 and the tapered light guide section 20 are each provided so as to have a receiving end part where laser light is received and an emitting end part where laser light is emitted. The emitting end part of the optical fiber 10 is located near the receiving end part of the tapered light guide section 20.
US09291757B2
A reflective film includes interior layers that selectively reflect light by constructive or destructive interference, the layers extending from a first to a second zone of the film. In the first zone the layers provide a first reflective polarizer characteristic, and in a second zone the layers provide a substantially different reflective polarizer characteristic. The second zone is characterized by at least some of the layers having a reduced birefringence relative to their birefringence in the first zone. In some cases the first reflective polarizer characteristic may have a pass axis that is substantially orthogonal to that of the second reflective polarizer characteristic. The film may have substantially the same thickness in the first and second zones, or a substantially reduced thickness in the second zone relative to the first zone.
US09291749B2
An imaging optical system includes a plurality of lens optical system rows each including a plurality of lens optical systems arranged in a first direction. The plurality of lens optical system rows is arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and to an optical axis direction. Each of the plurality of lens optical systems in each of the plurality of lens optical system rows is configured to form an erect equal-magnification image in a cross section perpendicular to the second direction and configured to form an inverted image in across section perpendicular to the first direction. Ina cross section perpendicular to the optical axis direction, optical axes of the respective plurality of lens optical systems in adjoining ones of the plurality of lens optical system rows are separate from one another in the first direction and are located on the a line.
US09291748B2
The anti-reflection structure includes a graded refractive index layer that is disposed on a substrate and whose refractive index decreases as a distance from the substrate increases, and a homogeneous layer that is disposed on the graded refractive index layer and whose refractive index is homogeneous. The structure satisfies a condition of nb−na>0.10 where na represents the refractive index of the homogenous layer, and nb represents a homogenous layer side effective refractive index of the graded index refractive index layer.
US09291739B2
Systems and methods for well-drilling operations involving magnetic ranging with a rotating magnetic dipole are provided. In one embodiment, a system for determining a relative location of a magnetic dipole includes a three-axis magnetometer configured to obtain measurements of a time-dependent magnetic field caused by the magnetic source rotating about an axis and data processing circuitry configured to determine a transverse angle of rotation of the measurements such that one of two transverse components is in phase with one axial component when the transverse angle of rotation is used to transform the measurements. The data processing circuitry may determine a spatial relationship between the magnetic source and the three-axis magnetometer based at least in part on the transverse angle of rotation.
US09291735B2
A system, method and computer program product for generating probabilistic models of a subsurface region of the earth of interest. The system, method can be implemented efficiently to enable real-time imaging of a sub-surface structure. The system, method can provide users with the ability to assess where their subsurface images are reliable and where they are not in order to assist in the selection of low-risk, high-reward sights indicated as having oil potential for drilling. The system, method allows users to estimate a degree of uncertainty to be expected when drilling in a specific location. The knowledge of this uncertainly can be used to guide drilling in real-time to reduce the time to oil (and thereby the cost of drilling), increase the efficiency of drill maintenance and reduce the risk associated with incorrectly identifying the depth at which pressure might spike.
US09291733B2
Computing device and method for determining primary and ghost components from S-waves recorded in near-surface conditions, wherein the S-waves are refracted or reflected from a structure in a subsurface. The method includes a step of receiving seismic data (R, V) with regard to the S-waves, wherein the seismic data includes vertical and radial components recorded with a buried three-component receiver; a step of calculating with a processor a primary component (P) and a ghost component (G) from the vertical and radial components; and a step of computing an image of a subsurface based on the primary and ghost components (P, G). The S-waves form a plane wave.
US09291732B2
Systems and methods for seismic data acquisition utilizing wireless modules to perform real time data read out. The wireless modules may be assigned a shared multiplexing sequence through which each module advances in successive transmission periods. Wireless modules belonging to a shared collision domain may be operated out of phase from one another with respect to the shared multiplexing signature sequence. As such, a dynamic multiplexing regime may be implemented. The shared multiplexing signature sequence may include, among others, a plurality of different frequencies, a plurality of different codes, or a plurality of different discrete time periods.
US09291727B2
The invention relates to acquiring seismic data from the earth using geophones that are tuned to have differing frequency sensitivity ranges. The differing frequency sensitivity ranges cover a broader effective frequency range so that low frequency energy and high frequency energy are less attenuated in the raw data record. Two separate geophones would be used at the same node and three or more geophones may be used in combination at each node. When three or more geophones are used in combination, each may have a separate but overlapping frequency sensitivity range or two or more of the geophones may have the same frequency range sensitivity.
US09291716B2
A method and apparatus are presented for improving accuracy in a navigation system. A method of determining a physical characteristic of a receiving device in a navigation system, includes receiving a plurality of navigation signals from a plurality of navigation signal sources, respectively; determining a plurality of measurement estimates, based on the received navigation signals; and determining a physical characteristic of the receiving device by estimating a first set of one or more parameters in an error model, based on at least the plurality of measurement estimates. The error model includes a first error contribution for modeling noise and a second error contribution for modeling indirect signal propagation of the plurality of navigation signals.
US09291710B2
A method and apparatus for detects one or more subsurface targets by receiving a reflectivity data from two or more subsurface reflectors using a ground penetrating radar. The two or more subsurface reflectors may include the one or more subsurface targets and a medium surrounding the one or more subsurface targets. An impedance data for the two or more subsurface reflectors is calculated by inverting the reflectivity data using a temporal transmission line model with a “layer-peeling” method. One or more constitutive parameters of the two or more subsurface reflectors are calculated based on the impedance data. The one or more subsurface targets are detected based on a change in the one or more constitutive parameters.
US09291704B2
Apparatuses and methods for adjusting wireless-derived positions of a mobile station using a motion sensor are presented. One method includes estimating a position of a mobile station based upon wireless signal measurements and measuring a movement of the mobile station using a relative motion sensor. The method further includes detecting a displacement of the mobile station based upon the measured movement, determining that the displacement is below a threshold and then adjusting the estimated position of the mobile station using information from the relative motion sensor. An apparatus includes a wireless transceiver, a relative motion sensor, a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver and the relative motion sensor, and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores executable instructions and data for causing the processor to execute methods for adjusting wireless-derived positions using a motion sensor.
US09291701B2
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of determining a relative-location of a mobile device. For example, a proximity estimator may receive input information of at least first and second sets of one or more wireless communication devices corresponding to first and second mobile devices, respectively, and may determine a relative location of the first mobile device with respect to the second mobile device based on a relationship between the information of the first and second sets.
US09291697B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus are described for applying, based on angles of arrival of source components relative to the axes of different microphone pairs, a spatially directive filter to a multichannel audio signal to produce an output signal.
US09291695B2
A device provides location information to assist in identifying the location of RF sources. Antenna arrays coupled to corresponding receivers supply signals to a direction of arrival computation block, and the direction information is used to provide a display showing the location of the RF source.
US09291692B2
The present invention relates to a blood-brain barrier recovery curve assessment method which uses a focused ultrasound dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI technique, in order to obtain a permeability constant of drug. Furthermore, the present invention, using a double exponential distribution function mathematical model, can estimate the actual physiological recovery curve of the blood-brain barrier. Meanwhile, the present invention also provides a monitoring system for the blood-brain barrier permeability.
US09291679B2
After discharging has been stopped, a transient response component of the voltage remaining in the cell unit is calculated as an initial remaining voltage value (VDIFF) from the difference between the measured voltage value (CCVOFF[tC1]) and the open-circuit voltage value (OCVON:EST[tC0]). The open-circuit voltage value is thereafter estimated on the basis of the initial remaining voltage value, a predetermined time constant, and the measured voltage value during the interval in which discharge is stopped, with consideration given to the fact that the transient response component attenuates with a predetermined time constant.
US09291657B2
A hand-carriable measurement module of a virtual vector network analyzer including a housing; a test port mounted to the housing; a power and communication interface mounted to the housing; and a circuit disposed within the housing and coupled to the test port and the power and communication interface. The circuit is configured to transmit and receive test signals through the test port for measurement of a device under test; and transmit digitized signals representing the test signals through the power and communication interface to a user interface separate from the housing for presentation to a user.
US09291646B2
An apparatus and method for triggering an oscilloscope is disclosed. The oscilloscope is configured to process a first signal in a first domain and a second signal in a second domain. The method includes choosing a different domain for processing each of the first and second signals, respectively. A desired trigger type is selected for one of the chosen domains. The first and second signals are acquired in response to an occurrence of a trigger of the selected trigger type. The first and second signals are processed according to the selected different chosen domains. The method may also include displaying a result of said processing on a display screen.
US09291640B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for automatically controlling and stabilizing aspects of a scanning probe microscope (SPM), such as an atomic force microscope (AFM), using Peak Force Tapping (PFT) Mode. In an embodiment, a controller automatically controls periodic motion of a probe relative to a sample in response to a substantially instantaneous force determined and automatically controls a gain in a feedback loop. A gain control circuit automatically tunes a gain based on separation distances between a probe and a sample to facilitate stability. Accordingly, instability onset is quickly and accurately determined during scanning, thereby eliminating the need of expert user tuning of gains during operation.
US09291630B1
Disclosed is a method for the separation, identification and quantification of multiple proteins in pancreatin active pharmaceutical ingredient samples.
US09291626B2
Provided is a method for diagnosing and/or staging COPD based on detection of one or more histone proteins. In some embodiments, the histone protein is an H3.3 protein comprising a post-translational modification. In some embodiments, the histone protein is H2B, H3, H3.3 or H4. Kits for practicing the methods of diagnosis and/or staging are provided as well. Further provided is a method for treating COPD.
US09291624B2
The present invention relates to improved diagnostic methods and kits for differentiating between (a) animals administered a chimeric pestivirus, and (b) animals infected with a wild-type bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) or immunized with a conventional BVDV vaccine.
US09291621B2
The present invention relates to the identification, functionality and use of domains from the N terminus of the receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (AGER). These domains, called receptor multimerization epitope (RME), are highly conserved in all AGER protein sequences. They represent the mediators for AGER self-association and heteromerization with other proteins. The invention likewise relates to the identification, functionality and use of peptides derived from the C domain of AGER (AGER-CDP). The AGER RMEs and AGER-CDPs of the invention are suitable as target for identifying AGER ligands which modulate the natural ligand interaction; as immunogen for active or passive immunization of individuals, as diagnostic means for identifying immunogenic reactions, and as peptide ligands for modulating protein-protein interactions involving AGER.
US09291620B2
Provided is an in vitro diagnostic tool configured to quantitatively or qualitatively detect a suspected substance in a test solution, the tool including: a first porous layer having a first surface and a second surface; a base sheet bonded to the first surface; a second porous layer bonded to the second surface; and a reagent configured to react with the suspected substance and carried in at least a part of the second porous layer, wherein: the first porous layer has a matrix structure of first nanofibers formed by electrostatic spinning; the second porous layer has a matrix structure of second nanofibers formed by electrostatic spinning; and a fiber diameter of the second nanofibers is smaller than a fiber diameter of the first nanofibers.
US09291600B2
A sensor for detecting analytes, a method of making the sensor, and a method of using the sensor. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises at least one array comprising a plurality of resonators. The resonators can be arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and can be connected in a combined series-parallel configuration. The resonators can be adapted to vibrate independently at about the same resonance frequency and about the same phase. The sensor can also comprise an actuator and a signal detector electrically coupled to the array. The sensor can also further comprise an analyte delivery system and can be functionalized for detection of at least one analyte.
US09291594B2
The present disclosure relates to a carbon dioxide sensor able to function in harsh environment, conditions. The carbon dioxide sensor can include a gate-less field effect transistor including a synthetic, quasi-intrinsic, hydrogen-passivated, single-crystal diamond layer exhibiting a 2-dimension hole gas effect, and a sensing layer comprising both a polymer and a hygroscopic material deposited onto a surface of the gate-less field effect transistor.
US09291592B2
A sensor utilizing a non-leachable or diffusible redox mediator is described. The sensor includes a sample chamber to hold a sample in electrolytic contact with a working electrode, and in at least some instances, the sensor also contains a non-leachable or a diffusible second electron transfer agent. The sensor and/or the methods used produce a sensor signal in response to the analyte that can be distinguished from a background signal caused by the mediator. The invention can be used to determine the concentration of a biomolecule, such as glucose or lactate, in a biological fluid, such as blood or serum, using techniques such as coulometry, amperometry, and potentiometry. An enzyme capable of catalyzing the electrooxidation or electroreduction of the biomolecule is typically provided as a second electron transfer agent.
US09291591B2
The present disclosure provides a sensor port configured to receive a plurality of analyte sensors having different sizes, shapes and/or electrode configurations. Also provided are analyte meters, analyte monitoring devices and/or systems and drug delivery devices and/or systems utilizing the disclosed sensor ports.
US09291587B2
A method for forming a second pattern in registration with a first pattern on a substrate is disclosed. The method comprises providing the substrate having a first magnitude of an associated electrical characteristic and at least one alignment structure that is associated with a second magnitude of the electrical characteristic different from the first magnitude. A controller is used to control an electrical probe to measure the electrical characteristic at a plurality of positions proximate the substrate. The measured electrical characteristic corresponds to the alignment structure when the probe is proximate to the alignment structure and to the substrate when the probe is not proximate to the alignment structure. The measured electrical characteristics are used to identify a location of the alignment structure. The second pattern is formed so that it is in registration with the first pattern, based on the identified location of the alignment structure.
US09291571B2
An ammonia gas detection apparatus includes an ammonia sensor that is configured to detect an ammonia gas in a gas stream and to generate a first output signal when the ammonia gas is detected in the gas stream. The ammonia sensor does not detect the ammonia gas in the gas stream when the gas stream further includes an interference gas that disrupts operation of the ammonia sensor. A discoloration gauge includes a reaction solution that changes from a first color to a second color responsive to exposure to the ammonia gas in the gas stream, regardless of the presence of the interference gas, and a detector that generates a second output signal responsive to the reaction solution changing from the first color to the second color. A communication interface outputs the first and second output signal to a host computer that detects presence of the ammonia gas.
US09291570B2
An indicator composition can be used to detect various environmental conditions stimuli such as in sterilization or storage processes. This indicator composition has a) a first polymeric particle comprising a solid continuous polymeric phase and a first reactant, the first polymeric particle having a mode particle size equal to or less than 50 μm; and b) a second reactant outside of the first polymeric particle, which second reactant is capable of reacting with the first reactant when exposed to a chosen environmental condition stimulus. The indicator composition can be used by exposing it to the environmental condition stimulus for a sufficient time to cause a detectable change in the indicator composition such as a detectable color change.
US09291562B2
For the purpose of tracking a movement of a particle in a sample, the particle is driven by light to emit photons, and the photons emitted by the particle are detected. The light applied to the sample features a light intensity distribution with a spatially limited minimum. The particle is tracked with the minimum of the light intensity distribution by moving the light intensity distribution with respect to the sample such that a rate of photons emitted by the particle remains minimal, and by taking an actual position of the minimum of the light intensity distribution in the sample as an actual position of the particle in the sample.
US09291561B2
The present invention relates to a self-assembled helical metallic complex of formula (1): [M1M2M3(L1)3] (1) said metallic complex forming a triad donor (M1)/acceptor (M2)/donor (M3), wherein the efficiency of the intermolecular energy transfer between the pair of donors (M\) and (M3) to the acceptor (M2) is from 30% to 70% and the L1 ligand-field strength of the donors (M1) and (M3) is at least 19000 cm−1.
US09291559B2
A method of illuminating an item is disclosed. The method includes applying adhesive to the item, interspersing a taggant in the adhesive, illuminating the item with an excitation signal, sensing luminescence emitted by the taggant in response to illumination by the excitation signal, and determining the authenticity of the item based on the sensed emitted luminescence. The item can include any item benefited by authentication, and can include a postage stamp. A method of customizing an item is disclosed. This can include the steps of preparing a substrate, applying a security feature to the substrate, printing non-customized information on the substrate, receiving image information, and printing the image information on the substrate.
US09291553B2
A system and method for in-field near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) analysis of rubber and resin concentrations a guayule plant is provided. The system includes a wagon or other vehicle with the NIRS device mounted on the wagon. A computer or processor electrically coupled to the NIRS device is also housed within an area or extension of the wagon. During measurement of a guayule plant in the field, a guayule plant covering is placed over the guayule plant and a light shield coupled to the NIRS device is inserted into an opening on the guayule plant covering. The NIRS device is configured to perform a reading of the guayule plant within the plant covering and communicate results of the reading to the computer. A calibration equation is then preferably applied to the guayule plant readings to produce the rubber and resin concentrations of the guayule plant.
US09291547B2
An immersion refractometer includes a microchamber having an inlet and an outlet for allowing a sample containing microorganism particles to flow therethrough, wherein the microchamber comprises at least one trapping site for trapping a microorganism particle in each respective trapping site, and a micromixer for mixing a plurality of liquids to form an external medium, wherein the micromixer and the microchamber are in fluid communication to introduce the external medium into the microchamber. Use of the present immersion refractometer in a method of identifying microorganism particles contained in a sample is also provided.
US09291546B2
An immersion liquid retainer is an immersion liquid retainer used for an observation made with a microscope including an immersion objective. The immersion liquid retainer includes a fixing part in which a first penetration hole for viewing an observed portion of a specimen is formed and which is fixed to the specimen, and an immersion liquid retaining part where a concave part that has a bottom surface configured with a transparent flat plate and is intended to retain an immersion liquid is formed. The immersion liquid retaining part is joined to the fixing part or formed integrally with the fixing part so that the transparent flat plate covers the first penetration hole.
US09291540B2
The invention relates to a device for detecting the abrasive wear on components of water turbines, having a wearing body, and a measuring unit for detecting the wear on the wearing body. The invention is characterized in that the wearing body is arranged in the flow flowing through the water turbine, the wearing body is implemented as a sonotrode and is connected to an ultrasound generator, and the measuring unit is implemented to measure the resonant frequency of the sonotrode.
US09291535B2
This invention relates to a method and apparatus or kit for extracting major metabolites of vitamin D from human plasma or serum. More particularly, the invention provides for the extraction from human plasma or serum samples comprising vitamin D metabolites such as 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3, 25-hydroxy vitamin D2, and D3 from protein binding, removal of protein and phospholipids, and isolation of the metabolites using a combination of ion-exchange and Lewis acid mechanisms without the requirement to acidify the samples. The method and apparatus of the invention comprise a cartridge or plurality of cartridges comprising at least one protein crash frit, a strong cation exchanged sorbent, and an acidified alumina sorbent to provide higher recoveries of vitamin D metabolites than existing phospholipid depletion plate techniques. Accurately quantifying 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 is useful in differential diagnosis of vitamin D-related diseases and for monitoring vitamin D therapy in patients with chronic renal disease.
US09291527B2
Disclosed is a system and method for documenting and analyzing a tire tread using a guidance dolly for use in creating a three-dimensional image file of a target object from a plurality of two-dimensional image files including: a first dolly surface adapted to enable placement of the guidance dolly into physical contact with the target object; a second dolly surface generally conforming to the shape of the first dolly surface; and a guide channel for guiding a digital imaging device along a specified path so as to acquire the plurality of two-dimensional image files of the target object.
US09291523B2
A diagnostic system and method for diagnosing problems in a hydrostatic transmission of a vehicle including a transmission control unit that has a monitor and pressure sensors and at least one temperature sensor connectable between diagnostic hose ports coupled to the transmission and inputs on the transmission control unit. A symptom or problem area is selected on the monitor; and a test sequence is initiated by command input on the monitor. The transmission control unit performs calculations based upon input data from the pressure sensors to determine a hydraulic problem, and provides directions for adjustments or replacing parts on the hydrostatic transmission. The monitor may provide instructions to relocate existing sensor connections for the test sequence selected.
US09291515B2
The invention discloses a rapid test device, includes a cup vessel (4), which comprises a first chamber (41) and a dosing piston assembling hole (44) communicating with the first chamber (41); a base (8) fastened at the bottom of the cup vessel (4); a second chamber (81), formed between the base (8) and the cup vessel (4) and communicating with the dosing piston assembling hole (44); a partition (7), arranged in the second chamber (81) and provided with test paper; a dosing piston (6), provided with a dosing slot (61) thereon and provided with a key hole at one end, inserted in the dosing piston assembling hole (44); and a key (1) matching the key hole. In present invention the sample in the dosing slot can be transmitted into the second chamber by rotating the dosing piston. The sample is absorbed by the test paper after flowing by the test paper, and test result appears on the test paper. Since the dosing slot is machined on the dosing piston, the volume of the liquid sample obtained each time is equal and the accuracy of test result is improved. The dosing piston used to obtain the liquid sample is changed from being pushed linearly to being moved rotationally, which makes leak-proof effect better.
US09291514B2
The invention relates to a pressure sensor (1, 41) comprising a chamber (3) in which a sensor element (4) for measuring pressure is arranged. The pressure sensor (1, 41) further comprises a compressible element (6, 7) for overpressure protection, said compressible element (6, 7) being arranged outside the chamber (3).
US09291513B2
Provided is a strain sensing device using reduced graphene oxide (R-GO). The strain sensing device includes a flexible substrate, a gate electrode formed on the flexible substrate, a gate insulating layer configured to cover the gate electrode and include a part formed of a flexible material, an active layer formed of R-GO for sensing a strain, on the gate insulating layer, and a source and drain electrode formed on the active layer.
US09291508B1
An atomic interferometric device useful, e.g., for measuring acceleration or rotation is provided. The device comprises at least one vapor cell containing a Raman-active chemical species, an optical system, and at least one detector. The optical system is conformed to implement a Raman pulse interferometer in which Raman transitions are stimulated in a warm vapor of the Raman-active chemical species. The detector is conformed to detect changes in the populations of different internal states of atoms that have been irradiated by the optical system.
US09291506B2
A device, for imaging a scene, includes a detector of the radiation that includes a plurality of detector elements, a circularly variable filter, a mechanism for rotating the filter perpendicular to the optical path of the radiation from the scene to the detector, and a data capture apparatus. All the detector elements are repeatedly interrogated by as a group as the filter rotates, to acquire images of the scene, each of which includes a plurality of image portions in respective spectral bands of the filter. The image portions are assembled to form processed images, each of which depicts the scene in a single respective spectral band.
US09291502B2
A spectroscopic measurement device includes a variable wavelength interference filter provided with a first reflecting film, a second reflecting film, and an electrostatic actuator for changing a gap amount of a gap between the first reflecting film and the second reflecting film, a detection section adapted to detect the light intensity of the light taken out by the variable wavelength interference filter, a voltage setting section and a voltage control section for applying an analog voltage varying continuously to the electrostatic actuator, a voltage monitoring section for monitoring the voltage applied to the electrostatic actuator, a storage section for storing V-λ data, and a light intensity acquisition section for obtaining the light intensity detected by the detection section at a timing at which the light transmitted through the variable wavelength interference filter has the measurement target wavelength based on the voltage monitored by the voltage monitoring section.
US09291497B2
In a sensor system including a plurality of photoelectric sensor units, a light projecting period arbitrarily determined in each type is provided and mutual interference is prevented between identical types. The sensor system includes the plurality of sensor units coupled by a connector unit while a signal can be transmitted. Each of the sensor units retains type information thereof, and sets a unique identification number by transmitting the signal to each other. Each sensor unit operates after a delay time determined according to the identification number thereof elapses with a synchronous signal as a starting point. The synchronous signal is transmitted with a predetermined period from the sensor unit having a specific identification number in the plurality of sensor units. The delay time of each sensor unit is determined such that an operating period is matched with a predetermined period determined in each piece of the type information.
US09291487B2
An electronic arrangement for analyzing fluid flow, includes a measuring entity for obtaining indications of power or energy consumption associated with fluid flow relative to a predetermined element, at multiple time instants, during measurement periods, each measurement period occurring between similar subsequent maintenance operations affecting the energy consumption of the element, wherein the measurement indications for the period are utilized for modeling, with reference to the true operating time of the element and excluding non-operating time potentially between active periods, a modeling entity for maintaining a regression model constructed based on indications for measurement periods, the model including a response variable for providing an indication of power or energy consumption during a measurement period and an explanatory variable for representing time, and wherein the model regarding the previous measurement period between the second-last maintenance and the last maintenance is taken as a starting point for the model being currently updated.
