US09432757B2

Opposing strings of pivotally coupled rigid members attach to opposing sides of tapered speaker cabinets in an array of speaker cabinets. Attachment is made near the front cabinet edges and a rear adjustable coupling string of brackets and adjustable couplings connect to the rear of the tapered speaker cabinets. Actuation of the adjustable couplings enables continuous adjustment of the angular relationships of the speaker cabinets while under load. A three-point fly frame coupling is provided. A three-point dolly coupling is provided.
US09432755B2

An OLT comprising a processor configured to calculate a downstream bandwidth map that indicates an active period of time when the OLT is scheduled to transmit a data frame to an ONU, and generate a message comprising the downstream bandwidth map, and a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to send the message to the ONU via a PON, wherein the message instructs the ONU to power off at least one ONU receive data processing unit outside the active period. Also disclosed is a computer program product comprising computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium such that when executed by a processor cause an ONU to receive a message indicating an active period, wherein the active period indicates a scheduled period during which data communicated over a PON is relevant to the ONU and power down an ONU receive data processing unit outside the active period.
US09432752B2

In an optical transmission system including at least one ring network configured by plural nodes, each node of the ring network is provided with the optical switch having connection configuration that the output in at least two directions of a signal input to the node is allowed and the output of the optical switch functions as input to another node included in the plural nodes.
US09432749B2

A communication system includes a source node and an end node of a first working path, a source node and an end node of a second working path, and a source node and an end node of a common path serving as a protection path shared by the first and second working paths. The source node of the common path transfers one of signals received from the source nodes of the first and second working paths to the common path, and the end node of the common path transmits the signal received through the common path to each of the end nodes of the first and second working paths.
US09432744B2

Disclosed herein is a receiving device including: a receiver that receives AV content; a trigger information acquirer that acquires trigger information adapted to identify control information to control operation of an application program run in conjunction with the AV content; a table acquirer that acquires a table in which the control information identified by the trigger information is stored in response to first version information that is included in the trigger information and indicates a version of the table; and a control section that controls the operation of the application program in response to the control information that is identified by the trigger information and is stored in the table.
US09432737B2

The present disclosure relates to a terminal device, a server device, an information processing method, a program, and a linked application supplying system, which are capable of executing an application in conjunction with progress of content being viewed at a user's home.The terminal device of the present disclosure is characterized in including a database cache unit that acquires and holds reference data which is held in a database of the server device, and a response generation unit that identifies content of an extraction source of signature data included in a second query in response to the second query transmitted from a separate terminal device belonging to a common network, by referring to the reference data in the database cache unit, and generates a second response to be returned to the separate terminal device, including at least the application identifier representing an application to be executed in conjunction with the identified content. The terminal device of the present disclosure can be applied to a TV receiver.
US09432727B2

Systems and methods are provided for cross-platform rendering of video content on a plurality of different user-computing platform types. A script is transmitted to the user-computing platform and is interpreted by an application program to: decode a first type of encoded video data into first decoded video data; render the first decoded video data; determine a rate at which the first type of encoded video data is being received; and, in dependence on the determined rate, to perform at least one of: transmitting a request to receive a second type of encoded video data; modifying a characteristic of the decoding of the first type of encoded video data; and modifying a characteristic of the rendering of the first decoded video data.
US09432726B2

Systems and methods are provided for cross-platform rendering of video content on a user-computing platform. A script is transmitted to the user-computing platform and is interpreted by an application program compiled to operate on any one of a plurality of user-computing platform types. A series of frame images is encoded to provide encoded video data. Encoding frame images comprises encoding the frame images into a content-transfer format whereby the content-transfer encoded frame images can be passed by a script interpreter interpreting the script to the application program. The encoded video data is transmitted to the user-computing platform. The script is further configured to cause the script to be interpreted by the application program to: decode the transmitted encoded video data into decoded video data comprising the content-transfer encoded frame images; and render the decoded video data by displaying the frame images.
US09432724B2

A method of processing a web service in a Non-Real Time (NRT) service and the broadcast receiver are disclosed herein. A method of providing an NRT service in a broadcasting receiver may include receiving first signaling information, identifying whether a service type of an NRT service is a web service based upon the first signaling information, identifying a web page type and a web page version of the NRT service and browsing the NRT service. The method may further include connecting a service signaling channel, parsing the received first signaling information, determining whether the NRT service is supported in the broadcasting receiver and consuming the web contents of the NRT service. The NRT service may include at least one of a fixed NRT service and a mobile NRT service. The first signaling information may be a data casting description table (DDT) if the NRT service is the fixed NRT service. The first signaling information may be a service map table (SMT) if the NRT service is the mobile NRT service. The DDT may include a first field identifying the NRT service and a second field identifying a type of the NRT service. The type of the web service may include at least one of a web document of text HTML and a web document of CE-HTML. The third field and the fourth field may be valid if the type of the received service is the web service based upon the second field.
US09432718B2

Systems and methods for synchronizing the playback of streamed content on multiple playback devices is disclosed. The systems and methods include receiving time information based on a network time source in the playback devices connected to a defined network. The playback clock in each playback device is set based upon the time information. A first playback device then generates presentation time information including a start time for playback and broadcast the presentation time information to the other playback device over the defined network. The playback devices use the presentation time information to adjust the presentation time stamps of the frames of the media content in the stream.
US09432715B2

A method for digital commerce in conjunction with a digital broadcast may comprise presenting a commercial message with a display device associated with a digital broadcast receiving device if a predetermined condition exists, wherein the predetermined condition is detected by a vehicle sensor and/or a biometric sensor included in the ancillary device; generating response information using ancillary data, wherein the response information is usable to determine an effectiveness of the commercial message in generating a response of a percipient of the commercial message; and transmitting the response information if a commercial transaction associated with the commercial message is completed. An alternative method may comprise, inter alia, determining an effectiveness of the commercial message in generating a response of a percipient of the commercial message.
US09432714B2

Described herein is a system and method of ad targeting that automatically matches advertisements to media based on the demographic signatures of each. The method and system include calculating a match score between historical buyer demographics and media demographics. Media which is similar to the demographic of the product buyers is targeted for advertising.
US09432704B2

The subject matter herein generally relates to transcoding content, typically audio/video files though not limited to such, from one version to another in preparation for online streaming or other delivery to end users. Such transcoding may involve converting from one format to another (e.g., changing codecs or container formats), or creating multiple versions of an original source file in different bitrates, frame-sizes, or otherwise. A transcoding platform is described herein that, in certain embodiments, leverages distributed computing techniques to transcode content in parallel across a platform of machines that are preferably idle or low-utilization resources of a content delivery network. The transcoding system also utilizes, in certain embodiments, improved techniques for segmenting the original source file so as to enable different segments to be sent to different machines for parallel transcodes.
US09432703B2

The present invention provides a salience-based media manipulation method and system for inserting contents into video presentations. The method includes establishing an advertisement-element pool containing a plurality of advertisement elements provided for insertion; obtaining an input video presenting at least one scenes and containing a plurality of original frames; and performing shot grouping and primary scene analysis on the input video to acquire scenes with static background and limited camera motion. The method also includes detecting white-space candidates in the acquired scenes for inserting at least one advertisement element and adjusting alignment between the white-space candidates and the at least one advertisement element. The adjusted alignment increases a salience gain of the advertisement elements and limit salience change of the scenes without insertion. The method further includes generating an output video by inserting the advertisement elements into the white-space candidates according to the adjusted alignment between the white-space candidates and the advertisement elements.
US09432700B2

Adaptive loop filtering in accordance with video coding. An adaptive loop filter (ALF) and/or other in-loop filters (e.g., sample adaptive offset (SAO) filter, etc.) may be implemented within various video coding architectures (e.g., encoding and/or decoding architectures) to perform both offset and scaling processing, only scaling processing, and/or only offset processing. Operation of such an ALF may be selective in accordance with any of multiple respective operational modes at any given time and may be adaptive based upon various consideration(s) (e.g., desired complexity level, processing type, local and/or remote operational conditions, etc.). For example, an ALF may be applied to a decoded picture before it is stored in a picture buffer (or digital teacher buffer (DPB)). An ALF can provide for coding noise reduction of a decoded picture, and the filtering operations performed thereby may be selective (e.g., on a slice by slice basis, block by block basis, etc.).
US09432697B2

Provided is a video encoding apparatus, including a signal separator to separate a differential image block into a first domain and a second domain, based on a boundary line included in the differential image block, the differential image block indicating a difference between an original image and a prediction image with respect to the original image, a transform encoder to perform a transform encoding with respect to the first domain using a discrete cosine transform (DCT), a quantization unit to quantize an output of the transform encoding unit in a frequency domain, a space domain quantization unit to quantize the second domain in a space domain, and an entropy encoder to perform an entropy encoding using outputs of the quantization unit and the space domain quantization unit.
US09432696B2

Systems and methods for low complexity forward transforms using zeroed-out coefficients are described herein. One aspect of the subject matter described in the disclosure provides a video encoder comprising a memory configured to store a video block. The video encoder further comprises a processor in communication with the memory. The processor is configured to determine a full power value of the video block. The processor is further configured to determine a reduced transform coefficient matrix, wherein the reduced transform coefficient matrix comprises an inner region of zero or non-zero values of the same inner region of a full transform coefficient matrix and an outer region of zero values, wherein the reduced transform coefficient matrix and the full transform coefficient matrix have the same size. The processor is further configured to determine a partial power value of the video block using the reduced transform coefficient matrix. The processor is further configured to transform the video block from a pixel domain to a coefficient domain using the reduced transform coefficient matrix based on the full power value and partial power value. The processor is further configured to encode the transformed video block.
US09432693B2

There is disclosed apparatuses, methods and computer programs for utilizing motion prediction in video coding. Coding type of a block of pixels of a video representation encoded in a bitstream is read, where values of said pixels having a first precision. If the type of the block is a block predicted by using two or more reference blocks, a first reference pixel location in a first reference block is determined and a second reference pixel location in a second reference block is determined. The first reference pixel location is used to obtain a first prediction having a second precision, which is higher than the first precision. The second reference pixel location is used to obtain a second prediction, also having the second precision. The first prediction and the second prediction are combined to obtain a combined prediction having the first precision.
US09432691B2

A moving picture coding method includes: coding a coding target block using a motion vector; generating motion vector predictors; and coding the motion vector using one of the motion vector predictors generated in the generating of the motion vector predictors. In the generating of the motion vector predictors, a replacement vector which replaces a temporal motion vector predictor is added to the motion vector predictors when it is impossible to obtain the temporal motion vector predictor from a block which is included in a coded picture different from the coding target picture and corresponds to the coding target block.
US09432682B2

A video system for coding a stream of video data that includes a stream of video frames divides each video frame into a matrix of a plurality of subblocks, wherein each subblock includes a plurality of pixels. The video system operates in accordance with nine prediction modes. Each prediction mode determines a prediction mode according to which a present subblock is to be coded. One of the nine prediction modes is selected to encode the present subblock, wherein the selected prediction mode provides for a minimum error value in the present subblock.
US09432680B2

A method and apparatus for encoding and decoding motion information. The encoding method includes determining whether motion information of spatial prediction units that are spatially collocated to a current prediction unit and motion information of temporal prediction units that are temporally collocated to the current prediction are available; when the number of the motion information of the spatial prediction units and the motion information of the temporal prediction units is less than a predetermined number, generating additional candidate motion information by using the available motion information of the spatial prediction units and the motion information of the temporal prediction units such that the total number of pieces of candidate motion information is the predetermined number; and decoding motion information of the current prediction unit by using the ‘n’ pieces of motion information.
US09432664B2

Techniques described herein are related to coding layer identifiers for operation points in video coding. In one example, a method of decoding video data is provided. The method comprises decoding syntax elements in a video parameter set (VPS) within a conforming bitstream indicating a first operation point having a first set of content. The method further comprises decoding, if present, syntax elements in the VPS within the conforming bitstream indicating hypothetical reference decoder (HRD) parameter information having a second set of content for the first operation point, wherein the conforming bitstream does not include syntax elements in the VPS that duplicate at least one of the first or second set of content for a second operation point, and wherein decoding syntax elements comprises decoding the syntax elements indicating the first operation point and the HRD parameter information only within conforming bitstreams.
US09432663B2

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for encoding a video including: a prediction unit to generate a predicted block of a current block; a subtraction unit to generate a residual block by subtracting the predicted block from the current block; a transformer to transform the residual block into a frequency transform block by performing different transform methods on different transform units; a quantization unit to quantize the frequency transform block to generate a quantized frequency transform block; and a bitstream generator to encode the quantized frequency transform block into a bitstream.
US09432653B2

This disclosure describes a host controller configured to combine image data associated with left and right images of a 3D image to control a display consistent with an orientation for the display (e.g., a first and second plurality of active parallax barriers of the display). In response to an orientation for the display, the host controller may combine image data associated with respective left and right images of with a 3D image in a first or second interleaved format to be consistent with the orientation for the display. For example, the host controller may combine the image data to be line-interleaved or pixel interleaved, based on an orientation for the display. In this manner, the display may receive the combined image data and present the 3D image consistent with the orientation for the display, while reducing processing performed by the display to present the 3D image.
US09432649B2

According to one embodiment, a display data processor includes a first acquisition module, at least one image quality change module, a second acquisition module, a controller, and an output module. The first acquisition module acquires display data for displaying video on a display screen. The at least one image quality change module performs processing to change image quality on the display data. The second acquisition module acquires data corresponding to the video and instructing pause of the video. The controller changes an operation of the at least one image quality change module based on the data acquired by the second acquisition module. The output module outputs one of the display data on which the processing is performed by the at least one of the image quality change modules and the display data that is acquired by the first acquisition module.
US09432647B2

This disclosure pertains to systems, methods, and computer readable media for extending the dynamic range of images using an operation referred to herein as “Adaptive Auto Exposure” (AAE). According to the embodiments disclosed herein, the AAE-enabled higher dynamic range capture operations are accomplished without blending multiple or bracketed exposure captures (as is the case with traditional high dynamic range (HDR) photography). AAE also enables high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) rendering when scene content allows for it and/or certain highlight clipping is tolerable. Decisions with regard to preferred AE strategies may be based, at least in part, on one or more of the following: sensor characteristics; scene content; and pre-defined preferences under different scenarios.
US09432642B2

An imaging system and method having a selected depth of field include an imaging lens for forming images of an object, the imaging lens having chromatic aberration and a color image sensor for receiving the images of the object. The color image sensor has a selected spectral response, the selected spectral response of the color image sensor defining a selected first center wavelength, a selected second center wavelength and a selected third center wavelength, wherein the selected first center wavelength is larger than the selected second center wavelength and the selected second center wavelength is larger than the selected third center wavelength. The selected spectral response defines the depth of field of the imaging system. A difference between the selected first center wavelength and the selected third center wavelength is greater than 150 nm.
US09432639B2

A method and apparatus for operating a security system are provided. The method includes the steps of the security system monitoring a secured area, a video camera obtaining images of the secured area, detecting at least one person within the obtained images and identifying a predetermined context associated with the identified at least one person within the obtained images.
US09432636B2

Depth maps of a physical space are obtained using a depth sensor carried by a rig such as a robot or a head mounted display device worn by a user. Visible light images are also obtained. The images and orientation readings are used to create a pose graph which includes nodes connected by links. The nodes are associated with different poses of the rig and the corresponding images. Links between the nodes represent correspondences between the images, and transforms between coordinate systems of the nodes. As new images are captured, the pose graph is updated to reduce an accumulation of errors. Furthermore, surfaces in the physical space can be reconstructed at any time according to the current state of the pose graph. Volumes used in a surface reconstruction process are anchored to the nodes such that the positions of the volumes are adjusted as the pose graph is updated.
US09432635B2

A spark plug is held by a work holder, and an illumination device is disposed between a rear end surface of a metal terminal of the spark plug and a lens of a CCD camera. The positional relationship among the rear end surface, the lens and a light source is determined such that regular reflected light resulting from regular reflection of irradiation light emitted from the light source and impinging on the rear end surface is not incident on the lens. In capturing an image of the rear end surface not only is the regular reflected light not incident on the lens, but also the incidence, on the lens of irregular reflected light resulting from irregularities on the rear end surface is reduced, whereby interference of reflected light with a captured image can be reduced.
US09432622B1

High-speed video interfaces, video endpoints, and related methods are disclosed. A high-speed video interface includes a system cable, a remote camera unit, and a main processing unit. The system cable includes one or more twisted pairs. A method includes capturing near-end video images including multi-channel, high-definition video data, serializing the video data, and transmitting the serialized video data to the main processing unit through a single one of the one or more twisted pairs of the system cable with the remote camera unit. The method also includes deserializing the serialized video data with the main processing unit. A video endpoint configured to enable an audibly impaired user to participate in video communication sessions for audibly impaired users includes the high-speed video interface.
US09432606B2

An image pickup apparatus 100 includes an image pickup element 101 including a plurality of image pickup pixels that perform a photoelectric conversion for an image formed by a light beam from an image pickup optical system and a plurality of focus detection pixels that perform a photoelectric conversion for an image formed by a divided light beam of the light beam from the image pickup optical system, and a DSP 103 configured to perform a shading correction for a pixel signal from the image pickup element 101, the image pickup element 101 generates a first pixel signal by adding signals from the plurality of image pickup pixels, and generates a second pixel signal without adding a signal from the focus detection pixel, and the DSP 103 performs the shading correction for the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal using correction data different from each other.
US09432602B2

There is provided a solid-state imaging device including a pixel array section having a plurality of unit pixels two-dimensionally arranged therein, the unit pixels including at least a photoelectric conversion section, a charge holding section, a transfer section, and a reset section, and a drive control section which controls driving of the unit pixels in a manner that a voltage as a signal level and a voltage as a reset level are each read out serially per row. The drive control section controls readout of the voltage of the charge holding section in accordance with initialization of the charge holding section performed by the reset section before the charge transfer by the transfer section.
US09432601B2

An apparatus for correcting a defective pixel includes a unit configured to obtain a first corrected value based on a maximum value or minimum value of values of surrounding pixels around a defective pixel, a unit configured to identify a direction in which a change in pixel values is the smallest based on the values of the surrounding pixels, and configured to obtain a second corrected value responsive to values of pixels situated in the identified direction among the surrounding pixels, and a selection unit configured to select the first corrected value when a difference between a value of the defective pixel and a representative value of the surrounding pixels is smaller than a first threshold value, configured to select the second corrected value when the difference is larger than or equal to a second threshold value that is larger than or equal to the first threshold value.
US09432595B2

An image processing apparatus includes an intermediate image generating unit configured to input an image which has been shot with differing exposure times set by region, generates a plurality of exposure pattern images corresponding to differing exposure times based on the input image, and generates a plurality of timing images which are difference images of the plurality of exposure pattern images; and a distortion correction processing unit configured to generate a corrected image equivalent to an exposure processing image at a predetermined exposure time by synthesizing processing of the plurality of timing images.
US09432579B1

A method of enhancing pictures recorded by a digital imaging device, including, activating the imaging device to record a burst of multiple consecutive digital pictures, recording the pictures of the burst, selecting one of the digital pictures of the burst to serve as a base picture, estimating alignment of each picture to compensate for motion relative to the base picture, enhancing the base picture by combining with details from the other recorded pictures of the burst while compensating for the motion, providing the enhanced picture as output.
US09432578B2

An imaging apparatus includes a camera body and an interchangeable lens. The camera body includes: an image sensor; an image sensor driver configured to drive the image sensor in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis; a sensor configured to measure a position of the plane; a shake detector configured to detect a camera body shake; and a first image stabilizer configured to correct the detected shake by driving the image sensor driver. The interchangeable lens includes: an image stabilization lens configured to adjust an optical path to correct a shake; an image stabilization lens driver configured to drive the image stabilization lens in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis; and a second image stabilizer configured to correct a shake, based on a position measured by the sensor of the camera body, by driving the image stabilization lens driver.
US09432576B2

An image fusing method, apparatus and system for fusing images from an array of cameras, method includes selecting a camera from the array of cameras as a reference camera, estimating misalignment between the retrieved input images from the reference camera and the retrieved input images from the other cameras, estimating misalignment parameters between the reference camera and the other cameras, estimating local disparity between the reference camera image data and the other cameras based on the estimated misalignment parameters, using the estimated misalignment parameters and the estimated disparity values, mapping the image data into a reference camera grid, the retrieved input image data from the other cameras in the array of cameras is fused in the reference camera grid utilizing fractional offsets from integer coordinates, and producing an output image grid on the reference camera grid and interpolate output pixels using processed data for producing a high resolution image.
US09432574B2

An electronic apparatus is described. The electronic apparatus includes: a photographing unit which generates raw data by photographing processing; a non-transitory memory which stores interface information for displaying, on a display unit of an external device, a development interface which receives setting operations that set development parameters used in development processing of the raw data; a communication unit which transmits the interface information to the external device and receives from the external device the development parameters set on the external device; and an image processing unit which, based on the development parameters received from the communication unit, performs the development processing of the raw data and generates development data for display.
US09432573B2

An imaging apparatus according to an implementation of the present invention includes: an imaging device unit which converts light coming from an object into an image signal, the light being illuminating light reflected off an object; a light pattern detecting unit which detects a light-dark pattern from the image signal so as to detect information overlaid on the illuminating light, the image signal being converted from the light by the imaging device unit; a comparing unit which compares detection information with predetermined determination information, the detection information being the information detected by the light pattern detecting unit; and a display unit which displays a specific image, depending on a result of the comparison by the comparing unit.
US09432572B2

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method is disclosed. An image is provided. The image is transformed. A similarity score is determined. The similarity score corresponds to a comparison of the image and the transformed image. A camera setting is predicted based on the determined similarity score.
US09432540B2

Disclosed are an image defect detection device, method and an imaging unit capable of reliably detecting image defect, such as stripe unevenness or scratches, even if a comparatively inexpensive and low resolution imaging unit is used. An image reading unit has a plurality of read pixels arranged in a second direction intersecting a first direction and reads an image recorded on a recording medium by a single-pass recording head, which is relatively moved in the first direction. A birefringent plate shifts and duplexes the image at least in the second direction by performing birefringence of image light of the image. The birefringent plate makes the width of image defect in the second direction on the read pixels greater than the pitch of the read pixels. A detection unit which detects image defect included in the image and extended in the first direction based on the reading result of the image.
US09432539B2

An image reading device capable of avoiding erroneous determination in blank-paper detection of an original of an irregular size even when different width originals mixed and loaded are processed at a time. An original placed on a tray is conveyed through a conveyance path. An image reading sensor reads an image of the original. A blank-paper detection unit determines whether the original is blank paper. A determination unit determines whether the original is a regular size or an irregular size. A control unit controls not to output image data of the original when the determination unit determines that the original is a regular size and the blank-paper detection unit determines that the original is blank paper, and controls to output image data of the original when the determination unit determines that the original is an irregular size and the blank-paper detection unit determines that the original is blank paper.
US09432536B2

This invention provides a technique of preventing a collision between an original document and a printing material on a conveyance path which is partially shared for conveyance of them in an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus of one aspect of this invention, which includes a printing unit configured to convey a printing material via at least part of a conveyance path used for original document reading processing, and execute printing processing of an image on the printing material, executes if the original document reading processing is not being executed when the printing processing of the image on the printing material is instructed, the printing processing without waiting for completion of the reading processing, and executes, if the original document reading processing is being executed, the printing processing upon completion of the reading processing.
US09432517B2

Embodiments include methods, apparatuses, and systems for generating an action item in response to a detected audio trigger during a conversation. Embodiments relate to generation of one or more action items in response to detection of an audio trigger, such as a spoken command, keyword, audio tone or other indicator, which is detected during a conversation, such as an audio or video conference or peer-to-peer conversation. The audio trigger and a portion of the conversation are then used to generate an action item relating to the audio trigger and an accompanying portion of the conversation. By automatically generating action items in real time as part of a conversation, action items can be captured and stored more efficiently, and the participants in the conversation are allowed greater confidence that all items requiring follow up actions are properly stored and organized.
US09432511B2

A method for searching for one or more recorded communications between one or more customers and a contact center comprising is provided. The method is implemented by a computer readable medium having a plurality of code segments. One or more communications is analyzed and assessment data is assigned thereto. The assessment data of the communications is searched for at least one search criterion, and at least one communication having assessment data matching the search criterion is identified. A representation of the matching communication is then displayed.
US09432498B2

The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for initiating execution of actions and for communicating information to a user, and more particularly, to initiating execution of predefined actions in wearable devices and communication devices based on gestures made with the wearable devices and/or heat applied to a surface of the wearable devices. According to an aspect, the method relates to, in the wearable device, detecting a first, in the first wearable device predefined, gesture of the first wearable device, broadcasting a first signal comprising information associated with the first gesture, receiving, from a second wearable device, a second signal comprising information associated with a second gesture and initiating execution of a, in the first wearable device predefined, first action based on the first signal and the second signal.
US09432496B2

A mobile terminal includes a motion detecting portion, a display processing portion, a touch detecting portion, and a selection processing portion. The motion detecting portion detects a motion of shaking the mobile terminal and a direction toward which the mobile terminal was shaken. The display processing portion displays a plurality of pieces of information on a display portion as selection candidates. The touch detecting portion detects a touch operation that is performed to select a piece of information from the plurality of pieces of information. The selection processing portion, when the motion detecting portion has detected the motion of shaking, selects, as processing targets, one or more pieces of information from the plurality of pieces of information based on the detected direction toward which the mobile terminal was shaken and a position of the piece of information selected by the touch operation detected by the touch detecting portion.
US09432488B2

A control network communication arrangement includes a second protocol embedded into a first protocol in a way that modules supporting the second protocol may be aware of and utilize the first protocol whereas modules supporting only the first protocol may not be aware of the second protocol. Operation of modules using the second protocol does not disturb operation of the modules not configured to use or understand the second protocol. By one approach, the messages sent using the second protocol will be seen as messages sent using the first protocol but not having a message necessary to understand or as needing a particular response. In another approach, modules using the second protocol can be configured to send message during transmission of first protocol messages by other modules, the second protocol messages being trigger off of expected aspects of the message sent under the first protocol.
US09432481B2

Methods and apparatuses for dynamically locating resources. In one aspect of the invention, a method to retrieve a resource for a digital processing system includes; receiving a request for a resource; downloading a first version of the resource from a server through a network connection to satisfy the request if the first version of the resource is retrievable through the network connection; and loading a second version of the resource from a storage device of the digital processing system if the first version of the resource is not retrievable through a network connection. In one example, downloading the first version is performed in response to a determination that the first version of the resource is different from a second version of the resource on a storage device of the digital processing system.
US09432475B2

Disclosed is a communication network system in a bus network structure and a data transmitting/receiving method, the system including: a broker processing a message routing; a connector; and a plurality of services connected to the broker via the connector, wherein: the service is a communicable terminal node and a network address identifying each service is allocated to the each service, the connector is a module for mediating a connection between the service and the broker, and the broker is a module for setting up a routing path or a connection with the connector to process the message routing, all brokers connected to each other in a full mesh topology.
US09432472B2

Systems and methods of a personal daemon, executing as a background process on a mobile computing device, for providing personal assistant to an associated user is presented. While the personal daemon maintains personal information corresponding to the associated user, the personal daemon is configured to not share the personal information of the associated user with any other entity other than the associated user except under conditions of heuristics and behaviors established by the associated user. The personal daemon monitors and analyzes the actions of the associated user to determine additional personal information of the associated user. Additionally, upon receiving one or more notices of events from a plurality of sensors associated with the mobile computing device, the personal daemon executes a personal assistance action on behalf of the associated user.
US09432464B2

Systems and methods for exchanging a data stream of information that varies over time using a message format. The message format includes a version field that indicates a version of a structure of the message format. The message format also includes one or more resources fields that each identifies a resource to be imported into the data stream exchanging the data stream. Moreover, the message format includes one or more records that represent time-variant data samples being exchanged in the message. Furthermore, the message format includes one or more descriptor fields, wherein each descriptor field corresponds to at least one respective record of the one or more records and contains metadata describing data contained within the at least one record.
US09432455B2

A system, method, and computer program product for synchronizing events between a mobile device and a server are described herein. In an embodiment, the method operates by detecting events to be synchronized between a source and a target, wherein the source and target are one of either a mobile device or a server. The method comprises deducing activities that occurred in order to create the detected event, reading data records corresponding to the deduced activities, and creating packets of operations needed to recreate the deduced activities on the target. The method further comprises queuing the packets of operations and data records and receiving event synchronization results at the source after the queued packets of operations have successfully executed on the target, wherein the synchronization results include a synchronization status and a unique record identifier identifying the event. In an embodiment, personal information manager (PIM) events are synchronized.
US09432454B2

A method includes receiving an input at a first cloud from a first device associated with a first user. The input indicates that an item stored in the first cloud is accessible to a second device associated with a second user via a second cloud that is coupled to the first cloud. The first cloud is associated with the first user and the second cloud is associated with the second user.
US09432447B2

A document distribution system and method using a WebDAV protocol. The system includes a WebDAV server and an image forming apparatus configured to scan a document and transmit the scanned document to the WebDAV server by using the WebDAV protocol. The image forming apparatus includes a user interface operable to provide a dialog box including a first user input field to enable a user to designate a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the WebDAV server and a second user input field to enable the user to designate a directory of the WebDAV server so as to specify a document storing location within the WebDAV server, the dialog box to provide a connection to the WebDAV server to transmit a document to the WebDAV server using the WebDAV protocol. The image forming apparatus transmits the scanned document to a directory of the WebDAV server designated by using the user interface.
US09432446B2

Described herein are methods and system for virtualization of the secure digital (SD) host controller to enable sharing a SD device among various multiple host processors in a multi-processor computing system. In one implementation the method of sharing a SD device amongst a plurality of hosts of a multi-host computing system comprises detecting the SD device on occurrence of a reset event, receiving an enumeration request, from at least a first host and a second host of the plurality of hosts, to enumerate the SD device with respect to the second host, enumerating the SD device with respect to the second host, and initiating data exchange between the SD device and each of the plurality of hosts.
US09432440B2

The embodiments of the present invention provide a method of content delivery in LTE RAN, an eNB and communication system. The method includes: receiving, by an eNB from an UE, a client request for requesting content data; checking a segment map according to the client request; acquiring the plurality of segments from one or more eNBs of the RAN according to the index information in the segment map; generating the content data by using the plurality of segments; sending the content data to the UE. In this invention, a content data is divided into a plurality of segments and the segments are distributed in a RAN. Furthermore, the content data is acquired from neighboring nodes of RAN as much as possible, such that cache hit ratio is improved and the link between RAN and CN is saved.
US09432437B1

A dynamic telemetry client message routing system is provided. The system comprises a provisioning application stored in a memory of a computer system that, when executed by the processor of the computer system, receives a request from a telemetry client to register for message routing services; the request comprising a client identity. The provisioning application creates an entry in a data store associating the client identity with a broker group identity and a queue manager alias and a time to live value. The provisioning application sends a request to a route builder to configure the queue manager alias into the broker group. The route builder sends a message to the broker group to configure the queue manager alias. The message broker receives a request to send a message to the telemetry client and transmits the message and the queue manager alias of the broker group accessed from the data store.
US09432428B2

Methods, systems, and/or devices for controlling media presentation at a shared media presentation system are described herein. In one aspect, a first electronic device detects user input requesting to indicate availability of a media presentation system for use by one or more other electronic devices. In response to detecting the user input, the first electronic device transmits an indication of availability of the media presentation system for use by the one or more other electronic devices. The first electronic device also receives, from a second electronic device of the one or more other electronic devices, a request for access to the media presentation system. In response to receiving the request, the first electronic device transmits, to the second electronic device, an authentication token that allows the second electronic device to access the media presentation system through submission of media control requests that include the authentication token.
US09432421B1

Various embodiments provide methods and systems for users and business owners to share content and/or links to visual elements of a place at a physical location, and, in response to a user device pointing at a tagged place, causing the content and/or links to the visual elements of the place to be presented on the user device. In some embodiments, content and links are tied to specific objects at a place based at least in part upon one of Global Positioning System (GPS) locations, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) orientations, compass data, or one or more visual matching algorithms. Once the content and links are attached to the specific objects of the place, they can be discovered by a user with a portable device pointing at the specific objects in the real world.
US09432413B2

User equipment and method for executing an application, which uses application data, and which is executed in an Application Server in a VoIP based telecommunications network. The method comprises providing a user equipment including a database having the data stored therein, wherein the user equipment further includes an Application Server. The method further comprises invoking the SIP-AS included in the user equipment by a network node of the telecommunications network, providing, within the user equipment, the data to the Application Server included in the user equipment, executing the application, using the data, by the Application Server included in the user equipment, and communicating a result of executing the application from the Application Server included in the user equipment to the network.
US09432408B2

A signalling gateway is arranged to allow a first client using hypertext transfer protocol, HTTP, to initiate a real-time connection to a SIP, session initiation protocol, client using SIP. The signalling gateway is arranged to use a distributed shared memory to support communication between the first client and the signalling gateway regarding session information of the real-time connection. Corresponding methods, computer programs, and computer program products are also presented.
US09432405B2

A set of compliance policy updates are received. The compliance policy updates are sent to workloads for application. A status of the application of the compliance policies to the workloads is received from the workloads and output.
US09432403B2

Communications by a device in a private network to a site operating outside of the network can be programmatically inspected. Unstructured data, including messages and application content, originating from outside of the network may be disassembled, analyzed, and categorized into source specific application element types (AETs). A monitoring layer may allow a user of the device in the network to switch between different modes of interaction with the site operating outside of the network. Interactions and activities in different modes can be monitored and processed differently according to internal policies and/or business rules.
US09432402B1

This invention provides a system and a method to manage the uploading of data files from multiple wireless field devices in multiple locations to multiple data storage servers through the use of location information.
US09432401B2

A method for providing consistent security information between multiple applications is described herein. The method includes detecting potentially deceptive content from a communication application in a browser application. The method also includes generating consistent security information for the potentially deceptive content with the browser application. Additionally, the method includes sending the consistent security information for the potentially deceptive content to the communication application. Furthermore, the method includes providing a warning based on the consistent security information to the communication application.
US09432399B2

The present disclosure is directed generally to systems and methods for changing an application layer transaction timeout to prevent Denial of Service attacks. A device intermediary to a client and a server may receive, via a transport layer connection between the device and the client, a packet of an application layer transaction. The device may increment an attack counter for the transport layer connection by a first predetermined amount responsive to a size of the packet being less than a predetermined fraction of a maximum segment size for the transport layer connection. The device may increment the attack counter by a second predetermined amount responsive to an inter-packet-delay between the packet and a previous packet being more than a predetermined multiplier of a round trip time. The device may change a timeout for the application layer transaction responsive to comparing the attack counter to a predetermined threshold.
US09432391B2

Disclosed are a method, device and apparatus for acquiring the security state of a mobile terminal, which belong to the field of computers. The method includes: acquiring state information about key indicators preset by a mobile terminal; conducting a security level assessment on each key indicator through assessment policies corresponding to each of the preset key indicators, according to the state information about the key indicators, to obtain a first assessment result; and endowing each key indicator with a specific weight value, conducting an overall level assessment on the overall security state of the mobile terminal, and according to the weight value of each of the key indicators and the first assessment result of each of the key indicators, to obtain a second assessment result expressing the overall security state of the mobile terminal. The device includes: an acquiring module, a first assessment module and a second assessment module.
US09432390B2

Certain embodiments are directed to a system for high security delivery of real time video containing an authentication signature or unique identifier.
US09432387B2

This disclosure generally relates to the generation of a packet signature for packets determined to correspond to a network attack, such as a denial of service (“DoS”) attack. Specifically, a set of data packets captured during normal system operations can be analyzed to determine a set of baseline attributes. Additional packets captured during an attack can be compared to the baseline attributes, to determine, for individual packets, a probability that the packet forms a part of the attack. A packet signature can then be generated to identify attributes that are characteristic of the attack. That signature can then be used to filter out packets and mitigate the attack.
US09432382B2

A device may receive, from a first user device, a request to transmit a message to a user of a second user device. The request may include particular information indicating that content of the message is to be displayed to the user for a particular amount of time. The device may encrypt, based on receiving the request and using a key, the content of the message to obtain an encrypted message. The device may transmit the encrypted message to the second user device and receive, from the second user device, a request for the key. The device may transmit, to the second user device, the key and information identifying the particular amount of time to cause the second user device to decrypt the encrypted message, using the key, to obtain a decrypted message and cause the second user device to delete the decrypted message after the particular amount of time.
US09432380B2

Technologies are generally described for systems, devices and methods effective to allow a network element to retrieve a control command. In some examples, a network controller device may associate an identifier with the control command. The network controller device may send the identifier and the associated control command over a first network with a first level of security to a computing device. The network controller device may send an activation signal to the network element over a second network with a second level of security different from the first level of security. The network controller device may send the identifier to the network element over the second network. The identifier may be effective to allow the network element to retrieve the control command.
US09432371B2

In various exemplary embodiments, a system and associated method for providing a hybrid cloud computing environment are disclosed. For example, a system may authorize an enterprise user based on an enterprise identity. Once authenticated, embodiments may use mapping data and a cloud role to determine an identity to use when the enterprise user accesses a cloud.
US09432363B2

Described are methods that allow credentials of a first client station to authenticate a second client station. An exemplary method includes associating a first client station with a second client station, the first client station including credential information, the associating authorizing the second client station to use the credential information, transmitting, by the second client station, an association request to a network, the network utilizing the credential information to authorize a connection, the second client station configured to perform a proxy functionality for requests received from the network to be forwarded to the first client station and responses received from the first client station to be forwarded to the network, determining, by the network, whether the credential information received from the second client station is authenticated and establishing a connection between the second client station and the network using the credential information of the first client station.
US09432361B2

The security and convenience of a mobile communication device is enhanced based on a separate key device. If the key device is near the mobile communication device, the mobile communication device may be automatically unlocked without the user having to input an unlock code. The mobile communication device may be automatically unlocked into a first mode having a first level of functionality. If the user inputs a correct unlock code, the mobile communication device may be unlocked into a second mode having a second level of functionality, greater than the first level of functionality.
US09432358B2

A computer server receives a login request message sent by a remote terminal to access a user account. If the message includes a first login key, the server then generates a second login key and executes a user account login process after confirming that the second login key corresponds to the first login key. If the message includes no login key, the server generates a verification code and returns the verification code to the remote terminal. The remote terminal then prompts a user to return the verification code to the computer server in a predefined format. If the returned verification code corresponds to the server-generated verification code, the server then executes the user account login process. The server also generates a third login key and returns the third login key to the remote terminal. The remote terminal then stores a correspondence relationship between the username and the third login key.
US09432355B2

A method for permitting single sign-on to multiple independent applications in a single framework.
US09432350B2

The system and method for intelligent workload management described herein may include a computing environment having a model-driven, service-oriented architecture for creating collaborative threads to manage workloads, wherein the management threads may converge information for managing identities and access credentials, enforcing policies, providing compliance assurances, managing provisioned and requested services, and managing physical and virtual infrastructure resources. In one implementation, an authentication server may generate authentication tokens defining access credentials for managed entities across a plurality of authentication domains, wherein the authentication tokens may control access to resources in an information technology infrastructure. For example, a management infrastructure may create service distributions for the managed entities, which may include virtual machine images hosted on physical resources. Further, the authentication tokens may be embedded in the service distributions, whereby the embedded authentication tokens may control access to the resources in the information technology infrastructure.
US09432349B2

An access authentication system for authenticating a subscriber of a service, the access authentication system comprising an operator access authentication system and one or more private access authentication systems, each private access authentication system being communicatively connectable with the operator access authentication system, the operator access authentication system being adapted to provide one or more authentication functions for facilitating authentication of subscribers of the service based on respective subscriber authentication data items associated with credentials of the subscriber; wherein each private access authentication system is adapted to communicate one or more subscriber authentication data items to said operator access authentication system; and wherein each private access authentication system is further adapted to communicate one or more verification data items indicative of the private access authentication system operating in at least one predetermined state.
US09432347B2

An apparatus and system for providing a secure user interface restricting the access of users to selected functions, files, and communications by implementing a customizable secure graphical user interface. The degree to which the user's access is restricted may depended on levels of authorization granted to the user. The secure user interface may be implemented on a device and employed to aid a user in executing diagnostic, service, maintenance, and data gathering tasks. The secure computing device may be connectable to other computing devices of like of different kind. The secure computing device may provide security against non-authorized users by requiring user identification and disabling the device when proper identification is not given or the device is deemed missing.
US09432346B2

A secure remote-data-storage system stores encrypted data and both plaintext and encrypted keys at a server, where data at the server is inadequate to recover the plaintext of the encrypted data; and stores at least one encrypted key at a client system. To decrypt the data, the client must obtain a copy of the encrypted data from the server, and a key to decrypt its locally-stored encrypted key. Once decrypted, the locally-stored key can be used to decrypt the encrypted data, or to decrypt an encrypted key from the server, which may then be used decrypt the encrypted data.
US09432340B1

The present invention provides an efficient secure end-to-end messaging system utilizing encrypted ephemeral messages. The method comprises the steps of using a combination of HTTPS for transport security, using symmetric key cryptography with rotating temporary keys for individual message security, and using elliptic curve cryptography for key derivation and message authentication. The key rotation scheme used provides forward secrecy even between messages and perfect forward secrecy between sessions.
US09432339B1

One embodiment is described of a method performed by a computing device for renewing a remote token. The method includes (a) receiving an activation code from the remote token across a network, the activation code including an identification of the token, (b) verifying that the activation code was cryptographically generated with reference to a one-time passcode (OTP) generated by the identified token using an initial key assigned to the token, and (c) in response to verifying, negotiating a new key with the token, the new key to be assigned to the token for use in producing OTPs in the future. Related computer program products, systems, and apparatuses are also described.
US09432338B2

Aspects of the subject technology relate to systems, methods, and machine-readable media for communicating using adaptive data compression. A system is configured to compare operation of an encrypted communications channel to at least one operational threshold for the encrypted communications channel and select a level of compression for the encrypted communications channel based on the comparing. The system is further configured to compress data packets to be transmitted over the encrypted communications channel in accordance with the level of compression, encrypt the data packets, and transmit, via a network, the encrypted and compressed data packets to a destination.
US09432336B2

The present disclosure presents a system, method and apparatus for creating a secure tunnel between a mobile device and a server. The server can be configured to receive authentication information from the mobile device. The server can be further configured to establish a secure tunnel between the server and mobile device through at least one firewall in response to verification of the authentication information, the secure tunnel allowing the mobile device direct access to at least one application associated with the server. Additionally, the server can be configured to provide, to the mobile device, data associated with the at least one application.
US09432335B1

A virtual network may include a web application firewall (WAF) portion to receive network traffic for one or more other portions of the virtual network; a first firewall connected to the WAF; a web server portion, connected to the first firewall, to receive web traffic; a second firewall connected to the web server portion; an application server portion, connected to the second firewall, to perform application services for one or more servers of the web server portion; a third firewall connected to the application server portion; a database server portion connected to the third firewall; a fourth firewall connected to the database server portion, the application server portion, and the web server portion; an active directory portion, connected to the fourth firewall, to perform authentication of one or more access requests; and a utility portion, connected to the first firewall and the fourth firewall.
US09432333B2

A trusted content distribution system is described comprising a trustworthy enduser device and a network management infrastructure, the enduser device being adapted for communications between the enduser device and the networked infrastructure via a secure tunnel; the end user device comprising a host processor and memory; secure non-volatile memory for storing an operating system, a trusted boot process executed by the host processor to boot the end user device into a known state, means for communicating with a visualization device.
US09432324B2

Methods and arrangements for imparting a communications delay. A delay is dynamically determined for sending an outgoing communication. The determining includes using information derived from at least one of: a social network graph and a business network graph, and the determined delay is applied to the outgoing communication.
US09432319B2

A method, system and apparatus for automatically generating distribution lists are provided. In response to receiving, using a communication interface of a device comprising a processor and the communication interface, a message comprising a given identifier, a distribution list is automatically generated at the processor, the distribution list comprising at least one network address associated with the message.
US09432317B2

Systems and methods for surveying presence messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing are disclosed. The system includes a presentity module and surveying server, specifying a parameter for subsequent publishing and compiling a notification list of watchers for participation in a given survey. The system further includes a presence-notification server, presence-messaging user agent module and a client feedback module, collecting information regarding interacting with the message in and transmitting the information to the surveying server. The method includes composing a message, specifying at least one parameter for subsequent publishing, compiling a notification list of watchers for participation in a given survey, selectively notifying the message to the watchers in the notification list, viewing the message notified to the watchers in notification list and interacting with the message. The method further includes collecting feedback information regarding the interacting with the message and transmitting this information to the surveying server.
US09432310B1

Systems, methods, and software for handling circuit switch fallback (CSFB) communications are provided herein. A method of operating a wireless communication system is provided, where a wireless communication device is initially configured to use CSFB services over a first wireless communication network. The method includes detecting CSFB failure by at least monitoring performance of a CSBF link between the first wireless communication network and a second wireless communication network that routes voice call signaling over the CSBF link for at least the wireless communication device, and responsive to the CSFB failure, informing at least the wireless communication device of the CSFB failure and routing further voice call signaling for the wireless communication device using the second wireless communication network instead of the CSFB link.
US09432307B2

Methods, apparatuses, and systems are provided for improving utilization of a communications system through various atom-based techniques for enhancing the viewing experience for Internet protocol content. Some embodiments exploit atom-based processing to determine which content atoms to broadcast (e.g., multicast) over which channels to which subscribers. Other embodiments make atom-based filtering, caching, and/or other determinations at the user terminal. For example, low-level (e.g., physical layer) filtering may be used to limit the amount of user-layer processing needed, and to facilitate delivery of content to those users most likely to desire that content. Still other embodiments allow users to create customized channels of cached content for viewing as a shared channel. Embodiments include techniques for addressing synchronization of channel content and viewing, and social networking, for subscribers to the shared channel. The shared channels may be further used to facilitate social networking among subscribers.
US09432303B2

A method intended to aid in the reservation of resources within a packet-switched communication network (CR) comprising a number N of relaying nodes (S1-S4). This method consists i), in determining for some at least of the N nodes (S1-S4) at least one resource reservation plan Pik defined by a plan identifier associated with a stream identifier and at least two ports, and ii) in memorizing for each of the N nodes (S1-S4) the various plans Pik relating to them.
US09432292B2

The invention provides a system, method and apparatus for controlling a mass calling event in a VoIP network. The invention provides for monitoring port traffic information on a network edge device and detecting the occurrence of a mass calling event in conjunction with a call control module. Control instructions or information may then be provisioned to network edge devices to alleviate congestion. The invention enables network edge devices to gap or provide other controls to reduce call overloading. Controls for alleviating congestion include blocking the packets, providing an announcement to the call, re-routing the traffic associated with this specific mass calling event, and reducing the quality of the service.
US09432287B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to providing default gateway virtualization in a distributed overlay virtual environment. One embodiment includes a method that includes creating a packet by a first virtual machine (VM) including a first destination address. The packet is received from the first VM by a first virtual switch. A second destination address for a second VM is obtained by the first virtual switch based on information in the packet. The first destination address in the packet is replaced with the second destination address. The packet is encapsulated using a header that is addressed for a second virtual switch.
US09432283B2

In the case of a system where a communication device is remote-controlled from a control server, depending on timing when an entry is written into a forwarding table of the communication device from the control server, there is a possibility that a loop and discard of the traffic occur. Therefore, for registration, rewriting and deletion of the entry of the forwarding table which are performed on the communication device 102 by the control server 101; the communication device 102 verifies contents of control instructions from the control server 101; the communication device 102 holds the result of this verification; the control server 101 acquires the result of the verification; the control server 101 judges whether or not a series of controls can be executed based on the results of the verification from the plurality of communication devices 102; and then the control server 101 invokes the execution at the plurality of communication devices 102.
US09432277B2

The system and method described herein may include a discovery engine that scans a network datacenter to inventory resources in the datacenter and populate a configuration management database with the resource inventory. One or more destination listeners created from the resource inventory may then selectively sample monitored flows in the datacenter to model interdependencies between the inventoried resources. For example, any monitored flows originating outside the datacenter or failing to correlate with the inventoried resources may be dropped, whereby the interdependencies may be modeled from a deliberately reduced sample of the monitored flows that have information relevant to modeling relationships between resources within the datacenter. Furthermore, directionalities for the monitored flows may be determined, wherein the directionalities provide further information relevant to modeling the relationships between the resources within the datacenter.
US09432275B2

A transmission monitoring method and apparatus are provided. The method includes: in a case that an input port of a network node receives M frames, counting the number N of frames sent by an output port of the network node corresponding to the received M frames; in a case that the M is different from the N, determining that frame loss exists in the network node, wherein the M and the N are positive integers. Through the method and apparatus of the present document, the problems of failing to determine a specific device where the frame loss occurs and the construction cost being high are solved, the accuracy and the flexibility of monitoring a position of the frame loss are improved, and the construction cost is reduced.
US09432272B2

Performance data relating to each of multiple network devices distributed in a geographic region is analyzed. That data can include values for various parameters measured automatically by routine polling of subscriber devices and/or network elements serving those subscriber devices. Measured parameter values can then be stored in a database and made available, together with information about subscriber device locations, to one or more analysis servers that analyze different portions of the network. As part of that analysis, groups of devices experiencing performance problems are identified based on device location. Information about those groups is then communicated and can be made available for, e.g., monitoring by service personnel.
US09432269B2

The present disclosure is directed towards systems and methods for lightweight identification of flow information by application. A flow monitor executed by a processor of a device may maintain a counter. The flow monitor may associate an application with the value of the counter and transmit, to a data collector executed by a second device, the counter value and a name of the application. The flow monitor may monitor a data flow associated with the application to generate a data record. The flow monitor may transmit the data record to the data collector, the data record including an identification of the application consisting of the counter value and not including the name of the application. The data collector may then re-associate the data record with the application name based on the previously received counter value.
US09432256B2

In a cloud environment where multiple applications having different performance characteristics are operated in a mixture, in order to specify the cause of performance deterioration and to solve the confliction of requests related to a shared resource, the present invention detects the performance deterioration of resources allocated to multiple instances constituting a logical server configuration, and extracts an instance sharing resources existing performance deterioration, and compares a performance tendency of the extracted instance and a performance pattern showing a characteristics extracted from a performance information of the resource in association with a bottleneck factor, to thereby estimate the bottleneck factor by calculating mutual similarities and determining a performance pattern where the calculated similarity becomes maximum.
US09432254B1

Replicating a virtual resource includes identifying source virtual switch structure to be replicated comprising a set of configuration parameters and creating target virtual switch structure by replicating the source virtual switch structure and a first subset of the set of configuration parameters.
US09432251B2

Protocol data units (PDUs) associated with a packet stream are transmitted with sequence numbers to support reordering and selective acknowledgement. A selective acknowledgement (SACK) message may be used to indicate at least one sequence number of a lost or corrupted PDU which was not properly received by the receiving device. Responsive to the SACK message, the lost or corrupted PDU is retransmitted via a different path of the network, different from the path used to transmit the original PDU. Lost or corrupted PDUs may not be retransmitted if the estimated retransmission delay is greater than a delay tolerance associated with the quality of service requirements of the application. Instead, a control message (i.e. “cut losses” message) may be transmitted to indicate that PDUs earlier than a particular sequence number will not be transmitted.
US09432248B2

In one embodiment, a device (e.g., learning machine) determines a plurality of fate-sharing group (FSG) nodes in a computer network that are prone to simultaneously send an alarm upon detecting an event. As such, the device may elect one or more FSG owner nodes as a subset of the FSG nodes, and instructs the FSG group such that only FSG owner nodes send an alarm upon event detection.
US09432242B1

In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include identifying social content related to online content for display to a user, determining social content providers associated with the identified social content, calculating quantities based on the user's interaction with each of the respective social content providers, and displaying at least some of the social content based on the calculated quantities. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products.
US09432234B2

A device implements orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) techniques. In particular, the device includes a frequency interleaver and/or de-interleaver for OFDM modulation. The frequency interleaver provides random frequency interleaving for the symbols transmitted by OFDM modulation. The frequency de-interleaver provides random frequency de-interleaving for the symbols received by OFDM demodulation.
US09432231B1

A digital frequency modulation receiver includes a phase capturer, an adder, a digital filter and a phase estimator. The phase estimator is used to generate a first phase value according to an input signal. The adder is coupled to the phase estimator for subtracting a second phase value from the first phase value to generate a phase difference. The digital filter is coupled to the adder for performing a filtering calculation with the phase difference so as to generate a frequency variation signal. The phase estimator is coupled to the digital filter and the adder so as to update the second phase value according to the frequency variation signal.
US09432228B2

A digital predistorter for improving the performance of a narrow passband filter near the output is disclosed. The digital predistorter provides amplitude correction to the signal based on the characteristics of the passband filter. A filter group delay predistorter may also be employed to correct group delay variation introduced by the narrow passband filter.
US09432225B2

Described herein is a feed forward equalizer that is configured to operate in a normal operational mode and in a test operational mode. The feed forward equalizer has an input port and an output port which are used for the normal operational mode. A test input port and a test output port are provided in the feed forward equalizer, and are used for the test operational mode. Buffers may be provided for matching the impedance of respective ones of the input, output, test input, and test output ports. The feed forward equalizer allows testing during development, and once mounted in an integrated circuit, without interfering with the normal operational mode.
US09432223B2

A method of equalizing a signal received by a plurality of antenna elements, the received signal being produced by the transmission of signals by a plurality of transmitters, includes: a step of converting the received signal into the frequency domain; a step of subtracting from the signal an estimate of the intersymbol interference and the interference between users so as to obtain a complex corrective signal; a step of conjoint widely linear filtering of the complex corrective signal and the conjugate complex corrective signal to obtain an equalized signal; a step of converting the equalized corrective signal into the time domain; a step of calculating coefficients of the at least one equalizer filter from the covariance matrix and the pseudo-covariance matrix of the received signal.
US09432220B2

According to an illustrative embodiment, an information processing apparatus is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a storage for storing content identification and content type information in association with each other, the content identification identifying a content that a renderer acquired from a server and reproduced; an input unit for receiving a reproduction request specifying the content type information; and a transmission unit for retrieving the content identification associated with the specified content type information from the storage and transmitting to the renderer an instruction for reproduction, the instruction for reproduction including the content identification.
US09432218B2

Systems and methods are provided that route messages for a message consumer to a predicted future connection point of the consumer to a messaging network, while the consumer is not connected to the messaging network. In various embodiments, the network predicts or projects the future connection point based on the consumer's last connection, an itinerary or schedule for the consumer, the consumer's past connection behavior, and/or connection patterns of the consumer and/or a group of message consumers that are similar to the consumer.
US09432215B2

Some embodiments provide a network system that includes several host machines for hosting virtual machines, divided into several different domains. The network system includes several local domain management servers. A first local domain management server of a first domain is for (i) initiating creation of a set of distributed virtual switch ports associated with a particular logical network identifier on a host machine within its domain and (ii) attaching a first virtual machine on the host machine to a created port associated with the particular logical network identifier in order for the first virtual machine to send traffic over the logical network. The network system includes a second level management server for coordinating the use of logical network identifiers between multiple different logical domain management servers in order for the first virtual machine to communicate via the logical network with a second virtual machine in a second domain.
US09432194B2

A recording medium includes an encryption/decryption control unit, an authentication control unit, a non-volatile memory, and a volatile memory. The volatile memory stores recorded-position information of data recorded in a data recording area of the non-volatile memory under an unauthenticated condition that an authentication procedure by the authentication control unit has not been performed. The recorded-position information stored in the volatile memory is erased by stopping power supply by detaching the recording medium from the apparatus body, and becomes unavailable in the recording medium even if the power is supplied again to the recording medium so that the data recorded in the data recording area under the unauthenticated condition is not read out.
US09432192B1

In one embodiment, metadata of a data object to be stored in a storage system is received, where the metadata is in a hierarchical structure having multiple levels, each level having multiple nodes and each node being one of a root node, a leaf node and an intermediate node. Each leaf node represents a deduplicated segment associated with the data object. The hierarchical structure is traversed to encrypt each of the nodes in a bottom-up approach, starting from leaf nodes, using different keys. A child key for encrypting content of a child node is stored in a parent node that references the child node, and the child key is encrypted by a parent key associated with the parent node. The encrypted content of the nodes are then stored in one or more storage units of the storage system in a deduplicated manner.
US09432185B2

Provided is a method of providing secure communication between an initiator and a responder in a communication network. The method includes providing an encryption key for securing communications between an initiator and a responder in a communications network that includes the initiator generating an initiator Diffie-Hellman computed value, the initiator transmitting the initiator Diffie-Hellman computed value to the responder, the responder generating the encryption key and a responder Diffie-Hellman computed value, the responder transmitting the responder Diffie-Hellman computed value to the initiator, and the initiator generating the encryption key.
US09432183B1

Aspects include encrypting data exchanged between two computer systems. A method includes accessing content of a memory, via a memory address, by at least one processing unit of one of the computer systems. Based on the accessing being a write operation, the content of the memory is encrypted using a memory encryption key, the encrypting is by a crypto unit of the at least one of the processing units. Based on the accessing being a read operation, the content of the memory is decrypted using the same memory encryption key, the decrypting is by a crypto unit of the at least once of the processing units. Remote direct memory access is established via memory addresses between the computer systems, the establishing including at least one of the computer systems locally storing a respective network encryption key as memory encryption keys for memory areas used for the data exchange.
US09432178B2

A clock and data recovery circuit includes a sampler, a skew compensation block, a pulse generator, and an injection locked oscillator. The injection locked oscillator generates a recovered clock signal, the pulse generator generates a pulse signal according to input data for controlling the injection locked oscillator, the skew compensation block compensates the input data and generate compensated data, and the sampler samples the compensated data according to the recovered clock signal.
US09432169B2

Power dissipation within a network service unit, such as digital-subscriber-line access multiplexer (DSLAM), is treated as a resource that is to be shared among subscribers. In this regard, the total amount of available power dissipation is quantified, and the framing for the data streams communicated across the subscriber lines are controlled to ensure that specified power dissipation limits are not exceeded, accounting for one or more factors, such as traffic load, service level agreement (SLA) specifications, available power, and temperature.
US09432165B2

A base station is disclosed, including an information size adjusting section configured to adjust a size of control information based on a first basic information size of control information mapped on a user equipment (UE) specific search space in a first component carrier. The base station also includes a transmitter configured to transmit the control information mapped on the UE specific search space. A first determination method for determining the first basic information size is different from a second determination method for determining a second basic information size of control information mapped on a common search space in the first component carrier. The first determination method for determining the first basic information size is different from a third determination method for determining a third basic information size of control information mapped on a search space in a second component carrier that is different from the first component carrier.
US09432162B2

A system and method for scheduling cooperative uplink transmissions in a virtual multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless communication environment are provided. More specifically, both random and channel aware orthogonal scheduling techniques for identifying a sub-set of N mobile terminals to provide cooperative uplink transmissions for each transmit time interval are provided.
US09432155B2

An access point in a wireless network communicates with multiple mobile stations simultaneously using spatial-division multiple access.
US09432152B2

Multimode multimedia mobile wireless data communication system provides received demodulated location finder signal with a mobile device generated photo camera generated signal into a cross-correlated in-phase and quadrature-phase filtered baseband signal and modulates and transmits the cross-correlated signal. Mobile device for receiving and converting a video signal, generated in mobile device, into an OFDM video signal and providing OFDM video signal to a modulator and transmitter. Mobile device receives and demodulates a modulated spread spectrum baseband signal and provides the spread spectrum baseband signal to an OFDM baseband unit for modulation and transmission of OFDM baseband signal. Converting a user generated touch screen signal into a touch screen control signal, for control of mobile device.
US09432150B2

With the proliferation of Machine-Type Communication (MTC), an excessive use of device trigger messages in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network can have negative effects on user equipment (UE). These effect can include a shortening of UE battery life and/or excessive signalling caused by the frequent changing from an idle mode to an active mode. An MTC Interworking Function (MTC-IWF) can be configured to determine the status of a UE to which a device trigger message is intended. If the device trigger message is low priority and the UE is in an idle state, the MTC-IWF or Mobile Management Entity (MME)/Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN)/Mobile Switching Center (MSC) can buffer the device trigger message.
US09432149B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for feeding back ACK/NACK for downlink data transmission in a radio communication system. The method is applied on a mobile terminal and includes the following steps: receiving downlink data, calculating, with respect to each Component Carrier (CC), a number of ACKs of ACK/NACK information of downlink data sub-frames of the CC, and feeding back numbers of ACKs of the ACK/NACK information of the downlink data sub-frames of CCs.
US09432146B2

The invention relates to a method for communication between nodes in a wireless network further comprising a router node (2), comprising : a first (1) and second (3) transmitting nodes sending a first (a(t)) and second (b(t))data signals to be respectively transmitted to a first (4) and second (5) receiving nodes, the router node (2) receiving a mixed signal (MDATA[a,b](t)) resulting from interference of the first (a(t)) and second (b(t)) data signals, and sending respectively to the first (4) and second (5) receiving nodes a first and second router analog acknowledgment signals comprising information representative of the hearing duration during which the mixed signal has been received by the router node, the router node (2) sending the mixed signal(MDATA[a,b](t)) to the first (4) and the second (5) receiving nodes, the first (4) and second (5) receiving nodes decoding the mixed signal, based on the respective router analog acknowledgment signals. The invention also relates to a communication device and a network therefor.
US09432145B2

Collisions in wireless networks may be avoided by stacking acknowledge messages, relaying the stacked acknowledge messages, and reducing the number of acknowledge frames transmitted as a result of successful stacked acknowledge message transmissions. Additionally, a blind relay setup may be implemented to increase successful transmission rates such that a relay node in a transmission chain is configured to relay a frame without addressing the relay to a specific node. Non-neighboring nodes may receive frames out of order and relay the frames despite the out of order delivery.
US09432143B2

A communication device is configured to communicate coded information to other communication device(s). The communication device uses NCPs to indicate locations of codewords within signal(s) transmitted to the other communication device(s). The communication device is configured to encode NCP(s) using an FEC code to generate coded NCP(s) and also to encode the NCP(s) using a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code to generate NCP CRC bits. The communication device is also configured to encode the NCP CRC bits using the FEC code to generate coded NCP CRC bits. The communication device is then configured to generate OFDM or OFDMA symbol(s) include the coded NCP(s) and the coded NCP CRC bits to indicate beginnings of codeword(s) within at least one of the OFDM symbol(s) and/or additional OFDM symbol(s). The communication device is also configured to transmit the OFDM or OFDMA symbols to another communication device via a communication interface of the communication device.
US09432142B2

A device for pre-emption in passive optical networks may include a first media access control (MAC) module configured to receive a first type of data traffic and transmit the first type of data traffic to a MAC merge module. The device may further include a second media access control (MAC) module configured to receive a second type of data traffic and transmit the second type of data traffic to the MAC merge module. The device may further include the MAC merge module configured to receive the first and second types of data traffic from the first and second MAC modules, respectively, and provide the first and second types of data traffic for transmission over a port. The MAC merge module may be configured to pre-empt the transmission of the first type of data traffic over the port in favor of the second type of data traffic.
US09432141B2

An optical network unit has a tunable laser. The tunable laser is tunable such that a point-to-point connection to another optical network unit is established via an optical fiber. There is also provided a method for processing data in an optical network and a corresponding communication system. The tunable laser can be adjusted based on a detected collision, and a frequency grid can be supplied from a centralized component.
US09432140B2

An approach to proving a flexible grid architecture for time and wavelength division multiplexed passive optical networks is described. One embodiment includes an optical transmitter array configured to transmit an optical signal, an optical combiner coupled to the optical transmitter array configured to receive unlocked wavelengths from the optical transmitter array and output a single optical signal, and an optical amplifier coupled to the optical combiner configured to boost downstream optical power. In some embodiments, a WDM filter is coupled to the optical amplifier, and a tunable optical network units (ONUs) coupled to the WDM filter configured to transmit and receive the optical signals. In still other embodiments, a cyclic demultiplexer is coupled to the optical splitter and connects to an optical receiver array configured to receive optical signals.
US09432138B2

Provided are a method and an apparatus for searching control information by a terminal. The method comprises the steps of: acquiring from a base station, by means of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an upper layer message, at least one type of information being from location information on a physical control format indication channel (E-PCFICH) or location information on an E-control region; receiving the E-PCFICH based on the E-PCFICH location information; acquiring size information on the E-control region by means of the E-PCFICH; and searching E-PDCCH in the E-control region.
US09432132B2

The invention relates to a system and method for testing radio-frequency tags (18). The system comprises a reading zone (17) for a radio-frequency tag and at least two electrodes (11A,11B) for capacitively coupling to the tag placed in the reading zone. According to the invention, the system further comprises a communication terminal (14) connected to each of the at least two electrodes for feeding signals to the electrodes and for reading tag response signals from the electrodes, and a hybrid coupler (13) for causing a phase difference between the excitation signals fed to the at least two electrodes from the communication terminal and for combining the response signals from the at least two electrodes at the communication terminal (14). The invention allows for efficient coupling to tags in near field and relieves the tag positioning requirements during testing.
US09432131B2

There is provided a method of handling interference caused by inter-modulation in a network node. The method comprises detecting an interference level on an uplink carrier frequency band for stations, and determining whether the interference level indicates probable inter-modulation interference. If the interference level indicates probable inter-modulation interference, the method proceeds with scheduling an uplink transmission grant for at least one of the stations. The uplink transmission grant is valid for a first transmission time interval. The uplink transmission grant is transmitted to the station. A transmit level on the downlink carrier frequency band is assigned at the first transmission time interval such that inter-modulation interference is reduced on the uplink carrier frequency band at the first transmission time interval. An uplink transmission from the station is received at the first transmission time interval. Further methods, computer programs, a network node and a network node site are also disclosed.
US09432123B2

The present invention is directed to optical communication systems and methods thereof. In various embodiments, the present invention provides method for linearizing Mach Zehnder modulators by digital pre-compensation and adjusting the gain of the driver and/or the modulation index. The pre-compensation can be implemented as a digital pre-compensation algorithm, which is a part of an adaptive feedback loop. There are other embodiments as well.
US09432119B2

A contactless connector module includes first and second fiber optic connector assemblies. The first fiber optic connector assembly includes a first fiber optic cable and a first connector provided at an end of the first fiber optic cable. The first connector includes a first converter converting between optical and electrical signals and a first communication chip electrically connected to the first converter. The first communication chip is configured to transmit wireless RF signals. The second fiber optic connector assembly includes a second fiber optic cable and a second connector provided at an end of the second fiber optic cable. The second connector includes a second converter converting between optical and electrical signals and a second communication chip electrically connected to the second converter. The second communication chip is configured to receive the wireless RF signals from the first communication chip.
US09432117B2

A visible light communication apparatus and a method for visible light communication are provided. The method includes calculating a quantity of terminals in coverage of each of a plurality of visible light sources. The visible light sources include a first visible light source and a second visible light source. Determining a quantity of the sub-bands according to the quantity of terminals. The sub-bands include a first sub-band and a second sub-band. Distributing the first sub-band for the first visible light source and the second sub-band for the second visible light source according to the quantity of terminals in coverage of each of the visible light sources, in which the first sub-band and the second sub-band are different from each other. Allocating a bandwidth for each of the terminals according to the distributed sub-bands or a user requirement. Modulating a transmission data on one of the first sub-band and the second sub-band.
US09432112B2

Examples of a system and method for adaptively tuning a radio frequency (RF) front-end are generally described herein. In some examples, the frequency of a transmit signal of RF front-end circuitry is swept in at least a part of the RF transmit band. RF power in a receiver is detected as a function of the RF frequency of the transmit signal to determine a location of at least one tunable notch or other band stop element in the frequency domain. Information from the detected RF power is determined as a function of the RF frequency of the transmit signal. The RF front-end circuitry is adjusted to a selected frequency response using the determined information.
US09432107B2

Disclosed is a low-rate data transmission method in an LTE based satellite radio interface, which can secure a large number of low-rate data channels which can simultaneously access and increase frequency efficiency while providing compatibility with the existing LTE radio interface through a transmission technique which can secure more link margins in communication between portable terminals (handheld type terminals) without changing a basic LTE transmission frame structure in a satellite system requiring high transmission power.
US09432093B2

Examples are disclosed for coordinating transmission of one or more protocol data units to a wireless device from a coordinating set of base stations. In some examples, coordinating may include exchanging information via a backhaul communication channel coupling or interconnecting the base stations included in the coordinating set of base stations. For these examples, one or more protocol data units may be transmitted to the wireless device from the coordinating set of base stations via a plurality of separate communication links based on the exchanged information. Other examples are described and claimed.
US09432092B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a downlink precoding method and data interacting method for coordinated multi-point transmission system and apparatus. The downlink precoding method includes: acquiring a precoding matrix indicator by a cooperating point and determining the precoding matrix of the cooperating point according to the precoding matrix indicator, the number of columns of the precoding matrix of the cooperating point being less than that of columns of the precoding matrix of a serving point; and performing, by the cooperating point, downlink precoding to the data to be transmitted according to the determined precoding matrix of the cooperating point. With the methods and apparatuses of the embodiments of the present invention, as the cooperating points participate only in the transmission of data of part of layers in the coordinated scenarios, the complexity of calculation and the feedback overhead are lowered in the UE end.
US09432084B2

A testable modular audio, video, data low voltage box is provided. A low voltage box can receive cabling and terminate the cabling within the low voltage box creating a telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) permanent link that is fully testable. Modular faceplates can be interfaced with the low voltage box providing varying types of output ports. The modular faceplates are removable and replaceable.
US09432080B2

For each channel of a plurality of channels of a Vector transmission system, a sequence of cross-coupling test signals representing a sequence of complex numbers may be transmitted or received. And for each channel of the plurality of channels a sequence of the real part of the sequence of complex numbers is different to a sequence of the imaginary part of the sequence of complex numbers.
US09432079B1

Various embodiments of the invention are directed to frequency hopped frequency modulation spread spectrum (FHFMSS) multiple accessing systems and methods. For example, various embodiments of the FHFMSS transmitter may utilize an architecture comprised of a baseband modulation subsystem, a code generation subsystem for generating a multiplicity M code vector sequences, a frequency synthesizer for generating a multiplicity M periodic waveforms, a frequency modulator for generation of a frequency hopped frequency modulation (FHFM) waveform , and a spread spectrum modulator. Various embodiments of the FHFMSS receiver may comprise of a subsystem for generation of the FHFM waveform, a spread spectrum demodulator, a symbol detector, and a baseband demodulation subsystem.
US09432078B2

Provided are a method and device for searching a cell, and the method comprises: timeslot synchronization is performed; a primary scrambling code group is identified and a frame synchronization is performed according to hashed values of code numbers of secondary synchronization codes (SSCs) in any several consecutive timeslots; and a primary scrambling code is obtained in the primary scrambling code group according to the primary scrambling code group, so as to complete cell searching.
US09432077B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a method to detect DSSS preambles in smart utility networks. A DSSS signal is received by a receiver and a digital sequence of samples is formed. A difference value is calculated between pairs of samples in the digital sequence of samples to form a sequence of differential values. A known preamble differential value sequence is correlated with the sequence of differential values to form a sequence of correlation values. A location of the preamble is located in the digital sequence of samples corresponding to a peak in the sequence of correlation values that exceeds a threshold value.
US09432073B2

Provided is a housing protection case that can prevent a strap from being detached from a mobile electronic device. A housing protection case for covering at least a part of back and side surfaces of a mobile electronic device having a strap attachment part protruding from the back surface includes a main body covering at least a part of the back and side surfaces of the mobile electronic device, a strap attachment part cover protruding from a back surface of the main body and covering the strap attachment part, and a strap draw-out part disposed in a position adjacent to the strap attachment part cover and allowing a strap attached to the strap attachment part to pass therethrough.
US09432067B2

Disclosed herein is a technique for enabling Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) toolkit commands to be properly routed within a mobile device that includes an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) configured to manage two or more electronic SIMs (eSIMs). Specifically, the technique involves a baseband component of the mobile device and the eUICC initially exchanging information about their eSIM capabilities to identify whether multiple eSIMs are active within the eUICC. During this exchange of information, the eUICC can generate a list of unique identifiers of the active eSIMs that are managed by the eUICC and provide the list of unique identifiers to the baseband component. In turn, the baseband component can update a configuration to manage the list of unique identifiers and use the list of unique identifiers to properly route SIM toolkit commands to the appropriate eSIM within the eUICC.
US09432049B2

An A/D converter includes an incremental delta-sigma A/D modulator and a digital operation unit to which a signal from the A/D modulator is input. The A/D modulator includes an analog integrator configured to integrate input signals, a quantizer configured to quantize output signals of the analog integrator, a D/A converter configured to D/A convert an output of the quantizer, and a reset signal output device configured to reset the analog integrator and the digital operation unit. The analog integrator includes plural switched capacitors and a first analog integrator connected to the switched capacitors. The first analog integrator includes an operational amplifier connected to the switched capacitors and a feedback capacitor each connecting an input and an output of the operational amplifier.
US09432044B1

A multi-segment capacitive successive approximation analog to digital converter (SAR ADC) is calibrated by determining an error voltage for each of a plurality of most significant bit (MSB) capacitors in a first segment using a calibration DAC. The first segment is connected to the second segment by an attenuation capacitor. Each of the error voltages corresponding to the MSB capacitors is digitized to form a set of digitized error voltages. An error voltage for each of a plurality of less significant bit (LSB) capacitors in at least the second segment is calculated by summing the set of digitized error voltages to form a sum of error voltages (sum(e)) and assigning a percentage of sum(e) as the error voltage for each of the LSB capacitors, such that a mismatch in the attenuation capacitor is mitigated.
US09432040B2

An analog-to-digital converter includes an upper bit conversion unit suitable for receiving an input signal, and sampling upper bits from the input signal, a lower bit conversion unit suitable for receiving a residual voltage remaining after the sampling of the upper bit conversion unit, and sampling lower bits from the residual voltage, and an error correction unit suitable for correcting an error of the sampled upper bits and the sampled lower bits.
US09432039B2

A quantization circuit includes a quantizer configured to provide a quantized sample using an input quantity and an error estimator configured to determine a quantization error of the quantized sample. An error corrector is configured to correct the quantized sample by a correction value depending on the quantization error.
US09432036B1

In one example, a current steering circuit for a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) includes a source-coupled transistor pair responsive to a differential gate voltage; a current source coupled to the source-coupled transistor pair operable to source a bias current; a load circuit coupled to the source-coupled transistor pair operable to provide a differential output voltage; a driver having a first input, a second input, and a differential output, the differential output providing the differential gate voltage; and combinatorial logic having a data input, a clock input, a true output, and a complement output, the true output and the complement output respectively coupled to the first input and the second input of the driver, the combinatorial logic operable to exclusively OR a data signal on the data input and a clock signal on the clock input.
US09432031B2

A PLL-VCO based integrated circuit aging monitor, including: a control circuit, a monitoring circuit, and an output circuit. The monitoring circuit includes a reference circuit, an aging generation circuit, and a comparison circuit. The reference circuit is a PLL circuit insensitive to a parameter error caused by the aging of circuit. The aging generation circuit is a VCO circuit sensitive to the parameter error. The control circuit is connected to the PLL circuit, the VCO circuit, the comparison circuit, and the output circuit. The output end of the PLL circuit is connected to a first input end of the comparison circuit, and the output end of the VCO circuit is connected to a second input end of the comparison circuit. The output end of the comparison circuit is connected to the input end of the output circuit. The input end of the PLL circuit inputs a reference clock signal.
US09432029B2

A frequency modulation circuit includes a calibration-operating part which calculates primary calibration values of modulation index at central frequencies of respective ones of n pieces of TF bands which constitute the entire TF range. Interpolation-calculation part performs an interpolation-calculation with respect to the n pieces of primary calibration values and calculates calibration values at intermediate frequencies of central frequencies of neighboring ones of TF bands while calculating calibration values at frequencies at both ends of entire TF range to obtain (n+1) pieces of interpolated calibration values as secondary calibration values. Calibration value supply part supplies one calibration value corresponding to the TF bands set in the TF band setting part from among the primary calibration values or secondary calibration values to a modulation part performing frequency modulation together with calculation based on the supplied calibration value.
US09432028B2

A clock data recovery circuit including: a digital phase detector and deserializer configured to sample serial data using a recovery clock signal to generate an up phase error signal and a down phase error signal which correspond to a phase difference between the serial data and the recovery clock signal; a digital loop filter configured to generate an up fine code and a down fine code based on a result of counting the up and down phase error signals; a loop combiner configured to generate an up fine tuning code and a down fine tuning code by using the up and down phase error signals and the up and down fine codes; and a digitally controlled oscillator configured to generate the recovery clock signal having a frequency changed with the up and down fine tuning codes.
US09432020B2

A communication cell for an integrated circuit includes a physical interface configured to supply an input signal (for example, a capacitive signal or an ohmic signal). A receiver circuit operates to receive the capacitive signal and generate a first intermediate signal. A buffer circuit operates to receive the ohmic signal and generate a second intermediate signal. An output stage including a selector device (for example, a multiplexer) configured to receive the first and second intermediate signals and selectively pass only one of those signals to the integrated circuit based on operating condition. The input signal may further be an inductive signal, with the output stage further functioning to selectively pass that signal based on operating condition.
US09432011B2

A semiconductor integrated circuit includes, a fixed frequency-division clock generation unit configured to generate a fixed frequency-division clock with a fixed frequency based on an output clock of a clock source, a variable frequency-division clock generation unit configured to generate a variable frequency-division clock with a variable frequency based on the output clock of the clock source, and a data path selection unit configured to select a data path. The data path selection unit selects a data path with or without a synchronization unit for converting the data into clock-synchronous data on a receiving side according to whether the variable frequency-division clock is or is not, respectively, generated by the variable frequency-division clock generation unit.
US09432000B1

The present disclosure provides a detailed description of techniques for implementing a low power buffer with gain boost. More specifically, some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a buffer with a stacked transistor configuration, wherein the first transistor receives an input signal and the second transistor receives a complement of the input signal. The first transistor is configured to generate a non-inverting response to the input signal, and the second transistor is configured to generate an inverting response to the complement of the input signal, and to generate a negative gds effect, enabling the buffer to exhibit low power and unity gain across a wide bandwidth. In other embodiments, the stacked transistor configuration can be deployed in a full differential implementation. In other embodiments, the buffer can include techniques for improving linearity, DC level shifts, capacitive input loading, and output slewing, settling, and drive capabilities.
US09431999B1

An intelligent, independent and universal mechanical balancing apparatus for automatic microwave multi-probe slide screw tuners allows stable on-wafer testing of sub-micrometric devices. Low loss rigid airlines (bend-lines) used to connect the multi-probe tuner with the chips, in order to improve the tuning range at the DUT reference plane, causes mechanical movements of the wafer probes attached to the rigid bend-lines, when the tuner mobile carriages move horizontally. Stabilizing the center of gravity (balancing) of the tuner by means of exactly controlled counter-weights, driven by the same firmware which controls the tuner motors, allows for synchronized compensation of the probe movement and safe on wafer load pull operation.
US09431993B1

A device includes a substrate, an electrode supported by the substrate, an anchor supported by the substrate, and a composite structure supported by the anchor, disposed adjacent the electrode, and configured for resonant vibration. The composite structure includes an external layer and an internal dielectric region covered by the external layer.
US09431982B1

A loudness learning and balancing system for one or more audio channels. The system learns user volume preferences from manual interventions, providing effective and robust loudness learning to provide a consistent and balanced sonic experience. The system also reduces and/or eliminates incorrect attenuation or over-amplification of quiet interludes in the audio material, thereby eliminating artifacts such as noise pumping or breathing. In addition, the system reduces low level noise in the audio signals while preserving a wide dynamic range at most listening levels.
US09431976B2

A transimpedance amplifier includes a resistor assembly coupled between an output of the transimpedance amplifier and an input of the transimpedance amplifier, and a voltage source for applying a first voltage to a first conductive compensation element of the resistor assembly and a second voltage to a second conductive compensation element of the resistor assembly. The first voltage and the second voltage are each derived from the output voltage, Vout, of the transimpedance amplifier. The first voltage is a first proportion of Vout and the second voltage is a second proportion of Vout. The voltage source includes a voltage controller for adjusting at least one of the first proportion and/or the second proportion.
US09431970B1

An electronic amplifier delivers to a load an output signal related to an input, typically with increased power. As the power output, volume, or gain of the amplifier is changed, so may the spectral characteristics of the signal. In order to maintain the desired spectral or tonal character of the output signal over the dynamic range of output power, biasing of the amplifier must be adjusted. Particular ratios of drive and bias currents and/or voltages for different implementations of amplifier technologies should be relatively constant to produce substantially invariant input-output spectral relationships from low power output through high power output settings. Several techniques are presented which provide these relationship in amplifiers.
US09431957B2

In a quartz crystal unit, the unit comprising a quartz crystal resonator having an overall length less than 2.1 mm, and a base portion, and first and second vibrational arms, at least one groove being formed in at least one of opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms so that a width of the at least one groove is greater than or equal to a distance in the width direction of the at least one groove measured from an outer edge of the at least one groove to an outer edge of the corresponding one of the first and second vibrational arms and less than 0.07 mm, at least one metal film for adjusting an oscillation frequency of the quartz crystal resonator being disposed on at least one of the opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms.
US09431952B2

A construction machine includes a turning electric motor configured to drive a turning mechanism configured to cause an upper-part turning body to turn relative to a lower-part traveling body and a control unit configured to control driving of the turning electric motor. The control unit is configured to cause the output of the turning electric motor to continue after the turning speed of the upper-part turning body becomes zero, based on the magnitude of the output or the direction of the output of the turning electric motor at the time when the upper-part turning body is decelerated and its turning speed becomes zero.
US09431948B2

An air-cooled heat exchanger (ACHE) for cooling process fluids used in an industrial process. In one embodiment, the ACHE is configured as a forced-draft ACHE. A support structure supports the forced draft ACHE above grade. A tube bundle is supported by the structure and is configured to receive process fluids used in an industrial process. A plenum is connected to the support structure, positioned beneath the tube bundle and configured to direct air-flow through the tube bundle. A fan is supported by the support structure and positioned beneath the plenum. Rotation of the fan produces an air-flow that is directed through the tube bundle by the plenum. A fan drive system is supported by the support structure, positioned beneath the fan and comprises a permanent magnet motor comprising a motor casing, a stator and a rotatable shaft, the rotatable shaft being connected to the fan.
US09431941B1

Methods for detecting a short fault of an alternator rectifier electronic component include sampling a field winding voltage or current signal of an alternator, during operation of the alternator, and determining a fault ripple period at which the alternator field winding signal exceeds a fault threshold. A short fault of an electronic component of a rectifier coupled to the alternator is detected in the event that the fault ripple period closely matches an alternator armature period. Alternatively or additionally, the sampled field winding signal is band pass filtered, and a short fault is detected in the event that an amplitude of the band pass filtered field winding signal exceeds a fault threshold. The methods can be implemented, for example, by an apparatus that includes a hysteresis frequency counter, a frequency comparator, and a countdown timer.
US09431932B2

A converter unit having at least one output. The at least one output is configured to be connected to a coil of an asynchronous machine. The converter unit is configured to provide several voltage levels at the at least one output.
US09431925B2

In a half bridge circuit according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when a voltage between a first terminal and a third terminal or a voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal is greater than or equal to a threshold voltage, a current is passed from the second terminal to the third terminal or from the third terminal to the second terminal according to a polarity of the voltage between the second terminal and the third terminal. When the current is passed from the third terminal to the second terminal, the voltage between the second terminal and the third terminal changes with respect to the voltage applied between the first terminal and the third terminal within a range where the voltage between the first terminal and the third terminal is less than or equal to the threshold voltage.
US09431920B2

Zero-voltage switching of a switching element (Q2) is achieved by turning off a switching element (Q1) and then turning on switching element (Q2) while the parasitic diode (DQ2) of switching element (Q2) is turned on. Subsequently, switching element (Q2) is turned off when the current flowing through switching element (Q2) changes from negative to positive (in a direction from the drain towards the source) and the current reaches a prescribed threshold value. Then, zero-voltage switching of switching element (Q1) is achieved by turning on switching element (Q1) while the parasitic diode (DQ1) of switching element (Q1) is turned on.
US09431910B1

An energy recycling system and an energy recycling method are disclosed. The energy recycling system includes several working circuits and a first energy recycling circuit. The working circuits include at least one first working circuit and at least one second working circuit. The first energy recycling circuit is coupled between the first working circuits and the second working circuits. The first alternating-current-type (AC-type) voltage source is supplied to the first working circuits and the second working circuits. The energy loss of the first AC-type voltage source is replenished by a direct-current-type (DC-type) voltage source. The first energy recycling circuit includes an inductor and pairs of switches, and the pairs of switches are configured for conducting in different time sequences and transferring the energy of the first AC-type voltage source between the first working circuits, the inductor and the second working circuits.
US09431900B2

A switch controller for a variable output voltage power converter includes a pulse width modulator (PWM) output producing a pulsed signal for driving a power converter switch. A mode selector output is connected to a multiplier. A period selector output is connected to the multiplier and to a PWM input. The multiplier output is connected to another PWM input. A comparator output is connected to a period selector input. The period selector outputs a nominal cycle time to the PWM when an operating on-time state is greater than a minimum operating on-time. The period selector outputs an updated cycle time greater than the nominal cycle time when the operating on-time state is less than the minimum operating on-time causing the PWM to output a pulsed signal with the updated cycle time and a duty cycle equal to a duty cycle of an immediately preceding pulsed signal.
US09431891B2

Systems and methods are provided for protecting a power conversion system. A system controller includes a two-level protection component and a driving component. The two-level protection component is configured to detect an output power of a power conversion system and generate a protection signal based on at least information associated with the output power. The driving component is configured to generate a drive signal based on at least information associated with the protection signal and output the drive signal to a switch associated with a primary current flowing through a primary winding of the power conversion system. The driving component is further configured to generate the drive signal corresponding to a first switching frequency to generate the output power equal to a first power threshold and generate the drive signal corresponding to a second switching frequency to generate the output power equal to a second power threshold.
US09431889B2

An active rectifier and a wireless power receiver including the active rectifier are provided. According to an aspect, an active rectifier may include: a first loop configured to provide voltage when the phase of an input signal is positive; and a second loop configured to provide voltage when the phase of the input signal is negative, wherein the first loop and the second loop include a delay locked loop configured to compensate for reverse current leakage due to a delay of a switch included therein.
US09431888B1

Methods and systems for power conversion. An energy storage capacitor is contained within an H-bridge subcircuit which allows the capacitor to be connected to the link inductor of a Universal Power Converter with reversible polarity. This provides a “pseudo-phase” drive capability which expands the capabilities of the converter to compensate for zero-crossings in a single-phase power supply. Conversion between, e.g., single phase and three phase power is enabled, in either direction, without sacrificing workload performance.
US09431868B2

The present disclosure relates to a manual override tool for an electric actuator. The manual override tool includes an accessible first end, a shaft operably connected with the first end and is movable in a linear direction and is rotatable, and a plurality of gear teeth on the shaft. The accessible first end is used to engage and disengage the plurality of gear teeth with a plurality of notches provided on an interior rotor of the electric actuator, such that the accessible first end may be used to manually operate the electric actuator.
US09431866B2

A motor having an improved structure that prevents infiltration of moisture into the motor and a washing machine having the same. A washing machine includes a body, a tub disposed in the body, a drum rotatably disposed in the tub, and a motor including a stator coupled to a rear surface of the tub and a rotor rotatably disposed inside the stator. The stator includes a stator core, a first insulator and a second insulator to cover both ends of the stator core, and at least one moisture infiltration prevention member disposed between the first insulator and the second insulator to prevent infiltration of moisture into the stator core.
US09431863B2

An electric machine includes a core with a plurality of teeth that extends between end faces of the core. Slots are defined in the core between adjacent teeth of the plurality of teeth. The slots each have a radial opening formed between end portions of the adjacent teeth. An insulation sheet is positioned on the core to obstruct the radial openings to the slots. The insulation has at least two spaced circumferential members that respectively overlap the end faces of the core. The insulation sheet also has a plurality of spaced axial members connected to the circumferential members. The axial members are positioned within the slots to obstruct the radial openings to the slots.
US09431853B2

An uninterruptible power system and a method of operating the same are disclosed. The uninterruptible power system includes a power conversion apparatus, a switch unit, a first voltage detection unit, a second voltage detection unit, and a comparison unit. The power conversion apparatus receives an AC power source and converts the AC power source to supply an AC load. The first voltage detection unit detects an input voltage of the power conversion apparatus and produces a first voltage signal. The second voltage detection unit detects an output voltage of the switch unit and produces a second voltage signal. Under the AC power source is disabled and the power conversion apparatus provides a backup power to supply the AC load, the switch unit is detected in a fault operation when the first voltage signal is compared by the comparison unit to equal to the second voltage signal.
US09431852B2

A power supply device includes an input terminal to which an electric power is supplied from a commercial power source; an output terminal connected to an electric load; a power storage device to be charged by the electric power supplied from the input terminal and supplying the electric power to the output terminal; a primary battery; and a controller supplying an output of the primary battery to the output terminal, when monitoring a voltage of the commercial power source, which is applied to the input terminal, and a charged state of the power storage device, and detecting that the voltage of the commercial power source falls to a specified voltage value or less and the charged state of the power storage device indicates a specified value or less.
US09431850B2

The power supply unit includes a lead secondary battery (first battery) that is capable of being charged with power generated by an alternator (power generator); a lithium secondary battery (second battery) that is electrically connected in parallel to the lead secondary battery, capable of being charged with power generated by the alternator (power generator), and has higher output density or higher energy density than the lead secondary battery; and a switching means that is electrically connected between the alternator and the lead secondary battery, and the lithium secondary battery, and switches between conduction and blocking. The switching means is configured by a plurality of MOS-FETs (semiconductor switches) being connected in series such that respective parasitic diodes present in the semiconductor switches face opposite directions.
US09431847B2

The present technique relates to a communication device, a communication method, a battery device, and an electronic apparatus that can easily manage a battery device formed with a large number of battery cells. A transformer (171) is formed with a coil (181) on the side of a battery (51) and a coil (182) on the side of an IC chip (53). The number of turns in the coil (181) is small while the number of turns in the coil (182) is large. In a battery cell (31-3), the number of turns in the coil (181) of the transformer (171) is small (the resistance is low), and loss in an AC signal can be reduced accordingly. A voltage generating unit (151) having the large number of turns in the coil (182) can generate a high voltage, and supply the high voltage to the IC chip (53). The present invention can be applied to an electronic apparatus that includes a large number of battery cells, for example.
US09431843B2

A multimedia terminal device for high-speed charging that allows for high-speed charging of a portable electronic device connected to a multimedia terminal and a method of controlling the same are provided. The multimedia terminal device includes a power converter that is configured to convert a voltage from a battery to a voltage for the high-speed charging and to supply the converted voltage to the multimedia terminal. In addition, a switching circuit is configured to select a high-speed charging mode when an engine is driven and a low-speed charging when the engine is stopped.
US09431842B1

Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer-program products for charging a battery of a first mobile device from a battery of a second mobile device. In particular embodiments, a request is received identifying an amount of charge to provide from the battery of the second device to the battery of the first device. Accordingly, a determination is made as to whether the amount of charge requested is likely to result in a battery charge of the second device dropping below a threshold value before the battery of the device is recharged based on historical battery charge usage data of the device over a past period of time. If the amount of charge is not likely to result in the battery charge dropping below the threshold value, then the battery of the first device is charged with the amount of charge from the battery of the second device.
US09431840B2

A charger for charging a high voltage battery and a low voltage battery, includes a bidirectional buck boost converter, a first full duty converter and a second full duty converter. The bidirectional buck boost converter is configured to supply power to the high voltage battery or supply power to the low voltage battery from the high voltage battery. The first full duty converter is configured to generate charging power by using an AC commercial power supply. The second full duty converter is connected to the first full duty converter and the bidirectional buck boost converter and configured to generate charging power in the low voltage battery.
US09431829B2

An aircraft instrument includes an engine display area providing aircraft engine parameters simultaneously with an electrical system display area that selectively provides one of a plurality of aircraft electrical system parameter displays. In the event of an aircraft electrical power supply failure, the instrument may be automatically powered by otherwise unused energy safely harvested from one or all magneto P-leads of an aircraft via an energy harvesting circuit.
US09431825B2

Apparatuses and methods for configuring and managing solar panels to form strings of photovoltaic energy generators with improved performance and reduced cost. The photovoltaic energy generators are connected via one or more combined local management units (CLMUs), each having a plurality of direct current converters connected to and configured to receive direct current power from a respective solar panel. A controller unit shared by the CLMU's direct current converters is utilized to separately control the operation of each converter such that the power extracted from the solar panels is maximized. A communications unit coupled with the controller unit is utilized to facilitate communications between the controller unit and a system unit remote from the CLMU to report measurements and receive control signals.
US09431821B2

The present disclosure presents an electronic device includes: an electronic element with a first electrode and a second electrode disposed on the opposite sides thereof; a first terminal and a second terminal; a first support mounted to and electrically connected with the first terminal, the first support comprising a first contact part contacting and electrically connected with the first electrode; a second support mounted to and electrically connected with the second terminal, the second support comprising a second contact part contacting and electrically connected with the second electrode; a third elastic support comprising a third contact part contacting with one of the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the third elastic support is provided so as to push the electronic element out of contact with one of the first support and the second support when the electronic element breaks in a failure state.
US09431818B2

An assembly includes an electrical machine connected to a power converter by a three-phase circuit having three conductors, e.g. cables Each conductor is associated with a switching device such as a contactor or the like that connects the conductor to a common conductor or terminal. In the event of a fault current being developed in the circuit or the power converter the switching devices are operated to close the fault current and connect together the conductors of the three-phase circuit to provide a full three-phase short circuit.
US09431805B2

A temporary fixation boss includes: a shaft portion; a flared portion; and claw portions. The shaft portion has a diameter smaller than a diameter of an insertion hole. The flared portion is provided at one end of the shaft portion in a manner to be flared in multi steps from an outer periphery of the shaft portion throughout the whole circumference of the shaft portion. The claw portions are so formed that a distance from the shaft center of the shaft portion to a tip end of the claw portions in a radial direction of the shaft portion is larger than a distance from the shaft center to a tip end of the flared portion, and smaller than a distance from the shaft center to the inner edges of the insertion hole when the shaft center is aligned with the center axis of the insertion hole.
US09431803B2

The present invention concerns a cable assembly curvature limiter for limiting the curvature of a cable assembly in a transition from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction. The invention further concerns an offshore facility comprising the cable assembly curvature limiter and a method of suspending the cable assembly from an upper level of an offshore facility.
US09431789B2

In some aspects of the present application, an apparatus for producing an interference pattern on a photosensitive portion formed on a surface of a sample is disclosed. The apparatus can include an optical system for providing interference between two coherent spherical wavefronts impinging on a thin-film photosensitive material formed on a surface of a sample, wherein a plane of the surface normal of the sample is arranged at an angle with respect to a plane defined by center propagation vectors of the two coherent spherical wavefronts; and one or more actuating elements operable to actuate one or more optical elements in the optical system, the sample, or both the one or more optical elements and the sample in one or more degrees of freedom to control a relative magnitude of a longitudinal and a transverse chirp of the interference pattern.
US09431782B2

A current carrying system for use in transporting electrical current between a plurality of electrical devices is provided. The current carrying system includes a busbar having a first axial end, a second axial end, an electrically conductive shaft extending from the first axial end to the second axial end, and at least one cooling feature defined in at least a portion of the electrically conductive shaft. The current carrying system also includes a casing that defines a busbar channel configured to receive the busbar such that the casing at least partially circumscribes the busbar. The current carrying system also includes an air vent defined by the at least one cooling feature and the casing, wherein the air vent is in flow communication with ambient air, and the cooling feature is configured to facilitate a flow of air from the ambient air through the air vent.
US09431781B2

Provided is a signal connector including a plug insulator, a first terminal insulator, a second terminal insulator, and a first terminal group and a second terminal group. The first terminal insulator and the second terminal insulator are connected to the plug insulator. The front end and the rear end of the first terminal group extend beyond the first terminal insulator. The front end and the rear end of the second terminal group extend beyond the second terminal insulator. The middle portion of the first terminal group is embedded in the first terminal insulator. The middle portion of the second terminal group is embedded in the second terminal insulator. The first terminal group and the second terminal group each include a plurality of high frequency terminals. The width of the middle portion of each high frequency terminal is smaller than that of the front end of each high frequency terminal.
US09431776B2

A connector for being attached to a power-supply unit including a switching element includes a connecting terminal including an end portion connected to an output terminal in a casing of the power-supply unit, a housing fixed to the casing and enclosing at least a portion of the connecting terminal, a current sensor to detect a magnetic field generated by an electric current flowing through the connecting terminal, and a signal line for transmitting an output signal of the current sensor. The signal line includes an extension region with a predetermined length from one end on a side of the current sensor. The extension region extends in a direction orthogonal to a direction of electric current flowing through the connecting terminal.
US09431772B2

Connector systems that may include improved locking and retention features. One example includes a connector plug having an opening to accept an end of a wide portion of a connector receptacle tongue. Another connector plug may include top and bottom rails for holding a wide portion of a connector receptacle tongue. The locking and retention features may provide a large locking force. Further examples may accordingly provide unlocking features.
US09431771B1

An electromagnetically shielded connector system includes a first and second connector. The first connector further includes a first terminal and a first electromagnetic shield surrounding the first terminal. The first shield defines a flexible interface contact projecting from an end of the first shield. The second connector further includes a second terminal configured to mate with the first terminal and a second electromagnetic shield surrounding the second terminal. The second shield is configured to be electrically connected with the first shield at least via the flexible interface contact. The second shield is surrounded by a supporting member. At least a portion of an outer surface of the second shield is in intimate contact with the supporting member. The second shield is configured to be disposed intermediate the interface contact and the supporting member. The interface contact is formed and configured to exert a normal spring force on the second shield.
US09431767B2

An electrical connector (100) includes an insulative body (1) comprising a rear part (11), a front widened tongue (121), and a front narrowed tongue (122), a plurality of contacts (2) received in the insulative body, a metallic shell (3) enclosing the insulative body, a spacer (5) assembled to the insulative body for supporting the contacts, and a cable connected with the contacts and comprising two STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) wires (62) for high speed signal transmission, each of the two STP wires having a front section without aluminum foil. The metallic shell comprises a front shell (32) and a rear shell (33) assembled with each other, the rear shell defines a vertical blade (335) bent downwards from a top wall thereof, and the vertical blade extends downwards and is located between the front sections of the STP wires.
US09431766B1

A keyed power connection system is disclosed. The keyed power connection system may have connectors and terminal studs. Each connector may have a captive fastener and may have a connector keying portion comprising a keyed aperture forming an opening in and defined by a connector body of the connector and having a keyed connector diameter. The connector may receive and be selectably connected to a terminal stud having a keyed stud diameter. The keyed stud diameter and the keyed connector diameter may correspond to ameliorate the risk of connecting a connector to a mismatched terminal stud. The captive fastener may engage the terminal stud to retain the connector in position relative to the terminal stud.
US09431761B2

An upper face plate constituting a box part of a female terminal is flared outward in a free state before the female terminal is inserted in the cavity, and is formed as a spring plate that is bent and deflected inward by being pressed inward from the outside while accumulating a spring force. A stabilizer is disposed on the free end of the upper face plate. A cavity of a connector housing includes a stabilizer guide that presses back the upper face plate to the regular position by sliding on the stabilizer while the female terminal is being inserted. Accordingly, rattling of the terminal is prevented after the terminal is inserted in the cavity of the connector housing while suppressing enlargement of the outside dimensions of the terminal.
US09431760B2

A pin connector includes a pin contact and a pin housing. The pin contact includes: an upper contact portion having a flat plate shape and being in electrical contact with an upper socket connector; a lower contact portion having a flat plate shape and being in electrical contact with a lower socket connector; and an electrode contact portion having a flat plate shape and being in electrical contact with a battery. A thickness direction of the upper contact portion and a thickness direction of the lower contact portion are substantially perpendicular to a thickness direction of the electrode contact portion. A direction in which the upper socket connector is mated with the pin connector is different from a direction in which the lower socket connector is mated with the pin connector.
US09431757B2

A connection socket for oven temperature sensor, comprising: a shell with one end being sleeved and fixed on a plug guide hole seat, and the other end of the shell being internally disposed and fixedly provided with an inner ceramic plate and an outer ceramic plate; and a long elastic contact clip and a short elastic contact clip being respectively connected with the long lead and the short lead, both the long elastic contact clip and the short elastic contact clip being provided with a lug boss, wherein the lug bosses are clamped by the inner ceramic plate and the outer ceramic plate.
US09431749B2

Electrical connector assembly including a connector housing having a front end and a receiving cavity that opens to the front end. The receiving cavity is configured to receive a mating connector therein that is inserted into the receiving cavity along a central axis. The electrical connector assembly also includes a contact array of electrical contacts that is disposed within the receiving cavity. The electrical contacts have elongated bodies that extend generally parallel to the central axis through the receiving cavity. The electrical connector assembly also includes a movable guard that is configured to be slidably held by the contact array within the receiving cavity. The movable guard includes a dielectric sheet that extends transverse to the central axis and has an array of thru-holes. Inner edges of the thru-holes engage corresponding electrical contacts to slidably hold the movable guard at a forward position within the receiving cavity.
US09431744B2

A retainer (10) is formed from a body (18) and extended portions (11). The body (18) includes two deflectable legs (20) and the legs (20) include locking claws (21) to be held onto a male connector housing (1) at a partial locking position and locking protrusions (22) to be locked to the male terminal fittings (5). A pushing surface (19) of the retainer (10) is extended in a front-back direction by the extended portions (11). A posture correcting portion (23) is formed between the legs (20) and fits into a cut recess (15) of a partition wall (14) to be locked therein when the retainer (10) is at a full locking position, thereby restricting an oblique posture of the retainer (10).
US09431743B2

A connector comprises a contact and a holding member. The contact has a held portion, a pressed portion and a protected portion. The holding member has a holding portion holding the held portion. Moreover, the holding member has a protection portion and a receiving portion arranged in a front-rear direction. The protection portion is located above the protected portion. When seen along an upper-lower direction, the protection portion covers the protected portion. The protected portion has an edge which is located at an edge of the protection portion in the front-rear direction or is apart from the protection portion in the front-rear direction. The pressed portion is pressed to be moved downward in accompany with a connection of the connector with a card. When the pressed portion is moved downward, the edge of the protected portion is located within the receiving portion without contact with the protection portion.
US09431742B2

A spring-loaded contact may include a barrel to form a housing for the spring-loaded contact, a plunger at least partially enclosed by the barrel, a spring enclosed by the barrel, and a sphere between the plunger and the spring. A back of the plunger may be formed at an angle and to include a retention guide, the retention guide partly over the sphere such that the sphere may be in contact with the back of the plunger and the retention guide.
US09431741B2

A socket contact which is reduced in manufacturing costs and has a spring member difficult to be removed from a socket contact body. The socket contact includes a socket contact body, and a spring member fitted on the socket contact body. The spring member includes an elastic annular portion and at least one protruding portion provided on the elastic annular portion. A hollow cylindrical contact portion of the socket contact body for receiving a pin contact therein is formed with at least one slit that extends in a receiving direction in which the contact portion receives the pin contact therein, and a hole that receives the protruding portion for limiting the movement of the spring member in a direction parallel to the receiving direction.
US09431740B2

A method of assembling an electrical terminal having a base and a spring member. The base is provided with a plurality of base beams. The spring member is provided with a plurality of spring beams. The spring member defines an axis such that the plurality of spring beams is spaced radially apart from the axis. The spring beams deflected radially outwardly. The base is inserted in the spring member to position the base beams adjacent to the spring beams. The spring beams are released such that the spring beams retract radially inwardly against the base beams.
US09431735B2

A connector assembly includes a plug connector and a receptacle. The plug connector includes a plug housing and a number of plug contacts retained in the plug housing. The plug housing has a mating portion with a mating surface. The receptacle connector includes a receptacle housing and a plurality of receptacle contacts retained in the receptacle housing. The receptacle housing defines a receiving space opening forwardly and a jointing surface at an inner side of the receiving space. Besides, the connector assembly further includes a waterproof plate sandwiched between the mating surface and the jointing surface as the plug connector mating with the receptacle connector.
US09431719B2

The invention relates to a contact pin, comprising an angular end section, which is in particular designed for connecting to a wire or plug, wherein the angular end section has an angular cross-section. According to the invention, the contact pin has a round end section that is opposite the angular end section and that is designed for soldering to a circuit board. The round end section has a cross-section that is round at least in some sections of the circumference.
US09431716B2

A leaky co-axial cable arrangement, including a co-axial cable, a plurality of radiation slots arranged on the co-axial cable and an activation arrangement configured for affecting predetermined regions on the cable to selectively activate or deactivate at least one of the plurality of radiation slots to provide the leaky co-axial cable arrangement.
US09431712B2

An ultra-wideband, low profile antenna is provided. The antenna includes a ground plane substrate, a feed conductor, a top hat conductor, a shorting arm, and a ring slot. The feed conductor includes a first end and a second end. The first end is configured for electrical coupling to a feed network through a feed element extending from the ground plane substrate. The top hat conductor includes a generally planar sheet mounted to the second end of the feed conductor in a first plane approximately parallel to a second plane defined by the ground plane substrate. The shorting arm includes a third end and a fourth end. The third end is mounted to the top hat conductor, and the fourth end is mounted to the ground plane substrate. The ring slot is formed in the ground plane substrate around the feed element.
US09431711B2

A system and method of providing a broadband patch antenna includes a main patch having a first strip and a second strip positioned about a ground strip extending from a ground plane, wherein at least a portion of the first strip of the main patch is disposed above the ground strip and forms a first radiating edge with the ground strip, and at least a portion of the second strip of the main patch is disposed below the ground strip and forms a second radiating edge with the ground plane. A parasitic patch is coupled to the main patch along at least a portion of a non-radiating edge of the main patch, and the parasitic patch includes a first strip and a second strip, wherein at least a portion of the first strip of the parasitic patch is disposed above the ground strip and at least a portion of the second strip of the parasitic patch is disposed below the ground strip.
US09431698B2

A wireless communication device includes a resistive-element-including RFIC and an antenna coil. The resistive-element-including RFIC includes an RFIC, a capacitive element, and resistive elements. The resistive elements and a portion of a circuit in the RFIC define a variable impedance circuit. The RFIC controls the impedance of a resistive circuit added to an antenna circuit in accordance with certain IO terminals set as output ports or input ports, thus obtaining a Q value of the antenna circuit in accordance with a communication speed.
US09431697B2

There is provided a USB cable antenna which also uses a USB cable as an antenna that receives a high-frequency signal in a desired band, by connecting a metal shield of the USB cable to an ID terminal of a USB connector connected to the USB cable of a predetermined length connected to an information terminal device, connecting a high-frequency cutoff element having a high impedance for the high-frequency signal in the desired band to both ends of a power supply line and a ground line of the USB cable, and connecting a common mode choke having the high impedance for the high-frequency signal in the desired band to both ends of a transmission line of a differential signal of the USB cable.
US09431695B2

A vehicle-mounted replacement antenna includes an antenna holder, an antenna element, a connecting shaft and a concealed screw. The concealed screw is embedded into a concealed screw hole of a cylindrical portion of the antenna holder, and a distal end of the concealed screw is pressed against a bottom surface of a ring groove of a hook shaft portion, so that the antenna holder is mounted on the connecting shaft so as to be prevented from rotation. Or the concealed screw is screwed into the concealed screw hole, and the distal end of the concealed screw is spaced from a bottom surface of the ring groove and hooked on a side surface of the ring groove, so that the antenna holder is mounted on the connecting shaft so as to be rotatable and unremovable.
US09431690B2

A dielectric waveguide filter comprising a block of dielectric material covered with an exterior layer of conductive material. A plurality of stacked resonators are defined in the block of dielectric material by one or more slots in the block of dielectric material and an interior layer of conductive material that separates the stacked resonators. First and second RF signal transmission windows in the interior layer of conductive material provide for both direct and cross-coupling RF signal transmission between the stacked resonators. In one embodiment, the waveguide filter is comprised of separate blocks of dielectric material each covered with an exterior layer of conductive material, each including one or more slots defining a plurality of resonators, and coupled together in a stacked relationship.
US09431688B2

An exemplary system and method for use in cold environments in order to heat a high voltage vehicle battery, such as the type commonly found in hybrid vehicles. Some high voltage vehicle batteries—like those based on lithium-ion chemistries—perform better when their battery temperature is in a certain temperature range. In an exemplary embodiment, a battery heating system includes a switch, a battery heater and a high voltage vehicle battery, and initially uses electrical power from an external power source to heat the battery and then uses electrical power from an internal power source to heat the battery. The switch determines which power source is used to heat the battery, and may be dictated by whether the battery heating system is plugged into the external power source and/or a vehicle propulsion system is active, to cite several possibilities.
US09431687B2

Heating assemblies for one or more rechargeable batteries include a flexible heating element positionable about the one or more rechargeable batteries, a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature adjacent the one or more rechargeable batteries, and a control circuit configured to receive the sensed temperature from the temperature sensor. The control circuit is configured to connect the charger to the flexible heating element for allowing power to flow from the charger to the flexible heating element in response to the sensed temperature adjacent the one or more rechargeable batteries falling below a defined threshold temperature. The temperature sensor is adjacent the flexible heating element. The flexible heating element is configured to receive power from a charger that is operable for charging the one or more rechargeable batteries. Systems including the one or more heating assemblies are also disclosed.
US09431685B2

A battery arrangement for a motor vehicle has a battery housing (4) with battery cells (6, 8) arranged by a holding apparatus (14). The battery cells (6, 8) are connected electrically to one another via a cell connecting element (14). A cooling arrangement (20, 22, 24, 26) cools the battery cells (6, 8) with a cooling medium. The cooling arrangement has a first one flow space (20), a conveying device and a heat exchanger for the cooling medium. Cell poles (10, 12) of the battery cells (6, 8) are arranged on the cell connecting element (14) and a printed circuit board (18) is parallel to the cell connecting element (14). A second flow space (22) is formed between the printed circuit board (18) and the cell connecting element (14) and has openings (24) in the region of the battery cells (6, 8) arranged on the cell connecting element (14).
US09431663B2

The present invention relates to the direct oxidation and/or internal reforming of ethanol and/or mixtures of ethanol and water, in a solid oxide fuel cell, with multifunctional electrocatalytic anodes having specific features, on the basis of mixed oxides and metal oxides and catalysts, preferably with a perovskite-like crystalline structure.
US09431651B2

A composite material for a lithium ion battery anode and a method of producing the same is disclosed, wherein the composite material comprises a porous electrode composite material. Pores with carbon-based material forming at the pore wall are created in situ. The porous electrode composite material provide space to accommodate volumetric changes during battery charging and discharging while the carbon-based material improved the conductivity of the electrode composite material. The method creates pores to have a denser carbon content inside the pores and a wider mouth of the pores to enhance lithium ion distribution.
US09431644B1

A method is provided for interconnecting the batteries in a battery pack in a manner that is designed to minimize damage and contamination of the contact surfaces of the interconnect and the battery terminal, thereby minimizing connection resistance and increasing interconnect reliability.
US09431641B2

An object of the invention is to provide a separator for a nonaqueous secondary battery, which has good adhesion to electrodes and is also capable of ensuring sufficient ion permeability even after attachment to an electrode. The separator for a nonaqueous secondary battery of the invention includes a porous substrate and an adhesive porous layer formed on at least one side of the porous substrate and containing a polyvinylidene-fluoride-based resin. The separator for a nonaqueous secondary battery is characterized in that the polyvinylidene-fluoride-based resin has a weight average molecular weight of 600,000 to 3,000,000.
US09431625B2

An organic light-emitting diode (OLED).
US09431624B2

An organic electroluminescent element includes electrodes and organic light-emitting layers that are between the electrodes. The organic light-emitting layers contain at least three colors of luminescent materials. A first luminescent material has a maximum light emission wavelength within a range of 430 nm to 480 nm. A second luminescent material has a maximum light emission wavelength within a range of 510 nm to 610 nm. A third luminescent material has a maximum light emission wavelength within a range of 580 nm to 630 nm. An average value of average color rendering indexes in a wide angle region of 30° to 60° with respect to a front direction of a light emission surface is higher than an average color rendering index in the front direction.
US09431621B2

Doping metal oxide charge transport material with an organic molecule lowers electrical resistance while maintaining transparency and thus is optimal for use as charge transport materials in various organic optoelectronic devices such as organic photovoltaic devices and organic light emitting devices.
US09431620B2

The present invention discloses an organic resistive random access memory and a preparation method thereof. The memory uses silicon as a substrate, and has a MIM capacitor structure having a vertical memory unit, where the MIM structure has a top electrode of Al, a bottom electrode of ITO, and an middle functional layer of parylene, wherein, a parylene layer as the functional layer is formed by performing deposition multiple times, where the deposition of Al2O3 is performed once by ALD between each two deposition of parylene. A critical region which is in favor of forming a conductive channel could be formed by controlling the deposition area of Al2O3, and further control the electrical characteristics of the memory. Through the present invention, the cycle-to-cycle and device-to-device uniformity could be effectively improved, without changing the basic structure of the memory.
US09431619B2

An insulating composition includes a nanoparticle-polyorganosiloxane composite, a cross-linking agent, and a solvent, an insulator includes the insulating composition, and an electronic device includes the insulator.
US09431618B2

A display device, an electronic device, or a lighting device that is unlikely to be broken is provided. A flexible first substrate and a flexible second substrate overlap with each other with a display element provided therebetween. A flexible third substrate is bonded on the outer surface of the first substrate, and a flexible fourth substrate is bonded on the outer surface of the second substrate. The third substrate is formed using a material softer than the first substrate, and the fourth substrate is formed using a material softer than the second substrate.
US09431617B2

The present invention provides a phosphorescent compound of following formula: wherein each of X1 and X2 is independently selected from substituted or non-substituted carboline, dibenzofuran, dibenzothiophene and fluorene.
US09431612B2

The present invention is directed to methods for tailoring the work function of electrodes in organic electronics using interfacial modifiers comprising functionalized semiconducting polymers and/or small molecules.
US09431607B2

A resistive random access memory device includes a first electrode made of inert material; a second electrode made of soluble material, and a solid electrolyte, the first and second electrodes being respectively in contact with one of the faces of the electrolyte, the second electrode to supply mobile ions circulating in the solid electrolyte to the first electrode to form a conductive filament between the first and second electrodes when a voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes, the solid electrolyte including a region made of a first metal oxide that is doped by a second metal, distinct from the first metal and able to form a second metal oxide, the second metal selected such that the first metal oxide doped by the second metal has a band gap energy less than or equal to that of the first metal oxide not doped by the second metal.
US09431603B1

The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit device having an RRAM cell, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the integrated circuit device has a bottom electrode disposed over a lower metal interconnect layer. The integrated circuit device also has a resistance switching layer with a variable resistance located on the bottom electrode, and a top electrode located over the resistance switching layer. The integrated circuit device also has a spacer having a lateral portion that surrounds the bottom electrode at a position that is vertically disposed between the resistance switching layer and a bottom etch stop layer and a vertical portion abutting sidewalls of the resistance switching layer and the top electrode. The integrated circuit device also has a top etch stop layer located over the bottom etch stop layer abutting sidewalls of the spacer and overlying the top electrode.
US09431595B2

A vibration wave driving device including a lead-free piezoelectric material that can be driven with high reliability over a wide operating temperature range, an image pickup device including the vibration wave driving device, and an optical apparatus including the vibration wave driving device are provided. The vibration wave driving device generates a vibration wave by applying an AC voltage to a piezoelectric element, and includes the piezoelectric element and a capacitor that satisfy 20[° C.]≦T∈(Cmax)−T∈(Pmax)≦75[° C.] and 0.50≦∈(Cc)/∈(Cmax)≦0.80.
US09431594B2

The invention pertains to creating new extremely low resistance (“ELR”) materials, which may include high temperature superconducting (“HTS”) materials. In some implementations of the invention, an ELR material may be modified by depositing a layer of modifying material unto the ELR material to form a modified ELR material. The modified ELR material has improved operational characteristics over the ELR material alone. Such operational characteristics may include operating at increased temperatures or carrying additional electrical charge or other operational characteristics. In some implementations of the invention, the ELR material is a cuprate-perovskite, such as, but not limited to BSCCO. In some implementations of the invention, the modifying material is a conductive material that bonds easily to oxygen, such as, but not limited to, chromium.
US09431585B2

Embodiments of the invention include a semiconductor light emitting device (10) capable of emitting first light having a first peak wavelength and a semiconductor wavelength converting element (12) capable of absorbing the first light and emitting second light having a second peak wavelength. The semiconductor wavelength converting element (12) is attached to a support (51) and disposed in a path of light emitted by the semiconductor light emitting device. The semiconductor wavelength converting element is patterned to include at least two first regions (46) of semiconductor wavelength converting material and at least one second region (48) without semiconductor wavelength converting material disposed between the at least two first regions.
US09431578B2

In one example embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer. The second conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the active layer having at least one contact hole exposing a region of the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer. The semiconductor light emitting device further includes at least one columnar structure disposed in the exposed region of the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer within the at least one contact hole. The semiconductor light emitting device further includes a first electrode disposed on the exposed region of the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer in which the at least one columnar structure is disposed, the first electrode being connected to the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer. The semiconductor light emitting device further includes a second electrode connected to the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer.
US09431577B2

This invention relates to relates to silicon light emitting devices (SiLEDs), and its application into current Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology, as well into future Silicon on Insulator (SOI) technology. According to the invention, a silicon based light emitting device is designed to operate by means of avalanche carrier multiplication and emitting at the below threshold wavelength detection range for Silicon of 850 nm and such that it is compatible with CMOS silicon nitride, silicon oxi-nitride and polymer waveguide technology. This favors diverse electro-optical system applications such as electro-optical couplers, fast data transfer on and from chip, various optical interconnect configurations as well as diverse on-chip sensor, fluidic and micro-optical-mechanical sensor applications. Under particular operating conditions emissions at specific wavelengths (for example the longer wavelengths) may be favored, while in other cases tuning of the emitted radiation may be obtained.
US09431570B2

The object is to provide a photoelectric surface member which allows higher quantum efficiency. In order to achieve this object, a photoelectric surface member 1a is a crystalline layer formed by a nitride type semiconductor material, and comprises a nitride semiconductor crystal layer 10 where the direction from the first surface 101 to the second surface 102 is the negative c polar direction of the crystal, an adhesive layer 12 formed along the first surface 101 of the nitride semiconductor crystal layer 10, and a glass substrate 14 which is adhesively fixed to the adhesive layer 12 such that the adhesive layer 12 is located between the glass substrate 14 and the nitride semiconductor crystal layer 10.
US09431542B2

A semiconductor structure includes a top gate, an oxide semiconductor channel layer, a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, a source and a drain. The oxide semiconductor channel layer is disposed between the top gate and a substrate. The first dielectric layer is disposed between the top gate and the oxide semiconductor channel layer. The second dielectric layer is disposed between the first dielectric layer and the oxide semiconductor channel layer. The source and the drain are disposed on two opposite sides of the oxide semiconductor channel layer and located between the first dielectric layer and the substrate. A portion of the oxide semiconductor channel layer is exposed between the source and the drain. A portion of the first dielectric layer and a portion of the second dielectric layer directly contact with and entirely cover the portion of the oxide semiconductor channel layer.
US09431539B2

A dual-strained Si and SiGe FinFET device with dielectric isolation and a dual-strained nanowire device and methods of forming them are provided. Embodiments include a SiGe SRB formed on a silicon substrate, the SRB having a first region and a second region; a first and a second dielectric isolation layer formed on the first region and on the second region of the SiGe SRB, respectively; a tensile strained Si fin formed on the first dielectric isolation layer; a compressive strained SiGe fin formed on the second dielectric isolation layer; first source/drain regions formed at opposite sides of the tensile strained Si fin; second source/drain regions formed at opposite sides of the compressive strained SiGe fin; a first RMG formed between the first source/drain regions; and a second RMG formed between the second source/drain regions.
US09431536B1

Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a gate stack over a semiconductor substrate and a source/drain structure adjacent to the gate stack. The semiconductor device structure also includes a cap element over the source/drain structure. The cap element has a top surface and a side surface. A width ratio of the top surface to the side surface of the cap element is in a range from about 0.125 to about 1.
US09431528B2

A lithographic stack over a raised structure (e.g., fin) of a non-planar semiconductor structure, such as a FinFET, includes a bottom layer of spin-on amorphous carbon or spin-on organic planarizing material, a hard mask layer of a nitride and/or an oxide on the spin-on layer, a layer of a developable bottom anti-reflective coating (dBARC) on the hard mask layer, and a top layer of photoresist. The stack is etched to expose and recess the raised structure, and epitaxial structure(s) are grown on the recess.
US09431525B2

An IGBT device includes a drift region, a collector contact, an injector region, a pair of junction implants, a gate contact, and an emitter contact. The injector region includes a first surface in contact with the collector contact, a second surface opposite the first surface and in contact with the drift region, and at least one bypass region running between the first surface and the second surface. Notably, the at least one bypass region has a charge carrier that is different from that of the injector region. The pair of junction implants is in the drift region along a surface of the drift region opposite the injector region. The gate contact and the emitter contact are on the surface of the drift region opposite the injector region.
US09431523B2

After formation of gate structures over semiconductor fins and prior to formation of raised active regions, a directional ion beam is employed to form a dielectric material portion on end walls of semiconductor fins that are perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the semiconductor fins. The angle of the directional ion beam is selected to be with a vertical plane including the lengthwise direction of the semiconductor fins, thereby avoiding formation of the dielectric material portion on lengthwise sidewalls of the semiconductor fins. Selective epitaxy of semiconductor material is performed to grow raised active regions from sidewall surfaces of the semiconductor fins. Optionally, horizontal portions of the dielectric material portion may be removed prior to the selective epitaxy process. Further, the dielectric material portion may optionally be removed after the selective epitaxy process.
US09431522B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes patterning a substrate to form an active fin, forming a sacrificial gate pattern crossing over the active fin on the substrate, forming an interlayer insulating layer on the sacrificial gate pattern, removing the sacrificial gate pattern to form a gap region exposing the active fin in the interlayer insulating layer, and oxidizing a portion of the active fin exposed by the gap region to form an insulation pattern between the active fin and the substrate.
US09431521B1

A method for forming strained fins includes etching trenches in a bulk substrate to form fins, filling the trenches with a dielectric fill and recessing the dielectric fill into the trenches to form shallow trench isolation regions. The fins are etched above the shallow trench isolation regions to form a staircase fin structure with narrow top portions of the fins. Gate structures are formed over the top portions of the fins. Raised source ad drain regions are epitaxially grown on opposite sides of the gate structure. A pre-morphization implant is performed to generate defects in the substrate to couple strain into the top portions of the fins.
US09431517B2

Vertical gate all around devices are formed by initially forming a first doped region and a second doped region that are planar with each other. A channel layer is formed over the first doped region and the second doped region, and a third doped region is formed over the channel layer. A fourth doped region is formed to be planar with the third doped region, and the first doped region, the second doped region, the third doped region, the fourth doped region, and the channel layer are patterned to form a first nanowire and a second nanowire, which are then used to form the vertical gate all around devices.
US09431512B2

A method of forming a nanowire device includes forming semiconductor material layers above a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate structure above the semiconductor material layers, forming a first sidewall spacer adjacent to the gate structure and forming a second sidewall spacer adjacent to the first sidewall spacer. The method further includes patterning the semiconductor material layers such that each layer has first and second exposed end surfaces. The gate structure, the first sidewall spacer, and the second sidewall spacer are used in combination as an etch mask during the patterning process. The method further includes removing the first and second sidewall spacers, thereby exposing at least a portion of the patterned semiconductor material layers. The method further includes forming doped extension regions in at least the exposed portions of the patterned semiconductor material layers after removing the first and second sidewall spacers.
US09431504B2

A semiconductor device is provided that has a plurality of Fin structures extending on a substrate along a first direction; a gate stack structure extending on the substrate along a second direction and across the plurality of Fin structures, wherein the gate stack structure comprises a gate conductive layer and a gate insulating layer, and the gate conductive layer is formed by a doped poly-semiconductor; trench regions in the plurality of Fin structures and beneath the gate stack structure; and source/drain regions on the plurality of Fin structures and at both sides of the gate stack structure along the first direction. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is also provided.
US09431503B2

An integrated circuit comprises a first poly-silicon region including a first poly-silicon layer, a second poly-silicon layer disposed over the first poly-silicon layer, a first poly-silicon finger associated with the first poly-silicon layer, and a second poly-silicon finger associated with the second poly-silicon layer. The first poly-silicon finger and the second poly-silicon finger are oriented in a substantially orthogonal manner relative to each other. The integrated circuit comprises a second poly-silicon gate region including the first poly-silicon layer. The first polysilicon gate region and the second polysilicon gate region each have different poly-silicon gate structures.
US09431500B2

A device, and method of fabricating and/or designing such a device, including a first gate structure having a width (W) and a length (L) and a second gate structure separated from the first gate structure by a distance greater than: (√{square root over (W*W+L*L)})/10. The second gate structure is a next adjacent gate structure to the first gate structure. A method and apparatus for designing an integrated circuit including implementing a design rule defining the separation of gate structures is also described. In embodiments, the distance of separation is implemented for gate structures that are larger relative to other gate structures on the substrate (e.g., greater than 3 μm2).
US09431493B2

Some embodiments include methods of forming charge-trapping zones. The methods may include forming nanoparticles, transferring the nanoparticles to a liquid to form a dispersion, forming an aerosol from the dispersion, and then directing the aerosol onto a substrate to form charge-trapping centers comprising the nanoparticles. The charge-trapping zones may be incorporated into flash memory cells.
US09431489B2

A β-Ga2O3-based single crystal substrate includes an average dislocation density of less than 7.31×104 cm−2. The average dislocation density may be not more than 6.14×104 cm−2. The substrate may further include a main surface including a plane orientation of (−201), (101) or (001). The substrate may be free from any twinned crystal.
US09431486B1

A multi-gate finFET structure and formation thereof. The multi-gate finFET structure has a first gate structure that includes an inner side and an outer side. Adjacent to the first gate structure is a second gate structure. The inner side of the first gate structure faces, at least in part, the second gate structure. A stress-inducing material fills a fin cut trench that is adjacent to the outer side of the first gate structure. An epitaxial semiconductor layer fills, at least in part, an area between the first gate structure and the second gate structure.
US09431469B2

An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes: a first electrode around a center point of a virtual square; second electrodes around a first vertex and a second vertex diagonal to the first vertex of the virtual square, the second electrodes being separated from each other and with the center point of the virtual square interposed therebetween; third electrodes around a third vertex and a fourth vertex of the virtual square, the third electrodes being separated from each other and with the center point of the virtual square interposed therebetween; a pixel defining layer partially on the first electrode, the second electrodes, and the third electrodes, and partially exposing the first electrode, the second electrodes, and the third electrodes; and four spacers disposed as islands on the pixel defining layer and corresponding to four sides of the virtual square.
US09431462B2

In various embodiments, lighting systems include an electrically insulating carrier having a plurality of conductive elements disposed thereon, a light-emitting array, and at least one power source. The light-emitting array is disposed over the carrier and includes a plurality of light-emitting strings, each light-emitting string comprising a plurality of electrically connected light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Each LED has at least two electrical contacts, and each electrical contact is electrically connected to a conductive element. The power source provides power to the light-emitting strings.
US09431456B2

An image sensor is fabricated by forming transfer gates over a substrate layer. A transfer gate is disposed between a respective shared charge-to-voltage conversion region and a photodetector associated with the shared charge-to-voltage conversion region. The transfer gates of each shared charge-to-voltage conversion region are spaced apart to form a conversion region gap. A masking conformal dielectric layer is deposited over the image sensor, covers the transfer gates, fills each conversion region gap, and is etched to form sidewall spacers along an outside edge of each transfer gate with a portion remaining in each conversion region gap and disposed over the substrate layer in each conversion region gap. Source/drain regions are implanted in the substrate layer where an implant region is formed in the transfer gates. The masking conformal dielectric layer in each conversion gap masks the source/drain implant Each charge-to-voltage conversion region is substantially devoid of the implant region.
US09431449B2

The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device, a driving method for the same, and an electronic appliance, and an object is to provide a solid-state imaging device that can achieve the pixel miniaturization and the global shutter function with higher sensitivity and saturated charge amount. Another object is to provide an electronic appliance including the solid-state imaging device. In a solid-state imaging device 1 having the global shutter function, a first charge accumulation unit 18 and a second charge accumulation unit 25 are stacked in the depth direction of a substrate 12, and the transfer of the signal charges from the first charge accumulation unit 12 to the second charge accumulation unit 25 is conducted by a vertical first transfer transistor Tr1. Thus, the pixel miniaturization can be achieved.
US09431445B2

A reflective optical sensor for detecting surface information on a moving element moving in a certain direction includes at least one light emitter, a light emitting lens provided between the light emitter and a surface of the moving element and formed to become conjugated with the light emitter in the moving direction of the moving element in a longer distance from the light emitter than in a vertical direction relative to the moving direction, at least one light receiver, and a light receiving lens provided between the light receiver and the surface of the moving element.
US09431440B2

An integrated circuit device includes an active semiconductor substrate comprising an array of photodiodes. The integrated circuit device also includes a dielectric layer disposed adjacent to the active semiconductor substrate proximate to the array of photodiodes. The dielectric layer has a first side adjacent to the active semiconductor substrate and a second side opposite from the active semiconductor substrate. The dielectric layer includes a layer of at least substantially opaque material. The layer of at least substantially opaque material defines an aperture configured to permit electromagnetic radiation incident upon the second side of the dielectric layer to reach the array of photodiodes.
US09431437B2

A display panel includes a gate electrode and a gate line on a substrate, a gate insulating layer and an active layer sequentially on the gate electrode and the gate line, a planarization layer which is on the substrate and compensates for a step difference between the substrate, and the gate electrode and the gate line, respectively, source and drain electrodes on the active layer overlapping the gate electrode and spaced apart from each other, a data line on the active layer and crossing the gate line, a protective layer which covers the planarization layer, the source and drain electrodes, and the data line, a contact hole defined in the planarization layer and partially exposing the drain electrode, and a pixel electrode on the protective layer and electrically connected to the drain electrode through the contact hole.
US09431435B2

To improve the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor, and to provide a highly reliable semiconductor device with a small variation in electrical characteristics. The semiconductor device includes a first insulating film, a first barrier film over the first insulating film, a second insulating film over the first barrier film, and a first transistor including a first oxide semiconductor film over the second insulating film. The amount of hydrogen molecules released from the first insulating film at a given temperature higher than or equal to 400° C., which is measured by thermal desorption spectroscopy, is less than or equal to 130% of the amount of released hydrogen molecules at 300° C. The second insulating film includes a region containing oxygen at a higher proportion than oxygen in the stoichiometric composition.
US09431425B1

Semiconductor mandrel structures are formed extending upward from a remaining portion of a semiconductor substrate. A first oxide isolation structure is formed on exposed surfaces of the remaining portion of the semiconductor substrate and between each semiconductor mandrel structure. A silicon germanium alloy fin is formed on opposing sidewalls of each semiconductor mandrel structure that is present in a pFET device region of the semiconductor substrate and directly on a surface of each first oxide isolation structure. Each semiconductor mandrel structure is removed and a second oxide isolation structure is formed between each first oxide isolation structure and extending beneath a bottommost surface of each first oxide isolation structure.
US09431424B1

Fabricating FEOL metal gate resistor structures and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments include providing a Si layer-insulator layer-Si substrate stack; forming STI regions at first through fourth sides of a rectangular active-area of the Si layer, the first side opposing the third, the STI extending into the substrate; recessing the STI below the insulator upper surface; undercutting the active-area, forming channels in the insulator along and under perimeter edges of the active-area; conformally forming a high-k dielectric on all exposed surfaces; forming metal on the high-k dielectric and filling the channels; removing the metal except for the filled channels and a portion over each of the STI at the first and third sides and overlapping the active-area; and forming low-k spacers on exposed opposing sidewalls of the metal portions and exposed vertical surfaces of the high-k dielectric on edges of the active-area and the filled channels.
US09431415B2

A semiconductor device includes a peripheral circuit region on a substrate, a polysilicon layer on the peripheral circuit region, a memory cell array region on the polysilicon layer and overlapping the peripheral circuit region, the peripheral circuit region being under the memory cell array region, an upper interconnection layer on the memory cell array region, and a vertical contact through the memory cell array region and the polysilicon layer, the vertical contact connecting the upper interconnection layer to the peripheral circuit region.
US09431407B2

A method of forming a semiconductor device starts with a substrate of silicon, a first insulation layer on the silicon, and a silicon layer on the first insulation layer. The silicon layer and the insulation layer are removed just from a second substrate area. A second insulation layer is formed over the silicon layer in the substrate first area and over the silicon in the second substrate area. A first plurality of trenches is formed in the first substrate area that each extends through all the layers and into the silicon. A second plurality of trenches is formed in the second substrate area that each extends through the second insulation layer and into the silicon. An insulation material is formed in the first and second trenches. Logic devices are formed in the first substrate area, and memory cells are formed in the second substrate area.
US09431396B2

Methods of forming a SDB with a partial or complete insulator structure formed over the SDB and resulting devices are provided. Embodiments include forming a SDB with a first width in a substrate; forming a first metal gate in an ILD on top of the SDB, with a second width larger than the first width; forming second and third metal gates in the ILD on the substrate on opposite sides of the first metal gate, the second and third metal gates laterally separated from the first metal gate; forming a photoresist over the second and third gates; removing the first metal gate down to the SDB, forming a cavity; removing the photoresist; and filling the cavity with an insulator layer.
US09431394B2

A power semiconductor package includes a housing, a semiconductor chip embedded in the housing, and at least four terminals partially embedded in the housing and partially exposed to the outside of the housing. The semiconductor chip includes a first doping region in ohmic contact with a first metal layer, a second doping region in ohmic contact with a second metal layer, and a plurality of first trenches that includes gate electrodes and first field electrodes electrically insulated from the gate electrodes. A first terminal of the four terminals is electrically connected to the first metal layer, a second terminal of the four terminals is electrically connected to the second metal layer, a third terminal of the four terminals is electrically connected to the gate electrodes of the first trenches, and a fourth terminal of the four terminals is electrically connected to the first field electrodes of the first trenches.
US09431391B2

A semiconductor device having high breakdown withstand voltage includes a first element which is a normally-on type transistor made of nitride compound semiconductor, a second element which is connected to the first element in series and is a transistor having withstand voltage between a source and a drain lower than withstand voltage of the first element, a first diode which is connected between a gate of the first element or a gate of the second element and a drain of the first element so that a cathode of the first diode is connected at the drain's side and has predetermined avalanche withstand voltage, and a first resistance connected to the gate to which the first diode is connected. The avalanche withstand voltage of the first diode is lower than breakdown voltage of the first element.
US09431388B1

Series-connected nanowire structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The structure includes a plurality of vertically stacked nanowires extending through a gate structure. The structure further includes a plurality of conductively doped contacts connecting to the stacked nanowires in a series configuration.
US09431386B2

A control circuit and method are disclosed for controlling a current sense Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT). In particular, the current sense IGBT creates voltage spikes in a sense voltage as a result of normal switching operations. The control circuit creates a blank period so that the voltage spikes are ignored and false detections of short-circuit events are avoided.
US09431385B2

In accordance with an embodiment, a semiconductor component, includes a common mode filter monolithically integrated with a protection device. The common mode filter includes a plurality of coils and the protection device has a terminal coupled to a first coil and another terminal coupled to a second coil.
US09431382B2

Disclosed is a semiconductor device arrangement including a first semiconductor device having a load path, and a plurality of second transistors, each having a load path between a first and a second load terminal and a control terminal. The second transistors have their load paths connected in series and connected in series to the load path of the first transistor, each of the second transistors has its control terminal connected to the load terminal of one of the other second transistors, and one of the second transistors has its control terminal connected to one of the load terminals of the first semiconductor device.
US09431372B2

A multi-chip package includes first and second semiconductor chips that are sequentially stacked, each of the first and second semiconductor chips including an operation block for an internal operation, third and fourth semiconductor chips that are sequentially stacked over the second semiconductor chip and rotated 180 degrees in a horizontal direction with respect to the first and second semiconductor chips, each of the third and fourth semiconductor chips including an operation block, and through chip vias for transmitting predetermined signals between the operation blocks of the first to fourth semiconductor chips.
US09431371B2

There are disclosed herein various implementations of semiconductor packages including a bridge interposer. One exemplary implementation includes a first active die having a first portion situated over the bridge interposer, and a second portion not situated over the bridge interposer. The semiconductor package also includes a second active die having a first portion situated over the bridge interposer, and a second portion not situated over the bridge interposer. The second portion of the first active die and the second portion of the second active die include solder balls mounted on a package substrate, and are configured to communicate electrical signals to the package substrate utilizing the solder balls and without utilizing through-semiconductor vias (TSVs).
US09431369B2

An antenna apparatus comprises a semiconductor die comprising a plurality of active circuits, a molding layer formed over the semiconductor die, wherein the semiconductor die and the molding layer form a fan-out package, a first dielectric layer formed on a first side of the semiconductor die over the molding compound layer, a first redistribution layer formed in the first dielectric layer and an antenna structure formed above the semiconductor die and coupled to the plurality of active circuits through the first redistribution layer.
US09431368B2

A method may include the steps of directly bonding a semiconductor device having a substrate to an element; and removing a portion of the substrate to expose a remaining portion of the semiconductor device after bonding. The element may include one of a substrate used for thermal spreading, impedance matching or for RF isolation, an antenna, and a matching network comprised of passive elements. A second thermal spreading substrate may be bonded to the remaining portion of the semiconductor device. Interconnections may be made through the first or second substrates. The method may also include bonding a plurality of semiconductor devices to an element, and the element may have recesses in which the semiconductor devices are disposed.
US09431366B2

A method of forming a 3D package. The method may include joining an interposer to a laminate chip carrier with the solid state diffusion of a first plurality of solder bumps by applying a first selective non-uniform heat and first uniform pressure; joining a top chip to the interposer with the solid state diffusion of a second plurality of solder bumps by applying a second selective non-uniform heat and second uniform pressure; heating the 3D package, the first and second pluralities of solder bumps to a temperature greater than the reflow temperature of the first and second pluralities of solder bumps, where the second plurality of solder bumps achieves the reflow temperature before the first plurality of solder bumps, where the first and second selective non-uniform heats being less that the reflow temperature of the first and second pluralities of solder bumps, respectively.
US09431365B2

A semiconductor chip bonding apparatus includes a bonding head to adsorptively pick up a semiconductor chip, a bonding stage supporting a substrate, the semiconductor chip to be bonded to the substrate on the bonding stage, a first camera to capture an image of the semiconductor chip and to obtain positional information regarding the semiconductor chip, a second camera to capture an image of the substrate and to obtain positional information regarding the substrate, a correction device structure at a first side surface of the bonding stage, the correction device structure including a correction substrate and at least one correction chip, and a bonding controller to control pick up of the at least one correction chip by the bonding head, mounting of the at least one correction chip on the correction substrate, and correcting of a bonding position.
US09431364B2

A multi-chip package is disclosed that has a construction capable of preventing and/or reducing electrical shorts caused by shifts in bond wires. The multi-chip package includes a die attach formed between connection points of a bond wire. The die attach is made of a non-conductive material and can be constructed so as to support or encompass a portion of the bond wire. By contacting the bond wire, the die attach restricts the motion of the bond wire by acting as a physical barrier to the bond wire's movement and/or as a source of friction. In this manner, undesired position shifts of the bond wires can be prevented, reducing device failures and allowing for improved manufacturing allowances.
US09431359B2

A solder bump support structure and method of manufacturing thereof is provided. The solder bump support structure includes an inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer formed over a silicon substrate. The ILD layer has a plurality of conductive vias. The structure further includes a first insulation layer formed on the ILD layer. The solder bump support structure further includes a pedestal member formed on the ILD layer which includes a conductive material formed above the plurality of conductive vias in the ILD layer coaxially surrounded by a second insulation layer. The second insulation layer is thicker than the first insulation layer. The structure further includes a capping under bump metal (UBM) layer formed over, and in electrical contact with, the conductive material and formed over at least a portion of the second insulation layer of the pedestal member.
US09431353B2

A method for manufacturing a digital circuit is described comprising forming two field effect transistors, connecting the field effect transistors such that an output signal of the digital circuit in response to a predetermined input has an undefined logic state when the threshold voltages of the field effect transistors are equal and setting the threshold voltages of at least one of the field effect transistors such that the output signal of the digital circuit in response to the predetermined input has a predetermined defined logic state.
US09431347B2

A wiring board includes a first insulation layer, first conductive patterns formed on the first insulation layer and including first mounting pads positioned to mount a semiconductor element, a wiring structure positioned in the first insulation layer and having a second insulation layer, second conductive patterns formed on the second insulation layer, and second mounting pads connected to the second conductive patterns, and third mounting pads formed on the first insulation layer above the second mounting pads and connected to the second mounting pads such that the third mounting pads are positioned to mount the semiconductor element and form a distance between adjacent first and third mounting pads which is greater than a distance between adjacent first mounting pads.
US09431342B2

An embodiment staggered via redistribution layer (RDL) for a package includes a first polymer layer supported by a metal via. The first polymer layer has a first polymer via. A first redistribution layer is disposed on the first polymer layer and within the first polymer via. The first redistribution layer is electrically coupled to the metal via. A second polymer layer is disposed on the first redistribution layer. The second polymer layer has a second polymer via laterally offset from the first polymer via. A second redistribution layer is disposed on the second polymer layer and within the second polymer via. The second redistribution layer is electrically coupled to the first redistribution layer.
US09431341B2

Provided is a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a passivation layer defining a metal pattern on a first surface of a substrate, an inter-layer insulating layer disposed on a second surface of the substrate, and a piezoelectric pattern formed between the metal pattern and the passivation layer on the first surface of the substrate. A through-silicon-via and/or a pad can be directly bonded to another through-silicon-via and/or another pad by applying pressure only, and without performing a heat process.
US09431340B2

The present disclosure generally relates to a wiring structure for a fuse component and corresponding methods of fabrication. A wiring structure for a fuse component according to the present disclosure can include: a first electrical terminal embedded within a doped conductive layer, the doped conductive layer being positioned between two insulator layers of an integrated circuit (IC) structure; a dielectric liner positioned between the first electrical terminal and the doped conductive layer; a second electrical terminal embedded within the doped conductive layer; wherein each of the first electrical terminal and the second electrical terminal are further embedded in one of the two insulator layers, and the dielectric liner is configured to degrade upon becoming electrically charged.
US09431338B2

A bypass capacitor circuit for an integrated circuit (IC) comprises one or more capacitive devices, each arranged in a segment of a seal ring area of a die, which comprises the IC. A method of providing a bypass capacitance for an IC comprises providing a semiconductor wafer device comprising a plurality of dies, each comprising an IC; arranging one or more capacitive devices in a seal ring area of at least one of the IC; dicing the semiconductor wafer device; in a test mode, for each of the one or more capacitive devices, enabling the capacitive device, determining an operability parameter value indicative of an operability of the capacitive device, and storing the operability parameter in a memory device; and in a normal operation mode, providing a bypass capacitance to the IC depending on a capacitance of one or more of the capacitive devices having an associated operability parameter value indicative of a non-defectiveness of the corresponding capacitive device.
US09431337B2

A power supply wiring structure of a semiconductor device including a semiconductor chip flip-chip mounted on a substrate decreases the characteristic impedance of internal wiring and thereby increases the noise reduction effect, while achieving low impedance during high frequency power supply operation. A semiconductor device has an inner power supply plate structure on a first insulating film on a protection film of a semiconductor chip, in an inner region of a plurality of peripheral electrode pads on a mounting surface of the semiconductor chip as viewed in plan, for supplying power to the semiconductor chip. The inner power supply plate structure includes a first power supply plate on the first insulating film, a second insulating film on the first power supply plate, and a second power supply plate on the second insulating film.
US09431336B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a memory cell region and a contact region, a string structure including conductive layers and first interlayer insulating layers alternately stacked over the substrate and protruded toward a lower layer from the memory cell region toward the contact region, barrier rib patterns spaced apart from one another over the conductive layers in the contact region and configured to open the layers of the conductive layers in the contact region through the spaced spaces, and first contact plugs filled into the space between barrier rib patterns adjacent to each other and coupled to the conductive layers in the contact region.
US09431335B2

A cylindrical molding compound supported RDL for IC package is disclosed wherein a central cavity is formed in the center of the molding compound. A plurality of metal pillar is embedded in the molding compound, a redistribution layer is configured on bottom of the plurality of metal pillar; at least one passive element such as a capacitor can be mounted in the central cavity. The bottom of the package is adaptive for at least one chip to mount so that the passive element is close to the chip and therefore simultaneous switching noise (SSN) can be reduced to a minimum at the initial first stage when a power is turned on.
US09431330B2

An integrated circuit assembly element formed via an additive manufacturing technique, such as mixing a conductive material with a memory metal to form a portion of a substrate in desired locations, such as along the footprint of die, are discussed herein. In operation (e.g. in response to thermal cycling of the assembly) the memory metal contracts while the conductive material expands. The result is an element having reduced thermal expansion, which can be net zero coefficient of thermal expansion and/or be catered to the coefficient of thermal expansion of a desired material, such as the silicon die.
US09431328B1

A power semiconductor package and a method of preparation are disclosed. The power semiconductor package includes a pair of first and second die paddles arranged side by side, a first semiconductor chip attached to the first die paddle, a second semiconductor chip attached to the second die paddle, a metal clip electrically connecting a first electrode at the top surface of the first semiconductor chip and a first electrode at the top surface of the second semiconductor chip to a second pin, a first conductive structure connecting a second electrode at the top surface of a first semiconductor chip to a first pin, and a second conductive structure connecting a second electrode at the top surface of the second semiconductor chip to a third pin. In examples of the present disclosure, double-chip common source technique for the source electrodes of two power MOSFETs is achieved by applying a T-shape metal clip.
US09431327B2

A semiconductor device includes a lead frame, a first semiconductor component, a second semiconductor component, and a first conductive member. The lead frame includes a first segment having a first bottom plate, and a second segment having a second bottom plate. The first segment and the second segment are arranged side by side, the first bottom plate is spatially isolated from the second bottom plate, and the first bottom plate is thicker than the second bottom plate. The first semiconductor component is disposed on the first bottom plate, and the second semiconductor component is disposed on the second bottom plate. The second semiconductor component is thicker than the first semiconductor component. The first conductive member electrically connects the second semiconductor component to the first segment.
US09431326B2

In a semiconductor device, semiconductor chips and lead frames are soldered at the same time on an insulating circuit board by one reflow soldering, and the positions of the externally led out lead frames undergo no change. In manufacturing the semiconductor device, after power semiconductor chips and control ICs are mounted on an insulating circuit board, and lead frames are disposed thereon, the semiconductor chips and lead frames are soldered at the same time on the insulating circuit board by one reflow soldering. Furthermore, after a primary bending work is carried out on the lead frames, and a terminal case is mounted over the insulating circuit board, a secondary bending work is carried out on the lead frames.
US09431323B1

To form a semiconductor device, a through electrode is formed in a semiconductor die, and a dielectric layer is then formed to cover the through electrode. The dielectric layer has an opening by being partially etched to allow the through electrode to protrude to the outside, or has a thickness thinner overall so as to allow the through electrode to protrude to the outside. Subsequently, a conductive pad is formed on the through electrode protruding to the outside through the dielectric layer by using an electroless plating method.
US09431320B2

In some implementations, a metal pad for capturing or interfacing with through-silicon vias has a plurality of openings through it. Another metal pad on an upper level can also include a plurality of openings. The metal pads are vertically aligned and the placement of the openings in each metal pad is such that the openings are laterally offset and substantially do not directly overlie or underlie one another. As seen in a top-down view, the through-silicon via etch may “see” a metal etch stop that extends continuously across the width of the via, although different portions of the etch stop may be distributed on different vertical levels due to the presence of openings in the metal pads. The openings in the metal pads facilitate integrated circuit fabrication their respective levels and the aggregate structure formed by the metal pads provides an effective etch stop for the through-silicon via etch.
US09431314B2

A thermosetting resin composition for an underfilling of a semiconductor comprising, as essential components, a thermosetting resin, a curing agent, a flux agent and two or more inorganic fillers with different mean particle sizes, wherein the inorganic fillers include an inorganic filler with a mean particle size of no greater than 100 nm and an inorganic filler with a mean particle size of greater than 100 nm.
US09431309B2

A method for ensuring wafer level reliability is provided. The method involves: forming a gate oxide layer having a thickness of less than 50 Å on a semiconductor substrate; forming a PMOS element having a channel length of less than 0.13 μm on the semiconductor substrate; and assessing hot carrier injection (HCI) for the PMOS element.
US09431301B1

A semiconductor structure includes a plurality of semiconductor fins located on a semiconductor substrate, in which each of the semiconductor fins comprises a sequential stack of a buffered layer including a III-V semiconductor material and a channel layer including a III-V semiconductor material. The semiconductor structure further includes a gap filler material surrounding the semiconductor fins and including a plurality of trenches therein. The released portions of the channel layers of the semiconductor fins located in the trenches constitute nanowire channels of the semiconductor structure, and opposing end portions of the channel layers of the semiconductor fins located outside of the trenches constitute a source region and a drain region of the semiconductor structure, respectively. In addition, the semiconductor structure further includes a plurality of gates structures located within the trenches that surround the nanowire channels in a gate all around configuration.
US09431300B1

A method of forming an ultra-regular layout with unidirectional M1 metal line and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments include forming first and second vertical gate lines, spaced from and parallel to each other; forming a M1 metal line parallel to and between the first and second gate lines; forming first, second, and third M0 metal segments perpendicular to the M1 metal line; connecting the first M0 metal segment to the M1 metal line and the second gate line; connecting the second M0 metal segment to the first gate line and the second gate line; connecting the third M0 metal segment to the first gate line and the M1 metal line; forming a first gate cut on the first gate line between the second and third M0 metal segments; and forming a second gate cut on the second gate line between the first and second M0 segments.
US09431294B2

Integrated circuits and methods for producing the same are provided. A method for producing an integrated circuit includes forming an interconnect trench in a dielectric layer, and forming a conformal barrier layer overlying the dielectric layer and within the interconnect trench. A barrier spacer is formed by removing the conformal barrier layer from an interconnect trench bottom, and an interconnect is formed within the interconnect trench after forming the barrier spacer. An air gap trench is formed in the dielectric layer adjacent to the barrier spacer, and a top cap is formed overlying the interconnect and the air gap trench, where the top cap bridges the air gap trench to produce an air gap in the air gap trench.
US09431293B2

A method of forming a wiring structure for an integrated circuit device includes forming a first metal line within an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer, and forming a second metal line in the ILD layer adjacent the first metal line; masking selected regions of the first and second metal lines; selectively plating metal cap regions over exposed regions of the first and second metal lines at periodic intervals such that a spacing between adjacent metal cap regions of an individual metal line corresponds to a critical length, L, at which a back stress gradient balances an electromigration force in the individual metal line, so as to suppress mass transport of electrons; and wherein the metal cap regions of the first metal line are formed at staggered locations with respect to the metal cap regions of the second metal line, along a common longitudinal axis.
US09431287B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first and second region, a first structure and a second structure. The first structure is formed over the substrate in the first region. The first structure has a first height. The second structure is formed over the substrate in the second region. The second structure has a second height different from the first height.
US09431284B2

In a device for machining, in particular etching and/or developing, substrates, in particular wafers, in particular etching and/or developing, having a turntable, the turntable has a Venturi gap.
US09431279B2

The present invention relates to a heater block and a substrate treatment apparatus, and more particularly to a heater block to perform heat treatment on a substrate and a substrate treatment apparatus having the same. According to embodiments of the present invention, it is provided a heater block for a substrate treatment apparatus having heating lamps on its one side to transfer heat to a target subjected to heat treatment, the heating lamps having different arrangement patterns in a plurality of regions on said one side.
US09431278B2

Apparatus and methods of thermally treating a wafer or other substrate, such as rapid thermal processing (RTP) apparatus and methods are disclosed. An array of radiant lamps directs radiation to the back side of a wafer to heat the wafer. In one or more embodiments, the front side of the wafer on which the patterned integrated circuits are being formed faces a radiant reflector. In one or more embodiments, the wafer is thermally monitored for temperature and reflectivity from the side of the reflector.
US09431273B2

A resin-encapsulated semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element mounted on a die pad portion, a plurality of lead portions arranged so that leading end portions thereof are opposed to the die pad portion, and thin metal wires for connecting together electrodes of the semiconductor element and the lead portions. Those members are partially encapsulated by a resin. A bottom surface part of the die pad portion and a lead bottom surface part, an outer surface part, and an upper end part of the lead portion are exposed from the encapsulation resin. After a cutout part devoid of the encapsulation resin is formed above a lead upper end part, a plating layer is formed on the lead bottom surface part and the lead upper end part.
US09431268B2

Methods for controlled isotropic etching of layers of silicon oxide and germanium oxide with atomic scale fidelity are provided. The methods make use of a reaction of anhydrous HF with an activated surface of an oxide, with an emphasis on removal of water generated in the reaction. In certain embodiments the oxide surface is first modified by adsorbing an OH-containing species (e.g., an alcohol) or by forming OH bonds using a hydrogen-containing plasma. The activated oxide is then etched by a separately introduced anhydrous HF, while the water generated in the reaction is removed from the surface of the substrate as the reaction proceeds, or at any time during or after the reaction. These methods may be used in interconnect pre-clean applications, gate dielectric processing, manufacturing of memory devices, or any other applications where accurate removal of one or multiple atomic layers of material is desired.
US09431266B2

Disclosed is an improved double patterning method for forming openings (e.g., vias or trenches) or mesas on a substrate. This method avoids the wafer topography effects seen in prior art double patterning techniques by ensuring that the substrate itself is only subjected to a single etch process. Specifically, in the method, a first mask layer is formed on the substrate and processed such that it has a doped region and multiple undoped regions within the doped region. Then, either the undoped regions or the doped region can be selectively removed in order to form a mask pattern above the substrate. Once the mask pattern is formed, an etch process can be performed to transfer the mask pattern into the substrate. Depending upon whether the undoped regions are removed or the doped region is removed, the mask pattern will form openings (e.g., vias or trenches) or mesas, respectively, on the substrate.
US09431263B2

A plasma processing method to a substrate includes a first step of mounting a transfer carrier holding the substrate on a stage which is cooled and provided within a processing chamber; a second step of relatively moving the stage and a cover provided above the stage to cover a holding sheet and an annular frame of the transfer carrier with the substrate exposed from a window part formed at the cover, a third step of carrying out plasma processing on the substrate, a fourth step of cooling the cover, and a fifth step of unloading the transfer carrier holding the substrate from the processing chamber.
US09431260B2

There is provided a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device having an N-type semiconductor layer on a P-type semiconductor layer. The manufacturing method comprises: a dry etching process of performing dry etching to go through the N-type semiconductor layer in a thickness direction and make the plane in the thickness direction of the P-type semiconductor layer exposed; and a annealing process of annealing the P-type semiconductor layer in an atmosphere containing oxygen, after the dry etching process. This manufacturing method improves the electrical properties of the P-type semiconductor layer.
US09431252B2

An embodiment integrated circuit device and a method of making the same. The embodiment method includes forming a first nitride layer over a gate stack supported by a substrate, implanting germanium ions in the first nitride layer in a direction forming an acute angle with a top surface of the substrate, etching away germanium-implanted portions of the first nitride layer to form a first asymmetric nitride spacer confined to a first side of the gate stack, the first asymmetric nitride spacer protecting a first source/drain region of the substrate from a first ion implantation, and implanting ions in a second source/drain region of the substrate on a second side of the gate stack unprotected by the first asymmetric nitride spacer to form a first source/drain.
US09431250B2

Various methods include: forming an opening in a resist layer to expose a portion of an underlying blocking layer; performing an etch on the exposed portion of the blocking layer to expose a portion of an etch stop layer, wherein the etch stop layer resists etching during the etch of the exposed portion of the blocking layer; etching the exposed portion of the etch stop layer to expose a portion of a substrate below the exposed portion of the etch stop layer and leave a remaining portion of the etch stop layer; and ion implanting the exposed portion of the substrate, wherein the blocking layer prevents ion implanting of the substrate outside of the exposed portion.
US09431247B2

A method for an ion implantation is provided. First, a non-parallel ion beam is provided. Thereafter, a relative motion between a workpiece and the non-parallel ion beam, so as to enable each region of the workpiece to be implanted by different portions of the non-parallel ion beam successively. Particularly, when at least one three-dimensional structure is located on the upper surface of the workpiece, both the top surface and the side surface of the three-dimensional structure may be implanted properly by the non-parallel ion beam when the workpiece is moved across the non-parallel ion beam one and only one times. Herein, the non-parallel ion beam can be a divergent ion beam or a convergent ion beam (both may be viewed as the integrated divergent beam), also can be generated directly from an ion source or is modified from a parallel ion beam, a divergent ion beam or a convergent ion beam.
US09431238B2

In some embodiments, a reactive curing process may be performed by exposing a semiconductor substrate in a process chamber to an ambient containing hydrogen peroxide, with the pressure in the process chamber at about 300 Torr or less. In some embodiments, the residence time of hydrogen peroxide molecules in the process chamber is about five minutes or less. The curing process temperature may be set at about 500° C. or less. The curing process may be applied to cure flowable dielectric materials and may provide highly uniform curing results, such as across a batch of semiconductor substrates cured in a batch process chamber.
US09431237B2

Methods and apparatus for post treating an oxide layer on a semiconductor substrate are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the oxide layer is formed by thermal oxidation or plasma oxidation and treated with a plasma comprising helium. The helium-containing plasma may also include hydrogen, neon, argon and combinations thereof. In one or more embodiments, a SiO2 oxide layer is formed on a silicon substrate and treated with a plasma to improve the interface between the silicon substrate and the SiO2 oxide layer.
US09431233B2

A plasma lighting system includes a magnetron configured to generate microwaves, and a bulb in which a dose for generation of light using the microwaves and at least one metallic material for generation of thermal electrons are received. The metallic material reduces an electric field intensity required for electric discharge by discharging thermal electrons. In this way, the plasma lighting system reduces the time it takes to turn the light back on after the light is turned off.
US09431228B2

An ion lens for reducing contaminant effects in an ion guide of a mass spectrometer is provided. The ion lens comprises a structural member comprising an orifice of a given radius, the structural member for supporting the ion lens at an exit region of the ion guide. The ion lens further comprises a conical member extending from the structural member, the conical member being hollow and comprising a given cone angle, and a base of the given radius, a perimeter of the base connected to a perimeter of the orifice. The conical member further comprises an aperture through an apex of the conical member, the aperture for receiving ions there through from the ion guide.
US09431227B2

In a mass cytometer or mass spectrometer, a sample of elemental tagged particles is transferred from a dispersion to a gas flow through a carrier aerosol spray for atomization and ionization by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source. The configuration of the sample transfer apparatus allow for total consumption of the sample by passing the sample spray through a deceleration stage to decelerate the spray of particles from its high velocity expansion. Following the deceleration stage, the decelerated sample of particles can be accelerated and focused through an acceleration stage for transferring into the ICP. This effectively improves the particle transfer between the sample spray and the ICP.
US09431224B2

When performing an automatic MS2 analysis on a specimen containing components that include elements whose abundance ratio of stable isotopes is close, to prevent the same component that includes isotopes of differing masses to be successively selected as a precursor ion and allow the MS2 analysis of various components whose retention time to elution is close. As precursor selection conditions, the user is allowed to set in advance the time period for automatic exclusion and a m/z range (−p, q) with respect to any m/z. When the analysis is performed, a precursor selection unit selects a precursor according to a predetermined selection condition for the MS spectrum that was obtained and repeats the MS2 analysis on the precursor ion (m/z=M) for the number of times that is set. Thereafter, for a specified automatic exclusion period, ions falling in a m/z range of M−p to M+q are excluded from selection as a precursor. Since ions that are derived from a component whose difference from the original component from which the ion whose m/z=M is derived is the isotopes will fall in the excluded m/z range, such ions are not used as a precursor ion.
US09431220B1

A substrate processing apparatus may include a process chamber configured to accommodate a substrate having a metal film polished on a first insulating film and a second insulating film polished on the metal film; a process gas supply part configured to supply a process gas to the substrate; an activation part configured to activate the process gas; a computation part configured to compute processing data for adjusting a film thickness distribution of a stacked insulating film having the polished second insulating film and a third insulating film by adjusting a film thickness distribution of the third insulating film based on the film thickness distribution data of the polished second insulating film; and a control part configured to control the process gas supply part and the activation part to adjust the film thickness distribution of the stacked insulating film based on the processing data.
US09431219B1

A method that uses both electron beam (e-beam) lithography and directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers (BCPs) makes guiding lines with oxidized sidewalls for use in subsequent DSA of BCPs. A series of films is deposited on a substrate including a first cross-linked polymer mat layer, a layer of resist, an etch stop layer resistant to oxygen reactive-ion-etching, a second cross-linked polymer mat layer, and an e-beam resist. After patterning and etching the second mat layer, a BCP self-assembles onto the patterned second mat layer and one of the BCP components is removed. Then the second mat layer is etched, using the remaining BCP component as an etch mask. Additional etching steps then create guiding lines of the first mat layer with oxidized sidewalls. The resulting guiding lines have better quality and lower roughness than guiding lines made with just e-beam lithography.
US09431218B2

A method of treating a substrate with plasma is described. In particular, the method includes disposing a substrate in a plasma processing system, disposing a hollow cathode plasma source including at least one hollow cathode within the plasma processing system, and disposing a grid between the cathode outlet of the plurality of hollow cathodes and the substrate. The method further includes electrically coupling the grid to electrical ground, coupling a voltage to the at least one hollow cathode relative to electrical ground, and generating plasma in hollow cathode by ion-induced secondary electron emission of energetic electrons that move along a first trajectory, and diffusing lower energy electrons along a second trajectory across a first region of the interior space between the cathode outlet and the grid, through the grid, and into a second region of the interior space in fluid contact with the substrate.
US09431217B2

A microwave plasma generating device has a plasma chamber. A microwave generating device is provided outside of the plasma chamber, and the microwaves are coupled into the plasma chamber via a microwave in-coupling device. The microwave in-coupling device has an inner conductor which leads into the plasma chamber through a chamber wall of the plasma chamber, an insulating tube which encloses the inner conductor and separates the inner conductor from an interior of the plasma chamber, and an outer conductor which leads into the plasma chamber through the chamber wall and which is coaxial to the inner conductor. The outer conductor has an outer conductor end in the plasma chamber. The inner and outer conductors form a microwave line, an outlet of microwaves out of the microwave line is provided in the plasma chamber to generate microwave plasma in the interior of the plasma chamber.
US09431214B2

An ion implantation apparatus includes a scanning unit, the scanning unit including a scanning electrode device that allows a deflecting electric field to act on an ion beam incident along a reference trajectory and scans the ion beam in a horizontal direction, and an upstream electrode device provided upstream of the scanning electrode device. The scanning electrode device includes a pair of scanning electrodes provided to face each other in the horizontal direction with the reference trajectory interposed therebetween and a pair of beam transport correction electrodes provided to face each other in a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction with the reference trajectory interposed therebetween. Each of the pair of beam transport correction electrode includes a beam transport correction inlet electrode body protruding toward the reference trajectory in the vertical direction in the vicinity of an inlet of the scanning electrode device.
US09431209B2

A new apparatus of plural charged particle beams with multi-axis magnetic lenses is provided, which comprises a plurality of sub-columns The apparatus employs two modified multi-axis magnetic lenses, and magnetic sub-lenses thereof therefore function as the objective lenses and the condenser lenses of all the sub-columns respectively. The plurality of sub-columns can perform the same function or different functions required for observing a surface of a specimen, such as high-throughput inspection and high-resolution review of interested features thereon. Accordingly, the apparatus can be used as a yield management tool in semiconductor manufacturing industry.
US09431207B2

According to one embodiment, a rotating-anode X-ray tube assembly includes an X-ray tube, a stator coil, a housing, an X-ray radiation window, and a coolant. The housing includes a first divisional part which includes an X-ray radiation port and to which the X-ray tube is directly or indirectly fixed, and a second divisional part located on a side opposite to an anode target with respect to an anode target rotating mechanism and coupled to the first divisional part. A coupling surface between the first divisional part and the second divisional part is located on one plane, and is inclined to an axis, with exclusion of a direction perpendicular to the axis.
US09431203B2

A circuit protection device includes a housing, which includes first and second electrodes. The device includes a conductive slider inside the housing. At a first location within the housing, the slider provides an electrical connection between the first and second electrodes. At a second location within the housing, the slider does not provide the electrical connection. A spring is secured to and stretched between the slider and an inner side of the housing such that the spring is held in tension in an expanded state. The slider is held at the first location by a solder between the slider and the first and second electrodes. After the device is armed, detection of an over-temperature condition causes the solder to begin to melt and the spring to compress and pull the slider to the second location within the housing, thus severing the electrical connection between the first and second electrodes.
US09431202B2

A magnetic trip device of a thermal magnetic circuit breaker and a thermal magnetic circuit breaker including such a magnetic trip device, and also a method for adjusting a magnetic field area of a magnetic trip device of a thermal magnetic circuit breaker, are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the magnetic trip device includes at least an armature locator moveable arranged at a pin in order to adjust a magnetic field area, and an armature element fixed on a lower surface of the armature locator in order to interact with a yoke, arranged near a current conductive element for conducting electric energy. The armature locator includes an adjustment element arranged between a spring element and the yoke. The spring element surrounding at least a part of the pin is arranged between the armature element and the yoke.
US09431194B2

The present invention relates to a supporting structure of a closing resistor for a high voltage circuit breaker, capable of stably supporting the closing resistor not to be twisted even by an impact applied upon a closing operation. A supporting structure of a closing resistor for a high voltage circuit breaker according to one embodiment includes a fixed part main circuit conductor, a supporting conductor installed on an upper surface of the fixed part main circuit conductor, a connecting conductor connected to one end of the supporting conductor, a closing resistor unit coupled to one side of the fixed part main circuit conductor in a spaced manner, and a coupling conductor provided to couple the supporting conductor to the closing resistor unit. The supporting conductor and the connecting conductor are provided with a coupling rib and a coupling groove, respectively, to be coupled to each other in an inserting manner.
US09431193B2

A low current switch has a flexible movable contact that can be deflected by an actuator. In some implementations the switch may permit a low current switch to be manufactured using elements of a high current switch without requiring large amounts of precious metal. The flexible movable contact may be arranged as one or more cantilevers that are deflected using a rocking actuator. The actuator interacts with the movable contact in such a way as to provide tactile feedback to an operator comparable to a high current switch having a rigid movable contact. Also described are a set of low and high current switches, components of a low current switch, and a method of manufacturing a low current switch.
US09431172B2

The invention relates to a biaxially oriented electrical insulating film which is constituted of a base layer and at least one cover layer, the base layer containing a mixture from a polypropylene P1 and a polypropylene P2 which is different therefrom, the polypropylene P1 being a linear polypropylene and having an Mw/Mn>5 and a mesopentadene isotactic index of at least 95% and the polypropylene P2 having a long-chain branching.
US09431164B2

A transformer structure includes a first coil having two sections of spiral, with a top section including a plurality of metal layers occupying top X metal layers and a bottom section including a plurality of metal layers occupying bottom Z metal layers, where X and Z represent a number of metal layers having a specific number selected to provide a particular performance of the first coil. A second coil of the transformer is disposed between the two sections of the first coil and includes a plurality of metal layers where Y represents a number of vertically adjacent metal layers, with the specific number chosen to provide the particular performance, such that a sum X+Y+Z represents a total number of vertical metal layers for the transformer structure.
US09431161B2

A magnetic assembly includes a cylindrical magnet 1 having opposing magnetic poles disposed at respective first and second faces 2 and 3. A cup-shaped ferrous metal housing 4 forms a magnetic shield around the magnet 1 enclosing the second face 3, with an end face 7 continuously surrounding the first face 2. A ring magnet 8 surrounds the housing 4 with opposing magnetic poles disposed at respective first and second faces 9 and 10 with the first face 9 surrounding the end face 7 of the housing. The ring magnet 8 is enclosed within a further ferrous metal housing 11 forming a magnetic shield around the ring magnet and enclosing the second face 10. The further housing 11 has an end face 14 which continuously surrounds the first face 9 of the ring magnet. The end faces of the housings 4 and 11 are proximate to the respective first faces of the magnet 1 and the ring magnet 8 such that these faces together form a planar magnetically active surface.
US09431157B2

Applicators and methods for applying a conductor cover to a cable, the conductor cover being tubular and split longitudinally to define a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge. The applicator comprises: a structural element; a spool connected to rotate relative to the structural element, the spool being sized to store the conductor cover in a pre-application state where the conductor cover is wrapped one or more times around the spool with the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge of the conductor cover spread open and perpendicular to a spool axis; and a lock for holding the conductor cover in the pre-application state.
US09431156B2

In some implementations of the invention, existing extremely low resistance materials (“ELR materials”) may be modified and/or new ELR materials may be created by enhancing (in the case of existing ELR materials) and/or creating (in the case of new ELR materials) an aperture within the ELR material such that the aperture is maintained at increased temperatures so as not to impede propagation of electrical charge there through. In some implementations of the invention, as long as the propagation of electrical charge through the aperture remains unimpeded, the material should remain in an ELR state; otherwise, as the propagation of electrical charge through the aperture becomes impeded, the ELR material begins to transition into a non-ELR state.
US09431154B1

Heat resistant and flame retardant self-extinguishing cables and cords made with wires containing a special surrounding material used with portable communications equipment that must be able to operate in extremely hostile environments such as a fire so as to allow continual communications. These fire and heat resistant cables and cords are comprised of a special mixture of materials to manufacture a protective element to surround the communication wires.
US09431143B2

Disclosed is a transition metal precursor used for preparation of lithium composite transition metal oxide, the transition metal precursor comprising a composite transition metal compound represented by the following Formula 1: M(OH1−x)2−yAy/n  (1) wherein M comprises two or more selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Mn, Al, Cu, Fe, Mg, B, Cr and second period transition metals; A comprises one or more anions except OH1−x; 0≦x≦0.5; 0.01≦y≦0.5; and n is an oxidation number of A. The transition metal precursor according to the present invention contains a specific anion. A lithium composite transition metal oxide prepared using the transition metal precursor comprises the anion homogeneously present on the surface and inside thereof, and a secondary battery based on the lithium composite transition metal oxide thus exerts superior power and lifespan characteristics, and high charge and discharge efficiency.
US09431141B1

A reconfigurable radiographic aperture mask collimator apparatus includes a body portion configured to receive an attenuating liquid having a first attenuation value per unit volume. The apparatus further includes a grid portion mated to a face of the body portion and a plurality of passageways each having a cross sectional area and a length. The plurality of passageways is disposed within the grid portion. A plurality of plugs is slidably disposed within the plurality of passageways, and each of the plurality of plugs has a second attenuation value per unit volume less than the first attenuation value. One of the plurality of passageways is filled with a column of attenuating liquid that is coincident with an end of the one of a plurality of plugs contained therein, and wherein the column substantially conforms to the cross sectional area.
US09431140B2

A multi-pinhole collimator is formed by calculating a projection size (D) for different pinhole numbers (n) for a predetermined field-of-view (FOV) (d) by arranging a plurality of projections into a pattern. A pattern is selected which utilizes a whole detector with maximized packing density, minimum truncation to provide a projection overlap below a predetermined limit. The number of pinholes is modified to calculate a collimator length, a corresponding acceptance angle and aperture size. Sensitivities for individual pinholes are added to obtain a total sensitivity for a given pinhole number, and an optimized multi-pinhole configuration is obtained by maximizing the total sensitivity for a predetermined target resolution (Rt) and field-of-view (FOV) (d).
US09431139B2

The method according to the invention is accomplished via neutrons produced in a nuclear reactor and moderated to thermal energy level in such a way that a target to be irradiated can also be arranged outside of the reactor shell, within a cassette and/or a container suitable for this purpose. This solution can remarkably increase the production capacity, but can be applied for irradiation channels as well. The disclosure teaches the production of lanthanides and platinum metals, however, other species, e.g. Re, can also be produced. In the technological process the target (mother element) is commercially less valuable than the product (daughter element) prepared therefrom via (n, γ) nuclear reaction. The product—practically the alloy of the mother element and daughter element(s)—can be fully separated into its constituents, element by element, by means of prior art techniques, and can be processed. The thus obtained product, after retention (that is, after normalizing the radiation level), can be made use of. The exemplified daughter elements are Pm, Eu, Tm, Lu; and Rh, Os; and Re. When Os is produced, Re takes the role of the mother element. In certain products other daughter elements also form, such as e.g. Tc, as it is discussed in the specification.
US09431126B2

A non-volatile memory device and method for programming cells using repeated pulses of program voltages, with interleaved read operations to determine the level of read current, until the desired programming state is achieved. Each successive program pulse has one or more program voltages increased by a step value relative to the previous pulse. For a single level cell type, each cell is individually removed from the programming pulses after reaching a first read current threshold, and the step value is increased for one or more kicker pulses thereafter. For a multi-level cell type, the step value drops after one of the cells reaches a first read current threshold, some cells are individually removed from the programming pulses after reaching a second read current threshold while others are individually removed from the programming pulses after reaching a third read current threshold.
US09431121B2

The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to adjusting read voltages of charge-trapping flash memory. An example embodiment apparatus can include a memory array and a controller coupled to the memory array. The controller is configured to adjust a read voltage used to access a portion of the memory array based on a length of time since a last WRITE operation to the portion.
US09431119B2

Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for controlling a read time of an electronic memory device. A method includes reading data from an integrated circuit of storage using a read time for the integrated circuit of storage. A method includes adjusting a read time for an integrated circuit of storage. A method includes reading data from a same integrated circuit of storage using an adjusted read time for the integrated circuit of storage.
US09431118B1

A method comprising: generating or receiving read threshold information indicative of multiple read thresholds values that were applied when reading multiple flash memory cells that belong to multiple rows of a flash memory module; and generating a compressed representation of reference read thresholds to be applied during future read operations of the flash memory cells in response to the read threshold information.
US09431115B2

An erase system and method of a nonvolatile memory device includes supplying an erase voltage to a plurality of memory cells of a nonvolatile memory, performing a read operation with a read voltage to word lines of the plurality of memory cells, and performing an erase verification operation with an erase verification voltage to at least one of the word lines of the plurality of memory cells, the erase verification voltage lower than the read voltage.
US09431105B2

In an embodiment, a method for managing access to memory includes receiving requests for access to a memory from one or more devices, each particular request associated with one of a plurality of virtual channels. A tag is assigned to each request received. Each tag assigned is added to a linked list associated with the corresponding virtual channel. Each request received with the assigned tag is transmitted to the memory. Responses to the requests are received from the memory, each response having an associated tag, and the responses received are sent to the one or more devices based on the corresponding linked list and the corresponding tag.
US09431104B2

A reconfigurable circuit according to an embodiment includes: first wiring lines; second wiring lines crossing the first wiring lines; resistive change elements disposed in intersection regions of the first and second wiring lines, each of the resistive change elements including a first terminal connected to the one of the first wiring lines and a second terminal connected to the one of the second wiring lines, and being switchable between a low-resistance state and a high-resistance state; a first control circuit controlling a voltage to be applied to the first wiring lines; a second control circuit controlling a voltage to be applied to the second wiring lines; and current limiting elements corresponding to the second wiring lines, and controlling current flowing through the resistive change elements connected to the corresponding second wiring line.
US09431099B2

Provided is a neuromorphic device including first and second lower electrodes formed on a substrate to be electrically separated, first and second lower insulating film stacks formed at least on respective surfaces of the first and second lower electrodes, first, second, and third doped regions formed at left and right sides of the first and second lower electrodes, first and second semiconductor regions formed on the first and second lower insulating film stacks, an upper insulating film stack formed on the first and second semiconductor regions and the first, second, and third doped regions, and an upper electrode formed on the upper insulating film stack. Accordingly, a specified neuromorphic device can be reconfigured to have arbitrarily inhibitory or excitatory functionality by using the first and second lower electrodes and the lower insulating film stacks including charge storage layers formed on the surfaces of the electrodes.
US09431089B2

Embodiments generally relate to a memory device. In one embodiment, the memory device includes a clock receiver circuit that receives an external clock signal and provides an internal clock signal. The memory device also includes a delay-locked loop circuit (DLL) having an input, and a circuit that receives the internal clock signal. The circuit selects which pulses of the internal clock signal are applied to the input of the DLL, such that no more than two clock pulses selected from at least three consecutive pulses of the external clock signal are applied to the input of the DLL during a predetermined interval. In another embodiment, a method includes receiving an external clock signal at a clock receiver circuit, receiving an internal clock signal from the clock receiver circuit, and selecting which pulses of the internal clock signal are applied to an input of a DLL, where no more than two clock pulses selected from at least three consecutive pulses of the external clock signal are applied to the input of the DLL during a predetermined interval.
US09431081B2

A memory device includes a plurality of normal word lines arranged at a first distance from each other, a redundant word line arranged at a second distance, which is greater than the first distance from a normal word line adjacent to the redundant word line, among the normal word lines, and a word line control unit suitable for selectively activating the normal word lines, and replacing a frequently activated word line with the redundant word line when the frequently activated word line is detected.
US09431079B1

Systems and methods relating to memory and/or memory latching are disclosed. In one exemplary implementation, an illustrative memory device may include self-timed pulse generator circuitry, first input latch circuitry, read/write control circuitry, and second input latch circuitry. According to further implementations herein, fast address access for read and write may be provided in the same cycle via a self-timed pulse in the input latch circuit and/or via associated control/scheme from control circuitry.
US09431076B2

A memory system, a semiconductor memory device and methods of operating the same may perform a read operation on the basis of flag data stored in a flag register, without reading the flag data stored in a memory array, when performing the read operation, so that a time taken for the read operation may be reduced.
US09431058B2

A video playing system and a method thereof are described. When the video playing system randomly plays sections of a multimedia video, it can control scheduled events in-between so as to ensure the user does not miss important events when an important blocking effect exists in the multimedia video schedule. During the random playing of the multimedia video, the video playing system will detect the scheduled event(s) between an original playing position and a new playing position. Then, the video playing system will execute the earliest scheduled event between the original playing position and the new playing position, or execute all of the scheduled events in sequence.
US09431057B2

Some embodiments provide a media production application. The application receives a script of a media project and parses the script to identify (i) story sections of the media project and (ii) characters in the media project. The application automatically creates data structures for the story sections and the characters, and associations between the story sections and the characters. The application receives several different types of data related to production of a media project and automatically schedules production activities for the media project based on the different types of data. For each location at which one or more story sections will be filmed, the application receives a photo of the location. The application displays a graphical outline of the media project in which each story section is represented by a thumbnail of the photo of the location at which the story section will be filmed.
US09431043B2

Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a magnetic write head including a media facing surface and a surface opposite the media facing surface. The magnetic write head further includes a reflector extending from the surface opposite the media facing surface toward the media facing surface. A semiconductor laser diode gain region protrudes out of the surface opposite the media facing surface, and the reflector helps optimizing the optical energy generated in the semiconductor laser diode gain region to be a single mode over a large current and temperature range.
US09431039B1

A method and system provide a magnetic transducer including a first shield, a plurality of read sensors, and a second shield. The read sensors are between the first shield and the second shield. The read sensors have a plurality of widths in a track width direction and are separated by at least one distance in a down track direction. The down track direction is perpendicular to the track width direction.
US09431038B1

A method provides a magnetic device having an air-bearing surface (ABS) location. A layer including first and second sublayers is provided. The first sublayer includes the ABS location. The second sublayer recessed from the ABS location such that part of the first sublayer is between the second sublayer and the ABS location. The first sublayer has a rear surface oriented at a nonzero, acute angle from a surface perpendicular to the ABS location. A trench is formed in the layer. The trench has a bottom, a top and sidewalls. The sidewalls form a first angle with a direction perpendicular to the bottom at the ABS location. The sidewalls form a second angle with the direction in part of the second sublayer. The second angle is smaller than the first angle. The sidewall angle varies along the rear surface of the first sublayer. A main pole is provided in the trench.
US09431035B2

A slider comprising a body having an air bearing surface (ABS), wherein the ABS extends between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the body. The slider comprises a transducer supported by the body and positioned near the trailing edge, wherein the transducer comprises a pole tip partially extending from the body. The slider comprises a surface defined in the body and forming the trailing edge, wherein the surface comprises a plurality of segments. A first segment of the plurality of segments extends from the ABS and is offset from a portion of the pole tip recessed within the body. The first segment is offset from the pole tip portion by a lesser extent than any other of the plurality of segments.
US09431033B1

A structure includes an air bearing surface including a plurality of material layers arranged in at least one dimension on the air bearing surface. The structure further includes a microelectronic device and a resistive heating element, which each include at least one of the plurality of material layers. The resistive heating element is electrically isolated from the microelectronic device. The microelectronic device is heated by said resistive heating element. Optionally, a structure includes a tape reader or a tape writer, located at an air bearing surface. A resistive heating element is electrically isolated from the tape reader or writer and heats the tape reader or the tape writer. Optionally, a method includes identifying a microelectronic device located at an air bearing surface, identifying a resistive heating element, which is electrically isolated from the microelectronic device, applying a bias current through the resistive heating element to heat the microelectronic device.
US09431021B1

Techniques are described for grouping multiple computing devices into a device set to enable shared audio functionality, or other types of shared functionality, between the devices in the device set. The devices may provide audio output, audio input, or both audio output and input. The devices may discover each other via transmitted radio signals, and the devices may be organized into one or more device sets based on location, supported functions, or other criteria. A voice command received at one device in the device set may be employed to control operations of other device(s) in the device set. Shared audio functionality between devices in a device set may also enable synchronized audio output through using multiple devices in the device set.
US09431020B2

The present invention proposes a new method and a new apparatus for enhancement of audio source coding systems utilizing high frequency reconstruction (HFR). It utilizes a detection mechanism on the encoder side to assess what parts of the spectrum will not be correctly reproduced by the HFR method in the decoder. Information on this is efficiently coded and sent to the decoder, where it is combined with the output of the HFR unit.
US09431018B2

Provided are systems, methods and techniques for processing frame-based data. A frame of data, an indication that a transient occurs within the frame, and a location of the transient within the frame are obtained. Based on the indication of the transient, a block size is set for the frame, thereby effectively defining a plurality of equal-sized blocks within the frame. In addition, different window functions are selected for different ones of the plurality of equal-sized blocks based on the location of the transient, and the frame of data is processed by applying the selected window functions.
US09431015B2

An electronic device for managing voice entered text using gesturing comprises a housing, display, power source, speech recognition module, gesture recognition module, and processor. A first speech input is detected, and textual words are displayed. One or more swipe gestures are detected, and a direction of the swipe gesture(s) is determined. Each textual word is highlighted one-by-one along a path of the direction of the swipe gesture(s) highlighting for each swipe gesture. For one embodiment, a second speech input may be detected and a highlighted textual word may be substituted with a second textual word. For another embodiment, a type of the swipe gesture(s) may be determined. A textual word adjacent to a currently highlighted word may be highlighted next for the first type, and a textual word non-adjacent to the currently highlighted word may be highlighted next for the second type.
US09431012B2

A post-processing speech system includes a natural language-based speech recognition system that compares a spoken utterance to a natural language vocabulary that includes words used to generate a natural language speech recognition result. A master conversation module engine compares the natural language speech recognition result to domain specific words and phrases. A voting engine selects a word or a phrase from the domain specific words and phrases that is transmitted to an application control system. The application control system transmits one or more control signals that are used to control an internal or an external device or an internal or an external process.
US09431010B2

With respect to speech data 4 of an input speech 2, a speech-recognition device 1 performs at an internal recognizer 7, recognition processing using an acoustic model 9, to calculate an internal recognition result 10 and its acoustic likelihood. A reading-addition processor 12 acquires an external recognition result 11 from recognition processing of the speech data 4 of the input speech 2 by an external recognizer 19 and adds a reading thereto, and a re-collation processor 15 calculates, using the acoustic model 9, the acoustic likelihood of the external recognition result 11 to provide a re-collation result 16. A result-determination processor 17 compares the acoustic likelihood of the internal recognition result 10 with the acoustic likelihood of the external recognition result 11 included in the re-collation result 16, to thereby determine a final recognition result 18.
US09430993B2

The present invention includes a keyboard lid which is constituted by a front lid and a rear lid whose lengths in the front-rear direction of a keyboard section provided in an instrument case are different from each other being foldably connected to each other by a coupling member, and openably and closably covers the keyboard section; a rotary fulcrum section which supports the rear end portion of the rear lid such that the rear lid is rotatable with respect to the instrument case, and by which the keyboard lid is mountain-folded and the front lid is held upright above the rear portion of the keyboard section when the keyboard lid exposes the keyboard section; and a guide section which guides the front end portion of the front lid in the front-rear direction of the keyboard section. Accordingly, the keyboard lid can be stably and smoothly opened or closed.
US09430988B1

A mobile electronic device is disclosed with a low emission mode that limits the emission of light from the display to frequency ranges that have low reflection off of human skin. The display may be limited to images and text displayed in a red color. The low emission mode may also prevent sound from the mobile electronic device and allow text based sending and receiving of information in a low lit environment with minimal or no disturbance to users around the user of the mobile electronic device.
US09430965B2

An organic light emitting display device includes a display panel including a plurality of pixels each having an organic light emitting element that emits light according to a current corresponding to a data voltage, and a panel driver configured to divide the display panel into first to Mth blocks, calculate an average picture level of each block from data to be displayed in each of the plurality of pixels of each block, convert the data to be displayed by each of the plurality of pixels of each block into the data voltage, and supply the data voltage to each of the plurality of pixels of each block, where the panel driver controls the data voltage to be supplied to an ith block on the basis of the average picture levels of M number of blocks previous to the ith block, where i is a natural number from 1 to M.
US09430961B2

A data driver is disclosed. The data driver includes a first latch unit including a plurality of first latches configured to store data, a selector configured to select and/or output data in two or more first latches, a level shifter unit configured to convert a voltage level of the data in the two or more selected first latches and output the voltage level-converted data, and a second latch unit including a plurality of second latches configured to store the voltage level-converted data.
US09430959B2

An anti-aliasing font character on a monitor is prevented from being erroneously judged as an image region. The pixel of interest and four pixels each preceding and following the pixel of interest (a total of nine pixels) are extracted (S3). The largest of the values of the sub-pixels of each of the nine pixels extracted is determined as the representative value of each pixel (step S5). The nine representative values are represented as a histogram and referred to as H0, H1, H2, and the like in the descending order of the frequency in the distribution (S7). Whether Formula (1) below is satisfied is determined (S9). H0+H1+H2
US09430948B2

A landing alert system and method for preventing runway excursions may include determining, during an approach of an aircraft to landing on a runway, a target touchdown point on the runway, determining a boundary descent path configured to permit safe approach and touchdown of the aircraft on the runway at or before the target touchdown point, and, in response to the aircraft crossing within a selected margin of the boundary path, alerting an operator of the aircraft.
US09430941B2

A method for collecting the information from the mobile devices for producing real-time traffic data is provided. The process ensures that the collection of data from a mobile device to be non-intrusive to the user of the mobile device by using only communication channels that are already open and by using only Global Positioning System (GPS) data from an application that is already running on the mobile device. The mobile device will participate in the data collection only if its battery power is above certain threshold level or if its battery is currently being charged. The method will not let a mobile device participate in the data collection process if the mobile device has already provided more than a threshold amount of data to the traffic data collection during a particular period of time. The method let only mobile devices that are moving beyond certain speed to participate.
US09430930B2

Described herein is a device including a collection element having a base with an upper surface surrounded by one or more raised edges near a perimeter of the base, the upper surface having a concavity. The device has a sensor positioned in fluid communication with the concavity in the upper surface of the base. The sensor is configured to detect moisture and to trigger a notification of a user that moisture has been detected by the sensor. The user can be remote from the device and the notification triggered of the moisture detected can be sent remotely to the user. Related apparatus, system, methods and/or articles are described.
US09430929B2

Devices, methods, and systems for providing a diagnosis of a system of a building are described herein. One method includes displaying a system of a building, wherein the display of the system includes an identification of a particular component of the system, identifying, within the display of the system, a number of components of the system related to the particular component, and identifying, within the display of the system, a relationship between the particular component and the number of components and a relative operational status of the particular component and the number of components.
US09430926B2

This document relates to systems and techniques for providing response to emergency situations, such as traffic accidents, cardiac arrest, or other medical emergencies.
US09430923B2

Moving object detecting, tracking, and displaying systems are provided. Systems illustratively include a graphical user interface and a processing unit. The processing unit is a functional part of the system that executes computer readable instructions to generate the graphical user interface. The graphical user interface may include an alert and tracking window that has a first dimension that corresponds to a temporal domain and a second dimension that corresponds to a spatial domain. In some embodiments, alert and tracking windows include target tracking markers. Target tracking markers optionally provide information about moving objects such as, but not limited to, information about past locations of moving objects and information about sizes of moving objects. Certain embodiments may also include other features such as zoom windows, playback controls, and graphical imagery added to a display to highlight moving objects.
US09430919B2

A first device presents first information that is associated with a first mode of operation. The first device receives a communication from a second device that is communicably coupled to the first device. The communication instructs the first device to perform an operation corresponding to an event associated with the second device. In response to receiving the communication from the second device, the first device presents second information that is associated with a second mode of operation corresponding to the event associated with the second device. The second information is presented by the first device concurrent with a processing associated with the event that is performed by the second device.
US09430917B2

A wagering game system (“system”) and its operations are described herein. In some examples, the operations include electronically determining, via an electronic communication interface of the system, display coordinates associated with first content of a first wagering game application (“first application”) for presentation on an electronic display device associated with the system. The first application is independent from a second wagering game application (“second application”). The operations can further include automatically mapping, via an electronic processing unit of the system, second content for the second application to the display coordinates. The operations can further include, based on the mapping, electronically presenting, via the electronic display device, the second content affixed relative to the first content during concurrent game play of the first application and the second application. The first content indicates a first game outcome independent from a second game outcome indicated by the second content.
US09430910B2

The invention relates to a system and methods of conducting a lottery, the system comprising a gaming server in communication with a wireless communication device associated with a wireless network, wherein the gaming server in response to receiving a request from a lottery subscriber, generates chance units by debiting an amount from a billing system associated with the wireless network, quantifies the debited amount into chance units and credits the chance units into a chance unit account. The chance units are used thereof by the lottery subscriber to submit entries in lotteries. The invention further provides for methods of registering lottery subscribers, submitting entries in lotteries and performing a lottery draw.
US09430909B2

Location based wagering method sand systems. An online wagering service can be invoked via a mobile device. A determination can be then made regarding the location of the mobile device and a jurisdiction (e.g., state, county, city, etc.) associated with that location. The mobile device and hence a user can be authorized to access the online wagering service based on the location of the mobile device. Based on the location, it can also be determined if use of the online wagering service is allowed in the jurisdiction along with prescribed limitations of use in that jurisdiction. Wagering options are then presented via the mobile device, which conform to the laws and/or regulations of the jurisdiction.
US09430902B2

Systems and methods for a gaming system. A gaming system includes a game world engine connected to a real world engine and an entertainment software engine. The real world engine receives a trigger of execution of a gambling game, and determines a gambling outcome of the gambling game using a wager of real world credits. The entertainment software provides a skill based entertainment game to a player, and conveys, to the game world engine, a player action taken by the player during play of the of the entertainment game, the player action including use by the player of an enabling element. The game world engine receives the player action, correlates the wager of real world credit of the gambling game with the use of the enabling element by triggering execution of the gambling game, and accumulates game world credit for the player based on the player action.
US09430900B2

In various embodiments, the present disclosure generally relates to gaming systems and methods which utilize a symbol matrix or symbol field in conjunction with a movable symbol display window to randomly select different subsets of symbols from the symbol matrix and provide different awards to players based on such selected symbol subsets.
US09430896B2

A bill handling apparatus includes a first squeezing unit that performs a first squeezing of a bill in receiving the bill, and a second squeezing unit that performs a second squeezing of the bill after the first squeezing, wherein the first squeezing unit comprises a pair of conveying belts that convey the bill in a predetermined conveying direction in receiving the bill, a distance between both the conveying belts being gradually reduced in a direction of thickness of the bill in the predetermined conveying direction, and the second squeezing unit comprises a pair of rollers disposed at an end part of the first squeezing unit in the predetermined conveying direction.
US09430894B2

A banknote handling apparatus 100 includes: a taking-in unit 10 which takes banknotes in one by one; a transport unit 70 which transports each banknote from the taking-in unit 10; a recognition sensor 20 which obtains information related to the fitness of the banknote transported by the transport unit 70; and a memory unit 55 which stores a threshold value for an unfit note factor for determining the fitness of a banknote. A control unit 50 of apparatus 100 determines the fitness of the banknote by comparing the threshold value and a detected value of the unfit note factor based on the information obtained by the recognition sensor 20, and counts the number of times the unfit note factor has been used to determine the banknote as an unfit note. An output unit 35 outputs the unfit note factor and the number of times of reason.
US09430892B2

A locker rental system includes electronic lockers centrally managed by a locker manager. The locker manager is in communication with a separate external system, which handles admissions and sales for a venue. Users are provided with a unique external identification (ID) code for purposes such as admission to the venue. Determinative sequences of the external ID codes are provided to the locker manager as validation codes. When the external ID code is scanned, the locker manager validates the external ID code using the validation codes. A valid external ID code may be used to rent and access lockers in the locker system. In some implementations, locker rights may be sold through the external system and details of the transaction provided to the locker manager. If the external ID code is valid, the locker manager generates a rental plan.
US09430888B2

A method for controlling access in a location tracking system is provided. In response to detection of the presence of a mobile tag of the location tracking system in an area having at least one access control device, a location tracking device of the location tracking system activates the access control device to initiate establishment of a communication connection with the mobile tag so as to negotiate access rights of the mobile tag.
US09430885B2

A device for determining if the absolute mileage of a vehicle has been manipulated is disclosed. The device includes a first sensor to determine a first absolute mileage of the vehicle and a second sensor to determine a second absolute mileage of the vehicle. The first and second sensors differ in terms of the sensor and computing method for determining the first and second absolute mileage. For example, the first sensor may be a convention mileage device and the second sensor may be a GPS-enabled device. A comparator determines a difference between the first and second absolute mileage. If the difference exceeds a prescribed limiting value, the comparator generates a warning signal, and stores this warning signal in the storage device. A display is used to display the first absolute mileage in the vehicle.
US09430879B2

Methods and systems for creating an orientation marker in a 3D ultrasound imaging system are disclosed.
US09430877B2

Disclosed are an electronic device and a method for selecting augmented content that selectively augment various types of content with respect to a real object using a marker. The electronic device providing augmented reality, comprising: a memory storing at least one content group, wherein each of the at least one content group includes a plurality of virtual objects; a display; and a controller configured to: capture, via the camera, an image including a real object and a marker, obtain identification information on the real object based on the image, obtain angle information reflecting an orientation of the marker with respect to the real object using the image, determine a specific content group from the at least one content group based on the identification information, select a specific virtual object among the virtual objects include in the specific content group based on the angle information, and augment, via the display, the specific virtual object.
US09430875B1

A method and computer system for updating damaged-enhanced polygon meshes in a computer simulation associated to a storage module accessible to at least a first and a second decentralized simulation stations and a centralized processing unit thereof. At the first station, during the computer simulation, determining coordinates of a virtual impact on a 3D polygon mesh, computing newly formed 3D polygon mesh(es) from the virtual impact without updating the storage module and rendering damaged-enhanced image(s) of the newly formed 3D polygon mesh(es) for display from a first field of view of the first station. At the second station, receiving the coordinates of the virtual impact. At the centralized processing unit, receiving the coordinates of the virtual impact, computing the newly formed 3D polygon mesh(es) from the received coordinates independently from the first station, in non-real-time priority processing and persistently updating the storage module with newly formed 3D polygon mesh(es).
US09430870B2

The present invention is level set system for implementing interactive editing operators for surfaces. Level set models are deformable implicit surfaces where the deformation of the surface (editing operation) is controlled by a speed function in the level set partial differential equation. The level set system overcomes the self-interaction problems associated with mesh models. One embodiment takes scan converts input models such as polygon mesh, NURBS, CSGS models into level set models. An interface is provided by which models can be edited with editing operators such as blending, smoothing, embossing, etc. One embodiment utilizes several methods to optimize computations related to the editing operators. For example, shortest distance calculations, bounding boxes, numerical integration, and the sparse-field methods are disclosed for the implementation of the level set deformation operator embodiments including blending, smoothing sharpening, and embossing. The resulting level sets model can be volume rendered or extracted to a polygon mesh.
US09430868B2

The invention relates to a system and method for applying one or more visual effects such as three-dimensional effects and holographic effects to one or more two-dimensional images that represent all or a portion of a virtual slot machine that is depicted in a virtual slot machine game rendered by a computing device. The computing device may determine the visual effects to be applied based on sensor information that indicates an orientation of the computing device. The visual effects may simulate various real-world visual changes (e.g., shadow changes, reflection changes, etc.) that occur as the user's point of view changes, thereby providing a more realistic user experience in relation to the virtual slot machine game.
US09430864B2

Systems and methods for producing an acceleration structure provide for subdividing a 3-D scene into a plurality of volumetric portions, which have different sizes, each being addressable using a multipart address indicating a location and a relative size of each volumetric portion. A stream of primitives is processed by characterizing each according to one or more criteria, selecting a relative size of volumetric portions for use in bounding the primitive, and finding a set of volumetric portions of that relative size which bound the primitive. A primitive ID is stored in each location of a cache associated with each volumetric portion of the set of volumetric portions. A cache location is selected for eviction, responsive to each cache eviction decision made during the processing. An element of an acceleration structure according to the contents of the evicted cache location is generated, responsive to the evicted cache location.
US09430858B1

Theme-differentiated maps are generated from conventional two and three-dimensional mapping data. Dynamic cartography models are applied to the data to deliver maps with stylized topographies. In response to a search request from a client device for a map, points-of-interest within a geographic area resulting from the search are identified. Renderable representations of the points-of-interest are altered to differentiate the search results from other features in the geographic area. The resulting renderable representations are then transmitted to the client device for rendering.
US09430856B2

The present invention relates to a system comprising providing means for providing data to a user, comprising display means for displaying said provided data and comprising assessment means for assessing at least one characteristic of at least one of said displayed data, wherein the system further comprises at least one means for providing a color in at least one part of the area displayed by said display means, wherein the color or at least one characteristic of the color is dependend on said characteristic of said data.
US09430848B1

Systems, methods and computer readable media for determination of monochromatic images are described. Some implementations can include a method. The method can include converting an image in a first colorspace to a first converted image in a second colorspace. The method can also include generating a hue histogram based on hue values in the converted image and determining a hue dispersion measure based on the hue histogram and a number of pixels in the image. The method can further include determining a hue clustering value based on the hue histogram and converting the image in the first colorspace into a second converted image in a third colorspace. The method can also include determining a variance measure based on the second converted image, and comparing the hue dispersion measure, the hue clustering value and the variance measure to a first threshold value, a second threshold value and a third threshold value, respectively.
US09430845B2

A semiconductor device in which components each serving as a basic constitutional unit are arranged in order to find a solution of an interaction model. The semiconductor device includes multiple units each of which has: a first memory cell for scoring a value indicating a state of one node of the interaction model; a second memory cell for storing an interaction coefficient indicating an interaction from another node connected to the one node; a third memory cell for storing a flag for fixing a value of the first memory cell; a first arithmetic circuit that decides a next state of the one node based on a value indicating a state of the other node and the interaction coefficient; and a second arithmetic circuit that decides whether or not to record a value indicating the next state in the first memory cell according to a value of the flag.
US09430841B2

There is provided a defect inspection method capable of detecting a crack with high accuracy. The defect inspection method includes the steps of: obtaining a shot image comprising pixels; and scanning the shot image in predetermined directions, and assigning a high evaluation value to a pixel M for each scanning direction when the luminance of the pixel M is lower than the luminances of first adjacent pixels K, O, located on both sides of the pixel M in the scanning direction and, in addition, the luminance of each of second adjacent pixels C, W, located on both sides of the pixel M in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, is lower than the luminances of third adjacent pixels A, E or U, Y located on both sides of the second adjacent pixel in the scanning direction. The method also includes the steps of selecting selection pixels based on the evaluation values of the pixels for each scanning direction; connecting the selection pixels for each scanning direction; and synthesizing the selection pixels of the predetermined scanning directions, and removing those pixels which do not meet the requirement for a predetermined shape from the selection pixels.
US09430839B2

A method of reducing processing time when assigning geographic areas to land cover labels using satellite sensor values includes a processor receiving a feature value for each pixel in a time series of frames of satellite sensor values, each frame containing multiple pixels and each frame covering a same geographic location. For each sub-area of the geographic location, the sub-area is assigned to one of at least three land cover labels. The processor determines a fraction function for a first sub-area assigned to a first land cover label. The sub-areas that were assigned to the first land cover label are reassigned to one of the second land cover label and the third land cover label based on the fraction functions of the sub-areas.
US09430829B2

One example apparatus associated with detecting mitosis in breast cancer pathology images by combining handcrafted (HC) and convolutional neural network (CNN) features in a cascaded architecture includes a set of logics that acquires an image of a region of tissue, partitions the image into candidate patches, generates a first probability that the patch is mitotic using an HC feature set and a second probability that the patch is mitotic using a CNN-learned feature set, and classifies the patch based on the first probability and the second probability. If the first and second probabilities do not agree, the apparatus trains a cascaded classifier on the CNN-learned feature set and the HC feature set, generates a third probability that the patch is mitotic, and classifies the patch based on a weighted average of the first probability, the second probability, and the third probability.
US09430828B2

A cloud server receives a request for accessing medical image data from a client device, where the cloud server provides image processing services to users in image processing steps, resulting in image views. User privileges of a user are determined for accessing the medical image data. In response to receiving a command having a selection of an image view from the client device, the cloud server provides the medical image data based on the selected one or more image views. The user interactions of the user with the medical image data via the selected image views are tracked, including tracking how much time the user takes to complete a particular medical image processing step. The tracked user interactions are stored in a persistent storage, and an analysis is performed on the tracked user interactions stored in the persistent storage to determine an overall usage trend of the image views.
US09430821B2

An image processing device includes an image sequence acquisition section that acquires an image sequence that includes a plurality of constituent images, and a processing section that performs an image summarization process that deletes some of the plurality of constituent images included in the image sequence to generate a summary image sequence, the processing section selecting a reference image and a determination target image from the plurality of constituent images, detecting an unnecessary area from the determination target image, calculating a loss area based on deformation information about the reference image and the determination target image, and the unnecessary area, the loss area being an area that is lost when the determination target image is deleted, and determining whether or not the determination target image can be deleted based on the calculated loss area.
US09430819B2

An apparatus and method for insuring the proper alignment of a detected vein pattern and a projected vein pattern are disclosed. The apparatus enhances the visual appearance of veins so that an error that can lead to improper patient care or injury can be avoided.
US09430815B2

This image correction system corrects image data from pixels, is connected to at least two different input pathways, and is provided with: a pixel value relationship extraction means that extracts the pixel value relationship among neighboring pixels from image data that is the subject of correction; a pixel value relational expression estimation means that estimates a relational expression representing the difference in characteristics in each pixel from the pixel value relationship between neighboring pixels; and a pixel value correction means that forms a corrected image by correcting the pixel values of the image data that is the subject of correction using the relational expression.
US09430814B2

A camera system for producing super resolution images is disclosed. The camera system may include a lens, a detector array configured to capture an image focused through the lens onto a focal plane, and a transducer coupled to one of the lens and the detector array. The transducer may be configured to impart motion to the one of the lens and the detector array over a predetermined time period, and the detector array may capture a plurality of images over the predetermined time period.
US09430811B2

In some aspects, systems and methods provide for forming groupings of a plurality of independently-specified computation workloads, such as graphics processing workloads, and in a specific example, ray tracing workloads. The workloads include a scheduling key, which is one basis on which the groupings can be formed. Workloads grouped together can all execute from the same source of instructions, on one or more different private data elements. Such workloads can recursively instantiate other workloads that reference the same private data elements. In some examples, the scheduling key can be used to identify a data element to be used by all the workloads of a grouping. Memory conflicts to private data elements are handled through scheduling of non-conflicted workloads or specific instructions and/or deferring conflicted workloads instead of locking memory locations.
US09430796B1

An advertised product is associated with an option to directly purchase the advertised product. A payment processing system receives an input from a user device of a selection on the user device of the option to directly purchase the advertised product. In response to receiving the input from the user device to directly purchase the advertised product, a time-out period for modifying the selection of the option to directly purchase the advertised product is provided. When the payment processing system determines that the time-out period for modifying the selection to directly purchase the advertised product has expired, the payment processing system automatically completes a purchase of the advertised product on behalf of the user. If, however, the payment processing system receives a modification input from the user before the time-out period expires, the payment processing system ceases the automatic purchase transaction and processes the received modification input.
US09430794B2

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for unifying access to multiple websites or other information sources such that the user only needs to visit one location, and utilize one input search field. That one location can be a website, an application, a search bar in a web browser, etc. Rather than navigating to a website to perform a search in the context of that website, a user can instead navigate to or open a generalized search field. Via the generalized search field, the system can implicitly or explicitly process and analyze the input from the user and the resulting context. Thus, the user goes to the website second, after the search is entered. This approach reduces the number of interactions, starting when the user opens a browser or application, to get to a purchase or a search result.
US09430779B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus for determining the visual attributes of content items are described. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a request to serve supplemental content to be presented with a page requested by a user of a client system; selecting one or more attributes randomly from a plurality of attributes for presenting the supplemental content to the user, wherein the selected one or more attributes are different than at least one previous attribute used to present one or more items of supplemental content to the user previously; and transmitting the supplemental content and the selected one or more attributes to the client system for presentation along with the requested page.
US09430772B2

A mobile device, system, and method are directed towards employing a social SMS question and response interaction to identify and provide an advertisement to questioner, along with the response. In one embodiment, the questioner may register for discounts to the SMS server in return for receiving advertisements. As the questioner sends a question to another user, the question may be intercepted and a copy stored. When the other user provides a response to the question, the response may be intercepted and used to socially refine the question. The refined question may then be used to select a contextual advertisement sent with the response. In one embodiment, the questioner may receive a discount for receiving the contextual advertisement.
US09430758B2

Techniques are provided to obtain event scheduling information for one or more events occurring within a time period and to obtain a reference time. A composite display widget is generated comprising a radial time indicator for the reference time and a radial event indicator for a first event of the one or more events based on the scheduling information. The composite display widget is displayed. The composite display widget can be used to display time integrated with events scheduled from a plurality of scheduling applications to provide a small icon-based scheduling package that can be viewed at a glance by a user.
US09430754B2

A game apparatus includes a CPU, and a relationship diagram displaying screen is displayed on a second LCD according to an instruction from a first user of the game apparatus. On the relationship diagram displaying screen, a display manner of an arrow displayed between a user image of the first user and a user image of a second user of another game apparatus is changed. The thickness and the color of the arrow on the side of the user image of the second user are set on the basis of the degree of transmission of the message data transmitted by the first user to the second user. Furthermore, the thickness and the color of the arrow on the side of the user image of the first user are set on the basis of the degree of reception of the message data received by the first user from the second user.
US09430743B2

Methods and systems for classifying defects detected on a wafer are provided. One method includes inputting information for defects detected on a wafer into each of at least two defect classifiers included in a composite defect classifier. Such a method also includes, for at least one of the defects that is assigned to two or more bins in the composite defect classifier, determining a bin for the at least one of the defects based on a rank assigned to the two or more bins. The rank is assigned to the two or more bins based on one or more characteristics determined for the two or more bins, and the one or more characteristics are determined based on a comparison of predetermined defect classifications for defects in a training set and defect classifications determined for the defects in the training set by the at least two defect classifiers.
US09430738B1

Disclosed are platforms, systems, media, and methods for implementing a methodological framework for automatically categorizing and summarizing emotions expressed in social chatter by using a “knowledge base” of emotional words/phrases as an input to define a distance metric between conversations and conducting hierarchical clustering based on the distance metric.
US09430735B1

Devices, systems and methods for operating a memory device facilitating a neural network in a memory device are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the memory device is operated having a feed-ward neural network operating scheme. In at least one other embodiment, memory cells are operated to emulate a number of neural models to facilitate one or more neural network operating characteristics in the memory device.
US09430727B2

A data storage device serving as a portable card, magnetically encodeable card, or a magnetic credit card is shown. The data storage device includes a substrate having at least one surface. A high density, magnetically coercive material layer is disposed on or is deposited on the substrate for storing magnetic signals. The magnetically coercive material may have an axis of magnetization that is oriented in a predetermined direction relative to the at least one surface of the substrate. A layer of non-magnetically material is disposed on the substrate for defining an exchange break layer. A relatively hard, abradeable protective coating is formed on the magnetic material layer and has a thickness between a maximum thickness that materially attenuates magnetic signals passing between the magnetic material layer and a transducer and a minimum thickness enabling the protective coating to be abraded by usage in an ambient natural atmosphere operating environment.
US09430724B2

Weighted transaction cards and methods of manufacturing the same. The weighted transaction cards may include a tungsten member that comprises at least a portion of a layer of the transaction card. The tungsten member may be encapsulated and/or disposed in an opening of a surround to define and inlay. The inlay may be laminated with one or more additional layers according to traditional card manufacturing techniques (e.g., a hot lamination process). The weighted transaction cards may have a weight significantly greater than traditional plastic transaction cards such that the weighted transaction cards.
US09430716B2

An example is an image processing method including a step of acquiring data containing an image, an extraction step of extracting a first image region from the acquired data based on the type of software for generating the acquired data, an extraction step of extracting a second image region the same as or similar to each of images held in a storage unit from the acquired data by comparing the acquired data and each of the images, an extraction step of extracting a third image region the same as or similar to each of the images from the acquired data by comparing the image feature amount of the acquired data and the image feature amount of each of the images, and a step of identifying an image in the acquired data to be stored in the storage unit based on the image regions and reliabilities of the extraction steps.
US09430710B2

A method for controlling a target-image detecting device configured to detect a target image as a part of photographed images and as an image of a target object from the photographed images, includes sequentially obtaining a plurality of the photographed images that form a moving image, detecting a target image included in the obtained photographed image, generating a detection result and accumulating the generated detection result in memory as detection history, referring to the detection history of the memory and deciding whether the detection result of the target image of the same target object is included in a latest predetermined number of detection results, outputting the detection result when the detection result is included, and not outputting the detection result when the detection result is not included.
US09430709B2

An image of a portion of a person's body is accessed, the image having been captured by an image capture device. Using the image, measurements of characteristics in the image are obtained, the characteristics in the image having been selected based on a statistical analysis of characteristics (i) in a plurality of first images taken directly of a person and (ii) in a plurality of second images taken of an image of a person. Based on a liveness function, a score for the image is determined using the obtained measurements of the characteristics in the image. A threshold value is accessed. The score of the image is compared to the accessed threshold value. Based on the comparison of the score of the image to the accessed threshold value, the image is determined to be have been taken by the image capture device imaging the portion of the person's body.
US09430706B1

An in-vivo imaging system and method to automatically detect a pathology frame sequence in an image stream captured in vivo. An image stream comprising a plurality of image frames captured in vivo may be received, and a pathology score for at least a portion of the image frames is received. A seed frame which includes at least one pathology candidate may be selected, and the position of the pathology candidate in the seed frame may be determined. A sequence of frames adjacent to the seed frame is defined comprising frames that depict the pathology candidate, and a pathology sequence score is calculated based on the sequence, the pathology sequence score correlating to the probability that the sequence of frames adjacent to the seed frame includes a pathology. If the pathology sequence score is within a range, a display method may be adapted, or the pathology score may be changed based.
US09430702B2

An apparatus and a method for inputting a character using user's motion is provided. When a user's hand makes a motion, a character input pattern is recognized from the motion, a character to be input is determined by comparing the recognized character input pattern with character input pattern information which predefines various character input patterns and corresponding characters, and the determined character is displayed.
US09430697B1

The present invention provides a face recognition method. The method includes obtaining a plurality of training face images which belongs to a plurality of face classes and obtaining a plurality of training dictionaries corresponding to the training face images. A face class includes one or more training face images. The training dictionaries include a plurality of deep feature matrices. The method further includes obtaining an input face image. The input face image is partitioned into a plurality of blocks, whose corresponding deep feature vectors are extracted using a deep learning network. A collaborative representation model is applied to represent the deep feature vectors with the training dictionaries and representation vectors. A summation of errors for all blocks corresponding to a face class is computed as a residual error for the face class. The input face image is classified by selecting the face class that yields a minimum residual error.
US09430695B2

Aspects herein describe methods and systems of receiving, by one or more cameras, images in which the images comprise facial images of individuals. Aspects of the disclosure describe extracting the facial images from the images received, sorting the extracted facial images into separate groups wherein each group corresponds to the facial images of each individual, and selecting, for each individual, a preferred facial image from each group. The preferred facial images selected are transmitted to a client for display. Aspects of the disclosure also describe selecting either a facial recognition algorithm or an audio triangulation algorithm to use to determine which individual is speaking wherein the selection is based on whether lip movement of one or more of the individuals is visible in the images received from the cameras.
US09430692B2

A fingerprint minutia display input device includes: an image output controller for displaying a fingerprint image and a pointer for designating a minutia; and a minutia input setting unit for displaying a minutia display mark on the minutia; wherein the fingerprint minutia display input device includes a gray-scale value adjustment unit for setting the gray-scale intensity of the entire fingerprint image on which the pointer is positioned, the setting being performed within a range of a display gray-scale width constituted with upper-limit and lower-limit gray-scale values. The screen output controller includes a gray-scale width update function for displaying an updated output display of the fingerprint image in the set display gray-scale width, and a gray-scale width fixing/holding function for fixedly holding the set display gray-scale width as a set display gray-scale width for the minutia display input when there is no new setting information regarding the display gray-scale width.
US09430690B2

Provided is an optical information reading device that displays, as an image, information that can be conveniently checked in setting work and in maintenance work. A decoding unit decodes image data acquired by an imaging element, and an arithmetic operation unit arithmetically operates a matching level indicating easiness of the decoding of a code, stability of the decoding, a margin of the decoding or pixel-per-cell in the decoding unit. Furthermore, a UI management unit and an image display device display, as an image, at least one of the matching level, the image data acquired by the imaging element, and an average success rate (reading success rate) of the decoding obtained by decoding a plurality of pieces of image data obtained by capturing an image of the code a plurality of times.
US09430686B2

An apparatus for use in decoding a bar code symbol includes a first integrated circuit chip with a wafer level camera, at least one light source, and a plurality of contact pads on a surface of the chip and a second integrated circuit chip with a processor, memory, plurality of contact pads on a surface of the chip, and plurality of contact pads on another surface of the chip. The apparatus includes a PCB having a plurality of contact pads disposed on at least one surface of the PCB and wherein the first and second integrated circuit chips are vertically stacked on the PCB and the plurality of contact pads on the first and second integrated circuit chips interface with the contact pads of the second integrated circuit chip and PCB. The apparatus is operative for processing image signals generated by the WLC for attempting to decode the bar code symbol.
US09430672B2

A stack fusion architecture enables a cloud provider to provide Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offerings to multiple organizations. Each organization operates a Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) platform and is associated with an organization domain. A cluster of software/communication services is deployed to each platform. Users registered to an organization domain have access limited to the cluster uniquely associated with that domain. The architecture includes a globally accessible domain-to-cluster map used to map each cluster to the associated domain. A locally accessible user-to-cluster map is stored in each cluster to map that cluster to each user registered to the domain uniquely associated with that cluster. The architecture enables communication between users provisioned on different clusters and registered to different domains without exposing private information to the cloud provider.
US09430654B1

The invention is a process that verifies that the unit that currently holds data or at one time held data has the data destroyed. This invention requires a secured database to hold information to prove that the units that currently hold data or at one time held data has the data destroyed. This invention provides unique identification to label the unit and to correlate with information provided. The invention requires a secure container to hold the unit after identification.
US09430652B1

Use rules are included within tokenized data either before or after tokenization. The use rules can be appended to the data before or after tokenization, can be used to modify the data before or after tokenization, and can be used to select or generate token tables for use in tokenizing the data. The use rules limit how, where, and when the tokenized data can be used, who can use the tokenized data, and the like. In addition, data can be tokenized such that the tokenized data can be identified as tokenized based on the tokenized data failing a validation test. The data is tokenized using one or more token tables, and the validation test is applied to the tokenized data. If the tokenized data passes the validation test, the data is modified with formatting rules or re-tokenized with additional token tables until the tokenized data fails the validation test.
US09430650B2

The invention relates to a method for managing non-volatile memory space in a secure processor comprising a secure non-volatile internal memory, the method comprising steps of: selecting data elements to remove from the internal memory, generating, by the secure processor, a data block comprising the selected data elements, and a signature computed from the selected data elements using a secret key generated by the secure processor, transmitting the data block by the secure processor, and storing the transmitted data block in an external memory.
US09430649B2

Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to clusters. In aspects, an image is created to install software onto nodes of the cluster. A root secret of the cluster is injected into the image. After installing the software of the image onto a node of the cluster, the node may boot into a secure mode, detect that individualization is needed for the node to join a cluster, create an identity for authenticating with other nodes of the cluster, chain the identity via the root secret, and then securely erase the root secret from the node prior to assuming node duties. Among other things, this allows a single image to be used for installing software on all nodes of a cluster without the compromise of a single node compromising the entire cluster.
US09430648B2

A method of updating firmware of a near field communication (NFC) device includes copying metadata, which is included in a firmware image file, from an application processor to the NFC device. One of a certification success signal and a certification fail signal is provided from the NFC device to the application processor after the NFC device verifies an integrity of the metadata. Firmware data, which is included in the firmware image file, is copied from the application processor to the NFC device when the application processor receives the certification success signal from the NFC device.
US09430646B1

Techniques may automatically detect bots or botnets running in a computer or other digital device by detecting command and control communications, called “call-backs,” from malicious code that has previously gained entry into the digital device. Callbacks are detected using a distributed approach employing one or more local analyzers and a central analyzer. The local analyzers capture packets of outbound communications, generate header signatures, and analyze the captured packets using various techniques. The techniques may include packet header signature matching against verified callback signatures, deep packet inspection. The central analyzer receives the header signatures and related header information from the local analyzers, may perform further analysis (for example, on-line host reputation analysis); determines using a heuristics analysis whether the signatures correspond to callbacks; and generally coordinates among the local analyzers.
US09430644B2

A power fingerprinting system is adopted for assessing integrity of a target computer-based system. In one implementation, the power fingerprinting system may receive, at a first module, side-channel information of a first target component of a system, the first module being collocated with the first target component; obtain a power fingerprint for the first target component based on the side-channel information for the first target component, the power fingerprint for the first target component representing a plurality of execution statuses of the first target component; receive, at a second module, side-channel information of a second target component of the system, the second module being collocated with the second target component, the power fingerprint for the second target component representing a plurality of execution statuses of the second target component; and obtain a power fingerprint for the second target component based on the side-channel information for the second target component.
US09430641B1

Adapting a mobile or other application (“app”) to a partitioned environment is disclosed. In various embodiments, a “secure zone” or other logical partition is created and enforced at least in part by adapting a mobile or other app to behave in a manner required by and/or otherwise associated with the secure zone or other partition and which behavior is or in various embodiments may be different than a native behavior of the mobile or other app as designed and written by an application developer of the app.
US09430639B2

A data storage device is configured to perform data de-duplication. A method of operating the data storage device includes receiving a first command and write data output from a host and storing the write data in a volatile memory in response to the first command, and writing the write data stored in the volatile memory in a non-volatile memory in response to a second command output from the host.
US09430631B2

A connection control device acquires information on a position in which a user performs manipulation input to information processing device and information on a travel distance of a portable type mobile terminal. The connection control device compares the acquired pieces of information to determine whether the manipulation input performed by the user corresponds to a travel of the portable type mobile terminal. The connection control device establishes a wireless connection between the information processing device and the portable type mobile terminal according to a determination result.
US09430625B1

A request is received to access protected data from a data access requesting party. Authentication text to be read aloud is then generated and transferred to a first computing system associated with the data access requesting party. The authentication text is then displayed on the first computing system. The access requesting party is then requested to read the authentication text aloud and first audio data is obtained from a first audio detection capability associated with the first computing system and second audio data is obtained from a second audio detection capability associated with a second computing system associated with a data access requesting party. The authentication text is then compared to the first audio data and the second audio data and, if the data matches, the data requesting party is provided access to the protected data.
US09430620B2

In a method for enabling support for backwards compatibility in a User Domain, in one of a Rights Issuer (RI) and a Local Rights Manager (LRM), a Rights Object Encryption Key (REK) and encrypted REK are received from an entity that generated a User Domain Authorization for the one of the RI and the LRM and the REK is used to generate a User Domain Rights Object (RO) that includes the User Domain Authorization and the encrypted REK.
US09430618B2

A method for servicing messages with digital documents accessed and displayed by a client application, including the steps of establishing a database of message queues each associated with one or more digital documents and containing one or more messages, and upon authorizing a user's request for accessing and using a digital document, providing a message queue associated with the digital document.
US09430612B2

A method of managing healthcare data is disclosed. Healthcare data of the first healthcare database operated by a first healthcare data management system (HDMS) is collected. The collected healthcare data is stored in a second healthcare database operated by the second HDMS. The healthcare data between the first healthcare database and the second healthcare database are synchronized by detecting a change in the healthcare data of the first healthcare database, creating a delta file representing the change in the healthcare data of the first healthcare database, transmitting the delta file to the second HDMS and updating the healthcare data of the second healthcare database based on the delta file.
US09430610B2

The present invention relates to pathogen detection and identification by use of DNA resequencing microarrays. The present invention also provides resequencing microarray chips for differential diagnosis and serotyping of pathogens present in a biological sample. The present invention further provides methods of detecting the presence and identity of pathogens present in a biological sample.
US09430609B2

A scanner obtains point-cloud data of adjoining parts of a product. A computing device reads two point-clouds from the point-cloud data, fits two or more lines according to the two point-clouds, selects two lines that have the same ascending direction from the two or more lines, and creates a two-dimensional coordinates system base on the two selected lines. The computing device determines a highest point in each of the two point-clouds based on distances from each point in either of the point-clouds to a corresponding selected line, and determines two nearest points in the two point-clouds. A difference between Y coordinates of the two highest points is determined as a gap-height of two adjoining parts of the product, and a difference between X coordinates of the two nearest points is determined as a gap-width between two adjoining parts.
US09430608B2

Computer implemented techniques are disclosed for fixing signal hold-time violations in semiconductor chips. Analysis includes estimation of hold-time requirements using ideal clocks. Allocation of placement regions within the design and near the macro circuits allows for later placement and wiring use during layout hold-time fixing. The placement region sizes are based on estimates of the needed buffers. Nets, within the design for detail routing, are ordered such that nets with hold-time violations are wired later, thus fixing hold-time violations without scaling or adding further buffers. Hold times are re-evaluated once wiring of track routes is complete.
US09430606B2

Defect characterization and failure analysis are useful tools for analyzing and improving fabrication for semiconductor chips. By using a layout and a netlist in combination with images of semiconductors, defects can be identified and analyzed. Electrical simulation can be performed on the netlist, based on the presence of the defect that was detected. Layout geometries where the defect was detected can be binned, and a search can be performed of the remainder of the layout for similar groupings of layout geometries. Various representations of the semiconductor can be cross-mapped, including layout, schematic, and netlist. The presence of certain defects can be correlated to yield, to performance, and to other characteristics.
US09430602B2

A method for designing a layout of a semiconductor integrated circuit device includes placing a plurality of standard cells respectively constituting a plurality of functional blocks in a part of a logic circuit placement region, placing a plurality of basic cells in a part of regions of the logic circuit placement region in which no standard cells are placed, and placing at least one diode cell in at least a part of regions of the logic circuit placement region in which no standard cells and no basic cells are placed, the diode cell including a first and a second diode, the first diode being connected between a gate electrode of a predetermined transistor and a first power supply line and the second diode between the gate electrode and a second power supply line.
US09430601B2

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for automatic relative placement of part of a clock tree in the course of generating a placed, routed, and optimized circuit design.
US09430598B2

A method for designing a dual-mode logic circuit which is selectably operational in static and dynamic modes is performed as follows. A basis library with a DML inverter and dual-mode logic (DML) bicells is provided. Each DML bicell includes a type-A DML logic gate with a clock input and a type-B DML logic gate with an inverted clock input. A pseudo-static library is formed from the basis library by modifying each bicell of the basis library and specifying at least one dynamic timing parameter. A dynamic library is formed from the basis library by specifying dynamic timing parameters for the basis library DML inverter and bicells. Logic behavior of the required logic circuit is defined. An initial logic circuit design synthesized from the pseudo-static library and the defined logic behavior. Finally, a dynamic circuit design is formed by replacing modified bicells with corresponding bicells from the dynamic library.
US09430595B2

A method, system or computer usable program product for model checking a first circuit model including determining whether the first circuit model is functionally equivalent to one of a set of prior circuit models stored in persistent memory, and in response to determining functional equivalence, utilizing a processor to provide test results for the functionally equivalent prior circuit model.
US09430593B2

Systems and methods for prediction of in-plane distortions (IPD) due to wafer shape in semiconductor wafer chucking process is disclosed. A process to emulate the non-linear finite element (FE) contact mechanics model based IPD prediction is utilized in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The emulated FE model based prediction process is substantially more efficient and provides accuracy comparable to the FE model based IPD prediction that utilizes full-scale 3-D wafer and chuck geometry information and requires computation intensive simulations. Furthermore, an enhanced HOS IPD/OPD prediction process based on a series of Zernike basis wafer shape images is also disclosed.
US09430583B1

A portion data structure representing a portion extracted from a formatted source document is described. A portion data structure contains a first subtree of nodes that is modeled after a second subtree of a complete hierarchical representation of the formatted source document. Explicit formatting attribute values are specified for nodes of the first subtree only where a value calculated for the formatting attribute in a node of the first subtree differs from a value calculated for the formatting attribute in the corresponding node in the second subtree at a time when the node of the first subtree descends from a reset node specifying standardized formatting attribute values. The contents of the portion data structure are usable to display the portion extracted from the formatted source document in a context other than the formatted source document.
US09430579B2

A system comprises a first workstation that locally instantiates a design tool configured to allow a designer to specify a design for a web page. A data store is locally available to the first workstation, and receives and stores the design as a saved design. A second workstation provides access to a code editor to allow a programmer to specify a modification to an encoding of the design. A server means instantiates the code editor for the second workstation, saves the modification as a saved modification, and serves the encoding of the design in accordance with the modification by combining the saved modification with the saved design. The server means seamlessly combines the saved design and the saved modification such that the saved modification and the saved design can each be independently altered and recombined to produce a modified encoding of the design.
US09430568B2

Performing a query includes receiving a user input, determining a first set of query keywords based at least in part on the user input, obtaining, based on at least some of the first set of query keywords, a user feedback log that includes historical query results, determining a second set of query keywords based on the user feedback log, and making a query based on at least some of the second set of query keywords.
US09430567B2

Identifying unvisited portions of visited information to visit includes receiving information to crawl, wherein the information is representative of one of web based information and non-web based information, computing a locality sensitive hash (LSH) value for the received information, and identifying a most similar information visited thus far. Identifying unvisited portions of visited information further includes determining whether the LSH of the received information is equivalent to most similar information visited thus far and, responsive to a determination that the LSH of the received information is not equivalent to most similar information visited thus far, identifying a visited portion of the received information using information for most similar information visited thus far and crawling only unvisited portions of the received information.
US09430562B2

Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for document-based processing. In one implementation, a document is input; features are extracted from it; an index is queried using at least a subset of the extracted features and, in response, identifications for selected document classifiers are received from a larger pool of document classifiers; the document is processed using individual ones of the selected document classifiers, thereby generating corresponding classifier outputs; and then, based on such classifier outputs, (1) the document is categorized within a computer database and/or (2) feedback information is provided to a user.
US09430555B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for producing documents in a specialized format adapted to aid readability, such as word-recognition and word-processing capabilities. Marked-up documents stored in a repository are created by marking up previously unmarked-up documents according to one or more schemas, to include explicit structural information that corresponds to implicit structural information originally contained in the unmarked-up documents. A user may request a specially formatted document by selecting one of a number of available stored document formats including formatting rules or parameters to be applied to a selected one of the marked-up documents.
US09430549B2

A system for knowledge capture and discovery comprises a knowledge repository in which all input data is stored as objects and relationships between objects, and which input data may be stored according to more than one storage format. At least two hierarchical user interfaces provide input mechanisms to obtain the input data, object information concerning the input data and relationship information concerning the input data, thereby permitting end user applications to be developed. A controller receives the input data, object information and relationship information from the at least two hierarchical user interfaces and causes the input data to be stored in the knowledge repository as an object based on the object information and the relationship information.
US09430547B2

An in-memory database system and method for administrating a distributed in-memory database, comprising one or more nodes having modules configured to store and distribute database partitions of collections partitioned by a partitioner associated with a search conductor. Database collections are partitioned according to a schema. Partitions, collections, and records, are updated and removed when requested by a system interface, according to the schema. Supervisors determine a node status based on a heartbeat signal received from each node. Users can send queries through a system interface to search managers. Search managers apply a field processing technique, forward the search query to search conductors, and return a set of result records to the analytics agents. Analytics agents perform analytics processing on a candidate results records from a search manager. The search conductors comprising partitioners associated with a collection, search and score the records in a partition, then return a set of candidate result records after receiving a search query from a search manager.
US09430545B2

In a method for providing communication integrity within a distributed database computer system, a first node of a plurality of nodes transmits a change notification to a second node of the plurality of nodes. The second node is a neighbor of the first node. The first node receives at least one change confirmation from the second node. The change confirmation confirms acknowledgment of the change notification by the second node and by a third node of the plurality of nodes. The third node is not a neighbor of the first node. Responsive to receiving the at least one change confirmation, the first node determines that all the plurality of nodes have acknowledged the change notification.
US09430541B1

Updating data in a distributed system, in which a data coordinator receives a proposed change to a data element, locks the data element, and sends an invalidation command to nodes in the distributed system. If all nodes acknowledge the invalidation command, the data coordinator updates the data element locally and unlocks the data element. If not all nodes acknowledge the invalidation command, the data coordinator terminates the proposed change and unlocks the data element. Each node that invalidated the data element requests the data element. The data coordinator returns its current value. If the value is changed, all nodes request and receive the update. If a node did not invalidate, it will not request an update, but the value will not have changed so all requesting nodes receive the previous value. Thus, all nodes have the same value for the data element and consistency is maintained throughout the system.
US09430535B2

A computer implemented method and apparatus for normalizing and predicting time series data. The method comprises accessing collected data comprising a plurality of intervals; defining a variation for each interval in the plurality of intervals, wherein each variation is a cost value; clustering the cost values, wherein clustering identifies anomalies in the collected data; correcting the anomalies in the collected data; and creating a set of normalized data from the corrected data.
US09430521B2

Techniques and technologies for expanding a gallery by seeding the gallery with seed query results. A template is identified which is associated with the subjects of the seed queries and content identifiers are identified which include the template. These content identifiers are used to expand the gallery to include more content identifiers than before the expansion of the gallery.
US09430515B2

A system includes a first processor configured to intake a schema definition file. The schema definition file defines a set of rules that a data document must follow. The processor extracts one or more data adherence rules from the schema definition file and stores the extracted data adherence rules. Accordingly, subsequent data generation, configuration and/or validation of one or more system data objects may occur without requiring the creation of the data document.
US09430508B2

Implementing a database system using a plurality of sequentially ordered drives to store sequential portions of columns of the database, but where the database system is usable by a system configured for use with in-memory database systems. The method includes loading one or more columns of a database into main memory of a computing system as a table based database. The method further includes dividing a column of the database into sequential portions. Each of the sequential portions is of sufficient size to create efficient transfers using hard disk controllers to transfer an entire sequential portion. The method further includes writing each of the sequential portions sequentially onto sequentially ordered drives in a round robin fashion such that sequential portions of the column are on sequential drives.
US09430505B2

Systems, apparatus, computer-readable storage media, and methods are disclosed for allowing analysis, migration, and validation of data from a source environment (such as an RDBMS system) to a target environment (such as a data warehouse (DW) appliance). In one example, a method comprises analyzing a source database, a source ETL environment, a target database, and a target ETL environment to produce configuration data, the configuration data being used for generating a mapping of the source database to a target database in the target database environment, a mapping of the source DDL code to target DDL code in the target database environment, and a mapping of source ETL code to target ETL code for the target database environment, and migrating at least one table from the source database, at least a portion of the source DDL code, and at least a portion of the source ETL code to the target database environment, where the migrating is based at least in part on the mapping generated using the configuration data.
US09430504B2

The systems and methods described herein relate to dynamic runtime modifications of an object-relational mapping behavior associated with a relational persistence layer. In various embodiments, access to a relational persistence layer, such as a relational database management system may be provided via an object-relational mapper (ORM). The ORM may map data from the relational persistence layer to an object-oriented domain model. The ORM may include a plurality of field mappers configured with an original mapping strategy to map an entity field from the relational persistence layer to the object-oriented domain model. One or more of the field mappers may be configured with a dynamic adjustment strategy that allows the selected field mapper(s) to be injected with a temporary or conditional mapping behavior. The dynamic adjustment strategy may be initialized with the field mapper at startup, while the injection of temporary or conditional mappings may be performed during runtime.
US09430490B1

A method of providing secure storage and access by authorized users of a multi-tenant data storage system that contains deduplicated data; wherein a unique identifier is assigned to a given data object within a data volume catalog; further wherein the unique identifier includes “ownership” of the data object within the object store itself. Each time a data object is stored by a user, the method of the present invention creates an entry within a data association table of the data storage system, which entry denotes the data volume catalog that has executed the data object write. Using the method of the present invention, only a user of a data volume catalog that has actually “written” the data object will be able to access and read the data object. Thereby the method of the present invention affords data security for a multi-tenant, deduplicated data storage system.
US09430474B2

An automated content recognition system accurately and reliably generates content identification information for multimedia content without accessing the multimedia content or a reliable source of the multimedia content. The system receives content-based queries having fingerprints of multimedia content. The system compares the individual queries to one another to match queries and thereby form query clusters that correspond to the same multimedia content. The system aggregates identification information from the queries in a cluster to generate reliable content identification information from otherwise unreliable identification information.
US09430472B2

A method and system for tracking use of audio and audiovisual works is described. Known are converted into a time series of frequency domain signatures. As the system detects unknown works transmitted or otherwise available for analysis, the unknown works are converted into a time series of frequency domain signatures and then the sequence of signatures matched in the database of known works. When a known work is found to have signatures that meet a matching test with an unknown work, a database is updated to reflect that the unknown work is an instance of the known work. The system includes a remote detector that receives unknown content and generates signatures that are transmitted to another location for where the matching is performed.
US09430471B2

A dynamic classification dictionary is built for use in profiling and targeting users for additional relevant content. Behavioral data is gathered from user activity, and user documents and actions are categorized. Author-generated document classification information is analyzed and assigned a first taxonomic noun to characterize the document. User-generated tags characterizing a portion of the document are assigned a second taxonomic noun. Search terms that resulted in the user accessing the document are identified and assigned a third taxonomic noun. Attributes related to the manner in which the document was accessed are evaluated and assigned a fourth taxonomic noun. The document is processed using pattern rules to extract a fifth taxonomic noun. The taxonomic nouns are aggregated into a composite set of taxonomic nouns, and the dynamic classification dictionary is build by storing the composite set of taxonomic nouns.
US09430464B2

A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for identifying unchecked criteria in unstructured and semi-structured data within a form. Text spans representing unchecked criteria within unstructured text in a form are detected and classified to facilitate accurate interpretation of the text. Section identification and annotation operations are then performed to identify and categorize sections within the form. Checklist sections within the form, along with associated checkmarks and boxes, are then identified, followed by the identification of checked item, criteria scope, and previously undetected checklist sections. Once all checklist sections and checked criteria have been identified, remaining text spans within a checklist section are annotated as unchecked criteria.
US09430458B2

Embodiments are provided that include interactive electronic list features and functionality, but are not so limited. In an embodiment, a method is configured to enable users to directly manipulate list content and/or structure in context. A system of an embodiment includes at least one client and a server system to manage aspects of electronic lists, including providing visualization features that correspond with pre-selection, post-selection, and/or editing states or inputs. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US09430457B2

According to exemplary systems and methods, a template is partitioned into blocks using an image processor. An image is scanned using an optical scanner. The image is aligned to the template. Image features are matched with template features in the blocks of the template. Displacement vectors are identified for differences of the image features from the template features. Normalized cross correlation (NCC) is determined between blocks of the image and each block of the template using the image processor. Peaks in the NCC are identified. A displacement vector is selected for a peak with highest NCC for each the block of the template. Ambiguous template features are identified in the image based on the displacement vector. Blocks are iteratively combined and NCC determined to remove the ambiguous template features.
US09430450B1

A method of scaling font size on a user interface of a mobile communication device. The method comprises presenting a message in a first font size on a display of the mobile communication device, and after a predefined delay of time, presenting the message in a second font size on the display of the mobile communication device, where the second font size is larger than the first font size. The method further comprises receiving a selection of a font size and, based on the font size selection, determining and presenting an altered flow of screens and icons automatically in the user interface of the mobile communication device with the selected font size.
US09430447B1

Methods and systems are provided for presenting media content based on parsed text. Text may be received and a referenced media entity may be identified in the text. A search may be conducted for media content related to the referenced media entity. A content item may be identified based on a result of the search, and the content item may be presented to a first user. The referenced media entity may be a song, a book, an author, an actor, an artist, an album, a song, a producer, a person, a title, a movie, a concert, a show, a television program, a video, a newspaper, a magazine, a celebrity, a personality, and a character. Additionally, user information about the first user may be received and presentation of the content item may be based on the user information about the first user.
US09430434B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for conserving power consumption in a memory system. One such system comprises a DRAM memory system and a system on chip (SoC). The SoC is coupled to the DRAM memory system via a memory bus. The SoC comprises one or more memory controllers for processing memory requests from one or more memory clients for accessing the DRAM memory system. The one or more memory controllers are configured to selectively conserve memory power consumption by dynamically resizing a bus width of the memory bus.
US09430433B1

Apparatuses and processes for distributing signals in an integrated circuit are disclosed. An embodiment to use a custom layer together with a base layer on an integrated circuit for testing the integrated circuit includes having a structured network on the base layer. The custom layer connects the network to logic elements on the integrated circuit. The network may be evenly distributed across the base layer of the integrated circuit. Even distribution of the network may reduce skew of the test signals. Buffers are also placed along the structured network. The buffers may be placed to ensure a deterministic test signals distribution. Unused buffers in the base layer may be tied off to reduce current leakage.
US09430427B2

Structured block transfer module, system architecture, and method for transferring content or data. Circuit allowing content in one memory to be shifted, moved, or copied to another memory with no direction from a host., the circuit comprising: a connection manager, at least one copy engine, and a connection between the connection manager and the copy engine. Method for transferring the contents of one of a number of blocks of source memory to one of a number of possible destination memories comprising: selecting source memory; selecting available destination memory; marking the selected destination as no longer available; copying contents of selected source memory into selected destination memory; and marking selected source as available.
US09430425B1

Systems and methods for resource sharing of pipelined circuitry of an integrated circuit (IC) are provided. For example, in one embodiment, a method for sharing a functional unit of an integrated circuit (IC) includes receiving two or more threads configured to access the functional unit through two or more data entry points associated with corresponding data exit points configured to receive processed thread data. The method further includes arbitrating the processing of the two or more threads by the functional unit to obtain the processed thread data. To arbitrate, the exit points that cannot receive additional data are determined. Threads are only received from data entry points with corresponding data exit points that can receive additional data. The processed output data is provided to a corresponding exit point.
US09430418B2

Embodiments relate to out-of-synchronization detection and out-of-order detection in a memory system. One aspect is a system that includes a plurality of channels, each providing communication with a memory buffer chip and a plurality of memory devices. A memory control unit is coupled to the plurality of channels. The memory control unit is configured to perform a method that includes receiving frames on two or more of the channels. The memory control unit identifies alignment logic input in each of the received frames and generates a summarized input to alignment logic for each of the channels of the received frames based on the alignment logic input. The memory control unit adjusts a timing alignment based on a skew value per channel. Each of the timing adjusted summarized inputs is compared. Based on a mismatch between at least two of the timing adjusted summarized inputs, a miscompare signal is asserted.
US09430409B2

An integrated-circuit device (1) comprises a processor (7), memory (13) for storing executable code, and memory protection logic (9). The memory protection logic (9) is configured to: determine the state of a read protection flag for a protected region of the memory (13); detect a memory read request by the processor (7); determine whether the read request is for an address in the protected region of the memory (13); determine whether the processor (7) issued the read request while executing code stored in the protected region of the memory (13); and deny read requests for addresses in the protected region if the read protection flag for the protected region is set, unless at least one of one or more access conditions is met, wherein one of the access conditions is that the processor (7) issued the read requests while executing code stored in the protected region.
US09430401B2

A method and system for implementing paging optimization to avoid populate on page fault during an Input Output (IO) read. A size of the IO read is evaluated. If the IO does not entirely cover a page, then the page is paged in. If the IO entirely covers one or more pages, those pages are not paged in. Page attributes may be different during the IO read. Pages that are paged in are marked readable and writable but pages that are waiting for the IO to populate them are only marked writeable. Once the IO read has completed, the pages are marked readable and writable and all outstanding faults due to reads during this window are completed.
US09430398B2

A system configuration is provided with a paravirtualizing hypervisor that supports different types of guests, including those that use a single level of translation and those that use a nested level of translation. When an address translation fault occurs during a nested level of translation, an indication of the fault is received by an adjunct component. The adjunct component addresses the address translation fault, at least in part, on behalf of the guest.
US09430390B2

Techniques are provided for managing in-memory space and objects. In one embodiment, a set of in-memory objects are maintained within an area in volatile memory that is accessible to a database server. An in-memory object in this context includes a set of one or more in-memory segments where each respective in-memory segment includes a set of in-memory extents and each respective in-memory extent is a contiguous chunk of memory from the area in volatile memory that is accessible to the database server. The area in volatile memory is managed as a set of stripes, where each stripe is a contiguous chunk of in-memory extents. Stripe control blocks are used to locate free in-memory extents for allocation and registration with an in-memory segment.
US09430387B2

A coordinating node creates virtual storage from a hierarchy of local and remote cache storage resources by maintaining global logical block address (LBA) metadata maps. A size of the metadata maps at each level of the hierarchy is independent of an amount of data allocated to a respective cache store at each level.
US09430386B2

A hybrid storage system is described having a mixture of different types of storage devices comprising rotational drives, flash devices, SDRAM, and SRAM. The rotational drives are used as the main storage, providing lowest cost per unit of storage memory. Flash memory is used as a higher-level cache for rotational drives. Methods for managing multiple levels of cache for this storage system is provided having a very fast Level 1 cache which consists of volatile memory (SRAM or SDRAM), and a non-volatile Level 2 cache using an array of flash devices. It describes a method of distributing the data across the rotational drives to make caching more efficient. It also describes efficient techniques for flushing data from L1 cache and L2 cache to the rotational drives, taking advantage of concurrent flash devices operations, concurrent rotational drive operations, and maximizing sequential access types in the rotational drives rather than random accesses which are relatively slower. Methods provided here may be extended for systems that have more than two cache levels.
US09430382B2

A technique for operating a high-availability (HA) data processing system includes, in response to receiving an HA logout indication at a cache, initiating a walk of the cache to locate cache lines in the cache that include HA data. In response to determining that a cache line includes HA data, an address of the cache line is logged in a first portion of a buffer in the cache. In response to the first portion of the buffer reaching a determined fill level, contents of the first portion of the buffer are logged to another memory. In response to all cache lines in the cache being walked, the cache walk is terminated.
US09430381B2

A graphics processing unit 2 includes a texture pipeline 6 which performs filter operations upon texture values. If the texture values are integer texture values, then they may be processed by the texture pipeline in a variable order corresponding to the order in which they are retrieved from a memory 4. If the texture values are floating point texture values, then they are processed in a fixed order in order to ensure result invariants as the filter operation is non-associative for floating point values. The filter operation is not commenced until all of the floating point texture values have been retrieved from the memory 4 and other available for processing.
US09430377B2

A storage device made up of multiple storage media is configured such that one such media serves as a cache for data stored on another of such media. The device includes a controller configured to manage the cache by consolidating information concerning obsolete data stored in the cache with information concerning data no longer desired to be stored in the cache, and erase segments of the cache containing one or more of the blocks of obsolete data and the blocks of data that are no longer desired to be stored in the cache to produce reclaimed segments of the cache.
US09430372B2

A non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) is used in a computer system to perform multiple roles in the platform storage hierarchy. The NVRAM is byte-rewritable and byte-erasable by the processor. The NVRAM is coupled to the processor to be directly accessed by the processor without going through an I/O subsystem. The NVRAM stores a Basic Input and Output System (BIOS). During a Pre-Extensible Firmware Interface (PEI) phase of the boot process, the cache within the processor can be used in a write-back mode for execution of the BIOS.
US09430370B2

A system and method for communicating with power tools using a universal protocol. The universal protocol may be implemented using a universal core module that is installed across a variety of power tools and other devices to enable communications therewith. Communications to and from the power tools are translated to a universal protocol once received. The translated communications are handled by the universal core module of a particular tool according to a set of rules. In response, the universal core module outputs communications according to the universal protocol and the set of rules, which may be translated to another protocol for receipt by components of the tool or an external device. The communications may be used, for example, to obtain tool performance data from the tools and to provide firmware updates.
US09430363B1

One or more previous actual results are retrieved from a software test. The longest common subsequence of data of the one or more previous actual results is determined. The longest common subsequence of data is removed to create remaining common data. The remaining common data is classified resulting in a matched portion of data and an unmatched portion of data. Classification is done by dynamic programming. Matched portions of data are identical. Unmatched portions of data are different. If an existing class exists, unmatched portions of the remaining common data are applied to the existing class. A new class of data is created. The unmatched portions of the remaining common data not applied to an existing class is applied to the new class. An expected test result is created using the longest common subsequence of data, the matched portions of the common data, and the classified common data.
US09430358B1

A program state definition comprises target values that correspond to problematic or unexpected output of a program. A debugger compares the target values of the program state definition to variable values of a program and stops execution of a program at a point where all target values are contained in variables of the program. By stopping execution of a program, the debugger allows a programmer to analyze the program at that point. Unlike a breakpoint, a program state definition is not tied to a specific line of code, variable, or function but, rather, has a scope of an entire program or a specified section of a program.
US09430356B2

A method and associated system for repairing a script. A missed object is detected among one or more objects of the running script, the missed object being unrecognized from an original object of a previous running of the script. A change type of the detected missed object is determined. The script is repaired based on the change type.
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