US09578274B2
An example news production system includes a scheduling system, a composite display, and a camera. The scheduling system accesses a news program schedule that specifies a sequence of actions to be performed by the news production system. The scheduling system reads entries from the news program schedule, identifies actions associated with each, and sends signals to cause the actions to be performed. The news production system may cause the composite display to render video content in accordance with a specified layout. A camera can capture video of a field of view that includes at least a portion of the composite display while the specified video content is rendered thereon. The news production system may also cause an output video stream to be based, at least in part, on the captured video.
US09578271B2
A user interface (UI) for an Internet enabled TV lists content genre such as photos, music, and video, and for each genre a sub-list of content is provided regardless of the source of the content, i.e., regardless of whether the content in the particular genre is stored locally or is sourced from the Internet.
US09578261B1
A multifunctional portable surveillance device having a strap and a first and second end modules disposed on the opposite ends of the strap. A first electronic device resides within the first end module, and the second electronic device resides within the second end module. The strap is configured to straddle an object, whereby the first and the second electronic devices are positioned on the opposite sides of the object. The surveillance device has a control unit. The device further includes a sensor configured to detect a predefined event. A network of connectors resides within the strap, the connectors configured to carry electric signals between the first electronic device, the second electronic device, the sensor, and the control unit. Responsive to detecting a predefined event through a sensor, the control unit actuates the first electronic device, the second electronic device, or both.
US09578259B2
Systems and methods for reducing motion blur in images or video in ultra low light with array cameras in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for synthesizing an image from multiple images captured using an array camera includes capturing image data using active cameras within an array camera, where the active cameras are configured to capture image data and the image data includes pixel brightness values that form alternate view images captured from different viewpoints, determining sets of corresponding pixels in the alternate view images where each pixel in a set of corresponding pixels is chosen from a different alternate view image, summing the pixel brightness values for corresponding pixels to create pixel brightness sums for pixel locations in an output image, and synthesizing an output image from the viewpoint of the output image using the pixel brightness sums.
US09578252B2
Methods and apparatus relating to image capture of image portions using optical chains with non-parallel optical axis are described. In some embodiments different portions of a scene area of interest captured by different optical chains operating in parallel are combined. The use of multiple optical chains in parallel facilitates generation of an image with a higher overall pixel count than would be possible using a single sensor of one of the optical chains and/or with more light capture than would be captured using a single one of the optical chains.
US09578251B2
A digital camera includes a zoom function for supporting a user when performing a frame assist, and includes an operation switch for instructing startup and completion of the zoom function on an operation unit. A system control unit stores a zoom position in a memory and varies the zoom position in a wide angle position according to a preset zoom-out drive amount when an instruction to startup the zoom function is given by the operation switch. Then, when the instruction to end the zoom function is given by the operation switch, the system control unit executes a zoom-in operation by returning to the zoom position that is stored in the memory.
US09578249B2
An apparatus and a method thereof are provided, the apparatus including a first memory; a second memory; an image sensor; and a controller configured to obtain, using the image sensor, a plurality of images including a first image and a second image corresponding to at least one object in a first resolution, each of the first image and the second image corresponding to a different time from each other; store, in the first memory, the first image at least temporarily; display, via a display operatively coupled with the controller, the second image in a second resolution; and store, in the second memory, the first image stored in the first memory, in response to an input received in relation with the second image as displayed via the display.
US09578243B2
A photographing apparatus includes a movable-member driver configured to move a movable member in a direction that is different from an optical axis of a photographing optical system, wherein the movable member includes at least one of an optical element, constituting at least one part of the photographing optical system, and an image sensor; a movable-member drive controller configured to drive the movable member to move in a circular path of a predetermined diameter via the movable-member driver; and a processor configured to select a drive diameter D of the circular path by which the drive controller drives the movable member within a range of the following condition (1): d*π/(2*21/2)≦D≦d*π/2 (1), wherein d designates a pixel interval of the image sensor.
US09578242B2
A camera module including a lens unit configured to move in a direction of an optical axis and a direction perpendicular with respect to the optical axis; a housing unit accommodating the lens unit; and a shock absorbing member disposed between the housing unit and the lens unit to reduce impacts and noise generated when the housing unit and the lens unit collide.
US09578237B2
A variety of optical arrangements and methods of modifying or enhancing the optical characteristics and functionality of these optical arrangements are provided. The optical arrangements being specifically designed to operate with camera arrays that incorporate an imaging device that is formed of a plurality of imagers that each include a plurality of pixels. The plurality of imagers include a first imager having a first imaging characteristics and a second imager having a second imaging characteristics. The images generated by the plurality of imagers are processed to obtain an enhanced image compared to images captured by the imagers. In many optical arrangements the MTF characteristics of the optics allow for contrast at spatial frequencies that are at least as great as the desired resolution of the high resolution images synthesized by the array camera, and significantly greater than the Nyquist frequency of the pixel pitch of the pixels on the focal plane, which in some cases may be 1.5, 2 or 3 times the Nyquist frequency.
US09578227B2
An autofocus imaging system for a microscope system includes a tilted autofocus image sensor that images an oblique cross-section of a slide. The autofocus imaging system focuses multiple sequential overlapping images, which have been taken by the tilted autofocus image sensor, by making a comparison of the multiple sequential overlapping images. An axial position of a tissue layer on the slide can be determined from a polar error signal resulting from this comparison.
US09578226B2
Photometric registration from an arbitrary geometry for augmented reality is performed using video frames of an environment captured by a camera. A surface reconstruction of the environment is generated. A pose is determined for the camera with respect to the environment, e.g., using model based tracking using the surface reconstruction. Illumination data for the environment is determined from a video frame. Estimated lighting conditions for the environment are generated based on the surface reconstruction and the illumination data. For example, the surface reconstruction may be used to compute the possible radiance transfer, which may be compressed, e.g., using spherical harmonic basis functions, and used in the lighting conditions estimation. A virtual object may then be rendered based on the lighting conditions. Differential rendering may be used with lighting solutions from the surface reconstruction of the environment and a second surface reconstruction of the environment combined with the virtual object.
US09578223B2
Methods, devices, and computer program products for CMOS visible image sensors incorporating multiple image sensing elements with different integration times to extend dynamic range are disclosed herein. In one aspect, a method of taking an image using a CMOS visible image sensor that includes at least one first light sensing element with a first well capacity and at least one second light sensing element with a second well capacity, where the second well capacity is greater than the first well capacity is disclosed. The method includes determining a first integration time for each of the at least one first light sensing elements. The method further includes determining a second integration time for each of the at least one second light sensing elements, where the second integration time is different than the first integration time.
US09578208B2
An image processing apparatus accurately compensates a flare component. An image forming apparatus reads images in a first reading condition and a second reading condition in which flare less occurs, and includes: a reflectance assignment unit for assigning a reflectance to the first image in accordance with the distance between the first image and the second image; a color information arithmetic unit for obtaining color information about the first image read in the second reading condition; a flare component derivation unit for deriving a flare component of the second image based on the reflectance and the color information; and a flare component removing unit for removing a flare component of the second image read in the first reading condition, based on the second image read in the first reading condition and the flare component derived by the flare component derivation unit.
US09578207B1
Various embodiments are directed to methods, systems, and devices for improving the quality of image data for printing by a printer having relatively low resolution capabilities. Image data may be scanned, captured or otherwise received. The image data may be received in bands, chunks, blocks, portions, regions, or its entirety. An edge detector is subsequently employed to detect a location of edges in a region of the received image data. For image data pixels that are located in or close to a detected edge, a first screen is applied to modify these pixels to compensate for printing at or near the detected edge. Otherwise, a second image screen is applied to modify pixels for printing that are not close to a detected edge. The first screen may be an error diffusion screen or a threshold screen. The second screen may be a halftone screen.
US09578202B2
A communication apparatus is connected to an external apparatus in a connection mode selected from a plurality of connection modes including a first connection mode in which an external apparatus is connected in accordance with a predetermined operation on the communication apparatus and a second connection mode in which an external apparatus is connected in accordance with an operation whose operation amount is smaller than the predetermined operation. The communication apparatus has a plurality of operation modes to select at least one of contents saved in a recording medium. When connecting the external apparatus in the second connection mode, an operation mode in which the contents are selected based on the operation on the external apparatus is selected out of the plurality of operation modes.
US09578196B2
A control device includes a second sub-controller to which second devices are connected, a first sub-controller to which first devices are connected, a master controller that controls the first and second sub-controllers, and so on. The second sub-controller includes a second interruption information memory that stores second interruption information output from the second devices, and a second interruption controller that transmits an interruption signal upon storing of the second interruption information in the second interruption information memory, and reads and transmits the second interruption information. The first sub-controller includes a first interruption information memory that stores first interruption information output from the first devices, and the second interruption information transmitted from the second sub-controller, and a first interruption controller that transmits the interruption signal received from the second sub-controller, and reads and transmits the first interruption information and the second interruption information stored in the first interruption information memory.
US09578192B2
An image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of devices driven by power and configured to be operated in: 1) a standby mode in which the image forming apparatus stands by a start of an image formation; or 2) a power saving mode in which power supply to a part of the plurality of devices is stopped so that the power consumption of the image forming apparatus in the power saving mode is reduced compared with that of the image forming apparatus in the standby mode. The image forming apparatus further including a door which is opened when consumable material is supplied, and a door opened/closed sensor configured to detect the door opening or door closing.
US09578185B2
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal enabling a user to more conveniently use the terminal and a method of controlling therefor. According to at least one of embodiments of the present invention, in case of transceiving an image using a wearable device of a glasses form, it may easily target an external device, which becomes a target with which the image is transceived.
US09578184B2
An image forming apparatus includes a detection portion that detects an earthquake, a plurality of job execution portions that each execute a job, an output portion that outputs information, and a control portion that, upon the detection portion detecting the occurrence of an earthquake, switches a mode of the image forming apparatus to an emergency mode, after a lapse of a prescribed wait time since the switching to the emergency mode, executes a self-diagnosis process for checking whether or not the job execution portions operate properly, and based on a result thereof, makes an output portion output information indicating an executable job and a non-executable job.
US09578182B2
A wireless end-user device, comprising one or more modems enabling the wireless end-user device to communicate with a network system over a wireless access network, a touch-screen user interface, and one or more processors configured to execute one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to detect a user input through the touch-screen user interface, the user input comprising a request to remove the wireless end-user device from an existing device group account, the existing device group account being associated with one or more devices including the wireless end-user device, and send a message to the network system over the wireless access network, the message conveying the request to remove the wireless end-user device from the existing device group account.
US09578181B2
A monitoring device 100 comprises a control unit 101 including a positional information acquisition section 101A that tracks an existing position of the communication terminal 120 and acquires positional information of the communication terminal 120 and a jurisdiction retaining section 101B that retains a jurisdictional district to receive an emergency telephone call where a building under security exists, an input/output unit 102 that detects an emergency situation based on a sensor output from the input/output device 110, and an alarm sending unit 103 that reports an e-mail transmission or an image via the telephone line 130. The control unit 101, when having detected an emergency situation, performs control to specify a communication terminal 120 that exists in the police jurisdictional district or fire jurisdictional district with reference to the jurisdiction retaining section 101B, and to report preferentially to the specified communication terminal 120. Accordingly, reporting preferentially to a mobile phone within a jurisdictional district where a building under security exists allows promptly reporting when an emergency call is made from the mobile phone.
US09578177B2
A method, system, and apparatus, including a program encoded on computer-readable medium, for providing ring notifications in parallel to a primary incoming call are disclosed. An example method can include receiving, at a server system, a notification of a primary incoming call directed to a subscriber telephone number associated with a user device, notifying, by the server system, one or more secondary destinations of the primary incoming call based on the notification, sending, from the server system, an instruction to perform one or more operations to trigger forwarding of the primary incoming call to a telephone number associated with the server system, wherein the instruction is only sent after notifying the one or more secondary destinations of the primary incoming call, receiving the forwarded incoming call at the server system, and connecting, by the server system, the forwarded incoming call to a particular secondary destination.
US09578175B2
A communication device is provided for enabling a user to establish an automated call back from a communication system, such as a call center, for example. A software device application enables the communication device to communicate with the call center through the exchange of data. The communication device includes a display screen for displaying controls for allowing the user to interact with the communication system. The controls allow the user to request a list of providers from which to select a provider or company to contact. The communication device further provides controls for allowing the user to select a queue to join from a list of queues associated with the selected provider. An embodiment may also communicate contextual data between a communication device and a communication system, including information associated with the user of the communication device and information used to assist, instruct, or solve a user's problem.
US09578163B2
The present disclosure disclose an electronic device and a method thereof for calling a phone number, and the method includes: judging whether a component of a gravitational acceleration of the electronic device in a preset direction is more than or equal to a first threshold after a program installed on the electronic device is started; detecting an object in front of the electronic device at a distance from the electronic device, which is less than or equal to a second threshold when the component of the gravitational acceleration of the electronic device in the preset direction is more than or equal to the first threshold; and calling the phone number automatically when there is an object in front of the electronic device at a distance from the electronic device, which is less than or equal to the second threshold.
US09578157B1
A system and method for resuming content playback after content playback in an in-vehicle infotainment system includes a mobile device and the in-vehicle infotainment system in communication with the mobile device. The in-vehicle infotainment system displays content and communicates a content position signal to the mobile device. When the mobile device and the in-vehicle infotainment system disconnect, the mobile device displays a screen display in response to disconnecting. The screen display corresponds to resuming future playback. The mobile device communicates a resume future playback signal indicative of resuming future playback to a set top box. The resume future playback signal comprising a content identifier, the content position identifier and a user identifier. The set top box displays content at the set top box based on the content identifier, the content position identifier and the user identifier.
US09578156B2
An electronic device comprising: a communication interface; a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory and the communication interface, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: detect a change of state of the electronic device; transmit to a secondary electronic device a first information item associated with the change of state of the electronic device; receive a second information item from the secondary electronic device in response to the first information item; and perform an operation based on the secondary information item.
US09578155B2
A mobile terminal includes a terminal body having a front surface and a rear surface, a display module disposed on the front surface and configured to display visual information, and a rear input unit disposed on the rear surface and configured to sense an input of a control command, wherein the rear input unit includes a button member externally exposed from the rear surface, a first sensing unit disposed to overlap the button member and configured to sense a push input applied onto the button member, and a second sensing unit disposed to overlap the button member and configured to sense a touch input applied onto the button member.
US09578154B2
It is presented a method for providing a user interface of a mobile communication terminal including a motion sensitive sensor, a keypad and a display, the mobile communication terminal being capable of being in at least an active mode and a key-lock mode, the method including: detecting, using the motion sensitive sensor, a first user input indicating a desire to switch modes; when the mobile communication terminal is in the active mode, as a response to the first user input, switching the mobile communication terminal to the key-lock mode; and when the mobile communication terminal is in the key-lock mode, as a response to the first user input, switching the mobile communication terminal to the active mode. Corresponding apparatuses and computer program products are also presented.
US09578150B2
A cover-leafing leather casing of cellular phone and a smart phone using the same are described. The cover-leafing leather casing of cellular phone comprises a leather cover for buckling to a touch panel of the smart phone. The leather cover is connected to a first magnet of a rear shell body of the smart phone by way of a magnetic induction connecting portion, and the magnetic induction connecting portion comprises a second magnet which is mutually attracted to the first magnet. The present invention employs the cover-leafing leather casing to be easily disassembled and to be conveniently cleaned.
US09578146B2
An electronic assembly including a housing, a circuit board, and a battery module is provided. The housing has an accommodating space and at least a portion of the housing is curved surface. The circuit board is disposed in the accommodating space. The battery module is disposed in the accommodating space and stacked on the circuit board, wherein at least a portion of the battery module is located between the housing and the circuit board, and at least a portion of the battery module is bent and corresponded to the curved surface of the housing. An electronic apparatus including the electronic assembly aforementioned is also provided.
US09578145B2
A coupling frame to provide structural support and electrical functionality includes a plurality of conductive frames spaced from each other and having predetermined gaps. A plurality of conductive sheets are electrically connected to the different places of the inside surface of the conductive frames and an insulating frame fills in the predetermined gaps. Each conductive frame and the insulating frame are annular structures. The insulating frame extends inwardly to partially cover the plurality of conductive sheets. A method for making the coupling frame is also provided.
US09578138B2
A communication apparatus that accurately measure a time period T0 required for line connection in IPFAX, and optimizes the timing with which a T.38 CNG command is sent out. An AT command that is a dial request is converted into a SIP command that is a session-establishment request, and the SIP command is sent. When there is a provisional response or a session-establishment response to the sent SIP command, a T0 timer which clocks the time period T0 is caused to start counting.
US09578136B2
An embodiment provides a distributed transcoding method using a plurality of servers. The method includes receiving a request for a first video file from a first terminal. The method also includes segmenting the video file based on a play time of at least portion of the video file and a performance rate of a plurality of second servers. The method also includes transmitting the segmented video file to the plurality of second servers, which includes transmitting the segmented video file of a greater size to the second server having a higher performance among the plurality of second servers and transmitting the segmented video file having a smaller size to the server having a lower performance among the plurality of second servers. The method also includes receiving a transcoded video file from the plurality of second servers. The method also includes transmitting the transcoded video files to the first terminal.
US09578134B2
Mobile hub devices and docking stations facilitate controlled delivery of digital multimedia data from a content service provider. A mobile hub device includes a transceiver configured to receive and transmit digital multimedia data over a plurality of communication links. The mobile hub device includes a processor for identifying content providers which permit the mobile hub device to download multimedia data hosted by the content providers. The processor schedules delivery of the multimedia data from the content providers to the mobile hub device.
US09578133B2
A system for providing a consistent user experience of an application across disparate mobile devices comprises a computing device including a display analysis application, and one or more mobile devices including a display analysis application is provided. In one example, a mobile device comprises a memory storing a version of an operating system, a display analysis patch, and a patched application. A consistency module of the mobile device is configured to access the application with the display analysis patch, obtain one or more display parameters of the mobile device via the application with the display analysis patch, and transmit the obtained one or more display parameters to a computing device.
US09578132B2
Mechanisms are provided for instigating the sending of an acknowledgement response from a host system. A buffer of a data processing system is monitored to determine if there is a data transfer pending in the buffer. In response to a determination that there are no data transfers pending in the buffer, a determination is made as to whether there is an outstanding data transfer, on a corresponding network connection with the host system, for which an acknowledgement response has not been received from the host system. In response to a determination that there is an outstanding data transfer for which an acknowledgement response has not been received, an acknowledgement instigation message is sent to the host system to instigate the host system sending an acknowledgement response for the outstanding data transfer.
US09578129B2
One or more embodiments of the invention are directed to a system and method for instantaneously deploying packetized alert data in a one to many configuration or a many to many configuration where the data to be received by each recipient can be customized in a way that leaves a publisher with optimum control over the content or revenue generated from each deployment.
US09578128B2
The disclosed technology covers messaging systems and methods, and computer program products embodying such systems and methods. A computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium with instructions executable by one or more processors to perform a method. The method may include receiving, at a message server configured to receive a plurality of messages for a plurality of computing devices, a first message intended for a first user profile. The first user profile and one or more other user profiles may exist on a single computing device. The method may also include receiving a first status update from the first computing device indicating that the first user profile is stopped or non-active, and postponing delivery of the first message to the first computing device, based on the first user profile being stopped or non-active. These and other aspects of messaging systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed herein.
US09578126B1
A system, medium and method of automatically discovering a wide area network optimized route is disclosed. A client request is received at a second optimization device to access a server. The second optimization device is of a second local area network with respect to a wide area network (WAN) and is configured to communicate with the server. A probe request is received at the second optimization device from a first optimization device of a first local area network. The probe request establishes an optimization route with the first optimization device. A probe response is sent to the first optimization device, wherein the probe response provides identifying information of the second optimization device. A paired relationship is established, wherein configuration information of the first and second optimization devices are exchanged. An optimization route based on the configuration information is exchanged between the paired first and second optimization devices.
US09578121B2
A system for controlling one or more structural appliances, such heating, cooling, and ventilation sensor systems utilizing cloud computing architecture, includes at least one intelligent controller, a local intelligent gateway in communication with the intelligent controller, and a cloud computing network in communication with the local intelligent gateway. A local device is operative to communicate through the cloud computing network to the intelligent controller.
US09578120B1
Techniques are described for providing a messaging service that employs a distributed key-value store for message persistence. On receiving a message to be enqueued for subsequent delivery, a message identifier is generated and employed as a key to store the message in the key-value store. The message identifier may be generated based on an available location in a message tracking data structure. In some cases, the message tracking data structure may be an append tree data structure that is substantially self-balancing as an increasing number of messages are tracked using the append tree data structure. The message tracking data structure may be further employed to determine a message identifier for a message to be vended from the key-value store.
US09578118B2
A first set of data including a first tracking identifier for a first webpage component and a destination address for the first webpage component is accessed. A second set of data that includes an address for retrieving a second webpage component, is accessed. The address includes a second tracking identifier. Whether the second tracking identifier is the same as the first tracking identifier is determined. The second webpage component is associated with the destination address when the second tracking identifier is the same as the first tracking identifier.
US09578115B2
Systems and methods are presented for discovering a local location server associated with a local provider based on a relationship between the local provider and another regional/global provider. A mobile device discovers the local provider and queries a home location server which returns the address of a regional/global location server associated with the regional/global provider. A mobile device then queries the regional/global location server to discover the local location server and may then access the local location server to obtain location services. The method may be employed with the OMA SUPL location solution wherein the home location server may be an H-SLP and the local and regional/global location servers may be D-SLPs.
US09578113B2
Examples of systems and methods are provided for communication and for forwarding display data and cursor type related to a remote session between a client device and a remote server. The system may facilitate establishing the remote session with the remote server. After the client device is connected to a remote session, it is determined if the style of the client device's cursor should be changed. The RDP client of the remote server creates the changed cursor based on bitmap details. The change cursor may be a 1-bit or 32-bit cursor. When the remote session is disconnected, the default cursor for the client device is re-instated at the client device.
US09578111B2
The problem of sharing session information across client contexts is addressed by binding initial session information to a persistent, short-lived and one-time use temporary identifier. This identifier is persisted on a client side (e.g., through a cookie jar) that is shared among the different client contexts that can share the original session. This temporary identifier, in turn, allows one or more other sessions to use the original session information by acting as an index into that session information, which is stored on the server side. Preferably, this temporary identifier contains a unique identifier (ID) that is generated as a sufficiently-complex random number. A mapping back to the real session identifier is maintained on the server side for this short-lived ID.
US09578104B2
Multimedia content may be delivered to content consumer devices via a content-delivery network. Encrypted content and cryptography keys for decrypting the content may be distributed from a data center to various nodes of the content-delivery network, each node acting as a semi-independent content-delivery system. Each content-delivery system is capable of delivering received content to end-users and implementing a key-management scheme to facilitate secure content-delivery and usage tracking, even when the content-delivery system is disconnected from the data center. Further, each content-delivery system may generate an authorization-token that can be transmitted to other systems in the content-delivery network, enabling the other systems to quickly determine that a request to resume a previous content-delivery session has already been authorized.
US09578102B2
A determination is made of users that form a group within a social network in which the users communicate with each other over a network with electronic devices in a client-server architecture. The users in the group within the social network form a peer-to-peer (P2P) storage group within a P2P storage network. In the P2P storage network, users are peers that act as a client and a server for each other.
US09578093B1
Geographic space may be managed by a system including a plurality of subsystems operable to respectively perform data processing, the data processing relating to traffic, of a plurality of regions, the plurality of regions obtained by dividing a geographic space including routes on which mobile objects move, and one or more servers collectively operable to obtain statistic information of at least one subsystem among the plurality of subsystems, the statistic information relating to a processing load of the at least one subsystem, and divide the geographic space into the plurality of regions based on the statistic information.
US09578089B2
One or more events occurring within a client-side web application are logged at a remote server using a script-based invocation mechanism. The mechanism comprises a client-side script, and associated server-side code. Upon occurrence of an event to be logged, a script object is created on the client and used to pass logged data to the server, which then issues a response to destroy the script object. In this manner, the script object is created and persists in the client only as long as it is needed to log the event.
US09578079B2
A distribution control system that is connected to one or more communication terminals that output image (sound) data and transmits the image (sound) data to the terminals. The system includes a browser management unit configured to start up a browser appropriate for the terminals; a browser configured to generate the image (sound) data by rendering content data; a transmitter configured to transmit the image (sound) data to the communication terminals; and a receiver configured to receive sensor information detected by a sensor included in the terminals. The browser is configured to process the received sensor information by a first processor that is installed in the browser as standard or a second processor that processes the sensor information that is unable to be processed by the first processor. The transmitter is configured to transmit the image (sound) data processed by the browser in accordance with the sensor information to the terminals.
US09578077B2
A method is provided for distributing data content in a P2P live streaming network comprising a plurality of peers and a streaming source periodically producing segments representing the data content to be distributed, wherein a group of the peers are assigned to download the data content from the streaming source and to distribute the data content to remaining peers. The method comprises a first peer making requests for a current segment produced by the streaming source, the requests being made at a rate higher than a rate with which the segments are produced by the streaming source. If the first peer is the first to download the current segment, then the current segment has been downloaded, wherein the network peers can download the current segment from the first peer. Otherwise, a second peer downloads the current segment and it announces this to the group on the P2P network.
US09578075B2
A method for streaming software may include downloading blocks associated with a software title until an executable threshold is reached, initiating execution of the software title, and continuing to download blocks of the software title while the software title is executed. Another method for streaming software may include sending to a client data sufficient for the client to build a virtual directory structure for use in executing a software title, streaming a subset of blocks associated with the software title to the client, and streaming additional blocks associated with the software title to the client on demand. A system for streaming software may include a server computer and a client computer. The server computer may include a program database and a streaming engine. In operation the streaming engine may stream an executable streaming application from the program database to the client.
US09578070B2
A background noise inserter server is described that includes a communication interface for communicating with a network, memory for storing background audio, and a processor coupled to the communication interface and the memory. The processor controls the server to connect to a phone call session in response to a session initiation protocol (SIP) invite from a calling device indicating that the calling device is requesting the background audio in the phone call session with a called device. The processor also controls the server to insert the background audio into the phone call session so that the inserted background audio is mixed with audio from the phone call session transmitted to both the calling device and the called device.
US09578069B1
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and computer readable media to provide roaming IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) access. In a particular embodiment, a method provides, in a communication interface, attaching a communication device to provide the communication device with access to a broadband access network associated with a visited domain of the communication device. The method further provides, in a proxy call session control element of a broadband services gateway (BSG), registering the communication device to access IMS services on behalf of an IMS core in the visited domain over the broadband access network, conveying Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling between the communication device and the IMS core as a SIP proxy, and establishing a communication session between the communication device and the IMS core.
US09578067B2
An intercepting user equipment and a lawful interception method thereof are provided. The intercepting user equipment registers to the administrating server for lawful interception, and then receives a positive interception message from the administrating server. The intercepting user equipment receives a signal from user equipment, and determines whether a power measurement of the signal exceeds a threshold. If positive, the intercepting user equipment transmits a power adjustment request to the administrating server so that the administrating server notifies the eNB of transmitting a power adjustment command to the user equipment for adjusting transmitting power. The intercepting user equipment intercepts communication data of the user equipment.
US09578064B2
A computer-implemented process receives a request to utilize one or more virtual data center (VDC) resources at a virtual data center and determines a particular service level applicable to request. Based on the particular service level and mapping information that indicates associations between VDC resource utilization policies and service levels, the process determines a particular VDC resource utilization policy corresponding to the request and causes completion of the request according to the particular VDC resource utilization policy. Another process determines that a resource utilization performance is incompatible with a requested service level and selects a new resource utilization based in part on the resource utilization performance information and mapping information. The process causes data distributed according to a prior resource utilization policy to be distributed according to the new resource utilization policy in one or more resources at a virtual data center.
US09578061B2
Implementations of the present disclosure involve a system and/or method for modeling a networking device policy or set of rules and/or transforming a networking device policy model into a set of comprehensible rules for presentation to a manager of the device. In one embodiment, the system and/or method includes converting one or more rules of the firewall device into a string of representative bits, creating a binary decision diagram from the converted rules of the firewall policy, transforming the binary decision diagram into a ternary tree diagram and analyzing the ternary tree diagram to condense the firewall policy into one or more rules comprehensible by a user of the firewall.
US09578059B2
A server interacts with a sender to form a package which can include one or more attached data files to be sent to one or more recipients, and the server applies a policy established by a policy authority of the sender to the package. Since the server both forms the package through interaction with the sender and applies the policy, violations of the policy by the package can be brought to the sender's attention during an interactive session with the sender and before encryption of all or part of the package. As a result, the sender is educated regarding the policy of the sender's policy authority, and the sender can modify the package immediately to comport with the policy. The server delivers the package to intended recipients by sending notification to each recipient and including package identification data, e.g., a URL by which the package can be retrieved.
US09578051B2
A method for identifying a threatening network comprises an asymmetric threat signature (AT-SIG) algorithm comprising a network movement before/after algorithm that provides a graphical plot of changes in network transaction activity from before to after a specified time and further comprising one or more of: a network progression algorithm that provides a graphical plot to analyze behavior in small increments of time without specification or emphasis upon a particular time or event; a statistical network anomaly ranking algorithm that provides as output a ranked list of the networks; and an anomaly trend graphs algorithm that analyzes and visualizes the networks' anomaly scores over time. Also disclosed are an AT-SIG system and a software program product.
US09578047B2
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring and detecting intrusions and authenticating messages on a communication network of a vehicle. A plurality of signals transmitted over communications network between an electronic control module and a remote electronic module are monitored. Reflectometry feature sets are extracted from the plurality of signals and compared to a repository of predetermined communication network feature sets to generate a mismatch value. The mismatch value is compared to a predetermined threshold range and an authenticated event occurs when the mismatch value is within the predetermined threshold range. When the mismatch value is outside the predetermined threshold range, a flagged event occurs and is recorded.
US09578044B1
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for detecting anomalous advertising content and taking or directing one or more actions to be taken to mitigate risk associated with anomalous advertising content. The anomalous advertising content indicates a deviation from an expected state of the advertising content. Various measures may be taken to determine whether the anomalous advertising content is reflective of malware.
US09578040B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a packet receiving method, a deep packet inspection device and system, which relates to the field of communications. The packet receiving method includes: receiving a service request packet sent by a terminal device, where the packet carries a terminal domain name indicating the terminal device and a server domain name indicating a service server required by the service request; resolving the received server domain name to obtain a service server Internet protocol (IP) address; and discarding the packet if the resolved service server IP address does not belong to the preset service server IP address corresponding to the received terminal domain name in a preset list. Embodiments of the present invention are applied to the processing of the packet.
US09578038B2
Adaptive security profiles are supported on an electronic device. One or more security profiles may be automatically or selectively applied to the device based on the device's location and one or more geographic zone definitions. The security profiles may be used to determine the level of authentication or number of invalid authentication attempts for a particular feature or application or set of features or applications.
US09578029B2
The invention consists of a new registration and authentication protocol for between a Mobile Node and a Home Agent. The new protocol uses a novel messaging sequence to request registration, authentication and authorization of the Mobile Node when it is located on a foreign network, and the novel protocol will avoid some of the standard registration and authentication protocol messages in order to eliminate the problems associated with re-transmission errors.
US09578019B2
A method and system for managing an embedded secure element (50) accessible as a slave of the resident applications (App1-3) of a host device of the eSE. The eSE includes an issuer security domain (51), ISD, with which cryptographic keys are associated. The method includes, in an application agent embedded in an OS of the host device: sending (420) the ISD a random value; receiving (435) a cryptogram corresponding to the random value encrypted using a key associated with the ISD; sending (440, 450) the random value and the cryptogram to a first extern entity entered in the application agent. The method includes: sending (455, 4555) the random value and the cryptogram from the first entity to a second external entity; verifying (4556) that the second entity possesses keys associated with the ISD from the cryptogram and the random value.
US09578012B2
A processor-implemented method is provided. The method may include providing a content registry with at least one application program interface (API) to manage a plurality of entries stored in the content registry. The method may also include providing access to the plurality of entries by a pre-authorized search engine to the content registry in response to a search requested by an authorized requester.
US09578006B2
A processor-implemented method is provided. The method may include providing a content registry with at least one application program interface (API) to manage a plurality of entries stored in the content registry. The method may also include providing access to the plurality of entries by a pre-authorized search engine to the content registry in response to a search requested by an authorized requester.
US09578003B2
The present disclosure discloses a method and a system for determining whether to use a local authentication server. Specifically, a first network device executing a first authentication server receives a request for authentication from a client device. The first network device determines whether the client device was previously successfully authenticated by a second authentication server executing on a second network device within a particular period of time. If so, the first network device attempts to authenticate the client device using the first authentication server. Otherwise, the first network device declines the request for authentication from the client device.
US09578001B2
A heterogeneous home network (with possibly multiple hops between devices) uses a push button configuration mechanism that ensures only one single new network node device is registered for a single push button key press event and overlapping Push-Button Configuration sessions within the heterogeneous network are prevented by an enhanced mechanism for running Push Button Configuration sessions based on a Push-Button Configuration handshake procedure triggered and initiated by a virtual or physical Push-Button-Event on a new device, which wants to join the heterogeneous network for a user friendly security bootstrapping, in which multiple network node devices in the heterogeneous network belonging already to the heterogeneous network are involved in registering the new device. The Push-Button Configuration handshake procedure is initiated to get a permission information to join the network or to proceed with the Push-Button Configuration or to get a rejection information not to join the network.
US09577988B2
A method, a system, and a non-transitory storage medium for storing user preferences pertaining to a data encryption service that provides on-demand encryption for data in-flight and at rest; receiving data from a user device; determining whether to invoke the data encryption service based on the data and the user preferences; generating a key to encrypt the data based on determining that the data encryption service is to be invoked; generating a first message that includes the data, the key, and data indicating where encrypted data is to be stored; establishing a secure connection with a device; and transmitting the first message to the device via the secure connection.
US09577985B2
A virtual business mobile device can be provisioned on a personal mobile device, by binding a mobile application for provisioning the business mobile device to a privileged component of a host operating system of the personal mobile device, wherein the binding enables a software virtualization layer and a management service component of the mobile application to execute in a privileged mode. The mobile application is then able to download a virtual phone image for the business mobile device and security-related policy settings relating to use of the business mobile device from a mobile management server, wherein the software virtualization layer is able to launch a virtual machine for the business mobile device based on the virtual phone image. Once the virtual phone image has been downloaded, the management service component initiates a periodic attempt to establish a connection with the mobile management server to comply with the downloaded security-related policy settings.
US09577984B2
Systems and techniques for managing local communication between a network access point and a host device. Upon connection by a host device to an access point, a local connection link is established between the access point and the host device. A network connection may be established between the access point and the host device, with the network connection being able to pass through the host device to enable communication with and beyond an access network to which the access point provides a connection. Local messages may be passed between the access point and the host device over the local connection link, separately from and independent of communication that may occur over the network connection.
US09577981B2
A technique is disclosed in which an MN (mobile node) 100 notifies, to a CN (correspondent node), home network connection information indicative of whether or not it is currently in connection with a home network which has allocated its own plurality of HoAs (home addresses), an address of each HA (home agent) and an ID of each HA in a state associated with the plurality of HoAs. Based on the information received from the MN, the CN grasps the home network with which the MN is currently in connection and makes an inquiry about the condition of the HA and sets an appropriate HoA, judged on the basis of the grasping result or the inquiry result, as a destination address of a packet to be transmitted to the MN.
US09577975B2
In one embodiment, a method includes determining that media content being viewed by a user comprises a plurality of entities, accessing information indicative of the plurality of entities, and querying a social graph of the social-networking system for social content associated with each of the plurality of entities and one or more other users of the social-networking system. The social graph includes user nodes that are each associated with a particular user of the social-networking system. The method further includes providing at least a portion of the queried social content from the social graph for display along with the information on a display device of the user.
US09577966B1
An example system for device-independent point to multipoint communication is configured to receive a message addressed to one or more destination users, the message type being, for example, Short Message Service (SMS), Instant Messaging (IM), E-mail, web form input, or Application Program Interface (API) function call. The system also is configured to determine information about the destination users, the information comprising preferred devices and interfaces for receiving messages, the information further including message receiving preferences. The system applies rules to the message based on destination user information to determine the message endpoints, the message endpoints being, for example, Short Message Service (SMS), Instant Messaging (IM), E-mail, web page output, or Application Program Interface (API) function call. The system translates the message based on the destination user information and message endpoints and transmits the message to each endpoint of the message.
US09577963B2
Implementations of this disclosure may assist users to communicate more effectively in online communications over a network such as emails, instant messaging, text messages, and social networking messages. In some implementations, systems and methods of this disclosure enable a message composer to augment a first message with one or more predefined or custom second messages where the second message is intended to convey an unspoken meaning about the first message. In some implementations, systems and methods of this disclosure enable a recipient of the augmented first message to rate the first message on its genuineness and to provide a predefined or custom explanation of the recipient's rating. In some implementations, systems and methods of this disclosure can change an online users' online picture (e.g., profile picture, avatar, etc.) based on ratings of the user's messages by recipients.
US09577961B2
Methods and systems for implementing input/output management in a distributed strict queue are disclosed. A plurality of messages are distributed to a plurality of queue servers based on strict order parameters for the messages. Messages that share a value for the strict order parameter are distributed to the same queue server. The messages are enqueued at the queue servers. Messages that share a value for the strict order parameter are enqueued in a strict order based on the time of receipt at the queue server. One or more queue clients are configured to attempt message processing for the enqueued messages. Network interactions between the queue clients and one or more external components are configured to be routed through a network proxy.
US09577960B2
A universal error-correction circuit with fault-tolerant nature includes an error-correction unit with fault-tolerant nature implemented by a logic gate, where digital input signals of the error-correction unit with fault-tolerant nature are separately I0, I1 . . . , I2k-1, and I2k, digital output signals of the error-correction unit with fault-tolerant nature are separately O0, O1, . . . , Ok-2, and Ok-1, and the digital input signals and the digital output signals belong to a set {0,1}, where k is a positive integer. The error-correction unit with fault-tolerant nature is configured to, when k=1, set O0=I0 if I0=I1, and O0=I2 otherwise; and when k>1, set Ok-1=I2k-1 if Ok-2=I2k-1, and Ok-1=I2k otherwise. Because a logical relationship between input and output is uniquely certain, the error-correction circuit with fault-tolerant nature may be implemented only by a logic gate.
US09577953B2
A first computational device receives a response generated by a second computational device for a third computational device. A target that is suitable for use by the third computational device is determined. The response is transmitted with an address of the target to the third computational device.
US09577952B2
Managing a service is provided. Information is collected about use of a set of resources by the service. A request is received to verify information regarding a selected portion of a period of time during the use of the set of resources by the service. A description of the use of the set of resources by the service during the selected portion of the period of time is generated using the collected information in response to receiving the request to verify the information regarding the selected portion of the period of time during the use of the set of resources by the service. A response to the request is created using the generated description of the use of the set of resources by the service during the selected portion of the period of time as proof of validity of the information.
US09577933B2
A method for combining Internet protocols in a Differentiated Services model environment is described. The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Common Open Policy Service (COPS) are combined together to provide methods of setting up a session and tearing down a session, while maintaining Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) policies. The Open Settlement Policy (OSP) is also combined with SIP and COPS. This combination provides for an interchange of parameters between session setup, teardown, authorization, policy, Quality of Service (QoS), and usage reporting
US09577931B2
A switch system realizes extension of the number of entries of an open flow table by using tables in a switch as existing resources. Specifically, the switch configures an open flow table by logically combining a plurality of tables, each of which defines processing to a given packet, based on a condition and a processing content defined in each table. The switch refers to the open flow table to determine the processing content to a reception packet. The switch executes the processing of the reception packet based on the determined processing content.
US09577929B2
Embodiments relate to virtual networks. An aspect includes a method for controlling a virtual network including analyzing header content of packet traffic, where the packet traffic corresponds to one or more virtual machines run on a computer. The method includes performing flow routing of the packet traffic through a virtual network based on the analyzing overlay virtual network identifiers or virtual extensible local area network (VXLAN) identifiers in the header content.
US09577918B2
A system and algorithm configured to generate diversity at the traffic source so that packets are uniformly distributed over all of the available paths, but to increase the likelihood of taking a minimal path with each hop the packet takes. This is achieved by configuring routing biases so as to prefer non-minimal paths at the injection point, but increasingly prefer minimal paths as the packet proceeds, referred to herein as Increasing Minimal Bias (IMB).
US09577915B2
In one embodiment, a device in a network obtains information regarding a transmission between the device and a neighbor of the device in the network. The device determines whether to use the information regarding the transmission to update an expected transmission count associated with the neighbor based on a rate of samples used to compute expected transmission counts. The device updates the expected transmission count, in response to determining that the information regarding the transmission should be used to update the expected transmission count. The device selects a routing path in the network based in part on the updated expected transmission count associated with the neighbor.
US09577912B2
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for generating a status update message. The method involves defining one or more status update criteria and monitoring user activity in a software application for the one or more status update criteria. The method further involves determining, based on the user activity, that the one or more status update criteria have been met and generating, via a processing unit, a status update message. The status update message includes multimedia content related to a project associated with the software application.
US09577911B1
A system and method of distributed computation based upon a novel partitioning of computer networks. In the distributed computing system of the present invention, instructions are disseminated to select agents on a computer network, each of which is a member of at least one “path,” a path being an ordered set of one or more connected agents within the network. The computation is then performed by the agents along the path, and any results then returned. A computation to be performed is broken down into instructions executed on a unique ordered sequence of agents making up a path. This vastly increases the expressive power of a single network to be not only the sum of its parts, but the sum of all possible configurations of those parts on a graph. The basic components of the computing system are agents, probes and paths. The agents are interconnected forming a network and a path is an ordered sequence of agents. Information is exchanged between agents by the sending and receiving of probes between the agents in the network.
US09577908B2
An integrated switch tap device for managing and monitoring network traffic is provided. The device includes a set of network ports for receiving and outputting the network traffic. The device also includes a first logic arrangement for performing routing functionalities and a first CPU for processing the routing functionalities. The device further includes a set of monitoring ports that is coupled to one or more monitoring devices. The device yet also includes a first tap module, which is configured at least for intercepting at least part of the network traffic flowing through the network device, creating a copy of at least part of the network traffic, and forwarding the copy to at least one of the set of monitoring ports. The device moreover includes a second CPU configured at least for processing tap functionalities associated with the first tap module.
US09577899B2
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for regulating network bandwidth by means of monitoring network traffic, predicting network loads, and scheduling traffic utilizing traffic reporting and bandwidth reservation mechanisms. These systems and methods may reduce network congestion and support more efficient processing by network applications. Traffic reporting may comprise broadcasting control messages to network nodes indicating appropriate times to send and receive messages. Network nodes may use traffic reports (e.g., control messages) to proactively regulate their use of the network. Bandwidth reservation may allow network nodes to do productive processing while waiting to send and receive data, and may decrease mean wait times. Reservations may be implemented in a synchronous or asynchronous manner. In an exemplary embodiment, the reservation mechanism may emulate a traditional stream socket API. Embodiments enabling enhanced TV applications to run more effectively over cable TV out-of-band networks are described.
US09577896B2
Context-based computing frameworks disclosed herein may determine a location associated with a query from a device, the query requesting context information. Such context-based computing frameworks may also obtain the context information from a context profile associated with the location, the context information identifying a computing resource associated with the location. Such context-based computing frameworks may further send the context information in response to the query, the context information to enable configuration of interaction between the device and the computing resource associated with the location.
US09577895B2
The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for troubleshooting one or more communications between a first device and a second device. A monitoring device disposed between the first device and the second device receives a message associated with the communication(s), analyzes the received message and stores the analyzed message whenever the analyzed message satisfies one or more troubleshooting criteria. The one or more troubleshooting criteria may include one or more data element criteria, one or more event-based criteria, one or more time-based criteria, one or more logical operators or a combination thereof. The method can be implemented using a computer program embodied on a computer readable medium having one or more code segments to perform the method steps.
US09577881B2
Aspects of a method and system for managing quality of service via a broadband gateway are provided. In this regard, a broadband gateway that supports one or more first QoS protocols may determine, based on communications with a plurality of communication devices, whether each of the plurality of communication devices supports the one or more first QoS protocols. The gateway may communicate a result of the determination to a content provider and/or service provider. In this manner, the content provider and/or service provider may determine whether to utilize one or more second QoS protocols to deliver content to a particular one of said plurality of communication devices based on whether said particular of communication devices based on whether said particular one of said plurality of communication devices supports the one or more first QoS protocols. The gateway may be operable to map between QoS protocols.
US09577878B2
Methods and systems for implementing geographic awareness in a distributed strict queue are disclosed. A plurality of queue servers are selected to receive a plurality of messages from a plurality of queue producers. The queue servers are selected from a pool of available queue servers to optimize the performance of a distributed strict queue system. The plurality of messages are distributed to the queue servers based on strict order parameters for the messages. Messages that share a value for the strict order parameter are distributed to the same queue server. The messages are enqueued at the queue servers. Messages that share a value for the strict order parameter are enqueued in a strict order based on the time of receipt at the queue server.
US09577873B2
A method and an apparatus for providing a flexible secondary data path control, said method comprising the steps of: detecting (S1) a primary data path failure of a primary data path between a customer premise site (3) and a central office site (4); initiating (S2) a corresponding secondary data path if a primary data path failure of said primary data path has been detected; initiating (S3) a measurement of data path characteristics of said initiated secondary path or utilizing constantly monitored data path characteristics of paths for an available secondary data path; and determining (S4) services to be provided via said secondary data path depending on the measured data path characteristics of said secondary data path.
US09577865B2
A receiver may comprise: a symbol receiver configured to receive a first modulated symbol at a first resolution and thereafter a second modulated symbol at a second resolution greater than the first resolution; an output path coupled to the symbol receiver and configured to forward the first modulated symbol; a decision device coupled to the symbol receiver and configured to determine a most probable symbol represented by the first modulated symbol; a phase detector coupled to the decision device and configured to compare the first modulated symbol and the most probable symbol to generate a phase error value; and a phase modifier coupled to the decision device and configured to determine a phase correction value based on the phase error value and to adjust the phase of the second modulated symbol based on the phase correction value.
US09577862B2
A method for performing an adaptive modulation and coding scheme in a mobile communication system. Including receiving a signal and selecting a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) level from an MCS subset of an MCS set considering information derived from the signal, by a mobile station. The MCS subset is selected in accordance with a service type related to the mobile station and the MCS subset is configured with one or more MCS levels, the MCS set is represented by 5 bits and the MCS subset is represented by 4 bits to indicate MCS value, respectively, and the 4 bits of the MCS subset is a part of the 5 bits of the MCS set.
US09577858B2
A radio frequency communication system includes a radio frequency transmitter having a chirp generator operable to transmit a first chirp signal, and transmit a second chirp signal that is circular shifted relative to the first chirp signal. A receiver receives the first chirp signal and the second chirp signal, such that the proportion of phase offset between the first and second chirp signals is proportional to the frequency offset of the received signals. The first and second chirp signals are despread, and the phase difference between the first and second chirp signals is used to determine a frequency offset of the received first and second chirp signals that is proportional to the phase difference between the first and second chirp signals.
US09577852B2
A common-mode suppressor for eliminating common-mode noise in high frequency differential data transmission systems and an associated method includes a long coiled differential transmission line configured to transfer data between a source and a load. The differential transmission line comprises a first conductive wire and a second conductive wire which are inductively and capacitively coupled and are laterally aligned or vertically aligned with each other. Further, the differential transmission line is matched for differential signals and un-matched for common-mode noise.
US09577838B2
A device and method for multicasting data in a wireless network. The method includes receiving multicast data at a specific node of the wireless network, the multicast data including a multicast acknowledgement request; and determining by the specific node whether or not the specific node is requested to send an acknowledgement to the multicast acknowledgement request. Also, a device and method for multicasting data in a wireless network. The method includes transmitting multicast data, the multicast data including a multicast acknowledgement request, the multicast acknowledgement request including information configured to enable a specific node of the wireless network to determine whether or not the specific node is requested to send an acknowledgement to the multicast acknowledgement request.
US09577837B2
Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for discovering a communication entity. The apparatus for discovering a communication entity includes a list generation unit for generating a list of connection target Data Readers (DRs), a counter generation unit for generating a counter including information about a number of the connection target DRs, and a discovery message communication unit for establishing communication connections to the connection target DRs based on the list and the counter. The discovery message communication unit includes a transmission unit for transmitting a DR discovery message including data topic information or possible service quality information to each of the connection target DRs, and a reception unit for receiving a Data Writer (DW) discovery message including data topic information or possible service quality information from each of the connection target DRs.
US09577832B2
A processor includes a hash register and a hash generating circuit. The hash generating circuit includes a novel programmable nonlinearizing function circuit as well as a modulo-2 multiplier, a first modulo-2 summer, a modulor-2 divider, and a second modulo-2 summer. The nonlinearizing function circuit receives a hash value from the hash register and performs a programmable nonlinearizing function, thereby generating a modified version of the hash value. In one example, the nonlinearizing function circuit includes a plurality of separately enableable S-box circuits. The multiplier multiplies the input data by a programmable multiplier value, thereby generating a product value. The first summer sums a first portion of the product value with the modified hash value. The divider divides the resulting sum by a fixed divisor value, thereby generating a remainder value. The second summer sums the remainder value and the second portion of the input data, thereby generating a hash result.
US09577829B1
A system and method of performing a multi-party computation by determining a function for use in the multi-party computation, receiving a plurality of input values for the function, evaluating the function based at least in part on the plurality of input values to generate a result wherein the result is not usable to determine an input of the plurality of input values, and providing an output based at least in part on the result.
US09577827B2
There is provided an information processing device including a secret key generator that generates a secret key from a random number received from an external device that provides a service, and a given value, a public key generator that generates a public key on the basis of the secret key by using a function identically set in a plurality of the services, a transmitter that transmits the public key to the external device, and an authentication processor that conducts authentication with the external device using the secret key.
US09577824B2
Methods and systems for delivering a segmented content item from a server to a first and second device are provided. A first key is used to encrypt the segmented content item into a first plurality of encrypted segments and a second key is used to encrypt the segmented content item into a second plurality of encrypted segments. The first and second keys are different. The first plurality of encrypted segments is delivered to the first device, and the second plurality of encrypted segments is delivered to the second device.
US09577821B2
Disclosed is a function masking apparatus in a symmetric cryptographic algorithm for preventing side channel attacks, including: a controller creating lookup tables for one or more internal functions included in a high security and light weight (HIGHT) algorithm, respectively based on a plurality of non-linear functions, a plurality of linear functions, and a plurality of constants which are randomly generated; and a storage unit storing the lookup tables for one or more internal functions included in the generated HIGHT algorithm.
US09577820B2
An elastic gear First-In-First-Out (FIFO) buffer architecture is disclosed. The proposed elastic gear FIFO buffer uses a frequency monitor unit to control clock frequency compensation. By using an independent frequency monitor unit, the data latency and FIFO buffer size are best optimized. An elastic gear FIFO could be utilized in applications where clock compensation and asynchronous data width conversion are desired or required.
US09577815B1
A communications system receiver is described providing automatic timing adjustment of receive data sampling. A concurrently received clock signal is used as both a reference for generation of internal receiver timing signals, and as an exemplar for adjustment of those timing signals to optimize received data sample timing.
US09577814B2
A method and apparatus for allocating resources in a base station (BS) in a carrier aggregation (CA) system is provided. The method and apparatus includes configuring a first cell and a second cell for a first user equipment (UE), identifying at least one second subframes of the first cell, the at least one second subframe being associated with feedback information to be received in a first subframe of the first cell, and at least one third subframes of the second cell, determining whether there is a downlink (DL) data transmission in the at least one third subframe of the second cell, and determining to allocate the other frequency resources, which are other than a frequency resource used for transmission of the feedback information in the first subframe, to a second UE, if there is no DL data transmission in the at least one third subframe of the second cell.
US09577812B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for aggregating a plurality of cells. According to the method, a first cell may determine whether to add one or a plurality of second cells for user equipment. Here, a maximum number of cells are determined depending on a number of cells that belong to the first cell and the one or the plurality of second cells and whose reference configuration has been set as a specific Time Division Duplex (TDD) UL-DL configuration and a number of cells that have been actually set as the specific TDD UL-DL configuration. Also, the first cell may transmit a configuration for adding one or a plurality of second cells to the user equipment based on the determined maximum number of cells.
US09577805B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for transmitting an SRS in a multi-antenna system. The method comprises the steps of: acquiring specific information for discriminating a first antenna group and a second antenna group from among a plurality of antennas, wherein said first antenna group includes one or more antennas which are set to a turned-on state to perform communication with a base station, and said second antenna group includes one or more other antennas which are set to a turned-off state; transmitting an SRS to the base station if a predetermined condition is satisfied, under the condition that the second antenna group is set to the turned-off state; and setting the second antenna group to a turned-off state after the transmission of the SRS.
US09577803B2
Techniques are disclosed for ACK/NAK bit bundling in carrier aggregation scenarios. Such measures exemplarily comprise generating a set of acknowledgement bits confirming receipt of payload data of a radio frame in a carrier aggregation mode aggregating a primary and at least one secondary carrier, said radio frame being divided into a plurality of downlink subframes and uplink subframes, each of said downlink subframes comprising at least one codeword per carrier, each of said acknowledgement bits is allocated to one of said codewords of one of said downlink subframes, and applying spatial domain bundling and/or time domain bundling on said set of acknowledgement bits distinctive for each of said primary and said at least one secondary carrier, wherein said spatial domain bundling is an AND operation of all acknowledgement bits allocated to each codeword of one carrier of said primary and said at least one secondary carrier and one downlink subframe.
US09577792B2
A method for allocating resources in a mobile communication system is provided. The resource allocation method includes determining whether a transmission time of response information indicating presence/absence of an error in received data overlaps a transmission time of channel state information; and when the transmission times overlap each other, allocating, to the response information, a resource block for the channel state information, cyclic shift values in a frequency domain, and orthogonal sequences having orthogonality in a time domain.
US09577791B2
Methods and apparatus for implementing notification by network elements of packet drops. In response to determining a packet is to be dropped, a network element such as a switch or router determines the source of the packet and returns a dropped packet notification message to the source. Upon receipt of notification, networking software or embedded hardware on the source causes the dropped packet to be retransmitted. The notification may also be sent from the network element to the destination computer to inform networking software or embedded logic implemented by the destination computer that the packet was dropped and notification to the source has been sent, thus alleviating the destination from needing to send a Selective ACKnowledge (SACK) message to inform the source the packet was not delivered. (Too narrow)
US09577789B2
A receiving circuit for a digital television is provided. The receiving circuit of the digital television, adapted to process a digital television signal to generate transmission data, includes: a front-end circuit, configured to process the digital television signal to generate an interleaved signal; a setting unit, configured to provide a setting value associated with a digital video standard of the digital television signal; a frequency de-interleaving and time de-interleaving circuit, configured to select a frequency de-interleaving scheme and a time de-interleaving scheme corresponding to different digital video standards according to the setting value, and to process the interleaved signal to generate a de-interleaved signal; a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) demapping circuit, configured to demap the de-interleaved signal to generate a demapped signal; and a decoder, configured to decode the demapped signal to generate the transmission data.
US09577785B2
Provided are processes for suppressing jamming signals that may include use of a signal processing circuit. A signal processing circuit can be configured to obtain a jamming signal and a feedback signal, process the jamming signal and the feedback signal to determine a cancellation signal for use in suppressing the jamming signal, and output the cancellation signal to a radio-frequency transmitter. The signal processing circuit may be further configured to obtain a transmission signal, determine a jamming channel from the jamming signal and a feedback channel from the feedback signal, and combine the transmission channel, jamming channel, and feedback channel to determine a transfer function, where the transfer function is configured to determine the cancellation signal.
US09577784B2
A method, device, and system for secure end-to-end audio recognition is disclosed. A client device launches an application that connects with a server. The client device and server exchange cryptographic keys and establish a secure connection and a shared cryptographic key. The server transmits an encrypted audio prompt to the client device. The client device decrypts the encrypted audio prompt and stores the decrypted audio prompt in secure memory inaccessible to the operating system using an audio engine of the client device. The audio engine then retrieves the audio and renders it for the user through the speakers of the client device. The client device captures the user's audio response with a microphone and stores the audio response in the secure memory. The stored audio response is encrypted and transmitted to the server.
US09577779B2
A method for generating a virtual codebook of low peak to average power ratio (PAPR) sequences includes generating a plurality of low PAPR combination block sequences, with each low PAPR combination block sequence including at least one of a plurality of sparse codebook, and applying time domain hopping to the plurality of low PAPR combination block sequences, thereby producing a virtual codebook. The method also includes storing the virtual codebook.
US09577776B2
The present invention is designed to provide a communication system, a local area base station apparatus, a mobile terminal apparatus and a communication method that can provide highly efficient local area radio access. In a communication system in which a mobile terminal apparatus performs radio communication with a wide area base station apparatus that covers a wide area, using a first carrier frequency, and performs radio communication with a local area base station apparatus that covers a local area, using a second carrier frequency, the wide area base station apparatus allocates different frequencies between the uplink and the downlink in the first carrier frequency and communicates with the mobile terminal apparatus, and the local area base station apparatus dynamically switches between the uplink and the downlink in the second carrier frequency on a per time basis based on the communication environment, and communicates with the mobile terminal apparatus.
US09577775B2
Provided are a synchronization track reference signal transmission processing, receiving processing method and apparatus. According to the transmission processing method, a base station configures, for a new carrier, subframe pattern information used for a synchronization track reference signal (STRS), wherein the subframe pattern information is used for describing at least one subframe for transmitting the STRS in a radio frame; and the base station transmits the configured subframe pattern information to user equipment. By applying the technical solution, the technical problems of being unable to transmit the STRS in a new carrier since there is not technical solution regarding how to transmit the STRS in the related technologies, etc. are solved, thereby achieving the transmission of the STRS in the new carrier.
US09577771B1
Systems and method for improving operation of a radio frequency system are provided. One embodiment provides a radio frequency system that includes an amplifier device with a first data path and a second data path. Additionally, the radio frequency system includes a controller that instructs the radio frequency system to transmit a calibration signal, which includes a first portion that excites the first data path and a second portion that excites the second data path; determines time skew between the first and second data paths based at least in part on phase shift between a first sample of a feedback signal and the first portion, phase shift between a second sample of the feedback signal and the second portion, or both; and instructs the radio frequency system to adjust delay applied on the first data path, the second data path, or both based at least on the time skew.
US09577759B2
The circuit monitors operation of an optoelectronic transceiver that includes a laser transmitter and a photodiode receiver. The circuit includes analog to digital conversion circuitry configured to convert a first analog signal corresponding to a first operating condition of said optoelectronic transceiver into a first digital value, and convert a second analog signal corresponding to a second operating condition of said optoelectronic transceiver into a second digital value corresponding to a second operating condition. The circuit also includes a memory configured to store the first digital value in a first memory location that is mapped to a predefined and unique first address and to store the second digital value in a second memory location that is mapped to a predefined and unique second address. The circuit includes an interface configured to enable a host external to the optoelectronic transceiver to access the first digital value using the first address and to access the second digital value using the second address.
US09577757B2
An optical transmitting unit comprises an integrated optical transmitter module including an LD, a TEC configured to heat or cool the LD, a thermal sensor configured to sense a temperature of the LD, and a package configured to house the LD, the thermal sensor, and the TEC, an MCU, and a temperature detection circuit configured to detect a temperature outside the package. The thermal sensor is thermally coupled with the TEC and is also thermally coupled with the outside of the package, and the MCU defines data output from the temperature detection circuit as an internal temperature when the LD is being energized, and estimates the data of internal temperature on the basis of the temperature detected with the thermal sensor and the data when the LD is not being energized.
US09577753B2
A TIA comprises a TIA core that converts a current signal to a voltage signal, a single-to-differential converter that generates a differential voltage signal from the voltage signal, a feedback circuit that generates a control signal from the differential voltage signal, a bypass circuit that generates the current signal by subtracting the bypass current from the input current so that an average value of the current signal is maintained at a predetermined value, and a monitor circuit that generates a monitor current proportional to the bypass current from the control signal.
US09577752B1
Systems and apparatus for a wirelessly-powered passive optical power meter device. In one aspect, an optical power meter device comprises a power circuit connected to one or more antennas, the circuit including an RF to DC converter that generates a DC power signal that provides a DC power source for the optical power meter from an RF signal received by the one or more antennas, a photodetector that generates a power measurement signal that measures the power of the optical input signal, and a communication circuit that is connected to the one or more antennas, the photodetector, and the power circuit that when powered by the DC power source generates a modulation signal that is responsive to the power measurement signal and that causes the one of the one or more antennas to convey the power measurement signal to a reader device that is transmitting the RF signal.
US09577750B2
A measurement device relates to a Halios system for measuring an optical transmission path, in which at least one receiver and a compensation transmitter are optically separated from each other by an optical barrier in such a matter that a direct irradiation of said receiver by said compensation transmitter is not possible. Said compensation transmitter and a transmitter are of the same type and/or have at least a common electric optical working point in an optical working point. Said optical barrier has a compensation path, characterized by a compensation window, which attenuates the light of the compensation transmitter before it hits the receiver in such a manner that the compensation transmitter and said transmitter are operated at least in an optical working point by a controller in said identical electro-optical working point.
US09577733B2
An intelligent backhaul system is disclosed for deployment in the presence of existing radio systems. A backhaul system for co-channel deployment with existing licensed and unlicensed wireless networks, including conventional cellular backhaul radios, Common Carrier Fixed Point-to-Point Microwave Service, Private Operational Fixed Point-to-Point Microwave Service and other FCC 47 C.F.R. §101 licensed microwave networks is disclosed. Processing and network elements to manage and control the deployment and management of backhaul of radios that connect remote edge access networks to core networks in a geographic zone which co-exist with such existing systems or other sources of interference within a radio environment are also disclosed.
US09577730B2
A system and methodology for exploiting channel correlation in time and/or frequency to reduce CQI feedback in wireless communications systems. By compressing CQI feedback at the receiver to reduce redundancy in CQI feedback information that results from the channel correlation, the average feedback rate is reduced. Redundancy in time may be removed from the CQI feedback by monitoring variations of the CQI information in time at the receiver so that a codebook index for a given reporting instance is communicated to the transmitter only if it differs from the codebook index for the previous reporting instance. Otherwise, no feedback is performed.
US09577719B2
The data to be supposed to be processed by a microcontroller unit (MCU) of the near-field wireless communication module in a wireless device is processed by a digital signal processor (DSP) of the module instead of the MCU in order to expedite processing of commands.
US09577717B2
Based on data acquired from a server via a predetermined network, a predetermined content is acquired. Further, based on data acquired from an information storage medium by performing near field communication with the information storage medium, a content that can be used in the same application as an application in which a content that can be acquired from the server via the predetermined network is used, or the same content is acquired.
US09577713B2
A method of aligning a capacitive wireless power transmission system, the method comprises: providing a transmitter device having a capacitive conductor; positioning a receiver device having a capacitive conductor in proximity to the capacitive conductor of the transmitter device; and aligning the capacitive conductors of the transmitter device and the receiver device with one another using a display panel on the receiver device to optimize a transfer of power between the capacitive conductors.
US09577705B2
This disclosure provides a network apparatus with communication ports, each connected to multiple channels, assigned a seed for eliminating the interference among the communication ports, and operable in a master or slave mode, each channel having a communication unit which comprises: an echo canceller, a near-end crosstalk (NEXT) canceller, a decision feedback equalizer, and a control unit configured for controlling the communication ports if the echo canceller and the decision feedback equalizer keep updating their filter coefficients according to the same symbol during a first pre-determined time-interval; wherein when more than two of the communication ports operate in the master mode, the control unit assigns different seeds to the more than two communication ports; and wherein when successive two of the communication ports operate in the slave mode, the control unit stops either the echo canceller or the NEXT canceller from updating their filter coefficients during a second pre-determined time-interval.
US09577701B2
A communication device includes a transmitter operable to couple to a plurality of transceivers via a plurality of transmission channels, transmit payload data via the plurality of transmission channels, and obtain monitored transmission conditions for one or more transmission channels in the plurality of transmission channels. During operation, the transmitter is further operable to generate reconfiguration request signals resultant from processing the monitored transmission conditions and transmit the reconfiguration request signals on transmission channels in the plurality of transmission channels.
US09577699B2
A method includes determining that an antenna shared between a Bluetooth transceiver and a WLAN transceiver is available to the WLAN transceiver based on an activity signal associated with the Bluetooth transceiver. Access to the shared antenna is provided to the WLAN transceiver based on the determination, and the WLAN transceiver is configured to use diversity in transacting WLAN signals via a plurality of antennas, including the shared antenna. Access to the shared antenna is transferred from the WLAN transceiver to the Bluetooth transceiver based on the activity signal.
US09577698B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of first inductors having a spiral shape and provided in a modulator of a transmitting side, and a plurality of second inductors having a horseshoe shape and provided in an oscillator of a receiving side, the plurality of second inductors being arranged such that an opening of plurality of second inductors is disposed opposite to the plurality of first inductors. The semiconductor device performs a transmission process and a reception process using a radio wave.
US09577695B2
A wireless communication accessory for a mobile communication device comprising: a casing that conforms, at least partially, to the outer shape of the mobile communication device; a processing circuit housed within the casing and configured to process a first data; and a wireless transmitter coupled to the processing circuit, where the transmitter is configured to transmit the first data. The wireless communication accessory may further comprise a wireless receiver that is configured to receive a second data from an external wireless device. The first data may be associated with any or all of the following: payment card information for processing purchase transactions; public transportation account information for processing travel credits on public transportation systems; and access card information for gaining access into restricted areas.
US09577694B1
A system and method provide a stable support for a portable electronic device such as a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, a smartphone, or the like. The system includes a support structure that rests on a table, a tray or other platform positioned proximate to a person using the portable electronic device. The support structure has a non-skid base positioned on the platform and has an upper surface positioned at a selected angle with respect to the base. The upper surface includes a recess that receives a configuration frame (or insert). The configuration frame includes an opening to receive and retain the portable electronic device. The configuration frame is rotatable to at least two positions to orient the portable electronic device in at least two orientations (e.g., portrait and landscape) with respect to the person. In certain embodiments, the presentation angle of the upper surface is variable.
US09577687B2
An interference cancellation system (ICS) may be used with a communication system to prevent or minimize interference from one or more sources. The ICS may receive radio RF signals comprised of one or more signals of interest (SOI) and multiple interfering signals. The ICS may use a sample of the interfering signals to cancel the interfering signals from the SOI. The multiple interfering signals may be converted into a single optical signal for cancellation. One or more optical cancellation paths may be used for interference cancellation. Each optical cancellation path may include an optical attenuator and/or an optical delay to achieve phase shifts and/or delays for interference cancellation.
US09577677B2
A method for transmitting data using a convolutional turbo code (CTC) encoder. Specifically, the method comprises: encoding input data bits, which have been input through two input ports of the CTC encoder; interleaving the input data bits using four CTC interleaver parameters P0, P1, P2 and P3 corresponding to sizes of the input data bits; encoding the interleaved data bits; and selectively transmitting the input data bits, the first encoded bits and the second encoded bits, in accordance with a predetermined coding rate. Here, P0 is a relative prime number to N, which is ½ of the size of each of the input data bits, P2 has a value of N−1, and an absolute value of a difference between P1 and P3 is 1.
US09577671B2
A parity check circuit may include a first signal combination unit for generating first to Nth combination signals by combining first to Nth signals, wherein a Kth (K is a natural number of 2≦K≦N) combination signal of the first to Nth combination signals is obtained by combining the first to Kth signals of the first to Nth signals, a parity check unit for detecting whether an error is present in the first to Nth signals in response to the Nth combination signal, a second signal combination unit for generating first to Nth reconstruction signals by combining the first to Nth combination signals, wherein a Kth reconstruction signal of the first to Nth reconstruction signals is obtained by combining a (K−1)th combination signal and the Kth combination signal of the first to Nth combination signals, and a signal storage unit for storing the first to Nth reconstruction signals.
US09577670B2
This invention relates to a system, method and computer program product for encoding an input string of binary characters including: a cellular data structure definition including a starting empty cell; one or more path definitions defining paths through the data structure; a character reading and writing engine for writing a binary character to an empty cell with a predefined initial position; a next cell determination engine for determining a next empty cell by methodically checking cells along one of the paths in the data structure until an empty cell is located; a loop facilitator for looping back to the writing next character step and the determining next cell step until there are no more data characters or a next empty cell is not determined; and a serialization deserialization engine for methodically serializing the data structure into a one dimensional binary string of characters representing an encoded string of alphanumeric characters.
US09577669B2
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for optimized message decoding are disclosed. According to one exemplary method, the method includes receiving a message containing one or more information elements (IEs). The method also includes determining a length associated with the message. The method further includes determining, using the length associated with message, whether the message can be accurately decoded using a mask stored in a memory. The method also includes in response to determining that the message can be accurately decoded using the mask, decoding the message using the mask.
US09577667B2
An arithmetic encoder is provided for converting an event sequence comprised of a plurality of events to an information sequence comprised of at least one information piece, and includes a core engine for receiving an event of the event sequence, and a probability estimate from a probability estimator, and generating zero or more pieces of the information sequence responsive to the received event and the probability estimate by bounding the ratio of events to information pieces. An arithmetic encoder is provided that is capable of constraining a number of events in at least one event sequence as a function of the number of generated information pieces in at least one information sequence. An arithmetic decoder is provided for converting an information sequence comprised of at least one information piece to an event sequence comprised of a plurality of events, and includes a core engine for processing at least one information piece of the information sequence from the sequencer responsive to a probability estimate received from a probability estimator to generate at least one event by accounting for a bounded ratio of events to information pieces in the information sequence.
US09577666B2
A method includes: setting a first and a second storage regions; first creating a first compression code of a compression target data in a file using a identifier indicating the data in the first storage region when a predetermined first consistency between the compression target data and the data in the first storage region is detected; comparing the compression target data with data in the second storage region when the predetermined first consistency between the compression target data and the data in the first storage region is not detected, the compression target data being moved to the second storage region after the comparing; and storing the compression target data into the first storage region associated with a identifier indicating the data in the first storage region when a predetermined second consistency between the compression target data and the data in the second storage region is detected.
US09577664B2
Circuits that are matched to balanced codes may recover transmitted information in a noise resilient and power efficient manner. Circuit components for processing a balanced code may include one or more of: matched amplification of the signals representing the balanced code, matched equalization and/or filtering on the signals representing the balanced code, matched non-linear filtering on the signaling representing the balanced code to detect the presence of particular symbols and matched latching of the signals representing the balanced code. Such matched circuits and circuit components may be achieved at least in part by incorporating suitable common circuit nodes and/or a single energy source into circuit topologies.
US09577659B2
An amplifier circuit has a sampling circuit to comprise a sampling capacitor which samples an input voltage and a plurality of switches, a quantizer to quantize an output voltage of the sampling circuit, a DA converter to output an analog signal depending on a quantization signal by the quantizer, and a feedback capacitor to feed the analog signal back to the output voltage of the sampling circuit.
US09577654B2
In an example embodiment, an analog-digital converter includes digital-analog converter, a comparator, and a register. The digital-analog converter is configured to output a differential voltage between a reference voltage and a voltage of an analog signal. The comparator is configured to output a comparison signal corresponding to the differential voltage output by the digital-analog converter. The register is configured to cause the digital-analog converter to generate N pairs of differential voltages (N≧1), to cause the digital-analog converter to generate an (N+1)th pair of differential voltages by causing one of a positive side and a negative side of the digital-analog converter to output an (N+1)th differential voltage and causing the other of the positive side and the negative side to output a differential voltage equal to the Nth differential voltage as an (N+1)th differential voltage, and to output a digital signal corresponding to a comparison signal having a smallest voltage among (N+1) comparison signals.
US09577644B2
According to one general aspect, an apparatus may include a plurality of stacked integrated circuit dies. The dies may include a memory cell die configured to store data in a random access fashion. The dies may also include a look-up table die comprising a random access memory array that, in turn, includes a reconfigurable look-up table. The reconfigurable look-up table may be configured to perform a logic function. The reconfigurable look-up table may include a plurality of random access memory cells configured to store a look-up table to perform a logic function, and a local row decoder configured to activate one or more rows of memory cells based upon a set of input signals. The look-up table stored in the plurality of memory cells may be configured to be dynamically altered via a memory write operation to the random access memory array.
US09577638B2
A digital signal up-converting apparatus includes: a clock generating circuit arranged to generate a reference clock signal; an adjusting circuit coupled to the clock generating circuit and arranged to generate a first clock signal and a second clock signal according to the reference clock signal; a baseband circuit coupled to the adjusting circuit for receiving the first clock signal, wherein the baseband circuit further generates a digital output signal according to the first clock signal; and a sampling circuit coupled to the adjusting circuit and the baseband circuit for receiving the second clock signal and the digital output signal, wherein the second clock signal and the digital output signal are non-overlapping; wherein the sampling circuit samples the digital output signal based on the second clock signal and then combines the sampled digital output signal in order to generate a combined digital signal.
US09577634B2
Described is an apparatus (e.g., a router) which comprises: multiple ports; and a plurality of crossbar circuits arranged such that at least one crossbar circuit receives all interconnects associated with a data bit of the multiple ports and is operable to re-route signals on those interconnects.
US09577627B2
First and second external terminals are connected to high-voltage and low-voltage terminals, respectively, of a direct-current voltage source circuit in which first and second direct-current voltage sources are connected in series. A third external terminal is connected to a connecting point between the first and second direct-current voltage sources. A first switching element is connected between the first and fourth external terminals. A second switching element is connected between the fourth and second external terminals. A first AC switch unit includes third and fourth switching elements connected in inverse series between the third and fourth external terminals. A second AC switch unit includes fifth and sixth switching elements connected in inverse series between the third and fourth external terminals. The first and second AC switch units are connected in parallel. The first and second switching elements and the first and second AC switch units are incorporated in one module.
US09577616B2
An exemplary level shifter includes a clock level shifter configured to generate a level shifted clock signal from an input clock signal; and a switched capacitor logic controller coupled to the clock level shifter. The switched capacitor logic controller is configured to steer the level shifted clock signal based on a data signal and the input clock signal, providing a level shifted version of the data signal.
US09577614B2
The invention detects the difference between the maximum signal and the minimum signal at each of a plurality of cycles separately when a sine wave is received. All differences are summed for generating a single detected signal for suppressing the interference of low-frequency noise. No synchronization with the sine wave is necessary and the detection can start at any phase of the sine wave.
US09577612B2
A power converter driver that is supplied with two different voltages.
US09577611B2
An integrated circuit may have a clock input pin coupled to a buffer (24). The buffer may supply a clock signal (28) to an integrated circuit chip such as the memory. To conserve power, the buffer is powered down. When ready for use, the buffer is quickly powered back up. In one embodiment, in response to a predetermined number of toggles Of the clock signal, the buffer is automatically powered up.
US09577603B2
A solidly mounted resonator (SMR) includes an acoustic resonator on a substrate, the acoustic resonator having multiple acoustic impedance layers having different acoustic impedances, respectively. The SMR further includes a bottom electrode on a top acoustic impedance layer of the plurality of acoustic impedance layers, a piezoelectric layer on the bottom electrode, a top electrode on the piezoelectric layer, and multiple lateral features on a surface of the top electrode. The lateral features include multiple stepped structures.
US09577600B2
Methods and systems for phase shifting include a hybrid quadrature coupler having an input, an output, and two termination loads. Each termination load includes multiple terminations, each termination having a varactor; and one or more transmission lines separating the terminations. A control module is configured to determine a phase shift and gain to apply to the input and to independently control a capacitance of each varactor such that the output of the hybrid quadrature coupler is shifted by the determined phase shift relative to the input with the determined gain.
US09577598B2
Disclosed herein is a thin film type common mode filter including: a base substrate made of an insulating material; a first insulating layer formed on the base substrate; a coil-shaped internal electrode formed on the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer formed on the internal electrode; an external electrode terminal having a vertical section connected to a side surface of the internal electrode and a horizontal section extended from an upper end of the vertical section toward a horizontal direction to thereby form a parallel surface spaced apart from the internal electrode by a predetermined distance; and a ferrite resin layer formed between the horizontal section of the external electrode terminal and the internal electrode.
US09577597B2
Provided is an LC composite component having a multi-layer substrate, a pattern coil, and a chip capacitive element. The multi-layer substrate is configured such that insulating layers are stacked. The pattern coil forms a coiled shape of which the coil axis extends along a stacking direction of the multi-layer substrate, and includes a coil conductor disposed between the insulating layers. The chip capacitive element includes a ceramic body having a relative permittivity higher than that of the insulating layers and counter electrodes. The chip capacitive element is at least partially disposed within the pattern coil.
US09577596B2
The invention is directed to synthesizing a personalized audio equalization filter based on an individual's hearing profile when listening to audio signals using a preferred electronic means of transduction and production of the audio signals through headphones, earphones, or loudspeakers and is presented in two steps. In the first step, the deviation of the listener's hearing profile, when the preferred listening device is donned, is measured and recorded relative to predetermined equal-loudness contours (e.g., ISO standard equal-loudness contours). The hearing profile is used to compute an equalization filter such that when the audio signal to be reproduced is played through the filter, the equal-loudness contour for a specified phon level is restored. Thus, the invention compensates for deviations of the user's listening device, the user's own hearing profile from a standard hearing profile that represents natural hearing, and other factors. The equalization filter can be adapted to any phon level through adaptation of filter coefficients as a function of the volume of the listening level.
US09577594B2
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for exchanging control functions of volume control units, and a terminal, which relate to the field of communications technologies and can make it more convenient for a user to adjust volume. The method includes: obtaining current placement status information of the terminal, where the placement status information is used to indicate a current placement status of the terminal, and at least two volume control units are disposed in the terminal; and exchanging volume control functions of the at least two volume control units when the current placement status of the terminal deviates from a normal placement status of the terminal, where the at least two volume control units include a volume control unit whose volume control function is to control volume to increase and a volume control unit whose volume control function is to control volume to decrease.
US09577591B2
A differential power amplifier has at least an input stage and an output stage. A first output stage amplifier is configured to receive a first portion of a differential signal from the input stage at a first output stage input and provide a first amplified signal at a first output stage output. The second output stage amplifier is configured to receive a second portion of the differential signal from the input stage at a second output stage input and provide a second amplified signal at a second output stage output. Power limiter circuitry is connected to the first and/or output stage inputs and is configured to limit a power level of the differential signal prior to being received at the output stage, such that the differential power amplifier and associated filters are not damaged, while the nominal performance of the differential power amplifier at rated power is not significantly affected.
US09577589B2
A circuit includes a differential input stage amplifier that receives a differential input voltage and generates an output voltage based on a difference in the differential input voltage. A feedback loop provides feedback from an output of the differential input stage amplifier to input tail current of the differential input stage amplifier. The feedback loop enables class AB operation of the differential input stage amplifier. At least one gain reducer is operatively coupled to the feedback loop to reduce the gain of the feedback loop. The gain reducer has a resistance value that varies inversely proportional to loop current in the feedback loop to reduce the gain of the feedback loop as loop current increases.
US09577582B2
A method is for reducing power dissipation in a switching amplifier. The method may include comparing a load current with a ripple current and, if the load current is greater than the ripple current, then detecting a first potential value at a first output terminal of the switching amplifier, detecting a second potential value at a second output terminal of the switching amplifier, detecting a third potential value between first and the second terminals of a first capacitor, and coupling the first terminal of the first capacitor to one of the first output terminal and the second output terminal. The second terminal of the first capacitor may be coupled to a reference voltage, the first output terminal, or the second output terminal based upon whether the first potential value or the second potential value is equal to the third potential value.
US09577581B2
A system for amplifying a signal with active power management according to one embodiment includes a first digital to analog converter (DAC) circuit configured to provide a modulated carrier signal; a amplifier circuit coupled to the first DAC, where the amplifier circuit is configured to amplify the modulated carrier signal; an output stage circuit coupled to the amplifier circuit, where the output stage circuit is configured to provide the amplified signal to a network; a second DAC circuit configured to provide a full wave rectified envelope of the modulated carrier signal; and a switching regulator circuit including a voltage reference input coupled to the second DAC circuit, where the switching regulator circuit is configured to provide a supply voltage to the output stage circuit and the supply voltage is modulated in response to the envelope received at the voltage reference input.
US09577578B2
An amplifying device includes an amplifying element that amplifies a fundamental wave signal, and a short stub that has an electric length one fourth a wavelength of the fundamental wave signal, and is connected to a line on an output side of the amplifying element, the short stub being used as both a bias circuit that supplies a certain bias voltage to the amplifying element and a reflection circuit with respect to a harmonic signal that has a frequency twice a frequency of the fundamental wave signal, wherein the short stub has a pattern width that is larger than a pattern width of the line.
US09577577B2
An apparatus includes a cascode amplifier. The cascode amplifier includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The cascode amplifier is configured to receive a first bias voltage, a second bias voltage, and a signal. The cascode amplifier is also configured to amplify the signal based at least on the first bias voltage and the second bias voltage. The apparatus also includes a first feedback module and a second feedback module. The first feedback module is configured to adjust the first bias voltage based at least on the amplified signal. The second feedback module is configured to adjust the second bias voltage based at least on a voltage distribution across the first transistor and the second transistor. A system and method for maintaining cascode amplifier performance are also provided.
US09577571B2
A solar panel mounting apparatus for use in securing a frame with a solar panel stored therein to a roof of a building includes a non-hollow member with a lower cross-sectional profile and enhanced strength. The apparatus includes a rail coupled to the frame and the roof, the rail having a cross-sectional profile comprising an upper cavity, a first side cavity, a second side cavity and a third side cavity, a first set of fasteners coupled to the frame and the upper cavity, and a second set of fasteners coupled to the roof and the first side cavity or the second side cavity. The upper cavity has a substantially pentagonal cross-sectional shape, the first side cavity has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape, the second side cavity has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape, and the third side cavity has a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional shape.
US09577561B2
A method for suppressing a speed fluctuation of a permanent magnet synchronous motor is provided in the present disclosure, including: obtaining a target speed ω_ref, a feedback speed, a fluctuation speed Δω, a q-axis inductance Lq and a permanent magnet flux linkage φf of the permanent magnet synchronous motor; performing a PI adjusting on Δω to obtain a q-axis reference current Iq_ref, and obtaining a q-axis target voltage U*q according to Iq_ref, ω_ref, Δω and φf; performing a PI control on a q-axis actual voltage according to U*q to obtain a q-axis compensation current Iq_add; obtaining a d-axis target voltage U*d according to Iq_ref, Iq_add, ω_ref, Δω and Lq; performing a PI control on a d-axis actual voltage according to U*d to obtain a d-axis compensation current Id_add; superposing Iq_add and Iq_ref to perform a feedforward compensation on a q-axis current and superposing Id_add and the d-axis reference current to perform a feedforward compensation on a d-axis current.
US09577559B2
An apparatus for controlling power generation of a vehicle includes an alternator for generating electricity using an engine torque. A controller is configured to calculate a difference between a first duty value and a second duty value and to transmit a control signal based on the difference. The first duty value is an output duty value of the alternator before reaching a predetermined time, and the second duty value is a current output duty value of the alternator. A regulator gradually increases the amount of power generated by the alternator during a delay time based on the control signal received from the controller.
US09577558B2
A power management system having automatic calibration is disclosed. The power management system may have an alternator and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit may be configured to determine a reference voltage based on at least one measured operating condition of the alternator. The reference voltage may correspond to an overloading threshold of the alternator. The electronic control unit may be further configured to monitor a voltage of the alternator and, when the monitored voltage is less than the reference voltage, perform a corrective action to increase a power output of the alternator.
US09577553B2
The invention relates to a drive arrangement for the motor-operated adjustment of an adjusting element in a motor vehicle, wherein the drive arrangement comprises two electrical drives having in each case a drive motor and a control device, wherein in the assembled state the drives act in the same manner on the adjusting element and are embodied in an essentially identical manner apart from deviations that are a result of tolerances, wherein the control device influences the two drive motors by a pulse width modulation voltage (“PWM” voltage). It is proposed that the control device influences the two drive motors by PWM voltages having PWM switching frequencies that vary continuously during the adjustment process in such a manner that the PWM switching frequencies that are allocated to the two drive motors are different from each other at least for periods of time.
US09577547B2
A power conversion device converts three-phase AC power into DC power by two-arm PWM modulation control and includes a main circuit that is constituted by a plurality of switching elements that are bridge-connected therein; a voltage-command generation unit that generates a voltage command value for the main circuit; a current detection unit that detects at least one of output currents of the main circuit; a power-factor calculation unit that calculates a power factor on the basis of the output current and the voltage command value; a carrier-signal generation unit that generates a carrier signal of a frequency corresponding to the power factor; and a PWM-signal generation unit 6 that compares the voltage command value and the carrier signal to generate a PWM signal that executes switching control on the switching elements.
US09577542B2
The present invention discloses a constant on-time isolated converter comprising a transformer with a primary side and a secondary side. The primary side is connected to an electronic switch and secondary-side is connected to a load and a processor. The processor is connected to a driver on primary side through at least one coupling element and to the electronic switch. The processor receives an output voltage or an output current across the load generating a control signal accordingly. The driver receives the control signal through the coupling element and accordingly changes the ON/OFF state of the electronic switch, regulating the output voltage and the output current via the transformer, where the duration of the ON/OFF state of the electronic switch is determined between the moment control signal changes from negative to positive and the moment it changes from positive to negative to achieve a high-speed load transient response.
US09577539B2
A power supply device includes a transformer, a rectification smoothing circuit having positive and negative output ends that rectifies and smoothes an induced voltage at a secondary winding of the transformer so as to generate a direct current voltage between positive and negative output terminals, a serial connection terminal to which another power supply device is connectable and is connected to the positive output end, the negative output terminal is connected to the negative output end, the reverse flow prevention rectifying device is connected between the positive output end and the positive output terminal, its forward direction faces toward the positive output terminal, and the bypass rectifying device is connected between the positive output end and the negative output end, its forward direction faces toward the positive output end. Therefore, a plurality of power supply devices are easily connected in series without providing external diodes for each power supply device.
US09577535B2
A power conversion apparatus includes a switch circuit which drives switching elements based on a control signal, a feedback section which performs feedback control, a signal output section which outputs the control signal based on a controlled variable of the feedback control, an output value detecting section which detects an output value outputted from the switch circuit, and an operation determining unit which has an operation stop determination section which determines whether to stop operation of the switching elements based on a rate of change of the output value, and an operation start determination section which determines whether to start operation of the switching elements based on the controlled variable.
US09577533B2
In one embodiment, a control circuit configured for an interleaved switching power supply having first and second voltage conversion circuits, can include: a feedback compensation signal generation circuit that generates a feedback compensation signal; a first power switch control circuit that activates a first on signal when a first voltage signal that represents an inductor current of the first voltage conversion circuit is less than the feedback compensation signal, a first power switch of the first voltage conversion circuit being turned on based on the first on signal, and turned off after a predetermined time; and a second power switch control circuit that activates a second on signal after half of a switching period from a rising edge of the first on signal, and a second power switch control signal to turn on a second power switch of the second voltage conversion circuit based on the second on signal.
US09577530B1
A power converter circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a capacitor connected across first and second output terminals, an inductor configured to receive current from a power source, and a main switch configured to selectively conduct current from the inductor to a ground. The circuit also includes a diode configured to conduct current from the inductor to the capacitor, and a second switch connected in parallel with the diode, where the second switch is configured to selectively conduct current from the capacitor to the inductor.
US09577529B2
An energy harvesting circuit is based on a switch mode inductive DC-DC converter circuit. The inductor current is sensed and a duration of an on-time is controlled in dependence on the sensed inductor current. A duration of an overall switching period of the converter circuit is controlled in dependence on an on-time set by a first timing control circuit and input and output voltages. This converter circuit enables independent control of the on-time and a full period of a converter cycle. Very rapid switching can be avoided which can give rise to very high energy consumption. The full cycle period can be set to achieve a desired constant value of an input resistance of the DC-DC converter, and thereby maximize power transfer.
US09577525B2
A dead time detector detects when a dead time occurs in a switching regulator comprising a high-side switch and a low-side switch and generates an output signal based on a duration of the dead time. A first circuit generates a first turn-on signal to turn on the high-side switch and a first turn-off signal to turn off the low-side switch based on the output signal in response to a first edge of a pulse width modulated pulse. A second circuit generates a second turn-on signal to turn on the low-side switch and a second turn-off signal to turn off the high-side switch based on the output signal in response to a second edge of the pulse width modulated pulse. A controller generates drive signals to drive the high-side and low-side switches based on the first and second turn-on and turn-off signals.
US09577516B1
A radio-frequency (RF) generator is provided that produces a controlled overshoot. One embodiment includes a RF power amplifier and a direct-current (DC) power supply that includes a primary DC power supply, an auxiliary DC power supply, a half-bridge circuit, and a control circuit. The half-bridge circuit, in a first switching state, electrically connects, in series, the auxiliary DC power supply with the primary DC power supply and, in a second switching state, electrically disconnects the auxiliary DC power supply from the primary DC power supply. The control circuit places the half-bridge circuit in the first switching state for a first period of time and places the half-bridge circuit in the second switching state for a second period of time to produce a controlled overshoot in the power produced by the RF generator throughout the first period of time.
US09577508B2
Power-supply ripple rejection (PSRR) at high frequencies is improved for an LDO voltage regulator with an NMOS pass transistor (MN1). A ripple voltage (Vripple) present on the input voltage causes a ripple current (Iripple) through parasitic gate-drain capacitance of the pass transistor. A small ripple current (Ifraction) proportional to the ripple current (Iripple) is generated and amplified to generate a cancellation current (Icancel). The cancellation current is drawn from the gate of NMOS pass transistor (MN1) to cancel the ripple current so that no net ripple current flows through the finite output impedance of an error amplifier (2), to thereby achieve the PSRR improvement.
US09577492B2
A marine propulsion device, including an engine including a crankshaft, and a power generator including a rotor configured to be rotated by the crankshaft, and a stator arranged to face the rotor, the stator including a first coil group and a second coil group each configured to generate alternating current (AC), the second coil group being configured to generate more electric power than the first coil group. The marine propulsion device further includes a rectifier configured to rectify the AC generated by the first coil group to thereby obtain a first direct current (DC), and to output the first DC to a first battery, a converting device configured to convert the AC generated by the second coil group into a second DC, and a transformation device configured to transform a voltage of the second DC, and to output the voltage-transformed DC to a second battery.
US09577481B2
A rotor as disclosed for an electric machine which includes a rotor core having a plurality of rotor sheets stacked in an axial direction, each of the plurality of rotor sheets having a plurality of flux paths made of a material of high permeance, a plurality of flux barriers made of a material of low permeance, a plurality of bridges made of a material of high permeance, each of the plurality of bridges extending across a corresponding flux barrier, and at least one axial magnet located axially adjacent a corresponding bridge and configured to saturate the corresponding bridge, each axial magnet being axially pressed between two elements at least one of which is a bridge corresponding to the axial magnet.
US09577475B2
An electronic device includes: a power receiving section configured to receive electric power transmitted using a magnetic field or an electric field; and a state informing section configured to inform a device state of the electronic device, by using the electric power received by the power receiving section. When an abnormal state is detected as the device state, the state informing section also informs the abnormal state by using the received electric power. A feed unit includes: a power transmission section configured to perform electric power transmission using a magnetic field or an electric field, to a device to be fed; and a control section configured to continue the electric power transmission by the power transmission section, even when an abnormal state in the device to be fed is detected.
US09577471B2
A power system for providing an uninterruptible power supply to an external load has a first motor adapted to be connected to a source of power, a flywheel/generator adapted to supply power to the external load, a standby generator switchably electrically connected to the flywheel/generator, and a second motor drivingly connected to the generator/motor and to the internal combustion engine. The second motor is electrically connected to the power supplied by the flywheel/generator. The first motor is drivingly connected to the flywheel/generator. The flywheel/generator is electrically isolated from the source of power. The standby generator has an internal combustion engine that is driving connected to a generator/motor. The generator/motor is adapted to supply power to the flywheel/generator or the external load upon a change in power supplied by the flywheel/generator or the source of power. The second motor is an AC squirrel cage induction motor.
US09577466B2
A wireless charging system for a vehicle may include: a power transmitter having a plurality of transmitting coils; and a controller configured to measure a current and a voltage of each of the plurality of transmitting coils and to apply charging power only to a subset of the plurality of transmitting coils based on a magnitude of the measured current and voltage of each of the plurality of transmitting coils.
US09577460B2
There are provided a wireless charging device and a control method thereof, the wireless charging device including: a receiving module receiving power from the outside in a magnetic induction scheme or a magnetic resonance scheme to thereby charge a battery; and an input signal determining unit receiving an input signal from the outside and determining characteristics of the input signal, wherein the receiving module includes a reception controlling unit controlling the receiving module to be operated in the magnetic induction scheme or the magnetic resonance scheme according to the characteristics of the input signal received from the input signal determining unit.
US09577459B2
Systems and methods are provided for regulating the transfer of energy inductively between an implantable device and an external charging system, wherein the energy transfer rate is regulated by varying an operating frequency of an inductive energy transfer circuit of the implantable device responsive a temperature measured within the implantable device.
US09577454B2
A method for operating a plurality of energy storage devices includes controlling operation of the plurality of energy storage devices connected in series by independently varying a current and/or bypassing and/or reversing a polarity of at least one of the plurality of energy storage devices without a corresponding change in current, bypass, or reversal of polarity of one or more of the other energy storage devices connected in series.
US09577448B2
Described herein are techniques related to one or more systems, apparatuses, methods, etc. for implementing a wireless charging and a wireless connectivity in a device.
US09577447B2
Disclosed herein are a coil resonant coupler for short distance wireless power communication and a short distance wireless power transmitting apparatus comprising the same. The coil resonant coupler for short distance wireless power communication comprises a first coil installed perpendicularly to a first axis; a second coil installed perpendicularly to a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and a third coil installed perpendicularly to a third axis perpendicular to each of the first and second axes. The short distance wireless power transmitting apparatus comprises a primary side core comprising the above-described coil resonant coupler, a position sensing unit which senses a position of the wireless power receiving apparatus to generate position information, and a transmission controlling unit which controls the primary side core based on the position information.
US09577440B2
A portable inductive power source, power device, or unit, for use in powering or charging electrical, electronic, battery-operated, mobile, and other devices is disclosed herein. In accordance with an embodiment the system comprises a pad or similar base unit that contains a primary, which creates an alternating magnetic field by means of applying an alternating current to a winding, coil, or any type of current carrying wire. A receiver comprises a means for receiving the energy from the alternating magnetic field from the pad and transferring it to a mobile or other device. In some embodiments the receiver can also comprise electronic components or logic to set the voltage and current to the appropriate levels required by the mobile device, or to communicate information or data to and from the pad. Embodiments may also incorporate efficiency measures that improve the efficiency of power transfer between the charger and receiver.
US09577439B2
Disclosed herein is a power relaying apparatus provided between: a power supplying apparatus including a power supplying resonance device and a power supplying power supply section for supplying an AC current to the power supplying resonance device; and a power receiving apparatus having a power receiving resonance device for receiving a power from the power supplying apparatus by adoption of a resonance method, the power relaying apparatus including a power relaying resonance device resonating between the power supplying resonance device and the power receiving resonance device, wherein the power relaying resonance device is fixed at a predetermined position by making use of an insulation member.
US09577435B2
In one aspect of the teachings herein, demand responsive loads are selected for involvement in a given DR event using an advantageous approach to selection that is based on using a mathematical network model to evaluate power loss in a power distribution network as a function of different combinations of demand responsive load selections and corresponding load reduction values. The mathematical network model comprises a mathematical representation of the power distribution network as a multi-phase unbalanced distribution network, including mathematical representations of the physical components in the power distribution network and the connecting relationships of those components. As overall power loss in the system is a function of different combinations of demand responsive load selections, the mathematical network model is used to evaluate system power loss under different demand response load selections, in a manner that automatically accommodates mesh networks and other complex network topologies, distributed generation sources, etc.
US09577434B2
The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for allocating amounts of energy for prosumers, wherein the prosumers provide minimum and maximum amounts of energy for a future interval of time and the respective amounts of energy from the prosumers are generated in such a manner that, on the one hand, a relative position of the amount of energy within an interval for the particular prosumer, as defined by the minimum amount of energy and the maximum amount of energy, assumes an identical value for all prosumers and, on the other hand, a sum of the amounts of energy from all prosumers produces a value of zero. The invention can be used in the distribution of amounts of energy in a power supply system having conventional energy producers and energy consumers as well as in novel participants in the power supply system which can both consume and provide energy, for example an electric vehicle.
US09577433B2
An energy supply network for an aircraft or spacecraft, comprising at least one energy generating device for generating electrical energy, comprising at least two energy control devices, at least one of which is coupled directly to at least one of the energy generating devices and which are adapted each to provide a controlled supply voltage so as to supply electrical loads located in the aircraft with energy, and comprising a high-voltage direct current transmission device, which couples the at least two energy control devices to one another by means of high-voltage direct current transmission. Further, a method for supplying energy, and an aircraft or spacecraft.
US09577432B2
A system includes a plurality of smart outlets and a backend system in wireless communication with the smart outlets. The smart outlets are configured to provide electrical power from an electrical system to respective power loads, and configured to measure power consumption characteristics thereof the respective power loads. The power consumption characteristics may include real power, apparent power or a combination thereof consumed by the respective power loads. The backend system may be configured to wirelessly receive the power consumption characteristics from the smart outlets for analysis in accordance with a power distribution schedule of the electrical system, and wirelessly transmit a command signal to one or more of the smart outlets in various instances response to the analysis. This command signal may instruct the respective one or more smart outlets to shed or restore power to respective power loads from the electrical system.
US09577430B2
Disclosed is an electronic device, which includes an external power supply unit configured to receive power from an external power source and an auxiliary power storage unit configured to be charged upon receiving the power from the external power supply unit and store the power. The electronic device further includes a first switching element connected to the external power supply unit and the auxiliary power storage unit, the first switching element configured to select any one of the external power supply unit and the auxiliary power storage unit as a power source, a power information receiver configured to receive power information including at least one of electric rate information and power demand information, and a controller configured to control the first switching element based on the power information received from the power information receiver.
US09577428B2
Methods and apparatus for packetized energy distribution are provided. A data and power delivery network, called a digital grid, is provided to facilitate delivery of power upon request. Energy bits (quanta) serve as a means to deliver energy as well as coding. Voltage pulses of varying time scales are used for coding and current levels help to accurately meet customer's demand. Energy is sent as packets (a combination of energy bits), and specific energy packets are addressed to specific customers permitting accurate monitoring and distribution of electrical energy.
US09577426B2
An integrated circuit chip includes a first input port, a first output port, and first and second transistors electrically coupled in series across the first input port. The second transistor is also electrically coupled across the first output port and is adapted to provide a path for current flowing through the first output port when the first transistor is in its non-conductive state. The integrated circuit chip additionally includes first driver circuitry for driving gates of the first and second transistors to cause the transistors to switch between their conductive and non-conductive states. The integrated circuit chip further includes first controller circuitry for controlling the first driver circuitry such that the first and second transistors switch between their conductive and non-conductive states to at least substantially maximize an amount of electric power extracted from an electric power source electrically coupled to the first input port.
US09577425B1
A photovoltaic (PV) system has a plurality of PV panels that convert solar energy into electrical energy. Each PV panel is coupled to a respective switching power converter. A parameter (e.g., voltage or current) of a combined current signal from each of the switching power converters is sensed, and a controller controls the duty cycle of each switching power converter in order to maximize the sensed parameter. In this regard, the controller adjusts the duty cycles of the power switching converters in groups while the duty cycles of other power switching converters are held constant in order to set the duty cycles for maximum power transfer, thereby accounting for variations in the power output by each PV panel.
US09577421B2
The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for operating a wind turbine connected to a power grid. The method includes receiving, via a controller, one or more current feedback signals from one or more electric current sensors of the wind turbine. Another step includes determining, via the controller, if a ground fault is occurring in the wind turbine based on the current feedback signals. In response to detecting a ground fault, the method includes tripping one or more electrical components of the wind turbine and electrically de-coupling the wind turbine from the power grid.
US09577420B2
An arc fault circuit interrupter is disclosed. This arc fault circuit interrupter can include any one or more of three different sensors such as a high frequency sensor, and any one of lower frequency sensors such as a current sensor or a differential sensor. The arc fault circuit interrupter can be configured as an in line arc fault circuit interrupter installed in a wall box. In addition, the arc fault circuit interrupter can include a processor configured to determine any one of a series arc fault, or a parallel arc fault.
US09577410B2
It is provided that an optical functional integrated unit and a method for manufacturing thereof in which a positive optical device and a passive optical device including a silicon waveguide can be readily integrated. An optical functional integrated unit includes a semiconductor optical amplifier, a photonics device, a mounting board, pedestals and. The pedestals and are provided on the mounting board. The semiconductor optical amplifier is mounted on the pedestal and outputs a light from an active layer. The photonics device is mounted on the pedestal. The photonics device includes silicon waveguide to which the light output from the semiconductor optical amplifier is guided.
US09577409B1
A hybrid external cavity laser and a method for configuring the laser having a stabilized wavelength are disclosed. The laser comprises a semiconductor gain section and a volume Bragg grating, wherein a laser emission from the semiconductor gain section is based on a combination of a reflectivity of a front facet of the semiconductor gain section and a reflectivity of the volume Bragg grating and the reflectivity of the semiconductor gain section and the volume Bragg grating are insufficient by themselves to support the laser emission. The hybrid cavity laser further comprises an etalon that provides further wavelength stability.
US09577399B2
The invention relates to a marking apparatus for marking an object with laser light, comprising a plurality of lasers and a control unit for individually activating each of the lasers to emit a laser beam (90) according to a sign to be marked. A set of deflection means (30) for rearranging the laser beams (90) into a desired array of laser beams (90) is provided, the set of deflection means (30) comprises at least two deflection means (33a-i, 34a-i) per laser beam (90), in particular at least two mapping mirrors (33a-i, 34a-i) or at least one optical waveguide and one lens per laser beam (90a-i), and each deflection means (33a-i, 34a-i) is individually adjustable in its deflection direction and/or individually shiftable.
US09577395B2
A universal socket device comprises a plurality of sockets arranged in one interface panel, and transformer circuits disposed inside a body. The interface panel is arranged on top of the body, while a male connector is arranged on the lower side of the body adapted to connect to the output power. The male connector includes a plug with 8-shaped cross sections, arranged along the outside wall of the body in parallel. The base of the plug is disposed on a bulge protruding from the body, and a plane is arranged on the outer surface of the bulge, where a groove extends following the same direction of the plug. Due to the male connector structure disposed on the lower side of the body, the center of gravity of the socket device is stabilized, and the socket device is easy to plug and use.
US09577391B2
A jumper sleeve configured to be installed on an outer side of a male F-connector to facilitate easy connection of and maintain ground continuity across the male F-connector and a female F-connector. In one embodiment, a conductive element is installed on an inner surface of the jumper sleeve and conductively engages an outer surface of the male F-connector to maintain ground continuity across the male and female F-connectors.
US09577389B2
Systems and methods for providing electrical power from an electrical outlet. In some embodiments, an electrical outlet for providing high voltage power to a device includes power input terminals for connection to a high voltage power source, and at least one power output socket configured to receive a plug configured to receive high voltage power. The outlet may also include a shock-proof circuit connected to the at least one power output socket, a communication circuit configured, and a processor coupled to the communication circuit and the shock-proof circuit, the processor and the shock-proof circuit collectively configured to determine when to provide high voltage power to the at least one power output socket based on a sensed condition, and the processor and the communication circuit collectively configured to communicate information relating to an operation aspect of the electrical outlet with a remote computing device.
US09577384B2
A memory card connector including at least one pin for reading a memory card, at least one parallelepiped-shaped base in which the at least one pin is positioned, and an enclosure extending over the rear of the base and forming a continuous barrier between at least two sides of the base.
US09577374B1
A textile connector for an electronic textile includes a snap fastener having first and second snap segments configured to be snap fastened together such that the electronic textile is mechanically secured therebetween. A first contact is held by the snap fastener. The first contact is configured to be electrically connected to a first conductor of the electronic textile to define a first signal line. A second contact is held by the snap fastener. The second contact is configured to be electrically connected to a second conductor of the electronic textile to define a second signal line. The first and second signal lines transmit different data signals from the electronic textile to an electronic component mounted to the electronic textile.
US09577371B2
Provided is a connector having a locking mechanism that can ensure both the joining strength between a housing and a locking portion and the locking strength and that can cope with pitch narrowing and miniaturization. A plug connector comprises a plug-side housing, plug-side contacts provided to the plug-side housing and adapted to be electrically connected to a receptacle connector, and plug-side locking portions provided to the plug-side housing and adapted to maintain a connected state of the plug connector and the receptacle connector. The plug-side locking portions each comprise a locking plate having a flat plate-like shape and provided so that the normal direction of the plane of the flat plate is oriented in a locking direction with the receptacle connector, and retaining portions provided to the locking plate and formed so as to be integrated with the plug-side housing.
US09577364B2
The invention provides a cable connector component, a board connector component, and an electric connector assembly thereof. The cable connector component includes a connector, a fixed iron shell, and a cable including a plurality of core wires. The connector includes at least one pair of terminal pair, a first insulating body, a first metal shell, a group strip, and a printed circuit board. The terminal pair, the ground strip, and the first metal shell are assembled with the first insulating body. The first metal shell is assembled with the fixed iron shell. The fixed iron shell includes a convex hull which facilitates the cable to insert into the fixed iron shell. The board connector component, includes: a second metal shell including a butting chamber, a terminal group and a second insulting body which are fixed in the second metal shell. The second insulting body includes a base and a clapper disposed at a front end of the base. The clapper includes a first surface and a second surface which are disposed oppositely. A shielding plate is disposed between the first surface and the second surface, and the shielding plate includes a protrusion which is extended out of a side of the base and abuts against the second metal shell. As a result, a new grounding path is formed, which can reduce the electromagnetic interference and strengthen the insulating effect.
US09577363B2
An electrical plug device is configured for the connection of a magnet coil and/or of a sensor element to a contact partner of a counterpiece cooperating with the electrical plug device. The electrical plug device has at least one first portion, which comprises the magnet coil and/or the sensor element and at least one electrical contact element. The magnet coil and/or the sensor element and the at least one electrical contact element of the first portion are non-detachably interconnected. The electrical plug device also has a second portion, which is produced separately from the first portion and is type-specific in relation to the counterpiece. The second portion is joined to the first portion and surrounds the electrical contact element, at least in part.
US09577353B2
A mains power wire connection assembly (100) using a button to push a first wire and a second wire to move toward the direction of clamping slots, and the inner walls of the clamping slots puncture the first wire and second wires and clamp the same. The button and the insulation body are locked and fixed with respect to each other.
US09577351B2
An electrical connector includes first and second pads. The first pad includes first and second grooves and the second pad includes third fourth grooves. A first insulation displacing contact extends from the first groove to the second groove. A second insulation displacing contact extends from the third groove to the fourth groove. The first and second pads are connected by a mechanical fastener. When the first and second pads are connected the first groove aligns with the third groove and the second groove aligns with the fourth groove.
US09577350B2
A pin and a printed circuit board are provided. The pin includes a pin body and an insertion head. The insertion head is disposed on an end of the pin body and includes a base and a guide post. The shape of the base is a cylinder, the bottom of which is located on the end of the pin body. The shape of the guide post is a prism, which is coaxially connected to the base. The projection of a circumcircle of a cross section of the guide post is overlapped with that of a cross sectional circle of the base along the direction of an axis of the guide post. The advantage of the prevent invention is to decrease the tilt of the pin body after inserted, reduce the solder material between the base and the insertion hole, and improve the welding quality.
US09577341B2
A radio frequency (RF) communications system includes a local RF communications device and an RF antenna including a conical RF launch structure coupled to the local RF communications device, and an elongate electrical conductor having a proximal end coupled to the conical RF launch structure and a distal end spaced apart from the conical RF launch structure to define an elongate RF coverage pattern. The elongate conductor may be a coaxial cable. At least one remote RF communications device, within the elongate RF coverage pattern, wirelessly communicates with the local RF communications device.
US09577336B2
A wireless electronic device includes an inverted-F antenna (IFA) having an IFA exciting element, an IFA feed, and a grounding pin. The IFA exciting element is configured to resonate at a resonant frequency when excited by a signal received through the IFA feed. The wireless electronic device includes a choke notch having a length defined based on the resonant frequency of the IFA exciting element. The choke notch is electrically coupled to the IFA exciting element through the grounding pin. A ground patch is electrically coupled between the choke notch and the ground plane.
US09577326B2
A high-impedance passive device to radio-electrically decouple two antennas operating at least partially within a common frequency band and arranged on a surface of the carrier structure. A substrate of the device has a flexible dielectric material layer having a predetermined thickness with patches of conductive material arranged on its surface and a layer to attach the device onto the surface of the carrier structure. The patches having predetermined shape and arrangement. The body of the substrate separates the dielectric layer from the surface of the carrier structure. The substrate thickness is determined based on the size, number, and arrangement of the patches, and further it is based on the aerodynamic constraints imposed on the device. The device having an impedance to cause the desired decoupling in the common frequency band.
US09577320B2
An antenna assembly includes an elastic piece, a connecting portion, a first radiating portion, and a second radiating. The connecting portion is coupled to the base board and includes a feeding point and a ground point. The first radiating portion is electrically connected to the feeding point and the elastic piece. The second radiating portion is electrically connected to the ground point and spaced from the first radiating portion. The first radiating portion, the elastic piece, and the second radiating portion are configured to operate at a first frequency band; the first radiating portion and the elastic piece generate a frequency-doubled effect to operate at a second frequency band. A wireless communication device employing the antenna assembly is also provided.
US09577318B2
An electronic device may have wireless circuitry and components such as sensors. The electronic device may have a metal housing having first and second planar rear wall portions separated by a gap. Conductive structures may bridge the gap to electrically couple the first and second rear wall portions. The wireless circuitry may include a hybrid slot inverted-F antenna. The antenna may have an inverted-F antenna resonating element formed from peripheral housing structures that are separated from the second rear wall portion by an opening. The opening may form a C-shaped slot antenna resonating element for the antenna. The sensors may include a fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor may be coupled to a button member in a button. The fingerprint sensor and other portions of the button may overlap the second planar rear wall portion to minimize interference with antenna operation.
US09577316B2
An antenna with a combined bandpass/bandstop filter network is provided. The antenna includes: a first radiating arm connectable to an antenna feed, the first radiating arm configured to resonate at a first frequency; a second radiating arm, the second radiating arm and the first radiating arm, when electrically connected, configured to resonate at a second frequency lower than the first frequency; and, a filter network comprising a bandstop filter and a bandpass filter, the filter network filtering an electrical connection between the first radiating arm and the second radiating arm, the filter network configured to: electrically isolate the first radiating arm from the second radiating arm at the first frequency, and electrically connect the first radiating arm and the second radiating arm at the second frequency.
US09577304B2
Disclosed is an attenuation reduction structure for high-frequency connection pads of a circuit board with an insertion component. The circuit board includes at least one pair of differential mode signal lines formed thereon. A substrate has upper and lower surfaces respectively provided with at least one pair of upper connection pads and lower connection pads. A first metal layer is formed on the lower surface of the substrate. The first metal layer includes an attenuation reduction grounding pattern structure. The attenuation reduction grounding pattern structure includes a hollow area and at least one protruded portion. The protruded portion extends from the first metal layer in a direction toward the lower connection pads.
US09577303B2
An attenuator module having a substrate; a attenuator disposed on one surface of the substrate, the attenuator having an input terminal at one end of the attenuator and an output terminal at an opposite end of the attenuator; an electrical conductor disposed on an opposite surface of the substrate; and an electrically conductive via passing from the output terminal through the substrate to the electrical conductor disposed on the opposite surface of the substrate.
US09577289B2
An electrochemical cell including at least one nitrogen-containing compound is disclosed. The at least one nitrogen-containing compound may form part of or be included in: an anode structure, a cathode structure, an electrolyte and/or a separator of the electrochemical cell. Also disclosed is a battery including the electrochemical cell.
US09577281B1
Two active cell structures are prepared each comprising anode/electrolyte/cathode layers, each anode and cathode layer having embedded spaced-apart physical structures therein. Two interconnect sublayers are prepared, each comprising a layer of non-conductive material with holes formed therein and a conductor layer formed on one surface. The sublayers are placed together with the conductor layers in contact and with the holes offset to form an interconnect layer, which is then stacked between the two active cell structures. The multi-layer stack is laminated together and the anode layer of one active cell structure and the cathode layer of the other active cell structure fill the adjacent holes in the interconnect layer. The physical structures are pulled out to reveal embedded gas passages, and the multi-layer stack is sintered to form two active cells connected in series by the interconnect layer.
US09577277B2
Disclosed herein is a liquid drum type fuel cell-metal recovery apparatus, which can produce power through electrochemical oxidation of coal by continuously receiving coal/metal oxide mixed particles.
US09577268B2
A power storage device is reduced in weight. A metal sheet serving as a negative electrode current collector is separated and another negative electrode current collector is formed. For example, through the step of forming silicon serving as a negative electrode active material layer over a titanium sheet and then performing heating, the titanium sheet can be separated. Then, another negative electrode current collector with a thickness of more than or equal to 10 nm and less than or equal to 1 μm is formed. Thus, light weight of the power storage device can be achieved.
US09577252B2
In an aspect, a negative active material, a negative electrode and a lithium battery including the negative active material, and a method of manufacturing the negative active material is provided. The negative active material includes a silicon-based active material substrate; a metal oxide nanoparticle disposed on a surface of the silicon-based active material substrate. An initial irreversible capacity of the lithium battery may be decreased and lifespan characteristics may be improved by using the negative active material.
US09577251B2
In an example of a method for making a silicon-based active electrode material, a silicon active material precursor is introduced into a carrier gas. Another active material precursor is introduced into the carrier gas prior to, simultaneously with or subsequent to the silicon active material precursor. The other active material precursor is selected from a tin active material precursor, an aluminum active material precursor, a graphene active material precursor, and combinations thereof. The carrier gas containing the precursors is exposed to plasma vaporization, and a material is formed. The material includes i) an alloy of phase separated silicon and tin and/or aluminum, or ii) a graphene layer having silicon nanoparticles and tin nanoparticles, aluminum nanoparticles, or combinations of tin and aluminum nanoparticles deposited on a surface thereof, or iii) a graphene layer having an alloy of phase separated silicon and tin, aluminum, or tin and aluminum deposited on a surface thereof.
US09577243B2
The present invention relates to a solid composite for use in the cathode of a lithium-sulphur electric current producing cell wherein the solid composite comprises 1 to 75 wt.-% of expanded graphite, 25 to 99 wt.-% of sulphur, 0 to 50 wt.-% of one or more further conductive agents other than expanded graphite, and 0 to 50 wt.-% one or more binder, based on the total amount of the solid composite, a lithium-sulphur electric current producing cell comprising (i) a cathode comprising the solid composite, (ii) an anode and (iii) an electrolyte interposed between said cathode and said anode, and a process for preparing the solid composite comprising the steps (I) preparing a slurry comprising sulphur, expanded graphite, and optionally further components in a liquid medium by dispersing the sulphur, the expanded graphite, and optionally the further components in the liquid medium; (II) casting the slurry provided in step (I) on a substrate or placing the slurry provided in step (I) into a mold; and (III) removing some or all of the liquid medium from the slurry cast in step (II) to form a solid composite.
US09577240B2
Disclosed is a battery module capable of ensuring safety in use by breaking a bus bar when an overcurrent flows at the battery module. The battery module includes at least one unit cell, a case for accommodating the unit cell, and a bus bar electrically connected to the unit cell, wherein the bus bar includes a first metal plate, a second metal plate spaced apart from the first metal plate, and a metal bridge configured to connect the first metal plate and the second metal plate and having a lower melting point than the metal plate.
US09577235B2
A method for preparing a high temperature melt integrity separator, the method comprising spinning a polymer by one or more of a mechanical spinning process and an electro-spinning process to produce fine fibers.
US09577226B2
A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly in a battery case, and a buffer sheet between the electrode assembly and the battery case, the buffer sheet contacting the electrode assembly and the battery case.
US09577225B2
A manufacturing method for a square battery includes: a first process in which an outer terminal and an outer side resin member that separates the outer terminal and an outer surface of a lid body are assembled to the lid body; a second process in which a laser beam is irradiated from the outer surface side of the lid body to weld the lid body to the case body by laser after the first process; and a third process in which the outer side resin member is expanded after the second process.
US09577224B2
Provided are an organic light emitting device (OLED) and lighting. The illustrative OLED may minimize light absorption of a reflective electrode layer and evanescent coupling by surface plasmon, and exhibit excellent emitting efficiency.
US09577223B2
Provided is an organic light emitting diodes (OLED) and method of manufacturing the OLED. The OLED includes: a substrate; a light scattering layer having an uneven shape on the substrate; a transparent electrode film provided directly on and in contact with the light scattering layer; an organic light emitting layer on the transparent electrode film; and an electrode on the organic light emitting layer. The method of manufacturing the OLED includes: disposing a light scattering layer on a substrate; providing a transparent electrode film on the light scattering layer; and transferring the transparent electrode film to be directly on and in contact with the light scattering layer.
US09577222B2
To provide a novel light-emitting device with high productivity, the light-emitting device includes a first light-emitting element, a second light-emitting element, and a third light-emitting element. In the first light-emitting element, a first lower electrode, a first transparent conductive layer, a first light-emitting layer, a second light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode are stacked in this order. In the second light-emitting element, a second lower electrode, a second transparent conductive layer, the first light-emitting layer, the second light-emitting layer, and the upper electrode are stacked in this order. In the third light-emitting element, a third lower electrode, a third transparent conductive layer, the second light-emitting layer, and the upper electrode are stacked in this order. The first transparent conductive layer includes a first region. The second transparent conductive layer includes a second region as thick as the third transparent conductive layer. The first region is thicker than the second region.
US09577221B2
OLEDs containing a stacked hybrid architecture including a phosphorescent organic emissive unit and two fluorescent organic emissive units are disclosed. The stacked hybrid architecture includes a plurality of electrodes and a hybrid emissive stacked disposed between at least two of the electrodes. The stack contains at least three emissive units and at least two charge generation layers. At least one of the three emissive units is a phosphorescent organic emissive unit and at least two of the three emissive units are fluorescent organic emissive units. More specifically, the two fluorescent organic emissive units may be blue organic emissive units that emit light from the same or different color regions.
US09577219B2
A highly reliable light-emitting module including an organic EL element or a light-emitting device using a highly reliable light-emitting module including an organic EL element is provided. Alternatively, a method of manufacturing a highly reliable light-emitting module including an organic EL element, or a method of manufacturing a light-emitting device using a highly reliable light-emitting module including an organic EL element is provided. The light-emitting module has a structure in which a light-emitting element formed over a first substrate and a viscous material layer are sealed in a space between the first substrate and a second substrate which face each other, with a sealing material surrounding the light-emitting element. The viscous material layer is provided between the light-emitting element and the second substrate and includes a non-solid material and a drying agent which reacts with or adsorbs an impurity.
US09577211B2
Provided are an organic electronic element equipped with a sealing layer having excellent gas barrier properties, transparency and the like, and a method for efficiently manufacturing such an organic electronic element. Disclosed are an organic electronic element including, on a substrate, a first electrode and a second electrode facing each other, with at least one organic functional layer being interposed therebetween, and a method for manufacturing such an organic electronic element, characterized in that a sealing layer is directly provided along the top surface and the lateral surface of the organic electronic element, and the sealing layer is obtained by implanting plasma ions into a coating film containing a silicon compound as a main component.
US09577205B2
An organic light-emitting device including a first light-emitting region, a second light-emitting region, and a third light-emitting region. The organic light-emitting device includes a substrate; a first electrode layer on the substrate; a hole injection layer on the first electrode layer; a common emission layer on the hole injection layer; a first resonance assistance layer on the common emission layer in the first light-emitting region and a second resonance assistance layer on the common emission layer in the second light-emitting region.
US09577203B2
An organic light-emitting diode display is disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a substrate including a bending area and a non-bending area and a plurality of thin-film transistors (TFTs) formed in the non-bending area. The display also includes a plurality of first pixel electrodes and a plurality of second pixel electrodes formed over the TFTs and electrically connected to the TFTs, the first pixel electrodes formed in the bending area and the second pixel electrodes formed in the non-bending area.
US09577202B2
A flexible display substrate mother board and a method of manufacturing a flexible display substrate are provided. The method includes: forming a heating pattern layer on a support substrate, wherein the heating pattern layer includes a plurality of regional blocks spaced apart from each other; forming a flexible substrate on the substrate provided with the heating pattern layer, and forming display elements on the flexible substrate; and heating the flexible substrate by utilization of the heating pattern layer, cutting the flexible substrate, stripping the flexible substrate corresponding to the regional block from the support substrate, and forming flexible display substrates. The method can avoid the damage of the display elements on the flexible substrate when the flexible substrate and the support substrate are separated from each other, and avoid uneven separation.
US09577196B2
A method for fabricating an optoelectronic device includes forming an adhesion layer on a substrate, forming a material layer on the adhesion layer and applying release tape to the material layer. The substrate is removed at the adhesion layer by mechanically yielding the adhesion layer. A conductive layer is applied to the material layer on a side opposite the release tape to form a transfer substrate. The transfer substrate is transferred to a target substrate to join the target substrate to the conductive layer of the transfer substrate. The release tape is removed from the material layer to form a top emission optoelectronic device.
US09577191B2
The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell having a reduced leakage current, and an associated apparatus. In some embodiments, the method is performed by forming a bottom electrode over a lower metal interconnect layer using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process to form at least a top portion of the bottom electrode. A dielectric data storage layer is formed onto the top portion of the bottom electrode in-situ with forming the top portion of the bottom electrode. A top electrode is formed over the dielectric data storage layer, and an upper metal interconnect layer is formed over the top electrode. By forming the top portion of the bottom electrode using an ALD process that is in-situ with the formation of the overlying dielectric data storage layer, leakage current, leakage current distribution and device yield of the RRAM cell are improved.
US09577189B2
A method of forming an RRAM cell structure is provided. The method includes forming dummy features over a substrate, and the dummy features have a gap therebetween. The method also includes depositing an oxide layer over the dummy features while forming a first V-shaped valley on the oxide layer. The method further includes partially planarizing the oxide layer while leaving the first V-shaped valley. In addition, the method includes forming a first electrode over the oxide layer while forming a second V-shaped valley on the first electrode. The method further includes forming a resistance variable layer over the first electrode in a conformal manner. The method still includes forming a second electrode over the resistance variable layer.
US09577186B2
A method of forming a non-volatile resistive oxide memory cell includes forming a first conductive electrode of the memory cell as part of a substrate. The first conductive electrode has an elevationally outermost surface and opposing laterally outermost edges at the elevationally outermost surface in one planar cross section. Multi-resistive state metal oxide-comprising material is formed over the first conductive electrode. Conductive material is deposited over the multi-resistive state metal oxide-comprising material. A second conductive electrode of the memory cell which comprises the conductive material is received over the multi-resistive state metal oxide-comprising material. The forming thereof includes etching through the conductive material to form opposing laterally outermost conductive edges of said conductive material in the one planar cross section at the conclusion of said etching which are received laterally outward of the opposing laterally outermost edges of the first conductive electrode in the one planar cross section.
US09577184B2
A TMR sensor that includes a free layer having at least one B-containing (BC) layer made of CoFeB, CoFeBM, CoB, CoBM, or CoBLM, and a plurality of non-B containing (NBC) layers made of CoFe, CoFeM, or CoFeLM is disclosed where L and M are one of Ni, Ta, Ti, W, Zr, Hf, Tb, or Nb. One embodiment is represented by (NBC/BC)n where n≧2. A second embodiment is represented by (NBC/BC)n/NBC where n≧1. In every embodiment, a NBC layer contacts the tunnel barrier and NBC layers each with a thickness from 2 to 8 Angstroms are formed in alternating fashion with one or more BC layers each 10 to 80 Angstroms thick. Total free layer thickness is <100 Angstroms. The free layer configuration described herein enables a significant noise reduction (SNR enhancement) while realizing a high TMR ratio, low magnetostriction, low RA, and low Hc values.
US09577180B2
A magnetic logic cell includes a first electrode portion, a magnetic portion arranged on the first electrode, the magnetic portion including an anti-ferromagnetic material or a ferrimagnetic material, a dielectric portion arranged on the magnetic portion, and a second electrode portion arranged on the dielectric portion.
US09577175B1
An apparatus includes a base layer; and a superconducting nanowire disposed on the base layer in a continuous meander pattern and including an amorphous metal-metalloid alloy such that the apparatus is configured to detect single photons, and the continuous meander pattern includes: a plurality of parallel line segments; and a plurality of curved segments, wherein adjacent parallel line segments are joined by a curved segment. A method for making an apparatus for detecting single photons includes forming a base layer; forming a superconducting layer on the base layer; patterning the superconducting layer; and forming a continuous meander pattern from the superconducting layer, the continuous meander pattern includes a plurality of parallel line segments; and a plurality of curved segments, wherein adjacent parallel line segments are joined by a curved segment; and forming a dielectric layer on the continuous meander pattern, the dielectric layer including a dielectric material that is substantially transparent to a predetermined photon wavelength, wherein the apparatus is configured to detect single photons.
US09577168B2
Solid state lighting (SSL) devices and methods of manufacturing such devices. One embodiment of an SSL device comprises a support and an emitter array having a plurality of SSL emitters carried by the support. The emitter array has a central region and a peripheral region outward from the central region. Individual SSL emitters in both the central and the peripheral regions have a primary emission direction along which an intensity of light from the SSL emitters is highest, and the primary emission direction of the SSL emitters in the central region is at least substantially the same direction as the primary emission direction of the SSL emitters in the peripheral region. Additionally, a first coverage area ratio of the SSL emitters in the central region is different than a second coverage area ratio of the SSL emitters in the peripheral region.
US09577161B2
The light emitting device includes a light emitting element, a wavelength converter, and a light guider. The light emitting element has an element upper surface, an element lower surface, and an element side surface. The wavelength converter has a converter lower surface. The wavelength is provided to be connected to the light emitting element. The converter lower surface has an exposed region that does not face the element upper surface. The light guider guides light from the light emitting element to the wavelength converter. The light guider covers the element side surface and the exposed region. The wavelength converter includes first and second wavelength converter parts. The first wavelength converter part faces the element upper surface and has a first thickness. The second wavelength converter part does not face the element upper surface and has a second thickness thinner than the first thickness.
US09577160B2
A light-emitting device includes a light-emitting element emitting blue light, a green phosphor emitting green light when being excited by the blue light, and a red phosphor emitting red light when being excited by the blue light. An emission spectral peak wavelength of the green light emitted by the green phosphor is greater than or equal to 520 nm and less than or equal to 540 nm.
US09577150B2
Disclosed are a light emitting device and a light emitting device package. The light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer, and a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer, an adhesive layer contacting a top surface of the first conductive semiconductor layer, a first electrode contacting a top surface of the first conductive semiconductor and a top surface of the adhesive layer, and a second electrode contacting the second conductive semiconductor layer, wherein the adhesive layer contacting the first electrode is spaced apart from the second electrode.
US09577147B2
A light emitting device (LED) package and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The LED package includes an LED including a first electrode pad and a second electrode pad disposed on one surface thereof; a bonding insulating pattern layer configured to expose the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad; a substrate including a via hole bored from a first surface to a second surface and a wiring metal layer formed on an inner surface of the via hole to extend to a part of the second surface; and a bonding metal pattern layer bonded to the wiring metal layer exposed through the via hole at the first surface of the substrate and also bonded to the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad.
US09577140B2
Methods for fabricating busbar and finger metallization over TCO are disclosed. Rather than using expensive and relatively resistive silver paste, a high conductivity and relatively low cost copper is used. Methods for enabling the use of copper as busbar and fingers over a TCO are disclosed, providing good adhesion while preventing migration of the copper into the TCO. Also, provisions are made for easy soldering contacts to the copper busbars.
US09577139B2
A method for fabricating a solar cell is disclosed. The method can include forming a dielectric region on a surface of a solar cell structure and forming a first metal layer on the dielectric region. The method can also include forming a second metal layer on the first metal layer and locally heating a particular region of the second metal layer, where heating includes forming a metal bond between the first and second metal layer and forming a contact between the first metal layer and the solar cell structure. The method can include forming an adhesive layer on the first metal layer and forming a second metal layer on the adhesive layer, where the adhesive layer mechanically couples the second metal layer to the first metal layer and allows for an electrical connection between the second metal layer to the first metal layer.
US09577130B2
Embodiments relate to a thin film solar cell backside contact. A planar substrate is provided and an associated backside of the substrate is modified to form one or more pedestals. The modified substrate is layered with multiple layers of material, including a conducting layer, a reflective layer, and a passivation layer. The layered backside substrate is polished to expose portions of the conducting layer at discrete locations on the backside of the substrate. The exposed portions of the conducting layer maintain direct electrical communication between an absorber layer deposited on the layered backside substrate and the conducting layer.
US09577122B2
A conductive paste is provided which can form electrodes in crystalline silicon solar cells at low cost while ensuring that the electrodes exhibit low contact resistance with respect to both p-type and n-type impurity diffusion layers. The conductive paste for forming a solar cell electrode includes a silver powder, a glass frit, an additive particle and an organic vehicle, the glass frit having a glass transition point of 150 to 440° C., the additive particle including an alloy material containing 20 to 98 mass % aluminum, the conductive paste including the additive particle in an amount of 2 to 30 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the silver powder.
US09577118B2
The semiconductor device of the present invention includes a first conductivity type semiconductor layer made of a wide bandgap semiconductor and a Schottky electrode formed to come into contact with a surface of the semiconductor layer, and has a threshold voltage Vth of 0.3 V to 0.7 V and a leakage current Jr of 1×10−9 A/cm2 to 1×10−4 A/cm2 in a rated voltage VR.
US09577117B2
A semiconductor chip, which includes an n-type substrate, over which an n-type epitaxial layer having trenches introduced into the epitaxial layer and filled with p-type semiconductor is situated, the trenches each having a heavily doped p-type region on their upper side, the n+-type substrate being situated in such a manner, that an alternating sequence of n-type regions having a first width and p-type regions having a second width is present; a first metallic layer, which is provided on the front side of the semiconductor chip, forms an ohmic contact with the heavily doped p-type regions and is used as an anode electrode; a second metallic layer, which is provided on the back side of the semiconductor chip, constitutes an ohmic contact and is used as a cathode electrode; a dielectric layer provided, in each instance, between an n-type region and an adjacent p-type region, as well as p-type layers provided between the n-type regions and the first metallic layer.
US09577116B2
The present disclosure relates to a Zener diode including a cathode region having a first conductivity type, formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate having a second conductivity type. The Zener diode includes an anode region having the second conductivity type, formed beneath the cathode region. One or more trench isolations isolate the cathode and anode regions from a remainder of the substrate. A first conducting region is configured to, when subjected to an adequate voltage, generate a first electric field perpendicular to an interface between the cathode and anode regions. A second conducting region is configured to, when subjected to an adequate voltage, generate a second electric field parallel to the interface between the cathode and anode regions.
US09577110B2
A novel semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor is provided. In particular, a planar semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor is provided. A semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor and having large on-state current is provided. The semiconductor device includes an oxide insulating film, an oxide semiconductor film over the oxide insulating film, a source electrode and a drain electrode in contact with the oxide semiconductor film, a gate insulating film between the source electrode and the drain electrode, and a gate electrode overlapping the oxide semiconductor film with the gate insulating film. The oxide semiconductor film includes a first region overlapped with the gate electrode and a second region not overlapped with the gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode. The first region and the second region have different impurity element concentrations. The gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode contain the same metal element.
US09577105B2
A thin film transistor based on carbon nanotubes comprises a source electrode, a drain electrode, a semiconducting layer, an insulating layer and a gate electrode. The drain electrode is spaced apart from the source electrode. The semiconductor layer is electrically connected with the source electrode and the drain electrode. The gate electrode is insulated from the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the semiconductor layer by the insulating layer. The semiconductor layer includes a number of semiconductor fragments, each of the number of semiconductor fragments includes multilayer semiconductor molecular layers, and a quantity of layers of the number of semiconductor molecular layers ranges from about 1 to about 20.
US09577103B2
Liquid crystal display including a variable width spacer element and method for fabricating the same
A liquid crystal display with two insulating substrates. A first insulating substrate has crossing signal lines, a pixel electrode, and a drain electrode electrically connected to the pixel electrode through a contact hole. A spacer is formed on the first signal line of the first insulating substrate, and is wider at a first portion close to the first insulating substrate than at a second portion close to the second insulating substrate, and the drain electrode comprises a first portion and a second portion extending in a different direction with respect to the first portion.
US09577101B2
A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a fin extending upwards from a semiconductor substrate and forming a sacrificial layer on sidewalls of a portion of the fin. The method further includes forming a spacer layer over the sacrificial layer and recessing the portion of the fin past a bottom surface of the sacrificial layer. The recessing forms a trench disposed between sidewall portions of the spacer layer. At least a portion of the sacrificial layer is removed, and a source/drain region is formed in the trench.
US09577099B2
A semiconductor structure includes a fin upon a semiconductor substrate. A clean epitaxial growth surface is provided by forming a buffer layer upon fin sidewalls and an upper surface of the fin. The buffer layer may be epitaxially grown. Diamond shaped epitaxy is grown from the buffer layer sidewalls. In some implementations, the diamond shaped epitaxy may be subsequently merged with surrounding dielectric. A dopant concentration of the surrounding dielectric may be higher than a dopant concentration of the diamond shaped epitaxy.
US09577085B2
A semiconductor device may include interlayer insulating layers stacked in a first direction and separated from each other, word lines formed between the interlayer insulating layers, and sacrificial insulating layers formed between the interlayer insulating layers so that the sacrificial insulating layers are arranged at layers where the word lines are formed. The semiconductor device may also include cell contact plugs each including a first pillar portion passing through at least one of the interlayer insulating layers and the sacrificial insulating layers in the first direction, and a first protruding portion protruding from a sidewall of the first pillar portion and contacting a sidewall of one of the word lines, wherein the cell contact plugs have different depths.
US09577083B1
A field effect transistor (FET) device including a substrate and a plurality of semiconductor layers provided on the substrate, where a top semiconductor layer is a heavily doped cap layer and another one of the semiconductor layers directly below the cap layer is a Schottky barrier layer, and where a gate recess is formed through the cap layer and into the Schottky barrier layer. The FET device also includes a gate terminal having a titanium layer, an inhibitor layer provided on the titanium layer and a gold layer provided on the inhibitor layer, where the gate terminal is formed in the recess so that the titanium layer is in contact with the Schottky barrier layer, and where the inhibitor layer is effective for preventing hydrogen gas from being dissociated into hydrogen atoms so as to reduce or prevent hydrogen poisoning of the FET device.
US09577080B2
A power semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate layer of a first conductive type which has a lower part semiconductor layer of a second conductive type and an active region that includes a body region of the second conductive type, a source region of the first conductive type disposed in the body region, and a first doped region of the first conductive type at least a part of which is disposed below the body region. An emitter electrode is electrically connected to the source region, and a groove extends into the substrate layer and includes a shielding electrode electrically connected to the emitter electrode. The groove extends to a deeper depth into the substrate layer than the first doped region. At least a part of a gate is formed above at least a part of the source region and the body region, and is electrically insulated from the shielding electrode.
US09577076B2
In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a plasma annealing and supplying a threshold voltage control gas onto a portion of a substrate is performed to form a fixed charge region including a fixed charge at a surface of the substrate. A MOS transistor is formed on the substrate including the fixed charge region. By the above processes, the threshold voltage of the MOS transistor may be easily controlled.
US09577072B2
The present disclosure describes a termination structure for a high voltage semiconductor transistor device. The termination structure is composed of at least two termination zones and an electrical disconnection between the body layer and the edge of the device. A first zone is configured to spread the electric field within the device. A second zone is configured to smoothly bring the electric field back up to the top surface of the device. The electrical disconnection prevents the device from short circuiting the edge of the device. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09577065B2
A back end of line device and method for fabricating a transistor device include a substrate having an insulating layer formed thereon and a channel layer formed on the insulating layer. A gate structure is formed on the channel layer. Dopants are implanted into an upper portion of the channel layer on opposite sides of the gate structure to form shallow source and drain regions using a low temperature implantation process. An epitaxial layer is selectively grown on the shallow source and drain regions to form raised regions above the channel layer and against the gate structure using a low temperature plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process, wherein low temperature is less than about 400 degrees Celsius.
US09577060B2
An embodiment includes a first nonplanar transistor including a first fin that includes first source and drain nodes, and a first channel between the first source and drain nodes; a second nonplanar transistor including a second fin that includes second source and drain nodes, and a second channel between the second source and drain nodes; a nonplanar gate on the first fin between the first source and drain nodes and on the second fin between the second source and drain nodes; and first insulation included between the gate and the first fin and second insulation between the gate and the second fin; wherein the gate mechanically resonates at a first frequency when at least one of the gate and the first fin is actuated with alternating current (AC) to produce periodic forces on the gate. Other embodiments are described herein.
US09577054B2
A semiconductor device comprises an element region and a terminal region that surrounds the element region. The semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region having a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region having a second conductivity type and provided on the first semiconductor region. A third semiconductor region having the first conductivity type is provided on the second semiconductor region. A first electrode is electrically connected to the first semiconductor region. A second electrode is electrically connected to the third semiconductor region. A third and a fourth electrode are disposed in the element region. A distance from the first electrode to the third electrode is less than a distance from the first electrode to the fourth electrode.
US09577043B2
A semiconductor device includes a buffer layer on a semiconductor substrate including first and second regions, a first channel layer on the buffer layer of the first region, a second channel layer on the buffer layer of the second region, and a spacer layer between the second channel layer and the buffer layer. The buffer layer, the first and second channel layers, and the spacer layer are formed of semiconductor materials including germanium. A germanium concentration difference between the first and second channel layers is greater than a germanium concentration difference between the buffer layer and the second channel layer. The spacer layer has a germanium concentration gradient.
US09577042B1
The source/drain of a fully III-V semiconductor or Si-based transistor includes a bottom barrier layer that may be lattice matched to the channel, a lower layer of a wide bandgap III-V material and a top layer of a comparatively narrow bandgap III-V material, with a compositionally graded layer between the lower layer and top layer gradually transitioning from the wide bandgap material to the narrow bandgap material.
US09577033B2
A semiconductor device having a vertical drain extended MOS transistor may be formed by forming deep trench structures to define vertical drift regions of the transistor, so that each vertical drift region is bounded on at least two opposite sides by the deep trench structures. The deep trench structures are spaced so as to form RESURF regions for the drift region. Trench gates are formed in trenches in the substrate over the vertical drift regions. The body regions are located in the substrate over the vertical drift regions.
US09577030B2
Semiconductor structures having capacitors and metal wiring integrated in a same dielectric layer are described. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a plurality of semiconductor devices disposed in or above a substrate. One or more dielectric layers are disposed above the plurality of semiconductor devices. Metal wiring is disposed in each of the dielectric layers. The metal wiring is electrically coupled to one or more of the semiconductor devices. A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor is disposed in one of the dielectric layers, adjacent to the metal wiring of the at least one of the dielectric layers. The MIM capacitor is electrically coupled to one or more of the semiconductor devices.
US09577028B2
A capacitor in a semiconductor device may include a lower electrode, a dielectric layer including a metal oxide and disposed on the lower electrode, a first material layer including aluminum oxide (AlxOy) and disposed on the dielectric layer, a second material layer including titanium oxynitride (TixOyNz) and disposed on the first material layer, and an upper electrode disposed on the second material layer, wherein the first material layer is between the dielectric layer and the second material layer, and the dielectric layer is between the lower electrode and the first material layer.
US09577021B2
The display device including a pixel circuit has a first line, a transistor, a light emitting element, and a second line. The transistor is located between the second line and an electrode of the light emitting element. Either the first line or the second line is wired in a region that overlaps a light emitting region of the light emitting element in a lamination direction of layers. The second line intersects the first line outside of the light emitting region and overlaps a non-light emitting region of the light emitting element.
US09577009B1
The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip comprising an RRAM cell that is driven by a PMOS transistor, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the integrated chip has a PMOS transistor arranged within a semiconductor substrate. A resistive RRAM cell is arranged within an inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer overlying the semiconductor substrate. The RRAM cell has a first conductive electrode separated from a second conductive electrode by a dielectric data storage layer having a variable resistance. The first conductive electrode is connected to a drain terminal of the PMOS transistor by one or more metal interconnect layers. The use of a PMOS transistor to drive the RRAM cell allows for impact of the body effect to be reduced and therefore allows for a reset operation to be performed at a low power and in a short amount of time.
US09577006B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a layout in which one sharing unit includes an array of photodiodes of 2 pixels by 4×n pixels (where, n is a positive integer), respectively, in horizontal and vertical directions.
US09577003B2
A solid-state image pickup device includes a semiconductor substrate in which photoelectric conversion units are arranged. An insulator is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The insulator has holes associated with the respective photoelectric conversion units. Members are arranged in the respective holes. A light-shielding member is disposed on the opposite side of one of the members from the semiconductor substrate, such that only the associated photoelectric conversion unit is shielded from light. In the solid-state image pickup device, the holes are simultaneously formed and the members are simultaneously formed.
US09576999B2
BSI image sensors and methods. In an embodiment, a substrate is provided having a sensor array and a periphery region and having a front side and a back side surface; a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) is formed over the back side to a first thickness, over the sensor array region and the periphery region; forming a first dielectric layer over the BARC; a metal shield is formed; selectively removing the metal shield from over the sensor array region; selectively removing the first dielectric layer from over the sensor array region, wherein a portion of the first thickness of the BARC is also removed and a remainder of the first thickness of the BARC remains during the process of selectively removing the first dielectric layer; forming a second dielectric layer over the remainder of the BARC and over the metal shield; and forming a passivation layer over the second dielectric layer.
US09576990B2
A thin film transistor includes a substrate, a gate electrode formed on the substrate, an electrically insulating layer formed on the substrate and covering the gate electrode, a channel layer made of semiconductor material and formed on the electrically insulating layer, an etch stop pattern formed on the channel layer and defining a first through hole and a second through hole; and a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the etch stop pattern. The source electrode extends into the first through hole to electrically couple to the channel layer. The drain electrode extends into the second through hole to electrically couple to the channel layer. Both the channel layer and the etch stop pattern are formed by using a single mask and a single photoresist layer.
US09576986B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for preventing a breaking and poor contact, without increasing the number of steps, thereby forming an integrated circuit with high driving performance and reliability. The present invention applies a photo mask or a reticle each of which is provided with a diffraction grating pattern or with an auxiliary pattern formed of a semi-translucent film having a light intensity reducing function to a photolithography step for forming wires in an overlapping portion of wires. And a conductive film to serve as a lower wire of a two-layer structure is formed, and then, a resist pattern is formed so that a first layer of the lower wire and a second layer narrower than the first layer are formed for relieving a steep step.
US09576981B2
By providing appropriate TFT structures arranged in various circuits of the semiconductor device in response to the functions required by the circuits, it is made possible to improve the operating performances and the reliability of a semiconductor device, reduce power consumption as well as realizing reduced manufacturing cost and increase in yield by lessening the number of processing steps. An LDD region of a TFT is formed to have a concentration gradient of an impurity element for controlling conductivity which becomes higher as the distance from a drain region decreases. In order to form such an LDD region having a concentration gradient of an impurity element, the present invention uses a method in which a gate electrode having a taper portion is provided to thereby dope an ionized impurity element for controlling conductivity accelerated in the electric field so that it penetrates through the gate electrode and a gate insulating film into a semiconductor layer.
US09576966B1
An alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers can be formed over a substrate. Memory stack structures and a backside trench are formed through the alternating stack. Backside recesses are formed by removing the sacrificial material layers from the backside trench selective to the insulating layers. A cobalt-containing material is deposited such that the cobalt-containing material continuously extends at least between a neighboring pair of cobalt-containing material portions in respective backside recesses. An anneal is performed at an elevated temperature to migrate vertically-extending portions of the cobalt-containing material into the backside recesses, thereby forming vertically separated cobalt-containing material portions confined within the backside recesses. Sidewalls of the insulating layers may be rounded or tapered to facilitate migration of the cobalt-containing material.
US09576955B2
Semiconductor devices are provided. The semiconductor devices include active fins including a buffer layer disposed on a substrate and a channel layer disposed on the buffer layer and having a first second lattice constant higher than a lattice constant of the buffer layer, a gate structure covering the channel layer and intersecting the active fins, sidewall spacers disposed on both sidewalls of the gate structure, and capping layers disposed to contact lower surfaces of the sidewall spacers and having a width substantially the same as a width of the lower surfaces of the sidewall spacers.
US09576947B2
In a semiconductor integrated circuit device, a plurality of electrode pads for external connection are arranged in a zigzag pattern. Some electrode pads of the electrode pads of the plurality of I/O cells which are closer to a side of the semiconductor chip, each have an end portion closer to the side of the semiconductor chip, the end portion being set at the same position as that of an end portion of the corresponding I/O cell. A power source-side protective circuit and a ground-side protective circuit against discharge of static electricity are provided with the power source-side protective circuit being closer to the scribe region. A distance between a center position of one of the electrode pads and the ground-side protective circuit of the corresponding I/O cell and a distance between a center position of the other one electrode pad and the ground-side protective circuit of the corresponding I/O cell are both short and are substantially equal between each I/O cell.
US09576945B2
Methods and apparatus for increased holding voltage SCRs. A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a first well of the first conductivity type; a second well of a second conductivity type adjacent to the first well, an intersection of the first well and the second well forming a p-n junction; a first diffused region of the first conductivity type formed at the first well and coupled to a ground terminal; a first diffused region of the second conductivity type formed at the first well; a second diffused region of the first conductivity type formed at the second well and coupled to a pad terminal; a second diffused region of the second conductivity type formed in the second well; and a Schottky junction formed adjacent to the first diffused region of the second conductivity type coupled to a ground terminal. Methods for forming devices are disclosed.
US09576942B1
An integrated circuit assembly that includes a substrate; a member formed on the substrate; a first die mounted to the substrate within an opening in the member such that there is space between the first die and the member and the member surrounds the first die, and wherein the first die does not extend above an upper surface of the member; an underfill between the first the die and the substrate, wherein the underfill at least partially fills the space between the die and member; and a second die mounted to the first die and the member, wherein the second die is mounted to the member on all sides of the opening.
US09576941B2
A light-emitting device includes a plurality of light-emitting elements face-down mounted on a substrate, a plurality of structures each including a transparent plate, a phosphor-containing film provided on a lower surface of the transparent plate and a transparent covering layer provided on the lower surface of the transparent plate so as to cover lower and side surfaces of the phosphor-containing film, the structures being each provided on each of the plurality of light-emitting elements such that a lower surface of the transparent covering layer contacts a top surface of the plurality of light-emitting elements, and a white reflector to cover a side surface of the plurality of light-emitting elements and a side surfaces of the transparent covering layer. At least a portion of a region directly above a gap between the plurality of light-emitting elements is not covered with the phosphor-containing film.
US09576904B2
Semiconductor devices comprise at least one integrated circuit layer, at least one conductive trace and an insulative material adjacent at least a portion of the at least one conductive trace. At least one interconnect structure extends through a portion of the at least one conductive trace and a portion of the insulative material, the at least one interconnect structure comprising a transverse cross-sectional dimension through the at least one conductive trace which differs from a transverse cross-sectional dimension through the insulative material.
US09576897B2
A method for forming an interconnect device is provided by the present disclosure. The method includes providing a dielectric layer on a substrate, forming openings in the dielectric layer to expose a portion of a surface of the substrate at a bottom of each opening and forming a metal layer to fill up the openings. The method also includes forming a semiconductor cover layer on the metal layer and on the dielectric layer, and performing a thermal annealing reaction to convert portions of the semiconductor cover layer that are on the metal layer into a metal capping layer. The method further includes performing a nitridation process on the metal capping layer and a remaining semiconductor cover layer to convert the metal capping layer into a metal nitride capping layer and the remaining semiconductor cover layer into a semiconductor nitride layer.
US09576896B2
A semiconductor arrangement and method of formation are provided. The semiconductor arrangement includes an interconnect which includes an interconnect metal plug surrounded by a second metal layer. The interconnect is adjacent a sidewall of a dielectric, such that an air gap is between the interconnect and the sidewall of the dielectric. A protective barrier is over the interconnect and the air gap, and is over and in direct physical contact with a top surface of the dielectric. The interconnect metal plug surrounded by the second metal layer is less susceptible to damage than an interconnect metal plug that is not surrounded by a second metal layer. The protective barrier in direct physical contact with the dielectric reduces parasitic capacitance, which reduces an RC delay of the semiconductor arrangement, as compared to a semiconductor arrangement that does not have a protective barrier in direct physical contact with a dielectric.
US09576895B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a plurality of contact surfaces, an interlayer dielectric layer formed over the substrate and having a first open portion which exposes a part of the contact surfaces and a second open portion which exposes the other contact surfaces, a storage node contact (SNC) plug filling the first open portion, and a damascene structure filing the second open portion and including a bit line, a spacer formed on both sidewalls of the bit line, a capping layer formed over the bit line and the spacer, and an air gap formed between the bit line and the spacer. The bit line includes a conductive material of which the volume is contracted by a heat treatment to form the air gap.
US09576888B2
A device comprises a bottom package comprising a plurality of metal bumps formed on a first side of the bottom package and a plurality of first bumps formed on a second side of the bottom package, a top package bonded on the bottom package, wherein the top package comprises a plurality of second bumps, and wherein second bumps and respective metal bumps form a joint structure and an underfill layer formed between the top package and the bottom package, wherein the metal bumps are embedded in the underfill layer.
US09576883B2
In one embodiment, methods for making semiconductor devices are disclosed.
US09576878B2
A packaged assembly is disclosed, including thermal interface material dispensed on an organic package and methods of manufacturing. The method includes dispensing a thermal interface material (TIM) on an electronic assembly. The method further includes removing volatile species of the TIM, prior to lid placement on the electronic assembly. The method further includes placing the lid on the TIM, over the electronic assembly. The method further includes pressing the lid onto the electronic assembly.
US09576877B2
A frame member includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion located between the first portion and the second portion, and wherein the lengths of the first portion and the second portion in a circumferential direction are longer than the length of the third portion in the circumferential direction, and a Young's modulus of the third portion is lower than the Young's moduli of the first portion and the second portion.
US09576876B2
The present invention relates to an organic-inorganic hybrid thin film and a method for preparing the same and more specifically to an organic-inorganic hybrid thin film including a stable new functional group and a method for preparing the organic-inorganic hybrid thin film that is formed by the molecular layer deposition method alternately using inorganic precursor and organic precursor.
US09576874B2
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, and a plurality of contact pads disposed over the substrate. The contact pads may be arranged in a ball grid array (BGA), and the may include a plurality of corners. A metal dam is disposed around each of the plurality of corners, such as corners of the BGA.
US09576868B2
A system includes a silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor device and a hermetically sealed packaging enclosing the SiC semiconductor device. The hermetically sealed packaging is configured to maintain a particular atmosphere near the SiC semiconductor device. Further, the particular atmosphere limits a shift in a threshold voltage of the SiC semiconductor device to less than 1 V during operation.
US09576867B2
Device comprising a ductile layer, a method for making a component comprising a ductile layer and a method for testing a component are disclosed. An embodiment includes an electronic device including a first conductive layer, a ductile layer and a brittle layer between the first conductive layer and the ductile layer.
US09576861B2
Universal target based inspection drive metrology includes designing a plurality of universal metrology targets measurable with an inspection tool and measurable with a metrology tool, identifying a plurality of inspectable features within at least one die of a wafer using design data, disposing the plurality of universal targets within the at least one die of the wafer, each universal target being disposed at least proximate to one of the identified inspectable features, inspecting a region containing one or more of the universal targets with an inspection tool, identifying one or more anomalistic universal targets in the inspected region with an inspection tool and, responsive to the identification of one or more anomalistic universal targets in the inspected region, performing one or more metrology processes on the one or more anomalistic universal metrology targets with the metrology tool.
US09576860B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed which use a photoluminescent light intensity signature to characterize a processed photovoltaic substrate.
US09576843B2
The present invention relates to a process for direct bonding two substrates, comprising at least: (a) bringing the surfaces to be bonded of said substrates in close contact; and (b) propagating a bonding wave between said substrates, characterised in that said substrates are kept, during step (b), in an atmosphere of a gas having a negative Joule-Thomson coefficient at the temperature and pressure of said atmosphere.
US09576838B2
Disclosed are systems, devices and methodologies for handling wafers in wafer processing operations through use of wafer carriers. In an example situation, a wafer carrier can be configured as a plate to allow bonding of a wafer thereto to provide support for the wafer during some processing operations. Upon completion of such operations, the processed wafer can be separated from the support plate so as to allow further processing. Various devices and methodologies related to such wafer carriers for efficient handling of wafers are disclosed.
US09576832B2
An article transport vehicle is provided in which it is difficult for the transported article support portions to interfere with the supported portion of the transported article while reducing transmission of vibrations to the transported article, during a travel of the travel member or during a vertical movement of the vertically movable portion. A support unit which is vertically moved relative to a travel member is provided with a guiding supporting portion for guiding and supporting transported article support portions for supporting a supported portion of a transported article such that the transported article support portions can be moved to support positions and to retracted positions, and a damper element which is located between a vertically movable portion and the guiding supporting portion and receives load from the guiding supporting portion and which is elastically deformable in a vertical direction.
US09576829B1
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a process liquid supply apparatus operating method is provided. The method includes filling a filter unit with a process liquid from an upstream side of the filter unit to a downstream side of the filter unit after newly mounting or replacing the filter unit and repeating a depressurization filtering process and a pressurization filtering process for a predetermined number of times. The depressurization filtering process depressurizes the process liquid in the downstream side of the filter unit and thereby allows the process liquid to permeate through the filter unit. The pressurization filtering process pressurizes the process liquid from the upstream side of the filter unit and thereby allows the process liquid to permeate through the filter unit.
US09576827B2
A system for and a method of bonding a first wafer to a second wafer are provided. A second wafer chuck has a second surface, a profile of the second surface being adjustable by a profile control layer. The first wafer is placed on a first surface of a first wafer chuck, and the second wafer is placed on the second surface of the second wafer chuck. The first wafer and the second wafer are warped prior to bonding to form a first warped wafer and a second warped wafer, respectively. The first warped wafer is bonded to the second warped wafer.
US09576821B2
A package includes a die, an encapsulant, and a capacitor. The package has a package first side and a package second side. The die has a die first side corresponding to the package first side, and has a die second side corresponding to the package second side. The die first side is opposite the die second side. The encapsulant surrounds the die. The capacitor includes a first plate and a second plate in the encapsulant, and opposing surfaces of the first plate and the second plate extend in a direction from the package first side to the package second side. The external conductive connectors are attached to at least one of the package first side and the package second side.
US09576817B1
After forming spacers over a hard mask layer using a sidewall image transfer process, a neutral material layer is formed on the portions of the hard mask layer that are not covered by the spacers. The spacers and the neutral material layer guide the self-assembly of a block copolymer material. The microphase separation of the block copolymer material provides a lamella structure of alternating domains of the block copolymer material.
US09576811B2
Methods are provided for integrating atomic layer etch and atomic layer deposition by performing both processes in the same chamber or reactor. Methods involve sequentially alternating between atomic layer etch and atomic layer deposition processes to prevent feature degradation during etch, improve selectivity, and encapsulate sensitive layers of a semiconductor substrate.
US09576806B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device that includes forming a fin structure from a semiconductor substrate, and forming a gate structure on a channel region portion of the fin structure. A source region and a drain region are formed on a source region portion and a drain region portion of the fin structure on opposing sides of the channel portion of the fin structure. At least one sidewall of the source region portion and the drain region portion of the fin structure is exposed. A metal semiconductor alloy is formed on the at least one sidewall of the source region portion and the drain region portion of the fin structure that is exposed.
US09576804B2
Oxide growth of a gate dielectric layer that occurs between processes used in the fabrication of a gate dielectric structure can be reduced. The reduction in oxide growth can be achieved by maintaining the gate dielectric layer in an ambient effective to mitigate oxide growth of the gate dielectric layer between at least two sequential process steps used in the fabrication the gate dielectric structure. Maintaining the gate dielectric layer in an ambient effective to mitigate oxide growth also improves the uniformity of nitrogen implanted in the gate dielectric.
US09576796B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include: forming an opening in an insulating layer to expose a portion of a major surface of a substrate, the substrate comprising a first semiconductor material; forming a protrusion in the opening using a first epitaxial growth process, the protrusion comprising a first portion disposed in the opening and a second portion extending out of the opening, the protrusion comprising a second semiconductor material different from the first semiconductor material; and forming the second semiconductor material on sidewalls of the second portion of the protrusion using a second epitaxial growth process different from the first epitaxial growth process.
US09576795B2
An object is to manufacture a highly reliable semiconductor device including a thin film transistor with stable electric characteristics. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor film is used for a semiconductor layer including a channel formation region, heat treatment (for dehydration or dehydrogenation) is performed to improve the purity of the oxide semiconductor film and reduce impurities including moisture or the like. After that, slow cooling is performed under an oxygen atmosphere. Besides impurities including moisture or the like exiting in the oxide semiconductor film, heat treatment causes reduction of impurities including moisture or the like exiting in a gate insulating layer and those in interfaces between the oxide semiconductor film and films which are provided over and below the oxide semiconductor and in contact therewith.
US09576794B2
In some aspects, methods for forming a germanium thin film using a cyclical deposition process are provided. In some embodiments, the germanium thin film is formed on a substrate in a reaction chamber, and the process includes one or more deposition cycles of alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with a vapor phase germanium precursor and a nitrogen reactant. In some embodiments, the process is repeated until a germanium thin film of desired thickness has been formed.
US09576786B2
The user of plasma light technology and remote lighting control techniques may enable a single master controller to control a large number of lighting fixtures. Multiple lighting fixtures may be equipped with control applications. Each control application may control the radio frequency driver of a lighting fixture that drives the plasma bulbs of the lighting fixture to produce light output for growing plants. The master controlled may execute on one or more computing devices. The master controller may send input instructions to the control applications of the lighting fixtures via a network. The instructions may be implemented by the control applications to command the radio frequency drivers to regulate a spectral distribution and/or intensity of the light output of the lighting fixtures.
US09576783B2
The invention relates to embodiments of high-resolution time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometers with special reflectors. The invention provides reflectors with ideal energy and solid angle focusing, based on Cassini ion traps, and proposes that a section of the flight path of the TOF mass spectrometers takes the form of a Cassini reflector. It is particularly favorable to make the ions fly through this Cassini reflector in a TOF mass spectrometer at relatively low energies, with kinetic energies of below one or two kiloelectronvolts. This results in a long, mass-dispersive passage time in addition to the time of flight of the other flight paths, without increasing the energy spread, angular spread or temporal distribution width of ions of the same mass. It is also possible to place several Cassini reflectors in series in order to extend the mass-dispersive time of flight. Several TOF mass spectrometers for axial as well as orthogonal ion injection with Cassini reflectors are presented.
US09576781B2
A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising transmitting ions and obtaining first mass spectral data and automatically determining during an acquisition whether the first mass spectral data suffers from saturation or is approaching saturation. If a determination is made during an acquisition that the first mass spectral data suffers from saturation or is approaching saturation then the method further comprises automatically changing or altering the intensity of ions which are detected by an ion detector and obtaining second mass spectral data. The method further comprises substituting one or more portions of the first mass spectral data with one or more corresponding portions of the second mass spectral data multiplied or scaled by an attenuation or scale factor and/or by an integer or other value so as to form a composite mass spectrum, wherein the composite mass spectrum comprises one or more ion peaks from the first mass spectral data and one or more ion peaks from the second mass spectral data.
US09576763B2
The removable device (20) according to the invention is designed to be connected to an electronic trip unit (10). The trip unit (10) comprises an internal electrical power supply bus (55) and the device (20) is adapted to be supplied with electrical energy via the internal electrical power supply bus (55). The device (20) comprises a withdrawal member (68) for withdrawing electrical energy on the internal electrical power supply bus (55). The trip unit (10) includes a switched-mode power supply (54) capable of delivering a power supply signal (S1). The withdrawal member (68) comprises detection means for detecting each rising edge of the power supply signal (S1), and the electrical energy of the power supply signal (S1) is withdrawn as of the detection of a rising edge.
US09576760B2
An electromagnet device is configured to generate a magnetic attractive force between a stationary core and a movable core when electricity is applied to a coil, so that the movable core is moved in a direction for coming into contact with the stationary core, and a movable shaft is moved in a direction in which a first end face of the movable shaft separates from a movable terminal. After the movable contact comes in contact with the fixed contact, the movable core moves further in a direction for coming into contact with the stationary core. A yoke made of a magnetic body is disposed between the movable terminal and the first end of the movable shaft.
US09576753B2
A contact system of a circuit breaker includes a fixed contact. The contact system also includes a moveable contact arm assembly comprising at least one moveable contact arm having a moveable contact thereon, the moveable contact arm moveable to define a closed condition and a blow open condition. The contact system further includes a carrier assembly operatively coupled to the moveable contact arm. The contact system yet further includes a latch plate operatively coupled to the carrier assembly. The contact system also includes a trip shaft operatively coupled to the carrier assembly, the trip shaft having a non-circular region defining an engagement surface disposed in contact with the latch plate in the closed condition. The contact system further includes a biasing portion of the moveable contact arm configured to rotate the trip shaft out of engagement with the latch plate and into the blow open condition.
US09576751B1
Methods, systems, devices for a motorized isolation switch including a switch enclosure with a set of fixed insulated floating input line connectors and output load connectors movably fixed to the rear panel, a removable contactor bucket insertable into the isolation switch enclosure with mating movable insulated line terminals and load terminals and a set of insulated circuit interrupters, a motorized rack and pinion assembly connected to a base of the switch enclosure, coupled for moving a contactor pan connectable to the contactor bucket along a stationary rack gear along the base of the switch enclosure between and switch open position and a switch closed position, an insulating grounding block with ground connectors, the contactor bucket with corresponding movable ground terminals to mate with the insulated ground connectors in the switch open position, and ancillary controls for communicating with remotely located controls to electrically control the operation.
US09576732B2
There is provided a multilayer ceramic capacitor including: a ceramic body including dielectric layers and satisfying T/W>1.1 when a width thereof is defined as W and a thickness thereof is defined as T; first internal electrodes each having a first lead part exposed to at least one side surface of the ceramic body; second internal electrodes each having a second lead part exposed to the at least one side surface of the ceramic body; first and second external electrodes electrically connected to the first lead part and the second lead part, respectively, and extended from the side surface of the ceramic body to which the first lead part and the second lead part are exposed to at least one of the first and second main surfaces; and an insulating layer formed to cover the first and second external electrodes formed on the first and second side surfaces.
US09576730B2
A dielectric ceramic composition contains a base material main ingredient and an accessory ingredient. The base material main ingredient includes a first base material main ingredient containing BaTiO3 and a second base material main ingredient containing (Na1-yKy)NbO3. The base material main ingredient is represented by (1−x)BaTiO3-x(Na1-yKy)NbO3, in which x and y satisfy 0.005≦x≦0.5 and 0.3≦y≦1.0, respectively.
US09576716B2
The subject disclosure relates improved common mode choke (CMC) and integrated connector module (ICM) designs for Ethernet applications. Some aspects provide an improved CMC component, including an upper chassis element having a first plurality of comb structures vertically protruding from an edge of the upper chassis element, and a lower chassis element comprising a second plurality of comb structures vertically protruding from an edge of the lower chassis element, the second plurality of comb structures configured to interlock with the first plurality of comb structures to form an enclosure when the upper chassis element is mechanically coupled with the lower chassis element.
US09576701B2
A high-voltage wiring structure in a vehicle includes an extending member extending in an extending direction which is a longitudinal direction or a width direction of the vehicle, a plurality of bulkheads respectively provided at a plurality of portions of the extending member in the extending direction, a high-voltage wire extended from a battery for driving the vehicle, and a pipe, in which the high-voltage wire is inserted, and which is surrounded by the extending member. A plurality of portions of the pipe in a longitudinal direction of the pipe are respectively fixed to the bulkheads by welding.
US09576685B2
In one embodiment, the fuel bundle for a liquid metal cooled reactor includes a channel, a nose assembly secured to a lower end of the channel, and a plurality of fuel rods disposed within the channel. At least one of the fuel rods has at least one guard ring surround the fuel rod and spacing the fuel rod from adjacent fuel rods.
US09576680B1
A semiconductor device may be provided. The semiconductor device may include a failure information generation circuit configured to generate first failure information. The semiconductor device may include a first latch data generation circuit configured to include the first failure information into first latch data of a first block and configured to output the first latch data including the first failure information. The semiconductor device may include a data synthesis circuit configured to generate first synthesis data.
US09576667B2
Apparatuses and methods for a non-volatile memory scheme are described herein. An example apparatus may include a memory block including a plurality of subblocks of memory cells and further may include a control unit. The control unit may be configured to program a first access line group of each subblock of the plurality of subblocks during a program operation and to program a second access line group of each subblock of the plurality of subblocks during the program operation responsive to programming the first access line group of each of the plurality of subblocks.
US09576665B2
A semiconductor memory device includes: a first string unit including first and second memory cell transistors; a second string unit including third and fourth memory cell transistors; a first word line coupled to gates of the first and third memory cell transistors; and a second word line coupled to gates of the second and fourth memory cell transistors. When the first string unit is selected and the first word line is selected, a first voltage is applied. The first voltage is larger than an initial value of the voltage in the step-up operation.
US09576663B1
Multi-port memory circuitry includes single-port memory circuitry, and arbitration logic circuitry that accepts multiple memory queries for the single-port memory circuitry and prevents the multiple memory queries from addressing conflicting portions of the single-port memory circuitry within a single clock cycle. The arbitration logic circuitry may include conflict-resolution logic circuitry that determines whether multiple memory queries address conflicting portions of the single-port memory circuitry. The single-port memory circuitry may be divided into a plurality of sub-arrays, and the conflict-resolution logic circuitry determines whether the multiple memory queries address overlapping groups of sub-arrays. The single-port memory circuitry may be a content-addressable memory or a random-access memory. The multi-port memory circuitry may be part of a shared-memory, multi-processor apparatus. Each memory query may include a profile identifying at least one portion of the single-port memory circuitry targeted by the query, and the conflict-resolution logic circuitry would examine each profile.
US09576657B1
A memory cell is provided that includes a vertically-oriented adjustable resistance structure including a control terminal coupled to a word line, and a reversible resistance-switching element coupled in series with and disposed above or below the vertically-oriented adjustable resistance structure.
US09576656B2
A device and method for setting a resistive random access memory cell are provided. An exemplary method includes: providing a set current to a bit line of the RRAM cell by a current source. An exemplary device includes: a first RRAM cell and a current source. The first RRAM cell is connected to a first word line. The current source selectively connected to the first bit line. The current source selectively provides a current to the first bit line of the first RRAM cell to set the first RRAM cell.
US09576655B2
An apparatus for programming at least one multi-level Phase Change Memory (PCM) cell having a first terminal and a second terminal. A programmable control device controls the PCM cell to have a respective cell state by applying at least one current pulse to the PCM cell, the control device controlling the at least one current pulse by applying a respective first pulse to the first terminal and a respective second pulse applied to the second terminal of the PCM cell. The respective cell state is defined by a respective resistance level. The control device receives a reference resistance value defining a target resistance level for the cell, and further receives an actual resistance value of said PCM cell such that the applying the respective first pulse and said respective second pulse is based on said actual resistance value of the PCM cell and said received reference resistance value.
US09576654B2
Apparatuses, sense circuits, and methods for compensating for a voltage increase on a wordline in a memory is described. An example apparatus includes a bitline, a memory cell coupled to the bitline, a bipolar selector device coupled to the memory cell, a wordline coupled to the bipolar selector device, and a wordline driver coupled to the wordline. The apparatus further includes a model wordline circuit configured to model an impedance of the wordline and an impedance of the wordline driver, and a sense circuit coupled to the bitline and to the model wordline circuit. The sense circuit is configured to sense a state of the memory cell based on a cell current and provide a sense signal indicating a state of the memory cell. The sense circuit is further configured to adjust a bitline voltage responsive to an increase in wordline voltage as modeled by the model wordline circuit.
US09576646B2
An SRAM cell with dynamic split ground (GND) and split wordline (WL) for extreme scaling is disclosed. The memory cell includes a first access transistor enabled by a first wordline to control access to cross coupled inverters by a first bitline. The memory cell further includes a second access transistor enabled by a second wordline to control access to the cross coupled inverters by a second bitline. The memory cell further includes a split ground line comprising a first ground line (GNDL) separated from a second ground line (GNDR). The GNDL is connected to a transistor of a first inverter of the cross coupled inverters and the GNDR is connected to a first transistor of a second inverter of the cross coupled inverters.
US09576644B2
An integrated circuit chip includes a first type memory cell and a second type memory cell. The first type memory cell includes a first reference line landing pad and a first word line landing pad. The first reference line landing pad of the first type memory cell and the first word line landing pad of the first type memory cell are aligned along a first direction. The second type memory cell includes a first reference line segment extending along the first direction and a first word line landing pad. The first word line landing pad of the second type memory cell and the first reference line segment of the second type memory cell are spaced apart along a second direction different from the first direction.
US09576642B2
This invention concerns a semiconductor memory device comprising: at least one sense amplifier circuit for reading data sensed from selected memory cells in a memory array,—at least one reference circuit, each reference circuit being a replica of the sense amplifier circuit and having an output through which the reference circuit delivers an output physical quantity, a regulation network providing a regulation signal to each sense amplifier circuit and each reference circuit, wherein the regulation signal is derived from an averaging of the output physical quantity over time and/or space, wherein the regulation network comprises a control unit configured to sum up the physical quantities of each output of the reference circuit and a target mean value, the control unit delivering a regulation signal based on the sum, the regulation signal being fed in to each regular sense amplifier circuit and to each reference circuit.
US09576638B2
An information processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention acquires temperature information for each of a plurality of memories in a wide IO memory device, and when execution of a job is instructed, decides on a memory having a lower temperature as the memory to be used by a functional module that corresponds to a function, based on the memory size to be used by the functional module that corresponds to the function, and on the acquired temperature information for the memories.
US09576637B1
A data processing system includes a memory channel and a data processor coupled to the memory channel. The data processor is adapted to access at least one rank and has refresh logic. In response to an activation of the refresh logic, the data processor generates refresh cycles to a bank of the memory channel. The data processor selects one of a first state corresponding to a first auto-refresh command that causes the data processor to auto-refresh the bank, and a second state corresponding to a second auto-refresh command that causes the data processor to auto-refresh a selected subset of the bank. The data processor initiates a switch between the first state and the second state in response to the refresh logic detecting a first condition related to the bank, and between the second state and the first state in response to the refresh logic circuit detecting a second condition.
US09576627B2
A semiconductor device includes a flag signal generating circuit, a reference voltage generating circuit, and a first buffer. The flag signal generating circuit generates a flag signal based on an internal command and a training control code which are extracted from an external signal. The reference voltage generating circuit receives a set code based on the flag signal, an input control code and an output control code, and generates a reference voltage whose level is set based on the set code. The first buffer buffers the external signal based on the reference voltage to generate an internal signal, and generates a calibration code from the internal signal based on the flag signal to output the calibration code.
US09576616B2
Providing for a non-volatile memory architecture having write and overwrite capabilities providing low write amplification to a storage system is described herein. By way of example, a memory array is disclosed comprising blocks and sub-blocks of two-terminal memory cells. The two-terminal memory cells can be directly overwritten in some embodiments, facilitating a write amplification value as low as one. Furthermore, the memory array can have an input-output multiplexer configuration, reducing sneak path currents of the memory architecture during memory operations.
US09576613B2
A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate; a test circuit array region; a pad region on the semiconductor substrate and at at least a first side of the test circuit array region and outside of the test circuit array region, transistors arranged in the test circuit array region in a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, source lines spaced apart from each other in the second direction, each of the source lines extending in the first direction and electrically connected to corresponding source electrodes of the transistors, and drain lines spaced apart from each other in the second direction, each of the drain lines extending in the first direction and electrically connected to drain electrodes of the transistors.
US09576612B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes a first memory block connected to first word lines, a second memory block arranged in a direction perpendicular to the first memory block and is connected to second word lines, first pass transistors for enabling the first word lines, and second pass transistors for enabling the second word lines. The first and second pass transistors are arranged in a horizontal direction with respect to the first and second memory blocks.
US09576604B1
A magnetic disk device according to an embodiment includes a disk including a plurality of tracks, a head configured to write and read data to and from the disk, and a controller configured to control an off-track of the head, which occurs when data is written to one track included in the plurality of tracks, within an allowable range of an amount of the off-track, which is set based on a count value of at least another track other than the one track.
US09576591B2
An electronic apparatus includes a voice acquirer which receives a first voice, a voice processor which processes a voice signal, a communication unit which communicates with at least one external electronic apparatus and receives information on at least one second voice, and a controller which determines whether the first voice is a user's command based on the information on at least one second voice transmitted by the communication unit, and if the first voice is not the user's command, does not perform an operation according to the first voice.
US09576584B2
A system for processing compressed audio includes a signal enhancer module configured to generate one or more signal treatments. The one or more signal treatments may be generated by the signal enhancer module based on analysis of the incoming audio signal. Alternatively, or in addition, characteristics of the incoming audio signal may be provided to the signal enhancer module for use in generating the one or more signal treatments. The one or more signal treatments may be added to file audio signals.
US09576581B2
A method for the real-time metatagging and captioning of an event. The method for the real-time metatagging and captioning of an event may include embedding metatag information in a caption file provided by a captioner. The embedded metatag information may allow a user to access additional information via the text of the captioned event. The metatag information may be embedded using a captioning device that creates both the text code and embeds the metatag code.
US09576577B2
Included are systems and methods for transcription transfer. In some embodiments a method includes receiving text data in an electronic format, determining a header in the text data, and in response to determining the header in the text data, determining a segment associated with the header. Some embodiments may include providing a dialog box associated with the text data, where the dialog box includes a first option for inserting the segment into a user interface provided by a destination application, receiving a user selection of the first option, and inserting the segment into a predetermined portion of the user interface provided by the destination application.
US09576564B2
A performance recording apparatus includes: a performance information acquiring unit which is configured to acquire performance information indicating a performance performed by a performer; a musical score information acquiring unit which is configured to acquire musical score information indicating a musical score that is used in the performance; and a producing unit which is configured to produce a performance file containing the performance information and the musical score information.
US09576561B2
A pick for use with stringed musical instruments is disclosed. In some embodiments the pick is characterized by a roughened texture on the front and back substantially planar surfaces of the narrowed bottom portion of a substantially teardrop shaped body for the purpose of altering the tonal properties produced as it moves against strings that are strummed or picked. In further embodiments the roughened textured picking portion is combined with a separate second picking portion that is substantially smooth and useable to produce a conventional sound.
US09576560B2
Stringed instrument, especially the guitar with flexible connection of the upper part of the heel of the neck below the fingerboard to the fixing block in the body of the instrument, whereby the lower free end of the heel of the neck is coupled to a fixing block in the body of a stringed instrument through the rod via a rectification element which dilates in reaction to atmospheric humidity changes.
US09576559B1
The present invention provides a musical instrument manual having keys that may be made of a material subject to warping and twisting, such as wood. A distal flexible suspension allows angular shifting of the distal end of each key of the manual to accomodate key warping. The flexible suspension enables angular displacement of the key lever about its distal end perpendicular to the plane of the playing surface of the key to allow the key to be played. The flexible suspension elastically opposes twisting of the key lever relative to the key bed.
US09576554B2
A digital magazine server determines a dominant color present in an image using a clustering algorithm. Color components of each pixel in the image are identified used to generate vectors associated with each pixel. Based on the vectors associated with the pixels, clusters including one or more pixels are generated using a clustering algorithm (e.g., k-means). The digital magazine server generates a characteristic vector for each cluster based on the vectors included in the cluster and selects a set of clusters based on their characteristic vectors. A centroid identifying the dominant color of the image is determined from the characteristic vectors of clusters in the set.
US09576547B2
A display panel includes a first sub-pixel electrode and a second sub-pixel electrode alternating with each other to form a horizontal electric field, a first data line transmitting a first data voltage to the first sub-pixel electrode, and a second data line transmitting a second data voltage to the second sub-pixel electrode, wherein the second sub-pixel electrode is formed to overlap the first and second data lines.
US09576544B2
A gate driver includes a line part to receive control signals and a shift register to sequentially output gate signals in response to the control signals provided from the line part. The line part and the shift register are disposed apart from each other with a first distance equal to or greater than about 20 μm.
US09576543B2
Provided are a shift register, a gate driving unit and a display device. By disposing a scanning sequence control circuit configured to control output sequence of a first gate signal and a second gate signal according to the received first and second scanning sequence control signals, a first control circuit and a second control circuit in the shift register unit, it may settle a Vertical mura problem in the prior art and may improve an image quality of the display device.
US09576534B2
A pixel selection control method, driving circuit, display apparatus and electronic instrument are disclosed. A driving circuit includes a logic circuit configured to receive a reference signal associated with a line of pixels. The reference signal has a first logic level or a second logic level. The driving circuit also includes a switch circuit configured to receive the reference signal and an enable signal, and to provide the enable signal to the logic circuit when the reference signal is at the first logic level. A display apparatus may be provided that includes the driving circuit.
US09576533B2
A display apparatus includes a display unit, a control unit, and a compensation unit. The compensation unit may compensate the display data when a sensing operation is performed on a target pixel circuit, the compensation unit compensating display data by setting a light emission amount of light emitting element of a target pixel circuit to be an amount obtained by subtracting a sensing light emission amount, which is a light emission amount of the light emitting element of the target pixel circuit during a sensing interval, from a display light emission amount, which is a light emission amount of the light emitting element of the target pixel circuit before the compensation.
US09576523B2
There is provided a display device including: a display panel including a display area consisting of a plurality of pixel areas, and a non-display area surrounding the display area; a plurality of power lines formed on the display area to supply a first voltage to the plurality of pixel areas; a first power link line connected to the plurality of first power lines, and formed on the non-display area; and a plurality of drivers connected to the display panel, and including a plurality of output pads and a plurality of first power pads, the plurality of (first) power pads disposed between the plurality of output pads and respectively connected to the plurality of first power link lines.
US09576506B2
A structure is configured to be flat in an unassembled position and to form a three-dimensional structure in an assembled position. The structure includes a plurality of adjacent panels coupled together along fold lines with each panel including a foam core covered on one surface by a flexible skin. The flexible skin is continuous between the adjacent panels that are coupled together for forming a respective fold line for the adjacent panels to be brought together at a right angle to each other along the fold line. The foam core of each panel includes a mitered surface along abutting edges to form a miter joint when adjacent panels are brought together. Slots are formed in the panel cores adjacent to mitered surfaces. Brackets span a miter joint between adjacent panels, holding the spanned miter joint and panels together in a three-dimensional structure.
US09576505B2
A method and apparatus for reorganizing display of a railway timetable diagram. A method of reorganizing the display of a railway timetable diagram, including: generating a relational graph by using a multiple of stations in the railway timetable diagram and correlations between the stations; partitioning the relational graph according to a partition rule, where the partition rule reduces lines crossing in at least one page and/or section in at least one page in a reorganized railway timetable diagram, where the lines representing an association between respective stations along a path in the reorganized railway timetable diagram; and displaying a reorganized railway timetable diagram based on a result of the partitioning. An apparatus for reorganizing the display of a railway timetable diagram.
US09576486B2
An apparatus manages vehicle parking services in a flexible and cost efficient manner. Service information for vehicle parking in a spatial and time varying parking area is received at a vehicle from a parking service management apparatus. A geographical position of the vehicle relative to the parking area is determined and forwarded to the parking service management apparatus. These communications can trigger issuance of a vehicle parking ticket at the parking service management apparatus based on the geographical position of the vehicle.
US09576485B2
One embodiment of a traffic intersection lane and signal system for improving intersection capacity and safety. Through traffic is stopped by signal means (22) a distance away from the intersection. Turning traffic on turn lanes (10) and (14) have an option to proceed and queue on lane segments (12) and (16) respectively, then complete the turning maneuvers during phase φ7 and phase φ1 respectively. The through traffic released from signal means (22) arrives at the intersection at the time opposing left turn phase φ5 expires and through phase φ6 starts, and passes through the intersection without significant delay. A set of detectors (50) and signal means (52) located before the presignal help drivers to make stop decisions, and another set of detectors (54) and signal means (56) located before the intersection provide last second warning to drivers who ran the red light at the presignal. This system accommodates left-handed or right-handed driving conventions.
US09576483B2
A device for a traffic flow assistant for a vehicle includes a surroundings sensor system, which recognizes traffic-relevant objects on a traffic lane, on which the vehicle is traveling, and on at least one further adjacent lane, gaps in the traffic are recognized with the aid of the surroundings sensor system and vehicle-dynamic parameters of the objects are determined and future gaps in the flow of traffic are able to be predicted therefrom. For these recognized gaps and predicted gaps, lane change options are ascertained and, from this and the present and/or predicted presence of gaps in the traffic suitable for changing lanes and the vehicle-dynamic state of the vehicle, a signal for the lane selection is generated, which is dependent on the lane change options and an optimization strategy.
US09576481B2
Disclosed is a method, apparatus, system and computer program configured to process traffic data and provide relevant information to a driver of a vehicle. A method that is disclosed includes receiving probe data from mobile probes; deriving, from the received probe data, an approximate traffic jam shape and traffic jam area; determining when and at what point a vehicle enters the traffic jam area, and an estimated trajectory of the vehicle within the traffic jam area; and based on the step of determining, generating and sending a message to the vehicle informing the vehicle of at least an estimated time when the vehicle will exit the traffic jam area.
US09576479B2
Disclosed herein are techniques and systems to guide a visually impaired user through an urban area, such as, across a crosswalk. A mobile device may receive messages broadcast by wireless beacons deployed in an area and determine a path, for example, across a crosswalk, based on the messages. The mobile device can then provide feedback to guide a visually impaired user across the crosswalk.
US09576475B2
A wireless-enabled tension meter is disclosed. The wireless-enabled tension meter can include a pulley arrangement through which a portion of a guiding member is routed for use during a pull of conductor through a conduit network. A tension force is exerted on the guiding member during the pull as the guiding member is pulled through the pulley arrangement. The wireless-enabled tension meter can also include a sensor for measuring the tension force, a wireless network interface, and a control module for performing operations. The operations performed by the control module can include capturing data corresponding to the tension force and causing the wireless network interface to send the data to a wireless communication device.
US09576472B2
A facility comprising systems, methods, and techniques for collecting data indicative of energy consumption and/or energy production by energy systems and devices and providing the data to interested users and devices in real-time is described. The facility may comprise an energy gateway device coupled to one or more monitored devices, one or more energy data extraction servers, and one or more client computers. The energy gateway devices and energy data extraction servers are coupled to a network and are configured to collect energy consumption and/or energy production data from one or more devices and provide an indication of the collected data in real-time or near real-time. The facility may collect current energy consumption or production rates, predicted energy consumption or production levels over a future period of time, and/or amounts of energy that has been consumed or produced by the device over a previous period of time.
US09576463B2
A portable, self-contained flood alarm which alleviates the shortcomings of the alarms of the prior art and offers an easy-to-use and reliable flood and water level alarm which will adequately warn users of potential flood conditions and possibly save their personal belongings, equipment and lives.
US09576449B2
Systems and methods that address the gap, security, and robustness limitations of known door and window contact systems and methods without increasing the overall cost thereof are provided. A system can include a time of flight sensor for mounting in or on a first portion of a window unit or a door unit and a microcontroller unit in communication with the time of flight sensor. The sensor can measure a time for a signal to travel from the sensor to a second portion of the window unit or the door unit and back to the sensor, the sensor can transmit the measured time to the microcontroller unit, and the microcontroller unit can use the measured time to make a security determination.
US09576439B2
A gaming machine that is capable of achieving respectively different game patterns at a time of a bonus game is provided. A main CPU displays a selection screen in a case where a feature game trigger is established, and causes a player to select either one of a free game and a roulette game. In a case where the free game is selected, a total of values that correspond to BONUS symbols that correspond to the feature game trigger is determined as the number of free games. The main CPU conducts lottery processing for determination of symbols and lottery processing for determination of BONUS symbol values. The values that correspond to the BONUS symbols are added on one by one basis, and a progress of obtaining the number of free games is displayed as effect on a video display unit.
US09576434B2
A computer activity-based challenge may be posted by a computer system to a social network associated with a user of the computer system. A notification may be received from the social network by the computer system indicating acceptance of the challenge for each subscriber of the social network who accepts the challenge. A result obtained by each subscriber who accepted the challenge may be recorded by the computer system after receiving the result from the social network. In some implementations a value associated with the challenge may be updated using dynamic scoring.
US09576422B2
Gaming devices, gaming systems, methods of conducting wagering games, and computer programs for operating wagering game machines are disclosed. A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game is disclosed. The gaming machine includes a first display device that is configured to display aspects of the wagering game. The first display device includes a touchscreen configured to receive user inputs. The gaming machine also includes a second display device that is configured to display a plurality of user-selectable elements. The second display device is further configured to display a selection mechanism in response to a first user input received from a user via the touchscreen of the first display device. The second display device is also configured, in response to a second user input received from the user via the touchscreen of the first display device, to display the selection mechanism selecting at least one of the displayed user-selectable elements.
US09576418B2
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a dispenser configured for storing one or more items and dispensing the stored items to authorized users. According to various embodiments, the dispenser generally includes a housing defining an interior portion dimensioned to receive a plurality of items and an access assembly configured to prevent unauthorized user access to the interior portion of the dispenser while providing selective access to certain items in response to input received from an authorized user. According to various embodiments, the access assembly comprises a pair of flexible barriers coupled to a sliding door assembly, which includes one or more lockable access doors. Together, the door assembly and flexible barriers prevent access to the interior of the dispenser when in a locked configuration and permit access to certain items when in an unlocked configuration.
US09576416B2
The invention relates to a magnetic multilayer system (1) which is arranged on a substrate (6) which is made of a material from the group consisting of a plastic from the group of polymers, metal, metal alloy and paper and/or which is at least one element from the group consisting of a document and packaging. The invention further relates to packaging which comprises such a magnetic multilayer system (1). According to the invention, the multilayer system (1) is used for proving the authenticity of an object. Likewise according to the invention are a method for marking an object with a magnetic multilayer system for proving the authenticity of an object and a method for reading a magnetic multilayer system for proving the authenticity of an object.
US09576407B1
A system and method allows a user to connect a mobile device, such as a smartphone, to a vehicle in order to track and record driving mileages incurred for a trip. Once a connection is established, the system and method may automatically begin mileage tracking. Upon termination of the connection, the system and method may sum up the tracked mileages to calculate a total mileage for the trip. The system and method may then display the total mileage for the trip to the user.
US09576397B2
Disclosed are methods and systems for generating display pixel data so as to reduce latency when rendering a representation of a graphic on a display, such as for augmented-reality applications. The method comprises: receiving a set of display pixel coordinate-pairs at the graphics processing unit; applying a transform matrix to the set of display pixel coordinate-pairs to obtain a set of graphic pixel coordinate-pairs, the transform matrix calculated using orientation data received from an external reference; retrieving a set of graphic pixel data associated with the set of graphic pixel coordinate-pairs; and, determining a set of display pixel data based on the retrieved set of graphic pixel data.
US09576394B1
A virtual camera within a volumetric model of a real world environment during an event occurring within the real world environment can be identified. The virtual camera can be associated with at least one of a location and an orientation within the real world environment. A virtual stream for the virtual camera can be constructed. The field of view of the stream can include video obtained from two cameras present within the real world environment and video not captured by a camera within the real world environment. The video field point of view can correspond to at least one of the location and orientation of the virtual camera. The virtual stream of the virtual camera can be presented within an interface of computing device responsive to the constructing.
US09576392B2
A two-dimensional image is generated from a three-dimensional volume image of the chest of a human body based on information about recognized and labeled costal regions and vertebral regions. The two-dimensional image includes first regions showing one of right and left costal regions and second regions showing the other of the right and left costal regions or vertebral regions. Different colors or patterns are applied to the first regions showing different ones of the costal regions, and the same color or pattern as that of each first region is applied to the second region that shows a costal region provided with a label indicating a costal bone located on the opposite side of and paired with the costal bone shown by the first region or a vertebral region provided with a label indicating a vertebral bone connected to the costal bone shown by the first region.
US09576390B2
Various embodiments include systems and methods for adaptive visualization enhancement in volumetric ultrasound images. One or more structures may be determined or identified to be visually enhanced in the volumetric ultrasound images, and one or more visualization changes may be determined, for each of the one or more structures to be visually enhanced. Rendering adjustments required to achieve each of the one or more visualization changes, for each of the one or more structures to be visually enhanced, may then be determined; and the rendering adjustments may be applied during volume rendering of the volumetric ultrasound images.
US09576389B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for generating an acceleration structure in a ray tracing system. The method of generating an acceleration structure includes splitting, at an acceleration structure generator, a space comprising a three-dimensional (3D) object into a plurality of sub spaces, calculating costs for traversing the plurality of sub spaces based on occlusion information of primitives in the plurality of sub spaces, selecting the plurality of sub spaces that minimize the costs for traversing, and generating an acceleration structure based on setting the selected plurality of sub spaces as nodes.
US09576378B2
Methods and systems for performing x-ray computerized tomographic (CT) reconstruction of imaging data on a rotatable portion of the system, such as a ring-shaped rotor. The rotor may include an x-ray source, and x-ray detector system and a processor, coupled to the detector system, for performing tomographic reconstruction of imaging data collected by the detector system.
US09576377B1
A general purpose image and visual effects display apparatus, with associated methods, which is comprised of an array of independently angled reflective or refractive elements wherein the varying angle pattern of each element across said array is designed to reflect or refract specifically designed light and color sources as well as fortuitously located existing colors, in precisely determined patterns, to make apparent to designated viewing or receiving locations a wide range of complex visual effects.
US09576370B2
A distance measurement method for calculating distance information from a first image and a second image that are image-captured with different image-capturing parameters. A setting step sets a first local region located in the first image including a distance calculation target pixel, and a second local region located in the second image corresponding to the first local region. An extraction step extracts a plurality of shift regions, which are regions of which a shift amount from the second local region is within a predetermined range. A correlation value is calculated between the first local region and each of the plurality of shift regions. A decision step determines a correlation value used for calculating distance information, based on the plurality of correlation values calculated in the first calculation step. The distance information on the distance calculation target pixel is calculated, based on the correlation value determined in the decision step.
US09576368B2
The invention relates to a method for optically determining the position and/or orientation of an object in space on the basis of images from at least one camera (24a, 24b). At least one 2D image of the object is recorded; 2D contour information is extracted from the image. On the basis of the contour information, at least one area (40) of the object is determined. Furthermore, 3D information is obtained from the at least one 2D image or a further 2D image. A portion situated within the determined area (40) of the object is selected from this 3D information. The position and/or orientation of the object is then determined on the basis of the selected portion of the 3D information. The invention furthermore relates to a use of the method, a device for carrying out the method and a milking robot with such a device.
US09576367B2
Disclosed is an object detection method used to detect an object in an image pair corresponding to a current frame. The image pair includes an original image of the current frame and a disparity map of the same current frame. The original image of the current frame includes at least one of a grayscale image and a color image of the current frame. The object detection method comprises steps of obtaining a first detection object detected in the disparity map of the current frame; acquiring an original detection object detected in the original image of the current frame; correcting, based on the original detection object, the first detection object so as to obtain a second detection object; and outputting the second detection object.
US09576364B1
In an approach to determining a relative position for each computer of a group of computers within a wireless network to a computer within the wireless network, a computer receives a set of digital image files from each computer and aggregates the set of digital image files into a panoramic digital image file. The computer generates a network map depicting a position of each of the computers based on the panoramic digital image file. The computer determines a relative position map for at least one computer based on the network map and the panoramic digital image file, wherein the relative position map provides a location of each computer of the group of computers with respect to the at least one computer. The computer receives input from the at least one computer, the input using the relative position map to send data to one or more of the group of computers.
US09576363B2
The present invention relates to a device and a method of detecting arbitrarily piled objects, and a device and a method for picking a detected object. The present invention may provide a device and a method of detecting an object, which extract a unique local characterized part of the object by using a visual sensor, detect an object region, and estimate a posture from the detected object region. Also the present invention may provide an object picking system capable of being applied to an actual production process, such as assembling or packaging, in a cell producing method.
US09576362B2
An image processing device includes an image sequence acquisition section that acquires an image sequence that includes a plurality of images, and a processing section that performs an image summarization process that deletes some of the plurality of images included in the acquired image sequence to acquire a summary image sequence, the processing section selecting a reference image and a determination target image from the plurality of images, calculating a coverage ratio of the determination target image by the reference image based on deformation information about the reference image and the determination target image, and determining whether or not the determination target image can be deleted based on the coverage ratio.
US09576359B2
The subject invention provides a method for detecting and analyzing the hair follicles on a scalp to assist with hair follicle transplantation. The methods of the subject invention are able to count the number of hair follicle groups and the number of follicles within each group based upon a microscopic image of a sample from a human scalp. An algorithm is then used to cluster the follicles and generate a neighboring connected graph to calculate the inter object distances. A report can then be generated that provides information regarding the density, placement, and percentage of hair follicle type in different areas of the scalp. This report can be used to generate a hair follicle transplant strategy to assist a physician or robotic system.
US09576355B2
A medication monitoring system including a patient information unit having a processor, a memory and a patient monitoring unit and a program executing in the memory executing the steps of communicatively coupling a first device with a second device, transmitting live images from the first device to the second device, analyzing the content of the live images to identify at least one biometric attribute of a user in the image and at least one bar code on a container in the image, determining whether the bar code is associated with at least one biometric attribute, and notifying the user whether to consume the contents of the container based on the association of the bar code with the biometric attribute.
US09576354B2
The present invention relates to imaging of a human or animal heart, particularly imaging of movement of the heart and can be used for imaging function and form in a wide range of research, medical, veterinary and industrial applications. In particular, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for imaging a subject heart, the method including the steps of (1) recording at least one in vivo image of a lung of the subject in one or more regions; (2) applying said at least one in vivo image to a 2D or 3D heart model; and (3) reconstructing a 2D or 3D image field of the subject heart.
US09576343B2
Systems and methods for a content-adaptive photo-enhancement recommender that produces multiple enhanced images based on content and color layout parameters derived from related high-quality images are disclosed. In some embodiments, a user-uploaded image is enhanced based on parameters learned from high-quality images similar in content to the user-uploaded image and obtained using content-based image retrieval techniques.
US09576335B2
In a method, a device, and a computer program for reducing the resolution of an input image, wherein input image shows a three-dimensional scene that was recorded by a surveillance camera, the distance between surveillance camera and objects in the three-dimensional scene is referred to as the object distance, and the resolution reduction is adjusted with consideration for the object distance in the three-dimensional scene and/or the perspective distortion of the three-dimensional scene.
US09576329B2
A method, performed by a server, for supporting equipment service at a site includes receiving, from Head Mounted Equipment (HME) associated with an installer at a site, data relating to an inventory and location of equipment at the site, wherein the data is collected by the HME during equipment service, wherein the equipment includes one or more of a circuit pack, a line module, a cable and power equipment; and checking the equipment service based on the received data and at least one of plans associated with the site and configuration rules of the equipment.
US09576324B2
Systems and methods are provided for displaying tax penalty and interest assessment calculation details on demand, in real time. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a request for a penalty and interest assessment value and determining if the request includes a request for calculation details. When the request includes a request for calculation details, the penalty and interest assessment value is calculated using data received with the request. One or more calculation details are populated based on the calculation of the penalty and interest assessment. The method includes displaying the calculated penalty and interest assessment value and the calculation details.
US09576323B2
In a database that is associated with the retailer POS system, inventory is flagged as being FSA-eligible and a retailer POS system is programmed to support FSA debit card auto-adjudication, i.e., the retailer POS system is IIAS certified. The FSA-eligible information that is stored in the retailer POS database is also used to flag for a customer FSA-eligible items presented to the user online, e.g., in an online catalog. When an FSA-eligible item is purchased on-line or at a retailer POS, the FSA debit card information is captured and the purchase transaction is processed by the retailer POS system so the customer has easy access to FSA purchases via either channel.
US09576322B1
A computer-implemented method for determining an indication of a location of a first device in a vehicle is presented, the first device being associated with a party in the vehicle. An indication of a direction of motion of the vehicle may be received. When a second device in the vehicle transmits a signal, an indication of a direction of orientation of the first device may be received. The indication of the direction of orientation may be affected by the transmitted signal, and may be determined using the first device. The indication of the location of the first device may be determined based on the indication of the direction of motion of the vehicle and the indication of the direction of orientation of the first device, and may indicate whether the first device is associated with a driver seat or a passenger seat, to facilitate insuring of the party.
US09576317B2
A collaborative real estate search is described. Overlay data including indications of properties for sale within a geographic area are provided to a first user device. The overlay data are capable of being overlaid on a map of the geographic area on a user interface. Selections of some of the properties for sale are received from the first user device and a list of those properties is stored within a folder associated with the first user. The system enables a second user device—associated with a second user who is associated with the first user—to access the list of the properties selected by the user. This includes enabling the second user device to cause information regarding the properties to be stored within the folder. The information is made available for display on a user interface of the first user device.
US09576310B2
The current disclosure extends to normalizing UPCs so the normalized UPCs can be readily compared against each other and used for item lookups in a local cache. Embodiments of the present disclosure include a UPC cache on a user's mobile device, such as a smartphone. In such embodiments, a UPC that is normalized following processes set forth in the present disclosure may act as a cache key for related product information stored in the cache. By conducting item lookups in a local cache, requests for that data can be served faster than if the data were stored on a remote server.
US09576308B1
A system, method, and computer readable medium for usage billing of one or more hosted applications serving one or more clients. The hosted applications are contained within one or more isolated environments or run without isolated environments. The system may include usage billing based on one or more of resources open, amount of data flowing through resources, number of open files, number of transactions, number of concurrent users, number of processes, CPU utilization and memory usage, The system may further include a management interface where administrators may add, remove and configure isolated environments, configure client policies and credentials, and force upgrades. If using isolated environments, the isolated environments may be isolated from other applications and the host operating system on the clients and applications within the isolated environments may run without performing an application-installation on the client.
US09576296B2
A system includes a remotely-located server comprising a metric server adapter, a metrics application, and a communication application. The metric server adapter includes governing logic that manages an evaluation service and predefined instructions for managing metric data. The metrics application is a production application that operates in coordination with the metric server adapter. The metrics application receives an evaluation scenario causing the metrics application to retrieve historical purchase data including one or more price data sets. The metrics application obtains metric data that includes market reference price data, evaluates attributes of responsive items in the metric data to dynamically discover a difference in the attribute data, and dynamically defines transaction-specific instructions for adapting the metric data for a respective item. One or more adjustment values applied to the metric data transform the market reference price data. The metrics application generates and communicates at least one performance metric to a computing device.
US09576294B2
The systems and methods provide an offer to a user that may be accepted by the user through an action by the user. The action may be, for example, a broadcast through a social media channel. The parameters of the offer may defined that the broadcast comprise an offer identifier and may require that a user take subsequent action to fulfill the offer. The systems and methods may also be configured to monitor one or more broadcast channels, identify the source of a broadcast, identify transaction accounts associated with the source, evaluate transaction data associated with the transaction account, and provide benefits to the source and/or the transaction account.
US09576282B2
Methods and apparatus for recovering a transaction cost in connection with a transaction between a customer and a merchant are provided. The transaction cost may be recovered from a transaction that originates at a merchant location associated with a merchant category code. The transaction cost may be recovered from a low-value purchase. A recovery amount associated with the low-value purchase may include a fixed amount. The recovery amount associated with the low-value purchase may include a percentage of the acceptance cost. The recovery amount may be shared among two or more transaction participant. The recovery amount may be dynamically adjusted. Methods and apparatus may include providing adequate notice of changes in the recovery amount. The transaction cost may be recovered utilizing central control over network of merchant locations.
US09576280B2
A method and system for making electronic payments is disclosed herein. The method for making a payment for items being purchased by a customer at a point of sale comprises acquiring and sending a payment pending notification comprising an account number of the customer and a first terminal identification number to a host system. A payment request comprising a total cost of the items, a second terminal identification number, and a control bank card number is then acquired and sent to the host system. The host system associates the customer's account in the host system with the purchase by correlating the first terminal identification number with the second terminal identification number. A payment decision using information in the customer's account is made with the host system and is sent to the point of sale, where the transaction is closed. A system configured to perform the method is also provided.
US09576278B2
A banking system that utilizes metrics in acquiring and processing event data related to financial transaction activity at a plurality of automated banking machines. Automated banking machine include sensors able to detect event data during a transaction. The event data can include transaction data related to the type of transaction, time analysis data related to duration of the transaction, and operational data related to machine components used in carrying out the transaction. The event data for automated banking machines can be obtained, analyzed, and stored. Statistical averages associated with the banking system machines can be determined in real time. The averages allow a respective machine to be compared to other machines with respect to operational efficiency. An alert can be issued concerning a statistical anomaly regarding the respective machine.
US09576277B2
A receipt receives an electronic message from a sender, wherein said electronic message comprises at least one suggested folder name specified by the sender for the recipient to select as a folder name for filing the electronic message, wherein the at least one suggested folder name is detected by a sender computer system from a selection by the sender within a user interface of the sender computer system of the at least one suggested folder name for the electronic message and inserted into the electronic message. The electronic message is filtered to detect the at least one suggested folder name for filing the electronic message in a messaging filing directory. Responsive to the recipient selecting to file the electronic message, the electronic message is filed in at least one folder with the suggested folder name from among a plurality of folders.
US09576270B1
A system and related method for the exchange of information, data and instructions between one or more network administrators and one or more network infrastructure devices via one or more media exchanges. Devices are managed using a social media agent including a session agent that translates media messages into network device content and vice versa while maintaining context. Particular media interfaces may be selected for messaging dependent upon the particular message to be exchanged. Shorthand may be used to facilitate messaging through media of interest.
US09576269B2
A method for managing documents in a computer implemented document management system, includes: creating a document profile that is associated with a document and includes fields of attributes of the document; and creating a link in the document profile to a file type that is not created within the document management system.
US09576264B2
Systems and methods are directed to supply chain management. In particular, the tracking, tracing, authenticating, and reporting of supply chain events for products, is disclosed. Various embodiments can store, analyze, and track supply chain events and help to coordinate and maintain trading partner connections. Various embodiments also help to enhance patient safety, secure the supply chains for pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and other healthcare products, and help users to follow regulatory requirements.
US09576263B2
A system and method for facilitating rendering a user interface display screen or portion thereof. An example method includes determining context information associated with a user, wherein the context information includes use job role information; and employing the context information to select one or more visualization types from a set of available visualization types. The method may further include using the context information to provide one or more first user options to select one or more categories of data pertaining to a business task; referencing the one or more categories to facilitate determining one or more data attributes, dimensions, or measures associated with the context information; utilizing the one or more data attributes and the context information to select the one or more visualization types from the set of available visualization types; and providing a second user option to choose a visualization type from among selected visualization types.
US09576260B2
A method of managing a supply chain comprises providing at a customer interface module a plurality of order fulfillment options to a customer, and receiving from the customer a selection of a particular order fulfillment option. The method also includes receiving a first order from the customer, and receiving a first inventory status from a first distribution center. A first distribution center sends a first product to the customer in response to determining that the particular order fulfillment option comprises a fill-partial order fulfillment option, and a duration between the time that the first product is directed to be sent and the time when the first product is actually sent is determined. An alert is generated if the duration is greater than a predetermined duration.
US09576259B2
Embodiments of the invention provide systems, methods, and apparatus for receiving input information including at least one of generator parameters, energy output requirements, fuel cost, fuel availability, and a maintenance schedule; creating a resource model based on the input information wherein creating the resource model includes linearizing a quadratic objective function and linearizing a quadratic gas constraints function; generating an optimized operating schedule, fuel mix, and allocation plan from the resource model based on the input information; and controlling the generator resources to optimally meet energy output requirements using the operating schedule fuel mix, and allocation plan. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US09576252B2
A test operation and reporting system is operable to evaluate testing of a system under test (SUT). The test operation and reporting system includes a testing metrics selection engine to identify core metrics and one or more optional metrics to evaluate a testing service level of one or more tests performed on the SUT. A metrics compilation module determines measurements for the core metrics and optional metrics. A trend evaluation module determines whether a trend determined from the metrics meets an associated target, and identifies a metric indicator to explain the trend if the associated target is not met. A dashboard engine generates a plurality of views based on selections. The views are operable to include the trend, an associated target, the core metrics and optional metrics, the metric indicator and other metrics.
US09576251B2
The present disclosure provides a computer-implemented method of processing Web activity data. The method includes obtaining a collection of Web activity data generated by a plurality of users at a plurality of Webpages, wherein the Webpages are from a plurality of unaffiliated Websites. The method also includes extracting a plurality of search terms from the Web activity data and associating each of the plurality of search terms with a corresponding Webpage. The method also includes generating statistical data from the Web activity data based, at least in part, on the search terms, the statistical data corresponding to the online activity at one or more Webpages.
US09576249B2
In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for measuring a user's comprehension of subject matter of a text. A summary generated by the user is received, where the summary summarizes the text. The summary is processed to determine a first numerical measure indicative of a similarity between the summary and a reference summary. The summary is processed to determine a second numerical measure indicative of a degree to which a single sentence of the summary summarizes an entirety of the text. The summary is processed to determine a third numerical measure indicative of a degree of copying in the summary of multi-word sequences present in the text. A numerical model is applied to the first numerical measure, the second numerical measure and the third numerical measure to determine a score for the summary indicative of the user's comprehension of the subject matter of the text.
US09576246B2
A system and method enables users to selectively expose and optionally monetize their data resources, for example on a web site. Data assets such as datasets and models can be exposed by the proprietor on a public gallery for use by others. Fees may be charged, for example, per new model, or per prediction using a model. Users may selectively expose public datasets or public models while keeping their raw data private.
US09576243B2
An advanced intelligence engine (AIE) for use in identifying what may be complex events or developments on one or more data platforms or networks from various types of structured or normalized data generated by one or more disparate data sources. The AIE may conduct one or more types of quantitative, correlative, behavioral and corroborative analyses to detect events from what may otherwise be considered unimportant or non-relevant information spanning one or more time periods. Events generated by the AIE may be passed to an event manager to determine whether further action is required such as reporting, remediation, and the like.
US09576242B2
A reasoning engine is disclosed. Contemplated reasoning engines acquire data relating to one or more aspects of various environments. Inference engines within the reasoning engines review the acquire data, historical or current, to generate one or more hypotheses about how the aspects of the environments might be correlated, if at all. The reasoning engine can attempt to validate the hypotheses through controlling acquisition of the environment data.
US09576239B2
A computer-implemented system and method for identifying tasks using temporal footprints is provided. A database of temporal footprints is maintained. Each temporal footprint is representative of a different task and includes one or more significant patterns of two or more sequential events. Events performed by one or more users are tracked. At least one pattern including sequential occurrences of two or more of the tracked events is identified. The identified pattern is compared to each of the significant patterns of the temporal footprints. A footprint score for the identified pattern is determined with respect to each temporal footprint. The task associated with the temporal footprint having the highest footprint score is assigned to the identified pattern.
US09576238B2
An antenna device includes a planar conductor, a coiled antenna element, and a feed coil. The feed coil includes a coil conductor wound around a magnetic core. The planar conductor includes a ground conductor provided with a printed wiring substrate. In a portion of a circumferential portion of the planar conductor, a coupling portion is provided and defined by an aperture and a slit. In a planar view of the antenna element, at least a portion of the coil aperture of the feed coil and a portion of the aperture overlap with each other. In addition, at least a portion of the coil aperture of the feed coil and a portion of the coil aperture of the antenna element overlap with each other.
US09576233B2
Techniques for checking into a retail establishment are provided. A retailer provides a substrate having a magnetic-field encoded tag. A consumer waves the consumer's device over the tag to electronically capture the magnetic-field encoded tag. The consumer's device is used to communicate the tag to a retailer to validate that the consumer is physically present and now checked into the retail establishment of the retailer.
US09576232B1
A structure, a decoding method and a decoding device of a barcode are disclosed. One data code of the barcode of the present invention has 8-bit information quantity. Therefore, based on the same print length of the Code 128 barcode, the information density of the barcode of the present invention can be increased and the encoding and the following operation of the barcode can be simplified. In addition, the barcode of the present invention can be configured on a plane of an object, around a plane of a disc, or around a circular side of a cylinder, enabling the decoding device of the present invention to identify the data code, indicating 8-bit information of the barcode, scanned through a corresponding linear motion, disc rotation, or cylinder rotation.
US09576217B2
A method for visual recognition of an object in an electronic image includes extracting unique points of an object to be learned and/or a target object. The unique points are obtained by cross-correlating the image with a structure. Generally, the structure and/or the size of the structure may vary to detect extremum information associated with the learned object and/or target object. An icon corresponding to each of the unique points is extracted. The size of the icon corresponds to the scale of the unique point. After extraction of the various icons, an object becomes a collection of icons. Each of these icons is un-rotated and normalized or resized to a constant size so it can be compared with other icons. One of the unique properties of these icons is their stability over scale and angle. Thus, this invention allows the recognition of an image(s) or object(s) from large number of trained images or objects very quickly.
US09576211B2
The recognition rate is improved and recognition errors are suppressed when recognizing magnetic ink characters. When the magnetic ink character 101 one character before the target character to which a magnetic recognition process is applied is not recognized, the character recognition unit 80 of a check reader 1 detects a different peak in a specific range before and after the position of the peak detected as the first peak of the one preceding magnetic ink character 101 in the signal waveform data, extracts character waveform data for the one preceding magnetic ink character 101 from the signal waveform data based on the position of the detected different peak, and applies the magnetic recognition process to the extracted character waveform data.
US09576206B2
A method of localizing a vehicle hosting a sensor comprises capturing data from the sensor providing a sensed scene around the vehicle at a current time, processing the sensed scene to extract a set of features from the sensed scene and determine a position of the vehicle from the sensed scene in relation to a previous position of the sensor, comparing the extracted set of features to one or more stored experiences, wherein each stored experience comprises a plurality of sets of features, where each set of features has been determined from a previously sensed scene, to ascertain whether the sensed scene can be recognized within any of the stored experiences, and if the extracted set of features of the sensed scene are recognized then that stored experience is used to produce an estimate of the position of the vehicle at the current time with respect to the stored experience.
US09576197B2
Methods and apparatus to identify media content using temporal signal characteristics are disclosed. An example method includes generating a reference signature based on a reference signal corresponding to known media, generating sums based on peaks in a media signal corresponding to media, identifying signal peaks based on the generated sums, generating a second signature based on normalized curve features, wherein the normalized curve features respectively correspond to the identified signal peaks at a corresponding temporal locations of the corresponding signal peak, and determining whether the media signal corresponds to the reference signal based on a comparison of the reference signature and the second signature.
US09576194B2
Systems and Methods for identity information verification. The system includes an electronic device and a computing authentication unit. The electronic device includes a data capture unit for electronically scanning first data and second data corresponding to respective first and second locations of an identity document indicative of an individual. The computing authentication unit is configured to: perform a first verification to verify whether the first data matches the second data; perform a second verification, when the first data matches the second data, including comparing aggregated data from both the first and second data to identity data in one or more identity databases to verify personal identity information of the individual indicated in the identity document; and cause the electronic device to indicate a result of at least one of the first verification or the second verification.
US09576189B2
Provided is a vehicle control apparatus including an image obtaining part that obtains an image of outside of a vehicle; a face recognizing part that finds and tracks a face of a person from an image obtained by the image obtaining part based on feature elements human faces and extracts feature information regarding a face of a person; a face authenticating part that compares the feature information extracted by the face recognizing part to feature information regarding faces of persons registered in advance and, if a difference therebetween is less than or equal to a critical value, authenticates that the recognized face as a registered face; the motion recognizing part that, when authentication is completed by the face authenticating part, recognizes a motion; and a control part that recognizes a motion of a face-recognized and face-authenticated person and performs a set function.
US09576187B2
A photo sharing system with a face recognition function includes a photo browser and a photo sharing platform. The photo browser allows a user to browse plural photos, and includes a user interface that shows the plural photos; a photo classification module that is activated to automatically classify the plural photos into groups according to face images contained in the plural photos and identified by the face recognition function while showing the groups of photos on the user interface for selection; and a photo transmission module that is activated to automatically pack and transmit a selected one of the groups of photos to a photo sharing platform in the cloud. The photo sharing platform includes a photo file management module that manages at least a photo folder that stores the selected group of photos.
US09576186B2
An image processing apparatus includes an imaging unit, an authenticating unit, and a controller. The imaging unit acquires a face image of a user. The authenticating unit performs a first authentication process based on the face image and a second authentication process based on information other than the face image. The controller suspends the first authentication process based on the face image while maintaining the imaging unit in an activated state when the authenticating unit performs the second authentication process.
US09576184B2
A method of defining a region of interest in a floor plan document including identifying a point within the region of interest, identifying notations in the floor plan document potentially indicative of walls near the identified point, and identifying notations in the floor plan document potentially indicative of protrusions from the walls near the identified point. The method also includes determining whether the notations potentially indicative of protrusions from the walls are part of the perimeter of the region of interest based on at least one criteria selected from a group consisting of size, shape, and location of the notation potentially indicative of a protrusion, defining the perimeter of the region of interest based on the notations determined to be part of the perimeter of the region of interest, and calculating a quantity associated with the region of interest based on the defined perimeter of the region of interest.
US09576181B2
A method for defining an isolation area around an object of interest in a cell culture vessel, the method comprising the steps of: —obtaining one or more images of the cell culture vessel using one or more of a plurality of illumination sources, each illumination source being capable of illuminating the vessel from a different direction; —selecting an image or combination of images for further processing; —applying a circular object detection transformation to identify one or more objects of interest being substantially circular objects in the cell culture vessel, which circular objects of interest are representative of isolated colonies in the cell culture vessel and determining the center of an object of interest; —applying a binarizing step to obtain a binarized image of the object of interest and other objects, wherein the center of the binarized image corresponds to the center of the object of interest; —iteratively forming concentric circles with increasing radius, wherein the concentric circles are centered on the center of the binarized image; —identifying coronas, wherein a corona is delimited by two circles having successive radius values; —for each corona: determining the presence and the location of any other object located in the corona to determine the presence and the location of other objects; —determining a clearance angle defining an angular sector free of other objects around the object of interest to define the isolation area around the object of interest.
US09576180B2
A method for analyzing a biologic fluid sample includes the steps of: a) providing a spatially mapped chamber; b) providing a predetermined repeatable non-uniform spatial distribution of one or more constituents within the sample, which distribution indicates the presence or absence of a statistically significant number of constituents within the sample in each chamber sub-region; c) selecting one or more image techniques for each sub-region based on the presence or absence of the statistically significant number of one or more constituents in that sub-region as indicated by the distribution; d) creating image data representative of the biologic fluid sample in each sub-region, using the one or more image techniques selected for that sub-region; and e) analyzing the sample.
US09576179B2
An authentication apparatus includes a biometric data acquirer configured to acquire fingerprint data and an electrocardiogram (ECG) waveform of a user, and a humidity level acquirer configured to acquire a humidity level of skin of the user. The apparatus further includes a similarity extractor configured to adjust a first similarity between the fingerprint data and reference fingerprint data of a pre-registered user, and a second similarity between the ECG waveform and a reference ECG waveform of the pre-registered user, based on the humidity level, and extract a combined similarity based on the adjusted first similarity and the adjusted second similarity. The apparatus further includes an authenticator configured to authenticate whether the user is the pre-registered user based on the combined similarity.
US09576175B2
A device is configured to receive an image of a person. The image may include an image of a face. The device may create an emoticon based on the image of the face. The emoticon may represent an emotion of the person. The device may detect a facial expression of the person at a time that a message is being generated. The device may determine the emotion of the person based on the detected facial expression. The device may identify the emoticon as corresponding to the emotion of the person. The device may add the emoticon to the message based on the emoticon corresponding to the emotion of the person. The device may output the message including the emoticon.
US09576172B2
Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can acquire a first machine-readable code. The first machine-readable code can be provided on a display element. A reader tool for reading a second machine-readable code can be provided on the display element in conjunction with the providing of the first machine-readable code on the display element. In some instances, the second machine-readable code can be read using the reader tool. The second machine-readable code can be processed to access information represented by the second machine-readable code. One or more operations can be performed based on the information represented by the second machine-readable code.
US09576170B2
A host device is configured to (i) establish a point-to-point connection with a barcode reader via a point-to-point communication interface, (ii) determine that the barcode reader is in a state wherein executable instructions necessary for providing decoded data to the host device are not present within memory of the barcode reader, (iii) use the network interface to connect to a configuration server and to receive, from the configuration server, executable instructions required for the barcode reader to be capable of providing the decoded data to the host device, (iv) provide the executable instructions to the barcode reader via the point-to-point connection, and (v) receive from the barcode reader, via the point-to-point communication interface, the decoded data only after the executable instructions have been loaded to volatile memory of the barcode reader.
US09576154B2
An embodiment of a method of operating a storage system includes combining a password, a first number, and a number of iterations to produce a first key, encrypting the first key, receiving a second number, and encrypting the second number with the first key to produce an encrypted second key.
US09576151B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for protecting data determines a desired duplication rate based on a level of desired anonymity for the data and generates a threshold for data records within the data based on the desired duplication rate. The system produces a data record score for each data record based on comparisons of attributes for that data record, compares the data record scores to the threshold, and controls access to the data records based on the comparison. Embodiments of the present invention further include a method and computer program product for protecting data in substantially the same manners described above.
US09576144B2
Systems and methods for accessing data secured and encrypted using a file system manager are disclosed. One method includes determining whether a community of interest (COI) key obtained from a security appliance matches a COI key associated with a file structure managed by the file system manager that is the subject of a file system request issued by a caller. The method further includes identifying an entry included in a key bank associated with the COI key and the file structure that is the subject of the file system request, the key bank storing encrypted versions of a metadata key. The method also includes decrypting the metadata key using the COI key, decrypting at least one block encryption key using the metadata key, and decrypting a block of data associated with the at least one block encryption key.
US09576142B2
A method is described to maintain (including generate) an inventory of a system of a plurality of containers accessible by a computer system. At least one container is considered to determine whether the container is executable in at least one of a plurality of execution environments characterizing the computer system. Each execution environment is in the group comprising a native binary execution environment configured to execute native machine language instructions and a non-native execution environment configured to execute at least one program to process non-native machine language instructions to yield native machine language instructions. The inventory is maintained based on a result of the considering step. The inventory may be used to exercise control over what executables are allowed to execute on the computer system.
US09576139B2
Techniques for implementing a secure graphics architecture are described. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a processor circuit and a graphics management module, and the graphics management module may be operative to receive graphics information from the processor circuit, generate graphics processing information based on the graphics information, and send the graphics processing information to a graphics processor circuit arranged to generate graphics display information based on the graphics processing information. In this manner, security threats such as screen capture attacks and/or theft of content protected media streams may be reduced. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09576138B1
Mitigating return-oriented programming attacks. From program code and associated components needed by the program code for execution, machine language instruction sequences that may be combined and executed as malicious code are selected. A predetermined number of additional copies of each of the selected machine language instruction sequences are made, and the additional copies are marked as non-executable. The machine language instruction sequences and the non-executable copies are distributed in memory. If a process attempts to execute a machine language instruction sequence that has been marked non-executable, the computer may initiate protective action.
US09576137B2
A method for improving the functional security and increasing the availability of an electronic control system, particularly a motor vehicle control system, including hardware components and software components, wherein the hardware components are abstracted by at least one basis software component and/or a runtime environment, and in which an implemented security concept describes two or more software levels, wherein a first software level includes control functions of an application software and a second software level is designed as functional monitoring, for safeguarding against control function faults, wherein a data encryption, provided by at least one hardware component, and/or a data signature for securing the data of at least one communication channel of the hardware component is used with at least one first software component. The invention additionally describes an electronic control system for performing the method.
US09576131B2
In one example, a management server is configured to provide malware protection for one or more client mobile platforms in communication with the management server via a mobile network. In the example, the management server includes a processor configured to detect malware in the mobile network, select a client mobile platform having a malware scanning agent, and, manage the malware scanning agent of the client mobile platform using a device independent secure management protocol based at least in part on the malware detected in the mobile network.
US09576126B2
A template of a biometric attribute for use with a biometric recognition device includes a long term component and a short term component. The long term component can include a plurality of nodes that each represents at least a portion of the biometric attribute. The short term component may include one or more newly captured nodes that each represents at least a portion of the biometric attribute.
US09576117B2
A protection method for an electronic device includes generating a control command using a processor of the electronic device when it is determined to acquire information of a current user of the electronic device. The electronic device is controlled to acquire the information of the current user and to acquire data of the electronic device according to the control command. The acquired information is stored. The acquired information and the acquired data is transmitted to the server.
US09576109B1
Revenue generated through electronic book sales (and other transactions, such as rental, sample, leasing, etc.) is allocated among rights holders and other parties based on a ranking of common work distributed in electronic book form or any other form (e.g., paperback, hardcover, audio). As the ranking changes, the revenue allocated to the rights holder changes. The changes may be made in real-time as revenue and metric data is collected.
US09576103B2
A system, method and apparatus for executing a sequence analysis pipeline on genetic sequence data includes a structured ASIC formed of a set of hardwired digital logic circuits that are interconnected by physical electrical interconnects. One of the physical electrical interconnects forms an input to the structured ASIC connected with an electronic data source for receiving reads of genomic data. The hardwired digital logic circuits are arranged as a set of processing engines, each processing engine being formed of a subset of the hardwired digital logic circuits to perform one or more steps in the sequence analysis pipeline on the reads of genomic data. Each subset of the hardwired digital logic circuits is formed in a wired configuration to perform the one or more steps in the sequence analysis pipeline.
US09576097B1
Methods and computer program products for decomposing and etching a circuit pattern layout are provided. The methods may include decomposing a circuit pattern layout into a first sub-pattern and second sub-pattern, where the decomposing includes: identifying, from the circuit pattern layout, a design line and a design via location associated with the design line; forming a first pattern line for the first sub-pattern corresponding to a first portion of the design line, and a second pattern line for the second sub-pattern corresponding to a second portion of the design line, with the first and second pattern lines overlapping at the design via location in an overlay of the first sub-pattern with the second sub-pattern. The first sub-pattern may be etched in a first circuit structure layer and the second sub-pattern etched in a second circuit structure layer, the etching at least partially forming a via at the design via location.
US09576093B2
Various techniques are provided to efficiently implement user designs in programmable logic devices (PLDs). In one example, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a design identifying operations to be performed by a PLD and synthesizing the design into a plurality of PLD components. The synthesizing includes detecting a mixed-mode memory operation in the design. The mixed-mode memory operation specifies memory access having different read and write data widths using a plurality of embedded memory blocks each having a fixed data width. The synthesizing further includes determining a reduced number of embedded memory blocks to implement the mixed-mode memory operation, and modifying the mixed-mode memory operation to remap the memory access to the reduced number of embedded memory blocks.
US09576086B2
A motor simulator without requiring a motor is a testing motor controller used for inputting a driving signal according to a power supply driving signal, feeding back a status response of a dynamic calculator of the motor simulator, outputting a voltage and current reference command value required by the motor simulator to the motor simulator, so that the dynamic calculator and the electric power converter installed in the motor simulator generate a voltage and a current of an actual motor in an operating status. Therefore, the testing motor controller keeps converting and adjusting the electric energy for driving an operation of the motor simulator according to a status response fed back by the dynamic calculator of the motor simulator, so as to achieve a control function of the testing motor controller for testing the rotation speed and positioning of the motor.
US09576071B2
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages access to data. During operation, the system provides a graph-based data model of the data, wherein the graph-based model comprises a set of nodes and a set of directed edges among the nodes. Next, the system stores the graph-based data model in a set of partitions, wherein each partition from the set of partitions includes one or more nodes from the set of nodes and all outgoing edges from the one or more nodes. Finally, the system enables lookup of a set of outgoing edges associated with a source node from the one or more nodes.
US09576070B2
The process of rendering web pages can be significantly improved with a content delivery system that pre-renders web content for a client device. A web page “program” can be pre-executed and the result delivered to a requesting client device, rather than or before sending a traditional set of web page components, such as a markup language document, cascading style sheets, embedded objects. This pre-execution can relieve the client device of the burden of rendering the web page, saving resources and decreasing latency before the web page is ready, and can reduce the number of network requests that the client device must make before being able to display the page. Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and devices for creating and delivering pre-rendered web pages for accelerated browsing.
US09576067B2
An object request associated with a requesting entity can be identified. The object request can comprise of an object identifier and an object type associated with an object instance which can be a renderable entity. The entity can be a widget within an application executing within a client device. An object type associated with the object request can be determined which can be decomposed into an attribute request based a selected schema. The attribute request can comprise of an object instance identifier and an attribute identifier associated with an attribute value. An attribute index associated with a client-side object cache can be queried for the attribute value. When the attribute value exists in the attribute index, an appropriate attribute value associated with the attribute can be conveyed to the entity. When the attribute value is absent from the attribute index, the attribute request can be conveyed to a request aggregator.
US09576054B2
A search method is disclosed. In the method, a data rewriting system obtains, from a database, one or more search term candidates that are relevant to a present search term. The data rewriting system retrieves properties of the present search term and the one or more search term candidates, where the properties describe respective matching results of the present search term and the one or more search term candidates. Based on the matching results, the data rewriting system determines whether the present search term needs to be rewritten, and rewrites the present search term based on the matching results to provide a rewritten present search term in response to determining that the present search term needs to be rewritten. A search engine performs a search based on the rewritten present search term.
US09576053B2
A method and system for ranking an object that contains one or more keywords is disclosed. All linking objects are retrieved that contain a keyword of interest. Each linking object links to the object to be ranked. The locations of each link in each linking object are determined relative to the keywords in the linking objects. A drop off rate is computed for the keyword in each of the linking objects. A perceived importance of the keyword in the each of the linking objects is computed. A partial link rating for each of the linking objects is computed. A total link rating is computed for the at least one keyword across all linking objects. The link ratings each keyword is stored in the object to be ranked.
US09576046B2
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and data management computing apparatus comprising searching across a plurality of different heterogeneous data indexes based on portions of one or more search keywords in response to a received request. A result set for each of the plurality of different heterogeneous data indexes is obtained based on the searching. Further, one or more facets to each of the obtained results sets are added. Furthermore, a plurality of visualization techniques are automatically identified for each of the obtained results sets based on the facets in each of the obtained result sets and a model entity type associated with each of the plurality of different heterogeneous data indexes. Finally, each of the obtained results sets with the added facets and the identified one of the plurality of visualization techniques is provided.
US09576037B2
Techniques are disclosed to determine data quality issues in data processing jobs. The data processing job is received, the data processing job specifying one or more processing steps designed based on one or more data schemas and further specifies one or more desired quality metrics to measure at the one or more processing steps. One or more state machines are provided, that are generated based on the quality metrics and on the data schemas. Input data to the data process job are processed using the one or more state machines, in order to generate output data and a set of data quality records characterizing a set of data quality issues identified during the execution of the data processing job.
US09576035B2
An apparatus, method, and computer program product are provided for creating and displaying an integrated search and web browser history to a user. In particular, the apparatus includes a processor and a memory including computer program code, and the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to receive search data provided to a website and navigational data relating to a webpage. The apparatus may determine a relationship between the search data and the navigational data and may further provide for a graphical representation of the search data, the navigational data, and the relationship between the search and navigational data to be displayed to the user. Thus, the user can have not only a record of the webpages accessed or search terms used in the previous search, but also a meaningful organization and contextual representation of the search.
US09576034B2
A recipe presentation system which presents an integrated recipe for a plurality of dishes includes: a recipe storage unit storing recipes for dishes including preparation elements arranged in a hierarchy according to closeness to completion of preparation of the respective dishes; a recipe selection unit which allows a user to select a first recipe and a second recipe from among the recipes; an overlapping preparation element identification unit which identifies common preparation elements between the first recipe and the second recipe; a recipe integration unit which generates the integrated recipe by arranging, in order of preparation, the preparation elements included in the first recipe and the preparation elements included in the second recipe, in a manner such that the user recognizes, as a single preparation element, the common preparation elements; and a recipe output unit which outputs the integrated recipe.
US09576032B2
A computer system receives input of a search term for a query. The search term is related to equipment. The computer system identifies a key that corresponds to the search term and dynamically obtains content that is associated with the key from data sources. The data sources include structured data that is associated with the equipment and unstructured data that is associated with the equipment. The computer system automatically populates a results page template that is associated with the key with the content from the data sources to create a results page that includes the equipment related results for the query.
US09576029B2
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for trust propagation. The method according to one embodiment comprises calculating a first feature vector for a first user, calculating a second feature for a second user and comparing the first feature vector with the second feature vector to calculate a similarity value. A determination is made as to whether the similarity value falls within a threshold. If the similarity value falls within the threshold, a relationship is recorded between the first user and the second user in a first user profile and a second user profile.
US09576009B1
The exemplary embodiments described herein are related to techniques for automatically generating narratives about data based on communication goal data structures that are associated with configurable content blocks. The use of such communication goal data structures facilitates modes of operation whereby narratives can be generated in real-time and/or interactive manners.
US09576007B1
A search index for searching a graph-based data store can include triple entries, each triple entry having a posting list value, at least one intersection identifier associated with the posting list value, and at least one result identifier associated with the intersection identifier. The index may also include search entries having a posting list value that corresponds to a text search aid. The search index may also include pre-computed path entries, such as chain path entries and converge path entries. The index may also include bucket posting lists representing ranges of object values for a particular predicate and proximity posting lists that include one or more entities and the areas of a location hierarchy with locations within the proximity of the entity. Queries for the data graph may have at least two stages, each stage being associated with a posting list from a graph index.
US09576003B2
In one embodiment, a method comprises creating and storing, in a revisioning database, one or more data objects; wherein a first plurality of the data objects is associated with a base realm representing data shared across all users of the database; wherein a second plurality of the data objects is associated with one or more child realms, wherein each of the child realms represents data local to a project, wherein each of the users is associated with one or more of the child realms; wherein the revisioning database associates each data object to a realm identifier value and to a version identifier value for a plurality of versions of the data object, wherein each of the versions represents a change to the data object by any of a plurality of users; receiving a request from a first user to view a third plurality of data objects in the revisioning database; selecting, based on the base realm, the particular realm, the version identifier value for the data objects in the third plurality, and one or more rules associated with the particular realm and the first user, data objects in the third plurality that can be viewed by the first user; creating a particular data view that includes only the selected data objects; and providing a display of the particular data view to the first user.
US09575998B2
Various embodiments provide an intelligent adaptive content canvas that can enable users to access content, such as photos and videos, and consume the content in an adaptive environment that tailors the user experience in accordance with various parameters. The user experience is personalized to the user and is adaptively predictive in a manner that attempts to surface content that the user would likely wish to consume.
US09575996B2
A emotion image recommendation system and method are disclosed, where a recommended emotion image is provided in replace with a selected emotion image as conventionally used by a user, thereby an emotion image corresponding to an emotional word used by the user may be provided, so that the efficacy of a reduced frequency for locating the appropriate emotion image for the user may be achieved.
US09575986B2
A method for managing design files shared by multiple users is provided. A plurality of design files are stored in a design library. A lock table is moved to a memory of a first computer when information of the lock table indicates that the design files were locked by a first process corresponding to a first user, wherein the memory is only accessible to performance of the first process. The lock table is moved from the memory to a common memory of the first computer when one design file is locked by a second process corresponding to a second user. The first and second processes are being performed in the first computer. The lock table is moved from the memory to the design library when the one design file is locked by the second process corresponding to the second user, wherein the second process is performed in a second computer.
US09575977B1
A method and apparatus for tracking purged data includes at least one of a data deletion module and a data deletion registry that are used to compare data, records and files of at least one computing unit to determine of any of the data, records or files stored within the computing unit have previously been purged. If so, the data, record or file is re-purged. Purging can include deleting the entire data, record or file or just a portion to anonymize the data record or file. Alternatively, instead of deleting all or a portion of a data, record or file, an encryption key required to access all or a portion of the data, record or file may be deleted thereby rendering the encrypted information inaccessible. Differing schemes and method for purging data, records and files may be utilized within a network.
US09575970B2
A method and system are provided to synchronize an audio program output at a location remote to a site of a visual display such as a fireworks show, a water and light show, or other event or show with a large visual display visible from distances over which the originally sourced audio is delayed, degraded in quality, or lost. The method includes providing a live show including a visual display with components triggered by one or more control signals. The method further includes concurrently providing an audio output that may include playback of a soundtrack associated with the visual display with a sound system of a mobile device. The audio output is provided at a location that is remote from the site of the visual display, and the audio output is synchronized in time with the components of the visual display using the control signals or a preset start time.
US09575958B1
Differentiation testing is used to determine the usefulness of a term on a single-term basis or within a set of terms. Differentiation testing is performed by comparing an input against other input or a comparison set.
US09575949B2
Methods, computer systems and computer readable media for designing and displaying device and platform-specific forms are provided. In embodiments, base forms are utilized and modified to create custom forms that are platform and device specific, without breaking the parent-child relationship between the base form and the custom form for any non-modified characteristics of the base form. Custom forms enhance the performance and appearance. In embodiments, interrogators are executed at runtime to specify a set of instructions that will be executed, further enhancing the performance and appearance associated with the form and the particular device displaying the form. In various embodiments of the present invention, user interfaces provide the designer visual representations of the forms as they appear on selected platforms and/or devices.
US09575948B2
Techniques are disclosed for providing a fixed format viewing mode in electronic computing devices. The fixed format viewing mode may be engaged upon receiving virtual ink annotations at the touch screen of the electronic device. The annotations may be input using an active stylus. Upon receiving virtual ink annotations, the current page of digital content may be converted into a fixed format page wherein the formatting characteristics are held constant and the annotations remain in the same location with respect to the underlying digital content. Formatting characteristics for other pages of the digital content may be altered, however the fixed format page maintains the same format as when the annotations were added. The user may hide and/or edit virtual ink annotations, and when the annotations are hidden the content of the fixed format page may flow normally and match the formatting characteristics of the rest of the digital content.
US09575945B2
Some embodiments provide a method that parses an unstructured document that includes a number of primitive elements. The method stores the primitive elements in a random order in a first storage. The method stores references to the primitive elements in a second storage in an order based on locations of the primitive elements in the unstructured document. The method receives instructions to perform a document reconstruction operation. The method performs the received instructions without storing any new references to the primitive elements.
US09575944B2
A system and method for displaying and navigating through structured content, such as a webpage, is provided. The content includes focusable elements, at least one of which is a non-enableable element that is normally not capable of gaining focus when the content is displayed in a browser or other viewing application. Navigation of the content by moving focus from one element to another includes moving the focus to the focusable, non-enableable element. The non-enableable element is defined as a focusable element by an attribute. Focusable elements may also be defined with attributes for capturing directional navigation instructions and calling event handling functions in response to detected directional navigation instructions.
US09575939B2
A method includes generating source code corresponding to a block diagram model and generating hypertext links associating elements of the generated source code with elements of the block diagram model.
US09575934B2
An application displaying primary content, such as a webpage, may include unused space. The unused space may exist within the application displaying the primary content (e.g., within the browser window) or on other portions of the display (e.g., outside of the browser window). The unused space is identified and leveraged to display secondary content on the client display along with the primary content. The secondary content may be adaptable to conform to different sizes and/or configurations of the unused space. The secondary content may be updated as the user interacts with elements on the client display.
US09575925B2
A rack server system and an auto-addressing method thereof are disclosed. The rack server system comprises a plurality of backplanes and a rack management controller (RMC). The backplanes comprise a plurality of inter-integrated circuit (I2C) switches. The RMC comprises an I2C channel connected to the backplanes. When the RMC initializes the backplanes, the RMC controls a plurality of reset signals to be an enable level to reset the I2C switches, and automatically addresses a plurality of different I2C device addresses to the I2C switches. The RMC changes the reset signals to be a disable level from the enable level after the RMC addressed the I2C switches.
US09575913B1
A technique for handling cache-inhibited operations in a data processing system includes receiving, at a topology specific replicated bus unit, a cache-inhibited (CI) operation that is scope limited. The replicated bus unit determines whether an address associated with the CI operation matches an address for the replicated bus unit. In response to the address associated with the CI operation matching the address for the replicated bus unit, the replicated bus unit processes the CI operation based on the scope being limited to that of the replicated bus unit. In response to the address associated with the CI operation not matching the address for the replicated bus unit, the replicated bus unit ignores the CI operation.
US09575904B2
A memory module secures data stored on the memory module. A request for the data from a computer system is received by the memory module. A verification key from the computer system is also received by the memory module. A reference key is retrieved by the memory module, the reference key is stored on the memory module. A comparison status is generated by the memory module by comparing the verification key with the reference key. A response is sent to the computer by the memory module that is dependent upon the comparison status.
US09575899B2
The translation lookaside buffer (TLB) of a processor is kept in synchronization with a guest page table by use of an indicator referred to as a “T” bit. The T bit of the NPT/EPT entries mapping the guest page table are set when a page walk is performed on the NPT/EPT. When modifications are made to pages mapped by NPT/EPT entries with their T bit set, changes to the TLB are made so that the TLB remains in synchronization with the guest page table. Accordingly, record/replay of virtual machines of virtualized computer systems may be performed reliably with no non-determinism introduced by stale TLBs that fall out of synchronization with the guest page table.
US09575891B2
A system and method for floorplanning a memory. A computing system includes a processing unit which generates memory access requests and a memory. The size of each memory line in the memory includes M bits. The memory includes at least a primary bank and a sidecar bank. The primary bank includes a first portion with (M−A) bits of the M bits of a memory line being accessed. The sidecar bank includes a second portion with A bits of the M bits of the memory line being accessed. The primary bank and the sidecar bank have a same height, which is less than a height that would be used if the primary bank included all M bits in each memory line. The completion of the access request for the M bits of the memory line is done at a similar time, such as a same clock cycle.
US09575890B2
Atomically accumulating memory updates in a computer system configured with an accumulator that is memory mapped. The accumulator includes an accumulator memory and an accumulator queue and is configured to communicatively couple to a processor. Included is receiving from the processor, by the accumulator, an accumulation request. The accumulation request includes an accumulation operation identifier and data. Based on determining, by the accumulator, that the accumulator can immediately process the request, immediately processing the request. Processing the request includes atomically updating a value in the accumulator memory, by the accumulator, based on the operation identifier and data of the accumulation request. Based on determining, by the accumulator, that the accumulator is actively processing another accumulation request, queuing, by the accumulator, the accumulation request for later processing. Further included is signaling the processor, by the accumulator, the completion of the accumulation request.
US09575866B1
A Sub-Diagnostic Module incorporated into a System Module. The Sub-Diagnostic Module receives signals from the System Modules through the diagnostic signal interface. The diagnostic signal interface passes the signals through to the diagnostic signal evaluation logic where it determines if a signal or combination of signals is an event to be recorded in the sub-diagnostic registers and/or the sub-diagnostic log memory. The events recorded in the registers and log memory are accessed by the Portable Diagnostic Module through the Sub-Diagnostic Module's diagnostic protocol interface. Recorded events placed in log memory are synchronized by the sub-diagnostic time synchronizer. The time synchronizer receives high resolution time information from a local clock, such as a physical layer clock, and lower resolution network synchronized information from the diagnostic protocol interface.
US09575863B2
In accordance with some embodiments, a DisplayPort control plane may be supported over a Wireless Gigabit Alliance or other wireless air interface. Some embodiments may efficiently optimize the amount of wireless bandwidth needed to accomplish tasks.
US09575856B2
To prevent a user from initiating potentially dangerous virtual machine migrations, a storage migration engine is configured to be aware of replication properties for a source datastore and a destination datastore. The replication properties are obtained from a storage array configured to provide array-based replication. A recovery manager discovers the replication properties of the datastores stored in the storage array, and assigns custom tags to the datastores indicating the discovered replication properties. When storage migration of a virtual machine is requested, the storage migration engine performs or prevents the storage migration based on the assigned custom tags.
US09575846B2
Multi-reliability regenerating (MRR) erasure codes are disclosed. The erasure codes can be used to encode and regenerate data. In particular, the regenerating erasure codes can be used to encode data included in at least one of two or more data messages to satisfy respective reliability requirements for the data. Encoded portions of data from one data message can be mixed with encoded or unencoded portions of data from a second data message and stored at a distributed storage system. This approach can be used to improve efficiency and performance of data storage and recovery in the event of failures of one or more nodes of a distributed storage system.
US09575844B2
A mass storage memory device is disclosed. The device includes a nonvolatile memory, a volatile memory configured to store logical to physical (L2P) data associating logical addresses of data stored in the nonvolatile memory with physical locations of the nonvolatile memory at which the data is stored, and a controller. The controller writes L2P data in the nonvolatile memory so the L2P data can be preserved through a power failure. The controller also writes L2P data stored in the nonvolatile memory to the volatile memory to rebuild the L2P table.
