US09681593B2
An ESD protection device is manufactured such that its ESD characteristics are easily adjusted and stabilized. The ESD protection device includes an insulating substrate, a cavity provided in the insulating substrate, at least one pair of discharge electrodes each including a portion exposed in the cavity, the exposed portions being arranged to face each other, and external electrodes provided on a surface of the insulating substrate and connected to the at least one pair of discharge electrodes. A particulate supporting electrode material having conductivity is dispersed between the exposed portions of the at least one pair of discharge electrodes in the cavity.
US09681591B2
A heat-receiving device includes: a first heat receiver into which a refrigerant flows, and that receives heat from a heat-generating part; and a second heat receiver into which the refrigerant discharged from the first heat receiver flows, and that receives heat from the heat-generating part or another heat-generating part; wherein the first heat receiver includes: a case; a flow path that includes first and second branch paths branch off from each other and are joined again, that is provided within the case, and through which the refrigerant flows; and a thermostat that is provided in the first branch path, and that reduces a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the first branch path as a temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the first branch path decreases.
US09681587B2
A cooling system and method in accordance with the principles of the present invention employs a fan cartridge that includes a fan and a fan controller and is configured for mounting within an electronics cabinet's warm air return path in a data center cooling system. The fan cartridge may also include a display panel which may be used to convey operational information relative to the fan cartridge. A plurality of such fan cartridges may be mounted within the electronic cabinet's warm air return path to provide redundant air flow supply for the associated electronics cabinet.
US09681586B2
A method for designing and assembling a modular IT rack includes a manufacturer designing and constructing lightweight, modular corrugated cardboard modules/segments and corresponding banding and corner components that can be used to assemble the modular IT rack. A user/assembler of the modular IT rack assembles modular tray grouping and enclosure (MTGE) casing units using a first set of cardboard modules. The user constructs trays using a second set of cardboard modules. The user affixes cable support components to the sides of sub-groups of the constructed trays. The user encloses sub-groups of trays having the affixed cable support components within the assembled MTGE casing units to create MTGE blocks. The user vertically stacks the MTGE blocks having the tray sub-groups and the affixed cable support components enclosed within. The user aligns and secures the vertically stacked MTGE blocks in a fixed position using banding and corner components.
US09681578B2
A heat dissipation system used for a communications device is disclosed, where the communications device includes a chassis, a network board, a service board, a backplane, and a high-rate cable; the chassis is configured to house the network board, the service board, the backplane, and the high-rate cable; the backplane is vertically inserted in a middle part or a middle rear part of the chassis, and parallel to a front side of the chassis; the service board and the network board are parallel and are connected to a front side of the backplane; the high-rate cable is connected between the network board and the service board on a rear side of the backplane; and the heat dissipation system further includes multiple fans that are installed in an array form on a rear side of the chassis, and an air vent that penetrates through the backplane.
US09681569B2
Provided is an electrical connection box that achieves downsizing by means of efficient arrangement of electronic components and terminals on a board. An electrical connection box (1) includes a board (21), a terminal holder (22), flat-plate terminals (23), and electronic components (24). The terminal holder (22) is mounted to the board (21). The flat-plate terminal (23) includes a first portion (41), a second portion (42), and a third portion (43). The first portion (41) is connected to the board (21), and extends substantially perpendicularly from the board (21). The second portion (42) is connected to the first portion (41), and extends substantially in parallel with the board (21). The third portion (43) is connected to the second portion (42), is connectable to a connector, and extends substantially perpendicularly to the board (21). The electronic component (24) is arranged between the second portion (42) of the flat-plate terminal (23) and the board (21).
US09681559B2
Disclosed herein are a variety of embodiments of thick film circuits with conductive components formed using different conductive elements and related methods for forming such circuits. One embodiment consistent with the present disclosure includes a multi-level thick film circuit formed on a substrate and having a first layer disposed on the substrate. The first layer may include a first conductive component formed using a first conductive element. The first conductive element may be a precious metal. The circuit may further include a second layer having a second conductive component. The second conductive component may be formed using a second conductive element. In one embodiment, the second conductive element may be a base metal. At least a portion of the first conductive element may directly contact at least a portion of the second conductive element such that the first layer is in electrical communication with the second layer.
US09681548B2
An electrical connecting device includes: a first connection element; a second connection element; and a body element. The first connection element is connected with a support element and the second connection element. The body element has a main extension plane, the main extension plane of the body element being positioned between the first connection element and the second connection element. The first connection element and/or the second connection element extend in a direction substantially orthogonal to the main extension plane of the body element. The body element includes a first mechanical fastening element and a second mechanical fastening element.
US09681542B2
A head assembly for a magnetic tape storage device includes a head and a flexible circuit connected to the head. The flexible circuit includes a gripping portion, an end including electrical contacts for the head, conductors extending from the electrical contacts, and ink patterned onto the electrical contacts and gripping portion to form electrical paths therebetween. The ink conducts electrostatic charge from the electrical contacts and conductors to a grounded user in response to skin of the user contacting the ink.
US09681541B2
Resin composition of the present disclosure includes: an epoxy resin; and a hardener, in which the hardener contains a styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer (SMA) and an anhydride having only one anhydride group in a molecule. An acid value of the SMA is in a range from 300 to 550, inclusive. A ratio of an anhydride equivalent number of the anhydride with respect to an epoxy group equivalent number of the epoxy resin is in a range from 0.05 to 0.5, inclusive. A ratio of the total number of the equivalent numbers of the anhydride groups of the anhydride and the SMA with respect to the epoxy group equivalent number is a range from 0.5 to 1.2, inclusive.
US09681533B2
An apparatus for, and method of, providing a desired temperature-differential circuit card environment includes a plurality of card units. Each card unit comprises a first thermal plate having front and back first plate sides oriented in a lateral-longitudinal plane, the first thermal plate operating at a first plate temperature. A second thermal plate has front and back second plate sides oriented in the lateral-longitudinal plane, the second thermal plate operating at a second plate temperature. A coupler is oriented in the lateral-longitudinal plane and is connected to front and/or back first plate sides and to the front and/or back second plate sides to form a card unit. The card units are arranged in a transversely oriented stack with the front first and second plate sides of a second card unit being directly transversely adjacent the back first and second plate sides of the first card unit.
US09681529B1
A plasma torch module combining arc and microwave discharges is disclosed. One embodiment serves to enhance the size and enthalpy of the plasma torch and has a very large operational range of the airflow rate, from subsonic to supersonic flow speed. Increase of airflow in the torch operation can increase not only the size of the torch plasma and the cycle energy of the arc discharge but also the lifetime of the torch module and the torch can operate stably with very low airflow.
US09681527B2
According to an embodiment a current return network assembly, for an aircraft having a predetermined potential lightning strike zone, is mounted within the predetermined potential lightning strike zone. The current return network assembly includes an electrically conductive honeycomb central core that conducts electrical current both through the assembly and through the predetermined potential lightning strike zone. The electrical current is caused by a lightning strike on the aircraft at the predetermined potential lightning strike zone. According to an embodiment, an aircraft has a predetermined potential lightning strike zone. A current return network assembly is within the zone. An electrically conductive honeycomb central core is provided for conducting electrical current through the assembly and through the zone wherein the electrical current has been caused by a lightning strike on the aircraft at the zone.
US09681525B2
The present disclosure provides systems and methods associated with controlling lighting based on a presentation display, such as a television, mobile device, white board, etc. The disclosed embodiments can involve a lighting system, a presentation display, a monitoring system, and a controller. The lighting system provides light to an area and may include a light source and an adjustment mechanism to adjust the light source. The lighting system can include natural light sources and/or artificial light sources. The adjustment mechanism may adjust, for example, one or more of an intensity, orientation, polarization, color, flicker rate, polarization, and other characteristics of the light source. The presentation display can be monitored by a monitoring system to monitor a status of the presentation display. The controller processes the status of the presentation display and signal the adjustment mechanism to adjust the light source, based on the status of the presentation display.
US09681521B2
A first lighting device comprises an electromagnetic sensor operable to receive an electromagnetic signal from at least one other lighting device, an acoustic sensor operable to receive an acoustic signal from the other lighting device, and a signal processing module. The signal processing module is configured to determine a distance between the first lighting device and the other lighting device by comparing the acoustic and electromagnetic signals received from the other lighting device. For example, the signals may be emitted when the other device detects occupancy in a space, and the first device may control its light output in dependence on receipt of the signals and the distance from the device that detected the occupancy.
US09681517B2
A method of controlling a correlated color temperature for light output by a lighting device including a dim-to-warm circuit having a first light channel and a second light channel. The method including receiving a current input; measuring current of the current input to obtain a measured current value; and determining a light control value based on the measured current value. The method further including using the light control value, determining a first current value for applying a first current to the first light channel and determining a second current value for applying a second current to the second light channel; and providing the first current to the first light channel and providing the second current to the second light channel to obtain different desired correlated color temperatures for the light output at different ones of the light control values.
US09681516B2
A lighting system is disclosed that includes one or more master circuit boards configured to power light emitting diodes. The lighting system includes modular light boards with arrays of light emitting diodes that interchangeably couple to the matched connectors on the master circuit board. The system preferably includes modular light boards having different two or more corresponding color spectra and a controller that allows for color temperature tuning and intensity tuning of light emitted from the modular light boards.
US09681512B1
A control system for a light emitting diode (LED) driver is provided. The control system includes a control module, a command interface, and a combined signal interface. The control module includes a microcontroller configured to receive at least one signal and to determine an LED driver command signal and a command module connected to the microcontroller and capable of communicating with both the lighting dimmer and the wireless control module. The control system includes a command interface which communicatively couples the control module to the LED driver. A combined signal interface communicatively couples the command module and at least one of the lighting dimmer and the wireless control module. The combined signal interface conveys one or more signals between the control module and at least one of the lighting dimmer and the wireless control module. Associated methods and modules are also provided.
US09681504B1
In some implementations, a device includes a first full bridge rectifier configured to receive power from an alternating current (AC) power source, the first full bridge rectifier having direct current (DC) output nodes, a second full bridge rectifier configured to receive power from the AC power source, the second full bridge rectifier having DC output nodes, wherein the second full bridge rectifier is coupled to receive AC power in series with the first full bridge rectifier, a first set of light emitting diodes coupled to the DC output nodes of the first full bridge rectifier, and a second set of light emitting diodes coupled to the DC output nodes of the second full bridge rectifier.
US09681494B2
The present invention provides a split-type mobile terminal which includes a host and at least one sub-device connected to the host. Wherein, the host includes: a state obtaining unit (102A) configured to obtain a real-time state of the host when a communications event occurs in the host; a state determining unit (102B) configured to determine whether or not the real-time state is a preset interactive state; a data interacting unit (102C) configured to send a response command to at least one of the at least one sub-device if the determining result is yes; and a host processing unit (102D) configured to directly respond to the communications event if the determining result is no. Each sub-device includes a sub-device processing unit (1040) configured to respond to the communications event according to the received respond command. The present invention further provides an interaction processing method for a communications event.
US09681489B2
A method and an apparatus for controlling a channel transmission status, can be used in the communication field. The method includes receiving a command for controlling activation of a secondary carrier. Within a preset delay time after the secondary carrier is activated, a channel transmission status corresponding to the secondary carrier to a continuous transmission status can be set.
US09681470B2
A matching method between a wearable smart device and a terminal is disclosed, in which the wearable smart device is disposed with a plurality of LEDs. The matching method includes: the terminal triggering the designated wearable smart device to generate an emitting status for each of the LEDs; and the terminal displaying an interactive interface for a user to input the emitting status of each of the LEDs, in which when the emitting status of each of the LEDs inputted by the user is the same as the emitting status of each of the LEDs triggered by the terminal, a communication connection is established between the terminal and the designated wearable smart device. A matching system is disclosed herein as well.
US09681467B2
A method for operating a first device includes transmitting a conflict query frame including a first address field containing a first locally assigned identifier associated with the first device, wherein the conflict query frame further includes a second address field and has a structure of a first legacy frame, and determining if a conflict notification corresponding to the conflict query frame is received within a specified time interval after transmitting the conflict query frame. The method also includes discontinuing use of the first locally assigned identifier if the conflict notification is received within the specified time interval, and continuing use of the first locally assigned identifier if the conflict notification is not received within the specified time interval.
US09681461B2
A method implemented in a device is disclosed for networking through signals transmitted across a shared medium network. The method starts with monitoring for a first signal on a shared medium of the shared medium network. The first signal is processed after it is received and while the first signal is being processed, a set of one or more signals is received on the shared medium. Then a set of one or more amplitude increases is determined, where each amplitude increase is from an earlier received signal to a later received signal. The set of one or more amplitude increases is compared to a threshold value and at least partially in response to the comparison, the device discards one or more signals from the first signal and the set of one or more signals.
US09681460B2
An apparatus for signal processing includes a scheduling unit and a transmitting unit. The scheduling unit is configured to assign one physical uplink control channel resource for transmissions of first group feedback information and second group feedback information. A first periodicity corresponds to the first group feedback information and a second periodicity corresponds to the second group feedback information. The transmitting unit is configured to transmit a transmission parameter of the first periodicity and the second periodicity and information of the assigned physical uplink control channel resource. The first group feedback information includes a transmission of reception quality information and transmission signal precoding information and the second group feedback information includes a transmission of transmission signal sequence information.
US09681453B2
A method for establishing wireless communication between a transmitter and a receiver in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The receiver includes an adaptive array that has at least two antennas. Each antenna receives a signal and produces a received signal. The transmitter includes at least two transmission channels for communicating the signal from the transmitter to the receiver. The wireless communication system suppresses interference at the receiver by applying an interference suppression technique when combining the received signals. The selection of a channel at the transmitter is based on the channel performance at the receiver for each transmission channel. The channel performance is based on a combining technique different from the interference suppression technique.
US09681447B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for dynamically adjusting a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) frequency, a local oscillator (LO) divider ratio, and/or a receive path when adding or discontinuing reception of a component carrier (CC) in a carrier aggregation (CA) scheme. This dynamic adjustment is utilized to avoid (or at least reduce) VCO, LO, and transmit signal coupling issues with multiple component carriers, with minimal (or at least reduced) current consumption by the VCO and the LO divider.
US09681435B2
A mobile station device transmits a transport block in an uplink subframe. The mobile station device delivers acknowledgement (ACK) for the transport block to higher layers in a case that the transport block was transmitted by the mobile station device to a base station device and the transport block is disabled based on a physical downlink control channel received in a downlink subframe.
US09681432B2
A method and an apparatus in a mobile communication system are provided. The method by a terminal in the mobile communication system includes receiving, by the terminal, first information for activating a secondary cell (SCell) from a base station, activating, by the terminal, the SCell based on the first information, starting, by the terminal, a timer associated with the SCell, restarting, by the terminal, if second information for the activated SCell is received from the base station, the timer associated with the SCell, and if the timer expires, applying by the terminal, one or more corresponding actions for deactivating the SCell no later than in a predefined subframe. The one or more corresponding actions include at least one of preventing, by the terminal, from monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) on the SCell and preventing, by the terminal, from monitoring a PDCCH for the SCell.
US09681428B2
Technology for selecting physical resource blocks (PRB) for cell-specific reference signal (CRS) transmission for a new carrier type (NCT) is disclosed. In an example, device operable in an evolved Node B (eNB) to select physical resource blocks (PRB) for cell-specific reference signal (CRS) transmission for a new carrier type (NCT) can include computer circuitry configured to: Determine a frequency bandwidth for the NCT; and select a CRS pattern of PRBs for a transmission of the CRS in the frequency bandwidth, wherein the frequency bandwidth includes PRBs with CRS and PRBs without CRS.
US09681425B2
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in which downlink transmission modes in a wireless network are semi-statically configured for a mobile terminal in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) operation. The apparatus provides multiple precoding matrix indicators (PMIs) for a plurality of ranks. The provision of multiple PMIs by the apparatus enables balanced performance among different ranks and avoids less than optimal performance observed when the apparatus provides only a single rank and PMI that are generally not optimal for all transmissions. Feedback configuration information received by an apparatus defines a plurality of channel state information feedback instances conditioned on an admissible rank value. Rank indicators (RIs) and PMIs corresponding to the feedback instances are determined and feedback is provided for the channel state information feedback instances.
US09681424B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus, in which a station (STA) which operates in an available channel that is not used by a licensed device, detects a signal (hereinafter, referred to as ‘primary signal’) of the licensed device in a white space band, and operates in the available channel. According to the present description, the station receives white space map (WSM) information which contains available channel identification information from a device having database information; acquires the result of measurement for detecting the presence of the primary signal in a specific band range; and transmits, to another station, the WSM which is updated to contain information on the band in which the primary signal is detected, wherein the updated WSM further contains information which indicates whether each available channel in the updated WSM is based on the database information or based on the result of measurement.
US09681423B2
The present invention relates to a wireless connection system, and more specifically to a method for efficiently transmitting a control channel in a multi-carrier aggregation state. According to one aspect of the invention, a method for enabling a terminal to transmit data in a broadband wireless connection system that supports multiband comprises the steps of: receiving uplink acknowledgement information from a base station through a first downlink component carrier among plural downlink component carriers available in the terminal; transmitting data to the base station through an uplink resource indicated by the uplink acknowledge information; and receiving feedback information from the base station through the first control channel of the first downlink component carrier, wherein the feedback information indicates whether there is an error in the reception of the transmitted data.
US09681421B2
A method and an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals comprises an input formatter for input formatting one or more data streams into one or more service data, an encoder for encoding the service data, a mapper for mapping the encoded service data onto constellations, a time interleaver time interleaving the mapped service data, a frame builder for building at least one signal frame including the time interleaved service data, a modulator for modulating data in the built at least one signal frame by an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) scheme and a transmitter for transmitting the broadcast signals having the modulated data.
US09681400B2
A method and an apparatus for efficiently transmitting or reporting a Power Headroom Report (PHR) of a User Equipment (UE) are provided. The method of transmitting the PHR of the UE in a mobile communication system includes configuring an extended PHR including an indicator corresponding to a variation factor of a maximum transmission power of the UE, and transmitting the extended PHR from the UE to a Base Station (BS). The BS may be notified of a maximum transmission power of the UE and a variation factor corresponding to the maximum transmission power in order to enable efficient scheduling.
US09681397B2
An apparatus determines a transmission power of a signal transmitted by a user equipment (UE) in a cell that is identified by a virtual cell identifier. The apparatus generates a power control command based on the determined signal power, and transmits the power control command to a plurality of UEs. Subsequent to transmission of the power control command, the apparatus receives a plurality of transmissions from the plurality of UEs. Some of the transmissions have different transmission powers. The different transmission powers of the signals transmitted by the UEs are due to the power control command and a predefined power offset associated with each respective UE.
US09681393B2
Embodiments provide an apparatus, a vehicle, a method, and a computer program for setting a transmission power. The apparatus (10) is operable to set a transmission power of a vehicular relay transceiver (100) in a mobile communication system (400). The relay transceiver (100) is operable in a vehicle (500) to relay information between a mobile transceiver (200) associated with the relay transceiver (100) and a base station transceiver (300) of the mobile communication system (400). The apparatus (10) comprises a transceiver module (12) which is operable to transmit a common signal using a transmission power. The transmission power influences a coverage area of the relay transceiver (100). The relay apparatus (10) further comprises a controller module (14) operable to determine information related to a quality of a radio link between the relay transceiver (100) and the base station transceiver (300) and information on a state of the vehicle (500). The controller module (14) is further operable to set the transmission power based on the information related to the quality of the radio link and based on the information on the state of the vehicle (500).
US09681390B2
A radio terminal is provided that can provide a flexible transmission power control for an SRS without restrictions due to the transmission power control of a PUSCH, for the purpose of enabling use of an SRS for various purposes in a HetNet CoMP environment. The radio terminal receives a control signal including a transmission power control command (TPC command) to be applied to an aperiodic sounding reference signal (A-SRS), through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), updates a transmission power value of the A-SRS using the TPC command, and transmits the A-SRS using the updated transmission power value in accordance with a transmission request included in a control signal indicating assignment of a physical downlink data channel (PDSCH) or assignment of a physical uplink data channel (PUSCH).
US09681386B2
This disclosure relates to low energy communication techniques. According to some embodiments, a wireless transmission may be received by a wireless device. The wireless transmission may include a physical layer (PHY) preamble and PHY data. The PHY preamble may include destination information indicating a destination and length information indicating a length (or duration) of the wireless transmission. The destination and length information may be included prior to a portion of the PHY preamble configured for channel estimation. The wireless device may determine whether the wireless transmission is destined to the wireless device based on the destination information. If the wireless transmission is not destined to the wireless device, the wireless device may drop a remainder of the wireless transmission.
US09681378B2
The techniques described herein reduce a rate at which a mobile device consumes energy when receiving, processing and storing data events (e.g., emails, instant messages, social networking messages and notifications, etc.). In various embodiments, the techniques may be implemented in accordance with a connected standby mode of operation for the mobile device. Therefore, the techniques may decouple data reception from data processing when exchanging data events in the connected standby mode. In various embodiments, the techniques may store persistent memory operations for multiple data events in a temporary cache and process the stored persistent memory operations as a batch (e.g., perform the persistent memory operations together). In various embodiments, the techniques may partition data storage space allocated for data communications applications on the mobile device.
US09681374B2
The present application discloses an apparatus and a method for controlling a change of operation state of a cell and a base station including the apparatus. The apparatus includes: a state change determining unit, configured to determine the change of operation state to be performed by the cell to be controlled, the change of operation state comprising change from active state to sleep state; and a sleep mode determining unit, configured to determine a sleep mode for the cell to be controlled so that the cell to be controlled has a different sleep mode from its adjacent cells, when the state change determining unit determines to perform the change of operation state of the cell to be controlled.
US09681355B2
A method is presented for performing handover by a mobile terminal from a source base station to a target base station. The mobile terminal has a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer and a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer. A handover command is received at the RRC layer of the mobile terminal. An indication associated with the handover command is received at the RLC layer of the mobile terminal. At least one RLC service data unit (SDU) from at least one protocol data unit (PDU) having a sequence number that is less than a higher edge of a window of the mobile terminal is reassembled at the RLC layer of the mobile terminal. The reassembled at least one RLC SDU to an upper layer of the mobile terminal is delivered at the RLC layer of the mobile terminal.
US09681353B2
An electronic device including processing circuitry configured to establish a first wireless communication channel with a user equipment (UE). The device also determines whether a second communication channel of at least a predetermined quality exists between the UE and a non co-baseband basestation (BS) while the first communication channel between the UE and the electronics device is maintained. The first communication channel and the second communication channel use different carrier resources.
US09681350B1
Disclosed are methods and systems to facilitate differential routing of voice handover traffic and non-voice handover traffic. In particular, a wireless communication system may include a controller, a backhaul interface that passes through the controller, an inter-base-station interface that does not pass through the controller, as well as first and second base stations that are communicatively linked via (i) the backhaul interface and (ii) the inter-base-station interface. With this arrangement, the system may encounter a trigger to configure transmission of handover signaling between the first and second base stations, and may responsively configure itself to transmit (i) via the inter-base-station interface handover signaling that facilitates handover between the first and second base stations of ongoing voice communications and (ii) via the backhaul interface handover signaling that facilitates handover between the first and second base stations of communications other than ongoing voice communications.
US09681346B2
A method for detecting an uplink signal includes: detecting, by a micro base station according to configuration information about an uplink signal sent by a UE, whether the uplink signal is received in an uplink receive window of a macro base station, where the macro base station and the micro base station have synchronized clock rates, there is a fixed time difference t1 between the uplink receive window of the macro base station and an uplink receive window of the micro base station, and |t1|≧0; and if it is detected that the uplink signal is not received in the uplink receive window of the macro base station, after the micro base station advances the uplink receive window of the macro base station by a length of at least one cyclic prefix, detecting, by the micro base station, the uplink signal, and sending the uplink signal to the macro base station.
US09681344B1
A method and system for transferring buffered downlink data for a wireless communication device (WCD) from a source base station to a target base station as part of a handover of the WCD from the source to the target base station. The source base station may have downlink data for transmission to the WCD buffered during the handover. A determination may be made as to whether or not the target base station is a relay base station with a wireless backhaul. If the target base station is determined to be a relay base station with a wireless backhaul, then the source base station may refrain from transmitting at least one portion of the buffered data to the target base station.
US09681335B2
A method of establishing a data transmission bandwidth between a transmitting node and a receiving node is provided. The method includes sending a request to send (RTS) message from a transmitting node to a receiving node, the RTS message indicating a data transmission bandwidth to be considered for use in subsequent data transmission and establishing a negotiated data transmission bandwidth comprising multiple channels, wherein each channel comprises a 20 MHz bandwidth, and wherein the multiple channels are at least one of contiguous and non-contiguous in frequency.
US09681334B2
According to a first aspect there is provided a method of enabling load steering between a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Radio Access Network (RAN) and a Wi-Fi RAN. The method comprises, at a server, generating overlap information associating one or more cells of the 3GPP RAN with one or more Access Points (AP) of the Wi-Fi RAN, wherein a cell of the 3GPP RAN is associated with an AP of the Wi-Fi RAN if it is determined that the cell overlaps with an area covered by the AP. The server then determines an off-load schedule for a cell of the 3GPP RAN, the off-load schedule indicating when an overlapping AP of the Wi-Fi RAN can reject an attempt by a user terminal to attach to the AP of the Wi-Fi RAN, and sends the off-load schedule to the Wi-Fi RAN.
US09681329B2
A technique for operating a mobile station as wireless local-area network [“WLAN”] gateway. The mobile station is provided with a gateway application to control the following operations: activating (3-0) the WLAN means as a WLAN base station capable of communicating with at least one WLAN terminal over a WLAN network; creating a network identifier (3-2, 3-4) for the WLAN base station; assigning (3-8, 3-10) an internet protocol address for the at least one WLAN terminal; resolving domain name service [“DNS”] queries (3-12 . . . 3-18) in cooperation with an external DNS service system; assigning at least one port number for each protocol supported by the gateway application; and tunneling internet traffic (3-30 . . . 3-36) between the at least one WLAN terminal and an internet host over the broadband connection.
US09681322B2
A base station is provided with a reference signal for channel state measurement generation part that generates a reference signal for channel state measurement for a mobile terminal to measure a channel state, and transmission antenna parts, that transmit reference signal for channel state measurements to the mobile terminal with each transmission antenna port. The mobile terminal is provided with reception antenna parts, that receive the reference signal for channel state measurements transmitted from the base station in reception antenna ports, and a feedback information generation part which measures a channel state between the transmission antenna port and the reception antenna port based on the received reference signal for channel state measurement to calculate a channel state estimation value, performs grouping on a plurality of channel state estimation values, and generates feedback information for the base station.
US09681311B2
Disclosed herein are example embodiments for local cooperation between or among portable wireless nodes. For certain example embodiments, at least one device, such as a portable wireless node: (i) may identify at least one cooperative portable wireless node to participate in an antenna assembly configuration parameter architecture; or (ii) may communicate with at least one cooperative portable wireless node to share one or more antenna assembly configuration parameters that are associated with at least one orientation position of at least one portable wireless node. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, or so forth.
US09681296B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for performing secure remote subscription management. Secure remote subscription management may include providing the Wireless Transmit/Receive Unit (WTRU) with a connectivity identifier, such as a Provisional Connectivity Identifier (PCID), which may be used to establish an initial network connection to an Initial Connectivity Operator (ICO) for initial secure remote registration, provisioning, and activation. A connection to the ICO may be used to remotely provision the WTRU with credentials associated with the Selected Home Operator (SHO). A credential, such as a cryptographic keyset, which may be included in the Trusted Physical Unit (TPU), may be allocated to the SHO and may be activated. The WTRU may establish a network connection to the SHO and may receive services using the remotely managed credentials. Secure remote subscription management may be repeated to associate the WTRU with another SHO.
US09681294B2
Methods for managing a local Terminal Equipment (TE) accessing a network are provided. In accordance with this disclosure, the MT will not send the key(s) information to the TE until having received a notice of successful authentication from the TE or having decided that the message forwarded by the TE is a response message of successful authentication, which makes the procedure more reasonable and saves the network resources the method further includes a management list containing the identities of local TEs on the basis of the modified procedure.
US09681286B2
Provided are a method and an apparatus for confirming the validity of a candidate cooperative device list for client cooperation in a wireless communication system. A base station searches for at least one candidate cooperation device for a source device, then an effective period timer, for an effective time command list for a list of candidate cooperation devices for a source device, is initiated, and a determination is made as to whether the list of candidate cooperation devices is valid. The base station and the source device are connected through a first system, and the base station and one recommended candidate cooperation device selected from the list of candidate cooperation devices are connected through a second system.
US09681284B2
A method in which a base station manages information for D2D communication, which is direct communication between terminals, is provided. The base station receives a first message that requests a configuration of a first open discovery service that searches for a first terminal and at least one terminal to perform D2D communication. The base station determines whether a resource to allocate to the first terminal exists. The base station stores first information for providing the first open discovery service based on the determination result.
US09681282B2
Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable mediums are described for techniques for supporting telematics-enhanced emergency calls from mobile phones. In some aspects, a method for wireless communication may include establishing, by a user equipment (UE), a personal telematics-enhanced emergency call to a public safety answering point (PSAP), wherein the UE is capable of transmitting telematics data. The method may also include transmitting information that distinguishes the personal telematics-enhanced emergency call from other types of emergency calls.
US09681275B2
A method is provided for managing media in a Push-To-Talk (PTT) over Cellular (PoC) box in an aggregation proxy server for sending media to a PoC User Equipment (UE) in a PoC system. The aggregation proxy server receives a PoC session control data request message which is associated with media information stored in the PoC box from the PoC UE. The PoC session control data request message for requesting the media information stored in the PoC box, is sent to the PoC box. The media information is received from the PoC box in response to the PoC session control data request message, and the media information received from the PoC box is sent to the PoC UE. The media information includes a parameter related to media stored in the PoC box.
US09681271B2
An apparatus for providing a location-based service includes: a rules registry unit to register an event rule information based on an inheritance module for setting rules; a positioning information acquisition unit to obtain a positioning-related information of a user terminal device from a positioning apparatus; an event determining unit to determine whetheran event with respect to the event rule information occurs or not by using the positioning-related information to generate a determination result information; an event processing unit to generate a process information based on the determination result information; and a service providing unit configured to transmit the process information to the user terminal device.
US09681258B2
When executing a predetermined application in which radio communication with a slave device is necessary, a master device scans an advertisement from the slave device by using previously-set one channel among three channels for advertising. When transmitting the advertisement to the master device executing the predetermined application, the slave device transmits the advertisement by using previously-set one channel among three channels for advertising.
US09681250B2
A system for generating and outputting three-dimensional audio data using head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) includes a processor configured to perform operations comprising: using a collection of previously measured HRTFs for audio signals corresponding to multiple directions for at least one subject; performing non-parametric Gaussian process hyper-parameter training on the collection of previously measured HRTFs to generate one or more predicted HRTFs that are different from the previously measured HRTFs; and generating and outputting three-dimensional audio data based on at least the one or more predicted HRTFs.
US09681238B2
A computer-implemented method and system is provided, comprising extracting measurements of at least one auditory canal from at least one computerized imaging scan of the at least one auditory canal devoid of physical measurement aids; determining eligibility for at least one auditory canal device at least partly by comparing the measurements of the at least one auditory canal with predetermined measurements of the at least one auditory canal device; and providing an indication of the eligibility determination contemporaneously with the measurement extracting.
US09681237B2
An assistive hearing device having a sound entrance aperture on a first side, the sound entrance aperture placed against a voice emitting speaker (or receiver) of the telephone, a sound egress aperture on a second side opposite the first side, and the sound egress aperture located within closer proximity to a hearing device relative to the sound entrance aperture and the speaker to facilitate transmission of sound from the speaker to the hearing device located nearby is provided. The assistive hearing device includes a hollow interior, which connects the sound entrance and sound egress apertures, and allows sound waves entering the sound entrance aperture to travel through the hollow interior and exit the sound egress aperture. The sound entrance aperture of the assistive hearing device surrounds the speaker of the mobile device to capture sound waves transmitted from the speaker. The transmitted sound waves enter the sound entrance aperture, traverse through the hollow interior of the assistive hearing device and exit the sound egress aperture, which is located within closer proximity to the hearing device microphone relative to the sound entrance aperture and to the telephone speaker.
US09681233B2
Embodiments are provided for configurations of a loudspeaker. The loudspeaker may include a frame, a magnetic structure having a magnetic gap, a voice coil suspended within the magnetic gap, a first suspension element, a diaphragm, and a second suspension element. The first suspension element may have an inner rim and an outer rim attached to the frame. The diaphragm may have an outer portion and a continuous central portion attached to the voice coil via a first coupler. The outer portion of the diaphragm may be attached to the inner rim of the first suspension element. The second suspension element may have an inner rim and an outer rim attached to the frame. The inner rim of the second suspension element may be attached to the diaphragm via a second coupler along a circumferential middle section of the diaphragm between the continuous central portion and outer portion of the diaphragm.
US09681229B2
The present invention relates to a microphone arrangement (M) which has a charge pump (LP), which produces a DC voltage, a transducer (WA), which converts acoustic signals into electrical signals and which is connected to the charge pump (LP), and a control unit (VCLFS), which controls the charge pump (LP) and which adjusts the DC voltage produced by the charge pump (LP).
US09681222B2
A wearable device using a bone conduction speaker, including a wearable band worn on an arm of a user, a communication module attached to the wearable band, an audio processor configured to process an audio signal transmitted and received through the communication module, a microphone configured to transmit a voice signal, which is input in sound by the user, to the audio processor, a bone conduction speaker configured to output a reception audio signal, which is processed by the audio processor, in bone conduction mode, and an echo canceller configured to cancel the voice signal in an audio signal output from the bone conduction speaker, is provided.
US09681215B2
A speaker module includes a casing and a speaker unit housed and fixed in the casing, a rear acoustic cavity being formed between the casing and the speaker unit, wherein at least one baffle wall is provided on the casing in the rear acoustic cavity and divides the rear acoustic cavity into at least two cavities, and wherein at least one slit is formed between the baffle walls or on the baffle wall, so that sound generated by the speaker unit can spread to an adjacent cavity inside the rear acoustic cavity through the slit.
US09681210B1
A liquid-tolerant acoustic device assembly includes a housing with an acoustic aperture connected to a through hole in the housing. An acoustic device such as a microphone or speaker that includes a liquid resistant membrane is coupled to the through hole utilizing a gasket. A protrusion is positioned between the through hole and the gasket. The configuration of the assembly may be tuned such that liquid present in the through hole is allowed to exit and/or functioning of the acoustic device is not impaired by the presence of the liquid in the through hole. The assembly may be incorporated into an electronic device.
US09681200B2
A data processing device includes a processor that executes a procedure. The procedure includes, in cases in which display of a player name is included in one or more frames among a group of frames related to a given plate appearance extracted from captured baseball game footage that includes plural frames, identifying the displayed player name as the name of the batter of the given plate appearance; and storing the identified name in a storage device as a batter name corresponding to the group of frames related to the given plate appearance.
US09681193B2
Various embodiments facilitate multi-user gaming. In one embodiment, a locally controllable interactive game system is provided to support a plurality of users within a single household. The locally controllable interactive game system includes a host and a plurality of thin clients. The host and the plurality of thin clients allow respective users to play video games independently or together for multi-player video games. The host is coupled to a plurality of video game content providers by a world wide web. In one embodiment, the host consolidates video game content from the plurality of video game content providers. The plurality of thin clients is coupled to the host by a local area network. In one embodiment, each thin client obtains user video game content from the host and utilizes the user video game content to provide a video game to a respective user.
US09681191B2
A method of processing a non-real time service of a broadcast receiver, which receives and processes a service being transmitted in non-real time, and a broadcast receiver are disclosed. Herein, the method of processing a non-real time service in a broadcast receiver includes receiving in non-real time first signaling information including access information of a content item and second signaling information including detail information of the content item, receiving in non-real time a file belonging to the content item by accessing to a FLUTE session transmitting the content item, wherein the file corresponds to a compressed file that has one or more files including an entry file compressed therein, and decompressing the compressed file and then executing the content item referring to information on the entry file.
US09681190B2
Systems and processes that incorporate teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, identifying temporal actions initiated by equipment of users during presentation of a media program to the equipment of users. A timeline is modified that corresponds to a linear progression of the media program, wherein the modified timeline includes symbols indicative of the temporal actions. The modified timeline is provided to the equipment of the users. The modified timeline is presented at displays of the equipment of the plurality of users, together with the media program. The symbols are situated in relation to the presentation of the media program, wherein the symbols can be selected by input cursors at the displays of the equipment of the users. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09681185B2
A method comprising receiving a presentation providing the presentation to a plurality of viewers, receiving feedback information regarding the presentation from each of the plurality of viewers; and generating a report for a user based on the received feedback information is herein described.
US09681181B2
A method for watching high-definition cable TV programs includes: a blue-tooth learning remote controller learning remote-controller controlling instructions of a high-definition cable TV set top box, and uploading the learned instructions to a smart terminal such that the smart terminal controls the high-definition cable TV set top box; the smart terminal controlling the high-definition cable TV set top box to choose high-definition cable TV programs; the high-definition cable TV set top box outputting a HDMI signal; the smart TV dongle receiving the HDMI signal, and outputting the HDMI signal to a high-definition TV; the smart TV dongle performing an encoding and a packing on the HDMI signal and then transmitting the packed signal to the smart terminal by using a wireless manner; and the smart terminal performing a de-packing and a decoding on the received signal and then playing the decoded signal on the smart terminal.
US09681177B2
A method of processing additional information related to an announced service or content in a Non-Real Time (NRT) service and the broadcast receiver are disclosed herein. A method of providing a Non-Real Time (NRT) service in a broadcasting receiver includes receiving a service map table (SMT) and a first descriptor through a service signaling channel, identifying an image identifier and an image type of an image for an NRT service based upon the first descriptor, receiving the image via a flute session and displaying the image when corresponding service is played, wherein the image is logo or icon data for the NRT service. The method may further include connecting a service signaling channel, parsing the received SMT and the first descriptor, determining whether a service is the NRT service based upon the parsed SMT and storing the received image.
US09681174B2
An on-screen menu method and system for controlling the functions of integrated electronic devices and a television schedule system and method for displaying television schedule information on a television screen includes a program guide having a schedule information area that depicts the programs that are being presented on each channel at each time during the day and an interconnected series of menus to control the features of the integrated electronic devices. An input device allows the viewer to move a pointer over different interactive areas of the guide and the function performed when the area is activated is displayed in a contextual help window. Various control glyphs provide for recursive interaction with the guide.
US09681170B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a system that allows a user to preset a desired TV program for unattended recording by use of a PDA. A PDA acquires from a TV program information service provider TV program information by which to preset a desired TV program to be recorded unattended. When the user selects relevant TV information about the desired program, the PDA sends to a personal computer the information for presetting the TV program of interest for subsequent unattended recording. Based on the preset information sent from the PDA, the personal computer presets the specified TV program to be recorded unattended.
US09681167B2
In order to efficiently utilize the limited transmission bandwidth of a communications network, e.g., a cable network, guide data for constructing an interactive program guide (IPG) is delivered to a set-top terminal using different methodologies. For example, the guide data associated with those programs which are likely of interest to a user is automatically provided piecemeal in a broadcast stream. The set-top terminal, along with other terminals, may retrieve from such a broadcast stream some or all of the guide data therein over time, which is cached in the terminal in anticipation of a user's invocation of an IPG. On the other hand, the guide data associated with those programs which are less likely of interest to a user is furnished upon request by the set-top terminal needing such guide data to realize an IPG desired by the user. In addition, guide data for each program may be divided into detail guide data providing details of the program (e.g., a synopsis of the program content), and grid guide data providing basic information about the program (e.g., title, channel and broadcast time). A first time window and a second time window may be defined such that the grid guide data associated with those programs broadcast within the first time window and the detail guide data associated with those programs broadcast within the second time window are automatically provided in the broadcast stream. The rest of the detail and grid guide data may be furnished upon request when needed.
US09681166B2
Techniques for emotion detection and content delivery are described. In one embodiment, for example, an emotion detection component may identify at least one type of emotion associated with at least one detected emotion characteristic. A storage component may store the identified emotion type. An application programming interface (API) component may receive a request from one or more applications for emotion type and, in response to the request, return the identified emotion type. The one or more applications may identify content for display based upon the identified emotion type. The identification of content for display by the one or more applications based upon the identified emotion type may include searching among a plurality of content items, each content item being associated with one or more emotion type. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09681165B1
Methods and systems are described for a media guidance application that enhances the viewing experiences of users consuming media having important content. If a user is prevented from viewing media having important content that will be displayed eminently, the media having the important content may be displayed on a second device. For example, in this manner, a user will not inadvertently miss content from a movie or sports game right before an important scene in the movie or an important play in the sports game is displayed.
US09681152B2
Methods and devices for video coding are described. When encoding a non-zero coefficient group (CG) prior to the last such group in a group scan ordering within a transform block, data representative of the true (x,y)-position of the last non-zero transform coefficient in a scan ordering within that CG is modified, to improve coding efficiency, based upon at least one of (a) an intra-prediction mode used to encode the block and (b) at least one coefficient group neighboring that CG. Upon decoding a CG thus encoded, the modification is un-done to retrieve the true (x,y)-position.
US09681148B2
An image coding method includes: writing, into a sequence parameter set, buffer description defining information for defining a plurality of buffer descriptions; selecting one of the buffer descriptions for each processing unit that is a picture or a slice, and writing buffer description selecting information for specifying the selected buffer description, into a first header of the processing unit which is included in the coded bitstream; and coding the processing unit using the selected buffer description, and the buffer description defining information includes long-term information for identifying, among a plurality of reference pictures indicated in the buffer descriptions, a reference picture to be assigned as a long-term reference picture.
US09681145B2
Systems and methods for inter-layer reference picture set derivation based on sub-layer reference prediction dependency are described herein. One aspect of the subject matter described in the disclosure provides a video encoder comprising a memory configured to store one or more direct reference layer pictures of one or more current pictures in a sequence, wherein the one or more current pictures are associated with a current layer, the current layer being associated with the one or more direct reference layers. The video encoder further comprises a processor in communication with the memory unit. The memory unit is configured to set an indication associated with a current picture to indicate whether all of the one or more direct reference layer pictures of the current picture that are not restricted for use in inter-layer prediction are included in an inter-layer reference picture set associated with the current picture.
US09681144B2
A method for decoding a video bitstream is disclosed. The method comprises: entropy decoding a first portion of a video bitstream, wherein first portion of video bitstream is associated with a video frame, thereby producing a first portion of decoded data; entropy decoding a second portion of video bitstream, wherein second portion of video bitstream is associated with video frame, thereby producing a second portion of decoded data, wherein entropy decoding second portion of video bitstream is independent of entropy decoding first portion of video bitstream; and reconstructing a first portion of video frame associated with video bitstream using first portion of decoded data and second portion of decoded data.
US09681142B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for motion compensation with a smooth reference frame in bit depth scalability. An apparatus includes an encoder for encoding picture data for at least a portion of a picture by generating an inter-layer residue prediction for the portion using an inverse tone mapping operation performed in the pixel domain for bit depth scalability. The inverse tone mapping operation is shifted from a residue domain to the pixel domain.
US09681141B2
Decoding of image data from a bit stream of encoded image data is performed. The image data was encoded in a selected domain by a transform function. A set of coefficients is extracted from the bit stream, wherein the set of coefficients represent a block of the image data. Each coefficient is compared to a theoretical model of a distribution of the coefficient data representative of the transform function. A decoding error is indicated when a coefficient does not lie within the theoretical model.
US09681136B2
A moving picture coding method for coding a picture with switching between frame coding and field coding adaptively on a block-by-block basis includes: determining the maximum number of reference indices for field coding for specifying fields which are to be referred to at the time of field coding, using the maximum number of reference indices for frame coding for specifying frames which are to be referred to at the time of frame coding; and assigning to fields the reference indices for field coding for specifying fields which are to be referred to at the time of field coding, within a range of the determined maximum number thereof, using the reference indices for frame coding for specifying frames which are to be referred to at the time of frame coding.
US09681125B2
A method of video coding includes receiving a video image having a plurality of pixels, selecting a plurality of Gaussian models for each pixel, classifying each pixel as a background or foreground pixel, determining if an object is always moving locally by detecting if an object is always moving within a predetermined distance and changing the direction of moving frequently for a second predetermined period of time, removing an object from classification as an object and ignoring motion of the object if the object is always moving locally, marking the area that the object moves within as a noisy area on a noise mask buffer, updating background models based on motion detection and noise filtering, updating current and evolving background images, and coding the current background image, background update blocks and objects for transmission.
US09681123B2
A method to calibrate an imaging array of a time-of-flight depth camera includes the act of modulating emission from a light source of the camera while synchronously biasing the imaging array. In this method, the modulated emission reflects from a compact reflector positioned a known distance from the camera and passes through an optical diffuser en route to the imaging array. For each pixel of the imaging array, a correction term is stored, which brings the output from that pixel into agreement with the actual distance between the camera and the compact reflector.
US09681120B2
A method, system, and computer program product are provided for controlling stereo glasses. Left and right eye shutters of stereo glasses are controlled to switch between closed and open orientations and simultaneously remain in a fast switching orientation for a predetermined amount of time between the closed and open orientations. The fast switching orientation of each of the left and right eye shutters has at least one open time and at least one closed time. A duration from a first one of the at least one open time and the at least one closed time through a last one of the at least one open time and at least one closed time is equal to the predetermined mount of time. Each of the at least one open time of the fast switching orientation of each of the left and right eye shutters is shorter than or equal to 1/24 seconds.
US09681116B2
An internet protocol multicast provider is disclosed, which includes a bootstrap code component, a transcoder generator component, a content module and a packetizing module. The bootstrap code component can generate a bootstrap code. The transcoder generator component can generate a transcoder module. The content module can generate content in a first format. The packetizing module can generate internet protocol multicast packets, based on the bootstrap code, the transcoder module and the content. The bootstrap code can determine a second format for which an internet protocol multicast receiver can decode and render the content. The transcoder module can instruct the internet protocol multicast receiver to play the content when the first format is the second format. The transcoder module can instruct the internet protocol multicast receiver to transcode the content from the first format to the second format when the first format is not the second format.
US09681114B2
A method, implemented in at least one Depth Based Image Rendering (DBIR) data processing system, for improving the efficiency, quality, viewing comfort and/or visual impact of a 3D experience capable of being provided to at least one viewer of a 3D content media comprising a plurality of content sections in 2D+Depth format, in conjunction with the use of at least a portion of a plurality of predetermined 3D content modification techniques.
US09681112B2
An image display apparatus including a remote control interface configured to receive a signal from a remote controller; a controller configured to calculate a first pointer position at which a pointer is to be displayed on a display of the image display apparatus based on the received signal, to determine a depth of a three-dimensional (3D) object displayed on the display of the image display apparatus, and to calculate a second position of the pointer based on the determined depth of the 3D object; and a video processor configured to display the pointer at the calculated second pointer position on the display of the image display apparatus.
US09681103B2
A surveillance video broker arbitrates access by multiple clients to multiple surveillance video sources. Both clients and sources register with the broker. Each source independently specifies respective clients permitted real-time access to its video and conditions of access, if any. Preferably, the video source is a local surveillance domain having one or more cameras, one or more sensors, and a local controller, the source specifying clients or client groups permitted access, and independently specifying conditions of access for each client or client group, where conditions may include scheduled events, non-scheduled events, such as alarms or emergencies, and/or physical proximity. The broker automatically authorizes real-time access according to pre-specified conditions. Preferably, the broker can also arbitrate alert notifications to the clients based on pre-specified notification criteria.
US09681099B1
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving from a first group member a request to initiate a multiplex live communication with members of a group, wherein the first group member belongs to the group; sending a notification to each of one or more second group members notifying the one or more second group members that a multiplex live communication among members of the group is underway, wherein the one or more second group members belongs to the group; receiving one or more requests from a first subset of the one or more second group members to join the multiplex live communication; initiating the multiplex live video communication between the first group member and the first subset of the one or more second group members who requested to join the multiplex live communication.
US09681093B1
A method for geolocation impressions includes determining, at a first computing device, a geolocation of the first computing device. Impressions entered in a first display of the first computing device while the first computing device is within a predetermined area including the geolocation, are identified. A target audience entered in the first display is also identified. Information regarding the geolocation, the target audience, and the impressions are sent to a server device, for making the impressions viewable by the target audience in a second display at a second computing device associated with the target audience when the target audience is within the predetermined area.
US09681085B2
Disclosed herein is a display apparatus having a slim display body to display pictures. Main components, such as a switching mode power supply and a main board, are disposed in a base unit, and a drive board mounted to a display module is connected to the switching mode power supply and the main board such that power is supplied to the display module and the main board transmits and receives a control signal. The base unit serves as a stand to support the display body below the display body. Also, the base unit is fixed to the rear of the display body to mount the display apparatus to a wall. A connection unit to connect the display body and the base unit is provided to change the position of the base unit. The connection unit is hingedly rotatable with respect to the display body and the base unit.
US09681078B2
An image sensor includes charge accumulation region of first conductivity type, floating diffusion of the first conductivity type, stacked semiconductor region having first region of second conductivity type arranged below the charge accumulation region, second region of the second conductivity type arranged above the first region, and third region of the second conductivity type arranged above the second region. The sensor further includes fourth region of the second conductivity type arranged in region between the charge accumulation region and the floating diffusion, below the floating diffusion, and above the stacked semiconductor region, transfer gate for transferring charges of the charge accumulation region to the floating diffusion, and fifth region of the second conductivity type arranged in region below the charge accumulation region and the fourth region, and above the stacked semiconductor region.
US09681070B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array section and a signal processing section. The pixel array section is configured to include a plurality of arranged rectangular pixels, each of which has different sizes in the vertical and horizontal directions, and a plurality of adjacent ones of which are combined to form a square pixel having the same size in the vertical and horizontal directions. The signal processing section is configured to perform a process of outputting, as a single signal, a plurality of signals read out from the combined plurality of rectangular pixels.
US09681059B2
An image-capturing device includes an image-capturing unit 30 including a first image-capturing element 41, a second image-capturing element 51, a third image-capturing element 61, and a fourth image-capturing element 71, and includes an image processing unit 11, wherein a sensitivity of the fourth image-capturing element 71 is less than sensitivities of the first image-capturing element 41 to the third image-capturing element 61, and the image processing unit 11 generates high sensitivity image data on the basis of outputs from the first image-capturing element 41 to the third image-capturing element 61, and generates low sensitivity image data on the basis of an output from the fourth image-capturing element 71, and further, the image processing unit 11 generates a combined image using high sensitivity image data corresponding to a low illumination image area in the low illumination image area obtained from the low sensitivity image data or the high sensitivity image data, and using low sensitivity image data corresponding to an high illumination image area.
US09681056B2
An imaging system includes: an imaging device; and an optical device that forms a subject image on an imaging plane of an imaging element and that is freely attachable to and detachable from the imaging device. The optical device includes a combination of a plurality of optical systems to provide a plurality of optical axes. The plurality of optical systems include: a plurality of first imaging optical systems; and a second imaging optical system having a view angle narrower than that of each of the plurality of first imaging optical systems. The plurality of first imaging systems are respectively arranged to surround the second imaging optical system, as viewed from a subject side.
US09681052B1
Systems and methods are described that relate to optical image stabilization in mobile computing devices that include multiple optical element sets. In an example embodiment, a mobile computing device may include a plurality of optical element assemblies, which may be coupled to a shared frame. The shared frame may be configured to maintain a fixed spatial arrangement between the optical element assemblies. A controller may receive a signal indicative of a movement of the mobile computing device. Based at least on the signal, the controller may determine a stabilization movement of the shared frame. The controller may cause an actuator to move the shared frame according to the stabilization movement. Optionally, the shared frame may also be configured to provide focus adjustments. For example, the controller may be additionally configured to cause the shared frame to move to a focus position based on a focus signal.
US09681050B2
Techniques to capture and fuse short- and long-exposure images of a scene from a stabilized image capture device are disclosed. More particularly, the disclosed techniques use not only individual pixel differences between co-captured short- and long-exposure images, but also the spatial structure of occluded regions in the long-exposure images (e.g., areas of the long-exposure image(s) exhibiting blur due to scene object motion). A novel device used to represent this feature of the long-exposure image is a “spatial difference map.” Spatial difference maps may be used to identify pixels in the short-and long-exposure images for fusion and, in one embodiment, may be used to identify pixels from the short-exposure image(s) to filter post-fusion so as to reduce visual discontinuities in the output image.
US09681046B2
Images captured by multi-camera arrays with overlap regions can be stitched together using image stitching operations. An image stitching operation can be selected for use in stitching images based on a number of factors. An image stitching operation can be selected based on a view window location of a user viewing the images to be stitched together. An image stitching operation can also be selected based on a type, priority, or depth of image features located within an overlap region. Finally, an image stitching operation can be selected based on a likelihood that a particular image stitching operation will produce visible artifacts. Once a stitching operation is selected, the images corresponding to the overlap region can be stitched using the stitching operation, and the stitched image can be stored for subsequent access.
US09681044B2
An imaging device includes: an optical system; an imaging element that continuously generates image data of an object; a position changing unit that changes a relative positional relationship between the optical system and the imaging element; a touch panel that detects a contact position thereon, and periodically outputs a position signal according to the contact position; a position controller that controls the position changing unit based on duration of maintaining the contact position to change the positional relationship; a trimming unit that generates pieces of trimming image data by sequentially cutting out an area including a touch position corresponding to the position signal from an image corresponding to the image data each time the positional relationship is changed; and a super-resolution processer that performs pixel interpolation using the pieces of trimming image data to generate super-resolution image data having a higher resolution than that of each trimming image data.
US09681043B2
The disclosure relates to a multi-camera imaging system, and a compensation method for image reconstruction. The main components of the multi-camera imaging system are an image capturing module having a multi-lens module and a multi-sensor module, and a distance adjustment unit automatically adjusting the distance between the multi-lens and multi-sensor modules. Note that the distance adjustment unit conducts compensation performed on the change of the system's focal length caused by temperature in the system. The multi-camera imaging system further includes a position-sensing module which is used to sense a displacement or change of the distance made by the distance adjustment unit. A set of image reconstruction parameters corresponding to the displacement or the change of distance is then provided.
US09681038B2
A mobile terminal for capturing an image and a method for controlling the same are provided. The mobile terminal includes a camera unit configured to receive an external image and process the received image to an image frame, and a control unit configured to set a focal point value of the image frame received from the camera unit, wherein the focal point value is a focal point value obtained by correcting a first focal point value extracted according to a first scheme of detecting a focal point value by using a phase difference of the image by using a second focal point extracted according to a second scheme of detecting a focal point by using a comparison value of the image.
US09681032B1
An imager assembly having a molded package formed using a molded interconnect device (MID) technique having a rim portion protruding from a surface of the molded package is disclosed. A lens may be held by the rim portion protruding from the surface and an image sensor may be disposed on the surface. The molded package may further be mechanically and electrically coupled to an electromechanical device, such as a voice coil motor (VCM). The VCM may be configured to move the lens held by the molded package for the purposes of focusing an image on the image sensor. Additionally, an imager assembly with a sandwich molded package having a first high density interconnect (HDI) layer and a second HDI layer with surface mount devices (SMDs) and molding compound therebetween is disclosed. The imager assembly may further include an image sensor, lens assembly, and VCM disposed on the sandwich molded package.
US09681031B2
In some embodiments, the actuator module includes an voice coil motor base, a coil rigidly attached to the voice coil motor base, a lens movement mechanism suspended on the voice coil motor base by a suspension means configured to limit relative motion in linear directions orthogonal to an optical axis of the miniature camera, and a plurality of magnets rigidly mounted to the lens movement mechanism.
US09681025B2
An acquisition unit acquires information in terms of a type of a device to be used. A storage unit stores a plurality of ICC profiles corresponding to respective devices. A generation unit generates a list of descriptions of usable ICC profiles. A determination unit determines whether the generated list includes a description of an ICC profile including the information unit in terms of the type of the device to be used. In a case where the determination made by the determination unit is affirmative, a change unit changes the description of determined ICC profile to a description including the information in terms of a device model name of the device to be used. A providing unit provides the list generated by the generation unit or the list changed by the change unit to a user.
US09681023B1
The disclosed embodiments illustrate an image processing method and system for classification of halftone frequencies. Pixel values of a first pixel block in a binary image are converted into first pixel values. A second pixel block comprising second pixel values is generated, based on pixel shifting in the first pixel block by a pre-determined count. A frequency value for a pixel-of-interest in the first pixel block is determined, based on a count of a pre-specified type of third pixel values. Other plurality of frequency values for other pixels-of-interest in other plurality of first pixel blocks are estimated when a mode value, corresponding to a plurality of frequency values of pixels-of-interest in a plurality of first pixel blocks, exceeds a pre-determined threshold mode value. Based on the determined plurality of frequency values, one or more image processing operations on the binary image are performed.
US09681020B2
The present application relates to a method for producing and authenticating unforgeable printable image comprising information color values and inference color values. The present application further provides for unforgeable printed images.
US09681019B2
A control device is configured to: control the scanner unit, when a first instruction is received from a user to insert a first scanned data in a first file stored in a file storage server, to scan a document to generate the first scanned data; and to provide a first insertion request to the file storage server through a communication interface, the first insertion request requesting the file storage server to insert the first scanned data at a target location in the first file, the target location being a location designated by the user through a terminal device that is configured separately from the control device.
US09681014B2
An image reading apparatus has a light source unit for illuminating an object to be illuminated, a reading unit for reading the object illuminated by the light source unit, a reflective unit, having at least a first reflection mirror, for reflecting reading light reflected by the object toward the reading unit, and a first light blocking portion for partially blocking light except the reading light. The first reflection mirror has a reflecting surface for reflecting the reading light, and an end surface substantially orthogonal to the reflecting surface. The first light blocking portion extends in a longitudinal direction of the first reflection mirror toward the end surface of the first reflection mirror, with a tip end of the first light blocking portion being opposed to the end surface of the first reflection mirror with a gap therebetween.
US09681006B2
A control apparatus includes a first determining unit that determines whether a defect has occurred in an image based on print data printed on a sheet by a printing unit having print heads including a row of nozzles aligned in a direction crossing a sheet conveyance direction. A first instructing unit instructs printing of a test pattern to a print control unit configured to control the printing unit if the first determining unit determines that a defect has occurred in the image. A second determining unit determines whether a defect occurs in a test pattern printed on the sheet by the printing unit based on the instruction from the instruction unit. A second instructing unit instructs stoppage of printing to the print control unit if the second determining unit determines that a defect has occurred in the test pattern.
US09681005B2
A mobile communication device is provided in the present disclosure. The mobile communication device includes a prompting module, a detecting module, a determining module and a control module. The prompting module includes a speaker and a vibrator. The detecting module is configured for detecting a vibrating noise corresponding vibration of the vibrator. The determining module is configured for determining whether the vibrating noise is less than a threshold value. The control module is configured for controlling an operation state of the speaker according to a determining result of the determining module. The present disclosure further provides a prompting method of the mobile communication device.
US09680996B2
In one embodiment, a method includes a request that is obtained by a call center system from a customer. The method also includes identifying a first set of experts that includes at least a first expert suitable for, or capable of, processing the request. The first expert is offline with respect to the call center system. An offer task is created and provided to the first set of experts. The offer task identifies the request and initiates the scheduling of a callback to address the request.
US09680992B1
Embodiments of the present invention pertain to reducing or eliminating speech recognition error when background noise is detected at a caller's location. For example, when background noise is detected at the caller's location, the caller may be prompted to use dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF).
US09680991B1
A method and apparatus of processing a voice call are disclosed. One example method of operation may include recording at least a portion of a conference call and storing the portion of the conference call in memory. The method may also include processing the portion of the conference call to identify at least one segment of interest and adding the at least one segment of interest to an existing work order associated with a third party application. The method may further provide forwarding the at least one segment of interest to a third party computing device.
US09680983B1
A portable electronic communication device includes a user input receiver, one or more user outputs, and a processor programmed to receive user input from the user input receiver and to determine based on the user input whether the user desires the device to enter a private mode. The device alters communications from the device via the one or more user outputs while in the private mode, and enters the private mode if the user input indicates that the user desires the device to enter the private mode. While in the private mode, the device may alter the manner in which it communicates to the user.
US09680979B1
A method to adjust a phone number is provided. The method may include receiving a first phone call at a telephonic device and obtaining a phone number from the first phone call. In some embodiments, the phone number may identify an origin of the first phone call. The method may further include prepending a digit to the phone number and storing the phone number with the prepended digit in a memory in the telephonic device. In some embodiments, the method may further include using the stored phone number to initiate automatic placement of the second phone call.
US09680973B2
Disclosed is an electronic device capable of near field communication (NFC) and of achieving high integration, size reduction, and good sensitivity. The electronic device includes an antenna chip provided inside a battery protection circuit package of a battery pack and having embedded an NFC antenna therein, and an extended antenna loop electrically connected to the antenna chip and provided outside the battery protection circuit package.
US09680966B2
A network device has a housing, a magnetic induction charger, a wireless data link and a processor. The housing has one or more sides. The induction charger is housed by the housing and is arranged to wirelessly charge a rechargeable battery of a portable electronic device. The electronic device is adjacent to or in contact with the housing. The wireless data link communicates with the portable electronic device. The processor communicates with the magnetic induction charger and the wireless data link. In addition, the processor recognizes the portable electronic device and associates a profile with the portable electronic device. The processor delivers content to an associated media device based on the profile.
US09680965B2
Systems and methods for performing a software upgrade for a first offline charging system (OFCS) having a plurality of virtual machines implementing charging functions for offline charging. For the upgrade, a controller identifies a subset of the virtual machines in the first OFCS to remove from service, transmits a request to a distributor to reduce the distribution of the accounting requests in proportion to the number of the virtual machines removed from service, and removes the subset of virtual machines from service in the first OFCS. The controller also constructs updated virtual machines having the software upgrade in a second OFCS to replace the virtual machines removed from the first OFCS, and transmits a request to the distributor to increase distribution of the accounting requests to the second OFCS in proportion to the number of the updated virtual machines constructed in the second OFCS.
US09680964B2
An application executing in a virtual environment, such as a web browser, may be serviced by an application host, such as a webserver that maintains application resources or provides runtime services to the application. However, it may be difficult to configure the application to operate suitably when the application host is unavailable. Techniques for facilitating such operation include the storing of application resources in a computing environment (such as the local file system or a deployable mesh or cloud environment) while also initiating the application within the virtual environment in the context of the application host, which may reduce difficulties with isolation policies imposed by the virtual environment (e.g., cross-domain restrictions imposed by the web browser.) This configuration may promote the servicing of the application alongside other applications and data objects, e.g., the automated deployment and synchronization of the application among all devices comprising the user's mesh environment.
US09680963B2
One or more controller may extract voice commands from retrieved web content, format the web content according to vehicle computing system (VCS) specific formatting information, provide the formatted web content for display by the VCS, and update the recognized voice commands of the VCS according to the extracted voice commands. A server may identify whether a received web request for web content is directed to a vehicle sub-domain for providing an in-vehicle-specific version of the content, identify whether the received web request is for presentation of web content via a VCS, and redirect the web request to the vehicle sub-domain when the request is not directed to the vehicle sub-domain and is for presentation via the VCS.
US09680960B2
Embodiments are provided for receiving media content based on the preferences of multiple users. In one example, a computing device may identify a plurality of user accounts associated with one or more service providers. The computing device may access a guest list for a social event to identify the plurality of user accounts. The computing device may then send to the one or more service providers, requests for media content based on media preferences associated with the identified plurality of user accounts. In response to the request, the computing device may then receive one or more media items from the one or more service providers. Some or all of the media items may then be added to a playback queue or playlist.
US09680956B2
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor on a computer system, perform a method for predictive analysis for determining which data to pre-fetch at a specific point in time. The method may include generating a prediction corresponding to a user login to a webpage. The prediction may include a user identification, a start time, an end time, and a probability of user login. The method may also include pre-generating and pre-fetching, in response to the prediction, data for at least part of a user login webpage. The method may also include storing the data in a cache memory. The method may also include updating the data stored in the cache memory.
US09680950B1
A method and apparatus for delaying responses to requests in a server are described. Upon receipt, from a client device, of a first request for a resource at a first location, a response that includes a redirection instruction to a second location is transmitted, where the response includes a first number of redirects that the client device is to complete prior to the first request being fulfilled. Upon receipt of a following request including a number of redirects, determining whether the number of redirects has been performed. When the number of redirects has not been performed the transmission of the redirection instruction is repeated with a number of redirects smaller than the first number of redirects until the receipt of a request indicating that the number of redirects has been performed. When the number of redirects has been performed the request is fulfilled.
US09680944B2
There is provided a system and method for optimizing loading of content data on a webpage by utilizing client-side technology. The system comprising a server and a client device, the client device configured to request a webpage from a server, receive an image tag and a configuration file from the server, determine a selected image from a plurality of images using client capabilities, the image tag, and the configuration file, create an image handle to request the selected image from the server, transmit the image handle to the server, and receive the selected image from the server. The client device may also receive supported advertisements from the server, select at least one advertisement from the supported advertisements using the client capabilities, and request the at least one advertisement from the server.
US09680943B1
Methods and systems for transmitting content to a device are described herein. Methods include receiving location information relating to a device that is usable to identify an approximate location of the device; comparing the approximate location of the device with a location of a venue; and transmitting content to the device if the approximate location of the device is within a pre-determined range of the location of the venue for a predetermined range of time. The user can receive the content without the need for the user to be aware of and seek out that content. The transmission of content to the device may depend not only on the user's location, but also on the amount of time the user is at the location. Content may be selected based upon whether the approximate location of the device is within pre-determined ranges of the location of the venue.
US09680942B2
An embodiment of the invention is directed to a method comprising receiving, at a server computer, information for a portable device that includes a mobile device identifier and storing, by the server computer, the information for the portable device that includes the mobile device identifier in a database associated with the server computer. The method further comprising receiving, by the server computer, transaction data from an access device for a transaction conducted at the access device, determining, by the server computer, from the transaction data that the transaction is associated with the portable device, determining, by the server computer, a location of the access device, determining, by the server computer, a location of a mobile device associated with the mobile device identifier, determining, by the server computer, that the location of the mobile device matches the location of the access device, and marking, by the server computer, the stored information for the portable device as authentication verified.
US09680941B2
An improved system and method for defining an event based upon an object location and a user-defined zone and managing the conveyance of object location event information among computing devices where object location events are defined in terms of a condition based upon a relationship between user-defined zone information and object location information. One or more location information sources are associated with an object to provide the object location information. One or more user-defined zones are defined on a map and one or more object location events are defined. The occurrence of an object location event produces object location event information that is conveyed to users based on user identification codes. Accessibility to object location information, zone information, and object location event information is based upon an object location information access code, a zone information access code, and an object location event information access code, respectively.
US09680940B2
The embodiments of the present invention provide a method, device and system for acquiring a data type definition. Through a data type definition management server centrally managing data type definitions and sending the data type definition to a terminal device according to a request of a terminal device, the data type definition can be repeatedly used by different terminal devices, thereby improving the reusability of the data type definition.
US09680939B2
Embodiments of systems and methods for systems and methods for maintaining technical support continuity across system restarts and multiple operating systems are described herein. In an embodiment, a method may include receiving a request to initiate a user support session. Additionally, the method may include receiving a unique identifier associated with a device to be contacted during the user support session. The method may also include establishing a user support session in association with the unique identifier. The unique identifier may be a hardware identification tag, a system-specific service tag, or the like.
US09680938B1
The present disclosure is directed to a system, method, and computer program for tracking user activity during a logon session, including tracking device access and any user account switches during the logon session. In response to receiving an event log for an IT event in the network, the system determines whether to filter the event, associate the event with an existing user logon session, or associate the event with a new user logon session. The system executes one or more rules to determine whether an event represents a user account switch or the continued use of an account by a user currently logged onto the network. If so, the event is associated with an existing logon session. If not, the system determines whether the event satisfies criteria for a new user logon session.
US09680933B2
A computer system includes a server that issues an access request with a virtual volume among the plurality of virtual volumes allocated in a plurality of storage apparatuses as an access target and measures a latency in each access path connecting each storage apparatus and the server, and a plurality of control units which are disposed in each storage apparatus and control the I/O of data. Among the plurality of control units, a main control unit that controls the migration of a migration source virtual volume selects, as a migration destination storage apparatus, one storage apparatus connected to an access path from which was obtained a second measured value, which is a measured value that is smaller than a first measured value indicating a latency in an access path connecting a migration source storage apparatus, which includes the migration source virtual volume, and the server, and indicates a latency in an access path connecting a storage apparatus, other than the migration source storage apparatus, and the server, and allocates a migration destination virtual volume in the migration destination storage apparatus.
US09680923B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for joint distribution of content by multiple publishers. In one aspect, a method performed by one or more computers includes receiving data from a first content publisher, as well as accessing a publisher database that indicates information about other content publishers. A first set of candidate publishers is selected based on compatibility with characteristics specified by the first content publisher. A second set of candidate publishing partners is selected, as a subset of the first set of candidate publishing partners, based on compatibility of the first content publisher with characteristics specified by the candidate publishing partners. One of the content publishers in the second set of candidate publishing partners is selected, and a jointly published content item that references both the first content publisher and the selected publishing partner is provided for presentation to content recipients.
US09680921B2
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for controlling data transmission in the field of voice communication. In the method: a server device receives a blocking request sent by a first terminal corresponding to a first user in a user group, where the blocking request carries an ID of a second user in the user group. The server device receives the voice data sent by a second terminal corresponding to the second user who is identified by the ID in the blocking request, and transmitting the voice data to terminals corresponding to other users in the user group apart from the first user and the second user. The voice data sent by any terminal corresponding to the second user is transmitted to the terminals corresponding to other users apart from the first user and the second user after receiving the blocking request carrying the ID of the second user.
US09680918B2
Methods and systems for efficient data transactions between applications running on devices associated with the same host. According to one embodiment, a host system includes an HTTP proxy and an SSL/TLS proxy operatively coupled with each other. The SSL/TLS proxy may be configured to perform SSL negotiation with a client and the HTTP proxy may be configured to communicate with a web server in clear text. Data can be transferred directly between the proxies through a pair of connected sockets using a handle of the other proxy's socket. The handle includes a pointer to an address within a memory of a first device upon which the other proxy is running. In this manner, data stored at the address may be processed by a proxy running on a second device without copying the data to the second device and without the overhead associated with the TCP/IP protocol stack.
US09680917B2
The present disclosure has disclosed a method, an apparatus, and a system of opening a web page and belongs to the technical field of the Internet. Said method comprises: A binding relationship among terminals stored in advance in a server; said server receives the web page information of a target web page sent by the first terminal; according to the binding relationship among terminals stored in advance, said server determines the second terminal, which has a binding relationship with said first terminal; according to the web page information of said target web page, said server sends a notice of web page information to said second terminal so that said second terminal opens said target web page according to said notice of web page information.
US09680911B2
A method of short uniform resource locator (URL) lookup and feedback of various examples may include: receiving a request related with a short URL associated with a target URL; identifying resource information of the short URL which is descriptive of credibility of network resources pointed to by the target URL; and making the resource information provided to a user. Another method of short URL lookup and feedback of various examples may include: receiving a request related with a long URL; identifying an identity of a website providing network resources pointed to by the long URL, the identity is a character string or a logo; generating a short URL which includes the identity; and making the short URL provided to the user.
US09680904B2
A system and method relate to determining am initial buffer size associated with a buffer and modifying the initial buffer size when jitter is detected. The initial buffer size may be determined and modified based on a maximum initial buffer size, and the maximum initial buffer size may be determined based on delays associated with storing data to the buffer. For example, the maximum initial buffer size may correspond to a quantity of data that can be stored to the buffer during a maximum acceptable buffering delay. The maximum acceptable buffering delay may be identified by determining drop rates associated with different buffering delays and selecting, as the maximum acceptable buffering delay, one of the buffering delays associated with a maximum acceptable drop rate.
US09680902B2
A media streaming method and a device using the same are introduced herein. The disclosure introduces a method for smooth and flawless playback of live media streaming in dynamic network environment. When network congestion occurs for a period, a media receiver may play media data as more as possible by adjusting the transmission order of media data meaningful to the receiver or a provider for providing the media data. In one embodiment, the disclosure introduces a method for smooth and flawless playback of live media streaming by caching a certain amount of media data and then playing them at an appropriate speed to catch up to the progress of the live media streaming, or by dynamically changing bit rates of the live media streaming in time by the provider to meet the most acceptable bit rate according to the network environment between the provider and the receiver.
US09680895B1
Techniques are described for providing a media content review timeline to provide viewers more detail on movies, television shows, and other types of media content. Viewers can review media content as it is being played back and a media content review timeline can be generated to provide viewers with a graphical chart of how the media content is reviewed by other viewers during the playback.
US09680893B2
Method, system, and programs for event state management in stream processing. In one example, a batch of events is created from a plurality of input events. The batch is associated with a state and is to be processed in one or more stages. The batch of events is stored in a persistent storage. The state associated with the batch is updated based on results of processing the batch in the one or more stages. The state associated with the batch is retrieved.
US09680887B2
Systems and methods provide for autonomic collaborative workspace creation. Patterns of artifact usage for a plurality of workspaces over a plurality of collaborative interactions may be determined. Some of the multitude of collaborative interactions may be between a subset of the plurality of workspaces. A workspace may be initialized with artifacts for a scheduled collaboration based on the patterns of artifact usage.
US09680886B2
A Device-Based Control System (DBCS) enables a device-agnostic and source-agnostic entertainment experience through use of an internet-enabled device (IED). The IED includes a media management application for navigating through media or entertainment content, controlling media devices according to a type of media content selected by the user, and sharing media experiences via social networks. The IED includes smartphones, tablet computers, and other internet-enabled processor-based devices. The DBCS leverages the internet access of the IED to enable search and discovery of all available media content. A content recommendation system (CRS) coupled to the media management application learns media preferences from user behavior, generates from numerous disparate media sources media choices corresponding to the media preferences, and presents the media choices on the IED.
US09680883B1
Examples are disclosed for responding to voice commands within an existing telephony call between two or more end user communication devices mediated by an IP based communications server. The server is mediating a telephony call among the two or more end user communication devices where each end user communication device has its own communication link to the server. The server may detect a trigger event from one of the end user communication devices. Upon detecting the trigger event, the server may receive voice input over the communication link from the end user communication device that generated the trigger event. The received voice input may be parsed into one or more voice commands. The server may then cause the one or more voice commands to be executed. In other embodiments, much of the intelligence and processing may be carried out on the end user communication device directly.
US09680877B2
A system to detect anomalies in internet protocol (IP) flows uses a set of machine-learning (ML) rules that can be applied in real time at the IP flow level. A communication network has a large number of routers equipped with flow monitoring capability. A flow collector collects flow data from the routers throughout the communication network and provides them to a flow classifier. At the same time, a limited number of locations in the network monitor data packets and generate alerts based on packet data properties. The packet alerts and the flow data are provided to a machine learning system that detects correlations between the packet-based alerts and the flow data to thereby generate a series of flow-level alerts. These rules are provided to the flow time classifier. Over time, the new packet alerts and flow data are used to provide updated rules generated by the machine learning system.
US09680868B2
Systems and methods for matching and scoring sameness. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method is provided, comprising acts of: identifying an anchor value X from the digital interaction; identifying, in a record of the digital interaction, a data structure associated with an anchor type T of the anchor value, wherein a plurality of anchor values of the anchor type T are divided into a plurality of buckets of anchor values; identifying a bucket B of the plurality of buckets of anchor values, wherein the anchor value X falls into the bucket B; and operating on the data structure associated with the anchor type T to indicate that at least one anchor value from the bucket B has been observed in connection with the digital interaction.
US09680849B2
A technique allows detection of covert malware that attempts to hide network traffic. By monitoring network traffic both in a secure trusted environment and in an operating system environment, then comparing the monitor data, attempts to hide network traffic can be detected, allowing the possibility of performing rehabilitative actions on the computer system to locate and remove the malware hiding the network traffic.
US09680848B2
Provided are an apparatus, a system and a method for detecting and preventing malicious scripts. The apparatus for detecting and preventing malicious scripts includes a signature management unit managing a first signature including code pattern information of previously-detected malicious scripts, a script analysis unit receiving the first signature from the signature management unit and analyzing a first script, which is included in a web page, using the first signature, and a script processing unit receiving analysis result data from the script analysis unit and processing the first script according to the analysis result data.
US09680847B2
Various embodiments include an apparatus comprising a detection database including a tree structure of descriptor parts including one or more root nodes and one or more child nodes linked to from one or more parent descriptor parts chains, each of the root nodes representing a descriptor part, and each root node linked to at least one of the child nodes, each root node and each child node linked to any possible additional child nodes, wherein the possible additional child nodes include any possible successor child nodes and a descriptor comparator coupled to the detection database, the descriptor comparator operable to receive data including a plurality of logic entities, once or successively, and to continuously compare logic entities provided to the tree structure of descriptor parts stored in detection database, and to provide an output based on the comparison.
US09680838B1
A system and method for with an inmate in a privileged communication are disclosed. a communication system includes a portal subsystem that determines whether a communication should be monitored, or not, based on received information, including access information, from a first communication device. Based on the determination, the communication system bypasses a monitoring subsystem and stores and/or transmits the communication to a second communication device by way of a non-monitoring subsystem.
US09680836B2
This disclosure relates to a system and related operating methods. A computer-implemented server device receives a request from a device that includes an identifier proposed for a potential account holder. The computer-implemented server device determines whether the identifier is available for use with a new account, and communicates a response to the device that indicates whether the identifier is available for use with the new account. The response is presented at the device and includes an image that contains a visually obfuscated representation of an alphanumeric message that indicates either a success or a failure.
US09680815B2
A system of the present invention uses an identity provider to provide the authentication services for multiple service providers. An identity provider communicates with one or more service providers. A user that wishes to gain access to a service provider is authenticated through the use of the identity provider. A user desiring to access a service provider is first authenticated by the identity provider. The identity provider determines if the user meets the desired class level and provides various information related to the authentication. When the user attempts to access a second service provider that is associated with the same identity provider, the second service provider accesses the identity provider and determines that the user was recently authenticated. The identity provider then transmits the relevant information regarding the authentication process to the second service provider, which can then allow or deny the user access to the second service provider.
US09680814B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, a device, and a system for registering a terminal application. In the embodiments of the present invention, a download address information recommending request that is sent by a first terminal and carries a terminal identifier of a second terminal is received; and recommended download address information is returned to the first terminal, where the recommended download address information includes a terminal application download address and authentication information used for performing registration, so that the first terminal sends, to the second terminal, a recommending message carrying the recommended download address information, so as to make the second terminal register according to the terminal application download address and the authentication information used for performing registration. In this solution, less time is consumed and a registration success rate is high, which helps to improve an application activating rate for a user.
US09680812B1
A technique is directed to operating an authentication system. The technique involves receiving an enrollment request to enroll a user in a new authentication procedure in place of an earlier-established authentication procedure. The earlier-established authentication procedure is operative to authenticate the user at a first security level within a range of security levels. The new authentication procedure is operative to authenticate the user at a second security level within the range of security levels, the first security level being at least as high as the second security level within the range of security levels. The technique further involves, in response to the enrollment request, initiating the earlier-established authentication procedure to authenticate the user. The technique further involves, in response to completion of the earlier-established authentication procedure, performing an authentication enrollment operation associated with the new authentication procedure.
US09680808B2
Organizations maintain and generate large amounts of sensitive information using computer hardware resources and services of a service provider. Furthermore, there is a need to be able to delete large amounts of data securely and quickly by encrypting the data with a key and destroying the key. To ensure that information stored remotely is secured and capable of secure deletion, cryptographic keys used by the organization should be prevented from being persistently stored during serialization operations. Signaling methods are used to notify virtual machine instances of serialization events in order to prevent keying material from being stored persistently.
US09680803B2
Systems and methods for managing (for example, creating, transmitting, delivering, encrypting, storing, and the like) secure SMS (short message service) and secure MMS (multimedia messaging service) communications are disclosed.
US09680796B2
An asset management system is presented. The management system includes monitoring devices able to provide asset data across firewalls without requiring reconfiguration of the firewalls. The asset data pass through a forwarding service that instantiates a virtual tunnel comprising a communication channel between the monitoring devices and remote asset management engines. The asset management engines can also be located behind firewalls. As the management engines aggregate asset data, the engines can present one or more alerts via a management interface.
US09680791B2
Facilitating content accessibility via different communication formats is disclosed. In some embodiments, in response to receiving a content request from an IPv6 enabled client, the requested content is provided to the IPv6 enabled client in IPv6 format, wherein the requested content is originally obtained in IPv4 format from an IPv4 enabled server and translated into IPv6 format.
US09680785B2
Embodiments of systems and methods for geo-location of a computing resource are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a first computing device determines a geographical location of the first device. The first device accesses an identifier of a second computing device and associates the location with the second device. The first device transmits a notification of the location being associated with the second device to the second device. In response to receiving the notification, the second device periodically transmits a message to the first device. The second device may detect a disconnection of a wired connection coupling the second device with an external system. In response to the detection, the second device ceases the periodic transmission of the message. The first device dissociates the location from the second device based on an elapsed time period since reception of a most recent one of the messages exceeding a predetermined time period.
US09680769B2
The present invention discloses a method for implementing an E-tree service and a provider edge device, and relates to the field of network communications technologies. A local PE device obtains leaf PE attribute information of a peer provider edge PE device; when the leaf PE attribute information of the peer PE device indicates that the peer PE device is a leaf PE device and the local PE device is a leaf PE device, the local PE device forbids a pseudo-wire connection between the local PE device and the peer PE device. The technical solution of the present invention implements effective isolation between leaf nodes supporting an E-Tree service and therefore implements the E-Tree service in a VPLS network.
US09680766B2
A proactive networking system and method is disclosed. The network anticipates the user demands in advance and utilizes this predictive ability to reduce the peak to average ratio of the wireless traffic and yield significant savings in the required resources to guarantee certain Quality of Service (QoS) metrics. The system and method focuses on the existing cellular architecture and involves the design and analysis of learning algorithms, predictive resource allocation strategies, and incentive techniques to maximize the efficiency of proactive cellular networks. The system and method further involve proactive peer-to-peer (P2P) overlaying, which leverages the spatial and social structure of the network. Machine learning techniques are applied to find the optimal tradeoff between predictions that result in content being retrieved that the user ultimately never requests, and requests that are not anticipated in a timely manner.
US09680758B2
Described is an apparatus which comprises: a transmitter; an input-output (I/O) interface coupled to the transmitter; and logic to split data for transmission into a plurality of packets, wherein each packet is stored in a buffer and then transmitted via the I/O interface to a receiver, wherein the logic can vary a number of packets sent prior to the transmitter receiving an Acknowledgement (ACK) signal, and wherein the logic can vary a packet length of the number of packets.
US09680749B2
A method and apparatus of a device that determines a match for a destination address using an exact match table and a longest prefix match table of a network element is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the network element receives a data packet that includes a destination address. The network element generates a key for the destination address, wherein the key represents more addresses than the destination address. The network element further performs an address lookup using the key in an exact match table. Furthermore, a match in the address lookup indicates a first transmitting interface of the network element. The network element additionally performs an address lookup using the destination address with a longest prefix match table, wherein a match in the address lookup indicates a second transmitting interface of the network element. In addition, the network element determines a resulting transmitting interface based on results from the exact match table address lookup and the longest prefix match address lookup. The network element forwards the data packet using the transmitting interface.
US09680742B2
A circuit operates to manage transmittal of packets in a network packet processor. The circuit includes a packet descriptor manager (PDM), a packet scheduling engine (PSE), and a packet engines and buffering module (PEB). The PDM generates a metapacket and a descriptor from a command signal, where the command signal identifies a packet to be transmitted by the circuit. The PSE determines an order in which to transmit the packet among a number of packets, where the PSE determines the order based on information indicated in the metapacket. Once the packet is scheduled for transmission, the PEB performs processing operations on the packet to produce a processed packet based on instructions indicated in the descriptor. The PEB then causes the processed packet to be transmitted toward the destination.
US09680738B2
Some embodiments provide a method for a forwarding element that forwards packets. The method receives a packet. The method consults a tree structure to generate a wildcard mask. The consulting includes traversing the tree structure by tracing a set of bits from the packet header and un-wildcarding the corresponding set of bits from the wildcard mask. The method identifies a matching rule for the packet. The method generates a flow based on the matching rule and the wildcard mask. The flow is used to process each other packet that matches each un-wildcarded bit of the flow.
US09680736B2
In one aspect, a method of mixed media communication is provided. The method includes initializing, via an electronic device, a session associated with a sender device, the session including data of a first media type; determining a destination for the data of a first media type, the determination based on the first media type and available destination information; providing the data of the first media type to the determined destination; receiving data of a second media type for the session with the sender device; determining a second destination for the data of the second media type, the determination based on the second media type and the available destination information; and providing the data of the second media type to the second destination. A device and computer-readable medium for mixed media communication are also described.
US09680735B2
A method for operating a communication network, in particular an ethernet network is provided. Each network device coupled to the network has a first control device, a first switch device which is assigned to the first control device, a second control device, and a second switch device which is assigned to the second control device. Each switch device has a transmitting and receiving port for transmitting and receiving data via the communication network, a first internal transmitting and receiving port for transmitting and receiving data between the switch devices, and a second internal transmitting and receiving port for transmitting and receiving data to or from the control device. A respective data exchange at the first and second internal transmitting and receiving port is prioritized over a data exchange at the transmitting and receiving port for transmitting and receiving data via the communication network.
US09680734B1
Techniques include providing ingress protection for multipoint label switched paths (LSPs). According to the techniques, a primary ingress node and a backup ingress node of a network are both configured to advertise a virtual node identifier of a virtual node as a next hop for a multicast source. Two or more egress nodes of the network then use the virtual node as a root node reachable through the primary ingress node to establish a multipoint LSP. After the multipoint LSP is established, the primary ingress node forwards traffic of the multicast source on the multipoint LSP. When failure occurs at the primary ingress node, the backup ingress node forwards the traffic of the multicast source along a backup path and onto the same multipoint LSP with the virtual node as the root node reachable through the backup ingress node. The techniques enable ingress protection without tearing down the multipoint LSP.
US09680732B2
A method for identifying influence paths in a communication network comprising a plurality of users is disclosed. The method comprises identifying network parameters indicative of a strength of connection between users of the network, combining the identified parameters to calculate a connection strength between users of the network, storing the calculated connection strengths as edge weights between the users of the network, identifying a source user and a target user for a path, and calculating a path between the source user and the target user according to the stored edge weights. Also disclosed is a method for compression of a network and a network element and computer readable medium.
US09680731B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, computer program products, and systems for generating a shortest data path for data packets. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to exclude switches at or near their maximum capacity of flow entries from the shortest data path calculation. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to reduce the “lag time” users can experience while waiting for data packets to be forwarded through different switches.
US09680719B2
A batch request processing device that, when a response corresponding to a performance request issued by a GUI processing device is stored in a response storage device, outputs an output command for outputting the response to the GUI processing device, whereas when no response corresponding to the performance request is stored in the response storage device, commands a request pattern management device to predict a request which may be issued following the performance request and generate a request pattern which consists of the performance request and the predicted request, and generates a batch request including the request pattern generated by the request pattern management device.
US09680714B2
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for managing network switching. A network device operating system (ndOS) program includes instructions for exchanging switching policy regarding switching network packets in a plurality of ndOS devices having ndOS programs. The first ndOS program is executed in a first ndOS device, and the switching policy is exchanged with other ndOS programs via multicast messages. Further, the ndOS program includes instructions for exchanging resource control messages with the other ndOS devices to implement service level agreements in the switching fabric, where the ndOS switching devices cooperate to enforce the service level agreements. Further yet, the ndOS program includes instructions for receiving changes to the switching policy, and instructions for propagating the received changes to the switching policy via message exchange between the ndOS programs. The ndOS devices are managed as a single logical switch that spans the plurality of ndOS devices.
US09680705B2
A system and method are provided to enable competency based device access. The ability for a user to use a particular device may require demonstration of a skill or competency. Access control can be provided for a device to limit user access and to configure the device based upon the user competencies to utilize or perform functions on the device. The competency of the user can be defined in a competency checklist used to determine the skill or certifications of a user maintained by a resource management system.
US09680704B2
Compact and integrated local key controller apparatuses for remotely managing a network of wireless devices that are connected to a computer network switch. These apparatuses (including devices and systems) and methods of using them may provide secure and fully integrated, stand-alone wireless network controllers that may be accessed remotely without compromising the integrity of the network's firewall.
US09680698B2
Communication of a module to a datapath node is disclosed. A controller node receives connection information identifying a first datapath node in communication with a network. The controller node obtains Operations, Administration, and Management (OAM) information including an OAM action set that identifies one or more OAM actions the first datapath node is capable of implementing at the first datapath node. A first OAM tool module is determined that is operative to perform at least one of the one or more OAM actions identified in the OAM action set to implement a first OAM tool function. The first OAM tool module is communicated to the first datapath node.
US09680695B2
Dynamic grouping of cell site devices to network devices that include a group of baseband processing devices is facilitated. One method includes determining, by a device including a processor, respective load information for cell site devices of respective cell sites associated with a network; and determining, by the device, interference information associated with the cell site devices. The method also includes determining, by the device, configuration information of a switch device communicatively coupled between the cell site devices and network devices that include a group of baseband processing devices. The determining the configuration information is based on the respective load information of the cell site devices and the interference information associated with the cell site devices.
US09680683B2
A radio receiver apparatus that can effectively utilize GI to improve the reception quality. In this apparatus, a data extracting part extracts a data portion of a direct wave from a signal subjected to a radio reception process by a received RF part. A GI extracting part extracts, from the signal subjected to the radio reception process by the received RF part, GI having a length determined by an extracted GI length deciding part. The extracted GI is adjusted by a data position adjusting part such that its rear end coincides with the read end of the extracted data portion. A combining part combines the extracted data portion with the GI the data position of which has been adjusted. The combined signal is then supplied to a frequency axis equalizing part, which equalizes the signal distortions of the combined signal on the frequency axis.
US09680672B2
A haptic actuator may include a housing, at least one permanent magnet carried by the housing, a field member movable within the housing and comprising at least one coil cooperating with the at least one permanent magnet, and at least one mechanical limit stop between the housing and the field member. The haptic actuator may also include circuitry capable of generating a pulse width modulated (PWM) waveform for the at least one coil to move the field member from an initial at-rest position and without contacting the at least one mechanical limit stop.
US09680671B2
A transceiver device 100 includes a transmit path module 110, a receive path module 120 and a compensation signal generator module 130. The transmit path module 110 generates a high frequency transmit signal 112 based on a baseband transmit signal. The receive path module 120 generates a baseband receive signal 122 based on a received high frequency receive signal 114. Further, the compensation signal generator module 130 generates a compensation signal 132 comprising at least one signal portion with a frequency equal to a frequency of an undesired signal portion of the baseband receive signal 122 caused by an undesired signal portion within the high frequency transmit signal 112 comprising a frequency equal to an integer multiple larger than 1 of a transmit frequency of the high frequency transmit signal 112.
US09680667B2
A circuit includes a calculation circuit configured to calculate a noise power of a predetermined-training-sequence pattern repeatedly included in a first signal input into an adaptive equalizer, based on a second signal obtained by compensating the first signal by a compensation circuit, a channel-estimation value based on the second signal, and the predetermined-training-sequence pattern; and an average circuit configured to obtain an average value of estimation values of frequency offsets based on the predetermined-training-sequence pattern having the noise power equal to or smaller than a predetermined power, among estimation values of frequency offsets based on the predetermined-training-sequence pattern, wherein the compensation circuit is configured to compensate a frequency offset of the predetermined-training sequence pattern based on the average value and thereby obtain the second signal, and the adaptive equalizer is configured to perform adaptive-equalization processing of the first signal with a setting value based on the second signal.
US09680651B2
Apparatus and method for secure data shredding in an imperfect data storage device. In some embodiments, a hash function is applied to multi-bit random sequence to generate an output hash. A combinatorial logic function logically combines the output hash with a secret to provide an output value. The random string is processed into a plurality of secret shares which are stored in a first location in a non-volatile memory and the output value is stored in a different, second location of the memory. The secret is subsequently shredded by applying an erasure operation upon the secret shares in the first location of the memory.
US09680650B2
Methods, systems, and devices are described for securing content for delivery via a communications network. The methods, systems and devices may involve coding a plurality of packets using a determined code to generate a coded set of packets. A plurality of packets of the coded set of packets may be hashed to generate a plurality of hashes. The plurality of hashes may be transmitted via the communications network to deliver the secured content.
US09680649B2
Methods of providing policy based access to master keys, enabling keys to be distributed to groups of users in a secure manner while minimizing disruptions to the user in the event of changes to group membership or changes to user attributes. User attributes are identified. Policies are rewritten in terms of user attributes. New unique user attribute keys are generated for each attribute for each user. An access tree is constructed with user attribute keys as leaf nodes and Boolean algebra operations as internal nodes. Shamir polynomials are used for AND nodes, and broadcast polynomials are used for OR nodes. Master keys are accessible by traversing the access tree from the leaf nodes to the root node constructing the polynomials attached to all the nodes along the access path.
US09680648B2
A method and an apparatus for establishing an operating environment by certifying a code image received from a host over a communication link are described. The code image may be digitally signed through a central authority server. Certification of the code image may be determined by a fingerprint embedded within a secure storage area such as a read only memory (ROM) of the portable device based on a public key certification process. A certified code image may be assigned a hash signature to be stored in a storage of the portable device. An operating environment of the portable device may be established after executing the certified code.
US09680637B2
A monolithic integrated circuit (IC) secure hashing device may include a memory, and a processor integrated with the memory. The processor may be configured to receive a message, and to process the message using a given secure hash algorithm (SHA) variant from among different SHA variants. The different SHA variants may be based upon corresponding different block sizes of bits.
US09680635B2
A sensor subassembly having a memory unit for storing a sensor data value from the sensor subassembly and a transmission unit for sending a data signal with information about the stored sensor data value to an external receiver at a data rate that is dependent on a clock frequency of a clock signal produced by the sensor subassembly. The transmission unit sends the data signal with the information about the stored sensor data value on the basis of a piece of trigger information in an externally received control signal.
US09680634B2
Method and apparatus for generating a jitter reduced clock signal from signal transmitted over a communication medium includes receiving, with high speed data interface circuitry, a modulated signal that includes a binary encoded data stream. A recovered clock signal is generated from the modulated signal and tracks the long-term drift in the modulated signal. A jitter reduced clock signal is generated by filtering the recovered clock signal with a filtering circuit having a bandwidth sufficient to remove jitter while allowing the jitter reduced clock signal to track the drift in the modulated signal.
US09680633B2
In a general aspect, a method for transmitting data by inductive coupling can include applying, at a rate of a data-carrying signal, a plurality of bursts of a periodic signal to a tuned inductive antenna circuit. The method can further include producing, in the tuned inductive antenna circuit, an antenna signal, the antenna signal generating a magnetic field. The method can further include delimiting an amplitude of each burst of the plurality of bursts of the periodic signal in accordance with an envelope signal, the envelope signal having a rising edge and a falling edge. The delimiting can include shaping the falling edge of the envelope signal using one of a digital shaping circuit and an analog shaping circuit, such that a slope of the falling edge of the envelope signal is flattened as compared to a square envelope signal.
US09680627B2
User station supporting a communication service and method for selecting duplex mode for the service
Embodiments of a system and method for selecting a duplex mode for a service operating in a Wireless Network are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a mobile device may receive one or more traffic packets related to an establishment or a re-establishment of a service at the mobile device, and may select a duplex mode for the service. In some embodiments, the mobile device may be an IEEE 802.11 Station (STA). The mobile device may be configured to select full-duplex as the duplex mode when a delay requirement associated with the service is less than a predetermined delay threshold and when a calibration overhead associated with the mobile device or the service is less than a predetermined calibration overhead threshold. In addition, the mobile device may also be configured to select time-division duplex (TDD) or frequency-division duplex (FDD) as the duplex mode when the delay requirement is less than the delay threshold and when the calibration overhead is less than the calibration overhead threshold.
US09680623B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for reporting the channel state of an enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) in a wireless communication system is disclosed, comprising the steps of: selecting N sub-bands from a set of sub-bands; and reporting a channel quality indicator (CQI) for the N sub-bands. At least one sub-band from among the N sub-bands (hereinafter, referred to as an EPDCCH SB) may be a sub-band including a pair of physical resource blocks (PRB) set as the EPDCCH.
US09680617B2
The disclosure is directed to method of transmitting a reference signal used by a wireless device in an unlicensed spectrum for a LTE-LAA communication system, and a wireless communication device using the same method. In one of the exemplary embodiments, the method would include not limited to receiving, via a first wireless receiver tuned to a licensed spectrum, a control message which at least indicates a pattern of a reference signal to be received; receiving, via a second wireless receiver tuned to an unlicensed spectrum, a first message which comprises the reference signal in the unlicensed spectrum; performing a measurement of the reference signal; generating a feedback based on the measurement of the reference signal; and transmitting, via a wireless transmitter tuned to the licensed spectrum, a second message which comprises the feedback of the reference signal in the licensed spectrum.
US09680613B2
Disclosed is a method for transmitting a sounding reference signal from a terminal to a base station in a radio communication system. More specifically, the method comprises the steps of: receiving a transmission instruction signal for transmitting a non-periodic sounding reference signal from a base station; determining a time resource for transmitting said non-periodic sounding reference signal based on a specific subframe for transmitting the preset periodic sounding reference signal; and transmitting said non-periodic sounding reference signal to the base station using said determined time resource.
US09680611B2
Automatic retransmission in communications systems. In one embodiment, a portion of data is identified to be retransmitted based on feedback information indicating a negative acknowledgement (NACK) during a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) on a previous transmission of the portion of data. A retransmission mode is selected for the portion of data, from at least a first mode that retransmits the portion of data on at least a first transmitter antenna while transmitting new data on at least a second transmitter antenna, based on first desired transmission characteristics; and a second mode that retransmits the portion of data simultaneously on at least the first and second transmitter antennas, based on second desired transmission characteristics.
US09680610B2
Methods and apparatuses for error control in 3D video transmission over wireless network are described. Cooperative Automatic Repeat re Quest(ARQ) is disclosed, which is based on the selective repeat ARQ with consideration of two factors: one is the interdependent relationship between the multiple components of the 3D video, e.g. the 2D video and its depth information in the 2D-plus-Depth format; and the other is time constraints of video frames/packets for continuous video playback. The disclosed cooperative ARQ allows the sender to control ARQ strength adaptively on a per-frame/per-packet basis.
US09680599B2
We disclose an optical transport system configured to transport the same data using two different channels of an optical transport link in a manner that enables an optical receiver to use direct detection of the optical power received through each of the two channels to measure the in-phase and quadrature components of the modulating electromagnetic field. In an example embodiment, an optical carrier of the modulated optical signal transported using the first of the two channels and an optical carrier of the modulated optical signal transported using the second of the two channels have a fixed relative phase offset of approximately 90 degrees. The resulting ability of the optical receiver to measure each of the in-phase and quadrature components of the modulating electromagnetic field advantageously enables the optical receiver to perform electronic signal equalization, including but not limited to electronic dispersion compensation.
US09680597B2
In order to add a CDC function to a ROADM system currently incompatible with CDC, without requiring any service outage, an optical communication system of the present invention includes: an optical demultiplexing unit 1-1 and 1-2 which each demultiplexes a wavelength-multiplexed optical signal inputted thereto and an optical multiplexing unit 2-1 and 2-2 which each multiplexes together some of, specifically at least two or more of, the components of the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal having been demultiplexed by the optical demultiplexing unit 1-1 or 1-2; and an optical path selection unit 3 which selectively outputs either the optical signal multiplexed by the optical multiplexing unit 2-1 or that by the optical multiplexing unit 2-2, in a form of at least two or more output optical signals.
US09680593B2
A technique for avoiding reception performance deterioration caused by a tone interference that occurs at a position carrying a pilot signal in a wireless communication system is provided. A receiving end includes an operator for converting a time-axis signal into a frequency-axis signal, an extractor for generating channel values in positions carrying pilot signals among the frequency-axis signals, a compensator for compensating for a channel value of a position at which tone interference occurs by using at least one channel value of a position at which no tone interference occurs among the channel values.
US09680592B1
A physical layer (PHY) device including a first module and a second module. The first module is configured to (i) measure noise based on signals received by the PHY device via a channel and (ii) generate information in response to measuring the noise based on the signals received by the PHY device via the channel. The second module is configured to determine, depending on whether the first module is able to (i) measure the noise based on the signals received by the PHY device via the channel and (ii) generate the information in response to measuring the noise based on the signals received by the PHY device via the channel, whether to estimate a gain of the channel using (i) a first procedure to estimate the gain of the channel or (ii) a second procedure to estimate the gain of the channel.
US09680584B2
Methods and apparatus to generate threshold values for state detection are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a threshold generator to maintain, in memory, a collection of audio data elements representative of sound levels present in an environment at respective times when ON-indications are detected for a monitored media device. The threshold generator to replace, in response to detection of a next ON-indication in the environment, one of the audio data elements in the memory with a new audio data element representing a sound level in the environment at a time of the next ON-indication. A selector to select, for a value of a threshold condition of a state detection analysis, one of the audio data elements in the memory corresponding to a lowest sound level, at least one of the threshold generator or the selector implemented by at least one of a processor or hardware.
US09680582B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for acquiring multimedia broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) service area information in a wireless communication system. User equipment (UE) acquires at least one first MBMS service area identity (SAI), which corresponds to a MBMS service provided at a first carrier frequency, from system information broadcasted from a first cell. The UE acquires at least one second carrier frequency, which neighbors the first carrier frequency and at which the MBMS service is provided, and at least one second MBMS SAI, which corresponds to the MBMS service provided at the at least one second carrier frequency, from the system information.
US09680574B1
An optical transceiver in an optical communications network, comprising a receiver configured to receive an optical signal comprising an X-polarization component that comprises a first frame and a Y-polarization component that comprises a second frame. The optical transceiver also comprises a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to determine, in a time domain, a phase estimate according to the first frame and the second frame, determine, in a frequency domain, a channel estimate for the optical signal according to a relationship between the first frame, the second frame, and the phase estimate, and determine a compensated optical signal according to the channel estimate. The optical transceiver further comprises a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to transmit the compensated optical signal to a downstream component in the optical communications network.
US09680569B2
A method of validating connections in an optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) that includes a plurality of modules configured to route optical signals through the OADM, and at least one multi-fiber cable connecting modules of the OADM. A light source coupled to a first port of a first module is controlled to emit a test light. A determination is made whether or not the test light is received at a first photo-detector connected to a second port. Continuity of a connection between the first port and the second port is validated when the test light is received at the first photo-detector.
US09680562B2
A satellite terminal and a machine-implemented method are provided for encoding a burst header of a burst for transmission on an inroute. One component of a group of satellite terminal components consisting of an ASIC, a FPGA, and a DSP, generates a burst header having five information bits encoded therein. The five information bits may be encoded using a Reed-Muller code, a (32, 5) block code or a convolutional code having a code rate of either 1/5 or 1/10. The five information bits may represent one or more of a modulation type for a payload of the burst, a code rate for encoding the payload, a code type, and a spreading factor for spreading the payload during transmission. A satellite gateway and a machine-implemented method are also provided for decoding a burst header of a burst received on an inroute as described above.
US09680561B2
An efficient and reliable way to send various information including position location information (PLI) and emergency messages (EM) using or within a mobile satellite system (MSS) using different message formats including short message (e.g., short burst data (SBD), etc.), between mobile users as provided. Embodiments also use global positioning systems (GPS) used in some cases with the PLI system. Various embodiments improve communications efficiency and reliability of message transmission through various types of MSS. Embodiments include a method or approach to interface SBD PLI messages from mobile end user terminals (EUT) to common operating picture (COP) application programs as provided. Exemplary methods interface and translate MSS short messages (e.g., SBD) to extensible markup language (XML) message format and communicate converted messages to COP application program within a computer using a TCP/IP interface.
US09680552B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system and, more specifically, to a method and an apparatus for reporting channel state information (CSI). Particularly, the method comprises the steps of: receiving a reference signal (RS) from a base station; and reporting, to the base station, the CSI generated by using the RS, wherein the CSI is measured on the basis of a specific CSI-RS set among a plurality of CSI-RS sets, beamforming weight vectors in a vertical domain which are set differently for each of horizontal domain antenna ports to which the same beamforming weight vectors in a vertical domain is applied.
US09680546B2
Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of wireless communication beamforming. For example, an apparatus may include a wireless communication unit to process a beamforming frame communicated between a beamforming initiator station and a beamforming responder station subsequent to a Transmit (Tx) sector sweep by the beamforming initiator station, wherein transmission of the beamforming frame is from a first station of the beamforming initiator station or the beamforming responder station to a second station of the beamforming initiator station or the beamforming responder station, the beamforming frame comprises an indication of a selected Tx sector, based on the Tx sector sweep, to be used by the first station for transmitting a directional beamformed transmission to the second station.
US09680541B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatuses for channel estimation and feedback in a three dimensional multiple input multiple output (3D-MIMO) system. A method may comprise: transmitting a plurality of reference signals for a plurality of columns in an antenna array; receiving indication information on configuration adjustment of a precoding information feedback, wherein the indication information is based on measurement on the plurality of reference signals; and adjusting a configuration of the precoding information feedback based on the indication information so that a multiple vertical precoding information feedback is enabled when it can obtain a performance gain. Especially, the multiple vertical precoding information feedback may represent feeding back a plurality of vertical precoding matrix indicators for the plurality of columns in the antenna array. In embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a new solution for channel estimation and feedback in a 3D-MIMO system, and it may achieve a more accurate beamforming and/or a higher order spatial multiplexing, thereby improving the performance of the 3D-MIMO system.
US09680535B2
A method for operating a base station includes receiving an uplink signal from a user equipment (UE), wherein the uplink signal includes a precoding matrix indicator (PMI) associated with a first precoder index of a codebook determined by a first and a second precoder indices, and a channel quality indicator (CQI). The method includes applying an open-loop diversity operation to at least one data stream including quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) symbols to generate N_B signal streams and applying a precoding matrix to the N_B signal streams to generate a larger number of N_TX data streams to be transmitted via a plurality of antennas.
US09680534B2
A method for performing a wideband short-range wireless communication which may use a directional antenna in a millimeter wave band, and the method for wideband short-range wireless communication according to an embodiment may determine a change of a relay operation type based on a link quality between a source node and a relay node, a link quality between the relay node and the destination node, and a link quality between the source node and the destination node, transmit a relay operation change (ROC) request message in response to a determination of the change of the relay operation type, and receive an ROC response message corresponding to the ROC request message.
US09680533B2
A backscatter modulation radio-frequency (RF) sensor and method for using the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the RF sensor comprises: an energy harvesting unit operable to convert incident RF energy to direct current (DC); a storage unit operable to store recovered DC power; one or more sensors for sensing; a backscatter communication interface to backscatter energy to communicate one or more packets using a frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulator; and a microcontroller coupled to the energy harvesting and storage units, the one or more sensors, and the backscatter communicator, the microcontroller operable to cause the backscatter communication interface to communicate sensed data from at least one of the one or more sensors while powered by energy previously harvested and stored by the energy harvesting and storage unit.
US09680526B2
A phase error detector includes an N counter configured to frequency-divide a first clock by N, and output a signal at predetermined timing, an M counter configured to frequency-divide a second clock by M, and output a signal at predetermined timing, a comparator configured to perform phase comparison between a phase when a value of the N counter is 0 and a phase when a value of the M counter is 0, and perform phase comparison between a phase when a value of the N counter is equal to a value obtained by dividing N into a substantially predetermined value and a phase when a value of the M counter is equal to a value obtained by dividing M into a substantially predetermined value and a synthetic circuit configured to generate a phase error, based on comparison results of the comparator.
US09680524B2
A signal transmission method and apparatus are provided. A signal transmission apparatus may include a time hopping apparatus configured to calculate a difference between values of time hopping patterns corresponding to adjacent symbol transmission periods, and to determine, based on the calculated difference, whether a position of a time hopping pattern corresponding to one of the adjacent symbol transmission periods is to be adjusted, and a transmitter configured to transmit a signal in the adjacent symbol transmission periods based on a determination result obtained by the time hopping apparatus. Additionally, a related signal reception apparatus is provided.
US09680523B1
A method and system for encoding ancillary information at a transmitter in a high-speed communications network, the method comprising: generating an electromagnetic interference (EMI) reduction signal; receiving an ancillary data symbol; generating an EMI reduction signal variation based on the ancillary data symbol; and varying a characteristic of the EMI reduction signal based on the generated EMI reduction signal variation to encode the ancillary data symbol in the varied EMI reduction signal.
US09680521B2
A transceiver front-end is connectable to a signal transmission and reception arrangement adapted to transmit and receive with respective frequencies. The transceiver front-end comprises at least one of a transmit frequency blocking arrangement and a receive frequency blocking arrangement. For instance, the transmit frequency blocking arrangement has a blocking and non-blocking frequency interval associated with the transmit frequency and receive frequency, respectively, and is adapted to block passage of transmit frequency signals between the signal transmission and reception arrangement and the receiver. At least one of the transmit frequency blocking arrangement and the receive frequency blocking arrangement comprises a network of passive components comprising at least one transformer and a frequency translated impedance adapted to have a higher impedance value in the blocking frequency interval than in the non-blocking frequency interval.
US09680520B2
Apparatuses, systems, ambient backscatter transceivers, and methods for modulating a backscatter of an ambient RF signal are described. An example system may include an ambient backscatter transceiver comprising an antenna that is configured to receive a backscattered ambient radio frequency (RF) signal. The ambient backscatter transceiver is configured to demodulate the backscattered ambient RF signal to retrieve first data. The backscattered ambient RF signal is generated by backscattering an ambient RF signal at a first frequency. The ambient RF signal is encoded with modulated to provide second data at a second frequency.
US09680509B2
Embodiments are generally directed to errors and erasures decoding from multiple memory devices. An apparatus may include logic to store a portion of an error correction codeword in each of multiple memory devices, and logic to decode errors and erasures for the memory devices. The decoding of the errors and erasures includes reading the portions of the error correction codeword from a subset of the memory devices to generate a partial codeword, with the subset excluding at least one of the memory devices. The decoding of the errors and erasures further includes decoding errors and erasures of the plurality of memory devices based at least in part on the partial codeword if the errors and erasures can be decoded from the partial codeword, and, upon determining that the errors and erasures cannot be decoded from the partial codeword, then reading the one or more portions of the error correction codeword from the memory devices excluded from the first subset to generate a complete codeword.
US09680506B2
A DTV transmitting system includes an encoder, a randomizer, a block processor, a group formatter, a deinterleaver, and a packet formatter. The encoder codes enhanced data for error correction, permutes the coded data, and further codes the permuted data for error detection. The randomizer randomizes the coded enhanced data, and the block processor codes the randomized data at an effective coding rate of 1/H. The group formatter forms a group of enhanced data having data regions, and inserts the coded enhanced data into at least one of the data regions. The deinterleaver deinterleaves the group of enhanced data, and the packet formatter formats the deinterleaved data into corresponding data bytes.
US09680505B2
A transmitting apparatus is provided. The transmitting apparatus includes: an encoder configured to generate a Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codeword by LDPC encoding based on a parity check matrix; an interleaver configured to interleave the LDPC codeword; and a modulator configured to map the interleaved LDPC codeword onto a plurality of modulation symbols, wherein the modulator is configured to map bits included in a predetermined bit group from among a plurality of bit groups constituting the LDPC codeword onto a predetermined bit of each of the modulation symbols.
US09680500B2
Approaches for staged data compression are provided, where each stage reflects a progressive increase in granularity, resulting in a scalable approach that exhibits improved efficiency and compression performance. The first stage comprises a long-range block-level compressor that determines redundancies on a block-level basis (based on entire data blocks, as opposed to partial segments within data blocks). The second stage comprises a long-range byte-level compressor that compresses an uncompressed block based on byte segments within the block that match previously transmitted segments. The duplicate segments are replaced with pointers to matching segments within a decompressor cache. Nonmatching segments of the data block are left uncompressed and passed to a third stage short-range compressor (e.g., a grammar-based compressor). The staged progression in granularity provides advantages of maximizing the compression gain while minimizing processing and storage requirements of the compressor and decompressor.
US09680498B2
Provided are, among other things, systems, apparatuses, methods and techniques for converting a continuous-time, continuously variable signal into a sampled and quantized signal. One such apparatus includes an input line for accepting an input signal that is continuous in time and continuously variable, multiple processing branches coupled to the input line, and an adder coupled to outputs of the processing branches. Each of the processing branches includes a continuous-time quantization-noise-shaping circuit, a sampling/quantization circuit coupled to an output of the continuous-time quantization-noise-shaping circuit, a digital bandpass filter coupled to an output of the sampling/quantization circuit, and a line coupling an output of the digital-to-analog converter circuit back into the continuous-time quantization-noise-shaping circuit. A center frequency of the digital bandpass filter in each the processing branch corresponds to a minimum in a quantization noise transfer function for the continuous-time quantization-noise-shaping circuit in the same processing branch.
US09680489B2
A method for background calibration of sampler offsets in an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC), according to which one of the samplers of the ADC is established as a reference sampler, whose threshold and timing offsets will be the criterion for adjusting threshold offsets and timing offsets of all other samplers. Then each of the other samplers of the ADC, one at a time, is calibrated by selecting an uncalibrated sampler and establishing it as the current Sampler Under Calibration (SUC); disregarding contribution of the SUC to the output of the ADC; adjusting the threshold of the SUC to be identical to the threshold of the reference sampler; performing one-bit cross-correlation between the reference sampler and the SUC; establishing an error surface representing the threshold offset and timing offset of the SUC with respect to the reference sampler; adjusting the threshold and the timing of the SUC to be equal to the threshold and timing of the reference sampler; restoring level of the SUC to its original threshold with respect to the overall ADC and restoring contribution of the SUC to the output of the ADC.
US09680484B2
Disclosed is a circuit, such as a clock conditioner, that provides an improved ability to exit from holdover operations, most notably during conditions where the clock signal inputs to a PLL of the clock conditioner are significantly out of phase. The circuit utilizes the PLL to generate output clocks based on a reference clock and a feedback clock. During holdover mode, the PLL is unlocked. When the reference clock becomes available and holdover mode can be exited, a holdover controller issues a reset signal that triggers a synchronization of the phases of the inputs to the PLL. The reset signal causes the feedback divider component that generates the feedback clock input to reset its phase and adjust its divide ratio for at least the first divide cycle after restart so that its next rising edge will be phase-aligned with the reference clock. Once the two inputs of the PLL phase detector are phase-aligned, the PLL is re-enabled and the PLL smoothly resumes normal operation.
US09680474B1
An interconnect element includes: a selection circuit for receiving input signals and having a selection output; a half-latch circuit having an input coupled to the selection output, wherein the half latch circuit comprises a pull-up device; and a common bias circuit coupled to the pull-up device, wherein the common bias circuit is configured to supply a tunable bias voltage to the pull-up device.
US09680473B1
Logic circuits, or logic gates, are disclosed comprising vertical transport field effect transistors and one or more active gates, wherein the number of CPP's for the logic circuit, in isolation, is equal to the number of active gates. The components of the logic circuit can be present in at least three different vertical circuit levels, including a circuit level comprising at least one horizontal plane passing through a conductive element that provides an input voltage to the one or more gate structures and another conductive element that provides an output voltage of the logic circuit, and another circuit level that comprises a horizontal plane passing through a conductive bridge from the N output to P output of the field effect transistors. Such logic circuits can include single-gate inverters, two-gate inverters, NOR2 logic gates, and NAND3 logic gates, among other more complicated logic circuits.
US09680469B1
A driver circuit drives data to an output based on an input data signal in a transmission mode. The driver circuit includes transistors. A comparator generates a comparison output in a calibration mode based on a reference signal and a signal at the output of the driver circuit. A calibration control circuit adjusts an equivalent resistance of the transistors in the driver circuit based on the comparison output in the calibration mode. The equivalent resistance of the transistors in the driver circuit can be adjusted to support the transmission of data according to multiple different data transmission protocols using transmission links having different characteristic impedances. The equivalent resistance of the transistors in the driver circuit can also be adjusted to compensate for resistance in the package routing conductors and/or to compensate for parasitic resistance.
US09680444B2
A multiplexer includes: a first filter connected between a common terminal and a first terminal; a second filter connected between the common terminal and a second terminal, and having a passband lower in frequency than a passband of the first filter; and a resonant circuit including: a first inductor and a capacitor connected in series between a first end and a second end of the resonant circuit, the first end being coupled to a node at which the common terminal diverges into the first filter and the second filter, the second end being coupled to the first filter, and a second inductor connected in parallel to the first inductor and the capacitor between the first end and the second end, wherein the passband of the first filter is higher in frequency than an antiresonant frequency of the resonant circuit.
US09680443B2
An apparatus for operating at least two antennas for a motor vehicle. The apparatus has a switching device to be coupled to the at least two antennas and to perform at least one switching process for changing a respective input capacitance of one antenna of the at least two antennas. A multiplexing device is configured to select one of the at least two antennas for near field communication and to connect it to an output. The multiplexing device and the switching device are configured, when changing over from a first antenna having a first input capacitance to a second antenna having a second input capacitance, to match the second input capacitance to the first input capacitance by performing the switching process.
US09680437B2
A method for equalization contouring provides a reduction of equalization in certain frequency regions either by user control or by automated selection of frequency, without introducing artifacts. A control curve smoothly scales the magnitude of the equalization in the areas where less equalization is desired to obtain a contoured equalization. The control curve varies by frequency and may be defined specifically for every sampled frequency value of the equalization, may be a continuous function of frequency, or may be a function of control points at a select number of frequency points. The control curve may also have automatic inputs, e.g. a machine-detected cutoff frequency of a speaker may be used to determine a control point in the control curve. As another example, the reverberation time (e.g. RT60) may be used to determine a control point in the control curve. The result is a contoured equalization curve without sudden steps.
US09680415B2
Devices and methods are disclosed for generating, filtering, and amplifying signals that are sent and received using SOCs. These improved methods and devices advantageously provide filtering of composite RF signals such that the RF signals can be transmitted with an improved SNR. Such filtered signals can then be transmitted at a higher power. Because filtering is performed at an intermediate frequency, the higher cost of low-noise RF-transmitters and/or RF filtering components can be avoided. Accordingly, less expensive (e.g., noisier) components, such as readily available wireless transceiver SOCs, can be used for generating RF signals, filtering the signals, and then transmitting the filtered signals at higher power. As a result of these devices and methods, inexpensive SOCs may be used at higher powers and over longer ranges than would be normally expected.
US09680398B2
A power supply with a multi-bridge topology configured to provide multiple different bridge topologies during operation. The power supply includes a plurality of half-bridge circuits connected to a controller. The controller can selectively configure the power supply between a plurality of different bridge topologies during operation by controlling the half-bridge circuit.
US09680396B2
DC to AC multi-vector, multi-module switch mode converter capable of producing a fully regulated quazi-sinusoidal output voltage with cancelled N odd harmonics comprises two sets of 2N switch mode modules each with equal output amplitude operating with the output frequency and the means for summation of their outputs. Each switch mode module in the first set operates with its own fixed phase shift, in reference to the first module. Each module phase shift is calculated as a weighted sum of phase shifts for all harmonics to be cancelled Φn=π/n, where n is a number of harmonic and weights are defined by module number. The second set of modules is identical to the first set and produces its own output voltage with cancelled N harmonics too. The output voltages of the first and second sets are proportional to the DC bus voltage. The amplitude of the combined output voltage is regulated by the variable phase shift between the output voltages of the first and the second sets. The switch mode module DC inputs of both sets may be connected to DC power bus in parallel, in series, or in groups.
US09680388B2
In one embodiment, a variable frequency drive system includes a main contactor, a variable frequency drive, a charging module structured to generate a magnetizing AC voltage, wherein the charging module is structured to selectively provide the magnetizing AC voltage to a transformer of the variable frequency drive, and a sensing and control circuit having a number of sensors operably associated with the variable frequency drive. The sensing and control circuit is structured to detect a short circuit condition in the variable frequency drive when the magnetizing AC voltage is provided to the transformer based on an output of at least one of the number of sensors, and responsive thereto prevent the main contactor from being closed and thereby prevent the main AC voltage from being provided to the transformer.
US09680376B2
A power conversion apparatus and individual components thereof is described. In general, the power conversion apparatus converts a DC output received from an appropriate source, such as string of solar panels, to an AC output. The AC output may be a single-phase or three-phase, sinusoidal AC signal. The inverter system may include a boost converter, which is a DC-to-DC converter, and an inverter, which is essentially a DC-AC converter. In operation, the boost converter will boost the DC output from the appropriate source to a desired DC output voltage. The inverter will convert the DC output voltage to a desired single-phase or three-phase output voltage at a desired frequency, such as 50 or 60 hertz. The boost converter and the inverter may be packaged together in an appropriate sealed and weatherproof housing.
US09680365B2
In a typical DC-DC converter, an error amplifier is used to sense and amplify the difference between the feedback voltage and the reference voltage. In the event of current overloading (limit condition), example embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods of over-load protection with voltage fold-back fold back the reference voltage proportional to the current limit. The regulator may continue to regulate in this fold-back voltage reference condition without shutting down the converter, saturating the inductor, or causing a catastrophic failure at the power FETs. The disclosed systems and methods of over-load protection with voltage fold-back resolve consecutive switching cycle current build up in high input voltage DC/DC convertor applications due to the latency of current limit circuitry.
US09680357B2
A method for manufacturing a rotor with permanent magnets may include providing a central core with a desired cross-section; providing a plurality of ferromagnetic discs having a hole shaped in a complementary manner to the cross-section of the central core; stacking up the ferromagnetic discs around the central core to form a cylindrical structure with a longitudinal cavity, wherein the longitudinal cavity is formed by the holes of the stacked-up ferromagnetic discs; integrally blocking together the stacked-up ferromagnetic discs; and removing the central core. A rotor may be manufactured by the method. The rotor may be used in an electric motor.
US09680355B2
A motor includes a rotor assembly includes a rotor and a motor shaft secured to the rotor. The motor further includes stator coils. Circuitry of the motor includes electronic components that cooperatively operate to activate and deactivate the coils to cause the rotor assembly to rotate, and first and second power terminals. An electrically conductive outer housing surrounds the motor. An electrically conductive grounding tab is electrically connected to the first power terminal. The tab contacts a radially-inwardly facing surface of the outer housing to provide a electrostatic discharge path from the outer housing to the ground terminal.
US09680354B2
A winding cooling structure of shaft motor includes a chamber in which multiple annular windings are received. A cooling fluid is filled up in the chamber to possibly contact the surfaces of every part of the respective windings. Therefore, heat generated by the windings can be quickly transferred to the cooling fluid around the windings and dissipated. Accordingly, in operation, the heat dissipation efficiency of the shaft motor can be enhanced to prolong lifetime of the motor and ensure the performance of the motor.
US09680352B2
An apparatus includes a lamination stack for a motor stator. The lamination stack comprises a plurality of conductive laminates. The laminates are coupled to each other in a stacking direction along a stacking axis. Each laminate comprises a base, a plurality of fins extending from a first side of the base, a plurality of spacings between the fins, a row of teeth extending from a second side of the base opposite the first side, each tooth constructed and arranged to communicate with windings of a conductive coil, and a plurality of spacings between the teeth. The lamination stack also comprises a plurality of first channels formed from the spacings between the fins and a plurality of second channels formed from the spacings between the teeth. The first and second channels extend along the stacking axis.
US09680348B2
Methods and systems for measuring angular position include measuring an angular position within one rotation of a primary gear and a secondary gear that are meshed together. The primary gear and secondary gear have a first and second number of teeth respectively, where the first number of teeth and the second number of teeth are different. An angular position for the secondary gear is estimated using the measured primary gear angle and a reference value for each of the primary and secondary angle sensors. A number of primary gear rotations is calculated using the estimated angular position for the secondary gear and the measured angular position of the secondary gear. An angular position of the primary gear is calculated over multiple rotations using the calculated number of primary gear rotations, a reference value for the primary angle sensor, and the measured angle value of the primary gear within one rotation.
US09680346B2
A screw motor includes a stator, a rotor that is rotatably received in the stator and includes a rotor core, and a screw shaft that is coupled to the rotor core to contact the rotor core.
US09680345B2
A stator for a rotating electric machine, including an annular stator core having a plurality of slots circumferentially arranged in the stator core, and a stator winding wound around the stator core and comprised of a plurality of U-shaped conductor segments inserted in the slots and connected to each other. Each conductor segment includes a conductor and a bilayer insulative coating comprised of an insulating layer covering a peripheral surface of the conductor and a protective layer covering a peripheral surface of the insulating layer. The protective layer is formed of a material having a Young's modulus that is equal to or greater than a Young's modulus of the insulating layer at room temperature and less than the Young's modulus of the insulating layer in high temperature environments caused by heat generation of the stator winding.
US09680340B2
An electrically rotating machine, includes a rotor and a stator, the rotor and/or the stator including a laminated core, with an air gap being formed between the rotor and the stator, said rotor having axially and radially extending cooling paths in flow communication with each other and in flow communication with radially extending cooling paths of the stator via the air gap, wherein the radially extending cooling paths of the stator are respectively axially aligned with the radially extending cooling paths of the rotor; at least one fan for conducting an air flow through the axially and radially extending cooling paths of the rotor, the air gap and the cooling paths of the stator, wherein the air gap has at least one constriction defined by sheets of the laminated core of the rotor having an outer radius greater than remaining ones of the sheets of the laminated core of the rotor and/or by sheets of the laminated core of the stator having a smaller inner radius than remaining ones of the sheets of the laminated core of the stator.
US09680336B2
Disclosed is a wireless power transmission apparatus to wirelessly transmit power to a wireless power receiving apparatus by using resonance. The wireless power transmission apparatus includes a transmission part including a transmission coil to receive the power from a power supply to generate a magnetic field, a transmission resonance coil to transmit power received therein from the transmission coil, and a plurality of repeating coils placed in the transmission resonance coil to repeat the power, a detection part to detect a position of the wireless power receiving apparatus placed on the transmission part, and a controller to determine a repeating coil corresponding to the position of the wireless power receiving apparatus and perform a control operation to transmit power through the repeating coil.
US09680331B2
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for controlling wireless charging between a first entity and a second entity. For example, the apparatus may include a receiver communication circuit of the first entity configured to receive a current from a second entity via electromagnetic induction during the charging or alignment with the second entity. The apparatus may include a frequency measurement circuit configured to determine an operating frequency of the received current or a voltage induced by the electromagnetic induction. The apparatus may include a controller configured to compare the operating frequency to a threshold and adjust an operation of the charging or the alignment based on the comparison.
US09680326B2
An apparatus and method are disclosed to control the mutual coupling between wireless power transfer (WPT) enabled devices. Wireless power transfer is best achieved when both the transmitting and receiving device are tuned to substantially the same frequency. Because WPT-enabled devices are coupled to one another during WPT, tuning one WPT-enabled device can cause both devices to converge to a resonance together. Furthermore, a WPT-enabled receiving device can be intentionally detuned to avoid coupling excessive power from a WPT-enabled transmitter device. These concepts can be extended to WPT-enabled device pairs that each has WPT transmission and reception qualities. When multiple WPT-enabled devices interact, tuning information can be stored in one or both of the devices to make the configuration procedure for subsequent WPT interactions more efficient. Various systems are presented to control the mutual coupling between WPT-enabled devices to improve the WPT.
US09680322B2
A compulsory charging and protective circuit for secondary battery after being over discharged is disclosed. The circuit includes a circuit conducting switch, a releasing unit, a triggering unit and a comparing unit. When the secondary battery is over discharged, a temporary electrical connection is provided by the present invention. The loop of the secondary battery and a charger keeps. When the secondary battery recovers from abnormal status, the temporary electrical connection is called off so that the secondary battery can keep normal operation. Thus, when the secondary battery is under over-discharge, it doesn't have to be unloaded for repair to settle the issue. Maintenance costs can be saved.
US09680320B2
A battery control apparatus is provided which can keep an inter-terminal voltage of each single cell within a permitted range while permitted power is controlled in units of a battery pack. The battery control apparatus of the invention restricts the permitted power of the battery pack according to a degree of closeness of a close circuit voltage of the single cell to an upper limit or a lower limit of the permitted range.
US09680316B2
A system comprising a plurality of electronic devices, each comprising a device housing and a rechargeable battery, and a charger comprising a charger housing and arranged for charging said rechargeable batteries, wherein said charger comprises at least one, preferably a plurality of wireless power transmitting coils in said housing and said electronic devices each comprise a wireless power receiving coil in said housing, wherein said power transmitting coils are arranged in an array along an axis, and wherein said charger housing and said device housings are formed such that the power receiving coils of said electronic devices can be placed and held in an array along said axis by placing said electronic devices in an array against each other, such that each power receiving coil has a corresponding power transmitting coil in its vicinity.
US09680311B2
A wireless power system for wirelessly transferring power to a remote device from a wireless power supply at a range of distances. Various embodiments are contemplated in which reflected impedance from the remote device can be reduced by reducing coupling outside the desired wireless power transfer path, allowing delivery of wireless power over a range of distances. For example, a system incorporating one or more of shielding, spacing, and offsetting may be used to reduce reflected impedance from the remote device. An adapter may also be used to extend the range of wireless power transfer.
US09680307B2
Systems and methods for regulating the voltage at a point of interconnection of a renewable energy plant, such as a solar plant, with a grid are provided. A voltage signal indicative of the voltage at the point of interconnection can be received and filtered with a high pass filter to generate a filtered error signal. The high pass filter can block components of the voltage signal at a frequency less than a threshold frequency. A reactive power command for the renewable energy plant can be generated based on the filtered error signal. One or more inverters of the renewable energy plant can be controlled to output reactive power based on the reactive power command. A rejection module can be implemented to prevent adverse interaction with other voltage control devices. In addition, a reset module can be implemented to preserve dynamic reactive power range of the inverters.
US09680306B2
A wind power generation control device, coupled between a wind power generator and a power grid, includes a converter unit and a switching unit. The converter unit includes a generator-side converter, a DC bus capacitor and a grid-side converter, wherein an AC-side of the generator-side converter is coupled to a rotor-side of the wind power generator, a DC-side of the generator-side converter is coupled to the DC bus capacitor, a DC-side of the grid-side converter is coupled to the DC bus capacitor, and an AC-side of the grid-side converter is coupled to the power grid. The switching unit is configured to switch the wind power generation control device between the doubly-fed power generation operating mode and the full-power operating mode according to a wind speed. A wind power generation system uses the wind power generation control device.
US09680300B2
A switch protection circuit includes a discharging circuit and, optionally, a clamping circuit. The discharge circuit operates prior to the switch completing the switching action to discharge capacitance from a signal line of a cable connected to a device under test to a ground voltage. When not discharging, the discharge circuit presents low leakage to a measurement circuit so as not to interfere with such measurement. If present, the clamping circuit clamps a signal line of the cable to a guard structure of the cable so that the discharge circuit can couple both the signal line and the guard structure to ground. The protection circuit operates without significantly worsening low current performance of the measurement instrument.
US09680290B2
An electric cable with protection member that makes it possible to waterproof an electric cable, ensure shock resistance with respect to a portion of the electric cable, and maintain the shape of the electric cable and, furthermore, that is easily adaptable to specification changes and dimensional tolerances and is produced at low cost. An electric cable with protection member includes an electric cable, a tube that is continuous in a circumferential direction, a metal exterior member surrounding the circumference of a portion of the tube, and a plurality of fixing portions. The metal exterior member is a member that is formed in a tubular shape capable of bending deformation and that can maintain a fixed shape against the load of the electric cable and the tube. The fixing portions are portions that can be fixed to a support.
US09680285B2
A laser light-source apparatus includes: fiber amplifiers and a solid state amplifier configured to amplify pulse light output from a seed light source based on gain switching; nonlinear optical elements configured to perform wavelength conversion on the pulse light output from the solid state amplifier; an optical switching element configured to permit or stop propagation of pulse light from the fiber amplifier to the solid state amplifier; and a control unit configured to control the optical switching element in such a manner that the propagation of the light is stopped in an output period of the pulse light from the seed light source, and permitted in a period other than the output period of the pulse light from the seed light source.
US09680283B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for optical communications. One optical amplifier includes an input port; a bar-cross switch optically coupled to the input port; a first gain stage optically coupled between first port of the bar-cross switch and to an output port; and a secondary gain stage optically coupled between a second port and a third port of the bar-cross switch, wherein in a bar-state of the bar-cross switch the secondary gain stage is bypassed and in a cross-state, the secondary gain stage and the first gain stage are applied to an input light beam.
US09680276B2
An illuminator includes a short wave infrared (SWIR) laser, a lens collimator, a first beam shaping diffuser, a second beam shaping diffuser, and a bandpass filter. The lens collimator is optically coupled to the laser for diverging a beam emitted by the laser. The first beam shaping diffuser is optically coupled to the lens collimator to diffuse a diverged beam produced by the lens collimator. The second beam shaping diffuser is optically coupled to the first beam shaping diffuser to further diffuse a diffused beam produced by the first beam shaping diffuser. The bandpass filter is optically connected to the second beam shaping diffuser configured to filter the emissions of a further diffused beam produced by the second beam shaping diffuser.
US09680260B2
A cable connector assembly including: an electrical connector including an insulative housing, a number of contacts retained in the insulative housing and arranged in two rows apart from each other along a vertical direction, and a latch retained in the insulative housing, wherein the contacts arranged in an upper row include a pair of high-frequency signal contacts and the contacts arranged in a lower row include a pair of high-frequency signal contacts, the two pairs of high-frequency signal contacts disposed relative to each other along the vertical direction; and a cable including a number of wires electrically connected with the contacts of the electrical connector; wherein the electrical connector further includes a grounding plate, the grounding plate including a shielding sheet extending between the two pairs of high-frequency signal contacts.
US09680258B2
A plug (1) for electrical equipment, the plug comprising a pin (2) and the pin comprising an electrical terminal contact, the plug further comprising a housing (3), the plug arranged to be received in a socket (10), wherein the pin and the housing configured to enable the pin to be pivoted out of the socket by way of a force applied to a cable entry region of the plug by a cable attached to the plug.
US09680257B2
A card holding member is provided which is able to hold a card having terminal members and which is able to be inserted into a card connector. The card holding member includes a frame portion, side frame portions, and a movable lock portion. The frame portion includes a front frame portion positioned forward in the insertion direction of the card holding member into the card connector. The side frame portions are connected at both ends to the front frame portion. The movable lock portion is positioned on a side frame portion and is able to engage and disengage from a lock portion on the card connector. The movable lock portion receives force from the lock portion of the card connector forward in the insertion direction when engaging the lock portion of the card connector.
US09680248B1
A hybrid plug connector is disclosed in this invention. The hybrid plug connector includes a plug housing, a row of signal terminal assemblies and a row of power terminals. Each power terminal includes two independent and symmetrical conductive plates, which are combined together. Each conductive plate has a first protrusion and a second protrusion located below the first protrusion. When the power terminal is mounted on the plug housing, the first and second protrusions can clamp a beam located in a corresponding power terminal-receiving passage to prevent the power terminal from falling off when being shook up and down.
US09680246B2
A tin-plated/silver-plated laminate which has excellent abrasion resistance, electrical conductivity and slidability and a low frictional property is provided, which prevents the embrittlement of a plating layer contained therein. A method for producing the laminate involves forming a silver plating layer on a tin plating layer that is formed on the surface of a metallic base material by subjecting an arbitrary region in the surface of a tin plating layer to a nickel plating treatment to form a nickel plating layer; subjecting an arbitrary region in the surface of the nickel plating layer to a silver strike plating treatment; and subjecting at least a part of the surface region of the nickel plating layer, which has been subjected to the silver strike plating treatment, to a silver plating treatment.
US09680234B2
A ground-based antenna system includes a first phased array antenna to generate a first directional antenna beam at a first polarization, and a second phased array antenna to generate a second directional antenna beam at a second polarization. The first and second phased array antennas each include a lower antenna element row, an upper antenna element row, and medial antenna element rows therebetween. The ground-based antenna system further includes first and second antenna beam controllers cooperating with the first and second phased array antennas to generate a more steeply sloped phase taper associated with the lower antenna element row, a less steeply sloped phase taper associated with the medial antenna element rows, and a more steeply sloped phase taper associated with the upper antenna element row.
US09680233B2
A multi-antenna array system includes active antennas each of which includes an antenna element and an amplifier that includes a matching circuit, a failure detector, and a circuit controller. The failure detector detects a failure in each of the active antennas, and in a case where a failure is detected in any of the active antennas, the circuit controller performs control to change a matching condition of the matching circuit included in each of the active antennas not having a failure such that total output power of the multi-antenna array system is maintained.
US09680230B1
An improved antenna reflector coating and a method for applying the coating is disclosed. A region of the reflector surface smaller than the entire reflective surface is identified and designated for hydrophobic treatment, and thereafter hydrophobically treated. Provision is made for identifying the region according to desired parameters and in consideration of multiple LNB embodiments.
US09680228B2
An antenna apparatus is provided. The antenna apparatus includes a first section including at least one slit spaced apart from an outer edge of the antenna apparatus by a predetermined distance, a second section distinguished from the first section through the slit, and a feeding module for supplying a current to at least one of the first section and the second section.
US09680224B2
The multiple polarization loop antenna includes a circularly polarized loop antenna, which may utilize a loop electrical conductor and two signal feedpoints along the loop electrical conductor separated by one quarter of the length of the loop circumference for a signal feedpoint phase angle input difference of 90 degrees. Each of the signal feedpoints may include a loop discontinuity, so that at least one signal source coupled thereto provides circular polarization from the loop electrical conductor. The circularly polarized loop antenna provides an increase in gain and decrease in size relative to the dipole turnstile. It can provide two orthogonal polarizations from two isolated ports, and the polarizations may be dual linear or dual circular.
US09680219B2
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for antenna switching. In one embodiment, a wireless communication apparatus is provided. The wireless communication apparatus includes a plurality of antennas including a first antenna and a second antenna. The wireless communication apparatus further includes at least one receive circuit including a first receive circuit. The wireless communication apparatus further includes a controller configured to selectively switch the first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the first antenna to receive wireless communications via the second antenna if one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna are below a threshold in one or more measurement cycles, the one or more measurement cycles including a wake-up cycle outside of a predetermined wake-up cycle. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US09680212B2
Grounding apparatus for mobile devices and methods of utilizing and manufacturing the same. In one embodiment, an outer metallized surface of a mobile device is configured to capacitively couple a metal back cover to the device ground. Specifically, in one implementation, an exterior surface of the mobile device is metalized and coupled to the device ground via galvanic contacts. The exterior metalized surface is configured to be capacitively coupled a metal back cover of a mobile device to the device ground when the back cover is installed on the mobile device. By capacitively coupling the back cover to the device ground via the exterior metalized surface, the need to otherwise ground the back cover through the use of galvanic contacts is obviated, thereby reducing the number of components needed.
US09680211B2
The present invention relates to ultra-wideband (UWB) directional circular-field-polarization antennae. The technical result consists in development of a UWB antenna in which a unidirectional radiation is naturally generated within a wide or ultra-wide frequency band and generally does not require the use of an absorber on a back side of a radiating element. The UWB antenna comprises: a dielectric substrate; at least one feed line formed on the dielectric substrate; a spiral radiating element formed on the substrate and coupled to said at least one feed line; at least one additional dielectric substrate arranged in parallel with and above said dielectric substrate, wherein a flat printed cavity of an axially-symmetric shape is formed on said at least one additional dielectric substrate, said cavity being arranged coaxially with the spiral radiating element.
US09680209B2
The present disclosure relates to an RF antenna adapted to receive and/or transmit electromagnetic RF signals within a first frequency range enclosing a first frequency of resonance of the RF antenna, the RF antenna comprising: an electrically conductive antenna element having a feed for electrically connecting to an RF transmitter and/or an RF receiver; an electronic component adapted to receive and/or provide one or more electric signals from/to an electronic circuit within a second frequency range not overlapping the first frequency range; and one or more electric leads electrically connected to lead the one or more electric signals between the electronic component and the electronic circuit, each of the one or more electric leads being electrically connected to the electronic circuit through a respective inductor adapted to reflect and/or attenuate signals within the first frequency range and pass signals within the second frequency range.
US09680198B2
A lightning protection system for a radome, the system comprising at least one lightning protection strip positioned on an inner wall of the radome, wherein the lightning protection strip defines, on the inner wall of the radome, a curve that is substantially perpendicular, at all points thereof, to the polarization direction of the electrical field vector radiated by an antenna across from the inner wall of the radome.
US09680195B2
A high-frequency signal line includes a dielectric body including a first dielectric layer and one or more other dielectric layers laminated together. A first signal line is provided on a first main surface, which is a main surface located on one side in a direction of lamination, of the first dielectric layer. A second signal line is provided on a second main surface, which is a main surface located on another side in the lamination direction, of the first dielectric layer so as to face the first signal line via the first dielectric layer. The second signal line is electrically connected to the first signal line. A first ground conductor is located on one side in the lamination direction than the first signal line. A second ground conductor is located on another side in the lamination direction than the second signal line.
US09680194B2
Orthomode transducers (OMTs) and methods of fabricating OMTs are disclosed. According to disclosed embodiments, an OMT includes a housing defining an internal waveguide. The housing may be composed of a first cast housing member attached to a second cast housing member. The first housing member may include a first side of the waveguide that is cast into the first housing member. The second housing member may include a second side of the waveguide that is cast into the second housing member. A method of fabricating an OMT may include arranging at least one casting insert in at least one mold, casting the housing in the mold and casting a waveguide in the housing using the at least one casting insert. The disclosed devices and methods provide cost effective solutions for fabricating OMTs of various operating frequencies that share a substantially similar outer housing shape and size.
US09680189B2
A solar cell phone includes a housing having a keypad, a display screen, other electronic components and a rechargeable battery. A diode switch within the housing is electrically connected to the rechargeable battery. A plurality of solar panels are mounted to the housing and electrically connected to the diode switch. The diode switch will allow the solar panels to supply electrical power to the rechargeable battery. An auxiliary battery within the housing receives electrical power from the solar panels. The auxiliary battery will store the electrical power to recharge the rechargeable battery when the diode switch is in a non-operative position, so that the rechargeable battery will continue to operate the keypad, the display screen and the other electronic components within the housing.
US09680183B2
This invention provides a lithium secondary battery comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. On the negative electrode surface, there is present a cyclic siloxane and/or a reaction product thereof. The cyclic siloxane is a cyclic siloxane having at least one side chain comprising a dimethylsiloxy group (a siloxy side chain-containing cyclic siloxane).
US09680166B2
Techniques and implementations pertaining to an integrated gas diffusion layer with a sealing function are described. A method for making the integrated gas diffusion layer with the sealing function may involve placing a gas diffusion member inside a mold followed by injecting a sealing material into the mold. The method may also involve having the sealing material substantially covers a peripheral portion of the gas diffusion member and at least partially penetrates into a peripheral portion of the gas diffusion member. The method may further involve curing the sealing material to form a sealing member having a lip ring. A height of a portion of the mold corresponding to a non-lip ring portion of the sealing member is less than or equal to a thickness of the gas diffusion member.
US09680164B2
Provided are a current collector for a fuel cell and a stack structure having the same. The fuel cell includes an electrolyte layer, and an air electrode layer and a fuel electrode layer on both surfaces of the electrolyte layer and generates electricity, and the current collector includes an even surface configured to electrically surface-contact with the air electrode layer or the fuel electrode layer; and a plurality of openings punched so that air or a fuel gas directly contacts with the air electrode layer or the fuel electrode layer.
US09680159B2
The present application is directed to mesoporous carbon materials comprising bi-functional catalysts. The mesoporous carbon materials find utility in any number of electrical devices, for example, in lithium-air batteries. Methods for making the disclosed carbon materials, and devices comprising the same, are also disclosed.
US09680155B2
The present invention relates to a cable-type secondary battery having a horizontal cross section of a predetermined shape and extending longitudinally, comprising: an inner electrode comprising a wire-type inner current collector having a first metal tab formed to be extended in a predetermined length at one end thereof, and an inner electrode active material layer formed on the surface of the inner current collector; a separator layer formed on the outer surface of the inner electrode active material layer; and an outer electrode formed on the outer surface of the separator layer, and comprising an outer electrode active material layer and an outer current collector having a second metal tab formed to be extended in a predetermined length at one end thereof.
US09680140B2
A battery anode component for a battery cell including a current collector component having a lithium receiving side in which at least two spatially separated recesses are formed as lithium receiving chambers, at least two lithium-based anode material units which are situated in the at least two lithium receiving chambers, and a protective cover which covers the lithium receiving side at least partially and with the aid of which outer surfaces of the at least two lithium-based anode material units which are exposed by the current collector component are covered. A method is also described for manufacturing a battery anode component for a battery cell.
US09680134B2
The present disclosure provides a packaging method, a packaging structure and a display device. The packaging method comprises forming a pattern of a packaging adhesive on a packaging area of a first substrate, and forming a heat dissipating structure on the packaging area of any of the first substrate and a second substrate; attaching the first substrate and the second substrate, and aligning the packaging area of the first substrate with that of the second substrate; illuminating the pattern of the packaging adhesive by a laser beam to melt and frit it, so as to form a packaging adhesive structure between the first and second substrates. In the present invention, in the case that the heat dissipating structure is manufactured on the packaging area, when the packaging adhesive is illuminated by the laser beam to be melted, the heat dissipating structure can quickly dissipate the heat, effectively suppress the rapid increase of the substrate temperature caused by the laser illumination, and reduce the damage to the drive back plate.
US09680128B2
A foldable organic light emitting display (OLED) device comprises a substrate including a display region and a non-display region, the non-display region located at a periphery of the display region; an emitting diode in the display region; and an encapsulation film covering both the emitting diode and an entirety of the display region, and the encapsulation film covering and a part of the non-display region without covering at least another part of the non-display region.
US09680124B2
An organic electroluminescent device includes first and second electrode and an organic light emitting layer. The first electrode has an upper face. The organic light emitting layer is provided on the first electrode. The second electrode is provided on the organic light emitting layer. The second electrode includes a plurality of conductive parts. The conductive parts extend in a first direction parallel to the upper face and are arranged in a second direction. The second direction is parallel to the upper face and intersects with the first direction. When a length of each of the conductive parts in the second direction is set to W1 (micrometer), and a pitch of each of the conductive parts is set to P1 (micrometer). The W1 and the P1 satisfy a relationship of W1≧−647(1−W1/P1)+511 and a relationship of W1≦−882(1−W1/P1)+847.
US09680121B2
The present invention discloses an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and an electronic device, wherein the OLED includes a first carrier transport layer and a second carrier transport layer that are set opposite to each other, and a light-emitting layer; the light-emitting layer includes a first light-emitting sub-layer with a hollow structure, and a second light-emitting sub-layer which includes a body part and a projecting part, wherein the projecting part projects from the body part and is accommodated in the hollow structure; wherein a surface of the first light-emitting sub-layer and a surface of the projecting part form the first surface of the light-emitting layer, and a surface of the body part forms the second surface of the light-emitting layer. By the present invention, the working voltage is lowered, the power consumption is reduced, and in addition, the manufacturing process is simplified due to the reduction of the number of layers.
US09680113B2
Phosphorescent metal complexes comprising a pendant redox-active metallocene are disclosed. These complexes are useful as emitters for phosphorescent OLEDs.
US09680105B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards techniques and configurations for hybrid carbon-metal interconnect structures in integrated circuit assemblies. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate, a metal interconnect layer disposed on the substrate and configured to serve as a growth initiation layer for a graphene layer and the graphene layer, wherein the graphene layer is formed directly on the metal interconnect layer, the metal interconnect layer and the graphene layer being configured to route electrical signals. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09680104B2
A solid-state image pickup unit of the invention includes a plurality of pixels, each of which includes a photoelectric conversion element. The photoelectric conversion element includes a photoelectric conversion layer; and first and second electrodes provided with the photoelectric conversion layer in between, the photoelectric conversion layer including a first organic semiconductor of a first conductive type and a second organic semiconductor of a second conductive type, and being configured by addition of a third organic semiconductor made of a derivative or an isomer of one of the first and second organic semiconductors.
US09680099B2
A method for forming an organic semiconductor film includes: forming a solution film by applying a solution containing an organic semiconductor material and a solvent to at least a part of a substrate; and drying the solution film by irradiating at least a part of the solution film with electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of at least 8 μm and an energy density of from 0.1 to 10 J/cm2 on the surface of the solution film before the solution film dries. An organic semiconductor film having good crystallinity can be formed by the method.
US09680094B2
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a first electrode, a first resistance change layer, a first insulating section, a second electrode and an intermediate layer. The first resistance change layer is provided on the first electrode. The first insulating section is provided on the first resistance change layer. The second electrode is provided on the first resistance change layer. The second electrode is in contact with the first resistance change layer. The intermediate layer is provided between the second electrode and the first insulating section. The intermediate layer is in contact with the second electrode and the first insulating section.
US09680083B2
A composite substrate 10 includes a piezoelectric substrate 12 and a support layer 14 bonded to the piezoelectric substrate 12. The support layer 14 is made of a material having no crystalline anisotropy in a bonded surface thereof and has a smaller thickness than the piezoelectric substrate 12. The piezoelectric substrate 12 and the support layer 14 are bonded together with an adhesive layer 16 therebetween. The composite substrate 10 has a total thickness of 180 μm or less. The base thickness ratio Tr=t2/(t1+t2) is 0.1 to 0.4, where t1 is the thickness of the piezoelectric substrate 12, and t2 is the thickness of the support layer 14. The thickness t1 is 100 μm or less. The thickness t2 is 50 μm or less.
US09680079B2
As the first conductive paste, a paste is used which is made by adding an organic solvent to powder of alloy in which a plurality of atoms keep a given crystal structure constant. As the second conductive paste, a paste is used which is made by adding an organic solvent to powder of metal different in kind from the alloy. In a step of making the stack body, cavities are formed in the stack body. In a uniting step, the cavities work to facilitate flow of thermoplastic resin to absorb pressure acting in a direction different from a direction in which pressure exerted on the first conductive paste to unite the stack body, thereby resulting in an increase in pressure for the uniting to solid-state sinter the first conductive paste to make the first layer-to-layer connecting member.
US09680065B2
A light emitting device and a light emitting device package are provided. The light emitting device may include a substrate, a light emitting structure provided under the substrate and including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive semiconductor layer, a first insulating layer configured to expose the second conductive semiconductor layer and provided on a lower edge of the light emitting structure, a first light permeable electrode layer provided under the second conductive semiconductor layer exposed by the first insulating layer, a second light permeable electrode layer provided under the first insulating layer and the first light permeable electrode layer, and a reflective layer provided under the second light permeable electrode layer.
US09680059B2
A flip-chip light emitting diode, including a substrate, an N-type semiconductor layer, a light emitting layer and a P-type semiconductor layer series mounted along a height direction of the flip-chip light emitting diode. A P electrode is formed on the P-type semiconductor layer and an N electrode is formed on the N-type semiconductor. A top surface of the substrate is away from the light emitting layer. A plurality of micron main portions is formed on the top surface. An outer surface of each main body has a plurality of nanometer protrusions. A method for manufacturing the flip chip light emitting diode is also provided.
US09680045B2
Photovoltaic devices including direct gap III-V absorber materials and operatively associated back structures enhance efficiency by enabling photon recycling. The back structures of the photovoltaic devices include wide bandgap III-V layers, highly doped (In)GaAs layers, patterned oxide layers and metal reflectors that directly contact the highly doped (In)GaAs layers through vias formed in the back structures. Localized ohmic contacts are formed in the back structures of the devices.
US09680042B2
The present invention concerns a plating method for manufacturing of electrical contacts on a solar module wherein the wiring between silicon solar cells in a solar module is deposited by electroplating onto a conductive seed. The wiring between individual silicon solar cells comprises wiring reinforcement pillars which improve the reliability of said wiring.
US09680031B2
Provided is an in-wiring-layer active element (component) which allows for electrical isolation between a gate electrode and a channel in a top gate structure. A semiconductor device includes a first wiring layer, a second wiring layer, and a semiconductor element. The first wiring layer has a first interlayer insulating layer, and a first wire embedded in the first interlayer insulating layer. The second wiring layer has a second interlayer insulating layer, and second wires embedded in the second interlayer insulating layer. The semiconductor element is provided at least in the second wiring layer. The semiconductor element includes a semiconductor layer provided in the second wiring layer, a gate insulating film provided in contact with the semiconductor layer, a gate electrode provided on the opposite side of the semiconductor layer via the first gate insulating film, and a first side wall film provided over a side surface of the semiconductor layer.
US09680030B1
An enhancement-mode n-type field effect transistor is disclosed to have a metal oxide channel layer, a gate dielectric layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. The metal oxide channel layer has a material selected from SnO2, ITO, ZnO, SnO2 and In2O3. The metal oxide channel layer has a thickness less than a threshold value to exhibit pinch-off behavior in transfer characteristics and has a mobility trend without saturation under positive operational voltage.
US09680022B1
A semiconductor device is provided, including a substrate with an isolation layer formed thereon, wherein the substrate has a fin protruding up through the isolation layer to form a top surface and a pair of lateral sidewalls of the fin above the isolation layer; a silicon-germanium (SiGe) layer epitaxially grown on the top surface and the lateral sidewalls of the fin; and a gate stack formed on the isolation layer and across the fin, wherein the fin and the gate stack respectively extend along a first direction and a second direction. The SiGe layer formed on the top surface has a first thickness, the SiGe layer formed on said lateral sidewall has a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is in a range of 1:10 to 1:30.
US09680020B2
A method for forming fin field effect transistors includes epitaxially growing source and drain (S/D) regions on fins, the S/D regions including a diamond-shaped cross section and forming a dielectric liner over the S/D regions. A dielectric fill is etched over the S/D regions to expose a top portion of the diamond-shaped cross section. The fins are recessed into the diamond-shaped cross section. A top portion of the diamond-shaped cross section of the S/D regions is exposed. A contact liner is formed on the top portion of the diamond-shaped cross section of the S/D regions and in a recess where the fins were recessed. Contacts are formed over surfaces of the top portion and in the recess.
US09680019B1
Device structures for a fin-type field-effect transistor (FinFET) and methods for fabricating a device structure for a FinFET. A fin comprised of a semiconductor material having a first crystal structure is formed. A dielectric layer is formed that includes an opening aligned with the fin. A dummy gate structure is removed from the opening in the dielectric layer. After the dummy gate structure is removed, a section of the fin aligned with the opening is implanted with non-dopant ions to amorphize the first crystal structure of the semiconductor material of the fin. After the section of the fin is implanted, the section of the fin is annealed such that the semiconductor material in the section of the fin recrystallizes with a second crystal structure incorporating internal strain.
US09680007B2
A method for fabricated a buried recessed access device comprising etching a plurality of gate trenches in a substrate, implanting and activating a source/drain region in the substrate, depositing a dummy gate in each of the plurality of gate trenches, filling the plurality of gate trenches with an oxide layer, removing each dummy gate and depositing a high-K dielectric in the plurality of gate trenches, depositing a metal gate on the high-K dielectric in each of the plurality of gate trenches, depositing a second oxide layer on the metal gate and forming a contact on the source/drain.
US09680006B2
A silicon carbide semiconductor device includes a silicon carbide layer having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface. In the second main surface of the silicon carbide layer, a trench having a depth in a direction from the second main surface toward the first main surface is provided, and the trench has a sidewall portion where a second layer and a third layer are exposed and a bottom portion, where a first layer is exposed. A position of the bottom portion of the trench in a direction of depth of the trench is located on a side of the second main surface relative to a site located closest to the first main surface in a region where the second layer and the first layer are in contact with each other, or located as deep as the site in the direction of depth.
US09680002B2
Semiconductor devices and manufacturing methods are provided for making channel and gate lengths independent from lithography. Also, semiconductor devices and manufacturing methods are provided for increasing resistivity between drain and channel to allow for higher voltage operation. For example, a semiconductor device includes a first doped layer implanted in a semiconductor substrate forming one of a source or a drain and a gate metal layer disposed over the first doped layer. The semiconductor device further includes a second doped layer disposed over the gate metal forming the other the source or the drain, where the first doped layer, the gate metal layer and the second doped layer form a vertical stack of layers of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device further includes a conduction channel formed in a trench that extends vertically through the vertical stack of layers and terminates at the semiconductor substrate.
US09679998B2
In one embodiment, a bi-directional punch-through semiconductor device can include: a first transistor in a first region of a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, where the first transistor includes a semiconductor buried layer of a second conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate, and a first epitaxy region of an epitaxy semiconductor layer above the semiconductor buried layer, the semiconductor buried layer being configured as a base of the first transistor; and a second transistor coupled in parallel with the first transistor, where the second transistor is in a second region of the semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type, where the second transistor comprises a second epitaxy region of the epitaxy semiconductor layer above the semiconductor substrate, and a first doped region of the second conductivity type in the second epitaxy region, the first doped region being configured as a base of the second transistor.
US09679990B2
Semiconductor structures and methods of fabrication are provided, with one or both of an extended source-to-channel interface or an extended drain-to-channel interface. The fabrication method includes, for instance, recessing a semiconductor material to form a cavity adjacent to a channel region of a semiconductor structure being fabricated, the recessing forming a first cavity surface and a second cavity surface within the cavity; and implanting one or more dopants into the semiconductor material through the first cavity surface to define an implanted region within the semiconductor material, and form an extended channel interface, the extended channel interface including, in part, an interface of the implanted region within the semiconductor material to the channel region of the semiconductor structure. In one embodiment, the semiconductor structure with the extended channel interface is a FinFET.
US09679989B2
A method of manufacturing an insulated gate type switching device includes forming a gate trench that has a first portion with a first width in a first direction and a second portion with a second width in the first direction, the second width being wider than the first width. In an oblique implantation, second conductivity type impurities are irradiated at an irradiation angle inclined around an axis orthogonal to the first direction. The first width, the second width, and the irradiation angle are set such that the second conductivity type impurities are suppressed, at a first side surface of the first portion, from being implanted into a part below a lower end of a second semiconductor region, and at a second side surface of the second portion, the impurities are implanted into the part below the lower end of the second semiconductor region.
US09679983B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including isolation regions defining first and second active regions having a first and second conductivity type, respectively, first threshold voltage control regions in predetermined regions of the first active region, wherein the first threshold voltage control regions have the first conductivity type and a different impurity concentration from the first active region, a first gate trench extending across the first active region, wherein portions of side bottom portions of the first gate trench adjacent to the respective isolation region are disposed at a higher level than a central bottom portion of the first gate trench, and the first threshold voltage control regions remain in the first active region under the side bottom portions of the first gate trench adjacent to the respective isolation region, and a first gate pattern. Methods of manufacturing such semiconductor devices are also provided.
US09679982B2
According to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, hard mask lines are formed in parallel in a substrate and the substrate between the hard mask lines is etched to form grooves. A portion of the hard mask line and a portion of the substrate between the grooves are etched. A top surface of the etched portion of the substrate between the grooves is higher than a bottom surface of the groove. A conductive layer is formed to fill the grooves. The conductive layer is etched to form conductive patterns in the grooves, respectively.
US09679980B2
The present disclosure relates to an embedded flash memory cell having a common source oxide layer with a substantially flat top surface, disposed between a common source region and a common erase gate, and a method of formation. In some embodiments, the embedded flash memory cell has a semiconductor substrate with a common source region separated from a first drain region by a first channel region and separated from a second drain region by a second channel region. A high-quality common source oxide layer is formed by an in-situ steam generation (ISSG) process at a location overlying the common source region. First and second floating gate are disposed over the first and second channel regions on opposing sides of a common erase gate having a substantially flat bottom surface abutting a substantially flat top surface of the common source oxide layer.
US09679965B1
A semiconductor device includes a wire pattern spaced apart from a substrate and extended in a first direction, a gate electrode disposed around a circumference of the wire pattern and extended in a second direction that is different from the first direction, a source disposed on a first side of the gate electrode, a drain disposed on a second side of the gate electrode, the source and the drain connected to the wire pattern and a gate spacer disposed on first and second sidewalls of the gate electrode, on the source and on the drain.
US09679944B2
An electronic device is provided. An electronic device according to an example of the disclosed technology includes a semiconductor memory, the semiconductor memory including: a substrate including a recess formed in the substrate; a gate including at least a portion that is buried in the substrate; a junction formed at both sides of the gate in the substrate; and a memory element electrically connected to the junction at one side of the gate, wherein the junction includes: a barrier layer formed over the recess such that a thickness of the barrier layer formed over a bottom surface of the recess is different from that of the barrier layer formed over a side surface of the recess; a contact pad formed over the barrier layer so as to fill the recess; and an impurity region formed in the substrate and located under the contact pad.
US09679939B1
A backside illuminated (BSI) image sensor device includes a device layer, a doped isolation region and a doped radiation sensing region. The device layer has a front side and a backside, in which the device layer has a thickness greater than or equal to 4 μm. The doped isolation region having a first dopant of a first conductivity is through the device layer to define a plurality of pixel regions of the device layer, in which the doped isolation region includes a first upper region adjacent to the front side and a first lower region between the first upper region and the backside, and the first upper region has a width less than a width of the first lower region. The doped radiation sensing region having a second dopant of a second conductivity opposite to the first conductivity is in one of the pixel regions of the device layer.
US09679938B2
A semiconductor device having a first semiconductor section including a first wiring layer at one side thereof; a second semiconductor section including a second wiring layer at one side thereof, the first and second semiconductor sections being secured together with the respective first and second wiring layer sides of the first and second semiconductor sections facing each other; a conductive material extending through the first semiconductor section to the second wiring layer of the second semiconductor section and by means of which the first and second wiring layers are in electrical communication; and an opening, other than the opening for the conductive material, which extends through the first semiconductor section to the second wiring layer.
US09679937B2
A semiconductor device with a connection pad in a substrate, the connection pad having an exposed surface made of a metallic material that diffuses less readily into a dielectric layer than does a metal of a wiring layer connected thereto.
US09679932B2
Provided is a solid-state imaging device including a lamination-type backside illumination CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor having a global shutter function. The solid-state imaging device includes a separation film including one of a light blocking film and a light absorbing film between a memory and a photo diode.
US09679931B2
A curved image sensor system includes (a) an image sensor substrate having a concave light-receiving surface, a pixel array located along the concave light-receiving surface, and a planar external surface facing away from the concave light-receiving surface, (b) a light-transmitting substrate bonded to the image sensor substrate by a bonding layer, and (c) a hermetically sealed cavity, bounded at least by the concave light-receiving surface, the light-transmitting substrate, and the bonding layer.
US09679928B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a substrate and a photoelectric conversion region. The substrate has a charge accumulation region. The photoelectric conversion region is provided on the substrate. The photoelectric conversion region is configured to generate signal charges to be accumulated in the charge accumulation region. The photoelectric conversion region comprises a material that is not transparent.
US09679927B2
A liquid crystal display includes a first pixel and a second pixel that extend in a data line direction. The first and second pixels are connected to a same data line, and the first pixel is closer to a data driver than the second pixel. A channel width of a thin film transistor of the first pixel is less than a channel width of a thin film transistor of the second pixel.
US09679926B2
A method of manufacturing a pixel structure includes: forming a source, a drain and a first capacitor electrode; forming a semiconductor layer in contact with a portion of the source and a portion of the drain; forming a gate and a second capacitor electrode, and the second capacitor electrode substantially aligned with the first capacitor electrode; forming a gate insulating layer between the semiconductor layer, the source, the drain and the first capacitor electrode, and the gate and the second capacitor electrode; forming a passivation layer over the source, the drain, the first capacitor electrode, the semiconductor layer, the gate and the second capacitor electrode; and forming a pixel electrode over the passivation layer, and the pixel electrode substantially aligned with the first capacitor electrode.
US09679924B2
An array substrate and manufacturing method thereof, a display device are provided. The array substrate includes a display region and a non-display region; the non-display region includes a first laminated structure and a second laminated structure that are separately disposed on a base substrate, a gap between the first laminated structure and the second laminated structure constitutes a connecting hole; the first laminated structure includes a first via hole provided for exposing a first metal layer, the second laminated structure includes a second via hole provided for exposing a second metal layer, the first via hole and the second via hole are connected to a connecting hole via breaches on corresponding walls, and the first metal layer and the second metal are electrically connected with a conductive film.
US09679917B2
An integrated FinFET and deep trench capacitor structure and methods of manufacture are provided. The method includes forming deep trench capacitor structures in a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer. The method further includes forming a plurality of composite fin structures from a semiconductor material of the SOI wafer and conductive material of the deep trench capacitor structures. The method further includes forming a liner over the deep trench capacitor structures including the conductive material of the deep trench capacitor structures. The method further includes forming replacement gate structures with the liner over the deep trench capacitor structures protecting the conductive material during deposition and etching processes.
US09679910B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes: a substrate; a first stacked body; a semiconductor film; a charge storage film; and a second stacked body. The first stacked body includes: a plurality of first insulating layers; and a plurality of electrode layers. The second stacked body includes: a plurality of second insulating layers; a first insulating film provided between the plurality of second insulating layers and including a material different from that of the plurality of first insulating layers, the plurality of second insulating layers, and the plurality of electrode layers; and a second insulating film provided between the first insulating film and the substrate via the plurality of second insulating layers, including a same material as the first insulating film, and having lower film density than the first insulating film.
US09679909B2
A method for forming a split-gate flash memory cell, and the resulting integrated circuit, are provided. A semiconductor substrate having memory cell and capacitor regions are provided. The capacitor region includes one or more sacrificial shallow trench isolation (STI) regions. A first etch is performed into the one or more sacrificial STI regions to remove the one or more sacrificial STI regions and to expose one or more trenches corresponding to the one or more sacrificial STI regions. Dopants are implanted into regions of the semiconductor substrate lining the one or more trenches. A conductive layer is formed filling the one or more trenches. A second etch is performed into the conductive layer to form one of a control gate and a select gate of a memory cell over the memory cell region, and to form an upper electrode of a finger trench capacitor over the capacitor region.
US09679908B2
Provided is a semiconductor device having improved performance. In a semiconductor substrate located in a memory cell region, a memory cell of a nonvolatile memory is formed while, in the semiconductor substrate located in a peripheral circuit region, a MISFET is formed. At this time, over the semiconductor substrate located in the memory cell region, a control gate electrode and a memory gate electrode each for the memory cell are formed first. Then, an insulating film is formed so as to cover the control gate electrode and the memory gate electrode. Subsequently, the upper surface of the insulating film is polished to be planarized. Thereafter, a conductive film for the gate electrode of the MISFET is formed and then patterned to form a gate electrode or a dummy gate electrode for the MISFET in the peripheral circuit region.
US09679906B2
A monolithic three-dimensional memory device includes a first memory block containing a plurality of memory sub-blocks located on a substrate. Each memory sub-block includes a set of memory stack structures and a portion of alternating layers laterally surrounding the set of memory stack structures. The alternating layers include insulating layers and electrically conductive layers. A first portion of a neighboring pair of memory sub-blocks is laterally spaced from each other along a first horizontal direction by a backside contact via structure. A subset of the alternating layers contiguously extends between a second portion of the neighboring pair of memory sub-blocks through a gap in a bridge region between two portions of the backside contact via structure that are laterally spaced apart along a second horizontal direction to provide a connecting portion between the neighboring pair of memory sub-blocks.
US09679903B2
An anti-fuse based on a Field Nitride Trap (FNT) is disclosed. The anti-fuse includes a first active pillar including a first junction, a second active pillar including a second junction, a selection line buried between the first active pillar and the second active pillar, and a trap layer for electrically coupling the first junction to the second junction by trapping minority carriers according to individual voltages applied to the first junction, the second junction and the selection line. As a result, the fuse can be highly integrated through the above-mentioned structure, and programming of the fuse can be easily achieved.
US09679902B2
A layout of a random access memory is provided. The layer comprises a first sub-layout having a first pattern including a first number (N1) of first patterns and an adjacent second pattern having a second number (N2) of second patterns; a second sub-layout having a first gate pattern and a second gate pattern; and an interchangeable third sub-layout having covering patterns variable for forming different static random access memory when used with the first sub-layout and the second sub-layout.
US09679888B1
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) device for an integrated circuit includes a substrate having a longitudinally extending fin dispose thereon. A first n-type FinFET (NFET) is disposed within the fin. The NFET includes an n-type source, an n-type drain and a p-well disposed within the substrate under the source and drain. A p-type FinFET (PFET) is disposed within the fin. The PFET includes a p-type source/drain region and an n-well disposed within the substrate under the source/drain region. The n-well and p-well are located proximate enough to each other to form an np junction therebetween. The p-type source/drain region of the PFET and the n-type drain of the NFET are electrically connected to a common input node.
US09679887B1
A device is disclosed that includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a first PODE device. The second transistor is electrically coupled to the first transistor. The first PODE device is adjacent to a drain/source region of the second transistor. A control end of the first PODE device is electrically coupled to a drain/source end of the second transistor.
US09679880B2
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a normally off transistor having a first source, a first drain, a first gate connected to a common gate terminal, and a body diode, a normally on transistor having a second source connected to the first drain, a second drain, and a second gate, a capacitor provided between the common gate terminal and the second gate, a first diode having a first anode connected to between the capacitor and the second gate and a first cathode connected to the first source, and a second diode having a second anode connected to the first source and a second cathode connected to the second drain.
US09679873B2
An integrated circuit (IC) package that includes a first die, a wire bond coupled to the first die, a first encapsulation layer that at least partially encapsulates the first die and the wire bond, a second die, a redistribution portion coupled to the second die, and a second encapsulation layer that at least partially encapsulates the second die. In some implementations, the wire bond is coupled to the redistribution portion. In some implementations, the integrated circuit (IC) package further includes a package interconnect that is at least partially encapsulated by the second encapsulation layer. In some implementations, the integrated circuit (IC) package further includes a via that is at least partially encapsulated by the second encapsulation layer. In some implementations, the integrated circuit (IC) package has a height of about 500 microns (μm) or less.
US09679871B1
A multiple memory access system is disclosed. The system includes a first die disposed on a package substrate. A second die is stacked above the first die. The first die, the second die and the package substrate form a first package. An IC is placed within a close proximity of the first package where the first die communicates with the second die at a first data rate while the first die communicates with the IC at a second data rate. The first data rate is higher than the second data rate.
US09679864B2
A method forming a packaged semiconductor device includes providing a first semiconductor die (first die) having bond pads thereon mounted face-up on a package substrate or on a die pad of a lead frame (substrate), wherein the substrate includes terminals or contact pads (substrate pads). A first dielectric layer is formed including printing a first dielectric precursor layer including a first ink having a first liquid carrier solvent extending from the substrate pads to the bond pads. A first interconnect precursor layer is printed including a second ink having a second liquid carrier over the first dielectric layer extending from the substrate pads to the bond pads. Sintering or curing the first interconnect precursor layer removes at least the second liquid carrier to form an electrically conductive interconnect including an ink residue which connects respective substrate pads to respective bond pads.
US09679860B2
A bump-equipped electronic component includes a circuit substrate and first and second bumps which are disposed on a principal surface of the circuit substrate and have different cross-sectional areas in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the principal surface. One of the first and second bumps having a smaller cross-sectional area includes a height adjustment layer disposed in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the principal surface.
US09679853B2
A package-on-package (PoP)-type package includes a first semiconductor package having a first passive element and a first semiconductor device mounted on a first substrate, and a second semiconductor package having a second semiconductor device mounted on a second substrate. The first passive element is electrically connected to the second semiconductor device. Related devices are also discussed.
US09679851B2
A graphene wring structure of an embodiment includes multilayer graphene, a first interlayer compound existing in an interlayer space of the multilayer graphene, and a second interlayer compound existing in the interlayer space of the multilayer graphene. The second interlayer compound containing at least one of an oxide, a nitride and a carbide.
US09679850B2
A semiconductor structure having tapered damascene aperture is disclosed. The semiconductor structure including an etching stop layer over an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer, a low-k dielectric layer over the etching stop layer, and a tapered aperture at least going into the low-k dielectric layer; wherein the tapered aperture is filled with copper (Cu), a width of a mouth surface portion of the aperture tapers inwardly from a first, wider width to a second, narrower width at a bottom surface portion of the aperture, and the width of the bottom surface portion of the tapered aperture is less than 50 nm. Associated methods of fabricating a semiconductor structure are also disclosed.
US09679848B2
An interconnect and a method of forming an interconnect for a semiconductor device is provided. The interconnect is formed by treating an upper surface of a dielectric layer to create a high density layer. The treatment may include, for example, creating a high density monolayer using hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), trimethylsilydiethylamine (TMSDEA) or trimethylsilylacetate (OTMSA). After treating, the dielectric layer may be patterned to create openings, which are subsequently filled with a conductive material. Excess conductive material may be removed using, for example, a chemical mechanical polishing.
US09679843B2
Embodiments of a system and methods for localized high density substrate routing are generally described herein. In one or more embodiments an apparatus includes a medium, first and second circuitry elements, an interconnect element, and a dielectric layer. The medium can include low density routing therein. The interconnect element can be embedded in the medium, and can include a plurality of electrically conductive members therein, the electrically conductive member can be electrically coupled to the first circuitry element and the second circuitry element. The interconnect element can include high density routing therein. The dielectric layer can be over the interconnect die, the dielectric layer including the first and second circuitry elements passing therethrough.
US09679842B2
The invention provides a semiconductor package assembly. The semiconductor package assembly includes a first semiconductor package and a second semiconductor package stacked on the first semiconductor package. The first semiconductor package includes a first redistribution layer (RDL) structure. A first semiconductor die is coupled to the first RDL structure. A first molding compound surrounds the first semiconductor die, and is in contact with the RDL structure and the first semiconductor die. The second semiconductor package includes a second redistribution layer (RDL) structure. A first dynamic random access memory (DRAM) die without through silicon via (TSV) interconnects formed passing therethrough is coupled to the second RDL structure.
US09679841B2
Methods and apparatus for formation of a semiconductor substrate with photoactive dielectric material, embedded traces, a padless skip via extending through two dielectric layers, and a coreless package are provided. In one embodiment, a method for forming a core having a copper layer; laminating the copper layer a photoactive dielectric layer; forming a plurality of trace patterns in the photoactive dielectric layer; plating the plurality of trace patterns to form a plurality of traces; forming an insulating dielectric layer on the photoactive dielectric layer; forming a via through the insulating dielectric layer and the photoactive dielectric layer; forming additional routing patterns on the insulating dielectric layer; removing the core; and applying a solder mask.
US09679831B2
According to various embodiments, systems and methods for packaging a semiconductor device are provided. The disclosure discusses a semiconductor die having a top side and a bottom side that is disposed on a lead frame. An adhesive paste is then applied to attach the semiconductor die to the lead frame such that the adhesive paste fixes the die to a portion of the lead frame. The adhesive paste may be applied directly between die and the lead frame or may be applied in conjunction with a frame tape.
US09679830B2
A semiconductor package includes a packaging substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; and a semiconductor die assembled on the first surface of the packaging substrate. The semiconductor die includes a plurality of first bump pads and second bump pads on an active surface of the semiconductor die, a plurality of first copper pillars on the first bump pads, and a plurality of second copper pillars on the second bump pads. The first copper pillars have a diameter that is smaller than that of the second copper pillars.
US09679829B2
Provided are semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating the same. The device may include a substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposing each other, a through-silicon-via (TSV) electrode provided in a via hole that may be formed to penetrate the substrate, and an integrated circuit provided adjacent to the through electrode on the first surface. The through electrode includes a metal layer filling a portion of the via hole and an alloy layer filling a remaining portion of the via hole. The alloy layer contains at least two metallic elements, one of which may be the same as that contained in the metal layer, and the other of which may be different from that contained in the metal layer.
US09679819B1
A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a first region and a second region; forming a first fin-shaped structure on the first region and a second fin-shaped structure on the second region; forming a first bump on the first region and a second bump on the second region; forming a first doped layer on the first fin-shaped structure and the first bump; and forming a second doped layer on the second fin-shaped structure and the second bump.
US09679815B2
A semiconductor device fabrication method includes sequentially forming a hard mask layer and a sacrificial layer on a substrate, forming an upper mandrel which includes first to third upper sub-mandrels on the sacrificial layer, the first to third upper sub-mandrels extending in a first direction and being spaced apart from each other in a second direction, a width of the first upper sub-mandrel being smaller than widths of the second and third upper sub-mandrels, forming first spacers on sidewalls of each of the upper sub-mandrels, removing the upper mandrel, etching the sacrificial layer using the first spacers as etching masks to form a lower mandrel that includes a plurality of sub-mandrels, forming second spacers on sidewalls of the lower sub-mandrels, removing the lower mandrel, patterning the hard mask layer and the substrate using the second spacers as etching masks to form first to tenth fins which extend alongside each other in the first direction and are spaced apart from each other in the second direction, removing the first, second, fifth and eighth fins, and forming a first gate electrode that intersects the third, fourth, sixth and seventh fins, and a second gate electrode that intersects the sixth, seventh, ninth and tenth fins while not intersecting the third and fourth fins.
US09679812B2
Self-aligned contacts are provided. In an embodiment the self-aligned contacts are formed by partially removing a first dielectric material from adjacent to a gate electrode and fully removing a second dielectric material from adjacent to the gate electrode. A conductive material is deposited into the regions of the removed first dielectric material and the second dielectric material, and the conductive material and metal gates are recessed below a spacer. A dielectric layer is deposited over the recessed conductive material and the recessed metal gates, and the self-aligned contacts are formed through the dielectric layer.
US09679811B2
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor die having a plurality of die bump pad and substrate having a plurality of conductive trace with an interconnect site. A solder mask patch is formed interstitially between the die bump pads or interconnect sites. A conductive bump material is deposited on the interconnect sites or die bump pads. The semiconductor die is mounted to the substrate so that the conductive bump material is disposed between the die bump pads and interconnect sites. The conductive bump material is reflowed without a solder mask around the die bump pad or interconnect site to form an interconnect structure between the semiconductor die and substrate. The solder mask patch confines the conductive bump material within the die bump pad or interconnect site. The interconnect structure can include a fusible portion and non-fusible portion. An encapsulant is deposited between the semiconductor die and substrate.
US09679809B1
A method of forming a pattern for interconnect lines in an integrated circuit includes providing a structure having a first lithographic stack, a mandrel layer and a pattern layer disposed over a dielectric stack. Patterning the structure to form mandrels in the mandrel layer and disposing a spacer layer over the mandrels. Etching the spacer layer to form spacers disposed on sidewalls of the mandrels. The spacers and mandrels defining beta and gamma regions. A beta region includes a beta block mask portion and a gamma region includes a gamma block mask portion of the pattern layer. The method also includes etching a beta pillar over the beta block mask portion and etching a gamma pillar over the gamma block mask portion. The method also includes etching the structure to form a pattern in the pattern layer, the pattern including the gamma and beta block mask portions.
US09679799B2
The present disclosure relates to a process for fabricating a plurality of semiconductor-on-insulator structures, the insulator being a layer of silicon dioxide having a thickness smaller than 50 nm, each structure comprising a semiconductor layer placed on the silicon dioxide layer, the fabrication process comprising a step of heat treating the plurality of structures, which heat treatment step is designed to partially dissolve the silicon dioxide layer, the heat treatment step being carried out in a non-oxidizing atmosphere and the pressure of the non-oxidizing atmosphere being lower than 0.1 bar.
US09679788B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for treating a substrate, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for treating a substrate using a supercritical fluid. The apparatus for treating a substrate includes a process chamber in which an organic solvent remaining on a substrate is dissolved using a fluid provided as a supercritical fluid to dry the substrate and a recycling unit in which the organic solvent is separated from the fluid discharged from the process chamber to recycle the fluid.
US09679781B2
Various pattern transfer and etching steps can be used to create features. Conventional photolithography steps can be used in combination with pitch-reduction techniques to form superimposed, pitch-reduced patterns of crossing elongate features that can be consolidated into a single layer. Planarizing techniques using a filler layer and a protective layer are disclosed. Portions of an integrated circuit having different heights can be etched to a common plane.
US09679779B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for depositing materials on either side of a freestanding film using selectively thermally-assisted chemical vapor deposition (STA-CVD), and structures formed using same. A freestanding film, which is suspended over a cavity defined in a substrate, is exposed to a fluidic CVD precursor that reacts to form a solid material when exposed to heat. The freestanding film is then selectively heated in the presence of the precursor. The CVD precursor preferentially deposits on the surface(s) of the freestanding film.
US09679776B2
A method for the selective implantation of a workpiece is disclosed. In place of conventional photoresist, a two layer structure is used. The first layer, referred to as the protective layer, is applied directly to the workpiece and protects the workpiece from harmful etching processes. Additionally, the protective layer has limited ability to stop ions from impacting the workpiece. The second layer, referred to as the blocking layer, which is formed on a portion of the protective layer, is used to block ions from impacting the underlying workpiece. Advantageously, the blocking layer may be selectively etched without affecting the protective layer. Additionally, the protective layer can be removed without affecting the underlying workpiece. Through the use of this two layer technique, high temperature selective implants may be performed on a variety of different semiconductor devices.
US09679774B2
A method for removing crystal originated particles from a crystalline silicon body having opposite first and second surfaces includes increasing a surface area of at least one of the first and second surfaces. The method further includes oxidizing the increased surface area at a temperature of at least 1000° C. and for a duration of at least 20 minutes.
US09679773B1
According to various embodiments, a method may include: disposing a dopant in a semiconductor region; forming a radiation absorption layer including or formed from at least one allotrope of carbon over at least a portion of the semiconductor region; and activating the dopant at least partially by irradiating the radiation absorption layer at least partially with electromagnetic radiation to heat the semiconductor region at least partially.
US09679765B2
A method of fabricating a rare-earth element doped piezoelectric material having a first component, a second component and the rare-earth element. The method includes: providing a substrate; initially flowing hydrogen over the substrate; after the initially flowing of the hydrogen over the substrate, flowing the first component to form the rare-earth element doped piezoelectric material over a surface of a target, the target comprising the rare-earth metal in a certain atomic percentage; and sputtering the rare-earth element doped piezoelectric material from the target on the substrate.
US09679762B2
A high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) device with enhanced conductivity in the transistor's non-gated access regions and a method for making the HEMT device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the HEMT device includes a heterojunction comprising a barrier layer formed on a channel layer. One or more intervening layers comprising a material suitable for increasing a fixed charge at the heterojunction is formed on a substantially planar surface of the barrier layer opposite the channel layer in the non-gated access region.
US09679758B2
A multi-reflection mass spectrometer is provided comprising two ion-optical mirrors, each mirror elongated generally along a drift direction (Y), each mirror opposing the other in an X direction, the X direction being orthogonal to Y, characterized in that the mirrors are not a constant distance from each other in the X direction along at least a portion of their lengths in the drift direction. In use, ions are reflected from one opposing mirror to the other a plurality of times while drifting along the drift direction so as to follow a generally zigzag path within the mass spectrometer. The motion of ions along the drift direction is opposed by an electric field resulting from the non-constant distance of the mirrors from each other along at least a portion of their lengths in the drift direction that causes the ions to reverse their direction.
US09679756B2
Provided is a projection-type charged particle optical system in which a projection magnification can be changed while a decrease in the accuracy in measuring a mass-to-charge ratio is being suppressed. A projection-type charged particle optical system according to the present invention includes a first electrode disposed so as to face a sample and having an opening formed therein for allowing a charged particle to pass, a second electrode disposed on a side of the first electrode opposite to where the sample is disposed and having an opening formed therein for allowing the charged particle to pass, and a flight-tube electrode disposed such that the charged particle that has been emitted from the sample and has passed through the second electrode enters the flight-tube electrode and being configured to form a substantially equipotential space thereinside. A principal plane is formed at at least two positions in a travel path of the charged particle.
US09679755B2
In an ion source 3 in which a repeller electrode 32 for forming a repelling electric field that repels ions toward an ion emission port 311 is provided inside of an ionization chamber 31, ion focusing electrodes 36 and 37 are respectively arranged between an electron introduction port 312 and a filament 34 and between an electron discharge port 313 and a counter filament 35. An electric field formed by applying a predetermined voltage to each of the ion focusing electrodes 36 and 37 intrudes into the ionization chamber 31 through the electron introduction port 312 and the electron discharge port 313, and becomes a focusing electric field that pushes the ions in an ion optical axis C direction. Ions at positions off a central part of the ionization chamber 31 receive the combined force of the force of the repelling electric field and the force of the focusing electric field, and move toward the ion emission port 311 while approaching the ion optical axis C. Accordingly, the amount of ions sent out from the ion emission port increases. Further, even if a charge-up phenomenon occurs, the ion trajectories less easily change, and the stability of the sensitivity can be enhanced.
US09679754B2
An interface configured to transfer ions produced at or near atmospheric pressure conditions into a mass spectrometer for mass analysis is provided. The interface includes a first conduit including an inlet configured to receive a fluid containing the ions and an outlet configured to direct the fluid containing the ions into the mass spectrometer. The first conduit defines a first flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet. The interface includes a pump. The interface includes a second conduit. The second conduit includes an inlet. The second conduit defines a second flow path extending from a location between the inlet and the outlet of the first conduit to an outlet of the second conduit. The pump is configured to divert a portion of the fluid including the ions moving in the first flow path to the second flow path.
US09679753B2
Peltier-cooled cryogenic laser ablation cells for sample preparation.
US09679748B2
A multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a dividing circuitry to divide first irradiation time data into k pieces of second irradiation time data, where each of the k pieces of second irradiation time data has a different number of bits and the total of different numbers of bits is n-bits, in multi-pass writing of k or more passes by using multi charged particle beams, a data transmission circuitry to transmit, for each of k passes, corresponding second irradiation time data, for a beam concerned in multi charged particle beams, a resolution information transmission circuitry to transmit, for each of k passes, corresponding resolution information, and an irradiation time calculation circuitry to calculate an irradiation time of a corresponding beam in the multi charged particle beams of a pass concerned by using input second irradiation time data and resolution information.
US09679747B2
The present disclosure provides a method for operating a dynamic pattern generator (DPG) having a mirror array. The method comprises receiving a clock signal, determining a time delay based on the period of the clock signal, determining a first clock signal for toggling a first group of mirror cells in the mirror array, determining a second clock signal, lagging behind the first clock signal by the time delay, for toggling a second group of mirror cells in the mirror array, toggling the first group of mirror cells in the mirror array in response to the first clock signal, and toggling the second group of the mirror cells in the mirror array in response to the second clock signal.
US09679746B2
An ion implantation tool includes a process chamber, a platen, an ion source, and a plurality of controlling units. The platen is present in the process chamber and configured to hold a wafer. The ion source is configured to provide an ion beam onto the wafer. The controlling units are present on the platen and configured to apply a plurality of physical fields that are able to affect motions of ions of the ion beam onto the wafer.
US09679744B2
A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is configured so that SEM images are acquired while scanning a pyramid pattern on a sample plane from four directions. Landing angle of the electron beam is calculated from these SEM images, which are then averaged, whereby inclination angle of the electron beam that is less influenced from scan distortion can be found.
US09679742B2
The present invention provides a method for optimizing a shaped working beam having a sharp edge for making sufficiently precise cuts and a high beam current for faster processing. An ion beam is directed along an optical column through a reference aperture to form a reference beam that has a preferred shape and an associated reference current. The reference beam is optimized using selected parameters of the optical components within the optical column. The ion beam is then directed through a working aperture to form a working beam for use in a processing application. The working beam has a different shape from the reference beam and an associated working current that is higher than the reference current. The reference aperture and working aperture have at least one corresponding dimension. The working beam is then optimized using the selected optical component parameters used to align and focus the reference beam.
US09679740B2
A processing apparatus and a processing method are provided, which use a charged particle beam device that achieves defection of secondary electrons/reflected electrons at a large angle and cancels out noises of an electromagnetic deflector and an electrostatic deflector to suppress a position shift of a primary electron beam caused by circuit noises of a primary beam/secondary beam separation circuit. In the charged particle beam device that includes an electronic optical system radiating a concentrated electron beam onto a sample placed on a stage to perform scanning and captures an image of the sample, a reference signal and a signal generation unit of a voltage-source control signal applied to the electrostatic deflector generating the electrostatic deflector and a reference signal and a signal generation unit of a current-source control signal applied to the electromagnetic deflector generating a magnetic field are made common in an overlapping-electromagnetic-deflector control unit that controls a path of the secondary electrons/reflected electrons incident on a detector, and frequency characteristics and phase characteristics of the voltage control signal are coincident with those of the current-source control signal.
US09679735B2
A vehicle system including a housing, an extendable/retractable member coupled to the housing, an electrically controlled actuator and a lockout system. The electrically controlled actuator is connected to the extendable/retractable member, and is configured to extend and retract the extendable/retractable member relative to the housing. The lockout system includes a detection sensor and a controller. The detection sensor generates a signal upon a detection of a motion of the vehicle system or an anticipated movement of the vehicle system. The controller is in commanding communication with the electrically controlled actuator, and the controller locks the electrically controlled actuator from functioning upon receipt of the signal.
US09679734B2
A fuse link used in alternate current medium- or high-voltage systems with a current frequency of 50 Hz includes a spring-type striker pin and is designed for the protection of electrical devices against consequences of short circuits and overloads. A porcelain housing with a star-core, external end caps closed by plugs, star-core end caps with a ring-shaped first tap designed to ensure electric contact between the star-core end cap and the external end cap of the fuse link is also included. A spring-type striker pin is positioned along the axis of the star-core. Each of the end caps of the star-core is provided with an additional second tap designed to centre the star-core relative to the axis of the fuse link. The spring-type striker pin is centred along the longitudinal axis of the fuse link.
US09679729B2
A low-profile electrical contactor is provided comprising at least one electrical contact switch, an actuation means and a current determining device. The or each electrical contact switch has first and second electrical terminals, an electrically-conductive busbar in electrical communication with the first electrical terminal, the busbar having two end faces between which a current can flow in a flow direction and at least two flat sides in parallel with the flow direction, at least one fixed electrical contact which is attached to the busbar, an electrically-conductive moveable arm in electrical communication with the second electrical terminal, and at least one moveable electrical contact which is attached to the electrically-conductive moveable arm to form an electrical contact set with the fixed electrical contact. The actuation means can actuate the electrically-conductive moveable arm of the or each electrical contact switch between open and closed conditions. The current determining device has a first field-modifying element formed of a magnetic material located at or adjacent to the first end face of the busbar, a second field-modifying element formed of a magnetic material and located at or adjacent to the second end face of the busbar, at least one sensing coil at or adjacent to the busbar and the first and second field-modifying elements, and having a coil axis between planes of the first and second flat sides. An electromagnetic field induced by the current flowing in the busbar is modified by the first and second field-modifying elements to extend more or substantially more in parallel with the coil axis of the sensing coil.
US09679728B2
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to regulate relay coil switching are disclosed. A disclosed example method of regulating switching times of a relay having a pair of contacts to selectively and electrically couple an analog alternating current (AC) power source and a load includes forming a digital pulse train representative of an AC signal at the load, determining a first value corresponding to a representative pulse width of the digital pulse train, providing a first relay switching signal to the relay at a first time relative to a zero crossing of the AC signal, selecting a second time for providing a second relay switching signal to the relay based the first value and a second value representative of the width of a first pulse of the digital pulse train associated with the first relay switching signal at the first time, and providing the second relay switching signal to the relay at the second time.
US09679726B2
An anti-interference switch signal transmission circuit, in which a changeover switch is used at a signal terminal, is disclosed. A normally closed contact is connected to DC−, a normally open contact is connected to DC+, and a common contact is connected to a switch signal acquisition circuit. When no signal exists, DC− is provided to a positive input terminal of the switch signal acquisition circuit via the normally closed contact. Since a negative input terminal of the switch signal acquisition circuit is also connected to DC−, even if interference is caused, no false signal is generated. When a signal exists, the position of the changeover switch changes and DC+ is connected to DC− via the closed normally open contact through the switch signal acquisition circuit thus a loop is formed, so that the signal can be detected.
US09679722B2
There is provided an interlock apparatus of a vacuum circuit breaker for adjusting withdrawal of a circuit breaker main body, which is installed in a truck and moves to a connected position in which the circuit breaker main body is connected to a cradle and moves to a disconnected position in which the circuit breaker main body is separated from the cradle within the cradle, to outside of the cradle, includes: a lift including a rotation adjusting plate provided on an upper portion thereof, and moving forwardly and backwardly such that the rotation adjusting plate is inserted into the interior of the cradle or separated from the cradle; and an interlock plate provided within the cradle and rotating according to movement of the rotation adjusting plate so as to be tightly attached to the truck or released from the tightly attached state to thereby adjust withdrawal of the circuit breaker main body to the outside of the cradle.
US09679704B2
A cathode in a lithium ion capacitor, including: a carbon composition comprising: an activated carbon; a conductive carbon; and a binder in in amounts as defined herein; and a current collector that supports the carbon composition, wherein the activated carbon has: a surface area of from 500 to 3000 m2/g; a pore volume where from 50 to 80% of the void volume is in pores less than 10 Å; a pore volume higher than 0.3 cm3/gm occupied by the micropores less than 10 Å; and a microporosity of greater than 60% of the total pore volume. Also disclosed is a method of making the cathode and using the cathode in a lithium ion capacitor.
US09679703B2
An electric double-layer ultracapacitor configured to maintain desired operation at an operating voltage of three volts, where the capacitor includes a housing component, a first and a second current collector, a positive and a negative electrode electrically coupled to one of the first and second current collectors, and a separator positioned between the positive and the negative electrode. At least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode can include a treated carbon material, where the treated carbon material includes a reduction in a number of hydrogen-containing functional groups, nitrogen-containing functional groups and/or oxygen-containing functional groups.
US09679699B2
There are provided a dielectric film, a film capacitor and an electric device capable of achieving an increase in relative permittivity without causing a decrease in breakdown field strength. A dielectric film includes an organic resin and ceramic particles contained in the organic resin. The ceramic particles each have a crystal lattice defined by three axes composed of axis a, axis b, and axis c, and including two or more crystalline phases of different axial ratios c/a. Owing to each crystal phase having different extents of dielectric polarization originating from the differences in shapes (sizes) of the crystal lattices, the ceramic particles each have regions with different permittivities, achieving an increase in relative permittivity without causing a decrease in breakdown field strength.
US09679698B2
A multi-layer ceramic capacitor has a structure where the dispersion, nd, of average grain size of the dielectric grains constituting the dielectric layer (a value (D90/D10) obtained by dividing D90 which is a grain size including 90% cumulative abundance of grains by D10 which is a grain size including 10% cumulative abundance of grains) is smaller than 4.
US09679688B2
A shield cable includes an insulated electrical cable of a conductor wire sheathed about the circumference by an insulator, and a magnetic tape layer formed by wrapping magnetic tape about the circumference of the insulated electrical cable. The magnetic tape is a magnetic tape shaped by continuously cutting to constant width an elongated sheet comprising a magnetic material. The magnetic tape, on at least the insulated electrical cable-facing surface thereof, has grooves extending in the lengthwise direction, for accommodating at least one of pairs of burrs that are formed at both widthwise edge surfaces during cutting of the elongated sheet.
US09679682B2
An insulator for holding an electrifiable wire includes a base, a first connecting portion provided on a first end of the base, and a second connecting portion provided on a second end of the base. The first connecting portion and the second connecting portion may be movable between a first, open position and a second, closed position.
US09679675B2
Disclosed is a process to reduce mixtures of at least one metal halide by molten metal reduction of the liquid phase metal halide in an alkali or alkaline earth metal to form a reaction product comprising at least one metal mixture and a halide salt coating, in which the at least one metal halide is in stoichiometric excess to the molten metal reductant and wherein the reductant is consumed in the reaction and does not need to be removed at the end of the reaction.
US09679670B2
There is provided an aggregate of radioactive material removing particles in which two or more radioactive material removing particles having magnetic particles and a radioactive material adsorption component are assembled, wherein a pore volume in the aggregate is 0.5 mL/g or more and 5.0 mL/g or less, and the pore volume means a cumulative value obtained by a mercury press-in method.
US09679661B1
Performance improvement features can improve the performance of read processes under the right conditions. In order to selectively use the performance improvement features, the system conducts active read sampling to obtain information about bit error rate and then enables the performance improvement feature(s) for future read processes based on the information about bit error rate.
US09679659B2
An operating method of a nonvolatile memory device is provided which sequentially performs a plurality of erase loops to erase at least one of a plurality of memory blocks. The operating method comprises performing at least one of the plurality of erase loops; performing a post-program operation on the at least one memory block after the at least one erase loop is executed; and performing remaining erase loops of the plurality of erase loops. The post-program operation is not performed when each of the remaining erase loops is executed.
US09679652B2
A memory management method, a memory storage device and a memory controlling circuit unit are provided. The method comprises: obtaining an erased state voltage of a first memory cell and a programmed state voltage of the first memory cell, where the first memory cell is operated in a first programming mode; and operating the first memory cell in a second programming mode if a width of a gap between the erased state voltage and the programmed state voltage is larger than a first threshold value. Accordingly, the reliability of the first memory cell may be improved.
US09679651B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a first memory string including a first memory cell and a second memory cell, a second memory string including a third memory cell, a bit line connected to both one end of the first memory string and one end of the second memory string, a first word line connected to gates of the first and third memory cells, a second word line connected to a gate of the second memory cell, and a control circuit configured to determine a program condition of the first memory cell that have been selected for a write operation, and perform the write operation for the third memory cell based on the program condition of the first memory cell.
US09679647B2
Included are memory cells each including a resistance change element and a control circuit. The circuit performs an On writing process for applying, to the memory cell, an On writing pulse for the cell to be in a resistance state where a resistance value of the resistance change element is lower than a first reference value and an Off writing process for applying an Off writing pulse with an opposite polarity to the On writing pulse for a high resistance state with a second reference value or greater. The circuit applies, in the On writing process, a trial pulse having the same polarity as that of the On writing pulse and having the pulse width shorter than that of the On writing pulse and a reset pulse having the same polarity as that of the On writing pulse, in this order before applying the On writing pulse to the cell.
US09679646B2
A bitwise bidirectionally rewritable nonvolatile semiconductor storage device capable of performing a high-speed data rewrite, while enhancing endurance characteristics and data-retention characteristics of a memory cell. To achieve high-speed generation of rewrite-bit information indicating that a data rewrite is needed or not, the structure employs a logic circuit corresponding to the number of change patterns of write conditions and concurrently compares between read-out data RO of memory at the start of the data rewrite and prepared write data DIN. After an electrical data rewrite of the memory, the data rewrite is verified based on the rewrite-bit information stored in an internal buffer circuit. This protects an already-rewritten memory cell from unnecessary additional rewrite.
US09679635B2
A fine grained negative wordline scheme for SRAM memories is disclosed. The scheme includes a circuit having a static random access memory (SRAM) cell including at least a wordline coupled to a plurality of NFETs of a transistor array. The circuit further includes a wordline driver including a plurality of inverters coupled between a wordline group decode node, a power supply and the wordline. Overvoltage on the wordline driver and NFETs of the SRAM cell are eliminated by applying a power gating mode and lowering the power supply voltage.
US09679629B2
Provided is a memory device having a plurality of memory cells and a refresh circuit. Each of the memory cells is configured to retain multiple data as a potential of a node connected to a gate of a first transistor, one of a source and a drain of a second transistor, and one of electrodes of a capacitor. The refresh circuit is configured to refresh the memory cells. That is, the refresh circuit is configured to determine an interval between refresh operations, estimate a change of the potential of the node due to the leakage of the charge, and provide a refresh potential to the memory cells, where the refresh potential is a sum of the potential read from the node and the potential lost due to the charge leakage.
US09679621B2
A semiconductor system may include a first semiconductor device configured to output commands, addresses and data. The semiconductor system may include a second semiconductor device configured to convert a logic level combination of the data when only any one of bits of the data is a different logic level, and store the data in response to the commands and the addresses, in a write operation.
US09679620B1
A memory device may include a plurality of first sense amplifiers including a plurality of corresponding first input terminals, a plurality of second sense amplifiers including a plurality of corresponding second input terminals, the plurality of first and second sense amplifiers being suitable for amplifying data received through the respective plurality of first and second input terminals, and for outputting the amplified data which include first and second data outputted by the plurality of first sense amplifiers and third and fourth data outputted by the plurality of second sense amplifiers; a plurality of first pipe latches suitable for latching and outputting the first and second data at a specific interval; a plurality of second pipe latches suitable for latching and outputting the third and fourth data at a specific interval; and an input/output line coupled to the plurality of first and second pipe latches, suitable for outputting the first, second, third and fourth data.
US09679617B2
According to one embodiment, an amplifier includes a first inverter which inverts and delays a first signal to generate a second signal. A second inverter inverts and delays a third signal to generate a fourth signal. A first transistor includes a gate electrode supplied with the second signal. A second transistor includes a gate electrode supplied with the fourth signal. An output terminal is coupled to one terminal of the second transistor and outputs a fifth signal. A third inverter inverts and delays the fifth signal to generate a sixth signal. A first discharge circuit discharges one terminal of the first transistor and the one terminal of the second transistor based on the first, sixth, or fourth signal, and includes one terminal coupled to the other terminal of each of the first and second transistors.
US09679615B2
Embodiments of a system and method for providing a flexible memory system are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a substrate is provided, wherein a stack of memory is coupled to the substrate. The stack of memory includes a number of vaults. A controller is also coupled to the substrate and includes a number of vault interface blocks coupled to the number of vaults of the stack of memory, wherein the number of vault interface blocks is less than the number of vaults.
US09679614B1
Apparatuses included a single-ended main input/output line in a semiconductor device are described. An example apparatus includes: a pair of differential data lines coupled to a sense amplifier; a single-ended data line; a first transistor coupled between the one of the pair of differential data lines and the power line and coupled to the single-ended data line at a control node thereof; a second transistor coupled between the single-ended data line and the power line and coupled to the one of the pair of differential data lines at a control node thereof; and a third transistor coupled between the single-ended data line and the other of the pair of differential data lines.
US09679608B2
Users may have a set duration during which they may consume content, or they may have a variable duration during which they may consume content. A content pacing service is disclosed so that a portion of an item of content may be conveyed in the set duration during which a user is to consume the content. In one embodiment, the rate at which the content is conveyed is increased or decreased so that a reference point in the item of content (e.g., the end of a chapter in an audiobook) is reached approximately when the duration of the user's content consumption ends.
US09679605B2
A playback speed effect is applied to a video using a playback speed template. The playback speed template specifies playback speed ratios (i.e., ratios between playback duration and capture duration) at the highlight moment, at a template start time, and at a template end time. A video associated with a highlight tag indicating a highlight capture time of a highlight moment within the video is accessed. An input portion of the video including the highlight moment is identified. The duration of the input portion has a duration depending on the template start time and the template end time. A playback speed template is applied to the input portion. A modified video including a modified video portion is generated from the input portion of the video according to the applied playback speed template and is provided for subsequent playback.
US09679597B1
An apparatus and method involves a writer configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording of data to a magnetic storage medium. A controller is coupled to the writer. The controller and writer are configured to write data to a plurality of concentric bands of the medium each comprising a plurality of partially overlapping narrow data tracks and a wide track. The wide tracks of successive bands are positioned adjacent to one another with no intervening narrow data track therebetween.
US09679591B1
A scissor type magnetic sensor for magnetic data recording having a flux closure magnetic side shield structure. The magnetic sensor has a magnetic side shield structure that includes a non-magnetic layer within a magnetic material layer, with the non-magnetic layer being removed from the sensor stack so as to define upper and lower magnetic portions of the magnetic structure that are separated from one another at a region away from the sensor stack. The upper and lower magnetic portions are connected with one another in a region near the sensor stack so as to magnetic flux closure structure. The novel magnetic side shield structure provides net neutral magnetization that does not provide an inadvertent biasing to the magnetic free layers of the magnetic sensor.
US09679585B2
A record player includes a base including a front surface, a plinth including a front surface, a platter, and a tone arm. The base includes a base height, a base width, and a base depth, with the base height being the shortest dimension and the base width being the greatest dimension. The plinth is mounted atop the base and connected to a motor housed within the base. The plinth includes a plinth height, a plinth width, and a plinth depth, the plinth height being greater than the plinth width. The platter is rotationally mounted to the front surface of the plinth so that a diameter of the platter is nearly vertical above the base. The tone arm is secured to the front surface of the base.
US09679580B2
Methods and apparatus for performing signal processing. The signal processing comprises demultiplexing input encoded data into data including information for a segment including frames and coefficient information for a coefficient selected in the frames of the segment, and low band encoded data, decoding the low band encoded data to produce a low band signal, selecting a coefficient of a frame to be processed from a plurality of the coefficients based on the data, calculating a high band sub-band power of a high band sub-band signal of each sub-band constituting a high band signal of the frame to be processed based on a low band sub-band signal of each sub-band constituting the low band signal of the frame to be processed and the selected coefficient, and producing the high band signal of the frame to be processed based on the high band sub-band power and the low band sub-band signal.
US09679576B2
A speech/audio coding apparatus and method is provided. The number of encoding bits allocated to encoding of extended-band spectrum is reduced while degradation of sound quality in the extended band is suppressed. A band compression unit creates combinations of sub-band spectra in pairs of two samples each in order from a low-range side in a band compression target sub-band, selects a spectrum having a large absolute-value amplitude among the combinations, and arranges the selected spectrum close to the low-range side on a frequency axis. A number-of-units recalculation unit redistributes bits saved in the sub-band for which band compression was performed to a low range outside the extended band, and redistributes the number of units on the basis of the redistributed bits.
US09679572B2
Apparatuses and methods for encoding/decoding scalable digital audio are disclosed. An apparatus for decoding scalable digital audio according to the present invention includes: an audio packet reception unit configured to receive a digital audio packet, including a plurality of pieces of direct audio channel data mapped to respective physical channels and a plurality of pieces of indirect audio channel data indirectly mapped to respective physical channels; an indirect audio channel extraction unit configured to extract the digital audio packet from the pieces of indirect audio channel data; an indirect audio channel decoding unit configured to generate pieces of audio channel data corresponding to a number of physical channels more than the number of pieces of indirect audio channel data using the pieces of indirect audio channel data; and an audio channel output unit configured to match the pieces of audio channel data to the respective physical channels and perform output.
US09679570B1
Topics of potential interest to a user, useful for purposes such as targeted advertising and product recommendations, can be extracted from voice content produced by a user. A computing device can capture voice content, such as when a user speaks into or near the device. One or more sniffer algorithms or processes can attempt to identify trigger words in the voice content, which can indicate a level of interest of the user. For each identified potential trigger word, the device can capture adjacent audio that can be analyzed, on the device or remotely, to attempt to determine one or more keywords associated with that trigger word. The identified keywords can be stored and/or transmitted to an appropriate location accessible to entities such as advertisers or content providers who can use the keywords to attempt to select or customize content that is likely relevant to the user.
US09679561B2
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for generating domain-specific speech recognition models for a domain of interest by combining and tuning existing speech recognition models when a speech recognizer does not have access to a speech recognition model for that domain of interest and when available domain-specific data is below a minimum desired threshold to create a new domain-specific speech recognition model. A system configured to practice the method identifies a speech recognition domain and combines a set of speech recognition models, each speech recognition model of the set of speech recognition models being from a respective speech recognition domain. The system receives an amount of data specific to the speech recognition domain, wherein the amount of data is less than a minimum threshold to create a new domain-specific model, and tunes the combined speech recognition model for the speech recognition domain based on the data.
US09679547B1
Systems and methods for re-arranging a musical composition using augmented reality are disclosed. A user can be provided with one or more physical image markers representative of at least one of a musical entity and a musical style in which a musical track has been pre-recorded. Upon capturing a visual scene in which one or more of these physical image markers are included, an augmented reality version of the visual scene is displayed along with audio corresponding to the musical style(s) and/or entities represented by the one or more physical image markers.
US09679543B2
A musical instrument having a plurality of strings is provided, the strings extending along a longitudinal dimension. The instrument includes a concave fingerboard extending along the longitudinal dimension and spaced from the plurality of strings to define the action, wherein a portion of the concave fingerboard is below an adjacent surface of a body of the musical instrument.
US09679540B2
A method of writing image data to a pixel array includes decoding an address and activating, based on the decoded address, two or more row selection signals. The address may be a ternary address having at least one trit. The method further includes providing the two or more row selection signals to the pixel array to select two or more rows of the pixel array, the activation of which writes the image data to pixels in the two or more rows of the pixel array.
US09679535B2
A display device includes a conversion section which generate a data conversion signal including a first number of bits from an input signal, an error dispersion section which generates a display control signal including a second number of bits that is smaller than the first number of bits from the data conversion signal and which spatially disperses errors that occur at the time of generating the display control signal, and a display panel section which displays an image on the basis of the display control signal.
US09679531B2
A correcting method for a display apparatus is provided. For N original grayscale combinations, color performances of the display apparatus are respectively measured to generate N measurement results. A set of color blending equations are utilized for M original grayscale combinations according to the N measurement results to generate M blended results. From the N measurement results and the M blended results, P color performances respectively most approximate to P target performances are identified. The P target color performances correspond to P target grayscale combinations. The P color performances correspond to P original grayscale combinations in the (N+M) original grayscale combinations. A look-up table for correcting the display apparatus is established according to the P target grayscale combinations and the P corresponding original grayscale combinations.
US09679526B2
A display system and a method of displaying a separate image on each one of at least two N-bit screens simultaneously, are hereby presented. The display system comprises at least two data processing units arranged for controlling the display of pixels on the corresponding N-bit screen, and a single merger block arranged for receiving pixel data from each respective data processing unit and for transmitting said pixel data to the corresponding N-bit screen. The merger block comprises a multiplexer unit arranged for selectively coupling one of the data processing units to an output of the merger block, a selection unit arranged for driving the multiplexer unit, and a clock generating unit adapted for generating at least one clock signal and for shifting the at least one generated clock signal compared to a main clock signal, the main clock signal and the generated clock signal being used to clock one of the N-bit screens, respectively.
US09679524B2
The present invention relates to a gate driving circuit including a multiple of gate driving units. Each of the gate driving units comprises a pull-up control part, a pull-up part, a transfer part, a key pull-down part, a pull-down holding part and a boost part. In this case, the key pull-down part and the transfer part are configured, respectively, to pull potential on a gete signal output end down to and hold potentials on the control ends of the pull-up part and the transfer part at a potential of the first power supply or the second power supply, and also to pull potential on the output end of the transfer part ransfer signal down to and/or hold at a potential of the second power supply, wherein the potential of the second power supply is lower than that of the first power supply.
US09679506B2
A display system which includes a first image display; a second image display; a reflective polarizer disposed between the first image display and the second image display, with the second image display disposed on a viewing side of the display system; and a controller for addressing image data to the first image display and the second image display, wherein the controller, the first image display and second image display are configured to selectively operate in accordance with: a first display function in which the first image display is visible to a viewer through the second image display and the second image display appears substantially transparent to the first image display; a second display function in which the display system appears as a plane mirror to the viewer; and a third display function in which the display system appears as a patterned mirror to the viewer.
US09679499B2
Systems and methods for sensing hand motion by measuring remote displacement are disclosed. For example, one disclosed apparatus includes a first surface configured to engage a first distal member of a surgical tool and a second surface configured to engage a second distal member of the surgical tool, the second surface coupled to the first surface at a pivot point. The apparatus further includes a sensor configured to detect a relative movement of the first surface and the second surface about the pivot point and to generate a signal based at least in part on the relative movement.
US09679497B2
Speech generating devices, communication systems, and methods for communicating using the devices and systems are disclosed herein. In certain examples, the speech generating device includes: a first display device positioned in a first direction, the first display device configured to face a user of the speech generating device; an input device configured to generate a communication to be displayed on the first display device; and a second display device positioned in a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the second display device is configured to display a social cue proxy or an emotional proxy of the generated communication.
US09679488B2
A drive assistance apparatus includes a target trajectory setting unit configured to set a target trajectory in a lane change assistance based on a movement time taken for a vehicle of which the direction indicator is continued to be in ON-state to move a lateral distance set in advance to the adjacent lane side from an operation start lateral position, and a lane change assistance unit configured to execute the lane change assistance for causing the vehicle to change lane along the target trajectory in a case where the lateral position of the vehicle of which the direction indicator is continued to be in ON-state reaches the assistance start lateral position set in advance in the travelling lane from the setting of the target trajectory by the target trajectory setting unit.
US09679484B2
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for detecting the surrounding vehicle via vehicular communication, and more particularly, an apparatus and method for detecting surrounding vehicle that detects location of surrounding vehicles more accurately through the a message transmitted from surrounding vehicles.
US09679480B2
A vehicle includes one or more controllers that, in response to identification of an accident involving the vehicle, transmit a parameter indicative of a degree to which a driver of the vehicle is at fault for the accident. The parameter is based on data collected by another vehicle that was within a predetermined distance from a location of the vehicle at a time of the accident.
US09679472B2
There is described a system for measuring energy consumption of individual electrical devices amongst a plurality of electrical devices. The system is adapted to determine in real time energy consumption while reducing its own consumption of energy by adjusting a transmission rate to between status sensing devices and a consumption evaluation device. The transmission rate is adjusted as a function of learned energy consumption habits and/or consumption characteristics of individual electrical devices.
US09679463B1
The remote control-finding device is a GPS based system that is used to locate household goods, include the remote controls for various audio visual devices, within a home. The remote control-finding device comprises a locating device and a plurality of tracking devices. The locating device is removably attached to a stationary item, such as a television, within the household while the each of the plurality of tracking devices are attached to the household good to be tracked. The locating device is fitted with a first GPS receiver that is used to track the position of the locating device. To find a tracked household good, the locating device queries an individual tracking device to receive the GPS location of the individual tracking device and uses that information to calculate the direction and distance from the locating device to the individual tracking device.
US09679456B2
A computer-based system, computer-implemented method, and computer-readable medium for tracking assets, such as objects and persons. The current invention involves associating a GPS-tracked tag with a targeted asset, registering a serial number associated with the tag, storing the serial number onto a database, and tracking the tag—and thus, associated asset—through the database. Authorized third parties, such as law enforcement personnel, may also access the database and track the asset, if needed, for example if the asset is stolen. The user is able to activate and deactivate the tracking ability of the tag and immediately track the tag when needed.
US09679447B2
Visual indication systems and methods are provided. A material handling vehicle includes at least a first product placement location and a second product placement location. At least one visual indicator provides a visual indication at or near the first product placement location or the second product placement location. The visual indication serves as a visual confirmation for the order picker to place a product in a specific predefined placement location.
US09679446B2
A gaming system, device and method are operable upon a wager. The system, in an embodiment, is operable to generate a visual output related to a plurality of competing elements or competitors. The system is operable to receive wager inputs from a plurality of wager submitters and generate a visual output including at least part of a grid. Also, the system is operable to provide a first monetary value based on which competitor wins as well as a second monetary value based on a winning intersection on the grid.
US09679437B2
A method includes capturing media content of a wagering game machine at a wagering game establishment with a camera of a mobile device. A location of the mobile device is determined when the media content is captured. A direction that a lens of the camera is facing when the media content is captured is determined. The wagering game machine is identified based on the location and the direction. Overlay imagery derived from wagering game activity of the wagering game machine is downloaded into the mobile device from a server. The overlay imagery is composited onto the media content to create a composited media content. The composited media content is displayed on a display of the mobile device.
US09679434B2
A gaming system configured to operate a game associated with a plurality of symbols. For a play of the game, the gaming system displays a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of the symbols and being associated with a plurality of symbol display areas. For an activation of the reels, the gaming system randomly generates and causes each of the reels to display one of the symbols on that reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with that reel. Upon an occurrence of a triggering event, the gaming system: adds one or more wild symbols to one or more of the reels and provides a plurality of additional activations of the reels. If a removal condition is satisfied prior to a final one of the additional activations of the reels, the gaming system removes a remaining wild symbol from one of the reels.
US09679428B2
The invention relates to a method of control of persons, in which various control/inspection steps are implemented at various control points intended to be crossed by a person, characterized by the implementation of the following operations: —when a person passes a first point: •acquisition of biometric data of the person, •generation of a secure identity token, on the basis of biometric and/or identification data of the person, the token being an encrypted biometric signature obtained on the basis of a biometric datum acquired on the person, •generation of a public identifier associated with said token and storage of said identifier in a data base in association with the identity tokens or the data on the basis of which they are generated, —when a person passes at least one other control point, •acquisition of an identity datum and/or of a biometric datum about the same biometric trait or traits of those about which the biometric datum was acquired on passing the first control point, and on the basis of which the identity token (J) was generated, •determination of the public identifier of the person, by implementing an authentication of said person on the basis of the datum or data acquired and of the data stored in the database. The invention also relates to a system for controlling and for inspection of persons for the implementation of the method.
US09679427B2
A biometric audio security system comprises providing an input voice audio source. The input audio is enhanced in two or more harmonic and dynamic ranges by re-synthesizing the audio into a full range PCM wave. A hardware key with a set of audio frequency spikes (identifiers) with varying amplitude and frequency values is provided. The enhanced voice audio input and the key using additive resynthesis are summed. The voice and the spike set is compared against the users identification signature to verify user's identity. The set of audio spikes are user specific. The spikes are stored on the protected key device as a template, which would plug into the system. The template is determined by the owner/manufacturer of the system. The spikes are created and identified using the additive synthesis technique with a predetermined number of partials (harmonics). The identifiers include both positive and negative values. The amplitude and frequency values are spaced in very fine intervals. The enhancing of voice audio input includes the parallel processing the input audio as follows: A module that is a low pass filter with dynamic offset;An envelope controlled band-pass filter; A high pass filter; Adding an amount of dynamic synthesized sub bass to the audio; and combining the four treated audio signals in a summing mixer with the original audio.
US09679426B1
Systems, methods, and computer program products are described herein that provide for notifying a malfeasance specialist of a malfeasance detection based on identification of a device signature. Monitoring devices may monitor devices in a location for device signatures that are known to be associated with malfeasance. Upon detecting the presence of a device signature associated with malfeasance, a specialist may be notified of the detection so that the specialist may take appropriate actions in response to the detection.
US09679424B2
Data transfer systems for vehicle event recorders are provided as: a vehicle event recorder, a vehicle event recorder resident memory, and upload module in conjunction with, a communication port suitable for coupling with, a portable memory device, a server computer datastore, a server download module in conjunction with, a similar cooperating communications port. The portable memory device is arranged to operably couple with the communications ports of both the vehicle event recorder and the server computer and to be repeatedly moved between the two. The upload/download modules are arranged to transfer data to/from the portable memory in an orderly fashion in which no files are removed from the vehicle event recorder resident memory without first having been successfully transferred to the server computer datastore.
US09679415B2
In order to easily and rapidly determine a subject region in a captured image using a single image, a synthesized image of an extraction image including a subject and an instruction image representing a first acquisition region from which color information on the subject is acquired is used. Color information on the subject is acquired from the first acquisition region represented by the instruction image in the synthesized image. Color information on a background of the subject is acquired from a region not including the first acquisition region and a color information non-acquisition region that is adjacent to the first acquisition region and is set in advance in the synthesized image. On the basis of the color information on the subject and the color information on the background, extraction information of the subject is determined and output.
US09679414B2
A user interface enables a user to calibrate the position of a three dimensional model with a real-world environment represented by that model. Using a device's sensor suite, the device's location and orientation is determined. A video image of the device's environment is displayed on the device's display. The device overlays a representation of an object from a virtual reality model on the video image. The position of the overlaid representation is determined based on the device's location and orientation. In response to user input, the device adjusts a position of the overlaid representation relative to the video image.
US09679405B2
A command value for moving a virtual machine is calculated according to a control program and based on model data of a virtual object (step S313, step S314) where the virtual machine corresponds to a machine and the virtual object is manipulated by the virtual machine in a virtual space and corresponds to an object; motion of the virtual machine which is moved in accordance with the calculated command value is calculated (step S315); motion of the virtual object which is moved in accordance with the calculated motion of the virtual machine (step S315); a virtual space image is generated (step S115) where the virtual space image is assumed to be acquired in the case where the calculated motion of the virtual machine or the calculated motion of the virtual object is virtually photographed; and the command value is calculated further based on the generated virtual space image (step S313, step S314). An integrated simulation of a machine system covering a visual sensor in a real space corresponding to a virtual photographing part can be realized. A test in the case where the visual sensor is used in machine control can be carried out.
US09679403B2
A method and system render rasterized data by receiving non-rasterized page description language data and a corresponding transformation matrix representing transformation operations to be performed. The non-rasterized page description language data is rasterizing to create rasterized data. The corresponding transformation matrix is decomposed into a plurality of individual transformation operation matrices and a discrete transformation operation value, from each corresponding individual transformation operation matrix, is generated for each transformation operation to be performed upon the rasterized data. The transformation operations are performed upon the rasterized data based upon the generated discrete transformation operation values.
US09679400B2
Methods and devices provide a quick and intuitive method to launch a specific application, dial a number or send a message by drawing a pictorial key, symbol or shape on a computing device touchscreen, touchpad or other touchsurface. A shape drawn on a touchsurface is compared to one or more code shapes stored in memory to determine if there is a match or correlation. If the entered shape correlates to a stored code shape, an application, file, function or keystroke sequence linked to the correlated code shape is implemented. The methods also enable communication involving sending a shape or parameters defining a shape from one computing device to another where the shape is compared to code shapes in memory of the receiving computing device. If the received shape correlates to a stored code shape, an application, file, function or keystroke sequence linked to the correlated code shape is implemented.
US09679395B2
At least one example embodiment discloses an imaging apparatus that may receive input images with different viewpoints, obtain information associated with the input images, and generate a new viewpoint image based on the received input images and the obtained information and thus, reduce an information loss of the new viewpoint image for the input images.
US09679389B2
A method of analyzing structure of a network of vessels in a medical image, comprising:receiving the medical image depicting the network of vessels;obtaining a mask of the network of vessels in the image; andgenerating a non-forest graph mapping a plurality of paths of vessels in the network to directed paths in the graph, with each edge in the graph either directed to indicate a known direction of flow in the corresponding vessel, or undirected to indicate a lack of knowledge of direction of flow in the corresponding vessel, and with all directed edges in a path directed in a same direction as the path.
US09679384B2
The invention provides methods of detecting and describing features from an intensity image. In one of several aspects, the method comprises the steps of providing an intensity image captured by a capturing device, providing a method for determining a depth of at least one element in the intensity image, in a feature detection process detecting at least one feature in the intensity image, wherein the feature detection is performed by processing image intensity information of the intensity image at a scale which depends on the depth of at least one element in the intensity image, and providing a feature descriptor of the at least one detected feature. For example, the feature descriptor contains at least one first parameter based on information provided by the intensity image and at least one second parameter which is indicative of the scale.
US09679373B2
The invention relates to a method for correcting MRI image distortion, in which a distortion correction procedure is carried out on an acquired MRI image data set (1) of a body region by graphical data processing, characterized in that: —after the MRI image data set (1) has been acquired, its distortion is determined by carrying out an image registration process for registering the acquired MRI image data set (1) to a previously available, less distorted or undistorted image data set (2) of substantially the same body region; —a transformation is determined from the image registration process; and —by applying the transformation to the MRI image data set (1), its distortion is corrected.
US09679371B2
In order to enable the computation of a process window including an arbitrary exposure condition, the present invention comprises: a contour data extraction means for extracting contour data from captured images of a plurality of circuit patterns formed by altering exposure conditions for identical design layouts; a shape variation measurement means for measuring, on the basis of the plurality of sets of extracted contour data, the amount of shape deformation at each edge or local region of the circuit patterns; a variation model computation means for computing, on the basis of the measured amount of shape deformation, a variation model for the contour data of a circuit pattern or a shape corresponding to a prescribed exposure condition; and a process window computation means using the variation model to estimate the amount of shape variation of a circuit pattern or a shape corresponding to an arbitrary exposure condition with respect to a circuit pattern or a shape corresponding to an exposure condition specified by a reference exposure condition and compute a process window on the basis of the estimated amount of shape variation.
US09679367B1
A system and method can mitigate or prevent contrast ratio issues due to bright light (e.g., light saturation) in a head up display (HUD). The head up display can include a waveguide combiner (or non-waveguide combiner) and a mitigator disposed to prevent or reduce bright light from being provided through the combiner. The bright light can be direct lunar light, direct solar light, or solar/lunar reflections. The mitigator dynamically selects and reduces bright background light which results in an increase of contrast ratio.
US09679358B2
A pixel interpolation processing apparatus and an image capturing apparatus are provided that are capable of performing a pixel interpolation process properly even when the pattern of color filter array is unknown. An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit having a single-chip image sensor having four-color filter array for obtaining an image signal, and the imaging apparatus uses pixel data for a surrounding area around a target pixel to calculate a plurality of sets of correlation values in two directions orthogonal to each other, and determines the correlation direction based on these correlation values. The imaging apparatus obtains first to fourth color component pixel values for the target pixel relying on the fact that the high-frequency components of pixel signals in a direction orthogonal to a direction with high correlation have high correlation regardless of the color of color filters, thus allowing for performing pixel interpolation processing properly even if the four colors of color filters are unknown.
US09679356B2
Image scaling disclosed herein comprises receiving an image from an image capturing device and partitioning an image into at least one image tile using a partitioning module. A determination is made if the image tile requires slow scan scaling and/or fast scan scaling. The image tile is subject to slow scan scaling. The image tile is then transposed, scaled in the fast scan direction, and then again transposed to an original orientation. The tile is reassembled into a scaled image and may be rendered by a rendering device.
US09679351B2
In one embodiment, a method comprising grouping by a processor primitives that comprise a scene into plural clusters, each cluster comprising a subset of the primitives that are proximal to each other relative to the other of the primitives; and allocating an equal size memory block for each respective cluster for the plural clusters, wherein all the plural clusters comprise one scene representation, wherein each cluster can contain up to M primitives, where M is an integer number.
US09679346B2
Graphics engine and environment for efficient real time rendering of graphics that are not pre-known
This disclosure pertains to the operation of graphics systems and to a variety of architectures for design and/or operation of a graphics system spanning from the output of an application program and extending to the presentation of visual content in the form of pixels or otherwise. In general, many embodiments of the invention contemplate a high level graphics framework to receive graphic requests from an application. The graphics request is analyzed by the high-level framework and sorted into groups of command statements for execution. The command statements are sorted to cause the most efficient processing by the underlying hardware and the groups are submitted separately to a GPU using a low-level standard library that facilitates close control of the hardware functionality.
US09679339B2
Methods and systems for obtaining a value indicative of resource-related activity in respect of a plurality of devices using a network of metering means arranged to be in communication with one another, the metering means being associated with resource-consuming or resource-providing devices and being arranged to obtain local resource-related activity data therefrom, the method comprising: a first metering means initiating a circulation procedure by sending a token to a downstream metering means, the token comprising an activity field for carrying a value indicative of resource-related activity data; the circulation procedure continuing, until the token has returned to the first metering means, by each downstream metering means in turn receiving the token, updating the activity field in dependence on its own locally-obtained resource-related activity data, and forwarding the token to a further downstream metering means; and once the token has returned to the first metering means, obtaining a value indicative of the combined level of resource-related activity in respect of devices associated with the metering means in said network in dependence on the value carried by the activity field.
US09679338B2
Embodiments disclose a recommendation engine that implements a system and method for classifying users and media content, and for determining which media items a particular user will most likely enjoy. By organizing users and media content in a 3 dimensional virtual space and assigning x, y, and z coordinates to each, their relationship and affiliation with/to one another is defined by their distances from each other. When a user rates a media item highly, both that user and that media item move closer together. When a user gives a negative rating to a media item, they move farther apart. Further multiple users who rate the same media item similarly move closer together to form clusters of similar interest groups. This terraforms the virtual space into a natural attraction/separation of like-minded/different-minded users and similar/dissimilar media content.
US09679337B2
A system that labels an unlabeled message of a social stream. The system including a memory device storing instructions to execute a training model, the training model being trained based on labeled messages, and partitioned into a plurality of class partitions, each of which comprise statistical information and a class label, and a Central Processing Unit (CPU) that computes a confidence for each of the class partitions based on information of an unlabeled message and the statistical information of a respective class partition, and that labels the unlabeled message according to respective confidences of the class partitions.
US09679331B2
Various embodiments are provided generally relating to controlling visual effects associated with online presentations. In some embodiments, an online presentation can be provided from a presenter to a plurality of users accessing a user interface displaying the online presentation. In response to providing the online presentations, a background setting of each user can automatically change from a first state to a second state. Furthermore, in response to providing the online presentation, the presenter and each user accessing the user interface can be placed in an active mode of communication which can enable live video communications to be transmitted from the presenter to each of the plurality of users.
US09679325B2
Systems and methods to provide a navigated-shopping service are discussed. In an example, a method for navigated-shopping can include receiving a destination location, accessing a route to the destination, displaying the route with indications of a plurality of items for purchase, receiving selection of a selected item, and purchasing the selected item. The plurality of items for purchase can be within a predefined distance of at least one point along the route. The selection of the selected item can include selection of a retail location of a plurality of retail locations along the route.
US09679321B1
The technology may receive a product identification from a merchant and evaluate the product identification against evaluation rules to determine a likelihood of whether the product identification is valid for a product associated with the product identification.
US09679309B2
A computer-implemented method, system, and computer-readable medium includes determining an attribute of a web page to be displayed to a user at a location, selecting content corresponding to the determined web page attribute, and transmitting the selected content to the location for display as at least part of the web page.
US09679304B1
Accentuating terms of interest in an advertisement to be served in an interactive environment. Such terms of interest can be determined from information in a request for the advertisement. Such ad request information may include query information, geolocation information, etc. In the context of text-based ads, accentuation may include bolding the term(s), underlining the term(s), increasing the font size of the term(s), coloring the font of the term(s), shading the font of the term(s), flashing the text of the term(s), etc. Such accentuation helps users to quickly identify how an advertisement is related to what they are looking for. For example, in the context of a search engine which returns search results, as well as multiple text-based ads, users viewing a search result page in response to their query can quickly scan such a search result page for relevant information. This helps to improve the performance of ads, particularly if advertisers wordsmith their advertisements with care.
US09679275B2
A computing device with efficient cooling is provided. The computing device includes a housing with a plurality of components disposed therein. The components can include a pair of fan assemblies, a funnel assembly, and a heat sink assembly. The funnel assembly can direct the air drawn into the housing through a longitudinal channel define in the heat sink assembly and can direct the air across an exterior portion of the heat sink assembly, allowing for efficient cooling of the processors affixed to an exterior of the heat sink assembly.
US09679267B2
At least one model synchronization map table is built that facilitates navigation between elements of business objects of a business object model and corresponding elements of an extensible markup language (XML) schema definition-based (XSD-based) model. The XSD-based model includes at least one XML schema and is generated from the business object model. The business object model and the XSD-based model are displayed in a dual-view editor. The dual-view editor enables a user to toggle between and independently edit the business object model and the XSD-based model. In response to independent edits made to one of the XSD-based model and the business object model within the dual-view editor, the elements of the business object model are automatically synchronized with the corresponding elements of the XSD-based model using the at least one model synchronization map table.
US09679265B1
A business can use an improved workforce management system which includes capabilities for supporting intraday dynamic staffing. This dynamic staffing can include identifying wages which should be offered to workers to induce them to meet the business' needs, based on, for example, historical information stored in a database. Systems which include dynamic intraday staffing can be run using remote servers and interfaces accessed through various types of devices, such as internet enabled personal computers.
US09679264B2
Systems and methods used in human resource management systems. The method optimizes the assignment of permissions (e.g., ability to write to a database, ability to create a new account, etc.) to jobs. The method discovers relationships between jobs, duties and privileges by accessing an organization chart that relates a plurality of jobs, a plurality of specific duties to be performed within the purview of a given job, and a plurality of permissions for the respective duties of the job. The method then flattens the organization chart to enumerate the permissions inherited by the jobs. The method proceeds to mine the inherited permissions across the jobs to optimize the sets of permissions. The sets can be optimized (e.g., minimize number of sets, maximize coverage, etc.) and named so as to be conveniently assigned (e.g., by an HR person) to a job (e.g., in the case of a new employee).
US09679257B2
A method, devices, computer program products and an internet service is disclosed for adapting a context model. In the method a media clip is received. Also sensor data captured at least partly when the media clip was captured is received. A context is derived using a context model based at least partly on the sensor data and an indication on the context is provided to a user by receiving a search query having at least one context-related search criterion, deriving a similarity between the context and the at least one context-related search criterion and causing at least a part of the media clip to be presented as a response to the search query. Feedback on the relevance of the context is received from the user. Based on the feedback, the context model may then be adapted.
US09679253B2
Apparatus and methods for managing and upgrading components in an infrastructure are provided. Records relating to components may be retrieved from a database and separated into subsets based on conditions of those components, the types of those components, deterioration models of those components, and/or other factors. Future condition values may be calculated for each subset, and likelihoods of failure of components may be determined for each subset based on those future condition values. The estimated condition values may be used in order to determine an optimal approach to maintaining, refurbishing, and/or replacing the components in the infrastructure. Computational efficiency is increased.
US09679249B2
A user interface comprising a plurality of questions regarding a proposed information technology project may be generated. The user interface comprising the plurality of questions regarding the proposed information technology project may be communicated to a computing device. A plurality of responses input via the user interface may be received from the computing device. Each of the plurality of responses input via the user interface may correspond to one or more of the plurality of questions regarding the proposed information technology project. An initial risk assessment score for the proposed information technology project may be calculated based on the plurality of responses input via the user interface comprising the plurality of questions regarding the proposed information technology project. A determination may be made as to whether the initial risk assessment score for the proposed information technology project meets a predetermined threshold.
US09679243B2
A system and method for detecting behavior of a computing platform that includes obtaining platform data; for each data motif identifiers in a set data motif identifiers, performing data motif detection on data in an associated timescale, wherein a first data motif identifier operates on data in a first timescale, wherein a second data motif identifier operates on data in a second timescale, wherein the first timescale and second timescale are different; in a neural network model, synthesizing platform data anomaly detection with at least a set of features inputs from data motif detection of the set of motif identifiers; and signaling if a platform data anomaly is detected through the neural network model.
US09679239B2
The present disclosure is related to a microchip apparatus, where the microchip apparatus comprises a plurality of metallic layers. Each of the metallic layers may have a respective layer thickness. The microchip apparatus also comprises electronic components integrated within the metallic layers. The electronic components may be configured to communicate data. Further, the electronic components include an antenna feed. The microchip apparatus includes an antenna coupled to the antenna feed. The antenna includes multiple loops, each loop being formed by at least one layer of the metallic layers.
US09679236B2
An IC card includes a communication unit and a controller. The communication unit can communicate with one communication destination by a plurality of interfaces including a first interface and a second interface. The controller processes a command received by the communication unit, and makes the communication unit transmit a response to the command. In a case where the first interface becomes unavailable after the communication unit receives the command by the first interface until the communication unit transmits the response to the command, the controller makes the communication unit transmit a response containing discontinuation information indicating that the transmission of the response to the command received by the first interface is discontinued by the second interface.
US09679235B2
Configurations are provided for measuring electrical current flow through an AC power cable to a host device. An enclosure is provided that includes various components, such as components of an active RFID tag. A cable clamp is provided that is configured to attach the enclosure to the AC power cable. The cable clamp includes magnetic sensors that are responsive to electrical current flowing through the AC cable to generate signals indicative of the current flowing through the AC cable.
US09679228B2
An image forming apparatus includes a generating unit, a print instruction providing unit, and a display. The generating unit generates print data of a sample sheet if a request for outputting the sample sheet is received while print data formed of plural pages is being generated. The print instruction providing unit provides a print instruction for the print data of the sample sheet after providing a print instruction for the print data that has been generated. The display displays, based on the print data of the sample sheet, an attribute of the sample sheet.
US09679225B2
Embodiments herein provide computer-implemented techniques for allowing a user computing device to extract financial card information using optical character recognition (“OCR”). Extracting financial card information may be improved by applying various classifiers and other transformations to the image data. For example, applying a linear classifier to the image to determine digit locations before applying the OCR algorithm allows the user computing device to use less processing capacity to extract accurate card data. The OCR application may train a classifier to use the wear patterns of a card to improve OCR algorithm performance. The OCR application may apply a linear classifier and then a nonlinear classifier to improve the performance and the accuracy of the OCR algorithm. The OCR application uses the known digit patterns used by typical credit and debit cards to improve the accuracy of the OCR algorithm.
US09679219B2
A method, executed by one or more processors, includes computing a saliency surface for an image, conducting a mean shift algorithm on the saliency surface to provide mean shift data for the saliency surface, producing a mode voting map for the saliency surface from the mean shift data, and classifying features in the image according to the mode voting map. The features may correspond to medical conditions. In some embodiments, computing the saliency surface comprises determining a distinctiveness score for each of a plurality of image patches. In some embodiments, producing the mode voting map comprises determining a plurality of modes and an area of influence for each mode of the plurality of modes where the area of influence corresponds to mean shift data that leads to a particular mode. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed herein.
US09679210B2
A system for providing real-time alerts or actions comprises an image capturing device and a processor and a memory. The image capturing device is for capturing an image during vehicle operation and of an expected driver location. The processor is configured to: 1) detect a face of a driver in the image; 2) determine a set of face data from the image; and 3) determine authentication based at least in part on the set of face data. The memory is coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.
US09679208B2
A traffic light detecting device includes an image capturing unit configured to repeatedly capture images in a travelling direction of a vehicle to obtain a series of multiple images and a traffic light detecting unit configured to detect traffic lights from the images. The traffic light detecting unit detects phase information of an electric power system used in an area around the vehicle including the traffic lights from a cycle of a luminance variation in the series of multiple images and extracts from the images a synchronized pixel with a luminance which varies in synchronization with an alternating current cycle of electric power supplied to the traffic light by using the phase information of the electric power system. The traffic light detecting device judges from the synchronized pixel whether or not the traffic light is present.
US09679207B2
A traffic light detecting device includes an image capturing unit configured to capture an image of surroundings of a vehicle and a traffic light detecting unit configured to detect a traffic light from the image. The traffic light detecting unit extracts a synchronized pixel with a luminance which varies in synchronization with an alternating current cycle of electric power supplied to the traffic light, and sets a predetermined range including the synchronized pixel as a pixel group. The traffic light detecting unit, then, judges from the synchronized pixel whether or not the traffic light is present when the synchronized pixel is continuously extracted from the pixel group for a predetermined determination period.
US09679199B2
The cross-modal sensor fusion technique described herein tracks mobile devices and the users carrying them. The technique matches motion features from sensors on a mobile device to image motion features obtained from images of the device. For example, the acceleration of a mobile device, as measured by an onboard internal measurement unit, is compared to similar acceleration observed in the color and depth images of a depth camera. The technique does not require a model of the appearance of either the user or the device, nor in many cases a direct line of sight to the device. The technique can operate in real time and can be applied to a wide variety of ubiquitous computing scenarios.
US09679194B2
Methods for obfuscating an image of a subject in a captured media are disclosed. For example, a method receives a communication from an endpoint device of a subject indicating that the image of the subject is to be obfuscated in a captured media. The communication may include a feature set associated with the subject, where the feature set contains facial features of the subject and motion information associated with the subject. The method then detects the image of the subject in the captured media. For example, the image of the subject is detected by matching the facial features of the subject to the image of the subject in the captured media and matching the motion information associated with the subject to a trajectory of the image of the subject in the captured media. The method then obfuscates the image of the subject in the captured media.
US09679186B2
A capacitance detecting device for fingerprint identification and a fingerprint identification apparatus are provided. The device includes a conductive border; a detecting screen, comprising: a plurality of detecting units, in which each detecting unit includes: a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a third conductive layer and a fourth conductive layer; a detecting module, configured to charge a sensing capacitance between the first conductive layer and a finger in contact with the detecting screen and a feedback capacitance between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer at a sampling stage, to control electric charges of the sensing capacitance and the feedback capacitance to transfer to an integrating capacitance between the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer at an integral stage, to measure a voltage variation of the integrating capacitance at the integral stage and to calculate the sensing capacitance according to the voltage variation.
US09679177B2
A barcode reader and an accessory are disclosed. A barcode reader may include an interface for communication with a host computer via a wireless or wired link and an authentication system to establish mutual authentication with the host computer. The barcode reader may include a connector for connecting the barcode reader to the external power source or the host computer. The connector may be a combined power and data connector. An accessory may provide operating power to a barcode reader and provide decoded data of an image of a barcode received from the barcode reader to a host computer. The accessory may include connectors and an interface system. The interface system may include a processor configured to send the decoded data to the host computer, an authentication system, and a power interface. The accessory may include RF circuits for communicating with the host computer via a wireless link.
US09679176B2
A securable indicia encoding system with a lock receiving portion is disclosed herein. In one illustrative embodiment, a securable indicia decoding device may include an imaging subsystem, a memory, a processor, and a housing. The imaging subsystem may include an image sensor array and an imaging optics assembly operative for focusing an image onto the image sensor array. The memory may be capable of storing frames of image data comprising data communicated through the read-out portion of at least some of the pixels during the imaging operation. The processor may be operative for receiving one or more of the frames of image data from the data storage element and performing a decode operation for attempting to decode a decodable feature represented in at least one of the frames of image data. The housing may encapsulate the illumination subsystem and the imaging subsystem. The housing may include a lock receiving portion for receiving a security lock.
US09679175B2
A barcode reader comprising a targeting illumination system, a plurality of illumination systems, and a lens assembly may also comprise feature offset data. The feature offset data may be offsets between locations of a plurality of features projected by the targeting illumination system within a plurality of calibration image frames captured at different calibration distances. The barcode reader may (i) select two features projected by the targeting illumination system that are present in a barcode image captured via the first lens, (ii) determine a feature offset that indicates an offset between the two features, and (iii) estimate a barcode distance based on the feature offset and the feature offset data.
US09679172B2
An RFID reader control system and method is provided. A protocol for controlling an RFID reader and an RFID reader control unit of a mobile phone is defined. Messages, information, commands, responses, and notification are constructed and transmitted between the RFID reader and the RFID reader control unit.
US09679171B2
RF tags using source addresses to locate stations on a Wi-Fi network are secured. An RF location server receives a pseudo source address of an RF (radio frequency) tag from a station. The station obtains the pseudo source address while being within radio range of the RF tag and the station receiving a beacon frame from the RF tag. A source address for the RF tag is looked-up utilizing the pseudo source address, and a specific location for the RF tag is looked-up utilizing the source address. Some embodiments store the locations in association with the pseudo address. Either way, the specific location of the station is identified based on the source address of the RF tag. An action is determined in response to at least the specific location of the station. Information related to the action is sent to the station for output to a user of the station. For example, a location-based offer or service can be provided in real-time with a consumer's presence to relevant products or services.
US09679160B1
A computer-implemented method for maintaining encrypted search indexes on third-party storage systems may include (1) identifying a plurality of encrypted files, (2) identifying a plurality of keywords contained in the plurality of encrypted files, and (3) generating an encrypted search index for searching the plurality of encrypted files by (i) identifying, for each keyword in the plurality of keywords, a list of encrypted files in the plurality of encrypted files that contain the keyword, (ii) encrypting the list of encrypted files, and (iii) storing the encrypted list of encrypted files such that the encrypted list of encrypted files can be identified using a lookup key generated by applying a pseudo-random function to the keyword. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09679149B2
A secret sharing system transforms shares in ramp secret sharing to shares in homomorphic secret sharing. On a data distribution apparatus, a division part divides information a into N shares fa(n) using an arbitrary ramp secret sharing scheme S1. On each of distributed data transform apparatuses, a random number selecting part generates a random number vector ri whose elements are L random numbers ri1. A first random number division part divides the random number vector into N shares fri(n) using a ramp secret sharing scheme S1. A second random number division part divides each of the L random numbers ri1 into N shares gri,1(n) using an arbitrary secret sharing scheme S2. A disturbance part generates a share Ui by using a share fa(i) and shares frλ(i). A reconstruction part reconstructs L pieces of disturbance information c1 from shares Uλ by using the ramp secret sharing scheme S1. A redivision part divides each piece of disturbance information c1 into N using the secret sharing scheme S2 to generate shares gc1(n). A transform part generates shares ga1(i) of the information a by using a share gc1(i) and the shares grλ,1(i).
US09679148B2
In a hierarchical access permissions environment, a method for enabling efficient management of project-wise permissions including maintaining project-wise lists of network objects, access permissions to which cannot be managed together via a hierarchical folder structure and employing the project-wise lists of network objects to make project-wise changes in access permissions to the network objects without the need to individually modify access permissions to individual ones of the network objects.
US09679139B1
A method and system are provided for performing an antivirus scan of a file on a virtual machine. An example method includes performing a first execution of the file on the virtual machine, recording a first log that includes an API function call and an internal event detected during execution, and determining if any signatures in the log are stored in a signatures database. Moreover, if no signatures in the first log are found in the first database of signatures, the file is classified as not malicious. In contrast, if at least one signature is found, a second execution of the file is perform and a second log is recorded that includes a detected internal event. Moreover, the method includes determining if any signatures in the second log are stored in a second database of signatures; and classifying the file as not malicious if no signatures are found.
US09679138B2
Circuits and methods for detecting, identifying and/or removing undesired content are provided. According to one embodiment, a system includes a co-processor (CP), a first memory, a general purpose processor (GPP) and a second memory. The first memory is associated with the CP and coupled to the CP. The first memory includes a first signature compiled for execution on the CP. The GPP is coupled to the CP. The second memory is associated with the GPP and coupled to the CP and to the GPP. The second memory includes a second signature compiled for execution on the GPP. The CP is operable to retrieve the first signature stored within the first memory through an instruction cache. The CP is operable to retrieve a data segment to be scanned for undesirable content stored within the second memory through a data cache that is separate from the instruction cache.
US09679136B2
A method for analyzing a computing system includes the steps of at a first moment in time, scanning the resources of the computing system for indications of malware, at a second moment in time scanning the resources of the computing system for indications of malware and determining the system executable objects loaded on the computing system, determining malware system changes, identifying a relationship between the malware system changes and the system executable objects loaded on the computing system, and identifying as suspected malware the system executable objects loaded on the computing system which have a relationship with the malware system changes. The malware system changes include differences between the results of scanning the resources of the computing system for indications of malware at the second and first moment of time.
US09679135B2
A secure computer for secure transactions that includes an operating system, a processor, an identity security module, and a loss protection device. The operating system has built-in security features. The processor is manufactured with security features and configured to execute software in a virtualized state outside of the operating system. The computer includes or be able to create at least one virtualized monitoring application that operates outside of the operating system and. monitor system files and duplicate files of the system files for modification by malicious software, such that any of the duplicate files or system files determined to be modified by malicious software are restored to one of an original version or a known operative state and generates and communicates an alert indicating possible suspicious activity based on the determined modification.
US09679126B2
A decryption device for decrypting a document encrypted using biometric information of an intended receiver of the document is provided. The decryption device comprises: an imaging device configured to capture an image of at least a portion of the document; a biometric detection device configured to detect biometric information of a user; a processor configured to decrypt at least the portion of the document using the captured image and the detected biometric information; and a display device configured to display at least the portion of the document decrypted by the processor.
US09679124B2
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture providing analytically enhanced user interfaces and smart CAPTCHAs. The analytically enhanced user interfaces may collect information regarding a user's interaction with the user interface, and asynchronously transmit the collected information to a logging service. The smart CAPTCHAs may gather information regarding a user based on the input the user provides to the smart CAPTCHA.
US09679120B2
Systems and methods described herein include wagering game systems that communicate with servers or other entities in a wagering game network using multicast groups. Data transmitted over the network for the multicast group is encrypted. Keys for the encryption and decryption of the data are generated based on a current key index for the multicast group, and a global passphrase. The global passphrase is not transmitted over the network.
US09679117B2
A system and method for obtaining an authorization key to use a product utilizes a secured product identification code, which includes a serial number and at least one code that is generated based on a cryptographic algorithm.
US09679106B2
A medical information display apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a displaying unit which displays medical information; a study information acquiring part which acquires study information; a to-be-started-app determining part which determines a starting-target application group from the study information acquired by the study information acquiring part; and a controlling unit which displays, on the displaying unit, a plurality of pieces of medical information created respectively by applications in the start target application group determined by the to-be-started-app determining part.
US09679105B2
The systems and methods of the present application includes embodiments that allow users to more easily and efficiently compare medical data in an automated, computerized system using a variety of visualization tools, by operation on datasets sourced from a variety of entities.
US09679104B2
A system, method and apparatus for executing a sequence analysis pipeline on genetic sequence data includes a structured ASIC formed of a set of hardwired digital logic circuits that are interconnected by physical electrical interconnects. One of the physical electrical interconnects forms an input to the structured ASIC connected with an electronic data source for receiving reads of genomic data. The hardwired digital logic circuits are arranged as a set of processing engines, each processing engine being formed of a subset of the hardwired digital logic circuits to perform one or more steps in the sequence analysis pipeline on the reads of genomic data. Each subset of the hardwired digital logic circuits is formed in a wired configuration to perform the one or more steps in the sequence analysis pipeline.
US09679102B2
A system and method for placing a structure in a design for an interior of an aircraft. An initial placement for the structure is received by a processor unit. A suggested placement for the structure is identified by the processor unit from a number of structure placement engineering designs in an engineering design database for the aircraft using the initial placement. The suggested placement for the structure is displayed by the processor unit.
US09679084B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for enabling nodes in a distributed system to share one or more memory portions. A home node makes a portion of its main memory available for sharing, and one or more sharer nodes mirrors that shared portion of the home node's main memory in its own main memory. To maintain memory coherency, a memory coherence protocol is implemented. Under this protocol, a special data value is used to indicate that data in a mirrored memory location is not valid. This enables a sharer node to know when to obtain valid data from a home node. With this protocol, valid data is obtained from the home node and updates are propagated to the home node. Thus, no “dirty” data is transferred between sharer nodes. Consequently, the failure of one node will not cause the failure of another node or the failure of the entire system.
US09679077B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to computer systems for implementing dynamic, data-driven workflows within healthcare and other environments. Such a system may include a computer-processable definition of one or more workflows. Each workflow definition may define various aspects of the corresponding workflow, such as the data required by the workflow, a process for extracting such data from a variety of structured and/or unstructured data sources, a set of process steps to be performed within the workflow, and a condition for triggering the workflow. The system may use the workflow definition to extract the data required by the workflow and to perform the workflow's process steps on the extracted data in response to determining that the workflow's trigger condition has been satisfied. The workflow may change in response to changes in data extracted by the workflow.
US09679071B2
A badge may be assigned to a person, where the badge represents a characteristic or recurrent behavior of the person. A query may be associated with a badge, and the query may be continually used in a search request in combination with the person's context, thereby allowing the person to be continually provided with fresh results that may be relevant to the person's durable characteristics and current context. In one example, the person carries a handheld device, and the results are presented to the user on the user's desktop or lock screen. The act of providing the results may be triggered in various ways, such as movement of the person who carries the device, or the availability of sufficiently high-quality results.
