US09713023B2
An example technique may include measuring a wireless link between a user device and an access point to obtain a first set of measurement values, detecting that the wireless link is temporarily blocked during the measuring, modifying, based on the wireless link being temporarily blocked, the first set of measurement values to obtain a second set of measurement values, and sending, to a network device, a report indicating the second set of measurement values.
US09713020B2
Characterization and enhancement of a mobile local scattering environment. The system includes a channel component and a link control component, wherein the channel component facilitates communication of a ping signal, which is used to estimate the delay spread characteristics and/or angle of arrival in order to characterize the mobile local scattering environment. This information is sent to the link control component, which enhances radio link performance based on the received information. The system can be used to assist in E-911 location applications, such as determining the location of an indoor user.
US09713015B2
The present invention relates to a method by which a base station transmits a signal for coverage coordination in a wireless communication system and a device for the same. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a coordinating base station receives coverage related information from each of a first base station and a second base station, performs a coverage coordination procedure by using the coverage related information of the first and second base stations and transmits a signal for coverage coordination, which is determined according to the result of performing the coverage coordination procedure, to each of the first and second base stations, wherein the coverage coordination procedure includes determining whether the second base station can supplement the coverage of the first base station when the first base station switches to an idle mode.
US09713011B2
An apparatus, configured to communicate with other apparatuses in a wireless network and operating in a frequency-division duplexing mode, can be caused to refrain from transmitting during a number of subframes of a frame of a downlink frequency band prior to a detection of a radar transmission, can be caused to send a first signal, related to monitoring for the radar transmission, to a second apparatus, and can be caused to change the number of the subframes of the frame of the downlink frequency band in response to an event that can be an increase or a decrease in a load of the apparatus or the detection of the radar transmission. Optionally, placement of the subframes within the frame of the downlink frequency band can correspond to placement of subframes that are designated for an uplink communication within a frame configured in accordance with the Long-Term Evolution Time-Division Duplex standard.
US09713008B2
A system and method for user certificate initiation, distribution, and provisioning in converged WLAN-WWAN interworking networks. A computing device operable in a wireless local area network sends a public key to a mobile device operable in a wireless cellular wide area network. The mobile device performs a bootstrapping procedure with a cellular operator in the wireless cellular wide area network to obtain a user certificate based on the public key. The mobile device sends the user certificate to the computing device for installation on the computing device. The user certificate may be used for digital signature, verification, and encryption purposes. The user certificate is also used in both the wireless local area network and the wireless wide area network for authenticating a subscriber when accessing services from both networks.
US09712994B2
A method of managing identities for use in a mobile telecommunications device in a telecommunications network has the following features. The identity management process is triggered and one or more parameters of a currently available mobile telecommunications network detected. An identity database is searched—each record in the identity database comprises an identity and additional identity information for each identity. The additional identity information includes the one or more parameters. The identity management process involves selecting an identity when a first record comprising the one or more parameters detected is found in said searching and modifying an active identity of the mobile telecommunications device to be the selected identity when the active identity is not already the selected identity. This process can be carried out by a subscriber information module of a mobile telecommunications device.
US09712992B2
A system in radio communication comprising a controller, a first device, and a second device is provided. The first device is associated with a first particular sector of a radio communication cell and the second device is associated with a second particular sector of the radio communication cell. The first device comprises a first sector indicating hardware and the second device comprises a second sector indicating hardware. The first and second sector indicating hardware each comprises a first visual sector information relating to the first particular sector such that the first visual sector information is visible to a human, and a first electronically readable sector information relating to the first particular sector. Each device comprises a first reading arrangement for reading the electronically readable sector information.
US09712987B2
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and media for the provision of emergency services information are provided. Embodiments include receiving, by a mobile device, an emergency services information mapping table, the emergency services information mapping table comprising a plurality of entries, each entry of the plurality of entries comprising a mobile country code value, an emergency services telephone number value, and an emergency services type value. Embodiments include retrieving, by the mobile device, information from the emergency services information mapping table in response to an input from a user of the mobile device.
US09712986B2
Systems and methods for operating a mobile virtual network are disclosed. A mobile virtual network operator is disclosed as an entity that provides a mobile networking service to a user, the mobile networking service being provided using a physical mobile network provided by a third party. The mobile virtual network operator may provide content distribution services, data access services, or messaging services to a user of a mobile device.
US09712980B1
A portable electronic device configured to function as an electronic identifier in a facility and to display an interactive graphical facility map of the facility, a facility mapping and visitor tracking system, and a set of facility mapping and visitor tracking processes are disclosed.
US09712978B2
A method of identifying mobile computing devices includes sending a request from a first mobile computing device to a second mobile computing device for the location of the second mobile computing device, and receiving the location of the second mobile computing device at the first mobile computing device. The method further includes providing a notification to one of the first and second mobile computing devices based upon the location of the second mobile computing device.
US09712976B1
Systems and methods for position updating for a mobile device are disclosed. A mobile device receives a first position data at a first time and queries for network information associated with a serving cell of a cellular network. The network information contains a radio signal level associated with the serving cell of the cellular network. The mobile device compares the radio signal level against a previously stored radio signal range received from a network server and determines a position updating opportunity for the mobile device based on the comparison. The network server assists the position updating process by acquiring, positioning data from a plurality of mobile devices operating in the cellular network. The network server determines a QoP information based on the acquired positioning data and transmits the QoP information to the plurality of mobile devices to be stored for position update.
US09712975B2
The present disclosure discloses a system and a method for displaying mobile trails for mobile client devices. Specifically, a network device obtains a plurality of performance measurements and a corresponding plurality of physical locations for a client device over a period of time. Then the network device generates a plurality of visual representations for the client device over the period of time, each visual representation representing a respective performance measurement and a respective physical location at a respective time during the period of time. Moreover, the network device can display, store, and/or transmit a map of a physical environment with the plurality of visual representations.
US09712974B2
A method for demodulating a signal is provided. The method includes: acquiring a reference clock signal provided by a power management unit (PMU) in a mobile terminal; determining a moving velocity of the mobile terminal; determining, based on the moving velocity, a Doppler frequency shift value generated when the mobile terminal receives a radio frequency (RF) signal transmitted by a base station; and demodulating, according to the reference clock signal and the Doppler frequency shift value, the received RF signal.
US09712968B2
A system and method for using super geo-fences and virtual fences to improve efficiency of geo-fences is disclosed. A server system stores geo-fence data for a plurality of geo-fences and receives a request for updated geo-fence data from a client system. The server system selects one or more geo-fences and generates a super geo-fence that encompasses all the selected geo-fences. The server system determines a super geo-fence reduction factor. The server system reduces the size of the super geo-fence based on the determined reduction factor. The server system then transmits the generated super geo-fence and the selected one or more geo-fences to the client system.
US09712960B2
In one embodiment an apparatus comprises logic, at least partially including hardware logic, configured to establish a geographic reference point, define one or more geofences relative to the geographic reference point, determine, based on an input from at least one inertial sensor, a location of the apparatus relative to the geographic reference point, and generate a warning signal in response to a determination that the location of the apparatus is outside the one or more geofences. Other embodiments may be described.
US09712959B2
A network system for positioning services based on wireless communication system, including base stations, a dedicated access apparatus, cables, and a server. The base stations, the dedicated access apparatus and the cables constituting a private network. The server constituting a public network. The base stations are configured to send and receive signals in a broadcasting manner, and transmit the signals to the server through the cables and the dedicated access apparatus. The dedicated access apparatus is configured to transfer transmission data between the private network and the public network, forward data from the base stations to the server, and forward data from the server to a corresponding base station. The cables are configured to transmit data between the base stations and between the base stations and the dedicated access apparatus. The server is configured to perform data processing according to the received data collected by at least one base station.
US09712956B2
An Internet phone may be physically located based on its credential. The credential is related to a MAC address of the Internet phone. The MAC address is related to a port identifier of a network switch in communication with the Internet phone. The port identifier is related to a physical location of the Internet phone.
US09712943B2
An apparatus of this invention is directed to an information processing apparatus that selects an appropriate combination of a device connected to a mobile terminal and a program used in the information processing apparatus to operate the device via a network and the mobile terminal, based on a history of the combination. The information processing apparatus accumulates the history of the combination of the device connected via the network and the mobile terminal, and the program used in the information processing apparatus to operate the device. When receiving information about the device connected to the mobile terminal from the mobile terminal via the network, the information processing apparatus selects the combination of the device and the program based on the history of the combination of the device and the program accumulated in an accumulator.
US09712942B2
A request for a first resource by a user is received. In response to receiving the request for a first resource, a second resource is determined based on the first resource and a resource usage pattern of the user. A response to the request for the first resource is provided. The response includes the first resource and the second resource.
US09712940B2
Various systems and methods for automatically adjusting audio balance are described herein. A system for automatically adjusting audio balance includes a distance module to determine a distance from an audio speaker to an audience, the audio speaker being one of a plurality of audio speakers, an audio modification module to determine a modification to an audio characteristic of the audio speaker based on the distance, the modification to provide a balanced soundstage for the audience from the plurality of audio speakers, and a control module to apply the modification of the audio characteristic to the audio speaker.
US09712938B2
The invention discloses rendering sound field signals, such as Higher-Order Ambisonics (HOA), for arbitrary loudspeaker setups, where the rendering results in highly improved localization properties and is energy preserving. This is obtained by a new type of decode matrix for sound field data, and a new way to obtain the decode matrix. In a method for rendering an audio sound field representation for arbitrary spatial loudspeaker setups, the decode matrix for the rendering to a given arrangement of target loudspeakers is obtained by steps of obtaining a number of target speakers, their positions, positions of a spherical modeling grid and a HOA order, generating a mix matrix from the positions of the modeling grid and the positions of the speakers, generating a mode matrix from the positions of the spherical modeling grid and the HOA order, calculating a first decode matrix from the mix matrix and the mode matrix, and smoothing and scaling the first decode matrix with smoothing and scaling coefficients.
US09712928B2
A binaural hearing system comprising left and right hearing devices is provided, each comprising an input unit providing an electric input signal representing an environmental sound; a noise reduction system for estimating and reducing a noise component of the electric input signal; antenna and transceiver circuitry allowing the exchange of data between the hearing devices. The binaural hearing system is—in a mode of operation, where a sound source is predominantly audible at a first one of the hearing devices—configured to transmit the estimate of the noise component determined in a second one of the hearing devices to the first hearing device and to use said estimate to reduce the noise component in the electric signal of the first hearing device and to provide a noise reduced signal in the first hearing device. Thereby improved noise reduction is provided for use, e.g. in hearing aids, in non-symmetric acoustic situations.
US09712922B2
A sound generator includes a vibration unit (60) having a piezoelectric element (61) and also includes a weight (10) for applying a load to the vibration unit (60). The vibration unit (60) deforms based on a sound signal while receiving the load from the weight (10), thereby vibrating a contact surface (150) in contact with the sound generator (10) and generating a sound from the contact surface (150).
US09712919B2
To reduce signal output and wiring to a D/A converter (DAC).A DAP 1 comprises a DAC 7 that D/A-converts LR 2 channels digital audio data into LR 2 channels analog audio data, an amplification circuit 9 that amplifies the LR 2 channels analog audio data that the DAC 7 D/A-converts, a DAC 8 that D/A-converts the LR 2 channels digital audio data into the LR 2 channels analog audio data, and an amplification circuit 10 that amplifies inverted LR 2 channels analog audio data that the LR 2 channels analog audio data that the DAC 8 D/A-converts is inverted.
US09712914B1
The disclosure describes a costume coordinated, motion activated sound generation system, including apparatuses and methods, for generating pre-defined audio in connection with a costume worn by a user and the type, extent, and rate of movements by the user. According to an example embodiment, the system comprises an electronic controller having a memory for storing pre-defined audio data associated with the type, forcefulness, and rate of a user's movements and having an audio interface and speaker for generating audio from such audio data. The system also comprises one or more accelerometers or sensors for enabling detection of the type, extent, and/or rate of user movements. Based in part on the type, forcefulness, and rate of such movements, the system retrieves audio data corresponding thereto from memory and causes playback thereof, creating the illusion that the character, person, or thing being played by the user while in costume produced the sounds.
US09712892B2
Method and an apparatus for processing a broadcast signal including an interactive broadcast service
A method of processing a broadcast signal including an interactive broadcast service at a transmitter is disclosed. The method comprises generating an parameter table containing metadata about applications and interactive broadcast events targeted to the applications, dividing the parameter table into a plurality of parameter blocks, inserting each of the parameter blocks into each of a plurality of parameter table sections, generating a trigger which is a signaling element to identify signaling and establish timing of playout of the interactive broadcast events, inserting the trigger into a closed caption channel of the broadcast signal, transmitting the broadcast signal including the closed caption channel and a specific channel carrying the plurality of parameter table sections, wherein the trigger includes location information specifying a location of the parameter table in the broadcast signal.
US09712891B2
Various methods are described for selecting an access method for receiving a DASH media presentation. One example method may comprise providing for reception of a media presentation description. The media presentation description may identify a first set of access methods for receiving media and may provide attribute values associated with each of the access methods. The method of this example embodiment may further comprise identifying a second set of access methods supported by an apparatus. Furthermore, the method of this example embodiment may comprise determining a third set of access methods belonging to both the first set and the second set. The method of this example embodiment may further comprise selecting an access method from the third set based at least in part on the attribute values associated with the access method. Similar and related example methods, example apparatuses, and example computer program products are also provided.
US09712886B2
Aspects of a method and apparatus for band separation for multiband communication systems are provided. One or more circuits for use in a transceiver may comprise a triplexer and a leakage processing module. The triplexer may comprise a first port, a Multimedia Over Coaxial Alliance (MoCA) port, a television upstream port, and a television downstream port. The leakage processing module may comprise a television downstream input port, a cable television downstream output port, a MoCA port, and a cable television upstream port. The leakage processing module may be operable to (1) process a MoCA signal to generate a first compensation signal; (2) process a cable upstream signal to generate a second compensation signal; (3) process a filtered signal based at least in part on the first and second compensation signals; and (4) output the processed filtered signal via the cable television downstream output port of said leakage processing module.
US09712883B2
A user interface is presented on a monitor of a media device for providing information about available programs. The user interface includes an array having three columns (channel, current show, and next show) with commonly aligned rows. Each row of the channel column includes an indicator. Each row of the current show column includes a title naming a program currently available on a channel of the media device corresponding to the indicator in a commonly aligned row of the channel column. Each row of the next show column includes a title naming a show available after the current program on the same channel. The currently available program may be displayed on the monitor in response to a viewer selected row, indicator, and/or title in the array.
US09712878B2
Methods, systems, and media for presenting supplemental information corresponding to on-demand media content are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: receiving an indication from a web browser extension executing within a web browsing application that a media content item is being presented on a content provider website; identifying the media content item being presented on the content provider website; determining whether supplemental content associated with the broadcasted media content item is available; in response to determining that the supplemental content is available, causing the web browser extension to present an indicator that the supplemental content is available; obtaining the supplemental content corresponding to the broadcasted media content item, wherein each piece of the supplemental content is associated with timing information of the broadcasted media content item; and causing a portion of the obtained supplemental content to be presented concurrently with the media content item in response to detecting that the indicator has been selected.
US09712875B2
A consumer electronic device tracks the current channel to which the electronic consumer device is tuned. The consumer electronic device determines an amount of time that the current channel remains unchanged. Based at least in part on this amount of time, the consumer electronic device determines whether the current channel should be stored as a favorite channel. When the consumer electronic device subsequently receives a favorite channel command, the consumer electronic device is caused to tune to the favorite channel that is currently stored in memory. Changing user preferences are thus automatically accommodated without manual intervention, resulting in an effortless user interface.
US09712873B2
Enable appropriate caching of application programs executed in coordination with AV content. The cache memory temporarily stores a coordinated application that is executed in coordination with received AV content. When a plurality of coordinated applications are stored in the cache memory, a control block controls the cache memory according to the priority of the coordinated applications which corresponds to a predetermined frequency specified for each of them in advance. The present technology is applicable to, for example, television receivers that receive digital television broadcast signals.
US09712872B2
A system and method for providing awareness in a hospitality environment are presented. In one embodiment, a vertical and horizontal array of set-top boxes is provided and each set-top box includes an identification corresponding to the room in which the set-top box is placed. Each set-top box includes a wireless transceiver that periodically transmits an identification beacon that is received by a proximate wireless-enabled interactive device. The proximate wireless-enabled interactive device, in turn, broadcasts data packets including an indication of the strength of set-top box identification signals received. The broadcasts are received by a server via an array of wireless routers. The location of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive device is determined based on the signal strength information in the data packets.
US09712861B1
A technique for load balancing between first and second DVRs includes receiving a customer selection of content with respect to load balancing between the DVRs, and responsive to the customer selection and based at least in part on a storage size of one content, execute a load balancing algorithm to move at least some content from the first DVR to the second DVR. Responsive to the customer selection and based at least in part on a storage size of a future content, a DVR is selected to record the future content at a future recording time.
US09712858B2
An apparatus includes a network interface. The apparatus includes a processor coupled to the network interface. The apparatus further includes memory accessible to the processor. The memory includes instructions that are executable by the processor to perform operations. The operations include receiving user history information associated with customer premise equipment device. The operations include generating a rule associated with a startup screen based on the user history information and based on additional information. The additional information is based on information extrapolated from the user history information and based on external information that is not directly accessed by or provided to the customer premise equipment device. The operations further include initiating a transmission of the rule to the customer premise equipment device.
US09712856B2
A method and apparatus for managing a subscription to a plurality of content providers and the irretrievably referring users to an interface of the content provider to directly consume media programs provided by the content providers is disclosed. The method irretrievably passes users to content providers so that the user can view media programs from those content providers using the content provider's application, while providing a central source for users to locate media programs available from a plurality of content providers and to subscribe for access to such media programs. This construct permits content providers to retain control over the user viewing experience and to encourage the user to view further media programs from the same content provider.
US09712855B2
A method for receiving additional information from a device in a broadcast communication system is provided. The method includes receiving broadcast information provided from a broadcast service provider over a broadcast channel, extracting application information from the broadcast information, acquiring location information for the additional information associated with a broadcast content from the application information, and transmitting the location information for the additional information to a peer device for displaying the additional information.
US09712827B2
An object is to suppress an instantaneous increase in the computational complexity of an encoder and an information amount of an encoding result without increasing a delay even when input timing of input video is not constant and fluctuates. A frame rate control method for adjusting a frame rate of input video to a frame rate at which an encoder is able to perform encoding includes: a step of determining whether the number of pictures input in the past within a predetermined time from a time when a determination target picture of dropping is input exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and a step of discarding the determination target picture if the number of pictures exceeds the threshold value and designating the determination target picture as an encoding target if the number of pictures does not exceed the threshold value.
US09712823B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for encoding a video and a method and apparatus for decoding a video. The encoding method includes: splitting a picture of the video into one or more maximum coding units; encoding the picture based on coding units according to depths which are obtained based on a partition type determined according to the depths of the coding units according to depths, determining coding units according to coded depths with respect to each of the coding units according to depths, and thus determining coding units having a tree structure; and outputting data that is encoded based on the partition type and the coding units having the tree structure, information about the coded depths and an encoding mode, and coding unit structure information indicating a size and a variable depth of a coding unit.
US09712822B2
A method of encoding a video is provided, the method includes: determining a filtering boundary on which deblocking filtering is to be performed based on at least one data unit from among a plurality of coding units that are hierarchically configured according to depths indicating a number of times at least one maximum coding unit is spatially spilt, and a plurality of prediction units and a plurality of transformation units respectively for prediction and transformation of the plurality of coding units, determining filtering strength at the filtering boundary based on a prediction mode of a coding unit to which pixels adjacent to the filtering belong from among the plurality of coding units, and transformation coefficient values of the pixels adjacent to the filtering boundary, and performing deblocking filtering on the filtering boundary based on the determined filtering strength.
US09712821B2
Provided is an image processing apparatus which includes a setting unit assigning a control block, which is a control unit of a filter process that is locally performed with respect to an image, to an initial position of the image determined based on a predetermined reference point; a movement unit moving the control block, which has been assigned to the initial position of the image by the setting unit, up to a position in which the result of the filter process is improved; and a filter processing unit performing the filter process for the respective control blocks which has been moved by the movement unit.
US09712813B2
Disclosed are a display system and a control method for the same. The display system includes a display means (1), an image input means (2), a depth of field analysis means (3) and a bending degree control means (4). The image input means (2) inputs the images to the depth of field analysis means; the depth of field analysis means (3) analyzes the depth of field of the images; the bending degree control means (4) controls the bending degree of the display means according to the depth of field of the images; the display means (1) displays the images. The display system and the control method thereof can adapt to the images with different depth of field, thus observer's visual experience is improved.
US09712805B2
The present invention generally relates to sub-diffraction limit image resolution and other imaging techniques, including imaging in three dimensions. In one aspect, the invention is directed to determining and/or imaging light from two or more entities separated by a distance less than the diffraction limit of the incident light. For example, the entities may be separated by a distance of less than about 1000 nm, or less than about 300 nm for visible light. In some cases, the position of the entities can be determined in all three spatial dimensions (i.e., in the x, y, and z directions), and in certain cases, the positions in all three dimensions can be determined to an accuracy of less than about 1000 nm. In one set of embodiments, the entities may be selectively activatable, i.e., one entity can be activated to produce light, without activating other entities. A first entity may be activated and determined (e.g., by determining light emitted by the entity), then a second entity may be activated and determined. The emitted light may be used to determine the x and y positions of the first and second entities, for example, by determining the positions of the images of these entities, and in some cases, with sub-diffraction limit resolution. In some cases, the z positions may be determined using one of a variety of techniques that uses intensity information or focal information (e.g., a lack of focus) to determine the z position. Non-limiting examples of such techniques include astigmatism imaging, off-focus imaging, or multi-focal-plane imaging. Other aspects of the invention relate to systems for sub-diffraction limit image resolution, computer programs and techniques for sub-diffraction limit image resolution, methods for promoting sub-diffraction limit image resolution, and the like.
US09712794B2
A projector has a light source, image forming units, a projection lens, a first optical system and a second optical system. The image forming units form image light by adjusting, on a per-pixel basis, the intensity of light emitted by the light source. The projection lens projects the image light formed by the image forming units to the outside. The first optical system guides light of a first wavelength emitted by the light source to the projection lens, and the second optical system guides light of a second wavelength emitted by the light source to the projection lens. The f-number of the first optical system is higher than the f-number of the second optical system.
US09712788B2
A request for information (RFI) system is provided a viewer of a cable television network enters an RFI input (1) to a digital set top box using a user remote. Based on this RFI input, the digital set top box transmits a data request (2) to an RFI data center. The RFI data center also receives asset data (3) from an asset database so as to associate the RFI input (1) with a particular asset. An RFI request (4) can then be transmitted to the appropriate asset provider. The asset provider can then provide a package of assets or follow-on information (5) back to the RFI data center. The RFI data center may then, in turn, provide the package of assets or follow-on information to a user data terminal, for example, of the cable television network viewer, via access through a web-portal or e-mail (6).
US09712787B2
A system and method of delivering video content is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving channel selection data from a set-top box device via an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) access network. The channel selection data indicates a selection of an IPTV channel. The method also includes sending a rapid channel change (RCC) request to a distribution switch/router system via a subscriber virtual local area network (VLAN) associated with the set-top box device after receiving the channel selection data. The RCC request indicates the selected IPTV channel.
US09712778B2
A secondary television receiver device includes one or more television tuners that can be integrated into a whole-home television receiving system. The secondary device that is enhanced with tuner capability registers the tuners with a primary receiver, which allocates tuners from available sources as needed. The tuned video stream may be directed to the primary television receiver for storage, trick play or other features prior to re-transmission to the ultimate viewing device. Alternatively, the received video stream may be directly rendered to a video display attached to the enhanced secondary receiver.
US09712763B2
An apparatus and method improve sight. The apparatus includes a first sight configured to view a scene. A second sight is configured to alter content representative of the scene in a first manner to form first altered content. A third sight is configured to alter content representative of the scene in a second manner to form second altered content. An image combiner is configured to combine the second altered content with the first altered content to form combined altered scene content.
US09712752B2
There is provided an image processing device, includes: a first display image generation section that generates a first display image; a second display image generation section that generates a second display image for use in focus-checking; an acquisition section that acquires color data of the first display image; a determination section that, based on the color data, determines as a display color for the second display image a color with different color characteristics from color characteristics of the first display image; and a display controller that displays on a display section the first display image generated by the first display image generation section, and displays on the display section the second display image generated by the second display image generation section within a display region of the first display image.
US09712748B2
A driver includes a piezoelectric sheet, a fixing frame, a moving frame, and a control circuit. The piezoelectric sheet includes a first piezoelectric body portion which bends in a first direction, a second piezoelectric body portion which bends in a second direction that intersects at right angles with the first direction, and a connection portion which connects the first and second piezoelectric body portions. The fixing frame is fixed to the connection portion. The moving frame is supported on the first and second piezoelectric body portions. The control circuit applies voltage signals to the first and second piezoelectric body portions to bend the first and second piezoelectric body portions and which moves the moving frame in one of the first direction and the second direction or in a composite direction of the first direction and the second direction.
US09712747B2
The present invention relates to a method for enabling an image stabilized video. The method comprises providing data defining a vignetting effect for digital image frames captured by a video camera; determining a dislocation value for a digital image frame captured by the video camera; determining, based on the dislocation value, a region of the digital image frame to be displayed in the image stabilized video; applying a vignetting removal process at least on pixels of the digital image frame corresponding to the region to be displayed in the image stabilized video, wherein said applying being based on the data defining the vignetting effect; and reintroducing vignetting on the region of the digital image frame to be displayed in the video based on the data defining the vignetting effect and the dislocation value.
US09712746B2
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for ordering images for panorama stitching and/or for providing a focal point indicator for image capture. For example, one or more images, which may be stitched together to create a panorama of a scene, may be stored within an image stack according to one or more ordering preferences, such as where manually captured images are stored within a first/higher priority region of the image stack as compared to automatically captured images. One or more images within the image stack may be stitched according to a stitching order to create the panorama, such as using images in the first region for a foreground of the panorama. Also, a current position of a camera may be tracked and compared with a focal point of a scene to generate a focal point indicator to assist with capturing a new/current image of the scene.
US09712737B2
A request to issue a photographing ID is received from a user and a first photographing ID is generated. The first photographing ID is issued from an ID issuer installed in a photographing spot. When a second photographing ID is received from a mobile terminal of the user, the first photographing ID is collated with the second photographing ID. When the collated photographing IDs are identical, a transmission source of the second photographing ID is authenticated as being present in the photographing spot. In accordance with an instruction from the authenticated transmission source of the second photographing ID, a photographing camera installed toward the photographing spot is controlled.
US09712734B2
Disclosed is a method for photographing a panoramic image. The method includes comparing an current image input with a previous image to obtain a motion information of a corresponding photographing apparatus, when photographing respective images forming the panoramic image, recognizing a degree of movement of the corresponding photographing apparatus at least based on the obtained motion information, and photographing corresponding image by a manual input or automatically when the recognized degree of movement is satisfied with a pre-set movement distance reference.
US09712728B2
Modular digital camera systems, such as modular digital still and motion cameras are disclosed. Individual modules may be removed from the system and replaced, such as to benefit from upgraded technology, while preserving the remaining modules in the system.
US09712724B2
An image signal processing apparatus includes an image signal input unit for inputting an image signal, a noise correcting unit for executing noise correction processing for the input image signal to output a noise-corrected image signal; an image signal correcting unit for executing signal level correction processing for the noise-corrected image signal to output a signal level-corrected image signal; an image signal correction intensity control unit for determining correction intensity of the signal level correction processing in the image signal correcting unit; a signal extension estimating unit for estimating a signal extension degree of signal extension based on the determined correction intensity; and a noise correction intensity control unit for calculating and controlling correction intensity of the noise correction processing in the noise correcting unit.
US09712721B2
A first correction is executed on target image data representative of a target image when a ratio of a number of first type pixels relative to a number of a plurality of pixels in the target image data is determined to be greater than or equal to a prescribed value. A second correction is executed on the target image data when the ratio is determined to be smaller than the prescribed value. Pixel values of the first type pixels are within a first range that is defined based on a color value indicative of a background color of the target image. The first correction corrects both of internal pixel values and external pixel values which are within and out of a second range that contains the color value of the background color. The second correction corrects the internal pixel values and does not correct the external pixel values.
US09712720B2
Techniques related to image refocusing for camera arrays using a space variant filter based on a pixel by pixel blur level associated with a difference between a reference image and a basic refocused image are discussed. Such techniques may include taking the difference between the reference image and the basic refocused image and applying a space variant filter to the basic refocused image to generate a final refocused image having a region of increased blur with respect to the all in focus reference image. The blur level implemented by the space variant filter may be based on the difference and, optionally, the reference image noise level and the reference image gradient.
US09712717B2
An image processing apparatus includes a presumed background region extractor for extracting a presumed background region presumed to include an image of a background from an input image, a threshold value determination module for determining a threshold value based on pixels in the presumed background region, an edge pixel extractor for using the threshold value to extract edge pixels from the input image, and a document region detector for detecting a document region from the edge pixels.
US09712714B2
A computer-implemented process can be operated to create a watermarked copy of a unique original copy of an electronic sales receipt in a first computerized device to a second computerized device. The watermarked copy includes an electronic watermark identifying the copy. The process includes creating the watermarked copy of the electronic sales receipt by copying information from the original copy of the electronic sales receipt to the watermarked copy and providing the electronic watermark within the watermarked copy.
US09712712B1
A method is described for adjusting the focus position of a linear printhead in a digital printing system. A line image is printed including a plurality of variable linewidth lines at different cross-track positions. A digital image capture system is used to capture an image of the printed line image, and a data processing system is used to automatically analyze the captured image to determine linewidth parameters representing linewidths of the plurality of lines. Linewidth progression functions are determined for the lines responsive to the determined linewidths, wherein the linewidth progression functions represent the linewidth parameters as a function of position. The linewidth progression functions are analyzed to determine defocus characteristics of the linear printhead, which are used to adjust the focus position of the linear printhead.
US09712700B1
An image reading apparatus (6) includes a document placing table (6a) to an upper surface of which a contact glass (25) is fixed, and a document pressing device (24) supported at an end of the document placing table (6a) to be openable/closable via a hinge portion, and having, on its back surface side, a document presser (30) that presses a document placed on the contact glass (25). The document pressing device (24) includes a light transmission window (31) transmitting light in a front-surface-to-back-surface direction of the document pressing device (24). The light transmission window (31) is disposed at a position not overlapping with the contact glass (25) when the document pressing device (24) is at the closure position, and when the document pressing device (24) has moved in an opening direction from the closure position, light that has passed through the light transmission window (31) reaches the contact glass (25).
US09712698B1
Methods and devices process an electronic image of an item that has a background color and line features of a second color distinct from the background color. An electronic image and a menu option are displayed to allow the user to define at least one area of the electronic image as a distinctive color region. The electronic image is separated into different planes, and line features within the distinctive color region are removed from a second mask plane (second color) and added to a third mask plane (third color). The first plane, second mask plane, and third mask plane, are combined into an electronic file, and automatically stored.
US09712697B1
An electronic document image of a document is captured using a camera of a handheld device. A user interface of the handheld device displays an instruction to place the handheld device on the document and to change the magnification of the electronic document image on the user interface until the electronic document image and the document are the same size. The handheld device automatically determines the original size of the document based on the magnification that made the electronic document image and the document the same size when the handheld device was on the document. The handheld device converts the electronic document image into an original size document image file based on the original size of the document.
US09712694B2
An operation unit in a child device causes a main unit in the child device to execute a stand-alone job, and causes the main unit and a server device to execute a cooperating job. The main unit executes the stand-alone job every time it is requested, and generates and manages a stand-alone job log including stand-alone job log identification information. The server device controls the execution of stand-alone jobs included in the cooperating job based on a request for executing the cooperating job, and manages cooperating job identification information associated with the stand-alone job log identification information of the stand-alone jobs included in the cooperating job. The server device acquires the stand-alone job logs from the main unit and extracts the stand-alone job logs including the stand-alone job log identification information associated with the cooperating job identification information, to generate a cooperating job log corresponding to the cooperating job.
US09712692B2
Provided is a communication apparatus in which when reception data from a transmission apparatus contains a request for an acknowledgement response, a determination as to whether or not to send an acknowledgement response from the communication apparatus to the transmission apparatus is made, if the acknowledgement response is permitted, an acknowledgement is sent to the transmission apparatus over a network, and when the acknowledgement response is not permitted, reception data containing the acknowledgement response is transferred to the external apparatus.
US09712675B1
Configuration parameters are defined for indicating when and how a call handled by a call handler is to be streamed to a speech analytics system (“SAS”). The parameters may indicate when a call is to be streamed by identifying certain campaigns or agents in which calls associated therewith are to be streamed to the SAS. The parameters may also identify how the streaming is to occur, namely via a single audio stream, a mixed audio stream, or dual audio streams. When using dual audio streams, a stream for the agent audio is established separately from a stream for the remote party audio. In addition, procedures are indicated for determining whether licenses are available for interfacing with the SAS. The number of licenses used for a call depends on whether the configuration parameters indicate one or two streams are to be established.
US09712674B2
A network device in a service provider network receives an incoming call, from a caller, to a telephone number associated with a customer. The network device applies to the call an interactive voice response (IVR) script corresponding to the customer and determines that the caller wants to speak to an agent. The network device establishes a secure duplex communication channel between the network device and an automatic call distributor (ACD) for the customer. The secure duplex communication channel is dedicated for use in managing the incoming call. The network device informs the ACD, via the secure duplex communication channel, that an agent is needed for the incoming call and receives, via the secure duplex communication channel, instructions from the ACD to manage the incoming call.
US09712668B2
Embodiments are provided for notifying an electronic device connected to a non-terrestrial communication network of a voice-based communication request that is intended for the electronic device. According to certain aspects, a data center can receive the voice-based communication request that is initiated by an originating device. The data center can generate a text message that indicates the voice-based communication request and transmit the text message to the non-terrestrial communications network for delivery to the destination electronic device. The text message can identify the originating electronic device and enable the user of the destination electronic device to send an additional text message to the originating electronic device.
US09712650B2
A system for PIM fast failover recovery includes a network of a plurality of switching devices. The plurality of switching devices includes a source switching device near a source communicatively connected to a receiver switching device near a receiver by a first interface and at least a third switching device that is communicatively connected to the receiver switching device by a second interface and further is communicatively connected to the source switching device by a third interface. The receiver switching device may discover that the first interface has failed and responds by sending the third switching device a PIM graft message prior to deleting an associated first interface route entry.
US09712649B2
A method is provided for managing fragmentation of packets for content object retrieval at a content centric networking (CCN) gateway in a CCN network. The method includes receiving a first CCN interest packet including a name for a first content object from a user equipment in an access network, storing a fragmentation stream identifier in a header of the first CCN interest packet, and setting a path minimum maximum transmission unit (MTU) in the first CCN interest packet to an MTU value required by a link between the CCN gateway and a node forwarding the first CCN interest packet to the CCN gateway. The method further includes forwarding the first CCN interest packet with updated fragmentation stream identifier and path minimum MTU toward a content provider, receiving a set of packets of including fragments of the first content object from the content provider, reassembling and verifying the first content object from the set of packets, and refragmenting the first content object to minimum MTU of the access network and storing the refragmented first content object in the content store. The first content object is then returned to the user equipment in the access network.
US09712644B2
A process performed on a server includes configuring the server to enable script for a Web service to be defined dynamically, where the Web service includes an application program interface (API) for enabling access by, and interaction with, a computer program executing on a device other than the server. The process also includes compiling the script to produce machine-executable code for the Web service, receiving a call from the computer program to the Web service, executing the machine-executable code in response to the call to produce an output, and sending the output to the device.
US09712641B2
An image forming apparatus includes an event notification data preparing unit, an event notification data transmitting unit, an information-processor count calculating unit, and an information-processor count determining unit. The information-processor count calculating unit calculates a count of the at least one information processor to which the event notification data is transmitted. The information-processor count determining unit determines whether the information-processor count is equal to or less than an upper limit value for the event notification count. The event notification data transmitting unit directly transmits the event notification data to the at least one information processor if the information-processor count is equal to or less than the upper limit value for the event notification count, and via the server transmits the event notification data to the at least one information processor if the information-processor count is more than the upper limit value for the event notification count.
US09712634B2
A method is provided in one example and includes receiving a request for a service from a requestor, an determining at least a first network element and at least a second network element required to satisfy the request from among a plurality of network elements. The method further includes triggering a coordinating of a work flow between the first network element and the second network element responsive to the request. The method still further includes translating communication messages exchanged between the first network element and the second network element from a first communication protocol format and a second communication protocol format.
US09712629B2
Methods, devices, and computer programs are presented for creating a unified data stream from multiple data streams acquired from multiple devices. One method includes an operation for receiving activity data streams from the devices, each activity data stream being associated with physical activity data of a user. Further, the method includes an operation for assembling the unified activity data stream for a period of time. The unified activity data stream includes data segments from the data streams of at least two devices, and the data segments are organized time-wise over the period of time.
US09712625B2
Techniques for creating a persistent connection between client devices and one or more remote computing resources, which may form a portion of a network-accessible computing platform. This connection may be considered “permanent” or “nearly permanent” to allow the client device to both send data to and receive data from the remote resources at nearly any time. In addition, both the client device and the remote resources may establish virtual channels over this single connection. If no data is exchanged between the client device and the remote computing resources for a threshold amount of time, then the connection may be severed and the client device may attempt to establish a new connection with the remote computing resources.
US09712617B2
A method for controlling multiple replication processes that includes allocating, by a local storage system and for each replication process, local resources for performing local operations that comprise transmitting remote replication content to a remote storage system; the allocating is responsive to a state of transmission of the replication content and a maximal local storage system allocation threshold; allocating, by the remote storage system and for each replication process, remote resources for performing remote operations that comprise handling the replication content transmitted from the local storage system; the allocating is responsive to a load associated with the handling of the replication content, and a maximal remote storage system allocation threshold; and executing each replication process by the replication process local and remote storage systems resources.
US09712606B2
An asynchronous distributed computing system with a plurality of computing nodes is provided. One of the computing nodes includes a sequencer service that receives updates from the plurality of computing nodes. The sequencer service maintains or annotates messages added to the global state of the system. Updates to the global state are published to the plurality of computing nodes. Monitoring services on the other computing nodes write the updates into a locally maintained copy of the global state that exists in shared memory on each one of the nodes. Client computer processes on the nodes may then subscribe to have updates “delivered” to the respective client computer processes.
US09712602B2
A method and routing device are provided for aggregating of requests relating to a data segment of a stream into another request and for storing data segments belonging to different streams in a queue prior to the device routing them to client entities that have requested them. The method includes: determining a credit associated with a stream, the credit varying based on a number of requests transmitted by client entities and relating to data segments belonging to the stream; and, on receiving a data segment in response to the other request, and when memory space available in the queue does not enable the received data segment to be stored: selecting a stream having at least one data segment stored in the queue and for which the associated credit is the smallest; and deleting from the queue a data segment belonging to the selected stream.
US09712586B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus can provide ordered (e.g. ranked) lists of content items as a suggested list of items to watch. The ordered list can be based on feedback from other users. The content items can also be presented (e.g. in a continuous playback mode) to a passive user so that the user does not have to actively select a next item to watch. This passive mode can select a next item (e.g. from a list that is updated based on recent user feedback), and the item can be queued on a client device for playing to a user. Content items can also be provided from different independent servers.
US09712579B2
Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media creating and publishing customizable images from within online events are provided. A user may capture an image from an online event presented within a user interface. In response to capturing the image, a pop-up window may be displayed within the presented online event on the user interface. In some embodiments, the pop-up window may include one or more options for customizing or modifying a background of the capture image, as well as including one or more sharing options to publish the captured image.
US09712574B2
Particular embodiments maintain social-networking information associated with a user, wherein the user is represented by a user node in a social graph. One or more nodes of the social graph may be associated with respective locations. A request for social information related to a location may be received from a computing device. The request may comprise a location of the computing device, an orientation of the computing device, and an identifier for the user. A relevance score may be determined for one or more proximate nodes based on the request, the social-networking information associated with the user, and the location information for the respective proximate node. Each proximate node may be associated with at least one location within a threshold distance from the location of the computing device. Particular embodiments may provide social-networking information associated with at least one of the proximate nodes for display in conjunction with an image.
US09712567B2
In accordance with at least one embodiment of the invention, methodologies and mechanisms are provided that enable methods, systems and software for supporting or implementing functionality to intercept a phone call and/or data transmission in a cellular network and direct it to at least one receivers' VoIP account if the account is active and provides VoIP connectivity.
US09712565B2
Systems and methods for protecting a data item include, upon initiation of transfer of the data item from a server to a client device, determining a sensitivity score and a current protection level of the data item. A policy is applied to determine an appropriate protection for the data item based upon the sensitivity score and the current protection level. A protected data item is provided to the client device by applying the appropriate protection to the data item.
US09712562B2
The present disclosure discloses a method and device for detecting a potential phishing website. In the method, a computing device having at least a processor obtains information input to a website and determines whether the website is legitimate through a server when the input information entered by the user has some private information. The computing device continues to access the website if the website is legitimate and generates a warning if the website is determined not to be legitimate.
US09712553B2
A cyber-attack scenario simulation system and method may include an aircraft simulator operable to generate an aircraft simulation, a cyber-attack generator operable to generate a cyber-attack simulation, a cyber defense generator operable to generate a cyber defense simulation, a scenario generator operable to generate a cyber-attack scenario including the cyber attack simulation and the cyber defense simulation and launch the cyber-attack scenario against the aircraft simulation, and a cyber-attack scenario analysis tool operable to assess an impact of the cyber-attack scenario on the aircraft simulation.
US09712552B2
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for reporting sensor data over a communication network are provided. A data reporting instruction that identifies at least one of a sensor or a data reporting technique is received from a trust mediator over a communication network. The data reporting instruction is based at least in part on an identified risk. Sensor data is obtained from the sensor, and the sensor data is transmitted to the trust mediator over the communication network based on the data reporting technique.
US09712551B2
Methods and systems for use in architecture-centric threat modeling are described. One example system includes a display device, a memory device for storing a plurality of attributes for each of a plurality of network objects, and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory device. The processor is programmed to receive a user selection of at least a first network object and a second network object from the plurality of network objects; create a network architecture including the first network object and the second network object; associate the stored plurality of attributes with the selected network objects in the network architecture; display, on the display device, a graphical representation of the created network architecture; receive, from the user, at least one dataflow attribute associated with at least one of the first and second network objects; and store the at least one dataflow attribute to said memory device as an attribute of at least one of the plurality of network objects.
US09712545B2
Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that can be configured to determine when a peripheral is connected to the electronic device, determine a peripheral identification for the peripheral, and monitor the data going to and from the peripheral. Based on the monitored data, a type for the peripheral can be determine. The peripheral identification can be compared with the determined type for the peripheral and if they do not match, then communication to and from the peripheral can be blocked.
US09712530B2
Methods and systems described herein relate to enhancing security on a device by configuring one or more software functions in a trusted zone of a processor using object firewalls, IPC mechanisms, and/or a policy engine.
US09712529B2
The present disclosure describes a method and an apparatus for sending an authentication request message in a social network. In order to resolve the problem that there are few parameters to be relied on when a user authenticates a request seeking to establish a social network relationship with the user, the method disclosed by the present disclosure includes: a social network server that, after obtaining an authentication request message sent by a first client to a second client to request to establish a social network relationship, modifies the first client's identification information in the first authentication request message to a third client's identification information to obtain a second authentication request message. The third client has a social network relationship with the first client and also has a direct social network relationship with the second client. The second authentication request message is sent to the second client. As the third client's identification information is used as identification information of a sending party in the second authentication request message that is sent to the second client, there will be more parameters for use when the second client verifies the request to establish the social network relationship.
US09712523B2
A technique to reassign one or more stored elements of web application client state information is provided in an HTTP-based client upon receipt of an HTTP redirect in response to a request-URI. One or more stored elements associated to the request-URI are saved in or in association with the client. Upon receipt of an HTTP 301 (permanent) redirect, the client automatically reassigns (re-associates) the one or more stored elements to the redirect domain when the redirect can be verified as authentic (e.g., to originate from the application to which the client is attempting to connect).
US09712522B1
Authentication mechanisms are disclosed herein that authenticate user access to enterprises. For example, either an enterprise associated number or a social security number (SSN) can be provided to the enterprise to enter a first level. Then, any one of a ZIP code number, a device calling/contacting number, a date of birth, and a portion of the SSN can be provided to access applications in the first level. Lastly, a PIN can be provided to enter a second level of the enterprise. Additionally, these authentication mechanisms can be added and/or changed. In the former case, if a user used a SSN to enter the mentioned first level of the enterprise, then a date of birth can be used to update an authentication mechanism. Alternatively, if a user used an enterprise number to gain such access, then part of the SSN can be used for the update. If the user wants to change the authentication mechanism, the date of birth can be used for the update.
US09712520B1
Techniques for authenticating a user may be described. In particular, a network-based document may be provided to a computing system of a user. The network-based document may include code and an identifier of another network-based document. The code may be configured to, upon execution, determine whether the other network-based document was accessed prior to providing the network-based document to the computing system. The other network-based document may be accessible to the user based on an identifier of the user. An indication that the other network-based document was accessed may be determined. For example, the indication may be received from the computing system based on an execution of the code at the computing system. The user may be authenticated based on the indication.
US09712512B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for secure messaging and content sharing. In one implementation, a processor receives a content item in a first format, the content item being associated with an intended recipient, converts the content item into a second format, provides the content item, as converted into the second format, to a device associated with the intended recipient, receives, from the device associated with the intended recipient, one or more inputs in relation to a segment of the content item, processes the one or more inputs to determine that an authentication action is being performed with respect to the segment of the content item, and based on a determination that the authentication action is being performed with respect to the segment of the content item, provides an instruction to present the segment of the content item at the device associated with the intended recipient.
US09712511B2
Techniques are described for implementing a cloud computer system to facilitate communication between a computing device (e.g., a mobile computing device) and enterprise computer systems. In certain embodiments, the cloud computer system may receive, from a computing device, a request for a service provided by an enterprise computer system. The cloud computer system may determine security authentication of a user for the requested service. A security protocol may be determined for a requested enterprise computer system and a security token may be generated for the request according to the determined security protocol. The request may be sent to the requested enterprise computer system. In some embodiments, security authentication for a request to an enterprise computer system may be determined based on previous authentication. The cloud computer system may be configured to communicate with several different enterprise computer systems according to their supported protocols (e.g., communication protocol and/or security protocol).
US09712509B1
Financial security and coverage may be reviewed at a comprehensive level by evaluating an ownership status of an entity relative to multiple types of financial products. Based on results of the review, recommendations for one or more financial products may be provided. Additionally or alternatively, the recommendations and products may be ranked or prioritized. According to another aspect, the review of the entity's financial security and coverage may be represented graphically. For example, types of financial products may be represented by icons (e.g., pictograms) with various visual attributes (e.g., color, transparency, pattern, size, etc.) indicating the entity's ownership status. Potential gaps in the entity's financial coverage may be represented with a specified visual element such as a warning symbol or the like. The graphical depiction may allow an entity to better appreciate the spectrum of available financial product types and potential risks in the entity's current financial coverage profile.
US09712501B2
A system and method for the randomization of packet headers is disclosed. A controller is used to provide random values, also referred to as nonces, that replace the source and destination addresses that typically appear in a packet header. The controller also provides routing rules to the switches and routers in the network that allow these devices to properly route packets, even though the source and destination addresses are not present. In some embodiments, network devices that support software-defined networking (SDN) are employed. The number of times that a particular nonce is used may be variable. In some embodiments, a nonce is used for exactly one packet header. In this way, packets may traverse a network using nonces in place of actual source and destination addresses. Because the nonces are changed periodically, detection of traffic patterns is made significantly more difficult.
US09712500B2
A method for determining a compute amount contributed by a device is provided. The method comprises receiving encrypted data from a processor of a customer system and parsing the encrypted data into a plurality of encrypted subsets. Then, the method associates a token specific to the device with an encrypted subset of the plurality of encrypted subsets to produce a packaged subset. The packaged subset is sent to the device. In response, a processed packaged subset that includes the token is received. The compute time contributed by the device is determined from the token of the processed packaged subset.
US09712493B2
The inventive system includes a host, a network including a security gateway, and a public application. Established are an access session between the network and the host and an application session between the public application and the network. An application session record is created for the application session, and includes the user's public user identity used to access the public application, the user's private user identity used to access the network, a host identity, and an application session time. To determine the private user identity for the application session, the security gateway sends a query with the host identity and the application session time. These are compared with the host identity and access session time in an access session record, if they match, then the private user identity in the access session record is returned, and it is stored as the private user identity in the application session record.
US09712485B2
Techniques are provided for performing dynamic DNS-SD. In an embodiment, an apparatus includes one or more databases, one or more transceivers to receive a first Domain Name System (DNS) query from a first computing device, the first DNS query defining a first service discovery name space, and one or more processors in communication with each of the one or more databases and the one or more transceivers. The one or more processors generate and append a first metadata associated with the first computing device to the first DNS query. The one or more transceivers transmit the first DNS query and the first metadata to a Domain Name System (DNS) server computer, receive, from the DNS server computer, a first response responsive to the first DNS query, and relay, to the first computing device, the first response.
US09712483B1
A system for automated monitoring simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) email delays. The system comprises a data store to store message identifiers for sent emails and a first monitoring server. The first monitoring server comprises a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, builds a test email with a message identifier in a header of the email, creates an entry with the message identifier in the data store, sends the email through internal email servers to an external email system with a public distribution list (PDL), obtains average time duration for an email to be delivered, and sends an alert when the email is not received after a predefined period of time, whereby the entire delivery path of the test email is examined by sending the test email in the same email system as ordinary emails.
US09712482B2
In some aspects, control circuitry may detect a social media interaction associated with a user. Control circuitry may then identify a symbol associated with the interaction, map the symbol to first media asset metadata, and identify a set of media asset metadata. Control circuitry may further compare the identified media asset metadata to a set of attributes of the user's profile, and identifying second media asset metadata and a first field of the second media asset metadata from the set of media asset metadata that matches attributes of the set of attributes of the user's profile. Control circuitry may then search databases to identify collections of media asset for recommendation to the user by identifying media assets that include the second media asset metadata in a field corresponding to the first field. Lastly, control circuitry may perform an action to provide the user with access to the collection.
US09712476B2
A communication network encrypts a first portion of a transaction associated with point-to-point communications using a point-to-point encryption key. A second portion of the transaction associated with end-to-end communications is encrypted using an end-to-end encryption key.
US09712472B2
The automatic spawning of application in response to detected content in other communications. Such application spawning has the effect of enriching the original communication with the additional functionality of applications that accomplish and supplement the original communication. Such application spawning may be automatic, and responsive to monitoring of the content of the communication. Upon detecting that the content of the communication has satisfied summoning criteria, the application is summoned on a hardware entity associated with one or more of the participants in the communication. This may be accomplished while the communication is still ongoing.
US09712466B2
Implementations disclosed herein provide for integrating actionable objects into an on-line chat communications platform. A method is provided in which state information of a chat message session between participants of a group is determined. A selection of one of a plurality of actionable objects is received based on the state information. Each actionable object comprises a type indicator to characterize a user perceivable action associated with the actionable object. Responsive to the selection, at least one participant is associated with the actionable object. The actionable object is provided to the chat message session to be selectably executed by a client device of the participant. The providing comprises updating the state information of the chat message session in accordance with the at least one actionable object.
US09712461B2
A data caching method for an Ethernet device is provided. The method includes: receiving data frames from various Ethernet interfaces and converting the Ethernet data frames received from the Ethernet interfaces into data frames having a uniform bit width and a uniform encapsulation format; maintaining a cache address in which data has already been written and a currently idle cache address in a cache; receiving the currently idle cache address and generating a write instruction and/or a read instruction for the cache and performing a write operation and/or a read operation so as to write the data received and processed by an IPC into the currently idle cache or to read data from the cache; and performing bit conversion and format encapsulation on the data that is read according to a read request and outputting the data subjected to the bit conversion and the format encapsulation through a corresponding Ethernet interface. A data caching system for an Ethernet device is also provided. By means of the data caching method and system provided herein, the expandability and the high bandwidth storage capacity of a network switching device can be improved, a high bandwidth utilization rate is achieved, and it becomes possible to improve bandwidth utilization rate based on traffic management.
US09712460B1
Embodiments are directed towards selecting a local port number for server side connections that hash to a same processor as a matching client side flow on a multiprocessor device using Receive Side Scaling (RSS) for the disaggregation hash. A hash of a flow key is computed with an initial port number. An exclusive-or (XOR) distance is computed to a desired hash, using least significant bits. An XOR is performed on a corrected pre-computed collision value, to transform the source port number to a value that hashes correctly with other elements within the flow key. The transformed source port number may then be inserted into network packets sent to a server device, such that the transformed source port number can be used in a returning RSS hash to again select the same processor.
US09712455B1
Presented herein are techniques for resolving VxAN (VSANs and VLANs) networking connectivity, prior to server or domain migration. When UCS domains receive a workload or service profile from a UCS Central Controller, required VLANs/VSANs are checked for deployment for that UCS domain in Fabric Interconnects, and once VLANs/VSANs are successfully confirmed, the workload is deployed into one of the compute servers in that domain.
US09712453B1
Customers of shared resources in a multi-tenant environment can have token buckets allocated that have an associated depth and fill rate, with each token enabling the customer to obtain an amount of work from a shared resource. A resource management system can monitor one or more system or output metrics, and can adjust a global fill rate based at least in part upon values of the monitored metrics. Such an approach can provide a fair distribution of work among the customers, while ensuring that the metrics stay within acceptable ranges and there are no drastic changes in performance levels of the system. The fill rate can update dynamically with changes in the monitored parameters, such that the system can float near an equilibrium point. Commitments for specific minimum service levels also can be met.
US09712445B2
The disclosed embodiments include system and method for routing communications over a communications network. In one embodiment, a determination is made as to whether to establish a communication along a communication path based on network performance information. The disclosed embodiments provide several alternatives for establishing the communication and improving communications along the communication path in response to a determination that at least one network node along the communication path is impaired or congested.
US09712444B1
A method for providing quality of service includes identifying a high network traffic event at a node, providing a user score to each user account of a plurality of user accounts, wherein the plurality of user accounts corresponds to a plurality of user devices connected to the node, and responsive to identifying the high network traffic event, providing instructions to a subset of user devices of the plurality of user devices, wherein the instructions instruct the subset of devices to enter a low traffic mode, and wherein each device of the subset of devices corresponds to a user account with a user score below a threshold. A computer program product and computer system corresponding to the above method are also disclosed herein.
US09712439B2
A packet processing block. The block comprises an input for receiving data in a packet header vector, the vector comprising data values representing information for a packet. The block also comprises circuitry for performing packet match operations in response to at least a portion of the packet header vector and data stored in a match table, and circuitry for performing one or more actions in response to a match detected by the circuitry for performing packet match operations and according to information stored in an action table. Each of said match table and said action table comprise one or more memories selected from a pool of unit memories, wherein each memory in the pool of unit memories is configurable to operate as either a match memory or an action memory.
US09712438B2
Routing messages between virtual networks using a mapping of virtual addresses from one virtual network to a virtual address of the other virtual network. Each virtual network has a valid set of virtual addresses, some of which being assigned to virtual nodes within the corresponding network. When a virtual network identifies a message to be sent, it identifies a destination for the message. Some destinations may be within the same virtual network and thus may be routed to virtual nodes within the virtual network. Other destinations may instead be mapped to a virtual address of another virtual network. In that case, routing information may also be obtained and the message may be dispatched to the virtual address of the other virtual network. This may be performed without the need for a gateway, which publishes a public address that is globally unique.
US09712435B2
In general, a cloud-based services exchange (or “cloud exchange”) for interconnecting multiple cloud service providers with multiple cloud service customers is described. The cloud exchange may enable cloud customers to bypass the public Internet to directly connect to cloud services providers so as to improve performance, reduce costs, increase the security and privacy of the connections, and leverage cloud computing for additional applications. In this way, enterprises, network carriers, and SaaS customers, for instance, can integrate cloud services with their internal applications as if such services are part of or otherwise directly coupled to their own data center network.
US09712429B1
In distributed object computing, messages from a source node to a destination node are often required to be routed via one or more intermediate nodes. In order to enhance efficiency of the relay process, a message envelope of a message may include a node list field that specifies the routing path of the message. The communication protocol for communicating the message may specify that when a message is received into a particular node, the node analyzes the node list field. If the identity of the node is last in the node list field, then the node is the destination node and thus the node unmarshals the message. Otherwise, the node forwards the message to the next node in the field list without unmarshalling the message.
US09712427B1
A system and method for checking a current load on at least one virtual endpoint of a path assigned to a virtual connection that represents communication between a client and server over a fiber channel network using Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) communication. The method further includes selecting an alternate path between the client and serve over the fiber channel network, migrating a virtual connection to the selected alternate path, and messaging the client to utilize the selected alternate path using SCSI over the fiber channel network.
US09712421B2
A system and method for subscriber aware network monitoring is provided. The method includes: determining subscriber and session data, wherein the subscriber has a non-unique IP (Internet Protocol) address; retrieving identifying data from a packet; and comparing the identifying data with the determined subscriber and session data to determine the subscriber associated with the packet. The system includes: at least one network probe configured to determine subscriber and session data, wherein the subscriber has a non-unique Internet Protocol (IP) address; at least one traffic probe configured to retrieve identifying data from a packet; and a processing module configured to compare the identifying data with the stored subscriber and session data to determine the subscriber associated with the packet.
US09712417B2
Methods and systems for collision control during delay measurements in optical transport networks include scheduling delay measurements in time slices of a time window. At most, one delay measurement per time slice is scheduled and performed for each optical data unit (ODU) in an optical transport network (OTN).
US09712414B2
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, disclosed is a method and an apparatus thereof for selecting a packet loss concealment procedure for a lost audio frame of a received audio signal. A method for selecting a packet loss concealment procedure comprises detecting an audio type of a received audio frame and determining a packet loss concealment procedure based on the audio type. In the method, detecting an audio type comprises determining a stability of a spectral envelope of signals of received audio frames.
US09712412B2
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a request for content from a source in a network; determining a geographic service region for the source; determining a status of a plurality of content delivery networks in the service region. The status is indicative of at least whether each of the plurality of content delivery networks is active or impaired. The method can also include selecting a particular one of the content delivery networks having a corresponding status as active to service the request for content.
US09712409B2
The agile information technology infrastructure management system and related methods and processes provide a solution with the required flexibility to effectively and efficiently monitor and manage a wide-variety of disparate information technology and network infrastructure deployed in businesses and enterprises throughout a region or the world.
US09712406B2
A network device test station (“TS”) is capable of simultaneously testing and verifying a group of routers and/or switches at the same time. The TS includes a user interface (“UI”), a test bed engine, and a TS manager. The UI facilitates interactive communication between TS and user via an interactive graphical representations showing, for example, test configurations and test results. The test bed engine uses a set of test beds to conduct tests on attached devices or routers which are also known as device under tests (“DUTs”) or unit under tests (“UUTs”). The TS manager is configured to provide a test environment with one or more emulated communication networks for verifying functionalities of every DUT.
US09712405B2
Methods and systems provide integrated reporting for analytics. A flexible solution may be provided via an integrated delivered reporting model for various deployment scenarios. A customer landscape can vary, e.g., including an on-premise product, an on-demand product, or a combination thereof. The products may originate from more than one vendor. A report may be generated based on a virtual data model (VDM) and be compatible with a variety of scenarios and views for cross-reporting. A report may be generated for various deployment scenarios. A report may be generated for data stored in a relational storage apparatus (e.g., a database) with data structure(s) reflected in a corresponding VDM. Methods and systems provide automatic deployment of VDM parts into different storage apparatus/schema and automatic set up of relevant mapping, e.g., schema mapping.
US09712401B2
Disclosed are systems, computer-readable mediums, and methods for receiving client quality of service values associated with a first client. Client metrics of a volume in a storage system are determined for the first client. The client metrics reflect usage of the storage system by the first client. A client load value based is determined upon the client metrics. A quality of service management policy for the first client is determined from a plurality of quality of service management policies based upon the client load value. Each quality of service management policy comprises a formula based on a quality of service parameter. A client target performance value is determined based upon the formula of the quality of service management policy and the received client quality of service values. Performance of the storage system is adjusted for the first client based upon the client target performance value.
US09712389B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a detector apparatus for detecting a physical resource employed in providing a particular virtual resource in a computer network, the computer network including a plurality of physical resources each being operable to be employed in providing virtual resources and having an environment sensor outputting sensor data representing changes in an operating property of the physical resource. A detector apparatus embodying the present invention comprises a sensor data receptor operable to receive sensor data output by the environment sensors, a pattern extractor operable to extract a pattern from the received sensor data from a physical resource, and a pattern matcher, wherein the pattern matcher is operable to compare the extracted pattern with a unique pattern known to be generated by a particular virtual resource, and to detect that the physical resource is employed in providing the particular virtual resource when a match is found.
US09712384B2
A mobile data network supports making subscriber data addressable as devices in a mobile data network. Each data chunk is assigned a device address in the mobile data network. The data chunk can then be addresses as a device in the mobile data network. A first implementation allows accessing data in existing mobile data networks by sending a text message to the device address of the data chunk. When the data chunk receives a text message, it responds with one or more text messages that deliver the data in the data chunk to the sender who sent the text message. A second implementation includes a subscriber data mechanism in the mobile data network that supports tracking, transfer and management of subscriber data in the mobile data network. Making subscriber data addressable as a device simplifies data-centric communication in a mobile data network.
US09712373B1
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to memories used in server applications. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a server that has memory management module that is connected to the processor using one or more DDR channels. The memory management module is configured to provide the processor local access and network access to memories on a network. There are other embodiments as well.
US09712367B2
A method of implementing Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) for radio communications in general and LTE in particular. Common prior art so far recreate the vorticity (axial rotation of the Poynting vector) by using ring-shaped antenna arrays. This application proposes to create the vorticity in signal processing without the need of any space diversity (i.e. work with a single antenna). An Hilbert transform is applied in frequency domain to the Fourier transform of the analytical representation of a band-limited OFDM signal. The Hilbert transform is then approximated by a development in series into orthogonal twisted modes. This can be seen as an inverse Fourier transform of the complex analytical signal. Therefore an OAM IFFT based transmitter is proposed where parallel IFFTs are performed for each OAM mode and superimposed.
US09712351B2
An apparatus and method are provided to adaptively set a threshold to detect a transmission symbol. The apparatus and method calculate detection parameters to determine the threshold to detect the transmission symbol based on probability distribution parameters, which determine a statistical probability distribution of an input signal. The apparatus and method adaptively detect a present transmission symbol using a previously detected transmission symbol and the detection parameters.
US09712349B1
A system and method for Feed Forward. Equalizer (FFE)-Aided Clock Data Recovery (CDR) to calibrate phase offset and enhance gain in baud rate sampling phase detector is provided. In an embodiment, a clock data recovery (CDR) apparatus includes an incremental feed forward equalizer (INC-FFE) in a CDR path and a calibration component in an equalization path, the calibration component connected to the INC-FFE, the calibration component configured to adjust FFE coefficients for the INC-FFE according to a phase code (PC) index in a PC index table and one of a signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) and a bit error rate (BER) of a sampled signal, wherein the PC index table comprises adjustment values for the FFE coefficients, and wherein the PC index is linearly related to a sampling phase.
US09712345B2
A communication device and method of controlling the same are provided. A communication device includes a transceiver that receives a radio signal and a processor electrically connected to the transceiver, and is configured to store a data signal including data received through the radio signal in a first buffer according to a first delay period, store a channel signal including channel estimation information on a transmission channel of the radio signal in a second buffer according to a second delay period, determines a coefficient of a low pass filter and a group delay related to the low pass filter based on information related to the radio signal, and output at least one of the channel signals stored in the second buffer based on the determined group delay and the first delay period to perform equalizing.
US09712338B2
A communication system is provide which includes a plurality of communication units connected to a communication line, in which collisions occur between dominant signals outputted from the communication units on the communication line. At least one of the communication units includes a first driver which is set so that a variation of voltage applied to the communication line in transmission of the dominant signal with respect to that in absence of transmission of the dominant signal is smaller than a variation of voltage applied from another of the communication units to the communication line in transmission of the dominant signal. One of the communication units, which differs from the communication unit including the first driver, includes a second driver which limits variation per unit time of current flowing through the communication line in transmission of the dominant signal.
US09712337B2
Methods and apparatus for implementing Power over Ethernet (PoE) for auxiliary power in computer systems. Under aspects of the methods, one or more voltage inputs comprising standard power input is employed by a power control component in a network interface in an apparatus such as a network adaptor board, a System on a Chip (SoC), computer server or server blade to supply power to a network controller on the apparatus when the apparatus is operating at a normal power state. To enable the apparatus to maintain network communication when operating at a reduced power state, a PoE power input derived from at least one PoE signal received at at least one Ethernet jack of the apparatus is employed to provide power to the network controller absent use or availability of the standard power input. Accordingly, the PoE power input facilitates an auxiliary power function that may be used alone or in combination with existing (as applicable) auxiliary power input when apparatus are operated in reduced power states.
US09712333B2
Systems and technologies for providing an electronic bilateral chat room are disclosed. Users of the system may be screened against a database of organizations having hierarchal information relating to parent organization for which the user is associated, including parent subsidiaries, joint ventures and affiliates. While a bilateral chat room is limited to users in only two organizations, the present disclosure also allows other users that are associated with the structure of the parent organization to be included in the chat room.
US09712331B1
Various systems and methods for providing a policy realization framework for a communications network are disclosed. The policy realization framework can be an application and service layer policy framework that is separate and distinct from the network layer policy framework. As such, policy decisions can be made remote from the network layer, and common policies across multiple networks are possible. Methods and systems for providing these and other features are disclosed. A policy intelligence rules system for a policy realization framework, and methods of implementing a policy intelligence rules system, are also disclosed.
US09712330B2
In some examples, a first delay path and a second delay path may each be configured to receive a signal as an input signal at the same time, propagate the input a plurality of MRAM cells, and output the propagated input signal for an arbiter. The arbiter may be configured to output a response value based at least in part on a relative order of arrival of the propagated input signals from the first and second delay paths.
US09712324B2
Embodiments of a method and apparatus for reducing or eliminating unauthorized access to secured files are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the method includes establishing a connection between a communication portion of the secured file and an authentication agent. The method may include requesting a decryption key from the authentication agent for accessing the secured file on a first computing device. The decryption key may be based on device information retrieved from devices in an authenticated environment of devices. The authenticated environment may be an environment in which the secured the was encrypted. The method may include destroying the secured file subsequent to receiving a message indicating that the requesting has failed.
US09712320B1
Techniques are provided for delegating evaluation of pseudorandom functions to a proxy. A delegator delegates evaluation of a pseudorandom function to a proxy, by providing a trapdoor τ to the proxy based on a secret key k and a predicate P using an algorithm T, wherein the predicate P defines a plurality of values for which the proxy will evaluate the pseudorandom function, wherein the plurality of values comprise a subset of a larger domain of values, and wherein the trapdoor τ provides an indication to the proxy of the plurality of values. A proxy evaluates a pseudorandom function delegated by a delegator by receiving a trapdoor τ from the delegator that provides an indication of a plurality of values to be evaluated, wherein the plurality of values comprise a subset of a larger domain of values; and evaluating an algorithm C on the trapdoor τ to obtain the pseudorandom function value for each of the plurality of values. The trapdoor τ can be provided to the proxy using a Gordreich, Goldwasser, Micali (GGM) binary tree representation.
US09712313B2
A system for multi-peak filter-based analog self-interference cancellation includes a transmit coupler that samples the analog transmit signal to create a sampled analog transmit signal; an analog self-interference canceller, using multi-peak filters, that generates an analog self-interference cancellation signal; and a receive coupler that combines the analog self-interference cancellation signal with the analog receive signal.
US09712310B2
An embodiment method for network communications includes receiving, by a network device, a plurality of channel quality indicator (CQI) symbols and one or more acknowledgement (ACK) symbols and selecting a reduced set of candidate CQI symbols by comparing a plurality of candidate CQI symbols with the plurality of CQI symbols. The method further includes generating a plurality of candidate CQI and ACK symbol combinations by combining the reduced set of candidate CQI symbols with candidate ACK symbols. The network device detects the plurality of CQI symbols and the one or more ACK symbols by comparing the plurality of candidate CQI and ACK symbol combinations with the plurality of CQI symbols and the one or more ACK symbols.
US09712307B2
A method for receiving system information via a broadcast control channel (BCCH) to which a broadcast channel (BCH) and a downlink shared channel (DL_SCH) are mapped, the method including receiving, by a user equipment (UE), a block of first system information from a base station via the BCH, and receiving, by the UE, a first block of second system information from the base station via the DL_SCH. The first block of second system information is scheduled with a fixed time offset. The method further includes receiving, by the UE, a plurality of second blocks of second system information from the base station via the DL_SCH.
US09712300B2
A method includes causing first reference information associated with a first cell or carrier and second reference information associated with a second cell or carrier to be sent to a first destination in a first time interval and causing at least third reference information associated with a third cell or carrier to be sent to a second destination in a different time interval.
US09712299B2
A Method of scrambling reference signals, device and user equipment using the method are provided. In the method, a plurality of layers of reference signals assigned on predetermined radio resource of a plurality of layers of resource blocks with the same time and frequency resources are scrambled, the method comprising: an orthogonalizing step of multiplying each layer of reference signal selectively by one of a plurality of orthogonal cover codes (OCCs) with the same length wherein the OCC multiplied to a first layer of reference signal can be configured as different from those multiplied to other layers of reference signals; and a scrambling step of multiplying all of symbols obtained from the OCC multiplied to each of the other layers of reference signals by a symbol-common scrambling sequence wherein the symbol-common scrambling sequences can be different from each other for reference signals multiplied by the same OCC.
US09712292B2
An apparatus for transmitting a broadcast signal according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: an encoder for encoding data pipe (DP) data corresponding to a DP which transmits at least one broadcast service or broadcast service component; a mapper for mapping the encoded DP data on a constellation; a time interleaver for time-interleaving the mapped DP data; a frame builder for generating at least one signal frame builder for generating at least one signal frame including the time-interleaved DP data; a pilot inserting unit for inserting signal frame, according to at least one pilot pattern; an OFDM modulator for OFDM-modulating the at least one generated signal frame using OFDM parameters; and a transmitter for transmitting at least one broadcast signal including the at least one modulated signal frame.
US09712280B2
A transmitter apparatus wherein a simple structure is used to successfully suppress the degradation of error rate performance that otherwise would be caused by fading or the like. There are included encoding parts that encode transport data; a mapping part that performs such a mapping that encoded data sequentially formed by the encoding parts are not successively included in the same symbol, thereby forming data symbols; and a symbol interleaver that interleaves the data symbols. In this way, a low computational complexity can be used to perform an interleaving process equivalent to a bit interleaving process to effectively improve the reception quality at a receiving end.
US09712276B2
In a communication device, a multi-carrier signal with at least one group of signal carriers is received from a communication connection. For each of the signal carriers, at least one individual error value is evaluated or generated. From the individual error values, a combined error value is evaluated or generated. The combined error value is transmitted on a backchannel of the communication connection.
US09712270B2
Networks, network devices and methods of synchronization using transfer of synchronization packets are provided. Some network devices are configured to use either a timing reference extracted based on GPS signals or an imported timing reference, as an operative time reference. A network device from which to import the time reference is selected and may be updated to meet a selection rule related to the quality of receiving the transfer of synchronization packets.
US09712268B2
In a group level control section, a largest output level among those in channels belonging to a relevant group is selected automatically as a group level. By operating a control part of a channel level control section displayed on a basic screen, an output level of an input channel corresponding to the operated channel level control section can be controlled. Further, by operating a control part of a group level control section, output levels of the input channels belonging to the group can be collectively controlled with difference in levels among the input channels being maintained.
US09712257B1
An apparatus, and method therefor, relates generally to a transmitter. In such an apparatus, a decoder is configured to receive a data input and control signals and to generate state signals responsive to a control signal of the control signals and data polarity the data input. Select circuitry is configured to receive coded signals to replace the data input with a pull-up code and a pull-down code of the coded signals responsive to the state signals and the control signals for propagation of the pull-up code and the pull-down code in place of the data input.
US09712247B2
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving an optical input signal to be modulated by an IQ modulator. The method includes applying data to first and second modulators during a first operation, and applying a first pattern of data to the first modulator and a second pattern of data to the second modulator during a second operation. The second operation results in an optical output signal of the IQ modulator having a low power output and a high power output. The first and second patterns are defined to provide respective desired average powers for a predefined time period based on the low and high power outputs. In another embodiment, a method includes indentifying a transmitter in an optical system by low bit rate signaling. Low bit rate signaling includes receiving an optical input signal from an optical source and transmitting identification data of the transmitter.
US09712242B2
An optical network is suggested, comprising a first set of optical fibers, a multimode multiplexer, a multimode amplifier, a multimode demultiplexer, and a second set of optical fibers, wherein the first set of optical fibers is connected via the multimode multiplexer to the multimode amplifier and wherein the multimode amplifier is connected via the multimode demultiplexer to the second set of optical fibers. Accordingly, an optical network element is provided.
US09712239B2
A multiplexed optical communication system comprising a carrier optical fiber, a plurality of launching light sources, and a matching plurality of multiplexer/demultiplexers and photodetectors is described and claimed. Optical communication channel separation by Spatial Domain Multiplexing (SDM), Optical Angular Momentum (OAM) multiplexing, and Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) is used in combination to achieve significant increase in optical communication channel bandwidth over the prior art. The launching light sources may be positioned such that the light beams are incident on the receiving end of the carrier optical fiber at desired angles including complementary angles. Crosstalk between optical communication channels is minimal. The communication bandwidth of a TDM system may be increased by an order of magnitude due the layered WDM/SDM/OAM data multiplexing of the invention.
US09712235B2
A data communication system comprises a wave-front multiplexer configured to wave-front multiplex first electronic signals into second electronic signals. The data communication system further comprises an electronic-to-optical converter configured to convert a third electronic signal carrying information associated with the second electronic signals into a first optical signal; and an optical transferring module configured to split the first optical signal into second optical signals, wherein each of the second optical signals carries the same data as the first optical signal carries. The data communication system further comprises optical-to-electronic converters configured to convert the second optical signals into fourth electronic signals; and wave-front demultiplexers each configured to wave-front demultiplex one of the fourth electronic signals into fifth electronic signals equivalent to the first electronic signals respectively.
US09712234B1
A visible light communication system identifies the location of a mobile device using light intensities corrected by mobile device orientation. This location can be used to generate a dynamic cluster of visible light transmitters about the mobile device providing improved “handoff” between transmitters and reduced shadowing.
US09712228B2
Systems and methods configured to form and point beams from one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) toward a target coverage area on the ground. One embodiment describes dividing the target coverage area on the ground among multiple UAVs when each UAV antenna system generates static beams. Another embodiment describes dividing the target coverage area on the ground among multiple UAVs when their antenna systems are capable of dynamically steering their respective beams. Another set of embodiments describe systems and method to allow multiple UAVs to provide service in the same area on the ground using the same spectrum.
US09712227B2
A radio frequency (“RF”) repeater system can receive, from a connected home device, an original RF signal that is unable to propagate through an object. The RF repeater system can demodulate the original RF signal to extract a data stream that includes data captured by the connected home device, can change an original data rate of the data stream to a new data rate that matches an ultrasonic frequency capable of propagating through the object thereby creating an ultrasonic data stream, can transmit, by a first surface transducer, the ultrasonic data stream through the object to a second surface transducer, can receive, by the second surface transducer, the ultrasonic data stream, can change the data stream from the new data rate back to the original data rate, can modulate the data stream to create a new RF signal, and can transmit the new RF signal towards the destination.
US09712210B2
A method and system supply energy to at least one mobile component in a wireless communications system, in particular to RFID tags of an RFID system. In the method for supplying energy to at least one mobile component in a wireless communications system with two or more base stations, coherent electromagnetic waves are transmitted by at least two of the base stations. In the system of base stations of a wireless communications system, at least two of the base stations are designed for transmitting coherent electromagnetic waves.
US09712196B2
Aspects of this disclosure relate to a tunable notch filter. In an embodiment, a tunable notch filter includes a series LC circuit in parallel with a tunable impedance circuit, and the tunable notch filter is in a radio frequency signal path associated with a common port of a multi-throw radio frequency switch. According to certain embodiments, the tunable notch filter can be in a radio frequency signal path between an antenna switch and an antenna port.
US09712194B2
A receiver arranged to receive and to suppress a distortion in a receive signal, the receive signal comprising an information signal, the information signal occupying a first frequency band, the receive signal further comprising a pilot signal, the pilot signal occupying a second frequency band different from the first frequency band, the receiver comprising a pilot removal device arranged to receive a processed receive signal, and to extract and process the processed pilot signal from the processed receive signal as a processed extracted pilot signal, and to combine the processed extracted pilot signal with the processed receive signal to generate a distortion suppressed receive signal.
US09712191B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus (200) for feeding an antenna array (207) comprising at least first and second antenna elements (2071, 2072). The apparatus comprises a first transmitting element (2011) configured to receive a first base band signal (202-i) and to feed a first feed signal (2041) to a first antenna element (2071), the first transmitting element (2011) comprising a first power amplifier (2031). The apparatus also comprises a second transmitting element (2012) configured to receive a second base band signal (2022) and to feed a second feed signal (2042) to a second antenna element (2072), the second transmitting element (2012) comprising a second power amplifier (2032). A tapering control unit (205) is adapted to provide a tapering function between the first feed signal to the first antenna element and the second feed signal to the second antenna element.
US09712183B2
A current source device having a current source array includes a plurality of current source units, a plurality of least significant bits, and a plurality of most significant bits. The current source units are arranged along a plurality rows and columns of a current source array. Each of the least significant bits includes a first amount of current source units is placed at the geometric center of the current source array. Each of the most significant bits includes a second amount of current source units. The second amount is the first amount multiplied by a positive integer. The two adjacent bits in the most significant bits are centrally symmetrical to the geometric center.
US09712182B1
A digital to analog conversion circuit, DAC, comprises a number of serializing lanes, each serializing lane comprising at least two bit inputs, and each serializing lane being configured to output the two bit inputs serially via a serialized output port at a predetermined first clock rate. The DAC further comprises a number of non-serializing lanes, each non-serializing lane comprising at least two bit inputs and each non-serializing lane being configured to output the two bit inputs in parallel each via a separate parallel output port, at a second clock rate, which is half the clock rate of the first clock rate, and a current switching network comprising a bit input port for every one of the serialized output ports and for every one of the parallel output ports and being configured to produce a output current, based on the signals received via the bit input ports.
US09712173B2
A semiconductor device detects an edge of input data input into a data retention circuit to which a clock signal is supplied, resets a first count value obtained by counting an edge detection frequency with a clock signal, resets a second count value obtained by counting the edge detection frequency with an inverted clock signal, and thereby detects an abnormality of the clock signal in accordance with a situation that either of the first count value and the second count value has reached a value indicative of an overflow state.
US09712167B2
Described is an apparatus which comprises: a first node to provide an un-gated power supply; a second node to provide a threshold dependent supply; an inverter with an input and an output, the inverter coupled to the first and second nodes, the inverter to receive the un-gated power supply at its power supply node, and to receive the threshold dependent supply for supplying ground supply at its ground node; and a transistor with its gate terminal coupled to the output of the inverter, the transistor to provide gated power supply to one or more logic units.
US09712150B2
A method and an arrangement of limiting temperature variations in a semiconductor component of a switching converter, the method comprising determining a quantity relating to operation temperature of the switching converter, determining temperature of the semiconductor component, selecting a maximum value of switching frequency of the switching converter based on the determined quantity relating to operation temperature of the switching converter and the temperature of the semiconductor component, and limiting the switching frequency of the semiconductor component of the switching converter to the selected switching frequency.
US09712147B2
Disclosed is a method and a drive circuit. The method includes measuring a frequency of an input signal received by a drive circuit and driving a transistor device by the drive circuit based on the input signal such that a switching speed of the transistor is dependent on the measured frequency. The drive circuit is configured to receive an input signal, to measure a frequency of the input signal, and to drive a transistor device based on the input signal such that a switching speed of the transistor is dependent on the measured frequency.
US09712145B2
A delay line circuit includes a plurality of delay circuits and a variable delay line circuit. The plurality of delay circuits receives an input signal and to generate a first output signal. The first output signal corresponds to a delayed input signal or an inverted input signal. The variable delay line circuit receives the first output signal. The variable delay line circuit includes an input end, an output end, a first and a second path. The input end is configured to receive the first output signal. The output end is configured to output a second output signal. The first path includes a first plurality of inverters and a first circuit. The second path includes a second plurality of inverters and a second circuit. The received first output signal is selectively transmitted through the first or second path based on a control signal received from a delay line controller.
US09712143B2
A system includes a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to generate an output signal based on an input voltage and a multi-stage delay network to receive the output signal from the VCO. Each stage of the delay network produces a phase-shifted output signal. The system includes a multi-stage digital-to-analog converter (DAC) network, where each stage of the DAC network is associated with a corresponding stage of the delay network. Each stage of the DAC network receives the phase-shifted output signal from its corresponding stage of the delay network and generates a weighted output signal based on the received phase-shifted output signal. The DAC network combines the weighted output signal of each stage. A weighting factor for each stage of the DAC network is selected to reduce harmonic content of the combination of weighted output signals.
US09712141B2
Embodiments relate to modulating a power supply voltage for varying a propagation delay of data paths within an integrated circuit. The power supply voltage is modulated to increase the delay of shorter data paths for reducing an incidence of hold time violations without substantially affecting the delay of longer data paths. For example, the power supply voltage is reduced from a nominal value in the first half clock cycle to increase delay of both the shorter data paths and the longer data paths. The power supply voltage is increased from the nominal value in the second half clock cycle to decrease delay of the longer data paths within the second half clock cycle such that the overall delay of the longer data paths is virtually same as when the power supply voltage is fixed at the nominal value for the entire clock cycle.
US09712140B1
A tunable multi-path filter, a method for filtering a radio frequency signal with the tunable multi-path filter, and a communication device including the tunable multi-path filter. In one embodiment, the tunable multi-path filter includes a voltage controlled current source, an oscillator source, and at least two filter paths. The voltage controlled current source for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal and generating a current signal. The oscillator source for generating a tunable clock signal. Each of the at least two filter paths are coupled to the voltage controlled current source and the oscillator source, and are configured to generate an output voltage signal based at least in part on the current signal and the tunable clock signal. In some embodiments, the tunable multi-path filter further includes a carrier signal rejection component that is configured to reduce the carrier feedthrough in the output voltage signals.
US09712139B2
An elastic wave filter device includes serial and parallel arms and a plurality of elastic wave resonators. Each elastic wave resonator includes an IDT electrode. In the case where a direction in which electrode fingers extend is taken as a width direction of the IDT electrode, the IDT electrode includes a central area at a center in the width direction, a low acoustic velocity area at an outer side portion of the central area, and a high velocity area at a farther outer side portion thereof. A width of the low acoustic velocity area of at least one elastic wave resonator differs from a width of the low acoustic velocity area of the other elastic wave resonators.
US09712126B2
Automatically calibrating operational amplifier (op-amp) systems for mitigating effects of offset voltages are disclosed. In one aspect, an automatically calibrating op-amp system is provided that employs an analog calibration signal corresponding to a calibration mode to compensate an output voltage signal of an op-amp corresponding to an amplify mode. An automatic calibration circuit is included that employs a successive approximation register (SAR) controller configured to successively generate digital values based on the output voltage signal of the op-amp in response to a mode signal indicating the calibration mode. The automatic calibration circuit includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to convert each successive digital value into the analog calibration signal in response to the mode signal indicating the calibration mode. The analog calibration signal is provided to an auxiliary differential input of the op-amp to compensate for the composite offset voltage in the amplify mode.
US09712122B2
A distortion compensation apparatus that compensates for distortion of an amplifier is provided. The distortion compensation apparatus includes: a distortion compensation processing section that performs a predistortion process for a signal provided to the amplifier, based on an amplifier model of the amplifier, and outputs a compensated signal; an estimation section that estimates the amplifier model; and a filter. The estimation section estimates the amplifier model, based on the compensated signal and a monitor signal obtained by monitoring an output of the amplifier. The monitor band of the monitor signal provided to the estimation section is narrower than a frequency band of the compensated signal. The filter is provided so as to eliminate an influence of a signal component outside the monitor band among signal components of the compensated signal, on the estimation of the amplifier model by the estimation section.
US09712121B2
This disclosure provides a circuit for linearizing an output signal Sout produced by a non-linear component based on an input signal x(n). The circuit comprises a primary pre-distorter module configured to generate a pre-distorted signal y(n) based on the input signal x(n) and a primary pre-distortion function parameterized by a pre-distortion parameter λ and to feed the pre-distorted signal y(n) to the non-linear component. The circuit comprises an estimation module. The estimation module is configured to receive samples z(n) of the output signal Sout, and to determine the pre-distortion parameter λ. The estimation module comprises a secondary pre-distorter module configured to generate a secondary pre-distorter output signal r(n) based on a secondary pre-distortion function and the samples z(n) of the output signal Sout. The secondary pre-distorter module is configured to determine the pre-distortion parameter λ based on a previously determined pre-distortion parameter stored on a data storage, the secondary pre-distorter output signal r(n) and the pre-distorted signal y(n) provided by the primary pre-distorted module. The determining comprises correlating the input signal x(n) with an error signal between the pre-distorted signal y(n) and the secondary pre-distorter output signal r(n).
US09712119B2
Doherty power amplifier with tunable input network. An input network for a Doherty power amplifier can include a splitter circuit configured to receive a radio-frequency (RF) signal and split the RF signal into a first portion along a first path to a carrier amplifier of the Doherty power amplifier and a second portion along a second path to a peaking amplifier of the Doherty power amplifier. The input network can further include a tunable input circuit implemented along either or both of the first path and second path. The tunable input circuit can be configured to provide control of the amplitude and phase of either or both of the first portion and second portion.
US09712115B2
A current-mode power amplifier is disclosed. In some embodiments, the power amplifier may include a first cascode transistor pair including a first transfer function coupled to a second cascode transistor pair including a second transfer function. The first transfer function may be an inverse of the second transfer function. The current-mode power amplifier may also include an inductive-capacitive (LC) resonant circuit to reduce the effects of gate capacitances of the first cascode transistor pair and the second cascode transistor pair. In some embodiments, the current-mode power amplifier may include a bias current controller. The bias current controller may adjust transistor bias currents based, at least in part, on an input signal received by the current-mode power amplifier.
US09712104B2
A control method of over-temperature protection, a driver chip and a control system of over-temperature protection are disclosed. The control method includes the following steps: a driver chip provides an output voltage to drive a DC fan. A temperature of the driver chip is detected by an over-temperature detection module. When the temperature of the driver chip is higher than a first threshold value, the power supplying to the driver chip is stopped, so that the driver chip can cool down. After the temperature of the driver chip is lower than a second threshold value, the driver chip is restarted. A preset voltage is provided to the DC fan by the driver chip and the DC fan rotates at a preset rotational speed which is higher than the rotational speed.
US09712103B2
The controller for an actuator that is driven by a brushless motor estimates the temperature of the magnet in the brushless motor on the basis of an electric current value and a rotation speed thereof which are obtained by supplying power to rotate the brushless motor in a reverse direction, and limits current flowing through the brushless motor during forward rotation so as to prevent the magnet temperature from rising beyond an allowable maximum temperature. Limiting the current flowing through the brushless motor on the basis of the estimated magnet temperature makes it possible to drive the brushless motor while preventing the magnet temperature from rising beyond the allowable maximum temperature without providing the brushless motor with any temperature sensor for detecting the magnet temperature therein.
US09712094B2
A floating power generator having a water wheel and electrical generator. The floating power generator can comprise a variable speed drive.
US09712088B2
A control method and system of an electrical vacuum pump is provide to resolve generation of peak current when a motor of the electrical vacuum pump initially starts and implement a soft start. The electrical vacuum pump generates vacuum by suctioning air by rotating a pump with a motor. The control method includes starting the motor by supplying a power supply to the motor to switch on the electrical vacuum pump and sensing current applied to the motor using a current sensing circuit. In addition, the method includes determining a target value of motor input voltage set as a value according to the sensed applied current while starting the motor until the sensed applied current reaches a predetermined current and adjusted the motor input voltage applied to the motor to correspond to the target value.
US09712087B2
A piezoelectric element drive circuit includes a piezoelectric element that has a piezoelectric substance whose thickness is 0.05μ to 20 μm and two electrodes which interpose the piezoelectric substance therebetween, an inductor that is connected to the piezoelectric element in parallel, and a drive voltage generation circuit that applies a drive voltage including an AC component to the piezoelectric element and the inductor.
US09712081B2
A power converter includes inverters, AC sides of the inverters being connected in parallel, and a controller configured to control total output power of the inverters by controlling output power of at least one of the inverters in a control cycle shorter than a shortest communication cycle which allows communication with each of the inverters.
US09712078B2
The present disclosure relates to a synchronous rectification circuit adapted to an electronic transformer. Operation states of four transistor switches in the synchronous rectification circuit are adjusted in accordance with a detected input voltage signal of the synchronous rectification circuit to achieve synchronous rectification. Moreover, the transistor switches in a rectifier bridge and a switching control circuit are all integrated into a single chip to have an increased integration level, a reduced chip size, and high efficiency. The present disclosure also relates to a switching power supply comprising the above synchronous rectification circuit.
US09712076B2
A plurality of capacitors are interposed between ones of a plurality of input lines. The clamp capacitor is connected between two DC power supply lines. A current-source converter includes a plurality of switch devices, where x represents r, s and t. The switch device selects conduction/non-conduction through a first diode between corresponding one of the input lines and the first DC power supply line and conduction/non-conduction through a second diode between said corresponding one of input lines and the second DC power supply line based on external signals and brings corresponding one of the input lines with the first and second DC power supply lines in a state of not receiving the signals.
US09712075B2
A method of controlling a single-phase voltage source AC/DC converting circuit has internal equivalent impedance as seen from an AC terminal, for converting power from a DC voltage source connected to a DC terminal to single-phase AC power or for converting single-phase AC power from a single-phase AC source connected to the AC terminal to DC power in accordance with a pulse width of a gate signal generated based on a PWM command.
US09712063B2
A method for improving a power converter's efficiency comprises detecting an input voltage of a power converter, determining an operation mode of the power converter based upon the input voltage of the power converter and generating a plurality of gate drive signals based upon a damped gain control, wherein the damped gain control is configured such that an output voltage of the power converter is in a range from a tightly regulated output voltage to an unregulated output voltage.
US09712060B2
A method manages hysteretic DC-DC buck converters each including a hysteretic comparator operating according to a respective hysteresis window. The method includes, in a given converter, verifying if a respective feedback voltage reaches a lower threshold in order to enter a switch-on period of the converter, The method comprises: while the verifying indicates that the lower threshold is not reached, detecting if another converter has entered a respective switch on period and, in the affirmative, entering a hysteresis voltage adjustment procedure, include increasing by a given amount the amplitude of the hysteresis window of the given converter by reducing the lower threshold of the hysteresis window.
US09712050B2
A power converter is disclosed. The power converter includes a resonant half-bridge having a first power switch and a second power switch for driving a resonant circuit of the resonant half-bridge. The power converter further includes a charge pump coupled to the resonant half-bridge, where the charge pump is configured to selectively provide a positive current from the resonant circuit to an output stage of the power converter, and to selectively shunt to ground a negative current from the resonant circuit, based on an output stage feedback signal. In one implementation, the resonant circuit includes a series L-C circuit. The power converter is configured to provide a constant output current and/or a constant output voltage.
US09712046B2
Representative implementations of devices and techniques determine the timing of switches associated with a dc-dc converter. The determination is based on a body diode conduction of at least one of the switches, which is detected and used to determine a switching delay.
US09712044B2
In a power converter including at least one bridge circuit configured to have upper and lower arms in which a first power semiconductor device and a second power semiconductor device are connected in series, a first gate driving circuit that supplies a charge to the first power semiconductor device of an upper arm to drive the first power semiconductor device monitors a voltage developed by an output inductor between a connection end between the first power semiconductor device and the second power semiconductor device and a load, and performs control to protect the first power semiconductor device based on a value of the monitored voltage.
US09712043B2
An apparatus for controlling overcurrent of a grid-connected inverter due to an abnormal grid voltage includes a grid voltage sensor configured to sense a grid voltage according to an output current of the grid-connected inverter, a voltage variation calculator configured to calculate a D-axis voltage and a Q-axis voltage of the grid voltage to obtain variation values of the D-axis voltage and the Q-axis voltage, and an output current controller configured to determine whether at least one of the D-axis voltage variation value and the Q-axis voltage variation value exceeds a set value of the grid voltage variation, and decrease the output current by a predetermined value when one of the D-axis voltage variation value and the Q-axis voltage variation value exceeds the set value of the grid voltage variation.
US09712041B2
A peak current protection circuit includes a current sensing circuit configured to sense an operating current of a DC-DC converter, and an over-current detector operably coupled with the current sensing circuit. The over-current detector is configured to generate an over-current detect signal at a peak current limit that is that is independent of a voltage level of an output signal of the DC-DC converter. A method for providing over-current protection for a DC-DC converter includes sensing an operating current of a DC-DC converter at a first input of a comparator, sensing a reference current at a second input of the comparator, comparing the first input with the second input, and generating an over-current detect signal in response to the comparison such that a peak current limit for the DC-DC converter is independent of a voltage level of an output signal of the DC-DC converter.
US09712027B2
A guiding device for coiling electrically conducting wires around an electrically conducting block of a rotor of an electric motor including a shaft extending axially in the rotor, the electrically conducting block including at least four notches for receiving wires. The guiding device includes at least two branches extending radially away from the shaft and disposed at 90° to one another, the branches being connected by an elastic linking mechanism.
US09712026B2
A conductive wire piece set forming method includes: a bending step of bending a conductive wire piece set in a second bent portion; a restraining step of restraining the second bent portion of the conductive wire piece set and a portion adjacent thereto with a clamp portion; and a twisting step of twisting the conductive wire piece set by rotating the clamp portion. The restraint of the conductive wire piece set is performed in such a way that the conductive wire pieces form a predetermined angle with each other.
US09711999B2
Antenna array calibration for wireless charging is disclosed. A wireless charging system is provided and configured to calibrate antenna elements in a wireless charging station based on a feedback signal provided by a wireless charging device. The antenna elements in the wireless charging station transmit wireless radio frequency (RF) charging signals to the wireless charging device. The wireless charging device provides the feedback signal to the wireless charging station to indicate total RF power in the wireless RF charging signals. The wireless charging station is configured to adjust transmitter phases associated with the antenna elements based on the feedback signal until the total RF power in the wireless RF charging signals is maximized. By calibrating the antenna elements based on the feedback signal, it is possible to achieve phase coherency among the antenna elements without requiring factory calibration.
US09711988B2
The fuel cell system includes: a power generation unit; an obtaining unit obtaining battery information indicating a storage state of a storage battery; and a control unit selecting one of a first control mode and a second control mode based on the battery information when load power changes from a first load power to a second load power, the first control mode being for supplying power from the power generation unit to the load by causing the power generation unit to generate power without causing the storage battery to charge and/or discharge, the second control mode being for causing the power generation unit to generate power with a change rate of generation power being set to a value smaller than a value in the first control mode, by causing the storage battery to charge and/or discharge.
US09711984B2
A method and apparatus for generating a high voltage at a battery system. The apparatus in one embodiment includes a supply node configured for direct or indirect coupling to a supply voltage. A converter is coupled between an input node and an output node, wherein the converter is configured to operate in a forward mode or a reverse mode. The converter generates a voltage at the converter output node for charging a battery when operating in the forward mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter output node is less than a magnitude of the supply voltage. The converter generates a voltage at the converter input node when operating in the reverse mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter input node is different than a magnitude of a voltage provided by the battery. A control circuit is coupled to and configured to control operation of the converter in the forward mode or the reverse mode.
US09711981B2
A mobile power supply includes an upper and lower shells, both of which are attached to each other to form a housing of the mobile power supply. A first PCB and a storage battery connected with the first PCB are disposed within the housing. An upper cover is provided at the top of the upper shell. A lower cover is provided at the bottom of the lower shell. A first and second conductive poles, which pass through the upper and lower covers and are both connected with the first PCB, are vertically disposed apart from each other within the housing. Top ends of the first and second conductive poles form first snap button structures with the upper cover, respectively. Bottom ends of the first and second conductive poles form first buckling structures with the lower cover, respectively, the first buckling structures match with the first snap button structures, respectively.
US09711973B2
A wireless power source including a microwave receiver, a matching network, and a transducer. The microwave receiver receives a microwave signal having a carrier frequency. The matching network receives a signal having the carrier frequency and a switched frequency and removes the carrier frequency such that the matching network outputs a switched signal at the switched frequency. The transducer is configured to receive the switched signal and output a DC voltage.
US09711971B2
A wireless power-supplying system includes a power-transmitting coil provided on the ground and a power-receiving coil provided above the power-transmitting coil and wirelessly supplies electric power from the power-transmitting coil to the power-receiving coil. The wireless power-supplying system further includes a flexible cover provided so as to cover the power-transmitting coil and configured to be inflated to occupy a space between the power-transmitting coil and the power-receiving coil. During the inflation of the flexible cover, the flexible cover assumes a specific shape capable of removing a foreign object laid thereon before occupying the space between the power-transmitting coil and the power-receiving coil.
US09711967B1
A power conversion system for use with an alternate energy source includes a first inverter, a battery, and a second inverter, each of which receives power from the alternate energy source. The output of the first inverter and the grid are each connected to at least one electrical load via a load center. The battery is charged via a charger connected to the alternate energy source. This stored energy powers a selected portion of the electrical loads during a failure of the utility grid. The second inverter is connected between the battery and a transfer switch. During normal grid operation, the second inverter is disabled and the transfer switch connects the load center to the selected electrical loads. During a failure of the utility grid, the first inverter is disabled, the second inverter is enabled, and the transfer switch connects the second inverter to the selected electrical loads.
US09711964B2
A method for controlling operation of a power generation and delivery system while increasing a power output of the power generation and delivery system is described. The method includes, monitoring an output parameter of the power generation and delivery system and determining a rate of change of the output parameter as a function of time. A reactive current command signal is generated a as a function of the determined rate of change of the output parameter. Operation of a power converter is controlled based at least partially on the reactive current command signal to facilitate maintaining a substantially constant terminal voltage as the power output of the power generation and delivery system is increased.
US09711963B2
A system and a method for distributing power to telecommunication subscriber lines is disclosed. It is important that the power dissipation in the subscriber line interface circuits, SLICs is reduced. Power dissipation occurs when the subscriber lines are fed with a voltage level that is higher than necessary. It is also important that the implementation allows for flexibility when configuring the subscriber lines. These problem have been solved by using a power distribution system comprising at least three power supply units with different power supply voltages, a control unit and a switching unit connected between the SLICs and the power supply units. The control unit is adapted to determine the loop voltages of the subscriber lines and to connect the corresponding SLIC to the power supply unit giving the least power dissipation.
US09711958B2
A guide device (10) is provided for guiding a wiring harness (32) through an aperture (26) in a panel (24). The guide device (10) has a substantially tubular sidewall (12) with opposite front and rear ends (14, 16). Portions of the sidewall (12) adjacent the front end (14) are dimensioned to fit in the aperture (26). The sidewall (12) flares out toward the rear end (16). A slit (22) extends from the front end (14) of the sidewall (12) to the rear and (16) thereof. The front end (14) of the guide device (10) can be mounted in the aperture (26) so that the wiring harness (32) can be guided into the outwardly flared rear end (16) and through the aperture (26). The slit (22) enables the sidewall (12) to be biased open at the slit so that the guide device (10) can be separated from the wiring harness (32).
US09711951B2
A spark plug having a resistor disposed within a through hole of an insulator and between a center electrode and a metal terminal so as to be spaced apart from the center electrode in a direction of an axial line; and a conductive glass seal layer provided between the resistor and the center electrode and electrically connecting the resistor and the center electrode to each other, the conductive glass seal layer has a diameter of 3.9 mm or less, and a joined surface of the conductive glass seal layer and the resistor has a convex shape toward the center electrode side. A length α from a rear end to a front end of the joined surface and a maximum length β of the conductive glass seal layer in the direction of the axial line meets a relation of α/β≧0.4.
US09711935B2
The invention relates to an apparatus for generating temporally spaced apart light pulses, comprising a first laser (11) which generates a first sequence (I) of light pulses at a first repetition rate, a second laser (12) which generates a second sequence (II) of light pulses at a second repetition rate, and at least one actuating member which influences the first repetition rate and/or the second repetition rate. It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for generating temporally spaced apart light pulses which is improved in relation to the prior art. This object is achieved by the invention by a control element (23) which applies a periodic modulation signal (24) to the actuating member for periodic variation of the first repetition rate and/or the second repetition rate, wherein the actuating member comprises a mechanical oscillator excited by the modulation signal (24), the deflection of said oscillator causing an adjustment in the resonator length of the first laser (11) and/or second laser (12), wherein the mechanical oscillator oscillates in resonant fashion at the frequency of the modulation signal (24). In accordance with the invention, an actuator (e.g. a piezo-actuator) which adjusts the resonator length of the laser is operated in resonant fashion. As a result, a large maximum time offset of the light-pulse sequences (I, II) with, at the same time, a high scanning speed is rendered possible. Moreover, the invention relates to a method for generating temporally spaced apart light pulses.
US09711923B2
A communication adapter that includes an RJ45 jack with a plurality of plug interface contacts and an ARJ45 plug including a plurality of plug contacts. The plug interface contacts are in electrical communication with the plug contacts. The RJ45 jack and the ARJ45 plug are connected by a housing.
US09711921B2
An electrical contact receptacle includes a base with opposed contact portions extending from one surface thereof. Each contact portion has three arms in spaced arrangement, and optionally a bridge portion extending across outboard arms. Each of arms has an inner contact surface for conductively engaging a blade terminal or a bus bar. Optionally, the base defines an opening through which a tip portion of a blade terminal can be received, thereby permitting insertion of the blade terminal from above or below the contact receptacle, and allowing for additional contact surfaces with the blade terminal.
US09711920B2
A connecter system is configured for macro motion. Two mating terminals are configured so that during macro motion cycles, the resistance between two terminals does not substantially increase. One terminal can have multiple, somewhat spherical-shaped mating surfaces while a mating surface on the other terminal can be flat. The mating terminals can be configured to provide desirable resistance performance after more than 5000 cycles of macro motion.
US09711917B2
A connector including coupling and sleeve flanges defining opposing recesses separated by an axial gap along an elongate axis. The connector also includes a conductive band radially biased outwardly against at least one of the internal contact surfaces of the opposing recesses and spanning the axial gap. The conductive band maintains electrical conductivity across the axial gap even when the sleeve does not electrically contact the coupling member. At least one of the contact surfaces defines a conical surface which is responsive to the radially biased conductive member to produce a radial force against the internal contact surfaces. The radial force produces an axial force component along the elongate axis.
US09711896B2
A connector includes: a sensor side connector section mounted to a connector mounting hole and fastened thereto by thread fastening and including a first housing part in which a first terminal is disposed; and a wire harness side connector section disposing a second terminal and including a second housing part capable of being fitted to the first housing part. The connector mounting hole includes a key groove, and the first housing part includes a key protrusion. A bolt prevented from moving axially and supported rotatably is provided on the outer periphery of the first housing part. Screwing the bolt into the connector mounting hole fastens the first housing part to the connector mounting hole by thread fastening.
US09711894B2
An electrical connector comprises a printed circuit board module including a printed circuit board (PCB) and a plurality of electrical elements disposed on the PCB, the PCB includes a mating end for mating with a mating connector and a plurality of conductive paths electrically connecting with the electrical elements; wherein the PCB includes a fracture surface, and the plurality of conductive paths are exposed to the fracture surface.
US09711893B2
An electrical plug and receptacle relying on magnetic force from an electromagnet to maintain contact are disclosed. The plug and receptacle can be used as part of a power adapter for connecting an electronic device, such as a laptop computer, to a power supply. The plug includes electrical contacts, which are preferably biased toward corresponding contacts on the receptacle. The plug and receptacle each have a magnetic element. The magnetic element on one of the plug or receptacle can be a magnet or ferromagnetic material. The magnetic element on the other of the plug or receptacle is an electromagnet. When the plug and receptacle are brought into proximity, the magnetic attraction between the electromagnet magnet and its complement, whether another magnet or a ferromagnetic material, maintains the contacts in an electrically conductive relationship.
US09711891B2
An electrical junction box includes a circuit board and a case. The case holds the circuit board therein. The case includes case components bonded to each other such that the case components are liquid-tight to each other. One of the case components includes a connector portion that is liquid-tight to another portion of the one of the case components. The connector portion includes a hood portion to which a mating connector is to be connected. The hood portion includes a ventilation hole that communicates with internal space of the case.
US09711888B2
A cable assembly with connector includes: a housing provided with a mate connector opposing part provided on a front side and a cable part provided on a rear side having a cable opening formed; a conductive contactor provided on the mate connector opposing part side of the housing; a cable disposed in the housing via the cable opening and electrically connected to the contactor; a rear faceplate disposed on the cable part on the rear side of the housing and aligned with the cable opening; and a front faceplate disposed on the mate connector opposing part on the front side of the housing and enclosing a housing front face portion; wherein the housing is interposed between the rear faceplate and the front faceplate, and the front faceplate is fixed to the rear faceplate by at least one fixing member extending in the front and rear direction in the housing.
US09711887B1
An electrical connector includes an insulating housing, a terminal module, two adhesive films and a shielding shell. The insulating housing defines two rows of terminal grooves. The terminal module assembled to the insulating housing includes a plurality of conductive terminals. Front ends of the conductive terminals project into the terminal grooves. Each of the two adhesive films includes an insulation layer and an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is disposed to a rear end of an inner surface of the insulation layer. The adhesive layer of one of the two adhesive films is adhered to a top wall of the insulating housing, and the adhesive layer of the other adhesive film is adhered to a bottom wall of the insulating housing. The insulating housing together with the terminal module and the adhesive films are received in a receiving space of the shielding shell.
US09711878B2
A power connector includes: an insulative housing having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a receiving space; a number of contacts accommodated in the insulative housing, the contact having a contacting portion, a rear portion accommodated in a rear end of the insulative housing, and a snakelike elastic portion connecting the contacting portion and the rear portion, the snakelike elastic portion having a number of vertical bending sections and a number of connecting sections each connecting every two adjacent bending sections, wherein the vertical dimension of the intersecting surface of the bending section is greater than the vertical dimension of the intersecting surface of the connecting section.
US09711867B2
A basic antenna (2), designed to form a radiating element of an array antenna, includes, superimposed, a planar reflector (4), a probe (6), and an assembly (8) of the EBG type by default in the form of a cavity (16). The basic antenna (2) includes a wall enclosure (10) capable of reflecting the electromagnetic waves at the operating frequency or frequencies of the basic antenna (2), the wall enclosure (10) being an extension in a direction orthogonal to the planar reflector (4) and simultaneously surrounding only the probe (6), the cavity (16) and the structure (14).The one- or two-dimensional array antenna includes a plurality of joined basic antennas (2) arranged compactly.
US09711861B2
An antenna device includes a dielectric substrate, a conductor plate that is placed on one surface of the dielectric substrate, that includes a first slot element, a second slot element, and one or more slits, and a ground conductor that is placed at a specified distance from the conductor plate in a first direction. A center of the first slot element is placed between a center of the second slot element and a center of each of slits, in a second direction.
US09711857B2
The present invention relates to multi-band antenna. This antenna comprises a substrate and at least one conductive layer provided with a plurality of antennas, such as PIFAs, resonating in specific frequency bands. The antennas are cascaded in order to achieve a compact antenna. The first antenna comprises a first radiating element, a first feed element connected to said first radiating element and a first ground return element and the second antennas comprises a second radiating element, a second feed element connected to said second radiating element and a second ground return element. The ground plane is printed in the same layer as the first or second antenna.
US09711855B2
A multiband antenna includes a feeding element connected to a feeding point, a radiating element functioning as a radiating conductor, the radiating element being positioned apart from the feeding element and fed with electric power by electromagnetically coupling to the feeding element, a ground plane, and a non-feeding element being positioned close to the radiating element and connected to the ground plane via a reactance element. The reactance element has a reactance that causes the multiband antenna to match with a frequency other than a resonance frequency of a resonance mode of the radiating element.
US09711850B2
Control of dual (two) antennas, for satellite communications (satcom) with satellites in one or more constellations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). The dual antennas are typically part of a ground-based antenna system, in particular using the Satrack single pedestal with split antenna design, housed efficiently under a compact radome. Features simultaneous pointing toward two separate satellites during the satellites' handover/switching periods with instantaneous transition between the satcom modems for assuring real-time, continuous data communication over a LEO/MEO satellite link. The dual (two) antennas system can also be used in a “monopulse/electronic scan” mode where a first antenna is used for tracking according to ephemeris data, while a second antenna on the same pedestal will scan for offset/compensation to the first antenna path.
US09711848B2
An antenna device includes an antenna element and an impedance converting circuit connected to the antenna element. The impedance converting circuit is connected to a power-supply end of the antenna element. The impedance converting circuit is interposed between the antenna element and a power-supply circuit. The impedance converting circuit includes a first inductance element connected to the power-supply circuit and a second inductance element coupled to the first inductance element. A first end and a second end of the first inductance element are connected to the power-supply circuit and the antenna, respectively. A first end and a second end of the second inductance element are connected to the antenna element and ground, respectively.
US09711846B2
Improved radio-transparent communication tower panel security devices that can be easily mounted to and strapped around the cover panels of communication towers, including flag-supporting cellular communication towers, so as to band and secure the cover panels thereto and prevent them from falling off in high winds and/or other adverse weather conditions, while preventing wear and tear of flags and their lanyards. Preferably, the communication tower panel security device employs a flexible plastic tubing assembly and a connecting/tensioning assembly having first and second connector modules for safely securing radiation-transparent panels covering antenna service bays of a wireless telecommunication tower.
US09711838B2
Coaxial probes for guided wave radar level transmitters have an inner rod within an outer tube. Transmission line impedance changes where the space between the two fills with process fluid, causing a reflection of radar energy. Time of flight calculations yield the distance to the product and thus the level of the fluid in a tank. The inner rod and outer rod should maintain their spacing because a reflection can occur if the inner rod moves too close to the outer tube wall. Spacers can maintain the spacing. The spacers should be retained so that their location over time doesn't change. Retention strategies involving shoulders or discontinuities in the inner rod or outer tube can cause measurement errors. Applications requiring high temperature resistance and high chemical compatibility lead to ceramic spacers instead of plastic spacers. Slip fits are needed when ceramics are too stiff for snap-in functionality.
US09711836B1
A system for improving port isolation of a three port circulator device includes a power splitter having a power splitter input and two power splitter outputs. A first circulator has a first circulator first port, a first circulator second port, and a first circulator third port, and the first circulator first port is electrically coupled to the first of the two power splitter outputs. A second circulator has a second circulator first port, a second circulator second port, and a second circulator third port, and the second circulator first port is electrically coupled to the second of the two power splitter outputs. A first trimmer is electrically coupled to the first circulator third port and a second trimmer is electrically coupled to the second circulator third port. The system further includes a power combiner having two power combiner inputs and one power combiner output, and the first of the two power combiner inputs is electrically coupled to the first trimmer and the second of the two power combiner inputs is electrically coupled to the second trimmer.
US09711832B2
The present application relates to a harmonic oscillator. The harmonic oscillator includes a dielectric body and at least one responding unit attached onto a surface of the dielectric body, where the responding unit is a conductive structure having a geometrical pattern. The application further relates to a cavity filter having the harmonic oscillator and an electromagnetic wave device. By using the harmonic oscillator in the application, a permittivity can be effectively increased and a resonance frequency of a cavity filter can be decreased, thereby implementing miniaturization. Moreover, for an electromagnetic wave in a TM mode, a frequency can be decreased and an electromagnetic loss is not affected.
US09711829B2
A cooling device for a vehicle battery is provided with a cooling plate (22) comprising a first plate part (24) which faces towards the battery (10) and has a first wall thickness (di), comprising a second plate part (30) which has a second wall thickness (d2), and comprising a multiplicity of depressions (32) formed in the second plate part (30). The cooling plate (22) has a multiplicity of refrigerant ducts (34) with a first duct cross section, said refrigerant ducts being formed between the first and second plate parts (24, 30) in the depressions (32) of the second plate part (30). The cooling plate (22) has a distributor portion (42) and a collector portion which each have at least one connection (46) for a refrigerant feed line (56) and a refrigerant return line. The wall of the distributor portion (42) and/or of the collector portion (44) is formed at least in portions by a component (52) additional to the first and second plate parts (24, 30).
US09711827B2
Provided is a sodium molten-salt battery having good charge-discharge cycle characteristics. The sodium molten-salt battery includes a positive electrode that contains a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode that contains a negative electrode active material, and a molten-salt electrolyte that contains a sodium salt and an ionic liquid that dissolves the sodium salt. The negative electrode active material contains non-graphitizable carbon. The ionic liquid is a salt of a bis(sulfonyl)imide anion and a first onium cation that does not cause a Faradaic reaction with the non-graphitizable carbon. The molten-salt electrolyte contains a second onium cation in an amount of 1,000 ppm by mass or less. The second onium cation is represented by a general formula (1): R1R2R3R4N+ where R1 to R4 are each independently a hydrogen atom or a methyl group.
US09711823B2
An electrolyte includes an eutectic mixture composed of (a) a hetero cyclic compound having a predetermined chemistry figure, and (b) an ionizable lithium salt. An electrochemical device having the electrolyte. The eutectic mixture included in the electrolyte exhibits inherent characteristics of an eutectic mixture such as excellent thermal stability and excellent chemical stability, thereby improving the problems such as evaporation, ignition and side reaction of an electrolyte caused by the usage of existing organic solvents.
US09711821B2
The present invention provides a lithium secondary battery and the preparation thereof, more specifically a lithium secondary battery comprising an electrode assembly having a cathode, an anode, and a separator interposed between the cathode and the anode; and a non-aqueous electrolyte solution impregnated in the electrode assembly, wherein the separator further comprises a layer having a plurality of destroyed capsules dispersed therein, the layer being formed on at least one surface of the separator coming into contact with the cathode and the anode, and the destroyed capsules has a film formed from a binder polymer and inorganic particles dispersed therebetween. The lithium secondary battery of the present invention can be prepared without the separate introducing process of a non-aqueous electrolyte solution, and has a separator exhibiting improved mechanical property and safety.
US09711816B2
Described herein is a composition comprising: a polymer derived from (a) a fluorinated olefin monomer; (b) a highly fluorinated sulfur-containing monomer of the formula: CX1X2═CX3[(CX4X5)w—O—R1—SO2Y] where X1, X2, X3, X4, and X5 are independently selected from H, Cl, or F; w is 0 or 1; R1 is a non-fluorinated or fluorinated alkylene group; and Y is selected from F, Cl, Br, I, or OM, where M is a cation; and (c) a polyfunctional monomer comprising at least two functional groups, wherein the functional groups are selected from the group consisting of: (i) a fluorovinyl ether group, (ii) a fluoroallyl ether group, (iii) a fluorinated olefinic group, and (iv) combinations thereof; articles thereof; and a method of making such polymers.
US09711813B2
A scavenging process is performed on the anode side by opening an air supply valve to remove liquid droplets in a fuel gas flow field using the compressed air from an air compressor. During the scavenging process, when a start up signal from an ignition switch is received, the start up of a fuel cell is prohibited until the gas in the fuel gas flow field is replaced completely by air.
US09711804B2
This invention is directed to electrolysis-based devices and methods for recycling of electrolyte solutions. Specifically, the invention is related to regeneration of spent electrolyte solutions comprising metal ions such as electrolyte solutions used in metal/air batteries.
US09711802B2
Provided is a method for preparing an alloy catalyst for fuel cells having excellent catalytic activity and high durability. The method includes coating a platinum or platinum-transition metal catalyst supported on carbon with polydopamine as a capping agent. The method for preparing an alloy catalyst supported on carbon uses polydopamine as a capping agent for a platinum or platinum-transition metal catalyst supported on carbon, and thus provides a binary or ternary platinum alloy catalyst supported on carbon having a small particle size and high alloying degree despite the subsequent high-temperature heat treatment. In addition, polydopamine (PDA) is a highly adhesive material and allows thin and uniform coating, and thus inhibits particle size growth during heat treatment while allowing easy diffusion of a transition metal into the metal. As a result, it is possible to provide an alloy catalyst provided with a core-shell structure having a surface layer formed of platinum alone and showing a high alloying degree. Finally, it is possible to provide an alloy catalyst having excellent catalytic activity and durability. Further, since polydopamine (PDA) is capable of self-polymerization at room temperature, PDA coating is carried out without additional reagents or equipment. Thus, the method has high processability and cost-efficiency.
US09711799B1
The present disclosure relates to an improved electrodeposited copper foil having uniform thickness and methods for manufacturing the electrodeposited copper foil. The electrodeposited copper foil typically has one to four interfacial lines through the cross-sectional area of the foil and a weight deviation less than 2.0%. The disclosure also relates to a process for making the electrodeposited copper foil that includes the addition of one or more insulative masks to the surface of a dimensionally stable anode. The insulative mask is cut to correspond to areas of variation in electrodeposited copper foil, such that the mask causes interferences with the electrodeposition process to even out the variation.
US09711796B2
In an aspect, a binder composition for a secondary battery including a first fluoropolymer binder including a tetrafluoroethylene polymer binder, a second fluoropolymer binder including a vinylidene fluoride binder, and a non fluoropolymer binder is provided.
US09711792B2
Provided is a positive electrode active material for lithium ion secondary batteries, having a crystal structure containing a layered Li2MnO2 structure with a high theoretical electrical capacity as a basic skeleton, and having both a high theoretical electrical capacity and a high open-circuit voltage by increasing an open-circuit voltage to a value of more than 2 V by replacing a part of manganese ions with calcium ions by adding the calcium ions. That is, a positive electrode active material for secondary batteries mainly containing a compound represented by a chemical composition formula Li2−xMn1−yCayO2, and an electrode and a battery including the same are realized. In the formula, x satisfies 0
US09711774B2
The present application provides a lithium ion battery including a thermal sensitive layer comprising polymer particles. The thermal sensitive layer may be disposed between the electrodes and the separator. When the lithium ion battery is under thermal runaway condition and the internal temperature rises to a critical temperature, the polymer particles undergo a thermal transition process (melting) to form an insulating barrier on the electrodes, which blocks lithium ion transfer between the electrodes and shuts down the internal current of the battery.
US09711773B2
The present disclosure provides a separator and a lithium-ion secondary battery. The separator comprises: a microporous membrane having micropores; and a coating provided on a surface of the microporous membrane. The coating comprises polymer particles and binder particles. The polymer particle is a hollow shell structure which comprises a shell and a cavity positioned in the shell, an outer surface of the shell is distributed with nanopores which are communicated with the cavity, a particle diameter of the polymer particle is larger than a pore size of the micropore of the microporous membrane; a particle diameter of the binder particle is larger than the pore size of the micropore of the microporous membrane. The lithium-ion secondary battery comprises: a positive electrode plate; a negative electrode plate; the aforementioned separator interposed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate; and an electrolyte.
US09711770B2
A battery system comprises a plurality of substantially planar layers extending over transverse areas. The plurality of layers comprises at least one cathode layer, at least one anode layer, and at least one separator layer therebetween.
US09711758B2
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) light source includes, in order: (i) a biaxially oriented polyester film substrate including light-scattering particles (P1); (ii) optionally an organic planarising coating layer (OPC1); (iii) optionally a barrier layer (B1); (iv) an organic planarising coating layer (OPC2) including light-scattering particles (P2); (v) optionally a barrier layer (B2); and (vi) a multi-layer light-emitting assembly including a first electrode, a light-emitting organic layer and a second electrode; wherein the OLED light source includes at least one of barrier layers (B1) and (B2).
US09711757B2
An organic electroluminescent display device including a rear substrate, an organic electroluminescent portion disposed on a surface of the rear substrate, the organic electroluminescent portion including a first electrode, an organic layer, and a second electrode in sequence, a front substrate coupled to the rear substrate at an internal surface of the front substrate to seal an internal space in which the organic electroluminescent portion is accommodated, thereby isolating the organic electroluminescent portion from the outside, a transparent moisture-absorbing layer coated on the internal surface of the front substrate, and a sealant disposed between the rear substrate and the transparent moisture-absorbing layer to couple the front substrate and the rear substrate.
US09711755B2
A display panel is provided. The display panel includes a first substrate having a display area and a non-display area. A sealant is disposed on the first substrate and on the non-display area. A planarization layer is disposed on the first substrate. The planarization layer has a first trench formed therein on the non-display area. The first trench has a bottom and a side adjacent to the bottom. The bottom has a roughness that is greater than the roughness of the side.
US09711747B2
Disclosed is a white organic light emitting device for enhancing emission efficiency and a color viewing angle or a color reproduction rate. The white organic light emitting device includes a first emission part between a first electrode and a second electrode, the first emission part having a first emission layer, a second emission part on the first emission part, the second emission part having a second emission layer, and a third emission part on the second emission part, the third emission part having a third emission layer. At least two emission layers of the first to third emission layers emit lights having a same color to enhance emission efficiency and a color viewing angle, and the at least two emission layers are adjacent to each other.
US09711740B2
A novel organometallic complex which can emit phosphorescence is provided. A light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, an electronic device, or a lighting device with high emission efficiency is provided. The organometallic complex having an aryl triazine derivative as a ligand is represented by General Formula (G1) below as a representative of the organometallic complex of the present invention.
US09711736B2
A condensed cyclic compound is represented by Formula 1. The components of Formula 1 are described herein. An organic light-emitting device includes the condensed cyclic compound. The organic light-emitting device has improved driving voltage, improved luminance, improved efficiency, and improved half-lifetime, as compared to those of an organic light-emitting device that does not include the condensed cyclic compound.
US09711733B2
An organic thin film transistor containing a compound represented by one of the following formulae in a semiconductor active layer has a high carrier mobility and a small change in the threshold voltage after repeated driving. X represents S or O, and at least one of R1 to R6 represents -L-R wherein L represents alkylene, etc., and R represents alkyl, etc.
US09711727B2
A polymer having at least four different repeat units comprising: In this polymer R1, R2, R3 and R4 can be independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl group, alkoxy group, aryl groups and combinations thereof and where the combination of R1, R2, R3 and R4 are not all identical. Additionally, in this polymer, m, n, o and p can be greater than 1. x and y are different from each other and can be independently selected from the group consisting of: of alkyl group, alkoxy group, aryl groups, where y=1-3, where y=0-12, where R5 is selected from the group consisting of H, of alkyl group, alkoxy group, aryl groups, where R6 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, substituted alkyls, aryls and substituted aryls, where R7 and R8 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, of alkyl group, alkoxy group, aryl groups, —NR9R10 where R9 and R10 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, of alkyl group, alkoxy group, aryl groups.
US09711724B2
A mask has both ends supported on a frame while tensile force is applied in a first direction. The mask includes: a mask main body having a band shape which is extended in the first direction; a plurality of active patterns spaced apart in the first direction from each other in the mask main body and having a first shape; a plurality of first ribs surrounding borders of the plurality of respective active patterns and defining a shape of the active pattern; and a plurality of first dummy patterns surrounding the plurality of first ribs, respectively, and having a second shape.
US09711721B2
According to one embodiment, a plurality of first wirings are disposed in a first direction and a second direction which intersect with each other, and extended in a third direction. A second wiring stack is configured to include second wirings and interlayer insulating films which are extended and alternately stacked in the second direction. A memory cell includes, in the first direction, a first variable resistive layer which is disposed on a side near the first wiring and a second variable resistive layer which is disposed on a side near the second wiring. The second variable resistive layer is disposed between the interlayer insulating films in the third direction, and made of a material which is obtained by oxidizing the second wiring.
US09711716B2
A magnetic memory device and a method for manufacturing the magnetic memory device are disclosed. The method includes forming a first interlayer insulating layer on a substrate, forming a first conductive pattern that penetrates the first interlayer insulating layer, forming a mold insulating layer that includes first and second mold insulating layers on the first interlayer insulating layer, forming a second conductive pattern that penetrates the first and second mold insulating layers and the first interlayer insulating layer, and forming a magnetic tunnel junction pattern on the second conductive pattern. The first mold insulating layer is in contact with the first conductive pattern, and the second mold insulating layer is disposed on the first mold insulating layer.
US09711711B2
A piezoelectric energy harvester device has a cantilevered structure with a rectangular proof mass portion defined by holes through a substrate along three sides of a proof mass portion and supported by a thinned hinge portion for free pivotal movement relative to an anchor portion. Elongated strips of piezoelectric energy harvesting units are formed in side-by-side spaced positions on the hinge portion and aligned parallel or perpendicular to a stress direction. Multiplexing electronics coupled to contact pads on the anchor portion selectively connects different strip combinations to power management circuitry, responsive to variations in vibration magnitude or modes.
US09711709B2
Transducer systems with reduced acoustic noise coupling are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a transducer system includes pressure balancing features to prevent a floating portion of the transducer system from contacting a fixed portion of the transducer system, or to reduce the degree to which the floating portion is urged into contact with the fixed portion by process pressure or atmospheric pressure. In some embodiments, a transducer system includes one or more acoustic dampening elements, interruption grooves, annular projections, or dampening washers to reduce acoustic noise coupling between various components of the transducer system or between the transducer system and a flowcell in which the transducer system is mounted.
US09711705B2
Systems methods and/or apparatus for the conversion of various types of energy into thermal energy that may be stored and/or then converted into electrical energy. The electrical energy may be available on demand and/or at a user's desired power requirements (e.g., power level and/or type). For example, the energy may be available at a particular voltage and either as direct current (DC) energy or alternating current (AC) energy. The electrical energy may be easily transported and therefore available at a user's desired location. For example, the systems, methods and/or devices may eliminate or reduce the need for electricity transmission, at least for certain applications. In exemplary embodiments, the system may include an organic phase change material for storing the thermal energy.
US09711700B2
A light emitting device includes a light emitting element and a package. The package includes a first lead frame, a second lead frame, and a resin. The first lead frame has a first surface on which the light emitting element is provided. The first lead frame has a first overlap portion. The second lead frame is spaced apart from the first lead frame and has a second overlap portion. The first overlap portion and the second overlap portion overlap at an overlap position so that the first lead frame extends from the overlap position toward a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction and so that the second lead frame extend from the overlap position toward a third direction and a fourth direction opposite to the third direction as viewed along a line substantially perpendicular to the first surface.
US09711697B2
According to one aspect, the present invention concerns a terahertz modulator (1) intended to be used in a given frequency band of use. The modulator comprises a semi-conductor polar crystal (330) presenting a Reststrahlen band overlapping said frequency band of use and presenting at least one interface with a dielectric medium, coupling means (330) allowing the resanant coupling of an interface phonon polariton (IPhP) supported by said interface and of an incident radiation (2) of pre-determined frequency lying in said frequency band of use and means of control (22) apt to modify the intensity of the coupling between said interface phonon polariton and said incident radiation (2) by modification of the dielectric function of the polar crystal in the Reststrahlen band of the polar crystal (10).
US09711688B2
A light emission device comprising a light emitting element, a wavelength conversion (e.g. phosphor) element, and a filter that reduces Color over Angle (CoA) effects by at least partially reflecting light from the light emitting element that strike the filter at near-normal angles of incidence. In some embodiments, a combined phosphor and filter layer is formed over the LED die. The filter may comprise a dispersion of self-aligning moieties, such as dielectric platelets in a film that is vacuum laminated to the LED structure. Xirallic® Galaxy Blue pigment, comprising an aluminum oxide core coated on both sides with thin films of SnO2, and TiO2, and Ronastar® Blue, comprising Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate and TiO2 may provide the dielectric platelets.
US09711687B2
In embodiments of the invention, a semiconductor structure comprising a III-nitride light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region is grown on a substrate. The substrate is a non-III-nitride material. The substrate has an in-plane lattice constant asubstrate. At least one III-nitride layer in the semiconductor structure has a bulk lattice constant alayer and [(|asubstrate−alayer|)/asubstrate]*100% is no more than 1%. A surface of the substrate opposite the surface on which the semiconductor structure is grown is textured.
US09711684B2
There is provided a Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device in which electrons and holes are suppressed to be captured by threading dislocation, and a production method therefor. The light-emitting device comprises an n-type semiconductor layer, a light-emitting layer on the n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer on the light-emitting layer. The light-emitting device has a plurality of pits extending from the n-type semiconductor layer to the p-type semiconductor layer. The n-type semiconductor layer includes an n-side electrostatic breakdown preventing layer. The n-side electrostatic breakdown preventing layer comprises an n-type GaN layer containing starting point of the pits, and an ud-GaN layer disposed adjacent to the n-type GaN layer and containing a part of the pits. At least one of the n-type GaN layer and the ud-GaN layer has an In-doped layer. The In composition ratio of the In-doped layer is more than 0 and not more than 0.0035.
US09711674B2
The present invention concerns methods for producing photovoltaic material and a device able to exploit high energy photons. The photovoltaic material is obtained from a conventional photovoltaic material having a top surface intended to be exposed to photonic radiation, having a built-in P-N junction delimiting an emitter part and a base part and comprising at least one area or region specifically designed, treated or adapted to absorb high energy or energetic photons, located adjacent or near at least one hetero-interface. According to the invention, this material is subjected to treatments resulting in the formation of at least one semiconductor based metamaterial field or region being created, as a transitional region of the or a hetero-interface, in an area located continuous or proximate to the or an absorption area or region for the energetic photons of the photonic radiation impacting said photovoltaic material.
US09711671B2
System and method of providing a photovoltaic (PV) cell with a complex via structure in the substrate that has a primary via for containing a conductive material and an overflow capture region for capturing an overflow of the conductive material from the primary via. The conductive filling in the primary via may serve as an electrical contact between the PV cell and another PV cell. The overflow capture region includes one or more recesses formed on the substrate back surface. When the conductive material overflows from the primary via, the one or more recesses can capture and confine the overflow within the boundary of the complex via structure. A recess may be a rectangular or circular trench proximate to or overlaying the primary via. The recesses may also be depressions formed by roughening the substrate back surface.
US09711665B2
A color converter comprising at least one layer comprising at least one organic fluorescent colorant and at least one barrier layer having a low permeability to oxygen.
US09711656B2
To provide a semiconductor device having a structure capable of suppressing deterioration of its electrical characteristics which becomes apparent with miniaturization. The semiconductor device includes a first oxide semiconductor film over an insulating surface; a second oxide semiconductor film over the first oxide semiconductor film; a source electrode and a drain electrode in contact with the second oxide semiconductor film; a third oxide semiconductor film over the second oxide semiconductor film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; a gate insulating film over the third oxide semiconductor film; and a gate electrode over the gate insulating film. A first interface between the gate electrode and the gate insulating film has a region closer to the insulating surface than a second interface between the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film.
US09711648B1
A semiconductor structure is provided that includes a channel material portion composed of a III-V compound semiconductor located on a mesa portion of a substrate. A dielectric spacer structure is located on each sidewall surface of the channel material portion and each sidewall surface of the mesa portion of the substrate. The dielectric spacer structure has a height that is greater than a height of the channel material portion. An isolation structure is located on each dielectric spacer structure, wherein a sidewall edge of the isolation structure is located between an innermost sidewall surface and an outermost sidewall surface of the dielectric spacer structure.
US09711646B2
A semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method for the same are disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a first gate structure, a second gate structure and a second dielectric spacer. Each of the first gate structure and the second gate structure adjacent to each other includes a first dielectric spacer. The second dielectric spacer is on one of opposing sidewalls of the first gate structure and without being disposed on the dielectric spacer of the second gate structure.
US09711644B2
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a liner semiconductor material within a trench, the liner material defining a transistor cavity, and forming spaced-apart source/drain placeholder structures that are at least partially positioned within the transistor cavity, the spaced-apart source/drain placeholder structures defining a gate cavity therebetween where a portion of the liner semiconductor material is exposed within the gate cavity. The method further includes forming a gate structure within the gate cavity and, after forming the gate structure, removing at least a portion of the source/drain placeholder structures to define a plurality of source/drain cavities within the transistor cavity on opposite sides of the gate structure, and forming a source/drain structure in each of the source drain cavities.
US09711639B2
A semiconductor device contains a vertical MOS transistor having a trench gate in trenches extending through a vertical drift region to a drain region. The trenches have field plates under the gate; the field plates are adjacent to the drift region and have a plurality of segments. A dielectric liner in the trenches separating the field plates from the drift region has a thickness great than a gate dielectric layer between the gate and the body. The dielectric liner is thicker on a lower segment of the field plate, at a bottom of the trenches, than an upper segment, immediately under the gate. The trench gate may be electrically isolated from the field plates, or may be connected to the upper segment. The segments of the field plates may be electrically isolated from each other or may be connected to each other in the trenches.
US09711636B2
A super-junction semiconductor device is provided. The super-junction semiconductor device includes a substrate, a drift layer, a field insulator, a floating electrode layer, an isolation layer, and at least one transistor structure. The drift layer includes a plurality of n-type and p-type pillars alternately arranged in parallel to form a super-junction structure. An active region, a termination region and a transition region located therebetween are defined in the drift layer. The field insulator disposed on a surface of the drift layer covers the termination region and a portion of the transition region. The floating electrode layer disposed on the field insulator partially overlaps with the termination region. The transistor structure includes a source conductive layer extending from the active region to the transition region and superimposed on a portion of the floating electrode layer. The source conductive layer is isolated from the floating electrode layer by the isolation layer.
US09711635B1
A semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor layer formed at a surface of a semiconductor substrate; an insulating layer formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate; a first electrode that is electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer formed to a surface of a region, which is adjacent to the first semiconductor layer; a second electrode formed above a part of the second semiconductor layer; a third semiconductor layer adjacent to the second semiconductor layer in the one direction; a fourth semiconductor layer formed to a surface of a region, which is adjacent to the third semiconductor layer in the one direction; a third electrode that is electrically connected to the fourth semiconductor layer; and a conductor that is separated from the second electrode in the one direction and is kept at the same potential as the first electrode.
US09711633B2
Methods of forming a semiconductor device include forming a dielectric layer on a Group III-nitride semiconductor layer, selectively removing portions of the dielectric layer over spaced apart source and drain regions of the semiconductor layer, implanting ions having a first conductivity type directly into the source and drain regions of the semiconductor layer, annealing the semiconductor layer and the dielectric layer to activate the implanted ions, and forming metal contacts on the source and drain regions of the semiconductor layer.
US09711632B2
The present disclosure relates to an intra-band tunnel FET, which has a symmetric FET that is able to provide for a high drive current. In some embodiments, the disclosed intra-band tunnel FET has a source region having a first doping type and a drain region having the first doping type. The source region and the drain region are separated by a channel region. A gate region may generate an electric field that varies the position of a valence band and/or a conduction band in the channel region. By controlling the position of the valence band and/or the conduction band of the channel region, quantum mechanical tunneling of charge carries between the conduction band in the source region and in the drain region or between the valence band in the source region and in the drain region can be controlled.
US09711628B2
A semiconductor device has a reduced an on-voltage and uses a gate resistance to improve the trade-off relationship between turn-on loss Eon and dV/dt, and turn-on dV/dt controllability. A floating p+-type region is provided in an n−-type drift layer so as to be spaced from a p-type base region configuring a MOS gate structure. An emitter electrode and the floating p+-type region are electrically connected by an n+-type region provided in the surface layer of a substrate front surface. The n+-type region is covered with a second insulating film which film is covered with an emitter electrode. By an electric field being generated in the n+-type region by the emitter electrode provided on the top of the n+-type region via the second interlayer insulating film, the n+-type region forms a current path which causes holes accumulated in the floating p+-type region to flow to the emitter electrode when turning on.
US09711625B2
A method for manufacturing a thin-film transistor includes: forming a first metal layer of a pattern including a gate on a substrate through pattern formation operations; forming a gate insulation layer on the substrate and the first metal layer and forming an oxide semiconductor layer, of which an orthogonal projection is cast on the gate, on the gate insulation layer within a thin-film transistor area and an etch stop layer on the oxide semiconductor layer, in which two etching operations are applied to the patternized oxide semiconductor layer and etch stop layer; forming a patternized second metal layer on the thin-film transistor area and an exposed portion of the gate insulation layer, forming a patternized insulation protection layer on the substrate and the patternized second metal layer, and forming a patternized pixel electrode on the insulation protection layer.
US09711621B2
A trench transistor having a semiconductor body includes a source region, a body region, a drain region electrically connected to a drain contact, and a gate trench including a gate electrode which is isolated from the semiconductor body. The gate electrode is configured to control current flow between the source region and the drain region along at least a first side wall of the gate trench. The trench transistor further includes a doped semiconductor region having dopants introduced into the semiconductor body through an unmasked part of the walls of a trench.
US09711620B2
A fin field effect transistor (FinFET) comprises a substrate; a fin over the substrate, the fin having a channel region; a gate structure engaging the fin adjacent to the channel region; and a spacer on sidewalls of the gate structure. The FinFET further includes first and second heavily doped source/drain (HDD) features at least partially in the fin, on opposing sides of the gate structure, and adjacent to the spacer. The FinFET further includes first and second lightly doped source/drain (LDD) regions in the fin between the first and second HDD features, respectively, and the channel region. A sidewall of the first HDD feature and a sidewall of the first LDD region have substantially a same shape.
US09711612B2
A semiconductor device structure and a method for fabricating the same. A method for fabricating semiconductor device structure includes forming gate lines on a semiconductor substrate; forming gate sidewall spacers surrounding the gate lines; forming respective source/drain regions in the semiconductor substrate and on either side of the respective gate lines; forming conductive sidewall spacers surrounding the gate sidewall spacers; and cutting off the gate lines, the gate sidewall spacers and the conductive sidewall spacers at predetermined positions, in which the cut gate lines are electrically isolated gates, and the cut conductive sidewall spacers are electrically isolated lower contacts. The method is applicable to the manufacture of contacts in integrated circuits.
US09711607B1
A method and structure for providing a GAA device. In some embodiments, a substrate including an insulating layer disposed thereon is provided. By way of example, a first metal portion is formed within the insulating layer. In various embodiments, a first lateral surface of the first metal portion is exposed. After exposure of the first lateral surface of the first metal portion, a first graphene layer is formed on the exposed first lateral surface. In some embodiments, the first graphene layer defines a first vertical plane parallel to the exposed first lateral surface. Thereafter, in some embodiments, a first nanobar is formed on the first graphene layer, where the first nanobar extends in a first direction normal to the first vertical plane defined by the first graphene layer.
US09711604B1
First, second, and third trenches are formed in a layer over a substrate. The third trench is substantially wider than the first and second trenches. The first, second, and third trenches are partially filled with a first conductive material. A first anti-reflective material is coated over the first, second, and third trenches. The first anti-reflective material has a first surface topography variation. A first etch-back process is performed to partially remove the first anti-reflective material. Thereafter, a second anti-reflective material is coated over the first anti-reflective material. The second anti-reflective material has a second surface topography variation that is smaller than the first surface topography variation. A second etch-back process is performed to at least partially remove the second anti-reflective material in the first and second trenches. Thereafter, the first conductive material is partially removed in the first and second trenches.
US09711600B2
In a semiconductor device having a silicon carbide device, a technique capable of suppressing variation in a breakdown voltage and achieving reduction in an area of a termination structure is provided. In order to solve the above-described problem, in the present invention, in a semiconductor device having a silicon carbide device, a p-type first region and a p-type second region provided to be closer to an outer peripheral side than the first region are provided in a junction termination portion, a first concentration gradient is provided in the first region, and a second concentration gradient larger than the first concentration gradient is provided in the second region.
US09711599B2
A switching device, such as a barrier junction Schottky diode, has a body of silicon carbide of a first conductivity type housing switching regions of a second conductivity type. The switching regions extend from a top surface of the body and delimit body surface portions between them. A contact metal layer having homogeneous chemical-physical characteristics extends on and in direct contact with the top surface of the body and forms Schottky contact metal portions with the surface portions of the body and ohmic contact metal portions with the switching regions. The contact metal layer is formed by depositing a nickel or cobalt layer on the body and carrying out a thermal treatment so that the metal reacts with the semiconductor material of the body and forms a silicide.
US09711596B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first source/drain (S/D) region, a second S/D region, and a semiconductor sheet. The first S/D region is disposed on the substrate. The second S/D region is disposed above the first S/D region. The semiconductor sheet interconnects the first and second S/D regions and includes a plurality of turns. A method for fabricating the semiconductor device is also disclosed.
US09711590B2
There is provided a semiconductor device including corundum crystal films of good quality. There is provided a semiconductor device including a base substrate, a semiconductor layer, and an insulating film each having a corundum crystal structure. Materials having a corundum crystal structure include many types of oxide films capable of functioning as an insulating film. Since all the base substrate, the semiconductor layer, and the insulating film have a corundum crystal structure, it is possible to achieve a semiconductor layer and an insulating film of good quality on the base substrate.
US09711588B2
Disclosed is an organic light emitting display device that may include first and second pads on a pad area of a substrate, wherein the first pad includes a first bonding region and a first link region, and the second pad includes a second bonding region, a contact region, and a second link region. A first bonding electrode in the first bonding region is electrically connected to one or more signal lines in the active area of the device through contact holes in the first bonding region. A second bonding electrode is electrically connected to one or more signal lines of the device through contact holes in the contact region. The contact region is closer to the active area than the first bonding region.
US09711586B2
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a substrate, thin film transistors (TFTs), and organic light-emitting diode elements (OLEDs). First wirings have a first width and a first height and second wirings have a second width and a second height, in which the first wirings and the second wirings are formed in at least a portion of areas between the OLEDs. Third wirings connect the first wirings and the second wirings and have a third width smaller than the first width of the first wirings and the second width of the second wirings or have a third height smaller than the first height of the first wirings and the second height of the second wirings. An insulating layer covers at least a portion of the first and second wiring portions and exposes at least a portion of the third wirings.
US09711585B2
An organic light emitting diode display according to an example embodiment of the present invention includes: a substrate; a scan line and a data line that are insulated from one another and crossing each other on the substrate; a first transistor on the substrate and connected to the scan line and the data line; a second transistor connected to the first transistor; a first electrode connected to the second transistor and having a cutout; an organic emission layer on the first electrode; and a second electrode on the organic emission layer, wherein the cutout is at a position corresponding to the data line.
US09711565B2
Memory cells are disclosed. Magnetic regions within the memory cells include an alternating structure of magnetic sub-regions and coupler sub-regions. The coupler material of the coupler sub-regions antiferromagnetically couples neighboring magnetic sub-regions and effects or encourages a vertical magnetic orientation exhibited by the neighboring magnetic sub-regions. Neighboring magnetic sub-regions, spaced from one another by a coupler sub-region, exhibit oppositely directed magnetic orientations. The magnetic and coupler sub-regions may each be of a thickness tailored to form the magnetic region in a compact structure. Interference between magnetic dipole fields emitted from the magnetic region on switching of a free region in the memory cell may be reduced or eliminated. Also disclosed are semiconductor device structures, spin torque transfer magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) systems, and methods of fabrication.
US09711558B2
An imaging device including a unit pixel cell comprising: a semiconductor substrate including a first conductivity type region of a first conductivity type, a first and second impurity regions of a second conductivity type provided in the first conductivity type region; a photoelectric converter located above the semiconductor substrate; and a first transistor including a gate electrode and at least a part of the second impurity region as a source or a drain. The first impurity region is at least partially located in a surface of the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the photoelectric converter. The second impurity region is electrically connected to the photoelectric converter via the first impurity region and has an impurity concentration lower than that of the first impurity region. The second impurity region at least partially overlaps the gate electrode in a plan view.
US09711556B2
An image sensor structure includes a region of semiconductor material having a first major surface and a second major surface. A pixel structure is within the region of semiconductor material and includes a plurality of doped regions and a plurality of conductive structures. A metal-filled trench structure extends from the first major surface to the second major surface. A first contact structure is electrically connected to a first surface of the conductive trench structure, and a second contact structure electrically connected to a second surface of the conductive trench structure. In one embodiment, the second major surface is configured to receive incident light.
US09711552B2
Optoelectronic modules include a silicon substrate in which or on which there is an optoelectronic device. An optics assembly is disposed over the optoelectronic device, and a spacer separates the silicon substrate from the optics assembly. Methods of fabricating such modules also are described.
US09711548B2
Methods of forming semiconductor devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a first trench and a second trench are formed in a substrate, and dopants of a first conductivity type are implanted along sidewalls and a bottom of the first trench and the second trench. The first and second trenches are filled with an insulating material, and a gate dielectric and a gate electrode over the substrate, the gate dielectric and the gate electrode extending over the first trench and the second trench. Source/drain regions are formed in the substrate on opposing sides of the gate dielectric and the gate electrode.
US09711537B2
A display device with low manufacturing cost, a display device with low power consumption, a display device capable of being formed over a large substrate, a display device with a high aperture ratio of a pixel, and a display device with high reliability are provided. The display device includes a transistor electrically connected to a light-transmitting pixel electrode and a capacitor. The transistor includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating film, and a first multilayer film including an oxide semiconductor layer. The capacitor includes the pixel electrode and a second multilayer film overlapping with the pixel electrode, positioned at a predetermined distance from the pixel electrode, and having the same layer structure as the first multilayer film. A channel formation region of the transistor is at least one layer, which is not in contact with the gate insulating film, of the first multilayer film.
US09711533B2
A semiconductor device includes a first FinFET device and a second FinFET device. The first FinFET device includes a first gate, a first source, and a first drain. The first FinFET device has a first source/drain proximity. The second FinFET device includes a second gate, a second source, and a second drain. The second FinFET device has a second source/drain proximity that is smaller than the first source/drain proximity. In some embodiments, \the first FinFET device is an Input/Output (I/O) device, and the second FinFET device is a non-I/O device such as a core device. In some embodiments, the greater source/drain proximity of the first FinFET device is due to an extra spacer of the first FinFET device that does not exist for the second FinFET device.
US09711526B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a stacked body, and a columnar part. The stacked body is provided on the substrate. The stacked body includes a plurality of first insulating films and a plurality of electrode films alternately stacked one layer by one layer. The columnar part includes a semiconductor pillar provided in the stacked body and extending in a stacking direction of the stacked body, and a memory film provided between the semiconductor pillar and the stacked body. The electrode films include a first portion provided on a side part of the columnar part, a second part contacting the first portion and provided further outside the columnar part, and a first conductive layer covering an upper surface and a lower surface of the first portion.
US09711506B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes preparing a substrate including a first region and a second region, sequentially forming a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer on the first and second regions, patterning the first and second semiconductor layers to form a lower semiconductor pattern and an upper semiconductor pattern on each of the first and second regions, selectively removing the lower semiconductor pattern on the second region to form a gap region, and forming gate electrodes at the first and second regions, respectively.
US09711500B1
A package may include a plurality of stacked semiconductor devices (chips) is disclosed. Each chip may include through vias (through silicon vias—TSV) that can provide an electrical connection between chips and between chips and external connections, such as solder connections or solder balls. Electro static discharge (ESD) protection circuitry may be placed on a bottom chip in the stack even when through vias connect circuitry on a top chip in the stack exclusive of the bottom chip. In this way, ESD protection circuitry may be placed in close proximity to the ESD event occurring at an external connection. In particular, every chip in the stack of semiconductor chips may have circuitry electrically connected to the external connection and by placing ESD protection circuitry on the bottom chip closest to the electrical connection, instead of on all chips ESD protection may be more area efficient. Furthermore, by only placing ESD protection circuitry on a bottom chip in a stack of semiconductor chips, ESD protection circuitry may not be included on other chips, so that total area may be reduced and more chips may be produced on a single silicon wafer.
US09711499B2
A semiconductor device includes first and second semiconductor regions, and a third semiconductor region between the first and second semiconductor regions, wherein the dopant concentration of the third semiconductor region is greater than the dopant concentration of the second semiconductor region. The semiconductor device further includes a fourth semiconductor region selectively provided on an upper surface of the second semiconductor region, wherein a portion of the second semiconductor region is interposed between the third semiconductor region and the fourth semiconductor region, an insulating layer disposed on the second semiconductor region and the fourth semiconductor region and having an opening that exposes a portion of a top surface of the fourth semiconductor region, wherein the ratio of an area of opening to an area of the top surface is from 10% to 90%, and a wiring layer on the insulating layer and connected to the fourth semiconductor region via the opening.
US09711497B2
A semiconductor unit includes: a transistor configured to provide electrical conduction between a first terminal and a second terminal, based on a trigger signal; and a trigger device formed in a transistor region where the transistor is formed, and configured to generate the trigger signal, based on a voltage applied to the first terminal.
US09711494B2
Methods of fabricating multi-die assemblies including a base semiconductor die bearing a peripherally encapsulated stack of semiconductor dice of lesser lateral dimensions, the dice vertically connected by conductive elements between the dice, resulting assemblies, and semiconductor devices comprising such assemblies.
US09711488B2
The invention provides a semiconductor package assembly. The semiconductor package assembly includes a semiconductor die. A first molding compound covers a back surface of the semiconductor die. A redistribution layer (RDL) structure is disposed on a front surface of the semiconductor die. The semiconductor die is coupled to the RDL structure. A second molding compound is disposed on the front surface of the semiconductor die and embedded in the RDL structure. A passive device is disposed on the second molding compound and coupled to the semiconductor die.
US09711486B2
A stacked semiconductor device includes: a plurality of stacked integrated-circuit chips that are to be mounted onto a substrate and including at least one power-supply target chip; a decoupling through-electrode transmission line including a decoupling power-supply-side through-electrode wiring line coupled to a power-supply terminal of the at least one power-supply target chip and a decoupling ground-side through-electrode wiring line coupled to a ground terminal of the at least one power-supply target chip; a resistor and a capacitor provided one of the a plurality of integrated-circuit chips that is located at a termination of the decoupling through-electrode transmission line, the resistor having an impedance substantially equal to a characteristic impedance of the decoupling through-electrode transmission line, wherein the resistor and the capacitor are coupled in series.
US09711483B2
A bonding apparatus bonds a plurality of device chips on a plurality of electrode pads that are provided to a surface of a substrate. The bonding apparatus includes a stage, a head unit, a head lifting mechanism, a head vibrator, a heater, and a bonding region observation component. The substrate is placed and supported on the stage. The head unit holds the device chips. The head lifting mechanism raises and lowers the head unit in an up and down direction relative to the stage. The head vibrator vibrate the head unit in the up and down direction. The heater heats a bonding paste that bonds the device chips and the electrode pads. The bonding region observation component observes a region that includes at least a peripheral part of the electrode pads.
US09711467B2
In accordance with an embodiment, a semiconductor component, includes a common mode filter monolithically integrated with a protection device. The common mode filter includes a plurality of coils and the protection device has a terminal coupled to a first coil and another terminal coupled to a second coil.
US09711465B2
An integrated fan-out package having a top-side redistribution wiring structure, a back-side redistribution wiring layer, a ground plane provided in the back-side redistribution wiring layer, and a molding compound layer having a thickness and provided between the back-side redistribution wiring layer and the top-side redistribution wiring structure is disclosed. The package has an RF IC die embedded within the molding compound layer and one or more integrated patch antenna structure provided in the top-side redistribution wiring structure. The one or more integrated patch antenna structure is coupled to the RF IC die and an antenna cavity is provided within the molding compound layer under each of the one or more integrated patch antenna.
US09711464B2
A structure and a method. The structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a stack of wiring levels from a first wiring level to a last wiring level, the first wiring level closest to the semiconductor substrate and the last wiring level furthest from the semiconductor substrate, the stack of wiring levels including an intermediate wiring level between the first wiring level and the last wiring level; active devices contained in the semiconductor substrate and the first wiring level, each wiring level of the stack of wiring levels comprising a dielectric layer containing electrically conductive wire; a trench extending from the intermediate wiring level, through the first wiring level into the semiconductor substrate; and a chemical agent filling the trench, portions of at least one wiring level of the stack of wiring levels not chemically inert to the chemical agent or a reaction product of the chemical agent.
US09711460B2
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor chip including an electronic part; and a package sealing the semiconductor chip, wherein the package includes a transparent section which is opaque to visible light and transparent to near-infrared light or near-ultraviolet light, and the transparent section is disposed in such a way that the electronic part is observed from outside under the near-infrared light or the near-ultraviolet light.
US09711459B2
The present disclosure relates to a multi-layer substrate structure with an embedded die to miniaturize designs and improve performance. The multi-layer substrate structure includes a core layer having a cavity and a die mounted within the cavity. The die has a die body, a die conductive element on a top surface of the die body, and a dielectric layer over the die conductive element. The multi-layer substrate structure also includes a substrate conductive element formed over a portion of a top surface of the core layer and extending over at least a portion of the die conductive element. Overlapping portions of the die conductive element and the substrate conductive element are separated by the dielectric layer and form an electronic component.
US09711457B2
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices. One example of a method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprises forming a conductive feature extending through a semiconductor substrate such that the conductive feature has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the second end projects outwardly from a surface of the substrate. The method can further include forming a dielectric layer over the surface of the substrate and the second end of the conductive feature such that the dielectric layer has an original thickness. The method can also include removing a portion of the dielectric layer to an intermediate depth less than the original thickness such that at least a portion of the second end of the conductive feature is exposed.
US09711456B2
A semiconductor device includes a metal-containing structure such as a copper-containing wire or plug and a composite capping layer formed over the metal-containing structure. The composite capping layer includes a manganese-containing layer disposed over the metal-containing structure, a silicon-containing low-k dielectric layer disposed over the manganese-containing layer, and an intermediate layer between the manganese-containing layer and the silicon-containing low-k dielectric layer. The intermediate layer is the reaction product of the manganese-containing layer and the silicon-containing low-k dielectric layer.
US09711451B2
Characteristics of a semiconductor device are improved. A semiconductor device includes a coil CL1 and a wiring M2 formed on an interlayer insulator IL2, a wiring M3 formed on an interlayer insulator IL3, and a coil CL2 and a wiring M4 formed on the interlayer insulator IL4. Moreover, a distance DM4 between the coil CL2 and the wiring M4 is longer than a distance DM3 between the coil CL2 and the wiring M3 (DM4>DM3). Furthermore, the distance DM3 between the coil CL2 and the wiring M3 is set to be longer than a sum of a film thickness of the interlayer insulator IL3 and a film thickness of the interlayer insulator IL4, which are positioned between the coil CL1 and the coil CL2. In this manner, it is possible to improve an insulation withstand voltage between the coil CL2 and the wiring M4 or the like, where a high voltage difference tend to occur. Moreover, a transformer formation region 1A and a seal ring formation region 1C surrounding a peripheral circuit formation region 1B are formed so as to improve the moisture resistance.
US09711450B1
Interconnect structures are provided that include an intermetallic compound as either a cap or liner material. The intermetallic compound is a thermal reaction product of a metal or metal alloy of an interconnect metallic region with a metal of either a metal cap or a metal layer. In some embodiments, the metal cap may include a metal nitride and thus a nitride-containing intermetallic compound can be formed. The formation of the intermetallic compound can improve the electromigration resistance of the interconnect structures and widen the process window for fabricating interconnect structures.
US09711448B2
A finger metal oxide metal capacitor including an outer conducting structure and an inner conducting structure. The outer conducting structure is defined in a plurality of metal layers and a plurality of via layers of an integrated circuit and includes first and second side portions. An inner conducting structure is defined in the plurality of metal layers and the plurality of via layers of the integrated circuit. Each of the outer conducting structure and the inner conducting structure includes respective finger sections extending in the plurality of metal layers. Oxide is arranged between the outer conducting structure and the inner conducting structure.
US09711447B1
Methods of lithographic patterning and structures formed by lithographic patterning. A hardmask layer is formed on a dielectric layer, a feature is formed on the hardmask layer, and a mandrel is formed that extends in a first direction across the first feature. The mandrel and the hardmask layer beneath the mandrel are removed to pattern the hardmask layer with the feature masking a section of the hardmask layer. After the hardmask layer is patterned, the dielectric layer is etched to form a first trench and a second trench that are separated by a section of the dielectric layer masked by the section of the hardmask layer. The first trench and the second trench are filled with a conductor layer to respectively form a first wire and a second wire that is separated from the first wire by the section of the dielectric layer.
US09711443B2
Incorporating at least one magnetic alignment structure on a microelectronic device and incorporating at least one alignment coil within a microelectronic substrate, wherein the alignment coil may be powered to form a magnetic field to attract the magnetic alignment structure, thereby aligning the microelectronic device to the microelectronic substrate. After alignment, the microelectronic device may be electrically attached to the substrate. Embodiments may include additionally incorporating an alignment detection coil within the microelectronic substrate, wherein the alignment detection coil may be powered to form a magnetic field to detect variations in the magnetic field generated by the alignment coil in order verify the alignment of the microelectronic device to the microelectronic substrate.
US09711440B2
A wiring board includes a core substrate including an insulating layer and a conductor layer formed on the insulating layer, and a build-up layer laminated on the substrate and including an inter-layer insulating layer and a conductor layer laminated on the inter-layer. The substrate has opening penetrating through the insulating layer such that surface of the conductor layer in the substrate is forming bottom of the opening, the substrate has a via conductor formed in the opening and including plating filling the opening, the conductor layer in the substrate includes a metal foil, the conductor layer in the build-up layer includes a metal foil, and the metal foil in the substrate has surface in contact with the surface of the insulating layer such that the surface of the metal foil in the substrate has surface roughness smaller than surface roughness of surface of the metal foil in the build-up layer.
US09711439B2
A printed wiring board includes an insulating layer including insulating material, and a conductor layer formed on a surface of the insulating layer and including conductor pads and conductor patterns such that the conductor pads are positioned to connect one or more electronic components and that the conductor patterns are formed between the conductor pads. The conductor patterns are formed such that each conductor pattern has a pattern width of 3 μm or less and that the conductor patterns have a pattern interval of 3 μm or less between adjacent conductor patterns, and the insulating layer has recess portions formed on the surface between the conductor patterns at least along the conductor patterns such that the recess portions have a depth in a range of 0.1 μm to 2.0 μm relative to a contact interface at which the conductor patterns and the insulating layer are in contact with each other.
US09711437B2
According to an exemplary implementation, a semiconductor package includes a multi-phase power inverter having power switches and situated on a leadframe of the semiconductor package. The semiconductor package further includes a temperature sensor situated on the leadframe, where the temperature sensor is configured to generate a sensed temperature of the power switches. The semiconductor package also includes a driver circuit configured to drive the power switches of the multi-phase power inverter responsive to the sensed temperature. The temperature sensor can be on a common IC with the driver circuit. Furthermore, the semiconductor package can include an over-temperature protection circuit configured to provide over-temperature protection to the multi-phase power inverter using the sensed temperature.
US09711427B2
A package includes a die, which includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of through-vias penetrating through the semiconductor substrate, a seal ring overlapping and connected to the plurality of through-vias, and a plurality of electrical connectors underlying the semiconductor substrate and connected to the seal ring. An interposer is underlying and bonded to the die. The interposer includes a substrate, and a plurality of metal lines over the substrate. The plurality of metal lines is electrically coupled to the plurality of electrical connectors. Each of the plurality metal lines has a first portion overlapped by the first die, and a second portion misaligned with the die. A thermal conductive block encircles the die, and is mounted on the plurality of metal lines of the interposer.
US09711425B2
A sensing module is provided. The sensing module includes a sensing device. The sensing device includes a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite thereto. The sensing device also includes a sensing region adjacent to the first surface and a conducting pad on the first surface. The sensing device further includes a redistribution layer on the second surface and electrically connected to the conducting pad. The sensing module also includes a second substrate and a cover plate bonded to the sensing device so that the sensing device is between the second substrate and the cover plate. The conducting pad is electrically connected to the second substrate through the redistribution layer. The sensing module further includes an encapsulating layer filled between the second substrate and the cover plate to surround the sensing device.
US09711423B2
A via hole is accurately formed in an interlayer insulating film over a metal wiring. Of emission spectra of plasma to be used for dry etching of the interlayer insulating film, the emission intensities of at least CO, CN, and AlF are monitored such that an end point of the dry etching of the interlayer insulating film is detected based on the emission intensities thereof.
US09711422B2
Methods and structures provide an electrostatic discharge (ESD) indicator including an electric field sensitive material configured to undergo a specific color change in response to an electric field. An exposure of the structure to an ESD can be visually determined via the specific color change of the ESD indicator.
US09711418B2
Composite substrate with a high-performance semiconductor layer and method of manufacturing the same
Provided is a composite substrate which has a high-performance semiconductor layer. A composite substrate of the present invention comprises: a supporting substrate which is formed of an insulating material; a semiconductor layer which is formed of a single crystal semiconductor that is superposed on and joined to the supporting substrate; and interfacial inclusions which are present in the interface between the supporting substrate and the semiconductor layer at a density of 1012 atoms/cm2 or less, and which are formed of a metal element that is different from the constituent elements of the supporting substrate and the semiconductor layer.
US09711405B2
A substrate dividing method which can thin and divide a substrate while preventing chipping and cracking from occurring. This substrate dividing method comprises the steps of irradiating a semiconductor substrate 1 having a front face 3 formed with functional devices 19 with laser light while positioning a light-converging point within the substrate, so as to form a modified region including a molten processed region due to multiphoton absorption within the semiconductor substrate 1, and causing the modified region including the molten processed region to form a starting point region for cutting; and grinding a rear face 21 of the semiconductor substrate 1 after the step of forming the starting point region for cutting such that the semiconductor substrate 1 attains a predetermined thickness.
US09711402B1
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a source/drain feature over a substrate, forming a dielectric layer over the source/drain feature, forming a contact trench through the dielectric layer to expose the source/drain feature, depositing a titanium nitride (TiN) layer by a first atomic layer deposition (ALD) process in the contact trench and depositing a cobalt layer over the TiN layer in the contact trench.
US09711391B1
In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a first dielectric layer is formed over a substrate. A first set of recesses is formed in the first dielectric layer. A metal layer is formed in the first set of recesses. A set of metal wirings is formed from the metal layer in the first set of recesses. A second set of recesses is formed in the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is formed over the set of metal wirings and in the second set of recesses. A third set of recesses is formed in the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. A third dielectric layer is formed over the metal wirings and in the third set of recesses.
US09711387B2
A compliant bipolar micro device transfer head array and method of forming a compliant bipolar micro device transfer array from an SOI substrate are described. In an embodiment, a compliant bipolar micro device transfer head array includes a base substrate and a patterned silicon layer over the base substrate. The patterned silicon layer may include first and second silicon interconnects, and first and second arrays of silicon electrodes electrically connected with the first and second silicon interconnects and deflectable into one or more cavities between the base substrate and the silicon electrodes.
US09711386B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a substrate support assembly including an electrostatic chuck with enhanced heat resistance. In one embodiment, an electrostatic chuck includes a support base, an electrode assembly having interleaved electrode fingers formed therein, and an encapsulating member disposed on the electrode assembly, wherein the encapsulating member is fabricated from one of a ceramic material or glass.
US09711383B2
In aspects of the invention, a holding stage of a pick up system can include a first stage on which a semiconductor chip is mounted with an adhesive sheet put in between, a second stage supporting the first stage, and an evacuation pipe. The first stage can be provided with a plurality of grooves, projections each being formed with side walls of adjacent grooves, and air holes connected to the grooves. The semiconductor chip can be mounted on the first stage so that the whole end portion of the semiconductor chip does not position on one groove. Then, a closed space surrounded by the adhesive sheet and the first and second stages and can be evacuated to make the semiconductor chip held on the projections. Thereafter, the semiconductor chip can be picked up by a collet.
US09711360B2
Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to the fabrication of integrated circuits. More particularly, the implementations described herein provide techniques for deposition of boron-containing amorphous carbon films on a substrate with reduced particle contamination. In one implementation, the method comprises flowing a hydrocarbon-containing gas mixture into a processing volume having a substrate positioned therein, flowing a boron-containing gas mixture into the processing volume, stabilizing the pressure in the processing volume for a predefined RF-on delay time period, generating an RF plasma in the processing volume after the predefined RF-on delay time period expires to deposit a boron-containing amorphous film on the substrate, exposing the processing volume of the process chamber to a dry cleaning process and depositing an amorphous boron season layer over at least one surface in the processing volume of the process chamber.
US09711347B2
Methods and compositions for depositing rare earth metal-containing layers are described herein. In general, the disclosed methods deposit the precursor compounds comprising rare earth-containing compounds using deposition methods such as chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition. The disclosed precursor compounds include a cyclopentadienyl ligand having at least one aliphatic group as a substituent and an amidine ligand.
US09711332B2
Systems and methods for tuning an impedance matching network in a step-wise fashion for each state are described. By tuning the impedance matching network in a step-wise fashion for each state instead of directly achieving optimum values of a radio frequency (RF) for each state and directly achieving an optimal value of a combined variable capacitance for each state, processing of a wafer using the tuned optimal values becomes feasible.
US09711331B2
This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for pulsed RF power delivery to a plasma load for plasma processing of a substrate. In order to maximize power delivery, a calibration phase using a dummy substrate or no substrate in the chamber, is used to ascertain a preferred fixed initial RF frequency for each pulse. This fixed initial RF frequency is then used at the start of each pulse during a processing phase, where a real substrate is used and processed in the chamber.
US09711329B2
A method for improving the productivity of a hybrid scan implanter by determining an optimum scan width is provided. A method of tuning a scanned ion beam is provided, where a desired beam current is determined to implant a workpiece with desired properties. The scanned beam is tuned utilizing a setup Faraday cup. A scan width is adjusted to obtain an optimal scan width using setup Faraday time signals. Optics are tuned for a desired flux value corresponding to a desired dosage. Uniformity of a flux distribution is controlled when the desired flux value is obtained. An angular distribution of the ion beam is further measured.
US09711320B2
An emitter device having an emission surface includes a plurality of ligaments configured to emit electrons in response to an applied electric field resulting from an applied electrical voltage. Further, the emitter device includes a plurality of slots configured to provide physical separation between two or more adjacently disposed ligaments of the plurality of ligaments, where one or more slots of the plurality of slots define an electrical path. Moreover, the emitter device includes a low work function layer disposed on at least a portion of a ligament of the plurality of ligaments.
US09711319B2
The present invention discloses a system and method for generating a beam of fast ions. The system comprising: a target substrate having a patterned surface, a pattern comprising nanoscale pattern features oriented substantially uniformly along a common axis; and; a beam unit adapted for receiving a high power coherent electromagnetic radiation beam and providing an electromagnetic radiation beam having a main pulse and a pre-pulse and focusing it onto said patterned surface of the target substrate to cause interaction between said radiation beam and said substrate enabling creation of fast ions.
US09711308B2
Systems (100) and methods (600) for controlling operations of a Handheld Scanning and Deactivation (“HSD”) device. The methods comprise: determining whether a human is located within a defined distance range of the HSD device; preventing first operations from being performed by the HSD device which cause a magnetic field to be generated, if it is determined that said human is located within the defined distance range of said HSD device; and initiating the first operations if it is determined that the human is not located within the defined distance range of the HSD device. The first operations comprise (1) interrogation operations for detecting a presence of an electronic article surveillance security tag and/or (2) deactivation operations for deactivating an electronic article surveillance security tag.
US09711303B2
A dome-shaped element disposable in a keyboard of an electronic device is provided. The dome-shaped element includes a concave surface originating at a center and terminating at a periphery. The concave surface includes an annular array of elastic elements extending from the center to the periphery. At least one of the elastic elements includes a first portion with a first slope proximate to the center and a second portion with a second slope proximate to the periphery. The concave surface is deflectable between an un-deflected position and a deflected position and is configured to affect an operation of the electronic device in the deflected position.
US09711302B2
An operating member including an actuating part movably mounted between a rest position and a switching position, a circuit board with an open contacting portion, a switching mat made of an elastic material disposed adjacent to the circuit board, and at least one contact pill formed on a side of the switching mat facing towards the circuit board, which cooperate in such a way that, in the switching position of the actuating part at the latest, the open contacting portion of the circuit board is closed by the contact pill, and where the switching mat moreover forms at least one tactile-feel dome which is associated with the contact pill, is elastically compressible by actuation of the actuating part in the direction of the switching position and which, in its initial position, defines a unilaterally open hollow volume in the switching mat, in order to cause a tactile feedback on the actuating part, where the contact pill is disposed outside the hollow volume defined by the tactile-feel dome.
US09711294B2
There are provided a tantalum capacitor having groove parts extended from a lower surface of a positive electrode terminal to an inner part of a wire connection part; and a method of manufacturing a tantalum capacitor, the method including: forming a wire connection part of a positive electrode terminal by applying pressure to a portion of a conductive metal plate upwardly from a bottom surface thereof.
US09711286B2
Prismatic polymer monolithic capacitor structure operating at temperatures exceeding 140° C. and including multiple interleaving radiation-cured polymer dielectric layers and metal layers. Method for fabrication of same. The geometry of structure is judiciously chosen to increase sheet resistance of metal electrodes while reducing the capacitor's equivalent series resistance. Metal electrode layers are provided with a thickened peripheral portion to increase strength of terminating connections and are passivated to increase corrosion resistance. Materials for polymer dielectric layers are devised to ensure that the capacitor's dissipation factor remains substantially unchanged across the whole range of operating temperatures, to procure glass transition temperature that is no less than the desired operating temperature, and to optimize the absorption of ambient moisture by the polymeric layers.
US09711279B2
A DC-DC converter assembly includes a board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a power stage die of a DC-DC converter attached to the first side of the board, and an output inductor electrically connected to an output of the power stage die and disposed over the power stage die on the first side of the board. The output inductor includes a magnetic core and an electrical conductor having first and second terminals attached to the first side of the board. The output inductor accommodates the power stage die under the magnetic core so that the power stage die is interposed between the magnetic core and the board. A corresponding method of manufacturing the DC-DC converter assembly and method of manufacturing the output inductor are also disclosed.
US09711275B2
A fuse box mounted on a liquid-filled transformer is disclosed. The fuse box may include one or more fuse link assemblies securing one or more fuses within a base fuse box, a fuse holder coupling the one or more fuse link assemblies within the base fuse box, wherein the one or more fuse link assemblies are pulled-up from the fuse holder by hand to remove the one or more fuse link assemblies from the base fuse box. The fuse box may include a retaining ring to fasten the fuse holder to the one or more fuse link assemblies. The fuse box may include a method for servicing a fuse box on a liquid-filled transformer.
US09711274B2
The invention provides a stationary induction apparatus excellent in core vibration damping, being capable of realizing reduction in core excitation-noise. The stationary induction apparatus according to the invention includes a core made up of plural of core-legs formed by lamination of electromagnetic steel sheets, and a core-yoke formed by lamination of electromagnetic steel sheets to join the plural core-legs together; a core-tightening clasp for tightening a joint between the core-yoke and the core-legs, in the direction of the lamination of the electromagnetic steel sheets, to be secured, a winding, a tank, and an insulating sheet disposed between the core-tightening clasp and the core-yoke. Further, a concave hollowed-out part or a notched part is provided on the insulating sheet, positioned at a joint between the core-yoke and the core-leg, and a vibration insulator is disposed in the concave hollowed-out part or the notched part.
US09711273B2
In an inductor component, fallen-off-filler marks that are formed as a result of a filler falling off from an outer surface of a component body are present in a dotted manner in portions of the outer surface that are in contact with outer electrodes. As a result of the filler falling off, a joining area at interfaces between the component body and the outer electrodes increases, and stress generated at the interfaces between the component body and the outer electrodes is reduced.
US09711272B2
Printed circuit includes a substrate body having a plurality of substrate layers stacked along a Z-axis. Each substrate layer is substantially planar and extends along an XY plane. The X-, Y-, and Z-axes are mutually perpendicular. The printed circuit also includes a Z-field coil that is coupled to the substrate body and has a conductive trace that is parallel to the XY plane. The printed circuit also includes an X-field coil having conductive trace segments that are coupled to the substrate body and parallel to the XY plane. The X-field coil includes conductive paths that extend substantially parallel to the Z-axis. The conductive paths interconnect the trace segments. The Z-field coil and the X-field coil are configured to generate respective vector components of a magnetic field or have a voltage induced therein by a magnetic field.
US09711269B2
A torque motor actuator includes a first magnetic pole piece, a second magnetic pole piece, an armature, and an armature stop. The second magnetic pole piece is spaced apart from the first magnetic pole piece to define an armature gap. The armature is disposed in the armature gap and is spaced apart from the first and second magnetic pole pieces. The armature includes a magnetically permeable material and has a central portion, a first arm, and a second arm. The armature is rotationally mounted at the central portion, and the first and second arms extend, in opposite directions, from the central portion. The armature stop extends from the first arm, and comprises a non-magnetic material. The armature stop is configured, upon rotation of the armature, to selectively engage one of the first or second magnetic pole pieces to thereby limit armature rotation.
US09711263B2
A method comprising: providing a transparent electrically conductive film comprising: a transparent substrate (14); a composite layer (18) comprising: an electrically conductive layer disposed on at least a portion of a major surface of the transparent substrate (14) and comprising a plurality of interconnecting metallic nanowires (12); and a polymeric overcoat layer disposed on a portion of the electrically conductive layer, to provide a coated area of the electrically conductive layer; and patternwise exposing the coated area of the electrically conductive layer to a corona discharge to provide a patternwise exposed electrically conductive film comprising (1) an un exposed region (122) of the coated region having a first electrical resistivity, and (2) an exposed region (121) having a second electrical resistivity; wherein the exposed region is less electrically conductive than the unexposed region, and wherein there is a ratio of the second electrical resistivity over the first electrical resistivity of at least 1000:1.
US09711262B2
A compound superconducting wire 10 includes a reinforcement portion 12 and a compound superconductor 11. In the reinforcement portion 12, an assembly of plural reinforcement elements 4 are disposed. The reinforcement elements 4 each include plural reinforcement filaments 1 disposed in a stabilizer 2, and a stabilizing layer 3 at the outer periphery thereof. The reinforcement filaments 1 each mainly contain one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, V, W, Mo, Fe, and Hf, an alloy consisting of two or more metals selected from the aforementioned group, or an alloy consisting of copper and one or more metals selected from the aforementioned group.
US09711252B1
A coherent beam treatment system produces a first and second energy beam that are coherent at a treatment location. An energy beam includes a neutron beam, a proton beam, an electron beam, acoustic waves, a laser and x-ray. An energy beam may be defined by a wave, such as a sinusoidal wave having a frequency and amplitude. A control system may produce a first and second beam that have coherence at a treatment location. Coherence is a location where two beams have matching wave profiles. A beam may be defined by a simple sinusoidal equation wherein the frequency and amplitude are constant as a function of time. A beam may be defined by a complex wave equation, wherein the frequency or amplitude change as a function of time. A control system may modulate one or more of the beam equations to change a location of coherence.
US09711241B2
Embodiments contained in the disclosure provide a method for memory built-in self-testing (MBIST). The method begins when a testing program is loaded, which may be from an MBIST controller. Once the testing program is loaded MBIST testing begins. During testing, memory failures are determined and written to a failure indicator register. The writing to the failure indicator register occurs in parallel with the ongoing MBIST testing. An apparatus is also provided. The apparatus includes a memory data read/write block, a memory register, a memory addressor, and a memory read/write controller. The apparatus communicates with the memories under test through a memory address and data bus.
US09711239B2
A single-ended receiver includes an internal voltage generation circuit to set a first internal reference voltage (Vref). A model voltage generation circuit is configurable to receive an external reference voltage to be calibrated during an initial calibration. The model voltage generation circuit is configurable to track an offset value for voltage-temperature (VT) drift and the offset value is applied to the internal voltage generation circuit to calibrate the internal Vref during a periodic calibration of the single-ended receiver.
US09711235B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes a voltage generating circuit configured to generate voltages applied to word lines corresponding to a selected memory block among memory blocks. The voltage generating circuit includes voltage source lines having linear voltages, a first voltage generating unit configured to generate a first voltage and apply the generated first voltage to a first voltage source line among the voltage source lines, a second voltage generating unit configured to generate a second voltage and apply the generated second voltage to a second voltage source line among the voltage source lines, and a linear voltage generator having a resistor string connected between the first voltage source line and the second voltage source line. At least one of the voltage source lines has a voltage distributed between the first voltage and the second voltage.
US09711229B1
Systems and methods for performing a partial block erase operation on a portion of a memory array are described. The memory array may include a plurality of vertical NAND strings in which a first set of the plurality of vertical NAND strings are connected to a first drain-side select line, a second set of the plurality of vertical NAND strings are connected to a second drain-side select line, and both the first set and the second set of vertical NAND strings are connected to one or more shared word lines. In cases where a first vertical NAND string of the first set and a second vertical NAND string of the second set are both connected to selected bit lines and the same shared word line, selectivity of memory cells may be provided by applying different voltages to the first drain-side select line and the second drain-side select line.
US09711225B2
A non-volatile memory system utilizes multiple programming cycles to write units of data, such as a logical page of data, to a non-volatile memory array. User data is evaluated before writing to determine whether programming can be skipped for bay addresses. The system determines whether programming can be skipped for an initial set of bay groups. If a bay group cannot be skipped, the system determines whether the bay group includes individual bays that may be skipped. Bays are regrouped into new bay groups to reduce the number of BAD cycles during programming. Independent column addressing for multiple bays within a bay group is provided. During a column address cycle, a separate column address is provided to the bays to select different columns for programming within each bay. By simultaneously programming multiple column addresses during a single column address cycle, the system may skip programming for some column address cycles.
US09711222B2
A content addressable memory cell is provided that includes plurality of transistors having a minimum feature size F, and a plurality of memory elements coupled to the plurality of transistors. The content addressable memory cell occupies an area of between 18F2 and 36F2.
US09711221B1
A computer memory provides for range-matching capabilities using a hybrid combination of transistors and multiple resistive memory devices serving in a dual capacity as storage and logic. The result is an extremely compact, nonvolatile range-matching, content addressable memory.
US09711220B2
Disclosed is a content addressable memory (CAM). The content addressable memory array includes a memory array and a data match module. The memory array includes multiple memory rows. Each memory row is configured to store a first data word and a second data word. The data match module includes a first match circuitry configured to compare a first match word to the first data word of a memory row, and to generate a first match output based on the comparison between the first match word and the first data word of the memory row. The data match module further includes a second match circuitry configured to compare a second match word to the second data word of the memory row, and to generate a second match output based on the comparison between the second match word and the second data word of the memory row.
US09711217B1
A memory device and an operating method for a resistive memory cell are provided. The memory device includes the resistive memory cell. The resistive memory cell includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a memory film between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode includes a bottom electrode portion and a sidewall electrode portion extending upwardly from the bottom electrode portion and between the memory film and the bottom electrode portion. A width of the sidewall electrode portion and a width of the memory film are smaller than a width of the bottom electrode portion.
US09711207B2
The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to performing logical operations using sensing circuitry. An example apparatus comprises an array of memory cells and sensing circuitry coupled to the array an array of memory cells via a sense line. The sensing circuitry is configured to sense, as a voltage associated with a second operand of a logical function, a voltage on the sense line corresponding to a first logical data value resulting in part from reading a first memory cell of the array of memory cells associated with a first operand of the logical function.
US09711206B2
The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to performing logical operations using sensing circuitry. An example apparatus comprises an array of memory cells and sensing circuitry coupled to the array of memory cells. The sensing circuitry includes a primary latch and a secondary latch. The primary latch is coupled to a pair of complementary sense lines and selectively coupled to a pair of adjacent complementary sense lines. The secondary latch is selectively coupled to the primary latch. The primary latch and secondary latch are configured to shift a data value between the pair of adjacent complementary sense lines and the primary latch. The primary latch and secondary latch are configured to shift the data value from the pair of adjacent complementary sense lines without activating a row line.
US09711205B2
A use time managing method of a semiconductor device may include (1) measuring an amount of accumulated operation time of the semiconductor device and when the amount is reached to a predetermined value, generating a unit storage activation signal; (2) repeating step (1) to generate one or more additional unit storage activation signals, thereby generating a plurality of unit storage activation signals, wherein the predetermined values are different for each repeating step; (3) storing data indicating each occurrence of generating the unit storage activation signals; and (4) detecting use time of the semiconductor device based on the cumulatively stored data.
US09711202B2
This technology provides an electronic device. An electronic device in accordance with an implementation of this document may include a semiconductor memory, and the semiconductor memory may include: an under layer including a plurality of material layers having a different crystal structures; a first magnetic layer formed over the under layer and having a variable magnetization direction; a tunnel barrier layer formed over the first magnetic layer; and a second magnetic layer formed over the tunnel barrier layer and having a pinned magnetization direction.
US09711178B2
Local timeline editing for online content editing is disclosed. Various systems and methods described herein provide for online content editing, wherein user-created content is created or modified at an online content editor server in accordance with a timeline (associated with the user-created content) that is modified at a remote content editor client and subsequently received by the online content editor server. In a specific implementation, the creation and modification operations performed on the user-created content are performed at the online content editor server in accordance with the timeline received from the remote content editor client. The timeline can comprise information defining content within the user-created content, and define a temporal property of the content within the user-created content. The remote content editor client can be a thin client instance utilizing limited resources during operation and requiring very limited network bandwidth when transferred to the client.
US09711162B2
A method of environmental noise compensation a speech audio signal is provided that includes estimating a fast audio energy level and a slow audio energy level in an audio environment, wherein the speech audio signal is not part of the audio environment, and applying a gain to the speech audio signal to generate an environment compensated speech audio signal, wherein the gain is updated based on the estimated slow audio energy level when the estimated fast audio energy level is not indicative of an audio event in the audio environment and the estimated gain is not updated when the estimated fast audio energy level is indicative an audio event in the audio environment.
US09711159B2
An apparatus and a method for integrally encoding and decoding a speech signal and a audio signal. The encoding apparatus may include: an input signal analyzer to analyze a characteristic of an input signal; a first conversion encoder to convert the input signal to a frequency domain signal, and to encode the input signal when the input signal is a audio characteristic signal; a Linear Predictive Coding (LPC) encoder to perform LPC encoding of the input signal when the input signal is a speech characteristic signal; a frequency band expander with the spectral band replication (SBR) standard for expanding the frequency band of the input signal whose output is transmitted to either the first conversion encoder or the LPC encoder based on the input characteristic; and a bitstream generator to generate a bitstream using an output signal of the first conversion encoder and an output signal of the LPC encoder.
US09711157B2
An encoder for providing an audio stream on the basis of a transform-domain representation of an input audio signal includes a quantization error calculator configured to determine a multi-band quantization error over a plurality of frequency bands of the input audio signal for which separate band gain information is available. The encoder also includes an audio stream provider for providing the audio stream such that the audio stream includes information describing an audio content of the frequency bands and information describing the multi-band quantization error.A decoder for providing a decoded representation of an audio signal on the basis of an encoded audio stream representing spectral components of frequency bands of the audio signal includes a noise filler for introducing noise into spectral components of a plurality of frequency bands to which separate frequency band gain information is associated on the basis of a common multi-band noise intensity value.
US09711146B1
A user may speak an audio input into a microphone of a recorder device (e.g., a sport helmet). The user device then transmits the audio input to a receiver. The receiver, upon receiving the audio input, routes the audio to a processor that processes the audio input to detect a spoken activation code. The processor then parses a subset of the audio input (e.g., the subset including one or more words) following the activation code and generates textual data based the parsed audio subset. The textual data may optionally be edited to replace one or more pre-identified catchphrases (e.g., swearwords or product names) with replacement phrases (e.g., swear censors) or hyperlinks (e.g., leading to product websites). The textual data is then transmitted to reader devices via transmitters, which may optionally transmit the textual data to a selective group of reader devices (e.g., stadium attendees).
US09711144B2
At a microphone, voice activity is detected in a data stream while simultaneously buffering audio data from the data stream to create buffered data. A signal is sent to a host indicating the positive detection of voice activity in the data stream. When an external clock signal is received from the host, the internal operation of the microphone is synchronized with the external clock signal. Buffered data stream is selectively sent through a first path, the first path including a buffer having a buffer delay time representing the time the first data stream takes to move through the buffer. The data stream is continuously sent through a second path as a real-time data stream, the second path not including the buffer, the real-time data stream beginning with the extended buffer data at a given instant in time. The buffered data stream and the real-time data stream are multiplexed onto a single data line and transmitting the multiplexed data stream to the host.
US09711132B1
The present disclosure relates to an acoustic lens using a Fresnel zone plate, a design method and a manufacturing method of the acoustic lens, a focusing ultrasonic transducer to which the acoustic lens is applied, and a manufacturing method of the focusing ultrasonic transducer. More specifically, an acoustic lens using a Fresnel zone plate which is applied to a focusing ultrasonic transducer. The acoustic lens includes a plurality of concentric regions which is concentrically disposed with respect to a center point. In the concentric region, a sound insulation region which blocks an entering sound wave and a transmission region which transmits the sound wave are alternately formed in a radial direction from the center point, and the entering sound wave is focused near a focal point.
US09711130B2
A personal audio device, such as a wireless telephone, includes an adaptive noise canceling (ANC) circuit that adaptively generates an anti-noise signal from a reference microphone signal that measures the ambient audio and an error microphone signal that measures the output of an output transducer plus any ambient audio at that location and injects the anti-noise signal at the transducer output to cause cancellation of ambient audio sounds. A processing circuit uses the reference and error microphone to generate the anti-noise signal, which can be generated by an adaptive filter operating at a multiple of the ANC coefficient update rate. Downlink audio can be combined with the high data rate anti-noise signal by interpolation. High-pass filters in the control paths reduce DC offset in the ANC circuits, and ANC coefficient adaptation can be halted when downlink audio is not detected.
US09711117B2
Disclosed are music symbol recognition apparatuses and methods that recognise music symbols from handwritten music notations. Various implementations may process handwritten music notations by segmenting the handwritten music notations into a plurality of elementary ink segments and then grouping the segments into graphical objects based on spatial relationships between the segments. One or more candidate music symbols may be determined for each graphical object, along with a symbol cost for each symbol, which represents a likelihood that the graphical object belongs to a predetermined class of symbols. The music symbol candidates may be parsed to form graphs based on grammar rules, and the graph most likely to represent the handwritten music notations may be selected for display or other use. The selection may be based on the symbol costs associated with each candidate and on spatial costs associated with the grammar rules that are applied to the candidates.
US09711115B2
The present invention is directed to a capo for use with a stringed musical instrument and which is engaged from the bottom portion of the neck of the musical instrument. The capo has a generally L-shaped frame connected to a lever and a pincher configured so that pressure applied to the lever causes the pincher to move toward the lever, allowing the space between the pincher and free end portion of the frame to receive the neck of the musical instrument. The exterior of the frame is configured to received interchangeable inlays, and the free end portion of the frame is configured to receive changeable neck pads.
US09711110B2
A dark portion in an image seen by a viewer is expressed more precisely, whereby the image given a greater sense of depth is displayed. A display device in which pixels each include a light-emitting module capable of emitting light having a spectral line half-width of less than or equal to 60 nm in a response time of less than or equal to 100 μs and are provided at a resolution of higher than or equal to 80 ppi; the NTSC ratio is higher than or equal to 80%; and the contrast ratio is higher than or equal to 500, is provided with a circuit converting an image signal having a given grayscale into an image signal capable of representing an image on the low luminance side by high-level grayscale.
US09711109B2
A data processing apparatus includes a compressor and an output interface. The compressor generates a compressed display data by compressing a display data according to a compression algorithm. The output interface appends first indication information in a first output bitstream, appends second indication information in a second output bitstream, and outputs the first output bitstream and the second output bitstream via a display interface. The first output bitstream is derived from the compressed display data. The first indication information is set in response to the compression algorithm employed by the compressor. The first indication information is different from the second indication information. The display interface is arranged for coupling to a driver circuit.
US09711106B1
The present invention provides a display method and a display system, which belong to the field of display technology and solve a problem of large power consumption in the case of light-load images in existing display methods. The display method includes steps of: detecting, when a frame of image is displayed, a variation degree of data voltages on respective data lines; determining, according to the detection result, a load size of the displayed image; and adjusting, according to the determination result, an operating frequency of a charge pump, and outputting, by the charge pump, a voltage corresponding to the operating frequency to a gate driving unit, so that a gate driving voltage is provided to a gate line by the gate driving unit. The overall power consumption of a display system can be reduced and the performance thereof can be improved by the display method according to the present invention.
US09711104B2
A display device is provided which is capable of preventing a malfunction and carrying out a common reverse drive without increasing electric power consumption. The display driver (a) supplies a voltage of a common electrode, whose a polarity is determined in accordance with (i) an oscillation circuit output signal (OCOUT) which is transmitted via a first wire different from a second wire used during a serial transmission and (ii) a SCS signal and (b) controls a reverse timing of the polarity of the voltage of the common electrode in accordance with the oscillation circuit output signal (OCOUT) and the SCS signal.
US09711103B2
Disclosed is a display apparatus including: a display panel including pixels connected with a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines; a gate driver supplying gate signals to the gate lines; and a data driver supplying data voltages to the data lines. The data driver includes a temperature measurer generating a temperature signal of the data driver.
US09711100B2
A common voltage distortion detecting circuit includes a current sensor, a voltage difference voltage detecting circuit and a comparator. The current sensor is disposed between a circuit configured to apply a common voltage to a liquid crystal display panel and an input power terminal providing a power voltage. The voltage difference detecting circuit is configured to detect a difference voltage between two terminals of the current sensor. The comparator is configured to compare the difference voltage and a reference voltage to output an over current signal to convert an inversion method of the liquid crystal display panel when the difference voltage is greater than the reference voltage.
US09711091B2
The present disclosure discloses a 3D display method and a display device, relates to the field of display technologies, and can improve the 3D display effects of a Vertical Alignment (VA) liquid crystal display. The 3D display method comprises the steps of: acquiring effective grayscale of an image to be displayed; acquiring compensation data for brightness of the image to be displayed based on the effective grayscale thereof; and driving, during display of the image, a backlight source based on the compensation data for brightness, so as to compensate for brightness of the image to be displayed. The 3D display method is especially suitable for a VA display device. The present disclosure can be used in a display device, such as a liquid crystal television, a liquid crystal display, a mobile phone, a tablet personal computer, etc.
US09711089B2
A scan driving circuit, including a multi-stage shift register unit that outputs scan signals by stage under control of a clock signal (CKR, CKBR), the shift register unit includes an output terminal for outputting the scan signals, the scan driving circuit further includes a multi-stage signal generating unit, with an n-th stage signal generating unit is connected respectively to an output terminal of an n-th stage shift register unit and an output terminal of an (n+j)-th stage shift register unit, the n-th stage signal generating unit is configured to convert an outputted first level into a second level under triggering of a scan signal outputted by the n-th stage shift register unit, and convert an outputted second level into a first level under triggering of a scan signal outputted by the (n+j)-th stage shift register unit; the n and j both are positive integers.
US09711086B2
A display device having at least a plurality of pixel circuits, connected to signal lines to which data signals in accordance with luminance information are supplied, arranged in a matrix, wherein pixel circuits of odd number columns and even number columns adjacent sandwiching an axis in a column direction parallel to an arrangement direction of the signal lines have a mirror type circuit arrangement symmetric about the axis of the column direction, and there are lines different from the signal lines between signal lines of adjacent pixel circuits.
US09711085B2
Disclosed are a pixel circuit, an organic light emitting display panel and a display apparatus. The pixel circuit comprises a light emitting device (01), a charging module (02), a driving module (03), and a testing module (04) having a control terminal connected to a test signal terminal (TEST) for providing a test signal switching between a displaying period of time and a testing period of time, a second input terminal (a2) connected to an output terminal of the light emitting device (01), and a third output terminal (b3) connected to a second reference signal terminal (Ref2). Through the pixel circuit, a current signal for driving the light emitting device (01) to emit light can reach the uniformity standard so that display luminance of pixels is uniform and quality of a display picture is ensured.
US09711083B2
A display apparatus includes a plurality of sub-pixel groups. At least one of the sub-pixel groups includes a plurality of first sub-pixels to emit a first color of light, a plurality of second sub-pixels to emit a second color of light, and a dummy pixel between the first sub-pixels and the second sub-pixels. A first dummy driving transistor is connectable to one of the first sub-pixels and a second dummy driving transistor is connectable to one of the second sub-pixels.
US09711082B2
A display apparatus includes: a pixel array including pixel circuits arranged in a matrix form, in which each pixel circuit has a light-emitting device, a drive transistor applying a current corresponding to a gate-source voltage to the light-emitting device, a sampling transistor inputting a voltage supplied from a signal line to a gate of the drive transistor, and a storage capacitor connected between the gate and source of the drive transistor so as to store a threshold voltage of the drive transistor and an input video signal voltage; a signal selector that supplies a reference voltage and the video signal voltage to signal lines arranged in columns on the pixel array in horizontal periods corresponding to the number of horizontal lines in one unit when the horizontal lines of the respective pixel circuits of the pixel array are grouped as one unit; and a scanner that applies a pulse to control lines arranged in rows on the pixel array so as to control the sampling transistor of the pixel circuit.
US09711079B2
A shift register includes a first voltage stabilizing unit, a second voltage stabilizing unit, a main pull-down unit and a main pull-up unit. The first voltage stabilizing unit is used to pull a first driving control signal to a low voltage terminal when a first stabilizing control signal is high. The second voltage stabilizing unit is used to pull the first driving control signal to the low voltage terminal when a second stabilizing control signal is high. The main pull-down unit includes a first sub-pull-down unit controlled by a second gate-terminal signal for pulling down the first driving control signal to the low voltage terminal during a first display mode, and a second sub-pull-down unit controlled by a third gate-terminal signal for pulling down the first driving control signal to the low voltage terminal during a second display mode. The main pull-up unit is used for pulling up a first gate-terminal signal.
US09711076B2
A display device can include a display panel having first and second panel blocks, a switching element that selectively connects a first data line formed in the first panel block and a second data line formed in the second panel block, a gate driver that feeds a gate pulse to gate lines formed in the first and second panel blocks, a first data driver that feeds a data voltage to the first data line, a second data driver that feeds a data voltage to the second data line, and a dimming-proof part that controls the operation timing of the switching element.
US09711067B2
This invention is directed to a modular staged simulator and a process of simulating medical trauma and maladies for the purpose of training or certifying individuals including medical professionals. More specifically, this disclosure relates to ex vivo training exercises as opposed to traditional forms of training using intact cadavers, in vivo surgery on animal subjects; and supervised apprenticeship performing surgery on human subjects with trauma or maladies under the watch of a skilled medical practitioner.
US09711064B2
Disclosed are systems, methods, and products for language learning that automatically extracts keywords from resources using various natural-language processing product features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive resources having text and then determine a text difficulty score that predicts how difficult the resource is for language learners based on any number of factors, including any number of semantic and syntactic features of the text. Training resources labeled with metadata may be used to train a statistical model for determining difficulty scores of newly received text. Resources may be grouped based on difficulty score, and groups of resources may correspond to language learners' proficiency levels.
US09711063B2
The present invention is directed to methods and devices for teaching the proper configuration of the oral articulators, particularly the tongue, corresponding to particular speech sounds by providing intraoral tactile feedback. Intraoral tactile feedback is achieved by placing nodes in the oral cavity of the patient in locations corresponding to the proper lingual position required to produce a target sound. These nodes facilitate identification of the appropriate lingual position corresponding to a target speech sound by providing tactile differentiation when the target sound is properly produced.
US09711059B2
A motion platform device for flight simulation comprises: a base frame, a moving platform, which is spaced apart from said base frame and which has a user position surface opposing to the base frame, and a number of mounts connected to the base frame and connected with the moving platform, wherein the mounts are adapted to allow a relative movement of the user position surface, especially pivoting around a central point in three directions. The user is lying on the surface and actuates the flying movement through lateral inner wings and/or lateral outer wings.
US09711057B2
A question setting apparatus is disclosed, including a processor and a storage part. The storage stores problem information which maintains problem data including a problem and a correct answer of the problem included in a test sent to students, and student answer information which maintains answer data and a correct/incorrect answer determination result for each of the students. The processor processes test operations of referring to the problem information, sending the problem data to the student terminals, receiving the answer data from the student terminals in a given time for the test, and recording the answer data in the student answer information. The processor processes a progress display. A progress state is displayed in the given time and indicates an answer state of the problem data based on the correct/incorrect answer determination result. A display instruction is sent to the student terminals to stop the test.
US09711056B1
A personal emotion-based cognitive assistant system includes one or more components which may be worn by a user as a headset, one or more sensors that capture an emotional state of the user, a processor that identifies personal meaning of an environment of the user based on the captured emotional state, and a memory that stores the identified personalized meaning with data about the environment in different areas of the memory based on the identified personal meaning.
US09711051B2
A method for determining a positioning of a subject motor vehicle in a traffic lane of a highway is provided, including: acquiring a number of traffic lanes of the highway; acquiring an image of the highway showing at least a lateral part of the highway; acquiring a datum relating to a direction of travel of the subject motor vehicle on the highway; receiving by the subject motor vehicle one message from another motor vehicle, the message including a first information item relating to a positioning of the other motor vehicle, and a second information item relating to a direction of travel of the other motor vehicle; and deducting the positioning of the subject motor vehicle in one of the traffic lanes, as a function of the number of traffic lanes, the datum, the acquired image, the first and second information item.
US09711050B2
A smart vehicle can be operated by generating a 3D model of a sensor's field of view; receiving information from neighboring vehicles to compensate for blindspots in the sensor's field of view and in a driver's field of view; receiving traffic information, weather information; adjusting one or more characteristics of the plurality of 3D models based on the received traffic and weather information and blindspot information; aggregating the plurality of 3D models to generate a comprehensive 3D model; and combining the comprehensive 3D model with detailed map information; and using the combined comprehensive 3D model with detailed map information to maneuver the vehicle.
US09711048B1
A wireless transmission system includes a server to receive a unique identifier associated with a parking space from a first receiving device. The server then generate an instruction to query a type of the unique identifier and transmit the instruction to the database. The server in response to determining that a parking space is occupied by the first receiving device, generate an instruction to modify a record within the database associated with the parking space as occupied. The server receive a query from a second receiving device about the availability of parking spaces, and generate an instruction to receive one or more unoccupied parking spaces. The server generates a graphical user interface including a census data where the census data may include the occupied parking spaces, unoccupied parking spaces, and number of occupants within the automobile. The server transmit the graphical user interface to the second receiving device.
US09711043B2
An infrared signal generator with an interface for receiving an encoded infrared command; and protocol generation circuitry for generating a bitstream that comprises one or more data words that comprise data to be transmitted and one or more protocol words that describe symbols of an infrared protocol is presented. Optionally, the protocol generation circuitry comprises a first circuit for generating a data word and a second circuit for generating a protocol word. Optionally, the infrared signal generator comprises a carrier frequency generator which is selectively combined with the output of either the first circuit or the second circuit to provide a drive signal for an infrared transmitter.
US09711042B2
Disclosed are methods and devices for controlling pieces of equipment by sound pulses, which include operations and means for determining characteristics of a vector defined by two sound pulses received by at least two receivers. In various implementations, the characteristics may comprise at least the direction and possibly also the sense and the norm of the vector, and these sound pulses may be generated in a zone defined relative to the receivers. The methods and devices may also include operations and means for controlling a piece of equipment where the command applied to the equipment may be determined at least by the direction of the vector.
US09711038B1
A wireless sensor network including a number of wireless modules for monitoring sensors associated with stationary assets. A wireless module includes a wireless transceiver, a processor, a location acquisition unit, configured to acquire a location item identifying a location of the wireless module, and a memory.
US09711033B2
A mobile cart that holds a bag for receiving solid waste generated during a medical or surgical procedure. The cart includes a sensor that monitors whether or not an object containing metal is placed in the bag. A processor monitors the signal output by the sensor. If the sensor signal indicates that an object with a minimal amount of metal is placed in the bag, the processor momentarily asserts an audible alarm and continuously asserts a light alarm. The light alarm remains asserted until turned off. If, while the light alarm is on, the sensor signal indicates a second object with the minimal amount of waste is placed in the container, the processor again momentarily asserts the audible alarm. This provides notice that it may be necessary to investigate the contents of the bag to determine if not one but two or more objects were inadvertently discarded.
US09711032B1
An electrical device, processes for using and making the device, and products produced thereby. There can be an alarm device and an extension which includes a protrusion. The extension can have wiring, and the alarm device can detect for a change in electricity running through the wiring, such as a change that would occur when the electricity is interrupted when the wiring is cut. The protrusion is located adjacent to the extension, distant from the alarm device, and can include a key, switch, connector, or the like. The protrusion, in some cases, can be releasably connectable to a housing that is in turn connected to the extension, so as to form a loop in which an item can be secured for protection, e.g., from theft.
US09711029B2
A system comprises a patient bed having a reader to read wireless signals. In some embodiments a wound dressing has a transmitter that transmits wireless signals to the reader of the patient bed. In other embodiments, a garment has a transmitter that transmits wireless signals to the reader of the patient bed. In still further embodiments, other medical equipment has a transmitter that transmits wireless signals to the reader of the patient bed.
US09711027B2
Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for suggesting adjustments to an adjustable helmet based on analysis of play. Aspects include monitoring a plurality of sensors in the adjustable helmet and performing an analysis of play for a user of the adjustable helmet based on data received from the plurality of sensors. Aspects also include determining if an adjustment to the adjustable helmet should be made based on the analysis of play and creating an alert indicating that an adjustment to the helmet is needed.
US09711023B2
Some embodiments are directed to a lockdown apparatus for facilitating initiation of lockdown procedures at a facility. The lockdown apparatus can include an actuator configured to transmit a lockdown initiation signal upon being actuated. The actuator can be configured to be recognizably distinguishable from a fire alarm actuator. The lockdown apparatus can also include a lockdown communicator configured to produce a lockdown communication for communicating initiation of lockdown procedures to the facility occupants and individuals not disposed proximate the facility upon transmission of the lockdown initiation signal, the lockdown communication being recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication.
US09711022B2
Some embodiments are directed to a lockdown apparatus for facilitating initiation of lockdown procedures at a facility. The lockdown apparatus can include an actuator configured to transmit a lockdown initiation signal upon being actuated. The actuator can be configured to be recognizably distinguishable from a fire alarm actuator. The lockdown apparatus can also include a lockdown communicator configured to produce a lockdown communication for communicating initiation of lockdown procedures to the facility occupants and individuals not disposed proximate the facility upon transmission of the lockdown initiation signal, the lockdown communication being recognizably distinguishable from the fire alarm communication.
US09711011B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to the use of game modifiers that are triggered in a first game and are used in game stages in a subsequent second game. According to some embodiments, a gaming device is configured to play a multi-stage game of chance. After each stage is completed in a first game, it is determined whether any of the game stages have triggered modifications of one or more game modifiers that are used in one or more corresponding game stages in a subsequently played game. The altered game modifiers may modify prizes associated with an incremented one of the game stages in the subsequent game so that the altered modifiers move between game stages in multiple games.
US09711010B2
In various embodiments, a system and a method of implementing bad beat insurance are disclosed. After a stage of a portion of a game is played, it is determined that a player is favored to win the portion of the game. After the portion of the game is completed, it is determined that the player has suffered a bad beat. The player is compensated at least partially for a loss that the player incurred as a consequence of suffering the bad beat.
US09711008B2
A game system executes a game for a plurality of users to participate in. A role assigning unit assigns a role in a game to a user. An evaluation unit evaluates a game play of the user in the game, based on an evaluation criterion that is set based on a role assigned to the user by the assigning unit. A limiting unit limits a number of users, other than the user, who are able to participate in the game, based on an evaluation result by the evaluation unit on a game play of the user in a game in the past.
US09710992B2
An automatic product dispensing machine comprises: a frame (2) delimiting at least a housing chamber (3); a magazine (4) arranged internally of the housing chamber (3), for containing a series of products (5); at least a display (8) interposed between the housing chamber (3) and the external environment; a control unit (9) active on the display (8) and configured such as to enable visualizing images and/or information. The control unit (9) is further configured such as to switch the display (8) between at least two of the following three operative conditions: a visualizing condition, in which it reproduces at least a datum and/or image that is externally visible, a condition of transparency, in which at least a product (5) contained in the magazine (4) is viewable via the display (8) and a superposing condition, in which at least a product (5) is viewable via the display (8) and at least a datum and/or image and/or film relating to the product is reproduced on the display.
US09710973B2
A system that includes a head mounted display device and a processing unit connected to the head mounted display device is used to fuse virtual content into real content. In one embodiment, the processing unit is in communication with a hub computing device. The processing unit and hub may collaboratively determine a map of the mixed reality environment. Further, state data may be extrapolated to predict a field of view for a user in the future at a time when the mixed reality is to be displayed to the user. This extrapolation can remove latency from the system.
US09710963B2
A primitive fitting apparatus is provided. The primitive fitting apparatus may include a selecting unit to receive, from a user, a selection of points used to fit a primitive a user desires to fit from a point cloud, an identifying unit to receive a selection of the primitive from the user and to identify the selected primitive, and a fitting unit to fit the primitive to correspond to the points, using the points and primitive.
US09710959B2
Techniques are disclosed for providing compressed three-dimensional (3D) graphics rendering exploiting psychovisual properties of the human eye. In some embodiments, the techniques can be used to render one red-green-blue (RGB) channel per pixel location. In some example such cases, green pixels are rendered at one-half resolution, whereas red and blue pixels are rendered at one-quarter resolution. In some other embodiments, multiple RGB channels can be rendered at a given pixel location. In some example such cases, green pixels are rendered at full (e.g., actual) resolution, whereas red and blue pixels are rendered at one-quarter resolution. Missing RGB channel components can be interpolated using statistical and/or frequency domain properties of color spectra, in accordance with some embodiments. The techniques can be used, for example, to improve the power efficiency and/or rendered graphics quality of a graphics processing unit (GPU) or other rendering engine, in accordance with some embodiments.
US09710953B2
As a data analysis apparatus that can easily and intuitively identify fine particles and small fine particle populations to be analyzed in a distribution graph and that can obtain accurate statistical data regarding these, a 3D data analysis apparatus is provided that includes a data storage unit which saves measurement data regarding fine particles, an input unit which selects independent three types of variables from the measurement data, a data processing unit which calculates positions and figures in a coordinate space whose coordinate axes are the three types of variables and which creates a 3D stereoscopic image representing characteristic distribution of the fine particles, and a display unit which displays the 3D stereoscopic image and that displays, in the 3D stereoscopic image, the figures in each region of the coordinate space divided into a plurality of regions by a plane in a different color in each region.
US09710952B2
Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can detect a trigger to initiate at least one of a pixelation animation or a depixelation animation for a media content item. A set of pixelated images can be generated based on a source image associated with the media content item. Variable durations for presenting the set of pixelated images can be determined. The set of pixelated images can be presented, based on the variable durations, to produce the at least one of the pixelation animation or the depixelation animation.
US09710933B2
Provided is a method of processing a texture. The method includes acquiring texture position information in a texture image corresponding to pixel position information of pixels constituting a frame, acquiring texture classification information (TCI) representing a similarity between respective texture factors of two or more classified regions in the texture image based on the texture position information, determining an amount of texture data requested from a memory according to the TCI, and reading texture data corresponding to the determined amount of texture data based on the texture position information.
US09710919B2
A method of image-tracking by using an image capturing device (12). The method comprises: performing an image-capture of a scene (54) by using an image capturing device; and tracking movement (62) of the image capturing device (12) by analyzing a set of images by using an image processing algorithm (64).
US09710918B2
A system and method for an image reconstruction user interface is provided. An imaging system may be used to scan a subject and provide reconstructed images of the subject. Reconstructed images may be output to a display, printer, network, and/or memory storage device. To view information and select options for image reconstruction, a visualization system and method is utilized.
US09710910B2
There is provided an image registration device and an image registration method. The device includes: a feature extractor configured to extract, from a first image, a first feature group and to extract, from a second image, a second feature group; a feature converter configured to convert, using a converted neural network in which a correlation between features is learned, the extracted second feature group to correspond to the extracted first feature group, to obtain a converted group; and a register configured to register the first image and the second image based on the converted group and the extracted first feature group.
US09710907B2
A diagnosis support system includes a diagnosis support computer that includes a model data acquisition unit configured to obtain a plurality of mandible model data, a contour model creation unit configured to create contour model data from the mandible model data, a contour database storage unit configured to construct a contour model database from the contour model data, a diagnosis image data receiving unit configured to receive an input of diagnosis image data of an examinee, an edge extraction unit configured to extract edge data from the diagnosis image data, a similar model searching unit configured to search contour model data based on the edge data, a position judgment unit and an image quality judgment unit configured to judge an imaging position and an image quality based on imaging information, respectively, and a diagnosis support information provision unit configured to provide diagnosis support information based on provider information.
US09710905B2
In a mask inspection apparatus, a defect detection unit includes a first memory region, a second memory region, an inspection condition reconfiguring unit, and a comparison unit. The inspection condition reconfiguring unit obtains a difference between gray scales of an optical image stored in the second memory region and a reference image stored in the first memory region. The existence of the defect is determined in the case where the difference is larger than a first threshold value. Further in the case where the number of defects is larger than a second threshold value, an inspection condition is re-estimated and configured and the reference image is regenerated. A comparison unit compares the stored reference image with the stored optical image in the case where the inspection condition is not reconfigured, and compares the regenerated reference image with the stored optical image in the case where the inspection condition is reconfigured.
US09710902B2
The present application concerns the visual identification of materials or documents for tracking or authentication purposes.It describes methods to automatically authenticate an object by comparing some object images with reference images, the object images being characterized by the fact that visual elements used for comparison are non-disturbing for the naked eye. In some described approaches it provides the operator with visible features to locate the area to be imaged. It also proposes ways for real-time implementation enabling user friendly detection using mobile devices like smart phones.
US09710892B2
An image enhancement method and an image processing apparatus thereof are provided. The image enhancement method is adapted to the image processing apparatus and includes the following steps. An input image is obtained, wherein the input image has a plurality of intensity components. The input image is corrected according to a gamma curve. The sharpness of the corrected input image is enhanced based on an edge detection operator and a weight value. An output image suitable for a display panel is obtained based on the enhanced input image.
US09710889B2
An example method for controlling the orientation of a display screen of a computing device is provided in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. The method includes identifying a request for a change of an orientation of a screen in a device from a first screen orientation to a second screen orientation. The request may be sent by a mobile application. The method further includes determining whether the device has an ability to rotate the screen to the second orientation, canceling the request for change of the orientation of the screen, and adjusting the resolution of the screen to emulate rotation of the screen to the second orientation while remaining in the first orientation.
US09710887B1
Disclosed is a display apparatus and a method of displaying, via the display apparatus. The display apparatus comprises at least one context display for rendering a context image, the at least one context display comprising at least one projection surface, and at least one focus image projector for rendering a focus image. An angular width of a projection of the rendered context image ranges from 40 degrees to 220 degrees. An angular width of a projection of the rendered focus image ranges from 5 degrees to 60 degrees. An arrangement is made to combine the projection of the rendered focus image with the projection of the rendered context image to create a visual scene.
US09710882B2
A data visualization technique rapidly loads images to decrease data transfer time and associated bandwidth cost for animation effects in displays of data, and includes initially loading raster imagery at a coarser zoom level than a current view on the display, and then manipulating the imagery using general-purpose image manipulation algorithms to interpolate data points as a user adjusts the zoom level. In this manner, the data visualization technique intentionally displays a coarser view than that selected, rather than transferring entirely new imagery or datasets, and manipulates the imagery as necessary to avoid loading more data from a remote server to the local client each time the user adjusts the view.
US09710881B2
In graphics processing data is received representing one or more vertices for a scene in a virtual space. Primitive assembly is performed on the vertices to compute projections of the vertices from virtual space onto a viewport of the scene in a screen space of a display device containing a plurality of pixels, the plurality of pixels being subdivided into a plurality of subsections. Scan conversion determines which pixels of the plurality of pixels are part of each primitive that has been converted to screen space coordinates. Coarse rasterization for each primitive determines which subsection or subsections the primitive overlaps. Metadata associated with the subsection a primitive overlaps determines a pixel resolution for the subsection. The metadata is used in processing pixels for the subsection to generate final pixel values for the viewport of the scene that is displayed on the display device in such a way that parts of the scene in two different subsections have different pixel resolution.
US09710880B2
A semi-automatic approach is used for user-guided bone segmentation in medical imaging. The user indicates a plurality of landmarks on an image of the bone. A processor morphs the same landmarks on a model of the bone to the user input landmarks on the image, resulting in a transform. This transform is then applied to the model to roughly segment the bone. The user may edit the resulting fit, and the processor then refines the edited fit, such as fitting the bone model to the scan data and avoiding any overlap with other bones. This user-guided segmentation may avoid the need for many samples to train a classifier for a fully automated approach while also avoiding the tedious outlining in a manual approach.
US09710875B2
An image transmission apparatus for providing a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) data stream to a display panel is provided. The image transmission apparatus includes a transmitter and a graphic processing unit (GPU). The transmitter obtains an extended display identification data (EDID) according to an inter integrated circuit signal from the display panel. The GPU provides configuration data according to the EDID, and provides a display port (DP) data stream according to an image data. The transmitter obtains a transfer parameter according to the configuration data, and converts the DP data stream into the LVDS data stream according to the transfer parameter.
US09710874B2
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for mid-primitive execution preemption. When preemption is initiated no new instructions are issued, in-flight instructions progress to an execution unit boundary, and the execution state is unloaded from the processing pipeline. The execution units within the processing pipeline, including the coarse rasterization unit complete execution of in-flight instructions and become idle. However, rasterization of a triangle may be preempted at a coarse raster region boundary. The amount of context state to be stored is reduced because the execution units are idle. Preempting at the mid-primitive level during rasterization reduces the time from when preemption is initiated to when another process can execute because the entire triangle is not rasterized.
US09710863B2
A device and method are disclosed for optimizing self-power consumption. The device may sense one or more operating conditions of the device. The device may further select one or more operating parameters associated with at least one of the one or more operating conditions. The device may also estimate a power consumption associated with executing an algorithm to generate at least one updated value for at least one of the one or more operating parameters as well as estimate a power savings associated with operating using the updated value. The device may compare the estimated power consumption to the estimated power savings and determine whether to execute the algorithm based on the comparing.
US09710855B2
A trading screen may include a plurality of next trade quantity regions that comprise a plurality of locations, each location being associated a price on a price axis. The quantities can be entered into the various locations in the next trade quantity regions and the entered quantities can be used as a parameter of a future trade order at the associated price level. The trading screen may also include a plurality of quantity entry regions that are displayed with respect to the price axis. The quantity entry columns may each include plurality of sub-regions or locations corresponding to different price levels in the price axis. The quantity entry columns may be used to specify next traded quantities that may be used in placing orders for tradeable objects.
US09710853B2
A data processing system manages collateral risk associated with a trade of a financial instrument includes memory coupled to a processor, the memory containing a database configured to store a ruleset relating to determining eligibility of collateral to be considered for a desired trade. A collateral analysis module determines a collateral preference ranking of one or more security positions eligible for use as collateral for the trade by applying the ruleset via an algorithm executed by the processor so as to confirm an eligibility of security positions eligible for use as collateral for the trade by testing in accordance with the ruleset.
US09710849B2
A system and method for displaying items for bid at a silent auction including, a display device, having at least one display face, for exhibiting a panel having advertising indicia relating to an item offered for bid at the silent auction, and a code on the panel that corresponds to the item offered for bid, such that the code may be entered by a bidder at a remote location relative to the display device for bidding on the item. The system further including a support member for suspending the display device at a first distance from the support member, and at a second distance from a flooring surface of a venue at which the silent auction is being held; and means for removably and rotatably suspending the display device from the support member.
US09710838B2
Building of computing system in accordance with predictive build based on marginal cost acceptablity
Features to include within a predictive build of a computing system are selected. The predictive build is an anticipated final build of the computing system prior to receiving a firm customer order for the computing system in accordance with which an actual final build of the computing system is then built. A marginal cost of first building the predictive build and then modifying the predictive build to realize the actual final build, as compared to building the actual final build without first building the predictive build and then modifying predictive build to realize the actual final build, is estimated based on the features selected. Responsive to determining that the marginal cost is less than a predetermined acceptable marginal cost limit, the predictive build is built prior to receiving the firm customer order, and then is modified to realize the actual final build upon receiving the firm customer order.
US09710836B1
A system and method for tracking a weapon, wherein a server computing system tracks, analyzes, evaluates, and resources data, statistics, perceptions, and relationships for weapon transactions, storage, transporting, practice, training, holding, aiming, firing, cleaning, and/or the like.
US09710832B1
A method for facilitating a card-based bill payment service for a customer of a biller may include (1) receiving a request from the customer to initiate the card-based bill payment service; (2) collecting customer information, the customer information including at least customer account information with the biller and card account information; (3) providing the customer information to the biller over a communications network; and (4) using a computer processor, monitoring the customer's card account for biller activity. A method for facilitating a change from an existing card account to a new card account in a bill payment service for the customer of a biller may include (1) receiving a request to update card information for the bill payment service; (2) receiving the new card account information; (3) providing the existing card account information and new card account information to the biller over a communications network; and (4) using a computer processor, monitoring the customer's new card account for biller activity. A method for transferring funds from an issuer to a biller may include (1) issuing a card to a customer, the card associated with a card account; (2) receiving a invoice for a charge from the biller to the customer; (3) posting the invoice to the customer's card account; and (4) transferring funds related to the invoice to the biller by one of electronic funds transfer and check.
US09710830B1
A method and system for dynamic pricing of web services utilization. According to one embodiment, a method may include dynamically predicting utilization of a web services computing resource that is expected to occur during a given interval of time, and dependent upon the dynamically predicted utilization, setting a price associated with utilization of the web services computing resource occurring during the given interval of time. The method may further include providing the price to a customer.
US09710826B1
The present invention relates generally to a system and method of providing for the displaying of third-party multimedia advertising content and controlling the review of at least one multimedia content file using an interactive advertising application program configured for use on a mobile device. The application program is configured for scanning an encoded image framed by an interactive frame with at least one embedded hyperlink or icon within, which activates the at least one embedded hyperlink or icon, and upon activation, the at least one encoded image with an icon may be used for accessing and controlling the review of the at least one multimedia content file. However, prior to the displaying of the at least one multimedia content file, the third-party multimedia advertising content may be displayed, thereby allowing for a revenue generating for all third-party multimedia advertising content displayed.
US09710819B2
A computing system accepts audio from one or more sources, parses the audio into chunks, and transcribes the chunks in substantially real time. Some transcription is performed automatically, while other transcription is performed by humans who listen to the audio and enter the words spoken and/or the intent of the caller (such as directions given to the system). The system provides for participants a user interface that is updated in substantially real time with the transcribed text from the audio stream(s). A single audio line can be used for simple transcription, and multiple audio lines are used to provide a real-time transcript of a conference call, deposition, or the like. A pool of analysts creates, checks, and/or corrects transcription, and callers/observers can even assist in the correction process through their respective user interfaces. Ads derived from the transcript are displayed together with the text in substantially real time.
US09710812B2
A method for providing social network payments includes receiving a request to make a payment. The request is associated with a social network payer and a social network payee. It is determined that the social network payer is associated with a first payment provider identifier and an authorization token, and a second payment provider identifier for the social network payee is then retrieved using the authorization token. An instruction to make a payment from the social network payer to the social network payee is then transmitted to a payment service provider. The instruction includes a payment amount, the first payment provider identifier, and the second payment provider identifier. A payment alert is also adapted for a payee social network associated with the social network payee, and the payment alert is send to a social network provider device associated with the payee social network.
US09710811B2
A central transaction server in electronic commerce card authorization system enables the electronic commerce card association to manage and monitor the authentication system. The central transaction server acts as an intermediary for all communications between the access control server used for authentication. If any portion of the authentication system fails, the central transaction server compensates by providing appropriate responses to other portions of the system. The centralized transaction server translates all incoming traffic into a format compatible with the intended recipient, enabling portions of the system to be upgraded without breaking compatibility with the non-upgraded portions. The centralized transaction server also enables the integration of formally separate portions of the authentication system into a single unit. The directory and the authentication history servers can be integrated into the central transaction server, and the central transaction server can initiate charges to the electronic commerce card automatically, bypassing the card acquirer.
US09710808B2
Methods and systems are provided for the exchange of digital cash employing protocols for various entities to separately certify the validity of the parties, values and transactions while maintaining the anonymity of the buyer or user of the digital cash. Encrypted connections are established allowing various parties to enter into transactions to buy, sell, exchange and recover digital cash using a secure method that protects the personal information and identity of the user. The parties exchange tokens for other value in a transaction of financial settlement between themselves and wherein they are the only parties with knowledge of the amount and description of the transaction and in this way mimics a traditional cash transaction.
US09710805B2
A system including a memory storing user account information with a payment provider associated with specific merchants, and a method for use of the system are provided. The system includes one or more processors in communication with the memory and adapted to: receive login information from a user from a merchant website; access an account of the user with the payment provider; cause information for the account of the user to be displayed on the merchant website; and process a payment to the merchant from the account of the user.
US09710804B2
Provided is a method for issuing single-use and multiple-use virtual payment cards via a mobile and wearable device. The method may include receiving a card issuance request from a user, prompting the user to enter a user authentication information, accessing a user account maintained by a card issuer, generating the virtual payment card based on payment data of the user account, and providing the virtual payment card to the mobile and wearable device. The method may continue with receiving a transaction request from a merchant and matching merchant identification data provided by the user in the card issuance request and merchant identification data provide by the merchant. If the match of the merchant identification data is determined, the method may continue with authorizing a payment transaction by transferring a payment amount from the virtual payment card to a merchant account associated with the merchant.
US09710803B2
A mobile terminal is provided. The mobile terminal includes a short-range communicator, a security server and a payment method thereof, the mobile terminal including a short-range communicator which exchanges data by a predetermined short-range technology, a payment processor which performs a payment process corresponding to a preset standard in response to a user's request for payment, and a secure world which communicates with the payment processor, extracts secure information from data and stores the data therein and masks the secure information from the outside. Thus, the secure data may be masked at the time of communication with the outside.
US09710801B2
A system, method, and article of manufacture for splitting a shared financial obligation is disclosed. The method may comprise receiving, by a bill splitting computer-based system, a single record of charge (ROC) associated with a purchase by one or more members of a group, and splitting, by the bill splitting computer-based system, the ROC between the members of the group.
US09710794B2
A method assigns token requirements to service subscriptions in a service platform, such as a service platform containing entities or a database containing a plurality of said entities. The operator of the service platform establishes customization factors and maintains records reserving data services associated with token requirements for delivery to entities. In addition, customization factors are determined from values representing information associated with objects in a database. Token requirements associated with data services are calculated from one or more formulas utilizing customization factors. Sponsorships associated with the entities can be accepted by the service platform. The service platform can apply credit toward the fulfillment of token requirements. An entity can be provided a data service based on a relationship with a sponsorship such that an entity assigned a subscription having a token requirement fulfilled as a result of applying credit from a sponsorship will receive services related to the subscription.
US09710793B2
Arrangements described relate to associating a meeting room with a meeting. A meeting invitation being accessed by a first recipient can be identified, wherein the meeting invitation is sent to a plurality of recipients. A location associated with the first recipient of the meeting invitation can be identified, and whether the location associated with the first recipient is similar to a location associated with a sender of the meeting invitation can be determined. Responsive to determining that the location associated with the first recipient is not similar to the location associated with a sender of the meeting invitation, the first recipient can be prompted to reserve a meeting room at the location associated with the first recipient. Responsive to receiving from the first recipient an indication of the meeting room being reserved, an association between the meeting and the meeting room can be created.
US09710782B2
A server device includes a communication unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to perform determining whether or not the residual amount of recording material in a cartridge is equal to or less than a first threshold, and determining whether or not the estimated number of cartridges is equal to or less than a second threshold. In response to determining that the recording material is not more than the first threshold and the number of cartridges is not more than the second threshold, the control unit transmits to an external device via the communication unit an order instruction to deliver a cartridge to the user of the image forming apparatus.
US09710779B1
An order server operated by a restaurant service communicates with a restaurant server and a driver to retrieve incentive based food preparation and delivery time frames for an order. Using the time frames, the order server formulate a list of incentive based delivery plans, and provides the list to a diner device. From the diner device, the order server receives a selected incentive based delivery plan for the order from the list.
US09710777B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for processing information related to a terminal operating system. In one exemplary implantation, there is provided a method for providing information of terminal operating system management. The method may include processing information related to an input to manage the terminal operating system management. Other exemplary implementations may include processing to generate a result such that an output of a result of the managed terminal operating system management functionality is produced.
US09710772B1
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for determining a user's proximity to a reference location or a user's orientation in relation to an output device associated with the reference location and modifying one or more attributes of information presented to the user based on the detected proximity or orientation. The attributes that may be modified include, among other things, a size of visual information presented to the user, an intensity of audible or haptic information presented to the user, an orientation of the output device, and so forth. In addition, at least a portion of information initially presented to a user via a first output device may instead be presented to the user via a second output device based on the user's proximity to one or more reference locations, the user's orientation in relation to the first and second output devices, or attribute(s) of the user.
US09710763B2
A system for understanding and storing knowledge and plans in a speakable, formal class of languages, allowing querying and retrieving of that knowledge and plan (conversation), and of deciding and acting (volition) upon such plans is provided. The system further allows the users to input data, instructions, questions, queries, imperatives, and plans without structure or rules over and above the actual grammar of the class of languages. The system responds in words, phrases, complete sentences, or actions, as applicable, and its output is bound by the rules of logic, rather than correlation or likely meaning.
US09710759B2
In accordance with one aspect, methods and apparatus facilitate the filtering of unsolicited bulk electronic mail (email) sent from spammers. A plurality of recipient patterns for a plurality of emails from known spammers is logged. A plurality of recipient patterns for a plurality of emails from known non-spammers is also logged. A probabilistic model for predicting whether an unknown sender identity is a spammer is generated or modified based on the logged recipient patterns for the emails from known spammers and known non-spammers.
US09710758B2
In a quantum processor some couplers couple a given qubit to a nearest neighbor qubit (e.g., vertically and horizontally in an ordered 2D array), other couplers couple to next-nearest neighbor qubits (e.g., diagonally in the ordered 2D array). Couplers may include half-couplers, to selectively provide communicative coupling between a given qubit and other qubits, which may or may not be nearest or even next-nearest-neighbors. Tunable couplers selective mediate communicative coupling. A control system may impose a connectivity on a quantum processor, different than an “as designed” or “as manufactured” physical connectivity. Imposition may be via a digital processor processing a working or updated working graph, to map or embed a problem graph. A set of exclude qubits may be created from a comparison of hardware and working graphs. An annealing schedule may adjust a respective normalized inductance of one or more qubits, for instance to exclude certain qubits.
US09710748B2
A circuit for performing neural network computations for a neural network comprising a plurality of neural network layers, the circuit comprising: a matrix computation unit configured to, for each of the plurality of neural network layers: receive a plurality of weight inputs and a plurality of activation inputs for the neural network layer, and generate a plurality of accumulated values based on the plurality of weight inputs and the plurality of activation inputs; and a vector computation unit communicatively coupled to the matrix computation unit and configured to, for each of the plurality of neural network layers: apply an activation function to each accumulated value generated by the matrix computation unit to generate a plurality of activated values for the neural network layer.
US09710742B2
A scannable code is used to facilitate copy and paste of content, wherein the content is serialized and encoded directly into the scannable code along with context information. When the scannable code is decoded, the content is pasted into a desired location in a manner that is consistent with the content information.
US09710736B2
A rendering apparatus of the present invention determines one of a plurality of estimation methods used for estimating a time required to render printing data, on a basis of features of a plurality of rendering objects included in the printing data, and estimates the time required to render the printing data by the determined method.
US09710733B2
Example embodiments presented herein are directed towards the implementation of a FPGA where a printing core may be dynamically reconfigured with respect to a currently used printing type. Example embodiments are also directed towards print handling, direct memory access printing, and the use of an internal FPGA timer.
US09710726B2
Disclosed is a computer implemented method for identifying a component tile within a target image. The method receives a plurality of distinct component tiles and overlays the plurality of component tiles to form an overlaid image. The overlaying is based on an embedded parameter value for each component tile. The method compares the target image with the overlayed image to determine a matching parameter value, and identifies a component tile within the target image by determining that the embedded parameter value of the component tile is the closest of the embedded parameter values to the matching parameter value.
US09710724B2
Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with multi-camera devices are disclosed herein. In embodiments, a multi-camera device may include 3 or more camera sensors disposed on a world facing side of the multi-camera device. Further, the multi-camera device may be configured to provide a soft shutter button at a location on an opposite side to the world facing side, coordinated with locations of the 3 or more camera sensors that reduces likelihood of blocking of one or more of the 3 or more camera sensors. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.
US09710721B2
Methods are provided for automatically performing atmospheric compensation of a multi or hyper spectral image. One method comprises transforming at least two endmembers extracted from an image into at-ground reflectance. The transformation may be approximate and/or only in certain spectral bands in order to reduce processing time. A matching component is then located in a spectral library for each of the at least two extracted endmembers. Gain and offset values are then calculated using the at least two matched extracted endmember and spectral library component pairs. At least part of the image is then compensated using the calculated gain and offset values. Another method uses at least one endmember extracted from the image and a black level. Methods for atmospheric compensation using water vapor content of pixels are also provided. In addition, methods for shadow correction of hyper and multi spectral images are provided.
US09710717B1
Apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for generating data representative of vehicle operator distractions. More particularly, apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for generating data representative of vehicle operator distractions based on vehicle interior image data.
US09710703B1
A method for detecting texts included in a specific image is disclosed. The method includes steps of: (a) an apparatus detecting or allowing another device to detect one or more text candidates in the specific image by referring to feature values of pixels in the specific image; (b) the apparatus classifying or allowing another device to classify one or more weak texts in the specific image as strong texts by referring to information on at least one text classified as the strong text in another image related to the specific image if more than a certain percentage of the detected text candidates are classified as the weak texts as a result of comparison between at least one threshold value and at least one feature value of at least one pixel selected in a region where the detected text candidates are included or a value converted from the feature value.
US09710700B2
A system for activity monitoring includes a tracking component, an activity identification component, a procedural component, and a notification component. The tracking component tracks an individual and one or more objects in a work area using a three-dimensional tracking system. The activity identification component identifies an activity of the individual and any of the one or more objects that are affected by the activity. The procedural component determines whether the activity violates one or more procedural rules pertaining to one or more of the individual, the work area, and the one or more objects. The notification component provides a notification of a violation.
US09710698B2
The present invention provides a method for obtaining a human-face feature vector from a video image sequence, comprising: detecting a same human-face image in a plurality of image frames of the video sequence; dividing the detected human-face image into a plurality of local patches with a predetermined size, wherein each local patch is around or near a human-face feature point; determining a correspondence relationship between respective local patches of the same human-face image in the plurality of image frames of the video sequence; and using human-face local feature vector components extracted from respective local patches having a mutual correspondence relationship to form human-face local feature vectors representing facial points corresponding to the local patches. Besides, the present invention further provides an apparatus for obtaining a human-face feature vector from a video image sequence and a corresponding computer program product.
US09710692B2
An imaging device includes: an illumination portion which includes a light-transmitting transmission region and a light-shielding non-transmission region, has a plurality of simultaneous light-emitting elements that have a light-transmitting property, include a plurality of first light-emitting elements in which turning-on and turning-off are simultaneously controlled and a plurality of second light-emitting elements in which turning-on and turning-off are simultaneously controlled, and are provided in the transmission region, and has a plurality of individual light-emitting elements in which turning-on and turning-off are individually controlled and which are provided in the non-transmission region; an imaging portion which receives light that is reflected from a subject illuminated by the illumination portion and is transmitted through the transmission region; and a switching portion which selectively turns on the plurality of first light-emitting elements and the plurality of second light-emitting elements in a first period in which the plurality of individual light-emitting elements are turned off, and turns off the plurality of simultaneous light-emitting elements in a second period in which the plurality of individual light-emitting elements are turned on.
US09710684B2
An imaging system includes a camera having a field of view, a set of axially spaced moveable mirrors supported on a rotor to rotate the mirrors within the field of view of the camera, and a set of stationary mirrors supported to redirect the fields of view from the set of moveable mirrors to provide multiple fields of view at different angles.
US09710683B2
A control and processing system for use with an interrogator and an interrogation system employing the same. In one embodiment, the control and processing system includes a correlation subsystem having a correlator that correlates a reference code with a reply code from a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and provides a correlation signal therefrom. The control and processing system also includes a decision subsystem that verifies a presence of the RFID tag as a function of the correlation signal.
US09710681B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a communication system, a relay communication device, a combination of the relay communication device and the electromagnetic induction communication device, an electromagnetic induction communication device, an information storage medium, and an information storage medium manufacturing method, in which a communication system communicating through electromagnetic induction can be implemented at low cost. A relay automatic ticket gate system provides the following. An IC card 40 includes an IC chip capable of communicating through electromagnetic induction, and a pair of conductive plates. A relay communication device includes a relay loop antenna, and a pair of conductive rails. An electromagnetic induction ticket gate communicates through electromagnetic induction between a ticket gate loop antenna communicating with a relay loop antenna through electromagnetic induction, and a relay communication device. A ticket gate control unit executes processing of communication with the IC chip.
US09710674B2
A method for executing applications on an untrusted device includes selecting one or more applications as sensitive applications. One or more instruction sequences of the said one or more sensitive applications are modified by an external dongle. The one or more sensitive applications are executed on the untrusted device according to the modified instruction sequences. Whether correct execution of the instructions of the said modified instruction sequences has occurred is checked by the external dongle.
US09710673B2
Some embodiments provide a program that synchronizes a keychain stored on a device with a set of other devices. The keychain includes a set of keychain items. The program receives (1) a list of keychain items for updating the keychain stored on the device and (2) data representing the keychain items specified in the list of keychain items. For each keychain item in the list of keychain items, the program updates the keychain stored on the device with the data that represents the keychain item.
US09710668B2
A computer-based method and system of distributing biological sample data acquired as a digital image of a subject biological sample. The acquired digital image and image capture data are processed according to at least one user. This results in processed image data and capture metadata. The processed image data represents biological sample data of the subject biological sample. A package processing combines the processed image data and capture metadata into a working Package. The method and system enables simultaneous electronic access to the working Package by multiple users, across multiple sectors, in addition to the one user.
US09710666B2
In computer-based user authentication, a user performs an image-based log-in comprising a set of actions on at least one verification image on a display screen. Users are authenticated by a computer comparing the set of actions against a key definition for the verification image. The set of actions may include selecting a target location on the image, selecting target locations in a selected order and/or with a selected pattern, superimposing a target location with a selected overlay, covering target locations with overlays in a selected superimposing order and/or pattern. The user may define the set of actions and verification image to establish the log-in. The user may also establish or enhance security for a component of a multi-component password, which may be an image-based password; one method is to encrypt the position of at least one target location and to modify the encryption as frequently as desired.
US09710662B2
An image processing apparatus may include a communication device, an image processing device, a reception device, at least one processor, and a memory. The communication device may be configured to communicate with a server. The reception device may be configured to receive first authentication data and a request for using the server. The memory may store computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the image processing apparatus to: allow a user to login when the first authentication data satisfies a prescribed authentication condition; automatically request, to the server, permission to use the server regardless of whether the reception device receives the request, once the user has logged in; and execute an image process using both the image processing device and the server.
US09710650B2
A method of detecting a cold-boot attack on an integrated circuit including the steps of: transferring, into a first volatile memory of the integrated circuit, a pattern stored in a non-volatile memory of the circuit; periodically causing a switching down and a switching up of the first volatile memory; and verifying that the number of bits having switched state is within a range of values.
US09710647B2
The present disclosure relates to allowing the utilization of a virus scanner and cleaner that operates primarily in the pre-boot phase of computer operation and, more particularly, to allowing the utilization of a virus scanner and cleaner that operates primarily during the loading of an operating system.
US09710644B2
This disclosure provides techniques for pooling and searching network security events reported by multiple sources. As information representing a security event is received from one source, it is searched against a central or distributed database representing events reported from multiple, diverse sources (e.g., different client networks). Either the search or correlated results can be filtered and/or routed according at least one characteristic associated with the networks, for example, to limit correlation to events reported by what are presumed to be similarly situated networks. The disclosed techniques facilitate faster identification of high-relevancy security event information, and thereby help facilitate faster threat identification and mitigation. Various techniques can be implemented as standalone software (e.g., for use by a private network) or for a central pooling and/or query service. This disclosure also provides different examples of actions that can be taken in response to search results.
US09710636B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, program products and systems to reduce mistakes in production and management of digital identification cards. Embodiments of the present invention can create a digital card template design using graphical icons in a user interface display and publish the created digital card template design to a server. Embodiments of the present invention can access the server to test the published digital card template design using sample data and deploy the published digital card template design to an issuing service. Embodiments of the present invention can, responsive to receiving an acquisition URL from the issuing service, build an instance of a digital identification card from information included in the acquisition URL.
US09710635B2
A digital programmable smart card terminal device and token collectively known as the token device is disclosed. The token device comprises a field programmable token device which accepts a user's smart card. The combination of token device and smart card may then be used for a variety of applications that include user authentication, secure access, encryption. One specific application is that of an electronic wallet. In one embodiment, an electronic smart card terminal includes a smart card reader adapted to receive and communicate with a smart card having smart card data stored thereon; token personality logic programmed based on the smart card data as a token personality subsequent to insertion of the smart card in the smart card reader; and a communications mechanism for communicating authentication data derived from the token personality. Since the smart card terminal only gains its token personality when a smart card is inserted, manufacture and distribution of the terminal on a wide scale is possible.
US09710625B2
The present invention is generally directed toward a mobile device that can be used in a secure access system. More specifically, the mobile device can have credential data loaded thereon remotely updated, enabled, disabled, revoked, or otherwise altered with a message sent from, for example, a control panel and/or controller in the system.
US09710617B2
Systems and methods are described which utilize a recursive security protocol for the protection of digital data. These may include encrypting a bit stream with a first encryption algorithm and associating a first decryption algorithm with the encrypted bit stream. The resulting bit stream may then be encrypted with a second encryption algorithm to yield a second bit stream. This second bit stream is then associated with a second decryption algorithm. This second bit stream can then be decrypted by an intended recipient using associated keys.
US09710615B1
Mechanisms are disclosed herein for storing various records. Numerous keys and parties can access online repositories. These repositories contain a plurality of lockboxes, structured hierarchically and otherwise, providing public and private areas with varying levels of access. Some content of such lockboxes can be sharable. These lockboxes can be used not only to store diverse content, ranging from birth certificates to deeds and social security numbers, but they can also be accessed in a variety of ways. For example, keys to lockboxes can be made available by such events as the issuing of death certificates or birth certificates. Alternatively, keys can be issued according to various rules and heuristics stipulated by lockbox users. In either case, the plurality of lockboxes residing in repositories can be configured to provide centralized storage facilities that are secure and readily accessible from various computing devices.
US09710611B2
A method of managing insulin includes receiving blood glucose measurements on a computing device from a glucometer. The blood glucose measurements are separated by a time interval. The method includes determining, by the computing device, an insulin dose rate based on the blood glucose measurements and determining a blood glucose drop rate based on the blood glucose measurements and the time interval. The method also includes determining a blood glucose percentage drop based on the blood glucose measurements. The method includes decreasing the time interval between blood glucose measurements by the glucometer when the blood glucose drop rate is greater than a threshold drop rate, and decreasing the time interval between blood glucose measurements by the glucometer when the blood glucose percentage drop is greater than a threshold percentage drop.
US09710610B2
An enteral fluid delivery system includes a pump having a motor coupled to a rotor configured to accept a portion of a tubing of a feeding set. The motor drives the rotor, which compresses the tubing to deliver to a patient enteral fluid during a feeding cycle. The system includes a user interface that is operatively connected to a memory that stores a plurality of types of enteral fluids. The user interface enables a user to select at least one type of enteral fluid. The system also includes a processor that is operatively connected to the pump. The processor adjusts the flow rate of the pump to deliver the selected enteral fluid for delivery based on one or more characteristics of the feeding fluid such as the viscosity or the caloric content.
US09710609B2
A system of enhanced distribution of pharmaceuticals in long-term care facilities are provided. An embodiment of a system includes one or more pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines each positioned in a long-term care facility remote from a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication therewith, and long-term care facility pharmacy management computer programs associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to enhance use of the one or more of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines. The long-term care facility management computer programs include a patient prescription receiver and a medication dispensing apparatus administrator and are configured and operable to transmit dispensing instructions to the one or more pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines when no drug conflicts exist to thereby initiate packaging and dispensing of one or more disposable patient dosing packages.
US09710606B2
Method and system for microbiome-derived diagnostics and therapeutics for neurological health issues
A method for at least one of characterizing, diagnosing and treating a neurological health issue in at least a subject, the method comprising: receiving an aggregate set of biological samples from a population of subjects; generating at least one of a microbiome composition dataset and a microbiome functional diversity dataset for the population of subjects; generating a characterization of the neurological health issue based upon features extracted from at least one of the microbiome composition dataset and the microbiome functional diversity dataset; based upon the characterization, generating a therapy model configured to correct the neurological health issue; and at an output device associated with the subject, promoting a therapy to the subject based upon the characterization and the therapy model.
US09710600B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on non-transitory computer readable storage media, for integrating with an electronic health record system to permit healthcare providers, health insurance companies, and healthcare analytics providers to manage healthcare gaps in real-time.
US09710597B2
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for facilitating trusted handling of genomic and/or other bioinformatic information. Certain embodiments may facilitate policy-based governance of access to and/or use of bioinformatic information, improved interaction with and/or use of distributed bioinformatic information, parallelization of various processes involving bioinformatic information, and/or reduced user involvement in bioinformatic workflow processes, and/or the like. Further embodiments may provide for memoization processes that may persistently store final and/or intermediate results of computations performed using genomic data for use in connection with future computations.
US09710592B2
A metal interconnect structure, a system and method of manufacture, wherein a design layout includes results in forming at least two trenches of different trench depths. The method uses a slightly modified BEOL processing stack to prevent metal interconnect structures from encroaching upon an underlying hard mask dielectric or metallic hard mask layer. Thus two trench depths are obtained by tuning parameters of the system and allowing areas exposed by two masks to have deeper trenches. Here, the BEOL Stack processing is modified to enable two trench depths by using a hardmask that defines the lowest etch depth. The design may be optimized by software which optimizes a design for electromigration (or setup timing violations) by utilizing secondary trench depths, checking space opportunity around wires, pushing wires out to generate space and converting a wire to deep trench wire.
US09710589B2
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for reducing the area of a semiconductor structure. A spacing violation may be detected for a gap width used to separate first and second regions of a layer of semiconductor material. In response to detecting the violation, the first and second regions are merged into a combined region, and then a cut mask layer is formed above the combined region. Next, an etch process is performed through the cut mask layer to remove an exposed third region within the combined region, wherein the exposed third region is interposed between first and second region portions of the combined region.
US09710588B2
A method of includes determining a first set of width bias values of an i-th set of layout patterns of an original layout according a first type width variation. The original layout has N sets of layout patterns corresponding to N masks, where the i-th set of layout patterns has an i-th mask assignment corresponding to an i-th mask of the N masks. The order index i is an integer from 1 to N, and N is an integer and greater than 1. A second set of width bias values of the i-th set of layout patterns of the original layout is determined according to a second type width variation. The modified layout is generated based on the first and second sets of width bias values of the i-th set of layout patterns.
US09710569B2
A system and method for managing data transfer operations includes at least one data server including data stored in a plurality of data fields, at least one transaction server operatively coupled to the at least one data server and configured to provide at least one customizable business rule and a customer relationship application, an information server operatively coupled to the at least one transaction server, and at least one workstation operatively coupled to the information server. The least one workstation includes local memory accessible to the customer relationship application and configured to provide web communication and presentation services to a user of the at least one workstation that are deployed on the information server. The at least one customizable business rule specifies a mapping between the plurality of data fields and the local memory, the mapping having been provided by the user interacting with the web communication and presentation services.
US09710568B2
A method, system, and computer program product for transforming RDF quads to relational views. The method commences by receiving a named graph, the named graph comprising at least one RDF quad, and analyzing the named graph to produce analysis metadata. The method uses the analysis metadata to generate relational views. The method further comprises publishing a relational view in the form of a SPARQL query. The quality of the results can be quantitatively measured and reported by calculating a goodness score based at least in part on aspects of the relational view definitions. Several variants for transformation include generating relational view definitions formed using a named-graph strict variant, or a named-graph relaxed variant, or a named-graph agnostic variant. The transformations can form outputs responsive to characteristics or properties such as a number of classes, a number of single-valued properties, a number of nullability properties, or a number of type-uniformed ranges.
US09710567B1
Automated publication recommendation includes: obtaining, from a social networking site, social networking activity information pertaining to a set of social networking activities performed by a plurality of contacts on the social networking site; determining, at the social media management platform, a recommended time for the user to publish content on the social networking site such that the content is viewable by the plurality of contacts associated with the user, the determination being based at least in part on the social networking activity information that is obtained, and the recommended time being a time during which the plurality of contacts are deemed to be active on the social networking site; presenting the recommended time to the user; receiving an indication from the user to publish the content at the recommended time; and sending the content to the social networking site to be published at the recommended time.
US09710565B2
In a method for utilizing multiple social computing services of a user, a processor accesses a first networking service of a user and a second networking service of the user, wherein the first networking service includes a first group of contacts connected with the user and the second networking service includes a second group of contacts connected with the user. A processor retrieves the first group from the first networking service and the second group from the second networking service. A processor creates a set of contacts, wherein the set of contacts includes each contact of the first group of contacts with a corresponding link to information about that contact, and each contact of the second group of contacts with a corresponding link to information about that contact, and wherein a contact of the set of contacts has an associated relationship, established externally from either networking service, with the user.
US09710559B2
Systems and methods are provided for optimizing displays in one or more user interfaces. An exemplary method may include retrieving web entries from a database and generating a plurality of candidates based on the retrieved web entries, where each web entry of the web entries is a clickable item that is displayed on the one or more user interfaces. Additionally, provide the plurality of candidates for display on the one or more user interfaces and determine click-through rates for each of the plurality of candidates. Thereafter, create a display pool of candidates to display from plurality of candidates based on the click-through rates and update the display pool of candidates responsive to retrieving additional web entries from the database.
US09710556B2
Techniques for content recommendation are described. Some embodiments provide a content recommendation system (“CRS”) configured to recommend content items that are related to a collection of entities. A content item may be considered related to a collection of entities based on various factors, including whether and how often the article references or otherwise covers the entities of the collection, the size of the article, other entities that are covered by the article but that are not in the collection, article recency, or article credibility. Recommending content items may also or instead include determining entities that are related to a collection. An entity can be considered related to a collection based on various factors, such as whether the entity is of the same or similar type to entities of the collection, or whether the entity appears in some article in a relationship with one or more entities of the collection.
US09710548B2
A semantic search engine is enhanced to employ user preferences to customize answer output by, for a first user, extracting user preferences and sentiment levels associated with a first question; receiving candidate answer results of a semantic search of the first question; weighting the candidate answer results according to the sentiment levels for each of the user preferences; and producing the selected candidate answers to the first user. Optionally, user preferences and sentiment levels may be accumulated over different questions for the same user, or over different users for similar questions. And, supplemental information may be retrieved relative to a user preference in order to further tune the weighting per the preferences and sentiment levels.
