US09479601B2
A system includes a processor configured to receive data, gathered by a vehicle, for use by a mobile application. The processor is further configured to receive instructions from the application interacting with the vehicle, for continuing usage in the extra-vehicular environment, utilizing the received data. Also, the processor is configured to determine that a mobile device, containing the processor, has left the vehicle. Additionally, the processor is configured to execute the instructions to continue application functionality while the mobile device remains out of contact with the vehicle in the extra-vehicular environment.
US09479599B2
The invention relates to systems and method for rerouting web service messages. A method for performing web services includes receiving a web service request from a client, rerouting the web service request to a server, receiving results of the web service request, and sending the results of the web service request to the client. The rerouting can be used with messages/requests formulated in Simple Object Access Protocol (also referred to as Service Oriented Architecture Protocol, or simply SOAP).
US09479591B1
An item-providing system supplies items to a user device for consumption at the user device via communication infrastructure. The device may correspond to a book reader device or other type of device. In one illustrative case, the item-providing system delivers user-supplied items to the user device based on a protocol.
US09479588B1
A data storage device may comprise data storage comprising a first logical unit configured to store user data and a second logical unit configured to store an operating system. A first interface may be configured to couple to a host and a second interface may be configured to couple to a network. In a first mode, the data storage device may be configured to expose the first logical unit to the host and render the second logical unit inaccessible and, in a second mode, the data storage device may be configured to allow access to both the first and the second logical units. The first mode may comprise a direct attached storage (DAS) mode and the second mode may comprise a network attached storage (NAS) mode.
US09479585B1
A clustered network storage system includes a policy based storage efficiency management framework to allow users to more efficiently manage storage efficiency attributes on a plurality of storage objects in the clustered network storage system. The storage efficiency management framework includes a policy database for storing a plurality of polices, each of which includes a plurality of attributes. Each storage object in the clustered network storage system is assigned a policy. Storage efficiency operations can then be initiated by a storage efficiency engine according to the policies assigned to the storage objects by sending a single trigger to each node in the clustered network storage system and the storage efficiency engine determining on which storage objects to perform the storage efficiency operations.
US09479581B2
Various embodiments are described for systems and methods for managing data. The system may include a device group configured for peer-to-peer communications, the device group including a computing device and one or more peer computing devices. The system includes a cross device application programming interface (API) that is implemented as a device group API client executed on the computing device and each of the peer computing devices. Each device group API client includes a permissions module that is configured to determine whether a request satisfies a device-group-specific permission for access to data stored on any device associated with the device group. Upon authorization of the request, a file storage module is configured to retrieve and output the requested file.
US09479580B2
Systems and methods providing users with a rich web experience are disclosed. In one embodiment, a client and at least one server are in communication using a dual communication link. In another embodiment, a markup language based instant messaging application is disclosed. The instant messaging application may include group instant messaging. The instant messaging application may also provide group member persistence and message persistence at the server. In another embodiment, a card based web application is disclosed, where the card information and character may be shared with other users or within a group. The cards may also be configurable by users.
US09479578B1
A content management system synchronizes content items across client computing systems connected by a network. Client devices connected to peer devices on a LAN utilize peer-to-peer synchronization to synchronize content items. Client devices on the LAN broadcast namespaces synchronized on the client devices with other devices on the LAN. Client devices on the LAN connect to a subset of client devices that share a namespace with the connecting client device based on the broadcasts. Upon receiving a notification from the content management system that a new content item has been synchronized with the namespace a client device sends requests for a block comprising a content item to a subset of the connected devices. Additional block requests are sent in the order of randomized blocklist.
US09479569B1
A portable electronic device is provided comprising a processor, a memory, a display, and an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, initiates a plurality of user agents that each indicate a different communication point. The portable electronic device also transmits a request for a content from each of the user agents to a content source, the requests being transmitted substantially concurrently. The portable electronic device also receives a plurality of contents, each content associated with one of the user agents and each content formatted differently than the remaining contents. The portable electronic also presents one of the contents on the display, wherein the portable electronic device promotes concurrent downloading of a content in multiple formats from the content source.
US09479568B2
In one or more embodiments described herein, there is provided an apparatus comprising at least one processor; and at least one memory having computer program code stored thereon, the at least one memory and computer program code being configured to, when run on the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to provide an application switcher to a first device, the application switcher providing an indication of content available to the first device from one or more open applications on a second device, wherein at least part of the content of the one or more open applications of the second device is shareable in real time with an application on the first device; and provide, in response to user-selection of content from the application switcher, the user-selected shareable content of the open application of the second device for use on the first device using a first device application.
US09479565B2
Selecting a network connection for data communications with a networked device, including: identifying a plurality of networks available for data communications with the networked device, each network having network connection attributes; and selecting one of the plurality of networks in dependence upon the network connection attributes and the direction of data transfer.
US09479556B2
Systems and methods for efficiently absorbing, archiving, and distributing any size data sets are provided. Some embodiments provide flexible, policy-based distribution of high volume data through real time streaming as well as past data replay. In addition, some embodiments provide for a foundation of solid and unambiguous consistency across any vendor system through advanced version features. This consistency is particularly valuable to the financial industry, but also extremely useful to any company that manages multiple data distribution points for improved and reliable data availability.
US09479552B2
A device includes a processor. The processor is configured to determine a hit time for each of a plurality of content items based on at least one of users' history of access to the content items on content distribution clusters in a content distribution network, the users' past ratings of the content items, and social network information associated with the users. The hit time of a content item indicates a number of times that the content item is likely to be accessed by the users. The processor is further configured to compute caching priorities of the content items based on a caching policy of the device and the determined hit times, and initiate a redistribution, over a network, of the plurality of content items over the content distribution clusters of the content distribution network based on the caching priorities.
US09479551B2
A cache server comprises a storage unit that stores managed content held by a storage apparatus in a mobile network, determines, from among a plurality of cache servers provided in the mobile network, a cache server that stores content(s) requested by a mobile terminal, using information included in a content request message from the mobile terminal, estimates a bandwidth of the mobile network based on a signal from the mobile terminal, reads a file with a bit rate not exceeding the bandwidth among a plurality of files having the requested content(s) with different bit rates, from the determined cache server, and transmits the read file to the mobile terminal while controlling timing of transmission in accordance with a buffer capacity of the mobile terminal.
US09479534B2
In an embodiment, a method is provided for enabling in-band data exchange between networks. The method can comprise receiving, by a first enveloping proxy located in the first network, at least one regular secure sockets layer (SSL) record for a SSL session established between a client and a server; receiving the data from a network element located in the first network; encoding the data into at least one custom SSL record; and transmitting the at least one regular SSL record and the at least one custom SSL record to an enveloping proxy. In another embodiment, a method can comprise receiving at least one regular secure sockets layer (SSL) record and at least one custom SSL record for a SSL session established between a client and a server; extracting the data from the at least one custom SSL; transmitting the at least one regular SSL record.
US09479531B1
The disclosed computer-implemented method for accelerating malware analyzes in automated execution environments may include (1) monitoring a file that is undergoing a malware analysis in an automated execution environment, (2) while monitoring the file, detecting one or more behaviors exhibited by the file during the malware analysis in the automated execution environment, (3) determining, during the malware analysis, that the file exceeds a threshold level of suspicion based at least in part on the behaviors exhibited by the file, and then in response to determining that the file exceeds the threshold level of suspicion, (4) initiating a security action prior to reaching a scheduled completion of the malware analysis. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09479530B2
A method for detecting malware includes the steps of identifying a one or more open network connections of an electronic device, associating one or more executable objects on the electronic device with the one or more open network connections of the electronic device, determining the address of a first network destination that is connected to the open network connections of the electronic device, receiving an evaluation of the first network destination, and identifying one or more of the executable objects as malware executable objects. The evaluation includes an indication that the first network destination is associated with malware. The malware executable objects includes the executable objects that are associated with the open network connections that are connected to the first network destination.
US09479526B1
A security appliance includes a vulnerable testbed that simulates at least one known vulnerability, and a secure testbed that simulates not having that vulnerability. A testbed monitor monitors run-time behavior of the vulnerable testbed and the secure testbed, obtaining at least one run-time behavior parameter. A comparative evaluator module compares the run-time behavior parameters with respect to the received client request to determine if it is legitimate or illegitimate. The security appliance outputs its determination with a message and/or by forwarding client requests deemed legitimate and dropping client requests deemed illegitimate. The determination can be based, on differences in the run-time behavior parameters. Illegitimate requests can be cached for later matching. The requests can be database data requests, XML formatted requests, operating system requests and/or other types of requests that would be differentially handled by a vulnerable server and a secure server.
US09479525B2
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for interacting with a remote server over a network to determine whether to allow data exchange with a resource at the remote server. Detection is made of an attempt to exchange data with the remote resource over the network. At least one computer instruction is executed to perform at least one interaction with the server over the network to request requested server information for each of the at least one interaction. At least one instance of received server information is received. A determination is made whether the at least one instance of the received server information satisfies at least one security requirement. A determination is made of whether to prevent the exchanging of data with the remote resource based on whether the at least one instance of the received server information satisfies the at least one security requirement.
US09479522B1
A method and apparatus for managing packet flow based on content signatures are disclosed. A process of netflow management, in one embodiment, is able to receive a packet flow traveling through a communications network and obtain a signature from the packet flow. Upon retrieving a predefined signature from storage in accordance with the signature, the signature and the predefined signature are compared. A message of unauthorized distribution associated with the packet flow is issued when bit pattern of the signature matches with bit pattern of the predefined signature.
US09479517B2
Example systems and methods for service governance for distributed and cloud-based systems are described. In one implementation, a method extracts a plurality of service manifest files associated with a web service from a service artifact. The method also validates the plurality of service manifest files, and publishes the plurality of service manifest files in a service registry.
US09479514B2
A system for securely controlling access between two wireless (i.e. Bluetooth-enabled) apparatuses, also comprising a supervisor apparatus. The first apparatus is paired to the second by establishing a secure wireless (i.e. Bluetooth) link. The first apparatus includes a stored partial link key and a link key generator: The first apparatus receives a first secret key from the apparatus user, and may also receive a second secret key from the supervisor apparatus. The link key generator generates either a first link key based upon a stored first partial link key, the first secret key and the second secret key or a second link key based upon the stored first partial link key and the first secret key. An access control module in the second apparatus determines the level of access that the first apparatus is granted based upon the link key used to establish the secure connection—full/restricted access.
US09479506B2
In an embodiment, at least one interface mechanism may be provided. The mechanism may permit, at least in part, at least one process allocate, at least in part, and/or configure, at least in part, at least one network-associated object. Such allocation and/or configuration, at least in part, may be in accordance with at least one parameter set that may correspond, at least in part, to at least one query issued by the at least one process via the mechanism. Many modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.
US09479501B2
A method for enhancing the accuracy performance of authentication systems includes determining an authentication data requirement for a desired transaction and at least one new verification phrase. The method also includes capturing authentication data from a user with a communications device in accordance with the authentication data requirement, and capturing biometric data of the at least one new verification phrase from the user with the communications device. Moreover, the method includes adding the determined at least one new verification phrase to an enrollment phrase registry and storing the biometric data captured for the at least one new verification phrase in an enrollment data record of the user after successfully authenticating the user.
US09479500B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for authenticating an online user. Authentication involves sending a code from a server to a user device equipped with a source of illumination and a camera capable of capturing video imagery of the online user. The user device receives the code, modulates the source of illumination in accordance with the code, and captures video imagery of the user while the source of illumination is being modulated according to the code. The captured video imagery of the online user is sent to the server where it is analyzed to detect evidence of changes in illumination that correspond to the code. If good correspondence is found, the user may be authenticated. Similar methods may be applied to other biometric data. Applications of the authentication include identify validation, pseudonym verification, and distinguishing human from non human access attempts.
US09479499B2
A method, client device and system of identity authentication are provided. The method may include detecting a login or registration operation, to a server, via a login interface on a user interface of an application client. In response, identity information and an identifier of the application client may be determined. The identity information and the identifier may be encoded into a code displayed on the application client. A mobile terminal may obtain and decode the code to obtain the encapsulated identity information and the identifier. The mobile terminal may also have access to information about an account registered with the authentication server in advance. The mobile terminal may send the identity information, the identifier, and account information to the authentication server for authentication. The application client may then receive an authentication result from the authentication server enabling the user to access the third party service.
US09479496B2
A communication terminal is provided with functions to redirect authentication data, make a substitute reply of a password to a biometric authentication part, and transfer the authentication data transmitted after the password to a browser's child process, in order to perform a substitute authentication using the biometric authentication or token, without requiring a user to input the password.
US09479487B2
A first security context is established between a given user computing device and a first network computing device to enable a secure data connection between the given user computing device and the first network computing device. A second security context is established between the given user computing device and a second network computing device to enable a secure data connection between the given user computing device and the second network computing device simultaneous with the secure data connection between the given user computing device and the first network computing device. Establishment of the second security context includes the first network computing device sending the given user computing device a simultaneous secure data connection parameter useable by the given user computing device to establish the second security context with the second network computing device.
US09479486B2
Method and/or system for use in selectable data transmission. An electronic key may be generated (e.g., by a central module) and stored as assigned to authentication data. Electronic data may then be encrypted (e.g., by the central module) into encrypted data using at least part of the electronic key. A signaling message may be transmitted (e.g., by the central module) to a first communications terminal, and the encrypted data may then be transmitted (e.g., by the central module) to a second communications terminal that is selected by the first communications terminal. At least part of the electronic key may then be transmitted (e.g., by the central module) to the second communications terminal. The encrypted data may be decrypted by the second communications terminal using the at least part of the electronic key.
US09479479B1
A device may receive rule information, associated with a firewall policy, that includes a set of N rules. The device may add a rule, of the set of N rules, to a detector tree associated with the firewall policy. The device may identify other rules to which the rule is to be compared. The other rules may be included in the set of N rules, and may include a quantity of rules approximately equal to a result of a logarithm to base 2 of N. The device may compare the rule and the other rules, and may detect a rule anomaly based on comparing the rule to the other rules. The rule anomaly may be associated with a conflict between the rule and a particular rule of the other rules. The device may identify the rule anomaly within the detector tree, and may output information regarding the rule anomaly.
US09479477B2
Provided are a method and an apparatus for registering a terminal. The method includes: after a gateway receives a registration request of a peripheral of a terminal, the gateway authenticating and verifying the peripheral of the terminal; after the authentication and verification are passed, the gateway initiating a remote registration request to a machine-to-machine (M2M) service platform or an M2M application, the remote registration request being used for requesting the M2M service platform or the M2M application to register the peripheral of the terminal to the M2M service platform or the M2M application. Based on the technical solutions, technical problems such as low security and privacy in M2M network communications in the related art are solved, and registration of a terminal is locally verified, thereby further improving the security and privacy in M2M network communications.
US09479471B2
Computer-implemented systems and methods for networks that transmit credit, non-credit or identity related alert messages or other identity related messages relating to a secondary person, minor, or other person to a primary person's device. According to certain embodiments, two or more consenting adults, such as, for example, spouses, can have identity related messages relating to their credit status, and in some cases minors' credit status, transmitted to the device of the other person or persons as well as their own device. Each individual's device is able to communicate with the system in order to control what identity related messages the system transmits to their devices, as well as to devices of the other adult. The system automatically terminates transmitting messages if a fraud event occurs. Each individual's device is also able to terminate transmission of such messages to devices of the other adult.
US09479470B2
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method and system of providing an instant message service are provided. Combined data is generated through a first terminal. The combined data is transmitted to a server through a network. The transmitted combined data is stored in a database of the server in a predetermined format. A first text is entered through the first terminal. The entered first text is transmitted to the server. Whether the combined data matches the first text is determined. When the combined data matches the first text, the combined data is transmitted to the first terminal and a second terminal that communicates with the first terminal.
US09479454B1
The invention is a modular computing system and method of use. The invention includes a chassis used for structurally supporting a plurality of computer resource modules. The chassis provides a power source and connection point for the computer resource modules. The computer resource modules segment and replicate user information to provide redundancy of information in the case of failure. The computer resource modules elect a lead computer resource module to handle the organization of the computer resource modules during use. The computer resource modules provide a hierarchy of leadership in case the lead resource module fails. The operating software provides floating application storage which can persist across the multiple computer resource modules after the application is closed. The application can access the floating application storage when it is reopened.
US09479453B2
A vehicle network node module includes device buffers, a network buffer, a switch circuit, and a processing module. The device buffers temporarily store outgoing device packets from, and temporarily store incoming device packets for, vehicle devices in accordance with a locally managed prioritization scheme. The network buffer receives incoming network packets from, and outputs the outgoing network packets to, a vehicle network fabric in accordance with a global vehicle network protocol. The network buffer also temporarily stores the incoming network packets and the outgoing network packets in accordance with the locally managed prioritization scheme. The switching circuit selectively couples the network buffer to individual ones of the device buffers in accordance with the locally managed prioritization scheme. The processing module interprets the outgoing device packets and the incoming network packets to determine types of packets and determines the locally managed prioritization scheme based on the types of packets.
US09479442B2
Datalink frames or networking packets contain protocol information in the header and optionally in the trailer of a frame or a packet. We are proposing a method in which part of or all of the protocol information corresponding to a frame or a packet is transmitted separately in another datalink frame. The “Separately Transmitted Protocol Information” is referred to as STPI. The STPI contains enough protocol information to identify the next hop node or port. STPI can be used avoid network congestion and improve link efficiency. Preferably, there will be one datalink frame or network packet corresponding to each STPI, containing the data and the rest of the protocol information and this frame/packet is referred to as DFoNP. The creation of STPI and DFoNP is done by the originator of the frame or packet such as an operating system.
US09479440B1
Systems and methods can provide for specifying and enforcing IPv4 and IPv6 CPE limits in a modem device. In some implementations, such systems and methods can inspect a packet originating from CPEs behind a modem to determine whether the packet is an IPv4 or IPv6 packet. Such systems and methods can compare the packet source MAC address to determine whether the address exists in the IPv4 and/or IPv6 CPE tables. The modem can then perform varying actions based on IPv4 or IPv6 CPE limit enforcement mechanisms, thereby alleviating the problem of a single CPE limit enforcement policy for all CPEs.
US09479430B2
A system and method for protecting a received data stream. Active receivers and standby receivers are provided, each adaptable to receive a data stream on a traffic channel. Plural data processing units are operatively in communication with the receivers. At least one of the plural DPUs provides a switching signal to the receivers to switch the state of the active receiver to standby and the state of the standby receiver to active as a function of a quality measurement of the received data stream via the traffic channel.
US09479429B2
A method, system, and computer program product for routing network traffic (calls in a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)), which expands the capabilities of existing systems by providing faster and more efficient direction of network traffic, is disclosed. A routing management system includes a routing manager which maintains a list of local routes, establishes and manages connections to the routing server(s), exports routes to the routing server(s), imports disseminated routes from the routing server(s), obtains static global and dynamic routes from the routing server(s), caches those routes for future use, finds all matching routes for a particular number dialed by the user, and prioritizing those routes based on timing, access and ordering information. An additional embodiment contains at least one routing server which provides look-up services for gateway server(s), allows export of local routes from gateway server(s), and distributes translation data; and at least one gateway server which handles calls received on either the Internet protocol (IP) or traditional telephony networks. The gateway server bridges calls between the different kinds of networks, interacts with users, interfaces with the routing system.
US09479426B2
A plurality of computer nodes communicates using seemingly random IP source and destination addresses and (optionally) a seemingly random discriminator field. Data packets matching criteria defined by a moving window of valid addresses are accepted for further processing, while those that do not meet the criteria are rejected. In addition to “hopping” of IP addresses and discriminator fields, hardware addresses such as Media Access Control addresses can be hopped. The hopped addresses are generated by random number generators having non-repeating sequence lengths that are easily determined a-priori, which can quickly jump ahead in sequence by an arbitrary number of random steps and which have the property that future random numbers are difficult to guess without knowing the random number generator's parameters. Synchronization techniques can be used to re-establish synchronization between sending and receiving nodes.
US09479423B2
An information processing system includes a plurality of computers, a plurality of relay devices having a memory which stores a first parameter combination for selecting a first transfer path from a plurality of paths for coupling to each of the plurality of computers, and a management computer which stores, in the memory, a second parameter combination for selecting a second transfer path from the plurality of paths when a traffic of any one of couplings for coupling each of the plurality of relay devices exceeds a given amount, wherein the plurality of relay devices set a transfer destination of received data by selecting information corresponding to computer combination information included in the received data from any one of the first parameter combination and the second parameter combination.
US09479421B2
In one embodiment, a method comprises identifying, by a network device operating in a network topology as a directed acyclic graph (DAG) root, a source-route path for reaching a destination device in the network topology; determining whether one or more parent devices along the source-route path between the network device and the destination device are capable of storing a route entry specifying routing information for reaching the destination device; and causing installation of a route entry for reaching the destination device in one or more of the parent devices determined as capable of storing the corresponding route entry.
US09479416B2
The system and method for diagnosing information technology systems in multiple virtual parallel universes described herein may create virtualized parallel universes that represent a problematic information technology system. The virtualized parallel universes may then be diagnosed to identify potential solutions to a problem experienced in the problematic information technology system (i.e., the parallel universes may be diagnosed without disrupting the live problematic system). For example, the problematic information technology system may be cloned in response to a diagnostic request associated therewith to create various virtualized parallel universes representing the problematic information technology system. The parallel universes may then conduct various problem resolution steps to identify a potential solution to the problem, which may then be applied to the problematic information technology system to resolve the problem associated therewith.
US09479413B2
A method for managing data in a Quality-of-Storage (QoSt) network comprising a plurality of nodes includes receiving current QoSt network topology information. A plurality of data streams is received at a data storage interface of the QoSt network. Differentiated treatment is performed upon received data streams in the data storage interface. Such differentiated treatment is contingent upon at least different types of data in the received data streams based on a plurality of QoSt attributes. A plurality of data management operations is performed on the data obtained by the plurality of data streams based on the data storage interface and based on received current QoSt network topology information.
US09479406B2
This document discloses a solution for outputting a message sequence chart in a computer apparatus. Messages transferred in a communication network are acquired, wherein the messages are logically divided into control plane messages and data plane messages and each message is associated with its transmission direction. Display of the control plane messages is caused on a display screen in the message sequence chart and in a form where each control plane message is displayed together with a unidirectional indicator indicating the transmission direction of the control plane message. Display of the data plane messages is caused in the message sequence chart in a compressed form with a single multidirectional indicator representing a plurality of data plane messages and indicating the transmission directions of the plurality of data plane messages.
US09479402B2
A network device may receive network traffic from a first device. The network device may identify, based on the network traffic and a service level agreement, stored by the network device, that a service is to be applied to the network traffic. The network device may send the network traffic to a second device, the second device using a service plane to apply the service to the network traffic. The network device may receive the network traffic from the second device, the network traffic having the service applied by the second device; and send the network traffic, having the service applied by the second device, to a third device.
US09479399B2
A wireless network system (30, 60) and a method for commissioning a wireless network system (30, 60) is described. The network system (30, 60) comprises at least a network device (1, 1′, 1″) and a joining device (21, 81, 91, 101, 111). In a commissioning mode, the network device (1, 1′, 1″) broadcasts network identification information. The joining device (21, 81, 91, 101, 111) sends, upon reception of the network identification information, a request to said network device (1, 1′, 1″) to join the network, comprising a predefined address of said joining device (21, 81, 91, 101, 111). The network device (1, 1′, 1″) assigns said joining device (21, 81, 91, 101, 111) a network address and stores corresponding data. The network device (1, 1′, 1″) sends joining information comprising at least said network address to said joining device (21, 81, 91, 101, 111) using said predefined address and said joining device (21, 81, 91, 101, 111) receives the network address, so that the joining device (21, 81, 91, 101, 111) is addressable in the network system (30, 60) using said network address.
US09479397B1
An apparatus includes a switch that has a module implemented in at least one of a processor or a memory, and multiple ports including a first port and a second port in a predefined sequence relative to the first port. The module is configured to automatically associate a first compute device with a first virtual local area network (VLAN) when the first compute device is coupled to the first port with a first cable. The module is configured to automatically associate a second compute device to the first VLAN when the second compute device is coupled to the second port with a second cable based on the second port being in a predefined sequence relative to the first port. The predefined sequence can include, for example, the second port being next in physical sequence after the first port.
US09479394B2
A virtualization control system may receive a set of parameters; and provision a virtual environment. The provisioning may include provisioning a set of resources for the virtual environment. An amount of resources, associated with the set of resources, may be based on the received set of parameters. The virtualization control system may monitor resource usage of the virtual environment; detect that usage of at least one resource, of the provisioned set of resources, exceeds a particular usage threshold; and enable, based on the detecting, a burst usage mode for the virtual environment. The enabling may include provisioning an additional set of resources for the virtual environment. The additional set of resources may include a greater amount of resources than the amount of resources that are provisioned based on the received set of parameters.
US09479392B2
A system of using a drone for network connectivity, the system may comprise: a connectivity module to: detect an error associated with network traffic on a network connection utilized by a user device; query a connection datastore to retrieve at least one access point location that at least one device of the user has utilized within a predetermined period; a drone coordination module to: transmit configuration settings to a drone, the configuration settings including the at least one access point location and a mode of operation for the drone; and route at least a portion of the network traffic of the user device to the drone for transmission according to the configuration settings.
US09479391B2
In a method for implementing a switch fabric, in a first fabric chip, a packet comprising an identification of a destination node chip is received from a source fabric chip, and a determination that a first path in the switch fabric along which the packet is to be communicated toward the destination node chip is unavailable is made. In addition, a determination as to whether another path along which the packet is to be communicated toward the destination node chip that does not include the source fabric chip is available is made. In response to a determination that the another path is available, the packet is communicated along the another path. In addition, in response to a determination that the another path is unavailable, the packet is communicated back to the source fabric chip.
US09479388B2
A computer system is provided that is connected to the Internet and enables a plurality of network connected devices to access a novel and innovative resource management platform. The computer system includes an Internet enabled computer platform that implements a multi-tenant architecture that enables multiple platform clients to populate the platform with various information regarding their resource management requirements. The computer system includes one or more tools that (i) track activities of users in connection with the management of resources, (ii) extracts insights from such activities, and/or (iii) enables users to upload information or documents related to resource management to the computer system, such tools enabling the automated suggestion of maintenance actions and/or product or service requirements of platform clients. A range of different intelligent features are provided. The computer system may include a CMMS with intelligent features. A number of related computer implemented methods for managing resources in an intelligent way, and based on collective information and knowledge is also provided.
US09479387B2
A method comprising of receiving, by a user system that includes at least a processor system having at least one processor and a memory system, a first push notification associated with a first priority level for display on the user system; receiving, by the user system, a second push notification associated with a second priority level for display on the user system, the second priority level being higher than the first priority level; and displaying, by the user system, the second push notification prior to the first push notification based on the first and second priority level.
US09479384B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a data stream scheduling method, device, and system, and relate to data processing technologies, so as to reduce a delay in a data stream scheduling process and relieve a congestion problem of a forwarding link during forwarding of a data stream, where the method includes: receiving, by a data stream scheduling entity in a network, a data packet that is currently transmitted and obtaining data stream information of a data stream where the data packet is located; determining a type of the data stream according to the data stream information; and when the data stream is a specific data stream, applying to a centralized control device in the network for an optimized forwarding policy, so as to forward the data stream, or when the data stream is a common data stream, forwarding the data stream according to a default forwarding policy.
US09479383B2
An approach for multi-stream data compression comprises receiving packets of a data stream, wherein the packets comprise respective packets of source data streams compressed on an aggregate basis and in a successive order. A one of the packets is decompressed, and a determination is made whether the packet has been received in a proper order of succession compared to the successive order of compression. When it is determined that the packet has been received in the proper order, the packet is stored at a next location in a decompressor cache. When it is determined that the packet has not been received in the proper order, the packet is stored at a location in the decompressor cache, allowing for subsequent storage of one or more further packets in the proper order of succession, wherein the further packets were processed via the compression process before, but were received after, the one packet.
US09479372B2
Methods, systems, and media for determining whether a signal of interest is present are provided, in some embodiments, a system for determining whether a signal of interest is present is provided, the system comprising: at least one hardware processor that is configured to: receive at least one bit value containing information about whether the signal of interest is present from at least one transmitter, wherein the at least one bit value is transmitted from the at least one transmitter at a set of random time instances, and wherein the at least, one bit value is calculated without performing quantization; calculate a combined log-likelihood ratio based at least in part on the at least one bit value; and determine whether the signal of interest is present based at least in part on the combined log-likelihood ratio.
US09479370B2
A radio relay apparatus including: a base-station-side control unit 24 for operating at the inversion timings and, from signals from a plurality of radio base stations received by a base-station-side communication unit 22, extracts reception power of the base-station-side communication unit 22 for a reception signal from a radio base station using a frequency of a terminal-side communication unit 32 uses; and a terminal-side control unit 34 for setting transmission power of the terminal-side communication unit 32, wherein the terminal-side control unit 34, when the terminal-side control unit 34 or the base-station-side control unit 24 detects a predetermined event, obtains the reception power from the base-station-side control unit 24 and sets the transmission power of the terminal-side communication unit 32 based on the reception power, thereby prevents deterioration of a signal due to interference of transmission radio waves during operation at inversion timings are provided.
US09479369B1
An alternative type of vector signaling codes having increased pin-efficiency normal vector signaling codes is described. Receivers for these Permutation Modulation codes of Type II use comparators requiring at most one fixed reference voltage. The resulting systems can allow for a better immunity to ISI-noise than those using conventional multilevel signaling such as PAM-X. These codes are also particularly advantageous for storage and recovery of information in memory, as in a DRAM.
US09479366B2
A method for adapting a mixed signal Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE) using pivot taps and monitor taps is disclosed. The method includes, for a given IIR path for a received signal, updating gain of the given IIR path using a respective pivot tap error-data correlation with a first Least Mean Square (LMS) update equation; and updating a time constant of the given IIR path using a respective monitor tap error-data correlation with a second LMS update equation.
US09479344B2
An anonymous communication module that provides full conversational anonymous messaging and voice/video communication between two or more parties interacting over a wireless/landline network. An anonymous messaging module accepts an anonymous initiation message to a public address to trigger the start of an anonymous voice/video conversation between a message originator and a message recipient. An anonymous communication module performs intercept and address substitution on a message and/or voice/video call transmitted between two or more parties via an anonymous communication service. The anonymous communication module substitutes a real address in the source field of an intercepted message and/or voice/video call, with an anonymous address mapped to that real address, and substitutes an anonymous address in the destination field of an intercepted message and/or voice/video call with a real address mapped to that anonymous address. The anonymous communication module then forwards the newly formatted message and/or voice/video call to an intended message/call destination.
US09479343B2
A device, system, and method are directed towards enabling a network application to process and respond to requests from client devices. A rules engine receives a page, evaluates a set of rules, and performs actions based on the rules. Actions may modify the page or perform other actions affecting the environment. A rules engine may also process rules prior to processing pages, in order to optimize subsequent evaluation of the rules.
US09479336B2
A method and system for authenticating a subscriber of a user using a graphical user interface or telephone using the same user name and password is provided. As a result, subscribers need to memorize only one user name and/or password, saving precious time and energy to the subscriber because of the low risk of forgetting the user name and/or password. In addition, with the advent of cross-category products such as web phones (Web user interface integrated in a telephone) and soft phone (software on a personal computer reproducing the function of a telephone), it can become confusing for subscribers to remember which passwords and user name to use for which device. Having one password and one user name to remember makes the situation simpler.
US09479334B2
A method, system and terminal for communication between an encryption terminal and an encryption module in a cluster system are provided in the present document. The method includes: when it is required to make an encrypted call, a calling encryption terminal applying to a key management center for a key according to the type of the encrypted call; the calling encryption terminal and a called encryption terminal receiving working keys sent from the key management center, setting respective working states, and synchronizing the working keys and the working states to respective encryption modules; and the encryption module of the calling encryption terminal and the encryption module of the called encryption terminal respectively making an encrypted call by using the working keys. The system includes: a calling encryption terminal, a called encryption terminal and a key management center. The terminal includes: an applying module, a synchronization module and an encryption module.
US09479314B2
A method and apparatus for adjusting a channel quality indicator (CQI) feedback period to increase uplink capacity in a wireless communication system are disclosed. The uplink capacity is increased by reducing the uplink interference caused by CQI transmissions. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) monitors a status of downlink transmissions to the WTRU and sets the CQI feedback period based on the status of the downlink transmissions to the WTRU. A base station monitors uplink and downlink transmission needs. The base station determines the CQI feedback period of at least one WTRU based on the uplink and downlink transmission needs and sends a command to the WTRU to change the CQI feedback period of the WTRU.
US09479313B2
A base station apparatus is used in a mobile communication system in which at least a shared data channel is transmitted by an orthogonal modulation scheme using an I-channel and a Q-channel. The base station apparatus includes a providing unit providing Acknowledgement/Non-Acknowledgement information indicating whether retransmission of a signal received in uplink is required; a mapping unit mapping a number of multiplexed users of the Acknowledgement/Non-Acknowledgement information to the I-channel or the Q-channel based on a predetermined mapping table; and a reporting unit reporting the Acknowledgement/Non-Acknowledgement information to the respective users. The mapping table indicates that, when the number of the multiplexed users is equal to or less than a predetermined number, the Acknowledgement/Non-Acknowledgement information is associated with the I-channel or the Q-channel, and otherwise, the Acknowledgement/Non-Acknowledgement information is associated with the I-channel and the Q-channel.
US09479310B2
Described herein are implementations relating to a method for an apparatus to communicate with a device. One embodiment includes transmitting a clock signal to the device, receiving from the device, an asynchronous signal, and extracting information from the asynchronous signal based on the clock signal. In one embodiment the clock signal has a periodic elementary pattern. A period of the clock signal, in one embodiment encompasses, more than one clock cycle. Further disclosed are an apparatus to communicate with a device and a system for communication with a device.
US09479309B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for handling physical downlink control channels (PDCCHs) in a user equipment, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of control channel elements (CCEs) from a base station; performing blind decoding of the plurality of CCEs in CCE aggregation units; and identifying a CCE aggregation level used for the PDCCH transmission, on the basis of the blinding decoding result, wherein the CCE aggregation level is relevant resource mapping of the control information included in the PDCCH.
US09479305B2
Provided are a method and a wireless device for transmitting a sounding reference signal in a wireless communication system. The wireless device receives an SRS (sounding reference signal) configuration for a periodic transmission, and transmits the SRS in a randomly determined subframe from among a plurality of SRS subframes determined on the basis of the SRS configuration.
US09479296B2
The present disclosure discloses method for Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) of a dynamic frame structure, including: determining, by a system device, that a predefined sub-frame of a current frame contains Downlink Control Information (DCI) indicating a frame structure; in all Time Division Duplexing (TDD) LTE frame structures, selecting a corresponding HARQ timing for each data sub-frame between the predefined sub-frame of the current frame and the predefined sub-frame of a next frame; and receiving or sending a HARQ feedback according to the selected HARQ timing. The present disclosure also discloses a HARQ device of a dynamic frame structure. Through the solution of the present disclosure, during switching the dynamic frame structure of a TDD LTE system, a corresponding HARQ timing can be selected for each data sub-frame in each frame, thus increasing A/N resolution and real-time performance, ensuring a quantity of a HARQ process, and reducing transmission delay and blocking rate.
US09479291B2
An apparatus and method of constructing a universal polar code is provided. The apparatus includes a first function block configured to polarize and degrade a class of channels Wj to determine a probability of error Pe,j of each bit-channel of Wj, wherein jε{1, 2, . . . , s}, in accordance with a bit-channel index i; a second function block configured to determine a probability of error Pe(i) for the universal polar code for each bit-channel index i; a third function block configured to sort the Pe(i); and a fourth function block configured to determine a largest number k of bit-channels such that a sum of corresponding k bit-channel error probabilities Pe(i) is less than or equal to a target frame error rate Pt for the universal polar code, wherein the indices corresponding to the k smallest Pe(i) are good bit-channels for the universal polar code.
US09479290B2
A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting and receiving information in a broadcasting/communication system. The method includes comparing a number of bits of an information word to be transmitted with a predetermined threshold value; if the number of bits of the information word is less than the predetermined threshold value, determining a first parameter pair; if the number of bits of the information word is not less than the predetermined threshold value, determining a second parameter pair; determining a number of bits to be punctured based on one of the first parameter pair and the second parameter pair; and puncturing the determined number of bits to be punctured, with respect to parity bits of a codeword generated by encoding the information word.
US09479286B2
An optically interconnected chip includes a first optical transmitter circuit, a first spot size converter connected by a first optical waveguide to the first optical transmitter circuit, a first optical receiver circuit, a second spot size converter connected by a second optical waveguide to the first optical receiver circuit, a rotator provided between the second spot size converter and the first optical receiver circuit and configured to rotate a direction of polarization of light propagating through the second optical waveguide by 45 degrees, and a splitter provided after the rotator and configured to separate the rotated light into components according to directions of polarization of the light, wherein the first spot size converter and the second spot size converter are coupled directly to each other on a wafer.
US09479263B2
Systems and methods of minimizing distortion produced when modulating an optical signal using an electrical signal.
US09479258B1
An upgradeable electrical add/drop multiplexer is provided that is capable of processing light at numerous wavelengths thereby eliminating the need to add an optical add/drop multiplexer to an existing electrical add/drop multiplexer to process new services provided at different wavelengths than the wavelengths for which the existing electrical add/drop multiplexer are designed. The electrical add/drop multiplexer may be used to process light transmitted over a passive optical network under an RFoG, EPON, and/or 10GPON standard or any combination thereof or may be upgraded for future standards.
US09479256B2
An optical network including: a medium; at least one beam of optical waveguides extending over the medium; for each beam, interfaces between the beam and the processing units, respectively. The beam successively links the interfaces in a closed loop oriented in a certain direction of rotation of information. The communication units of each interface are transversely arranged in ranks increasing from the periphery to the interior of the beam. First and second optical waveguides start from different interfaces or end at different interfaces. The first optical waveguide links two communication units both of them readers and/or writers of different ranks in first and second respective interfaces. The second optical waveguide passes through a communication unit from the second interface of lower rank to that of the communication unit of said second interface through which the first optical waveguide passes.
US09479250B2
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a light source based location and operation system. A computing device may detect an encoded light signal containing an identifier from a light source at a location. The encoded light signal can be decoded to obtain the identifier, and a request for information based on the identifier can be transmitted in response to decoding the identifier. Information associated with the identifier may be received in response to the request for information including location information corresponding to the location of the light source. The location information may be used to provide additional information to the user or enable a user to control devices based on the location information.
US09479245B2
Even if a relay apparatus such as a mobile router indicates the radio wave reception intensity as low, medium, and high levels, a user using the relay apparatus such as a mobile router cannot recognize that the communication quality is lowered because the radio wave reception intensity is too high. A relay apparatus that relays wireless communication between a communication terminal and a base station is provided, the relay apparatus comprising: a first communication quality acquiring unit that acquires first communication quality of communication with the base station; a first communication quality indicating unit that indicates the first communication quality acquired by the first communication quality acquiring unit; a reception intensity acquiring unit that acquires reception intensity of a radio wave received from the base station; and a reception intensity indicating unit that indicates that the reception intensity acquired by the reception intensity acquiring unit has exceeded a predetermined threshold.
US09479242B2
A communication network is optimized using modal antenna techniques, wherein a plurality of communication nodes are synchronized with each other along with mobile and fixed wireless communication devices which comprise the user base. With one or more of the communication nodes and wireless communication devices including at least one respective modal antenna, the network is adapted for dynamic optimization of communication links amongst the wireless users. Node to user throughput, node to node throughput, as well as interference characteristics among the nodes and wireless users are each optimized as a network system to increase communication system network capacity and reliability. The multiple radiation patterns provided by the modal antennas provide a parametric for network-level synchronization to improve communication system performance.
US09479237B2
Provided is a vector selection modulation-based multi-antenna transmission method, including: for a group of data to be transmitted, using part of bit information in the group of data to select a weight corresponding to the group of data from K preconfigured weights; and performing constellation mapping modulation on residual bit information in the group of data, and using the selected weight corresponding to the group of data to weight the group of data after the constellation mapping modulation, wherein, the K is a natural number. Based on the method of the present document, the spectrum efficiency of the system can be greatly improved under the condition without adding a transmission antenna.
US09479229B2
A backscattering type radio frequency identification (RFID) communication system, and more particularly, a backscattering type RFID communication system in which an RFID tag transmits a signal back to an RF reader by using energy of a carrier wave transmitted by the RFID reader. Provided is a backscattering type radio frequency identification (RFID) communication system RFID communications are performed efficiently without an error while interference between RFID readers does not occur even under an overcrowded reader environment. Interference of RF signals between the RFID readers does not occur, and RFID communications can be efficiently performed even under the overcrowded reader environment. Transmitting and receiving time steps of the RFID readers do not need to be synchronized with one another so that compatibility of the RFID readers can be improved.
US09479221B2
An Apparatus for transmitting and receiving signals over residential electrical cables includes a processor, at least one transmitter and at least one receiver, both coupled with the processor. The apparatus coupled with an electrical cable includes at least one active wire, one neutral wire and one ground wire, the transmitter and the receiver each including a coupling circuit for coupling the apparatus to the residential electrical cables. The coupling circuit has a first transformer and a second transformer, the first transformer including a center tap, receive wire pairs and transmit wire pairs each being formed from at least two of the active wire, the neutral wire, the ground wire and the midpoint. The processor dynamically switches a coupling of the receiver and the transmitter respectively between the receive wire pairs and the transmit wire pairs.
US09479214B2
A wideband radio frequency (RF) interference cancellation system includes an electronic channel canceller configured to split an electronic reference signal output from an electronic transmitting element into a plurality of band signals. At least one electronic band pass filter is configured to receive a respective band signal delivered to a respective channel. The wideband RF interference cancellation system further includes at least one electronic tunable cancellation element configured to tune the respective channel such that reflections are canceled before being input to receiving element.
US09479208B2
A system for correction of the phase error in in-phase and quadrature signals may include a first signal and a second signal. The system includes a first circuit and a second circuit, each circuit configured for receiving a square-wave input signal and supplying a respective square-wave output signal. The output signal is delayed with respect to the input signal and each circuit is configured in such a way that the propagation delay of a rising edge and the propagation delay of a falling edge between the input signal and the output signal are configurable. The first circuit is configured for receiving the first signal, and the second circuit is configured for receiving the second signal.
US09479205B2
Systems and methods for mitigating known interference at a receiving device are provided. A signal from a transmission source is received by a receiving device that is affected by an interference source. At least one of a first pilot signal associated with the transmission source and a second pilot signal associated with the interfering source is determined. The first pilot signal includes information broadcast from the transmission source and the second pilot signal includes information broadcast from the interference source. Interference caused by the interference source is mitigated from the received signal using at least one of the first pilot signal and the second pilot signal.
US09479204B2
A spectrum sensing detector and a spectrum sensing detection method thereof are provided. The spectrum sensing detector receives a radio signal, and generates a plurality of digital signals according to the radio signal. The spectrum sensing detector calculates a plurality of signal autocorrelation values and a plurality of signal cross-correlation values according to the digital signals, and calculates a signal variable value according to the signal autocorrelation values and the signal cross-correlation values. The spectrum sensing detector determines that the radio signal includes a user radio signal after deciding that the signal variable value is greater than a signal threshold value.
US09479203B2
A transceiver capable of IQ mismatch compensation on the fly and a method thereof. The transceiver comprises a transmitter circuit and a loop-back circuit. The transmitter circuit is configured to up-convert a modulation signal on the fly to generate a first RF signal. The loop-back circuit is configured to down-convert the first RF signal and then digitize the down-converted first RF signal to determine a first IQ mismatch parameter based on a first statistical measure of the digitized down-converted RF signal. The transmitter circuit is further configured to compensate for first IQ mismatch in the transmitter circuit according to the first IQ mismatch parameter to generate an IQ compensated modulation signal.
US09479194B2
The present invention guarantees throughput for decompressing compressed data. A data compression apparatus includes: a division unit that divides plaintext data inputted to the division unit into a plurality of plaintext blocks each having a prescribed plaintext block length; a compression unit that creates a payload for each plaintext block of the plurality of plaintext blocks by compressing the plaintext block using a sliding dictionary-type compression algorithm, creates a header indicating the length of the payload, and creates a compression block that includes the header and the payload; and a concatenation unit that creates compressed data by concatenating a plurality of compression blocks created from the plurality of plaintext blocks.
US09479193B2
An apparatus and method for performing a compression operation in a hash algorithm are provided. The apparatus includes an interface unit, a message extension unit, a chain variable initial conversion unit, a compression function computation unit, and a chain variable final conversion unit. The interface unit receives a message and chain variable data. The message extension unit generates a plurality of extended messages from the message. The chain variable initial conversion unit converts the chain variable data into initial state data for a compression function. The compression function computation unit repeatedly computes extended message binding and step functions based on the initial state data and the plurality of extended messages, and performs combination with a final extended message, thereby computing final state data. The chain variable final conversion unit generates and outputs chain variable data, into which the chain variable data has been updated, using the final state data.
US09479192B2
A method and apparatus for compression of digital and analog data utilizing an anamorphic spectrum transformation to warp an analog or digital signal to provide time-bandwidth compression after sampling is performed on the warped signal. The anamorphic spectrum transformation performs reallocating samples to assign more samples to fine features with high frequency waveform portions and fewer samples to coarse features with low frequency portions of the analog temporal signal, resulting in shorter record length and fewer number of samples.
US09479189B2
An A/D converter includes: plural comparators to which reference voltages as ramp waves different from each other are supplied, which are configured to compare the supplied reference voltages with an analog input signal; and plural latches arranged so as to correspond to the plural comparators, which are configured to count comparison time of the corresponding comparators, to stop counting when an outputs of the comparator is inverted and to store the count value, wherein the plural reference voltages are off set by an arbitrary voltage at the same time point.
US09479182B1
A method of synchronizing operations between integrated circuits can include transmitting a first clock signal from a first transmitter associated with a first integrated circuit of a first system, to a receiver associated with a second integrated circuit of a second system, receiving a second clock signal from a second transmitter associated with a third integrated circuit of the second system, receiving at the first system a first phase difference determined by the second system, wherein the first phase difference is determined between the first clock signal at the second system and the second clock signal at the second system, determining a second phase difference at the first system, wherein the second phase difference is determined between the first clock signal at the first system and the second clock signal at the first system, and determining a difference between the first phase difference and the second phase difference.
US09479179B2
Methodologies and an apparatus for measuring setup and hold times of fabricated semiconductor devices are provided. Embodiments include: providing a first digital frequency divider having an input and an output, the input of the first digital frequency divider receiving a first signal indicating an oscillating signal with a first delay; providing a second digital frequency divider having an input and output, the input of the second digital frequency divider receiving a second signal indicating the oscillating signal with a second delay; and providing a flip-flop having an input and an output, wherein the input of the flip-flop is coupled to the output of the second digital frequency divider and a data signal and clock signal for measuring a set-up time or hold time of a device under test are generated.
US09479175B2
A semiconductor in which the area of a circuit that is unnecessary during normal operation is small is provided. A semiconductor device including a first circuit has a function of storing a start-up routine in the first circuit and executing the start-up routine, a function of operating the first circuit as a buffer memory device after executing the start-up routine, and a function of loading the start-up routine into the first circuit from outside before the semiconductor device is powered off.
US09479171B2
Disclosed is an integrated circuit voltage level shifter including: a first set of pull-up transistors to selectively pull an output voltage towards a high voltage source level based on an input; a second set of pull-down transistors adapted to selectively pull the output voltage towards a lower voltage source level based on the input and a third set of transistors to limit current flow through the second set of pull-down transistors and to mitigate snapback of the second set of pull-down transistors using a bias gate voltage.
US09479169B1
A control circuit applied in an e-fuse system selectively operates in a feeding mode and a reading mode. When the control circuit operates in the feeding mode, the control circuit is arranged to store a program code for indicating whether to connect a fuse of the e-fuse system thereto; and when the control circuit operates in the reading mode, the control circuit is arranged to read a state of the fuse of the e-fuse system coupled to the control circuit.
US09479161B2
A power circuit for an electronic device includes an input terminal, an output terminal, a voltage transform unit, and a control unit. The control unit controls the voltage transform unit to operate or not operate, according to the input terminal receives a first voltage or a second voltage. The first voltage is transformed to an output voltage, and is output by the output terminal, when the input terminal receives the first voltage. The second voltage is transmitted from the input terminal to the output terminal through the third switch unit, when the input terminal receives the second voltage. Therefore, the power circuit can receive the first voltage or the second voltage through the input terminal, and outputs the output voltage to other electronic components.
US09479159B2
In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit includes a normally-off transistor, and a normally-on transistor comprising a second load path terminal coupled to a first load path terminal of the normally off transistor, and a control terminal coupled to a second load path terminal of the normally-off transistor. The circuit further includes a driver circuit having an output coupled to a control terminal of the normally off transistor, a first power supply terminal configured to be coupled to a first power supply terminal of a first power supply, and a second power supply terminal configured to be coupled to a second power supply terminal of a second power supply. The second load path terminal of the normally on transistor is further configured to be coupled to a second power supply terminal of the first power supply and to a first power supply terminal of the second power supply.
US09479141B2
A low-pass filter comprising: a filter input terminal; a filter output terminal; a filter FET configured to provide a resistance between the filter input terminal and the filter output terminal; a filter capacitor connected between the filter output terminal and a reference terminal; a bias FET configured to provide a bias voltage to the filter FET; a buffer connected between the filter input terminal and the bias FET, the buffer configured to source a bias current for the bias FET; and an offset voltage source configured to contribute to the bias voltage provided to the filter FET.
US09479136B2
In an electronic component, first through n-th LC parallel resonators respectively include first through n-th inductors disposed in a device body such that they are sequentially arranged in a first direction in an order from the first inductor to the n-th inductor. The first and the n-th inductors are wound around respective winding axes extending along the first direction. At least one predetermined inductor among the second through the (n−1)-th inductors is wound around a winding axis extending in a second direction which is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first direction. A center of the predetermined inductor in the second direction is positioned toward one side of the second direction with respect to the winding axes of the first and the n-th inductors, as viewed from a plane of the device body in a third direction which is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions.
US09479134B2
A position detecting system detects and responds to the movement of a target through a sensing domain area of a plane. The movement causes the amount of the target that lies within a sensing domain area to change. A portion of the target always lies within at least one of the sensing domain areas of the plane.
US09479133B2
The present invention relates to a power detection circuit and an RF signal amplification circuit having the same. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a power detection circuit including a coupling unit adjacent to an RF matching inductor to extract induced power; a rectification unit for rectifying the signal output from the coupling unit to output the rectified signal; a slope adjustment unit connected between an output terminal of the rectification unit and a ground and adjusting a voltage slope for power detection by changing the output signal of the output terminal of the rectification unit according to changes in internal impedance; and a smoothing unit for receiving the output signal of the output terminal of the rectification unit to smooth the received signal into a DC voltage for power detection using the voltage slope is provided. Further, an RF signal amplification circuit having the same is provided.
US09479131B2
An apparatus includes a first amplification stage configured to amplify a first carrier signal and a second amplification stage configured to amplify a second carrier signal. The first amplification stage is direct-current (DC) coupled to the second amplification stage. First circuitry is coupled to the first amplification stage and configured to control a first gain of the first amplification stage. The first circuitry includes a first gain control transistor configured to selectively divert a first bleed current from a first output of the first amplification stage. Second circuitry is coupled to the second amplification stage and configured to control a second gain of the second amplification stage independently of the first gain. The second circuitry includes a second gain control transistor configured to selectively divert a second bleed current from a second output of the second amplification stage.
US09479129B2
An audio amplifier is disclosed. The audio amplifier for driving an electroacoustic transducer includes an H bridge circuit including a 1D-class amplifier connected to a (+) electrode terminal and a 2D-class amplifier connected to a (−) electrode terminal of the electroacoustic transducer; a pulse width modulator configured to receive an audio signal, generate a first and second pulse signal for each driving the 1D-class and the 2D-class amplifier, and adjust a phase difference between the first and the second pulse signal; a first driver driving the 1D-class amplifier depending on the first pulse signal; a second driver driving the 2D-class amplifier depending on the second pulse signal; a level detector detecting a level of the audio signal; a phase adjuster configured to set a phase difference between the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal of the pulse width modulator based on a detection result from the level detector.
US09479128B2
A multi-mode power amplifier comprises a regulation control circuit, an AMP 1, a demultiplexer, an AMP 2, a low power output matching circuit, a medium power output matching circuit, and a high power output matching circuit. In low power mode, the regulation control circuit controls AMP 1 to work in a first power mode, and controls the demultiplexer to couple an output terminal of AMP 1 to the low power output matching circuit. In the medium power mode, the regulation control circuit controls AMP 1 to work in a second power mode, and controls the demultiplexer to couple an output terminal of AMP 1 to the medium power output matching circuit. In high power mode, the regulation control circuit controls AMP 1 to work in the second power mode, and controls the demultiplexer to couple an output terminal of AMP 1 to AMP 2.
US09479124B2
A distortion compensation device for correcting balance between a first branch and a second branch, includes: an adjustment unit that is arranged in an input stage of a first nonlinear amplifier on the first branch and outputs a signal obtained by adjusting a phase and an amplitude of a first branch signal by using a balance correction amount to the first nonlinear amplifier; a first calculation unit that calculates a first inverse distortion characteristic of an entire outphasing amplifier based on an input signal and a combined signal; a second calculation unit that calculates a replica signal of the first branch signal based on the calculated first inverse distortion characteristic, a second branch signal, and the combined signal; and a third calculation unit that calculates the balance correction amount based on the calculated replica signal of the first branch signal and the signal output from the adjustment unit.
US09479113B2
A clock signal generating circuit includes: an oscillator having a trimming function of arbitrarily adjusting an oscillation frequency of a first clock signal generated by the oscillator depending on trimming data; and a trimming data modulation part configured to dynamically change a reference trimming data for adjusting the oscillation frequency of the first clock signal to generate modulation trimming data, and output the modulation trimming data, as the trimming data, to the oscillator.
US09479109B2
Device for fastening at least one PV module (1) to a roof which comprises a trapezoidal metal sheet (2) with a trapezoidal bead (3) with two oblique sides (4, 5) and an upper side (6), wherein the device comprises: exactly one holding plate (10) for fastening to one of the two oblique sides (4, 5), a supporting face (11), a holding-down element (12) for clamping the at least one PV module (1) against the supporting face (11), a threaded shaft (13) which is assigned a central shaft axis (S) and which is provided for actuating the holding-down element (12) in the direction of the supporting face (11), exactly one hinge joint (R, 14, 15) which is assigned a central axis of rotation (R) and by means of which the exactly one holding plate (10) and the threaded shaft (13) are rotatably coupled to one another and which has a joint pin (14) and a pin receptacle (15), wherein the threaded shaft (13) and the joint pin (14) are arranged perpendicular to one another in such a way that a common plane (E) results in which both the threaded shaft (13) extends in parallel and the joint pin (14) extends in parallel.
US09479107B2
An over temperature protection device for electric motors applicable to a railway vehicle driving system that operates a plurality of electric motors in parallel using one or a plurality of inverter devices includes a control device configured to control the operation of an inverter device and a protecting device configured to detect, on the basis of a frequency fs including frequency information at the time when the inverter device is applying control for fixing a ratio of a voltage and a frequency to electric motors and electric currents of at least one phase flowing to the electronic motors, an over temperature that could occur in the electric motors, to generate an over temperature protection signal Tf for protecting the electric motors from the over temperature, and to output the over temperature protection signal Tf to the control device.
US09479097B2
Provided is a sensorless BLDC motor apparatus for providing a drive current allowing the rotor of the BLDC motor to be aligned in a predetermined direction during an initial position setting section (or for a first period of time), and providing a drive current allowing a frequency thereof to be varied at predetermined time intervals so as to accelerate the rotational speed of the BLDC motor during an open loop section (or for a second period of time), and a method using the same.
US09479073B2
An apparatus comprises a bridge coupled between a bias voltage and ground, wherein the bridge comprises a first switch and a second switch connected in series and coupled between the bias voltage and ground and a third switch and a fourth switch connected in series and coupled between the bias voltage and ground, a resonant device coupled to the bridge, wherein the resonant device comprises a fixed capacitance, a gate capacitance and a magnetizing inductance, a transformer coupled to the resonant device, wherein the transformer comprises a primary winding and a plurality of secondary windings.
US09479072B2
The invention relates to a flyback converter circuit comprising a transformer, a charging capacitor, a diode, a semiconductor switch and a controller, which form a flyback converter, wherein the controller is designed to control the semiconductor switch after the start of the flyback converter. The transformer has a primary winding and a secondary winding each having a winding beginning and a winding end. Furthermore, a start transistor is provided, which is coupled by its gate terminal to the winding beginning of the secondary winding of the transformer and is connected by its drain terminal to the winding end of the primary winding of the transformer, wherein an oscillator is formed at least by means of the transformer and the start transistor. Moreover, the charging capacitor supplies the controller with energy. The diode is provided between the winding beginning of the secondary winding of the transformer and the charging capacitor, wherein the anode of the diode is connected to the charging capacitor.
US09479070B2
This disclosure relates to a power conversion system to power a variable impedance load with a variable power source, the power conversion system comprising a power converter including input terminals adapted to receive variable power from the variable power source and output terminals providing a converted power to the variable impedance load based on the variable power received at the input terminals. The power converter increases the input voltage to an output voltage. The power converter is configured to reflect a source impedance of the variable power source to the variable impedance load.
US09479063B2
A frequency jittering control circuit for a PFM power supply includes a pulse frequency modulator to generate a frequency jittering control signal to switch a power switch to generate an output voltage. The frequency jittering control circuit jitters an input signal or an on-time or off-time of the pulse frequency modulator to jitter the switching frequency of the power switch to thereby improve EMI issue.
US09479054B2
Provided is a DC/DC converter capable of immediately resuming to a normal operation from a state in which an output transistor is continued to be turned off when a reverse current is generated in a light load state. The DC/DC converter includes an ON-timer circuit including: a ripple generation circuit; a smoothing circuit; a timer circuit configured to output an ON-time signal; a logic circuit configured to detect a sign of generation of a reverse current; and a switch circuit configured to, based on a detection signal of the logic circuit, maintain an output voltage of the ripple generation circuit or control the output voltage of the ripple generation circuit to a predetermined voltage.
US09479053B2
A circuit and a method for improving the performance of voltage regulators subject to load transients is presented. An auxiliary circuit generates an auxiliary current at an output of a voltage regulator. The auxiliary circuit comprises transient detection means to detect a load transient at the output of the voltage regulator. The auxiliary circuit comprises an auxiliary impedance to be coupled at one end to the output of the voltage regulator, and an auxiliary switch to modify a voltage level at the other end of the auxiliary impedance by closing or opening the auxiliary switch. The auxiliary circuit comprises a control unit to control the auxiliary switch, subject to the detection of a load transient at the output of the voltage regulator, to modify the voltage level at the other end of the auxiliary impedance.
US09479048B2
A method of driving an isolated converter includes opening a first bi-directional switch on an input side of a transformer, accepting current into a resonant capacitor connected across the first bi-directional switch to reduce voltage across the first bi-directional switch in response to said opening the first bi-directional switch, reversing current out of the resonant capacitor, and closing the first bi-directional switch as voltage across the first bi-directional switch is approximately zero volts.
US09479035B2
A method of rotor dynamic balancing for magnetic levitation molecular pump, including the steps of: activating an force free control module after activating a motor of the magnetic levitation molecular pump; if the maximum radial vibration amplitude does not exceed ½ of a protective clearance during the acceleration of the rotor under the control of the force free control module, indicating that the force free control module is able to inhibit the co-frequency vibration of the rotor, so as to allow the rotational speed of said rotor to exceed its rigid critical rotational speed; performing rotor dynamic balancing operation at a high speed by an influence coefficient method. The method of rotor dynamic balancing can directly perform rotor dynamic balancing operation with respect to the rotor at a high-speed, which facilitates the rotor dynamic balancing operation so as to perform the rotor dynamic balancing operation more quickly and efficiently.
US09479029B2
An electric rotating machine is provided that efficiently radiates heat, caused in the vicinity of a portion where a brush and a slip ring makes contact with each other, to the outside of a brush holder and that can prevent the temperature of the brush from excessively rising. The brush holder holding the brush that supplies a magnetic-field current to a magnetic-field winding by way of the slip ring is provided with an energization terminal that electrically connects a magnetic-field circuit with the brush and a brush cooling metal member that cools the brush; the brush cooling metal member radiates heat, generated in the vicinity of a contact portion between the brush and the slip ring, to the outside of the brush holder.
US09479027B2
A drive unit for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine which has a stator, a rotor and clutch for producing a rotary driving connection of the rotor to a drive element. The clutch has a release member which is axially displaceable by an actuating device arranged at least partially in a receiving space surrounded by the stator. The actuating device has an electric actuator drive motor and an actuator drive shaft directed transverse to the axis of rotation of the drive unit. The actuator drive shaft is operatively connected to a release arrangement which includes a rotatable input element which is fixed axially relative to the release member and an output element which is axially displaceable relative to the input element and which is operatively connected to the release member.
US09479026B2
A linear actuator with an electric drive device includes a stator and a rotor, wherein the stator is arranged in a fixed location in a drive housing and the rotor is mounted for rotary motion relative to the stator and with a transmission arrangement which is arranged coaxial with an axis of rotation of the drive device to convert the rotary movement of the rotor into a linear movement, wherein a threaded spindle of the transmission arrangement is non-rotatably connected to the rotor and positively coupled to a spindle nut slidably accommodated in the drive housing and connected to a torque tube, wherein bearing means for a rotatable mounting of the rotor are provided in opposite end regions of the drive housing.
US09479018B1
An electrical machine has a drive shaft, a rotor affixed to the drive shaft and extending outwardly therefrom in which the rotor has at least one slice of a ferromagnetic material, a first plate positioned over and around the shaft and positioned adjacent to one side of the slice so as to have a portion extending radially outwardly beyond the circumferential surface of the slice, a second plate positioned over and around said shaft and positioned adjacent to another side of the slice so as to have a portion extending radially outwardly beyond the circumferential surface of the slice, and a magnet affixed to the circumferential surface in a location between the first and second plates.
US09479017B2
A rotor for a permanent magnet synchronous machine. A first layer of cavities formed circumferentially within the rotor core structure. Pairs of the cavities in the first layer form V-shaped configurations and are spaced circumferentially about the rotor core structure in the first layer. A second layer of cavities is formed circumferentially within the rotor core structure. Pairs of the cavities in the second layer form V-shaped configurations and are spaced circumferentially about the rotor core structure in the second layer. A first set of permanent magnets is inserted within each cavity in the first layer and a second set of permanent magnets inserted within each cavity in the second layer. Each respective V-shaped configuration of the second layer having permanent magnets disposed therein extend greater than half a radial distance from the outer cylindrical wall to the inner cylindrical wall.
US09479015B2
A motor stator includes a plurality of separate core segments, a plurality of coils, and a fixing ring. Each core segment includes a yoke and a tooth extending from the yoke. The yokes are connected to form a substantially circular core, with the teeth extending inwards. Each coil is wound around a corresponding tooth. The fixing ring is fixed to the outer surface of the core.
US09479003B2
A power control device has a voltage-regulator from power source to load, the load configurable to receive power at least at a first or second rate. The device has monitor circuitry to measure power; signal circuitry for signaling a power-reception rate to the load; and circuitry for resetting the load when the power source is overloaded. The device resets the load periodically to the second rate when the load is at the first rate. In embodiments, the power source is a thermoelectric generator or solar panel. In embodiments, the load couples through a USB connector. A companion method of charging smart loads includes applying power to the load; communicating power available to the load; configuring a battery charger in the load to absorb an amount of power less than that available; monitoring power, determining when changed configuration may optimize charging time of a smart load battery; and resetting the smart load to optimize current.
US09478998B1
A device including a housing, a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing, a micro-USB receptacle positioned in the housing, a recharger disposed within the housing and configured to recharge the rechargeable battery, wherein the recharger is configured to be powered through the micro-USB receptacle, wherein the micro-USB receptacle is configured to be waterproof, and includes a metal shell having an exterior surface and a front face extending forwardly from the exterior surface of the metal shell, a layer of plastic overmolded onto the exterior surface of the metal shell, a front face in the layer of plastic that extends around a periphery of the front face of the metal shell, and a seal positioned between the front face of the layer of plastic and an inner surface of the housing.
US09478990B2
Energy storage devices, servers, and methods for controlling the same are disclosed. The energy storage device can include at least one battery pack, a network interface configured to exchange data with a server, and a connector that receives alternating current (AC) power from an internal power network or outputs AC power to the internal power network. Energy storage device can also include a power converter configured to convert the AC power from the internal power network into direct current (DC) power based on the information about the power to store when information about power to store is received from the server, or, convert DC power stored in the battery pack into AC power based on the information about the power to output when information about power to output to the internal power network is received from the server. Accordingly, energy may be more efficiently stored.
US09478988B2
An electrical appliance configured to receive power and a power consumption signal from an electrical power distribution system comprises an energy storage device and a controller. The energy storage device includes a heat storage medium and a heater. The heater is configured to heat the heat storage medium at a heating rate. The controller adjusts the heating rate based on the power consumption signal.
US09478978B1
A method includes: detecting one of a short-to-ground condition and a short-to-supply condition at an output node; after a delay, selectively activating a feedback control transistor according to the detecting; detecting a first current passing through a first transistor using a second transistor sized to be smaller than the first transistor; mirroring the detected current using a plurality of transistors to form a feedback current; and providing the feedback current to a gate electrode of the first transistor according to the selectively activating the feedback control transistor.
US09478975B2
A protection circuit is connected between a power supply for providing a working voltage and a load. The protection circuit comprises an interface, a detecting module connected to the interface, a control module, and a switch module. The control module generates a plus width modulation (PWM) signal with a predetermined duty cycle when the interface interconnects with the load. The switch module periodically turns on and turns off based on the PWM signal with the predetermined duty cycle.
US09478974B2
A DC voltage circuit breaker includes a first to fourth nodes, a first interrupter disposed between the first node and the fourth node, a second interrupter disposed between the fourth node and the third node, a pulse generator circuit disposed between the fourth node and the second node, the pulse generator circuit having a capacitor connected in parallel with a series circuit of an inductor and a switch, and a first energy absorber disposed between the third node and the second node.
US09478971B2
A power cord apparatus for remotely detecting excessive operational parameters in an alternating current (AC) powered machine (e.g., dehumidifiers, air conditioners, refrigerators, and Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machines) is provided. The power cord apparatus includes a cooperative remote parametric sensing device (e.g., heat sensing, vibration transducer) in the vicinity of the electrically powered machine.
US09478966B2
A protection relay is provided for protection of an electric network. The protection relay measures an electric signal in the network, converts the measured signal to a frequency domain representation of the measured signal, and generates a measuring phasor based on the frequency domain representation, where the phase rotation of the measuring phasor is dependent on one or more frequency components present in the measured electric signal. The protection relay compares the measuring phasor to the reference phasor, where the phase rotation of the reference phasor is based on either a nominal or a measured frequency of the electric network, and launches protection if the comparison of the of the measuring phasor and the reference phasor fulfils a predetermined criterion.
US09478964B2
A multiple cable strain relief and electronic assembly having such multiple cable strain relief includes a body, a plurality of cable cutouts and a compression member. The body has at least two spaced apart sidewalls thereby defining a cavity between the sidewalls. The plurality of cable cutouts are in each of the sidewalls. Each cable cutout in one of the sidewalls is aligned with a cable cutout in the other of sidewalls thereby defining a cable cutout pair. The compression member has a retention position that is at least partially extending into the cavity. With the compression member in the retention position a cable extending though a cable cutout pair is deflected in the cavity to retain that cable between the sidewalls and the compression member.
US09478959B2
One aspect is a method of coupling an insulator to a surrounding ferrule in an implantable medical device. An insulator is provided having a plurality of conducting elements extending therethrough. The insulator is placed with conducting elements within a ferrule having a frame-like shape surrounding the insulator along an interface. The insulator is heated with a first laser until raising the temperature of insulator to a first temperature level. The ferrule is welded to the insulator along the interface with a second laser once the insulator has reached the first temperature.
US09478957B1
An electrical box location indicator system for use when installing a wall panel over a mounted electrical box. An electrical box is fixedly attached to a structural wall member such that a portion of a box sidewall is directly touching a member side face orthogonal to a member front face. A first tab and a second tab project outwardly and away from a box front lip such that both tabs are coplanar with the box sidewall and orthogonal to the member front face. The first tab and the second tab push against a rear panel surface of the wall panel to create a bow in the wall panel that indicates the location of the electrical box. The first tab and the second tab are snapped or cut off after processing of the wall panel is completed.
US09478956B1
An outdoor electrical device cover includes a lid having top, bottom and side walls with a laterally projecting flange having a peripheral skirt. A continuous channel is formed between the skirt and an inner rail of the lid flange. The lid is hinged to a base which includes top, bottom and side walls having a peripheral flange with a continuous channel. When the lid is closed, an inner rail of the lid flange seats in the base channel and an outer rail of the base flange seats in the lid channel to seal the electrical device from water penetration. At least one frangible panel provided in a wall of the lid is broken away to open a portal for an electric cord passageway into the interior of the cover when the lid is closed. A canopy arch flange overlies the passageway to shield against water entering through the open passageway.
US09478955B2
A feedthrough device (10) for an explosion-proof housing constructed as a “flameproof enclosure” of the flame protection type. The feedthrough device (10) is arranged in a wall opening of the housing and forms a flameproof gap therein. A rigid component (11) is arranged through said gap to be displaced in its direction of extension relative to the wall. The feedthrough device (10) has a clamping body unit (20), a sleeve (21), a cap (22) and a thrust collar (23). The sleeve (21) and the cap (22) can be screwed together. Axial forces are transmitted between the clamping body unit (20) and the cap (22) via the thrust collar (23). The sleeve (21) exerts a radial clamping force on the clamping body unit (20), which is fully penetrated by a conduit (25) along a longitudinal axis (L), in which conduit a longitudinal section of a component (11) is arranged.
US09478949B2
A fusible meter socket apparatus is disclosed. The meter stack apparatus includes an enclosure having a first and second side, a meter section including a stack of meter sockets configured to accept utility meters, a cross bus connection section including cross bus bars adapted to provide modular connection to other components, a pull-out fusible switch contained within the enclosure, riser bus bars coupled to a load side of the fusible switch and to a line side of the stack of meter sockets, and connect bus bars coupled to a line side of the fusible switch and to the cross bus bars. Electrical power distribution apparatus including the fusible meter socket apparatus, and methods of operating the fusible meter socket apparatus are disclosed, as are other aspects.
US09478943B2
A single pulse semiconductor laser operating in the gain-switching regime comprises a plane asymmetric waveguide and an active layer in the waveguide, the ratio of a thickness of the active layer to an optical confinement factor of the laser being extremely large, larger than about 5 μm, for example.
US09478941B2
The present invention relates to an optically pumped solid state laser device, comprising a solid state laser medium (300-302) in a laser resonator. Several pump laser diodes (100) are arranged to optically pump said solid state laser medium (300-302) by reflection of pump radiation at a mirror element (200) arranged on the optical axis of the laser resonator. The mirror element (200) is designed to direct said pump radiation to the solid state laser medium (300-302) and to form at the same time one of the resonator mirrors of the laser resonator. With this design of the solid state laser device an easy alignment of the pump optics is achieved. The proposed solid state laser device can be realized in a compact form.
US09478938B2
A method of fabricating a polycrystalline CVD synthetic diamond material having an average thermal conductivity at room temperature through a thickness of the polycrystalline CVD synthetic diamond material of at least 2000 Wm−1K−1, the method comprising: loading a refractory metal substrate into a CVD reactor; locating a refractory metal guard ring around a peripheral region of the refractory metal substrate, the refractory metal guard ring defining a gap between an edge of the refractory metal substrate and the refractory metal guard ring having a width 1.5 mm to 5.0 mm; introducing microwaves into the CVD reactor at a power such that the power density in terms of power per unit area of the refractory metal substrate is in a range 2.5 to 4.5 W mm−2; introducing process gas into the CVD reactor wherein the process gas within the CVD reactor comprises a nitrogen concentration in a range 600 ppb to 1500 ppb calculated as molecular nitrogen N2, a carbon containing gas concentration in a range 0.5% to 3.0% by volume, and a hydrogen concentration in a range 92% to 98.5% by volume; controlling an average temperature of the refractory metal substrate to lie in a range 750° C. to 950° C. and to maintain a temperature difference between an edge and a centre point on the refractory metal substrate of no more than 80° C. growing polycrystalline CVD synthetic diamond material to a thickness of at least 1.3 mm on the refractory metal substrate; and cooling the polycrystalline CVD synthetic diamond material to yield a polycrystalline CVD synthetic diamond material having a thickness of at least 1.3 mm, an average thermal conductivity at room temperature through the thickness of the polycrystalline CVD synthetic diamond material of at least 2000 Wm−1K−1 over at least a central area of the polycrystalline CVD synthetic diamond material, wherein the central area is at least 70% of a total area of the polycrystalline CVD synthetic diamond material, a single substitutional nitrogen concentration no more than 0.80 ppm over at least the central area of the polycrystalline CVD synthetic diamond material, and wherein the polycrystalline CVD synthetic diamond material is substantially crack free over at least the central area thereof such that the central area has no cracks which intersect both external major faces of the polycrystalline CVD synthetic diamond material and extend greater than 2 mm in length.
US09478933B2
The wavelength detector includes a diffusion element that diffuses the laser beam; a light collection optical system provided downstream from the diffusion element; a member, including an aperture, provided downstream from the light collection optical system; a discharge tube that is provided downstream from the member and that includes a cylindrical anode and a cylindrical cathode that each have a through-hole formed therein, and that is configured so that an electrical property between the anode and the cathode changes due to an opto-galvanic effect when a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength passes through the through-hole of the cathode in a state in which a DC voltage is applied to the anode; and a high-voltage DC power source. The discharge tube is disposed so that the laser beam that passes through the aperture passes through the through-hole of the cathode of the discharge tube without directly irradiating the cathode.
US09478931B2
Seed pulse generators for fiber amplifier systems include a seed pump controller coupled to a seed pump laser diode. A photodetector is situated to detect seed pulse generation, and is coupled to the seed pump controller so that seed pumping is decreased upon pulse detection. For a laser diode pump source, a pump current can be pulsed to produce a seed pulse and then decreased to a bias level such as a DC bias current that is less than a pump laser threshold current. Single seed pulses can be generated with reduced pulse jitter.
US09478930B1
Method and apparatus for beam coupling. In one example, a beam coupler includes a first beam displacer configured to receive a linearly-polarized signal seed having a first wavelength, and an unpolarized pump beam having a second wavelength, the unpolarized pump beam including first and second linear polarization components, the first beam displacer being further configured to spatially translate the first linear polarization component to co-locate the first linear polarization component with the linearly-polarized signal seed, a second beam displacer configured to spatially translate the second linear polarization component and recombine the first and second linear polarization components of the unpolarized pump beam, and to co-locate the unpolarized pump beam with the linearly polarized signal seed, and a dual-wavelength waveplate interposed between the first and second beam displacer, and configured to rotate polarizations of each of the first linear polarization component, second linear polarization component, and linearly-polarized signal seed.
US09478921B2
A charging inlet (10) includes an inlet housing (20) with a fastened portion (24, 35). A terminal accommodating portion (32A to 32C, 42A, 42B) is provided in the inlet housing (20) and a vehicle-side terminal is accommodated therein. A fastening member (25) is fastened to the fastened portion (24, 35). A retainer includes a retainer body that is locked to the vehicle-side terminal and a fixed portion (72, 82) that is disposed between the fastening member (25) and the fastened portion (24, 35) and is fixed to the inlet housing (20).
US09478918B1
A universal serial bus (USB) connector includes a case, an insulation tongue, a plurality of spaced electric conduction bars installed to the insulation tongue, a resilient supporting pole connected between the insulation tongue and the case, and two rows of electric coupling pins respectively located above and below the insulation tongue. The electric conduction bars are spaced in a horizontal direction of the insulation tongue. The top surface of each electric conduction bar faces the corresponding electric coupling pin locating above the insulation tongue, and the bottom surface of each electric conduction bar faces the corresponding electric coupling pin locating below the insulation tongue. The electric coupling pins locating above the insulation tongue and the electric coupling pins locating below the insulation tongue are reversely and symmetrically arranged by type.
US09478914B2
The present patent application inter alia relates to a micro plug and a modified standard micro receptacle. The modified standard micro receptacle comprises a housing, at least two contact terminals attached to a surface of a bar of the housing, a shield attached to the housing and at least partially laterally enclosing the at least two contact terminals and the bar of the housing, and at least one projection configured to be received in a recess of a corresponding micro plug when the micro plug is correctly inserted into the modified standard micro receptacle. Therein, the at least one projection is further configured to hinder an insertion of a standard micro plug into the modified standard micro receptacle.
US09478913B2
An electronics module configured for insertion into a carrier unit and having, arranged on a rear side, a coding pair including a first coding part and a second coding part, wherein the first and second coding parts are configured in accordance with the lock-and-key principle, the first coding part being snapped into place in the rear side, while the second coding part is removably arranged on the first coding part, wherein a plug-and-socket connector is arranged on the second coding part such that a mating plug-and-socket connector arranged in the interior of the electronics module is insertable into the plug and-socket connector to establish an electrical connection, and wherein a memory chip which is connected to the plug and socket connector is also arranged on the second coding part.
US09478906B2
A connector position assurance device, an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly which provides proper connector position assurance of a connector assembly of small size. The connector position assurance device has a base portion, a first beam and a second beam. The first and second beams extend from the base portion. The base portion includes a latch engagement protrusion. A first beam has a first connector engagement protrusion and a second beam has a second connector engagement protrusion. The first and second connector engagement protrusions are resiliently actuated as the plug is mated to the header. The first and second connector engagement protrusions and the latch engagement protrusion cooperate with the plug when the plug is fully mated to the header to prevent the inadvertent removal of the plug from the header.
US09478897B2
A waterproof connector (10) to be mounted on a case (90) of a device includes a housing (20) which includes a fitting (21) fittable into an opening (91) provided on the case (90), an annular seal ring (60) that provides watertightness between the inner peripheral surface of the opening (91) of the case (90) and the fitting (21) and a mounting recess (23) into which the seal ring (60) is to be fit. The mounting recess (23) is formed by mounting a separate front member (70) having a larger cross-section than a cross-sectionally small portion (29) provided at a front end part of the fitting (21) on the cross-sectionally small portion (29).
US09478896B2
The present invention provides an electrical raft comprising a rigid material having multiple electrical conductors embedded therein. The electrical raft comprises an electrical connector having a first set of electrical contacts connected to at least one of the electrical conductors, a second set of electrical contacts for electrical connection to another component, and a housing having a first end and a second end. The first set of electrical contacts is at the first end and the second set of electrical contacts is at the second end. The first end of the housing is at least partly embedded in the rigid material, and the second end of the housing is accessible from outside the electrical raft, allowing the electrical raft to be electrically connected to said other component. The electrical connector has a back-shell which sealingly encloses the first end of the housing to prevent ingress of contaminants into the connector.
US09478890B2
Locking lances (12) for retaining and locking terminal fittings (60) are deflectably provided at inner walls of cavities (11) of a housing (10). The housing (10) includes excessive deflection regulating pieces (13) each provided at a position facing the locking lance (12) in a deflecting direction of the locking lance (12) and configured to regulate excessive deflection of the locking lance (12). Locking lances (12) are provided side by side in a width direction perpendicular to an inserting direction of the terminal fittings (60). A plurality of the excessive deflection regulating pieces (13) are provided side by side in the width direction at positions corresponding to the locking lances (12) and have also a function of positioning an inspection tool (70) for inspecting an inserted state of the terminal fittings (60).
US09478888B2
An electrical connector adapted to receive a mating plug utilizes low-profile jack terminal contacts that can flex in their PCB-anchored base portions, which are substantially parallel to the PCB. Any bend in the distal connecting portion or in the intermediate transition portion of each terminal contact is gradual and forms an obtuse angle, thus minimizing stress concentrations. The contacts preferably are arranged in two oppositely facing and interdigitating rows of four contacts each. In one embodiment, the terminal contacts are anchored to the PCB by a contact cradle that constrains the base portion of each terminal contact at two spaced anchoring locations, allowing the base portion to flex therebetween. In another embodiment, the base portions of the terminal contacts are embedded in at least one elastomeric member, which is fitted to the PCB.
US09478887B2
A connector insert comprising a plurality of layers of conductive elastomer, and a concomitant method of employing a connector insert, the method comprising the steps of fabricating a plurality of layers of conductive elastomer as an insert and placing the insert into a connector.
US09478885B2
An electronic module package including an electronic module configured to receive input signals and process the input signals to provide output signals. The electronic module package also includes an interposer that has a substrate with opposite board and module surfaces. The electronic module is mounted to the module surface. The interposer includes electrical contacts along the module surface that are communicatively coupled to the electronic module through the substrate. The electronic module package also includes a connector receptacle having a receptacle housing coupled to the interposer. The receptacle housing defines a reception space that is located over and permits access to the electrical contacts. The connector receptacle is configured to receive an electrical connector within the reception space to electrically couple the electrical contacts and the electrical connector. The connector receptacle holds the electrical connector therein in a mated position.
US09478866B2
Described herein are architectures, platforms and methods for implementing an orientation-agnostic millimeter-wave (mm-wave) antenna in a portable device.
US09478864B2
There is provided a waveguide horn array, a method for forming the waveguide horn array, and an antenna system. The array includes a rectangular metal plate which is processed to have a cross section comprised of a plurality of rectangular holes arranged in the length direction of the rectangular metal plate, the lower part of each hole being formed as a rectangular waveguide, and the upper part of each hole being formed as a horn; and a groove extending in the direction along which the plurality of holes are arranged and having a predetermined depth, which is formed at two sides of the holes on the top surface of the rectangular metal plate. According to the embodiments, it is possible to maintain the good properties of the antenna in terms of bandwidth and directivity, while enhancing the isolation between the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna in the system.
US09478854B2
Devices and methods for reducing interference between closely collocated antennas working at the same or adjacent frequencies are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the antenna array comprises a plurality of antennas for transmitting signals from and receiving signals to a plurality of transceivers respectively, and the device comprises a plurality of resonators; a first set of ports, each of which is connected to a respective one of the plurality of transceivers; and a second set of ports, each of which is connected to a respective one of the plurality of antennas; wherein each of the transceivers and the antennas is connected to a respective one of the resonators, and coupling coefficients among the resonators as well as a resonance frequency of each of the resonators are configured so that a desired isolation among the first set of ports and a desired matching at each of the first set of ports are obtained.
US09478846B2
A first housing includes a first conductor plate, and a second housing includes a second conductor plate. A rotation mechanism openably and closably attaches the second housing to the first housing. A first driven element and a second driven element are arranged along a rotation axis of the rotation mechanism. Between the first driven element and the second driven element, a continuity structure intersects the rotation axis to establish direct-current or high-frequency continuity between the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate. An antenna device can be provided which can ensure sufficient isolation between a plurality of driven elements.
US09478840B2
A transmission line comprising a transmission medium defined by a plurality of dielectric layers, wherein the dielectric layers include a first layer having a first dielectric constant, a second layer having a second dielectric constant and a third layer having a third dielectric constant being less than the first and second dielectric constant.
US09478825B1
This invention provides lithium-based batteries that include one or more inorganic barrier layers disposed between the anode and the cathode. The inorganic barrier layer is a lithium-ion conductor and is non-permeable to lithium-containing compounds, such as lithium polysulfides or lithium dendrites. The inorganic barrier layer may be in direct contact with the anode or cathode, or electrically isolated from the anode and cathode. The principles disclosed herein solve the problem of maintaining electrical isolation of the anode and cathode, while providing efficient lithium-ion conduction without crossover of other lithium species that would otherwise limit the power performance of the battery.
US09478824B2
There is provided a jelly-roll type electrode assembly. In the jelly-roll type electrode assembly including a cathode including a cathode active material coating layer and an anode including an anode active material coating layer, with a separation film interposed therebetween, and formed to be rolled, the jelly-roll type electrode assembly is characterized in that the anode and the cathode include uncoated portions, the uncoated portions are overlapped and include mirror images formed on a front surface and a rear surface, and the jelly-roll type electrode assembly is flexible in the uncoated portion. A pouch-type secondary battery, a battery pack and a device including the electrode assembly are provided. A flexible jelly-roll type secondary battery may be reversibly flexible while blocking the separation of an electrode active material from a current collector surface.
US09478822B2
An electrochemical cell stack system may include a plurality of cell stacks fluidly connected by a plurality of first conduits to form a loop of cell stacks. At least one first valve may be located on each first conduit and may be capable of a closed configuration and an open configuration. Each of the cell stacks may have an input end for receiving a first fluid and an output end for discharging a second fluid. The system may deliver the first fluid from the fluid source to the input end of a first cell stack of the plurality of cell stacks via a first input line of a plurality of input lines and may receive the second fluid from the output end of a second cell stack of the plurality of cell stacks via a first output line of a plurality of output lines.
US09478821B2
A fuel cell installation includes a support structure and a cell stack assembly that is removably insertable into the support structure from an uninstalled position to an installed position during an installation procedure. The cell stack assembly includes a fitting. An interfacing structure is mounted on one of the support structure in the cell stack assembly. The interfacing structure carries a connector that is configured to receive the fitting in interconnected relationship. At least one of the fitting and the connector floats in a plane relative to the support structure during the installation procedure. In operation, the fitting engages the connector when the cell stack assembly is inserted into the support structure. The fitting is repositioned relative to the connector to ensure that the fitting and connector are aligned with one another and connected upon installation. Related methods are disclosed.
US09478812B1
Various embodiments include interconnects for a fuel cell stack that includes a first support frame having a first surface that is configured to be secured to a first surface of a fuel cell. A gas flow separator section is secured to a second surface of the first support frame, opposite the first surface of the first support frame. A second support frame is secured to a second surface of a second fuel cell, opposite the first surface of the first fuel cell. The first and second support frames have a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that substantially matches the CTE of the electrolyte material of the fuel cells, and the gas flow separator section has a CTE that does not substantially match a CTE of an electrolyte material of the fuel cells.
US09478794B2
A secondary battery including a cathode having a primary cathode active material and an alkaline source material selected from the group consisting of Li2O, Li2O2, Li2S, LiF, LiCl, Li2Br, Na2O, Na2O2, Na2S, NaF, NaCl, and a mixture of any two or more thereof; an anode having an anode active material; an electrolyte; and a separator.
US09478788B2
A battery assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a terminal holder, a terminal at least partially surrounded by the terminal holder, and a bus bar module connectable to the terminal holder. One of the terminal holder and the bus bar module includes at least one locating feature to position the bus bar module in a welding position relative to the terminal.
US09478785B2
Battery carriages are provided herein that interface with batteries in the correct polarization, regardless of the orientation in which the batteries are inserted in the battery carriages. Such battery carriages may be advantageously used with any device that uses batteries. Such a device may include two or more battery carriages, wherein each of the battery carriages includes first and second dual-contact assemblies disposed on a substrate. Each of the two dual-contact assemblies may have a positive contact and a negative contact. The positive contacts may each be configured to contact a positive terminal of a battery and to be connected to a positive circuit connection, and the negative contacts may each be configured to contact a negative terminal of a battery and to be connected to a negative circuit connection.
US09478773B2
Disclosed herein is a battery cell configured to have a structure in which an electrode assembly including a separator disposed between a cathode and an anode is mounted in a battery case, wherein an asymmetric structure with respect to a central axis crossing the electrode assembly in plane is formed at a portion of at least one side of the electrode assembly constituting the outer circumference of the electrode assembly.
US09478769B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a display back plate. The display back plate comprises: an array substrate; and a pixel define layer formed on the array substrate and for defining an organic light emitting unit. An accommodation space is provided in the pixel define layer and a water absorbent material is provided within the accommodation space; the accommodation space has an opening formed in an upper surface and/or a lower surface of the pixel define layer; and the accommodation space is separated from the organic light emitting unit such that the water absorbent material within the accommodation space is spaced away from the organic light emitting unit. Embodiments of the present invention enable absorption of water vapor inside the organic light emitting display device, to prevent the adverse affection of water vapor on performance of the organic light emitting display device, so as to prolong service life of the organic light emitting display device.
US09478768B2
In an aspect, an organic light-emitting display apparatus including: a substrate; at least one color filter formed on the substrate; an overcoat layer covering the at least one color filter; a first passivation layer formed on the overcoat layer; a light scattering layer formed on the first passivation layer; a first electrode formed on the light scattering layer; a second electrode facing the first electrode; and an organic layer located between the first and second electrodes is provided.
US09478762B2
The present invention relates to a mixture comprising two different compounds A and B, each of which contain emitter units, where at least one of the compounds is a polymer. The present invention furthermore relates to a non-conjugated polymer or dendrimer which contains two emitting units covalently bonded as polymer building blocks, to the use of the mixture, the polymer or dendrimer in electronic devices, to electronic devices comprising the mixture, the polymer or dendrimer, and to a formulation comprising the mixture, the polymer or dendrimer in a solvent.
US09478761B2
An optoelectronic component may include a carrier, a protective layer on or above the carrier, a first electrode on or above the protective layer, an organic functional layer structure on or above the first electrode, and a second electrode on or above the organic functional layer structure. The protective layer has a lower transmission than the carrier for electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of less than approximately 400 nm at least in one wavelength range. The protective layer includes a glass.
US09478760B2
A solid-state imaging device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes pixel including: a first and second electrode located in a same layer, the second electrode being located between the first electrode and the other first electrodes included in adjacent pixels; an organic photoelectric conversion film including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being in contact with the first electrode and the second electrode; and a counter electrode located on the second surface. The organic photoelectric conversion film extends over the pixels. The first electrode is an electrode through which electrons or holes generated in the organic photoelectric conversion film are extracted. An area ratio of the first electrode to the each pixel is 25% or less. And a total area ratio of a sum of the first electrode and the second electrode to the each pixel is 40% or greater.
US09478754B2
Provided are an organic light emitting device including: a substrate; a first electrode; a second electrode; and an organic layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and including an emission layer, wherein one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a reflective electrode and the other is a semitransparent or transparent electrode, and wherein the organic layer includes a layer having at least one of the compounds having at least one carbazole group, and a flat panel display device including the organic light emitting device. The organic light emitting device has low driving voltage, excellent current density, high brightness, excellent color purity, high efficiency, and long lifetime.
US09478750B2
This organic electroluminescent element is manufactured by using an anthracene derivative having a pyridyl aryl group substituted with an alkyl represented by formula (1) as an electron transport material, and satisfies characteristics such as the following in an adequate and well-balanced manner: improves the external quantum efficiency of the light-emitting element, which is generally required by the electron transport material; reduces the drive voltage of the light-emitting element; and increases the life of the element. (In formula (1), Ar is a divalent or trivalent benzene or naphthalene; R is hydrogen or an alkyl with a carbon number of 1 to 6, but all of the Rs never simultaneously form hydrogen; and R1 to R4 are, individually, hydrogen, an alkyl with a carbon number of 1 to 6, a cycloalkyl with a carbon number of 3 to 6, or an aryl with a carbon number of 6 to 20.)
US09478749B2
An organic compound having a high T1 level is provided. An element emitting phosphorescence in the blue and green regions is provided. An organic compound having a high glass-transition temperature is provided. A light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, an electronic appliance, or a lighting device having high heat resistance is provided. A light-emitting element includes at least a hole-transport layer, a light-emitting layer, and an electron-transport layer between an anode and a cathode. An anthracene compound represented by General Formula (G1) is contained in at least one of the hole-transport layer, the light-emitting layer, and the electron-transport layer.
US09478748B2
An organic light emitting diode display including an anode; a cathode facing the anode; and an emission layer between the anode and the cathode, wherein the emission layer includes a compound represented by Chemical Formula 1, below, and a compound represented by Chemical Formula 2, below:
US09478746B2
A photovoltaic cell has an active area formed electron donor-fullerene conjugated molecules. The electron donor is formed of a polymer, which is conjugated with an electron acceptor, such as fullerene. By conjugating the fullerene, such as C60, with electron donor moieties, such as that of the polymer, double channels are formed therebetween, whereby one channel provides hole transport and the other channel provides electron transport. As a result, the electronic coupling between the fullerene and the electron donor moiety leads to increased short-circuit current density (Jsc) and increased open-circuit voltage (Voc), resulting in high power conversion efficacy (PCE) in the solar cell.
US09478745B2
The present invention relates to polymers comprising one or more (repeating) unit(s) of the formula (I) which are characterized in that Ar1 and Ar1′ are independently of each other are an annulated (aromatic) heterocyclic ring system, containing at least one thiophene ring, which may be optionally substituted by one, or more groups, and their use as organic semiconductor in organic devices, especially in organic photovoltaics (solar cells) and photodiodes, or in a device containing a diode and/or an organic field effect transistor. The polymers according to the invention have excellent solubility in organic solvents and excellent film-forming properties. In addition, high efficiency of energy conversion, excellent field-effect mobility, good on/off current ratios and/or excellent stability can be observed, when the polymers according to the invention are used in organic field effect transistors, organic photovoltaics (solar cells) and photodiodes.
US09478743B2
The present disclosure provides a method for fabricating a PEDOT:PSS-based electrode, comprising the steps of: preparing a PEDOT:PSS thin film formed on a substrate; treating the thin film with a solution containing 75-100 vol % of sulfuric acid or a sulfuric acid derivative; separating the thin film from the solution and rinsing the separated thin film; and drying the rinsed thin film at a temperature between 60° C. and 160° C. The present disclosure also provides a PEDOT:PSS-based electrode fabricated by the method, and an organic electronic device including the electrode.
US09478741B2
A resistive random access memory (RRAM) including a substrate, a dielectric layer, memory cells and an interconnect structure is provided. The dielectric layer is disposed on the substrate. The memory cells are vertically and adjacently disposed in the dielectric layer, and each of the memory cells includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a variable resistance structure. The second electrode is disposed on the first electrode. The variable resistance structure is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. In two vertically adjacent memory cells, the first electrode of the upper memory cell and the second electrode of the lower memory cell are disposed between the adjacent variable resistance structures and isolated from each other. The interconnect structure is disposed in the dielectric layer and connects the first electrodes of the memory cells.
US09478732B2
A thin film magnetoresistive sensor for detecting a magnetic field components perpendicular and parallel to the plane of the sensor substrate is disclosed. The sensing element comprises a free layer, a reference layer, and a spacer layer between the free layer and the reference layer. The easy-axis magnetization, which is inherent to the material of the free layer, is arranged to be perpendicular to the plane of the sensor substrate. The magnetization direction of the reference layer is confined to a direction parallel to the substrate plane. The reference layer consists of a ferromagnetic layer exchange coupled to an antiferromagnetic layer, or consists of a ferromagnetic layer having a higher coercive force than that of the free layer. The spacer layer is composed of an insulating material or a conductive material. The magnetoresistive sensor further includes an array of aforementioned sensing elements coupled to an electronic device in order to provide three-axis sensing.
US09478730B2
A method and system for providing a magnetic junction usable in a magnetic device are described. The magnetic junction includes a pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a free layer. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the pinned layer and the free layer. The magnetic junction is configured such that the free layer is switchable between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. At least one of the pinned layer and the free layer includes a magnetic substructure. The magnetic substructure includes at least two magnetic layers interleaved with at least one insertion layer. Each of the at least one insertion layer includes at least one of Bi, W, I, Zn, Nb, Ag, Cd, Hf, Os, Mo, Ca, Hg, Sc, Y, Sr, Mg, Ti, Ba, K, Na, Rb, Pb, and Zr. The at least two magnetic layers are magnetically coupled.
US09478729B2
The present invention relates to a magnetic memory device which additionally comprises a free magnetic layer constituting a horizontal direction variable magnetization layer having a fixed saturation magnetization value, whereby a switching current is markedly reduced as compared with conventional magnetic layers such that a high degree of integration of the device can be achieved and it is possible to lower a critical current density necessary for magnetization reversal thereby reducing the power consumption of the device. Also, a stray field effect occurring from a fixed magnetic layer is reduced such that a written magnetization data is thermally stable.
US09478724B2
The n-type thermoelectric material has a composition represented by (AaBbCcDt)Co4-yFeySb12. In the composition, 0≦a≦0.5, 0≦b≦0.7, 0
US09478723B2
A thermoelectric energy harvester comprises a cyclic energy input terminal supplying heat energy in a first part of the cycle to a thermal storage reservoir through a low thermal resistance generator. During a second part of the cycle, the thermal storage reservoir returns stored heat energy to the environment through an independent thermal circuit and a higher thermal resistance thermoelectric generator.
US09478720B2
The present invention provides an optical array module that includes a plurality of semiconductor devices mounted on a thermal substrate formed with a plurality of openings that function as micro-reflectors, wherein each micro-reflector includes a layer of reflective material to reflect light. Such material preferably is conductive so as to provide electrical connection for its associated semiconductor device.
US09478710B2
The light-emitting device, according to one embodiment, comprises: a light-emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer formed beneath the first conductive semiconductor layer, and a second conductive semiconductor layer formed beneath the active layer; a reflective electrode arranged beneath the light-emitting structure and having a first region beneath the second conductive semiconductor layer and a second region extending from the first region and penetrating through the second conductive semiconductor layer and the active layer; and an electrode electrically connected to the first conductive semiconductor layer.
US09478708B2
A method and structure for integrating gallium nitride into a semiconductor substrate. The method may also include means for isolating the gallium nitride from the semiconductor substrate.
US09478704B2
In the case where a still image is displayed on a pixel portion having a pixel, for example, a driver circuit for controlling writing of an image signal having image data to the pixel portion stops by stopping supply of power supply voltage to the driver circuit, and writing of an image signal to the pixel portion is stopped. After the driver circuit stops, supply of power supply voltage to a panel controller for controlling the operation of the driver circuit and an image memory for storing the image data is stopped, and supply of power supply voltage to a CPU for collectively controlling the operation of the panel controller, the image memory, and a power supply controller for controlling supply of power supply voltage to a variety of circuits in a semiconductor display device is stopped.
US09478696B2
The object cutting method comprises a step of locating a converging point of laser light within a monocrystal sapphire substrate, while using a rear face of the monocrystal sapphire substrate as an entrance surface of the laser light, and relatively moving the converging point along each of a plurality of lines to cut set parallel to the m-plane and rear face of the substrate, so as to form first and second modified regions within the substrate along each line and cause a fracture to reach a front face. In this step, in each line, with respect to a tilted surface passing the first region while being parallel to the r-plane of the substrate, the second region is positioned on the side where the tilted surface and rear face form an acute angle.
US09478695B2
The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a I-III-VI2 layer with photovoltaic properties, comprising: deposition of a metal on a substrate to form a contact layer, deposition of a precursor of the photovoltaic layer, on the contact layer, and heat treatment of the precursor with an addition of element VI to form the I-III-VI2 layer. The element VI usually diffuses into the contact layer (MO) during the heat treatment and combines with the metal to form a superficial layer (SUP) on the contact layer.In the method of the invention, the metal deposition comprises a step during which an additional element is added to the metal to form a compound (MO-EA), in the contact layer, acting as a barrier to the diffusion of the element VI, which allows precisely controlling the properties of the superficial layer, particularly its thickness.
US09478691B2
The light receiving/emitting device uses an integrated light receiving/emitting element wherein a light receiving element and a light emitting element are provided on one main surface of a substrate. The substrate comprises a first-conductivity-type semiconductor. At least one electrode layer is placed in an area corresponding to at least the light receiving element and the light emitting element on the other main surface of the substrate. The light receiving element comprises: a first second-conductivity-type semiconductor layer formed on the one main surface of the substrate; a first anode electrode formed on the top surface of the first second-conductivity-type semiconductor layer; and a first cathode electrode formed on the top surface of the one main surface of the substrate. The electrode layer, the first anode electrode and the first cathode electrode have the same electric potential.
US09478690B2
A photo-detecting device includes a first nitride layer, a light absorption layer disposed on the first nitride layer, and a Schottky junction layer disposed on the light absorption layer. According to a photoluminescence (PL) properties measurement of the photo-detecting device, a first peak light intensity is greater than a second peak light intensity, and the first peak light intensity is a peak light intensity of light emitted from the light absorption layer, and the second peak light intensity is a peak light intensity of light emitted from the first nitride layer.
US09478688B2
An attachment member and a solar cell array are disclosed. The attachment member includes a first member; a second member on the first member; and a fixing member that fixes the first and second members. The first member includes a bottom portion; two first side walls facing each other. The second member includes a top portion; two second side walls facing to each other. The first and the second side walls are alternately arranged and face to each other. Each of the first and second side walls comprises an engagement portion. The engagement portion of one of the first side walls adjustably engages in height direction with the engagement portion of one of the second side walls. The engagement portion of the other one of the first side walls adjustably engages in height direction with the engagement portion of the other one of the second side walls.
US09478685B2
Photodetector devices and methods for making the photodetector devices are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the device may include a substrate; and one or more core structures, each having one or more shell layers disposed at least on a portion of a sidewall of the core structure. Each of the one or more structures extends substantially perpendicularly from the substrate. Each of the one or more core structures and the one or more shell layers form a Schottky barrier junction or a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MiS) junction.
US09478682B2
The infrared sensor includes: an infrared sensor chip in which a plurality of pixel portions each including a temperature-sensitive portion formed of a thermopile is disposed in an array on one surface side of a semiconductor substrate; and an IC chip that processes an output signal of the infrared sensor chip. A package includes a package main body on which the infrared sensor chip and the IC chip are mounted to be arranged side-by-side, and a package cover that has a lens transmitting infrared rays and is hermetically bonded to the package main body. The package is provided therein with a cover member that includes a window hole through which infrared rays pass into the infrared sensor chip and equalizes amounts of temperature change of hot junctions and cold junctions among the pixel portions, the temperature change resulting from heating of the IC chip.
US09478681B2
Fabricating a wafer-scale spacer/optics structure includes replicating optical replication elements and spacer replication sections directly onto an optics wafer (or other wafer) using a single replication tool. The replicated optical elements and spacer elements can be composed of the same or different materials.
US09478678B2
A front sheet of solar cell, a method of manufacturing the same and a photovoltaic module are provided. The front sheet of solar cell can effectively block infrared rays (IRs) by forming an IR blocking layer including a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) material on a substrate. Thus, an increase in temperature of a cell can be suppressed so that the power generation efficiency of the cell can be improved. Also, the multi-layered sheet can be configured so that a UV blocking layer including a fluorine-based polymer and a wavelength conversion material can be formed on the IR blocking layer. Thus, wavelengths of a UV region can be converted into wavelengths of a VR region so that the power generation efficiency of the cell can be improved, and discoloration and deformation caused by UVs can be prevented so that the weather resistance can be improved.
US09478673B2
The semiconductor device of the present invention includes a semiconductor layer made of a wide bandgap semiconductor, a trench that is selectively formed on a surface portion of the semiconductor layer and that defines a unit cell having a predetermined shape on the surface portion, and a surface electrode that is embedded in the trench so as to cover an upper surface of the unit cell and that forms a Schottky junction between the unit cell and the surface electrode, and side surfaces of the trench are formed of only a plurality of planes that have plane orientations crystallographically equivalent to each other.
US09478669B2
A thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a channel layer, an etching stop layer, two contact holes, a source, and a drain. The gate insulating layer covers the gate electrode. The channel layer is arranged on the gate insulating layer corresponding to the gate electrode. The etching stop layer covers the channel layer and includes an organic stop layer and a hard mask layer, the hard mask layer is located on a surface of the organic stop layer opposite to the channel layer to enhance a hardness of the organic stop layer. The two contact holes pass through the etching stop layer. The source connects to the channel via one contact hole, and the drain connects to the channel via the other contact hole.
US09478665B2
A thin film transistor is disclosed in the present invention. The thin film transistor comprises: a substrate, an active layer, a first etching barrier layer, a second etching barrier layer, a source and a drain, wherein: the active layer is disposed over the substrate; the first etching barrier layer is disposed over the active layer; the second etching barrier layer is disposed over the first etching barrier layer; the source and the drain are disposed over the second etching barrier layer, and are connected to each other through the active layer by means of via holes formed in the first etching barrier layer and the second etching barrier layer by etching; and a length of the first etching barrier layer at a channel position is less than a length of the second etching barrier layer. A method of manufacturing the thin film transistor, an array substrate and a display apparatus are also disclosed in the present invention. A length of a channel of the thin film transistor according to the present invention is less than the length of the channel of the conventional thin film transistor. Thereby, size and energy consumption of the thin film transistor are reduced, an aperture ratio of a liquid crystal panel is increased, and a turn-on current of the thin film transistor is increased, so that whole performance of the thin film transistor is further improved.
US09478661B1
Semiconductor device structures having fin structure(s) and fabrication methods thereof are presented. The methods include: providing a first mask above a substrate structure and a second mask above the first mask and the substrate structure; removing portions of the first mask not underlying the second mask and selectively etching the substrate structure using the second mask to form at least one cavity therein; providing a third mask over portions of the substrate structure not underlying the second mask and removing the second mask; and selectively etching the substrate structure using remaining portions of the first mask and the third mask to the form fin structure(s) of the semiconductor device structure, where the fin structure(s) is self-aligned with the at least one cavity in the substrate structure. For example, the semiconductor device structure can be a fin-type transistor structure, and the method can include forming a source/drain region within a cavity.
US09478659B2
A transistor includes a substrate having an upper surface, a fin structure protruding from the upper surface of the substrate, an isolation structure over the upper surface of the substrate and surrounding a lower portion of the fin structure, and a first doped region at least partially embedded in an upper portion of the fin structure. The fin structure extends along a first direction. The first doped region has a first type doping different from that of the fin structure.
US09478658B2
A device and method for inducing stress in a semiconductor layer includes providing a substrate having a dielectric layer formed between a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer and processing the second semiconductor layer to form an amorphized material. A stress layer is deposited on the first semiconductor layer. The wafer is annealed to memorize stress in the second semiconductor layer by recrystallizing the amorphized material.
US09478642B2
A semiconductor structure, such as a FinFET, etc., includes a bi-portioned junction. The bi-portioned junction includes a doped outer portion and a doped inner portion. The dopant concentration of the outer portion is less than the dopant concentration of the inner portion. An electrical connection is formed by diffusion of the dopants within outer portion into a channel region and diffusion of the dopants within the outer portion into the inner region. A low contact resistance is achieved by a contact electrically contacting the relatively higher doped inner portion while device shorting is limited by the relatively lower doped outer portion.
US09478634B2
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a fin having an upper surface and a plurality of side surfaces, forming a sacrificial gate structure comprised of a low-density oxide material having a density of less than 1.8 g/cm3 on and in contact with the upper surface and the side surfaces of the fin and a sacrificial gate material positioned on and in contact with the upper surface of the low-density oxide material, and forming a sidewall spacer adjacent the sacrificial gate structure. The method further includes removing the sacrificial gate material so as to thereby expose the low-density oxide material, so as to define a replacement gate cavity, and forming a replacement gate structure in the replacement gate cavity.
US09478632B2
A method of making a semiconductor device includes epitaxially growing a channel layer over a substrate. The method further includes depositing an active layer over the channel layer. Additionally, the method includes forming a gate structure over the active layer, the gate structure configured to deplete a 2DEG under the gate structure, the gate structure including a dopant. Furthermore, the method includes forming a barrier layer between the gate structure and the active layer, the barrier layer configured to block diffusion of the dopant from the gate structure into the active layer.
US09478631B2
Structures and methods are provided for forming bottom source/drain contact regions for nanowire devices. A nanowire is formed on a substrate. The nanowire extends substantially vertically relative to the substrate and is disposed between a top source/drain region and a bottom source/drain region. A first dielectric material is formed on the bottom source/drain region. A second dielectric material is formed on the first dielectric material. A first etching process is performed to remove part of the first dielectric material and part of the second dielectric material to expose part of the bottom source/drain region. A second etching process is performed to remove part of the first dielectric material under the second dielectric material to further expose the bottom source/drain region. A first metal-containing material is formed on the exposed bottom source/drain region. Annealing is performed to form a bottom contact region.
US09478622B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved contact formation process for a finFET. Epitaxial semiconductor regions are formed on the fins. A contact etch stop layer (CESL) is deposited on the epitaxial regions. A nitride-oxide conversion process converts a portion of the nitride CESL into oxide. The oxide-converted portions are removed using a selective etch process, and a fill metal is deposited which is in direct physical contact with the epitaxial regions. Damage, such as gouging, of the epitaxial regions is minimized during this process, resulting in an improved contact for finFETs.
US09478618B1
A semiconductor device includes a fin-shaped active region protruding from a surface of a base substrate. The fin-shaped active region includes a first impurity region and a second impurity region spaced apart from each other along a first direction and a channel region disposed between the first and second impurity regions. A trench is provided in the base substrate under the channel region. The trench extends in a second direction to intersect the fin-shaped active region in a plan view. A blocking layer fills the trench to overlap with the channel region of the fin-shaped active region. A gate is disposed to overlap with blocking layer and the channel region.
US09478607B2
An electronic device can include a semiconductor layer having a primary surface, and an isolation structure. The isolation structure can include a first well region within the semiconductor layer and having a first conductivity, a second well region within the semiconductor layer and having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, and a third well region within the semiconductor layer having the first conductivity type. The second well region can be disposed between the first and third well regions. The first, second, and third well regions can be electrically connected to one another. The electronic device can help to allow more electrons during an electrostatic discharge or similar event to flow where the electrons will be less problematic. A process of forming the electronic device may be implemented with changes to existing masks without adding any processing operations.
US09478606B2
A high power, high current Unidirectional Transient Voltage Suppressor, formed on SiC starting material is disclosed. The device is structured to avalanche uniformly across the entire central part (active area) such that very high currents can flow while the device is reversely biased. Forcing the device to avalanche uniformly across designated areas is achieved in different ways but consistently in concept, by creating high electric fields where the device is supposed to avalanche (namely the active area) and by relaxing the electric field across the edge of the structure (namely in the termination), which in all embodiments meets the conditions for an increased reliability under harsh environments.
US09478598B2
An organic electroluminescence (EL) display panel includes an anode electrode formed above a bank and formed opposite to a plurality of cathode electrodes, and a charge functional layer commonly formed for each of the organic light-emitting layers across a plurality of aperture areas formed in the bank. An end portion of the anode electrode and an end portion of the charge functional layer are provided above the bank located adjacent to a boundary between a display region and a peripheral region of a display region.
US09478597B2
A display device includes a pixel portion in which a pixel is arranged in a matrix, the pixel including an inverted staggered thin film transistor having a combination of at least two kinds of oxide semiconductor layers with different amounts of oxygen and having a channel protective layer over a semiconductor layer to be a channel formation region overlapping a gate electrode layer and a pixel electrode layer electrically connected to the inverted staggered thin film transistor. In the periphery of the pixel portion in this display device, a pad portion including a conductive layer made of the same material as the pixel electrode layer is provided. In addition, the conductive layer is electrically connected to a common electrode layer formed on a counter substrate.
US09478587B1
An array structure for light emitting diodes (LEDs) uses a patterned metal layer buried beneath LED chips to electrically interconnect non-adjacent chips in series, such that each chip in the LED array can be adjacently surrounded by LED chips of different colors. Thus, when the emission from the LED array is projected to a spot in the far field, its color uniformity over the spot is enhanced. Methods are also described for fabricating the multi-layer circuit board for such an array. Top and bottom patterned metal layers are formed, separated by a patterned insulating layer, so that electrical connections may be made between the metal layers. This provides “vias” between the metal layers for creating “cross-under” electrical connections under the second insulation layer, such that spatially-separated LED chips can be interconnected into strings, while maintaining electrical isolation between LED chips of different colors.
US09478582B2
A pixel cell, and a method of use thereof, the pixel cell including: an output, a photosensor configured to generate a first measuring current in a first measurement cycle and a second measuring current in a second measurement cycle as a function of radiation, an output node, a power storage device configured so that in a first operating mode a current can be injected by the power storage device as a function of the first measuring current, and so that in a second operating mode the power storage device is configured to hold the injected current so that the injected current can be detected at the output node, and a switching unit configured to form a difference between the injected current and the second measuring current at the output node in a reading cycle and to couple the output node to the output.
US09478580B2
A backside-illuminated photosensor array IC is formed in a thinned circuit wafer. Silicon is removed in at least one substrate-stripped zone where a doped edge-contact ring surrounds the substrate-stripped zone, the edge-contact ring formed in a same first side of the wafer as a plurality of transistors, and opposite to a backside of the wafer. Backside metal is disposed on the backside of the wafer, the backside metal having window openings over the photosensors, and having sidewalls contacting the edge-contact ring around the substrate-stripped zone. The edge contact region is formed in the first side of the device wafer before providing structural support and thinning the device wafer. Substrate-stripped zones, such as bondpad openings and guardring openings, are formed by removing silicon to expose the edge-contact region, and backside metal is deposited with sidewall metal at edges of the substrate-stripped zones and thereby contacting the edge-contact region.
US09478578B2
An embodiment semiconductor device includes a substrate such as a silicon or silicon-containing film, a pixel array supported by the substrate, and a metal stress release feature arranged around a periphery of the pixel array. The metal stress release feature may be formed from metal strips or discrete metal elements. The metal stress release feature may be arranged in a stress release pattern that uses a single line or a plurality of lines. The metal stress release pattern may also use metal corner elements at ends of the lines.
US09478575B2
An image sensor includes a first pixel having a first color filter, a first reflection region which reflects light from the first color filter, and a first photoelectric conversion portion arranged in a semiconductor layer and located between the first color filter and the first reflection region, and a second pixel including a second color filter, a second reflection region which reflects light from the second color filter, and a second photoelectric conversion portion arranged in the semiconductor layer and located between the second color filter and the second reflection region. Wavelength corresponding to a maximum transmittance of the first color filter is shorter than wavelength corresponding to a maximum transmittance of the second color filter. An area of the first reflection region is smaller than area of the second reflection region.
US09478571B1
Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating such devices are provided. The devices include source and drain regions on one conductivity type separated by a channel length and a gate structure. The devices also include a channel region of the one conductivity type formed in the device region between the source and drain regions and a screening region of another conductivity type formed below the channel region and between the source and drain regions. In operation, the channel region forms, in response to a bias voltage at the gate structure, a surface depletion region below the gate structure, a buried depletion region at an interface of the channel region and the screening region, and a buried channel region between the surface depletion region and the buried depletion region, where the buried depletion region is substantially located in channel region.
US09478567B1
A thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate is provided. The thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate comprises a substrate having at least a display region; and a plurality of bottom-gated thin-film transistors formed over the substrate. The thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate also includes a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines formed over the substrate in the display region and defining a plurality of sub-pixels, wherein a plurality pre-reserved blank regions are configured among the scan lines, the data lines and the plurality of sub-pixels; and a gate driver circuit formed over the substrate in the display region and disposed in the pre-reserved blank regions in the display region.
US09478563B2
An object is to provide a display device which operates stably with use of a transistor having stable electric characteristics. In manufacture of a display device using transistors in which an oxide semiconductor layer is used for a channel formation region, a gate electrode is further provided over at least a transistor which is applied to a driver circuit. In manufacture of a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor layer is used for a channel formation region, the oxide semiconductor layer is subjected to heat treatment so as to be dehydrated or dehydrogenated; thus, impurities such as moisture existing in an interface between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate insulating layer provided below and in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer and an interface between the oxide semiconductor layer and a protective insulating layer provided on and in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer can be reduced.
US09478562B2
An array substrate and manufacturing method thereof, a display device, a thin film transistor and manufacturing method thereof are provided. The manufacturing method of an array substrate includes forming an active material layer (501), a gate insulating layer (204) and a metal thin film (502) on a base substrate (201), and forming a pattern including an active layer (203) and a pattern including a gate electrode (205), a source electrode (206), a drain electrode (207), a gate line (1063) and a data line (1061) by a first patterning process; forming a passivation layer (301) on the base substrate (201), and forming a source contact hole (302), a drain contact hole (303), and an bridge-structure contact hole (1062a) by a second patterning process; forming a transparent conductive thin film (1401) on the base substrate (201), and removing the transparent conductive thin film (1404) partially, so that a source contact section (401), a drain contact section (402), a pixel electrode (403), and an bridge structure (1062) are formed. With the manufacturing method, the use number of patterning processes is decreased.
US09478556B2
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes two semiconductor pillars, a connection member connected between the two semiconductor pillars, and a contact connected to the connection member. There is not a conductive member disposed between the two semiconductor pillars.
US09478553B2
A Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell includes a first pull-up transistor and a second pull-up transistor, and a first pull-down transistor and a second pull-down transistor forming cross-latched inverters with the first pull-up transistor and the second pull-up transistor. A conductive feature includes a first leg having a first longitudinal direction, wherein the first leg interconnects a drain of the first pull-up transistor and a drain of the first pull-down transistor. The conductive feature further includes a second leg having a second extending direction. The first longitudinal direction and the second extending direction are un-perpendicular and un-parallel to each other. The second leg interconnects the drain of the first pull-up transistor and a gate of the second pull-up transistor.
US09478552B2
A static random access memory and the manufacturing method thereof are provided. By forming the specific gate structure(s) to be concave gate structure(s) and by adjusting the ratio of the effective channel width for these gate structures, the performance of the static random access memory is enhanced.
US09478551B2
A semiconductor device includes a channel layer over an active region, first and second field regions adjacent the active region, and a gate structure over the channel layer and portions of the first and second field regions. The first and second field regions include grooves adjacent respective sidewalls of the channel layer, and bottom surfaces of the grooves are below a bottom surface of the channel layer.
US09478546B2
A lay-out arrangement for LC modules in 3D semiconductor memories is described that avoids large step height. The arrangement creates insulating/conducting layer pairs with adjacent pairs differing in height by no more than the thickness of two insulating/conducting layer pairs.
US09478539B1
An AlGaN/GaN HEMT includes a compound semiconductor stack structure; an element isolation structure which demarcates an element region on the compound semiconductor stack structure; a first insulating film which is formed on the element region and is not formed on the element isolation structure; a second insulating film which is formed on at least the element isolation structure and is higher in hydrogen content than the first insulating film; and a gate electrode which is formed on the element region of the compound semiconductor stack structure via the second insulating film.
US09478526B2
Disclosed herein is a light emitting module. The light emitting module according to an exemplary embodiment includes a circuit board having a cavity and including a circuit pattern at a region which does not have the cavity, an insulation substrate disposed in the cavity while being formed, at an upper portion thereof, with at least one pad, and at least one light emitting device disposed on the pad, wherein a joining structure is disposed between a bottom surface of the cavity and a bottom surface of the insulation substrate.
US09478525B2
One semiconductor device includes nine surface micro-bumps laid out in a 3×3 matrix on a semiconductor substrate, a transistor that contains first and second diffusion layers formed on the semiconductor substrate, and power-supply wiring laid out on the semiconductor substrate. The aforementioned first diffusion layer is connected to one of the surface micro-bumps, the second diffusion layer is connected to the power-supply wiring, and the transistor is laid out in the region between the surface micro-bumps located on one edge in an X direction and the surface micro-bumps located on the other edge in said X direction.
US09478521B2
A device comprises a top package mounted on a bottom package through a joint structure, wherein the joint structure comprises a solder ball of the top package coupled to a metal structure embedded in the bottom package and an epoxy protection layer having a first edge in direct contact with a top surface of the bottom package and a second edge surrounding a lower portion of the solder ball.
US09478517B2
In one embodiment, an electronic device package structure includes an electronic die having conductive pads on one surface. The one surface is further attached to at least one lead. A conductive layer covers at least one conductive pad and at least portion of the lead thereby electrically connecting the lead to the conductive pad.
US09478516B2
A method of operating a bonding machine for bonding semiconductor elements is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) measuring a time based z-axis height measurement characteristic of a bond head assembly during a model bonding process; (b) determining a z-axis adjustment profile for a subsequent bonding process based on the measured time based z-axis height measurement characteristic; and (c) adjusting a z-axis position of the bond head assembly with a z-axis motion system during the subsequent bonding process using the z-axis adjustment profile.
US09478508B1
A semiconductor structure having a semiconductor layer having an active device therein. A dielectric structure is disposed over the semiconductor layer, such dielectric structure having open ended trench therein. An electrical interconnect level is disposed in the trench and electrically connected to the active device. A plurality of stacked metal layers is disposed in the trench. The stacked metal layers have disposed on bottom and sidewalls thereof conductive barrier metal layers.
US09478492B2
An integrated circuit includes a first conductive line on a first metal level of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit further includes a second conductive line on a second metal level of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit further includes a slot via electrically connecting the first conductive line with the second conductive line. The slot via overlaps with the first conductive line and the second conductive line. The slot via extends beyond a periphery of at least one of the first conductive line or the second conductive line.
US09478491B1
Integrated circuit packages with openings surrounding a conductive via on a substrate layer are disclosed. An integrated circuit package may include a substrate layer with upper and lower surfaces. A conductive via may extend between the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate layer. The integrated circuit package further includes multiple openings in the substrate layer that may be distributed evenly in the substrate layer surrounding the conductive via. The multiple openings reduce signal insertion loss of the conductive via.
US09478489B2
The width of scribe lines may be reduced in semiconductor devices by applying a process technique in which trenches may be formed first from the rear side on the basis of a required width of the corresponding trenches, while subsequently it may be cut into the substrate from the front side on the basis of a reduced thickness of the corresponding saw blades, thereby also enabling a reduction of the scribe line width. Furthermore, contamination of the front side, i.e., of the metallization system, may be reduced, for instance, by performing an optional intermediate cleaning process.
US09478474B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for a package or a package-on-package (PoP) device. An IC package or a PoP device may comprise an electrical path connecting a die and a decoupling capacitor, wherein the electrical path may have a width in a range from about 8 um to about 44 um and a length in a range from about 10 um to about 650 um. The decoupling capacitor and the die may be contained in a same package, or at different packages within a PoP device, connected by contact pads, redistribution layers (RDLs), and connectors.
US09478471B2
Presented herein is a device comprising a common node disposed in a first wafer' a test node disposed in a first wafer and having a plurality of test pads exposed at a first surface of the first wafer. The test node also has test node lines connected to the test pads and that are separated by a first spacing and extend to a second surface of the first wafer. A comb is disposed in a second wafer and has a plurality of comb lines having a second spacing different from the first spacing. Each of the comb lines has a first surface exposed at a first side of the second wafer. The comb lines provide an indication of an alignment of the first wafer and second wafer by a number or arrangement of connections made by the plurality of comb lines between the test node lines and the common node.
US09478456B2
A device includes a semiconductor substrate, a channel region in the semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, and a composite drift region in the semiconductor substrate, having a second conductivity type. The composite drift region includes a first drift region and a second drift region spaced from the channel region by the first drift region. The device further includes a drain region in the semiconductor substrate, spaced from the channel region by the composite drain region, and having the second conductivity type. The first drift region has a dopant concentration profile with a first concentration level where adjacent the channel region and a second concentration level where adjacent the second drift region, the first concentration level being higher than the second concentration level. In some embodiments, the first and second drift regions are stacked vertically, with the first drift region being shallower than the second drift region.
US09478451B2
An apparatus including a stator configured to be stationarily connected to a housing; and a rotor configured to have a robot arm connected thereto. The rotor includes a shaft and an robot arm mount adjustably connected to the shaft. The stator and the rotor include mechanical reference locators to temporarily stationarily locate the robot arm mount to the stator for subsequently stationarily fixing the robot arm mount to the shaft.
US09478450B2
A wafer container for holding a spaced stack of thin wafers, comprising an H-bar carrier, a base portion for receiving same, a base wafer cushion attached at the bottom wall positioned below the H-bar carrier, the cushion having a plurality of ribs defining slots each with a bottom wafer seating region having a curvature and a pair of ends, each of the ends having a flare whereby the seating region flares outwardly at the ends, a cover portion that connects with the base portion to form a closed interior. The cover portion having an uppermost wall a wafer cushion secured thereto. The cover wafer cushion having a row of wafer engaging finger portions, the finger portions Y shaped and having two legs extending from a support portion and alternatingly extending from opposing support portions, the finger portions may be S shaped with a wafer pad flared in two direction.
US09478446B2
A semiconductor processing tool is disclosed, the tool having a frame forming at least one chamber with an opening and having a sealing surface around a periphery of the opening, a door configured to interact with the sealing surface for sealing the opening, the door having sides perpendicular to the door sealing surface and perpendicular to a transfer plane of a substrate, and at least one drive located on the frame to a side of at least one of the sides that are substantially perpendicular to the door sealing surface and substantially perpendicular to the transfer plane of the substrate, the drive having actuators located at least partially in front of the sealing surface and the actuators being coupled to one of the sides of the door for moving the door from a sealed position. The at least one drive is located outside of a substrate transfer zone.
US09478444B2
Embodiments of mechanisms for cleaning a wafer are provided. A method for cleaning a wafer includes cleaning a wafer by using a wafer scrubber and cleaning the wafer scrubber in a scrubber cleaning module. An agitated cleaning liquid is applied on the wafer scrubber to clean the wafer scrubber. The method also includes cleaning the wafer or a second wafer by the wafer scrubber after the wafer scrubber is cleaned by the agitated cleaning liquid.
US09478441B1
An improved superjunction semiconductor device includes a charged balanced pylon in a body region, where a top of the pylon is large to create slight charge imbalance. A MOSgated structure is formed over the top of the pylon and designed to conduct current through the pylon. By increasing a dimension of the top of the pylon, the resulting device is less susceptible to variations in manufacturing tolerances to obtain a good breakdown voltage and improved device ruggedness.
US09478439B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a substrate etching method, which includes: a deposition operation for depositing a polymer on a side wall of a silicon groove, an etching operation for etching the side wall of the silicon groove, and repeating the deposition operation and the etching operation at least twice. In the process of completing all cycles of the etching operation, a chamber pressure of a reaction chamber is decreased from a preset highest pressure to a preset lowest pressure according to a preset rule. The substrate etching method, according to various embodiments of the invention, avoid the problem of damaging the side wall, thereby making the side wall smooth.
US09478435B2
Techniques disclosed herein include methods for DSA patterning and curing of DSA patterns. Techniques include curing phase-separated block copolymers using vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light exposure at wavelengths from about 100 nanometers to 170 nanometers. VUV light can be generated using a plasma process system and from energizing various VUV-generating process gasses. A VUV curing step is executed (fully or partially) prior to executing an etch process to etch away one of the block copolymers. Such VUV exposure can selectively harden one block copolymer while weakening another block copolymer. This hardening and weakening increases etch selectivity enabling more effective etching and results in better patterns.
US09478434B2
A method of removing titanium nitride hardmask is described. The hardmask resides above a low-k dielectric layer prior to removal and the low-k dielectric layer retains a relatively low net dielectric constant after the removal process. The low-k dielectric layer may be part of a dual damascene structure having copper at the bottom of the vias. A non-porous carbon layer is deposited prior to the titanium nitride hardmask removal to protect the low-k dielectric layer and the copper. The titanium nitride hardmask is removed with a gas-phase etch using plasma effluents formed in a remote plasma from a chlorine-containing precursor. Plasma effluents within the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents react with the titanium nitride.
US09478427B2
A semiconductor structure with low resistance conduction paths and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming at least one low resistance conduction path on a wafer, and forming an electroplated seed layer in direct contact with the low resistance conduction path.
US09478417B2
Provided is a technique of forming a film on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes: forming a first layer by supplying a gas containing a first element to the substrate, wherein the first layer is a discontinuous layer, a continuous layer, or a layer in which at least one of the discontinuous layer or the continuous layer is overlapped; forming a second layer including the first layer and a discontinuous layer including a second element stacked on the first layer; and forming a third layer by supplying a gas containing a third element to the substrate to modify the second layer under a condition where a modifying reaction of the second layer by the gas containing the third element is not saturated.
US09478392B2
There is provided a charged particle beam apparatus radiating a charged particle beam to a specimen so as to acquire an image of the specimen, the charged particle beam apparatus including: a charged particle gun that generates the charged particle beam; an electron optical system that radiates the charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle gun onto a surface of the specimen so as to scan the surface of the specimen; a detecting unit that detects secondary electrons or reflection electrons emitted from the specimen, and converts the electrons into pulse signals; a pulse signal detecting circuit that detects time detecting information regarding time of the pulse signals converted by the detecting unit, and peak value detecting information regarding each peak value of the pulse signals; and an image processing unit that generates luminance gradation of the acquired image based on a time detecting signal and a peak value detecting signal of the pulse signals detected by the pulse signal detecting circuit.
US09478388B2
A method of processing one or more surfaces is provided, comprising: providing a switchable ion gun which is switchable between a cluster mode setting for producing an ion beam substantially comprising ionized gas clusters for irradiating a surface and an atomic mode setting for producing an ion beam substantially comprising ionized gas atoms for irradiating a surface; and selectively operating the ion gun in the cluster mode by mass selecting ionized gas clusters using a variable mass selector thereby irradiating a surface substantially with ionized gas clusters or the atomic mode by mass selecting ionized gas atoms using a variable mass selector thereby irradiating a surface substantially with ionized gas atoms. Also provided is a switchable ion gun comprising: a gas expansion nozzle for producing gas clusters; an ionization chamber for ionizing the gas clusters and gas atoms; and a variable (preferably a magnetic sector) mass selector for mass selecting the ionized gas clusters and ionized gas atoms to produce an ion beam variable between substantially comprising ionized gas clusters and substantially comprising ionized gas atoms. Preferably, the gun comprises an electrically floating flight tube for adjusting the energy of the ions while within the mass selector.
US09478387B2
A plasma processing apparatus capable of optimizing a plasma process is provided. The plasma processing apparatus includes a control unit for controlling a minimum energy and a maximum energy of ions incident onto a substrate independently of each other such that ion energy of the ions are concentrated at a first energy band and a second energy band respectively. In the plasma processing apparatus, the oxide film is etched to form a hole within the oxide film, the first energy band is lower than a first energy value at which the oxide film is etched while the organic film is not etched, and the second energy band is higher than a second energy value at which an etching yield at an inclined surface of the hole is higher than an etching yield of an upper surface of the organic film.
US09478381B2
A modular electrical switch device including: a cut-off unit including unitary cut-off units; an actuating unit including an actuating module of the unitary cut-off units; a removable electrical control module including an adaptive connection mechanism configured to interconnect with an actuating coil of an electromagnetic actuator when the removable module is positioned on the actuating module; a quick attachment mechanism allowing the removable attachment of the actuating unit onto the cut-off unit and including a coupling hook configured to attach and hold the cut-off unit to the actuating unit, and to engage with an actuating device of a unitary cut-off unit.
US09478364B2
Carbon-based electrodes such as for incorporation into ultracapacitors or other high power density energy storage devices, include activated carbon, carbon black, binder and at least one molecular sieve material. The molecular sieve component can adsorb and trap water, which can facilitate the use of the device at higher voltage, such as greater than 3V. The molecular sieve material may be incorporated into the carbon-based electrodes or formed as a layer over a carbon-based electrode surface.
US09478363B2
Flexible electrical devices are provided that include a coated inner carbon nanotube electrode that has an exterior surface, an outer carbon nanotube electrode disposed on the exterior surface of the coated inner carbon nanotube electrode, and an overlap region in which the coated inner carbon nanotube electrode and the outer carbon nanotube electrode overlap one another, in which the device has a fiber-like geometry and first and second electrode ends. Methods are provided for fabricating an electrical component that includes a flexible electrical component having a fiber-like geometry and includes carbon nanotube electrodes.
US09478360B2
A capacitor anode including a tungsten sintered body having an average pore diameter of 0.3 μm or less; and a method for producing the anode. The method includes forming tungsten powder into a molded body having a density (Dg) of 8 g/cm3 or more and then sintering the molded body to a density (Ds) of at least 1.15 times the density (Dg) to form a tungsten sintered body having an average pore diameter of 0.3 μm or less.
US09478355B2
A method is described for forming a confining current path (CCP) spacer in a CPP-GMR sensor. A first Cu spacer, an amorphous metal/alloy layer such as Hf, a second Cu spacer, and an oxidizable layer such as Al, Mg, or AlCu are sequentially deposited on a ferromagnetic layer. A pre-ion treatment (PIT) and ion assisted oxidation (IAO) transform the amorphous layer into a first metal oxide template and the oxidizable layer into a second metal oxide template both having Cu metal paths therein. A third Cu layer is deposited on the second metal oxide template. The amorphous layer promotes smoothness and smaller grain size in the oxidizable layer to minimize variations in the metal paths and thereby improves dR/R, R, and dR uniformity by 50% or more.
US09478348B2
Methods and apparatuses, wherein the method forms a first plurality of vias in a substrate, further comprising forming the first plurality of vias to be substantially the same height. The method forms a plurality of conductive traces external to the substrate and couples the plurality of conductive traces to the first plurality of vias: wherein the plurality of conductive traces and the first plurality of vias comprise a plurality of conductive turns and wherein the plurality of conductive turns are in a spiral configuration substantially within a first plane.
US09478343B2
A printed wiring board includes a first core substrate having an opening portion, an inductor component accommodated in the opening portion of the first core substrate, a first buildup layer formed on a first surface of the first core substrate and the inductor component, and a second buildup layer formed on a second surface of the first core substrate and the inductor component on the opposite side with respect to the first surface of the first core substrate. The inductor component has a second core substrate, a buildup layer formed on a surface of the second core substrate and a coil layer formed on the buildup layer, and the second buildup layer has a coil layer and a via conductor connecting the coil layer in the second buildup layer and the coil layer formed on the buildup layer in the inductor component.
US09478340B2
The invention relates to a solenoid housing fabricated by a method which allows a manufacturer to produce a high performing product while minimizing manufacturing complexity and time. The instant invention uses cold-forging techniques to reduce the need for fine machining processes.
US09478335B2
A coil device (1) comprising a coil winding (3) for an electromagnetic actuating device or an electromagnetic sensor, having a winding wire (11) which has an insulating element and which is ran to at least one contacting element (5, 15) that is designed as a metal part, in particular a stamped part, and a stripped section of the winding wire is received at the contacting element between the contacting element (5, 15) and a metal cover (6) and fused to the contacting element (5, 15). A recess (8) is impressed into the contacting element (5, 15), the recess receiving the winding wire (11) in some sections and being designed with a winding wire inlet geometry.
US09478333B2
The invention relates to a process of and apparatus for forming a magnetic structure on a substrate and a magnetic structure formed by such a process and apparatus. The magnetic structure comprises a matrix in which magnetic particles are embedded. The apparatus for forming the magnetic structure on the substrate comprises a source of matrix deposits the matrix material onto the substrate to form the matrix, and comprises a source of magnetic particles which deposit the magnetic particles onto the matrix as the matrix forms to embed the magnetic particles in the matrix. Each magnetic particle comprises a core covered with a layer of metal, at least one of the matrix material and the core is of ferromagnetic material and the core and the layer of metal are of different materials.
US09478328B2
A method for manufacturing a high frequency cable that includes covering a central conductor made from aluminum or an aluminum alloy with a covering layer made from copper; and wire drawing of the central conductor covered by the covering layer using dies at multiple steps, each of the dies having a cross-section reduction rate of 20% to 29% with an entire reduction angle of 16 degrees, to form a fiber-like structure in a longitudinal direction in the covering layer, and to form an intermetallic compound layer having greater volume resistivity than the covering layer between the central conductor and the covering layer.
US09478322B1
A method for preparing low level radioactive hazardous wastes (LLHZ) for disposal in a landfill. The method includes providing a softsided transportable container at a hazardous debris collection site, where the softsided container has at least three layers of materials, an outer, middle and an inner layer, where the middle layer is a water impervious material. Each layer has a closable opening located on the top of the softsided layer. Hardsided closed containers containing LLHZ located in the interior of the hard container are loaded into the interior of the softsided container. Each layer of the softsided container is then closed, and the package transported and shipped to a disposal site for burial.
US09478321B2
The method for filling water into and changing the air of a main circuit of a water-cooled nuclear reactor includes a step of placing a connection and fluid isolation device which is connected to a hot leg of each cooling loop of the main circuit so as to substantially insulate, from inside the vessel, the assembly of hot legs. The method also includes a step of injecting water through an injection circuit on at least one hot leg until each cooling loop is filled with water having changed the air from a steam generator and until the water level in the vessel reaches above the side openings of the vessel that correspond to the loops, after which the connecting device is taken out of the vessel. The connecting device is capable of using telescopic connection elements.
US09478304B2
A method of operating a semiconductor memory device includes performing a first program operation to simultaneously increase threshold voltages of memory cells having different target levels to sub-levels lower than the different target levels, verifying the memory cells by using different verify voltages, respectively, performing a second program operation to divide the threshold voltages of the memory cells, and performing a third program operation to increase the threshold voltages of the memory cells to the different target levels, respectively.
US09478298B2
A method of reading data in a memory system including a non-volatile memory device, includes reading first data stored in a first block using a first read scheme capable of detecting/correcting an error in the first data, and upon determining an uncorrected error in the first data, setting the first block as a first temporary bad block and reading second data stored in the first temporary bad block using a second read scheme different from the first read scheme.
US09478297B2
A multiple-time programmable (MTP) structure is provided that can operate using a power supply with a supply voltage of 1.5 V to 5.5 V. When the supply voltage is above a first voltage, a first circuit is configured to induce a second constant voltage at a drain of a second transistor, and to induce the second constant voltage on a terminal in a third circuit. In some embodiments, the third circuit provides a third constant voltage on a gate of a third transistor. When the supply voltage is below the first voltage, a fifth circuit is configured to induce a fourth constant voltage on a terminal in the third circuit. The fourth constant voltage is substantially equal to the second constant voltage.
US09478291B2
A non-volatile memory device having a vertical structure includes a NAND string having a vertical structure. The NAND string includes a plurality of memory cells, and at least one pair of first selection transistors arranged to be adjacent to a first end of the plurality of memory cells. A plurality of word lines are coupled to the plurality of memory cells of the NAND string. A first selection line is commonly connected to the at least one pair of first selection transistors of the NAND string.
US09478283B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a memory cell (MC0) including a cell transistor (TC0) and a variable resistance element (RR0); a memory cell (MC1) including a cell transistor (TC1) and a variable resistance element (RR1); a word line (WL0) connected to the cell transistor (TC0); a word line (WL1) connected to the cell transistor (TC1); a data line (SL0) connecting the cell transistor (TC0) and the variable resistance element (RR1) to each other; and a data line (BL0) connecting the variable resistance element (RR0) and the cell transistor (TC1) to each other.
US09478276B2
Provided is a memory device with a reduced layout area. The memory device includes a sense amplifier electrically connected to first and second wirings and positioned in a first layer, and first and second circuits positioned in a second layer over the first layer. The first circuit includes a first switch being turned on and off in accordance with a potential of a third wiring, and a first capacitor electrically connected to the first wiring via the first switch. The second circuit includes a second switch being turned on and off in accordance with a potential of a fourth wiring, and a second capacitor electrically connected to the second wiring via the second switch. The first wiring intersects the third wiring and does not intersect the fourth wiring in the second layer. The second wiring intersects the fourth wiring and does not intersect the third wiring in the second layer.
US09478274B1
Methods and apparatus for computer systems having first and second memory tier having regions, physical memory having page caches that are shareable with multiple ones of the regions in the first memory tier and the regions in the second memory tier, and virtual memory having mmaps of ones of the regions in the first memory tier and ones of the regions in the second memory tier, wherein the mmaps are associated with multiple ones of the pages caches.
US09478270B2
Data paths, memories, and methods for providing data from memory are disclosed. An example read data path includes a delay path, and a clocked data register. The data path has a data propagation delay and is configured to receive data and propagate the data therethrough. The delay path is configured to receive a clock signal and provide a delayed clock signal having a delay relative to the clock signal that models the data propagation delay. The clocked data register is configured to clock in data responsive at least in part to the delayed clock signal. The clocked data register is further configured to clock out data responsive at least in part to the clock signal.
US09478269B2
A memory macro includes a plurality of segments corresponding to a plurality of tracking circuits. Each segment of the plurality of segments thereby corresponds to one tracking circuit of the plurality of tracking circuits. In response to a read operation of a memory cell of a segment, a tracking circuit corresponding to the segment is configured to generate an edge of a tracking signal based on which a first edge of a cell signal associated with the memory cell is generated.
US09478263B2
Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling repetitive accesses to a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) row are disclosed. A method for monitoring and controlling repetitive accesses to a DRAM can include dividing a bank of the DRAM into a number of logical blocks, mapping each row of the bank to one of the logical blocks, monitoring accesses to the logical blocks, and controlling accesses to the logical blocks based on the monitoring.
US09478261B1
A semiconductor memory device may include a memory cell array, a plurality of page buffers respectively connected to a plurality of bit lines of the memory cell array, and a control logic configured to control the plurality of page buffers to perform an operation on the memory cell array, wherein each of the plurality of page buffers senses a current amount, which varies according to a potential level of a corresponding bit line among the plurality of bit lines, at a sensing node to read data, and a precharge potential level at the sensing node is adjusted according to a temperature.
US09478258B2
A method of recording multiple highlights concurrently includes steps of collecting N game videos concurrently, choosing one of the game videos to execute a highlight recording treatment, inserting an in point and an out point for a highlight picture, and concurrently copying time position information of the aforementioned in point and the out point of the game video in N−1 video games to form respective highlight segment records. Thus, human and material resources involved in collecting videos at multiple viewpoints for the sport live broadcast can be largely reduced.
US09478257B2
An information processing device includes a control unit configured to store in a recording medium a piece of attribute information specified by a user input from among a plurality of sequential pieces of the attribute information in association with a predetermined time period of a content stored in the recording medium.
US09478254B2
Systems and associated methods for generating custom media products along various story arcs are described. The story arcs correspond to sub-themes for organizing media content within a larger theme, or story, into a custom media product. The media content can include stock media content, guest-specific or custom media content, which can include rendered content. Embodiments utilize authoring tools and automated workflow mechanisms to take various forms of raw media content and create customized media products for individual guests or groups of guests.
US09478253B2
A method for creating a content in an electronic device is provided. The method includes acquiring first media data acquired by at least one external electronic device, acquiring second media data on a basis of at least a part of the first media data, recognizing a feature of the second media data acquired by the at least one external electronic device, and creating the content on a basis of at least a part of the feature of the second media data.
US09478247B2
Embodiments are provided for managing playback of media content by a media playback system based on identified preference data associated with one of a plurality of user accounts interfacing with the media playback system. In one embodiment, a computing device may maintain a plurality of user accounts associated with a media playback system, and receive user data identifying which of the plurality of user accounts are currently interfacing with the media playback system. Then, the computing device may receive media data identifying a media item to be played by the media playback system, identifying for at least one of the plurality of user accounts that are currently interfacing with the media playback system, preference data associated with the media item. Based on the identified preference data, the computing device may determine that the media item is not to be played by a media playback system.
US09478246B2
An audio video display device (AVDD) can present recorded content that can be paused. During pausing, ancillary AV content is shown until such time as a play or other signal is received.
US09478244B2
A method of protecting a magnetic information storage medium is described. The method includes fabricating a film over a surface of the magnetic information storage medium. The film includes an amorphous, uniform, homogeneous solid solution of carbon, hydrogen, silicon, and oxygen. A magnetic storage medium with such a protective film is described.
US09478236B1
A main pole of a perpendicular magnetic recording write head is disclosed with a non-rectangular shape at the air bearing surface and a rectangular shape behind the air bearing surface. The main pole transitions from the non-rectangular shape to a rectangular shape at a distance of 10 nm to 100 nm behind the air bearing surface. The main pole includes leading and trailing beveled surfaces that extend from the non-rectangular shape of the pole at the air bearing surface toward the rectangular shape transition.
US09478221B2
A method is provided for concealing a lost audio frame of a received audio signal by performing a sinusoidal analysis of a part of a previously received or reconstructed audio signal. The sinusoidal analysis involves identifying frequencies of sinusoidal components of the audio signal, and applying a sinusoidal model on a segment of the previously received or reconstructed audio signal. The segment is used as a prototype frame in order to create a substitution frame for a lost audio frame. The method includes creating the substitution frame for the lost audio frame by time-evolving sinusoidal components of the prototype frame, up to the time instance of the lost audio frame, in response to the corresponding identified frequencies. The method further includes performing at least one of an enhanced frequency estimation and an adaptation of the creating of the substitution frame in response to the tonality of the audio signal.
US09478215B2
Architecture for playing back personal text-based messages such as email and voicemail over a vehicle-based media system. The user can use a cell phone that registers over a cellular network to an IMS (IP multimedia subsystem) to obtain an associated IP address. The personal messages are then converted into audio signals using a remote text-to-voice (TTV) converter and transmitted to the phone based on the IP address. The phone then transmits the audio signals to the vehicle media system for playback using an unlicensed wireless technology (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc.). Other alternative embodiments include transmitting converted message directly to the media system, via a satellite channel, converting the messages via a TTV converter on the cell phone, and streaming the converted messages to the phone and/or the media system for playback.
US09478207B1
A reversing configuration control for string instruments connects to a pair of pickup coils located on a string instrument for selectively electrically configuring and blending the outputs of the pickup coils. The reversing configuration control includes a pair of potentiometers mechanically coupled for concurrent mechanical travel of the respective displaceable contacts thereof. The pair of potentiometers are operatively coupled to the pair of pickup coils and a pair of output terminals to vary the electrical configuration of the pair of pickup coils between (a) the pair of pickup coils being coupled with like polarity in one of series or parallel with respect to the output terminals, or (b) effectively coupling only one of the pair of pickup coils to the output terminals, or (c) the pair of pickup coils being coupled with opposing polarity in one of series or parallel with respect to the output terminals.
US09478203B2
A resonance tone generation apparatus 20 is applied to an electronic musical instrument DM having a tone generator for generating a musical tone signal indicative of a piano sound in accordance with a tone generation instruction signal having a key number n, and a plurality of output portions for externally outputting a musical tone signal. The resonance tone generation apparatus 20 has a plurality of resonance tone generation circuits 30(n) each of which is assigned a different key number n, retrieves a musical tone signal indicative of a musical sound of the piano, generates a musical tone signal indicative of a resonance tone imitating a tone of a string of the piano resonated by the musical sound of the piano indicated by the retrieved musical tone signal, and supplies the generated musical tone signal to the plurality of output portions. Each of the resonance tone generation circuits 30(n) has a resonance circuit 40(n) which has a plurality of resonance frequencies corresponding to the assigned key number n, and generates a musical tone signal indicative of the resonance tone imitating the tone of the string of the piano resonated by the musical sound of the piano indicated by the retrieved musical tone signal, and a panning setting circuit 50(n) which generates a plurality of musical tone signals which are to be supplied to the plurality of output portions, respectively, and each of which indicates a different resonance tone in which a tone volume of the resonance tone indicated by the musical tone signal generated by the resonance circuit 40(n) is changed in accordance with the assigned key number, and supplies the generated musical tone signals to the plurality of output portions, respectively.
US09478201B1
Music recognition is carried out by accepting a musical score of musical elements in a digital format, transforming the digital format into a composite musical data object that models the musical score, defining the key signatures in the composite musical data object probabilistically, computing start times to play musical elements in respective measures of the composite musical data object without regard to rhythmic values of other musical elements in the respective measures, and generating an output including the defined key signatures and computed start times.
US09478197B2
An organic light emitting display and a method for driving the same are disclosed. The organic light emitting display includes a display panel, a data driver supplying a data signal to the display panel, a memory which is positioned inside or outside the data driver and includes at least two banks, and a sensing circuit unit which measures a threshold voltage of at least one driving transistor included in the display panel and provides compensation data. The data driver separately writes and reads previous compensation data and new compensation data provided by the sensing circuit unit in the at least two banks of the memory.
US09478192B2
The present invention discloses an image processing method includes steps of measuring stimulus value matrixes of trichromatic grays of a displaying image; calculating a stimulus value matrix of each pixel gray of the displaying image from the measured stimulus value matrixes; transforming the stimulus value matrixes of each pixel gray to coordinate values of each pixel in a color space; calculating a chromatic aberration between two adjacent pixels of each row and each column in the color space; selecting a pixel area and calculating a chromatic aberration value of the pixels in the selected pixel area and a chromatic aberration value between pixels of a periphery of the selected pixel area and the adjacent pixels out of the selected pixel area; executing an image process to the selected pixel area if a difference between these two chromatic aberration values and a preset chromatic aberration threshold value meets a predetermined rule.
US09478169B2
A pixel, a display device having the same, and a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate for the display device are disclosed. In one aspect, the pixel includes an emitter configured to emit light based at least in part on a driving current. The pixel also includes a driving transistor including an active layer, a first electrode electrically connected to a first end portion of the active layer, a second electrode electrically connected to a second end portion of the active layer, a first gate electrode configured to receive a data voltage from a data driver so as to form a channel in the active layer, and a second gate electrode configured to receive a bias voltage from a voltage source, wherein the channel is configured to adjust the driving current.
US09478162B2
A display device having safety functions may include: a display panel having unit pixel regions formed by intersecting a plurality of data lines with a plurality of gate lines; a first driving channel including a first data driving unit connected to one sides of the data lines and a first gate driving unit connected to one sides of the gate lines; and a second driving channel including a second data driving unit connected to the other sides of the data lines and a second gate driving unit connected to the other sides of the gate lines; wherein the display panel is driven by one of the first driving channel and the second driving channel.
US09478161B2
An image display system includes a camera part and an image display part. The image display part includes a user analyzer, a gamma corrector, a gamma voltage generator, and a display panel. The camera part takes a picture of a user and generates a user image signal. The user analyzer calculates the user's viewing direction based on the user image signal. The gamma corrector generates a correction gamma value based on the viewing direction. The gamma voltage generator generates a gamma voltage based on the correction gamma value, and the display panel displays an image corresponding to the gamma voltage. Accordingly, the image display system provides the image having an optimized gamma curve to the user in real time even without a separate input from the user.
US09478158B2
A display apparatus including a display section including an array of pixels in a two-dimensional matrix, wherein each of the pixels of the display section includes a pair of a subpixel displaying a first primary color, and a subpixel displaying a second primary color being different from the first primary color.
US09478153B1
An animation device for producing animation of interlaced coded images with inner and outer sleeves retained for concentric rotation, a plurality of coded images retained by one sleeve, and a plurality of spaced shutter elements and interposed viewing elements retained by the other sleeve. The inner and outer sleeves are retained by a base structure with one sleeve rotatable in relation to the base structure and the other sleeve fixed against rotation relative to the base structure. A light source can be disposed within the inner sleeve, and a motor can rotate a platform that retains the rotatable sleeve. The fixed sleeve can be encased and fixed in position by a frusto-conical sleeve forming a fixation member. The inner and outer sleeves can be precisely formed by alignment of registration apertures on a peg board with registration pegs.
US09478150B1
A method includes, for each of two or more driving sessions in which a student driver operates a vehicle, gathering driving skill data indicative of at least one of behavior of the student driver, acceleration of the vehicle, braking of the vehicle, or steering of the vehicle, and generating a driving session report. The method further includes causing the driving session reports corresponding to the two or more driving sessions to be displayed to a driving instructor, and receiving comments from the driving instructor about the two or more driving sessions of the student driver. Still further, the method includes storing the driving session reports corresponding to the two or more driving sessions along with the received comments from the driving instructor.
US09478146B2
A method and system for assessing a student's reading ability is disclosed. An image-capturing device detects, from a worksheet comprising a position-identifying pattern, a first mark in a first region of the worksheet. The first mark is in a first indicator portion of the position-identifying pattern contained within a first indicator region that is associated with a first word. The image-capturing device detects a first note in a note region of the worksheet. Based on whether the first mark, the first note, or both indicates that the first word was read incorrectly or correctly, a processor determines a first reading assessment result for the first word and stores, in a memory, a digital document file comprising the first reading assessment result.
US09478144B2
A method of capturing student performance can be provided that includes enabling a course creator to generate assessment data related to learning assessments for an online course and to generate learning outcomes for the online course, associating the assessment data with the learning outcomes, such that at least some of the learning assessments correspond to at least some of the learning outcomes, and generating an online classroom. The method may further include providing the learning assessments to students enrolled in the online course using the online classroom, wherein the students can generate completed learning assessments, and determining, for each of the completed learning assessments, whether one or more of the learning outcomes were met by each of the students.
US09478141B2
A method and apparatus for identifying and analyzing an aircraft landing site during flight is provided. The method includes the steps of using image capture means such as an infrared camera to capture in-flight images of the ground in the region of a possible landing site, using a database of computer modelled images of possible aircraft landing sites mapped to a global co-ordinate reference frame to compare the in-flight images with a modelled image of the possible landing site and optimizing correspondence between the two images to obtain an in-flight image optimally mapped to the global co-ordinate reference frame. Thereafter, the landing site which corresponds to the optimally mapped in-flight image is analyzed to ascertain the presence of any obstructions such as life forms, vehicles or newly erected buildings thereon.
US09478138B2
A method is disclosed for warning in case of wrong-way travel of a vehicle on a directional carriageway by means of an on-board unit carried by the vehicle, said on-board unit determining its position and direction of movement in a satellite-assisted manner, comparing the latter with a target direction of movement stored in a digital road map for this position and outputting a warning message when detecting a wrong-way travel, comprising: for a temporary change in course of a section of the directional carriageway, providing a radio beacon arranged upstream to said section and having a local radio coverage range; when the on-board unit enters the radio coverage range of the radio beacon, receiving a message sent by the radio beacon concerning the change in course in a transceiver of the on-board unit; and detecting the wrong-way travel depending on the received message.
US09478133B2
A navigation arrangement for a motor vehicle includes a first motor vehicle having a navigation system for ascertaining a suggested route for the first motor vehicle and at least one second motor vehicle having a navigation system for ascertaining a suggested route for the second motor vehicle, and an Internet connection being provided between the first motor vehicle and the second motor vehicle for transmitting information concerning the navigation system of the first motor vehicle from the first motor vehicle to the second motor vehicle.
US09478132B1
Described herein is a vehicle system configured to identify and mitigate a risk associated with one or more hazards that may impact a vehicle. The vehicle system may include a service provider computer configured to maintain information related to one or more hazards. In some embodiments, a hazard may be identified based at least in part on its being located within the vicinity of a vehicle. In some embodiments, the service provider computer may generate a mitigation strategy to reduce or eliminate the risk posed by the identified hazard. The mitigation strategy may include one or more actions to be taken by a processor device within the vehicle. Upon being provided with a mitigation strategy, the processor device may execute one or more of the actions in the mitigation strategy without human interaction.
US09478131B2
Approaches for prioritizing multiple candidates for preemption of a traffic signal phase at an intersection are disclosed. Light signals transmitted from light-signaling vehicles approaching an intersection encode priority codes using a first set of values. Radio signals from radio-signaling vehicles approaching the intersection encode priority codes using a second set of values. A set of preemption candidates is determined from the light and radio signals, as well as from network-based requests, and a respective relative priority of each preemption candidate based on the priority code of each preemption candidate is determined. A request output for preemption of the traffic signal phase for a preemption candidate having a highest priority.
US09478110B2
A programmable security system and method for protecting an item of merchandise includes a programming station, a programmable key and a security system. The programming station generates a security code and communicates the security code to a memory of the programmable key. The programmable key initially communicates the security code to a memory of the security device and subsequently operates the security device upon a matching of the security code in the memory of the security device with the security code in the memory of the programmable key. The programmable key may also transfer power via electrical contacts or inductive transfer from an internal battery to the security device to operate a lock mechanism. The security code may be communicated by wireless infrared (IR) systems, electrical contacts or inductive transfer. A timer inactivates the programmable key and/or the security device after a predetermine period of time. A counter inactivates the programmable key after a predetermined maximum number of activations.
US09478106B2
A method and apparatus for playing a casino wagering game using a processor to determine random event outcomes by: the processor recognizing selection of individual player selections of individual sub-outcomes collectively forming a total player selection set; the processor providing a total selection outcome of a final set of symbols randomly selected by the processor from a total symbol set of individual outcomes; the individual total player selection set totaling fewer symbols than the total symbol set of individual outcomes; a player input system enabling player wagers to be selected from among multiple total selection outcomes to be selected by the processor from among multiple available sets of total selection outcomes; the processor providing differing paytables dependent upon numbers of symbols provided by the processor with respect to each total selection outcome provided by the processor from among the multiple available sets of total outcome selections.
US09478104B2
A system that includes a first input/output (I/O) device configured to generate a code based at least in part on a unique machine identifier of the first I/O device, and a second I/O device communicatively coupled to the first I/O device via a network. The second I/O device is configured to read the code from a tangible medium, parse the code to determine the machine identifier, transmit a validation request directly to the first I/O device via the network, and receive a response message directly from the first I/O device, wherein the response message indicates a number of credits available to a user at the second I/O device.
US09478102B2
A method for playing a wagering game includes receiving wager inputs from a player for a wagering game. A randomly-selected outcome is selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving the wager inputs. The selecting of the randomly-selected outcome is determined in accordance with a gaming math feature. A data set representing a game-play characteristic is stored before discontinuing game-play in a gaming session. In response to the player continuing the wagering game in a subsequent gaming session, the data set is accessed. The gaming math feature for the wagering game in the subsequent gaming session is altered based on the game-play characteristic.
US09478101B2
A wagering game system and its operations include detecting, via a first web widget presented via a casino website, identifying information for a casino user account. The casino user account is hosted by a casino server. The first web widget is hosted by a second server separate from the casino server. The operations can further include determining, by at least one of one or more processors, a relationship between the casino user account and a second user account associated with the second server. The determining the relationship can be in response to detecting the identifying information. The operations can further include associating, by at least one of the one or more processors, the casino user account and the second user account in response to determining the relationship.
US09478097B2
A gaming machine that includes a cabinet, a peripheral device coupled to the cabinet, a curved video display, and a processor is provided. The curved video display includes a cutout, wherein a perimeter of the cutout surrounds the peripheral device, and wherein the processor is programmed to display, on the curved video display, a graphic adjacent to and associated with the peripheral device.
US09478093B2
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a dispenser configured for storing one or more items and dispensing the stored items to authorized users. According to various embodiments, the dispenser generally includes a housing defining an interior portion dimensioned to receive one or more items and a laterally sliding access door comprised of a flexible barrier configured to provide restricted access to items stored within the dispenser. In various embodiments, the dispenser also includes a biasing system configured bias the access door to a closed position.
US09478090B2
An image sensor unit includes: a plurality of light sources each including an LED chip; a plurality of light guides that are arranged in parallel to face incident surfaces on one side in a longitudinal direction for each of the plurality of light sources and that guide light from the plurality of light sources to a bill; an image sensor that converts light from the bill to an electric signal; a sensor substrate for mounting the image sensor; and a circuit board that is provided with the plurality of light sources on a same mounting surface and that is arranged on the sensor substrate on one side in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of light guides, wherein the sensor substrate includes a connection hole on one side in the longitudinal direction of the sensor substrate, and the circuit board is connected to the sensor substrate by connecting a connecting portion including a plurality of external connection pads to the connection hole.
US09478088B2
Provided is a smart key system using movement pattern recognition of a mobile terminal includes a mobile terminal configured to continuously transmit position information generated when a position is moved according to manipulation of a user, and a control module configured to acquire a movement pattern of the mobile terminal using the position information received from the mobile terminal and unlock a door of a vehicle when the acquired movement pattern is matched with a previously stored preset pattern.
US09478079B2
A method is provided for monitoring at least one sensor of a vehicle, which has means for wireless communication, wherein measured values of the at least one sensor are compared to measured values of at least one comparison vehicle with the aid of the means for wireless communication.
US09478068B2
An example system causes a computer to function as: a display reference information updating unit which updates at least any of a position and a posture of a virtual object in a virtual space based on information obtained from a real space; an image generating unit which generates an image of a virtual space including the virtual object; a display control unit which causes a display device to display an image so that the image of the virtual space is superimposed on the real space so as to be viewed by a user; and an update interrupting unit which interrupts an update of at least any of a position and a posture of the virtual object in the virtual space when predetermined conditions are met.
US09478066B2
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for adjusting vertex positions. One or more viewport dimensions are received and a snap spacing is determined based on the one or more viewport dimensions. The vertex positions are adjusted to a grid according to the snap spacing. The precision of the vertex adjustment may increase as at least one dimension of the viewport decreases. The precision of the vertex adjustment may decrease as at least one dimension of the viewport increases.
US09478065B2
A method for generating three-dimensional graphics includes generating a virtual environment in a server including a first object, second object and a direct illumination source. The method includes generating a virtual point light (VPL) in the virtual environment at an intersection between a ray from the direct illumination source and the first object, and sending data corresponding to the VPL to a client computing device through a data network. The method includes generating an illumination of the second object in the virtual environment with the VPL received from the server, and displaying the illuminated second object.
US09478059B2
In an embodiment, a computerized method comprises receiving a meta-language file comprising a conversion of a script file in a natural language format, the script file including a plurality of natural language statements; interpreting, by a first computing device, the meta-language file to execute at least a first portion of the meta-language file; dynamically generating and displaying, on the first computing device, one or more visually animated graphical elements in accordance with the execution of at least the first portion of the meta-language file.
US09478047B2
Provided are a medical imaging apparatus and a method of reconstructing an image capable of selecting an image reconstruction mode. The method of reconstructing an image using a medical imaging apparatus may include displaying a user interface indicating at least one of a first mode for reducing time required for reconstruction of the image and a second mode for acquiring the image with high resolution, receiving an input selecting one of the first mode and the second mode as a selected mode, displaying at least one reconstruction option corresponding to the selected mode, receiving another input selecting at least one reconstruction option among the at least one displayed reconstruction option, and reconstructing the image according to the at least one selected reconstruction option and selected mode.
US09478045B1
This disclosure is directed at least in part to sensing movement of an electronic display and canceling perceived movement of content on the electronic display in response to the sensing. A display manager may reassign “physical pixels” to “image pixels” (or virtual pixels) such that the image appears to be stationary while the physical pixels are moving due to movement of the electronic display. For example, if the physical pixels are moving upward, the image pixels may be reassigned downward in an equal and opposite manner. The user's persistence of vision may then be reinforced by reassignment of the pixels by the display manager. For example, text displayed on the electronic display may be more readable and images more easily viewed by a user.
US09478039B1
The present invention relates to an image background modeling and foreground extraction method based on a depth image, characterized by comprising: step 1: acquiring a depth image representing a distance from objects to a camera; step 2: initiating a real-time depth background model; step 3: updating the real-time depth background model; step 4: acquiring a current depth image representing the distance from the objects to the camera; step 5: extracting a foreground image of the current depth image based on the real-time depth background model; step 6: outputting the foreground image and generating a real-time target masking image; and step 7: updating the real-time depth background model, where code block information of each pixel point in the real-time depth background model is updated according to the real-time target masking image. The present invention has stability, high efficiency, and superiority in processing positional relationships that cannot be matched by a well-known modeling method using a color image, and does not require initially modeling a scene, thereby simplifying implementation steps and greatly improving the whole performance.
US09478037B2
Techniques to provide efficient stereo block matching may include receiving an object from a scene. Pixels in the scene may be identified based on the object. Stereo block matching may be performed for only the identified pixels in order to generate a depth map. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09478031B2
A system and method is provided for identifying error and rescaling and constructing or reconstructing a multi-dimensional (e.g., 3D) building model using street-level imagery. Street-level imagery is used to identify architectural elements that have known architectural standard dimensions. Dimensional measurements of architectural elements in the multi-dimensional building model (poorly scaled) are compared with known architectural standard dimensions to rescale and construct/reconstruct an accurate multi-dimensional building model.
US09478028B2
Systems and methods for image registration includes an image feature detection module (116) configured to identify internal landmarks of a first image (110). An image registration and transformation module (118) is configured to compute a registration transformation, using a processor, to register a second image (112) with the first image based on surface landmarks to result in a registered image. A landmark identification module (120) is configured to overlay the internal landmarks onto the second image using the registration transformation, encompass each of the overlaid landmarks within a virtual object to identify corresponding landmark pairs in the registered image, and register the second image with the first image using the registered image with the identified landmarks.
US09478027B2
A method is disclosed for evaluating an examination of an examination object using a medical imaging device by way of an evaluation unit. The method includes reading in an examination data set of the examination object; assigning a reference data set to the read-in examination data set, the reference data set comprising at least one reference region; selecting at least one reference region; assigning at least one examination region of the examination data set to the at least one reference region; and marking the at least one examination region in at least one image of the examination data set. In an advantageous embodiment, the marking of the at least one examination region includes a marking tolerance and a segmentation of the at least one examination region on at least one image of the examination data set, and the segmentation depends on the medical imaging device.
US09478024B2
Described herein is an approach for analyzing perfusion characteristics of heterogeneous tissues in 4D data set (i.e., a time series of contrast enhanced 3D volumes) in which spatially entangled tissue components are separated into individual tissue components and perfusion maps for the individual tissue components are generated and visually presented. In one instance, the approach includes obtaining the 4D data set in electronic format, generating a different time activity curve point for each of the different tissue components for each voxel being evaluated for each time frame being evaluated, and generating a signal indicative of a different parameter map for each of the different tissue components based at least on the time activity curves. Optionally, relations between parameters of the different components are determined and presented in relation maps.
US09478010B2
A method, device, system, and article of manufacture are provided for generating an enhanced image of a predetermined scene from images. In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving, by a computing device, a first indication associated with continuous image capture of a predetermined scene being enabled; in response to the continuous image capture being enabled, receiving, by the computing device, from an image sensor, a reference image and a first image, wherein each of the reference image and the first image is of the predetermined scene and has a first resolution; determining an estimated second resolution of an enhanced image of the predetermined scene using the reference image and the first image; and in response to the continuous image capture being disabled, determining the enhanced image using the reference image and the first image, wherein the enhanced image has a second resolution that is at least the first resolution and about the estimated second resolution.
US09478009B2
The disclosure describes a technique for medical imaging, referred to herein as the Rapid Interleave Overlap Technique (RIOT), wherein image data is acquired as a plurality of series sequences in a manner that allows for unlimited overlap. RIOT involves interleaving and overlapping 2D image slices of multiple series of image data of the same ROI into a composite data set from which MPR and 3D reconstructions exhibiting excellent resolution properties and crisp image quality can be generated.
US09478005B2
A method of processing 2D graphics comprising generating a perspective projection of a 2D graphics by scaling the 2D graphics with a variable ratio, wherein scaling the 2D graphics with the variable ratio comprises interpolating the graphics with a filter, such that a point xp in the perspective projection is generated from a point x0 in the 2D graphics with a following equation x0=1/R(j)*xp+Ph(j), wherein j represents a line index of the point x0, 1/R(j) represents a scaling factor of a length in the 2D graphics versus a length in the perspective projection, and Ph(j) represents a phase shift.
US09477996B2
A computer system for processing a viewport within an image arranged as a matrix of tiles from a container file is disclosed herein. The computer system includes one or more processors configured to: (a) receive a request to read data of the viewport starting from a point of origin of the viewport, the viewport having a pixel width and a pixel height, the viewport being a portion of an image that is stored in a record within the file container; (b) compute column numbers or row numbers, or both, of the tiles containing the viewport; and (c) read in parallel or asynchronously each row or each column of tiles containing the viewport.
US09477992B2
Methods and systems of managing settings are described. According to various embodiments, a settings page corresponding to a user's settings on an online service may be caused to be displayed on a device. The settings page may comprise selectable category setting options for a setting category. The setting category may have a plurality of subcategories, and each subcategory may have its own selectable subcategory setting options. Each one of the category setting options may correspond to its own distinct configuration of subcategory setting options for its subcategories. A user input indicating a selection of one of the category setting options for the setting category may be received. The configuration of subcategory setting options corresponding to the selected one of the category setting options for the setting category may be applied to the user's settings on the online service.
US09477983B2
A graphical user interface (GUI) of an application is provided to a user. A user input indicating a request for a demonstration of an online transportation ordering process is received via the GUI. In response to the user input, the demonstration is presented to the user using the GUI. The demonstration includes obtaining the geographic location of the user, displaying the geographic location of the user on a map, and displaying a simulated movement of a transportation entity toward the geographic location of the user on the map. An additional GUI of the application may also be provided to the user. The additional GUI includes a map that indicates the location of the user and one or more transportation entities in the vicinity of the user. The application may accept user input selecting one of the transportation entities and the application may transmit a request for transportation to a server.
US09477982B2
A system includes N location indicators and a mobile scanning device. The N location indicators are configured to be arranged throughout a store that includes a plurality of stocked items for picking according to one or more electronic customer orders. Each of the N location indicators is configured to transmit a different location signal. The mobile scanning device includes a display. The mobile scanning device is configured to wirelessly receive an electronic customer order comprising a plurality of ordered items indicating which of the stocked items are to be picked, detect at least one of the N location signals, and arrange at least some of the plurality of ordered items on the display based on which of the at least one of the N location signals is detected.
US09477977B2
A system and method for providing a personalized shopping experience with a portable computing device (“PCD”) are described. The system and method may include checking-in PCD consumers upon entering an establishment of a merchant. The checking-in of the PCD consumer may include verifying credentials for gaining access to a central mobile payment controller and receiving a merchant identifier corresponding to a merchant from a computer communication's network. Next, a scan of a machine-readable code associated with at least one of a good and a service may be received. Information associated with the machine-readable code may be retrieved from a database. Subsequently, a personalized price for the at least one good or service may be determined by applying one or more rules. The personalized price may be transmitted over a computer communications network to the portable computing device for display to the PCD consumer.
US09477975B2
A multi-tenant media processing platform system and method. At least a first media analysis service of a plurality of media analysis services is activated for at least a portion of an active communication session of an entity in the platform system. The first activated media analysis service performs a first media analysis on media of the active communication session that is collected by the platform system. The first activated media analysis service performs the first media analysis on the collected media while the communication session is active to generate a first media analysis result. During the active communication session, at least one media analysis result is applied.
US09477972B2
A system for providing advertisement information is disclosed. The system includes a display device, at least one near field communication (NFC) antenna and a control for controlling the display device for displaying advertisement contents and NFC antenna for providing data related to the advertisement contents displayed on the display device. The system may include as advertisement management server to supply the advertisement contents and data related to the advertisement contents.
US09477967B2
In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to represent offer rules based on requirements for the detection of predefined types of events and actions scheduled to be performed in response to the detection of each occurrence of the events. The events are independent from each other in processing and are linked via prerequisite conditions and/or ineligibility conditions to formulate the requirements of an offer campaign. In one embodiment, the ineligibility of a user, participating in the offer campaign, to meet the requirements of a first event leads to the monitoring of a second event that has a prerequisite condition formulated based on the ineligibility of the user to meet the requirements of the first event; and the second event provides an alternative path within the offer campaign when the user cannot meet the requirements of the first event.
US09477957B2
Systems and methods are provided for transferring value from a voucher to a payment account associated with a consumer. One exemplary method includes receiving, at a computing device, a load request to transfer value from a voucher to a payment account associated with a consumer. The load request includes a selection, at the computing device, of a provider associated with the voucher, from multiple different available voucher providers. A transaction request is then communicated, by the computing device, to transfer the value from the voucher to the payment account. The transaction request includes an identification number for the voucher and an account number for the payment account. When a transfer authorization is received at the computing device in response to the transaction request, a confirmation is generated, by the computing device, indicating that the value from the voucher has been transferred to the payment account.
US09477952B2
An improved method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for processing a check in an automatic teller machine in a data processing system. A check is received from a user at the automatic teller machine. The check is scanned to generate an image. A transaction is performed involving the check. The image is transmitted to a mobile device associated with the user, wherein the image is in a format for use with a financial program.
US09477939B2
A modular self-care health monitoring system which employs a compact microprocessor-based unit such as a video game system of the type that includes switches for controlling device operation and a program cartridge. In accordance with the invention, the program cartridge adapts the microprocessor-based unit for operation with a glucose monitor (or, another type of health monitor). The microprocessor-based unit processes data supplied by the glucose monitor to supply signals for displaying relevant information on a display unit that may be included in the microprocessor-based unit or may be a separate unit such as a television or video display monitor. The system provides for transmission of signals to a remote clearinghouse or a healthcare facility via telephone lines or other transmission media. The clearinghouse includes signal processing capability for transmission of reports to a remotely located healthcare professional via facsimile transmission.
US09477938B1
In some examples, an autonomous mobile reading device is provided. The autonomous mobile reading device may include an autonomous movement device and a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader. The RFID reader may be configured to read, via one or more antennas, RFID tags associated with inventory items. The one or more antennas may be included as part of the autonomous mobile reading device, within an inventory holder, or in some other structure or device.
US09477926B2
Methods and apparatus for piecewise linear neuron modeling and implementing artificial neurons in an artificial nervous system based on linearized neuron models. One example method for operating an artificial neuron generally includes determining that a first state of the artificial neuron is within a first region; determining a second state of the artificial neuron based at least in part on a first set of linear equations, wherein the first set of linear equations is based at least in part on a first set of parameters corresponding to the first region; determining that the second state of the artificial neuron is within a second region; and determining a third state of the artificial neuron based at least in part on a second set of linear equations, wherein the second set of linear equations is based at least in part on a second set of parameters corresponding to the second region.
US09477919B2
The present invention is an apparatus and method for generating a barcode with a human readable interpretation (HRI). The method includes receiving a data set comprising an application identifier and a data portion. The data set further includes a first special character before the application identifier and a second special character after the application identifier and before the data portion. The application identifier and data in the data portion have a one to one correspondence with an HRI. The method further includes generating a barcode encoding data set based on the data set, including stripping the first special character and the second special character from the data set; generating an HRI data set based on the data set; and generating the barcode with the HRI based on the barcode encoding data set and the HRI data set.
US09477918B2
A casino chip according to one embodiment includes an RFID circuit on or within a substrate; and an antenna coupled to the RFID circuit; wherein the casino chip is configured such that a signal associated with the casino chip is capable of being read by at least one RF reader. An RFID system according to one embodiment includes at least one RF reader; and a plurality of casino chips. Each of the plurality of casino chips includes an RFID circuit on or within a substrate; and an antenna coupled to the RFID circuit. Each of the plurality of casino chips are configured such that a signal associated with each of the casino chips is capable of being read by the at least one RF reader.
US09477917B1
An electronic device. The device comprises a rewritable radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag to store an identification number and to transmit the identification number via a radio transmitter, an RFID writer, configured to write an identification number into the RFID tag based on selection by a controller, and a memory storing identification selection rules and a list of identities of RFID interrogators. The device further comprises a controller, configured to read the identity of the RFID interrogator from the RFID reader, analyze the identification selection rules and the list of identities of the RFID interrogators in the memory, select an identification number for the RFID tag based on the list of identities of the RFID interrogators, the identification selection rules stored in the memory, and the identity of the RFID interrogator, and command the RFID writer to write the selected identification number into the RFID tag.
US09477914B2
An image processing apparatus including a memory includes a first conversion method configured to perform conversion processing for converting an image represented by span information in page line sequence into span information in tile sequence, using the memory; a second conversion unit configured to perform conversion processing for converting an image represented by pixel information in page line sequence into pixel information in tile sequence, using the memory; and a control unit configured to control a conversion unit employing a less usage amount of the memory used in a case that a process target image is converted into tiles, of the first conversion unit and the second conversion unit, to perform the conversion processing on the process target image.
US09477913B2
Disclosed is a method and system of differential processing a print job including one or more original documents to render an obfuscated version of the print job. According to an exemplary method, the differential process replaces letters of an original document with randomly selected characters of substantially the same size and location as the original document and objects such as images/graphics are replaced with blurred versions of substantially the same size and locations as the objects in the original document. The differential process creates an obfuscated version of the print job which is illegible and useful for further processing where privacy of documents included in the print job is required.
US09477901B2
An approach to detecting objects in an image dataset may combine texture/color detection, shape/contour detection, and/or motion detection using sparse, generative, hierarchical models with lateral and top-down connections. A first independent representation of objects in an image dataset may be produced using a color/texture detection algorithm. A second independent representation of objects in the image dataset may be produced using a shape/contour detection algorithm. A third independent representation of objects in the image dataset may be produced using a motion detection algorithm. The first, second, and third independent representations may then be combined into a single coherent output using a combinatorial algorithm.
US09477898B2
Methods for correcting distortions in an image including text, or an image of a page that includes text, are disclosed. The methods include identifying reliable and substantially straight lines from elements in the image. Vanishing points are determined from the lines. Parameters associated with a rectangle are determined. A coordinate conversion is performed.
US09477894B1
An overhead clearance system for a vehicle is configured to receive signals from wireless transceivers attached to objects that are towed or carried by the vehicle and extend above a top of the vehicle. A controller is programmed to receive the signals from the wireless transceivers and transmit a request to a remote device to send height data associated with the object and the vehicle. The controller outputs an alert when combined object and vehicle heights exceed a sensed vertical clearance.
US09477890B2
Techniques for object detection are provided that employ limited learned attribute ranges. One or more objects are initially detected for a full range of one or more attributes at each location of an image. Thereafter, a set of positional constraints are generated indicating an expected range of values for each position in the image for one or more of the attributes based on the detected objects employing a geometric model of a scene in the image. Objects are then detected in the image using the expected range of values for each position in the image for the one or more the attributes. The attributes comprise, for example, one or more of size, pose and rotation of the objects. A best fit is computed to the geometric model to generate the set of positional constraints, for example, using a least squares approach.
US09477876B2
According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes input unit, detecting unit, extraction unit, storage, selection unit, determination unit, output unit, and setting unit. The selection unit selects operation or setting modes. In operation mode, it is determined whether captured person is preregistered person. In setting mode, threshold for the determination is set. The determination unit determines, as registered person and when operation mode is selected, person with degree of similarity between extracted facial feature information and stored facial feature information of greater than or equal to threshold. The setting unit sets, when setting mode is selected, threshold based on first and second degrees of similarity. First degree of similarity is degree of similarity between facial feature information of the registered person and the stored facial feature information. Second degree of similarity is degree of similarity between facial feature information of person other than registered person and stored facial feature information.
US09477863B2
Systems and methods to determine motion parameters of physical objects using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags attached to the objects. In one embodiment, a method implemented in a radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes determining a motion parameter of the RFID tag based on detecting a Doppler frequency shift in a radio frequency signal received from the RFID tag.
US09477860B2
A communication device including an image capturing device having a RF-ID unit for performing proximity wireless communication with a RF-ID reader/writer connected via an infrared communication path to a TV. The image capturing device includes: an antenna for the proximity wireless communication; a data receiving unit receiving an input signal from the RF-ID reader/writer; a nonvolatile second memory storing at least UID and an execution program; and a data transmission unit transmitting the UID and the execution program to the RF-ID reader/writer via the antenna according to the input signal. The UID is used to identify the communication device, and the execution program is executed by the TV with reference to the UID. The transmitted UID and execution program are transferred to the TV via the RF-ID reader/writer.
US09477856B2
A system for reading code symbols includes a camera, a user interface system, and a processor communicatively coupled to the camera and the user interface system. The user interface system includes a visual display. The processor is configured for (i) capturing an image including a code symbol, (ii) displaying the image on the visual display, (iii) determining whether the code symbol in the image is readable by the processor, and (iv) displaying on the visual display a positive indicator overlaying the code symbol in the image when the processor determines that the code symbol in the image is readable by the processor. The processor is further configured for reading the code symbol in the image in response to a selection input received from the user interface system.
US09477849B2
Systems, apparatus, methods and computer-readable storage media facilitating management of social media (SM) information are provided. In some embodiments, a method can include: executing a batch linking application; and batch linking one or more social network (SN) contacts to one or more contacts stored on or accessible by the communication device, wherein the batch linking comprises obtaining the one or more SN contacts at the communication device, wherein the one or more SN contacts are selected for the batch linking based, at least, on a correspondence to the one or more contacts, and wherein the batch linking is performed by the communication device.
US09477848B2
A computing device equipped with UEFI-compliant firmware is provided with added functionality via an extended firmware interface. The variable interface is called with special parameters, which redirect handling of firmware service calls. Embodiments use authenticated variables to provide security properties to the special interface, use the firmware interface to provide access to diagnostics, and use the firmware interface to provide access to system management.
US09477841B2
Systems (100) and methods for network node security configuration. The methods involve: performing operations by a mobile communication device (104) to obtain a unique identifier from a network node (108) to be installed at a customer facility (102) via a first short range communication link (110); communicating a signal comprising the unique identifier from the mobile communication device to a remote server (118) via a first long range communication link (112); verifying by the remote server that a correct type of network node is being installed at a first location within the customer facility according to a respective work order; and communicating security information, useful for configuring security functions of the network node, from the remote server to the network node via the mobile communication device, without presenting the security information to a user of the mobile communication device or storing the security information in the mobile communication device.
US09477826B2
Devices, systems, and methods of detecting user identity, differentiating between users of a computerized service, and detecting a possible attacker. The methods include monitoring of user-side input-unit interactions, in general and in response to an interference introduced to user-interface elements. The monitored interactions are used for detecting an attacker that utilizes a remote access channel; for detecting a malicious automatic script, as well as malicious code injection; to identify a particular hardware assembly; to perform user segmentation or user characterization; to enable a visual login process with implicit two-factor authentication; to enable stochastic cryptography; and to detect that multiple users are utilizing the same subscription account.
US09477822B1
A password for accessing an online service is secured by receiving keystroke information of the password at a kernel level. The password is encrypted prior to inputting the encrypted password to an application program at an application level. The encrypted password is transmitted from the kernel level to the application level over an out-of-band-channel. The encrypted password is forwarded to a server computer associated with the online service. The server computer decrypts the encrypted password back to the password to determine if the client computer is authorized to access the online service.
US09477819B2
A method of authorizing use of a computer program only able to be used when an authorized message is received from an authorizing system includes providing an authorization system, making a request to use a computer program, signalling the request to the authorization system, the authorization system recording the use of the computer program and providing the authorization message to the computer program upon receipt of the authorization message the computer program may be used.
US09477812B2
A method and system for cancelling body movement effect for non-contact vital sign detection is described. The method begins with sending on a first electromagnetic wave transceiver a first electromagnetic signal with a first frequency to a first side of a body, such as a person or animal. Simultaneously using a second electromagnetic wave transceiver a second electromagnetic signal is sent with a second frequency to a second side of a body, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are different frequencies. A first reflected electromagnetic signal reflected back in response to the first electromagnetic wave on the first transceiver is received and a first baseband complex signal is extracted. Likewise a second reflected electromagnetic signal reflected back in response to the second electromagnetic wave on the second transceiver is received and a second baseband complex signal is extracted. The first baseband complex signal is mathematically combined with the second baseband complex signal to cancel out a Doppler frequency drift therebetween to yield a periodic Doppler phase effect.
US09477808B2
According to one embodiment, a medical information management apparatus includes an examination information acquisition unit acquiring examination information including an irradiation condition, an imaging region and an exposure dose for each examination on the imaging region, an archiving unit archiving an exposure dose calculation target region classified more detailed than the imaging region and a weight coefficient corresponding to the exposure dose calculation target region in association with the irradiation condition and the imaging region, a weight coefficient acquisition unit acquiring a weight coefficient corresponding to the exposure dose calculation target region based on the irradiation condition acquired by the examination information acquisition unit and the exposure dose calculation target region archived in the archiving unit, and a calculation unit calculating an exposure dose at the exposure dose calculation target region by using an exposure dose for each examination and the weight coefficient.
US09477807B1
A user specified high level design selects a plurality of IP cores for placement in a customized system on a chip. A single integrated service automatically performs each of a design integration phase, specification phase, and verification phase for the user specified high level design to generate an integration file specifying stitching between a plurality of pins of each of the plurality of IP cores, a specification file specifying one or more characteristics of the customized system on a chip based on the user specified high level design, and a verification testbench for verification of the user specified high level design.
US09477791B2
A method comprises steps of: providing an initial package design, providing an initial package-handling element design, modeling the interaction of the package and the package-handling element, and altering one of the package design or the package-handling element design according to the results of the model. Wherein the initial package-handling element design comprises at least one item selected from the group consisting of: a motion transfer component comprising a combination of discrete geometrically defined elements, package guide rails, package guide rail supports, vacuum conveying components, and combinations thereof. And wherein the interaction reflects the package interaction with the discrete elements of a multi-element motion transfer component or the package guide rails having a flexibility greater than zero, or package guide rail supports having a finite stiffness, or a combination thereof.
US09477788B2
A method of determining an optimal geometry for monoliths useful for capturing CO2 is described. Monoliths having the determined desired geometry are also described.
US09477786B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for metadata management. One of the methods includes receiving user input selecting a first node. The method includes receiving a first data lineage of a first object, the first object having a type, the first data lineage describing relationships between the first object and one or more datasets or transforms. The method includes receiving user input selecting a second node. The method includes receiving a second data lineage of a second object, the second object having the same type as the first object. The method includes performing a comparison of the first node and the first data lineage to the second node and the second data lineage. The method includes generating a report based on the comparison.
US09477781B2
One or more processors generate subsets of cluster feature (CF)-trees, which represent respective sets of local data as leaf entries. One or more processors collect variables that were used to generate the CF-trees included in the subsets. One or more processors generate respective approximate clustering solutions for the subsets by applying hierarchical agglomerative clustering to the collected variables and leaf entries of the plurality of CF-trees. One or more processors select candidate sets of variables with maximal goodness that are locally optimal for respective subsets based on the approximate clustering solutions. One or more processors select a set of variables, which produce an overall clustering solution, from the candidate sets of variables.
US09477778B2
Techniques for determining whether an XML query may be written are provided. In one scenario, an XML query includes an expandable path, which is a path expression that includes a wildcard character (*) or a descendant axis (//). An XML schema is used to generate multiple expanded paths (each of which is a simple path expression) from the expandable path. The XML schema is used to compare each expanded path to another expanded path and to determine whether the nodes identified by the respective expanded paths are guaranteed to occur in a particular order in XML documents that conform to the XML schema. In another scenario, an XML query includes an order operator that takes two paths as input. Similarly, an XML schema is used to compare the two paths and to determine whether the nodes identified by the two paths are guaranteed to occur in a particular order in XML documents that conform to the XML schema.
US09477777B2
A computer system interconnected to a community of users having a data processor input module programmed to receive communications from said users including one or more inputs regarding food recipes and store said inputs in accessible memory. A data processor determining module programmed to access stored data and to apply a data interpretative algorithm to said data to unify and organize disparate data inputs into a cohesive database relating to recipes. Also, a search entry module connected to the recipe database to permit access to the database to support a search algorithm applied to the database.
US09477769B2
A method for detecting an original document of a web document, which is able to thwart manipulation of generation time of the web document. The method for detecting an original document of a web document comprises receiving history information on the generation or modification of web documents; filtering the web documents using the history information; and detecting an original document of the filtered web documents based on the history information.
US09477765B2
Provided is a search method, system and device. The search method includes obtaining a keyword, a relationship chain classification and a user account that are inputted by a user; obtaining a user account list that corresponds to the obtained user account and belongs to the obtained relationship chain classification; and searching for information corresponding to the obtained keyword from information posted by each user account in the user account list to obtain a search result, and displaying the search result. By the search method, system and device, the practicability and reliability of information may be improved.
US09477763B2
A method and system for providing personalized search results is disclosed. A computer receives input from a user to navigate to a web site (either directly or as a result of choosing a result from a search result page). The computer navigates to the web site and stores information about the web site in a file. The computer determines web sites associated with a search query of the user as the search query is being entered into a search area of a user interface. The associated web sites are sites that have been previously navigated to by the user. The determining step includes obtaining the web sites associated with the search query from a data structure previously generated from the file. The data structure includes parsed entries of URLs associated with the previously navigated web sites. Based on the determining step, web site links corresponding to the associated web sites are displayed as the search query is being entered.
US09477759B2
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for collective reconciliation. In some implementations, a query is received, wherein the query is associated at least in part with a type of entity. One or more search results are generated based at least in part on the query. Previously generated data is retrieved associated with at least one search result of the one or more of search results, the data comprising one or more entity references in the at least one search result corresponding to the type of entity. The one or more entity references are ranked, and an entity result is selected from the one or more entity references based at least in part on the ranking. An answer to the query is provided based at least in part on the entity result.
US09477754B2
The present invention provides a method and system for playing full-screen video on a user computer. The method includes displaying in the user interface at the user computer a web page containing at least one link to electronic video file, selecting the link to request the video file, downloading the video file to user computer in response to the request, detecting by the user computer receipt of the video file, opening in the user interface to window of the video player in full-screen mode in response to the detecting, and reading the video file by the player to play the video in the window. A feature of the present invention is that the video player may not have its preferences preset by the user to open in any particular mode. The mode in which the video player opens will be determined by the downloaded video file.
US09477745B2
Cluster analysis of data points in a data set can be optimized by identification of a preferred cluster analysis method. This identification can be based on indexing the data using a Hilbert curve and determining whether the data points are predominantly in spherical or non-spherical clusters. Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture are described.
US09477743B2
A system and method for load balancing between components of a distributed data grid. The system and method support dynamic data migration of selected data partitions in response to detection of hot spots in the data grid which degrade system performance. In embodiments, the system and method relies upon analysis of per-partition performance statistics for both the identification of data nodes which would benefit from data migration and the selection of data nodes for migration. Tuning of the data migration thresholds and method provides for optimizing throughput of the data grid to avoid degradation of performance resulting from load-induced hot spots.
US09477741B2
Systems and methods for redistributing data in a relational database are disclosed. In one embodiment, the database includes a plurality of rows of data distributed across a plurality of slices of a table in the database. The database system is configured to distribute the rows of data across the slices according to a first function based on one or more columns of the table. The database system monitors at least one database statistic indicative of variation in a distribution of the rows of data across the slices and detects a redistribution condition based on the at least one monitored database statistic. The database system is further configured to respond to the detected redistribution condition by redistributing the rows of data across the slices according to a second function based on a different number of columns than the first function.
US09477736B2
Apparatus and method for active and passive data gathering using stochastic model in control network
There is provided an apparatus and method for active and passive data gathering using a stochastic model in a control network. An active and passive synchronizer performs a first gathering operation in which a data request frame is transmitted via the control network and data on the local devices is gathered and a second gathering operation in which data on the local devices is gathered by reading a communication frame among the local devices, and determines a first gathering operation schedule for each data stored in a cache unit based on an expected delay time estimated using a stochastic model for the second gathering operation process when the first gathering operation is not performed on each data that is gathered through the first gathering operation and the second gathering operation and is stored in the cache unit and waiting is performed until the data is updated through the second gathering operation.
US09477732B2
Systems and methods in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention provide for representing data values of a data set as a plurality of graphical elements in a data visualization, where each data value is associated with a plurality of data dimensions. A first data visualization may be generated based on a first configuration of the dataset. The first data visualization and a first user interface are displayed on a data visualization display page. The first user interface includes the plurality of graphical elements in the first data visualization. A selection of a element of the plurality of graphical elements is received through the first user interface. Moreover, the data values based on the received selection are filtered. A second data visualization representing the data set excluding the filtered data values is displayed.
US09477726B2
A method implemented on a computer for searching databases includes the computer receiving a search query for a database, the database including database fields; and dynamically providing and displaying a list of a plurality of the database fields. The list includes a descriptor indicating a data category of each database field. The computer also dynamically determines a quantity of entries in each database field. For each database field, the computer dynamically sets a limit based on a capacity to display the quantity of entries and for each database field having the quantity of entries exceeding the limit, the computer truncates data by adjusting a size of the quantity of entries until a displayable quantity of entries is achieved. The computer then displays the truncated data.
US09477725B2
In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a map comprising a plurality of tiles representing a plurality of geographic areas, respectively, where each tile comprises a plurality of objects having locations within the tile, and each tile has below a threshold number of objects located within the tile; receiving a first query from a first user that includes a first location within a first tile; identifying one or more objects corresponding to the first query, where each identified object has a location within the first tile; and generating search results comprising references to one or more of the identified objects.
US09477723B2
According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method of graphically representing a history of a user includes receiving information indicating a history of a user with respect to multiple categories. The method also includes mapping received information within a corresponding category and pertaining to a correspond age range to a corresponding indicator such that the received information is mapped to multiple indicators, each indicator being associated with a corresponding category and a corresponding age range. The method also includes generating a profile object based on the indictors. The profile object graphically represents the history of the user with respect to the categories.
US09477722B1
This disclosure relates to populating a sliding window view comprising one or more rows associated with one or more view intervals. In some implementations of this disclosure, the sliding window view can store the history of previous view results and each row in the sliding window view can correspond to a fixed interval of time. In some implementations, the sliding window view can store a constant number of view results by purging existing view results within the sliding window view. The sliding window view can provide a user with a convenient and efficient means for displaying data summary tables corresponding to a period of time.
US09477721B2
A method, apparatus, article of manufacture for providing list of a plurality of media programs responsive to a user search query is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of accepting an general search query from a user computer, identifying a synonym for the general search query, identifying a category for the general search query according to the identified synonym, performing a categorical search of a media program database using the identified synonym and the identified category to obtain a search result, and transmitting the search result to the user computer for presentation on a display communicatively coupled to the user computer.
US09477717B2
A computer implemented method for analyzing a listing object to define a match to a candidate object among many possible candidate objects is disclosed. The method includes an operation to receive a listing object as an input. The method also includes an operation to generate a set of candidate objects based on characteristics of the listing object. The candidate objecting used to generate a listing-candidate pair defined by pairing the listing object with one of the candidate objects. The method may also include operations to process the listing-candidate pair such as an operation to normalize the listing object into a canonical form. Another operation can generate a matching feature vector for the listing-candidate pair. Where the matching feature vector includes a matching score based on a common feature between the candidate object and the canonical form of the listing object. In another operation, the method analyzes the matching feature vector with a judging committee module to render a match judgment. The match judgment based on evaluating the results of the judging committee module to determine whether the listing object and the candidate object are a match. The method also includes an operation that saves the match judgment to a computer readable media.
US09477711B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing knowledge panels. In one aspect, a method includes determining an entity that is referenced by a received search query. Content items relevant to the entity are identified. A set of knowledge modules is selected for presentation in a knowledge panel for the entity. The knowledge panel can be a portion of a search results page in which knowledge modules are presented. Data that causes the knowledge modules to be presented in the knowledge panel is provided to a user device.
US09477710B2
Techniques for tenant performance isolation in a multiple-tenant database management system are described. These techniques may include providing a reservation of server resources. The server resources reservation may include a reservation of a central processing unit (CPU), a reservation of Input/Output throughput, and/or a reservation of buffer pool memory or working memory. The techniques may also include a metering mechanism that determines whether the resource reservation is satisfied. The metering mechanism may be independent of an actual resource allocation mechanism associated with the server resource reservation.
US09477708B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for managing a multi-store execution environment by applying opportunistic materialized views to improve workload performance and executing a plan on multiple database engines to increase query processing speed by leveraging unique capabilities of each engine by enabling stages of a query to execute on multiple engines, and by moving materialized views across engines.
US09477706B2
Systems and methods for storing and retrieving data are disclosed where creation of new partitions in a database is driven by write requests. The requests can arrive at pseudo random moments of time. Each partition in the database is associated with a time interval. Different time intervals do not need to be consecutive. Whenever a write request is obtained, the system determines whether the write request is received within a latest partition time interval defined by start and end times. If yes, the data is written into a database partition corresponding to that interval. If not, a new partition is created having associated time interval with its own start and end times defining a new partition time interval. The process is repeated as new data is streaming in.
US09477698B2
A system and method for inferring reporting relationships from contact records. Contact records from a single company are identified, and each record is ranked based on the title. A probabilistic analysis is used to compare the number of contacts on the current level with the number of contacts on a lower level, and make a guess as to reporting relationships between contacts on the different levels. If a confidence score of a guessed reporting relationship is high enough, the reporting relationship is accepted, and contact records updated.
US09477697B2
A computer system receives data defining a database schema in a common representation, creates a data model based on the input file, identifies one or more database types of a plurality of database types for which a schema is to be generated, and causes a database specific schema file to be generated for each of the one or more database types based on the data model.
US09477686B2
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an improved method for using an intraoperative imaging system. The method includes acquiring an image using an intraoperative imaging system, labeling the image by associating the image with a label, and storing the image and the label.
US09477679B2
Methods to determine and automatically recommend or adjust configuration parameters for storing files in large-scale distributed storage systems are disclosed. These methods may receive file metadata and trace data that allows the system to identify file access patterns. Additionally, the methods may receive information about distributed storage systems in a datacenter. This information can be used to choose storage parameters on a per-file basis for storing files.
US09477672B2
Methods and systems for creating an implicit profile for use by a recommendation engine or a question router is provided. User behavior on at least one of one or more electronic devices and an electronic communications network is tracked. User-related information relating to the user behavior is analyzed to extract or derive key words therefrom. The key words are stored in a profiles database as the implicit profile and used by the recommendation engine or question router to characterize user interests, expertise, and skills when matching a request from a querying user to a potential user or group of users having the relevant background to respond to the request.
US09477671B2
A system providing a method for implementing effective date constraints in a role hierarchy is described. In one embodiment, for example, the method comprises the steps of: storing data that represents a first effective date constraint on a role of a role hierarchy, the first effective date constraint having a start date and an end date; storing data in a database that represents a second effective date constraint on a grant of the role to a grantee, the second effective date constraint having a start date and an end date; storing data in a database that represents a third effective date constraint on the grantee, the third effective date constraint having a start date and an end date; and computing a net effective date constraint for the role by computing the intersection of the first effective date constraint, the second effective date constraint, and the third effective date constraint.
US09477661B1
Techniques for predicting data replication performance degradation are described. According to one embodiment, a method starts with receiving periodically data replication characteristics from a source storage and a target storage, the periodically received data replication characteristics being extracted from a replication process of the source storage replicating data to the target storage. The periodically received data replication characteristics are analyzed at a replication management server communicatively coupled with the source storage and the target storage, and a predictive modeling are applied. When the possibility of degradation of replication performance reaches a predetermined threshold, a notification is sent out.
US09477651B2
A method, a computer program product and a system identify partition locations within an extended markup language (XML) document without parsing so as to process portions of said document in parallel. The XML document includes sections required to remain continuous. The document is scanned for continuous sections without parsing, and boundaries of the initial partitions are adjusted to reside outside the continuous sections to determine resulting partitions for the document. The resulting partitions may be processed in parallel to provide the document information for storage.
US09477648B1
A method, system, and computer readable medium to iteratively determine and deliver optimal experience of a web application running on multiple servers for the Internet. For example the multiple servers may be behind a single virtual Internet Protocol (IP) Address in a server farm. A candidate of the optimal webpage configuration is separately determined by each server of the server farm independent of each other. At recurring synchronization time points, the outcome of interest statistics from multiple servers are aggregated and used by each server to continue the next iteration until the convergence condition is detected.
US09477638B2
Apparatus and related methods are provided for automatically recalibrating a SAW scale for changing environmental factors. During a period of time when there is no change to a weight applied to the scale, readings of SAW transducers which relate to weight indications and environmental factor indications are taken for two adjacent operating modes of the scale, and two calibrated weight calculations are made utilizing those readings. The difference in calibrated weight calculations is then related to a variable utilized to transform the readings into weights, which is updated, thereby recalibrating the scale.
US09477610B2
Method and apparatus to efficiently manage data in caches. Data in caches may be managed based on priorities assigned to the data. Data may be requested by a process using a virtual address of the data. The requested data may be assigned a priority by a component in a computer system called an address range priority assigner (ARP). The ARP may assign a particular priority to the requested data if the virtual address of the requested data is within a particular range of virtual addresses. The particular priority assigned may be high priority and the particular range of virtual addresses may be smaller than a cache's capacity.
US09477609B2
Described herein is a technology for providing enhanced transactional caching. In accordance with one aspect, a transactional cache associated with a database is configured. Execution of a write operation on the database is delayed until a flush is determined to be necessary. The write operation is delayed by writing to the transactional cache. The flush is invoked by writing inserted or updated records in the transactional cache to the database via a bulk operation.
US09477607B2
A storage controller receives a request that corresponds to an access of a track. A determination is made as to whether the track corresponds to data stored in a solid state disk. Record staging to a cache from the solid state disk is performed, in response to determining that the track corresponds to data stored in the solid state disk, wherein each track is comprised of a plurality of records.
US09477602B2
A method and a device are disclosed for a cache memory refill control.
US09477595B2
Some implementations include a method of managing a hosted non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM) based storage subsystem that includes NVRAM devices. The method includes: receiving, at a device driver on the host computing device, write requests each requesting to write a respective unit of data to the NVRAM-based storage subsystem; categorizing the write requests into subgroups of write requests, where write requests within respective subgroups are mutually exclusive; ascertaining a load condition of each of several of the NVRAM devices of the NVRAM-based storage subsystem; identifying a target location on at least one NVRAM device to service a particular subgroup of write requests according to the ascertained load conditions of the NVRAM devices of the NVRAM-based storage subsystem; and servicing the particular subgroup of write requests by writing the corresponding units of data to the identified target location on the at least one NVRAM device of the NVRAM-based storage subsystem.
US09477581B2
The system and method presented provides a multi-phase, end-to-end integrated process for testing application software using a standard software testing tool. The system and method involve integrating the functional, automated regression and performance phases of software application testing by leveraging deliverables at each phase so that the deliverables may be efficiently reused in subsequent test phases. Deliverables such as functional and technical test conditions and manual test scripts are used as inputs for each phase of the integrated tests. The use of leveraged requirements-based deliverables between test phases significantly reduces much of the repetitive testing typically associated with functionality and performance testing and minimizes repetition of testing errors discovered in earlier test phases. This integrated system and method for validating the functionality and performance of software applications by leveraging deliverables provides enhanced efficiencies, test procedure consistency throughout multiple test phases, consistent test results and high quality software applications.
US09477571B2
One or more operators in a flow graph of a streaming application may include one or more triggers that indicate when action needs to be taken for the operator. A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application and receives a notification when a trigger in an operator fires. In response to a trigger firing, the streams manager determines an appropriate action corresponding to the trigger. When the trigger indicates an adjustment of cloud resources are needed, the streams manager formulates a cloud resource request to a cloud manager. In response, the cloud manager adjusts the cloud resources for the operator to improve performance of the streaming application. A trigger may specify a trigger action for an operator, and may additionally specify a trigger action for one or more other affected operators. The firing of a trigger in one operator can therefore result in adjusting resources to multiple operators.
US09477567B2
A high level interface between a remote computer and local computer operator permits the remote computer to be controlled via a sequence of interactions. The remote computer may be monitored for display information which is expected, and also controlled in the event the expected information either is or is not obtained. Command language extensions are provided which extend and complement a basic scripting language. Scripts with embedded command language extensions may be executed through a remote interface, permitting remote testing, operation and evaluation. The development of the scripts, including embedded command language extensions, may be prepared through execution of commands at the local computer on a depiction of the GUI received from the remote computer, and subsequently saved as a script.
US09477562B1
A line of data is read from a line of memory. Intended data is specified by a random location and a random size within the line of memory. The line of data is moved into temporary storage. The line of data and a zero are multiplexed using a control signal to output a line of adjusted data which is automatically aligned to an initial point in an XOR buffer. A starting index of the intended data within the line of adjusted data corresponds to the initial point within an XOR buffer. An XOR operation is performed on the line of adjusted data and a line of data read from the XOR buffer to obtain a modified line of XOR data. The modified line of XOR data is written back to the XOR buffer at the same buffer locations as the line of data read from the XOR buffer.
US09477557B2
Performing a transaction in the context of a computing system that has one or more persistent systems coupled to one or more processors over a bus. As an example, the persistent system may serve as at least part of the main memory of the computing system. The transaction might implement multi-versioning in which a record is not updated in place. Rather, each record is represented as a sequence of one or more record versions, each version having a valid interval during which the record version is considered to properly represent the record. The transaction processing uses torn write detection so that recovery processes may use such guards to verify that there are no torn writes. For instance, torn write guards may be used to verify the integrity of record versions as well as the log buffers that refer to the record versions.
US09477551B1
The present invention is directed to data migration, and particularly, Parity Group migration, between high performance data generating entities and data storage structure in which distributed NVM arrays are used as a single intermediate logical storage which requires a global registry/addressing capability that facilitates the storage and retrieval of the locality information (metadata) for any given fragment of unstructured data and where Parity Group Identifier and Parity Group Information (PGI) descriptors for the Parity Groups' members tracking, are created and distributed in the intermediate distributed NVM arrays as a part of the non-deterministic data addressing system to ensure coherency and fault tolerance for the data and the metadata. The PGI descriptors act as collection points for state describing the residency and replay status of members of the Parity Groups.
US09477538B2
The approaches described herein provide support for application specific policies for conventional operating systems. In an embodiment, a kernel module representing a kernel subsystem is executed within an operating system's kernel. The kernel subsystem may be configured to respond to particular requests with one or more default actions. Additionally, the kernel subsystem may define a number of sub-modules which represent application specific policies that deviate from the default actions. Each sub-module may define one or more sets of conditions which indicate when the sub-module is applicable to a request and one or more sets of corresponding actions to take when the conditions are met. When an application sends a request to the kernel subsystem, the kernel subsystem determines whether the request meets the conditions of a particular sub-module. If the particular sub-module's conditions are met, the kernel subsystem performs the corresponding actions of the particular sub-module.
US09477519B2
A dynamic, distributed directed activity network comprising a directed activity control program specifying tasks to be executed including required individual task inputs and outputs, the required order of task execution, and permitted parallelism in task execution; a plurality of task execution agents, individual of said agents having a set of dynamically changing agent attributes and capable of executing different required tasks in said activity control; a plurality of task execution controllers, each controller associated with one or more of the task execution agents with access to dynamically changing agent attributes; a directed activity controller for communicating with said task execution controllers for directing execution of said activity control program; a communications network capable of supporting communication between said directed activity controller and task execution controllers; and wherein said directed activity controller and task execution controllers communicate via said communication network to execute said directed activity control program using selected task execution agents.
US09477512B2
System, method, and computer program product to perform an operation for task-based modeling for parallel data integration, by determining, for a data flow, a set of processing units, each of the set of processing units defining one or more data processing operations to process the data flow, generating a set of tasks to represent the set of processing units, each task in the set of tasks comprising one or more of the data processing operations of the set of processing units, optimizing the set of tasks based on a set of characteristics of the data flow, and generating a composite execution plan based on the optimized set of tasks to process the data flow in a distributed computing environment.
US09477511B2
System, method, and computer program product to perform an operation for task-based modeling for parallel data integration, by determining, for a data flow, a set of processing units, each of the set of processing units defining one or more data processing operations to process the data flow, generating a set of tasks to represent the set of processing units, each task in the set of tasks comprising one or more of the data processing operations of the set of processing units, optimizing the set of tasks based on a set of characteristics of the data flow, and generating a composite execution plan based on the optimized set of tasks to process the data flow in a distributed computing environment.
US09477510B2
A determination method includes: receiving a request of a change from a first system configured by a first configuration to a second system configured by a second configuration, the request of the change including configuration data related to the first configuration and change data related to the change; extracting a functional requirement for a function that is realized in the first system based on the configuration data; identifying an operational requirement for realizing the first system based on the functional requirement and data about an operational process that is used for the first system; identifying a constraint condition about the second system based on configuration elements of the second configuration that are identified by the configuration data and the change data; and determining feasibility of the change to the second system based on the functional requirement, the operational requirement, and the constraint condition.
US09477501B2
Embodiments relate to a method for encapsulating a hardware application for virtualization. The method surrounds the hardware application with a service layer controller and ring interfaces. The ring interfaces dictates a virtual function that the hardware application is running. The method controls the hardware application so that the hardware application is reset in between each of a plurality of running jobs. The method tags, by the ring interfaces, each of a plurality of requests with an identifier signifying a virtual function that the respective request belongs to. The method ensures that there are not any outstanding requests following a quiesce of the hardware application.
US09477497B2
A method, computer readable medium, and system for automatically determining resource dependency includes automatically identifying with an application processing device one or more dependencies between two or more modules in an application. The application processing device determines one or more ordered lists of executing the modules based on the identified one or more dependencies. The application processing device provides the determined one or more ordered lists of executing the modules in the application.
US09477493B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for customizing help screens. A computer receives a request for help content. The computer identifies an annotated help file that corresponds to the request for help content. The computer identifies one or more variables in the identified annotated help file. The computer retrieves a value for each of the one or more variables from a software product. The computer replaces each of the one or more variables in the identified annotated help file with the retrieved value to generate customized help content.
US09477489B1
A method that can stably and reliably resume SED from operating system power saving mode is disclosed. The solution comprises a storage lower filter driver and an extra external SCSI I/O queue. The storage lower filter driver is coupled to the storage class driver and configured to provide a SED power saving transaction in response to an operation system power function. An extra external SCSI queue and correspondingly a unique SCSI I/O queue state machine trigger mechanism are included in order to avoid overwhelming the capability of any particular host adapter. A dummy SCSI package is inserted into internal SCSI queue in last phase of operating system power down transaction so that internal SCSI queue can be activated during operation system power resuming.
US09477485B2
Optimizing computer hardware usage in a computing system that includes a plurality of populated central processing unit (‘CPU’) sockets, including: determining, by a socket configuration module, a number of CPUs to be utilized during operation of the computing system; determining, by the socket configuration module, performance characteristics associated with each available CPU, the performance characteristics associated with each available CPU including information describing computing devices such as memory devices, input/output (‘I/O) devices, and other downstream devices that are coupled to one or more of the available CPUs; and selecting, by the socket configuration module in dependence upon the performance characteristics associated with each available CPU and a predetermined performance policy, a target CPU to utilize as a boot CPU.
US09477484B2
A system and method to reduce the boot time of a data processing system by informing a memory device to send data prior to the boot time. The data processing system includes: a host system having a host processor and host memory; and (2) the memory device. The memory device is preconfigured in advance prior to the boot time with one or more Read commands with one or more corresponding physical addresses of host memory. This preconfiguration can be done at the time of system integration or before every boot operation. Once the system power-on occurs, the memory device sends the data in packets to the host memory. Whenever the host processor needs data it will be available in host memory which significantly reduces the boot time.
US09477480B2
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for scheduling interruptible hatches of instructions for execution by one or more functional units of a processor. The method includes the steps of receiving a batch of instructions that includes a plurality of instructions and dispatching at least one instruction from the batch of instructions to one or more functional units for execution. The method further includes the step of receiving an interrupt request that causes an interrupt routine to be dispatched to the one or more functional units prior to all instructions in the batch of instructions being dispatched to the one or more functional units. When the interrupt request is received, the method further includes the step of storing batch-level resources in a memory to resume execution of the batch of instructions once the interrupt routine has finished execution.
US09477479B2
A sequence of buffered instructions includes branch instructions. Branch prediction circuitry predicts if each branch instruction will result in a taken branch when executed. Normally, the fetch circuitry retrieves speculative instructions between the time that a source branch instruction is retrieved and the prediction if that source branch instruction will result in the taken branch. If the source branch instruction is predicted as taken, then the speculative instructions are discarded, and a count value indicates a number of instructions in the sequence between that source branch instruction and a subsequent branch instruction in the sequence that is also predicted as taken. Responsive to a subsequent occurrence of the source branch instruction predicted as taken, a throttled mode limits the number of instructions subsequently retrieved dependent on the count value, and then any further instructions are not retrieved for a number of clock cycles.
US09477473B2
This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods to receive an instruction to selectively update a value of one or more selected bits of a first register, to receive the one or more selected bits of the first register to be updated and one or more selected bits of the first register to remain unchanged, and to selectively update the value of the one or more selected bits of the first register using a first write port without receiving the value of the one or more selected bits of the first register. In an example, the value of the one or more selected bits of the first register can be updated without receiving the value of the first register, in certain applications, reducing the number of read ports required to update the value of the first register.
US09477472B2
Method, apparatus, and program means for shuffling data. The method of one embodiment comprises receiving a first operand having a set of L data elements and a second operand having a set of L control elements. For each control element, data from a first operand data element designated by the individual control element is shuffled to an associated resultant data element position if its flush to zero field is not set and a zero is placed into the associated resultant data element position if its flush to zero field is not set.
US09477467B2
A method includes receiving a packed data instruction indicating a first narrower source packed data operand and a narrower destination operand. The instruction is mapped to a masked packed data operation indicating a first wider source packed data operand that is wider than and includes the first narrower source operand, and indicating a wider destination operand that is wider than and includes the narrower destination operand. A packed data operation mask is generated that includes a mask element for each corresponding result data element of a packed data result to be stored by the masked packed data operation. All mask elements that correspond to result data elements to be stored by the masked operation that would not be stored by the packed data instruction are masking out. The masked operation is performed using the packed data operation mask. The packed data result is stored in the wider destination operand.
US09477460B2
A storage unit stores load information indicating the load of an information processing apparatus by applying each of a plurality of update programs to each virtual machine. An operation unit obtains the load information from the storage unit, and determines, for each virtual machine, an order of applying the plurality update programs to the virtual machine within a predetermined time period on the basis of the load information and an upper load limit allowable for the information processing apparatus.
US09477457B1
A device may receive an instruction to automatically install a program using a click area prediction model. The click area prediction model may be associated with predicting a click area of a user interface that, when selected, causes a program installation procedure to proceed. The device may identify an installation user interface associated with installing the program. The device may determine a group of regions included in the installation user interface. The device may identify sets of features associated with the group of regions. The device may determine, based on the sets of features and the click area prediction model, a group of scores associated with the group of regions. The device may identify a particular region as a predicted click area based on the group of scores. The device may select the predicted click area to attempt to cause the program installation procedure to proceed.
US09477442B2
A processor includes: an exponent generating unit that generates an exponent part of a coefficient represented by a floating point number format based on a first part of received input data, the coefficient being obtained when an exponential function is decomposed into a series operation and the coefficient for the series operation; a storage unit that stores a mantissa part of the coefficient; a constant generating unit that reads constant data corresponding to a second part of the input data from the storage unit; and a selecting unit that selects and outputs the constant data from the constant generating unit when an instruction to be executed is a coefficient calculation instruction for calculation of the coefficient of the exponential function.
US09477440B2
An example embodiment includes a playback device that includes a capacitive proximity sensor; one or more speakers; a conductive speaker grille; and a control system that decouples a grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor from the conductive speaker grille while the one or more speakers are rendering audio and couples the grounding plane of the capacitive proximity sensor to the conductive speaker grille while the one or more speakers are not rendering audio.
US09477437B2
An electronic device selectively couples a head with links in a graphics processing unit to a currently selected display port in a pair of display ports. During operation, control logic in the electronic device monitors a pair of configuration signals from the pair of display ports, where the pair of configuration signals correspond to physical connections to the pair of display ports. Then, the control logic determines a selection control signal based on the monitored pair of configuration signals, a policy setting and a default display port, where the selection control signal specifies the currently selected display port. Moreover, the control logic provides the selection control signal to a multiplexer in the electronic device. Next, the multiplexer selectively couples the head with the links in the graphics processing unit to the currently selected display port based on the selection control signal.
US09477434B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a receiving portion that receives an authentication print job sent by a user; a comparison portion that compares identification information received through the user's input with identification information included in image data; a job execution portion that executes the authentication print job in the case where the comparison between the received identification information and the identification information included in the image data has succeeded; and a password storage portion that stores identification information in the case where the authentication print job is in the process of being received in order to enable the comparison made by the comparison portion with respect to the authentication print job that is being received.
US09477421B1
A method, computer program product, and computing system for defining an initial root slice for a storage system. A first data slice is defined for the storage system. The location of the first data slice of the storage system is identified within the initial root slice. A request for a supplement data slice within the storage system is received. A determination is made as to if the supplement data slice can be added within the storage system without defining a supplemental root slice for a storage system.
US09477417B2
An abstraction for storage class memory is provided that hides the details of the implementation of storage class memory from a program, and provides a standard channel programming interface for performing certain actions, such as controlling movement of data between main storage and storage class memory or managing storage class memory.
US09477414B1
Systems and methods for improved caching with data recovery are disclosed. A write input/output (I/O) request is received from an application to write to a storage area network (SAN) LUN that is cached by a first intelligent storage adapter (ISA) using a cache LUN and mirrored by a second ISA using a mirror LUN. Write through caching is enabled, when either the first ISA or the second ISA has failed. The write I/O request is proceed by a surviving ISA from among the first ISA and the second ISA, where the surviving ISA sends the write I/O to the SAN LUN. Data is copied from a local storage device of the surviving ISA to a recovery LUN; and periodically data is also flushed from the local storage of the surviving ISA to the SAN LUN.
US09477413B2
Embodiments of this disclosure relate to improving solid-state non-volatile memory management. Embodiments improve the management of solid-state non-volatile memory by providing an execution manager responsible for controlling the timing of providing a request to a memory unit for execution. In embodiments, the execution manager traverses a list of received requests for memory access and dispatches commands for execution. In embodiments, if a request is directed to memory units which have reached a threshold for outstanding requests, the request may be skipped so that other requests can be dispatched for memory units which have not yet reached the threshold.
US09477412B1
Described herein are various systems and methods to automatically decide to aggregate data write requests in a distributed data store. A system initiates outgoing data write requests in synchronization with incoming data store commands, thereby facilitating low-latency read-back of the data. In response to an absence of data read requests, the system automatically changes such that each request includes two or more data sets, thereby breaking synchronization but consequently reducing traffic load on a switching network within the system. If the system later detects data read requests for previously stored data, the system will automatically change back to the original synchronized state, thereby decreasing the latency of accessing stored data. The system alternates between the modes of operation to achieve balance between low latency of data access and reduced traffic load on the switching network.
US09477410B2
According to example embodiments, a memory system includes a memory device and a memory controller configured to control the memory device. The memory device includes a plurality of memory cells. The memory controller includes a storage unit configured to sequentially store a plurality of commands received from a host, a distance determination unit configured to determine a distance between a program command and a read command, associated with the same word line, from among the plurality of commands stored in the storage unit, and a read voltage determination unit configured to determine a read voltage level corresponding to the read command based on the determined distance.
US09477408B1
Memory systems having improved out-of-order execution of commands and methods for operating the same
A memory device controller includes a main processor and a sequencer. The sequencer is configured to: estimate a time interval required to complete execution of a set of atom commands allocated to a channel of a non-volatile memory; calculate, for each of the plurality of atom commands, an urgency value associated with completing execution of a corresponding memory command after expiration of the time interval required to complete execution of the set of atom commands allocated to the channel; schedule each of the plurality of atom commands in the set of atom commands for execution by the non-volatile memory based on the calculated urgency values; and output the plurality of atom commands to the non-volatile memory for execution in the scheduled order.
US09477398B2
A terminal and method for discriminating among multipoint inputs generated in combination of multiple input factors generated by different input devices includes detecting a multipoint input comprising a plurality of input factors provided by a plurality of different input means; extracting coordinates and positions of the input factors based on the input means; and performing a particular operation corresponding to the extracted coordinates.
US09477384B2
A display control apparatus includes a reception unit configured to receive designation of at least one data among a plurality of data when each of the plurality of data is disposed and displayed in each of a plurality of different first areas of a display area by a display apparatus; and a changing unit configured to change a degree of emphasis in each symbol displayed on the display area depending on a positional relationship between the symbol and the data associated with the designation received by the reception unit when the designation is received by the reception unit.
US09477380B2
The invention provides computer-implemented means for engaging in visual discussions of slide-based multimedia content comprising nonlinear and complex, multidimensional data structures which convey narratives to one or more members of an audience, said data structures comprising visual depictions of slide content displayed as discrete pages linked according to spatial and temporal relationships and portrayed in a virtual discussion space, wherein said visual depictions comprise proportional and accurate, interactive graphical representations of said data structures. Multiple parties using mobile devices and individually distinguishable identities may participate in the generation and editing of said data structures in said visual discussion space, thereby participating in said virtual discussions; and a plurality of advantageous means for navigating among and controlling the behavior of virtual slides therein are provided.
US09477378B2
A method and apparatus for providing a user interface, at a device, is provided. The method includes displaying a first user interface associated with a specific user; receiving a selection of the first user interface; and displaying a communication function list for connecting with the specific user.
US09477371B2
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for providing meeting roster awareness for participants in a conference. An example system configured to practice this method can first identify participants in a conference, and retrieve, from a source external to the conference, information describing relationships between the participants. Then the system can compute, based on the information, a relationship graph assigning a relationship strength for at least two of the participants. The system provides an indication of the relationship strength to one of the participants, such as providing an indication of relationships of which other participants are not aware. Sources external to the conference can include a social network, a communication history, an organizational chart, a directory, or group membership, for example.
US09477367B2
A touch panel is provided. The touch panel includes a window, a sensor layer formed on a visible area of the window and comprising sensor patterns for detecting an input, a light shielding layer formed on a non-visible area of the window located around the sensor layer, wiring electrodes formed on the light shielding layer and connected to the sensor patterns such that the sensor layer is connected to an external connector, and etching masks formed on the wiring electrodes, respectively.
US09477356B2
Techniques in accordance with the present disclosure allow the detection of hover events and/or touch events performed over the touch panel without requiring that the touch panel be equipped with additional hardware and/or materials. In one or more implementations, the apparatus includes a touch panel controller configured to operatively couple to a touch panel sensor. The touch panel sensor includes at least one drive electrode and at least one sense electrode. The touch panel controller includes output circuitry operatively coupled to the at least one drive electrode. The output circuitry is configured to generate drive signals to drive the drive electrode (i.e., drive the touch panel sensor). The touch panel controller also includes input circuitry operatively coupled to the at least one sense electrode. The input circuitry is configured to measure mutual-capacitance between the at least drive electrode and the at least one sense electrode to detect a hover event. The present disclosure is directed to driving a subset of rows (or columns) and senses the subset of the remaining rows (or columns). Thus, the same sensor can measure multi-touch event and hover without changes to sensor pattern.
US09477354B2
An article includes a patterned substrate including a substrate surface with an inorganic electro-conductive trace adjacent thereto (wherein the substrate and the inorganic material of the trace each has an index of refraction), and a layer including a polymerized acrylate matrix adjacent to at least a portion of the surface of the substrate and the inorganic electro-conductive trace, wherein the layer has an index of refraction that is within ±10% of the average of the indices of refraction of the substrate and the inorganic material of the trace.
US09477350B2
A system for determining a user indication is disclosed. The system includes a communication interface configured to send a signal to be used to propagate a freely propagating signal through a propagating medium with a surface and receive the freely propagating signal that has been disturbed by a disturbance on the surface. The system also includes a processor coupled to the communication interface and configured to process the received signal to determine a user indication associated with the disturbance.
US09477333B2
The manipulation system described herein provides a common platform and application-programming interface (API) for applications to communicate with various multi-touch hardware devices, and facilitates the interpretation of multi-touch input as one or more manipulations. Manipulations map more directly to user intentions than do individual touch inputs and add support for basic transformation of objects using multiple touch contacts. An application can use manipulations to support rotating, resizing, and translating multiple objects at the same time. The manipulation system outputs two-dimensional (2D) affine transforms that contain rotation, scale, and translation information. Thus, using the manipulation system the application author can focus more on building touch-capable applications and let the manipulation system handle the underlying transformations and communication with the multi-touch hardware.
US09477318B2
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for surface determination via bone conduction. According to one aspect, a user device can identify a surface via bone conduction. The user device can identify one or more controllable devices to control using the surface. The user device can detect a user interaction, such as a gesture, performed by a user on the surface. The user device can provide an instruction to the controllable device(s) to cause the controllable device(s) to perform one or more operations in response to the user interaction with the surface.
US09477309B2
Systems and methods for mapping message contents to virtual physical properties for vibrotactile messaging are disclosed. For example, one disclosed method includes the steps of receiving a sensor signal from a sensor, the sensor configured to detect an interaction with a messaging device, determining a virtual physical property of a virtual message object based at least in part on the sensor signal, determining a haptic effect based at least in part on the virtual physical parameter; and generating a haptic signal configured to cause an actuator to output the haptic effect.
US09477302B2
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to controlling the functions of various devices based on spatial relationships. In one example, a system may include a depth and visual camera and a computer (networked or local) for processing data from the camera. The computer may be connected (wired or wirelessly) to any number of devices that can be controlled by the system. A user may use a mobile device to define a volume of space relative to the camera. The volume of space may then be associated with a controlled device as well as one or more control commands. When the volume of space is subsequently occupied, the one or more control commands may be used to control the controlled device. In this regard, a user may switch a device on or off, increase volume or speed, etc. simply by occupying the volume of space.
US09477301B2
An operation support device having a surgical instrument unit and a surgical instrument unit support section, includes: an intermediate member connected to the surgical instrument support section and configured to hold the surgical instrument unit; a shielding member having a hole portion engaged with the intermediate member; and a driving force supply unit installed at the surgical instrument support section. A first space and a second space are formed by an assembly constituted by the shielding member and the intermediate member engaged with the hole portion as a boundary. The intermediate member is connected to the surgical instrument support section at a side of the first space, and holds the surgical instrument unit at a side of the second space. The driving force supply unit and the surgical instrument support section are disposed in the first space.
US09477295B2
Systems and methods for managing power to Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) devices. In some embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include a Central Processing Unit (CPU); a Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) device operably coupled to the CPU; a service processor operably coupled to the CPU and to the NVMe; and a memory operably coupled to the service processor, the memory including program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the service processor, cause the service processor to: receive performance data from the CPU, receive metrics data from a source other than the CPU, and control an amount of power provided to the NVMe device based, at least in part, upon the performance data and the metrics data.
US09477291B2
Described herein is an integrated circuit which comprises: a switching voltage regulator (SVR), having one or more bridge drivers, to provide regulated power supply to a plurality of power domains; and a power control unit (PCU) operable to adjust switching frequencies of the SVR according to states of the plurality of power domains, wherein drive strength or active phase count of the one or more bridge drivers is also adjusted by a logic unit of the SVR when the switching frequencies of the SVR are adjusted.
US09477288B2
A universal serial bus (USB) host includes a power unit and a USB interface unit. The power unit includes a battery and a charging module configured to control the battery. The USB interface unit is configured to interface with a first USB device, and is configured to be controlled based on a remaining amount of power of the battery. The USB interface unit is further configured to maintain a data connection between the USB interface unit and the first USB device when a power supply connection between the USB interface unit and the first USB device is disconnected.
US09477287B1
A method of optimizing a configuration of computing resources includes coupling computing devices to a test system. With the test system, a test is performed on one or more of the computing devices. The test includes operating the computing devices in two or more configurations. In each configuration, power consumption characteristics or thermal characteristics of the computing devices associated with the configurations are measured. Based on the measurements of power consumption characteristics, thermal characteristics, or both, a desired configuration for at least one computing device to be operated is determined.
US09477278B2
A voltage regulator may be provided that includes a first circuit to receive at least one feedback signal from a buck converter and to provide at least one driving signal to the buck converter to provide an output voltage based on the at least one feedback signal, and a second circuit to control a super-capacitor to provide the output voltage when the first circuit is not using the buck converter to provide the output voltage.
US09477274B2
An information handling system cooling fan has a vibration filter that tunes out predetermined fan vibration frequencies to reduce fan vibration transfer from the cooling fan to an information handling system chassis in a targeted frequency range. For example, a leaf spring and damper are biased between the cooling fan and a fan bay support so that stiffness of the spring attenuates selected vibration frequency ranges of the cooling fan bay subsystem, such as frequency ranges where the vibrations have the greatest amplitude or frequency ranges where the vibrations tend to damage other components of the information handling system. In one embodiment, a vibration source generates out-of-phase vibrations that cancel cooling fan vibrations to further reduce overall system vibration output.
US09477271B2
The present invention provides a touch panel including a touch sensor and a connecting board. The touch sensor includes a touch substrate and a sensing electrode matrix with a plurality of connecting ends. The sensing electrode matrix is formed on the touch substrate, wherein the connecting ends of the sensing electrode matrix are separately located at at least two sides of the sensing electrode matrix. The connecting board is connected to the touch sensor, and the conducting wires in the connecting board are electrically connected to the connecting ends of the sensing electrode matrix. Furthermore, a touch panel manufacturing method is also provided.
US09477270B2
An electronic device is provided, comprising: a first case having a first accommodating space, where a first surface of the first case has a first opening for the first accommodating space; and an interface part having a bottom surface with a same shape as the first opening, where the bottom surface is a cross section with a greatest area of the interface part. M I/O interfaces are disposed inside the interface part, and connecting ports of the M I/O interfaces are exposed on a first surface of the interface part which is not the bottom surface, M is an integer greater than or equal to 1; and the M I/O interfaces are connected to a circuit board located inside the first case.
US09477267B2
An electronic device includes a housing with a base wall, a support unit and a control wire unit. The support unit includes a connecting member and a supporting member. The connecting member is connected to the base wall and has a connection portion. The supporting member has an engaging piece connected to the connection portion to vary an included angle between the supporting member and the base wall. The control wire unit includes a winding mechanism, a wire member and a control mechanism. The control mechanism is operable to control the winding mechanism to adjust an unwound length of the wire member for controlling the included angle between the supporting member and the base wall.
US09477266B2
The present invention provides a handheld device for controlling electronic equipment and an electronic equipment including the handheld device. The handheld device is electrically connected with a control unit of the electronic equipment. The handheld device includes an annulus, and a first and a second disc bodies arranged oppositely. A first contact point and at least three second contact points are arranged on the first disc body. A first probe and at least three second probes are arranged on the second disc body. The annulus is connected to the first disc body and is used for driving the first disc body to rotate. The second disc body is fixed to a shell of the electronic equipment.
US09477262B2
A computing device can include a base portion including a keyboard and a base coupling mechanism fixedly coupled to the base portion where the base coupling mechanism includes a rotating receiver. The computing device can include a display portion having a display coupling mechanism configured to be removably coupled to the rotating receiver of the base coupling mechanism. The display coupling mechanism of the display portion can be configured to be coupled to the rotating receiver of the base coupling mechanism in response to the display portion being slidably moved with respect to the base portion when a viewable surface of the display portion is aligned along a plane substantially parallel to a plane along which the keyboard of the base portion is aligned.
US09477259B2
A method and apparatus for calibration of a clock signal used in data transmission is disclosed. The method includes a calibration having coarse and fine grain procedures. The coarse grain procedure begins from the center of a current eye and performs reads while decrementing the delay provided to the clock signal until at least one bit fails. This is repeated, from the center of the eye, incrementing until again at least one bit fails. The lower and upper last passing points are recorded. A fine grain procedure includes performing reads while decrementing, from the lower last passing point, recording points at which each bit fails until all fail. The fine grain procedure further includes incrementing, from the upper last passing point, recording points at which each bit fails until fail. Thereafter, a clock delay corresponding to the center of the new eye is determined based on the calibration data.
US09477257B1
A dispatch module implemented in at least one of a memory or a processing device is operatively coupled to multiple processing modules, each having a first clock configuration and a second clock configuration. The dispatch module, at a first time, changes a first processing module included in the multiple processing modules from a first clock configuration to a second clock configuration. The dispatch module prohibits, at a second time within a predetermined time period and after the first time, a second processing module included in the multiple processing modules from changing from the first clock configuration to the second clock configuration if an indicator associated with a number of changes of the multiple processing modules between a first clock configuration and a second clock configuration within the predetermined time period and prior to the second time satisfies a criterion.
US09477256B2
The present invention concerns an electronic circuit comprising a control signal processing circuit with a control signal input and a control signal output circuit, the processing circuit being arranged to process a control signal applied to the control signal input, and to operate in at least one of a first power mode and a second power mode, the second power mode having a lower power consumption than the first power mode. The electronic circuit further comprises a control signal processing circuit bypass means for providing, when the processing circuit is in the second power mode, a bypass connection for conveying the control signal from the control signal input to the control signal output circuit, thereby bypassing the processing circuit.
US09477254B2
A shift safety device for a manual transmission having a gear shift shaft that rotates to select shift gates and moves to shift gears. The device has a blocking element which, during selector motion towards a shift gate, is driven by the gear shift shaft, against a spring, from a starting position into a blocked position, in which the device blocks further selector motion of the gearshift shaft, and which, during subsequent shifting motion of the gearshift shaft, is released and returned back to the starting position, by the spring, thereby permitting further selector motion. A driver arm, disposed on the gear shift shaft, moves the blocking element tangential to the arc traversed during selector motion by the driver arm between the starting and blocking positions. The blocking element moves in the linear track traversed during shifting of the driver arm and is pretensioned toward the starting and center positions.
US09477247B2
A device, system, and method for global maximum power point tracking comprises monitoring an output power of a DC power source while executing a maximum power point tracking algorithm and adjusting a maximum power point tracking command signal in response to the output power being less than a reference output power. The command signal is adjusted until the output power exceeds a previous output power by a reference amount. The command signal may be a voltage command signal, a current command signal, an impedance command signal, a duty ratio command signal, or the like.
US09477227B2
A driver assistance system and a method for operating a driver assistance system are disclosed. The driver assistance system includes an actuation device configured for automatically actuating a brake unit, a drive unit or a steering unit. An input device enters a user request for a driving maneuver executable by the driver assistance. A releasing device selectively releases an operation of the driver assistance system based on whether a release for the driver assistance system to be operated by the passenger of the motor vehicle is effected by the driver of the motor vehicle by means of the releasing device.
US09477226B2
Controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be accomplished by using a wireless device (e.g., cell phone) to send a control message to a receiver at the UAV via a wireless telecommunication network (e.g., an existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication). In addition, the wireless device may be used to receive communications from a transmitter at the UAV, wherein the wireless device receives the communications from the transmitter via the wireless network. Examples of such communications include surveillance information and UAV monitoring information.
US09477224B2
An embodiment of a method for lifespan modeling for a turbine engine component includes determining a design-phase model of the lifespan of an turbine engine component; fusing the design-phase model with sensor data collected during operation of the turbine engine component to produce an updated model of the lifespan of the turbine engine component; and fusing the updated model with data collected during an inspection of the turbine engine component to produce an overall model of the lifespan of the turbine engine component. Systems for lifespan modeling for a turbine engine component are also provided.
US09477223B2
Embodiments of a condition monitoring system and method provide an interface with visual aids that facilitate diagnosis of problems on an asset (e.g., a turbine, motor, pump, etc.). In one embodiment, the visual aids display fault data that corresponds to a fault condition such as bearing failure and/or shaft misalignment. The fault data is collected by sensors on the asset and processed by the condition monitoring system for use with the interface. In one example, the interface can include one or more icons, which represent fault conditions for the asset, and which an end user may select to display the visual aids on the interface. Selection amongst the different icons will change the visuals aid, the fault data, and other aspects of the interface to enable diagnosis and promote effective maintenance of the asset.
US09477222B2
A maintenance information device and method for performing condition-based maintenance by monitoring of the condition of a technical system using a sensor. In order to permit the use of relatively simple sensors with relatively simple evaluation logics, the method and device perform decision making processes on the basis of hyperordinal signals from imperfect hyperordinal condition sensors.
US09477217B2
Appliance systems and methods for using visual cues to improve appliance audio recognition are provided. One example method performed by an appliance includes identifying one or more visual cues included in imagery captured by a camera of the appliance. The one or more visual cues indicate that a user of the appliance is seeking to provide a voice command to the appliance. The method includes communicating with one or more devices over a network to reduce background noise associated with the one or more devices upon identifying the one or more visual cues. The method includes receiving the voice command from the user. The method includes determining that the user has finished providing the voice command. The method includes communicating with the one or more devices over the network to resume standard operations upon determining that the user has finished providing the voice command.
US09477209B2
A power generator includes a photocell having a sheet-like shape provided with an opening therethrough and another photocell having a sheet-like shape that is accommodated in the opening and connected to the photocell in series. The center of the opening coincides with the center of the another photocell.
US09477206B2
A split-seconds device with epicycloidal train for a timepiece. The device includes a split-seconds pinion which carries a fly-back hand and is mounted to rotate freely about a rotation arbor of the timepiece; a differential having an entry wheel adapted to be kinematically connected to a power source of the timepiece; a first exit wheel kinematically connected to the entry wheel by a planetary wheel and meshing with the split-seconds pinion; a second exit wheel kinematically connected to the entry wheel by the planetary wheel; and a control lever allowing to block either the first exit wheel or the second exit wheel, such that whichever of the first and second exit wheels is released by the control lever is adapted to be driven by the entry wheel when the latter is kinematically connected to the power source of the timepiece, thus allowing to block or respectively release the fly-back hand.
US09477204B2
Calendar mechanism for timepieces, displaying the duration of the current month and comprising a month cam whose periphery is accessible to a feeler-spindle of a perpetual calendar device to obtain the duration of the current month, this calendar mechanism and the month cam being updated monthly on each current month change by the perpetual calendar device, the month cam is generalised to an integer number of years each including a virtual 28-day month of February, the calendar mechanism includes a leap year mechanism, external to the month cam, and which is arranged to insert radially, every four years in February, a first corrector finger between the periphery and the feeler-spindle to inform the latter that the current month of February has 29 days instead of 28.
US09477199B2
Provided are a collecting toner container that is detachably attached to a main body of an image forming apparatus so as to collect and store toner; an opening portion through which toner flows from the main body of the image forming apparatus into the collecting toner container; and a stirring/conveying member that conveys the toner flowing from the opening portion into the collecting toner container in the downstream direction of the collecting toner container, wherein a discharge opening used to discharge the toner inside the collecting toner container is formed in each of two adjacent surfaces as a bottom surface and a side surface of the collecting toner container, and the discharge openings provided in the respective surfaces are formed so as to share a ridge line portion of the two surfaces.
US09477191B2
A fixing device includes: a cylindrical film; a nip forming member; and a back-up member for forming a nip. The nip forming member includes a projected portion. The projection amount of the projected portion is smaller in an end portion region positioned at an end portion of the projected portion with respect to a generatrix direction of the film than in a central region positioned at a central portion of the projected portion with respect to the generatrix direction, at least a part of the end portion region being inside a feeding region of a maximum-sized recording material usable in the fixing device. With respect to the recording material feeding direction, the width of the part of the projected portion inside the nip is broader in the end portion region than in the central region.
US09477187B2
An image-forming apparatus contains a control portion, a thermopile sensor, a temperature sensor, a fan, a heater, a guide plate temperature detection sensor, an external air temperature detection sensor, a fixing temperature detection sensor and the color sensor. The control portion calculates estimated sheet temperature of the conveying sheet using information such as guide plate temperature, external air temperature, fixing temperature and paper weight. The control portion controls the fan or the heater to drive so that sensor temperature of the thermopile sensor approaches the estimated sheet temperature of the sheet. The control portion controls the thermopile sensor to carry out a measurement of the temperature of the sheet when the sensor temperature falls within a set range in relation to the estimated sheet temperature.
US09477185B2
Provided is a heater controlling unit that includes: a power factor correction circuit configured to convert a first alternating-current voltage supplied from a power supply into a direct-current voltage; an inverter configured to generate a second alternating-current voltage from the direct-current voltage converted by the power factor correction circuit; and a heater to which the second alternating-current voltage generated by the inverter is applied.
US09477184B2
An image forming apparatus comprising sheet cassettes accommodating different kinds of sheets, respectively; an image forming station for forming images on the sheets fed from the accommodating portions in response to image formation instructions; a heater for heating the images on the sheets; an acquiring portion for acquiring information corresponding to kinds of the sheets; a controller configured to control a target temperature when the heater heats the image on the sheet, on the basis of the information; a selector for selecting one of modes including a first mode in which the target temperatures are set for the kinds of the sheets, respectively and a second mode in which the target temperatures are set commonly to the kinds of the sheets, wherein the controller sets the target temperature of the heater in a stand-by state, at a common temperature, when the selector selects the second mode.
US09477173B2
A developing device includes a developer carrying body, a layer thickness limiting portion, and a rotation control portion. The layer thickness limiting portion includes a base body and a flexible member. The base body protrudes toward a part at a third position between a first position and a second position on the outer circumferential surface of the developer carrying body. The flexible member is a sheet-like member having flexibility, and is attached to the base body such that the flexible member covers, via a gap, a range of the base body from a front end surface facing the developer carrying body to an upper surface, and a bent portion covering a boundary portion between the front end surface and the upper surface of the base body is closer to the outer circumferential surface of the developer carrying body than the other part is.
US09477167B2
An electrostatic charge image developing white toner includes toner particles that contain a binder resin, a titanium dioxide as a pigment and at least one selected from a group consisting of niobium and phosphorous, wherein an amount of the niobium is 0.005% by weight to 0.05% by weight or an amount of the phosphorous is 0.003% by weight to 0.05% by weight.
US09477165B2
A toner including a polyester resin having an amorphous polyester segment is provided. The amorphous polyester segment includes a condensation polymerization product between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. The carboxylic acid includes both aliphatic and aromatic dicarboxylic acids. The toner deforms with a deformation rate of from 1.0% to 5.0% under a pressure of 100 gf at 40° C. and 80% RH. In a binarized image of an AFM phase image of the toner, first phase-contrast images serving as large-phase-difference portions are dispersed in second phase-contrast images serving as small-phase-difference portions, and the first phase-contrast images have a dispersion diameter of 100 nm or less. An endothermic quantity Q1 obtained in a first heating of DSC is from 10 to 50 J/g, and a ratio of an endothermic quantity obtained in the second heating Q2 to that in first heating Q1 is 0.65 or less.
US09477153B2
An immersion lithographic apparatus is provided with a liquid confinement structure which defines at least in part a space configured to contain liquid between the projection system and the substrate. In order to reduce the crossing of the edge of the substrate which is being imaged (which can lead to inclusion of bubbles in the immersion liquid), the cross-sectional area of the space in a plane parallel to the substrate is made as small as possible. The smallest theoretical size is the size of the target portion which is imaged by the projection system. In an embodiment, the shape of a final element of the projection system is also changed to have a similar size and/or shape in a cross-section parallel to the substrate to that of the target portion.
US09477152B2
Printing form precursor having indicia and a method for preparing a printing form from the precursor
The present invention relates to a photosensitive printing form precursor and a method for forming a printing form from the precursor. The precursor includes a support and a layer of a photosensitive composition adjacent the support, in which at least one indicia is disposed between the support and the photosensitive layer. The indicia identifies the precursor, is retained throughout a multi-step process to convert the precursor into a printing form and in the end-use of the printing form.
US09477150B2
Novel photoacid generator compounds are provided. Photoresist compositions that include the novel photoacid generator compounds are also provided. The invention further provides methods of making and using the photoacid generator compounds and photoresist compositions disclosed herein. The compounds and compositions are useful as photoactive components in chemically amplified resist compositions for various microfabrication applications.
US09477147B2
Push-cables and associated apparatus and systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a push-cable assembly for use with a pipe inspection system may include a push-cable element having a proximal end and a distal end, with a spring assembly having varying flexibility coupled to or near the distal end. The spring assembly may include an outer coiled spring having a proximal and a distal end, and an inner coiled spring nested at least partially within the outer coiled spring. A camera head and/or other elements such as a cutting or jetting apparatus may be coupled at or near the distal end.
US09477146B2
Disclosed is a projection ring, including an annular body; a telescopic portion disposed on the annular body; and a projector disposed on the telescopic portion. The location of the projector on the projection ring is easily adjustable, thus it's convenient to adjust the size of the picture as projected or the projection angle.
US09477144B2
A self-photographing mount device for holding a camera equipped user device at a distance from a user, comprising: a mounting structure having at least two corner mounting elements for mounting a camera equipped user device in parallel to a mounting plane; an extendable shaft having a handle at a proximal end thereof; and a hinge mounted on one of the at least two corner mounting elements to allow pivotal rotation of the extendable shaft from a folded position to an open position; when in the folded position, the extendable shaft is adjacent to the mounting plane and parallel to a diagonal of a back panel of the camera equipped user device; and when in the open position, the extendible shaft forms a wide angle with the mounting plane.
US09477143B2
A camera device includes a holding member that holds a plurality of cameras to be arranged side by side, a supporting member that supports the holding member, a first positioner that positions the holding member to the supporting member in an arranged direction of the cameras, and a second positioner that positions the holding member to the supporting member in optical axis directions of the cameras, the second positioner being movable in the arranged direction of the cameras. The first positioner and the second positioner are arranged in the arranged direction of the cameras.
US09477142B1
A modular backdrop system and related methods of assembly and use for photography are described herein. The system includes a modular wall formed from a fixed frame and a plurality of removably attachable modules where: at least one module has a first height H1 and a first width W1, at least one module has a second height H2, different from the first height H1, and a second width W2 approximately equal to the first width W1, at least one module has a third height H3 approximately equal to the sum of H1 plus H2 and a third width W3 different from the second width H2, and at least one module has the first height H1 and the third width W3.
US09477135B1
A steerable laser transmitter uses a two-stage architecture for beam steering. A LCWG is used to provide continuous fine steering and a PG stack is used to provide discrete coarse steering. An optical amplifier is inserted between the LCWG and the PG stack to provide gain and increase transmitter power, hence range. The LCWG is configured to limit its steering range to the acceptance angle of the optical amplifier, at most ±2°×±2°. The result is a high-power laser transmitter that can be rapidly and precisely steered over a large FOR.
