US09510329B2

According to one embodiment of the invention, a system for providing a dynamic user-customizable beacon information element (IE) is described. One embodiment of the system comprises an access point comprising a hardware processor wherein the system is configured to perform operations comprising: periodically transmitting, by an access point, a first beacon frame comprising a plurality of IEs, based on user input, configuring at least one IE of the plurality of IEs in the first beacon frame, modifying the at least one IE in the first beacon frame based at least on the user input to obtain a second beacon frame comprising a modified IE based on the user input and periodically transmitting, by the access point, the second beacon frame comprising the modified IE.
US09510314B2

Embodiments of an Evolved Node-B (eNB) and method for collecting and reporting data related to a coverage area in a wireless network are generally described herein. The eNB may be configured to track geographic bin information for one or more User Equipment (UEs). The eNB may comprise hardware processing circuitry configured to, for each of the UEs, measure an angle of arrival for the UE and a propagation delay for the UE, and to select a geographic bin for the UE from a set of candidate geographic bins. The hardware processing circuitry may be further configured to send, for each of the candidate geographic bins, performance data for the candidate geographic bin to the TCE when a number of UEs for which the candidate geographic bin is selected is not less than a UE distribution threshold.
US09510310B1

Data characterizing a first signal and a second signal can be received. A first stream of bits for the first signal and a second stream of bits for the second signal can be calculated based on the received data. Each bit in the first stream of bits can characterize a slope of a power of the first signal and each bit in the second stream of bits can characterize a slope of a power of the second signal. The first stream of bits and the second stream of bits can be compared bitwise at a plurality of time-alignment differences for matching bits. Based on the comparing a final time-alignment difference between the first signal and the second signal can be determined. At least one of the receiving, the calculating, the comparing, and the determining can be performed by at least one processor of at least one computing system.
US09510291B2

M2M devices and communication methods thereof are provided. The communication method is adopted by a M2M device, including: establishing a traffic channel with a base station; transmitting M2M data via the traffic channel; determining that the M2M device is going to be powered down; and transmitting power-down registration information via the traffic channel.
US09510284B2

A method, performed by a network device, is disclosed for determining a set of power state parameters at least partly defining when a wireless terminal is to be in an active state or a power saving state. The method includes the steps of: detecting a present traffic type of a traffic flow to or from a wireless terminal; obtaining, from a power state parameter repository, a set of power state parameters corresponding to a plurality of traffic types, including the present traffic type; transmitting the set of power state parameters to the wireless terminal; detecting a further traffic type of a traffic flow to or from the wireless terminal; and modifying the power state parameters for the wireless terminal, only when the further traffic type does not comply with at least one expected future traffic type of the plurality of traffic types.
US09510278B2

Generating and using a device-type specific preferred public land mobile network (PLMN) list for roaming PLMN selection. Wireless devices sharing one or more common characteristics may be tasked with collecting roaming PLMN selection data. That data may be collected and used to generate a preferred PLMN list specific to wireless devices sharing those common characteristics. The preferred PLMN list may be distributed to wireless devices sharing those common characteristics, which may then use it in conjunction with roaming PLMN selection.
US09510275B2

This disclosure relates to multi-RAT band scanning. According to one embodiment, a wireless user equipment (UE) device may perform a power scan of a frequency band. It may be determined whether or not to attempt system acquisition according to each of multiple possible radio access technologies (RATs) at east of multiple frequencies of the frequency band based on the power scan, and system acquisition may be attempted at selected RAT and frequency combinations. Results of the system acquisition attempts may be provided to a system selection module.
US09510274B2

A method of scanning an access point is disclosed. The method of scanning the access point includes creating a probe request frame including information created based on an identifier of an access point to be searched, and transmitting the probe request frame. Thus, it is possible to decrease the time and power consumed by a terminal when searching an access point.
US09510272B2

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate distributing and/or utilizing a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) Identifier (ID) that identifies a CSG corresponding to a base station and a CSG indication that distinguishes between the base station permitting access to members of the CSG and permitting access to members and non-members of the CSG. For instance, the CSG ID can uniquely identify the CSG corresponding to the base station. A mobile device can receive the CSG ID and the CSG indication from the base station. Further, the received CSG ID can be compared to CSG IDs included in an allowed CSG list to recognize whether the mobile device is a member or a non-member of the CSG. Moreover, a preference for selecting the base station as compared to a disparate base station can be generated as a function of the received CSG ID and CSG indication.
US09510265B2

One embodiment disclosed herein relates to a routing method performed by a unit forming a node in a network made up of a plurality of nodes, the method comprising receiving or generating a message including destination geographical position data representing the geographical position of a destination node of the message and transmitting the message to a neighboring node selected from a plurality of neighboring nodes as a function of the destination geographical position and as a function of a location table, the location table including the geographical position of at least one neighboring node. In some embodiments, the method comprises receiving path data from a neighboring node on board a first vehicle, the path data representing a planned path for the first vehicle and updating the location table as a function of the path data.
US09510256B2

A method of handing off between a cellular network and a Wi-Fi network is disclosed. A cellular base station of the cellular network is caused to collect information related to the cellular network. A Wi-Fi access point of the Wi-Fi network is caused to collect information related to the Wi-Fi network, wherein the cellular base station and the Wi-Fi access point are co-located. The information related to the cellular network and the information related to the Wi-Fi network are used collectively for determining whether to handoff traffic of a user equipment from a cellular air interface of the cellular network to a Wi-Fi air interface of the Wi-Fi network, or vice versa.
US09510254B2

A management device and a method are described herein for managing an initial distribution of mobile stations to individual core network nodes (MSC/VLRs) within a core network node pool (MSC-pool) and/or for managing a redistribution of one or more of the mobile stations across the core network nodes (MSC/VLRs) within the core network node pool (MSC-pool) when an unbalanced condition is detected within the core network node pool (MSC-pool).
US09510249B2

A wireless communication system allows a handover operation to a base station communicating through a plurality of frequency bands. The mobile terminal includes a communication unit adapted to perform communication with any of the base stations through a plurality of frequency bands. The communication unit of the base station notifies, when communication through a plurality of frequency bands is possible, a mobile terminal about information directed to identifying a main frequency band from relevant frequency bands in a manner allowing discrimination from one or more frequency bands other than the main frequency band. The communication unit of the mobile terminal determines that, upon receiving information directed to identifying a main frequency band from the second base station during having communication connection with the first base station, that the frequency band identified by the relevant information is a subject of handover towards the second base station.
US09510246B2

A communication system, a network handover processing method and a network handover processing apparatus are disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a target evolution NodeB (T-eNB), identity information sent from a user equipment (UE), the identity information being allocated to the UE by a source evolution NodeB (S-eNB); and sending, by the T-eNB, parameters to the UE if identity information, matching the received identity information sent from the UE, is available in the T-eNB, wherein the parameters are allocated to the UE. The apparatus includes a receiving module and a sending module.
US09510243B2

A method and apparatus for determining a Quality of Service (QoS) level in a mobile communication system comprises an access gateway. The access gateway receives an indication of a change of an active talk group of a first communication device operating on a first network. The access gateway formulates a QoS modification request message to forward to a second network. The message requests modification of the QoS for a second communication device that is receiving broadband service from the second network. The second communication device belongs to the same user as the first communication device. An interface between the network entity and the second network provides the QoS modification request message to the second network. The first communication device may be a portable or mobile radio, and the second communication device may be an LTE communication device. The first network may be a Land Mobile Radio system.
US09510233B2

The present disclosure discloses a method and network device for intelligent handling of voice calls from mobile voice client devices. In some embodiments, the network device detects that a load, corresponding to a plurality of client devices associated with an access point, exceeds a particular threshold value. In some embodiments, the network device detects that a call quality for a current ongoing call, corresponding to a first client device associated with an access point, is below a first threshold value. In response, the network device selects a particular client device, of the plurality of client devices associated with the access point, for disassociation with the access point. The network device then causes the particular client device to disassociate with the access point.
US09510229B2

The invention is directed to systems, methods and computer program products for progressively adjusting an offload setting for offloading a user equipment, UE (410), from a cellular network (420) to a wireless local area network, WLAN (430) or for offloading the UE (410) from the WLAN (430) to the cellular network (420). An exemplary method comprises determining a progressive increase or decrease in a mobility of the UE (410); and progressively adjusting an offload setting for the UE (410) based on the progressive increase or decrease in the mobility of the UE (410).
US09510228B2

An embodiment method of traffic engineering (TE) in a software defined radio access network (SD-RAN) includes determining, by a radio resource manager (RRM) at a wireless radio node, respective data rates for paths of a plurality of user equipments (UEs) wirelessly coupled to the wireless radio node. The RRM computes respective supported wireless rates for the paths of the plurality of UEs according to the respective data rates. The TE module receives respective allocated data rates for the paths of the plurality of UEs. The method also includes repeating the determining and the computing using the respective allocated data rates.
US09510222B2

Methods, systems, and devices are described for detection of one or more interfering signals in a particular frequency spectrum. Signal characteristics may be identified for a signal of interest in the spectrum, such as a signal that is desired to be received at a wireless communications device. Based at least in part on the characteristics, one or more interference detection opportunities may be identified, during which interfering signals in the spectrum may be detected. Interference detection opportunities may include, for example, periods when the signal of interest may be absent from the particular frequency spectrum. Transmissions in the frequency spectrum may be monitored during the interference detection opportunity to determine the presence of one or more interfering signals.
US09510220B2

A method for measuring a channel in a wireless communication system is provided. A terminal receives a first reference signal from a primary cell. The terminal receives a second reference signal from a secondary cell corresponding to the primary cell. The terminal measures a channel for the secondary cell on the basis of the second reference signal. A subframe in which the second reference signal is received is signaled from the primary cell.
US09510210B2

A method and apparatus of allocating a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) is disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention allowing different cells to operate on different frequencies while eliminating or reducing risk of PCI conflicts. Thereby PCI allocation is provided that is effective also in a multi-frequency environment.
US09510205B2

A services node or central controller or coordinator is provided that dynamically computes fractional frequency reuse allocation among user equipment in a radio access network. The central controller or coordinator communicates the fractional frequency reuse allocation and configures the individual MAC schedulers within each radio node in the radio access network. Inputs to the central coordinator may include its serving radio node, a detected set of radio nodes, and information about user equipment buffer status both in the downlink and uplink. In one implementation, interference graphs are constructed for downlinks and uplink separately and the same are used with a heuristic independent set algorithm to compute the frequency allocation.
US09510191B2

Various embodiments are disclosed for enabling a user to physically acknowledge monitoring of their mobile device's network address (e.g., upon entering a store to track the user's movement through the store based upon the mobile device's MAC address). An Access Point coupled with a network system may identify the user device's MAC address, but the network system may defer retention and use of the MAC address until the user provides a physical authorization to do so. The user may provide such a physical authorization by placing their mobile device in physical proximity to a kiosk. The kiosk may emit a signal via, e.g., a magnetic field, radiation, sonification, imaging, etc. An application running on the user device may receive this signal. For example, the kiosk may emit a magnetic field to manipulate the user device's compass hardware. The application may monitor and derive a kiosk identifier from these manipulations. The application may then provide the kiosk identifier (and the device MAC address in some embodiments) to the network system to verify the user's willingness for their MAC address to be monitored.
US09510189B2

A method for managing a subscriber device includes a first detection step in which a first device detects a first status relating to a presence of a subscriber device under a radio coverage of a home mobile network. In the first detection step, the first device intercepts a message for requesting whether the subscriber device has or has not been stolen, as request message, the request message originating from a Mobile Switching Center relating to the home mobile network and being addressed to an Equipment Identity Register relating to the home mobile network. A corresponding first device is also disclosed.
US09510176B2

In one embodiment, an apparatus can include: (i) a location receiver configured to receive position signals, and to derive location information therefrom; (ii) one or more recognition modules configured to receive usage-related inputs, and to provide a pattern therefrom; and (iii) a processor configured to receive the pattern, and to provide the location information and an emergency indication. For example, particular embodiments can advantageously provide an emergency beacon using voice or other usage-related inputs to a cellular telephone.
US09510170B2

A method of performing a compression operation on data in a mobile communication network. An intermediate node located between a mobile terminal and a mobility anchor point node, receives a data payload. If the intermediate node has access to compression information required to perform the compression operation, it performs the compression operation to generate a modified data payload and sends the modified data payload to a next node. If the intermediate node does not have access to compression information required to perform the compression operation, it sends the data payload to the next node. The compression operation may be data compression or de-compression.
US09510169B2

Dynamically selecting and facilitating stored caller information to a communications recipient device with a communications event, based on communication recipient credentials (e.g. IP address, MDN, etc.), preferences outlined in a subscriber profile associated with a relevant calling device, and other variables, e.g., time of day, location of calling device, etc. A subscriber is permitted to provision subscriber preferences and subscriber information associated with users of a subscribing communications device in to a subscriber profile, for use during a communications event. Subscriber preferences are defined to place restrictive conditions on stored subscriber information that may be transmitted with a communications event initiated by a corresponding communications device. A content collection node dynamically selects customized caller information via a subscriber information content collection process. Customized caller information is transmitted to appropriate recipient devices with a corresponding communication event.
US09510164B2

A system that generates haptic effects during a group event having a plurality of users in attendance receives an identity of a first type of haptic effect to be broadcast during the group event, where the group event includes a plurality of haptic events. The system broadcasts the first type of haptic effect to a first set of the users, where the broadcasting causes the first type of haptic effect to be generated on a device corresponding to each of the first set of users. The first type of haptic effect is synchronized with one of the haptic events.
US09510162B2

A method for establishing a group based on Wi-Fi and a WiFi direct connection apparatus, and the method is applied in a first WiFi direct connection apparatus and comprises: the first WiFi direct connection apparatus establishing a first group, wherein the first WiFi direct connection apparatus is a group owner of the first group; acquiring apparatus information of other WiFi direct connection apparatuses requesting to join in the first group, and apparatus information of the first WiFi direct connection apparatus itself; allowing, according to the apparatus information, at least one of the other WiFi direct connection apparatuses to join in the first group; saving information of the first group and the apparatus information of all the WiFi direct connection apparatuses in the first group.
US09510154B2

Mapping through crowdsourcing includes determining, using a processor, segments for a plurality of trajectories, wherein each trajectory includes radio frequency (RF) data from a communication device, determining, using the processor, RF features for the segments, and forming, using the processor, clusters of the segments according to the RF features. One or more routes of a map are generated from the clusters using the processor.
US09510146B1

A RTL system and method for operating, the system including: a plurality of groups, each group including: a battery-operated wireless timing beacon generator to transmit timing beacons, wherein the timing beacon generator obtains its timing synchronization for the timing beacons wirelessly from a timing server; and one or more battery-operated secondary technology base-stations to receive the timing beacons, and to transmit respective secondary technology transmissions based on the received timing beacons; and a portable tag to be located, the portable tag configured to receive timing beacons and secondary technology transmissions from at least one group.
US09510137B2

A short range peer-to-peer communications system for communicating between mobile machines includes a first machine having a first prime mover, a first ground engaging drive mechanism operatively connected to the first prime mover to propel the first machine about a work site, and a first peer-to-peer transmitter system on the first machine for transmitting a first signal indicative of a characteristic associated with operating of the first machine. A second machine has a second prime mover, a second ground engaging drive mechanism operatively connected to the second prime mover to propel the second machine about the work site, and a second peer-to-peer receiver system for receiving the first signal directly from the first peer-to-peer transmitter system.
US09510134B2

A method of performing a downlink machine type communication from a base station to a MTC (machine type communication) terminal includes, at the base station, transmitting at least one of a system information—the system information excluding a Master Information Block (MIB)—, a control information and data to the MTC terminal using a system bandwidth having a predetermined size. The base station performs frequency hopping using a frequency hopping pattern in a unit of narrow band on the at least one of the system information—the system information excluding a Master Information Block (MIB)—, the control information and the data to transmit to the MTC terminal, and the narrow band is less than the system bandwidth.
US09510131B2

The present disclosure relates to a method performed by a mobile device for facilitating inputting a command to a service application in the mobile device. The mobile device comprises an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The method comprises determining a time interval in which a user of the mobile device will agitate the mobile device in accordance with a command. The method also comprises filtering an information feed from the IMU during said time interval to remove signals which are outside of a predetermined spectrum and thus regarded as noise. The method comprises finding distinguishable signals within the filtered feed, said distinguishable signals forming a command pattern. The method comprises associating the command pattern with the command.
US09510119B2

The present invention provides a method and a device for detecting function of a loudspeaker module, belonging to the field of detection technology and being capable of solving the problems of noise interference, inaccurate detection result and high manpower consumption in existing function detection of the loudspeaker module. According to the method and the device for detecting the function of the loudspeaker module in the present invention, a test resistor is adopted to substitute a mode that a loudspeaker is directly connected to a test circuit, so that noise-free and automatic detection of the function of the loudspeaker module is realized.
US09510113B2

A hearing assistance system provides for wireless communication between hearing assistance devices that are in a Bluetooth connection with a host device. In various embodiments, during a Bluetooth connection interval, one or more time slots are used for communication between the host device and one or more of the hearing assistance devices, while one or more additional time slots are reserved for communication between the hearing assistance devices.
US09510104B2

An electroacoustic transducer comprises a plurality of layered piezoelectric vibrator units that are arranged side by side in a direction intersecting a vibrating direction, wherein the plurality of layered piezoelectric vibrator units comprise respectively, a plurality of piezoelectric vibrators with different resonance frequencies, arranged in the vibrating direction in layers with a predetermined space therebetween; a plurality of vibrating members that hold the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators respectively; and a frame that supports edges of the plurality of vibrating members, and the plurality of vibrating members are arranged in the vibrating direction in layers with a predetermined space therebetween such that an area of the each of the plurality of vibrating members increases or decreases monotonically in the vibrating direction.
US09510100B2

An energy converter includes a permanent magnet and a diaphragm. The permanent magnet is fixed to a predetermined area. The diaphragm is disposed on the permanent magnet and has a coil formed of a conductor pattern.
US09510098B2

A method for recording and reconstructing a three-dimensional (3D) sound field, wherein a microphone array is established in a 3D sound field to track and locate sound sources in the 3D sound field and retrieve corresponding sound source signals. A plurality of control points is established inside an area where the 3D sound field is to be reconstructed. The control points are used to establish relational expressions of the sound source signals, the 3D sound field, a reconstructed sound field, and reconstructed sound source signals. The reconstructed sound source signals are obtained via solving the relational expressions and input into a speaker array arranged outside the area to establish the reconstructed sound field in the area. The present invention truly records the 3D sound field without using any extra transformation process and replays the reconstructed sound field with a larger sweet spot in higher fidelity.
US09510096B2

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a noise reduction method for speech processing includes cancelling or reducing noise/interference component signal in speech signal enhancement processing, the method comprising estimating the noise/interference component signal by subtracting voice component signal from a first microphone input signal wherein the voice component signal is evaluated as a first replica signal produced by passing a second microphone input signal through a first adaptive filter. Energy variation of the noise/interference component signal is adjusted based on noise stability detection and/or energy explosion detection, wherein the energy of the noise/interference component signal is reduced or smoothed in voice area or energy explosion area if the stable noise is detected and/or the energy explosion is detected. A noise/interference reduced signal is outputted by subtracting a second replica signal from the target signal, wherein the second replica signal is produced by passing the adjusted noise/interference component signal through a second adaptive filter.
US09510092B2

Apparatus is provided for processing a switched audio signal output received from a crosspoint router having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, there being a control signal that defines which of the plurality of inputs is to be routed by the crosspoint router to which of the plurality of outputs. A control unit receives the control signal and serves to identify a route change in the control signal. An instantaneous value of the switched audio signal prior to the route change is stored. A signal processing unit then combines the stored value with values of the switched audio signal after the route change to form a processed audio signal that changes smoothly.
US09510090B2

A portable voice capture device having an orientable arm comprising a first leg and a second leg, the first leg and the second leg having different orientations, the first leg of the first arm comprising a first differential linear array of microphones, a directivity of the first differential linear array being arranged for improved sensing of voice from a user, the second leg of the arm comprising a second differential linear array of microphones, a directivity of the second differential linear array being arranged for improved sensing of noise from a different than the direction of said sensed voice, and a noise reduction circuit for providing a voice signal with reduced noise, based on the output of the first array and on the output of the second array.
US09510082B2

The present invention discloses an earphone vibrator detection device, system and method. The device of the present invention is suitable for detecting a headset vibrator, and being placed at the headband position of the headset during detection. The device comprises an acceleration sensor and a signal conversion module mutually connected; the acceleration sensor is configured to detect the acceleration information of the headband position when the headset outputs a specified audio, and convert the acceleration information into a voltage signal to be output to the signal conversion module; and the signal conversion module is configured to convert the received voltage signal into a digital signal to be output, so as to determine whether the vibration amplitude of the headset vibrator is qualified according to the output digital signal. The technical solution of the present invention solves the problem that the detection of a headset vibrator is currently conducted manually in a cumbersome and laborious manner.
US09510079B1

A dual function sound attenuating and enhancing headpiece is a device for blocking sound that the user does not wish to hear. The device additionally allows the user to enhance or otherwise alter sound. A first acoustic assembly and a second acoustic assembly are worn on the user's ears and include at least one acoustic-enhancing and attenuating cover that may be closed to block sound entirely. The at least one acoustic-enhancing and attenuating cover may be opened to a desired degree in order to produce an acoustic effect on incoming sound. The at least one acoustic-enhancing and attenuating cover is opened and closed via an at least one servomotor. A wireless control unit and a wireless communications module allow the user to open or close the at least one acoustic-enhancing and attenuating cover via a mobile device. At least one power supply provides electrical power to the device.
US09510077B2

An earphone comprising an earphone housing having a wall comprising (1) a front side that joins (2) an end portion in which a primary sound output opening is formed, which joins (3) a face portion in which a secondary output opening is formed, which joins (4) a back side which joins the front side and encloses a driver, wherein the face portion and the front side form a tapered portion of the earphone housing that is dimensioned to be inserted into, and contact, an ear of a wearer, wherein the primary output opening is dimensioned to output sound generated by a diaphragm of the driver contained within the earphone housing into the ear, the secondary output opening is dimensioned to vent the ear to a surrounding environment, and wherein the primary output opening and the secondary output opening face different directions and are positioned over a sound output face of the driver.
US09510072B2

A sound diverter for use with an electronic device which has one or more speakers, wherein the sound diverter is operably connected to the device enhancing the sound emitted from the speaker.
US09510070B2

A wearable electronic device includes a band, a gas inlet member, and a gas outlet member. The band defines a sound chamber. The gas inlet member and the gas outlet member are both positioned on the band and communicated with the sound chamber. When the gas inlet member is pressed, air enters into the sound chamber and the sound chamber expands to an expanded state. When the gas outlet member is pressed, the air is exhausted from the gas outlet member and the sound chamber restores to an original state.
US09510062B1

A server may receive metadata associated with specific content in a transport signal stream from a content information service. The metadata may identify a point in time of the transport signal stream. The server may instruct an encoder to insert a marker into the transport signal stream corresponding to the point in time of the transport signal stream. The marker may indicate control of a trick mode to be enforced by a delivery platform subsequent to the point in time of the transport signal stream. The server may record the marker in a data store associated with the server.
US09510061B2

A method and apparatus for distributing live video to multiple client devices is provided herein. In particular, a router is provided that acts on behalf of all client devices in its network. The router serves multiple groups of client devices with each group being formed by client devices having similar bandwidth requirements. The router then requests and receives video chunks from a network. The router then redistributes the video chunks to the multiple client devices using a multicast transmission. In particular, to minimize the demands on the core network, the router sets up a separate multicast to each group. Live video, of the appropriate quality is then multicast to each group.
US09510050B2

A context aware recommendation system and method for recommending at least one program to the user responsive to dynamically varying user preferences, learned user behavior and contextual information is described. The recommended program is a television program, radio program or music file. The system and method further alert the user about change in user's preferences and guides the user to change stated preferences.
US09510047B2

Systems and methods for automatically performing a media action based on the status of external components are provided. A media asset is determined to be presented on a user equipment device. Components external to the user equipment device are monitored to obtain status information pertaining to the components. A determination is made as to whether a media action is associated with the status information. The identified media action is performed for the media asset in response to determining that the media asset is associated with the status information.
US09510046B2

The invention in particular concerns a method and a device for estimating a level of use of a communication network linking a server and at least one client, said communication network being used to transmit a data stream at a transmission rate corresponding to the temporal frequency of said data stream, said data stream comprising at least one item of information characterizing a theoretical rate dependent on said transmission rate of said data stream. After having obtained (121) said theoretical rate of said data stream, the real reception rate of at least one part of said data stream is evaluated (109). Said theoretical rate and said evaluated rate are then compared (113) to estimate said level of use of said communication network. The level of subscription of a client to multicast sessions may be adapted according to the level of use of the communication network.
US09510045B2

In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a media module and a modification module included in an embedded appliance. The media module is configured to receive a first media signal associated with a first input port of the embedded appliance and a second media signal associated with a second input port of the embedded appliance. The media module is configured to identify a first set of media signal parameters based on the first media signal. The modification module is configured to receive a modification instruction associated with a session format having a second set of media signal parameters different from the first set of media signal parameters. The modification module is configured to modify the first media signal based on the first set of media signal parameters and the modification instruction to produce a first modified media signal in the session format and having the second set of media signal parameters.
US09510041B2

Methods and apparatus for using geocoding information from a user's mobile device to determine program and advertising media content to deliver to the user.
US09510033B1

A number of approaches for transcoding media is described, which allow various users to control one or more aspects of transcoding (e.g. bit rate, resolution) when delivering media content to a client device from a network edge server or other location. The client device is provided with an interface that allows the user to increase or decrease the resolution, bit rate or other settings of the media content. Upon receiving a request from the user, the system transcodes the media content in accordance with the request and dynamically delivers the transcoded media content to the user's device. The system also enables content publishers and network operators to impose restrictions (e.g. minimum and maximum values for various settings) on user control.
US09510028B2

Adaptive video transcoding based on parallel chunked log analysis is described. The adaptive video transcoding method comprises receiving an intermediate video stream generated from an intermediate transcoding. The method also receives an intermediate transcoding log stream associated with the intermediate video stream. The method partitions the intermediate video stream into a plurality of video chunks, where each video chunk corresponding to a portion of video data of the video stream. The method further generates video chunk statistics for each of the video chunks using the intermediate transcoding log stream and transcoding parameters for each of the video chunks based on the generated video chunk statistics. The method transcodes each of the video chunks to a target format in parallel based on the generated transcoding parameters. The method assembles the transcoded video chunks into a target video stream in the target format.
US09510019B2

Encoding and decoding a video image having a plurality of frames using a two-step quantization and coding process are disclosed. A block of a frame are encoded by identifying pixels having certain spatial characteristics, forming a second block from the block while replacing the identified pixels with a single pixel value, such as an average of the remaining original pixels. The second block is encoded, such as by transformation and quantization, and placed into a bitstream. The second block is decoded and subtracted from the original block to generate a difference block. The difference block is encoded, such as by quantization, and is placed in the bitstream. At a decoder, both blocks are decoded and combined to reconstruct the original block.
US09510018B2

A signal processor receives settings information. The settings information specifies a setting of a given element for each image in a sequence of multiple images in which the given element resides. The signal processor also receives precision metadata specifying an estimated precision of each of the settings of the given element for each image in the sequence. Based on the settings information and the precision metadata, the signal processor generates a setting value for the given element. If the setting value produced for the given element is relatively stable, and thus likely a better representation of a setting for the given element than a current setting of the given element, the signal processor utilizes the generated setting value instead of the current setting for encoding purposes.
US09510014B2

The present invention relates to an image processing device and method, which realize improvement in encoding efficiency for color difference signals and reduction in address calculations for memory access. In a case where a block size of orthogonal transform is 4×4, and a macroblock of luminance signals is configured of four 4×4 pixel blocks appended with 0 through 1, the four luminance signal blocks are corresponded with one color difference signal 4×4 block appended with C. At this time, there exist four motion vector information of mv0, mv1, mv2, and mv3, as to the four luminance signal blocks. The motion vector information mvc of the one color difference signal 4×4 block is calculated by averaging processing using these four motion vector information. The present invention can be applied to an image encoding device which performed encoding based on the H.264/AVC format, for example.
US09510012B2

In HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), a 2N×2N coding unit can be partitioned into various partition types hierarchically. The coding system uses a criterion to determine the best partition, where RD-rate is often used as the criterion. N×N partition at level k becomes redundant if 2N×2N at level k+1 will be evaluated. In order to eliminate the above redundancy, the allowable partition sizes are constrained according to a method previously disclosed. In the current invention, the complexity is further reduced. According to one embodiment, N×N partition is not allowed for any INTER mode regardless of the coding unit size. Furthermore, flexibility is provided so that either the method and apparatus with further complexity reduction can be selected or an alternative method and apparatus can be selected. Syntaxes to support embodiments according to the present invention are also disclosed.
US09510010B2

The present invention relates to image encoding and image decoding. A method for encoding images according to the present invention comprises the steps of: acquiring division information from peripheral blocks of an encoding target block with respect to the peripheral blocks; predicting the division of the encoding target block on the basis of the acquired division information; encoding information on the difference between the practical division information of the encoding target information and the predictive division information predicted in the predicting process; and transmitting the encoded information. The present invention can encode/decode the division information of the encoding/decoding target blocks using the information about the peripheral blocks.
US09510002B2

A method of signaling additional chroma QP offset values that are specific to quantization groups is provided, in which each quantization group explicitly specifies its own set of chroma QP offset values. Alternatively, a table of possible sets of chroma QP offset values is specified in the header area of the picture, and each quantization group uses an index to select an entry from the table for determining its own set of chroma QP offset values. The quantization group specific chroma QP offset values are then used to determine the chroma QP values for blocks within the quantization group in addition to chroma QP offset values already specified for higher levels of the video coding hierarchy.
US09509996B2

A method of reproducing at least two digital video sequences. The method includes multiplexing a first digital video sequence with a second digital video sequence, pictures of the second digital video sequence are included in advance in a video stream and are associated with timing information such that a receiver will not decode and reproduce the pictures of the second digital video sequence. The method includes composing the at least two digital video sequences into the video stream in correspondence with a result of the multiplexing and subsequently including a sequence of dummy timing pictures into the video stream. The dummy timing pictures are inter-predicted and are coded by omitting any prediction error data.
US09509989B2

A method and apparatus of context-based adaptive binary arithmetic encoding/decoding for syntax elements of one or more blocks are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the binarization results of the x and y positions of the last significant coefficient of a transform unit are reordered by collecting the bypass bins together. According to another embodiment of the present invention, binarization results of syntax elements from two or more of four Intra N×N prediction units, including prev_intra_luma_pred_flag, rem_intra_luma_pred_mode, and mpm_idx are reordered by collecting the bypass bins together. In yet another embodiment according to the present invention, the binarization results of other syntax elements are also reordered by collecting bypass bins together. Furthermore, the above reordering of binarization results may be used for binarization results corresponding to a block and its neighboring blocks.
US09509983B2

Systems, methods, and display apparatuses consistent with the invention may generate control signals to control n light-passing devices such that the n light-passing devices each are sequentially operated between ON and OFF states, and such that each of the n light-passing devices are in the ON state no less than 1/n of the viewing period. This may allow different images to be viewed through different light-passing devices. The embodiments may be used, for example, to present a three-dimensional image to a viewer or to present different videos to different viewers.
US09509980B2

A monoscopic low-power mobile device is capable of creating real-time images and videos for multiple viewpoints from a single captured view. The device uses statistics from an autofocusing process to create a block depth map of a single capture view. Artifacts in the block depth map are reduced and an image depth map is created. Alternate views are created from the image depth map using a Z-buffer based surface recover process and a disparity map which is a function of a geometric vision model.
US09509977B2

An image processing system includes an image acquisition unit, a candidate value estimation unit, a band characteristics evaluation unit, an effective frequency determination unit and a candidate value modification unit. The acquisition unit acquires images. The estimation unit estimates, for each pixel of the images, a candidate value of a 3D shape. The evaluation unit calculates, for each pixel, a band evaluation value of a band included in the images. The determination unit determines an effective frequency of the pixel based on statistical information of the band evaluation value. The modification unit performs data correction or data interpolation for the candidate value based on the effective frequency and calculates a modified candidate value representing the 3D shape.
US09509972B2

Disclosed are an encoding/decoding method and apparatus using a skip mode. The image decoding method comprises: generating a warping prediction depth image unit, and then decoding skip information regarding an image unit to be decoded; and decoding the image unit to be decoded using a skip mode based on the skip information. The skip information may be determined based on depth information of the warping prediction depth image unit, depth information of the image unit to be decoded, or edge information of a text picture image unit corresponding to the image unit to be decoded. Thus, an unnecessary prediction process need not be performed during the encoding and decoding of the image unit, thereby improving image encoding and decoding efficiency.
US09509966B2

A projector in an illumination optical system includes a laser light source, a synchronization signal processor that converts synchronization signals that are synchronized with video signals input from outside the projector into video signals to be used inside the projector, an LD driver that controls a lighting state of the laser light source according to the synchronization signals output from the synchronization signal processor, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) light source, an LED driver that controls a lighting state of the LED light source according to the synchronization signals output from the synchronization signal processor, a rotational state detector that detects a rotational state of a phosphor wheel, and a phosphor wheel driver that, based on a detected result of the rotational state detector, controls the rotational state of the phosphor wheel.
US09509958B2

An image pick-up device which photographs an object to generate an image signal representing the object, including: a housing including an opening; a transparent plate which covers the opening; an image detector arranged in the housing; an optical lens forming an image of the object on the image detector through the transparent plate; a lighting device arranged in the housing and placed both in an inner area in which an imaging area outside the housing is folded into the housing with reference to one surface of the transparent plate, and in an outer area of the imaging area; and an optical-path modifying element which causes an optical path of the light to be refracted such that the light is emitted from a virtual image of the lighting device, the virtual image being placed outside the inner area.
US09509956B2

A wavefront is optimized imaging a sample. A binary off-axis hologram is encoded by selective adoption of states for each mirror of a deformable mirror device, which is illuminated with an incident beam of light. A single diffraction order that has encoded phase-mask information is selected from light reflected from the deformable mirror device and focused onto the sample. Light scattered from the sample is directed to a photodetector. A transmission matrix through the sample is calculated from light received by the photodetector.
US09509954B2

The present invention is related to a device (1) for assisted channel selection in an IPTV system comprising a selection engine (2) arranged for outputting a channel change command corresponding to a selected channel. The device comprises means for receiving a plurality of channel change requests from a group of users of the IPTV system. The selection engine (2) is arranged for determining the selected channel from a plurality of IPTV channels based on at least one selection criterion derived from at least a part of the plurality of channel change requests of the group of users.
US09509951B2

Conference systems are used to support discussions in meeting rooms or plenary halls, whereby the conference systems usually comprise a plurality of delegate units for participants of the discussion. It is furthermore known, that conference systems comprise a display for displaying the active speaker in a conference. Especially in large conferences with a plurality of participants more than one camera is used for viewing the different active speakers to be displayed on the display. A switching apparatus (9) for switching compressed video streams, the switching apparatus (9) comprising: at least two inputs IN1, IN2, each input being operable to receive an input video stream from a camera (7), an output OUT for outputting an output video stream, whereby the input video streams are compressed video streams, whereby each compressed video stream is represented by a sequence of groups of frames GoF, whereby each group of frames GoF comprises a key frame I and at least one inter frame X, a switching module (12) operable to receive a switch request SR and to switch the input video streams in the output video stream, so that a first video stream of the input video streams is stopped and a second video stream of the input video streams is started, whereby the output video stream is a compressed video stream.
US09509935B2

A display management unit configured to provide a modified video signal for display on a target display over an electronic distribution network. The unit may access information regarding the target display and at least one input. The unit comprises a database interface configured to retrieve display characteristics corresponding to the information regarding the target display from a characteristics database, and a mapping unit configured to map at least one of tone and color values from the at least one input to corresponding mapped values based at least in part on the retrieved display characteristics to produce the modified video signal.
US09509925B2

An image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes a converter configured to convert a photoelectric converted analog signal in a unit pixel into a digital signal including a plurality of bits, a data transfer unit configured to selectively output the converted digital signal output from the converter in units of bits in response to a control signal, and including a plurality of switching circuits which are serially connected; and a memory configured to store data output from the data transfer unit.
US09509909B2

A method, apparatus and a surround view camera system. The method includes extracting block samples from at least one of a composite view geometric LUT, input fish-eye image and view overlapping region, selecting sample inliers from the extracted block samples, estimating optimal color gain for the selected block samples, performing refined adjustment based on the estimated color gain and applying color transform, and producing a composite surround view image.
US09509906B2

An image processing apparatus includes a taken image data acquiring unit configured to acquire taken image data, a storage unit configured to store therein one or more pieces of interface data for designating a tag to be attached to the taken image data, an imaging situation information acquiring unit configured to acquire information on an imaging situation of the taken image data, an interface identifying unit configured to identify at least one piece of interface data from among the pieces of interface data stored in the storage unit based on the information on the imaging situation acquired by the imaging situation information acquiring unit, and a display image generating unit configured to generate interface image data from the interface data identified by the interface identifying unit and to generate image data for display from the generated interface image data and the taken image data.
US09509904B2

The present description provides a user programmable image capturing and processing apparatus which allows the user to load and run its own custom processing algorithms into the camera or device apparatus, does not limit the client to a specific set of factory preloaded image processing algorithms, and can utilize a wide range of image capturing means such as Ultrasound, X-ray, RF frequency, or other means of converting signals or waves to image.
US09509900B2

A camera control apparatus includes a database to store camera installation information of the cameras including a main camera and one or more sub-cameras; an image acquisition unit to acquire at least one image from the cameras; and a camera controller to convert image center coordinates of the image acquired by the main camera to three-dimensional coordinates on a three-dimensional reference coordinate system, by using the camera installation information, select at least one new main camera from among the one or more sub-cameras that include the three-dimensional coordinates as field-of-view information, and calculate a control value of the newly selected main camera for controlling the newly selected main camera to gaze the three-dimensional coordinates.
US09509899B2

A camera system includes an interchangeable lens and a camera main body. The interchangeable lens includes a lens side storage unit that stores pupil related data according to an image height. The camera main body includes an image sensor including focus detection pixels, a main body side storage unit that stores correction data, and a correction unit corrects non-uniformity in illumination distribution of outputs of the focus detection pixels. The pupil related data is data regarding an F-number and an exit pupil position. The data regarding the F-number indicates a range of luminous flux to be applied to the focus detection pixels at a predetermined image height. The data regarding the exit pupil position relates to a position of intersection of a center of luminous flux applied to the focus detection pixels at a predetermined image height and an optical axis of the imaging optical system.
US09509890B2

A solid image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a device chip including a first principal surface and a second principal surface, a CMOS device and an electrode portion being formed on the first principal surface; a holding block including a joining surface joined to the second principal surface and an inclined surface inclined inward at a predetermined angle relative to the joining surface; a wiring board including a distal end portion including a connection portion connected to the electrode portion on the first principal surface, an extending portion that is in contact with the inclined surface, the extending portion being joined to the inclined surface via a bonding layer; and a flexure portion flexed at the predetermined angle between the distal end portion and the extending portion.
US09509883B2

A printed matter includes: a first sub image embedded in the main image which has the same color as a color of the main image in a human visual sense, and is printed with an ink to absorb light of an infrared wavelength band by a first absorption coefficient; and a second sub image embedded in the main image which has the same color as the color of the main image in a human visual sense, and is printed with an ink to absorb the light of the infrared wavelength band by a second absorption coefficient.
US09509864B2

Customers are able to obtain information printed on a receipt without greatly changing the configuration of devices such as POS registers that process product sales. In an information management system 1, a printer 3 prints a receipt based on transaction information related to a product sale; a receipt database 7 stores transaction information relationally to a unique ID 52; an member service server 6 registers unique IDs 52 in the receipt database 7; an NFC reader 45 reads the unique IDs 52; and a control unit 30 determines if a unique ID 52 is registered in the receipt database 7, prints transaction information and access information for accessing the member registration server 62 if the unique ID 52 is not registered, and sends the unique ID 52 and the transaction information to the member service server 6 if the unique ID 52 is registered.
US09509858B1

A method and system of real-time replenishment and electronic confirmation of sale, such as a SMS text message, to a consumer responsive to purchase or referral of long distance calling minutes, including real-time replenishment of the customer's account, and seamless, pin-less use of the purchased long-distance from the user's chosen phone(s). A computer based server receives a phone number, monetary amount, and an indication of whether an increase or decrease to the balance is requested. Phone number is then compared with a stored list of registered phone numbers having a unique pin and a balance amount. The balance is increased or decreased by desired amount if comparison results in a match. If comparison does not result in a match a new pin is created associating the phone with the balance amount. A message is then sent containing an access number for use in pre-paid long distance calling.
US09509854B2

An echo cancellation device including a first adaptive filter for producing a first echo cancellation signal, a second adaptive filter for producing a second echo cancellation signal, and a post-processor for suppressing any remaining echo. The first adaptive filter and the second adaptive filter are designed for canceling a first part of the echo impulse response and a second part of the echo impulse response respectively. The device may be utilized in a mobile telephone.
US09509850B2

Responsive to detecting a call from a first user into a call system, a user identifier associated with the first user to can be added to respective user information stored in an e-meeting data structure associated with the call. A determination can be made as to whether the call system recognizes the user identifier associated with the first user and, responsive to determining the call system does not recognize the user identifier associated with the first user, a determination can be made as to whether the call system recognizes a voice of the first user. If the call system does not recognize the voice of the first user, a location of the first user can be identified by processing the user identifier. The location of the first user can be added to respective user information stored in the e-meeting data structure. An e-meeting can be generated for the call.
US09509836B2

A method for a communication device to automatic respond to an incoming call is provided. The method includes: configuring a destination and a message template; detecting whether there is an obstruction in front of the communication device and a picture taken by a rear camera is in an even color when an incoming call is received; turning off a ringtone of the incoming call if there is an obstruction and the picture is in an even color; detecting a current position and position variation by a GPS unit; calculating an average speed based on the position variation; and hanging up the incoming call, calculating a time required to reach the destination, filling out the message template with the time required to form a predefined message, and then transmitting the predefined message to the caller of the incoming call if the average speed equals to or exceed a predefined value.
US09509835B2

A method of secure recognization for pervasive face-to-face social communications may comprise: initiating a procedure for generating a recognization protocol; exchanging information for the recognization protocol with one or more apparatuses, wherein the information indicates wearable devices used in executing the recognization protocol and users carrying the wearable devices; and generating the recognization protocol by negotiating with the one or more apparatuses a kind of code word which is presented by the wearable devices during executing the recognization protocol.
US09509826B2

A mobile device and method selectively displays a list of peripheral devices available for an application to be performed depending on a short range communication. When one of an end-user function and a content supported by the mobile device is selected, the mobile device acquires a profile of the selected end-user function or content. Then the mobile device acquires information about specific peripheral devices that are capable of forming a short range communication channel with the mobile device and also capable of enabling the selected end-user function or content. The mobile device outputs a list of the specific peripheral devices depending on the acquired information.
US09509824B2

Automated provisioning of radiotelephone handsets at a fulfillment center and automated quality assurance uses a computer database of specifications for authentication and activation from multiple handset manufacturing vendors, radiotelephone service providers, and distributors. A universal interface system is provided to efficiently access diverse makes and models of handsets. The handsets are attached to the interface system in accordance with a build request, checked to see if the attached handset matches the build request, and automatically provisioned via the interface in accordance with the build request.
US09509817B1

An enclosure for communication devices is described comprising a rear housing and a faceplate. Various faceplates may be provided for different communication devices. The rear housing mounts to existing phone backboards. The rear housing may remain mounted and the faceplate exchanged for a different faceplate with a different communication device. The enclosure provides a simple, ubiquitous, an inexpensive enclosure that can support various communication devices that provide a variety of communication services to users such as email, VOIP, video calls, or other advanced telecommunications.
US09509806B2

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for wireless communication. In one method, a request may be received at a Wi-Fi docking center (WDC) regarding one or more peripheral function protocols (PFPs) supported by the WDC, and a response message indicating whether the WDC supports at least a Wi-Gig Bus Extension (WBE) as a PFP or a Wi-Gig Display Extension (WDE) as a PFP may be transmitted. In another method, a request may be transmitted to a WDC regarding one or more PFPs supported by the WDC, and a response message may be received from the WDC. The request may be transmitted using a first peer-to-peer (P2P) connection. The response message may indicate whether the WDC supports at least a WBE as a PFP or a WDE as a PFP.
US09509803B2

The inventive subject matter provides apparatus, systems, and methods of pre-loading (or caching) activatable content to several mobile devices for future use by at least one of the mobile devices. The mobile devices are communicatively coupled with each other to form a distribute storage network. The pre-loaded content can be used by applications executed in any one of the mobile devices within the network. A content server is configured to transmit portions of the content to the mobile devices upon detection that a subset of conditions within the multi-conditional content activation criteria has been satisfied. The content server is configured to transmit the entire content when all conditions within the multi-conditional content activation criteria has been satisfied. The content server then activates the content when a content activation event is detected.
US09509791B2

Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for enforcing policy-based exposure of presence. The method includes receiving, from a service provider, a request for presence information about a subscriber, intercepting the request at a policy enforcer, and analyzing the request to determine attributes associated with the request. The method further includes, based in part on the determined attributes of the request, applying a policy to the request, and based on the applied policy, filtering the request for presence information about the subscriber. Further, the method includes forwarding the filtered request to a presence server, and publishing, to the service provider, the filtered presence information about the subscriber.
US09509782B2

A multi-tenant media communication platform system and methods. The platform system includes media communication micro-services and micro-service configuration for a plurality of entities configured for use of the platform system. Enrolling an entity in the platform system includes setting entity configuration for use of the platform system by the entity. A micro-service request is processed according to the entity configuration. The micro-service request is a request for use of at least one micro-service of the platform system on behalf of the entity. Use of each micro-service is accounted for on behalf of the entity. Billing information for the entity is generated based on the accounting for the use of each micro-service on behalf of the entity. Entity configuration includes micro-service configuration, and micro-service configuration specifies at least one of: an endpoint mapping to at least one application logic URI, an event callback URI, and an event application logic URI.
US09509780B2

A node includes a sending unit that sends a signal to another node; a receiving unit that receives a signal from another node; a determining unit that determines, when the sending unit sends a signal to the other node, that synchronization has been established with the other node, that determines, when the receiving unit receives a signal from another node, that synchronization has been established with the other node, and that determines, when a node in which synchronization has already been established with the other two nodes in each of which synchronization has been established, that synchronization has been established with the nodes; and a selecting unit that selects an information processing apparatus that is not determined, by the determining unit, that synchronization has been established as the other node at the sending destination for the signal.
US09509773B2

An instruction from an application server to perform a computation is received at a network-attached storage (NAS) device. The computation uses arrays of data that are stored by the NAS device as inputs. The instruction includes remote procedure calls that identify operations that are included in the computation, including a first remote procedure call that will cause the NAS device to perform a read operation on a first file containing an array of data to be used as an input for the computation, and a second remote procedure call that will cause the NAS device to perform an array operation using the array of data. The operations are executed on the NAS device to produce a result that is stored in a second file in a location in a file system managed by the NAS device and accessible to the application server.
US09509771B2

Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include defining, by a first computer in communication with a storage system, at least two priority levels for storage management commands to be processed by the storage system, and defining a respective queue for each of the defined priority levels. Upon receiving multiple storage management commands from one or more second computers in communication with the first computer and the storage system, a respective priority is determined for each of the received storage management commands, and the respective queue is identified for each of the received storage management commands based on the respective priority thereof. Each of the received storage management commands is loaded to the respective identified queue thereof, and the received storage management commands stored in the respective queues are processed by the storage system according to the priority levels thereof.
US09509770B2

A system and method for providing time-sensitive information to a handset using a scrolling ticker. The method includes receiving the time-sensitive information at a server, determining the time period before the next update for a second set of information, and if less than a pre-determined value, then streaming the time sensitive information at the end of the time period to the handset. If the time period is greater than the pre-determined value, then streaming the time-sensitive information immediately. In an alternative embodiment, a method is provided which includes determining a base schedule for periodically streaming the information to a handset via a scrolling ticker, receiving time-sensitive information relating to an event, determining a second schedule for periodically streaming time-sensitive information related to the event, and streaming the time-sensitive information in accordance with the second schedule during a time period associated with the event.
US09509769B2

A method for processing data requests may include storing data on a client device received from a data provider maintaining the data. A request may be received to modify the data maintained by the data provider. After connectivity to the data provider is available, the request may be sent to the data provider. After connectivity is not available the request may be processed based on the data stored on the client device and the modified data may be stored on the client device.
US09509764B1

Updating cached data is disclosed. An indication that a web content has been updated is received. An updated version of the web content is received. A difference between the updated version of the web content and a previous version of the updated web content is determined. A request for the updated version of the web content is received from a client. The difference in place of the updated version of the web content is provided to the client. The client generates the updated version of the web content using the difference and the previous version of the updated web content cached by the client.
US09509760B2

A device, of a cloud computing environment, receives an instruction to create a virtual packet analyzer from a user device associated with a user. The device creates the virtual packet analyzer in the device based on the instruction, and receives a packet provided in a portion of the cloud computing environment associated with the user. The virtual packet analyzer determines information associated with the packet, and determines whether to duplicate the packet based on the information. The virtual packet analyzer processes the packet based on whether the packet is to be duplicated. A duplicate packet of the packet is generated when it is determined that the packet is to be duplicated, and is transmitted to another device to identify or resolve a problem within the portion. The packet is transmitted to a destination of the packet when it is determined that the packet is not to be duplicated.
US09509757B2

A multi-language sorting index may allow sort keys for multiple languages to be stored in an auxiliary table associated with a primary table in which the strings to be sorted are stored. Sort keys may be generated for each string and stored in the auxiliary table, with duplicate sort keys excluded. Queries for sorted data in the first table may use the auxiliary table to identify and sort the requested data.
US09509754B2

Systems and methods for providing registration at a remote site that may include, for example, a monitoring module that may communicate with a remote site. A registration protocol may be used by the monitoring module and the remote site in generating the messages communicated during the registration process. The monitoring module may gather and generate various identification information to be included in the registration protocol messages. The registration information provided by the monitoring module maybe stored at the remote site in a database server having a database. A confirmation message may be communicated from the remote site to the monitoring module that may either acknowledge successful registration or report that an error occurred during the registration process.
US09509750B2

An apparatus and method for providing content is provided, which performs a web service initialization through a provided local offline web server and manages a plurality of content provided through a multithreaded web service. The apparatus for providing content includes a communication unit receiving one or more sets of content; a thread creation unit creating one or more threads that are given to the content to process a work; and a page creation unit having a frame per thread and creating an image page for playing the content on a web browser.
US09509747B2

A content management system synchronizes content items across client computing systems. The content items are transmitted to the content management system and managed as blocks of data with a fixed size. When a new content item is added to synchronized data at a client, the client transmits the blocks and a blocklist to the content management system. The content management system uses the blocklist to determine blocks expected to be received at the content management system and the client begins to transmit blocks of the content item to the content management system. When blocks received at the content management system match expected blocks, the content management system notifies receiving clients to begin receiving blocks for the content item, prior to receipt of all blocks on the blocklist at the content management system. This enables content items to begin synchronization across clients prior to actual entry of the content item into the content management system.
US09509746B2

Provisioning remote access points for use in a telecommunication network. A remote access point contains identity information established during manufacturing; this identity information may be in the nature of a digital certificate. The identity information is stored in the remote access point, and may be stored in a Trusted Platform Module if present. When the remote access node is powered up in unprovisioned state, outside the manufacturing environment, it attempts to establish an internet connection via a first wired interface, and queries a user for information representing the TCP/IP address of its controller via a second wired interface. Once an internet connection is present, and a TCP/IP address has been provided, the remote access point attempts to connect to the controller at that address. Once a connection is established, controller and access point exchange and verify each other's identities.
US09509743B1

Examples are disclosed for conducting an Internet Protocol (IP) communication session between a computer device and a communications server with the assistance of an intermediate communication device. A first communication channel between the computer device and the communications server is established for sending and receiving an IP packet data media stream representative of the IP communication session. The quality of service (QoS) for the IP packet data media stream is monitored to determine whether the they are sufficient to sustain a minimum QoS. A second communication channel that includes the intermediate communication device is established. While continuing to send and receive on the first communication channel, the computer device simultaneously sends and receives a percentage of the IP packet data media stream on the second communication channel wherein an increasing percentage of the IP packet data media stream is sent on the second communication channel as the QoS for the first communication channel degrades and a decreasing percentage of the IP packet data media stream is sent over the second communication channel as the QoS for the first communication channel improves.
US09509733B2

In a communication apparatus, a first portion of a shared material is displayed in a first display area within a remote conference screen which is displayed in a display connected to the communication apparatus. When the communication apparatus is in a state for receiving an input of an annotation to the shared material, a second display area is set as an area for receiving a first input. When the first input is received, a portion of the shared material displayed in the first display area is changed from the first portion to a second portion of the shared material. When a second input is received to a position outside the second display area, an annotation corresponding to the second input is displayed to be superimposed on the first portion in the first display area.
US09509715B2

A threat detection system receives links from emails opened in web browsers. The received links are compared with a whitelist of trusted links and blacklisted links associated with security threats. The threat detection system sends trusted identifiers when the received links are identified in the whitelist and sends block identifiers back to the web browsers when the received links are identified in the blacklist. The trusted identifiers cause the web browsers to display a trusted message and the block identifiers cause the web browsers to remove the received link and display a warning message. The threat detection system may receive threat reports for suspected links from employees of a same enterprise and allow an enterprise security administrator to asynchronously update the blacklists and whitelists based on the threat reports received from the enterprise users.
US09509713B2

A network browser has a Malware detection manager for direct or indirect scanning of files during an upload or download processes for viruses, adware, spyware, etc. The malware detection manager defines and employs a quarantine bin, which is an isolated and secure memory space or directory for temporary placement of file packets during the file transmission while malware detection can commence. The malware detection manager scans for malware code associated with the packet sequence encountered during a file transmission to and from the Internet, during which it quarantines all the scanned packets in the quarantine bin. Quarantined files can be released if there is a human challenge authorizing the release of the file. Exchanging a Malware free signature between server and client via a trusted download center may be done so the client device need not scan the files for malware if content is certified and guaranteed as malware-free.
US09509710B1

A computer-implemented method of analyzing a plurality of metrics associated with one or more real-time streams of time-series data. For each metric, a set of time-series data for an interval of time is received, and one or more feature values determined from data of the stream prior to the interval of time are retrieved. One or more updated feature values are determined using the one or more retrieved feature values and the received set of time-series data, and the one or more updated feature values are stored in the store. The values of the metrics are then determined from the updated feature values, the plurality of metrics are then analyzed, for example to perform anomaly detection.
US09509707B2

A computing device may use machine learning techniques to determine the level, degree, and severity of its vulnerability to side channel attacks. The computing device may intelligently and selectively perform obfuscation operations (e.g., operations to raise the noise floor) to prevent side channel attacks based on the determined level, degree, or severity of its current vulnerability to such attacks. The computing device may also monitor the current level of natural obfuscation produced by the device, determining whether there is sufficient natural obfuscation to prevent a side channel attack during an ongoing critical activity, and perform the obfuscation operation during the ongoing critical activity and in response to determining that there is not sufficient natural obfuscation to adequately protect the computing device against side channel attacks.
US09509705B2

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with automated secondary linking for fraud detection systems. According to one embodiment, a system includes a parsing logic configured to receive an incoming fraud report based on a first fraud detection strategy. The parse logic is also configured to parse the incoming fraud report into fraud data. The system further includes a search logic configured to search a set of fraud reports to identify instances of the fraud data. The system also includes an alert logic configured to generate an alert in response to an instance of the fraud data being identified in the set of fraud reports.
US09509702B2

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, and a computer program product self-selected user access based on specific authentication types. The system typically including a memory, a processor, and a module configured to receive from a user, a user-selected preference, wherein the user-selected preference comprises one or more authentication types desired by the user; determine a level of authentication from a plurality of levels of authentication are associated with the one or more authentication types associated with the user-selected preference; initiate the presentation of a user interface that enables the user to select one or more application functions, wherein the one or more application functions are associated with the determined level of authentication; receive from a user, a selection of one or more application functions.
US09509697B1

The disclosed computer-implemented method for authorizing attempts to access shared libraries may include (1) detecting an attempt by a process to access a shared library, (2) identifying a call stack of the process, (3) inspecting the call stack to determine whether a method that initiated the attempt is authorized to access the shared library, and (4) causing the attempt to be allowed if the method is authorized to access the shared library or blocked if the method is not authorized to access the shared library. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09509695B2

A system may include a first network in which user device(s) and a HIP server are communicably coupled. The first network may include a secure data administrator, such as a medical data system, that stores secure data. In some implementations, at least one of the user devices may include a web module and communicate with a web server through a second network. At least one of the user device may be restricted from communicating with the secure data administrator, so the user device may request data stored in the secure data administrator through the HIP server. The user device may base the requests for the data on information received from the web server.
US09509691B2

A technique to reassign one or more stored elements of web application client state information is provided in an HTTP-based client upon receipt of an HTTP redirect in response to a request-URI. One or more stored elements associated to the request-URI are saved in or in association with the client. Upon receipt of an HTTP 301 (permanent) redirect, the client automatically reassigns (re-associates) the one or more stored elements to the redirect domain when the redirect can be verified as authentic (e.g., to originate from the application to which the client is attempting to connect).
US09509689B1

A computer implemented method and a cloud security system are provided for securing data in a cloud storage environment. The cloud security system receives data of multiple types from multiple sources and decodes the received data. The cloud security system stores the decoded data in one or more of multiple storage locations within the cloud storage environment and allocates one or more of multiple security actions to be performed on the stored data in each of the storage locations. The cloud security system applies multiple security algorithms to perform the allocated security actions on the stored data in each of the storage locations. The cloud security system encodes resultant data obtained from the application of the security algorithms to the stored data with a security identifier in combination with one or more of a user's authentication information, biometric data, and supplementary parameters for facilitating secure access to the resultant data.
US09509688B1

A technique provides malicious identity profiles. The technique involves storing unsuccessful authentication entries in a database, the unsuccessful authentication entries including (i) descriptions of failed attempts to authenticate users and (ii) biometric records captured from the users during the failed attempts to authenticate the users. The technique further involves generating a set of malicious identity profiles based on the descriptions and the biometric records of the unsuccessful authentication entries stored in the database. Each malicious identity profile includes a profile biometric record for comparison with new biometric records during new authentication attempts. The technique further involves outputting the set of malicious identity profiles. Such a set of malicious identity profiles is well suited for use in future authentication operations, i.e., well suited for predicting intruder attacks and fraud attempts, and for sharing risky identities among authentication systems (e.g., among different security products within a cybercrime detection network).
US09509687B2

There is provided a communication terminal including a transmission controller configured to allow transmission of, to a verification target device, authentication information for authenticating the verification target device based on first information acquired from an information processing device, and a verification unit configured to verify validity of the verification target device based on a response to the authentication information and second information acquired from the information processing device, the second information being associated with the first information.
US09509686B2

Secure element authentication techniques are described. In implementations, a confirmation is received that an identity of a user has been physically verified using one or more physical documents. One or more credentials that are usable to authenticate the user are caused to be stored in a secure element of a mobile communication device of the user, the secure element implemented using tamper-resistant hardware.
US09509685B2

The present invention includes a system for authenticating a second action based on a first action, wherein the system is configured to: receive a first request to execute a first action associated with a first application; determine that execution of the first action requires user authentication; request one or more authentication credentials from the user; receive a first authentication credential associated with the first action; validate the first authentication credential, thereby resulting in a successful validation of the received first authentication credential; in response to the successful validation, execute the first action; receive a second request to execute a second action associated with a second application; determine that execution of the second action requires user authentication; use the successful validation of the first authentication credential to validate a second authentication credential so that the second action may be executed.
US09509683B2

According to some embodiments, a method provides a designated link in a notification to an intended recipient of the message. The designated link includes a unique identifier associated with the message. Upon receiving a request to access the message, the method authenticates the request. Authentication includes verifying whether the request corresponds to the designated link provided in the notification. If the request passes authentication, the method communicates the message.
US09509679B2

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for a non-replayable communication system are disclosed. A first device associated with a first user may have a public identity key and a corresponding private identity. The first device may register the first user with an authenticator by posting the public identity key to the authenticator. The first device may perform a key exchange with a second device associated with a second user, whereby the public identity key and a public session key are transmitted to the second device. During a communication session, the second device may transmit to the first device messages encrypted with the public identity key and/or the public session key. The first device can decrypt the messages with the private identity key and the private session key. The session keys may expire during or upon completion of the communication session.
US09509676B1

Methods and systems for receiving a detection of a physical presence of a user and, in response, initiating a start-up process on an enterprise device according to a profile associated with the user are described. Thereafter, the system receives authentication credentials at the enterprise device and the user is granted access to the enterprise device after the authentication credentials are verified.
US09509665B2

A message and an identifying parameter associated with the message are obtained. The message comprises a plurality of units. A plurality of one-unit message authentication codes is generated, wherein each one-unit message authentication code corresponds to a respective unit of the plurality of units of the message, and wherein each one-unit message authentication code is generated based on the identifying parameter associated with the message, a given one of the plurality of units, and the position of the given unit in the message. Verification of each unit of the message may then be efficiently performed inside a method of secure computation such as, by way of example only, a garbled circuit.
US09509664B2

A device is configured to store a hash value and an encrypted hash value. The device may broadcast a boot label including the encrypted hash value. The device may receive an administrator label from an administrative device based on the boot label. The administrator label may include a decrypted hash value. The device may determine the decrypted hash value matches the hash value. The device may receive access information from the administrative device based on the decrypted hash value matching the hash value. The access information may associate authorization information and an access level. The access level may be associated with particular data that is permitted to be read from the device. The device may selectively provide the particular data to a control device based on the access information.
US09509662B2

A service is provided that supports a plurality of tenants. Server(s) of the service are communicatively coupled with a plurality of gateways of the service. Each gateway is configured to support at least one tenant. The server(s) of the service include a network interface, a tenant mapper, and a gateway interface. The network interface is configured to receive connection strings from client devices. Each received connection string includes a service portion that maps to the same public IP address of the service, and also includes a corresponding tenant portion that identifies a tenant. The tenant mapper maps the tenant portions of the connection strings to corresponding gateways. The gateway interface is configured to enable the gateways to establish tunnels between the corresponding client devices and identified tenants. Accordingly, clients are enabled to access multiple tenants of the service via a same public IP address.
US09509658B2

A method of restoring a MAC address in system, the method includes, first transmitting a first frame, in which a origin of a transmission is a first MAC address held in the administration target machine, to the administration server, admitting a passage of a frame, in which the origin of the transmission is a MAC address included in a permission list, second transmitting a second frame, in which the origin of a transmission is the second MAC address, to the administration server, when not receiving a reply for the first frame from the administration server, replying a third frame which includes the regular first MAC address corresponding to the second MAC address, and restoring the first MAC address to the regular first MAC address included in the third frame and re-starting based on the first MAC address after restoration.
US09509655B2

Various embodiments provide for the use of analytics to determine a number of key factors prior to a user sending a communication (e.g., an email or instant message, making an online social media post, or accepting or requesting friendship on a social media site). The analytics may determine content, subject, emotion, relationships, and other relevant details when users interact (e.g., with email or other social software). Any alerts/suggestions provided can be provided in real-time as the person types.
US09509654B1

A method, system, and medium are provided for delivering recallable messages via Internet or telephony paths. A sender may configure a message as a recallable message on a communication device that is communicatively connected to a messaging alert platform. The request is delivered to a messaging alert platform, which then delivers the recallable message on the Internet or telephony paths. The messages are formatted by the messaging alert platform based to comply with the requirements of the selected communication path. The messaging alert platform attempts delivery until all paths are exhausted or a response, not an auto-reply, is received from the recipient of the message. The responses are filtered by the messaging alert platform before delivering the response from the recipient to the user.
US09509652B2

A method and system for identifying changes to a data set, such as data within a mailbox, and performing actions based on the identified changes is discussed. In some examples, the system receives an indication of a change to a mailbox, creates a change journal entry for the change, and identifies data to be copied via the change journal entry. In some examples, the system leverages the change journal to associate messages with changes to a mailbox.
US09509650B2

Electronic message management with conversation participation status is enabled. Accordingly, time may be saved and lost productivity due to overload of messages may be reduced. Electronic conversations may be associated with a set of participants. Each participant may have a varying and/or changing level of interest in the conversation. Each participant may specify a conversation participation status and the conversation participation status and/or user status of each participant may be communicated and/or presented to each of the other participants. Messaging clients may change presentation of conversations and/or electronic messages for a participant based on the participant's specified conversation participation status. Participants sending messages may specify message status specific for each participant to alter treatment of message that would be based on participant status and/or conversation participation status when message is received by each participant.
US09509645B2

A mobile terminal can include a wireless communication unit for transceiving messages with another terminal, and a touchscreen for displaying the messages in an order in which the messages were transceived. Also, the mobile terminal can include a controller for receiving a selection of a first message displayed at a first position among the transceived messages, moving the selected first message to a different position on the touchscreen of mobile terminal such that the transceived messages are displayed in an order different from the order in which they were transceived, and transmitting a message rearrangement command to the other terminal for rearranging messages displayed on a touchscreen of the other terminal in an order different from the order in which they were transceived.
US09509625B2

Aspects of the present disclosure include systems and methods for the automatic allocation and/or provisioning of various infrastructural computing resources upon which networks, such as telecommunication networks operate. In various aspects, data identifying one or more computing resources needed to implement, support, and/or otherwise facilitate the execution and/or development of a particular computing process, application, software, process, and/or service may be received via one or more interfaces, such as a graphical user-interface (“GUI”). The data may be processed to automatically provision the require resource.
US09509621B2

A shared input/output (IO) resource is managed in a decentralized manner. Each of multiple hosts having IO access to the shared resource, computes an average latency value that is normalized with respect to average IO request sizes, and stores the computed normalized latency value for later use. The normalized latency values thus computed and stored may be used for a variety of different applications, including enforcing a quality of service (QoS) policy that is applied to the hosts, detecting a condition known as an anomaly where a host that is not bound by a QoS policy accesses the shared resource at a rate that impacts the level of service received by the plurality of hosts that are bound by the QoS policy, and migrating workloads between storage arrays to achieve load balancing across the storage arrays.
US09509619B2

A method for distributed computing between a host computer and at least one accelerator device interconnected through a network includes profiling a data transfer rate and a computation rate for a range of data sizes to find an optimal chunk size for the data transfer through the network; splitting or aggregating a size of the data stored in a memory in the host computer for encapsulating the data into a chunk with the optimal chunk size; dispatching the encapsulated data to the accelerator device; and instructing pipeline computation to the accelerator device with respect to the encapsulated data received.
US09509617B1

In an approach, load balancing is performed in a distributed system of nodes representing computational resources such as clients, servers, server clusters, virtual machines, and so forth. Each node within the distributed system is responsible for processing requests associated with one or more districts in a geographical area. In order to perform load balancing each node is programmed or configured to autonomously perform a set of actions on a periodic basis which includes checking neighbors for updates, determining whether to spawning a new node, determining whether to terminate, and balancing load with neighbors. As a result, the number of nodes and the districts for which each node is responsible dynamically changes over time to minimize the load placed on each node and to constrain the number of nodes that need to be active within the distributed system to reduce resource costs.
US09509616B1

Encapsulated packets may be generated for different packets transmitted between a source instance and destination instance in a computer system. The source instance and destination instance may be implemented by different physical hosts linked by multiple network paths. Congestion of the multiple network paths may be determined and path-balancing polices may be implemented in response to the determined congestion. Each encapsulation packet comprises contents of a corresponding packet, and one or more data values selected in accordance with a path-balancing policy. The data values added to one encapsulation packet may differ from those added to another. Different network paths to the destination may be selected for different encapsulation packets of a given transmission based at least in part on the added data values.
US09509611B2

The present invention increases accommodation efficiency in a wireless master station for wireless slave stations, and efficiently uses wireless resources while controlling traffic. In a communication system in which a plurality of wireless slave stations 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, . . . , perform wireless communication with wireless master stations 1-1 and 1-2 directly or through another wireless slave station and which performs communication from the wireless master stations with a collection control device 3 by means of wired communication or the like. The collection control device 3 stores first through fourth threshold values a, b, c, and d in memory, and makes efficient use while suppressing traffic by performing a “connection suppression notification”, a “specific high-frequency communication stop notification”, and an “accommodation refusal notification”, and performs functionality control through stages according to the number of accommodated wireless slave stations.
US09509609B2

A method is provided for a first provider edge (PE) device to forward packets in a virtual private local area network service (VPLS) network. The VPLS network includes PE devices that are each connected by one or more attachment circuits (ACs) to one or more customer edge (CE) devices. The first PE device receives a unicast packet on a first AC, which is associated with a first virtual switch instance (VSI) on the first PE device. The first PE device searches, in a media access control (MAC) address table associated with the first VSI, for an entry that matches a MAC destination address carried in the packet. When a matching entry is not found for the MAC destination address, the first PE device only floods the unicast packet to other ACs associated with the first VSI.
US09509608B2

A communication terminal communicating with a network including a control apparatus that generates a processing rule defining a packet processing method, the communication terminal comprises: a request unit that requests an address of the control apparatus when requesting for establishing a connection to the network; a communication unit that establishes a communication channel to the control apparatus based on an address acquired by the address request; and a processing unit that processes a packet based on a processing rule transmitted by the control apparatus via the communication channel.
US09509606B2

A system includes: multiple access points, the multiple access points including at least a first access point and a second access point; the system performs operations including: receiving, by the second access point from a client device, a data packet to be transmitted to a device outside of the system; forwarding the data packet by the second access point to the first access point; assigning, by the first access point, a first sequence number to the data packet to be used for transmitting the data packet outside of the system; transmitting the data packet with the first sequence number to the device outside of the system.
US09509603B2

A system and method for route health injection using virtual tunnel endpoints. The method includes detecting, by a virtual tunnel endpoint (VTEP), that a new host is connected to the VTEP, where the VTEP is executing on the network device. The method further includes, based on the detecting, generating by the VTEP, a new route for the new host, where the new route is at least a longer match for the new host than currently existing routes for the new host, and providing the new route to a default gateway for the new host.
US09509600B1

A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and host device that receives, at a routing interface, a request from a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection with a stateful network device. A media access control (MAC) address of the stateful network device is determined and the MAC address and the routing interface are stored as associated with information for the TCP connection in a per-connection routing table. The request is sent to one of a plurality of virtual machines, a response is received from the one of the virtual machines, and the MAC address and routing interface are retrieved from the per-connection routing table based on a comparison of information included in the response to the information for the TCP connection. The response is sent to the stateful network device using the retrieved MAC address and routing interface.
US09509599B2

A method is implemented by a network device in a network implementing penultimate hop popping (PHP) for Internet Protocol (IP)/Multi-Protocol Label Swapping (MPLS). The network has a plurality of nodes. The method establishes a bi-directional forwarding detection (BFD) session between an active node and a passive node of an MPLS label switched path (LSP) without an out of band bootstrapping process. In this method the network device is the passive node. The passive node generates a My Discriminator for the passive node, where the Your Discriminator is empty and the source label and My Discriminator are known to the passive node. The passive node sends further BFD control packets to the active node that include the generated My discriminator for the passive node.
US09509598B2

Apparatus and methods for intelligent deployment and transition from a first network infrastructure to a second network infrastructure. Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to, among other things, methods and apparatus that leverage tunneling of Ethernet ring network technologies. In one exemplary embodiment, a modified implementation of the ITU-T G.8032 data link protocol is combined with Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) transport networks to provide Carrier Ethernet and Retail Ethernet services. Unlike existing network infrastructure, the exemplary MPLS network aggregates traffic between the base station (BS) and mobile switching center (MSC) within a logical ring network topology.
US09509596B2

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and software for bypassing a domain name system. In one example, a method of operating a user communication device includes receiving a user instruction requesting content within a user application of the user communication device. The method further provides, in response to the user instruction, processing at least a domain name system bypass data structure on the user communication device to identify a network address for retrieving the content. The method further includes, requesting the content from a content node using the network address.
US09509588B2

Methods and systems for managing a service provider switch are provided. According to one embodiment, a method is provided for provisioning a switch with a network-based managed Internet Protocol (IP) service. A network operating system (NOS) is provided on each processor element (PE) of the switch. The NOS includes an object manager (OM) responsible for managing global software object groups, managing software object configurations, managing local software objects and groups and routing control information between address spaces based on locations of software objects. The OM performs management plane communications among software objects by way of system calls. The OM performs data plane communications among software objects by way of object-to-object channels. The switch is provisioned with a network-based managed IP service for a particular customer by pushing discrete and customized software objects representing the network-based managed IP service onto an object-to-object channel established between two of the software objects.
US09509575B2

A method, an apparatus and a system for marking a service data packet are provided. A traffic detection function TDF is requested to detect a data flow description or data flow starting or ending information corresponding to a service application type. The detected data flow description or a data flow starting or ending information report, transmitted by the TDF, is received. A data packet marking rule is generated according to the data flow description or the data flow starting or ending information report. A session modification message carrying the data packet marking rule is transmitted to a bearer binding function entity BBF for the BBF to map a data flow identified by the session modification message to a bearer according to the session modification message, and mark a GTP-U header according to the data packet marking rule.
US09509567B2

In one implementation, a wireless network device is automatically accessed and configured through a mobile device. The mobile device receives provisioning data encoded for installation and operation of a network device and decodes the provisioning data to identify at least one access parameter for the network device. The mobile device accesses a wireless network of the network device according to the access parameter. Once access has been established, the mobile device transmits a configuration signal including a network configuration setting through the wireless network to the network device for the installation of the network device. The network device is provisioned based on the network configuration setting.
US09509563B2

A service level objective (SLO) subsystem that includes an SLO engine in a network storage system that allows new degrees of freedom to be added to the SLO subsystem, without requiring any modification of an associated SLO engine or the system's existing SLOs, and without requiring the SLO engine to have any a priori knowledge of the new degrees of freedom. In certain embodiments, the system has a modular design which includes the SLO engine and one or more SLO modules that interface with the SLO engine. Each SLO module corresponds to a different degree of freedom. Each SLO module evaluates SLO compliance and determines what specific action(s) within its corresponding degree of freedom should be taken to comply with an SLO.
US09509562B2

There are provided a method of providing a dynamic node service and a device using the same. The method of providing a dynamic node service that is operated in a fabric controller includes receiving a dynamic node service request, selecting a plurality of system resources including at least one processing unit from among system resources connected with a fabric switch corresponding to the dynamic node service request, and configuring a dynamic node by connecting the plurality of selected system resources to each other through control of the fabric switch. Therefore, it is possible to provide the dynamic node having performance satisfying a user's request.
US09509557B2

The invention refers to operating a first node of a communication network comprising a plurality of nodes which are interconnected by communication links and wherein data traffic is provided over the communication links to provide a data stream to the nodes, wherein the first node (15) performs the steps of: detecting a data traffic interruption with respect to a second node (16), determining, if the data traffic is still received, and forwarding the data traffic to the second node (16) if the first node (15) receives the data traffic, and otherwise notifying a third node (17) of the plurality of network nodes about the data traffic interruption. The invention further refers to a corresponding node, a network and a computer program to be run in the node.
US09509553B2

A method of executing an original agent application as a virtual agent, the method comprising encapsulating an original agent in a container file to produce a virtual agent; providing the virtual agent to an endpoint machine; and executing the virtual agent, within the container, on the endpoint machine.
US09509543B2

Techniques for managing interference in a wireless communication system are disclosed. In one aspect, an estimated interference associated with data transmission over a plurality of subcarriers on an uplink is determined The estimated interference may relate to intermodulation products associated with a parallel transmission over the plurality of subcarriers. Based at least partly on the estimated interference, data received on the downlink can be processed, and subcarriers can be selected for data transmission on the uplink. Additionally, resources can be assigned to a wireless device according to the estimated interference.
US09509539B2

A new frame structure applicable to the IEEE 802.16 OFDMA wireless waveform is described, for the purposes of increasing base station capacity, increasing subscriber link rates and extending base station range. The frame structure provides the necessary constructs so that advance signal processing technologies such as Stacked Carrier Spread Spectrum and adaptive antenna technology may be used in combination with these constructs in order to realize these gains. These concepts are equally applicable in other advanced wireless waveforms based on OFDM or OFDMA such as LTE or UMB.
US09509531B2

A decision feedback equalizer for N-level amplitude modulated signal, includes: (N−1) level conversion circuits to add (N−1) shifting voltages to the amplitude modulated signal respectively; (N−1)×N determination feedback equalization-correction circuits to perform N types of decision feedback equalization processing, each of which adding each of N-level offset voltages corresponded to any one of N levels of a reception data ahead of one data cycle, on each of the (N−1) level shifted signals to generate (N−1) sets of N equalization correction signals; (N−1)×N comparison circuits; (N−1)×N first latch circuits; (N−1) selection circuits to select a comparison result of the N comparison circuits in each (N−1) sets; (N−1) second latch circuits; and a decoder, wherein each of the (N−1) selection circuits selects an equalization-correction signal among the N equalization-correction signals in each (N−1) set according to outputs latched by the (N−1) second latch circuits.
US09509526B2

A method for determining required routes through an Ether based network associated with VLANs by determining a set of spanning trees. The set of spanning trees is determined to provide a number of routes for consideration. Each spanning tree comprising a plurality of links, sorts the VLANs into an order based on one or more VLAN criteria for the network topology, and maps the sorted VLANs onto the set of spanning trees in an order to optimise one or more characteristics relating to the combination of spanning tree and VLAN to determine an optimised VLAN tree mapping for each set of spanning trees for each route. A best primary tree for each route is selected. Possible failures for each link in the best primary tree for each route are analyzed to derive for a backup tree optimised to determine one or more best backup trees in the event of a possible failure.
US09509524B2

The system and method described herein may provide service level management, wherein business processes may be composed of services. A state of the service may be defined by one or more service parameters, which depend upon performance of network components that support the service (e.g., component parameters). The state of the service may depend, for example, on a collection of service parameter values for availability, reliability, security, integrity, and response time. A service level agreement is a contract between a supplier and a customer that identifies services supported by a network, service parameters for the service, and service levels (e.g., acceptable levels for each service parameter).
US09509516B2

Disclosed are an apparatus and method for providing a digital signature. The apparatus includes a certificate unit, an input unit receives a selection input for a certificate related to signature content received from a signature-requesting terminal, and a control unit for determining whether the certificate unit is capable of performing a digital signature function corresponding to a selected certificate. If the certificate unit is capable of performing the digital signature function, the certificate unit creates a digital signature based on a private key corresponding to the selected certificate when the control unit commands the certificate unit to create a digital signature. Further, if the certificate unit is not capable of performing the digital signature function, the control unit creates a digital signature based on a private key corresponding to a certificate selected from the certificate unit. The control unit transmits the digital signature to the signature-requesting terminal.
US09509508B2

A key-generating apparatus is provided for generating a session key which is known to a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus, for the first communication apparatus, from secret information which may be determined by the first and second communication apparatuses. The key-generating apparatus includes a first module operable to calculate the session key using a concatenation of at least a part of a random number and a part of the secret information, and a second module operable to use the session key for communication with the second communication apparatus.
US09509501B2

Storage associated with a virtual machine or other type of device may be migrated between locations (e.g., physical devices, network locations, etc.). To maintain the security of the storage, a system may manage the encryption of the storage area such that a storage area is encrypted with a first encryption key that may be maintained through the migration. A header of the storage area, on the other hand, may be encrypted using a second encryption key and the first encryption key may be stored therein. Upon transfer, the header may be re-encrypted to affect the transfer of security.
US09509497B2

A method and a random bit generator for generating a random output bit sequence. In this method, a configuration of 2n state machines is used, the state machines each including n state bits, each state machine always assuming a different state than the other state machines of the configuration, an input signal being supplied to the input end of the state machines, and these each generating n signature bits, which together form a signature bit sequence, as a function of their state, the random output bit sequence being generated by selection of individual bits from the signature bit sequences of all state machines of the configuration.
US09509494B2

A computer-implemented system and method for providing secure data processing in a cloud using discrete homomorphic encryption is provided. Plaintext data items are homomorphically encrypted into queries, which are transmitted to a discrete homomorphic encryption server. From the server are received identifiers associated with the queries. The identifiers are transmitted to a computing server in a cloud-computing environment, where at least one of the identifiers is processed. The plaintext data items are encrypted into ciphertext data items and transmitted to a storage server in the environment requested to store the items in a storage. References for storage locations of the ciphertext data items are received and associated with identifiers for the queries encrypted from the same plaintext data item as the ciphertext data items at the locations. The ciphertext data item whose location is identified by the reference associated with the identifier in the processing result is retrieved and decrypted.
US09509488B1

A receiving circuit with an ultra-wide common-mode input voltage range applies to a controller area network (CAN) and comprises a resistor assembly electrically connected with a CANH and a CANL, a reference amplifier, a first input amplifier assembly, a second input amplifier assembly, and an analog adder. The receiving circuit receives voltages from the CANH and CANL. The resistor assembly bucks voltage, respectively generating CANH and CANL voltage divisions at first and second nodes and outputting the voltage divisions to the first and second input amplifier assemblies. The first and second input amplifier assemblies amplify the differential signal between the first and second nodes and convert the differential signal into single-end signals. The analog adder adds the single-end signals as the output signal. The receiving circuit can receive the signal ranging between the maximum and minimum common-mode voltages and reduce electromagnetic emission.
US09509485B2

Systems and methods disclosed herein provide in-device co-existence interference avoidance for a wireless communication device in dual connectivity with a master node and a secondary node. Time-division multiplexing (TDM) assistance information sent by the wireless communication device is forwarded from the master node to the secondary node. The master node and/or the secondary node uses the TDM assistance information to determine a TDM solution for the in-device co-existence interference in the wireless communication device.
US09509481B2

A method performed by a base station (BS) is provided for receiving aperiodic channel state information (CSI). The BS transmits a CSI request field which is set to trigger a CSI report to a user equipment (UE), and receives CSI through a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) from the UE. The CSI request field has a value among a plurality of candidate values and the plurality of candidate values comprises a first value which triggers an aperiodic CSI report for a first set of reference signals and a second value which triggers an aperiodic CSI report for a second set of reference signals. The first set and the second set of reference signals are configured by a higher layer signal.
US09509475B2

Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving data. A method for transmitting an uplink comprises the steps of: a terminal receiving periodic channel state information (CSI) configuration information; the terminal determining an uplink subframe according to the periodic CSI configuration information; and the terminal transmitting a periodic CSI through the uplink subframe, wherein the periodic CSI configuration information may include information regarding a period, subframe offset, and a reference cell to which a wireless frame number is applied.
US09509470B2

Methods, apparatuses, and computer programs for providing a flexible frequency location for a backwards compatible carrier in a communication system are provided. Embodiments of the invention enable a backwards compatible carrier segment supporting all or a subset of legacy LTE Release transmission modes to be located at an arbitrary position on the system bandwidth (BW) through a cyclic extension of reference signals, such as channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS), and/or other resource element configurations, such as interference measurement reference signals (IMRS), required for supporting PDSCH operation outside the backwards compatible carrier segment.
US09509464B2

A flexible OFDM/OFDMA frame structure technology for communication systems is disclosed. The OFDM frame structure technology comprises a configurable-length frame which contains a variable length subframe structure to effectively utilize OFDM bandwidth. Furthermore, the frame structure facilitates spectrum sharing between multiple communication systems.
US09509461B2

A method for transmitting, at a user equipment, an uplink signal to a transmission point performing cooperative transmission in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes generating the uplink signal based on a virtual cell identifier and virtual timing information, wherein the virtual cell identifier and virtual timing information are independently configured according to transmission channels.
US09509454B2

A signal transmission system includes a transmission apparatus provided with a transmitting device which outputs a transmitting data signal as a transmission signal using a driving ability designated by a drive control signal, and a drive control device which outputs a drive control signal based on a transmission timing signal and a determination notice signal for notifying reception quality; and a receiver apparatus provided with a receiving device which receives the transmission signal and outputs a received signal, a timing generating device which generates a received timing signal from the received signal, and a determining device which determines reception quality of the received signal using the received timing signal, and outputs the determination result as the determination notice signal.
US09509448B2

Methods and apparatus of enhanced status retransmission in wireless communication include receiving at least a first portion of a reconfiguration message from a network entity. The methods and apparatus further include detecting an absent second portion of the reconfiguration message. Moreover, the methods and apparatus include sending a retransmission request to the network entity based at least in part on the detecting of the absent second portion of the reconfiguration message and irrespective of a state of a status prohibit timer. Additionally, The methods and apparatus include triggering a status prohibit timer disregard state for at least a portion of a status prohibit time period of the status prohibit timer, wherein the status prohibit timer disregard state permits the sending of the retransmission request during the status prohibit timer period.
US09509446B2

A signal transmission system includes: a signal sending device including a signal sender converting a sending signal to a transmission signal using a signal sending parameter and sends the transmission signal to a signal path, and a sending controller receiving a sending control signal and changes the signal sending parameter according to the sending control signal; and a signal receiving device including a signal receiver converting the transmission signal received via the signal path, to a reception signal using a signal reception parameter, a signal reception monitor monitoring a signal reception status of the transmission signal and outputs monitor information acquired by the monitoring, and a reception controller checking transmission quality of the signal path using the monitor information, creates the sending control signal for changing the signal sending parameter according to a checking result to send, and changes the signal reception parameter.
US09509445B2

A data transmission system comprising an Automotive Sensor Network System (ASNS) connected to a plurality of source locations via a common bus, wherein the ASNS is configured to ascertain the source from which the data-frames and first package checksum are received and based on the ascertainment of the source, appropriate decoding methods are used to calculate the ASNS location data-frame checksums and the ASNS location package checksums. A higher order redundancy check is done over a series of data-frames to detect errors in the reception caused by temporary high interference that may exist in the transmission path.
US09509444B2

Methods and devices are provided wherein feedback is included in a checksum. An example method includes communicating between a first device and a second device. The method further includes including feedback information used by the first device as input to a checksum calculation, wherein the feedback information is not communicated concurrently with the checksum from the first device to the second device.
US09509443B1

A base station communicates with a plurality of user equipments (UEs) using a method. The method includes receiving, by the base station, a plurality of signals from a plurality of user equipments (UE) in communication with the base station. The method also includes using an iterative algorithm to estimate a matrix Λ of channel coefficients based on the received signals. The method further includes decoding, at the base station, the received signals using the estimated matrix Λ.
US09509433B2

A multi-channel receiver optical subassembly (ROSA) such as an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), with outputs directly optically coupled to respective photodetectors such as photodiodes. In one embodiment, an AWG may be configured such that optical components of the AWG do not interfere with direct optical coupling, and the wire bonding points on the photodiodes may also be configured such that wire bonding does not interfere with direct optical coupling. The photodetectors may also be mounted on a photodetector mounting bar with a pitch sufficiently spaced to allow connection to floating grounds. A passive alignment technique may be used to determine the mounting locations on the photodetector mounting bar such that the photodetectors are aligned with the optical outputs.
US09509430B2

Apparatus for amplifying signal such as a burst mode signal in an optical network. A doped fiber, for example an erbium-doped fiber is placed in a preferably passive module along an optical data transmission path. A pump port is optically connected to at least one combiner such as a WDM (wavelength division multiplexor) that is placed along the optical transmission path to add in a pump wavelength in the vicinity of the doped fiber. The apparatus, which is preferably completely passive, may be advantageously placed in communication with a remote pump light source such as a pump laser resident on a management node of the network. A second pump port may be added, as well as one or more detector ports to facilitate operation of a remote control processor, which may also be resident in a management node such as an OLT (optical line terminal) in a PON (passive optical network).
US09509417B2

The present application relates to a method in which a terminal receives a signal in a wireless communication system. More particularly, the method comprises: a step of receiving, from a serving cell, interference mitigation information for mitigating interference from a neighboring cell; and a step of applying an interference mitigation technique based on the interference mitigation information so as to receive a signal from the serving cell. It is assumed that the serving cell does not apply said interference mitigation technique from after the reception of the interference mitigation information to the application of the interference mitigation technique.
US09509412B2

An optical communication system includes an optical transmitter that sends an optical signal; and an optical receiver that receives the optical signal. The optical transmitter controls a transmission rate of the optical signal to a first transmission rate corresponding to first reception light power lower than target reception light power of the optical receiver in response to transmission light power control for the optical signal corresponding to the target reception light power.
US09509408B2

A data transmission system (200) comprises: a main optical packet ring (201) comprising a plurality of separate packet transmission channels; and a plurality of secondary optical packet rings (202) interconnected through the main optical packet ring. Each of the secondary optical packet rings (202) comprises a plurality of nodes (400). Each of said packet transmission channels of the main optical packet ring (201) is connected to a different node of each secondary optical packet ring (202), respectively.
US09509406B2

An optical transmitter includes: a digital signal process unit that generates a drive signal for generating multi-carrier signals through a plurality of independent digital signal processes, the multi-carrier signals having a cyclic prefix and to be transmitted by a parallel transmission; a synchronization unit that synchronizes clocks of the plurality of digital signal processes; and an adjust unit that reduces a delay difference of the cyclic prefix between the multi-carrier signals after the parallel transmission.
US09509404B2

A wireless transmission system includes a base station device connected to a wireless device by an optical transmission member. The base station device includes an acquiring unit that acquires a distortion component that corresponds to a level of a transmission signal, an amplifying unit that amplifies the distortion component at a predetermined gain, and a transmitting unit that transmits the transmission signal and the amplified distortion component in a separable manner. The wireless device includes a receiving unit that receives the transmission signal and the distortion component, a filtering unit that filters the transmission signal, an attenuating unit that attenuates the distortion component at a gain inverse of the predetermined gain, a combining unit that combines the filtered transmission signal with the attenuated distortion component to obtain a combined signal, and an amplifier that amplifies the combined signal.
US09509387B2

The present invention relates to a node in a wireless communication system (W), the node comprises an antenna arrangement with at least three physical antenna elements and a first beam-forming network. Each physical antenna element has a corresponding physical phase center and antenna port. The physical phase centers are separated by corresponding physical distances, and the physical antenna ports are connected to the first beam-forming network. The first beam-forming network is arranged to transform the physical antenna ports to at least two virtual antenna ports which correspond to virtual antenna elements. Each virtual antenna element has a certain virtual phase center where the virtual phase centers are separated by corresponding virtual distances, where the physical distances differ from the virtual distances. The present invention also relates to a corresponding method.
US09509382B1

In a method for determining a transmit steering matrix for use in transmission of an information signal from a first communication device to at least one second communication device, a subset of antennas of the at least one second communication device is selected from a plurality of different subsets of the antennas of the at least one second communication device, wherein selecting the subset of antennas is for developing the steering matrix for transmit beamforming from the first communication device to the least one second communication device. The steering matrix is developed i) based on training signals received via the selected subset of the antennas of the at least one second communication device, and ii) assuming that only the selected subset of the antennas of the at least one second communication device will be utilized by the at least one second communication device when receiving the information signal.
US09509380B2

A system and method for opportunistically designing collaborative beamforming vectors is disclosed for a wireless multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) space division multiple access (SDMA) communication system by sequentially designing beamforming vectors for ranked channels in order to exploit the instantaneous channel conditions to improve per user average SNR performance. Each subscriber station independently transmits information to a base station that allows the base station to determine beamforming vectors for each subscriber station by ranking the subscriber stations by channel strength. Using sequential nullspace methods, the ranked channel matrices are then used to select the channel matrix Hi for the best subscriber station, to design the wi, vi for the best subscriber station as the left and right singular vectors of the MIMO channel matrix Hi, to transform the remaining channels and to continue the process until beamforming vectors are designed for all channels.
US09509377B2

A communication system provides for adaptive rank determination, for example, a rank 2 transmission in instances where a rank 1 transmission may be indicated under supported feedback modes in current standards where no explicit power adaptation can be assumed, for example, where a user equipment (UE) is limited to reporting a rank 1 channel due to a large dynamic range of a signal or due to a signal received by the UE from one base station (BS) antenna port drowning out a signal received by the UE from another BS antenna port. The communication system provides for the UE to implement rank 2 transmission in such instances by using per-antenna port power control at a BS serving the UE. In one embodiment, the BS controls the rank determination at the UE by signaling transmit power or power offset related parameters to use for rank and transmission parameters determination and feedback.
US09509374B2

Disclosed herein are a wireless power transmission apparatus and a transmission method thereof. The wireless power transmission apparatus is configured to include a wireless power transmitter generating a wireless power signal to be wireless transmitted, wirelessly transmitting the generated wireless power signal by a magnetic resonance manner, receiving a reflection wireless power signal to determine whether or not a load apparatus is presented, and supplying power to the load apparatus; and a wireless power receiver connected to the load apparatus and receiving the transmitted wireless power signal by the magnetic resonance manner and supplying it to the connected load apparatus and reflecting the remaining wireless power signal to the wireless power transmitter, whereby a transmission apparatus can recognize a receiving environment and resonance characteristics are improved, without a separate communication device or a system.
US09509372B2

A bus communication device (10) includes a bus line (12), a master computer (11) connected to the bus line (12) and several subscriber units (14) connected to the bus line (12) via at least one coupling arrangement (17). The master computer (11) controls a communication via the bus line (12) using a fixed, prespecified communication protocol. The subscriber units (14) can communicate among each other, and one subscriber unit (14) can communicate with the master computer (11) consistent with the bus protocol. The bus line (11) is configured for supplying the subscriber units (14) and/or at least one coupling arrangement (17) with electrical energy for communication. Each subscriber unit (14) can modulate the subscriber current (IT) consistent with a first modulation (M1), and each subscriber unit (14) and/or each coupling arrangement (17) can modulate the current (IT, IK) consistent with a second modulation (M2).
US09509370B2

An optical transmission system includes: a first optical transmission device configured to perform bidirectional optical transmission with a second optical transmission device via an optical transmission line, wherein the first optical transmission device includes a transmitted light power adjusting section configured to transmit, to the second optical transmission device, a first light power which is set based on a measurement result, the second transmission device measuring a fluctuating light power transmitted from the first transmission device and informing the first transmission device of the measurement result.
US09509363B2

Circuits are disclosed providing uniform voltage swing across transmit switches for improved device performance. An integrated circuit (IC) formed on a die includes a switch having one or more field effect transistors (FETs) defining an RF signal path between an input port and an output port, each FET having a body node, and the switch being configured to be capable of being in ON and OFF states. The IC further includes a voltage distribution circuit coupled to the switch and configured to reduce voltage distribution variation across the switch, the voltage distribution circuit including one or more elements coupled to a selected body node of one or more FETs to reduce voltage distribution variation across the switch when the switch is in an ON state and is encountered by a respective RF signal at the input port.
US09509359B2

A mobile terminal device (1) according to the present invention includes a housing (11) and a display panel (14). The housing (11) includes a housing body (111) and side walls (112a) provided around the housing body (111). The display panel (14) is provided on the side walls (112a, 112b). The side walls (112a, 112b) are made of sheet metal. An end portion of the sheet metal that faces the display panel (14) is bonded to the display panel(14). Thereby, a mobile terminal device that allows a reduction in frame width while maintaining the strength can be provided.
US09509358B1

A mobile electronic device automatically receives an electrical charge from a proximate case that is equipped with a backup battery for the mobile device. The mobile device executes programming instructions that instruct its processor, when the mobile device is positioned proximate to the case, to identify a first trigger value and monitor a parameter of the mobile device to determine when the parameter reaches the first trigger value. Upon determining that the parameter reaches the first trigger value, the mobile device issue a command to cause a controller of the case to cause the case battery to discharge energy to the mobile device. The mobile device may also identify a second trigger value and issue a command to cause the controller to cause the case battery to stop discharging energy to the mobile device when the second trigger value is reached.
US09509355B2

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for calibration of quadrature imbalance in direct conversion transceivers are contemplated. A transceiver controller may perform a self-calibration to address quadrature imbalance. The controller may isolate the transmitter and receiver from any antennas, couple the radio frequency (RF) section of the transmitter to the RF section of the receiver via a loopback path, and inject a calibration signal into the transmitter. In the loopback path, the controller may phase-shift the signal that propagates through the transmitter using two different phase angles to produce two different signals that propagate into the receiver. By measuring the two different signals that exit the receiver, the controller may be able to calculate correction coefficients, or parameters, which may be used to adjust elements that address or correct the quadrature imbalance for both the transmitter and receiver.
US09509351B2

A method includes providing a highly linear front end in a Radio Frequency (RF) receiver, implementing a high Effective Number of Bits (ENOB) Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) circuit in the RF receiver, and sampling, through the high ENOB ADC circuit, at a frequency having harmonics that do not coincide with a desired signal component of an input signal of the RF receiver to eliminate spurs within a data bandwidth of the RF receiver. The input signal includes the desired signal component and an interference signal component. The interference signal component has a higher power level than the desired signal component. The method also includes simultaneously accommodating the desired signal component and the interference signal component in the RF receiver based on an increased dynamic range of the RF receiver and the high ENOB ADC circuit provided through the highly linear front end and the high ENOB ADC circuit.
US09509348B1

Radio transceiver efficiency is improved by operations involving a calibration mode and an operating mode. The calibration mode includes a first calibration to determine a first optimized tuning control data for a first antenna matching network of a first transmitter when a second transmitter of the portable transceiver system inactive. A second calibration of the first antenna matching network while the second transmitter is active to determine second optimized tuning control data. In operational mode the first optimized tuning control data is used when the second transmitter is not active. The second optimized tuning control data is used when the second transmitter is active.
US09509344B1

The invention discloses a communication method using dual-level and binary digital baseband symbols which represents information by durations of a high level and a low level instead of by a high level and a low level in conventional digital baseband symbol design. In the invention, waveforms of a symbol 0 and a symbol 1 are determined according to durations of a high level and a low level, a transmitter generates a corresponding digital baseband signal in terms of a binary data to be transmitted according to the defined waveforms, and a receiver determines a symbol 0 or a symbol 1 according to waveform of a received digital baseband signal. The invention realizes bit synchronization of a receiver and a transmitter without extracting a bit synchronization clock from a received signal by the receiver, and a bit rate thereof is higher than that of Manchester under a same signal bandwidth.
US09509341B2

Systems and methods for encoding and decoding check-irregular non-systematic IRA codes of messages in any communication or electronic system where capacity achieving coding is desired. According to these systems and methods, IRA coding strategies, including ones that employ capacity-approaching non-systematic IRA codes that are irregular and that exhibit a low error floor, are employed. These non-systematic IRA codes are particularly advantageous in scenarios in which up to half of coded bits could be lost due to channel impairments and/or where complementary coded bits are desired to transmit over two or more communications sub-channels. An encoder includes information bit repeaters and encoders, one or more interleavers, check node combiners, a check node by-pass and an accumulator. A decoder includes a demapper, one or more check node processors, an accumulator decoder, a bit decoder, and one or more interleavers/deinterleavers.
US09509333B2

A compression device includes a processor configured to execute a process. The process includes: storing, in a storage, a first compressed code in association with a first element, the first compressed code corresponding to a combination of a first element and a first delimiter, the first element being one of a plurality of elements constituting input data, the first delimiter being one of delimiters delimiting the plurality of elements and succeeding the first element in the input data; acquiring, from the storage, the first compressed code in response to reading a sequence of the first element and the first delimiter from the input data; and writing the first compressed code into a storage area that stores therein compressed data of the input data.
US09509332B1

A sigma-delta (ΣΔ) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) comprises a main ΣΔ modulator configured to receive an analog input signal at a main ΣΔ modulator input and to provide a main digital output signal representative of the analog input signal and an auxiliary ΣΔ modulator configured to receive an auxiliary input signal at an auxiliary ΣΔ modulator input and to provide an auxiliary digital output signal, wherein the ΣΔ ADC comprises a shared integrator stage, the shared integrator stage is configured to be used by the main ΣΔ modulator and the auxiliary ΣΔ modulator, wherein, alternatingly, the shared integrator stage is selectively communicatively coupled to receive the analog input signal when configured to be used by the main ΣΔ modulator and selectively communicatively coupled to receive the auxiliary input signal when configured to be used by the auxiliary ΣΔ modulator.
US09509331B1

Provided are, among other things, systems, apparatuses, methods and techniques for converting a discrete-time quantized signal into a continuous-time, continuously variable signal. An exemplary converter preferably includes: (1) multiple oversampling converters, each processing a different frequency band, operated in parallel; (2) multirate (i.e., polyphase) delta-sigma modulators (preferably second-order or higher); (3) multi-bit quantizers; (4) multi-bit-to-variable-level signal converters, such as resistor ladder networks or current source networks; (5) adaptive nonlinear, bit-mapping to compensate for mismatches in the multi-bit-to-variable-level signal converters (e.g., by mimicking such mismatches and then shifting the resulting noise to a frequently range where it will be filtered out by a corresponding bandpass (reconstruction) filter); (6) multi-band (e.g., programmable noise-transfer-function response) bandpass delta-sigma modulators; and/or (7) a digital pre-distortion linearizer (DPL) for canceling noise and distortion introduced by an analog signal bandpass (reconstruction) filter bank.
US09509328B2

A signal processing apparatus and a method are disclosed, in which the signal processing apparatus may convert an analog signal to a digital signal and store the digital signal. The signal processing apparatus may convert analog signals, transmitted by multiple analog channels, to digital signals using analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), hold the digital signals for a predetermined holding time, sequentially read the held digital signals for each digital channel, and store the sequentially read digital signals.
US09509327B2

An A/D converter includes an A/D conversion unit, a histogram generation-storage unit, and a control unit. The A/D conversion unit is configured to receive an input voltage, perform an analog-to-digital conversion, and output digital data, and the histogram generation-storage unit is configured to receive the digital data, generate a histogram for a waveform of the input voltage, and store the generated histogram therein. The control unit is configured to control an analog-to-digital conversion characteristics of the A/D conversion unit, based on the histogram stored in the histogram generation-storage unit.
US09509315B2

A three-terminal device that exhibits transistor-like functionality at cryogenic temperatures may be formed from a single layer of superconducting material. A main current-carrying channel of the device may be toggled between superconducting and normal conduction states by applying a control signal to a control terminal of the device. Critical-current suppression and device geometry are used to propagate a normal-conduction hotspot from a gate constriction across and along a portion of the main current-carrying channel. The three-terminal device may be used in various superconducting signal-processing circuitry.
US09509314B2

In a multi-context PLD (dynamically reconfigurable circuit), at the tune of rewriting configuration data on a non-selected context during circuit operation, configuration data is stably stored. At the time of rewriting configuration data on a non-selected context, writing to a row which is to be rewritten continues until input signals supplied to input terminals of routing switches in the row become “L” all that time or the input signals become “L” at least once. More specifically, a write selection signal for the row continues to be output. In addition, while the write selection signal is being output, loading of configuration data into a driver circuit is not conducted, or loading of configuration data into a driver circuit is conducted but storage thereof in a line buffer is not conducted.
US09509312B2

Disclosed are methods and devices, among which is a device that includes a finite state machine lattice. The lattice may includes a programmable Boolean logic cell that may be programmed to perform various logic functions on a data stream. The programmability includes an inversion of a first input to the Boolean logic cell, an inversion of a last output of the Boolean logic cell, and a selection of an AND gate or an OR gate as a final output of the Boolean logic cell. The Boolean logic cell also includes end of data circuitry configured to cause the Boolean logic cell to only output after an end of data signifying the end of a data stream is received at the Boolean logic cell.
US09509311B2

A semiconductor device includes a driving unit suitable for driving a plurality of signal lines, which are directly coupled to a plurality of bump pads, to a preset voltage level in a level determination period, and adjusting the preset voltage level in a predetermined order when the level determination period is repeated, a signal input circuit suitable for receiving voltage levels that are inputted through the signal lines and determining logic values for the inputted voltage levels of the signal lines, and an operation unit suitable for receiving voltage levels of the signal lines from the signal input circuit in a parallel manner in the level determination period, latching the logic values of the voltage levels, and serially outputting the logic values through a probe pad.
US09509309B2

A semiconductor device may include a termination resistor circuit including a first termination resistor connected to a power voltage and a second termination resistor between the first termination resistor and a ground, a value of the first termination resistor and the second termination resistor changes based on a feedback signal; a mismatch detector may generate a compared result based on a potential difference between a voltage of a center node, between the first and second termination resistors, and a reference voltage; a code generator may generate the feedback signal based on the compared result, and generate a feedback code based on the compared result; a code register may generate a mismatch code controlling a mismatch between the first and second termination resistors based on the feedback code; and a corrector may compensate for the mismatch between the first and second termination resistors based on the mismatch code.
US09509307B1

An interconnect multiplexer comprises a plurality of CMOS pass gates of a first multiplexer stage coupled to receive data to be output by the interconnect multiplexer; an output inverter coupled to the outputs of the plurality of CMOS pass gates, wherein an output of the output inverter is an output of the interconnect multiplexer; and a plurality of memory elements coupled to the plurality of CMOS pass gates; wherein inputs to the plurality of CMOS pass gates are pulled to a common potential during a startup mode. A method of reducing contention currents in an integrated circuit is also disclosed.
US09509302B2

The present technology relates to a driving circuit and a driving method, in which power loss at the time of switching an FET (Field Effect Transistor) can be reduced with a simple circuit configuration. A coil constitutes a resonance circuit together with an input capacitance at a gate of the FET. A switch (regeneration switch) turns on or off current flowing in the coil. A DC power source is a power source to replenish the resonance circuit with electric charge and is connected to the gate of the FET. A switch (replenish switch) turns on or off connection between the DC power source and the gate of the FET. The present technology is applicable to, for example, a power source that outputs AC voltage and current by switching operation.
US09509295B1

A spread-spectrum clock (SSC) generator for generating an SSC signal. The SSC generator has a first up/down counter that operates for a fixed, first duration (t1), a first PRBS generator that operate for a variable, second duration (t2), a second up/down counter that operates for a fixed, third duration (t3), and a second PRBS generator that operates for a variable, fourth duration (t4). A state machine sequentially triggers the first counter and the first PRBS generator to generate a positive portion of a cycle of the SSC signal and then sequentially triggers the second counter and the second PRBS generator to generate a negative portion of the cycle of the SSC signal. For a set of parameters stored in configurable registers, the first and third durations are fixed from cycle to cycle, while the second and fourth durations vary from cycle to cycle.
US09509294B2

A baseline restore circuit includes a current input for receiving a current pulse having a DC current baseline; a charge amplifier having an input coupled to the current input, and an output referenced to a DC voltage baseline; a feedback baseline restore circuit comprised of a switched capacitor integration circuit having an input coupled to the output of the charge amplifier, and an output coupled to the current input; and a sample control circuit controlling the switched capacitor circuit input to the integrator so that only the reference voltage baseline is sampled. The inputs to the sample control circuit are a window comparator, and a high rate pulse detector, both with inputs from the charge amplifier output.
US09509292B2

Described herein are apparatus, system, and method for reducing electrical over-stress of transistors and for generating an output with deterministic duty cycle for load independent buffers. The apparatus comprises a feedback capacitor electrically coupled between an input terminal and an output terminal of a buffer; and a switch, electrically parallel to the feedback capacitor and operable to electrically short the feedback capacitor in response to a control signal, wherein the switch causes a deterministic voltage level on the input terminal.
US09509288B2

In one embodiment a dozer blade controller, which may comprise two-way, four-way, or six-way dozer blade position control such as, for example, a two-way control only for blade tilt. In one embodiment, a pulse width control is provided for use in a blade tilt electronic controller, which controls blade tilt independently of movement of the body of the bull dozer. And in another embodiment, a pulse width controller is operable to multiply and/or divide the width of a variable pulse by a preset multiplier factor or divider factor, e.g. by 100 or dividing by 100.
US09509283B2

Disclosed is an interpolation filter based on time assignment algorithm. An interpolation filter comprises an enable signal generating part generating enable signals for operation of the interpolation filter, an input value generating part generating input values, a first calculating part generating a first output value based on a first enable signal and a first input value, a second calculating part generating a second output value based on a second enable signal and a second input value, and an output value selecting part selecting a final output value among the first output value and the second output value. Thus, continuity of output data can be guaranteed, and hardware can be shared by using time assignment algorithm so that a total size of the interpolation filter can be reduced.
US09509281B1

Embodiments relate to peaking inductor array for a peaking control unit of a transceiver. An aspect includes the peaking inductor array comprising a plurality of cells connected in parallel, each cell comprising a respective active inductor. Another aspect includes each of the plurality of cells further comprising a decoupling capacitor.
US09509261B2

A multi-channel Class D audio amplifier is provided to substantially reduce channel-to-channel crosstalk by employing in each channel a local triangle ramp generator controlled by a single global digital timing signal. The noise critical timing/integrating capacitor for the triangle ramp generator resides locally in each channel and adjacent to the PWM comparator of that channel and referenced to the local ground of that channel. The amplifier can also include a duty cycle limitation circuit to limit output power availability depending on the impedance of any attached loads (speakers).
US09509259B2

An amplifier 12 including a first transistor 23 which is a common base transistor and whose emitter current fluctuates in accordance with fluctuations in an input current that is input to the emitter, a second transistor 24 which is a common base transistor, whose emitter is connected to the collector of the first transistor 23, and whose collector voltage fluctuates in accordance with fluctuations in the emitter current of the first transistor 23, a third transistor 31 which is a common collector transistor and whose base is connected to the collector of the second transistor 24, and an amplification unit 40 to which an emitter voltage of the third transistor 3 is input and which outputs an amplified voltage obtained by amplifying the emitter voltage of the third transistor, wherein the base resistance of the second transistor 24 is higher than the base resistance of the first transistor 23.
US09509258B2

A signal amplifier may include a first common gate-type amplifying unit connected to a source voltage terminal, dividing an input signal into two signals, amplifying the two divided signals, respectively, and providing a first signal and a second signal, a second common gate-type amplifying unit connected to a ground, dividing the input signal into two signals, amplifying the two divided signals, respectively, and providing a third signal and a fourth signal, a signal summing unit summing the first signal and the second signal from the first common gate-type amplifying unit and the third signal and the fourth signal from the second common gate-type amplifying unit, and an impedance matching unit impedance-matching a signal summed by the signal summing unit.
US09509255B2

A sense amplifier includes a first transistor having a first gate, a second transistor having a second gate in series with the first transistor, a third transistor having a third gate, and a fourth transistor having a fourth gate in series with the third transistor. A first input node is coupled to the third gate and the fourth gate, a second input node is coupled to the first gate and the second gate, and a first compensation transistor is in series with the first and second transistors or the third and fourth transistors, the first compensation transistor having a first compensation bulk. The first compensation bulk receives a first compensation voltage to modify the first compensation threshold, the first compensation voltage having a value calculated to compensate for an offset associated with the first and second input nodes.
US09509252B2

The invention relates to a Doherty amplifier for amplifying an input signal at an operating frequency, comprising: a main amplifier; a first peak amplifier; a second peak amplifier, each of the amplifiers comprising an input for receiving the input signal and an output for providing an amplified signal, a plurality of peak amplifiers, each of the amplifiers comprising an input for receiving the input signal and an output for providing an amplified signal; a first input phase shifter; a second input phase shifter; a first capacitor coupled between the source and drain of the first peak amplifier; a first output phase shifter and a second output phase shifter.
US09509250B2

A solar cell or module is illuminated at one sun intensity and is placed into short circuit. Current and voltage measurements are taken. Control circuitry commands a second, higher terminal voltage of the solar cell such as a maximum power voltage. A higher intensity light pulse (for example, three suns) is applied to the solar cell or module when the second voltage is commanded. Voltage ramps more quickly because of the high-intensity light pulse. When the second terminal voltage is reached the light pulse terminates and measurements are taken while the solar cell remains illuminated at one sun intensity. The solar cell is placed into open circuit conditions and in conjunction with that action another high-intensity light pulse is applied. When the steady-state open circuit voltage for one sun is reached the pulse terminates. Characteristics are measured including current and voltage at the terminals of the solar cell or module.
US09509248B2

A steering device for use in solar tracking equipment includes: a fixed base (10); a rotary base (20) correspondingly connected to the fixed base (10) and provided with a worm gear (22); and a driving module (30) disposed in the fixed base (10) and including a worm unit (33) and an adjustment mechanism (34), the worm unit (33) includes a cylindrical body (331) and a worm (332) supported in the cylindrical body (331), and the cylindrical body (331) is pivoted in the fixed base (10), the adjustment mechanism (34) is disposed corresponding to the cylindrical body (331) for adjusting the swinging motion of the cylindrical body (331), thereby enabling the worm (332) and the worm gear (22) to be mutually engaged. Accordingly, the backlash between the worm and the worm gear is able to be adjusted thereby enhancing the rotation precision.
US09509247B1

A greenhouse used as a solar panel support structure maintains the usability of the greenhouse through at least one solar panel assembly in order to produce electricity, as well as, optimize light exposure for enclosed plants. The at least one solar panel assembly includes an array and a solar tracker. The array is a photo-voltaic module to convert solar energy into electrical energy to power the greenhouse, other onsite devices, or to export excess energy to a local electrical grid. The array is positioned to receive sunlight to produce electrical energy or provide sunlight exposure to a plurality of plants positioned within the greenhouse. The solar tracker controls the position of the array to move in accordance to sun exposure during a solar day, to maximize electrical power generation, and to allow shade created by the array to move evenly within the greenhouse.
US09509240B2

A drive unit includes: an electric motor; a flux estimator circuit configured to estimate at least a flux angle; a synchronous frame generator coupled to a rotor of the AC induction motor and configured to detect a rotor mechanical angle; and a switch configured to selectively provide either the flux angle or the rotor mechanical angle for controlling the motor.
US09509238B2

Torque ripple produced by a traction motor of an electric vehicle when the motor produces torque from a motor current is compensated for by modifying operation of the motor according to a difference between an expected position of the motor to produce a desired torque from the current and the actual position of the motor when producing torque from the current.
US09509237B2

Methods for starting an AC motor with a variable speed drive and switching the motor to a higher voltage power source are described. Provided are AC motors with a stator having a plurality of coils, the plurality comprising a complete set of coils for each phase, the complete set comprising a first set of coils comprising first groups of coils connected in series, or parallel, or a combination, and a second set of coils comprising second groups of coils connected in series, or parallel, or a combination, wherein the output of a variable speed drive is connected to a tap on the complete set of coils such that the AC motor may be started with a variable speed drive, and an output of the power line is connected to the series of the first and second sets of coils.
US09509236B2

An integrated circuit apparatus includes transmitting circuits TX1 to TX64, which output transmission signals with regard to channels CH1 to CH64 of an ultrasound transducer device which has a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements, and a switching circuit which performs a switching operation. The switching circuit is provided between a receiving circuit and output nodes NQ1 to NQ64 of the transmitting circuits TX1 to TX64. Then, an operation is performed where the signal transfer of the transmission signal from the transmitting circuits TX1 to TX64 to the receiving circuit is set to be not transferred in a transmitting period. A switching operation is performed where the reception signals from the channels which are selected from among the channels CH1 to CH64 are output to the receiving circuit in a receiving period.
US09509235B2

A piezoelectric element that can decrease the output voltage for detection relative to the input voltage for driving without requiring a step-down circuit between a detection phase electrode and a phase comparator and an oscillatory wave motor including the piezoelectric element are provided. A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric material having a first surface and a second surface, a common electrode disposed on the first surface, and a drive phase electrode and a detection phase electrode disposed on the second surface. An absolute value d(1) of a piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material in a portion (1) sandwiched between the drive phase electrode and the common electrode and an absolute value d(2) of a piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material in a portion (2) sandwiched between the detection phase electrode and the common electrode satisfy d(2)
US09509232B2

Communicating by a power inverter is provided. Processes can include outputting a first voltage at a frequency as determined by primary side control, applying the first voltage to a primary winding, generating a second voltage at a second frequency across a secondary winding, and determining the second frequency using a secondary side control, where the second frequency can provide information about an operating condition within the power inverter.
US09509225B2

An output voltage of an LLC resonant converter circuit is received. The received output voltage is analyzed to determine whether the received output voltage is within an acceptable operational range. When the output voltage is not within the acceptable operational range and the operational frequency is below a maximum predetermined frequency, the operational frequency of the LLC resonant converter circuit is adjusted. The adjustment of the operational frequency is effective to change the output voltage to a value that is within the acceptable operational range. When the output voltage is not within the acceptable operational range and the operational frequency is above the maximum predetermined frequency, a phase shift in the LLC resonant converter circuit is adjusted. This adjustment is effective to change the output voltage to a value that is within the acceptable operational range.
US09509224B2

The invention discloses a method for controlling a synchronous rectifier of a power converter and a control circuit using the same. The method includes the following steps. A control signal is generated to control a synchronous rectification transistor in response to an on-time of a switching signal, a level of a transformer voltage and an output voltage of the power converter. The switching signal is used for switching a transformer. The control signal is generated once the switching signal is turned off. A transformer signal is related to an input voltage of the power converter. The control signal is generated when the on-time of the switching signal is longer than a first time threshold.
US09509222B2

The present disclosure relates to a power conversion system comprising a transformer comprising first, second, and third inductive coupling elements, a first power supply arranged to provide a voltage across the first coupling element, a second power supply arranged to provide a voltage across the second coupling element, an output arranged to receive a voltage from the third coupling element. In use, the voltage across the first coupling element and the voltage across the second coupling element are arranged to induce a voltage in the third coupling element. The system also comprises a control arrangement arranged to independently control the operation of the first and second power supplies.
US09509217B2

A controller for a power converter formed with a plurality of converter stages, and method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the controller includes a power system controller configured to determine an unequal current allocation among the plurality of converter stages based on an operation of the power converter. The controller also includes a converter stage controller configured to control an output current produced by each of the plurality of converter stages in response to the current allocation.
US09509216B2

A switching power supply circuit includes: a voltage generation circuit that generates an output voltage by smoothing, with a capacitor, a voltage produced in an inductor; an integration circuit that integrates a switching voltage to generate a first ripple voltage including a first ripple component; a feedback voltage generation circuit that divides the output voltage to generate a feedback voltage; a comparison circuit that compares the feedback voltage with a reference voltage to output the result of the comparison as a comparison result signal; an integration circuit that integrates the comparison result signal to generate a second ripple voltage including a second ripple component; and a drive circuit that controls the turning on and off of a switch element based on the comparison result signal, where the first ripple component and the second ripple component are added to the feedback voltage.
US09509214B2

Generally, this disclosure describes an apparatus, systems and methods for adaptively controlling a voltage regulator. The apparatus may include a differencing circuit configured to generate an error signal based on a difference between a reference voltage and the output voltage of the voltage regulator; a proportional control circuit coupled to the differencing circuit, the proportional control circuit configured to generate a control signal proportional to the error signal; a derivative control circuit coupled to the differencing circuit, the derivative control circuit configured to generate a control signal based on the derivative of the error signal; a summer circuit coupled to the proportional control circuit and the derivative control circuit, the summer circuit configured to sum the proportional control signal and the derivative control signal; a PWM signal generator circuit coupled to the summer circuit, the PWM generator circuit configured to adjust the PWM modulation based on the summed control signal; and a state monitor circuit configured to monitor the state of the output voltage and perform a gain adjustment on the proportional control signal and the derivative control signal based on the monitored state.
US09509205B2

DC-DC current mode switching power converters that have negative current capability are presented. The power converters comprise: an output node, a pass device connected to the output node of the power converter, the pass device being configured to operate in accordance with a PWM signal and to supply at least a portion of an output current of the power converter, a PWM comparator for generating the PWM signal for controlling operation of the pass device in accordance with a current conducted by the pass device and a difference between an output voltage of the power converter and a reference voltage. The converters have push pull class B (or AB) current sensing, dynamic biasing of a current sense amplifier using error information, and using operational transconductance amplifiers that are fed an error voltage. This results in a lower quiescent current at zero load.
US09509203B1

Provided is a stepping motor which includes a bracket, a stator and a rotor disposed at the bracket, a lead screw of which both ends are fixed to the bracket, and rotating while coupled to the rotor, and a moving part coupled to the lead screw and guided along a side surface of the bracket to move, wherein guide protrusions are formed at both side surfaces of the moving part, the bracket includes guide slots formed at side surfaces and into which the guide protrusions are inserted, and the guide slots are formed to have heights higher than those of the guide protrusions, thereby providing an advantageous effect of minimizing friction contact.
US09509192B1

A dynamic system for generating electricity from a changing magnetic field includes solenoids routed on a single iron core, switches, and diodes. A first solenoid and a second solenoid are stationary electromagnet coils opposably routed on the iron core. A third solenoid is a stationary electric current induction coil. The first and second solenoids induce opposing magnetic fields on receiving an initial magnetizing current from a solar cell. One of the switches includes a switching system that alternately connects at least one switching node, for example, via one or more pivot joints, to one of at least two contact nodes to form a closed electric system with the first solenoid or the second solenoid, the solar cell, and a load and to change the induced magnetic field in the first solenoid or the second solenoid. The changing magnetic field induces an electric current in the third solenoid.
US09509184B2

A magnet element (37) and a method of its manufacture for assembly into a rotor (38), the magnet element (37) having magnetic domains aligned anisotropically to form a domain alignment pattern (42), wherein the magnetic domain alignment pattern (42) in the magnet element (37) has an orientation that varies substantially continuously across at least part of the magnet element (37) between its lateral edges from at least partially radial to at least partially tangential.
US09509182B2

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to turbo-generators and, more particularly, to suspension systems for turbo-generators and the attenuation of vibration in a stator core induced by an electromagnetic load. In one embodiment, the invention provides a support clamp comprising: an arcuate body; a first affixation point; a second affixation point; and a securing point between the first and second affixation points, wherein each of the first and second affixation points includes a radially-oriented opening extending from an inner surface to an outer surface and the securing point includes an area adjacent to an angled opening extending from a first surface to a second surface, each of the first and second surfaces lying substantially perpendicular to the inner and outer surfaces of the arcuate body.
US09509181B2

An electrical machine includes a rotor for rotation about a rotational axis, a coil arranged circumferentially with respect to and encircling the rotational axis, and a stator assembly. The stator assembly includes a unitary lamina comprising a plurality of extending members integral therewith, the extending members being bent to form a plurality of opposing extending members about the coil. The electrical machine is at least one of a transverse flux machine or a commutated flux machine. Methods of manufacturing stators for assembly with rotors to form electrical machines are also disclosed.
US09509174B2

An apparatus for improving endurance capability of a terminal and a terminal thereof are provided. The apparatus includes: a heat collection module (10), used for collecting heat produced by heating electronic components inside the terminal; a thermoelectric conversion module (20), used for converting the collected heat into electric energy and transporting the electric energy to a storage capacitor module (30); a storage capacitor module, used for storing the electric energy and outputting a stable output voltage value; a comparator module (60), used for generating and sending a charging enable signal to a power management module (50) when the output voltage value exceeds a preset reference voltage value; and a power management module, used for charging a terminal battery (40) according to the charging enable signal.
US09509172B2

A charging device for charging an energy storage device of a portable electric device. The charging device has a load cell or load cells, each load cell is equipped with a controllable resonant circuit for inductively transmitting energy, a parallel resonant circuit with two coils and a controllable supply voltage, two controllable switching elements for a self-oscillation of the parallel resonant circuit, which have control connections that can be connected to each other via a respective controllable switch-off element, and a demodulator connected to an output of the load cell being formed by a coil end of one coil of said two coils, wherein said coil end is not connected to a coil end of another coil of said two coils. The self-oscillation can be interrupted in a controlled manner by switching the two controllable switching elements in order to modulate an amplitude of an electromagnetic field generated by the two coils.
US09509165B2

An apparatus and method enable a charging power supply for a battery charge in a portable terminal regardless of the charge capacity of a charge cable for an external power supply. The apparatus for controlling a charge current in the portable terminal includes a detector for detecting power supplied to a battery and a charge capacity of a charge cable when the charge cable is connected to supply external power, and a charge integrated circuit (IC) for resetting a charge capacity of the portable terminal according to the capacity of the charge cable and controlling the power supplied to the battery according to an operation of the detector, when the charge capacity of the charge cable detected by the detector is not equal to the charge capacity of the portable terminal.
US09509145B2

The disclosed distributed power supply system does not become disconnected from a grid simultaneously with others when the grid voltage falls instantaneously. In a distributed power supply device which controls an inverter circuit 10 based on a control signal obtained by comparing a predetermined carrier signal and voltage command signals of three phases and which converts DC power to AC power and supplies the AC power to a power grid of a three-phase AC power supply, fundamental wave signals of three phases are generated from a grid voltage of the three-phase AC power supply. A reference cosine wave signal is generated from the fundamental wave signals of three phases. A third harmonic signal is generated from the reference cosine wave signal and the fundamental wave signals of three phases. The three-phase fundamental wave signals and the third harmonic signal are added to generate voltage command signals of three phases.
US09509138B2

An active damping switching system includes an active damping switching apparatus, including a damping capacitor, a damping resistor coupled to the damping capacitor, an input switch coupled to the damping capacitor, an oscillator coupled to the input switch and configured to open and close the input switch at a frequency, a direct current power source coupled to the active damping switching apparatus, a constant power load and an input filter disposed between the constant power load and the active damping switching apparatus.
US09509135B2

A fault current limiter is provided that comprises a magnetically saturable core. The first core includes a first leg, a second leg, with a first AC coil wound on the second leg, a third leg, with a second AC coil wound around the third leg, the first and second AC coils being wound in series and connected to a first phase AC source, and a fourth leg. The first magnetic biasing unit is arranged to produce a first closed magnetic circuit in the first leg and the second leg that has a first flux direction, and the second coil is arranged to produce a second closed magnetic circuit in the fourth leg and the third leg that has a second flux direction, wherein the first flux direction opposes the second flux direction. The first and second AC coils are arranged to produce a first closed AC magnetic circuit in the second and third legs in an AC flux direction that alternates with each AC half-cycle.
US09509131B2

To avoid overheating of a spindle motor as easy as possible, a numerical control apparatus measures a cycle time in machining a work (step S5), measures a current amount per unit cycle flowing to the spindle motor (steps S3 and step S4), calculates, on the basis of the measured current amount per unit cycle, a duty cycle time in which suppression of the occurrence of overheating of the spindle motor is guaranteed (step S6), determines on the basis of a comparison of the duty cycle time and the cycle time whether the spindle motor overheats (step S7), and, when the spindle motor overheats (Yes at step S7), delays a start of the next cycle by a wait time setting value Tw obtained by subtracting the cycle time from the duty cycle time (step S8, No at step S10, and step S11).
US09509128B2

An electrical connection box has a main body portion including an internal circuit, and a cover having a box shape open downward and externally fitted from above to the main body portion. The cover has a peripheral wall with an end surface arranged to abut against a flange portion of the main body portion. The flange portion projects outward in a collar shape from a side wall of the main body portion. A surface of the flange portion of the main body portion and the end surface of the peripheral wall of the cover are inclined diagonally downward at the same inclination angle.
US09509127B1

A wire guiding tool includes a support structure configured to removably mount the guiding tool to an electrical box. The support structure includes an aperture at a first position on the support structure that is configured to allow a fastener attached to the electrical box to extend through, and wherein the support structure is further configured to be removably mounted to the electrical box at a second position, the second position being remote from the aperture at the first position. A locking element is movably connected to the support structure to selectively engage the fastener to inhibit removal of the fastener from the aperture. A carriage assembly is carried by the support structure having a perimeter structure with a perimeter surface configured to guide a wire thereover without damaging the wire.
US09509124B2

A photoelectric conversion device which inhibits characteristic degradation caused by crystal defects, and an inspection method for crystal defects in photoelectric conversion devices. The photoelectric conversion device is provided with an active layer, and a deactivator contained in the active layer.
US09509114B1

Embodiments of the invention describe various configurations for a multi-wavelength laser cavity. A laser cavity may include a shared reflector and a plurality of reflectors. Each of the plurality of reflectors and the shared reflector together form one of the plurality of output wavelength channels.A shared filter is utilized to filter the optical signal of the laser cavity to comprise a subset of a plurality of cavity modes. A (de)multiplexer, comprising a plurality of filtering elements), receives the optical signal and further selects and separates the final lasing wavelengths from the selected subset of cavity modes, and each filtering element outputs an optical signal having a wavelength for one of the output wavelength channels.
US09509104B2

A connector assembly is electrically coupled to an electronic device. The connector assembly includes a supporting assembly supporting the electronic device, an adjusting frame, and a connecting element. The adjusting frame is slidably fixed on the supporting assembly. The connecting element is slidably fixed on the adjusting frame and electrically coupled to the electronic device. The connecting element includes a connector and a cable electrically coupled to the connector. The connector includes a plurality of plugs in different sizes and types. When the electronic device is fixed on the supporting assembly, the adjusting frame is slid to the supporting assembly and the connector is rotated to choose one of the plugs to be coupled to the electronic device.
US09509098B1

A pluggable connector includes a lead frame and a holder. The lead frame defines a first conductor array of ground conductors and signal conductors, a second conductor array of ground conductors and signal conductors, and a transition region that interconnects the first and second conductor arrays. The transition region includes a ground tie bar and distal tips of the ground conductors in the first and second conductor arrays that extend from the ground tie bar. The holder is defined by first and second holder members that have respective outer sides and inner sides. The inner sides face one another and define a seam. The first holder member holds the first conductor array of the lead frame, and the second holder member holds the second conductor array of the lead frame. The transition region of the lead frame extends across the seam at a front end of the holder.
US09509097B2

A lockout frame arrangement for an electrical outlet box arrangement, comprising an electrical outlet box arranged for receipt of electrical outlets;, a cover plate attachable to an open side of the electrical outlet box, for securement of electrical sockets therewithin, with a rectilinear outer cover capturing frame securely sandwiched between the cover plate and the open side of the electrical outlet box. An outer protective cover plate is matingly attached to and securable within a perimeter of the outer cover capturing frame.
US09509087B2

A docking apparatus for a portable device includes: a mounting unit on which the portable device is to be mounted; a mounting unit support which supports the mounting unit; a connection terminal disposed in the mounting unit and configured to connect with a connector of the portable device; a terminal support part which supports the connection terminal and comprises an opening, and wherein a portion of the terminal support part is exposed through the opening so that the connection terminal can be tilted; and a hinge part which rotatably connects the terminal support part to the mounting unit. The mounting unit includes: a base support which supports a bottom portion of the portable device; and a side support which extends upwardly from a side of the base support to support a rear side portion of the portable device.
US09509065B2

A device is configured for installation on a wire in an electrical circuit comprises a housing including a first portion configured to close on a second portion. A wire passage configured to retain the wire of the electrical circuit is formed in the housing when the first portion is closed on the second portion of the housing. A blade is retained by the housing and configured to extend through the wire passage and sever the wire when the first portion is closed on the second portion of the housing. A first electrically conductive protrusion is configured to extend into the wire passage and engage a first end of the severed wire. A second electrically conductive protrusion configured to extend into the wire passage and engage a second end of the severed wire. A first terminal is electrically connected to the first electrically conductive protrusion and a second terminal is electrically connected to the second electrically conductive protrusion.
US09509062B2

According to one embodiment of the invention, a network device comprises a plurality of antennas comprising a first antenna, wherein the first antenna comprises: a first set of one or more elements that form an Alford loop and that is configured for electrical excitation via a current transmitted over a conductive medium from a signal source and a second set of one or more elements that is configured for electromagnetic induction without contact with the conductive medium from the signal source.
US09509059B2

A reflector antenna includes a dual-band waveguide feed and a splashplate support arranged to define a space between the waveguide feed aperture and the splashplate. The dual-band waveguide feed is configured to receive an input signal in a first transmission mode, to convert a transmission mode of an upper frequency band from a first transmission mode to a mixed transmission mode including the first transmission mode and a second transmission mode. The supporting portion can be spaced apart from the aperture of the waveguide feed, and may have a thickness corresponding to half a wavelength of a beam emitted from the aperture.
US09509053B2

An electronic device includes a conducting element, a supporting element, and a multiband antenna is disclosed. The conducting element is connected to the ground of the electronic device by a high impedance connection. The supporting element has a supporting surface, and the supporting surface and the conducting element are perpendicular. The multiband antenna is disposed at the supporting surface and includes a radiating element, and the radiating element and the conducting element form a coupling capacitor.
US09509049B2

A magnetic antenna includes a plurality of magnetic layers, coil conductor patterns wound around the magnetic layers about a winding axis in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a stacking direction of the magnetic layers, a dielectric layer stacked on an outer layer of the magnetic layers, and a conducting pattern provided with the dielectric layer and coupled with a ground. The conducting pattern and the coil conductor patterns disposed along the outer layer are arranged such that at least a portion of the coil conductor patterns faces the conducting pattern and defines a stray capacitor therewith.
US09509045B2

An EMC shield apparatus has an antenna including a conductor part, a substrate, which is arranged to be separated from the antenna, and on which a circuit that processes a signal supposed to be transmitted by the antenna or a signal received by the antenna is mounted, and a shielded conductor that is connected to the conductor part of the antenna such that a closed loop circuit that surrounds the substrate is formed, and covers periphery of the substrate together with the antenna in a steric manner, keeping a distance from the substrate.
US09509044B2

A headset, a circuit structure of a mobile apparatus, and a mobile apparatus are provided. The headset includes at least one earphone, a microphone, an audio plug, and a headset cable. The audio plug includes a connector having a plurality of contacts. The microphone and the at least one earphone is coupled to the corresponding contacts of the audio plug through the headset cable. The headset cable includes a ground line, a microphone line, at least one audio line, and an antenna for receiving a television broadcasting signal. The antenna is coupled to one of the contacts coupled to the ground line, the microphone line, and the at least one audio line. The one of the contacts to which the antenna is coupled further serves as a radio frequency contact to provide the television broadcasting signal and an audio broadcasting signal.
US09509034B2

A low loss and compact power divider/combiner is provided for high power efficiency. The power divider/combiner can be an N-way coaxial-waveguide cavity power divider/combiner with good characteristics of low loss and compact size. The power divider/combiner can be comprised of a coaxial common port, a radial-waveguide cavity, and N-way probe outputs. In various embodiments, the power divider/combiner can have a plurality of probe outputs that are equally spaced radially around an axis on which the coaxial common port is located. The radial-waveguide cavity and N-way probe outputs can be fabricated on a substrate board using printed circuit technology. In addition, the power divider/combiner can have reversed probe outputs which provide for 180 degree out of phase outputs between the probe outputs.
US09509033B2

A balun device for UHF signals includes two conductive connection pads, a printed conductive track and a conductive ground pattern that are formed on a dielectric base plate. The conductive connection pads are connectable respectively with a pair of first signal lines for a pair of differential signals. One of the conductive connection pads is further connectable with a second signal line for a single-ended signal. The printed conductive track interconnects electrically the conductive connection pads. The conductive ground pattern is surrounded by and spaced apart from the printed conductive track and the conductive connection pads.
US09509031B2

A microwave filter has a housing defining an inner cavity. A first resonator is positioned in a first portion of the inner cavity. A second resonator is positioned in a second portion of the inner cavity. A third resonator is positioned in a third portion of the inner cavity. The first resonator and the third resonator are cross-coupled via an iris. The second resonator is elongated and is coupled to the first resonator and the third resonator. The resulting microwave filter has a frequency response having a transmission zero in the lower stopband. A high-pass filter is realized without the use of a cross-coupling probe.
US09509029B2

A mediator-type photocell system is provided. The mediator-type photocell system includes a galvanic cell having a galvanic cell anode and a galvanic cell cathode; and a light capturing portion, including a light capturing cathode corresponding to the galvanic cell anode; and a light capturing anode electrically connected to the light capturing cathode via a conductive element, and corresponding to the galvanic cell cathode, wherein the galvanic cell cathode and the light capturing anode have a first mediator therebetween, the galvanic cell anode and the light capturing cathode have a second mediator therebetween, an oxide is generated to be provided to the galvanic cell cathode when the first mediator is illuminated, and a reducing substance is generated to be provided to the galvanic cell anode when the second mediator is illuminated.
US09509023B2

When a battery is supported on a cooling plate, since a heat transfer sheet, which is deformable by pressure, is held between the cooling plate and a cooling surface of the battery, it is possible to efficiently transfer the heat of the battery from the cooling surface to the cooling plate via the heat transfer sheet, thereby enhancing the effect in cooling the battery. Since the heat transfer sheet includes a plurality of through holes, compared with a case in which a heat transfer sheet does not include the through hole, the reaction force generated by restoration of the compressively deformed heat transfer sheet to its original shape is decreased, thus reducing the load acting on a mounting flange securing the battery to the cooling plate and thereby preventing the mounting flange from being broken.
US09509022B2

An electric storage device includes a case having a cuboid shape and including a terminal surface having an electrode terminal, a bottom surface opposite to the terminal surface, a long side surface, and a short side surface. The device also includes an electric storage element formed by winding positive and negative plates being laminated via a separator, the electric storage element being housed in the case and being away from an inner surface of the long side surface, the electric storage element being in electrical connection with the electrode terminal, and a heat transfer member in contact with an outer surface of the long side surface.
US09509021B2

A method includes controlling operation of a vehicle in response to an estimation of a capacity loss and capacity of a lithium-ion battery module of the vehicle. The estimation is a function that includes a state-of-lithiation swing and fracture of a solid-electrolyte interphase of an electrode of the lithium-ion battery module. The methodology can be implemented in a vehicle that includes a lithium-ion battery module and a controller that controls operation of the vehicle in response to such an estimation.
US09509010B2

A fuel cell has an anode and a cathode with anode enzyme disposed on the anode and cathode enzyme is disposed on the cathode. The anode is configured and arranged to electrooxidize an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme. Likewise, the cathode is configured and arranged to electroreduce a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme. In addition, anode redox hydrogel may be disposed on the anode to transduce a current between the anode and the anode enzyme and cathode redox hydrogel may be disposed on the cathode to transduce a current between the cathode and the cathode enzyme.
US09509007B2

A transferring method for transferring a catalyst layer to a desired position on an electrolyte film includes the following processes. A multi-layer body is formed by stacking base materials and an electrolyte film on one another such that catalyst layers formed on the base materials are brought into contact with the electrolyte film. The multi-layer body is pressed from a stacking direction. The multi-layer body is heated to a first temperature. The heating is stopped after a predetermined time passes from when pressing is started. The pressing is stopped when the temperature of the catalyst layers becomes a second temperature or lower, which is a temperature lower than the first temperature, after the heating is stopped.
US09509003B2

A battery is provided. The battery includes a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series with each other and adapted for each generating an electric current from an oxidation-reduction reaction between an oxidizing fluid and a reducing fluid. The battery also includes, for each electrochemical cell, a control device for controlling the voltage across the terminals of the cell. The battery also includes a voltage regulator device electrically connected to the cell so that the control device measures the voltage across the terminals of the cell, increased by an offset voltage across the terminals of the regulator device.
US09509002B2

A fuel cell power plant keeps track, such as with a fuel-off timer (41), of the extent to which shutdown of the fuel cell power plant has occurred, in case the fuel cell power plant is quickly commanded to resume full operation. In one embodiment, if the fuel-off timer has not timed out at the time that the fuel cell power plant is ordered to resume full operation, a fuel-on timer is set (51) equal to the value of the fuel-off timer when the fuel cell power plant is ordered to resume full operation. Then, the fuel cell power plant is refueled (22), in a duration of time related to the setting of the fuel-off timer, rather than doing a full fuel purge.
US09509001B2

A fuel cell system, including: a fuel cell having at least one combination of an electrolyte membrane and a cathode-side catalyst layer and an anode-side catalyst layer that have a plurality of pores; a control unit that operates the fuel cell such that an output current determined in accordance with an external load is output from the fuel cell; and an output current acquisition unit that acquires an output current of the fuel cell; wherein, when the control unit determines that an anode in-flowing water amount, which flows to the anode-side catalyst layer when the fuel cell continues power generation at a first output current acquired at a prescribed timing, exceeds a prescribed anode-side allowable water amount, the control unit performs current limitation control to operate the fuel cell at a second output current that is higher than the first output current, regardless of a requirement of the external load.
US09509000B2

A fuel cell stack assembly (30) comprises a fuel cell stack (31); an air flow plenum chamber (33) disposed on a face (4) of the stack (31) for delivering air to or receiving air from flow channels in the fuel cell stack (31), at least a part of the plenum chamber wall being defined by a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board having at least one aperture (37) therein; and a fan (36) mounted to the board adjacent the aperture (37) and configured to force air through the aperture into or out of the plenum chamber. The assembly provides integration of circuit boards essential or supportive to operation of the fuel cell assembly with the air flow plenum for forced ventilation of the fuel cells in the stack.
US09508997B2

The invention relates to a media supply plate (10) for a fuel cell stack (12) comprising at least one anode gas terminal (14) and at least one cathode gas terminal (16). According to the invention the media supply plate (10) further comprises at least one anode waste gas terminal (18) and at least one cathode waste gas terminal (20). The invention further relates to a fuel cell system (52) using such a media supply plate (10) as well as a method for producing such a fuel cell system.
US09508995B2

The present invention relates to a laminar structure which is used in a microporous layer, an electrode layer or the like of a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell, and also relates to a production method for same. The laminar structure is a laminar structure which is comprised in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), and comprises an electrosprayed layer which is formed by the lamination of electrospraying ink, that has been charged by means of an electric field, through an electrospraying process in which the electrospraying ink is dispersed and sprayed as electrospraying liquid droplets, and, in the electrospraying process, the electrospraying substance transmission mode is set in accordance with the adjustment of electrospraying process variables. When the present invention is employed, an optimal substance transmission route is formed and three dimensional structure control is allowed through the electrospraying process and/or an inkjet printing process, and thus it is possible to simultaneously ensure economic advantages and durability when producing a laminated structure which is used in a microporous layer, an electrode layer, or the like of a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell.
US09508989B2

To provide a positive electrode material for lithium ion secondary batteries capable of reducing waste loss, a method of producing the same, a positive electrode for lithium ion secondary batteries and a lithium ion secondary battery which contain the above-described positive electrode material for lithium ion secondary batteries. A positive electrode material for lithium ion secondary batteries, wherein the positive electrode material includes inorganic particles whose surfaces are coated with a carbonaceous film, the inorganic particles being represented by a formula LiFexMn1-x-yMyPO4 (0.05≦x≦1.0, 0≦y≦0.14, where M represents at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Co, Sr, Ba, Ti, Zn, B, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, and rare earth elements), a specific surface area is 6 m2/g to 20 m2/g, a lightness L* is 0 to 40, and a chroma C* is 0 to 3.5.
US09508984B2

A coin-type lithium secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material including a silicon alloy material, a conductive agent including a carbon material, and a binder. The silicon alloy material includes a phase A including a lithium-silicon alloy and a phase B including an intermetallic compound of a transition metal element and silicon. In the lithium-silicon alloy, a ratio of lithium atoms relative to silicon atoms is 2.75 to 3.65 in a 100% state-of-charge.
US09508982B2

A negative electrode composition for a rechargeable lithium battery. The negative electrode includes a negative active material and crystalline carbon conductive material, wherein the negative active material includes soft carbon, and the crystalline carbon conductive material includes graphite having an average particle diameter (D90) of about 1 micrometer to about 20 micrometers.
US09508980B2

A method for forming a negative electrode for a lithium secondary battery, includes providing a paste comprising graphite particulates comprise assembled or bound graphite particles in each of which a plurality of flat-shaped particles are assembled or bound together so that the planes of orientation are not parallel to one another, and the mixture including 3 to 10 parts by weight of the organic binder per 100 parts by weight of the graphite particulates, a binder and a solvent, coating the paste on a current collector, drying the paste coated on the current collector to form a mixture of the graphite particulates and the binder, and integrating the mixture with the current collector by pressing to provide a density of the mixture of graphite particulates and organic binder of 1.5 to 1.9 g/cm3.
US09508978B2

A rechargeable battery module includes a plurality of unit cells each including a rechargeable battery, a first electrode terminal, and a second electrode terminal; a bus bar coupling adjacent ones of the plurality of unit cells; a first module terminal coupled to the first electrode terminal of one of the plurality of unit cells at one side of the unit cells; a second module terminal coupled to the second electrode terminal of an other one of the plurality of unit cells at an opposite side of the unit cells; and a module short-circuit member coupled to the first module terminal or the second module terminal, separated from the other module terminal, and configured to contact the other module terminal according to temperature.
US09508973B2

An electrode assembly for a secondary battery comprising an adiabatic layer attached to the negative electrode layer is disclosed. The electrode assembly comprises a positive electrode layer having a positive electrode collector, a positive electrode coating, and a non-coated area on the positive electrode collector. The negative electrode layer has a negative electrode collector, a negative electrode coating, and a non-coated area on the negative electrode collector. A separator insulates the positive and negative electrode layers. Positive and negative electrode tabs are attached to the non-coated areas of the positive and negative electrode collectors. The negative electrode layer has an adiabatic layer attached to the surface of a non-coated area of the negative electrode collector that is opposite the surface to which the negative electrode tab is attached. This construction improves battery stability and prevents short circuits caused either by heat generated during overcharging or by an internal short circuit.
US09508970B2

An apparatus comprises a rechargeable battery susceptible to thermal runaway, and a metal enclosure for the battery. The enclosure is configured to mitigate battery failure consequences resulting from thermal runaway.
US09508963B2

A battery houses an electrode body inside a battery case including a bottomed cylindrical case body having an opening part, and a plate-like lid member inserted in the opening part so as to seal the opening. The opening part and a lid peripheral edge part are welded hermetically by an energy beam irradiated from outside in the thickness direction of the lid member. In a specific section, the inner peripheral surface of the opening part and the peripheral edge surface of the lid peripheral edge part are welded in close contact with each other. A bead at the specific section takes a fan shape having a central angle of 160 to 200 degrees in a cross section, and the center of the fan shape is positioned on the inner peripheral surface and the peripheral edge surface.
US09508946B2

An organic light emitting diode display includes: a substrate; a thin film transistor provided on the substrate; a first electrode connected to the thin film transistor; an organic emission layer provided on the first electrode; an interlayer provided on the organic emission layer; an electron auxiliary layer provided on the interlayer and including an electron injection layer (EIL) and an electron transport layer (ETL); and a second electrode provided on the electron auxiliary layer, wherein the interlayer is made by mixing a material of the electron auxiliary layer.
US09508943B2

An organic light emitting diode display device is disclosed. The organic light emitting diode display device includes an organic light emitting diode array formed on a flexible substrate, a cover film formed to cover the organic light emitting diode array, and a bottom film attached to a lower surface of the flexible substrate. Reliability of the organic light emitting diode display device may be improved by forming a cover film attached to the organic light emitting diode array and a bottom film attached to the lower surface of the flexible substrate on which the organic light emitting diode array is formed using the same material, and forming a moisture absorbent on the bottom film.
US09508920B2

A voltage-controlled spintronic device includes a magnetic layer having an effective anisotropy Keff; a non-magnetic insulating layer; a contact layer; the magnetic layer having an anisotropy switching threshold such that application of a polarization voltage Vmax allows switching of the effective anisotropy Keff from a direction perpendicular to the reference plane to a direction in the reference plane or vice versa, the magnetic layer including a first layer, with thickness tB, having a volume anisotropy KVB; a second layer, with thickness tA, having a surface anisotropy KSA and a volume anisotropy KVA; the surface anisotropy KSA and the volume anisotropies KVA and KVB respecting, over a given operating temperature range: Min(KSA(V=0), KSA(V=Vmax))<−{KVBtB+KVAtA)
US09508916B2

An ultrasonic transducer device includes a substrate on which a plurality of openings are arranged; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements, each of the ultrasonic transducer elements being provided to each of the openings of the plurality of openings, on a first surface of the substrate; and a member fixed to a second surface of the substrate, which is a surface on the opposite side of the first surface of the substrate. Provided to the member are a plurality of first groove sections, and a second groove section for bundling together the plurality of the first groove sections.
US09508914B2

Disclosed is a magnetic annealing apparatus including a carrier conveyance region and a workpiece conveyance region. The carrier conveyance region includes: a first mounting table where a carrier is disposed; second mounting tables where carriers convey workpieces from the carrier conveyance region to the workpiece conveyance region; a storage unit; and a carrier conveyance mechanism that performs carrying-out/carrying-in of the carriers. The workpiece conveyance region includes: an aligner device; a workpiece boat; a workpiece conveyance mechanism that conveys the workpieces from the carriers disposed on the second mounting tables to the workpiece boat via the aligner device; a heating unit; a magnetic field generating unit; and a transfer mechanism that transfers the workpieces held by the workpiece boat into the magnetic field generating unit.
US09508913B2

Examples are generally described that include a substrate, an electrocaloric effect material at least partially supported by the substrate, and a thermal diode at least partially supported by the electrocaloric effect material.
US09508910B2

The purpose of the present invention is to reduce the size and thickness of an LED module in which a plurality of LED dies along with other electronic components are mounted on a circuit board, and at the same time to stabilize the operation of the module with respect to source voltage fluctuation. The LED module includes: a circuit board; a plurality of LED dies that are mounted on one surface of a circuit board as bare chips and constitute a series circuit; an FET die that is mounted on the one surface of a circuit board as bare chips and controls a current flowing through the plurality of LED dies; and a constant current circuit that is mounted on the one surface of a circuit board and is series-connected to the series circuit. The constant current circuit includes the FET die.
US09508909B2

A light-emitting diode includes a support substrate, a semiconductor stack disposed on the support substrate, the semiconductor stack including a p-type compound semiconductor layer, an active layer and a n-type semiconductor layer, a reflective metal layer disposed between the support substrate and the semiconductor stack, the reflective metal layer being in ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer of the semiconductor stack and having a groove exposing a portion of the semiconductor stack, a first electrode pad contacting the n-type compound semiconductor layer of the semiconductor stack, an electrode extension connected to the first electrode pad, the electrode extension disposed directly over the groove along a line perpendicular to the support substrate, an upper insulation layer disposed between the first electrode pad and the semiconductor stack. The electrode extension includes an Ni layer contacting the n-type compound semiconductor layer, and two Au layers disposed on the Ni layer.
US09508907B2

Embodiments of the invention include a semiconductor light emitting diode (LED) attached to a top surface of a mount. A multi-layer reflector is disposed on the top surface of the mount adjacent to the LED. The multi-layer reflector includes layer pairs of alternating layers of low index of refraction material and high index of refraction material. A portion of the top surface in direct contact with the multi-layer reflector is non-reflective.
US09508906B2

A light emitting device package may be provided that includes: a lead frame which includes a first frame and a second frame disposed on both sides of the first frame respectively; a light emitting device which is disposed on the first frame and is electrically connected to the second frame; and a resin body which includes a first resin body which is disposed between the first frame and the second frame, and a second resin body which covers an outer surface of the lead frame. An end of the first frame and an end of the second frame are disposed on an outer surface of the second resin body.
US09508880B2

It is an object to provide a method for processing a silicon substrate that can reduce surface reflectance as much as possible. The method includes a first step of forming a thin film including a metal having higher electronegativity than silicon and having a plurality of openings on a silicon substrate, a second step of soaking the silicon substrate subjected to the first step in a hydrofluoric acid solution containing oxidizer, and a third step of soaking the silicon substrate subjected to the second step in an ammonia aqueous solution containing oxidizer. By performing the steps in the above order, a minute uneven structure is formed on a surface of the silicon substrate to reduce the reflectance.
US09508878B2

Various embodiments provide a solar cell. The solar cell includes a substrate having a front side and a rear side. At least the front side receives light. The solar cell further includes a multiplicity of rear side solder pad regions at least partially arranged over the rear side, and a plurality of partial solder pads formed in each rear side solder pad region of the multiplicity of rear side solder pad regions. Each partial solder pad includes a first metal. The partial solder pads in a respective rear side solder pad region are separated from each other. The solar cell further includes a rear side metallization formed at the rear side of the substrate partly overlapping the partial solder pads, the rear side metallization including a second metal different from the first metal.
US09508877B2

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a front electrode of a semiconductor device. The method includes using an electrically conductive paste composed of a glass-free corrosion binder, a metallic powder and an organic carrier. The corrosion binder is one or more Pb—Te based crystalline compounds having a fixed melting temperature in a range of 440° C. to 760° C. During a sintering process of the electrically conductive paste for forming an electrode, the glass-free corrosion binder is converted into a liquid for easily corroding and penetrating an antireflective insulating layer on a front side of the solar cell, so that a good ohmic contact is formed. At the same time, the electrically conductive metallic powder is wetted, and the combination of the metallic powder is promoted. As a result, a high-conductivity front electrode of a crystalline silicon solar cell is formed.
US09508876B2

Solar cell including a substrate with first p-n-junction, separating the substrate into front portion having first doping and rear portion having second doping, being located close to front surface of substrate. A front layer having a p-n-junction, separating the front layer into front portion having first doping and rear portion having second doping. At least one first electric contact provided on front side of the solar cell electrically connected to front portion of the front layer, and second electric contact provided on rear side of solar cell electrically connected to a contact point provided on front side of the solar cell. Contact point is placed on a bottom surface of a groove open to front side of the cell and extending to rear portion of substrate, and an electrical connection between the second electric contact and the contact point is provided by the rear portion.
US09508874B2

A photovoltaic module including a dielectric tunneling layer and methods of forming a photovoltaic module with a dielectric tunneling layer.
US09508873B2

Provided is a Schottky diode. The Schottky diode includes: a substrate; a core on the substrate; a metallic layer on the core; and a shell surrounding the core between the metallic layer and the substrate and adjusting a Fermi energy level of the core to form a Schottky junction between the core and the metallic layer.
US09508872B2

An IGBT (15) is formed in a semiconductor substrate (1). A temperature sense diode (17) made of polysilicon or amorphous silicon is formed on the semiconductor substrate (1). After forming the IGBT (15), the temperature sense diode (17) is divided into a plurality of diodes by selectively oxidizing or sublimating part of the temperature sense diode (17). Thus, influences of variations in finished dimension of polysilicon on the characteristics can be eliminated. As a result, it is possible to reduce the size while reducing characteristic variations.
US09508870B2

A p-type anode layer (2) provided on an n-type drift layer (1) in the active region. A p-type diffusion layer (3) is provided on the n-type drift layer (1) in a termination region outside the active region. An oxide film (4) covers an outer periphery of the p-type anode layer (2). An anode electrode (5) is connected to a portion of the p-type anode layer (2) not covered with the oxide film (4). An n+-type cathode layer (7) is provided below the n-type drift layer (1). A cathode electrode (8) is connected to the n+-type cathode layer (7). An area of a portion of the p-type anode layer (2) covered with the oxide film (4) is 5 to 30% of a total area of the p-type anode layer (2).
US09508868B2

A nonvolatile memory (“NVM”) bitcell with one or more active regions capacitively coupled to the floating gate but that are separated from both the source and the drain. The inclusion of capacitors separated from the source and drain allows for improved control over the voltage of the floating gate. This in turn allows CHEI (or IHEI) to be performed with much higher efficiency than in existing bitcells, thereby the need for a charge pump to provide current to the bitcell, ultimately decreasing the total size of the bitcell. The bitcells may be constructed in pairs, further reducing the space requirements of the each bitcell, thereby mitigating the space requirements of the separate capacitor/s. The bitcell may also be operated by CHEI (or IHEI) and separately by BTBT depending upon the voltages applied at the source, drain, and capacitor/s.
US09508866B1

A thin-film transistor includes: a gate electrode; a channel layer not adjacent to the gate electrode; a channel protection layer exposing portion of the channel layer; a source electrode contacting the channel layer at portion of an exposed portion of the channel layer; and a drain electrode contacting the channel layer at portion of the exposed portion, in respective order. The channel layer includes oxide semiconductor. Surface of the channel protection layer includes upper surface and side surface extending from the upper surface to the exposed portion. The drain electrode has: a rising portion extending from above the exposed region to the channel layer along the side surface; and an upper surface covering portion continuous with the rising portion and extending onto portion of the upper surface. The upper surface covering portion has a facing portion facing a channel region and being 2.5 μm or less in channel length direction.
US09508856B2

Provided is a thin film transistor wherein the shape of a protrusion formed on the interface between an oxide semiconductor layer and a protection film is suitably controlled, and stable characteristics are achieved. This thin film transistor is characterized in that: the thin film transistor has an oxide semiconductor layer formed of an oxide containing at least In, Zn and Sn as metal elements, and a protection film directly in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer; and the maximum height of a protrusion formed on the oxide semiconductor layer surface directly in contact with the protection film is less than 5 nm.
US09508854B2

A single field effect transistor capacitor-less memory device, and method of operating the same, including a drain region, a source region, an intrinsic channel region between the drain region and the source region forming the single field effect transistor and a base. The device further includes a fin structure comprising the source region, the intrinsic channel and the drain region, the fin structure extending outwardly from the base, and a double gate comprising a first gate connected to a first exposed lateral face of the intrinsic channel region for transistor control, and a second gate connected to a second exposed lateral face of the intrinsic channel region to generate a potential well for storing mobile charge carriers permitting memory operation, the first gate and the second gate being asymmetric for asymmetric electrostatic control of the device.
US09508850B2

Approaches for enabling uniform epitaxial (epi) growth in an epi junction area of a semiconductor device (e.g., a fin field effect transistor device) are provided. Specifically, a semiconductor device is provided including a dummy gate and a set of fin field effect transistors (FinFETs) formed over a substrate; a spacer layer formed over the dummy gate and each of the set of FinFETs; and an epi material formed within a set of recesses in the substrate, the set of recesses formed prior to removal of an epi block layer over the dummy gate.
US09508830B2

A method of forming a FinFET is provided. A gate oxide layer and a dummy poly layer are substantially simultaneously etched using an etchant having a higher selectivity on the gate oxide layer than on the dummy poly layer. The gate oxide layer and the dummy poly layer are intersected with the gate oxide layer over a fin layer of the FinFET.
US09508826B2

After formation of a gate cavity straddling at least one semiconductor material portion, a gate dielectric layer and at least one work function material layer is formed over the gate dielectric layer. The at least one work function material layer and the gate dielectric layer are patterned such that remaining portions of the at least one work function material layer are present only in proximity to the at least one semiconductor material portion. A conductive material having a greater conductivity than the at least one work function material layer is deposited in remaining portions of the gate cavity. The conductive material portion within a replacement gate structure has the full width of the replacement gate structure in regions from which the at least one work function material layer and the gate dielectric layer are removed.
US09508825B1

A semiconductor device includes a substrate including an active area; a gate formed on the active area and surrounded by a spacer along a sidewall; a first source/drain contact and a second source/drain contact positioned on opposing sides of the gate and in contact with the active area; a first recess formed in the first source/drain contact and a second recess formed in the second source/drain contact; a gate contact including a conductive material on and in contact with the gate and the spacer; and an insulating liner disposed along a sidewall of the gate contact and in the first recess in the first source/drain contact and the second recess in the second source/drain contact.
US09508823B2

In a method for manufacturing a chemical sensor with multiple sensor cells, a substrate is provided and an expansion inhibitor is applied to the substrate for preventing a sensitive material to be applied to an area on the substrate for building a sensitive film of a sensor cell to expand from said area. The sensitive material is provided and the sensitive film is built by contactless dispensing the sensitive material to said area.
US09508821B2

A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
US09508819B2

A method of manufacturing a field effect transistor using a gate last process includes providing the field effect transistor which includes a high-k dielectric formed between an elevated source and an elevated drain and surrounding a metal gate, and performing a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process on an upper surface of the elevated source, and in which a height of the metal gate becomes lower than a height of the elevated source according to the CMP process.
US09508818B1

A semiconductor device includes a substrate including an active area; a gate formed on the active area and surrounded by a spacer along a sidewall; a first source/drain contact and a second source/drain contact positioned on opposing sides of the gate and in contact with the active area; a first recess formed in the first source/drain contact and a second recess formed in the second source/drain contact; a gate contact including a conductive material on and in contact with the gate and the spacer; and an insulating liner disposed along a sidewall of the gate contact and in the first recess in the first source/drain contact and the second recess in the second source/drain contact.
US09508807B2

A method of forming a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) includes epitaxially growing a second III-V compound layer on a first III-V compound layer. The method further includes partially etching the second III-V compound layer to form two through holes in the second III-V compound layer. Additionally, the method includes forming a silicon feature in each of two through holes. Furthermore, the method includes depositing a metal layer on each silicon feature. Moreover, the method includes annealing the metal layer and each silicon feature to form corresponding salicide source/drain features. The method also includes forming a gate electrode over the second III-V compound layer between the salicide source/drain features.
US09508804B2

According to one embodiment, a nitride semiconductor element includes a foundation layer, a functional layer and a stacked body. The stacked body is provided between the foundation layer and the functional layer. The stacked body includes a first stacked intermediate layer including a first GaN intermediate layer, a first high Al composition layer of Alx1Ga1-x1N (0
US09508795B2

Methods are presented for fabricating nanowire structures, such as one or more nanowire field effect transistors. The methods include, for instance: providing a substrate and forming a fin above the substrate so that the fin has a first sidewall including one or more elongate first sidewall protrusions and a second sidewall including one or more elongate second sidewall protrusions, with the one or more elongate second sidewall protrusions being substantially aligned with the one or more elongate first sidewall protrusions; and, anisotropically etching the fin with the elongate first sidewall protrusions and the elongate second sidewall protrusions to define the one or more nanowires. The etchant may be chosen to selectively etch along a pre-defined crystallographic plane, such as the (111) crystallographic plane, to form the nanowire structures.
US09508791B2

A semiconductor device comprises a non-conductive gate feature over a substrate, and a metal gate electrode over the substrate. The metal gate electrode comprises a portion over an active region of the substrate, and a portion over an isolation feature of the substrate ending at an end cap. A vertical profile of the metal gate electrode at the end cap matches a vertical profile of the metal gate electrode in the portion over the active region.
US09508788B2

In one embodiment, a capacitor includes a first row including a first capacitor element and a second capacitor element coupled in parallel, and a second row including a third capacitor element and a fourth capacitor element coupled in parallel. The first row is coupled in series with the second row. In a metallization level over a workpiece, the second capacitor element is disposed between the first capacitor element and the third capacitor element. In the metallization level, the third capacitor element is disposed between the second capacitor element and the fourth capacitor element. The first, the second, the third, and the fourth capacitor elements are disposed in the metallization level.
US09508780B2

A display device includes a pixel array section, the pixel array section having pixels arranged in a matrix form, at least one of the pixels including an electro-optical element, a write transistor, a capacitor, a drive transistor, and a switching transistor. A write scan line is disposed for each pixel row of the pixel array section and adapted to convey a write signal to be applied to a gate electrode of the write transistor. The wiring structure of the write scan line does not cross a wiring pattern connected to a gate electrode of the drive transistor.
US09508776B2

A gating device cell for a cross array of bipolar resistive memory cells comprises an n-p diode and a p-n diode, wherein the n-p diode and the p-n diode have opposite polarities and are connected in parallel, such that the gating device cell exhibits a bidirectional rectification feature. The gating device cell exhibits the bidirectional rectification feature, that is, it can provide a relatively high current density at any voltage polarity in its ON state, and also a relatively great rectification ratio (Rv/2/RV) under a read voltage. Therefore, it is possible to suppress read crosstalk in the cross array of bipolar resistive memory cells to avoid misreading, thereby solving the problem that a conventional rectifier diode is only applicable to a cross array of unipolar resistive memory cells.
US09508775B2

The first face of the pad is situated between the front-side face of the second semiconductor substrate and a hypothetical plane including and being parallel to the front-side face, and a second face of the pad that is a face on the opposite side of the first face is situated between the first face and the front-side face of the second semiconductor substrate, and wherein the second face is connected to the wiring structure so that the pad is electrically connected to the circuit arranged in the front-side face of the second semiconductor substrate via the wiring structure.
US09508773B2

A solid-state image pickup device 1 according to the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate 2 on which a pixel 20 composed of a photodiode 3 and a transistor is formed. The transistor comprising the pixel 20 is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, a pn junction portion formed between high concentration regions of the photodiode 3 is provided within the semiconductor substrate 2 and a part of the pn junction portion of the photodiode 3 is extended to a lower portion of the transistor formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 2. According to the present invention, there is provided a solid-state image pickup device in which a pixel size can be microminiaturized without lowering a saturated electric charge amount (Qs) and sensitivity.
US09508763B2

A radiation detector has a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a plurality of semiconductor regions of a second conductivity type making junctions with the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of electrodes joined to the corresponding semiconductor regions. The electrodes cover the corresponding semiconductor regions, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to a first principal face. The semiconductor regions include a plurality of first and second semiconductor regions in a two-dimensionally array. The first semiconductor regions arrayed in a first direction in the two dimensional array out of the plurality of first semiconductor regions are electrically connected to each other, and the second semiconductor regions arrayed in a second direction intersecting with the first direction out of the plurality of second semiconductor regions are electrically connected to each other.
US09508752B2

A display device includes a display unit including a plurality of pixels respectively including thin film transistors; and a terminal unit including an array of a plurality of terminals. The display device includes a first insulating film provided on a substrate; the thin film transistors provided on the first insulating film; a second insulating film that is provided in the display unit and in the terminal unit and has openings located between the plurality of terminals; a plurality of signal lines that are provided on the second insulating film and are respectively connected to the thin film transistors, and a plurality of terminal lines that are provided on the second insulating film in the terminal unit; and a third insulating film that is located on the plurality of signal lines and the plurality of terminal lines and is formed of an organic insulating film.
US09508744B2

A TFT-driven display device includes an upper substrate and a lower substrate facing each other, multiple TFTs disposed on a side of the lower substrate facing the upper substrate, and a metal layer disposed on a side of the upper substrate facing the lower substrate. The metal layer includes multiple horizontal metal wirings extending in a direction of scanning lines and including portions overlapping with an active layer of the TFTs in the light transmission direction, the overlapping portions have a pattern width less than that of other portions that do not overlap with the active layer. A photo-leakage current caused by light reflected by the metal layer may be reduced, because no portion of the metal layer is provided in the position opposed to the active layer of the TFTs located on a TFT array substrate.
US09508736B2

A three-dimensional charge trap semiconductor device is constructed with alternating insulating and gate layers stacked over a substrate. During the manufacturing process, a channel hole is formed in the stack and the gate layers are recessed from the channel hole. Using the recessed topography of the gate layers, a charge trap layer can be deposited on the sidewalls of the channel hole and etched, leaving individual discrete charge trap layer sections in each recess. Filling the channel hole with channel material effectively provides a three-dimensional semiconductor device having individual charge trap layer sections for each memory cell.
US09508728B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a semiconducting surface having formed therein a first active region and a second active region, where the first active region consists of a substantially undoped layer at the surface and a highly doped screening layer of a first conductivity type beneath the first substantially undoped layer, and the second active region consists of a second substantially undoped layer at the surface and a second highly doped screening layer of a second conductivity type beneath the second substantially undoped layer. The semiconductor device also includes a gate stack formed in each of the first active region and the second active region consists of at least one gate dielectric layer and a layer of a metal, where the metal has a workfunction that is substantially midgap with respect to the semiconducting surface.
US09508711B2

A semiconductor device includes a bipolar junction transistor cell including an emitter region which is at least partly formed between mesas of a semiconductor body. The emitter region extends between a first surface of the semiconductor body and an emitter bottom plane. The transistor cell further includes a collector region and a base region that separates the emitter region and the collector region.
US09508708B2

An integrated circuit containing a metal gate transistor and a thin polysilicon resistor may be formed by forming a first layer of polysilicon and removed it in an area for the thin polysilicon resistor. A second layer of polysilicon is formed over the first layer of polysilicon and in the area for the thin polysilicon resistor. The thin polysilicon resistor is formed in the second layer of polysilicon and the sacrificial gate is formed in the first layer of polysilicon and the second layer of polysilicon. A PMD layer is formed over the second layer of polysilicon and a top portion of the PMD layer is removed so as to expose the sacrificial gate but not expose the second layer of polysilicon in the thin polysilicon resistor. The sacrificial gate is removed and a metal replacement gate is formed.
US09508697B2

There is provided a semiconductor light-emitting device which includes a light-emitting diode (LED) chip having a first plane on which first and second electrodes are disposed and a second plane disposed opposite to the first plane, first and second solder bumps disposed in bonding areas of the first and second electrodes, respectively, and a protective device electrically connected to the first and second electrodes and mounted on the first plane of the LED chip. The protective device has the substantially same thickness as each of the first and second solder bumps.
US09508695B2

A method of manufacturing a light emitting device includes: disposing a group of electrically conductive members on a support substrate, the group of the electrically conductive members forming a plurality of mounting portions arranged in two or more columns and two or more rows with the mounting portions respectively corresponding to a plurality of light emitting elements; placing the light emitting elements on the group of the electrically conductive members with a bonding member being disposed between the light emitting elements and the electrically conductive members, each of the light emitting elements being shifted from a corresponding one of the mounting portions; and melting the bonding member to mount the light emitting elements respectively on the mounting portions by self-alignment effect generated by the melting of the bonding member.
US09508690B2

An electronic device includes a circuit board and a semiconductor device package. The semiconductor device package includes a laminate layer. The semiconductor device package includes a semiconductor die having an active side, an inactive side opposite the active side, and through-silicon vias (TSVs) conductively connecting the active side to the inactive side and conductively connecting the semiconductor die to one of the laminate layer and the circuit board. The semiconductor device package includes a laminate layer having a side attached to the active side or the inactive side semiconductor die. The semiconductor device package includes solder balls at the side of the laminate layer attached to the semiconductor die, around the semiconductor die, and attached to the circuit board.
US09508687B2

A microelectronic assembly includes a substrate, a first and second microelectronic elements, a lead finger, electrical connections extending between contacts of the second microelectronic element and the lead fingers, and an encapsulant overlying at least portions of the first and second microelectronic elements, lead finger and electrical connections. The substrate has contacts at a first surface and terminals at an opposed second surface that are electrically connected with the substrate contacts. The first microelectronic element has contacts exposed at its front face. The front face of the first microelectronic element is joined to the substrate contacts. The second microelectronic element overlies the first microelectronic element and has contacts at a front face facing away from the substrate. The lead frame has lead fingers, wherein the second surface of the substrate and the lead fingers define a common interface for electrical interconnection to a component external to the microelectronic assembly.
US09508684B2

A first resin encapsulated body (25) and a second resin encapsulated body (26) are stacked to form a resin-encapsulated semiconductor device. The first resin encapsulated body (25) includes: a first semiconductor element (2); an external terminal (5); inner wiring (4); and a first resin (6) for covering those components, at least a rear surface of the external terminal (5), a rear surface of the semiconductor element (2), and a surface of the inner wiring (4) are exposed from the first resin (6). The second resin encapsulated body (26) includes: a second semiconductor element (7) having an electrode pad formed on a surface thereof; a second resin (8) for covering the second semiconductor element; and a metal body connected to the electrode pad, and is partly exposed from the second resin. The inner wiring and the metal body are electrically connected to each other.
US09508683B1

A semiconductor package and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor package may include a package substrate and at least one chip disposed on a first surface of the package substrate. The semiconductor package may include a boundary wall attached to the package substrate to surround the chip. The semiconductor package may include at least one bonding wire coupling the boundary wall to the package substrate. The semiconductor package may include a conductive roof covering a top surface of the boundary wall and extended to cover the first surface of the package substrate and the at least one chip.
US09508680B1

Underfill materials and methods for removing an underfill material from beneath a chip in relation to removal of the chip from a substrate. The underfill material may a plurality of particles dispersed in a bulk matrix. The material constituting the particles may be capable of generating heat energy when exposed to a time-varying magnetic field. The bulk matrix of the underfill material between the chip and a substrate may be heated with heat energy transferred from the particles. While heated, the underfill material is removed. The heating of the underfill material may also be used to heat solder bumps connecting the chip with the substrate so that the solder bumps are liquefied.
US09508671B2

The present disclosure relates to bonding structures useful in semiconductor packages. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element and two pillar structures. The semiconductor element has a surface and includes at least one bonding pad disposed adjacent to the surface. The two pillar structures are disposed on the one bonding pad. The two pillar structures are symmetric and formed of a same material.
US09508658B1

An apparatus having a package, a wall and a lid is disclosed. The package may be configured to mount a plurality of chips. Two of the chips may generate a plurality of signals in a millimeter-wave frequency range. A metal is exposed at a surface of the package between the two chips. The metal is generally connected to an electrical ground. The wall may be formed on the metal and between the two chips. The wall generally has a plurality of arches that (i) are conductive, (ii) are wire bonded to the metal and (iii) attenuate an electromagnetic coupling between the two chips at the millimeter-wave frequency. The lid may be configured to enclose the chips to form a millimeter-wave cavity.
US09508656B2

A package structure includes a carrier, an electronic component disposed on the carrier, an encapsulant formed on the carrier for encapsulating the electronic component, a first shielding layer formed on the encapsulant, and a second shielding layer formed on the first shielding layer. The first and second shielding layers are made of different materials. With the multiple shielding layers formed on the encapsulating layer, the electronic component is protected from electromagnetic interferences. The present invention also provides a method for fabricating the package structure.
US09508647B2

A single damascene interconnect structure which includes a first layer that includes a first dielectric material having a first filled opening that has a barrier layer of a refractory material with Cu filling the first filled opening. Also included is a second layer of a second dielectric material having a second filled opening that has a sidewall layer which includes a compound of a metal, O, and Si such that the metal is Mn, Ti and Al, and with Cu filling the second filled opening. The compound is in direct contact with the second dielectric material. The first layer is adjacent to the second layer and the first filled opening is aligned with the second filled opening so that the first filled opening is a via and the second filled opening is a trench.
US09508646B2

Performance of a semiconductor device is improved. In one embodiment, for example, deposition time is increased from 4.6 sec to 6.9 sec. In other words, in one embodiment, thickness of a tantalum nitride film is increased by increasing the deposition time. Specifically, in one embodiment, deposition time is increased such that a tantalum nitride film provided on the bottom of a connection hole to be coupled to a wide interconnection has a thickness within a range from 5 to 10 nm.
US09508642B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for self-aligned metal cuts in a back end of line structure. Sacrificial Mx+1 lines are formed above metal Mx lines. Spacers are formed on each Mx+1 sacrificial line. The gap between the spacers is used to determine the location and thickness of cuts to the Mx metal lines. This ensures that the Mx metal line cuts do not encroach on vias that interconnect the Mx and Mx+1 levels. It also allows for reduced limits in terms of via enclosure rules, which enables increased circuit density.
US09508641B2

A semiconductor device having an electric fuse structure which receives an electric current to permit the electric fuse to be cut without damaging portions around the fuse. The electric fuse can be electrically connected between an electronic circuit and a redundant circuit as a spare of the electronic circuit. After these circuits are sealed with a resin, the fuse can be cut by receiving the electric current from the outside. The electric fuse is formed in a fine layer, and is made of a main wiring and a barrier film. The linear expansion coefficient of each of the main wiring and the barrier film is larger than that of each of the insulator layers. The melting point of each of the main wiring and the barrier film is lower than that of each of the insulator layers.
US09508637B2

An embodiment apparatus includes a dielectric layer in a die, a conductive trace in the dielectric layer, and a protrusion bump pad on the conductive trace. The protrusion bump pad at least partially extends over the dielectric layer, and the protrusion bump pad includes a lengthwise axis and a widthwise axis. A ratio of a first dimension of the lengthwise axis to a second dimension of the widthwise axis is about 0.8 to about 1.2.
US09508627B2

In manufacturing an electronic device in which a semiconductor chip including an element layer formed on a front surface of a substrate and a heat sink to perform heat radiation of the semiconductor chip are connected via a heat spreader, a first heat spreader is formed on a rear surface of the semiconductor chip using a first carbon nanotube, a second heat spreader is formed on the heat sink using a second carbon nanotube, and the first heat spreader and the second heat spreader are caused to adhere to each other. With this configuration, a highly reliable electronic device that has very low heat resistance and achieves efficient heat radiation with a relatively simple configuration is fabricated.
US09508624B2

There are provided a semiconductor package and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor package includes: a substrate having a ground electrode formed on one surface thereof; at least one electronic component mounted on one surface of the substrate; an insulation layer including an exposed part exposing the ground electrode and a cover part covering the electronic component; and a shielding layer electrically connected to the ground electrode and covering the insulation layer.
US09508619B2

A separation layer and a semiconductor element layer including a thin film transistor are formed. A conductive resin electrically connected to the semiconductor element layer is formed. A first sealing layer including a fiber and an organic resin layer is formed over the semiconductor element layer and the conductive resin. A groove is formed in the first sealing layer, the semiconductor element layer, and the separation layer. A liquid is dropped into the groove to separate the separation layer and the semiconductor element layer. The first sealing layer over the conductive resin is removed to form an opening. A set of the first sealing layer and the semiconductor element layer is divided into a chip. The chip is bonded to an antenna formed over a base material. A second sealing layer including a fiber and an organic resin layer is formed so as to cover the antenna and the chip.
US09508617B2

A test board includes a first chip mounting area, a first input area, a second input area, a first output area, and a second output area. The test board also includes a first conductive pattern, a second conductive pattern, a third conductive pattern, and a fourth conductive pattern. The first conductive pattern electrically connects a first pin of the first input area and a first pin of the first chip mounting area. The second conductive pattern electrically connects a first pin of the second input area and a second pin of the first chip mounting area. The third conductive pattern electrically connects a first pin of the first output area and a third pin of the first chip mounting area. The fourth conductive pattern electrically connects a first pin of the second output area and a fourth pin of the first chip mounting area.
US09508613B2

A method for testing a susceptor of a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus includes preparing a substrate including a transparent conductive layer, disposing the substrate with the transparent conductive layer on the susceptor of the CVD apparatus, and determining whether or not the susceptor of the CVD apparatus is normal by measuring a surface resistance across the transparent conductive layer.
US09508608B2

A Raman probe is used to detect crystal structure of a substrate undergoing thermal processing in a thermal processing system. The Raman probe may be coupled to a targeting system of a laser thermal processing system. The Raman probe includes a laser positioned to direct probe radiation through the targeting system to the substrate, a receiver attuned to Raman radiation emitted by the substrate, and a filter that blocks laser radiation reflected by the substrate. The Raman probe may include more than one laser, more than one receiver, and more than one filter. The Raman probe may provide more than one wavelength of incident radiation to probe the substrate at different depths.
US09508606B2

A transistor device may include a first source portion including a first InSb material set and a first first-type dopant set. The transistor device may include a first drain portion including a second InSb material set and a first second-type dopant set. The transistor device may include a first gate and a corresponding first channel portion disposed between the first source portion and the first drain portion and including a third InSb material set. The transistor device may include a second drain portion including a first GaSb material set and a second first-type dopant set. The transistor device may include a second source portion including a second GaSb material set and a second second-type dopant set. The transistor device may include a second gate and a corresponding second channel portion disposed between the second source portion and the second drain portion and including a third GaSb material set.
US09508604B1

One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a first plurality of fins for a type 1 device and a second plurality of fins for a type 2 device, forming a first counter-doped sidewall spacer structure adjacent the first fins, forming a second counter-doped sidewall spacer structure adjacent the second fins and a counter-doped material structure in a space between the first fins, forming a recessed layer of flowable oxide on the devices such that portions of the first and second counter-doped sidewall spacers are exposed above the flowable oxide layer, and performing a common etching process operation to remove at least a portion of the exposed portions of the first and second counter-doped sidewall spacer structures.
US09508596B2

During fabrication, a second oxide layer is disposed over a first region and a second region of a structure. The second region includes a first oxide layer between the second oxide layer and an epitaxial layer. The first region corresponds to an active region of a metal-insulator-semiconductor field effect transistor (MISFET), and a first-type dopant source region, a second-type dopant body region, and a second-type dopant implant region are formed in the first region. The second region corresponds to a termination region of the MISFET. A mask is formed over the second region, and parts of the second oxide layer and the first oxide layer that are exposed through the gaps are removed, thereby exposing the epitaxial layer. Second-type dopant is deposited into the epitaxial layer through the resultant openings in the first and second oxide layers, thereby forming field rings for the MISFET.
US09508595B2

A design method includes a process of preparing plural cutting members having different degrees of taper in a tip portion thereof, a process of preparing plural grooves on a front surface side having the same shape, a process of confirming a breakage status when a groove on a rear surface side is formed by the plural cutting members, and a process of selecting, when it is confirmed that both of a cutting member that causes breakage and a cutting member that does not cause the breakage are included, the degree of taper of the cutting member that does not cause the breakage as a tip shape of a cutting member to be used in a mass production process.
US09508590B2

In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing a device includes providing a first device with an isolation area, an active area next to the isolation area, a metal gate above the isolation area and the active area, and a dielectric layer above the metal gate. The method also includes forming a first opening within a conductive layer of the metal gate, and a second opening within the dielectric layer. The first opening and the second opening are connected, and are of a first shape. The method further includes expanding the first opening to form a third opening of a second shape within the conductive layer of the metal gate and beneath the dielectric layer, forming a first contact part by filling the third opening, and forming a second contact part by filling the second opening, the first contact part being connected to the second contact part.
US09508581B2

An object is to transmit an operation of a first parallel link to a second parallel link through a plurality of rotatably supported arms, to prevent the second parallel link from meandering or rolling so that a wafer can be transported smoothly.Arms (61 to 63) of a transmission arm unit (6) are provided for transmitting an operation of a first parallel link (4) to a second parallel link (5). An operation of the first parallel link (4) is transmitted to the second parallel link (5) so that an angle between an arm (53) and an arm (52) in the second parallel link(5) always coincides with an angle between an arm (41) and an arm (42) in the first parallel arm unit (4).
US09508580B2

A transport device includes a large-article drive portion that moves each of a pair of large-article supporting portions between a large-article supporting position and a large-article retracted position, and a small-article drive portion that moves each of a pair of small-article supporting portions between a small-article supporting position and a small-article retracted position. The small-article retracted position is set at a height at which the pair of small-article supporting portions are located above a supported portion supported by the pair of large-article supporting portions, and the pair of small-article supporting portions are provided between the pair of large-article supporting portions in a lateral width direction.
US09508558B2

The present disclosure provides a wafer treatment solution for edge-bead removal, edge film hump reduction and resist surface smooth. The wafer treatment solution includes a solution and a fluorine-containing additive mixed in the solution. The fluorine-containing additive has a following formula (I): Rf—X—(CH2CH2O)m—R1 (I); or a following formula (II): An apparatus and a method by using the wafer treatment solution are also provided herein.
US09508557B2

Provided is a method for processing a semiconductor substrate to reduce line roughness, the method comprising: positioning a substrate in a film-forming system, the film-forming system comprising a chuck having a clamping mechanism configured to hold the substrate in a processing chamber and flex the substrate by displacing a center of the substrate relative to a peripheral edge of the substrate so as to create a concave surface during processing; coating the substrate with a layer of material; performing a post apply bake process; flexing the substrate to create the concave surface either during the post apply bake or following the post apply bake process, wherein the concave surface has a degree of concavity measured at the center of the substrate that exceeds a base number of microns; and unflexing the substrate and inducing tensile stress in the layer of material on the substrate.
US09508552B1

A heterojunction bipolar transistor having an emitter, a base, and a collector, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including a metallic sub-collector electrically and thermally coupled to the collector wherein the metallic sub-collector comprises a metallic thin film, and a collector contact electrically connected to the metallic sub-collector.
US09508545B2

Implementations disclosed herein generally relate to methods of forming silicon oxide films. The methods can include performing silylation on the surface of the substrate having terminal hydroxyl groups. The hydroxyl groups on the surface of the substrate are then regenerated using a plasma and H2O soak in order to perform an additional silylation. Further methods include catalyzing the exposed surfaces using a Lewis acid, directionally inactivating the exposed first and second surfaces and deposition of a silicon containing layer on the sidewall surfaces. Multiple plasma treatments may be performed to deposit a layer having a desired thickness.
US09508536B2

This invention describes a sample collection and desorption device and method that collects residues of explosives and other chemicals from a surface and then introduces them into a detector. The desorption method and device include introducing additional chemicals while heating up the sample collector, thus, the collected sample may be converted via a chemical reaction or a catalytic process. The detector can be an ion mobility spectrometer or mass spectrometer.
US09508533B2

In a method of manufacturing an electrode of a thermionic converter, a carbide layer is formed on a base material by a vapor synthesis, an N-type diamond layer doped with a donor impurity is formed on the carbide layer by a vapor synthesis, and a surface of the N-type diamond layer is terminated with hydrogen. The base material is made of a metal, and the carbide layer is made of a metal carbide.
US09508529B2

Plasma processing systems and methods including a plasma processing chamber and an RF transmission path. The plasma processing chamber including an electrostatic chuck. The RF transmission path including one or more RF generators, a match circuit coupled the RF generator and an RF feed coupling the match circuit to the electrostatic chuck. The system also includes an RF return path coupled between the plasma processing chamber and the RF generator. A plasma processing system controller is coupled to the plasma processing chamber and the RF transmission path. The controller includes recipe logic for at least one plasma processing recipe including multiple plasma processing settings and an RF power compensation logic for adjusting at least one of the plasma processing settings.
US09508526B2

A top opening-closing mechanism for opening and closing a top of a container including a container body and the top includes a rolling element rotatably provided at the top and positioned on the outside of the container body in a planar view, a rail, a jack for lifting the rail, and a top resting table disposed adjacent to the container and mounting the top thereon. When the top is opened, the jack lifts the rail, the rail lifts the rolling element from below, and thereby the top is lifted up from the container body. Then, the rolling element rolls on the rail and the top resting table to move the top from above the container body to the top resting table.
US09508525B2

An apparatus and a method are for generating a flattening x-ray radiation field. The apparatus includes: plurality of electron accelerators for generating high-energy electron beam current; and a common target unit including a vacuum target chamber, a target and plurality of input connectors. The plurality of input connectors are connected to one side of the vacuum target chamber and the target is installed at the other side of the vacuum target chamber opposing the plurality of input connectors, the axes of which intersect in pairs at one point in an predetermined included angle. The plurality of electron accelerators are connected to the plurality of input connectors.
US09508522B2

An x-ray generator includes a housing, a cathode block that is arranged in the housing and emits electrons via a field emission scheme, an anode block that is arranged in the housing and generates x-rays in response to the electrons emitted from the cathode block and collide with the anode block, and a heat sink block that contacts the cathode block and dissipates heat generated therein to an outside of the housing.
US09508515B2

In an electrostatic relay in which a moving contact and a movable electrode are displaced in parallel with a base substrate, an opening force is increased when the movable electrode is separated from a fixed electrode, and a structure is simplified to enhance a degree of freedom of design. A fixed contact portion and a fixed electrode portion are fixed to the base substrate. The fixed electrode portion and a movable electrode portion constitute an electrostatic actuator that displaces the movable electrode portion and a moving contact portion. A movable spring provided in a spring supporting portion retains the movable electrode portion in a displaceable manner. A cantilever secondary spring is provided in the spring supporting portion, and a projection portion is provided in a front end face of the movable electrode portion. The secondary spring abuts on the projection portion while being not deformed until abutting on the projection portion, before the moving contact of the moving contact portion abuts on the fixed contact of the fixed contact portion when the moving contact portion and the movable electrode portion are displaced.
US09508514B2

An electromagnetic rebound mechanism unit and a magnetic latch unit are fixedly installed between a switchgear and a spring drive unit by virtue of a rebound fixing member and a fixing yoke. The electromagnetic rebound mechanism unit includes a rebound coil fixedly secured to the rebound fixing member, a reinforcing plate fixedly secured to a movable shaft and a rebound ring fixedly secured to the reinforcing plate. The magnetic latch unit includes a permanent magnet fixedly secured to the rebound fixing member, a latch ring fixedly secured to the permanent magnet and a movable yoke fixedly secured to the movable shaft. The spring drive unit includes a support frame, a spring retaining plate, a circuit-opening spring, a damper unit, and first and second electromagnetic solenoids.
US09508512B2

The present invention describes systems and methods of providing a pressure switch with temperature enable function. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a pressure sensor for providing a pressure signal having a first voltage level that is proportional to a pressure applied to the pressure sensor; a temperature sensor for providing a temperature signal having a second voltage level where the second voltage level is proportional to a temperature measured by the pressure sensor; and a control circuit for receiving the pressure signal from the pressure sensor and the temperature signal from the temperature sensor and activating a load when the first voltage level exceeds a threshold voltage level.
US09508509B2

A contact device includes a pair of fixed contacts fixedly disposed inside an arc extinguishing chamber and maintaining a predetermined interval from each other; a movable contact disposed to contact to and separate from the pair of fixed contacts; and an arc root movement promotion portion formed on the movable contact to promote a movement of root of arc in a direction away from the fixed contacts. The root of arc is generated when the movable contacts are opened and separated from the pair of fixed contacts.
US09508506B2

A potting method for a lamp chain includes a) providing a mold having a potting groove; b) providing a fixing support which is fixedly kept in the potting groove; c) fixedly keeping a printed circuit board provided with a light emitting assembly in the fixed support; d) potting a potting material into the potting groove and curing the potting material; and e) removing the mold.
US09508504B2

A pressure-sensitive switch includes a first substrate, a conductive structure provided on the first substrate, and an electrode unit disposed to face the first substrate with the conductive structure interposed therebetween. The conductive structure includes an elastic component extending to protrude from the first substrate toward the electrode unit, and an electrode layer covering the elastic component.
US09508498B2

An electronic power apparatus includes a housing, a pair of input power pins, a pair of output power pins, power components arranged to modulate a supply of power from the input power pins to the output power pins, and a user-actuated input unit providing an analog signal indicative of a desired power output level of the output power pins. A control unit of the electronic power apparatus receives the analog signal from the user-actuated input unit. The control unit includes a controller to control a switching operation of the power components based on the analog signal, and an input detection unit to generate an ON/OFF signal to turn on the controller based detection of a prescribed change in the analog signal indicative of an initial actuation of the user-actuation unit.
US09508477B2

A superconducting magnet system includes a coil support structure, superconducting coils, and electrically and thermally conductive windings. The superconducting coils and the conductive windings are supported by the coil support structure. Each conductive winding is electromagnetically coupled with a corresponding superconducting coil. Each conductive winding is electrically shorted.
US09508465B2

Sealing performance between a sealing member and a reinforcing plate adhered to a wiring unit is prevent from being deteriorated. An FPC 1 is integrated with a sealing member 2, and a cover 3 is attached to a front end portion. On upper and lower surfaces of the FPC 1, reinforcing plates 12 each having a shape of a rectangular flat plate are arranged and adhered in an opposing manner interposing the FPC 1. The sealing member 2 is formed of elastic material such as rubber, and is fixedly attached to the FPC 1 such that the sealing member 2 covers the reinforcing plates 12 adhered to the upper and lower surfaces of the FPC 1 together with the FPC 1 located along front edges and rear edges of the reinforcing plates 12.
US09508460B1

A neutron beam diffraction material treatment system utilizes a neutron beam source configured to produce a first neutron beam having a first direction and second neutron beam source configured to produce a second neutron beam having a second direction. The neutron beam diffraction material treatment system can direct the first and second neutron beams to intersect with each other in or on a work-piece and thereby treat the work piece by neutron diffraction. One or more of the neutron beams may be configured to move to change the location of the intersecting point within the work-piece and/or the work-piece may be configured to move. The first and second neutron beams may be configured with a magnetic coil configured around the neutron beam and between the neutron beam source and the work-piece. The magnetic coil may be used to contain the neutron beams and reduce the scattering of neutron.
US09508458B2

A semiconductor memory device may include: a plurality of first to third memory cells, each memory cell being a DRAM memory cell; a plurality of fuses suitable for storing repair information for replacing failed first memory cells with corresponding second memory cells; a normal operation unit suitable for accessing and refreshing one or more of the first and second memory cells according to the repair information during a normal mode; and a repair operation unit suitable for providing the repair information from the fuses to the third memory cells during a boot-up mode, and for providing the repair information from the third memory cells to the normal operation unit and for refreshing the third memory cells during a normal mode.
US09508450B2

A shift register unit, a shift register and a display apparatus, insulate a start charging capacitor from the gate of the driving transistor, and adopt a dual pulling-down structure for the gate of the driving transistor and the output terminal simultaneously thereby the transistor can be turned off normally and a leakage is prevented. The shift register unit comprises: a driving transistor (T1); a first capacitor (C1) for storing an electrical signal from a previous stage; an output pulling-up module (400) connected with a drain of the driving transistor (T1); a drive output terminal (OUT (N)) connected with a source of the driving transistor (T1); a carry signal output terminal connected with a gate of the driving transistor (T1) or the drive output terminal (OUT (N)); an output pulling-down module (100) connected with a source of the driving transistor (T1); a first pulling-down module (200), which is connected with the gate of the driving transistor (T1) through a pulling-up node (PU) and connected with the output pulling-down module (100) through a pulling-down node (PD); and an insulation pulling-up module (300) connected between the pulling-up node (PU) and the first capacitor (C1).
US09508445B2

An operating method of a semiconductor device includes applying a read voltage to a selected word line of a selected memory block, among a plurality of memory blocks including cell strings coupled between bit lines and a source line, detecting a voltage of the source line by forming a channel in cell strings of the selected memory block, comparing the voltage of the source line with a reference voltage corresponding to the selected memory block, and performing a least significant bit (LSB) read operation on memory cells coupled to the selected word line when the voltage of the source line is greater than the reference voltage, as a result of the comparing, and performing a most significant bit (MSB) read operation on the memory cells when the voltage of the source line is less than the reference voltage, as the result of the comparing.
US09508440B2

A method and apparatus for setting trim parameters in a memory device provides multiple trim settings that are assigned to portions of the memory device according to observed or tested programming speed and reliability.
US09508436B2

A method for reading data stored in a flash memory. The flash memory comprises a plurality of memory cells and each memory cell has a particular threshold voltage. The method includes: obtaining a first threshold voltage distribution representing threshold voltages of a first group of the memory cells; obtaining a second threshold voltage distribution representing threshold voltages of a second group of the memory cells, wherein the second threshold voltage distribution is different from the first threshold voltage distribution, and the first group of the memory cells comprises at least a part of the second group of the memory cells; and controlling the flash memory to perform at least one read operation upon the first group of the memory cells according to the second threshold voltage distribution.
US09508430B2

A memory device includes a plurality of first interconnects extending in a first direction; a plurality of second interconnects extending in the first direction; a plurality of third interconnects extending in a third direction; and memory cells each with resistance change layers provided on two side surfaces of a corresponding one of the third interconnects, which surfaces are opposite to each other in the second direction. The resistance change layers are connected to the different second interconnects. A plurality of selectors connect the third interconnects to the first interconnects. One of the selectors includes a semiconductor layer provided between the corresponding third interconnect and the corresponding first interconnect. Gates extending in the second direction and provided, via a gate insulating film, on two side surfaces that are opposite to each other in the first direction.
US09508424B2

In a program operation a plurality of memory cells are programmed depending on data stored in first and second data latches. Verification read operations are performed for the plurality of memory cells using different verification voltages respectively corresponding to different program states and collecting verification read results of the verification read operations. The first data latches and the second data latches are updated depending on the collected verification read results.
US09508413B2

A semiconductor storage device includes a first bit line and a second bit line. A nonvolatile memory element and a first cell transistor are connected in series between the first bit line and the second bit line. A sense transistor has a gate connected to a sense node which is provided between the first bit line and the memory element. A read bit line is connected to a source or a drain of the sense transistor. The read bit line is configured to transmit data of the memory element. A sense amplifier is configured to detect the logic of data transmitted from the read bit line.
US09508409B2

Apparatuses and methods for implementing masked write commands are disclosed herein. An example apparatus may include a memory bank, a local buffer circuit, and an address control circuit. The local buffer circuit may be associated with the memory bank. The address control circuit may be coupled to the memory bank and configured to receive a command and an address associated with the command. The address control circuit may include a global buffer circuit configured to store the address. The address control circuit may further be configured to delay the command using one of a plurality of command paths based, at least in part, on a write latency and to provide the address stored in the global buffer circuit to the local buffer circuit to be stored therein.
US09508407B2

Devices and circuits for wiring configurations of a bus system and power supply wires in a memory chip with improved power efficiencies. The effective resistance on the power supply wires may be reduced by utilizing non-active bus wires as additional power wires connected in parallel with the other supply wires. The non-active bus wires may reduce or prevent parasitic couplings and cross-talk effects between neighboring sensitive wires, thereby improving performance of the chip.
US09508405B2

A method and apparatus for operating a memory device with wider difference in array and periphery voltage is presented. The memory device includes a bit line, a complementary bit line, a memory cell, a first pre-charge circuit, and a second pre-charge circuit. The memory cell, the first pre-charge circuit, and the second pre-charge circuit are coupled between the bit line and the complementary bit line. The first pre-charge circuit is configured to pre-charge the bit line and the complementary bit line to a first voltage level. The second pre-charge circuit is configured to pre-charge the bit line and the complementary bit line to a second voltage level that is different than the first voltage level. In some examples, two precharge circuits are configured to operate such that memory access is ensured to be static noise margin safe even under wider difference between two voltage levels.
US09508391B2

A multifunction flashlight includes an audio recorder, a video recorder and a flashlight having one or more operating modes. The flashlight includes an audio microphone secured within a water-tight interior compartment in the body of the flashlight. A storage compartment is provided in a rear portion of the flashlight for removably storing one or more light diffuser caps which are selectively mountable over the flashlight lens. A port in the wall of the flashlight can be opened to improve audio reception and sensitivity of a microphone housed within the flashlight. A resilient switch cover is provided with two or more differently textured surface portions to allow an operator to identify an audio, video or lighting function by tactile feel or touch. A delay circuit can be provided to protect the audio and/or video functions from in advertent or unintentional actuation.
US09508381B2

An exemplary method includes a DVR schedule collaboration system 1) maintaining data representative of a plurality of DVR schedules associated with a plurality of users, 2) creating a master DVR schedule based on the plurality of DVR schedules, and 3) facilitating creation of a personal DVR schedule by a user in accordance with at least one of the master DVR schedule and one or more of the DVR schedules associated with the plurality of users. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
US09508374B2

A hard disc drive (HDD) with an enlarged magnetic recording disc. In some embodiments, a base deck and top cover are arranged to provide an HDD housing with a 2½ inch form factor or a 3½ inch form factor. A magnetic recording disc is supported for rotation within the housing. A data transducer is controllably advanced across a recording surface of the magnetic recording disc to write data to the recording surface, and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) affixed to an external surface of the base deck incorporates control electronics to provide write signals to the data transducer during the writing of data to the recording surface. The disc has an outer diameter of at least 67 millimeters, mm for the 2½ inch form factor housing and has an outer diameter of at least 97 mm for the 3½ inch form factor housing.
US09508373B2

Provided are an element structure in which a magnetic layer has a high magnetic anisotropy constant and saturated magnetization properties in a thickness of 1.5 nm or less, and a magnetic device that uses the element structure. A BCC metal nitride/CoFeB/MgO film structure that uses a nitride of a BCC metal as a seed layer is fabricated. The nitride amount in the BCC metal nitride is preferably less than 60% in terms of volume ratio based on 100% BCC metal. It is thereby possible to readily obtain a perpendicularly magnetized film having the magnetic properties that the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is 0.1×106 erg/cm3 or more and the saturated magnetization is 200 emu/cm3 or more, even when the thickness of the magnetic layer is 0.3 nm or more and 1.5 nm or less.
US09508370B1

Method and apparatus for controlling the position of a control object in a closed loop control system, such as a servo control system used in a data storage device. In some embodiments, spaced apart first and second data tracks are written to a rotatable data recording medium without using repeated runout (RRO) compensation values to correct for RRO error in servo data written to the medium. A third data track is subsequently written so as to be interspersed between and partially overlap the first and second data tracks. The third data track is written using a set of RRO compensation values to correct for the RRO error in the servo data.
US09508368B2

An apparatus includes a light source, a slider including a sensor having a resistance or voltage that varies with the temperature of the sensor, the sensor being mounted to be heated by a portion of light emitted by the light source, and a controller controlling the light source power in response to the resistance or voltage of the sensor.
US09508365B1

A magnetic read apparatus has an air-bearing surface (ABS) and includes a shield, a crystal decoupling structure on the shield and a read sensor on the crystal decoupling structure. The crystal decoupling structure includes at least one of a magnetic high crystalline temperature amorphous alloy layer and a combination of a high crystalline temperature amorphous layer and an amorphous magnetic layer. The high crystalline temperature amorphous layer has a crystalline temperature of at least three hundred degrees Celsius. The amorphous magnetic layer is amorphous as-deposited.
US09508360B2

A method, system, and/or computer program product uses speech traits of an entity to predict a future state of the entity. Units of speech are collected from a stream of speech that is generated by a first entity. Tokens from the stream of speech are identified, where each token identifies a particular unit of speech from the stream of speech, and where identification of the tokens is semantic-free. Nodes in a first speech graph are populated with the tokens, and a first shape of the first speech graph is identified. The first shape is matched to a second shape, where the second shape is of a second speech graph from a second entity in a known category. The first entity is assigned to the known category, and a future state of the first entity is predicted based on the first entity being assigned to the known category.
US09508355B2

Exemplary embodiments may provide a method of encoding an audio signal. The method includes: segmenting the audio signal into a plurality of frames, wherein each of the frames includes M samples and M is a natural number greater than one; applying a first window, a second window, and at least one third window to the frames, wherein a length of the second window is longer than a length of the first window, and a length of the third window is longer than the length of the first window and shorter than the length of the second window; time-frequency transforming the frames to which the first window, the second window, and the at least one third window have been applied; and generating a bitstream including the time-frequency transformed frames.
US09508348B2

In a pulse encoding and decoding method and a pulse codec, more than two tracks are jointly encoded, so that free codebook space in the situation of single track encoding can be combined during joint encoding to become code bits that may be saved. Furthermore, a pulse that is on each track and required to be encoded is combined according to positions, and the number of positions having pulses, distribution of the positions that have pulses on the track, and the number of pulses on each position that has a pulse are encoded separately, so as to avoid separate encoding performed on multiple pulses of a same position, thereby further saving code bits.
US09508344B2

An entertainment system suitable for use in a vehicle and configured to control an output volume of the system includes a microphone and a processor. The microphone is configured to detect sound in a cabin of the vehicle, and output a microphone signal indicative of the sound. The processor is configured to determine a difference signal based on a difference between the microphone signal and an output signal corresponding to sound being output by the system, determine if the difference signal corresponds to human speech, and decrease the output volume of the system when the difference signal corresponds to human speech.
US09508341B1

Features are disclosed for active learning to identify the words which are likely to improve the guessing and automatic speech recognition (ASR) after manual annotation. When a speech recognition system needs pronunciations for words, a lexicon is typically used. For unknown words, pronunciation-guessing (G2P) may be included to provide pronunciations in an unattended (e.g., automatic) fashion. However, having manually (e.g., by a human) annotated pronunciations provides better ASR than having automatic pronunciations that may, in some instances, be wrong. The included active learning features help to direct these limited annotation resources.
US09508336B1

A noise cancellation method and system comprises a system controller that produces a command signal in response to a signal from at least one microphone detecting sound in an area. The system controller includes an arrayed speaker controller for producing a driver signal for each speaker in response to the command signal such that combined sound emitted by the speakers in response to the driver signals produces a substantially uniform sound pressure field adapted to attenuate a noise field corresponding to the sound detected by the at least one microphone. The system controller includes an in-phase speaker controller for producing a common in-phase driver signal for all speakers in response to the command signal and a signal director module for proportioning the command signal between the arrayed and in-phase speaker controllers in response to a magnitude of voltage associated with driving the speakers in accordance with the command signal.
US09508335B2

An audio customization system responsive to one or more inputs that enhance aspects of an audio output and one or more inputs that diminish aspects of an audio output. The system is set up to be able to lessen the influence of ambient audio or in some situations enhance ambient audio over source audio. The system may specify aspects of audio to be modified by specification of filtering algorithm, characterization of audio samples, monitored distortion, user selection, location specification or environmental specification.
US09508332B2

A system and method for a guitar amplifier that overcomes the disadvantages of known amplified speaker enclosures and circuits while providing more effective volume control. A venue switch selects different output ranges for the guitar amplifier. Volume control still adjusts output regardless of venue switch position. In the low-output setting for the venue switch a house or other quiet venue is accommodated with the guitar amplifier that can work in larger venues in the high-output setting.
US09508326B1

The system for mounting a guitar neck, pickup, and bridge provides a plate having a number of wings formed in pairs. The guitar body is formed with a cavity and the plate is assembled to a lower surface of the body in the cavity, the wings extending laterally beyond the cavity. The guitar neck is mounted to an extended portion of the plate. A bridge and at least one audio pickup are mounted on the plate within the cavity, the bridge supporting the guitar strings above the audio pickup.
US09508324B2

A soundboard acoustic transducer, including: a main body; and a vibrator configured to vibrate a soundboard in response to a sound signal input thereto, wherein the main body is supported by a member different from the soundboard, via a fixture formed by a metal plate.
US09508318B2

Dynamic white point management techniques include determining a white point of ambient light proximate to a display. A color profile adjustment is determined based upon the determined white point and intensity of the ambient light. The image color space is transformed to a display color space for rendering on the display based on the determined adjusted to the color profile.
US09508317B2

Provided is a display evaluation device, including a specification unit that specifies a boundary gradation value as a boundary of whether or not a viewer identifies a color of an image displayed on a display device based on display characteristics of the display device, a first output unit that generates a viewing angle evaluation image using a boundary image having a gradation value close to the specified boundary gradation value and that outputs the viewing angle evaluation image to the display device, and an evaluation unit that specifies presence or absence of a difference in appearance of the viewing angle evaluation image when the viewing angle evaluation image is viewed from plural viewing angles and that evaluates the display characteristics of the display device due to a viewing angle difference.
US09508312B2

A mechanism for facilitating dynamic counter synchronization and packetization for data streams being communicated over communication devices is described. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting an audio/video (A/V) data stream being encrypted and/or decrypted using one or more high-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) engines, where the A/V data stream is communicated between a source device and a sink device. The method may further include dividing a video stream portion of the A/V data stream into a plurality of frames if the A/V data stream relates to a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), and synchronizing counter values with indicators within the plurality of frames.
US09508303B2

A display device including voltage lines to transfer a power voltage is disclosed. One inventive aspect includes a display panel, a data driver formed on the display panel, a printed circuit board supplying a voltage to the data driver, and voltage lines connecting the data driver to the printed circuit board. The voltage lines further includes a first voltage line transferring a first power voltage, a second voltage line transferring the first power voltage or a second power voltage, a third voltage line transferring the second power voltage or a third power voltage, and a fourth voltage line transferring the third power voltage.
US09508286B2

The present invention provides a pixel circuit, a display substrate and a display device. The pixel circuit comprises a control section, a light emitting diode, a high-level input terminal, a low-level input terminal and a reference terminal, in which the control section comprises a driving thin film transistor, at least one capacitors and a plurality of switching thin film transistors. The reference terminal is connected with the low-level input terminal so as to discharge a capacitor which is connected with a gate of the driving thin film transistor in a pixel resetting stage of the pixel circuit.
US09508283B2

The present invention relates to a display device using LED blocks, which includes at least one LED block having an LED installed. The LED block adjusts the color of light displayed according to the contact by the user. According to the present invention, the display device using LED blocks includes: at least one LED block including a plurality of installed color LEDs and a contact sensing unit for sensing contact by the user; and a controller for adjusting the color of light displayed by the LED block on the basis of the color data corresponding to the contact data which is generated by the contact sensing unit in accordance with contact by the user.
US09508281B2

An apparatus and a method for image analysis and image display are provided. The image display apparatus includes a storage device, a processor, and a display. The storage device stores at least one gain table. Each gain table includes a plurality of gain values. There is a corresponding relationship between the plurality of gain values and a plurality of pixels of an image. For each gray level value of each of the pixels, the processor determines a gain value corresponding to the gray level value according to the at least one gain table. In addition, the processor compensates the image according to the gain values corresponding to the gray level values. The display displays the compensated image.
US09508275B2

A display device is provided. The display device includes a transparent display panel; and an optical switching element arranged on the transparent display panel and configured to be switched to one of a transmissive state, a non-transmissive state, and a reflective state, wherein the optical switching element includes a non-transmission layer formed to contact the transparent display panel and configured to switch to the transmissive state or the non-transmissive state, and a reflection layer formed on a first side of the non-transmission layer and configured to switch to the transmissive state or the reflective state.
US09508260B2

A method for parking an autonomous vehicle in a parking lot. The method comprises receiving primary data from a first source and receiving secondary data from a second source. The primary data may include information sufficient to identify a location for one or more of a plurality of parking spaces within the parking lot. The secondary data may include status identifier information for at least one of the plurality of parking spaces. The method includes using the primary data and the secondary data to identify at least one vacant parking space in the plurality of parking spaces, and occupying the at least one vacant parking space.
US09508255B2

An integrated system of infrared remote controls includes a touch remote control and at least one infrared emitter. The touch remote control is wirelessly connected with the infrared emitter to transmit a remote signal. Each infrared emitter is mounted on a home appliance. When the infrared emitter receives the remote signal, the infrared emitter produces an infrared signal according to the remote signal and emits the infrared signal to the home appliance to control the home appliance. The infrared emitter can be adhered to or attracted on the home appliance by an adhesive layer or a magnet. Therefore, the infrared emitter can be easily mounted on the home appliance. It is very convenient for a user to set up and use the integrated system.
US09508249B2

A system and method provide for the immediate transmission of a potential alarm to a remote alarm signal escrow site and from the escrow site to a host station in the event where a control panel or an alarm signaling device is tampered with or destroyed by a disablement tactic, e.g., a “crash and smash intrusion.” A system and method may also send an alarm signal during such an attack by using predictive analysis of real-time events.
US09508248B2

A method and system for information management for an incident response. The method comprises the following steps: A first communication allocating a responder to a specific assignment relating to the incident is received at a computing device from a command device. A second communication identifying assignment information that corresponds to the specific assignment is transmitted from the computing device to a graphic display device associated with the responder. Real-time sensor data is received at the computing device from one or more sensors. A third communication indicating progress in the specific assignment based at least in part on the real-time sensor data is transmitted from the computing device to one or more of the command device and the graphic display device.
US09508241B2

Disclosed is a wearable personal locator device that communicates the location of a wearer to an administrator input terminal. The device is a wearable structure comprising either a wristband or adhesive patch, whereby the device registers whether or not the device is actively being worn by the wearer and provides a means to receive alert signals sent from the administrator input terminal. The device includes a processing unit, a power source, an antenna, and a communication means for processing and transmitting location data to the remote input terminal. The device further comprises one of several wearer contact means, including a heat sensor for registering body heat of the wearer, a pressure sensor adapted to be pressed against the wearer, or a frangible circuit that registers when the device is removed from the wearer. The device provides a location monitoring means for children traveling in groups with at least one administrator.
US09508237B1

The personal electrical injury protection device includes a first transmitter, a first receiver, and a second receiver. The first transmitter is adapted to be worn on an end user. The first transmitter is in wired connection with at least one electrical sensor. The at least one electrical sensor is adapted to be attached to a limb of said end user, and is able to detect a change in voltage, and upon doing so shall signal the first transmitter. The first receiver is in wireless communication with the first transmitter, and includes a speaker, and at least one light. The second receiver is adapted to turn off the main circuit breaker in order to stop electricity to be transmitted to all applicable circuits, and of which an end user has come into contact.
US09508235B2

A projection unit for a self-directing mobile platform, in particular for a freely moving transport robot and/or for one or more freely moving transport devices of a transport robot, is characterized in that the projection unit is adapted for signal transmission for projecting the movement path of the mobile platform, wherein the projection takes place within the spatial vicinity of the mobile platform.
US09508234B2

A system and method for identifying tie down restraint locations in a cargo compartment or other storage area is disclosed. The system includes labeling or otherwise highlighting the tie down locations on a floor where the cargo is to be secured. The labeling is based on a reference coordinate system that is associated with a tie down plan. Additionally or alternatively, a tie down locator device is mounted above the floor that highlights or otherwise illuminates a tie down location. As a cargo handler completes a connection, the device highlights the next tie down location.
US09508233B2

Techniques can relate to a multi-purpose a detector surface on a network device. A stimulus variable can be identified at a detector device based on an environmental stimulus detected by a sensor. The detector device can include the sensor. The detector device can transmit an initial communication to a device. The first communication can include the stimulus variable. A new communication that includes data corresponding to another device can be received at the detector device. The detector device can determine, based on the stimulus detected by the sensor and is further based on the new communication, that a visual stimulus is to be presented. The visual stimulus can be presented.
US09508229B2

Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture provide for new features and functionality of bingo-style games.
US09508224B2

Embodiments of the invention allow a player to have a unique gaming experience, different than other players, even when playing on the same network. A game may span several gaming sessions. States of a game, for example a bonus game, may be stored when the player decides to stop playing the game. When the player initiates a next gaming session, at the same or another location, the previous state of the game is re-loaded onto the gaming machine and the player returns to the previous state. Further, additional bonuses can be implemented because the network knows the identity and other information about the player. The additional bonuses may be unique to that player. Messages particular to a player are exchanged between a gaming device and a gaming network.
US09508220B2

A gaming device is described that provides a number of different methods for cashing out credit balances from a gaming device. These methods include providing incentives, such as benefits, to a player for selecting particular monetary forms in which to receive the cash out. Non-preferred cash out forms may be associated with disincentives, such as penalties, to dissuade players from selecting these types of monetary transfers. In certain embodiments, incentives and disincentives may be associated with a variety of available monetary forms for cash out.
US09508209B2

The invention relates to a ultraviolet anti-counterfeiting check verification method which solves subjective defect and time consuming problems of the traditional verification methods, and comprises the following steps: a. collecting ultraviolet gray level image by a ultraviolet scanner; b. extracting a first binary image from the ultraviolet gray level image; c. calculating a tilt angle of the first binary image; d. calculating tilt correction positions of pixels of the ultraviolet gray level image and the first binary image; e. determining a top left corner locating position of a first binary image rectangle; f. extracting a second binary image from the tilt corrected ultraviolet gray level image; g. performing position correction on the second binary image of a check to be verified; and h. calculating the matching degree between the second binary image of the check to be verified and a second binary image of a real check to verify authenticity.
US09508208B1

Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with a coin input area for receiving coins and coin receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The disk-type coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to the coins, and a sorting head having a lower surface adjacent the rotatable disk. The lower surface forms various shaped regions for guiding the coins, under the motion imparted by the rotatable disk, to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A linear array of sensors is mounted to the sorting head and/or the rotatable disk. The sensors examine each coin on the rotatable disk and output a signal indicative of coin image information for processing the coin.
US09508206B2

A lock system including an electronic lock and a wireless device having a location determining utility configured to determine a location of the wireless device. The electronic lock and the wireless device communicate wirelessly with one another and send commands to and from one another to perform a specific task when the wireless device is within a specified range of the electronic lock. The location of the wireless device and a speed of the wireless device may be used to calculate an estimated arrival of the wireless device at the electronic lock, and the specific task may be performed substantially at the estimated arrival.
US09508204B2

A key fob simulator for sending actuation command to a vehicle is discussed. The key fob has memory buffers, processors, and a transceiver that uses wireless communications to communicate with a backend cloud-based system. A RF transmitter of the key fob can transmit RF signals to Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) module of the vehicle. A mapping module includes a map-calculating circuit to calculate map coordinates of the key fob. A security module can receive a rolling security key of the RKE module of the vehicle. The key fob includes buttons that can be pushed by a user of the key fob to generate actuation commands by the security module. Using the RF transmitter, an actuation command and the rolling security key can be sent from security module to the RKE module of the vehicle. The RKE module then executes the actuation command after validating the rolling security key.
US09508202B2

Tracking intrinsic and extrinsic vehicle parameters for optimizing vehicle performance is presented herein. A method can include consolidating sets of data associated with a vehicle to generate a model; generating, using the model, recommendation data representing a recommendation associated with an operation of the vehicle; and in response to receiving a request from a device of the vehicle corresponding to the operation of the vehicle, sending, based on the request, a message comprising the recommendation directed to the device of the vehicle. In an example, the method can further include determining, based on crowdsourced data representing the characteristic of the element of the vehicle, whether the characteristic satisfies a defined condition with respect to the operation of the vehicle.
US09508196B2

A user equipment (UE) comprising a processor configured to generate a three dimensional (3D) model by obtaining a 3D mesh comprising a plurality of reference markers, positioning at least one first order virtual object onto a surface of the mesh by associating the first order virtual object to at least one of the mesh reference markers, wherein the first order virtual object comprises a plurality of reference markers, and positioning at least one second order virtual object onto a surface of the mesh by associating the second order virtual object to at least one of the first order virtual object reference markers.
US09508187B2

Disclosed herein is a medical imaging apparatus including a volume data generation unit to generate volume data of an object containing a target site to be inspected, a position calculation unit to detect the target site from the volume data of the object and to calculate a center of the target site, a marker data generation unit to generate marker data, wherein the marker data are volume data of a volume marker located at a position corresponding to the center of the target site, and a synthesized data generation unit to generate synthesized data by synthesizing the volume data of the object and the marker data.According to the medical imaging apparatus and a control method therefor, depth or direction information regarding the target site inside the object may be acquired during volume navigation, and thus, a stereoscopic structure of the target site may be identified.
US09508184B2

Systems, devices, features, and methods for generating and/or using a multi-layered image are disclosed. For example, a method of creating a multi-layered image from a three-dimensional model of a geographic area includes receiving three-dimensional graphical object data that represents a geographic area. The three-dimensional graphical object includes multiple geographic features. A first graphical layer of a first geographic feature of the three-dimensional graphical object is rendered as a first independent image layer. A second graphical layer of a second geographic feature of the three-dimensional graphical object is rendered as a second independent image layer. The first graphical layer and the second graphical layer are combined or overlaid to form the multi-layered image. Also, removal of layers may occur in a reverse order of their creation and/or may avoid causing gaps within the other layers not removed.
US09508181B2

A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for rendering a scene with render targets having instances of cyclic dependency. A dependency graph for a plurality of render targets in a scene may be determined automatically. A plurality of strongly connected components in the dependency graph may be determined automatically. Each of the plurality of strongly connected components may comprise one or more of the plurality of render targets. A topological order for the plurality of strongly connected components may be determined automatically. The scene may be rendered based on the topological order using the plurality of render targets.
US09508178B2

A method of generating an animation rig for a 3-D computing environment may include accessing a plurality of blocks, each representing a particular rig element, and including interfaces that govern interactions with other rig elements and information for generating a portion of the animation rig corresponding to the particular rig element represented by the block. The method may also include receiving a selection of a first block that includes a first interface and first information and represents a first rig element, and receiving a selection of a second block that includes a second interface and second information and represents a second rig element. The method may additionally include receiving an instruction to connect the first interface to the second interface, generating the animation rig using the first information and the second information, and providing the animation rig to the 3-D computing environment.
US09508177B2

A method of controlling a model by a computer, includes accepting an instruction of changing a pose or a movement of a standard model for which control data for joint angles is attached; determining a pose or a movement of the standard model based on the instruction and the control data for joint angles; and determining a pose or a movement of a target model to be controlled where parts of the standard model and parts of the target model being in correspondence with each other, such that the pose or the movement of the target model follows the pose or the movement of the determined standard model based on the correspondence of the parts of the standard model and the parts of the target model.
US09508172B1

Certain embodiments of this disclosure include methods and devices for outputting a zoom sequence. According to one embodiment, a method is provided. The method may include: (i) determining first location information from first metadata associated with one or more images, wherein the first location information identifies a first location; and (ii) outputting, for display, a first zoom sequence based on the first location information, wherein the first zoom sequence may include a first plurality of mapped images of the first location from a first plurality of zoom levels and the plurality of mapped images are sequentially ordered by a magnitude of the zoom level.
US09508170B2

An image display apparatus for displaying an image containing a plurality of objects includes a setting unit configured to set a display magnification and a display position according to an attribute of a display target object when a first display mode for displaying each object included in the image is specified, and a display control unit configured to perform control to display on a screen the image containing the display target object based on the display magnification and the display position set by the setting unit.
US09508167B2

A method and an apparatus are provided to visualize high-dimensional data. The method includes primarily visualizing the high-dimensional data at a dimension lower than the high-dimensional data to obtain a primarily-visualized image. The method also includes secondarily visualizing the high-dimensional data in an area of the primarily-visualized image at a dimension higher than the primarily-visualized image to obtain a secondarily-visualized image.
US09508162B2

The present invention discloses a method for rapidly vectorizing an image by gradient meshes based on parameterization, which comprises the following steps: determining an image region to be vectorized (S1); converting the image region into a mesh representation (S2); mapping the meshes to a planar rectangular region by parameterizing the meshes (S3); and generating a gradient mesh image according to the parameterization result of said meshes (S4). The present invention generates gradient meshes by converting an image region into meshes and by parameterization, so the gradient meshes are obtained completely automatically without the need for the user to give original meshes and moreover, the computation speed is improved significantly since nonlinear optimization is avoided. In addition, the method of the present invention can process image regions containing or not containing holes.
US09508160B2

The present disclosure provides a method of modifying a user interface on a display relative to a user, comprising: detecting a position of a user's eyes relative to a user interface (UI) viewing surface, wherein the detecting includes sensors selected from the group consisting of proximity sensors, web cams, and face recognition scanners; wherein the detecting further includes detecting the position of the user's eyes relative to the user interface; adjusting the UI's viewing surface for altered viewing based on the position of the user's eyes; and, wherein the adjusting comprises a software algorithm for switching on and off semi-transparent pixels in the UI viewing surface for viewing the UI by the user at a viewing angle from about 20 degrees to about 90 degrees.
US09508151B2

A computer-implemented method for determining whether a first image contains at least a portion of a second image, includes: dividing set first image into multiple image regions; for a particular image region of the multiple image regions, determining a particular set of feature points associated with the particular image region; and attempting to match feature points in the particular set of feature points with second feature points associated with the second image to determine whether the particular image region of the first image contains at least a portion of the second image, wherein the first image is considered to contain at least a portion of a second image when the particular image region of the first image contains at least a portion of the second image.
US09508145B2

The present invention refers to a data processing method for use in the field of radiation therapy and for determining a relative position between the position of the bony structure and a reference position at a monitoring time, the relative position being referred to as monitoring bone position, wherein an anatomical structure of a patient includes the bony structure and a treatment body part to be treated by at least one treatment beam of a treatment device, the reference position having a defined relative position with respect to an actual arrangement of at least one position of the at least one treatment beam; the data processing method being constituted to be performed by a computer and comprising the following steps: •providing CBCT image data describing a three-dimensional CBCT image of the bony structure, the CBCT image representing the bony structure at a pre-alignment time; •providing x-ray image data describing at least one two-dimensional x-ray image of the anatomical structure, the at least one two-dimensional x-ray image representing the bony structure (110) and the x-ray image data being generated at the monitoring time; •providing imaging position data comprising at least one of CBCT position data and x-ray geometry data, CBCT position data describing the relative position between the CBCT image and the actual arrangement and the x-ray geometry data describing a positional relationship between the actual arrangement and at least one imaging geometry, referred to as x-ray imaging geometry, given for generating the at least one x-ray image; •determining the relative position between the bony structure and the reference position at the monitoring time on the basis of the CBCT image data, the x-ray image data and the imaging position data.
US09508129B1

Methods and systems for dehazing images with increased accuracy and reduced error enhancement. In particular, one or more embodiments estimate a transmission map representing an amount of unscattered light reflected from objects in an input image. One or more embodiments refine the transmission map to obtain transmission information consistent with a depth of the objects in the input image. One or more embodiments also determine a radiance gradient for the input image. One or more embodiments generate an output image from the input image by removing haze based on the refined transmission map and preventing error enhancement based on the determined radiance gradient.
US09508127B1

A method for reducing a linear artifact in a medical image. The method includes identifying, in the medical image, a region occupied by the linear artifact and isolating, in the region, a signal intensity component attributed to the linear artifact from an overall signal intensity of the region. The method further includes obtaining a corrected signal intensity by subtracting, in the region, the signal intensity component attributed to the linear artifact from the overall signal intensity of the region, and, after obtaining the corrected signal intensity, correcting a contrast in the region to match the contrast in surrounding regions.
US09508126B2

Techniques are disclosed for removing haze from an image or video by constraining the medium transmission used in a haze image formation model. In particular, a de-hazed scene, which is a function of a medium transmission, is constrained to be greater than or equal to a fractionally scaled variant of the input image. The degree to which the input image is scaled can be selected manually or by using machine learning techniques on a pixel-by-pixel basis to achieve visually pleasing results. Next, the constrained medium transmission is filtered to be locally smooth with sharp discontinuities along image edge boundaries to preserve scene depth. This filtering results in a prior probability distribution that can be used for haze removal in an image or video frame. The input image is converted to gamma decoded sRGB linear space prior to haze removal, and gamma encoded into sRGB space after haze removal.
US09508125B2

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to using digital photographic film processing techniques for restoration of photographic film having a color grid over an underlying silver film. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention improve the resolution and reduce the noise of images with color matrix dots for use with modern digital display technologies. In doing so, embodiments of the present invention advantageously overcome the adverse situation of color matrix dots in images being distracting when viewed directly, particularly in the case of the modern world of digital displays because displaying such a color matrix as is has previously not been practical on a digital display, however means of suppressing the dots in preparation for a digital display have produced low resolution and noisy images.
US09508097B2

Systems and methods for enabling a viewer of a motion art form to select an object of interest from within the motion art form are disclosed. The system includes a computing device configured to: receive at least one selection signal from at least one viewer; synchronize the at least one selection signal with an elapse time of the motion art form; and transmit the at least one selection signal to a destination.
US09508095B2

A system and method is provided for generating and using purchase strategies based on the price, performance, and/or other information related to cloud services to optimize the selection of such services. The purchase strategies may comprehensively describe various cloud services in real-time so that customers may purchase cloud services using up-to-date, real-time information. The purchase strategies may, for example, describe pricing, performance, availability, and/or other attributes of various cloud services. A purchase agent may use the purchase strategies, one or more purchase rules, and/or other information to generate a purchase specification that specifies one or more cloud service instances that should be purchased. The purchase agent may leverage unique properties of spot instances to make favorable purchase decisions. For example, the system may determine bid prices that should be made to obtain certain spot instances.
US09508092B1

Embodiments of system are disclosed in which selection strategies for a direct marketing campaign that identify consumers from a credit bureau or other consumer database can be planned, tested, and/or refined on a stable subset of the credit database. In some embodiments, once refined, consumer selection criteria may be used to execute the direct marketing campaign on the full consumer/credit database, which is preferably updated approximately twice weekly. In one preferred embodiment, the data for the test database represents a random sampling of approximately 10% of the full database and the sampling is regenerated approximately weekly in order to provide a stable set of data on which campaign developers may test their campaign. For each consumer in the sampling, the environment may allow a client to access and use both attributes calculated by the credit bureau and proprietary attributes and data owned by the client. The system allows for a plurality of clients to use the system substantially simultaneously while protecting the privacy and integrity of the client's proprietary data and results.
US09508090B1

Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to methods and systems for customizing advertising content for use on a mobile communication device. A user may be allowed to customize the advertisement content that is presented on their device. This may be accomplished by monitoring the advertisement activity on the mobile device and then allowing the user to customize advertisements from that monitored activity. The functionality may be provided by a customization application executed by the device, individual communication applications executed by the device, and/or an ad gateway in communication with the device.
US09508076B2

In general terms, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for providing a service for account with unavailable funds or credit using a passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit For example, in some embodiments, a method is provided that includes: (a) receiving transaction information associated with a transaction, where the transaction involves an account; (b) determining, based at least partially on the transaction information, that the account will exceed available funds or credit as a result of the transaction; (c) receiving a passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit associated with the account; and (d) authorizing the transaction based at least partially on the receiving the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit.
US09508071B2

Back-up credentials data is stored for a user. A communication channel is established with a mobile device. A cryptogram is received from the mobile device, such that the cryptogram is relayed by the mobile device from an authentication device that interacted with the mobile device. The authentication device is associated with the user. The cryptogram is verified. In response to the verification of the cryptogram, the stored back-up credentials data is made accessible to the mobile device.
US09508068B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for processing a contactless card transaction. In one embodiment, a method for processing a contactless transaction card can be provided. The method can include receiving an input associated with a selection of at least one payment option. Further, the method can include based at least in part on the input, activating a contactless transaction card reader and initiating a corresponding transaction application program. In addition, the method can include receiving account information from the contactless transaction card via the contactless transaction card reader. Moreover, the method can include advancing a transaction counter associated with the contactless transaction card and a transaction counter associated with the corresponding transaction application program.
US09508066B2

A mobile kiosk comprising a vehicle and a kiosk portion coupled to the vehicle. The mobile kiosk receives information for a first configuration of financial products and applies the first configuration to the mobile kiosk based on a user profile of a first user. It provisions a first set of the financial products while the mobile kiosk is configured according to the first configuration. The mobile kiosk receives information for a second configuration of the financial products and applies the second configuration to the mobile kiosk based on a user profile of a second user. It provisions a second set of the financial products while the mobile kiosk is configured according to the second configuration.
US09508063B2

When a second image G2 is acquired by emitting UV light to the surface 2a of a check 2 (medium) in a first operating mode for acquiring images by sequentially emitting visible light and UV light, a check processing device 5 (image reading device) acquires an image based on corrected scanning information acquired by using a first UV light correction value 33UV1 to correct the scanning information output from the reading unit 26. In a second operating mode that acquires images by emitting only UV light, the check processing device 5 acquires an image based on corrected scanning information acquired by using a second UV light correction value 33UV2 to correct the scanning information output from the reading unit 26.
US09508049B2

A computer-implemented update-triggered document-defined workflow method provides for triggering an update to an original source document to yield an updated document. In response, a document handler executes the document-defined workflow method so as to create, delete, or modify a target document or so as to create a workflow description calling for creating, deleting, or modifying a target document.
US09508046B2

A method of providing web content for a printing device includes attaching a memory module storing the web content to a printing device consumable.
US09508043B1

A method for identifying information in a document may include analyzing the document for a text block containing a structure element, wherein said structure element is a position, font attribute, or text character; applying a rule based analysis on the text block to identify an adjacent label and field containing a value; and identifying said label and said value as a label and value pair in the document.
US09508029B2

On a touch-panel display of an image forming apparatus, which is divided to five areas, that is, a system area, a function selection area, a preview area, an action panel area and a task trigger area, pieces of information are displayed. Even if an operational mode is switched, the same or similar information is always displayed in the area arranged at the same position. In the task trigger area, software buttons operated by the user for actually operating the image forming apparatus are displayed.
US09508025B2

An image processing device according to the present invention includes: a patch generation unit which generates an input patch used for comparison on the basis of an input image; a modification parameter estimation unit which estimates a parameter used in blurred modification on the basis of the input image; a blurred image generation unit which generates a blurred image on the basis of a learning image by using the parameter; a patch pair generation unit which generates a patch pair used to compose a restoration image on the basis of the blurred image and the learning image; a selection unit which selects a patch pair used to compose the restoration image on the basis of the input patch; and a composition unit which composes the restoration image on the basis of the patch pair selected by the selection unit.
US09508020B2

An image processing system, and a method of operation thereof, includes: a local patch ternarization module for receiving an input image, for calculating a mean value of a local patch of pixels in the input image, and for calculating ternary values for the pixels based on the mean value; and an artifact removal module, coupled to the local patch ternarization module, for removing a residue artifact based on the ternary values and for generating an output image with the residue artifact removed for sending to an image signal processing hardware.
US09508013B2

An image summarization device includes a first image summarization section that performs a first image summarization process based on a similarity between a plurality of images to acquire a first summary image sequence, a second image summarization section that performs a second image summarization process based on a target object/scene recognition process on each image among the plurality of images to acquire a second summary image sequence, and an integration processing section that performs an integration process on the first summary image sequence and the second summary image sequence, or performs an integration process on the first image summarization process and the second image summarization process to acquire an output summary image sequence.
US09508008B2

A see-through, head mounted display and sensing devices cooperating with the display detect audible and visual behaviors of a subject in a field of view of the device. A processing device communicating with display and the sensors monitors audible and visual behaviors of the subject by receiving data from the sensors. Emotional states are computed based on the behaviors and feedback provided to the wearer indicating computed emotional states of the subject. During interactions, the device, recognizes emotional states in subjects by comparing detected sensor input against a database of human/primate gestures/expressions, posture, and speech. Feedback is provided to the wearer after interpretation of the sensor input.
US09508007B2

A method for determining the yield loss of a crop using remote sensor data is described. The yield loss is determined using the reflectivity of light by the crop canopy measured from remote sensor data such as an aerial photograph that is digitized and spatially referenced to the field's longitude and latitude. Pixel values from the aerial photograph, expressed relative to pixel values from well fertilized areas of the field, are transformed to yield losses using a linear transformation that was developed using empirical data. A similar method is described to determine recommended nitrogen fertilization rates for the crop fields. The yield loss data is useful for nitrogen fertilization management, as it allows a producer of crops to weigh the expense of fertilization against the loss of revenue due to yield loss.
US09508001B2

This disclosure describes techniques for creating and manipulating software notes representative of physical notes. For example, techniques are described for recognizing physical notes present within a physical environment, capturing information therefrom and creating corresponding digital representations of the physical notes, referred to herein as digital notes or software-based notes. At least some aspects of the present disclosure feature system and methods for note recognition using color classification. The system receives a visual representation of a scene having one or more notes, where each note has a color. The system generates indicators indicative of color classes of pixels in the visual representation. The system further determines a general boundary of one of the notes based on the indicators.
US09507996B2

A method, system and computer program product for ensuring a desired distribution of images in a multimedia document (e.g., yearbook, slideshow). A desired distribution of facial signatures in a multimedia document to be created by the user is received. Upon receiving an image to be added to the multimedia document by the user, a facial signature for a face detected in the image is generated. The current number of instances of the facial signature in the multimedia document is then determined. A determination is then made as to whether the current number of instances of the facial signature meets the desired distribution. An indication is then provided to the user as to whether the current number of instances of the facial signature meets or does not meet the desired distribution. In this manner, the user can ensure a desired distribution of images in the multimedia document.
US09507982B2

Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) health nodes are provided, as are methods for determining maintenance actions with respect to LRU health nodes. In one embodiment, the LRU health node includes a passive Radio Frequency identification (RFID) module having an RFID memory and an RFID antenna coupled thereto. The LRU health node further includes a mass storage memory, a sensor configured to monitor an operational parameter of an LRU and generate a corresponding output signal, and a health node controller operably coupled to the passive RFID module, to the mass storage memory, and to the sensor. The health node controller is configured to: (i) record the output signal generated by the sensor in the mass storage memory as time-phased sensor data, (ii) derive health summary data from the time-phased sensor data, and (iii) store the health summary data in the RFID memory.
US09507979B2

A system and method that combines RFID tag reader circuitry and a touch sensor, wherein the system and method may reduce power consumption of a battery powered system by detecting the presence of an RFID tag by using a lower power consumption touch sensor instead of scanning for the RFID tag by using higher power RFID tag detection and reading circuitry, controlling activation and deactivation of the RFID tag detection and reading circuitry when the touch sensor has detected the presence of the RFID tag, and reconfiguring sensor electrodes so that the electrodes may form a touch sensor or an antenna as needed.
US09507974B1

Indicia-reading systems that interface with a user's nervous system include a device with electrodes capable of detecting electromagnetic signals produced in the brain or skeletal muscles of a user. The systems also include a computer with a processor and memory. The computer is configured to monitor the electromagnetic signals that are detected by the electrodes. The computer is also configured to perform operations in response to certain monitored electromagnetic signals. The computer may be an indicia-reading device configured to acquire indicia information in response to certain detected electromagnetic signals. The computer may also be a vehicle-mounted computer configured to sound an alarm in response to certain detected electromagnetic signals.
US09507962B2

A processor capable of secure execution. The processor contains an execution unit and secure partition logic that secures a partition in memory. The processor also contains cryptographic logic coupled to the execution unit that encrypts and decrypts secure data and code.
US09507958B2

An information disclosure system includes: an information disclosing unit; a setting unit; a history storage unit; and an interaction frequency calculating unit. The information disclosing unit discloses at least part of user's information as disclosure information to a communicating party. The setting unit sets a disclosure range for disclosing the user's information as the disclosure information. The history storage unit stores a history of communication between the user and the communicating party. The interaction frequency calculating unit calculates an interaction frequency between the user and the communicating party based on the history of the communication. The setting unit sets the disclosure range based on the interaction frequency calculated by the interaction frequency calculating unit.
US09507950B2

Systems and methods for establishing a data connection between a mobile device and a peripheral. The mobile device is configured to determine whether to handle user approval of the data connection between the mobile device and the peripheral. Through the mobile device, an input mechanism is provided for the user to provide input. The input is used in determining whether to approve the data connection between the mobile device and the peripheral.
US09507948B2

A digital identity device for uniquely identifying legal entities. The digital identity device is used for secure electronic communications.
US09507943B1

Technologies are described herein for an analysis tool for data security. An analysis tool can be configured to analyze data using a dynamic analysis and a static analysis. During the dynamic analysis, test execution paths can be executed against the data to track dynamic flows corresponding to execution paths through the data and to track variable values for variables referenced during the dynamic analysis. During the static analysis, possible program execution paths can be identified. The dynamic flows can be mapped to the static flows and a taint status of the variables associated with the mapped dynamic flows can be evaluated. Based upon the taint status, the analysis tool can identify potentially unsafe static flows.
US09507942B2

An apparatus including a ROM and a microprocessor. The ROM includes BIOS contents that are stored as plaintext and an encrypted digest. The encrypted digest includes an encrypted version of a first digest corresponding to the BIOS contents. The microprocessor is coupled to the BIOS ROM, and includes a tamper timer and a tamper detector. The tamper timer periodically generates an interrupt at a prescribed interval. The tamper detector accesses the BIOS contents and the encrypted digest upon assertion of the interrupt, and directs the microprocessor to generate a second digest corresponding to the BIOS contents and a decrypted digest corresponding to the encrypted digest using the same algorithms and key that were employed to generate the first digest and the encrypted digest, and compares the second digest with the decrypted digest, and precludes operation of the microprocessor if the second digest and the decrypted digest are not equal.
US09507936B2

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for forensic monitoring. A system may include a forensic analysis apparatus and one or more monitored apparatuses. A monitored apparatus may monitor activity on the monitored apparatus and extract forensic data based at least in part on monitored activity. The forensic data may be transferred from the monitored apparatus to the forensic analysis apparatus for processing and analysis.
US09507929B1

The present invention discloses a method for securing information flow in an information system. The method comprises intercepting access requests to information in the information system by all applications running in the information system, intuitively assigning labels to all the information and the applications depending on the application requirements, combining the application making the access request and the information for which the access request is made with their respective labels, checking allowance of the access request based on comparison of the label corresponding to the application making the access request and the label corresponding to the information for which the access request is made and accordingly providing access of the information to the application on detection of allowable access request else denying the access request.
US09507927B2

Techniques are disclosed for dynamically switching user identity when generating a web service request by receiving, at a client application, an invocation of a web service, the invocation associated with a first authenticated user identity of a first user, identifying a second user identity, verifying that a switch from the first user identity to the second user identity is permitted by switching rules, including the second user identity in a service request when the switch is permitted, and communicating the service request to the web service. The switching rules can include associations between initial user identities and permitted user identities. Verifying that a switch is permitted can include searching the associations for an entry having an initial user identity that matches the first authenticated user identity and a new user identity that matches the second user identity, wherein the switch is permitted when the entry is found.
US09507924B2

A method and system for authenticating a user is provided. The method includes receiving keyboard entries from a user while a cursor of a computer screen is positioned in a password field of the user. The keyboard entries include a series of alphanumeric characters forming part of a password of the user and one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the password field. The key board entries are logged. The logged keyboard entries checked to determine whether they match a stored valid password for the user such that the one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters are considered part of the submitted password which is compared to the stored valid password for authentication of the user.
US09507914B2

Systems, methods, and computer-readable medium containing instructions for processing image data. One system includes at least one processor configured to generate a graphical user interface (“GUI”). Through the GUI, the at least one processor receives a matching condition and a morphing action from a user. The morphing action includes an action to perform on a data attribute associated with image data when the image data satisfies the matching condition. Based on the received matching condition and morphing action, the at least one processor creates executable code. The at least one processor also receives image data including an image data attribute and executes the executable code to determine if the received image data satisfies the matching condition. If the image data satisfies the matching condition, the at least one processor automatically performs the morphing action on the received image data attribute.
US09507896B2

An approach for simulating an electronic circuit design uses the influence of a set of input changes of regions of the circuit design to schedule which levels within regions of a circuit should be simulated. The state of one or more inputs of one or more regions of the circuit design is checked to determine if inputs to these regions changed. For each input having an input change, a logic level depth associated with the input is computed. Using the computed logic levels, a maximum logic level depth of the one or more regions is computed for a set of input changes. Thus, for each region that has an input with a state indicating an input change, simulation may be scheduled for first logic level through and including the determined maximum logic level in each region of the circuit design in parallel.
US09507894B1

An apparatus and method for identifying an optimal harmonic number of a circuit are disclosed. In a simulation of the circuit, a periodic input waveform up to a particular number of periods is applied to the modeled circuit and an output waveform is obtained in response. In response to detection of a steady state response of the output waveform, embodiments simulate the circuit by applying an additional period of the periodic input waveform and obtaining the output waveform corresponding to the additional period of the periodic input waveform. A time domain power value and a frequency domain power value are calculated using the output waveform corresponding to the additional period of the periodic input waveform. Embodiments detect a harmonic of the output waveform corresponding to the additional period of the periodic input waveform at which the time domain power value and the frequency domain power value converge with each other.
US09507892B2

An N×N matrix is generated from computerized model representing a physical domain, comprises coefficients of N simultaneous linear equations with N unknown physical quantities associated with N degrees-of-freedom of the physical domain, and is represented by an undirected graph having N vertices connected by a plurality of edges. A best suitable partition scheme for dividing the N vertices into a separator group and, first and second mutually independent groups as follows: distance vectors of source vertices selected from the N vertices are calculated; for each distinct pair of the source vertices, the difference of respective distance vectors is used for finding a coarse graph whose adjacency coarse matrix is pentadiagonal; a trial partition scheme is determined using the coarse graph initially; the separator group is then iteratively improved by trimming vertices contained therein and merging them into one of the mutually independent groups until the separator group becomes minimal.
US09507891B1

In a computing system running an environment for designing operation of circuity, at least the following are performed for providing simulations and evaluations of one or more user-defined modules of circuitry including one or more pipeline stages in a pipeline. A model of the pipeline is automatically generated by using a pipeline block diagram, where the model is generated in a high-level modeling language able to perform simulations of circuitry with the pipeline. An interface is automatically generated between the one or more user-defined modules and the generated model of the pipeline, the interface including a set of access methods to the pipeline. Evaluation is performed of the one or more user-defined modules using the automatically generated model of the pipeline and the automatically generated interface. Methods, apparatus, and computer program products are disclosed.
US09507887B1

Described are techniques for performing data storage optimizations. A reserved workload for a first of a plurality of storage tiers is determined. Each of the plurality of storage tiers is characterized by a set of one or more attributes. The first storage tier includes performance characteristics which are any of incomplete, unknown, and unable to be predictively modeled for various workloads. The plurality of storage tiers includes the first tier and a remaining set of additional storage tier(s). Performance is modeled of a first workload distributed among the remaining set of storage tiers. The first workload represents a total workload less the reserved workload. One or more data movements are determined in accordance with the modeling. Each data movement moves a data portion from a first physical device of one of the plurality of storage tiers to a second physical device of another of the plurality of storage tiers.
US09507880B2

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with processing regular expressions are described. One example method includes analyzing a rule for a regular expression and deleting the regular expression.
US09507875B2

A graph database is described. The graph database includes one or more symbolic data stores and one or more key-value data stores. Each symbolic data store is configured to symbolically store sets of multiple hyper-graph nodes. Each key-value data store is configured to store attribute information for hyper-graph nodes and hyper-graph edges.
US09507872B2

In one embodiment, a method of accessing multi-page data via a user interface can include: displaying a scrollbar on the user interface, where the scrollbar includes a page index and a scroll indicator; receiving a selection of a page of the data using the page index in the scrollbar on the user interface, where the data is arranged as a plurality of pages; indicating the selected page in the scrollbar with a predetermined indicator, such as a highlight indicator; receiving a selection of a portion of the selected page using the scroll indicator in the scrollbar on the user interface; and displaying the selected portion of the selected page in a main window on the user interface.
US09507864B2

There is provided a method that includes (a) receiving a request for access to data, (b) identifying a data store that stores the data, and (c) communicating with the data store, by way of an electronic communication, to access the data. There is also provided a system that performs the method, and a storage medium that includes a program module for controlling a processor to perform the method.
US09507861B2

Systems, methods, and computer media for identifying related strings for search query rewriting are provided. Session data for a user search query session in an accessed click log data is identified. It is determined whether a first additional search query in the session data is related to a first user search query based on at least one of: dwell time; a number of search result links clicked on; and similarity between web page titles or uniform resource locators (URLs). When related, the first additional search query is incorporated into a list of strings related to the first user search query. One or more supplemental strings that are related to the first user search query are also identified. The identified supplemental strings are also included in the list of strings related to the first user search query.
US09507859B1

Methods and systems for validating online certificate status are provided. A method for validating online certificate status may include storing data associated with a first certificate beyond an expiration time of a second certificate. The second certificate was used to validate the first certificate. The method may further include validating the first certificate upon a host connection request or prior to expiration of a second certificate. A system for validating online certificate status may include a certificate data acquirer and a certificate validator. Another method for validating online certificate status may include obtaining a hostname and selecting a first certificate based upon an association between the hostname and data associated with the first certificate. The method may also include providing the first certificate data for validation. A system for validating online certificate status may include a speculator. A system for providing an online certificate status may include a speculative server.
US09507858B1

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that merges similar clusters of conceptually-related words in a probabilistic generative model for textual documents. During operation, the system receives a current model, which contains terminal nodes representing random variables for words and contains cluster nodes representing clusters of conceptually related words. Nodes in the current model are coupled together by weighted links, wherein if a node fires, a link from the node to another node causes the other node to fire with a probability proportionate to the weight of the link. Next, the system determines whether cluster nodes in the current model explain other cluster nodes in the current model. If two cluster nodes explain each other, the system merges the two cluster nodes to form a combined cluster node.
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