US09655295B2
A feeder installing attachment includes: a main body portion including attachment side fitting parts provided on a lower surface thereof and having an installing compatibility with first feeder side fitting parts provided on a lower surface of a first tape feeder; and second feeder installing slots formed on an upper surface of the main body portion and engaging with second feeder side fitting parts provided on a lower surface of a second tape feeder having a standard width smaller than that of the first tape feeder. In a state where the attachment is mounted, an array pitch of the second feeder installing slots is smaller than an array pitch of the base side installing slots, and becomes an array pitch corresponding to the standard width of the second tape feeder.
US09655289B2
A system and method for mounting an electronic display is disclosed herein. A rear cover mounting bracket may contain a rear plate and a sidewall which surrounds a perimeter of the plate. A plurality of mounting holes may be placed within the plate to allow fastening the rear plate to a vertical surface. An electronic display assembly module may contain a thermal plate where the attachment of the rear cover mounting bracket to the module creates a plenum which can house one or more electronic components. In a preferred embodiment, the rear plate contains a pair of hooks and the module contains a pair of corresponding cylinders which can be engaged with the hooks so that the module can hang from the hooks.
US09655288B2
An electronic device includes a heat-dissipating base, a first printed wiring board assembly, and a second printed wiring board assembly. The first printed wiring board assembly is disposed on the heat-dissipating base. The first printed wiring board assembly includes a first printed wiring board and at least one first electronic component. The first electronic component is disposed on the first printed wiring board, such that the first printed wiring board assembly has a raised portion and a concave portion relative to the raised portion. The second printed wiring board assembly is at least partially disposed in the concave portion.
US09655286B2
Apparatuses are provided to facilitate sensing fluid within a fluid system, such as a coolant-based cooling apparatus for removing heat generated by one or more electronic components. The apparatus includes a plug configured to couple to a wall of the fluid system at an opening in the wall and to form a fluid-tight seal about the opening. The plug includes a fluid a fluid-sensor-receiving space configured to receive a fluid sensor, and when the plug is coupled to the wall at the opening, to position the fluid sensor at the opening in a manner to facilitate sensing of fluid within the system. The fluid sensor is removable from the plug without requiring uncoupling of the plug from the wall. In one implementation, the fluid sensor is a proximity sensor, and the plug is fabricated of a non-conductive material, and the wall a conductive material.
US09655284B2
A modular fan assembly for use in a multi-device storage enclosure. In some embodiments, the fan assembly has a rigid open frame with opposing first and second ends. A first fan is connected to the first end and a second fan is connected to the second end. The first and second fans are configured to establish a fluidic airflow through the frame. An airflow diverter positioned in an intermediate portion of the frame between the first and second ends divert at least a portion of the fluidic airflow through a first aperture of the frame to cool an active element outside the frame.
US09655276B2
A rack control module including a pair of mounting braces for mounting the RCM on a handle of a power supply unit (PSU). The PSU may be mounted on a server rack. The RCM also includes a latch disposed in proximity to the pair of mounting brace. Upon mounting the RCM on the handle of the PSU, the latch locks the RCM in an engaged position with the handle of the PSU.
US09655271B2
A motor drive comprises a power sub-assembly and a control sub-assembly. The control sub-assembly includes components that may be accessed within the sub-assembly housing during installation and maintenance of the drive. A main circuit board is configured to define a high voltage region and a low voltage region. The high voltage region is isolated by an interior barrier of the housing so that the components can be conveniently accessed. An operator interface is provided in the control sub-assembly. An interface circuit board is also isolated by the barrier. Desired spacing between the interface circuit board and a surface of the interface is provided by integrally molded spring structures and plungers that interface with underlying switches.
US09655269B2
Apparatus for guiding insertion and locking of a printed board assembly (PBA) in an electronic unit may include a housing, a first wedge segment having a sloped planar contact surface and a second wedge segment adjacent the first wedge segment and having a sloped planar contact surface. The first and second wedge segments may be devoid of holes in their respective sloped planar contact surfaces. The wedge segments may be supported in the housing so that the sloped contact surface of the first wedge segment is adjacent the sloped contact surface of the second wedge segment.
US09655266B2
To improve a seating property of a mounting member with respect to a supporting member and enhance the positional accuracy of the mounting member. The mounting member has a protruding portion that protrudes from a support face of a frame body, and a shaft body that is thinner than the protruding portion. At a base portion of the shaft body, a relief recess is formed over the entire circumference of a boundary region with the protruding portion, and a supported face of the protruding portion is configured so as to contact with a support face of the frame body in a state in which the mounting member is supported by the frame body. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mounting member is used as a guide pin of a floating plate that accommodates an IC socket.
US09655258B2
A display device is disclosed. The display device includes a display panel including a front substrate and a back substrate, a guide panel positioned at an edge of a back surface of the display panel, a frame positioned in the rear of the display panel and connected to the guide panel, and a back cover positioned in the rear of the frame and inserted into the frame in a sliding manner.
US09655250B2
A method of forming an insulating layer and a touchscreen including the insulating layer formed using the same are provided. The method of forming an insulating layer insulating a conductive pattern of a touchscreen from a bridge electrode thereof includes heating a substrate provided with the conductive pattern formed on the substrate, sequentially forming a first pattern and a second pattern on the heated substrate using an insulating composition, and curing the first pattern and the second pattern. The first pattern includes a groove portion to prevent adjacent patterns from overlapping each other and the second pattern is formed in the groove portion of the first pattern.
US09655238B2
A wiring board includes a heat dissipation plate, a heat-conductive adhesive layer, an insulating layer, a thermal via, a heat dissipation metal terminal, and electrodes. The heat-conductive adhesive layer is disposed on the heat dissipation plate. The insulating layer is disposed on the heat-conductive adhesive layer. The insulating layer is formed with an opening portion. The thermal via is disposed in the opening portion of the insulating layer. The heat dissipation metal terminal is disposed on the thermal via and electrically connected to the heat dissipation plate. The electrodes are disposed on the insulating layer. The electrodes are to be connected to an electronic component.
US09655229B2
A circuit board includes a first thermally conductive structure comprising a cavity or a recess portion. At least a portion of the first thermally conductive structure is inserted into an insulating part. An electronic device comprising a portion thereof inserted in the cavity or the recess portion.
US09655218B1
An intelligent electronic decoration system includes a smart modular power cable (MPC) having a flexible body extending between opposed proximal and distal ends and having a plurality of spaced apart electronic ports along and perpendicular to the body, the MPC configured for powering and communicating data relative to respective ports. The system includes embedded electronics operatively coupled to the proximal end of the MPC and having a rechargeable component for energizing electronics devices electrically coupled to respective ports, a microcontroller unit, and a memory collectively positioned within the housing, the embedded electronics being configured for data interfacing with wired or wireless communication components of external electronic devices. Electronic devices that may be coupled to the ports of the MPC and embedded electronics include Smart LED Electronics modules, LED replaceable covers, Monitor Touch Screen plug-in for smart LED Electronics Module, Smart Multi-Port Auxiliary Base Unit, and automated robotic puppet module.
US09655212B2
A lighting device includes: a communication unit that communicates with a wearable device with at least one camera and receives at least one image captured by the camera; a light emitting unit including one or more light emitting elements; and a controller that detects a readable medium containing a plurality of characters or visual content containing at least one color from the image and controls the light emitting unit based on the readable medium or the visual content.
US09655211B2
Enhancements to ornamental or holiday lighting are disclosed including remote control ornamental illumination with color pallet control whereby a user can vary the color/intensity/appearance of an individual bulb or entire light string by selecting the electronic address of the bulb and selecting its attribute. Further disclosures include: motion responsive lights which respond to sensed movement, gesture controlled lights, adjustable white color/white led sets, connectable multi-function lights, controller to sequence lights to music or other input source, rotating projection led light/tree top/table top unit, and remote controlled sequencing icicle lights and ornament lighting system.
US09655208B1
The present disclosure relates to a method and system for optimizing operations of the exterior lights for a site of a plurality of distributed sites. The operations of the exterior lights are optimized by the lighting control system, which receive data associated with lights from at least one site of the plurality of distributed sites, wherein the data is one of exterior light data or combination of exterior and interior light data. Further, the data received from at least one site is processed in a pre-defined format to identify the current logic and the optimum logic of operation of the exterior lights. The method further identifies one or more deviations and the causes of the deviations in the operation of exterior lights to optimize the operation of the exterior lights.
US09655207B2
The invention provides a light control system for a lighting network, including a plurality of light units wherein at least one light unit includes at least one sensor type, a distributed/centralized controller/central management system in communication with one or more of the light units, said controller/central management system sends control commands to one or more of said light units, in response to received light unit status/sensor information from one or more of said light units and/or status information from a connected device, and implements a lighting strategy relating to the characteristics of the plurality of light units, wherein the one or more neighboring light units' sensor type's detection threshold are adjusted using a predetermined strategy based on the new lighting strategy of the at least one light unit or the status information from the connected device.
US09655204B2
An adapter includes a detection unit configured to detect an operating state of an illumination fixture, a communication unit configured to communicate with an analysis device, and a control unit configured to cause the communication unit to transmit a detection result of the detection unit to the analysis device. A lighting system includes a plurality of illumination devices. A life support system includes the plurality of illumination devices, and the analysis device configured to analyze behavior of a person. The plurality of illumination devices each include the adapter.
US09655201B2
A pixel arrangement structure for an organic light-emitting diode display panel includes a plurality of first subpixel rows and a plurality of second subpixel rows alternating with the first subpixel rows. Each first subpixel row includes first subpixels and second subpixels alternating with the first subpixels. Each second subpixel row includes alternately disposed first, second, and third subpixels. The number of the third subpixels in each second subpixel row is two times the number of the first or second subpixels in the second subpixel row. The subpixels of the same type in each of the first and second subpixel rows are not adjacent to each other. RGB pixels are formed by combinations of the subpixels in the first subpixel rows and the subpixels in the second subpixels. The color mixing effect is improved, and the resolution is increased.
US09655192B2
A carrier module is provided for supporting at least one data storage device. The carrier module is electrically connected to a power supply module. The carrier module includes a main body, a first socket, a second socket, a connecting port, and a detection unit. The first socket, the second socket, and the connecting port are disposed on the main body. The connecting port and the detection unit are electrically connected to the first and second sockets. The data storage device is detachably connected to the connecting port. The detection unit detects whether the power supply module is electrically connected to the first socket or the second socket.
US09655185B2
A linear LED driver comprises a transistor having an input terminal coupled to a LED. When the transistor is turned on, the LED is lighted. The linear LED driver further includes a protection circuit for judging whether an instant high voltage variation occurs or not according to at least one of the voltages of a control terminal and an output terminal of the transistor so as to achieve a protection function.
US09655184B2
An arrangement and a method for controlling a plurality of light emitting diodes which are connected in series to attain uniform distribution of a total current to several series connections, LED chains, connected in parallel to each other wherein circuitry-related expenditure and power losses occurring during the control process are minimized, include a first reference voltage generating unit and a second reference voltage generating unit, wherein a outlet of the first reference voltage generating unit is connected to a first and a second control circuit, and an outlet of the second reference voltage generating unit is connected to the second and the first control circuit, and an outlet of the first control circuit is connected to a control inlet of the first controllable semiconductor switch, and an outlet of the second control circuit is connected to a control inlet of the second controllable semiconductor switch.
US09655174B2
The present invention discloses a current-source-output light-emitting-diode (LED) driver based on LCLC circuit to provide a constant output current regardless of variations in LED parameters. In the LCLC circuit, the number of additional capacitors is scalable with the number of LED strings for current balancing. Moreover, the input impedance of the improved LCLC circuit is designed to be resistive at the operating frequency to minimize reactive power. The conventional duty cycle control can easily incorporate zero-voltage-switching (ZVS).
US09655173B2
A microwave oven that includes a power supply and a heating bar connected to the power supply is described. The heating bar is configured to receive an electric current from the power supply, and to apply the current to food. The electric current applied from the heating bar passes through the food thereby heating up the food.
US09655170B2
A ceramic heater wherein in at least one cross section of the ceramic heater orthogonal to the axial direction, a first resistor cross section has no protrusion on a first inner portion of the contour of a first resistor cross section, and has two or more protrusions on a first outer portion of the contour of the first resistor cross section and a method of manufacturing the ceramic heater.
US09655164B2
A method for discontinuous reception operation for carrier aggregation comprising: receiving a first set of discontinuous reception parameters for a first carrier and a different set of discontinuous reception parameters for a second carrier; and configuring discontinuous reception parameters on the first carrier and second carrier.
US09655158B2
A method of providing information responsive to a request from a wireless communication device involves receiving an information request from a mobile device and generating responsive information for the information request, transmitting a first portion of the responsive information to the mobile device in a first communication session, and transmitting a second portion of the responsive information to the mobile device in a second, overloaded communication session.
US09655156B2
The present invention provides a bearer establishment method, a base station, a packet data gateway, and a computer system, where the bearer establishment method includes: receiving a D2D mode indication requested by an AF entity or a proximity service server for a source UE, where the D2D mode indication includes a first D2D connection establishment mode or a second D2D connection establishment mode; and according to the D2D mode indication, when a D2D connection can be established successfully, establishing the D2D connection for the source UE; or when a D2D connection cannot be established successfully, establishing a common connection if the D2D mode indication is the first D2D connection establishment mode, and feeding back a connection establishment failure response to the AF entity or the proximity service server if the D2D mode indication is the second D2D connection establishment mode.
US09655151B2
A wireless mesh access point (AP) determines a candidate set of Basic Service Set Identifiers (BSSIDs) or other unique identifiers by monitoring for detection of a set of wireless communications, each bearing a unique identifier. The AP selects a candidate unique identifier from the candidate set. The AP establishes a wireless communication link with a controller of a wireless mesh network associated with the candidate unique identifier. The AP transmits a request to the controller to join the wireless mesh network associated with the candidate unique identifier. The AP receives a response from the controller indicating either acceptance or rejection of the request. If the response indicates rejection, the AP rejects one or more unique identifiers in the candidate set in response to reason information included in the rejection.
US09655147B2
A method and service network element are provided that control a distribution of multiple uplink bearers among multiple user devices participating in a group call. In response to receiving a trigger to reevaluate the multiple uplink bearers, one or more user devices of the multiple user devices are identified as candidates for de-allocation of uplink bearers based on a profile associated with each of the multiple user devices. Further, based on the profiles associated with each of the multiple user devices, one or more of the multiple user devices are identified as candidates for establishment of an uplink bearer. An uplink bearer, of the multiple uplink bearers, then is released from one or more of the user devices identified as candidates for de-allocation of uplink bearers, and an uplink bearer is established for one or more user devices identified as candidates for establishment of uplink bearers.
US09655146B2
A radio base station PhNB managing a phantom cell is enabled to uniquely identify a mobile station UE in communication in the phantom cell. A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes starting, by the radio base station PhNB#10, a “Non-contention based RA procedure” or a “Contention based RA procedure” with a mobile station UE#1 in communication in a cell #10 under control of the radio base station PhNB#10; and notifying, by the mobile station UE#1, the radio base station PhNB#10 of a C-RNTImacro which is allocated in a cell #1 other than the cell #10.
US09655139B2
In a distributed Mac protocol having a slotted superframe (102) comprising at least one slotted beacon period (104) followed by a data transfer period (103), a system and method is provided for creating and maintaining several beacon periods (104) at different positions in the superframe (102). When joining the network (300) a device (301) either joins an existing beacon period (104) or creates a new beacon period (104) at a position in the superframe (102) that does not overlap with existing beacon periods (104) or reservation periods. Beacon periods (104) mutually protect each other by devices (301) announcing the neighboring beacon periods in their beacons.
US09655137B2
A method is provided for receiving a signal by a user equipment (UE) using time division duplex (TDD) in a wireless communication system. The UE receives uplink (UL) grant information on a first cell, the UL grant information scheduling a UL transmission on a second cell. The UE transmits UL data in a UL subframe on the second cell via a physical UL shared channel based on the UL grant information. The UE receives hybrid automatic repeat and request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information in a downlink (DL) subframe on the first cell. The first cell and the second cell have different TDD UL-DL configurations. The DL subframe on the first cell is determined based on a TDD UL-DL configuration of the second cell.
US09655131B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting an indication in a wireless communication is provided. A user equipment (UE) transmits a multimedia broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) interest indication indicating a long-term evolution (LTE) frequency, and if an in-device coexistence (IDC) interference is detected on the LTE frequency, the UE transmits updated MBMS interest indication excluding the LTE frequency.
US09655124B2
A mechanism for use by a subscription control node, one or more NAT64 nodes and/or DNS64 nodes to interact in a communications network with multiple user equipments (UEs) to control the UE usage of the NAT64 and/or DNS64 communications resources. The subscription control node includes subscription information for one or more of the UE(s), the subscription information for each UE including translation state usage information associated with one or more of the NAT64 nodes servicing the UE. The subscription control node collects translation state usage information from each NAT64 node, and identifies a set of one or more UE(s) exceeding a maximum translation state usage allocated to each of the multiple UEs based on the corresponding subscription information and the collected translation state usage information. The subscription information for the identified UEs is adjusted so the identified set of UE(s) meet the maximum translation state usage for each UE.
US09655120B2
The present disclosure discloses a network device and/or method for computing coverage set and resource allocations in wireless networks. The disclosed network device selects a radio frequency subdomain in a wireless network, and further determines a coverage set for the selected radio frequency subdomain. The coverage set includes a subset of access nodes in the selected radio frequency domain. Moreover, a respective access node in the radio frequency subdomain satisfies one of (a) the respective access node is a member of the coverage set, and (b) the respective access node is covered by at least one member of the coverage set with a signal strength stronger than a predetermined threshold.
US09655107B2
Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, devices, and machine readable mediums which reduce the amount of bandwidth consumed by the reference signals. In some examples, this is achieved by finding the optimal subspace containing all the active UEs in the cell and transmitting reference signals to that subspace. In some examples, second order statistics may be utilized to calculate a projected channel to the optimal subspace at the UE and then feeding this back to the eNodeB. The projected channel to optimal subspace may be utilized at the UE and the eNodeB to transform the codebook and align the codewords with the channel direction.
US09655105B2
A method of mapping a physical resource to a logical resource in a wireless communication system is described. The method includes dividing a physical frequency band into at least one frequency partition. Each frequency partition is divided into a localized region and a distributed region in a frequency domain. The method further includes mapping the at least one frequency partition into at least one logical resource unit. The localized region is directly mapped into the logical resource unit and the distributed region is mapped into the logical resource unit after rearranging subcarriers within the distributed region.
US09655098B2
The present invention is designed to reduce interference from a macro base station to a small transmission power node. The present invention is characterized in providing a micro base station which forms, in a macro cell where a macro base station transmits a signal to a macro terminal, a micro cell where the micro base station transmits a signal to a micro terminal under control with low power, and this micro base station generates a PDCCH which includes downlink or uplink resource allocation information, and, in a non-transmission period in which the macro base station stops transmitting signals while leaving minimal quality measurement signals, shifts the transmission starting symbol of the PDCCH to a position where the PDCCH does not overlap the quality measurement signals.
US09655097B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for controlling reference signal (RS) transmission between a user equipment (UE) and a base station in a wireless communication system. A method includes transmitting, to the UE, downlink control information (DCI) including RS request information. The RS request information includes one or two binary elements based on a DCI format. If an RS transmission triggered by the RS request information is to occur in a same subframe as another RS transmission previously configured to the UE from the base station, the UE transmits the RS triggered by the RS request information.
US09655093B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for configuring resources, a device and a system. The method includes: generating resource configuration information (S201); carrying the resource configuration information in a media access control protocol data unit (MAC PDU) or a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) signaling and sending to a user equipment, to enable the user equipment to perform uplink transmission according to the resource configuration information (S202). The method for configuring resources, the device and the system provided in the embodiments of the present invention can achieve fast physical layer radio resource configuration with a short delay.
US09655091B2
Methods and apparatus are described for User Equipment (UE) to concurrently transmit Uplink Control Information (UCI) and data information to a Node B. The Node B can configure the UE to transmit UCI together with data information in a Physical Uplink Shared CHannel (PUSCH) or separate from data information in a Physical Uplink Control CHannel (PUCCH). The UE may also determine whether to transmit UCI together with data information in the PUSCH or separate from data information in the PUCCH based on criteria involving a ratio of PUSCH resources for UCI transmission over the total PUSCH resources, a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) for the data information, an absolute power difference between PUCCH and PUSCH transmissions, whether the PUSCH transmission uses frequency hopping, and/or whether spatial multiplexing is used for the data transmission.
US09655086B2
Technology for physical resource block (PRB) bundling an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH) with a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) is disclosed. One method can include a wireless device receiving from a node the ePDCCH in an ePDCCH PRB contiguous in frequency with a PDSCH PRB carrying the PDSCH. The wireless device can PRB bundle the ePDCCH PRB with the PDSCH PRB.
US09655083B2
According to the present invention, there are provided a base station device, a terminal device, a communication method, and an integrated circuit capable of performing communication more efficiently when the terminal device transmits an uplink signal based on scheduling by the base station device. The terminal device includes a setting unit that sets a first uplink-downlink configuration, a second uplink-downlink configuration, and a third uplink-downlink configuration, a reception unit that monitors a physical downlink control channel accompanied with a downlink control information format which is used to schedule a physical downlink shared channel in a downlink subframe based on the third uplink-downlink configuration and includes information making a request for transmitting a sounding reference signal, and a transmission unit that transmits the sounding reference signal based on the information making the request to transmitting the sounding reference signal.
US09655082B2
To effectively and efficiently provide control information, a broadcast pointer channel (BPCH) may be used to identify the type and perhaps relative location of control information that is being provided in a given frame structure, such as a sub-frame, frame, or superframe. A sub-frame (or like framing entity, such a frame or superframe) may have a BPCH and a corresponding system control information segment in which control information may reside. The system control information segment may have any number of control information blocks, wherein each control information block that is present may correspond to a particular type of control information. The BPCH is used to identify the type of control information that is present in a corresponding system control information segment, and if needed or desired, the relative locations of the various control information.
US09655080B2
Provided is a wireless communication device which includes a notification information transmitting unit for transmitting, via a wireless communication network, notification information of the wireless communication device, a notification information receiving unit for receiving notification information transmitted from another device, a frequency switching unit for successively switching, at random cycles, a frequency at which the notification information is transmitted or a frequency at which the notification information is received, and a transmission processing unit for performing a data transmission process after transmitting or receiving an acknowledgement to the notification information to/from such other device.
US09655073B2
Embodiments are provided for communicating with electronic devices traveling on an aircraft. According to certain aspects, a data center can examine registration data to identify a set of electronic devices that are traveling on a particular flight, and can retrieve relevant travel information associated with the set of electronic devices. In particular, the travel information may be general to the flight or may be related to a specific itinerary for one of the passengers. The data center may generate one or more text messages that are intended for one of more of the set of electronic devices. The data center may also transmit the text message(s) to an on-board network for delivery to the electronic device(s).
US09655072B2
Methods and apparatus for synchronizing a global time reference for access points over the air are provided. In one aspect, a method for synchronizing a global time of an access point comprises receiving a message comprising a global time indication from a second access point. The method further includes updating the global time of the access point to the global time indication from the second access point by updating a timer of the access point by an increment not to exceed a predetermined value selected small enough to ensure a maintenance of synchronization between the access point and at least one associated wireless station. The global time of the access point is updated to the global time indication from the second access point when the global time indication from the second access point indicated a later global time than the global time of the access point.
US09655068B2
A user equipment and a method performed by the user equipment. The user equipment includes a transceiver configured to enable the user equipment to establish a connection with a first network and a second network, the first network configured to provide signals to control a transmit power of the transceiver and a processor configured to control the transmit power of the transceiver. The processor controls the transmit power by determining at least one network operation of the user equipment, the network operation associated with a configuration of the connection with the LTE network, receiving a signal from the LTE network indicating an increase in the transmit power to be used and performing a power operation that adjusts the transmit power of the transceiver less than the increase indicated in the signal.
US09655064B2
Provided are a method and an apparatus for controlling transmission power in a wireless communication system. A wireless device is connected to a first serving cell utilizing a licensed band and a second serving cell utilizing a non-licensed band. The transmission power from the second serving cell is determined by considering the clear channel assessment (CCA) coverage of the wireless device or the second serving cell.
US09655053B2
A notification signal, intended to be received by a wireless communication device, is repetitively broadcast by a portable activity-monitoring device that generates user-activity data corresponding to activity of an individual bearing the portable activity-monitoring device. The notification signal conveys information that identifies the portable activity-monitoring device and indicates whether or not the portable activity-monitoring device seeks establishment of a wireless communication link to enable transmission of the user-activity data to the wireless communication device.
US09655051B2
A method and a wireless apparatus for power saving in a wireless local area network are discussed. The method according to an embodiment includes receiving a frame including a signal field from a transmitting device. The signal field includes a number indicator and a power saving indicator. The number indicator indicates a number of spatial streams for a corresponding recipient, and the power saving indicator indicates that the transmitting device allows the wireless device to enter a doze state during a transmission opportunity (TXOP). The method further includes entering the doze state until the end of the TXOP if the power saving indicator indicates an allowance of entering the doze state during the TXOP, and the number of spatial streams to be received by the wireless device is equal to zero.
US09655043B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for reducing power consumption by early decoding. It is determined whether a predetermined decoding condition is satisfied upon expiration of a time unit in a transmission time interval. Decoding is performed on a signal that has been received through the time unit in the transmission time interval, when the predetermined decoding condition is satisfied. A controller outputs an instruction signal to a RF processor to set to a low-power mode during a remaining time period of the transmission time interval after the time unit in the transmission time interval, when the decoding is successful. Decoding is performed on the signal that has been received through the RF processor upon expiration of a last time unit of the transmission time interval regardless of the predetermined decoding condition, when the time unit is the last time unit in the transmission time interval.
US09655039B2
The disclosure generally relates to dynamic cell reselection to improve device-to-device (D2D) communications where two or more D2D peers are camped onto different cells and one or more D2D peers are located in an overlap region between the cells. For example, in various embodiments, the D2D peers may exchange one or more communication parameters over the (inter-cell) D2D connection and detect that the D2D peers are camped on different base stations (i.e., attached to different cells) based on the exchanged communication parameters. The D2D peer(s) located in the cell overlap region may then obtain measurements on the neighbor cell and a forced cell reselection may be triggered at the appropriate D2D peer(s) located in the cell overlap region such that the D2D peers are camped on the same base station, thereby converting the inter-cell D2D connection into an intra-cell D2D connection that can be more easily maintained.
US09655037B2
The present disclosure presents a method and apparatus for identifying an access point (AP) for selection by an access terminal (AT). For example, the method may include receiving a probe request by one or more APs from an AT, wherein the probe request is broadcasted by the AT to the one or more APs, generating load information and Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) values of the probe request at the one or more APs, identifying an AP of the one or more APs for selection by the AT, wherein the AP for selection by the AT is identified by the one or more APs based at least on the load information and RSSI values generated at the one or more APs, and transmitting information of an AP identified by the one or more APs to the AT. As such, an improved mechanism for selecting an access point may be achieved.
US09655034B2
Transaction sensitive access network discovery and selection function (TSANDSF) features are disclosed. TSANDSF features can include access network resource (ANR) selection based on vendor ANR information and UE information. TSANDSF features can further include facilitating access, via a UE, to vendor value added products or service, vendor selected information, or vendor advertisements as a result of establishing a communication link with a vendor ANR. In contrast to conventional ANDSF, TSANDSF can facilitate improved ANR ranking and selection based on rules that correlate UE information with determined vendor ANR features.
US09655024B2
A method and apparatus for controlling a handover in a cognitive radio system are used to control a cell handover process of a user equipment, and can hand over the user equipment to an appropriate target cell as far as possible. The method includes: a source base station receiving a measurement report send by a user equipment; the source base station controlling a handover of the user equipment according to the measurement report, radio resource management information, and reconfiguration related information. The apparatus is located in the source base station and includes a receiving module and a handover controlling module.
US09655021B2
An apparatus is configured to perform a method for user equipment (UE) offloading. The method includes receiving, at a network controller, a measurement report from a UE, the measurement report radio link measurement quantities of a serving cell and one or more candidate serving cells, the measurement quantities measured after interference cancellation or suppression. The method also includes, based in part on the measurement report from the UE, determining whether to offload the UE to a second cell among the one or more candidate serving cells.
US09655020B2
A method includes (a) detecting based on reporting information from UEs, HO problems which have occurred within a predefined time interval, (b) classifying the detected HO problems into three categories, (c) determining information being related to at least one of the detected HO problems, wherein the information represents a refinement of one or more of the three categories or wherein the information represents a further category, (d) counting a the numbers of HO problems which have been classified into the various categories, (e) reporting a key performance indicator message indicative for the numbers of the various categories and for the determined information, and (f) adapting, based on the reported key performance indicator message, the value a mobility related network configuration parameter of the mobile radio communication network such that the mobility robustness of the communication network is optimized.
US09655019B2
A method for switching a call by a User Equipment (UE) supporting a Voice Call Continuity (VCC) scheme in a mobile communication system is provided. The method includes detecting that there is a need for switching a voice call from a first access network to a second access network that is different from the first access network while the UE supporting the VCC scheme transmits/receives data in the first access network through an old bearer which is set up with the other party UE, performing a new bearer set up operation with the second access network, and transmitting/receiving voice data with the other party UE through the old bearer in the first access network and transmitting/receiving voice data with the other party UE through the new bearer in the second access network until a point in time.
US09655015B2
A method at a user equipment (UE) includes measuring a signal quality of each cell detected from a plurality of frequencies included in a connection release message from a radio access technology (RAT) . The measuring may occur during a long-period SIB collection for a previously determined target cell. The method also includes determining a new target cell in place of a previously determined target cell based at least in part on a signal quality of each cell measured during the long-period SIB collection for the previously determined target cell.
US09654996B2
The present disclosure provides a method and a device for monitoring a radio link. In the method, a user terminal monitors a cell specific reference signal (CRS) and a channel state indication reference signal (CSI-RS), and judges whether to initiate radio resource control (RRC) connection re-establishment according to the CRS and the CSI-RS. The device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a monitoring unit and a judging unit. By applying the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, monitoring of the radio link can be more accurate, and RRC connection re-establishment can be performed in time, to reduce occurrence of misjudgments, thereby improving the experience on the user terminal.
US09654986B2
A system and method for testing wireless transceivers in a virtual wireless environment including emulating an RF environment, creating virtual spectrum users having selectable transmission parameters and physical characteristics and evaluating the operation of the wireless transceiver in the virtual wireless environment.
US09654984B2
An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based installation method for equipment on cell towers includes flying the UAV with the equipment attached thereto upwards to a desired location on the cell tower, wherein the desired location comprises one or more horizontal support structures; positioning the equipment to the desired location on the cell tower; connecting the equipment to the desired location; and disconnecting the equipment from the UAV.
US09654983B2
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for a tunable filter employing feedforward cancellation are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a tunable transmissive filter that includes a splitter for splitting an input signal into a first signal and a second signal, a first modifier circuit for modifying a characteristic of the first signal to produce a modified first signal, a second modifier circuit for using feedforward cancellation to modify a characteristic of the second signal to produce a modified second signal, the second modifier circuit including an N-path filter, N being an integer greater than 0; and a combiner for combining the modified first signal and the modified second signal to produce a filtered output signal having a bandpass response.
US09654975B2
A method for authenticating a mobile device includes: probing by the mobile device a fading channel which connects the mobile device to a first radio base station; determining a secret held in common with the first radio base station as a function of a physical property of the fading channel; storing the in-common secret; receiving a first request for the in-common secret from a second radio base station; and, in response to the first request, sending a proof of knowledge of the in-common secret to the second radio base station.
US09654967B2
A discovery method for Device-to-Device (D2D) communication is provided. A terminal transmits a discovery service request message for D2D communication including one of application information and group information for a Proximity based Service (ProSe) to a server. The terminal receives, from the server, a discovery service key delivery message including a discovery service key corresponding to the one of the application information and the group information for a ProSe. The terminal acquires the discovery service key by decrypting the discovery service key delivery message, and performs discovery by encrypting a discovery code with the acquired discovery service key.
US09654965B2
A wireless device may be subject to regulations based on the location (e.g. country). Accordingly, the wireless device may need to identify regulations for its current location. A lookup table or database that includes regulations for different locations may be used for identifying the regulations for the current location of the wireless device. The lookup table may be stored locally on the wireless device or retrieved over a network. The identified regulations may be used to modify certain operating parameters of the wireless device to comply with the local regulations and determine whether or not to associate with an incorrectly configured Access Point.
US09654960B2
A method includes receiving, at a network node, a device-to-device D2D discovery request from a first device and sending a D2D discovery response from the network node to the first device. The D2D discovery response includes information associated with a second device that is available to establish a D2D connection with the first device. The network node may perform inquiries regarding D2D connection permission from both devices. If D2D connection is permitted by both devices, the network node may facilitate the D2D scanning by sending each device's scanning information to the other device via a non-D2D link. In parallel to D2D scanning, the network node may speed up D2D link setup by distributing, via non-D2D links, link setup information to each device, where the link setup information may include device credential(s), IP address allocation(s), and/or group owner assignment.
US09654957B1
A system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions for receiving information about an event from at least one mobile device, the information comprising location information and event type information and identifying the event based on the information, the event being identified by associating the event type information with a specific event and associating the location information with a particular location associated with the specific event.
US09654954B2
A communication network comprises a packet switched domain associated with a packet switched capable radio access network and supports an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem voice session via the packet switched capable radio access network. The terminal supports an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem voice session via the packet switched capable radio access network and an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem emergency voice session via the packet switched capable radio access network. A method is executed by a control node of the packet switched domain and comprises sending instruction information to the terminal. The instruction information instructs the terminal to execute an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem voice session via the packet switched capable radio access network without regard to whether the communication network has indicated support of an emergency session related data transmission via the packet switched capable radio access network and the packet switched domain.
US09654948B1
A mobile device comprising a long-range radio transceiver, a first short-range radio transceiver, a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory. The application, when executed by the processor, detects an event and in response to detecting the event, selects a reference to a second communication device stored in the memory based on a current location of the mobile communication device, wherein the second communication device comprises a second short-range radio transceiver configured for communication with the first short-range radio transceiver. The application further transmits a redirect message via the long-range radio transceiver to a redirect server application executing on a computer system, wherein the redirect message comprises the reference to the second communication device, whereby voice calls directed to the long-range radio transceiver are redirected to the first short-range radio transceiver via the second short-range radio transceiver of the second communication device.
US09654943B1
Unstructured message escalation may include, responsive to detecting an unanswered message from a sending mobile device of a sender to a receiving mobile device of a recipient, determining a sender-recipient relationship and a last known location of the receiving mobile device, determining a first contact of the recipient from a contact data storage device according to the sender-recipient relationship, a relationship between the recipient and the first contact, proximity, and an escalation plan for the recipient, and sending a first escalation message to the first contact. Responsive to determining that the message is unanswered subsequent to sending the first escalation message, selecting a second contact of the recipient according to the sender-recipient relationship, a relationship between the second contact and the recipient, proximity, and the escalation plan and sending a second escalation message to the second contact.
US09654941B2
Methods and apparatus for managing interruptions in a multiple communication mode environment are provided herein. For example, a method may include receiving at least first instance of communication data associated with a first communication mode; obtaining first attribute data related to the first instance of communication data; classifying the first instance of communication data into first category based on the first attribute data using the interruption management device; and determining whether to interrupt a user by delivering the first instance of communication data based on the first category. The first category may be selected from a plurality of predetermined categories using a classification algorithm.
US09654938B2
A method and apparatus for collaboration among two-way radio devices allows a portable two-way radio device and a mobile two-way radio device to each enter into a collaboration mode while the are paired with each other over a short range wireless radio network. While in the collaboration mode, when the user keys the portable two-way radio device audio is routed from the portable two-way radio device to the mobile two-way radio device over the short range wireless network and the mobile two-way radio device transmits the audio on behalf of the portable two-way radio device.
US09654930B2
A method of determining a location of a mobile device includes: detecting, at the mobile device, at least one Radio Frequency transmitter; receiving information associated with a number of Radio Frequency transmitters located within a geographical area, the number of Radio Frequency transmitters being a subset of all Radio Frequency transmitters located within the geographical area, the information being decodable to provide global locations and identifiers of the number of Radio Frequency transmitters; comparing an identifier associated with the at least one detected Radio Frequency transmitter with the global locations and identifiers of the number of Radio Frequency transmitters; and determining the location of the mobile device within the geographical area; wherein the information is received in a reduced format.
US09654928B2
An association connection is established between a first Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device operating in central mode and attached to an asset to track, and a second BLE device operating in peripheral mode and associated with a physical location within the asset management environment. An association connection is established between the second BLE device and a third BLE device operating in central mode and coupled to one or more computer processors, and the association information stored in the second BLE device to the third BLE via one or more broadcasting frames is periodically transmitted. Based on current association information between the first BLE device and the second BLE device, an identity of the asset to which the first BLE device is attached, and the physical location of the second BLE device within the asset management environment is identified.
US09654927B2
An example of the invention provides a motion detection method for a portable device. The method includes steps of: generating a first cell location data at a first time point according to signals transmitted by a plurality of base stations; generating a second cell location data at a second time point according to signals transmitted by a plurality of base stations, wherein the first time point and the second time point are two successive time points, and the first cell location data and the second cell location data includes names or identification data of base stations detected by the portable device; determining whether the portable device is moved according to the first cell location data and the second cell location data.
US09654919B2
Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to data delivery. More specifically, some embodiments of the present technology relate to systems and methods for using spatial and temporal analysis to associate data sources with mobile devices. The delivery of data to support a wide variety of services for and about mobile devices that are based on data stored in corporate, commercial, and government databases which is not currently linked to individual mobile devices. Some embodiments allow advertisers to better target their ads to relevant target audience with greater accuracy.
US09654915B2
The present disclosure relates to computer-implemented systems and methods for transmitting and receiving audio and video data. A method may include determining, by a device including one or more processors and a plurality of antennas, that the device is in an active state. The method may also include determining, via the plurality of antennas in response to a location request, location information associated with the device. Furthermore, the method may include receiving, from at least one sensor component included in the device, sensor information associated with the device. Additionally, the method may include determining, based at least in part on the location information and the sensor information, a scan rate adjustment event. The method may further include adjusting a current scan rate of the first antenna to a second scan rate.
US09654892B2
A condenser microphone utilizes a PLL circuit which includes a phase shift oscillator having an RC network that uses an electrostatic capacitance of the condenser microphone unit varying upon reception of a sound pressure and a resistance value of a variable resistance element; a phase detection unit that compares phases of a fixed frequency signal from a reference signal oscillator and an oscillation output signal from the phase shift oscillator and outputs a phase difference signal corresponding to a phase difference; a loop filter that extracts a control signal when receiving the phase difference signal from the phase detection unit; and a driver circuit that changes a resistance value of the variable resistance element provided in the phase shift oscillator based on the control signal obtained from the loop filter. The control signal obtained from the loop filter of the PLL circuit is used as an audio output signal.
US09654889B2
Example methods disclosed herein to monitor media presented by a media device include adjusting, with a circuit, an inbound audio signal input to the media device based on (i) a level of an outbound audio signal generated by the media device and (ii) a level of the inbound audio signal to produce an adjusted inbound audio signal. Such disclosed example methods also include combining, with the circuit, the adjusted inbound audio signal with a sampled version of the outbound audio signal to determine a return signal. Such disclosed example methods further include processing the return signal to determine first identification information to identify first presented media having an audio portion corresponding to the outbound audio signal generated by the media device.
US09654888B2
A universal personal hearing device is described. The universal personal hearing device includes a first microphone, an amplification circuit electrically connected to the first microphone, a speaker electrically connected to the amplification circuit for amplifying ambient sound detected by the first microphone, and a housing having at least one arcuate outer edge. The arcuate outer edge is slidably engageable with the concha wall to provide a universal fit across a variety of ears having different sizes and/or shapes. Other embodiments are described.
US09654887B2
A hearing aid comprising a microphone, a receiver, hearing aid electronics coupled to the microphone and the receiver, and conductive traces overlaying an insulator, the conductive traces configured to interconnect the hearing aid electronics and to follow non-planar contours of the insulator. Examples are provided wherein the insulator includes a hearing aid housing.
US09654885B2
Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for allocating feedback cancellation resources for improved acoustic feedback cancellation for hearing assistance devices. In various embodiments, a hearing assistance device includes a microphone and a processor configured to receive signals from the microphone and process them according to a plurality of processing blocks. The processor is adapted to include an event detector that can provide detection of an event and an output to adjust one or more processing blocks of the overall process to more efficiently use resources of the processor for the event detected, in various embodiments.
US09654880B2
A sound generator 30 includes a piezoelectric element 1, a vibrating body 3a, a reflection member 81, a reflection member 82, an opening 21, and an opening 22. The vibrating body 3a vibrates due to vibration of the piezoelectric element 1 and generates a sound. The reflection member 81 is disposed in a first direction from the vibrating body 3a so as to be inclined with respect to the vibrating body 3a. The reflection member 82 is disposed in a second direction, which is opposite to the first direction, from the vibrating body 3a so as to face the reflection member 81 with the vibrating body 3a therebetween and so as to be inclined with respect to the vibrating body 3a. The opening 21 faces in a third direction. The opening 22 faces in a fourth direction, which is different from the third direction.
US09654869B2
A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for mixing a plurality of audio signals within an audio mixing system are disclosed. The method comprises receiving a plurality of audio signals, extracting at least one audio feature from each of the plurality of audio signals, determining, for each of the audio signals, an associated processing control function in accordance with a plurality of the extracted audio features, processing each audio signal in accordance with each associated processing control function, and outputting the plurality of processed audio signals.
US09654862B2
A combined fan and loudspeaker element, comprising a motor driven rotor provided with wings or blades, wherein the wings or blades are adjustable in pitch resulting together with a rotation of the rotor in an air transport flow, said wings or blades having superimposed thereon a sound-pitch modulation corresponding to a desired sound-pitch with the rotation of the rotor.
US09654861B1
Personal audio systems and methods are disclosed. A personal audio system includes a class table storing processing parameters respectively associated with a plurality of annoyance noise classes, a controller, and a processor. The controller identifies an annoyance noise class of an annoyance noise included in an ambient audio stream and retrieves, from the class table, one or more processing parameters associated with the identified annoyance noise class. The processor to processes the ambient audio stream according to the one or more retrieved processing parameters class to provide a personal audio stream. The processor includes a pitch tracker to identify a fundamental frequency of the annoyance noise and a filter bank including a band reject filter tuned to the fundamental frequency.
US09654849B2
A method includes receiving a first packet payload, and where the first packet payload originates from a first top-of-rack switch (TOR) and receiving a second packet payload, where the second packet payload originates from a second TOR. The method also includes placing the first packet payload in a transport container and placing the second packet payload in the transport container. Additionally, the method includes transmitting the transport container to a photonic switch.
US09654847B2
A method of monitoring an absorption state of an absorbent article includes providing a logger unit, acquiring the absorption state of the absorbent article, and recording data indicating the acquired absorption state of the absorbent article in the logger unit. Acquiring the absorption state of the absorbent article and recording the data indicating the acquired absorption state of the absorbent article in the logger unit are each continuously performed during a monitoring period of the absorbent article. Also disclosed is a logger unit for performing this method; and a method of processing data indicating an absorption state of an absorbent article, which includes receiving sets of data indicating the absorption state of the absorbent article. Each of the sets of data indicates the absorption state of the absorbent article over a portion of a continuous period of time, and collating and/or displaying the data in continuous form. Also disclosed are data processing units for performing these data processing methods.
US09654846B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques and configurations for a signal transmission for an apparatus, such as a mobile or wearable device, based on sensor fail-safety. In one instance, the apparatus may comprise a transmitter to transmit a communication signal of the apparatus at a first power level, a sensor to monitor a process that is external to the apparatus and to provide an output signal indicating a change in a state of the process, and a control module communicatively coupled with the sensor and transmitter, to determine whether the output signal provided by the sensor has indicated a change in the external process over a threshold time period, and, based on a result of this determination, cause the transmitter to switch the transmission from the first power level to a second power level that is lower than the first power level. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09654842B2
An automatic content recognition (ACR)-enabled connected TV device may be operable to identify, utilizing ACR, viewer interaction and/or viewer information. The ACR-enabled connected TV device may present, utilizing the ACR, a variant of an advertisement in a next ad pod during presentation of content, based on the identified viewer interaction and/or the identified viewer information. The viewer information may comprise customized preferences profile, default preferences setting, viewing habits, time of day and/or location. The viewer information may also comprise objects and/or events captured by an associated camera. When an identified stored episode of a show is presented via DVR playback, the ACR-enabled connected TV device may present, in a next ad pod, a new version of an advertisement, where the new version of the advertisement may be associated with a new episode of the show and presentation of the new version may result in a C3 rating credit.
US09654837B2
Provided are a method and device for providing a video of an Internet Protocol TV or Interactive Personal TV (IPTV) service. The method includes: detecting whether an IPTV service system is accessible for a Set Top Box (STB) or not; and when the IPTV system is detected to be inaccessible for the STB, providing a video for the STB through a Content Delivery Network (CDN) subsystem. By the technical solution, the technical problems that the user cannot enjoy services such as the video service in case of upgrading, server failure or network failure in the related technology are solved, and live video service can still be provided for the user even though the service of the IPTV service system is inaccessible due to upgrading, server failure or network failure.
US09654830B2
A method for facilitating the generation of recommendations of audiovisual content for a first user. The method comprises receiving data from a plurality of second users, the received data indicating audiovisual content of interest to the second users. The method further comprises processing the received data to automatically identify a plurality of relationships between interests of one or more of the second users in respective items of audiovisual content in the audiovisual content represented by the received data and generate a recommendation engine. The recommendation engine is adapted to take as input indications of audiovisual content of interest to the first user and to generate recommendations of further audiovisual content of interest to the first user based upon a subset of the plurality of relationships.
US09654801B2
An advanced video coding and decoding chip and a method with a hardware design that calculates direct current coefficients in discrete-cosine-transformed residual blocks corresponding to sixteen sub-blocks within a macroblock and alternating current coefficients in the discrete-cosine-transformed residual blocks corresponding to the sixteen sub-blocks within the macroblock separately and in parallel.
US09654799B2
A video encoding method is provided. The method includes: encoding a current region of a video by performing a transformation on the current region by using transformation units in a variable tree-structure which are determined from among transformation units that are hierarchically split from a base transformation unit with respect to the current region and which are generated based on a maximum split level of a transformation unit. The method further includes outputting encoded data of the current region, information about an encoding mode, and transformation-unit hierarchical-structure information comprising maximum size information and minimum size information of the transformation unit with respect to the video.
US09654797B2
A method for decoding an image, the method including extracting an intra prediction mode of a current block, determining a number of neighboring pixels located on a left side of the current block or an upper side of the current block, and determining a location of one or more neighboring pixels, the intra prediction mode indicating a particular direction among a plurality of directions, the particular direction being indicated by using one of a dx number in a horizontal direction and a fixed number in a vertical direction, and the location of the one or more neighboring pixels being determined based on a shift operation.
US09654793B2
Video encoding/decoding methods, corresponding computer programs and video encoding/decoding devices
A method for encoding an interlaced video comprising a sequence of alternating TOP and BOT fields is disclosed. The method for encoding comprises: producing a sequence of frames, each frame being determined from at least two consecutive fields, each field forming a rectangular region of the frame, encoding each frame of the sequence to produce an encoded video of the sequence of frames.
US09654791B1
In one example, a sequence of pictures may be transformed at a given spatial resolution to a plurality of output spatial resolutions and/or an additional spatial resolution that is lower than the plurality of output spatial resolutions. The sequence of pictures and a picture type may be received for each of the pictures at respective output spatial resolutions. Estimating a set of combinations of encoding parameters for coding tree blocks (CTBs) in each of the pictures at a lowest output spatial resolution or mapping combinations of encoding parameters for each CTB in each of the pictures at an immediate coarser spatial resolution to corresponding blocks at the respective output spatial resolution is performed. A set of combinations of encoding parameters may be determined for each CTB and best combinations of encoding parameters from the determined set of combinations may be identified for encoding the sequence of pictures.
US09654790B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for encoding a video and a method and apparatus for decoding a video. The encoding method includes: splitting a picture of the video into one or more maximum coding units that are coding units having a maximum size; encoding the picture based on coding units according to depths which are obtained by hierarchically splitting each of the one or more maximum coding units according to depths in each of the one or more maximum coding units, determining coding units according to coded depths with respect to each of the coding units according to depths, and thus determining coding units having a tree structure; and outputting data that is encoded based on the coding units having the tree structure, information about the coded depths and an encoding mode, and coding unit structure information indicating a size and a variable depth of a coding unit.
US09654775B2
A weighted prediction module includes a weighted prediction parameter generation module configured to generate a plurality of initial weighted prediction parameters, to analyze the plurality of initial weighted prediction parameters, and to generate a refinement flag that indicates one of: enable parameter refinement and disable parameter refinement. A weighted prediction parameter refinement module is configured to generate a plurality of refined weighted prediction parameters by refining the plurality of initial weighted prediction parameters, when the refinement flag indicates that the parameter refinement is enabled. A weighted prediction flag generation module is configured to generate a weighted prediction flag that indicates one of: enable weighted prediction and disable weighted prediction, based on the refinement flag.
US09654774B2
In an example, a method of decoding video data includes decoding, by a video decoder, a first picture of multi-layer video data, where the first picture has a first picture type. The method also includes, based on the first picture having the first picture type, decoding, by the video decoder, data representative of picture order count (POC) most significant bits (MSB) value for the first picture.
US09654770B2
In a method for evaluating media quality, media reference quality and rebuffering event distortion quality are obtained, final media quality are determined according to the obtained media reference quality and rebuffering event distortion quality, where a parameter of the rebuffering event distortion quality includes at least one of the following: the number of rebuffering events, a duration of the rebuffering event, a multiple rebuffering event interaction impact parameter, initial media quality, and a factor describing media content complexity. When media quality is calculated, impact of the multiple rebuffering event interaction impact parameter, the initial media quality, and the factor describing media content complexity on the media quality is considered, thereby making a media quality evaluation result more accurate.
US09654769B2
Three dimensional (3-D) program content viewing system in a media environment with different media presentation devices detects a first synchronization signal transmitted from a first synchronization signal source, wherein the first synchronization signal is associated with first 3-D program content and includes a first signal identifier. The system detects a second synchronization signal transmitted from a second synchronization signal source, wherein the second synchronization signal is associated with second 3-D program content and includes a second signal identifier. The system then receives a selection of one of the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal and discriminates between the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal based upon the first signal identifier and the second signal identifier. The system then controls a left lens and a right lens of 3-D shutter glasses in accordance with the selected one of the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal.
US09654767B2
Applications are provided that contain code of a programming language enabling simultaneous display on a screen of both two-dimensional and three-dimensional content. Furthermore, development systems and program libraries supporting the same are provided. A first command is generated by first program code of an application. The first command directs a first configuration of a first region of the screen to support the three-dimensional content. A second command is generated by second program code of the application. The second command directs a second configuration of a second region of the screen to support the two-dimensional content. The display of the three-dimensional content is caused within the first region of the screen, and the display of the two-dimensional content is caused within the second region of the screen.
US09654758B2
The subject disclosure is generally directed towards synchronizing live streaming videos with additional sources of contextually-related data. In one or more aspects, contextually-related data is marked with a timestamp, with a reference to each piece of data maintained in a manifest. The manifest is accessed to locate the contextually relevant information (e.g., on a companion device or the video playing device) in synchronization with the streaming video, such that a user is able to pause/stop/rewind/fast forward while maintaining the timeline synchronization between video and the data.
US09654756B1
Panchromatic pixels and chromatic pixels are interpolated into color channels per pixel of an output image. First, panchromatic pixels and chromatic pixels are used to generate an intermediate image with panchromatic channel, and color channels per pixel. At least three color channels of a first color space can be converted to a first panchromatic light intensity channel in a second color space and at least two first chrominance channels in the second color space based on a detected correlated color temperature. A ratio per pixel between the first panchromatic light intensity channel in the second color space and a second panchromatic light intensity channel in the second color space can be calculated, where the second panchromatic light intensity channel can be based on a panchromatic value per pixel. The ratio can be applied to the at least two first chrominance channels per pixel to determine pixel values in at least two second chrominance channels of the second color space. Channels per pixel can be converted from the second color space including the at least two second chrominance channels and the second panchromatic light intensity channel to a color space.
US09654744B2
The present invention is directed towards a frequency modulated (FM) burst mode optical system that allows optical signals having a common wavelength provided by a plurality of FM burst mode optical transmitters to be passively combined onto a single optical fiber. A single FM optical receiver receives the combined signals and processes them accordingly. Each FM burst mode optical transmitter includes an FM modulator, a carrier detect circuit and a laser. The FM modulator modulates a carrier signal, such as a 1.21 GHz signal, with received reverse electrical signals. When a subcarrier signal is detected by the carrier detect circuit, the laser is turned and the frequency modulated carrier signal is used to intensity modulate a laser to provide an optical signal. Due to the burst-mode transmission of optical signals, the optical signals can be passively combined and transmitted to a single optical receiver.
US09654739B1
A system and method for controlling and selecting sources in a room on a network. The system allows a remote viewer to create a virtual presence within the room by providing the available displays, corresponding to the sources, to the remote viewer. The system includes a standardizing technique for improving the communication and overall switching of data for streaming on a network. The system can include a recording server for performing dual recording of the video files in each of a local database and a remote database. A graphical user interface (GUI) display is provided to guide a local user through a medical procedure in the standardized system.
US09654725B2
A video processing method, a video displaying method, and a video processing device are provided. The video processing device performs the video processing method and the video displaying method. The video processing method includes the following steps. First, receive a full frame according to a global frame rate. Then, according to a first local frame rate different from the global frame rate, determine whether to capture a first local frame from the global frame. Finally, combine the first local frame and the global frame to generate a synthesized frame. The video processing method, the video displaying method and the video processing device produce better quality and smaller file size of image data.
US09654719B2
In a method for identifying a user in a network of broadcast communication receivers, a physical characteristic of a user is analyzed in association with the user accessing a first of the receivers. First biometric information based on the characteristic as analyzed in association with the user accessing the first receiver is generated. Data associated with use of the first receiver by the user is also generated and associated with the first biometric information. The physical characteristic of the user is then analyzed in association with the user accessing a second receiver. Second biometric information based on the physical characteristic as analyzed in association with the user accessing the second receiver is generated. The first and second biometric information are then compared. If the first and second biometric information indicate the physical characteristic of the same user, the data is employed in conjunction with the user accessing the second receiver.
US09654711B2
A system and method for scaling an image includes receiving raw image data comprising input pixel values which correspond to pixels of an image sensor, filtering pixels in a spatial domain, and filtering pixels in a frequency domain according to an oversampling ratio. The system and method may also include outputting scaled image data as output pixel values, which correspond to subgroups of the input pixel values. The filtering may be done according to a Bayer-consistent ruleset which includes a set of filter weights and a series of scaling rules. The oversampling ratio is set to minimize an error after the filtering in the spatial domain and the filtering in the frequency domain.
US09654709B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a second image sensor having an organic photoelectric conversion film transmitting a specific light, and a first image sensor which is stacked in layers on a same semiconductor substrate as that of the second image sensor and which receives the specific light having transmitted the second image sensor, in which a pixel for focus detection is provided in the second image sensor or the first image sensor. Therefore, an AF method can be realized independently of a pixel for imaging.
US09654707B2
The image processing apparatus performs an image process on a first image produced by image capturing. The apparatus includes: a memory storing coefficient data containing coefficients to be used in an approximation function to approximate a PSF of an image capturing optical system, and a processor performs the image process. The processor produces an approximated point spread function by using the coefficient of the coefficient data corresponding to an optical state of the optical system in the image capturing and two of a pixel pitch of an image sensor, a kernel size of a filter to be used for a sharpening process on the first image and number of taps of the filter; produce the filter by using the approximated PSF; and produce a second image that is a sharpened image by applying the filter to the first image.
US09654701B2
A plurality of input images in an input video signal of a wide dynamic range is received. A specific setting of global light modulation is determined based on a specific input image in the plurality of input images. The specific setting of global light modulation produces a specific dynamic range window. A plurality of input code values in the specific input image is converted to a plurality of output code values in a specific output image corresponding to the specific input image. The plurality of output code values produces the same or substantially the same luminance levels as represented by the plurality of input code values. Any other pixels in the specific input image are converted to different luminance levels in the specific output image through display management.
US09654694B2
A camera with a pair of lens/sensor combinations, the two lenses having different focal lengths, so that the image from one of the combinations has a field of view approximately two to three times greater than the image from the other combination. As a user of the camera requests a given amount of zoom, the zoomed image provided will come from the lens/sensor combination having the field of view that is next larger than the requested field of view. Thus, if the requested field of view is less than the smaller field of view combination, the zoomed image will be created from the image captured by that combination, using cropping and interpolation if necessary. Similarly, if the requested field of view is greater than the smaller field of view combination, the zoomed image will be created from the image captured by the other combination, using cropping and interpolation if necessary.
US09654689B2
A sequence of digital images are produced using an imaging sensor circuit, wherein each of the digital images was a result of light capture by the imaging sensor circuit during a respective pixel integration phase followed by analog to digital conversion during a respective readout phase. A camera actuator is driven while producing the sequence of images, wherein during a part of every respective readout phase for the sequence of digital images the actuator is driven using a linear drive circuit, and wherein during a part of every respective pixel integration phase the actuator is driven using a switch mode drive circuit. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US09654688B2
Provided is an image processing device which includes: an event detector configured to detect a first event occurring at the AP by analyzing a response signal which the AP transmits to a transceiver of a camera in response to a query signal transmitted from the transceiver to the AP; and a power controller configured to place a sensor, the transceiver and a plurality of other elements constituting the camera in an activated state, in response to the event detector detecting the first event, wherein the power controller places the other elements in a deactivated state while at least one of the sensor and the transceiver is in the activated place, unless the first event is detected by the event detector, a second event is detected by the sensor, or a predetermined setting is provided.
US09654685B2
A camera apparatus and method enabling a user to conveniently control an operation of the camera apparatus according to a gesture of a subject for photography input through a lens of a camera, and a method of controlling the camera apparatus are provided. The method includes generating a current frame by receiving an image input through a camera; comparing the current frame and one or more previous frames stored before the current frame and detecting a gesture of a subject for photography included in the current frame and the one or more previous frames; determining whether the gesture is a gesture UI; and when the gesture is the gesture UI, executing an operation corresponding to the gesture UI.
US09654682B2
An imaging apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a focus lens, a motor for driving the focus lens, an origin detection unit for detecting an arrival of the focus lens at a reference position, a drive amount detection unit for detecting an amount of drive of the focus lens driven by the motor, and a controller for recognizing a position of the focus lens based on an output from the drive amount detection unit and for controlling the position of the focus lens. The controller receives a detection signal from the origin detection unit during driving the focus lens, and determines an occurrence of step-out of the motor based on both the received detection signal and the position of the focus lens recognized by the controller.
US09654671B2
An imaging device including a light source; a two-dimensional image sensor that receives reflected light from a subject containing specular light of the light source and outputs an image of the subject; a light transmission member disposed in an optical path of light emitted from the light source to the subject; and a light shielding unit that, when a position on the subject at which light from the light source is regularly reflected and enters the two-dimensional image sensor is defined as a first specular position, whereas a position on the light transmission member at which light from the light source is regularly reflected and enters the two-dimensional image sensor is defined as a second specular position, shields the light directed from the light source toward the second specular position without shielding the light directed from the light source toward the first specular position.
US09654670B2
A color conversion table creation device includes an image reading unit, a first color conversion unit color-converting read image data using a first color conversion table indicating a correspondence relationship between signal values obtained by the image reading unit and chromaticity values, a second color conversion unit color-converting document image data into print image data using an input and output color conversion tables, an image association unit performing an association process for a positional relationship between each piece of read image data of a printed matter obtained according to print image data and a target printed matter or each piece of read chromaticity value image data converted into chromaticity values and the document image data, and a color conversion table creation unit creating a color conversion table to be used in the second color conversion table based on differences between chromaticity values of the target printed matter and printed matter.
US09654665B2
An image forming apparatus including: a conveying unit that conveys a transfer medium; an image forming unit that prints an image on the transfer medium based on an image for printing; and a control unit that receives a detection result of an image detection unit that detects the image printed on the transfer medium, wherein the control unit has a determination function used when an image for which image detection is possible and an image for which image detection is not possible are added to a document image to form the image for printing, the determination function being adapted to exclude an area of the image for which image detection is possible and to determine a state of the printed image based on comparison of information of the detected image and information of the image for printing.
US09654664B2
Disclosed is a non-transitory storage medium storing a communication program for causing a processor to execute a method including steps of receiving an input of facsimile data; determining whether an identification image is added to the received facsimile data; a step of retrieving, when the identification image is added, information indicating an association with different facsimile data from the identification image that is added to the facsimile data; storing the received facsimile data in a predetermined memory, wherein the received facsimile data is associated with the different facsimile data based on the retrieved information; generating, when the identification image is not added, the information indicating the association with the different facsimile data; and adding, to the facsimile data, the identification image that is generated based on the information indicating the association with the different facsimile data.
US09654655B2
An image reading device includes an image scanning portion, a page classification portion, a preview output portion, a page classification correction portion, and a file replacement portion. The preview output portion generates a primary image data file including: a plurality of pieces of page image data; and page classification information that allows the non-blank page and the blank page to be separated from each other, and displays, on a display portion, an image of the non-blank page and an image of the blank page so as to be separated from each other. The page classification correction portion corrects the page classification information according to correction operation. The file replacement portion replaces the primary image data file with a secondary image data file that does not include the data of the blank page.
US09654647B2
A system and method that includes receiving a communication request of an account, the communication request including communication properties; identifying at least two routing options of a route priority list, the routing options capable of completing the communication request and identified according to a priority heuristic; generating a communication cost from the communication properties; and upon receipt of the routing response and the communication cost response, executing a communication with a routing option of the routing priority list and committing a cost of the communication to the account.
US09654643B2
A first group auditory data stream, from a transmitting subscriber device of a first group of subscriber devices or from a dispatch console and intended for the first group of subscriber devices, is received at a conference server. The conference server determines whether the first group auditory data stream generated for the first group of subscriber devices is of interest to a second group of subscriber devices, and if so, sums the first group auditory data stream with a second group auditory data stream intended for the second group of subscriber devices to form a summed group auditory data stream. The conference server then forwards the summed group auditory data stream towards the second group of subscriber devices and forwards the first group auditory data stream towards the first group of subscriber devices.
US09654638B2
A microprocessor executable work assignment mechanism selects a work item associated with a customer, dynamically determines, for the customer, a customer proficiency level with respect to a contact center product and/or product area sold and/or serviced by a contact center, and uses the customer proficiency level in assigning the selected work item to a resource for servicing and/or in providing the determined customer proficiency level to an assigned resource for use in servicing the selected work item.
US09654626B2
Approaches for recording and playing back a portion of a telephone call are provided. An approach includes establishing a subscriber of a recording and play back service. The approach includes recording, by a computing device, a portion of a conversation of the subscriber that occurs in a call between a first telephone and a second telephone. The approach additionally includes storing, by the computing device, the portion of the conversation when the call ends. The approach further includes analyzing, by the computing device, the stored portion of the conversation to detect predefined keywords. The approach also includes automatically providing the subscriber with an option to play back the stored portion of the conversation when at least one of the predefined keywords is detected during the analyzing.
US09654619B1
An accurate determination of the disposition of a call origination is made in a contact center by mapping Session Initiated Protocol cause codes to reflect whether a call attempt was made to a remote party. Certain cause codes reflect various conditions where a call may originate from a contact center, but for various reasons, was not offered to the remote party, or more specifically, to an interface associated with the telephone number of the remote party. Reflecting these calls as incomplete calls, as opposed to call attempts, allows the contact center to more accurately reflect the number of call attempts. Accurately tracking the number of call attempts is important to comply with various state and federal regulations regulating the number of call attempts during a given time period. Further, incomplete calls may be symptomatic of a facility failure requiring attention, causing an administrator to be alerted.
US09654610B1
An assembly for mobile electronic devices enhances audio by shaping the direction of emitted waves. Such a wave-shaping assembly is retractable so as to be flush or nearly flush with a surface of a mobile electronic device, and is extendable for playing audio to a listener more than a certain distance away from the mobile device. The wave-shaping assembly is suitable for voice, music, and other audible sound effects. The length and width of the extension of the wave-shaping assembly is variable, depending on the application and the industrial design of the mobile electronic device. The wave-shaping assembly is included either as a feature at time of manufacture, or as an added, optional attachment to a mobile electronic device.
US09654604B2
Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of controlling data flow over a communication network. For example, an apparatus may include a communication unit to communicate between first and second devices a transfer response, the transfer response in response to a transfer request, the transfer response including a transfer pending status indicating data is pending to be received at the second device, the communication unit is to communicate the transfer response regardless of whether a retry indicator of the transfer request represents a first request for transfer or a retried request.
US09654603B1
A virtual mobile infrastructure performs client-side rendering by intercepting and redirecting screen data for generating a screen image of a remote mobile operating system from a server computer to a mobile client device. The mobile client device receives the screen data and generates the final screen image of the remote mobile operating system. The screen data include drawing application programming interface (API) calls to generate surfaces for applications running on the remote mobile operating system and data for compositing the surfaces together. The mobile client device makes the drawing API calls to generate the surfaces and generates the final screen image of the remote mobile operating system by compositing the surfaces in accordance with the compositing data.
US09654602B2
Technology is disclosed for an image editing tool that generates a recipe for just-in-time processing of images (“the technology”). Various embodiments of the technology include an image processing system that provides image processing services to a client system that publishes content including an image to end users. The image processing system processes the image based on a recipe to generate a processed image. The image editing tool is integrated into an application, e.g., webpage or a web browser, that displays the content. A user, e.g., administrator of the client system, can use the image editing tool to edit the image on the webpage and generate the recipe including instructions regarding the edits. The recipe is transmitted to the image processing system which processes the image based on the recipe, and transmits the processed image to the client system for further transmission to the end users accessing the content.
US09654596B2
A transcoding system (1) comprises a mobile communication device (2) that retrieves a web resource using a mobile communication network (3) and the internet (4) via a transcoder (5). The web resource may comprise a web page specifically encoded for the mobile communication device (2). To locate the web page, the mobile communication device (2) sends a request comprising an internet domain name having a top level domain and one or more other elements. The transcoder (5) generates further internet domain names that share the one or more further elements. The transcoder (5) then determines which of the web resources identified by the one or more further internet domain names is most appropriate for the mobile communication device (2) and provides this web resource to the mobile communication device (2).
US09654592B2
Disclosed in some examples is a method comprising determining a first set of high ranking skills, the first set containing skills possessed by a member of the social networking service based upon the member's user profile; determining a second set of high ranking skills, the second set containing skills for a second member of the social networking service based on the second member's user profile; determining a third set of high ranking skills, the third set being the intersection between the first and second set of high ranking skills; and suggesting one or more of the skills in the third set of high ranking skills to the member for endorsement of the second member with respect to that skill.
US09654589B2
A method for facilitating sharing of widget programs among a plurality of personal electronic devices is disclosed. The method includes establishing a database of the widget programs capable of being executed by the plurality of personal electronic devices. The method further includes receiving, over a communication network, a widget forwarding request from at least one of the plurality of personal electronic devices. An instance of a selected one of the widget programs is then transmitted, in response to the widget forwarding request, to another of the plurality of personal electronic devices.
US09654588B2
There is provided a device control apparatus which makes it possible to dispense with device monitoring (polling) by a client apparatus to thereby reduce traffic on a network. A device server 200 acquires, according to device information for identifying a device locally connected to the device server 200, at least one of a trigger detection algorithm and a definition file for monitoring a state change of the device identified based on the device information, and monitors the locally connected device based on at least one of the acquired trigger detection algorithm and definition file. Then, when a state change of the device is detected, the device server 200 sends a trigger notification indicative of the detection of the state change to a client PC 100 via a network 500, and starts a session with the client PC 100 in response to a connection request from the client PC 100 having received the trigger notification.
US09654583B2
A system for a mobile device to provide access to a data collection, such as a user's data collection for example, without requiring either persistent storage of the complete data collection locally on the mobile device, or network access requests for each user data request from the mobile device. In an embodiment, the system employs a data probability function to predict the probability of the mobile device accessing specific types of user data based on the operating mode of the mobile device. The system executes as a background process to provide and store locally on the mobile device, the data most probable to be accessed at the mobile device. The data most likely to be accessed via the mobile device is available locally, thereby minimizing latency issues that occur when data requests cannot be fulfilled using data stored locally in the mobile device and network requests are performed.
US09654565B2
Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of managing an Application Service Platform (ASP) session. For example, an apparatus may include a first ASP to communicate with a second ASP via a wireless Peer-to-Peer (P2P) connection over a P2P link to manage an ASP-session between a first device including the first ASP and a second device including the second ASP. The first ASP may communicate with the second ASP a message to close the ASP-session, the message including a reason field including an indication of a reason for closing the ASP-session.
US09654564B2
Described herein are implementations for using a remote control device to control a target device on a network via a remote control proxy device. A remote control device may determine an IoT device capable of functioning as a remote control proxy device. The remote control device may generate a data packet comprising a command for controlling the target device and a network address associated with the target device, and transmit the data packet to the IoT device. If the IoT device determines, using the network address, that it is not the target device, the IoT device may either unicast the data packet to the target device or multicast the data packet to multiple intermediate IoT devices on the network.
US09654561B2
Provided is a method of providing an integrate cloud storage service through a home gateway communicating with smart devices through a first network formed by the home gateway and communicating with cloud storages through a communication network. The method may include obtaining information on cloud storage accounts associated with a smart device, as cloud storage account information, upon generation of a predetermined event associated with the smart device, generating an integrated cloud storage list based on information on folders and data of cloud storages accessible by the cloud storage account information, and providing the generated integrated cloud storage list to the smart device.
US09654556B2
An electronic device may offload an application to a network storage to free up storage on the electronic device. For instance, an application file and, in some cases, associated application data and/or saved application state information may be stored at the network storage and deleted from the electronic device. Subsequently, a data management module may receive an instruction to onload the application back onto the electronic device, such as in response to a user input that selects the offloaded application, a determination that an upcoming activity may include use of the offloaded application, or a determination that a user usage pattern indicates that the offloaded application is likely to be used. In response, the data management module may download the corresponding application file from the network storage. In some cases, the electronic device may also receive associated application data and/or saved application state information from the network storage.
US09654555B2
The invention relates to a method for synchronizing local clocks in a distributed computer network, where said computer network consists of a number of components that are connected to each other via bi-directional communication links, characterized in that a) an a priori configured set of components of the network generates synchronization messages and sends these synchronization messages to the network, and b) an a priori configured set of components consumes the generated synchronization messages, and c) one or more message-relaying components in between a component that generates a synchronization message and the component that consumes the synchronization message will add a delay value to the synchronization message reflecting the delay imposed by the message-relaying component, d) a component that is configured to consume a synchronization message will delay a received synchronization message upon reception for a duration that is calculated by an a priory configured value for the maximum transmission delay (“Maximum Transmission Delay”) minus the value of the sum of all delay values added to the received message before further usage of the message in the synchronization process of said component.
US09654552B2
Disclosed are methods and systems for devices in peer-to-peer networks to form a new group using information sent by a group owner in a previous group session. In some embodiments, a method of delegating group ownership from a first device to a second device for the formation of a new group includes: determining the second device will be the group owner of the new group during a current group session; broadcasting to devices in the current group session that the second device will be the group owner of the new group; dissolving the current group session; and forming a new group with the second device as group owner.
US09654541B1
A system for aggregating a user's web browsing data which may include cookies placed on a user's computing device from various websites. The system receives authorization from a user to retrieve cookie and other data associated with the user. The system then accesses cookie data and personal data associated with the user. In some embodiments, the aggregation system communicates with websites that placed the cookie data on the user's computer to determine one or more characteristics of the user based on the cookie data (which may be understandable only by the placing website). The system may then provide the user's aggregated data or a portion thereof to requesting entities. The user may have access to a user interface which provides information about the user's aggregated data and allows the user to determine how much information to share with requesting entities.
US09654537B2
In one aspect, audio streams are added to a mix until the mix is either complete (i.e., all audio streams have been added) or the mix is closed early (i.e., before the mix is complete). In another aspect, audio and video streams are synchronized by playing back the audio stream and then synchronizing display of the video frames to the playback of the audio stream.
US09654529B2
A method, an apparatus and a system can be used for implementing service control of a home network device. A first DLNA device sends a service request to a user interface server. The first DLNA device receives a DLNA device list of the home network wherein the first DLNA device is located and a control script corresponding to a media service to be executed that are sent by the user interface server in response to the service request. The first DLNA device selects a second DLNA device from the DLNA device list and controls, according to the control script, the second DLNA device to execute the media service to be executed.
US09654526B2
A real-time streaming media playing method is provided. Firstly, plural type data, plural internet radio station data and plural address data from an internet server are stored into a digital media server. Then, an active control device is connected to the digital media server. Consequently, a playing list containing the plural internet radio station data of the internet server and plural address path data corresponding to the plural address data is generated. According to the playing list, the plural address data are acquired by the active control device or a digital media renderer. According to the plural address data, a corresponding real-time streaming media file is played by the active control device or the digital media renderer.
US09654523B2
An information processing device includes a receiver, an association unit, and a controller. The receiver receives an instruction to associate one first device from among multiple first devices that display a board as well as stickies pasted onto that board with a second device that creates a sticky. The association unit associates the first device and the second device according to an instruction received by the receiver. The controller controls transmission of information related to a board and stickies pasted onto that board in the first device associated by the association unit to the second device.
US09654520B1
To enable internet softphone users to join to calls hosted at an audio conferencing bridge, a SIP Invite may be received at a bridge interface layer of an audio conferencing system. Parameters of the SIP Invite may be extracted, e.g. from one or more X-header fields and processed to enable the internet softphone to be joined to an audio conferencing bridge. The bridge interface layer may receive a SIP Refer message from the audio conferencing bridge that indicates a second audio conferencing bridge external to the system. The bridge interface layer may forward the SIP Invite to the second audio conferencing bridge and the RTP media may be established through the session border controller (SBC) of the audio conferencing system.
US09654518B2
A stack fusion method is implemented at an originator cluster of software services in a distributed Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) system. The method includes receiving a request for a communication service from an originator registered to the originator cluster. The method further includes, responsive to the request, creating a communication protocol object in the originator cluster, discovering a participant cluster on which the participant is registered, notifying the participant via the participant cluster that the communication protocol object exists, and updating an index protocol object in the participant cluster that tracks communication sessions in which the participant is engaged with a reference that points to the communication protocol object in the originator cluster.
US09654517B2
A connection request including a connection model key and a partner system attribute of the partner system requesting a connection is received at an application server from a partner system. Using a predefined connection model, as determination is made as to whether the received connection model key and the received partner system attribute respectively match a configured connection model key and a configured authorized partner system attribute within the predefined connection model. In response to determining that the received connection model key and the received partner system attribute match the respective configured connection model key and the configured authorized partner system attribute within the predefined connection model, a connection is created that includes a first unique connection name derived from the received partner system attribute.
US09654516B2
A method includes sending, by a first device, a first message to a second device, sending a third message to the second device, where the first message includes information about at least one media capture capability supported by the first device, and at least one first association identifier, the third message includes at least one configuration item supported by the first device and at least one second association identifier, and the at least one first association identifier corresponds to the at least one second association identifier in a one-to-one manner, and receiving, a second message and a fourth message sent by the second device, where the second message includes at least one media capture capability that is selected by the second device according to the first message and the third message, and at least one third association identifier corresponding to the at least one media capture capability.
US09654512B2
Implementing security in social applications includes inferring a closeness level of a connection to a user's profile of a social application based on a closeness policy and implementing a security level individualized to the connection based on the closeness level.
US09654506B2
Tiered management of privacy settings is disclosed. In one example, such management entails defining privacy tiers respectively corresponding to privacy levels. Cookies are then associated to the privacy tiers to accommodate the management of browsing activity according to the relevant tier. Additionally, different sets of private information are respectively associated to the privacy tiers. This provides for the management of browsing activity using the privacy tiers, the cookies and the different sets of private information. In this fashion, the association of a given cookie to a given privacy tier dictates a given set of private information to be provided to another party in connection with a given browsing activity.
US09654500B2
This specification generally relates to using redirect messages to implement content filtering. One example method includes determining that access to a network resource should be redirected based at least in part on access behavior associated with the network resource; receiving from a client a first request for the network resource, the first request including an original location of the network resource; sending a redirect response to the client including a modified location for the network resource different than the original location; receiving a second request for the network resource from the client including the modified location; retrieving the network resource from the original location; performing at least one action on the retrieved network resource; and selectively sending the retrieved network resource to the client based at least in part on a result associated with the at least one action.
US09654497B2
A method for more efficiently scanning files for viruses includes determining a vulnerability date associated with a virus, wherein the vulnerability date is related to a release date of the virus. In certain embodiments, the vulnerability date is a user-tunable amount of time before or after the release date. The method further determines, on a storage system, which files that have been updated since the vulnerability date. These files are scanned for the virus in a first batch. The method further determines which files have not been updated since the vulnerability date. These files are scanned for the virus in a second batch. Because files in the first batch have been updated since the vulnerability date, scanning the first batch may be given priority over scanning the second batch. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.
US09654493B2
In one kind of DoS attack, malicious customers may try to send a large number of filter requests against an innocent customer. In one implementation, a Filter Request Server (FRS) may allow a customer against who a filter request is made to dispute the implicit accusation of the filter request or stop sending malicious traffic. If the customer claims innocence, the FRS may log destination addresses of data packets sent by the customer and identify and ignore false filter requests if these filter requests come from customers who do not correspond to one or more of the destination addresses that have previously been logged by the FRS.
US09654492B2
A malware detection system based on stored data that analyzes an electronic message for threats by comparing it to previously received messages in a message archive or to a contacts list. Threat protection rules may be generated dynamically based on the message and contacts history. A message that appears suspicious may be blocked, or the system may insert warnings to the receiver not to provide personal information without verifying the message. Threat checks may look for unknown senders, senders with identities that are similar to but not identical to previous senders or to known contacts, or senders that were added only recently as contacts. Links embedded in messages may be checked by comparing them to links previously received or to domain names of known contacts. The system may flag messages as potential threats if they contradict previous messages, or if they appear unusual compared to the patterns of previous messages.
US09654490B2
A system and method for fuzzing a network application program, which use a captured packet upon fuzzing a network application program, and thus neither a protocol analysis procedure nor the production of a fuzzer program is required. The system for fuzzing a network application program includes a fuzzing performance client program unit for generating a packet to be transmitted from a captured packet, applying a fuzzing rule to the packet to be transmitted, and outputting a resulting packet. A fuzzing supervisor program unit provides the packet from the fuzzing performance client program unit to a target program to be fuzzed, monitors an event and abnormal termination of the target program to be fuzzed, and analyzes a situation of termination to verify security vulnerabilities if abnormal termination has occurred.
US09654488B2
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for detecting restricted content associated with retrieved content. The method and system may include receiving a client request for content, saving contextual information from the client request, presenting retrieved content in response to the client request, and presenting the contextual information from the client request, and retrieved content, to a scanning facility. The scanning facility may utilize the contextual information from the client request to aid in the detection of restricted content associated with retrieved content.
US09654474B2
To control privileges and access to resources on a per-process basis, an administrator creates a rule that may be applied to modify a process's token. The rule includes an application-criterion set and changes to be made to the groups and/or privileges of a token. The rule is set as a policy within a group policy object (GPO), where a GPO is associated with one or more groups of computers. When a GPO containing a rule is applied to a computer, a driver installed on the computer accesses the rule(s) anytime a logged-on user executes a process. If the executed process satisfies the criterion set of a rule the changes contained within the rule are made to the process token, and the user has expanded and/or contracted access and/or privileges for only that process.
US09654473B2
An authentication engine may be configured to receive an authentication request and credentials from a client. The authentication engine may then generate a proxy agent configured to interact with an identity provider to authenticate the client on behalf of the client, using the credentials. In this way, the authentication engine may receive an assertion of authentication of the client from the identity provider, by way of the proxy agent.
US09654472B2
A storage count verification system is provided in which a client can verify the number of identical data items stored by a server without the server being notified of the results. A storage count verification system verifies whether a user device and a server device have identical data where search data requested by a user device is used to search data to be searched on a server device. The server device generates a public parameter for searching the data to be searched and transmits the generated public parameter to the user device. The user device is provided with a user generation unit for generating, on the basis of the public parameter received from the server device, a secret parameter that is for the search data and corresponds to the public parameter and a user encryption unit for encrypting the search data on the basis of the generated secret parameter.
US09654465B2
In Software-Defined Network (SDN), a trust controller and trust processor exchange hardware-trust data over an SDN southbound interface to maintain hardware-trust. A flow controller transfers a Flow Description Table (FDT) modification to the data-plane machine over the southbound interface. The flow controller transfers an FDT modification notice to the trust controller which transfers FDT security data over the southbound interface to authorize the FDT change in the SDN data-plane machine. The data-plane machine authorizes the FDT modification based on the FDT security data from the trust controller. The data-plane machine modifies the FDT in response to the successful authorization and processes user data traffic using the modified FDT. The trust controller may also transfer a Threat Description Table (TDT) to the data-plane machine to filter the user traffic for other threats.
US09654462B2
A late-binding token (LBT) is securely generated and provided to a device application. When the LBT is presented and validated, a resource associated with the presentation is bound to the LBT and authenticated for access to a service and provided valid credentials for accessing that service.
US09654461B2
Disclosed is a system for delegating authentication of an untrusted application executing on a client device. For delegated authentication, an untrusted application relies on a trusted application executing in the same environment for authentication purposes. The delegated authentication process avoids requiring the user of the untrusted application to provide authentication credentials. The disclosed system for delegating authentication enables any trusted application executing in the same computing environment to authenticate the untrusted application.
US09654457B2
A non-limiting example game system includes a game apparatus which is stored with various kinds of application programs. When an application program for a specific service such as a television program guide (program guide program) is started, prior to an acquisition of a content (webpage), an authentication of the game apparatus is performed, and a white list which records a domain name accessible by the game apparatus (the program guide program) is acquired from a managing server which is controlled by a provider of the television program guide. In the program guide program, it is determined whether or not a domain name described in URL of the webpage appears in the white list when a request to send the webpage is to be sent. If not appeared in the white list, the program guide program is suspended, and a web browser is activated to send the request to send the webpage.
US09654456B2
Content may be provided to an access device by the content delivery platform. When the access device decides to access the content, a request may be received at the content delivery platform. The request is intercepted at a URL proxy, which determines if the content has been purchased or not. If the content has been purchased, the request is redirected to a digital rights server. The digital rights server processes the request and determines digital rights for the content using the address. The digital rights are then provided such that the access device can access the content. If a user of the access device has not already purchased the content, a message may be sent to the access device requesting that the user purchase the content. Once the content is purchased, the digital rights are then provided such that the access device can access the content.
US09654450B2
In embodiments of the present invention, improved capabilities are described for securely sharing computer data content between business entities as managed through an intermediate business entity, where the secure sharing process utilizes encryption provided by the intermediate business entity but where the encryption keys used in the encryption are at least in part managed through one of the business entities as customer managed keys.
US09654443B2
A method of a network node adapted to provide assistance of device-to-device communication is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, from a first wireless communication device adapted to perform device-to-device communication, one or more first global device identities associated with the first wireless communication device and allocating one or more first local device identities to the first wireless communication device based on the received global device identities (330). The method also comprises storing, in association to the network node, a mapping between each received one or more first global device identity and each allocated one or more first local device identity, transmitting information indicative of the allocated one or more first local device identities to the first wireless communication device, and transmitting information indicative of at least one of the allocated one or more first local device identities to a first group of one or more other wireless communication devices (350). A method of a wireless communication device adapted to perform device-to-device communication is also disclosed. The method comprises receiving, from a network node, information indicative of at least one local device identity allocated to another wireless communication device, and monitoring device-to-device communication beacon signaling based on the received at least one local device identity.
US09654437B2
The system facilitates the selective display of messages to a user while the user is driving a vehicle. During operation, the system determines the priority of a message based on: a sender of the message; whether the message requests a response; a duration of time within which to read the message; and one or more rules. The system precludes the display of one or more messages while the user is driving a vehicle based on the respective priority of the messages.
US09654430B2
Provided are techniques for the transmission of electronic mail (email). While a user composes an email message and once an intended recipient has been entered, negotiation modules associated with client and server computers check both the recipient and attributes of the message as they are entered. The user is notified if there is an issue with the intended recipient and alternative recipients may be suggested. The user is also notified if a particular attribute exceeds a defined limit. In this manner, the user may alter the message so that the attribute conforms to the limit to ensure delivery. Tests may be provided to enable a user to exceed a limit and some users may be pre-authorized to exceed a limit.
US09654424B2
Some embodiments provide a method for a managed forwarding element that processes packets by comparing packet header field values of the packets to flow entries arranged in several tables. The method identifies a flow entry matched by the particular packet in a first table of the plurality of tables. When the matched flow entry in the first table belongs to one of several dimensions of a conjunctive set of flow entries, the method searches at least a second additional table for a flow entry matched by the particular packet that belongs to another of the several dimensions of the conjunctive set of flow entries. When flow entries from each of the several dimensions are matched by the particular packet, the method performs an action specified by a particular additional flow entry referenced by the matched flow entries from the several dimensions of the conjunctive set of flow entries.
US09654416B2
Systems and methods for scheduling data egress using a time-sensitive (TS) network switch. The TS network switch may include a functional unit, a plurality of ports, and a plurality of queues. Each port may be associated with a set of network addresses for TS packets and may be configured with a set of egress periods. Each queue may be associated with a TS packet type and a port. The functional unit may be configured to receive TS packets asynchronously from a network node via a first port, determine a second port for egressing a TS packet, determine an egress period for egressing the TS packet, determine that the TS packet cannot currently be egressed from the second port, queue the TS packet in a first queue, where the first queue is associated with the second port, and egress the TS packet in the respective time window from the second port.
US09654413B2
Disclosed are a method, device, and system for implementing network access, and a network system. The method comprises: in the case that a terminal requests to access a webpage, a server determining content of the webpage that the terminal requests to access; and the server searching for a webpage, used as a reference webpage, with relevant content matching the content of the webpage, and providing information of the found reference webpage for the terminal. The present invention can enable a user terminal to obtain multiple associated access results by performing webpage access once. Even though the terminal cannot for some reason access a webpage originally expected to be accessed, or content of a webpage originally expected to be accessed cannot meet a user requirement, has a bad display effect, or even cannot be displayed, other webpages with associated or same content can be provided for the terminal, so that a webpage that comprises sufficient information, has a better display effect, and is securer is provided for the terminal, thereby avoiding an additional access operation of the terminal and improving the browsing efficiency and experience of a user.
US09654407B2
A transmitter arrangement using randomization is disclosed. The arrangement includes one or more randomizers, a measure component and a frame select component. The one or more randomizers are configured to generate one or more randomized frames from an original frame. The measure component is configured to measure a criterion for the original frame and the one or more randomized frames. The frame select component is configured to select a frame for transmission from the one or more randomized frames and the original frame. The selection is performed according to the measured criteria, such as frame duration.
US09654405B2
Systems and methods of performing intra-frame refresh in multimedia communications over lossy packet networks, in which a video receiver can provide packet loss feedback information to a video transmitter, and the video transmitter can respond to the feedback information, in a manner that makes efficient use of available bandwidth. By providing one or more PLI messages from the video receiver to the video transmitter based on criteria related to the detection of an eventual missing video packet and/or the determination that the quality of a current reference frame is bad, and by pausing the providing of GNACK messages from the video receiver to the video transmitter while the PLI messages are being provided to the video transmitter, the total number of video packets required for transmission/retransmission can be reduced, thereby limiting the impact of the transmitted/retransmitted video packets on the available bandwidth while enhancing the video QoE of system users.
US09654401B2
A computer-implemented method for multipath load balancing may include (1) identifying a plurality of paths from a source switch to a destination switch, (2) determining, for each of the plurality of paths, a limiting bandwidth of the path based at least in part on the lowest link bandwidth of one or more data links in the path, and (3) balancing network traffic that is transmitted from the source switch to the destination switch across the plurality of paths based at least in part on the limiting bandwidth of each of the plurality of paths. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09654400B2
A data communication method includes determining by a first terminal apparatus that is included among plural terminal apparatuses capable of direct communication with one another, whether a communication volume of data received from a second terminal apparatus that is included among the terminal apparatuses exceeds a processable communication volume; and transmitting by the first terminal apparatus to the second terminal apparatus, a portion of the data of a given communication volume, when the communication volume of the data exceeds the processable communication volume.
US09654397B2
A network device is provided. The network device includes: a hash memory and a controller. The hash memory has a plurality of hash tables, wherein each hash table includes a plurality of entries, and each entry in each hash table has a signature field, and a key field. The controller is configured to map a search key to a plurality of entries of the hash tables and perform longest prefix matching (LPM) on the search key based on the signature field and the key field of each mapped entry in the mapped hash tables.
US09654396B2
In one embodiment, a device (e.g., a sync daemon) connects to peer nodes in a communication network. Each of the peer nodes has a switch that supports a flow table and an action table. The device facilitates a connection between a switch of a first peer node and a switch of a second peer node, and maintains the flow table and the action table of each of the peer nodes, such that the flow tables and the action tables are kept in synchronization with one another across each of the peer nodes via a distributed hash table.
US09654392B2
A hypervisor running on a host machine identifies a first media access control (MAC) address prefix associated with the host machine, wherein the first MAC address prefix comprises one or more bits that are shared by MAC addresses for virtual machines hosted by the host machine. The hypervisor configures the host machine to filter packets based on a first MAC address prefix filter, wherein the first MAC address prefix filter passes packets addressed to MAC addresses that have the identified first MAC address prefix. The hypervisor assigns MAC addresses having the first MAC address prefix to a plurality of virtual machines that will be hosted by the host machine.
US09654383B2
A flow based routing method and apparatus selects a path from a plurality of different paths for assignment to a flow. The path is selected based on a traffic performance measurements which identify relative congestion and performance of the different paths, so that traffic flows can be diverted away from network congestion points, thereby allowing network resources to be load balanced at a flow granularity. The present invention may be configured on physical or virtual links on an NE to enhance the forwarding of packets using the primary link and one or more alternate links to any given destination.
US09654382B2
In non-minimal routing, a switch determines outgoing links for preferred paths (e.g. shortest paths). Then, for another node in a preferred path, the switch determines outgoing links for paths to that node in a modified network in which each link in a previously determined path to the node is cut off. Packets can be tunneled on non-preferred paths to that node. Other features and embodiments are also provided.
US09654376B2
A system and method of managing virtual link state includes receiving, at a first device, a first status update associated with the virtual link from a second device. The first status update includes a first management status value (RM) and a first operational status value (RO). The system and method further includes determining a second management status value (LM) associated with the first device, determining a second operational status value (LO) based on the first status update and the RM, transmitting a second status update for the virtual link to the second device, the second status update including the LM and the LO, and determining a state of the virtual link based on the RM, the RO, the LM, and the LO. The first device is configured to be coupled to the second device using a physical network link partitioned into a plurality of first virtual links including the virtual link.
US09654373B2
In a method for adjusting the modulation of information onto subcarriers transmitted on a network, a first modulation profile of a network node on the network is set a first density. A plurality of messages in support of a link maintenance operation (LMO) on the network are monitored. The first modulation profile of the network node is updated to a second modulation profile having a second density. The updating is based on the monitored messages. Interference is detected by determining that a link between the first network node and a second network node on the network is not conveying a predetermined class of messages correctly. The first network node is set to a third modulation profile more robust than the first and second modulation profiles in response to the detected interference. The third modulation profile is common to each network node on the network.
US09654367B2
A system and method are provided for determining and visualizing efficiencies and risks in computing environments. The method comprises obtaining resource utilization data and resource capacity data for a plurality of entities in a computing environment; obtaining at least one operational policy defining at appropriate level of at least one resource used by the computing environment according to at least one factor; and computing at least one score quantifying efficiencies and risks associated with the computing environment based on the resource utilization data, resource capacity data, and at least one operational policy.
US09654366B2
A method that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, receiving at a media resource center a first pairing key from a first mobile device server and enabling the first mobile device to access at least one media device based on the first pairing key, where the at least one media device is operably coupled with the media resource center, where the first mobile devices provides media services by executing a web server application that utilizes the at least one media device, and where the first mobile device communicates with a second mobile device server to provide the media services. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09654365B2
Consideration of system jitter in selecting a “message passing collectives algorithm” used in a message passing interface. A set of multiple message passing collectives algorithms are ranked against each other with at least some consideration of relative jitter-related performance as between the algorithms. The consideration of jitter includes consideration of “system jitter” (OS jitter and/or network jitter). In some embodiments, multiple rankings are performed for different levels of system jitter.
US09654355B2
A framework supporting content delivery includes a plurality of devices, each device configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services. The plurality of CD services include adaptation services.
US09654353B2
A framework supporting content delivery includes a plurality of devices, each device configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services. The plurality of CD services include rendezvous services forming one or more rendezvous service networks.
US09654351B2
A system and method for storing role definitions for cloud provider systems, receiving a first request to assign a user to a first role specifying a first cloud computing resource of a respective resource type, identifying a role definition corresponding to the first role that includes an action set permitted, and creating the first role for the user on the first cloud computing resource by associating the identified role definition with the first cloud computing resource and the user. A second request to assign the user to a second role is received specifying a second cloud computing of the respective resource type, and the second role is created for the user on the second cloud computing resource, where the identified role definition corresponds to the first and second roles, and wherein creating the second role includes associating the identified role definition with the first cloud computing resource and the user.
US09654350B2
Here, we have the following examples: (1) Integrating the NID functionality in to the small foot-print of an SFP Module, with one or more of the features below: a) Mounting a NID SoC IC to an existing SFP Printed Circuit Board (PCB); b) Using the power from the SFP module, without requiring separate external power; c) NID SoC having only 2 ports, each with its own MAC and possibly PHY layer; d) NID SoC having an embedded microprocessor, RAM and ROM; e) Running a Web portal or other remote login and management software on the NID SoC; f) Miniaturizing the NID to make it cheaper, with reduced cost of inventory, shipment, and installation; and/or g) Supporting one or more (multiple of/ many) functions in NID SoC, e.g., OAM or Shaping. (2) Building the NID functionality in a Dongle. Many other examples, configurations, applications, and variations are provided.
US09654349B2
Systems and methods whereby, for example, one or more functional elements can be established and/or employed. Such functional elements might serve a number of purposes. For instance, such functional elements might be employable in interoperating with devices, software, and/or the like, in working with entities, and/or the like. Such functional elements may, for example, be arrangeable in an associative and/or hierarchical manner.
US09654346B2
A system and method for automatically deploying a network design is provided. Design deployment may be automated by a system that receives a machine-readable network design as an input, validates design topology requirements, and automatically deploys the design over actual hardware elements without manual intervention. Thus, the system and method provided may eliminate errors and streamline network design deployment, which may be particularly useful in a network characterized by a complex design, which may be difficult and tedious to configure manually.
US09654345B2
A method, an engineering tool, and a computer program element for analyzing a communication of secondary devices in a Substation Automation System for a substation are disclosed. The secondary devices are connected to a communication network for controlling an industrial process, which industrial process can include a plurality of operational aspects of primary devices. Sender secondary devices are configured to send data packets, which can include a multitude of data objects, to predetermined receiver secondary devices via the communication network, wherein the data packets transmitted via the communication network are captured, a functional interrelation or operational aspect of the secondary devices and the primary devices is retrieved from an SCD-file representing the formal configuration of the substation is retrieved, and the secondary devices are grouped according to the retrieved operational aspect and a time sorted graphical representation of the data objects, the secondary devices and the operational aspects is generated.
US09654344B2
In one embodiment, a source top-of-rack (ToR) switch may identify multiple destination ToR switches from a group of ToR switches to send data traffic to. The source ToR switch may be connected to the group of ToR switches via a base network. The system may determine whether each destination ToR switch is suitable for receiving data transmission via a point-to-multipoint wireless flyway. The two or more destination ToR switches that are determined to be suitable may be considered flyway candidate ToR switches. The system may establish the point-to-multipoint wireless flyway between the source ToR switch and the flyway candidate ToR switches. The system may then transmit the data traffic from the source ToR switch to each of the flyway candidate ToR switches via the point-to-multipoint wireless flyway.
US09654333B2
An allocation entity of a datacenter is provided, wherein said allocation entity being configured: to receive an application allocation request for allocating an application to one of a plurality of processing units of the datacenter, the application allocation request comprising application network load information; to acquire path network load information indicating network load of network paths to at least a part of the plurality of processing units; and to select a processing unit from the plurality of processing units for allocating the application based on the application network load information and the path network load information.
US09654329B2
Distributive content delivery techniques are applied in a content delivery system. A content delivery overlay is generated as a function of delay times, bandwidth requirements, and throughput of a network. Helpers are added to the content delivery network as a function of delay times, bandwidth requirements, and throughput. Further, content can be transmitted without exchanging buffermaps or waiting for whole packets to be transmitted.
US09654325B2
The invention relates to a method of receiving digital data transmitted on a coded serial digital transmission modulated on a noisy channel with non-stationary equalization attenuation. Digital data are stored associating a value of quality of transmission with the information elements received, and a mutual information value Ik is computed for each value of the quality of transmission. The value of quality of transmission consists of an equivalent signal/noise plus interference ratio calculated as a function of the method of equalization on the basis of various signal/channel noise ratio values measured for the various temporal symbols of information elements received of the signal received corresponding to one and the same information element and according to interference due to the waveform.
US09654319B2
Provided is a non-contact communication apparatus which uses a conventional IC chip without any change, while eliminating the need to transmit power to the IC chip and allowing an increase in communication range. A non-contact communication apparatus connectable to an IC chip includes an antenna section, a first detection section that retrieves a first detection signal from a signal received by the antenna section, an amplitude modulating section that amplitude-modulates a clock signal using the first detection signal retrieved by the first detection section and that inputs the amplitude-modulated signal to the IC chip, a second detection section that retrieves a second detection signal from an output signal from the IC chip, a load modulating section that load-modulates a carrier retrieved from the antenna section using the second detection signal retrieved by the second detection section and that inputs the load-modulated carrier to the antenna section, and a power supply section.
US09654316B2
In order to transmit a codeword that is generated based on a quasi-cyclic low-density parity-check coding scheme and consists of N cyclic blocks each consisting of Q bits, a bit permutation is applied to the bits of the codeword, a plurality of constellation blocks each consisting of G×M bits are generated, and a block permutation is applied to the constellation blocks. The bit permutation is adopted for each of N/M sections each consisting M cyclic blocks such that the constellation blocks each consist of G×M bits from M distinct cyclic blocks of the associated section. The block permutation is equivalent to writing the constellation blocks into a matrix with R rows and (Q/(k×G)) columns and reading out the constellation blocks column by column from the matrix, where R is k×(N/M), and k is a positive integer.
US09654314B2
A system for optimizing signal quality in an optical communication system is provided including a transmitter for converting digital signals to optical signals, the transmitter including a transmitter digital signal processing chip including a pre-distortion logic and a transmitter look-up table (LUT). A receiver is operatively coupled to the transmitter for receiving and converting the optical signals from the transmitter to digital signals. The receiver includes a receiver digital signal processing chip including a correction logic and a receiver look-up table (LUT). The transmitter LUT is constructed by scaling the receiver LUT by a weight factor and is iteratively updated based on a weighted sum of the receiver LUT.
US09654308B2
This disclosure describes systems, and methods related to determining carrier frequency offset of a wireless communication channel based on a determined phase difference. In some embodiments, an access point is caused to receive one or more streams comprising one or more encoded long training field (LTF) symbols over the wireless communication channel from one or more user devices. The access point then determines a first phase of the wireless communication channel upon receipt of a first LTF symbol, and determines a second phase of the wireless communication channel upon receipt of a second LTF symbol. The access point next determines a phase difference between the first phase and the second phase. Based on the determined phase difference, the access point determines a carrier frequency offset of the wireless communication channel. Lastly, the access point modifies the wireless communication channel based at least in part on the determined CFO.
US09654307B1
A communication apparatus for correcting a situation of a spectrum inverted signal includes a channel estimation module and an equalization module. The channel estimation module determines a channel estimation parameter, and receives at least one frame signal to generate a convolution restored frame signal corresponding to the frame signal. The equalization module includes a first computation circuit and a second computation circuit. The first computation circuit receives the channel estimation parameter and the convolution restored frame signal to generate a transformation channel estimation parameter and a transformed convolution restored frame signal. The second computation circuit receives the transformed channel estimation parameter and the transformed convolution restored frame signal to generate an original frame signal corresponding to the frame signal. The first computation circuit further feeds back a transient original frame signal to the channel estimation module to update the channel estimation parameter.
US09654299B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods of designing and implementing service policies in a telecommunications network. The policy management system includes interfaces operable to receive different subscriber information, an execution framework which includes policies which can be dynamically customized using one or more custom execution blocks, wherein the policies can receive the subscriber information through the interfaces and execute each policy based on the subscriber information. The method enables a network operator to dynamically update policies using customizable execution blocks and thereby change services associated with a particular policy as well as change the input factors (subscriber location, profile, etc.) available to that policy.
US09654291B2
In an authentication system, a mobile communication client transmits to an authentication server a bit signal that includes an image capture bit sequence obtained by capturing an image of a self-aware two-dimensional code having authentication information embedded in a correction area, and a number bit sequence that indicates a serial number of an authentication application program being stored in storage. The authentication server authenticates the user of the mobile communication client and the self-aware two-dimensional code. Subsequently, the authentication server transmits designated information expressed by the self-aware two-dimensional code to the mobile communication client, on the condition that the user and the self-aware two-dimensional code are successfully authenticated. Consequently, the mobile communication client is able to acquire the designated information expressed by the self-aware two-dimensional code.
US09654284B2
A group key is computed based on unique identifications of each member device of a group of machine type communication devices, wherein communication with a network application function is performed by using a session identification of the group, and/or by using a session identification of a member device of the group, generated based on the session identification of the group and the unique identification of the member device.
US09654283B2
An optical device comprising: a substrate; a cavity structure on the substrate, comprising a quantum emitter in contact with one or more semiconductor layers; wherein the or all of the semiconductor layers in contact with the quantum emitter have a thickness larger than the height of the quantum emitter.
US09654266B2
In the present invention, disclosed are a method for transreceiving downlink control information in a wireless access system supporting an enhanced physical downlink control channel (E-PDCCH), and an apparatus for same. More particularly, the method comprises the steps of: transmitting through a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) information with respect to a resource region of a search space that is set inside a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or the enhanced physical downlink control channel (E-PDCCH); and transmitting the downlink control information to a user equipment through the search space.
US09654265B2
In accordance with aspects of the disclosure, a method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for wireless communication. The method, apparatus, and computer program product may be provided for mapping a first signal to one or more resource elements being utilized by a second signal and transmitting the first signal utilizing the resource elements. The method, apparatus, and computer program product may be provided for pre-defining one or more resource blocks in a data region of a frame structure and transmitting an acknowledgement signal in at least one of the pre-defined resource blocks. The method, apparatus, and computer program product may be provided for identifying at least one downlink control channel and transmitting acknowledgment signals in the at least one downlink control channel for a plurality of user equipment.
US09654263B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, an apparatus, and a system for transmitting control information. The method includes: determining enhanced resource element group numbers in resource blocks, and determining, according to the resource element group numbers, positions of resource elements corresponding to enhanced resource element groups; interleaving the enhanced resource element group numbers, and determining an enhanced control channel element; determining, according to the enhanced control channel element and the positions of the resource elements corresponding to the enhanced resource element groups, positions of resource elements corresponding to the enhanced control channel element; and transmitting corresponding control information on the positions of the resource elements corresponding to the control channel element. The present invention alleviates a problem that channel frequency diversity is poor, and lowers the probability of loss of information of a terminal device.
US09654261B2
A method involving coordinating resources between a victim and an aggressor base station in massive MIMO systems, whereby only those specific beams involved in the interference scenario are coordinated in time and/or frequency domains without affecting other resources committed to other users as well as legacy users. Also disclosed is a system and computer program configured to implement the method.
US09654247B2
There is provided a distance-adaptive and fragmentation-aware all-optical traffic grooming (DFG) method, which addresses the all-optical traffic grooming problem while considering the transmission reach constraints. The DFG procedure provisions traffic demands in optical channels such that the spectrum requires for guard bands is minimized. The DFG procedure provisions optical channels such that network fragmentation is minimized while ensuring the transmission reach constrains over flexible-grid WDM networks.
US09654246B2
A reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) unit includes a first optical circulator coupled to a first terminal; a second optical circulator coupled to a second terminal; a third optical circulator coupled to a third terminal; a fourth optical circulator coupled to a fourth terminal; a first wavelength-selective switch (WSS), coupled to the first, second, and third optical circulators; a second WSS coupled to the first, second, and fourth optical circulators, wherein the first and second WSSes are bidirectional operated; a first 1:2 coupler positioned between the first circulator and the first and second WSSes; a second 1:2 coupler positioned between the second circulator and the first and second WSSes.
US09654244B2
Method for generating reference signal sequence using grouping is explained. In this method, base sequences are grouped such that each group contains at least one base sequence of each length, so UE(s) can use various length sequences as a reference signal. And in this method, inter cell interference caused by using various length sequence as a reference signal sequence can be minimized by grouping sequences having the high cross correlation relation.
US09654239B2
A method includes receiving a distributed radio signal at a wireless communications device (WCD) from a first service provider. The method includes generating a bookmark associated with a first content item included in the distributed radio signal. The bookmark is generated based on radio application data when the WCD is radio-enabled, and the bookmark is generated based on pseudo-radio application data when the WCD is not radio-enabled. The method also includes transmitting the bookmark and a content request associated with the first content item from the WCD to a content source.
US09654234B2
An exercise assistance system labels sensor signals received from a movement measurement device to identify repetitions within the sensor signals. The movement measurement device can transmit motion data describing the user's movement to the exercise assistance system, and includes the sensor signals generated by one or more sensors in the movement measurement device. The exercise assistance system generates a combination signal from the received sensor signals and passes the combination signal through a low pass filter to generate a labeling signal. The exercise assistance system can generate three types of labels for the labeling signal identifying different parts of repetitions. The exercise assistance system labels the sensor signals using the generated labels and can identify repetitions in the labeled sensor signals using a classification model.
US09654202B2
A method of scheduling a transmission with a multi-beam satellite system receives, at a dynamic pricer, a request parameter that is associated with a request to transmit data via a multi-beam satellite system. The method determines a plurality of transmission solutions that satisfy the request parameter. The plurality of transmission solutions are transmitted, from the dynamic pricer, to a transmission requesting device. An indication is received, at the dynamic pricer, as to which particular transmission solution is selected by the transmission requesting device. The multi-beam satellite system is scheduled to transmit a payload in accordance with the selected particular transmission solution. A system is provided that operates the method.
US09654192B2
A method and apparatus for a channel feedback by a signal transmitting device in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system are provided. The method includes transmitting a pilot in which a compression rate is reflected to a signal receiving device; receiving channel related information on a compressed channel from the signal receiving device; and performing a precoding based on the channel related information. The apparatus includes a transmitting unit configured to transmit a pilot to which a compression rate is reflected to a signal receiving device; a receiving unit configured to receive channel related information on a compressed channel from the signal receiving device; and a precoding unit configured to perform a precoding based on the channel related information.
US09654187B2
A User Equipment in a wireless communication network includes a multiplicity of antennas, from which a subset of antennas is selected using a selection scheme synchronized to the network. A set of sub-carriers is selected from a plurality of sub-carriers using a selection scheme synchronized to the network. The UE receives a plurality of known reference symbols over the selected set of sub-carriers and through the selected subset of antennas. A frequency response for each selected sub-carrier is estimated over only the selected subset of antennas. The results are quantized and transmitted to the network on an uplink control channel.
US09654186B2
A portable terminal includes an antenna, a communication unit, an N-bit counter, and a gain change unit. The communication unit has two modes of an active mode in which the communication unit itself outputs carrier waves and a passive mode in which carrier waves output from another device are used, and is configured to attempt communication through electromagnetic induction by using the antenna with switching between the two modes being alternately made and to communicate without switching between the modes while communication is established. The N-bit counter is configured to output a value which varies by a unit number each time switching to at least one of the two modes is made in the communication unit. The gain change unit is configured to change a gain of a signal received at the antenna by the communication unit in accordance with a value output from the N-bit counter.
US09654185B2
An interactive method for communication with a smart mobile device and an interactive communication system using the same are provided. The interactive communication system comprises an external device and a smart mobile device. The external device comprises a microprocessor circuit and an AC magnetic emitter. The microprocessor circuit is for encoding specific data into an encoded signal. The AC magnetic emitter is for converting the encoded signal into an AC magnetic signal. The smart mobile device comprises an E-compass sensor. In addition, the smart mobile device stores a specific application program for acquiring a magnetic variation of the E-compass sensor. When the magnetic variation of the E-compass sensor is greater than a threshold variation, the AC magnetic signal is decoded through the specific application program to obtain the specific data.
US09654180B2
NFC-enable mobile device, NFC reader and NFC system for supporting a plurality of proximity services
According to an aspect of the invention, an NFC-enabled mobile device for supporting a plurality of proximity services is conceived, wherein each supported proximity service corresponds to a specific operating system running on a specific secure element comprised in the NFC-enabled mobile device, wherein the NFC-enabled mobile device comprises a plurality of data sets and each data set corresponds to a supported proximity service, wherein the NFC-enabled mobile device is arranged to determine whether it supports an advertised proximity service, upon receipt of a service advertisement message comprising a unique identifier of the advertised proximity service from an NFC reader, by searching for the advertised proximity service in said data sets.
US09654175B1
Systems and methods for triggering generation of an alert for delivery to a remote device are disclosed herein. The system can include memory having: a user profile database; and a content library database. The system can include a recipient user device and a supervisor device. The system can include a content management server that can: receive an electrical signal from the recipient user device, which electrical signal includes a request for initiation of a delivery sequence; trigger an incrementing timer based on receipt of the electrical signal; sequentially deliver the set of delivery data packets; automatically send a proposed time for communicatively coupling the recipient user and supervisor devices; and generate and send an alert.
US09654174B2
A method for managing a power line communication network in a multi-flow environment. The method includes determining an average throughput between each pair of nodes acting in isolation within the power line communication network, defining logical zones by grouping each pair of nodes if the average throughput between the pair of nodes exceeds a first threshold, wherein the logical zones include a plurality of strongly coupled zones. The method further includes determining an aggregate throughput for a pair of flows between randomly selected pairs of nodes acting concurrently between the plurality of strongly coupled zones, determining a plurality of pair of flows that can be concurrently operated when the aggregate throughput exceeds the average throughput, estimating a resulting throughput of the plurality of pair of flows that can be concurrently operated, and optimizing a schedule for the plurality of pair of flows based on the resulting throughput.
US09654169B2
Apparatus and methods for multi-band RF signal routing are provided herein. In certain configurations, a mobile device includes an antenna switch module, a diversity module, and one or more diversity antennas. The diversity module is electrically coupled to the one or more diversity antennas, and processes diversity signals received on the one or more diversity antennas to generate a high band (HB) signal, a mid band (MB) signal, and a low band (LB) signal. Additionally, the diversity module generates a combined LB/HB signal based on combining the LB signal and the HB signal, and provides the MB signal and the combined LB/HB signal to the antenna switch module.
US09654167B1
A smartphone case system includes an electronic device that has a transceiver. The transceiver is in electrical communication with a communication network. A case is provided and the electronic device is positioned in the case. Thus, the case protects the electronic device. A strap is coupled to the case and the strap is spaced from the case. Thus, a hand may be passed between the strap and the case thereby facilitating the case to be gripped. A security chip is embedded within the case. The security chip is electrical communication with the communication network. Moreover, the security chip inhibits an unauthorized user from electronically gaining identity data from the electronic device.
US09654166B2
An electronic device includes: a frame forming an edge portion of a plate-like housing; a groove defining a hollow, along an edge of the housing, in the frame; and a reinforcement disposed in the frame and made of a platable resin with which the groove is filled.
US09654162B2
The invention relates to a method for radio communication using multiple antennas and localization variables, and to an apparatus for radio communication using multiple antennas and localization variables. An apparatus for radio communication of the invention comprises: 4 antennas, the 4 antennas forming an antenna array; a radio device; a sensor unit estimating a plurality of localization variables; an antenna tuning apparatus having 4 antenna ports, each of the antenna ports being coupled to one of the antennas through a feeder, the antenna tuning apparatus having 4 radio ports, each of the radio ports being coupled to the radio device through an interconnection; and a tuning control unit, the tuning control unit receiving a tuning instruction generated automatically within the apparatus for radio communication, the tuning control unit delivering a plurality of tuning control signals to the antenna tuning apparatus.
US09654155B2
According to some implementation, a power amplifier includes a plurality of pairs of transistors, each pair of transistors including a common emitter transistor and a common base transistor arranged in a cascode configuration. The power amplifier further includes electrical connections implemented to connect the plurality of pairs in a parallel configuration between an input node and an output node. According to some implementations, the electrical connections are configured to distribute a collector current to all of the common base transistors to thereby reduce likelihood of damage to one or more common base transistors during a thermal run-away event.
US09654151B2
RF front end circuitry includes primary transceiver circuitry associated with a primary antenna and secondary receiver circuitry associated with a secondary antenna. Generally, the primary transceiver circuitry and the primary antenna are located on one end of a mobile communications device, while the secondary receiver circuitry and the secondary antenna are located at an opposite end of the device. Cross-coupling connection lines run between the antenna switching circuitry for the primary antenna and the secondary antenna, and are reused to send a portion of primary RF transmit signals from the primary transceiver circuitry to the secondary receiver circuitry so that primary RF transmit signals coupled into the secondary receiver path via antenna-to-antenna coupling can be reduced.
US09654148B2
According to one general aspect, an apparatus may include a memory and a reconfigurable error correction array. The memory may be configured to store data. The reconfigurable error correction array may be configured to provide a plurality of levels of error correction to the memory based, at least in part, upon a number of errors detected within the memory.
US09654129B2
There is provided a signal processing device comprising a combination unit (3) configured to combine plural element signals based on plural physical quantity signals including signal components in accordance with desired physical quantities, respectively, by the number of times equal to or greater than a number of the plural physical quantity signals, and to output combined signals different from each other; a measuring unit (4) configured to sequentially receive the combined signals output from the combination unit (3); and a computing unit (5) configured to compute signal components based on the desired physical quantities from signals that are generated based on the combined signals sequentially output from the measuring unit.
US09654119B2
Provided is a phase locked loop (PLL) that generates an output clock signal corresponding to a reference clock signal. The phase locked loop (PLL) includes a divider configured to divide the output clock signal to generate a divided clock signal, a time-pulse converter configured to generate a time-pulse conversion signal that has a pulse corresponding to a phase difference between the reference clock signal and the divided clock signal, and a digitally controlled oscillator including an LC resonance circuit for generating the output clock signal and configured to control a frequency of the output clock signal that is determined to correspond to a time constant of the LC resonance circuit according to the time-pulse conversion signal, wherein a sustainment time of changed capacitance is continuously controlled according to a change in the phase difference between the reference clock signal and the divided clock signal.
US09654114B2
A transmission circuit includes: a shift register configured to shift, in synchronization with a first clock signal, input parallel data within a plurality of flip-flop circuits; a control circuit configured to output a second clock signal of a phase in accordance with a phase of the first clock signal; a selector configured to select any one of the input parallel data and pieces of output parallel data of the plurality of flip-flop circuits; and a conversion circuit configured to convert, in synchronization with the second clock signal, the parallel data selected by the selector into pieces of serial data, in which the control circuit outputs a selection signal to the selector, in accordance with a deviation amount of the detected phase of the first clock signal.
US09654113B2
A control device for a clock generation circuit that generates a clock signal based on a reference signal from an outside, the control device includes: a storage device that stores frequency correction information for the clock signal according to a temperature condition of the clock generation circuit; and a processor that controls a frequency of the clock signal generated by the clock generation circuit under a second temperature condition, based on first and second frequency correction information according to a first temperature condition at first and second time points in the storage device.
US09654106B1
A dynamic digital filtering system for detecting electrical noise in a discrete I/O circuit. The dynamic digital filtering system has a controller for monitoring the logic signal produced by a logic device monitoring a remote I/O device. The logic device includes a circuit for dynamically adjusting the impedance across a power terminal and a terminal receiving a binary signal from the I/O device. Upon a change of state of the monitored logic signal the controller commands the impedance adjusting circuit to momentarily change its input impedance to determine if the binary signal responsible for the monitored change of state of the logic signal was true or false. If the monitored logic signal does not change state during the momentary change in impedance the binary signal will be verified as “true”. If the monitored logic signal does change state during the momentary change in impedance the binary signal will be considered as “false”.
US09654104B2
A resistive force sensor with capacitive discrimination is disclosed. According to an example of the disclosure, a sensor is directed to detect resistance and capacitance in an alternating fashion, the resistance indicating a force being applied to an input area of a device, and the capacitance indicating a proximity of a body part to the input area of the device, and the detected resistance and capacitance are utilized to determine whether the body part has pressed the input area of the device.
US09654096B1
A power-on-reset (POR) circuit for a system-on-chip (SOC) includes a biased switching element having a source, drain, and gate, with the source being connected to a supply voltage and the drain and gate being connected to a control line. The POR circuit further includes a first delay switching element having a source connected to a reduced supply voltage, a gate connected to the control line, and a drain, and an inverter having an input and an output, with the input being connected to the drain of the first delay switching element. The inverter includes a first CMOS inverter coupled between the supply voltage and a reference voltage. A first capacitor is coupled between the inverter input and the reference voltage. A second capacitor coupled between the inverter input and an output of the first CMOS inverter.
US09654094B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor switch circuit includes a semiconductor substrate, an insulating film, a semiconductor layer, a first wiring line, a semiconductor switch unit, and a first conductor. The insulating film is provided on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor layer is provided on the insulating film. The first wiring line is provided above the insulating film. The semiconductor switch unit is provided on the semiconductor layer and is electrically connected to the first wiring line. The first conductor is provided between the first wiring line and the semiconductor substrate.
US09654091B2
A comparator has an input stage having (i) resistor-coupled super source-follower circuits that convert differential input voltages into differential currents and (ii) hysteresis current-injection circuits that inject hysteresis currents into the differential currents. An output stage processes the differential currents to control the comparator output. Common-mode (CM) detection circuits inhibit some of the differential currents from reaching the output stage if the CM voltage is too close to a voltage rail of the comparator. The comparator is able to operate at CM voltages over the entire rail-to-rail range with constant hysteresis voltage.
US09654090B2
Circuits for die-to-die clock distribution are provided. A system includes a transmit clock tree on a first die and a receive clock tree on a second die. The transmit clock tree and the receive clock tree are the same, or very nearly the same, so that the insertion delay for a given bit on the transmit clock tree is the same as an insertion delay for a bit corresponding to the given bit on the receive clock tree. While there may be clock skew from bit-to-bit within the same clock tree, corresponding bits on the different die experience the same clock insertion delays.
US09654087B1
Techniques are disclosed for a level shifter configured to adjust current flow in response to measured current fluctuations due to common mode noise in the level shifter. For example, the level shifter includes a low-side control circuit configured to adjust a first current flowing into a first low-side terminal of an active high voltage level shifter device in response to a difference between the first low-side current and a second low-side current flowing into a second low-side terminal of an inactive high voltage level shifter device. The level shifter further includes a high-side receiver circuit configured to detect a difference between a first high-side current flowing into a first high-side terminal of the active high voltage level shifter device and a second high-side current flowing into a second high-side terminal of the inactive high voltage level shifter device.
US09654074B2
A variable gain amplifier circuit comprises a main amplifier, a current sensing circuit, a variable loading and a control amplifier. The main amplifier is configured for amplifying an input signal to generate an output signal. The current sensing circuit is coupled to the main amplifier, and is configured for generating a sensed current related to a current flowing through the main amplifier. The variable loading is coupled to the current mirror via a node, wherein the sensed current flows through the node and the variable loading. The control amplifier is coupled to the node and the main amplifier, and is configured for receiving a control voltage and a voltage of the node to generate an adjustment signal to control a gain of the main amplifier, wherein a resistance of the variable loading has a nonlinear relationship with the control voltage.
US09654064B2
An audio amplifier apparatus includes an audio amplifier which receives a single audio signal and produces a plus phase audio signal and a minus phase audio signal, both dependent upon the single audio signal. The plus phase audio signal and minus phase audio signal are received by first and second inputs of a speaker, respectively. A current sensing circuit senses a level of current received by the first or second inputs of the speaker and outputs a current sensing signal dependent upon the sensed level of current. An amplifying circuit receives and amplifies the current sensing signal. A mixer circuit receives the amplified current sensing signal and an audio drive signal and produces the single audio signal dependent upon the amplified current sensing signal and the audio drive signal. The single audio signal is produced at a node in-between two resistors.
US09654053B2
Described herein are solar energy collection systems, devices, and methods for harvesting solar energy. In some embodiments, the devices, systems, and methods described herein comprise a bifacial photovoltaic module, a reflector, a rod and a support structure.
US09654044B2
An impact rotation tool includes a motor, a switching element that performs a switching operation based on a PWM control signal, and a controller that performs PWM control on the motor with the switching operation of the switching element. The controller includes a PWM control unit that generates the PWM control signal, an impact detector that detects whether or not an impact has been generated, and a control frequency switch unit that selects a control frequency of the PWM control signal from a first control frequency, which is in an audible range, and a second control frequency, which is higher than the frequency in the audible range. The controller outputs a PWM control signal having the second frequency when detecting that an impact has not been generated and outputs a PWM control signal having the first frequency when detecting that an impact has been generated.
US09654040B2
A drive circuit of a stepping motor includes a D/A converter, a current controller having a comparing unit, and an abnormality detecting unit. The DAC generates a target voltage indicating a target value for an excitation current determined based on a reference voltage indicating an upper limit value of the excitation current flowing into the stepping motor. The current controller controls the excitation current based on this target voltage. The comparing unit compares a voltage corresponding to the excitation current and the target voltage. The abnormality detecting unit detects an abnormality of the wire between the drive circuit and the stepping motor based on an output signal from the comparing unit and a control signal indicating a polarity of the excitation current.
US09654037B2
A multi-phase motor control method controls a multi-phase motor which includes multiple nodes respectively receiving a corresponding number of driving voltage signals to control a rotation of a rotor. The motor control method includes: sensing a signal phase of a current signal corresponding to at least one node, for example by sensing a zero-crossing point of the current signal; determining a reference phase for the current signal; calculating a phase difference between the signal phase and the reference phase; and controlling a phase switching frequency of the stator according to the phase difference, such that the signal phase is close to or in phase with the reference phase, to thereby obtain an optimum rotation speed of the rotor corresponding to a given driving voltage. The present invention also provides a multi-phase motor control device using the motor control method.
US09654036B2
There is provided a power conversion device including a plurality of Direct Current (DC) power sources (VB) that converts an output voltage of each of the DC power sources into an Alternating Current (AC) voltage, and outputs the converted AC voltage in series connection, and the device includes: a DC/DC converter (21) connected to each of the DC power sources (VB) to convert the output voltage of the DC power sources; a control device (31) that controls an output voltage of the each DC/DC converter (21); and an H-bridge circuit (22) provided on the output side of the DC/DC converter (21) to convert the voltage output from the DC/DC converter (21) into an AC voltage.
US09654029B2
A vibration type driving device includes a vibrator configured to make an elliptic motion of a contact portion by combining vibrations in different vibration modes, and a driven body configured to be rotated relative to the vibrator by the elliptic motion while being in contact with the contact portion. A contact pressure of the contact portion with the driven body is lower on a radial inner side than on a radial outer side in a radial direction of the rotation.
US09654019B2
A converter performs full-wave rectification on a single-phase voltage, thus outputting a rectified voltage across DC power supply lines. An inverter receives the rectified voltage and then supplies a three-phase AC current to an inductive load. Between the DC power supply lines is connected a charge and discharge circuit. The charge and discharge circuit includes a buffer circuit and a boost circuit. The buffer circuit includes a series connection between a capacitor and a switch. The boost circuit, which may be configured by a boost chopper, includes a switch, a reactor and a diode. The charge and discharge circuit provides and receives part of pulsations of the power input to the converter between the DC power supply lines.
US09654009B2
A power converter is described herein. The power converter may be configured to enable a high-side switch when a resonating voltage at a switching net coupled between the high-side switch and a low-side switch reaches a maximum voltage while the power converter operates in a discontinuous current mode. The power converter may sample the resonating voltage at the switching net at a time when the high-side switch is enabled and compare the sampled voltage with a previously-sampled voltage of the switching net. A frequency of an oscillating signal that drives the activation of the high-side switch is periodically adjusted based on the comparison, which causes the high-side switch to be enabled at different times with respect to the resonating voltage. The frequency of the oscillating signal is continuously adjusted such that the high-side switch is enabled at time(s) where the resonating voltage reaches (or is near) its maximum voltage.
US09654007B1
A multiple phase, multiple stage SMPC system includes at least one single stage phase SMPC circuit that converts an input voltage to an output voltage applied to an electronic load circuit and at least one multiple stage phase SMPC circuit. The at least one multiple stage phase SMPC circuit has at least one primary stage phase SMPC circuit generates, monitors, and controls an intermediate voltage and at least one secondary stage phase SMPC circuit converts the intermediate voltage to the output voltage. The at least one secondary stage phase has a voltage conditioner that transforms the intermediate voltage to a reference voltage that is approximately the level of the output voltage. The at least one primary stage phase SMPC circuit monitors and controls the intermediate voltage to force the at least one secondary stage phase to make its output current a correct portion of the total load current.
US09654006B2
According to one embodiment, a DC-DC converter 1 includes a power supply unit 12 that includes an inductor L1 and a switching unit and generates an output voltage Vout corresponding to a duty of a pulse signal P1, a PID controller 111 that outputs a control signal S corresponding to a difference between a divided voltage of Vout and a target voltage Vcnst, a PI controller 112 that outputs a control signal D corresponding to a difference between the control signal S and an average current flowing through the inductor L1, a PWM generation unit 113 that generates the pulse signal P1 with a duty ratio corresponding to the control signal D, and in step-down mode, the PI controller 112 performs proportional control of the differential signal ei by using a product of the control signal D and a reference proportionality constant KP as a proportionality constant.
US09654003B1
In a method arrangement, providing a zero voltage transition circuit including an input node, an output node, a switch node, an output inductor coupling the switch node and output node, an output capacitor coupling the output node and ground, a first switch coupling the input node and switch node, a second switch coupling switch node and ground, a first auxiliary switch coupling the input node to an auxiliary node, a second auxiliary switch coupling the auxiliary node to ground, and an auxiliary inductor coupling the auxiliary node to the switch node; closing the first auxiliary switch to couple the input to the auxiliary node; subsequently, when a current is below a cutoff threshold, opening the second switch; after a first delay period, opening the first auxiliary switch and closing the second auxiliary switch; and after a second delay period, closing the first switch. Apparatus and additional method arrangements are disclosed.
US09654001B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer laminate disposed on a semiconductor substrate, a first and a second low-side transistors, and a first and a second high-side transistors. Each of the transistors is disposed on the semiconductor layer laminate, and includes a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. The second low-side transistor is disposed between the first low-side transistor and the first high-side transistor, and the first high-side transistor is disposed between the second low-side transistor and the second high-side transistor. The source electrodes of the first and the second low-side transistors are combined into one source electrode, the drain electrodes of the first and the second high-side transistors are combined into one drain electrode, and the drain electrode of the second low-side transistor and the source electrode of the first high-side transistor are combined into one first electrode.
US09653996B2
In one implementation, a voltage converter includes a high side power switch, and first and second low side power switches. The voltage converter also includes a driver stage for driving the high side power switch and the first and second low side power switches, and an adaptive OFF-time control circuit coupled to the driver stage. The adaptive OFF-time control circuit is configured to sense a current through one of the first and second low side switches, and to determine an adaptive off time for the high side power switch based on the sensed current.
US09653995B2
The invention relates to a control device for regulating a multiphase dc-dc converter having at least one first converter branch and one second converter branch connected in parallel to the first converter branch. The control device comprises a switching signal generation device that is designed to determine measurement values for the current in the converter branches, to compare, for a first of the converter branches, the determined measurement value of the current in the first converter branch to a first upper threshold current value and a first lower threshold current value and, on the basis of the comparisons, to generate a first control signal for switching devices of the first converter branch, and for a second of the converter branches, to compare the determined measurement value of the current in the second converter branch to a second upper threshold current value and a second lower threshold current value and, on the basis of the comparisons, to generate a second control signal for switching devices of the second converter branch. The control device further comprises a threshold value generator, which is coupled to the switching signal generation device and is designed to generate upper and lower threshold current values for the switching signal generation device, to determine an actual current phase offset of the control signals for the switching devices in the first and second converter branches, and on the basis of the determined phase offset, to temporarily modify the second upper current threshold value and/or the second lower current threshold value.
US09653991B2
A power converter may include an inductor, a switch turned on or turned off according to a control signal to control the flow of a current flowing through the inductor, and a control unit for outputting the control signal to turn on or turn off the switch by integrating a current flowing through the switch to compare the integrated current with the size of a preset reference voltage. The power converter and a driving method for the same may reduce errors of current control and have a simple structure.
US09653989B2
A system that may include a first direct current to direct current (DC) converter that is arranged to determine at a first determination rate whether to alter a parameter of operation of the first DC to DC converter and to selectively alter the parameter of operation of operation of the first DC to DC converter in response to the determination; and a second switched-mode DC to DC converter that is arranged to determine at a second determination rate whether to alter the parameter of operation of the second DC to DC converter and to selectively alter the parameter of operation of operation of the second DC to DC converter in response to the determination. The second determination rate is higher by at least a factor of two than the first determination rate. The first and second DC to DC converters are mutually unsynchronized.
US09653988B2
A system having a noise cancellation converter being configured for phase inverted synchronous operation with a primary converter. The primary converter is operable to supply power to at least one device. The primary converter produces a first electromagnetic interference during operation. The noise cancellation converter is further configured with parasitic components matching parasitic components of the primary converter. The noise cancellation converter produces a second electromagnetic interference that is coupleable to the device. The second electromagnetic interference comprises frequency components having an inverted phase relative to frequency components of the first electromagnetic interference for reducing a sum of the first electromagnetic interference and the second electromagnetic interference during coupling to the device. An RC network component is configured to operatively connect the primary converter and the noise cancellation converter being operable to cancel out the sum of the electro-magnetic interference signals.
US09653987B2
A method for detecting failure of soft start includes: connecting a variable frequency device to a load; detecting an energy storage unit at a first voltage level; generating an output current to the load; detecting the energy storage unit changed from the first voltage level into a second voltage level; generating a reference voltage value according to the output current and determining whether a voltage difference value between the first voltage level and the second voltage level is larger than the reference voltage value; determining whether a voltage peak-to-peak value of the energy storage unit is smaller than a set value by the controller if the voltage difference value is larger than the reference voltage value; and controlling the inverter circuit to stop outputting the output current to the load if the voltage peak-to-peak value is smaller than the set value.
US09653986B2
A multi-level, step-up converter circuit includes an inductor including one terminal in communication with an input voltage supply. N transistor pairs are connected in series, where N is an integer greater than one. First and second transistors of a first pair of the N transistor pairs are connected together at a node. The node is in communication with another terminal of the inductor. Third and fourth transistors of a second pair of the N transistor pairs are connected to the first and second transistors, respectively. (N−1) capacitors have terminals connected between the N transistor pairs, respectively. An output capacitor has a terminal in communication with at least one transistor of the N transistor pair.
US09653985B2
A resonant converter and its controlling method are provided. The resonant converter includes a bridge switching circuit receiving a DC input voltage through its power terminal, a resonant and transforming circuit, a rectifying and filtering circuit, and an over-current protecting circuit. The resonant and transforming circuit has at least one resonant capacitor charged/discharged in response to the switching of the bridge switching circuit. The rectifying and filtering circuit rectifies and filters outputs of the resonant and transforming circuit, and generates a driving voltage accordingly. The over-current protecting circuit is coupled to the power terminal and crosses over the resonant capacitor to form a clamp path. The over-current protecting circuit detects a current flowing through the resonant and transforming circuit or a load and determines whether to conduct/cut off the clamp path according to the detection result to limit a cross voltage of the resonant capacitor within a first voltage range.
US09653984B2
Power conversion systems and methods are presented for detecting input filter capacitor degradation or approach of end of operational life based on filter capacitor current measurements using single and/or dual threshold comparisons for computed instantaneous sum of squares of filter currents or power values.
US09653980B2
An object of the invention is to provide a cheap, efficient and polyvalent energy harvesting system able to exploit several energy sources. The invention proposes an energy harvesting system (100) including a frame, at least one permanent magnet (101) having a North/South direction, and at least one winding (107, 108) wound according to a winding direction around a core (103a-103b) including a high magnetic permeability material, at least said at least one permanent magnet being mounted on the frame to be able to oscillate relatively to the winding, characterized in that the system includes a magnetic flux divider arranged between said at least one permanent magnet and said at least one winding in order to concentrate the magnetic flux at discrete positions of maximum magnetic flux then forming equilibrium positions where the winding faces one of the said discrete positions of maximum magnetic flux.
US09653978B2
Permanent magnet (10), containing at least one metal component (13) from the group of the rare earth metals, comprising a first coating film (20), which forms a cathodic protection against corrosion for the permanent magnet (10), the first coating film (20) containing a metal (23) which is more electronegative in the electrochemical series than the metal component (13) of the permanent magnet (10), wherein a second coating film (30), which is embodied in an electrically insulating fashion, is applied on the first coating film (20).
US09653968B2
An electric motor includes a housing and at least one heat pipe for dissipating heat is integrated in the housing. Substantially all functional elements of the motor are disposed in the housing.
US09653962B2
Various embodiments provide, an apparatus for emulating an impulse force exerted by a skeletal muscle, the apparatus including a mass and an actuator, the actuator being adapted to exert a unidirectional force, a unidirectional torque, a unidirectional moment or a unidirectional couple, on the mass, the apparatus being configured in use to selectively couple together the mass and the actuator so that the unidirectional force, a unidirectional torque, a unidirectional moment or a unidirectional couple exerted on the mass by the actuator emulates the impulse force.
US09653960B2
An inner-rotor motor includes a shaft, a rotor magnet, a stator, a housing including a housing tubular portion extending along a rotation axis, a cap, and a bearing portion. The cap is located above the housing, and includes a cap bottom portion and a cap tubular portion which extends downward from the cap bottom portion. A core back of the stator includes a tubular outer circumferential surface including a plurality of stator contact portions in contact with the housing tubular portion. The stator contact portions are spaced from one another in a circumferential direction. The cap tubular portion includes a plurality of cap contact portions in contact with the housing and spaced from one another in the circumferential direction. At least one of the cap contact portions is located at a circumferential position different from a circumferential position of each stator contact portion.
US09653953B2
A rotor for a rotating electric machine includes a core body having a through-hole, a magnet, a tubular portion, and a plate part having an opening. The through-hole passes through the core body in a thickness direction. The magnet is disposed on an outer wall of the core body. The tubular portion is placed radially-outward of the core body. The plate part seals at least one end of the tubular portion in an axial direction. The opening is provided at a position corresponding to the through-hole and passes through the plate part in a thickness direction. The through-hole is one of a plurality of the through-holes, and the magnet is one of a plurality of the magnets.
US09653950B2
There is provided a wireless power transmitting device including a transmission coil configured to transmit a wireless power signal to a wireless power receiving device; a driving driver configured to generate a wireless power driving signal which is a driving signal for the wireless power signal; an alternating current sensor configured to detect an alternating current signal of the transmission coil which is generated by a wireless power receiving signal including wireless power receiving information of a wireless power receiving device; an alternating voltage sensor configured to detect an alternating voltage signal of the transmission coil, the alternating current signal being generated by the wireless power receiving signal from the wireless power receiving device; a signal processing unit configured to process the alternating current signal and the alternating voltage signal from the alternating current sensor and the alternating voltage sensor; and a wireless power transmitting controller that, when the alternating current signal and the alternating voltage signal of the transmission coil are detected and signal processing is normally performed on at least one of the alternating current signal and the alternating voltage signal, obtains the wireless power receiving information through the signal on which the signal processing is performed and controls the driving driver on the basis of the wireless power receiving information. Further, there is provided a method for controlling to transmit a wireless power signal in the wireless power transmitting device.
US09653949B2
An optical power beam transmission systems, with a directional light transmitter and receiver. The transmitter contains an amplifying laser medium, and this together with a retroreflector in the receiver, forms a laser resonator. When lasing sets in, the receiver can extract optical power through an output coupler and convert it to electrical power. The gain medium may be a disc having a thickness substantially smaller than its lateral dimensions. The laser resonator is operated as a stable resonator to ensure safe operation. This is achieved by use of an adaptive optical element, for reducing the diameter of the energy beam impinging on the gain medium, thereby increasing the overlap between the energy beam and the gain medium. As the transmitter-receiver distance is changed, such as by movement of the receiver, the adaptive optical element focal length changes to ensure that the cavity remains within its stability zone.
US09653941B2
Implantable devices and related systems utilize a single coil for both inductive telemetry at one telemetry signal frequency and recharge at another recharge energy frequency. The coil is included in a tank circuit that may have a variable reactance. During telemetry, particularly outside of a recharge period, the reactance may be set so that the tank circuit is tuned to the telemetry frequency. During recharge, the reactance is set so that the tank circuit is tuned to the recharge frequency. Furthermore, the tank circuit may have a Q that is sufficiently small that the tank circuit receives telemetry frequency signals that can be decoded by a receiver while the tank is tuned to the recharge frequency so that telemetry for recharge status purposes may be done during the recharge period without changing the tuning of the tank circuit.
US09653936B2
A method for managing charging of a rechargeable battery including at least one module including at least one electrochemical cell, the method including estimating a heat flow produced in the at least one module using an observer estimating overall internal resistance of the electrochemical cells of the module.
US09653931B2
A battery protection device adapted to be electrically connected to a load and a battery set and including a signal terminal, a discharge circuit and a control circuit is provided. The signal terminal is electrically connected to the load. The discharge circuit is electrically connected to the signal terminal. The control circuit detects a sensing voltage from the signal terminal, and counts a number of times that the battery protection device is switched to a protection mode from a normal mode, so as to obtain a counting value. The control circuit determines whether to enter the protection mode or the normal mode according to a reference voltage. In the protection mode, the control circuit adjusts the reference voltage or the control circuit controls the discharge circuit to form a discharge path passing through the signal terminal, the discharge circuit and a ground.
US09653930B2
An emergency system for power failures includes a single-cell or multiple-cell rechargeable battery selected from the group consisting of NiMH, NiCd, NiZn, Ag2O/Zn or lithium-ion, and a charging electronics system that charges the battery, wherein the charging electronics system provides a charging voltage at which the battery does not overcharge at a temperature of up to 80° C., and wherein the charging electronics system supplies a charging voltage at which the battery is transferred into a charging state and/or is kept in a charging state, in which the battery is charged to 5% to 30%.
US09653928B2
A battery pack includes a battery unit including rechargeable batteries, a sensing board, the sensing board configured to process status information detected from the batteries, and a harness wire, the harness wire connecting the batteries and the sensing board so that the status information can be transmitted to the sensing board.
US09653927B2
A composite integrated circuit (IC) includes a first circuit layer, a second circuit layer having a first chip and a second chip, and a first wireless power transfer (WPT) device in the first chip or the first circuit layer. The first WPT device generates a power supply voltage by extracting energy from an electromagnetic signal. A first tracking circuit in the second chip or the first circuit layer is powered by the power supply voltage from the first WPT device and stores or outputs tracking data in response to an instruction extracted from the electromagnetic signal.
US09653915B2
A system detects Electro Static Discharge (ESD) of an electronic device by sensing a ground voltage of an electronic device, comparing the sensed ground voltage with a predetermined reference voltage and if the sensed ground voltage exceeds the reference voltage, performs at least one predetermined operation of the electronic device.
US09653913B2
An overcurrent protection device may include an input terminal to receive an input current; an output terminal coupled to the input terminal; and a current limiter circuit integrated into the silicon substrate and arranged between the input terminal and output terminal. The current limiter circuit may include a series pass element having a pass state characterized by a first electrical resistance and a limit state characterized by a second electrical resistance higher than the first electrical resistance, the series pass element comprising a series current sense element integrated into the silicon substrate and configured to receive the input current and to output a sense voltage based upon the received input current, wherein the series pass element is configured to place the current limiter circuit into the limit state when the sense voltage indicates that the input current exceeds a predetermined level.
US09653910B2
Motor drive diagnostic and control methods and apparatus are provided in which rectifier and inverter switching devices are individually monitored for malfunctions, and detected malfunctions initiate implementation of a safety function to signal a drive controller to shut down non-safety-related processing, to discontinue command pulse signaling to the switching devices, and to disable optical transmitters between the drive controller and the rectifier and inverter switches, and an input contactor or other switching circuit is opened to disconnect input power from the motor drive after implementation of the safety function.
US09653904B2
An method for automatically testing an arc flash detection system by periodically or continually transmitting electro-optical (EO) radiation through one or more transmission cables electro-optically coupled to respective EO radiation collectors. A test EO signal may pass through the EO radiation collector to be received by an EO sensor. An attenuation of the EO signal may be determined by comparing the intensity of the transmitted EO signal to an intensity of the received EO signal. A self-test failure may be detected if the attenuation exceeds a threshold. EO signals may be transmitted according to a particular pattern (e.g., a coded signal) to allow an arc flash detection system to distinguish the test EO radiation from EO radiation indicative of an arc flash event.
US09653893B2
One aspect is an implantable medical device with a feedthrough assembly having an insulator and a plurality of conducting elements extending therethrough. The feedthrough assembly is placed in a case with an opening defining a narrow space therebetween. A braze material fills the narrow space, thereby hermetically sealing the feedthrough assembly to the case. One of the feedthrough assembly and the case include a feature configured to securely hold the braze and in that the implantable medical device does not include a ferrule.
US09653892B2
An electrical core comprising an assembly of power management and distribution contactors is provided. The power management contactors are attached to a first support element and the distribution contactors are carried by a second support element superimposed on the first so as to form a multilayer assembly. The distribution contactors are arranged in double symmetry about two axes perpendicular to one another. They are mechanically linked through a mechanical linkage element extending between two rows of contactors and which carries electrical connection elements connecting the contactors to an element for connecting to a power source. The contactors are assembled in modules according to their type. In particular, the management module comprises at least one modular element common to the power management contactors which is suitable for performing a given secondary function other than the function of establishing a contact.
US09653891B2
An electrical component that is adapted for being mounted onto a rail comprises a first outward-facing slot for receiving a first brim of a rail of a first type, a first outward-facing snap-lock for fixating a second brim of a rail of the first type, a first inward-facing slot for receiving a first brim of a rail of a second type and a first inward-facing snap-lock for fixating a second brim of a rail of the second type.
US09653882B1
An optical source is described. This hybrid external cavity laser includes a semiconductor optical amplifier (with a semiconductor other than silicon) that provides an optical gain medium and that includes a reflector (such as a mirror). Moreover, the hybrid external cavity laser includes a photonic chip with: an optical waveguide that conveys an optical signal output by the semiconductor optical amplifier; and a ring resonator (as a wavelength-selective filter), having a resonance wavelength, which reflects at least a resonance wavelength in the optical signal. Furthermore, the photonic chip includes an interferometer that provides optical signals on arms of the interferometer. Control logic in the hybrid external cavity laser thermally tunes the resonance wavelength to match a cavity mode of the hybrid external cavity laser based on measurements of the optical signals from the interferometer.
US09653881B2
A method for testing a tunable wavelength laser device, which can suppress any error of light transmission characteristics of an etalon, and a tunable wavelength laser device are provided. The method for testing a tunable wavelength laser device is a method for testing a tunable wavelength laser device including a tunable wavelength laser and a wavelength sensing unit having an etalon. The testing method includes a first step of measuring a free spectral range interval of the etalon, a second step of acquiring a driving condition by tuning a wavelength to a target value provided between a top and a bottom of the free spectral range interval, and a third step of storing the driving condition in a memory.
US09653879B2
The disclosure provides an optical module, including a laser, the laser including a light emitting region and a modulation region, and light emitted by the light emitting region emitting toward the modulation region; a first driver circuit, the first driver circuit being connected to the light emitting region, so that the light emitting region emits light with adjusted optical power; and a second driver circuit, the second driver circuit being connected to the modulation region, so that the modulation region changes the optical power of the light emitted from the light emitting region.
US09653873B1
An intracavity plasma solid state laser with an emission line radiation source of determined wavelength seeding a semiconductor laser gain medium providing a high power laser beam of the determined wavelength. A plasma cell generates a determined wavelength based on an atomic emission line that is received by the semiconductor laser or laser diode having a broadband output encompassing the determined wavelength received from the plasma cell. The laser diode locks on to the determined wavelength and emits a high powered laser beam of the determined wavelength. The intracavity plasma solid state laser creates a laser beam of narrow linewidth comparable to the natural Voight or Doppler linewidth of atomic transition and higher power in a smaller size than previously possible. The intracavity plasma solid state laser is easily manufactured and suitable for placement in an array for targeting a predetermined area.
US09653869B1
Techniques and architecture are disclosed for preserving optical surfaces (e.g., windows, coatings, etc.) in a flowing gas amplifier laser system, such as a diode-pumped alkali laser (DPAL) system. In some instances, the disclosed techniques/architecture can be used, for example, to protect optical surfaces in a DPAL system from: (1) chemical attack by pump-bleached alkali vapor atoms and/or ions; and/or (2) fouling by adherence thereto of reaction products/soot produced in the DPAL. Also, in some instances, the disclosed techniques/architecture can be used to substantially match the geometry of the pumping volume with that of the lasing volume, thereby minimizing or otherwise reducing the effects of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) on DPAL output power. Furthermore, in some cases, the disclosed techniques/architecture can be used to provide a DPAL system capable of producing a beam output power in the range of about 20 kW to 10 MW, or greater.
US09653866B2
A real-time wavelength correction system for visible light is co-operated with an optical system to make a parallel light beam split into a zero-order diffractive parallel light beam and a first-order diffractive parallel light beam. The zero-order diffractive parallel light beam focuses on a first back focal plane to form a first light spot. A drift of the first light spot is applied to determine an angular drift of the parallel light beam. The first-order diffractive parallel light beam is focused on a second back focal plane to form a second light spot. A drift of the second light spot is applied to determine an angular drift of the first-order diffractive parallel light beam. The angular drifts of the parallel light beam and the first-order diffractive parallel light beam, which are changed with real time temperature variation, are applied to correct the wavelength of the parallel light beam.
US09653862B2
An arrangement having a DC-voltage busbar and a power component. The power component has two flat DC-voltage connection conductors, each with a contact section and arranged closely adjacent to one another. Each connection conductor has a clamping section beside the respective contact section in the direction of current flow. The busbar has two partial busbars, each with a contact section and arranged closely adjacent to one another. Each partial busbar has a clamping section beside the respective contact section in the direction of current flow. The contact section of at least one connection conductor is electrically connected to the contact section of the associated partial busbar by connecting the clamping sections of the connection conductor to the clamping section of the partial busbars in a flat and force-fitting manner above one another and the respective contact sections therefore lying directly flat on one another.
US09653860B2
A modular electrical receptacle box configured to allow outlets and switches to be easily installed using wire segments extending between terminals in the box bottom surface and the outlet and switch. The box has a housing having a first recess, at least one electrical outlet or switch secured to the housing and disposed in the first recess, a plurality of electrical terminals disposed in the bottom wall, a plurality of electrical conductor segments extending between the outlet or switch and the electrical terminals, and a first connector coupled to the electrical terminals via a plurality of electrical busses.
US09653858B2
A connector assembly for transmitting electrical energy through a wall opening, including a horizontal generally-rectangular first connector housing arranged on one side of the wall with a collar portion of the first housing extending through the wall opening. The collar portion contains a plurality of horizontal parallel coplanar first through bores in which are mounted a plurality of electrically conductive spring contacts, respectively. A second connector housing arranged on the other side of the wall opening contains a recess receiving the collar portion, and a plurality of second bores extending collinearly opposite the first bores, respectively. An electrically conductive comb member includes a plurality of integral pin portions that extend from a common spine portion through the second bores and into the first bores for electrical engagement with the spring contacts, respectively, thereby to connect conductors arranged on opposite sides of the wall.
US09653848B2
A connector includes a housing and a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts. Each contact includes a contact portion that contacts an object, a connection portion mounted on a substrate, and a fixing portion located between the contact portion and the connection portion in the vicinity of the connection portion. The signal contact and the ground contact are aligned and held in the housing, and the fixing portion is fixed to the housing. When the plurality of signal contacts are arranged between the ground contacts, at least two of the ground contacts are coupled and connected integrally or by a separate component, the coupling and connection being made in a section of each ground contact between one end (leading end) of the contact portion and the fixing portion, so that high-frequency transmission characteristics are improved.
US09653831B2
A float adapter for an electrical connector that includes a conductive shell and an insulator received in the conductive shell. The insulator includes an engagement end, an interface end that is opposite the engagement end, and a reduced diameter middle portion therebetween. The insulator includes an inner bore that extends through the engagement end, the interface end, and the reduced diameter middle portion. The interface end has a lead-in tip portion that extends outside of the first end of the conductive shell. The lead-in tip portion has a tapered outer surface that terminates in an end face surface and a shoulder remote from the end face surface that defines an outer diameter that is larger than the inner diameter of the conductive shell. An inner contact is received in the inner bore of the insulator. The inner contact has socket openings at either end.
US09653820B1
A system and method uses an active manifold for an antenna array. The manifold can be assembled by a method including providing a first set of cards including a first set of antenna elements and a corresponding number of integrated circuit based time delay units or phase shifters for the first set of antenna elements. The first set of antenna elements is associated with a row of the antenna array. The method also includes providing a second set of cards including a second set of antenna elements and a corresponding number of integrated circuit based time delay units or phase shifters for the second set of antenna elements. The second set of antenna elements is associated with a column of the antenna array.
US09653814B2
The present invention is related to a device for generating waveguide modes for use in a feed horn of a satellite antenna system, said waveguide modes comprising at least one excitation mode of higher order than the fundamental mode, said device comprising a waveguide containing a first waveguide section with at least three longitudinal slots extending in the inner side of said waveguide, characterized in that said waveguide contains a second waveguide section with at least three longitudinal slots extending in said inner side of said waveguide.
US09653811B2
Various embodiments are described that relate to a line feed and a dipole element. The line feed can be supplied directly with a current without a balun. Being supplied with this current can cause the line feed to emit an electromagnetic field. This electromagnetic field can excite a dipole element with two sides. Through this excitement, the dipole element can have current flowing in a uniform direction on both sides.
US09653808B2
Disclosed is a multilayer-type patch antenna including: an upper patch antenna portion having a first through hole and a second through hole which are at a predetermined angle; a lower patch antenna portion having a third through hole and a fourth through hole which are at a predetermined angle, and a fifth through hole which is spaced from the third through hole and the fourth through hole; a first feeding pin which passes through the first through hole and the third through hole and protrudes from a lower end of the lower patch antenna portion; a second feeding pin which passes through the second through hole and the fourth through hole and protrudes from the lower end of the lower patch antenna portion; and a third feeding pin which passes through the fifth through hole and protrudes from the lower end of the lower patch antenna portion.
US09653807B2
A planar array antenna for radar sensors includes: a plurality of base antenna elements situated in a common plane on a printed circuit board; and additional antenna elements, which are situated in an offset plane, in each case over one of the base antenna elements. Each additional antenna element is situated individually on an associated carrier, and the printed circuit board is equipped with the individual carriers.
US09653796B2
Presently disclosed is a structure and technique for de-coupling a sensor (such as an automotive radar sensor), from a surrounding electrically conductive structure (such as a vehicle) on which the sensor is mounted.
US09653794B2
A broadband antenna is mounted aside a metal electronic element and includes a feeding portion, a first connecting portion, a second connecting portion, a coupling portion, and a ground portion. The first radiating portion and the second radiating portion are both connected perpendicular to the feeding portion. The coupling portion is spaced from the first radiating portion and the second connecting portion. The ground portion is connected perpendicular to a middle portion of the coupling portion and adjacent to the metal electronic element. These portions cooperatively use a low frequency mode and a high frequency mode. The ground portion increases an inductance performance of the broadband antenna, thereby decreasing interference caused by the metal electronic elements. A wireless communication device employing the broadband antenna is also disclosed.
US09653777B2
An electronic device may have a metal housing. The metal housing may have an upper housing in which a component such as a display is mounted and a lower housing in which a component such as a keyboard is mounted. Hinges may be used to mount the upper housing to the lower housing for rotation about a rotational axis. A slot-shaped opening may separate the upper and lower housing. A flexible printed circuit with ground traces may bisect the slot-shaped opening to form first and second slots. Cavity antennas may be aligned with the slots. Each cavity antenna may include a hollow carrier with a pair of speakers. The speakers may have ports that emit sound through aligned openings in the lower housing. Conductive gaskets surrounding the ports may acoustically seal the speaker ports while shorting the cavity antenna to the lower housing.
US09653771B2
A directional coupler includes: a main line connecting an input port and an output port; first to third subline sections each of which is formed of a line configured to be electromagnetically coupled to the main line; a first matching section provided between the first subline section and the second subline section; and a second matching section provided between the second subline section and the third subline section. The first and second matching sections are configured to cause changes in phase of high frequency signals passing therethrough, and have mutually different characteristics so as to create two attenuation poles in the frequency response of the coupling of the directional coupler.
US09653767B2
A waveguide structure including a plurality of unit structures, each of which at least includes a first conductive plane and a second conductive plane, which are arranged to partially face with each other, a plurality of transmission lines with one ends being open ends, which are disposed in a plane, positioned opposite to the second conductive plane, in a layer different from the first conductive plane and the second conductive plane, and at least one conductive via, which electrically connect between the first conductive plane and other ends of the transmission lines.
US09653759B2
Method and apparatus for optimized battery life cycle management are described. A battery management system (BMS), comprising a battery, identifies battery-specific factors with associated environmental conditions, and battery history profiles at a current time instant. The BMS measures current, voltage, and/or power of the battery instantaneously. The resulting battery measurements, the battery-specific factors with associated environmental conditions, and the battery history profiles, formed as battery dynamic situations at the current time instant, may be time stamped for estimating an instantaneous battery state of the battery. The time stamped battery dynamic situations may be aggregated for long-term trend analysis for the battery state. The instantaneous battery state estimate is updated by comparing with the long-term trend analysis to manage battery charging or discharging. The battery operating conditions are determined based on the updated battery state estimate. The BMS may manage system power consumptions based on the determined battery conditions.
US09653756B2
A magnesium compound represented by Formula 1 wherein the magnesium compound is dissolvable in an ether solvent, an electrolyte solution for magnesium batteries that includes the magnesium compound and a magnesium battery including the electrolyte solution are provided: wherein, in Formula 1, X1 is a halogen atom; and at least one of X2 and X3 each independently is an electron withdrawing group, wherein, when X2 or X3 is not an electron withdrawing group, X2 or X3 is a hydrogen atom, a C1-C20 alkyl group, or a C6-C20 aryl group.
US09653755B2
Electrolyte solutions including additives or combinations of additives that provide low temperature performance and high temperature stability in lithium ion battery cells.
US09653753B2
The demand for improvements in lithium non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries has been constantly increasing in recent years, but the durability—most prominently the cycle characteristics—have resided in a trade off relationship with properties such as the capacity, resistance, and output characteristics. A problem has thus been a poor overall property balance. In order to solve this problem, the present invention uses a non-aqueous electrolyte solution including, in addition to an electrolyte and a non-aqueous solvent, (A) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates having a carbon-carbon unsaturated bond, compounds represented by the following general formula (1), sulfoxides, sulfites, sulfones, sulfonates, sultones, and sulfates; (B) a fluorine atom-containing cyclic carbonate; and (C) a compound that has at least two isocyanate groups in the molecule.
US09653752B2
A secondary battery includes: a cathode; an anode; and a gel electrolyte. The gel electrolyte includes an electrolytic solution and a polymer compound. The electrolytic solution includes an unsaturated cyclic ester carbonate represented by the following Formula (1), where X is a divalent group in which m number of >C═CR1-R1 and n number of >CR3R4 are bonded in any order; each of R1 to R4 is one of a hydrogen group, a halogen group, a monovalent hydrocarbon group, a monovalent halogenated hydrocarbon group, a monovalent oxygen-containing hydrocarbon group, and a monovalent halogenated oxygen-containing hydrocarbon group; any two or more of the R1 to the R4 are allowed to be bonded to one another; and m and n satisfy m≧1 and n≧0.
US09653745B2
To provide: a block copolymer that exhibits excellent proton conductivity even under low-humidification conditions, exhibits excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability, and when used in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, allows high output and excellent physical durability; a polymer electrolyte material; and a polymer electrolyte form article and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, using the same.The block copolymer of the present invention includes each one or more of: a segment (A1) containing an ionic group; a segment (A2) not containing an ionic group; and a linker moiety connecting the segments. The segment (A1) containing an ionic group comprises a constituent unit represented by a specific structure. The polymer electrolyte material, the polymer electrolyte form article, and the polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to the present invention are manufactured by using the above block copolymer.
US09653742B2
A fuel cell system control device includes a carbon amount determination unit for determining the carbon amount in fuel gas supplied to a fuel cell stack depending on required output of the stack, a temperature detector unit for detecting temperature of a steam reformer and temperature of an evaporator, an S/C determination unit for determining a range of steam/carbon ratio based on the temperature of the steam reformer, a water supply amount determination unit for determining a range of the water supply amount to the evaporator based on the carbon amount and the steam/carbon ratio, an evaporator operating state determination unit for determining whether the temperature of the evaporator is a temperature determined based on the range of the water supply amount, and a reformer control unit for controlling the steam reformer and a partial oxidation reformer based on the result of the evaporator operating state determination unit.
US09653740B2
A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a fuel supply source; a supply passage; a circulation passage; a gas-liquid separator; a discharge passage; a discharge valve; a differential pressure detecting portion; and a control unit, wherein the control unit estimates a flow rate of a fuel gas.
US09653739B2
A method for manufacturing solid oxide fuel cells, which includes preparing an electrical connection material, preparing a stacked body by stacking a plurality of power generation cells with the electrical connection material interposed therebetween, and firing the stacked body while applying pressure on the stacked body in a direction of stacking the power generation cells. The electrical connection material includes a ceramic porous layer and a ceramic dense layer stacked on the ceramic porous layer, the ceramic dense layer having a porosity lower than a porosity of the ceramic porous layer.
US09653722B2
There is provided a prismatic secondary battery having high reliability and including a connecting part, wherein a terminal member and an external conduction member are connected by a swaged part and a welded part. The terminal member includes a flange, a first connecting part formed on a first surface side of the flange, and a second connecting part formed on a second surface side of the flange. The flange and the second connecting part are disposed on a battery exterior side than a sealing body. The first connecting part penetrates a through-hole formed in the sealing body. The second connecting part penetrates a through-hole formed in an external conduction member. The second connecting part includes a tip part swaged on the external conduction member. An abutting part of a tip of the swaged part of the second connecting part and a protruding part of the external conduction member is weld-connected.
US09653720B2
A traction battery assembly includes adjacent battery cells supported by a tray and a busbar electrically connecting the adjacent battery cells. The busbar includes a longitudinal midpoint and a pair of bowed sections joined at the midpoint. Each of the bowed sections has an actuate portion in contact with a terminal on one of the cells. The bowed sections provide increased contact with the cells when the cells have different elevations with respect to the tray. A busbar module is also disclosed. The busbar module comprises a housing and a busbar supported within the housing.
US09653715B2
A packaged battery, an assembled battery, and a film-covered battery, which can prevent a dangerous state involving a high-pressure gas filled in the film-covered battery while ensuring a sealing reliability, are provided. The Packaged battery includes film-covered battery 1 including a battery element and exterior films forming a sealed space housing the battery element, and holding member 10 holding film-covered battery 1. The sealed space includes a housing section housing the battery element, and a pocket communicating with the housing section to expand when the pressure in the sealed space increases. The pocket includes a safety valve which activates when the pocket expands. Holding member 10 includes an opening and a cavity fitting the housing section therein. When the housing section is fitted into the cavity, at least part of the pocket and the safety valve protrude to the outside of the holding member from the opening.
US09653714B2
An electric storage device is provided with an electrode assembly including a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate; a case for housing the electrode assembly; a positive-electrode external terminal arranged on an outer surface of the case and electrically connected to the positive electrode plate; a negative-electrode external terminal arranged on an outer surface of the case and electrically connected to the negative electrode plate; and a gas exhaust valve formed in a region of the case on the opposite side of a region where the positive-electrode external terminal and the negative-electrode external terminal are arranged.
US09653706B2
According to one embodiment, an organic electroluminescent element includes a first electrode, an organic layer, and a second electrode. The first electrode is light-transmissive. The organic layer is provided on the first electrode. The second electrode is provided on the organic layer. The second electrode is light-reflective and includes a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion. The first conductive portion extends in a first direction. The second conductive portion extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The second conductive portion intersects the first conductive portion. A length in the first direction of the first conductive portion is longer than 1 mm and not more than 47 mm. A length in the second direction of the second conductive portion is longer than 1 mm and not more than 47 mm.
US09653705B2
An electrode layer having high reflectance and a light-emitting element having high emission efficiency are provided. The light-emitting element includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and an EL layer between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The first electrode layer includes a conductive layer and an oxide layer in contact with the conductive layer. The conductive layer has a function of reflecting light. The oxide layer includes In and M (M represents Al, Si, Ti, Ga, Y, Zr, Sn, La, Ce, Nd, or Hf). A content of the M in the oxide layer is higher than or equal to a content of the In.
US09653701B2
A flexible display apparatus includes a flexible substrate, a display layer disposed on one surface of the flexible substrate and including a plurality of pixels, graphene disposed on a surface opposing the one surface of the flexible substrate, and an encapsulation layer covering the display layer.
US09653700B2
Methods for making multiple hermetically sealed optical components are disclosed. Methods for making an individual hermetically sealed optical component are disclosed. An individual hermetically sealed optical component and products including same are also disclosed.
US09653698B2
Provided are an organic light-emitting display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same. The organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a display substrate; a thin film transistor (TFT) on the display substrate; an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) electrically connected to the TFT and including a first electrode on sub-pixels of the display substrate, an intermediate layer on the first electrode, and a second electrode on the intermediate layer; a pixel-defining layer which includes an opening exposing at least a portion of the first electrode and defines each sub-pixel; and a sealing substrate covering the OLED, the intermediate layer including a plurality of stacked layers, and a cross-sectional width of the intermediate layer gradually decreasing in a direction perpendicular to the display substrate.
US09653695B2
A transistor device includes an array of fin structures arranged on a substrate, each of the fin structures being vertically alternating stacks of a first isoelectric point material having a first isoelectric point and a second isoelectric point material having a second isoelectric point that is different than the first isoelectric point; one or more carbon nanotubes (CNTs) suspended between the fin structures and contacting a side surface of the second isoelectric point material in the fin structures; a gate wrapped around the array of CNTs; and source and drain contacts arranged over the fin structures; wherein each of the fin structures have a trapezoid shape or parallel sides that are oriented about 90° with respect to the substrate.
US09653686B2
An organic film transistor containing a compound, which is composed of n repeating units represented by Formula (1-1), (1-2), or (101), in a semiconductor active layer is an organic film transistor using a compound that results in high carrier mobility when being used in the semiconductor active layer of the organic film transistor and exhibits high solubility in an organic solvent; (Each of R1 R2 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; each of Ar1 and Ar2 independently represents a heteroarylene group or an arylene group; V1 represents a divalent linking group; m represents an integer of 0 to 6; cy represents a naphthalene ring or an anthracene ring; each of R3 and R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; each of Ar3 and Ar4 represents a heterocyclic aromatic ring or an aromatic ring; V2 represents a divalent linking group; p represents an integer of 0 to 6; n represents an integer of equal to or greater than 2; A is a divalent linking group represented by Formula (101′); each of RA1 to RA6 represents a hydrogen atom, a substituent, or a direct bond with Ar101 or Ar102 in Formula (101); and among the groups represented by RA1 to RA6, two different groups are direct bonds with Ar101 and Ar102 in Formula (101) respectively.)
US09653685B2
The ink for functional layer formation includes a first component that is a solute; and a second component with a boiling point of 280° C. or higher and 350° C. or lower, is a good solvent, and is at least one type selected from a group consisting of an aromatic hydrocarbon including at least two aromatic rings, aromatic glycol ether, aliphatic glycol ether, aliphatic acetate, and aliphatic ester.
US09653678B2
A magnetic memory includes a magnetic thin line including a plurality of magnetic domains, a reference layer having a magnetization, a nonmagnetic layer, a first fixed magnetization part having a magnetization, a second fixed magnetization part having a magnetization, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode.
US09653674B2
The present invention provides a contact electrification effect-based back gate field-effect transistor. The back gate field-effect transistor includes: a conductive substrate; an insulating layer formed on a front face of the conductive substrate; a field-effect transistor assembly including: a channel layer, a drain and a source, and a gate; and a triboelectric nanogenerator assembly including: a static friction layer formed at a lower surface of the gate, a movable friction layer disposed opposite to the static friction layer and separated by a preset distance, and a second electro-conductive layer formed at an outside of the movable friction layer and being electrically connected to the source; wherein, the static friction layer and the movable friction layer are made of materials in different ratings in triboelectric series, and the static friction layer and the movable friction layer are switchable between a separated state and a contact state under the action of an external force.
US09653673B1
A system includes at least one capacitor comprising a dielectric material having a Curie temperature, each capacitor exhibiting an increased capacitance at a temperature below the Curie temperature and exhibiting a decreased capacitance at a temperature above the Curie temperature, a liquid source positioned adjacent to the capacitor and having a temperature above the Curie temperature, and means for exposing the capacitor to the liquid source for a predetermined time so the temperature of the dielectric material exceeds the Curie temperature, at which point the capacitance decreases. A voltage storage is connected to the capacitors to capture the increased voltage discharged from the capacitors. The capacitors are then removed from the liquid source and cooled. The capacitors may iteratively be recharged, exposed to the liquid source until their temperature exceeds the Curie temperature, connected to the voltage storage, removed from the liquid source, and cooled.
US09653670B2
In at least one embodiment, the semiconductor component includes at least one optoelectronic semiconductor chip having a radiation exit side. The surface-mountable semiconductor component comprises a shaped body that covers side surfaces of the semiconductor chip directly and in a positively locking manner. The shaped body and the semiconductor chip do not overlap, as seen in a plan view of the radiation exit side.
US09653669B2
An LED package structure includes a base, an LED chip disposed on the base, at least one metal wire, a phosphor sheet, and an encapsulation resin disposed in the base and encapsulating the LED chip, the metal wire, and the phosphor sheet. The LED chip has at least one electrode thereon. The metal wire has an apex and a loop height being defined by the apex. The metal wire is electrically connected to the electrode and the base. The phosphor sheet includes a B-stage resin and a plurality of phosphor powders mixed therewith. The phosphor sheet is adhered to the LED chip by the B-stage resin capable of viscosity and covers the top surface, the side surface, and the electrode of the LED chip. A thickness of the phosphor sheet is smaller than the loop height, and the apex of the metal wire is exposed from the phosphor sheet.
US09653651B2
A light emitting device that is inexpensive, is easy to manufacture, and has high light extraction efficiency is provided. The light emitting device includes an oriented polycrystalline substrate, a plurality of columnar light emitting parts, and a light confinement layer. The oriented polycrystalline substrate includes a plurality of oriented crystal grains. The plurality of columnar light emitting parts are discretely located on or above one main surface of the oriented polycrystalline substrate in areas in which there are no crystal defects, and are each a columnar part having a longitudinal direction matching a normal direction of the oriented polycrystalline substrate. The light confinement layer is made of a material having a lower refractive index than a material for the plurality of columnar light emitting parts, and is located on or above the oriented polycrystalline substrate so as to surround the plurality of columnar light emitting parts.
US09653638B2
A method of fabricating a solar cell is disclosed. The method can include forming a dielectric region on a surface of a solar cell structure and forming a metal layer on the dielectric layer. The method can also include configuring a laser beam with a particular shape and directing the laser beam with the particular shape on the metal layer, where the particular shape allows a contact to be formed between the metal layer and the solar cell structure.
US09653627B2
One embodiment is a nanostructured arrangement having a base and pyramidal features formed on the base. Each pyramidal feature includes sloping sides converging at a vertex. The nanostructured arrangement further includes a nanostructured surface formed on at least one of the sloping sides of at least one of the pyramidal features. The nanostructured surface has a quasi-periodic, anisotropic array of elongated ridge elements having a wave-ordered structure pattern. Each ridge element has a wavelike cross-section and oriented substantially in a first direction.
US09653623B2
In a method for fabricating a semiconductor, a first conductive pattern structure partially protruding upwardly from first insulating interlayer is formed in first insulating interlayer. A first bonding insulation layer pattern covering the protruding portion of first conductive pattern structure is formed on first insulating interlayer. A first adhesive pattern containing a polymer is formed on first bonding insulation layer pattern to fill a first recess formed on first bonding insulation layer pattern. A second bonding insulation layer pattern covering the protruding portion of second conductive pattern structure is formed on second insulating interlayer. A second adhesive pattern containing a polymer is formed on second bonding insulation layer pattern to fill a second recess formed on second bonding insulation layer pattern. The first and second adhesive patterns are melted. The first and second substrates are bonded with each other so that the conductive pattern structures contact each other.
US09653621B2
A semiconductor apparatus (10) includes: a layered structure (100) that includes double junction structures that have a first junction (151, 153) where a wide-bandgap layer (102, 104) and a narrow-bandgap layer (101, 103, 105) are layered on each other and a second junction (152, 154) where a narrow-bandgap layer (101, 103, 105) and a wide-bandgap layer (102, 104) are layered on each other, and electrode semiconductor layers (110, 120) are joined to each layer of the layered structure. Each double junction structure includes a pair of a first region (131, 133) that has negative fixed charge and a second region (132, 134) that has positive fixed charge. The first region is closer to the first junction than to a center of the wide-bandgap layer. The second region is closer to the second junction than to the center of the wide-bandgap layer. A 2DEG or a 2DHG is formed at each junction. The semiconductor apparatus functions as an electric energy storage device such as a capacitor.
US09653613B2
Provided is a transistor with stable electrical characteristics. Provided is a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor over a substrate, a first conductor in contact with a top surface of the oxide semiconductor, a second conductor in contact with the top surface of the oxide semiconductor, a first insulator over the first and second conductors and in contact with the top surface of the oxide semiconductor, a second insulator over the first insulator, a third conductor over the second insulator, and a third insulator over the third conductor. The third conductor overlaps with the first conductor with the first and second insulators positioned therebetween, and overlaps with the second conductor with the first and second insulators positioned therebetween. The first insulator contains oxygen. The second insulator transmits less oxygen than the first insulator. The third insulator transmits less oxygen than the first insulator.
US09653608B2
An array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, a display device and a thin film transistor are provided. The method includes forming a pattern that includes an active layer, a pixel electrode and a data line on a base substrate; forming a pattern that includes a gate insulating layer and at least two gate via-holes therein, the at least two gate via-holes are located in regions in the gate insulating layer that correspond to outer surroundings of the active layer and do not overlap with areas where the pixel electrode and the data line are located; forming a pattern that includes a gate line and at least two gate electrodes, the at least two gate electrodes are connected to the gate line, and are provided in the at least two gate via-holes, respectively. With this method, the fabricating process and the fabricating cost are saved.
US09653606B2
A method for fabricating a multigate device includes forming a fin on a substrate of the multigate device, the fin being formed of a semiconductor material, growing a first conformal epitaxial layer directly on the fin and substrate, wherein the first conformal epitaxial layer is highly doped, growing a second conformal epitaxial layer directly on the first conformal epitaxial layer, wherein the second conformal epitaxial layer is highly doped, selectively removing a portion of second epitaxial layer to expose a portion of the first conformal epitaxial layer, selectively removing a portion of the first conformal epitaxial layer to expose a portion of the fin and thereby form a trench, and forming a gate within the trench.
US09653603B1
A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate; forming a recess in the substrate; forming a buffer layer in the recess; forming an epitaxial layer on the buffer layer; and removing part of the epitaxial layer, part of the buffer layer, and part of the substrate to form fin-shaped structures.
US09653601B2
A method and apparatus for use in improving linearity sensitivity of MOSFET devices having an accumulated charge sink (ACS) are disclosed. The method and apparatus are adapted to address degradation in second- and third-order intermodulation harmonic distortion at a desired range of operating voltage in devices employing an accumulated charge sink.
US09653588B2
A gallium nitride (GaN) substrate, a semiconductor device, and methods for fabricating a GaN substrate and a semiconductor device are provided. The GaN substrate includes: a GaN base; an aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) layer, disposed on the GaN base; and a p-type conducting layer disposed on an active area of the AlGaN layer, and used to exhaust surface state negative electrons on the AlGaN layer and neutralize a dangling bond on the AlGaN layer. The p-type conducting layer is formed on the AlGaN layer, and a hole charge carrier in the p-type conducting layer can be used to exhaust the surface state negative electrons on an n-type AlGaN layer, neutralize the dangling bond on a section of the AlGaN layer, and prevent the forming of a virtual gate, so as to suppress a current collapse effect of the semiconductor device fabricated using the GaN substrate.
US09653581B2
A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a channel region disposed between a source region and a drain region, a gate structure over the channel region, an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer proximate the gate structure, an ILD stress layer proximate the top portion of gate structure and over the ILD layer. The gate structure includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall and a top portion. A first stress memorization region is also provided. The first stress memorization region is proximate the top portion of the gate structure. A method of making a semiconductor device is also provided.
US09653575B1
A method of forming a substrate contact in a vertical transistor device includes patterning a sacrificial layer to form an opening in the sacrificial layer, the sacrificial layer disposed on hardmask arranged on a substrate, and the substrate including a bulk semiconductor layer, a buried oxide layer arranged on the bulk semiconductor layer, and a semiconductor layer arranged on the buried oxide layer; forming oxide spacers on sidewalls of the opening in the sacrificial layer; using the oxide spacers as a pattern to etch a trench through the substrate, the trench stopping at a region within the bulk semiconductor layer; and depositing a conductive material in the trench to form the substrate contact.
US09653574B2
A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a gate stack over a semiconductor substrate; forming a recess in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent the gate stack; and performing a selective epitaxial growth to grow a semiconductor material in the recess to form an epitaxy region. After the step of performing the selective epitaxial growth, a selective etch-back is performed to the epitaxy region. The selective etch-back is performed using process gases comprising a first gas for growing the semiconductor material, and a second gas for etching the epitaxy region.
US09653572B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a dummy gate on a substrate, forming a dummy gate mask on the dummy gate, forming a gate spacer on the substrate, the gate spacer covering at least one sidewall surface of the dummy gate and the dummy gate mask, forming a recess on at least one side of the dummy gate by etching the substrate, and forming an epitaxial layer in the recess using an epitaxial growth process. The forming of the dummy gate mask includes forming an oxide layer and a dummy gate mask layer on the dummy gate.
US09653571B2
An aspect of the invention includes a freestanding spacer having a sub-lithographic dimension for a sidewall image transfer process. The freestanding spacer comprises: a first spacer layer having a first portion disposed on the semiconductor layer; and a second spacer layer having a first surface disposed on the first portion of the first spacer layer, wherein the first spacer layer has a first dielectric constant and the second spacer layer has a second dielectric constant, the first dielectric constant being greater than the second dielectric constant, and wherein a dimension of each of the first and second spacer layers collectively determine the sub-lithographic lateral dimension of the freestanding spacer.
US09653570B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a p-doped layer including a doped III-V material on the substrate. A dielectric interlayer is formed on the p-doped layer. An n-type layer is formed on the dielectric interlayer, the n-type layer including a high band gap II-VI material to form an electronic device.
US09653568B2
A method of manufacturing an insulated gate bipolar transistor includes providing trenches extending from a first surface to a layer section in a semiconductor portion, introducing impurities into mesa sections between the trenches, and forming, from the introduced impurities, second portions of doped regions separated from source regions by body regions. The source regions are electrically connected to an emitter electrode. The second portions have a second mean net impurity concentration exceeding at least ten times a first mean net impurity concentration in first portions of the doped layer. The first portions extend from the body regions to the layer section, respectively.
US09653543B2
Methods of fabricating isolation regions of semiconductor devices and structures thereof are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a workpiece and at least one trench formed in the workpiece. The at least one trench includes sidewalls, a bottom surface, a lower portion, and an upper portion. A first liner is disposed over the sidewalls and the bottom surface of the at least one trench. A second liner is disposed over the first liner in the lower portion of the at least one trench. A first insulating material is disposed over the second liner in the lower portion of the at least one trench. A second insulating material is disposed over the first insulating material in the upper portion of the at least one trench. The first liner, the second liner, the first insulating material, and the second insulating material comprise an isolation region of the semiconductor device.
US09653539B2
It is an objective to improve reverse surge withstand capability of a semiconductor device, for example, a Schottky barrier diode.A p-type semiconductor section 14 includes a p+ type semiconductor portion (first concentration portion) 14a and a p− type semiconductor portion (second concentration portion) 14b, which have different impurity concentrations from each other. Additionally, a part of a side surface 13S of a metal portion 13 and a part of a bottom surface 13B of the metal portion 13 connected to the side surface 13S thereof are in contact with a part of the p+ type semiconductor portion 14a. Further, at least a part of a side surface 14bS of the p− type semiconductor portion 14b is in contact with a side surface 14aS of the p+ type semiconductor portion 14a.
US09653534B2
A method including forming an oxygen gettering layer on one side of an insulating layer of a deep trench capacitor between the insulating layer and a substrate, the oxygen gettering layer including an aluminum containing compound, and depositing an inner electrode on top of the insulating layer, the inner electrode including a metal.
US09653524B2
An organic light emitting display apparatus includes: a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode on a substrate and spaced apart from each other, each of the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode including a reflective layer; a pixel definition layer extending between and overlapping adjacent edges of the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode; a first intermediate layer and a second intermediate layer respectively on the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode; and an opposite electrode on the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer and the pixel definition layer and including a reflective layer.
US09653510B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: pixels arranged in a matrix; a vertical signal line provided for each column, conveying a pixel signal; a power line provided for each column, proving a power supply voltage; and a feedback signal line provided for each column, conveying a signal from a peripheral circuit to a pixel, in which each of the pixels includes: an N-type diffusion layer; a photoelectric conversion element above the N-type diffusion layer; and a charge accumulation node between the N-type diffusion layer and the photoelectric conversion element, accumulating signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element, the feedback signal line, a metal line which is a part of the charge accumulation node, the vertical signal line, and the power line are disposed in a second interconnect layer, and the vertical signal line and the power line are disposed between the feedback signal line and the metal line.
US09653505B2
A photo detector and a method for fabricating the same are provided. The photo detector includes a first substrate and a photo conversion element. The first substrate has a sensor element array for receiving a light with a spectrum in a specific wavelength range. The photo conversion element is disposed on the sensor element array, where the photo conversion element includes a photo conversion material layer and a doped photo conversion material column structure layer. A luminescent spectrum of the doped photo conversion material layer column structure layer is overlapped with the spectrum in a specific wavelength range, and a luminescent spectrum of the photo conversion material layer is non-overlapped with the spectrum in a specific wavelength range.
US09653502B2
There is provided a solid-state imaging device including a semiconductor substrate having an effective region in which a photodiode performing a photoelectric conversion is formed and, an optical black region shielded by a light shielding film; a first film which is formed on the effective region and in which at least one layer or more of layers having a negative fixed charge are laminated; and a second film which is formed on the light shielding region and in which at least one layer or more of layers having a negative fixed charge are laminated, in which the number of layers formed in the first film is different from the number of layers formed in the second film.
US09653492B2
Embodiments of the disclosure provide an array substrate, a manufacturing method of the array substrate and a display device. The array substrate includes a thin film transistor region and a display region. The thin film transistor region includes a thin film transistor and a black matrix, and the display region includes a common electrode.
US09653491B1
An array substrate comprises a plurality of data lines and a plurality of gate lines arranged to intersect with each other, an annular common signal line surrounding the data lines and the gate lines, and at least one annular repair line. The repair line is electrically connected with the common signal line through an anti-static ring. The repair line comprises a first line segment and a second line segment insulated from each other. The first line segment intersects with and is insulated from each of the data lines, the second line segment does not intersect with the data lines and is electrically connected with the common signal line through the anti-static ring. A repair portion is arranged between the first line segment and the second line segment, which is used for enabling the first line segment to be electrically connected with the second line segment after being welded.
US09653489B2
There is provided a light emitting device including: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of pixel circuits that is disposed in a display region of the semiconductor substrate; a first wiring that is formed of a conductive material so as to be supplied with a predetermined electric potential; and a plurality of first contact portions that is formed of a conductive material so as to connect the semiconductor substrate and the first wiring. The plurality of first contact portions and the first wiring are provided in the display region.
US09653478B2
Provided is a semiconductor element having, while maintaining the same integratability as a conventional MOSFET, excellent switch characteristics compared with the MOSFET, that is, having the S-value less than 60 mV/order at room temperature. Combining the MOSFET and a tunnel bipolar transistor having a tunnel junction configures a semiconductor element that shows an abrupt change in the drain current with respect to a change in the gate voltage (an S-value of less than 60 mV/order) even at a low voltage.
US09653470B2
The present disclosure relates to a non-volatile memory on a semiconductor substrate, comprising: a first memory cell comprising a floating-gate transistor and a select transistor having an embedded vertical control gate, a second memory cell comprising a floating-gate transistor and a select transistor having the same control gate as the select transistor of the first memory cell, a first bit line coupled to the floating-gate transistor of the first memory cell, and a second bit line coupled to the floating-gate transistor of the second memory cell.
US09653458B1
An integrated device includes a substrate, first and second vertical transistors and first and second common epitaxy. The substrate includes an upper surface with first substrate regions doped with a first dopant and second substrate regions doped with a second dopant. The first vertical transistor is operably disposed on the upper surface at a first one of the first substrate regions. The second vertical transistor is operably disposed on the upper surface at a first one of the second substrate regions. The first diode is operably disposed on the upper surface at a second one of the first substrate regions. The second diode is operably disposed on the upper surface at a second one of the second substrate regions. The first common epitaxy is provided for the first vertical transistor and the second diode and the second common epitaxy is provided for the second vertical transistor and the first diode.
US09653443B2
An embodiment device includes a first die, a second die electrically connected to the first die, and a heat dissipation surface on a surface of the second die. The device further includes a package substrate electrically connected to the first die. The package substrate includes a through-hole, and the second die is at least partially disposed in the through hole.
US09653436B2
Various embodiments may relate to an LED module, including a number of first inherently unpackaged LED chips, which are in each case designed to emit light of a first color at a respective light emission area, and a number of second inherently unpackaged LED chips, which are in each case designed to emit light of a second color, different than the first color, at a respective light emission area. The LED chips are provided jointly in a housing, and the respective light emission area of a second LED chip is at least 25% smaller than the respective light emission area of a first LED chip. The sum of the light emission areas of the first LED chips is at least 50% greater than the sum of the light emission areas of the second LED chips.
US09653434B2
The invention relates to a light-emitting diode arrangement having the following: a preferably heat-conductive substrate (2); a printed circuit board (5) which is arranged on the substrate (2), a recess (9) being provided in the printed circuit board (5); and at least one light-emitting diode chip (3) which is arranged on the substrate (2) and in the recess (9), said recess (9) being at least partly filled with at least one matrix material which preferably has a color-converting material (8).
US09653431B2
The present invention provides a stabilized fine textured metal microstructure that constitutes a durable activated surface usable for bonding a 3D stacked chip. A fine-grain layer that resists self anneal enables metal to metal bonding at moderate time and temperature and wider process flexibility.
US09653430B2
Semiconductor devices having stacked structures and methods for fabricating the same are provided. A semiconductor device includes at least one single block including a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip stacked thereon. Each of the first and second semiconductor chips includes a semiconductor substrate including a through-electrode, a circuit layer on a front surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a front pad that is provided in the circuit layer and is electrically connected to the through-electrode. The surfaces of the semiconductor substrates face each other. The circuit layers directly contact each other such that the semiconductor chips are bonded to each other.
US09653421B2
A semiconductor device is provided with: a semiconductor chip die-bonding mounted face up on a support; an intermediate substrate connecting the semiconductor chip to a plurality of external connection portions; and a plurality of connection bumps connecting the semiconductor chip and the intermediate substrate. The plurality of connection bumps includes a plurality of power supply bumps connected to a plurality of electrode pads on the semiconductor chip for supplying power to the semiconductor chip. The intermediate substrate includes: a plurality of power supply pads connected to the plurality of electrode pads through the plurality of power supply bumps; a bump surface facing the semiconductor chip and having a plurality of power supply pads formed thereon; an external connection surface having a plurality of external connection pads formed thereon connected to the external connection portions; and a capacitor connected to the plurality of power supply bumps.
US09653413B2
An integrated circuit 2 is formed with standard-cell power conductors 14 which are overlaid by power grid conductors 20. The power grid conductors are offset in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the power grid conductors relative to their underlying standard-cell power conductor. This has the effect of increasing the conductor spacing possible to one side of the power grid conductor. Accordingly, a wider than minimum width power grid conductor may be provided which blocks only one of its adjacent track positions from being used by a routing conductor 22.
US09653407B2
The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device package and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device package. The semiconductor device package includes a substrate, a grounding element, a component, a package body and a conductive layer. The grounding element is disposed in the substrate and includes a connection surface exposed at a second portion of a lateral surface of the substrate. The component is disposed on a top surface of the substrate. The package body covers the component and the top surface of the substrate. A lateral surface of the package body is aligned with the lateral surface of the substrate. The conductive layer covers a top surface and the lateral surface of the package body, and further covers the second portion of the lateral surface of the substrate. A first portion of the lateral surface of the substrate is exposed from the conductive layer.
US09653400B2
A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first porous interlayer insulating film having a low dielectric constant and including a first region and a second region, a second interlayer insulating film formed on the first interlayer insulating film in the first region, a plurality of first conductive patterns formed in the second interlayer insulating film such that the plurality of first conductive patterns are spaced apart from each other, at least one second conductive pattern formed in the first interlayer insulating film in the second region and air gaps disposed at lateral sides of the plurality of first conductive patterns.
US09653394B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate; a plurality of conductive areas formed on the substrate at a first vertical level; a first wiring layer formed on the substrate at a second vertical level which is higher than the first vertical level, the first wiring layer including first lines that extend in a first direction, one first line of the first lines connected to a first conductive area selected from the plurality of conductive areas through a via contact; a second wiring layer formed on the substrate at a third vertical level which is higher than the second vertical level, the second wiring layer including second lines that extend in a second direction that crosses the first direction, one second line of the second lines connected to a second conductive area selected from the plurality of conductive areas; and a deep via contact spaced apart from lines of the first wiring layer in a horizontal direction and extending from the second conductive area to the one second line.
US09653392B2
In order, for example, to improve the ohmic contact between two metal pieces located at a metallization level, these two metal pieces are equipped with two offset vias located at the metallization level and at least partially at the via level immediately above. Each offset via comprises, for example, a nonoxidizable or substantially nonoxidizable compound, such as a barrier layer of Ti/TiN.
US09653385B1
A lead frame has a metal base, a silver-plated layer, and a silver oxide layer. The silver-plated layer is formed between the metal base and the silver oxide layer. The silver oxide layer has a polar outer surface and a thickness of equal to or more than 1.3 nanometers. The silver oxide layer is beneficial to increase the adhesive strength between the lead frame and the molding compound and avoid delamination of the molding compound from the lead frame, so the lead frame of the present invention can pass a more severe moisture sensitivity level when exposed to the environment.
US09653381B2
A semiconductor structure comprises conductive vias extending from an active surface of a substrate to a back side of the substrate and surrounded by a dielectric material. The conductive vias are surrounded by recessed isolation structures formed within the back side of the substrate. Conductive elements extend over the conductive vias and laterally over at least portions of the isolation structures. The conductive elements are in electrical contact with the conductive vias and electrically isolated from the substrate by the isolation structures. Thermally conductive elements in contact with the substrate are laterally spaced from the conductive elements. Die assemblies comprising the semiconductor structure, methods of forming the semiconductor structure, and methods of forming the die assemblies are also disclosed.
US09653380B2
A substrate is disclosed, which can remove heat from a stacked body of semiconductor elements through a phase change of a coolant. The substrate of the application includes: a stacked body of semiconductor elements; a first channel forming a path, receiving circulation of a first coolant, in a surface of the stacked body; and a second channel forming a path, receiving circulation of a second coolant having a boiling point higher than the boiling point of the first coolant, in an inter-layer portion of the stacked body.
US09653374B2
A structure includes a thermal interface material, and a Perforated Foil Sheet (PFS) including through-openings therein, with a first portion of the PFS embedded in the thermal interface material. An upper layer of the thermal interface material is overlying the PFS, and a lower layer of thermal interface material is underlying the PFS. The thermal interface material fills through-openings in the PFS.
US09653369B2
It is an object to provide a power semiconductor module having a case shared for base plates of different sizes and having a high-stability base plate. The power semiconductor module according to the present invention includes: a base plate; an insulating substrate disposed on a first main surface of the base plate; a semiconductor chip disposed on an insulating substrate; a case for enclosing the base plate except a second main surface of the base plate facing the first main surface, the insulating substrate, and the semiconductor chip; and a spacer provided between the outer periphery of the base plate and the inner periphery of the case and in contact with both. The spacer has a bonding surface with a side surface of the base plate and the first main surface in the contact with the outer periphery of the base plate.
US09653358B2
The present invention presents a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device structure as well as the semiconductor device structure. Said method comprises: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a first insulating layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming a shallow trench isolation embedded in the first insulating layer and the semiconductor substrate; forming a channel region embedded in the semiconductor substrate; and forming a gate stack stripe on the channel region. Said method further comprises, before forming the channel region, performing a source/drain implantation on the semiconductor substrate. By means of forming the source/drain regions in a self-aligned manner before forming the channel region and the gate stack, said method achieves the advantageous effects of the replacement gate process without using a dummy gate, thereby simplifying the process and reducing the cost.
US09653355B2
Disclosed herein are various chip packaging structures and methods of fabrication. In one embodiment, a flip chip package structure can include: (i) a pad on a chip; (ii) an isolation layer on the chip and the pad, where the isolation layer includes a through hole that exposes a portion of an upper surface of the pad; (iii) a metal layer on the pad, where the metal layer fully covers the exposed upper surface portion of the pad; and (iv) a bump on the metal layer, where side edges of the bump do not make contact with the isolation layer.
US09653354B2
A metal wiring layer can be formed within a recess of a substrate while suppressing the metal wiring layer from being formed at the outside of the recess. A metal wiring layer forming method includes forming a catalyst layer 5 formed of Pd on a tungsten layer W on a bottom surface 3a of the recess 3 of the substrate 2 without forming the catalyst layer 5 on a surface 3b of an insulating layer of the recess 3; and forming a Ni-based metal wiring layer 7 on the catalyst layer 5 of the recess 3.
US09653349B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. A substrate having a dielectric layer over it is provided. A block co-polymer (BCP) layer is deposited over the dielectric layer. The BCP layer is then annealed to form a first polymer nanostructures surrounded by a second polymer nanostructures over the dielectric layer. The second polymer nanostructure is selectively etched using the first polymer nanostructure as an etch mask to form a nano-block. The dielectric layer is selectively etched using the nano-block as an etch mask to form a nano-trench. The nano-trenched is sealed to form a nano-air-gap.
US09653348B1
In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a first dielectric layer is formed over a substrate, first recesses are formed in the first dielectric layer. Metal wirings extending is a first direction are formed in the first recesses. A mask layer is formed over the metal wirings and the first dielectric layer, which includes a first opening extending in the first direction and is located above a space between adjacent two metal wirings. A first groove corresponding to the first opening is formed between the adjacent two metal wirings by etching the first dielectric layer using the mask layer as an etching mask. A second dielectric layer is formed so that a first air gap is formed in the first groove. A width of the first opening in a perpendicular direction to the first direction is smaller than a space between the adjacent two metal wirings.
US09653347B1
After forming source/drain contact structures within an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer to contact source/drain regions of a field effect transistor (FET), the ILD layer is recessed to expose upper portions of the source/drain contact structures. A sacrificial layer is then formed on a remaining portion of the ILD layer to laterally surround the upper portions of the source/drain contact structures. An interconnect conductor portion is subsequently formed to contact the source/drain contact structures by subtractive patterning of a metal layer that is formed on the sacrificial layer. Next, the sacrificial layer is removed, leaving a void between the interconnect conductor portion and the remaining portion of the ILD layer. A interconnect liner layer is then formed on a top surface and sidewalls of the interconnect conductor portion and on the remaining portion of the ILD layer. The interconnect liner layer encloses an air gap surrounding the upper portions of the source/drain contact structures.
US09653346B2
An integrated circuits structure includes a semiconductor substrate, at least an non-planar field effect transistor (FET) device formed on the semiconductor substrate, and an interconnection structure formed on the semiconductor substrate. The non-planar FET device includes a plurality of fins and a gate electrode. The interconnection structure includes a plurality of first group metals and a plurality of second group metals. The first group metals are formed on the non-planar FET and the second group metals are formed on the first group metals. The first group metals include a first metal pitch and the second group metals include a second metal pitch. The second metal pitch is 1.2-1.5 times to the first metal pitch.
US09653339B2
A semiconductor substrate carrier for use during wet chemical processing may comprise a conductive flange to couple the carrier with processing equipment, a frame coupled with the conductive flange, where the frame is configured to hold a semiconductor substrate, and an integrated shield coupled with the frame. The integrated shield is configured to alter an electric field near at least a portion of a surface of the semiconductor substrate during the wet chemical processing.
US09653338B2
A non-contact wafer chucking apparatus includes a wafer chuck and a gripper assembly coupled to a portion of the wafer chuck. The wafer chuck includes pressurized gas elements configured to generate pressurized gas regions across a surface of the wafer chuck suitable for elevating the wafer above the surface of the wafer chuck. The wafer chuck further includes vacuum elements configured to generate reduced pressure regions across the surface of the wafer chuck having a pressure lower than the pressurized gas regions. The reduced pressure regions are suitable for securing the wafer above the wafer chuck without contact to the wafer chuck. The chucking apparatus includes a rotational drive unit configured to selectively rotate the wafer chuck. The gripper elements are reversibly couplable to an edge portion of the wafer so as to secure the wafer such that the wafer and gripper assembly rotate synchronously with the wafer chuck.
US09653326B2
A method of cleaning an interior of a process chamber by supplying a cleaning gas into the process chamber after a process of forming a thin film on a substrate in the process chamber is performed, including alternately repeating changing a pressure in the process chamber from a first pressure range to a second pressure range, and changing the pressure in the process chamber from the second pressure range to the first pressure range. In this method, when the pressure in the process chamber is changed to the first pressure range, the pressure in the process chamber is changed to the first pressure range without being maintained at the second pressure range, and when the pressure in the process chamber is changed to the second pressure range, the pressure in the process chamber is changed to the second pressure range without being maintained at the first pressure range.
US09653321B2
A plasma processing method for processing a silicon containing film formed on a substrate including a step of removing a reaction product with a first plasma formed from a first gas containing halogen, hydrogen, and carbon in a case where the reaction product is formed when performing an etching process on the silicon containing film by using an etching mask having an etching pattern.
US09653314B2
A semiconductor device according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of wires. A plurality of wire drawing pads are provided correspondingly to the wires and electrically connecting a plurality of contacts to the wires, respectively. First space portions widen toward a first direction from the wires to the wire drawing pads and are located between adjacent ones of the wire drawing pads in a connection region between the wires and the wire drawing pads. Second space portions are provided at edge portions of the wire drawing pads. Air gaps or insulating layers are provided in the first space portions and the second space portions.
US09653313B2
A semiconductor structure, such as a group III nitride-based semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a cavity containing semiconductor layer. The cavity containing semiconductor layer can have a thickness greater than two monolayers and a multiple cavities. The cavities can have a characteristic size of at least one nanometer and a characteristic separation of at least five nanometers.
US09653301B2
Provided is a semiconductor device including a metal film which can be formed with lower costs but still manage to have a necessary work function and oxidation resistance. The semiconductor device includes an insulating film disposed on a substrate; and a metal film disposed on the insulating film. The metal film includes a stacked structure of: a first metal film disposed on the insulating film to directly contact the insulating film; a second metal film disposed on the first metal film to directly contact the first metal film; and the first metal film disposed on the second metal film to directly contact the second metal film, the second metal film having a work function greater than 4.8 eV and being different from the first metal film in material, wherein an oxidation resistance of the first metal film is greater than that of the second metal film.
US09653299B2
A first laser pulse emitted from a semiconductor laser oscillator and having a first pulse width is entered onto a second surface of a semiconductor substrate in which a semiconductor device is formed on a first surface and dopants are added to a surface layer portion on the second surface side. A second laser pulse having a second pulse width less than or equal to 1/10 of the first pulse width is entered on an incident area of the first laser pulse in an overlapping manner. The relative positional relationship on a time axis between falling time of the first laser pulse and rising time of the first laser pulse is set such that the temperature of the first surface, which rises due to the incidence of the first laser pulse and the second laser pulse, does not exceed an allowable upper limit value which is predetermined.
US09653296B2
A method for processing a semiconductor device in accordance with various embodiments may include: depositing a first metallization material over a semiconductor body; performing a heating process so as to form at least one region in the semiconductor body including a eutectic of the first metallization material and material of the semiconductor body; and depositing a second metallization material over the semiconductor body so as to contact the semiconductor body via the at least one region in the semiconductor body.
US09653295B1
In a method of manufacturing an SRAM, first dummy patterns are formed over a substrate, on which a first to a third mask layer are formed. Intermediate dummy patterns are formed on sidewalls of the first dummy patterns. The first dummy patterns are removed, thereby leaving the intermediate dummy patterns. The third mask layer is patterned by using the intermediate dummy patterns, by which the second mask layer is patterned, thereby forming second dummy patterns. Sidewall spacer layers are formed on sidewalls of the second dummy patterns. The second dummy patterns are removed, thereby leaving the sidewall spacer layers as hard mask patterns over the substrate, by which the first mask layer is patterned. The substrate is patterned by using the patterned first mask layer. Each of the plurality of SRAM cells is defined by a cell boundary, within which only two first dummy patterns are included.
US09653290B2
A method for manufacturing a nanowire transistor device includes the following steps: A substrate is provided, and the substrate includes a plurality of nanowires suspended thereon. Each of the nanowires includes a first semiconductor core. Next, a first selective epitaxial growth process is performed to form second semiconductor cores respectively surrounding the first semiconductor cores. The second semiconductor cores are spaced apart from the substrate. After forming the second semiconductor core, a gate is formed on the substrate.
US09653285B2
A semiconductor structure is provided by a process in which two aspect ratio trapping processes are employed. The structure includes a semiconductor substrate portion of a first semiconductor material having a first lattice constant. A plurality of first semiconductor-containing pillar structures of a second semiconductor material having a second lattice constant that is greater than the first lattice constant extend upwards from a surface of the semiconductor substrate portion. A plurality of second semiconductor-containing pillar structures of a third semiconductor material having a third lattice constant that is greater than the first lattice constant extend upwards from another surface of the semiconductor substrate portion. A spacer separates each first semiconductor-containing pillar structure from each second semiconductor-containing pillar structure. Each second semiconductor-containing pillar structure has a width that is different from a width of each first semiconductor-containing pillar structure.
US09653284B2
A thin film transistor, a manufacturing method thereof and an array substrate are provided. The thin film transistor comprises: a gate electrode (11), a source electrode (15) and a drain electrode (16), and the thin film transistor further comprises a buffer layer (11) which is directly provided at one side or both sides of at least one of the gate electrode (11), the source electrode (15) and the drain electrode (16), wherein, the buffer layer (11) and at least one of the gate electrode (11), the source electrode (15) and the drain electrode (16) directly contacting the buffer layer (11) are conformal. Therefore, the adhesion between an electrode of the thin film transistor and a film layer contacting it is improved and at the same time an atom in the electrode of the thin film transistor is effectively prevented from diffusing to the film layer connected with it, and the reliability of the thin film transistor is improved and the production cost is reduced.
US09653282B2
A method for cleaning a substrate, such as a silicon substrate, a silicon-germanium substrate, or other silicon-containing substrate is disclosed. The method includes exposing the substrate to a first plasma configured to attack a sub-oxide on the substrate. The method also includes exposing the substrate to a second plasma configured to attack the native oxide on the substrate. The method further includes exposing the substrate to a gas containing at least one of molecular chlorine or a chlorine compound. The gas may be configured to remove at least some of the remaining native oxide and sub-oxide. After the cleaning process, the substrate may be further processed. Further processing steps may include, for example, an epitaxial growth process. An epitaxial growth process performed on a substrate cleaned according to the methods disclosed herein will exhibit few defects.
US09653272B2
A method and system for predicting in advance of treatment whether a cancer patient is likely, or not likely, to obtain benefit from administration of a yeast-based immune response generating therapy, which may be yeast-based immunotherapy for mutated Ras-based cancer, alone or in combination with another anti-cancer therapy. The method uses mass spectrometry of a blood-derived patient sample and a computer configured as a classifier using a training set of class-labeled spectra from other cancer patients that either benefitted or did not benefit from an immune response generating therapy alone or in combination with another anti-cancer therapy. Also disclosed are methods of treatment of a cancer patient, comprising administering a yeast-based immune response generating therapy, which may be yeast-based immunotherapy for mutated Ras-based cancer, to a patient selected by a test in accordance with predictive mass spectral methods disclosed herein, in which the class label for the spectra indicates the patient is likely to benefit from the yeast-based immunotherapy.
US09653270B2
A method for connecting a magnetic substance target to a backing plate with less variation in plate thickness, characterized in having the steps of connecting the magnetic substance target to an aluminum plate beforehand while maintaining the flatness, connecting the magnetic substance target connected to the aluminum plate to the backing plate while maintaining the flatness, and grinding out the aluminum plate, whereby the flatness of the magnetic substance target can be maintained until the magnetic substance target is connected to the backing plate by a relatively simple operation.
US09653266B2
An apparatus for generating plasma includes a plasma discharge tube and a conductive coil helically wound around an outer surface of the plasma discharge tube. A waveguide is coupled to a microwave cavity surrounding the plasma discharge tube to guide the microwave energy into the plasma discharge tube such that the plasma is generated in the plasma discharge tube. The waveguide is positioned such that an electric field of the microwave energy is oriented at a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the plasma discharge tube. A resulting induced electric current in the conductive coil affects power absorption in the plasma discharge tube, the predetermined angle being selectable such that power absorption in the plasma discharge tube is according to a predetermined profile with respect to the longitudinal axis of the plasma discharge tube.
US09653258B2
The Near-field Optical Transmission Electron Emission Microscope involves the combination, in one instrument, of optical imaging in the near-field regime or close to it (in respect to the transmission electromagnetic radiation when the wavelength exceeds the desired lateral resolution) and the secondary electron imaging of EEM microscope (“Cathode lens objective” based Emission Electron Microscopy). These two microscopic techniques are combined by the application of the photon-electron converter, which converts the optical, transmission image of the object (illuminated by the penetrating electromagnetic radiation) to the correlated photoelectron image, by means of a matrix of one-way closed channels (capillaries). The closed, smooth front face of the converter (comprising channel-bottoms) remains in contact with the object of imaging, whereas its opposite, opened face (consisting of an array (matrix) of channel openings) is exposed to vacuum and emits the secondary electrons.
US09653257B2
A scanning electron microscopy system for mitigating charging artifacts includes a scanning electron microscopy sub-system for acquiring multiple images from a sample. The images include one or more sets of complementary images. The one or more sets of complementary images include a first image acquired along a first scan direction and a second image acquired along a second scan direction opposite to the first scan direction. The system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the scanning electron microscopy sub-system. The controller is configured to receive images of the sample from the scanning electron microscopy sub-system. The controller is further configured to generate a composite image by combining the one or more sets of complementary images.
US09653256B2
Provided is a charged-particle-beam device capable of simultaneously cancelling out a plurality of aberrations caused by non-uniform distribution of the opening angle and energy of a charged particle beam. The charged-particle-beam device is provided with an aberration generation lens for generating an aberration due to the charged particle beam passing off-axis, and a corrective lens for causing the trajectory of the charged particle beam to converge on the main surface of an objective lens irrespective of the energy of the charged particle beam. The main surface of the corrective lens is disposed at a crossover position at which a plurality of charged particle beams having differing opening angles converge after passing through the aberration generation lens.
US09653251B2
The present application provides an external thermionic cathode distributed x-ray apparatus, including a vacuum box which is sealed at its periphery, where the interior thereof is high vacuum; a plurality of electron transmitting units arranged in a linear array and installed on the side wall of the vacuum box, where each electron transmitting unit is independent to each other; an anode installed in the center inside the vacuum box, where in the direction of length, the anode is parallel to the orientation of the electron transmitting unit, and in the direction of width, the anode has a predetermined angle with respect to the plane of the electron transmitting unit; a power supply and control system having a high voltage power supply and a focusing power supply; and a transmitting control means and a control system.
US09653244B1
This disclosure relates to various embodiments of lockout relay devices. In one embodiment, a lockout relay device may transition between a closed position and a lockout position in response to an action of a deck device. The lockout relay may further be configured to transition from the lockout position to the closed position only in response to one of a manual adjustment and a reset operation. A manual actuator may permit a manual transition of the lockout relay device from the closed position to the lockout position and from the lockout position to the closed position. A lockout mechanism may be configured to cause the lockout relay device to transition to the lockout position in response to the force generated by the deck device. The lockout relay device may remain in the lockout position until the occurrence of one of a manual adjustment and a reset operation.
US09653242B2
The invention relates to an actuator (1) of a safety switch (10) for detecting and locking a specifiable state of an apparatus (2), in particular for detecting and locking the closed state of a safety device of a machine (4) or the like, wherein the actuator (1) has an inductor (36) for a contact-free signal exchange with a reading inductor (38) of a switch element (16) of the safety switch (10), and wherein the actuator (1) has a locking flank (50) on which a lock element (24) of the switch element (16) can be brought into locking contact and the actuator (1) can therefore be locked on the switch element (16), characterized in that the inductor (36) has at least one winding extending around the locking flank (50) or around a recess or hole in the actuator (1) forming the locking flank (50) so that the at least one winding extends around the lock element (24) or around an extension of the lock element (24) in the state in which the actuator (1) is locked to the switch element (16), as well as a safety switch having such an actuator.
US09653241B2
A magnetic actuating device (1) for a current switching device (2) comprises: —a ferromagnetic stator (3) and a ferromagnetic armature (4) which is movable between a first end position (5), which is close to the ferromagnetic stator (3), and a second end position (6) which is spaced apart from the ferromagnetic stator (3), —a compression spring (7)configured for urging the ferromagnetic armature (4) to the second end position (6), —an electrical coil (8) energizable for electromagnetically attracting the ferromagnetic armature (4) to the first end position (5), and —a mechanical locking assembly (10) configured for releasably blocking the ferromagnetic armature (4) in the first end position (5).
US09653236B2
An electromagnetic relay which is improved in arc blocking performance without being increased in size is desired. An electromagnetic relay according to the present invention is provided with a fixed contact, a moving contact which is movable respect to the fixed contact, a pair of magnets which is arranged at the side of the fixed contact and the moving contact so that pole faces with mutually reversed polarity are separated from and face each other and a pair of arc cooling plates which is arranged in a spaces between the magnets and which has first surfaces which face each other across a gap and second surfaces which face a pole face of either of the magnets, respectively.
US09653234B2
There is provided a multidirectional switch in which, when a knob in a neutral position is operated to be tilted with respect to a reference axis at the time the knob is in the neutral position, a pressing part positioned in an operating direction side of the knob moves in an axial direction of the reference axis to selectively close a switch element corresponding to the moved pressing part. The switch element and the pressing part respectively comprise four switch elements and four pressing parts that are respectively provided at intervals each having 90 degrees in the circumferential direction around the reference axis, and one pressing part is connected to another pressing part adjacent thereto in the circumferential direction around the reference axis by a flexible connecting element formed in a wave shape as viewed in a radial direction of the reference axis.
US09653229B2
A portable electronic device includes a casing with a casing pivotal portion and a key device. The key device is installed on the casing and includes a button cap. The button cap includes a cap pivotal portion, a first cap body and a second cap body. The cap pivotal portion is pivoted to the casing pivotal portion. The first cap body extends from the cap pivotal portion along a first axis. The second cap body extends from the first cap body along a second axis. The button cap rotates in an activating direction when the first cap body is applied by an external force along the first axis or when the second cap body is applied by the external force along the second axis.
US09653228B2
The systems and methods described herein are directed to a switch for use in an electronic device. The switching assembly may include an elastically deformable actuator having a conductive inner surface and a cosmetic outer surface. The actuator may be disposed on an exterior surface of an enclosure that houses an electric circuit board of the electronic device. The enclosure may have one or more openings for providing an electrical connection between the actuator and the enclosed circuit of the electronic device. When the actuator is pressed, an electrical circuit may be closed and electric current may flow through the conductive inner surface of the actuator. The actuator may be combined with a perimeter element for snapping on and off the enclosure.
US09653223B2
A switch comprising a body case, a movable board that is movably disposed in the body case and a movable contact point disposed in the movable board is disclosed. A fixed contact point is provided in the body case with a lubricating agent applied thereto. The movable contact point makes pressure-contact with the fixed contact point, and is connected and disconnected from the fixed contact point corresponding to a position of the movable contact point changing by moving the movable board. Grooves are formed in a contact portion of the movable contact point with the fixed contact point to be arranged along the movement direction of the movable contact point.
US09653203B2
A multilayer inductor providing improved DC superposition characteristics by a permanent magnet that emits a bias magnetic flux, and having a low-loss material as a magnetic body to improve converter conversion efficiency. The multilayer inductor has a plurality of laminated electrically insulating magnetic layers; and laminated conductive patterns, each of the conductive patterns being connected in sequence in the lamination direction forming a spiral coil inside the magnetic layer. An magnetized annular permanent magnet layer emits a magnetic flux whose direction is opposite that of a magnetic flux excited by the coil is between an outer peripheral edge of the inductor and an outer peripheral edge of the coil so as not to overlap an inner peripheral part of the magnet layer with the conductive patterns and so as to block a space between the conductive patterns and the magnet layer, in axial view of the coil.
US09653201B2
There is provided a shield case allowing efficient power delivery while ensuring environmental resistant such as strength and waterproof and provided a contactless feed system using the shield case.A contactless feed system includes: a feed-side device installed in a fixed body; a receive-side device installed in a mobile body and fed electric power from the feed-side device in a contactless manner, and a shield case used in the feed-side device of the contactless feed system includes: a case open toward the receive-side device; a coil housed in an interior of the case; and a cover covering an opening of the case, wherein a load support member extending from a bottom surface of the case to an inner surface of the cover is provided inside the case.
US09653183B1
Shared built-in self-analysis of memory systems employing a memory array tile architecture is provided. To selectively control which memory tile among a plurality of memory tiles is accessed for a built-in self-analysis (BISA) operation, a shared BISA address issued from a shared BISA circuit includes a memory tile address. Each memory tile includes a unique fixed memory tile address that is compared to the received memory tile address of a received BISA address. If the memory tile address in the received BISA address matches the fixed memory tile address of a memory tile, the memory tile is activated to use the memory address in the BISA address to access addressed memory bit cells for analysis. Thus, if the memory system is redesigned to include additional memory tiles for increased capacity, the memory tile address size in the BISA address can be updated for addressing added memory tiles.
US09653181B1
A smart self-repair device and method of self-repairing a package is disclosed. The smart self-repair device may include a fuse array configured to store information regarding respective bits of a fail address in fuses. The smart self-repair device may include a self-repair control circuit configured to control repairing of not only a target mat in which a fail occurs, but also adjacent upper and lower mats sharing a sense amplifier along with the target mat, and to output fail address information corresponding to a fail mode, and row fuse set information or a column fuse set information. The smart self-repair device may include a data control circuit configured to output repair information to the fuse array based on the fail address information and the row fuse set information or the column fuse set information, and may include a control circuit configured to control a rupture operation of the fuse array.
US09653178B2
A storage device, a memory, and a method for controlling a storage device, where the storage device includes a comb-shaped magnetic track, a first drive circuit, a second drive circuit, a first drive port, and a second drive port, where the comb-shaped magnetic track includes a first storage area, a second storage area, and a comb handle, and the first storage area and the second storage area include more than two memory bars.
US09653129B2
Apparatus for chip-to-chip communications may include a first driving unit and a second driving unit. The first driving unit may receive input data, generate a first output data based on the input data, and output the first output data. The second driving unit may receive the input data, generate a second output data with a pre-emphasis peak and output the second output data. The second output data may be generated by delaying and inverting the input data, and have a predetermined weight.
US09653128B2
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for storing, reading, and writing data using particle-based acoustic wave driven shift registers. The shift registers may physically shift particles along rows and/or columns of wells through the interactions of two parallel surfaces. A transducer may generate an acoustic wave to displace one or more of the two parallel surfaces. The particles may be transferred to and/or otherwise constrained by a buffer surface during at least a portion of the acoustic wave, such that the particles may be shifted during one or more cycles of the acoustic wave. In various embodiments, the amplitude of the acoustic wave may correspond to the spacing distance between each of the wells. The wells may be physical and/or potential wells.
US09653125B2
According to one embodiment, a storage device includes a memory device including a memory cell configured to hold data, an output buffer configured to output the data, and a circuit configured to generate a reference voltage; and a controller device including an input buffer. The data from the output buffer is input into one input terminal of the input buffer and the reference voltage from the circuit is input into the other input terminal of the input buffer.
US09653120B2
An ad in a movie can be a static ad having a position in the movie that cannot be moved, or a dynamic ad having a position in the movie that can be changed. When a viewer of the movie wishes to skip a portion of the movie containing the ad, the playback system determines whether the ad is static or dynamic. If the ad is static, then only the portion of the movie preceding the static ad can be skipped, that is, the ad is unskippable; this technique is referred to as “bounceback” since the end of the skip bounces back to the start of the static ad. If the ad is dynamic, then the ad is moved to after the end of the skip; this technique is referred to as “slipad” since the ad slips to later in the movie. When a movie has multiple ads, some can be static and some can be dynamic.
US09653119B2
An apparatus generating audio cues for content indicative of the position of audio objects within the content comprising: an audio processor receiving raw audio tracks for said content and information indicative of the positions of at least some of said audio tracks within frames of said content, said audio processor generating corresponding audio parameters; an authoring tool receiving said audio parameters and generating encoding coefficients, said audio parameters including audio cue of the position of audio objects corresponding to said tracks in at least one spatial dimension; and a first audio/video encoder receiving an input and encoding said input into an audio visual content having visual objects and audio objects, said audio objects being disposed at location corresponding to said one spatial position, said encoder using said encoding coefficients for said encoding.
US09653117B2
Synchronous playback of time-based media received from one or more locations remote from a primary editing/mixing studio is achieved by time-stamping media samples with a local presentation time before streaming them to the primary studio. At the primary studio, samples having the same presentation timestamp are played back at the same time, independently of the samples' arrival time at the playback system. Media stored locally to the playback system may also be included as part of the synchronous playback using locally computed presentation times. In order to accommodate media streaming transmission delays, the playback system negotiates a suitable delay with the remote systems such that samples corresponding to a given presentation time are received at the playback system from remote locations prior to playback of media corresponding to the given presentation time.
US09653109B2
A drive-implemented method according to one embodiment includes guiding a magnetic medium over a magnetic head at an angle at which the magnetic medium flies over a leading outer portion of the head, engages a leading edge of a tape bearing surface of a central portion of the head, and engages an inner edge of a tape bearing surface of a trailing outer portion of the head. The inner edge of the tape bearing surface of the trailing outer portions skives air from the magnetic medium when the magnetic medium travels in a direction from the central portion towards the trailing outer portion.
US09653088B2
A time shift calculated during a pitch-regularizing (PR) encoding of a frame of an audio signal is used to time-shift a segment of another frame during a non-PR encoding.
US09653083B2
The present disclosure relates to a data processing method and system. The method includes obtaining network data and a sound wave synthesized with the network data by a terminal, the sound wave being obtained by performing an encoding conversion on resource data; and according to an operation performed by a user on the network data on the terminal, invoking an audio playback apparatus of the terminal to play the sound wave synthesized with the network data to terminals of one or more users nearby.
US09653077B2
A speech input recognition unit, an event processing unit, which processes an event including a speech recognition result or a command, an expert unit including a plurality of expert modules each of which processes the event in cooperation with the event processing unit, and an execution history management unit, which manages execution history of the expert modules are provided. The expert unit is, for recording a user speech as message text, provided with a speech processing expert module for producing standard format text and a speech processing expert module for producing free format text and a transmission expert module for sending the message text.
US09653075B1
Aspects of the subject technology relate to a method for using a voice command for multiple computing devices. First voice input data is received from a first computing device associated with a user account, where the first voice input data comprises a first voice command captured at the first computing device. Second voice input data is received from a second computing device associated with the user account where the second voice input data comprises a second voice command captured at the second computing device. An intended voice command is determined based on the obtained first and second voice input data. Based on the intended voice command, a first target computing device is determined. First instructions associated with the intended voice command are provided to the first target computing device for execution.
US09653064B2
A blended acoustic folded horn and reflector provides for throughput of higher frequency bands without giving rise to standing waves. The horn includes a parabolic region intersected by a first direct radiant axis centered on the throat. The parabolic region is shaped and oriented to define a reflected radiant axis through the mouth for frequency components of the acoustic input above a cut-off frequency. The parabolic region operates to focus sound in the upper portion of the operational frequency range of the loudspeaker and to reflect the resulting focused sound beam along a second radiant axis through the mouth of the folded horn.
US09653061B2
An acoustic device includes an opening; a flange forming the opening; a first member including the opening and the flange; and a second member joined to the first member, thereby forming a cavity. The second member is formed of a material with a density lower than a material of the first member.
US09653060B1
An echo cancellation system that uses a combined reference signal using a playback reference signal and an adaptive reference signal. The playback reference signal is generated from a playback signal sent to a loudspeaker and the adaptive reference signal is generated using beamforming on microphone inputs corresponding to audio received from the loudspeaker. The system applies a low pass filter to the playback reference signal and applies a high pass filter to the adaptive reference signal to generate the combined reference signal. The system may remove the combined reference signal from target signals associated with the microphone inputs to isolate speech included in the target signals.
US09653053B2
Provided are interchangeable bearing edge rings for drum shells assembled with traditional lug holders. Different bearing edge rings can be inserted in between the drum shell and the drumhead to change the sound of the drum during play. Some embodiments provide a modified drum shell with top and bottom rims that have a groove. Bearing edge rings with complimentary slits can be inset in the grooves in order to change the drum bearing edge and sound as desired. Alternatively, the bearing edge rings can have support extensions instead of the slits for coupling to unmodified drum shells. The support extensions extend downwards from either side of the ring and are separated by a distance equal to the width of the drum shell rim. The support extensions straddle the drum shell rim to retain the position of bearing edge ring over the drum shell rim.
US09653052B2
A drumhead tuning rim system and method for securing and tuning a drumhead on a drum shell of a drum, comprising a drumhead tuning rim apparatus comprising a cable tension dial assembly configured for operably engaging a rim of the drum so as to increase or decrease tension on the rim, the rim being configured for seating over the drumhead on the drum shell, and an apparatus controller configured for operably interfacing with the drumhead tuning rim apparatus so as to selectively control the cable tension dial assembly and thereby adjust the overall pitch of the drumhead as by adjusting the tension on the rim.
US09653047B2
A finger-pressed auxiliary device for a stringed instrument is provided. The stringed instrument comprises a body, a neck connected to the body, a fingerboard disposed on the neck, a plurality of frets disposed on the fingerboard at spaced intervals, and a plurality of strings extending along the length direction of the neck. The finger-pressed auxiliary device comprises: a plurality of finger-pressed plates extending along the length direction of the strings and each being disposed to correspond to a respective string; an upper support secured to the top of the neck; and a lower support secured to the bottom of the neck or the body. As the fingers only have to contact the surfaces of the finger-pressed plates, the pain associated with holding strings with fingertips is avoided.
US09653035B2
The present disclosure provides a voltage calibration circuit. The voltage calibration circuit includes a coupling voltage detection circuit and a common voltage circuit. The coupling voltage detection circuit is used for detecting a coupling voltage in an initial phase and generating a compensation voltage according to the coupling voltage. The common voltage circuit is used for adjusting a common voltage according to the compensation voltage and outputting the common voltage to a display module in a display phase.
US09653030B2
A method for driving a liquid crystal display panel is disclosed. In 3D display mode, said method comprising the following steps: providing a scanning signal to a second scanning line of a pixel row N, so as to turn on a second switching unit; and providing, after X scanning cycles, a scanning signal to a first scanning line of the pixel row N to turn on a first switching unit, so that a corresponding pixel unit is charged by image data information of a data line. A polarity of said image data information is reversed once through each two frames. According to the method of the present disclosure, the shutter glass 3D image can be displayed without image spiking, while it is not necessary to change the structures of the liquid crystal display panel, the display panel control circuit, the core panel of the display, and other kinds of hardware.
US09653029B2
This application relates to methods and apparatus for refreshing a display device at various frequencies. Specifically, multiple areas of the display device can be refreshed concurrently at different frequencies. In this way, when static content is being displayed in certain areas of the display device, those certain areas can be refreshed at a lower rate than areas displaying dynamic content such as video or animation. By refreshing at lower rates, the energy consumed by the display device and subsystems associated with the display device can be reduced. Additionally, processes for reducing flicker when refreshing the display device at different refresh rates are disclosed herein.
US09653027B2
According to an embodiment, a display apparatus includes a display panel displaying an image, a backlight circuit supplying a light to the display panel, a host connector connected to a host, a main control board controlling the display panel to display an image in response to an image signal and a control signal that are provided from the host through the host connector, and a backlight control board separately provided from the main control board and receiving a source voltage from the host through the host connector to drive the backlight circuit.
US09653024B1
The present invention provides a method of compensating AMOLED IR Drop and a system. In the method of compensating AMOLED IR Drop, many times of iterated operations are performed to the power supply voltages and the driving currents of respective pixel driving circuits coupled in series on the same power supply line, and the adjustment and compensation are performed to the initial values Vdata1 to Vdatan of the data signal voltages for being inputted to respective pixel driving circuits according to the power supply voltages OVdd1 to OVddn of respective pixel driving circuits obtained with the last iterated operation of the calculation unit, and outputs the compensated data signal voltages Vdata1 to Vdatan corresponding to respective pixel driving circuits. The method can make that the driving currents flowing through respective pixels can be more uniform for solving the mura problem caused by IR Drop. The system of compensating AMOLED IR Drop can improve the brightness uniformity of an AMOLED display panel for solving the mura problem caused by IR Drop with setting the calculation unit, the storage unit, the compensation unit and the plurality of pixel driving circuits.
US09653022B2
A pixel circuit of an organic light-emitting display and a method of driving the same, and an organic light-emitting display are disclosed. The pixel circuit includes at least a first thin film transistor, a second thin film transistor, a third thin film transistor, a fourth thin film transistor, a fifth thin film transistor, a first capacitor, and a light-emitting diode. The pixel circuit and the method for driving the same enable a gate voltage and a source voltage of the first thin film transistor to be coupled and maintained in a control signal write phase and also compensate for a threshold voltage drift of the first thin film transistor so as to address the problem in prior art of non-uniform light emission by the OLED due to the threshold voltage drift of the drive transistor or the instable voltage across the gate and the source of the drive transistor.
US09653018B2
A light-emitting diode driving device enabling an excellent heat-dissipation function and high-efficient driving is disclosed. The disclosed LED driving device comprises: a power source unit providing an alternate current voltage; a rectification unit communicatively coupled to the power source and rectifying the alternate current voltage; a driving signal generation unit configured to receive the rectified voltage from the rectification unit and generate a primary driving signal by using the rectified voltage; and an LED driving signal modulation unit communicatively coupled to the driving signal generator, the LED driving signal modulation unit configured to receive the primary driving signal and generating a secondary pulse driving signal by modulating the primary driving signal, and LED groups including LEDs and configured to receive the primary driving signal or the second pulse driving signal such that the LED groups operate responsive to the primary driving signal or the secondary pulse driving signal.
US09653017B2
A pixel structure, a driving method thereof and a display device are provided. The pixel structure includes a plurality of closely arranged repeating groups, and each of the repeating groups includes linearly arranged square pixel units of different colors. Each of the square pixel units in each of the repeating groups is formed by two sub-pixels with a same color and a same shape; and two sub-pixels in adjacent square pixel units have different arrangement modes. The repeating groups disposed on two adjacent parallel straight lines are staggered by a distance of one and a half square pixel units. With such a pixel structure, input information is subjected to brightness redistribution and intensively outputted to the actual physical positions, the optional switching of the sub-pixels can be applied on the premise of not reducing the pixel size, and hence the resolution of the display image can be improved.
US09653011B2
A printed circuit board assembly includes a printed circuit board, a connector mounted on the printed circuit board and including at least one terminal electrically connected to an external device, and at least one electronic component mounted on the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the at least one terminal of the connector. The connector includes at least one test point electrically connected to the terminal and configured to make contact with a test probe.
US09653009B2
A Slippery Surface Warning Apparatus includes a Ultra-Violet Emitting Device, a Sign with Indicia, a Mounting Assembly, a Light-refracting liquid or powder to be added to a cleaning solution or other fluid, and a Light Housing. This Slippery Surface Warning Apparatus is used for the purpose of alerting people in the vicinity of a potential safety hazard whereby light emitted from the Ultra-Violet Emitting Device is directed to the slippery surface imbued with UV-Reflected cleaning solution for the purpose of showing persons where a slippery surface or hazardous condition is.
US09653006B2
An activatable adhesive that is formulated to readily absorb energy from a given radiation source, an activatable adhesive label that incorporates such an activatable adhesive, a system for activating such labels, and related methods and uses are described. The activatable adhesive includes a plasticizer, a tackifier, and an adhesive base polymer that includes butyl acrylate, styrene, methyl methacrylate, methacrylic acid, and acrylic acid.
US09653005B2
An erasable loop scheduler with a board and a loop system is disclosed. The board has a first and second side, each having a viewing pane that displays a different portion of the loop system. The loop system includes a grid system that can be configured like a calendar. A user can write out a full month of dates and appointments on the first side of the board and another full month of dates and appointments on the second side of the board. Once a row of events has passed, the loop system can be advanced, at which point the row of past events moves to the second side of the board. The user may then erase that row of events and replace with upcoming dates and appointments. Alternatively, the user may keep the row of events for future reference.
US09652995B2
In one embodiment, one or more first computing devices receive, from one or more second computing devices associated with a first person, information concerning an activity, the information describing the activity, a reward associated with the activity, and a condition of the reward; transmit, to one or more third computing devices associated with the second person, the information; receive, from the third computing devices, a first response by the second person; and if the first response is an acceptance to the activity by the second person, then: receive, from the third computing devices, first sensor data relating to the activity; analyze the first sensor data to determine whether the condition of the reward is satisfied; and if the condition of the reward is satisfied, then transmit, to the second computing devices and the third computing devices, a second notice indicating that the condition of the reward has been satisfied.
US09652994B1
Disclosed is a piano learning guidance system, comprising a piano and two hand drums, wherein the piano comprises a control module, a storage module, a first LCD display screen, a second LCD display screen, a third LCD display screen, a key recording microphone and a plurality of first LED light bars in one-to-one correspondence to keys of the piano, and each first LED light bar is formed by a plurality of first LEDs; the storage module, the first LCD display screen, the second LCD display screen, the third LCD display screen and the key recording microphone are all electrically connected to the control module; the hand drum comprises a second LED light bar and a pressure sensor, and the second LED light bar is formed by a plurality of second LEDs; and the second LED light bar and the pressure sensor are electrically connected to the control module.
US09652982B2
A method for learning traffic events, the traffic events being transmitted to a data network using vehicle-to-X communication. The traffic events include position data and time data assigned to the traffic events, and the traffic events are stored electronically in the data network. The method is characterized in that an individual storage duration is determined for each traffic event, and the traffic event is deleted from the data network after the storage duration expires. The invention further relates to a corresponding system and to the use thereof.
US09652977B2
A method for calibrating an automated window covering includes electromechanically actuating a window covering and measuring electrical current required to actuate the window covering. The method further measures movement of the window covering, where such movement includes one or more of a change in position and velocity of the window covering. The method estimates a size (e.g., height, width, area, etc.) of the window covering and/or an amount of force required to actuate the window covering based on the measured electrical current and movement. A corresponding apparatus is also disclosed herein.
US09652976B2
System for displaying hazard events and adjusting hazard detector settings on a mobile device includes a user interface executed on the mobile device, a hazard detector, and a computer server system communicatively coupled to the mobile device and hazard detector. The hazard detector generates hazard events indicating detection of smoke or carbon monoxide. The hazard events are transmitted to the computer server system and then to the mobile device. User interface displays the hazard events in an event group. User interface receives an adjusted value for a setting of the hazard detector and transmits the adjusted value to the computer server system. The computer server system determines that the adjusted value corresponds to the hazard detector, receives a check-in event from the hazard detector, and transmits the adjusted value to the hazard detector in response to receiving the check-in event. The hazard detector applies the adjusted value to the setting.
US09652970B2
A hygiene alert system includes a toilet that has a tank and the tank may contain a fluid. The tank has a lid and the lid has a top surface and a bottom surface. An alert is coupled to the tank such that the alert may detect the fluid in the tank. The alert issues a verbal reminder and a visual reminder when the alert detects the fluid has drained from the tank. Thus, the alert communicates a reminder for personal hygiene.
US09652969B2
A portable device for improving hygiene, comprising at least one warning unit that cooperates with a unit for detection of a disinfection treatment in such a way that a signal can be activated, said warning unit being operatively connected to at least one step counting unit; and, a method and a system for improving hygiene in medical facilities, including the use of a portable device.
US09652967B2
Methods and a computing device are disclosed. A computing device may aggregate a number of inputs indicative of a presence or an absence of a human being within a proximity of the computing device. A source of at least one of the inputs may be a human presence sensor. A source of other inputs may provide an indication of the presence of a human being with corresponding estimated probabilities or corresponding estimated reliabilities which may provide an estimate of an accuracy of respective indications. In some embodiments, if any of the number of inputs indicate the presence of a human being, the computing device may determine that a human being is present. In other embodiments, if a corresponding estimated probability or reliability of an input is less than a predetermined value, then the input may be discarded when determining whether a human being is present.
US09652957B2
Various arrangements for using multiple wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation to detect smoke by a smoke detector are present. Multiple modes of the smoke detector may be used in which a first wavelength of electromagnetic radiation is emitted into a smoke chamber while a second electromagnetic radiation emitter is disabled, a period of time is waited, and a second wavelength of electromagnetic radiation is emitted into the smoke chamber while the first emitter is disabled. Depending on the mode of the smoke detector, the period of wait time may be varied.
US09652954B2
A security tag may include a pin cover, a pin housing, a receiving gap disposed between the pin cover and the pin housing, a pin configured to engage an article placed within the receiving gap, and a biasing member configured to actuate the pin by urging the pin toward the pin cover in response to the article being substantially placed within the receiving gap.
US09652953B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, and computer program product for surveillance of a secure area. The present invention typically includes a memory, a processor, and a module configured to monitor the secure area. In this regard, an embodiment of the present invention may receive an indication that a user is within the secure area and determine, using an authentication device sensor, whether the user has the authentication device to remain within the confines of the secure area. The user may have continued access to the secure area if the authentication device detected. On the other hand, the security personnel associated with the secure area may be notified of an unauthorized user when the authentication device is not detected.
US09652948B2
A haptic actuator may include a housing, at least one coil carried by the housing, and a field member movable within the housing responsive to the at least one coil. The housing, at least one coil, and field member may define a resonant frequency. The haptic actuator may also include drive circuitry coupled to the at least one coil and being capable of generating first and second drive waveforms having respective different frequencies spaced about the resonant frequency to drive the field member at a beat frequency lower than the resonant frequency.
US09652943B1
An electronic play calling device, system, process is disclosed for calling plays displaying encoded representations associated with the plays is displayed on an electronic display board adjacent to a playing field. The electronic play calling device includes a play calling board, a power source, and several LED lights attached to the board and configured to illuminate a translated signal that is visible to a set of players on the playing field.
US09652942B1
A method and device for conducting a game includes receipt of an ante wager designating either a first game hand or a second game hand for resolution of the ante wager. A first game hand of unexposed playing cards is dealt, and optionally exposed in stages with each stage interceded by an election received from players to either place an additional wager on the same game hand designed by the ante wager or check by proceeding to a subsequent stage without placing an additional wager. After the first game hand is exposed, an election is received to either place an additional wager on the same game hand designated by the ante wager or fold. A second game hand is dealt, exposed, and compared to the first game hand to resolve ante wagers on the respective hands. Optional and/or mandatory bonus wagers may be received on the game hands.
US09652941B2
A lottery-type game is enabled via two or more casino games such as keno or video poker games. If the outcome of the first game is winning, the player may be awarded first winnings. If the outcome of the second game is winning, the player may be awarded second winnings. Regardless of the outcomes of the base games, if designated indicia comprising certain indicia from the first and second games match a selected set of indicia, then the lottery-type game is winning. In the case of a keno game, the designated indicia may be certain player numbers from the keno games and in the case of a poker game, certain player-selected cards. The selected set of indicia may comprise drawn keno numbers or dealt cards.
US09652937B2
A method and system for conducting multiple competitions of skill for a single performance are described herein. User generated competition groups and system generated competition groups allow users to participate in multiple competitions at once based on answering the same questions or making the same selections related to a single event. The users are informed of each competition either via email, text message or when logging into the network via a website. The users select which competition groups to join. After joining the desired groups, users then make their selections related to the event which are transmitted to the network where results are tabulated and transmitted back to the users. The results are separated based on each competition group, so that users can continually know where they stand in each separate competition. With multiple competition groups, users are able to have varying success from the same performance in multiple competitions.
US09652936B2
In accordance with some embodiments, provided herein are systems, methods and articles of manufacture for providing bonuses to player of games (e.g., online wagering games) based on the achievement of a qualifying event by another player (e.g., a friend of the players who are provided the bonuses). In accordance with some embodiments, such bonuses are funded out of respective bonus funding accounts maintained and managed for the players (which may be game-specific). In accordance with some embodiments, such bonus funding accounts may be maintained for players without the player's knowledge or control and may be funded based on gaming activity of the players (e.g., a portion of each wager made by a player may be contributed to the balance of the player's bonus funding account).
US09652924B2
A product discharging device includes: a lower pedal swingably arranged with a base in such a manner that a distal end thereof advances into and retreats from a product storage passage storing therein, along an up-and-down direction, products that are input thereto; an upper pedal swingably arranged with the base in a region above the lower pedal, in such a manner that a distal end thereof advances into and retreats from the product storage passage; and a sold-out detection switch configured to detect whether there is any product in the product storage passage by going into an ON state or an OFF state when the lower pedal is in a first standby posture and going into the OFF state or the ON state when the lower pedal is in a second standby posture.
US09652923B2
An ADA compliant vending machine ensures provides a user control for entering an ADA mode, and displays all user-actuated vend transaction controls below a first specified height when operating in the ADA mode. A delivery bucket surface on which vended products are supported moves between a lowered position below a second specified height and a raised position above the second specified height in coordinate operation with opening of the delivery bin door. Products are dropped below the second specified height during delivery but are raised above that height for customer retrieval. Mechanical force required to open the delivery bin door is less than five pounds, even with closing of anti-pilfer flaps also being coordinated with opening of the delivery bin door.
US09652914B2
Methods and systems for secure pass-set entry are disclosed. In one example, an authenticator device is configured to generate a pass-set menu to output in visual format on the display. An I/O device is configured to output audio corresponding to the pass-set menu to the user. A user input interface is configured to receive user actions to navigate the pass-set menu and receive user menu selections.
US09652913B2
A server is coupled to a network controlling door actuators at physical geo-locations. The server receives through a wireless communication network a request to enable physical access at a portal using a secure channel and a geo-location estimate from a mobile device. A circuit of the mobile device receives radio signal magnitude, phase, and power from at least one transmitter and authentication input from a user interface. Dual secured communications paths protect the server on its separately provisioned request channel and actuator command channel. Each legacy electronically controlled access portal is enabled to support smartphones without installing a replacement multi-band radio frequency reader at the geo-location.
US09652910B2
Techniques pertaining to management of and construction of a dynamic badge having at least one display device on the badge are described. A computer receives a message that identifies a user to which the badge is assigned, receive geographic location information that indicates a current location of the badge, access a database that stores information associated with the user; determining by the computer based on the accessed information and the current location of the badge the specific information to display on the display device; and forwards the determined information over a network to a communication node for delivery to the badge.
US09652902B2
A method includes detecting at least one position measurement of a separator piston of a pitch trim actuator. The method includes detecting at least one pressure measurement of a gas. The method includes detecting at least one temperature measurement of the gas. The method includes storing at least one position value based on the at least one position measurement of the separator piston, at least one pressure value based on the at least one pressure measurement of the gas and at least one temperature value based on the at least one temperature measurement of the gas. The method includes determining a volume of an oil within an oil chamber of the pitch trim actuator and a pressure of the gas within the gas chamber of the pitch trim actuator, based on the at least one position value, the at least one pressure value and the at least one temperature value.
US09652900B2
A vehicle monitoring system, comprises: at least a sensor; a head unit; at least a smart unit; wherein the sensor is capable of detecting vehicle status, generating a corresponding signal and then sending the generated signal to the head unit; the head unit is capable of receiving and analyzing the generated signal, and generating an analysis result, and they informing whether the vehicle status is abnormal by outputting a warning in the vehicle or sending the analysis result to the smart unit; the smart unit is authorized by the head unit and capable of displaying the analysis result.
US09652894B1
A method implemented on an augmented reality (AR) device includes receiving an image of an object at the AR device. The image is displayed on a display screen of the AR device. One or more activating actions are received at the AR device. As a result of the one or more activating actions: the object is identified, an identity of the object is sent to a server computer, information is received from the server computer regarding a percentage of completion towards a goal relating to the object and a representation of the percentage of completion towards the goal relating to the object is visually displayed on the image of the object.
US09652891B2
An image correcting apparatus includes an input unit and a processor. The input unit receives instruction inputs from a user. The processor performs processes including: displaying an image to be processed, and a mesh image superimposed on said corresponding image, on a display device; deforming a shape of the mesh image based on the instruction inputs; generating a conversion matrix representing coordinates after curvature correction of pixels constituting the image to be processed, based on the deformed shape of the mesh image; updating a recording matrix representing conversion histories of pixels constituting an original image, based on the coordinates represented by the generated conversion matrix; and performing curvature correction on the original image based on the updated recording matrix.
US09652885B2
A method for generating a virtual radiograph for display on a display device, including providing an image generation system having a processing circuit including a processor and a memory device, the image generation system coupled to the display device. The method further including retrieving three-dimensional image data of an anatomy stored in the memory and retrieving a three-dimensional bone model corresponding to a portion of the anatomy stored in the memory. The method further including associating the three-dimensional bone model with the three-dimensional image data such that the three-dimensional bone model defines first boundary containing a first bounded volume within the three-dimensional image data corresponding to the portion of the anatomy, and performing a volume ray casting process on the three-dimensional image data.
US09652883B2
Processes and systems for computer enabled volume data rendering, and more particularly for volume rendering of multiple classificated volume datasets using an Interpolation-Classification (IC) order are provided. Further, an octree min/max can be used for volume rendering with the multiple classifications and at the same time applying the IC order to visualize the multiple classifications volume rendering.
US09652871B2
The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for segmenting medical image. Embodiments of the present disclosure may locate a target in a three-dimensional (3D) volume. For example, an image acquisition device may provide a 3D medical image containing a region of interest of the target. A processor may then extract a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) slices from the 3D image. The processor may also determine a 2D patch for each 2D slice, wherein the 2D patch corresponds to an area of the 2D slice associated with the target. The processor may also convert the 2D patch to an adaptive filter model for determining a location of the region of interest.
US09652865B2
Optical method for characterizing a diffractive surface and apparatus for implementing such a method
An optical method for characterizing a diffractive surface having a crystal grain structure, including the steps of: a) successively illuminating said surface with a plurality of light beams (Fi) having propagation directions inclined by a same angle Θ; relative to the normal to the surface and of which the projections on the surface form azimuth angle φ{umlaut over (ι)} that are different relative to a reference direction; b) acquiring an image of the surface corresponding to each of the light beams; and c) digitally processing images to obtain at least one item of information on at least one property of the surface chosen from: the grain structure, texture and level of ordering thereof. An optical head (TO) and apparatus for implementing such a method.
US09652863B2
Multi-mode video event indexing includes determining a quality of object distinctiveness with respect to images from a video stream input. A high-quality analytic mode is selected from multiple modes and applied to video input images via a hardware device to determine object activity within the video input images if the determined level of detected quality of object distinctiveness meets a threshold level of quality, else a low-quality analytic mode is selected and applied to the video input images via a hardware device to determine object activity within the video input images, wherein the low-quality analytic mode is different from the high-quality analytic mode.
US09652861B2
An estimation method executed by a computer includes: extracting, from an image, a plurality of characteristic points satisfying a certain requirement regarding changes in gray levels between the plurality of characteristic points and surrounding points; identifying, as map points from the plurality of characteristic points, characteristic points existing on planes, by excluding corners of an object depicted on the image; extracting, from another image, another plurality of characteristic points satisfying the certain requirement; executing matching of the another plurality of characteristic points with the map points based on a region including the map points; and estimating, based on results of the matching, a position and an orientation of an imaging device while the another image is captured.
US09652857B2
An object detection apparatus acquires the value of an overlapping area which indicates a high probability that an object is located within a three dimensional space using data including a back projection of an object area on a three-dimensional space, acquires the integral quantity of the value of the overlapping area in a shape model including a three-dimensional target, and acquires the distribution degree of the value of the overlapping area in the shape model of the detection target. The apparatus further determines whether the inside of the shape model is an object or non-object using the integral quantity and the distribution degree.
US09652856B2
An image processing system includes an image receiver to receive a first image sequence composed of first partial images and a second image sequence composed of second partial images captured at a plurality of time points, each one of the first partial images and corresponding each one of the second partial images captured at substantially the same time point, a detection unit to detect a stitching position of each one of the first partial images and corresponding each one of the second partial images captured at substantially the same time point, a correction unit to correct the stitching position at the plurality of time points, and an image synthesis processing unit to synthesize each one of the first partial images and corresponding each one of the second partial images captured at substantially the same time point based on the corrected stitching position information to generate a plurality of synthesis images.
US09652854B2
A method for processing image data includes identifying a background scene in a background frame of an image. Each of a plurality of pixel locations in the background frame is set as a respective background pixel. For each of the pixel locations, a respective running mean and a respective running variance are determined based on a brightness component of the background frame at the pixel location. A subsequent frame is identified as a current frame. For each of the pixel locations in the current frame identified as a background pixel, the running mean is updated based on one of a plurality of mean weights and the running variance is updated based one of a plurality of variance weights. For each of the pixel locations in the current frame, an identification is made if the current pixel location is one of a background pixel and a foreground pixel based on a brightness component of the current pixel location in the current frame, the running mean of the current pixel location, and the running variance of the current pixel location.
US09652843B2
Apparatus and methods for inspecting a specimen are disclosed. An inspection tool is used at one or more operating modes to obtain images of a plurality of training regions of a specimen, and the training regions are identified as defect-free. Three or more basis training images are derived from the images of the training regions. A classifier is formed based on the three or more basis training images. The inspection system is used at the one or more operating modes to obtain images of a plurality of test regions of a specimen. Three or more basis test images are derived from to the test regions. The classifier is applied to the three or more basis test images to find defects in the test regions.
US09652840B1
A method and system for managing nitrogen applied by nitrogen application equipment to a geographic region includes determining a growth stage for the geographic region using a crop module, and determining a nitrogen change for the geographic region based on the growth stage using a nitrogen change module, which can additionally or alternatively include determining an amount of nitrogen initially available for a geographic region.
US09652833B2
A method that includes using a point spread function to de-blur an original motion invariant image to create a modified motion invariant image; using an edge detector to find edges in the modified motion invariant image; determining the distances between the edges and corresponding artifacts in the modified motion invariant image; using the distances between the edges and the corresponding artifacts to estimate a velocity of an object in the modified motion invariant image; generating a corrected point spread function corresponding to the estimated velocity of the object; and using the corrected point spread function to de-blur the original motion invariant image and create a resulting image.
US09652827B2
An imaging system color image acquisition including: an image sensor; a tunable spectral filter arranged in an optical path of light propagation towards the image sensor; and a controller connected to the image sensor and to the tunable spectral filter. The controller is configured and operable for generating a colored image by sequentially operating the tunable spectral filter for sequentially filtering light passing towards the image sensor with three or more different spectral filtering curves during three or more corresponding integration time durations. The tunable spectral filter is configured, as an etalon and includes a pair of reflective surfaces. At least one of the reflective surfaces includes a layer of high refractive index of at least n=2.3 or even higher than 3, or a layer of low refractive index, smaller than n=1. The configuration of the etalon provide wide transmission peaks of the spectral curves with full-width-half maximum (FWHM) in the range of about 50 to 80 nm, free spectral range (FSR) of at least 300 nm, and thickness of the etalon in the order to 1 mm or even less.
US09652821B2
A phase deviation method determines an offset between a reference and suspect signal by analyzing a phase deviation surface created by computing a deviation metric for phase shift and then analyzing a surface formed from the deviation metrics for an array of offsets. The phase deviation method analyzes the deviation surface to determine an offset that minimizes phase deviation. This method is applied at increasing levels of detail to refine the determination of the offset.
US09652816B1
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for adjusting the frame refresh rate used for driving frames to a display. A display pipeline is configured to drive a display using a reduced frame refresh rate in certain scenarios. The reduced frame refresh rate may be specified in frame packets which contain configuration data for processing corresponding frames. The display pipeline may drive idle frames to the display to generate the reduced frame refresh rate. When a touch event is detected, the display pipeline may override the reduced frame refresh rate and instead utilize a standard frame refresh rate until all of the frames corresponding to stored frame packets have been processed.
US09652812B2
A plurality of software instances deployed in a monitored environment are discovered by a software asset management tool operated by a software asset administrator who is responsible for monitoring software license compliance within the monitored environment. The software asset management tool then collects metrics associated with the plurality of software instances. The collected metrics are then provided to a first analytic service adapted to generate analytic information about the plurality of software instances. Using at least the collected metrics, the analytic service generates analytic information. The analytic information is then obtained from the analytic service. By reviewing the analytic information, the software asset administrator is able to obtain additional insight into the monitored environment that would not otherwise be available to him.
US09652794B2
An orderer groups a plurality of order scheduled products which the orderer wishes to purchase.A plurality of order scheduled products selected by a user are grouped by referring to a product group storing means that stores a correspondence between a product group and a plurality of products belonging to this product group.
US09652792B1
Systems and methods are provided for generating a tracking code that may be included in an identifier, such as an identifier identifying a network resource or network location, in order to track various information associated with the identifier upon user selection of the identifier. For example, a tracking code may be dynamically generated and appended to an identifier associated with one or more selectable options in a user interface. The tracking code may, for example, identify the section or portion within the user interface that the selectable option is included and/or other information. When a user selects such a selectable option in the user interface, information included in the tracking code may be stored and/or analyzed to determine effectiveness or performance of various selectable options.
