US09578940B2

A protective case for receiving and retaining a portable electronic device is provided. The case comprises dampening features disposed in at least two corners of the case to protect the electronic device from inadvertent impact and the resultant forces. Various embodiments of the case comprise multi-materials designs and features that allow utilize of various controls and features of the electronic device.
US09578938B1

A travel preparedness system that generally comprises four components: a multifunction configurable case with multiple compartments, including at least one detachable compartment, with a carrying strap that can be attached to either the configurable case or the detachable compartment; a thermally insulated container; a plurality of commercially available resealable containers and an array of commercially available preparedness articles useful or necessary for a traveler. The preparedness articles are selected from a group of articles intended to aid a traveler to recover from a multitude of adversities, injuries or maladies, that also includes articles useful for entertainment and for the preparation, consumption and storage of food stuffs. The four components cooperate and, together with a method, prepare a traveler for emergency and non-emergency travel situations.
US09578923B2

An athletic shoe coating for traction enhancement includes a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) and a tackyfying resin and a film former initially in solution within a solvent suitable for application to the surface of a shoe sole in liquid form, such as by spraying, rolling and brushing the solution onto the shoe sole. After the solvent evaporates a film or coating attaches or is bonded to the shoe sole that exhibits the property of dynamically modifying the traction properties of the shoe sole when pressure and shear forces are applied to the coating. Such modification causes the exterior surface of the film or coating to “refresh” the exposed surface upon impact. This imparts continued tackiness over extended use. Impact modifiers may be added for controlled release of a solvent to temporarily dissolve or soften the film or coating to promote such refreshment of the coating outer surface.
US09578914B2

A method and product suited to keep track of swimming meet events, heats and lanes. There is a swimming/bathing cap whose inside facing surface is imprinted or stamped with indicia in the form of swimming competition words or abbreviations of such words, namely, “meet, event, heat, lane” with a sufficient space to the right of each indicia for the cap wearer to write in information pertaining to the indicia. The information may be the name of the swimming meet, name of the event, heat number and lane number. Other items of the kit may be an ink body marker and a remover of the mark left by the ink body marker. All may be sealed in a common package. The ink of the ink body marker is resistant to erasure from water submersion.
US09578913B2

A toboggan style hat includes a removable visor, as well as novel means for removable attachment thereto. In a preferred embodiment, the visor member includes a pair of arms that extend rearwardly from the bill, and the hat includes a pair of holes on an underside thereof. Each hole serves as an opening for an inner sleeve, so that when a user wishes to attach the visor to the hat, the arms of the visor slide into the holes and along the inside of the sleeves in order to properly position the visor with respect to the hat and face. In one embodiment, a series of snaps are positioned on an outer portion of the visor, and correspond with a series of snaps that are positioned on an inner portion of the hat.
US09578909B2

A novel jacket garment worn by the driver of a tandem vehicle, such as a motorcycle, intended for rear passenger safety is disclosed. The novel garment comprises an outer shell, an inner lining, and an internal frame structure. The internal frame structure comprises a ribbing nexus comprising horizontal and vertical members. Novel features include handgrips disposed inside front pockets and connected to the internal frame structure. In some embodiments, the internal frame structure comprises elastic members. Pocket-borne handgrips may be attached to elastic members so that when engaged by a rear tandem passenger, the internal frame structure is tightened against the tandem vehicle driver's body to provide stain relief and additional stabilization of the jacket as a passenger safety device.
US09578908B2

A sports bra configured to be worn by a human female includes a body fabric and a wear indicator. The wear indicator is configured to change colors when the useful life of the sports bra has expired and the sports bra should be replaced with a new sports bra. The wear indicator may be provided on any of various components of the sports bra, such as a color band, trim feature, tag, or other sports bra component.
US09578891B2

The present invention is related to feed granules comprising a feed enzyme and a copper ion donor.
US09578886B2

A unitary elastic mold and cutter combination configured to mold and cut moldable material is disclosed herein. The mold and cutter combination comprises an elastic mold cavity having an elastic bottom wall with an embossed inner surface and an elastic sidewall extending from and unitary with a perimeter of the bottom wall. An elastic cutting blade extends from and is unitary with the sidewall of the mold cavity and is configured to cut moldable material and maintain a substantially consistent perimeter upon cutting. The cutting blade comprises a cutting edge disposed between an inner cutting blade surface and an outer cutting blade surface. The mold and cutter combination may have an elasticity sufficient to release molded material therefrom by hand stretching, wherein the cutting edge, inner cutting blade surface, and the inner surface of the sidewall of the mold cavity are stretched by an amount sufficient to release the molded material.
US09578870B1

A single box call having a plurality of replaceable soundboard inserts and a plurality of replaceable striker members, selectively used in combination together for producing distinctly different sounds that imitate turkey calls. The box call includes a housing having two receiving slots for receiving two soundboard inserts and a fastening means for fastening the soundboard inserts to the housing; and a lid assembly having a lid, a handle, a connecting means for connecting the lid assembly to the housing, a replaceable striker member, and an attachment means for attaching the striker member to the bottom of the lid.
US09578866B2

In an above-ground termite station for detecting and controlling termites above ground in an operating configuration of the termite station, a container of the termite station defines an interior space and is at least in part configured for abutting against and being mounted on an above-ground mounting surface. The container is configurable between a closed configuration and an open configuration in which the interior space of the container is accessible while the container is mounted on the mounting surface. A cartridge is sized and configured for insertion in and removal from the interior space of the container and is generally an aggregation member, a bait matrix separate from the aggregation member, and a holder at least in part holding the aggregation member and bait matrix in assembly with the holder for positioning of the cartridge relative to the interior space of the container as a single unit.
US09578863B2

A fish measuring tape and a method for using the same is provided. The fish measuring tape comprises an elongated body portion having a first end and a second end. The body portion includes a plurality of markings designating increasing length from the first end towards the second end. The body portion further includes a plurality of graphic representations that allow a user to identify different fish species. The plurality of graphic representations is aligned with a specific marking of said plurality of markings to indicate the regulated length and size of a specific fish species that can be retained for personal use. The body portion further comprises a plurality of bag limits configured to identify a quantity for each said specific fish species that can be kept.
US09578862B2

A dredge having easily replaceable arms, a composite dredge which is configurable to laterally couple at least two hubs, and methods for using the same are provided. In one embodiment, a dredge includes plurality of arms having at least one teaser attachment and hub configured to removably retain the arms in a radial orientation. The hub includes a retainer cap configured to removably mate with a body in a manner that captures a first end of each of the plurality of arms to the hub in a cantilevered orientation. The arms are freely replaceable from the body upon the removal of the cap.
US09578852B1

A chute for immobilizing an animal (e.g. cow) wherein the chute during a hoof-trimming operation or the like. The chute is comprised of an inner wall and an outer wall and a front and rear gate. The inner wall has a rectangular opening near the front thereof with a backing plate having a hole secured over the backside of the opening in the inner wall. A removable pad is comprised of a rectangular frame which fits in the opening in the inner wall. The frame has a flexible cover (e.g. anti-microbial material) secured over its front. An inflatable bladder (e.g. pneumatic inner tube) is inserted through the hole in the backing plate and is positioned within the frame and behind the cover. The bladder is then inflated whereby the bladder expands to produce a pillow-like support for the cow's shoulder while the cow is in the chute.
US09578850B2

A scooping device that can be used to grab pet refuse, urine clumps, etc. from a litter box, the ground, etc. or any other application where a scooping device is desirable. The scooping device can include a claw portion and a handle portion separated by a pole portion. The claw portion is moveable between an open position and a closed position and allows efficient sifting of grasped material contained within said claw portion.
US09578847B1

The present invention is in the field of soybean variety BK1310608 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety BK1310608 and its seed, cells, germplasm, plant parts, and progeny, and methods of using BK1310608 in a breeding program.
US09578840B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH164736. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH164736, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH164736 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH164736.
US09578839B2

The cotton variety FM 2322GL is disclosed. The invention relates to seeds, plants, plant cells, plant tissue, harvested products and cotton lint as well as to hybrid cotton plants and seeds obtained by repeatedly crossing plants of variety FM 2322GL with other plants. The invention also relates to plants and varieties produced by the method of essential derivation from plants of FM 2322GL and to plants of FM 2322GL reproduced by vegetative methods, including but not limited to tissue culture of regenerable cells or tissue from FM 2322GL.
US09578837B2

The present invention is in the field of soybean variety BY1210428 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety BY1210428 and its progeny, and methods of making BY1210428.
US09578828B2

The present invention is in the field of soybean variety AR1100280 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety AR1100280 and its progeny, and methods of making AR1100280.
US09578824B2

The invention provides seed and plants of melon hybrid SV5845MP and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of melon hybrid SV5845MP and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a melon plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another melon plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US09578816B2

A stump cutting apparatus including a cutting wheel with a plurality of tool holders secured to the cutting wheel. A plurality of apertures located in each of the tool holders. Each of said apertures having a cutting tool or tooth mounted therein whereby each tool holder supports more than one cutting tool or tooth.
US09578797B2

A system prepares plant specimens, tracks the plant specimens, captures images of the plant specimens, and evaluates growth parameters of the plant specimens in the captured images. The system prepares receptacles by placing a predetermined quantity of gel, if required by a particular test, into a receptacle and a layer of material, if required by a particular test, on top of the gel. The system separates a quantity of seeds into individual seeds and places an individual seed in each receptacle between the gel layer and the cover layer. The receptacles are then arrayed into decks and carts and subjected to controlled stress conditions and conditions conducive to germination and growth. An image capture device captures backlit images of the receptacles, and a processor analyzes the captured images for growth parameters of the plant specimens and enters those parameters into a database together with a unique identifier of the plant specimen.
US09585272B2

A storage device including a bearing member, a storage unit, and a casing is provided. The casing has a bottom plate, a top plate and a main assembling structure. The bearing member has an interfering portion and a sub-assembling structure. The storage unit has a body with a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, a limiting portion and a terminal set. Parts of the terminal set and the limiting portion are located at the first surface. The storage unit and the interfering portion are accommodated in the casing. The interfering portion provides interfering force to the limiting portion, and the bottom plate provides a supporting force to the second surface, so that the storage unit is positioned in the casing. The main assembling structure and the sub-assembling are assembled detachably to each other to configure or detach the bearing member and the casing.
US09585267B2

A case for an audio mixer console comprises first and second frame members, a carrier surface and a releasable latch member. The first and second frame members are spaced apart from each other. A first side of the carrier surface is proximate to the first frame member and a second side of the carrier surface is proximate to the second frame member. The carrier surface is pivotally coupled to the first and second frame sides along a first axis of rotation and moves with respect to the first axis of rotation between a first position and a second position. The carrier surface further comprises a catch member located proximate to a back edge of the carrier surface between the first and second frame sides. The releasable latch member releasably engages the catch member when the carrier surface is in the second position.
US09585262B2

Various embodiments provide a set top box enclosure having a chassis and a cover. The chassis also includes a mounting clip that facilitates the coupling of the cover to the chassis. The mounting clip includes an engagement structure on the cover that engages with a mating receiving structure located along an edge of the chassis. The mounting clip attaches a side of the cover with a side of the chassis of the set top box enclosure together and facilitates tool less engagement and disengagement of that side.
US09585260B2

There are provided an electronic component module capable of increasing a degree of integration by mounting electronic components on both surfaces of a substrate, and a manufacturing method thereof. The electronic component module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a substrate; a plurality of electronic components mounted on both surfaces of the substrate; connection conductors each having one end bonded to one surface of the substrate using an conductive adhesive; and a molded portion having the connection conductor embedded therein and formed on one surface of the substrate, wherein the connection conductor may have at least one blocking member preventing a spread of the conductive adhesive.
US09585256B2

A component-embedded substrate includes a multilayer body formed by stacking up a plurality of resin layers in a predetermined direction, a component embedded in the multilayer body, the component having a plurality of terminal electrodes, a plurality of joining conductors provided in the multilayer body and joined to the plurality of terminal electrodes, a plurality of wiring conductors provided in the multilayer body and electrically coupled to the plurality of joining conductors and at least one auxiliary member enclosed within an outer boundary of the component provided in the multilayer body. The auxiliary member may be electrically insulated from each of the plurality of wiring conductors and arranged to balance pressures acting on the plurality of terminal electrodes when pressure is applied on the multilayer body.
US09585254B2

An electronic device includes a semiconductor substrate, an electronic element mounted on the substrate, a conductive layer electrically connected to the electronic element, a sealing resin and a columnar conductor. The substrate has a recess formed in its obverse surface. The electronic element is mounted on the bottom surface of the recess. The conductive layer has an obverse-surface contacting region located on the obverse surface of the substrate. The sealing resin is disposed in at least a part of the recess for covering at least a part of the obverse surface of the substrate. The columnar conductor is electrically connected to the obverse-surface contacting region of the conductive layer and exposed from the sealing resin at a side opposite to the obverse surface of the substrate.
US09585242B2

A package substrate is provided that includes a substrate and a capacitor. The substrate comprises a cavity penetrating a core layer and metal layers of the substrate. The capacitor comprises electrode pads and is disposed in the cavity. One of the metal layers of the substrate includes a discontinuous metal plane, and the electrode pads directly contact the discontinuous metal plane.
US09585235B2

This invention relates to an apparatus producing distributed X-ray, and in particular to a cathode control multi-cathode distributed X-ray apparatus, which produces X-ray that changes focal position in a predetermined order by arranging multiple independent hot cathodes and controlling cathodes in an X-ray source device, and a CT device having said X-ray apparatus.
US09585231B2

A device for transmitting an electrical parametrization signal to a drive member of a lighting module based on light-emitting diodes includes a device for transmitting the parametrization signal, while the drive member includes a device for changing the polarity of the lighting module. The transmission device is intended to be connected to a wired electrical link between the drive member and the lighting module and includes first device for detecting a signal for instructing the switching of the lighting module to reverse polarity. The transmission device are adapted for transmitting the parametrization signal to the drive member, subsequent to the detection of the signal for instructing reverse polarity.
US09585230B2

The present invention relates to a method of controlling a lighting system, the lighting system being arranged as a wireless network comprising a controller and a plurality of operating nodes arranged to communicate with each other, wherein the method comprises the steps of synchronizing the operating nodes with the controller, determining, from the plurality of operating nodes, a set of operating nodes that are located within a predetermined operating area, estimating a state-shift delay based on a maximum communication delay between the controller and the set of operating nodes located within the predetermined operating area, communicating the estimated state-shift delay to the plurality of operating nodes, and communicating a state-shift command to the plurality of operating nodes.An advantage with the invention is that the visual artifact of the state-shift may be essentially removed as the time synchronization and timer interrupt alignment together with the estimated state-shift delay allows for the plurality of nodes to shift state at essentially the same time.
US09585227B2

Apparatuses, methods, apparatuses and systems for a light fixture are disclosed. One apparatus of the light fixture includes a sensor unit and a light intensity controller. The sensor unit includes a sensor operative to generate a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light, wireless communication circuitry operative to maintain a link with a network, and a controller. The controller is operative to manage communication with the network, manage reception of beacons through the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the beacons are received from an object, and the beacons include information associated with the object, and generate dimming control base on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network. The light intensity controller is configured to receive the dimming control and operative to adjust an emitted light intensity of a luminaire of the light fixture.
US09585226B2

A load control system may include a load control device for providing power to an electrical load and a control device that may send instructions to the load control device for providing the power to the electrical load. The control device may communicate with the load control device using a link address assigned to the load control device. The load control device may provide power to the electrical load in a manner that causes the electrical load to indicate the link address assigned to the load control device. The link address may be identified by a user or a user device. The identified link address may be associated with a load control device identifier that may identify a physical location of a load control device that is assigned the link address. A user may control a load control device at a physical location by sending instructions via the link address.
US09585217B2

A rectifier rectifies an alternating current power to obtain a direct current power. The rectifier sends the direct current power to a driving power and carrier signal generation apparatus. The driving power and carrier signal generation apparatus generates a driving power. The driving power and carrier signal generation apparatus sends the driving power through a transmission line to at least a light emitting diode driving apparatus to drive at least a light emitting diode. The driving power and carrier signal generation apparatus generates a carrier signal. The driving power and carrier signal generation apparatus sends the carrier signal through the transmission line to the light emitting diode driving apparatuses. The light emitting diode driving apparatuses drive the light emitting diodes according to the carrier signals.
US09585192B2

To achieve the reduction in size of an electronic device. The electronic device serving as an element of a wireless communication system includes a module unit, a battery that supplies electric power to the module unit, and a coupling part that electrically couples the module unit and the battery. The module unit includes a sensor that detects a physical quantity, and a wireless communication unit configured to transmit the data based on an output signal from the sensor.
US09585189B1

In an embodiment, rejecting or accepting a phone call is disclosed. In an embodiment, a device is disclosed. The device comprises a processor, a storage comprising a set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the device to in response to received call present at a user interface of the device a first option and a second option of the call. In response to a first selection between the first option and the second option, the device initiates a lag time of pre-determined length before performing the first selection; and in response to a second selection between the first option and the second option, performs the second selection.
US09585186B2

Described herein are techniques for providing a virtual Wi-Fi service using internet protocol (IP) connections between a central Wi-Fi access gateway (WAG) and one or more radio nodes. The WAG establishes an IP connection with a first radio node across a network, where the first radio node is configured to connect to one or more Wi-Fi devices located near the first radio node. The WAG receives network traffic over the IP connection, where the network traffic is associated with a Wi-Fi device from the one or more Wi-Fi devices connected to the first radio node. The WAG provides a virtual Wi-Fi service through the network to the Wi-Fi device based on the network traffic such that the Wi-Fi device connects to the virtual Wi-Fi service as if the virtual Wi-Fi service is a physical device locally connected to the first radio node.
US09585184B1

In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving, at a computing device and while the computing device is using a first wireless connection, a request to establish a second wireless connection using a same wireless radio standard as the first wireless connection; detecting whether the computing device is able to operate more than one wireless connection simultaneously using the wireless radio standard; based on the detecting, determining whether to terminate the first wireless connection and to establish the second wireless connection; based on the determining, terminating the first wireless connection and establishing the second wireless connection; detecting that the computing device has finished using the second wireless connection; and, in response to detecting that the computing device has finished using the second wireless connection, automatically terminating the second wireless connection and re-establishing the first wireless connection.
US09585180B2

A communication device for establishing wireless peer-to-peer connections includes a network interface, a memory and a processor. The processor receives a command to initiate a wireless peer-to-peer connection with a second device, sets an intent parameter to a default value and stores the intent parameter in the memory. The processor determines whether a link has been established between the network interface and a wireless base station. When a link has been established, the processor adjusts the intent parameter based on a channel type of the link. The processor receives a second intent parameter from the second device via the network interface, and determines whether the intent parameter is greater than the second intent parameter. When the determination is affirmative, the processor configures the communication device as an access point for the peer-to-peer connection; and when the determination is negative, the processor configures the communication device as a client for the peer-to-peer connection.
US09585177B2

Techniques for sharing a cellular network connection amongst multiple devices over a local area network are provided that reduce cellular network load during crowded events. In an aspect, a devices is configure to perform operations that include scanning an area for another device that has established a first wireless cellular connection with a cellular network device of a cellular network and that enables an indirect connection of the device to the cellular network device via a direct connection of the device to the other device via a local network device. The operations further include, in response to identifying the other device as a result of the scanning, sending a request to the other device to connect to the other device via the local network device and to receive the indirect connection to the cellular network device.
US09585167B2

A device to device (D2D) user equipment and a base station are provided. The D2D user equipment includes a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver receives a wireless signal having a hybrid access channel carrying a D2D hybrid access map. The processor is electrically connected to the transceiver retrieves the D2D hybrid access map from the hybrid access channel. The D2D hybrid access map indicates a D2D resource block. A first D2D user equipment transmits a D2D hybrid access request to a second D2D user equipment via the D2D resource block and the second D2D user equipment transmits a D2D hybrid access response to the first D2D user equipment via the D2D resource block. Accordingly, the first D2D user equipment and the second D2D user equipment perform D2D data transmission according to the D2D data transmission information carried in the D2D hybrid access response.
US09585165B2

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more specifically, disclosed are a method and an apparatus using a null data packet frame in a wireless LAN system. A method for a first station (STA) receiving a null data packet (NDP) type frame in the wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: receiving from a second STA the NDP type frame including a specific frame transmission point offset field; and determining whether to perform an action triggered by the NDP type frame by comparing a value of the specific frame transmission point offset field, and the difference in values of the transmission point of the specific frame and the transmission point of the NDP type frame.
US09585160B2

Systems and methods related to prioritization of location requests in a cellular communications system are disclosed. Embodiments including a method of operation of a network node in a cellular communications system to process a message related to a location request are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method of operation of the network node comprises receiving a message related to a location request and performing congestion control with respect to the message related to the location request, either prior to or during setup of a radio connection between a Radio Access Network (RAN) of the cellular communications network and a target wireless device of the location request, based on a priority assigned to the location request. In this manner, the location request can be allowed even if the target wireless device is located in a congested cell.
US09585158B2

A base station apparatus is disclosed. The base station apparatus includes a classification unit configured to classify mobile station apparatuses connected to a first cell into a CoMP target mobile station apparatus and a CoMP non-target mobile station apparatus, a first allocation unit configured to allocate a wireless resource to the CoMP target mobile station apparatus connected to the first cell, and a second allocation unit configured to determine the wireless resource to be allocated to the CoMP non-target mobile station apparatus connected to the first cell so as to reduce interference with a wireless resource allocated to a CoMP target mobile station apparatus connected to a second cell different from the first cell.
US09585151B2

Communication operations are optimally conducted by applying space-division multiple access in which wireless resources on a spatial axis are shared among a plurality of users. By applying an RD protocol to a communication system that conducts space-division multiple access, spatially multiplexed frames in a TXOP are made more efficient. By specifying a frame length for reverse direction frames with reverse direction permission information and having respective transmitters of reverse direction frames make their frame lengths uniform while respecting the specification, AGC operation stabilizes. Also, a transmit start time for reverse direction frames can be specified by reverse direction permission information, and respective transmitters of reverse direction frames can transmit frames at the same time while respecting the specification.
US09585148B2

An Internet Protocol (IP) address acquisition in a broadband wireless communication system is disclosed. A terminal includes a driver for loading one of a plurality Media Access Control (MAC) addresses for a multi-Frequency Allocation (FA) connection when the terminal is initialized; an interface for registering the loaded MAC address to use in an upper layer of a MAC layer; and a manager for acquiring an IP address using the registered MAC address when a network entry for at least one FA is complete.
US09585141B2

A method for receiving downlink data in a wireless communication system is provided. A user equipment receives downlink control information via a downlink control channel in a subframe. The downlink control information includes reference signal (RS) information and physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) information. The RS information indicates transmission antenna ports, a scrambling identity and a number of transmission layers. The user equipment receives a RS for demodulating a PDSCH based on the RS information in the subframe. The RS is generated based on the scrambling identity. The user equipment receives downlink data via the PDSCH in the subframe. Resource element (RE) mapping information on REs assigned for the PDSCH is determined based on the PDSCH information.
US09585133B2

A method and base station for receiving a sounding reference signal (SRS) in a wireless communication system and a method and user equipment for transmitting a sounding reference signal (SRS) in a wireless communication system are discussed. The method of receiving according to an embodiment includes transmitting a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) including a carrier indicator field (CIF) and an SRS field via a first component carrier (CC), the CIF indicating a specific CC, the SRS field indicating whether the user equipment has to transmit the SRS; receiving the SRS on an uplink subframe via the specific CC indicated by the CIF when the SRS field is enabled; and transmitting a first medium access control (MAC) information including a bitmap in which a bit corresponding to the specific CC is disabled for deactivating the specific CC. An SRS transmission is not performed on the deactivated specific CC.
US09585131B2

Disclosed are a method and device for transmitting uplink control information (UCI). By applying technical solutions of embodiments of the present invention, implemented is a method for simultaneously transmitting an ACK/NACK and cycle CSI on a channel resource corresponding to a current subframe: dynamically determining, on the basis of a threshold number of bits simultaneously transmitted with the UCI in the current subframe, also of the maximum number of feedback bits and of the minimum number of feedback bits of the ACK/NACK in the current subframe, ACK/NACK bits and CSI bits simultaneously transmitted in the current frame, thus ensuring that the sum of the bits simultaneously transmitted does not exceed the threshold number of bits simultaneously transmitted with the UCI in the current subframe, preventing as much as possible ACK/NACK merging and CSI discarding, and protecting to the maximum extent the accuracy and completeness of UCI transmission.
US09585128B2

The present invention relates to methods and arrangements that make it possible to control the delay for the UEs to access the EUL resources in the Enhanced Uplink in CELL_FACH state procedure, independently from the delay for the UEs to access ordinary UL resources in the RACH procedure. This is achieved by a solution where the timing of entering (or re-entering) a transmission procedure for Enhanced Uplink in CELL_FACH state is controlled with the help of a transmission control parameter defined specifically for this transmission procedure, instead of using the same parameter as for the RACH procedure.
US09585119B2

Embodiments relate to multichannel preferred device notification. A method includes receiving an electronic notification for a user and determining whether a device group including a plurality of electronic devices is defined for the user. A notification subgroup is identified that includes more than one of the electronic devices located within a predefined overlapping notification range based on determining that the device group is defined for the user. A primary device is identified from the notification subgroup based on a notification priority defined for each of the electronic devices in the notification subgroup. Generation of a notification output corresponding to the electronic notification is triggered on the primary device.
US09585117B2

A method and system for prompting a signal blind area in advance are applied to a mobile terminal. The method includes: locating the mobile terminal, and acquiring current location information of the mobile terminal; determining distances between a current location of the mobile terminal and locations of various blind area boundary points recorded in a blind area list; and when one or more of the distances are less than or equal to a preset first blind area distance threshold, sending a prompt of approaching the signal blind area to a user.
US09585114B2

Disclosed is a user terminal for wireless communication with a remote access point. The user terminal may include a mapping module adapted to map one or more input data bits to an uplink symbol, a delay module adapted to apply a delay to the uplink symbol, a transmit module adapted to modulate the delayed symbol into a frequency channel, and an antenna being adapted to transmit the modulated symbol to the access point. The delay can be chosen such that the transmitted symbol arrives at the access point simultaneously with a further symbol modulated into the frequency channel and transmitted by a further user terminal.
US09585100B2

The subject matter of the disclosure relates to low temperature power throttling at a mobile device to reduce the likelihood of an unexpected power down event in cold weather environments. A mobile device employing a power management solution may be configured to determine that a monitored temperature at the mobile device (at the battery of the mobile device) is below a first threshold level, and whether a hardware component (such as a camera) is active or inactive. Then, based on these determinations, the mobile device can select a throttle setting from a first set of throttle settings when the hardware component is active, and a second set of throttle settings when the hardware component is inactive. Subsequently the mobile device can throttle power consumption for one or more components of the mobile device according to the selected throttle setting.
US09585096B2

A communication device, system and method cooperate to transmit a signal from a base station, where the signal includes a current frame and a target frame. A counting unit counts a frame period and a reception control unit causes the receiving unit to transition to a sleep state. A reception control unit causes the receiving unit to return from the sleep state before a counting result of the counting unit reaches the target frame. The reception control unit also causes the receiving unit to return to the sleep state over a time period based on a difference between a current frame and the target frame.
US09585092B2

The techniques described herein relate ascertaining resources of a radio access network that can be switched off during low network utilization, wherein the method comprises ascertaining an overlap of at least one sector of a base station of the radio access network by at least one sector of a surrounding base station of the radio access network. At least one candidate sector is determined to be switched off as a function of the ascertained overlap, wherein the candidate sector is essentially completely covered by the at least one sector of the surrounding base stations. The techniques may include selection from among the candidate sectors a combination of sectors that are to be switched off, and switching off the candidate sectors of the selected combination.
US09585091B2

Systems, methods, and devices for wireless communication. In one aspect an apparatus for wirelessly communicating with a wireless station is provided. The apparatus comprises a first transceiver configured to receive a backoff signal from the wireless station during a first time period, the backoff signal configured to indicate a second time period. The apparatus further comprises a processor operationally coupled to the first transceiver and configured to refrain the first transceiver from transmitting a wireless signal during the second time period.
US09585090B1

An apparatus and method determine an instance quality set of an access system while the access system is used by an application package of a radio device. The access system comprises a radio system and an access network. The application package has communicated information using a networked service of the access network. The apparatus and method determine additional information that comprises at least one of a location of the device and an acquisition time, the instance quality set, and a radio system identifier of the radio system used. The apparatus and method perform at least one of storing within the radio device and transmitting from the radio device an application identifier of the application package in association with the additional information. The apparatus and method selects at least one of a preferred radio system and a preferred application package based on the instance quality set.
US09585089B2

A controller includes: a communication section configured to be selectively communicable with an electronic apparatus through a first communication system or a second communication system, and configured to acquire system priority information from the electronic apparatus by communicating with the electronic apparatus through the first communication system, the electronic apparatus being capable of executing one or a plurality of functions; and a control section configured to select one of the first communication system and the second communication system, based on the system priority information, and configured to instruct the communication section to communicate with the electronic apparatus through the selected communication system.
US09585087B1

An ad-hoc network approach for addressing ad-hoc network address assignment, name resolution, and service discovery in ad-hoc networks. The size of the ad-hoc network may be limited to a selected number of ad-hoc network stations. A first portion of the ad-hoc network address assigned to stations joining the ad-hoc network may be fixed and a second portion of the ad-hoc network address may be selected dynamically, as each new station joins the ad-hoc network. A station may generate an information element that may be included in ad-hoc network messages. An exemplary information element may include a last byte of the ad-hoc network address associated with the transmitting station, a 4-byte timestamp field which indicates a number of milliseconds since the station claimed the network address, a user-friendly name to identify the station, a universally unique identifier (UUID) for each service offered by the transmitting station, and a network-address-in-use bitmap.
US09585080B2

Various embodiments are generally directed to an apparatus, method and other techniques to communicate configuration information during a neighbor aware network (NAN) discovery window to establish a fine timing measurement (FTM) procedure with one or more stations, the configuration information comprising at least one of a channel, a FTM start time, and an ordered list of the one or more stations, and perform the FTM procedure with the one or more other stations by communicating information in one or more FTM frames during a burst period.
US09585075B2

Embodiments for boosting coverage of wireless signals are generally described herein. A wireless communication device for boosting coverage of wireless signals may include a processor arranged to configure resource blocks for a sub-frame for transmitting data in a communication session, wherein the sub-frame includes at least one slot formed by a matrix of sub-carriers in the frequency domain and symbols in the time domain and a transceiver, coupled to the processor, the transceiver being arranged to establish communication with entities in a network, the transceiver being further arranged to, under direction of the processor, map modulated symbols to at least a partial resource block to form a coverage boosting resource unit, the coverage boosting resource unit spreading at least one data bit over at least the partial resource block.
US09585069B2

Confusion resulting from assigning the same node identifier to multiple nodes is resolved through the use of confusion detection techniques and the use of unique identifiers for the nodes. In some aspects a network may provide a time gap (e.g., an asynchronous time gap) during which an access terminal may temporarily cease monitoring transmissions from a source node so that the access terminal may acquire a unique identifier from a target node. In some aspects an access terminal may commence handover operations at a target node after determining whether the access terminal is allowed to access the target node. In some aspects a source node may prepare several target nodes for potential handover in the event confusion is detected or likely. Here, the source node may send information relating to the preparation of the potential target nodes to the access terminal whereby the access terminal uses the handover preparation information to initiate a handover at that target node.
US09585066B2

A method and a wireless access node for enabling management of cellular connectivity of a wireless device as well as a method and a wireless device for providing information about availability of cellular connectivity towards a radio network node are disclosed. The wireless device has Wi-Fi radio for access to the wireless access node and cellular radio for access to the radio network node. The wireless device sends, to the wireless access node, a second message, which indicates to the wireless access node availability of the cellular connectivity. The wireless access node manages the cellular connectivity based on the second message.
US09585065B2

A method for inter-radio access technology (inter-RAT) performance enhancement in a mobile communications device is provided. First, a first RAT is camped on to perform a first service. Thereafter, it is moved/fallen back to a second RAT from the first RAT to perform a second service. Cell information of the first RAT is then measured and collected during the performance of the second service in the second RAT. A first cell to return to the first RAT is determined according to the collected cell information of the first RAT after a call connection of the second RAT is released.
US09585062B2

There is disclosed a system and method for transmission of data signals from a mobile device to a network. In an embodiment, the method comprises encoding video data at a first encoding rate into a plurality of video frames using a first encoding module; encoding video data at a second encoding rate into a plurality of video frames using a second encoding module; detecting a change in the availability of wireless bandwidth in the network; and switching a selector to retrieve frames from either the first encoding module or the second encoding module for transmission in dependence upon the available wireless bandwidth. The encoding rate of whichever one of the first encoding module and the second encoding module is currently not selected is successively increased or decreased, and a selector is switched to retrieve frames from either the first encoding module or the second encoding module.
US09585057B2

A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a frame including a partial association ID (PAID) in a wireless LAN (WLAN) system are disclosed. A method for receiving a frame at a station (STA) from an access point (AP) of a wireless communication system including: determining whether a value of a partial association ID (Partial AID) of the frame is calculated on the basis of an association ID (AID) allocated to the STA by the AP and a basic service set ID (BSSID) of the AP; and decoding the frame, if the value of the partial AID of the frame is calculated on the basis of the AID allocated to the STA and the BSSID of the AP, wherein the AID is allocated such that the partial AID value calculated on the basis of the AID allocated to the STA and the BSSID of the AP is not identical to a first PAID value calculated by applying a modulo operation to a specific value obtained by converting values ranging from a 40th bit position to a 48th bit position from among 48 bit positions of the BSSID of the AP into a decimal number.
US09585056B2

A method and apparatus for routing traffic around geographic location (such as an incident scene) is provided herein. During operation, base station RF load levels will be obtained. Any vehicle not part of the incident will be geographic routed around overloaded base stations. Because vehicles will be geographic routed around overloaded base stations, the overloaded base stations will not have to handle the additional RF load from the appropriately-geographic routed vehicles.
US09585053B2

A communications network, computer program product and method for transmitting data packets in the communications network comprising synchronized nodes via a predetermined path in the communications network, wherein the synchronized nodes of the predetermined path include a source node, a target node and at least one intermediate node, the synchronized nodes synchronously feed data packets into the predetermined path and each have first and second buffers for respectively buffering high-priority data packets and low-priority data packets, wherein each intermediate node having an empty first buffer at a given point in time, and to which the source node feeds a high-priority data packet into the predetermined path toward the target node, generates a second high-priority data packet and feeds the generated second high-priority data packet into the predetermined path toward the target node so as to ensure high-priority data packets on the predetermined path are not delayed by low-priority data packets.
US09585041B2

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method and apparatus for detecting a sleeping cell. According to the method, amount of traffic-related activities in a candidate cell may be monitored in an observation period; accumulated amount may be calculated based on the monitored amount of traffic-related activities; and whether the candidate cell is a sleeping cell may be determined based on the accumulated amount. The accumulated amount may indicate accumulation of amount of traffic-related activities monitored in an accumulation period comprising at least one observation period.
US09585037B1

A mobile communication device is configured to evaluate the performance of a mobile wireless communication network. The device is configured for communication across the mobile wireless communication network, and executes a network evaluation application operative to measure a quality of communication services provided by the mobile wireless communication network. The network evaluation application retrieves communication parameters relating to communications of the mobile communication device across the mobile wireless communication network, and measures a throughput of communication packets transmitted or received by the network evaluation application across the mobile wireless communication network. In turn, the network evaluation application displays, on a display screen of the mobile communication device, the communication parameters retrieved from the debugging utility of the operating system and the measured throughput of communication packets across the mobile wireless communication network.
US09585017B2

A GSM, UMTS or LTE mobile telecommunications network includes a radio access network comprising base stations, and further includes one or more additional access points. An access point may be connected to the network core by an IP transport broadband connection. The access point is configured to appear to the mobile terminal as a base station. Arrangements are disclosed which allow the network to restrict access to the network via these access points while also minimizing signaling requirements. The access points may be excluded from traditional Tracking Areas, but associated therewith by a network controller in a mapping in order to notify authorized mobile terminals of the Access Point's existence.
US09585013B2

In one embodiment, multiple keys are generated in user equipment of a communication system based at least in part on a designated key expansion multiplier. A key identifier is received in the user equipment from a base station of the communication system. The user equipment selects a particular one of the keys as a function of the received key identifier, and utilizes the selected one of the keys to secure data sent from the user equipment to the base station. For example, the keys may comprise respective portions of a key stream generated by the user equipment responsive to a message received from the base station, with the keys being shared by the user equipment and the base station through independent generation of the key stream in the base station. The base station may illustratively comprise an evolved Node B (eNB) of an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN).
US09585007B2

A method disclosed herein includes the act of computing a value of information for obtaining data from a personal sensor of a user for utilization in a utilitarian computing application, wherein a mobile computing device comprises the personal sensor of the user. The method further includes the act of requesting that the mobile computing device transmit a data packet to the computing device based at least in part upon the value of information for obtaining data from the personal sensor of the user.
US09585006B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus enable provisioning of a mobile device with access information for an account. A secure element within a subscriber identity module (SIM) or universal integrated circuit card (UICC) of the mobile device may be provisioned to enable account access. Provisioning may be performed by obtaining card data for a card associated with an account using an automated data capture device, confirming validity of the account by exchanging the card data with a user authentication server, confirming validity of the mobile device by exchanging mobile device information with a device authentication server, sending a request from the mobile device to provision the mobile device after confirming validity of the account and the mobile device, receiving provisioning instructions to provision the mobile device with the access information for the account, and provisioning the mobile device with the access information for the account based on the provisioning instructions.
US09584991B1

The present invention relates generally to a system and method of communicating cryptic text, i.e. private messages and accessing social networks using coded messages, wherein the system and method comprises activating privacy controls for intercepting electronic transmissions for controlling the display of the electronic transmissions on a mobile device; the determining of the presence of an indicator tag for incoming and/or outgoing decoded messages identifying messages for which there is a corresponding cryptic text; and for converting the at least one decoded message into cryptic text for displaying on the display, wherein the user may interact with the cryptic text via at least one icon, which are embedded with code configured to enable different user interactions with the cryptic text, wherein the embedded code may be executed by dragging the at least one icon to a code execution area of the display.
US09584990B1

A message processing application may receive at least one inquiry message from a user device in the form or a text message, email or other communication message format. The message may be received and processed to identify the content of the inquiry message to determine whether the inquiry message should be transferred to a live agent or whether the inquiry message should be responded to with an automated response stored in a database.
US09584983B2

A mobile unit in a housing facility for mobile units may be tracked by activating a first reading device at a first location of the housing facility upon detecting a first mobile unit arriving at or departing from the first location, wherein the first mobile unit has a first tag having an identification code (ID) readable by the first reading device. A set of readings may be performed by the first reading device to read a set of tag IDs during a time interval. Upon an ending of the time interval, tag IDs, in the set of tag IDs, that correspond to the first tag ID are identified based on the set of readings. A record is updated to associate the first tag ID with the first location.
US09584974B1

In a general aspect, motion of an object is detected based on wireless signals. In some aspects, a receiver in a space receives wireless signals; the wireless signals are based on transmissions of a reference signal by a transmitter. Each of the received wireless signals is based on a respective transmission of the reference signal at a distinct time. Channel responses are determined based on the received wireless signals and the reference signal. Each channel response is determined based on a respective one of the received wireless signals. Motion of an object in the space is detected based on the channel responses.
US09584970B2

A retrieval unit retrieves location information. A storage stores location information transmitted from a transmitter. A derivation unit derives a distance of travel based on the location information stored in the storage and the location information newly retrieved by the retrieval unit. A controller causes the transmitter to transmit the location information newly retrieved by the retrieval unit, if the distance of travel exceeds a threshold value.
US09584966B1

A device may be configured to obtain metric information relating to an operating environment. The metric information may describe a signal strength or a signal quality associated with one or more calls placed in the operating environment. The device may be configured to obtain a threshold for the metric information. The device may be configured to determine indoor/outdoor classification information that identifies whether the one or more calls are classified as an indoor call or an outdoor call or an unclassified call based on whether the metric information satisfies the threshold. The device may be configured to determine geolocation information identifying one or more geographical locations associated with the one or more calls. The device may be configured to provide the indoor/outdoor classification information and the geolocation information.
US09584962B2

A method including defining mappings between coordinates of interest and fake location areas. The method may further include providing an application to a terminal, and distributing the mappings to the terminal. The method may further include receiving a location update generated from the terminal, wherein the location update is based upon a fake location area, and determining location information of the terminal based upon the location update.
US09584960B1

A system for exchanging GPS or other position data between wireless devices for purposes of group activities, child location monitoring, work group coordination, dispatching of employees etc. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers have loaded therein a Buddy Watch application and a TalkControl application. The Buddy Watch application communicates with the GPS receiver and other wireless devices operated by buddies registered in the users phone as part of buddy groups or individually. GPS position data and historical GPS position data can be exchanged between cell phones of buddies and instant buddies such as tow truck drivers via a buddy watch server. Emergency monitoring services can be set up with notifications to programmable individuals in case an individual does not respond. Positions and tracks can be displayed. TalkControl simplifies and automates the process of joining talk groups for walkie talkie services such as that provided by Nextel.
US09584953B2

Evaluating wireless network access connections via near field communications, including: identifying, by a requesting device, one or more network connections available to the requesting device; requesting, by the requesting device to one or more responding devices using a near field communications connection, information describing the performance of the network connections experienced by the one or more responding devices; receiving, by the requesting device, the information describing the performance of the network connections experienced by the one or more responding devices; and connecting, by the requesting device, to a preferred network connection in dependence upon the information describing the performance of the network connections experienced by the one or more responding devices.
US09584952B2

In one example, a method may include configuring sensors to respectively collect information, into groups of sensors based on relative distances of the sensors to other sensors; configuring sensors in a first group of sensors within a threshold distance from a receiver to transmit the respectively collected information directly to the receiver; configuring sensors in a second group of sensors within the threshold distance to receive information from at least one sensor in a third group of sensors that is located further away from the receiver than the second group of sensors; cumulatively transmit respectively collected information and the received further information directly to the receiver; configuring sensors in the third group of sensors not within the threshold distance to transmit respectively collected information to a closest one of the sensors in the second group of sensors; and updating the threshold distance after a set duration of time.
US09584950B2

A social network may be established between mobile nodes using a wireless connection. Establishing the social network may be based on an estimated time duration of the wireless connection. In one or more embodiments, establishing the social network may also be based on a similarity of interests among of users of the nodes.
US09584943B2

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for processing a signal, which are used for effectively reproducing an audio signal, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for processing a signal, which are used for implementing binaural rendering for reproducing multi-channel or multi-object audio signals in stereo with a low calculation amount.To this end, provided are a method for processing an audio signal including: receiving multi-audio signals including multi-channel or multi-object signals; receiving truncated subband filter coefficients for filtering the multi-audio signals, the truncated subband filter coefficients being at least a portion of subband filter coefficients obtained from a binaural room impulse response (BRIR) filter coefficient for binaural filtering of the multi-audio signals, and the lengths of the truncated subband filter coefficients being determined based on filter order information obtained by at least partially using characteristic information extracted from the corresponding subband filter coefficients; and filtering the subband signal by using the truncated subband filter coefficients corresponding to each subband signal of the multi-audio signals and an apparatus for processing an audio signal using the same.
US09584930B2

Techniques are disclosed for classifying a sound environment for hearing assistance devices using redundant estimates of an acoustical environment from two hearing assistance devices and accessory devices. In one example, a method for operating a hearing assistance device includes sensing an environmental sound, determining a first classification of the environmental sound, receiving at least one second classification of the environmental sound, comparing the determined first classification and the at least one received second classification, and selecting an operational classification for the hearing assistance device based upon the comparison.
US09584919B2

The present invention discloses an interface switching system including an electronic device, wherein the electronic device includes an audio socket, a first set of interface lines, a set of audio interface lines, a first switching device, an interface socket and a processor. The audio socket is arranged to be coupled to an audio plug. The first switching device is arranged to couple the audio socket to the first set of interface lines or the set of audio interface lines. The interface socket is arranged to be coupled to a first interface plug or a second interface plug. The processor is arranged to enable the first switching device to couple the audio socket to the first set of interface lines when the interface socket is coupled to the second interface plug.
US09584915B2

Embodiments related to outputting spatial audio via a portable computing device are presented. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a portable computing device for wirelessly detecting a presence of a remote speaker external to the portable computing device, determining a location of the remote speaker, and establishing a wireless connection with the remote speaker. The embodiment further includes presenting visual content via a display of the portable computing device, the visual content comprising an object positionally associated with a location in a real-world environment around the portable computing device, generating an audio signal corresponding to the object, and sending the audio signal to the remote speaker.
US09584898B2

A multiple receiver assembly comprising at least a first spout-less receiver comprising a sound output opening; and a joiner. The joiner comprises a mounting plate portion having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the mounting plate further defining a mounting plane; first engagement means for engaging the first spout-less receiver at the first surface; and a spout portion comprising at least one sound channel extending through the spout portion. The sound output opening is aligned with one of the at least one sound channels when the spout-less receiver engages the first engagement means.
US09584886B2

A micro-speaker includes a speaker monomer, a housing and a waterproof membrane. The housing accommodates the speaker monomer and has an opening to output a sound generated by the speaker monomer. The waterproof membrane seals the opening and transmits the sound generated by the speaker monomer. The waterproof membrane has a center area and a peripheral area surrounding the center area, and a stiffness of the center area is greater than a stiffness of the peripheral area.
US09584884B1

In an example, the present invention includes an integrated system on chip device. The device has a variable bias block configured with the control block, the variable bias block being configured to selectively tune each of a plurality of laser devices provided on the silicon photonics device to adjust for at least a wavelength of operation, a fabrication tolerance, and an extinction ratio.
US09584881B2

A tire-pressure information device should receive wheel information within a demanded detection time. A transmission controller of a sensor unit transmits wheel information as a radio signal at the timing when the turning position θ of the sensor unit detected by an acceleration sensor arrives at the transmission setting location α after 1 minute has passed since the last transmission of the wheel information. This transmission setting location α is set to a turning position which is advanced or retarded a setting adjustment angle Δα (for instance, 146 degree) set to a value which is not a divisor of 360, with respect to the turning position θ when the last wheel information is transmitted last time.
US09584878B2

Embodiments of present invention provide a method and system for collecting, transmitting, editing and integrating, broadcasting, and receiving signals. The method comprises acquiring one and/or more audio signals and one and/or more video signals or the one program collected by one and/or more audio and video collection terminals; editing and integrating the one and/or more audio signals and the one and/or more video signals or the one program on a network platform, and then broadcasting; selecting among the one and/or more audio signals and the one and/or more video signals for the one program at a receiving terminal, and receiving the selected audio signal and video signal.
US09584875B2

A method includes receiving a request, associated with a user profile, for an integrated video guide for a video service. The integrated video guide is time based, and the video service includes broadcast video content and video service selected video content. The video service selected video content is provided via unicast or multicast. The method includes identifying basic video channels that are provided to all subscribers of the video service, and identifying user selected channels that are provided based on the user profile. Broadcast channels that are included in the user selected channels are identified. Online channels that are included in the user selected channels are also identified. The method also includes presenting the basic video channels, the broadcast channels, and the online channels in a same manner in the integrated video guide.
US09584874B1

An advertisement supported entertainment collection, distribution, and library system accessible over a network. The system retains and manages contents, advertisements, user demographics, content viewing, etc. on a central server enabling collection of viewing metrics and audience member demographics. Contents are segmented and characterized by multiple indices. Production contents are generated by combining a series of production segments with advertising segments inserted between segments. Advertising segment placement criteria is compared to content indices and user demographics to determine placement of advertising segments. Metrics, including advertisement placements, content indices, viewing data, library placement, and user demographics are analyzed to optimize advertisement placements.
US09584873B2

An electronic device including a peripheral device connection unit configured to connect to a peripheral device and to receive identification data for the peripheral device, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine configuration information, wherein the configuration information is based at least on one of the identification data for the peripheral device or geographic location data for the electronic device, obtain a user interface selected from a plurality of user interfaces based at least partly on the configuration information, and automatically configure the electronic device based on the obtained user interface.
US09584866B2

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving program content and data describing program content from a content source, and automatically identifying, based on user preferences of a first user, one or more relevant products or services displayed in the program content. Product-related metadata associated with the program content is identified. The product-related metadata including data relating to the one or more relevant products or services displayed in the program content. The program content is communicated to a display device for presentation to a first user in a first portion of the display device, and the product-related metadata is communicated to a second display device for presentation to a second user substantially simultaneously with the presentation of the program content in the first display device. A user commentary is received from the second device, the user commentary generated by the second user and associated with the program content or product-related metadata.
US09584858B2

A system and method for analyzing the viewing behavior of end users that are viewing video content to determine the likely presence of one or more advertisements being viewed and to assess the viewers who stop viewing during the course of such advertisements. The system periodically or continuously receives tune data reflecting the viewing behavior of end users, analyzes the cumulative viewing behavior reflected by the received tune data, and delivers a report of the analysis to advertisers, agencies, media sellers, or other parties that are interested in measuring the effectiveness of advertisements on end users. The analysis by the system can be done over multiple different types of content-distribution platforms.
US09584852B2

Provided are techniques for detecting a presentation of media content on a first display device; synchronizing contextual data corresponding to the media content with the media content; transmitting the contextual metadata corresponding to the media content to a second display device in response to the detecting, wherein the second display device is a different device than the first display device; and presenting the contextual metadata, in synchronization with the media content, on the second display device in conjunction with the presentation of the media content on the first display device.
US09584845B2

A live broadcast system for use with a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal is described. The system includes a mobile terminal and a live server. The mobile terminal collects a video signal and an audio signal, compresses the video signal and the audio signal, packages the compressed video signal and the compressed audio signal into a data stream, and transmits the data stream to a live server. The live server transmits the data stream to a terminal device, wherein the data stream can be directly played in the terminal device. Thus, the cost of live broadcasts is reduced.
US09584844B2

A method and an apparatus for matching corresponding frames in two multimedia streams are suggested. The first multimedia stream is an original multimedia stream for which meta-data are available. The second multimedia stream is broadcasted or multi-casted multimedia stream and has undergone processing steps such that the meta-data of the original video stream are no more available or no longer reliable. The matching of corresponding frames in the two multimedia streams is based on the comparison of audio fingerprints and the detection of shot boundaries. Matching corresponding frames with frame accuracy enables inserting targeted content like advertisements into a sequence of video frames especially in a broadcast or multicast environment where meta-data and time markers cannot be relied upon.
US09584841B2

The present invention relates to a contents reception device and method, a contents transmission device and method, a program, and a recording medium, whereby a Push-type NRT service can be realized.“Ch. 4” is taken as a broadcasting channel for normal broadcasting, and “Ch. 5” and “Ch. 6” are taken as broadcasting channels for NRT. The broadcasting channel “Ch. 5” is multiplexed on logical channels “VC5-1”, “VC5-2”, and “VC5-3”. The logical channel “VC5-1” is assigned to a single Push-type NRT broadcasting service, and “VC5-2” is assigned to a Pull-type NRT broadcast. The logical channel “VC5-3” is assigned to another Push-type NRT broadcasting service. Three FLUTE sessions are provided to “VC5-2”.
US09584839B2

Methods and apparatus for optimizing the distribution and delivery of multimedia or other content within a content-based network. In one embodiment, the network comprises a broadcast switched cable television network, which utilizes a Network optimization controller (NOC) that processes subscriber program viewing requests to identify options available to fulfill the request (including, e.g., the creation of one or more “microcasts” specifically targeting one or more users), and evaluate these options to determine one that optimizes network operation. The NOC performs these decisions by considering various parameters including network resource availability, type of CPE, subscriber's targeted advertisement profile, and business rules programmed by operator of the network.
US09584838B2

A satellite broadcast system is used to transmit streams of variable bit-rate content using fixed bit-rate channels that correspond to respective satellite transponder carriers. High bandwidth content is transmitted over multiple transponder carriers in parallel with a combined bandwidth sufficient for the peak bit-rate of the high bandwidth content, whereas multiple streams of low bandwidth content can be transmitted over a single transponder carrier simultaneously by multiplexing the low bandwidth content. High bandwidth content may be multiplexed with low bandwidth content rather than assigning all high bandwidth content to be transmitted exclusively over dedicated high bandwidth transponders.
US09584837B2

There is provided a receiving device including a receiving unit configured to receive a stream of a content to be distributed live, an analysis unit configured to analyze fragmented text information corresponding to subtitle data included in the received stream, and a control unit configured to control display of first text information so as to allow the display to be continued when second text information out of the text information is displayed based on a result of the analysis, the second text information being started to be displayed temporally after the first text information is displayed.
US09584835B2

There is provided a system and method for streaming content to a plurality of devices over a network. A first stream comprising a first live feed is received from a first source, a second stream comprising a second live feed received from a second source, the first live feed synchronized with the second live feed, and a third stream comprising the synchronized first and second live feed generated and sent to each device. An interface is also presented on each device and the live feed displayed therewithin, a request signal indicative of a request for interactive content received, a control signal comprising instructions for retrieving the interactive content from the memory sent to each device, and the interface dynamically modified for causing the retrieved interactive content to be displayed concurrently with the live feed.
US09584829B2

Provided is an image encoding apparatus that generates a prediction block according to an intra prediction mode, generates a residual block, transforms the residual block to generate a transform block, quantizes the transform block to generate a quantized transform block, scans the quantized transform block to generate one-dimensional (1D) quantized coefficients, and entropy-codes the 1D quantized coefficients. When a size of the transform block is 8×8, the quantized transform block is divided into a plurality of sub-blocks, the plurality of sub-blocks are scanned are coefficients of each sub-block are scanned using a same scan pattern determined according to the intra prediction mode. The quantized coefficients of each sub-block are scanned in a reverse direction from a last non-zero coefficient according the scan pattern.
US09584827B2

Provided is an image encoding apparatus that generates a prediction block according to an intra prediction mode, generates a residual block, transforms the residual block to generate a transform block, quantizes the transform block to generate a quantized transform block, scans the quantized transform block to generate one-dimensional (1D) quantized coefficients, and entropy-codes the 1D quantized coefficients. When a size of the transform block is 8×8, the quantized transform block is divided into a plurality of sub-blocks, the plurality of sub-blocks and coefficients of each sub-block are scanned using a same scan pattern determined according to the intra prediction mode. When the intra prediction mode is a horizontal mode, the scan pattern is a vertical scan. The intra prediction mode is coded using an upper and a left intra prediction modes.
US09584825B2

A video encoder signals, in a slice header for a current slice of a current picture, a first long-term reference picture (LTRP) entry, the first LTRP entry indicating that a particular reference picture is in a long-term reference picture set of the current picture. Furthermore, the video encoder signals, in the slice header, a second LTRP entry only if second LTRP entry does not indicate that the particular reference picture is in the long-term reference picture set of the current picture.
US09584821B2

A method of decoding an image in which wherein, when a prediction mode is an inter prediction mode, not an intra prediction mode, a size of at least one prediction unit in the coding unit is determined independently from a size of at least one transformation unit in the coding unit.
US09584815B2

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for intra prediction. The intra prediction method for a decoder, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of entropy-decoding a received bitstream, generating reference pixels to be used in the intra prediction of a prediction unit; generating a prediction block from the reference pixels on the basis of a prediction mode for the prediction unit and reconstructing an image from the prediction block and a residual block, which is obtained as a result of entropy encoding, wherein the reference pixels and/or the prediction block pixels are predicted on the basis of a base pixel, and the predicted pixel value can be the sum of the pixel value of the base pixel and the difference between the pixel values of the base pixel and the generated pixel.
US09584805B2

In one embodiment, a video coder for processing video data includes a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to downsample at least prediction mode information of a reference layer block. In addition, the processor is configured to predict at least one of an enhancement layer block or prediction mode information of the enhancement layer block based at least on the prediction mode information of the reference layer block before the processor downsamples the prediction mode information of the reference layer block. The memory is configured to store the prediction mode information of the reference layer block. The prediction mode information of the reference layer block, for example, includes an inter-prediction mode, an intra-prediction mode, or a motion vector of the reference layer block.
US09584799B2

A method of driving a display device including a plurality of pixels, the method including transmitting a plurality of data signals to first group pixels during a first scan period, simultaneously emitting light through the first group pixels according to a programmed data signal during a first light emitting period adjacent to the first scan period, transmitting a plurality of data signals to second group pixels, different from the first group pixels, during a second scan period, and simultaneously emitting light through the second group pixels according to a programmed data signal during a second light emitting period adjacent to the second scan period. A first field including the first scan period and the first light emitting period and a second field including the second scan period and the second light emitting period are temporally divided.
US09584796B2

An apparatus for setting an interference region of a robot includes a 3D camera which photographs surroundings of a robot to acquire a camera image of a region around the robot including distance information and color information, a 3D map generation unit which generates a 3D map including a plurality of point sequences which are arranged at equal intervals in a 3D space around the robot on the basis of the camera image, a color setting unit which sets a color of the robot, a color search unit which searches for a point sequence including color information corresponding to the robot color from the 3D map, and an interference region setting unit which sets an interference region on the basis of position data of the searched point sequence.
US09584792B2

Techniques for encapsulating video streams containing multiple coded views in a media file are described herein. In one example, a method includes parsing a track of video data, wherein the track includes one or more views. The method further includes parsing information to determine whether a texture view or a depth view of a reference view is required for decoding at least one of the one or more views in the track. Another example method includes composing a track of video data, wherein the track includes one or more views and composing information that indicates whether a texture view or a depth view of a reference view is required for decoding at least one of the one or more views in the track.
US09584787B1

Disclosed are various embodiments for a streaming video application. The application downloads, decodes, and renders video frame data at different frame rates. Based on the differences between these frame rates, the downloading frame rate is adjusted to minimize performance degradation.
US09584775B2

A device for communicating including a housing including a camera, a microphone, a speaker, a button, a battery, a sensor, non-volatile memory, a processor, and a wireless communications module, wherein the non-volatile memory stores code operable by the processor for switching the processor from low-power mode to active mode in response to an activation trigger, receiving, from the one of the microphone and the camera, outbound audio and video signals, then sending a signal to a server via the wireless communications module during active mode, the signal including one or more of an alert signal, a signal based on the outbound audio signal, and a signal based on the outbound video signal, receiving from the server an inbound audio signal and outputting a signal based on the inbound audio signal via the speaker, and switching the processor from active mode to low-power mode in response to a deactivation trigger.
US09584763B2

A video conference endpoint includes one or more cameras to capture video of different views and a microphone array to sense audio. One or more preset views are defined. The endpoint detects faces in the captured video and active audio sources from the sensed audio. The endpoint detects any active talker detected faces that coincide positionally with detected active audio sources, and also detects whether any active talker is in one of the preset views. Based on whether an active talker is detected in any of the preset views, the endpoint switches between capturing video of one of the preset views, and capturing video of a dynamic view.
US09584744B2

An image sensor with an array of image sensor pixels is provided. Each pixel may include a photodiode, a storage diode, and associated circuitry formed in a semiconductor substrate. Buried light shields may be formed on the substrate to prevent regions between two adjacent photodiodes from being exposed to incoming light. In one embodiment, a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure may be formed between the photodiode and the storage diode, and a conductive layer formed from optically absorptive material may be constructed at the bottom of the STI structure. A via may be formed through the STI structure to help bias the conductive layer using a ground or negative voltage. In another embodiment, an isolation ring structure may be formed at the base of the buried light shields. The isolation ring structure may be formed from optically absorptive material and can optionally be biased using a ground or negative voltage.
US09584728B2

A method for operating an electronic device is provided. The method includes displaying a first image obtained by an image sensor, obtaining a plurality of crop images cropped in response to a change in an angle of view of the image sensor from the first image, and sequentially displaying the plurality of crop images.
US09584723B2

An apparatus for creating a panorama is provided, the apparatus including an image obtainer to obtain at least two images via at least two cameras, an overlapping area analyzer to analyze an overlapping area among the at least two cameras, and extract overlapping image information, an image segmentation unit to segment the at least two images in an object unit, and generate image segmentation information, a depth value extractor to extract a depth value of an object in the at least two images, an image focus setter to set a focus value based on the depth value for the plurality of segmented objects, and a panorama creator to create panorama content of which a focus is convertible using the image segmentation information and the focus value.
US09584722B2

An electronic device including: an image sensor including plural sensors divided into groups; a multi-lens array including plural lenses configured to each form an image of a scene on a distinct group of the groups of pixel sensors; and a filter including plural color filter elements arranged in rows and columns. Each color filter element is associated with one of the lenses and the respective distinct group and configured to filter an image of the scene into one of plural color channels. A first group of pixel sensors can define a perspective of the scene for an image reconstruction, and the color filter elements in the row of the color filter element corresponding to the first group and the color filter elements in the column of the color filter element corresponding to the first group can filter the image of the scene into each of the plural color channels.
US09584719B2

An image processing system is described herein in which a multi-line processing block has multiple inputs and multiple outputs. In order to provide the multiple outputs the multi-line processing block has multiple processing units operating in parallel on the multiple inputs. The multiple outputs of the multi-line processing block are coupled to corresponding multiple inputs of a subsequent multi-line processing block in the image processing system.
US09584711B2

Imaging methods and systems for controlling equipment in remote environments are disclosed herein. An example system disclosed herein to control equipment in a remote environment includes an imaging assembly to determine feedback data based on measurement data obtained from a plurality of remote imaging systems controllable to process different respective optical fields-of-view in the remote environment, a flushing assembly controllable to project fluid to clear the optical fields-of-view in the remote environment, and a controller to process the feedback data to determine a control signal to control operation of at least one of (1) the plurality of remote imaging systems or (2) the flushing assembly.
US09584710B2

An automated electronic video surveillance system enables a high-resolution mega-pixel camera to capture high quality, detailed, magnified images at multiple locations, simultaneously with an overview of the whole scene. A preferred embodiment requiring no moving parts provides full 360-degree continuous viewing with up to 5× all-digital zoom capability. The system performs continuous surveillance and active resolution allocation in the form of a feedback control subsystem that dynamically allocates resources so that important details within a scene receive appropriate scrutiny, while uninteresting areas are imaged at a lower resolution.
US09584709B2

Examples of the disclosure provide a camera module configured to shield an image sensor from an electromagnetic field. In some examples, the camera module includes a circuit board, an image sensor coupled to the circuit board, a housing coupled to the circuit board such that the housing shields the image sensor from an electromagnetic field, and a lens barrel coupled to the housing such that the lens barrel is moveable within a cavity defined by the housing. Examples of the disclosure enable an electromagnetic field to be blocked in a cost-effective and component-efficient manner.
US09584704B2

A method for detecting electronic lighting flickering includes: taking a video of an electronic light with a duration of a predetermined period and a scanning frequency; extracting a predetermined number of frames of pictures from the video; determining a flickering frequency of the electronic light; determining at least one fixed reference point at each frame; and reconstructing a brightness waveform of the electronic light from the reference point in all frames of the video.
US09584703B2

A method, apparatus, and computer program product storing pre-calculated quantization error data relating to a data quantization process. After receiving data to be quantized, quantizing the data to reduce the number of significant bits present therein. Finally, a quantization error is determined for the quantized data from the pre-calculated quantization error data.
US09584702B2

According to one embodiment, there is provided an image processing apparatus including: first circuitry and second circuitry. The first circuitry sets for first color information in a first color gamut a correction quantity of a brightness defined depending on a lightness and a chroma of the first color information on a basis of a difference between a target brightness and the brightness of the first color information. The second circuitry corrects at least one of the lightness and the chroma of the first color information such that the brightness of the first color information is corrected by the correction quantity to obtain corrected color information in the first color gamut.
US09584701B2

A selected color component (R, G, B) for each of a plurality of image pixels (32, P) of an image cell (42, C) is encoded to form a corresponding color component (ER, EG, EB) of a corresponding plurality of encoded pixels (40, PE) in one-to-one correspondence with the image pixels (32, P). A bit length of each color component (ER, EG, EB) of an encoded pixel (40, PE) is less than that of a corresponding image pixel (32, P). The encoded pixels (40, PE) are subsequently decoded to generate a corresponding decoded image cell (64, C′k) containing decoded image pixels (62, P′) in one-to-one correspondence with both the encoded pixels (40, PE) and with the original image pixels (32, P), of the same bit length as the original image pixels (32, P), and containing extended color information in excess of the corresponding base color information contained in the corresponding most-significant (MS) portions of the color components (R, G, B) of the original image pixels (32, P) having the same bit length as the encoded color components (ER, EG, EB).
US09584697B2

An information processing apparatus includes a stored data acquiring unit configured to acquire stored data that is stored in a predetermined storage location of an output apparatus that is connected to the information processing apparatus via a network. The stored data is acquired from the predetermined storage location based on destination information of input data. The information processing apparatus further includes an editing unit configured to execute editing operations of combining the input data and the stored data acquired by the stored data acquiring unit to generate one single set of output data, and a delivery control unit configured to control delivery of the output data generated by the editing unit such that the output data is delivered, based on the destination information, to the predetermined storage location from which the stored data has been acquired.
US09584690B2

A light guide includes an incident surface provided at least at an end portion of the light guide in a longitudinal direction, and receiving light from a light source, an output surface constituting a part of an outer peripheral surface, and outputting the light introduced through the incident surface, a reflecting surface extending along the optical axis so as to oppose the output surface, and including a plurality of reflection patterns that reflect the introduced light toward the output surface, and a reflecting plate opposed to a region in the outer peripheral surface other than the incident surface, the output surface, and the reflecting surface, and reflecting the light from the light source. The outer peripheral surface includes a sloped portion formed so as to come closer to the reflecting plate in a direction away from the incident surface in the longitudinal direction.
US09584684B2

Provided is a mechanism for setting whether to enable a shift function for shifting the sheet on which the image is printed in accordance with detection of the original.
US09584681B2

A handheld imaging device includes an image sensor for sensing an image; a processor for processing the sensed image; a plurality of processing units provided in the processor, the plurality of processing units connected in parallel by a crossbar switch to form a multi-core processing unit for the processor; and an image sensor interface for converting signals from the image sensor to a format readable by the plurality of processing units, the image sensor interface sharing a wafer substrate with the processor. A transfer of data from the image sensor interface to the plurality of processing units is conducted entirely on the shared wafer substrate.
US09584670B2

A digital subscriber line modem comprises a first part operable to operate in accordance with a high bandwidth Digital Subscriber Line protocol and a second part operable to operate in accordance with a low bandwidth Digital Subscriber Line protocol, wherein the second part is arranged to operate continuously whilst the first part is arranged to transition into a low power mode, in which less or no data is transmitted or received by the first part, when the demand for bandwidth over the connection falls below a predetermined amount. The modem additionally includes a router which controls the sending of data via the first and second parts as appropriate and controls the aggregation of data received via the two parts. The modem also includes a service splitter for passing signals received from a copper twisted pair forming a communications link via which the modem communicates with another modem to either the first part or the second part as appropriate based on the frequencies of the received signals.
US09584669B1

According to one or more embodiments, a telecommunication system includes a call routing circuit configured to receive and route calls and data transmissions from a plurality of telecommunication devices. The telecommunication system also includes a processing circuit for monitoring business and personal use of telecommunication devices associated with a client account. The processing circuit is configured to maintain a log of calls and data transmissions routed by the call-routing circuit for the plurality of telecommunication devices. The processing circuit is further configured to use a set of classification functions in a policy of the client account to determine whether each of the identified first set of calls and data transmissions are business related or personal based on characteristics of each of the first set of calls and data transmissions.
US09584659B2

Embodiments relate to facilitating communications between customers and customer service representatives. A method for facilitating communications between customers and customer service representatives is provided. The method generates a graph of expressions of a customer. The method generates a graph of expressions of each customer service representative of a plurality of customer service representatives. The method performs a graphical text analysis on the graph for the customer to identify an interaction style of the customer. The method performs a graphical text analysis on the graph for each customer service representative to identify an interaction style of the customer service representative. The method selects a customer service representative from the plurality of the customer service representatives based on the interaction style of the customer and the interaction styles of the plurality of the customer service representative. The method starts a communication between the customer and the selected customer service representative.
US09584655B2

A method for calculating a mean opinion score (MOS) during an ongoing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call is provided. The method may include determining a time delay between a VoIP source and a VoIP destination connected by a communications network. A start recording message is sent from the VoIP source to the VoIP destination. A first recorded call sample from the VoIP source and a second recorded call sample from the VoIP destination are generated, whereby the first and the second recorded call sample are generated with a recording delay value corresponding the determined time delay for synchronizing the first and the second recorded call sample. Using an intrusive call quality measurement, a first MOS value is calculated based on the first and the second recorded call sample. Using a non-intrusive call quality measurement, a second MOS value is calculated based on the first MOS value.
US09584653B1

A user interface of an electronic device includes icons that enable a user to answer a telephone call in monophonic sound or binaural sound. When the telephone call is answered in binaural sound, the electronic device convolves a voice in the call with head related transfer functions (HRTFs) of a person so the voice localizes to an external location that is away from but proximate to the person.
US09584652B2

Methods and systems for providing standardized mobile device distraction prevention and safety protocols are disclosed. In particular, an embodiment of a method for activating a distraction prevention or safety protocol behavior in a mobile device when the mobile device satisfies a specific condition is disclosed. The method includes discovering one or more protocol activators configured to transmit discovery information associated with a specific condition. The method further includes activating distraction prevention safety protocol behavior in the mobile device based at least in part on the discovery information. In an implementation, the specific condition may be a specified environment itself and or include an event when the mobile device enters a specified environment or a specified sequence of numbers is dialed from the mobile device.
US09584646B2

A remote operation system remotely controls a vehicle. The system may include a RF receiver and a remote interface device. The RF receiver resides in the vehicle and receives RF commands via a RF communication link. The remote interface device may be packaged in a housing and installed in the vehicle. The remote interface device includes a cellular transceiver, a RF transmitter, and a controller. The cellular transceiver may receive a given command via a cellular communication link. The controller may retrieve the given command from the cellular transceiver, and translate the given command to a RF command. The controller may transmit the RF command to the RF receiver by way of the RF transmitter.
US09584644B2

A method for handling an incoming call of an electronic device and an electronic device using the same is provided. The method includes displaying a user interface for handling the incoming call using a screen boundary of the electronic device, when receiving incoming call information while executing an application program on the electronic device, where the user interface for handling the incoming call using the screen boundary is displayed to overlap the user interface of the executed application program; sensing a touch event on the user interface for handling the incoming call using the screen boundary; and performing an incoming call handling function based on the sensed touch event.
US09584641B2

A portable messaging device is provided that can display visual messages and communicate with additional messaging devices via a local area network. The portable messaging device can include a display panel having an LED array, and a control unit. Lateral side walls, and the inner surface of the display panel can define at least part of a recessed opening configured to receive an electronic device such as a smartphone. The control unit can receive input via a user interface of the portable messaging device and, responsive to the input, provide a visual message to the LED array for display from the outer surface of the display panel.
US09584629B2

Systems and methods for content management server systems configured to manage and publish managed content in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a versioned content management server system, includes a processor, a versioned content management application, managed content, wherein managed content includes content and content version metadata, wherein the versioned content management application configures the processor to receive updated content, locate managed content based on the received updated content, determine version data based on a portion of the located managed content, the received updated content, update the content version metadata data, associate the updated version content data with the managed content, receive a request for content, identify a portion of the managed content that corresponds to the requested content, retrieve the identified portion of the managed content, and transmit the retrieved portion of the managed content.
US09584619B2

Technical solutions for managing business application life cycle with multi-tasking ability are provided. In some implementations, a method includes: at an enterprise data processing application: (A) activating a first application page, which includes: loading a first data set from a first data source, and causing the first data set to be displayed on the first application page; (B) switching from the first application page to a second application page, by: deactivating, without closing, the first application page, including: causing the first data set to be stored in a temporary storage; and activating a second application page; and (C) switching from the second application page back to the first application page, by: deactivating, without closing, the second application page; and re-activating the first application page, including: loading the first data set from the temporary storage, and causing the first data set to be displayed on the first application page.
US09584611B2

A hop count between a management device and a management target device is calculated, and a notification destination range of an unspecified notification pertaining to a power supply mode is obtained from the management target device. On the basis of the obtained results, it is determined whether or not an unspecified notification pertaining to the power supply mode can be received from the management target device. Furthermore, on the basis of the result of the determination, the management device requests the management target device to register the management device as an individual notification destination.
US09584608B2

Methods and systems for monitoring interesting subjects. A method including: selecting, based on a first collection of interesting subjects, a set of critical nodes including at least one critical node which participates in one or more interesting subjects in the first collection; and monitoring contents posted by the one or more critical nodes in the set so as to find a second collection of interesting subjects. The set of critical nodes which participate in one or more interesting subjects in the first collection of interesting subjects is selected based on the first collection, as objects to be monitored, thereby reducing the number of contents posted by the nodes to be monitored as compared with monitoring all the user nodes, so that interesting subjects such as hot news or hot events can be found in real time with high efficiency and low cost.
US09584603B2

A system and method for managing customer premise equipment (CPE) devices. A wake signal is issued to the CPE device. Action parameters are communicated to the CPE device in response to receiving acknowledgement of the wake signal from the CPE device. A management session is established with the CPE device utilizing an address for secure communications in response to the CPE device acknowledging the action parameters. Communications are performed through the management session to perform operation, administration, and maintenance of the CPE device. The management session with the CPE device is terminated.
US09584602B2

Methods of operating a network server device are provided. The methods may include establishing a session with a client device. The methods may also include transmitting a first base segment providing first base content for a first time segment to the client device. The methods may additionally include transmitting a second base segment providing second base content for a second time segment to the client device. The methods may further include transmitting an additive segment including additive content for the second time segment to the client device. Also, the additive content may be synchronized with the second base content. Related methods of operating client devices are also described, as are related network server devices and related client devices.
US09584601B2

A method of operation of a communication system includes: adapting an application programming interface (API) for communicating with an application using a control unit; identifying a detection signal for identifying a physical transport for communication with the application through the application programming interface (API); arbitrating a physical transport protocol for the physical transport with the application programming interface (API); and connecting a transport wrapper for the transport protocol with the application programming interface (API) for communicating with the physical transport.
US09584587B2

Systems and methods for injecting sensitive data into outgoing traffic that is to be sent to a remote server from a client by a network security appliance logically interposed between the server and the client are provided. According to one embodiment, the method includes intercepting, by a network security appliance, outgoing traffic from the client to the server. The network security appliance identifies a submission command within the outgoing traffic that is used for submitting sensitive data of a user to the server. The network security appliance retrieves the sensitive data and modifies the outgoing traffic by injecting the sensitive data into the submission command to form modified outgoing traffic. The network security appliance transmits the modified outgoing traffic to the server.
US09584585B2

The present invention relates to a drive system that includes a module that operates as a server, where at least sometimes the module is at least one of directly integrated with another module that operates as a drive and fully integrated to include the drive. The server allows for communications with one or more terminals via an internet-type communications medium, while the drive is for controlling, monitoring and/or otherwise interacting with at least one motor, electromechanical machine, or other appropriate type of machine/process. In at least some embodiments, the server is capable of providing web pages, executable programs and/or other information including, for example, information in accordance with an FTP protocol onto the internet for receipt by the terminals. The terminals communicate commands and other information via the internet back to the server, which in turn can influence the drive and the controlled machine/process.
US09584575B2

A video server is configured to provide streaming video to players of computer games over a computing network. The video server can provided video of different games to different players simultaneously. This is accomplished by rendering several video streams in parallel using a single GPU. The output of the GPU is provided to graphics processing pipelines that are each associated with a specific client/player and are dynamically allocated as needed. A client qualifier may be used to assure that only clients capable of presenting the streaming video to a player at a minimum level of quality receive the video stream.
US09584573B2

A streaming policy management system and method wherein bandwidth may be allocated based on external device information received from a streaming client device connected to one or more external audio/video (A/V) devices. When a streaming network back office receives a request from the streaming client device for delivery of a particular content, wherein the request includes external device information of one or more external A/V devices connected to the streaming client device, a bandwidth is determined for streaming the particular content to the streaming client device and a request may be made to a content delivery network to create a distribution pipe having the bandwidth to accommodate the delivery of the particular content. A manifest file is provided to the streaming client device that includes one or more pointers that point to content segments of the particular content.
US09584567B2

A method, system and program product comprise communicating to a server system. The server system is at least configured to receive video/audio uploads from users, to maintain the uploads in a database of collaborations comprising video files where each of the video files comprises a same video file format, and to send to a user a collaboration. A collaboration from the server system is received for presentation to a user. A contribution to the received collaboration is recorded. The contribution is uploaded to the server system. The server system is further configured to process the contribution into the received collaboration to have the same video file format and to at least layer audio.
US09584560B2

A solution is provided that integrates external services with existing PBX services to provide new features to the PBX without having to update the PBX. To provide the external services, an external application server establishes a Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) channel with the PBX in order to register for one or more events that occur for a communication session controlled by the PBX. When one of the events occurs, the PBX sends a token containing information regarding the communication session and a media server associated with the communication session. The external application server uses the information in the token to provide an external service, via an external application, to a media stream of the communication session. In one embodiment, the media stream may be sent to that external application that provides the service to the communication session.
US09584559B2

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of handling an IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, session establishment request received from a calling party at a Multimedia Telephone Application Server, MMTel AS, within an IMS network from a Serving Call Session Control Function, S-CSCF, over an IMS Service Control, ISC, interface. The method comprises, within the MMTel AS: a) determining that said request is an originating call case request; b) establishing a first Multimedia Telephone, MMTel, service engine instance within the MMTel AS and using that first MMTel service engine instance to handle the request according to an originating call case; c) determining whether or not a called party associated with said request is served by said MMTel AS and, if so, establishing a second MMTel service engine instance within the MMTel AS, passing the request to said second MMTel service engine instance, and using the second MMTel service engine instance to handle the request according to a terminating call case; and d) forwarding said IMS session establishment request over said ISC interface to said S-CSCF, or to another S-CSCF serving the called party.
US09584558B2

Methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for initiating an application for participants of a conference are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method is provided for concurrently initiating an application for participants of a conference. A conference may be established including a plurality of participant user devices. A request may be received from a participant user device in the conference to assign an application to the conference after the conference has been established. The application may be assigned to the conference. In response to the assigning the application to the conference, initiation of the application for use on each of the plurality of participant user devices in the conference may be concurrently requested. Apparatuses and computer-readable media having instructions for providing the method are also disclosed. These may provide multiple application instances for different participants of the conference, and may result in increased collaboration and/or productivity for participants of a conference.
US09584552B2

A method of and mobile User Equipment, UE, for handling media types of an Internet Protocol, IP, multimedia communication session in an IP Multimedia communication Subsystem, IMS, wherein at the receipt of a session set up request message a mobile UE presents media type handling options based on the session set up request message. After receiving media type handling instructions by the mobile UE, based on the presented media type handling options, a session accept message is transmitted by the mobile UE in accordance with the media type handling instructions. Based on the media type handling instructions, media type may be routed by the IMS to terminal equipment remote from the mobile UE.
US09584551B2

A system that releases a Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”) user from a serving function on an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (“IMS”) network receives a REGISTER refresh from a registered user equipment (“UE”). In response to the REGISTER refresh, the system sends a server assignment request to a home subscriber server (“HSS”) that clears the name of the Serving Call Session Control Function (“S-CSCF”) assigned for the registered user. The system then sends a gateway timeout or server timeout that would trigger the UE to send an initial REGISTER request.
US09584550B2

Various techniques for exploit detection based on heap spray detection are disclosed. In some embodiments, exploit detection based on heap spray detection includes executing a program in a virtual environment; and detecting heap spray in memory while executing the program in the virtual environment. In some embodiments, exploit detection based on heap spray detection includes executing a program in a virtual environment; and detecting heap spray related malware in response to a modification of an execution environment in the virtual environment.
US09584548B2

A processor ascertains that a user is authorized to access a federated computing environment that includes at least two servers, which includes determining that input authentication information previously received from the user by a first server of the at least two conforms to at least one rule of an authentication policy of a second server having a highest relative priority among servers of the at least two servers whose authentication policy's at least one rule, in an authentication policy table within the first server, is conformed to by the received input authentication information. The authentication policy table within the first server includes (i) an authentication policy of each server of the at least two servers and (ii) a relative priority of each server in order of decreasing number of users registered in an authentication system of each server.
US09584545B2

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for monitoring and controlling electronic activity. A policy service can be called for policies for controlling electronic activity occurring at one or more managed devices. The policies can include a number of rules, each of which can include a number of variables. The rules can be defined by a manager device and/or received from third parties. Third party rule submissions can be validated. If electronic activity at the managed device deviates from a rule, the manager device can be notified and the electronic activity can be blocked. The manager device can update the policy and/or issue exceptions, if desired.
US09584526B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for enabling anonymous posting of content, e.g., over a network (e.g., the internet). In some instances, users may inform a system of various attributes of the user, for example, job title, skills, and/or interests. The system may group similar users together. In some cases, users grouped together can see messages posted by the other users in the group in an anonymous discussion forum. In other cases, users grouped together can have other users in the group presented to them as potential options of users to follow, e.g., as part of an anonymous social media platform. In some implementations, users can identify particular user subsets to view posted content.
US09584525B2

Systems, methods, and devices for predicting entitlements to computing resources are described. An entitlement associated with a user of a computer system may be identified. The entitlement may indicate a computing resource of the computer system that is accessible to the user. A set of attributes associated with the user may be selected, and an entitlement probability value may be obtained. The entitlement probability value may be based on the set of attributes and indicate a probability that the user is authorized to have the entitlement. The entitlement probability value may be used to determine whether to include the entitlement in an access review. Depending on the entitlement probability value the entitlement may be included in the access review or excluded from the access review.
US09584519B2

A computer device can include a plurality of network adapters each operable to connect the computer device with a network, such as a private wired local area network (LAN) or a wireless local area network (WLAN). The computer device can include a controller to detect and select a first network of the plurality of networks. The controller can further enable a first network adapter of computer device to connect the computer device with the first network. In response to enabling the first network adapter, the controller can disable the other network adapter(s) to prevent connectivity with the other network(s).
US09584516B2

The present invention is generally related to a network computing device including a first processor communicating with a second processor as a proxy for a client device when authenticating access privileges of the client device. The present invention may include more than two processors where at least one of the multiple processors may be optimized for performing one or more control functions and one or more other processors may be optimized for transferring data or administrating the transfer of data through a gateway or firewall.
US09584514B2

Various embodiments include a method for binding a secure software application to a mobile device wherein the mobile device includes a processor and a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, including transmitting, by the processor, an authentication challenge to the SIM card; receiving an authentication response from the SIM card; verifying the authentication response from the SIM card; and enabling the secure software application when the authentication response from the SIM card is verified.
US09584512B2

A system for verifying an association between an application and a mobile computing device. The mobile computing device transmits a request to a service to verify the application, which has an application instance identifier. A mobile device identifier, used to establish a communication channel with the mobile computing device, is also conveyed to the service. The mobile computing device receives one or more telephone call setup messages directed to the mobile device identifier, each of which signal a voice call request, and provides an indication to the service of the receipt of the telephone call setup messages. In response to receiving the indication, the service establishes an association between the application instance identifier and the mobile device identifier.
US09584507B1

Distribution of verification of passwords for electronic account. Password verification is distributed (divided) across multiple entities to reduce potential exposure in the event of a server exposure.
US09584502B1

A data transfer dongle for transferring electronic information from an existing specific vehicle module to a predetermined specific vehicle module. The dongle collects and stores data specific to a module or component in the original format and enables that original data to be written or uploaded to a repaired or new module or component. Preferably, the dongle is programmed for limited use and will disable itself after a successful data transfer to the module or component.
US09584500B2

Methods, systems, and products authenticate users for access to devices, applications, and services. Skills of a user are learned over time, such that an electronic model of random subject matter may be generated. The user is prompted to interpret the random subject matter, such as with an electronic drawing. The user's interpretation is then compared to the electronic model of the random subject matter. If the user's interpretation matches the electronic model, the user may be authenticated.
US09584499B2

A system and method whereby the identity of a person, entity, device or the like attempting to gain access to a secured resource may be securely authenticated includes a means for receiving from a requester purporting to be an authorized user of a secured resource a request for access to the secured resource; means for generating and communicating to the purported authorized user a challenge string adapted to provide a basis for authenticating the identity of the requester; a means for receiving a response string corresponding to the challenge string; and a means for evaluating the response sting to authenticate the identity of the requestor.
US09584498B1

The present disclosure relates to feature activation using near field communication. In an embodiment, a device may include a chip to receive and store wireless communications. An activation package may be stored to the chip, and identify a set of features to enable or disable on the device. The device may include a processor to detect the activation package and initiate device operations based on the identified set of features. In some embodiments, the chip may receive and store information while the device is in a powered-off state, and the processor may detect the activation package at a power on event.
US09584497B2

In a method of managing access to a network, a MAC based authentication operation is implemented in determining whether to grant a user device access to the network. In addition, a user is enabled to self-register a user device into a database of authorized users in response to the user being denied access through the MAC based authentication operation and being listed as a valid user in a directory of active network users. Moreover, the directory of active network users is monitored for modification of information pertaining to the users listed in the directory of active network users and the database of authorized users is modified in response to a determination that user information pertaining to at least one user listed in the directory of active network users that affects the database of authorized users has been modified.
US09584483B2

In a method for transmitting an NFC application, a secure channel is established by way of a proxy between a Trusted Service Manager and an NFC device via a computing device including the proxy and via an RFID reader being a part of the computing device. The NFC application received at the computing device from the Trusted Service Manager is channeled through the secure channel to the NFC device utilizing the proxy.
US09584477B2

An SDN controller associated with a switch maintains unique tenant/port association data, and pushes to the switch per-tenant policies. A per-tenant information processing port (IPP) on the switch enables traffic sent to or from a tenant to be distinguished from that of another tenant, even with respect to packet processing devices (PPDs) that share a particular switch. With the described approach, the properties of a non-overlay SDN are leveraged to support multi-tenancy in an efficient manner, preferably by associating a specific tenant with a specific port (on the virtual switch) once, rather than continuously parsing tenant data from the information flow. The technique enables the application of tenant-specific policy to tenant-specific network flows in a multi-tenant network.
US09584475B1

There is a method and system for a bidirectional firewall in computer communications, which utilizes the transfer of information from an optical display to a separate server thereby eliminating unauthorized entry into the server and prohibiting access to the stored information. This may include a computer communication system for the transmission or receiving of data, or both, which system comprises, data processor server computer; a terminal for the computer; a data processor connected to the computer; a display monitor to display data from the terminal; and an optical scanner to receive or transmit data from the data processor to the display monitor. The optical scanner is constructed and arranged to create an electronic security gap between the display monitor and the data processor and computer.
US09584468B2

A method and apparatus to enable IP networking for mobile hosts without requiring changes to be made to the TCP/IP stack in the operating system installed on the mobile hosts. The apparatus is an “intelligent device” that can be installed on or connected to a mobile host, and may comprise a software-only logical module, physical hardware, or a combination of both. To a mobile host, the intelligent device emulates a network interface such as an Ethernet card or a telephone modem. The intelligent device appears to an access network just like any regular IP host connected to the access network through a physical network interface device. The intelligent device handles all mobile networking functions for the mobile host, and may control multiple different physical network interface devices to enable a connection to an access network available to the mobile user at his location.
US09584442B2

Disclosed aspects manage a set of assets of a shared pool of configurable computing resources. A set of usage data is established by the shared pool of configurable computing resources. The set of usage data corresponds to usage of the set of assets by a set of users. The shared pool of configurable computing resources determines an asset load-order based on the set of usage data. An operation associated with the set of assets is performed by the shared pool of configurable computing resources. In response to performing the operation associated with the set of assets, the set of assets is loaded based on the asset load-order by the shared pool of configurable computing resources.
US09584437B2

A method, system and non-transitory computer-readable medium product are provided for resource watermarking and management. In the context of a method, a method is provided that includes identifying resources associated with a device and identifying a watermark template. The method further includes associating the watermark template with the resources, and authorizing the device to perform actions on the resources.
US09584434B2

Methods and apparatus for simultaneously hosting multiple service providers on a network. A method is provided for hosting multiple service providers in a data network. The method includes controlling access to services offered by one or more service providers, and discovering affiliation provisions associated with a device, wherein the affiliation provisions are associated with one or more selected service providers. The method also includes filtering the services according to the affiliation provisions to generate a package database of services offered by the one or more selected service providers, and transmitting the package database to the device.
US09584428B1

An apparatus for increasing scheduling efficiency in network devices may include (1) at least one memory device that stores at least one data chunk included in a packet, (2) a scheduler device that (a) schedules transmission of the packet that includes the data chunk and (b) issues a request to transmit the packet based at least in part on the scheduled transmission, and (3) a packet-delivery device that (a) receives the request to transmit the packet from the scheduler device, (b) prepares the packet for transmission at a faster rate than the scheduler device schedules the transmission of the packet, and then (c) facilitates transmitting the data chunk included in the packet to a computing device. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
US09584400B2

A method, apparatus and computer program product are therefore provided in order to provide for efficient selection of a router (206, 208) for providing network services in an infinite link network. A mobile terminal (202) may identify nearby routers (206, 208) using link layer distance metrics in order to select an optimal router. The link layer distance metrics may provide a number of “hops” or other measure of physical distance between the mobile terminal (202) and the router (206, 208) in order to route packets to a router that is physically closest to the mobile terminal, which may result in a minimized number of relays for a packet transmitted from the terminal to the router, and vice-versa.
US09584390B1

A method for monitoring transactions by analyzing packets in a packet processing system is provided. The method includes steps of: (a) an application performance monitoring (APM) device classifying at least one packet, if being acquired in the packet processing system through port mirroring, based on at least either of a port number and an IP address of a client device; (b) the APM device identifying at least one pair of (i) at least one packet transmitted from at least one specific device among the client device and at least one processing device in the packet processing system and (ii) at least one packet transmitted to the specific device in response to the at least one packet transmitted from the specific device by considering at least one packet under identical classification; and (c) the APM device acquiring information on the transactions by using information on the identified pair of the packets.
US09584388B2

Technologies are generally described for methods and systems effective to determine traffic volume of a domain name server caused by a host domain. In some examples, a host domain may store page view data that relates to page views requested at the domain name server. The host domain may receive a first query for a resource associated with the host domain. The host domain may add an instruction to the resource to produce a modified resource and send the modified resource to a device. The modified resource may generate a second query that may be used to determine traffic volume. The device may receive the modified resource, and generate the second query that includes an identification of the domain name server. The host domain may receive the second query, detect the identification, and update the page view data. The host domain may determine traffic volume based on the page view data.
US09584387B1

Systems and methods for monitoring a computer network are provided. A network monitoring system generates a plurality of monitoring packets. The plurality of generated monitoring packets travel along respective paths through the computer network across a plurality of monitored links to respective destination nodes. Every monitored link in the computer network is included in at least one path. Each monitoring packet includes forwarding information which identifies each of the monitored links the monitoring packet is to traverse along its respective path. The network monitoring system tracks receipt of the generated monitoring packets by the respective destination nodes to detect faulty links.
US09584381B1

Embodiments are directed to capturing packets on a network. A snapshot value may be provided for a network monitoring computer (NMC). If the NMC may be provided packets of a network flow, characteristics of the network flow may be monitored. If the characteristics of the network flow indicate that a flow turn may be occurring on the network flow, the snapshot value may be modified by increasing it to a provided value. If conditions indicate that the flow turn may be complete, the snapshot value maybe reset by decreasing it to another provided value. A portion of each of the packets may be captured by the NMC, such that the size of the portion may be equivalent to the snapshot value. The captured portion of each of the packets may be stored in a memory of the NMC.
US09584379B2

An event monitoring system that includes two stages, an event sorting stage and an event processing stage. The event sorting stage receives events provided by at least one application, and includes multiple event sorting systems. The event processing stage includes at least one event processing system that processes events forwarded by the event sorting stage. The event processing system(s) is/are capable of processing events that fall within a particular set of one or more context partitions that correspond to the respective event processing system. As the event sorting system receives an event, the event sorting system identifies which context partition the event falls within. The event sorting system then identifies the event processing system that corresponds to the identified context partition of the event, and then forwards the event to the identified event processing system. The event processing system then applies the set of one or more monitoring rules.
US09584375B2

Systems and methods provide real-time communication between website operators and website visitors including monitoring, gathering, managing and sharing of information. The features include: simultaneous chatting with system's website visitor while responding/submitting tickets/emails and searching through company knowledge base; operator communicating message to another operator directly in active chat session, while message remains hidden to visitors/customers; displaying advertising messages to visitors/customers within chat window during active chat sessions; growing knowledge base by adding information into knowledge base during chat session; providing real-time access to system's website visitor information by seeing the content of visitor's shopping cart or by passing information from system's server into visitor's information located in operator's panel; creating and branding multiple chat windows and selectively linking all or some to the account; tagging and grouping each chat sessions; parent-child ticketing for project management; lead scoring; and mobile live chatting.
US09584374B2

One or more processing devices derive a value for each of a plurality of key performance indicators (KPIs). Each KPI indicates a different aspect of how the same service provided by one or more entities is performing at a point in time. Each KPI is defined by a search query that derives the value for that KPI from machine data associated with the one or more entities that provide the same service. The one or more processing devices calculate a value for an aggregate KPI for the same service from the values for each of the plurality of KPIs.
US09584373B2

A configurable Clos network includes leafs and spines and a switch fabric that connects the leafs and the spines. The switch fabric couples each leaf port of each leaf to at least one spine port of each spine.
US09584364B2

To assess the performance of a computer resource service in real time, a request can be sent to a resource monitoring tool to provide performance metrics for the computer resource service. To receive the desired metrics, the request can include one or more filters that specify the performance metrics desired. In response, the resource monitoring tool can provide the set of performance metrics that match the filters.
US09584354B2

A radio signal decoder comprises a receiver configured to receive a digitized radio signal having modulated subcarrier frequencies encoding digital information, a first set of the subcarrier frequencies having a first subcarrier spacing, a second set of the subcarrier frequencies having a second subcarrier spacing, a first transformer configured to transform the digitized radio signal from a time domain into a frequency domain, the transformer being configured with the first subcarrier spacing, a first decoder configured to reconstruct digital information from the output of the first transformer, and an inverse transformer configured to to transform the input from the frequency domain back to the time domain with the first subcarrier spacing, a second transformer configured to transform the output of inverse transformer from the time domain to a frequency domain with the second subcarrier spacing, and a second decoder reconstructing digital information from the output of the second transformer.
US09584337B2

A method for network controlled optimization of hybrid access traffic management for a residential user connected via a hybrid access home gateway, which provides at least two different network links with different technology to a core network, wherein the core network has a connection to the internet, wherein in the core network a Hybrid Access Server is located, includes: extracting by the Hybrid Access Server one or more of the following information: Network link availability, Network link utilization, Quality of Service information with respect to the services requested from the home gateway; and selecting networks links, network traffic routing, and/or service routing by the Hybrid Access Server in communication with the hybrid access home gateway and/or other components in the network.
US09584324B2

According to some embodiments, an application server may have a repository to facilitate a transfer of data between data storage elements. A datastore may be stored in the repository for a data storage element, the datastore including a password reference identifier. A password center table may be created in the repository to associate the password reference identifier with an actual encrypted password for the data storage element. At execution time, the password reference identifier in the datastore may be automatically replaced with the actual encrypted password for the data storage element.
US09584322B2

A computer located outside of an organizational computing environment is remotely prepared and configured to work in the organizational computing environment. A hypervisor operating system is installed and replaces the primary operating system of the computer, and the primary operating system, virtual software appliances (VSA) and virtual machines (VM) can execute as processes of the hypervisor. The hypervisor is configured to establish secure connection with organizational computing environment and to receive from it organization-configured image software for configuring the compute to work in the organizational computing environment. The secure connection can also be used for remote maintenance of the computer even when the computer operating system is faulty or inactive.
US09584321B2

Embodiments are directed towards managing data storage for secure storage of shared documents. A user or an application may provide data destined for encryption and a public key. Instruction set information that references at least a seed file that may be installed on the network computer may be generated. An encryption key based on the instruction set information may be generated. Header information that includes the instruction set may be generated. And, the header information may be encrypted using the public key. A secure bundle that includes the public key, the encrypted header information, and the encrypted data may be generated and provided to the user that provided the data and the public key or the application that provided the data and the public key. Decrypting the data included in the secure bundle the above actions are generally performed in reverse.
US09584311B2

A device for decrypting data includes a number of devices secured by at least one security device. The secured devices include a receiver for receiving calculation data encrypted using a homomorphic encryption function and a decryptor for decrypting the encrypted calculation data by carrying out the inverse of the homomorphic encryption function on the encrypted calculation data using a private key assigned to the homomorphic encryption function. A method and a computer program product for decrypting data are also provided.
US09584308B2

A digital system of measuring parameters of the signal (phase, frequency and frequency derivative) received in additive mixture with Gaussian noise. The system is based on the use of variables of a PLL for calculating preliminary estimates of parameters and calculating the corrections for these estimates when there is a spurt frequency caused by a receiver motion with a jerk. A jerk is determined if the low pass filtered signal of the discriminator exceeds a certain threshold. The jerk-correction decreases the dynamic errors. Another embodiment includes a tracking filter for obtaining preliminary estimates of parameters to reduce the fluctuation errors. Estimates are taken from the tracking filter when there is no jerk and from the block of jerk-corrections when there is a jerk.
US09584296B2

A method and wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for uplink data transmission is disclosed. Information indicating an allowed limit for uplink data transmission over an enhanced uplink channel is received. A hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) process to use for transmission of data over the enhanced uplink channel is identified. Data is selected for transmission over the enhanced uplink channel. A data transmission parameter is selected based on the received information indicating the allowed limit for uplink data transmission. The selected data is transmitted over the enhanced uplink channel using the identified H-ARQ process. An indication of the selected data transmission parameter is transmitted over an associated physical control channel.
US09584294B2

The present invention relates to a method for transceiving a signal in a wireless communication system. A method for transceiving a signal in a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: deducing a channel from a transmission antenna of a transceiver; generating a reference signal by combining the deduced channel and a transmission signal from the transmission antenna; converting the reference signal into an analog signal; receiving a data signal and a self-interference signal by means of a reception antenna of the transceiver; and canceling the self-interference signal from the received data signal by means of the converted reference signal, wherein deducing a channel and combining signals are performed in the digital domain and discarding the self-interference signal is performed in the analog domain.
US09584280B2

Orthogonality in cyclic shift (CS) and orthogonal cover code (OCC) selection for DMRS in MIMO is improved by new nDMRS to nDMRS(2) mapping patterns. Values in the mapping tables are arranged in sets, with minimum CS separation between the values in each set. Additionally, the semi-static nDMRS is independently configurable for each UL component carrier (CC) in the case of cross-CC scheduling in carrier aggregation, and the PHICH allocation formula that defines the allocation of the PHICH process relative to the kth codeword (CW) on the cth UL CC is a function of both the CS index nDMRS,k,c(2) that is dynamically assigned to a certain layer of the considered CW and the semi-static CS offset nDMRS,c(1) for the cth CC.
US09584276B2

The present invention relates to a method for a first transmission point to transmit a downlink signal to a terminal in a wireless communication system, including a step of mapping a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) to resource elements (REs) in a first area, with the exception of an RE corresponding to a cell-specific reference signal (CRS) of a second transmission point from among the REs available for the PDSCH, and further including a step of, when the terminal is a second type of terminal, mapping the PDSCH to REs in a second area corresponding to the CRS of the second transmission point.
US09584263B2

A Channel Status Information (CSI) transmission method and apparatus of a terminal are provided for use in a wireless communication system. In the wireless communication system supporting carrier aggregation, the terminal transmits the CSIs of component carriers without conflict of their transmission time points, resulting in an improvement of system performance. In a case where the transmission time points are determined to overlap unavoidably, the terminal transmits the CSI as compressed.
US09584244B2

A method and apparatus for transmitting or detecting primary synchronization signal. The receiver receives primary synchronization signal from a transmitter, and detects the sequence used in the received primary synchronization signal by using three root indexes. Here, the primary synchronization signal is generated by using a Zadoff-Chu sequence having one of the three root indexes. The three root indexes comprise a first index and a second index, and a sum of the first index and the second index corresponds to the length of the Zadoff-Chu sequence.
US09584234B2

A subscription system includes a national subscription server capable of tracking which local stations subscribe to particular radio station music formats, for example AC middays, Top 40 afternoons, morning programs, or overnight Contemporary AC. A local music scheduler can query the subscription server for a log of nationally scheduled content to fill one or more dayparts of a local broadcast schedule. The subscription system can determine where to obtain the requested log, and provide the log to the local scheduler for insertion into a particular daypart of the local clock, while leaving the remaining dayparts free for local scheduling. Trusted subscribers can also be permitted to alter portions of log of nationally scheduled items. Inserting the log of nationally scheduled items into the local clock provides local awareness of both local and national media items scheduled for broadcast.
US09584226B2

The invention concerns an optical receiver comprising: a photodiode (102) coupled to the input of a trans-impedance amplifier (308) such that the trans-impedance amplifier receives the current (IPD) of the photodiode; a first comparator (112) adapted to compare an output voltage (VOUT) of the trans-impedance amplifier (308) with a threshold voltage (VTH); and a threshold control block (314) for generating the threshold voltage (VTH), wherein the threshold control block (314) comprises at least one capacitor coupled to the output (110) of the trans-impedance amplifier (308) via at least one switch.
US09584222B2

A driving circuit for an optical modulator is disclosed. The driving circuit includes a differential amplifier and a DC-level equalizer. The differential amplifier amplifies a differential input signal consisting of a positive-phase signal and a negative-phase signal, and outputs a driving signal to the optical modulator. The DC-level equalizer superposes two bias levels to the positive-phase and negative-phase signals respectively, and adjusts the bias levels thereof to equalize respective peak or bottom levels of the positive-phase and negative-phase signals.
US09584213B2

Aspects relate to a Remote NodeB Relay that appears similar to a NodeB, a Radio Network Controller (RNC), and served mobile devices. Also provided is a Super-Light Router Relay that can provide better performance and QoS to served mobile devices while mitigating modifications to mobile devices, NodeBs, or interfaces between RNC and intermediary NodeBs. Aspects also relate to an Internet Protocol (IP) Relay that requires few, if any, modifications to mobile devices, NodeBs, or interfaces between RNC and intermediary NodeBs. Further, changes to an RNC and/or a core network can be mitigated though utilization of a strategic Relay Gateway.
US09584196B2

Modulated signal A is transmitted from a first antenna, and modulated signal B is transmitted from a second antenna. As modulated signal B, modulated symbols S2(i) and S2(i+1) obtained from different data are transmitted at time i and time i+1 respectively. In contrast, as modulated signal A, modulated symbols S1(i) and S1(i)′ obtained by changing the signal point arrangement of the same data are transmitted at time i and time i+1 respectively. As a result the reception quality can be changed intentionally at time i and time i+1, and therefore using the demodulation result of modulated signal A of a time when the reception quality is good enables both modulated signals A and B to be demodulated with good error rate performances.
US09584195B2

Techniques to enable dynamic bandwidth management at the physical layer level while maintaining backwards compatibility in wireless systems is provided. Furthermore, techniques for reducing the occurrence of exposed nodes are provided. A transmitter may transmit a frame including an indication that a PHY layer sub-header defining a bandwidth associated with a channel is present. Furthermore, the transmitter may transmit a third frame after receiving a second frame from a receiver to indicate to legacy stations that the TXOP was successful.
US09584190B2

A vehicle driving system having a wireless power transmission function includes a driving controller configured to generate a high frequency AC voltage corresponding to a device by using a DC voltage applied from a battery within a vehicle and generate a magnetic field by applying the generated high frequency AC voltage to a primary coil. A smoother is configured to smooth an AC voltage induced by a secondary coil into a predetermined level of DC voltage and supply a constant voltage to the device, wherein the device is operated based on the constant voltage supplied from the smoother.
US09584187B2

Systems and methods according to aspects of the subject technology provide non-interruptive filtering of transmission line communications. The non-interruptive filtering may physically isolate, in the frequency domain, independent networks that share a common transmission media, such as mains wires that are used to deliver both alternating current (AC) power and power line communication signals. The isolation provided by the non-interruptive filtering prevents the transmissions from the independent networks from interfering with each other. In one or more implementations, the non-interruptive filtering may be provided by one or more filters that include cores, such as ferrite cores, around which two mains wires, e.g. a mains live wire and a mains neutral wire, can be wound in opposite directions, respectively. Currents traveling on the mains wires through the filter in opposite phases cancel each other out, thereby blocking symmetric power line transmissions, while allowing AC power to pass through.
US09584180B1

A system may include an interface connected to at least one of a plurality of nodes via non-power line wiring not used for Ethernet communications. The system may also include a controller carrying the interface, and the controller uses a broadband over power line protocol to provide Ethernet data communications over the non-power line wiring amongst each of the plurality of nodes.
US09584179B2

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for transmitting data in a frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) wireless communication system. A multi-channel receiver is configured to receive data from one or more channels simultaneously. The multi-channel receiver enables efficient implementation of a transmission protocol in which multiple candidate nodes within a wireless mesh network are polled for availability to receive a packet of data. The packet of data is transmitted to one or more available nodes based on prevailing link conditions, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful delivery. Data flooding may be selectively implemented to further increase the likelihood of successful delivery.
US09584176B2

A communication method for embedding a meta-carrier under an original carrier signal with reduced or minimal original carrier signal degradation, the method comprising transmitting an original carrier signal by a transmitter, forming a meta-carrier signal separate from the original carrier signal that contains meta-data about the original carrier signal including one or more characteristics of the original carrier signal configured for use by a receiving device to establish one or more parameters of a receiving device to receive the original carrier signal at the receiving device, and transmitting the meta-carrier signal by the transmitter separate from the original carrier signal such that the meta-carrier signal occupies at least a portion of a bandwidth of the original carrier signal.
US09584175B2

An integrated circuit includes a receiver portion, a transmitter portion, and a modulated phase locked loop. The receiver portion is for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal at a receiver input of the receiver portion. The transmitter portion is for transmitting an RF signal at a transmitter output of the transmitter portion. The modulated phase locked loop (PLL) is shared between the receiver portion and the transmitter portion. The transmitter output and receiver input are coupled together in a loopback configuration during a test mode. The transmitter portion and the receiver portion are enabled concurrently while a modulated PLL signal is provided to the receiver portion from the transmitter portion via the loopback configuration.
US09584172B2

A wireless network receiver includes a detection module that uses preamble data in a data frame for signal processing functions and the detection module is configured to adjust the number of preamble data bits that are used based on the power of a received signal.
US09584167B2

A wireless communication system including: a first communication device including: a processor configured to: compensate a distortion to a input signal based on a determined distortion compensation coefficient set, a amplifier configured to amplify the input signal to which the distortion is compensated, and a first antenna configured to: transmit the amplified signal to a second communication device, and receive a first feedback signal from the second communication device, the first feedback signal relating to an error that is detected in a received signal by the second communication device, the received signal corresponding to the transmitted signal, wherein a plurality of distortion compensation coefficient included in the determined distortion compensation coefficient set are adjusted based on the first feedback signal relating to the error that is detected in the received signal by the second communication device.
US09584159B1

A method for interleaved multi-dimensional encoding, the method may include receiving or generating a first version of a group of bits and a second version of the group of bits, wherein the first and second versions differ from each other by an arrangement of bits of the group of bits; and encoding the first and second versions of the groups of bits in an interleaved manner; wherein the encoding comprises calculating at least one codeword component of the first version by encoding a set of bits of the first version and at least a portion of a redundancy of at least one data entity of the second version and calculating at least one codeword component of the second version by encoding a set of bits of the second version and at least a portion of a redundancy of at least one data entity of the first version.
US09584158B2

A quasi-cyclic LDPC encoding apparatus is disclosed wherein a matrix H of the form [0 T; D E] is used, where T is a triangular matrix and D and E are arbitrary matrices selected to improve encoding performance. T and E vary with the size of an encoded data word whereas D is maintained constant. T and E are sparse such that encoding operations performed on them are computationally simple. Likewise D and its inverse are constant and pre-computed further reducing computation. T, E, and D and the inverse of D may be constrained to be quasi-cyclic, which reduces storage required to represent them and enables the performance of encoding operations using shift registers.
US09584152B1

A current-steering digital-to-analog converter may include dual current switch modules configured to receive digital input bits representative of desired analog output, and each dual current switch module may be controlled by one of the digital input bits. Each digital input bit may be represented by differential signals. The positive input and the negative input to drive two separate current switches in the dual current switch module may be separated, which may make the switching transition noise generated in the two current switches have a 180 degree phase difference. The output currents of these two current switches may be summed in proper phase to add the in-phase signal currents while canceling out the 180 degree out-of-phase switching noises generated in the two current switches. The 2nd order harmonic distortion and other higher even order harmonic distortions due to the common mode switching noise may be greatly reduced.
US09584151B1

Reducing distortions in a digital-to-analog converter is a challenge for circuit designers. For current steering digital-to-analog converters (DACs), a quad switching scheme has been used to remove code-dependent glitching which is otherwise present in dual switching schemes. However, due to various impairments in the circuit, e.g., mismatches in the transistors, some code-dependent distortions remain even when a quad switching scheme is implemented. To address this issue, the quad switching scheme can be randomized to improve dynamic linearity while relaxing driving circuitry design and power constraints. Advantageously, randomization reduces the code dependency of the distortions and makes the distortions appear more noise-like at the output of the DAC.
US09584150B2

Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide gain calibration for analog to digital conversion of time-discrete analog inputs. An adjustable capacitance arrangement is used to reduce or eliminate gain error caused by capacitor mismatch within the ADC. For example, the capacitance arrangement may include an array of multiple switched capacitances arranged to track gain error during search algorithm operation.
US09584147B2

In an isolation system, different analog to digital converters (“ADCs”) are provided on a first side of an isolation barrier. Outputs from the ADCs may be merged into a common data stream and communicated across the isolation barrier by a single isolation device. The ADCs may sample independent signals or may sample a common signal. When the ADCs sample a common signal, the system may monitor the input signal for fault conditions. During no fault operation, results of an analog-to-digital conversion may be communicated across an isolation barrier by an isolation device. During a fault condition, data representing the fault condition may replace the ADC data in communication across the isolation barrier. Fault conditions may be signaled by unique data patterns that can be distinguished from ADC data.
US09584145B1

A circuit for compensating for mismatch in a plurality of channels of a time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter is described. The circuit comprises an analog-to-digital converter circuit of a first channel of the plurality of channels configured to receive an analog input signal and to generate a digital value associated with the analog input signal; an arithmetic circuit configured to receive the digital value generated at the output of the analog-to-digital converter; a memory element configured to receive an output of the arithmetic circuit; and an accumulator circuit coupled to the memory element, wherein the accumulator generates an average value that is provided to the arithmetic circuit to modify the digital value generated at the output of the analog-to-digital converter while receiving the analog input signal.
US09584144B1

A clock generator includes: a first input to receive a global clock signal; a second input to receive a completion signal; a third input to receive differential outputs in a conversion cycle from a comparator; and a logic circuit configured to generate a control clock signal based at least in part on the global clock signal and the differential outputs, and to provide the control clock signal to the comparator for a next conversion cycle; and wherein the logic circuit is also configured to disable the control clock signal in response to the completion signal indicating a completion of required conversion cycles in a conversion phase.
US09584136B1

Aspects of the disclosure provide a circuit that includes a clock synchronization circuit. The clock synchronization circuit is configured to determine a sub-cycle offset between a first clock signal and a second clock signal, and select rising/failing edges of the first clock signal and the second clock signal based on the sub-cycle offset for enabling communication between a first clock domain that is operative in response to the first clock signal and a second clock domain that is operative in response to the second clock signal.
US09584125B2

An interface circuit receives an input signal IN having a first voltage amplitude from a first circuit, and outputs an output signal OUT having a second voltage amplitude to a second circuit. A level shifter comprises a first CMOS inverter and a second CMOS inverter which are cross-coupled, and a current limiting circuit that limits a current that flows through the first CMOS inverter and the second CMOS inverter, and converts the input signal IN into an intermediate signal INT which is a differential signal. A latch circuit receives the intermediate signal INT from the level shifter, and switches its state according to the positive signal and the negative signal of the intermediate signal INT.
US09584113B2

An exemplary arrangement and method for a power semiconductor switch, where a first current between a first electrode and a second electrode can be controlled based on a control voltage between a third electrode and the first electrode. The arrangement includes an inductance connected in series with the power semiconductor switch, wherein a first end of the inductance is connected to the first electrode, first measuring source for generating a first measurement voltage based on the first end's voltage with respect to a reference potential, second measuring source for generating a second measurement voltage on the basis of the inductance's second end voltage with respect to the reference potential, a comparator for comparing the first measurement voltage with the second measurement voltage, and driver for generating the control voltage. The driver being configured to generate a first control voltage level and a second voltage level of the control voltage.
US09584111B2

A gate drive circuit may include a latch circuit, a first transmission gate, and a second transmission gate. The first transmission gate and the second transmission gate may both be directly coupled to the latch circuit and may be directly coupled to a first gate line and a second gate line, respectively. The latch circuit may receive an electrical signal from a third gate line adjacent to the second gate line, such that the electrical signal is configured to reset a state of the latch circuit.
US09584107B2

A delay line circuit includes a plurality of delay units configured to receive an input signal and to provide a first output signal. The plurality of delay units is configured to selectively invert or relay the input signal to produce the first output signal based on a first instruction received from a delay line controller. A phase interpolator unit includes an offset unit configured to selectively add a speed control unit in the phase interpolator unit based on a second instruction received from the delay line controller. The phase interpolator unit is further configured to receive the first output signal and provide a second output signal.
US09584105B1

An exemplary timing generator includes a coarse delay circuit configured to generate a coarse delayed rising edge signal and a coarse delayed falling edge signal from a reference timing signal; a fine delay circuit configured to generate a fine delayed rising edge signal from the coarse delayed rising edge signal and a fine delayed falling edge signal from the coarse delayed falling edge signal; an edge combiner configured to generate the timing signal based on the fine delayed rising edge signal and the fine delayed falling edge signal; and a masking circuit configured to generate a rising edge masking signal and a falling edge masking signal for controlling when the rising edges and the falling edges of the timing signal are generated.
US09584092B2

A mechanical resonator includes a spring-mass system, wherein the spring-mass system comprises a phase-change material. The mechanical resonator typically comprises an electrical circuit portion, coupled to the phase-change material to alter a phase configuration within the phase-change material. Methods of operation are also disclosed.
US09584088B2

A method for manufacturing an acoustic wave device with an excellent frequency-temperature profile is performed such that the acoustic wave device produced includes a piezoelectric substrate, an IDT electrode located on the piezoelectric substrate, and a dielectric film mainly including Si and O and arranged on the piezoelectric substrate to cover the IDT electrode. The dielectric film is formed by sputtering in a sputtering gas containing H2O.
US09584081B2

The present invention relates to a signal processing apparatus and method, a program, and a data recording medium configured such that the playback level of an audio signal can be easily and effectively enhanced without requiring prior analysis. An analyzer 21 generates mapping control information in the form of the root mean square of samples in a given segment of a supplied audio signal. A mapping processor 22 takes a nonlinear function determined by the mapping control information taken as a mapping function, and conducts amplitude conversion on a supplied audio signal using the mapping function. In this way, by conducting amplitude conversion of an audio signal using a nonlinear function that changes according to the characteristics in respective segments of an audio signal, the playback level of an audio signal can be easily and effectively enhanced without requiring prior analysis. The present invention may be applied to portable playback apparatus.
US09584073B1

A single-to-differential converter and a method of fabricating the single-to-differential converter on an integrated circuit are described. The single-to-differential converter provides a pair of differential outputs based on a single-ended input and includes an input node to receive the single-ended input, and a first transistor connected to a power supply pin. A second transistor is connected to the power supply pin. The first transistor and the second transistor are biased under a same amount of direct current (DC) and the pair of differential outputs are generated at respective collectors of the first transistor and the second transistor.
US09584068B2

A circuit arrangement for converting from a differential signal path (IFoutA - IFoutB) at the output of a mixer to a signal path (Ssin gle) referenced to a reference potential. A controllable switch element is provided in each of the two single signal paths (IFoutA, IFoutB) of the differential signal path (IFoutA-IFoutB), wherein a first memory element is connected in series with the two switch elements, and wherein there is provided for the two switch elements at least one control, which during a charging phase of the first memory element connects the differential signal path (IFoutA-IFoutB) at the output of the mixer with the first memory element and applies the output signal on the differential output of the mixer for charging the first memory element. During the discharging, respectively reverse charging, phase connects the first memory element with the signal path referenced to the reference potential (GND), so that charge stored in the first memory element is discharged via the signal path referenced to the reference potential (GND).
US09584055B2

A voltage regulator system for regulating an output voltage of a genset includes a voltage regulator for reducing terminal voltage in response to a reduction in terminal frequency. A plurality of under-frequency roll-off (UFRO) states is provided in the voltage regulator, with each UFRO state being configured to implement a UFRO characteristic. An operational signal indicative of an operating condition of the genset forms the basis for selection of the UFRO characteristic.
US09584053B2

A SBW-ECU prohibits driving of an electric motor by turning off power supply to the motor by a drive prohibition device, when a diagnosis part of a by-wire control circuit determines that a shift-by-wire system is abnormal or a monitor circuit determines that the by-wire control circuit is abnormal. In this case, the motor is stopped from rotating by execution of power supply phase fixation processing, by which a power supply phase of the motor is fixed without switchover, when the motor is driven to rotate at the time of determination of abnormality of the shift-by-wire system. Then the prohibition device prohibits driving of the motor by stopping the power supply to the motor.
US09584050B2

A motor drive device of the present invention includes a speed signal generator that generates a rotation speed signal indicating rotation speed; a PWM signal generator that acts on the power switch unit to control the power switch unit so as to generate coil-applied voltage; and a phase advance information generator that has characteristic curve information representing changes of rotation speed of and load on a brushless motor, preliminarily set. The phase advance information generator generates phase advance information according to the load characteristic curve to variably control the phase advance (the phase of voltage applied to the coils of the brushless motor, relative to the induced voltage phase) according to the load characteristic curve.
US09584047B2

A bidirectional power converter that can be used in an electric vehicle to perform AC to DC power conversion to charge the electric vehicle's battery and to perform DC to AC power conversion to export power to run external electrical loads is described. The bidirectional power converter may include an AC interface coupled to a cyclo-inverter circuit, and a DC interface coupled to a H-bridge circuit. The cyclo-inverter can be electrically coupled to the H-bridge circuit through a transformer. The bidirectional power converter may include a neutral terminal on the AC interface that is coupled to the transformer through a filtering inductor.
US09584043B2

Methods and apparatus are presented for sampling low side inverter phase currents, in which current sampling is selectively delayed in a given PWM cycle by a non-zero sampling delay time value from a nominal sample time if the middle pulse width value is less than a non-zero first threshold to facilitate adequate signal settling for accurate current measurement, and if a middle total continuous on-time near the end of the given PWM cycle is less than a non-zero second threshold, the middle total continuous on-time is selectively extended by adding a non-zero adjustment offset time value to a middle pulse width value for a next PWM cycle.
US09584039B2

A regulated hybrid AC-DC rectifier employing a boost stage is disclosed herein. The regulated hybrid AC-DC rectifier comprises a 12 pulse inductive current splitter/merger (CSM) system coupled to a boost stage. The boost stage may be regulated using a PWM controller. The regulated hybrid AC-DC rectifier may further include a three phase input filter configured to regulate the harmonic content of the AC-DC hybrid converter within a desired limit. The regulated hybrid AC-DC rectifier may further comprise a notch filter system configured to tune out harmonic ripples at known intervals, such as 11th and 13th order harmonics.
US09584035B2

This disclosure provides control techniques for a resonant converter. In one control technique, for switching speeds that are below the resonant frequency of the primary stage of the converter, the switches of the synchronous rectifier (SR) portion (SR switches) of the resonant converter are controlled based on a rising edge of the corresponding primary side switch and the turn off time of a corresponding SR switch. In general, for below resonance operation, each corresponding SR switch will be turned off prior to the falling edge of each corresponding primary side switch, while each corresponding SR switch will be turned on at the rising edge of the each corresponding primary side switch. The conduction time of respective SR switches is generally constant for below resonance operation. In another control technique, for switching speeds that are above the resonant frequency of the primary stage of the converter, the SR switches are controlled based on the falling and rising edges of the voltage across the each corresponding SR switch. In general, for above resonance operation, each corresponding SR switch will be turned off after the falling edge of each corresponding primary side switch, while each corresponding SR switch will be turned on after the rising edge of the each corresponding primary side switch.
US09584026B1

Low-voltage outputs are provided by full-bridge rectification using controlled switches with fault detection monitoring of circuit conditions and disabling switches upon detection of a fault to decouple the converter from the system. Common-source dual MOSFET devices include elements arranged in alternating patterns on the die. Common-source dual synchronous rectifiers include control circuitry powered from the voltage across the complementary switch. A DC-to-DC transformer converts power using a fixed voltage transformation ratio. A clamp phase may be used to reduce power losses, control the output resistance, effectively regulate the voltage transformation ratio, provide narrow band output regulation, and control the rate of change of output voltage. A new point of load converter includes input driver circuitry removed from and output circuitry located at the point of load, with a transformer located near the output circuit and an AC bus between the driver circuit and the primary winding of the transformer.
US09584023B2

A voltage converter for determining whether input power is DC power or AC power includes a power input terminal, an AC to DC converter, a switch and a DC detector. The AC to DC converter converts AC power into a DC output voltage when the input power is AC power. The AC to DC converter includes a brown-out detector, for disabling the AC to DC converter when a voltage of the input power is smaller than a predefined voltage. The switch passes DC power when the input power is DC power. The DC detector determines that the input power is DC power and turns on the switch when the voltage of the input power is within a predefined voltage range, and determines that the input power is AC power and turns off the switch when the voltage of the input power is not within the predefined voltage range.
US09584021B2

Provided is a power supply for use in a solar electric production system, including: a first stage having an input connected to a voltage from a photovoltaic panel and an output providing a first voltage different from the voltage from the photovoltaic panel; and a second stage connected to the output of the first stage, the second stage supplying power at a second voltage to a micro-controller, where the output of the first stage is turned on and stable for a period of time before the second stage is turned on to supply the power at the second voltage to the micro-controller.
US09584018B2

Methods and circuits for power supply arrangement and control are disclosed herein. More specifically the application relates to a control method and a controller for a DC-to-DC converter, such as a synchronous Buck converter, which implements a transient detection scheme together with response generation to allow the converter to recover from a positive and/or negative load current step in the robust way, with low undershoot/overshoot at the output voltage. The control method may be implemented by either an analog or a digital circuit. The controller may be integrated with existing controller schemes (such as voltage-mode controllers) to provide superior dynamic performance during large-signal transient conditions while providing stable operation during steady state conditions. The methods and circuits provided herein are applicable to Buck converters and Buck-derived converters such as forward, push-pull, half-bridge, and full-bridge converters.
US09584013B2

The present disclosure relates to methods, systems and a module for operating a power converter module, the power converter module comprises a voltage source, a remote control terminal configured to be connected to a voltage potential for remote control of the power converter module. A voltage converter is configured to send an alarm signal, determine the voltage potential of the remote control terminal, and control an output voltage of the voltage converter at an output terminal of the power converter module based on the determined voltage potential of the remote control terminal. An alarm branch is configured to change the voltage potential of the remote control terminal by a voltage source in response to an alarm signal from the voltage converter when the remote control terminal is connected to a voltage potential, thereby causing the voltage converter to control the output voltage at the output terminal.
US09584007B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a current source converter differential protection method, including: sampling, by a relay protection device, secondary side currents of current transformers on two sides of a protected current source converter, to obtain incomer-side three-phase currents, and outgoer-side three-phase currents; rectifying the incomer-side three-phase currents and the outgoer-side three-phase currents, to obtain an incomer-side input current and an outgoer-side output current which are equivalent; converting the incomer-side input current and the outgoer-side output current according to a current ratio of the current transformers on the two sides, to acquire a transient differential current and a transient restraint current; acquiring a differential current and a restraint current according to the transient differential current and the transient restraint current; and achieving differential protection according to the differential current and the restraint current. The embodiments of the present invention further disclose a relay protection device correspondingly.
US09584006B2

A circuit includes a device monitoring component, a voltage error component, a current error component, a power error component, an error selecting component, a filter instruction component and a filter. The device monitoring component monitors load voltage and load current, and outputs a device state signal. The voltage error component outputs a voltage error signal. The current error component outputs a current error signal. The power error component outputs a power error signal. The error selecting component outputs a selected error signal. The filter instruction component outputs a filter instruction based on the device state signal. The filter outputs a modification signal to modify operation of a device so as to modify one of the load voltage, the load current and the load power.
US09584001B2

A vibration actuator includes: a movable element that has a magnet and moves reciprocatingly in a rectilinear manner; first and second coil sections arranged so as to surround the magnet; a housing for accommodating the movable element and the first and second coil sections; and a weight attached to the housing.
US09583998B2

A rotor assembling method for a turbo-charger may include washing and preparing components of a rotor having a connector, a permanent magnet, end caps, a retention ring, and a center pipe, inserting the connector into the permanent magnet, thermally inserting one or more end caps into the connector by cooling the connector and heating the one or more end caps under a first high-temperature condition for a first predetermined time to form a permanent magnet assembly, thermally inserting the permanent magnet assembly into the retention ring by cooling the permanent magnet assembly and heating the retention ring under a second high-temperature condition for a second predetermined time to form a rotor assembly, thermally inserting the center pipe into the rotor assembly by heating the rotor assembly under a third high-temperature condition for a third predetermined time to form a rotor assembling body, and post processing the rotor assembling body.
US09583993B1

A generator system with a generator connected between a first preexisting pipe and a second preexisting pipe. The generating system can have a non-magnetic section of pipe, a flux guide, a plurality of coils, a non-rotating stator a rotating device, a plurality of rare earth, and a controller. Fluid flows through the first preexisting pipe flange towards the second preexisting pipe flange, which causes the rotating device to turn the rotating shaft that rotates the plurality of rare earth magnets to provide a magnetic flux energizing the plurality of coils generating a current of sufficient energy to produce at least six watts continuously.
US09583990B2

An electrical motor that includes a circular stator attached to an inner side of a housing and a rotor disposed at an inner side of the stator in a radial direction, the electrical motor includes: a terminal connected to a power supply cable drawn from a coil of the stator; a terminal box that is attached to the housing and stores the terminal; and an insulating material that is disposed between the terminal box and the terminal and separable from the terminal.
US09583988B2

A can of a drive motor is provided for a pump assembly, wherein the can (22) is manufactured at least partly of plastic (52). At least in a part of the can (22) the plastic (52) is reinforced by individual fibers (32) distributed in the plastic (52). The fibers (32) in at least one layer (35) of the can (32) are aligned in a defined manner in the peripheral direction with respect to the longitudinal axis (Z) of the can (22). A method for manufacturing such a can is also provided.
US09583986B2

A power generator for a hydro turbine is axially coupled to the hydro turbine. The generator comprises a rotor arranged to rotate about an axis in response to fluid flow through said turbine. A first stator structure incorporates at least a first winding disposed circumferentially around the axis and axially displaced in a first inboard direction from the rotor. A second stator structure incorporates a least a second winding disposed circumferentially around the axis and axially displaced in a second outboard direction from the rotor, the rotor being arranged to electrically couple with the windings.
US09583984B2

A rotator member 300 includes a tubular sleeve 301 having a first end surface and a second end surface, a plurality of magnet segments 311 circumferentially disposed at a radially outside of the sleeve 301, and a tubular member 321 adapted to cover the magnet segments 311 from a radially outside to hold the magnet segments 311 between the tubular member 321 and the sleeve 301. The sleeve 301 has an inner circumference surface that includes a tapered surface that gradually and outside the radial direction expands in a direction from the first end surface toward the second end surface.
US09583976B2

A power supply unit includes: a relay that includes a first input terminal to which primary alternating-current power is input and a second input terminal to which secondary alternating-current power is input, and outputs one of the primary alternating-current power and the secondary alternating-current power; a first power conversion unit that is coupled to an output terminal of the relay, and converts alternating-current power output from the relay, into direct-current power; a second power conversion unit that is coupled to an output side of the first power conversion unit and converts output power of the first power conversion unit into direct-current power of a predetermined voltage; a power output terminal that outputs the direct-current power converted by the second power conversion unit; and a control unit that couples the first input terminal to the output terminal or couples the second input terminal to the output terminal.
US09583970B2

A wireless power transfer and rapid charging system with maximum power tracking and a method for the same are revealed. The system includes a transmitter device and a receiver device. First the transmitter device performs maximum power tracking and outputs a fixed resonant frequency. Now the receiver device charges a battery. A voltage detection circuit of the receiver device is detecting charging state of the battery. A high-frequency receiving circuit of the transmitter device checks whether a high-frequency transmission circuit transmits a fully-charged signal. When the high-frequency receiving circuit of the transmitter device receives the fully-charged signal that represents the battery is fully charged, the transmitter device shuts down the power and enters standby mode. Thereby wireless charging can be carried out in different environments. The greater transfer distances, lower output impedance, and higher wireless transmission efficiency can be achieved. The speed of wireless charging is also increased.
US09583968B2

A charging and disinfecting tray for a vehicle is disclosed. The charging and disinfecting tray comprises a wireless charger for charging an electronic device and a lighting apparatus. The lighting apparatus comprises a disinfecting apparatus, which incorporates at least one photoluminescent indicator. A controller is in communication with the wireless charger and the lighting apparatus and is operable to control the photoluminescent indicator by initiating a sterilization operation with the disinfecting apparatus.
US09583967B2

A pressure transducer for a hammer union installation includes a lower body capable of withstanding the stresses of the hammer union installation. The lower body includes a cylindrical wall, a diaphragm, and a pressure port for exposing the diaphragm to pressure. The pressure transducer also includes one or more transducer elements mounted on the diaphragm that are operable to provide a signal related to pressure. A cap is received by the cylindrical wall and is slidable along the wall. The cap includes comprising an antenna for transmitting the signal. A spring is arranged in the lower body for dampening forces applied to the cap.
US09583964B2

A power receiving unit includes a communication unit, a control unit, a detecting unit that performs metallic foreign matter detection, and a charge storage unit. The control unit is configured to control charging so electric power is stored in the charge storage unit for consumption by the detecting unit during Q-value measurement when the control unit receives a Q-value measurement command from the power transmitting device through the communication unit.
US09583962B1

A method for controlling a charging process of a battery-operated device includes connecting the battery-operated device to a charger device to start the charging process, sending a first signal from the battery-operated device to the charger device in response to a charge level of a battery in the battery-operated device being below a first threshold, continuing the charging process until the charge level of the battery is above a second threshold, and sending a second signal from the battery-operated device to the charger device to stop the charging process in response to the charge level of the battery being above the second threshold.
US09583961B2

An intellectual power storing system comprises an indoor-controlling device and a battery array which are arranged in a building. After booting, the indoor-controlling device receives power from a power company to be an initial power to provide to an indoor apparatus in the building. The indoor-controlling device also receives power from a self-generated power apparatus, and transforms the received power to store to the battery array. When stored power of the battery array reaches a threshold, the indoor-controlling device receives power from the battery array to provide to the indoor apparatus, and stops to receive power from the power company. The battery array in the present invention comprises a plurality of the batteries which are integrated into a decoration of the building respectively.
US09583959B2

A controller (130) reads out a voltage value correlated with the ambient temperature of a battery (200) measured by a temperature measurer (110) from a storage device (120), so that a charger (140) charges the battery (200) at the voltage value read out by the controller (130).
US09583953B2

Exemplary embodiments are directed to portable wireless charging. A portable charging system may comprise at least one antenna positioned within a portable enclosure. The at least one antenna may be configured to receive power from a power source and wirelessly transmit power to a receive antenna coupled to a chargeable device positioned within a near-field of the at least one antenna.
US09583936B1

A data center includes one or more racks, computing devices mounted in the racks, and an electrical power system. The electrical power system supplies power to the computing devices in the racks. The electrical power system includes one or more rack power distribution units (PDUs) and one or more floor power distribution units (PDUs) or power panels. The rack PDUs include rack-level circuit protection devices that protect the computing devices receiving power from the rack PDU from overcurrent conditions. The floor PDUs or power panels include floor-level circuit protection devices that protect the computing devices from overcurrent conditions. The rack-level circuit protection devices have a faster response time than the floor-level circuit protection devices.
US09583932B2

The disclosure relates to a cable storage device for a charging cable of a rechargeable battery of an electric vehicle. The cable storage device includes a rotatable drum onto which the charging cable can be wound. The drum is mounted in a rotatable manner on a rotationally fixed shaft. The shaft includes an external thread, and the drum includes an internal thread which engages the external thread.
US09583930B2

A conductor grommet assembly for allowing a conductor to be easily passed through a surface includes a grommet that may be positioned in a support surface. The grommet may have at least one conductor passed therethrough such that the at least one conductor passes through the support surface. A bearing apparatus is coupled to the grommet. The bearing apparatus engages the conductor thereby reducing a friction of the conductor against the grommet as the conductor is fed through the grommet.
US09583924B2

An electrical box includes a housing having at least one aperture formed in an exterior surface thereof for providing access to a hollow interior of the electrical box. A cover formed from a resilient material is configured to extend over and conceal the at least one aperture. The cover includes one of an opening or a scored portion for creating an opening formed in an outer surface of the cover. The opening is configured to receive an electrical wire and portions of the cover forming the opening are configured to resiliently constrict about the electrical wire to prevent a flow of fluid through the opening and to secure a position of the electrical wire within the opening.
US09583918B1

Techniques pertaining to powering multiple platforms with a minimum impact on air passage in a predefined environment are disclosed. Instead of connecting each of the platforms in a chassis to a power supply therein, the present invention uses what is referred to as cascading powering to power all platforms within minimum cable delivery. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a power supply is disposed between two groups of platforms and powers them at the same time. At least one of the platforms has a power connector located towards or near the power supply so that only a short cable is needed to power the platform.
US09583917B2

A mounting unit and a method are provided for mounting a mounting rail to a mounting plate for a switch cabinet. The mounting unit acts for mounting a mounting rail for electrical devices on a mounting plate for a switch cabinet and comprises a coupling element for coupling the mounting unit by a form closure with the mounting rail.
US09583885B2

A connector assembly (10) is disclosed in which a connector part (12) and a cable manager part (20) are provided. The cable manager part (20) can be provided with a housing part (40) that functions to ensure a grounded connection between the connector assembly (10) and a sheath (5) of a cable (4) via one or more springs (60, 66) secured within the housing part (40). In one embodiment, two parallel helical springs (60, 66) are disposed within the housing part (40).
US09583883B2

The method for re-establishing the shielding of the cables of a strand on an electrical connector consists, over an annular part situated at one end connected to the connector, in removing only the outer insulating sheath of each shielded cable without stripping the cables of their electromagnetic shield, in grouping the shielded cables together into a strand and in surrounding the strand with an electrically conducting tape forming a sheath re-establishing the shielding of the strand, the sheath re-establishing the shielding being positioned in contact with the electromagnetic shield of the shielded cables and connected to the connector.
US09583881B2

An electrical connector is provided and includes an insulating body, a plurality of signal terminals, and a plurality of ground terminals. The insulating body includes a slot extending therein. The signal terminals are positioned in the insulating body and configured in pairs along a width of the slot to form a plurality of signal terminal units. Each signal terminal unit includes a pair of signal contact portions positioned opposite each other with respect to the slot and a pair of signal terminal pins positioned opposite the pair of signal contact portions. The ground terminals are positioned in the insulating body and configured in pairs along the width of the slot as a plurality of ground terminal units. Each ground terminal unit includes a pair of ground contact portions located on opposite sides of the slot and arranged sequentially in alternation with the pair of signal contact portions along a length of the slot.
US09583877B1

A system for selectively inserting and/or extracting an electronics module into and/or from a receiving system. The system includes a lever configured to rotatably attach to a portion of the receiving system. The lever is rotatable between a first position corresponding to an at least partially uninstalled position of the electronics module with respect to the receiving system and a second position corresponding to an installed position of the electronics module with respect to the receiving system. The lever includes a first bearing surface configured to engage with and apply a force on a portion of the electronics module when the lever is rotated in a first direction, and a second bearing surface configured to engage with and apply a force on a portion of the electronics module when the lever is rotated in a second direction.
US09583871B1

Disclosed are interposer electrical connector embodiments including magnetic components used to facilitate interconnection of peripheral devices to standard input/output, or “I/O”, connectors (such as USB connectors) of devices such as mobile communications products (e.g. smart phones, tablets, and personal computers). The interposer connector embodiments disclosed include those in which a plurality of discrete permanent magnets are arranged with magnetic poles aligned in the same orientation perpendicular to and on one side of the electrical interface. Other embodiments include a plurality of bar permanent magnets located on opposite sides of the interface with all poles of the same type directed at the interface, but each one opposing a ferromagnetic element. These arrangements provide self-aligning capabilities useful for electrical connections that have restrictions on visibility or connection approach geometries. Other embodiments have a single magnet per mated connector pair and magnetic pole pieces and/or actuators to concentrate magnetic flux providing the magnetic attractive force for a plurality of electrical connections.
US09583869B2

Provided is a connector having excellent vibration resistance. The invention applies to a connector including a terminal portion and a connector housing in which the terminal portion is accommodated and electrically connecting a first object to be connected and a second object to be connected via the terminal portion. A main body-side male contact is connected to the first object to be connected. A main body-side female contact is connected to the second object to be connected. The terminal portion has a connector-side male contact that is inserted into the main body-side female contact, a connector-side female contact into which the main body-side male contact is inserted, and an elastically deformable joint portion that joins the connector-side male contact and the connector-side female contact to each other.
US09583867B2

A water impermeable electrical junction system for effectively preventing water and debris from contacting electrical connections. The water impermeable electrical junction system generally includes a base, a plurality of first seal members connected to the base, a plurality of first connectors positioned within the first seal members, a plurality of a second seal members that physically connect to the first seal members, and a plurality of second connectors positioned within the second seal members. The first connectors and the second connectors electrically connect to one another with the first seal members and second seal members covering the first connectors and second connectors to prevent the entry of liquids inside of the seal members or to make contact with the connectors.
US09583860B1

An electrical connector with recordable position assurance includes a housing, an electrical conductor, an indicating feature, and a concealing feature. The housing is configured to engage a complementary mating connector during a mating operation. The indicating feature and the concealing feature are both carried by the housing. The indicating feature has a visual identifier disposed thereon. The indicating feature and the concealing feature are movable relative to each other between a concealed position and an exposed position. The concealing feature conceals at least a portion of the visual identifier in the concealed position. The visual identifier is exposed or exposable in the exposed position. The indicating feature is in the exposed position relative to the concealing feature when the housing is fully mated to the mating connector, and is in the concealed position relative to the concealing feature when the housing and mating connector are not fully mated.
US09583858B2

A connector terminal includes a conductive bar-shape member, a plurality of concavities each formed as a groove provided in an outer circumference of the bar-shape member, extending in a lengthwise direction of the bar-shape member, and spreading toward an opening from a bottom, and a convexity formed between the adjoining concavities. A first surface is formed on the bottom of the concavity. A second surface and a third surface that form different inclination angles relative to a depthwise direction of the concavity are alternately formed on an internal wall surface of the concavity from the bottom toward the opening.
US09583853B2

An RF connector module and associated printed circuit board providing high isolation and controlled impedance at RF frequencies. The connector module may be manufactured using conventional manufacturing techniques, such as stamping, insert molding, multi-shot molding and interference fit between components, to provide low cost. A connector module constructed with these techniques may implement a co-planar waveguide structure, with conductive shields for isolation and lossy material to enforce co-planar propagation modes. The printed circuit board may similarly be manufactured using conventional manufacturing techniques, including drilling to form vias. As a result, an interconnection system may be manufactured with low cost. These techniques may be applied to provide performance, including in the form of isolation between RF signals, comparable to that provided by more expensive components.
US09583850B1

An edge connector socket is configured to receive an edge connector on a memory module. A wedge member is slidably secured within the edge connector socket in alignment between contacts on the edge connector and pins within the edge connector socket. A cam is rotatably secured adjacent the wedge member, and an actuator is coupled to the cam. Rotation of the cam moves the wedge member between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the wedge member is disposed between the contacts and the pins and prevents engagement between the contacts and the pins. In the second position, the wedge member is withdrawn from between the contacts and the pins and allows reengagement between the contacts and the pins. Optionally, such a “reseat” action is performed in response to detecting an error associated with the memory module.
US09583846B2

A method of connecting a cable with a cable connector comprises the steps of mounting a signal transmitting contact on a housing of a cable connector, said signal transmitting contact being formed to have an intersecting portion, an inclined portion and mutually opposite crooked portions forming a slit, forming an annular groove on an insulator covering a core wire in a cable, engaging the annular groove on the cable with the crooked portions so that the core wire appearing in the annular groove is pressed into the slit, and causing a part of the insulator of the cable positioned to demarcate the annular groove to be pushed by the inclined portion of the signal transmitting contact to move for projecting from a top end of the cable toward the outside so that the core wire appearing in the annular groove is put in press-contact with the slit.
US09583842B2

Aspects of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for wireless communications. The apparatus generally includes a printed circuit board (PCB) and a plurality of antenna elements. Each of the plurality of antenna elements is mechanically attached to a perimeter of the PCB via one or more solder elements. Each of the solder elements are spaced apart from each other and electrically isolated from each other in a vicinity of the antenna elements.
US09583838B2

An electronic device may be provided with antennas. Antennas for the electronic device may be formed from slot antenna structures. A slot antenna structure may be formed from portions of a metal housing for an electronic device. The slots of the slot antenna structures may be indirectly fed to form first and second indirectly fed slot antennas. The first and second indirectly fed slot antennas may be formed from slots in a rear surface of an electronic device and a sidewall of the electronic device. The slots may have open ends along an edge of the sidewall and may have closed ends that face each other. A hybrid antenna may also be formed in the electronic device.
US09583813B2

Various embodiments are directed toward systems and method for manufacturing low cost passive waveguide components. For example, various embodiments relate to low cost manufacturing of passive waveguide components, including without limitation, waveguide filters, waveguide diplexers, waveguide multiplexers, waveguide bends, waveguide transitions, waveguide spacers, and antenna adapters. Some embodiments comprise manufacturing a passive waveguide component by creating a non-conductive structure using a low cost fabrication technology, such as injection molding or three-dimensional (3D) printing, and then forming a conductive layer over the non-conductive structure such that the conductive layer creates an electrical feature of the passive waveguide component.
US09583808B2

A nonreversible circuit device includes circulators of high pass type, each circulator including a first central conductor, a second central conductor, and a third central conductor arranged on a microwave magnetic body, to which a DC magnetic field is applied, in a relation intersecting each other in a mutually insulated state, and capacitance elements connected respectively in series between one end of the first central conductor and an antenna port, between one end of the second central conductor and a reception port, and between one end of the third central conductor and a transmission port. A pass frequency band of the circulator is lower than that of the circulator. The antenna ports of the circulators are electrically connected to provide one combined antenna port, and a low pass filter is inserted between the combined antenna port and the antenna port of the circulator.
US09583807B2

A filter of the present invention comprises a multilayer substrate, two terminals, a ground conductor and a hybrid resonator. The multilayer substrate includes a plurality of conductor layers and a dielectric configured to isolate said plurality of conductor layers from each other. The hybrid resonator is disposed in the multilayer substrate and comprises a first and a second resonant elements and a coupling strip connecting the first and said second resonant elements. Each resonant element comprises a signal via, a group of ground vias and an artificial dielectric. Each signal via is disposed through the multilayer substrate. Each group of ground vias is disposed through the multilayer substrate and configured to surround the signal via. Each artificial dielectric is disposed in the multilayer substrate and between the signal via and the group of ground vias. The artificial dielectric comprises a conductive plate connected to the first signal via and an isolating slit isolating the first conductive plate from the group of ground vias.
US09583798B2

An example electric vehicle battery thermocouple includes a temperature sense lead of a first material, and an electric vehicle battery component of a second material different than the first material. In an exemplary embodiment, the electric vehicle battery component includes a voltage sense lead and a bus bar. In another exemplary embodiment, the electric vehicle battery component includes a voltage sense lead and a terminal. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the electric vehicle battery component includes a voltage sense lead.
US09583794B2

A modular battery pack system including a plurality of battery sub-modules operably connected in parallel and an isolation system configured to discretely isolate any one of the battery sub-modules from the remaining battery sub-module(s). The isolation system, in one embodiment, may utilize an ORing FET for each of the battery sub-modules, with each ORing FET operably connected at its input with an output of a corresponding battery sub-module and operably connected at its output with the output of the other ORing FETs. The modular battery pack system may further include a conditioning system for conditioning a battery sub-module by discharging at least a portion of the battery sub-module. Each battery sub-module may be operably and discretely connected to the conditioning system, such that conditioning is selectively applicable to any one or more of the battery sub-modules.
US09583788B2

A nonaqueous electrolytic solution prepared by dissolving an electrolyte salt in a nonaqueous solvent, wherein the nonaqueous electrolytic solution contains at least one kind of an isocyanate compound having an ester structure represented by the following general formula (I): (wherein R represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, a C6 to C12 aryl group, an alkyloxy group, an alkenyloxy group, an isocyanatoalkyloxy group, or an aryloxy group in which at least one of the hydrogen atom may be substituted with a halogen atom. X represents a linear or branched alkylene group in which at least one of the hydrogen atom may be substituted with a halogen atom, or a bivalent linking group comprising at least one ether bond).
US09583786B2

Provided are a secondary battery including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a solid electrolyte layer disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode include first solid electrolyte particles, the solid electrolyte layer includes second solid electrolyte particles, and a particle diameter of the second solid electrolyte particles is greater than a particle diameter of the first solid electrolyte particles.In the secondary battery, the electrode may increase the amount of movement of lithium ions by increasing a contact area between the solid electrolyte particles and electrode active material, and the solid electrolyte layer may minimize the reduction of ionic conductivity by decreasing interfacial resistance due to the contact between the electrode and the solid electrolyte layer. Thus, stability and performance of the secondary battery may be improved.
US09583774B2

The operational availability of a motor vehicle with a fuel cell is increased by providing that a defined quantity of the output power of the fuel cell system is consumed by a power consumption component in the heating-up phase and/or in the warm-up phase and that the consumed quantity of the output power is converted into power loss by impressing a suitable current into at least one winding of an electric motor which is to be energized.
US09583772B2

The present invention relates to high-temperature solid oxide fuel cells, in particular to rotationally symmetrical high-temperature solid oxide fuel cells. The inventive oxide-ceramic high-temperature fuel cell having one or more gas channel(s) open at at least one end. The fuel cell has a substrate surrounding the gas channel(s) at least sectionally, preferably completely. The gas channel(s) and/or the substrate surrounding the gas channel(s) has/have (a) changing cross-sections(s), preferably (a) conically tapering cross-section(s), seen in the direction of the longitudinal axis/axes of the gas channel(s).
US09583771B2

A method of forming diffusion barrier layer includes providing an interconnect for a fuel cell stack, forming a glass barrier precursor layer over a Mn and/or Co containing electrically conductive contact layer on the interconnect, and heating the barrier precursor layer to precipitate crystals in the barrier precursor layer to convert the barrier precursor layer to a glass ceramic barrier layer.
US09583769B2

A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery obtained by the present invention is a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including an electrode body having a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet 20 stacked via a separator sheet 40. A porous layer 42 having filler particles 44 and a binder is formed between the separator sheet 40 and at least one of the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet 20. The median value in the circularity distribution of the filler particles 44 contained in the porous layer 42 is 0.85 to 0.97.
US09583760B2

A negative electrode material for lithium ion batteries is obtained by a method which includes: mixing carbon particles (B) such as graphite particles, particles (A), such as Si particles, containing an element capable of occluding and releasing lithium ions, a carbon precursor such as sucrose, a carboxylic acid compound such as acetic acid, and a liquid medium such as water or isopropyl alcohol to prepare a slurry; drying and solidifying the slurry; and heat-treating the resulting solidified material to carbonize the carbon precursor. A lithium ion battery is obtained using this negative electrode material.
US09583755B2

A method for manufacturing a lithium ion secondary battery having electrodes in which a mix layer including a first binder and one of a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material is formed via a second binder on a collector. The method includes: performing pattern coating of the second binder on the surface of the collector and regularly forming binder-coated sections and uncoated sections; and feeding a powder of mix particles on the binder-coated sections and the uncoated sections so as to form the mix layer on the collector.
US09583751B2

A method is provided for fabricating a battery using an anode preloaded with consumable metals. The method forms an ion-permeable membrane immersed in an electrolyte. A preloaded anode is immersed in the electrolyte, comprising MeaX, where X is a material such as carbon, metal capable of being alloyed with Me, intercalation oxides, electrochemically active organic compounds, and combinations of the above-listed materials. Me is a metal such as alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and combinations of the above-listed metals. A cathode is also immersed in the electrolyte and separated from the preloaded anode by the ion-permeable membrane. The cathode comprises M1YM2Z(CN)N.MH2O. After a plurality of initial charge and discharge operations are preformed, an anode is formed comprising MebX overlying the current collector in a battery discharge state, where 0≦b
US09583743B2

An electrical storage device includes a case body having an opening, a lid, which closes the opening and has a through hole, an electrode assembly accommodated in the case body, and an electrode terminal. The electrode terminal has a base and a polar column portion, which projects from the base and shaped to pass from the inside of the case body through the through hole and protrude to the outside. A sealing member is sandwiched between the inner surface of the lid and a seat surface of the base. In a root portion of the polar column portion coupled to the base, in at least a part of the polar column portion around an axis thereof, a tapered portion, which spreads in the cross-sectional shape toward the base along the axis of the polar column portion, is provided. The sealing member is arranged radially outside of the tapered portion.
US09583739B2

In a light-emitting device where reflective electrodes are regularly arranged, occurrence of interference fringes due to reflection of light reflected by the reflective electrode is inhibited. A surface of the reflective electrode of a light-emitting element is provided with a plurality of depressions. The shapes of the plurality of depressions are different from each other and do not have rotational symmetry. Irregularity of the surface shape of the reflective electrode is increased, which inhibits interference of light reflected by the reflective electrode. To form the plurality of depressions in the surface of the reflective electrode, for example, a surface of an insulating layer that is a base of the reflective electrode is made uneven. Reflecting the surface shape of the insulating layer, the reflective electrode has an uneven surface.
US09583718B2

A pyrene-based compound and an organic light-emitting diode including the same, the pyrene-based compound being represented by Formula 1, below:
US09583715B2

An anthracene-based compound is represented by Formula 1 as below: wherein Ar, R1 to R3, R11 to R13, L1, L2, a1 to a3, b1, b2, n1, n2, m1, m2, o1 and o2 are as defined in the specification. An organic light-emitting device includes the anthracene-based compound.
US09583714B2

Provided is a material for organic electronics which can produce an organic electronic element capable of lowering the driving voltage or capable of performing stable driving for a long time. The material for organic electronics contains at least an ionic compound and a compound having a charge transporting unit (hereinafter, referred to as charge transporting compound), and the ionic compound is composed of a counter cation and a counter anion, while the counter cation is any one kind or two or more kinds selected from H+, a carbocation, a nitrogen cation, an oxygen cation, and a cation having a transition metal.
US09583706B2

A method for fabricating a semiconductor apparatus includes providing a semiconductor substrate, stacking a conductive layer, a variable resistance layer, and a sacrificial layer on the semiconductor substrate, etching the conductive layer, the variable resistance layer, and the sacrificial layer to form a pillar structure including a lower electrode, a variable resistor device, and a sacrificial layer pattern, removing the sacrificial layer pattern, and forming an upper electrode over the variable resistor device in a hole which is formed by removing the sacrificial layer pattern.
US09583702B2

Provided is a phase change memory device including a graphene layer inserted between a lower electrode into which heat flows and a phase change material layer, to prevent the heat from being diffused to an outside so as to efficiently transfer the heat to the phase change material layer, and a method of fabricating the phase change memory device. The phase change memory device includes a lower electrode; an insulating layer formed to enclose the lower electrode; a graphene layer formed on the lower electrode; a phase change material layer formed on the graphene layer and the insulating layer; and an upper electrode formed on the phase change material layer. Since a phase of the phase change material layer is changed at a small amount of driving current, the phase change memory device is fabricated to have a high driving speed and a high integration.
US09583700B2

The present invention relates to metal oxide based memory devices and methods for manufacturing such devices; and more particularly to memory devices having data storage materials based on metal oxide compounds fabricated with a roughness tuning process including an ion bombardment step of a bottom electrode surface prior to formation of a memory element on the bottom electrode surface. Ion bombardment improves the flatness of the bottom electrode which is beneficial in achieving a more uniform electrical field during operation, which improves device reliability.
US09583685B2

A light-emitting-device package according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a metal substrate; a light emitting device disposed on a first surface of the metal substrate and configured to emit at least ultraviolet light; a pair of electrodes disposed to be spaced apart from each other on at least the first surface of the metal substrate, and electrically connected to the light emitting device; and an insulating layer provided between the metal substrate and the pair of electrodes. UV reflectance of the first surface of the metal body is higher than UV reflectance of the pair of electrodes.
US09583681B2

Light emitter device packages, modules and methods are disclosed having a body and a cavity that can be formed from a single substrate of material. The material can be thermally conductive and/or metallic. A light emitter device package can have at least one isolating layer creating at least a first isolated portion of the body and/or first isolated portion of the cavity. The isolating layer can be formed from the same material as the single substrate which forms the package body and cavity, and can be a layer which is thermally and electrically isolated. A light emitter or light emitter device, such as an LED chip can be mounted upon a surface of the cavity and upon at least a portion of the isolating layer.
US09583680B2

An optical electrical device comprises a base and a transparent conductive structure on the base is disclosed. The base further comprises a light-emitting device and the transparent conductive structure comprises a transparent conductive oxide layer and a passivation layer on the transparent conductive oxide layer. The material of the transparent conductive oxide layer comprises transparent conductive metal oxide, such as ZnO. Furthermore, the transparent conductive metal oxide also comprises impurities, such as a carrier e.g. gallium.
US09583679B2

The current distribution across the p-layer (130) of a semiconductor device is modified by purposely inhibiting current flow through the p-layer (130) in regions (310) adjacent to the guardsheet (150), without reducing the optical reflectivity of any part of the device. This current flow may be inhibited by increasing the resistance of the p-layer that is coupled to the p-contact (140) along the edges and in the corners of contact area. In an example embodiment, the high-resistance region (130) is produced by a shallow dose of hydrogen-ion (H+) implant after the p-contact (140) is created. Similarly, a resistive coating may be applied in select regions between the p-contact and the p-layer.
US09583676B2

In a wafer bonding process, one or both of two wafer substrates are scored prior to bonding. By creating slots in the substrate, the wafer's characteristics during bonding are similar to that of a thinner wafer, thereby reducing potential warpage due to differences in CTE characteristics associated with each of the wafers. Preferably, the slots are created consistent with the singulation/dicing pattern, so that the slots will not be present in the singulated packages, thereby retaining the structural characteristics of the full-thickness substrates.
US09583672B2

A nano-structured light-emitting device including a first semiconductor layer; a nano structure formed on the first semiconductor layer. The nano structure includes a nanocore, and an active layer and a second semiconductor layer that are formed on a surface of the nanocore, and of which the surface is planarized. A conductive layer surrounds sides of the nano structure, a first electrode is electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer and a second electrode is electrically connected to the conductive layer.
US09583671B2

Improved quantum efficiency of multiple quantum wells. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an article of manufacture includes a p side for supplying holes and an n side for supplying electrons. The article of manufacture also includes a plurality of quantum well periods between the p side and the n side, each of the quantum well periods includes a quantum well layer and a barrier layer, with each of the barrier layers having a barrier height. The plurality of quantum well periods include different barrier heights.
US09583665B2

A diode for detecting the presence of radiation includes a P region, an N region, an intrinsic region located between the P region and the N region, and a layer of nanoclusters located adjacent to the intrinsic region.
US09583656B2

A photoelectric conversion element according to the present invention includes a photoelectric conversion layer. The photoelectric conversion layer includes a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer, and a superlattice semiconductor layer which is interposed between the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer. The superlattice semiconductor layer has a superlattice structure in which barrier layers and quantum layers are stacked alternately and repeatedly, and is provided so as to form an intermediate energy band between an upper end of a valence band of the barrier layer and a lower end of a conduction band of the barrier layer. The intermediate energy band is formed from a region of the superlattice semiconductor layer, which is near to the p-type semiconductor layer, to a region of the superlattice semiconductor layer, which is near to the n-type semiconductor layer, and the intermediate energy band has a region having a wide band width and a region having a narrow band width.
US09583654B2

A light receiving device includes a substrate having a principal surface and a back surface, the substrate containing GaSb semiconductor co-doped with a p-type dopant and an n-type dopant; a stacked semiconductor layer disposed on the principal surface of the substrate, the stacked semiconductor layer including an optical absorption layer; and an incident surface provided on the back surface of the substrate that receives an incident light. The optical absorption layer includes a super-lattice structure including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer that are alternately stacked. In addition, the first semiconductor layer contains gallium and antimony as constituent elements. The second semiconductor layer is composed of a material different from a material of the first semiconductor layer.
US09583653B2

A fabrication method of a solar cell, the method includes doping a silicon substrate having a first conductive type impurity with a second conductive type impurity, the second conductive type impurity being opposite to the first conductive type impurity, and thereby forming an emitter layer at a front surface part of the silicon substrate, forming an antireflection film on the emitter layer, forming a front electrode on the antireflection film, forming a rear electrode on a rear surface of the silicon substrate, and forming a back surface field layer at a rear surface part of the silicon substrate, the back surface field layer having a concentration of the first conductive type impurity that is higher than that of the silicon substrate, the back surface field layer having a different concentration of the second conductive type impurity from that of the emitter layer.
US09583646B2

A bottom-emitting substrate, a display device and a method for manufacturing the bottom emitting substrate are provided. The bottom-emitting substrate comprises: a base substrate (1); a black matrix layer (2) with a plurality of opening regions and a plurality of non-opening regions disposed on the base substrate (1); and an array substrate unit disposed on the black matrix layer (2), projections of metal layers in the array substrate unit on the black matrix layer (2) locating within the plurality of non-opening regions of the black matrix layer (2). A method for manufacturing the bottom-emitting substrate and a display device comprising the bottom-emitting substrate are also provided.
US09583639B2

Example embodiments relate to nonvolatile memory devices using a 2D material, and methods of manufacturing the nonvolatile memory device. The nonvolatile memory device includes a channel layer formed on a substrate, a gate stack that includes a gate electrode, source and drain electrodes. The channel layer has a threshold voltage greater than that of a graphene layer, and the gate stack includes a 2D material floating gate that is not in contact with the channel layer. The channel layer includes first and second material layers and a first barrier layer disposed between the first and second material layers, and the first and second material layers may contact the first barrier layer.
US09583622B2

The present invention discloses a semiconductor structure and a method for manufacturing the same, which comprises providing a substrate, and forming a stress layer, a buried oxide layer, and an SOI layer on the substrate; forming a doped region of the stress layer arranged in a specific position in the stress layer; forming an oxide layer and a nitride layer on the SOI layer, and forming a first trench that etches the nitride layer, the oxide layer, the SOI layer, and the buried oxide layer, and stops on the upper surface of the stress layer, and exposes at least part of the doped region of the stress layer; forming a cavity by wet etching through the first trench to remove the doped region of the stress layer; forming a polycrystalline silicon region of the stress layer and a second trench by filling the cavity with polycrystalline silicon and etching back; forming an isolation region by filling the second trench. The semiconductor structure and the method for manufacturing the same disclosed in the present invention provide a favorable stress for the channel of the semiconductor device by introducing a stress layer and a stress induced zone set at specific positions depending on device type to help improving the performance of the semiconductor device.
US09583621B2

Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. An example device may include: a fin formed on a substrate; a gate stack formed on the substrate and intersecting the fin, wherein the gate stack is isolated from the substrate by an isolation layer, and a Punch-Through Stopper (PTS) formed under the fin, including a first section directly under a portion of the fin where the fin intersects the gate stack and second sections on opposite sides of the first section, wherein the second sections each have a doping concentration lower than that of the first section.
US09583617B2

Provided is a semiconductor device including a substrate, an insulating layer, a conductive layer and at least one spacer. The substrate has at least two shallow trenches therein. The conductive layer is disposed on the substrate between the shallow trenches. The insulating layer is disposed between the substrate and the conductive layer. The at least one spacer is disposed on one sidewall of the conductive layer and fills up each shallow trench. A method of forming a semiconductor device is further provided.
US09583616B2

A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of transistors and an electrically insulating layer provided between the substrate and the plurality of transistors, and a trench isolation structure including a portion between a first and a second island of the semiconductor structure and extending into the substrate to a first depth. The substrate includes a bottom region having a first type of doping and extending at least to a second depth greater than the first depth, and a deep well region having a second type of doping and extending to a third depth greater than the first depth and smaller than the second depth. Each of the first and second islands includes a first backgate region having the first type of doping and being continuous with the bottom region and a second backgate region having the second type of doping and being continuous with the deep well region.
US09583613B2

A semiconductor device includes a first well that is disposed in a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a second well that is disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a source region, a drain region, and a gate structure between the source region and the drain region. The gate structure is disposed above the first well. The source region includes a first conducting contact above the first well and. The drain region includes a second conducting contact above the second well, the drain region being connected with the second well at least partially through a first epi region. The first epi region and the second well are configured to lower a first driving voltage applied on the source region and the drain region to a second voltage applied on the gate structure.
US09583610B2

A method of forming a manufacture includes forming a trench in a doped layer; and forming a gate dielectric layer along sidewalls of an upper portion of the trench. The method further includes forming a first conductive feature along sidewalls of the gate dielectric layer, wherein the first conductive feature has a first depth in the trench. The method further includes forming an insulating layer covering the first conductive feature and the first insulating layer. The method further includes forming a second conductive feature along sidewalls of the second insulating layer, wherein the second conductive feature has a second depth in the trench different from the first depth.
US09583605B2

A method to make a semiconductor device, a first SiO2 layer and a first Si3N4 layer are sequentially formed on the semiconductor substrate. The first SiO2 layer and the first Si3N4 layer are then patterned as etching mask to form a trench in a semiconductor substrate by a trench etching process. After this, a second SiO2 layer and a second Si3N4 layer are formed conformal onto the substrate. Anisotropic etching is then performed to remove the second Si3N4 and second SiO2 layer except on the trench sidewall. Then a thermal oxidation process is done to grow oxide only in trench bottom and at trench top corner. The radius of curvature of trench bottom and trench top corner is increased at the same time by this thermal oxidation process.
US09583600B1

A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a fin-shaped structure thereon and shallow trench isolation (STI) around the fin-shaped structure; forming a gate line across the fin-shaped structure and on the STI; performing a first cutting process to remove the part of the gate line directly above the fin-shaped structure and the fin-shaped structure directly under the gate line; and performing a second cutting process to remove part of the gate line on the STI.
US09583595B2

Disclosed herein are Lateral Diffused Metal Oxide Semiconductor (LDMOS) device and trench isolation related devices, methods, and techniques. In one illustration, a doped region is formed within a semiconductor substrate. A trench isolation region is formed within the doped region. The doped region and the trench isolation region are part of a Lateral Diffused Metal Oxide Semiconductor (LDMOS) device. The trench isolation region or an interface between the trench isolation region and the doped region is configured to reduce low frequency noise in the LDMOS device.
US09583586B1

A low capacitance transient voltage suppressor with snapback control and a reduced voltage punch-through breakdown mode includes an n+ type substrate, a first epitaxial layer on the substrate, a buried layer formed within the first epitaxial layer, a second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer, and an implant layer formed within the first epitaxial layer below the buried layer. The implant layer extends beyond the buried layer. A first trench is at an edge of the buried layer and an edge of the implant layer. A second trench is at another edge of the buried layer and extends into the implant layer. A third trench is at another edge of the implant layer. A set of source regions is formed within a top surface of the second epitaxial layer. Implant regions are formed in the second epitaxial layer, with a first implant region located below the first source region.
US09583582B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor integrated device includes a first node that receives a first voltage, a second node that receives a second voltage, and an electrode. A PMOS transistor is coupled between the first node and the electrode. An NMOS transistor is coupled between the second node and the electrode. A control signal at a voltage lower than the second voltage is supplied to a gate electrode of the PMOS transistor. A control signal at a voltage higher than the first voltage is supplied to a gate electrode of the NMOS transistor.
US09583581B1

An integrated circuit is described as having one or more contact regions to provide one or more interconnections between one or more transistors of the integrated circuit and another integrated circuit. The one or more contact regions represent a self-aligned contact (SAC) whose positioning is determined through one or more patterning processes of a semiconductor fabrication process. The one or more contact regions include one or more contact discontinuities to allow the integrated circuit to accommodate for a wide range of the manufacturing variations and/or the misalignment tolerances by preventing the one or more contact regions from physically contacting other regions, such as gate regions to provide an example, of the one or more transistors. As such, the one or more contact discontinuities have a dynamic size, such as a dynamic area to provide an example, which is dependent upon the manufacturing variations and/or the misalignment tolerances.
US09583572B2

Methods are provided to fabricate semiconductor devices, e.g., FinFET devices, having fin channel structures formed of silicon-germanium alloy layers with uniform thickness. For example, a method includes forming a semiconductor fin structure having sidewalls that define a first width of the semiconductor fins structure, and a hard mask layer disposed on a top surface of the semiconductor fin structure. Portions of the sidewalls are etched to form recessed sidewalls that define a thinned portion, wherein a distance between the recessed sidewalls defines a second width of the thinned portion of the semiconductor fin structure, which is less than the first width. Facetted semiconductor alloy layers are formed on the recessed sidewalls, and then anisotropically etched using the hard mask layer as an etch mask to form planarized semiconductor alloy layers of uniform thickness on the recessed sidewalls of the thinned portion of the semiconductor fin structure.
US09583559B2

In one embodiment a method of forming a compressive polycrystalline semiconductive material layer is disclosed. The method comprises forming a polycrystalline semiconductive seed layer over a substrate and forming a silicon layer by depositing silicon directly on the polycrystalline silicon seed layer under amorphous process conditions at a temperature below 600 C.
US09583547B2

An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a plurality of pixels provided on a substrate, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes: a first sub-pixel area for emitting light of a first color; a second sub-pixel area for emitting light of a second color different from the first color; a third sub-pixel area for emitting light of a third color different from the first and second colors; and a transmission area through which external light transmits, wherein the first through third sub-pixel areas and the transmission area are sequentially arranged on the substrate in a first direction.
US09583546B2

An organic light emitting device and a method of fabricating the same includes a first substrate; a thin film transistor (TFT) on the first substrate; a planarization layer on the TFT; an organic light emitting diode (OLED) on the planarization layer; a passivation layer on the OLED; a second substrate on the passivation; and a hydrogen capturing material between the first and the second substrates to prevent oxidation of materials forming the TFT.
US09583540B2

The invention relates to an electronic device comprising at least two organic transistors having different threshold voltages. The device comprises at least two transistors, each including a self-assembled layer of molecules having dipole moments that differ from one another by an absolute value of between 0.2 and 10 debye. The invention is particularly suitable for use in the field of electronic circuit production.
US09583537B2

According to one embodiment, a memory includes first to fourth memory cells aligned in a first direction. Each of the first to fourth memory cells comprises a cell transistor having a gate connected to a word line extending in a second direction crossing the first direction and a resistive memory element having one end connected to a first source/drain region of the cell transistor. A second source/drain region of the cell transistor is connected to one of a first bit line extending in the first direction and a second bit line extending in the second direction. The other end of the resistive memory element is connected to one of the first and second bit lines which is apart from the second source/drain region. The second source/drain regions in the first and second memory cells are shared, and the second source/drain regions in the third and fourth memory cells are shared.
US09583534B2

A semiconductor device comprises a magneto-resistive device capable of performing multiple functions with low power. The semiconductor device comprises a cell transistor in which a first impurity region and a second impurity region are respectively arranged on both sides of a channel region in a channel direction, a source line connected to the first impurity region of the cell transistor, and the magneto-resistive device connected to the second impurity region of the cell transistor. The first impurity region and the second impurity region are asymmetrical about a center of the cell transistor in the channel direction with respect to at least one of a shape and an impurity concentration distribution.
US09583532B2

By selectively anisotropically etching a stack film formed to cover a plurality of photodiodes and a gate electrode layer of a MOS transistor, the stack film remains on each of the plurality of photodiodes to form a lower antireflection coating and the stack film remains on a sidewall of the gate electrode layer to form a sidewall Using the gate electrode layer and the sidewall as a mask, an impurity is introduced to form a source/drain region of the MOS transistor. After the impurity was introduced, an upper antireflection coating is formed at least on a lower antireflection coating At least any of the upper antireflection coating and the lower antireflection coating is etched such that the antireflection coatings on the two respective photodiodes are different in thickness from each other.
US09583528B2

A MOS solid-state imaging device is provided in which withstand voltage and 1/f noise of a MOS transistor are improved. In the MOS solid-state imaging device whose unit pixel has at least a photoelectric converting portion and a plurality of field effect transistors, the thickness of gate insulating film in a part of the field effect transistors is different from the thickness of gate insulating film in the other field effect transistors among the plurality of the field effect transistors.
US09583526B2

A solid-state image pickup element is provided with a semiconductor substrate having a photosensitive region, a plurality of first electrode pads arrayed on a principal face of the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of second electrode pads arrayed in a direction along a direction in which the plurality of first electrode pads are arrayed, on the principal face of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of interconnections connecting the plurality of first electrode pads and the plurality of second electrode pads in one-to-one correspondence. The plurality of interconnections connect the first and second electrode pads so that each interconnection connects the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad in a positional relation of line symmetry with respect to a center line perpendicular to the array directions of the plurality of first and second electrode pads.
US09583519B2

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a thin film transistor pixel unit, comprising: forming a metal oxide layer, a gate insulating layer, a gate metal layer and an etching barrier layer on a substrate, wherein the metal oxide layer is in a thin film transistor region; through a same mask, etching a part of the etching barrier layer, the gate metal layer and the gate insulating layer on the substrate for forming a gate region, source and drain regions for forming contact vias, a gate interface region, and a storage capacitor region, respectively. Through additional steps including etching, metallizing, and filling, a source contact via is formed in the source region, a drain contact via is formed in the drain region, and a connecting contact via is formed in the gate interface region, respectively.
US09583517B2

This invention provides a polycrystalline oxide thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate and a method of manufacturing the same. As the polycrystalline oxide thin film layer of the polycrystalline oxide TFT array substrate is formed by a two-step process according to the present invention, the ultra-high temperature annealing process required in the prior art is obviated, and the object of producing a polycrystalline oxide TFT array substrate by the existing manufacturing facilities of the amorphous oxide TFT array substrates is achieved without adding any special equipment or special operation, and it is easy to implement; meanwhile, the energy consumption is reduced as the high temperature annealing is no longer needed.
US09583515B2

A semiconductor device (100T, 100B) includes: a substrate (30); a first metal layer (10) supported on the substrate (30), the first metal layer (10) including a plurality of first wires (12); an insulating layer (70) provided on the first metal layer (10); a second metal layer (20) provided on the insulating layer (70), the second metal layer (20) including a plurality of second wires (22); an insulative protection layer (80) covering part of each of the plurality of second wires (22), and an electrically-conductive layer (90) provided on the insulative protection layer (80). In a cross section including a boundary between a first region (R1) in which the insulative protection layer (80) is provided and a second region (R2) in which the insulative protection layer (80) is not provided, a surface of the insulating layer (70) which is on the insulative protection layer (80) side has a step between two of the second wires which adjoin each other.
US09583513B2

By applying an AC pulse to a gate of a transistor which easily deteriorates, a shift in threshold voltage of the transistor is suppressed. However, in a case where amorphous silicon is used for a semiconductor layer of a transistor, the occurrence of a shift in threshold voltage naturally becomes a problem for a transistor which constitutes a part of circuit that generates an AC pulse. A shift in threshold voltage of a transistor which easily deteriorates and a shift in threshold voltage of a turned-on transistor are suppressed by signal input to a gate electrode of the transistor which easily deteriorates through the turned-on transistor. In other words, a structure for applying an AC pulse to a gate electrode of a transistor which easily deteriorates through a transistor to a gate electrode of which a high potential (VDD) is applied, is included.
US09583512B2

The disclosure relates to an array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, and a display panel. The array substrate includes a plurality of data lines and a plurality of first gate lines, a plurality of first pixel units and a plurality of second pixel units; a plurality of second gate lines; a first TFT and a second TFT, where a first electrode of the first TFT is disposed at one side of the second gate line, the gate and the second electrode of the first TFT is disposed at the other side of the second gate line, the gate, the first electrode, the second electrode and the active layer of each second TFT are disposed at the same side of the second gate line, where the first electrodes of the first TFT and the second TFT are electrically connected to the date lines respectively.
US09583508B2

The present invention discloses an array substrate, a preparation method for the array substrate, and a display device, wherein the array substrate comprises a gate electrode, a gate insulation layer, an active layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode, and a pixel electrode arranged on a substrate, the active layer includes an electric conduction area, a coverage area covered by the source electrode and the drain electrode, and an exposure area surrounding the coverage area, and the pixel electrode is lapped on the upper surfaces of the drain electrode, the exposure area of the active layer, and the gate insulation layer. According to the present invention, the pixel electrode breaks in the area, with the large gradient angle, of the drain electrode caused by slip-down due to gravity can be avoided, and the lap joint for the pixel electrode and the drain electrode is effectively facilitated.
US09583505B2

According to an embodiment, a non-volatile memory device includes first electrodes stacked on an underlying layer, a second electrode provided on the first electrodes, a semiconductor layer extending in a first direction from the underlying layer to the second electrode, and a memory film provided between each of the first electrodes and the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer includes a first portion adjacent to the first electrodes and a second portion adjacent to the second electrode. The second portion has a thickness thinner than a thickness of the first portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
US09583504B2

According to an embodiment, a non-volatile storage device includes a first layer, a second layer formed on the first layer, a stacked body including a plurality of conductive films stacked on the second layer, and a semiconductor pillar which penetrates the stacked body and the second layer and reaches the first layer. The semiconductor pillar includes a semiconductor film formed along an extending direction of the semiconductor pillar, and a memory film which covers a periphery of the semiconductor film. The memory film includes a first portion formed between the stacked body and the semiconductor film and a second portion formed between the second layer and the semiconductor film. An outer periphery of the second portion in a plane perpendicular to the extending direction is wider than an outer periphery of the first portion on a second layer side of the stacked body.
US09583503B1

A three-dimensional semiconductor device is provided, comprising: a plurality of ground selection line (GSL) sections separately formed on a substrate, the GSL sections being electrically insulated from each other and extended in parallel to each other, and the GSL sections extending along a first direction; a plurality of stacked structures vertically formed on the GSL sections on the substrate, and each stacked structure comprising alternated semiconductor layers and insulating layers; string selection lines (SSLs) separately formed on the stacked structures, and the string selection lines extending along the first direction; and bit lines disposed above the SSLs and extending along a second direction, the bit lines arranged parallel to each other and in perpendicular to the SSLs and GSL sections, wherein a plurality of memory cells of memory layers respectively defined by the stacked structures, the SSLs, the GSL sections and the bit lines correspondingly.
US09583498B2

An exposed edge of a conductive liner in a Damascene trench provides a high aspect ratio geometry of a non-volatile memory cell that can be scaled to arbitrarily small and nanoscale areas and thus provides an extremely compact non-volatile memory array layout that is applicable to any non-volatile memory technology such as resistive memory (RRAM), magnetic memory (MRAM), phase change memory (PCRAM) and the like. The high aspect ratio of the non-volatile memory cell area offsets the sharp increase in filament forming voltage required in conductive bridge memories (CBRAMs) as the non-volatile memory cells are scaled to very small sizes. The compact memory cell layout is also tolerant of lithographic overlay errors and provides a high degree of uniformity of electrical characteristics which are tunable by maskless and non-lithographic processes.
US09583491B2

Complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor nanowire structures are described. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device includes a first nanowire disposed above a substrate. The first nanowire has a mid-point a first distance above the substrate and includes a discrete channel region and source and drain regions on either side of the discrete channel region. A first gate electrode stack completely surrounds the discrete channel region of the first nanowire. The semiconductor structure also includes a second semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device includes a second nanowire disposed above the substrate. The second nanowire has a mid-point a second distance above the substrate and includes a discrete channel region and source and drain regions on either side of the discrete channel region. The first distance is different from the second distance. A second gate electrode stack completely surrounds the discrete channel region of the second nanowire.
US09583486B1

A work function setting metal stack includes a configuration of layers including a high dielectric constant layer and a diffusion prevention layer formed on the high dielectric constant layer. An aluminum doped TiC layer has a thickness greater than 5 nm wherein the configuration of layers is employed between two regions as a diffusion barrier to prevent mass diffusion between the two regions.
US09583475B2

A microelectronic package may include a first microelectronic unit including a semiconductor chip having first chip contacts, an encapsulant contacting an edge of the semiconductor chip, and first unit contacts exposed at a surface of the encapsulant and electrically connected with the first chip contacts. The package may include a second microelectronic unit including a semiconductor chip having second chip contacts at a surface thereof, and an encapsulant contacting an edge of the chip of the second unit and having a surface extending away from the edge. The surfaces of the chip and the encapsulant of the second unit define a face of the second unit. Package terminals at the face may be electrically connected with the first unit contacts through bond wires electrically connected with the first unit contacts, and the second chip contacts through metallized vias and traces formed in contact with the second chip contacts.
US09583469B2

This disclosure discloses a light-emitting device. The light-emitting device is configured to electrically connect to an external circuit and comprises: a first light-emitting structure; a second light-emitting structure; a first conductive structure comprising a first connecting pad having a side surface and a top surface connected to the first light-emitting structure, and a first connecting portion extending from the side surface and connected to the external circuit; and a second conductive structure electrically connecting the first light-emitting structure with the second light-emitting structure.
US09583468B2

The present invention provides a light-emitting part and a light-emitting apparatus exhibiting high brightness per unit area, and simplified production methods therefor. The light-emitting unit comprises a single base substrate, and a plurality of light-emitting devices thereon. The light-emitting unit includes a serial connection body which connects at least a part of the light-emitting devices in series. The serial connection body comprises light-emitting devices which make a current path, a light-emitting device which does not make a current path, and a connection member which electrically connects an n-electrode and a p-electrode of the light-emitting devices.
US09583467B2

An optoelectronic semiconductor component and a method for making an optoelectronic semiconductor component are disclosed. In an embodiment the component includes a carrier including at least one conversion-medium body and a potting body, the potting body surrounding the conversion-medium body at least in places, as seen in plan view, electrical contact structures fitted at least indirectly to the carrier and a plurality of optoelectronic semiconductor chips fitted to a main face of the carrier, the optoelectronic semiconductor chips configured to generate radiation, wherein the conversion-medium body is shaped as a plate, wherein the semiconductor chips are directly mechanically connected to the conversion-medium body, and wherein the conversion-medium body is free of cutouts for the electrical contact structures and is not penetrated by the electrical contact structure.
US09583450B2

A method for transferring light-emitting elements onto a package substrate includes: providing a light-emitting unit including a supporting substrate and a plurality of light-emitting elements, each of the light-emitting elements being removably connected to the supporting substrate and having a surface opposite to the supporting substrate; disposing the light-emitting unit spacingly above a package substrate in such a manner that the surface of each of the light-emitting elements faces the package substrate; and disconnecting the light-emitting elements from the supporting substrate to allow the light-emitting elements to fall onto the package substrate by gravity, so as to connect the light-emitting elements with the package substrate in a non-contact transferring method.
US09583448B2

A flexible chip on film includes a base insulating layer, a metal layer disposed on an upper surface of the base insulating layer and including a circuit pattern, an integrated circuit chip disposed on an upper surface of the metal layer and electrically connected to the metal layer, a solder resist layer disposed on the metal layer and insulated from the integrated circuit chip, and a reinforcing layer disposed on an upper surface of the solder resist layer. When the chip on film COF is bent, a neutral surface, in which a vector sum of a tensile force and a compressive force becomes substantially zero, is placed in the metal layer.
US09583444B2

A method for applying a magnetic shielding layer to a substrate is provided, wherein a first magnetic shielding layer is adhered to a first surface of the substrate. A first film layer is adhered to the first magnetic shielding layer and the first magnetic shielding layer is more adherent to the first surface than the film layer to the first magnetic shielding layer.
US09583437B2

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention includes: forming an insulation layer to be processed over a substrate; forming a first sacrificial layer in a first area over the substrate, the first sacrificial layer being patterned to form in the first area a functioning wiring connected to an element; forming a second sacrificial layer in a second area over the substrate, the second sacrificial layer being patterned to form in the second area a dummy wiring; forming a third sacrificial layer at a side wall of the first sacrificial layer and forming a fourth sacrificial layer at a side wall of the second sacrificial layer, the third sacrificial layer and the fourth sacrificial layer being separated; forming a concavity by etching the insulation layer to be processed using the third sacrificial layer and the fourth sacrificial layer as a mask; and filling a conductive material in the concavity.
US09583434B2

A device comprises a first rounded metal line in a metallization layer over a substrate, a second rounded metal line in the metallization layer, a first air gap between sidewalls of the first rounded metal line and the second metal line, a first metal line in the metallization layer, wherein a top surface of the first metal line is higher than a top surface of the second rounded metal line and a bottom surface of the first metal line is substantially level with a bottom surface of the second rounded metal line and a second air gap between sidewalls of the second rounded metal line and the first metal line.
US09583428B2

Systems and methods are provided for the embedding of thin chips. A well region is generated in a substrate that includes a conductive material disposed on a flexible polymer. The standoff well region can be generated by pattern the conductive material, where the thin chip is embedded in the standoff well region. A cavity can be generated in the polymer layer to form a polymer well region, where the thin chip is embedded in the polymer well region.
US09583405B2

Methods and apparatus for spectrum-based endpointing. An endpointing method includes selecting a reference spectrum. The reference spectrum is a spectrum of white light reflected from a film of interest on a first substrate and has a thickness greater than a target thickness. The reference spectrum is empirically selected for particular spectrum-based endpoint determination logic so that the target thickness is achieved when endpoint is called by applying the particular spectrum-based endpoint logic. The method includes obtaining a current spectrum. The current spectrum is a spectrum of white light reflected from a film of interest on a second substrate when the film of interest is being subjected to a polishing step and has a current thickness that is greater than the target thickness. The method includes determining, for the second substrate, when an endpoint of the polishing step has been achieved. The determining is based on the reference and current spectra.
US09583386B2

A substrate is provided having a dual damascene structure formed within a dielectric material over the substrate. The dual damascene structure includes a trench and an opening formed to extend from a bottom of the trench to an underlying conductive material, with the underlying conductive material exposed at a bottom of the opening. The dual damascene structure is exposed to a sealing process by which the exposed surfaces of the dielectric material in the opening are sealed without covering the underlying conductive material exposed at the bottom of the opening. The sealing process can be one or more of deposition of a flowable film, deposition of an amorphous carbon barrier layer, and formation of a self-assembled monolayer of an amino group. After the sealing process, an electroless deposition process is performed to fill the opening with a metallic material in a bottom-to-top manner up to the bottom of the trench.
US09583384B2

An integrated circuit structure includes a first dielectric layer, an etch stop layer over the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer over the etch stop layer. A via is disposed in the first dielectric layer and the etch stop layer. A metal line is disposed in the second dielectric layer, wherein the metal line is connected to the via. The etch stop layer includes a first portion having an edge contacting an edge of the via, wherein the first portion has a first chemical composition, and a second portion in contact with the first portion. The second portion is spaced apart from the via by the first portion, and wherein the second portion has a second chemical composition different from the first composition.
US09583375B2

Methods and systems for forming water soluble masks by dry film lamination are described. Also described are methods of wafer dicing, including formation of a water soluble mask by dry film lamination. In one embodiment, a method involves moisturizing an inner area of a water soluble dry film. The method involves stretching the water soluble dry film over a surface of the semiconductor wafer, and attaching the moistened inner area of the stretched film to the surface of the semiconductor wafer. A method of wafer dicing may further involve patterning the water soluble dry film, exposing regions of the semiconductor wafer between the ICs, and etching the semiconductor wafer through gaps in the patterned water soluble dry film.
US09583372B2

A member for semiconductor manufacturing device includes a susceptor which is a ceramic plate formed of AlN and a gas introduction pipe which is joined to the susceptor. An annular pipe joining bank is provided at a position of the susceptor facing a flange of the gas introduction pipe. In addition, a pipe brazed part is formed between the flange and the pipe joining bank. The flange has a width of 3 mm or more and a thickness of from 0.5 to 2 mm. It is preferable that the height of the pipe joining bank be 0.5 mm or more, the edge of the bank facing the outer edge of the flange. be chamfered as designated by C0.3 or more or rounded as designated by R0.3 or more.
US09583371B2

An ESC may include a dielectric layer, an electrode, a pedestal, a heater, an adhesive and a protecting ring. The dielectric layer may be configured to support a substrate. The electrode may be disposed in the dielectric layer and is configured to form plasma over the substrate. The pedestal may be disposed under the dielectric layer. The heater may be disposed between the pedestal and the dielectric layer and is configured to heat the substrate. The adhesive may be disposed between the pedestal and the heater, and between the heater and the dielectric layer. The protecting ring may be configured to surround the adhesive. The protecting ring may include a plasma-resistant material.
US09583370B2

An article transport facility includes a connecting actuator device for moving an eject portion of an inactive gas supplying device relative to a support portion of a ceiling transport vehicle in order to change the positional relationship between the support portion and the eject portion between a connecting positional relationship and a separating positional relationship. The inactive gas supplying device is configured to eject the inactive gas from the eject portion with the connection between the eject portion and the container maintained after the positional relationship between the support portion and the eject portion is changed to the connecting positional relationship.
US09583368B2

A flip chip package and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The flip chip package in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: a substrate; a plurality of pads formed on the substrate; a solder resist covering the substrate in such a way that the pads are exposed; a chip mounted on the substrate in such a way that the chip is electrically connected with the pads; a plurality of bumps formed, respectively, on the pads in such a way that the bumps are interposed between the pads and the chip; an under-fill flowing between the substrate and the chip and being filled in between the substrate and the chip; and an opening placed in between the plurality of bumps in such a way that a flowing space of the under-fill is provided in between the plurality of bumps.
US09583354B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for depositing materials on either side of a freestanding film using laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition (LA-CVD), and structures formed using same. A freestanding film, which is suspended over a cavity defined in a substrate, is exposed to a fluidic CVD precursor that reacts to form a solid material when exposed to light and/or heat. The freestanding film is then exposed to a laser beam in the presence of the precursor. The CVD precursor preferentially deposits on the surface(s) of the freestanding film.
US09583348B2

Methods of treating metal-containing thin films, such as films comprising titanium carbide, with a silane/borane agent are provided. In some embodiments a film comprising titanium carbide is deposited on a substrate by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The process may include a plurality of deposition cycles involving alternating and sequential pulses of a first source chemical that comprises titanium and at least one halide ligand, a second source chemical comprising metal and carbon, wherein the metal and the carbon from the second source chemical are incorporated into the thin film, and a third source chemical, wherein the third source chemical is a silane or borane that at least partially reduces oxidized portions of the titanium carbide layer formed by the first and second source chemicals. In some embodiments treatment forms a capping layer on the metal carbide film.
US09583344B2

Provided are methods of trimming photoresist patterns. The methods involve coating a photoresist trimming composition over a photoresist pattern, wherein the trimming composition includes a matrix polymer, a thermal acid generator and a solvent, the trimming composition being free of cross-linking agents. The coated semiconductor substrate is heated to generate an acid in the trimming composition from the thermal acid generator, thereby causing a change in polarity of the matrix polymer in a surface region of the photoresist pattern. The photoresist pattern is contacted with a developing solution to remove the surface region of the photoresist pattern. The methods find particular applicability in the formation of very fine lithographic features in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
US09583343B2

A method of forming a non-continuous line pattern includes forming a DSA material layer on a substrate, performing a phase separation of the DSA material layer to form an ordered periodic pattern including a plurality of first polymer structures and the second polymer structures arranged alternately, forming a first mask to cover a first portion of the ordered periodic pattern, performing a first etching process to remove a portion of the first polymer structures exposed by the first mask, removing the first mask, forming a second mask to cover a second portion of the ordered periodic pattern, with an interval to the first portion of the ordered periodic pattern, performing a second etching process to remove a portion of the second polymer structures exposed by the second mask, and removing the second mask. The remaining first polymer structures and the remaining second polymer structures are not connected to each other.
US09583341B2

A process for transferring a useful layer to a receiver substrate includes providing a donor substrate comprising an intermediate layer, a carrier substrate, and a useful layer. The intermediate layer is free of species liable to degas during a subsequent heat treatment, and is configured to become soft at a temperature. The receiver substrate and the donor substrate are assembled. An additional layer is provided between the receiver substrate and the carrier substrate that comprises chemical species that are susceptible to diffuse into the intermediate layer during the subsequent heat treatment so as to form a weak zone. The heat treatment is carried out on the receiver substrate and the donor substrate at a second temperature higher than the first temperature.
US09583339B2

A method is provided for forming spacers for a gate of a field effect transistor, the gate being situated above a layer of semiconductor material, including forming a layer of nitride covering the gate; modifying the layer by plasma implantation of light ions, having an atomic number equal or less than 10, in the layer in order to form a modified layer of nitride, the modifying being performed so as not to modify the layer of nitride over its entire thickness at flanks of the gate; and removing the modified layer of nitride by a selective wet or dry etching, of the modified layer relative to said layer of semiconductor material and relative to the non-modified layer at the flanks of the gate, without etching the layer of semiconductor material, wherein an entire length of the non-modified layer at the flanks remains after the selective wet or dry etching.
US09583333B2

Embodiments of the present invention generally provide methods for forming a silicon nitride layer on a substrate. In one embodiment, a method of forming a silicon nitride layer using remote plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at a temperature that is less than 300 degrees Celsius is disclosed. The precursors for the remote plasma CVD process include tris(dimethylamino)silane (TRIS), dichlorosilane (DCS), trisilylamine (TSA), bis-t-butylaminosilane (BTBAS), hexachlorodisilane (HCDS) or hexamethylcyclotrisilazane (HMCTZ).
US09583328B2

The present invention relates to a lamp having synthetic ceramic glass electrodes, which comprises a glass tube, a plurality of synthetic ceramic glass electrodes, and a plurality of connecting members. The plurality of connecting members are disposed between the glass tube and the plurality of synthetic ceramic glass electrodes. The plurality of connecting members have different thermal expansion coefficients. Thereby, by using the plurality of connecting members to connect the plurality of synthetic ceramic glass electrodes, the glass tube and the plurality of synthetic ceramic glass electrodes can be sealed tightly.
US09583327B2

A miniature time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) was developed for a NASA/ASTID program beginning 2008. The primary targeted application for this technology is the detection of non-volatile (refractory) and biological materials on landed planetary missions. Both atmospheric and airless bodies are potential candidate destinations for the purpose of characterizing mineralogy, and searching for evidence of existing or extant biological activity.
US09583325B2

Systems and methods for analyzing a sample comprising an analyte selected from a volatile organic compound, a semi-volatile organic compound, a non-volatile organic compound, a polar organic compound and a halogenated non-volatile organic compound are provided. The systems comprises an ionization source, a flow cell or an immersion probe with a delicate membrane, the flow cell or immersion probe for accepting the sample, and the delicate membrane interface in fluid communication with the ionization source and a mass spectrometer. The flow cell system further comprises a simultaneously matched pumping in and out delivery (SMPIOD) system for delivering an acceptor phase comprising the analyte from the delicate membrane interface to the mass spectrometer at a constant acceptor flow pressure and a constant acceptor flow rate.
US09583315B2

A plasma etching apparatus of the present disclosure etches a substrate by plasma of a processing gas. The plasma etching apparatus includes a processing container; a holding unit configured to hold a substrate; and an electrode plate. The plasma etching apparatus further includes configured to supply the processing gas to a space between the holding unit and the electrode plate and disposed in n (n is a natural number of two or more) regions of the substrate divided concentrically in a radial direction, respectively. In addition, the plasma etching apparatus further includes a high frequency power source configured to supply a high frequency power to at least one of the holding unit and the electrode plate so as to generate plasma. The plasma etching apparatus controls a flow rate of the processing gas.
US09583307B2

According to an embodiment of the invention there may be provided a system that may include a specimen chamber, an exchange chamber, a pressure monitor; and a controller. The exchange chamber may be configured to (i) receive a specimen when an exchange chamber pressure maintained within the exchange chamber is at a first pressure level, (ii) reduce the exchange chamber pressure to be lower than a specimen vapor pressure. The pressure monitor may be configured to perform, during a measurement period, at least one measurement of the exchange chamber pressure. The exchange chamber may be configured to stop a reduction of the exchange chamber pressure during the measurement period.
US09583301B2

A metamaterial high-power microwave source relates to the fields of vacuum electronic technology, particle physics, and accelerators, including: a cathode, a metamaterial slow-wave structure (SWS), a waveguide and coaxial line coupler located at one end of the metamaterial SWS and a collector component located at the other end of the metamaterial SWS. The metamaterial SWS provided by the present invention is greatly smaller than a rectangular waveguide having the same frequency, so as to realize a miniaturization of devices and facilitate integration with semiconductor devices. The waveguide and coaxial line coupler has a good transmission characteristic and a low reflection in a relatively wide frequency band, which guarantees a high-efficient coupling output of a signal. Moreover, the metamaterial high-power microwave source has a high-power output and a pulsed output power reaching a megawatt level.
US09583300B2

The vacuum tube subject to the present invention comprises a filament and two pairs of a grid and an anode. The filament is tensioned linearly and emitting thermoelectrons. Both of the anodes are formed on the same face on a planar substrate. The filament is arranged parallel to the planar substrate at a position facing both of the anodes. Each of the grids is arranged, such that the grid faces the anode in the same pair at a first predetermined distance from the anode and has a second predetermined distance from the filament, between the anode and the filament. The vacuum tube comprises an intermediate filament fixing part fixing the filament at a position corresponding to an intermediate point between the anodes of the two pairs.
US09583295B2

A contact arm for a circuit breaker includes a body extending along a body axis between a first end and a second end. The body includes an interior surface, an exterior surface, and a fin extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface. The body defines a fin opening adjacent the fin. The fin opening extends between the interior surface and the exterior surface. The interior surface defines a substantially hollow interior. A body opening is located at the first end in fluid communication with the interior. Air flows through the body opening, into the interior, and from the interior out through the fin opening to reduce a temperature of the contact arm.
US09583293B2

An electromagnetic relay includes a coil, an armature, an iron core, a card, a first contact, and a second contact. The card is connected to the armature and formed of an insulating material. The first contact and the second contact are in contact when there is no flow of electric current through the coil. The first contact and the second contact are separated with the armature being attracted to the iron core to interpose the card between the first contact and the second contact when there is a flow of electric current through the coil.
US09583290B2

A solenoid device includes at least one electromagnetic coil for generating a magnetic flux when energized, a fixed core constituting part of a magnetic circuit through which the magnetic flux passes, and plungers constituting the magnetic circuit together with the fixed core and configured to advance to and retract from the fixed core depending on whether the magnetic coil is energized or de-energized. The magnetic circuit is provided with a magnetic resistance part as a resistance for the magnetic flux. The plungers are configured to be attracted to the fixed core by energizing the electromagnetic coil.
US09583285B1

Input elements, handles, enclosures and alignment of such elements and handles within an electronic device. The elements, such as buttons or input devices, and handles discussed herein may be configured, assembled and/or installed within and/or on an electronic device to ensure proper alignment and positioning within the housing of the electronic device. By properly aligning and positioning the elements and handles within or on the housing of the electronic device, the elements and handles may provide accurate input to the electronic device and may be visually appealing to a user. Additionally, a two-piece enclosure including a hook and cutout portion may secure and/or protect the internal components of the electronic device, while also providing a visually “seamless” connection between the two-pieces for forming the enclosure of the electronic device.
US09583282B2

A clutch mechanism for an energy storage device is disclosed. In an embodiment, the clutch mechanism includes a loading gear, a driving gear, a one-way bearing, a sleeve, and a gear shaft comprising a gear portion and a clutch portion. The gear shaft includes multiple spheres, and a push rod and an elastic element which are located in a cavity of the gear shaft. The push rod includes a groove and can slide in the axial direction of the gear shaft. A pressure block is fixed to the driving gear, the pressure block being able to push the push rod to slide in the axial direction of the gear shaft, so as to unlock or lock the sleeve and the gear shaft. A gas insulated circuit breaker employing such a clutch mechanism is also disclosed.
US09583279B2

A secondary battery including a plurality of electrode assemblies including: a first electrode assembly including a first positive electrode active material; and a secondary electrode assembly including a second positive electrode active material; the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly being electrically connected to each other, the first positive electrode active material being different from the second positive electrode active material, and a discharge capacity ratio of the second electrode assembly being in a range of 25% to 80%, based on a total discharge capacity of the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly, is disclosed.
US09583275B2

There is provided a solid electrolytic capacitor which can increase an electrostatic capacitance and reduce ESR characteristics, and a method of manufacturing the solid electrolytic capacitor. The solid electrolytic capacitor has: a dielectric oxide film formed on a surface of an anode body having fine pores; a cathode body opposing to the anode body; and conductive polymer layers formed inside the fine pores and including amines and water-soluble self-doped conductive polymers having sulfonic acid groups. The self-doped conductive polymers are held in a good state inside fine pores such as etching pits, so that the electrostatic capacitance increases and ESR characteristics are reduced.
US09583269B2

The invention relates to a plug element (10), in particular for producing capacitors (C), which comprises three sections (1, 2, 3) in the direction of its longitudinal extent, wherein a first section (1) has a tapered shape at one end of the plug element (10), said tapered shape complementing a shape of a third section (3) at that end of the plug element (10) which is averted from the first section (1), and wherein a second section (2) is arranged between the first and the third section (1, 3), said second section connecting the first and the third section (1, 3) to one another. The invention also relates to a plug system (100) comprising plug elements (10) by means of which (cylindrical) capacitors (C) can be created, wherein electrically conductive layers (L1, D, L2, U) of the capacitor (C) which is formed from the plug system (100) simultaneously form a conduction structure of an inductor.
US09583265B2

A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body including internal electrodes and dielectric layers, and an electrode layer disposed on at least one surface of the ceramic body and electrically connected to the internal electrodes. A conductive resin layer containing metal particles and a base resin is disposed on the electrode layer. When a weight ratio of metal to carbon in a surface portion of the conductive resin layer is defined as A, and a weight ratio of metal to carbon in an internal portion of the conductive resin layer is defined as B, A is greater than B.
US09583261B2

A powder magnetic core which exhibits a high compact density and a reduced iron loss can be obtained by compacting a soft magnetic powder in which the mass ratio of soft magnetic powder particles that pass through a filter having an opening of 75 μm is 95 mass % or higher relative to the whole amount of the soft magnetic powder and which has a mean strain of less than 0.100%.
US09583260B2

Described herein is a system and method to enable a wireless power transmission link system. The wireless power transmission link system may comprise an axle and an optional telemetry unit interior to the axle. The wireless power transmission link system may comprise a first cup located interior to the telemetry unit and/or the axle. The first cup may comprise a first channel for housing a first wound coil. The wireless power transmission link system may comprise a second cup separated by an air gap from the first cup. The second cup may comprise a second channel for housing a second wound coil. The first wound coil and the second wound coil may form a portion of an inductively coupled, resonant, air-core transformer. The first cup and/or the second cup may comprise ferromagnetic material properties.
US09583257B2

In some example embodiments, there may be provided an apparatus. The apparatus may include a chamber including a first cavity and a second cavity, wherein the chamber further includes a first fluid suspended in a second fluid; a first electrode adjacent to the first cavity; a second electrode adjacent to the second cavity; a third electrode configured to provide a common electrode to the first electrode and the second electrode; and at least one coil adjacent to at least one of the first cavity or the second cavity, wherein an inductance value of the coil is varied by at least applying a driving signal between the common electrode and the first electrode and/or the second electrode. Related methods, systems, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.
US09583250B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a tunable inductor having a magnetic core which has an air gap. In order to vary the inductance of the inductor, the inductor includes a tuner that is moveable relative to the magnetic core in the vicinity of the air gap. An actuator is attached to the tuner which, upon actuation, moves the tuner relative to the magnetic core to thereby vary the spacing between the tuner and the core in the vicinity of the air gap. The variation of the spacing between the tuner and the magnetic core varies the effective air gap of the overall inductor in the desired fashion.
US09583249B2

A push pin actuator apparatus is provided. The push pin actuator apparatus includes a housing, a wire coil arranged within the housing and arranged around a first armature and a second armature. The first armature is coupled to a first push pin and the second armature is coupled to a second push pin. The push pin actuator apparatus further includes a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet arranged on opposing sides of the first armature, and a third permanent magnet and a fourth permanent magnet arranged on opposing sides of the second armature. The first push pin is actuated in response to a current being applied to the wire coil in a first direction, and the second push pin is actuated in response to a current being applied to the wire coil in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
US09583239B2

An electrode component with electrode layers formed on intermediate layers includes a ceramic substrate, two intermediate layers formed on two opposite surfaces of the ceramic substrate, two electrode layers respectively formed on the two intermediate layers, two lead wires respectively connected to the electrode layers, and an insulating layer enclosing the ceramic substrate, the intermediate layers, the electrode layers, and portions of the two lead wires. The intermediate layer formed between the ceramic substrate and the electrode layer replaces the fabrication means for conventional silver electrode layer to provide good binding strength between the ceramic substrate and the electrode layer. Besides same electrical characteristics for original products, the electrode component can get rid of the use of precious silver in screen printed silver electrode and avoid pollution caused by evaporation and thermal dissolution of organic solvent while lowering the ohmic contact resistance between the electrode layer and the ceramic substrate.
US09583237B2

A method of manufacturing a polymer-insulated conductor. The method includes the steps of a) providing a conductor having a first cross-sectional shape, b) passing the conductor through a conductor-shaping die to shape the conductor such that the conductor obtains a second cross-sectional shape, wherein frictional heat is developed in the conductor, thereby setting the conductor in a heated state, c) applying molten polymer to the conductor when the conductor is in the heated state to obtain a polymer-coated conductor, and d) shaping the polymer-coated conductor by means of a polymer-shaping die to thereby obtain the polymer-insulated conductor.
US09583222B2

A debris filter for a nuclear reactor installation is provided. The debris filter comprises a plurality of plates arranged side-by-side in a spaced relationship and delimiting between them flow passages extending through the debris filter from a lower inlet face to an upper outlet face of the debris filter, each passage having an intermediate section offset with respect to an inlet section and an outlet section. At least one of the plates is formed with debris catching features distributed along the plate and protruding into at least one passage delimited by the plate.
US09583210B1

Various systems and methods for implementing fuse-based integrity protection are described herein. A system for validating a read-only memory (ROM), the system comprising a ROM reader logic, implemented at least partly in hardware, to: access a read-only memory (ROM) having a plurality of permanently programmable electric couplings (PPECs), the PPECs having been programmed; survey a number of permanently altered PPECs in the set of PPECs to produce a counter value; read a binary representation of the counter value from PPEC values stored as a PPEC signature; and read a binary representation of the binary complement of the counter value from PPEC values in the PPEC signature; and a ROM validation logic, implemented at least partly in hardware, to verify the integrity of the ROM using a combination of at least two of: the counter value, the binary representation of the counter value, and the binary representation of the binary complement of the counter value.
US09583207B2

A nonvolatile memory block experiences multiple write-erase cycles during which data is subject to a shaping operation prior to storage. In response to a write-erase cycle count reaching a predetermined number, a polling cycle occurs during which shaping is disabled and data is collected that indicates a condition of the block. Subsequently, shaping is reenabled for subsequent cycles.
US09583200B2

A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array and a control circuit. A control circuit performs an erase operation providing a memory cell with a first threshold voltage level for erasing data of a memory cell, and then perform a plurality of first write operations providing a memory cell with a second threshold voltage level, the second threshold voltage level being higher than the first threshold voltage level and being positive level. When the control circuit receives a first execution instruction from outside during the first write operations, the first execution instruction being for performing first function operation except for the erase operation and the first write operations, the circuit performs the first function operation during the first write operations.
US09583198B1

Techniques are provided for avoiding over-programming which can occur on memory cells connected to a data word line at a source-side of a block of word lines. A gradient in the channel potential is created during a program voltage between the data word line and an adjacent dummy word line. This gradient generates electron-hole pairs which can contribute to over programming, where the over programming is worse at higher temperatures. In one aspect, pass voltages of unselected word lines are set to be relatively lower when the temperature is relatively higher, and when the selected word line is among a set of one or more source-side word lines. On the other hand, the pass voltages are set to be relatively higher when the temperature is relatively higher, and when the selected word line is not among the one or more source-side word lines.
US09583194B2

A memory system includes: a memory device comprising at least a page; and a controller suitable for setting a seed offset according to a size of a restricted region in the page, randomizing data using the seed offset at each cycle, and storing the randomized data in the page.
US09583190B2

An integrated circuit (IC) that includes content addressable memories (CAM) is described. A CAM receives a key and searches through entries stored in the CAM for one or more entries that match the key. If a matching entry is found, the IC returns a storage address indicating a memory location at which the matching was found.
US09583189B2

A method of operating a memory device including a plurality of memory cells is provided. The method includes receiving a first write command, determining whether a target memory cell is deteriorated or not, in response to the first write command, and writing the second data by selectively erasing the target memory cell according to a result of the determination and by programming the target memory cell.
US09583188B2

A semiconductor memory device has at least one memory cell using a resistance variable element, and a control circuit which controls writing to and reading from the memory cell. Operations by the control circuit include a first writing operation, a second writing operation, and a rewriting operation. The first writing operation is a writing operation for applying a first voltage of a first polarity to the memory cell. The second writing operation is a writing operation for applying a second voltage of a second polarity opposite to the first polarity to the memory cell. The rewriting operation is a writing operation for, when the first writing operation fails, further executing a second A writing operation for applying the second voltage of the second polarity to the memory cell and a first A writing operation for applying the first voltage of the first polarity to the memory cell.
US09583187B2

Phase change material can be set with a multistage set process. Set control logic can heat a phase change semiconductor material (PM) to a first temperature for a first period of time. The first temperature is configured to promote nucleation of a crystalline state of the PM. The control logic can increase the temperature to a second temperature for a second period of time. The second temperature is configured to promote crystal growth within the PM. The nucleation and growth of the crystal set the PM to the crystalline state. The multistage ramping up of the temperature can improve the efficiency of the set process relative to traditional approaches.
US09583179B2

A three-dimensional (3D) memory cell separation among 3D integrated circuit (IC) (3DIC) tiers is disclosed. Related 3DICs, 3DIC processor cores, and methods are also disclosed. In embodiments disclosed herein, memory read access ports of a memory block are separated from a memory cell in different tiers of a 3DIC. 3DICs achieve higher device packing density, lower interconnect delays, and lower costs. In this manner, different supply voltages can be provided for the read access ports and the memory cell to be able to lower supply voltage for the read access ports. Static noise margins and read/write noise margins in the memory cell may be provided as a result. Providing multiple power supply rails inside a non-separated memory block that increases area can also be avoided.
US09583175B1

An apparatus includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to (a) buffer write signals presented on a data bus connected between a memory channel and a memory controller, (b) buffer read signals presented on the data bus and (c) condition the write signals. The conditioning may be implemented by (i) converting the write signals to a first differential write signal on a first differential write line and a second differential write signal on a second differential write line and (ii) connecting (a) a negative impedance and (b) a combined resistive and capacitive load between the first and second differential write lines. The second circuit may be configured to (a) convert the first and the second differential write signals to a single-ended write signal and (b) present the single-ended write signal to the data bus.
US09583169B2

A boosted supply voltage generator is selectively activated and deactivated to allow operations that are sensitive to variations on the boosted voltage to be performed with a stable boosted voltage. Techniques for deactivating and reactivating the voltage generator are also disclosed that enable more rapid recovery from deactivation such that subsequent operations can be commenced sooner. Such techniques include storing state information corresponding to the voltage generator when deactivated, where the stored state information is used when reactivating the voltage generator. Stored state information can include a state of a clock signal provided to the voltage generator.
US09583162B1

A nonvolatile memory device suitable for sequentially performing a ZQ calibration operation and a read operation in response to a ZQ calibration enable signal and a read enable signal. The nonvolatile memory device includes a duty ratio control block suitable for receiving the read enable signal, performing a duty correction operation and setting a duty ratio, in a ZQ calibration operation period, and receiving the read enable signal and outputting a duty-corrected clock based on the set duty ratio, in a read operation period; a clock generation block suitable for generating an internal clock signal in response to the duty-corrected clock; and a data output block suitable for outputting data outputted from an internal memory cell region, in synchronization with the internal clock signal.
US09583156B2

A selected gate (SG) driver circuit, including a first NMOS transistor, a second NMOS transistor, a third NMOS transistor, a first PMOS transistor, and a second PMOS transistor. A gate electrode of the first NMOS transistor is connected to a gate electrode of the first PMOS transistor, a source electrode of the first NMOS transistor being connected to a drain electrode of the third NMOS transistor, and a drain electrode of the first NMOS transistor being connected to a drain electrode of the first PMOS transistor and a gate electrode of the second NMOS transistor. A source electrode of the second NMOS transistor is connected to a source electrode of the third NMOS transistor, and a drain electrode of the second NMOS transistor being connected to a drain electrode of the second PMOS transistor and a gate electrode of the third NMOS transistor.
US09583152B1

A layout structure of a semiconductor memory device including a sub wordline driver is disclosed. The semiconductor memory device layout having a sub wordline driver in which a PMOS region is located includes: a plurality of active regions; and a main word line formed to pass through the active regions. The main word line includes three gate lines.
US09583150B2

A protective cover includes a base plate, and a cover unit cooperating with the base plate to define an accommodating space and including an opening communicating with the accommodating space for entry of a first or second storage device into the accommodating space. At least one pad member is connected foldably to the base plate and is operable to move between unfolded and folded positions. The pad member is folded over the base plate when in the folded position. The accommodating space is adapted to accommodate the first storage device when the pad member is in the unfolded position and the second storage device when the pad member is in the folded position.
US09583146B2

Various embodiments for creating media clips are disclosed. In one embodiment, media clips are created by a server in response to receiving a primary media recording of at least a portion of an event from a first content capture device, and activity identification information from a content tagging device, the activity identification information comprising a selection time when an activity indicator was selected by a user in response to an activity that occurred during the event. A processor executes machine-executable instructions stored in memory that causes the server to determine whether the first primary media recording is associated with the event, and create a first media clip from the first primary media recording when the first primary media recording is determined to be associated with the event.
US09583145B2

The present invention comprises an input part for inputting image data, a receiving part for receiving production information relating to production transmitted from another apparatus, a recording part for recording the production information received by the receiving part and image data input by the input part, a detection part for detecting a recording position on a recording medium at an editing point of image data recorded by the recording part, and a transmission part for transmitting information of the recording position detected by the detection part, whereby identification information for identifying image data and voice data is recorded in a recording medium or a recording device, this relieving a burden on a photographer and an editor and facilitating extraction of image data and voice data.
US09583140B1

A video editing project includes multiple assets, such as animated three-dimensional geometries and streaming video clips. Assets are rendered during associated timespans in a timeline. Video clips are streamed from sources while the project is rendered, rather than in advance. Rendered video data is played in real-time during rendering. Rendering the project may further involve rendering assets in a three-dimensional space. Streaming video clip(s) may be mapped to a geometry. Effects or transformations may be applied the video clip(s) in real-time during rendering and playback. Non-destructive, non-linear editing techniques are described—edits are specified for assets without changing the assets at their sources or having to download and modify a working copy. The editor may support live editing of the project during the real-time playback. The video editor may be, for example, a web browser-based application requiring no direct software installation by the user, and streaming media from remote servers.
US09583137B1

A system includes, in at least one aspect, a storage device including patterned media and a head; and a read channel configured to: receive a DC readback signal from the head, the DC readback signal including position error signal (PES) information associated with a position of the head with respect to the patterned media, and determine the position of the head with respect to the patterned media based on a result of summing the DC components of the PES information.
US09583135B1

An apparatus and method provide for performing, using a heat-assisted magnetic recording head, multiple sequential writes to a recording medium, and recording a metric of write performance for each of the writes. The apparatus and method further provide for calculating fluctuations in the metric, detecting whether the head has a laser mode hopping problem using the metric fluctuations, and categorizing a severity of the laser mode hopping problem.
US09583133B2

Frame memories store captured images supplied from a plurality of imaging units, respectively. A motion detection portion detects the motion of a captured image of at least one of the imaging units. A mode determination portion sets, in accordance with at least either the amount of the motion detected by the motion detection portion or a power consumption limit of the image generation device, one of two modes, one for operating the plurality of imaging units simultaneously and the other for operating the plurality of imaging units intermittently. A control signal generation portion supplies, to the plurality of frame memories, a control signal adapted to control reading of the captured images from the plurality of frame memories in accordance with the mode set by the mode determination portion.
US09583114B2

The invention provides an audio decoder being configured for decoding a bitstream so as to produce therefrom an audio output signal, the bitstream including at least an active phase followed by at least an inactive phase, wherein the bitstream has encoded therein at least a silence insertion descriptor frame which describes a spectrum of a background noise, the audio decoder including: a silence insertion descriptor decoder configured to decode the silence insertion descriptor frame; a decoding device configured to reconstruct the audio output signal from the bitstream during the active phase; a spectral converter configured to determine a spectrum of the audio output signal; a noise estimator device configured to determine a first spectrum of the noise of the audio output signal; a resolution converter configured to establish a second spectrum of the noise of the audio output signal; a comfort noise spectrum estimation device; and a comfort noise generator.
US09583110B2

An apparatus for processing a decoded audio signal including a filter for filtering the decoded audio signal to obtain a filtered audio signal, a time-spectral converter stage for converting the decoded audio signal and the filtered audio signal into corresponding spectral representations, each spectral representation having a plurality of subband signals, a weighter for performing a frequency selective weighting of the filtered audio signal by a multiplying subband signals by respective weighting coefficients to obtain a weighted filtered audio signal, a subtractor for performing a subband-wise subtraction between the weighted filtered audio signal and the spectral representation of the decoded audio signal, and a spectral-time converter for converting the result audio signal or a signal derived from the result audio signal into a time domain representation to obtain a processed decoded audio signal.
US09583107B2

A method of providing speech transcription performance indication includes receiving, at a user device data representing text transcribed from an audio stream by an ASR system, and data representing a metric associated with the audio stream; displaying, via the user device, said text; and via the user device, providing, in user-perceptible form, an indicator of said metric. Another method includes displaying, by a user device, text transcribed from an audio stream by an ASR system; and via the user device, providing, in user-perceptible form, an indicator of a level of background noise of the audio stream. Another method includes receiving data representing an audio stream; converting said data representing an audio stream to text via an ASR system; determining a metric associated with the audio stream; transmitting data representing said text to a user device; and transmitting data representing said metric to the user device.
US09583104B2

Techniques are described herein that are capable of suggesting intent frame(s) for user request(s). For instance, the intent frame(s) may be suggested to elicit a request from a user. An intent frame is a natural language phrase (e.g., a sentence) that includes at least one carrier phrase and at least one slot. A slot in an intent frame is a placeholder that is identified as being replaceable by one or more words that identify an entity and/or an action to indicate an intent of the user. A carrier phrase in an intent frame includes one or more words that suggest a type of entity and/or action that is to be identified by the one or more words that may replace the corresponding slot. In accordance with these techniques, the intent frame(s) are suggested in response to determining that natural language functionality of a processing system is activated.
US09583102B2

A method of controlling an interactive system includes the steps of: referring to a storage portion storing a plurality of response information about a manner of operation responsive to a user, each associated with a priority serving as an index when being selected; selecting one response information in accordance with the priorities of the plurality of response information; executing response processing for the user based on the selected response information; accepting voice input for the response processing from the user; evaluating the user's reaction to the response processing based on a manner of voice of the accepted voice input; and changing the priority of the selected response information stored in the storage portion based on an evaluation result.
US09583097B2

In an electronic device, a method includes analyzing help information associated with a software application to identify a sequence of manipulations of viewable elements associated with an instance of an operation by the software application. The method further includes generating a voice command set based on the sequence of manipulations of viewable elements and storing the voice command set. The method further includes receiving voice input from a user, determining the voice input represents a voice command of the voice command set, and performing an emulated manipulation sequence of viewable elements based on the voice command to actuate an instance of the operation by the software application, the emulated manipulation sequence based on the sequence of manipulations of viewable elements.
US09583094B2

A method and system for improving the accuracy of a speech recognition system using were confidence score (WCS) processing is introduced. Parameters in a decoder are selected to minimize a weighted total error rate, such that deletion errors are weighted more heavily than substitution and insertion errors. The occurrence distribution in WCS is different depending on whether the word was correctly identified and based on the type of error. This is used to determine thresholds in WCS for insertion and substitution errors. By processing the hypothetical word (HYP) (output of the decoder), a mHYP (modified HYP) is determined. In some circumstances, depending on the WCS's value in relation to insertion and substitution threshold values, mHYP is set equal to: null, a substituted HYP, or HYP.
US09583091B2

A method is disclosed for masking noise originating from rotary equipment in a vehicle engine. The method may include checking if engine input conditions fulfill engine input condition threshold values. If the engine input conditions fulfill the engine input conditions threshold values, the method may include outputting a first masking noise from a speaker. The first masking noise may include a first central frequency, a first predetermined bandwidth and a first amplitude, where the first central frequency and the first amplitude are determined by the input conditions. The disclosure also relates to a system for masking noise originating from rotary equipment in a vehicle engine.
US09583087B2

A piezo pickup which detects a key depression vibration occurred by a key depression operation is provided on the center of the lower surface of a key switch board where key switches of a keyboard are arranged. A CPU acquires the key number of a depressed key and a distance between the key switch of this key number and the piezo pickup in response to the key depression operation, and controls the sound volume and the tone color of a musical sound at a pitch corresponding to the key number based on control data acquired by correcting the detection output level (piezo input envelope waveform) of the piezo pickup in accordance with the acquired distance.
US09583086B2

The invention provides a keyboard device of an electronic musical instrument, wherein a hammer can be installed correctly by a simple operation of pressing a key. The keyboard device of the electronic musical instrument includes: a chassis; a key disposed rotatably on the chassis and extending from the rear to a front; a support shaft disposed on the chassis in front of the rotation center; a hammer rotating in conjunction with the key along with pressing on the front of the key; a retaining hole formed through the hammer and retaining the support shaft; a guide groove guiding the support shaft in the retaining hole; and a shifting means, shifting from a temporarily secured state to a retained state, and pressing the hammer in the temporarily secured state toward the rear to shift the hammer to the retained state along with the pressing on the front of the key.
US09583084B1

A system is provided for adaptive demarcation of a selectively defined tonal scale on a musical instrument having a set of note actuators which span at least one musical octave. A scale acquisition portion acquires a tonal scale characterized at least by a predetermined mode and predetermined key signature, to define a predefined ordered series of tone components. The tone components are represented by different musical notes, and are successively separated in pitch by tonal intervals. A scale delineation portion coupled to the scale acquisition portion adaptively maps the tone components to a corresponding subset of the note actuators within at least one musical octave. A plurality of marker portions coupled respectively to the note actuators are selectively enabled according to the tone components' mapping to visually indicate the subset of note actuators corresponding thereto. Visual indication is thereby adaptively maintained for the note actuators of the acquired tonal scale.
US09583083B1

An adaptable drum practice device includes an attachment mechanism, including a clip or a clamp; a sliding rail; a one-piece or telescoping shaft; and a device practice pad; such that the device practice pad is rotationally connected to the shaft, which allows a drummer to set the device practice pad to preferred height and rotational, vertical, and horizontal angles, and longitudinal position. The adaptable drum practice device can further include a ball joint with a locking mechanism, and the telescoping shaft can further include upper and lower shafts. The adaptable drum practice device allows a practicing drummer to attach the adaptable drum practice device to an existing conventional training drum, quickly and securely, thereby allowing the drummer to have two drumming surfaces that resemble a drum and a hi-hat, cymbal, or additional drum.
US09583078B1

A pad assembly for a flute or other woodwind instrument is provided. The pad assembly may have an upwardly protruding chimney on either a pad base or integral to the pad itself. The pad assembly may be held in place by a washer and screw that is screwed into a spud of a cup, which moves to open and close a tone hole. The upwardly protruding chimney causes compression between the pad and washer, and prevents the washer from directly contacting the spud by creating a spacing between washer and spud. Such a configuration allows the pad assembly to remain in a correct orientation if the cup and a tone hole are misaligned.
US09583070B2

A signal transmitting and receiving system of a display includes a timing controller and at least one source driver. The timing controller is arranged for transmitting a training signal and a data signal. The source driver is coupled to the timing controller via at least one data channel and a lock channel, and is arranged for receiving the training signal and the data signal via the data channel. The timing controller transmits the training signal or the data signal to the source driver by referring to a voltage level of the lock channel, and the voltage level of the lock channel is allowed to be controlled by both the timing controller and the source driver.
US09583065B2

A gate driver and a display device having the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the gate driver includes a plurality of stages configured to respectively output a plurality of gate output signals. An N-th stage includes a first input circuit configured to boost a first input signal to a first signal and transmit the first input signal to a first node. A second input circuit is configured to boost the first input signal to a second signal and transmit the fifth clock signal and a first direct current (DC) voltage to a second node. A stabilizing circuit is configured to boost a second input signal to a third signal, boost a second node signal to a fourth signal, and stabilize a first node signal. An initializing circuit is configured to initialize voltages at the first and second nodes and the first to fourth signals.
US09583064B2

A liquid crystal display (LCD) has a pixel matrix, a plurality of shift registers, a plurality of common voltage generators, a plurality of common voltage buffers, and a plurality of primary bidirectional switch circuits. The shift registers sequentially output gate signals to scan lines of the pixel matrix. The common voltage generators output initial common voltages according to the gate signals. The common voltage buffers are configured to buffer the initial common voltages to output a plurality of common voltages to a plurality of common voltage lines of the pixel matrix. Each of the primary bidirectional switch circuits is configured to control electrical connection between two of the common voltage lines according to one or more gate signals outputted from at least one of the shift registers.
US09583061B2

An object is to reduce power consumption of a display device and to suppress deterioration of display quality. As a transistor provided for each pixel, a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer is used. Note that off-state current of the transistor can be decreased when the oxide semiconductor layer is highly purified. Therefore, variation in the value of a data signal due to the off-state current of the transistor can be suppressed. That is, display deterioration (change) which occurs when writing frequency of the data signal to the pixel including the transistor is reduced (when a break period is lengthened) can be suppressed. In addition, flickers in display which generates when the frequency of an alternating-current driving signal supplied to a signal line in the break period is reduced can be suppressed.
US09583058B2

Provided are a display driving circuit, a driving method thereof and a display apparatus. The display driving circuit comprises a timing sequence control unit (20) and at least one signal driving unit (30) connected to the timing sequence control unit (20). The timing sequence control unit (20) comprises a receiving module (201), a processing module (202) and a sending module (203). The receiving module (201) receives feedback signals (FB) outputted from respective signal driving units (30) to the timing sequence control unit (20); the processing module (202) obtains a maximum delay time after comparing signal delay time of the signal driving units (30) according to the feedback signals (FB); the sending module (203) sends a second clock signal (CLK2) to respective signal driving units (30) according to the maximum delay time such that respective signal driving units (30) receive the second clock signal (CLK2) simultaneously. Therefore, delay errors of the display driving signals can be eliminated, and distortion of the display image can be avoided.
US09583040B2

A display device includes: a pixel array including pixel circuits arranged in a matrix, each pixel circuit having a light emitting element, a drive transistor, and a storage capacitor storing a threshold voltage of the transistor and an inputted signal value; and a threshold correction operation means for performing a threshold correction operation plural times, which allows the storage capacitor to store the threshold voltage by applying a drive voltage to the transistor in a state where a gate potential of the transistor is fixed in a reference potential before giving the signal value to the storage capacitor. The threshold correction operation is started in a state where the gate potential is made a correction acceleration potential higher than the reference potential only at the threshold correction operation of the first half in the plural threshold correction operations, then, returns the gate potential to the reference potential to be fixed.
US09583039B2

A method of digitally driving an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes calculating a first power consumption of a data driver for a first frame while first data bits are input to the data driver. The first data bits are input to the data driver in a data bit input order. The method also includes modifying the data bit input order and inputting second data bits to the data driver for a second frame in the modified data bit input order when the first power consumption is greater than a threshold power consumption.
US09583036B2

A method of driving a display panel includes dividing an input image into a plurality of segments; generating flicker levels of respective ones of the segments; determining a frame rate of the display panel based on the flicker levels of the segments; and outputting a data voltage to the display panel at the frame rate.
US09583031B2

A display device and modulation scheme for applying image data to an imager is disclosed. The display may use a modulation scheme wherein spacing of row write actions on the rows creates gray scale modulation, wherein one row spacing between sequential row write actions is at a first distance while another row spacing between sequential row write actions is at a distance greater than said first distance. The modulation scheme may create a series of write pointers that create a corresponding series of write planes. In some embodiments, modulation efficiency is increased allowing the use of lower frequency imaging circuits to achieve the same display image.
US09583027B1

The specification discloses a portable traffic control sign comprising a stand capable of resting on a support surface, at least one mast portion extending upwardly from the stand, the at least one mast portion having a bottom and a top, a substantially hollow interior and an outside diameter of less than approximately 1.75 inches, at least one sign panel connected to the at least one mast portion, and a reinforcing member fixedly disposed in the hollow interior of each at least one mast portion, the reinforcing member having a length sufficient to reinforce the at least one mast portion proximate the area of probable impact by a motor vehicle.
US09583013B2

A method and system are disclosed for determining a task for a subject, which includes sensing electrical activity along a scalp of a subject; characterizing a mental state of the subject based on the electrical activity of the subject; comparing the mental state of the subject with a pre-defined task list to select a task for the subject based on the mental state of the subject; and assigning the task to the subject based on the comparison of the mental state of the subject and the pre-defined task list.
US09583008B2

A flight management system includes: an avionics core implementing generic aircraft management functionalities and providing services associated with the generic functionalities; at least one remote functionality in an open world part performing a function of interfacing between the avionics core and the open world applications run on the open world part which need to communicate with the avionics core, wherein the remote functionality ensures homogeneity and consistency of data exchanged and guaranteeing integrity and security of data exchanges, and an exchange interface of between the avionics core and the open world functionality supporting data exchanges.
US09583006B2

A device receives a request for a mission that includes traversal of a flight path from a first location to a second location and performance of mission operations, and calculates the flight path from the first location to the second location based on the request. The device determines required capabilities for the mission based on the request, and identifies UAVs based on the required capabilities for the mission. The device generates flight path instructions for the flight path and mission instructions for the mission operations, and provides the flight path/mission instructions to the identified UAVs to permit the identified UAVs to travel from the first location to the second location, via the flight path, and to perform the mission operations at the second location.
US09582993B2

A home appliance includes a controlled assembly, a control module, and a signal converter. The control module is electrically connected to the controlled assembly, and the control module has a port for receiving an electrical signal. The control module controls the controlled assembly according to the electrical signal received through the port. The signal converter receives a wireless control signal, and converts the wireless control signal into the electrical signal to be transmitted to the port. The signal converter is selected from a plurality of signal converters which respectively convert signals of different types. While assembling, the signal converter is connected to the port, which makes the control module and the connected signal converter constitute a control device of the home appliance. Whereby, the inventory pressure of control devices can be reduced for manufacturers.
US09582992B2

A control apparatus includes: a communicating unit configured to establish communication connection with a controlled object; an image acquiring unit configured to obtain a preview image containing the controlled object; and a controlling unit configured to receive a control instruction inputted according to the preview image, and control the controlled object according to the control instruction. Controlling the controlled object according to the preview image containing the controlled object may realize control of the controlled object in a simple and convenient manner, thereby improving user experiences.
US09582987B2

A floatable flood detector has a watertight housing that carries internally a wireless transmitter and a fluid sensor. In the presence of sensed fluid, an alarm message can be transmitted by the transmitter to a displaced monitoring unit. The sensor has a portion exposed to the fluid of interest outside of the housing. The antenna is carried, at least at a fluid level, relative to the floating housing.
US09582979B2

In a system for supervising the safety on a site with at least one movable object, a drowsiness detection system is arranged at the movable object for supplying data related to a drowsiness state of an operator of the movable object. A monitoring system remote from the movable object receives the drowsiness state related data and logs and/or evaluates this drowsiness state related data.
US09582974B2

A system and method for signaling users including a control device electrically connected to a transceiver. The transceiver has a specified frequency. A first mobile signal device being activated by a first user and electrically communicating with a first transmitter having a selectable signal frequency. The first transmitter electrically communicates with the transceiver using the specified frequency. A second signal device includes a second receiver for receiving an activation signal from the transceiver. The second receiver electrically communicates with the transceiver using the specified frequency. The second signal device is activated by the activation of the first mobile signal device using the transceiver for alerting other persons.
US09582969B2

To motivate a user to obtain game items from another deck after the user has obtained desired game items, a system according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes one or more processors and a storage storing information about a finite number of game items included respectively in a first deck and a second deck allocated to a user. The one or more processors select a first allotted count of game items as first allotted game items from among game items in the first deck in response to an acquisition request from the user, and select a second allotted count of game items as second allotted game items from among game items in the second deck in response to the acquisition request from the user.
US09582960B2

An electronic gaming machine includes an electronic game controller and a display where game symbols are arranged in an array of predetermined game positions. The appearance of at least one special symbol in a first play of a game causes the electronic game controller to increase the value of a prize awarded for a predetermined winning combination, the increase being associated with a numerical value associated with the special symbol. Also, the numerical value associated with the special symbol sequentially increases for one or more subsequent plays of the game. A gaming method is also provided.
US09582951B2

A vehicular system includes a vehicle side unit and mobile devices registered to the vehicle side unit. The vehicle side unit transmits a first request signal designating a first mobile device. A replying section of the first mobile device replies a response signal when receiving the first request signal. A replying section of a second mobile device replies a non-designated report signal when receiving the first request signal at a time point different from a time point at which the first mobile device replies the response signal. The vehicle side unit includes a vehicle side receiving section receiving the signal transmitted from the replying section of each mobile device and a locked-in determiner determining that only the first mobile is locked in the compartment of the vehicle when the response signal from the first mobile device is received and the non-designated report signal is not received.
US09582950B2

The disclosure includes a system and method for charging a target object wirelessly. The system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the system to: receive data describing a code from a target object, the code being stored on a tagging device and configured to be read wirelessly by a reading device associated with the target object; verify the code; determine that a location associated with the target object satisfies a safe charging range responsive to the verification of the code, the verification of the code indicating a charging distance between a power transmitter and a power receiver associated with the target object satisfies a safe charging distance; and instruct the power transmitter to wirelessly transmit power to the power receiver associated with the target object responsive to determining that the location of the target object satisfies the safe charging range.
US09582939B2

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for simplifying a point cloud. A point cloud is received where the point cloud has a plurality of points, a global spatial structure, and a local point density. The processor calculates a set of pairwise distances for the plurality of points to at least one other point in the plurality of points. A first distance matrix is generated using the set of pairwise distances. The processor calculates a second pairwise distance set where the plurality of points have a weight and generates a second distance matrix based off the second pairwise distance set. A portion of the points in the second pairwise distance set are removed based on the weight. The processor performs a comparison of the two matrices using the comparison and the global spatial structure and the local point density, and generates a second point cloud based on the second distance matrix.
US09582936B2

A method and apparatus for combining a three-dimensional (3D) model with a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) images by adjusting degrees of transparency of the plurality of 2D images. The method includes: obtaining a plurality of 2D images; arranging the plurality of 2D images in a 3D space based on predetermined criteria; obtaining spatial coordinates of each of the plurality of 2D images arranged in the 3D space; generating a 3D model of the plurality of 2D images arranged in the 3D space based on the spatial coordinates; changing attribute information of the plurality of 2D images arranged in the 3D space; and displaying the 3D model and the plurality of 2D images whose attribute information is changed.
US09582933B1

A device may provide, for display by a technical computing environment (TCE), a group of model elements of a model. The model, when executed, may simulate behavior of a system. The group of model elements may correspond to a group of physical elements of the system. The device may further detect interaction with a three-dimensional (3D) structure located within a spatial environment. The 3D structure may correspond to one or more physical elements of the group of physical elements of the system. The device may further cause the TCE to modify the model based on the detected interaction.
US09582917B2

An authoring tool for authoring a set of cards of a first wrap package including a card mixing tool for mixing a card from a second wrap package into the first wrap package. The authoring tool further includes a set of authoring component tools for selectively adding components to the one more cards and the mixed card and a sequencing tool for defining one or more sequence orders for the one or more cards and the mixed card in the first wrap package.
US09582913B1

Various embodiments enable a computing device to perform tasks such as highlighting words in an augmented reality view that are important to a user. For example, word lists can be generated and the user, by pointing a camera of a computing device at a volume of text, can cause words from the word list within the volume of text to be highlighted in a live field of view of the camera displayed thereon. Accordingly, users can quickly identify textual information that is meaningful to them in an Augmented Reality view to aid the user in sifting through real-world text.
US09582910B2

A display-screen-data editing apparatus including: a storing unit that stores therein a variable table in which a device and a comment for the device are associated with each other; a table generating unit that generates a history table by analyzing screen data and furthermore generating a history-inclusive variable table by combining the variable table and the history table; and a search processing unit that performs a search process on a device and a comment in the history-inclusive variable table on a basis of a character string input to one of a device input field and a comment input field and displays extracted device or comment as a list, wherein a device or a comment that is selected from the displayed list is input to the device input field and the comment input field.
US09582906B2

The present invention relates to a method for motion compensation and state-of-motion specific attenuation correction of positron tomography images by using a small number of low-radiation-dose computer tomography images. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of: acquiring respiration-specific PET data; acquiring CT images from at least 2 different respirations, and using same to generate a virtual 4D CT image; matching the 4D CT image and the respiration-specific PET data, and selecting 3D CT images accurately corresponding to specific respirations; using the selected results to extract respiration motion displacement field information between respiration-specific PET data; using the selected CT images to subject the respiration-specific PET data to respiration-specific attenuation and scattering correction; and using the corrected respiration-specific PET data items and the extracted respiration motion displacement field information items to carry out respiration compensation and reconstruction.
US09582905B2

A color palette for an image is obtained, which is a set of different colors that are determined to be the dominant colors in the image. The color palette can be displayed to a user, and a user input in the form of an adverbial expression to change the color palette is received. The adverbial expression can indicate various different changes to the color palette, such as more or less of a particular color, making a color brighter or darker, making all colors in the color palette shallower or deeper, increasing or reducing the contrast of colors in the color palette, and so forth. The adverbial expression can be transformed into a new color palette and a color based image search can be initiated to identify images based on the colors in the new color palette, or an image can be modified based on the adverbial expression.
US09582891B2

A method is disclosed to automatically segment 3D and higher-dimensional images into two subsets without user intervention, with no topological restriction on the solution, and in such a way that the solution is an optimal in a precisely defined optimization criterion, including an exactly defined degree of smoothness. A minimum-cut algorithm is used on a graph devised so that the optimization criterion translates into the minimization of the graph cut. The minimum cut thus found is interpreted as the segmentation with desired property.
US09582885B2

A zonal underground structure detection method based on sun shadow compensation is provided, which belongs to the crossing field of remote sensing technology, physical geography and pattern recognition, and is used to carry out compensation processing after a shadow is detected, to improve the identification rate of zonal underground structure detection and reduce the false alarm rate. The present invention comprises steps of acquiring DEM terrain data of a designated area, acquiring an image shadow position by using DEM, a solar altitude angle and a solar azimuth angle, processing and compensating a shadow area, and detecting a zonal underground structure after the shadow area is corrected. In the present invention, the acquired DEM terrain data is used to detect the shadow in the designated area; and the detected shadow area is processed and compensated, to reduce influence of the shadow area on zonal underground structure detection; finally, the zonal underground structure is detected by using a remote sensing image after shadow compensation, so that the accuracy of zonal underground structure detection is improved and the false alarm rate is reduced compared with zonal underground structure detection using a remote sensing image without shadow compensation processing.
US09582880B2

Automated image analysis systems and methods are disclosed to quantify change in fibrosis and interstitial lung disease. The system generates scoring changes in Quantitative Interstitial Lung Disease (QILD) by filtering the uploaded images to minimize cross-site variability within images, sampling from a grid of pixels or voxels within the CT images, classifying individual pixels or voxels within downloaded images based on one or more selected texture features, generating a QILD score for each image based on selected features within the image, and calculating a transition between QILD scores within the plurality of CT images.
US09582879B2

A facial skin mask may be generated based on isolating a head part in a captured image, removing a first pixel that is indicative of non-skin from the head part in the captured image, and removing a second pixel that is indicative of having a high velocity from the head part in the captured image. Heart rate may be detected based on the change of color of the pixels of the generated facial skin mask.
US09582878B2

A base image is created from RGB image signals. A B/G ratio between the B image signal and the G image signal is calculated, and a G/R ratio between the G image signal and the R image signal is calculated. A frequency component-enhanced image in which a frequency component corresponding to an abnormal part different from a normal part is enhanced is generated based on the base image. A composition ratio which indicates the ratio for composing the frequency component-enhanced image with the base image is set based on the B/G ratio and the G/R ratio. The frequency component-enhanced image is composed with the base image at the set composition ratio to generate a structure-enhanced image in which the structure of the abnormal part is enhanced.
US09582873B2

Active imaging systems for plant growth monitoring acquire images in which each pixel represents an absolute NDVI value obtained with active illumination.
US09582870B2

Some embodiments of the invention include a method for capturing and analyzing monitoring data of a measuring system. In some embodiments, the measuring system may include one or more sensors and being adapted for a measuring operation of a series of identical objects the measuring operation comprising a multitude of measuring sequences, each measuring sequence comprising the measuring of values of features of an object of the series, the method comprising a multitude of monitoring operations, wherein each monitoring operation comprises capturing monitoring data during a measuring sequence, the monitoring data of each measuring sequence including at least one image comprising the measuring system and/or a measurement environment, characterized by selecting a subset of measuring sequences from the multitude of measuring sequences; and visualizing an image sequence comprising the images of the monitoring data of the measuring sequences of the subset.
US09582857B1

A system, device, and method for minimizing terrain content in an image are disclosed. The terrain content minimization system may include a source of navigation data, a source of first surface data, and an image generator (IG). The IG may be configured to acquire navigation data; acquire first surface data; identify first surface data as a function of an elevation range; generate first pixel data; generate second pixel; and employ at least one of the first pixel data and the second pixel data. Second surface data could be comprised of a first subset of the surface data, and the third surface data could be comprised of a second subset of the surface data not included in the second subset of the first surface data. In addition, the pixel data could be representative of an image of terrain of the surface data.
US09582849B2

Methods and systems configured to virtualize graphic processing services in a virtual machine environment are disclosed. A virtual machine monitor (VMM) may be configured to maintain a virtual machine (VM) based on a host operating system (OS) executing in the system. The VM may contain a virtualized graphics library (vGLib) configured to support a graphic command from an application executing in the VM. The host OS may contain a graphics library (GLib) configured to support the graphic command and utilize a graphics processing unit (GPU) in the system to process the graphic command. Upon receiving the graphic command from the application, the vGLib may be configured to allocate a memory section in the VM to store the graphic command. And the VMM may be further configured to share access to the memory section with the host OS, thereby allowing the host OS to retrieve the graphic command from the memory section and deliver the graphic command to the GLib for processing.
US09582843B2

A method, system, and processor-executable software for processing images or video captured by a smartphone or other digital image capture device for subsequent validation and authentication captures not only the image, but also metadata relevant to the authenticity of validity of the image, such as position, time, camera movement and orientation, image parameters, and so forth. The image is watermarked and both the watermarked image and the metadata, as well as a symmetric key used in the watermarking, are digitally signed and transmitted or uploaded to a web server or authentication centric entity for authentication and storage. When a third party submits an image to the web server or authentication centric entity, the submitted image is compared with the stored watermarked image for authentication and validation of the submitted image, and the metadata is then retrieved to enable analysis of the contents of authenticated and validated image.
US09582840B2

Provided are a method and apparatus for managing medical data. The method includes sensing an error event of a medical diagnosis device; obtaining image data by capturing images of a user input of the medical diagnosis device with respect to a first period of time associated with a time that the error event is sensed; obtaining log data corresponding to the image data, from a console device for controlling the medical diagnosis device; and transmitting the image data and the log data to an external server.
US09582838B1

A method and system for a mini-screen dashboard is described with reference to healthcare workflow processes where multiple healthcare providers work together to manage their patients. The status criteria for patients is collected in one or more healthcare workflow databases accessible by the clinicians according to their various roles and functions using corresponding workflow applications. A central computer determines the number of patients that correspond with various status criteria of the patients that are already being monitored by the clinicians and the mini-screen unobtrusively displays the number patients that meet the status criteria in a series of indicator boxes that remain in the foreground of the clinicians' respective computer screens. The mini-screen dashboard is semi-transparent, becoming opaque when a box is selected and displaying the heading name of the status criteria corresponding with the selected box and also displaying the names of the patients satisfying the status criteria.
US09582826B2

Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and computer-program products that provide for a unique directional wayfinding system. In one embodiment of the invention, products are received from the user, such as a shopping list or wish list. The system determines the location of the user, determines the location of the product in the business, determines a route from the user to the product, and provides instructions to the user along the route. In an embodiment, the system identifies and/or confirms the product when the user reaches the product. In at least one embodiment, the systems, methods, and computer-program products provide functionality for the visually-impaired to assist in everyday shopping for products in businesses.
US09582823B2

A system and method of metadata refinement using behavioral patterns is disclosed. In some embodiments, user behavioral data for results of a search query is received. The results can include an untagged item and a plurality of tagged items. A determination can then be made that the tagged items have been assigned a first type of metadata not assigned to the untagged item. The untagged item can then be identified as a candidate to be tagged with the first type of metadata assigned to the tagged items based on the user behavioral data. In some embodiments, the user behavioral data comprises clickstream data indicating that a user selected the untagged item and the tagged items during a single search event.
US09582817B2

Provided is a system for facilitating a transaction between at least one merchant and at least one consumer. The system includes at least one transaction portal located in a network environment, where the at least one transaction portal associated with at least one consumer affinity. The consumer affinity is an entity, a cause, an affiliation, an organization, a concept, a benefit, an association and/or a sponsor or any combination thereof. The system further includes a communication system for facilitating the transmission of data between the transaction portal, the at least one merchant, the at least one consumer, an entity associated with the consumer affinity or any combination thereof. Also provided is a matching system, a method for facilitating a transaction between at least one merchant and at least one consumer and a method for facilitating a credit-based transaction between at least one merchant and at least one consumer.
US09582806B2

A hierarchical tagging system and method are provided. In one embodiment, a software-based customer relationship management system and method may include the hierarchical tagging system.
US09582801B2

Disclosed are apparatuses, systems, and methods pertaining to the secure communication of payment information from portable consumer devices, such as credit cards, to online merchants using verification tokens.
US09582799B2

A token based transaction authentication system is disclosed. Issuer, merchants, and a payment processing network generate unique tokens or keys to authenticate messages between themselves and to authenticate a sending entity or consumer as they are redirected between entities. The tokens are also used to identify the particular authentication thread a message or sending entity is associated with. The sending entity authentication occurs over a web-based channel or a mobile based channel.
US09582793B2

A method for conducting a purchase transaction using a wireless communication device, includes: receiving from a mobile application module executing on a wireless communication device instructions to initiate a purchase transaction by a server application; verifying and authorizing the mobile application module by the server application; receiving from the mobile application module identification information about an item to be purchased to the server application; retrieving via the server application at least one of price and product information based on the identification information; and completing the purchase transaction by automatically electronically debiting a user account.
US09582791B2

A phone-on-file opt-in method is described. A phone-on-file opt-in request is received at the billing server including a msisdn and a merchant supplied unique consumer identifier. The billing server confirms the phone-on-file opt-in with a consumer device and records a phone-on-file opt-in status as active if the first phone-on-file is confirmed. A charge method includes receiving, at the billing server, a charge API call from a merchant server including at least one identifier and an amount, determining a phone-on-file opt-in status corresponding to the identifier at the billing server and transmitting a request to charge a user account to a carrier server if the phone-on-file opt-in status is active, but not if the phone-on-file opt-in status is inactive, the request including an amount corresponding to the amount received in the charge API call.
US09582783B2

A method includes determining, by a management module, to complete an inventory request, the inventory request identifying an inventory item. The method also includes identifying, by the management module, an inventory holder storing the inventory item, and identifying, by the management module, a mobile drive unit to transport the inventory holder to an inventory station.
US09582781B1

Embodiments are directed to managing operations. If Operations events are provided, event clusters may be associated with one or more Operations events, such that the Operations events may be associated with the event clusters based on characteristics of the Operations events. Metrics including resolution metrics, root cause analysis, notes, and other remediation information may be associated with the event clusters. Then a modeling engine may be employed to train models based on the Operations events, the event clusters, and the resolution metrics, such that the trained model may be trained to correlate and predict the resolution metrics from real-time Operations events. If real-time Operations events may be provided, the trained models may be employed to predict the resolution metrics that are associated with the real-time Operations events. If model performance degrades beyond accuracy requirements, new observations may be added to the training set and the model re-trained.
US09582773B2

A queue management scheme whereby a system-wide status is considered together with a status of each and every specific or particular queue and associated device within the system, in order to efficiently and effectively balance the needs and desires of customers with the needs and desires of an entity that provides services to the customers.
US09582772B2

An information retrieval device includes a degree-of-association information storage unit capable of storing an item(s) of degree-of-association information indicating a degree of association between each of an item(s) of first information and each of an item(s) of second information; an accepting unit that accepts a query including an item(s) of query information which is/are an item(s) of information used for retrieval of content; a query converter that obtains, by using an item(s) of first information corresponding to each of the item(s) of query information, and the item(s) of degree-of-association information, an item(s) of second information whose degree of association with the item(s) of first information is greater as a predetermined condition is better satisfied; and a retrieval unit that retrieves content by using the item(s) of second information obtained by the query converter. Accordingly, content necessary for a user can be retrieved.
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