US09318784B2
In certain aspects of the invention, an isolator is configured by a reception circuit, a transmission circuit, and a transformer. In some aspects, the transmission circuit is disposed in an anterior surface of a semiconductor substrate. The transformer is disposed in a posterior surface of the semiconductor substrate and transmits in an electrically isolated state to the reception circuit, a signal input from the transmission circuit. The transformer is configured by a primary coil and a secondary coil. The primary coil can be configured by a metal film embedded in an oxide film inside a coil trench. The secondary coil can be disposed inside an insulating film covering the primary coil so as to oppose the primary coil and is insulated from the primary coil by the insulating film.
US09318775B2
An electrolyte for a magnesium battery includes a magnesium salt having the formula MgBxHy where x=11-12 and y=11-12. The electrolyte also includes a solvent, the magnesium salt being dissolved in the solvent. Various solvents including aprotic solvents and molten salts such as ionic liquids may be utilized.
US09318766B2
The present invention relates to a technique for manufacturing a unit cell for a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) which can improve the output of the unit cell of the solid oxide fuel cell, without occurring cost due to an additional process. The unit cell of the solid oxide fuel cell, comprises: a fuel electrode support body; a fuel electrode reaction layer; an electrolyte; and an air electrode, wherein the fuel electrode support body is made from an NiO and YSZ mixed material, the fuel electrode reaction layer is made from a CeScSZ and NiO mixed material, the electrolyte is made from a CeCsSZ material, and wherein the air electrode is made from an LSM and CeScSZ mixed material.
US09318764B2
Disclosed is a proton conducting polymer membrane formed by laminating a plurality of solid electrolyte membranes. This proton conducting polymer membrane is one prepared by laminating at least one layer of a solid electrolyte membrane formed by using a resin having a bis(perfluoroalkanesulfonyl)methide group in the chemical structure. This solid electrolyte membrane has a superior proton conductivity without transmitting the fuel (methanol or hydrogen).
US09318760B2
In a method of operating a fuel cell, a voltage difference between voltages of a first unit cell and a second unit cell is detected. Whether the voltage difference is out of a predetermined range is determined. If the voltage difference is determined to be out of the predetermined range, humidity of a first reactant gas before being supplied to a first reactant gas passage is adjusted or humidity of a second reactant gas before being supplied to a second reactant gas passage is adjusted. The first reactant gas passage is provided in a first separator. The first reactant gas is to be supplied to one of first electrodes through the first reactant gas passage. The second reactant gas is to be supplied to another of the first electrodes through the second reactant gas passage.
US09318757B2
A fuel supply unit (10) for a fuel cell system which is in particular suitable for use in an aircraft comprises a fuel tank (12) and a feed line (14), which connects the fuel tank (12) to an inlet (16) of a fuel cell (18). A tank isolation valve (28) is disposed in the feed line (14). A removal line (46) connects an outlet (20) of the fuel cell (18) to an unpressurised region of the aircraft and/or the outer atmosphere. The fuel supply unit (10) also comprises a sensor (44) for detecting an electrical voltage in the fuel cell (18) and an electronic control unit (45) which is adapted to receive signals output from the sensor (44) and which is adapted to detect a fault caused by an unintentional opening or a failure of the tank isolation valve (28) based on the sensor signals, when in a quiescent operational state of the fuel cell system electrical energy is generated by the fuel cell (18).
US09318756B2
A fuel cell module includes a fuel cell stack formed by stacking a plurality of fuel cells for generating electricity by electrochemical reactions of a fuel gas and an oxygen-containing gas, a reformer for reforming a mixed gas of a raw fuel and water vapor, an evaporator for supplying water vapor to the reformer, a heat exchanger for raising the temperature of the oxygen-containing gas by heat exchange with a combustion gas, an exhaust gas combustor for producing the combustion gas, and a start-up combustor for producing the combustion gas. The exhaust gas combustor is provided integrally in the heat exchanger. The start-up combustor is provided adjacent to one end of the heat exchanger.
US09318753B2
A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly with a frame at a peripheral portion, and a separator disposed on both sides of the frame and the membrane electrode assembly. A protrusion and a counterpart groove where a tip of the protrusion is inserted are respectively formed on portions of the frame and the separator facing each other, and the tip of the protrusion is immersed in an adhesive that is injected in the groove such that the groove and the protrusion are joined to each other. A room is formed between the frame and the separator on the groove at least at a side of the protrusion closer to the membrane electrode assembly.
US09318752B2
An apparatus for insulating a plurality of exposed live parts of a fuel cell stack, includes a plurality of protectors. Each of the plurality of protectors is made of an insulating material and configured to insulate a corresponding one of the plurality of exposed live parts to which a corresponding one of current collector terminals disposed in an end plate of the fuel cell stack and a corresponding one of connections of a busbar are connected.
US09318750B2
A manufacturer of gas cells performs an arrangement process of arranging solid substances at positions corresponding to holes each of which is provided on each of a plurality of cells. Then, the manufacturer of the gas cells performs an accommodation process of accommodating gas in inner spaces of the cells through an air flow path connected to the holes. Further, the manufacturer of the gas cells performs a sealing process of sealing the spaces by melting the solid substances to close the holes corresponding to the solid substances.
US09318749B2
A catalyst carrier production process includes a step (a) of mixing a transition metal compound (1), a nitrogen-containing organic compound (2), and a solvent to provide a catalyst carrier precursor solution; a step (b) of removing the solvent from the catalyst carrier precursor solution; and a step (c) of the thermally treating a solid residue obtained in the step (b) at a temperature of 500 to 1100° C. to provide a catalyst carrier; wherein the transition metal compound (1) is partly or wholly a compound including a transition metal element (M1) selected from the group 4 and 5 elements of the periodic table as a transition metal element; and at least one of the transition metal compound (1) and the nitrogen-containing organic compound (2) includes an oxygen atom.
US09318748B2
A bipolar lithium-ion electrochemical battery having increased capacity.
US09318745B2
To provide a conductive agent for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery and the like, in which oxidative decomposition reaction of an electrolyte is sufficiently suppressed during charging and discharging under high-temperature, high-voltage conditions and thus the cycle characteristics under these conditions are improved.A conductive agent main body composed of carbon and a compound attached to a surface of the conductive agent main body are contained. The average particle size of primary particles or secondary particles of the conductive agent main body is larger than the average particle size of the compound and the compound contains at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zirconium, magnesium, and a rare earth element.
US09318735B2
To provide a terminal-attached plate, which is capable of providing a connector fitting portion at only one end portion of a battery module, and is capable of preventing the battery module from being made thick, and to provide a plate assembly, and a battery module. A battery module includes a single-cell stack and a plate assembly including stacked plates turned back alternately and connected to an end of the stack, each plate including a joining portion, a plate supporting portion, a terminal including a connecting portion connected to a tab of the battery and a contact portion connected to a connector, and a hood member protecting the contact portion, wherein the hood member is disposed at a position offset to an end portion side of the plate from a center in a longitudinal direction of the plate.
US09318733B2
Disclosed herein is an electrode assembly mounted in a battery case of a secondary battery. The electrode assembly is configured to have a structure in which a cathode and an anode are stacked in a state in which a separator plate is disposed between the cathode and the anode. The electrode assembly includes an even number of unit cells, each of the unit cells having a structure in which the uppermost electrode plate and the lowermost electrode plate have the same polarity. The electrode assembly has a stair-like structure.
US09318731B2
A battery pack includes a first battery module, the first battery module including unit batteries, a first plate, and a second plate, and a second battery module, the second battery module including unit batteries, a first plate, and a second plate. The first battery module may be stacked on the second battery module, the second plate of the first battery module may be between the first battery module and the second battery module, and the second plate of the first battery module may support the unit batteries of the first battery module and contact the first plate of the second battery module.
US09318728B2
A manufacturing method for an organic light-emitting element includes: a first step of forming a first electrode, and forming an organic layer including a light-emitting layer; a second step of forming a second electrode, and thereby forming an element structure including the first electrode, the organic layer, and the second electrode; and a third step of performing an aging process by applying electric power between the first electrode and the second electrode in the element structure. a duration of the application of electric power in the third step is determined as the time elapsed before a time point at which a rate of decrease in a luminance of the light-emitting layer is substantially equal to a rate of decrease in a luminance of the element structure.
US09318725B2
A microcavity organic light emitting diode (OLED) device is disclosed having a narrow-band phosphorescent emitter.
US09318717B1
An apparatus with a programmable response includes a semi-conductor device with a junction formed thereon, the junction having a built-in potential, a quantum well element proximate to the junction that provides an energy well within a depletion region of the junction. The energy well comprises one or more donor energy states that support electron trapping, and/or one or more acceptor energy states that support hole trapping; thereby modulating the built-in potential of the junction. The semi-conductor device may be a diode, a bipolar diode, a transistor, or the like. A corresponding method is also disclosed herein.
US09318710B2
Boron-nitrogen polyaromatic compounds having a fused aromatic ring system are provided, where the compounds include a [1,2]azaborino[1,2-a][1,2]azaborine which is optionally fused to one or more aromatic rings or fused aromatic rings; wherein the fused aromatic ring system is substituted by one or more substituents, R, that are not fused to the aromatic ring system, selected from deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof; and wherein any two adjacent substituents, R, are optionally joined to form one or more non-aromatic rings. Devices, such as organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) that comprise light emitting materials are also provided.
US09318700B2
In a method of manufacturing a phase change memory device, an insulating interlayer having a through opening is formed on a substrate, at least one conformal phase change material layer pattern is formed along the sides of the opening, and a plug-like phase change material pattern having a composition different from that of each conformal phase change material layer pattern is formed on the at least one conformal phase change material layer pattern as occupying a remaining portion of the opening. Energy is applied to the phase change material layer patterns to form a mixed phase change material layer pattern including elements from the conformal and plug-like phase change material layer patterns.
US09318696B2
Systems and methods for forming precise and self-aligned top metal contact for a Magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) device include forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) in a common interlayer metal dielectric (IMD) layer with a logic element. A low dielectric constant (K) etch stop layer is selectively retained over an exposed top surface of the MTJ. Etching is selectively performed through a top IMD layer formed over the low K etch stop layer and the common IMD layer, based on a first chemistry which prevents etching through the low K etch stop layer. By switching chemistry to a second chemistry which precisely etches through the low K etch stop layer, an opening is created for forming a self-aligned top contact to the exposed top surface of the MTJ.
US09318695B2
Magnetic memory devices having a uniform perpendicular nonmagnetic rich antisotropy enhanced pattern
Provided are magnetic memory devices, electronic systems and memory cards including the same, methods of manufacturing the same, and methods of controlling a magnetization direction of a magnetic pattern. In a magnetic memory device, atomic-magnetic moments non-parallel to one surface of a free pattern increase in the free pattern. Therefore, critical current density of the magnetic memory device may be reduced, such that power consumption of the magnetic memory device is reduced or minimized and/or the magnetic memory device is improved or optimized for a higher degree of integration.
US09318694B2
Methods of forming a memory device structure are described. Those methods may include forming a non-conductive spacer material on a top electrode of a magnetic tunnel junction structure, and then forming a highly selective material on the non-conductive spacer material of the magnetic tunnel junction prior to etching a bottom electrode of the magnetic tunnel junction.
US09318693B2
A method for a non-volatile, ferroelectric random access memory (F-RAM) device that includes a ferroelectric capacitor aligned with a preexisting structure is described. In one embodiment, the method includes forming an opening in an insulating layer over a contact in a planar surface of a substrate to expose at least a portion of the contact. Next a self-aligned contact (SAC) is formed electrically coupling to the contact, the SAC medially located in the opening and proximal to a sidewall thereof. A ferroelectric spacer is then formed in the opening medially of the SAC, and a top electrode spacer formed in the opening over the insulating cap and medially of the ferroelectric spacer.
US09318691B2
An end effector assembly for use with an electrosurgical instrument is provided. The end effector assembly has a pair of opposing jaw members. One or more of the jaw members includes a support base, an electrical jaw lead, and a sealing plate coupled to the electrical jaw lead. The sealing plate has a stainless steel layer and one or more piezoelectric sensors. The jaw member also includes an insulative plate disposed between the support base and the sealing plate.
US09318690B2
A piezoelectric element is provided. The piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric layer made of a perovskite compound containing sodium, potassium, lithium, niobium and tantalum and bismuth manganate. The piezoelectric element may also include electrodes for applying a voltage to the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer may contain 0.25 to 1 mol % of bismuth manganate relative to the perovskite ceramics.
US09318688B2
A piezoelectric vibration element capable of reducing occurrence of unnecessary vibration, and a piezoelectric vibration device and a portable terminal using the same are disclosed. The piezoelectric vibration element includes a plurality of electrode layers and a plurality of piezoelectric layers being stacked along a first direction, the piezoelectric vibration element having two surfaces that face each other to be at intervals in the first direction, and vibrating in bending mode in the first direction with an amplitude varying along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction according to input of an electric signal, one of the two surfaces having such a shape that a central portion thereof in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction protrudes as compared with opposite end portions thereof in the third direction.
US09318685B2
The invention relates to a method for producing a superconductive element to be used as a wire-in-channel superconductor in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) applications, which superconductive element contains a superconductive wire and a copper component having a longitudinal groove and the superconductive wire being positioned in the groove. In order to produce the wire-in-channel superconductive element by a mechanical contact between the superconductive wire and a wall of the groove in the copper component, at least one contact surface is coated with a lead free solder material before having the mechanical contact. In order to enhance the thermal and electrical conduction and to create a bond between the said components the soldering material is fused in annealing process step.
US09318684B2
Provided is a semiconductor ceramic element constructed by using a semiconductor ceramic that generates metal-insulator transition at a temperature of actual use and has a sufficient strength to enable easy handling. The semiconductor ceramic element has an element main body having a semiconductor ceramic made of a perovskite-type or pyrochlore-type oxide containing a rare earth element, nickel, and titanium, in which a part of the nickel is present as metal nickel; and a pair of electrodes formed to interpose the element main body therebetween. This semiconductor ceramic element shows a sharp resistance change within a temperature range of actual use, and can be used advantageously as a temperature sensor.
US09318683B2
A thermoelectric module includes an inner circumferential surface, an axis and an outer circumferential surface. A plurality of semiconductor elements is disposed with thermoelectric material in the direction of the axis and between the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface and are electrically interconnected in an alternating manner. At least one part of the semiconductor elements has at least one inner frame part or an outer frame part. At least some of the inner frame parts form an interrupted inner circumferential surface or outer frame parts form an interrupted outer circumferential surface.
US09318679B2
An optical device includes a metal substrate wherein at least one vertical insulation layer is formed from the upper to the lower surface; a metal plated layer formed on the upper surface of the metal substrate except for the vertical insulation layer; and an optical device chip bonded to one portion of the metal plated layer. One electrode of the optical device chip is electrically connected to a bonded surface of the metal plated layer, and the other electrode of the optical device chip is wire bonded to the other portion of metal plated layer. The optical device chip and a peripheral region thereof is shielded with a sealant, and at least one groove is formed on a partial surface of the metal plated layer so that a portion of the sealant is directly bonded to the metal substrate.
US09318672B2
A lighting assembly and a lamp for a motor vehicle are described. A leadframe 14 out of a metal sheet material comprises a first part 14c and a second part 14b not directly electrically connected. An LED element 16 is fixed to the leadframe 14. A first contact part 24a is connected to the first leadframe part 14c and a second contact part 24b is connected to the second leadframe part 14b. The LED element 16 is disposed to emit light when operated. In order to achieve a desired directed emission of light in a simple way, the leadframe 14 comprises a light direction section 20a,20b including a reflective surface 30a,30b arrange to reflect the light emitted from the LED element 16.
US09318670B2
A photoluminescence material paste comprises: a first inorganic photoluminescence material having a first density, a second inorganic photoluminescence material having a second density and a light transmissive non-curable silicone fluid that is not curable by itself. The first density of the first inorganic photoluminescence material is different from the second density of the second inorganic photoluminescence material. The first and second inorganic photoluminescence materials are substantially homogenously distributed within the light transmissive non-curable silicone fluid to form the photoluminescence material paste. A weight loading of the first and second photoluminescence materials in the photoluminescence material paste is in a range of about 60% to about 95%.
US09318665B2
A light emitting device includes a flexible substrate, at least one light emitting element, a sealing resin and an adhesion layer. The flexible substrate includes a flexible base member and a plurality of wiring portions disposed on one surface of the base member. The light emitting element is arranged on a first surface of the flexible substrate and electrically connected to the wiring portions. The sealing resin seals the light emitting element. The adhesion layer is arranged on a second surface of the flexible substrate different from the first surface of the flexible substrate. The adhesion layer has a small thickness portion corresponding at least to a region on the first surface where the at least one light emitting element is arranged. The small thickness portion of the adhesion layer has a thickness smaller than a thickness of regions of the adhesion layer other than the portion.
US09318664B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting element includes: a support substrate; a bonding layer provided on the support substrate; an LED layer provided on the bonding layer; and a buffer layer softer than the bonding layer. The buffer layer is placed in one of between the support substrate and the bonding layer and between the bonding layer and the LED layer.
US09318662B2
Disclosed herein is a light emitting device exhibiting improved current spreading. The disclosed light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, a second conductivity type semiconductor layer, and an active layer disposed between the first conductivity type and second conductivity type semiconductor layers, a first electrode disposed on the first conductivity type semiconductor layer, and a second electrode disposed on the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. The light emitting structure includes a mesa etching region where the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, active layer, and first conductivity type semiconductor layer are partially etched, thereby exposing a portion of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer. The first electrode is disposed on the exposed portion of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer. A first electrode layer is disposed between the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second electrode. A second electrode layer is disposed between portions of the first electrode layer spaced from each other at opposite sides of the mesa etching region.
US09318654B2
An object is to provide a light-emitting display device in which a pixel including a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor has a high aperture ratio. The light-emitting display device includes a plurality of pixels each including a thin film transistor and a light-emitting element. The pixel is electrically connected to a first wiring functioning as a scan line. The thin film transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer over the first wiring with a gate insulating film therebetween. The oxide semiconductor layer is extended beyond the edge of a region where the first wiring is provided. The light-emitting element and the oxide semiconductor layer overlap with each other.
US09318652B1
Semiconductor structures involving multiple quantum wells provide increased efficiency of UV and visible light emitting diodes (LEDs) and other emitter devices, particularly at high driving current. LEDs made with the new designs have reduced efficiency droop under high current injection and increased overall external quantum efficiency. The active region of the devices includes separation layers configured between the well layers, the one or more separation regions being configured to have a first mode to act as one or more barrier regions separating a plurality of carriers in a quantum confined mode in each of the quantum wells being provided on each side of the one or more separation layers and a second mode to cause spreading of the plurality of carriers across each of the quantum wells to increase an overlap integral of all of the plurality of carriers. The devices and methods of the invention provide improved efficiency for solid state lighting, including high efficiency ultraviolet LEDs.
US09318648B2
An illumination device with a semiconductor light emission solution has a wavelength up conversion feature and is suited for plant cultivation in a greenhouse environment. The best mode is considered to be a light device with at least one blue LED (101) with wavelength up conversion binary alloy quantum dots (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) made by colloidal methods that are arranged to produce an emission spectrum similar to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) spectrum with the blue LEDs. The methods and arrangements allow more precise spectral tuning of the emission spectrum for lights used in plant cultivation. Therefore unexpected improvements in the photomorphogenetic control of plant growth, and further improvements in plant (310, 311) production are realized. The device is especially advantageous for greenhouses that already have legacy LED systems. These LED systems can often just be upgraded by adding the quantum dot array to arrive at the lighting solution.
US09318645B2
A nitride semiconductor light-emitting element includes a second light-emitting layer, a third barrier layer, and a first light-emitting layer from a side close to a p-type nitride semiconductor layer. The first light-emitting layer includes a plurality of first quantum well layers and a first barrier layer provided between the plurality of first quantum well layers. The second light-emitting layer includes a plurality of second quantum well layers and a second barrier layer provided between the plurality of second quantum well layers. The second quantum well layers include a multiple quantum well light-emitting layer thicker than the first quantum well layers.
US09318635B2
An automatic solar tracking adjustment/control apparatus of solar generation system includes a support assembly, a two-dimensionally movable pivotal rotational assembly disposed on the support assembly, a solar generation module disposed on the support assembly via the pivotal rotational assembly and at least one drive assembly disposed between the support assembly and the solar generation module. The drive assembly drives the solar generation module to tilt in different directions and angles according to reference parameters in a control unit. A detection/correction module is disposed on the solar generation module for detecting actual parameters of the solar generation module. The control unit compares the actual parameters with the reference parameters to modify the output of the drive assembly so as to adjust the tilting direction and inclination angle of the solar generation module.
US09318634B2
Vinylidene fluoride resin composition, resin film, back sheet for solar cells, and solar cell module
Provided is a vinylidene fluoride resin composition resistant to yellowing in the test for evaluation of durability of moist heat resistance, even when it is laminated directly on an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)-based sealing material, and a resin film, a back sheet for solar cells and a solar cell module comprising the same. A vinylidene fluoride resin composition at least comprising a vinylidene fluoride resin having a peak value ratio of head-to-tail bond to head-to-head bond (head-to-tail bond/head-to-head bond), as determined by 1H-NMR, of 11.5 or less and a mass-average molecular weight (Mw) of 1.30×105 or more, and an antioxidant is processed into a vinylidene fluoride resin film having a thickness of 10 to 200 μm. The vinylidene fluoride resin film and an electric insulating resin film such as polyethylene terephthalate-based film are laminated, to give a back sheet for solar cells.
US09318632B2
Manipulation of the passivation ligands of colloidal quantum dots and use in QD electronics. A multi-step electrostatic process is described which creates bare QDs, followed by the formation of QD superlattice via electric and thermal stimulus. Colloidal QDs with original long ligands (i.e. oleic acid) are atomized, and loaded into a special designed tank to be washed, followed by another atomization step before entering the doping station. The final step is the deposition of bare QDs onto substrate and growth of QD superlattice. The method permits the formation of various photonic devices, such as single junction and tandem solar cells based on bare QD superlattice, photodetectors, and LEDs. The devices include a piezoelectric substrate with an electrode, and at least one layer of bare quantum dots comprising group IV-VI elements on the electrode, where the bare quantum dots have been stripped of outer-layer ligands.
US09318631B2
A method for manufacturing a photodiode including the steps of providing a substrate, solution depositing a quantum nanomaterial layer onto the substrate, the quantum nanomaterial layer including a number of quantum nanomaterials having a ligand coating, and applying a thin-film oxide layer over the quantum nanomaterial layer.
US09318616B2
Organic light emitting diode display having thin film transistor substrate using oxide semiconductor
Provided is a thin film transistor having an oxide semiconductor material for an organic light emitting diode display and a method for manufacturing the same. The organic light emitting diode display includes a gate electrode formed on a substrate; a gate insulating layer formed on the gate electrode; a semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating layer to overlap with the gate electrode, and including a channel area and source and drain areas which extend from the channel area to both outsides, respectively and are conductorized; an etch stopper formed on the channel area and exposing the source area and the drain area; a source electrode contacting portions of the exposed source electrode; and a drain electrode contacting portions of the exposed drain electrode.
US09318612B2
An array substrate includes: a substrate; a thin film transistor including a gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer and source and drain electrodes, wherein a first insulating layer of an inorganic insulating material is disposed between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer, and wherein a second insulating layer of an inorganic insulating material is disposed between the oxide semiconductor layer and the source and drain electrodes; a passivation layer on the thin film transistor; a first electrode on the passivation layer in the pixel region; and a first hydrogen absorbing layer on at least one of top and bottom surfaces of the first insulating layer, top and bottom surfaces of the second insulating layer and top and bottom surfaces of the passivation layer, the first hydrogen absorbing layer including plurality of particles spaced apart from each other and including one of nickel, palladium and platinum.
US09318600B2
This silicon carbide semiconductor device includes: a substrate with a principal surface; a silicon carbide layer which is arranged on a side of the principal surface of the substrate and which includes a first impurity region of a first conductivity type; a trench which is arranged in the silicon carbide layer and which has a bottom located in the first impurity region; a trench bottom impurity layer which is arranged in the trench to contact with at least a portion of the bottom of the trench and which is a silicon carbide epitaxial layer of a second conductivity type; a gate insulating film which covers a side surface of the trench and the trench bottom impurity layer; and a gate electrode which is arranged over at least a portion of the gate insulating film that is located inside the trench.
US09318594B2
A semiconductor structure includes a Group III-nitride semiconductor layer, a protective layer on the semiconductor layer, a distribution of implanted dopants within the semiconductor layer, and an ohmic contact extending through the protective layer to the semiconductor layer.
US09318593B2
A method of fabricating a III-N device includes forming a III-N channel layer on a substrate, a III-N barrier layer on the channel layer, an insulator layer on the barrier layer, and a trench in a first portion of the device. Forming the trench comprises removing the insulator layer and a part of the barrier layer in the first portion of the device, such that a remaining portion of the barrier layer in the first portion of the device has a thickness away from a top surface of the channel layer, the thickness being within a predetermined thickness range, annealing the III-N device in a gas ambient including oxygen at an elevated temperature to oxidize the remaining portion of the barrier layer in the first portion of the device, and removing the oxidized remaining portion of the barrier layer in the first portion of the device.
US09318591B2
This application relates to graphene based heterostructures and transistor devices comprising graphene. The hetero-structures comprise i) a first graphene layer; ii) a spacer layer and iii) a third graphene. The transistors comprise (i) an electrode, the electrode comprising a graphene layer, and (ii) an insulating barrier layer.
US09318589B2
There is provided an insulated gate bipolar transistor including: a first semiconductor area of a first conductivity type; a second semiconductor area of a second conductivity type formed on one surface of the first semiconductor area; third semiconductor areas of the first conductivity type continuously formed in a length direction on one surface of the second semiconductor area; a plurality of trenches formed between the third semiconductor areas, extending to an inside of the second semiconductor area, and being continuous in the length direction; a fourth semiconductor area of the second conductivity type formed on one surface of the third semiconductor areas, insulation layers formed inside the trenches; gate electrodes buried inside the insulation layers; and a barrier layer formed in at least one of locations corresponding to the third semiconductor areas inside the second semiconductor area.
US09318588B2
In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type having first and second faces, and a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type disposed above the first face of the first semiconductor layer. The device further includes control electrodes facing the first and second semiconductor layers via insulating layers, and extending to a first direction parallel to the first face of the first semiconductor layer, and third semiconductor layers of the first conductivity type and fourth semiconductor layers of the second conductivity type alternately disposed along the first direction above the second semiconductor layer. The device further includes fifth semiconductor layers of the first conductivity type disposed below the second semiconductor layer or disposed at positions surrounded by the second semiconductor layer, the fifth semiconductor layers being arranged separately from one another along the first direction.
US09318584B2
Device structures and design structures for a bipolar junction transistor. The device structure includes a collector region in a substrate, a plurality of isolation structures extending into the substrate and comprised of an electrical insulator, and an isolation region in the substrate. The isolation structures have a length and are arranged with a pitch transverse to the length such that each adjacent pair of the isolation structures is separated by a respective section of the substrate. The isolation region is laterally separated from at least one of the isolation structures by a first portion of the collector region. The isolation region laterally separates a second portion of the collector region from the first portion of the collector region. The device structure further includes an intrinsic base on the second portion of the collector region and an emitter on the intrinsic base. The emitter has a length transversely oriented relative to the length of the isolation structures.
US09318570B2
Provided is a semiconductor device, including a substrate including a device isolation layer and an active region isolated by the device isolation layer; a trench in the active region; a gate electrode filling at least a portion of the trench; a recess in the substrate at one side of the gate electrode, the recess overlapping a portion of the device isolation layer and the active region; and a lower contact plug filling the recess.
US09318569B2
Unit cells including a substrate having an active region, a first charge trap pattern disposed on the substrate to intersect the active region, a second charge trap pattern disposed on the substrate to intersect the active region and spaced apart from the first charge trap pattern, a first junction region disposed in the active region between the first and second charge trap patterns, a second junction region disposed in the active region adjacent to one side of the first charge trap pattern opposite to the second charge trap pattern, and a third junction region disposed in the active region adjacent to one side of the second charge trap pattern opposite to the first charge trap pattern.
US09318567B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes the following steps. First, a semiconductor substrate is provided, which includes at least a fin structure and at least a gate semiconductor layer disposed thereon. The gate semiconductor layer covers a portion of the fin structure. Then a sacrificial layer is deposited to cover the fin structure entirely. Subsequently, a top surface of the fin structure is exposed from the sacrificial layer through an etching process. A material layer is then deposited, which covers the gate semiconductor layer, the fin structure and the sacrificial layer conformally. Finally, the material layer is etched until the top surface of the fin structure is exposed and a first spacer is concurrently formed on side surfaces of the gate semiconductor layer.
US09318559B2
A semiconductor substrate includes a sapphire substrate including a c-plane main surface and a groove in a surface thereof, the groove including side surfaces and a bottom surface, and a Group III nitride semiconductor layer formed on the sapphire substrate. The side surfaces of the groove are an a-plane of sapphire. An axis of the Group III nitride semiconductor layer, perpendicular to one of the side surface of the groove, is a c-axis of Group III nitride semiconductor. A plane of the Group III nitride semiconductor, parallel to the main surface of the sapphire substrate, is an a-plane of Group III nitride semiconductor.
US09318534B2
Provided is a solid-state image pickup device that makes it possible to enhance image quality, and a manufacturing method thereof, and an electronic apparatus. A solid-state image pickup device includes a pixel section that includes a plurality of pixels, the pixels each including one or more organic photoelectric conversion sections, wherein the pixel section includes an effective pixel region and an optical black region, and the organic photoelectric conversion sections of the optical black region include a light-shielding film and a buffer film on a light-incidence side.
US09318532B2
A semiconductor memory device comprises: a memory cell array comprising first wiring lines, second wiring lines extending crossing the first wiring lines, and memory cells at intersections of the first and second wiring lines, the memory cells being stacked perpendicularly to a substrate, each memory cell comprising a variable resistance element; a first select transistor layer comprising a first select transistor operative to select one of the first wiring lines; a second select transistor layer comprising a second select transistor operative to select one of the second wiring lines; and a peripheral circuit layer on the substrate, the peripheral circuit layer comprising a peripheral circuit that controls a voltage applied to one of the memory cells. The first select transistor layer is provided below the memory cell array perpendicularly to the substrate. The second select transistor layer is provided above the memory cell array perpendicularly to the substrate.
US09318531B1
Selector elements that can be suitable for nonvolatile memory device applications are disclosed. The selector element can have low leakage currents at low voltages to reduce sneak current paths for non selected devices, and higher leakage currents at higher voltages to minimize voltage drops during device switching. The selector element can be based on multilayer film stacks (e.g. metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) stacks). The semiconductor layer of the selector element can include a silicon carbide/silicon nitride nanolaminate stack. The semiconductor layer of the selector element can include a silicon carbon nitride/silicon nitride nanolaminate stack. Conductive materials of the MSM may include tungsten, titanium nitride, carbon, or a combination thereof.
US09318530B2
Disclosed are a light emitting diode array on a wafer level and a method of forming the same. The light emitting diode array includes a growth substrate; a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged on the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes has a first semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second semiconductor layer; and a plurality of upper electrodes arranged on the plurality of light emitting diodes and formed of an identical material, wherein each of the plurality of upper electrodes is electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer of a respective one of the light emitting diodes. At least one of the upper electrodes is electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer of an adjacent one of the light emitting diodes, and another of the upper electrodes is insulated from the second semiconductor layer of an adjacent one of the light emitting diodes. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a light emitting diode array that can be driven under at a high voltage and simplify a forming process thereof.
US09318527B2
A method for producing at least one photosensitive infrared detector by assembling a first electronic component including plural photodiodes sensitive to infrared radiation and a second electronic component including at least one electronic circuit for reading the plurality of photodiodes, an infrared detector, and an assembly for producing such a detector, the method including: production, on each one of the first and second components, of a connection face formed at least partially by a silicon oxide (SiO2)-based layer; bonding the first component and the second component by the connection faces thereof, thus performing the direct bonding of the two components. The method can simplify hybridization of heterogeneous components for producing an infrared detector.
US09318520B2
According to one embodiment, a solid-state image sensing device manufacturing method includes forming a photoelectric converting element, a diffusion layer included in a floating diffusion, and a read transistor, in a photoelectric converting element formation region of a semiconductor substrate, a floating diffusion formation region, and a read transistor formation region located between the photoelectric converting element formation region and the floating diffusion formation region, respectively, and forming a semiconductor layer including a impurity on the diffusion layer on the semiconductor substrate.
US09318515B2
A method of forming a conductive pattern includes forming a trench on a substrate, and providing a conductive ink to the trench while an electric field is generated between the substrate and a nozzle which ejects the conductive ink.
US09318509B2
The present invention discloses an array substrate comprising: a first substrate on which a thin film transistor and a data line are formed; and a shield metal layer comprising a first shield metal zone positioned at a location corresponding to a channel of the thin film transistor and a second shield metal zone positioned at a location corresponding to the data line. The present invention also discloses a display panel and a method for manufacturing the array substrate. The shield metal layer formed at the location on the array substrate corresponding to the data line, there is no any black matrix region between a color filter units along a direction corresponding to the data line. The display panel comprising the array substrate has increased aperture ratio of pixel, and difficulty of manufacturing the display panel is decreased.
US09318506B2
An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device which includes a transistor including an oxide semiconductor with high field-effect mobility, a small variation in threshold voltage, and high reliability. The semiconductor device includes a transistor which includes an insulating substrate from which oxygen is released by heat treatment and an oxide semiconductor film over the insulating substrate. A channel is formed in the oxide semiconductor film. The insulating substrate from which oxygen is released by heat treatment can be manufactured by implanting oxygen ions into at least a region of an insulating substrate on the side provided with the oxide semiconductor film.
US09318502B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell array and a peripheral circuit. The peripheral circuit is connected to the memory cell array through conductive lines and includes transistors. Each of the transistors is formed on the substrate and includes first and second regions and a gate electrode. In at least one of the transistors, the first region is connected to at least one of the conductive lines through first contact plugs extending in the direction perpendicular to the substrate, and second contact plugs extending in the direction perpendicular to the substrate. A contact area of each of the first contact plugs is different from a contact area of each of the second contact plugs.
US09318493B2
Some embodiments include memory arrays. The memory arrays may have digit lines under vertically-oriented transistors, with the digit lines interconnecting transistors along columns of the array. Each individual transistor may be directly over only a single digit line, with the single digit line being entirely composed of one or more metal-containing materials. The digit lines can be over a deck, and electrically insulative regions can be directly between the digit lines and the deck. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory arrays. A plurality of linear segments of silicon-containing material may be formed to extend upwardly from a base of the silicon-containing material. The base may be etched to form silicon-containing footings under the linear segments, and the footings may be converted into metal silicide. The linear segments may be patterned into a plurality of vertically-oriented transistor pedestals that extend upwardly from the metal silicide footings.
US09318489B2
A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a multilayer lattice matched structure having an unstrained layer, a first strained layer, and a second strained layer formed between the unstrained and the first strained layer. A first opening in the multilayer structure is etched and a second strained fill material having a same material as the second strained layer is deposited. A second opening in the multilayer structure is etched and an unstrained fill material having a same material as the unstrained layer is deposited. A first strained fill material having a same material as the first strained layer is then deposited between the unstrained fill and the second strained fill. A second strained fin is formed from the deposited second strained fill material, a first strained fin is formed from the deposited first strained fill material, and an unstrained fin is formed from the deposited unstrained fill material.
US09318481B1
In one aspect, a silicon-controller rectifier (SCR) includes a first N+ region; a first P+ region; a second N+ region; a second P+ region; and a P+/Intrinsic/N+ (PIN) diode disposed between the first P+ region and the second N+ region. The PIN diode includes a third N+ region, a third P+ region and an intrinsic material disposed between the third N+ region and the third P+ region. An anode terminal of the SCR connects to the first N+ region and the first P+ region and a cathode terminal of the SCR connects to the second N+ region and the second P+ region. A first distance between the third N+ region and the third P+ region controls the trigger voltage of the SCR and a second distance corresponding to a length of each of the third P+ region and the third N+ region controls the holding voltage of the SCR.
US09318480B2
A device comprises a high voltage N well and a high voltage P well over an N+ buried layer, a high voltage P-type implanted region in the high voltage N well, a first N+ region over the high voltage P-type implanted region and a P+ region and a second N+ region over the high voltage P well.
US09318466B2
A methodology for a thin, flexible substrate having integrated passive circuit elements, and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments may include integrating one or more passive circuit components on a first or second surface of a substrate, and interconnecting one or more integrated circuit (IC) dies on a second surface of the interposer to the one or more passive circuit components with one or more metal-filled vias between the first and second surfaces, the first and second surfaces being opposite surfaces of the substrate.
US09318438B2
A method for selectively removing material from a substrate without damage to copper filling a via and extending at least partially through the substrate. The method comprises oxidizing a semiconductor structure comprising a substrate and at least one copper feature and removing a portion of the substrate using an etchant comprising SF6 without forming copper sulfide on the at least one copper feature. Additional methods are also disclosed, as well as semiconductor structures produced from such methods.
US09318434B2
A plurality of unit MISFET elements connected in parallel with each other to make up a power MISFET are formed in an LDMOSFET forming region on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate. A control circuit that controls a gate voltage of the power MISFET is formed in a driver circuit region on the main surface of the semiconductor substrate. A wiring structure having a plurality of wiring layers made of the same metal material is formed on the semiconductor substrate. The gate electrodes of the plurality of unit MISFET elements formed in the LDMOSFET forming region are electrically connected to each other via gate wirings formed in all of the plurality of wiring layers made of the same metal material.
US09318430B2
A method of forming circuitry components includes forming a stack of horizontally extending and vertically overlapping features. The stack has a primary portion and an end portion. At least some of the features extend farther in the horizontal direction in the end portion moving deeper into the stack in the end portion. Operative structures are formed vertically through the features in the primary portion and dummy structures are formed vertically through the features in the end portion. Horizontally elongated openings are formed through the features to form horizontally elongated and vertically overlapping lines from material of the features. The lines individually extend from the primary portion into the end portion, and individually laterally about sides of vertically extending portions of both the operative structures and the dummy structures. Sacrificial material that is elevationally between the lines is at least partially removed in the primary and end portions laterally between the horizontally elongated openings. Other aspects and implementations are disclosed.
US09318422B2
A flat no-lead package includes an encapsulating material, and a die pad, a chip, a plurality of first contact pads and a plurality of second contact pads disposed in the encapsulating material. The encapsulating material has a package bottom surface. The die pad has a plurality of die pad extensions extending from the edges thereof. The chip is mounted on the die pad. The first contact pads are disposed near the edges of the encapsulating material and electrically coupled to the chip. The second contact pads are located between the die pad and the first contact pads and electrically coupled to the chip. Each of the second contact pads have a second contact pad extension corresponding to one of the die pad extensions respectively. The bottom surfaces of the first contact pads, the second contact pads and the second contact pad extensions are exposed on the package bottom surface.
US09318420B2
A stack package including a first semiconductor chip and second semiconductor chip, the first semiconductor chip including first data I/O pads for transmitting data I/O signals, a first flag pad for receiving a flag signal, and a first buffer for controlling a switching operation between the first data I/O pads and an internal circuit of the first semiconductor chip. The second semiconductor chip includes second data I/O pads for transmitting the data I/O signals, a second flag pad for receiving the flag signal, and a second buffer for controlling a switching operation between the second data I/O pads and an internal circuit of the second semiconductor chip. The first data I/O pads are electrically connected to respective ones of the second data I/O pads through first wires, and the first flag pad is electrically connected to the second flag pad through a second wire. Related methods are also provided.
US09318419B2
Conductive line structures, and methods of forming the same, include first and second pattern structures, insulation layer patterns and an insulating interlayer. The first pattern structure includes a conductive line pattern and a hard mask stacked, and extends in a first direction. The second pattern structure includes a second conductive line pattern and another hard mask stacked, and at least a portion of the pattern structure extends in the first direction. The insulation layer patterns contact end portions of the pattern structures. The first pattern structure and an insulation layer pattern form a closed curve shape in plan view, and the second pattern structure and another insulation layer pattern form another closed curve shape in plan view. The insulating interlayer covers upper portions of the pattern structures and the insulation layer patterns, an air gap between the pattern structures, and another air gap between the insulation layer patterns.
US09318416B2
Some embodiments include a semiconductor device which includes a first conductive layer formed on the semiconductor substrate and a first contact plug connected to the first conductive layer. The first conductive layer includes a plurality of loops of conductive material over the semiconductor substrate. Each of the plurality of loops comprises a first opening and a second opening, a first portion and a second portion sandwiching the first opening, a third portion and a fourth portion sandwiching the second opening, a first tab portion connected to the first portion and the third portion and having a first length in a first direction and a first width in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a second tab portion connected to the second portion and the fourth portion and having a second length in the first direction and a second width in the second direction.
US09318413B2
The present disclosure generally provides for an integrated circuit (IC) structure with a TSV, and methods of manufacturing the IC structure and the TSV. An IC structure according to embodiments of the present invention may include a through-semiconductor via (TSV) embedded within a substrate, the TSV having an axial end; and a metal cap contacting the axial end of the TSV, wherein the metal cap has a greater electrical resistivity than the TSV.
US09318404B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor die. An encapsulant is disposed around the semiconductor die to form a peripheral area. An interconnect structure is formed over a first surface of the semiconductor die and encapsulant. A plurality of vias is formed partially through the peripheral area of the encapsulant and offset from the semiconductor die. A portion of the encapsulant is disposed over a second surface of the semiconductor die opposite the first surface. The plurality of vias comprises a depth greater than a thickness of the portion of the encapsulant. A first portion of the plurality of vias is formed in a row offset from a side of the semiconductor die. A second portion of the plurality of vias is formed as an array of vias offset from a corner of the semiconductor die. A repair material disposed within the plurality of vias.
US09318403B2
An integrated circuit packaging system including: connecting a first integrated circuit device and a package substrate; attaching a support bump to the package substrate; providing a second integrated circuit device having an inner encapsulation; applying a magnetic film on the inner encapsulation of the second integrated circuit device; and mounting the second integrated circuit device over the first integrated circuit device with the magnetic film on the first integrated circuit device and the support bump.
US09318399B2
Semiconductor wafers employing a fixed coordinate metrology scheme and methods for fabricating integrated circuits using the same are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a semiconductor wafer employing a fixed-coordinate metrology scheme includes an external scribe region in the form of a first rectangular ring, the first rectangular ring defining a first interior space inward from the external scribe region and an interior scribe region in the form of a second rectangular ring, disposed within the first interior space and immediately adjacent to the external scribe region at all points along its exterior perimeter, the second rectangular ring defining a second interior space inward from the interior scribe region, the second interior space being wholly within the first interior space. The semiconductor wafer further includes a technology-specific tile region disposed within the second interior space and immediately adjacent to the interior scribe region and an electrical testable scribe line measurement (ETSLM) region disposed within the second interior space and immediately adjacent to both the technology-specific tile region and the interior scribe region. Still further, the semiconductor wafer includes a free floorplan area disposed within the second interior space and immediately adjacent to both the ETSLM region and the interior scribe region.
US09318394B2
A stack of vertically-connected, horizontally-oriented integrated circuits (ICs) may have electrical connections from the front side of one IC to the back side of another IC. Electrical signals may be transferred from the back side of one IC to the front side of the same IC by means of through substrate vias (TSVs), which may include through silicon vias. Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to test and/or replace defective TSVs. Additional apparatus, systems and methods are disclosed.
US09318393B2
A semiconductor device can detect a defective or faulty part caused by copper (Cu) ions migrated from a through silicon via (TSV), resulting in improvement of device characteristics and reliability. The semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate including an active region defined by a device isolation region; a through silicon via (TSV) formed to pass through the semiconductor substrate; and a test unit formed in the vicinity of the TSV so as to determine the presence or absence of metal pollution caused by the TSV.
US09318388B2
One method disclosed includes performing a selective etching process through a gate cavity to selectively remove a portion of a first semiconductor material relative to a second layer of a second semiconductor material and a substrate so as to thereby define a space between the second semiconducting material and the substrate, filling substantially all of the space with an insulating material so as to thereby define a substantially self-aligned channel isolation region positioned under at least what will become the channel region of the FinFET device.
US09318385B2
Methods and apparatus for forming a semiconductor device are provided which may include any number of features. One feature is a method of forming an interconnect structure that results in the interconnect structure having a co-planar or flat top surface. Another feature is a method of forming an interconnect structure that results in the interconnect structure having a surface that is angled upwards greater than zero with respect to a top surface of the substrate. The interconnect structure can comprise a damascene structure, such as a single or dual damascene structure, or alternatively, can comprise a silicon-through via (TSV) structure.
US09318382B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device formed by the method. The method includes form a stack conductive structure by stacking a first conductive pattern and an insulation pattern over a substrate; forming a sacrificial pattern over sidewalls of the stack conductive structure; forming a second conductive pattern having a recessed surface lower than a top surface of the stack conductive structure; forming a sacrificial spacer to expose sidewalls of the insulation pattern by removing an upper portion of the sacrificial pattern; reducing a width of the exposed portion of the insulation patters; forming a capping spacer to cap the sidewalls of the insulation pattern having the reduced width over the sacrificial spacer; and forming an air gap between the first conductive pattern and the second conductive pattern by converting the sacrificial spacer to volatile byproducts.
US09318378B2
A method and structure for slots in wide lines to reduce stress. An example embodiment method and structure for is an interconnect structure comprising: interconnect comprising a wide line. The wide line has a first slot. The first slot is spaced a first distance from a via plug so that the first slot relieves stress on the wide line and the via plug. The via plug can contact the wide line from above or below. Another example embodiment is a dual damascene interconnect structure comprising: an dual damascene shaped interconnect comprising a via plug, a first slot and a wide line. The wide line has the first slot. The first slot is spaced a first distance from the via plug so that the first slot relieves stress on the wide line and the via plug.
US09318374B2
Probability of malfunction of a semiconductor storage device is reduced. A shielding layer is provided between a memory cell array (e.g., a memory cell array including a transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor material) and a peripheral circuit (e.g., a peripheral circuit including a transistor formed using a semiconductor substrate), which are stacked. With this structure, the memory cell array and the peripheral circuit can be shielded from radiation noise generated between the memory cell array and the peripheral circuit. Thus, probability of malfunction of the semiconductor storage device can be reduced.
US09318373B2
A semiconductor device (400) for improved charge dissipation protection includes a substrate (426), a layer of semiconductive or conductive material (406), one or more thin film devices (408) and a charge passage device (414). The thin film devices (408) are connected to the semiconductive or conductive layer (406) and the charge passage device (414) is coupled to the thin film devices (408) and to the substrate (426) and provides a connection from the thin film devices (408) to the substrate (426) to dissipate charge from the semiconductive/conductive layer (406) to the substrate (426).
US09318371B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an active region and a trench isolation. The active region is formed in the semiconductor substrate. The trench isolation is disposed adjacent to the active region. The trench isolation includes a lower portion and an upper portion. The upper portion is located on the lower portion. The upper portion has a width gradually decreased from a junction between the upper portion and the lower portion toward a top of the trench isolation. In a method for fabricating the semiconductor device, at first, the semiconductor substrate is etched to form a trench in the semiconductor substrate. Then, an insulator fills the trench to form the trench isolation. Thereafter, the gate structure is formed on the semiconductor substrate. Then, the semiconductor substrate is etched to form a recess adjacent to the trench isolation. Thereafter, at least one doped epitaxial layer grows in the recess.
US09318369B2
A semiconductor device including a plurality of active patterns, a plurality of first isolation layer patterns and a plurality of second isolation layer patterns may be provided. In particular, the active patterns may be arranged both in a first direction and in a second direction, and may protrude from a substrate and have a length in the first direction. The first isolation layer patterns may fill a first space, the first space provided between the active patterns and arranged in the first direction, and support two opposing sidewalls of neighboring active patterns. The second isolation layer patterns may fill a second space between the active patterns and the first isolation layer patterns. Accordingly, the active patterns of the semiconductor device may not collapse or incline because the first isolation layer patterns support the active patterns.
US09318368B2
In a method for manufacturing a dual shallow trench isolation structure, a substrate is provided, and a mask layer is formed on the substrate. The mask layer is patterned by using a photomask to form at least one first hole and at least one second hole in the mask layer, in which a depth of the at least one first hole is different from a depth of the at least one second hole. The mask layer and the substrate are etched to form at least one first trench having a first depth and at least one second trench having a second depth, in which the first depth is different from the second depth. The remaining mask layer is removed. A first isolation layer and A second isolation layer are respectively formed in the at least one first trench and the at least one second trench.
US09318366B2
A method includes forming an isolation structure partially buried in a substrate. A portion of the isolation structure protrudes from an upper surface of the substrate. The isolation structure is partially removed, thereby forming a modified isolation structure. An upper surface of the modified isolation structure is lower than the upper surface of the substrate. A gate dielectric structure is formed to be partially on the substrate and partially on the upper surface of the modified isolation structure.
US09318362B2
A die bonder comprises a movable bond collet for holding an electronic device, and a platform which comprises a cleaning surface for cleaning the bond collet when the bond collet contacts the cleaning surface. The die bonder also comprises a cleaning agent supply, wherein the cleaning agent supply is operative to provide a cleaning agent to the cleaning surface to facilitate the cleaning of the bond collet.
US09318361B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a collet cleaning method and a die bonder using the same in which a collet can be cleaned without adding a new unit, and foreign substances with 5 high adhesive power can be reliably removed without scattering the foreign substances. A die bonder includes a pickup device, a bonding head unit having a collet that absorbs dies from a wafer at the timing of lifting of the pickup device, and a control unit that controls the pickup device 10 and the bonding head unit. The collet is moved to a position of a dicing tape at which no dies of the wafer held by a wafer ring exist to be brought into contact with the adhesive surface of the dicing tape, so that foreign substances attached to the tip end of the collet are removed.
US09318354B2
A semiconductor package is disclosed, which includes: a substrate having a plurality of switching pads, a plurality of first conductive pads and a plurality of circuits formed between the switching pads and the first conductive pads; an insulating layer covering the circuits; a conductive layer formed on the insulating layer and extending to the switching pads and the first conductive pads; and a semiconductor element disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the switching pads through a plurality of bonding wires. By electrically connecting the switching pads and the first conductive pads through the conductive layer, the invention dispenses with the conventional short bonding wires so as to prevent the conventional problem of short circuits caused by contact of the short bonding wires with other bonding wires.
US09318343B2
Techniques herein include methods to increase etching selectivity among materials. Techniques herein include a cyclical process of etching and oxidation of a silicon nitride (SiN) spacer and silicon (such as polycrystalline silicon). This technique can increase selectivity to the silicon so that silicon is less likely to be etched or damaged while silicon nitride is etched from sidewalls. Techniques and chemistries as disclosed herein can be more selective to silicon oxide and silicon as compared to silicon nitride. An oxidizing step creates an oxide protection film on silicon surfaces that is comparatively thicker to any oxide film formed on nitride surfaces. As such, techniques here enable better removal of silicon nitride and silicon nitride spacer materials.
US09318336B2
A high dielectric constant (high-k) gate dielectric for a field effect transistor (FET) and a high-k tunnel dielectric for a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) device are simultaneously formed on a semiconductor substrate. A stack of at least one conductive material layer, a control gate dielectric layer, and a disposable material layer is subsequently deposited and lithographically patterned. A planarization dielectric layer is deposited and patterned, and disposable material portions are removed. A remaining portion of the control gate dielectric layer is preserved in the NVRAM device region, but is removed in the FET region. A conductive material is deposited in gate cavities to provide a control gate for the NVRAM device and a gate portion for the FET. Alternately, the control gate dielectric layer may replaced with a high-k control gate dielectric in the NVRAM device region.
US09318331B2
A method of forming a doped region in a III-nitride substrate includes providing the III-nitride substrate and forming a masking layer having a predetermined pattern and coupled to a portion of the III-nitride substrate. The III-nitride substrate is characterized by a first conductivity type and the predetermined pattern defines exposed regions of the III-nitride substrate. The method also includes heating the III-nitride substrate to a predetermined temperature and placing a dual-precursor gas adjacent the exposed regions of the III-nitride substrate. The dual-precursor gas includes a nitrogen source and a dopant source. The method further includes maintaining the predetermined temperature for a predetermined time period, forming p-type III-nitride regions adjacent the exposed regions of the III-nitride substrate, and removing the masking layer.
US09318323B2
Semiconductor devices with graphene nanoribbons and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming at least one layer of Si material on a substrate. The method further includes forming at least one layer of carbon based material adjacent to the at least one layer of Si. The method further includes patterning at least one of the at least one layer of Si material and the at least one layer of carbon based material. The method further includes forming graphene on the patterned carbon based material.
US09318322B2
System and method for controlling the channel thickness and preventing variations due to formation of small features. An embodiment comprises a fin raised above the substrate and a capping layer is formed over the fin. The channel carriers are repelled from the heavily doped fin and confined within the capping layer. This forms a thin-channel that allows greater electrostatic control of the gate.
US09318315B2
The present disclosure provides integrated circuit elements and MIM/MIS capacitors having high capacitance and methods of forming according integrated circuit elements and integrated MIM/MIS capacitors and methods of controlling an integrated circuit element and an integrated MIM/MIS capacitor. In various aspects, a substrate is provided and a dielectric layer or insulating layer is formed over the substrate. Furthermore, an electrode layer is disposed over the dielectric layer or insulating layer. Herein, the dielectric layer or insulating layer is in an antiferroelectric phase. In various illustrative embodiments, the integrated circuit element may implement a MOSFET structure or a capacitor structure.
US09318313B2
A semiconductor structure includes at least a semiconductor body, a delimiting structure delimiting a cup-shaped recess in the body and a conductive region in the recess. The conductive region is made of a low-melting-temperature material, having a melting temperature lower than that of the materials forming the delimiting structure.
US09318308B2
An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a lens and mirror arrangement which focuses a laser beam onto the upper surface of a target substrate. The lens has an effective focal length ≦300 mm. The laser beam is directed onto the target substrate at an angle θ with respect to the perpendicular to the target substrate, wherein θ≦3°. One or more ion guides receive ions released from the target substrate and onwardly transmit the ions along an ion path which substantially bypasses the lens and mirror.
US09318307B2
Provided is a zinc oxide sputtering target, which can effectively suppress the occurrence of break or crack in the target during sputtering to enable production of a zinc oxide transparent conductive film with high productivity. The zinc oxide sputtering target is composed of a zinc oxide sintered body comprising zinc oxide crystal grains, wherein the zinc oxide sputtering target has a sputter surface having a (100) crystal orientation degree of 50% or more.
US09318306B2
In some embodiments, apparatus are provided that provide for flexible processing in both high productivity combinatorial (HPC) and full wafer modes. The apparatus allow for interchangeable functionality that includes deposition with different sizes of targets, plasma treatment, ion beam treatment, and in-situ metrology. The functional modules are designed so that the modules may be interchanged with minimal effort and reduced system downtime.
US09318305B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a micro-plasma with biocompatibility. The produced micro-plasma is a low temperature, adjustable micro-plasma with low energy consumption. The method provides a device comprising a first gas storage unit, a second gas storage unit, a unit for producing the micro-plasma, and a power supply unit.
US09318304B2
Methods and apparatus for frequency tuning in process chambers using dual level pulsed power are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for frequency tuning may include providing a first pulsed power at a first frequency while the first frequency is adjusted to a second frequency, wherein the first frequency is a last known tuned frequency at the first pulsed power, storing the second frequency as the last known tuned frequency at the first pulsed power, providing a second pulsed power at a third frequency while the third frequency is adjusted to a fourth frequency, wherein the first pulsed power and the second pulsed power are different and non-zero, and wherein the third frequency is a last known tuned frequency at the second pulsed power, and storing the fourth frequency as the last known tuned frequency at the second pulsed power.
US09318298B2
An ion generator is provided with: an arc chamber that is at least partially made up of a material containing carbon; a thermal electron emitter that emits thermal electrons into the arc chamber; and a gas introducer that introduces a source gas and a compound gas into the arc chamber. The source gas to be introduced into the arc chamber contains a halide gas, and the compound gas to be introduced into the arc chamber contains a compound having carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms.
US09318289B2
A switching electrical power contactor having a bi-blade type switch, has ferrous plates attached to the blades to increase the current carrying capacity and reduce the resistance of the switch. The contactor is incorporated on the outside of a mains meter enclosure or in a wall box for a mains meter, within the space defined by the sprung jaws of the meter socket.
US09318286B2
A point level float switch is provided. The point level float switch includes a switch, a removable shaft, and a float. The removable shaft includes a first magnet aligned with the switch. The float is arranged to enclose at least a portion of the removable shaft. The float includes a second magnet of a polarity opposite to the first magnet and arranged parallel to the first magnet in the removable shaft.
US09318285B2
A switchgear including a plurality of switch units having a fixed electrode and a movable electrode; and an operating device configured to operate the movable electrode of each of the switch units, wherein the operating device is configured of one motive part and two follower parts that intermittently operate with each other, and part of each of the follower parts touches the motive part, thereby in a condition that moving force is not transmitted from the motive part to the follower part, a state of the follower part is fixed, and in a condition that the motive part shifts from an initial position to a final position, a state of one of the follower parts is allowed to transit, and a state of the other of the follower parts is changed with a delay from such state transit, thereby the switch units are driven while a time delay is produced.
US09318282B2
A keyboard is provided with a base member, moving members provided on the base member and unit parts. Each of the unit parts includes a contact which is electrically connected when depressed and an elastic member. The moving members include a first moving member which engages with one unit part, and a second moving member which engages with plural unit parts. The second moving member has a structure where the second moving member pushes the elastic member of one unit part and avoids pushing the elastic member of the other unit part.
US09318274B2
Techniques described herein generally relate to the fabrication of ultra-capacitor. In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, methods for fabricating an ultra-capacitor are described that may include preparing a substrate surface of a silicon wafer. The methods may further include etching one or more nano-structures on the substrate surface of the silicon wafer with a galvanic displacement process, and constructing electrodes for the ultra-capacitor from the silicon wafer with the one or more nano-structures.
US09318270B2
An perovskite solar cell including a substrate; a first electrode provided on the substrate; an electron transport layer, including an electron transporting compound, provided on the first electrode; a perovskite compound layer, including a perovskite compound, provided on the electron transport layer; a hole transport layer, including a hole transport compound, provided on the perovskite compound layer; and a second electrode provided on the hole transport layer. The perovskite compound can be expressed by the general formula XαYβMγ, where X is a halogen atom, Y is an alkylamine compound, M includes a mixture of lead and antimony, and a ratio of α:β:γ is 3:1:1.
US09318269B2
The invention relates to a packaging structure of an energy storage device. At least one unit cell of capacitor is stacked and packaged into the energy storage device. The unit cell is a sandwich structure comprising a solid-state polymer electrolyte between two modified carbonaceous electrodes. An assembly of at least one unit cell of capacitor can be packaged by metallic cases to form a coin cell type or screw type of the packaging structure, packaged with a plastic case by compression molding or injection molding, or packaged by a plastic bag or an aluminum-foil bag and sealed by heat sealing or vacuum heat sealing. Manufacture processes for traditional capacitor modules, such as drilling, welding, screwing, and making scaffolds, are not required. Although the packaging process is simpler and less expensive, the packaged energy storage device can perform better than traditional capacitor modules.
US09318267B2
A method for drying an electrode pair is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes preparing a positive electrode by applying a positive electrode material to a current collector; preparing a negative electrode by applying a negative electrode material to a current collector; preparing one set of an electrode pair made up of a positive electrode, a separator, and a negative electrode which are laminated in this order or preparing sets of electrode pairs, the sets being laminated, a separator being provided between the respective sets, each of the electrode pairs being made up of a positive electrode, a separator, and a negative electrode which are laminated in this order; accommodating the electrode pair(s) in a container; and drying the container in which the electrode pair(s) has been accommodated by use of the freeze-drying method.
US09318262B2
A film capacitor includes a capacitor element and first and second external electrodes. The capacitor element includes a dielectric film, a first and a second electrode films facing each other across the dielectric film. The first electrode film includes electrode segments arranged in a matrix form, first fuses connecting the electrode segments adjacent to each other in a first direction, and second fuses connecting the electrode segments adjacent to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second fuses are arranged dispersedly in columns constituted by the electrode segments disposed in the second direction.
US09318256B2
The present invention relates to a circuit protection device and a method of manufacturing the same. The circuit protection device includes a common mode noise filter having a plurality of sheets, each of the sheets being formed to optionally include a coil pattern, an internal electrode, a hole filled with a conductive material, and a hole filled with a magnetic material; and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device having a plurality of sheets, each of the sheets being formed to optionally include an internal electrode and a hole filled with an ESD protection material.
US09318252B2
A magnetic core and a magnetic component using the same are disclosed. The magnetic core has a first magnetic material and a non-uniform filling section in connection; also, the magnetic core has a magnetic flux direction, for which the non-uniform filling section perpendicular to the magnetic flux direction contains at least two kinds of magnetic material. Comparing to a conventional uniform-filling magnetic core, the non-uniform filling section within the magnetic component of the magnetic core can provide higher initial inductance and better DC-bias characteristics; this improved magnetic component can provide higher inductance in specific mandatory loads, or less efficiency loss in a condition of the same inductance provided.
US09318242B2
In a thermally insulated double pipe, a structure is provided in which an inner pipe may be prevented from being appreciably offset relative to an outer pipe due to thermal contraction. The structure includes an inner pipe 101, within which a superconducting cable is mounted, an outer pipe 103 within which the inner pipe is housed, with the inner and outer pipes constituting a thermally insulated double pipe, and an inner pipe support member 104 supporting the inner pipe. The inner pipe support member 104 is secured to the inner and outer pipes.
US09318234B2
Disclosed herein are an insulating film and a producing method of the insulating film which can address problems caused by dents by providing a reinforcing layer having the weight ratio of the silica of 60 to 80 wt % on one surface of the insulating film.
US09318224B2
An operating method is for operating a memory controller which controls a non-volatile memory device. The non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in a direction perpendicular to a substrate. The operating method includes erasing the plurality of memory cells, reading memory cells connected with a first word line using a first word line voltage to search string address information corresponding to memory cells being at an off state, and programming memory cells corresponding to the string address information to a particular program state based on the string address information to store mapping information.
US09318223B2
A system including a read module, a delay buffer, and a least mean square module. The read module is configured to read charge levels of memory cells of a nonvolatile memory and to generate read signals based on the charge levels of the memory cells of the nonvolatile memory. The delay buffer is configured to delay the read signals and to generate delayed read signals. The least mean square module is configured to generate mean values of the charge levels used to program the memory cells based on (i) differences between the read signals and the delayed read signals and (ii) a scaling factor. The scaling factor is based on variations in the charge levels due to cycling of the memory cells of the nonvolatile memory.
US09318208B1
A method for operating a small-area EEPROM array is disclosed. The small-area EEPROM array comprises bit lines, word lines, common source lines, and sub-memory arrays. The bit lines are divided into bit line groups. The word lines include a first word line. The common source lines include a first common source line. Each sub-memory array includes a first, second, third and fourth memory cells, which are connected with two bit line groups, a word line and a common source line. The first and second memory cells are symmetric. The third and fourth memory cells are symmetric. The group of the first and second memory cells and the group of the third and fourth memory cells are respectively positioned at two sides of the first common source line. The method operates all operation memory cells and uses special biases to program or erase memory cells massively in a single operation.
US09318196B1
In a non-volatile semiconductor memory device capable of programming SRAM data in an SRAM into a non-volatile memory unit while implementing a high-speed operation in the SRAM, a voltage required to program the SRAM data into the non-volatile memory unit can be lowered. Thus, the SRAM can be operated at high speed with a low power supply voltage because the thickness of a gate insulating film of each of a first access transistor, a second access transistor, a first load transistor, a second load transistor, a first drive transistor, and a second drive transistor constituting the SRAM connected to the non-volatile memory unit can be set to 4 [nm] or less. Therefore, the SRAM data in the SRAM can be programmed into the non-volatile memory unit while a high-speed operation in the SRAM can be implemented.
US09318194B1
A method is provided for reading a memory cell of a nonvolatile memory system. The method includes generating a hard bit and N soft bits for the memory cell in a total time corresponding to a single read latency period and N+1 data transfer times.
US09318192B2
Technologies are generally described herein for managing heat within a phase change memory (PCM) structure utilizing electrocaloric effect materials. Some example PCM structures may include an electrocaloric effect material layer thermally coupled to an array of PCM cells. The electrocaloric effect material layer may be segmented so that activation of each segment is coordinated with a subset of the PCM cells within the array. While excess heat emanates from a PCM cell during memory operations, a corresponding electrocaloric effect material segment may be activated to decrease the thermal resistance of the electrocaloric effect material, which transfers the excess heat away from the neighboring PCM cells.
US09318191B2
A method of programming a nonvolatile memory device comprises applying at least one test program pulse to selected memory cells located in a scan read area, performing a scan read operation on the selected memory cells following application of the at least one test program pulse to detect at least one one-shot upper cell, calculating an offset voltage corresponding to a scan read region at which the scan read operation is performed, setting a program start bias using the offset voltage, and executing at least one program loop using the program start bias.
US09318190B1
An electronic device is disclosed that includes n memory cells, a replica memory array, and a sensing unit. Each of the n memory cells stores bit data, in which n is a positive integer. The replica memory array includes a first reference memory cell having a high logic state, a second reference memory cell having a low logic state, n−1 first pseudo reference memory cells having the low logic state, and n−1 second pseudo reference memory cells having the high logic state. The first reference memory cell and the n−1 first pseudo reference memory cells generate a first signal, and the second reference memory cell and the n−1 second pseudo reference memory cells generate a second signal. The sensing unit determines a logic state of the bit data of one of the n memory cells according to the first signal and the second signal.
US09318184B2
A signal receiver includes a current source providing a current having a current value, a pair of active input devices, and a pair of resistors. Each active input device includes a control node, a first conduction node, and a second conduction node. One of the control nodes receives an input signal. The first conduction nodes are connected to each other and receive the current. One of the second conduction nodes serves as an output node. The active input devices output an output signal to a core circuit according to the current and the input signal. Each resistor has a resistance value. A target voltage value is determined according to the resistance value and the current value, such that a voltage swing of the output signal is limited within the target voltage value, and an operating voltage of the core circuit is substantially equal to the target voltage value.
US09318167B2
According to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a plurality of cores, a shared resource that can be shared by the plurality of cores, and local registers that store configuration information peculiar to the respective cores. The shared resource is provided independently from the plurality of cores. The local registers are provided to the respective cores. This makes it possible to provide an information processing apparatus that can suppress increase in hardware resources even when the number of cores composing a multi-core system increases.
US09318161B2
In accordance with at least one embodiment, an onboard analog-to-digital converter (ADC) on a system-on-a-chip (SOC) is utilized to determine whether a charge pump output for a non-volatile memory (NVM) is correct or not. The SOC is directed to wait until the output is within an expected range before moving to the next step in a start-up procedure. If the maximum allowed start-up time is exceeded, an error signal is sent to the SOC such that the application can react to it.
US09318159B2
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device including a multi-level wiring structure that includes a lower-level wiring, an upper-level wiring and an interlayer insulating film between the lower-level and upper-level wirings. The device further includes a plurality of bit lines for a plurality of memory cells, and each of the bit lines includes a first portion that is formed as the lower-level wiring and a second portion that is electrically connected in series to the first portion and formed as the upper-level wiring.
US09318158B2
A memory cell includes a first bi-directional resistive element having a cathode coupled to a first power rail and an anode coupled to an internal node, a second bi-directional resistive element having a cathode coupled to the internal node and an anode coupled to a second power rail, and a first transistor having a control electrode coupled to the internal node, a first current electrode coupled to a first bitline, and a second current electrode coupled to a third power rail.
US09318156B2
In one implementation, flash memory chips are provided with an operating power supply voltage to substantially match a power supply voltage expected at an edge connector of a dual inline memory module. The one or more of the flash memory chips and a memory support application integrated circuit (ASIC) may be mounted together into a multi-chip package for integrated circuits. The one or more flash memory chips and the memory support ASIC may be electrically coupled together by routing one or more conductors between each in the multi-chip package. The multi-chip package may be mounted onto a printed circuit board (PCB) of a flash memory DIMM to reduce the number of packages mounted thereto and reduce the height of the flash memory DIMM. The number of printed circuit board layers may also be reduced, such as by integrating address functions into the memory support ASIC.
US09318154B2
Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with protecting data during cold excursions are provided. A method for preventing unreliable data operations at cold temperatures may include determining whether a first temperature of a solid state drive (SSD) is below a threshold temperature. The method may also include initiating an artificial read/write operation if the first temperature is below the threshold temperature.
US09318148B2
In one embodiment, a tape drive system includes a soft detector having logic configured to execute a first forward loop of a detection algorithm on a first block of signal samples during a first time interval, execute a first reverse loop of the detection algorithm on the first block of signal samples during a second time interval, execute a second reverse loop of the detection algorithm on the first block of signal samples during a fifth time interval, and execute a second forward loop of the detection algorithm on the first block of signal samples during a fourth time interval using second soft information. Other tape drive systems and computer program products for decoding data are presented in more embodiments.
US09318141B2
A recording medium includes a magnetic recording layer formed on a substrate; a protective layer formed on the magnetic recording layer and having a total thickness that is equal to or greater than 1 nm but equal to or less than 2 nm. The protective layer is composed of a silicon oxide layer formed on the magnetic recording layer and having a thickness of 0.3 nm or more; a silicon layer formed on the silicon oxide layer and having a thickness of 0.2 nm or more; and an amorphous carbon layer formed on the silicon layer and having a thickness of 0.2 nm or more, and having a hydrogen content equal to or greater than 25.6 at % but equal to or less than 43.3 at %. Thus, magnetic spacing between the magnetic recording layer and a magnetic head advantageously may be reduced while maintaining the thermal insulation characteristics.
US09318138B2
A controller, according to one embodiment, has at least some hardware components, and is configured to determine an offset between adjacent arrays of transducers in a direction perpendicular to an intended direction of media travel when a magnetic head having the arrays is positioned at a first position, cause the magnetic head to tilt to a second position, and delay write operations performed by at least some of the transducers in a first of the arrays such that data written by the transducers in the first array is readable by a second array of read transducers aligned in the direction orthogonal to the intended direction of media travel without implementing readback delays corresponding to the write delays.
US09318137B1
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk. The head is positioned at a first radial location over the disk and at least part of a codeword on the disk is read to generate first signal samples. A first quality metric is generated for the first signal samples. The head is positioned at a second radial location over the disk different from the first radial location and at least part of the codeword is read to generate second signal samples. A second quality metric is generated for the second signal samples. A first subset of the first signal samples is combined with a second subset of the second signal samples based on the first and second quality metrics to generate a combined set of signal samples. An attempt is made to decode the codeword based on the combined set of signal samples.
US09318135B2
An method of manufacturing a piezoelectric element easily and surely forms polymer coatings on peripheral end faces of the piezoelectric element without deteriorating a yield of the piezoelectric element. The method includes steps of cutting a piezoelectric element out from a base piezoelectric material plate so that peripheral end faces are formed to define a peripheral shape of the piezoelectric element, and forming polymer coatings on at least objective areas of the peripheral end faces of the piezoelectric element by vapor deposition polymerization, respectively.
US09318124B2
There is provided a sound signal processing device, in which an observation signal analysis unit receives multi-channels of sound-signals acquired by a sound-signal input unit and estimates a sound direction and a sound segment of a target sound to be extracted and a sound source extraction unit receives the sound direction and the sound segment of the target sound and extracts a sound-signal of the target sound. By applying short-time Fourier transform to the incoming multi-channel sound-signals this device generates an observation signal in the time-frequency domain and detects the sound direction and the sound segment of the target sound. Further, based on the sound direction and the sound segment of the target sound, this device generates a reference signal corresponding to a time envelope indicating changes of the target's sound volume in the time direction, and extracts the signal of the target sound, utilizing the reference signal.
US09318107B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for hotword detection on multiple devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, by a first computing device, audio data that corresponds to an utterance. The actions further include determining a first value corresponding to a likelihood that the utterance includes a hotword. The actions further include receiving a second value corresponding to a likelihood that the utterance includes the hotword, the second value being determined by a second computing device. The actions further include comparing the first value and the second value. The actions further include based on comparing the first value to the second value, initiating speech recognition processing on the audio data.
US09318099B2
A three-dimensional mechanical ultrasound probe includes a base; a transducer for emitting an ultrasonic signal; a driven wheel with a hole, the driven wheel being connected to the transducer, the transducer being swung by the driven wheel; a motor fixed on the base; and a transmission system connected to the motor and a first rope, the transmission system being driven by the motor, the first rope being driven by the transmission system, wherein the first rope is connected to the transmission system and a rope adjusting dowel; and wherein the adjusting dowel is pivotably inserted into the hole of the driven wheel.
US09318096B2
An audio processing device may estimate noise effects at a particular location based on noise measurement data corresponding to one or more noise sources. The audio processing device may modify one or more output audio content transmitted by the audio processing device to that particular location such that the modification may cancel the estimated noise effects at the particular location, at time when the output audio streams are received at that location. The noise effects estimation may also be based on audio reception measurement data at the particular location. The noise measurement data and/or the audio reception measurement data may be generated by audio capturing devices placed at or near noise sources, and/or at or near the particular location, respectively. The noise measurement data and/or the audio reception measurement data may be communicated to the audio processing device using wired and/or wireless connections.
US09318094B2
A personal audio device, such as a wireless telephone, includes an adaptive noise canceling (ANC) circuit that adaptively generates an anti-noise signal from a reference microphone signal that measures the ambient audio and an error microphone signal that measures the output of an output transducer plus any ambient audio at that location and injects the anti-noise signal at the transducer output to cause cancellation of ambient audio sounds. A processing circuit uses the reference and error microphone to generate the anti-noise signal, which can be generated by an adaptive filter operating at a multiple of the ANC coefficient update rate. Downlink audio can be combined with the high data rate anti-noise signal by interpolation. High-pass filters in the control paths reduce DC offset in the ANC circuits, and ANC coefficient adaptation can be halted when downlink audio is not detected.
US09318092B2
A noise estimation control system may limit increases of a stored background noise estimate in response to a detected noise feedback situation. The system receives an input audio signal detected within a space, and a reference audio signal that is transmitted by a speaker as an aural signal into the space. A signal processor processes the input audio signal and the reference audio signal to determine a coherence value based on an amount of the aural signal that is included in the input audio signal. The signal processor also calculates an amount to adjust the stored background noise estimate based on the coherence value and a determined background noise level of the input audio signal.
US09318090B2
An adaptive noise canceling (ANC) circuit adaptively generates an anti-noise signal from a reference microphone signal that is injected into the speaker or other transducer output to cause cancellation of ambient audio sounds. An error microphone proximate the speaker provides an error signal. A secondary path estimating adaptive filter estimates the electro-acoustical path from the noise canceling circuit through the transducer so that source audio can be removed from the error signal. Tones in the source audio, such as remote ringtones, present in downlink audio during initiation of a telephone call, are detected by a tone detector using accumulated tone persistence and non-silence hangover counting, and adaptation of the secondary path estimating adaptive filter is halted to prevent adapting to the tones. Adaptation of the adaptive filters is then sequenced so any disruption of the secondary path adaptive filter response is removed before allowing the anti-noise generating filter to adapt.
US09318089B2
A sound amplifying case for an electronic device includes a shell that receives and secures the electronic device on a front side of the shell. The shell has a sound channel formed therein which receives sound from the electronic device at an inlet sound port on the shell front side, amplifies the redirected sound, and directs the amplified sound to an outlet sound port on a back side of the shell. The case includes a folding cover attached at one end to the shell back side and extends around one edge of the shell to a free end. With the case in an open configuration, the cover folds between the attached end and the free end forming an acoustic chamber between the cover and the rear side of the shell. The chamber receives the amplified sound from the outlet sound port and further amplifies/redirects it out of the acoustic chamber.
US09318079B2
In a mobile terminal apparatus, a display unit displays a diagnostic image read from an image storage device. The image storage device stores plural image groups, each of which includes plural diagnostic images. Movement of the display unit is detected. Assuming that the display unit is moved in a mode of transverse movement while a first diagnostic image included in a first image group is displayed on the display unit, then changeover is carried out to display a second diagnostic image being included in the first image group and different from the first diagnostic image. Assuming that the display unit is moved in a mode of a single shake different from the mode of transverse movement while the first diagnostic image is displayed on the display unit, then changeover is carried out to display a third diagnostic image being included in an image group different from the first image group.
US09318072B2
An operation method of a display driver includes generating a count value by counting a period of a synchronization signal related to a synchronization packet received from a host, receiving a mode change command from the host, the mode change command indicating a change from a video mode transmitting first image data to a display by bypassing a frame memory to a command mode transmitting second image data to the display through the frame memory, and generating an internal synchronization signal having a period substantially equal to the period of the synchronization signal by using the count value based on the mode change command after a last pulse of the synchronization signal is generated. A time interval between the last pulse and a first pulse of the internal synchronization signal is equal to the period of the synchronization signal.
US09318071B2
A display device includes pixels and includes a gate driver for providing gate signals to the pixels. The display device further includes a level shifter element for providing a boosted clock signal to the gate driver. The display device further includes a controller. The level shifter element includes a first level shifter for providing one of a first gate-on voltage and a gate-off voltage as a first clock signal in response to a gate pulse signal received from the controller. The level shifter element further includes a second level shifter for providing one of a second gate-on voltage and the first clock signal as the boosted clock signal in response to a first control signal received from the controller. The second gate-on voltage is higher than the first gate-on voltage. The gate driver may provide the gate signals in response to the boosted clock signal.
US09318069B2
The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
US09318055B2
A stage circuit including a plurality of stages connected to each other, where each of the stages includes: an output unit configured to output a voltage of a first power source or a signal of a third input terminal to an output terminal, based on a voltage applied to a first node or a second node; a first driver configured to control a voltage at a third node, based on signals of a first input terminal, a second input terminal and the third input terminal; a second driver configured to control the voltage at the first node, based on the signal of the second input terminal and the voltage at the third node; and a first transistor connected between the second node and the third node and maintained in a turn-on state.
US09318051B2
A display device includes a pixel, a data line, a scan line, a data driver, and a scan driver. The pixel is configured to display an image. The data line is configured to transmit data voltages to the pixel. The scan line is configured to transmit a scan signal to the pixel. The data driver is configured to: float the data line during a first period of a frame, apply, after the first period, a first data voltage to the data line during a second period of the frame, and apply, after the second period, a voltage waveform to the data line that varies the applied voltage from the first data voltage to a target voltage during a third period of the frame. The scan driver is configured to selectively apply the scan signal to the scan line.
US09318047B2
An organic light emitting display unit structure including a first pixel, a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel, a first scan line electrically connected to the first pixel, a second scan line electrically connected to the second pixel, a data line, a power line, a sustaining signal line, a common reset signal line and a common light emitting signal line is provided. The power line and the sustaining signal line are respectively electrically connected to both of the first pixel and the second pixel. The data line intersects with the first scan line and the second scan line and is electrically connected to the first pixel and the second pixel. The common reset signal line and the common light emitting signal line are substantially disposed inside the first pixel and the second pixel respectively and are electrically connected to the first pixel and the second pixel.
US09318032B2
Systems and methods facilitating training in clinical procedures via mixed reality simulations are disclosed. Such a system can comprise a physical model and a virtual model of an anatomic region associated with the procedure, wherein the virtual model associates tissue types with locations in the physical model. The system can include a tracking component that tracks locations of at least one clinical instrument relative to the models, and an anatomic feedback component that can produce perceptible changes in the physical model based on the interaction between the instrument and virtual model. A clinical device interface can detect outputs of clinical devices like electrical signals, pressure or flow, wherein feedback to the physical model depends on the tracked position of a clinical device and output from the same or different clinical device. Another component can generate feedback effects to the clinical device. Aspects can simulate anesthesiology procedures like local nerve blockade.
US09318030B2
A personal training system and method includes generating a personalized exercise regimen for a user, based on user-related data entered into a computerized system. The user moves from booth to booth within an exercise facility to perform different exercises corresponding to the computer-generated exercise regimen for that user. The personalized exercise regimen for the user may be automatically adjusted according to the user's performance results input into the computerized system.
US09318017B2
A wireless control system for use in a vehicle and for use with a remote electronic system is provided. The wireless control system includes a transceiver for mounting in the vehicle. The transceiver is configured to communicate according to a Bluetooth communications standard. The transceiver is further configured to provide a control signal to the remote electronic system. The transceiver is also trainable to provide a carrier frequency and control information for the control signal.
US09318010B2
A system is disclosed in which an electronic device of a user emits an identifiable alert as a result of a trigger indicating loss or theft, or probability or risk of loss or theft. Alerts may be acoustic, either audible or inaudible and may be disguised. Alerts may also be short range radio signals. Other, local electronic devices of users may detect the alert and react by transmitting their location and the information in the alert to a monitoring center. The monitoring center may respond by sending a silence code or identification information to the device detecting the alert.
US09318007B2
A signal emitting retail device is provided. The signal emitting retail device includes a sensor and an emitter. The emitter is configured to emit a signal when the sensor senses removal of merchandise from a merchandise display structure. The sensor is also configured to sense potential theft conditions. The emitter is configured to emit a signal indicative of potential theft conditions when such conditions are sensed by the sensor.
US09317996B2
A system and method for user interaction includes a network, a server connected to the network, a supervisor device receiving information from a global positioning system and connected to the network, a user device receiving information from the global positioning system and connected to the network. The supervisor, having the supervisor device, defines a set of virtual geographic zones and sub-zones in which the user device is tracked, and saves the set of virtual geographic zones and sub-zones to a supervisor account on the server. The user downloads a user application, sets-up a user account, and downloads the set of virtual geographic zones and sub-zones. As the user, having the user device, moves through the virtual geographic zones and sub-zones the location of the user device is determined and a set of supervisor-defined actions are executed on the user device based on the location of the user device.
US09317995B2
A transaction card facilitates typical consumer transactions as well as transactions related to lottery offerings and can incorporate a reader terminal to associate lottery tickets with the transaction instrument. New gaming opportunities tied to the instrument are also facilitated, including a personalized guaranteed prize structure, a personalized and/or localized jackpot and an opportunity for winning additional prizes when making purchases using the instrument. The system according to one embodiment of the present invention provides at least a lottery data processing system for communicating a first funding amount to be applied to a multi-purpose transaction card based on winnings from a lottery offering, and a reader terminal for reading at least a portion of the transaction card, reading indicia on one or more gaming tickets, and associating the one or more gaming tickets with the transaction card. In one embodiment of the present invention, a custodian not associated with the winner or cardholder can derive non-transaction related earnings on the winnings without providing a fee to the cardholder.
US09317994B2
A system, method and apparatus for a gaming system is provided. The gaming system includes a rewards server and a separate gaming or slot accounting server. The system may further include a separate player tracking server. The system further includes one or more game machines. The game machines may include a base game, rewards tracking module, and a game management module. Further details will be apparent from the description, drawings and claims.
US09317992B2
A gaming machine includes a controller for controlling operation of the machine, a primary display is provided on which a game to be played is displayed. A secondary display is also provided on which a scorecard, indicating prizes to be paid upon a winning game being achieved, is displayed. The game and the scorecard are controlled by the controller and the scorecard is a dynamic scorecard with the relationship between combinations of symbols constituting a winning game and the prizes awarded by the scorecard for that particular game changing from game to game.
US09317991B2
Systems, apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture provide for a bingo game including at least one initial ball call and an option for a player to receive at least one additional ball call. In one example, the at least one additional ball call includes one or more of: (i) a ball call locked until a player accepts an option to unlock the locked ball call, and (ii) a ball call provided by another member of a social network (e.g., a friend of the player).
US09317987B2
A safe including a safe controller coupled to a data transfer port is provided. The safe controller is configured to selectively enable device data to pass through the data transfer port when a valid code is received by the safe controller. A system for controlling data communications with an internal device in a safe is also provided. The system includes an external computing device configured to execute a series of instructions, and a safe. The safe includes a data transfer port coupled to the external computing device and the internal device. The safe also includes a safe controller coupled to the data transfer port, wherein the safe controller is configured to selectively enable communication between the external computing device and the internal device when a valid code is received by the safe controller.
US09317979B2
A harvester has a stool width sensor that senses stool width of a crop stool. A position sensor senses a position of the harvester, and a map generator generates a map based on the sensed stool width and the sensed position.
US09317960B2
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for rendering paths by first generating a stencil buffer indicating pixels of the path that should be covered and then covering the path. The paths may be filled or stroked without tessellating the paths. Path rendering may be accelerated when a graphics processing unit or other processor that is configured to perform operations to generate the stencil buffer and cover the path to fill or stroke the path. When the paths are rendered in a top-to-bottom (front-to-back) order, an opacity stencil may be generated and used to avoid determining path coverage and shading for pixels that are opaque.
US09317951B2
This specification relates to computer animations, and more particularly to computer animations of biological and chemical pathways in which information defining the molecular assets, interactions and sequence of events involved in the pathway is combined with graphical information to generate a three-dimensional animation of the pathway.
US09317948B2
A primitive listing and sorting arrangement for a tile-based graphics rendering system in which primitive lists can be prepared for at least two different sets of sub-regions of the render target area. Two or more alternative solutions for listing the primitive for rendering using the sub-regions of at least two of the at least two different sets of sub-regions of the render target area that primitive lists can be prepared for are determined (S62). A cost function is then used to assess the cost of listing the primitive for each determined alternative primitive listing solution (S63) and the primitive listing arrangement to use is then selected based on the cost assessment (S64). Embodiments use an adaptive cost function that can be modified in use based on analysis of the costs for the primitive listing process actually being experienced in use.
US09317946B2
A measuring device has a storage unit, a processing unit and a display device for displaying a digitised and stored first partial signal and at least one digitised and stored second partial signal. In this context, the first partial signal and the second partial signal are partial signals of different bands of the multiband signal. The processing unit is embodied to display in a first window in the display device a first signal derived from the first partial signal and a first analysis line, and to display in a second window in the display device a second signal derived from the second partial signal and a first analysis line corresponding in time to the first analysis line of the first window.
US09317945B2
A method in a computer system in a vessel for generating a presentation of a region-of-interest in an original chart image for display on a display screen, the computer system displaying a representation of the vessel moving along a course in the original chart image, the region-of-interest being located along the course proximate to the representation of the vessel, the method comprising: establishing a lens for the region-of-interest, the lens having a magnified focal region for the region-of-interest at least partially surrounded by a shoulder region having a diminishing magnification, the focal region having a size, a shape, and an orientation with respect to the course; receiving one or more signals to adjust at least one of the size, shape, and orientation of the focal region; and, applying the lens to the original chart image to produce the presentation.
US09317943B2
A system that generates interactive intersection areas receives a graphic diagram that includes a plurality of intersecting shapes and intersection areas. The system then creates or receives a definition for each of the shapes and determines a number of possible intersection areas for the diagram. The system defines a clipping path for each possible intersection area and defines a mask for each possible intersection area. The system then draws each intersection area using the defined clipping paths and masks.
US09317938B2
A bidirectional texture function image as a bidirectional reflectance distribution function for each pixel of a target object is input. An average bidirectional reflectance distribution function within at least a partial region of the bidirectional texture function image data, a power of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function of each pixel of the bidirectional texture function image data, and a peak position of each pixel of the bidirectional texture function image data are stored in a storage apparatus as information indicating the bidirectional reflectance distribution function for each pixel.
US09317931B2
A waveform monitor for generating a modified image from an original image includes a brightness measuring system to generate brightness values that are then converted to f-stop equivalents. A selector is used to create a range of f-stop values and a modifier changes the original image for selected pixels that fall within the range of f-stop values. The original image may be modified by replacing or blending certain pixels with colorized pixels, i.e., by falsely coloring the original image. Methods of modifying images in this manner are also described.
US09317922B2
A system and method for recognition of images may include the use of alignment markers. The image recognized may be a pattern from an array, a character, a number, a shape, and/or irregular shapes. The pattern may be formed by elements in an array such as an identification marking and/or a sensor array. More particularly, the system and method relate to discriminating between images by accounting for the orientation of the image. The size and/or location of alignment markers may provide information about the orientation of an image. Information about the orientation of an image may reduce false recognitions. The system and method of image recognition may be used with identification markings, biosensors, micro-fluidic arrays, and/or optical character recognition systems.
US09317918B2
An apparatus for medical diagnostic imaging assistance includes memory that stores first feature information representing the feature of a lesion mask or non-lesion mask, a sampling unit that acquires a plurality of samples by making sampling form the memory based on the first feature information, a machine-learning unit that generates a first discrimination condition corresponding to each of samples by carrying out a machine-learning step on the multiple samples, and a statistical processing unit that generates a second discrimination condition by carrying out a statistical processing step under the first discrimination condition, in which a detection function determines whether a lesion candidate mask is an actual lesion by referring to second feature information representing the feature of a lesion candidate mask under a second discrimination condition.
US09317916B1
A method, system and computer program for confirming proper medication amount for a medication injection apparatus. The computer program causes a computer to perform the steps of providing one or more instructions on a display of a computing device instructing placement of an injectable medication apparatus including an indication of an amount of medication to be injected by the injectable medication apparatus, imaging by an image capture one or more images of the injectable medication apparatus including the indication of the amount of medication, and comparing by a processor of the computing device through recognition of the indication of the amount of medication, the indicated amount to a predetermined amount. One or more additional instructions may be provided on the display of the computing device to change the indication of the amount of medication if it is determined that the recognized indicated amount does not match the predetermined amount.
US09317915B2
A tomogram of a body is provided. Projection-image data obtained by a radiation-based projection method is used for providing the tomogram. Initial voxel data are first specified for a plurality of voxels of the body. Synthetic projection-image data are generated based upon a projection rule modeling a course of the projection method. Projection-error data is determined by comparing the synthetic projection-image data with the real projection-image data. The projection-error data are imaged on the basis of a back-projection rule dependent on the projection rule so that voxel-error data are produced. Correction data is generated from the voxel-error data by a gradient-based optimizing algorithm, wherein corrected voxel data are generated using the correction data.
US09317907B2
The present invention concerns a method for correcting a digital image stored by a client device by geometric adjustment of this image onto a reference image stored by a server device connected to the client device by a communication network. The method is characterized in that it includes the following steps: obtaining, by the server device, at least one area of interest of the reference image, sending, to each client device, each area of interest, obtaining, by the client device, part of the image delimited by each received area of interest, said image part being either a part of the image to be corrected or a part of an image resulting from the image to be corrected, sending, to the server device, each image part thus obtained, determining, by the server device, parameters of the correction to apply to the image to be corrected, said parameters being determined by geometric adjustment of said received at least one image part onto the reference image, sending, to the client device, the parameters thus determined, and applying, by the client device, the correction of the image to be corrected, said correction using firstly the received parameters and secondly a ground elevation model corresponding to this image to be corrected.
US09317905B2
An image processing device, which uses a dictionary which stores data of two or over sets which associate a blurred patch of a blurred image generated by blurring a predetermined image with a restoration patch of the predetermined image. The device includes a processor that processes instructions to generate a tentative restored image from the restoration patch selected based on values indicating similarities between plural input patches generated by dividing an inputted input image and the blurred patch. The processor also processes the instructions to generate a tentative patch by dividing the tentative restored image. The processor further processes the instructions to generate a restored image from the restoration patch selected based on a sum of the value indicating the similarity between the input patch and the blurred patch and a value indicating the similarity between the tentative patch and the restoration patch.
US09317904B2
Provided is an image processing device that can bring about the sufficient resemblance between an original image and a restored image obtained corresponding to a low resolution input image. The image processing device includes a means that uses a dictionary for storing data associating deteriorated patches which are from a deteriorated image formed by deteriorating a prescribed image, and restoration patches which are from the prescribed image, and calculates, as a degree-of-similarity between plural input patches generated by dividing an input image and the deteriorated patches, a weighted degree-of-similarity between weighted deteriorated patches and weighted input patches, in which forms of the deteriorated patches and the input patches are reconfigured using a patch weight which is continuous weighting; a means that selects, on the basis of the weighted degree-of-similarity, a restoration patch for each input patch; and a means that combines the restoration patches to generate a restored image.
US09317901B2
An input image is divided into images composed of luminance signals of a plurality of bands that make up the Laplacian pyramid, noise suppression is applied to each divided image, and then the divided images are composited by addition. The input image is also divided into images composed of color signals of a plurality of bands that make up the Gaussian pyramid, noise suppression is applied to each divided image, and the divided images are composited at an image-based ratio. By thus compositing the luminance signals and color signals, excellent noise suppression can be realized while alleviating deterioration in the image quality during the compositing.
US09317900B2
A three-dimensional image processing device for visually applying a special effect by subjecting raw data that has been acquired by imaging to image processing, and creating image data capable of being viewed stereoscopically. The device comprises a tone conversion section for tone converting the raw data in accordance with the special effect, a three-dimensional image data processing section for carrying out at least one of clipping image data that has been tone converted by the tone conversion section as image data to be viewed stereoscopically, or carrying out geometric processing, to create three-dimensional image data, and a special effect image processing section for subjecting the three-dimensional image data to special image processing to apply a special effect that is analogous to an image that has been formed optically or formed by photographic film or by development and printing processing, and creating a three-dimensional special-effect image.
US09317897B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array unit, a pixel drive unit, and a signal processing unit. The pixel array unit includes first pixels and second pixels, the first pixels corresponding to respective color components of a plurality of color components, the second pixels having luminance components as main components, the first pixels and the second pixels being arranged regularly in a matrix. The pixel drive unit is configured to drive the pixels arranged in the pixel array unit. The signal processing unit is configured to execute predetermined weighted addition processing and calculate a pixel value of an output image by using only pixel information acquired from the first pixels.
US09317895B1
In an apparatus for digital image processing, a mapper is coupled to receive destination pixel information in terms of a source pixel space, and to provide a 2-dimensional filter kernel with source pixels for the destination pixel information. An oversampled filter includes predetermined coefficients. A filter coefficient module is configured to select phase coefficients from the predetermined coefficients stored in the oversampled filter based on proximity to the source pixels in the filter kernel, and coupled to provide a filter coefficient for each of the source pixels in the filter kernel. A convolution module is coupled to receive the source pixels and the filter coefficients, and to provide a convolution result. The convolution module is configured to apply the filter coefficients to the source pixels in a convolution to provide the convolution result. A normalization module is configured to normalize either the convolution result or the filter coefficients.
US09317894B2
A method (30) for image registration of sections, in particular for image registration of histological sections, is described. The method comprises reading in (32) of a data set for at least two sections, wherein each of the data sets comprises m images of each section in m resolution levels (11, 12, 13), wherein each image of the resolution levels 1 to m−1 is divided into at least two cells, wherein each image has a different image resolution, wherein the image with the highest image resolution is associated with the resolution level 1 and the image with the lowest image resolution is associated with the resolution level m; registering (33) of the two mth images of the two sections on the resolution level m and determining of a global transformation for the resolution level m; aligning (34) of the two images of the resolution level m−1 using the global transformation of the resolution level m; and registering (35) of a subgroup of cells from all cells of the two images of the resolution level m−1.
US09317885B2
A system for moving money between accounts of traders by a central counterparty to facilitate payments, i.e. the movement of funds, there between is disclosed which provides a flexible mechanism which supports simpler accounting, new types of derivatives contracts as well new types fees. The disclosed futures contract, referred to as a “payer” contract, comprises a “no-uncertainty” futures contract, i.e. the initial value and settlement value parameters are defined, that leverages the mechanisms of the clearing system to, for example, accommodate related payments. Accordingly, a 1-to-many relationship between contracts and prices is provided whereby each price component may be assigned its own payer contract. The function of the payer contract may be to guarantee the movement of money from related positions. In one embodiment, payer contracts are dynamically created whenever a payment is needed.
US09317883B2
Provided are computer implemented methods and systems for venture capital raising for startup via award and reality TV show. An exemplary method comprises receiving information associated with startup projects. The information is provided to audience for online fund raising via an online resource. The information includes a target amount for online fund raising. One or more contributions associated with the startup projects are received from the audience. Based on the contributions, eligible startup projects are determined. The eligible startup projects are advertised on a television show on a country level. Assessment of the eligible startup projects is received from venture capitalists and private investors. Based on the assessment, country winning startup projects are selected. The country winning startup projects are advertised and assessed on an international television show on an international level. Based on international assessment, a world winning startup project is selected and awarded a prize amount.
US09317878B2
Information about a product advertised on a web page is presented separately, but concurrently, with the content of the web page, to avoid having to navigate away from the web page. The information may be automatically presented in a banner that is displayed adjacent the content of the web page. Controls on the banner initiate the display of further information, and/or enable purchase of the product, while maintaining the web page content in view on the browser. Alternatively, the display of the product information may be triggered by user selection of a link associated with that product. The information about the product may appear in an overlay sheet displayed in front of the original web page. The user can interact with controls on the sheet to initiate purchase or download of the product, or can dismiss the overlay sheet to continue viewing the content of the web page.
US09317877B2
Techniques and equipment are described for enabling an application developer to provide mobile device users, using the developer's application, an option to purchase digital content items within the application and have the cost of the purchased content billed directly to their respective mobile communications service accounts. The mobile service account for a user or user's mobile device is maintained by a wireless carrier or operator of the mobile communication network to which the user subscribes for mobile communication services. The charges and other transaction details related to the content purchased by a mobile device user via the mobile application on the user's device appear in a billing or account statement periodically provided to the user by the carrier or operator of the mobile communication network.
US09317874B2
A queuing method and system. The method includes retrieving by a computer processor of a stationary computing system or a computing device, queue data placing an individual onto an initial queue list for receiving a service and ID data identifying the individual. The computer processor presents a status of the individual with respect to the queue list. The computer processor receives a request associated with the service and in response presents options for the individual. The computer processor receives a selection for an option and generates a modified queue list.
US09317873B2
Systems and methods for automatically verifying an identifier of a content provider are provided. A first identifier, a content item, and a uniform resource locator are received from a content provider. The domain of the uniform resource locator is determined. A plurality of second resources under the domain are accessed and stored in memory. From the plurality of second resources, a plurality of second identifiers are detected. A map of domain and a plurality of second identifiers is created. Using the map, the first identifier is compared to each of the plurality of second identifiers. If there is a match, the first identifier is approved to be used with the content item. The first identifier may be displayed on a user device with the content item.
US09317867B2
Situational location dependent information is transmitted from a server data processing system to a receiving data processing system. A candidate delivery event associated with a current positional attribute of the receiving data processing system is recognized and a situational location of the remote data processing system is determined. The candidate delivery event may be a location and/or direction change, device state change, or movement exceeding a movement tolerance. A set of delivery content from a deliverable content database is transmitted from the server data processing system to the receiving data processing system according to the situational location of the receiving data processing system, and according to delivery constraints.
US09317860B2
Embodiments of the invention provide for using video analysis, such as augmented reality or the like to assist a group of users to utilize mobile devices for creating a collective network environment of users that identifies objects in which one or more users in a group of users may be interested, and notifies the one or more users of information associated with the object. A collective network comprises a group of users that each have a mobile device that contains or is otherwise operatively coupled to a data capture device. For example, the mobile device may be a mobile phone that is capable of taking video with a camera device. A user in the collective network may capture video on his mobile device, and an application can identify the object in the video and provide interested users in the collective network with information about the object.
US09317859B2
A system to recommend a keyword includes a verifying unit to determine whether a keyword is a direct click keyword by referring to a click log and to determine whether the keyword is an indirect click keyword by referring to a third universal resource locator (URL) selected using the direct click keyword, wherein the direct click keyword is a keyword used to select a first URL on a computing device and the indirect click keyword is a keyword used to select a second URL on the computing device; and a keyword recommending unit to recommend the determined indirect click keyword. A method for recommending a keyword includes determining whether a keyword is a direct click keyword by referring to a click log; determining whether the keyword is an indirect click keyword by referring to a third URL selected using the direct click keyword; and recommending the determined indirect click keyword.
US09317855B2
Methods and apparatuses to dynamically allocate location dependent telephone numbers to facilitate voice connections between people. One embodiment includes: responsive to a request from a user, selecting a telephone number from a plurality of telephone numbers of a connection server to match a location indicator of the request; embedding the telephone number in an advertisement, the telephone number to be used by the user to initiate a telephone call to the connection server for further connection to an advertiser of the advertisement; and providing the advertisement with the telephone number of the connection server as a response to the request. In one embodiment, responsive to receiving the telephone call at the telephone number of the connection server from the user, whether to play a prompt message to the user is determined based at least in part on statistic data about telephone calls collected at the connection server.
US09317841B2
A method and system for facilitating online payments are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a payment agreement is established at a payment service provider that defines terms of a payment relationship between a merchant and a user. The establishing of the payment agreement includes linking the payment agreement with a payment account of the merchant or user stored at the payment service provider. After establishing the payment agreement, a payment request associated with a transaction is received, whereby the payment request includes a unique identifier to identify the payment agreement stored at the payment service provider. Based on a verification that the payment request complies with terms of the payment agreement, the payment request is processed.
US09317836B2
A method, system, and/or computer program product monitors a response to a notification of a change to a business process. Criteria for delivery of a notification of a change to a business process are configured. In response to the criteria being met, the notification of the change to the business process is transmitted to a receiving device. The receiving device is monitored for a response to the notification of the change to the business process. In response to detecting no response to the notification of the change to the business process from the receiving device within a predefined amount of time, a corrective instruction is issued to a monitoring device.
US09317833B2
Role search apparatus for grouping nodes according to relationships with other nodes, the apparatus including: an input for receiving an arrangement of nodes, the arrangement including at least two partitions of the nodes and with predetermined relationships between nodes across the partitions, and a pattern recognition unit associated with the input, for using pattern recognition on the nodes and the relationships to find relationship patterns amongst the nodes, thereby to form at least one group from nodes of a first of the partitions, wherein the nodes being formed into the group share relationships with same ones of a predetermined number of nodes in a second partition.
US09317827B2
A farm work management system includes a communication apparatus for transmitting location information of a worker carrying out a farm work and a farm work management apparatus for managing a progress of the farm work based on the location information transmitted from the communication apparatus. The communication apparatus includes a notifying unit for notifying the farm work management apparatus to the effect that the farm work is started or the farm work is finished in a case where an operation unit receives the predetermined operation. The farm work management apparatus includes a work location identifying unit for identifying the work location based on the location information transmitted from the communication apparatus, a calculating unit for calculating an estimated work time from read information, and a transmitting unit for transmitting to the communication apparatus the information about the read work content and the estimated work time having been calculated.
US09317823B2
A method of embedding RF equipment in a reusable material handing apparatus for the purposes of managing the apparatus with the device is described. In one embodiment, the RF equipment includes a low cost RFID tag, label, placard or like, which is incorporated into the apparatus. Each RFID device responds to a management radio frequency signal with a unique reply to wirelessly identify the individual apparatus. RFID tags, labels, placards and the like typically comprise a first substrate layer to support the components of the RFID device and a second laminate layer to cover the RFID device and provide a printable surface for a serial number, trade name, bar code, manufacture date, country of origin and the like. The methods involve embedding RFID devices into the apparatus during the original manufacture or assembly and disassembly of the apparatus.
US09317809B1
Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) analysis on a dataset is performed on an MPP relational database by distributing subsets of said dataset to a plurality of segments of the MPP database, and performing LDA analysis in parallel on the respective subsets on the plurality of segments using Gibbs sampling. An object library on each segment provides executable objects of user defined functions that can be called by an SQL query when the query requires functionality provided by an object.
US09317800B2
A non-contact IC label includes a magnetic sheet, an IC chip arranged on the magnetic sheet, a first antenna portion including a first connection portion connected to the IC chip and arranged on the magnetic sheet to extend in a first direction from the first connection portion, and a second antenna portion including a second connection portion connected to the IC chip and arranged on the magnetic sheet to extend in a second direction from the second connection portion, wherein each of the first direction and the second direction is along one side of the magnetic sheet, the first direction and the second direction differ from each other, and each of a length of the first antenna portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and a length of the second antenna portion in a direction perpendicular to the second direction ranges from 2 mm to 15 mm.
US09317799B1
RFID tags are assembled through affixing an antenna to an integrated circuit (IC) by forming one or more capacitors coupling the antenna and the IC with the dielectric material of the capacitor(s) including a non-conductive covering layer of the IC, a non-conductive covering layer of the antenna such as an oxide layer, and/or an additionally formed dielectric layer. Top and bottom plates of the capacitor(s) are formed by the antenna traces and one or more patches on a top surface of the IC.
US09317795B2
An RFID sensing system and method. An array of sensing elements is disposed on a surface of a mat, wherein each sensing element includes an RFID microchip, an antenna operatively coupled to the microchip, and a pressure-sensitive material disposed on at least the antenna. An RFID reader is provided for interrogating the array of sensing elements. An antenna operatively coupled to the reader communicates with each sensing element disposed on the mat. Each sensing element in the array, in response to an interrogation signal, transmits a signal to the reader via the coupled antenna when a subject placed on the mat compresses the section of pressure-sensitive material for the sensing element.
US09317793B2
A product has applied visible product information. In order to be able to undertake updates of the product information of such a product in a relatively simple manner, the product is equipped with an electronic monitor or screen for displaying the product information. A method for applying visible product information to a product is also provided.
US09317792B2
A method for reading and using partial data from a portable data carrier includes reading data from a portable data carrier, determining if any data is missing, and if any data is missing, restructuring the data for use, such as for running an audio decoder and expander. A method for writing data to a portable data carrier having limited capacity includes receiving a data file and optimizing at least one encoding parameter to fit at least a portion of the data file into the portable data carrier.
US09317789B2
A printer, copier, or multi-function printing device (MFP) operates in a reduced power mode in which a controller identifies a path of motion of an object external to the printer with reference to signals from a proximity sensor housed in the printer. The controller connects one or more components to electric power to transition to an elevated power operating mode if the identified path corresponds to a path history that is stored in a memory of paths of object paths that have occurred prior to operation of the printer, copier or MFP. The activation of the components reduces a delay that an operator perceives as the printer, copier or MFP transitions from the reduced power operating mode to the elevated power operating mode thus significantly reducing power consumption during operation.
US09317785B1
The present invention is a system and method for performing ethnicity classification based on the facial images of people, using multi-category decomposition architecture of classifiers, which include a set of predefined auxiliary classifiers that are specialized to auxiliary features of the facial images. In the multi-category decomposition architecture, which is a hybrid multi-classifier architecture specialized to ethnicity classification, the task of learning the concept of ethnicity against significant within-class variations, is handled by decomposing the set of facial images into auxiliary demographics classes; the ethnicity classification is performed by an array of classifiers where each classifier, called an auxiliary class machine, is specialized to the given auxiliary class. The facial image data is annotated to assign the age and gender labels as well as the ethnicity labels. Each auxiliary class machine is trained to output both the given auxiliary class membership likelihood and the ethnicity likelihoods. Faces are detected from the input image, individually tracked, and fed to all the auxiliary class machines to compute the desired auxiliary class membership and ethnicity likelihood outputs. The outputs from all the auxiliary class machines are combined in a manner to make a final decision on the ethnicity of the given face.
US09317783B2
A method and system for clustering images, comprising detecting faces in respective images to generate face data, generating a first cluster of images using the face data, the first cluster comprising images with a common face and representing a corresponding person, generating a second cluster of images using clothes data representing a set of clothing signatures, the second cluster comprising images with a common set of clothes, and using the first and second clusters to link an image of the person to the clusters in order to generate a third cluster for the person.
US09317777B2
A system includes a computing device that includes a memory configured to store instructions. The system also includes a processor to execute the instructions to perform operations that include receiving data representing features of a first font and data representing features of a second font. The first font and the second font are capable of representing one or more glyphs. Operations also include receiving survey-based data representing the similarity between the first and second fonts, and, training a machine learning system using the features of the first font, the features of the second font and the survey-based data that represents the similarity between the first and second fonts.
US09317775B2
The disclosure includes a system and method for identifying multiple items in an image. A image recognition application receives a query image of items, computes features of the query image, for each feature finds an indexed image with closest matched features in a database, determines that the shape of the matched features is geometrically consistent, determines whether the query image matches the indexed image, responsive to the query image matching the indexed image, returns inliers, determines a region of interest where the match was found in the query image, removes inliers from the set of features to reduce the set of features and returns all matches found when the query image fails to match the indexed image.
US09317767B2
A computer-implemented method for selecting at least one segmentation parameter for optical character recognition is provided. The method can include receiving an image having a character string that includes one or more characters. The method can also include receiving a character string identifying each of the one or more characters. The method can also include automatically generating at least one segmentation parameter. The method can also include performing segmentation on the image having the character string using the at least one segmentation parameter. The method can also include determining if a resultant segmentation satisfies one or more criteria and if the resultant segmentation satisfies the one or more criteria, selecting the at least one segmentation parameter.
US09317763B2
There is described a system and method for automatically discriminating between different types of data with an image reader. In brief overview of one embodiment, the automatic discrimination feature of the present image reader allows a human operator to aim a hand held image reader at a target that can contain a dataform and actuate the image reader. An autodiscrimination module in the image reader in one embodiment analyzes image data representative of the target and determines a type of data represented in the image data.
US09317752B2
A method for detecting parking occupancy includes receiving video data from a sequence of frames taken from an associated image capture device monitoring a parking area. The method includes determining at least one candidate region in the parking area. The method includes comparing a size of the candidate region to a size threshold. In response to size of the candidate region meeting and exceeding the size threshold, the method includes determining whether the candidate region includes one of at least one object and no objects. The method includes classifying at least one object in the candidate region as belonging to one of at least two vehicle-types. The method further includes providing vehicle occupancy information to a user.
US09317737B2
There is provided an input apparatus including an estimation unit configured to automatically estimate an attribute of a user, a setting unit configured to set an input mode based on the attribute of the user estimated by the estimation unit, and a control unit configured to control input based on the set input mode.
US09317736B1
Embodiments of methods, systems, and storage medium associated with providing user records associated with characteristics that may be used to identify the user are disclosed herein. In one instance, the method may include obtaining features of an individual, determining identifying characteristics associated with the obtained features, and initiating a search for a record associated with the individual based in part on the identifying characteristics associated with the obtained features, and, based on a result of the search, a verification of the record associated with the individual. The method may further include receiving at least a portion of the record associated with the individual, based at least in part on a result of the verification. The verification may be based in part on a ranking associated with the record. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09317723B2
A passive tag embedded in a package includes multiple conductive coils. A first coil receives radio frequency (RF) energy used to power the tag. Additional coils receive and/or transmit data signals, clock signals, and carrier signals. The RF energy and other signals may be at different frequencies. An RF probe includes a first coil to emit the RF energy to power the tag. The RF probe includes additional coils corresponding to the additional coils in the tag. The RF probe may turn off the RF signal used for power during communication. The RF energy may be rectified to provide DC power to circuits in the tag, or may be used directly for adiabatic circuits. The RF probe and the package may have complementary shapes to facilitate alignment of the coils.
US09317721B2
A privacy indicator is provided that shows whether sensor data are being processed in a private or non-private mode. When sensor data are used only for controlling a device locally, it may be in a private mode, which may be shown by setting the privacy indicator to a first color. When sensor data are being sent to a remote site, it may be in a non-private mode, which may be shown by setting the privacy indicator to a second color. The privacy mode may be determined by processing a command in accordance with a privacy policy of determining if the command is on a privacy whitelist, blacklist, greylist or is not present in a privacy command library. A non-private command may be blocked.
US09317720B2
Provided is a method, system, and program for enabling access to data in a storage medium within one of a plurality of storage cartridges capable of being mounted into a interface device. An association is provided of at least one coding key to a plurality of storage cartridges. A determination is made of one coding key associated with one target storage cartridge, wherein the coding key is capable of being used to access data in the storage medium within the target storage cartridge. The determined coding key is encrypted. The coding key is subsequently decrypted to use to decode and code data stored in the storage medium.
US09317717B2
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that processes data. During operation, the system uses a first key to protect a write operation on the data. Next, the system uses a second key to protect a read operation on the data.
US09317716B2
An information providing apparatus for collecting data including personal information and distributing the data to a user terminal performs anonymization processing for converting data, which an individual who is an owner of personal information allows to use, into data with which the individual cannot be identified using multiple parameters, thus generating multiple anonymized data protecting the, privacy of the individual. Since each of the anonymized data is anonymized using a different parameter, the amount of information of each of the anonymized data is different. Then, when a request is received from a user terminal, anonymized data that can be provided to the user are identified from among multiple generated anonymized data on the basis of the reliability of the user who uses the user terminal.
US09317709B2
A cloud storage system provides remote access to a file associated with the cloud storage system. In response to a request to access the file, the cloud storage system identifies applications available to the request generator and capable of accessing the file, which may include both online web-based applications and applications installed on a device with which the user is accessing the file. The cloud storage system determines an application type of an identified application, and provides file access to the identified application based on the application type.
US09317704B2
Systems and methods for providing trust provisioning are disclosed. A utilization request requesting to utilize data stored by a secure element associated with the device may be processed by a software application. In response to processing the utilization request, a registration request message for registering the software application may be communicated to a management server. A validation code may be received from the management server in reply to the registration request message. The received validation code may be verified to match a second validation code. Subsequent to successful verification, a passcode and an identifier of the secure element may be communicated to the management server. In response to communicating the passcode and the secure element identifier, an acknowledgement may be received from the management server specifying whether registration of the software application was successful.
US09317700B2
A technique for preventing malicious observance of private information includes receiving an instruction of entering a mode of inputting private information; determining a correspondence between actual inputs and expected inputs; receiving an actual user input; and converting the actual input into an expected input as private information inputted by the user according to the correspondence. This security technique can prevent discovery of the private information of a user through observation.
US09317698B2
A system and method of providing information stored in a memory is provided. The system comprises an information repository for storing information and an access module for providing access to the information in response to a predetermined operation performed on a man-machine interface. The method includes the steps of storing information in a memory and providing access to the information in dependence upon at least one predetermined operation.
US09317696B2
Systems and/or methods for deploying and implementing data loss prevention (DLP) policy definition that may encapsulate the requirements, control objectives and directives, and/or the definitions of sensitive data types as stipulated directly or indirectly by the regulatory policy are disclosed. In one embodiment, DLP policies may be identified by an organization to run on top of a set of electronic file systems (e.g., email systems, file systems, web servers and the like). Organizations and their administrators may implement a set of DLP policy instance which are derived from DLP policy templates. DLP policy templates may comprise both structure and meaning—and may acquire a given DLP policy by the replacement of parameterized expressions with desired parameter values. In another embodiment, the state of the DLP policy instance may change according to the lifecycle of the policy instance deployment.
US09317688B2
A method and an apparatus for providing service are provided. A method of providing service by a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) device includes transmitting a request for a first authentication to a Network Security Capability (NSEC), the request for the first authentication including an identifier of the M2M device, performing an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) authentication with the NSEC, and generating, if the first authentication is successful, a secret key using at least one of a Master Session Key (MSK) and the identifier of the M2M device.
US09317681B2
According to an aspect of the embodiment, an information processing unit includes a browser unit that receives page files and execute a web application; an application range management unit that receives application range information at the start of execution of the web application, and stores that information in a memory unit; a termination detecting unit that, when the page file being processed by the browser unit changes, determines whether or not the web application being executed has terminated depending on whether or not the new page file is included in the application range information; a usability determining unit that determines whether or not an add-on for which a call request is issued is allowed to be used in the web application being executed; and an add-on calling unit that calls an add-on when determined that the add-on is allowed to be used in the web application being executed.
US09317680B2
A method and system for protecting against unknown malicious activities by determining a reputation of a link are disclosed. A reputation server queries a database including reputation information associated with a plurality of links to retrieve a reputation of a redirected link. The reputation information may indicate whether the links are associated with a malicious activity. The reputation of the redirected link may be associated with the original link to create a reputation of the original link.
US09317675B2
According to an aspect of the invention, a smartcard is conceived that comprises at least two pre-installed applications and an application user interface selector, wherein said application user interface selector is arranged to select and configure a specific authentication user interface corresponding to a specific one of the pre-installed applications in dependence on encoded information received from a host application.
US09317674B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for receiving a request from a user for access to at least one function associated with a first application; determining that access to at least one function requires user authentication; initiating sensing of an authentication validating carrier comprising a first credential; determining the first credential based at least in part on the sensed authentication validating carrier; validating the first credential, thereby resulting in a first successful user authentication; and granting access to at least one function associated with the first application based on the validation of the first successful user authentication.
US09317673B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for providing authentication using previously-validated authentication credentials. An exemplary apparatus is configured to receive a request to access a framework application, request, from a user, one or more authentication credentials corresponding to a primary level of user authentication, receive and validate the one or more authentication credentials, create, using the framework application, an authentication token based at least partially on the validation of the primary level of user authentication, wherein the authentication token is accessible by a plurality of applications, receive a request, from the user, to access one or more non-framework applications; and authenticate the one or more non-framework applications, where authenticating the non-framework applications requires accessing the authentication token created by the framework application such that the authentication is at least partially based on the primary level of user authentication.
US09317671B2
A method includes receiving a request over a network from a user to mount a shared folder, which is configured to store electronic data to be selectively accessed based on a policy. The method also includes evaluating whether the user is authenticated. The method also includes generating a random mount point for mounting the shared folder, and redirecting the user to the random mount point if the user is authenticated.
US09317670B2
A method includes receiving usage data associated with a user device. The usage data includes information based on at least one usage activity associated with one or more applications on the user device. The method may also include analyzing the usage data based on predetermined criteria and determining a security question and a corresponding answer based on the usage data. The security question and the corresponding answer are stored in an associated database. The method further includes providing the security question and the corresponding answer in response to a request for the security question and the corresponding answer. Access is provided to a system based on an input of the corresponding answer in response to the security question.
US09317662B2
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to methods, devices, and computer systems thereof for automated data collection from a subject. In certain embodiments, one or more characteristics of a subject are sensed, and the subject is given a queue status indicator based on a comparison of the subject's one or more sensed characteristics with corresponding sensed characteristics from other subjects. In one embodiment, the subject is a healthcare worker and the system, methods, and devices are utilized to evaluate the overall health of the worker as part of the check-in process for work.
US09317659B2
A computer system obtains data from at least one sensor monitoring for health risk conditions, wherein a list of health risk conditions are pre-defined and stored in a server. The computer system determines that a health risk condition exists within an area based on the obtained data. The computer system determines a sanitization procedure for the health risk condition. The computer system initiates sanitization operations for the area according to the determined sanitization procedure.
US09317655B2
Systems and methods for identifying Methicillin resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a sample are used that are based on the fact that an MRSA positive sample should have roughly the same copy numbers of mecA, SCCmec, and a Staphylococcus aureus-specific target gene sequence. The systems and methods may further present the three assays simultaneously on a 2-D plot with each axis of the plot 120 degrees apart. According to one embodiment, a Y plot is used for the 2-D display. If a given sample has similar readings of mecA, SCCmec, and a Staphylococcus aureus-specific target gene sequence, the sample's measured copy numbers of mecA, SCCmec, and the Staphylococcus aureus-specific target gene sequence can plot close to the origin regardless of the sample's absolute assay readings. With the help of this transformation, a boundary function can be defined that can be used to distinguish MRSA-positive samples from MRSA-negative samples.
US09317650B2
One or more techniques or systems for determining double patterning technology (DPT) layout routing compliance are provided herein. For example, a layout routing component of a system is configured to assign a pin loop value to a pin loop. In some embodiments, the pin loop value is assigned based on a mask assignment of a pin of the pin loop. In some embodiments, the pin loop value is assigned based on a number of nodes associated with the pin loop. DPT compliance or a DPT violation is determined for the pin loop based on the pin loop value. In this manner, odd loop detection associated with DPT layout routing is provided because a DPT violation results in generation of an additional instance of a net, for example. Detecting an odd loop allows a design to be redesigned before fabrication, where the odd loop would present undesired issues.
US09317639B1
A method for reducing dynamic power consumption of an integrated circuit design having flip-flops with an EDA tool that initiates clock gating by gating a clock signal received by the flip-flops. A first set of positive-edge triggered flip-flops and a second set of negative-edge triggered flip-flops, and a first set of OR-type clock gating cells and a second set of AND-type clock gating cells are selected from a technology library. The OR-type clock gating cells are connected to clock input terminals of the first set of positive-edge triggered flip-flops and the AND-type clock gating cells to clock terminals of the second set of negative-edge triggered flip-flops.
US09317636B1
A system for simulating hardware is disclosed wherein stopping the simulating for investigating a state of the simulating is constrained to occur at points of simulation synchronization. A delta cycle may be inserted into a simulation to provide a point of simulation synchronization. The delta cycle may be inserted at the beginning of a simulation loop.
US09317631B2
A resection guide can be configured to guide a resection tool toward a graft source, and can include a resection guide body made from a first material, and a guide member made from a second material. The second material is harder than the first material.
US09317628B1
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.
US09317627B2
Patterns (e.g., such as images, waveforms such as sounds, electromagnetic waves, or other signals, etc.) are synthesized, modulated and/or analyzed through the use of a computer programmed with a novel mathematical formula. The formula acts as a linear operator and can be used to create a variety of shapes, waveforms, and other representations. The formula greatly enhances ability in computer operations and provides a great savings in computer memory and a substantial increase in computing power.
US09317626B2
The present invention discloses a method for combinatorial layout design, in particular family mold layout design, using a computer. The method starts with receiving design specific parameters and information about molding parts from user. A Genetic Algorithm module is then invoked to generate a population of layout designs which satisfies the design specific parameters. The Genetic Algorithm module first automatically generates a population of specially designed chromosome with three interdependent sessions. Crossover, mutation and replacement operation are applied on the population subsequently to evolve such towards a more optimal population over successive generations. In each generation step, a Genotype-Phenotype mapping module is utilized to decode the chromosome to corresponding layout design for fitness evaluation. A system for combinatorial layout design automation and optimization using this evolutionary design approach is also disclosed in the present invention.
US09317605B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for presenting forked auto-completions. In one aspect, a method includes receiving characters from a user device, obtaining an auto-completion that corresponds to the received characters, obtaining corpora and respective corpus scores associated with the auto-completion, selecting corpora based on the corpus scores, and providing the user device with data identifying the auto-completion and the selected corpora.
US09317603B2
A method for acquiring an interrelation between an item of data representing an item of information of a data inventory and an item of data representing an item of information of a request for an interrelation to the item of data representing an item of information of a data inventory by means of a data processing system with data representing information in a data inventory which can be accessed via a data source comprises a link being established by means of a syntactic comparison and/or by means of one semantic comparison of the item of data representing an item of information of a data inventory with the item of data representing an item of information of the request for interrelation with the item of data representing an item of information of a data inventory. According to the method, results of requests for an interrelation are grouped according to topics.
US09317585B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving a query initial input from a user, in response to receiving the query initial input, determining a set of personalized query suggestions based on the query initial input, the set of personalized query suggestions including one or more content-based query suggestions that reflect at least one of user data associated with the user within one or more computer-implemented services and use of the one or more computer-implemented services by the user, and transmitting instructions to display the set of personalized query suggestions to the user.
US09317580B2
A method includes obtaining electronically formatted information about previously performed imaging procedures, classifying the information into groups of protocols based on initially selected protocols for the previously performed imaging procedures and generating data indicative thereof, identifying deviations between the classified information and the corresponding initially selected protocols for the previously performed imaging procedures, and generating a signal indicative of the deviations. A method includes recommending at least one of a plurality of protocols for an imaging procedure based on at least one of a score, a probability, or a pre-determined rule, which is based on extracted medical concepts from patient information and extracted medical concepts from previously imaged patient information, and generating a signal indicative of the recommendation.
US09317575B1
Described herein is a computer implemented method for updating a hierarchical dataset using a hierarchical edit script. The dataset comprises a plurality of dataset nodes and the edit script comprises a plurality of edit script nodes. The edit script nodes comprise at least one source node and at least one target node defining a move operation in which one or more nodes from the hierarchical dataset are moved from an original location to a target location.
US09317570B2
A system and method for integrating data from a source application to a target application includes an interface module incorporating a publisher for publishing extracted data in an XML message and a subscriber for uncompressing the XML message. The method includes the steps of publishing an XML message of user data from the source application; receiving, decoding and uncompressing the XML message; and transforming the XML message into a workflow request for integrating the source data to the target application.
US09317559B1
A method, a system and a computer program product for ranking reviewable entities based on sentiment expressed about the entities. A plurality of review texts are identified wherein each review text references an entity. A plurality of sentiment scores associated with the plurality of review texts are generated, wherein each sentiment score for a review text indicates a sentiment directed to the entity referenced by the review text. A plurality of ranking scores for the plurality of entities are generated wherein each ranking score is based at least in part on one or more sentiment scores associated with one or more review texts referencing the entity. A plurality of search results associated with the plurality of entities are displayed based at least in part on the ranking scores.
US09317555B2
A method, system, and/or computer program product queries a distributed database system. In one embodiment, the query method comprises: parsing a query request; generating an access plan for the query request, wherein the access plan specifies therein a database table related to the query request, and the database table has a plurality of copies stored in different database devices respectively; selecting, based on status information of each of the plurality of copies of the specified database table, one copy from the plurality of copies as a target database table; and executing a query operation in the target database table according to the access plan.
US09317551B1
A device provides for display a technical computing environment (TCE)-based search engine user interface, and receives a query from a user via the TCE-based search engine user interface. The device divides the query into one or more query elements, and processes the one or more query elements based on at least one of query content, information requested by the query, a model associated with the query, or an execution result of the model. The device transforms the query into another query, different than the query, based on the processed one or more query elements, and provides the other query to the TCE-based search engine for further processing.
US09317547B1
Children backup applications communicating to parent backup applications via application program interfaces are described. A child backup task is executed by a child backup application. Backup information associated with an execution of the child backup task by the child backup application is communicated from the child backup application via an application program interface to a parent backup application. A parent backup task is executed by the parent backup application based on the backup information. The child backup application inherently lacks a functionality to execute the parent backup task as the parent backup application executes the parent backup task.
US09317546B2
A program identifier, a limit identifier, a minimum value, and an increment value are stored to limit data. The limit identifier identifies a first variable used by the program. In response to storing a data value to a second variable, the stored limit identifier is found and a determination is made whether the stored limit identifier identifies the second variable. If the stored limit identifier identifies the second variable, a determination is made whether the data value is greater than the minimum value. If the data value is greater than the minimum value, the data value is stored to a log if an absolute value of the data value minus a most recently logged data value that was previously stored to the second variable is greater than the increment value. The execution of the program is halted or a user is notified in response to the storing to the log.
US09317544B2
A fuzzy joins system that is integrated in a database system generates fuzzy joins between records from two datasets. The fuzzy joins system includes a tokenizer to generate tokens for data records and a transformer to find transforms for the tokens. The fuzzy joins system invokes a signature generator, running within a runtime layer of the database system, to generate signatures for data records based on the tokens and their transforms. Subsequently, an equi-join operation joins the records from the two datasets with at least one equal signature. A similarity calculator, running within a runtime layer of the database system, computes a similarity measure using the token information of the joined records. If the similarity measure for any two records is above a threshold, the fuzzy joins system generates a fuzzy join between such two records.
US09317543B2
Dropping of columns from a table with data availability, where the columns in the table are each associated with a column number, includes: executing a statement to drop a given column in the table and deferring an application of the statement until a reorganization of a current data set including the table. When the reorganization of the current data set is performed, the reorganization includes: updating column numbers for columns in each row of the table using a mapping data structure to remove the given column; loading the plurality of data rows with the updated column numbers into a shadow data set; applying to the shadow data set any changes to the table that are concurrent with the reorganization; updating a schema definition of the table with the updated column numbers; and switching the current data set to the shadow data set.
US09317542B2
A method for receiving a declarative specification including a plurality of stages. Each stage specifies an atomic operation, a data input to the atomic operation, and a data output from the atomic operation. The data input is characterized by a data type. Links between at least two of the stages are generated to create a data integration workflow. The data integration workflow is compiled to generate computer code for execution on a parallel processing platform. The computer code configured to perform at least one of data preparation and data analysis.
US09317541B2
A traditional data processing system is configured to process input data either in batch or in real-time. On one hand, a batch data processing system is limiting because the batch data processing often cannot take into account any data received during the batch data processing. On the other hand, a real-time data processing system is limiting because the real-time system often cannot scale. The real-time data processing system is often limited to dealing with primitive data types and/or a small amount of data. Therefore, it is desirable to address the limitations of the batch data processing system and the real-time data processing system by combining the benefits of the batch data processing system and the real-time data processing system into a single data processing system.
US09317536B2
This invention relates to a system and methods for determining the placement of an object in a distributed key-value store by mapping the object to nodes in multidimensional hyperspace. A search function supports efficient object retrieval, even when the search query requests multiple objects and specifies them through non-primary keys. In response to a search query, the search is translated into hyperregions in the hyperspace to determine the set of nodes that hold the queried data object. The number of contacted nodes and the number of scanned objects are significantly reduced in comparison to prior art techniques.
US09317531B2
The description relates to sentence autocaptioning of images. One example can include a set of information modules and a set of sentence generation modules. The set of information modules can include individual information modules configured to operate on an image or metadata associated with the image to produce image information. The set of sentence generation modules can include individual sentence generation modules configured to operate on the image information to produce a sentence caption for the image.
US09317527B2
Various embodiments provide a method and apparatus for obtaining a representative sample set of venues (i.e., places) within a geographic region in a location based network using a low cost and efficient sampling and estimating algorithm. In particular, a dynamic random region sampling algorithm randomly selects a target location within a geographic region and then determines a sub-region containing the target location within the geographic region based on venue density prediction. Venue density prediction is based on a weighted average of venue densities of two or more comparable locations within the geographic region.
US09317525B2
A technique includes receiving a request to restore a state of a file system. The request defines a rollback period, which extends from a restoration time that is specified by the request to a time at which the request was made. The technique includes reconstructing a state of the file system in response to a query using a preserved snapshot of the file system. The reconstruction including reconstructing the state at an arbitrary query time based at least in part on a dynamically inheritable attribute of an entity stored on the file system and the rollback period.
US09317524B2
A system and method for generating replication requests for objects in a distributed storage system is provided. For a respective object in a distributed storage system the following is performed. Replication policies for the object that have not been satisfied are determined. Replication requests are ranked for the object whose replication policies have not been satisfied based on a number of replicas of the object that need to be created in order to satisfy the replication policies for the object. Replication requests are generated for the object based at least in part on the replication policies for the object that have not been satisfied and on a current state of the distributed storage system. At least a subset of the replication requests for the objects in the distributed storage system are distributed to respective instances of the distributed storage system corresponding to the replication requests for execution.
US09317519B2
A storage system 103 carries out first and second de-duplication processes in response to receiving a write request from a client. First, a determination is made as to whether a write target data item overlaps with any of the stored data items of a part of a stored data item group, which is a user data item group stored in a storage device 209, and if so, the write target data item is prevented from being stored in the storage device. Second, a determination is made as to whether a target stored data item, which is not finished being evaluated as to whether it overlaps with the stored data item in the first de-duplication process, overlaps with another stored data item, and if so, the target stored data item or the same data item overlapping with the target stored data item is deleted from the storage device 209.
US09317518B2
An example of synchronizing data can include converting a data tree structure into a dependency graph and reconciling nodes with a target data structure. Synchronizing data can include merging any duplicate information. Furthermore, synchronizing data can include keeping identifiers of reconciled information with non-reconciled information to locate the reconciled information when the remaining information is reconciled.
US09317501B2
A method, computer system, and computer program product for translating information. The computer system receives the information for a translation. The computer system identifies portions of the information based on a set of rules for security for the information in response to receiving the information. The computer system sends the portions of the information to a plurality of translation systems. In response to receiving translation results from the plurality of translation systems for respective portions of the information, the computer system combines the translation results for the respective portions to form a consolidated translation of the information.
US09317498B2
Systems and methods for summarizing online articles for consumption on a user device are disclosed herein. The system extracts the main body of an article's text from the HTML code of an online article. The system may then classify the extracted article into one of several different categories and removes duplicate articles. The system breaks down the article into its component sentences, and each sentence is classified into one of three categories: (1) potential candidate sentences that may be included in the generated summary; (2) weakly rejected sentences that will not be included in the summary but may be used to generate the summary; and (3) strongly rejected sentences that are not included in the summary. Finally, the system applies a document summarizer to generate quickly readable article summaries, for viewing on the user device, using relevant sentences from the article while maintaining the coherence of the article.
US09317497B2
In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, a computer-implemented method includes determining that a database query warrants a first projection operation to project a plurality of input rows to a plurality of projected rows, where each of the plurality of input rows has one or more variable-length columns. A first projection control block is constructed, by a computer processor, to describe the first projection operation. The first projection operation is offloaded to a hardware accelerator. The first projection control block is provided to the hardware accelerator, and the first projection control block enables the hardware accelerator to perform the first projection operation at streaming rate.
US09317496B2
Disclosed in some examples are systems, methods and machine readable media for the management of content creation. In some examples the system includes a content management component configured to store portions of an electronic content work and to implement version control of the electronic content work; a defect tracking component configured to store a defect record related to a stored portion of the electronic content work; a publication pipeline component configured to format the electronic content work for publication; and a integration component configured to present a graphical user interface which allows for editing the stored portions of the electronic content work, editing the defect record, and instructing the publication pipeline to format the electronic content work for publication.
US09317493B2
According to one embodiment, a handwritten document processing apparatus includes an inputter, classifier, divider, and determiner. The inputter inputs stroke data. The classifier classifies the stroke data into data of a plurality of ruled lines and stroke data other than ruled lines. The divider divides a region including the plurality of ruled lines into first regions each corresponding to a cell bounded by four ruled lines and second regions each including at most three ruled lines. The determiner determines whether a ruled line in the second region is a first ruled line, to one end point of which a ruled line is not connected, or a second ruled line, to one end point of which a virtual circumscribed ruled line is connected.
US09317488B2
Computer systems and computer-implemented methods for transcoding websites adapted for viewing on a personal computer to websites adapted for viewing on a mobile device are disclosed. A computer-implemented transcoding method is implemented on a website server. The computer-implemented transcoding method includes handling a request, selecting a controller, generating a response, and returning the response.
US09317475B2
A multiplexing auxiliary processing element (PE) performs a process that includes the operations of receiving signals of a plurality of upstream processing elements (PEs) including a plurality of pairs of PEs arranged on the input side; supplying the signals from the upstream PEs to a multiplex PE that is multiplexed and used so that the signals are subjected to a predetermined process by the multiplex PE; receiving the processed signals subjected to the predetermined process by the multiplex PE and sequentially supplying the signals to a plurality of downstream PEs arranged on the output side; and performing operations of the upstream PEs synchronously with the supply of the processed signals to the corresponding downstream PEs on the basis of setting of the multiplexing auxiliary PE.
US09317474B2
A semiconductor device of the present invention has processor elements each of which divides data that is contiguous in one direction into multiple data groups and processes them, a processor element control unit that issues a data shift instruction, and a data transfer network that performs data transfer between adjacent processor elements. The processor elements each have a data storage unit that stores one of the multiple data groups, a data selector that outputs transfer data obtained by selecting either of head data or end data of one data group according to a data shift instruction into a data transfer network, a data shifter that shifts a position at which the data group is stored to the right or to the left according to the data shift instruction, and a data connector that connects the data group which is shifted and the transfer data obtained through the data transfer network.
US09317469B2
A computer network with distributed shared memory, including a clustered memory cache aggregated from and comprised of physical memory locations on a plurality of physically distinct computing systems. The network also includes a plurality of local cache managers, each of which are associated with a different portion of the clustered memory cache, and a metadata service operatively coupled with the local cache managers. Also, a plurality of clients are operatively coupled with the metadata service and the local cache managers. In response to a request issuing from any of the clients for a data item present in the clustered memory cache, the metadata service is configured to respond with identification of the local cache manager associated with the portion of the clustered memory cache containing such data item.
US09317455B2
Systems, methods and products directed toward switching device components between multiple operating environments available on an information handling device. One aspect includes switching operation of an information handling device between at least two operating environments responsive to a trigger event, the at least two operating environments comprising a primary and a secondary operating environment; and switching one or more device components from one of the at least two operating environments to the other of the at least two operating environments via a virtual switch operation facilitated by one or more embedded controllers disposed within the information handling device responsive to switching between the at least two operating environments. Other embodiments are described herein.
US09317448B2
A cache includes a cache array and a cache controller. The cache array has a multiple number of entries. The cache controller is coupled to the cache array, for storing new entries in the cache array in response to accesses by a data processor, and evicts entries from the cache array according to a cache replacement policy. The cache controller includes a frequent writes predictor for storing frequency information indicating a write back frequency for the multiple number of entries. The cache controller selects a candidate entry for eviction based on both recency information and the frequency information.
US09317447B2
Storage tracks from at least one host are destaged from the write cache rank when it is determined that the at least one host is idle with respect to a first set of ranks, and storage tracks are refrained from being destaged from each rank when it is determined that the at least one host is not idle with respect to a second set of ranks such that storage tracks in the first set of ranks may be destaged while storage tracks in the second set of ranks are not being destaged.
US09317444B2
Latency reduction for direct memory access operations involving address translation is disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to perform direct memory access (DMA) operations include initializing a ring of descriptors, the descriptors to index respective buffers for storing, in a first memory, data to be transmitted. Such example methods also include causing prefetching of a first address translation associated with a second descriptor in the ring of descriptors to be performed after a first DMA operation is performed to retrieve, for transmission, first data from a first buffer indexed by a first descriptor in the ring of descriptors and before second data is determined to be ready for transmission, the first address translation being associated with a second DMA operation for retrieving the second data from the first memory.
US09317441B2
Embodiments of systems, apparatuses, and methods for performing guest logical memory address to host physical memory address translation are described. In some embodiments, a system receives the guest logical memory address and determines an index page reference from the guest logical memory address. The system further retrieves a page index corresponding to the virtual machine. In addition, the system retrieves a first part of the host physical memory address from index page using the page index and a second part of the host physical memory address from the guest logical memory address. The system generates the host physical memory address from the first and second parts of the host physical memory address.
US09317423B2
The first storage apparatus provides a primary logical volume, and the second storage apparatus has a secondary logical volume. When the first storage apparatus receives a write command to the primary logical volume, a package processor in a flash package allocates first physical area in the flash memory chip to first cache logical area for write data and stores the write data to the allocated first physical area. And when the package processor receives journal data creation command form the processor, allocates the first physical area to second journal area for journal data without storing journal data corresponding to the write data.
US09317421B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods to manage memory operations are described. In one embodiment, an electronic device comprises a processor and a memory control logic to retrieve a global sequence number from a memory device, receive a read request for data stored in a logical block address in the memory device, retrieve a media sequence number from the logical block address in the memory device, and return a null response in lieu of the data stored in the logical block address when the media sequence number is older than the global sequence number. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US09317419B1
A method, computer program product, and computing system for grouping storage blocks within a file system into a plurality of storage pools including a free-backed storage pool, a free-unbacked storage pool, and an allocated-backed storage pool. The free-backed storage pool identifies unused storage blocks within the file system that are already associated with physical storage space within a backend storage system. The free-unbacked storage pool identifies unused storage blocks within the file system that are not yet associated with physical storage space within the backend storage system. The allocated-backed storage pool identifies used storage blocks within the file system that are already associated with physical storage space within the backend storage system. A request is received for one or more unused storage blocks within the file system. The request is fulfilled by selecting one or more unused storage blocks identified within the storage pools while prioritizing the selection of unused storage blocks identified within the free-backed storage pool.
US09317418B2
A non-volatile memory storage apparatus having a connector, an energy storage circuit, a power regulator and supply circuit, a non-volatile memory module, a memory controller and a buffer memory is provided. The power regulator and supply circuit is configured for transforming an output voltage from the energy storage circuit into a first voltage used for the non-volatile memory module and a second voltage used for the memory controller and the buffer memory. The memory controller is configured for writing data stored temporarily in the buffer memory into the non-volatile memory module with a special writing mode when receiving a detecting signal indicating that an input voltage is continuously smaller than a predetermined voltage for a predetermined period or receiving a detecting signal indicating that an inactive status of the connector or receiving a suspend mode signal, a warm reset signal or a hot reset signal from a host system.
US09317413B2
A testing device and a testing method thereof are provided. The testing device is connected to a terminal device running a graphical user interface (GUI). The testing device runs a testing program to start a recording procedure to execute the following steps: detecting a plurality of actions generated in response to operations on the terminal device; detecting a foreground application of the GUI; reading a plurality of pieces of object information of the foreground application; and determining the actions to record an object property operation of the foreground application and a call command. The testing device further stops the recording procedure to generate and store a script file and a reference log file. The script file includes the object property operation and the call command.
US09317412B1
Utilizing data collected from users belonging to different organizations to select a test scenario template relevant for testing configuration elements involves the following: identifying runs of test scenarios run by users belonging to different organizations; clustering the runs of test scenarios to clusters that include similar runs; generating connections between the configuration elements and the clusters; weighting the connections based on the number of users that acted according to the connections; receiving certain configuration elements; selecting a certain cluster based on a subset of the certain configuration elements and the connections, where each element in the subset is connected to the certain cluster by a connection, and the sum of weights of connections between elements in the subset and the certain cluster, reaches a threshold; and selecting a test scenario template representing the certain cluster.
US09317403B2
A method for creating a text label for a first digital image includes a portion of a second digital image. The first digital image includes a plurality of pixels selected from the second digital image. The first digital image also includes at least one non-text string element. A computer processor is configured to search the first or second digital images for a text string and identify whether the text string is a candidate text string based on at least one first criteria associated with the said text string. Upon determining the text string is a candidate text string, the method creates a text label for the first digital image based upon the candidate text string.
US09317402B2
Systems and methods for generating test information from a source code are described. One of the methods includes accessing the source code. The method further includes receiving a modification of the source code to generate a modified source code. The modification includes one or more instructions that do not affect functions performed by executing the source code. The modification further includes one or more instructions for generating test information regarding each executable line of the source code.
US09317389B2
An apparatus and method for tracking stress on a processor and responsively controlling operating conditions. For example, one embodiment of a processor comprises: stress tracking logic to determine stress experienced by one or more portions of the processor based on current operating conditions of the one or more portions of the processor; and stress control logic to control one or more operating characteristics of the processor based on the determined stress and a target stress accumulation rate.
US09317375B1
A method is used for managing cache backup and restore for continuous data replication and protection. I/O operations are quiesced at a cache module. A first snapshot of a storage object and a second snapshot of an SSD cache object are taken. The I/O operations at the cache module are unquiesced. A single backup image comprising the first snapshot and the second snapshot is created. The single backup image is sent to a first data protection appliance (DPA) and recorded in a journal.
US09317368B2
A storage management application of a storage array is operable to create a new volume on the storage device array, and to automatically configure, responsive to user selection of an application protection profile, data protection services for application data to be stored on the volume, and/or, responsive to user selection of an application performance profile, application specific performance parameters. The application protection profile specifies scheduling and replication of snapshots for application data to be stored on the volume, and the application performance profile specifies performance parameters such as setting a block size, enabling or modifying a data caching algorithm, turning on or modifying data compression, etc. The scheduling, replication and/or application performance may be managed by a daemon associated with the storage management application which communicates with an agent associated with an application server on which the application executes.
US09317357B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, system, and computer program product for managing a microcode error in a storage operation. The method includes receiving an error code that corresponds to the microcode error. The method also includes receiving a received error path signature for the error code. The method also includes identifying a metadata error path signature for the error code within a metadata table. The method also includes determining whether the received error path signature for the error code substantially matches the metadata error path signature for the error code. The method also includes initiating a mitigation action in response to the received error path signature for the error code substantially matching the metadata error path signature for the error code.
US09317352B2
A Galois field arithmetic operation circuit substituting (2^m−1) elements (m is an integer) expressed by m bits of Galois field GF(2^m) includes: a base calculation unit configured to calculate m linear independent elements out of the (2^m−1) elements; and a linear development unit configured to calculate the remaining (2^m−1−m) elements not included in the m linear independent elements by combination of the m linear independent elements respectively. The Galois field arithmetic operation circuit may be included in a memory device or other system.
US09317347B1
The disclosed computer-implemented method for facilitating atomic delivery of bundled data sets to applications within distributed systems may include (1) receiving, at a queue of an application, a data set from at least one other application, (2) determining that the data set is incorporated in a bundle whose contents have yet to completely arrive at the queue, (3) gating the data set at the queue until the bundle's contents have completely arrived at the queue, (4) receiving, at the queue, another data set incorporated in the bundle, (5) determining that the bundle's contents have completely arrived at the queue based at least in part on receiving the other data set, and then (6) notifying the application that the bundle is ready for atomic delivery such that the application is able to consume the bundle's contents on an as-needed basis. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09317340B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system and computer program product for re-locating virtual machines (VM) in a data center environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for intelligent VM relocation includes selecting a set of VMs for relocation over a data communications network within a data center from one or more source physical machines to one or more target physical machines. The method also includes computing in memory of a computer in the data center a VM mobility cost for relocating the set of the VMs. The method yet further includes determining whether or not the VM mobility cost exceeds available resources in the data communications network. Finally, the method includes relocating the set of the VMs only it is determined that the VM mobility cost does not exceed the available resources of the data communications network.
US09317334B2
An application combines on-site and cloud-based calculations. The application selects a cloud computing broker from a list sorted by load. The broker receives computation requests from the application, sends corresponding load-balanced requests to local application service hosts and cloud proxies, receives responses, and sends the responses to the application without identifying the response source as local versus non-local. Each proxy has a logical-physical mapping of cloud-resident worker nodes. A scheduler receives session requests from applications, allocates local and cloud computing resources to a session, and tracks resource usage by session. An application previously run only on-premises can be executed partially on cloud worker nodes without modification. The proxy re-routes unfulfilled requests from a failed worker, undetected by the broker. If all workers assigned to that proxy fail, then the broker reassigns unfulfilled requests to another proxy, undetected by the application.
US09317328B2
Accepting a job having a job size representing a number or quantity of processors; computing an expected size, and a standard deviation in size, for the accepted job; adding the expected size to the standard deviation in size to determine a sum; comparing the sum to a number or quantity of available clusters at each of a plurality of non-leaf nodes of a tree representing a high-performance computing environment; and when the number or quantity of available clusters is more than the sum at a sub-tree of the tree and, going down one level further in the sub-tree, the number of available clusters is less than the sum, selecting the sub-tree for the accepted job such that the accepted job is placed on one or more clusters associated with the selected sub-tree.
US09317325B2
A mechanism for idling an application in a multi-tenant cloud hosting environment is disclosed. A method of the invention includes detecting, by a reverse proxy of a node of a cloud computing architecture, a lack of minimum usage of an application hosted on the node, the application being one of a plurality of applications being hosted on the node and instructing the node to shut down the application in response. The reverse proxy is then; and reconfigured to point to a restarter instead of the application, wherein the restarter restarts the application in response to detecting an access to the application.
US09317323B2
Scheduling and dispatching jobs for a plurality of different entities. A method includes receiving at a work coordinator, one or more actions associated with a job. The method further includes storing in a log at the work coordinator, keyed on a job key, state for the one or more actions and a list of the one or more actions. The method further includes making calls to one or more worker processes to cause the worker process to perform actions associated with the job. As a result of making calls to one or more worker processes, the method further includes receiving at least one of a change to the list of remaining actions or the state.
US09317322B2
A computer-implemented method is presented here. The method obtains a script to be executed, wherein the script includes instructions for an asynchronous operation, and wherein the asynchronous operation includes a request calling for a result. The method continues by performing a provisional iteration of the script, wherein the provisional iteration of the script is associated with at least a portion of the script, and wherein the provisional iteration of the script obtains and saves the result as a cached result. Thereafter, a final iteration of the script is performed using the cached result.
US09317321B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for determining distributions of virtual machine (VM) patterns across pools of VM instances based upon historical data (e.g., to achieve faster provisioning times). In a typical embodiment, a total pool size for a pool of VM instances is determined (e.g., based on historical data). Then, a distribution of a set of VM instance patterns across the pool is determined (e.g., also based upon historical data). Once the distribution has been determined, the pool of VM instances may be provisioned according to the distribution. In one embodiment, the VM patterns may be evenly distributed across the pool. In another embodiment, the VM patterns may be distributed according to percentages with which the VM patterns were previously requested. In yet another embodiment, the VM patterns may be grouped into two or more groups that are associated with particular user/customer level(s) (e.g., privilege and/or permission level, a service level purchased and/or specified by the consumer, etc).
US09317319B2
A cloud manager monitors running VM patterns, determines potential VM patterns that have a different configuration than the running VM patterns, and performs estimates of a plurality of metrics for the potential VM patterns. When the estimates for the potential VM patterns exceed the monitored VM patterns currently running by some threshold amount, the potential VM patterns may be automatically deployed to one or more clouds. The result is a cloud-based system that is automatically and dynamically tuned to changing conditions.
US09317312B2
A computer comprising: a processor; a memory; and an I/O device, the memory including at least one first memory element and at least one second memory element, wherein a memory area provided by the at least one second memory element includes a data storage area and a data compression area, wherein the computer comprises a virtualization management unit, and wherein the virtualization management unit is configured to: set a working set for storing data required for processing performed by a virtual machine in generating the virtual machine, and control data stored in the working set in such a manner that part of the data stored in the working set is stored in the data compression area based on a state of accesses to the data stored in the working set.
US09317307B2
The invention relates to a system and method for automating a system wherein an interpreter generates and executes an execution code based on instructions received in form of a tree sequence, and wherein the tree sequence comprises information of parallel operations to define the respective automation procedure. The definition of the tree sequence may be based on a standardized human and machine readable format, such as e.g. an XML document.
US09317304B2
A supervisor module manages multiple user selected applications. A first one of the multiple applications is launched in a first container. Allocation of a first process identifier by the first one of the multiple applications in the first container is detected. The first process identifier is unique within the first container. A first unique identifier is allocated to the first one of the multiple applications. The launch of a second one of the multiple applications is delayed but subsequently launched if the first unique identifier has been allocated to the first one of the multiple applications. A second unique identifier is allocated to the second one of the multiple applications. The first and second unique identifiers uniquely identify the respective first and second ones of the multiple applications within the supervisor module.
US09317303B2
A system, device and method for managing interactive content on a computing device are provided. In an embodiment, a computing device in the form of a portable computing device is configured to execute a web-browser application and a parser application. The web-browser application is configured to obtain and display a web page. The parser application is configured to detect an interactive element in the web page, the interactive element initiating execution of an application when activated. The parser application is further configured to populate the web page with a visual identifier indicating the application initiated by activation of the interactive element.
US09317299B2
A method and a device for cold starting an Android mobile terminal are disclosed. The method includes: the mobile terminal in standby state backs up data needing to be saved to a non-volatile storage device and then is powered off after a power supply of the mobile terminal is turned off in a fast cold starting mode; after the mobile terminal is restarted, the data backed up in the non-volatile storage device is restored to a corresponding physical memory. The advantage of the technical solution is that: by backing up the data needing to be saved, such as used pages, the efficiency of data backup and recovery is improved, and the time for cold starting of the Android mobile terminal is significantly shortened.
US09317295B2
Disclosed are an asynchronous pipeline system, a stage, and a data transfer mechanism. The asynchronous pipeline system having a plurality of stages based on a 4-phase protocol, includes: a first stage among the plurality of stages; and a second stage among the plurality of stages connected next to the first stage, wherein the first stage transmits and the second receives bundled data and control data through an always bundled data channel and on-demand data through an on-demand data channel according to need of the second stage.
US09317292B2
Branch instructions are managed in an emulation environment that is executing a program. A plurality of slots in a Polymorphic Inline Cache is populated. A plurality of entries is populated in a branch target buffer residing within an emulated environment in which the program is executing. When an indirect branch instruction associated with the program is encountered, a target address associated with the instruction is identified from the indirect branch instruction. At least one address in each of the slots of the Polymorphic Inline Cache is compared to the target address associated with the indirect branch instruction. If none of the addresses in the slots of the Polymorphic Inline Cache matches the target address associated with the indirect branch instruction, the branch target buffer is searched to identify one of the entries in the branch target buffer that is associated with the target address of the indirect branch instruction.
US09317291B2
A method and circuit arrangement utilize a register file of an execution unit as a local instruction loop buffer to enable suitable algorithms, such as DSP algorithms, to be fetched and executed directly within the execution unit, and often enabling other logic circuits utilized for other, general purpose workloads to either be powered down or freed up to handle other workloads.
US09317286B2
A processor including instruction support for implementing the Camellia block cipher algorithm may issue, for execution, programmer-selectable instructions from a defined instruction set architecture (ISA). The processor may include a cryptographic unit that may receive instructions for execution. The instructions include one or more Camellia instructions defined within the ISA. In addition, the Camellia instructions may be executable by the cryptographic unit to implement portions of a Camellia cipher that is compliant with Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request For Comments (RFC) 3713. In response to receiving a Camellia F( )-operation instruction defined within the ISA, the cryptographic unit may perform an F( ) operation, as defined by the Camellia cipher, upon a data input operand and a subkey operand, in which the data input operand and subkey operand may be specified by the Camellia F( )-operation instruction.
US09317279B2
Techniques are described to allow substation of blocks into a virtual machine image of an executing virtual machine. A patch may be applied to a first virtual machine image. One or more blocks modified by the patch are identified and copied to a host having a virtual machine executing from a virtual machine image that is based on the first virtual machine image (prior to the patch). While the virtual machine is executing, the substitution blocks are applied (supersede) corresponding original blocks in the virtual machine image. A guest operating system in the virtual machine may either begin using an executable file in a substitution block. In addition, the guest operating system may be forced to flush from memory and cache executable code replaced by the substitution block.
US09317269B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for provisioning resources for an application according to an application manifest. The resources may include database, network, and processing resources. The application manifest may be organized as a manifest tree with provisioned resources having their own application manifests for provisioning sub-resources. The application manifest may also define provisioning and de-provisioning of the application in response to loading of the application. Root cause analysis may be performed in accordance with the manifest tree. Also disclosed are systems and methods for rolling out an upgrade across a node cluster. Systems and methods are disclosed for routing traffic to different workflow paths in order to implement an overloaded path and evaluate performance of the overloaded path.
US09317259B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for automatically generating a reusable software component for interfacing with a web service. The apparatus for automatically generating a reusable software component for interfacing with a web service is provided with a logic unit containing a plurality of module configured to functionally execute the steps of receiving a web service identifier, establishing communication with a web service, determining one or more functions provided by the web service, and automatically generating a reusable web service component configured to receive an application request and return a web service result. These modules in the described embodiments include a receiving module, a determination module, a communication module, and a generation module. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would facilitate creation, test, and integration of web service components in application code without requiring a substantial time and resource investment.
US09317253B1
In one embodiment, a shift register is provided. The LFSR includes a plurality of processing stages coupled in series, each configured to implement N taps of the LFSR. N single-tap circuits are coupled together in series and arranged to implement the last N taps of the LFSR. Each coefficient(s) of a feedback polynomial of the LFSR is implemented by one of the taps of the plurality of processing stages or the N single-tap circuits. A feedback generation circuit is configured to provide, for each of the plurality of processing stages, a respective feedback signal as a function of polynomial coefficients implemented by the processing stage and output from one or more of the N single tap circuits.
US09317251B2
A method for correcting a shift error in a fused multiply add operation. The method comprises adjusting a normalized floating-point number before performing a shift error correction to produce an adjusted normalized floating-point number, and correcting a shift error in the adjusted normalized floating-point number. The correcting the shift error comprises shifting a mantissa of the adjusted normalized floating-point number in one direction. A fused multiply add module comprising a normalizer module, a compensation logic, and a round. The normalizer module is operable to normalize a floating-point number to produce a normalized floating-point number. The floating-point number is normalized based upon an estimated quantity of leading zeros. The compensation logic is operable to manage a correction of a shift error in the normalized floating-point number. The rounder is operable to correct the shift error with a mantissa shift in only one direction.
US09317249B2
An operations support system is provided for an engine with a turbine having a turbine inlet. The system includes a diagnostic engine model unit configured to receive engine data from the engine and to generate diagnostics data based on the engine data, the diagnostics data including scalars. The system further includes an engine-specific model unit coupled to the diagnostic engine model unit and configured to receive the scalars from the diagnostic engine model unit and configured to generate turbine inlet temperature information for the engine using a thermodynamic model. The thermodynamic model is based on component maps associated with the engine. The system further includes a storage unit coupled to the engine-specific model unit and configured to store the turbine inlet temperature information.
US09317248B2
An information processing device capable of performing external communication through a communication device for performing communication includes a subsystem arranged between the communication device and a main unit of the information processing device including a central processing unit and an operating system. The subsystem temporarily stores communication data between the communication device and the central processing unit when the central processing unit is in a power source turned-off state or a suspended state, and the subsystem transfers the communication data between the communication device and the central processing unit when the central processing unit is in a power source turned-on state. Accordingly, external communication is enabled without altering the connection manager of the OS even when the subsystem is placed between the communication device and the OS.
US09317245B2
Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for displaying images. The apparatus includes a first image output unit, a second image output unit, an image signal selection unit, and an image display unit. The first image output unit is set to master operation mode, and outputs an image signal to be displayed. The second image output unit is set to slave operation mode, and, if the first image output unit has failed, is switched to master operation mode and then continuously outputs the image signal or a new image signal. The image signal selection unit compares the IP source address of a received master message with previously stored address information, and then selects the image signal that is received from the first image output unit or the second image output unit that has a matching address. The image display unit displays the selected image signal.
US09317236B2
An information processing apparatus for creating drawing data based on a printing job including printing data and setting information, includes a drawing data creating unit configured to create drawing data based on the printing job; and a control data creating unit configured to create first control data and second control data, based on the printing data and the setting information, for controlling the drawing data creating unit to create the drawing data, in response to detecting that a predetermined setting is included in the setting information. The control data creating unit outputs the first control data to the drawing data creating unit to create first drawing data, and outputs the second control data to the drawing data creating unit to create second drawing data in which the first drawing data is used.
US09317234B2
A computer readable information recording medium stores a preview display program that performs, when executed by one or more processors, functions of a part configured to determine setting information for imposition type; a part configured to determine setting information for finishing; and a part configured to display preview images for a state after bookbinding in a case where the setting information for imposition type, determined by the part configured to determine setting information for imposition type, includes a setting of magazine or mini book and the setting information for finishing, determined by the part configured to determine setting information for finishing, includes a setting for carrying out the bookbinding, and display preview images for a state before the bookbinding in the other cases.
US09317220B2
A data management apparatus has a first storage unit, a first selecting unit, a second selecting unit, and a second storage unit. The first storage unit stores data associated with first identification information. When writing data out to a storage medium, the first selecting unit selects a first storage medium on which the first identification information corresponding to the data to be written out is displayed, from among a plurality of storage media. When the first storage medium is not available, the second selecting unit selects a second storage medium attached with a display unit configured to display stored information, from among the plurality of storage media, and stores the first identification information in the display unit of the second storage medium.
US09317213B1
Variably-sized data objects may be received for storage at a data store. The data store may have a minimum write size. In various embodiments, received data objects may be divided into one or more equally-sized portions that equal the minimum write size of the data store and a remainder of the data object. The one or more equally-sized portions of the data object may be stored in data blocks that are equivalent to the minimum write size of the data store in a fixed-size data storage area of the data store. The remainder of the data object may be stored in a variably-sized data storage area of the data store along with one or more other data portions in a same data block. The remainder of the data object may, in some embodiments, be linked to the one or more equally-sized portions of the data object.
US09317210B2
An approach is provided in which a storage system includes a first storage controller, a second storage controller, and multiple logical units. The storage system detects that a controller traffic load ratio between the first storage controller and the second storage controller has reached a threshold. As such, the storage system selects one of the logical units and partitions the selected logical unit into multiple logical units. The storage system, in turn, changes a preferred controller ownership of one of the logical unit partitions from the first storage controller to the second storage controller.
US09317194B2
An apparatus and user interface (155) for aiding in navigating and modifying delineations (117a-c) in or associated with 2D sub-volumes (110a-c) of a 3D or higher dimensional image dataset (100). States and position of the sub-volumes visualized. Both, states and position can be changed by using the functionalities of the user interface generated (155) by said apparatus. The apparatus can be used in medical image post-processing system.
US09317193B2
The invention relates to a computer-implemented graphical user interface (6) comprising a work area and multiple widgets (W13, W13a, W13b, W13c) that are arranged on the work area such that said widgets are visible to the user. Each output widget (W13) comprises one or more content windows (FI3) with data elements. The widgets (W13, W13a, W13b, W13c) and the content windows (FI3) are coupled such that a content window (FI3) and/or data elements that are selected in said window can be moved by the user from an output widget (WI3) in which said content window and/or data elements are arranged into one of multiple possible target widgets (W13a, W13b, W13c) that are visible to the user for processing.
US09317190B2
An electronic device including a display of a main surface area and a curved surface area extended from the main surface area, and a controller configured to control the electronic device operable in a first mode in which information is displayed only on the curved surface area and a second mode in which information is displayed on at least one of the main surface area and the curved surface area, control the display to present a first user interface (UI) for accepting or rejecting the incoming call only on the curved surface area, in response to receiving an incoming call while in the first mode, and control the display to present a second UI for accepting or rejecting the incoming call on at least one of the main surface area and the curved surface area, in response to receiving an incoming call while in the second mode.
US09317187B2
There is provided a web browser operation method and operation apparatus capable of preferably setting an access restriction function for restricting access of a web browser to be used by an unspecified number of users. First, content acquired from a web server is displayed on a display based on a format described in the content. An operation tool for performing operations related to processing of the content is also displayed on the screen. When an operation instruction is inputted by a user with the use of the operation tool, processing related to the displayed content is performed based on the operation instruction. In this case, restrictions are set on operation instructions by the user among operation instructions, and selection by the user of tool portions corresponding to the set restrictions, among tool portions which can be specified by the operation tool, are set as disabled.
US09317185B2
Disclosed are various embodiments of systems and methods for generating composite mediasets from mediasets, each comprising media items, associated with a plurality of users. In some embodiments, individual and/or group recommendations are provided for creating a group playlist by aggregating user taste data for a plurality of users in a group. In other embodiments, systems and methods are provided which allow for sharing and playing of a group playlist by users in a group, each of which has a media playback device. In still other embodiments, systems and methods are provided for dynamically building a composite playlist that may be updated as users enter and/or leave the group. One example of an interactive entertainment application also is described for use at a venue to entertain live guests with music selections that are dynamically influenced by the guests' individual tastes.
US09317183B2
Systems and methods for presenting a menu at a computing device are provided. In some aspects, an indication of a user touching a hardware menu button of the computing device is received, where the hardware menu button is separate and distinct from a touchscreen of the computing device. A menu on the touchscreen is presented in response to the user touching the hardware menu button, where the menu includes multiple menu elements, and where each menu element has a corresponding command. An indication of the user touching the touchscreen at a starting point within a dragging-start region of the touchscreen is received. An indication of the user dragging a touching device along the touchscreen from the starting point to a termination point is received, where the termination point is associated with a termination menu element. A signal is provided for execution of the corresponding command of the termination menu element.
US09317164B2
A capacitive position sensor system is provided for determining the position of an object, wherein the object is positioned within a sensitive area of the capacitive position sensor system and changes the capacitance of capacitors being arranged underneath the object.
US09317162B2
A protection circuit for a touch panel device includes a detection block and a protection block. The detection block is arranged for detecting occurrence of noise interference that affects touch event detection of the touch panel device, and asserting a protection signal when occurrence of the noise interference is detected. The protection block is arranged for enabling a protection mechanism for protecting the touch panel device from the noise interference when triggered by the asserted protection signal. Besides, a protection method for a touch panel device includes: detecting occurrence of noise interference that affects touch event detection of the touch panel device; and enabling a protection mechanism for protecting the touch panel device from the noise interference when occurrence of the noise interference is detected.
US09317158B2
Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and system that is able to minimize or remove the affect of substantially non-random electrical interference on an input device's ability to reliably and accurately sense the position of an object. In one embodiment, the input device is configured to systematically correct for a cyclic variation in the electromagnetic interference (EMI) generated by components within the electronic system, such as interference generated by the process of refreshing or updating an image on a display module that affects the capacitive sensing measurements acquired from a plurality of capacitive sensing elements. However, in some embodiments of the invention, the performance of an input device is improved by reducing the affect that external interference generated outside of the electronic system have on the position sensing data acquired by the input device.
US09317155B2
Particular embodiments described herein provide for a wearable electronic device, such as a bracelet, watch, wristband or armband that includes a circuit board coupled to a plurality of electronic components (which may include any type of components, elements, circuitry, etc.). One particular implementation of a wearable electronic device may include a strap portion and a display portion. The display portion may include a display; one or more input elements configured to receive one or more interactions that may be associated with: selecting a preconfigured message to communicate and selecting one or more other electronic devices to which to communicate a preconfigured message. The wearable electronic device may further include wireless communication circuitry configured to communicate a selected preconfigured message to one or more selected other electronic devices.
US09317149B2
Disclosed are a method for detecting a touch position of a touch screen and the touch screen using the same. A method for detecting a touch position on a touch screen includes the steps of: detecting a touched touch screen block among touch screen blocks by using signals generated from at least one touch sensor among touch sensors included in a plurality of touch screen blocks into which an area of the touch screen is divided; and detecting a touch position in the detected touch screen block on the basis of a signal of a touch sensor included in the detected touch screen block. Thus, compared to an existing method of processing a signal by reading measurement values of all measurement sensors, the invention enables fast signal processing, thereby reducing measurement signal processing time for measuring a touch position of a touch screen.
US09317137B2
A touch module, a projection system, and a touch method of the touch module are provided. The touch module includes a laser scanner device, a photodiode, an image capturing device, and a processing unit. The laser scanner device sequentially provides a touch region with a laser beam at a plurality of angles in a first period. The photodiode is configured for receiving a reflection beam from a touch point in the touch region. The image capturing device captures an image having another reflection beam from the touch point in a second period. The processing unit determines a first angle corresponding to the touch point according to the reflection beam from the touch point received by the photodiode, determines a second angle corresponding to another reflection beam captured by the image capturing device, and calculates location information of the touch point according to the first angle and the corresponding second angle.
US09317118B2
A system for simulating materials using touch surfaces includes a touch surface, an actuator and/or an temperature control device, and a control unit. The control unit controls the actuator or the temperature control device to cause at least a portion of the touch surface to simulate a material. Such control may include utilizing the actuator to vibrate the surface to simulate the tactile sensation of texture. Such control may also include utilizing the temperature control device (such as a Peltier device) to control the temperature of the surface in order to simulate the thermal conductivity of a material. In some cases, the temperature control may be performed utilizing a temperature sensor to adjust the temperature of the surface. In various cases, the vibration and/or temperature may be varied over time, such as in response to one or more touches detected using one or more touch sensors.
US09317115B2
A digital instructional environment leverages an infrared eye-tracker to monitor a learner's reading and viewing of text and simulations for subject matter. The system detects out-of-order reading/viewing patterns that could lead to poor comprehension. The digital learning environment communicates with other tutorial components including simulation environments, pedagogical agents and may respond in real-time to such patterns with messages that guide learners (knowledge acquirers) to return to effective reading/viewing patterns so as to promote effective construction of mental model(s) developed during knowledge acquisition/learning.
US09317113B1
An electronic device can attempt to determine a gaze direction of a user, which can be used to determine an object of interest to the user. Determining the gaze direction helps to reduce the search space and reduce processing requirements for identifying the object. Image information can be captured that includes the object of interest, which then can be analyzed to recognize the type of object. Upon recognizing the object, the user can be provided with information about the object, which in some cases can depend at least in part upon a current context or location of the object. If the object is a networked device, the user can potentially be provided with input options for controlling the device.
US09317107B2
Image display systems and methods are provided. A plurality of pixel groups, each including a plurality of independent pixels, forms a display. A plurality of lenses (1251-N) forming an optical array and aligned along at least one axis (130), can be disposed proximate the display. Each of the plurality of lenses can provide a limited viewing arc (1501-N) for each of the plurality of independent pixels. A sample system can also include a detector (160) to detect the presence and location of a first user (165) and a second user (170) and logic (175), that when executed by a processor (180) coupled to the display, routes a first display signal (1451) based upon the viewing arc of a first portion of pixels; and routes a second display signal (1452) based upon the viewing arc of a second portion of pixels.
US09317104B2
A server cluster including a network switch and multiple server nodes is provided. The network switch is connected to an external network. Each server node includes a network port, a network chip and a control unit. The network port is connected to the network switch via a cable. The network chip detects the cable to obtain a connection state with the external network at the server node after the network switch is started, and accordingly outputs a connection state signal. The control unit turns on or shuts down the server node according to the connection state signal and an on/off state of the server node.
US09317099B2
A method and apparatus for reducing power consumption in an electronic device are provided. The method includes receiving media content from a server, establishing a control state based on the media content, controlling power of at least one of a communication connection device and a display according to the control state of the received media content, determining whether a reception of the media content is completed, determining whether the electronic device performs functions for playing and controlling a digital media, transitioning a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), when it has been determined that a reception of the media content and that the functions are not performed by the electronic device, to a power save mode, and disconnecting the WLAN, when it has been determined that receiving the media content is completed and that the functions are performed by the electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises the communication connection device.
US09317093B2
A backup power supply device that is used as a backup for a normal power supply device that includes a first converter configured to convert a first alternating-current voltage into a first direct-current voltage and a second converter configured to convert the first direct-current voltage into a second direct-current voltage includes a first detector that is coupled to an output of the first converter and outputs a first detection signal when the first direct-current voltage is lower than a first predetermined value; a third converter that converts a second alternating-current voltage into a third direct-current voltage; a battery that is charged by the third direct-current voltage; and a first switch that connects an output of the battery or an output of the third converter to an input of the second converter based on the output of the first detection signal.
US09317073B2
A computing device includes a housing and a display assembly having a screen. The housing at least partially circumvents the screen so that the screen is viewable. A touch sensor is provided with a portion of the housing having a different planar orientation than a remainder of the housing. For example, the touch sensor may be provided with a portion of the housing that is off-plane with the screen of the display assembly. A processor is provided within the housing to detect a first user interaction with the touch sensor, and to interpret the first user interaction as a first user input. The processor further executes one or more instructions in response to the first user input.
US09317072B2
A hinge mechanism with preset positions is described. In at least some implementations, the hinge mechanism enables a support component to be adjustably attached to an apparatus, such as a computing device. The support component can be rotated via the hinge mechanism to various positions to provide support for different orientations of the computing device. In at least some embodiments, a hinge mechanism utilizes preset hinge positions that enable a support component to be placed at different preset positions. For instance, the hinge mechanism is configured such that an attached support component tends to “snap” into various preset positions.
US09317071B2
An electronic device includes a first body, a second body and a hinge module. The hinge module includes a first pivot component, a second pivot component and a sliding component. The first pivot component fixed on the first body has a positioning portion. The second pivot component is fixed on the second body. The first pivot component is pivoted to the second pivot component. The sliding component slidably disposed at the second pivot component has a positioning structure. When the positioning structure is on a moving path of the positioning portion and the first pivot component rotates and drives the positioning portion to arrive at the positioning structure, the positioning structure interferes with the positioning portion to position the first pivot component. When the first pivot component rotates reversely, the positioning portion pushes the sliding component and the positioning structure moves away from the moving path.
US09317054B2
A circuit may include a differential amplifier and a feedback network. The feedback network may have a chain of resistance sets coupled in series, with a first end terminal coupled to an output terminal of the differential amplifier and a second end terminal coupled to a power reference terminal of the differential amplifier. Respective nodes may be coupled between successive ones of the resistance sets. A feedback terminal may be coupled to an inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier. A controller may control a set of switches to electrically couple a given node to the feedback terminal. A first resistance set of the chain adjacent the first end terminal may be two resistance subsets coupled in series, with an intermediate node coupled therebetween. A programmable current generator may have a current output coupled to the intermediate node and may produce a controlled current flowing at the current output terminal.
US09317052B1
A calibration circuit of a semiconductor apparatus may include: a reference voltage generator suitable for generating first and second pull-up reference voltages based on a pull-up control signal, and generating first and second pull-down reference voltages based on a pull-down control signal; and a calibrator suitable for generating a pull-up resistor code corresponding to an external reference resistor based on the first and second pull-up reference voltages, and generating a pull-down resistor code corresponding to the external reference resistor based on the first and second pull-down reference voltages and the pull-up resistor code.
US09317050B2
A method and apparatus for controlling a converter of a fuel cell vehicle that uses a power control value generated based on an inverter DC terminal voltage as a reference value, and generates a current reference signal based on the reference value is provided. More specifically, the method and apparatus output a final reference signal that generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal by compensating for the current reference signal based on output terminal current of the converter. A peak value is then increased by amplifying a triangular wave signal, and the amplified triangular wave signal and the compensated final reference signal according to the current reference signal change rate are compared. A PWM signal having a predetermined duty ratio is then generated to control the converter.
US09317049B2
A voltage converter (FIG. 4) for a power supply circuit is disclosed. The voltage converter comprises a control circuit (400) coupled to receive an enable (EN) signal. The control circuit produces a first control signal (PWM) to provide a load current (IL) in response to the enable signal. A sample and hold circuit (408) is arranged to produce a third control signal (CSP) to emulate the load current and a fourth control signal (CSN′) to sample and hold value of the third control signal. A comparator circuit (416) is arranged to compare the third and fourth control signals and produce the enable signal in response to a result of the comparison.
US09317046B2
A variable output heating control system includes a user interface, an operating parameter sensor, a controller, a combination control valve, a plurality of variable flow valves, and a plurality of burners. The user interface allows a user to enter operating parameters, such as a set temperature. The operating parameters sensor provides measured parameters, such as a measured temperature. The controller receives the set temperature and the measured temperature and generates commands to control the flow of gas, based on the set temperature and the measured temperature. The combination control valve shuts off the flow of gas from an external gas source based on a command from the controller. The plurality of variable flow valves vary the flow of gas that is received from the combination control valve and supplied to the burners. The plurality of burners provide heat based on the combustion of gas that is received from the plurality of variable flow valves.
US09317042B2
Embodiments are directed to generating, by a processing device, a feedback command for an aircraft based on a reference input and an output response of the aircraft, and analyzing, by the processing device, the feedback command to allocate control to a plurality of control surfaces over a plurality of separate frequency bands.
US09317032B2
The invention relates to a method for operating a robot (R), and a correspondingly set-up robot. The robot (R) has a robot arm (M) having a plurality of members (1) following sequentially, an attaching device (3) for attaching an end effector (4, 46), and drives for moving the members (1), and a control device (S) connected to the drives. Stored in the control device (S) is a hierarchical regulating and control strategy having a plurality of differently prioritized regulating and control functionalities, and the method has the following process step: during the movement of the robot arm (M), switching over to a higher-prioritized regulating and control functionality, as soon as stable movement of the robot arm (M) by means of the higher-prioritized regulating and control functionality is possible, and an execution condition independent of the higher-prioritized regulating and control functionality is fulfilled.
US09317026B2
The invention provides an improved method for determining the natural thermal lag (NTL) of a building, where the improvement includes using the 15 minute interval energy usage data for the building, and data the external temperature to determine the NTL. This improved method has the advantage of being independent of any need to acquire data regarding internal temperature of the building in question.
US09317019B2
Disclosed herein are sinusoidal modulation control methods and circuits for PMSM. In one embodiment, a method can include: detecting rotor position information of the PMSM to obtain a rotor position signal and a rotor rotating speed measured value; comparing the rotating speed measured value against a reference rotating speed value to generate an error signal, and generating a first regulating voltage signal based on the error signal using a PI regulator; receiving the rotor position signal and the first regulating voltage signal, and generating a full-wave U-shaped modulation wave by using the rotor position signal as a time reference; generating a second U-shaped modulation wave by multiplying the full-wave U-shaped modulation wave with the first regulating voltage signal; comparing the second U-shaped modulation wave against a triangular wave to generate a PWM control signal that controls a switch of an inverter to regulate a current of the PMSM.
US09317018B2
Universal cards are used in place of all the other traditional cards which a person may want to carry. The universal card can include a short range communications transceiver to communicate with a mobile device. The mobile device can include a user interface and an e-wallet application so that the user can interface with the e-wallet application for programming the universal card via the short range communication link. Once programmed, the universal card emulates a function of a traditional card.
US09317017B2
A reception time period required for time adjustment is reduced in a satellite radio-controlled wristwatch. A satellite radio-controlled wristwatch according to the present invention includes: a satellite radio wave reception unit including an antenna for receiving a satellite radio wave, a high frequency circuit, and a decoder circuit; a clock circuit for holding and counting an internal time; and a controller for controlling a timing of at least a time information acquisition operation of acquiring time information from the satellite radio wave received by the satellite radio wave reception unit, the controller being configured to selectively execute, in the time information acquisition operation, based on error evaluation of the internal time: a shortened time adjustment operation of ending the time information acquisition operation at a stage at which head information representing a head of unit information is received, and adjusting the internal time based on a timing at which the head information is received; and a normal time adjustment operation of receiving the time information, and adjusting the internal time based on the time information.
US09317009B2
A system and method are provided for facilitating high quality communications in an image forming device by providing a mechanism that fixes a position of an electronically readable/writable memory module, such as a customer replaceable unit monitor (CRUM) for a rotatable customer replaceable unit (CRU), with respect to a CRUM reader in the image forming device. A ring-like mounting device is non-fixedly attached to the CRU in a manner that limits axial relative movement between the ring-like mounting device and the CRU along a rotating axis of the CRU. The non-fixed attachment of the ring-like mounting device to the CRU is effected in such a manner so as not to inhibit relative rotational movement. In operation, a projection from the ring-like mounting device stops rotation of the ring-like mounting device, and therefore the CRUM mounted thereon, with respect to the image forming device structure, and specifically the CRUM reader.
US09316996B2
Image forming apparatus includes conveyance portion, discharge portion, opening/closing portion, and toner storing portion. Conveyance portion conveys toner along axis direction of image carrier. In discharge portion, discharge outlet is formed such that toner conveyed by conveyance portion is dropped from discharge outlet. Opening/closing portion is provided on discharge portion and moves in axis direction in such way as to open and close discharge outlet. Toner storing portion includes opening portion, restriction portion, and cover portion. Opening portion has insertion opening into which discharge portion is inserted in conveyance direction in which toner is conveyed. Restriction portion contacts part of opening/closing portion and restricts movement of opening/closing portion when discharge portion is inserted into insertion opening. Cover portion is provided at predetermined position that corresponds to area under insertion area of opening/closing portion that is inserted in conveyance direction exceeding position at which opening/closing portion contacts restriction portion.
US09316995B2
A light scanning device includes a housing, a plurality of permeable members, a plurality of cleaning members, a plurality of cleaning holders, a linear member, and a driving unit. The plurality of permeable members close the respective plurality of the emission ports. The plurality of cleaning holders extend over the plurality of the permeable members adjacent to one another. The plurality of the cleaning holders each have a holding unit that holds at least the two cleaning members. The linear member is connected to the plurality of the cleaning holders. The driving unit causes the linear member to run circularly. The cleaning members each slide on the corresponding permeable member in association with the linear member running circularly. The cleaning holders each connected to the linear member at a center of the holding unit in an extending direction of the holding unit.
US09316985B2
An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a developing agent image onto a sheet, a fixing unit configured to fix the developing agent image onto the sheet, a discharge tray configured to receive the sheet having the developing agent image thereon, at least one pair of discharge rollers disposed downstream of the fixing unit in a conveying direction and configured to discharge the sheet toward the discharge tray, and at least one pair of conveying rollers disposed at a conveying path extending between the fixing unit and the at least one pair of discharge rollers. The at least one pair of conveying rollers is configured to convey the sheet toward the at least one discharge rollers in the conveying direction and to form the sheet into a corrugated shape having at least one of a ridge portion and a groove portion in a sheet thickness direction.
US09316984B2
It is a sealing member that seals a gap between one member and the other member, including: a mounting section that has a portion coming into contact with the other member; and an extension section that extends from a side of the mounting section to a side of the one member and is configured to approach the mounting section while coming into contact with the one member by receiving a force from the one member; and a recess that is provided between the mounting section and the extension section and is formed from a part of the mounting section to a part of the extension section, and is recessed from a surface of the mounting section on the side of the one member and a surface of the extension section on a side of the other member.
US09316980B2
Provided is an image forming apparatus made to shorten time of a first copy (first page copy of a manuscript.) In the image forming apparatus, primary feeding (feeding from a sheet paper cassette to a resist position roller) and secondary feeding (feeding from a resist position roller) are performed continuously. When a first copy is performed, based on warm-up information, print engine, such as a feed roller, a transfer part, a fixing part, and an ejection roller, is set up. Paper will be fed when the setup is completed. The setup of print engine that performs operation required for printing is performed before feeding by using the warm-up information. Therefore, the time of the first copy is shortened.
US09316974B2
A fixing device thermally fixes an unfixed image onto a sheet through heat of a heating body that is heated through electromagnetic induction, the fixing device including an excitation coil generating flux for heating the heating body; one or more core members disposed opposite the heating body with respect to the excitation coil; a thermo-electric conversion element disposed farther from the excitation coil than the core members; and a thermally conductive member connected to the excitation coil and to a heat-absorbing face of the thermo-electric conversion element, transferring heat from the excitation coil to the thermo-electric conversion element.
US09316970B2
An image forming apparatus for heating and fixing a toner image formed on a recording medium, includes: a feeding unit configured to respectively set recording media of different sizes; a plurality of heating units with heat generation parts, which generate heat by receiving a supply of power, each heat generation part being at a different position on the respective heating unit; a control unit configured to individually control the supply of power or a power interruption to the plurality of heating units in accordance with the size of the recording medium set in the feeding unit; and a detection unit configured to detect the current value of the heating unit to which power is supplied.
US09316910B2
Provided is a pattern forming method that is excellent in roughness performance such as line width roughness and exposure latitude, and an actinic-ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition and a resist film used for the pattern forming method.The pattern forming method includes (1) forming a film using an actinic-ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition containing a resin that includes 65 mol % or more of a repeating unit having a group which generates a polar group by being degraded by the action of an acid based on all repeating units in the resin and at least one kind of repeating unit represented by the following General Formula (I) or (II), (2) exposing the film, and (3) developing the exposed film using a developer that contains an organic solvent.
US09316905B2
The present invention relates to a cyclodextrin derivative, a method for preparing the same, a photoresist composition, a color photoresist and a display device. The cyclodextrin derivative particularly is a .alpha.-cyclodextrin modified polymerizable monomer represented by the following formula I or I′, wherein k is any integer selected from 2-6, n is any integer selected from 1-3, R is an aromatic ring having 5 to 30 carbon atoms, R′ is a multivalent straight or branched carbon chain having 5 to 30 carbon atoms which may optionally be interrupted by an oxygen atom. The α-cyclodextrin modified polymerizable monomer can be applied to a photoresist composition which has small aberration and high transmittance, thereby improving the display quality of the display apparatus.
US09316903B2
The present invention provides a flexible nanoimprint mold which can fabricate sub-15 nm ultra fine structures on either planar or curved substrates. The mold comprises a top ultra-thin rigid layer of imprint patterning features and a bottom thick flexible layer of polymer elastomer. The two distinct layers are preferably integrated via chemically bonding. The top layer of the mold enables a sub-15 nm resolution of pattern fabrication and the bottom layer affords a conformal contact to planar or curved surface of substrates. The methods for fabricating the same are disclosed.
US09316893B2
A projection display apparatus includes: a substantially box-shaped enclosure having a bottom surface portion, the bottom surface portion having an ventilation groove and an air inlet formed through a wall of the ventilation groove; an air sucking fan provided in the enclosure and forming an air flow flowing through the air inlet into the enclosure, and a filter through which the air flowing through the air inlet into the enclosure passes.
US09316887B2
An optical modulator includes a package that accommodates therein a first substrate and a second substrate different from the first substrate, and outside the package, a flexible circuit board. The first substrate has plural optical modulating units disposed thereon in parallel and each including a Mach-Zehnder optical waveguide. Plural first signal line paths corresponding to the optical modulating units are disposed on the second substrate. Plural second signal line paths corresponding to the optical modulating units are disposed on the flexible circuit board. Electrical lengths of the second signal line paths are different from one another. Electrical lengths of signal paths that span from input ends of the second signal line paths corresponding to the optical modulating units to base points on signal electrodes, via the first signal line paths, are equal to one another.
US09316878B2
The present disclosure is related to a liquid crystal display panel and a liquid crystal display device including: a first substrate including an active area and a non-active area which corresponds to a peripheral area of the active area; a static electricity absorbing pattern of a lattice pattern formed in the non-active area; and a second substrate facing the first substrate.
US09316877B2
A display apparatus includes first, second and third substrates, first and second liquid crystal layers, first and second polarizing elements and a phase retarding element. The first substrate includes a first electrode part. The first liquid crystal layer is disposed on the first substrate. The second substrate is disposed on the first liquid crystal layer and includes a color filter and a second electrode part on a first surface and a third electrode part on a second surface. The second liquid crystal layer is disposed on the second substrate. The third substrate is disposed on the second liquid crystal layer and includes a fourth electrode part on a first surface. The first polarizing element is disposed under the first liquid crystal layer. The second polarizing element is disposed over the first liquid crystal layer. The phase retarding element is disposed over the second liquid crystal layer.
US09316872B2
An array substrate includes a semiconductor layer, a first insulating film covering the semiconductor layer, a gate line extending in a first direction on the first insulating film, a second insulating film covering the gate line, a source line extending in a second direction orthogonally crossing the first direction on the second insulating film. A contact portion is formed on the second insulating film. The contact portion contacts with the semiconductor layer. A third insulating film covers the source line and exposing the contact portion and the second insulating film in a circumference of the contact portion.
US09316864B2
An LCD device includes a liquid crystal panel; a backlight unit disposed at a rear side of the liquid crystal panel and including an LED assembly and a light guide plate, wherein the light guide plate has a first surface facing the LED assembly and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a cover bottom including a horizontal plane over which the backlight unit is disposed and a side perpendicular to the horizontal plane; a guide panel including a side wall and a horizontal portion, wherein the side wall has a first vertical portion surrounding an outer surface of the side of the cover bottom, and the horizontal portion is vertically bent from the first vertical portion and supports the liquid crystal panel, wherein at least one elastic stopper is formed at the side wall and contacts the second surface.
US09316863B2
A display system with a distributed LED backlight includes: providing a plurality of tile LED light sources, each tile LED light source having a tile and a plurality of similar LED light sources on each tile connected for emitting light therefrom; orienting the plurality of tile LED light sources for illuminating a display from the back of the display; and integrating the plurality of tile LED light sources into a thermally and mechanically structurally integrated distributed LED tile matrix backlight light source.
US09316858B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel, a functional panel, a photo curable adhesive, a transparent electrode, and a light blocking line. The liquid crystal panel includes a display area to display an image and a non-display area surrounding the display area. The functional panel is attached to the liquid crystal panel, and includes a display overlapping area overlapping with the display area and a display non-overlapping area overlapping with the non-display area in a plan view. The photo curable adhesive is arranged between the panels and cured by light applied thereto. The transparent electrode is arranged in the display overlapping area and made of light transmissive conductive material. The light blocking line is arranged in the display non-overlapping area and made of light shielding metal material. The light blocking line partially has a light-transmission cutout that is configured to allow the light to pass therethrough.
US09316855B2
In a liquid crystal display device including a TFT substrate and a counter substrate, when an organic passivation film is not formed in the TFT substrate, the distance between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate in the display area of a liquid crystal display panel is provided by a cylindrical spacer. Also, the distance in the area where pixels, scan lines, and image signal lines are not formed within the liquid crystal display panel is provided by the cylindrical spacer. In this case, it is necessary to form a mount. The layer structure of the mount is the same as that of the TFT substrate with which the cylindrical spacer in the display area comes into contact. This makes it possible to equalize the distance of the liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal display panel without an increase in production cost, and to prevent uneven brightness or color.
US09316853B2
A combination backboard includes a main body to which a first bracket is coupled. The main body includes a base plate and first and second side plates perpendicularly mounted to the base plate and opposite to each other. The first and second side plates have an end forming a first coupling section adjacent to the first bracket. The first bracket includes a first bottom plate and a third side plate perpendicularly mounted to the first bottom plate. The third side plate has two ends forming resilient first coupling slots corresponding to the first coupling sections to receive and retained the first coupling sections therein for coupling the first bracket and the main body together. Also provided are a backlight module and a liquid crystal display device that use the combination backboard.
US09316851B2
A liquid crystal display device of a lateral electric field type performs display by rotating homogeneous-aligned liquid crystals by a lateral electric field substantially parallel to a substrate, which is applied across a pixel electrode and a common electrode, to increase the aperture ratio of a liquid crystal panel by narrowing the width of a black matrix provided along a data line. A source pixel electrode connected to a source electrode extends along the data line, a storage capacitance electrode formed by the same layer as the data line overlaps an adjacent scan line, the source pixel electrode is disposed so as to be connected to the storage capacitance electrode and a pixel along one side, an interlayer film is formed on the source pixel electrode, and a pixel electrode and a common electrode formed by a transparent conductive film are formed on the interlayer film.
US09316850B2
A reworking apparatus for a display module includes a chamber and a temperature control unit. The temperature control unit controls a temperature in the chamber to reduce an adhesive property of an adhesive material of the display module. The adhesive material couples a first layer of the display module to a second layer of the display module. A stage is disposed in the chamber and holds the display module. A separation unit is disposed in the chamber and is inserted in between first and second layers of the display module. A movement unit moves the separation unit.
US09316849B2
A system for attaching a device to a glasses frame includes a spring clip that applies pressure to two sides of the glasses frame, and a magnet for attaching the device thereto. The device may attach directly to the magnet, or via a slide-on attachment piece. The spring clip may include a spring arm having distal ends that assist the spring clip in applying pressure to the glasses frames.
US09316846B2
A high brightness, high power laser output is produced using a technique of splitting the outputs of multiple laser diode sources into two polarization states, wavelength combining the first polarization state from the multiple laser diodes, separately wavelength combining the second polarization state from the multiple laser diodes, and recombining the two polarized wavelength combined beams using a polarization combiner.
US09316845B2
There are provided an illumination unit capable of reducing formation of a double image in three-dimensional display and a display unit including the same. An illumination optical system configured to generate linear illumination light formed by two-dimensionally arranging a plurality of linear illumination light beams or a plurality of point-like illumination light beams, and a reflective plate configured to reflect the linear illumination light are included. The reflective plate reflects the linear illumination light to or close to a plane passing through a part that generates the linear illumination light and being perpendicular to a plane including the reflective plate.
US09316841B2
A multiview display device displays multiple views having respective viewing angles related to an object to be displayed. The display device includes an optical device for displaying multiple viewing cones. A first cone of the multiple viewing cones has different views so that a different view is observed by a right eye and a left eye of a viewer of the multiview display device. The different views of the first cone have an angular distribution relative to the display device, where sets of image data are provided such that the angular distribution has a first part of adjacent views with increasing viewing angle and a second part of adjacent views with decreasing viewing angle. Further, the angular distribution has a first one of the views in between a maximum view which corresponds to a maximum viewing angle and a minimum view which corresponds to a minimum viewing angle.
US09316837B2
A display stand is provided, the display stand comprising: a frame; a display holder attached to the frame, the display holder configured to hold a display in a substantially downward facing position; and, a mirror holder attached to the frame, the mirror holder located under the display holder, the minor holder configured to hold a mirror in a substantially upward facing position below the display and tilted at an angle thereto.
US09316836B2
A head-wearable device includes a center support extending in generally lateral directions, a first side arm extending from a first end of the center frame support and a second side arm extending from a second end of the center support. The device further includes an extension arm configured to present information to the user via a display element. The extension arm extends at least partially along the first side arm on a first side of the center support and further extends from the first side arm to a display end that supports the display element in a position on a second side of the center support. The extension arm has a joint therein configured for movement of the display element at least in a direction having a lateral component relative to the center support.
US09316835B2
A display device is described and includes a fixing unit, through which the display device is capable of being worn on a head of a user; a processing unit configured to obtain a first image to be displayed; an image transmission unit configured to transmit the first image to a display unit, which is configured to display the first image obtained by the processing unit; a connection unit configured to connect the fixing unit and at least a first portion of the display unit, wherein the connection unit at least has a first state, in which at least the first portion is located in the user's visual region and faces the user; an image capturing unit configured to capture a second image; and the processing unit being further configured to generate the first image based on the second image.
US09316818B2
In a zoom lens in which a first lens group having a negative refractive power and a second lens group having a positive refractive power are disposed in order from the object side and zooming is performed by moving the first and the second lens groups, the first lens group is formed of a first lens having a negative refractive power, a second lens, a third lens having a negative refractive power, and a fourth lens having a positive refractive power. Then, when the focal length of the second lens, the focal length of the entire system at the wide angle end, the focal length of the first lens group, and the focal length of the second lens group are taken as fG12, fw, f1, and f2 respectively, the zoom lens is configured to satisfy conditional expressions give below: 0.00
US09316816B2
An image pickup lens includes a first lens with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface, a second lens with negative refractive power, a third meniscus lens having a concave image-side surface, a fourth meniscus lens having a convex image-side surface, and a fifth lens with negative refractive power as a double-sided aspheric lens having a concave object-side and image-side surfaces near an optical axis; wherein following conditional expressions (9) and (12) are satisfied; 1.0<|(r3+r4)/(r3−r4)|<1.3 (9) −1.1
US09316804B2
A cable closure includes a housing that delimits an interior of the cable closure and seals off the cable closure toward the outside. The housing is formed by a covering body having shells hinged together and cable insertion regions provided on mutually opposite sides of the shells. Sealing elements are positioned at the mutually opposite sides of the covering body proximate the cable insertion regions. A closing mechanism having a latch and latch support is configured to lock the shells together. The latch support has a first end section pivotably attached to one of the shells and a second end section pivotably attached to the locking latch, which in turn has an end section serving as an actuating handle for closing and opening the cable closure.
US09316802B2
An optical fiber cable includes an optical fiber; a sheet of reinforcing tape rolled around a majority of an annular sidewall of the optical fiber; and a jacket surrounding the rolled sheet of reinforcing tape. The sheet has parallel longitudinal edges that are circumferentially spaced from each other to form a longitudinal slit along a length of the sheet of reinforcing tape. The reinforcing tape is formed of a polymeric material having uni-directionally oriented molecules along the length of the sheet. The jacket is heat-bonded to the sheet of reinforcing tape.
US09316801B1
Twisted pair communication cables incorporating twisted pair separators are described. A cable may include at least one twisted pair of insulated conductors extending lengthwise. A dielectric separator may also extend lengthwise within the cable, and a cross-section of the separator may include at least two portions positioned at an angle to one another. The portions of the separator may form one or more cavities in which one or more corresponding conductors of the twisted pair may be positioned or situated. A jacket may then be formed around the twisted pair and the separator.
US09316797B2
A latch mechanism for a pluggable optical module includes a slide disposed in the pluggable optical module, wherein the slide includes a front cylinder connected to a rear cylinder with a slide body therebetween and a post connected to the rear cylinder; a bail over a top of a front portion of the pluggable optical module and rotatably connected thereto, wherein the bail includes a first cutout portion on each side in which the front cylinder is moveably positioned therein; a ramp disposed within the pluggable optical module for sliding the rear cylinder thereon; and a notch disposed within the pluggable optical module for translating force from the post thereto responsive to the bail moving the front cylinder, the front cylinder applying force to the rear cylinder via the slide body, and the rear cylinder translating the force to the post.
US09316783B2
A waveguide including a top cladding layer, the top cladding layer including a material having an index of refraction, n1; an assistant layer, the assistant layer positioned adjacent the top cladding layer, the assistant layer including a material having an index of refraction, n2; a core layer, the core layer positioned adjacent the assistant layer, the core layer including a material having an index of refraction, n3; and a bottom cladding layer, the bottom cladding layer positioned adjacent the core layer, the bottom cladding layer including a material having an index of refraction, n4, wherein n1 is less than both n2 and n3, n3 is greater than n1 and n4, and n4 is less than n3 and n2.
US09316773B2
In a stretching zone (Z2) included in a plurality of zones for performing temperature control for heating or cooling of a film, the plurality of zones being arranged in the conveyance direction of the film, the film is stretched in a direction tilted in relation to the width direction of the film. The film is heated by a heating unit (11) having a heating region (H) positioned facing the conveyed film and positioned along a direction intersecting at an intersection angle φ with the conveyance direction in the plane of the film, in at least one zone including the stretching zone (Z2) and positioned further downstream in the conveyance direction from the stretching zone (Z2). At this time the intersection angle φ of the heating region (H) is adjusted in accordance with the orientation direction of the film stretched in the stretching zone (Z2).
US09316771B2
An etching process includes: forming a metal film on a substrate having a pattern formation region; forming a mask having a predetermined pattern on the metal film in the pattern formation region, and forming a resist film in part or all of a periphery of the pattern formation region; and dry-etching the metal film in the pattern formation region.
US09316768B2
A substrate for an optical device includes an optical device substrate including a plurality of conductive plates elongated along a length direction, wherein side surfaces of the conductive plates are bonded to each other with insulators interposed therebetween, the insulators being respectively formed on the side surfaces. A groove having a predetermined depth for preventing burrs is formed in a lower surface of the optical device substrate at each point where a cutting line is crossed with one of the insulators when the optical device substrate is cut in a length direction and in a vertical direction, the groove being formed in such a way that said one of the insulators is exposed to an inside of the groove.
US09316766B2
There is provided an optical filter or an anti-reflection structure with lower reflection in comparison with the conventional ones by comprising a gradient refractive index thin film 12 with continuous, periodic refractive index change in the film thickness direction and a fine periodic structure 151 lowering reflection, wherein the refractive index of the gradient refractive index thin film 12 in its thickness direction on the substrate side changes so as to become close to that of the substrate, while on the fine periodic structure 111 changes so as to become close to that of the fine periodic structure 151. The optical filter can be used in an optical device or an electronic device display.
US09316753B2
A neutron spectrometer that is more accurate, faster, and more-portable than conventional spectrometers includes an organic scintillator responsive to neutrons and gammas and an inorganic scintillator that captures neutrons. A processor receives signals representative of scintillations in the organic scintillator and in the inorganic scintillator and discriminates neutron signals from gamma signals. The processor also determines pulse areas for neutron moderating signals and performs unfolding based on the determined pulse areas to produce a neutron energy spectrum and/or dose information.
US09316752B2
A preclinical positron emission tomography (PET) imaging method includes acquiring time-of-flight localized PET imaging data from one or more non-human animal subjects and reconstructing the acquired data to form an image. In an illustrative PET scanner includes: radiation detectors (12) viewing an examination region; a subject support assembly (14) supporting a plurality of preclinical subjects in the examination region for simultaneous PET imaging; coincidence electronics (20) acquiring time-of-flight localized PET imaging data from the preclinical subjects using the radiation detectors; and reconstruction electronics (22) that (i) perform a filtering operation based at least in part on the time-of flight information, the filtering operation including at least one of discarding non-probative time-of-flight localized PET imaging data and associating time-of-flight localized PET imaging data with individual preclinical subjects and (ii) reconstruct the filtered data to form images of the preclinical subjects.
US09316751B2
An imaging apparatus (400) includes a detector array (412) with at least one detector tile (418). The detector tile includes a photosensor array (422) with a two dimensional array of individual photosensitive detector pixels (424) located within a non-photosensitive area (426). The imaging apparatus also includes readout electronics (432) coupled to the photosensor array and including individual readout channel wells (602, 604) corresponding to the individual detector pixels. The imaging apparatus also includes an anti-aliasing filter (800) for a detector pixel that is located in at least one of a region of the photosensor array corresponding to the detector pixel or a region of the readout electronics corresponding to the detector pixel.
US09316743B2
Radioimaging methods, devices and radiopharmaceuticals therefor.
US09316740B2
A method of determining a geographic position of a user terminal including a receiver of signals of a global navigation satellite system, the method including the user terminal: performing pseudo-range measurements related to a plurality of signals received from transmitters of the global navigation satellite system; calculating a first estimated position thereof by a weighted least square method; calculating post-fit residuals for the first estimated position; comparing the calculated post-fit residuals to a first threshold and: in case the first threshold is exceeded, calculating a second estimated position using a Monte-Carlo method, otherwise retaining the first estimated position as the geographic position of the mobile communications terminal.
US09316736B2
An electronic device for detecting presence and motion includes a housing, a first infrared (“IR”) sensor, and a second IR sensor. The housing includes a first corner having a first plurality of openings formed thereon, and a second corner having a second plurality of openings formed thereon. The first IR sensor is disposed proximate to the first corner and has an unobstructed path and line of sight to outside of the electronic device via the first plurality of openings. The second IR sensor is disposed proximate to the second corner and has an unobstructed path and line of sight to outside of the electronic device via the second plurality of openings. The openings of the first plurality of openings are oriented toward the first IR sensor in different directions. The openings of the second plurality of openings are oriented toward the second IR sensor in different directions.
US09316735B2
A proximity detector may include an array of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) and an illumination source. Illumination from the illumination source may be reflected by a target to the array of single photon avalanche diodes. The SPADs may be operable to detect events. A number of events detected may be dependent on a level of illumination incident on the SPADs. The proximity detector may then determine a quality metric and calculate an output when the quality metric is at a predetermined level. A related method may include regulating the quality of the data on which such a proximity detector apparatus calculates its output.
US09316732B1
A walk-through screening station scans individuals to detect contraband such as a concealed weapon or improvised explosive device (IED) using ultra wideband (UWB) radar sensing and imaging systems employing wafer scale active array antennas. UWB radar and advanced imaging technology enable automated threat recognition and display for monitoring personnel. The station may scan subjects passing close to or within an aperture width of an array of radar transceivers. Direct calibration by use of reflectors positioned at known locations in the image may be used to implement scanning and imaging so close to the array. The scanning station may employ an easy-to-set-up pair of panels that may be readily deployed by security providers wherever access control—such as to a meeting place or transportation boarding—is needed. Imaging and display processing may provide an abstract display—such as a stick figure representation of anatomy—to address privacy issues and concerns.
US09316729B2
A system for providing signal trigger pulses comprises an equivalent time sampling unit providing transmit and receive trigger pairs, and a control unit controlling the equivalent time sampling unit to provide pseudorandom delay length variations between the trigger pairs.
US09316722B2
An embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for modulating a signal to include broadcast data, modulating the signal to include an overlay message comprising an address and data for an intended recipient, and transmitting the modulated signal including both the broadcast data and the overlay message including the address and data for the intended recipient. Another embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for modulating a plurality of signal transmissions to include broadcast data, modulating the plurality of signal transmissions with an overlay message wherein the overlay message comprises a respective plurality of data segments, and transmitting the plurality of signal transmissions including both the broadcast data and the overlay message including the respective plurality of data segments. Further embodiments of the present invention set forth additional methods and related systems.
US09316714B2
A test station for wireless devices and methods for calibration thereof. The test station includes a signal generator, a calibrator, a scanner having receiving and transmitting antennas, a signal analyzer, and a computer. Under the direction of the computer, the signal generator generates a calibration signal in accordance with a programmable calibration signal script. The calibrator may be used to emulate either a wireless device in transmit mode by transmitting the calibration signal to the scanner for analysis by the signal analyzer, or a wireless device in receive mode by receiving the calibration signal from the scanner for analysis by the signal analyzer. The behavior of the test station is calibrated by correlating signal parameters of the calibration signal as specified by the calibration signal script and as measured at the signal analyzer.
US09316712B2
In a method and system for acquiring magnetic resonance image data from a subject, using a data acquisition unit in which a basic magnetic field is generated, a division is designated in a planar section through the subject that divides the planar section into a first section and a second section, with the homogeneity of the basic magnetic field being better in said first section than in said second section. An echo planar imaging sequence is implemented to acquire the magnetic resonance imaging data, with magnetic resonance data being acquired from the first section only from gradient echo signals in the echo planar imaging sequence, and magnetic resonance data from said the second section being acquired from both gradient echo signals and spin echo signals in the echo planar imaging sequence. The method and apparatus are particularly suited for acquiring functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from the brain of a subject, in which the first section is an upper portion of the brain and the second section is a lower portion of the brain.
US09316711B2
A system and method for accelerated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using spectral sensitivity information are provided. The MRI system is used to acquire k-space data from a subject that when positioned in the main magnetic field of the MRI system causes inhomogeneities in the main magnetic field. Spectral sensitivity information is derived from the acquired k-space data. In general, the spectral sensitivity information relates specific resonance frequencies to distinct spatial locations in the main magnetic field of the MRI system. One or more images of the subject may be reconstructed from the acquired k-space data using the produced spectral sensitivity information to spatially encode the acquired k-space data. By using the spectral sensitivity information to provide spatial-encoding, the data acquisition can be accelerated, for example, by undersampling k-space. In addition, using the provided system and method, clinically viable images can be obtained in the presence of severe off-resonance.
US09316709B2
The inventive subject matter as a whole is an improved transceiver apparatus and system for diagnostic evaluations of living subject, human or animal; and is particularly effective as a clinical tool for the spectroscopic scanning or magnetic resonance imaging of humans suspected of being afflicted with a particular disease, disorder, or pathology. The improved transceiver apparatus is used as an essential component in a computer controlled system suitable for magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”), or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (“MRS”), and/or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (“MRSI”); and the present improvement of these electromagnetic signaling systems will provide far more accurate and precise visual images and accumulated data for the clinician or surgeon, as well as serve as a basis upon which to make a diagnosis and decide upon a mode of therapeutic treatment for that individual.
US09316708B2
A patient support apparatus for a medical imaging apparatus, such as a magnetic resonance apparatus, is proposed. The patient support apparatus has a couch, a lifting unit for vertical movement of the couch, a travel unit, and at least one sensor unit to detect at least one weight variable for determining the weight of a patient. The at least one sensor unit has at least one sensor element, which is disposed on the lifting unit and/or on the travel unit.
US09316697B2
The present invention relates to a battery parameter management system and a battery parameter estimation method which are capable of simply estimating parameters of elements forming a battery equivalent model having a simple structure. The battery parameter system includes an amperemeter, a voltmeter, a control switch unit, and a processor, and the battery parameter estimation method includes supplying a pulse current, estimating resistance of an internal resistor, estimating capacitance of an internal capacitor, and estimating parameters of dynamic elements.
US09316689B2
A method for testing a system-on-a-chip (SoC) is described. The method includes parsing a file to determine functions to be performed components of the SoC. The method further includes receiving a desired output of the SoC and generating a test scenario model based on the desired output of the SoC. The test scenario model includes a plurality of module representations of the functions and includes one or more connections between two of the module representations. The desired output acts as a performance constraint for the test scenario model. The test scenario model further includes an input of the SoC that is generated based on the desired output, the module representations, and the one or more connections. The test scenario model includes a path from the input via the module representations and the connections to the desired output.
US09316686B2
A handler for conveying a plurality of devices under test to a socket for a test that can reduce a test time includes: a test section provided with the socket; a heat applying section into which a tray having a plurality of devices under test placed on its surface is conveyed and that controls the temperature of the devices under test to a predetermined test temperature and conveys the tray into the test section; a device image capturing section that in the heat applying section, captures images of the respective devices under test by moving with respect to the surface of the tray in two non-parallel directions of a first direction and a second direction; and a position adjusting section that adjusts the positions of the devices under test with respect to the socket based on the images of the devices under test captured by the device image capturing section.
US09316677B2
Methods and devices for testing flex cable shielding of a consumer electronic device are provided. In one example, a method may include applying a signal across a first portion of the flex cable shielding and a second portion of the flex cable shielding. The method may also include detecting a parameter associated with the signal. The method may include determining a health of the flex cable shielding based at least partially on the detected parameter.
US09316675B2
A system includes a control module, a detection module, and a reaction module. The control module is configured to receive a sensor signal indicating a power characteristic of an output power provided from a power generator to a load. The load is separate from the control module and the power generator. The detection module is configured to (i) detect a shift parameter of the power characteristic based on the sensor signal, (ii) compare the shift parameter to a first threshold, and (iii) indicate whether the shift parameter has exceeded the first threshold and not a second threshold. The reaction module is configured to indicate that a low-level abnormality exists in the load in response to the shift parameter exceeding the first threshold and not the second threshold.
US09316665B2
An apparatus (36) includes a motion amplification structure (52), an actuator (54), and a sense electrode (50) in proximity to the structure (52). The actuator (54) induces an axial force (88) upon the structure (52), which causes a relatively large amount of in-plane motion (108) in one or more beams (58, 60) of the structure (52). When sidewalls (98) of the beams (58, 60) exhibit a skew angle (28), the in-plane motion (108) of the beams (58, 60) produces out-of-plane motion (110) of a paddle element (62) connected to the end of the beams (58, 60). The skew angle (28), which results from an etch process, defines a degree to which the sidewalls (98) of beams (58, 60) are offset or tilted from their design orientation. The out-of-plane motion (110) of element (62) is sensed at the electrode (50), and is utilized to determine an estimated skew angle (126).
US09316662B2
An automated analyzer includes a conveyance mechanism to convey a specimen, an analysis portion to analyze the specimen, and a device cover to cover a movable mechanism including the conveyance mechanism. The automated analyzer is provided with an interlock mechanism and an interlock release mechanism. The interlock mechanism stops an operation of the movable mechanism when the device cover is opened. The interlock release mechanism disables all or part of the interlock mechanism. The interlock mechanism is enabled when a lever 301 is in contact with a safety switch 302. The interlock mechanism is disabled or partially disabled when the lever 301 is not in contact with the safety switch 302. This enables to prevent a user from inadvertently touching the movable mechanism including a hazard region during analysis of the automated analyzer or a maintenance task. Only a specific maintenance task can be performed with the device cover opened.
US09316652B2
The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing Lyme disease in a subject, the method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining a sample from said subject, (b) contacting said sample with a source of Borrelia antigens and (c) determining the expression level of a pro-inflammatory cytokine in said sample at the end of step (b).
US09316643B2
Salivary diagnostic systems are provided for improved disease diagnosis and overall health care. Salivary diagnostic systems are provided for the plurality of steps required in salivary diagnostic processes. The salivary diagnostic systems are interchangeably coupled by various methods and steps and include a collection system, a filter system, an evaluation system, and a reporting system. One or more salivary diagnostic systems are comprised in at least one salivary diagnostic device. Salivary diagnostic devices include a toothbrush, an implement, and a stand-alone system. The systems provide for the collection, filtration, and evaluation of saliva samples and the reporting of diagnostic data derived from the evaluation of saliva samples.
US09316640B2
The present invention provides methods and devices for detecting the presence of biomolecules in a biological sample, such as PVL, PBP2a and SPA.
US09316637B2
Embodiments of the invention include sensors comprising high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with capture reagents on a gate region of the HEMTs. Example sensors include HEMTs with a thin gold layer on the gate region and bound antibodies; a thin gold layer on the gate region and chelating agents; a non-native gate dielectric on the gate region; and nanorods of a non-native dielectric with an immobilized enzyme on the gate region. Embodiments including antibodies or enzymes can have the antibodies or enzymes bound to the Au-gate via a binding group. Other embodiments of the invention are methods of using the sensors for detecting breast cancer, prostate cancer, kidney injury, glucose, metals or pH where a signal is generated by the HEMT when a solution is contacted with the sensor. The solution can be blood, saliva, urine, breath condensate, or any solution suspected of containing any specific analyte for the sensor.
US09316631B1
The invention relates to methods for identifying ER-stress inducing compounds that target cancer stem cells. In some aspects, the invention relates to treatment methods that use ER-stress inducing compounds that specifically target cancer stem cells for inhibiting the growth and/or survival of cancer stem cells in a subject in need thereof. Other aspects of the invention relate to the use of cancer stem cell biomarkers in the selection of a treatment for inhibiting the growth and/or survival of cancer stem cells in a subject in need thereof.
US09316628B2
A method and apparatus for field spectroscopic characterization of seafood is disclosed. A portable NIR spectrometer is connected to an analyzer configured for performing a multivariate analysis of reflection spectra to determine qualitatively the true identities or quantitatively the freshness of seafood samples.
US09316625B2
Every time a target sample is injected from an injector (12) of an LC unit (1) and a mass spectrometry for a target component in the sample is performed, a CD voltage applied to a conversion dynode of an ion detector (29) is switched. For each of the multiple CD-voltage levels, a data collector (32) collects noise data during a period of time where no component is present and intensity data of an ion originating from the target component, while the SN ratio calculator (33) calculates an SN ratio. After the actual measurement is completed, an optimum CD voltage determiner (34) compares the SN ratios calculated for each CD voltage, finds the CD voltage which gives the highest SN ratio, and stores this voltage in an optimum CD voltage memory (42) as an optimum CD voltage for the analysis conditions at that point in time and for the m/z of the analysis target. According to this method, even when the flow rate of the mobile phase is particularly high or when a hard-to-vaporize mobile phase is used, the CD voltage is appropriately set and a detection signal is obtained with high SN ratios.
US09316619B2
A scanning probe for an industrial nondestructive evaluation (NDE) ultrasound or eddy current scanning system. The scanning probe gathers reflected waveform data indicative of internal characteristics of the test object. The scanning probe also includes a self-contained multi-axis position encoder that correlates both multi-dimensional probe underside translation and rotation motion across the test sample surface with the multi-dimensional spatial location on the test object surface. The position encoder compensates for probe rotation that would otherwise negatively impact probe position determination accuracy. A data acquisition system combines sets of positional and waveform data for processing by an NDE analyzer.
US09316617B2
There is provided a probe apparatus. The probe apparatus has a first end configured to connect to a rotating scanner device. The probe apparatus further has a second end with two or more eddy current elements. The second end further has a positioning mechanism configured to position the two or more eddy current elements against cavity walls of an annular cavity of a structure to be inspected with the probe apparatus, when the probe apparatus is positioned within the annular cavity. The second end further has an aligning mechanism coupled to the positioning mechanism. The aligning mechanism is configured to align the two or more eddy current elements in a perpendicular position with respect to the cavity walls of the annular cavity, when the probe apparatus is positioned within the annular cavity.
US09316605B2
A monitoring unit (100) that determines parameters (p1, p2) of an attribute (P) of a liquid substance flowing (F) through a dielectric conduit (110) includes plural coil members (121, 122) encircling the dielectric conduit (110) that subjects a flow of the liquid substance to plural different electromagnetic fields (B(f)), and under influence thereof measuring circuitry registers corresponding impedance measures (z(f)) of the liquid substance. A processor (130) derives the parameters (p1, p2) of the attribute (P) based on the registered impedance measures (z(f)).
US09316604B1
A method and apparatus for non-destructively determining features in a planer specimen includes providing a heat impulse to the specimen, detecting temperatures in the specimen at a plurality of locations, and imaging the specimen from the detected temperatures. A laser can be used to provide a single or a plurality of heat impulses to the specimen. Temperatures in the specimen can be detected utilizing a contact sensor array or a remote infrared detector. These sensors are joined to a data processing device to image the specimen utilizing the detected temperatures.
US09316601B2
The invention relates to a detection values processing apparatus. Energy-dependent detection values are provided, which are indicative of polychromatic radiation (4) after having traversed an examination zone (5). The radiation is filtered by a filter (15) which comprises K-edge filter material. A component decomposition technique is applied to the detection values for determining K-edge attenuation values being first component attenuation values, which are indicative of an attenuation caused by the K-edge filter material, and additional component attenuation values, which are indicative of an attenuation caused by additional components of the examination zone, wherein an image of the examination zone is reconstructed from the additional component attenuation values. An image can therefore be reconstructed, which is not adversely affected by the filter, because the K-edge attenuation values are not used for reconstructing the image. This can improve the quality of the reconstructed image.
US09316594B2
A carbon dioxide detector including a sensor component, where the sensor component has a colorimetric indicator salt of a colorimetric pH indicator and a lipophilic phosphonium quaternary cation, a transparent polymer vehicle or a plasticizer not being in a mixture with the colorimetric indicator salt; and a porous memory, a porous polymer membrane in one instance, the colorimetric indicator salt being deposited on a surface of the porous polymer membrane; the colorimetric indicator salt deposited on the porous polymer membrane does not include a transparent polymer vehicle or a plasticizer, and carbon dioxide detection systems using the detector.
US09316593B2
A detection system includes a retroreflector and a layer of material over the retroreflector, the material being subject to change in transmission with respect to an optical property of radiation, e.g. wavelength or polarization, with exposure to a phenomenon. The retroreflector and layer are illuminated from a radiation source of multiple aspects of the optical property. A sensor senses radiation retroreflected back through the layer. The retroreflector may, for example, be an array of or individual prisms or an array of or individual cat's eye microspheres. The layer of material above the retroreflector can include a colorimetric dye. In an embodiment, the retroreflector and layer are on the surface of a carrier that moves through a medium, e.g. a projectile or vehicle moving through the air. In a method of detecting a phenomenon, retroreflective elements are distributed in an array, as in the atmosphere or across a region of ground.
US09316590B2
The present invention provides a reaction vessel and apparatus for performing heat-exchanging reactions. The vessel has a chamber for holding a sample, the chamber being defined by a plurality of walls, at least two of the walls being light transmissive to provide optical windows to the chamber. The apparatus comprises at least one heating surface for contacting at least one of the plurality of walls, at least one heat source for heating the surface, and optics positioned to optically interrogate the chamber while the heating surface is in contact with at least one of the plurality of walls.
US09316589B2
This method for evaluating an oxide semiconductor thin film includes evaluating the stress stability of an oxide semiconductor thin film on the basis of the light emission intensity of luminescent light excited when radiating an electron beam or excitation light at a sample at which the oxide semiconductor thin film is formed. The stress stability of the oxide semiconductor thin film is evaluated on the basis of the light emission intensity (L1) observed in the range of 1.6-1.9 eV of the luminescent light excited from the oxide semiconductor thin film.
US09316568B2
An experimental method for simulating an impact rock-burst, comprises the following steps: making a rock sample having a through hole or a half hole; loading initial static stresses of three directions onto the rock sample; then loading dynamic load(s) by 0.5-10 minutes, to determine whether a spalling phenomenon appears on an internal surface of the hole; if appears, and the rock sample is further damaged, determining and recording a failure course, if not appears, increasing the static stress(es) or the intensity of the dynamic load, then repeating the experiment procedure as far as the rock sample goes into the failure course, then determining and recording the failure course, and ending the expierment. The impact rockburst induced by dynamic load is simulated in the rock sample successfully, and by sudying mechanical mechanisms of the rock-burst, the present application lays foundations for gradually understanding and mastering the nature of real rock burst.
US09316559B2
The leak detection appliance has a test inlet to which a test chamber containing the test specimen can be connected. A high-vacuum pump produces a high vacuum in a test gas detector. A backing pump contains two pump stages. In order to evacuate the test chamber, the pump stages are operated in parallel mode, with their suction capabilities being added. When the necessary vacuum has been achieved, the pump stages are operated in series in order to produce the necessary high vacuum which is required for high detection sensitivity on the test gas detector.
US09316556B2
A knock control apparatus for an internal combustion engine can remove regularly generated noise vibration in a simple and appropriate manner. The apparatus includes a knock sensor, a crank angle sensor, a vibration waveform detection unit that detects a vibration waveform of a knock natural frequency component, a vibration waveform average value calculation unit that calculates a vibration waveform average value corresponding to a noise vibration waveform by filtering the vibration waveform over a plurality of ignition cycles, a noise vibration waveform removal unit that removes the noise vibration waveform by subtracting the vibration waveform average value from the vibration waveform, a knock determination threshold value calculation unit that calculates a threshold value based on a peak value of the vibration waveform after removal of the noise vibration waveform, and a knock determination unit that determines whether a knock has occurred, by comparing the peak value with the threshold value.
US09316555B2
A cold cathode ionization vacuum gauge, including: two electrodes disposed such that one of the electrodes is surrounded by the other electrode to thereby form a discharge space therebetween; and an electrode protection member disposed in the discharge space and configured to protect an inner wall surface of the other electrode, wherein the electrode protection member has electric conductivity and is elastically deformed along a shape of the inner wall surface to be electrically connected to the other electrode.
US09316547B1
A new method for determining heat transfer coefficient (h) and adiabatic effectiveness (η) waveforms h(t) and η(t) from a single test uses a novel inverse heat transfer methodology to use surface temperature histories obtained using prior art approaches to approximate the h(t) and η(t) waveforms. The method best curve fits the data to a pair of truncated Fourier series.
US09316544B2
Provided is an electronic thermometer that is inexpensive, has fast thermal response, and suppresses bending and directional misalignment of the lead of the temperature sensor during assembly of the electronic thermometer. The electronic thermometer includes: a temperature sensor that includes a temperature sensing unit that measures the body temperature of a measurement subject and a lead having one end that is fixed to the temperature sensing unit; a hollow housing that houses the lead, and in which the temperature sensing unit is arranged on the tip side; a printed circuit board to which the other end of the lead is fixed; and an assembly that includes the printed circuit board and is housed in the housing. The assembly includes an extension portion extending toward the tip side of the housing. The extension portion has a guide portion that orients the extending direction of the lead.
US09316530B2
A method and an apparatus for controlling an amount of light in a visible light communication system are provided. In the visible light communication system, a terminal measures an amount of light for a light signal received from a sensor, determines whether the measured amount of light is less than a threshold value, increases an amount of light for a light source signal to transmit to the sensor when the measured amount of light is less than the threshold value, and transmits, to the sensor, a light source signal according to the increased amount of light.
US09316529B2
There is provided an optical sensor device that, even when the frame is slimmed, can cause the sensor unit to leave or enter the frame smoothly, as well as can accommodate position shifts of the image display panel caused by activation and resulting heat generation thereof. An optical sensor device 1 includes a main body frame 2, a sensor unit 3 including an optical sensor 108, guide members 16 configured to guide the sensor unit 3, and drive means configured to move the sensor unit 3 to a measurement position. The sensor unit 3 is provided with, on both sides thereof, slide members 31. The sensor unit 3 moves obliquely forward along slopes 162 formed on front portions of the guide members 16, and a shading member 9 disposed on the sensor unit 3 contacts a display screen 101a of the image display panel. After making a measurement, the sensor unit 3 moves obliquely backward and is stored in the main body frame 2.
US09316522B2
A fluid level gauge includes a housing having a first end and a second end, and a window disposed in the housing, proximate to the first end. The fluid level gauge further includes an optical sensor disposed in the housing, proximate to the second end. A prism is disposed in the housing, between the optical sensor and the window, such that the prism and the window define a fluid chamber therebetween. The housing further includes a plurality of through holes that provides a fluid path from outside the housing to the fluid chamber.
US09316506B2
The advantageous embodiments provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for presenting terrain along a route of an aircraft. A display of a vertical profile side view of terrain data along the route of the aircraft on an aircraft display is provided. A number of graphical indicators of a position of terrain are displayed on the display relative to the aircraft along the route.
US09316492B2
Measuring a feature on a wafer, the feature including at least two edges. Scanning the wafer with an electron beam over the length of a first scan interval that includes at least a portion of a first edge of the feature. Preventing the electron beam from illuminating the wafer while moving the scan position of the electron beam across a portion of the wafer to a second scan interval that includes at least a portion of a second edge of the feature. Scanning the wafer with an electron beam over the length of the second scan interval. Determining a distance between the first and second edges of the feature.
US09316488B1
A system includes an emitter of electromagnetic radiation combined to the object and aligned with a detector for detecting the electromagnetic radiation from the emitter. A processor in communication with the detector is calibrated to recognize a change in alignment between the electromagnetic radiation from the emitter and the detector. The processor translates the change in alignment to the amount of force applied to the object.
US09316484B2
A fringe shift measurement system is provided and includes an optical phase mask configured to receive light fringes from optical flats. The optical phase mask has first and second halves, each half having alternating patterns of opaque rings and transparent rings. The first half pattern is phase-shifted with respect to the second half pattern. The first and second halves are configured to alternately block the light fringes or allow the light fringes to pass through the optical phase mask. A splitter is configured to direct the light fringes from the optical phase mask in desired directions. Concentrators are positioned to receive light fringes from the splitter and configured to focus the light fringes in a desired location. Detectors are configured to receive the focused light fringes from the concentrators and configured to convert the focused light fringes into digital signals. A control unit is configured to analyze the digital signals.
US09316481B2
Disclosed are a sensor for measuring a tilt angle based on electronic textile according to the present invention and a method thereof. A sensor for measuring a tilt angle based on electronic textile according to the present invention includes a plurality of textile electrodes disposed at predetermined uniform intervals on a textile surface; a textile conductive wire of which one end is connected to a center between the plurality of textile electrodes; and a metal bead connected to another end of the textile conductive wire to thereby be connected to the textile surface.
US09316474B2
In addition to other aspects disclosed, a caliper is configured to measure at least one physical dimension. The caliper has a display configured to present a first representation and a second representation of a measurement provided by the caliper. The format of the first representation is different from the format of the second representation, and the first representation is approximately simultaneously displayed with the second representation.
US09316471B1
A marking assembly that attaches to a surface of a tool in order to produce a mark at a point adjacent to that tool surface. A marking device is provided. A support plate is provided that supports the marking device. The support plate attaches to the tool using an attachment mechanism. The attachment mechanism can be adhesive, mechanical and/or magnetic. The marking device obscures the point where it marks during its operation. A position indicator is provided to provide the user with a visual indication of where the marking device will mark. The visual indication can be a physical indicator and/or a beam of light.
US09316464B2
A firearm lead sight that is attached to the barrel of a firearm for assisting a shooter in leading a moving target. The firearm lead sight includes a mount, a first sight assembly, and a second sight assembly. A mount plate and a barrel grip form the mount and are clamped around the barrel of the firearm. A first sight bar and a second sight bar, of the first sight assembly and the second sight assembly respectively, are pivotally connected to the mount plate opposite each other. A first plurality of sight marks is positioned along the first sight bar, while a second plurality of sight marks is positioned along the second sight bar. A first detent of the first sight bar and a second detent of the second sight bar allow the first sight bar and the second sight bar to be locked in a variety of positions.
US09316463B2
A multimode seeker includes a radio-frequency antenna and a controller. The radio-frequency antenna comprises a substrate and an electrically conductive film deposited on the substrate. The substrate is transparent to short wavelength infrared radiation. The electrically conductive film is configured to transmit and receive radio-frequency radiation and is transparent to the short wavelength infrared radiation. The controller is configured to receive and interpret data from the radio-frequency antenna.
US09316460B2
A sight device includes a mounting base for detachably mounting on the firearm, a sight unit upwardly extended from the mounting base, and a sight arrangement provided at the mounting base at a position underneath the sight unit, wherein the sight arrangement includes first and second modules. The first sight module includes a first light housing frontwardly extended from the mounting base and a first light unit supported in the first light housing for generating a light beam parallel to a bore axis of the firearm and close to the bore axis of the firearm to reduce an off-axis bore height. The second sight modules includes a second light housing frontwardly extended from the mounting base and spaced part from the first light housing, and a second light unit supported in the second light housing for illumination.
US09316459B2
A stock and recoil system for a firearm includes a lower receiver, a bolt carrier, and a stock assembly. The bolt carrier is reciprocally movable along an axis within an upper receiver carried by the lower receiver and includes a tubular rearward end defining a cavity with a rearwardly directed opening. The stock assembly is coupled the lower receiver and includes a receiver extension coupled to the lower receiver and aligned on the axis. An action spring is carried within the receiver extension and extends therefrom into the tubular rearward end of the bolt carrier. The action spring is movable between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration during the firing cycle of the firearm. A butt plate is adjustably coupled to the receiver extension and is movable between an extended position and a collapsed position.
US09316456B1
A firearm discharge gas flow control module is fluidly coupleable to a muzzle end of a firearm to allow a projectile to pass therethrough. The gas flow control module includes an inlet port, operable to receive at least a portion of a discharge gas generated by firing the projectile, and a gas chamber, bounded by at least one wall that at least partially defines a geometry of the gas chamber. The gas chamber extends both radially and longitudinally from the inlet port and translates circumferentially as the gas chamber extends longitudinally. The gas chamber terminates at a circumferential angle of rotation from the inlet port, the circumferential angle of rotation being less than 180 degrees.
US09316454B2
A gun lock device, which may be configured to be disposed on or adjacent a gun to alternatively prevent or enable firing, includes a data receiver, a data memory and a logic device for determining whether a potential gun user's biologic data received by the receiver is the same, or substantially the same, as biologic data stored in the data memory. A separate smartphone is provided to collect and transmit the biologic data to the data receiver of the gun lock device. The logic device also responds to a gun control signal transmitted by the smartphone to lock the gun when the smartphone is located in a proscribed area, such as within a school zone or outside a secured area such as an airport or shopping mall.
US09316452B2
Provided is a revolver with a two chambers cylinder, of the type having a low profile and with no protruding parts from the frame. The revolver includes a frame which has a grip at its rear portion, a trigger at its lower portion and a barrel at its front portion. The frame further includes a central opening that defines the cylinder housing. The cylinder has an oblong shape and has two chambers, radially opposite with respect to the rotation axis of the cylinder. The cylinder rotation before firing is obtained by means of the trigger actuation, which causes an upward movement of the cylinder impeller and the consequent rotation of the gear, due to interaction between the pinion and the teeth of the cylinder impeller. The transfer of the rotational movement of the gear to the cylinder is made from a ratchet, which is partially arranged within said cylinder.
US09316451B2
A buffer locking assembly comprised of a carrier insert and buffer assembly where the carrier insert is nested in the rearward end of a bolt carrier of a bolt carrier assembly of a rifle weapon, such as an AR15/M4 rifle, wherein a novel carrier insert and buffer assembly interact during firing to align the buffer recoil spring, buffer assembly, carrier insert, and bolt carrier assembly when the bolt carrier assembly is reciprocated as the rifle is fired. The invention also includes a method for maintaining longitudinal alignment of the buffer assembly with the bolt carrier assembly.
US09316443B2
In an apparatus and process for treating wafer-shaped articles, a spin chuck holds a wafer-shaped article in a predetermined orientation relative to an upper surface of the spin chuck. The apparatus includes a heating assembly having a housing that contains at least one infrared heating element. The heating assembly is mounted above an upper surface of the spin chuck and adjacent a wafer-shaped article when mounted on the spin chuck. The housing comprises a gas inlet connected to a gas supply, and at least one outlet for discharging gas from the housing.
US09316442B2
A dryer is provided. The dryer may include a main body having an inner space formed therein, a fixed drum provided in the inner space of the main body, and a tumbling device coupled to the drum. The fixed drum may have a non-circular cross-section as it is rotated. The tumbling device may tumble laundry items received in the fixed drum as it slides along an inner circumferential surface of the fixed drum.
US09316439B2
A dewatering machine for reducing moisture of a polymer or an elastomer includes a generally solid barrel and a pair of screws disposed in the barrel. At least a portion of the screws are intermeshing, and drive means are coupled to the screws. At least one mechanical filter is connected to the barrel. The machine includes means that enable particles of the polymer or the elastomer to fuse, which reduces the amount of fines that escape from the machine. In addition, the machine reduces the moisture of the polymer from up to about 20 percent water by weight to less than about 0.5 percent water by weight, and the moisture of the elastomer from up to about 50 percent water by weight to less than about 3.0 percent water by weight. A method of dewatering for reducing the moisture of a polymer or an elastomer is also provided.
US09316437B2
An apparatus 20 for microwave vacuum-drying organic materials such as foods and bioactives has a plurality of microwave generators 50 actuated so as to cause interference between their respective microwave streams and evenly distribute the microwave energy across the vacuum chamber 34. The microwave-transparent window 36 in the chamber is arranged so the organic material to be dried is moved across it on a conveyor belt 60 and the microwave energy passing into the chamber 34 immediately encounters the organic materials, thus attenuating the energy and reducing arcing.
US09316432B2
Soft drinks, beer, energy drinks, flavored drinks, fruit juices, wine, carbonated drinks and other refreshments are kept refrigerated for hours and sometimes days until served for consumption or sold. Energy is spent in chilling them from room temperature to the temperature at which they are to be served or sold and also energy is spent in conserving them at said serving or selling temperature. A process and equipment to rapidly chill beverages in their containers from ambient temperature to the temperature chosen for consumption or sale is presented.
US09316427B2
A refrigerator includes a direct contact ice making system in conjunction with a circulating liquid coolant. The ice making system includes a coolant loop and an air flow chamber on a portion of the loop. The air flow chamber includes channels formed by offset protrusions, which direct air back and forth over the portion of the cooling loop to cool ambient air within the ice making system. The cooled air is then directed by a fan and supply duct to an ice storage container to prevent ice cubes in the container from melting. Once the air has warmed in the container, it is directed by a return duct to the beginning of the air flow chamber to begin the process over once again, thus creating a recirculation of air within a refrigerator system to cool an ice storage container.
US09316426B2
Articulated water curtains for ice making machines include two portions, an upper portion hingedly connected to the upper portion of the machine, and a lower portion that includes a bottom edge of the two-piece water curtain and that is pivotally-mounted to a lower portion of the machine or to the lower portion of the water curtain.
US09316421B2
An air-conditioning apparatus including a check valve in a passage between a first flow switching device and a suction side of a compressor, an expansion valve midway of a liquid extension piping, and an additional unit having a first bypass and a second bypass that are branched off from a passage between an indoor unit and the liquid expansion valve, and are connected to a passage between the check valve and the suction side of the compressor. The first bypass has, midway thereof, a first bypass expansion valve capable of controlling a throughput of refrigerant and an auxiliary heat exchanger that has a heat source different from the refrigerant, the auxiliary heat exchanger functioning as an evaporator heating the refrigerant flowing in the first bypass. The second bypass has, midway thereof, a second bypass expansion valve capable of controlling a throughput of refrigerant.
US09316418B2
An apparatus for achieving a cryogenic temperature in a movable system, includes a rotating table, a vacuum chamber which is fixed on the rotating table, a cryogen-free refrigerator which has a cooling section inside the vacuum chamber, an inner cylinder which is fixed to a bottom of the rotating table, an outer cylinder which stores the inner cylinder such that the inner cylinder is rotatable and includes an outward and return gas port which is provided to be continuous with gas passages, a compressor which circulates gas to the cryogen-free refrigerator through the outward and return gas passages, and a rotary joint for wiring which is fixed to the inner cylinder and rotatably conducts electricity, wherein a piece of internal wiring is led through a through-hole and a hole, and electricity is supplied to a piece of equipment on the rotating table through the piece of internal wiring.
US09316416B2
A device for fastening panel-shaped mats, in particular flexible photovoltaic solar panels, to a supporting structure, has at least one clamping clip (10) in the shape of a section of a plastic profiled body. The clip has opposing profiled limbs (12, 14) forming a clamping space (18) for a holding region (8) of the mat received in it. In the clamping space, the profiled limbs (12, 14) rest with a resilient clamping force against the upper face and the lower face of the holding region (8). The profiled limb (14), which in the clamped state rests against the lower face of the holding region (8) facing the supporting structure, forms a fixing surface (26) on its outer face provided with a connecting element (30) for attaching to the supporting structure.
US09316415B2
There are disclosed a film mirror, which can be prevented from decrease in specular reflectance when a silver layer that serves as a reflective layer is deteriorated, is lightweight and flexible, can be produced at low cost, can have an enlarged surface area, can be produced on a large scale, exhibits excellent light stability and weather resistance, and exhibits good specular reflectance to solar light; a process for producing the film mirror; and a reflection device for solar power generation, which is equipped with such a film mirror. The film mirror comprises at least an adhesive layer, a silver reflection layer and an upper adjacent layer as constituent layers provided on the resin substrate sequentially in this order, in which at least the upper adjacent layer contains a binder and a corrosion inhibitor for silver.
US09316403B2
The concepts relate to reducing energy loss associated with hot water systems. One example includes a cold water line and a hot water line and an end use fixture in fluid flowing relation with the cold and hot water lines and configured to control water flow therefrom. This example also includes a water heater having an intake or inlet in fluid flowing relation to the cold water line and an outlet in fluid flowing relation to the hot water line. The example includes an automatic hot water recovery apparatus positioned in fluid flowing relation to the cold water line proximate to the water heater, the automatic hot water recovery apparatus configured to draw hot water back into the water heater from the hot water line subsequent to hot water usage at the end use fixture.
US09316392B2
Gas burner (1) for a cooking hob (14) comprising: a burner cup (2) constrained to the cooking hob, onto which at least one burner body (3) is mounted, and at least one superior cover (5), which can be removably coupled to said burner body, as well as at least one annular flame diffuser (4), designed to produce at least one flame crown. The burner is also provided with means (9, 9′, 10) for reversibly fixing the superior cover to the burner cup. The reversible fixing means comprise at least one male part (9, 9′) integral to the cup and at least one female part (10) integral to the cover, or vice-versa, in which the male part can be inserted into the female part and is movable within the female part between at least one reciprocal holding position and at least one reciprocal release position.
US09316389B2
A modular LED heat-dissipating device includes an LED circuit board, a heat-conducting adhesive layer, a heat-dissipating structure, and a wire terminal module. The LED light source illuminates by power supplied via the wire terminal module. Heat generated from the LED light source is dissipated by the heat-dissipating structure. This device does not dissipate heat by a lamp housing. So the lamp housing can be made of, but not limited to, plastic, thereby decreasing a production cost of the LED lamp. In addition, the modular LED heat-dissipating device can fit various kinds of lamp housings. When the LED light source breaks down, the modular LED heat-dissipating device and the lamp housing can be easily separated to replace or repair the LED light source.
US09316388B2
A device and kit for cooling a light emitting material are provided. The device comprises: a light emitting material; a cooling plate configured to cool the light emitting material; a window, the light emitting material sandwiched between the window and the cooling plate, the window configured to: transmit excitation light for exciting the light emitting material; transmit emitted light from the light emitting material; and, conduct heat away from the light emitting material to the cooling plate. The kit comprises the window and a holder there for.
US09316387B1
LED lights including a metal core printed circuit board (MCPCB) having a rear side and a front side are disclosed. At least one LED may be mounted to the front side of the MCPCB. A transparent window may be mounted and sealed to the front side of the MCPCB to enclose the LED. A portion of the MCPCB may extend from the transparent window so that it can be in heat exchange contact with water when the window of the lighting fixture is submerged in water or other fluids.
US09316382B2
Connector devices, systems, and related methods for connecting light emitting diode (LED) modules to thermal substrates and/or optical elements are disclosed. In some aspects, a connector device can include a connector body having a first side configured to engage an LED module and a second side configured to engage an optical element for mechanically coupling the LED module to the optical element. The connector device can further include a housing configured to receive a portion of an electrical wire for electrically coupling the LED module to the electrical wire. A connector system can include an annular body defining an opening and at least one LED module disposed in a portion of the connector. The connector can be configured to cover a portion of the LED module and leave another portion of the LED module exposed or visible.
US09316368B2
A luminaire including a thin phosphor layer applied to a remote reflector is disclosed. In some embodiments of the luminaire, LEDs illuminate and activate a thin remote phosphor coating applied to a reflective substrate. In some embodiments, the LED light source includes at least one LED with a GaN emitting layer. The LEDs can be packaged with or without a local phosphor. The thin remote phosphor can include red, red/orange, yellow, green or cyan emitting phosphor so that the luminaire produces white light. The thin remote phosphor layer can include two or more different color emitting phosphors. In some embodiments, the luminaire is a light fixture including a diffuser lens assembly and a pan to support the fixture when mounted in a ceiling.
US09316363B2
A lighting device may be provided that includes a light emitter including a plurality of LEDs; a reflective plate disposed on the light emitter; a diffuser plate disposed in a direction in which light emitted from the LED is irradiated; a case including the light emitter disposed therein and including a bottom plate and a side wall extending from both side ends of the bottom plate; and a connecting member extending from the side wall of the case and including a bracket coupler on at least one side thereof. The light emitter is disposed between the bottom plate of the case and the diffuser plate.
US09316348B2
A positioning device positions an ejection device for ejecting a movably mounted part of a piece of furniture from a closed end position in relation to a body of a piece of furniture. The ejection device can be fixed in relation to the body of the piece of furniture by an adapter plate. The adapter plate includes at least two guides, one of the guides being respectively connectable to a bearing part fixed to the body. The at least two guides can be used to position the ejection device in at least two different depth positions on or in the body of the piece of furniture.
US09316336B2
A penetration fitting unit for seal-connection between a wall and a pipe passing through a wall opening. The unit has a cylindrical sleeve having inlet and outlet ends which internally define a tubular passage. Between the inlet and outlet ends there is at least one limit stop element protruding outwardly from the outer surface of the cylindrical sleeve having a locking ring that can be coupled with the cylindrical sleeve at the outlet end thereby forming a seat for the wall. A heat transfer apparatus is interposed between the limit stop element and the sleeve outlet end. The heat transfer apparatus is placed at a portion of the cylindrical sleeve's outer surface and has a first area at least partially overlapping with respect to the seat for the wall and a second area overlapping with a portion of internal surface of the locking ring.
US09316327B1
A refrigerant valve has a body with a through bore. Multiple tubes have openings aligned in a ring around a middle of the bore. The tubes lead to larger channels in the body. A needle assembly inserted through an end of the bore reciprocates a needle with a stepper motor and speed reducer to precisely control sizes of the openings. Further advancing the needle shaft after closing the openings to the tubes, engages and slides a bypass sleeve against a return spring force to open a bypass in a side of the valve body. A connector connects the bypass in a first end of the bore to outward opening holes of the channels.
US09316321B2
Multi-piece flow control apparatus for use with fluid valves are described. An example flow control apparatus described herein includes a sleeve having first and second ends, the first end including a lip. A valve plug tip is disposed in the sleeve and has a shoulder engaged with an inner surface of the lip. An insert is disposed in the second end of the sleeve and engaged with the valve plug tip to urge the shoulder of the valve plug tip against the inner surface of the lip. The insert has an opening to receive a stem of the valve.
US09316316B2
Provided is a segmented seal that is capable of suppressing the progress of wear in a key groove and thereby attains improvement in the durability of a seal ring. The segmented seal includes a key groove (15), as seen in an axial direction, has a groove body portion (15a) extending in a radial direction and a pair of clearance groove portions (15b, 15c) expanding to both sides of the groove body portion (15a) so as to be away from a key (50) on the inner peripheral surface side, and among the pair of clearance groove portions (15b, 15c), the clearance groove portion (15c) on an upstream side in a rotating direction ® of the rotating shaft (200) is configured to expand to an outer peripheral surface side beyond a tip end (50a) on an inner peripheral surface side of the key (50).
US09316314B2
A sealing arrangement for placement between two components which have a planar contact surface, in particular two housing parts of a pump. The sealing arrangement has an elongate, flexible sealing element whose end region has a termination element thereon, which can carry out a sealing function. The sealing element and the termination element have an overlap region in the end region of the sealing element and thus form a first continuous sealing edge. The sealing edge is maintained also for a displacement of the end region of the sealing element in the direction of the start region within the overlap region. The termination element moreover has a first curvature. The curvature and the sealing element are configured so that the sealing element contacts the termination element along the curvature in a pressure-free state.
US09316311B2
A method of controlling a shift-by-wire transmission is provided. The method monitors a setting of a shift assembly that sets a select gear from gearing of the transmission. A motor is activated to adjust the setting of the shift assembly when the monitoring of the shift assembly indicates that the then current setting of the shift assembly is outside of a course window of a desired gear. The course adjustment window is centered about a nominal target position for the desired gear while being within an acceptable range of the select gear. The motor is shut off when the monitoring of the setting of the shift assembly indicates the setting is within a fine adjustment window of the desired gear. The fine adjustment window is also centered about the nominal target position for the desired gear. The fine adjustment window is narrower than the course adjustment window.
US09316310B2
A pressure control valve for controlling a travel primary side pressure that is a pressure of a primary side of a travel operation device is controlled by a control unit, thus the travel primary side pressure is controlled, and thereby a traveling speed is intended to be increased, preventing an engine stall.
US09316309B2
A method of controlling shifts in a multi-speed transmission includes beginning an initial shift, which changes the transmission from a starting gear to an initial target gear, and executing an adjusted shift, which changes the transmission to an adjusted target gear having higher speed ratio than the initial target gear, when transition conditions are satisfied. The transition conditions include a threshold increase in torque request, which is sufficient to require the transmission to be placed into the adjusted target gear. The transition conditions also include a common controlling clutch, which is partially engaged during the initial shift and the adjusted shift and is an off-going clutch to place the transmission in the adjusted target gear. Executing the adjusted shift does not include placing the transmission in a neutral mode. Furthermore, executing the adjusted shift does not include completing the initial shift.
US09316302B2
The invention relates to a guide wheel for a rear derailleur in a bicycle gear system for guiding a chain, including an annular wheel body with a central opening for rotatable bearing about a rotational axis of the guide wheel. The guide wheel includes a plurality of radially projecting teeth that are arranged on an outer circumferential surface of the wheel body. A tooth gap is arranged between each adjacent pair of teeth, individual teeth in the area of a root circle of the gear teeth having a predetermined tooth width matched to the chain. For improving the guiding properties, it is provided that the guide wheel has on at least some of the tooth gaps in the area near a tooth gap base and/or on at least some of the teeth at least one guide segment with a greater width than the tooth width of at least one of the adjacent teeth.
US09316295B2
A rack and pinion steering gear for a motor vehicle may include a steering pinion, which is connected to a steering shaft and is engaged with a gear rack that is movably mounted in a housing, and may further include a pressure piece arranged in the housing in a pressure piece bore, and which may keep the gear rack engaged free from play with the steering pinion. A pressure piece for a rack and pinion steering gear may include an outer metallic casing inserted with a press fit into the pressure piece bore, at least one elastomer damping element, in particular an elastomer casing, arranged in the metallic casing, with a metallic pressure piece core enclosed by the at least one elastomer damping element.
US09316291B2
A power transmission system of a hybrid electric vehicle may include an input shaft, an output gear disposed on the input shaft, a first planetary gear set having a first sun gear, a first planetary carrier, and a first ring gear; a second planetary gear set having a second sun gear, a second planetary carrier, and a second ring gear; a third planetary gear set having a third sun gear, a third planetary carrier, and a third ring gear; first to seventh rotation shafts, and three friction elements configured to selectively connect the respective rotation shafts to each other or selectively connect the respective rotation shafts to the transmission housing.
US09316279B2
A vibration isolator with low elevation seismic restraint comprises a support member, at least two vibration isolating members, a top plate, a seismic snubber and a snubber limit plate. The vibration isolating members, are seated on the support member opposing end portions. The top plate has a middle portion and opposing end portions, wherein the top plate spans over the vibration isolating members, such that the vibration isolating members are between the support member and the top plate. The seismic snubber has a shaft element that is mounted to the top plate on one end. A snubbing limit plate is mounted to the support member such that it spans the U shaped support member middle portion, wherein the shaft member second end is between the snubbing limit plate, and the support member. The shaft member passes through the support member via a through-hole, and a first snubber element mounted to the shaft element second end, such that seismic movement is limited by the snubbing limit plate and the support plate.
US09316276B2
A number of variations may include a brake disc may include a hub portion and a cheek portion. The hub portion may include a receiving flange for mechanically engaging the cheek portion. The cheek portion may include an upper cheek and a lower cheek connected and separated by a web, and an inner flange extending radially inward from the upper cheek to mechanically engage and communicate with the receiving flange of the hub portion such that the hub portion and the cheek portion form a single brake disc. The inner flange may include a at least one spline tooth circumferentially arranged around the inner flange and constructed and arranged to facilitate the mechanical engagement of the receiving flange and the inner flange.
