US09675727B2
The invention relates to a method for treating a subject for a bursitis. The method comprises applying to the skin surface covering a body part or region affected by the bursitis a composition capable of transdermally attracting fluids from the body part or region or its proximity, wherein the composition includes at least one adsorptive or absorptive agent, and leaving the composition in contact with the skin for sufficient time to allow the composition to transdermally absorb or adsorb at least a portion of the body fluids from the body part or region.
US09675724B1
A scent dispenser system used for dispensing scent from a liquid. The system includes a dispenser having an open volume. The system includes absorbent beads in the open volume of the dispenser, where the absorbent beads having the capability to absorb a liquid. The system includes aeration windows in the dispenser to receive a liquid and to allow air to pass through the dispenser and about the absorbent beads.
US09675721B2
Provided is an apparatus for disinfecting an object by at least partially removing a biologically-active contaminant there from. A housing encloses a disinfection chamber in which a portion of the object is to be received to be disinfected, and includes an inlet aperture through which the object is introduced to the apparatus. An ultraviolet light source emits ultraviolet light to be imparted on the portion of the object introduced to the disinfection chamber for deactivating at least a portion of the biologically-active contaminant present on the object. A controller controls operation of at least one of a feeder and the ultraviolet light to achieve a level of disinfection of the object, rendering the object suitable for use in a substantially-sterile application.
US09675704B2
A particulate, pH-independent, modified release barrier coated drug-cation exchange resin complex comprising a core composed of a drug complexed with a pharmaceutically acceptable ion-exchange resin is provided. Methods of making and products containing this coated complex are described.
US09675700B2
A topical therapeutic hydrophobic breakable composition includes a carrier comprising, (a) about 60% to about 99% by weight of at least one hydrophobic oil; (b) at least one viscosity-modifying agents selected from the group consisting of a fatty alcohol, a fatty acid and a wax; and (c) a tetracycline antibiotic, characterized in that at least part of the tetracycline antibiotic is suspended in the composition; the viscosity of the composition is at least about 30% higher than the viscosity of the carrier without the tetracycline antibiotic; and is higher than the viscosity of the hydrophobic oil and the tetracycline antibiotic without the viscosity modifying agents. The tetracycline is chemically stable in the composition for at least six months; wherein more than about 90% of the tetracycline has not broken down. The composition is packaged as a breakable foam that breaks easily upon application of shear force.
US09675698B2
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition in the form of a hydro-alcoholic gel or a solution for transdermal application, comprising: from about 0.2% to about 1.5% of dihydrotestosterone; and from about 0.2 to about 3% of isopropyl myristate.
US09675684B2
A synthetic, codon-optimized Hantaan virus (HTNV) full-length M gene open reading frame that consists of a unique nucleotide sequence encoding HTNV proteins. This synthetic gene was cloned into a plasmid to form the first optimized HTNV full-length M gene that elicits neutralizing antibodies in animals when delivered in combination with a similarly optimized Puumala virus (PUUV) DNA vaccine. The invention obviates the need for an extraneous gene sequence that was previously required for expression of the non-optimized HTNV gene. The synthetic gene is engineered into a molecular vaccine system to prevent hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) caused by infection with HTNV, SEOV, or DOBV. Alternatively, it can be combined with the optimized PUUV DNA vaccine to protect against HFRS caused by any hantavirus.
US09675659B2
Methods for the treatment and/or prevention of a fungal infection in the pulmonary system of a subject in need thereof with caspofungin or a derivative thereof are disclosed herein.
US09675655B2
The present invention relates to compositions comprising black cumin (Nigelia sativa seed) oil, olive oil, tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil, cocoa butter, vitamin A or a derivative thereof, and vitamin B12 or a derivative thereof. The compositions of the present invention can be advantageously used in the in the treatment of dermatological conditions, disorders or diseases, in particular inflammatory dermatological diseases such as psoriasis.
US09675650B2
The present invention relates to a composition for removing keratinous skin material, the composition comprising a Lactobacillus strain or a culture thereof. Also, the present invention relates to a composition for removing keratinous skin material, the composition comprising green tea Lactobacillus as Lactobacillus. In contrast to when skin is improved through the supply of a moisture fraction by a commonly used skin-moisturizing component, the Lactobacillus according to the present invention removes keratinous skin material, thereby producing the advantageous effect that skin can be cared for and improved as the waste materials which accumulates on the skin is fundamentally removed. Therefore, the composition according to the present invention can effectively prevent or alleviate skin problems such as spots. Also, the invention regulates the skin and so improves skin tone by removing surplus keratinous material which is not needed by the skin.
US09675644B2
A biological composition has a mixture of mechanically selected allogeneic biologic material derived from bone marrow. The mixture has non-whole cellular components including vesicular components and active and inactive components of biological activity, cell fragments, cellular excretions, cellular derivatives, and extracellular components. The mixture is compatible with biologic function.
US09675642B2
This invention provides the field of therapeutics. Most specifically present invention provides methods of generating in vitro engineered dendritic cells conditionally expressing interleukin-12 (IL-12) under the control of a gene expression modulation system in the presence of activating ligand and uses for therapeutic purposes in animals including human.
US09675641B2
This disclosure is directed to the methods of enhancing hematopoietic stem cells (HSPC) and progenitor cell (HSPC) engraftment procedure. Treatment in vivo of a HSPC donor with compounds that reduce PGE2 biosynthesis or PGE2 receptor antagonists alone, or in combination with other hematopoietic mobilization agents such as AMD3100 and G-CSF, increases the circulation of available HSPCs. Compounds that reduce the cellular synthesis of PGE2 include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compounds such as indomethacin. Treatment ex vivo of HSPC with an effective amount of PGE2 or at least one of its derivatives such as 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2), promotes HSPC engraftment. Similar methods may also be used to increase viral-mediated gene transduction efficacy into HSPC.
US09675636B2
A polymer composition for sequestering lipid-bile acid micelles in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is provided. The polymer composition comprises a copolymer of a pH-sensitive monomer and one or more of positively-charged monomers. The polymer composition is able to bind micelles under various physiological conditions in the GI tract and possesses the ability to flocculate the bound micelle upon exposure to a particular pH. The flocculation of the polymer:micelle complex prevents absorption of the micelle thereby causing the polymer:micelle complex to be eliminated with the fecal matter. Thus, the polymer composition described herein may be effective in reducing cholesterol, bile acid, and/or triglyceride levels and promote weight loss.
US09675632B2
The present invention discloses compounds of formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: which inhibit, preventing or treating abnormal cellular proliferation and/or a viral infection, particularly by HIV, HCV or HBV. Consequently, the compounds of the present invention interfere with the replication cycle of a virus and are also useful as antiviral agents, or interfere with host cellular biochemical process and are also useful as antiproliferative agents. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the aforementioned compounds for administration to a subject suffering from viral infection and/or cell proliferation. The invention also relates to methods of treating a viral infection and/or cell proliferation in a subject by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compounds of the present invention. The present invention relates to novel antiviral/anti-proliferative compounds represented herein above, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and methods for the treatment or prophylaxis of viral infection in a subject in need of such therapy with said compounds.
US09675627B2
Described herein are dosing regimens and kits for the treatment and/or prevention of cerebral amyloidoses such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and/or cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA).
US09675625B2
A medicament having a higher therapeutic effect than that provided by administration of a recombinant antibody against human CC chemokine receptor 4 or an antibody fragment thereof or an agent alone is provided.
US09675624B2
The present invention relates to pharmaceutical formulations comprising an anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid compound of the androstane series and levocabastine, an H1 antagonist/anti-allergic, and also relates to therapeutic uses thereof, particularly for the treatment of inflammatory and allergic conditions, specifically rhinitis.
US09675609B2
A pharmaceutical composition is provided having particles of a physical mixture that contain at least one 20-camptothecin or a derivative thereof, at least one surfactant, at least one stabilizer, and at least one diluent. The particles have a mean particle size of less than about 2500 nm. The pharmaceutical composition can be nano- or micro-sized particles containing the 20-camptothecin esters or derivatives thereof as part of a physical mixture, which can provide the active compound in a water-soluble/dispersible, bioavailable form. The particles can be used as an oral pharmaceutical composition which comprises the nano- or micro-sized form of 20-camptothecin esters or derivatives, such as in an oral suspension (e.g., an aqueous suspension), or capsules, or caplets. The pharmaceutical composition can be used in the treatment of a cancer or malignant tumor in a patient by oral administration thereof in a therapeutically effective amount.
US09675607B2
Methods and compositions are described for enhancing tissue regeneration or wound repair in a mammalian subject comprising a composition comprising (a) a proline hydroxylase inhibitor component or molecule that increases or upregulates HIF1a and (b) a carrier component comprising a hydrogel.
US09675597B2
The present invention provides a compound having a cholinergic muscarinic M1 receptor positive allosteric modulator activity and useful as an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, pain, sleep disorder, Parkinson's disease dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and the like.The present invention relates to a compound represented by the formula (I) or a salt thereof. wherein each symbol is as described in the specification, or a salt thereof.
US09675595B2
A pharmaceutical combination comprising (a) the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor compound (S)-pyrrolidine-1,2-dicarboxylic acid 2-amide 1-({4-methyl-5-[2-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1,1-dimethyl-ethyl)-pyridin-4-yl]thiazol-2-yl}-amide) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and (b) at least one mitogen activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, and optionally at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for simultaneous, separate or sequential administration; the uses of such combination in the treatment of proliferative diseases; and methods of treating a subject suffering from a proliferative disease comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of such combination.
US09675586B2
Described herein are methods of treating locally advanced or metastatic estrogen receptor positive breast cancer.
US09675583B2
Provided herein are compounds, such as compounds, of Formula I, that bind to androgen receptors and/or modulate activity of androgen receptors. Also provided are methods for making and using such compounds. Also provided are compositions including such compounds and methods for making and using such compositions.
US09675577B2
Beta-hydroxybutyrate mineral salts in combination with medium chain fatty acids or an ester thereof such as medium chain triglycerides were used to induce ketosis, achieving blood ketone levels of (2-7 mmol/L), with or without dietary restriction. The combination results in substantial improvements in metabolic biomarkers related to insulin resistance, diabetes, weight loss, and physical performance in a short period of time. Further, use of these supplements to achieve ketosis yields a significant elevation of blood ketones and reduction of blood glucose levels. Use of these substances does not adversely affect lipid profiles. By initiating rapid ketosis and accelerating the rate of ketoadaptation, this invention is useful for the avoidance of glucose withdrawal symptoms commonly experienced by individuals initiating a ketogenic diet, and minimizes the loss of lean body mass during dietary restriction.
US09675572B2
The invention encompasses intravenous pharmaceutical compositions containing omega-3 fatty acids and methods of treating traumatic brain injury, traumatic spinal cord injury and/or stroke using these pharmaceutical compositions.
US09675570B2
The present disclosure provides solid compositions comprising a stabilized salt of aminocarboxylic acid. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising [(1R,5S,6S)-6-(aminomethyl)-3-ethylbicyclo[3.2.0]hept-3-en-6-yl]acetic acid monobenzenesulfonate in combination with appropriate additives are also provided.
US09675569B2
The present invention provides novel methods for treating a pulmonary disease state in mammals by up-regulating indigenous in vivo levels of an inflammatory agent in mammalian cells comprising contacting the mammalian cells with a therapeutically effective amount of an inflammatory regulator and a pharmaceutical agent. The inflammatory agent is selected from the group consisting of cytokines, transforming growth factor-β, elastase, and white blood cells, and wherein the inflammatory regulator is selected from the group consisting of pyruvates and pyruvate precursors. The pharmaceutical agent is selected from the group comprising anti-bacterial agents, anti-virals, anti-fungals, anti-tumors, antihistamines, proteins, enzymes, hormones such as insulin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, cytokines, steroids, and nicotine.
US09675565B2
The present invention provides a method of inhibiting, suppressing or preventing levodopa-induced dyskinesia in a patient suffering from Parkinson's Disease, comprising the step of administering to the patient a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one compound of the invention. The present invention further provides a method of inhibiting, suppressing or preventing Parkinson's Disease in a patient, comprising the step of administering to the patient a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one compound of the invention.
US09675549B2
Provided herein is a tablet comprising, as a drug, N-(5-tert-butyl-isoxazol-3-yl)-N′-{4-[7-(2-morpholin-4-yl-ethoxy)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]benzothiazol-2-yl]phenyl}urea or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, which is a medicament for treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the tablet characterized by comprising a composite of N-(5-tert-butyl-isoxazol-3-yl)-N′-{4-[7-(2-morpholin-4-yl-ethoxy)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]benzothiazol-2-yl]phenyl}urea or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin in a ratio ranging from 1:8 to 1:20.
US09675545B2
An acicular body includes a support base, and a needle formed on the support base and containing a chitosan derivative.
US09675534B2
The present disclosure relates to a surfactant-containing preparation comprising one or more alcohols and one or more anionic surfactants, wherein the preparation is an O/W emulsion, the particle size distribution for which the following applies: D(v, 0.9)=40 μm or less, and wherein the total quantity of the one or more alcohols in the preparation is selected in such a way that the preparation, compared to a comparison preparation which having an otherwise identical composition does not comprise any alcohol of the formula (I), has an increased viscosity at 22.7 ° C. Also disclosed are methods for producing the preparation and methods for increasing stability and/or viscosity of an emulsion.
US09675531B2
A personal care composition is disclosed comprising abrasive particles. The personal care composition may take a variety of forms such as a leave-on composition or an emulsion and/or may comprise one or more actives or agents.
US09675527B2
The present invention provides a dental color tone adjustment material kit that has improved properties in terms of surface drying and of discoloration after curing and that enables adjustment to a desired color tone. The present invention relates to a dental color tone adjustment material kit including: a primer composition (A) including an acid group-containing polymerizable monomer (a) and a volatile organic solvent (b); and a dental color tone adjustment material B including a polymerizable monomer (d), a polymerization initiator (e), particle aggregates (f) that are chain aggregates of ultrafine filler particles having an average primary particle diameter of 1 to 50 nm, titanium dioxide (g), and a pigment (h). The monomer (a) accounts for 0.05 to 45 weight % of the primer composition (A), and the organic solvent (b) accounts for 55 to 99.95 weight % of the primer composition (A). The monomer (d) includes a polyfunctional acrylate monomer (d1) and a volatile monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomer (d2), and the monomers (d1) and (d2) account for 88 weight % or more of the monomer (d). The content of the particle aggregates (f) is 5 to 20 parts by weight, and the content of the titanium dioxide (g) is 0.05 to 2 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the total of the monomer (d) and the particle aggregates (f).
US09675498B2
An absorbent article has non-uniform dimensioned side barrier features and includes a lower structure. The article also includes an upper structure in fluid communication with the lower structure. The upper structure is adjacent and bonded to the lower structure. Embossment channels or embossment features and said side barrier feature lateral-most edges define side barrier features having either non-uniform lateral width dimensions or a combination of non-uniform lateral width and non-uniform height dimensions along the longitudinal direction of said article.
US09675495B2
A capsulotomy cutting device includes a planar cutting head sized to fit into intraocular tissue. The planar cutting head includes at least one sharp edge and an oscillation mechanism adapted to oscillate the cutting head. Capsulotomy is achieved by inserting the planar cutting head through an incision in the eyeball, placing the cutting edge of the cutting head against the tissue of the lens capsule therein, and then oscillating the cutting head by an oscillation mechanism coupled to the cutting head.
US09675489B2
Devices and methods for gastrointestinal bypass are described. A gastrointestinal bypass device includes a gastrointestinal cuff and a gastrointestinal sleeve. The cuff may be configured to be attached in the esophagus, and may be sufficiently flexible to expand and collapse to conform with the inside of the esophagus to allow the esophagus to function substantially normally. The sleeve is configured to be coupled to the cuff, and may be made of a material that is floppy or flaccid but does not substantially expand radially.
US09675482B2
Embolic implants delivery systems and methods of manufacture and delivery are disclosed. The devices can be used for aneurysm and/or fistula treatment. The designs offer low profile compressibility for delivery to neurovasculature, while maintaining advantageous delivery and implant detachment control features.
US09675478B2
Methods of making polymeric devices, such as stents, using solvent based processes. More particularly, methods of making bioabsorbable stents.
US09675477B2
A welded stent and stent delivery system, with a stent including a first strut having a first strut nickel titanium alloy layer and nickel titanium soluble core, the first strut nickel titanium alloy layer being disposed around the first strut nickel titanium soluble core; and a second strut having a second strut nickel titanium alloy layer and nickel titanium soluble core, the second strut nickel titanium alloy layer being disposed around the second strut nickel titanium soluble core, the second strut nickel titanium alloy layer being connected to the first strut nickel titanium alloy layer with a weld. The first and second strut nickel titanium alloy layers are made of a nickel titanium alloy, the first and second strut nickel titanium soluble cores are made of a nickel titanium soluble material, and the weld is made of an alloy of the nickel titanium alloy and the nickel titanium soluble material.
US09675473B2
A stent has a first end region, a middle region, and a second end region, each region including a plurality of strut columns. The stent includes at least one barb. Each barb in an expanded state is at an angle relative to the outer surface of the stent.
US09675471B2
Improved assessment probes and measuring tools, systems, procedures and methods to facilitate the selection and/or implantation of prosthetic joint components, and assist a surgeon or medical practitioner with the proper assessment, balancing and/or restoration of natural and/or desired joint kinematics during a joint replacement procedure.
US09675459B2
To manufacture the implant a nanopowder of synthetic hydroxyapatite (Hap) is used having a hexagonal structure, average grain size in a range from 3 to 30 nm and the specific surface area greater than 200 m2/g. First the nanopowder is formed to the desired geometric shape, and then the shape is fixed. In the step of shape information the dried nanopowder is pressed in the mold under the pressure ranging from 50 Mpa to 2 GPa. In the step of fixing the pressed nanopowder at room temperature is subjected to the pressure rising from the ambient value to the peak value selected from a range of 1 to 8 GPa and to a temperature selected from a range of 100° C. to 600° C. for a period of time selected from a range from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. The density of thus produced implant, determined by helium method, is not less than 75% of the theoretical density.
US09675455B2
A prosthetic heart valve having an internal support frame with a continuous, undulating leaflet frame defined therein. The leaflet frame has three cusp regions positioned at an inflow end intermediate three commissure regions positioned at an outflow end thereof. The leaflet frame may be cloth covered and flexible leaflets attached thereto form occluding surfaces of the valve. The support frame further includes three cusp positioners rigidly fixed with respect to the leaflet frame and located at the outflow end of the support frame intermediate each pair of adjacent commissure regions. The valve is desirably compressible so as to be delivered in a minimally invasive manner through a catheter to the site of implantation. Upon expulsion from catheter, the valve expands into contact with the surrounding native valve annulus and is anchored in place without the use of sutures.
US09675448B2
A tool for facilitating insertion of a speech valve with a flexible retention flange into a fistula between the trachea and the esophagus of a human patient. The tool has a wall curved to define a passage having opposed open first and second passage ends and an axis extending therebetween. The wall has an external surface insertable into a fistula between the trachea and esophagus and defining a slot which extends from the passage to the external surface of the wall. The slot has an opening at the first passage end extending from the first passage end to at least a part of the way to the second passage end and at least a portion of the slot progresses angularly around the axis.
US09675447B2
A method to treat glottic insufficiency includes creating a window in a thyroid cartilage and inserting an implant through the window and into a paraglottic space. The implant includes a balloon with a port connector and a band comprising a proximate end attached to a portion of the balloon. The method further includes securing the band to a thyroarytenoid muscle complex and inflating the balloon to pull on the band, which in turn pulls on the thyroarytenoid muscle, which in turn rotates an arytenoids cartilage to medialize and tighten a vocal cord.
US09675444B2
Many modern implantable ophthalmic devices include electronic components, such as electro-active cells, that can leak harmful substances into the eye and/or surrounding tissue. In the implantable ophthalmic devices disclosed herein, electronic components are hermetically sealed within cavities formed by bonding together two or more glass wafers. Bonding the glass wafers together with laser fusion bonding, pressure bonding, or anodic bonding creates a seal that leaks at a rate of less than about 5×10−12 Pa m3s−1 when subjected to a helium leak test. Hermetically sealed feedthroughs formed of conductive material running through channels in the wafers provide electrical connections to components inside the sealed cavities. In some cases, the conductive material has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is roughly equal to (e.g., within 10% of) the CTE of the glass wafers to minimize leakage due to thermally induced expansion and contraction of the conductive material and the glass wafer.
US09675439B2
A stent-graft comprises a substantially tubular graft material, and a stent coupled to the graft material. The stent has proximal and distal ends and further has compressed and deployed states. The proximal end is disposed proximally beyond a proximal edge of the graft material, and the distal end has at least one portion overlapping with the proximal edge of the graft material. In one example, the stent comprises at least one distal apex having a bifurcation extending into first and second leg regions. A distal end of the first leg region is positioned to overlap the graft material at a location circumferentially spaced apart from a location at which a distal end of the second leg region overlaps the graft material in the deployed state.
US09675432B2
A method for manufacturing a removable dental prosthesis using a three-dimensional (3D) printer includes receiving dental impressions of a patient obtained using a dental impression tray assembly, the dental impressions including a bite registration and at least a mandibular impression or a maxillary impression; receiving information related to the patient's jaw relations obtained using the dental impression tray assembly, the jaw relations including a vertical dimension and a centric relation obtained during the patient's single visit to a dentist; scanning the received dental impressions with a 3D scanner to provide data representative of an edentulous shape of the patient; generating a 3D model of the dental prosthesis based on the data and the received information related to the patient's jaw relations using 3D design software; displaying the generated 3D model on a display, allowing customization of the 3D model; and 3D printing the dental prosthesis according to the 3D model.
US09675431B2
The invention relates to a method for designing a plurality of adjacent tooth restorations using CAD/CAM technology. In a first step, the virtual model of a first tooth restoration at the first border of the restoration site is designed. In a second step, the virtual model of the second tooth restoration adjacent to the first tooth restoration is designed, the second tooth restoration being adjusted to match the first tooth restoration. The virtual model of the first tooth restoration is adjusted in relation to the second tooth restoration in a third step, if required. This procedure is then repeated for all of the other tooth restorations in the restoration site.
US09675428B2
In an exemplary method for obtaining a contour image of a tooth, which can be executed at least in part by a computer, movement of an intra-oral camera can be detected by acquiring a first video image frame that includes the tooth and processing the first video image frame to detect one or more edges of the tooth in the first video image frame and acquiring a second video image frame that includes the tooth and processing the second video image frame to detect the one or more edges of the tooth in the second video image frame. The method can compare corresponding edge locations between the first and second processed video image frames and projects a fringe pattern illumination onto the tooth from the camera, capturing and storing one or more still images of the fringe pattern according to the detected camera movement.
US09675426B2
Examples of apparatus, methods, and compositions for endodontic treatments are described. The apparatus can include a fluid platform configured to substantially retain fluid in a tooth chamber during treatment. The fluid platform can help maintain fluid circulation in the tooth chamber as fluid flows into and out of the tooth chamber. The apparatus can also include a pressure wave generator configured to generate acoustic waves that can be used for cleaning root canals and tooth surfaces in the tooth chamber. Examples of pressure wave generators include a liquid jet, an electromagnetic energy delivery device, and an ultrasonic device. The fluid can include antiseptic or antibacterial solutions to assist in tooth cleaning. The fluid may be degassed to have a reduced dissolved gas content (compared to non-degassed fluids used in endodontic treatments), which may improve the effectiveness of the pressure wave generation or the cleaning.
US09675424B2
A method and apparatus for electromagnetic navigation of a surgical probe near a metal object. The electromagnetic navigation system includes a transmitter coil array and a shield. The transmitter coil array has a plurality of transmitter coils and is operable to generate the electromagnetic field to navigate the probe. The shield is positioned adjacent the metal object and is operable to shield the metal object from the electromagnetic field generated by the transmitter coil array, such that the shield substantially reduces distortion of the electromagnetic field by the metal object.
US09675416B2
Tissue ablation is carried out using a probe having a distal conductive cap. At least one optical fiber is contained within the probe and terminates in proximity to an outer surface of the conductive cap. The optical fiber conveys optical radiation to the tissue while the power generator is activated and receives reflected optical radiation. An optical module measures the received reflected optical radiation, and a processor linked to the optical module analyzes the reflected optical radiation to determine impending steam pop events.
US09675412B2
Systems, delivery devices, and methods to treat to ablate, damage, or otherwise affect tissue. The treatment systems are capable of delivering a coolable ablation assembly that ablates targeted tissue without damaging non-targeted tissue. The coolable ablation assembly damages nerve tissue to temporarily or permanently decrease nervous system input. The coolable ablation assembly delivers energy through an inner surface of an airway to damage a target region of tissue such that the damaged target region has a maximum cross-sectional width radially separated from the inner surface of the airway.
US09675399B2
Patient specific implants and instrumentation for replacing a portion of a patella. Methods for producing patient specific implants and instrumentation include conducting imaging studies of the patient's native patella, deriving measurements of the patella and surrounding soft tissues from the imaging studies, manufacturing customized implants and instrumentation specific to the derived measurements, and implanting a customized implant using the customized instrumentation. Patient specific instrumentation includes: a patellar clamp ring, an anterior clamp, a restraining arm, a posterior clamping surface, a dual bore reaming collet, a reamer, a reaming depth gauge, and a resection cutting guide. Patient specific portions of a patellar implant include: topography of the posterior articular surface, facet angle, shape and dimensions of the anterior attachment surface, implant length, implant width, implant thickness and the outer perimeter shape of the implant.
US09675395B2
An osteosynthesis clip having an overall U-shape, comprising two anchor bars and a connecting bar. The connecting bar including a longitudinal opening adapted to assume a closed configuration and an open configuration. The clip comprises a compression piece having a broadly oval-shaped section, housed in the opening. The piece is adapted to be rotated within the opening, thus causing the opening to shift from its closed configuration to at least one the open configuration and vice versa.
US09675394B2
At least one bone fixation device comprising a stem having a maximum outer diameter is inserted into the sacroiliac joint through a minimally invasive incision path sized approximately at or about the maximum outer diameter of the stem in soft tissue, into the iliac bone, across the sacroiliac joint and into the sacrum. The stem is inserted through the incision path to a position within the sacroiliac joint between the iliac bone and the sacrum, to fuse the sacroiliac joint, without invasive joint preparation, removal of cartilage, or scraping at or near the sacroiliac joint. Desirably, at least a portion of the stem includes a surface permitting bony in-growth.
US09675390B2
Implanted hydraulic devices can be repaired and/or stabilized using a method wherein a fluid comprising a curable or solidifying component is introduced into said device and cured or solidified in said device. Embodiments of this method, as well as compositions and kits are disclosed.
US09675388B2
The present disclosure generally relates to a device for positioning and immobilizing at least two adjacent vertebrae. In particular, in one or more embodiments, the present disclosure relates to spinous process fusion devices that distract and immobilize the spinous processes of adjacent vertebrae.
US09675382B2
The present application discloses embodiments related to an external bone fixation device configured to correct bone deformities or repair bone injuries. The device can include a plurality of bases configured to be attached to portions of a bone and a plurality of struts configured to be adjustable in length to change the position and orientation of the plurality of bases and the attached bone portions.
US09675378B2
A steerable kink resistant access device is provided having an elongated body and a steerable portion; methods for manufacturing the kink resistant device are also provided. The access sheath has an outside diameter sufficiently small so that it may be inserted into a body cavity or conduit. The access sheath typically has two internal lumen, a first lumen sized and configured as an access to a surgical site and a second lumen sized and configured to contain a tensioning device that, when acted upon, will deflect the steerable portion. The tensioning device may be directly or remotely attached to an actuation device that operates to control the tensioning and loosening of the tensioning device.
US09675372B2
A motor-driven surgical instrument that may comprise (i) a moveable drive member that is driven in a first direction when the electric motor operates in a first direction and that is driven in a second direction when the electric motor operates in a second direction. Movement of the drive member causes movement of the moveable component of the end effector, and (ii) a motor control circuit connected to the motor for controlling the motor. The motor control circuit may comprise a switching circuit that, upon actuation, reverses the direction of the motor from the first direction to the second direction. The switching circuit may be actuatable separately through each of: (i) actuation of a moveable actuator of the switching circuit through movement of the drive member at least in the first direction; and (ii) manual actuation by a user of the surgical instrument.
US09675370B2
A minimal access tool includes a frame arranged to be attached to an arm of a user, a tool shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, where the tool shaft proximal end is connected to the frame. The tool further includes an input joint having a first end connected to the frame and a second end arranged to receive user input, the input joint including a virtual center-of-rotation (VC) mechanism which provides a center of rotation that generally coincides with a wrist joint of the user. An output joint is connected to the tool shaft distal end, where the output joint is coupled to the input joint via a mechanical transmission connected therebetween to correlate motion of the input joint to motion of the output joint.
US09675367B2
A guide tool (100) for guiding resection of a bone piece, comprising a body (102), a burr guide opening (130) extending through the body (102) and defining a burr resection surface, and a saw guide opening (120) extending through the body (102) and defining a saw resection surface, the burr guide opening (130) and the saw guide opening (120) being aligned such that the burr resection surface and the saw resection surface intersect, defining a bone piece resection surface.
US09675366B2
The present disclosure relates to a guide assembly. The guide assembly includes a guide having a body having a first set of marks and a joint including at least one through hole, the joint configured for sliding along the length of the body; and a first surgical device having a second set of marks, wherein the guide is coupled to the first surgical device and a longitudinal axis of the through hole is co-radial with a mark of the second set of marks when the joint is located at a mark of the first set of marks. Other guides are also disclosed.
US09675357B2
A method for performing a coronary artery bypass graft procedure on a patient to connect a bypass vessel to a target vessel includes the steps of creating an opening in the patient that communicates with the thoracic cavity of the patient; providing a bypass vessel having a lumen and at least one free end; passing the free end of the bypass vessel from the thoracic cavity through the opening to a position outside the body of the patient; attaching a connector to the free end of bypass vessel while the free end of the bypass vessel is outside the body of the patient; passing the free end of the bypass vessel from the position outside the body of the patient through the opening and into the thoracic cavity; and connecting the free end of the bypass vessel to a target vessel with the connector.
US09675346B2
A staple for attaching a sheet-like implant to tissue or bone may include first and second arms, and first and second flukes. In some embodiments, the first arm has a proximal end and a distal end, and the second arm has a proximal end and a distal end. A bridge extends from the proximal end of the first arm to the proximal end of the second arm. The first fluke has a proximal end abutting the distal end of the first arm, and the first fluke extends distally from the first arm. The first fluke has a lateral extent larger than a lateral extent of the first arm and is mounted eccentrically thereto. The first fluke includes a proximal surface projecting at an outward angle in a proximal direction away from the distal end of the first arm to engage the tissue or bone when inserted therein. The second fluke has similar features. This arrangement causes the first and second flukes to rotate in response to a pullout force on the bridge. Methods for attaching a sheet-like implant to a target tissue are also disclosed.
US09675344B2
A surgical instrument includes an implant, a grip, and a pre-set breaking point connecting the implant and the grip. The implant has a joining profile.
US09675343B2
In one embodiment, a medical device includes an elongate member, a fixation device and a driving member. The elongate member defines a lumen and includes a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of the elongate member has an opening. The fixation device is at least partially disposed within the elongate member and includes a tissue piercing portion at a distal end of the fixation device. The driving member is at least partially disposed within the elongate member and is configured to move the fixation device from a position within the lumen to a location outside of the lumen through the opening. The opening at the distal end of the elongate member is angled to insert the fixation device in a tissue of a patient at an angle to a plane of the tissue of the patient to fasten a bodily implant to the tissue.
US09675340B2
A needle for use with an endoscopic stitching device includes a first end portion that is movable relative to a second end portion to allow the needle to convert from a first, mis-aligned orientation to a second, aligned orientation, thereby allowing the length of the needle in the aligned orientation to exceed the height of an end effector.
US09675333B2
A surgical instrument includes a first member defining a passageway defining a first axis. A second member is positioned in the passageway and includes a lip extending at an angle relative to a second axis defined by the second member that engages a flange of the first member. A third member engages an outer surface of the first member. The third member includes an end surface. A fourth member defines a pathway having the first and second members disposed therein. The fourth member includes a first locking element. A fifth member includes a body including an inner surface that engages the third member. The fifth member includes a plurality of straps extending outwardly from the body. At least one of the straps includes a second locking element that engages the first locking element to fix the fourth member relative to the fifth member. Systems and methods are disclosed.
US09675326B2
An image reconstructing apparatus creates a reconstructed image for every calculation operation by performing predetermined repetitive calculation by iterative reconstruction for a plurality of images obtained by acquiring an object from different angles, extracts at least one reconstructed image under a predetermined condition from the created reconstructed images, displays on a display unit information corresponding to the extracted reconstructed images and information corresponding to the extracted reconstructed image, selects at least one reconstructed image in accordance with an instruction of an operator on the display unit, and outputs the selected reconstructed image.
US09675317B2
A medical imaging data processing apparatus for identifying an interface between anatomical features comprises a receiving unit configured to receive first medical imaging data that represents a region of a subject at a first time, and second medical imaging data that represents the region of the subject at a second, later time, a registration unit configured to perform a registration procedure to obtain registration data representative of a registration between the first medical imaging data and the second medical imaging data, and an interface identification unit configured to determine a variation of the registration data with location and to identify an interface between an anatomical feature and at least one further anatomical feature based on said variation of the registration data with location.
US09675315B2
An implantable medical device that includes an elongated lead body having an outer surface and a first opening along the outer surface, a first sensor positioned along the lead body and configured to receive first acoustic signals through the first opening of the lead body and generate an electrical signal representative of sounds produced at a first targeted location along a patient's cardiovascular system, and a processor configured to determine an intensity of the first acoustic signals, and determine changes in blood pressure in response to the determined intensity.
US09675312B2
An apparatus for carrying out an examination on the breast of a patient, includes an analysis head including at least one radiation detection device, configured to receive and detect radiation on a detection plane and at least one X-ray source to emit a corresponding beam of X-rays towards the detection plane. A first frame is provided with a floor support; a second frame supports the analysis head; and a third frame is connected to the first frame so that it can be moved from a horizontal position to a vertical position, and which supports the second frame. A movement mechanism moves the third frame from the horizontal position to the vertical position.
US09675311B2
A method includes planning a follow up three dimensional image acquisition of tissue of interest of a patient based on first and second two dimensional surview projection images, wherein the first two dimensional surview projection image was used to plan a previously performed baseline three dimensional image acquisition of the tissue of interest of the patient, wherein the first two dimensional surview projection image includes information corresponding to at least one region of interest identified in the first two dimensional surview projection image for the previously performed baseline three dimensional image acquisition, wherein the first two dimensional surview projection image includes information corresponding to a z-axis scanning extent identified in the first two dimensional surview projection image for the previously performed baseline three dimensional baseline image acquisition, and wherein the second two dimensional surview projection image was acquired for planning the follow up three dimensional image acquisition.
US09675310B2
A periodic time-varying model of a guide wire, other device, or vessel is created from higher contrast CINE acquisition. A multivariate curve regression is used for periodic, phase dependent motion modeling. This model is then used to locate or track the guide wire, other device or vessel in lower contrast fluoroscopy images during intervention.
US09675300B2
Ventilation information may be presented. Output signals may be received that convey information related to one or more breathing parameters of a subject receiving assisted or controlled mechanical ventilation. Based at least in part on the received output signals, volumetric components of a tidal volume of the subject may be determined. The volumetric components may include an alveolar dead space, an effective alveolar tidal volume, and/or other volumetric components. The alveolar dead space is the volume of inspired gas that occupies alveoli but does not take part in oxygen exchange in the lungs of the subject. The effective alveolar tidal volume is the volume of inspired gas that takes part in oxygen exchange in the lungs of the subject. A visual representation that textually or graphically represents the tidal volume, and/or textually or graphically represents the volumetric components separately from each other may be presented via a user interface.
US09675298B2
A bioelectric signal measurement apparatus includes a first interface configured to detect a bioelectric signal of a testee through electrical interfacing with a skin of the testee; a second interface configured to detect a signal different from the bioelectric signal through electrical interfacing with the skin, the second interface electrically interfacing with the skin in a state that is different from a state in which the first interface electrically interfaces with the skin; and a signal processor configured to remove, from the detected bioelectric signal, a motion artifact between the first interface and the skin using the detected signal different from the bioelectric signal.
US09675296B1
A wearable device includes a mount configured to mount the wearable device to an external body surface proximate to a vessel, a downstream clamp configured to apply a force to the vessel sufficient to inhibit a flow of fluid through the vessel beyond the downstream clamp, and an upstream clamp, positioned upstream of the downstream clamp, configured to apply a force to the vessel sufficient to accelerate a volume of fluid in a downstream direction with respect to a direction of fluid flow through the vessel. A detector may also be provided for detecting a response signal transmitted from a probe region of the vessel positioned upstream of the first clamp. The response signal is related to the presence or absence of one or more target analytes in the vessel.
US09675292B2
A dyslexia screening system suitable for clinical use includes an integrated headset that efficiently and conveniently performs an auditory evoked response (ERP) test by positioning electrodes about the ears of the subject. An integral control module automatically performs the test, providing simplified controls and indications to the clinician. A number of screening tests that are stored in the headset are periodically uploaded for billing, remote analysis and result reporting. A paradigm that characterizes testing performed for a subject along with the patient identification and/or patient demographics are stored in an associated fashion for later fusion and analyses with similar but not necessarily identically constructed ERP tests.
US09675291B2
An apparatus and method for modifying a psychophysiological state of a subject include detecting a psychophysiological measure of the subject; processing the detected physiological measure so as to provide a signal indicative of a psychophysiological state of the subject; and outputting at least one of an audio stimulus, visual stimulus, haptic stimulus, temperature stimulus and scent stimulus to the subject. The output stimulus may be derived from an audio-visual data signal provided to the apparatus. Further, the output stimulus is adjusting in real time based on the signal indicative of a psychophysiological state of the subject.
US09675287B2
The endoscope system includes: an image signal acquisition unit acquiring B1 image signal corresponding to blue narrow band where the amount of light absorption changes according to the oxygen saturation of blood hemoglobin, G2 image signal corresponding to green wavelength band where the amount of light absorption changes according to a blood volume of an observation target, R2 image signal corresponding to red wavelength band where a change in the amount of light absorption with respect to the oxygen saturation or the blood volume is small compared with the B1 and G2 image signal, and B2 image signal corresponding to a wavelength band, a difference between a center wavelength of the wavelength band and a center wavelength of the blue narrow band being 20 to 100 nm; and an oxygen saturation calculation unit calculating the oxygen saturation based on the B1, G2, R3, and B2 image signal.
US09675278B2
The present disclosure provides a body rehabilitation sensing method based on a mobile communication device. The method comprises placing the mobile communication device at a specific portion of the limb of a user; a sensing module of the mobile communication device sensing the acceleration of the mobile communication device for generating an acceleration information; the mobile communication device transmitting the acceleration information to a remote server through a wireless network module; a computing module of the remote server analyzing the acceleration information and comparing the similarity of the acceleration information and a standard movement information; and the remote server transmitting the compare result of the similarity of the acceleration information and the standard movement information to the mobile communication device through the wireless network module. Accordingly, the user of the mobile communication device can acquire correctness of rehabilitation movements.
US09675274B2
A patient monitoring system may receive a photoplethysmograph (PPG) signal including samples of a pulse waveform. The PPG signal may demonstrate morphology changes based on respiration. The system may calculate morphology metrics from the PPG signal, the first derivative of the PPG signal, the second derivative of the PPG signal, or any combination thereof. The morphology metrics may demonstrate amplitude modulation, baseline modulation, and frequency modulation of the PPG signal that is related to respiration. Morphology metric signals generated from the morphology metrics may be used to determine respiration information such as respiration rate.
US09675272B2
Methods, systems, and devices are provided for guiding surgical instruments using radio frequency (RF) technology. In general, the methods, systems, and devices can allow a trajectory, e.g., an angular approach, of a surgical instrument relative to a patient to be identified during use of the instrument in a surgical procedure being performed on the patient. The trajectory can be identified using a plurality of RF modules. The methods, systems, and devices can allow the trajectory to be compared to a predetermined trajectory so as to identify whether the trajectory matches the predetermined trajectory. A result of the matching can be communicated to a user of the instrument. Based on the result, the user can maintain the trajectory, e.g., if the trajectory matches the predetermined trajectory, or can adjust the trajectory to closer align the trajectory with the predetermined trajectory, e.g., if the trajectory does not match the predetermined trajectory.
US09675271B2
Systems and methods for delivery of radiotherapy in conjunction with magnetic resonance imaging in which various conductors, shields and shims may be used to solve issues occurring when radiation therapy equipment is placed in the vicinity of an magnetic resonance imaging system.
US09675267B2
A device for physiological measurement. The device includes at least two terminal units connectable to each other, of which a first terminal unit includes an electric circuit, an ECG-electrode and a first connector assembly having at least one ECG-contact for connecting at least one other ECG-electrode. A second terminal unit includes other ECG-electrodes and a second connector assembly having a counter ECG-contact adapted to be fitted to the ECG-contact of the first connector assembly. The first and second terminal are together arranged to connect the ECG-electrode of each second terminal unit to the electric circuit in the first terminal unit and, as separated, are arranged to enable the use of the function contacts of the first connector assembly.
US09675263B2
An accessory and system to provide a medical device with mapping and ablation functionality. The system may include an ablation device with a handle, a treatment element, and an elongate body. The ablation element may be located on the elongate body distal portion, and a mapping sleeve may be disposable about at least part of the distal portion of the ablation device and may include mapping electrodes disposed on the outer surface. The mapping sleeve proximal region may include a retraction element defining a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being coupled to the proximal region of the mapping sleeve, such that retracting the retraction element toward the elongate body proximal portion pulls the mapping sleeve away from the treatment element of the ablation device.
US09675256B2
Provided is a photoacoustic apparatus capable of recognizing variation in reception characteristic among a plurality of receiving elements that detect an acoustic wave in the photoacoustic apparatus, with a simple configuration unique to the photoacoustic apparatus.A photoacoustic apparatus includes a detecting unit including a plurality of receiving elements configured to detect an acoustic wave that is generated when an analyte is irradiated with light; a signal processing unit configured to acquire information about the inside of the analyte from a detected signal acquired from the detecting unit; an optical absorber configured to absorb the irradiation light; and a reception characteristic calculation unit configured to calculate reception characteristic information of the plurality of receiving elements on the basis of detected signals when the plurality of receiving elements receive an acoustic wave that is generated from the optical absorber.
US09675252B2
Scanning mechanisms that have application in confocal imaging use electromagnetic actuation to move elements in an optical system. An objective lens mounted to a flexure comprising a magnetic material is actuated in the axial direction by an electromagnet coil. An optical path may pass through the coil. Scanning in transverse directions may be provided using magnetically actuated flexible beams which move the tip of an optical fiber or other pinhole in one or more transverse directions. Actuators may be actuated using driving currents that include an AC component and a DC bias component. The scanning mechanisms may be miniaturized and may be constructed to provide real-time imaging.
US09675243B2
An ophthalmic photographing apparatus is provided with a SLO optical system including a first optical scanner for scanning a laser beam to obtain a front image of an examinee's eye by the laser beam, a OCT optical system including a second optical scanner for scanning measurement light to obtain a tomographic image of the examinee's eye by use of interference between the measurement light and reference light, an optical path combiner for combining optical paths of the SLO optical system and the OCT optical system, an objective lens system placed between the optical path combiner and the examinee's eye, and a relay lens system placed between the second optical scanner and the optical path combiner. The second optical scanner is placed on a side closer to the relay lens system than a focal point distance of the relay lens is.
US09675241B2
According to one embodiment, an ophthalmic examination apparatus includes an examination unit and an analyzer. The examination unit is used to optically examine a subject's eye. The analyzer is configured to analyze examination data obtained by the examination unit, and thereby generate risk information indicating the risk of a specific disease.
US09675240B2
A mouth mirror apparatus is adapted to be connected to a suction device and includes a mounting frame, an elongated handle, and a mirror member. The mirror member is rotatably mounted on a major wall of the mounting frame and can be driven to rotate when the suction device is actuated. When the mirror member rotates, a centrifugal force is generated to fling off water drops and/or debris on a reflecting surface of the mirror member.
US09675239B2
An endoscope system includes: an insertion portion insertable into a body cavity of a subject; an illumination fiber guiding light caused to be incident on a proximal-end-side end face, to a distal-end-side end face; a light-receiving fiber group guiding light from the subject and emitting the light; a light source portion generating illuminating light; a light detecting portion; a first optical unit capable of changing an optical path of the illuminating light caused to be incident on the proximal-end-side end face of the illumination fiber; a second optical unit capable of changing the optical path for the illuminating light changed by the first optical unit and causing the illuminating light to be incident on the light-receiving fiber group; and a control portion performing control of whether or not to change the optical path in the first optical unit and the second optical unit.
US09675237B2
To perform pelvic surgery, a directionally illuminating balloon catheter enters a bladder. The catheter has a multi-lumen shaft. The balloon defines an interior fluidically connected to a balloon inflation lumen and is inflated therethrough. The balloon comprises a light source, a light-radiating surface adjacent the shaft-balloon junction, and a substantially opaque surface disposed at a portion of the balloon other than the light-radiating surface such that the integrated light source illuminates a distal half of the environment outside the balloon. The balloon is inflated while in the bladder. Light from the light source is directed out through the light-radiating surface to illuminate at least a portion of a procedure area opposite the bladder-prostate junction. With the light illuminating the portion of the procedure area, at least a portion of a pelvic surgery is performed at the portion of the procedure area.
US09675235B2
A combination aspiration/irrigation and illumination device using optical fibers circumferentially disposed around the aspiration conduit for transmitting illuminating light to a cavity to be aspirated. The aspiration conduit having a tip that is detachably affixed to and end of the aspiration conduit. The optical fibers terminated at a distance (d) from a distal end of the tip. Also provided is an image fiber(s) for transmitting image data from the distal end of the device.
US09675217B2
A dispensing system has a dispenser for sections of a material web wound onto a roll. A support bar is provided, on each end, a bearing journal protruding out from the roll. At least one of the two bearing journals has a mating surface which is not designed as a rotational surface. The dispenser has a guide for each bearing journal that extends to a dispensing position. A counter surface for the mating surface is provided at the beginning of the guide for each bearing journal that has the mating surface. The insertion of the roller into the dispenser is only possible if the mating surface coincides with the counter surface, which extends to in the dispensing position. The roller is rotatably arranged about the central area of the supporting rod, which does not rotate in the dispensing position.
US09675214B2
A bathtub pillow for reducing a volume of water necessary for filling a bathtub and for providing support and comfort to a user's back, shoulders, neck, and head may include an outer shell defining an interior of the pillow, the outer shell having a front side, a backside, a left side, a right side, a top surface, and a bottom surface; a conformable filler filling the interior of the pillow; and a fastener attached to a surface of the pillow, the fastener being configured to removably attach to a surface of the bathtub. The pillow may be shaped to provide support to a user's back, shoulders, neck, and head. For example, the pillow may be vase shaped.
US09675203B2
Methods of controlled heating and/or agitation for liquid food or beverage product creation are disclosed. A method of producing a melted food or beverage liquid product includes receiving a receptacle containing frozen liquid contents in a chamber of a dispenser and identifying a characteristic of the receptacle and/or the contents. The method also includes melting at least a portion of the contents by selectively performing at least one of: heating the receptacle and/or the contents, supplying a dilution liquid to an interior of the receptacle, and/or applying motion to the receptacle and/or the contents in the receptacle. The selectively performing at least one of heating, supplying dilution liquid, and/or applying motion is based on the identified characteristic. The method further includes perforating the receptacle and dispensing the melted food or beverage liquid product from the receptacle.
US09675201B2
A system for preparing a predetermined quantity of beverage comprises an exchangeable capsule and a fluid dispensing device for supplying an amount of fluid to the exchangeable capsule, a receptacle for holding the exchangeable capsule, and an outlet arrangement for supplying the beverage to a container, such as a cup. The capsule comprises a circumferential wall, a bottom, a lid, an entrance area and a closed exit area. The circumferential wall, the bottom and the lid enclose an inner space that comprises an extractable product. The fluid dispensing device supplies fluid to the extractable product for preparing the beverage. In use, the outlet arrangement is in fluid communication with the exit area for draining the prepared beverage from the capsule. The capsule further comprises an opening element through the closed exit area for draining the prepared beverage from the capsule.
US09675197B2
A steam cooker having a lower part, which has raised side walls, wherein the sides walls include two long and two short sides, and which has handles attached to the opposite long side walls so as to be diametrically offset relative to each other, and including a lid, which has a frame, a lid body, a lid handle, and a plurality of openings for pressure equalization, and at least one steam cooking insert to be inserted into the lower part, wherein the steam cooking insert is provided with through-holes for steam to flow through and with handles arranged at an offset.
US09675193B1
The compression sock-donning aid includes an annular member from which a fixed handle extends radially. An actuator handle extends radially from the annular member. Moreover, the actuator handle is able to rotate with respect to the annular member and the fixed handle. The actuator handle is in mechanical connection with a plurality of fingers provided within a central hole of the annular member. Each of the plurality of fingers is able to extend inwardly or retract outwardly with respect to a central point. Rotation of the actuator handle extends or retracts the plurality of fingers. The plurality of fingers is adapted to engage a compression sock so as to aid in opening up said compression sock during the donning process whereby a user inserts a limb into said compression sock.
US09675182B2
A foldable frame comprises opposing pairs of side and end frame members joined at respective ends to define a generally rectangular and planar frame perimeter. The end members and the side members are generally movable between folded and unfolded positions. The end members are spaced-apart along a longitudinal axis of the frame. The side frame members extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis to define a frame length. Pivoting connections enable the end members and the side frame members to pivot, each member having a pivot connection at each end thereof. Pivoting of a respective end or side member is permitted when the frame is configured to align the respective end pivots, but is inhibited when the frame is configured to move the respective end pivots out of alignment. The respective pivot axes of the end and side members are generally perpendicular oriented and define a folding and unfolding sequence.
US09675175B1
A slide rail assembly includes a front bracket with an opening, a first rail movably connected to the front bracket and having a stop, a buffer member fixed on the first rail and located in the opening, a second rail displaceable with respect to the first rail, and an engaging member provided on the second rail and corresponding to the stop. When the second rail is displaced from a first to a second extended position with respect to the first rail, the engaging member is pushed against the stop, generating an impact force and displacing the first rail from a first to a second position with respect to the front bracket. The buffer member absorbs the impact force by hitting a wall of the opening.
US09675167B2
An applicator, such as a brush or other device, for applying products to a surface, such as the skin of a person. The applicator includes a handle and a bristle tuft connected to the handle. The bristle tuft may include a plurality of contoured bristles that define multiple surfaces for applying products. For example, the bristle tuft may include a first angled surface extending upwards from a first side of the bristle tuft, a second angled surface extending upwards from a second side of the bristle tuft, and a ridge defined at an intersection of the first angled surface and the second angled surface.
US09675164B2
A backpack frame is convertible from a frame position to a cot position. The backpack frame includes: a first U-shaped member having a closed end and an open end, a first intermediate member having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end is hingably connected to the open end of the first U-shaped member, a second intermediate member having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end of the first intermediate member is hingably connected to the distal end of the second intermediate member, a second U-shaped member having a closed end and an open end, the proximal end of the second intermediate member is hingably connected to the open end of the second U-shaped member. In the frame position, the first U-shaped member, the first intermediate member, the second intermediate member, and the second U-shaped member lie in a single plane.
US09675157B2
A hand held appliance, such as a hairdryer, includes a body, a fluid flow path extending through the body in an axial direction from a first fluid inlet through which a first fluid flow enters the appliance to a first fluid outlet for emitting the first fluid flow from the appliance, a primary fluid flow path extending from a second fluid inlet through which a primary fluid flow enters the appliance to a second fluid outlet, a section of the primary fluid flow path extending through the body in the axial direction and surrounding the fluid flow path, and a heater located within the section of the primary fluid flow path for heating fluid passing through the primary fluid flow path, and wherein the heater has a length extending in the axial direction.
US09675153B2
In various embodiments, a carry (or carrying) bag is provided that includes an interior, substantially cut-resistant security panel assembly with a matrix of wires secured between or on one or more flexible material layers. Also in various embodiments, the security panel assembly may be positioned intermediate the bag outside wall and a lining of the bag, and in other embodiments, may also take the form of an expansion panel. Second or secondary locking fasteners are also provided to lock first or primary fasteners to or within the carrying bag, to provide security for compartments and pockets. A strap with one or more security cables, and various locking fasteners, may be attached to the carry bag. Methods for forming such security panel assemblies, expansion panels, and carrying straps are also disclosed.
US09675151B1
A foldable mat has a flat flexible base portion with a margin and has finger tabs integrally formed and extending upward that can be grasped to allow the mat to fold so that the bottom surface halves of the mat fold inward on each other, masking the potentially contaminated bottom surface of the mat from contact with anything else. The mat can then be stored in a folded condition.
US09675148B2
The present disclosure describes a case for portable electronic devices. According to various embodiments, a case may be capable of extending to accommodate different portable electronic devices. A discrete series of grooves within the case may provide the case with additional elasticity. A pattern of tessellations within the case may provide the case with additional elasticity. The increased elasticity may allow the case to be configured to frictionally engage and retain various portable electronic devices with slightly different physical dimensions.
US09675147B1
A cover for a tablet computer incorporates a built-in stand, allowing viewing angles in portrait and landscape orientations. The cover includes a front cover that is connected to a back cover. In an implementation, the front cover has at least five fold lines formed in the cover. These fold lines meet at an intersection point. These fold lines are not parallel to any edges of the front cover. And these fold lines divide the front cover to have least three triangular sections.
US09675141B2
A safety buckle device includes a first buckle part having a partially closed space with an opening, and a second buckle part having a body, a guiding tongue, and a control key. When locking the safety buckle device, a springing detent is adapted to lock against a locking element. The control key has two recesses having different depths and arranged adjacent each other in the longitudinal direction of the control key. The detent achieves a first locking when the control key is actuated, and the detent achieves a second locking when the control key no longer is actuated, or the detent achieves a locking when the control key is not actuated. The detent is adapted to be released when the control key is actuated again, or when the control key is actuated.
US09675137B2
An elastic coreless rope belt is a tubular braided rope of no core with stretch elasticity. Wherein the center part of the elastic rope belt along its length keep the same hollow shape, and at the periphery of the rope, it is provided with protruded knot parts of plural middle segment. At the plural middle segment, the diameter of the protruded knot can be changed with the changing of the axial tension. Once the axial tension is relived, the diameter and the shape will return to the origin. Thereby, it is convenient to make position limited buckling and loosening to the object hole.
US09675133B2
An article of footwear may include an upper configured to receive a foot and a sole component fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper. The sole component may include a baseplate having a bottom surface. The sole component may also include an arrangement of ground engaging members extending downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate. The baseplate may further include a reinforcing shank arrangement including a plurality of reinforcing strips formed of a different material than portions of the baseplate adjacent the reinforcing strips, wherein at least one of the reinforcing strips forms at least a portion of a base platform from which at least one of the ground engaging members extends.
US09675126B2
A garment includes a waistband having a first face and a second face, with a first support structure affixed to the first face and a second support structure affixed to the second face. The waistband is selectively adjustable between a first arrangement that provides the garment with a first style and fitting, and a second arrangement that provides the garment with a same style and different fitting.
US09675121B1
Embodiments pertain to a facial solar shield device. The facial solar shield device includes a piece of fabric that includes a substantially lobe-shaped portion that includes a perimeter portion, a folded portion that defines an opening, and a sleeve formed along at least a portion of the perimeter portion. The facial solar shield device includes one or more pleats that form the piece of fabric into a cup-shape and a flexible shaping element. The method of creating the facial solar shield includes obtaining a piece of fabric that includes a substantially lobe-shaped portion with a perimeter portion and forming a folded portion that defines an opening. The method further includes forming one or more pleats in the piece of fabric to form the piece of fabric into a cup-shape and forming a seam along at least a portion of a perimeter portion of the piece of fabric.
US09675117B2
An exemplary atomizer includes a mouthpiece assembly, two heating assemblies, a fixing assembly, an atomizing sleeve, a switching assembly. The two heating assemblies are configured for heating and atomizing oils of two different tastes respectively. One end of each heating assembly is engaged with the mouthpiece assembly. The fixing assembly is hermetically coupled to the mouthpiece assembly, and is configured for securing the two heating assemblies. The atomizing sleeve is hermetically connected to the fixing assembly, with the two heating assemblies nested therein. The switching assembly is coupled to ends of the two heating assemblies away from the mouthpiece assembly. The switching assembly is configured for enabling one of two heating assemblies selectively.
US09675111B2
A vaporizer for use with a water pipe or hookah has electrically heated beating element. The heating element extends through a vaporizer body and carries a cup member atop thereof. A pre-determined quantity of a vaporizable substance is placed in the cup member and is heated to cause release of an inhalable gas. An adapter directs the inhalable gas beneath water surface of a water reservoir of the water pipe. By drawing on an outlet end of the water pipe the user can inhale the inhalable substance released during heating of the vaporizable substance.
US09675108B2
The present invention discloses a battery assembly, an atomizer assembly, and an electronic cigarette. The battery assembly is connected to the atomizer assembly to form the electronic cigarette. The battery assembly includes a battery sleeve and a first connection member, and the atomizer assembly includes an atomizer sleeve and a second connection member. The first connection member and the second connection member are connected with each other. A portion of the first connection member contacting the battery sleeve and/or a portion of the second connection member contacting the atomizer sleeve protrude(s) to form an anti-slip structure, and Teflon paste configured to enhance a connection strength between the first connection member and the battery sleeve and/or enhance a connection strength between the second connection member and the atomizer sleeve is spread on a circumferential outer wall of the anti-slip structure.
US09675106B2
A smoking glove includes a glove having a first opening and a second opening, the first opening located at a finger portion of the glove. The second opening is distal from the first opening at a distance of at least half a length of the finger portion of the glove. The smoking glove includes tubing, the tubing stretching from the first opening of the glove to the second opening of the glove. The tubing is located within the glove. The smoking glove includes a bowl located at a first end of the tubing.
US09675100B2
Both dairy and non-dairy based high protein ingredient systems that are available in either a liquid or dry powder blend. These ingredient system options have been balanced to provide a rich and creamy mouthfeel which can be easily added into a wide array of products to enhance their protein and nutritional levels without creating the sandy or gritty texture that typically forms. The liquid version has already been pasteurized or asceptically packaged for easy incorporation into other liquid products such as smoothies, yogurts, puddings, jells, toppings, fillings, carbonated or still beverages such as juices of milks, ice cream mixes, frozen yogurts and frozen desserts. The powdered version is designed to be easily blended into other dry mixes, batters, baked goods, cereals, dressings, hummus products, breads, and dry dessert mixes, while liquid additive versions may be added to water, milk products such as liquid milk and yogurt, etc.
US09675093B1
A paw selector for maintaining poultry paws in an ordered, indexed manner so that each paw can be matched with the carcass from which it was removed is provided. The paw selector has a tray coupled to a rotatable shaft. Rotation of the shaft causes the walls of the tray to rotate, thereby urging paws on the tray over a stationary tray bottom. Upon reaching a void in the tray bottom, the paws drop through the void onto a lower tray or into a predetermined receptacle for further processing. At least on sensor can maintain correlation between the paw and the carcass from which it was removed for disposal of any rejected paws.
US09675092B2
A poultry processing line is provided having a series of poultry carriers and a processing unit or processing units, wherein the poultry carriers are movable to and from the processing unit or processing units and the poultry carriers and the processing unit or processing units are synchronized to enable processing of the poultry by the processing unit or processing units. A switch is provided such that the poultry carriers and/or the processing unit or processing units are selectable between an operational position in which the poultry is processed by the processing unit or units and an inoperational or idle position in which the poultry is prevented from being processed by the processing unit or units.
US09675077B2
The present invention relates to an antimicrobial composition suitable for use on skin and wounds comprising a source of an antimicrobial metal ion and a quaternary cationic surfactant.
US09675076B2
Peracid stable fluorescent active compounds in highly acidic, equilibrium peroxycarboxylic acid sanitizing compositions are disclosed as having improved fluorescent stability allowing for monitoring of peroxycarboxylic acid concentration by conductivity and/or optical sensors. Beneficially, the compositions are also low odor and low/no VOC dual functioning acid wash and sanitizing compositions.
US09675074B2
The present invention is directed to methods for improving cold temperature damage recovery of a cereal grain comprising applying an effective amount of at least one gibberellin to the cereal grain during early vegetative growth stage. The present invention is also directed to methods for improving yield of a cereal grain comprising applying an effective amount of at least one gibberellin to a cereal grain suffering from cold temperature damage during the early vegetative growth stage.
US09675071B2
This invention relates generally to the detection of genetic differences among soybeans. More particularly, the invention relates to soybean quantitative trait loci (QTL) for tolerance to protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors, to soybean plants possessing these QTLs, which map to a novel chromosomal region, and to genetic markers that are indicative of phenotypes associated with protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitor tolerance. Methods and compositions for use of these markers in genotyping of soybean and selection are also disclosed.
US09675066B2
Semiochemical compositions comprising a feline scratch marking semiochemical analogs of these semiochemical compositions and a method to prevent cats from scratching in particular places and on multiple objects are described.
US09675060B2
A heated game call used to attract wild game for hunting or observation, generally including a cylindrical barrel, a reed member, and a heating element integral to the barrel and positioned near the reed element. Electrical current is provided to the heating element via wires resulting in the heating of the barrel of the call and, the electrical current is provided by batteries that are contained within a compartment of the call. The barrel includes an exterior layer and an interior layer. The heating element preferably is sandwiched between the layers and positioned near the reed member.
US09675057B2
Disclosed is a fishing rod holder that permits the fishing rod to pivot itself, so that the bait can stay relatively stable in the water when fishing.
US09675054B2
Lighting assemblies that provide spectrum specific underwater lighting to aquatic life. Each assembly has a vessel that receives a substrate secured to a heatsink and is enclosed by an end cap that provides a water tight seal. The end cap is sealingly secured to the vessel by a sealing element and has opening disposed therethrough for receiving an electrical connector that electrically connects lighting elements on the substrate to an exterior power source. The connector is sealingly disposed through the opening in the end cap to prevent the ingress of water within the vessel.
US09675053B2
A birdseed dispenser and birdfeeder incorporating the same are provided. The dispenser has a base assembly mounted to a first opening formed in the sidewall of the birdseed reservoir, including a front plate having a second opening formed therein, a flange extending around the second opening and projecting away from the front plate, and an end wall supported by the flange such that the flange and end wall together define a chamber. The dispenser also includes an apertured piece received in the chamber having a first seed aperture of a first configuration and a second seed aperture of a different configuration. The apertured piece is moveable between a first orientation, which places the first seed aperture in a seed accessible state permitting birds access to the seed, and a second orientation to place the second seed aperture in the seed accessible state.
US09675050B2
A plurality of pet toys are usable with annular-shaped foodstuffs. Each pet toy includes a support upon which the animal foodstuffs can be situated and one or more retainers connected with the support that retain the animal foodstuffs on the support. At least one retainer on each toy includes one or more elastically deformable structures that are movable between a free state and an elastically deformed state. In the elastically deformed state, an animal foodstuff can be received across the retainer and onto the support. In the free state, the retainer is structured to resist removal of the animal foodstuff from the support and across the retainer.
US09675047B2
The present invention discloses a pet or animal drying and washing apparatus a two part housing structure with a slidable and removable inner housing shell with guides and an outer housing shell with recesses on their respective side walls so that they can be easily connected together as a single unit and form a heating flow passage there between. The outer shell having inner and outer walls conforming to a contour shape and having support and air channel blocks on a bottom floor to support an inner shell housing having a plurality of slotted vents disposed on side walls and back walls and between bottom floors of the inner and outer shell housings. A blower and heating unit is disposed within a back wall cavity of the outer shell housing and closed by a thermostatic control device to direct heated air in the heating flow passage.
US09675043B2
A rotary parlor arranged to house animals to be milked includes an annular rotary platform (1), at least one milking stall (3) defined by at least one side wall element (2) and a storing device (8) adapted to hold teat cups (9) in a parking position, and a restricting element (8a, 13a, 16a) adapted to restrict the mobility of the animal (4) in the milking stall in a manner such that a free space (12) is created between the animal (4) and a side wall element (2) in a part of the milking stall (3), where the free space (12) is used by a robot arm (10) when fetching a teat cup in the storing device to attach to a teat of the animal (4) in the milking stall (3).
US09675036B1
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV180173. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV180173, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV180173 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV180173 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV180173.
US09675030B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01050762. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01050762. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01050762 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01050762 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09675020B2
The invention provides seed and plants of cucumber hybrid SV4196CD and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of cucumber hybrid SV4196CD and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a cucumber plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another cucumber plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US09675017B2
The invention provides seed and plants of squash hybrid SV0474YG and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of squash hybrid SV0474YG and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a squash plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another squash plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US09675013B2
Device for watering plants configured to fit into a growing container, such as a pot. The device includes an external casing intended to be placed inside the growing container and to be at least partially buried. The casing delimits a housing having an open top end intended to protrude from or lie flush with the soil, and a bottom end having a passage in the soil. The device is further equipped with a water reservoir positioned inside the housing and having an orifice around which a water diffusion system is removably mounted. The diffusion system is designed to pass through the passage of the casing.
US09675012B2
A method for controlling soil moisture to perform water deficit experiments on a plurality of plants located in soil contained within a plurality of pots supported in a plurality of openings of a stationary platform includes lifting the plurality of pots with a plurality of load cell modules and weighing each of the plurality of pots with the load cell modules. The method also includes determining whether each pot needs to be watered based on the weight of the pot and the water deficit experiment, watering the pots through the load cell modules, if necessary, and lowering the plurality of load cell modules so that the plurality of pots are supported by the platform.
US09675004B2
A seeding machine includes a main frame, and a row unit coupled to the main frame. The row unit has a row unit frame, a gauge wheel coupled to the row unit frame, and a furrow opener coupled to the row unit frame, the furrow opener having a stationary or rotating surface that contacts and moves soil. The row unit also includes a furrow closer, the furrow closer having a stationary or rotating surface that contacts and presses soil. The seeding machine also includes a downforce adjustment system for adjusting an amount of downforce applied to the row unit, the downforce adjustment system including a moisture sensor, a controller configured to receive a signal from the moisture sensor, and an actuator configured to change the amount of downforce applied to the row unit based on the signal received by the controller.
US09675001B2
Existing seed treatment applicators distribute seed into an uneven annular veil and results in wasted seed treatment fluid and unnecessarily long mixing/drying times. We developed a seed distribution apparatus comprising a partially porous, frustoconical restricting assembly that is mounted above and partially receives a conical distributing assembly. The orientation of the distributor and restricting assemblies provides three different seed flow paths to provide a substantially even annular veil of seed to the seed treatment housing.
US09674999B2
Agricultural devices, row unit adjustment systems, and methods of adjusting a depth of a furrow are provided. In some aspects, an agricultural device is adapted to plant seeds and includes a frame, a furrow opener coupled to the frame and adapted to cut a furrow including a depth, a sensor adapted to sense a characteristic associated with planting seeds and generate a signal associated with the sensed characteristic, and a processing unit receiving the signal associated with the sensed characteristic. The depth of the furrow is adjustable based on the signal associated with the sensed characteristic. Such characteristic may be a characteristic of the soil, a force applied to the agricultural device, or a position of a portion of the agricultural device.
US09674998B2
A depth adjustment for an agricultural seed planting implement has a depth control assembly of side by side gauge wheels pivotally mounted to a frame with leading equal length arms in a staggered relation. A settable lever acts on the arms through a control rocker having arms with the same staggered relation to control soil flow.
US09674997B2
A seeding implement is provided that includes a depth adjustment mechanism configured to facilitate rapid reconfiguration of a ground engaging tool for varying penetration depths. In an exemplary embodiment, the seeding implement includes a ground engaging tool and a packer arm pivotally coupled to a packer support structure. The seeding implement also includes a packer wheel rotatably coupled to the packer arm, and configured to rotate across a soil surface to limit a penetration depth of the ground engaging tool into the soil. The seeding implement further includes a depth adjustment assembly including a slot within the packer support structure, a corresponding slot within the packer arm, and a fastener disposed through the slots. In this configuration, the penetration depth of the ground engaging tool is varied by adjusting a position of the fastener within the slots.
US09681590B2
A cooling system that cools HV equipment includes a compressor that circulates refrigerant, a condenser that condenses the refrigerant, a gas-liquid separator that stores the refrigerant in liquid form that is condensed by the condenser, an expansion valve that reduces a pressure of the refrigerant, an evaporator that vaporizes the refrigerant that is reduced in pressure by the expansion valve, a first passage and a second passage through which the refrigerant flows from the gas-liquid separator toward the expansion valve, and that are provided in parallel, and a cooling portion that is provided along the second passage and cools the heat source using the refrigerant. The refrigerant in liquid form flows from the gas-liquid separator through the second passage.
US09681589B1
A data center includes an air handling system and a thermal energy receptacle system. The air handling system moves air across heat producing components of electrical systems in the data center. The thermal energy receptacle system is coupled to the air handling system. The thermal energy receptacle system includes one or more heat exchangers that exchange heat between air moving through the air handling system and a fluid, one or more phase change material modules including phase change material, and a fluid transport system that transports fluid between the phase change material modules and the heat exchangers. The thermal energy receptacle system transfers heat from air passing over the one or more heat exchangers to at least one of the phase change material modules such that at least a portion of the phase change material changes phase.
US09681588B1
A data center can include at least one computing room, and at least one rack system disposed in the computing room. The rack system includes a rack housing and a plurality of computing devices mounted to the rack housing. The data center can further include a cooling system that includes at least one surface that is wetted with a liquid, and delivers source air across the at least one surface such that heat is transferred from the source air to the liquid so as to produce cold air. The cold air then flows into a cold air aisle and is received in the computing devices so as to cool the computing devices.
US09681585B2
A method for distribution of cooling air for cooling an electrical equipment item installed in an avionic bay. Cooling air is drawn from an air vein, then passes into a first pressure zone in fluidic communication with the air vein and then into a second pressure zone in fluidic communication with both the first pressure zone and the electrical equipment. The second pressure zone extends beneath a largest dimension (e.g., length) of electronic boards of the electrical equipment to be cooled.
US09681584B2
The present invention relates to a rapidly removable thermal connector including a retainer and a clamper. The retainer has a first wedge connected with a convexity of a first two-convexity tenon and a second wedge. At the outer end of the first wedge has a mortise to allocate a convexity of the first two-convexity tenon; at the inner end of the second wedge has a mortise to allocate a convexity of a second two-convexity tenon. The clamper is used to hold the retainer. At the interior of the outer end of the clamper has a movable unit which is connected to the clamper with a bolt at one end and has a vertical concavity at the other end to match the first convexity of the first two-convexity tenon. At the interior of the inner end of the clamper has a mortise which allocates the fourth convexity of the second two-convexity tenon. The third convexity of the second two-convexity tenon is connected to a mortise at the inner end of the second wedge.
US09681583B2
An apparatus and system for a heat sink assembly, and a procedure for forming a heat sink assembly. The heat sink assembly includes a heat sink having a base and fins extending from the base, and a spring clip disposed on the heat sink between the fins. The spring clip includes a first tab that forms a first angle with respect to the base of the heat sink and including a second tab that forms a second angle with respect to the base of the heat sink. The first and second tabs are attached to the circuit board. By virtue thereof, a heat sink attachment to cage is provided that is space-efficient and permits a higher density of cages on a circuit board than do conventional arrangements.
US09681568B1
A compact stacked power module including a positive direct-current-bus-voltage plate having a positive-plate surface and a negative direct-current-bus-voltage plate having a negative-plate surface. The compact stacked power module also includes an alternating-current output plate having opposing first and second output-plate surfaces, a first semiconductor switch contacting the negative-plate surface and the first output-plate surface, and a second semiconductor switch contacting the positive-plate surface and the second output-plate surface. The compact stacked power module further includes a capacitor contacting the negative-plate surface and the positive-plate surface, wherein the capacitor is electrically in parallel with the first and second semiconductor switches.
US09681562B2
A platform for a military radio with a vehicle adapter amplifier has been developed. The apparatus includes a base for supporting dual AN/VRC-110 radio systems. The platform has a first power supply system that converts 110/220 alternating current into +6.75 Volts direct current, +13 Volts direct current and +200 Volt direct current. The platform includes a vehicle adapter power amplifier that provides range extension to said dual AN/VRC-110 radio systems.
US09681561B2
The word “carryall” generally refers to a bag having a storage compartment with a base, where the base is a housing for an electric circuit that distributes power to various AC receptacles and USB ports. The storage compartment may be constructed, without limitation, as soft sided luggage, a duffle bag, a carpet bag, a weekender, a tote, a small polyester active bag, or the like and may be made from canvas, polyester fabric, natural leather, or similar materials.
US09681556B2
In one embodiment, a load frame and an integrated circuit device are aligned, with a base frame carried on a substrate, along a first alignment axis defined by a first alignment post extending from the base frame to the load frame, in a direction transverse to the substrate, and a first biasing device carried on the base frame is actuated to engage and bias the load frame toward the base frame aligned with the load frame, and to bias the integrated circuit toward the substrate. A latch latches the load and base frames together, aligned with and biased towards each other with the integrated circuit device and the substrate aligned with, and biased toward each other. Other aspects and features are also described.
US09681547B2
An electronic device includes: a housing including an opening; a connector configured to be exposed from the opening and to allow a connection member to be coupled thereto; and a cable configured to cover at least a portion of a gap between the connector and the opening and to be electrically coupled to the connector.
US09681544B2
A printed substrate includes: a substrate; a copper layer formed on the substrate; and a resin formed on the substrate to cover a part of the copper layer, wherein the copper layer includes a first region covered by the resin and a second region in which a shield sheet metal is installed, the shield sheet metal surrounding a predetermined region of the substrate, and wherein an angle formed between an outer edge portion of the copper layer covered by the resin and an outer edge portion of the resin which covers the copper layer at a location at which the outer edge portion of the copper layer and the outer edge portion of the resin intersect each other as viewed in plan is an obtuse angle.
US09681537B2
The invention relates to a process for manufacturing a power circuit board in which, on the one hand, a printed circuit board including an insulating substrate and a conductive track on one of the sides of the substrate, and on the other hand, a bus bar element, are provided. The bus bar element is welded to the conductive track using a laser. In order to make it possible to produce the weld by laser welding, even with a relatively thick bus bar, the welding is carried out in a zone that is thinner relative to the maximum thickness of the bus bar. Thus, a printed circuit board is obtained with a bus bar having a thick zone for conducting high currents and a thinner zone in order to allow the bus bar to be welded to the conductive track by laser welding.
US09681536B1
Method of fabricating package substrates includes providing a substrate including a capacitance layer sandwiched between first patterned circuits and second patterned circuit, in which a gap is formed between adjacent two of the first patterned circuits, and exposed a first region of the capacitance layer, and the second patterned circuit is overlapped with the first region; removing a part of the capacitance layer within the first region, to form an opening communicated with the gap; forming a dielectric layer from a side of the capacitance layer disposed with the first patterned circuits to fill up the gap and the opening; and removing a part of the dielectric layer within the gap and the opening to form a through hole to expose a part of the second patterned circuit, the remaining part of the first dielectric layer covers the capacitance layer and the first patterned circuits.
US09681524B2
A power supply includes a first component arrangement providing a first current output for initializing control circuitry, and a second component arrangement providing a second current output to the control circuitry when the control circuitry initialization is complete, and a method of operating a power supply includes connecting a first component arrangement of the power supply to provide control circuitry with a first current for initializing operations within a predetermined time period, and connecting a second component arrangement of the supply to provide the control circuitry with a second current when initializing operations are complete.
US09681522B2
An adaptive light system including a color matching engine, a controller, and a plurality of light sources each configured to emit a source light. The color matching engine determines a dominant wavelength of a selected color, and a combination of the light sources that the controller may operate to emit a combined wavelength that approximately matches the dominant wavelength of the selected color. A color capture device transmits a source color signal designating the selected color. A method of adapting light comprises receiving a selected color, converting a value representing a dominant wavelength of the selected color, determining a combination of and percentages of colors emitted by the plurality of light sources that may be combined to form an adapted light that matches the selected color, and operating the light sources along with a white light to emit the adapted light.
US09681514B1
A lighting dimmer circuit that provides sinking and sourcing current outputs. The sinking and sourcing dimmer circuit may comprise first and second amplifiers, first and second NPN transistors, and first and second independent feedback loops. The dimmer is configured for providing a variable output voltage signal (Vout) to a sinking load or a sourcing load. When the output voltage signal (Vout) is coupled to a sinking load, current flows from a positive power supply (Vpos), through the first NPN transistor, and to the sinking load. When the output voltage signal (Vout) is coupled to a sourcing load, current flows from the sourcing load, through the second NPN transistor, and to the ground. In addition to the independent feedback loops, the gain of second amplifier may be greater than the gain of the first amplifier to ensure there is no undesired contention between the first and the second NPN transistor.
US09681508B2
A light source circuit includes light-emitting diodes and a constant current circuit that controls current flowing through light-emitting diodes to a fixed level. A DC power supply circuit outputs a DC voltage having a voltage value capable of causing light-emitting diodes to emit light. A light modulation control unit includes: a MOSFET electrically connected between DC power supply circuit and light source circuit; and a control circuit configured to control MOSFET. Control circuit is configured to turn MOSFET on and off with a duty ratio corresponding to a light modulation level such that DC voltage that is outputted from DC power supply circuit is converted to a square wave voltage, and the square wave voltage is outputted to light source circuit. The square wave voltage has an amplitude equal to the voltage value of the DC voltage that is outputted from DC power supply circuit.
US09681498B2
A heater includes a heating element, a pair of lead wires each connected to an end of the heating element, and an insulating base body in which the heating element and the pair of lead wires are embedded. The insulating base body contains a plurality of metal particles around the heating element, the metal particles being separated from the heating element. The plurality of metal particles and the heating element comprise an elliptical cross-section comprising a same major axis direction. With such a structure, when the heater is rapidly cooled to cause a crack on the surface of the insulating base body, the crack develops along the major axis direction of the metal particles and therefore rarely reaches the heating element. This resists breakage of the heating element.
US09681492B2
A method of allocating resources in a wireless sensor network, the network having functions including medical monitoring of a patient using multiple network devices having sensors, the method including steps of: sensing, by a network device in the network, a life parameter of the patient; recognizing the existence of an emergency condition with respect to the parameter; the network device sending a request for streaming towards a coordinator of the network; the coordinator receiving (S12) the request along with any other requests from other devices in the network; and the coordinator granting (S14, S16) each the request by scheduling one of: a streaming allocation with highest priority for a network device which is in an emergency condition; a streaming allocation of medium priority for a network device sensing a life parameter which is not in an emergency condition; and a streaming allocation of lowest priority for a network device which is not sensing any life parameter of the patient and which is not in an emergency condition. The emergency condition may be defined with respect to one or more medical parameters of the patient. The method may be applied, for example, to monitoring of patients in a hospital using MBANs operating in accordance with IEEE 802.15.6.
US09681487B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe apparatuses and methods for signal designs for device-to-device (D2D) subframes. Various embodiments may include a UE with a radio transceiver to communicate with another UE via D2D communications. The UE may further include processing circuitry to generate a cyclic prefix (CP) for a first or second symbol of a D2D subframe at an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) resource block or a single-carrier frequency-division multiple access (SC-FDMA) resource block. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09681486B2
In a radio system a network node is provided to be operatively connected to a set of radio base stations of the radio network and to retrieving a neighbor list from each radio base station in said set of radio base stations. Based on said list of neighbors it is determined if a pair of radio base stations lack a connection between them, and upon determining that a connection between two radio base stations is lacking a connection between said pair of radio base stations is set up.
US09681481B2
Mobile management in a cellular network utilizes the multipath-transfer control protocol (MP-TCP). A mobile device establishes a first multipath-transfer control protocol (MP-TCP) subflow to a corresponding node using a first internet protocol (IP) address corresponding to the mobile device. At least a portion of the first IP address is uniquely associated with the first coverage area. The mobile device establishes a second MP-TCP subflow using a second IP address corresponding to the mobile device while the mobile device is in an overlapped coverage area including a first portion of the first coverage area and a second portion of a second coverage area. At least a portion of the second IP address is uniquely associated with the second coverage area. The mobile node turns off the first subflow when the mobile node determines it has left the first coverage area.
US09681469B2
A wireless communication system (1) includes: an information processing apparatus (100) including a wireless communication unit (102) that is connected up to a network (3) through an access point according to a predetermined connection condition to perform wireless communication, a generation unit (104) that generates a two-dimensional code in which information on the connection condition is recorded, and a presentation unit (106) that presents the two-dimensional code; and a portable terminal (200) including a wireless communication unit (202) that is connected up to the network (3) to perform wireless communication, a code reading unit (204) that reads the two-dimensional code, an acquisition unit (206) that analyzes the read two-dimensional code to acquire the information on the connection condition, and a communication control unit (208) that builds the access point of the information processing apparatus (100) based on the information on the connection condition and controls wireless communication between the wireless communication unit (202) and the information processing apparatus (100). The wireless communication unit (102) of the information processing apparatus (100) connects up to the network (3) using the portable terminal (200) as the access point, and performs wireless communication according to the connection condition.
US09681465B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communications and, more particularly, to techniques for power efficient operation of LTE MTC. A method is provided wireless communications by a user equipment (UE). The method generally includes signaling information regarding traffic requirements for the UE to a base station (BS) for use in persistent scheduling (PS), receiving signaling from the BS indicating PS opportunities of traffic for the UE, powering on the radio components for the PS opportunities, and powering down radio components between PS opportunities when traffic is not expected.
US09681464B2
A method for transmitting data in a wireless network comprises categorizing the data into at least two categories, each category being associated with a respective priority, directing the categorized data to a first base station and a second base station according to the respective priorities and respective access characteristics of each base station and transmitting the categorized data from the first base station and the second base station to a mobile station via associated bands.
US09681458B2
A communications apparatus includes a radio module providing a predetermined wireless communications service and communicating with a peer communications apparatus in a predetermined frequency band in compliance with a predetermined protocol. The radio module includes a processor. The processor determines a maximum packet transmission duration, transmits information regarding the maximum packet transmission duration to the peer communications apparatus and negotiates a preferred packet transmission duration with the peer communications apparatus.
US09681457B2
Exemplary methods for coordinating inter-cell interference in a heterogeneous network comprising a macro cell and at least one small cell include obtaining, with regard to a terminal device in a small cell, a type of interference from the macro cell to the small cell, and determining a relationship between a number of uplink subframes and a number of downlink subframes in a current subframe configuration used in the macro cell. The methods also include allocating protected subframes for the terminal device according to the obtained type of interference and the determined relationship, and scheduling transmission in relation to the allocated protected subframes in the macro cell.
US09681451B1
Disclosed is a method and system for balancing control channel resource allocations between base stations. As disclosed, a first base station provides a first downlink control channel including a first set of air interface resources and a second base station provides a second downlink control channel including a second set of air interface resources, the first set of air interface resources and the second set of air interface resources being mutually exclusive. Upon detecting a threshold difference between (i) an extent of a capacity of the first downlink control channel being unused and (ii) an extent of a capacity of the second downlink control channel being unused, the system may change allocation resources between downlink control channels such that (i) capacity of one of the first and second downlink control channels is increased and (ii) capacity of the other one of the first and second downlink control channels is decreased.
US09681448B2
Methods are provided to operate a first node in a radio access network including a plurality of base stations. The method includes communicating radiation pattern information for a radio access network transmission. The radiation pattern information is communicated between the first node and a second node, and the radiation pattern information includes an indication of power and an indication of direction associated with the indication of power for the radio access network transmission. Related network nodes and base stations are also discussed.
US09681434B2
In legacy systems such as 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) releases 8 to 10, the control channel is transmitted using the first few Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in a subframe. The limited control channel capacity will impact the system performance in future releases as more and more User Equipments (UEs) will be scheduled in a subframe with technologies such as MulitUser-Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) and Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP) transmission being enhanced or introduced. A new Enhanced Control CHannel (E-CCH) is necessary to be designed, which will use the resource in the Physical Downlink Shared CHannel (PDSCH) in the legacy systems. The E-CCH will support UE-specific DeModulation Reference Signal (DMRS) based transmission and receiving. However, the configuration of DMRS for E-CCH is necessary to be known to UE in prior. This invention discloses multiple methods in which DMRS is configured for E-CCHs and respective eNB and UE behaviors.
US09681433B2
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 first information includes a bitmap indicator corresponding to at least one SCell.
US09681430B2
Base station, UE and methods therein associated with transmission resources allocated by Semi-Persistent Scheduling, SPS. The method in a UE comprises receiving information about a set of Modulation and Coding Schemes, MCSs from a Base Station, BS. The MCSs are associated with resources allocated by SPS. Further, the method comprises determining an MCS from the set, for communication on at least one resource allocated by SPS, and then transmitting and/or receiving data on the at least one resource allocated by SPS, using the determined MCS.
US09681427B2
This application provides a method for transmitting feedback information for downlink data, a terminal, and a base station. The method includes: receiving, by a terminal from a base station, DCI used for downlink data group scheduling and location information of a first feedback resource, where the DCI is used to indicate a scheduling condition of each terminal in a scheduling group to which the terminal belongs; receiving, by the terminal according to the DCI, downlink data sent by the base station; and sending, by the terminal according to the scheduling condition, feedback information for the downlink data by using the feedback resource indicated by the location information of the first feedback resource.
US09681416B2
A method for efficiently transmitting and receiving a paging message and system information from and in a mobile station of a broadband wireless access system is disclosed. A method for receiving a paging message in a mobile station comprises receiving paging information from a serving base station, the paging information including paging sub group identifier (paging sub group ID) indicating a paging sub group to which the mobile station belongs; and receiving the paging message for a predetermined paging interval of the paging sub group, wherein the paging sub group is determined separately from a paging group and a geographical location determining the paging group, and is maintained while the mobile station is being operated in an idle mode.
US09681411B1
A method is disclosed to help register a UE with a different network in the event of an unsuccessful registration with a fallback network. In accordance with the disclosure, a UE may be registered on a first network and may then seek to register with a second network via the first network. The first network may attempt to register the UE with the second network, but the attempt to register the UE with the second network may ultimately fail. In response to such failure, the first network may discontinue providing service to the UE. Discontinuing the providing of service to the UE on the first network may result in the UE seeking to register directly with the second network or with a different network. By registering directly with the second network, or a different network, the UE may be able to initiate and/or receive voice calls via that network.
US09681409B2
A first and a second wireless device and a respective method performed thereby for enabling D2D communication there between are provided. The method performed by the first wireless device comprises obtaining (110) a timing reference and a time offset, from a wireless network; and transmitting (120), to the at least one second wireless device, an SA in accordance with the obtained timing reference, the SA comprising the time offset. The method further comprises transmitting (130) data, to the at least one second wireless device, in accordance with an uplink timing, wherein the uplink timing is based on the time offset and the timing reference.
US09681408B2
A method and apparatus for determining a drift between a local clock of a movable device and a reference clock that is used by one or more reference devices. The local clock may be calibrated at a calibration location and then the movable device may be moved to an operating location that is different from the calibration location. The drift is determined by observing one or more signals transmitted by the respective one or more reference devices, when the device is at the calibration location and when it is at the operating location. These observations are used together with a model of the signals to determine the drift.
US09681406B2
The present invention involves defining the operation of a terminal for determining which time alignment timer is to be applied to a certain condition when specific time alignment timers operate for each carrier-wave group in the event a wireless communication system uses a carrier aggregation technique. According to the present invention, a terminal may perform communication without malfunctions using a time alignment timer suitable for a certain condition. In detail, a method for a terminal to operate a time alignment timer according to the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving, from a base station, a message including a timing advance command and an index on a timing advance group (TAG); and operating the time alignment timer for the TAG, wherein the index has a value of 00 when the TAG includes a first cell. In the meantime, a method for a terminal to operate a time alignment timer according to the present invention comprises the steps of: operating a first time alignment timer for a first timing advance group (TAG) including a first cell; operating a second time alignment timer upon receipt of a timing advance command for a second TAG that does not include the first cell; and, if the first time alignment timer has expired, deeming the second time alignment timer to also be expired. In addition, a method for a base station to control a time alignment timer according to the present invention comprises the steps of: determining whether or not an uplink timing of a terminal needs correction; and transmitting a message including a timing advance command and an index on a timing advance group (TAG), wherein the index has a value of 00 when the TAG includes a first cell.
US09681402B1
The power consumption of a tracking device can be reduced by managing the transmission power of the tracking device when a mobile device is at the edge of the range of the tracking device. A connection can be established between a tracking device and a mobile device at the edge of a first range of the tracking device. The transmission range of the tracking device can be reduced to sever the connection between the tracking device and the mobile device. After a pre-determined time interval or after a connection with the mobile device is re-established the transmission range of the tracking device can be restored.
US09681401B2
A method in a wireless communication device includes determining a first configured maximum transmit power (PCMAX) value corresponding to a first set of resource blocks (RBs) in a carrier for a subframe, wherein the first set of RBs includes less than a complete set of RBs constituting the carrier, determining a second PCMAX value corresponding to a second set of RBs in the carrier for the subframe, wherein the first and second sets of RBs are of a common type and the second set of RBs is different from the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs includes less than the complete set of RBs constituting the carrier. A composite report for the subframe including the first and second PCMAX values is then sent to a base station.
US09681399B2
A wireless device transmits a first sounding reference signal (SRS) in a first cell overlapping in time with transmission of a packet in a second cell. The first cell and the second cell are different cells of the same cell group. The wireless device drops a second SRS in the first cell when the second SRS is configured for transmission in parallel with a preamble in a cell group comprising the first cell. The wireless device has sufficient power to transmit uplink signals.
US09681396B2
Certain aspects involve distributing power in a distributed antenna system. A subsystem of the distributed antenna system can receive key performance indicators for remote units and system factors that affect the key performance indicators. The subsystem can determine a radio frequency power to achieve key performance indicators based on the one or more system factors and configure the remote units to operate at the radio frequency power.
US09681395B2
A link-budget-limited wireless communication device (UE) may implement improved radio link monitoring procedures for enhancing the link-budget of the UE. The UE may monitor the radio link and may determine whether the radio link can support a lowest acceptable link quality according to a hysteresis-based comparison that uses threshold values to determine error rates associated with a physical control channel. The UE may also identify itself to the network as a link-budget-limited device, and the network may enable special link-budget enhancing features for the UE, including boosting the power of the resource elements (REs) carrying physical channel signaling/data to the UE. The UE may detect the presence of power boost and may estimate/determine the power boost level. The UE may modify the threshold values based on the power boost detection and/or results of the power boost level estimation/determination, and may use the modified threshold values for determining radio link quality during radio link monitoring.
US09681392B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, a device, and a system for configuring cell range expansion bias. A method includes determining, by a first base station, cell range expansion biases under different ABS transmit powers, and sending, by the first base station, the cell range expansion biases under different ABS transmit powers to a second base station or a network management system.
US09681391B2
A power adaptation apparatus for a wireless communication channel includes a power ratio compensator. The power ratio compensator is capable of receiving a channel quality indicator and compensating a power ratio parameter according to the channel quality indicator, wherein the power ratio parameter defines a relation between power of the wireless communication channel and power of another wireless communication channel, and is referenced for setting the power of the wireless communication channel.
US09681388B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for low power RF communications, comprising receiving an AM signal using a passive RF receiver circuit, converting the AM signal to a digital output signal using a comparator, receiving the digital output signal from the comparator, determining whether the digital output signal is valid or not using a digital signal processing circuit, and upon detection of a valid digital output signal, enabling an active RF receiver circuit for RF signal processing.
US09681387B2
Systems and methods for prediction of activity session for mobile network use optimization and user experience enhancement are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system for enhancing user experience with a mobile application on a mobile device including, using user activity characteristics at a mobile device and server activity characteristics of a host server to anticipate a future activity session at the mobile device and transferring impending content from the host server the mobile device to pre-cache content on the mobile device to support predicted data activity for the future activity session that has been predicted.
US09681384B2
There is provided a communication apparatus. A proximity communication unit is adapted to communicate with an external apparatus by proximity wireless communication. A control unit is configured to control an operation of the communication apparatus. The proximity communication unit provides a notification to the control unit in response to receiving a write request from the external apparatus via the proximity wireless communication. The proximity communication unit does not provide a notification to the control unit in response to receiving a read request from the external apparatus via the proximity wireless communication.
US09681383B2
An information processing apparatus operable in a first power state and in a second power state in which power consumption is lower than that in the first power state includes a near-field wireless communication unit configured to be driven by electric power induced by a radio wave from a mobile terminal, and communicate with the mobile terminal when the information processing apparatus is in the second power state. The near-field wireless communication unit sends, if a command received from the mobile terminal in the second power state is a command of a first type, a response corresponding to the command to the mobile terminal in the second power state, and if the received command is a command of a second type, performs control so as to supply electric power to a portion necessary for sending a response corresponding to the command to the mobile terminal.
US09681373B2
A method for activating a wireless communication device, the method may include receiving, by the wireless communication device, a sequence of periodic transmissions; estimating, for each periodic transmission of the sequence of periodic transmissions and before a reception of the periodic transmission, an expected time of arrival of the periodic transmission; calculating, for each periodic transmission, a timing difference attribute that is responsive to at least a difference between a timing of arrival of the periodic transmission and an expected time of arrival of the periodic transmission; selecting a selected periodic transmission out of the sequence of periodic transmissions, wherein the selected periodic transmission is associated with a smallest timing difference attribute out of the timing difference attributes associated with the periodic transmissions of the sequence of periodic transmissions; estimating, before a reception of a future periodic transmission that does not belong to the sequence of periodic transmissions, an estimated time of arrival of the future periodic transmission in response to the selecting of the selected periodic transmission and a periodic transmission period; determining a wakening time for wakening the wireless communication device in response to the estimated time of arrival of the future periodic transmission; and wakening the wireless communication device at the wakening time and searching for the future periodic transmission.
US09681371B2
There is provided a method including detecting, by an apparatus, a first wireless access option; determining whether or not the first wireless access option shares at least part of a backbone with a second wireless access option; and deciding whether or not to associate with the first wireless access option at least partly on the basis of the determination.
US09681363B2
The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for manipulating an Uplink (UL) service area of an access node in a wireless network. The method comprises determining whether a condition for updating a cell list for UL reception of a terminal device in proximity of the access node is met by considering a first set of Cell Individual Offsets (CIOs) for a set of cells. The first set of CIOs for the set of cells are respectively different from a second set of CIOs for the set of cells which are considered in determining whether a condition for changing a serving access node for Downlink (DL) transmission of the terminal device is met. The method further comprises updating the cell list for UL reception of the terminal device according to the determination.
US09681362B2
A system according to some embodiments of the invention includes (1) a component (e.g. ANDSF) that provides a cell selection rule to a UE and (2) a component (e.g. an access node) that provides the UE with information about the load in the cell currently utilized by the UE. This enables the UE to determine whether to leave the cell, which may be a 3GPP cell, and use a different cell, which may be a non-3GPP cell, by applying the cell selection rule in conjunction with its knowledge about the load of the cell.
US09681359B2
Techniques for providing friction-free transactions using geolocation and user identifiers are described herein. These techniques may ascertain a user's location based on a location of a mobile device. A transaction between the user and a merchant may be completed with zero or minimal input from the user based on the geolocation of the mobile device and the user identifiers. In some implementations, a transaction initiated earlier is completed when the mobile device arrives at the merchant. Additionally, a parent-child or similar relationship may be established between multiple devices. Security on the mobile device based may be provided by biometric identification and calculation of variance from regular movement patterns. Advertisements may be sent to the mobile device based on bids from merchants near to the mobile device. Promotions may be sent to the mobile device when more than a threshold number of mobile devices are located at the same merchant.
US09681358B2
A communication device, method, and system. A network is adapted to detect and cause one or more network services to the wireless device to be disabled upon detecting that the wireless device is within a predetermined zone. The network service may include voice communication, text messages, emails, and data communication. The predetermined zone may include a speeding zone, a hospital zone, a movie theater zone, a church zone, or a performing arts theater zone. The predetermined zone may be a government law or a regulation, such as a State or a City. The predetermined zone may also be determined by a predetermined radius within the operation of the device.
US09681357B1
A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium that enable the monitoring and control of a device via a network, such as the Internet, via an interactive hardware module that interfaces with the device and communicates with a module server located locally or remotely from the placement of the module. The hardware module allows for the transmission and receipt of data between the device interfaced to the hardware module and the module server, thereby enabling the user manually or automatically to control or monitor the device via an access medium, such as an API. The hardware module and the device may be interfaced via a wired or a wireless connection. Furthermore, the hardware module and the module server may enable the activation of an inactive device from a remote location.
US09681339B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a security processing method and system in a network handover process. The method includes: generating, by a network switching node, a target key after receiving a handover request; sending, by the network switching node, security information including the target key to a target network node, and receiving a handover response message sent by the target network node; and sending, by the network switching node, a handover command to a mobile terminal, so that the mobile terminal accesses a target network. By adopting the present invention, security processing in handover of a mobile terminal from a 3G network to an HSPA network or an LTE network may be completed in a case that the network switching node currently used in the network is not changed.
US09681332B2
Apparatuses, methods and storage media associated with file compression and transmission, or file reception and decompression. Specifically, one or more compression/decompression or transmission/reception parameters associated with transmission or reception may be identified. Based on the identified parameters, energy consumption of compression and transmission, or reception and decompression, of the data over a wireless communication link may be predicted. Based on that prediction, a compression configuration may be identified. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09681331B2
This disclosure presents a method and apparatus for mitigating interference arising from Device-to-Device, D2D, communications, in cases where the frequency band used for D2D transmissions is adjacent to an active cellular carrier or other frequency band carrying critical communications. Among the several mitigation techniques disclosed herein, a wireless device may reduce possible out-of-band interference arising from its D2D transmissions by adjusting transmit power and/or time/frequency resource allocations when it is determined that there is an interference risk. Such mitigations provide improved performance for the D2D transmissions and for the communications in the critical frequency band.
US09681328B2
A method, in a multiple modem device that includes a notification modem and a Wi-Fi modem, includes identifying data to be collected and rules for selecting an optimal modem for data transmission from the multiple modem device. The method also includes collecting the data, and determining whether the data is to be sent via the notification modem based on a payload size associated with the data and the rules. The method includes sending the data via a control channel of a cellular network associated with the notification modem in response to a determination that the data to be sent via the notification modem. A determination whether a Wi-Fi network is available is made in response to a determination that the data is not to be sent via the notification modem. The data is sent via the Wi-Fi modem over the Wi-Fi network.
US09681327B2
A wireless sensor network system includes: sensor terminals and a management terminal. A sensor terminal sends a join request at a first transmission power; and the management terminal calculates the traffic load of nodes on the reception path of the join request. If the number of hops and the traffic load are both within respective permissible ranges, the management terminal sets the reception path as the communication route of the sensor terminal. If the number of hops and/or the load is not within the permissible rage, the management terminal reconstructs the communication path by outputting an instruction to the sensor terminal to make direct connection to the management terminal or a specified node with a low traffic load, at a second transmission power greater than the first transmission power. When receiving the instruction, the sensor terminal transmits to the management terminal or the specified node at the second transmission power.
US09681325B2
Channel and interference measurement in long term evolution (LTE)/LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) networks including unlicensed spectrum is discussed in which a user equipment (UE) detects a reference signal from a serving base station over a carrier of a shared spectrum for measurement. The reference signal may be a channel usage beacon signal (CUBS) transmitted by the serving base station prior to transmission or may be a specific channel state information (CSI) reference signal transmitted in the first subframe of a transmission frame. The UE generates a fast CSI feedback report based on the measured reference signal and transmits it to the serving base station. The fast CSI feedback report is received quickly enough by the serving base station such that the base station may apply the CSI feedback to additional transmissions in subsequent subframes within the same transmission frame.
US09681319B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, a user equipment, a base station and a system for measuring signal received power, wherein the method includes: obtaining, by a user equipment (UE), reference signal resource; obtaining, by the user equipment (UE), a reference signal subset and a precoding matrix, wherein the reference signal subset is a subset of a reference signal port set configured in the reference signal resource, and the precoding matrix is used for precoding the reference signal subset; and obtaining, by the user equipment (UE), signal received power according to the reference signal subset and the precoding matrix. The signal received power may be obtained under an circumstance that a tilt angle of a base station antenna (e.g., AAS) is controlled flexibly, thereby being beneficial to achieve independent uplink power control and selection of a cell or a node under a scenario of the above-mentioned antenna configuration.
US09681318B1
Mobile devices executing applications utilize data services worldwide. Many failures or adverse user experiences of these applications have been determined to be the result of network issues. Testing of the applications for networking issues is facilitated by utilizing a test network having proxy devices placed at different physical locations. A tester may use the test network to direct traffic to and from an application under test to one of the proxy devices. Using the proxy device, the traffic is then exchanged with a real-world network, such as a cellular data network, at the different location. The tester may thus test operation of the application under test in real-world conditions at a variety of different physical locations. The results may be used to mitigate or eliminate the failures or adverse user experiences. Additional testing may also be performed on the application after deployment to end users.
US09681316B2
A communications apparatus includes at least two cellular system radio transceivers capable of simultaneously performing transmitting/receiving radio activities in two cellular networks and a control entity. The control entity is coupled to the cellular system radio transceivers, collects radio activity information of the cellular system radio transceivers, determines whether interference will occur or is occurring and which cellular system radio transceiver is an aggressor transceiver and which cellular system radio transceiver is a victim transceiver when the interference occurs according to the radio activity information, and further determines control information according to the radio activity information for controlling the aggressor transceiver or the victim transceiver to mitigate the interference. The aggressor transceiver is the cellular system radio transceiver having the transmitting radio activity that will interfere or interferes with the receiving radio activity of the victim transceiver.
US09681301B2
Embodiments include a system, method, and computer program product for improving public safety communications and real-time information sharing to enable a public safety user to access available, secure private wireless communications (PWC) networks within a vicinity of an emergency for communications and data-sharing purposes. In an embodiment, a universal encryption key (UEK) is stored on a public safety access device. The public safety access device is providing access to a secure PWC network. The UEK is a key established by a certificate authority that enables public safety personnel to access the secure PWC network. Then, a public safety encryption key (PSKey) is received by the public safety access device from a user communication device. The public safety access device enables access for the user communication to access the secure PWC network upon a determination that the received PSKey is associated with the UEK.
US09681289B2
A mobile communications terminal communicates data using a mobile communications network that includes base stations and mobility managers that can send and receive signalling packets for controlling user data communications between communications terminals and a destination. The communications terminal can communicate packets with the base stations via a wireless access interface provided by the base stations and send a signalling packet to the mobility managers, the signalling packet including user data intended for a destination, prior to establishing a signalling connection with the mobility managers. The mobility managers can, upon receiving a signalling packet from a communications terminal, detect the packet is not associated with any established signalling connection between the mobility managers and the communication device. The mobility managers can, responsive to the detection, transmit the user data in the signalling packet to the destination. Accordingly a short message may be sent in a reduced context or context-less manner.
US09681279B2
A method of operating a portable terminal having a dual Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card is provided. The method includes displaying a message regarding whether to set a dual SIM active function, selecting an area included in the message, and confirming a setting of the dual SIM active function upon the selection of the area included in the message.
US09681278B2
In at least some embodiments, a system includes at least one server to manage voice over internet protocol (VOIP) services. The managed VOIP services provided by the at least one server include streamlined conferencing service to add a mobile device to a VOIP conferencing session based on a streamlined conferencing command received from the mobile device.
US09681272B2
Wireless communication via a mesh network of connected movable objects is described. A method includes determining, by a device including a processor, a value of a characteristic of a first movable object of movable objects communicatively coupled to a wireless network, wherein the movable objects are automated vehicles, and wherein the determining the value is based on a likelihood of receipt of a message transmitted from the first movable object to a second movable object of the movable objects. The method also includes generating information usable to move the first movable object in a manner that satisfies a defined condition associated with the value. The information can be strength of a wireless communication channel between the first movable object and a second movable object of the movable objects.
US09681268B2
A method may include calculating a first distance between first and second devices and determining a direction of a movement of the first device. The method may further include calculating a second distance between the first and second devices after the movement of the first device and determining the relative position of the first device with respect to the second device based on the direction of the movement, the first distance, and the second distance.
US09681266B2
The present application provides a method for enabling a UE (User Equipment) detecting a proximity service to adjust the detection range. The method for adjusting the detection range includes the steps of: enabling the detecting UE having joined in the same group of the proximity service to compare the number of the UEs requiring a relay with a predetermined threshold value; enabling the detecting UE to decide whether to expand its detection range if the number of the UEs requiring a relay exceeds the predetermined threshold value; enabling the detecting UE to decide whether to reduce its detection range if the number of the UEs requiring a relay is less than the predetermined threshold value; and enabling the detecting UE to adjust the range class so as to expand or reduce the detection range.
US09681265B1
An engagement tracking system monitors user interactions with media items to calculate an engagement score of the media item. The engagement tracking system may be or include a group of one or more server machines configured to detect an exposure of a client device to a media item maintained by the engagement tracking system. In response to detecting the exposure of the client device to the media item, the engagement tracking system tracks a location of the client device based on access requests to location based media items. The engagement tracking system may thereby monitor client devices exposed to the media item in order to calculate an engagement score of the media item.
US09681253B2
Methods and systems for automatically configuring mobile device applications based on location are described. In an example, methods and systems for enabling contextual in-store experience modification on a mobile device can include capabilities for altering the functionality of a mobile application based at least in part on the location of the mobile device. For example, a mobile shopping application can be configured to perform different functions depending upon the type of retail location the mobile device is currently in. Additionally, the mobile application can be configured to enable different functions between a retail location and a user's residence, among other locations.
US09681252B2
A method (and related system and computer program product) of provisioning and activating subscriber services in telecommunications network elements in a telecommunication network of a network operator is disclosed. The method comprises receiving subscriber service requests sent from a plurality of source systems, for each received request, sending a positive or negative acknowledgement of the request back to the respective source system based on whether the request was properly received or not, for each positively acknowledged request, determining a series of operations necessary to be performed in a group of telecommunications network elements in order to fulfill the subscriber service request, and performing the determined series of operations whereby at least one change of state occurs in each element in said group of telecommunications network elements. The method is executed in a system environment with a limited total processing power for processing service requests from receipt to respective changes in the telecommunications network elements, and is characterized in that if the processing load imposed by all the received requests exceeds the total processing power, delaying the sending of the positive and/or negative acknowledgements back to the respective source system.
US09681251B1
A mobile communication device. The mobile communication device comprises a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, parses an open mobile alliance (OMA) device management (DM) tree comprising a node that identifies a matrix, wherein the matrix comprises columns indexed by a brand identity, and rows indexed by a service identity, wherein the matrix cells store configuration values and wherein some configuration values are function calls, based on a brand identity of the mobile communication device, selects an entry of the matrix, and based on the selected entry, configures a preloaded application stored in the memory, whereby the mobile communication device may be configured remotely through a rule-based mechanism.
US09681244B1
A method for manufacturing a microphone chip, includes steps of: providing a first underlay, and depositing insulating oxide layers at both sides; depositing the component layers on the insulating oxide layers respectively; depositing the tetraethyl orthosilicate oxide layers on the component layers; etching the tetraethyl orthosilicate oxide layers; patterning various deposition layers in the first underlay; providing the second underlay; depositing the oxide layers on the substrate; etching and patterning oxide layer; releasing the back plate; combining the first underlay and the second underlay by welding the tetraethyl orthosilicate oxide layer on the first underlay and the oxide layer on the second underlay under ambient temperature; etching the second underlay to form the back cavity; etching the first underlay to release the diaphragm and obtaining the microphone chip.
US09681243B2
A MEMS microphone including a plurality of overtravel stops (OTS) connected to a perimeter of a membrane of the MEMS microphone. The OTS are released from a backplate layer during manufacturing and are configured to contact the backplate to restrict movement of the OTS and thus restrict movement of the membrane of the MEMS microphone. Embodiments of the invention provide, in particular, an overtravel stop that limits movement of the membrane in a radial direction.
US09681241B2
According to one aspect, an electronic device for detecting an audio accessory. The electronic device includes an audio jack having at least two detection terminals. The detection terminals are spaced apart and positioned within a socket of the audio jack so when an audio plug of the accessory is inserted into the socket of the audio jack, the detection terminals will be shorted. The presence of a short between the detection terminals is indicative that the audio accessory is present.
US09681235B2
A vibration detection component includes a diaphragm that has a light transparency; alight emitting element that emits light into the diaphragm at a certain inclination angle relative to a normal direction of the diaphragm; and a light receiving element that receives the light emitted from the light emitting element and reflected by an interface between the diaphragm and a medium in contact with the diaphragm and converts the light into an electric signal related to vibration of the diaphragm.
US09681231B2
A digital/analog conversion apparatus to convert a digital signal into an analog signal. The digital/analog conversion apparatus can generate a high-quality analog signal, even when elements configuring the digital/analog conversion apparatus have variance, with high resolution and a small circuit size. The data conversion apparatus is provided with a first data converter to reduce the number of bits of an input signal, a second data converter to convert the format of the first output signal, and a third data converter for conversion into a code which corresponds to the history of the output from the second data converter.
US09681228B2
A micro speaker having a capacitive sensor to sense a motion of a speaker diaphragm, is disclosed. More particularly, embodiments of the micro speaker include a conductive surface of a diaphragm facing conductive surfaces of several capacitive plate sections across a gap. The diaphragm may be configured to emit sound forward away from a magnet of the micro speaker, and the capacitive plate sections may be supported on the magnet behind the diaphragm. In an embodiment, the gap provides an available travel for the diaphragm, which may be only a few millimeters. A sensing circuit may sense capacitances of the conductive surfaces to limit displacement of the diaphragm to within the available travel.
US09681223B2
Technology for smart line-in processing in an audio environment is disclosed. An example playback device includes a line-in connector for receiving a first audio signal, a network interface, and a processor. A computer readable storage medium has stored instructions executable by the processor to determine that the first audio signal is present at the line-in connector, and, in response to determining that the first audio signal is present at the line-in connector, (i) cease playback of a second audio signal being played by the playback device, wherein the second audio signal is not present at the line-in connector, (ii) cause the playback device to play at least a first portion of the first audio signal, and (iii) cause the playback device to transmit, via the network interface, at least a second portion of the first audio signal to another playback device.
US09681219B2
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided to indicate or automatically configure headphone channel orientation based on a physical orientation determination. An apparatus is provided that is configured to at least determine an orientation of the headphone device; analyze the determined orientation; and provide an indication of the determined orientation or adjust the output channel configuration of the apparatus for the headphone device. The apparatus may be further configured to determine the orientation of the headphone device based on at least one of: a head turn position; a direction of one or more audio signals; a direction of movement, wherein the movement is determined based on a determination of acceleration or trajectory of the headphone device; two or more compass data, wherein at least one compass is located in each of the apparatus and the headphone device; and a difference in characteristics of one or more audio signals.
US09681214B2
A method and apparatus for adapting an electronic device to receive digital television broadcast signals is disclosed. The device comprises a switch commandable to interpose one or more matching networks as in the RF signal path according to a channel command to match an integrated headset antenna to the tuner receiving the RF signals.
US09681207B2
An example embodiment includes a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) system. The LCOS system includes multiple pixels, a pixel voltage supply source (voltage source), an external buffer, and a local buffer. The voltage source is configured to supply an analog ramp to the pixels. The external buffer is configured to buffer the voltage source from the pixels. The local buffer is configured to buffer the external buffer from a subset of pixels of the plurality of pixels.
US09681206B2
A grouping method for a sensing device is provided. The sensing device includes a sensor, a processor, storage and a communication device controlled by the processor. The method includes: inquiring the sensing device's sensing function, supported network types; exchanging the inquired information with other sensing devices having a same sensing function and in networks of same supported network types; forming a function group based on a pre-defined first rule, and exchanging first configuration parameters within the function group; designating one of the sensing devices of the group a master sensing device, and rest of the group slave sensing device(s) based on the exchanged first configuration parameters and a pre-defined second rule; and controlling the master sensing device's the communication device to receive operation parameters and commands from a device outside the function group and relaying the operation parameters and commands to the rest of the function group.
US09681205B1
A method, system, and a computer-readable medium for pairing a wireless sensor device with a mobile device are disclosed. In a first aspect, the method comprises providing a code within the wireless sensor device. The method includes contacting the mobile device against the wireless sensor device. In response to the contacting, the mobile device receives the code and is paired with the wireless sensor device. In a second aspect, the system comprises a processing system and an application to be executed by the processing system. In response to a contacting of the mobile device against a wireless sensor device, the application receives a code from the wireless sensor device and pairs the mobile device with the wireless sensor device.
US09681203B2
Methods and devices are provided to obtain associated information for a multimedia content. One such method includes receiving a content at a receiver device equipped with a watermark detector, performing watermark detection on the received content to extract a payload of an embedded watermark. The payload comprises a first field that includes a server identifier and a second field that includes an interval identifier associated with the server identifier. The first field provides a mapping to an Internet address accessible to retrieve metadata associated with content segments identified by the watermark payload. In this method, based on the detected watermark payload, a query is formed and transmitted to a server identified by the Internet address, and a response to the query is received from the server that includes metadata associated with the content.
US09681199B2
Methods and systems for managing advertisement (ad) delivery and ad inventory for advertisements (ads) placed in video content are provided. An exemplary method receives campaign criteria for a new advertising campaign, the campaign criteria including at least a desired date range. The method then retrieves indications of unsold ad space inventory. In response to determining, based at least in part on the unsold ad space inventory in the desired date range, that the campaign criteria cannot be satisfied, the method: renders, in a user interface, an interactive ad delivery and distribution report indicating forecasted ad distribution and ad delivery for at least part of the desired date range during which the campaign criteria cannot be satisfied; and redistributes ad delivery by adjusting an ad delivery plan based on adjusted report parameters received via the interface in order to accommodate the new advertising campaign.
US09681197B2
A method of operating a server and an IP client device for presentation of video content to a viewer that includes a trickplay function. The server partitions media chunks into several sub chunks and includes information about the sub chunks in a manifest. The client plays the needed sub chunks to implement a desired play rate. As an alternative to providing sub chunk information in the manifest, the server sends key frame information in the manifest. The client plays needed frames of the key frames to implement a desired play rate. The sub chunk information as well as key frame information is encoded into the manifest as a standard comment or chunk filename. In another alternative, the IP client sends a trickplay request and based on that, the server signals either the sub chunks to be played or the key frames to be played to affect the desired speed. In yet another variation, the server can also remove the unwanted sub chunks or key frames to affect the desired play rate at the IP client.
US09681195B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an Internet Protocol Television system having a controller to create a template defining a format of presentation of an webpage or HTML page using an iTV or IPTV application system, receive a request for the page from a subscriber of the iTV or IPTV system. The system can access application system subscriber data for the subscriber and a presentation of the page is dynamically adapted according to the application system subscriber data. In one alternative at, the page can be dynamically adapted by changing in content or by changing a look and feel of an HTML page or webpage. In another alternative, the webpage or HTML page can be dynamically adapted by modifying graphic user interface elements based on the application system subscriber data. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09681194B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an avatar engine having a controller to retrieve a user profile, cause a presentation device to present a user an avatar having characteristics that correlate to the user profile, detect one or more responses of the user, identify from the one or more responses a need to communicate with a merchant system, establish a communication session with the merchant system, receive a notification from the merchant system of a merchant avatar engine, establish communication with the merchant avatar engine, adapt the characteristics of the avatar at least in part according to instructions supplied by the merchant avatar engine, and cause the presentation device to present the user the adapted avatar. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09681179B2
Methods and apparatus for identifying an operating state of an AV device are described. An example method includes extracting, at a first AV device, data communicated via a data bus coupling a processor of the first AV device to a HDMI interface, the HDMI interface coupled to a second AV device different than the first AV device; analyzing a temporal sequence of the extracted data to determine if additional information is needed from the second AV device to identify a current operating state of the second AV device; when the temporal sequence is missing an expected message related to the current operating state of the second AV device, causing an AV network controller of the first AV device to request information from the second AV device; and analyzing a response from the second AV device including the requested information to identify the current operating state of the second AV device.
US09681178B2
One and only instance of a video service model component (for example, an electronic program guide (EPG) model description) is executed in a home network gateway, with multiple instantiations of a view/controller module associated with the model module being generated, one for each display device seeking to simultaneously display the video service. In this way the functionality of a single video service model is shared in the network without requiring the underlying model module itself to be replicated.
US09681176B2
Allocating idle tuner resources to buffer or record broadcast programming determined to be desirable or preferred by any particular user or television viewer.
US09681175B2
A method for downloading multimedia contents is disclosed. The multimedia contents exists in at least two versions. Each of the versions corresponds to a different required transmission bit rate and each of the versions is temporally divided into chunks corresponding to a determined duration, one chunk being identified by an item of information representative of a temporal position i and by an item of information representative of a version j. A content receiver implementing this method is also described.
US09681162B1
Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can define a set of video quality levels. One or more social engagement signals associated with videos uploaded at each video quality level out of the set of video quality levels can be acquired. Information associated with each user out of a set of users can be acquired. A respective video quality level for each user can be determined based on at least one of the information associated with each user or the one or more social engagement signals.
US09681159B2
Creating audience segments for campaigns is described. In one or more embodiments, an audience manager is configured to create, for one or more videos, a video audience segment associated with the video by storing, in a data management platform, user identifiers of users that viewed the video. The user identifiers can be received from a client player each time that a video is played at the client player. The audience manager is further configured to extract demographic information from a demographic report associated with the video that is received from a demographics provider, and to associate the demographic information with the video audience segment. The audience manager is further configured to generate a target audience segment for a campaign by merging and combining user identifiers that are included in two or more video audience segments.
US09681158B1
User engagement in unwatched videos is predicted by collecting and aggregating data describing user engagement with watched videos. The data are normalized to reduce the influence of factors other than the content of the videos on user engagement. Engagement metrics are calculated for segments of watched videos that indicate user engagement with each segment relative to overall user engagement with the watched videos. Features of the watched videos within time windows are characterized, and a function is learned that relates the features of the videos within the time windows to the engagement metrics for the time windows. The features of a time window of an unwatched video are characterized, and the learned function is applied to the features to predict user engagement to the time window of the unwatched video. The unwatched video can be enhanced based on the predicted user engagement.
US09681157B2
A venue display system provides selected localization of content to a client and includes a server and a processor. The server is configured to provide selected localization of content from at least one of: a venue display; a D-Cinema or alternative content; and at a selected location. A screen management system (SMS) is included as is a venue display management system configured to assist in localization of content at the selected location. A storage device stores content.
US09681147B2
A computer-implemented method is provided for compressing a collection of images. The method includes: receiving image data for an image ensemble composed of a plurality of images; dividing the image data into a plurality of data blocks; decomposing each data block from the plurality of data blocks into a set of rank-one tensors by estimating each rank-one tensor individually, where each rank-one tensor is represented by three one-dimensional vectors; arranging the rank-one tensors for each of the plurality of data blocks into a two-dimensional matrix, where the decomposer is implemented by computer processor; compressing the two-dimensional matrix using a compression operation; and storing the compressed two-dimensional matrix in a non-transitory data store.
US09681139B2
A video/image compression method based on an region of interest (ROI) can be performed in a variable block video encoder such as a HEVC. A ROI coding method using variable block size coding information partitions a maximum coding unit (LCU) block obtained from an image into coding unit (CU) blocks. To obtain a quantization parameter of each coding unit (CU) block, the value of its quantization parameter is assigned based on its first hierarchical depth information and its second hierarchical depth information by using the first hierarchical depth information related to the size of the coding unit (CU) block and using the second hierarchical depth information related to the size of a prediction unit (PU) block correspondingly represented in consequence of the partition of the coding unit (CU) block. The resulting values of a quantization parameter assigned to different coding unit (CU) blocks may be different.
US09681134B2
A prediction information deriving unit derives the inter-prediction information candidates from inter-prediction information of a prediction block neighboring to a coding target prediction block or a prediction block present at the same position as or near the coding target prediction block in a coded picture at a temporally different position from the coding target prediction block. A candidate supplementing unit supplements inter-prediction information candidates having the same prediction mode, reference index, and motion vector until the number of inter-prediction information candidates reaches the designated number of candidates when the number of inter-prediction information candidates is smaller than the designated number of candidates.
US09681130B2
An image coding method includes coding a motion vector difference indicating a difference between the motion vector and a predicted motion vector, wherein the coding includes: coding a first portion that is a part of a first component which is one of a horizontal component and a vertical component of the motion vector difference; coding a second portion that is a part of a second component which is different from the first component and is the other one of the horizontal component and the vertical component; coding a third portion that is a part of the first component and is different from the first portion; coding a fourth portion that is a part of the second component and is different from the second portion; and generating a code string which includes the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion in the stated order.
US09681126B2
According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, references to a motion vector in a neighboring block of an enhancement layer or in a block of a previously coded picture, and a motion vector of a base layer are equally handled. Accordingly, a motion_prediction_flag with identification information can be integrated for further improved coding efficiency.
US09681117B2
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for receiving a three-dimensional broadcast image in a mobile environment. The method for receiving a three-dimensional broadcast image according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps: receiving a broadcast signal including a left-view image and aright-view image for a three-dimensional broadcast image, and a service signaling channel for signaling the three-dimensional broadcast image; parsing a service map table (SMT) contained in the service signaling channel, parsing, from the parsed SMT, component-type information for indicating whether or not a three-dimensional video stream including the left-view image and the right-view image is contained in the broadcast signal, and parsing, from the SMT, left/right-view image information for indicating whether the left-view image or right-view image is transmitted through a specific region of a single video frame, if the component-type information indicates that the three-dimensional video stream containing the left-view image and the right-view image is contained in the broadcast signal; formatting the left-view image and the right-view image into a three-dimensional image on the basis of the parsed left/right-view image information; and displaying the three-dimensional image.
US09681107B2
A camera scope inspection system with a flexible, tether mounted camera head that is maneuverable in confined internal cavities of power generation machinery. A camera head position sensing system inferentially determines the three dimension (3D) position of the camera head within the inspected machinery. Camera head position data are correlated with camera image data by a controller. In this manner correlated internal inspection image data and corresponding position data are available for future analysis and image tracking.
US09681106B2
Data is transmitted by or collected from individual receivers of broadcast content on a particularized basis. The broadcast content is transmitted without regard to selection of a particular content stream by any one or more receivers. The receiver data is analyzed, and may be analyzed in conjunction with other information such as details on broadcast content streams made during certain times, and selections of broadcast streams by particular receivers. System configuration changes and targeted content may then be transmitted by a bidirectional data exchange medium to the individualized receivers based upon the analysis.
US09681104B2
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.
US09681097B1
Video conferencing in a controlled environment facility entails significant security concerns. These concerns are even more prevalent in a system that permits residents of such facilities to communicate via their own personal devices. Therefore, in order to alleviate these concerns and provide a secure system in which a resident is able to make video calls using their personal device, a kiosk unit is provided to which the personal device must be linked for completing a video call. When making the video call, the camera and display on the personal device are disabled, and all video data is captured and displayed by the kiosk unit. The link between the kiosk unit and the personal device facilitates the exchange of the image information for transmission to the outside party, or display to the user. By providing a fixed camera, and disabling the personal device camera, security can be maintained while permitting video calling services.
US09681096B1
This disclosure pertains to operations, systems, and computer readable media to capture images of a scene using a camera array and process the captured images based on a viewer's point of view (POV) for immersive augmented reality, live display wall, head mounted display, video conferencing, and similar applications. In one implementation, the disclosed subject matter provides a complete view to a viewer by combining images captured by a camera array. In another implementation, the disclosed subject matter tracks the viewer's POV as he moves from one location to another and displays images in accordance with his varying POV. The change of the viewer's POV is inclusive of movements in the X, Y, and Z dimensions.
US09681091B2
A system and method as described herein involve materially improving the quality of encoded content generated on systems or platforms such as remote or CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) platforms. An aspect of the described system and method comprises profiling the source content, for example, on a per title basis, and generating profile information as a set of metadata that reflects the optimal transcoding parameters. This metadata is transmitted along with the content to be transcoded to the remote device which can then perform a superior process on the content, compared to a generic non-hinted transcode. Other aspects of the described system and method comprise separation of profiling analysis from the actual transcoding at a remote location, and encapsulation of profile information with the program content for delivery to the remote premises.
US09681090B2
Personal video recording including identifying a message point in operation of a PVR and transmitting a message. Embodiments include associating a message type with the message point and selecting, in dependence upon the message type, a message to be transmitted. Embodiments include receiving a response to the message; selecting, in dependence upon the response, a command to be executed; and executing the selected command.
US09681088B1
A processing server that builds metadata is disclosed. The server comprises a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory. The application when executed by the processor formats data into a data container, wherein the data comprises audio and video files of a movie. The application then builds metadata, wherein the metadata details what post-processing has been done on the data, wherein the metadata identifies what processing and algorithms are applied to the data and supports selection of data by a playback device. The application then writes metadata into the data container, wherein the playback device applies additional post-processing to the data in the data container based on the metadata.
US09681083B2
A method of detecting light-emitting diode (LED) light starts with a control circuitry generating a shutter signal that is transmitted to a pixel array to control image acquisition by the pixel array and to establish a set exposure time. The readout circuitry may then read out the image data from the pixel array that includes reading out the image data from a plurality of successive and overlapped frames having the set exposure time. The set exposure time may be the same for each of the frames. The successive and overlapped frames may be interlaced frames. Other embodiments are also described.
US09681079B2
A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a timing signal generation unit, a plurality of sensor units arranged in a matrix pattern and configured to perform photoelectric conversion of light received on an image pickup surface to accumulate signal charges, a vertical transfer unit provided for each vertical column of the sensor units and configured to transfer the signal charges in a plurality of divided fields in a vertical direction in an image pickup area in a plurality of horizontal blanking periods, a horizontal transfer unit configured to perform a horizontal transfer of the signal charges to the vertical transfer unit along with the horizontal blanking period, and a vertical and horizontal shift control unit configured to control a timing at which the vertical transfer unit transfers the signal charges to the horizontal transfer unit for each vertical column of the sensor units on the basis of the timing signal.
US09681067B2
A manufacturing method for an optical unit includes: a step of bonding plural lens wafers, on which optical components are formed, and forming a lens unit wafer including plural lens units; a step of bonding a bending optical element wafer including plural bending optical elements to a first surface of the lens unit wafer such that the plural bending optical elements are respectively opposed to the plural lens units and forming an optical unit wafer; and a step of separating and individualizing the optical unit wafer for each of the lens units and the bending optical elements and manufacturing plural optical units.
US09681060B2
An imaging apparatus includes a transmittance adjusting unit configured to be capable of adjusting a transmittance of light depending on an applied voltage; an image sensor configured to capture an image by exposing light that has been transmitted through the transmittance adjusting unit; and a controller configured to acquire a plurality of pieces of image data by causing the image sensor to capture an image, to determine a cycle of flicker between the plurality of pieces of image data based on the plurality of pieces of image data, to calculate a transmittance for correcting the flicker between the plurality of pieces of image data based on the cycle of the flicker, and to set the transmittance of the transmittance adjusting unit to the calculated transmittance to cause the image sensor to capture an image.
US09681054B2
An imaging apparatus includes: a first communication control unit that receives action instruction information from an external communication device; and a pseudo image generating unit that generates a pseudo image simulatively expressing an action by a user of the imaging apparatus according to an action instruction based on the action instruction information. The action instruction information includes angle change instruction information and shooting instruction information. The pseudo image generating unit generates, based on a position information and a first orientation information respectively acquired upon receipt of the shooting instruction information, as well as on the shooting instruction information, a first pseudo image, and generates, based on the angle change instruction information, a second pseudo image.
US09681045B2
Systems and methods for generating a panoramic image include capturing image data from a plurality of cameras and storing the image data within a memory buffer of the respective camera; transmitting image data from an upstream camera to a downstream camera; and combining, within the downstream camera, the image data from the upstream camera with the image data of the downstream camera as combined image data. Each of the plurality of cameras may include an imaging array for capturing image data of a scene; a receiver for receiving image data from an upstream camera of the plurality of cameras; a memory buffer for: combining the image data received from the upstream camera with image data captured by the imaging array to form combined image data, and storing the combined image data; and a transmitter for transmitting the stored combined image data to a downstream camera of the plurality of camera.
US09681042B2
An image pickup apparatus (10) capable of generating a plurality of output images having different focus positions by reconstructing an input image, the image pickup apparatus includes an input image obtaining unit (100) configured to obtain the input image, an image processing unit (105) configured to generate a display image from the input image, and a display unit (106) configured to display the display image, and the image processing unit (105) obtains a focus control range in which a focus position is controllable, and generates the display image including information on the focus control range by using at least a part of the input image.
US09681036B2
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging module configured to continuously generate a live image and perform capture to generate still images, a communication module configured to transmit the live image to a display apparatus and receive a capturing command from the display apparatus, a transmission detection unit configured to detect whether the live image is being transmitted to the display apparatus, an information addition unit configured to add transmission information indicating whether the transmission of the live image is being performed before the capturing command is received to the still images generated based on the capturing command, and a storage module configured to store the still images with the transmission information.
US09681030B2
The present disclosure relates to a camera device and an electronic device. The camera device comprises a rigid circuit board, an image sensor, and a heat dissipation member. The rigid circuit board comprises an extension portion extending laterally and a plurality of electrical contact pads. The extension portion comprises a board edge. The plurality of electrical contact pads are provided on the board edge. The image sensor comprises an image capture chip. The image capture chip may be directly fixed on the rigid circuit board, a heat dissipation space is left at a position which is below the rigid circuit board and corresponds to the image sensor when the board edge of the rigid circuit board is mated to a board edge connector of laterally connected type provided at one side of a main circuit board. The heat dissipation member may be provided in the heat dissipation space.
US09681021B2
Terminating a wireless connection is simplified. A printer has a print unit configured to print on a recording medium; a wireless communication unit configured to connect wirelessly and communicate wirelessly with an external device; and a control unit configured to control the print unit based on print data received from the external device, and execute a communication termination process to terminate the wireless connection when a command instructing terminating the wireless connection is received from the external device.
US09681013B2
Disclosed herein is a system, method and computer implemented method of facilitating generation of a digital representation of one or more physical objects. The method may include scanning a first part of the one or more physical objects to obtain image data corresponding to the first part. The scanning may be performed based on a first set of values corresponding to one or more parameters. The image data corresponding to the first part may be a digital representation of the first part. The method may further include determining a size of image data corresponding to the first part. Additionally, the method may include displaying information based on the size of the image data corresponding to the first part, prior to receiving image data corresponding to a second part of the one or more physical objects.
US09681000B2
According to one aspect, a system and method of exchanging GRUUs (Globally Routed User Agent URI (Uniform Resource Identifier)) between a first telephony-enabled device and a second telephony enabled device using a circuit-switched message is provided. Once exchanged, the telephony enabled devices can exchange SIP (session initiated protocol) communications routed by the GRUUs. Any one of the telephony-enabled devices can add a media component to the SIP communications. According to another aspect, a system and method of generating GRUUs is provided. According to another aspect, a system and method of handing off communications to a packet switched network from a circuit switched network is provided.
US09680997B2
Techniques for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system including identifying a plurality of agents ordered for assignment to a contact queue, and assigning a first out-of-order agent from the plurality of agents to a first contact that arrives at the contact queue based on information about the first contact.
US09680995B2
Aspects are directed towards methods including creating multiple states from at least two call center data sources; and combining at least two of the multiple states to obtain a data model, where the data model comprises an attribute related to the call center, and methods including collecting a set of call data from multiple sources, where the multiple sources comprise a management module source and at least one source not controlled by the management module, and analyzing the set of call data.
US09680982B2
An emergency communication system for use with a home network manager having one or more associated network elements. The system may comprise a processor that may communicate with at least one of the home network manager and the associated network elements, a input interface that may receive a plurality of sequential inputs and/or a management interface that may enable a user to program a plurality of programmable responses to a number of the sequential inputs, wherein each programmable response may include a user-programmable action to be activated via at least one of the emergency communication system, the home network manager and/or the associated network elements when, for example, the input interface receives the number of the sequential inputs, wherein when the input interface receives the number of the sequential inputs, the processor may communicate a corresponding user-programmed action to the at least one of the emergency communication system, the home network manager and/or the associated network elements.
US09680978B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for providing information. Phone numbers are stored in an address book in a memory of the terminal. Call history information for a phone number together with a first option for editing of information associated with the phone number are displayed on a display of the terminal, if the phone number is in the address book.
US09680977B2
A voice only phone and method of operation; the voice only phone having a microprocessor configured to operate an interactive voice respondent (IVR) that is used to verbally interact with a user. The IVR allows the user to interact with the voice only phone to place calls, receive calls, receive text messages, and respond to text messages using only voice commands. Furthermore, the IVR allows for the dynamic creation of a voice phone book that is progressively updated. In order to better recognize the voice of the user, the voice only phone creates a voice profile through a voice recognition setup sequence, wherein the user is prompted to dictate a plurality of audible calibration inputs. Once the voice profile is created, the user is able to place phone calls by either dictating a contact name or a plurality of digits for a phone number.
US09680976B2
An electronic device including a casing, a control module, a micro-projecting unit and a motion sensing unit is provided. The control module is disposed in the casing. The micro-projecting unit is disposed on the casing and electrically connected to the control module. The micro-projecting unit is capable of projecting a projection beam to form a frame in a projection region. The motion sensing unit is disposed on the casing and electrically connected to the control module. The motion sensing unit is capable of sensing a motion in the projection region. The control module is capable of applying the motion sensed by the motion sensing unit to change the frame.
US09680967B2
Provided is a method of using an application, the method including: requesting to transmit a predetermined application from at least one terminal; storing the predetermined application which is decompressed according to a request to transmit the predetermined application, in a storage device; extracting a script file which manages execution of the predetermined application from the decompressed predetermined application; and updating a list of applications stored in the storage device using the script file.
US09680958B2
Disclosed is a novel base station that has a layer 1-3 protocol stack to control and process incoming/outgoing flows with user equipment (UE) and a Random Access Network (RAN) hypervisor virtualizing one or more instances, each instance corresponding to an active profile associated with the base station. Each such instance is associated with a given profile comprising: (1) an admission control module, (2) a handoff control module, and (3) a scheduling module. Also provided is a controller having: (1) an interface to communicate over a network with such base stations over a communication protocol to send the details of new profiles or modifications of existing profiles to such base stations, (2) a profile management application managing a database of a plurality of active profiles associated with the one or more base stations, and (3) a controller operating system that ensures that no two active profiles in said profile management application create conflicts in any of the one or more base stations.
US09680952B2
A method of content delivery in a content delivery network (CDN), where the CDN is deployed, operated and managed by a content delivery network service provider (CDNSP). The CDN comprises a set of content servers and a domain name system (DNS). For a given content provider, a determination is first made whether the content provider has “cold content” delivery requirements by evaluating one or more factors that include: total content size, size of content objects expected to be served, uniqueness of content, total number of content objects, and a percentage of the total content size that is expected to account for a given percentage of traffic. Upon a determination that the content provider has cold content delivery requirements, a subset of the CDN content servers are configured to implement a set of one or handling rules for managing delivery of the cold content from the CDN content servers.
US09680948B2
A method and apparatus of a device that notifies another device of a failed device is described. In an exemplary embodiment, a network element detects that a first device is unavailable, where the network element couples the first device to the second device. In response to detecting that the first device is unavailable, the network element configures a proxy for the first device. The network element additionally receives network data that is destined for the first device, where the second device originated the network data. If the proxy can process the network data, the network element transmits a response to the second device from the proxy, where the response indicates that the first device is unavailable, where the first response includes an address of the first device. If the proxy cannot process the network data, the network element drops the network data.
US09680935B2
A grid gateway and a transmission tower management system having a plurality of the grid gateways are disclosed. The grid gateways are connected with one another to form a mesh network. A plurality of sensors are provided within a wireless transmission range of the grid gateways. The sensors collect and send environmental parameters to the corresponding grid gateway within the wireless transmission range, in order to choose an optimal transmission path in the mesh network through grid gateways to transmit. The environmental parameters are transmitted through the optimal transmission path to a server for storage and analysis. A grid gateway and a transmission tower management system having a plurality of the grid gateways have broad and local area wireless transmission ability, so as to overcome restrictions of topography and communication to execute broad area management and monitor tasks.
US09680927B2
The presently disclosed techniques related to data transfer and synchronization between multiple electronic devices. The multiple electronic devices may be logged onto a user's account with a cloud computing service so that they may transfer data relating to websites that they have accessed to the cloud computing service so that such data may be synchronized amongst the multiple electronic devices. A tab screen on each electronic device may allow a user to view the other linked devices as well as the websites that they have accessed so that the user may select such websites if so desired.
US09680925B2
Methods and apparatus to route network traffic using tiered affinity-based message routing are disclosed herein. An example method to select a destination endpoint for a message includes receiving a rule from a service provider, the rule specifying a set of destination endpoints associated with the service provider and the rule specifying a set of criteria to be used to select one of the destination endpoints for a message containing a data request. The method also includes sending the rule to a client service to be used to select the destination endpoint for the message based on a characteristic of the requested data.
US09680919B2
Certain example embodiments relate to an intelligent messaging grid for Big Data ingestion and/or associated methods. Each node in a network of nodes is dynamically configurable to send and/or receive messages using one of brokered and brokerless communication models. At least some of the nodes have a complex event processing (CEP) engine deployed thereto, the CEP engines being configured to operate on messages received by the respective nodes and being classified as one of at least two different types of CEP engines. For each message received by a given node that is to be forwarded to a further node along one of multiple possible paths, the given node is configured to route the message to be forwarded to an intermediate node in one of the possible paths. The intermediate node is selected by the CEP engine of the given node based on metadata associated with the message to be forwarded.
US09680916B2
A method includes receiving, by a distribution server, from an exporter device, a plurality of network traffic records. The method includes generating, by the distribution server, a first hash from a first plurality of fields in a first of the plurality of network traffic records and generating a second hash from a second plurality of fields in a second of the plurality of network traffic records. The method includes comparing the first hash and the second hash and determining that the first of the plurality of network traffic records and the second of the plurality of network traffic records relate to a session, based upon the comparison. The method includes transmitting the first and second of the plurality of network traffic records to one of a plurality of worker computing devices selected based on the determination and on at least one of the first and second hash.
US09680900B2
A method, system and apparatus for adapting the multimedia content for presentation by an application that uses, processes or otherwise services the multimedia content (“multimedia application”) is provided. The method includes receiving the multimedia content formatted in accordance with at least one of a plurality of multimedia protocols; using a function abstracted from the plurality of multimedia protocols to adapt the multimedia content in accordance with one or more capabilities of the multimedia application; and sending the multimedia content so adapted to the multimedia application for presentation.
US09680898B2
Embodiments generally relate to proving a method for an authenticated user of an item of streaming media content to create a shareable clip of a portion of the item. The method comprises using an interface on a first device to accept a first input from the authenticated user to define the clip; using the interface to accept a second input from the authenticated user to create a comment for the clip; creating an identifier for the clip, the identifier uniquely corresponding to the authenticated user and the defined clip; and sending the identifier and the comment to a second user in a form that includes a clickable link. If the second user clicks on the clickable link, the defined clip is streamed to the second user to play on a second device, independent of whether the second user is authorized to access the whole of the content.
US09680891B2
A system, method and a network device for streaming data from a network are provided. A network device includes a software application for streaming network data. The application sets a ratio of local versus network content to a value. The application scans the network device's local media library metadata for local content and submits the metadata to the network server, wherein the server uses the metadata to identify and classify local content and create an integrated playlist using local and network content that is communicated to the network device, which starts content playback. In the event of no network connectivity, the content playback may be based entirely on locally stored content. The selection of local or network content is based on a randomly generated value and a set ratio of local to network content.
US09680888B2
A mobile device has memory storage to maintain hub data that is associated with a private interaction hub, where the hub data includes multiple types of displayable data that is editable by different types of device applications. The memory storage at the device also maintains private data that is displayable and is viewable with one of the device applications. The mobile device also includes a display device to display the multiple types of the hub data in a hub user interface of a hub application. The display device can also display the private data and a subset of the hub data that are both associated with a device application in a device application user interface.
US09680885B2
An information processing apparatus that communicates with a terminal device using a first communication manner, the information processing apparatus includes a processor that: generates a response including first information being described in a first format in response to a request from the terminal device; converts the first information being included in the response and being described in the first format into second information described in a second format conforming to the first communication manner; and transmits the response including the second information to the terminal device in the first communication manner.
US09680881B2
A transmission apparatus configured to transmit, to a receiving apparatus, metadata indicating segment data that the receiving apparatus is allowed to acquire among a plurality of segment data constituting content includes a receiving unit configured to receive, from the receiving apparatus, a request for acquisition of the metadata and an end instruction to end a state in which transmission of the segment data to the receiving apparatus is allowed, and a transmission unit configured to transmit, when the receiving unit receives the end instruction, the metadata containing termination information indicating termination of transmission of the segment data to the receiving apparatus.
US09680873B1
Approaches for processing network requests based upon the perceived trustworthiness of the network. A software component renders a judgment, based on a policy that weighs one or more factors, about whether a network accessible to a device should be trusted. If the software component renders a judgment that the network should be trusted, then a network resource identified on a white list of trusted resources is allowed to be retrieved within a host operating system or in a first virtual machine. Conversely, if the software component renders a judgment that the network should not be trusted, then the network resource identified on the white list of trusted resources is prevented from be retrieved within the host operating system or the first virtual machine, and may instead be retrieved within a second virtual machine, which has a more restrictive set of access privileges than the first virtual machine.
US09680866B2
A system and computer based method are provided for identifying active content in websites on a network. In one aspects, a method for classifying web content includes determining a first property associated with static content of a web page, determining a second property associated with the content of the web page based at least in part on active content associated with the web page, evaluating a logical expression relating the first property and the second property, at least in part by evaluating whether a constant value matches at least a portion of the content of the web page, associating the web page with a category based on a result of the evaluation, and determining whether to allow network access to the web page based on the category.
US09680864B2
In one example embodiment, a remediating system may include a mobile communication device, to which an application is to be installed, and a remediator that may be configured to remediate the application and transmit the remediated version of the application to the mobile communication device for installation.
US09680854B2
A system for malware and anomaly detection via activity recognition based on sensor is disclosed. The system may analyze sensor data collected during a selected time period from one or more sensors that are associated with a device. Once the sensor data is analyzed, the system may determine a context of the device when the device is in a connected state. The system may determine the context of the device based on the sensor data collected during the selected time period. The system may also determine if traffic received or transmitted by the device during the connected state is in a white list. Furthermore, the system may transmit an alert if the traffic is determined to not be in the white list or if the context determined for the device indicates that the context does not correlate with the traffic.
US09680851B2
A method, product and computer program product for evolving malware variants, the method including the steps of: receiving a malware specimen; generating a first generation of variants corresponding to the malware specimen, wherein the malware specimen is altered by one or more mutations to generate each variant of the first generation of variants; selecting variants from the first generation of variants; and mutating the selected variants to generate successive generations of variants, wherein the successive generations are generated until one or more criteria are met.
US09680846B2
This disclosure provides an architecture for sharing information between network security administrators. Events converted to a normalized data format (CCF) are stored in a manner that can be queried by a third party (e.g., an administrator of another, trusted network). Optionally made available as a service, stored event records can be sanitized for third party queries (e.g., by clients of a service maintaining such a repository). In one embodiment, each contributing network encrypts or signs its (sanitized) records using a symmetric key architecture, the key being unique to the contributing network. This key is used (e.g., by the repository) to index a set of permissions or conditions of the contributing network in servicing any query, e.g., by matching a stored hash of the event record or by decrypting the record. The information sharing service can optionally be provided by a hosted information security service or on a peer-to-peer basis.
US09680843B2
A request is received over a network to resolve a problem relating to a networked user device. The request is accepted in order to provide user service. Based on the request, one of multiple available diagnostic algorithms is selected to analyze user data related to a user's account to identify symptoms of the problem and diagnose a cause of the symptoms identified.
US09680842B2
Techniques for inferring the existence of suspicious software by detecting multiple name server requests for the same sets of non-existent domains. Implementations can allow for detecting the existence of malware or other suspicious software without requiring reverse engineering of the malware's domain generation algorithm.
US09680839B2
An access permissions management system including a hierarchical access permissions repository including access permissions relating to data elements arranged in a data element hierarchy, wherein some of the data elements have only access permissions which are inherited from ancestral data elements, some of the multiplicity of data elements are prevented from having inherited access permissions and thus have only unique access permissions which are not inherited and some of the data elements are not prevented from having inherited access permissions and have not only inherited access permissions but also unique access permissions which are not inherited, some of which unique access permissions possibly being redundant with inherited access permissions, and an access permissions redundancy prevention engine operative to ascertain which of the unique access permissions are redundant with inherited access permissions and not to store the unique access permissions which are redundant with inherited access permissions in the repository.
US09680834B2
Techniques are disclosed for protecting the privacy and security of data associated with a web document. A web browser is configured to manipulate the URL, which contains an access token, of a preview web page document before the browser loads external resources (e.g., web page content) linked from the preview web page document. For example, the browser may change a current page URL containing the access token to another sacrificial URL that does not include the token. In addition, the browser will send the sacrificial URL, rather than the original URL, as a referrer to the various resources that provide the web page content, which prevents exposure of the access token to those resources while the web page content is loading. After the web page content is loaded into the browser, the current page URL of the browser is changed back to the original URL.
US09680831B2
Methods and apparatus for providing rule-based access to data stored on wearable devices are provided. A wearable computing device can store data that includes data about a wearer of the wearable computing device. The wearable computing device can receive a request for a portion of the stored data. The wearable computing device can determine a designated role associated with the request for the portion of the stored data. The wearable computing device can determine one or more rules regarding access to the portion of the stored data based on the designated role. The wearable computing device can determine a response to the request for the portion of the stored data by at least: determining whether the request is validated by at least applying the one or more rules to the request, and after determining that the request is validated, providing the requested portion of the stored data.
US09680825B2
A system is illustrated as including a One-Time Password (OTP) device operatively coupled to a computer system to receive data, and a server operatively coupled to the computer system via a network connection. A method is illustrated as including receiving and verifying credentials of a user accessing the site. In response to verifying the user, a request is transmitted to an authentication server for a first token value corresponding to the user. The first token value is received from the authentication server. The first token value is displayed to the user. The first token value is displayed at the same time as part of a list with other token values to the user. The user compares the list of token values to a token value generated by a password device to determine whether the token value generated by the password device is included in the list of token values.
US09680823B2
A convenient login method, apparatus and system for automatically detecting and filling in a login field within a web environment or an application are disclosed herein. The convenient login system includes a client, a server, and a terminal. The client detects an ID/PW input field within a login page when a user accesses the login page, outputs a convenient login button, outputs an input box when the user clicks on the convenient login button, and automatically enters an ID/PW in the ID/PW input field. The server receives any one of the telephone number and ID information of the terminal from the client, sends a message to the terminal, receives the ID/PW from the terminal when the mobile program is run, and sends the ID/PW to the client. The terminal runs the mobile program, recombines a segmented and stored ID/PW, and sends the recombined ID/PW to the client via the server.
US09680822B2
Wireless pairing is automatically performed based on purchase. By providing a unique identifier of a cellular customer, a wireless device may be automatically paired to a residential wireless network. A central database, for example, may store networking credentials associated with residential wireless networks. When the cellular customer purchases the wireless device, a server may query the central database for a cellular telephone number associated with the cellular customer. The server may thus retrieve the networking credentials that are associated with the cellular telephone number.
US09680809B2
A method for secure data storage in a cloud storage infrastructure comprises providing a set of first upload files to be stored in the cloud storage infrastructure, providing a set of first random noise files, splitting each file of the two sets into a group of fragments, recombining the fragments by randomly intermixing fragments from different groups thus generating a set of second upload files, encrypting each second upload file with a first encryption key and storing each first encryption key in a secure storage location, storing reconstruction information about the set of first upload files, the splitting, the recombining and the first encryption keys in the secure storage location, uploading each second upload file to a respective temporary cloud storage location, repeatedly moving each uploaded second upload file to a new temporary cloud storage location in predetermined intervals of time.
US09680804B2
A device includes a security process unit (SPU) associated with a logical ring of SPUs. The SPU receives a packet with an address associated with a malicious source, and creates, based on the packet, an entry in a data structure associated with the SPU. The entry includes information associated with the packet. The SPU provides an install message to a next SPU in the logical ring. The install message instructs the next SPU to create the entry in another data structure, and forward the install message to another SPU. The SPU receives the install message from a last SPU, and sets a state of the entry to active in the data structure based on receiving the install message from the last SPU. The SPU performs a particular action on another packet, associated with the malicious source, based on the setting the state of the entry to active.
US09680799B2
An apparatus with one or more masking rules stored in a memory receives unmasked data associated with a first session identifier via a network and converts the received unmasked data into masked data by applying the one or more masking rules to the unmasked data. The apparatus generates a first mapped identifier associated with the unmasked data and first session identifier. The apparatus also receives, via a network, a second mapped identifier associated with a second session identifier. Upon receiving the second mapped identifier and second session identifier, the apparatus determines whether the second session identifier corresponds to the first session identifier and finds the first mapped identifier corresponding to the received second mapped identifier. The apparatus retrieves and sends the unmasked data associated with the first mapped identifier.
US09680793B2
An in-band signaling method that enables secure updates of a care-of-IP address for a mobile host that roams between access networks. In the illustrative embodiment described herein, a mobile host includes an intelligent interface that handles IP networking functions and tunnels IP packets between the mobile host and the mobile host's home agent/remote access server (HA/RAS) transparently, as if the mobile host established a connection to a communicating or destination host (DST) from the home network (where the HA/RAS resides). In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided an in-band signaling method that employs encrypted three-way handshake signaling messages that are embedded in encapsulated IP packets to enable care-of IP address updates. This method can effectively protect mobile hosts from denial-of-service attacks and is transparent to NAT/NAPT firewalls. The signaling messages are communicated between the home agent and the mobile host, in a manner transparent to any NAT/NAPT firewall in the network.
US09680792B2
Included are embodiments for ReNAT communications address communications. Some embodiments include a network operations center (NOC) that includes a ReNAT twin NAT that translates between a customer-assigned private IP address and a unique private IP (UPIP) address. The NOC may additionally include a ReNAT VPN component coupled to the ReNAT twin NAT, where the ReNAT VPN provides a source IP address to the ReNat twin NAT. The NOC may include logic that when executed by a processor, causes the processor to facilitate communication between a user workstation on a private network and a remote computing device, wherein facilitating communication includes receiving the data from the user workstation via a traditional VPN portal, wherein address translation has been performed by a ReNAT twin NAT client on the user workstation.
US09680783B2
An email update system dynamically updates the content of an email when the originator of an email has sent the email, and the originator later determines that the email requires editing. The updating may take place transparent to the recipient and without the introduction of duplicative content into the recipient's email program. The email update system comprises a delta engine program and a delta temporary storage in a sender's computer, a queue manager program and an intermediate email queue in a server computer, and a recipient email retrieval program in a recipient's computer.
US09680776B2
A method and apparatus for instant messaging based on a user interface is provided. The method comprises providing a window having a plurality of regions in the user interface, wherein the plurality of regions comprise at least one navigation region, and at least one message region to display one or more dialog windows; receiving a navigation input within navigation region; navigating among the one or more dialog windows based on the navigation input; and displaying the one or more dialog windows in the message region.
US09680774B2
A network interface controller (NIC) executes a set of instructions with respect to received data communications packet and generates output data associated with the execution of the set of instructions. The NIC stores the output data in a location that is accessible to an operating system.
US09680773B1
One embodiment relates to an integrated circuit which includes a method of dynamically adjusting a receive buffer in an integrated circuit. A fixed-size buffer circuit of the receive buffer is used to buffer data received by way of a serial interface circuit. The performance of the serial interface circuit are monitored. The receive buffer is dynamically extended based on said performance. Other embodiments, aspects, and features are also disclosed.
US09680770B2
A multi-protocol personality module enabling load/store from remote memory, remote Direct Memory Access (DMA) transactions, and remote interrupts, which permits enhanced performance, power utilization and functionality. In one form, the module is used as a node in a network fabric and adds a routing header to packets entering the fabric, maintains the routing header for efficient node-to-node transport, and strips the header when the packet leaves the fabric. In particular, a remote bus personality component is described. Several use cases of the Remote Bus Fabric Personality Module are disclosed: 1) memory sharing across a fabric connected set of servers; 2) the ability to access physically remote Input Output (I/O) devices across this fabric of connected servers; and 3) the sharing of such physically remote I/O devices, such as storage peripherals, by multiple fabric connected servers.
US09680762B2
A method for guaranteeing control traffic throughput in an in-band network configured for delivering control and data traffic, and considering both local and global views of the communication network. The method includes determining an initial configuration for forwarding first control traffic from the packet forwarding device, wherein the initial configuration comprises a first in-band queue for receiving the first control traffic that is delivered over the control path to the controller via a port in the packet forwarding device, and a first bandwidth reserved for the first queue. The method includes performing handshaking with the controller by sending a request to the controller confirming the initial configuration using a network control protocol, and receiving a response from the controller in association with the request. The method includes confirming or modifying the initial configuration based on the response.
US09680746B2
In one embodiment, a computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The embodied program instructions are readable/executable by a processor to receive, by the processor, a packet via a network fabric, the network fabric having a plurality of interconnected fabric switches. The embodied program instructions are also readable/executable by the processor to determine, by the processor, a path through the network fabric by consulting a source-routing table. Moreover, the embodied program instructions are readable/executable by the processor to store, by the processor, source-routing information to a packet header for the packet, the source-routing information including the path. In addition, the embodied program instructions are readable/executable by the processor to send, by the processor, the packet according to an indication in the source-routing information.
US09680740B2
A system for packet transmission over an MPLS tunnel may include a plurality of network devices. The network devices may include ingress and egress routers and intermediate routers. The system may be configured to use payload type indication labels and payload type headers to transmit packets from a plurality of user devices having different payload types and service instances over a single pseudo-wire service in a label switched path of the MPLS network.
US09680728B2
A method for monitoring data associated with a virtual computing environment is provided. The method includes receiving virtually-originated data, wherein the virtually-originated data originated from a virtual server in the virtual computing environment and transmitted in the form of data packets. The method also includes encapsulating the virtually-originated data using a tunneling protocol, forming encapsulated traffic. The method further includes transmitting the encapsulated traffic to a tap device, wherein the tap device decapsulates the encapsulated traffic to recover a version of the virtually-originated data and forwards the version of the virtually-originated data to a monitoring device.
US09680720B1
Network traffic that includes an Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) unit is received. A first data flow to which the OAM data unit belongs is identified from among a plurality of data flows of network traffic. Based on identifying the first flow of communication traffic to which the OAM data unit belongs, a first entry corresponding to the first flow is retrieved from a memory that stores OAM action data including a plurality of entries indicating how OAM data units in different flows of communication traffic are to be processed. The first entry is from among the plurality of entries and indicates how OAM data units in the first flow are to be processed, including whether the network device should modify the data unit as part of an OAM action. The OAM data unit is processed in accordance with the first entry.
US09680716B2
A method is disclosed for forming a distributed data store using a remote access appliance associated with a data center infrastructure management (DCIM) system. Data may be generated which is associated with operation of managed device being monitored by the DCIM system. At least one remote access appliance may be used to receive the data. An element library framework may be used by the remote access appliance to generate events from the data. The remote access appliance may also be used to implement a complex event processing subsystem to analyze the events and to generate event related signals therefrom. A bus may be used to transmit the event related signals from the appliance to a common platform services (CPS) subsystem of the DCIM system. The CPS subsystem may be used to receive the event related signals and to use the event related signals to inform the user of an aspect of performance of the managed device.
US09680715B2
An approach for assessing a service offering selected by a user in a networked computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing environment) is provided. In one aspect, a network environment containing the service offering is monitored for a software configuration activity performed by the user. This software configuration activity is analyzed to identify the software application that is being configured. A set of provider-managed service offerings can be searched for any provider-managed service offering that contains an offered application corresponding to that of the software application. This managed service offering can be included in an alternative suggestion for the service offering.
US09680706B2
A method of providing firewall support for moving a data compute node (DCN) across data centers. The method receives a set of global firewall rules to enforce across multiple data centers. The set of global firewall rules utilize unique identifiers that are recognized by the network manager of each data center. The method distributes the specified set of global firewall rules to the network managers. The method receives an indication that a DCN operating on a first host in a first data center is migrating to a second host operating in a second data center. The method sends a set of firewall session states to the network manager of the second data center. The method receives an indication that the DCN on the second host has started and enforces firewall rules for the DCN on the second host by using the firewall session states and the global firewall rules.
US09680700B2
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of configuring a radio transceiver. For example, some embodiment include a radio virtual machine (RVM) to configure a radio transceiver, the RVM including a radio processor to execute a first code configuring one or more transceiver functionalities independent of a configuration of the radio transceiver, and to generate a second code based on the configuration of the radio transceiver and the first code, wherein the second code is to be executed by the radio transceiver to configure the one or more transceiver functionalities for the radio transceiver.
US09680690B2
A method, a network adapter, a host system, and a network device for implementing a network adapter offload function. If a data packet received by the network adapter or the host system is a data packet unknown to the network adapter, the data packet unknown to the network adapter is parsed, a new policy entry is generated, and the new policy entry is updated into the host policy table and the network adapter policy table. Therefore, for a packet that includes a new proprietary or standard protocol header Tag, only a functional module that parses the packet needs to be updated, so that the functional module is capable of processing such a packet and delivering a new policy entry to the host policy table and the network adapter policy table and the network adapter does not need to be changed.
US09680687B2
An apparatus and mechanism to manage multi-modal real-time or quasi real-time sessions such as voice, video, instant messaging, or web-conferencing across multiple devices through a simple subscription to a session management service. A user can subscribe to the service from many devices (e.g. mobile device, desk phone, personal computer, internet appliance, internet TV, communication terminal, etc.) and through the service seamlessly move sessions back and forth between subscribed devices. In a preferred embodiment, a user utilizes a “virtual slider” in a simple “two touch” procedure to effectuate the movement of a communication session from one device to another device via the service.
US09680684B2
A coding and modulation apparatus and method are presented. The apparatus (10) comprises an encoder (11) that encodes input data into cell words, and a modulator (12) that modulates said cell words into constellation values of a non-uniform constellation. The modulator (12) is configured to use, based on the total number M of constellation points of the constellation and the signal-to-noise ratio SNR in dB, a non-uniform constellation from a group of constellations comprising one or more constellations defined by a constellation position vector comprising a predetermined number of constellation positions, wherein in one or more constellation position vectors two or more constellation positions are identical resulting from a condensation of preliminary constellation positions optimized before.
US09680682B2
The present invention provides a method for detecting an uplink synchronization signal in a wireless access system supporting a high frequency band, a method for designing a detection filter for the same, and devices for supporting the methods. A method by which a base station detects a random access channel (RACH) signal in a wireless access system supporting a high frequency band, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: allocating a cyclic shift value used in the base station; configuring a reception signal vector for signals transmitted through the RACH; deriving a cyclic shift candidate greater than or equal to a reference value from the reception signal vector by using a first detection filter; and detecting the RACH signal from the cyclic shift candidate by using a second detection filter, wherein the first detection filter and the second detection filter can be set on the basis of the cyclic shift value.
US09680680B2
The present invention provides a method of transmitting broadcast signals. The method includes, encoding Data Pipe, DP, data according to a code rate, wherein the encoding further includes Low-Density Parity-Check, LDPC, encoding the DP data, Bit interleaving the LDPC encoded DP data, and mapping the bit interleaved DP data onto constellations; building at least one signal frame by mapping the encoded DP data; and modulating data in the built signal frame by an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, OFDM, method and transmitting the broadcast signals having the modulated data.
US09680678B2
Methods and apparatuses for communicating in a wireless network include methods and systems for producing a discovery signal for use in cellular context using unlicensed spectrum having contiguous resource elements in the time domain.
US09680677B2
A weather band receiver, which may be part of an FM receiver, is disclosed. FSK-encoded data units in an alert packet transmission are detected using a quadrature matched filter circuit. At least one FSK-encoded data unit is captured from the alert packet transmission. Soft quantized bits are extracted from the FSK-encoded data units. The soft quantized bits are saved to memory and used to recover an alert message. Soft quantized bits from two or more FSK-encoded data units may be combined before recovering the alert message.
US09680676B2
A communication device receives a reception signal including at least a first reception signal and a second reception signal, where the first reception signal is a signal to be transmitted using a first set of subcarriers and the second reception signal is a signal to be transmitted using a second set of subcarriers which overlaps with at least one end of the first set of subcarriers in a time frame. The communication device also demodulates information indicating data included in the first reception signal after reducing the second reception signal transmitted by using one or more overlapping subcarriers of the second set of subcarriers from the reception signal.
US09680669B2
Embodiments can relate to an apparatus for interference mitigation in a wireless communication. The apparatus can comprise at least one processing element arranged to extract, from a received PDCCH or EPDCCH signal, modulated symbols; the modulated symbols having been modulated using a linear m-ary modulation constellation. The apparatus also comprises a demodulator to demodulate the extracted PDCCH or EPDCCH modulated symbols; the demodulator being operable to demodulate the extracted symbols according to the linear m-ary modulation constellation.
US09680666B2
System, methods and apparatus are described that facilitate transmission of data, particularly between two devices within an electronic apparatus. Information is transmitted in N-phase polarity encoded symbols. Data is encoded in multi-bit symbols, and the multi-bit symbols are transmitted on a plurality of connectors. The multi-bit symbols may be transmitted by mapping the symbols to a sequence of states of the plurality of connectors, and driving the connectors in accordance with the sequence of states. The timing of the sequence of states is determinable at a receiver at each transition between sequential states. The state of each connector may be defined by polarity and direction of rotation of a multi-phase signal transmitted on the each connector.
US09680665B2
Given a large number of traffic matrices, the matrices are divided into M clusters, where M is a relatively small number. A load-balancing apparatus is implemented as an application over the SDN controller. Such an application is executed to configure and reconfigure the switches to achieve near-optimal load balancing, even when the traffic load changes. For each cluster, a near-optimal explicit routing configuration is determined. The combination of explicit routing (cluster-specific) and destination-based routing (same for all clusters) is used to achieve near-optimal load balancing for each cluster.
US09680660B2
A self-service terminal comprises a plurality of devices, each device providing management information. A management agent is installed in the terminal and adapted to monitor the plurality of devices. In the event that management information from a device indicates that there is a fault, the management creates and transmits a notification. A communications stack is adapted to receive the transmitted notification from the management agent. A self-service terminal application is adapted to (i) monitor the communications stack to receive the transmitted notification, (ii) package the notification within a host message conforming to a host messaging format, and (iii) transmit the host message to a remote host via a legacy network.
US09680658B2
A system and method comprises establishing a group communication session between a first participant and a second participant. The method may include a dynamic point of control entity within the communication session. The dynamic point of control entity may be designated to operate in different roles and may have access to information regarding the conduct and participants of the call session, and also have control authority required in order to execute the designated role.
US09680653B1
An instruction to perform ciphering and authentication is executed. The executing includes ciphering one set of data provided by the instruction to obtain ciphered data and placing the ciphered data in a designated location. It further includes authenticating an additional set of data provided by the instruction, in which the authenticating generates at least a part of a message authentication tag. The at least a part of the message authentication tag is stored in a selected location.
US09680624B2
An uplink grant transmitted to a subscriber station indicates a first modulation and coding scheme (MCS) value for a first codeword transmission and a second MCS value for a second codeword transmission. A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) uplink subframe received from the subscriber station has a first subset of layers used for first codeword transmission and a second subset of layers used for second codeword transmission. Rank indication (RI) information is mapped onto both the first subset of layers and the second subset of layers. Channel quality information (CQI) is only mapped onto either the first subset of layers or the second subset of layers. If the first MCS value is different from the second MCS value, the CQI is mapped onto the subset of layers having a higher MCS value.
US09680622B2
Provided are a method and an apparatus for transmitting a reception confirmation in a wireless system. A terminal determines at least one downlink sub-frame for ACK/NACK feedback from each of a plurality of serving cells and determines the number of ACK/NACK bits for the plurality of serving cells. The terminal generates bundled ACK/NACK bits by arraying the ACK/NACK bits in the ascending order of the cell index of the plurality of serving cells, and transmits the bundled ACK/NACK bits.
US09680620B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a signal transmission method and a user equipment. The method includes: receiving, by a user equipment, an indication signal, where the indication signal is used to indicate resource numbers corresponding to physical resources occupied by one or more control signals, where a resource number corresponding to a physical resource includes time information and frequency information of the physical resource; allocating, by the user equipment according to the resource numbers, one or more physical resources corresponding to the one or more control signals; and sending, by the user equipment, the one or more control signals. With the embodiments of the present disclosure, energy consumption at a receive end can be saved.
US09680618B2
A method for performing uplink signaling and data transmission between a terminal device and a network element is described. The method includes applying, during a transmission, at least one of TDM and FDM between a SRS, a control channel, a DRS and a data channel. Clustered sub carrier mapping is applied for the SRS and the control channel. The SRS is transmitted so as to function as a DRS for the control channel. The control channel and the data channel are transmitted during a same sub-frame. The method also includes receiving the SRS and receiving the control channel and the data channel during a same sub-frame. Control information and data are extracted from the control channel and the data channel. The SRS is used as a DRS for the control channel is included in the method. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described.
US09680614B2
In described embodiments, a physical downlink control channel of a device operating in accordance with a 3GPP LTE standard is processed to provide interleaving, modulation and multi-layer mapping and pre-coding. A Resource Element Group interleaver applies interleaving to an input signal representing an input bitstream, and a modulator modulates the input signal. After interleaving and modulating the signal, a multi-layer mapper and pre-coder layer-maps and pre-codes the interleaved and modulated input signal into a plurality of different layers.
US09680601B2
Disclosed is an apparatus for transmitting a broadcast signal, an apparatus for receiving a broadcast signal, and a method for transmitting/receiving a broadcast signal using an apparatus for transmitting/receiving broadcast signal. A method for transmitting a broadcast signal according to the present invention comprises the steps of: generating a first PLP which includes an IP stream having at least one service component; signaling IP-PLP mapping information for linking the IP stream and the PLP in binary form and generating a second PLP which includes the signaled binary information; performing FEC-encoding and bit-interleaving on the first and second PLPs; generating a transmission frame including the first and second bit-interleaved PLPs; and modulating the transmission frame and transmitting a broadcast signal including the modulated transmission frame, wherein the IP-PLP mapping information includes IP information for identifying the IP stream and PLP information for identifying the PLP.
US09680590B2
An apparatus and a method for allocating resources for transmitting an HARQ ACK/NACK signal for a downlink subframe using a PUCCH format 3 in a time division duplex (TDD) system using a single carrier are provided. Since the resources are allocated through a resource indicator transmitted using a power control field transmitted on a PDCCH of the downlink subframe, the resources for transmitting the HARQ ACK/NACK signal may be allocated by effectively using resources allocated to a duplicately transferred control signal.
US09680586B2
Provided is a method for controlling a time division duplexing (TDD) Tx/Rx switching timing in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) that can finely control a switching timing between transmission and reception of TDD signals with an additional component added to a digital unit (DU) and a radio unit (RU) in the CRAN.
US09680578B2
A method is proposed to enable a UE performing codeword level interference cancellation (CW-IC) to know whether an interfering transport block (TB) is a new transmission or retransmission. With this knowledge, the UE knows whether the soft channel bits stored in a soft buffer are to be discarded or combined with the soft channel bits newly obtained.
US09680577B2
A method by which a base station supports the removal of an interference signal from a reception signal of a terminal in a wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of receiving, from the terminal, information on capability relating to carrier aggregation (CA); determining a method for removing an interference signal of the terminal, on the basis of information on the capability relating to the CA; and transmitting, to the terminal, the determined interference signal removal method, wherein the information on the capability relating to the CA can include a CA bandwidth class and MIMO capability of the terminal for the respective bands of respective band combinations for the CA.
US09680566B2
A transmission apparatus includes: a storage unit to store a table in which a wavelength terminated by each of transmission apparatuses is associated with each of the transmission apparatuses; a transmission unit to transmit a message including failure information to other transmission apparatus when a failure occurs; a switch controller to determine whether its own transmission apparatus is a last transmission apparatus that terminates the wavelength among transmission apparatuses that are present on a path up to a link where the failure, based on the table, when receiving the message from other transmission apparatus, and to perform a control of switching a transmission direction of a signal having the wavelength when the switch controller determines that its own transmission apparatus is the last transmission apparatus to terminate the wavelength; and a switch to switch a transmission direction of the signal for each wavelength under a control of the switch controller.
US09680564B2
An optical network is configured to optimize network resources. The optical network includes multiple optical nodes, light paths between the multiple optical nodes, and a network monitoring device. The network monitoring device monitors the optical network to identify a failure in the optical network. When the failure is a fiber failure, light paths are re-routed around the fiber failure while maintaining the required bandwidth for the optical network. When the failure is a transponder card failure within one of the multiple nodes, a floating spare card may be provisioned to service a particular light path associated with the transponder card failure. When the failure is a node failure, transponder cards in some of the multiple optical nodes are provisioned to reconfigure some of the plurality of light paths to route traffic around the failed node.
US09680557B2
A method of operating a relay station in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes operating in a first mode comprising a first sub-mode and a second sub-mode, in the first sub-mode a first downlink and a first uplink between a base station and the relay station being simultaneously activated, in the second sub-mode a second downlink and a second uplink between the relay station and a mobile station being simultaneously activated, and operating in a second mode comprising a third sub-mode and a fourth sub-mode, in the third sub-mode the first downlink and the second uplink being simultaneously activated, in the fourth sub-mode the first uplink and the second downlink being simultaneously activated.
US09680555B2
An apparatus including a plurality of radio ports for interconnection with radio circuits, a plurality of antenna ports for interconnection with antennas, interconnection circuitry configured to enable interconnection of each of one or more radio ports to different non-overlapping sets of P antenna ports, where P is controllable and P=2p, p being a whole number; and at least one control port configured to receive a control signal for determining P.
US09680553B1
In accordance with an embodiment a beamforming circuit having a radio frequency (RF) front end and a plurality of beamforming delay circuits coupled to the RF front end. Each of the plurality of beamforming delay circuits includes a common delay circuit and a plurality of individual delay circuits coupled to the common delay circuit. Each of the individual delay circuits are configured to be coupled to an antenna element of a beamforming array.
US09680544B2
A first base station receives from a second base station at least one message comprising beamforming information indicating at least one second beamforming codeword. The at least one second beamforming codeword has a number of rows or columns equal to or less than a number of antenna ports employed by the second base station for beamforming. The first base station selects at least one first beamforming codeword. The selection is based, at least in part, on the beamforming information. The first base station transmits employing the at least one first beamforming codeword, signals on at least one resource block.
US09680543B2
Embodiments of methods and apparatus for determining and/or quantizing a beamforming matrix are disclosed. In some embodiments, the determining and/or quantizing of the beamforming matrix may include the use of a base codebook and a differential codebook. Additional variants and embodiments are also disclosed.
US09680519B2
A protective case for a mobile device is disclosed. The protective case includes a front cover, a back cover, and a relatively rigid shell. The front cover includes multiple fold lines that extend across the cover and allow adjacent regions of the cover to rotate or move relative to each other. The shell is configured to receive and retain the mobile device while providing user access to the mobile device. The shell has an outer surface configured to include a latch with an integrated hook. In operation, the latch hooks and retains one end section of the front cover to maintain the device in an angled use position when open. When in the fully closed position the latch fits within an aperture defined within a back end region of the front cover. Magnets incorporated into the front cover assist in maintaining the case in the fully closed position.
US09680513B2
A signal transceiver is provided. The signal transceiver includes: signal convert circuit adapted to convert single-ended signals into differential signals; first power amplifier; receiving amplifier; impedance convert circuit; first capacitive circuit; second capacitive circuit; and first switch circuit; wherein output terminals of the signal convert circuit are connected with output terminals of the first power amplifier and first set of terminals of the first capacitive circuit; second set of terminals of the first capacitive circuit is connected with first set of terminals of the impedance convert circuit; second set of terminals of the impedance convert circuit is connected with input terminals of the receiving amplifier and first set of terminals of the second capacitive circuit; second set of terminals of the second capacitive circuit is connected with first set of terminals of the first switch circuit; and second set of terminals of the first switch circuit is connected to ground.
US09680507B2
A method includes determining, at a decoder of a first device, an offset value corresponding to an offset between a first particular packet and a second particular packet. The first device includes a de-jitter buffer. The method also includes transmitting the offset value to an encoder of a second device to enable the second device to send packets to the first device based on the offset value.
US09680504B2
An operating method of a controller includes iterating a first ECC decoding on a codeword read from a semiconductor memory device according to a first read voltage a predetermined iteration number until the first ECC decoding succeeds, wherein a value of the first read voltage is updated on basis of a number of an unsatisfied syndrome check (USC); and when the first ECC decoding fails until the predetermined iteration number, performing a second ECC decoding on the codeword by generating soft decision data according to the first read voltage, a value of which corresponds to the minimum number of the USC among the updated values during the iterating of the first ECC decoding.
US09680503B2
An LDPC parity check matrix, includes a systematic portion having a plurality of systematic elements and a parity portion having a plurality of parity elements. The value of each systematic element determines a cyclic shift to be applied to rows of an identity submatrix corresponding to that element. The value of each parity element determines a cyclic shift to be applied to rows of an identity submatrix corresponding to that element. The weights of two or more columns of the parity portion are the same.
US09680502B2
A transmitting device may implement a checksum for integrity verification for a message page during an auto-negotiation period. The checksum may provide redundancy to ensure the integrity of the message page after transmission. The checksum may be calculated based on the message page and appended to the message page for transmission. A receiving device may receive the message page with the appended checksum and calculate a checksum locally using the received message page. The calculated and received checksum may be compared by the receiving device to verify the integrity of the message.
US09680499B2
A data compression device including a processor to perform a procedure comprising: obtaining data of a predetermined number (Z) of digits in a time series; and performing a compression process on the data. The data is obtained by encoding a vibration state of a measurement target. The compression process includes: deleting upper digits when the upper digits do not include significant information; and adding a unique code to a top of the upper digits when the upper digits include significant information. A digit number (X) of the upper digits is smaller than the predetermined number (Z).
US09680494B2
When a level of a signal output from a pixel is higher than a comparison level, the signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal during a first period by using a first reference signal. If the level of the signal output from the pixel is lower than the comparison level, the signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal during a second period that is longer than the first period by using a second reference signal.
US09680478B2
A technique includes driving a node of a stage of a ring counter to a predetermined signal state; and clocking the ring counter to cause the signal state to propagate to at least one additional stage of the ring counter to initialize the ring counter with a reset sequence.
US09680477B2
Systems and methods to obstruct analysis of a microchip may include an electrical component of a microchip and a photodetector positioned within the microchip. The photodetector may be configured to sense electromagnetic radiation. Circuitry in electrical communication with the photodetector may be configured to initiate an action to obstruct analysis of the electrical component in response to a change in a level of the electromagnetic radiation.
US09680464B2
A semiconductor switch circuit includes a plurality of switching units connected in series between a high-voltage node and a low-voltage node, and a plurality of diodes provided in association with the plurality of switching units, respectively. Respective cathodes of the plurality of diodes are connected to the plurality of switching units, respectively, and the anode of the diode associated with the switching unit connected to the low-voltage node receives a predetermined power supply voltage. Each switching unit includes a semiconductor switching device, a gate drive circuit driving the semiconductor switching device, and a DC-DC converter receiving a DC voltage from a cathode of the associated diode and supplying drive power to the gate drive circuit.
US09680459B2
A signal comprising a first edge and a second edge is received. The first edge of the signal is synchronized with a first clock and the synchronized first edge of the signal is passed to an output. The synchronization results in a delay of the first edge of the signal. The second edge of the signal is passed to the output. The passed second edge of the signal has a delay that is less than the delay of the first edge of the signal by at least one clock cycle of the first clock.
US09680456B1
A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and a high-voltage tolerance circuit are provided. The DAC includes a high-voltage tolerance circuit. The high-voltage tolerance circuit is configured to generate a reference voltage, and select the reference voltage or a first power-source voltage to control the node voltage of each branch of an operational amplifier circuit of the high-voltage tolerance circuit according the logical signal level of an input signal.
US09680455B2
A power supply includes a power switch and a switch control circuit controlling a switching operation of the power switch using a comparison voltage generated according to an output, determining a clamping voltage by sensing an input voltage during a start-up period, and clamping the comparison voltage to the clamping voltage during the start-up period.
US09680454B2
A frequency tripler includes a double-frequency in-phase signal generator, a double-frequency quadrature signal generator and a mixer. The double-frequency in-phase signal generator is arranged for receiving at least an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal to generate a double-frequency in-phase signal whose frequency is twice that of the in-phase signal or the quadrature signal; the double-frequency quadrature signal generator is arranged for receiving at least the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal to generate a double-frequency quadrature signal whose frequency is twice that of the in-phase signal or the quadrature signal; and the mixer is arranged for receiving the in-phase signal, the quadrature signal, the double-frequency in-phase signal and the double-frequency quadrature signal to generate an output signal whose frequency is triple that of the in-phase signal or the quadrature signal.
US09680447B2
A SAW filter in which a plurality of IDT electrodes is disposed in the propagation direction of a SAW and ground terminals are separated. The present invention has an advantage in that the attenuation effect of the SAW filter is improved. Furthermore, a skirt characteristic on the high frequency side of a transmission stage and a skirt characteristic on the low frequency side of a reception stage can be improved. Furthermore, an equivalent pass band characteristic can be achieved and a skirt characteristic on the high frequency side and a skirt characteristic on the low frequency side can be improved. Furthermore, the number of bridge electrodes can be reduced and thus a process can be simplified because ground terminals are separated.
US09680446B2
An elastic wave filter includes a transmission circuit provided on a first main surface of a first piezoelectric substrate and a reception circuit provided on a second main surface of a second piezoelectric substrate. A mounting board on which the elastic wave filter is mounted includes a first ground electrode opposed to the transmission circuit; a first rear surface ground electrode overlapped with the transmission circuit in plan view of a rear surface; a second ground electrode opposed to the reception circuit; a second rear surface ground electrode overlapped with the reception circuit in plan view of the rear surface; a line electrode used for connection between the first ground electrode and the second ground electrode; and a first via electrode and a second via electrode passing through the mounting board. An amount of heat transfer per unit time of the second via electrode is greater than an amount of heat transfer per unit time of the first via electrode.
US09680439B2
A method is provided for fabricating a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator device. The method includes forming an etch stop layer over a bottom electrode and a substrate; forming a dielectric layer on the etch stop layer; forming a photomask over the dielectric layer defining an opening over the bottom electrode; etching a portion the dielectric layer through the opening of the photomask to the etch stop layer to create a corresponding opening in the dielectric layer; removing the photomask, leaving un-etched protruding portions of the dielectric layer around the opening in the dielectric layer; and removing the protruding portions of the dielectric layer, a portion of the etch stop layer located over the bottom electrode, and a minimal portion of the bottom electrode to provide a planarized surface including a top surface of the bottom electrode and an adjacent top surface of the dielectric layer deposited over the substrate.
US09680438B2
A method and a device are provided for modifying audio signals in accordance with hearing capabilities of an individual who is listening to audio signals played by a music player. The method comprises the steps of: providing a music player operative to play audio signals, wherein the music player comprises a processor configured to modify audio signals that are about to be played, by taking into account the hearing capabilities of the individual; providing information that relates to the hearing capabilities of the individual; forwarding the information that relates to the hearing capabilities of the individual, from an electronic device to the music player; and using the music player processor to modify audio signals when the individual is listening to audio signals being played by the music player, wherein the audio signals are modified before they are played by taking into account the individual's hearing capabilities.
US09680429B2
An amplifier system is described. The amplifier system may amplify an audio signal transmitted via a connected loudspeaker in a first mode of operation. In a second mode of operation the amplifier system may amplify a signal generated by the loudspeaker operated in reverse as a microphone. Because a loudspeaker is less sensitive than a microphone the amplifier system may be used to acquire audio at high sound pressure levels for example at a concert or while making a phone-call in a noisy environment for example with a high level of wind noise.
US09680427B2
A power amplifier having a stack structure comprises a first driver stage that receives a power voltage from a power supply and receives and amplifies an input signal; a second driver stage that receives the power voltage from the power supply, has an input terminal connected with an output terminal of the first driver stage, and receives and amplifies an output signal from the first driver stage; and a power stage that has a power input terminal connected with a ground terminal of the first driver stage and a ground terminal of the second driver stage and receives a virtual ground voltage, and has an input terminal connected with an output terminal of the second driver stage and receives and amplifies an output signal from the second driver stage.
US09680423B2
A amplifier system may include a predistorter receiving an input signal to generate a predistortion signal, a first converter receiving the predistortion signal to generate a preamplified signal, a power amplifier receiving the preamplified signal to generate an output signal based on the preamplified signal and the input signal, and a second converter sampling the output signal to generate a feedback signal. The power amplifier may produce a distortion signal at a first frequency, the second converter may sample the output signal using a timing signal with a second frequency that is lower than the first frequency to generate the feedback signal, and the predistorter, based upon the feedback signal, may predistort the predistortion signal to reduce the distortion signal at the first frequency.
US09680419B2
A power controllable wireless communication device includes a variable gain amplifier having a gain that can be controlled based on a gain control signal, a reference power generation circuit, which generates first reference power and second reference power differing from the first reference power, a sensor circuit supplied with selectively power of a high frequency signal output from the variable gain amplifier, and the first reference power and the second reference power generated by the reference power generation circuit, and a control circuit which generates the gain control signal based on a sensor output from the sensor circuit. When controlling power, the control circuit generates the gain control signal based on ratios among a first sensor output corresponding to the first reference power, a second sensor output corresponding to the second reference power, and a high frequency sensor output corresponding to the power of the high frequency signal.
US09680411B2
The invention relates to a method and to a device for the industrial wiring and final testing of photovoltaic concentrator modules, comprising a module frame, a lens disc, a sensor carrier disc, and electrical cable routing, having the following features: a) a laser contacting device for contactless connection of connecting lines between the individual sensor (11) and of connection elements (17) and of collector contact plates (19), wherein the cable routing on the sensor carrier disc (13) has in each case 5 CPV sensors connected in parallel as the basic structure, and said parallel circuits are connected in series, b) a device for testing electrical properties, wherein the CPV sensors (11) per se have a specific voltage applied thereto, and the light emitted therefrom via the lenses (15) is detected and evaluated, and c) a device for testing the tightness (5) of finished concentrator modules, wherein compressed air is applied to the interior of said modules and testing for the emission of compressed air is carried out.
US09680410B2
A corrugated roof sheet has a bottom, a first-side roof sheet edge portion, a second-side roof sheet edge portion, a retaining cap and a protruding portion. The first-side roof sheet edge portion has a height H1 from the bottom. The retaining cap covers the first-side roof sheet edge portion and has a lower fringe. The lower fringe has a height h2 from the bottom. The protruding portion is between the first-side roof sheet edge portion and the second-side roof sheet edge portion and has a height h3 from the bottom. The height h2 is greater than the height h3.
US09680405B2
There is provided an onboard motor controller that starts a failsafe process in short time at a vehicle collision. A control circuit in the motor controller acquires an acceleration detected by an acceleration sensor. When the acceleration is equal to or higher than a prescribed value, the control circuit determines that a collision of the vehicle has occurred, and executes a switching process of a control mode of a motor. The control circuit immediately switches the control mode of a motor from voltage phase control to current vector control when the collision is detected. The control circuit reads current values from current detectors. When an overcurrent is detected, the control circuit executes a failsafe process to turn off the MOSFETs of an inverter. The control circuit stops a supply of electricity to the inverter by turning off a power supply relay, thereby stopping the rotation of the motor.
US09680397B2
A three-phase inverting apparatus and a control method and a paralleled power conversion system thereof are provided. The control method is suitable for controlling a three-phase inverter having a plurality of switch sets, a first inductor, a second inductor, and a third inductor. The control method includes following steps: obtaining a DC bus voltage, a plurality of phase voltages, and a plurality of phase currents; obtaining inductances of the first, the second, and the third inductors; calculating a plurality of switch duty ratios by a division-summation control means according to the DC bus voltage, the phase voltages, current variations of the phase currents, the inductances, and a switching cycle based on a sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM); and generating corresponding control signals based on the switch duty ratios so as to control a switching of the switch sets.
US09680395B2
A five-level active neutral-point-clamping inverter for converting a bipolar DC-voltage (VDC+ and VDC−) to a three-phase AC output voltage, the converter comprising first, second and third input terminals (P, MP, N) and first, second and third output terminals, where the inverter further comprises a first multi-state switching cell (MSSC) comprising three input terminals respectively connected to the input terminals of the inverter and a first output terminal, a second MSSC comprising three input terminals respectively connected to the input terminals of the inverter and a second output terminal and a third MSSC comprising three input terminals respectively connected to the input terminals of the inverter and a third output terminal.
US09680393B1
Systems and methods are provided for a transformerless power supply configured to limit heat generation. A system includes a power supply input configured to receive power from a time-varying input voltage source. A phase control circuit is configured to generate a current control signal, where the current control signal commands power to be drawn from the power supply through an output transistor, where the current control signal commands the drawn power to have a minimum current when the time-varying input voltage is at a maximum, and where the current control signal commands the drawn power to have a maximum current when the time-varying input voltage is at a minimum. A power supply output is responsive to the output transistor, where the power supply output is configured to output power drawn from the power supply input via the output transistor, wherein the outputted power is at a consistent power level.
US09680392B2
Provided is a modular multi-level converter (MMC) including a plurality of sub-modules including switching elements, and a central control unit which assigns an address to each of the plurality of sub-modules for distinguishing each of the plurality of sub-modules, determines switching operation conditions of the plurality of sub-modules based on the assigned addresses, and outputs switching signals corresponding to the determined switching operation conditions. The central control unit determines a switching sequence of the plurality of the sub-modules according to the sequence of the assigned addresses.
US09680391B2
A droop detector includes: a plurality of input nodes, each input node configured to receive a supply voltage; an output node; a plurality of detector modules, each detector module comprises: an input terminal coupled to each input node, an output terminal coupled to the output node; and an input tracking unit configured as a voltage follower to detect a droop in the supply voltage coupled to each input node and output an output voltage that follows the supply voltage on the output terminal when the droop is detected on the supply voltage; and a comparator coupled to the output node and configured to output a control signal when the droop is detected.
US09680389B2
A power conversion device includes a main circuit that includes a diode of which cathode is connected to a positive-side power supply path formed between a rectifier circuit and an inverter; and a switching element that is connected between an anode of the diode and a negative-side power supply path formed between the rectifier circuit and the inverter. In the main circuit, a portion between a first terminal and a second terminal, which are provided on the positive-side power supply path, is opened and a reactor is provided between the second terminal and a third terminal, which is provided at a connection point between the diode and the switching element, thus, forming a boost chopper circuit.
US09680381B1
A circuit can include a switching element, a charge storage element, a first rectifying element, and a second rectifying element. A current-carrying electrode of the switching element and a terminal of the charge storage element are coupled to each other. The other terminal of the charge storage element, an anode of the first rectifying element, and a cathode of the second rectifying element are coupled to a floating node. A cathode of the first rectifying element is coupled to an input terminal, and an anode of the second rectifying element is coupled to a reference node. In a particular embodiment, the circuit can be part of a power converter. The charge storage element can help to capture charge during a switching operation and release the captured charge during a subsequent switching operation. The charge storage element can help the circuit to operate more efficiently.
US09680379B2
A DC-DC converter includes a voltage converting block that converts an input supply voltage to an output voltage and includes a power switch turning on at on-time of a power driving signal, a power driving block that generates the power driving signal using an oscillation output signal, wherein a cycle of the power driving signal varies according to a cycle of the oscillation output signal and a length of the on-time of the power driving signal is fixed to a power time regardless of variation of the cycle of the oscillation output signal, a voltage-controlled oscillating block that generates the oscillation output signal, the cycle of which is controlled according to a level of an oscillation control signal, and a target tracking block that generates a feedback voltage and controls the level of the oscillation control signal such that a feedback voltage follows a target reference voltage.
US09680374B2
A high frequency inductive emf circuit charges storage capacitors, one at a time, from a DC source to a voltage that is higher than the DC output voltage. After each storage capacitor is charged, it is disconnected from the charging circuit and then connected to an output device/regulator that uses the energy in each storage capacitor to provide the desired DC output voltage to a load. While one storage capacitor is being charged, a previously charged storage capacitor is being discharged through an output device/regulator. After being discharged, each storage capacitor is disconnected from its output device/regulator and reconnected to the charging circuit and is charged again. While being charged, the storage capacitors are in a parallel circuit to the inductor in the charging circuit. The inductor in the charging circuit and the DC source are never in a current loop with the load.
US09680369B2
A power factor correction (PFC) circuit of a power converter is disclosed. The power converter includes a primary side coil, a secondary side coil, an inductive coil, and a power switch. The PFC circuit includes a zero current detection circuit for detecting an inductive signal of the inductive coil to generate a detection signal; an error detection circuit for generating an error signal corresponding to an output voltage signal or an output current signal according to a reference signal; a ramp signal generating circuit for generating a ramp signal; a comparison circuit for comparing the ramp signal with the error signal to generate a comparison signal; and a trigger circuit for generating a control signal to control the power switch and for controlling the ramp signal generating circuit to adjust a slope of the ramp signal according to the detection signal and the comparison signal.
US09680359B2
An electric vehicle drive device includes a casing; and a plurality of motor generators mounted in the casing, each of the motor generators including a plurality of fastening portions at which a stator of the motor generator is fixed to the casing, and a number of the fastening portions of one of the motor generators being coprime to a number of the fastening portions of at least one of the rest of the motor generators.
US09680353B2
An electric machine includes an inner fan in an inner cooling circuit and an outer fan for producing an outer coolant flow that is separate from the inner cooling circuit. The inner and outer fans are connected to a common shaft of the electric machine and have opposite delivery directions along an axial direction of the electric machine. The outer fan is arranged in a fan housing which has an inlet opening for the inward flow of a coolant of the outer coolant flow, and includes an air directing device, which guides the coolant in a line section which extends in the radial direction of the electric machine from the inlet opening towards the outer fan.
US09680347B2
The invention relates to an electric motor/gear mechanism unit including a housing, an iron-free rotor winding rotatably arranged in the interior of the housing, a collector connected to the rotor winding, a rotor shaft extending through the collector, and a gear mechanism which is connected to the rotor shaft and which has an output shaft. The present invention is so conceived that the gear mechanism is produced from a non-magnetic material and arranged in the interior of the rotor winding.
US09680339B2
A stator made from a ribbon of metal having multiple layers of slit metal, and motors made therefrom are described. A ribbon having multiple layers of metal is formed into a stator such as by flattening or pleating the ribbon to form each pole of a stator having a plurality of stator teeth, or poles. The stator formed from the metal ribbon may be configured into any suitable type of motor, such as an axial transverse flux motor. A magnetic flux return may also be made out of metal ribbon.
US09680338B2
An inductively powered sensor system includes a primary conductive path 100 capable of being energized to provide an electromagnetic field in a defined space 1. An inductive power pick-up 120 is associated with a sensor 124 and is capable of receiving power from the field to supply the sensor 124. The system includes a first sensing means to sense the power available to the pick-up 120 and control means to increase or decrease the power available to the sensor dependant on the sensed power available. A method of inductively powering a sensor, an inductively powered sensor and an animal enclosure including one or more primary conductive path of an inductive power supply are also disclosed.
US09680328B2
An electronic apparatus includes: a power reception section configured to receive first power from a feed unit through power transmission with use of a magnetic field or an electric field; a power input section configured to receive second power supplied from an external power source through wired connection; a switching section configured to output one of the first power supplied from the power reception section and the second power supplied from the power input section; and a secondary battery configured to be charged, based on power output from the switching section.
US09680321B2
A feeding apparatus configured to be supplied with electric-power from a noncontact power-feeding module and to feed electric-power to a power-feeding object, the feeding apparatus, includes: an electric-current variation detecting block configured to detect variation of power-feeding electric-current supplied from this noncontact power-feeding module; a battery configured to assist supply of electric-power from the noncontact power-feeding module; and a charger configured to perform setting for boosting, based on a request from the electric-current variation detecting block, wherein the battery assists supply of electric-power when the setting for boosting is performed.
US09680312B2
Systems and methods for dynamically tuning reactive power in an inductive power transfer system are disclosed. The system comprises a first plurality of coils operably coupled to a respective ferromagnetic material, configured to receive wireless power via the ferromagnetic material from a power source. The system further comprises a plurality of switches configured to selectively control power received by certain of the first plurality of coils. The system further comprises a second plurality of coils configured to receive current from respective ones of the first plurality of coils and deliver wireless power to a wireless power receiver. The system further comprises at least one control unit configured to selectively activate the switches. The switches may be set to provide power from the power source to a portion of the plurality of the second coils or selectively increase or decrease the reactive power load of the power source.
US09680308B2
A method for managing allocation of electrical power includes selecting one or more power consuming entities for receiving a request to reduce electrical power usage (S23) based on data pertaining to past selections of entities for receiving requests to reduce power and a history of compliance with said requests (S22). A customized request to reduce power usage for each of the selected one or more power consuming entities is generated (S24). The generated customized request to reduce power usage is received at a corresponding power consuming entity and a cost associated with complying with the received customized request to reduce power usage is evaluated (S25). A commitment to comply with the received customized request to reduce power usage is returned when the evaluated cost is within a threshold of acceptability and negotiating a new request to reduce power when the evaluated cost is greater than a threshold of acceptability (S26).
US09680296B2
In a fault detection protecting circuit, an overheat detection unit is provided for each of communication channels on an IC chip, and detects the temperature in each communication channel as the detected temperature. A chip temperature detection unit detects the temperature at an arbitrary position on the IC chip as a reference temperature. A detection unit sets a predetermined ratio value regarding the difference between an overheat protective temperature and a reference temperature based on the detected temperature in each communication channel and the reference temperature, and identifies that the communication channel is in a state before overheat detection when the detected temperature exceeds a threshold value. A stop-control unit stops the output from one of the communication channels when the detection unit identifies that the communication channel is in a state before overheat detection and when it is identified that the communication channel is in an overcurrent state.
US09680292B2
Protective housings for an electrical device, such as a switches or receptacle, and methods for installing protective housings are disclosed. A protective housing for an electrical device includes a baseplate with an internal opening and first arcuate cutout along the internal opening. The protective housing also includes a first insert with a second arcuate cutout and at least one aperture. The first insert fits within the opening. The first and second arcuate cutouts form a through hole when the first insert is fitted within the opening.
US09680288B2
An optical amplification device includes: a semiconductor optical amplifier; a first detector that detects an input optical power of the semiconductor optical amplifier; a second detector that detects an output optical power of the semiconductor optical amplifier; and a controller that controls a driving current of the semiconductor optical amplifier, wherein the controller supplies a predetermined driving current to the semiconductor optical amplifier when an optical signal is not input to the semiconductor optical amplifier, the second detector detects an optical power of Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) output from the semiconductor optical amplifier when the predetermined driving current is supplied to the semiconductor optical amplifier, and the controller controls the driving current of the semiconductor optical amplifier based on the input optical power of the semiconductor optical amplifier detected by the first detector, and the optical power of the ASE.
US09680282B2
Aiming a device at a target within a use environment is described. An intensity level of ambient lighting associated with the use environment is detected and a corresponding signal is generated. An emission of a beam operable for the aiming of the device is controlled. Upon the generated signal corresponding to a first detected ambient lighting intensity level, a first laser is activated to emit the aiming beam at a first power intensity level. Upon the generated signal corresponding to a second detected ambient lighting intensity level, which exceeds the second detected ambient lighting intensity level, a second laser is activated to emit the aiming beam at a second power intensity level. The first power intensity level exceeds the second power intensity level.
US09680281B2
In a method, a laser pump module is set to a first power mode and pump energy is output at a first power level through the activation of a first subset of laser diodes. Laser light is emitted from a gain medium at the first power level in response to absorption of the pump energy. An operator input corresponding to a power mode setting is received. The laser pump module is switched to a second power mode and pump energy is output at a second power level through the activation of a second subset of the laser diodes. Laser light is emitted from the gain medium at the second power level in response to absorption of the pump energy.
US09680278B2
There is provided a laser cooling apparatus including: a laser for providing an emission; a silicon-on-insulator substrate; and a thin film microstructure thermally anchored to the silicon-on-insulator substrate, the thin film microstructure being made from a material selected from either a II-VI binary compound semiconductor or a II-VI tenary compound semiconductor.
US09680275B2
A wire singulating device includes a stationary plate and a movable plate that define a wire funnel and a wire channel therebetween. The movable plate is movable relative to the stationary plate to control a width of the wire channel. The wire funnel receives a wire bundle that includes plural wires. The wire channel is below the wire funnel and receives the wires from the wire funnel through a top opening in the wire channel. The wire channel directs the wires one at a time to a take away zone below a bottom opening of the wire channel. A wire transfer member below the bottom opening of the wire channel has a slot that receives the wire in the take away zone. The wire transfer member moves relative to the stationary plate and the movable plate to separate the wire in the slot from the wire bundle.
US09680272B2
The number of steps is reduced in the formation process of an electrode. Deterioration of the electrode is suppressed. A highly reliable lithium secondary battery is provided by suppressing the deterioration of the electrode. A method for forming a negative electrode and a method for manufacturing a lithium secondary battery including the negative electrode are provided. In the method for forming the negative electrode, graphene oxide, a plurality of particulate negative electrode active materials, and a precursor of polyimide are mixed to form slurry; the slurry is applied over a negative electrode current collector; and the slurry applied over the negative electrode current collector is heated at a temperature higher than or equal to 200° C. and lower than or equal to 400° C. so that the precursor of the polyimide is imidized. The graphene oxide is reduced in heating the slurry to imidize the precursor of the polyimide.
US09680271B2
Systems for analyte detection are disclosed. The system includes absorption channels positioned along a surface of an object. The absorption channels are configured to trap an analyte. The system further includes a sensor embedded in the object and configured to detect the presence of the analyte. The sensor includes a light source configured to transmit light and a detector configured to detect a change in an intensity of light transmitted by the light source. The sensor further includes a cable configured to connect the light source to the detector, wherein the cable comprises detection regions, and wherein the detection regions include a portion of the cable exposed to the analyte in the absorption channel.
US09680270B2
A power distribution apparatus including a power supply conduit extending a length of a fixture and at least one power tap connected into the conduit, one embodiment of which may feature a saddle and at least one prong making operative contact with the power supply conduit. An electronic control module may be located proximate the saddle. The power tap may also be connected to a power distribution trough, which may have a plurality of walls, with lips, about a base. Power conductor strips may extend from the prongs along a length of the trough. Product enhancement devices may then access the power distribution trough at any point along the power distribution trough's length. A power-out-connector may be positionable along a power distribution trough for enhancement device access. The power-out-connector may feature at least one spring prong which interfaces with at least one lip and at least one power conductor strip.
US09680265B2
The present disclosure relates to a female connector and a method for manufacturing the same. The female connector coupled with a male terminal unit in which a plurality of male terminals are arranged includes: a housing configured to have one side provided with a male insertion hole into which the male terminal unit is inserted and the other side provided with an insertion groove; a body configured to be inserted into the insertion groove to be coupled with the housing; and a female terminal configured to be formed on a surface of the body and provided with a pattern part electrically connected to the male connector by activating the surface by a laser.
US09680256B1
An electrical connector includes a housing and a connector position assurance (CPA) element. The CPA element includes a beam that is deflected from a blocked position to a clearance position by a mating connector that is loaded into a cavity of the housing. When the beam is in the blocked position, movement of the CPA element from an extended position to an inserted position is mechanically blocked by a protrusion of the housing that abuts the beam. The beam of the CPA element, when moved to the clearance position, clears the protrusion to allow the CPA element to move from the extended position to the inserted position. The housing may include a pair of such deflectable beams, each with a slot having an opening at its distal end. The opening of one of the beams aligns with the protrusion when the beam is deflected to its clearance position.
US09680252B2
A connector pair comprises a connector and a mating connector. A movement of the connector to a first position along a first direction and a subsequent movement of the connector from the first position to a second position along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction completes a connection between the connector and the mating connector. The connector comprises a magnetic portion, and the mating connector comprises a mating magnetic portion. When the connector is located at the first position, the magnetic portion receives a force, which urges the connector to be moved toward the second position, from the mating magnetic portion. When the connector is located at the second position, the magnetic portion receives a force, which binds the connector at the second position, from the mating magnetic portion.
US09680245B2
A method and an electrical interconnect mechanism in which elastomeric pins are printed onto metal retainer tabs having at least one protrusion or tab extending laterally therefrom to engage a catch or recess of the laminated housing so as to locate each of the elastomeric pins and secure them within the housing. In one embodiment a champher may be employed with a catch or recess to engagely secure a second protrusion or tab extending laterally from another side of said elastomeric pin. In another embodiment the elastomeric pin may have a solid metal ring or a slide collar around the center of the pin wherein the ring has one or two tabs for engaging the recess in the housing and if preferred also the recess of a champfer.
US09680244B1
A header apparatus for providing electrical connection between a daughter card and a printed circuit board. The header apparatus may include a body having a base and a backing portion extending outwardly from the base portion. The header apparatus may include at least one pin extending through the base in a direction substantially parallel to the backing portion, and a gap formed between opposing surfaces of the backing portion and the at least one pin. The header apparatus may be configured to receive at least a portion of the daughter card at the gap to connect the header apparatus and the daughter card. The header apparatus may be connected to a daughter card and/or main printed circuit board, and may communicatively couple the daughter card and main printed circuit board.
US09680235B2
In a terminal connection method of inserting a wire tip of an insulated wire, which is formed by stripping a front end of an insulating cover to expose an aluminum core wire, into a pressure-bonding section of a female crimp terminal to pressure bond the insulated wire to the female crimp terminal via the pressure-bonding section, signs are formed on the outer circumferential face of an insulated tip of the insulating cover at a distance of an internal length of the pressure-bonding section from a conductor tip face of the conductor tip, and the wire tip is inserted up to the signs in the pressure-bonding section to pressure-bond the wire tip to the pressure-bonding section.
US09680232B2
A millimeter-wave radio frequency (RF) module is provided. The RF module includes a multilayer substrate having at least a front layer, a back layer, a plurality of middle layers, a first ground layer, and a second ground layer, wherein the first ground layer includes a graded-ground plane having a pair of non-overlapping ground lines connected at a single connection point through a graded connection, and wherein the second ground layer includes a double graded-ground plane having a pair of overlapping ground lines connected at a single connection point through a graded connection, wherein the first ground layer and the second ground layer provide a reference ground to a transmission line included in the multilayer substrate.
US09680231B2
A proximity wireless communication device includes a first housing and a second housing, and they are provided with respective two antennas. In the first housing, a first antenna and a second antenna are configured to be disposed on different parallel planes, and in the second housing, a third antenna and a fourth antenna are configured to be disposed on different parallel planes. Then, the first antenna and the third antenna carry out non-contact near-field wireless communication facing in proximity and the second antenna and the fourth antenna carry out non-contact near-field wireless communication facing in proximity.
US09680222B2
A wireless communication device includes a metallic housing and an antenna structure. The metallic housing includes a bottom frame and a side frame spaced from the bottom frame. The antenna structure includes a feed end plate, a ground end plate, a main radiator, and a coupling section. The ground end plate is coupled to the bottom frame. The main radiator is coupled between the feed end plate and the side frame. The coupling section is coupled to the main radiator and extending parallel to the bottom frame. A first end of the coupling section is coupled to a distal end of the feed end plate, and a second end of the coupling section extends towards the ground end plate, current is coupled from the feed end plate to the ground end plate via the coupling section and is coupled from the coupling section to the bottom frame.
US09680221B2
A configurable segmented antenna is described herein. A monitor component can be configured to detect at least one parameter corresponding to one or more segments of an antenna integrated with a communications device. An antenna component can be configured to select at least one segment of the one or more segments in response to the at least one parameter. A control component can be configured to modify a quality of a signal according to the at least one parameter. Further, a transmission component can be configured to transmit the signal from the at least one segment based on the quality.
US09680215B2
Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of omnidirectional broadband antennas and capacitively grounded cable brackets. In an exemplary embodiment, an omnidirectional broadband antenna generally includes a ground element, an antenna element, an annular element, and a cable bracket capacitively grounded to the ground element. The cable bracket is configured to allow soldering of a cable braid to the cable bracket for feeding the antenna element without direct galvanic contact between the cable braid and the ground element.
US09680213B2
The invention relates to an improved antenna element. Such an antenna element comprises a substrate, a first conductor and a second conductor. The substrate has at least a first lateral surface. The first conductor is provided on the first lateral surface, and includes a feed line portion and a monopole portion. The second conductor is provided at least partially on the same, first lateral surface, and includes: two ground planes which are disposed on the first lateral surface adjacent to the feed line portion of the first conductor at opposite sides thereof, and two stubs which are disposed on the first lateral surface at opposite sides of the respective of the two ground planes, and which extend in a direction parallel to the feed line portion of the first conductor. The two ground planes and the two stubs of the second conductor are arranged to form a coplanar waveguide.
US09680204B2
An antenna device of the present invention includes an antenna element which transmits or receives an electromagnetic wave having a specific frequency by being supplied with electric power, a conductive element which is formed of a conductive material, arranged so as to be spaced apart from and face the antenna element, and serves as a parasitic element, and a housing having a sealed space therein. The antenna element is provided inside the housing, and the conductive element is provided on outer surface of the housing, or in inner part of the housing, or in a mount member by which the housing is worn on a human body, or in a holding member for holding the housing; the conductive element is electromagnetically coupled to the antenna element, resonates with the specific frequency; and transmits or receives the electromagnetic wave.
US09680191B2
A lithium air battery including an electrolyte including lithium ion conductive polymers and lithium salts between a positive electrode and a lithium ion conductive solid electrolyte membrane. The lithium ion conductive polymers are hydrophilic matrix polymers.
US09680185B2
Described are electrolyte compositions and electrochemical devices containing them. The compositions include an organosilicon compound, an imide salt and optionally LiPF6. The electrolytes provide improved high-temperature performance and stability and will operate at temperatures as high as 250 C. An electrolyte composition comprising, in combination: an organosilicon compound and an imide salt and optionally UPF6; wherein when subjected to cyclic voltammetry at a plurality of cycles ranging from about 3V to about 5V and using a cathode current collector comprising aluminum versus Li/Lit electrodes the composition exhibits an oxidative corrosion current of about 0.10 mA/cm2 or less for a second and subsequent cycles.
US09680181B2
The present disclosure provides a solid polymer electrolyte composition including a polymer matrix, an organic solvent, and an additive agent containing polyhedral silsesquioxane, and also provides a lithium secondary battery including the same.
US09680180B2
The use of particles of at least one crystalline oxide, preferably metal oxide, having an average particle size of less than 500 nm and a fluorine content of between 0.5 and 30% by weight, preferably between 0.5 and 5%, even more preferably between 1.0 and 4%, for the preparation of solid-state electrolytes, is described. Also described is a solid-state electrolyte, containing particles of at least one crystalline oxide, preferably metal oxide, having an average particle size of less than 500 nm, preferably between 10 and 500 nm, even more preferably between 50 and 300 nm; a fluorine content as noted above; an alkali or alkaline-earth metal content of between 0.5 and 10% by weight, preferably between 0.5 and 5%, even more preferably between 1 and 4%. Furthermore an inorganic-organic hybrid electrolyte obtainable by means of reaction of the aforementioned solid-state electrolyte with ionic liquids is described.
US09680179B2
The main object of the present invention is to provide a sulfide solid electrolyte material which copes with both the restraint of the increase in interface resistance and the restraint of the increase in bulk resistance. The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a sulfide solid electrolyte material characterized by containing at least one of Cl and Br.
US09680169B2
A humidification device is provided with at least one stacked unit of water vapor-permeable membranes and of support frames. The support frames are stacked on each other. The membranes each are positioned between two of the support frames, respectively, and have edges clamped between the two support frames. The membranes are arranged parallel and spaced apart relative to each other. Between the two support frames, a supply air flow path extends on a first lateral face of the membrane and, angularly displaced to the supply air flow path, an exhaust air flow path extends on a second lateral face of the membrane facing away from the first lateral face. A flow opening of the supply air flow path and a flow opening of the exhaust air flow path are delimited by the two support frames and extend parallel to a plane of the membrane clamped between them.
US09680158B2
A fuel cell includes: (1) an anode; (2) a cathode; and (3) an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode. At least one of the anode and the cathode includes an electro-catalyst dispersed on a hybrid support, the hybrid support includes a first, carbon-based support and a second support different from the first, carbon-based support, and a weight percentage of the second support is at least 10% relative to a combined weight of the first, carbon-based support and the second support.
US09680154B2
A battery, including a cathode, an anode, an electrolyte; the cathode including a cathode active material capable of reversibly intercalating-deintercalating ions; the anode including an anode current collector that does not participate in the electrochemical reaction; the electrolyte including a solvent capable of dissolving solute, the solute being ionized to at least an active ions that can be reduced to a metallic state during a charge cycle and be oxidized from the metallic state to the dissolved ion state during a discharge cycle and/or an intercalation-deintercalation ions that can deintercalate from the cathode active material during the charge cycle and intercalate into the cathode active material during the discharge cycle; the anode further comprising an anode active material formed on the anode current collector capable of being oxidized and dissolved to active ion state during the discharge cycle.
US09680149B2
An electrode material includes an electrode active material having a carbonaceous film formed on a surface is used and which is capable of suppressing voltage drop when high-speed charge and discharge is carried out in a low-temperature environment.The electrode material has a particulate shape and is formed a carbonaceous film on surfaces of electrode active material particles. An average of discharge capacity ratios between a 35C discharge capacity at −10° C. of a single particle of the electrode material and a 1C discharge capacity at −10° C. of a single particle of the electrode material is 0.50 or more.
US09680148B2
This invention provides for a functionalized porous carbon particle comprising a porous carbon particle linked to a functional group having affinity for a polysulfide, a porous solvent infused carbon particle comprising the porous carbon particle thereof, and a positive electrode comprising the porous carbon particle thereof.
US09680144B2
An electrode assembly that includes a positive electrode assembly including a number of positive electrodes each having a positive electrode non-coating portion at a certain position, and a positive electrode tab coupling all the positive electrode non-coating portions, a negative electrode assembly including a plurality of negative electrodes each having a negative electrode non-coating portion at a certain position, and a negative electrode tab coupling all the negative electrode non-coating portions, and a separator disposed between each positive electrode and each negative electrode to insulate a region between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The positive electrodes of the positive electrode assembly and the negative electrodes of the negative electrode assembly are stacked alternately.
US09680143B2
Porous, electrically insulating, and electrochemically resistant surface coatings that strengthen and protect separators and that improve the operational safety of electrochemical devices using such separators, the use of ultraviolet (UV) or electron beam (EB) curable binders to secure an electrically insulating, porous, ceramic particle coating on separators, and methods of producing polymer-bound ceramic particle separator coatings, separators and electrochemical devices by UV or EB curing slurries of reactive liquid resins and ceramic particles.
US09680142B2
A polyolefin microporous membrane, the membrane having, when measured by DSC, a degree of crystallinity of from 65 to 85%, a lamellar crystal/crystal ratio of from 30 to 85%, a crystal length of from 5 nm to 50 nm and an amorphous length of from 3 nm to 30 nm, and a polyolefin microporous membrane, the membrane having, when measured by X-ray diffractometry, crystal size of from 12.5 nm to 13.5 nm and a degree of crystallinity of from 64 to 68%.
US09680141B2
The invention relates to a process for producing a separator comprising the steps of: providing a sheetlike porous substrate, a solvent, ceramic particles and an adhesion promoter; preparing a slip by mixing the solvent, the adhesion promoter and the ceramic particles; coating the substrate with the slip and thermally drying the coated substrate to obtain the separator. The problem addressed is that of specifying a process useful for producing separators having a higher ceramic content. The problem is solved when the solvent used is a mixture of water and at least one organic component; the adhesion promoter used is a mixture of silanes and at least one thermally crosslinkable acrylic polymer; the slip is admixed with a carboxylic acid preparation and also with a defoamer component free from silicone oil.
US09680132B1
A display device including a substrate, a light absorption layer, an optical matching layer, a first transparent electrode, a light emitting layer, and a second transparent electrode is provided. The light absorption layer is disposed on the substrate, and the optical matching layer is disposed on the light absorption layer. The first transparent electrode is disposed on the optical matching layer, the light emitting layer is disposed on the first transparent electrode, and the second transparent electrode is disposed on the light emitting layer. An output luminance and a reflectance of ambient light are controlled by adjusting refractive indices of the optical matching layer and the light absorption layer.
US09680130B2
A display device, a display panel and a manufacturing method therefor are disclosed. The display panel can include a cover plate; an array substrate disposed opposite to the cover plate; an organic light emitting layer, which is of a top-emitting type or a bottom-emitting type, disposed between the cover plate and the array substrate; and at least one first transparent resin layer disposed between the organic light emitting layer and the cover plate. With the solution in the disclosure, the method for manufacturing the display panel is simplified.
US09680115B2
A light-emitting device having a curved light-emitting surface is provided. Further, a highly-reliable light-emitting device is provided. A substrate with plasticity is used. A light-emitting element is formed over the substrate in a flat state. The substrate provided with the light-emitting element is curved and put on a surface of a support having a curved surface. Then, a protective layer for protecting the light-emitting element is formed in the same state. Thus, a light-emitting device having a curved light-emitting surface, such as a lighting device or a display device can be manufactured.
US09680114B2
A flexible organic light emitting display and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The method is: sequentially forming a first buffer layer, a switch array layer, a display unit layer, and a thin film package layer on a flexible underlay substrate. When the flexible organic light emitting display bends along the flexible underlay substrate, a first bending deformation force is generated. The first buffer layer is used to absorb the first bending deformation force, and the material of the first buffer layer is an organic insulating material.
US09680107B2
Provided are a novel compound and an organic electronic device (OED) including the same. The novel compound has better hole injection and hole transport properties than a conventional material, and thus may enhance thermal stability and efficiency when used as a material for a hole injection or hole transport layer of the OED.
US09680101B2
The present specification provides a copolymer and an organic solar cell including the same.
US09680098B2
An element manufacturing method and apparatus for efficiently manufacturing an element such as an organic semiconductor element. First, an intermediate product that includes a substrate and a protrusion extending in a normal direction of the substrate is provided. Next, in a stacking chamber conditioned to a vacuum environment, a stacked structure is formed by continuously stacking a lid member on the intermediate product at a side where the protrusion is provided. After this operation, the stacked structure is transported from the stacking chamber to a first pressure chamber coupled to the stacking chamber and conditioned to a first pressure higher than the pressure in the vacuum environment. Next, the stacked structure is further transported from the first pressure chamber to a separation chamber coupled to the first pressure chamber and conditioned to a vacuum environment, and then the stacked structure is separated into the intermediate product and the lid member.
US09680096B2
The present invention relates generally to high current density access devices (ADs), and more particularly, to a structure and method of forming tunable voltage margin access diodes in phase change memory (PCM) blocks using layers of copper-containing mixed ionic-electronic conduction (MIEC) materials. Embodiments of the present invention may use layers MIEC material to form an access device that can supply high current-densities and operate reliably while being fabricated at temperatures that are compatible with standard BEOL processing. By varying the deposition technique and amount of MIEC material used, the voltage margin (i.e. the voltage at which the device turns on and the current is above the noise floor) of the access device may be tuned to specific operating conditions of different memory devices.
US09680081B2
ProblemThere is proposed an innovative cross-sectional structure, with an idea contrary to the conventional one, utilizing the non-reactivity between Cu and Ta (or between Ag and Nb, Ta) in a high-temperature short-time heat treatment, thus achieving (1) the suppression of the low magnetic-field instability, (2) excellent wire drawability of a precursor wire, and (3) the reduction of the cost required for the incorporation of a stabilizer.Means for ResolutionThere is proposed a structure having an assembly of a plurality of single wires, wherein the assembly is covered with an outer cover (skin) formed from Nb or Ta, wherein each of the single wires has an Nb/Al composite filament region which is formed from a composite of Nb and Al mixed in an Nb:Al molar ratio of 3:1, and which is covered with a partition formed from Nb or Ta, and further covered with an interfilamentary barrier formed from Cu or Ag disposed around the partition.
US09680076B2
An LED chip (3) is disposed in a recessed portion (21p) formed by bending a metal lead frame (2). A reflector (4) has a resin reflection surface (4a) and the recessed portion (21p) has a metal reflection surface (21a). When the inclination angle of at least one metal reflection surface (21a) is θs2(°), the resin reflection surface (4a) has a sloped resin surface with an inclination angle of θs1(°) that is smaller than θs2(°). With θc(°) defined as the critical angle of light emitted from an LED chip (3) and incident on the interface between a light-transmissive resin (5) and an air layer, the sloped resin surface and metal reflection surface having a relationship of θs1<θs2, satisfies both a conditional expression (1): 45°−θc/2<θs1<θc and a conditional expression (2): 35°≦θs2≦55°.
US09680070B2
An LED light source performance compensation apparatus and a white-light LED light-emitting device. The LED light source performance compensation apparatus comprises: a light transmissive supporting member (101), wherein the light transmissive supporting member (101) is provided with a light performance parameter regulation member (102); and after secondary light of which the wavelength is 380 nm-780 nm and which is emitted by an LED light source (103) passes through the performance compensation apparatus, light performance parameters are adjusted. The LED light source performance compensation apparatus can effectively regulate the light performance parameters of the LED light source, thereby remedying the defects of the secondary light emitted by an existing finished LED light source in terms of light performance parameters.
US09680060B2
A light emitting diode includes a substrate including a concave-convex pattern having concave portions and convex portions, a first light emitting unit disposed on the substrate, a second light emitting unit disposed on the substrate, a first wire connecting the first light emitting unit to the second light emitting unit over the concave-convex pattern, and an insulation layer disposed between the concave-convex pattern and the wire. The insulation layer has a shape corresponding to the concave-convex pattern.
US09680057B2
In various embodiments, light-emitting devices incorporate graded layers with compositional offsets at one or both end points of the graded layer to promote formation of two-dimensional carrier gases and polarization doping, thereby enhancing device performance.
US09680056B1
A heteroepitaxy strain-management structure for a light emitting device includes: a substrate or template; an epitaxial layer to be epitaxially formed over the substrate or template, wherein a calculated in-plane compressive strain to be exerted by the substrate or template to the epitaxial layer is equal to or larger than 1%; and a heavily doped interlayer inserted in-between the epitaxial layer and the substrate or template; wherein the heavily doped interlayer is of substantially the same material composition as that of the epitaxial layer, with a thickness of 40-400 nm, and doped at a doping level in the range of 5×1019 to 5×1020 cm−3. Also provided is an ultraviolet light emitting device having a heteroepitaxy strain-management structure.
US09680055B2
A hetero-substrate, a nitride-based semiconductor light emitting device, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The hetero-substrate may include a substrate including a silicon semiconductor, a buffer layer disposed on the substrate, a first semiconductor layer disposed on the buffer layer and including a nitride semiconductor, a second semiconductor layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer and including a first conductive type nitride semiconductor having a first doping concentration, and a stress control structure disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer and including at least one stress compensation layer and at least one third semiconductor layer including a first conductive type nitride semiconductor having a second doping concentration that is the same or lower than the first doping concentration.
US09680041B2
A three-dimensional thin-film semiconductor substrate with selective through-holes is provided. The substrate having an inverted pyramidal structure comprising selectively formed through-holes positioned between the front and back lateral surface planes of the semiconductor substrate to form a partially transparent three-dimensional thin-film semiconductor substrate.
US09680039B2
A resonant tunneling diode, and other one dimensional electronic, photonic structures, and electromechanical MEMS devices, are formed as a heterostructure in a nanowhisker by forming length segments of the whisker with different materials having different band gaps.
US09680038B2
A photodetector is provided with a thin film double layer heterostructure. The photodetector is comprised of: a substrate; a channel layer of a transistor deposited onto a top surface of the substrate; a source layer of the transistor deposited on the top surface of the substrate; a drain layer of the transistor deposited on the top surface of the substrate, the source layer and the drain layer disposed on opposing sides of the channel layer; a barrier layer deposited onto the channel layer; and a light absorbing layer deposited on the barrier layer. The light absorbing layer is configured to absorb light and, in response to light incident on the light absorbing layer, electrical conductance of the channel layer is changed through hot carrier tunneling from the light absorbing layer to the channel layer.
US09680029B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a bit line; two or more word lines; and a memory cell including two or more sub memory cells that each include a transistor and a capacitor. One of a source and a drain of the transistor is connected to the bit line, the other of the source and the drain of the transistor is connected to the capacitor, a gate of the transistor is connected to one of the word lines, and each of the sub memory cells has a different capacitance of the capacitor.
US09680025B2
The present invention proposes a TFT switch and a method for manufacturing the same. The TFT switch includes a gate, a drain, a source, a semiconductor layer and a fourth electrode. The drain is connected to a first signal, the gate is connected to a control signal to control the switch on or off. The source outputs the first signal when the switch turns on. The fourth electrode and the gate are respectively located at two sides of the semiconductor layer. The fourth electrode is conductive and is selectively coupled to different voltage levels, thereby reducing leakage current in a channel to improve switch characteristic when the switch turns off.
US09680024B2
To provide a semiconductor device that includes an oxide semiconductor and is miniaturized while keeping good electrical properties. In the semiconductor device, an oxide semiconductor layer filling a groove is surrounded by insulating layers including an aluminum oxide film containing excess oxygen. Excess oxygen contained in the aluminum oxide film is supplied to the oxide semiconductor layer, in which a channel is formed, by heat treatment in a manufacturing process of the semiconductor device. Moreover, the aluminum oxide film forms a barrier against oxygen and hydrogen, which inhibits the removal of oxygen from the oxide semiconductor layer surrounded by the insulating layers including an aluminum oxide film and the entry of impurities such as hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor layer. Thus, a highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor layer can be obtained. The threshold voltage is controlled effectively by gate electrode layers formed over and under the oxide semiconductor layer.
US09680021B2
A fin field effect transistor (FinFET), and a method of forming, is provided. The FinFET has a fin having one or more semiconductor layers epitaxially grown on a substrate. A first passivation layer is formed over the fins, and isolation regions are formed between the fins. An upper portion of the fins are reshaped and a second passivation layer is formed over the reshaped portion. Thereafter, a gate structure may be formed over the fins and source/drain regions may be formed.
US09680016B2
An embodiment of the invention reduces the external resistance of a transistor by utilizing a silicon germanium alloy for the source and drain regions and a nickel silicon germanium self-aligned silicide (i.e., salicide) layer to form the contact surface of the source and drain regions. The interface of the silicon germanium and the nickel silicon germanium silicide has a lower specific contact resistivity based on a decreased metal-semiconductor work function between the silicon germanium and the silicide and the increased carrier mobility in silicon germanium versus silicon. The silicon germanium may be doped to further tune its electrical properties. A reduction of the external resistance of a transistor equates to increased transistor performance both in switching speed and power consumption.
US09680013B2
A method and a device made according to the method. The method comprises providing a substrate including a first material, and providing a fin including a second material, the fin being disposed on the substrate and having a device active portion, the first material and the second material presenting a lattice mismatch between respective crystalline structures thereof. Providing the fin includes providing a biaxially strained film including the second material on the substrate; and removing parts of the biaxially strained film to form a substantially uniaxially strained fin therefrom.
US09679991B2
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a field effect transistor with improved electrical characteristics. According to embodiments of the disclosure, self-aligned contact plugs may be effectively formed using a metal hard mask portion disposed on a gate portion. In addition, a process margin of a photoresist mask for the formation of the self-aligned contact plugs may be improved by using the metal hard mask portion.
US09679987B2
A method of forming an integrated circuit employs a plurality of layers formed on a substrate including i) n-type modulation doped quantum well structure (MDQWS) structure with n-type charge sheet, ii) p-type MDQWS, iii) undoped spacer layer formed on the n-type charge sheet, iv) p-type layer(s) formed on the undoped spacer layer, v) p-type etch stop layer formed on the p-type layer(s) of iv), and vi) p-type layers (including p-type ohmic contact layer(s)) formed on the p-type etch stop layer. An etch operation removes the p-type layers of vi) for a gate region of an n-channel HFET with an etchant that automatically stops at the p-type etch stop layer. Another etch operation removes the p-type etch stop layer to form a mesa at the p-type layer(s) of iv) which defines an interface to the gate region of the n-channel HFET, and a gate electrode is formed on such mesa.
US09679972B1
A semiconductor structure can include a substrate and a substrate layer. The substrate can be formed of silicon and the substrate layer can be formed of silicon germanium. Above the substrate and under the substrate layer there can be provided a multilayer substructure. The multilayer substructure can include a first layer and a second layer. The first layer can be formed of a first material and the second layer can be formed of second material. A method can include forming a multilayer substructure on a substrate, annealing the multilayer substructure, and forming a substrate layer on the multilayer substructure.
US09679967B1
A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a III-V semiconductor substrate and forming a gate structure on the III-V semiconductor substrate. The method also includes forming a thin spacer surrounding the gate structure and forming a source/drain junction with a first doped III-V material at an upper surface of the III-V semiconductor substrate. The method also includes oxidizing a surface the source/drain forming an oxidation layer; removing natural oxides from the oxidation layer on a surface of the source/drain to expose ions of the first doped material at least at a surface of the source/drain. The method further includes applying a second doping to the source/drain to increase a doping concentration of the first doped III-V material, forming metal contacts at least at the second doped surface of the source/drain; and then annealing the contact.
US09679958B2
Methods of manufacture of integrated multi-layer magnetic films for use in passive devices in microelectronic applications. Soft ferromagnetic materials exhibiting high permeability and low coercivity are laminated together with insulating layers interposed. Electrical conductors coupled to interconnects are magnetically coupled to magnetic film layers to engender an inductor (self and mutual). Soft ferromagnetic materials are provided in an alternating array of parallel plate capacitors. Each alternating magnetic film is electrically coupled to either a primary or secondary electrical conductor interconnects and separated by an electrically insulating dielectric material. Alternatively, each alternating magnetic layer comprises an induced anisotropy material, which can also be combined with coiled conductor giving rise to a hybrid inductive/capacitive device. Also, soft ferromagnetic material are also selected and tuned to provide for FMR notch filtering.
US09679952B2
An organic electroluminescence display device including pixels, a first bank provided between the pixels and covering a periphery edge part of a pixel electrode, a second bank provided on a first upper surface of the first bank and including a second upper surface and a first side surface, an auxiliary wiring provided on the second upper surface and including a third upper surface and a second side surface, an organic electroluminescence layer in contact with the pixel electrode, the first and second banks, and the auxiliary wiring, a common pixel electrode bridging the pixels, the organic electroluminescence layer includes a first region in contact with the pixel electrode, the first upper surface and the first side surface, and a second region in contact with the auxiliary wiring and separated from the first region, and the common pixel electrode is in contact with the second side surface.
US09679950B2
An organic EL display device includes a lower electrode that is provided at each pixel, a bank that surrounds an outer circumference of the lower electrode and overlaps an outer circumferential edge of the lower electrode, an organic layer that is formed on the lower electrode and the bank, and an upper electrode that is formed on the organic layer. The bank contains a hygroscopic material. According to this display device, it is possible to confine an influence of moisture which has permeated thereinto to a more restricted area.
US09679948B2
Image sensors include a color photo-sensing photoelectric conversion device, a first color filter and a second color filter disposed under the color photo-sensing photoelectric conversion device, a first photodiode and a second photodiode disposed under the first color filter and the second color filter, respectively, a first light guide member disposed between the first color filter and the first photodiode, and a second light guide member disposed between the second color filter and the second photodiode.
US09679947B2
A plurality of first conductive layers are stacked at a predetermined pitch in a first direction perpendicular to a substrate. A memory layer is provided in common on side surfaces of the first conductive layers and functions as the memory cells. A second conductive layer comprises a first side surface in contact with side surfaces of the first conductive layers via the memory layer, the second conductive layer extending in the first direction. A width in a second direction of the first side surface at a first position is smaller than a width in the second direction of the first side surface at a second position lower than the first position. A thickness in the first direction of the first conductive layer at the first position is larger than a thickness in the first direction of the first conductive layer at the second position.
US09679936B2
An imaging system may include an image sensor package with through-oxide via connections between the image sensor die and the digital signal processing die in the image sensor package. The image sensor die and the digital signal processing die may be attached to each other. The through-oxide via may connect a bond pad on the image sensor die with metal routing paths in the image sensor and digital signal processing dies. The through-oxide via may simultaneously couple the image sensor die to the digital signal processing die. The through-oxide via may be formed through a shallow trench isolation structure in the image sensor die. The through-oxide via may be formed through selective etching of the image sensor and digital signal processing dies.
US09679929B2
A binary image sensor includes a plurality of unit pixels on a substrate having a surface on which light is incident. At least one quantum dot is disposed on the surface of a substrate. A column sense amplifier circuit is configured to detect binary information of a selected unit pixel among the plurality of unit pixels from a voltage or a current detected from the selected unit pixel, and a processing unit is configured to process binary information of the respective unit pixels to generate pixel image information. Related devices and methods of operation are also discussed.
US09679923B2
An array substrate includes a base substrate, a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer and an active layer arranged on the base substrate in a laminated way. The array substrate further includes a passivation layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a first electrode and a second electrode. A first via hole arranged in the passivation layer may include two sloped lateral faces arranged opposite to each other. The first electrode may at least partially cover one lateral face of the first via hole. The second electrode electrically connected to a common electrode lead may at least partially cover the other lateral face of the first via hole. The source electrode and the drain electrode may be connected to the active layer through a second via hole which is arranged in the passivation layer. The first electrode is electrically connected to the source electrode or the drain electrode.
US09679921B2
Disclosed are a display substrate, of which productivity is improved by decreasing five mask (M) processes utilized for fabricating the display substrate used in a liquid crystal display device in a horizontal field (Plane to Line Switching (PLS)) mode to four mask processes, and a method of fabricating the same.
US09679920B2
A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a gate line and a data line disposed on the first substrate, a first insulating layer disposed on the gate line and the data line, a first electrode disposed on the first insulating layer and having a flat form in a planar shape, a second insulating layer disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the second insulating layer and including a plurality of branch electrodes, where a width of a branch electrode of the plurality of branch electrodes is equal to or less than about 2 micrometers.
US09679918B2
An object of the present invention is to apply an insulating film of cure and high quality that is suitably applicable as gate insulating film and protective film to a technique that the insulating film is formed on the glass substrate under a temperature of strain point or lower, and to a semiconductor device realizing high efficiency and high reliability by using it. In a semiconductor device of the present invention, a gate insulating film of a field effect type transistor with channel length of from 0.35 to 2.5 μm in which a silicon nitride film is formed over a crystalline semiconductor film through a silicon oxide film, wherein the silicon nitride film contains hydrogen with the concentration of 1×1021/cm3 or less and has characteristic of an etching rate of 10 nm/min or less with respect to mixed solution containing an ammonium hydrogen fluoride (NH4HF2) of 7.13% and an ammonium fluoride (NH4F) of 15.4%.
US09679916B2
Provided is a semiconductor integrated circuit including: a plurality of first input/output cells arranged on a semiconductor integrated circuit substrate; a plurality of second input/output cells arranged on the semiconductor integrated circuit substrate along the plurality of first input/output cells; and a potential supply portion formed on a semiconductor package substrate, a portion of the potential supply portion protruding in a surface of the semiconductor package substrate, and configured to supply a predetermined potential to a target cell which is one of the plurality of first input/output cells and a cell neighboring the target cell among the plurality of second input/output cells through a region including the protruding portion.
US09679913B1
A memory structure includes a 3D array of memory cells, a plurality of first conductive lines disposed on the 3D array, a plurality of second conductive lines disposed on the first conductive lines, a top metal plate disposed on the second conductive lines, and at least one strapping structure. The second conductive lines and the first conductive lines extend on different directions. The at least one strapping structure is configured for the first conductive lines and correspondingly disposed on at least one dummy region of the 3D array. Each strapping structure includes a connecting structure and a jumping line. The jumping line is disposed on and coupled to the connecting structure, and coupled to the top metal plate. The jumping line and the second conductive lines extend on the same direction.
US09679912B1
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a stacked body; a columnar portion; and a plate portion. The substrate has a major surface. The stacked body includes a plurality of electrode layers stacked with an insulator interposed. The columnar portion includes a semiconductor body and a memory film. The memory film includes a charge storage portion. The plate portion is provided in the stacked body. The plate portion extends along the stacking direction of the stacked body and a major surface direction of the substrate. The plate portion includes a plate conductor and a sidewall insulating film. The sidewall insulating film provided between the plate conductor and the stacked body. The stacked body includes an air gap. The air gap is provided between the sidewall insulating film and the electrode layer.
US09679911B2
A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes a memory cell array which has: a first conductive layer which is arranged in a first direction on a first semiconductor layer; a second conductive layer which is arranged in the first direction above the first conductive layer; a columnar second semiconductor layer which extends in the first direction; and a contact unit which electrically connects the first semiconductor layer and the second conductive layer. The contact unit has a first film which contains silicide as a first metal, and is in contact with the first semiconductor layer; and a second film which contains the first metal, is in contact with the first film, and is in contact with the first semiconductor layer with the first film interposed therebetween.
US09679904B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a conductive film over a semiconductor substrate; forming a first ferroelectric film over the conductive film; forming an amorphous second ferroelectric film over the first ferroelectric film; forming a transition metal oxide material film containing ruthenium over the second ferroelectric film; forming a first conductive metal oxide film over the transition metal oxide material film without exposing the transition metal oxide material film to the air; annealing and crystallizing the second ferroelectric film; and patterning the first conductive metal oxide film, the first ferroelectric film, the second ferroelectric film, and the conductive film to form a ferroelectric capacitor.
US09679901B1
A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of active areas, and an isolation structure. The substrate has a device region and a peripheral region surrounding the device region. The active areas are located in the substrate in the device region. When viewed from above, the edges of the ends of the active areas adjacent to the boundary of the device region are aligned with each other, and the width of the ends of the active areas adjacent to the boundary of the device region is greater than the width of the other portions of the active areas. The isolation structure is disposed in the substrate and surrounds the active areas and is located in the peripheral region.
US09679898B2
A semiconductor device having metal gate includes a first metal gate structure and a second metal gate structure disposed in a first device region and in a second device region on a substrate respectively. The first metal gate structure includes a gate insulating layer, a first bottom barrier layer, a top barrier layer, and a metal layer disposed on the substrate in order, wherein the top barrier layer is directly in contact with the first bottom barrier layer. The second metal gate structure includes the gate insulating layer, a second bottom barrier layer, the top barrier layer, and the metal layer on the substrate in order, wherein the top barrier layer is directly in contact with the second bottom barrier layer. The first bottom barrier layer and the second bottom barrier layer have different impurity compositions.
US09679896B2
A moisture blocking structure includes an active fin disposed on a sealing region of a substrate, the substrate including a chip region and the sealing region surrounding a periphery of the chip region, the active fin continuously surrounding the chip region and having a winding line shape in a plan view. A gate structure covers the active fin and surrounds the periphery of the chip region. A conductive structure is disposed on the gate structure, the conductive structure surrounding the periphery of the chip region.
US09679889B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes providing a substrate; forming a well region on the substrate; forming at least one first gate structure on the well region, wherein the first gate structure includes a gate insulating layer and a first gate electrode formed on the gate insulating layer, wherein the first gate electrode is formed having a first enclosed pattern on a surface of the well region; wherein an area inside the first enclosed pattern is defined as a first region, and an area outside the first enclosed pattern is defined as a second region; performing ion implantation on the first region such that the first region has a first conductivity type, and performing ion implantation on the second region such that the second region has a second conductivity type, wherein the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type are different.
US09679877B2
A semiconductor device includes a MOSFET including a PN junction diode. A unipolar device is connected in parallel to the MOSFET and has two terminals. A first wire connects the PN junction diode to one of the two terminals of the unipolar device. A second wire connects the one of the two terminals of the unipolar device to an output line, so that the output line is connected to the MOSFET and the unipolar device via the first wire and the second wire. In one embodiment the connection of the first wire to the diode is with its anode, and in another the connection is with the cathode.
US09679875B2
A method of forming a reduced volume interconnect for a chip stack including multiple silicon layers, the method including: forming multiple conductive structures, each of at least a subset of the conductive structures having a volume of conductive material for a corresponding under bump metallurgy pad onto which the conductive structure is transferred that is configured such that a ratio of an unreflowed diameter of the conductive structure to a diameter of the corresponding pad is about one third-to-one or less; transferring the conductive structures to the silicon layers; stacking the silicon layers in a substantially vertical dimension such that each of the conductive structures on a given silicon layer is aligned with a corresponding electrical contact location on an underside of an adjacent silicon layer; and heating the interconnect so as to metallurgically bond multiple electrical contact locations of adjacent silicon layers.
US09679869B2
This disclosure relates to a transmission line for high performance radio frequency (RF) applications. One such transmission line can include a bonding layer configured to receive an RF signal, a barrier layer, a diffusion barrier layer, and a conductive layer proximate to the diffusion barrier layer. The diffusion barrier layer can have a thickness that allows a received RF signal to penetrate the diffusion barrier layer to the conductive layer. In certain implementations, the diffusion barrier layer can be nickel. In some of these implementations, the transmission line can include a gold bonding layer, a palladium barrier layer, and a nickel diffusion barrier layer.
US09679866B2
Provided is a bonding stage including: a rigid block (10) having a plurality of projections (11) on a surface (16) of the base body, upper surfaces of the projections being flat; a flat plate (20) fixed to supporting surfaces (18) on the projections (11); a ceramic plate (30) suctioned and fixed to the flat plate (20); a plate-shaped heater (40) disposed on a side of the rigid block (10) of the flat plate (20); and coil springs (50) disposed between the heater (40) and the rigid block (10), the coil springs (50) bringing the heater (40) into close contact with a surface of the flat plate (20) on the side of the rigid block (10).
US09679861B1
An integrated circuit package may include a package substrate having a surface, first interconnects of a first size that are arranged in a substantially circular shape that is centered on the surface of the package substrate, and second interconnects of a second size that is different from the first size, where the second interconnects are arranged in a ring shape on the surface of the package substrate. The ring shape of the second interconnects is concentric with the substantially circular shape of the first interconnects. The integrated circuit package may further include third interconnects of a third size that are arranged in peripheral corner regions on the surface of the package substrate. The third size may be smaller or bigger than at least one of the first and second sizes.
US09679857B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a stack of patterned metal layers separated by dielectric layers, the stack comprising a first conductive support structure and a second conductive support structure and a cavity in which an inertial mass element comprising at least one metal portion is conductively coupled to the first support structure and the second support structure by respective conductive connection portions, at least one of said conductive connection portions being designed to break upon the inertial mass element being exposed to an acceleration force exceeding a threshold defined by the dimensions of the conductive connection portions. A method of manufacturing such a semiconductor device is also disclosed.
US09679852B2
Some embodiments include a construction having conductive structures spaced from one another by intervening regions. Insulative structures are within the intervening regions. The insulative structures include dielectric spacers and air gaps between the dielectric spacers. Dielectric capping material is over the air gaps. The dielectric capping material is between the dielectric spacers and not over upper surfaces of the dielectric spacers. Some embodiments include a construction having a first conductive structure with an upper surface, and having a plurality of second conductive structures electrically coupled with the upper surface of the first conductive structure and spaced from one another by intervening regions. Air gap/spacer insulative structures are within the intervening regions. The air gap/spacer insulative structures have dielectric spacers along sidewalls of the second conductive structures and air gaps between the dielectric spacers. Dielectric capping material is over the air gaps.
US09679846B2
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor die with a plurality of bumps formed over a surface of the semiconductor die. A first conductive layer having first and second segments is formed over a surface of the substrate with a first vent separating an end of the first segment and the second segment and a second vent separating an end of the second segment and the first segment. A second conductive layer is formed over the surface of the substrate to electrically connect the first segment and second segment. The thickness of the second conductive layer can be less than a thickness of the first conductive layer to form the first vent and second vent. The semiconductor die is mounted to the substrate with the bumps aligned to the first segment and second segment. Bump material from reflow of the bumps is channeled into the first vent and second vent.
US09679845B2
Interconnect fuse structures including a fuse with a necked line segment, as well as methods of fabricating such structures. A current driven by an applied fuse programming voltage may open necked fuse segments to affect operation of an IC. In embodiments, the fuse structure includes a pair of neighboring interconnect lines equidistant from a center interconnect line. In further embodiments, the center interconnect line, and at least one of the neighboring interconnect lines, include line segments of lateral widths that differ by a same, and complementary amount. In further embodiments, the center interconnect line is interconnected at opposite ends of a necked line segment. In further embodiments, the necked line segment is fabricated with pitch-reducing spacer-based patterning process.
